Genealogical Gems

It was On This Day, 117 years ago, in 1898 that Catherine Kezia Cresswell Eckman passed away in Strasburg Township , Lancaster County . Born 13 October 1840, she was the daughter of James Cresswell and Elizabeth Herr. Elizabeth , being the daughter of David Herr and Catherine Bumberger, was the 3x great granddaughter of the Reverend Hans Herr.   Catherine married John Henry Eckman, son of Henry and Elizabeth Eckman, on 7 January 1858. They had 11 children and lived across the street from the Zion UCC Church in Providence .   She is buried at Zion with her husband, John, and several of their children.  She is my husband's 2x great grandmother.   On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Exciting news to share .... while looking up Sunday's NMAM piece , I confirmed that Martin Eckman, who fought in the Revolutionary War and is buried in the Eckman/Kunkle Cemetery,  is my husband's 4th great grandfather! Actually John Martin Eckman is his full name. He is the son of Jerome Hieronimous (1718 – 1784) and Barbara Slaymaker (1724 – 1796) Eckman! John Martin Eckman married Elizabeth Sides. They had nine children: Mary Susanna Henry Martin Elizabeth Hieronimous Daniel Sarah Jacob Elizabeth Eckman married (yes a cousin) Henry Eckman. They had eight children: Daniel Catharine John Henry Lydia Ann Martha Elizabeth Mary John Henry Eckman married Catharine Kezia Cresswell on 7 January 1858 in Providence Township. They had 11 children! Clara Charles Henry Dora H. Margaret Estella John Grant Darius J. Martha Ann Winona Sue Kate Bernice Oscar Dale Edith Alberta Charles Henry Eckman married Rosa T. Kirchner fro...

There are many Eckmans buried at the Zion UCC in New Providence, Strasburg Twp., Lancaster County, PA. Here - close to the road near the church drive - lie John Eckman and most of his family. John Henry Eckman b 12 Aug 1830 - d 8 Dec 1889 Catharine Kezia Cresswell (his wife) b 13 Oct 1840 - d 1 Aug 1898 their children (buried here with them): Dora H - 16 Oct 1861 - 28 June 1882 John Grant - 18 April 1868 to 27 Aug 1887 Martha Ann - 25 Sept 1865 - 26 June 1924 Clara - 26 June 1858 to 4 March 1927 Oscar Dale - 21 April 1878 - 20 March 1933 John and Catharine also had two other sons - Charles Henry and Darius J. - and four other daughters - Margaret Estella, Winona Sue, Kate Bernice, and Edith Alberta. In all, John & Catharine had 11 children. John & Charles are my husband's great great grandparents. Charles is our great grandfather. He married Rosa Kirchner. Their son, John Charles, is our grandfather. He married Mable Florence...

Charles Henry Eckman is my husband’s great grandfather. He and his wife Rosa Kirchner are my elusive couple. They lived in Lancaster City on Manor Street throughout their married life. They had five children together. One died a toddler. I have yet to find their burial information. However, I have found lots about his parents – John Henry and Catherine Kezia Cresswell Eckman. His parents lived across from the Zion Reformed Church in Providence Township in Southern Lancaster County. Counting Charles, they had 11 children.   John and Catherine are buried there with everyone except Charles. One other sister, Margaret Estella Eckman is buried in the same cemetery but with her husband, Lewis Eckman. The family was well know – still is – in the church and played a large active role in it. The church is now Zion UCC. The story goes that the family had a huge picnic one Sunday afternoon. Charles and Rosa came down from Lancaster with her parents – John Kirchner and Barbara K...