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Happy New Year 2017

Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and prosperous new year! May 2017 be the year of breaking down barriers—whether that barrier is a research brick wall or something else that’s holding you back.

Pennsylvania Dutch Funny Cake

Pennsylvania Dutch Funny Cake
Yum! Funny cake is a holiday tradition in our house. It features a chocolate filling beneath a moist cake, all in a pie shell with a crunchy topping. It makes a perfect breakfast, snack or dessert. And every taste brings back memories of holidays past.

Not So Wordless Wednesday: Levi F. Hocker, PA Cavalry

Private Levi F. Hocker (1842-1899)

Private Levi F. Hocker of Co. F, 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment, in uniform with pistol and sword, on horseback (source: Library of Congress)

Levi F. Hocker, son of Johan Adam and Mary (Hoover) Hocker III, was born 2 October 1843 and died 28 March 1899 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. He served in Company F, 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry during the Civil War. He married Frances R. Steigelman on 18 Jan 1866 in New Kingston, Cumberland County.

There were two Levi Hockers from Pennsylvania who enlisted in 1862: Levi F. Hocker who enlisted on 23 Sep 1862, and Levi Hocker who enlisted on 15 Sep 1862. Levi F. Hocker reportedly served in the 17th Cavalry, Company F, which was recruited from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in 1862. The company fought at Trevillian Station in Virginia between the 11th and 13th of June 1864. Levi F. Hocker reported in his application for invalid pension on 11 January 1878 that he had been wounded on or about the 11th of June 1864 at Trevillian Station. His reply of 10 February 1892 to the government’s denial of the pension was supported by Benjamin W. Hocker of Cumberland County. Benjamin states that he knew Levi intimately and had seen the injury on Levi’s return home in 1864.

Wingeard, I believe, inappropriately attributed him as the son of Peter and Hannah (Reinhold) Hocker of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Given the location of recruitment (Cumberland County) and Benjamin Hocker’s statement supporting Levi’s application, I feel it is more likely that Levi F. was the son of Adam and Mary (Hoover) Hocker, who lived in Cumberland County, than it is that he was the son of Peter and Hannah (Reinhold) Hacker of Lancaster County.

Adam and Mary (Hoover) Hocker were in Cumberland County by 1840 when Adam Hocker appeared as a head of household in North Middleton Township.1 They were still farming in North Middleton in 1850 where their household included:2

  • Adam, aged 47
  • Mary, aged 41
  • Jeremiah, aged [14?]
  • Mary, aged 20
  • Elizabeth, aged 16
  • Fanny, aged 13
  • Isemia, aged 9
  • Levi, aged 6
  • Benjamin, aged 4

The family can be also found in Cumberland County during the 1860 enumeration of Middlesex Township.3

Meanwhile, Peter and Hannah Hocker can be found consistently in Lancaster County in Ephrata, Elizabeth and Clay townships, respectively in 1840,4 1850,5 and 1860.6 In 1850, their household included:

  • Peter, aged 37
  • Hannah, aged 35
  • Susanna, aged 13
  • Jacob, aged 12
  • Mary Ann, aged 10
  • Levi, aged 7
  • Rebecca, aged 4
  • Elizabeth, aged 2

Both Levi and Benjamin Hocker were living in Cumberland County in 1880—Levi in Monroe Township7 and Benjamin in Middlesex Township.8 Levi died there in 1899 and was buried in Mount Holly Springs Cemetery.9

Wordless Wednesday: H.W. Hocker Manufacturing Company

H.W. Hocker Manufacturing Company, Lewes, Delaware

H.W. Hocker Manufacturing Company, Lewes, Delaware; image from the Library of Congress

I came across a series of photos from the H.W. Hocker (Harold Willets Hocker) Manufacturing Company of Lewes, Sussex County, Delaware during a search at the Library of Congress’ website. You can go see more images there.

Harold Willets Hocker, son of John William and Georgia (Tunnell) Hocker, was born 23 April 1892 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and died in December 1981 in Lewes, Sussex County, Delaware. He was a descendant of Johan Georg Hacker of Erdenheim, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Happy Memorial Day!

William Hocker Jr. in his Navy uniform

William Hocker Jr. in his Navy uniform

In honor of those who have served and those still serving in our nation’s military, happy Memorial Day! May we never forget your service and sacrifice.