BIO: JOHN JACOB ERFORD, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson OCRed by Judy Banja Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/cumberland/ _____________________________________________________________ >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 312-313 _____________________________________________________________ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/cumberland/zeamer/ JOHN JACOB ERFORD has been a resident of Frankford township since 1898, and he has passed all his life in Cumberland county, having been born there July 5, 1839. He comes of one of the old families of the county, his grandfather, John Erford, having emigrated from Germany at an early day and taken up a large tract of land in East Pennsboro township, Cumberland Co., Pa., where he settled. His family consisted of seven children, three sons - John, Jacob and Benjamin - and four daughters. Jacob Erford, father of John Jacob, was born in 1806, and passed all his life on the home farm, dying there in 1855. He married Susanna Hoover, daughter of John Hoover, of South Middleton township, this county, and they became the parents of five children, namely: Julia Ann, born Feb. 8, 1837, married John Givler, who was killed while serving in the army, and she subsequently became the wife of John Kiehl; she died in 1881. John Jacob is mentioned below. Elizabeth, born Dec. 3, 1842, is the wife of John Myers, and lives in West Fairview. Mary Matilda, born Nov. 4, 1845, is the wife of David Wolf, of Frankford township. Sarah Sophia, born Aug. 30, 1849, is the widow of Joseph Hess, and makes her home in East Pennsboro. Mrs. Susanna (Hoover) Erford, the mother of this family, passed away in 1858. John Jacob Erford was reared on the home farm, where he remained until eighteen years of age, assisting his father in his agricultural labors, and receiving such advantages as the local public schools afforded. He then attended the normal school at Newville, and subsequently taught two winters, but farming has been his life work. For five years he was located in South Middleton township, and it was during his residence there that he enlisted, in 1862, for service in the war of the Rebellion, on Aug. 16th of that year being enrolled as a member of Company A, 158th Regiment, P. V. I., under Gen. Foster. The command was sent to North Carolina, where Mr. Erford saw six months' service, guarding Little Washington and taking part in a few skirmishes. He re-enlisted during the invasion of the Rebels in Pennsylvania, and was honorably discharged from the service at Chambers- CUMBERLAND COUNTY. 313 burg, March 12, 1863. Returning to agricultural pursuits in South Middleton township, he removed thence in 1867 to West Pennsboro township, where he also remained five years, and he made several other changes before settling on his father-in-law's place in Frankford township. He bought that farm, which consisted of 178 acres, and made his hone thereon for sixteen years, meantime renting another farm which he owned. In 1898 Mr. Erford came to his present home in Frankford township, which he bought, and which, is a twenty-one-acre tract adjoining the old Darr homestead place. In the fall of 1903 he purchased the old Abraham Burkholder place, from E. E. Hoover, consisting of eighty-five acres. He has carried on general farming, and also raised and dealt in poultry, and has met with substantial success in whatever he has undertaken, being regarded as one of the prosperous farmers of his locality. Thrift and industry have enabled him always to have a good home, and to rear his family well, and by his upright life he has won and retained the esteem of his neighbors and made many friends, in every community in which he has resided. Though he has devoted the greater part of his time to his business affairs, he has ever taken an interest in the welfare of his town and has served acceptably in various offices, having been justice of the peace for over ten years, assistant assessor of Frankford township for one year, and assessor for three years. His political influence is given to the Democratic party. On Jan. 1, 1861, Mr. Erford married Rebecca, daughter of John Darr, who died on the Darr farm, where, as previously stated, the Erford family lived for sixteen years. Ten children have come to Mr. and Mrs. Erford, of whom we have the following record: Sarah Ann, born Oct. 8, 1861, married J. C. Mentzer, and they are living in Frankford township. Mary Elizabeth is the wife of Elias E. Hoover, of Frankford township. Emma Catherine, born Feb. 25, 1866, became the wife of Peter J. Sipe, and died in Frankford township. John Wesley died in West Pennsboro township when ten months old. Joseph Sylvester, born Oct. 24, 1869, married Elizabeth Katzmoyer, and they are living on the old homestead in Frankford township. William Francis, born March 6, 1872, married Lester Postma, and lives in Howard, Kans. Ida Jane, born Jan. 16, 1874, married Alfred W. Peterson, and they live in Iowa. Clara Eleanora, born Feb. 21, 1879, is the wife of David Mentzer, and lives in Akron, Iowa. Ella May, born May 27, 1881, is the wife of John E. Barricks, and lives in Bloserville, Frankford township. Martha Blanche, born Jan. 17, 1885, is married to William H. Brean, a resident of South Middleton township, Cumberland county. In religious connection Mr. and Mrs. Erford are members of the United Evangelical Church at Bloserville, Frankford township, and they are well known and respected among the people of that congregation, in which they have been active workers.