Tag: Brickwalls

Friday Find: Is This Our Christopher Hocker?

Kris Hocker on 31 Mar 2017

I recently came across a reference to a Christopher Hocker who was living in Ohio in the early 1800s. As you recall, Johann George Hacker’s son Christopher was allegedly “of a rather headstrong disposition; he left his wife here in Montgomery county and went to Ohio, lived and married there a second time.”1

In Pennsylvania

Christopher was born about 1772 in Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, son of Johann George and Anna Margaretha (Weidman) Hacker.2 He married Catharine Daub, daughter of Henry and Christianna (Wohlfarth) Daub,  10 April 1792 at Saint Michael’s Lutheran Church in Germantown.3

The couple lived in Whitemarsh Township until about 1800. In 1805, he purchased a tavern and acreage from his father-in-law in Sandy Run.4 According to deed records, Christopher (Innkeeper) purchased a lot in Whitemarsh Township from the daughters of Jacob Edge on 1 April 1807.5

About 1808, Christopher apparently ran into financial troubles. On 5 April 1808, Christopher (Farmer) and Catharine Hocker sold this land to Daniel Hitner.6 He also gave up the tavern to assignees John Wentz, George Price, and Samuel Maulsby.7 According to family legend, Christopher found himself in debt and fled to Ohio.

I haven’t been able to track Christopher down in Ohio. His son George, who later returned to Whitemarsh Township, was said to have been born there in 1814. And we know Christopher was still alive as of 1821 as he was named as one of the surviving children in his father’s estate files.8

So, just where did Christopher go?

In Ohio

Maybe he was living on Licking Creek in Falls Township, Muskingum County, Ohio. I found reference to a Christopher Hocker living there in a Cumberland County Historical Society journal article about Jacob Fought, a Carlisle tavern keeper. About Christopher, it says:

“In April 1814, Christopher Hocker, who lived on Licking Creek in Falls Township, Muskingum Counry, Ohio…hired a young man, Asher Nichols, to help take the horses to Philadelphia… Their eastward trip passed through Carlisle, Pennsylvania where they arrived on the sixth or seventh of February 1815. In Carlisle, they stayed at Jacob Fought’s inn, Sign of the Plough and Harrow, located only two blocks from the town center where the courthouse, market, and two established churches were.

On 9 February 1815, Nichols left the inn and stable along with Hocker’s two horses, and without Hocker’s permission. He arrived at Hummelstown, probably the town by that name near Harrisburg. Nichols was found and brought back to Carlisle to stand trial for horse stealing. A great effort was made to seek evidence for this serious accusation. This included sending prosecution and defense interrogatories to the Muskingum County court, which deposed four key Ohio witnesses.

Asher Nichols was indicted on a charge of larceny, for horse stealing, on oath of Christopher Hocker, in the summer of 1815… Asher Nichols was found guilty and sentenced to hard labor. The bills or taxes for witnesses and the docket session findings do not state the term of the sentence.”9

This is the first reference I’ve found to a Christopher Hocker in a specific location in Ohio at a time when Johann George’s son was alleged to have been there. 1814, the year Christopher’s son George was said to have been born in Ohio. This passage also provides several sources to follow-up with—Cumberland County court records and Muskingum County court records—regarding the theft of Christopher’s horses in Carlisle.

Time to get crackin’.

Loose Leaves: Unaligned Hacker/Hockers in My Family Database

Kris Hocker on 7 Apr 2012

I’ve been working on my Hacker/Hocker family book recently and am wondering what to do with the unconnected Hacker and Hocker families in my database. Ideally, I’d like to be able to trace them back and identify parents and other family members. Realistically, I may not be able to do so.

For the purposes of the book, I’ll most likely include them in either separate chapters or appendices. In the past I’ve shared some of these families here on the website. I thought I’d list out these families in hope that someone out there recognizes them and might have some clues to offer…

Adam and Eve (Hamaker) Hocker

Adam Hocker was born 19 October 1812 and died 26 September 1870. He was buried in Churchville Cemetery in Oberlin, Swatara Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. On 22 February 1838, he married Eve Hamaker, daughter of Adam and Magdalena (Snavely) Hamaker of Derry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. She was born 24 June 1817 and died 14 November 1892. She was buried with her husband in Churchville Cemetery. The family lived in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

Adam and Eve (Hamaker) Hocker had children:

  1. Jacob H. Hocker (10 Jan 1839-1 Mar 1911) m1. Catharine Eshnour (ca 1838-31 Dec 1862), m2. Barbara A. Leonhart
  2. John Hocker (17 Jan 1841-18 Feb 1905) m. Rebecca Brenner (26 Nov 1842-19 Jul 1928)
  3. Adam H. Hocker (15 Jan 1843-11 Jun 1902) m. Martha Shope
  4. Mary Elizabeth Hocker (ca 1844/5-?) m. George Cumbler (31 Oct 1841-14 Apr 1904)
  5. Sarah Hocker (19 Sep 1848-13 Apr 1930) m. Peter Page
  6. Dr. David R. Hocker (1 Dec 1850-21 Nov 1887) m. Hettie Esther Rudy (3 Jan 1854-11 May 1894)
  7. Malinda Hocker (Jan 1853-aft 1920) m. Wilson G. Smith
  8. Martin M. Hocker (15 May 1855-25 Apr ?) m. Mary Elizabeth Marbuger (9 Apr 1856-5 Aug 1918)
  9. Anna C. Hocker (1859/60-?) m. Charles Leonhart

John and Sarah (Beinhower) Hocker

John Hocker was born 6 July 1815 and died 21 January 1882 in Swatara Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He was buried in Churchville Cemetery. On 3 December 1835, he married Sarah Beinhower, daughter of John Peter and Mary Ann (Smith) Beinhower). She was born 12 January 1814 and died 12 November 1901. She, too, was buried in Churchville Cemetery. The family lived in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

John and Sarah (Beinhower) Hocker had one child:

  1. Maria Ann/Anna Maria Hocker (2 Jan 1840-11 Sep 1873/83) m. Christian Gingrich (4 Mar 1837-8 Sep 1886)
Note: Adam and John Hocker were mistakenly identified as children of John Hocker (Adam4 Jr., Hans Adam3, Christoph2, Stephen1) in William Wingeard’s Hacker/Hocker genealogy. I subsequently discovered that John’s sons—Adam and John Jr.—went to Ohio with the family circa 1835 and settled in Montgomery County.

Jacob and Maria (Krieg) Hacker

Jacob Hacker was born 28 September 1803 in Lancaster County and died 26 July 1873. He was buried in Emanuel Lutheran Church cemetery in Brickerville, Elizabeth Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Circa 1841, he married Maria Krieg, daughter of John Elias and Anna Maria (Gibbons) Krieg. She was born 5 August 1819 and died 22 March 1898. The family lived in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Jacob and Maria (Krieg) Hacker had children:

  1. William Harvey Hacker (ca 1841-bef 1873)
  2. Elias K. Hacker (Jun 1845-6 Nov 1920) m. Isabella Weidman (11 Nov 1846-31 Jan 1912)
  3. Allen K. Hacker (31 Mar/1 Apr 1847-24 Mar 1928) m. Lydia Eitnier (5 Sep 1850-12 Jul 1925)
  4. Martin Kissinger Hacker (25 Jan 1850-16 Nov 1906) m. Annie Kissinger (27 Jun 1863-5 Apr 1894), m2. Sadie Bates (Jan 1881-aft 1915)
  5. Henry K. Hacker (16 Sep 1852-3 Oct 1925) m. Kate (___)
  6. Benjamin K. Hacker (Apr 1856-1938) m. Annie H. (___)

 Jacob R. and Sarah (___) Hacker

Jacob R. Hacker was born 26 August 1838 and died 16 February 1906 in Ephrata. He was buried in Bowman’s Cemetery in Ephrata. Circa 1870, he married Sarah (___). She was born 6 February 1849 and died 26 July 1921. The family lived in Lancaster and Lebanon counties.

Jacob R. and Sarah (___) Hacker had children:

  1. Franklin K. Hacker (ca Dec 1870-1952) m. Maggie M. Rishel (ca Sep 1876-1957)
  2. Amanda K. Hacker (ca 1872-?) m. John S. Turner (ca 1873/4-?)
  3. Jacob Hacker (Feb 1879-aft 1910)
  4. Emma K. Hacker (Dec 1883-?) m. Frank A. Crall (ca 1881-?)
  5. Annie K. Hacker ( May 1886-?) m. William I. Mull (ca 1885-?)
  6. Elizabeth Hacker (Nov 1888-?)
  7. Lottie Hacker (27 Aug 1892-11 Nov 1895)

 Rev. Dr. Thomas Jefferson and Susan (Meckly) Hacker

Thomas Jefferson Hacker was born 24 September 1854 in Lincoln, Lancaster County and died 4 March 1924 in Wyomissing, Berks County. He was the son of Levi and Harriet (Yagle) Hacker. Circa 1874/5, he married Susan Meckly, daughter of William and Lucinda (___) Meckly. She was born 25 December 1855 and died 31 January 1943. The couple are both buried in Bergstrasse Cemetery in Ephrata.

T.J. and Susan (Meckly) Hacker had one child, a son:

  1. Dr. Oswald William Hacker (24 Oct 1875-14 Jul 1915)

 Maurice Elwood and Margaret Wilhelmina (Murray) Hacker

Maurice Elwood Hacker was born 28 July 1868 in Akron, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and died 21 Dec 1915. He was buried in Mt. Tunnel Cemetery in Elizabethtown. On 23 February 1894, he married Margaret Wilhelmina Murray in Lancaster County. She was born 22 September 1870 and died 3 January 1955. She, too, was buried in Mt. Tunnel Cemetery.
The couple had children:

  1. Ida M. Hacker (ca 1897-?) m. Joseph J. Faltine?
  2. Margaret S. Hacker (ca 1899-?)
  3. Maurice M. Hacker (27 Oct 1900-27 May 1901)
  4. Harry F. Hacker (ca 1902-?)
  5. Florence M. Hacker (ca 1905-?)
  6. Frederick C. Hacker (26 Jun 1908-2 Dec 1908)
  7. John E. Hacker (28 Jul 1910-11 Aug 1996)

In addition to these families, there are several from Wingeard’s genealogy that I’m researching and wondering about, questioning their placement in the family tree. More on them later.

Do you have Hacker/Hockers from Pennsylvania that you’re researching? Drop me a line and tell me all about them.