Harshbarger line: Johann Conrad Reber 1723-after 1790

I've written before about Johann Conrad Reber, born December 10, 1751.  I mis-stated his place of birth, for in researching his father, I find that his parents were already in Pennsylvania by the time Conrad Jr. was born. 

So let's look at this father's life and we may gain some insights into the younger generation also.  Johann Conrad Refer, the father and immigrant, was born in March of 1723 and christened on March 23 of that year.  He was the son of Johan Bernhard and Annia Maria Ahl Reber, and was born in Langenselbold, Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany.  The town may have been more of a village at the time, but it was probably larger than some of the other towns that our German ancestors came from. Still, economics of the time meant that land was scarce and our Conrad decided to come to America in 1746.

We don't know where he lived at first.  Germantown was a first stop for many of the immigrants of the time, but he was soon in Tulpehocken township, Berks County.  It is not known whether he had family there but it's quite possible.  He married Anna Margaret Conrad on August 1, 1750, and the couple set to work to build a family.  It's likely that they built their own home, which can still be seen today, or at least, there are pictures of it.  It's a small log cabin and it's hard to see how they raised 7 children in such a small space, so maybe this is their first home, or their last one.

Conrad may have wondered whether he had made the right choice in settling in Tulpehocken township because that area was hard hit by attacks from the native Americans for several years during the French and Indian War.  There is a long list in one of the Berks County history books of those who were killed, captured, and wounded, and it is sobering indeed to read it.  Most likely Conrad was in a militia to protect his family and his neighbors.  This was a Lutheran or Reformed family, not Mennonite or Amish, so fighting was permissible to them.  There seem to be no nearby settlements that the family would naturally have gone to, so they may have gone to Reading, which would be quite a trip, especially with young children, but there was a greater degree of safety there.

We can also wonder about Conrad's thoughts regarding the Revolutionary War.  He was 52 years old when it broke out, which was probably old to be doing much soldiering.  But he may have been involved in providing or transporting supplies to the Americans.  His son Conrad apparently fought so his father would have had some feelings about the matter.  Mostly, though, he farmed.  

Conrad farmed to support his family, and on some of the tax lists, there are also the initials "g.m."  I haven't found a key for this but I'm guessing this might have been "grist mill".  On tax lists, Conrad is generally taxed more than most of his neighbors, but not as much as some.  On one such list, I believe from 1789, he is shown as owning 200 acres, 4 horses and 5 cattle.  Sometime during his later life, he seems to have moved from Tulpehocken township to Bethel Township, but probably did not move far.  The two townships are adjoining. 

There are varying dates for Conrad's death, from 1786 to 1796.  The inventory was presented in 1796, and there wouldn't have been minor children to delay the probate, so I'm guessing he died shortly before September 24, 1796.  He is buried at Zion Church Cemetery at Strausstown.  It's not known when Anna Margaret died but it was apparently after her husband.  The records I found of his will are not clear but it looks like his estate was valued at about 224 pounds. 

You can see copies of his signature and of the picture I referred to at www.bergergirls.com, if you'd care to look. 

The line of descent is

Johann Conrad Reber-Anna Margaret Conrad
Johann Conrad Reber-Mary Margaret Pontius
Mary Margaretha Reber-Solomon Buchtel
Benjamin Buchtel-Barbara Burkholder
Nancy Buchtel-Adam Kenery
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Beeks
Their descendants

Harshbarger line: Where was George Essig in 1840?

Perhaps I should start at the beginning, with the "who" of george Essig.  He was the son of Simon and Juliana Margaretha Schneer Essig, and was born, some say in Adams County, Pennsylvania, on October 19, 1794.  This would make some sense, as his father, Simon Essig, is believed to have been the only one of his family to have escaped an Indian attack, near Emmitsburg, Maryland, before the Revolutionary War.  The two locations are near each other. 

Simon and Juliana moved on to Stark County, Ohio, and raised their rather large family there.  George was one of 14 children born to the couple.  His parents were on the 1810 tax rolls for Stark County, and it is reported that Simon was in Plain Township, Stark County, planting an orchard as early as 1806.  It appears that all but possibly one of the children in George's first family had been born before the move from central Pennsylvania to central Ohio was made.  What a trip that must have been!  george would have been eleven or twelve years old at the time, so he would have been old enough to help with whatever needed to be done.  He would also have been old enough to remember both Pennsylvania and the trip. 

There is a tradition that George served in the War of 1812 along with his brothers Jacob and Adam.  I have not found any evidence of George's having served, but tradition says that he was injured by Indians (fighting on the side of the British) near Put-in-Bay, Ohio.  Sometimes these stories are true and sometimes not, so take it with a grain of salt until records are found verifying this.  It is beyond doubt that the Essig family would have felt threatened by the events of the war.  Fort Meigs was not constructed until 1813, and it was 156 miles away from Canton, the nearest town to where the Essigs lived.  If George wasn't a soldier in the war, he would probably have been in a local militia, and certainly would have been prepared to protect his family from stray Indian raids.

After the war was over, George married Catherine Shollenberger (various spellings), daughter of Peter and Susanna Shollenberger, on September 6, 1816.  We can trace the couple in the 1820 census, when there were two children, and the 1830 census, when there were 7 children under the age of 20 (officially) or under the age of 14 (actually).  We know George owned land in 1828 in Plain Township, Stark County. 

Then George seems to go missing from the records.  A George Essig purchased public lands in Dekalb County, Indiana in 1840 and up through 1852.  I do not know whether this is our George or not.  It is possible, whether or not this was our George, that the family was traveling somewhere in 1840 and thus was missed in the census.  I found a George Essick in the 1840 census in Davidson County, North Carolina, but the ages were off and it doesn't seem likely this was our George.  Some families just get missed, or are hiding within another family and so don't get named in the early censuses. 

We do know that George and Catherine were in Whitley County, Indiana by 1850.  That year's census shows them with 4 children still at home, ranging in age from 13 to 20.  Some of the older children live near by, having started their own households.  (According to his will, there were 11 children living at the time of George's death.) By 1860, George and Catherine are living in Columbia City, where he still is listed as a farmer.  An eleven year old boy named Washington Payne is living with them.  I don't yet know who he is, whether he is someone living there to help care for them or whether he is part of the extended family. 

George died on April 11, 1866.  Although he is not shown as having any land in the 1860 census, his will gives land to his son Joseph and to son David, after the death of his wife Catherine, and to each of his other children $35, which Joseph is to pay at the rate of $10 per year.  Catherine lived until June 19, 1872.  They are buried at Oakgrove Methodist (Redbrush) Cemetery near Larwill, Indiana, which was near the land they owned and farmed. 

There is undoubtedly more to George's story.  He left Pennsylvania, arrived in Ohio when it was basically frontier, helped build Stark County, and then came to Whitley County while it was still early in that county's history, probably again clearing land and farming as his father and his father before him had done.  He would certeinly have stories of his own to tell!

The line of descent is:

George Essig-Catherine Shollenberger
Susannah Essig-Daniel Kemery
Adam Kemery-Nancy Buchtel
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Beeks
Their descendants

Harshbarger line: William Cook of Whitley County

It's been a while since I've written about a Harshbarger family ancestor.  I thought I'd written about all of the men, but here is William Cook who has not yet been acknowledged as part of the DNA of the Harshbargers.  I really know very little about the man, considering that he has only been gone about 142 years, but he lived through interesting times, and left his home in Pennsylvania to come to Ohio and then on to Indiana during relatively early times.  In each case, the best of the lands had been acquired by the earliest land speculators and settlers, but good land was still available and the prospects must have seemed bright. 

William Cook was born August 8, 1817, probably in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.  He was the son of Henry and Catherine Whetstone Cook, and was one of at least eight children of the couple.  When William was quite small, probably about 4 years old, his family packed their goods and moved to Stark County, Ohio.  Henry was a blacksmith in or near Canton, Ohio and also farmed.  Henry ran into business difficulties and filed for bankruptcy about 1842, and was buying or leasing land in Whitley County, Indiana the following year.  He may have planted crops, for he was a farmer, but he must have returned to Stark County where by 1850 he was listed as a blacksmith, with his home and land valued at $27,000.  This was quite a turn around for a man who had been bankrupt just a few years earlier. 

William lived in Marlboro Township, Stark County, in the 1850 census but he was not a man of means.  His property was valued at $1200.  William had married Elizabeth Brown, daughter of David and Barbara Brothers (also seen as Bruder) Brown on December 31, 1837 and by the 1850 there were three children, Sarah, Barbara, and Alfred.  Also living in the household was "Barbara" Brown, age 66, who would be Elizabeth's mother.  I have seen references to Elizabeth as Betsy, which somehow makes her seem a little less stern and more cheerful.  I don't know that William ever used a nickname, though. 

Sometime between 1850 and 1860 the Henry Cook household and the William Cook household all moved to Whitley County.  There was already a Henry Cook in Whitley County in the 1850 census and he was of the right age to be Henry's son and William's brother, but he was too young to be the Henry Cook connected to the land deals earlier in the 1840s.

William and Betsy lived in Columbia City, Whitley County in 1860 and owned land valued at $300 with personal property valued at $80.  It sounds like they were just getting started.  By 1870, only Sarah, the oldest, was left at home,  William was still farming, with property now valued at $1200.  The 1880 census doesn't show a value but his son Alfred and his family is living there also.  It is from this census that we learn that William and Betsy could both read, but they couldn't write.  The deeds I have copies of show that they each signed with a mark.

One of the deeds is interesting.  In it, he couple is selling (for $1) land to their daughter Barbara, who is now Barbara Withers.  There is a lengthy description of the land, but what is interesting is that the deed was notarized by Thomas Marshall, who was later the Vice President of the United States.  This deed was from 1878.  Eight years earlier the Cooks had sold land to William Withers, who was their son in law.  (Barbara Cook married William Withers in 1867). 

William died April 3, 1888 and was buried at Bethel Cemetery, just outside Columbia City.  He seems to have not left a will and I've not found estate papers, although there should be some.  Elizabeth outlived him by 11 years and died before March 8. 1899. Sarah, their first daughter, apparently never married and died at the age of 83, single.  She was a retired housekeeper. 

This family seems to have been one of those families that stays out of sight for the most part.  William may have voted, but he evidently did not take an active role in government.  He and Betsy worked hard and helped their family survive, probably at a higher economic level than they attained.   They may not have had riches, but they lived through the War with Mexico, the Civil War, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and James Garfield, and they saw forests give way to factories and farms.  Their times were fascinating and their lives were challenging. 

The line of descent is:

William Cook-Elizabeth Brown
Barbara Cook-William A Withers
William Withers-Della Kemery
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Beeks
Their descendants

Beeks and Harshbarger Christmas, 1918

Christmas 100 years ago...What was it like for those family members who were alive then?  In many ways, we can only guess whether they had a bountiful Christmas or were lucky to get (or give) an apple or orange.  But we do know they had family...Boy, did they have family! 

We can only begin to imagine Christmas Day in 1918 for Wilbur Beeks.  He was in Russia, and had been since early August, as part of what was supposed to be a second front against Germany but ended up being part of the Russian revolution.  By now, he had mostly recovered from his wounds received September 27, and was operating with his unit again.  We can only hope they had some pause for a Christmas celebration.  Wilbur's wife of a little over four years, Cleo Aldridge Beeks, had a little bundle of joy to enjoy at Christmas.  After having buried two babies, one in 1915 and one in 1916, Kenneth Eugene Beeks was having his first Christmas (he would have only one more) and enjoying the day as much as a baby of almost six months can. 

Cleo would have had her choice of places to celebrate.  I don't know where she was living then.  She may have lived in Andrews, as that is where the birth record for Kenneth states,.  If so, she could have been living the life of a single Mom while Wilbur was away.  Or she could have been living with her parents, Harvey and Margaret Catherine Dunham Aldridge. Harvey was 65 and his wife was 60.  In 1920, the Aldridges were living on Berry Street in Andrews, and Harvey was a laborer at the lumberyard.  The Aldridges were already raising two grandchildren, but probably would have had room for a daughter and grandson, too, if needed.  There were six surviving Aldridge children including Cleo, so the family gathering, wherever it was held, would have included many Aldridge grandchildren, nieces and nephews to Cleo.  Maybe she didn't have enough time to really miss her husband that day. 

Or she may have been staying with, or at least visiting, the home of her in-laws.  John, 51, and Elizabeth Wise Beeks, 48, that day.  In 1920, they were living on Main Street in Andrews, and he was a section man on the interurban line.  Two of their children, Charity and Chester (Bud) were living with them, as was David Wise, Elizabeth's father, who was 81 years old.  And there was another Beeks family member to visit, Mary Wise Beeks, Wilbur's grandmother, the widow of William Beeks. She was 78 years old, but lived in a home she owned on East Washington Street in Lagro.  Her son Martin lived with her.  Mary and William had several children, some still living, so presumably there was a large Beeks Christmas celebration somewhere.

One other thing about the Beeks Christmas celebration:  Cleo herself turned 22 on Christmas of 1918.

The Harshbargers in Whitley County also had lots and lots of family.  Grover Harshbarger by now was mostly recovered from the bout with "Spanish influenza" that had knocked him for a loop and out of the military earlier that year.  He may have been living with his father then, but by 1920 he was living with his sister Maud, her husband, daughter, son in law, grandchild, and at least two other lodgers, relationship not determined although another of the 'lodgers" had the surname Harshbarger.  Grover was a logger at a saw mill.  Both his parents, Emanuel and Clara Ellen Harter Harshbarger were still living. listed as in the same household, in Thorn Creek, Whitley County, Indiana.  (This was significant because there had been an earlier divorce action and I never found whether or not it was withdrawn,  Apparently it was.)  Emanuel was 64 and Clara was 61.  They had at least three other children still living, so if they hosted a Harshbarger family Christmas the farmhouse they lived in would have been crowded. 

Goldie Withers was 17 and single, likely living with her parents, William H and Della Kemery Withers.  Her sister Sue, three years older, was married but probably came home for Christmas.  By 1920, both girls were gone, but 1918 would have been a family year.  Della's parents were still alive and in Whitley County, too, and they have a large family.  Adam, 72, and Nancy Fanny Buchtel Kemery, also 72, were farmers in Columbia Township, Whitley County.  They had two adult children living with them in 1920, but others were grown and away from home so there were likely grandchildren at the Kemery household that day, too. 

All of the families I've visited here had good support systems.  In the case of Cleo Aldridge Beeks, that was probably needed and she learned her lessons well, as she cared for many aging relatives during her lifetime.  But Christmas 1918 for all would have been a time of hope, with the war (except for Wilbur and the thousands of others still fighting in Russia) over.  And one other thing-Christmas Day 1918 brought just a little bit of snow to northern Indiana, .6 of an inch but enough to qualify for a "White Christmas". 

Harshbarger line: Friedrich Carl Hoerner 1703-after 1789, Immigrant

I thought I was done writing Harshbarger stories, but in a genealogy clean up project I have been working on, I found another ancestor who was an immigrant.  It will not surprise anyone in the Harshbarger family to learn that he came from Germany and died in Pennsylvania.  But what else can we learn about him?

Friedrich Carl Hoerner was born, or christened, December 23, 1703 at Dierbach, Sudliche Weinstrasse, Rheinfeld Pfalz, Germany.  This is a small village, current population abo0ut 540, and is located on the "point" between France and Germany.  One wonders how many wars this small village has seen?  Dierbach's church is Protestant and has been since the Reformation, the current church having been built in 1502.  Pictures of the town show typical German, half-timber construction, the type we would associate with medieval times. 

Friedrich Carl Hoerner was the son of Hans Gall and Juliana Margarethe Kurtz Hoerner, one of at least eight children.  Both of his parents lived until Frieddrich Carl had reached young manhood.  He was 20 when his father died and 33 when his mother died in 1737.  Friedrich appears to not have married until he was 41 years old, which was not that unusual for the men in small German villages.  Life was hard and it might take that long to save enough money to provide even the barest of necessities for a wife and a new household. 

In 1744, Friedrich Carl married Anna Catharina Schaub, daughter of Thomas Schaub, and their first child was born the following year.  Maria Salome is the only known daughter of the couple, and we don't know when Anna Catharina died.  Perhaps she died young and perhaps that is part of the reason that Friedrich Carl came to America, arriving at Philadelphia on September 29, 1750. 

Tbe next records we have for him are tax and census records starting from 1762, when he was in Berks County, probably Exeter Township.  It appears that they were members of the Schwartzwald Reformed Church (Calvinist, as opposed to Lutheran) because a son was buried there in 1788.  Also Friedrich Horner and Maria Horner are the parents of a daughter baptized November 21, 1766 at Oley (Salem) Reformed Church.  If this is our Friedrich, then it appears that Anna Catharina had died and Friedrich had remarried.  In the 1779 tax records, he is noted as having 100 acres of land, so he was probably farming.  It looks like there may be a Nicholas and a Matthias Hoerner in the same township, but I don't know if they are related or not. 

This is as much as I currently know about Friedrich Carl Hoerner.  He may very well have served in the French and Indian War of 1756-1763 (mostly up to about 1760, as far as the fighting goes) but I don't have any record of that.  He certainly would have been affected by the war, as this was frontier country at the time.  He lived through the Revolutionary War, too.  I would love to hear some of this man's stories, wouldn't you?  He is believed to have died after 1789, possibly in Bedford County, Pa.  I haven't located a will.

The line of descent is:

Friedrich Carl Hoerner-Anna Catharina Schaub
Maria Salome Hoerner-Henry Matthias Braun
David Brown-Barbara Brothers
Elizabeth Brown-William Cook
Barbara Cook-William Withers
William Withers-Della Kemery
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants

Harshbarger line: Edward Harshbarger, 1917-1976, Cousin

For my last Harshbarger post, I wrote about Robert D. Harshbarger, son of Logan and Chestia Kemery Harshbarger, and World War II veteran.  Today I'm writing about Edward Leroy Harshbarger, also the son of Logan and Chestia Kemery Harshbarger, and also a World War II veteran.  . 

Ed, as he is referred to in various newspaper articles, was born October 12, 1917.  He was the second and last of the Harshbarger children, as far as I know.  (It's possible one or more were born and died between the censuses and I haven't researched that possibility, so I want to leave that open for now).

No two children are alike, and Ed was born late enough that the Great Depression may have affected him more.  In 1930, he was living with his parents but in the 1940 census, when he was about 22, he was a boarder in the home of Stella M. Grunfeld, who was just three years older than she was. This was in Richland Township, Whitley County, Indiana. She was a factory worker and her was a truck driver, although in 1939 neither had received much income, she $70 and he nothing.  Ed had completed just the seventh grade in school, so he dropped out sometime after the 1930 census.  We don't know whether school was difficult for him or whether he was needed on the family farm. 

The next notice we have of Ed is that he has enlisted in the Army, on March  3, 1943.  Interestingly, his enlistment city is listed as Camp Perry Lacarne, Ohio.  I'm not sure of the chronology here but Camp Perry was a prisoner of war camp for German POWs.  He is listed as having a grammar school education, and in civilian life had an unskilled occupation in manufacture of furniture, so I'm not sure whether there's any connection between the job and the location or not.  By this time, he was married.  His height is listed as 86, which if this is correct and the measurement was in inches, would have made himm over 7 foot tall.  I rather think I' m not interpreting this correctly, because his weight is given as 103, presumably pounds.  I'm thinking he would have been as small man. 

There is much about his military life that I don't know.  He served in the European theater as an auto mechanic, initially in England and then seems, based on his battles, to have been in Northern France, the Ardennes, and Rhineland.  He has the Good Conduct Medal and others as well.  He was discharged, as a corporal, on October 22, 1945. 

I don't know much about Ed's life after he returned to the civilian world.  There is an April 1963 notice in the Columbia City, Indiana Commercial Mail that "Mr. and Mrs. Orris Stump and Mrs. Donald Heck were Sunday guests of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Harshbarger and son.  In the afternoon, they went to Columbia City to the Hillcrest Nursing home and visited with Mrs. Chauncey Kemery, mother of Mrs. Harshbarger.  I know the name of the son, but I don't know if he is still living so I am not giving it here. I haven't yet figured out how or if Stella Grunfeld was the Stella who married Ed, and if she was, how she connected to Mrs. Chauncey Kemery. Mrs. Chauncey Kemery in 1963 was the former Susan Reed James.  So where did the Grunfeld or Greenfield name come from?  Mysteries still remain, of course.  . 

The last information I have is about Ed's death.  Sadly, he died less than six months after his brother Robert was hit and killed by a vehicle.  Ed died of lung cancer on July 5, 1976.  His wife's maiden name here is given as Stella Greenfield, which may be the same as the Stella Grunfeld he was lodging with in 1940.  He had been employed as a factory employee in auto parts production, and his illness had lasted about 10 months. Logan and Chestia were left without children in their old age. 

I sometimes wonder about these cousins  I've found reference in the Huntington, Indiana Herald-Press that Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland Harshbarger had visited with Mr and Mrs Robert Harshbarger, either in Whitley County or at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Grover Harshbarger. I've not yet found anything indicating a social relationship with Ed and Stella, which could be for any number of reasons.  But I sure would have liked to have heard these three men, Cleve, Bob, and Ed, discussing their World War II experiences.  Hearing about the different ways they served their country, and the things and places they had seen, would have been a great addition to our family history. 

Harshbarger line: Robert D. Harshbarger, cousin

OK, raise your hand if you've ever heard of cousin Bob (at least, I suppose he went by the name of Bob).  He and his brother Edward, sons of Logan and Chestia Kemery Harshbarger, were total surprises to me,  and to my husband, who remembers vividly visiting Logan and "Chesty" in their golden years.

Robert, as it turns out, was born December 9, 1915 in Whitley County, Indiana. He was the first of only two children.  He apparently did well in school because in 1936 he was selected to be Indiana's representative in the midwest sectional contest in farm accounting.  He qualified for the $100 merchandise certificate from the International Harvester Co by winning the state contest.  So he was doing well at what he did.  In 1940 the census lists him as a farm laborer by occupation, an unpaid family worker by class of worker, with 0 income.  He had completed his fourth year of high school, most likely in 1933 or 34.  But perhaps it was the Great Depression that had kept him from finding the career he probably wanted to have.

Robert had one answer for that.  He joined the US Army on March 18, 1941 and reported to Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana.  He was still single.  In the service, he was a medical technician and apparently a very good one.  He was in the States for three years, eight months, and  days, and was given credit for 1 year, 1 month, and 11 days of overseas service, which included transportation time.  He actually served on the island of Luzon in the Philippines from December 1, 1944 to December 1, 1945.  Actually, the battle for Luzon didn't begin until January 9, 1945 so he was probably in a staging area somewhere, until the battle began.  He must have seen many truly terrible, horrific scenes, whether he was in the field or in a hospital setting.  He earned a total of 4 Bronze stars while he was in the service, was promoted to corporal, and earned a number of medals and ribbons for his service.  He was separated from the service on January 19, 1946 after having served his country for almost five years.

I'm not sure what his life looked like for the next few years.  He married but I haven't determined the maiden name of his wife.  Her first name was Aileen, and this wasn't her first marriage because a woman identified as the daughter of Mrs. Robert Harshbarger was married in 1953.  This indicates that Aileen may have been older than Robert,

The next information I located was confusing, because Citizens State Bank was advertising household items, including what sounds like most of the furnishings for a home, and a 1951  Studebaker, at a public auction, as the guardian of Robert D. Harshbarger.  This was on December 5, 1956.  I found in the court order books that Robert had been judged insane early in the year and sent to the Norman Beatty Memorial Hospital for the criminally insane.  I didn't look at the insanity filings, but I know it involved the sheriff of Allen County and the VA hospital there, so the problem may have been an ongoing one.  Given what Robert had likely seen at Luzon, perhaps now his illness would be recognized as PTSD, but that was not a diagnosis at the time.  He spent about 2 1/2 years in the hospital, being declared sane in 1958 and having his full civil rights restored.  Life still didn't go well for Robert, as his wife filed for divorce in late 1959 and the divorce was finalized in 1960.

The next thing we hear about Robert is that he has died.  On January 20,1976, he was walking on Highway 205 in Thorncreek township near his home, when he was hit by a driver who didn't see him and didn't have tie to stop.  Death came within minutes.  The last years were a sad ending for a boy who had accounting skills, who had served his country for almost five years, who had married with all the hopes and dreams that young men had, and then had lost control of his life.  His parents must have celebrated and suffered right along with him. 

I'm proud to honor Robert Dell Harshbarger for this service to his country, and to introduce him to his extended Harshbarger family. 

Harshbarger line: Paul Hawn, another veteran to thank!

This is a short post because I am still trying to pull together the military records of Paul Hawn.  However, I've found enough to write a couple of paragraphs, maybe, and that is more than we knew before.  Paul Hawn is the son of Adrian Hawn and Goldie Withers.  Goldie later married Grover Harshbarger, so Paul and Cleve Harshbarger are half-brothers. 

I first learned that Paul had been in the Army when I found this brief mention in the Huntington Herald Press of October 11, 1944:

"Reports Saturday"

Pfc Paul W. Hawn, son of Mr. and Mrs. Grover Harshbarger of near Majenica, will leave Saturday for Minneapolis, Minn. to report for active duty after spending an extended furlough here.  He recently returned after 21 months' duty in Alaska."

This paragraph leads to several questions, but I have no answers at this point.  All I can really say is that he probably enlisted or was drafted in 1942, although it might have been earlier.  So far I'm not finding his military record.

I do know this much, I think.  He got out of the service, probably at the end of World War II, and then in 1948 he re-enlisted and stayed in the Army for 20 more years.  He is listed as having attained the rank of First Sargeant, and it's noted that he served in World War II,  Korea and Vietnam.  I wish I knew more about his service, when he was where and what he did in the Army.  However, this is what I have been able to locate and it's more information than I had when I woke up this morning. 

I did find a couple of pictures of Paul, as a freshman and sophomore attending Columbia City High School.  In 1930, he was living with his Withers grandparents (William and Della Kemery Withers), so it appears that he attended school there and if he graduated, graduated from that school.  I sure need to do more research on that, too! 

Paul died April 6. 1998, just 2 and 1/2 weeks after his half brother, Cleveland Harshbarger, died.    Paul's remains were cremated, and his ashes were buried at Arlington National Cemetery.  Thank you for your service, Paul Hawn!

If anyone in the Hawn family sees this, please contact me at happygenealogydancingATgmailDOTcom.  I'd love to know more about Paul!

Harshbarger line: Wendell Essig: How did I miss him?

Actually, I don't think I missed him.  In my more rational moments, I wonder if I should write about Wendell at all, because most of what we "know" about him doesn't seem to be proven.  Some of it is in outright dispute.  But these stories are so good I am going to write about them anyway, hoping that someone, someday, will be able to prove or disprove these family stories.  If they are true, then this ancestor is worthy of honor and respect, and we need to at least pass the stories along.  If they aren't true, let's determine that, too!

So...Wendell Essig was born in Bern Canton, Switzerland, the son of Wendell and Juliana Margaretha Trachsell or Troxell.  At an early age he spent time in mining in "Rhine Phals".  The story doesn't indicate whether he did this voluntarily or whether he was forced into it.  Either scenario is possible, as he may have been trying to help support his family.  The position seemed to work in his favor, because he later served 7 years in the Prussian army.  Again, I don't know if this was voluntary or whether he has drafted. During at least part of that time, he was one of the imperial body guards, and was present at the coronation of Frederick the Great in 1740.  (There should be records of his service, shouldn't there?  As of now, I don't know how to research to find them.)

Here is where the stories diverge.  The story, apparently from son Simon, is that his father arrived in Baltimore in 1750, and shortly thereafter married Anna Marie Matte.  Not too long after that, they settled in the general area of Hagerstown, Maryland.  I'll get to the rest of the story later.

The second version is that Wendell arrived in 1749 in Philadelphia and went to Northampton County, where he is on tax records in 1772 and church records (Dryland Union Church, Nazareth twp, Northampton County) through Easter of 1782.  Jacob Essig and George Essig are also in the church records there, although there is nothing to prove relationships.  So that is one story.

The "rest of the first story" is that Wendell and his family were massacred by native Americans in or before 1772, and Simon was the sole survivor.  He would have been no more than 18 at the time. Simon survived because he was away from home at the time.  Some family historians discount this tale because they haven't found evidence of native American massacres near Hagerstown  I've read enough history to know that families in the Cumberland Valley were driven back many many miles before they found a safe haven like Hagerstown, so I tend to think the attack very well could have happened, even without any specific report mentioning the Essig name.  Germans clearly were in the area, and the native Americans were active in trying to push the settlers back, during this time period.  Still, some sort of proof would be nice to have. 

If the story isn't true, why would someone make it up?  Was it possibly a misunderstanding many years later of the experience of the family of Simon's wife's family?  Her mother's first husband had been killed by the Indians, in Northampton County, Pennsylvania and if one of Simon's children was reporting this story, perhaps he or she had heard it as a young child and forgotten the details as the story was told.  I'm not sure we will ever know.

Wendell and Eva Maria are said to have had four children, Simon, Adam, Jacob and George, not necessarily in that order.  The 1772 or earlier death doesn't allow for a 1782 church record in Pennsylvania.  Either there were two families with similar names and naming patterns, or one of these tales is incorrect.  I don't believe anyone has located wills or estate papers in either location, so I will let you be the judge-two men, or one? 

The line of descent is:

Wendell Essig-Anna Maria Matte
Simon Essig-Juliana Schnerr
George Essig-Catherine Shollenberger
Susannah Essig-Daniel Kemery
Adam Kemery-Nancy Fannie Buchtel
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants

Harshbarger line: One more ancestor, Joseph Seiler 1687-1739/40

Joseph Seiler was not an immigrant and I really don't have enough information about him to write a post.  But I've found some hints and they tie in with what I've learned while researching other Harshbarger line families, so I'm willing to put these ideas (not my own) out as a hypothesis. 

Joseph Jacob (or possibly Jacob Joseph) Seiler was born in 1687 in Wilstein, Germany, a small town
 that currently does not seem to be on a map.  His father's name was Joseph, and it's unsure which name our subject used.  Typically, if his name was Joseph Jacob he would have gone by the name of Jacob and documentation seems to support this, but many online sites call him Joseph.

The interesting thing to me is that this was a Mennonite family, but we don't know how long the family had been followers of Menno Simons.  For one thing, Joseph Jacob had at least six children, born in four different cities.  This would not be typical of a German line, but indicates that he owned no land and that he either may have been ejected from each village, or forced to leave for economic reasons.  Either scenario is typical of the Mennonites of the time, who were heavily fined and harassed by local authorities, due to pressure from above.

The other item that points to a Mennonite belief system is that Joseph had a book printed in 1571, written by Menno Simons, and Joseph had hand-written in it the names of his 7 children, where they were born, (Wilstig, Sembauch, Obermelingen, Ischbach), their birth date, and the astrological sign they were born under.  Apparently at least at this time the astrological sign was an important factor in the Mennonite life.

I've seen speculation that this family may trace back to Emmental, Switzerland but no real evidence this is the case.  If true, again it would tie in with what we've learned of the Swiss Mennonites who were forced out of Switzerland and into a life of poverty in Germany.  It makes sense.

The only other thing I can tell you about Joseph Jacob is that he died January 19,1739/40 in Milsbach, Germany.  It is uncertain whether more will ever to found about this family, because the Mennonites lived mostly "under the radar", except for the tax collector.  But perhaps with persistence, and cash, more could be learned and we would know whether this family also traces back to Switzerland. We do know two of his sons came to America, and that is what matters most in our family history!

The line of descent is:

Joseph Jacob Seiler-Anna
Daniel Seiler-Hanna Gerber
Catherine Sayler-Johannes Buchtel
Solomon Buchtel-Maria Margaretha Reber
Benjamin Buchtel-Barbara Burkholder
Nancy Fannie Buchtel-Adam Kemery
Della Kemery-William H. Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants

Harshbarger line: Jacob Maag 1703-1767 Immigrant

Every time I write a Harshbarger blog post now, I fear that I've found the last ancestor who is "findable", and it makes me feel like a failure even though I've set the rules for this post, and I could always change them.  The rues are pretty loose.  It needs to be a direct ancestor (for the most part) and it needs to be an immigrant or have another compelling story to tell.  Of course, I could always break those rules, and I may have to, if I want to keep writing about people in the Harshbarger line.

However, I did find "just one more" ancestor who is an immigrant and from everything I can tell, is a Harshbarger.  He follows much of the typical Harshbarger story, which is a good thing because I don't have very many details about him.  Jacob Maag was born in Endhori, Zurich, Switaerland.  He was born or baptized on May 22, 1703.  His parents are given as Heinrich Maag and Klienvre Volkhart, or Jacob Maag and Barbara Surber.  There are good reasons to accept either pair of parents but I have no opinion.  It's enough to know he came from Endhori, which may have been a small town on the southern border with Germany, near Zurich.


Jacob was 42 when he came to America on the  "Loyal Judith" in 1743, according to the ship manifest.  There was also a Henry or Heinrich who was 15, and who is as yet not identified to my satisfaction.  He could be a younger brother, or a son, or nephew.  It is possible that Jacob went back to Switzerland a few years later and brought his family back, as it seems he didn't take the oath until 1746.  Usually the oath was taken as soon as one stepped off the ship.  Or the 1746 date could possibly be a typo. 

Jacob married Anna Surber, as yet not further identified, in Bolach, Zurich Canton in March of 1721.  I've found several conflicting records of their children but they had several, and they seem to have all come to America also.  I found a will that Jacob witnessed on April 17,1748, for Maria Gertraut Seibel, in Philadelphia.  I've not yet determined whether she was a family member or a friend.  I've found a listing for him at the Red Lion Inn in 1758 in Philadelphia and one mile from Germantown in 1761, so it doesn't appear that he left the immediate area, although I've not yet found land records.

He and his wife "Barbara" were sponsors for two of the children of Isaac Wetstein (Whetstone) and Anna Maria's children, and also for other Maags.  These records are in the First Reformed Church of Philadelphia.  This church began as a German Reformed (Calvinist) church but the Maags would have been quite at home there and may well have been German speaking even though their home was in Switzerland. 

I haven't found Jacob's will yet but I've found a reference to it, so I'm anxious to see it  He died May 18, 1767, in Philadelphia.  The fact that he stayed so near to, or in, the city makes it likely that he was a tradesman or merchant of some kind.  I'd sure like to learn his occupation.  The "city" dwelling aspect here is a little different than those of the family who have farmed, and that makes him interesting.  I'd love to learn more of Jacob's story!

The line of descent is:

Jacob Maag-Anna Barbara Surber
Anna Maria Maag-Isaac Whetstone
Jacob Whetstone-Anna Maria Schaeffer
John Whetstone-Maria Magdalena
Catherine Whetstone-Henry Cook
William Cook-Elizabeth Brown
Barbara Cook-William A Withers
William H Withers-Della Kemery
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants

Harshbarger line: Yost Gingrich, probably ours

I say probably because I'm not100% convinced that the Burkholder tree I've been working on is correct.  And Yost (Josef, Joseph) comes from that tree.  His daughter Maria or Mary married Adam Burkholder, and they had several children together.  Here's the problem:  Joseph Burkholder was born in 1783.  His father, Adam, who married Maria or Mary was born in about 1728.  I've seen all sorts of dates for Maria's but averaging them out, I'm guessing about 1745.  Now, it wouldn't be impossible for a woman of that age to have a son of Joseph's age (giving birth at somewhere around age 40), but there's another problem.  Joseph Burkholder doesn't seem to be mentioned in his supposed father's (1728-1800) will, unless I'm missing something.

There could be an explanation for the will omission, but since Joseph was only 17 at the time of Adam's death, I'm  wondering if we are actually missing a generation here, and it was one or another of Adam's sons who was actually Joseph's father.  Regardless, I'm going to post what little I've learned about Yost because I think that based on names and location, Yost is probably the great grandfather, if not the grandfather, of Joseph Burkholder.  Obviously, more work needs to be done on this line.

Yost Gingrich is variously reported as having been born in "Europe", "Germany" or "Bern Canton, Switzerland."  My guess is that if he wasn't from Switzerland, then his parents were, because there is every indication that this was a Mennonite family, and many if not most Mennonites can be traced back to Switzerland.  The specific locality in one tree is given as "Konsfinger, Bern, Switzerland" and he would have been born sometime about 1720 or so.  Apparently the actual record hasn't been located yet, or else his parents, Johannes and Anna Sherk Gingrich, were living under the radar of the state church, which is also possible. 

Yost is the only child I'm aware of.  He married Anna Huber, daughter of Jacob and Anna Leininger Huber, in about 1740 in Seftigen, Bern, Switzerland.  Again, documents seem to be lacking or at least not yet known to me.  We don't know for sure when Yost came to America because some trees show that his children were born in Germany (or Switzerland) and some show them as being born here.  He and Anna did have at least 8 children, though, with birth dates generally given in the 1740s and 1750s.

When Yost came to America, he apparently settled in that part of Lancaster County that would later become Amwell Township, Lebanon County, Pa.  He purchased land from and beside Michael Baughman, and by 1771 was taxed for 240 acres, a mill (probably a grist mill), four horses and four cows.  In roughly 25 years, he had done rather well for himself and his family.  He died on or shortly before March 5, 1776 and is probably buried on the family farm.  Maria outlived him by many years and died in 1813 in probably Franklin County, Pennsylvania. 

This isn't much to go on, especially since I'm not sure of the exact relationship between Joseph Burkholder and Yost Gingrich.  However, it is another tie in to Bern Canton, Switzerland, another story of Mennonite trials and blessings, and another reason to honor the efforts of these ancestors to come to America to build a new life.  I hope to update this post when I've figured out the correct relationship, so for now consider this a work in progress. 

The line of descent would be

Yost Gingrich-Anna Huber
Maria Gingrich-Adam Burkholder
possibly another Burkholder generation
Joseph Burkholder-Elizabeth Miller
Barbara Burkholder-Benjamin Buchtel
Fannie Buchtel-Adam Kemery
Della Kemery-William A Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants

Harshbarger line: Jacob Kobel, 1682-1731 Immigrant

I'm once again coming to the end of known Harshbarger line immigrants to write about, so it was a thrill to find one who has a well-known history.  Actually, it's better known than I am going to write about, because there are some articles in genealogy journals that I've not yet been able to consult.  So this will be an incomplete sketch.  If the articles tell me more that I think the family would want to know about, I'll do an update.  But the story as I already know is one of courage and hard work and all the things we admire in our ancestors. 

Jacob Kobel was born in 1682 in Sinsheim, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, the son of Johann George and Eva Sonsst Kobel.  He had about 7 brothers and two half-brothers, so it was a large family.  He married Anna Maria Egli in 1708 in Hofferheim, Baden-Wuerttemburg, Germany.  Probably for economic reasons (his father had to provide a living for all those children!), Jacob and Maria left Germany when Queen Anne of England signaled her willingness to help the hopeful immigrants get to the New World, where they would work to build a colony.  Or did she?  Perhaps it was an offhand comment that somehow made it's way to Germany, but the arrivals in London thought they were on their way to the New World, where the queen was granting them free land.  Such was not the case. 

While the German immigrants arrived in greater and greater number, the English didn't know what to do with them.  Some found menial jobs, or joined the English army.  But most stayed on, jobless and without hope as they realized there was no free transportation or free land in their future. They were there for several months, if not longer, while funds were found to send them onward.  Meanwhile, these people lived in tents in a dismal part of London.  Even in summer, England is not always warm and they were there during the winter months, too, with little food or fuel to survive on.  I can't imagine spending a London winter living in a tent!  Finally, the group was so large that the Queen had to move them on, and the immigrants were sent to New York.

Most of them were indentured and worked around Schoharie, NY for the first years they were in America.  Once they had paid back their passage money by serving their indentureship, conditions didn't improve.  Their masters refused to free them, or to give them the money, tools, or clothes they were entitled to.  Finally, groups of Germans turned New Yorkers left the Schoharie area, fearing they were being followed all the way, and then those who survived the journey settled mostly in Tulpehocken, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

There, with the few things they had been able to bring with them, they settled, finally free.  It's not clear whether they were able to purchase land right away or whether they settled where they could and then paid for the land later, when crops and trapping allowed them to accumulate the funds to buy their own land.  Jacob was a miller, having built mills in the Schoharie area and also in the area of Womelsdorf, Pa., so he may have had a cash flow sooner than some of the other settlers.   

However, it was a hard life even after it got better, and Jacob lived only until 1731.  He and Maria had at least 8 children, with the first known child being born in 1713 and the last in 1726.  There may be other children, born before 1713 or after 1726, that we don't know of, perhaps because they didn't survive.  Maria, however, was a survivor and lived until 1774.  She had the misfortune to see her son Henry and most of his family massacred by Indians at the beginning of the French and Indian Wars, in 1755. (Although Jacob and Maria were Lutherans, Henry had married a Mennonite woman and they were pacifists who believed they were on good terms with the native Americans.  The surviving children became Lutherans as young adults.) 

We just can't begin to imagine everything that Jacob and Maria endured in their efforts to improve their lot and raise their family in America.  Take pride in this heritage!. 

I'm looking forward to finding the books and articles I have printed out for my next trip to the Allen County Public Library, and will do an update if I find more of interest. 

The line of descent is:

Jacob Kobel-Anna Maria Egli
Maria Barbara Kobel-Johann Jacob Schaeffer
Anna Maria Schaeffer-Jacob Whetstone
John Whetstone-Magdalena
Catherine Whetstone-Henry Cook or Koch
William Cook-Elizabeth Brown
Barbara Cook-William A Withers
William H Withers-Della Kemery
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants

Harshbarger line: John Buchtel 1733-1809

We are fortunate to have a good amount of information about John.  He is also known as Johannes, but it seems that most of the records about him refer to him as John.  Henry Meyer in volume 8 of the Pennsylvania-German magazine does a wonderful job of telling John's story, making it easy for us to imagine him and proud for us to honor him.  I recommend that you get a copy of the magazine (it's on Google, at no cost) in order to get a full sense of the man and his family.  This is necessarily shortened. 

John was born in late 1732 or early 1733 in Linsenhofen, Wuerttemburg, Germany.  This alone makes him different from many of our ancestors, because he wasn't Swiss and may not have suffered religious persecution.  He and his family were Lutheran,  Well, actually he may have been a bit of a free thinker, but mostly he was Lutheran.  His family had lived in the little village for at least five generations, going back to Petrus Buchtel who was born there in 1610.  For references, it's near Stuttgart, Germany, and has a population of about 2500 people, but that's about all I've been able to find about it.  John's parents were Johannes and Lucia Ehhalt Buchtel, and he had a sister and quite probably other siblings.

John came to America in 1753, possibly because war seemed to be brewing at home.  He was single when he arrived here, and had little in the way of material goods.  He served an indentureship to pay off the cost of his passage, and married Catherine Seiler or Scheler, a neighbor who was also working to pay off her indenture.  They were married December23,1760 and first went to live in Snyder County.  Later they moved to Brush Valley, in what is now Centre county, and this is where they made their forever home. 

John and Catherine had at least 9 children, and all of the family members are considered to be pioneers of Centre County.  they had to clear their land while keeping an eye out for wolves, bears, and even panthers.  By 1792, the year they apparently moved to Brush Valley, the threat from the native Americans was pretty much over, but there were still many dangers to overcome.  John farmed and planted apple trees as well.  His grapevines were not as successful, and I don't understand the slang in the article that explains why.  It is apparent that the failure was not due to lack of work on John or the family's part.  John was also a cooper (made barrels, buckets, and pails) and a mechanic, and as the Valley filled up, or as travelers passed, his skills were much needed.  He seems to have been well educated, or self-educated, with particular interests in mathematics, astrology (common at this time period) and philosophy. As already stated, he was a Lutheran but not a regular church goer.  It is said that ministers went to him in order to learn. 

John several times mentioned that he would not die in his bed and that prediction came true one unnoted day in 1809.  He was standing in the doorway to his house, and fell down dead.  Some of the Buchtel children wanted to move on to Ohio, perhaps because they weren't given enough land to survive on in their father's will (that is just speculation on my past).  In 1812, all but two of the children, plus Catherine herself, set off for a new home near Uniontown, Stark County, Ohio, and Catherine died there in 1813.  The trip was probably quite difficult for her. 

There is a picture in the article of a home that Solomon Buchtel built in Brush Valley near Rebersburg.  It is probably not standing any longer, but it looks like it would have been a nice farm home at the time it was built. 

I admire John Buchtel and would like to learn more about him.  One thing I'm really curious about is where he got his education, and what his parents hoped that he would do with it.  Did they want him to become a pastor or a schoolteacher?  And what inspired him to continue his learning while he was so busy doing the back breaking work of farming and breaking in new land? 

The line of descent is:

John Buchtel-Catherine Seiler
Solomon Buchtel-Maria Margaretha Reber
Benjamin Buchtel-Barbara Burkholder Long
Fannie Buchtel-Adam Kemery
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants

Harshbarger line: Introducing Barbara Burkholder Long Buchtel Kemery

We found her!  We found Barbara Long, the most recent brick wall ancestor that I couldn't locate.  Dawna Morton, a distant cousin, found the clue that allowed us to begin to learn her story, and I can't thank her enough. There is still more to learn, but I wanted to share my excitement at "finding" her, and my admiration for what must have been a remarkable woman. 

Barbara was actually born a Burkholder, not a Long.  Her father was Joseph Burkholder (in some records showing as Barkholder) and her mother may have been Elizabeth Miller.  I haven't found the for sure documentation of that yet, but Barbara's youngest brother, Hiram's mother was Elizabeth Miller.  She was born in 1826 somewhere in Ohio, probably Portage County but it could have been elsewhere.

The first mention we can find of her is in an every youth census of Portage County taken in 1838.  This book lists all, or nearly all, of the youth in the county who were between the ages of 4 and 30, and it lists them by school district.  So in Suffield School District #4, there is Joseph Barkholder with the following children:  Joseph Barkholder Jr., Eliza Barkholder, Barbary Barkholder, and Eva Barkholder.  (Joseph Jr. later married Catherine Miller, who is listed on the same page as a daughter of Barbary Miller.  There is also a parent named Anthony Miller on the page, and he needs to be investigated further as he could possibly be related to Elizabeth Miller).

The next we know of Barbara is her marriage license, just two years later.  It can be found on FamilySearch, and clearly shows her to be fourteen years old at the time of the marriage license on Augut 13, 1840.  So the approximate birth date we have for her of 1826 is correct, although I still don't think the Georgetown, Brown County location showing on the internet is correct.  She was marrying a Thomas Long, who was 21 years old.  Elizabeth Burkholder, Barbara's mother, was there and gave consent to the marriage. 

We don't know why a fourteen year old girl was marrying a 21 year old man, nor why it was her mother who gave permission and not her father.  Speculation would be that it was the honorable thing to do, to get married, and that father did not approve, but that is only speculation.  At any rate, the two married.  They had a baby who died in 1842.  I'm unable to locate my notes that gave the name of the child and how old he was when he died, but there exists a slight possibility that Barbara was pregnant with this child when she married Thomas.

 Another piece of the puzzle that is missing at the moment is what happened to Thomas.  Either the marriage failed or Thomas died, but I can't say which at this point.   My guess is that Thomas died, because Barbara and her second husband were married March 24, 1844 and they named a son Thomas, presumably in remembrance of Thomas Long. Benjamin Buchtel was 38 years old when he married, and his bride was 18.  I've looked for an earlier marriage record for Ben, as he was known, but have not located one.  This may have been his first marriage. 

In 1850, the family, under the name indexed as Booken, is listed in Brimfield, Portage County, Ohio.  There were already three children in the family, Joseph Jr, Betsey, and Fannie.  Also living with them was Susan Long, aged 76.  I am thinking this may be Thomas's mother.  She would have had Thomas when she was 43 years old, which is well within the realm of possibility.  I need to trace her further to fill in that part of the puzzle.

Joseph Burkholder and family moved to Whitley County, Indiana sometime around April of 1854, when he purchased land.  Joseph Jr and his wife Catherine were there also, as was an as yet unplaced Michael Burkholder.  He was in Portage County in 1850 aged 28, so he may well be a son of Joseph Sr also.  Ben and Barbara Buchtel show up in Whitley County in February of 1860, when he purchased land, and were there for the 1860 showing 6 children.  One more would join the family in a few years.

It may have seemed from the outside that things were going well for Ben and Barbara, but in March of 1871 she filed for divorce.  Now, in those days, divorce was not as common as it is now and usually it was the man who filed.  Barbara still had children at home, and as far as I know now had no visible means of support.  She did, however, have about a dozen witnesses who testified on her behalf, showing that Ben had become an alcoholic, beat her often, the most recent time with a club, and had several times threatened to kill her.  One wonders whether she was injured or had bruises to show the court, because she apparently filed shortly after the club beating.  She was promptly granted a divorce, and also maintained custody of Solomon, aged 14, and Evie, who was 6 and blind. 

Somehow, Barbara provided for herself and the two children, perhaps assisted by some of her other children. Benjamin didn't change his will, and when he died on or before January 10,1872, she inherited land from him.  Roughly two years after the divorce, she married Daniel Kemery, who was not only a neighbor but the father in law of her daughters Margaret, who was married to Alexander Kemery, and Fannie, who was married to Adam Kemery.  Daniel was 15 years older than she was, but would have provided security for herself and the children.  We can hope it was a love match, also, because Barbara had had a hard life. 

Barbara was apparently loved by the Kemery children and grandchildren because in some of the Kemery obituaries, she is listed as the mother of the children, when she was clearly the stepmother.  It is possible that grandchildren of Daniel provided the information and they may not have known Daniel's first wife, Susan or Susanna Essig.  At any rate, Daniel died in 1877.  Barbara died within the next two years, because in a March 1879 deed Adam Kemery, her son in law, describes her as deceased, of Whitley County, and she had died intestate. 

That is what is known of Barbara Burkholder Long Buchtel Kemery.  She died in her early 50's, perhaps of hard work, stress, and the effort of giving birth to at least eight children.  She'd moved to a new state  As I sit back and look at her life, I just have to admire her.  When she gathered up her courage to get a divorce, and rounded up witnesses who told her story for her, she became more than a typical woman of her time.  I am not really a feminist, but I sure admire courage, and I would describe her as courageous. I'm so glad I got to know her this much, and would love to know more. 

(Besides the sources mentioned in this post, I've also referred to divorce papers, wills, and deeds found in the Whitley County File Management department and the recorder's office, and the census records of 1840, 1850, 1860, and 1870.  It's been fun putting most of this together, after Dawna gave me a push in the right direction!)

The line of descent is:

Benjamin Buchtel-Barbara Burkholder
Fannie Buchtel-Adam Kemery
Della Kemery-William Withers,
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants

Harshbarger line: Johan Niclaus Shaffer, Immigrant 1674-1758

Sometimes when I think of what our ancestors went through, it is almost more than I can bear.  I wonder if they thought they were having it really tough, or if they just took it one day and a time and trusted God for that day only.  One of these ancestors, or rather, two of them, are Johan Niclaus Shaffer and his wife, Maria Catharina Suder.  Both of those last names have many variant spellings, it seems, so don't be disturbed if what you find isn't what I wrote.  It could very well be the same person. 

Johan Niclaus was born in Relsburg, Kusel, Rheinland-Pfalz; in the western part of what is now Germany.  This was a small village, but it is also where he found his wife, and where their children, Johann Michael, Anna Barbara, Caspar, Peter Nicholas, and Johan Jacob were born.  Shortly after Johan Jacob's birth, the family emigrated to New York.  The information I looked at does not clearly state whether this was part of the group that was sent at Queen Anne's direction, but they ended up at Livingston Manor and then Schoharie, N.Y., which is the route the impoverished immigrants sent at the Queen's direction took.  Johan Niclaus traveled with his two brothers, Johann Michael and Johann Friederich and their families, so at least they had someone to rely on in their difficulties.

The Shaffer's stuck it out in Schoharie for about 10 years, and then left-basically escaped-to Tulpihocken, Berks County, in Pennsylvania. This was about 250 miles through the wilderness, with wild animals, lack of supplies, and native Americans to worry about every step of the way.  It wasn't an easy trip but it appears that all the family members survived, which means the men of the party deserve great respect.  They must have been good leaders, and the women willing followers and help-meets.  They were some of the first settlers in Tulpehocken, although more and more families from Germany eventually settled there, too. 

The next fact I've been able to learn about Johann Niclaus is his death, in July of 1758.  He lived a long life, especially considering the hardships he faced.  It appears that his wife, Maria Catharina, died two years later, so she also had a long, if hard, life. 

I'd love to know more about this couple.  Where exactly did they live in Tulpehocken?  What religion were they, and what church did they attend?  Did they ever regret their decision to come to America, or were they content, knowing that they had given their children a chance for a better life than they would have had in the old country?  Did they learn English at all?

We might be able to find the answers to some of these questions, but some will remain a mystery.  What we do know is that this was a remarkable man. 

The line of descent is:

Johan Niclaus Shaffer-Anna Catherina Suder
Johan Jacob Shaffer-Maria Barbara Kobel
Anna Maria Shaffer-Jacob Whetstone
John Whetstone-Maria Magdalena
Catherine Whetstone-Henry Cook
William Cook-Elizabeth Brown
Barbara Cook-William Withers
William Withers-Della Kemery
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants

Harshbarger line: Jacob Whetstone born 1738

At last, here's another Harshbarger ancestor with information available, at least a little bit.  Jacob Wetztein was born in either Pennsylvania or Germany in 1738.  His parents were Isaac Wetzstein and possibly Anna Maria Maag, although there is some confusion as to his mother's name.  Isaac was supposedly born in Wuerttemburg, Germany and Anna Maria was born in Zurich, Switzerland.  Both are believed to have died in Pennsylvania but I've found little documentation for that at this point. 

Jacob, however, did live in Brunswick Township in what was Berks and then became Schuylkill County in Pennsylvania.  He married Anna Maria Schaeffer (various spellings) on January 23,1770at St. Gabriel Church, Douglasville.  She was the daughter of Johann Jacob Schaeffer and Maria Barbara Kobel.  While Jacob was either an immigrant as a young child or a second generation Pennsylvania, Anna Maria was in the third generation in America. (Possibly grandparents, parents, and children all came together.)

Jacob was 32 years old when he married.  This may indicate that there was an earlier marriage, or it may indicate that he waited to marry until he had found the right woman and had the means to support a family.  The family started arriving in 1771 and by 1775 three sons had joined the family.  It would have been a happy time for the couple, except for the war clouds on the horizon.

Jacob joined the Pennsylvania Militia, the associators, and was a Captain under Colonel Daniel Houser, in the first company of the Fourth Battalion.  This unit fought under George Washington at the battle of Germantown, so Jacob is not only a Revolutionary War soldier, but a hero.  Although the unit was on active duty for only a few months, Jacob was still listed as a captain (second company, this time, I don't know what happened to the first) in 1780.  I haven't been able to determine whether he served additional time but he would have been subject to regular drills and border patrol, if nothing else. 

I'm not going to hazard a guess as to how many children this couple had, because some of the information I'm finding on line is contradictory.  I'm willing to guess that there were more children than the three mentioned above, though.  The Whetstones are stated as living near McKeansburg, but church records are either incomplete or inconclusive.  I've found a church record for only one son. 

Both Jacob and Anna Maria lived long lives, with Anna Maria dying in 1818 and Jacob in 1833.  They are believed to be buried on or near their farm, but perhaps if their church could be identified more records could be found. 

I'm glad to have found this man, my children's ancestor.  If this is all I ever learn of him, we know that he was respected enough to be elected captain of his unit, and to have served honorably in what was a very difficult battle.  That is enough reason to give him honor and respect.  Thank you for your service, Jacob Whetstone!

The line of descent is:

Jacob Whetstone-Anna Maria Schaeffer
John Whetstone-Mary Magdalene
Catherine Whetstone-Henry Cook
William Cook-Elizabeth Brown
Barbara Cook-William Withers
William Withers-Della Kemery
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants

From Catherine Whetstone-Henry Gook on down through Cleveland Harshbarger, these are all people who were born or died, or both, in Whitley County, Indiana.  It's a deep history the family has there! 

Harshbarger line: Heinrich Braun and his father Johann, Immigrants

This is the reason genealogy bloggers go gray.  Heinrich or Henry Braun and his father are pretty much complete mysteries.  I have found trees that say that Johann died in Bedford County, Pennsylvania and Heinrich died there after 1750, but that is all I know of their life in Pennsylvania.  It's frustrating!

Heinrich was born to Johann and Barbara Braun in Deidesheim, Germany.  If I have identified the town correctly, it is in the Rhineland-Palatinate, where many of the early German ancestors lived.  It appears that this is a Catholic town, or was in the 1700's, which is a bit different from other families, and the main farm crop has always been grapes.  Vineyards have been the main source of income for generations.  When Heinrich was born, the population of the town would have been about 500 people, so it was really just a village. 

There are a lot of Johann Brauns and a lot of Heinrich Brauns, and so far I've not found a record of immigration that I believe likely belonged to either man.  A Heinrich Braun did arrive in Philadelphia in 1749 but I tend to think our Heinrich was here earlier.  Records vary as to where he married his wife, Maria Anna Catarina Rau, but it was either in Deidesheim or in Pennsylvania.  The date is given as January 15, 1732.  The couple had at least two children, Henry and John. 

Heinrich died in 1750 or later, and his wife died in 1749.  Again, some sources show Germany and some show Bedford County, Pa as the location of her death. 

So, this man is a mystery, with nothing to really show to help us understand his life.  We know that he married, immigrated, and had children, although not necessarily in that order, and we know that he was widowed.   We need to do a lot more research to learn about this man and his life!  If someone recognizes him, please contact me!

The line of descent is

Heinrich Braun-Maria Anna Catarina Rau
Henry Matthias Braun-Maria Salome Hoerner
David Brown-Barbara Brothers
Elizabeth Brown-William Cook
Barbara Cook-William A Withers
William H Withers-Della Kemery
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants

Harshbarger line: A newspaper article about Simon Essig, 1754-1851

I've written about Simon Essig before, but this find is just to good to not pass along.   It was printed in the Canton Daily News of October 1, 1922 and was written by John McGregor.  I found it reprinted in the History of Stark County by Herbert t. O. Blue, which was published in 1928.  It's not usual to find evidence of a newspaper article for a man who died in 1851.  I would love to see the original newspaper article, because it apparently included a picture of the original home of the Essigs, but it's wonderful to find this and to be able to share it with you.

"Simon Essig, Revolutionary Soldier"

" In the pioneer days of this county it was, of course, very sparsely settled, the families being few and far between.

This condition necessarily brought the pioneer families into close social relations and intermarriage was a natural consequence.

In writing of one of these families, it is necessary to write of three old pioneers whose intermarriage is such that we cannot speak of one without bringing them all into our story. 

The first of these was the old Simon Essig family, among the earliest of our pioneer families.  The original Essig family, so far as our record goes, was that of Wendell Essig, a descendant of whom, named Frederick Essig, was major of the Canton Bern, Switzerland, in 1890.  This Wendell Essig was born February 7, 1700, and arrived in this country at Philadelphia September 17, 1749.  He was recorded on the ship's books as a Palatine, and it has always been suggested he was a Royal Grenadier of Frederick William, King of Prussia. 

Simon Essig, a descendant of of Wendell, came to Stark County from Cumberland County, Pa. in the year 1808 and settled on the farm later known as the Herbruck farm on the Harrisburg Road and now in the city limits. 

The illustration above shows the old log cabin erected by Simon Essig on the bank of Middlebranch Creek.  There were born to Simon Essig and wife six sons and six daughters and here in the wilderness did Simon Essig and wife rear a family of twelve children whose descendants now number many thousands.  Simon Essig died on the farm at the age of 97 years. 

His descendants are scattered across the entire United States and hold prominent positions of trust and honor.  One of his great grandsons, Hon. Scott Wike of Illinois, was assistant secretary of the treasury under Grover Cleveland and also represented his district in the United States Congress two terms.

Simon Essig was born in 1754 and died in 1852.  The last and youngest of Simon Essig's children was Rebecca, who died October 14,1896 at the advanced age of 96 years."

I also have notes under this source that say "Adam Essig and Jacob Essig, War of 1812 soldiers and Simon's sons, are also buried at Warstler's Cemetery."

I need to double check the date of Simon's death, as I show it as March 18, 1851.  If my date is wrong, I need to correct it.  The name of Simon's wife, mother of twelve children, is Julia Margaret Schnerr or Schneer. She also lived to a good old age, dying in 1844 at the age of 79.  Simon's son George, the Harshbarger connection, also served in the War of 1812.  He was wounded at Pu-in-Bay in one of the Indian skirmishes. 

I've blogged about Simon before but I thought this article was interesting since it reflects some of the stories in the family history, and gives more details about the life of the family.  I certainly wasn't expecting to find this when I picked up that particular book!

The line of descent is

Simon Essig-Julia Margaret Schnerr
George Essig-Catherine Shollenberger
Susannah Essig-Daniel Kemery
Adam Kemery-Nancy Fannie Buchtel
Della Kemery-William H Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants

"

Harshbarger post: Who was Mary M. or Maria Magdalena?

Since my excitement of finding John Whetstone, Catherine Whetstone's father, of course the next question is-who are his parents, and who is his wife?  The only real clue I have is that she is listed as Mary M. on Find a Grave.  Her headstone gives her as the wife of "J. Whetstone", and gives her date of death as January 10, 1852.  This is from St. Peters Cemetery in Stark County, Ohio. 

Since I know that John was from Berks, later Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, and I know Catherine was born in Berks County, it makes sense to comb Berks County for a Mary M or Maria Magdalena or some variation of those names, born in 1775 (per Find a Grave's headstone information saying she was 76 years 1 month and 28 days old when she died).  This would put her birth date as about November 12, 1775.  So I need to look for a christening date later than that.  It would not be at all unusual for Maria Magdalena to become Mary M.  John Whetstone was probably Johannes, and his father's last name is often given as Wetztein.  Names were evolving and not yet "Americanized."

I also have seen on line trees listing her name as Maria Magdalina Kettner or Kepner.  Aha!  I thought.  I have a Maria Magdalena Kepner in my database already.  Well, it's not that easy.  I haven't been able to prove that the one I have, a daughter of Bernard Kepler and Maria Elizabeth Lindemuth, is the correct person.  I haven't been able to disprove it, either.  The one in my database shows a birth date of 1776, which could be a christening date or could be an "about" date.  But so far, I haven't found a marriage record for John, or Maria Magdalena.  I'm not convinced yet.  The Keplers were in Brunswick Twp, later Schuylkill County, so the location fits. 

There also is a Maria Magdalene Ketner, born in 1776 (Northkill, Berks County, Pa) with no specific date and no additional information or documentation yet located.  She was the daughter of Johannes Henry Ketner and Justina Catarina Brossman.  From what I can tell from the maps, Northkill is pretty close to the location of the Whetstones, so it might be a possibility.  So far, I haven't found another prospective husband for her. 

I am just beginning this search, but I am posting speculations and thought processes here for several reasons.  One is that I am hoping a distant family member will recognize this person and say, "Oh, she (one of the two above possibilities, or one I haven't found yet) married John!  I have this record...".  The second reason is to show readers that most of the time, you can't just open up a book and read a family's history.  It has to be pulled and twisted out of very brief, disconnected pieces of information here and there.  And the third reason is that I am running out of Harshbarger posts! 

The line of descent is:

John Whetstone-Mary M.
Catherine Whetstone-Henry Cook
William Cook-Elizabeth Brown
Barbara Cook-William A Withers
William H Withers-Della Kemery
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants