Jacob
Frederick Held
The following is from "Armstrong Co PA; Her People, Past and Present"
J. H. Beers Co, Chicago, 1914, Corrections were made, where necessary,
based on the facts found by other research.
JACOB F. HELD, who owns a farm of 120 acres in Bethel township,
Armstrong county, is a native of Germany but has lived in this
neighborhood from childhood. He was born Sept. 11, 1847, at Stuttgart,
son of David and Christina (Held) Held, his parents being distantly
related.
David Held was born Dec. 16, 1816, his wife June 24, 1821, both being
natives of Mönsheim, near Stuttgart. He was a tailor by trade.
They were married in February, 1843, and had the following children:
Regina, born in Germany, married Joseph Frantz; George, born in
Germany, married Helena Wall; Jacob F. married Mary Ann Shaeffer;
Frederick, born in Germany, married Susanna Lessig; Mary, born in
Germany, is unmarried; Louisa, born in Manor township, Armstrong Co, PA
married Samuel Kunkle, and is deceased; Hiram, born in Burrell
township, Armstrong county, married Isabella Young; one died in
infancy. The family came to America in 1856, the voyage across the
Atlantic taking fortyfour days (they were on a sandbar not far from New
York City for four days), and arrived in Gilpin township, Armstrong
county, the fall of that year. Later they moved to Manor township, this
county, and thence in 1862 to Burrell township, where Mr. and Mrs. Held
died, his death occurring Feb. 19, 1882, hers on April 6, 1901. In
religious faith they were Lutherans.
Jacob F. Held was a boy of nine years when he came with the family to
America, and he has since lived in Armstrong county. He learned the
trade of miller, which he followed for a number of years, but for the
last twentyfour years he has devoted all his time to farming, in which
he has met with gratifying success. He has occupied his present home
farm in Bethel township, a tract of 120 acres, since 1890. Mr. Held has
not only looked well after his own affairs, but has found time to
assist in the local government, and he is well thought of by his fellow
citizens, who have elected him to the offices of school director and
township auditor; he has filled the latter position for nine years. He
and his family are members of Bethel Lutheran Church, of which he has
been treasurer since I897 except for one year.
On Dec. 16, 1869, Mr. Held married Mary Ann Shaeffer, a native of
Armstrong county, daughter of David and Margaret (Hartman) Shaeffer.
Their family is as follows: John David, born Nov . 22, 1870 married
Rosanna Smail and has eight children, Arthur, Harry, Earl, Edna,
Torrence; Margaret, Thomas and Mary I.; Elizabeth C., born Oct. 6,
1872, married Finley Mansfield and has children, Ruth, Margaret,
Bessie, Jacob W., Anna, Claire, Joseph, Hannah and Mildred; Joseph
Frantz, born July 13, 1874, married Lilie Remaley, and has one son,
Gerald; Wilmer Lewis, born Oct. 28, 1878, married Effie Shellhamer, and
they have two children, Althera and Owen ; Margaret R., born Jan. 24,
1883 is the wife of Ollie Hill and has two children, Melvin and
Margaret; Samuel K., born April 22, 1876, married Grace Wolford, and
they have seven children, Burton, Helen, Earnest, Eugene, Homer,
Eleanor and Robert L.; Roy H., born Dec. 21, 1880 , married Maude
Hileman, daughter of Zachary T. Hileman, and has two children, Vernon
and Merle; Anna born March 15, 1885, married Lawrence Shoop and they
have three children, Florence, Glen and Dale; Salina Pearl, born April
7, 1887, married Bruce Smith and has one son, Frederick H.; Walter
Warren, born Nov. 11, 1891, is unmarried; Rose May, born May 22, 1893,
married George Brown and they have two children, Everett S. and Edmund
G.; Nellie Beatrice and Charles E. are at home.
Jacob F. Held is a member of Kittanning Lodge, No. 251, Royal Arcanum,
and of Grange No. 549 , P. O. H., of Center Valley.