William H.
Horner - their grandson
A
Brief History of the Horner
Family
David
and Robert Horner came from
Antrim County, Ireland to
America and settled on land
granted to their father by
William Penn. The grant of land,
600 acres, was in Mount Joy
Township, York (now Adams)
County, Pennsylvania. On this
land later was Horner's School
and Horner's Mill. David married
Mary Love and they had seven
sons and two daughters. About
the brother Robert, I have very
little information. Most of my
chart comes from a history of
the Horner family written by
Captain John Horner, grandson of
the original David Horner and
Mary Love Horner, when he was 72
years old.
David
Horner was born in 1739 and died
in 1785. Mary, his wife was born
in 1744 in Lancaster County,
Pennsylvania, the daughter of
Alexander Love and Margaret
Moore. Mary Love's parents moved
to
South
Carolina.
The
above was written by my sister
Jeannette Horner Herr in 1979
when she was 70 years old, and
is contained in Appendix J,
Horner Genealogy of the
Robertson Family of Carroll
County, Maryland.
Note --
Mary Love who married David
Horner was the daughter of
Alexander Love, 1718 - 1784, and
Margaret Moore, 1719 - ____,
Alexander Love was born in
Lancaster County, PA and
eventually moved to South
Carolina. He was a member of the
Provisional Congress which met
at Charleston, SC, December 1,
1785.
David
Horner and Mary Love had nine
children:
John,
Robert, Alexander Love (1784 -
1839), David, William, Andrew,
James, Margaret, Polly
Jane
McAllen was Alexander's first
wife and they had six
children: Eli, Elisa Love,
Abner, John, Silas
Sarah
Witherow Marshall was
Alexander's second wife and
they had four children: ,
George Washington, Mary Jane,
Alexander Love, Silena, David
Witherow (1815 - 1887)
David married Susan
Robertson, 1818 - 1863, and
they had ten children:
Oliver A, Theodore, Winfield
Grier I (1846 - 1889),
Virginia, Anne M, David
Witherow, William,
Susan Caroline, Maybelle,
Quincy
The
Robertson Family of Carroll
County, Maryland 1837 - 1987
states that: "Census records and
the History of Frederick County
by Williams show that David and
Susan Robertson Horner lived on
a farm in Adams County,
Pennsylvania near Gettysburg.
Anna Belle Watts Wadkins, great
granddaughter of David and Susan
more specifically located the
farm. 'From Tawneytown go to
Harney, turn left and go just
over the border into Adams
County, PA.' Mrs. Watkins stated
that this farm was a Horner
homeplace and that the house had
been built in the early 1800's.
She remembers a 'Bush' Horner
living there who had a son John
Horner. John Horner was located
and he is still living on the
'Horner Home Place'. His father
was John Bush Horner, Sr., his
grandfather was David Witherow
Horner, (Jr) and his great
grandfather was David Witherow
Horner, (Sr), who had married
Susan Robertson. Mr. Horner said
that the house had been built in
1819 and the barn in 1840." The
'Home Place' is located at 20
Horner Road, in Cumberland
Township several miles southwest
of Barlow and northwest of
Harney.
Winfield
married Olivetta Jane King,
(1853 - 1932), and they had
three children: Ivey, David
Witherow, Winfield Grier II
Winfield
married Naome Evelyn Rice,
(1/22/1887 - 11/5/1949), and
they had six children: Winfield
Grier III, Jeannette Rice,
Elizabeth Lucille, John, Mary
Louise, William Henry
(11/8/1927)
William
Married Helen Elizabeth
Mcglaughlin, 12/24/1931 and they
had two children: William Henry
II, (1/31/1953) and John Patrick
(1/21/1955 - 12/16/1959)
William
Married Audrey Cornelia Campbell
Strickland, 1/6/1953, and they
have one child: William Henry
III (7/20/1979)
Winfield
Grier Horner was born April 14,
1846 in Cumberland Twp, Adams
County, PA. He was the third son
of David Witherow Horner and
Susan Robertson Horner. He
started out as a farmer on the
family farm but moved to
Emmitsburg as a young man to
live with a cousin.
On July 20,
1875, he and Olivetta Jane King
eloped to York, PA. Olivetta was
the eldest daughter of William
T. King and Sarah Mary Ann
Barrett King, of Gettysburg, PA.
In a letter to Winfield from
Olivetta's father, Mr. King said
that the runaway marriage had
not been according to the social
code but he fully realized that
Ollie had some very different
ideas of how things should be
done.
Olivetta
was visiting friends in
Emmitsburg when she first met
Winfield. He was struck by her
beauty and soon came calling at
her home. He did not seem to
rate as high as the young men
from the college and seminary in
Gettysburg until the first snow
fall when he arrived at her home
in a splendid cutter with a fine
horse -- the 1870's equivalent
of today's sports car. They were
married the following summer and
had three children: Ivye, David
Witherow, and Winfield Grier II.
In his
early years in Emmitsburg, he
was associated with Isaac Hyder
in a general merchandise
business, later was a clerk in
the Emmitsburg post office and
then had the contract to deliver
mail between Gettysburg and
Emmitsburg. In the late 1870's
he and Charles B. Smith had
formed a partnership -- Horner &
Smith Western Maryland Livery,
advertising in the Chronicle
that fine riding and driving
horses and ponies along with
carriages, buggies, and phaetons
were available day or night.
They also had in their stock a
"fine Band Wagon Omnibus". This
partnership lasted until March,
1880 when it was dissolved by
mutual consent. At about the
same time Mr. Horner became a
broker selling life and fire
insurance. Although his
letterhead states that W. G.
Horner & Co. was founded in
1873, it was in June, 1883 that
the following advertisement
concerning banking first
appeared in the Emmitsburg
Chronicle -- "Money to Loan in
Sums to Suit. Notes cashed and
collections made at Reasonable
Rates. Checks Cashed and
Accommodation Checks given free
of charge. Call at the old
established Loan and Brokerage
Office of W. G. Horner, West
Main street, opposite Peter
Hoke's Store".
Later,
that same year construction was
started on what was to be his
residence as well an his place
of business. It was located on
the Northeast quadrant of the
town square and was a three
story brick building. The
February 26, 1884 issue of the
Chronicle published this
article:
A
Fine New Building
Mr. W.
G. Horner, Broker and Insurance
Agent has so far completed his
new residence, on the north-east
corner of the square in this
place, as to have taken
possession of the room intended
for the use of the Mutual Live
Stock Insurance Company of
Emmitsburg of which he is the
Secretary. This room is on the
first floor and covers a space
of 34 by 24 feet; the ceilings
are 11 feet high, and it has
seven windows, including the
sashed door; the window lights
are of plate glass, 7 by 4 feet.
The whole dwelling is 35 feet
front on the south side and 47
feet running northward with a
back building additional of 18
feet. It contains 12 rooms,
several of which are quite
large, there is a fine Hall on
the Eastern side from which well
constructed stairways lead to
the upper rooms, the roof is
hipped and covered with slate,
the attic is lighted with dormer
windows from which there are
excellent views of the mountain
and the valley in different
directions. The basement is to
be finished as a large room and
contains a Gold Medal Furnace
from the establishment of W. E.
Wood & Co., of Baltimore, by
which the entire building is
heated, the pipes for gas are in
position throughout the
building, and those for water
and others for ventilating
purposes will be in place in due
time. For elegance of structure
and convenience throughout we
regard the building a model of
completeness. Messrs. J. H.
Taylor has been the architect
and carpenter, S. Florence brick
layer, Jno. Sebold plasterer,
and Jacob S. and Geo. T.
Gelwicks the painters.
The July
19, 1884 issue of the Chronicle
described the building's
sidewalk:
A Fine
Footwalk
Mr. W.
G. Horner is laying his
pavement at his residence on
the square, and it is a fine
piece of work. He gets the
flag stones from the Cleveland
Ohio Building Stone Company.
They are sawed, some single
stones are 8 ft. 3 in. by 4
ft. and are from 4 inches to 6
inches thick, the surface is
of course perfectly level, and
just sufficiently smooth to
give a good foothold. The
improvement surpasses anything
in its line, ever attempted in
this place.
In
June, 1887 work was begun on
preparing the iron to be used
in the vault to be constructed
for the new bank. The vault
was completed three months
later and this article
appeared in the September 24,
1887 Chronicle: "The vault for
the new bank at Mr. W. G.
Horner's building in this
place has been completed, and
is a beautiful piece of work.
It was made at the York Safe
and Lock works, and is
furnished with double
combinations and a time lock."
By
February, 1888, the banking room
had been completed and the 28th
issue of the Chronicle described
it:
The
Banking Room of Messrs. W. G.
Horner & Co., received its
finishing touches last week,
in the completion of the
counters, which with the
entire appointments present a
very artistic effect, the
finely wrought woodwork, the
plate glass arrangements for
light, the steel shutters and
barred doors all silver
plated, with the fine
workmanship in the massive
arrangements of the vault, and
its wonderful locks and
apartments, the gas fixures,
etc., are all executed
according to the most approved
designs of the day, and cannot
fail to please all who are
interested in complete
equipments.
On May
10, 1884 the Daily News,
Frederick, noted a further use
of the building: "The C & P
Telephone Co. have established
an exchange at Emmitsburg in the
Horner building,. Miss Bell
Helman is the operator. The
lines in that section are said
to be working splendidly and
subscribers are raising a hello
of a time."
Sometime
during the early 1880's a group
of local investors formed The
Mutual Live Stock Insurance
Company of Emmitsburg. I have
not been able to find, in the
Frederick County Courthouse, the
Maryland State Archives, the
Frederick County Historical
Society or the newspapers,, who
made up the company except that
W. G. Horner was the Secretary.
In March of 1885 the integrity
of The Mutual Live Stock
Insurance Company of Emmitsburg
was questioned by a Virginia
newspaper in this article which
appeared in the March 7, issue
of the Frederick Daily News
entitled " Pretty Strong
Language: Under the heading of
'The Emmitsburg Swindle' the
Warrenton Virginian of February
26th says -- 'Some time ago a
Live Stock Insurance Company
commenced doing work at
Emmitsburg, Md. They insured for
a mere nominal sum and some of
our best insurance agents were
forced to take the agency for
this company by the demands of
the people to have their
property placed in it.
The
company did very well for a
time, but recently it has given
very wide spread
dissatisfaction. The evident
policy of the company has been
to get all the insurance
possible at long terms and then
to drive its policy holders off
by sending in frequent
assessments. One gentleman that
we know of received fifteen
assessments in January. He, of
course, withdrew from the
company and the amounts that he
had paid in was that much clear
profit to the swindlers. The
experience of this one has been
the same with all that we have
been able to hear of. Those who
have lost animals insured, for
some time past have been able to
get nothing for them. The
circular of the company gives a
list of names as president,
directors, etc., but letters
addressed to them bring replies
that those who were associated
with this company have long
since resigned and the one
person who seems to have control
of its affairs is W. G. Horner,
the nominal secretary. This man
seems to be one of the most
unabashed swindlers we have ever
heard of. Either his own reason
is dethroned or he takes the
rest of mankind to be fools. If
there is law to reach such a
case he should be punished, if
not a coat of tar and feathers
would not be out of place."
A week
later, a retraction and apology
was printed in the Daily News
entitled: " Mr. Horner
Vindicated: The article quoted
from the Warrenton Virginian of
February 26, which appeared in
The Weekly News of last week,
and in which a live stock
insurance company doing business
in Emmitsburg was referred to as
the 'Emmitsburg Swindle', has
provoked considerable
speculation and inquiry in this
county, and it appears that the
statements in the Warrenton
Virginian are not supported by
any shadow of fact. At the time
of reproducing the article we
characterized its language as
'pretty strong', but studiously
refrained from endorsing its
sentiments, editorially of
otherwise. We will now add that
we are satisfied from enquiry
that the Emmitsburg corporation
is supported by reputable
citizens of that locality and
that Mr. Horner is an upright
and honest man. We repeat that
the publication of the article
named was by no means intended
as an endorsement of it. We are
satisfied that Mr. Horner is,
instead of being a swindler, as
just and upright a citizen as
lives in this county."
And a
day later the Chronicle ran "An
Apology: It gives us pleasure to
copy the following article from
the Frederick News of Thursday,
which is an honest and manly
acknowledgement of its error in
republishing the slanderous
attack of the Warrenton
Virginian, on 'The Mutual Live
Stock Insurance Company of
Emmitsburg', and especially
vilifying the character of its
secretary." The article from the
Daily News was then reproduced
in full.
Mr. and
Mrs. Horner were both active in
community affairs. Both
Republican and Democratic
rallies were hosted at his
Liberty Flouring Mills in
Liberty Township. After one
Democratic meeting, "those
remaining enjoyed themselves
with a dance which was arranged
by Mrs. W. G. Horner, and to her
are due the thanks for her taste
and attention in making so
complete a success on this
occasion". The Chronicle
describes a Democratic "meeting
and torch light procession,
which although not as long an
the one (Republican) the
previous night, was better
lighted and the illuminations
throughout the town were more
general, and the decorations in
many places, were beautiful. A
feature of the turn out was six
young ladies on horse back, who
headed the parade. After the
procession.the addresses were
delivered from a platform
erected in front of the entrance
to W. G. Horner & Co.'s Banking
House, which building was kindly
offered by Mr. Horner for the
occasion, and had been
beautifully decorated by the
ladies interested in the party,
under the supervision of Mrs.
Horner."
They
were both members of the
committee to erect a fountain in
the square. They were also
members of The Harrison, Morton
and McComas Club and in
connection with this Mrs. Horner
started a juvenile Glee Club
composed entirely of little
boys. They entertained
frequently at their home and the
following article found among
Mrs. Horner's personal
belongings describes one such
affair:
Ball
at Emmitsburg
One of
the grandest affairs of the
season at Emmitsburg, this
county, was a full dress ball,
given by Mrs. W. G. Horner, on
last Wednesday evening, 28
couples in attendance. At 9 p.m.
they all fell in line and left
the handsomely decorated parlor
for the brilliantly lighted ball
room, whereas a number of
friends and relatives of Mr. And
Mrs. Horner had assembled to
witness the grand march which
was led by Mr. E. Adelsberger
and hostess. This merry party
continued until 1 a.m., when all
repaired to the spacious dining
room, where a sumptuous menu of
confectioneries, cakes, ice
cream, fruits, etc. was served.
In the center of the table was
noticed a magnificent pyramid of
flowers and fruits, which was
arranged with such art and
delicacy as to tempt the
appetite of the most fastidious.
The ladies in attendance were
dressed as follows: The hostess
was attired in cream and
lavender satin, with diamonds;
her sister Mrs. L. W. McClain
and Miss F. King, of Gettysburg
, wore black silk, Mrs. Prof.
Jourdan was dressed in cream and
red satin, Misses T. and N.
Adelsberger in pale blue and
cream with Spanish lace and
flowers, J. Woodsworth in acrue
and plume, M. and K. O'Donoghue
in cream and blue with lace and
flowers, J. Baker in black silk
with roses, M. J. Hemler in pink
and blue with lace, and natural
flowers, L. and A. Hoke in cream
and red satin, B. Hendrickson in
pale blue silk, G. Adelsberger,
of Baltimore, in black silk and
lace, with roses, and little Ivy
Horner in pale blue silk,
received a great deal of
attention from all the guests.
Among the guests were: L. W.
McClain, of Gettysburg, Messrs.
E. and G. Adelsberger, J. and D.
O'Donoghue, and C. Rowe, E.
Hemler, E. and J. Johnson, C.
Gillehon, H. Danner, of
Philadelphia, S. Myers, P.
McDavitt, J. Siebold, E. Annan,
F. Hesson, of Mechanicstown, B.
Fraley, H. and C. Mannig, J.
Legards and J. Horner. Although
the host participated very
little in the dancing yet his
great pleasure seemed to be that
of witnessing the real and
unbounded enjoyment of his
guests.
Mr.
Horner died very suddenly on
February 1, 1889. He had become
ill only the day before. He was
only 43 years old. The following
obituary appeared in the
February 9 issue of the
Chronicle:
"Mr.
Winfield G. Horner, proprietor
of the Banking House of W. G.
Horner & Co., of this place, and
also proprietor of Liberty
Flouring Mills in Liberty Twp.
Pa., died at his late residence
in this place last Friday
afternoon at 3:15 o'clock, after
a brief illness. He was born
April 14, 1846, being in his
43rd year of his age. His
personal history was
interesting. He started out as a
farmer, was afterwards
associated with the late Mr.
Isaac Hyder in the general
merchandise business, later he
filled a clerkship in the
Emmitsburg post office; at one
time he had the contract for
carrying the Gettysburg mail
from this place, and was
connected in the livery business
with Mr. C. S. Smith; He was
Secretary of the Mutual
Live-Stock Insurance company of
Emmitsburg, was agent for the
Royal and Continental Fire
Insurance Companies, also
several Life Insurance companies
and finally was the founder of
the banking firm of W. G. Horner
& Co., and sole proprietor of
the celebrated Liberty Flouring
Mill. Mr. Horner was a man of
quick perception and much
natural shrewdness, which soon
familiarized him with his
different callings. It is due to
him that our town owes some of
its success, and by his death it
loses one of its most
enterprising citizens. His
funeral took place on Monday
morning and was largely
attended. Services were
conducted by the Rev. W.
Simonton, D.D. of this place.
The remains were taken to
Gettysburg and interred at
Evergreen Cemetery. The pall
bears were W. S. Guthrie,
John Donoghue, Geo.
C. Habighurst, James F. Hickey,
D. H. Reisman and W. A. Fraley."
As far
as I have been able to determine
from reviewing the newspapers,
the bank was not operated after
his death. No further mention of
it was made in the Chronicle.
What happened to its assets is
unclear. Unfortunately, my
Grandfather died intestate and
my Grandmother was only able to
salvage the Liberty Flour Mill.
She moved there with her three
children, living there several
years and then moving to
Gettysburg.
Some
other items from the Emmitsburg
Chronicle
8/23/1884 -- Mrs. W. G. Horner
and her daughter and sister have
been at Atlantic City for over a
week.
6/30/1885 -- Mr. W. G. Horner
made a visit to W. Va., and
bought himself a pair of
thoroughbred horses.
12/19/1885 -- Mr. W. G. Horner
has our thanks for some very
fine Calendars. They are from
the Continental Insurance Co.,
of which he is agent in this
section.
2/6/1886
-- W. G. Horner, Mortgagee will
sell a lot of livestock,
agricultural implements, etc.,
the property of Lewis A.
Bollinger, at his residence near
Bridgeport.
2/13/1886 -- "Doctor, I can
neither lay nor set. What shall
I do". "I think you had better
roost." was the reply. Now if
the doctor had prescribed a
bottle of Salvation Oil, for the
poor fellow's rheumatism, it
would have relieved his patient
at once. 25 cents.
Straw
hats and linen dusters will not
be so very popular as
heretofore; Dr. Bull's Cough
Syrup, however, will be as
popular as ever at 25 cents.
4/24/1886 -- Accident -- On
Thursday Winfield a little son
of Mr. W. G. Horner of this
place and Percy, a son of Mr. A.
Eyster were playing on a pile of
lumber at Zimmerman & Maxell's
lumber yard, when the pile fell
down, burying both the little
fellows, who made a miraculous
escape from death. Winfield
escaped with some bruises and
Percy with a broken arm.
10/2/1886 -- There are stones
lying loose, here and there,
along the streets, which the
authorities would be commended
in removing. The Messrs.
Ashbaugh have raised and leveled
the cobblestones in front of Mr.
W. G. Horner's residence on the
square.
9/3/87
-- town property at private sale
-- The undersigned, as attorneys
in fact, for the heirs of David
W. Horner, late of Frederick
County, deceased, offer at
private sale, the HOUSE & LOT
upon which said deceased resided
prior to the time of his death,
adjoining lots of W. G. Horner
and E. L. Rowe, Esq. It will be
sold upon easy terms, which will
be made known by the
Undersigned. O. A. Horner, W. G.
Horner, Attorneys-in-fact.
12/3/1887 -- oats notes -- Suits
have been brought by W. G.
Horner & Co., of Emmitsburg, on
a note against Francis Cole for
$400 and another against
Theodore Kimple for $200, and by
Johnston Warehame, Jr., against
Theodore Kimple for $100. These
notes grew out of "Bohemian
oats". Payment is withheld on
the ground of not having
received value for the
obligations,. The other side
will depend upon the plea of
"innocent holdership."
12/24/1887 -- Mr. W. G. Horner
has our thanks for a lot of the
finest Calendars wee have seen
this year. They are furnished by
the Royal Fire Insurance Co., of
Liverpool, England, of which Mr.
Horner is agent.
1/28/1888 -- arm broken -- In
descending the steps of the
portico at the front of Eyster's
City Hotel, on Monday last, Mrs.
W. G. Horner fell and in so
doing broke the inner bone of
her left arm, below the elbow.
Drs. J. B. Brawner and J. K.
Wrigley adjusted the
displacement and the fracture.
The patient we are glad to learn
has been progressing finely.
10/27/1888 -- Theodore B. Horner
and David W. Horner,
Administrators of David W.
Horner, deceased, have sold a
farm in Cumberland township,
containing 288 acres and 96
perches of land to Mrs. Ollie J.
Horner, at $34.50 per acre,
aggregating $9956.70.
6/6/1889
-- disastrous flood -- The
disastrous flood of the past
week was the worst ever
experienced in this section. At
an early hour on Friday evening
Emmitsburg was completely cut
off from the outside world, by
the waters of Flat Run and Tom's
Creek flowing around the
bridges, but it was not until
Saturday morning that the
citizens became aware of the
extent of the damage to
property. Tom's Creek at
Gilson's was twenty-four inches
higher than ever known before,
and at Maxell's mill the water
was four feet higher than it had
been in fifty years. Seven of
the benches at the railroad
trestle were washed away, which
stopped all trains from running
on Saturday. The bridge at
Snouffer's mill was injured and
the water rose in the miller's
house to within fifteen inches
of the ceilings on the first
floor, the stable was washed
away, and a buggy belonging to
Mr. James Septer, the miller,
completely ruined, his horse was
saved. The dam at Horner's mill
in Liberty twp., was swept away,
the water rushing down with such
force as to wash an immense hole
in the road just in front of the
entrance to the bridge near the
mill. The bridge to the turnpike
at the toll-gate at that point
was washed entirely away. The
mountain road between the bridge
at Hartman's mill and Annan Dale
school house was badly damaged.
Slight damage was sustained to
the reservoir of the Emmitsburg
Water Company. A field of corn
on Mr. Joe Byers farm was
completely ruined scarcely one
acre being left in a field of
over twenty, soil having been
washed off the field entirely to
the depth it was plowed. Nearly
all the bridges in the district
were injured to a greater or
less extent. Many of our farmers
suffered heavily by damage to
growing crops.
Read other
article by William Horner
Read the History of the Fall
of the Banking House of
Annan-Horner
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