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WHO WAS WHO in PLUM TOWNSHIP
Titusville Herald – March 22, 1962
By H. W. Strawbridge

Daniel Hoover

The Hoover family, descended of Pennsylvania-Dutch heritage, came from Center County to Plum township in 1829 or 30. Old Abraham Hoover, who spoke and wrote in German, was first listed on unseated Donation lands — lands with no buildings on it. He was next listed as also having one horse and one cow. Early family records seem sparse. Records in 1831 showed four adult male members in the township, namely Abraham, Abraham Jr., Daniel and Daniel Jr. They were on a 200-acre tract located a distance southeast of Sunville. Abraham Sr. bought the land from a Longwell family. He died in 1863 at the age of 87. One of the sons of Abraham Jr. was Dr. Jackson Hoover, a well known doctor of the Grand Valley area who died in 1928. Barnet Hoover, sometimes listed as "Barnhart" Hoover, was a son of either Abraham Sr. or Daniel Sr. Barnet purchased 150 acres from old Abraham in 1837 for $300. Many years later Barnet sold 76 acres of this land to William Hoover, who was apparently a brother. Barnet also purchased 52 acres in Oakland Township from Andrew Reeser for $500 in 1856. Thus he had a total of 126 acres until his death. Barnet was born around 1814. He was rather a stocky man of about average height. He managed to save money by wise farm management, and he occasionally lent money to neighbors. His wife was Susan Spangler, who preceded him in death on Dec. 25, 1979, at the age of 59. Barnet then lived alone in what was called the "red House," now gone for many decades. This home was situated on what has been known as the late Louis Russell place in late years. It was in this home that the old gentleman was robbed on June 14, 1890. Robbers knocked him down, tied his hands, then went through all the drawers in the house, cut open the bed ticks and pillows in search of money. They helped themselves to a lot of victuals, and what they couldn't eat they carried away. They took between three and four hundred dollars, stole one of Barnet's horses and lit out. The horse was found the next day about four miles away, making its way home. This crime was never solved.
Barnet died on May 29, 1892, and is buried with Susan in the Wallaceville Cemetery. They had four children as follows: Samuel Hoover, Henry Hoover, Fanny Hoover and Daniel Hoover. Daniel was the only one who grew into adulthood, descendents claim.
Daniel was born on his father's farm on July 25, 1S48. He received his education in the Hoover school a small one-room school house that sat on his father's property, and was one of the township's earlier schools. It sat toward the northern end of the Hoover property. In 1SS3 the township school board gave a contract to A. J. Cowan, for building a new and larger school farther south on Hoover property for $660. The board bought 80 perches from Barnet for $50. Daniel never attended school in this last Hoover schoolhouse. The original one was either razed or torn down. The last one of course has been gone many years too.
On Dec. 25, 1873, Daniel was married to Miss Harriet Amanda Miller, who was born in Oakland Township on April 27, 1855. She was one of five children who grew to maturity. Her parents were Jonas and Mary Mallory Miller. Jonas was a Civil War veteran who served in the 52nd Regiment for about three years, and was discharged at Philadelphia. Daniel and Harriet built a house not far from Bamet's house and spent their life on the Hoover farm. Daniel was of average height, lean proportion, and weighed about 150 pounds. He was sort of a quiet man. He hauled some oil in his earlier years. In 1875 his family was in Illinois where he had employment. Other than that he mainly farmed throughout his life. During their earlier years of married life Daniel and Harriet attended the Methodist Church of Wallaceville. They and their close neighbors. Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Cowan, were generally seen attending church together at Wallaceville. They visited each other often. It is said the path between the homes of the Hoovers and the Cowens never grew up.
In the summer of 1885 Harriet united with the church under the pastorship of Rev. I.G. Pollard. During the latter 1880s she transferred her membership to the Sunville Methodist Church and remained a member there until her death.
Inscribed in the large Bible which still reposes on the pulpit of the Sunville church is the following notation: "Presented to the Methodist E. Church by the Sunville Ladies Aid, Feb. 14, 1903. Mrs. Hattie Hoover, Pres., Jas. B. Cook, Pastor."
She was a good Christian woman and performed her duties as a farmwife in good manner. She was average in height, but was heavy. The couple had the following four children: Goldia Alida Hoover, Oct. 1, 1874; Fred Burdette Hoover, Oct. 16, 1875; Charles Guy Hoover, June 14, 1878; and Max Carlton Hoover, Dec. 16, 1888.
Goldia married John S. McLaughlin of Sunville on Dec. 20, 1899. They always lived at Sunville where he primarily farmed. They had one daughter, Mildred McLaughlin Matthews, who presently lives on the McLaughlin homestead, and twin sons who died at birth in 1905. John died in 1939 and Goldia on March 20, 1953.
Fred was the only one of the children that was born in Illinois. He married Miss Lura Lesh. They first lived in Rocky Grove where he worked at the Eclipse. Then they moved to Wallaceville where they farmed for many years. They had two children, Edythe Hoover Ely, who lives in Arlington, Tex., and Arthur Hoover, who was killed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in 1952. Fred died Sept. 17, 1949, in Dempseytown, and presently Lura resided at that place.
Charley was married to Miss Sadie Brooksbank in 1905, and they lived in Meadville from where he worked on the Erie Railroad. They had two children, Daniel B. Hoover, deceased, and Ellen Hoover Smith, both of Meadville. Charley died on April 13, 1935.
Max was married to Miss Clara Smith on Nov. 11, 1913. He was a garage mechanic in Franklin for a few years, then he worked on the state highway for years. He is retired and they live at Bully Hill. They have two children, Ruth Hoover Seifreit of Franklin and Maurice Hoover of Wayne, Mich.
The father, Daniel Hoover, once bought a pump organ with a high back for his daughter, Goldia, when she was a girl. she got a lot of pleasure from it. The granddaughter, Mildred Matthews, still has a large corner cupboard made of cherry wood with a glass front that belonged to old Barnet Hoover and his wife. Mrs. Goldia McLaughlin was once offered $100 for this cupboard from an Erie County antique dealer but she refused the offer on account of sentimental reasons.
Daniel Hoover always had nice horses. He took pride in the appearance of his stock. It is remembered that a sale was held after his death and the late Scott Davidson paid a good price for one of his horses. It had a unusual color, being sort of mouse-colored.
Daniel was summoned as a traverse juror in Venango County Court in November 1875. His father was summoned as a grand juror just two months later. It is wondered if Daneil got back to serve as juror, because that's the year he was in Illinois.
Around the turn of the century Daniel was elected a member of the Plum Township school board and he served one term. It was during his time as director that the Bradleytown School house was moved from its former location west of the creek to a newly purchased lot of 120 perches from R.G. McClelland in 1904.
In 1906 Daniel made a lease with the Proper Brothers of Tionesta for oil drilling on the Hoover farm. In March 1909, Daniel became quite ill with an intestinal ailment. Finally the doctor decided surgery as a last resort. In that day surgery was a great dread and often fatal. Although Daniel was against surgery, he reluctantly let them go ahead. Three doctors performed the operation in his home by laying him on the large ironing board. At first the operation seemed successful, but soon he began sinking. He died on Saturday evening, March 13, at 10 o'clock. The service was held the following Monday afternoon in the Sunville Presbyterian Church with the Methodist pastor, Rev. G.W. Chapin, officiating. He was buried in the Sunville Cemetery. Mrs. Harried Hoover survived her husband by nearly nineteen years. She died Feb. 2, 1928.
After Daniel's death the heirs sold the farm to the Russell family. The house burned in December, 1927, and lightning struck the barn, burning it in August 1937. An entirely different set of farm buildings are situated on the old Hoover farm.

Transcribed by Penny Kulbacki Minnick
minnick862@verizon.net

Disclaimer:there may be errors due to transcription of information from both early and late (current contributors) work.