Barbara married HERR, David in 1738. David (son of HERR, Abraham and MUSSELMAN, Feronica) was born in 1718 in Manor Township, Lancaster County, PA; died on 11 Jan 1772 in Lancaster County, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Fanny married BINKLEY, Henry about 1765. Henry (son of BINKLEY, John and LANDIS, Barbara) was born in 1745; died in 1776; was buried in Binkley Cemetery, Lancaster, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: HERR, John. John (son of HERR, John and NEFF, Esther) was born on 30 Aug 1745 in Wheatland Mills, PA; died about 1815 in Wheatland Mills, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: HABECKER, Christian. Christian (son of HABECKER, Joseph and ERISMAN, Barbara) was born on 11 Jun 1747 in PA; died on 21 Oct 1834 in Millersville, Lancaster County, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Barbara married WITMER, Abraham on 8 Oct 1804 in Columbia, Lancaster County, PA. Abraham (son of WITMER, Johannes Christian and SCHALLENBURGER, Maria) was born in Sep 1771 in Manor Township, Lancaster County, PA; died on 4 Sep 1851 in Witmer Homestead, Town of Niagara, Niagara County, NY; was buried in WItmer Memorial Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: CHARLES, John. John was born on 11 Mar 1781 in Lancaster County, PA; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Niagara Gazette - 5/3/1882

-Mr. David Habecker, aged 91 years.
walked from his home in Wheatfield, a
distance of six miles to visit his nephew,
Mr. Abraham Witmer, Sr., on Wednes-
day, April 25. He moved from Lancaster,
Penn., to the farm on which he lives
in Wheatfield, Niagara county, forty-nine
years ago. Aside from deafness
the weight of years sits comparatively
light upon him.

ALSO

Niagara Gazette - 8/13/1885

On the 5th inst. a pleasant party assembled
at the residence of Mr. Fenuel
Schmeck. to celebrate the 94th birthday
of Mr. Habecker, father of Mrs.
Schmeck. In introducing Mr. Habecker
to the assembly Mr. Elias Witmer, a
son-in-law, said :
Our friend David Habecker, whom
we have the privilege and pleasure of
introducing to you to-day, is the only
surviving member of a family of six
children (three sons and three daugh-
ters) who were lineal descendants of an
illustrious stock of patriotic republi-
cans. His grandfather, Joseph Ha-
becker, a native of Canton Berne, in
the Republic Schweitz, emigrated to
America, arriving at the port of Phila-
delphia, Penn., A. L. 1734. He located
on a farm in Manor Township, Lancas-
ter Co., Penn., where he established a
home and reared a family of four chil-
dren (two sons and two daughters) of
this family (Christian) reared a family
of six children (Three sons and three
daughters) of whom David Habecker is
the youngest and only surviving one.
He was born in Manor Township, Lan-
caster co., Penn., Aug. 5, 1791, were he
lived a farmer's life. In 1811 he came
with my father Abraham Witmer an d
family over the mountains and through
the forests to Niagara Falls, Niagara
county, and in September of the follow-
int year he returned home via Elmira,
Painted Post, etc.
He visited friends in "Old Niagara" at
different times until A. D. 1832 he emi-
grated from Lancaster Co., Penn., to
Niagara Co., N.Y., and purchased a
farm containing 140 acres (about 100
acres clear) which he gave to his daugh-
ter Barbara (intermarried with Penuel
Schmeck) and enjoyed a home with
them. He subsequently purchased an
additional farm of 330 acres (timber
land) which he gave to his son, Joseph
Habecker, who improved it and occu-
pied it until his death in 1855, by whose
widow and children it is still occupied.
David Habecker divided his time be-
tween agricultural, horticultural and
mechanical pursuits; specimens of his
mechanical inventions are still extant.
\In music he was an adept; but both
voice and hearing are impaired to such
an extent that he cannot enjoy vocal
nor instrumental music. He has a re-
markable taste for reading - is a dili-
gent reader of the Holy Scriptures and
has a very retentive memory.

Family/Spouse: NEWCOMMER, Barbara. Barbara was born in 1796; died in 1870. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Drowned in Niagara River at foot of his mill. Body found at Lewiston October 26, 1859.

Buffalo NY Daily Courier - 10/27/1859

The BODY OF M R . W I T M E R F O U N D ,-
The Niagara Falls Gazette says: " The body of our
late townsman, Christian H. Witmer, was found a
short distance below Lewiston on Friday. It was
lying in the edge of the water, partly on shore
where It had evidently been driven within a day
or two by the wind! The body was In a very good
state of preservation. The relatives were at once
notified. and readily recognized it. The clothing
was nearly all gone- necktie, one wristband and shoes and stocking being
all that was left.
It will be recollected that Mr. Witmer was
drowned by falling into the river, near Suspension Bridge, on the 17th of September.

Christian married MANN, Maria Schneider on 31 May 1831. Maria was born on 11 Jan 1808 in Columbia, Lancaster County, PA; died on 30 May 1885 in WItmer Rd. near Hyde Park Blvd., Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY; was buried in WItmer Memorial Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Niagara Gazette - 7/25/1895

Death ol Abraham Witmer.
Abraham Witmer, father of J . S Wit-
rner formerly of this city but now of Lockport,
died In that city this morning at 8
o'clock, aged 97 years.. His wife and one
son survive. the funeral will be observed
at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday from the Church of
Christ.

Abraham married STRICKLER, Catherine on 5 Feb 1835 in Clarence, Erie County, NY. Catherine was born on 22 Nov 1816 in Clarence, Erie County, NY; died on 20 Mar 1903 in Lockport, Niagara County, NY; was buried in WItmer Memorial Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

David married MARTIN, Fanny on 1 Jan 1839 in Clarence, Erie County, NY. Fanny (daughter of MARTIN, David and FRICK, Veronica) was born on 9 Jul 1815 in Lancaster, Lancaster County, PA; died on 4 Mar 1904 in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY; was buried in WItmer Memorial Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Living in Niagara, NY at the time of his brother Tobias's death in 1897

Joseph married KAUFFMAN, Catharine on 24 Sep 1846 in Lockport, Niagara County, NY. Catharine (daughter of KAUFFMAN, Michael and NEWCOMMER, Elizabeth) was born on 2 Aug 1825 in Lancaster County, PA; died on 23 Jul 1907 in Town of Niagara, Niagara County, NY; was buried in WItmer Memorial Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

WITMER.-THE FIRST DEATH OF THE HOUSEHOLD. Written on the death of Esther Witmer, who died Jan. 10th, 1834, aged 19 years, 10 months and 20 days.

Oh! many a mournful year hath flown,
Since first amid our family band
Death came and stole our lovliest one,
And bore her to the spirit land
Yet shrined with many a sweet, sad thought,
That loved one's mem'ry lingers still;
For oh! she left a void that nought
But mournful thoughts could fill.

Years have passed by, I said, and yet,
It only seems the other day;
Since round her dying bed we met
With breaking hearts to weep and pray;
Her gentle soul, we strove to think
Would linger yet 'mid earthly flowers;
Even when 'twas trembling at the brink
Of the better world than ours.

Yes, there e'en when all hope had flown,
We wept away each lingering hour,
Until the shades of Death came down
And closed at length the closing flower;
And yet it seemed like sin to grieve
For one so patient and resigned,
For, if she mourned 'twas but to leave
Such breaking hearts behind.

She died! yet death could scarcely chill,
Her smiling beauties, though she lay
With cold, extended limbs, and still
Her face looked fairer than the day;
Those eyes, once elegant with bliss,
Now closed as soft as closing flowers-
Oh! few could bear a sight like this,
But such a sight like this was ours.

How slowly wore that long, long day,
Like spirits in some haunted place;
We'd sit and sigh-then steal away
To look once more on that pale face;
We could not think her soul had passed
The awful bounds of mortal strife,
That that warm heart was cold at last
That loved us more than life.

And when the funeral-rite was said,
They bore her from our happy home,
And left her with the silent dead
A pale-faced tenant of the tomb.
We reared no marble* midst the flowers,
Above her grave--to mark the spot;
Yet many a heart, as fond as ours
Still holds her unforgot.

Months passed, yet still our sorrow gushed;
The free glad laugh no more was heard;
And many a little voice was hushed,
That used to warble like a bird.
And though at times we strove to smile
Serenely for each other's sake,
And wept in secret all the while
As if our hearts would break.

Yet why should death be linked with fear,
A single breath-a low drawn sigh
Can break the ties that bind us here,
And waft the spirit to the sky.
Such was her end-a calm release-
No clinging to this mortal clod;
She closed her eyes and stood in peace
Before a smiling God.

Suspension Bridge. ----- E. Witmer.

*Since, a tombstone has been erected

Notes:

Niagara Gazette - 2/23/1943

SAD event of wide interest occurred
here 25 years ago today
when Elias Witmer. Niagara county's
oldest resident, died at his
home in the Saunders Settlement
road, near Sugar street, at the astonishing
age of 101 years and
four months. More remarkable still
was the fact that he died on the
same farm where he was born and
had spent almost his entire life.
A member of a family whose
longevity has become almost a leg-
end in this area, Mr. Witmer was a
son of Abraham Witmer, who had
settled in Niagara county in 1811.
He was of Swiss ancestry. With
the exception of a few years, dur-
ing which he taught school in Buf-
falo, he operated the Saunders Set-
tlement road farm until he retired
near the century mark. Even when
he was crowding 100 he frequently
walked allk the day from his farm to
downtown Niagara Falls. Unmar-
ried, he was survived by 25 ne-
phews and nieces, including Mrs.
Daniel Schmidt, with whom he re-
sided; 166 grand-nephews and
grand-nieces and 35 great grand-
nephews and great-grand-nieces.

ALSO

Buffalo NY Morning Express - 2/23/1918

Niagara Falls, Feb. 23 - Elias Wit-
mer, who was 101 years old on October
6, 1916, died shortly before 5 o'clock
this afternoon at his home on the Sandy
Settlement road a few miles east of this
city. He had been failing all winter.
Two weeks ago he caught cold, but he
was up last Monday. Fifteen minutes
before his death he talked with Andrew
Lauer (sic), a lifelong friend and neighbor,
and showed much interest in the news
of the day.
Mr. Witmer was born in the house in
which he died, a house built in 1811 by
his father, Abraham Witmer. He was
never married, but lived in the old
house with Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Smith,
the latter the daughter of Tobias Wit-
mer, a twin brother of Elias, who died
in 1897 at Williamsville. Abraham Wit-
mer had six sons and a daughter and
Elias was the last.
Elias Witmer was well known in
Western New York. He was a great
walker and visited many places. He
never smoked, shewed or drank, not
because of religious scruples, but be-
cause he thought the habits useless and
unhealthy. He would annoy tobacco
growers in the fields by telling them
their work was a waste of time.
In religion, Mr. Witmer was a Men-
nonite and it was his last request that
Jacob Habecker of a Mennonite settle-
ment in Pennsylvania be asked to offi-
ciate at his funeral. A telegram was
sent to Mr. Habecker and the funeral
will be held next Tuesday at the home.
Burial will be in the Witmer rural
cemetery, which was founded by Abra-
ham Witmer.

ALSO

Niagara Gazette - 10/9/1911

Elias Witmer, the oldest resident of
Niagara county, yesterday quietly observed
his th birthday at the old Witmer
homestead on the Saunders' Settlement
road. Though the aged man has
lost considerable of his former vigor
he Is still active mentally and physically.
>"-".>'°
Mr. Witmer, son of the late Abraham
Witmer, a Niagara pioneer was born
near old village of Suspension Bridge,
on October 8th, 1816, and has lived in
this vicinity all his life. For the greater
part of the time he has been a farmer.
As a young man he started In business
at the-north end of the city, but
his'health failed him and he had to
seek outdoor occupation. There is no
better example in Niagara county of the
value of the outdoor life than Mr. Witmer
There was never a day up up until
within a year that he did not walk from
ten to twelve miles. There was no
more picturesque figure than his with
his fishpole over his shoulder.
Until this year Mr. Witmer never
missed a picnic of the Niagara County
Pioneer's Association. He was very
eager to attend the outing, but he was
not in the best of health at the tlme
and was persuaded to remain at home.
But he is again in first class health
and appears to be well enough to warrant
belief that he will round out the
century.

ALSO

Niagara Gazette - 10/8/1915

Elias Witmer, who will one year from
today, if living then, complete a century
of life's cycle, retains within his time-
shrunken physical frame a soul and intel-
lect which, when given' play in conversa-
tlon, quickly dissipate thoughts of per-
sonal appearance and challenge regard.
Feeble and beset much of the time with
the ills of the aged, Mr. Witmer coura-
g e o u s l y arose and dressed today, walked
about the house a bit and affably greeted
close relatives and neighbors who gather-
ed to cheer him. He resides with his niece
Mrs. Daniel Schmidt, on the Saunders
Settlement road, a few rods beyond Sugar
street.
I feel as well as I could' well expect to
all things considered." declared the near
centenarian to his interviewer yesterday
afternoon. "I believe I shall live for some
years to come, possibly to 125." he added,
and shook hands with quite a firm grip.
The quarter hour's talk that followed was
punctuated with many merry quips and
jests on the part of Mr. Witmer. Much
was confidential, the rest may here be
told.
Born in Log Cabin.
"Yes, I am ninety-nine years old come
tomorrow," he said. "I was born on October
8, 1816, in a log-cabin about five or
ten rods south of this place and I have
always lived in this neighborhood except
during the few years that I traveled
through some of the states. I was spanked
here, I was trained here. I was
schooled here and I always lived here.
The log-house in which I was born has
passed away. It was two stories on the
ground floor and had no upper floors.
"Abraham Witmer was my father and
Barbara Witmer, nee Habaker, my mother.
I had five brothers and several sisters.
They are all dead and I am living
on. I have tried in vain to discover why
I, a man of small stature and not overstrong
should have lived so long and
outlived my larger, sturdier brothers and
sisters. It is a mystery to me so do not
ask me to explain the cause of my long-
evity.
Believes In Good Cheer.
"I was raised here on a farm and as a
youth became a farmer naturally enough.
l continued a farmer until I came to
realize that I was below medium slze and
then I went and learned the tailor's trade.
That I found deleterious to my health so
I sought the farm again and the rest of
my life I got my living from Mother
Earth herself. What I was unable to do
myself I hired others to do and here I
am. Long may you wave, my dear young
sir. You see I am of good cheer. I have
always found it good to keep cheerful,
"I never married. I am what they used
to call a bachelor. Is there any other
name used now that is not so harsh as
that? No? And you say they call them
bachelor girls instead of old maids, now-
adays? Well, that it better, that's a
I much better way to express it-hum, bachelor
girls."
"Well, I grew up under paternal discipline.
After years I volunteered to be
baptized in the church. In polities I have
always been a democratic Republican. and
-put this in capital letters, if you will-I
I'm anti-Masonic. Most of our family
lived to goodly years. My father lived
over eighty years. Have I told you
enough about myself, now?''
H e r e ' s Old Age Recipe.
"What Is your recipe for living to the
age of ninety and nine years?" Mr. Witmer
was asked.
"Well, I have always confined my eating
to a plain farmer diet of wholesome.,
well-cooked food, off my own farm, the
aged.man replied. "I have never used
tobacco and of alcoholic drinks. I never
partook except very sparingly at any
time. Alcohol is injurious to success. As
a medicine, however, I favor its use."
"Are you still able to read?" asked the
reporter.
"Yes," was the reply. "I read some
with these spectacles but the types have
grown pretty dim. I have been able to
read some about the great war in Europe
and have heard some about it- I have
no words to express the horror of it.
I only pray God to favor the right, on
whichever side it may lie. May God direct
it r i g h t"
With the light of happiness over the advent
of another birthday shining from his
wrinkled face, Ellas Witmer waved his
hand in adieu as his Interviewer departed
and down the hall stairs he again piped
shrilly, "Long may you wave."

Notes:

Born Oct. 08, 1816 in Niagara, NY, he worked on his fathers several hundred acre farm, attended the district school, and took a course of study at the Lewiston Academy. He next engaged to teach district school in what is now (1923) as the Synder District in Amherst, Erie County, NY. While teaching there he met, wooed and won his bride Anna FRICK daughter of Christian FRICK and Elizabeth LONG, who resided in a farm near by opposite the school house.
Tobias WITMER was a Surveyor and Civil Engineer. he was the author and publisher of maps of the town of Niagra, city of Tonawanda, Village of Williamsville and Deed Atlas of the County of Erie. etc..
He served for three years as a Sergent in the 50th Regiment of the New York Volunteers (Engineers), and on one occasion was in charge of several companies of the regiment putting in abatis in advance of one of our forts opposite of Petersburg, VA. The emeny observing and not approving of this began cannoning during the war he and his son Christian F. WITMER ( the author of the article) were deatiled to make surveys amont the forts at Washington D.C. and in the vincity of Falmouth VA.
Returning at the close of the War he resumed his former occupation of Land Surveying and took over the Agency of the Agricultural Insurance company, which has been in the family to the present time (1923),
He was active in the Church of Christ, also one of the founders of the Williamsville Classical Institute, and at one time its principal teacher, who finally donated their stock for Public School purposes. It was his ambition to equip each of his children with a good education rather than material wealth, on the theory that riches have wings, but that knowledge is life-long capital. Of his sons and daughters ten have served as teachers. He died in the family home Aug. 14, 1897.

ALSO

Buffalo NY Morning Express - about 1897

Pioneer, Patriot, Genius.
THE LATB TOBIAS WITMER WAS ALL
OF THESE, AND A MAN OF CHRISTIAN
LIFE AND GOOD INFLUENCE-
AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR.
Tobias Witmer, who died at his home near
Willamsville, August 14th, was a man whose
career was so prominently linked with the history
of Western New-York and Buffalo, that
it merits a somewhat detailed record.
He was a genius. There was nothing In
wood or metal that he could not make. He
was an inventor, as the records of the Patent
Office will show. He was the originator of
the bicycle wheel, and the family still have in
their possession a model of this wheel, made
years before the bicycle came into popular
favor In this model the spikes were made
from the wires of an old hoop skirt. Unfortunately
he never applied for a patent. Among
his inventions were a corn-sheller, a railroad
switch (automatic), a pile driver, a pall table
signal tower for use in the army, and a fire-escape,
of which thr presant Hayes ladder is
claimed to be an infringement. Another of
his inventions was a simple contrivance to
teach the transposition of the scale for the use
of music teachers.
He was a writer of considerable ability in
prose and poetry and was equally at home in
English. German, or the dialect of the "Pennsylvania
Dutch." A new system of phonetic
spenning which received the commendation
and endorsement of much high authority as
the late Prof a.0. Haldeman of the University
of Pennsylvania. was his work.
He was a patriot, having enlisted on his 45th
birthday. at which time he had twelve ctilldren.
A daughter was born on the day he
was is the Battle.of Fredericksburg and an
other after his return from the War. The
latter died after reaching her majority and
that was the only death in a family of fourteen children.
Mr Witmer celebrated his golden wedding
November 13, 1887, and had he lived until
November 13th this year. he would have celebrated
the 60th anniversary of his marriage.
His twin brother, Elias Witmer, still lives on
the old homestead east of Suspension Bridge
on which their father settled before the War
of 1812
A remarkable circumstance happened in
connection with Mr. Witmer s departure to
and return from the War. Accompanied by by
eldest son, Christian F., they took the old
Williamsville and Buffalo Octibus (sp?) and found
nine other recruits from Clarence and sur-
rounding towns going to the seat of war. Although
widely dispersed during the three years
of service on their return home after the close
of the War the original eleven men found
themselves traveling on the same omtiibus,
homeward bound.
Mr. Witmer was one of the founders of the
Williamsville Academy, an institution which
at one time had an attendance of 600 students.
He was also the principal of the institution
for a short time.
But his chief work was in the church For
many years he was an elder" in the Christian
Church (Disciples) at Williamsville. He established
numerous Sunday schools in Niagara
County and the towns of Amherst and Cheektow
aga.
His humble efforts in this direction were the
direct cause of the establishment of the Christian
church at Suspension Bridge. Through
the efforts of Mr. Hensler of Tonawanda and
himself. St. James Hall in this city wans rented
and religious meetings were held which finally
required in the establishment of the Christian
Church in Buffalo. At first services were held in
the old French Church at the corner of Tupper
and Ellicott streets Subsequently the Church of Christ (Disciples) on Tichmond Avenue was built and later a branch on Jefferson Street.
An artisan, inventor, civil engineer, author, poet, patriot and preacher, his unassuming superiority endeared him to all.

Tobias married FRICK, Anna Long on 24 Nov 1837 in Skinnersville, Town of Amherst, Erie County, NY. Anna (daughter of FRICK, Christian and LONG, Elizabeth) was born on 18 May 1819 in Skinnersville, Town of Amherst, Erie County, NY; died on 14 Sep 1908 in Skinnersville, Town of Amherst, Erie County, NY; was buried in Williamsville, Erie County, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Living in Excelsior Missouri at the time of her brothers death.

Fanny married LEIB, Jacob S on 13 Mar 1849 in Town of Niagara, Niagara County, NY. Jacob (son of LEIB, Abraham and SCHUH, Elizabeth) was born on 27 May 1824 in York County, PA; died on 30 Apr 1893 in Morgan, MO; was buried in Bethel Church Cemetery, Excelsior, MO. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: HERR, Susan Shenk. Susan (daughter of HERR, David and SHENK, Susan) was born on 25 Jul 1814 in Millersville, Lancaster County, PA; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: SCHMECK, Penuel. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]