(Continued from Thursday)
Tobias Kreider was likely the youngest child of Christian, whose farm was to the extreme eastern end of the "Kreider Settlement," who made his will in 1789. Tobias had a sister, Anna, m. Jacob Sechrist, about whom we have learned nothing, beside the two brothers, Jacob the Gelder, and Christian, kicked by a horse, already considered.
Tobias is said to have been weak of body, too weak to farm, so it was decreed that he was to be a school teacher. Despite his weak body he likely became the most noted Kreider of his day; and he lived to a good old age. He was born Dec. 8, 1759; and died July 22, 1835, aged 75 years, 7 months and 14 days. He was married to a woman of Irish descent, Mary Thompson, b. May 21, 1772; d. April 2, 1857. Tobias lived in the brick house on the Colebrook road, southwest of Rocherty, east of the school house. He joined the River Brethren church, and departed from the Mennonite custom of wearing a beard.
When Jacob Kreider, of Snitz Creek, made his will August 2, 1805, he named as one of his executors, "my trusty friend, Tobias Kreider, Schoolmaster." He no doubt taught school in the school houses about in the neighborhood. He also taught in the borough of Lebanon, for Mrs. John S. Bomberger, a daughter of Tobias Willhelm, says that her grandmother went to school to Tobias Kreider in Lebanon borough, and that when the son, her father, was born, the mother called him after her old school teacher. He is said to have been a very cross school teacher. Perhaps physical defects used as teachers in by-gone days, was a cause of teacher crossness.
He did something that few, if any other old Lebanon school teachers did, viz., composed his own text book, his own arithmetic, for use in his schools. It was in German script and has been seen by John S. Bomberger, who says that after pages were torn off fore and aft, it was still about one inch in thickness, and the pages were in size about 8 x 10 inches. He thinks the book is still in existence. It should become the property of the Lebanon County Historical Society. It might inspire some Lebanon county teachers today to become productive.
Tobias was also a scrivener and a surveyor, so says John S. Bomberger. We are told that many old survey diagrams made by him are yet to be seen. We find that Tobias Kreider, Jr., was commissioned as deputy surveyor of Lebanon county June 7, 1824. This may be our Tobias. While his father's name was not Tobias, yet he had an uncle Tobias, who lived west of the Colebrook road; and he is likely designated Jr. in respect to the uncle. Yet Tobias, Jr., may have been the son of the uncle Tobias, for he had a son by that name; and the school teacher also had a son Tobias. Tobias' successor as deputy surveyor, Ezekiel Cherington, was commissioned May 27, 1836, or almost a year after the death of Tobias Kreider, so Tobias likely held the position till his death, or for a period of 11 years.
Tobias Kreider, Jr., was also appointed a justice of the peace for the First District of the county, composed of the borough and township of Lebanon. This appointment was made February 12, 1828. It will thus be seen that Tobias Kreider was a citizen of note.
Tobias Kreider, the teacher, made his will Dec. 5, 1831. It was probated October 13, 1835. In his will he is designated "yeoman," doubtless a self-designation which could indicate that for some time he had given up teaching. His son Tobias and John Forney are named as executors. His farm, however, was not extensive, two contiguous tracts containing together 5 acres and 148 perches. His land joined land of Jacob Dohner and Jacob Smith. He bequeathed all his property to his wife, Mary, except Benjamin's shop. In the brook on this property was performed in 1861 the first baptism of the Brethren in the neighborhood, 6 persons, who formed the nucleus of Brethren that resulted in the erection of Long's Brethren meeting house in 1869. Both Tobias and his wife are buried at Gingrich's Mennonite meeting house.
Tobias, Sr., the schoolmaster, mentions 7 children in his will, all sons. It seems that he had no daughters. Another son is said to have died in infancy, so he had 8 children. The seven named in the following order:
Buried near Tobias and his wife are 3 Kreiders, likely his daughters, all of whom died before he made his will, which, of course, is sufficient reason for their not being mentioned therein. They are as follows:
It is difficult to get information concerning Joseph Kreider, the son of Tobias, the school teacher. This is likely due to the fact that the mothers of his children died when the children were young, and they seem to have been raised by relatives of the mothers. His oldest child, Elias, is said to have been the only child of his mother; her name we have been unable to learn. He then married Mary Stauffer, who likely was the mother of all the rest of his children, she dying when the youngest child, John, was two days old. We understand he married again. He went to Harrisburg and later to Pinegrove where he died and is buried. All a granddaughter ever heard about him was that he was a drover. He had children:
Elias Kreider, of Iona, was the oldest child of Jacob the Drover, and the only child by his first wife. He married Mary Strohm, b. Dec. 30, 1823; d. Nov. 20, 1906. By occupation he was a blacksmith. He was a member of the United Brethren Church, and is buried in the old United Brethren cemetery at Iona. He had children:
- From the Family.
- Mrs. Aaron S. Kreider.
Elizabeth Kreider, afore, daughter of Joseph the Drover, m. John Shutter (Schott) from near Mt. Gretna, b. Feb. 12, 1812; d. May 10, 1895; farm laborer near Iona; having been in Illinois four years; United Brethren; 5 children:
Sarah Kreider, daughter of Joseph the Drover, m. Jacob Lear, dec.; she lived a long time in Palmyra and later moved to one of her children in Annville; children:
-Lear Records from Miss Ida Kreider of Lebanon.
Mary Kreider, daughter of Joseph the Drover, m. William Spangler, of Myerstown. They had children, some of whom we are told reside in Lebanon, but we have been unable to secure the Spangler records.
Joseph Kreider, son of Joseph the Drover, went to Lititz, Lancaster county. He was wheelwright there. Later he moved to Lancaster city, where he conducted a grocery. We have not learned to whom he was married, but are informed that he had 2 children: Elias and a daughter.
John B. Kreider, son of Joseph the Drover, was the youngest child of the second wife, being but two days old when his mother died. He was reared by his mother's people, who knows little of his father or of his father's people. Yet some of the information which he gave is quite valuable. He was married June 10, 1856, to Susannah Blouch, b. Oct. 17, 1834; d. March 4, 1906. John was in the cavalry in the Civil War, under Captain William Tice of Myerstown. Says John:
"He was a good captain. He was good to me. He was a horse doctor. He got me a furlough for thirty days. He wanted some horse powder from home. When the horses backs got sore, he rubbed on stuff that healed them. I was in the battle of Gettysburg. For three days we had nothing to eat. My horse was shot under me. He was shot in the breast. If it would have been higher, it would have got me."
John learned cabinet making in Myerstown. "I got $25 a year and bench tools and 12 days in harvest. That's all I got." He followed various lines of work-carpentering, fencemaking, butchering, etc. He was constable in Lebanon for 28 years, and during all this time was tip-staff in the Court House. He now resides with his daughter, Mrs. Keefer, 425 New street, Lebanon, He has 7 children:
3 children d. young.
-Records from members of the family.