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

(Continued from Thursday)

CHRISTIAN KICKED BY A HORSE

If you put 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 together, three 5's you get 15. You likely did not realize before that that was the case. By putting a number of things together we have identified the above Christian. If anyone can show any mistake in our arithmetic, we shall stand corrected.

Only a few days ago John S. Bomberger asked us again: "What became of Christian the son of Christian at the east end of the "Settlement" of Christian the brother of Jacob the Gelder, who along with Jacob[?] inherited the homestead, father's will made in 1789?"

Hon. A.S. Kreider says of this son Christian, "Know nothing."

Mrs. Annie Miller, widow of Abraham H. Miller, the organ manufacturer, informed us that her grandfather was Joseph Kreider, that he came from the Snitz Creek, lived in East Hanover, and she understood that his father came from Germany. When you get into the hazy past, "from Germany," or "from the old country," is about all you can get.

"Can you not recall your great grandfather's name?"
"No, only I am sure he came from Germany."
"Can you not remember anything that your parents said about him?"
"Yes, he was kicked by a horse. He died from being kicked by a horse."

We have found other descendants who have the tradition, but none have known his name, nor anything more about him. The horse evidently did quick, sure work, left no opportunity for making a will. No will is on record.

The father, Christian, Sr., in his will, dated 1789, writes thus:

"I give and bequeath to my beloved wife that little room wherein my son Christian now liveth for her residence together with the stove in it."

The son Christian got the part of the farm on which the old buildings were. He evidently had to get out of that little room. But he was going to stay on the farm, for he had to help take care of his mother. See a few numbers back of the News. Likely he was just about getting married and was to occupy the rest of the house. We have not been able to lay our hand on any deed referring to the transfer of the farm from Christian [??????] [??????] [H????] [Bom]berger, of Ninth and Walnut streets might have it, but we have been unable to consult him.

We find that on May 1, 1801, a Christian Kreider was one of the executors of one George Eby, helps to transfer a farm which must have been a short distance southeast of Lebanon. The Christian we think must have been the Christian who lived in the little room. In 1822 this farm became the property of a Joseph Kreider, who in 1825 sold the farm to a Jacob Light, and we have the best of reasons for believing they moved to Swatara or East Hanover. This Joseph was doubtless the grandfather of Mrs. Abraham Miller. Elizabeth was the wife in both cases. Here we have the names of Christian Kreider and later of Joseph Kreider associated together in one and the same property. This Joseph was doubtless the son of Christian. Where else could you put him? For remember we have cleaned up nearly all the other Kreiders.

Now, one Barbara Kreider of Lebanon township, nee Snavely, for in her will, dated Jan. 2, 1819, she says, "My dearly beloved brothers Christian Snavely and Henry Snavely" had a son Joseph, who was one of the executors of her will.

Furthermore, in talking with Amos Kreider, of Ono, cousin to Mrs. Miller, we mentioned the Snavelys; and Amos at once said: "Yes, my grandfather, Joseph Kreider, when a young man spent much of his time with the Snavely's." Mr. Albert, of Palmyra, says that his grandfather went to live with the Snavelys when 9 years old and that he had to clean the stables for 40 cows.

Now, let us put our figures together. Joseph, the grandfather of Mrs. Miller, was the son of Barbara Kreider, nee Snavely, who made her will in 1819. This Joseph was the man who bought the farm southeast of Lebanon in 1822, and he is the son of Christian who as executor transferred that same farm in 1801; and that Christian is the son of the Christian of the extreme east of the "Kreider Settlement," who made his will in 1789, and ousted his son Christian from the little room, in behalf of his mother. In other words this Christian is the great-grandfather of Mrs. Miller; he was the Kreider kicked and killed by a horse, and who has vanished from human recollection as completely as if the earth had suddenly opened and swallowed him up. Is there any mistake in our arithmetic?

So we say that Christian Kreider, Jr., son of Christian, Sr., of the east end of the "Kreider Settlement," married Barbara Snavely, of the Snavely family beyond West Lebanon. Christian, Jr., inherited the eastern part of the homestead, 108 acres, on which were the buildings he occupying "the little room with the store [stove] in it" till the time of his marriage or rather to the time of his father's death, after which it was to be occupied by his widowed mother. Christian was to supply three cords of fire wood to his mother every year to his brother Jacob's four, "well split and cut for the stove to be carried before her door." Each son was to supply the mother with ten bushels of potatoes. Christian, along with his brother Jacob, was executor of his father's will. He must have been a thoroughly responsible man, for May 1, 1801, we find him along with George Strohm, executor of the will of one George Eby.

The manner of Christian, Jr.'s death is described to us as follows: He led the horse with the bridle to the bars of the pasture field, slipped off the bridle leaving the horse pass through. Then in order to give the horse a send-off, in thoroughly good fellowship, struck him with the halter on the haunches. The horse in frolic, made a start, and in preparation for a dash into the pasture, kicked back into the air with his hind feet. But alas the kick at random sent, hit and killed his master. The time of this event is uncertain. It was doubtless just at little before his son Joseph, then aged 9 years, went to Snavely's. Joseph was born Feb. 3, 1793, and would have been 9 in 1802, in the pasturage season of which year the father likely was killed. According to the mother's will, in which she spells the name "Greider", there were 3 children:

JOSEPH OF BLACK OAK HILL

Joseph Kreider, whom we designate as of Black Oak Hill, did not always live there. Let us not confuse him with his cousin, Joseph of Swatara, on whose farm the log meetinghouse stood. We shall see, however, that both Josephs were associated with meeting houses.

Joseph Kreider of Black Oak Hill was married to Elizabeth Light. On April 3, 1822, he bought a farm of 86 acres and 70 perches from one Henry Ebey, which joined lands at that time of Abraham Groh, Frederick Fernsler, George Shott, Peter Gloninger, John Reiser, dec., John Ruhl, John Gossert and John Eby, likely a short distance southeast of Lebanon. This farm he and his wife Elizabeth sold to Jacob Light, April [missing section.]

We find that Joseph Kreider acquired a farm of 97 acres in East Hanover in 1844, which he transferred by assignment in 1846, in later becoming the property of his son, Levi.

It seems that later Joseph bought land in Swatara township, for on Mar. 2, 1849, Joseph Grider, of Swatara township, and wife, Elizabeth, transferred 31 1/2 perches of land in Swatara township along the public road to Jonestown and other land of Joseph Greider, to John Miller, Jacob Peter and Martin Wengert, "that they shall erect and build thereon a house or place of worship for the use of the members of the Evangelical Association in the United States of America, according to the rules and discipline which from time to time may be agreed upon and adopted by the ministers and preachers of the said Association of their General Conference." This house was burned down, the cemetery remains; but a new church has been erected "farther down."

There are other deals of Joseph Kreider on record. On April 3, 1850, Joseph Kreider of Swatara township and wife, Elizabeth transferred to David Waltz 2 1/2 acres of land along the road from Union Forge to Lebanon, being part of land bought by Joseph April 21, 1836.

On October 26, 1859, Joseph Kreider and wife Elizabeth of East Hanover transferred 1 acre and 136 perches of this Waltz land which had reverted to him. It will be noted that between 1850 and 1859 his residence had changed from Swatara to East Hanover township.

Joseph, we understand, was a member of the Evangelical Church which might also be inferred from the foregoing sale of land for a church. But it would seem that he was somewhat of an athletic and sporty turn. And these Kreiders were strong men physically. It is related that on one occasion, perhaps at a sale, the weight of his fist fell on a certain fellow and Joseph was afterward told that he had knocked down the right man, the fellow being found guilty of some misdemeanor. It is said that at the age of 75 years he would take a broom handle and jump over it between his hands. An Irishman was accorded the championship for the running broad jump at a certain place. It is said that Joseph came along and made of him a back number. Joseph, however, was no doubt somewhat steady, as compared with his brother John, for Joseph along with Christian Light, doubtless his brother-in-law, were made executors by Joseph's mother of her will, while John was not allowed more than the income of his inheritance unless he should steady down, or steady up, whichever is proper. This will was dated Jan. 2, 1819.

Since writing the foregoing we have learned from John Albert of Palmyra, grandson of Joseph Kreider, that a number of years before his death Joseph bought a small farm of about 20 acres for his daughter, Mrs. Albert, about one mile north of Palmyra, now the home, completely rebuilt, of Mr. Poorman the butcher of Palmyra. Here both Joseph Kreider and his wife died. They are buried at Steelstown. They had children:

The Josephs

It will be noticed that the Joseph Kreiders are multiplying. A few words to distinguish them. The present Joseph was the son of Christian, kicked by the horse. His wife was Elizabeth Light. He had a son Joseph, merchant, who went to Kansas. A week back we considered Joseph, m. Mary Light, son of Jacob the Gelder, and a cousin to the preceding Joseph, and father of Joseph L. On this Joseph's lands was Kreider's log meeting house. Then west of Rocherty in Cornwall township was Joseph, wife also Elizabeth, and uncle to Hon. A.S. Kreider.

In North Lebanon township was Joseph J. Kreider, wife Rebecca. Then there was Joseph of Fairland, and his son Joseph still on the homestead beyond Fairland. We shall find a Joseph Kreider in the southern part of our county, son of Tobias, the school teacher. North of the tunnel was Joseph Kreider, with wife Lydia. And recently died Joseph H. Kreider the miller and journalist of Annville. Do not become confused among the Josephs.