BIOGRAPHY: Abram M. GRASSMYER, Mifflin County, PA

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The Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley, Comprising 
the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry, Pennsylvania.
Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, Volume I, pages 560-561.

  ABRAM M. GRASSMYER, Mattawana, Mifflin county, Pa., was born in Fergusons 
Valley, Mifflin county, July 13, 1822.  He is a son of Daniel and Elizabeth 
(Miller) Grassmyer.  His grandfather, Adam Grassmyer, a soldier in the British 
army, was brought to America with the Hessian troops.  When they arrived at the 
scene of action, convinced of the justice of the American cause, Adam Grassmyer 
and some of his comrades deserted and joined the Continental army;  for more 
than two years he served under General Washington, taking part in all the 
principal battles of the Revolution.  Once, while on a scouting party, he 
encountered a British officer, who struck him on the head with his sword;  young 
Grassmyer, nothing daunted, quickly drew his pistol, and so accurate was his 
aim, that the officer reeled from his saddle and fell dead.  Having served 
through the Revolution, Mr. Adam Grassmyer made his way into Pennsylvania and 
settled in the Tuscarora valley, in what was then Cumberland, now Juniata 
county.  Here he bought a homestead;  but his wife died, and he removed to 
Fergusons valley, where he spent the rest of his life with his son Daniel, 
living to the age of ninety-eight years, nine months and ten days.  Mr. Adam 
Grassmyer was a God-fearing man, just and honorable in all his business 
transactions.  He had two sons and one daughter:  Adam, married, and resided at 
Curtin's Iron Works, Centre county, Pa., had one daughter and three sons, Louis, 
Adam and Charles;  Daniel;  and Catharine.  The second son, Daniel Grassmyer, 
grew up in Granville township, near the place where the village of Granville now 
stands.  In his boyhood he was under the care of Mr. McKee, and while with him 
received a limited education and also learned shoemaking.  After he attained his 
majority, he worked at this trade and at farm labour.  For many years he lived 
in Fergusons valley, Oliver township, where he owned a farm of 170 acres on 
which he built a house and made many other improvements.  To this home he 
brought his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Abraham and Catharine Miller.  Their 
children were:  Adam, married Margaret Yelk, had three children, Martha, 
Catharine and Sarah;   Catharine, (Mrs. Joseph Hanawalt), has one son, Henry;   
Abram M.;  Margaret (Mrs. John W. Sheller), has two children, William and 
Forrest;  Daniel, married Maria Mochamer, has four children, Rebecca, Henry, 
Samuel and Elisha;  Henry, married Barbara Kauffman, has four children, John, 
James, Elizabeth and Ida;  and Elizabeth, Mrs. James Reninger, has seven 
children, Louis, Amanda, Abraham, Sarah, Ulysses S. Grant, Henry and Ann.  Mr. 
Daniel Grassmyer and his wife spent the latter days of their lives in the 
Kishacoquillas Valley, Union township, at the home of their son Abram M.  Daniel 
Grassmyer lived to be over eighty-four, his wife also died aged eighty-four.
  Abram M. Grassmyer attended the district schools until he was fourteen, when 
he was indentured to Henry Miller, plasterer;  according to the terms of 
agreement, he was to have, during his apprenticeship, board, clothing, and 
permission to attend school for three months in the winter.  When his term 
expired, he worked at his trade for seventeen years.  In 1848 he rented the farm 
of Andrew Bratton, in Bratton township.  After cultivating this land for nine 
years, he removed to Dr. Hale's farm in the Big valley, Union township.  
Industrious and economical, Mr. Grassmyer had saved money while a tenant, and in 
1890 he bought the old Squire Leattor farm, then owned by Simon Grow, situated 
in Bratton township, where he now resides.  He is a good citizen, respected and 
esteemed in the community.
  Abram M. Grassmyer was married September 7, 1841, to Susanna, daughter of 
Henry and Mary Hanawalt.  They had thirteen children, only three of whom are 
living:  Elisha B., married Elizabeth Kreps, had children, eight of whom are 
living, Frank, Harriet, John, Howard, William, Wayne, Florence and Clarence;  
Mary Elizabeth (Mrs. Samuel Kreps), has children, William, Emory, Harry and 
Calvin;  and Ann (Mrs. Robert McAllison), has children, Ellen, Bert, Harry, 
Abraham, Jesse, Margaret, Ettie, Florence and May.  Mrs. Abram M. Grassmyer died 
June 26, 1876, aged fifty-three.  Mr. Grassmyer's second wife is Mary, daughter 
of James and Elizabeth Reninger.  They have six children:  Nora May;  Henry 
Hale;  Charles Edward;  Annetta Edna;  Abraham M.;  and Ellen Mabel.  Mr. Abram 
M. Grassmyer, his wife and family are members of the German Baptist church.