52 Ancestors – Page 3 – A Pennsylvania Dutch Genealogy

52 Ancestors: Daniel Bobb Jr. (1781-1866)

Kris Hocker on 5 Aug 2014

52 Ancestors - Daniel Bobb Jr. (1780-1866) This week’s ancestor is Daniel Bobb Jr., father-in-law of #18 Henry Moyer Eshbach.

Daniel Bobb Jr. of Washington Township, Berks County was the son of Daniel Bobb of Hereford Township. He was born Wednesday, 26 July 1781 in Berks County and died Tuesday, 27 February 1866.¹ He was buried in Hill Union Church cemetery in Boyertown. Like his father, Daniel was a miller by trade.

Daniel married on Sunday, 7 July 1805 Anna Margaret Herb in Oley Hills, Berk County.² She was the daughter of Abraham and Anna Sybilla (Fuchs) Herb of Hereford Township.³ She was born on 1 January 1783⁴, died on 21 December 1865, and was buried in Hill Union Church cemetery.⁵

Daniel wrote his last will and testament on Friday, 16 February 1866 and it was proven on Thursday, 15 March that same year.⁶ It names his nine children:

I give and bequeath all my estate…in nine equal shares to my nine children…one ninth to my son Henry, one ninth to my son Daniel, one ninth to my son John, one ninth to my son Abraham, one ninth to the children of my deceased son William, one ninth to the children of my deceased daughter Lydia, one ninth to my daughter Mary the wife of Henry Reitnauer, one ninth to my daughter Sally the wife of Jacob Christman, and one ninth to my daughter Elizabeth.

Daniel and his wife Anna Margaret (Herb) Bobb had children:

Catherine Lydia Bobb Eshbach (1805—1859)
Anna Bobb (1807—1829)
Henry Bobb (1809—1891)
Daniel H. Bobb (1810—1891)
Johannes “John” H. Bobb (1813—1900)
Mary Bobb Reitnauer (ca 1815-1820—?)
Abraham H. Bobb (1816—1906)
William H. Bobb (1819—1865)
Sarah H. Bobb Christman (1821—1910)
Elizabeth Bobb (1826—aft 1870)

This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my nineteenth 52 Ancestors post and part of week thirty-one.

52 Ancestors: Henry Moyer Eshbach (1807-1872)

Kris Hocker on 15 Jul 2014

According to her death certificate, Lydia (Eshbach) Waage’s parents were Henry Eshbach and Lydia Bobb.¹ Henry was born 23 April 1807 in Hereford Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania and died 18 August 1872,² quite likely in Selinsgrove, Snyder County, Pennsylvania where he had been a bartender 2 years previously.³ He was buried at Pennsburg Reformed Church cemetery, Pennsburg, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Henry was at various times a tailor,⁴ an innkeeper,⁵ and a bartender.⁶

About 1836, Henry married Catherine Lydia Bobb, daughter of Daniel and Anna Margaret (Herb) Bobb Jr., of Hereford Township. She was born 6 November 1805 and died 16 March 1859.⁷ She was buried at Pennsburg Reformed Church cemetery.

After Lydia’s death in 1859, Henry moved his family to Lancaster Borough.⁸ He may have married again as there was a 46 year-old Maria living in the household with the family in 1860.

To the best of my knowledge, Henry and Lydia had children:

Amanda Catharine Eshbach (27 Feb 1838—23 Jan 1904), married Rev. Jacob Kehm
Anna Maria Eshbach (3 Apr 1841—5 Jan 1908), married John Troxel
Reichel Eshbach (1 Feb 1843—bet 25 Jun & 1 Jul 1862), Reichel died during the Seven Days Battles at Richmond during the Civil War.
Lydia S. Eshbach (3 Oct 1845—7 May 1910), married Dr. Charles T. Waage
Rufus Thomas Eshbach (17 Mar 1847–17 Dec 1912), married Jane Wylam
Elizabeth Eshbach (ca 1848—?)
Elias Eshbach (ca 1852—?)

The first five children are all included in Rev. Fretz’s A Genealogical Record of the Descendants of Christian and Hans Meyer and Other Pioneers. Elizabeth and Elias are not. It’s possible that they are Henry’s step-children, if he did, in fact, marry again after Lydia’s death, but before the 1860 census.

Henry and Lydia (Bobb) Eshbach were my 3x great grandparents.

This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my eighteenth 52 Ancestors post and part of week twenty-eight.

52 Ancestors: Jacob C. Walker (1833-1915)

Kris Hocker on 8 Jul 2014

Jacob Walker was born 3 November 1833 in Runville, Boggs Township, Centre County.¹ He died 24 July 1915 of “parenchymatous nephritis” in Centre Hall, aged 81 years, 8 months and 21 days. He was buried 27 Jul 1915 in the Reformed and Lutheran cemetery in Centre Hall. According to his obituary, he was the son of George and Ellen Walker.² However, I believe Jacob was the son of George and his first wife, Catharine.³

Jacob was a farmer and made his home in Pine Glen, Burnside Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. In 1854,⁴ he married Mary Eckley, daughter of John D. and Catharine (Walker) Eckley.⁵ Mary was born 8 July 1836, quite likely in Boggs Township, and died 18 July 1911 in Centre Hall of breast cancer. She was buried with her husband in the Reformed and Lutheran cemetery in Centre Hall.

Jacob and Mary had 10 children:

Susanna Walker (1856-1910) married Nicholas Vallimont
Victoria Walker (1858-1938) married Samuel T. Hoover
Henrietta Walker (1860-1862)
Benner Walker (1861-?) married Viola “Ollie” White
Jackson S. Walker (1863-1947) married Mary (___)
Simon C. Walker (1864-aft 1920) married Emma Bell (___)
Nancy Jane Walker (1867-1906) married Henry Lee Borger
Lucy Walker (1868-?) married John Eisele
William Walker (1872-aft 1930) married Hattie Malone
Ada Bell Walker (1874-1892)

Jacob and Mary (Eckley) Walker are my 3x great grandparents.

This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my seventeenth 52 Ancestors post and part of week twenty-seven.

52 Ancestors: Mary Ann Hocker (1834—1903) Finding Relatives in Unusual Sources

Kris Hocker on 1 Jul 2014

I was scanning some gravestone photos the other day to add to Findagrave and became intrigued with a couple that I had photographed, but that didn’t ring any bells. I had included them in the plastic sleeve with those of Adam and Eve (Hamaker) Hocker. The two gravestones—for Mary Ann Hocker and Solomon Hocker—captured my attention because the markers were of the same style as Adam and Eve’s.

Gravestone for Mary Ann Hocker

I had to wonder if Mary Ann and Solomon were children of Adam and Eve. According to the information I have, Adam Hocker married Eve Hamaker, daughter of Adam Hamaker and Magdalena Snavely, on 22 February 1838 in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.¹ Calculating Mary Ann’s birth date from her age at the time of her death, as recorded on her gravestone, I got 30 November 1834—before Adam and Eve were married.

Could she have been the child of a previously unknown former marriage? In an 1870 probate petition Adam Hocker Jr., Adam’s son, reports that his father left a widow and nine children: “Jacob, John, Adam, Elizabeth Cumbler, wife of George Cumbler, Sarah, David, Melinda, Martin and Anne.”² Going by this, Adam did not have a daughter named Mary Ann.

However, I found a newspaper announcement from the Harrisburg Patriot of 2 June 1871 that named the heirs and legal representatives of Adam Hocker, late of Swatara Township as: “Mary Hocker, Jacob Hocker, John Hocker, Adam Hocker, Elizabeth Cumbler, wife of George Cumbler, Sarah Hocker, David Hocker, Melinda Hocker, Martin Hocker and Anna Hocker.”³ This indicates that Adam did have a daughter named Mary.

So, I had two conflicting pieces of information. Which was correct?

Reviewing census records (1840⁴, 1850⁵, 1870⁶, 1880⁷), I found Mary living in Adam and/or Eve’s household for each of the years. In the case of the 1840 census, there was a female in the appropriate age group to have been born in 1834 who presumably could have been Mary. Only the 1880 census enumeration provided the relationship to the head of household—Eve—as “daughter.”

However, the most illuminating source was a legal report from the 12th Judicial District, reporting on the estate of Mary Hocker of Steelton, Pennsylvania. Apparently, Mary lived with her sister Annie (Hocker) Longenecker, wife of William Longenecker, for the last ten years of her life.⁸ After Mary died, Annie applied for compensation for “$3,120 [from Mary’s estate] for boarding, washing, lodging and care for six years immediately preceding her death.” The report mentions by name the administrator (John Hocker) as well as siblings—Adam Hocker and Mrs. Cumbler [Elizabeth (Hocker) Cumbler]. Ultimately, the court ruled against Annie, but the case provides evidence that Mary Ann Hocker was the daughter of Adam Hocker.

Whether Adam was married previously or not, I don’t know. Eve (Hamaker) Hocker’s obituary states that she had 8 children survive her.⁹ My information shows that her children—Jacob, John, Adam, Elizabeth, Sarah, Malinda, Martin and Annie—all were still living in 1892. Only David had predeceased her, having died in 1887 at the age of 36.¹⁰ Mary Ann was still alive, not dieing until 1903, so it is possible that she was the child of Adam and an as yet unknown first wife.

In this case, two somewhat unusual sources—a newspaper announcement and a court report—provided the information required to connect Mary Ann Hocker to Adam and Eve Hocker, showing her to be a child of Adam Hocker.

Adam and Eve’s relationship to my Hacker-Hocker lines is currently unknown. William Wingeard incorrectly identified Adam as the son of Rev. John⁴ Hocker (Johan Adam³, Johan Adam², Christopher¹, Stephen^A) and Christianna Sterling. However, that Adam moved to Montgomery County, Ohio in the late 1830s with the rest of Rev. John Hocker’s family. Other possible fathers for Adam include: George Hocker, son of Frederick³; John Hocker, son of Frederick³; and George Hocker, son of Adam².

This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my sixteenth 52 Ancestors post and part of week twenty-six.

52 Ancestors: Anna (Frantz) Hocker (1827-1918)

Kris Hocker on 24 Jun 2014

Anna (Frantz) Hocker, widow of Levi Hocker, died on 3 February 1918 in Pennsylvania.¹ Her death certificate began my research into her family.

What did I learn from this death certificate?

Anna died at 102 Tuscarora Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Anna was a widow.
Anna was born 13 September 1828.
Anna was 90 years, 3 months and 20 days old when she died.
Anna died 3 February 1918.
Anna died from a cerebral hemorrhage of 13 days duration.
Anna was born in Pennsylvania.
Anna’s father was named Michael Frantz.
Michael was born in Pennsylvania.
Anna’s mother was named Eliza Walters.
Eliza was born in Pennsylvania.
Anna was buried in Oberlin Cemetery on 7 February 1918.

Some of the information in this record is likely to be more reliable than the rest. Since this is her death record, information regarding her death was completed at or about the time of her death. If you look at #15 on the certificate, you will see that it was filed on 6 February 1918, 3 days after her death by D.H. Ellinger, the local registrar. This information is more likely to be accurate than secondhand information like her birth date. That’s not to say the secondhand data isn’t correct, just that it must be verified through other records.

Anna died at 102 Tuscarora Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

In this case, Anna died at the same address as that of the record’s informant: H. Hershey Hocker, who turns out to be Anna’s son. According to an article about her 88th birthday celebration, Anna had made her home with her son for several years.² As early as 1910, Hershey, Anna and Sarah, Hershey’s wife, were all living at 102 Tuscarora.³

The house was still standing as of June 2011 and can be seen on the “street view” at Google Maps.

Anna was a widow.

Her husband Levi Hocker had died 31 October 1876.⁴

Anna was born 13 September 1828.

According to her death certificate, Anna was born 13 September 1828. Her gravestone indicates that she was born in 1827. Two newspaper articles were written—one each for her 88th and 89th birthdays in 1915 and 1916, placing birth in 1827.⁵ Her age in census records is consistent with a late 1827 birthday. The 1900 census states she was born in September 1827.⁶ So, Hershey was only off by one year on his mother’s date of birth.

Anna was born in Pennsylvania.

Census records consistently state that Anna was born in Pennsylvania.

Anna’s father was named Michael Frantz; Michael was born in Pennsylvania.

According to the History of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania by Luther Reily Kelker, “Anna, [wife of] Levi Hocker, deceased” was the daughter of Michael Frantz and his second wife Elizabeth Walters.⁷ Michael Frantz was born to Michael Frantz and Feronica Nissley in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania⁸ on 24 May 1789 [calculated] and died 5 June 1865.⁹ His death occurred four days before Anna gave birth to her youngest surviving son, Herbert Hershey Hocker.¹⁰ While, Hershey may not have known his maternal grandfather, I’m fairly certain he knew of him. Especially because…

Anna’s mother was named Elizabeth Walters.

In 1880, an Elizabeth Frantz, “mother,” was living in Anna Hocker’s household with Anna and some of her children—Francis Michael, Curtin, Maggie and Hershey—as was Maggie Frantz, “sister.”¹¹ Hershey was 14 years old at that time, so he certainly knew—and remembered—his maternal grandmother and Aunt Maggie.

Elizabeth’s gravestone in Churchville cemetery names her as “Elizabeth Walters wife of Michael Frantz.”¹²

Eliza was born in Pennsylvania.

Per the 1880 census, Elizabeth and her parents were all born in Pennsylvania.

All in all, Hershey only made a minor error in the information he provided for his mother’s death certificate and this information led me to additional information on Anna and her parents.

Summary

Anna Frantz, daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Walters) Frantz, was born in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania—most likely on her father’s property near Oberlin. She married Levi Hocker on 6 February 1851 and the couple settled in Swatara Township where Levi was a farmer. Levi died in 1876, but Anna survived to the age of 90, dieing 3 February 1918 at her son Hershey’s home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Anna and Levi had 9 children:

Benjamin Franklin Hocker (1852-1919)
Francis Michael Hocker (1854-1919)
Mary Elizabeth Hocker Farnsler (1855-1939)
Emma L. Hocker Brinser (1857-1942)
George Warren Hocker (1858-1868)
Albert Curtin Hocker (1860-1940)
Margaret A. Hocker Hughes (1863-1957)
Herbert Hershey Hocker (1865-1946)
John Edward Hocker (1869-1873)

Anna and Levi were my 3x great grandparents.

This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my fifteenth 52 Ancestors post and part of week twenty-five.

52 Ancestors: Martin Weidman (1698-1768) Will

Kris Hocker on 28 Apr 2014

Martin Weidman, my 7x great-grandfather, was born in 1698, in Gräben, Baden-Durlach. He died prior to 11 October 1768 in Cocalico Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Martin wrote his last will and testament on 6 June 1766 and it was proven on 11 October 1768.¹

[page 301]
Martin Weidman dec’d
In the name of God Amen I Martin Weidman of Cocalico Township Yeoman calling unto Memory the Mortality of my Body do hereby make this my last will and testament whilst sound in Body and Mind To my beloved Wife Margaretha I give and devise the Interest of of one third Part of my Personal Estate during her Natural Life but if that should not suffice for her Maintenance she shall have a right to take so much of the Principal
[page 302]
as will be necessary for her Maintenance To my Eldest son Christopher I give and devise a Sum of Fifty Pounds Lawful Money of Pennsylvania wherein is included a Sum of Twenty five Pounds Money aforesaid which oweth to him the £75 this shall be instead of his two Shares and it is my Will, that he shall besides this have no other prerogative before my other Heirs The Residue of my Estate all my Heirs shall divide among themselves in equal Shares, and the Heirs of my son Wendel deceased shal in herit their Fathers share Farther I Ordain that my son Jacob Shall pay a sum of Nine Hundred Pounds due to me by him every Year after my Death the sum of Sixty Pounds to my heirs, until the whole is also paid and Satisfied, the first payment shall have my son Christopher 2 the second my Daughter Elizabeth Wife of Adam Haker the tird [sic] my Son Jacob the fourth my Daughter Margaretha Wife of George Haker the fifth my Daughter Barbara Wife of Bernhard Gartner the sixth my Daughter Catharina, Wife to George Wachter and so forth in this Wise, until the whole sum above mentioned is paid Finally I Constitute and Ordain Executors of this my last Will my two sons Christopher and Jacob In Witness whereof I have to these Presents set my hand & Seal this Sixth
day of June Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred & Sixty Six ~
Signed sealed & acknowledged by the Testator to be his Martin Weidtman {seal}
last Will & Testament in the presence of us underwritten Witnesses who saw him Sign the same Jeremias Miller, Samuel Funk, Jacob Funk, Peter Miller ~
Memorandum I thought proper to Annix this by way of Inttorsement to this my last Will that my Wife shall have the use of my best bed and all my Linnen during her life Witness my hand this Thirteenth day of June 1766 added before sealing further she shall all the use of my best cow to by kept in fother by my son Jacob shall provice her with firewood during her life this thirteenth day of June 1766 aforesd. Martin Weidtman {seal}
Signed and acknowledged by the Testator to be his Indorsement in the Presence of Peter Miller
Lancaster County Ss On the Eleventh day of October Anno Domini 1768 Before me the Subscriber Personally appeared Samuel Funk and Jacob Funk two of the subscribing witnesses to the within Will and on their Solmn Affirmation did declare and Affirm that they were present and saw and heard Martin Weidman the Testator within named Sign Seal Publish pronounce and declare the within Writing as and for his Last Will & Testament and that at the doing thereof he was of Sound and well disposing Mind Memory & Understanding to the best of their knowledge observation & belief ~
Lancaster County Ss on the Thirteenth day of October Anno Domini 1768 Before me the Subscriber personally appeared the above and within named Peter Miller one of the Subscribing Witnesses to the within Will and Codicil and on his Solemn Affirmation According to Law did declare and say that he was present and Saw and heard Martin Widman the Testator within named Sign Seal publish pronounce and declare the above writing as Codicil to his Last Will & Testament and that at the doing thereof at the several times therein contained he was of sound and well disposing Mind Memory and Understanding to the best of his Knowledge Observation and belief ~
Be it Remembered that on the Eleventh day of October Anno Domini 1768 The Last Will and Testament of Martin Weidman late of Cocalico
[page 303]
Township in the County of Lancaster Yeoman deceased was proved in due form of law and Letters Testamentary thereon were granted to Christopher Weidman and Jacob Weidman the Executors therein named they being first duly Qualified well and truly to Administer the Estate of the said Dec’d & to Exhibit a true & perfect Inventory thereof into the Registers Office at Lancaster on or before the Eleventh day of November next and to Render a true and Just account of their Administration on the said Estate when thereto Lawfully required given under the seal of the said office ~ by me

Martin and his wife Margaretha had seven children, as named in his will:

Christopher Weidman
Maria Elisabeth Weidman
Wendell Weidman
Johan Jacob Weidman
Anna Margaretha Weidman
Maria Barbara Weidman
Catharina Weidman

Maria Elisabetha Weidman married my 6x great-grandfather and immigrant, Johan “Hans” Adam Hacker. Her sister, Anna Margaretha Weidman, married Adam’s younger brother Johan Georg Hacker. Both men settled in Cocalico Township on land near to Martin Weidman’s warranted tracts. While Adam and his family remained in Lancaster County, George eventually moved his family to Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County, just north of Germantown.

I believe the Weidmans may have been from Graben. A 1709 list of inhabitants² of the town list “Christoph Weidtmann” and “Matthias Weidtmann,” possibly Martin’s father and uncle?

This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my fourteenth 52 Ancestors post and part of week seventeen.

52 Ancestors: John Nissley (c1722—1789) of Donegal Township

Kris Hocker on 13 Apr 2014

I’ve fallen a bit behind with my 52 Ancestors posts. Hopefully, I can get myself back on track.

I’ve been able to trace my ancestry back to Michael Frantz and his wife Feronica “Fanny” Nissley, through their son Michael and his daughter Anna, who married Levi Hocker. Fanny, I’ve determined, was the daughter of John Nissley of Donegal Township, who died before 19 July 1789 in Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.¹

John Nissley

John Nissley of Donegal Township wrote his last will and testament on 8 June 1784 and it was proven on 19 July 1789.² The abstract names his wife Mary and children: Feronica, Michael, John, Jacob, Abraham, Samuel and Martin. John’s wife was likely Mary Segrist, daughter of Michael and Anna (___) Segrist of Hempfield Township.³

John Nissley is listed in Donegal Township tax records in 1750, 1751, and 1756.⁴ He bought and sold land in Donegal Township between 1743/4 and 1774, according to the deeds I reviewed. He warranted 100 acres in Donegal Township on 23 May 1743/4 and another 50 acres on 29 April 1749. Both tracts were patented together as 173 acres on 23 May 1754.⁵ On 20 March 1764, he purchased 209 acres from Philip Kloninger, adjoining his patented lands, and patented it on 18 November 1771.⁶ On 23 August 1765, John warranted 274 acres, neighboring Jacob Eversole, Michael Shank, and Jacob Good.⁷ He patented another 79 acres, adjoining these lands on 23 October 1766, and 76 acres on 15 May 1768.⁸

On 22 November 1771, John sold his neighbor Peter Ruth 104.5 acres.⁹ He sold him another 104.5 acres on 31 Dec 1772.¹⁰ On 17 October 1774, he sold his son Michael 137 acres and his son John 112 acres.¹¹

Based on John’s land purchase and tax records, he was born by 1722 at the latest.

Who Was John’s Father?

I found no record of John Nissley selling land previously owned by another Nissley—which may have helped me to identify his father. I’ve seen this “John” identified as “Hans Jacob,” son of Jacob and Maria (Funk) Nissley of Manheim Township in online family trees. However, I’m pretty sure that this is incorrect.

First the names are not a match. John ≠ Hans Jacob. According to German naming traditions, “Hans Jacob” would have been Jacob, and that is how Jacob, son of Jacob and Maria (Funk) Nissley is identified in records. Furthermore, Jacob’s wife was named Barbara, not Mary.

According to deeds regarding the settlement of his father’s estate, on 18 June 1752 Jacob (Jacob¹) purchased 211 acres of his father’s land from his siblings—Henry (eldest son), Martin, Abraham Whitmore and Frena his wife, Jacob Brubaker and Mary his wife, and Valentine Metzler and Ann his wife.¹² The next day, Jacob and Barbara Nissley sold Valentine Metzler 60 acres of the 211 Jacob had purchased.¹³

When Jacob Nissley of Manheim Township died in 1763, his last will and testament, dated 5 February 1763, named his two children Jacob and Barbara, and empowered Jacob to sell his lands.¹⁴ Jacob (Jacob², Jacob¹) sold two tracts—one of 120 acres and one of 16 acres—to Sebastian Graffe on 12 June 1776.

This deed explicitly states the inheritance of this land from Jacob Nissley, the original patentee, through his son Jacob to his grandson, also named Jacob, reading in part: “The said one hundred and twenty acres…being part of a tract of one hundred and fifty acres and allowance…confirm[ed] unto Jacob Nissley the grandfather of the said Jacob Nisely party hereto (by the name Jacob Nutt) in fee Who died seized in fee thereof intestate leaving several children…the eldest son Henry refusing to take and hold the premises… [they] were confirmed unto Jacob Niseley the second son.”

So, that’s a dead-end for determining the parentage of my ancestor. He may have been an immigrant himself or it’s possible he descends from Jacob¹ Nissley’s brother John. Or perhaps he’s related to the “Martin Neasley,” who warranted land nearby in 1741.

This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my thirteenth 52 Ancestors post and part of week fifteen.

52 Ancestors: A Walk Down Memory Lane

Kris Hocker on 11 Apr 2014

When I went to Pennsylvania several weeks ago for my great-aunt, Betty Jean (Hocker) Wingeard’s memorial service, I had the good fortune to find my Grandmother on a talkative day. So, I took advantage of her good mood, asking questions and prompting her reminiscences of her childhood.

Hoover house at Pine Glen

My grandmother grew up in the mountains of central Pennsylvania, up in Centre County. The family was living in Lescontes Mills in Girard Township, Clearfield County, where her father Clyde supported the family farming and working as a lumberman, when she was born. They moved to Pine Glen, Burnside Township in Centre County before she was 10 years-old.¹

Clyde Leroy Hoover Sr. was born and raised in Pine Glen. So, with the move, the family returned to his childhood home. If you crossed the road and followed a path back through the woods, you’d eventually come out at the home of Samuel and Victoria (Walker) Hoover, Clyde’s parents.

The house they lived in²—while sizable enough for a family of 12 children—did not have electricity or running water. There was a well for water and an outhouse. Still is for that matter. When they needed water for cooking or washing, one of the children was sent either to the creek across the road or out back to the well. ³

When I asked about her favorite summer pastimes, she recalled that with chores there wasn’t a lot of free time. They baked their own bread, raised their own food—both animal and vegetable, harvested and preserved the food from the garden in the fall, and washed their clothes—and with 12 kids there was a lot of it—by hand. The girls worked in the house and gardens while the boys worked the farm and farm animals, hunted, and cut firewood.

But when there was time, she especially liked wood hikes (with her father, I believe), picnics, reading books from the library her mother ran from their front room, and splashing in the creek. The boys, she remembered, sometimes played baseball.

As she was talking, I realized the her childhood wasn’t so different than that of her parents and grand-parents and so on, even though she was raised in the 20th century. Even though I think of my grandmother as a “modern woman,” she gave me a close-up view of the lives of our ancestors, merely by taking a walk with me down memory lane.

This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my twelfth 52 Ancestors post and part of week fifteen.

52 Ancestors : The Last of Her Generation

Kris Hocker on 7 Mar 2014

Yesterday was a sad day for my family. My grandfather’s last surviving sibling—Betty Jean (Hocker) Wingeard—passed away at the age of 90 years 4 months and 3 days.

Betty Jean Hocker, ca 1924-25

Betty Jean was born 3 November 1923 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She was the third daughter and fourth child (of five) of William Howard and Isabella Aitken (Smith) Hocker. She graduated from John Harris High School in 1941 and attended the Central Pennsylvania Business College.

On 24 April 1952, she was married by Reverend L. E. Barton at Epworth Methodist Church in Harrisburg to William Osbourne Wingeard Jr., son of William Osbourne and Edna May (Rudy) Wingeard. My great grandparents had concerns about Bill because he had been married and divorced previously, but Bill and Jean’s 46-year marriage was very happy. And Bill won the family over. Bill treasured Jean, calling her “the love of my live” in the blurb he wrote about her in his book on her ancestry, A German-American Hacker-Hocker Genealogy, which he also dedicated to her.

Betty Jean Hocker, Easter 1949

During their marriage, Bill and Jean lived in various locations around Harrisburg and for a time in Montoursville in Lycoming County. Bill worked for Pennsylvania Power & Light and Jean worked for a number of companies, including the YMCA, Allison Hill Trust Company, Market Street Trust Company, and the Dauphin County division of the American Cancer Society. She also volunteered with the Methodist churches they attended, Meals on Wheels, and the Divine Providence Hospital in Williamsport.

Bill and Jean never had children. But they always had time for and were interested in their nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews. To me, they were another set of grandparents.

All of my best childhood memories include Bill and Jean. Every summer when I was a child, my sister and I would spend part of our vacation with Grandma and Grandpa in Harrisburg. Grandma always saw that we got enough to eat—more than enough, actually (Is that a Grandma thing?). When Jean was there it usually included hot dogs—Jean loved hot dogs. And potato chips. And ice cream. A perfect meal to us children. Those meals brought back childhood memories for Jean of going to her grandparents’ farm in the summer and eating hot dogs and ice cream and riding in the wagon into town for treats.

During those summers, Grandpa kept us entertained, taking us fishing and playing cards. Bill and Jean would come over for lunch or supper and we’d play cards for hours. It didn’t matter what the game was, at some point Bill would throw down his cards and complain that Grandpa—rapscallion that he was—was cheating again. Jean would just shake her head, long accustomed to Grandpa’s tricks.

On several occasions my sister accompanied Bill, Jean, Grandma and Grandpa on one of their summer trips to the Jersey shore—something Grandpa and his sisters had also done with their Aunt Bess—aka Elizabeth Marian (Smith) Lutz.

Since Bill’s death in April 1998, Jean had faced a number of health challenges. She faced them all—no matter the severity—with a grace and dignity that was both inspiring and humbling. She wasn’t one to whine or bemoan the unfairness of life; she just quietly did what needed doing. “Kris,” she’d say, “it is what it is.” And she’d move on.

Family was important to Jean and she was important to her family. We love her and we’re going to miss her very much.

52 Ancestors: Joel Wolf (1810-1895)

Kris Hocker on 3 Mar 2014

My 3x great-grandfather Joel Wolf died 18 November 1895 in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. He was 85 years, 5 months and 24 days old.¹ He was buried in Fairview Cemetery, Allentown on Thursday, 21 November 1895.

Obituary
Joel Wolf died at his home, No 130 South Penn Street, at 2 o’clock yesterday morning of enlargement of the heart and dropsy, from which he suffered a long time. He was born 85 years ago in Upper Hanover township, Montgomery County. Sixty years ago was married to Elizabeth Krauss. They were parents of sixteen children, five of whom died. The mother and the following children survive: Henry, of Philadelphia; Edwin, Joel and Horace of this city; Daniel of Salisbury, Jonathan of Newberry, Lycoming County, Carolyn, wife of Charles Gierlich, of East Greenville, Emeline, wife of Joseph Miller of Bucks County; Sarah, wife of Albert Lentz of Allentown and Leanne and Elmira, single who reside at home. Besides these there are twenty-two grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. The deceased was a laborer by occupation and was thirty-five years a resident of Allentown. His wife is 81 years of age. The funeral will take place on Thursday morning at 10 o’clock. Services in Zion’s Reformed Church.²

Joel Wolf was born 25 May 1810 in Upper Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania³, possibly the son of Jacob Wolf of Milford Township, Bucks County. He married Elizabeth Krauss, daughter of George and Christina (Schultz) Krauss, about 1831. Elizabeth was born 13 June 1814⁴ and died in 1900.⁵

According to the Genealogical Record of the Schwenkfelder Families, Joel and Elizabeth (Krauss) Wolf had children:

David K. Wolf, d. Aug 1832
Emeline K. Wolf, b. 30 Mar 1837, d. 18 Apr 1910, married Joseph S. Miller
Henry Washington K. Wolf, b. 1 Apr 1839 married, but no children
Christina M. K. Wolf, b. 23 Sep 1840, d. 10 May 1864
Susanna K. Wolf, b. 9 Nov 1841, d. 3 Jun 1863, married Charles P. Greulich
George K. Wolf, b. 1843, d. 7 Aug 1844
Caroline K. Wolf, b. 17 Feb 1845, d. 24 Apr 1915, married Charles P. Greulich
Mary Elizabeth K. Wolf, b. 15 Sep 1846, d. 12 Jan 1868
Leanna K. Wolf, b. 12 Mar 1848
Edwin K. Wolf, b. 5 Jul 1849, d. 31 Jan 1914, married Emma Bealer
Sarah J. K. Wolf, b. 26 Dec 1850, married Albertus J. Lentz
Oswin K. Wolf, b. 8 Apr 1852, d. 2 Oct 1852
Joel K. Wolf, b. 30 Oct 1853 [, d. 12 Feb 1937]
Jonathan K. Wolf, b. 4 Mar 1855
Daniel K. Wolf, b. 21 Mar 1857, married Lizzie B. Smith
Horace K. Wolf, b. 16 Jan 1860, married Alice Trumbower
Elmira K. Wolf, b. 14 May 1861

Joel’s daughters Susanna Krauss Wolf and Caroline Krauss Wolf were each married to my 2x great-grandfather Karl Philipp “Charles” Greulich, a German-immigrant and shoemaker, who settled in East Greenville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Charles and Susanna were married on 30 November 1861. Susanna (Wolf) Greulich died 3 Jun 1863⁶ and Charles married her sister Caroline on 17 August 1864.⁷

The Krauss family can be traced back to immigrant Anna (Heidrig) Krauss, who came to Pennsylvania in 1733 as the widow of Melchoir Krauss, arriving with the second group of Schwenkfelder families.

Tag: 52 Ancestors

John Nissley

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