SMULL: Samuel Gramley's Diaires...High Cost of War

While on my trip to Brush Valley in 2024, I had a few moments to look through the diaries of Samuel Gramley. I have written about him here. Samuel Gramley married Sarah Jane Smull (daughter of Henry Smull, in 1849. They lived in Centre County, Pennsylvania. This is the second post of entries.

March 3, 1865. Many of our neighbors were drafted - 27 of whom must either go or furnish substitutes. There are some drafted for whom I feel sad. Some of my near friends. Harrison Smull, Henry Smull, S. G. Mengle and others for whom I feel sad. All the Shoemakers are drafted.

(Not sure about either Harrison or Henry, but Harrison has no record of service, so he must have found a substitute. Henry Jr. served in the 175th Infantry in 1862 - so did he get drafted after that service?  If you would like to know about Smull service for the Stephenson County, Illinois group, go here.)

March 4, 1865. This was nationally a great and memorable day, as Abraham Lincoln took his seat the second time as President of the United States; and my humble prayer to Almight God this evening is that God's choicest blessings may be upon him  as the Chief Magistrate of our Nation; and that his being President may yet be a blessing not only to our United States, but also to the world; that the long prayed for day of peace may speedily dawn; and that war and the rumors of war may cease O though God have mercy on us.

(A little over a month later, President Lincoln would be assasinated by John Wilkes Booth.)

March 10, 1865. I and several of my neighbors, moved George Deavler into my Tenant house today with sleds, but almost as much through mud as through snow. I am much pained to be compelled to enter in my Journal the death of my nephew, Charles A. Wolf, of Co. A, 18th PV. He was captured by the Rebels some time ago, with others, and was literally starved in their prison. May Almight God reward them for starving so many of our soldiers.

(Charles was the son of Samuel's sister Catherine and Henry Wolf.)

October 29, 1880. My sould feels much grieved from the fact of my irrepairable loss of my dear wife Sarah Jane. It seems to me at times that it could not be a reality that she is no more to be seen in the family. When I watch my two girls Naomi Jane and Adah E go about the house after the work, and their dear mother's voice is no more heard in giving counsel and advice, it almost breaks my heart. O! When thinking of the kind voice speaking and encouraging, not only the children, but also, me, language entirely fails to express my feelings.

(Sarah Jane died in May of 1880.) 

November 4, 1880. Mrs. Polly Walker (Sarah's sister) and Barbara Hoy were here today, assisting me and my little girls to cook apple butter, and also to kill or butcher a little hog. We were quite busy all day, and I feel very much tired. Last evening, I wrote my fourth letter to my Dear friend, Mrs. C.A.O. in Snyder County, and this morning I took it to the PO and then got a letter, and after I came home and opened it, I was not a little surprised and also full of Joy to find it a kind reply from her to my third letter. I felt thankful to God to know that there is still a friend to be found for me, and one, too, God willing, who will come to my assistance in due time, to help to bear my burden, and I hers. May God bless her and me, and help us successfully carry out our purposes.

(This is just adorable. He has started a postal romance with Catherine Spangler Ocker, who was widowed shortly before Sarah Jane died.)

December 30, 1882. Last Monday my dear wife Kate and I were at Millheim with my brother Reuben and his wife at a Lutheran Dinner given for the benefit of their New Lutheran Church which they are building. On Thursday I was out at Henry Wolf's to be present with Road Viewers and now have a severe cold from which I am suffering--severe hoarse.

(There were many sweet entries about his dear wife, Kate. However, she had seven children from her first marriage and visited them frequently.)

My last two entries just remind me of any man or woman in a blended family with teens!

January 6, 1883. My dear wife Kate all at once took a notion to take the train to see her daughter Mary A. a visit at Mifflinburg, and so she did today and will spend this evening and God willing I will meet her next Wednesday evening at Mifflinburg and accompany her back Thursday. I will leave home Tuesday morning for Middleburg, Snyder Co. and come to Mifflinburg as said.

January 17, 1883. We have excellent sleighing, and snowing now most of Saturday a week ago my wife Kate left home for Mifflinburg. On Tuesday following I went to Middlebur in search of the residence of Michael Hetzel, who has become a Township charge, and found that he has his last residence in Washington Township by having paid co. tax twice in succession--1875 and 1876. After having made said search I came to my friend Christian Spangler the same day at Centerville at whose place I staid over night, and the following morning I came to Mifflinburg, where I spend that day with my wife at her daughter's place, and on Thursday we came home about noon. On last Friday, Jan 12, Clement H. and Naomi J. (his children) left home on a visit in Clinton County to their uncle, T. J. Smull at Mackeyville, and also their Royer friends, with the understanding to come back on Monday. This command they both violated, and Clement H. alone came home yesterday. By the influence of the Royer friends Naomi J. staid, which was a violent temptation and disappointment to me, and the disobedience in her I am compelled to reproof severely. I have all the respects necessary for my friends, but they must however in this case be taught that I am the head in my family. I have immediately send her a Postal to be home by Friday or Saturday, if not that I would fetch her on Monday to her sorrow. This disobedience I do not blame as the heart only by the head pursuaded.

SMULL: Samuel Gramley's Diaries

While on my trip to Brush Valley in 2024, I had a few moments to look through the diaries of Samuel Gramley. I have written about him here. Samuel Gramley married Sarah Jane Smull (daughter of Henry Smull, in 1849. They lived in Centre County, Pennsylvania. I want to share a few entries:

December 24, 1856. Christmas evening. Weather severely cold for about 8 or 10 days already and no abatement yet. The cold has been so severe that no drop of water is now running in our town--all must be hauled from H. Royer's. And, Bear's or John Gramlys. Today Rev. Alleman had communion here and his discourse was based on Psalm 37:37. This too was his last sermon that he may do for us this side of the grave, as he has received a call some time ago from Hanover York County, Pennsylvania, wor which place he will leave this place next Monday. May the Lord's blessing attend him and his family withersoever he goes is my ardent prayer to God. The Lord has severely afflicted us in calling our most worthy Pastor Rev. Alleman to another field of labor. May the Lord soon send us another true, and really pious servant of his, is my wish and prayer to our God, who is willing, as well as ble, to here and answer the prayers of his children. Amen.

(Many entries were prayers or references to God.)

January 31, 1857. It is a long time since I wrote in my journal last and this was I think partly because during this time I met with so many trials and temptations from Satan, my own wicked heart, and from neighbors who are my deadliest enemies, round my back, but to my face seem yet as friends, and facts show are seeking my ruin, in any way they and the Devil think to succeed that I often know why, what to do, nor where I was standing. May God help me!

(There were a few entries that gave me the impression that he had fits of despair that may not have been warranted in the general scheme of things. I wonder who was backstabbing him!)

April 18, 1860. This has been a very fine day and the farmers in every direction were busy ploughing--sowing oats, etc. They are far back with their work on account of too much rain to do anything. Hardly any gardening has as yet been done before today for the same reason. I and Cephas Luther (his son) are alone at home tonight, as Sara Jane and Titus Melancthon have remained in town at Harrison Smull's. Nancy, his wife, is not expected to live long any more. She is very low. She has dreadfully to suffer--n one can hardly stand to see her suffer so. May the Lord have mercy on her, and grant that, should he see proper to remove her from this world, she may be prepared to leave this world in peace, has long been my prayer. Our friends William Walker's youngest child also is very low--hardly any expectations can be entertained of her reocvery. Last night I was there, and Sara Jane till half past one o'clock. Their daughter Jest Ann is in a most pitiable condition, on account of her spells of fits, whic she gets so very frequently. I have in my heart already felt for her, as she used to be on of my most obedient scholars--would learn well--and be active at everything.

(William Walker was married to Samuel's wife Sarah's sister, Mary Magdalena "Pollie." Their daughter Jest Ann was born in 1845 and survived until 1890, but was classified as insane - it sounds like she was epileptic, which was a sure way to be classified as insane back in that era.)

April 21, 1860. I have today been digging some in the garden. I owe also a great debt of gratitude to Gofr for his tender care toward me and my family. We are all enjoying good health and strength of body and mind. Sarah Jane has gone to town this evening to spend the night with our friends the Harrison Smulls; as she is yet very low--may not be able to live long anymore. Yet for all we know, she can by the help of God, again recover, as nothing is impossible with God; but to human appearance she may very properly be said to stand; as it were, with one foot in the grave. But she, as well as we, in the hands of him who is able to speak a word and it must come to pass. When he says, "come for thou son of man" we are; and when he says "die," we are no more--as a vapor before the sun, or that the grass is cut down. 

(Nancy McGee Smull, wife of Harrison Smull, died on 05 May 1860 at the age of 29. Harrison remarried to Matilda Hackman, "spinster" sister of Rev. H. E. Hackman, of St Clair, Pa. Matilda cared for her nephew Horace Hackman, son of Rev H. E. Hackman who had lost his wife and remarried and had several very small children in 1870. Unfortunately, Harrison himself would die in Sept 1871.)

January 5, 1861. Since my last entry into my journal we had fine winter weather--cold--excellent sleighing, and about 3 inches of snow. Had large attendance in school. One day more will finish my 2nd mo. I and family had taken a sleigh ride this afternoon to our friend's Henry Smull's. Found them all well. On my home road I received a letter from my friend T. J. Smull, who is teaching in Clinton Co, Pa.

(T. J. Smull is Thomas Jefferson Smull, brother of Sarah Smull Gramley. He would stay in Clinton County, Mackeyville, in particular, where he would spend 50 years as the postmaster there. When he retired, his son Roy took over.)

I'll publish a few more on the next blog.

SMULL: Jasper Gurney Smull One of My Favorite Stories

Jasper Gurney Smull, grandson of Henry Smull by his son Henry Kreamer "Harry" Smull, was born in 1901. He grew up and lived most, if not all, of his life in Rebersburg, Pennsylvania. He never married and it appears that he was a mama's boy.  For some time, he worked as a farm laborer in the area. To this day, the story of his time on the Walker farm told a story worthy of a made for TV movie. It remains one of the best stories I've run across, and there have been more than a few, in my family tree, which seems to have more than its fair share of nuts. Here is the story and here is a photo of Gurney, who lived until 1987.

SMULL: Henry Smull of Brush Valley

 I'm just now getting around to sorting through photos from my big trip to Pennsylvania, to hunt the trail of the Brothers Smull. My first post on my trip is here. I had such a great time with Evonne Henninger who runs the Facebook page Penns Valley Past and Present. Four Smull brothers arrived in Brush Valley to build the Lutheran church in Rebersburg: Jacob, Peter, Henry, and Jesse. Once building was complete, Jesse returned to the family while the three, Jacob, Peter and Henry, remained to build lives in the beautiful newly settled countryside on the other side of the Ridge and Valley Provice of the Appalachian Mountains, sitting between Nittany Mountain to the north and Brush Mountain/Shriner Mountain to the south. Peter was my third great grandfather. Jacob died relatively young but his home still stands on the main street in Rebersburg. Henry and his large family from his two wives, became part of the fabric of the area.

Henry's first wife was Elizabeth Royer, daughter of Johannes Christopher Royer and Magdalene Gross. The couple had seven children. Elizabeth died in 1834 at the age of 37, two weeks after she gave birth to their last child, Thomas Jefferson Smull. Henry then married the daughter of one of the prominent farmers Daniel Kreamer and Anna Kern) in the region, widow Catherine Kreamer Hosterman. They had an additional five children to add to the four children she had during her marriage to George Hosterman. George had died the same year Elizabeth Royer Smull died.  

I had not seen a photo of any of the Brothers Smull until I made my trip to Brush Valley. This is a photo of Henry, born in the 18th century, and his second wife, Catherine. This alone made the trip worthwhile.

Henry Smull and Catherine Kreamer Hosterman Smull c. 1860

Genealogy Trail: Brush Valley - Home of the Brothers Smull

Last week I made the long-awaited trip to Brush Valley in Pennsylvania. This includes towns like Centre Hall, Rebersburg, Aaronsburg, Smullton, and other villages within Centre County at its east end. I had the immense pleasure of having a tour guide, Evonne Henninger, who is the greatest historian of the area for whom I could wish. We spent the morning traveling around the valley and spent a bit more time in Rebersburg, the place my family had settled. I learned more in two days there than in years of studying from afar.

As a refresher, Johann Peter Schmoll and Julianna Sarah Mueller lived in Montgomery County,
Pennsylvania. They had ten children. Four of these went to Centre County to help build the Union Church in Rebersburg. Jacob, the oldest of the four, Peter, Henry, and the much younger Jesse. Jesse later returned to Montgomery County, but the others did not. The church was used from 1823-1876  by the Lutheran and Reformed denominations. According to Evonne, the bricks for the church were made along Elk Creek in Smullton (formerly Kreamersville) in the area of the Raymond Bair farm. Evonne drove me past this location. They razed this church after a Lutheran and a Reformed Church were built next to each other in 1876. The Amish recently purchased one of these, but neither is being used as a church at this time.

Jacob Smull's 1825
Georgian Style Home

After the building of the church, Jacob, Peter and Henry (1799) stayed on and became a big part of the community. Jacob ended up a building a German-influenced Georgian style house on E Main St in 1825 which still stands. He ended up dying in 1830. The two daughters of his marriage who survived to adulthood moved on to Lock Haven in adult life.

Peter, who is extensively written about here on the blog, left in 1847 for Stephenson County, Illinois. His entire family eventually joined him in that area.

That left Henry. Henry farmed and did whatever else he could to make a living. His first wife, daughter of one of the town's earliest residents, Elizabeth Royer, had seven kids. She died in 1834. Henry married immediately the former Catherine Kreamer, who was the widow of George Hosterman, who also died in 1834.  They combined their families and continued with life in Rebersburg. The couple had an additional five children.

One of the cool things he did was operate a toll house on Rockville Rd near Hwy 192. Toll houses existed on many roads in Pennsylvania. The tolls paid for maintenance and operation of the road since the government was not then involved. Henry Smull, in addition to his farm, had a toll house in Rebersburg. The toll house is on the right. Operators of such toll houses could earn a chunk of change each month as well. Tolls at one toll house were:

Henry Smull's Toll House on Right

Toll Gate Charges –

A score of sheep – 4¢ (score = 20)

A score of hogs – 6¢

A horse with his rider – 3¢

A score of cattle – 12¢

A sulkey with 1 horse and 2 wheels – 6¢

2 wheels & 2 horses – 9¢

4 wheels & 2 horses – 12¢

4 wheels & 4 horses – 20¢

Henry also had an opportunity to go to other parts of Pennsylvania and picked up ideas along the way. He

remodeled his toll house with unique diagonal design. During his time in Rebersburg, he also farmed. We went to the farm he ran between what was originally Kreamerville and Rebersburg. Today, the farm is in the hands of the Amish and a new homestead has been built.

Here is Henry's toll house with its unique design:

And here is the Henry Smull barn (later the C H Smull barn and now an Amish barn). This is an example of a L-shaped Pennsylvania barn.

There was so much more to learn about Henry and his kids on this trip. What I loved most is that I could feel the place and see the mountains and see how the villages connected to the mountains. It allowed me to gain perspective that no book or Internet record could provide. And, having a tour guide like Evonne was priceless. More to come.

B&W photos courtesy of Evonne Henninger of Penn's Valley, Past & Present

The Gramley Boys of Centre County, Pennsylvania

HENRY SMULL > SARAH SMULL m Samuel Gramley > TITUS & CEPHAS GRAMLEY

C. L. and Joanna Weaver Gramley

You can read about Sarah Smull and her husband Samuel Gramley here.

Titus Melaucthon (T.M.) and Cephas Luther (C.L.) Gramley were two three Gramley boys who survived to adulthood. Both found value in education and both became successful citizens in their communities.

C.L. Gramley was born 17 Sep 1852 in Rebersburg, a German community in the heart of Miles Township in Brush Valley. He lived on the family farm during his childhood, but then went on to increase his education and spent two years in the Clinton Seminary. He taught for a time to gain the funds to spend two years at Susquehanna University at Selins Grove and once graduated, Professor Gramley spent 17 years teaching at the Grammar School in Rebersburg. After that, he taught at the Normal School and various institutes during the summer months. In 1892, he was named County Superintendent of Schools, hired to fill out the term of the previous superintendent. He was elected and relected in 1893 and 1896.

C.L. married Miss Joanna Weaver in 1878. She was born in nearby Wolfs Store, Centre County in August 1852. They had two daughters, Gertrude, who died at age 15 in 1895 and Almah, born in 1882. His obituary references a son, Clement, though I could find no evidence of that son elsewhere.

C.L. and Joanna were very involved with the Lutheran Church. C.L. was chorister of the church and Sabbath School since 1875. He was a charter member and first Noble Grand of IOOF Lodge 103. Like his father before him, he learned the land survey trade as well and assisted his father in surveying until his father's death. Not an idle man, he and his brother T.M. opened a general mercantile business in Rebersburg. As his stature in the community grew, he also became vice president and director of the Farmer's National Bank in Millheim, which had deposits in 1924 of $600,000. C. L. died 20 May 1935 in Miles, Centre County, just a couple months after his wife died 12 Jan 1935.

T. M. Gramley

T.M. Gramley was born 31 Jul 1856 in Rebersburg. He attended school in the Harter district in Miles Township and then went on to the County Normal School at Milesburg to prepare for a teacher's life. He was tasked heavily at home, so completing his education was difficult, but he did it. At age 16, he became schoolmaster of a school in Porter Township in neighboring Clinton County where he gained an excellent reputation. He then entered the Penn Hall Academy and prepared for college, but ended up back Porter to teach another three terms and then went to Mackeyville Grammar to teach. He ended up teaching 14 terms, spending summers working the family farm. He was certified to teach in all grades and had a State certificate. He then went into business with his brother C.L.

T.M.'s partnership with his brother in the general mercantile trade lasted about two years, when T.M. sold out to pursue farming. He farmed in the summer and taught in the winter. In 1888, he formed another business partnership, this time with RG Eisenhart. They opened a general stock company called the Spring Mills Creamery Company, which remained active for many, many years.

Marriage to Miss Agnes Loose occurred on 18 Dec 1877 in Miles Township. She was born 07 Sep 1836 to Samuel and Elizabeth Brickley Loose. The Gramley's purchased the "Old Peter Wilson" house and upgraded it with modern conveniences and set about raising their family of five children. Education remained important through the next generation as well. Orpha attended Irving College in Mechanicsburg and S Ward attended Susquehanna University. At the time of the biographical sketch written about T.M., his youngest two children, Windom and Bruce were still at home. Their final child, Eugene Titus, would arrive 10 Dec 1899.

T.M. and Aggie were also active in the Lutheran church and T.M. held various offices all of his adult life. He was also a member of the IOOF along with his brother.

T.M. died 05 Oct 1938 and Aggie died 30 Jun 1939, both in Millheim.

Sarah Smull & Samuel Gramley of Centre County

Add caption

UNK SMULL > HENRY SMULL > SARAH SMULL m Samuel Gramley

Sarah Smull was born 15 Mar 1832 in Rebersburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania to Henry Smull and his first wife, Elizabeth Royer.

She married Samuel Gramley on 07 Aug 1849 in Aaronsburg in Centre County. Samuel was born 04 Mar 1827 in Rebersburg.  He attended school as he could during winter months. He loved mathematics. After he finished his rural education, he began teaching. His first school was a subscription school in 1848, after which he went to Mifflinburg Academy in Union County for 18 weeks where he trained to teach. He then taught in his home school and secured its first-ever blackboard. In Spring 1849, he spent 10 more weeks at Mifflingburg Academy and then taught again at his home school. he continued teaching until 1861, when he moved to one of his father's farms and began cultivating the land. He also studied surveying and became a surveyor.

Gramley served as elder in the Lutheran church and held the position of superintendent of the Sunday School for 34 years. And,despite his being a Republican in a heavily Democratic township, he was elected as justice of the peace in 1869 and held that job for 15 years. He also served as a county commissioner starting in 1870 until 1873. Since he didn't seem to have enough to do, he also served as the Centre Hall Mutual Insurance Co. representative for 25 years. He owned two farms and a house in town, making him a substantial citizen of the area.

Sarah and Samuel had eight children: Isabella (died in infancy), Tiras (died in infancy), Cephas, Sarah Annie (died young), Titus, Clement, Naomi, and Adah.

Sarah died 14 May 1880 in Rebersburg. Samuel remarried to Catherine Spangler Ocker, a widow with five children. Samuel died 13 Jan 1903 in Rebersburg.

I'll cover Titus and Cephas in a separate post.