My Genealogy Hound

EPHRAIM R. DAVIDHEISER, a farmer of Upper Pottsgrove township, was born on the farm which he at present owns. He is the son of Henry and Sarah (Reigner) Davidheiser.

Henry Davidheiser (grandfather) was among the first to settle in Upper Pottsgrove township, and always lived upon the homestead now occupied by Ephraim R. Davidheiser. By trade he was a shoemaker. He was a commissioned officer in the war of 1812, and won many honors. He married Mary Fagley and they had ten children, four sons and six daughters, all deceased, but who left many descendants.

Henry Davidheiser (father) spent his life on the homestead in Upper Pottsgrove township. In politics he was a Democrat. He married Sarah Reigner. Both he and his wife are deceased, he dying at the age of seventy years, and his wife surviving him a few years, and they are buried in Pottstown. They had ten children, eight sons and two daughters, of whom five are deceased. Those living are: Reuben, married (first wife) Sarah Kepner, they living in Upper Pottsgrove township and having twelve children and (second wife) Anna Schieck, they residing in Pottstown, where he is a carpenter, contractor, and holds the office of street commissioner; Milton, married Annie Lindeman, and resides in Pottstown, where he is also a contractor and carpenter, they having no children; Mary Ann, married Henry Wise, who is engaged in the agriculture business; he was crippled during the Rebellion, and has a good military record; they have one child; and Ephraim R.

Joseph Reigner (maternal grandfather) and his wife Susan Reigner lived in Upper Pottsgrove township, where they were farmers.

Ephraim R. Davidheiser has lived at his present home all his life except one year, when he was engaged in the lumber business in Pottstown. He attended school until he was seventeen years old, and then worked on the farm until he was twenty- one. After spending one year in Pottstown, he returned to the farm.

September 5, 1874, Ephraim R. Davidheiser married Catharine, daughter of Henry and Catharine (Eppler) Steiger. They were married at Pottstown. Mr. and Mrs. Steiger lived in Berks county, where he was a farmer. They had four children, of which four are living: Lucy, Ellen, Henry and Catharine (Mrs. Davidheiser) . All except the last named live in Berks county. Mr. and Mrs. Davidheiser have no children. Mr. Davidheiser is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Lutheran church. His wife belongs to the Reformed church of Pottstown. Mr. Davidheiser took charge of the farm the year after his father’s death, the estate being settled. He built a new and beautiful home on the old place in 1866, and has improved the property in many ways. The farm is noted for the abundance of refreshing spring water that it yields.