BIO: David J. A. MELHORN, New Oxford, Adams County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/adams/ _______________________________________________ History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886 _______________________________________________ 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.