BIO: Daniel DAUP, Centre County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/1picts/commbios/comm-bios.htm _____________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898. _____________________________________________________________________ DANIEL DAUP, one of the most skillful and thorough farmers of Potter township, belongs to an honored and highly respected family of Centre county. His father, Joseph Daup, a native of Wurtemburg, Germany, was born March 9, 1816, and is one of the eight children (six of whom grew to adult age) born to Xavier and Christina Daup. He is the only one of the family to come to the United States. At the age of fifteen years, Joseph Daup began learning the blacksmith trade, and later worked as a journeyman in various country shops and towns until he received letters from friends in America, telling him of the excellent opportunities here afforded poor young men. Saving his money until he had enough to pay his passage, he, in March, 1849, embarked on a schooner at Bremen for New York, which port he reached after a long and stormy voyage of sixty-five days, during which time the vessel was driven as far north as Greenland. For a short time he remained with acquaintances in New York City, and then went to New Jersey where his friends were living, but found it difficult to obtain work. He was first employed in Lewistown, Penn., on the construction of the canal and in the stone quarries, where he contracted ague, and the few dollars that he had saved went for board. As soon as he had sufficiently recovered to travel he crossed the Seven Mountains to Potters Mills, Centre county, where he arrived October 14, 1849, and secured his first work at his trade in the United States, being employed by John Haney at $7 per month and board. After working for others for two years he started a shop of his own. In the fall of 1850, at Potters Mills, Joseph Daup was united in marriage with Catharine Decker, who was born at the Loop, in Potter township, November 6, 1823, a daughter of Nicholas and Mary (Pecht) Decker, in whose family were five children, the others being Sarah, widow of Daniel Auman, of Potter township; Henry, who died in that township; John, who died near Boalsburg, Centre county; and Mary, a resident of Potter township. The father of these children was a mason by trade, but the later years of his life were spent in farming. He died at the age of seventy-one years, his wife at the age of seventy- three, and they were buried in the Tusseyville cemetery. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Daup: Elizabeth, now the wife of Aaron Zerby, of Penn township, Centre county; Amelia, wife of A. C. Ripka, of Potter township; Daniel, of this sketch; Sarah, wife of William Ertel, of Penn township; Ellen, wife of Jefferson Heckman, of Gregg township; and Hettie, wife of Charles Leister, of Sprucetown, Centre county. After his marriage, Joseph Daub located in Centre Hill, where he owned his first shop, and carried on business there some four years, after which he went to Penn township, and bought another shop and several acres of land. Two years later, however, he sold out, and from 1858 made his home in Sprucetown, where he followed his trade continuously until recent years, when failing health compelled him to abandon it. He died April 27, 1897, aged eighty-one years, one month and eighteen days. For many years he was an active member of the United Evangelical Church, in which he acted as class leader, exhorter and trustee, and enjoyed the esteem and confidence of all who knew him. In politics he was a Democrat, but never cared for official distinction. He and his estimable wife reared a family of which they were justly proud, all occupying honorable positions in society. Daniel Daup was born March 17, 1856, in Penn township, and when a child accompanied his parents to Sprucetown, where he was reared to manhood. His early education was obtained at the Egg Hill school, where his first teacher was Mary Hennigh. At an early age he began COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 287 assisting his father in the shop, where he soon acquired a good knowledge of the trade, though he never served a regular apprenticeship. He remained with his parents until his marriage, at the age of twenty-seven, to Miss Jennie A. Evans, a daughter of Evan and Anna (Miller) Evans, who belonged to one of the best families of Potter township. They began their domestic life in Sprucetown, where Mr. Daup was employed by his father for one year, and then removed to the Rankin farm, in George's Valley, which property he rented for two years. He then took up his residence upon the Dauberman farm, in Potter township, where he was a tenant until the spring of 1897, when he returned to the Rankin farm, which he had purchased in 1895. It comprises 115 acres of excellent land, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation, and made many useful improvements thereon. Mr. Daup is a stanch Democrat, yet no politician or office-seeker, content with regularly casting his vote for its men and measures at State and National elections, but on local affairs he votes independent of party ties. He and his wife are earnest members of the United Evangelical Church, in which he is serving as steward and trustee, and also as teacher in the Sunday-school. He is one of the steady-going, prosperous farmers of Potter township, one who has made his own way in the world, whose integrity is unquestioned, and who, as a citizen, holds a prominent place in the estimation of his neighbors and friends.