Bios: Samuel Grill Hatt, 1830-1887: Spring Twp, Berks Co, PA

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From:  Morton L Montgomery, "Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks
County, Pennsylvania.  Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co., 1909.  p 1042.

Surnames mentioned:
Behm, Frees, Fritterich, Grill, Hain, Hatt, Huttison, Huyett, Kleinginna,
Matz, Miller, Mosser, Ruth, Spatz, Weitzel, Wertz

Note: Surnames of related families have been capitalized, but are lower case
in the original.

SAMUEL GRILL HATT (deceased), a successful agriculturist and leading citizen
of Spring township, Berks Co., Pa., whose death occurred March 15, 1887, was
born Sept. 15, 1830, in Brecknock township, Berks county, son of Jacob and
Catherine (GRILL) HATT, and died March 15, 1887.

Conrath (Conrad) HATH, the great-grandfather of Samuel G. HATT, was a farmer
of Cumru township, where he owned considerable property at the time of his
death, in 1789.  His will is on record in the Berks County Court House,
written in German and signed by himself, and after he makes ample provision
for his aged wife, Margaretha, he in equal shares divides the estate among
the following children:  Henry; Philip, who died Sept. 3, 1824, the father
of the following children--Philip (who died intestate in 1856), Daniel (who
died in 1864, leaving two sons, Jacob and William), Susanna, Catherine,
John, Conrad, Jacob, William and Elizabeth (then under age); Conrad, Jr.,
grandfather of Samuel G.; Margaretha; Maria Elizabeth; Anna Maria; Juliana,
and Catherine, who married John KLEINGINNA.

Conrad HATT, Jr. was a farmer living between Fritztown and Gouglersville,
and owned the old homestead.  He married and became the father of six
children:  Jacob, the father of Samuel G.; William; Daniel; Betsey, who
married a BEHM; Catherine; and Mary, who married Isaac WEITZEL.

Jacob HATT, son of Conrad, Jr., was born May 12, 1800, and after a long life
spent in agricultural pursuits passed away Aug. 5, 1876, being buried at
Sinking Spring Church, of which he had been a member.  Mr. Hatt married
Catherine GRILL, and to them there were born twelve children:  Samuel G.;
Louisa m. Abraham MATZ; Catherine m. Daniel RUTH; Jacob m. Beckie MILLER;
Catherine m. Henry WERTZ; Sallie m. Henry MATZ; John m. Magdalena
FRITTERICH; Levi died single, aged 34 years; Polly m. William RUTH; Betsy m.
Fred HAIN; and two died young.

Samuel Grill HATT was educated in the schools of his native locality, and
from early youth engaged in agricultural pursuits.  At the time of his death
he was the owner of a fine farm of 145 acres in Spring township, and left a
large estate to his widow and children.  Mr. Hatt was a Democrat in politics
and was very active in the ranks of his party, being on a number of
occasions elected school director.  He was a consistent member of
Gouglersville Reformed Church, of which he was secretary and treasurer for
many years.

On Sept. 24, 1864, Mr. Hatt was married to Caroline SPATZ, born Sept. 26,
1840, daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (HUTTISON) SPATZ, and to them were
born five children:  Jacob S., who resides in Reading, m. Martha HUYETT;
Lizzie S. m. May 2, 1908, Henry B. FREES, an employee of the Reading Iron
Company, and lives at Brookside; M. Agnes m. Henry MOSSER, of Reading; Eva
A. died in infancy; James H. m. Cora HATT.

Mrs. Lizzie S. (HATT) FREES, who has devoted her life to the care of her
mother, built a fine brick residence in the spring of 1901 at Hemmmig's
corner in the borough of Shillington, Pa., and in this home, which is one of
the finest residences of the town, mother and daughter lived until the
latter's marriage, the mother now residing with Mrs. Frees in Brookside.