BIO: David NEESE, Centre County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO Copyright 2010. 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. _____________________________________________________________________ DAVID NEESE, a prosperous and highly respected agriculturist of Penn township, Centre county, residing near Penn Hall, is a descendant of a prominent pioneer family, one of the few which still retain in their own possession the lands entered by their ancestors over one hundred years ago. The first of the line to settle in Centre county was William Neese, the great-grandfather of our subject. He came from Germany before the Revolutionary war, and after a short residence in Snyder county located permanently in Penn township. His son Peter, our subject's grandfather, served in Washington's forces during that struggle, although at the time he was but a boy in years. He married Christina Hess, and had ten children, among whom was a son, David, the father of our subject. David Neese, Sr., was born at the Neese homestead about 1799, and became a successful farmer and influential citizen. By his marriage with Miss Susan Kerstetter, a member of another pioneer family, he had twelve children: Elizabeth, William, David, John (deceased), Harriet, Sarah, Rebecca, Emanuel, and Daniel, who died in childhood. David Neese, our subject, was born March 28, 1828, in Penn township, Centre county, and was seven years old when his parents acquired the old homestead, a portion of which he now owns. The schools of that time and locality were not suited to the mental development of a clever boy, and he deserved much better opportunities, but he did not even have a chance to improve fully those that he had, as in his time the lack of machinery made farm work last longer than now. When the harvest was finished at the homestead, which was a large estate, the father would permit his boys to work for other farmers and earn money for their own use, although the wages were very small. The trapping of foxes furnished another source of revenue for the boys, and Mr. Neese has caught a goodly number. His outdoor life made him a strong, robust youth, capable of much labor, and until the age of twenty-seven he assisted his father and lived at home. Then came his marriage to Miss Amelia Gentzel, who was born about 1841, on Penn creek, in Penn township, Centre county, the ceremony being performed at Aaronsburg. She was a daughter of Henry and Caroline (Eppley) Gentzel, and was the eldest in a family of seven children-five sons and two daughters. At the time of his marriage Mr. Neese was practically without money, and for five years he worked as a farm hand at fifty cents a day. During this time his devoted wife, who has always been a most efficient helpmeet, often assisted him in the field, earning twenty-five cents a day, or in raking and binding, in which she could do as much 470 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. as any man, she would receive a man's wages, fifty cents per day. With such a spirit animating both, they were bound to succeed. When they began farming on their own account they were obliged to rent, settling first on the old "Smith farm" west of Millheim, then on a farm in Penn township, and later upon land in the Nittany Valley. In 1879 Mr. Neese came into possession of an unimproved portion of the old homestead, there being no buildings whatever. He put up suitable and convenient buildings and made other improvements of a substantial kind, and has since made his home there. The place contains nearly 125 acres of choice land, and under his careful management it ranks among the best farms in the locality. Mr. and Mrs. Neese deserve great credit for their successful struggle in their early years. Mrs. Neese has been a constant helper indoors and out, and her husband acknowledges with manly pride the value of her efforts. With all her work she is to-day a well preserved woman, and her kindly heart has won the esteem of a large circle of friends. The children of this worthy couple are Clara C. (Mrs. John Witmer), who resides near Pine Grove, Penn.; Sevilla (Mrs. Washington Tharp), of Virginia; James H., of Nittany Valley; Ellen C. and Minnie S., who are at home; and Nettie A., who married Percival Tharp, a school teacher, who also conducts the home farm at present, as Mr. Neese has retired from the active management. Although he is no office seeker, Mr. Neese is influential in the local Democratic organization, and has served as supervisor. He has always been actively interested in the progress of the community, and he and his wife are leading members of the Evangelical Church.