Family History: Hans Jacob Neifert Descendants: part 3 : Berks/Schuylkill Cos, PA written by William Washington Neifert in 1906 for family usage This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. _________________________________________________________________ To prevent accidents, carry with you sewed to your right sleeve the right eye of a wolf. To check a hemorrhage - begin at fifty and count backwards to three, when you get to three you are done. Another - this is the day on which the injury happened, blood, thou mjust stop, until the Virgin Mary brings forth another son. Repeat those words three times. A remedy for hysterics and for colds - this must be strictly attended to every evening, that is: whenever you pull of oyur shoes or stockings, run a finger in between all the toes and smell it. This will surely effect a cure. A good remedy for colic - I warn ye, ye colic fiend: there is on sitting in judgment who speaketh, just or unjust. Wherefore beware ye colic fiends. Cure for headaches I am thou flesh and bone, like Christ in Paradise, and who will assist thee, this I told the (name) for your repentence aske. This must be said three times each time pausing for three minutes and the pain will soon cease. If however the headache is caused by strong drink it is not likely to go away and these words must be repeated every minute. To cure snake bites - God has created all things and they are good. Thou only ser- pent art damned, cursed by thou and thy sting, Zing, Zing, Zing. Security against mad dogs - dog hold thy nose to the ground, God has made me and thee, hound! Erysipolas was very much more common in the early days then now, and came perhaps from eating too much salt meat. Everybody had the orysipolas then, like appendicites now, diseases, like the fashion having their day. It was known in the vernacular as 'wild fire' and was cured by throwing three shovel-fuls of live coals over the patient at the same time whispering, 'Wildt-fire, Ich yaws dich, Wildt-fire, och dich, in names des Vebers, etc.' Others took a fire brand and waved it three times across the afflicted person. Epilepsy - take a turtle dove, cut its throat and let the person afflicted with this trouble drink the blood. To destroy warts - roast chicken feet and rub the wrts with them then bury them under the eaves. Another-rub the wart with an old copper cent in the decrease of the moon. Another-smear over them the blood from the severed head of a fowl and bury the head under the eaves. Still another, was to rub them with the divided hemispheres of an onion or an apple, tie the pieces together and bury them in a similar spot. Another-rub the wart with a piece of bacon rind with which was greased the top crust of newly baked loaves of bread as the came from the oven and to bury the bacon in the same way. Again another was to rub on them the milky sap of the milkweed. Warts could also be gotten rid of by sticking pins through them and giving away the pins -- the warts followed the pins and whoever received the pins also get the warts. (The writer tried all these cures, during his childhood days but the same old wart still remains on the back of his neck.) Mumps were cured by rubbing the swelling against a pig's trough. If the patient was too il to be taken to the pig stye, then a chip taken from the trough and carried to the house was rubbed on the swollen gland. Another-- anoint the swelling with fat fried out of the chine of a pig. And yet another wearing around the neck a wool stocking turned inside out during the night. A sure cure for an inflamed throat was wearing around the neck a woolen stocking turned inside out during the night. A good remedy against Calumniation or slander; if you are caluminated or slandered to your very skin; to your very flesh; to your very bones; cast it back upon the false tongues. Take off our shirt and turn it wrong side out and then run your two thumbs along your body, close under the ribs, starting at the pit of the heart down to the thighs. To banish whooping cough, cut three small bunches of hair from the head of a child that has never seen its father; sew this hair up in an unbleached rag and hang it around the neck of the child afflicted. The thread with which the rag is sewed must also be unbleached. Another--feed the patient with a piece of bread baked by a woman who is marrying did not change her surname. Milk stolen from a neighbor's cow or any other article of stolen food administered to a child with whooping cough was believed to afford relief. Another remedy was for the little patient to be kissed full on the mouth by a negro. The disease was known as 'blue cough' from the fact that the child turns blue in the face from mucuous congestion during the severe paroxysm and hence on the principle of 'like cures like' the child drinks our of a blue glass tumbler to be cured of blue cough. (The writer has not sufficient evidence to say which cure was efficacious in his case). A remedy for the affection of childhood known as 'angowoxa' or liver grown' a condition of congestion consequent on taking cold, was to make the patient creep three times around the leg of a dining table. In case this failed, the child was induced to creep through a horse collar brought from the barn for the purpose. If this brought no relief the mother anointed the sufferer's chest with melted lard in a peculiar manner, making special pres- sure along the lower ribs with the thumbs and if this failed to ease the child's breathing a professional powwower was called, who in addition to the hot lard 'used words' in the name of the Trinity and in many cases, lastly the family doctor was summoned. A good way to cause children to cut their teeth without pain was to boil the brain of a rabbit and rub the gums of the children with it and their teeth will grow without pain to them. For dysentory and diarrhea--take moss of trees, boil it in red wine and give it to the patient to drink. To cure ulcers-stew the bulb of white lilies in sweet cream and lay it on the ulcer as a poultice. The root of the common thistle is also considered good. A simple treatment for sciatica, neuralgic, etc. was to heat a common flat iron, then cover it with some woolen fabric which is moistened with vinegar and apply it at once to the painful spot. The application may be repeated two or three times a day. (The writer can vouch for this remedy all right, as it was used with good results on his lame back, recently) A sure way of catching fish--take rose seed and mustard seed and the foot of a weasel and hang these in a net and fish will certainly collect there. Load a gun with a bullet cast on a cross roads on Christmas eve and it will hit the mark or bring down the game with out fail. To cure baldness rub the scalp with the hemispheres of a divided onion. Another use for this vegetable was to cure fits by cutting it in half and placing in each convulsed hand, one of the parts. Another cure was to take off the child's shirt in-side-out and burn the garment. To cure a wen, give it a smart rap with an undertaker's hammer which has been used in nailing together coffins/. Hitting the wen with a Bible is equally efficacious provided the blow be hard enough to break the inner membrane of the tumor. The hand of a corpse rubbed over the swelling on the neck called goitre will cause it to disappear. Another cure for goitre was holding a common toad against the swelling until the toad died of disgust. A black hen boiled with feathers, craw and entrails and the broth fed to a person suffering with obstruction of the bowels will afford relief. An apple held by a dying person till life is gone, and then eaten by a habitual drunkard cured him of the craving for liquor. Another remedy for the vice of drunk- enness is as follows: 'Draw a live eel through a glass of whisky and let the person to be cured drink the liquor, when his appetite for alcohol will leave him. 'This is a kill-or-cure remedy, for if the liquor kills the eel it may also kill the drunkard. A stiff joint encased with in the disembowled body of a recently killed dog while still warm will regain its former usefullness. This puts dogs to good use. A cure for freckles was to rise before the sun and go out and bathe the face with the dew collected on the hands from grain or grass for three successive mornings that is on the lst 2nd and 3rd of May. This process must be per- formed before eating and speaking and the bare arms slapped with wet hands while returning to the house. When a cow was poor in milk, some hairs were shorn from between her horns and placed into a hole bored in the sill of the stable door, being confined with a wooden peg driven in by three blows of a hammer. To keep a newly acquired animals, a cat or dog, from returning to its former home, scrape some fine shavings from the dining table and feed them to the animal on bread. In the event of homesickness, let the affected person look up the chimney, or sprinkle salt between the sheet and the mattress of the bed in which the person sleeps. Any child under seven years of age, that will hold in its hand and squeeze to death a mole, will thereafter be able to cure felons by holding the inflamed member as the mole was held. This was called 'es base ding doat haeva', holding dead the felon. A decoction of elder bark is given as a purgative for the cure of dropsy, care being taken to scrape downward for if scraped upward from below, it will have the emetic effect. A tea made by boiling the excrement of sheep in water is given in measels to drive out the eruption. Elderblossom tea is given for the same purpose in measels as wel as in scarlet fever. In case of hemorrhage from the nose, a frequent ailment of children, a common cure was to lay two sticks, or two straws in the form of a cross and let the blood drop over them another was to wrap a red woolen string around each finger. In a more serious bleeding an axe was placed under the bed with the edge upward. To make a blaky horse draw, thrash him with a whip made in the following manner; catch a black snake and wtih two silver coins take hold of the reptiles tongue, pulling it out and cutting it off and plait the tongue into the lash or cracker of the whip. To kill a toad or barn swallow was thought would cause the cows to give bloody milk. It is believed that if vinegar be disturbed while the apple trees were in bloom it will turn to cider again. Flax being the symbol of free and abudant life it was customary for a bride to tie a string of flax around her left leg, in the belief that she will thereby enjoy the full blessing of the married state. One will frequently observe even to this day the bodies of birds of prey, with outstretched wings nailed against the gable ends of barns. Birds of this kind shot upon the farm were thus exposed to keep away others. Old fashioned copper cents wrapped in pieces of linen were placed on the eyes of a corpse to keep them closed and were afterwards used as amulets against rheumatism. They were also worn by soldiers during the war to divert bullets and sabers, the shrapnel and cannon balls of the rebels. A charm to keep away childrens' diseases and to mitigate their severity, was made of camphor, sulpher and assafootida, sewed in a small muslin or flannel bag suspended by a strin around the neck and worn on the breast. Within the skull of a slaughtered hog is found a peculiar shapped bony growth resembling a molar tooth of a human adult. This is known as a 'brain-tooth.' It is detached and carried in the vest pocket as a charm against tooth ache. It also was supposed to bring good luck at raffles. To bring a theif to confession and make him restore stolen property; from the door-sill over which the thief has passed, take three splinters in the name of the Trinity. Fasten them to a wagon wheel removed from the spindle and through the box or hub, pronounce the following formulary or prayer; "I pray Thee, Thou Holy Trinity, to constrain the thief who has stolen my (_______) to be stung by remorse and return it to its rightful owner.' This done, the wheel was replaced by fastening it to the wagon, when it was given three revolutions and then the stolen goods were expected to be returned. We are indebted to Dr. Grumbine for the following: "This incantation was practiced some years ago by a certain horse doctor of Bethel Township who had been robbed of some money. His son assisted him by turning the wheel, but without results. The son must have laughed in his sleeve while going through the performances for he himself was the thief.' Blisters on the tongue were supposed to be caused by telling fibs and were relieved by three small sticks, cut from a live tree, each stick about the length of a finger and as thick as a pencil. These were inserted into the mouth, and then buried in a dung heap the next day the operation was repeated and again on the third day after which the three sets are allowed to remain in the manure and as they decay the complaint will disappear. Upon the death of any inmate of a house, the mirrors are turned round so as to face the wall otherwise the first person to see his image in any one of them would be sure to die within a year. These beliefs relate to children; the child will have the colic if the empt cradle is rocked. If any one steps across a child it will cease to grow. A cat when left alone with an infant will strangle it by sucking its breath. If a child is permitted to see its image in a mirror before it has reached the age of one, it will become proud. Incontinence of urine is cured by whipping the afflicted one with a 'hud'l llumb'n'. This is a cloth used to remove ashes from the oven previous to depositing the bread for baking. When the patient reaches the years of adolescence, the alleged relief is obtained by urinating into a newly made grave. The corpse must be of the opposite sex of that of experimenter. An instance of this kind occurred about twenty years ago at Washington, D.C. though with unknown result as the patient was startled at the unexpected appearance of the funeral and fell into the grave, when after her extrication therefrom she ran away. When a child, the writer frequently heard references to a man who lived in the vicinity of the Blue Mountain in the early days and being an adept in the art of magic was feared and admired by many. He could put spells on man or beast could draw or walk an enchanged line over which neither man nor beast could pass until at his will the spell was dissolved. He was able to stop the flow of blood from any wound and he boasted that he could even a\ arrest the spurt from the neck of a beheaded rooster, but would not abuse his mysterious powers in such a way. He could quiet a fractious and vicious horse and cause him to stand for the blacksmith like a sheep by whispering a few words into his ear, and he could make the most faithful steed balk on level ground. His coup-de-grace however was to burn a bundle of straw out of its straw binder without even scorching the binder. Although no Schuylkill County court ever sentenced unfortunate women to be hanged for the impossible crime of witchcraft, yet in the not distant past every village had its witch and scorceress or two. Whenever a wit chided her mantle descended to her daughter, who, at her pleasure gave a neighbor's baby fits, caused an enemy's cow to give bloody milk or made his horse balk on the level highway. The discreet housewife, who loved her infant and who wanted her bread to rise and her butter to come, took care not to give offense to the woman of the neighborhood bearing the reputation of having bartered her sould to the Evil One for the gift of sorcery. Young infants were the special objects of a witch's malevolence. In order to counteract this influence, the mother before the babe was three days old, was obliged to walk three times around the house and retun to bed. When a young child was afflicted wtih what is known as marasmus or as it was termed in the vernacular 'es obaemn' which corresponds to the English term, 'a decline' it was said to be under the spell of some malevolent female. Then the 'hoxa' doctor was called in to conjure away the ailment or remove the spell. One remedy was to feed the child out of the kitten's dish and the disease was thus trans ferred to the feline. Another remedy was to cut off a living hen's comb and administer to the patient three drops of blood from the bleeding crest. If this failed the child's body was quickly rubbed wtih three living fish which were hurriedly returned to the creek in whose waters the malady was carried away. A child with convulsions ws believed to be suffering from the same cause and to break the spell a copy of the bible or some other holy volume was placed under its pillow or a portion of the mother's wedding garment was put in its cradle and the evil spirit was exercised. In the event of an epidemic invading a farmer's barn and killing off his horses or cows, some poor woman of excentric habits or repellent appearance fell a victim to suspicion and was branded a witch. The Rush Township witch was never known to ride through the sky on a broomstick like her New England sister, though she made many a mysterious midnight journey to the conventions of teh wierd sisterhood. She rode on the bare backs and necks of unbridled horses and if a farmer found his horse's mane mangled and knotted in the morning, he was certain that he was ridden by a witch the night before, and that the knotted mane served as stirrups for her feet. Their meetings were held in the open fields where the wee some hours were danced away in devilish glee by the uncanny throng. The scene of where vegetation ceased to grow and it was known as a "Hexadonz' the scene of a witch dance. Science has demonstrated that the barrne spots are caused by certain fungus plants which exhausts all plant food from the soil and diffuses itself in an ever widening circle. A withc had the power of turning herself into an animal and could assume the form of a sow or a cow, cat or rat at pleasure. When a cow's yield of milk suddenly broke off, the owner was sure that the animal was daily robbed by a witch who was drawing away the supply by milking the corner of a towel at her home. When a hunter failed to kill his game or a skilled marksman shot wide of the mark at an old time shooting match, his gun was bewitched and teh remedy was in loading his piece to drive home with the wad a crumb of communion bread. Because the bread changed transsubstantiation into the body of Christ, no Evil one could stand in tis way or divert the bullet thus guarded from its mark. It was supposed that a witch could be disabled by securing a hair of her head, wrapping it in a piece of paper and placing it against a tree as a target into which a silver bullet was to be fired from a gun. "The world moves and civilization progresses but the old superstitions remain the same. The rusty horseshoe found on the road is still prized as a lucky token and will doubtless continue to be so prized. For human nature does not change and superstition is a part of human nature." Lawrence. 1 Johan Jacob Neifert, the 2nd child of Has Jawcon Neuferdt, and his wife Elizabeth... born in Albany township, Berks Co., PA July 2, 1785. He was a Rush pioneer, settling there with his family during the summer of 1880. (For full details see sketch of Rush Township and Christ's Chur- ch). He died of natural infirmities July 5, 1849, aged 84 years, trusting in the merits of a Divine Providence. His life was always full of faith. His dust reposes in the little cemetery at the White Church, where ground donated to the society 40 years previous. By his side lie buried the remains of his wife who was Magdalene Breiner, born in Albany Township January 10, 1760 and died at their pioneer homestead in Rush, on December 25, 1820. They were blessed with 5 sons and 4 daughters. The inscrip- tion on his tombstone states thtat at the time of his death there were 57 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren. Of this number there are living at this time l male and 5 female grandchildren; CHILDREN 2 Peter, born December 1, 1787, died April 8, 1874 2a Magdalena born June 7, 1789 died February 6, 1860 3 John born October 2, 1790 died October 7, 1859 4 Christina born April 23, 1793 died May 11, 1836 not married 5 Marie Barbara born September 13, 1796 died July 15, 1842 6 Jacob born August 30, 1798 died May 23, 1864 Daniel, dates unknown. He with two other daughters went to Iowa or some other western state, many years ago and no intelligences can be obtained from them 7 George born September 25, 1801 died APril 3, 1879 2 Peter Neifert the oldest child of John Jacob Neifert and his wife Mag- dalena was born in Albany Township, December 1, 1787 and came to Rush with his parents when he was 12 yrs old and lived in that Township until his death April 9, 1874. Eithty six years was the measure of his earthly existance. He was honored in various offices of trust on resp- onsibility and was a Decon in Christ's Church for many years. On Dec- ember 14, 1814 he married Mary Faust the oldest child of John and Ros- anna (Hinsinger) Faust, born in Montgomery County (?) Pa. November 25, 1785 and to Locust Valley, Rush Township with her parents when they settled in that locality during 1806. She died on August 12, 1874 and this happy aged couple now rest in the cemetery at Christ Church. CHILDREN 11 Rebecca, August 6, 1815. March 12, 1850 mar. Daniel Lindner, no issue 12 Magdalena Mary 27, 1817. Jan. 24, 1900 mar. Daniel Gerhard 13 Eli, Dec. 1820, October 1, 1899 14 Phebe May 25, 1822 June 7, 1905 mar. Daniel Bankes 15 Daniel August 26, 1822, Dec. 29, 1826 16 Rosine August 27, 1827, Mrs. David Stewart, living 17 Edward October 11, 1829, Jan. 17, 1866 mar. Mary Schlier 18 Aaron August 9, 1832, Feb. 6, 1858 mar. Maria Bankes, no issue 19 Mary Ann June 6, 1836 October 12, 1899 mar. Joel Shoemaker 20 Levina August 1, 1840 December 12, 1901 mar. Gideon Shoemaker 3 John Neifert, the second child of John Jacob and Magdalena Neifert born October 29, 1790 in Albany township. When a boy he removed with his parents to Rush Township, where on October 2?, 183? he married Anna Lindner, who was born December, 17?3 and died August 2?, 1872. She was a daughter of Thomas and Magdalens (Sansonderfer) Lindner who was also among the Rush Pioneer families. John Neifert bought from his father the original homestead on November 10, 1836 and lived there until he in turn sold the place to his son David, on July 2, 1858. He died October 7, 1859. Issue: 21 Reuben born Feb. 24, 1824 died April 27, 1905 22 David born August 27, 1826 died September 24, 1904 23 Ava born December 13, 1830 died February 6, 1894 24 Rebecca Cordelia born April 24, 1833 (Mrs. Keim - living ) 5 Maria Barbara Neifert, fourth child of John Jacob and Magdalena Neifert born in Albany Township September 13, 1796 and at the age of 4 came to Rush Township with her parents, where she afterwards lived and died on July 15, 1842. She married Anthony Lindner, a son of Thomas and Magdalena Lindner, who was born July 18, 1796. He was one of the building committe when Christ's Church was remolded and completed in 1831-32 and was for many years an officer of the church association. He died March 31, 1847 and is buried by the side of his wife in the cemetery near the little church he served so faithfully. They had children: 25 Jacob b April 17, 1816 died May 30, 1882 26 Barbara born.... died... Married Daniel Kemery 27 Leah born Oct. 2, 1827 Died Feb. 11, 1889 m. Henry J. Bankes 28 Lydia born May 30, 1834 no married is living and a twin with 29 Catherine born May 30, 1834, Mrs. Krause, living 30 Priscilla born August 1, 1837 died Feb, 19, 1890 no married 31 Polly born... died... married Samuel Davenport 32 Rachael born...died... married ....Van Doran This order may not be absolutey correct, but I am unable to verify it. 6 Jacob Neifert, fifth child of John Jacob and Magdalena Neifert born Aug. 30, 1798 in Albany township and removed to Rush township with his par- ents when less than two years of age and where he ever afterwards lived until his death May 23, 1864. He was a farmer and occupied the farm which is now known as the Neifert Place comprising 87 acres which he purcchased from his father. He married Elizabeth Faust the third child of John and Rosanna (Hunsinger) Faust who was born November 23, 1799 and died of natural infirmities on June 15, 1881. She is the only one of his grandparents that the writer had the priviledge of ever seeing and her saintly face is vividly recalled. In her declining years she lived with her son Joseph at Quakake Junction and was for some years confined to her room and took much comfort reading her German Bible. She was a member of the reformed denomination of Christ's church and the pastor of that faith officiating at the Church visited her regular- ly and gave her the benefits of the Holy Offices of the Church. In 1835 at St. John's church in Quakake Valley when the first Reformed comm- union was elebrated in that church we find her name among those part- icipating. They are buried side by side in the cemetery at Christ's Church. With her death occurred the passing out of the original pion- eer's immediate family. They had 11 children, all born in Rush Town- ship and with one exception all have joined the innumerable throng. The children: 31 William born Sept. 11, 1821 died Sept 19, 1884 32 Kate Born....died.... married William Bankes 33 Lydia born Aug. 27, 1824 died Jan 23, 1902 34 Henry born July 8, 1826 died Aug. 25, 1871 35 John born Sept 27, 1828 died Sept. 24, 1851 36 Joseph born May 19, 1831 died Mar. 31, 1883 37 Sarah Annn born .... died young 38 Daniel born ... died young 39 Jacob Faust born Aug 5, 1838 died October 28, 1902 40 Martin born Jan. 3, 1841, living 41 Elizabeth born ... died... married James Gerhart 7 George Neifert, the 7th child of John Jacob and Magdalena Neifert born in Rush Township, Sept. 25, 1801, at the home taken up by his parents the year previous and is perhaps the first white child born in that loc- ality. He married Rebecca Daubert, born May 8, 1802 and died Sept. 30, 1853. He lived during his declining years with his son, Abraham and was for sometime an invalid. He died April 3, 1879 and is buried at Christ Church cemetery. The children: 44 Jacob born Aug. 22, 1823 died in infancy 45 Isaac born Sept. 25, 1827 died in infancy 46 John born Feb. 12, 1830 died in infancy 47 Abraham born May 19, 183? died May 6, 1886 married Magdalena Walter 48 Catherine born June 7, 1834, Mrs. Messerschmidt living 49 Samuel D. born March 11, 1836 died July 19, 1899 not married 50 George born Oct. 21, 1838 died in infancy 51 Moses born??? died March 3, 1892 52 Daniel born ??? died ???? 53 Priscilla born??? died ??? married Bowman 54 Polly or Mary born ??? died??? married George Krause 55 Rebecca born ??? died ??? married ??Bell 56 and infant daughter born ??? died young not named 13 Eli Neifert, the third child of Peter and Mary Neifert, born Dec. ? 1820 and died Oct. 1, 1899. He married Priscilla Lindner a daughter of Samuel and Catherine (DeFrehn) Lindner, born April 18, 1825 and died Jan. 31, 1871. Their children: 130 Louisa born 1842 died 1850 131 James born Oct. 1, 1847 and was killed in a powder mill explosion Aug. 25, 1879. He married Clara Kleckner, who later became the second wife of Henry A. Weldy. 132 Timithy F. Born Feb. 25, 1858 died May 17, 1877 16 Rosine Neifert, the 6th child of Peter and Mary Neifert b. Aug 27,1827 in Rush. On June 17, 1849 she was married by Rev. C. Sollmon at at Frocktown Pa. to David Jacob Stewart born at Pricetown, Berks Co., PA. July 28, 1824 the 6th child of David and Julia (Schoyer) Stewart. They have always lived in Rush township where their nine children were born on a farm near Stewart's Station in Quakake Valley and where he died on Jan. 21, 1906 and lies buried at the White Church cemetery. Issue: 160. Adam b. Sept. 29, 1850 m Louisa Boughner Dec. 17, 18??? 161. Francis b Nov. 22, 1852 m Mary L. Faust Jan. 18, 1875 162. Franklin P. b. Feb. 1, 1855 not married 163. Emanuel b Mar. 15, 1857 d Jan. 27, 1888 m Feb. 21, 1884 164. Sallie A. Gable b July 3, 1856 children: I. Augustus David b Sept. 4, 1885; II. Roy Raymond b Oct. 12, 1887. III. Adaline b June 4, 1860 m Dec. 25, 1883 Isiah Dreischer b Feb. 16, 1860 Issue: Colonel Allen b Sept. 23, 1884; Otto John b Sept. 26, 1886; Isiah Ira b Apr. 6, 1889; Herbert Herley b Dec. 4, 1892; Adaline Alberta b SAept. 28, 1898 Nettie Violet b Feb. 23, 1900; Mahlon Stewart b Apr. 23, 1905. IV. Samuel b Oct. 20, 1862 died Apr. 18, 1865 V. Edmund E. Jan. 14, 1864 m Sept. 11, 1887 Ellen Eveland b May 18, 1862 Issue: Carrie R. b Apr. 18, 1891; Earl Nov. 7, 1892; Edith A. b Sept 5, 1894; Olive M. b. Sept. 11, 1896; Edna V. b Sept. 4, 1899; Clair E. b Oct. 24, 1901. 167. Allen (Neifert) Stewart, b Nov. 30, 1866 m June 2, 1892 M. Luella Whetstone b Feb 2, 1871 Issue: I. Harold Van Allen b Dec. 18, 1900 died May 23, 1901; II. Warren Whetstone b August 24,1896; III. Carl Winfield b. September 16,1900 died May 23,1901. IV. Paul b July 3, 1870 m 1893 Kate Kkrop Issue: infant b Aug. 25, 1893 d next day; Mabel Minerva b Aug. 1894; Eva Gertrude b Aug. 22, 1893; d Jan. 10, 1897; Florence May b Nov 17, 1897 d Oct. 18, 1898; Ezra Paul b Apr. 12, 1900; Robert Franklin b Jan 2?, 1902; Lillian Arline b Feb. 27, 1904. 21 Reuben Neifert, the oldest child of John and Anna Neifert was born Feb. 24, 1824 at the Neifert Pioneer homestead in Rush township. He died Apr. 27, 1905. His wife was Amelia Swevely who died May 21, 1880 the date of her birth is not known by the compiler. They had four children: 210. Annie Rebecca b. Oct. 15, 1861 m Joseph Arbuckle and lives in Phila. 211. Purella b Dec. 8, 1865 d Feb. 2, 1886 m James Balliet who is dead. There were 2 children, one Ida is living. 212. Cl?da Alice b April 12, 1869 died Jan. 30, 1870 213. Laura b May 21, 1871 died Aug. ???, 1898 married William Egge and had two children William and Ruth. 22 David Neifert the second child of John and Ann Neifert was born Aug. 27, 1826 in Rush Township, PA at his grandfather's homestead. On Nov. 18, 1855, by the Rev. Joel Grimm, at Tamaqua he was married to Maria Breiner, the first child of George and Cather (Culder) Breiner who was born in the West Penn, Pa, Nov. 24, 1831. They had ten children all of whom were born in the same house in which their father was born and which was erected by his grandfather when he settled in the township. Issue: 220 Anna Catherine born Aug 22, 1856 died Aug. 16, 1857 221 Matilda born Dec. 6, 1857 died April 6. 1896 222 Frank born Feb/. 11, 1859 223 Amelia born Nov. 9. 1861 224 Hettie born Dec. 23, 1862 225 Emily born Mar. 19, 1864 226 Stephen born Aug. 21, 1865 227 Rosie born Jan. 22, 1867 228 Levi born Feb 7, 1869 229 David S. born June 15, 1870 David Neifert was one of Nature's noblemen and upright citizen a sincere friend and an honest man. He died on Sept. 24, 1904 after a lingering illness of two years and nine months. His funeral was largerly attended, the Revs. George Gebert and John J. Fisher officiating. His remains are buried in the cemetery near the little church that he loved so well and to which he gave so many hours of cheerful and willing labor in numerous ways especially in his sixty years service as janitor and sexton all of which was gratuitous on his part. He was a farmer and during his entire life lived in the same house that sheltered his infant head and where he spent his childhood and youth and tilled the same fields which his father and grandfather before him, lived and lab- ored. He pruchased the property from his father on July 24, 1858. It is now owned by his youngest daughter who bought it from the adminis- trators of the estate on April 12, 1905 and is operated by the youngest son. Thus by an endless chain of titles from father to son, for 106 years has this property remained in the same family. The other sons remain near their ancestral home devoting themselves to agriculture and and the peaceful pursuits which their ancestors had followed. It is one of the finest farms in the valley, well stocked and equipped together with a good orchard. The germans set a value on patrimonial property because it leads to lasting and extensive advantages in the improvement of a farm so in course of time fruit trees and vines were plented. That inducement can be stronger in a parent to plant an orchard then the idea that it will be possessed by a succession of generations who shall inherit his blood and name. In all that they did they were moved thereto by one great irresistable desire and that was the love of Home. The temporary log house has long since given place to a two story structure, most durable, commodious and comfort- able with a good cellar with its provisions for keeping food prepared from day to day and for the purpose of storage of abundant supplies gathered and kept in bins, tubs and barrels, as enlarged fields yielded increased harvests and gardens supplied vegetables. This house like all the pioneer houses would not be completed without the large hearth and chimney or the interior division of a large central hall with rooms varying in number leading off from it. As rapidly as their means increased domestic animals and fowls were added and in place of the old barn and shedding now stands the great barn upon its stone base and with its everchanging frame structure and everywhere are scattered the many little adjuncts of prosperity and comfort for the shelter of live stock or the storage of products of the field, all of which were added in good time. It is however interesting to note that the original barn and one shed, both built of logs may still be seen for they built well in those early days. "oft did the harvest to their sickle yield, their furrow oft the stubborn globe has hove, How jocund did they drive their teams afield: How bow'd the woods beneath their sturdy stroke."