Matthias Zahniser and Mary Lint
Husband Matthias Zahniser 1 2
Born: 1749 - Germany 1 Christened: Died: 28 Apr 1833 - ? Mercer Co, PA 3 Buried: - Zahniser Cemetery, Jackson Twp, Mercer Co, PA
Father: Valentine Zahniser ( -Abt 1753) 1 4 Mother: Julia Ann Clemens (Abt 1717-1790/1801) 1
Marriage: 1774 - Lancaster Co, PA 1
• Family History: Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906).
To read about the origins and early history of this family, click here.
Wife Mary Lint 1 2
Born: Abt 1754 Christened: Died: 1829 3 Buried: - Zahniser Cemetery, Jackson Twp, Mercer Co, PA
Father: Michael Lint ( - ) 2 Mother:
Children
1 M Matthias Zahniser 5 6
Born: 1775 - Lancaster Co, PA 6 Christened: Died: 1850 - ? Jefferson Twp, Mercer Co, PA 6 Buried:Spouse: Doratha (Dorothy) A. Fry (1783-1875) 5 6 Marr: 1800 - Coolspring Twp, Mercer Co, PA 6 7
2 M Michael Zahniser 1 8
Born: 1777 - Lancaster Co, PA 8 9 Christened: Died: 1852 8 9 Buried:Spouse: Mary Mourer (1784-1876) 1 8 Marr: 29 Apr 1806 1 8
3 M John Zahniser 1 10
Born: - Lancaster Co, PA Christened: Died: 1798 - Mercer Co, PA 10 Buried:
4 M Valentine Zahniser 1 11
Born: 1782 - Lancaster Co, PA 11 Christened: Died: 1866 11 Buried:Spouse: Elizabeth "Betsey" White ( -1856) 11 12 Marr: 1806 1 11
5 M William Zahniser 1 13 14
Born: 1789 - Lancaster Co, PA 13 14 Christened: Died: 7 May 1856 14 15 Buried:Spouse: Eleanor Stotler (1790-1852) 3 14 Marr: 1814 - Allegheny Co, PA 1 14
6 M Jacob Zahniser 1 16
Born: Cir Nov 1792 - Penn Twp, Allegheny Co, PA 16 Christened: Died: 22 Jan 1852 16 17 Buried: - Old Mercer Cemetery, Mercer, Mercer Co, PASpouse: Catherine Wright (1790-1861) 1 16 Marr: 1816 1 16
7 M David Zahniser 1 18
Born: 19 Apr 1795 - Penn Twp, Allegheny Co, PA 18 19 Christened: Died: 14 Oct 1874 18 19 Buried:Spouse: Nancy (Ann) Coulson (1796-1850) 18 20 Marr: 1818 1 18
8 F Mary Zahniser 1 21
Born: 1797 - Penn Twp, Allegheny Co, PA 21 Christened: Died: 1825 21 Buried:Spouse: Joshua McCracken (1787-1847) 1 21 Marr: 1 Apr 1817 1
9 M Adam Zahniser 22
Born: - Mercer Co, PA Christened: Died: in infancy Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
10 F Susan Zahniser 22
Born: Christened: Died: when three years old Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
11 M Jacob Zahniser 22
Born: Christened: Died: in infancy Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
12 U [Infant] Zahniser 22
Born: Christened: Died: in infancy Buried:
13 U [Infant] Zahniser 22
Born: Christened: Died: in infancy Buried:
General Notes: Husband - Matthias Zahniser
April, 1796, witnessed the arrival in Lake Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, of the first settler. His name was Mathias Zahniser. He was of German birth, and removed to this country in 1751, locating in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the county that furnished Mercer County with so many of her earliest settlers. While living there he became acquainted with, and eventually married, Miss Mary Lint, by whom he had thirteen children, eleven boys and two girls. In 1789 he changed his residence from Lancaster to Allegheny County. Becoming favorably impressed with the accounts he had heard concerning the region known now as Mercer County, he resolved to penetrate still further toward the great Northwest, and accordingly started on his long and wearisome journey in search of a new home, accompanied by his wife and children. He arrived in what is now Lake Township at an auspicious time. The ground was covered with beautiful wild flowers, while the forest trees, just peeping forth in their new drapery of green foliage, resounded with the glad carolings of birds. On every hand the evidences of a renewed life inspired the most sanguine expectations. Reaching the spot which many years afterward became the farm of James Zahniser, he determined to locate. This he did, and began at once active preparations toward securing for himself and family a comfortable abode. It is related that on this journey the new-comers, packing their goods and making difficult way through the almost unknown wilderness, were met by Thomas McMillan at a place called Indian Springs. The party at once placed themselves under his guidance, and, by the aid of a small pocket com-pass which he carried, were enabled to reach their destination in safety. Had it not been for this timely assistance, they would in all probability have encountered more trouble than they did, owing to their unfamiliarity with the country through which they were traveling.
The winter of 1796 was an unusually severe one. Heavy snows fell, and an unprecedented frost early in the fall warned the inhabitants that their position in the new country was an exceedingly perilous one. Accordingly nearly everybody made preparations to leave, and at length did depart back to the more populous counties south of them. So far as is known but two families remained during that winter in what afterward became Cool Spring Township. These were the families of Benjamin Stokely and Matthias Zahniser. Strictly speaking, however, the latter's household did not remain intact. All but three returned to their former home. But these three, consisting of the father and his two sons, Michael and John, resolved to brave the winter's storms and cold. They had with them five head of cattle. These suffered terribly from hunger and cold, but by the strenuous efforts of their owners were kept alive. The food which was available for the cattle's consumption consisted of the leaves and tender branches of underbrush and small trees, which were uncovered from the snow. The men had succeeded during the summer in raising some potatoes, pumpkins and turnips. They had not, however, had opportunity to remove these from the ground before the advent of cold weather, and, as a result, their food comprised frozen potatoes and pumpkin mush. Even this scanty store was rendered unfit for use before the season was over, for a big thaw occurred, which softened the vegetables, after which they again froze solid, thus making them totally valueless for human diet. But by incredible suffering and perseverance the winter was endured. The return of spring brought back the remaining members of the family. Clearings were continued, a better house was erected, and preparations for a continuous sojourn made. By the coming of the second winter the pioneers were in such a situation that they could view its approach with much less apprehension. Their second year was passed under much more favorable circumstances. It was not long until their condition became comparatively comfortable. [HMC 1888, 552]
The founder of the Zahniser family in the United States was Matthias Zahniser, who immigrated with his mother from Germany to the province of Pennsylvania in 1753. His father and brother embarked on the same vessel and at the same time, but died on the ocean between Germany and New York city. Matthias Zah-niser settled at Lancaster, PA, where he mar-ried a lady by the name of Lint and reared a family of seven children, six sons and one daugh-ter. He removed from Lancaster to Allegheny county. In 1797 moved to Mercer county. [BHCWC 1890, 183]
He moved with his family, which included his mother, to Allegheny County, where he bought a farm and also worked at his trade. In 1796 he sold this farm to Frederick Stone. This land lay in Penn Township, east of Pittsburgh and Mt. Hope Cemetery was later situated on the old Zahniser farm. When the Zahniser family located in Allegheny County, the family of Benjamin Stokely was the only white one definitely known to have been there previously.
He and his wife were the parents of thirteen children, eight of whom grew to maturity and seven of whom left descendants.
1 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1018.
2 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 32.
3 Joseph F. McFarland, 20th Century History of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1910), Pg 601.
4 Joseph F. McFarland, 20th Century History of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1910), Pg 598.
5 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 931, 1018.
6 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 87.
7 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877).
8 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 121.
9 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1007.
10 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 53.
11 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 145.
12 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1018, 1118.
13 Samuel T. Wiley, Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: John M. Gresham & Co., 1890.), Pg 183.
14 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 157.
15 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1019.
16 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 169.
17 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 702.
18 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 177.
19 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1020.
20 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1018, 1020.
21 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 189.
22
Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 53.
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