extreme northwestern part of Huntingdon county. Gatesburg is in Center county, but only a few miles across the line from Warrior's Mark. John, the son of John of the homestead, doubtless followed his Uncle Joseph to the central part of the State. Since Joseph died in 1823 he likely moved to Warrior's Mark not far from 1800. What caused the Kreiders to move to this part of the state we have not learned. Peter Kreider, brother of Joseph, moved to Sinking Valley, Huntingdon county, which valley extends southwest from Warrior's Mark into northeastern Blair county.
John's marriage also, indicates his uncle's influence. Joseph married Eve Rumbarger, doubtless of Huntingdon county. Gatesburg is in is not a Lebanon County name. John married Elizabeth Rumbarger, b. Aug. 21, 1808; d. Nov. 15, 1870. The fact as we suppose it, that both got wives in Huntingdon county suggests that both went to the section somewhat early in life.
Is there any cause for Joseph going out so early? Rev. Isaac Kreider tells us that Michael Kreider, of Lancaster county, built a mill two miles west of Huntingdon in 1771. He was likely the pioneer to this region. A Tobias Kreider, however, who Rev. Isaac says came to America Oct. 26, 1768, and who, he thinks, settled near Petersburg and had seven sons. This Petersburg is likely the Petersburg of Huntingdon county. There were some Plain People in Huntingdon county, but that is not our subject. These Huntingdon Kreiders, however, were doubtless related to the Kreiders of Lebanon county, and likely kept in touch with them and were likely the cause of Lebanon county losing some of her Kreiders.
While on the subject, we might state the Kreiders early caught the western fever. We find a Kreider in the valley of Virginia in 1772, [...].
But John Kreider, brother of Jacob the commissioner, of Snitz Creek, moved to Center county, married Elizabeth Rumbarger, and settled at Gatesburg. We are told that he had a large family. Rev. Isaac to whom we have frequently referred, is a son. He has frequently visited his relatives in Lebanon county and is pretty well known among them. We are told he had a brother, Rev. John. Both were Lutheran clergymen. Now we must bid adieu to the Huntingdon, Center-Blaire Kreiders. If you have opportunity pay them a visit.
Moses Kreider, Sr., son of "Johnny," of the homestead, married Catharine Kreider, daughter of Abraham, son of Rev. Martin, who lived on the farm immediately east of the Colebrook road, at the Snitz Creek. Abraham, the son of Rev. Martin, became the owner of the homestead, and through Catherine his wife, Moses became the owner of this farm.
The old Family Bible informs us "Moses Kreider and his wife Catharina Kreider god Merit On the 16 day of September in The year of our Lord, 1830." This is not quoted in ridicule. Nothing is farther from the spirit of the writer in this matter. It is of interest to us to see how these good old Pennsylvania Germans struggled with the English language, and when once they had mastered it, it has frequently been noted that they speak it more correctly than the English themselves.
We have seen that Moses was born in 1805 and died in 1877. His wife Catherine was born Jan. 26, 1811, and died February 12, 1885. The brick house along the road was built by them; and a stone in the barn says; "Built by Moses and Catharine Kreider R. D. 1856." They are buried in the private cemetery on the farm. The cemetery was likely here before they had possession, so we shall consider it when we take up the branch of Rev. Martin Kreider.
Moses and Catharine were members of the Reformed church, and had the following children:
–Family Bible.
CYRUS KREIDER, afore, m. likely a lady of Chicago, where he lived and died. His body was brought home and buried in the family cemetery on the farm. He was a furniture dealer. He had no children.
ABRAHAM KREIDER, afore, m. first to Elizabeth Hoffman, dec., and secondly to her sister Lydia; farmer on the homestead and bank director; retired in 1886 to 223 South 9th St. Lebanon, where he died and where his widow still resides; he, Reformed; wives, Lutheran; no children.
TOBIAS KREIDER, afore, moved to Illinois, where he had a planing mill; 4 children: Katie, married; Ethel, married; Daisy, married; and Bertha, died single.
CATHERINE KREIDER, afore, m. Oct. 2, 1866, to Frank Hauck, of North Cornwall township; farmer, along Cornwall pike, where he resided; banker; being one of the founders of the People's Bank; editor, publishing Volks-Zeitung for about 15 years from 1885; justice of the peace; Lutheran; children:
JOHN HENRY KREIDER, afore, also moved to Illinois; had 4 children: boys, but we have not been able to learn their names.
MOSES KREIDER, JR., afore, youngest child of Moses, Sr. was married twice, first to Sarah Bomberger, dec., daughter of John of Iona, secondly Sarah Stover, dec., farmer on the present Henry Mark farm on the Colebrook road, at the cross road beyond Snitz Creek, where he reared his family, later built up a farm near Long's meetinghouse, out of Heagy, Ensminger and Wenger land, on which his son John now resides; Reformed; 6 children:
Peter Kreider was next to the youngest son of "Johnny" of Snitz Creek. He was but six years of age when his father died. Later his oldest brother Jacob was his guardian, whom he released on receiving his inheritance May 2, 1831. Peter was married by Rev. Henry Groh on November 26, 1833, to Katie Hoke. Katie was born May 30, 1816, and died Feb. 21, 1908, aged 91 years, 10 month and 21 days. Her mother had attained the same age. They farmed on the Mason Hoke farm at Hoke's meeting house. But Peter died at the early age of 43 years, his wife filling out more than twice his years. The widow and her single daughter Eliza lived many years at Avon. Peter had a family of seven children, as follows:
–From Family Bible in possession of Miss Eliza Kreider.
MARY KREIDER, afore, m. Henry Dohner, dec., a farmer at Zinn's Mill; died Dec. 20, 1906, aged 71 years, 11 months, and 3 days; children:
JACOB KREIDER, afore, m. first Elizabeth Hoke, of West Milton, Ohio, a few miles from Dayton; m. secondly to Elizabeth Spitler, also of West Milton, Jacob and his brother Joseph having gone to Ohio when yet single; farmer about 4 miles from West Milton; children: Susan and Mary (twins) and Elias of the first wife, and Lola, Cora, William and two others from the second wife.
JOSEPH KREIDER, afore, also m. twice, first to Barbara Hoke, sister of Elizabeth, and secondly to a Mrs. Emerich; carpenter at West Milton, having learned his trade at the Longacre Machine Shop in Lebanon, in later years at Atlantic City, where second wife died, whereupon he returned to West Milton, where he died soon; United Brethren; 5 children: among whom were Mary, Henry, dec., and William.
HARRY KREIDER, afore, single, laborer, died near Zinn's Mill.
CATHERINE (KATTIE) KREIDER, afore, m. Elias Blouch, d. Nov. 23, 1893; aged 47 years, school teacher for many years and farmer near Kochenderfer's church; United Brethren; no children; she now at 529 North Eleventh street, Lebanon.
ELIZA KREIDER, single, dressmaker for many years at Avon, recently moved to 247 S. Ninth street, Lebanon; United Brethren. From her were received the records of her father's family.
Rudolph Kreider was the youngest son of "Johnny" of Snitz Creek, being only two years old when his father died. He married Elizabeth Kreider, daughter of Abraham of Snitz Creek and a sister of the wife of Rudolph's brother Moses. Another sister, Christina, also married a Kreider, Solomon, two farms west. Rudolph was a farmer one mile south of Avon, and a local preacher of the United Brethren church. He is buried at Iona. He had two children:
?Information from Mrs. Simon Smith.
We have mentioned as sons of John the settler on Snitz Creek, Henry, Michael and Jacob; and have stated that they were likely given in the inverse order of birth. We have seen that Henry was born in 1746, so says his descendant. Michael was born in 1745, according to his tombstone. We have already written of a stone in the old Kreider cemetery with letters "J. K. 1729," which we have said we regard as marking the grave of Jacob. This makes a considerable gap between Jacob and his two brothers. Rev. Isaac says there were yet two sons and three daughters, which statement, however, we did not accept as he gave it. Less than five children have filled a gap of 16 years. Where there is uncertainty, we do not rush into dogmatic assertion and expect the people to receive us as the oracle of inspiration. We too are human, and ofttimes fall into error. The dates of birth of the children of the settlers John and Jacob have caused us to question seriously whether these two settlers in Lebanon county might not have been the sons of the Jacob who settled in Conestoga in 1717; but we do not think we have sufficient grounds to give up our original position, that the Jacob of Conestoga was the Jacob who came to Snitz Creek, and the John of Conestoga in 1724 is the John who came to Snitz Creek. They may have come to Conestoga as young men and been there for some years before they married and had children.
On July 6, 1768, "John Cryder the Elder" of Lebanon township, yeoman, and his wife Barbara, conveyed by deed 172 3/4 acres to Jacob Cryder, son of the said John Cryder of the same place, yeoman, as well for and in consideration of the natural Love and Affection they bearing for and towards their son the said Jacob Cryder and for his better Advancement and Preferment in the World as of the sum of Five Hundred Pounds." This land now constitutes the present farm of John S. Kreider and part of the farm of the late Josiah Kreider immediately south of John S. To this original tract of 172 3/4 acres Jacob "Kriter" bought Mar. 19, 1788, from Peter Yordy, 94 acres adjoining lands of Michael Zimmerman and paying for it ?572, 10s. The new purchase was contiguous land to the south.
A log dwelling had been built on this western part of John's land before it was transferred to Jacob. It is still standing, weather-boarded, and constitutes the Eastern end of the present large farm house of John S. Kreider's farm. The date of its erection was learned by John S., when he made some changes to his home. A stone was removed from the chimney which bears the date 1766, has been placed in the cellar wall, and by going to the cellar you may still read its message, which certainly is that the house was built in 1766 as a home for young Jacob and his bride. Its site is well chosen?on the west side of Snitz Creek, a little south of the Campbelltown road.
To the deed of transfer the father signs his name. In the body of the deed his name is given as John Cryder; he signs: "Hans Greider."
Toward the end of his life, Jacob evidently built the limestone addition, which is really the main part of the present farm house, for in his will, dated August 5, 1805, he says: "To my wife Cathy the whole right and privilege to live in my old house and log dwelling apartment for her residence...and shall have a right in the new kitchen...and a right in the cellar in the new house."
-----------The first barn on this farm, like other colonial barns, was of logs. To this log barn, as to the log house, a stone addition was afterward built. This was treating the family and the cattle alike. It is now claimed that the modern farmer thinks more of his cattle than of his children. Oh, for a little of the good old times! The present barn was built by Jonas Kreider in 1860.
When John Cryder conveyed the western part of his Snitz Creek tract to his son Jacob in 1768, one of the courses ran to a black oak tree. John S. Kreider says that about 55 years ago this then a mighty black oak was blown down. It stood on a line of Michael Kreider's land, Michael son of Jacob; but on the other side of the fence three adjoining farms came to a point at the oak. One-half of the other side, the northeast quarter, was the farm of Jonas Kreider, father of John S. The Reigert farm and the Gloninger farm also ran to the oak, occupying together one-fourth, the northwestern quarter. In other words, with the sun in the zenith, one-half of the shade would have been on the Michael Kreider farm, one-fourth on the Jonas Kreider farm, and one-fourth on the 18The section in brackets seems to be non-contiguous with the first 1 1/2 paragraphs of the next installment. Jonas Kreider farm, and one-eighth on each of the other farms. When they came to chop up the tree, the Reigert and Gloninger farms, being each one of the four farms that touched the tree, claimed each one-fourth of the wood, so each farmer got one-fourth. John S. says he did not think it was right; and though now 80 years of age, his sense of right is still not satisfied. He says his father got just what belonged to him -one-fourth; but he contends that Michael Kreider should have had one-half of that tree, and Reigert and Gloninger each oneeighth. Do you say it is only Kreider standing up for Kreider? We should like to know whether John S.'s contention would stand before the Supreme Court.
In his will Jacob Kreider refers repeatedly to his wife "Cathy"; but she was not his first wife. An old family Bible says that he was married to Susanna Long, likely a daughter of Herman Long, who settled at Sporting Hill in 1740. Susanna was likely the mother of his children. John S. Kreider thinks that his great grandfather died in 1822, aged 80 years. If this is correct, the Jacob was born in 1742; and our contention that the stone in the cemetery with "J.----/----K. Leah, m. Eden H. Stover, farmer on a Hershey farm near Sand Beach, Dauphin county.
(To be continued next Monday)