We have noticed a growing interest in out blog posts about the Stonesifer family, including Guy, Bobbie, Ruth and Kris. In this entry we explore the Stonesifer family tree in more detail, providing our readers with more insights.
The surname Stonesifer is familiar to many in the Lewisberry and northern York County area. In researching our book, The History of Silver Lake as Told Through Its Deeds, we chose to do some genealogy work to ascertain or confirm familial relationships. We came to discover that the Stonesifers of Lewisberry and those of Silver Lake are all descended from one common man, John Daniel Stonesifer (1730 – 1813), a German immigrant who settled near Silver Run in northern Carroll County, Maryland, and his second wife. Daniel’s first wife, Anna Maria Sterner (1733 – 1765), bore three children, including one son. His second wife, Mary Elizabeth Yingling (1743-1821) bore 11 children , including 7 sons, all who survived to maturity. It is believed that almost all Stonesifer/Stonecyphers in the US are likely descended from this gentleman, his half-brother Johannes Eberhardt Stonesifer and 4 other half-brothers, all of whom decamped Germany between 1732 and 1752 to escape wars and forced military conscription.
In Lewisberry borough, Harriet Beecher Stowe Stonesifer (1886 – 1978) is well known as she married Dr. Homer Christian Hetrick of Lewisberry. Known as Hattie, she was the mother of Horace Bruce Hetrick and Dr Gurney Eugene “Gene” Hetrick.
Hattie’s father was Robert Nelson Stonesifer (1852 – 1913). He was in the tin and stove business in Lewisberry, operated a shingle mill, and was the justice of the peace there from May of 1883 to May of 1895. Robert’s father, Jacob Henry Stonesifer (1827 – 1903) moved young Robert and the rest of his family from Maryland to Lewisberry in 1862 and promptly enlisted at Camp Curtin in Harrisburg in Company I, 6th US Cavalry. He served 18 months, 7 days, was engaged in the Battle of Gettysburg, and later received a serious saber wound to his shoulder that knocked him off his horse and ultimately led to his discharge. Jacob’s name is one of the 34,530 others listed on bronze memorial tablets around the base of the Pennsylvania State Monument on the Gettysburg battlefield commemorating every Pennsylvania soldier engage in that fateful battle. Robert’s mother, Elizabeth King, is descended from Peter Little, the founder of Littlestown. Significantly, Elizabeth’s and Jacob’s eldest six children, born in Maryland, were all baptized in the family church in Silver Run. The majority of the northern York County Stonesifers are descended from Jacob’s seven sons.
Jacob’s parents were Daniel and Anna Maria Magdelena Stonesifer. Daniel and Anna Maria were first cousins. Anna Maria’s father Abraham and Daniel’s father John were sons of John Daniel, the immigrant.
William Grant Stonesifer (1855 -1941), the developer of the Silver Lake summer colony, purchased the lake, mill, and surrounding land from the Lewis Cline heirs in 1925. Born in Adams County, Pennsylvania to Amos Jehru Stonesifer (1832 – 1909) and Sarah Elizabeth Lightner (1841 – 1870), farmed and was employed as a saw mill operator in Biglerville before relocating the family to Lemoyne c. 1919 where he engaged in the lumber business.
Amos Jehru, a tanner by trade in Littlestown, Adams County, was the son of Isaac Stonesifer (1798 – 1847), a farmer born in Silver Run who settled with his family in Germany Township, Adams County right outside Littlestown borough. Isaac’s wife was Elizabeth Stonesifer; they were cousins, both born to sons of Daniel, the immigrant. Isaac’s father was Jacob and Elizabeth’s John Daniel Jr.
As one can see, both Stonesifer lines descend directly from John Daniel Stonesifer, the immigrant from Seelbach, Germany, in the Black Forrest in present day far Southwestern Germany. He arrived in Philadelphia in September 22, 1752 on the ship Halifax at the age of 21 (Source: Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Strausberger & Hinke). Within 2 years he had migrated to Silver Run in Carroll County Maryland, where he married his first wife. Generations of Stonesifers were baptized, married and were buried in St. Mary’s Church (formerly Union Church housing both Lutheran and Reformed congregations) in Silver Run, which was organized May 31, 1762. Anna Maria Sterner Stonesifer is likely one of the first family members interred there. Daniel was a successful farmer and at the time of his death his land holdings were 403 acres. For more details about the origins of the Stonesifer family, we recommend the work of Doyle Wildasin.
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