BIO: John KERSTETER, Centre County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO 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. _____________________________________________________________________ JOHN KERSTETER (deceased) in his lifetime was a highly esteemed resident of Penn township, Centre county, where he was born November 13, 1813. His family were among the early settlers of Lyken's Valley, Northumberland Co., Penn., and his father, Leonard Kersteter, was born there February 17, 1783. Having been married in that county to Miss Elizabeth Schrecengost, he came about the year 1800 to this section, locating in what is now Haines township, Centre county. A few years later his father, Leonard Kersteter, Sr., the grandfather of our subject, came to Centre county, but he afterward moved to Stark county, where he died. Leonard Kersteter, Jr., followed the carpenter's trade for many years, but finally engaged in farming, in which he was quite successful. He was very tall, and in his younger days was remarkably powerful, but his long years of toil ex- COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 451 hausted his strength, and he died May 12, 1869, literally worn out. In political faith he was a Democrat, and in his active years he attended the Lutheran Church regularly, he and his estimable wife both being members. He was born October 30, 1781, and died January 9, 1857, his remains being laid to rest at Aaronsburg. They had children as follows: Leonard, a carpenter, died in Haines township, Centre county; Susan (Mrs. David Neese) died in Penn township, Centre county; Catherine (Mrs. Benjamin Moore) died in Ashland county, Ohio; Elizabeth (Mrs. George Braucht) died in Penn township; Lydia and Sarah (twins), born January 28, 1811, are both living in Centre county, the former being the widow of John Young, of Woodward, and the latter the widow of Jacob Rhone, of Potter township; John is mentioned more fully below; Jacob died at Coburn, Penn., at the age of twenty-one; Daniel resides at Loganton, Penn.; Samuel is a resident of Wayne county, Ohio; Mollie married John Nugert, and died in Penn township, Centre county; and Polly (Mrs. Jacob Stover) died in Haines township. The free-school system had not yet been established when our subject was of an age to avail himself of its privileges, and he found but meager opportunities for an education in the schools of his locality. He was reared to farm work, but at nineteen began to learn the shoemaker's trade with George Eisenhuth, of Millheim. The business proving uncongenial, he engaged in carpentering, in which he became proficient under the instruction of his brother Leonard. On March 30, 1835, Mr. Kersteter was married in Haines township, by Rev. Mr. Asely, a Lutheran minister, to Miss Annie Musser, a native of the township, born May 7, 1813. Her father, Jacob Musser, was a farmer by occupation, and his family comprised eight children: Michael, Andrew, Mollie, Rebecca, Annie, Philip, John and Lydia. For two years after his marriage, Mr. Kersteter lived with his father on the homestead just west of Coburn, but in 1837 he moved to his late farm in the same vicinity. On June 17, 1891, his pleasant home was bereft of the beloved wife and mother, a devout Christian lady and a consistent member of the Lutheran Church. Eight children survive out of a family of nine: Michael resides in Pleasant Gap, Penn.; Jacob lives at Coburn; Rebecca married John Brant, of Penn township; Harriet is the wife of Daniel Hosterman, of Penn township; William died in that township; Emanuel is a farmer there; John, a skilled mechanic, is a carpenter and contractor at Millheim; and Daniel resides in Penn township. Mr. Kersteter did much hard work in his day, and was a well-preserved man. He possessed a handsome competence, secured by strictly honest methods, and his life may well be held up as an example to the youth of to-day. Several years ago he retired from active work, his declining years being thus made free from care. In politics he was a Democrat, first, last and all the time, having voted that ticket at every Presidential election from Van Buren down. He served as supervisor, overseer of the poor and school director in his township, doing efficient and satisfactory service in every case. In religious work he was prominent as a member and official of the Lutheran Church, with which he united before he was twenty years old. Mr. Kersteter died November 29, 1896.