Major John ZENTMYER

Notes:

From various sources he have good data that John was quite the entrepreneur. He farmed, bought and sold logs, and mined iron ore, having located his residences near the Springfield Furnace, Huntingdon Furnace, and the Juniata Iron Works, early blast furnaces in Huntingdon County.

"John Zentmyer was born in Franklin County, Pa., near the South Mountains, not far from Pen Mar, about 1806. (probably 1808 -Ed) In 1831 he went to Springfield Furnace, Blair County, (actually Huntingdon County, Blair County was not formed until 1846 -Ed) where he remained for some time, (four years -Ed) after which he moved to Spruce Creek valley to the farm now owned by the heirs of Robert L. Henderson. He then rented one of the farms of the Huntingdon Furnace Company, and in 1866 bought a farm in Porter township, Huntingdon county, where he resided until his death." -Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, pages 118-119.

"He was well known as Major Zentmyer, having held that rank in the State militia. He married Margaret Gates, of Blair county, (see Blair Co. note above -Ed) who died about 1889. Mr. Zentmyer died in 1891; he and his wife are buried in a small graveyard on the farm." (However, there are currently no Zentmyer headstones in the farm cemetery, now called the Huyett Cemetery. The headstones are located in the Alexandria Presbyterian Cemetery, indicating a likely relocation of the graves. -Ed)

"Their children are: Isabella, wife of David Kinch, of Altoona; David (who died at the Battle of Fredricksburg -Ed); Frank, enlisted in Company I, Fifth Pennsylvania Reserves, was wounded at Fredericksburg, and died in Libby Prison; Priscilla, wife of E. C. Kinch, resides near Altoona; Porter, secretary and treasurer of the Clearfield Manufacturing Company; Miles, attorney in Schuyler, Neb.; Margaret, wife of David C. Stine, Bellefonte, Pa.; John W., insurance solicitor, resides in Blair county; Benjamin, on the homestead; and George, who died young." - article provided by Dante Hebert, Kingston, Washington

"After a brief illness, Major John Zentmyer died on Wednesday evening at his home in Hartzlog [sic] Valley, Potter township, Huntingdon county. While the deceased had not resided in Blair county for some years past, yet he was well known throughout the county and especially among the older citizens. Born near Williamsport, Md., March 24, 1808, he came to what is now Blair, but was then Huntingdon county, in the year 1832, settling at Springfield Furnace. There in the same year he was married to Margaret Gates, who preceded him to the tomb some three years, after a long and happy married life. Major Zentmyer's death was sudden, for he had been always very strong in health. Some ten days ago, however, he contracted a heavy cold, which resulted in typhoid pneumonia, and this disease was the cause of his demise. He removed from this county to Hartslog Valley in 1866. To Mr. and Mrs. Zentmyer, nine children were born. The living children are: Isabella, wife of David Kinch, of Altoona; Priscilla, wife of E. C. Kinch, of Sinking Valley; Maggie, wife of D. C. Stone, of Bellefonte; Miles Zentmyer, esq., an attorney of Schuyler, Neb.; Porter R., superintendent of the Clearfield Creek Coal company, Madera, Pa., and John and Benjamin, residing on the old homestead. In politics Major Zentmyer was a staunch democrat and during the war was a candidate on that ticket in Huntingdon county for the legislature. He was not successful, however. In religion he was a Reformed and was a member of the church at Alexandria. Funeral will take place at noon to-day and the interment will be in the family burying ground on the farm." Morning Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Friday, March 13, 1891



It is almost certain that John Zentmyer knew Alfred Crewitt, whose daughter Jane would marry John's son Miles, as they both worked in the iron industry in Huntingdon County during the same period, and were both Presbyterians.

John married Margaret GATES 29 Mar 1832. Margaret (daughter of Johann Godlieb GÖTZ and Elizabeth GEAURNEY/GAUBY) was born 28 Mar 1810, Berks, Pennsylvania; died 14 Jul 1888, Alexandria, Porter Twp., Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The 1810 US Census shows David in Washington Twp, Franklin Co. Pennsylvania, which was the location of his father Christopher's farm. His son John's obituary states: "John Zentmyer saw the light of day in Williamsport, Maryland March 24, 1808. When he was quite young his parents removed to Waynesboro, Franklin County." -Huntingdon Monitor, 19 Mar 1891. The following additional sources convince us that David's home and tannery were originally in Washington Co., Maryland before he moved to be near his father. (Waynesboro is within Washington Twp)

-- ". . . Elizabeth Zentmeyer, who was born in 1803 near the Mason-Dixon line at the foot of South Mountain, in Washington County, Md. where her father was for many years engaged in the tanning business." -Biographical Annals of Franklin County
-- ". . . his mother, Elizabeth (Zentmyer) Hoover was born in Washington County, Maryland in 1803." -History of Cumberland Valley
-- ". . . Elizabeth Zentmyer, daughter of David Zentmyer, who conducted a tannery at the foot of the mountains between Rouzerville, Pennsylvania and Edgemont, Maryland." -Biographical Sketches, p.195
-- "His wife Elizabeth, a daughter of David Zentmyer, was born at the foot of the South Mountain--westside--where her father had been engaged in tanning for many years." -Historical Sketch of Franklin County.
-- "Near Pen Mar" -David Taylor Zentmeyer

David married Eve Ann WELTY 23 Jul 1803, Leitersburg, Washington Co., Maryland. Eve (daughter of Jacob WELTY and Anna Maria HOOVER) was born 21 Jul 1782; died 1 Aug 1858. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

There is much additional material related to Christopher on the York Co. and Franklin Co. pages on this web site.



The deed by which Christopher conveyed his farm to his son Daniel was also his will, a shrewd legal strategy, see 'Third' below. But it is an interesting document for several reasons.

First, John Wesley Zentmyer was a special grandson to Christopher and Barbara Zentmeyer. When the will was written in 1824, there was a special provision for John to receive two hundred dollars from the estate at Christopher's death. By 1824 Christopher had as many as eighteen additional grandchildren, none of whom were similarly provided for. The will also indicates that one John Zentmyer was living nearby at that time, and since Christopher's son John was living in Brownsville, Virginia by then, one must conclude the John residing near Christopher's farm must have been John Wesley Zentmyer. The will also provided for a shed to be built and finished adjoining John Zentmyer's house for Christopher to enjoy during the remainder of his natural life. So it appears John Wesley Zentmyer and his wife Eleanor cared for grandparents Christopher and Barbara into their old age, and were therefore rewarded in the will.

Second, the will illuminates for us the diversity of economic activity on the farm. There are references to crops of wheat, rye, corn, hay, and apples; a stable with cows, horses, cattle, and hogs; a weaver shop, and wool, so presumably sheep; and firewood production indicating logging.

Third, the will presented an interesting legal question, namely do certain economic provisions in a grant deed survive a foreclosure. The deed stated that "Daniel Zentmeyer engages to give to his father Christopher Zentmeyer yearly and every year during his natural life and the life of his wife Barbara twenty bushels of wheat, twenty bushels of rye, and twenty bushels of corn, also two good loads of hay, and one third of the rows of apple trees divided the short way and pasture two cows and one horse with his own cattle also to let them keep four hogs which are to run with his hogs." Neighbor George Harbaugh took title to the farm in 1828 after a foreclosure sale, and ceased fulfilling the provisions Christopher had specified in the deed. The Zentmeyers sued Harbaugh. The court held: "I look upon it as a covenant to pay rent in kind; and if it be, it is a covenant running with the land, and the defendant is clearly liable; for, upon such covenants, which concern real property, or the estate therein, the assignee of the lessee is liable for an action for a breach of covenant after the assignment of the estate to him." So Harbaugh was required to continue to supply the goods and services to Christopher as required in the deed, a much better result than had Christopher simply written a will.

Johann married Barbara LAUMAN 22 Apr 1777, St. James Episcopal Church, Lancaster, Pennsylvania by Rev. Barton. Barbara was born Abt 1750, Pennsylvania; died Jan 1844, Washington Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania; was buried Zentmyer Cemetery, Washington Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania. [Group Sheet]

Jacob married Anna Maria HOOVER 1779, Washington, Maryland. Anna (daughter of John HOOVER and Mary WATSON) was born 3 Oct 1759, Ringgold, Washington, Maryland; died 3 Feb 1821, Ringgold, Washington, Maryland; was buried Hoover Cemetery, Ringgold, Washington, Maryland. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Bernhard was the Patriarch of the Zentmeyer/ Zentmyer/ Zentmire/ Santmyer/ Santmyers families in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and later into Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Nebraska.

There is a Bernhard Nicholas Santmyer listed in FamilySearch records and elsewhere as a member of this family, but he never actually existed, he is an unfortunate synthesis of several records by an unidentified compiler. I am working diligently with FamilySearch to remove this fabrication from the record.

Bernhard is also not related to Henricus Zentmaÿr of Brilon, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany, an actual person, who had been incorrectly linked to this family in good faith by Dorothy Zentmyer Jones

Penn Township was formed out of Warwick Township in 1846.

Johann married Maria Salome ROTH 16 Feb 1739, Bischwiller, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France. Maria (daughter of Jacob ROTH and Catharina WALTHER) was born 16 Mar 1712, Bischwiller, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France; died 1774, Warwick Twp., (now Penn) Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania; was buried Union (White Oak) Cemetery, Penryn, Penn Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Headstone Inscription:
(East Face) Here lies with God Salome Zentmeyer was buried in the year 1774
(West Face) Was 61 Years Old
Salome was born 16 Mar 1712 per church records (Kirchenbücher) in Bischwiller, so she must have died before March 1774.

John married Eve GOCHNOWER Abt 1752, Pennsylvania. Eve (daughter of Jacob GOCHNAUER and Anna STIRTZ) was born 28 Nov 1735, Manheim, Lancaster, Pennsylvania; died Abt 1806, German, Fayette, Pennsylvania. [Group Sheet]

John — Mary WATSON. Mary died Bef 1803, Ringgold, Washington, Maryland. [Group Sheet]