Levi Bolender & Sarah Haas of Rock Grove

JOHN H HAAS > VALENTINE C HAAS > DAVID HAAS > SARAH HAAS m Jacob Marean

Levi Bolender

The earliest Haas in the line discussed here in the last post I have worked with, is John Heinrich Haas, born 07 Nov 1741 in Trappe, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He married Elizabeth Pannebaker in 1767 in Philadelphia. They had at least 10 children, including Captain Valentine Haas, born 20 Nov 1770 In Upper Providence, Montgomery County.

Capt Haas married Mary Elizabeth "Polly" Mauck in 1798 and they too had at least 10 children, among them David, father of Valentine M., who married into our Cooper line with his marriage to WL Cooper's daughter, Hannah.

Captain Haas served as a Justice of the Peace beginning in 1822 and also served in the 77th Pennsylvania Militia during the war of 1812 under Lt Col George Weirick.

David and Barbara Mitterling, his first wife, had six children. Among them was Sarah, born 27 Apr 1834 in Snyder County, Pennsylvania. She came west with her family and resided in Stephenson County and married Levi Bolender 19 Oct 1852 in Rock Grove. Her parents shortly thereafter moved slightly north to Spring Grove, Green County, Wisconsin.

Sarah Haas Bolender

Levi's family had come to Stephenson County in 1840. His father Reuben John "John" and his father's brother Michael had made the trek west, leaving their parents in Snyder County, Pennsylvania. They were well-situated, Michael purchased land near the state line in Oneco Township and John in Buckeye Township. John purchased 400 acres upon his arrival. After John's death, Levi purchased 150 of those acres and farmed that himself. Their farm was located about one mile east of Rock Grove. Levi was active in civic and political affairs and was considered one of the most influential men in the area at the time. He served the township as highway commissioner and served as a school trustee. He also was vice president of the Old Settlers Association. Shortly after the death of Sarah on 19 Jan 1888 in Rock Grove, Levi retired from active farming but lived, on until 15 Jan 1908.

Levi and Sarah also had at least 10 children. Son Allen would die tragically, due to suicide related most likely to his ill health.

What is a truck farm? I had to look it up! Truck Farming is a horticultural practice of growing one or more vegetable crops on a large scale for shipment to distant markets. It is usually less intensive and diversified than market gardening. At first this type of farming depended entirely on local or regional markets. infoplease.com