A Pennsylvania Dutch Genealogy
the genealogy & family research site of Kris Hocker
I’ve recently been following the Middletown PA Dauphin Co History Page on Facebook. Lots of good, historic photos of Middletown and it’s environs.
Middletown Borough sits at the junction of Swatara Creek and the Susquehanna River, south and east of Harrisburg International Airport. It was founded in 1755 and incorporated in 1828.
The Census Bureau has created an interactive map that shows the geographic center of United States population as of each census, starting in 1790, through the last census (2010). The map also visually demonstrates the addition of states through the census years.
As you can see from the map, the American population has shifted west and the south over the past 120 years. This reflects the sweep of the American population to the frontier, pushing it onward as it was settled and new lands opened up.
My 3x great-grandfather Joel Wolf died 18 November 1895 in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. He was 85 years, 5 months and 24 days old.1 He was buried in Fairview Cemetery, Allentown on Thursday, 21 November 1895.
Obituary
Joel Wolf died at his home, No 130 South Penn Street, at 2 o’clock yesterday morning of enlargement of the heart and dropsy, from which he suffered a long time. He was born 85 years ago in Upper Hanover township, Montgomery County. Sixty years ago was married to Elizabeth Krauss. They were parents of sixteen children, five of whom died. The mother and the following children survive: Henry, of Philadelphia; Edwin, Joel and Horace of this city; Daniel of Salisbury, Jonathan of Newberry, Lycoming County, Carolyn, wife of Charles Gierlich, of East Greenville, Emeline, wife of Joseph Miller of Bucks County; Sarah, wife of Albert Lentz of Allentown and Leanne and Elmira, single who reside at home. Besides these there are twenty-two grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. The deceased was a laborer by occupation and was thirty-five years a resident of Allentown. His wife is 81 years of age. The funeral will take place on Thursday morning at 10 o’clock. Services in Zion’s Reformed Church.2
Joel Wolf was born 25 May 1810 in Upper Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania3, possibly the son of Jacob Wolf of Milford Township, Bucks County. He married Elizabeth Krauss, daughter of George and Christina (Schultz) Krauss, about 1831. Elizabeth was born 13 June 18144 and died in 1900.5
According to the Genealogical Record of the Schwenkfelder Families, Joel and Elizabeth (Krauss) Wolf had children:
Joel’s daughters Susanna Krauss Wolf and Caroline Krauss Wolf were each married to my 2x great-grandfather Karl Philipp “Charles” Greulich, a German-immigrant and shoemaker, who settled in East Greenville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Charles and Susanna were married on 30 November 1861. Susanna (Wolf) Greulich died 3 Jun 18636 and Charles married her sister Caroline on 17 August 1864.7
The Krauss family can be traced back to immigrant Anna (Heidrig) Krauss, who came to Pennsylvania in 1733 as the widow of Melchoir Krauss, arriving with the second group of Schwenkfelder families.
This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my tenth 52 Ancestors post and part of week nine.
Last week I wrote about Joseph Snyder and my search for his father. This week I’m turning my attention to his father-in-law, Peter Deischer of Hereford Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
Peter Deischer was born 12 August 1793 and died 23 April 1861.1 He married Maria Trump2 by summer 1815.3 Maria (Trump) Deischer was born 22 August 1791 and died on 10 September 1874 (or 1875).4
The family resided in Hereford Township from 1820 through 1870, where Peter was a farmer. In 1820, the family was enumerated with “Peter Deisher” as the head of household:5
Adjoining households in the census list included Jacob Deisher, John Deisher and Henry Trump.
Ten years later, “Peter Deshard” was listed as the head of household and the family included:6
Nearby households of interest included: Jacob Deshar.
In 1840, “Peter Deisher” was the head of household. It included:7
Other households of interest on the page include: Jacob Deisher, George Deisher, Charles Deisher, and Michael Trump.
Peter’s household in 1850 had thinned out somewhat. It included:8
In 1860, “Peter Dysher’s” household included:9
Peter died in 1861. In 1870, Maria (Trump) Deischer was included in Charles Deysher’s dwelling:10
Charles Deischer served as administrator for his parents’ estates. He did not file paperwork until 1875, after his mother’s death.11 There was some dissension in the family about Charles’ handling of the estate—in particular payment for the building of a barn on the farm. Charles expected the estate to pay for it as the farm was not rentable without a barn. His sisters did not recall discussing and approving it and the court was required to step in. As a result, the paperwork includes the names of several of his sisters and their spouses.
Based on the probate and census records, Peter and Maria (Trump) Deischer had children, as follows:
It’s possible there were more children born to the couple who did not survive. Church records would be a next step to find out. I’m also wondering if Peter was related to Daniel Deisher/Teysher who can be found in the 1790 and 1800 census records for Hereford Township and if Maria (Trump) Deischer is related to the Henry Trump who was listed just after Peter in the 1820 census. Two tantalizing prospects for additional research. Wonder what I’ll be able to find about them.
Peter and Maria (Trump) Deischer are my 4x great grandparents.
This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my eighth 52 Ancestors post and part of week seven.
For the longest time my Snyder family research has been stuck at my 3x great grandfather Joseph Snyder. According to his gravestone, he was born 2 January 1826 and died 4 November 1895 at the age of 68 years, 10 months and 2 days.1 I’ve found him in census records from 1850 through 1880, the last surviving enumeration before his death. But I still had no idea who his parents were.
Joseph Snyder tombstone
I decided to see if I could remedy that.
The earliest record I had was the 1850 census. A Joseph Snyder, aged 23, is listed with the Amos Jacoby family in Rockhill Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.2 This Joseph was unmarried—my 3x great grandfather’s first child was born in 1856—and the correct age. A good match. Unfortunately, however, since Joseph wasn’t living at home in 1850, this record did not tell me who his parents were.
In 1860, Joseph was living with his wife and children in Upper Hanover Township, Montgomery County.3 His household included: Joseph, his wife Judith (Deisher), children Irwin, Mary Jane and Henry, and an older woman, Elizabeth Schneider, aged 58. Was this his mother? If so, it seemed to indicate that Joseph’s father was most likely dead by 1860 and possibly by 1850.
Meanwhile, I possess the original document for a 1830 mortgage between Henry Snyder and George Hillegas for 62 acres in Upper Hanover Township. Who was this Henry Snyder? Could he be Joseph’s father? Why would the family have this document after more than 100 years if he’s not related to us?
Looking through census records, I found Henry Snyder in Upper Hanover Township in 18404 and 1830.5 In both records, Henry’s household has a male of the correct age bracket to be Joseph—10-15 in 1840 and under 5 in 1830—and a female of the same approximate age group as Elizabeth Schneider from the 1860 census.
Could it be that simple? Were Henry and Elizabeth Joseph’s parents?
Where was Elizabeth in 1850? I found an Elizabeth Schneider in Upper Hanover Township in 1850, living in the Joseph Gery household.6 The age was off—56 years, instead of the 48, I would have anticipated. But it’s a possibility. If it’s the same woman and she was Joseph’s mother, then Henry was probably deceased prior to 1850.
So, I went looking in Montgomery County estate records for an estate for Henry Snyder who died before 1850. I found nothing that matched date and location.
Bummer.
Taking a break from that seemingly fruitless search, I was reviewing Snyders buried in New Goshenhoppen UCC Cemetery on Findagrave.com and came across Joel Snyder, a contemporary of my Joseph Snyder. Joel is buried in the same section as Joseph, a couple of rows away. Maybe a cousin, I thought.
Then I saw who his father was—Heinrich Schneider, who was also buried in New Goshenhoppen Cemetery. Could this be Joseph’s father? He was a match in age and location to the Henry Snyder from the 1830 and 1840 census records. Joel matched the older male child from those records, too.
The only problem was that Heinrich died in 1860 and his wife’s name was Sarah. However, Sarah died in 1852, so maybe Henry remarried.
As clue, it was worth a little research. Maybe I’d learn something useful—even if he wasn’t Joseph’s father.
A search for Henry in the 1850 census records turned up no match. I found no estate records for a Henry or Heinrich who died in 1860 in Montgomery County. I began to wonder if this was a dead end.
I did, however, find Henry in the 1860 census for Upper Hanover Township.7 His household included Sophia Schneider and Lucy A. Mock and her family—both women matching the age ranges of the young females in Henry’s household in 1840. Joel Schneider, too, was living in Upper Hanover Township in 1860.8
Okay. So, now I was more than a little frustrated. Without an estate record naming Henry’s children, I had no direct information linking Henry to Joseph. Who was the second male in Henry’s household in 1830 and 1840—the one who matched Joseph age-wise? Where was Henry in 1850? Why couldn’t I find him? The 1850 census record might tell me who that second male was. I needed to find it.
I decided to do what I always do when someone isn’t where I expect them to be in the census indices. I go back to the records. I scrolled page-by-page through the Upper Hanover Township 1850 census records. After torturing my eyes for 20+ pages, I finally found him—right where I expected him to be.
And I couldn’t believe my eyes!
Right there on page page 417B, I found, not only Henry Schneider, but also Joseph Schneider.9 The 1850 census record for Joseph Snyder in Rockhill Township was not my Joseph Snyder. This was most likely my 3x great grandfather, living in the same location in which I’d found him from 1860 on. He probably lived there all his life!
Although the 1850 census does not include the relationship between the head and the other members of the household, Henry’s household in 1850 matches the 1840 and 1830 census enumerations, making it quite likely that Joseph is Henry and Sarah’s son. Additionally, Henry’s 1860 occupation—shoemaker—corresponds with the occupation included on the 1830 mortgage—cordweiner.10 He likely earned a living from multiple occupations–as many did back then—as both a shoemaker and farmer, and was recorded as a shoemaker after he retired from farming.
Furthermore, a little deed research may provide some additional information regarding proof that Henry Schneider is Joseph’s father. Some of Henry’s 1850 neighbors—William Keck, Jacob Styer, Solomon Steltz, and John F. Gerhard—were Joseph’s neighbors in 1860.
Given that I found no estate records for Henry, it’s possible that he sold or gave his estate to his children prior to his death. Henry was a farmer in 1850; Joseph was a farmer in 1860. Joel was consistently a mason or bricklayer in census records. Both Joel and Joseph went from no real or personal estate in 1850 to having both in 1860.
After several wrong turns and false starts, I’m pretty convinced that Henry Schneider (aka Heinrich Schneider) is Joseph’s father. Turns out—as is usually the case—I was the brick wall in finding Joseph’s father.
So, what did I learn from this exercise?
I already knew all of this. Really, I did. But when your research is flowing along nicely with clues falling smoothly and easily into place, it’s easy to forget the techniques required for when it’s not. This search was a timely reminder.
This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my seventh 52 Ancestors post and part of week six.
Levi Hocker (1824—1876)
My 3x great-grandfather Levi Hocker was born on 17 January 1824, most likely in Swatara Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.1 His parents, George and Maria Magdalena “Molly” (Landis) Hocker, had been married for five years2 and had one other child, a daughter named Isemiah.3
His mother died the following winter on 22 February 1825.4 Her parents were also deceased,5 as was George’s father Johan Adam Hocker.6 Levi was likely raised by his father and, possibly, his grandmother Mary (Hershey?) Hocker, until George remarried. He married Catharine Cocklin, daughter of Jacob and Mary Margaret (Hoover) Cocklin, on 5 November 1835, when Levi was 10 years old.
Levi married Anna Frantz, daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Walters) Frantz, on 6 February 1851. He was a farmer and the family lived in Upper Swatara Township. Levi and Anna had at least 9 children:
On 31 October 1876, Levi mysteriously vanished from his home. Newspaper accounts state that he had gone to bed with his wife about 8 or 9 p.m., but when Anna woke around 2 a.m., he was nowhere to be found. One article stated:
Mr. Levi Hocker, a retired farmer of very considerable means, and unimpeachable character, well known in this city, disappeared mysteriously on Friday night. He retired with the family in good spirits about eight o’clock in the evening—no one having suspected anything, or noticed anything unusual in his conduct… No cause whatsoever is known for his very strange proceeding—no financial embarrassment. It is presumed that he is laboring under a slight aberration of mind.7
The writer described Levi as “about five feet seven inches, black hair and whiskers slightly mixed with gray, no moustache, dark eyes, about fifty-five years of age, wore a black soft felt hat, dark suit, no overcoat.”
His body was found the following April in the water at Fry’s dam, near Middletown.8 He died by drowning, a presumed suicide while “laboring under a fit of mental aberration.” He was buried 29 April 1877 in Churchville Cemetery.
I often wonder what happened. His family apparently saw no reason for his disappearance, no change in his behavior. But he’d lost two of his children—George and John—to early death, one just three years earlier.9 His father also died in November 1873.10 Would that be enough to drive him to suicide years later?
Or was there perhaps something else? His son Michael was listed as “idiotic” on the 1880 census11, but not the 1870 census12, perhaps indicating that his disability was not a lifelong condition. He would have been about 26—a few years younger when his father died—about the age when mental illness can emerge. Is it possible that Michael was having problems that impacted his father’s mental state? Without Michael’s medical records, I can’t be sure.
Regardless, Levi’s untimely death at the age of 52 was both mysterious—as we’ll likely never know what happened—and sad. He left seven children, the youngest only 11 years old, his wife and friends to try to understand his disappearance and apparent suicide, and to mourn his tragic death.
This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my sixth 52 Ancestors post and part of week five.
Amongst my grandfather Greulich’s things, I found the following newspaper clipping
I believe it’s from the the Town and Country. It reads:
Another Four-Generation Group Of This Section
Witmer-Kline-Snyder-Greulich Freundschaft
The above illustration represents another four-generation group of a widely-known family — the Witmer-Kline-Snyder-Greulich freundschaft, of which the oldest, Edward J. Witmer, has died since the picture was taken, he having passed away at his home in Marlbrough township, near Finland, last Wednesday [24 January 1912], aged 78 years.
Mrs. Witmer, aged 75 years is the mother of Mrs. Henry D. Snyder, aged 51, of near East Greenville. Mrs. Witmer’s maiden name was Miss Lydia A. Kline. Mrs. Elmer C. Greulich, of near East Greenville, aged 33 years, is a daughter of Mrs. Snyder. The youngest in the group is Master Russell Roy Greulich, who was born July 23, 1910.
Mr. Witmer was a direct descendent of the famous Jones family of England. There is an interesting romance connected with the emigration to this country of Mr. Witmer’s grandmother. She was a typical English girl and exceedingly pretty and fearless. Crossed by her parents in a love affair, Miss Jones escaped from her home with the aid of her favorite saddle horse, and swam across the English Channel on horse-back and fled the country.1
I love this article because it creates a direct link from my grandfather, Russ Greulich, to his great grandparents—Edward J. and Lydia A (Kline) Witmer. It also provides clues to Edward Witmer’s maternal family line—the Jones family. The story of Miss Jones riding her horse across the English Channel is rather amusing and adds a dash of romance to the family story for all that it must be a total exaggeration.
But who was this “Miss Jones” and how does she connect to the Witmer family? Was she really Edward’s grandmother?
It turns out that the connection to the Jones family is actually much closer than grandmother—grandson. Edward Witmer’s 1912 death certificate lists his parents as John and Rachel (Jones) Witmer.2 Both parents were born in Pennsylvania. Making it unlikely that his mother crossed the English Channel on her trusty steed.
Edward was listed with his parents in the 1850 census for Milford Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.3 The household included:
John and Rachel are listed in the 18604, 18705 and 18806 census records for Milford Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. In each census their place of birth is consistently listed as Pennsylvania. In the 1880 census, Pennsylvania is given as the birthplace of their parents, as well.
John died 21 May 18857 and Rachel died 10 September 1897.8 They were buried in the Christ Church cemetery in Trumbauersville, Bucks County.
Rachel’s entry on Findagrave.com names her father as Henry Jones (1776-1854) which is consistent with the Henry Jones living with the Witmer family in 1850. In 1840, a John Widmer was living next to Levi and Lewis Jones in Milford Township.9 Lewis Jones is listed as one of the children on Henry Jones’ entry on Findagrave.com10 and there is a 50-60 year-old male living in Lewis’ household in 1840.11 So, it’s quite possible that Henry Jones was Rachel’s father and Lewis her brother.
Henry Jones was born 15 July 1776 and died 10 December 1854, both most likely in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.12 He was buried in Christ Church cemetery in Trumbauersville. He is included in the 182013 and 183014 census for Milford Township. In 1830, his household included:
Henry’s wife—possibly the “exceedingly pretty and fearless English girl”—must have died prior to 1830.
Henry’s household in 1820 included:
In 1810, Henry can be found in the census for Hilltown Township.15 His household included:
Henry Jones had a neighbor named John Hiller/Heller16, aged 26-45 in 1820 and aged 50-60 in 1830. In 1840, John Witmer, Levi Jones and Lewis Jones had a neighbor named John Heller, aged 60-70. It seems to me that I’m looking at the same physical location for these three census records, and thus there is a connection between Henry Jones and John Witmer, Levi Jones and Lewis Jones.
I’ll need to keep looking for clues to build a sound case that Henry is Rachel (Jones) Witmer’s father, but I’ve made a good start.
This post is part of an on-going, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This catch-up post is my third 52 Ancestors post and part of week three.
I’ve heard family stories about an ancestor who fought on both sides during the Civil War, but I didn’t really believe it. Two brothers fighting on opposite sides? Yeah, okay. But one man fighting for both sides over the course of the war? Seemed a little far-fetched.
Benjamin and Phoebe (Mayes) Houdeshell
Wars are always justified as necessary to stand-up for our principals or our rights, or to fight evil, or protect the mother land. But it seems to me that when it came to joining up during the Civil War to fight for one side or the other, the reasoning was black or white. You either believed in the Rebel cause or you believed in the Union and the destruction of slavery. So, it doesn’t seem probable that one person would enlist in both armies—by choice—between 1861 and 1865.
And, yet, I think that’s exactly what Benjamin Houdeshell did.
According to Benjamin’s death certificate, he was born 13 March 1842 in Maryland and died 20 March 1926 in Rush Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. He was 84 years old. His full name was James Benjamin Houdeshell.1 His obituary read:
Recent Deaths: Houdeshell – Benjamin Houdeshell, Civil War Veteran, father of John Houdeshell, of Curtin, and well known resident of the Philipsburg community, passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Thomas Passell, Saturday morning [20 March]. He had been in failing health for the past four years, death being due to infirmities of age. The funeral service was held Tuesday afternoon; internment in the Philipsburg Cemetery. Deceased, is a son of Adam and Mary Houdeshell, was born at Westmoreland, Virginia, on March 13, 1842, making his age 84 years and 7 days. He enlisted as a Private in Company I, Thirteenth Regiment of Maryland Infantry, February 24, 1865, and was mustered out at the close of the War. He was a woodsman and farmer, and for twenty years or longer has been residing in the Philipsburg region. The wife of the deceased was Pheobe Mayes, who died five years ago last August. Twelve children were born to the marriage. The surviving sons and daughters are: John, of Curtin; Mrs. Jacob Webb, of Windber; George, of Surveyor Run; Frank and Jacob, of Kato; Mrs. Thomas Passell, of North Philipsburg; Mrs. Daniel DeHaas, of Julian, and Mrs. Nora Blake and Mrs. Ernest Vinton, of Philipsburg.2
The military pension index card for “Benjamin Houdeshell” lists his death date as 20 March 1926 and place of death as Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania.3 So, it matches my 3x great grandfather’s death certificate. It also states that he served as a private in the 13th Regiment, Company I of the Maryland Infantry, mustering in on 24 February 1865 and out on 29 May 1865.
Benjamin Houdeshell’s Military Pension Index Card
Fortunately, additional records for Maryland Civil War Soldiers are online at Fold3.com. Benjamin’s record for Company I, 13th Regiment includes his volunteer enlistment. He enlisted at Frederick, Maryland on 24 February 1865, stating that he was 19 years old, born in Hardy County, Virginia, and a laborer.4 The record also states that he was 5′ 6″ tall and had grey eyes, light hair and a fair complexion.
Benjamin Houdeshell’s Civil War Volunteer Enlistment
Neither the description nor his age on this record matches other information I have regarding Benjamin. Born in 1842, he would have been 22 years old, nearly 23, in February 1865. And the one photo I have of him shows him with dark hair. However, based on the information in his obituary and pension index card, this is the record of enlistment for my great great great grandfather.
So, there’s his Union service. What about his Confederate service?
The enlistment record states that he was born in Hardy County, Virginia. Census records for 1860 show Benjamin Houdeshell, aged 18, living in the household of Adam Howyshell (his father per his obituary) in District No. 1, Hardy County.5
1860 US Census for Adam Howdyshell’s family
The household included:
On the next page are the households of:6
Adam’s household in 1850 included:7
A search of the Confederate Civil War Soldiers on Fold3.com turns up records for the 14th Regiment, Virginia Militia for Adam Howdyshell Jr., J. Benjamin Howdyshell and Westfall Howdyshell.
All three men enlisted on 17 September 1861 in Wardensville, Hardy County, Virginia. The names, approximate ages, and place of enlistment seems to indicate that these three men may very well have been the sons of Adam Howdyshell of Hardy County. They enlisted for the period of six months and it’s entirely possible that is all they served.
If, in fact, they are Adam’s sons (and it seems likely), then my great great grandfather, James Benjamin Houdeshell, served in both the Confederate and Union armies during the Civil War.
Why would he do that?
First, I have to think that he did not have any great convictions regarding slavery. Based on the 1860 census, the Houdeshells were not wealthy land-owners and, as far as I can tell, not slave-owners either. Adam’s real estate was worth $1,000 and he did not list any personal estate. I searched the slave schedules for Hardy County in 1860. It did not include the 1st district. Whether this was because there were no slave-owners there or it has been lost, I do not know. However, the county supposedly has a “rich African American history, with many free African Americans living there before the Civil War.”8
Additionally, he may have been a member of the militia prior to the war, serving as a home guard. The militia was ordered into service with the Confederate Army on 10 September 1861 by the governor of Virginia. The 14th “played a roll in Jackson’s January 1862 Romney campaign after which the 14th was assigned to the ‘region of their homes’.”9 That may be how he came to serve in the Confederate forces, rather than a voluntary enlistment.
On 6 November 1864, Benjamin married Phoebe Mayes of Snow Shoe Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania.10 That’s nearly four months before he enlisted in the Maryland Infantry on 24 February 1865. It’s possible he enlisted because he needed the money to support his family. I don’t imagine that there were that many jobs available during the winter in the mountains of Centre County. The government bounty—for which the record indicates he was eligible—might have been tempting to a young man in his position.
I don’t know what happened to Benjamin between his enlistment in September 1861 in the Confederate Army and his marriage in November 1864 to a Pennsylvanian girl. So, it’s hard to say with any certainty why he enlisted twice—in two opposing armies. But I bet it’s an interesting story.
This post is part of an on-going blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my second post for 52 Ancestors and is part of week three.
For some reason, I’ve been thinking about my great grandmother Nora (Houdeshell) Hoover a lot recently. I never had a chance to meet her, but from the few stories I’ve heard, I think I would have loved her. So, I thought I’d start my 52 Ancestors series writing about her.
Clyde & Nora (Houdeshell) Hoover
Nora Melinda (Houdeshell) Hoover was the eldest daughter of George Westfall/Wesley Houdeshell and Lovina Caroline Force. She was born 25 October 1891 in Wooster, Cameron County, Pennsylvania.1 She died of an acute myocardial infarction, possibly brought on by complications of diabetes, on 11 May 1965 in Pine Glen, Burnside Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania and was buried 3 days later in the Advent Cemetery in Pine Glen.
Great grandma was one of 12 children, 10 surviving to adulthood. She grew up in rural Pennsylvania where her father worked as a lumberman and also supported his family by farming. According to family stories, when she was 16, her father told her she was to either get married or get a job. So, she took a job as a cook in a lumber camp. Apparently, that’s where she met my great grandfather, Clyde L. Hoover. They were married 16 April 1908 in Dubois, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.2 He was 21 (nearly 22) and she was 16. Clyde and Nora were the parents of 12 children—seven sons and five daughters.
Nora was a believer in education. She ran a small library from her home in Pine Glen. Today, it probably would be the equivalent of a small personal collection, but it provided an opportunity for Pine Glen residents to experience the world of books. She also wanted her daughters to wait until they were 21 before marrying, probably so that they would have a chance to fully grow-up, get an education, and experience life a bit before settling down to raise their families. My grandmother was married a month after her 21st birthday.
During the war—World War II, I presume—she planted a pine tree for every Pine Glen boy who went off to war, including four of her sons. I wonder what she thought as she watched those trees grow.
Family stories also allege that great grandma had Indian blood. I think that story arose mainly because she had straight dark hair as I’ve found no reason to believe her ancestry was anything other than northern European. Perhaps, one day one of my Hoover or Houdeshell relatives will have a DNA test and we’ll get proof one way or the other.
This post is part of an on-going blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This post is part of week two.
Amy Johnson Crow over at No Story Too Small has issued a challenge to geneabloggers to blog about an ancestor each and every week for 2014. Anything and everything is fair game, as long as it is devoted to 1 specific ancestor.
I actually spend a lot of time writing about folks that I’m not related to in any way. Most of the Hoovers in my Hoover Surname Study are—to the best of my knowledge—not directly related to my Hoovers (except perhaps back in the fog of times long gone). So, accepting this challenge would mean that I would have to focus on my own family. Not a bad thing.
The big question, however, is can I actually find something to say about 52 of my ancestors? I’ve already written about the ones I’ve researched. Can I find 52 more to write about? Have I even done that much research on my various family lines?
I’ve decided to accept the challenge, so I guess we’ll find out. Who knows, I might even surprise myself! Stay tuned.