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, which 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 God 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.

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

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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.

Mystery Muddle: The Children of Peter Smull

Help Solve the Mystery

This is a continuation of the remaining mysteries of the Peter Smull line. His parentage is still a mystery and you can read about it here.

Peter Smull married Mary Waggoner (who are her parents, she asked?), most likely in Centre County, Pennsylvania before 1830. John Waggoner was the father and she had a brother William.

In searching through the cobbled together bits and pieces of various census and news articles, I've been able to identify 11 of the reported 12 children of the couple.

Catherine Smull b 1822 Centre Co. Penn; d 1876 Rock Run, Stephenson, IL m 1842, Pennsylvania; William Kryder, son of John and Susanna Keun,  b 1821 in Pennsylvania; d 1902 Dakota, Stephenson, IL. He remarried after her death to Sarah Crock. I've located six children: James Henry, Lydia, Mary Elizabeth, John J, Susannah Elmira, and Norman.

Sarah Ann Smull b 1822 Centre Co Penn; d 1892 Dakota, Stephenson, IL m date UNK David Kryder, son of John and Susanna Keun, b 1823 Pennsylvania; d 1889 Dakota, Stephenson, IL. One child: Samuel (1856-1864)

Mary Smull b 1824 Centre Co Penn; d 1908 Dakota, Stephenson, IL m (1) John Meyer 1844, Pennsylvania, d 1848; One child: Jacob. m (2) George Frantz 1849, Pennsylvania. He was born in 1822 in Pennsylvania and died 1889 in Dakota, Stephenson, Illinois. Three Frantz children: Anna, Henry T and George McClellan (moved to Canada and pioneered in Starbuck, Manitoba.

UNKNOWN SMULL MALE. Believe this son was born between 1826-1830 based on back-tracing the 1830 and 1840 Peter Smull Census.

• I'm trying to dissect the various Smulls in Stephenson County to deduce who this man was. If you have information that will help solve this mystery, please let me know by leaving a comment.

Matilda Rebecca SMULL b 1828, Centre Co Penn; d 1915 Stephenson Co, Illinois; m Daniel Meyer, 1851, Miles, Centre Co, Penn; son of  Henry Meyer and Hannah Bierly, b 1831 Centre Co Penn; d Dakota, Stephenson, Illinois. I've located nine children: Sarah A, Dora Hannah, Newton Henry, Thomas Ephriam, John Franklin, Peter David, Emma Jane, Effie Susan, and Mary

Julia Ann Smull b 1830 Centre Co, Penn; d 1912 Dakota, Stephenson, Illinois m 1847, Penn; (1) John Haas, son of David Haas and Barbara Mitterling. b 1832 Juniata Co Penn; d 1881 Stateline, Vilas, Wisc., one daughter, Ida, died a spinster, 1938 m bef 1889 (2) UNK Miller

Peter L Smull, SR b abt 1833, Centre Co Penn; d 13 Sep 1900, Dakota, Stephenson Co; Ill at the home of his sister Matilda; m 1861 Rebecca Cronoble (this may have translated from Grenoble and been listed as Grenoble in Pennsylvania); three sons b abt 1835 d UNK probably Stephenson Co, Ill.

• Peter is a bit of a mystery. He's referenced in the local paper once in a while and at least for a time, worked as a shoemaker, but he remains a big question mark. 
• His first child Peter L Jr doesn't seem to have lived with his parents. In 1860 he was living with grandparents Peter and Mary and in 1860, he was a 12-year-old living in the household of Simon & Rebecca Rote in Lancaster, Ill. I would guess as a hired hand. 
• Second son, Oscar Samuel is with his parents in 1870 and in 1880, when he was 18 and a farm hand for CA and Sarah Sullivan. 
• No records exist for Rebecca Cronoble (possibly Grenoble) either, other than as referenced parent on various documents related to the children. No death record is available for her or Peter L Sr
• The last news item related to this Peter is in 1900. He is not listed as a survivor on his sister Mary Frantz's obituary from 1908, so I would peg his death at sometime between 1900 and 1908. *Update (2/28/2017): I found an obscure reference to his death on 13 Sep 1900 in a Rockford newspaper gossip column. He died at the home of his sister Matilda Meyer in Dakota.

Johnathan Smull b 1834 Centre Co Penn; d 1885 Bradford, Chickasaw Co, Ia; m 1860 Monroe, Wisc Mary Jane Cooper, daughter of William Lloyd Cooper and Elizabeth Beams, b 1842 Rock Grove, Stephenson Co, Ill; d 14 Feb 1905; Plainfield, Bremer, Ia. They had eight children: Ulysses (died as a young man), Franklin Sylvester, Jennie Elnora, Viola Geneva, Katie Mabel, Saidee  L, Florence, and Amy, who died as an infant/young child.

Adam Smull b 1836 Centre Co Penn; d 1868 Stephenson, Ill; m 1859 Green Co Wisc; Mary Moses; b 1836 Penn; d 1929 Dakota, Stephenson, Ill. Mary and Adam had no children. She did not remarry.

Samuel Smull b 1840 Centre Co Penn; d 1919 Clark, South Dakota; m 1866 Mitchell, Ia; Lorena Thompson; daughter of Daniel Thompson and Ann Cooper; b 1850 Illinois; d 1918 Clark, South Dakota. They had two sons, Betran and Leon Willis.

Henry Smull b 1842 Cente Co Penn; d 1900 Macon, Macon, Ill; m 1864 Stephenson, Ill; Elizabeth "Lizzie" Smith; b 1846 Stephenson, Ill; d 1933 Decatur, Macon, Ill. He had six children: William W, Henry Arthur, Bertha C (never married), Elizabeth "Lizzie" Plummer, Charles E, and Pet (who died in infancy).

Charlotte Amanda Smull b 1844 Miles, Centre, Penn; d 1883 Dakota, Stephenson, Ill. Charlotte was classified as an "idiot" and lived with her parents and finally with sister Julia and husband John Haas until her death.

I'd be very glad to have people poke holes in this theory of descendancy. And, if you have other information, I'm dying to get all the mysteries solved from the seat at my desk because it's not likely I'll ever get to Centre County!