Born ‎22 Feb 1839 at Sandy Hill, Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States, died ‎07 Dec 1918 at East Stroudsburg, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States‎, age 79 years, buried at Prospect Cemetery, East Stroudsburg,, Pennsylvania, United States. Occupation: Lutheran Minister

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These are snippets taken from stories passed down from various family members, as well as his personal journal, and a few of my own thoughts.

I've learned little of John's early life, but records show he graduated Gettysburg College 1860. He subsequently graduated from the Gettysburg Theological Seminary in 1862, being ordained as a minister in 1864. According to the seminary, he served on it's board of directors 1874, and (presumably) later as it's director - although no date is given.

John wrote briefly in his journal about attending the Battlefield commemoration at Gettysburg, but never mentioned the president being there, nor his famous address. My aunt gave me a copy of the journal he kept, which was transcribed by a family member (and several copies made).

John and his wife went to Africa as a missionary from 1864-1865. In his journal he wrote about a trip alternating with debilitating sickness and life changing joy. Yellow Fever eventually cut the trip short and they returned in time to hear grave news passed from another boat crossing the Atlantic. Lincoln had been shot and was dead.

I have vivid memories from childhood sleeping in his old rope bed, when we went to visit grandma and grandpa Kauffman in Altoona, PA. My grandmother told his stories with admiration and a bit of awe, and I recall lying awake in his bed sharing her sense of awe. When my grandmother moved from her home in Altoona to an assisted living facility, John's bed went to stay with my aunt. In 2009, my aunt moved from her house into a condo and offered my wife and I the bed, which we had shipped down to FL from PA.

His old rope bed sits in our large family room, and to this day I sleep in it sometimes when poor sleep strikes. As you might guess, I think of him often. As much as any other ancestor, I wish I could pluck him from history to have a chat. I'd thank him for the positive influence that has reached through time and help shaped my life.@S84@S17@S29@S94@S17@S94@

RootsWeb sources:
1. Title: Rice Immigrants
Abbrev: Immigrants: Rice Family
Author: Rosemary E. Bachelor, Editor, 2002, Rice Family Books.com
Date: 1 Sep 2003
Page: 168
2. Title: Flickinger Families of the United States
Abbrev: Flickinger Book
Author: Rev. Robert Flickinger
Publication: Success Composition and Printing. Des Moines, Iowa, 1927
Date: 3 Sep 2003
Page: 744
3. Title: LOY, Michael (Book)
Abbrev: Loy Book
Author: Gerald E. Collins
Date: 20 Jun 2005
Page: 39
4. Title: Hammond, John T.
Abbrev: Hammond
Author:

1850 US Federal Census,
Madison Twp. Perry Co. PA

Was living in Woodbury, Bedford Co, PA in 1880
Was living in East Stroudsburg Boro, Monroe Co, PA in 1910
Was living in Hemlock, Columbia, Pennsylvania in 1870
Shared internet records indicate he had lived in Shippensburg (Cumberland Co) PA for a time (not given).

Born ‎14 Oct 1844 at Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania, United States, died ‎16 Jan 1934 at Bedford, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, United States
was still alive at 1930 census, w/ dau Lilly‎, age 89 years, buried at Prospect Cemetery, East Stroudsburg,, Pennsylvania, United States

In 1850 Census, a John Zeigler (abt 1844) lived with George and Sarah Ickes - same page of Madison, Perry, PA census as George and Magdelena (Ickes) Rice (parents of Hannah’s husband John).

John possible sibling for Hannah?

Parents names from Ancestry Census data and Aunt Suzy.

http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/adams/newspapers/date/1862-07.txt

In Adams Sentinel Newspaper 9/23/1862:
“Married, on the 16th inst., by Rev. A. Essick, Rev. J.M. Rice, recently of the Theological Seminary to Hannay Mary Ziegler of Gettysburg.”