| 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.
|
1791 - 1889 (97 years)
