Barbara Philistia Kline

"Aunt Philis" was the 5th child of Henry Kline and Catherine Howe. It is said that as a young woman she had a beau, who died falling from a barn roof. Philis (rhymes with kiss) never married but did housekeeping to support herself, and was engaged in community activities in Emlenton PA where she lived after leaving the farm of her parents. She was selfless in staying with the sick during epidemics, and those she helped counted her as "next to God". She was intelligent; her great-niece Ella Beals recalled visiting her in Emlenton and said that Aunt Philis would relax on the couch and recite the multiplication tables up to 12 x 12. She was appreciated and respected. When her employer, Mrs. Weller, died, she left Philis enough money to retire on. The Crawford family of Emlenton provided a plot in the Emlenton Cemetery for her, next to their own.
Mementos of her life are a large broach with a dark amber colored stone, of the type she is seen wearing at her neck in photos, and a red, white and blue hand woven coverlet. Philis combed the flax and wool, spun and dyed it, and wove the coverlet. These items are now in the collection of Elizabeth Wilson Williams, a great-great-niece.

	Date	Location	Notes	Sources
Birth	16 Aug 1859	prob. Jefferson Co, PA
Marriage			never married
Death	5 Feb 1937,
Burial		Emlenton Cemetery, Lot #6A

Ancestry chart segment

 Generation 4           Generation 5          Generation 6
 
                                                 +-- John Klein
                                                 |   (1801-<1877)
                           +-- Henry Kline ------+
                           |   (1827-1875)       |
 Barbara Philistia Kline --+                     +-- Anna Fenstermacher
 (1859-1937)               |                         (1806-????)
                           +-- Anna Catherine Howe
                                 (1830-1890)
 Sources: 

Children

no children, never married |}

Places of Residence

Location	Dates	Notes	Sources
Jefferson Co. Pa	birth ->1860
Ashland Twp., Clarion Co. PA	by 1870
Beaver Twp., Clarion Co. PA	by 1880
Emlento, Venango Co. PA	by 1900 to 1930

Photos

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Brooch belonging to Philistia Kline

Gravestone of Philistia Kline, Emlenton Cemetery, Richland Twp., Venango Co. PA

Philistia, left, and sister-in-law Ella Frederick Kline with pumpkins and wheat shocks

Mrs Angelina Weller, Philistia's employer & benefactor, at home in Emlenton PA

Postcard front image, Mrs. Weller & Philistia Kline

Postcard message, from Philistia to Mrs Winnie Beals

"Feb 25, Emlenton PA, Dear Winnie, I am glad to hear you are getting better slowly As our automobile is on the shelf I thought we would come with the mail man with best wishes to all as ever, Philistia." The card is postmarked three days later, 28 Feb 1912 at 9:30 a.m. The card was sent to Philistia's niece, Winnie Kline, who on 8 Feb 1912 had given birth to her first child.

Sources

Ref. Num.	Description	Image of original
1	1860 United States Federal Census, Union Township, Jefferson County, PA, Page 157, lines 24-30 lists Henry Cline, 32, married to Catherine Cline, 30. They live with 5 children: son Hutchin Cline, 6; daughter Mary A. Cline, 4; son John A. Cline, 3; son George H. Cline, 2; and daughter Barbara F. Cline, age 9 months. Henry is a farmer. Everyone was born in PA. Hutchin Cline attended school within the census year. This census is dated 27 Jul 1860.
2	1870 United States Federal Census, Ashland Twp, Clarion Co, PA, page 12. Census dated 5 July 1870. Lines 24-35: Henry (no last name listed), 42, farmer, $1500 real, $600 personal property; Catherine, 40, keeping house; Hudson, 16, works on farm, attended school; Mary A., 14, attended school; John A., 13, attended school; George H., 12, attended school; Barbra F., 10, attended school; Lucinda, 9; Catherine, 7; Margaret, 5; Ida A., 3; Clara J., 2. All b. PA. The family surname was apparently omitted by the census taker, but the names and ages are exactly aligned with the Henry Kline family.
3	1880 United States Federal Census, District 64, Beaver Twp, Clarion Co, PA, page 47. Census dated 21 June 1880. Lines 13-18: Wm. J. Kline, 35, farmer; Christina, 28, wife, keeps house; Ida, dau., 10, at school; W.E., son, 5, at home; E. Stanley, son, 4, at home; Philistia Kline, niece, 20, at home. All and all parents b. PA. * Ancestry.com indexes this as "Lelestia Kline"
4	1900 United States Federal Census, District 141, Emlenton, Venango Co, PA, page 21. Census dated 15 June 1900. Lines 8-10: Angelina Weller, head, 71, b. June 1828, widow, owns home, no mortgage; Franklin, son, 37, b. Sept 1862; Philisia Kline, servant, 40, b. Aug 1859, housekeeper. All and all parents b. PA. All can read, write and speak English.
5	1910 United States Federal Census, District 112, Emlenton, Venango Co, PA, page 2. Census dated 15 April 1910. Lines 34-35: Angelina Weller, head, 81, widow, 10 children born, 8 living, own income; Phylista Kline, servant, 50, single, servant, private family. All and all parents b. PA. All can read, write and speak English.
6	1920 United States Federal Census, District 110, Emlenton, Venango Co, PA, page 17. Census dated Jan 16-19, 1920. Line 53: Philista Kline, head, 60, rents, servant, private home, b. PA, can read, write and speak English.
7	1930 United States Federal Census, District 10, Emlenton, Venango Co, PA, page 18. Census dated 15 April 1930. Line 64: Philistia R. Kline, head, 70, rents, $6 rent, b. PA, parents b. PA, can read, write and speak English.
8	Death Notice Philista Kline, Venango Citizens Press 10 Feb 1937 pg.5 c.2, abstract; from obituary abstracts card file, Venango Co. Library, June 2007 by EWW. Kline, Philista Miss, 78, died at home in Emlenton Friday. Born 14 Aug 1859 near Corsica, daughter of Henry & Catherine Howe Kline. Survived by sisters Mrs. Jane Marshall of Bradford; Mrs. Margaret Cooper of Mercer.
9	Gravestone transcription Emlenton Cemetery, Richland Twp., Venango Co. PA, transcribed 1991 by Elizabeth Wilson Williams. Philistia B. Kline, 1859-1937.
10	Research Manuscript of Ella May Beals (Wilson) researched 1975-1985, including personal knowledge and interviews of her siblings Robert Beals and Bertha Beals (Chambers), and of her Aunt Mary P. Kline (Fillgrove).
11	Venango County Panorama, A Salute to Its People,1983 by the Venango Co. Historical Society. On page 103, a photograph from the collection of Hazel Sheffer shows a scene at Mineral Springs, a park outside Emlenton PA on Richey Run. Four women and four children are gathered and apparently involved in heating coffee over an outdoors fire, Philistia holding a chunk of wood. Behind the group, wooden stairs ascent a slope to a railed walkway to a deck atop a log building. The caption says "Mineral Springs has been a favorite place for picnics in Emlenton for many years. Among those in this early photo are Mrs. Fred Roschy, who is handling the cooking, Angeline Weller, and Philistia Kline."
12	Obituary of Philistia B.Kline, source not recorded, from collection of Margaret L. (Segui)( (Kahle). Miss Philistia B. Kline passed away at her home on Main street, Emlenton, Pa., Friday, February 5, 1937, after an illness of one week. Death was attributed to heart trouble. The deceased was born at Corsica, Pa., August 16, 1859, and was a daughter of the late Henry Kline and Mrs. Catherine Howe Kline, both long since deceased. Surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Margaret Cooper of Grove City Pa., and Mrs. James Marshall, of Bradford, Pa. Funeral services were conducted at her late home on Monday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock, in charge of Rev. J J. Gilbert, of Apollo, a former pastor of St. John's Evangelical and Reformed church, Emlenton. Interment followed in the Emlenton cemetery. Miss Kline spent most of her life in Emlenton, where she was a member of St. John's Evangelical and Reformed church, always active in the work of her church and its various organizations when health permitted. She had an exceedingly friendly disposition and her kindly manner won for her the admiration of all with whom she came in contact. Her chief aim seemed to be of assistance and cheer to others. She will be missed by a wide circle of friends as well as by her relatives.
13	'Research of Nancy E. Beals Walls, granddaughter of Philistia Kline's brother John Kline, contributed here July 2016. Children of Joseph and Angeline Webber, employer of Philistia Kline were: John, Henry, Mary A., Charles, Nathaniel, Edward S., Joseph F., Emanuel David, G.E., Emma E. In 1910 census Joseph F. is 47, married to Sarah S. with children Corine (F) and Chalmer (M)