My Genealogy Hound

JACOB M. EHST, a prominent farmer of Douglass township, is a native of Washington township, Berks county, where he was born March 21, 1861. He is the son of Abraham and Susanna (Moyer) Ehst, of Berks county, where the father was a farmer all his life. In politics he was a Republican, although not particularly active in public affairs, being devoted to his occupation of farming and very successful in it. The couple had seven children. Susanna Ehst (mother) was born June 15, 1821, and died December 8, 1869, being a little more than forty- eight years of age at the time of her death. She was buried at the Mennonite meeting-house at Bally, Berks county. Mr. Ehst (father) survives, residing at Barto, where he lives retired. Their children:

Elizabeth (deceased), born July 17, 1842, died October 14, 1865. She married Levi B. Moyer, they residing in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He was a carpenter and farmer. Her husband and one child survive. Rev. John M., born March 14, 1844. He is at present in charge of a pastorate at Barto, Berks county. He married Susan Gehman. They have four children. Henry M., born 1846, married Elmira Mest, and they reside in New York state, where he is engaged on a stock farm. They have one child living. Abraham, who died at the age of one year. Susan, died at the age of sixteen years. She was born in 1854, and died March 19, 1870. David M., born in Berks county, July 13, 1858. He married Alice Meas. They reside in South Bethlehem, where he is engaged as a merchant. They have no children. Jacob M., subject of this sketch.

John Ehst (grandfather) married a Miss Swartley. Eoth died many years ago, and were buried in a private cemetery a mile above Boyertown, on the estate of the family, as was customary in past generations. She died at middle age. He survived many years, dying in 1867, at the age of eighty-six years and eleven months. He was a very prosperous farmer, and had many friends. In politics he was a Whig. The estate has been in the family name for five or six generations. The first ancestor in America mas Nicholas Ehst, who landed in 1735 and settled in Berks county, Pennsylvania, upon the tract still owned by Jacob E. Bechtel. He was the great-great-grandfather of Jacob M. Ehst. Abraham Ehst (great-grandfather) lived on the homestead in Berks county, and married Miss Freed, of Montgomery county. The Ehst family were one of the first to settle in that locality. Michael Moyer (maternal grandfather) was a prominent and prosperous farmer, who always made his home in Berks county. He was born December 28, 1779, and died January 9, 1859. He married Elizabeth S. Oberholtzer, who was born September 4, 1781, and died July 7, 1874. Their children: Henry O., Joseph O., Susanna (mother); Catharine, Elizabeth.

Christian Moyer (great-grandfather) married Fannie Bauer and they were leading farmers in their day. Rev. Peter Moyer (great-great-grandfather) was born in Switzerland about 1723, and emigrated with three brothers and one sister to America about 1741. They left Switzerland during the persecution of the Mennonites, and settled in Springfield township, Bucks county. They were all farmers, and members of the Mennonite church. The name of the Ehst family was written Eis by Nicholas (great-great-grandfather); Eisz by Abraham (great-grandfather); Ihst by John (grandfather), and finally became Ehst.

Jacob M. Ehst attended school until he was seventeen years of age, and then learned the trade of miller, which he followed for seven years in Berks and Chester counties. Then, in 1886, he abandoned his trade and removed to his present home, where he has been engaged in farming ever since. He has put a great many improvements on the place since his residence there.

On October 25, 1884, Jacob M. Ehst married Lydia, daughter of Henry and Rachel (Albright) Harpel. Her parents resided in Douglass township, where he was a farmer, carpenter and builder for many years. They died at the age of more than eighty years, and are buried at Sassamansville. They were prominent citizens of the county. Their children: Mary, Henry, Jeremiah, Catharine, Sarah, and Lydia (Mrs. Ehst). The children of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob M. Ehst: Mary A., born September 28, 1885; Henry H., born May 17, 1887; Lawrence H., born August 10, 1889; Laura H., born August 10, 1889; Kate H., born December 17, 1891.

Mr. Ehst is a Republican, and held the office of township auditor for three years. He was township assessor for six years. He belongs to the Knights of Friendship, and Sons of America, Camp 474, Sassamansville. The family attend the Lutheran church, of which they are members.