Harshbarger line: Solomon Buchtel 1773-1840

Solomon Buchtel was born in 1773 to Johannes John Buchtel and Catherine Seiler.  Both of his parents were born in Wurtemburg, Germany and had immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1753.  His parents married in 1760, probably after their terms of indenture were over, and initially lived in Snyder County, Pa.  They soon moved to Brush Valley, Centre County, Pa, where most of their children, including Solomon, were born.  This was frontier land at the time, and there were likely encounters with Indians during those early years on the farm. Solomon had 7 brothers and sisters.

His father was a truly intelligent man (I'll write about him another time) so it is likely that Solomon had inherited at least some of that curiosity and energy.  Solomon married Maria Margaretha Reber, daughter of Johann Conrad Reber and Mary M Pontius, about 1805, and the couple settled near Rebersburg, Pa. to raise their family.  I've seen a copy of a picture of their home, which he built himself.  It was a frame two story dwelling, with an addition.  I'm not sure if the smaller section might have been the original section, or whether it was the addition.  At any rate, the home had enough room to raise the 8 children that were born to the couple: Benjamin, Solomon, Johnathon, Thomas, Henry, Hannah, Joseph, and William. 

I haven't been able to trace Solomon through the US Census, nor Find A Grave, nor any of my usual sources, so I have much to do yet to learn his story.  He purchased land in what became Greene Township, Summit County in 1815, so that gives us an approximate date for his move.  I have notes that the 1820's census lists the occupation as manufacturing, but I can't duplicate that finding in a current search, so perhaps that is not correct. He is listed on an 1830 tax list for Stark County (parent of Summit County) in Lake Township, Uniontown, as having a town lot, so perhaps he was engaged in some form of manufacturing rather than farming.  His oldest son Benjamin was married in Summit County, Ohio in 1844.  I have an "internet" death date of about 1840 in Portage County, but I don't know if that is correct and I'm only guessing that is an Ohio location. 

This is as much as I know about Solomon.  Since he had 8 children, I am hoping that another descendent or two have information about him and about Maria Margaret Reber, that would help fill in the many blanks in this story.  I'd love to hear from you! 

Here is the line of descent:

Solomon Buchtel-Maria Margaret Reber
Benjamin Buchtel-Barbara Long
Nancy Fanny Buchtel-Adam Kemery
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Harshbarger kids, grandkids, and great grandkids