Family Research – Page 2 – A Pennsylvania Dutch Genealogy

Skepticism: Wherefore Art Thou?

Kris Hocker on 12 Mar 2016

A healthy dose of skepticism can be a valuable tool in genealogy. It’s important to examine each record critically. It’s a lesson I’ve just had cause to remember, again.

I was looking at the record in my Reunion database for my ancestor Daniel Boileau and I found the following:

Daniel Boileau came to Milesburg from Huntingdon County to make flour-barrels at the Milesburg grist-mill. He and his father-in-law Mr. Robertson, had fought side by side in the Revolutionary war as soldiers in the French army. Boileau settled eventually on a bit of land south of Milesburg, and died there in 1840. In front of the old log house that was his home at that place stands a hickory-tree that he planted with his own hands upon the occasion of Gen. Jackson’s first campaign for the Presidency. ¹

“He and his father-in-law Mr. Robertson, had fought side by side in the Revolutionary war as soldiers in the French army.”

I also have Daniel’s death date as 28 November 1840. At that time he was 69 years old, placing his birth about 1771.² The 1840 census for Spring Township, Centre County confirms this.³ His age, 60-70, places his birth between 1770 and 1780. This would make him about 12 years old at the end of the war.

France entered the war in February 1778 with the Treaty of Alliance. At that time, Daniel was six or seven years old. I have a very hard time seeing a boy that young being allowed to join the French army. He would have only been ten years old at the time of the Battle of Yorktown where General Cornwallis surrendered in 1781.

Granted young boys (and occasionally girls) served in historic armies. But at the time the armies were most active in the north—where one would assume Daniel would have served since that’s where he ended up—he would have been exceptionally young to have been a soldier. Not impossible, but not very likely either.

Skepticism Found

Looking at that quote now, I’m surprised I just added it to the database without a qualification. I find it unlikely to be the absolute truth. But it’s possible that it contains parts of the truth.

First, there could have been a Daniel Boileau—perhaps a relative, perhaps even his father—who served in the Revolutionary War. Different people with the same name are confused for each other all the time. And it’s not uncommon for fathers and sons of the same name to be reduced to one person. Adding several hundred years to the problem, only makes it harder to differentiate between people.⁴

In this scenario, I’m less certain of the French army connection, unless the soldier eventually brought his family over from France. If they were already here, wouldn’t he have just served with the colonials?

Alternatively, perhaps Daniel and his father-in-law fought together in a different war. At the time of the War of 1812, Daniel would have been about 41 years old. Not the age of the average soldier—especially if his father-in-law fought beside him—but not outside the realm of possible. The planting of a hickory tree in honor of Andrew Jackson’s first presidential campaign seems to indicate some strong feelings for the man who played a pivotal role in the War of 1812.⁵

Regardless, I apparently need to give my inner skeptic more of a free reign when researching my ancestors.

On the Subject of Dogs

Kris Hocker on 10 Jan 2016

My dogs are a big part of my life. I’ve lived with pets all my life. When I was born, my parents had two cats and a dog, so my sister and I grew up with pets in the house. Thinking about that made me curious about whether or not dogs were a part of my ancestors’ lives.

I already knew about some of the dogs my grandparents had. So, I went looking through the various boxes of photos I have from both sides of my family to see if I had photos of them. Sure enough, I do. Here’s a gallery of some of the images I found.

I found photos with dogs from the Hocker family that go back to my great grandfather William H. Hocker Sr. On the Greulich side, the photos only go back to my grandfather Russell R. Greulich’s youth. I don’t know if his parents’ families had dogs and didn’t have any photos of them, or just didn’t have dogs. The Snyders were farming folks, so maybe they had one.

Looking at the photos, I noticed that dogs played a very different role in the Greulich family versus the Hocker family. The photos of my grandfather Greulich’s dogs show them as pets, companions. These dogs lived with the family in the house. The choice of dog breeds—Boston Terrier and American Eskimo Dog—is also indicative of their roles.

The Hockers’ dog were hunting dogs as shown by the “catch-of-the-day” style photos. That the Hockers chose hounds (Beagles, I think) is further evidence that their dogs were working dogs. They lived in a dog run in the yard. It wasn’t until my family’s dog Major, a German Shepherd/Elkhound mix, went to live with my grandparents when my Dad was stationed overseas that they allowed a dog to live in the house with them.

Today, we have Golden Retrievers. While they’re trained to be hunting and retrieving dogs, they’re family pets. They perform in agility and obedience competition, and serve as models for my sister—an excellent dog photographer. And they rule the house.

“Trey and I,” featured image shows author and her Golden Trey. Photo © Karen Hocker Photography.

Part II: The Greulich Farm Connecting Five Generations with Deeds & Probate Records

Kris Hocker on 5 Oct 2015

In my last post about the Greulich farm, I compared the metes and bounds from two documents—Henry Snyder’s 1830 mortgage and Henry D. Snyder’s 1899 deed—and determined that there was a significant overlap between the two. While searching for a photo to use for the post, I found additional deeds to examine.

Having now looked through these deeds, I’ve been able to put together a timeline for the property, as follows:

Godfried Wissler wrote his last will and testament 3 April 1825 and it was proven on 21 October 1829.¹ He wrote: “It is my will and I do order that my real estate shall be sold by my Executors on public sale…”
On 2 April 1830, Jacob Stoyer, administrator of Godfried Wissler’s will sold Henry Snyder 62 acres 40 perches.²
On 1 April 1857, Henry Snyder sold 59 acres 128 perches to his son Joseph Schneyder.³
On 3 April 1861, Joseph Schneyder and his wife Judith sold this same tract to her first cousin Nathaniel Deischer of Hereford Township, Berks County.⁴ Henry Snyder’s mortgage on the original property was paid off on 3 April 1861, so it appears Joseph and Judith sold the land in order to pay the debt.⁵
On 24 March 1866, Nathaniel Deischer and Lydia his wife sold the 59 acres 89 perches to John Rooks of Warren County, New Jersey.⁶
On 20 February 1869, John Rook and his wife Cheretta sold 59 acres 89 perches to Addy Ziegler of Marlborough Township, Montgomery County.⁷
On 8 April 1869, Henry Hartman and Caroline his wife sold 16 acres 128 perches to Addy Ziegler.⁸ This was formerly part of the land of Thomas Lynch.
On 8 April 1875, Addy Ziegler and Elizabeth his wife sold 59 acres 89 perches and 16 acres 128 perches to Elias H. Hoch of Upper Hanover Township.⁹
On 29 March 1877, Elias H. Hoch and his wife Lavinia sold 59 acres 84 perches (part of the two adjoining tract purchased from Ziegler) to Joseph Schneider of Upper Hanover Township.¹⁰
Joseph Snyder wrote his last will and testament on 10 July 1894, which states “All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real, personal and mixed, whatever and wherever, I order and direct to be converted into money as soon as the same can conveniently be done after my decease.”¹¹ He died 4 November 1895 and his will was proven on 7 December 1895.
Joseph Snyder’s executors, Henry D. Snyder and Amandus Snyder, sold 55 acres and 84 perches (except 40 square perches) to their brother Mahlon Snyder on 1 April 1899.¹²
On 1 July 1899, Mahlon Snyder sold 55 acres 84 perches (except 40 square perches) to Henry D. Snyder.¹³
On 22 August 1928, Henry and Saraphine Snyder sold 55 acres 84 perches to their son-in-law and daughter, Elmer and Lillian Greulich.¹⁴

Thus, I can prove—thank you, Snyder and Greulich ancestors for holding onto all those deeds!—the land descended from Godfried Wissler to his son-in-law Henry Schneider to his son Joseph Schneider, then through other hands until most of it was bought back by Joseph Schneider in 1877, then eventually to his son Henry Deischer Snyder.

Can we go back further? Let’s find out.

The Greulich Farm Using Deeds to Prove Henry Snyder Was Joseph Snyder's Father

Kris Hocker on 28 Sep 2015

When I last wrote about Joseph Snyder, I was on the trail of his father and believed he was the same Henry Snyder whose mortgage indenture I had in my possession. The 1850 census for Henry Snyder of Upper Hanover Township included Henry, Sarah, Joel, Joseph, Louisa Anna, and Sophie Schnider.¹ Although I can infer a relationship between the household members, it is not directly indicated in this record.

I also postulated that Joseph Snyder received his father’s farm sometime before Henry’s death. Based on the metes and bounds as outlined in Henry Snyder’s mortgage, it sounded like the location of the farm that I’ve always known as the “Greulich farm” which was located just outside East Greenville in Upper Hanover Township, diagonally opposite the New Goshenhoppen Church. Since I have two deeds—one for Henry Snyder’s farm and one for the farm my great great grandfather Henry Deischer Snyder purchased from his father’s estate—I figured I would compare the metes and bounds to determine once and for all if they were the same farm.

Henry Snyder farm Upper Hanover Township

Henry Snyder’s farm

Henry Snyder (1830)

Henry Snyder purchased 62 acres from Jacob Stoyer, the administrator of Godfrey Wissler’s estate.² Godfrey Wissler was Henry’s father-in-law.³

Henry and Sarah Snyder sold pieces of this land in 1839 (to Peter Strunk⁴) and 1850 (to George Gery⁵ and George Seasholtz⁶). These sales totaled about 7 acres.

Henry D. Snyder (1899)

Henry D. Snyder (aka Greulich) farm

Joseph Snyder died in 1895. His sons Henry D. and Amandus D. Snyder served as executors of his last will and testament, proven 7 December 1895, which required that his land be sold and the proceeds divided into seven equal shares and divided amongst: Henry, Irwin, Clement, Amandus, Mary, Sally, and Ida.⁷ On 1 April 1899, Henry and Amandus sold 55 acres to Mahlon Snyder.⁸ On 1 July 1899, Mahlon and his wife Clara sold 55 acres to Henry D. Snyder, except 40 square perches that Henry and Amandus sold to the Upper Hanover school district.⁹

The northwest sections of these maps, I believe, are a very close match—likely with miscellaneous additions to and subtractions from the original tract between 1839 and 1899.

This farm was in Henry’s possession until his death in 1931 when it passed to his only child Lillian Witmer (Snyder) Greulich. It passed to her only child, Russ, after her death in 1949. The remains of the house and farm buildings can be seen on Google Maps’ satellite image along School House road, up to the corner with Third Street and Church Road.

Joel and Joseph Snyder

On 13 May 1861, the spring following Henry Snyder’s death, Joel Snyder and his wife Catharine and Joseph Snyder and his wife Judith sold a piece of land in East Greenville to Lucianna Mock, widow, and Sophia Schneider, spinster.¹⁰ This deed states that Henry Schneider died intestate with four children: Joel, Joseph, Lucianna intermarried with Peter Mock (now deceased), and Sophia, and that Joel and Joseph had agreed to sell the plot to their sisters.

Evidence doesn’t get much clearer than this. Joel, Joseph, Lucianna, and Sophia were the children of Henry Schneider of Upper Hanover Township. Thus, the 1850 census entry for Henry shows him, his wife, and their children.

Either Henry sold his farm to Joseph prior to his death or Joseph’s siblings sold it to him after his death. I haven’t found a deed or other reference to this transfer, but the deed maps show that the land Joseph’s sons sold after his death contain at least part of the original land that Henry Snyder purchased in 1830 from his father-in-law’s estate. In 1860, Joseph owned $5000 worth of real estate¹¹, his father only $1500¹², and brother only $1,000.¹³ Joseph was a farmer in 1860, and this—with the value of his real estate—indicates to me that he already owned a farm by 1860. It seems probable that it was his father’s farm.

Addendum

In looking for the photo I’ve used as the feature image for this post, I found a treasure trove of family deeds. Check in next time to see what they tell me.

Genealogical Serendipity How I Found the Maiden Name of One Many Times Great Grandmother While Trying to Find Another's

Kris Hocker on 13 May 2015

Recently, I was going through Dauphin County Orphans Court books researching those of a specific surname, hoping to locate clues to the family of one of my many times great grandmothers. The information I have for her is sketchy and gives her name as the same as her mother-in-law’s. So, I’d really like to create some clarity around the identities of these two women.

While the records didn’t yield anything, I kept seeing a familiar name in nearby records. When my 5x great grandfather, Michael Krehl, died in 1818, the administrator of his estate was named John Steiley.¹ So, when I kept seeing the Stehley surname crop up again and again, my interest was piqued.

Jacob Stehley of Harrisburg died intestate in Nov 1793, leaving a widow Elizabeth, three young children, and property in Harrisburg.² George Stehley, “eldest son and heir at law of Jacob Stehley late of Harrisburg… Brewer,” petitioned the court for an inquest to partition his father’s property in 1800.³ His petition named the seven children of Jacob Stehley: George, “Margaret, Wilhelmina the wife of Michael Krehl, John, Martin, Philip and Elizabeth (now decd).” John, Philip, and Martin were yet minors under the age of 21.

Because I have so little information on the family currently, it’s possible that Elizabeth was a second wife, and therefore not Wilhelmina’s birth mother. So, I haven’t yet added her in as such. As I gather more information—hopefully including a marriage date for Jacob and Elizabeth—I’ll be able to build a more complete picture of this family. Jacob is now one of the earliest of my ancestors to live in Harrisburg. He purchased his Front Street property for £120 on 15 Jun 1791.⁴ (The Hocker boys bought land there in 1785.)

Following up on the Stehley name gave me the maiden name of my 5x great grandmother, Wilhelmina (Stehley) Krehl, and presumably the names of my 6x great grandparents, Jacob and Elizabeth (___) Stehley.

What Was the Cause of Death?

Kris Hocker on 2 Jan 2015

I’ve been data mining the Pennsylvania Death Certificates, 1906-1963 on Ancestry.com for records for Hockers (and Hackers). So far, I’ve compiled a collection of 691 death certificates for Hockers (male and female) and their children.

Since genetic disease has been on my mind a lot lately, I thought it would be an interesting exercise to see what these family members died from. Here’s how the results tallied up:

Adherent pericardium: 1 death
Alcoholism: 2 deaths
Amytrophic lateral sclerosis: 1 death
Angina Pectoris: 3 deaths
Anoxia: 1 death
Apoplexy: 72 deaths
Appendicitis: 1 death
Arterio Thrombosis: 1 death
Arteriosclerosis: 31 deaths
Asphyxia: 3 deaths
Atelectasis: 2 deaths
Auricular fibrillation: 1 death
Bright’s Disease/Nephritis: 18 deaths
Bronchitis: 4 deaths
Cancer: 71 deaths
- Abdomen: 2 deaths
- Adenocarinoma: 1 death
- Bladder: 3 deaths
- Brain: 1 death
- Breast: 11 deaths
- Bone: 1 death
- Cervix: 1 death
- Colon: 9 deaths
- Intestines: 2 deaths
- Kidney: 2 deaths
- Liver: 8 deaths
- Mouth/Tongue: 1 death
- Ovarian: 5 deaths
- Peritoneus: 1 death
- Prostate: 4 deaths
- Rectum: 1 death
- Skin: 2 deaths
- Stomach: 10 deaths
- Throat: 1 death
- Unknown type: 2 deaths
- Uterine: 4 deaths
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: 1 death
Cardiovascular Disease: 5 deaths
Cardio-Renal Disease: 9 deaths
Cardio-Repiratory Failure: 1 death
Cerebral Arteriosclerosis: 2 deaths
Cerebral Embolism: 1 death
Cerebral Hemorrhage (not as apoplexy): 3 deaths
Cerebral Meningitis: 2 deaths
Cerebral Thrombosis: 7 deaths
Cerebral Vascular Occlusion: 1 death
Chicken Pox: 1 death
Cholera Infantum: 3 deaths
Cirrhosis: 1 death
Congestive Heart Failure: 6 deaths
Congenital Debility: 2 deaths
Convulsions: 2 deaths
Coronary Arteriosclerosis: 3 deaths
Coronary Embolism: 4 deaths
Coronary Infarction: 1 death
Coronary Occlusion: 26 deaths
Coronary Thrombosis: 14 deaths
Dementia: 3 deaths
Diabetes: 5 deaths
Diptheria: 1 death
Dropsy (Edema): 1 death
Dysentery: 3 deaths
Electrocution: 1 death (work accident)
Encephalitis Lethargica (Sleepy Sickness): 2 deaths
Endocarditis: 4 deaths
Dilation (Dilatation) of Heart: 13 deaths
Epiglotal Spasm: 1 death
Fractured Skull: 6 deaths (4 from auto accidents)
Gangrene: 2 deaths
Gastric Ulcers: 2 deaths
Gastritis: 1 death
Gastro Enteritis: 4 deaths
Gastro-Intestinal Rupture: 2 deaths
Gun Shot Wound: 4 deaths
Heart Arrhythmia: 1 death
Heart Disease: 10 deaths
Heart Failure: 14 deaths
Heat Exhaustion: 1 death
Hemorrhage: 3 deaths — not associated with vehicular accident
Hyperemesis Gravidarum: 1 death
Hypertension: 1 death
Hypostasis: 1 death
Illio Collitis: 2 deaths
Inanition: 3 deaths
Indigestion: 1 death
Intestinal Obstruction: 2 deaths
Left heart failure: 2 deaths
Liver Atrophy: 1 death
Lymphosarcoma: 1 death
Marasmus: 2 deaths
Meningitis: 2 deaths
Mesenteric Occlusion: 1 death
Mitral Disease (including Mitral Stenosis): 8 deaths
Multiplesclerosis: 1 death
Myelogeneous Luekemia: 1 death
Myocarditis: 37 deaths
Myocardial Infarction: 11 deaths
Nephritis (Acute): 1 death (see Bright’s Disease for Chronic Nephritis)
Old Age: 1 death
Paralysis: 3 deaths (Apoplexy?)
Paralyis Agitans (Parkinson’s Disease): 1 death
Paresis: 1 death (late state Neurosyphilus)
Patent Foramen Ovale: 2 deaths
Pelvic Abscess: 1 death
Peritonitis: 2 deaths
Pernicious Anaemia: 2 deaths
Phlegmonous Erysipelas (Abscesses): 1 death
Pneumonia:
- Bronchial pneumonia: 12 deaths
- Catarrhal pneumonia: 1 death
- Croupous pneumonia: 1 death
- Hypostatic pneumonia: 7 deaths
- Lobar pneumonia: 9 deaths
- Pneumonia: 14 deaths
Pneumonia & Influenza: 4 deaths
Premature Births: 11 deaths
Protracted Labor: 2 deaths
Pulmonary Edema: 5 deaths
Pulmonary Embolism: 5 deaths
Pulmonary Infarction: 1 death
Pulmonary Thrombosis: 3 deaths
Renal Embolism: 1 death
Renal Occlusion: 1 death
Rheumatic Heart Disease: 2 deaths
Septicemia: 5 deaths
Shock: 1 death (fell in ice cold lake)
Stillborn: 23 deaths
Strangulated Inguinal Hernia: 2 deaths
Strangulation: 1 death (accidental, due to Epilepsy)
Streptoccocal Meningitis: 1 death
Suffocation: 1 death
Surgical Complications:
- Caesarian: 1 death
- Hysterectomy: 1 death
- Prostate surgery: 1 death
- Shock: 1 death
Syphilus: 1 death
Tertiary Luetic Aortic Aneurysm: 1 death
Toxemia-Eclampsia: 1 death
Tuberculosis: 25 deaths
Typhoid Fever: 5 deaths
Unknown: 2 deaths
Unknown, pending inquest: 5 deaths
Uremia: 18 deaths
Valvular Disease: 11 deaths
Valvular Insufficiency: 1 death
Vehicular Accident (Auto, Motorcycle, etc): 6 deaths
Whooping Cough: 1 death

Some of the causes of death were sad and some of the causes were surprising in that I’d never heard of them.

For instance, one of my great great uncles died of Encephalitis Lethargica. Apparently, between 1915 and 1926 there was a worldwide epidemic of the disease which attacks the brain and leaves the person in a statue-like position, speechless and motionless.¹ In both instances the Hockers died in the 1930s after having the disease for four and eleven years, respectively.

My heart hurt seeing the number of premature and stillborn babies that were born to Hocker families, including one pair of Siamese twins. Some of these children would have likely survived in neonatal wards today though they had little chance of survival in the early 20^th century.

Heart disease, renal disease, cancer and strokes seem to be the top killers amongst this group of Hockers. And heart disease and stroke are still common causes of death today.

Follow-up: Aetna Explosives Co. at Mount Union

Kris Hocker on 12 Sep 2014

Will Hocker – Aetna Explosives Co. Crew?

Last week I wrote a post about the September 1916 explosion at the Aetna Explosives Company’s factory in Mount Union, Pennsylvania. Following up with additional newspaper research, I found that this explosion wasn’t the first, nor was it the last. Here’s what I’ve been able to piece together regarding the history of this factory. ¹

Timeline:

1915

Week of May 19, 1915: Purchased Westbrook farm
25 May 1915: William Hocker’s first child was born in Harrisburg
1 July 1915: Plant scheduled to open
14 July 1915: Two workmen died in accident
16 August 1915: Started manufacturing explosives
15 September 1915: Factory started manufacturing gun cotton
24 September 1915: Workmen burned by acid when ringer exploded, one man seriously burned
5 October 1915: Four workmen badly burned on their faces and bodies by acid in accident
14 October 1915: Plant was looking for 1,500 workmen (1,000 carpenters) to expand
11 November 1915: First shipment of gun cotton, 150,000 pounds, sent out
18 November 1915: Started manufacturing smokeless gun power
22 November 1915: Ether room at the factory exploded
2 December 1915: Broke ground for factory expansion
19 December 1915: Footbridge to factory washed away after flooding in the Juniata River

1916

7 January 1916: Solvent Recovery Building No. 3 burned down
14 January 1916: Fire at factory
16 January 1916: Fire in the “screen barrel house” at factory; third fire in one week
25 March 1916: Powder plant almost a year old
26 April 1916: Worker Harry Pierson lost his right hand at wrist when it was caught under a hydraulic press
16 May 1916: Three fires overnight in cotton drying building
2 July 1916: Explosion at least one dead²
29 July 1916: Aetna received order for 5 million pounds of smokeless power from U.S. government
12 September 1916: H. Subree, an Aetna chemist, was bitten by a copperhead snake
20 September 1916: Six men killed and many injured in explosion in the cotton dry house
2 October 1916: Powder plant closed down
12 October 1916: Plant planned to open to manufacture dyes and sulphuric acid
16 October 1916: Last smokeless powder manufactured
21 November 1916: Powder plant to reopen with large order for explosives, planned to hire 1,500-2,300 men
2 December 1916: Powder plant resumed operations

1917

17 January 1917: Solvent recovery building completely destroyed by fire, no one was badly hurt
18 April 1917: Debtors applied for receiver to be named for Aetna Explosives Company
30 April 1917: Acid tank exploded, badly burning six men, one of whom—David Sollenberger—later died
5 Jun 1917: William Hocker registered for the draft and was working at the factory as a millwright
17 July 1917: Two men—Lew Port and John Flasher—were seriously burned in an explosion at the plant
24 December 1917: Fire at the plant caused about $60,000 worth of damage
29 December 1917: Citizens of Mount Union signed up to become members of the local Red Cross chapter

1918

19 January 1918: Seven state policemen arrived to guard two million pounds of TNT powder
2 July 1918: Seven buildings were destroyed by raging fire at the plant, however there was no loss of life
13 July 1918: 300 men arrived to repair the damaged building and expand the plant
15 July 1918: Nine men were injured, possibly five fatally, by explosion in the gun cotton building

My great grandfather was working at the Aetna Explosives Company manufacturing plant at Mount Union by 5 Jun 1917.³ In reading through the news reports on the company after that date, I see nothing that matches the family story. There were fires that destroyed buildings and resultant injuries, but no loss of life. I can’t imagine that there would have been no news coverage of an explosion that killed workers.

So, if the explosion my grandfather told me about didn’t happen after 5 June 1917, then it must have happened before that date. Again, in 1917, I found reference to explosions, fires and burn injuries, but only one casualty is mentioned—David Sollenberger in April 1917. The only explosion that resulted in multiple deaths that was reported consistently in the Pennsylvania newspapers I reviewed was the September 1916 explosion.

There was a mention in the Gettysburg Star & Sentinel of an explosion in October 1916 that killed 19 men.⁴ This was also reported in the Chicago Livestock World in an article about another explosion in January 1917.⁵ This explosion seems a better match to the family lore.

However, I found no mention of the October 1916 explosion in Pennsylvania newspapers when I searched Chronicling America or the Google newspaper archive. With such a substantial loss of life, the lack of newspaper coverage seems very strange to me. Especially when the Harrisburg newspapers reported on the layoff of workers from Mt. Union and the “closing” of the factory that month and the reopening a month later.

I’d still like to review Harrisburg city directories to try to determine when my great grandfather and his family left Harrisburg for Newton-Hamilton. Maybe that’ll help narrow down the time frame to look for a historical match to the family story.

Updated 27 November 2016: Add a reader-sourced explosion and death (2 July 1916) to the timeline.

52 Ancestors: Lillian (Snyder) Greulich (1879-1947)

Kris Hocker on 3 Sep 2014

Lillian Witmer Snyder

Lillian Witmer Snyder, daughter of Henry D. and Saraphine K. (Witmer) Snyder, was born 26 October 1879 in Marlborough Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. In 1880, her family was living adjacent Saraphine’s parents Edward and Lydia (Kline) Witmer.¹ Both Henry and Saraphine were working as tailors, as was Saraphine’s mother, Lydia.

Lillian’s grandfather, Joseph Snyder, died on 4 November 1895. Her father and uncle Amandus were the executors of Joseph’s will. They sold Joseph’s farm to their brother Mahlon for $2700. He and his wife Clara, then, sold the farm to Henry, minus 40 square perches for himself.² The family was likely living there in 1900 with Henry’s mother, Judith.³ Henry was listed as a farmer. Lillian was aged 20, working as a dressmaker.

Elmer and Lillian (Snyder) Greulich (c 1901)

Lillian married Elmer Calvin Greulich on 21 September 1901 in East Greenville.⁴ At the time, they were both 21 years of age. Lillian was working as a teacher and Elmer was a cigarmaker. The school building where she taught was located across from the New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church and adjacent to her father’s farm.

Lillian and Elmer’s only child—Russell Roy Greulich—was born Saturday, 23 July 1910 when the couple was living in Upper Hanover Township, just outside East Greenville.⁵ In 1922 when he was 12, the family moved to Lansdale, Pennsylvania, where they stayed.

Elmer Greulich (1880-1947) and Lillie W. (Snyder) Greulich (1879-1949)

Elmer died Friday, 10 January 1947 in Lansdale of a coronary occlusion.⁶ He’d been blind and bedridden due to diabetes for several years before he died. He was buried on Thursday, 16 January 1947 at New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church cemetery. He was survived by his widow, a son, three grandchildren, three sisters, and a brother.

Lillian died Sunday, 13 February 1947 in Sellersville Hospital of acute left ventricular heart failure.⁷ She was buried with her husband on Thursday, 17 February.

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 twenty-first 52 Ancestors post and part of week thirty-five.

19th Century Newspaper Death Notices

Kris Hocker on 28 Aug 2014

Newspapers can be an invaluable source of historical information to put our ancestors’ lives in context. But they can also provide direct content, such as BDM—birth, death, marriage—dates, about our ancestors, too. I have found casual, social news about family, marriage announcements, death announcements, and obituaries in newspapers where they lived during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The information provided in a newspaper can vary greatly—from the limited data of a death notice:

Died—On Tuesday last, in this borough [Harrisburg], Miss Amelia, daughter of the last Judge Henry dec’d.¹

to a short article:

During the storm of Thursday afternoon, Samuel Hocker was killed, in the vicinity of Spring Mills, Montgomery county, by lightning, while standing under a tree, with three other men. His companions were all stunned, but escaped without much injury.²

to a longer obituary:

Died—On Thursday the 3d instant, Thomas Girty, in the 90th year of his age.

The name of this veteran, and of some of his family, is associated with some of the most interesting events in the history of the first settlement of this country. Could the incidents of his life be collected they would form a valuable work, and give a proper idea of the intrepidity, enterprise, and heavy sufferings of that class of early settlers, who were formerly called Indian Hunters. Girty was born in 1731, in Shennan’s valley. He was taken prisoner with his whole family in ’55 by the Indians, and brought to Fort Kittaning, where his step father was burnt in his presence, at the stake. After this hellish transaction the four brothers and mother were sent off among the different tribes of the Northwestern Indians. Thomas Girty made his escape and fell in with General Armstrong. The rest of the family were exchanged in the year ’58 at General Forbes’ treaty.³

So, don’t discount newspapers because your ancestor wasn’t famous or a person of great importance. You might not find anything. But you might just hit the genealogy jackpot.

1916 Aetna Explosives Co. Explosion at Mt. Union, Pa.

Kris Hocker on 27 Aug 2014

While writing this week’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, I recalled a story my grandfather told me about an incident in his father’s life. With a little digging, I was able to discover more information about it.

Will Hocker – Aetna Explosives Co. Crew?

Grandpa once recalled that his father—William Howard Hocker—worked at a mill that made gunpowder when he was a newly married man—before my grandfather was born. The family wasn’t living in Harrisburg at the time. Supposedly, my great grandfather went home for lunch one day and while he was there, an explosion destroyed part of the mill, killing my great grandfather’s team.

My grandfather didn’t supply any detail—the who, what, when, and where. But records from my great grandfather’s life helped to fill in the blanks. Will Hocker married Isabella Aiken Smith on 13 October 1914 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.¹ At the time, he was a carpenter. He was born and grew up in Harrisburg and was still living there when he married. His first child, daughter Bonnie, was born in Harrisburg in May 1915. So, was his second child, born in 1918.

However, during the intervening years, he was required to register for the draft during World War I. At that time—June 1917—Will was living in Newton-Hamilton, Wayne Township, Mifflin County, working at the Aetna Explosives Company as a millwright.²

Proximity of Mount Union & Newton-Hamilton

The Aetna Explosives Company of New York built a large plant at Mount Union in May 1915 to manufacture munitions for World War I.³ The company bought the farm of John Westbrook and built their plant, which eventually covered 380 acres of land. Work on this factory progressed rapidly and it started operations, producing gun cotton, in September 1915. The powder presses arrived a month later. “This plant manufactured smokeless powder for the Russian, French, and English Governments and finally for the United States Government, and in October 1918, was delivering at the rate of 1,500,000 pounds of smokeless powder per month.”⁴

According to The American Underwriter Magazine and Insurance Review, there was an explosion at the Aetna Explosives Co. factory in Mount Union at their finishing mill, resulting in $60,000 in damages in 1916.⁵ The explosion was due to “spon. combustion.” My grandfather told me that static electricity built up in the drum and ignited the powder.

Newspaper coverage from the time stated:

Huntingdon, Pa., Sept. 21— Five men were instantly killed and another sustained injuries which caused his death hours later when the air dry house of the Mount Union plant of the Aetna explosives company was wrecked near here early today. All the dead were empleyed [sic] in the building which was blown to pieces.⁶

The men who died that day were “Clayton Clark of Shirleysville, Pa., George Scayer of Orbisonia, Pa., William Pyles of Orbisonia, Pa., Charles Bard of Obrisonia, Pa., and Steve Olsch of Lancaster, Pa.” William Leman, of Portage, Pa., was critically injured and later died. The explosion was felt for miles and sent debris flying several hundred feet.⁷

According to the Harrisburg Telegraph, “Six men were killed and a number injured at 6 o’clock this morning when a terrific explosion completely destroyed the cotton dry house at the plant of the Aetna Explosives Company here [Mount Union]. The men were changing shifts at the time, the night workers just going away from the building at the time escaped injury.”⁸ The newspaper claims the dead were “George Stair, Orbisonia; Elmer Pyle, Orbisonia; Clayton Clark, Marietta; Elmer Bair, Orbisonia; William Lehman, Portage, and Charles Vlsch [Olsch?], Orbisonia.”

Aetna Explosives Co. Crew, ca 1916?

If the time of day referenced in this account is correct, then my great grandfather likely hadn’t gone home for lunch, but had either already left or hadn’t yet arrived for his shift. I don’t know in what capacity my great grandfather worked at the factory. His 1917 draft card lists him as a millwright. My understanding of this position as “a specialized carpenter”⁹ is consistent with his work life both before and after his job with Aetna Explosives Company. I would guess that he was involved with the setting up, building and maintaining the factory and its equipment.

How this plays against my grandfather’s account, I don’t know. I can’t be sure whether or not my great grandfather personally knew or worked with the deceased. While I know that he was working at the company in June 1917, was he already working there in September 1916? Given the size of the facility, it would have taken a large workforce to build it—including a large number of carpenters. Steady work would have appealed to a man with a wife and young child to support. So, it’s possible, if not likely, that he was. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the only explosion at the factory. Even if Grandpa’s story isn’t related to this tragedy, it may have been related to one of the others.

I am sure, however, that this was an extremely traumatic event in his life and must have touched him deeply. Why else would he speak of it with his son—who wasn’t even born until two years after the tragedy? And in such a way that that boy felt the need to speak of it with his granddaughter when asked about the photos?

I’m glad I looked into my grandfather’s memory. Stories like this give depth to our understanding of our ancestors and the events they lived through. Knowing that my great grandfather remembered this event and the men who died, provides insight into the type of man he was. And that’s the closest I can get to knowing him.

Photo Notes: Reviewing the two photos, it appears that most of the men are in both photo. Two men—the man to the far left and the man to the far right in the first photo—are not in the second photo. I don’t know for certain that my great grandfather is in either, but the man to the far left in the first photo resembles him to me. Maybe one of the family who actually knew him will post a comment?

Tag: Family Research