HISTORY OF KREIDER FAMILY FROM THE PEN OF REV. J.G. FRANCIS

(Continued from Monday)

LEVI OF EAST HANOVER

Levi Kreider, afore, of East Hanover township, was born near Bunker Hill, and was married to Elizabeth Shirk, of North Annville township. He was a farmer near Magillstown. He was a man of great physical strength. One of his stunts was carrying twelve bushels of wheat on his shoulders - 720 pounds. This was done by placing a three-bushel bag on each shoulder, and crossing two more three-bushel bags above the first two. His son tells that once when he was with his father fishing, his father with a short run leaped a four-rail fence without touching it. He had but one child:

EDWARD THE STEWARD

Edward Kreider, afore, married Maria Scherck (Shirk), b. July 18, 1825, in Annville township; d. Sept. 13, 1907; both are buried in Mt. Lebanon cemetery. Maria was a sister to Levi's wife, and both were first cousins of the father of the late Howard C. Shirk, Esq., of Lebanon. He was a farmer in East Hanover. The records show that Edward bought a 13-acre tract in 1848, on the road from Jonestown to Harrisburg, in Union township, which he sold to Cyrus Schools, Esq., April 2, 1853, at which time Edward is said to have been in Swatara township. He was steward at the Lebanon county almshouse for 7 years, which was in the early sixties. For a time afterward he was proprietor of a hotel above Jonestown, after which he moved to Lebanon, where he died. He had 7 children:

JOSEPH, EAST AND WEST

  • Joseph Kreider, Jr., married Lucinda Frantz, who died a few years ago with Mrs. Miller on North Eighth street, Lebanon. Joseph was a Civil War veteran, a huckster at Ono, a butcher at Grantville, a coal merchant in Lebanon, being a partner with Rev. Knerr, general merchant in Avon, then was a merchant in Parsons, Kansas, where he died. He had 2 children:

    • ELIZABETH KREIDER ALBERT

    Elizabeth Kreider, daughter of Joseph, of Black Oak Hill, married Joseph B. Albert, b. June 3, 1812; d. July 22, 1896; both buried at Steelstown. They lived on a small farm north of Palmyra, bought by her father, her parents living with her for a number of years, where both died. The farm became the property of Mr. Albert; it is now a Poorman home. They were United Evangelical. They had 4 children:

    JOHN OF KANSAS

    John Kreider, perhaps the youngest child of Joseph of Black Oak Hill, m. Rebecca Alleman. John moved to Kansas. He was a farmer, near Carlton of that state, where he likely died. He had 2 children.

    This brings us to the close of Joseph Kreider of Black Oak Hill, son of Christian who was kicked by a horse, son of Christian who lived at the extreme eastern part of the "Kreider Settlement." on Snitz Creek, son of Jacob one of the two Kreider settlers there, son of Martin of Lancaster Co., son of Jacob the immigrant, who located on what is now the southern part of Lancaster city about 1715. But Joseph above had a brother. A few words are in place about him before we close the chapter of Christian who was kicked by a horse.

    JOHN SNAVELY KREIDER

    When Barbara Kreider, nee Snavely, widow of Christian killed by a horse, made her will in 1819, beside a son Joseph, she mentions a son, John. John was to receive only the income from his inheritance, unless he mended his ways, in which case he was to receive the principal. Mr. John Albert, of Palmyra, says he knew that his grandfather had a brother, John, that he was never married, and he understood he was rather wayward. Mr. Albert, who was born in 1862, never saw his great uncle. It is likely that John died somewhat young.

    On March 31, 1838, Henry Light and John Light, executors of Henry Light, dec., and Joseph Kreider, as agent for Jacob Kreider, dec. (Jacob the Gelder), transferred 111 acres of land in East Hanover township to John S. Kreider. This was likely cheap woodland. Joseph Kreider the agent was a first cousin to John Snavely Kreider. We regard the John S. Kreider herewith the John whose inheritance had been withheld. He must have had money to buy land, so we take it that he mended his ways and received his inheritance.

    About all the old Kreiders were farmers. We are now to meet one who was an educator.