(Installment X - Dated Monday Eve., June 23, 1919)
--------- (Continued from Thursday.) ------Lydia Kreider, the youngest daughter of Jacob, Jr., of Snitz Creek, was married twice. Her first husband was William Imboden, a farmer one mile south of Annville, by whom she had 2 children: William and Mary Ann. William Imboden was a brother of Samuel Imboden, the husband of Lydia's sister Nancy. William died and Nancy died. Then something rather unusual happened. The widow of the deceased brother married the widower of the deceased sister. Samuel and Lydia then had children, so there were three sets of Imbodens in that home - children of Samuel and Nancy, children of William and Lydia, and children of Samuel and Lydia. Samuel and Lydia farmed for a time on his farm east of Campbelltown and then retired in the town in the house now occupied for 40 years by their daughter, Susanna, married to Michael Moyer. Samuel and Lydia lie side by side in Mt. Annville cemetery; Samuel Lutheran, and Lydia Mennonite. Lydia had the following children, the first two being by her first husband:
"PARENTS - William Imboden, a son of William Imboden and wife Lydia, a daughter of Jacob Kreider, was born Dec. 9 A.D. 1838, in Lebanon Twp., Lebanon Co., Pa.; baptized April 7, A.D. 1876, by Rev. G. T. Weibel, and was also confirmed at the Evang. Luth. Congregation at Campbelltown by Rev. G. T. Weibel, Apr. 8, 1876,
"My wife Elizabeth Imboden, a daughter of Daniel Heilman and wife Elizabeth, a daughter of John Boger, was born March 4, A.D. 1844, in North Annville Twp., Lebanon Co., Pa., was baptized Apr., A.D. 1848, by Rev. W. G. Ernst, and was confirmed by Rev. L. G. Eggers, at the Evang. Luth. Church." A very commendable family record.
William and Elizabeth had 2 children:
Hartz records from Mrs. Wm. Hartz.
We have considered the descendants of the two sons of John Kreider, the Settler on Snitz Creek - who occupied the land bought there by their father from the Penns - 338 acres. John the Settler afterward bought for his son, Martin, the farm of Martin, of the four sons of Jacob the Settler, being part of the 585 acres patented to four of the sons of Jacob the Settler in 1760. This land of the Kreiders on Snitz Creek, 338 acres and 585 acres, totaling 923 acres, we find referred to very appropriately by one writer as the "Kreider Settlement." We shall so designate it in the future.
But John the Settler also purchased from the Penns a tract of 310 1/2 acres at Cleona and Fairland, and received it through the same patent deed that secured to him his first 263 acres on Snitz Creek. It might also be regarded as a part of the "Kreider Settlement." But so to include it might lead to confusion. We shall designate it the "Fairland Kreider Settlement."
Michael, son of John the Settler on Snitz Creek, received from his father the tract at Fairland, 310 1/2 acres, on Jan. 8, 1772. As the father received his patent deed for it in 1747, this land was in his possession for 25 years before he sold it to his son. Michael was born in 1745, and so was in his 27th year when he received this farm from his father. He was married as early as 1770 at least, for his son John was born early in 1771. Doubtless late in the seventeen sixties he built his log dwelling due north of Cleona, where the house of the John Long farm is now located.
Michael, born Nov. 27, 1745[?], died August 18, 1871[?], was married to Anna Stoever, born Jan. 25, 1805. Anna Stoever, not unlikely was a daughter of the pioneer Lutheran preacher here. It may be that Michael while working the outlying tract at Cleona, for it doubtless joined the Stoever holdings on the northwest, or in passing the Stoever mill on the way home to his father's domicile on Snitz Creek, fell so deeply in love with fair Anna that he broke Mennonite rules to possess her. Be it as it may, we are informed that Michael Kreider married Anna Stoever.
Rev. P. C. Croll says on page 333 of his "Landmarks in the Lebanon Valley": "Other older families are the Imbodens, Kreiders, etc., all whose first ancestors are buried at the Hill church." Michael and Anna, the first Kreiders in this section, of the third generation already in the Lebanon Valley, if the contention of Hon. A. S. Kreider is correct, are buried in the private cemetery a little east of their dwelling. We venture the assertion that no Kreider earlier than the fifth generation is buried at the Hill Church.
As has been stated, the original house stood where the house of the present John Long farm stands. It was toward the eastern end of the Michael Kreider plantation. The barn west of the house, not east of it, as is the present arrangement. The house was of logs, later a stone kitchen was added on the west end toward the barn. Joining the kitchen was the main living room; of course before the kitchen it was open toward the west. This large room doubtless had its fire place, with all sorts of things hung around on the walls after [colonial] fashion. Hardly an ancestral sword that had drawn human blood. Perhaps a Mennonite might have had a fowling price or two hanging up. We wish we were able to draw a pen picture of a colonial Mennonite living room. We will venture there was a spinning wheel, etc. Mennonite maidens were brought up to work. Who will dare to say that they were not just as sweet as any modern doll whose fingers have never touched dish water?
On the first floor of this Kreider log house were also two bed rooms adjoining the living room. Up stairs were three bedrooms. There are some Kreiders yet living who slept in some of these rooms.
Over the kitchen was also a sleeping room. This was reserved for tramps. The hospitality of the Mennonite extended to the lowest of human kind. There was only one bed in this room and never more than two tramps were allowed to occupy it one night. If more than two applied the extra ones had to move on to the next farm. Here the tramps were kept in the house. The knights of the road must have felt like gentlemen next morning, when well fed they sallied forth from the Kreider home.
But the good housewife did not always feel that it was more blessed to give than to receive. We are told of one who, after the visitor had departed, found the bed full of lice. The poor woman, horrified, distracted, she burned bed clothing, she cried, she scrubbed, she felt disgraced beyond redemption. If her neighbor's wife should know it! It cannot be said that the plain housewife was for absolute peace, for she bristled with war, war to the utmost, when it came to lice and bed bugs.
The old Kreider barn, as we have said to the west, was also of logs. It was over 100 feet long, for remember that Michael had 310 1/2 acres of land, coloniel measure, and the land about Cleona and Fairland is productive. Some of his land lay south of the pike, joined on the southwest by land of the Longs and on the southeast by Stoever land. The settler Kreider had not bought far up on the hill. Later Kreider bought land of the Kellers and of the Hill Church.
On Dec. 21, 1811, Michael Kreider, of Lebanon township, yeoman, granted to his son Christian, now living on the western part of his plantation a certain water right, expressed as follows;
"That he (the son of Christian) shall have the liberty and privilege to Dam or raise the said Spring three inches higher and to take or cause so much water from said Spring that can run through a hole of the Bigness or largeness of three quarters of an Inch, and to dig and break up the Ground for to make a Trench from the said Spring through the said Michael Kreider's land, the distance about fifty yards to lead that said Quantity of Water through said Trench, and all along to his house for his use Benefit and behoof of him the said Christian Kreider, his heirs and assigns daily and every day hereafter for Ever."
See Lebanon county records Book G, Vol. 1, p. 430. On April 3, 1839, this water right was conveyed by Christian Kreider for one dollar to his son Daniel. This spring, still walled up, still supplies the buildings directly south of it with water, and we understand also the farm to the west.
Michael and Anna Stover Kreider had 5 children:
Michael, the Settler, on Nov. 9, 1811, conveyed the western part of his plantation to his son Christian. This western tract consisted of 170 acres and 14 perches. It now includes the Rev. Christian Kreider farm and southern part of the Kettering farm. The eastern part of the plantation, the homestead, Michael conveyed to his son Tobias. We shall see that Michael had in North Annville township, also provided a farm for his son John. The daughter Anna, who married John Bachman, of his neighborhood of Fontana, had no need of being provided for by her father. For the history of John Bachman see The Report of August, 1918. The Moyers were also a well-to-do family, and no doubt the daughter who married Benjamin Moyer had ample care.
John the oldest son of Michael, who settled on the land of his father at Fairland, married Anna Troxel. This was by no means the only marriage between Kreider's and Troxels, and because of this we are inclined to regard the Troxels as Mennonites. Our list of warrantees does not stamp the Troxels as specially heavy land owners, but they bought land from persons already having Patent Deeds. John Troxell received a warrant for 50 acres of land in Lebanon township, April 11, 1768; and Abraham Troxall received a warrant for 30 acres in the same township, Jan. 31, 1774. Among the non-associates of Lebanon township in 1777 are Abraham Traexel and Mickel Traexel.
John Kreider under consideration came into possession of Troxel land. The records tell us that John Kreider, yeoman, of North Annville township, which formerly was Lebanon township, Annville township, having been formed in 1799, on Nov. 25, 1854, conveyed to his grandson, John Meyer, of Londonderry township, 167 acres of land. This land had consisted of two contiguous tracts. The one consisted of about 100 acres, which was received by warrant by Jacob Miller, July 18, 1750, who transferred it to Jacob King April 24, 1762, who by assignment transferred it November 8, 1762, to John Troxel. The other tract of about 67 acres was given by warrant April 14, 1773, to Abraham Miller, who on January 17, 1774, transferred it to John Troxel. Now John Troxel, being seized of both properties, died intestate, so that the said properties by order of the court, became invested in John Troxel, grandson of the foregoing John. The younger John may have been a brother of Anna Troxel, who married John Kreider, we know not. But after the younger John, the lands became the property of Michael Kreider, the settler at Fairland.
On Oct. 17, 1807, Michael Kreider confirmed the 167 acres to his son, John, husband of Anna Troxel. We have not located the property as yet, but it was likely John's home, for he owned it from 1807 to 1854, 47 years, and then, as we have seen, conveyed it to his grandson, John Meyer, of Londonderry township.
We find that John Kreider, farmer, of North Annville township, in his will devises all to his daughter Mary, m. Martin Moyer (Meyer). The daughter is executrix. The will is dated Dec. 12, 1854, just 17 days after he had conveyed the farm to his grandson, John Meyer, without doubt the son of his only child Mary, m. Martin Moyer. We have seen that John Kreider died June 24, 1856. His will was probated July 28, 1856.
Hon. A. S. Kreider in his outline of the Kreider family also has but one child for John Kreider - Mary, m. Martin Wenger. Whether Mary had more children than the John mentioned we know not. The determination of the point might be more in place in an investigation of the Moyer family. The investigation of the history of the daughter of Michael the First, married to Benjamin Moyer would also there be in place.