JOHN KREIDER BOMBERGER, one of the representative citizens of North Cornwall township, is a worthy member of one of the old and honored families of Lebanon county, the Bomberger family locating in Penn township, Lancaster county, as early as 1722.

Christian Bomberger. the founder of the family in Pennsylvania, with his wife, Maria, came from Eschelbrun, the lower Rliine district of the Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany, accompanied bv their two sons, John and Christian. The latter was a minister, and was the ancestor of the branch of the family from which came John K. Bomberger of West Cornwall township.

John Bomberger, son of Christian, was the father of these children : Christian, John, Jacob, Abraham, Joseph, Daniel and Peter.

Abraham Bomberger, son of John, was the grandfather of John K. Bomberger of Cornwall, and he, with his brother Christian, was the first of the family to locate in Lebanon county, settling about two miles south of the city of Lebanon, in North Cornwall township. Christian married Barbara Reist, but had no issue, and he died at the age of fifty-five years, leaving a large estate. Abraham farmed for some years in North Cornwall, but later moved to North Lebanon township, where he died. His marriage was to Annie Kreider, and one child was born to this union. Christian, the father of John K. Bomberger.

Christian Bomberger was born December 8. 1813, in what is now North Cornwall township, and was reared on the farm and educated in the local schools. He became one of the leading men and successful farmers of his locality, served acceptably on the school board and in other offices, and was a strong supporter of the Whig party in politics. He began farming on the land which his uncle Christian had formerly owned, and which had come into his possession, and here he lived until his accidental death, in 1858, in a stone quarry on his own land. His farming operations had been very successful, and he was widely known for his excellent methods and their satisfactory results. Christian Bomberger was a man of integrity and business honor, and was one of the organizers of the Lebanon Valley Bank, now known as the Valley National Bank, and was one of its first directors, being a member of its board at the time of his death. He was married, September 26, 1839, to Mary Kreider, born in North Lebanon township, in 181 8. daughter of Tobias and Catherine Kreider, who died July 11, 1863, the mother of eight children, as follows : John K. ; Abraham, who died in Jackson township, Lebanon county, in 1900; Catherine, deceased, who was the wife of Josiah Kreider; Christian, who lives in Portland, Oregon ; Mary, who is the wife of John S. Suavely, of Lebanon; Anna, who is the wife of Levi Kreider, of Dickinson county, Kans.; and Tobias, and Daniel, who live in Annville.

John K. Bomberger was born November 11, 1840, the eldest son in his parents' family, and secured a good common school education. Mr. Bomberger was but eighteen years of age when accident deprived him of his father, and caused him to assume heavy responsibilities. He took charge of the farm for his mother, and at her death he assumed full control, retaining the same until he moved to his own place in the spring of 1869. Here Mr. Bomberger has a most productive farm of ninety acres, located three and one-half miles from Lebanon, West Cornwall township, where he has carried on general farming, and some stock and cattle raising. Mr. Bomberger has been a very active worker in the Prohibition party, for twelve years being chairman of Lebanon county, and for years a delegate to State conventions, becoming well and favorably known in the great cause all over the country. Mr. Bomberger is a man of original and intelligent ideas, and in every way has shown his sincere interest in all measures and movements promising to benefit his community.

On March 8, 1864, Mr. Bomberger was married to Miss Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Horst) Smith, who was born February 18. 1843, and died June 25, 1877. A family of seven children was born to this union, as follows; John S., a farmer of South Lebanon township, married Selena Wilhelm and has one child, Verona ; Elizabeth married Samuel S. Bowman, and has one child. Miles; Mary married William S. Reist, of South Lebanon township, and has three children, John, Robert and Isaac ; Sarah married Josiah M. Brandt, of South Annville township, and has one son, John ; Christian S., a student at the State Agricuhural College, in Center county, class of 1904, married Edna Stauffer; Peter S. married Maggie Hoke and has one son, John ; Adam S. is unmarried.

In addition to being a first-class citizen in every respect, Mr. Bomberger has also an honorable war record. On August 13, 1862, he was mustered into Company E, One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. L. L. Greenawalt, and took part in the terrible battle of Chancellorsville, and other engagements, and was mustered out of the service May 29, 1863.

Biographical Annals of Lebanon County - p. 113-115 - 1904