HERSHBERGER, Jonas S. 1861-1946

HERSHBERGER, WRIGHTSMAN, GNAGEY, PECK, HOOVER, GIBBEL, FAHRNEY, MESHEW, YODER, DUMOND

Posted By: Merikay Mestad (email)
Date: 8/20/2009 at 09:56:06

JONAS S. HERSHBERGER

#1:

Death of the Man Who Named Maple Glen Community

Jonas S. Hershberger, well known by many residents of this paper, passed away at his home in Waterloo, Iowa, March 29, at the age of 84 years, 5 months and 9 days.

He was born at Gibbons Glade, Preston County, W.Va., Oct. 20, 1861, the son of Solomon and Sallie (Peck) Hershberger, and was the only boy in a family of ten girls, only two of whom survive - Mrs. Myra Wrightsman and Miss Cora Hershberger, both of Denver, Colo.

When he was yet quite young the family moved to the farm home near the Maple Glen Church and school house, now owned and occupied by John Niner. He grew to manhood on that farm and took pride in the fact that it was he who gave the name Maple Glen to that locality at the time the meeting house of the Church of the Brethren erected near the Hershberger home was so named at his suggestion.
When he was a young man he married Miss Fanny Gnagey, youngest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel Gnagey who lived on what is now known as the Sam Hershberger farm adjoining the town of Grantsville, Md.

About the year 1891 Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Hershberger moved from Maple Glen to the historic Stone House (Little Meads) farm two miles east of Grantsville, where all of their children except Owen, the eldest, were born.

They resided there until 1906 when they moved to Waterloo, Iowa, where Mr. Hershberger operated a farm and dairy within the city limits for nearly 15 years, following which he was associated with his sons, Owen and Floyd in the grocery business in Waterloo for about 10 years until his retirement in 1929.

His wife, Fanny Gnagey, died Dec. 6, 1921. On Oct. 30, 1924, he married happily for the second time by taking as his wife and companion for his remaining years, Sadie Hoover of Plattsburg, Missouri, who cared for him very tenderly during his last illness. Until two years ago he and his second wife maintained a winter home in Sebring, Florida, for 15 years, and spent the summers in their permanent home in Waterloo, Iowa.

While he was a winter resident of Florida he took up the hobby of making walking canes from palmetto sticks, which he presented to many of his lame and aged friends. A number of his canes are in use in Meyersdale to this day.

Mr. Hershberger was a very intelligent, genial and friendly man, who deprived much happiness from life as long as he was well and able to work at his business or hobby.

He had been in failing health for several years, not suffering much, but being weak in his leg, on account of which he spent a good deal of his time lying down, but had been bedfast only a few days before he passed quietly away.

He was a very kind and loving husband and father, and is survived, besides the two sisters above mentioned, by his second wife and the following children of his first marriage: Owen H., Floyd E. and Galen F., Waterloo; Mrs. Verda Gibbel, Hollansburg, Ohio; Mrs. Leota Fahrney, Cedar Falls, Iowa; Mrs. Louise Meshew, Dayton, Ohio, and six grandchildren.

He was a faithful member of the Church of the Brethren, since his youth. Funeral services were conducted in his home church in Orange Township, outside the city limits of Waterloo, by the pastor, Rev. W. H. Yoder, preceded by a prayer service in the Kearns Garden Chapel, Waterloo, by Rev. Charles Dumond. Burial was in the church cemetery in Orange Township.[1]

[1] Meyersdale Republican, Somerset County, Pennsylvania (11 April 1946)
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#2:

Funeral services for Jonas S. Hershberger, 84, who died Friday at 2:45 p. m. in his home, 411 Kingsley avenue, of complications incident to advanced age, will be tomorrow at 2 p. m. in the Church of the Brethren, in Orange township, by Rev. W. H. Yoder, pastor Burial will be at Orange township.

A prayer service at Kearns Garden chapel will precede the funeral services at 1:30 p. m. Rev. Charles Dumond, pastor of the Church of the Brethren, will officiate.

A retired farmer and dairyman, Hershberger had been ailing for the last 18 months.

Before coming to Waterloo in 1906, he had farmed and operated a dairy within the city limits for nearly 15 years, following which he was associated with his sons, Floyd and Owen, in the grocery business for about 10 years, until his retirement in 1929.

Until two years ago he had spent the winter months for a period of 12 yearsin residence at Sebring, Fla., making his home here during the summer months.

Mr. Hershberger was known to many here through his hobby of cane making.

Born Oct. 20, 1861, at Givensglade, West Virginia, he was the son of Solomon and Sallie Hershberger.

He married Fannie Gnagey on Dec. 31, 1889, at Grantsville, MD. She died Dec. 6 1921. On Oct. 30, 1924, he married Sudie Hoover at Plattsburg, Mo.

Surviving in addition to the widow are four sons, Owen H., 1210 Hammond avenue, Floyd E., 223 Falls avenue, Galen F., Hotel Russell-Lamson, and Paul, Jesup; three daughters, Mrs. Ralph R. Fahrney, 321 Seerley boulevard, Cedar Falls, Mrs. J. P. Gibbel, Hollansburg, O., and Mrs. J. B. Meshew, Dayton, O.; two sisters, Mrs. Myra Wrightsman and Miss Cora Hershberger, both of Denver, Colo., and six grandchildren.[1]

[1] “Jonas S. Hersberger,” Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa (31 Mar 1946:2)