My Genealogy Hound

MRS. CAROLINE K. HARTRANFT. widow of Jacob Hartranft, was born March 25, 1840. Her husband was born March 9, 1824, and died April 3, 1885. The Custer family, to which Mrs. Hartranft belongs, she being a daughter of Aaron L. Custer, is one of the oldest in Montgomery county. Jacob Custer (Kishter) having emigrated from Holland at an early date and purchased a large tract of land in Worcester township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He had four sons and four daughters, from whom have descended a very numerous progeny.

Jacob Hartranft, was the son of John and Sarah (Antrim) Hartranft. John Hartranft (father) was a second cousin of Governor John Frederic Hartranft, and was born July 4, 1800. John and Sarah Hartranft resided for twenty-five years of their life in Pottstown, where he died. He was a hotel man, but had retired many years before his death. He removed from New Hanover township, the home of the Hartranfts, to Pottstown, where he was the proprietor of the hotel bearing his name for a time, now the Shuler House. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hartranft were buried in Pottstown Cemetery, his being the first interment in that beautiful burial ground. He died November 13, 1854, in his fifty-fifth year. She died December 11, 1870, in her seventy-fifth year. Their children were: Valeria, wife of William Jacoby; Margaret, wife of William D. Rudy; Ephraim; Jacob (husband); and Hiram A.

The following letter from Governor Hartranft to Ephraim Hartranft explains itself:
Harrisburg, Sept. 7, 1874.
Dear Ephraim:
There are several of Leonard Hartranft’s children, whose dates of birth are not in his Bible record. Among them is Jacob, your grandfather, also Leonard, my grandfather. Can you not find it out for me?
The Schwenkfelders are about to print a record of the families and intend to have Leonard’s family in it. I am sorry I did not have time to call on you yesterday, for I could tell you some matters of interest in relation to our family. The name, for instance comes from Hart Ragenfrid. The first was the given name, and the latter the family name, and becoming too cumbersome when set together, the name was abbreviated to Ranft, Ranf, and Ranfd, and Ranph.
Yours Truly,
J. F. Hartranft.

John Hartranft (father) was sponser to Governor Hartranft when he was christened. The name and family descend from Tobias Hartranft, who emigrated from Germany with the Schwenfelders in 1734, being a refugee from intolerance in the fatherland.

Jacob Hartranft (grandfather), born in May, 1780, married Maria Geiger. He died in Ohio, in 1862, at the age of eighty-two years.

Leonard Hartranft (great-grandfather) married Christiana Moyer, and had a large family of children, of whom Jacob was the oldest. Another of his sons was Leonard, born about 1782, who was the grandfather of General Hartranft.

Abraham Hartranft (great-great-grandfather), son of Tobias, the immigrant, married November 3, 1747, Susanna, daughter of Christopher Shuler. Their children: Christopher, born in 1748; Abraham, 1750; Barbara, 1751; John, 1753; William, 1754; Leonard, born in 1757, and died in 1758; Leonard (great-grandfather), born November 6, 1759; Maria, born December 23, 1761; Susanna, wife of Abraham Hartranft, and died April 12, 1762. Abraham Hartranft died December 12, 1766.

Jacob Hartranft attended school until the age of fourteen years. He then entered a country store where he remained for several years. His native place was Exeter township, Bucks county. From the store he went to Pottstown, in 1841, and entered as a salesman in the establishment of A. Smith & Sons, remaining there four years. He left that position to assist in opening a store for the late Tobias G. Haenge, in Hatfield township, and was there six months. Returning to Pottstown, he took a position in the store of J. & W. H. Smith, in 1847. He purchased a one- third interest in the business, the firm name being changed to Smiths & Hartranft. In 1855 his brother Ephraim purchased the Smiths’ interest. In 1860 William Smith withdrew from the company, which was conducted by the brothers from that time. Jacob Hartranft was a Democrat in politics. He was a director of the Pottstown Gas Company, and a trustee and treasurer of the Pottstown Cemetery Company.

Mr. Hartranft was twice married. His first wife was Esther, daughter of Jonas Smith. She died in 1864 or 1865, leaving four children, as follows: Sarah A., wife of William Missimer; Jonas S.; Mary S., deceased; and John W. His second wife, Caroline, daughter of Aaron Custer, is the subject of this sketch. They were married June 14, 1870. They had but one child, William C., born December 21, 1871. He is at present district manager of the Delaware & Atlantic Telephone and Telegraph Company, with offices at Norristown. He is a Democrat in politics.

Mrs. Hartranft is a member of Trinity Reformed church, at Pottstown. She is an active member of several of the ladies’ societies of that borough.