My Genealogy Hound

ABRAM WITMER, a prosperous farmer of Monroe township, Cumberland county, and a worthy representative of a prominent old family of this portion of the State of Pennsylvania, was born in 1876, on the old Witmer homestead in Middlesex township.

Joseph Witmer. grandfather of Abram Witmer, was born Feb. 10, 1785, in Lancaster county, Pa., and remained at home until maturity. When he started out to make his own way in the world, he secured land in Cumberland county, settling at the head of a small stream, and was one of the pioneer settlers of the beautiful valley which is the garden spot of the great Keystone State. Being a man of industry and thrift, he prospered in lands and flocks, and became one of the founders of the Mennonite Church in that section. He married Catherine Eberly, who proved a faithful wife, one who cared tenderly for him through his last years which were filled with suffering, from which he was released by death, Aug. 15, 1853. His widow survived until April 29, 1876, and both were laid to rest in the home graveyard on the old farm, which is now the property of the Albright family. Removal of the family dead was later made to Kutze’s Church cemetery. The children of Joseph and Catherine Witmer were: (1) Elizabeth, who was born in 1813, married Benjamin Givler, who was a man of remarkable weight, averaging 396 pounds. She died in 1890, leaving no heirs. (2) Jacob, born Feb. 25, 1815, died Nov. 15, 1894. He was a substantial farmer, owning a fine property one mile east of Carlisle; he married Hannah Senseman and they had four children: Mary Belle, John W., Catherine and Robert E. (3) Magdalen W., born Jan. 19, 1817, married Abraham Hertzle, of Iowa. They had no children. She is buried with other members of the family, in Kutze’s Church cemetery. (4) John W., born Sept. 1, 1820, died June 28, 1837, aged seventeen years. (5) Benjamin W., born in 1822, died in promising young manhood, in December, 1852. (6) Hon. Abram, born in 1823, lived on the old homestead, gained wealth and political prominence, serving for a long time on the Bench, with Judges Graham and Moser. He was interested in the manufacturing of paper boards at the Middlesex mills, was a prominent Mason and member of the Grange, and was one of the leading men of the county. He died in 1886. He was twice married, first to Rebecca Fleming, and, second to her sister, Ann Fleming. (7) Samuel, father of our subject, was born Nov. 5, 1825. (8) Rebecca, born Sept. 10, 1827, died March 12, 1830. (9) Catherine, the youngest of the family, was born in 1830, married Daniel Kutz, a leading member of the Evangelical Church, and died in 1900, leaving behind her memories of a loving, gentle woman, kind and sympathetic to all who knew her. No children survived her.

Samuel Witmer was born on the old homestead which has been owned by the Witmers for over 100 years. In young manhood he and his brother Abram farmed the home place, but after marriage he bought the John Miller farm, adjoining, and to this removed in 1863. He married Clarissa Williams, daughter of Samuel and Catherine Williams, and they spent many years in prosperity on this farm. After the death of his brother Abram, he fell heir to the homestead farm, to which he removed and this remained his home until the close of his life. He owned some 400 acres of very fertile land, the Witmer homestead farm being considered one of the finest estates of this locality, and at one time was the property of Ephraim Blaine, grandfather of the great statesman, the late James G. Blaine.

Mr. Witmer attended the local schools and in later years he sent his children to the same schools, which had been improved but had not developed into the great institutions of learning which his grandchildren now enjoy. For a number of years he was prominent both in the agricultural and business life of this township, his main occupation being farming and stock raising, but for a season he also operated a coal and grain station at Middlesex Station. In the autumn of 1893 he contracted a cold which developed into a sickness from which he never recovered, his death occurring on the fifth of the following December. Both he and his wife were consistent members of the German Reformed Church at Carlisle.

Their six children were: Elizabeth, born Sept. 15, 1864, died June 25, 1866; Anna Mary, born May 29, 1866, married Arthur Huston, son of James Huston, and they live in Mechanicsburg, where Mr. Huston is engaged in the saddlery business, and is the patentee of what is known as the “Huston knot,” used in the manufacture of the Huston net (their one son, Witmer, died young); Joseph, born June 4, 1869, and residing on the old homestead, married Cora Heifner, of Harrisburg, daughter of the ticket agent of the C. V. R. R. in that city, and they have one son, Joseph; Benjamin Emerson, born Nov. 15, 1871, died Oct. 29, 1872; Samuel, born Oct. 2, 1873, died Oct. 19, 1880; and Abram.

Abram Witmer was educated in the same school as was his father, and was seventeen years of age when his father died. Being the youngest son, he remained with his mother until her decease, and then took charge of a farm which he had been given, as had all the children, by his father’s will. This consisted of ninety-three acres of good land in Middlesex township, and he lived there until the fall of 1902, when he purchased a small farm of twenty-two acres in Monroe township.

In 1898 Mr. Witmer married Lydia Davis, daughter of Jacob and Kate (Funk) Davis, and they have two children: Samuel, born Aug. 4, 1900; and Clarissa, born Dec. 26, 1902. In politics Mr. Witmer is a Republican. He is one of the wide awake, progressive young men of this township, one who is well known and most highly esteemed.