YorksPast

In a series of posts, I’m looking at the history of various families, structures and businesses in the area where the humpback bridge once stood on the Lincoln Highway at Stony Brook.  Other parts in this series include:

• The Humpback Bridge at Stony Brook, Part 1: Ettline’s Antiques
• The Humpback Bridge at Stony Brook, Part 2: John and Sarah Hauser Family
• The Humpback Bridge at Stony Brook, Part 4: Henry and Nancy Hauser Family
• The Humpback Bridge at Stony Brook, Part 5: The John H. Hauser 1850 Homestead

In part 1 of this series, we learned that the house at 3790 East Market Street was almost certainly built by Henry C. Hauser between 1875 and 1889; and likely closer to the low end of that range, when most of his children were still at home.  In part 2, I looked at 1900 Census records to understand how many people might be residing in the house that eventually was part of Ettline’s Antiques.  I also looked at family history of the John and Sarah Hauser Family of Hellam Township because all the Hausers in the Stony Brook area descend from three of their sons.

In this, part 3, I’ll examine the first Hauser in the Stony Brook area, John H. Hauser.  He owned the sizable farm and Grist Mill shown on the 1876 Map.

 

 

The first question I had, upon seeing the 1876 Map, John H. Hauser died in 1867, so why is J. Hauser still listed on the 1876 Map?  I was really suspicious when I discovered his widow Hannah Hauser and child Emma A. Hauser were residing in the City of York during the 1870 Census.

That is why I visited the York County Archives on Monday. The Estate Papers of John H. Hauser of Spring Garden Township (1827-1867) and those of his father John Hauser of Hellam Township (1796-1875) contained evidence John H. Hauser’s real estate was maintained by his father after his death.

This Spring Garden Township “J. Hauser” property was then settled as part of the October 22, 1875 distribution of all of John Hauser’s (1796-1875) real estate holdings.  For those confused about the township name; in 1875 this area was Spring Garden Township until the formation of Springettsbury Township on April 20, 1891.

We’ll first look at the family history of John H. Hauser.  The majority of the following family history information comes from the Hauser Family History file # 2572 and Cards at the York County Heritage Trust; containing clippings, Family Bible records, vital records and assorted other information on York County Hauser Families.  York County Deed and Estate records were also consulted.

The John and Hannah Hauser Family in Springettsbury Township

John H. Hauser was born February 11, 1827 in Hellam Township.  At the age of 22 he married Hannah G. Richardson on December 19, 1849.  Hannah (Richardson) Hauser was born March 27, 1828.  The John & Hannah Hauser Family move to, what is now Springettsbury Township, about in the early 1850s; most likely late 1850.  They had two children.  John died November 12, 1867 and Hannah died January 5, 1873; they are buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery in York.

The 2 children of John and Hannah Hauser are:

Emma Augusta Hauser was born December 10, 1850.  At the age of 26 she married George S. Billmeyer on June 1, 1876.  George was born January 7, 1849.  They had no children.  Emma died January 9, 1902.  The widower George S. Billmeyer married Fannie E. Evans on March 10, 1904.  Fannie was born September 3, 1862.  George died January 13, 1917 and Fannie died September 15, 1932.  George and both of his wives are buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery in York.

Alice Richardson Hauser was born March 17, 1853.  Alice died August 31, 1855 and is buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery in York.

This section of Shearer’s 1860 Map of York County shows the same general area as the 1876 map at the beginning of this post.  I’ve highlighted the J. Hauser Grist Mill on Stony Run.  Grant H. Voaden labeled the Hauser Mill as #19 in his extensive research on Mills throughout York County.  Grant noted, “I was first shown the site of this mill by Jim Knobb on September 10, 1972.  In the 1910-20 era his father lived at this farm and there were no remains of a mill there at that time, yet he can remember old timers telling him that there was one there and showing him about where it was.”  Grant also noted that the equipment in the mill were stones and that chop & feed for livestock were likely products; probably mostly for the Hauser farm.  Here is a link for post on: The making of Shearer’s 1860 Map of York County, PA.

The Inventory of Personal Property in the Estate Papers of John H. Hauser of Spring Garden Township (1827-1867) contains a listing of a “Grind Stone & Frame.”  The obituary of his daughter notes she was born and spent her earliest years growing up in Stony Brook.  Her obituary is from the Friday January 10, 1902 issue of The York Dispatch:

Mrs. George S. Billmeyer

Late yesterday afternoon Mrs. Geo. S. Billmeyer died at her home on East Market Street, after an illness, which lasted scarcely more than a week.  Only last Saturday she took to her bed after suffering from a slight attack of influenza for about a week previous.  Medical help was called and the symptoms of brain fever were soon detected.  Early yesterday morning there was a turn for the worse, and at about 5:30 o’clock death came.

Emma Augusta, daughter of John and Hanna Hauser, was born and spent her earliest years at Stony Brook, this county.  About 27 years ago she was wedded to Mr. Billmeyer, some extent of whose bereavement is realized by his acquaintances, among whom their unfailing devotion to one another is well known.  Mrs. Billmeyer was a woman of unusual force of character, who sacrificed much to her sense of duty to her church and to the less fortunate of her fellow creatures.  She will be held in grateful remembrance by many of the poor in this city, to whom she was a constant benefactress.  She was very active in the various departments or work—charitable, social, educational—in the First Presbyterian Church.

Emma Augusta’s obituary notes she was born in Stony Brook.  John & Hannah Hauser are not in the mid-year collected 1850 Census for Spring Garden Township; this coupled with Emma’s birth on December 10, 1850 indicates that John & Hannah Hauser probably moved to what is now Springettsbury Township late in 1850.

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