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John Heilman
JOHN HEILMAN, a retired farmer of Manor Township, Armstrong County, is now in
his ninety-second year and one of the venerable citizens of that section. He
was born there December 7, 1822, in what was then Kittanning (now Manor)
township, on part of the place where he now lives, and is a son of Jacob and
Susanna (Waltinbough) Heilman, both of whom belonged to families conspicuous
among the pioneer settlers and prominent landowners of Kittanning township.
Both names appear frequently in the old legal records and assessment lists of
Armstrong County. On the assessment lists of 1807 the Heilmans appear as
owners of mills, distilleries and large tracts of land. The name in old
records is found written Hileman and Hyleman.Peter Heilman, grandfather of John Heilman, was born in Alsace-Lorraine,
son of Christian Heilman, and was but two years old when his parents crossed
the Atlantic to settle in America. The mother died on the way, and was buried
at sea. The father settled in Northampton County and there learned the trade
of weaver. He married Elizabeth Harter, and came with his wife to Armstrong
County, settling in Kittanning township in 1795-96. He had a tract of 350
acres, upon which he erected the log buildings usually found in those days. He
reared a family of twelve children, and died at the home of his son Jacob when
eighty-two years old. In politics he was an old-line Democrat, and in religion
was associated with the Lutheran Church. A full sketch of his family appears
elsewhere in this work.Jacob Heilman was born in April, 1791, in Northampton County, and died in
Kittanning township, Armstrong County, Dec. 27, 1876, in his eighty-sixth
year. He was an extensive farmer, owning eight hundred acres of land, and was
a prominent distiller of his day, when Armstrong County whiskey had a
reputation as far south as New Orleans for being good, and the “Heilman
whiskey” was highly esteemed as one of the purest whiskies in the market.
When his son John was six years old Jacob Heilman purchased the old home tract
from the heirs, and lived there until his death. He started in life with an ax
and grubbing hoe, and acquired his wealth by honest labor and judicious
management. He was a good business man, served his township as school
director, and in political connection was originally a Democrat, becoming a
Republican upon the organization of the party, in 1854. He married Susanna
Waltinbough, daughter of Adam Waltinbough, of Fayette County. She died April
27, 1878, in her eighty-sixth year, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church. Mr. and Mrs. Heilman were the parents of four children: John Adam,
deceased, who married Eliza Wilson; Christina, deceased; John; and James, born
Feb. 15, 1829, who married Magdalena Reichert, daughter of Rev. G.A. Reichert.John Heilman grew to manhood on the home place and in time purchased 181
acres of the tract, where he continued to follow general farming throughout
his active years. He has always ranked among the most progressive
agriculturists of his time, and improved his land much beyond the ordinary,
taking a practical interest in up-to-date methods and putting into application
many ideas generally considered in advance of the day. His property shows the
effect of his discriminating care, being one of the most desirable in this
part of the county. Mr. Heilman has been a Republican in politics since the
formation of the party. He has several times been elected to the office of
township supervisor.On April 1, 1852, Mr. Heilman married Eleanor Wilson, a native of
Westmoreland County, born Feb. 27, 1835, daughter of Robert and Eleanor (Hilborn)
Wilson, who moved about 1840 to Manor township, Armstrong County, where Mr.
Wilson farmed until his death. He came from near Murrysville, Westmoreland
County. The Wilsons were of Scotch-Irish stock. Eight children were born to
Mr. and Mrs. Heilman, the eldest three dying in childhood. The others are:
Amos Simeon, John Arthur, Jacob Lemuel, Edgar Hilborn and Ellen Gertrude.John Arthur Heilman, son of John Heilman, was born Feb. 1, 1860, at the
home place, of which he is now owner, making his home there. He received his
early education in the schools of the home district and at Kittanning, later
attending school in Jefferson and Clearfield Counties, Pa. All his attention
has been devoted to farming, and he has made a specialty of dairying, his
place being known as the Maple Grove dairy farm. Mr. Heilman owns ninety
acres, and his wife has thirty-five, most of which is under cultivation. He
has twenty full bred cows, and raises considerable hay and grain. Mr. Heilman
is a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge at Manorville, No. 932. He married Anna
Ditty, and they have had three children, Paul C., Mildred A. and Lois Elva
LaVerne.Source: Pages 983-984, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed December 1998 by Sharon Doyle-Dantzer for the Armstrong County
Beers Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
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