Husband George Berlin 1 2 3
Born: 12 Sep 1782 - Little York, York Co, PA 1 2 3
Christened:
Died: 1 Nov 1844 - Elk Twp, Clarion Co, PA 2 3 4
Buried:
Father: Jacob Berlin ( - ) 5 6 7
Mother: Eva Carbaugh ( - ) 6 8
Marriage: 1805 4
Wife Elizabeth Neely 1 3 9
AKA: Elizabeth Neeley 10
Born: Abt 1786 - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA
Christened:
Died: 5 Feb 1879 4
Buried:
Father: Paul Neely ( - ) 11 12
Mother: Frances Shupe ( - ) 11
Children
1 M Jesse Berlin 1 13
Born: 29 May 1807 14
Christened:
Died: 17 Oct 1895 14
Buried:
Spouse: Susannah Lillie ( - )
Spouse: Mary Ann Armstrong (1823-1903/1905) 13 14
Marr: 7 Jun 1853
2 F Sarah Berlin 1 14 15
Born: 28 Jun 1809 16
Christened:
Died: 1901 - Greenville, PA 14
Buried:
Spouse: William Black (1807-1862) 1 17
Marr: Elk Twp, Clarion Co, PA
3 M Paul Berlin 1 14
Born: 17 Jan 1811 14
Christened:
Died: 4 Apr 1835 14
Buried:
4 M Henry Nicholas Berlin 1 14
Born: 30 Jun 1812 14
Christened:
Died: 4 Nov 1899 14
Buried:
Spouse: Clara Miller ( - ) 14
5 F Frances "Fanny" Berlin 1 14 18
Born: 3 Mar 1814 14
Christened:
Died: Aug 1847 14
Buried:
Spouse: Henry Hugus ( - ) 1 14 18
6 F Mary Ann Berlin 1 14 19
Born: 13 Jun 1816 14
Christened:
Died: 1911 - Cooperstown, Jackson Twp, Venango Co, PA 19
Buried:
Spouse: Henry Booth (1809-1872) 1 14 19 20
7 M Henry Berlin 14
Born: 21 Mar 1817 14
Christened:
Died: 1 Nov 1844 14
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
8 F Margaret Berlin 1 14 21
Born: 5 Jun 1819 14
Christened:
Died: 24 Sep 1909 14
Buried:
Spouse: Charles Evan Miller (1823- ) 21
Marr: 1849 22
9 M George Neely Berlin 23 24 25
Born: 15 Aug 1820 - Ashland Twp, Clarion Co, PA 1 3
Christened:
Died: 30 Jul 1905 3 9
Buried:
Spouse: Susan Cook (1826-1904) 9 25 26
Marr: 9 Jan 1848 4 9
10 M Hezekiah Berlin 1 14
Born: 24 Mar 1822 14
Christened:
Died: 12 Feb 1902 14
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
11 M Solomon Berlin 1 14
Born: 9 Jan 1824 14
Christened:
Died: 16 Mar 1864 14
Buried:
12 M Jeremiah Berlin 1 14
Born: 22 Feb 1826 14
Christened:
Died: 18 Dec 1899 14
Buried:
Spouse: Parmelia Ensign ( - ) 14
13 M William Miles Berlin 1 14 21
Born: 15 Jun 1830 - near Knox, Beaver Twp, Clarion Co, PA 14
Christened:
Died: Aft 1912
Buried:
Spouse: Maria Louisa Heasley (1833-1909) 27
Marr: 12 Feb 1855 21 27
14 F [Infant] Berlin 1
Born:
Christened:
Died: in infancy
Buried:
General Notes: Husband - George Berlin
During his youth he learned the blacksmith trade. He settled and built the first blacksmith shop in East Liberty (now Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania, in 1805. In 1810 he moved to the wilderness in Venango County, Pennsylvania. Part of his time was spent in clearing and improving his land, and during wet and cold days he worked at his trade. Men would often plow or grub for him while he would sharpen their mattocks and do other smithing for them. During the War of 1812 most of his neighbors left their work and bore arms for their country. Mr. Berlin having lost the sight of his right eye was left at home, but made himself useful in harvesting his neighbors' crops, working day and night, and to increase his burdens mid disadvantages his wife was bitten by a rattlesnake while assisting in the harvest-field. During the grading of the turnpike which crossed their farm, Mrs. Berlin did the baking for the graders, receiving one dollar a barrel for converting twenty-six barrels of flour into bread. Mr. Berlin kept hotel after the pike was finished for fifty-three years, and at the time of his death owned five hundred acres of land. [HCC 1887, 648]
He settled on a farm later owned by his son, William, in 1810. He was a blacksmith by trade. All the people within a radius of ten miles came to his shop for their work to be done, yet he had time to farm. He broke the land with a shear plow, himself acting as horse, while his wife held the plow.
The first carding-machine in that section of the country was owned by Mr. Berlin. It was run by horse-power. Wool was brought from sixteen miles around to be carded. He kept tavern also, and the Susquehanna and Waterford Turnpike was graded past his tavern in 1818. Mrs. Berlin baked every day to supply the men working on this road. This was well remembered years later by his oldest son, Jesse, who had to chop bake-wood.
He moved with his parents about the year 1794 to West-moreland county, where he learned the black-smith's trade. He married, in 1805, and the same year opened a blacksmith's shop in East Liberty. This shop, which he built and operated, was the first in East Liberty, now known as Pittsburgh, East End, the most desirable residence section of Pittsburgh. He worked at his trade in East Liberty until 1810, then moved to a tract of heavily timbered wilderness in (then) Venango county, where he erected a rude forge, and worked at his trade, also clearing and improving his land. There was little money in circulation, but in return for his work as smith, his customers would cut, clear, grub and plow for him. During the War of 1812 he could not enlist, having lost his right eye by accident, but he made up for loss of military glory by harvesting his absent neighbors' crops for them, working literally night and day, to do this in addition to his own work. To still further increase his burdens at this time, his wife was bitten by a rattlesnake while working in the harvest field by his side. These were indeed times that tried men's souls. But the old pioneer conquered adverse circumstances, and the six dollars, which was the entire capital on arriving in what is now Ashland township, Clarion County, grew to represent a partly cleared well-improved farm of five hundred acres. This six dollars was invested in six bushels of wheat, which planted on the acre or two of cleared land, brought forth abundantly and was the foundation of future success. The sturdy smith worked in his shop by night while indoors his wife spun and wove. Often at night wolves prowled around the door, but the gaunt wolves of hunger and despair never entered. Soon the sons grew up to bear their share of the burden, and the work of clearing advanced rapidly. The victory was won and as each child grew to adult years he was started in life with a part of the homestead. The brave old pioneer blacksmith and his wife improved every opportunity. When the turn-pike, which crossed their farm, was being built, Mrs. Berlin did the baking for the graders, receiving one dollar per barrel for converting twenty-six barrels of flour into bread. Groceries were purchased at Franklin, the nearest trading point and were of the plainest, most indispensable kind. The nearest mill was miles away and a trip to the mill on horseback consumed a good deal of time. After the pike was finished Mr. Berlin kept an inn for many years, for the accommodation of travelers. He was a Democrat, but held no public office. He chose wisely in selecting a site for his farm and his descendants found it the equal of any in the township. [GPHAV, 928]
General Notes: Wife - Elizabeth Neely
from Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA
She was a woman of the best pioneer stock. When they left East Liberty for their home in the wilderness she bore her part in driving the cattle, swim-ming or fording the streams (there being no bridges), and with him mourned the loss of a horse and a cow at one of the crossings. Ar-riving at their tract she nobly seconded his efforts, working early and late, but proved the stronger vessel, surviving snake bite and hard work, outliving him thirty-five years, ever remaining a widow. She was a member of the Reformed church, but her husband was a Lutheran.