HISTORY OF KREIDER FAMILY

FROM THE PEN OF REV. J.G. FRANCIS
Monday, June 16, 1919
(Continued from Thursday.)

Jacob himself was Mennonite. They had 9 children:

From various sources.

ELIZABETH KREIDER HOSTETTER

Elizabeth Kreider, the oldest child of Jacob and Mary Stauffer Kreider, of Snitz Creek, born as we have seen in 1802, was married to Jacob Hostetter. They moved to Franklin county, where many Kreider descendants are to be found. He was a farmer. They were members of the River Brethren, now Brethren in Christ. Their children were: David, Jacob, Lydia, Mary, Elizabeth, Susanna, and some that died young.

DAVID KREIDER, PROGRESSIVE FARMER

David Kreider, the oldest son of Jacob, Jr., of Snitz Creek, was married twice. His first wife was Sarah Henry of Palmyra, a sister of Judge Henry's grandfather. By his first wife David had five children that lived. His second wife was Magdalena Shenk (1821-1836) from near Bachmansville, by whom he also had five children that lived. He received a farm from his father Jacob, southwest of Annville and partly in Londonderry townships, July 25, 1832, which Jacob had bought April 3, 1826, from Philip Imboden and Jacob Siegrist, administrators of Adam Imboden, deceased. As we shall see two of Jacob's daughters married Imbodens, and these marriages not unlikely had something to do with the buying of this farm. April 2, 1846, David bought of one George Hocker additional land, which enlarged his farm to 199 acres, 156 perches. This farm was bounded by Dutweiler, Reider, Imboden, Horst and Mark lands. The executors of David's will, his sons Andrew, David, Jr., and Henry, on April 29, 1874, transferred this farm to Allen [??] Hoffer. The farm has since been bought back into the family by Hon. A. S. Kreider, the present owner. His son, now residing on the farm, is the fourth generation of Kreiders to occupy it.

Notwithstanding the fact that he was a Mennonite, David Kreider was a progressive farmer. He was ever alert for new, improved methods. He was the first farmer in the neighborhood to buy a grain drill, had the first mowing machine, the only clover huller, and the first separator threshing machine. He directed his family to Annville where they have been so eminently successful. He purchased the mill in the south end of Annville and also the one northwest of the town, afterward called Clear Spring.

David Kreider was also progressive in matters of church. He was one of the first subscribers to the Herald of Truth, the Mennonite Church paper. Implicit obedience to command was with him a cardinal virtue.

He was a man of great physical strength, a sturdy Mennonite, not carried away by the inspirationists. It is told that a man moved by the spirit to cut all sorts of capers in religious meetings once found himself within David's clasp, held so tightly that he was brought back to mundane consciousness, and lead to petition man instead of God, with the words, "Not so tight, David! Not so tight!." David read his Bible. Isaac Mumma informs us that when Uncle David came to see his father, all farm work was laid aside, and Scripture discussion had full sway. "O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day."

David Kreider had the following children:

The foregoing children, beside three others that died in infancy, were by the first wife. By the second wife were the following:

Chiefly from the Family Bible in possession of Mrs. Tobias Bomberger, of Annville.

It is doubtless true that no other family has done so much to develop the modern town of Annville as has the family of David Kreider, Sr. We shall now take up his children: