OBIT: Jonas S. HERSHBERGER, 1946, of interest in Somerset County, PA

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library.
Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer.

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JONAS S. HERSHBERGER
Death of the Man Who Named Maple Glen Community

  Jonas S. Hershberger, well known by many residents of this paper, passed away 
at his home in Waterloo, Iowa, March 29, at the age of 84 years, 5 months and 9 
days.
  He was born at Gibbons Glade, Preston County, W.Va., Oct. 20, 1861, the son of 
Solomon and Sallie (Peck) Hershberger, and was the only boy in a family of ten 
girls, only two of whom survive - Mrs. Myra Wrightsman and Miss Cora 
Hershberger, both of Denver, Colo.
  When he was yet quite young the family moved to the farm home near the Maple 
Glen Church and school house, now owned and occupied by John Niner.  He grew to 
manhood on that farm and took pride in the fact that it was he who gave the name 
Maple Glen to that locality at the time the meeting house of the Church of the 
Brethren erected near the Hershberger home was so named at his suggestion.
  When he was a young man he married Miss Fanny Gnagey, youngest daughter of the 
late Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel Gnagey who lived on what is now known as the Sam 
Hershberger farm adjoining the town of Grantsville, Md.
  About the year 1891 Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Hershberger moved from Maple Glen to 
the historic Stone House (Little Meads) farm two miles east of Grantsville, 
where all of their children except Owen, the eldest, were born.  They resided 
there until 1906 when they moved to Waterloo, Iowa, where Mr. Hershberger 
operated a farm and dairy within the city limits for nearly 15 years, following 
which he was associated with his sons, Owen and Floyd in the grocery business in 
Waterloo for about 10 years until his retirement in 1929.
  His wife, Fanny Gnagey, died Dec. 6, 1921.  On Oct. 30, 1924, he married 
happily for the second time by taking as his wife and companion for his 
remaining years, Sadie Hoover of Plattsburg, Missouri, who cared for him very 
tenderly during his last illness.  Until two years ago he and his second wife 
maintained a winter home in Sebring, Florida, for 15 years, and spent the 
summers in their permanent home in Waterloo, Iowa.
  While he was a winter resident of Florida he took up the hobby of making 
walking canes from palmetto sticks, which he presented to many of his lame and 
aged friends.  A number of his canes are in use in Meyersdale to this day.
  Mr. Hershberger was a very intelligent, genial and friendly man, who deprived 
much happiness from life as long as he was well and able to work at his business 
or hobby.
  He had been in failing health for several years, not suffering much, but being 
weak in his leg, on account of which he spent a good deal of his time lying 
down, but had been bedfast only a few days before he passed quietly away.
  He was a very kind and loving husband and father, and is survived, besides the 
two sisters above mentioned, by his second wife and the following children of 
his first marriage: Owen H., Floyd E. and Galen F., Waterloo; Mrs. Verda Gibbel, 
Hollansburg, Ohio; Mrs. Leota Fahrney, Cedar Falls, Iowa; Mrs. Louise Meshew, 
Dayton, Ohio, and six grandchildren.
  He was a faithful member of the Church of the Brethren, since his youth.  
Funeral services were conducted in his home church in Orange Township, outside 
the city limits of Waterloo, by the pastor, Rev. W. H. Yoder, preceded by a 
prayer service in the Kearns Garden Chapel, Waterloo, by Rev. Charles Dumond.  
Burial was in the church cemetery in Orange Township.

Meyersdale Republican, April 11, 1946