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The Matthias Moyer Family
History
This family
history was submitted by Bob Moyer. He has additional information.
You may also be interested in pictures he has uploaded to the Ohio GenWeb
Project for Mahoning County, Ohio: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohmahoni/image/album9.htm
Email address
for Bob Moyer: MOGOH64@aol.com
Note: Bob Moyer
has included here only those parts of the Matthias Moyer family that lived in
Ohio. (Trumbull County; Mahoning County on and after 1846) Some moved to
other locations and are not included. Bob Moyer has a lot more information
about other relatives living in Illinois and Missouri. The family tree now has
640 names on it. Many are still living. (For measures of privacy,
they are not included here.)
First Generation
Matthias Moyer was born in Germany in 1783. It is not known where he came
from in Germany or when and at what age he came to the America. In all
likelihood Matthias name was Mayer, Meyer or Meier before he came to America.
Matthias probably came from a small village due to the fact he was a farmer.
Matthias married Lydia
Donat of Albany Township, Berks County Pa. Lydia was born on August 18,
1798 on the 1765 Donat Plantation Her father was Johannes Martin
Donat and her mother was Anna Marie Nungesser. She was baptized on September 30,
1798 in the New Bethel Church, Berks County.
It is estimated Matthias married Lydia about 1831. It is estimated that, after
marriage, they lived in the Donat plantation in Lynn Township, Lehigh County.
One source has their daughter Susana as being born in Pittsburgh, although this
has not been confirmed.
It is not known exactly where they lived in Pennsylvania
after they married, but they had 3 children born there before moving to
Ohio. They had a total of 5 children. They were Daniel (1832
Pa), Samuel (1833 Pa), Susana (18 June 1836 Pa), William (1838 Oh) and Mary
(1844 Oh).
Lydia’s grandfather Johannes Jacob Donat arrived in the
United States on October 10, 1752 on the ship Forest. He was born about
1730 in Alten Seebach Germany, son of Johann Henrich Donat and Barbara
Catharinea Seibel.
It is not known when Matthias and Lydia moved from
Pennsylvania to Ohio and from the birth dates of their children listed on census
records, it is estimated they moved in 1836-37 time frame. They appear in
the census in Bazetta township, Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1850 and 1860.
They lived on the north east corner of Bazetta Township of Trumbull County.
This land consisting of 43 acres was purchased from Asael Adams by Aaron
Donat, Lydia's half brother, on March 18, 1845 for $300.00. In the
1850 census, Matthia’s personal assets were listed as $344.00. His
assets listed in the 1860 census were $860.00 real estate and $200.00 personal.
In both the 1850 and 1860 census, his occupation was listed as a farmer.
In 1850, there was a Jim Miller living with the family. He was 26 years old and
his occupation was a laborer. It is not known the relationship of this
person to the Moyer family.
Lydia’s brother Martin lived close to her by residing in
Newton Township, Trumbull County about 1830. The land was 38 acres, Range
5 Township 5. There is a deed recorded there dated June 8, 1838.
In 1846, Martin sold his land in Newton and moved his family to Richland County
Ohio. The 1840 census lists his name as Donad. It is not known if he changed it
or the census taker made a mistake.
Matthias died on February 21, 1865 in Boardman Township,
Mahoning County. After Matthias’s death, Lydia moved in with her son
Samuel. Lydia died on August 23, 1880. Both Lydia and Matthias
are buried in Lake Park Cemetery, Youngstown Oh. The Youngstown
Vindicator, dated August 27, 1880, reported Lydia’s death and indicated she
died from dropsey.
The inscription on Lydia’s grave marker reads:
“Shed not for me the bitter tear
Seek each feeling of regret
Tis but the casket molders here
The gem that filled it sparkles yet”
The life of Lydia and Matthias, as farmers, can be pictured
by looking at the last will and testament of Lydia’s father Johannes Martin
Donat. Musical instruments, razor, mirror, spinning wheel, beds,
crocks, forks/knives/spoons, coffee pots, cooking pot, lantern, baking basket,
clay pots, wood bucket, bread box, curing tubs, butter churn, butcher rack and
saw. Foods that were eaten or cooked with were sauerkraut, meat, dried
apples, butter, lard, potatoes, bread and salt. Transportation was by
horse drawn carts and wagons during that time.
Lydia's father’s will did not provide much for her and her
brother Martin. He gave Martin only $22.00 as his full share of his
estate. Mr. Lou Donat, a descendent of Johannes Jacob Donat, told me
that when Martin was living at home he and his father had an argument at dinner
one evening that was so heated he left the house with his family and never saw
his father again. Lydia’s father left her the interest of the sum of
$500.00 to be paid to her annually and the principal sum to be distributed to
her children upon her death. Martin and Lydia’s mother was Johannes
Jacob’s first wife. He provided more for the children of his second wife as
the will reads.
Second Generation
Samuel Moyer
Samuel Moyer born in August of 1833 in
Pennsylvania. He married Leah Simon on July 15, 1860. They were
married in the Bethlehem German Lutheran and Reformed Church, also known as the
Simon Church. The “Old Pleasant Grove” (PG) section of Lake Park Cemetery
was the original church site and burying ground for the church. Rev.
Gottlieb Kranz married the couple.
Samuel purchased 43 acres in Bazetta Township from Aaron and
Mary Magdalena Donat (Lydia’s Aunt and Uncle) on October 17, 1865. This
is the same year that Matthias died. It is assumed he used his inheritance to
purchase this land. Two years later, on April 13, 1867 Samuel and Leah sold the
same land to Simon Reel. Simon Real was a neighbor to Matthias who lived
on this property.
Samuel purchased 75 acres of land from Henry Dustman in 1874.
The property is located on South Ave just north of Mathews Road. Henry
Dustman was Samuel’s brother-in-law who married Leah Simon’s sister Anna
Simon. This land was located at Range 2 Township 1 Section 21. Later he
purchased adjacent land making his farm 89 acres. In addition, he and his
wife inherited 124 acres of land from Leah’s father George Simon.
Like his father, Samuel was a farmer and built a house and
barn which is still standing in the year 2000. The property tax listed the
property located at 5718 South Ave as being built in 1851. If this is so,
then then house was constructed prior to ownership by Samuel. Due to the
fact that two of his sons, Charles and George, started a dairy business, he may
have been a dairy farmer. In recognition of the family, a road was
dedicated on the property and named Moyer. The road runs between the house
and the barn and is 3 blocks in length. Many homes have been built on this
land along Moyer Ave.
Leah Simon was born in 20 Aug.1841 in Boardman Township
Trumbull county. (Note that Mahoning County was formed in 1846 by taking land
from Trumbull and Columbiana Counties and at the time of Leah’s birth the area
was in Trumbull County.) Her parents were George Simon and Anna Elizabeth
Wormley. Her third grandfather grandfather Johann Adam Simon was born in
1716 and immigrated to the States from Germany or Switzerland.
Leah and Samuel had a large family. The children were
William Henry (b 1861), Warren A. (b 1862), Hattie (b 1865), Mary (b
1867), Anna (b 1871), Laura A.(b 6 May 1873), George Simon (b 6 May 1875),
Charles A. (b 27 March 1881), and Amy C. (b about 1883). All of the
children were born in Boardman Township, Mahoning County.
Leah died before Samuel on 2 April 1902. When Samuel died on
7 December 1908 in Salem Multnomah County Oregon, he willed his entire estate to
his remaining eight children or grandchildren. His real estate was valued at
$5400.00 . Leah is buried in Lake Park Cemetery, Youngstown. (See photo
section). Samuel death certificate indicated at the time of death he lived
on Saginaw street in the city of Salem Oregon. He was attended to by a Dr.
E.E. Fish for a period of one month and who indicated he died from exhaustion
due to arterial sclerosis and senility.
There is a place for Samuel to be buried beside Leah, and room for his name on
the tombstone, but the head stone does not have any inscription. It is not known
where Samuel is buried. It is said his body was brought back to Ohio, but his
actual burial location has not been found.
Third Generation
Children of Samuel Moyer and Leah Simon Moyer
William Henry Moyer
William was born in 1861 in Boardman Township and died in
1928 and is buried in Lake Park Cemetery. He married Catherine Williams about
1886. Catherine was born in 1867 and died in 1951.
They had five children. They were Anna Elizabeth R. (b 1884),
(d 1928), Gertrude E.(b 1888), Mary Leah (b 1893) , Samuel Paul (b 1896) , and
Grace (b 1901 in Sharon, Pa).
An interesting item concerning William’s inheritance.
Samuel gave one eighth of his property to William’s children and not to
William directly as he did with his other children. It is not known why.
Warren A. Moyer
Warren was born in 1862. He never married. He was a
bachelor and, in 1900, was boarding in a home owned by Katharine Dustman.
She was the widow of Joseph Dustman. This is a member of the family that sold
property to Samuel.
Warren became owner and lived in the farm house of the
property willed to Samuel and Leah by Leah’s father, George Simon.
Warren was an eccentric person. He lived mostly in one room,
the kitchen, and the rest of his 10 room house was a mass of antiques.
Spinning wheels, crocks, a suit of armor, swords, etc. were accumulated by him.
Stuff was everywhere.
He raised horses on his farm and the barn contained a huge
cider press that he used when the apple crop came in. He was famous for his
cider and according to gossip, this was due to the fact he never cleaned the
cider press out after a session of apple pressing. The barn was very
smelly. I remember visiting him from time to time and you could smell his
barn way before you reached the door.
He was a hunter. He and his brothers would go on many hunting
excursions. The excursions would be to Cooks Forest in Penn. He had many
deer heads and one bear head mounted and displayed in the living area of the
home. He died about 1945.
Hattie Moyer
Hattie was born in 1865. She never married and lived at home.
She died in 1895 and is buried in Lake Park Cemetery, Youngstown.
Mary Moyer
Mary was born in 1867. She married Gustav Cook 24 Nov.
1892. She died before 1900. She had 2 children Roy (b June 1894) and Melvin
(b?). The two boys shared their mother,s inheritance and are listed as owners of
the property adjacent to Charles land. There is a Cook Avenue, dedicated
to the family, that parallels the Moyer road.
Anna Moyer
Anna was born in 1871. She married George H. Stocker on 3
Jan. 1892 in Boardman. No information about her children, if any, has been
found.
George Simon Moyer
George was born 6 May 1875. He married Daisy
Mabel Knox. Daisy was born 14 Sept. 1877 in Youngstown, Ohio. Her
parents were John Emery Knox and Amanda Kyle. Daisy had a stroke and
died on 10 November 1934 and George died 3 Feb 1948. Both are buried in
Rose Hills Cemetery, Whittier, California.
They had three children, Floyd Perium( b 9 Nov. 1897),
J. (b 12 Feb. 1900), and Glenn Wilbur (b 6 Nov. 1902). George and his
family initially lived in a house that was on the 16 acres he received as his
part of his father’s estate. George moved his family to Pasadena,
California about 1905. He moved to California because he was concerned
about the effect of the cold weather on Orman’s asthma condition. He built
several homes for his family in the city. He moved his family to Salem, Or. for
about one year. This move was in conjunction with Samuel, Charles and some of
Charles children, also traveling to Oregon.
During the stay in Oregon, he was constructing a house and
was driving a supply wagon with his family on board. The wagon tipped and
Floyd jumped off. Daisy, George and the other two boys were not so lucky and the
wagon over turned on them. A stack of windows on the wagon saved everyone
but George from serious injury. George was hurt and had a long
convalescent period. He returned his family back to California ending up in
Chino. In Chino, the family started a dairy farm which sold milk and
butter to a local community. After a short time, they sold the business and then
moved back to Pasadena. During some period, George and his wife Daisy
separated. George returned to Ohio for a short time. He returned to
California but never reconciled with his wife. He remarried in the 1940’s and
moved to Mariposa, Calif.
George also was an accomplished musician. He played a
trombone. He played in a band that marched in several Rose Bowl Parades.
He also was an avid fisherman.
Charles A. Moyer
Charles was born on 27 March 1881 in Poland Township,
Mahoning County. He was baptized on July 24, 1881 in the Bethlehem Church
by Rev. E.J. Meissner. Leah and Samuel witnessed the ceremony. Charles was
confirmed on April 5, 1896 in the Trinity Lutheran Church by Pastor William M.
Kibler. He married Nellie May Collins on 2 June 1903. The marriage was in
the Trinity English Lutheran Church in Youngstown, by Pastor George A. Harter
performing. The marriage was witnessed by Mr. and Mrs. William Clark.
Nellie was confirmed at the same church on October 4, 1903 by Pastor Harter.
Nellie was born on 31 May 1885 in Poland, Ohio. Her father, Thomas F.
Collins, was Mayor of Poland from 1905 to 1920. Tom was a blacksmith with
his shop located next to the house he lived in.
Charles learned to speak English in the first grade. German
was the language used by Samuel and Leah at home and he spoke only this language
in his preschool days.
After they married, Charles and Nellie lived in the house
that Samuel built on the Moyer homestead. Charles was called Papa by his
offspring and his grandchildren.
The following children born to Charles and Nellie were,
Lotta L.(b 26 July 1905), Harold A. (b 21 Feb 1907), Anna May (b 16 Apr
1911), Carl Robert (b 6 Aug 1916), Thomas E. (b 30 August 1914), Betty
Jane (b 3 Aug 1918), and John A. (b 28 Feb 1922).
Charles was first a dairy farmer using the barn that fell to
his ownership after his father Samuel died. He became the owner of 22
acres of his father, Samuel’s original farm.
About 1928, the barn had the second story converted to a
dance hall and square dances were held on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.
It was called the “Old Barn” dance hall. It is still standing in 1999
although it has been converted to a business. During the dancing,
the cows could be heard bellowing in the stables below. Later, about 1930,
this area was converted from a stable to a lunch and beer serving area.
Entrance to the first floor eating area was free but a fee was charged if you
wanted to go upstairs to dance. Nellie Moyer sat in a screened in booth and you
had to pass her station and pay your fee before she would allow you to go up the
stairs to the dance hall. Ruth and Betty, the two youngest girls,
would scour the parking lot, the morning after the dance to look for loose
change. They would find some very odd things, even found a pair of false teeth
once.
After the cows were sold, Charles became a paper hanger and
painter. This was during the depression era and times were difficult.
During the early 1900 many of the Moyers traveled to Salem,
Oregon. The purpose of this travel was that Charles and others found work in a
casket factory. It is not known how this activity was initiated, however, Samuel
died there and the rest of the family returned shortly thereafter.
Samuel’s will lists his children, George Simon and Amy C. Moyer, as living in
Salem, Oregon in 1909.
The Moyer property, located on South Avenue owned by Charles
and Nellie, was lost due to non payment of financial obligations.
Nellie May inherited her family home in Poland. Her
only other sibling George had died earlier. The house still stands as of
1999.
The family moved to the Poland location about 1938. The
house built about 1850 is still standing and in 2000 was used as an dentist
office. There house is an offical historical home in Poland know as the Gover-Collins
House. Charles was a tall man, standing over 6 foot in height. Because of this,
the bath tub in this house was specially built and was over 6 foot in length so
he could relax during his bath. The family enjoyed the house in Poland.
Charles built a large fire place in the back yard and would cook corn in large
metal wash tubs and host family corn roasts during the summer months. They
had a large vegetable garden and always had good food to eat. One of his
favorites was green tomato pie. He had one rule for dinner. Nobody ate at the
table until he was present.
Charles and his brothers were avid hunters. The hunting
trips frequently took them to Cook’s Forest in Penn. Gustav Cook had
married Charles sister Mary and was instrumental in planning the hunting trip.
Charles was diagnosed with Tuberculosis and spent his last
years in a TB Sanatorium. He died May of 1945. Nellie died in
13 August of 1955. Both are buried in Lake Park Cemetery, Youngstown.
Amy C. Moyer
Nothing is known about Amy C. Moyer
Fourth Generation
Children of William Henry Moyer and Catherine Williams
Anna Elizabeth R. Moyer
Elizabeth was born in 1887 and died in 1958 in Boardman
Township. She married twice. First husband was Jefferson Heaver(m 27 June 1958)
and the second Arthur Ross (m 12 Dec 1942). Anna and Jefferson Heaver set
up house keeping on Indianola Road at the Webber farm in the early 1900’s. The
farm was self sufficient and consisted of a T shaped barn, sugar house, a smoke
house for curing meats, an ice house for storing winter ice from the pond near
by, a sheep barn, 2 chicken coops and a large corn crib.
Gertrude E. Moyer
Gertrude was born in 1889 and died in 1914. She married
George Abraham Emch.
Mary Leah Moyer
Mary went by the name of Leah. This follows the tradition of
giving a child a biblical name and a second name that was used to identify the
person. She was born in 1893 in Sutton’s Bay Mi. She died in 1976 in
Kansas City Mo. Leah was a gifted musician. She graduated from
Oberlin and Carnegie Tech with a Masters Degree in Music. She taught in
high school and also at Youngstown College. She married twice. First to
Winfield MacDonald (d 1930) in 1925 then to James McIlroy.
Samuel Paul Moyer
Samuel went by the name of Paul. He was born in 1896.
He married Mildred Williams. He served in the US Navy aboard the USS
Arkansas during WW-I. Graduated from OSU in 1923 with a degree in
Mechanical Engineering. Was employed for a short time at Youngstown Sheet
& Tube. Was employed from 1929 to 1969 by the Armco Steel Corp. in
Middletown, OH.
Grace Moyer
Grace was born in 17 Dec. 1901 in Sharon, Pa.
She married Paul Luce in June of 1928. Paul was a professor at Youngstown
State University. She died on June 22, 1999 at the age of 97 in Williamsville,
N.Y. She was a graduate of Wooster College in 1925 and taught school in
Struthers and Youngstown.
Children of Hattie Moyer
Hattie never married and died at home.
Children of Mary Moyer
Mary was born in 1867. She married Gustav Cook 24 Nov.
1892. She died before 1900. She had 2 children, Roy (b June 1894) and Melvin(
b?).
Children of Charles A. Moyer and Nellie Mae Collins
Lotta L. Moyer
Lotta (called Lottie) was born 26 July 1905. She married
Wilbur Bernard. The couple moved to Illinois about 1938. The had 3
children. Rosemary, Donald and Richard. Lottie was an accomplished
musician playing a piano and harp. Before marriage, she solo debuted at
the Carnegie Music Hall in New York. She also played duets with Harpo Marx
of the famous Marx Brothers.
While in New York, she also had her own radio show and later
did the same in Chicago. She also taught music to many of the people of
Boardman. After marriage, she often played for her church, weddings
and funerals. Wilbur worked on the railroad. Lottie died on 12 May
1971 in Illinois.
Harold A. Moyer
Harold was born on 21 Feb 1907. He married Rita Collins
on April 22, 1935. Rita was born in 1906 near London, England.
Rita’s father was a steward on an ocean liner who moved his family to America
when his sons had gone as far as they could in school in England.
Harold was an accomplished musician playing the saxophone,
clarinet and flute. He sold the flute shortly after Diane was born to purchase a
washing machine. Before he married, he played professionally with the
nationally known Paul Whiteman band.
Rita was also a professional musician. She played piano in a
local music store demonstrating sheet music. She was in a contest in the Miss
Youngstown part of the Miss America Pageant.
Harold worked for the Astatic Corporation in Youngstown, Ohio
moving with the firm to Conneaut, Ohio about 1944. During their stay in
Conneaut, the family had many picnics at Conneaut Township park with the other
Moyers that lived in the city.
Harold left the Astatic Corporation around 1952 to become a
partner with Lou Schottenburg of HiFi and Stereo Equipment Company as a
manufacture’s representative and moved his family to Barrington, New Jersey.
One of the major clients of the firm was the Sony, Company which was just
entering the American marketplace.
He was an accomplished wood worker. He learned this working
trade from his father. He made many pieces of furniture in his home work
shop. He gave many items away, in particular, to his siblings.
Also, he loved to golf and gardening.
Both Harold and Rita were active in the Haddonfield United
Methodist Church. Harold attended men’s bible study and was an usher at the
Sunday Services. Rita taught Sunday School at the Church.
Harold was a member of the Masonic Lodge, attaining the
highest degree, and was a member of the Shriners Crescent Temple. And, yes, he
did wear a “Fez” at meetings and functions.
He and Rita resided in Barrington until their death.
Harold died in June of 1970 and Rita died in Feb. 1978.
Anna May Moyer
Anna May was born 16 Apr 1911. She had a severe spinal
condition and was never in good health. She died in 1927 and is buried in Lake
Park Cemetery.
Carl Robert Moyer
Carl was born 6 Aug. 1916. He lived only six months.
He was baptized on Feb 2, 1917 Evangelical Lutheran Church by Pastor A Boehme
He is buried in the same grave as Anna May in Lake Park Cemetery
Thomas E. Moyer
Thomas was born on 30 Aug 1914. He was baptized on 2
Feb. 1917 at the Pleasant Grove Lutheran Church by A. Boehme Pastor which was
the same day as his brother Carl Robert Moyer. Tom married Vesta A. Sahli
on 6 Apr. 1932 in New Cumberland, W. VA. The couple was married by W.T. McKee.
Laverne and Carl Dunning witnessed the wedding. Laverne was a childhood
friend of Vesta’s.
The couple moved in with Tom's family, Charles and Nellie,
for a short time. During this, time Tom and his father built a small house in
1935 on the Moyer homestead. This house, referred to as the “shanty”
by the Moyer clan, was used for about 4 years. It was a tar papered building
that had 864 square feet of living space on the first floor. There was no
basement.
After that time, the couple moved to Warren Ave. in
Youngstown, to Diehl Lake, in Mahoning Township, then to Hollywood Ave. in
Youngstown.
Initially, Tom assisted his father Charles in the painting
and papering trade. Tom then went to work for the Astatic Corp. He and his
family moved to Conneaut, Ohio, when the company moved there about 1944.
About 1956, Tom left the Astatic Corp. taking a job with the
Franklin Dales Company in Akron, Ohio. His family moved to Akron at this
time. The Dales Company moved to Florida and Tom moved to Vero Beach, Fla. with
the company about 1958.
Tom was an accomplished musician, playing the trumpet.
He and his brothers, Harold and John played many times at the “Old Barn”
dance hall run by their father. He, also, was a amateur radio operator.
At one time he had a small business repairing electronic equipment and selling
hearing aids.
In his later years, he was an avid photographer and had taken many photos
possessed by the family.
Upon his retirement in 1974, the couple moved to
Hendersonville, N.C. Tom died in 1979 and is buried in Hendersonville.
In her later years, Vesta became a budding artist. Her
father, Lorenz Sahli, painted and chalked many pictures and she probably got her
talent from him. Vesta was very active in the Methodist Church, teaching
Sunday School where ever she was located. She lived in 18 different homes
during her married life.
After Tom’s death, Vesta moved from Hendersonville to
Gathersburg, Md., then to Medina, Ohio and finally to Sebring, Ohio. She died on
April 24, 1999 and is buried in Lake Park Cemetery.
Betty Jane Moyer
Betty was born on 3 Aug 1918 in Boardman, Oh. She
married Kenneth Ellis (Windy) on 17 Apr. 1938. He was born in 6 April,
1916 in Coitsville, Oh. She died November 10, 2000 and is buried in Lake Park
Cemetery, Youngstown Ohio.
Windy and his brother were well know square dance callers and
they performed this activity at the “Old Barn” dance hall owned by Betty’s
father, Charles. This is where Betty met Windy, for the first time.
He served in the armed forces during WWII. Windy died on 13 Nov. 1984 and
is buried in Lake Park Cemetery.
John A. Moyer
John was born on 28 Feb, 1922. He married Lucille
Malena about 1951. They had one child, Robin Lynn, who was born in
December 19, 1961.
John was an accomplished musician. He played the
trumpet and performed at the “Old Barn” dance hall with his brothers, Harold
and Tom. While in Conneaut, he organized a band that played at local
establishments.
He was a WWII veteran and served in the Asian theater of
operations. Upon leaving the army, he went to work for the Astatic Corp. in
Conneaut, Ohio with his two brothers. At one time, there were five Moyers
working for the Astatic. They were John, Harold, Tom, Vesta and Bob.
Before marriage, he lived with his brothers, Harold and then Tom, for a short
time.
During the Astatic company picnics, all three brothers would
play music for the attendees and they were quite a hit with the crowd.
John died in Feb 1, of 1998 in West Hartford, Conn.
He is buried in the cemetery in Poland, Ohio.
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