BIO: Jacob PFLUG, Beaver County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver.html http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm Index for this bio book. _________________________________________________________________ BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 121-122. _________________________________________________________________ JACOB PFLUG, a gentleman who for many years has been a prominent and influential farmer of Marion township, Beaver county, Pa., is now living on his farm of one hundred and forty acres, which is known as the old Pflug homestead, and enjoying the benefits of his early toil. He is a son of George and Dorothy (Martzolf) Pflug, and was born on May 28, 1817, in Germany, about ten miles from where the first battle of the Franco-Prussian War was fought. George Pflug, the father of Jacob, came to America on March 16, 1830, with his entire family, and after a voyage of sixty-four days landed in Baltimore, Md., on the 9th of June following. They next moved to Pittsburg by means of a six-horse team, arriving on July 4th, and there George Pflug obtained employment in a nail factory, although his trade was that of a carpenter. When he landed in that city he had but $100, but by hard and conscientious work, in September of the year 1830, he was enabled to buy forty acres of wild land at a cost of $135. In the fall he moved his family to Marion township, Beaver county, where the property was located, and there he built a log house. The next year, leaving his family at home, he went to Phillipsburg, Pa., and worked at boat building for a man named Phillips, continuing thus for three years. In 1833, he erected a small house at Freedom, Pa., it being the first one built in that town, and sold his first purchase at a price of $1,100. He then bought the land on which the house of Jacob Pflug is now located; at that time it was all timber land, but prior to his death it was mostly cleared. He lived upon this property the remainder of his life and at the time of his death in July, 1850, owned one hundred and forty acres. Late in life he replaced the original log cabin with a handsome residence now occupied by his son Jacob. He married Dorothy Martzolf, and they had the following children: Dorothy (Dedrick), deceased; Magdaline (Repe), deceased; Salama (Scheny); Jacob, the subject hereof; Mary, who first married Abraham Burry, and is now the 122 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES wife of Frederick Householder; Frederick, a farmer in Butler county, who first married a Miss Garvich, and later wedded Catherine Klein; Barbara, the wife of Michael Veiock; and Philip, deceased. Jacob Pflug was thirteen years of age when he came to this country with his parents, and after arriving in Pittsburg he worked in a hotel at the corner of Wood and Fourth streets, as porter. When his father bought his first tract of forty acres, he moved to Marion with him, and he and his mother cleared four acres the first year. His mother was a very industrious woman and an excellent help-meet to her husband. Before coming to this country she worked upon a farm and was accustomed to plowing with two cows. Jacob Pflug always remained at home, but was at times engaged at working out at the carpenter's trade with his father. He also made shingles and took contracts for roofing houses. After coming into possession of the old homestead he made many improvements, and has since made additions to the house and erected a fine barn. He also greatly added to the property, increasing it to about three hundred and ninety acres, but all excepting the original tract of one hundred and forty acres he has given to his son. He is now engaged in general farming and his advancing years are being spent in the peace and quiet of farm life. He is a well read man, takes a sensible view of all subjects coming to his attention, and is deeply, interested in the progress being made by his fellow workmen. He is highly thought of and has friends far and near. In 1840, Mr. Pflug was joined in wedlock with Salama Householder, by whom he had the following issue: Jacob, the husband of Caroline Herrman ; Salama, the wife of Henry Schramm; Caroline, the wife of John Geohring; Frederick, deceased; Henry, whose wife is Caroline Miller; Mary, the wife of Henry France; George, deceased; Elizabeth, the wife of Frederick Harmon; Amelia, the wife of William Caterrer ; Daniel, who married Elizabeth Gettman; and Matilda, whose first husband was Elmer Geohring, and who was married a second time to Albert Hartzel. The subject of this sketch after the death of his first wife, was united in marriage with Vernelia Geohring, and they have one son, Albert, who resides at home. Politically, he is a Democrat and has held all of the township offices excepting those of justice of the peace and constable. Religiously, he is a devout Lutheran. His portrait is presented on a preceding page, in proximity to this.