BIO: John WETZEL, 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 WETZEL occupies a position in the front rank among the leading agriculturists of Spring township, Centre county, where he owns and operates a good farm of sixty acres, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation and improved with excellent buildings. For many years he has made his home in Centre county, but was born in Snyder county, Penn., January 2, 1827, a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Ertly) Wetzel. His grandfather, Henry Wetzel, at an early day removed from Lebanon county to what is now Snyder county, and there died at a ripe old age. By trade he was a weaver, but throughout the greater part of his life followed the occupation of farming. He served as a soldier during the "whiskey rebellion." In his family were four children: Jacob, Mrs. Wagner, Henry, and one that died in infancy. The father of our subject was also a native of Snyder county, and there passed away at the age of eighty-three years, while his wife, who was born in the same county, died at the age of seventy-seven. He was a mechanic, engaged in the manufacture of gun barrels and grain sickles, and he was a consistent member of the Reformed Church. In his family were the following children who grew to manhood and womanhood: Aaron, who makes his home in Delaware; John, subject of this sketch; Frank, a resident of Silverton, Colo.; Henry, of Snyder county; Samuel, of Missouri; Miles, of Steelton, Penn.; and Sarah, wife of Boyer Kartz, of Snyder county, Pennsylvania. In the public schools of the county of his nativity John Wetzel secured a good education, and on leaving the school room learned the carpenter's trade with Jacob Gildron, of Turburtville, Northumberland county. At the age of twenty-two he came to Bellefonte, and has since made his home in Centre county with the exception of about four years and one-half. In 1852 he removed to Snow Shoe, where the following three years were passed, and then emigrated to Cedarville, Stephenson Co., Ill.; in the fall of 1859, however, he returned to Centre county. Until 1876 he was a resident of Bellefonte, where he followed contracting and building, but in that year removed to his present farm in Spring township. On March 25, 1852, Mr. Wetzel was married to Miss Susan Musser, whose birth occurred January 27, 1831. To them have been born thirteen children, in the order of birth as follows: (I) Frank and (2) his twin brother, born November 13, 1852, the latter dying in infancy; the former graduated from Franklin Marshall College, was ordained in the Reformed Church, and is now preaching in Stoystown, Somerset Co., Penn. He married Ellen Yearick, and has seven children - John A., Walter N., Beulah, Grace, Veda, George and Harvey. (3) Samuel D., born October 12, 1854, was educated in the public schools of Bellefonte, and learned the carpenter's trade which he now follows; he makes his home with his parents, and is a free-silver Democrat in politics. (4) John Henry, born May 14, 1856, graduated from a law school, and for some time engaged in practice in Nebraska; he is now an attorney and civil engineer at Bellefonte; he married Susan S. Yearick, and has five children - Paul, Nevin, Lucile, Ruth and Sarah. (5) Allen, born September 18, 1857, died May 9, 1860. (6) Oscar, born March 6, 1859, graduated from the Eastman Business College, at Poughkeepsie, and is now employed in the lumber office of Mr. Crider, in Bellefonte; he married Emma Beck and has one child - Ethel. (7) Mary E., born September 24, 1860, the wife of Jared Harper, COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 415 a groceryman of Bellefonte, and they have one child - John Wetzel. (8) Clyde, born July 1, 1862, is engaged in the butcher business in Nelson, Neb.; he married Maggie Bush, by whom he has one child - Nova. (9) Harvey Musser, born February 23, 1864, graduated in civil engineering at the Lehigh University, and is now in the employ of a New York company surveying for a railroad in San Domingo, West Indies; he married Emma Himmelwrite, and has two children - Helen and Mildred. (10) Charles E., born February 17, 1866, married Kate Miller, by whom he has one child - Mary; he is a carpenter of Bellefonte. (11) Louis C., born August 24, 1869, is in the bicycle business in Bellefonte, and owns a machine shop in the same town; he was married June 9, 1897, to Miss Ida Gerberich, of Bellefonte. (12) William, born May 13, 1871, works upon the home farm and at the butcher business in Bellefonte, alternately. (13) Walter, a twin brother of William, died in June, 1871. Mrs. Wetzel was reared and educated in what is now the thriving city of Bellefonte. Both she and her husband are still well preserved both physically and mentally, and are worthy members of the Reformed Church. These estimable people have well performed their part in upholding the intellectual, social and moral status of the community, and have gained the respect and confidence of the entire people. Politically, Mr. Wetzel is a Democrat, as are also all of his sons. The children as well as the parents are all members of the Reformed Church.