BIO:  David J. A. MELHORN, New Oxford, Adams County, PA

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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania
Chicago:  Warner, Beers & Co., 1886
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Part III, History of Adams County, Page 498

DAVID J. A. MELHORN, justice of the peace, P. O. New Oxford, is a native of 
Adams County, Penn., born near McSherrystown April 14, 1833.  His great-
grandfather was Simon Melhorn, a native of Suabia, in South Germany, where his 
birth occurred September 2, 1725, and when young was brought by his parents to 
America, the family settling in this county.  Here Simon married Anna Barbara 
Dubbs, and located at what is now McSherrystown, and to this union were born 
four sons and one daughter, of which children David was the grandfather of our 
subject.  David was born at what is now McSherrystown, this county, August 19, 
1761, and in 1784, was married to Rosanna Swartz, whose birth occurred near 
Littlestown, this county, January 28, 1763, and in McSherrystown they settled 
and lived during their married life, to their death, which occurred - David’s on 
May 24, 1831, and Rosanna’s on June 28, 1816.  To them were born eight children:  
Mary, Elizabeth, Simon, John, J. Henry, J. Michael, J. Jacob, and Daniel.  J. 
Jacob, the father of our subject, was born December 23, 1801, and when about 
eighteen years of age married Catharine Reigle (born April 6, 1796), a daughter 
of Henry Reigle, whose wife was a Miss Greisher.  J. Jacob Melhorn and his wife 
located near McSherrystown and there resided several years, when they bought 
property south of that village, where they resided until 1849, and where all of 
their children were born, viz.:  Henry, Mary Ann, Harriet, Emanuel, Rosanna E. 
A., Catharine, David J. A., Caroline and Flora.  From 1849 until his death, 
which occurred October 6, 1880, Jacob lived on various farms and in different 
places in Adams County, occupied mainly as a farmer, though latterly he was 
employed as a school-teacher.  Toward the latter part of the decade between 1860 
and 1870 he was elected to the office of prothonotary of Adams County and served 
three years.  He was for upward of twenty consecutive years chosen as justice of 
the peace of his township, and for many years taught school.  His wife died July 
17, 1869, and he was subsequently married to Mrs. Thoman a widow.  Our subject 
worked at agricultural pursuits for his father until twenty years of age; then 
began teaching school, first in Reading Township.  In 1852 he commenced learning 
the plastering trade with Jacob Melhorn and Absalom Aulabach, near Hanover, and 
after finishing it worked at the same during the summer seasons (teaching school 
during the winters) a portion of the time in Delaware County, Ind., for eight 
months.  He then returned home, and on January 22, 1861, was married to Sarah L. 
Bender, a daughter of Daniel Bender of Hamilton Township, this county.  The 
latter, when quite young, came from Lancaster County, and was here married to 
Mary Spangler, a daughter of George Spangler of East Berlin.  Our subject and 
wife began their married life in Mountpleasant Township, where a child, Jacob 
Daniel, was born to them January 5, 1862, which died August 25 of the same year.  
During the years 1863 and 1864 Mr. Melhorn was engaged in the butchering 
business in partnership with his father.  In 1868 he sold his property in 
Mountpleasant Township, and moved to New Oxford, where he engaged in 
photographing, and in the spring of 1869 he became a partner with D. S. Bender 
in the grain and produce business, which partnership continued for three years, 
when Mr. Bender withdrew, and Mr. Melhorn added to his business the 
manufacturing of ice cream and huckstering.  December 4, 1882, he disposed of 
the business, excepting the ice cream department, which he still carries on.  In 
the spring of 1882 he was elected a justice of the peace, an office he still 
holds.  February 7, 1881, after a lapse of nearly nineteen years from the birth 
of their first and only child, another son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Melhorn, by 
name David John Andrew, whose death occurred in Ohio November 5, 1881, where the 
parents were visiting.