Samuel was born 30 October 1829, most likely in Buffalo Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania.^[1] He was the son of John and Catharine (Krehl) Leedy.^[2] Samuel died 19 March 1912 in Upper Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania and was buried on the 22nd in Hill Cemetery near Buffalo, Perry County, Pennsylvania. He died of apoplexy. Samuel was a farmer.

About 1856, he married Sarah Parsons, presumably the daughter of Anthony and Catharine (Bowerman) Parsons, of Perry County. She was born in Feb 1833.^[3] I have death dates for her from 1926 through 1930, but nothing proven. She died sometime after the 1920 census enumeration where she was living with her daughter Grace and her husband William Hunt.^[4]

Samuel and Sarah (Parsons) Leedy had children:

1. Wilhelmina Leedy was born ca 1857 in Perry County. Minnie married Harry Delcamp and was living in Philadelphia in 1932 when her sister Mary (Leedy) Sheesley died.
2. John Harbough Leedy was born 29 Oct 1858 in Perry County and died 2 Jun 1936. He married Emma Catharine Rouch on 17 Jan 1883.
3. Kirk Leedy died Apr 1859 and was buried in Hill Cemetery.
4. Lillian Ainsley Leedy was born 4 May 1861 in Perry County and died 20 Jan 1942 in Cumberland County. She married about 1881 Albert Curtin Hocker of Swatara Township, Dauphin County.
5. Mary Leedy was born in Nov 1863 and died in 1932. She married Hiram Sheesley on 25 Feb 1886 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She died Saturday, 26 November 1932 in Fort Hunter, Pennsylvania.
6. Grace Leedy was born 6 Oct 1865 in Perry County and died 6 Jun 1935 in Harrisburg. She married William Hunt on 27 Oct 1887 in Harrisburg.
7. Samuel Kirk Leedy was born 20 Nov 1867 in Perry County and died 28 Jun 1946 in Roxbury, Pennsylvania. He married Mary (___).
8. Ulysses S. Grant Leedy was born in 1871 in Perry County and died 14 May 1956 in Cumberland County. Grant married Mary C. (___) about 1905.
9. Harry Leedy was born 28 Sep 1875 and died 2 Aug 1876. He is buried with Kirk Leedy in Hill Cemetery.

John Niesley and Christian France Administrators of all and singular Goods and Chattles Rights and Credits which were of Michael France late of Paxton Township deceased appeared in Court and produced their account upon the administration of the Estate of the said deceased duly passed before the Register from which there appears to be a balance in their hands of three hundred and seventy five pounds eleven shillings and eleven pence which account upon examination the Court do approve and allow and direct that the said balance after deducting thirteen shillings and two pence the expence of this Court be distributed according to Law

The Court appoint Christian France of Manheim Township in the County of Lancaster Guardian of the person and estate of Mary France a minor daughter under the age of fourteen years of Michael France late of Lower Paxton Township deceased during her minority.

Elizabeth France a minor daughter above the age of fourteen years of Michael France late of Lower Paxton Township deceased comes into Court and chooses Christian France of Manheim Township in the County of Lancaster Guardian of her Estate during her minority and the Court approve of and appoint the said Christian France her Guardian accordingly.

The Court appoint Jacob France of Manor Township in the County of Lancaster Guardian of the persons and estates of John France, Michael France and Veronica France minor children under the age of fourteen of Michael France late of Lower Paxton Township decease during their respective minorities^[3]

I find it quite probable that Christian and Jacob Frantz—guardians of his children—were relatives, perhaps brothers, of Michael Frantz. John Nissley was likely related to Michael’s wife Feronica “Franny” (Nissley) Frantz.^[4]

Michael and Feronica (Nissley) Frantz had children:

1. Elizabeth Frantz, born before 17 October 1783 (over 14 on 17 October 1797), who married Rev. John Mumma.
2. Mary Frantz, born after 17 October 1783 (under 14 on 17 October 1797), who married Jacob Snavely.
3. John Frantz, born after 17 October 1783, who died before 1807.
4. Michael Frantz, born 22 May 1789, who married twice—first to Elizabeth Neidig, daughter of John and Mary (Bear) Neidig, and second to  Elizabeth Walters, daughter of Jacob and Anna (Stauffer) Walters, and died 5 Jun 1866.
5. Veronica Frantz, born after 17 October 1783 and died before 19 May 1810.

Michael Frantz Jr. was the father of Anna Frantz, my 3x great grandmother and wife of Levi Hocker, who died mysteriously in 1876.

Emanuel and Alavesta (Dillinger) Wieder, ca 1915

On 10 June 1878, he married Alavesta “Vesta” Esther Dillinger, daughter of Willam D. and Helena (Person) Dillinger of Lehigh County. She was born 19 Oct 1857, likely in Upper Milford Township.^[2]

E.J. Wieder, Sr. was initially a teacher and a farmer, but—due to health concerns, I believe—became a bank cashier, working his way up to bank president by 1929.^[3] He built a house on main street in Pennsburg in 1902 and moved his family from the farm in Lower Milford Township into town.^[4]

He died of stomach cancer on 26 July 1929 in Pennsburg and was buried in St. Mark’s Union Church cemetery on the 30th.^[5] Vesta had died on 11 January 1923 in Pennsburg of angina and Bright’s disease. She was buried in St. Mark’s Union Church cemetery on the 16th.^[6]

E.J. and Vesta had the following children:

1. Edwin J. Wieder (29 March 1880—22 January 1960) married Mary Catharine Waage (27 October 1877—28 November 1970)
2. Cora Anna Wieder (June 1886—1964) married Vallandingham S. Trumbore (23 October 1883—August 1968)
3. John William Wieder (1 September 1887—November 1972) married Katherine Jane Gruelich (22 March 1887—September 1960)

Photo courtesy of John William Wieder Jr.

Martin Hocker of Derry Township as part of the 1839 Dauphin County Democratic Ticket

Yellow fever is one of those diseases that was of grave concern to our ancestors. About 1793, Philadelphia was experiencing an outbreak of the disease and when a febrious illness began to manifest in Harrisburg, there was great concern that it had reached them, too.^[1]

Efforts were made to protect the town and its inhabitants—the posting of guards on the roads, turning away travelers, etc. But the general feeling amongst the town’s inhabitants was that the disease was caused by the stagnant waters behind a dam on Paxton Creek. The mill was owned by Peter, John and Abraham Landis.

Articles of agreement were written between John Harris, founder of Harrisburg, and the three Landis men on 16 April 1790. Harris granted them “a mill seat on the waters of Paxton Creek the race whereof to be taken out of the said creek at any place between the two bridges now erected over the same opposite Harrisburgh aforesaid and to be dug or carried through the land of the said John Harris.”^[2] The men paid £600, plus interest, and were required to provide a sufficient merchant mill within three years.

Then the sickness came.

On 5 May 1794, a meeting was held and a committee designed to meet with the Landis’ and offer them £2500 in exchange for the mill.^[3] They met with the men the next day. The Landis’ refused to sell.

By January 1795, the inhabitants were determined to take action. At a meeting on 16 January 1795, it was voted to pay the Landis’ £2600 for the mill, and that in case the Landis’ again refused to sell, they would “prostrate the dam erected… and pay our proportionate parts of all legal expenses and damages that may accrue on any suit or suits.”^[4] An assessment was made on all property in the borough in order to make up the amount of the offer. ^[5] Amongst those assessed for property in town were John, Adam, and Christopher Hocker. A George Hocker—possibly their brother—was assessed as a single man, too.

Apparently, the Landis men were still not willing to sell and instead asked for £2000 for the water-rights alone. The committee apparently believed this was little more than extortion. They refused the counter-offer.

On Saturday, 18 April 1795, the committee and a number of inhabitants went to the dam and with four persons they had hired “opened the creek bed twelve feet wide.”^[6] This, for all intents and purposes, ruined the dam.

On 29 April 1795, with the dam all but destroyed and no other options, the Landis’ sold the mill property and equipment to a committee comprised of Stacy Potts, Moses Gilmore, William Grayson, Jacob Bucher, John Keen, John Dentzel and Alexander Berryhill.^[7]

 The Landis Family

Peter, John, and Abraham Landis were, I believe, brothers and sons of Felix Landis.

Felix Landis of Derry Township died after writing his will on 25 Jan 1770.^[8] He left his property on Spring Creek to his two sons—Peter and Jacob. Peter, in particular, inherited that piece of the tract “whereupon the house and barn and mill is standing.” This indicates to me that the mill business was a family industry.

All three men were of Derry Township in 1790 when they purchased the water rights from John Harris.^[9] In 1795 when they sold out, Peter and Eva, his wife, were of Derry Township, John and Catharine, his wife, were of Londonerry Township, and Abraham and Barbara, his wife, were of Paxton Township.^[10]

1785 will of Henry Landis of Derry Township

The translation from the German of the last Will & Testament of Henry Lands

In the name of god Amen April 26th 1785.
I Henry Landis living in Derry Township Lancaster County am sick of the body but yet of Sound Knowledge therefore it is my Will where with the lord blessed me I dispose of as follows

First it is my last Will & Testament that my wife Anna shall have one bed and bedstead Two cows one Horse [Creative?] the Saddle and Briddle thereto and the horse on a ture[??] and Cows to be fed with their own & to be pastured with their own and the Third of the Personal Estate all that I have and to Live in my house or to have one built for her and well Finished out and Fire wood to be brought home and but short Short for her as much as She shall nead [sic] and the one half of the Kitchen Garden which is also to be Duly Dugned [dunged?] and Rowed, and apple as many as She shall Need or the Third Part of the Orchard and the Third Part of the Income of the Place of all they Shall Plant or Sow & two Sheep to be Kept and Fed for her Widowhood & not Longer; and him who Possesseth my Place Shall Deliver the Grain on the loft well clained [sic] the Meadow Shall belong to him whom hath the place but if he Doth not Feed the Horse and Cows well for my Said Wif [sic] She Shall have a Right to Take Fother [sic] as much as will be necessary for such Chattle [sic] as above mentioned

Item It is my will that my Son Felix Shall have my place which I now live on for eight Hundred Pounds Good and Lawful money and he shall pay every year Twenty five Pounds until the whole is paid and he Shall of What Remaineth have not more than one of my others and my Son Henry shall Draw the First Payment as much as Shall be coming to him for the Share of my Estate and my other Children Each of them Shall Receive Twenty-five pounds according to sincerity[?] yearly untill [sic] the Whole is Paid and my Said son Felix Shall have my PLace to him and his heirs as above specified or mentioned

Item It is my Last Will & Testament I nominate & coose [sic] for Executors Christian Stauffer and my Brother Son John Landis which I Acknowledge with my own hand in Present of these Presents

Christian Obre
Martin Bradnt[?] }    Henry his X mark Landis (seal)

Proved this twenty ninth day of November one thousand seven hundred & Eighty Five

J Montgomery Reg^r[1]

Henry Landis was my 6x great grandfather.

Henry is a common first name in the Landis family; so I’m reviewing documents and trying to piece information together. In my search of Dauphin County deeds, I found the following document.^[2]

In it Henry Landis refused to take the property his father—Henry Landis Sr. of Swatara Township—left to him in his will. A standard enough document. But what caught my eye were the witnesses—Benjamin and Martin Hocker!

Benjamin Hocker was most likely the youngest son of Johan Adam Hocker Jr. of Derry Township. His older brother George—my 4X great grandfather—married Mary Magdalena Landis, daughter of Henry Landis Sr. of Swatara township, on 2 Mar 1819.^[3]

I thought at first that Martin Hocker was likely the son of Martin Hocker Sr. of Derry Township. But then I did the math. Martin Jr. would have been only 17 in 1829. It’s far more likely that he was actually Martin Hocker Sr. If so, then it’s quite possible that this is the Henry Landis who married Christianna Hocker, Martin’s daughter, on 18 Oct 1825.^[4]

While this doesn’t actually prove that this Henry married Christianna Hocker—there’s no mention of her in the deed—it does prove that Henry Landis Jr. was associated with Benjamin Hocker and Martin Hocker by June of 1829.

A photo of Henry D. and Saraphine K. (Witmer) Snyder, possibly taken in front of the Greulich home in Landsdale, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, circa 1912. The Snyders owned and lived on a farm on School House Road just outside East Greenville, Pennsylvania near the New Goshenhoppen Church.

Well, Bill found it! George Jacob, Carl Greilich (Greulich) and Emma Greilich (Eva Greulich) arrived in New York City on 28 Jan 1856 aboard the ship Dorette from Bremen. George Jacob is listed as aged 33, a mechanic, Carl is listed as aged 17, a mechanic, and “Emma” is listed as aged 23, occupation unknown.

According to family lore, George Jakob—a half-brother to Carl and Emma—traveled to the U.S. with his siblings, but continued his journey and went on to South America. We don’t know where on the continent, however. Eva Catharina Greulich supposedly went on to Binghamton, New York and married.

Henry Snyder (1859-1931)

My great great grandfather Henry D. Snyder, son of Joseph and Judith (Deysher) Snyder, was born 3 Mar 1859 in Pennsylvania, probably in Montgomery or Bucks counties.^[1] He died in Upper Hanover, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania on 30 Sep 1931.

About 1879, Henry married Saraphine K. Witmer, daughter of Edward J. and Lydia Amanda (Kline) Witmer of Bucks County. Saraphine was born 30 Oct 1861 in near Pennsburg, Marlborough Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.^[2] She died 4 Aug 1938 in Lansdale, Hatfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania where she was living with her daughter and son-in-law.

Henry and Saraphine (Witmer) Snyder had one child, a daughter:

1. Lillian Witmer Snyder, born 26 Oct 1879 in Marlborough Township, Montgomery County and died 13 Feb 1949 in Sellersville Hospital, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She married Elmer Calvin Greulich, son of Charles and Caroline (Wolf) Greulich, on 21 Sep 1901 in East Greenville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.