Author: Kris Hocker

John Hocker

John Hocker was born on 12 Nov 1781 in Elizabeth Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, presumably the eldest son of Frederick and Catharina (Fuchs) Hacker.1,2 He was christened on 18 Nov 1781 in Emanuel Lutheran Church, Brickerville, Warwick township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, sponsored by Johannes Zieger and wife Barbara.3 John died in Reamstown, Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1847; he was 65.

John Hacker appears on the census for Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1810, 1820, and 1830. 4,5,6  On 20 Mar 1812, John-with his brother-in-law, Michael Klein-petitioned the court to award an inquest on his father’s estate.7  John subsequently refused his rights his father’s farm, in favor of his younger brother George.8

John first married about 1804 Salome/Sarah Moser, daughter of Johan Adam Moser (8 Nov 1746-26 Jan 1823) and Christina Prunner (5 Nov 1752-5 Nov 1823), in Pennsylvania. 9 Salome was born on 9 Aug 1783 in Pennsylvania and christened in Muddy Creek Lutheran Church, East Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania.10 Salome/Sarah died in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, sometime before 1823, possibly as early as 1807. She is referred to as deceased in both her father and mother’s estate documents of 1823.11 She was buried in the Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery, Reamstown, Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania.

They had the following children:

  1. John Hocker Jr. was born about 1804, probably in Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania and may have died sometime after Aug 1896 in West Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He was likely a farmer in West Cocalico township, Lancaster Pennsylvania. And he may have been the John Hocker who married on 25 Oct 1832 Rebecca Bucher, daughter of Jacob Bucher.
    1. Susanna B. Hacker (ca 1833-?)
    2. John B. Hacker (Jan 1839-1929)
    3. Isaac B. Hacker (5 Mar 1855-24 Jul 1921)
  2. George Hocker was born about 1805, probably in Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He was still alive in 1828, but nothing more is known about him.
  3. Lydia Hocker was born about 1807, probably in Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. She was still alive in 1828, but nothing more is known about her.

Sometime before 1823, John married second Susanna Moser, daughter of Johan Adam and Christina (Prunner) Moser, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Susanna was born 3 Aug 1781.12,13 Susanna died in Durlach, Clay township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, on 29 Nov 1863; she was 82.14

John and Susanna may have been married as early as 1811, and quite possibly had a son and two daughters, all born between 1811 and 1820. These children are not mentioned in the will of their grandfather Adam Musser as John’s three children with his first wife are named, because their mother Susanna was still living and therefore she was their grandfather’s direct heir.15

Susanna (Moser) Hacker was listed on the census for Elizabeth township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1850, living with Samuel Weich’s family.16 She was listed on the census for Clay township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania in 1860, living with Samuel Wike’s family.17 Samuel’s wife Sarah was likely the “Sara Hacker,” daughter of John and Susanna, born 22 Mar 1822 and baptized at Salem Lutheran church in Reamstown on 1 Jan 1826.18

FamilySearch Record Search

So, imagine how excited I was to find FamilySearch’s online Record Search. They have created an online search system that allows you to search records from around the world from the convenience of your home.

Volunteers from around the world are pouring through documents and transcribing them into the system in multiple languages. Millions of rolls of microfilm containing census records, vital records, probate records, church records and more are being indexed by individual volunteers, societies and companies. You can search the indices or browse through images that are waiting to be indexed.

I was able to search the records and found birth and marriage records from Rußheim, Baden-Wüerttemborg, Germany—the town where my Hacker ancestors lived. While I didn’t find any information on the people I was researching, I did manage to find Hackers in the village in the early 1900s.

I also search the Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania death records online and found numerous death records from my Hacker/Hocker relatives who lived in Philadelphia.

Researching your family history remotely can be a trying experience. Access to online indices can greatly improve your ability to continue your research. Access to free, searchable indices AND digital images of original records is a dream come true for any genealogist.

While a lot of work has already been done and made available to the public, it’s far from complete. I’m so excited about this opportunity that I volunteered to be an indexer. You can, too.

Now all I have to do is make some time to do some research and then do some indexing, too!

Photo: Anna (Hocker) Seltzer House

Anna (Hocker) Seltzer house, 1905

Anna (Hocker) Seltzer house, 1905

Anna (Hocker) Seltzer’s house, about 1905. The last residential information I have places her in North Londonderry township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania in the 1900 census, likely near Palmyra.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Bell

Photo: Harry Longenecker

Harry Longenecker (1885—1960)

Harry Longenecker (1885—1960)

Harry S. Longenecker, son of Isaac W. and Elizabeth Ellen (Seltzer) Longenecker, about 1899, age 14. Harry was born 28 May 1855 and died Jun 1960. He married Naomi Ulrich.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Bell

Photo: Dr. Henry Hocker Seltzer

Dr. Henry Hocker Seltzer

Dr. Henry Hocker Seltzer

Portrait of Dr. Henry Hocker Seltzer, about 1922. Henry was the son of Henry Uhland and Anna (Hocker) Seltzer. He was born 28 Aug 1856 and died 7 Aug 1925 in Washington, D.C.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Bell

Photo: Anna (Hocker) Seltzer

Anna (Hocker) Seltzer

Anna (Hocker) Seltzer

Anna (Hocker) Seltzer, daguther of Martin and Barbara (Smith) Hocker, was the wife of Henry Uhland Seltzer, son of Philip and Maria (Uhland) Seltzer. The couple was married 12 Dec 1850 in Harrisburg, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. She died in 1914 and was buried in the Palmyra Cemetery.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Bell

Photo: Edgar Seltzer

Edgar Arnold Seltzer

Edgar Arnold Seltzer

Edgar Arnold Seltzer, son of Dr. Henry Hocker and Susan (Arnold) Seltzer.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Bell

Photo: Barbara (Smith) Hocker

Barbara (Smith) Hocker

Barbara (Smith) Hocker

Barbara (Smith) Hocker was the second wife of Martin Hocker, son of the immigrant Johann Adam Hacker and his wife Maria Elisabetha (Weidman) Hacker. Martin and Barbara married about 1809 and the couple had 9 children, including a set of twin girls Anna and Barbara.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Bell

Photo: Martin Hocker

Martin Hocker

Martin Hocker

Martin Hocker, son of Johan Adam and Maria Elisabetha (Weidman) Hacker, was born 21 Oct 1768 in Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania and died 25 Apr 1862 in Derry township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. Martin came to the Harrisburg area from Lancaster county about 1787. Hockersville in Derry township was named in his honor.

“In addition to his agricultural labors, he was, for more than 40 years, in the hotel business. He was a democrat in politics, occasionally serving local offices and in 1830 served as County Commissioner. He was also one of three men appointed  to make surveys for the line that separates Dauphin County from Lebanon County.”

Photo courtesy of Jessica Bell