My Genealogy Hound

JOHN B. SEITZ, a promising young man of West Pennsboro township, whose upright life has commended him to the good people of Cumberland county, is of Swiss descent, his great-grandfather, Jacob Seitz, having emigrated from Switzerland at an early age.

Jacob Seitz, the emigrant, first located in Lancaster county, where he remained some time and then moved to Cumberland county, settling in West Pennsboro township, where his death occurred. He was a preacher, of the Dunkard faith, in both Lancaster and Cumberland counties. Of his children, there is record of Jacob (1), Tobias, Benjamin,John, Henry, Fannie, Leah, Mary, Susie and Nancie.

Jacob Seitz (2), son of Jacob, was born in Lancaster county, and there acquired such education as fell to the lot of pioneer lads. He worked for his father in his young manhood, and also for two years after the removal of the family to Cumberland county. When he started out for himself, he rented land where his son, Jacob B. now resides, and then moved to his father-in-law’s home, along the State road in West Pennsboro township. He next went to West Hill, where he bought a small place, and that was his home at the time of his death Oct. 22, 1878. He married Susie Bowman, daughter of Samuel and Susan Bowman, of Cumberland county. She died in 1856. They were the parents of the following children: Lizzie, living in Baltimore; Martha, of Missouri; Susan, of Mechanicsburg, this county; Jacob B.; and Mary, Fannie and Annie, all three living at West Hill.

Jacob B. Seitz was born in West Pennsboro township, in 1841, and there grew to manhood, attending school at such times as his services were not needed at home. He worked for his father until his marriage, and then located at West Hill, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits for six years. In 1882 he bought the old home farm of 156 acres, and moved there. The barn was erected in 1800, and the residence in 1802, but both were substantial structures, and had always been well cared for. On Nov. 28, 1876, he married Lizzie H. Bear, daughter of John and Mary Bear, of West Pennsboro township. Seven children have blessed their union: John B.; Harvey E., at Carlisle, where he is superintendent of the Carlisle Nursery Company’s green houses; Elmer, attending Dickinson College; and Mary, Sue, Warren and Raymond, at home. For generations the family have been known as God-fearing Christians, and while the original founder of the family in America was a Dunkard minister, the later members have belonged to the Diller Church of Old Mennonites.

John B. Seitz is, like his father, a native of West Pennsboro township. He has grown up on the old homestead, where he still lives, assisting his father in all its work, and gradually preparing himself, as the eldest of the family, to shoulder the responsibilities. He is very active in Church work, and is superintendent of the Sunday School of the Old Mennonites, in which faith he is a deacon. He has so ordered his life as to be well worthy the high esteem in which he is held.