My Genealogy Hound

JOSIAH BRINKER KISTLER, farmer, post office New Texas, was born in Westmoreland county, Pa., Dec. 31, 1827, a son of Samuel and Catherine (Fink) Histler. Samuel was a farmer in Westmoreland county, and died in 1883, aged eighty-five years, a member of the H. P. Church; his wife died in 1855, aged fifty-two years; both were natives of Pennsylvania. Josiah was educated in the common schools, and at the age of twenty-one began farming in this county. In 1865 he bought the place where he now resides, containing’ ninety-one acres. Deciding to make this his future home, he erected a fine dwelling at the cost of $5,000, and made other improvements to correspond. He married, in 1855, Margaret Jane Elliott, a native of Plum township, born Sept. 5, 1828, a daughter of Robert and Margaret (Fryer) Elliott, of Plum township. Six children, three of whom are living, were born to Mr. and Mrs. Kistler: Anna Maria (Mrs. Reed Stewart), Florence Ida (deceased wife of George Reiter), John Clinton (a United Presbyterian clergyman at Buena Vista, Pa., married to Maggie Alter, of Plum township), Maggie Elliott (Mrs. James Clements, of Plum township), Lizzie Luella (died September 28, 1887, aged twenty years), Alice May (died aged thirteen days). The family are connected with the Unity U. P. Church.