BIO: Jacob M. NEIDIG, 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. _____________________________________________________________________ JACOB M. NEIDIG, one of the prosperous agriculturists of Penn's Valley, is the owner of a fine farm of 140 acres in Haines township, Centre county, near the village of Woodward. Solomon Neidigh, great-grandfather of our subject, came from Berks county, and purchased the place, which was then in Haines township, Northumberland county. The deed in the possession of our subject is dated April 30, 1791, and the property has been in the family ever since. Solomon Neidigh was born August 17, 1744, died January 28, 1797, and was buried on the estate. Marie Elizabeth, his wife, was born March 2, 1745, and died September 7, 1821. They had several children, among whom was a son John Neidigh (our subject's grandfather), born September 9, 1776, in Berks county, Penn., and died March 4, 1838, who came into the ownership of the farm by will, and being a progressive man, and well supplied with the means to improve it, built the present substantial brick residence, between 1815 and 1820. The barn dates back to 1834. Catherine, his wife, was born August 8, 1780, and died December 25, 1841. The remains of both were interred upon the farm. Of their thirteen children - nine daughters and four sons - one son died in infancy, the others being as follows: Catharine; Solomon, born June 8, 1801; John, born July 20, 1802; daughter, born May 3, 1804; daughter, born July 7, 1805; daughter, born August 16, 1806; daughter, born December 16, 1807; David (third son, and father of our subject) is mentioned farther on; Ellen, Sophie, Annie and Leah; and a son, born March 25, 1820. David Neidig, the father of our subject, was born in 1809, and died April 1, 1863. He was one of the leading men of that locality in his day, a shrewd and successful manager, and although his early education was limited, he acquired practical knowledge upon a wide range of subjects. He settled his father's estate, and while farming was his principal occupation he engaged in lumbering and other enterprises, conducting a sawmill for many years. While he gave due attention, as a private citizen, to political questions, attending elections regularly, he never sought office or joined in partisan work beyond the deposit of a Democratic ticket in the ballot box at every lawful opportunity. He was a captain in the militia, and was a leading worker in religious affairs, con- COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 433 tributing liberally to St. Paul's Church (Reformed), of which he was a member. His wife, Barbara, was a daughter of Jacob Moyer, a well-known citizen of Snyder county. She was born in 1814, and passed away in 1886, her remains being laid to rest beside those of her husband in St. Paul's Cemetery. She was a devout Christian, of the Lutheran faith. There was a large family of children, of whom six lived to adult age, our subject (sketch of whom follows) being eldest; (2) Mary Ann, born January 13, 1841, married Michael Hess, of Haines township. (3) Susan, born March 22, 1842 (now Mrs. Samuel Kramer), also resides in that locality. (4) John, born February 11, 1845, sold his share in the farm to his brother Daniel, and being a single man lives most of the time with his sisters. (5) Daniel M., born July 6, 1847, married Lydia Ellen Krumerine, and has two children-one son and one daughter; he is now a retired farmer, and lives at State College. (6) Augustus David, born May 4, 1853, is a farmer in Wisconsin. Jacob M. Neidig (our subject) was born March 30, 1839, and was reared at the old homestead, his educational advantages being confined to an attendance at the subscription schools of that day. His first school was in the home of his father, and his first teacher was a Mr. Hoy. In those times labor-saving machinery had not been introduced to any great extent, and wheat was threshed during the winter season by the tramping of horses. As may be supposed, there was plenty of work for our subject to do, and when the "chores" on the farm failed the sawmill could be relied upon to keep him employed, especially in the spring of the year. However irksome this continuous round of work may have been at the time, the habits of industry and knowledge of detail thus gained were of great service to him in after life, and the old homestead, with its carefully-kept buildings, shows the good results of his labors. He has not only repaired the old structures, but has added new ones from time to time. The farm contains 140 acres of excellent land, and Mr. Neidig also owns some mountain lands. Lumbering has engaged his attention at times, and his success in his undertakings has given him a high reputation among the progressive business men and farmers of Penn's Valley. On May 30, 1880, Mr. Neidig was married in Aaronsburg to Miss Catherine Rishel, a native of Gregg township, Centre county, and the elder of the two daughters born to David and Mary M. Rishel. Mr. Neidig and his wife are leading members of the Lutheran Church, in which he has held the offices of deacon and elder. Liberal in his donations to every worthy cause, quiet and peaceable in his mode of life, Mr. Neidig is one of the best citizens. He is steadfast supporter of the doctrines of the Democratic party, and votes regularly, but has never entered the political arena for any office whatever.