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WHO WAS - Samuel Ehrhart
in Plum Township
Venango County, Pennsylvania
By Howard Strawbridge October 23, 1961

Tradition states that the Ehrhart family traces back to Holland descent. The name means "Honor Heart." Early members of the family settled in Philadelphia County in 1756.

Some of the family traveled into Center County, because it was from there that one Jacob Ehrhart and his wife, Eva Shaffer Ehrhart, went to Venango County in the 1820s and settled on a farm a distance south of Bradleytown. The farm was then within the confines of Plum Township, but is now in Jackson Township.

Jacob and Eva Ehrhart, devout Presbyterians, reared a family of 12 children, six boys and six girls. One of the boys was Samuel Ehrhart, subject of this sketch.

Samuel was born south of Bradleytown on May 29, 1831. He was a twin. His twin brother's name was Adam Ehrhart. Samuel was married on Dec. 8, 1853, at Sunville to Miss Mary Jane Davison by Rev. Lawrence Streit, a Presbyterian minister. Mary Jane was born in Indiana County in 1831, a daughter of Robert and Mary Moses Davison, who moved to Sunville when Mary was a girl. The Davison family was of Scotch-Irish origin, while the Moses branch came from Wales.

Samuel and Mary Jane apparently began housekeeping on or near his father's homestead. The young couple joined the Presbyterim Church of Sunville in April, 1857.

Enlisted as Private

On Sept. 3, 1864, Samuel enlisted in Meadville as a private in Company A of the 211th PennsylvanIa lidantry, commanded by (Capt. A. C. Huidekoper.

While in line of duty at Bermuda Hundred, Va., that same fall after his enlistment, he caught a bad cold from exposure which caused him to contract rheumantism and catarrh. He was confined to his tent for several days, then put on light duty about the camp for awhile.

Samuel was discharged at Alexandria, Va., on Jun2, 1865. It is said that his sons didn't know him when he came home.

Samuel and Mary Jane had the following four children, listed with their dates of births: Robert Wilson Ehrhart, May 23, 1856; Jacob Alexander Ehrhart, Aug. 30, 1858; David Stuart Ehrhart, June 6 1861, and Thomas Milton Ehrhart, Sept. 11, 1866.

Robert was married to Miss Julia Jennings. They first lived at Sunville, where Robert had a carpet shop for awhile. They then lived at Venus. They had 10 children, eight of whom survived, and were: Charlie Ehrhart, Cliff Ehrhart, Mary Ehrhart Sobosky, Sally Ehrhart Heath, Bertha Ehrhart, Cyrus Ehrhart, Wayne Ehrhart and Robert Ehrhart Jr. Two are living today, Mary of Oil City and Bertha. Robert Sr. died March 28, 1913.

Jacob was married to Miss Katie Rynard. They lived on his father's homestead between Chapmanville and Sunville. They had four children, Floyd Ehrhart, George Ehrhart, Florence Ehrhart Anthony and William Ehrhart. The three brothers live in or near Titusville. Florence is deceased. Jacob died in 1926, and his widow in 1956.

Married at Plum Center

David was married to Miss Lorena Ford of Plum Center. They lived on a property located across the road from his father's place. They had the following three children: Clarence Ehrhart, Harry Ehrhart and Catherine Ehrhart Hares. Clarence lives in Erie, and Catherine lives in Chapmanville. Harry is deceased. David died Nov. 17, 1924. His widow died Nov. 16, 1926.

Thomas was married to Miss Elizabeth Weber. They first lived in a house between Loker's Corners and Grove's Corners, Plum Township. They had two children, Ray Ehrhart and Mary Ehrhart, both of whom are deceased. Thomas was married a second time to Miss Blanche Winton. They had a son, Milton Ehrhart of the Spartansburg area. Thomas died at Venus at a rather age around 1904. He was buried at Centerville.

It was around 1871 that Samuel's family moved on 50 acres between Chapmanville and Sunville. It was east of Battin's Corners. It is said that Samuel cleared part of the farm. There was a spring 200 feet south of the road, and that is where his first house stood. There was also a fine chestnut orchard handy the spring.

Several years later Samuel built a new house next to the road and moved the barn up. The buildings still stand and are owned by certain members of the Hares family.

The late James Brush of Chapmanville bought the old house by the spring and hired the late Amos Irons of Black Ash to move it up to his property. It is today owned by the Richard Wheeling family.

Samuel Ehrhart was about five feet, 11 inches tall and weighed around 175 pounds. As his photo-graph shows, he had white hair and whiskers. He had black hair when young though. He was a quiet man and a good-natured individual.

He had a reputation of being one of the best oxen drivers in the county. He was a man who remained active until his last year and a half.

Several years ago there was a beech tree still standing on the former W. A. Jennings farm upon which Samuel carved his name in the earlier years. The tree is likely gone now.

It is recorded that Samuel and three other township men, Joseph R Proper, W. K. Gilliland and Henry Tracy, were called as Venango County jurors for the first Monday of February, 1874.

Had Oil Leases

Samuel took a little interest in the oil business. In October, 1876, he had a lease on his property with the Brawley brothers of Petrolia. Samuel reserved 10 rods around the buildings and all and rails and timbers on the premises. No one now knows what results came from this early lease.

Then in August, 1907, Samuel and his son, Jacob, made an oil and gas lease concerning their property with Jennings, Ehrhart & Company. Known partners in this company were Samuel and Jacob Ehrhart, W. A. Jennings, W. F. Whitman, John W. Arters and two of Jacob's brothers-in-law from Oil City. Five wells were drilled on the Ehrhart farm. One is said to have been a good producer.

The following paragraph appeared in the Titusville Herald of Oct. 4, 1907: "There is a possibility that the residents of Chapmanville might get natural gas from a well on the Jacob Ehrhart farm, located some distance southeast of the community. It was gotten in the first sand and showed 60 or 75 pounds. The well is owned by Jennings, Ehrhart & Company. They plan to drill another well southwest of the one already drilled. It is possible that the Federal Gas Company will pipe the gas to Chapmanville." This paragraph presented nice thoughts, but nothing ever came of the proposal.

Samuel's wife, Mary Jane Ehrhart, who was a rather tall woman with dark hair, died Sept. 22, 1896, in the family home from a three month's illness of Bright's disease. She was 65.

During his last years Samuel had the daily habit of asking family members: "Now, what's the paper make the weather today?"

Aside from his membership in the church, Samuel also held membership in two Civil War organizations - the Cooperstown GAR and the Lieutenant Herron Command, No. 10, Union Veterans Union of Chapmanville.

Died in 1916

Samuel died Monday morning, May 22, 1916, of infirmities of old age. He had been sick nearly a year.

The funeral was held from the home on Wednesday afternoon with the Methodist pastor, Rev. Louis Bedison, officiating. He was buried beside his wife in the Sunville Cemetery.

Samuel's twin brother, Adam Ehrhart, survived Samuel by a few years. Adam lived at Wexford, Allegheny County, and died there at the age of around 90 years.

Transcribed by JBull47350@aol.com

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