BIO: Alfred F. KREAMER, Centre County, PA

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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.
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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  157

  A. F. KREAMER, who is classed among the successful farmers of Penn 
township, Centre county, is well worthy to be ranked among the 
individuals who have distinguished themselves as useful and 
enterprising citizens.  He was born in the same township, January 6, 
1847, and was but a child when brought by his parents, Jonathan and 
Susannah (Strohm) Kreamer, to the farm which he now occupies, and which 
at one time was owned by his great-grandfather, Daniel Kreamer, who was 
the first of the family to come to Centre county.  In his family were 
three children: Daniel, John and Mrs. Saloma Keen.
  Daniel Kreamer, Jr., the grandfather of our subject, was a farmer by 
occupation, as was also his father before him.  He married a Miss 
Neese, by whom he had eight children - seven sons and one daughter - 
namely: Jacob who died in Kansas; John, who became an Evangelical 
minister, and died in the same State; William, an auctioneer and 
farmer, who died in Iowa; Jonathan, the father of our subject; Elias, a 
resident of Union county, Penn.; Daniel, once a minister, now living in 
Illinois; Henry, a painter in the same State; and Betsey, who married 
William Guitilus, and died in Mifflinburg, Penn.  In 1876 the sons
were all together, at which time their combined weight was over two 
thousand pounds.
  Jonathan Kreamer was born in Miles township, Centre county, in 1821, 
and was reared to farm life.  When a young man he married Susannah 
Strohm, a native of Lebanon county, Penn., and a daughter of Jonathan 
Strohm, who brought his family to Potter township, Centre county, when 
Mrs. Kreamer was but a small child.  After their marriage the parents 
remained upon his father's farm until 1848, when they removed to the 
place now owned and occupied by our subject, having purchased it at the 
sale of his grandfather's estate.  In 1868 the father removed to 
Millheim, where he conducted what is now known as the "National Hotel" 
for a time, and died in that village in 1883.  Like the other members 
of the family he was very large, being six feet, one inch in height, 
and weighing at one time 365 pounds.  He was an enterprising, energetic 
man, succeeding in accumulating a comfortable property; he was a 
Democrat in politics, and held a number of township offices to the 
satisfaction of all concerned.  His religious views were those held by 
the Evangelical Church, of which he was a faithful member.  His wife, 
who still survives him, makes her home with her daughter, Mary, at 
State College.  In their family were six children: A. F., the subject 
of this review; Mary, wife of Ab Miller, of State College; Sarah A., 
wife of Pierce Musser, of Millheim; Emma; wife of A. A. Frank, of the 
same place; John, express messenger for the Adams Express Company at 
Harrisburg, Penn., and Cora, wife of Greely Bowman, of St. Louis. 
During his boyhood, A. F. Kreamer attended the Liberty school during 
the winter months, his first teacher being Thomas Strayhorn.  He 
remained upon the home farm until the removal of the family to Millheim 
in 1868, where he assisted his father in the hotel business for four 
years.  On October 10, 1872, he was united in marriage with Miss Jestie 
Keen, who was born in Penn township, February 28, 1847, a daughter of 
Jacob and Mary (Dininger) Keen, farming people.  Two children were born 
of this union: Nora F. died in infancy; and N. F., born October 12, 
1874, was married in November, 1893, to Miss Jennie, a daughter of 
Jacob Breon, of Gregg township, and they have one child - Helen, born 
April 11, 1895.
  Mr. and Mrs. Kreamer began housekeeping upon the farm where they are 
now living, but later removed to Haines township, where he rented land 
for fifteen years.  On April 1, 1892, they returned to the old family 
homestead, which he had purchased in January, 1891.  It com-

158  COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

prises seventy-one acres of highly improved land, on which six 
generations have made their home, the grandchild of our subject, who 
with its parents resides thereon, being of the sixth generation.  Mr. 
Kreamer has always been identified with the Democratic party, and 
although no office-seeker, has filled a number of local positions.  
Socially, he affiliates with the Grange, and religiously, both himself 
and wife are connected with the Evangelical Church, in which he has 
served as class leader.  He is honest, industrious, and thoroughly 
honorable in all the walks of life, and enjoys the esteem and respect 
of the community to a large extent.

Note: The 1850 Haines Township, Centre County census lists Jonathan 
(27), Susannah (26), Alfred (3) and William (1) Kramer.