CURATOR'S REPORT THE BERLIN AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

• JULY 12, 2016

.~ .

FORMER BERLIN ELEMENTARY & HIGH SCHOOL

CEDAR HEIGHTS APARTMENTS!

ALONG BERLIN'S VINE STREET!

BEAUTY IN OUR OWN BACKYARD

The rose bush was blooming beautifully on June 27, 2016 as volunteers manned the office at the Berlin Area Historical Society. The surrounding flower gardens near the spring house were also blooming - a beautiful sight to behold. Once again Carol and Ken Miller have been doing a great job caring for the Heritage Haus and its beautiful flower gardens. Daniel Weighley, Jr. also does a great job mowing the lawn area.

L TO R: GARY ESTNICK, ANNA MAY WEIGHLEY & STEW SAYLOR

ANNA MAY WEIGHLEY, GARY ESTNICK & STEWART SAYLOR

A RETURN TO THE HARVEY & SADIE WALKER FARM - 46 YEARS AFTER LIVING THERE FOR NEARLY A DECADE!

At the right is Anna May Weighley, who was accompanied by three of her seven children: (1 to r) Patti Chadwick, Daniel F. Weighley, Jr. and David Weighley, on revisiting the former Harvey Walker farm along Goodtown Road on June 22. The visitation was part of Hillcrest Grange's Centennial visits to four farms where their original members were living in 1916. Harvey and Sadie (Boose) Walker were the owners in 1916. In the early 1960s the farm was sold to settle their estate to John W. and Betty Croner. Their son and daughter-in-law, Norman G. and Carol Croner resided there from 1978 to 2004. Currents residents of the above historical home are Norman and Carol's son-in-law and daughter, Mike and Cassey Debiase and children, Chloe and Tony.

DONATIONS: Betty Meyers donated the Boger Genealogy, the John A. Miller Genealogy, a

song book "Fountain of Praise" that belonged to her Great Uncle Robert Samuel Meyers, pictures of her Great Uncles Robert S. Meyers and Edward S. Kimmel, Berlin Record editions from 1912, 1913, and 1936 and the March 1935 edition of the Meyersdale Republican. She also donated a variety of Miller, Lichty, Knepper, Kimmel, and Meyers genealogies as well as the dedication program for the Berlin Brethren Church on April 25, 1926.

An additional $100.00 to the endowment fund in memory of Ken Engleka was made by their daughter and son-in-law, Jean and Tim Paterson. That brings the total to $800.00 received for our endowment fund in memory of Ken Engleka. Somerset Trust Company donated a booklet celebrating the bank's 125th

anniversary. Donna Foust donated a collection of older newspapers. Joyce Knotts donated an August 13, 1984 Glencoe Flood Shirt (7 inches of rain in 3 hours) and a collection of 1960 letters that M. Geneva Altfather wrote to persons in the community.

ROBERT SAMUEL MEYERS

Robert Samuel Meyers (1878­1933) is a former Squire of Berlin Borough. When Berlin celebrated its Old Home Week festivities in 1908, the large home of R. S. Meyers at 195 Broadway Street in Berlin was pictured in the 1908 souvenir booklet. The well-known businessman was born on his parents' farm near the western edges of Berlin on October 21 , 1878 as one of the children of David L. and Susan Matilda (Hay) Meyers.

His siblings included a brother Franklin Meyers (married to the former Sarah Menges) who followed the parents in ownership of the family farm, and Annie, who was the wife of Edward S. Kimmel, whose farm house was located along High Street with the

barn located where Brothersvalley Township begins along Meyers Avenue. This picture of R. S. Meyers was donated by his great niece, Betty Meyers, who is the daughter of Harry and Elsie (Lehman) Meyers.

Apparently shortly after the 1908 souvenir book was published, R. S. Meyers relocated to Somerset - the native community of his wife, the ~ormer Nellie Agnes Sipe. Apparently III the early years of their marriage in the. summer of 1902, the couple reSided a short time in Carleton , Nebraska before settling in Berlin. The couple's only child, Bernice Meyers (who married later in life to Harry Young) was born on May 10, 1903 in that community. Bernice was a school teacher in Somerset and resided at 612 North Center Avenue.

R. S. Meyers was one of the founders of the Crown Mutual Life Insurance Company of Somerset and at the time of his death on December 5, 1933 served as its secretary and treasurer. He formerly held a commission as Justice of the Peace in Somerset and for a while was a "Squire" at Berlin. In addition to serving as secretary-treasurer of the Crown Fire Insurance Company, he represented the New York Life Insurance Company. He conducted his office in the residence of Guy S. Shaulis, across the street from his daughter's residence. After leaving Berlin, R. S. Meyers opened a fire insurance office in Somerset, which he later abandoned to accept the position of State Highway Superintendent in Somerset County. He had charge of many miles of state highways in the early days of improved roads.

Robert S. Meyers died on December 5, 1933 and is buried in the Union Cemetery in Somerset.

Robert was a grandson of Samuel A. and Magdalena (Lichty) Meyers and George P. and Mary Anne (Miller) Hay.

THE ROBERT S. AND NELLIE (SIPE) MEYERS HOME 195 BROADWAY STREET, BERLIN IN 1908

THE LARRY & MARY BOEHNKE HOME IN 2016 (KNOWN ALSO AS THE FORMER

JIM CABLE AND SYKES GLESSNER HOME)

195 BROADWAY STREET - BERLIN 2016

EDWARD S. KIMMEL

EDWARD S. KIMMEL (1874­1961) was a well-known resident at 197 High Street in Berlin. He and his wife, the former Annie Meyers, were the owners of a large home and barn located at that same address. Many remember when the same home and barn were owned by Dwight and Margie Maust.

When Berlin celebrated its Old Home Week festivities in 1908, the large house and bam of Edward S. and Annie (Meyers) Kimmel was pictured in the 1908 souvenir booklet. The well-known farmer and coal operator was born on March 17, 1874 in Brothersvalley Township, a son of Augustus Gibson and Emma Belle

(Suder) Kimmel. Ed Kimmel was a member of the board of directors of the Philson National Bank in Berlin.

His wife, the former Annie Meyers was born on her parents' farm west of Berlin, a daughter of David L. and Susan Matilda (Hay) Meyers. She was a sister of Franklin Meyers, who along with his wife the former Sarah Menges, took over the family farm as well as Robert Samuel Meyers, a former Squire of Berlin, who later lived in Somerset until his death in 1933. (R. S . Meyers is also featured in this Curator's Report.)

During Edward S. Kimmel latter years of life, Dwight and Marjorie Maust resided in the Kimmel family home and later obtained ownership of the farm. Currently the large home at 197 High Street is the residence of Thad and Tracey (Wills) Kiesnowski and their children. Tracey is a granddaughter of Dwight Maust and the late Margie (Christner) Maust.

This picture of Edward S. Kimmel was donated to the Berlin Area Historical Society by Betty Meyers, a grandniece who is the daughter of the late Harry and Elsie (Lehman) Meyers. Betty grew to adulthood in the same neighborhood as Edward and Annie Kimmel.

ADDITIONAL BOOKS DONATED BY THE KRIS (CODDINGTON) DELANCY

ESTATE

Hoye's Pioneer Families of Garrett County, Maryland; Jacob Horner Family; Mayflower Ancestral Index; The Genealogist's Encyclopedia; How to Find Almost Anyone, Anywhere; Jennings The Descendants and Ancestors; and a collection of Glad Star magazines, published by the Garrett County, MO, Historical Society.

THE EDWARD S. AND ANNIE (MEYERS) KIMMEL HOME AND BARN

197 HIGH STREET AND BROTHERSVALLEY TOWNSHIP 1908

Re tidence or w. v. M"r~h ::d l

Residence of Ed. S. Kin.mel. BrOlhersv.lley

THE THAD AND TRACEY (WILLS) KIESNOWSKI RESIDENCE 197 HIGH STREET, BERLIN 2016

Thank you to all our volunteers for their services and to Stew Saylor and Robert Platt, who helped supply genealogical information used in our stories

on Edward S. Kimmel and Robert S. Meyers. David R. Hay, Curator

--- -- --- - - -_.. - -- .- .... - ­

THE JOHN ALBERT AND IVY PEARL (KING) DUPPSTADT FARM BUILDINGS IN STONYCREEK TOWNSHIP - NEAR THE FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL! A

PICTURE DONATED BY LINDA (LAMBERT) McCLINTOCK!

LINDA McCLINTOCK DISPLAYS THE PHOTO!

BOB SCHMUCKER PROVIDES A TOUR OF BERLIN AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOR HIS ARIZONA RELATIVES!

L to R: Justin Teel; Nykky Sarnak (Bob's granddaughter); Craig Sarnak (Bob's grandson); Mike Sarnak (Bob's son-in-law) and Bob Schmucker. June 29, 2016

-- ----- -- -- -- -- ---------- - --- ------ -- --------- ---- -

THE FARM RESIDENCE OF GLENN AND GAIL STOLTZFUS

(Former farm of J. William and Vera Shultz)

1828 WILLS CHURCH ROAD, BERLIN

ADDITIONAL DONATIONS:

• Elmer Altfather donated an updated booklet on the family of William Frederick Altfather, which has been added to the original Altfather Genealogy.

• Clyde Coughenour, Jr. of Alexandria, Virginia donated a book, "My Somerset County Heritage" which includes valuable Coughenour Genealogy. His paternal grandparents were the late Wilmer and Clova (Grove) Coughenour of Somerset.

• Scott Wagner donated a picture of May Day dancers that included a picture of the "chicken coop" two-room school house noticeable in the background.

• Jack Dickey donated sports memorabilia and a copy of the Sports Illustrated magazine dated July 25, 2011. That issue (page 59) includes a picture of Berlin ' s Donald "Bud" Groff and Honus Wagner, the famed baseball player. Jack Dickey also donated his high school sweater.

~----

WRAPPING THE WINDOWS AT THE HERITAGE HAUS!

JEFF GOOD AND DAVID BOWSER, JR. BUSY WRAPPING THE WINDOWS JULY 6,2016

DANIEL F. WEIGHLEY, JR. BUSY TRIMMING THE LAWN AREAS AT BBHS'S FACILITIES ALONG VINE STREET!

KEEPING OUR LAWN AND THE ALTFATHER MILL MEMORIAL LOOKING GREAT!