Category: Research

Family research

Herbert Hershey Hocker Obituary

Kris Hocker on 16 Apr 2009

Here’s a transcription of the obituary of Herbert Hershey Hocker (1865—1946), son of Levi and Anna (Frantz) Hocker. Hershey married Sarah J. Bower, daughter of John and Amanda (___) Bower, 1 Apr 1906 in Yoe, Pennsylvania. 1

“H. Hershey Hocker

Funeral services for H. Hershey Hocker, 554 Race Street, who died Tuesday night after a lingering illness at his home, will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the funeral home at 1334 North Second street. The Rev. A.M. Billman, pastor of Fourth Reformed Church, will officiate. Burial will be in the Oberlin Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home this evening from 7 to 9 o’clock.

A grocer in the South Harrisburg area for several years, Mr. Hocker was 79 years old and formerly lived in Oberlin.

In addition to his wife, Mrs. Sarah J. Hocker, he is survived by a sister, Mrs. Margaret Hughes, York, and several nieces and nephews.” 2

 

George Hocker’s Will

Kris Hocker on 12 Apr 2009

This extraction is taken from the last will and testament of George Hocker (1794—1873). The will was dated 13 Sep 1783 and probated 14 Nov 1873. 1

George HOCKER devised as follows:

“#1 To my widow Catharine, all household and kitchen furniture in the house, except what belongs to daughter. Margaret and son George, she to have choice of 2 cows, 2 hogs, and I give her $500 cash out of my Government bonds, to be paid 1 month after my death.

#2  To widow during her lifetime, the house and buildings, garden, etc., where I now live in Swatara township, adjacent my farm and the land of Josiah ESPY, also the interest on $5,000 paid to her yearly out of my farm.

#3 The balance of my bonds, notes, stocks, etc. to my daughter. Margaret and during her lifetime, after my widow’s death, the house, etc., and after her died to son George in fee simple.

#4 My farm on the Harrisburg and Ephrata turnpike, adjacent Josiah ESPY, J. SNAVELY, Samuel GRAY and others containing, except for above devised, about 117 acres to my son George HOCKER, Jr., and his heirs and assigns, with the right to water at the pump where I live, he paying ‘-2 the expense of upkeeping the pump.

#5 I give to my widow $2,000 on said farm for her use and son George, or whoever holds said farm, I charge the farm $5,000 and to pay my widow interest on said $5,000. at 6%.

#6 After my widow’s death, the above $5,000 to be paid as follows: $500 to daughter Isemiah WAGNER, wife of Henry WAGNER, the next year $500 to my son Levi, 3rd year, like son, to Mrs. Wagner and then $500 a year to Levi until he gets $2,000 and then the remaining $2,000 to be paid to my said daughter Margaret in payments of $500 each and additional payments by son George to Margaret to make her share out of my whole Estate $7,000 in payments of $500 per year, after the other payments aforesaid.

#8 To son Levi, 10 acres of mountain land in West Hanover township

#9 I give less to Isemiah and Levi because I previously gave them from my Estate

#10 daughter Margaret and son George to be my Executors.”

George’s widow was his second wife Catherine COCKLIN, daughter of Jacob and Mary Margaret (HOOVER) COCKLIN. George had two children with his first wife Mary Magdalena LANDIS, daughter of Henry and Catherine (___) LANDIS: Isemiah (1821—aft 1880), wife of Henry WAGNER, and Levi HOCKER (1824—1876). George had three children with his second wife: David (1838—1862), Mary Margaret (1842—1906), and George Jr. (1848—1927). David, having predeceased his father, was not named in the will.

Footnotes:

Friday Finds: Adam HACKER’s Land Warrant

Kris Hocker on 3 Apr 2009

Johan Adam Hacker's Land Warrant

Johan Adam Hacker's Land Warrant

This is the land warrant for one of Adam HACKER’s properties in Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. I originally found it at the Lancaster County Courthouse, but you can also find the warrant indices and copied Warrant book online at the Pennsylvania State Arcives website.

I also found records for George HACKER, Adam’s brother; Martin WEIDMAN, Adam and George’s father-in-law; and Lawrence HOUSEHOLDER, Adam and George’s brother-in-law, in Lancaster county. In Fayette county, I found records for Andrew HOOVER, Jacob HOOVER, and George HOOVER, sons of Andrew HOOVER Sr.; and William KERNS, George HOOVER’s son-in-law. Armstrong county records yielded the warrants for Christian and Philip HOOVER, son and grandson of George HOOVER.

My Hoover Research

Kris Hocker on 2 Apr 2009

In researching my Hoover family line, I’ve always hit a brick wall at my great-great-great-grandfather Christian Hoover. He seemed to appear almost from nowhere. Family history regarding Christian and Caroline (Kinnard) Hoover was vague and sometimes contradictory. Here’s what the older family members recall about the Hoover family, specifically regarding Christian:

  1. Christian was one of seven brothers who immigrated to this country from Germany, through Holland, in 1817 and settled in York County.
  2. The Hoover family came from southern Pennsylvania and moved northward.
  3. Christian was born in 1826.
  4. Christian was the son of one of the seven brothers.
  5. Christian cleared his land of trees and built a log house and barn along the road from Karthaus to Driftwood.
  6. Christian was a self-taught veterinarian, horse breeder, and trader.
  7. Christian and his first wife, Caroline Kinnard, had 4 sons: Reuben, Samuel, Simon, and George.
  8. Christian and his second wife, Mary Conaway, had 1 daughter: Edith.

I was able to verify points #7 and #8 through my research in census reports, vital records and the estate records of both Caroline (Kinnard) Hoover and Christian Hoover.

I have a picture of a house that I’m told belonged to Christian Hoover and deeds of sale for property in Covington township, Clearfield county, Pennsylvania after Christian’s death in 1888. The property is referred to as the “Dodge lands” from warrant 5404, but that’s the best I can identify/locate the property.

The closest I’ve come to locating parents for Christian was when I found a census record for 1850 for the Philip Hoover household in Plum Creek township, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania.1 The family is listed as follows:

  • Philip Hoover, 48, M, Farmer, 1500
  • Hannah, 48, F
  • Christopher, 25, M, Farmer
  • Mary Anne, 23, F
  • John T, 21, M, Farmer
  • Margaret, 19, F
  • Barbara, 17, F
  • Wm, 15, M, Farmer
  • Jacob, 13, M
  • Ralston, 11, M
  • Sarah, 8, F
  • Samuel M., 5, M

Philip’s son Christopher is the correct age to be my Christian. The death certificate of Simon Hoover, son of my Christian Hoover, lists Christian’s birth place as Armstrong county. Additionally, Christian’s wife Caroline (Kinnard) Hoover was the daughter of Thomas and Maria (Fisher) Kinnard of Armstrong county.2  So, I have circumstantial evidence that Christian is the son of Philip and Hannah, but no real proof—no baptism or marriage record, no mention of siblings or parents in any of the information on Christian.

To further frustrate me, in the late 1870s Philip sold his property in Armstrong county and moved west with his son Jacob to Kansas where he died and was buried in 1882. The likelihood of his having left estate papers naming Pennsylvania heirs is slim. Jacob, meanwhile, continued his westward migration until the family finally settled in Aberdeen, Grays Harbor, Washington. Jacob married Julia Ann Rupert, I believe daughter of Isaac/Israel Rupert and Christina (___).

I know little on the other children of Philip and Hannah (Thomas) Hoover. Mary Ann may have married a Fisher and died in Kansas. William may have been in the 62nd 63rd Regiment, Company C G during the Civil War with his brother Ralston, who died on 18 Jun 1862 at the Baltimore Cross Roads in Virginia.3

However, if Christian is the son of Philip and Hannah (Thomas) Hoover, then points #1, #2, and #4 are not quite correct. I was far luckier in researching Philip than I have been with Christian. There is a manuscript at the Pennsylvania State Library by Luella Schaumberg Hoover entitled “Some Descendants of Andrew Hoover.” Her research was invaluable to fleshing out Philip’s ancestry.

Philip’s grandfather (George) and great-grandfather (Andrew) immigrated to the United States in 1754 along with the rest of the Andrew’s family. They first settled near Leitersburg, Frederick county (now Washington county), Maryland. Then about 1769 moved to Fayette county, Pennsylvania.4

So, yes they came to Clearfield county from the south, but not from York county.5 They came to this country some 63 years before the family’s estimate and Christian was most likely not the son, but the great-grandson and great-great-grandson of the immigrants.

Update! Additional research has shown that Christian’s grandfather George Hoover was the son of Michael Hoover, not Andrew Hoover. While I don’t have a year of immigration, tax records put them in Derry Township, Dauphin County by 1758. They remained there through at least 1763 when Rosannah Hoover was baptized. The family moved south, settling near Hagerstown, Maryland by 1773—and, ironically, near Andrew Hoover’s family—for some time before moving west to Bedford (now Somerset) County in the spring of 1773, then Westmoreland County by 1779. George and, likely, his sons, moved north again about 1800 to Armstrong County to land on Crooked Creek in Plum Creek Township. Unlike many Huber/Hoover families, this family did not practice the Mennonite faith. They were Lutherans.

Friday Finds: Philipp Peter Greulich

Kris Hocker on 27 Mar 2009

According to my grandfather’s research, his ancestor Charles (Karl) Philipp Greulich’s step-brother (or maybe half-brother) Philipp Peter Greulich, who remained in Haag after Charles emigrated from Germany to the U.S., never married and never had any children.

Imagine my surprise when a half-hearted search on FamilySearch.org found in the IGI for Germany a marriage in Haag for Philipp Peter Greulich to Anna Elisabetha Berger. Haag is the village the family came from where Philipp inherited the shoe shop from his father Georg Philipp Greulich. The birth and death dates given were also a match.

All of a sudden, instead of a dead end in Germany there’s the possibility of family in Germany! Here’s what I knew about Philipp Peter Greulich.

Philipp Peter Greulich was born 13 Dec 1806, son of Maria Katharina Lindebach. She married Georg Philipp Greulich on 17 Dec 1815 in Haag, Germany. Georg adopted her son and he was given the surname Greulich. Philipp’s biological father is unknown, but I was told that there was the possibility that Georg was the father. If that were the case, I have no idea why they waited to marry until Philipp was 9. Katharina died 29 Oct 1832 and Georg married again in 1833 to Anna Margaretha (Wurzel) Jakob. His second married produced Eva Katharina and Karl Philipp in 1834 and 1838. Margaretha died in 1854 and Georg died in 1855, leaving his shoe shop to his eldest son Philipp.  The orphans Eva Elisabetha, age 21, and Karl (later to become Charles), age 17 left Germany for the United States.

I always wondered—if Philipp hadn’t married and didn’t have kids—why would Eva Elisabetha and Karl leave Germany? Wouldn’t it make more sense for them to stay and help with the business in Haag? The information I found in the IGI actually makes sense of their emigration.

I found the marriage of Philipp and Elisabeth (Berger) Greulich on 27 Mar 1832 in Haag, Germany. I also found record of four children:

  1. Anna Margaretha Greulich, born 15 May 1833 and died 20 Sep 1833 in Haag
  2. Georg Philipp, born 13 May 1834 and died 11 Sep 1852 in Haag
  3. Georg Adam, born 17 May 1837 and died 12 Nov 1837 in Haag
  4. Philipp, born 29 Apr 1841 in Haag

There may have been other children; these were the only ones I found.

So, the departure of Philipp’s siblings for America makes sense to me if he was married and had a family to support. He would not have needed assistance with the business. His son Philipp would have been 14, old enough to help out. If there were other surviving children, then there most likely wouldn’t have been enough revenue from a village business to support a brother and sister as well.

And so begins the start of a future research project: the Greulichs of Haag, Baden, Germany.

Jacob and Sarah (___) Hacker

Kris Hocker on 26 Mar 2009

I’m seeking information on the family of Jacob and Sarah (___) Hacker of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. They are another of my loose ends. I’d like to figure out where they fit in the Hacker/Hocker family. Any help would be appreciated.

Jacob K./R.Hacker was born 26 Aug 1838 and died 16 Feb 1906. He was buried in Bowman’s Cemetery, Ephrata, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Circa 1870, Jacob married Sarah M./A. (___), probably in Lancaster county. Sarah was born 6 Feb 1849 and died 26 Jul 1921. She, too, was buried in Bowman’s cemetery.

Jacob and Sarah Hacker, I believe, had the following children:

  1. Franklin K. Hacker (ca 1870—1952) married Maggie M. Rishel.
  2. Amanda K. Hacker (ca 1872—?) married John S. Turner
  3. Jacob Hacker (ca Feb 1789—aft 1910)
  4. Emma Hacker (Dec 1883—?) married Frank A. Crall?
  5. Annie K. Hacker (May 1886—?) married William I. Mull?
  6. Elizabeth Hacker (Nov 1888—?)
  7. Lottie Hacker (27 Aug 1892—11 Nov 1895)

Monday Madness: Seeking Smith Family Information

Kris Hocker on 23 Mar 2009

My Smith family relations have always been a mystery. My grandparents don’t know much about what happened to them. I’ve tried researching them, but do you know how many William and James Smiths there are? Talk about overwhelming…

I was going through some papers—looking for something completely unrelated, of course—and came across some letters from my great-aunt Bonnie (Isabella Bonnington Hocker Ruder) to my grandfather and grandmother. In the letters she refers to our Smith relations and some of the problems we’ve had trying to figure out what happened to them. I thought I’d share the contents of some of them and what I’ve learned about my Smiths.

October 29th

Dear Bill and Ruth,

Searched for this all day yesterday, Aunt Bess [Elizabeth Marion (Smith) Lutz] had just a few papers, and I have just a few. Grandma Cochran’s [Elizabeth “Eliza” Craig (Bonnington) Smith Cochran] wedding license, a letter to uncle Lew asking the whereabouts of Willies [William “Willie” Smith Jr.] family, good thing you said you thought it was silver paper, address in mother’s writing no date for Willie:

Mr. John Norwood
70 Rue Massacre
Méaulte, Somme, France

Went under name of John Norwood since 1915. Spoils your dog tag theory. Also found a grave receipt for Paxtang Cemetery #23 in Range A in Hillside Lawn dated Feb. 26th 1905. Back marked Wm. Smith lot and receipt in Grandma’s name.

I had always been told he was buried in a lot given by someone. Now I’m wondering if Jim could have been buried in Paxtang. I always thought it was funny they would have to have a lot given to them, they weren’t poor.

I know Aunt Bess tore up a lot of papers. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop her.

Peter Bonnington
6 Belfield Ave.
Musselburgh
Scotland

Last address 1940, Grandma’s brother [Peter Bonnington Jr.]. Just found a picture of French children on name Jacqueline other name cut off.

Hope this is what you are looking for.

Love,
Bonnie

The story I always heard was that William “Willie” Smith Jr., born 28 Mar 1892,  enlisted in the army during World War I under the assumed name of John Norwood. He allegedly left a wife and child at home in Pennsylvania, but married a French woman after the war and remained in France. Nothing was said about a divorce prior to his second marriage, but it might just have been one of those things that was not discussed.

This next letter discusses Willie’s brother James (Jim):

Dear Bill and Ruth,

Decided to take a day off from fixing up and got Grandma’s papers out. Sending a copy of cemetery deed for one grave lot. Now maybe Jim’s lot is the one next because A. Bess always said someone gave them a lot, but Grandma must have paid for this one.

As for Jim, Rev. Roddy, Olivet minister [?] him, in fact he always went after him when he went off. He married a girl, had a son James, never lived with her. Amelia was her name. He claimed the child wasn’t his but A. Bess said it was the spitting image. So somewhere we have a Smith cousin in U.S.A and at least 2 in France. Great world.

Bonnie

So, apparently these Smith relatives were nothing to write home about, but I’d like to find out more information about them if possible. Here’s what I know:

WILLIAM1 SMITH Sr. was born 25 Sep 1851 in Greenburn, Whitburn district, Linlithgowshire, Scotland, son of James Smith and Isabella Aitken[1,2]. He died 23 Feb 1905 of pneumonia at his home on 1314 Howard Street, Harrisburg, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania.[3] He was buried 26 Feb 1905 in Harrisburg cemetery, according to his death certificate, but in Paxtang cemetery according to family. The mystery surrounding the grave site concerns William. To this date we’re not sure where he’s buried; family word-of-mouth says it’s at Paxtang cemetery, but not with the rest of the family because a cemetery lot had to be given to the family by a family friend when he died.

William was a ship’s engineer on the English ship Lady if Khirs. He was discharged from his ship on the 22nd of January 1882 after a voyage to Calcutta. He filed a declaration of intent to become a U.S. citizen in Berks county on 20 Sep 1886. He became a U.S. citizen on 12 Jan 1893 in Harrisburg, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania.[4] He owned and operated a ice factory on Howard street. The family lived at 1347 Zarker Street in 1910, likely behind the icehouse.

He married Elizabeth “Eliza” Craig Bonnington on 12 Dec 1882 in The Manse, Uphall Parish, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.[5] Elizabeth was born 2 Oct 1866 in Colinton, Edinburgh, Scotland, daughter of Peter Purvis Bonnington and Elizabeth Buchanan.[6] She died 18 Oct 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was buried after 19 Oct 1946 in Paxtang cemetery.[7]

William and Elizabeth had the following children in Scotland and the U.S.:

  1. Elizabeth2 “Lizzie” Smith was born 17 Jun 1884 and died  17 Jun 1884, age 8 hours, of Atalectasis Pulmonium in Straiton, Liberton Parish, Lasswade, Edinburgh, Scotland.[8]
  2. James Smith was born 22 Jun 1785 in Straiton, Liberton Parish, Edinburgh, Scotland.[9] He may have died in 1905 and been buried in Paxtang Cemetery, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. James allegedly married a woman named Amelia (___) and fathered her son James, but he never lived with them.
  3. Elizabeth Marian “Bess” Smith was born 31 Oct 1887 at No. 3, Straiton, Liberton Parish, Edinburgh, Scotland.[10] She died 3 Jan 1973 in Willow Grove, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. She married Frank Lutz 7 May 1917 in Elkton, Maryland.
  4. William M. Smith Jr. was born 4:45 p.m. 28 Mar 1892 in Harrisburg, Dauphin county Pennsylvania.[11] He allegedly married twice, once in Pennsylvania, fathering at least one child, then again under the name John Norwood in France, possibly fathering a daughter named Jacqueline and additional children. He most likely died in France.
  5. Isabella Aiken Smith was born 11 p.m. 4 Apr 1893 in Harrisburg, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania.[12] She died 21 Jul 1962 in Harrisburg.[13] She married William Howard Hocker 13 Oct 1914 in Harrisburg.[14]
  6. Robert Thomas Alexander Smith was born 7:20 p.m. on 7 Apr 1899 at Harrisburg.[15] He died 12 Nov 1970 in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania and was buried in Paxtang Cemetery in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.[16]

Footnotes:

  1. William H. Hocker and Isabella A. Smith, Application for Marriage, Dauphin County Marriage Book F: Page 153, Dauphin County Clerk of the Orphans Court, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
  2. William Smith and Elizabeth Bonnington marriage extract, Register of Marriages, Parish of Uphall, County of Linlithgow; General Register Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, 28 Aug 2001.
  3. “Registration of Death – William Smith,” 22 May 1905, Harrisburg, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, Book H, Number 790, Collection of Kristen Hocker.
  4. William Smith entry, Dauphin County Citizens Register Book, 1891-96, Volume 7: Page 202.
  5. William Smith and Elizabeth Bonnington marriage extract, Register of Marriages.
  6. Eliza Craig Bonnington, birth certificate no. 81 (1866), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland; extracted 28 Aug 2001, extract no. 236828.
  7. Elizabeth Cochrane, death certificate, no. 90063 (1946), Pennsylvania Department of Health, Vital Statistics, New Castle.
  8. Elizabeth Smith, death certificate no. 48 (1884) General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland, extracted 6 Sep 2001, estract no. 62233.
  9. James Smith, birth registration, no. 89 (1885), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland, extract no. 259559.
  10. Elizabeth Marian Smith, birth registration, no. 195 (1887), General Records Office, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland, extracted 9 Aug 2002, extract no.259560.
  11. Smith family bible record.
  12. Smith family bible record.
  13. Isabella A. Hocker, Death Certicifate File number 065720-62 (1962), Pennsylvania Department of Health, Vital Statistics, New Castle.
  14. William H. Hocker and Isabella A. Smith, Application for Marriage, Dauphin County Marriage Book F: Page 153, Dauphin County Clerk of the Orphans Court, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
  15. Smith family bible record.
  16. Robert T. Smith, obituary, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 14 Nov 1970, page 12.

Joseph and Susanna (___) HACKER

Kris Hocker on 21 Mar 2009

The family of Joseph and Susanna (___) Hacker is another of my loose ends/brick walls. I don’t know much about them, but I’m wondering if this Joseph is the one baptized on 21 Jul 1816 in St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Shaefferstown, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania. If so, that would make him the child of George and Christina (Miller) Hacker. I’d appreciate any information on this family.

Joseph HACKER was born ca 1812/17 and died  sometime after 1880. He appears in the 1850 US census for Elizabeth township, Lancaster county; the 1860 US census for Ephrata; the 1870 US census for Stouchsburg, Berks county; and the 1880 US census for Lebanon (Ward 1), Berks county.

Circa 1845, Joseph married Susanna (___). She was born about 1825/27 and died after 1880, possibly on 9 Feb 1898 in Lebanon county. She may have been buried in Stouchburg, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania.

According to census records, Joseph and Susanna had the following children:

  1. Henry Hacker (1846—?) married Amanda (___)
  2. Emma Hacker (ca 1848—?)
  3. Susan Hacker (ca 1851—?)
  4. Albert Hacker (ca 1853—?)
  5. John B. Hacker (1854—aft 1930) married Mary Fessler
  6. Elizabeth Hacker (ca 1856—?)
  7. Ida Hacker (ca 1859—?)
  8. Alice Hacker (ca 1862/3—?)
  9. Beckie Hacker (ca 1871—?)

Jacob and Maria (Krieg) Hacker

Kris Hocker on 20 Mar 2009

The Jacob and Maria (Krieg) Hacker family is another family group that turned up during my Lancaster county, Pennsylvania research. They show up in Penn township census records in 1850 and 1870. The children show up in Penn township, Warwick township, Manheim township, and Lititz Borough through 1930. I’m interested in finding Jacob’s parents; I’m wondering if he’s possibly the son of George and Christina (Miller) Hacker.

Jacob Hacker was born 28 Sep 1803, probably in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He died 26 Jul 1873, probably in Lancaster county, and was buried in Emanuel Lutheran Church cemetery in Brickerville, Warwick township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. This is the church that my ancestor Johan Adam Hacker attended.

About 1841 Jacob Hacker married Maria Krieg, daughter of John Elias Krieg and Anna Maria Gibbens. Mary was born 5 Aug 1819 and died 22 Mar 1898, both in Pennsylvania, probably in Lancaster county. She, too, is buried in the Emanuel Lutheran Church cemetery.

As far as I know, Jacob and Mary had the following children:

  1. William Hacker (ca 1841—bef 1873)
  2. Elias K. Hacker (1845—aft 1920)
  3. Allen K. Hacker (1847—1928)
  4. Martin K. Hacker (1850—1906)
  5. Henry K. Hacker (1852—1925)
  6. Benjamin K. Hacker (1856—1938)

I’ve posted a transcription of Jacob’s last will & testament in a separate post.

John and Sarah (BEINHOWER) HOCKER

Kris Hocker on 19 Mar 2009

The family of John and Sarah (Beinhower) Hocker is another on that was inappropriately attributed as belonging to John and Christianne Catherine (Steirling) Hocker. Like Adam Hocker, John and family lived in the correct place to belong to John’s family line, but subsequent research proved that they did not.

I am searching for any information that might help to identify John’s parentage.

John HOCKER was born 6 Jul 1815, possibly in Hummelstown, Derry township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. He died 21 Jan 1882 in Churchville, Swatara township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. He was buried in Churchville Cemetery in Oberlin, Pennsylvania. John was at various times a brickmaker, shoemaker and a farmer. He appears in Derry township tax records in 1838 and in Swatara township tax records in 1840.

John married Sarah BEINHOWER, daughter of John Peter BEINHOWER and Mary Ann SMITH, on 3 Dec 1835, according to the marriage announcement in The Democratic State Journal on Tuesday, December 15, 1835. Both John and Sarah were of Derry township at the time of the marriage. [2] Sarah was born 12 Jan 1814 in Churchville and died 12 Nov 1901 in Middletown.[3] She was buried in Churchville Cemetery with her husband.

John and Sarah (Beinhower) Hocker had, to the best of my knowledge, one child:

  1. Maria Anna/Anna Maria (1840—1873/83) married Christian Gingerich

Footnotes:

  1. John Hocker gravestone, Churchville Cemetery, Oberlin, Swatara township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, Photographed by Kris Hocker, 7 April 2002.
  2. John Hacker and Sarah Beinhouer marriage announcement, The Democratic State Journal, Volume 1, Number 40, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 15 December 1835.
  3. Sarah Hocker gravestone, Churchville Cemetery, Oberlin, Swatara township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, Photographed by Kris Hocker, 7 April 2002.