Henry Kline
Henry Kline was born while his parents still lived in eastern Pennsylvania, in Lehigh County where his ancestor Kleins had originally settled in 1744. By 1840, when Henry would have been a young teen-ager, his father Johannes Klein and two of Henry's uncles, Philip Klein and Johan Jacob Klein, moved their families west to Clarion Co. PA.
Land records show that Henry purchased land in Beaver Twp., Clarion Co. in 1852, at least 6 months before marrying Anna Catherine Howe in July of 1853. Then it appears they moved to Jefferson Co. PA where they appear in the 27 July 1860 census with five children, ages 6 yrs to 9 mos.
(Henry also appears to have been visiting at his parents' home in Clarion Co. on 5 July 1860, possibly because a Rebecca Klein was also there.
This Rebecca may have been Rebecca, daughter of David Klein(b. 1808) of Lehigh Co. PA; Rebecca's brother David Kline (b. 1833) moved to Clarion Co. in 1850 so Rebecca may have been visiting him also. Rebecca and husband Stewart Henry moved to Missouri at some point, possibly making the trip west in this 1860 year.)
Henry returned to Clarion Co. by the time of the 1870 census, and resided again in Ashland Twp. The 1877 Caldwell Atlas shows the two farms of Reuben Kline (148 acres) and Henry Kline (100 acres) in Ashland Twp. Reuben's farm is on the north side of what is today Rt. 322, and across the road from Reuben's farm, a lane leads south to the Henry Kline farm. Interestingly, the 1865 Pomeroy's Map of Clarion County shows these two farms as belonging to R. Kline and "heirs of J. Kline". The 1887 History of Clarion County PA by Davis describes the John Kline farm as "now owned and occupied by the family of the late Henry Kline". Research of Cammy Shreffler puts the death of John Kline between March 1862 and March 1863. Apparently, Henry as oldest son inherited the farm of his father, the site being just south of the Reuben Kline farm. We visited this site in 2011. While the Reuben Kline house and barn still stand, nothing remains of the John Kline/Henry Kline farm except a few examples of old stone field walls, and some more localized overgrown rock piles, not large, that could possibly have been part of a foundation rather than a wall. The land is today owned by a Weaver family who report having a deed bearing the signature of Henry Kline.
(Just west of the Henry and Reuben Kline farms on the same road (present Rt. 322) but in Rockland Twp. was the farm of their brother Jacob. The area was known as "Peg-n-Awl", after Jacob's shoemaker craft (today seen on maps with misspellings such as Pegnall), and today includes a Peg-n-Awl cemetery on private property. The family of Jacob Klein included three daughters who married Weaver men - possibly one of whom is ancestor to the present day Weaver owning the old John Kline/Henry Kline farmland.)
Henry Kline and wife Catherine Howe had thirteen children. The last four, born after Catherine was age 39, included Hettie who died at age 9, and three who died shortly after birth. The last child was born in 1875, and Henry died that same year.
First son Hudson Kline was executor of Henry's will, and wife Catherine contested (apparently unsuccessfully) parts of the will, asking that she be given Hettie's share.
Daughter Barbara Philistia Kline was once romantically linked to a young man, who died falling from a barn roof. She never married but was highly revered in the community for her willingness to care for families when epidemic illness struck.
Katharine Kline married Samuel Strotman. Six of their twelve children died within the first year of life, some within a month of their birth. Of the six who grew to adulthood, two died at ages 28 and 29, apparently unmarried. This pattern suggests the presence of a recurring genetic defect. Downs syndrome would be a possibility with its accompanying tendency toward heart defect. Seven of Kate's children died before she did. It is possible that the family of Mary Ann Kline who also married a Strotman shared the same problem; three of their children died within a year of their birth. This pattern doesn't to our knowledge appear among the other Klein children.
Daughter Lucinda married in 1877, and committed suicide four years later. Daughter Ida A. married in 1891 and killed herself four years later.
We descend from second son John Abram Kline.
| Date | Location | Notes | Sources | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | 30 Jun 1827 | Macungie Twp., Lehigh Co., PA | [16] | |
| Marriage | 28 Jul 1853 | To Anna Catherine Howe | [11] | |
| Death | 10 Jun 1875, aged 47 yr, 11 mos, 10 days. |
Clarion Co., PA | [8][11] | |
| Burial | Phipps Dunkard Cemetery, Ashland Twp., Clarion Co., PA | [8][11] |
Ancestry chart segment
Generation 4 Generation 5 Generation 6
+-- John Klein
| (1801-<1877)
+-- Henry Kline ------+
| (1827-1875) |
John Abram Kline --+ +-- Anna Fenstermacher
(1857-1915) | (1806-????)
+-- Anna Catherine Howe
(1830-1890)
Sources: [11]
Children
(all children with Anna Catherine Howe)
| Name | Gender | Date of Birth | Birthplace | Spouse | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson Kline | M | 24 May 1854 | m. 28 Aug 1877 Angeline Nunemaker (1860-1899) | [4][11] | ||
| Mary Ann Kline | F | 12 Aug 1855 | m. 6 Feb 1879 John Henry Strotman(1850-1921 | [4][11] | ||
| John Abram Kline | M | 5 Apr 1857 | Jefferson Co., PA | Elizabeth Anna Frederick | Direct line | [4][11][15] |
| George Henry Kline | M | 30 Apr 1858 | 1)Katie Shreffler (16Aug1864-7Nov1882) 2)Mary Shreffler |
[4][8][11][21] | ||
| Barbara Philistia Kline | F | 16 Aug 1859 | -never married- | died 5 Feb 1937 | [4][11][14] | |
| Lucinda Kline | F | 23 Mar 1861 | m.3 July 1877 George W. Wood | suicide 21 Apr 1881 | [6][11][19] | |
| Katherine Kline | F | 4 Feb 1863 | m. Nov. 1885 Samuel Steven Strotman 1858-1930 | [6][9][11][13] | ||
| Margaret "Maggie" Kline | F | 10 Feb 1865 | William Cooper | res. Grove City PA | [6][11] | |
| Ida Alwilda Kline | F | 25 Mar 1867 | m. 1891 Charles L. Ritchey | suicide 21 Nov 1895, aged 28 yrs 7 mos 27 days |
[6][11][12] | |
| Clara Jane Kline | F | 6 May 1868 | James Marshall | died 28 July 1945, Bradford PA last survivor of the 14 children |
[6][11] | |
| infant son "Bubby" | M | 9 Aug 1869 | -never married- | died 11 Sept 1869 age 1 month 2 days | [11] | |
| Hettie Kline | F | 15 May 1871 | -never married- | died 19 Jan 1878 age 9yrs 10mo. 1 da. | [8][11] | |
| Susan Elizabeth Kline | F | 30 Apr 1873 | -never married- | died 19 Aug 1873 age 3 mo. 19 da. | [11] | |
| Rena Cordelia Kline | F | 16 Jan 1875 | -never married- | died 14 Feb 1875 age 29 da. | [8][11] |
Places of Residence
| Location | Dates | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macungie Twp., Lehigh Co. | 1827 birth | [16] | |
| Beaver Twp., Clarion Co. | by 1840 | w/ parents | [2] |
| Elk Twp., Clarion Co. | 1850 | w/ parents | [3] |
| Beaver Twp., Clarion Co. | 1852 | purchased land 6 mos. before wedding | [10] |
| Jefferson Co. | by 1857 & at least until July 1860 census | birth of John Abram Kline 1857 | [4] |
| Corsica, Jefferson Co. PA | by 1859 | daughter Philistia born here; (see her obituary) | |
| near Pine City, Ashland Twp., Clarion Co. | 1877 | inherited farm of his father, John Klein | [6][7][8][18] |
Photos
Note: the left portrait photo at top of page came from the collection of Hazel Sheffer Crawford, and was forwarded to us by Rick Sheffer. Please see source notes re. identity.
2011 Visit to site of John Kline/Henry Kline farm
A lane led through a wooded area down hill for about a quarter mile then opened onto a moderate-sized clearing of marshy former fields, now overgrown with weeds. Walking westward through the woods we found sections of old rock walls overgrown and in disrepair, and in a couple places rock piles with little structure. There were no indications of former house, barn or out-buildings, cellars, foundations, or windbreak tree plantings; nothing to indicate building sites other than possibly these rock piles which could have suggested collapsed foundation, though they seemed too small - possibly 6 ft. across.
Sources
| Ref. Num. | Description | Image of original |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1830 United States Federal Census,PA Lehigh Co. Macungie Twp. (No. 4)-61 Family of John Kline. Lists 3 males under 5 yrs, 1 M 20-30 yrs, 1 M 30-40 yrs, 1F 20-30 yrs. This accounts for John Kline, wife Anna, and first 3 children Henry, Reuben, & Jacob. Another male age 30-40 living with them, possibly one of John's older brothers or a farm hand. | -61.jpg){kind=small} |
| 2 | 1840 United States Federal Census, Beaver Twp, Venango Co, BA pg 9. The census is not dated. Family of John Kline: 2 males 5-10, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 30-40, 1 female <5, 1 female 5-10, 1 female 30-40. There are a few discrepancies on the ages of the children, but they are close. Also on the page is Jaoc Kline: 2 males <5, 2 males 5-10, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 40-50, 1 female 15-20, 1 female 30-40. |  |
| 3 | 1850 United States Federal CensusPA Clarion Co. Elk Twp., pg 471-236. Date of census 7 Sept. 1850. John Kline age 48, Farmer, $325 value real estate; wife Anna age 44, can't read or write; children: Henry age 23, Farmer; Jacob age 19, Farmer; Maria age 18;Catherine age 12; Eliza age 10; Susanna age 8; James age 6; Elizabeth age 4; Sarah age 2. All born PA |  |
| 4 | 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. |  |
| 5 | 1860 United States Federal Census, PA Clarion Co. Ashalnd Twp. pg.5, ln 11-22. Date of Census 5 July 1860. John Kline, 59 M Farmer, real estate value $1000, personal estate value $200; Ann Kline, 53F; Henry 33M; Rebecca 31F; Jacob 29M; Maria 27F; Catherine 25F; Susanna 23 F; James 18M; Elizabeth 14F; Sarah 12 F; William 10 M. All born in PA.
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| 6 | 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. |
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| 7 | 1877 Caldwell Atlas of Clarion County, Ashland Twp. pg.3. Shows the farms of Henry Kline and his brother Reuben. It is believed that Henry inherited the farm of his parents John Klein & Anna Fenstermacher. On the eastern boundary of Ashland Twp., R. Kline has 148 acres; H. Kline has 100 acres. |  |
| 8 | Gravestone transcriptions, Henry Kline family plot, Phipps Dunkard Cemetery, Ashland Twp., Clarion Co. PA. Family plot left to right: Catherine Disler, Hettie, Henry, Susan, Rena. Transcriptions 1991 by E W Williams: * Catherine Disler wife of Henry Kline died Dec. 17, 1890 aged 60 yrs 11 ms & 9 ds * Hettie Kline born May 15 1871 aged 9 yrs 10 mo 1 da * Henry Kline died June 10 1875 aged 47 yrs 11 m 10 da * (illegible) Kline died Aug 1873 age 3 mo 19 da * Rene Kline died Feb 11 1875 aged 24 days *Katie wife of G. H. Kline died Nov. 7 1882 aged 18 yrs 2 mos & 21 ds. (This grave is not in the Henry Kline family plot; first wife of George Henry Kline) |
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| 9 | Personal communication from Susan S. Fuller, forwarded by Norman & Sherry Kline, 1996. Katherine (Katie) Kline b. 4 Feb. 1863 Venango/Clarion Co. PA m. Samuel Steven Strotman on 10 Nov. 1885 in Clarion Co. Pa. | |
| 10 | Personal Correspondence from Fran Bean, 1997. " Clarion County records show Henry Kline having purchased a 37 acre tract of land in Beaver Twp. in December 1852". | |
| 11 | 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). Her listing of names & birthdates of the children of Henry Kline & Catherine Howe may have come from a list prepared by Henry or Catherine; for the un-named son, the entry says "Our son, no name given, born Aug. 9, 1869 (Bubby)". | |
| 12 | Gravestone transcriptions, Old Brick Church/Richland Presbyterian Cemetery, Richland Twp., Clarion Co. PA. Transcribed Oct. 2006 by Elizabeth Wilson Williams with Nancy Beals Walls. * RITCHEY Ida wife of C. L. Ritchey 1867-1895. |
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| 13 | Gravestone transcriptions, Perry's Chapel Cemetery, Elk Twp., Clarion Co. PA. Transcribed Sept 1991 by Elizabeth Wilson Williams with Bertha Beals Chambers. *STROTMAN Samuel S. 1858-1930, Katharine 1863-1930. |
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| 14 | Gravestone transcriptions, Emlenton Cemetery, Richland Twp., Venango Co. PA. Transcribed Sept. 1991 by Elizabeth Wilson Williams. * Philistia B. Kline 1859-1937 |
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| 15 | Gravestone transcriptions, Zion Union Cemetery, Richland Twp., Venango Co. PA. Transcribed Sept. 1991 by Elizabeth Wilson Williams. *KLINE John A. 1857-1915, Ella A. 1865-1921 |
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| 16 | Records of Lehigh Church/Zion's Lutheran Church
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(See text) |
| 17 | Pomeroy's 1865 Map of Clarion Co. PA, Ashland Twp, shows the same two Kline farms as the 1877 Caldwell Atlas, but they are labeled as belonging to R. Kline and Heirs of J. Kline. | |
| 18 | Estate Record of HenryKline, Clarion County Recorder, Clarion Co. PA. Submitted by Norman & Sherry Kline. Death date 14 June 1875. Wife Catharine, remarried to Joseph Disler, moved to Richland Twp. Henry left the following children: Margaret A. also called Maggie, Ida Al, Clara J., Hudson, George A. or H., Barbara P. or F., John A., Catherine, Reuben, Philestia, Mary Ann, Lucinda raised by O. E. Neil. |
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| 19 | Gravestone transcription, Phipps Cemetery, Ashland Twp., Clarion Co. PA. Transcribed June 2008 by Elizabeth W. Williams, with Cammy Whitehall Shreffler.
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| 20 | 1880 United States Federal Census District 68, Elk Twp, Clarion Co, PA, page 13. Census dated 7 June 1880. Lines 42-44: George W. Wood, 26, carpenter, b. PA, father b. NY, mother b. PA; Lucinda, 19, at home, b. PA, parents b. PA; George H. Kline, 21, brother in law, carpenter, b. PA, parents b. PA. Two other children of Henry Kline, Ida and John , are living nearby in the household of John H. Strutman. |
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| 21 | Descendants of Martin Klein, research manuscript by Cammy Whitehill Shreffler, and ongoing correspondence.
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| 22 | 1887 History of Clarion County PA by Davis, p. xxx. "Kline, Reuben, Kossuth p.o., Ashland, a merchant and farmer of Kossuth, PA., was born in Lehigh county, Pa., on December 7, 1828, and was a son of John and Anna (Fanstermacher) Kline, who settled in Clarion county, Pa., in 1837, and in Ashland, Pa., in 1847, and cleared and improved the farm which is now owned and occupied by the late Henry Kline. They had a family of eleven children - Henry Kline, Reuben, Jacob, Maria, Catherine, Eliza, Susan, James, Elizabeth, Sarah and William. Reuben Kline settled in Ashland, Pa., in 1847, and was married twice. His first wife was Ann E., a daughter of John and Mary (McCleef) Measley, of Ashland, Pa. They had a family of seven children - John M., George W., Harriet L., Maggie A., Andrew C., Reuben F., and Susan L. His second wife was Harriet, a daughter of John and Mary (Kribbs) Weaver, of Ashland, Pa. They have had a family of children. Mr. Kline has served as constable of Ashland, Pa. for seven years, was justice of the peace for five years, and has been engaged in the mercantile business for ten years." |
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| 23 | Baptism Record from Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records, Reel 530, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, lists Henry Klein, son of Johann Klein and Anna Klein, born 30 Jun 1827 and baptized on 12 Aug 1827. Also present were Catharina Klein and Johann Marsteller. The baptism took place at Zion Lehigh Evangelical Lutheran Church, Alburtis, Lehigh Co., PA. |  |
Source Notes
- [1] The child listed as Hutchin in the census is almost certainly Hudson Kline; age and birth order matches exactly. However, the spelling of Hutchin is clear on the census page. This is likely an enummerator error, along with the alternative spelling of Kline as Cline.
- The photo portrait at top of this page, from collection of Hazel Sheffer Crawford, was labeled on the back as "Grandpa Frederick". Also in her collection was a copy of the photo portrait we know as Anna Catherine Howe, wife of Henry Kline, but Hazel's copy was labeled "Grandma Frederick". Hazel Sheffer Crawford focused her genealogy research on the Sheffer family, and appears to have not known very much about the Kline side of the family beyond her parents and grandparents. Henry Kline & Anna Catherine Howe would have been her paternal great-grandparents, and John Frederick would have been her maternal great-grandfather.
The fact that Hazel's two ("Fredericks") photos were labeled as a couple, and we know the wife to be Anna Catherine Howe Kline, lead us to believe that the male photo would be Henry Kline. The other possible however is that the two photos are not of a couple, that only the Anna Catherine Howe photo is miss-labeled as being a "Frederick", and that the photo above is indeed of John Frederick.
We note that in this (above) photo the man is wearing lamb-chop sideburns, while John Frederick, in a photo from the same era, wore a simple mustache. The two faces are similar in structure, but we believe they are not identical. Henry Kline (above) appears to have a somewhat wider nose than John Frederick. Later (April 2011), the photo of the couple, labeled above as Henry Kline & Catherine Howe Kline, was received, also from the Hazel Sheffer Crawford collection. Note the similar hair and facial structure of the man to the portrait of Henry Kline, top of this page, and the identical neckerchief on the dress to that in the portrait of Catherine Howe on her page. This seems to confirm that the portrait here is correctly identified as Henry Kline.
Conjecture
- This seems unlikely... but there is a Henry Kline (b. 1827 in PA) listed as a gold miner in the 1850 census for California, El Dorado, Placerville vicinity. The California census date was 11 Dec. 1850, three months after he was enumerated with his parents' family on 7 Sept 1850. Could he have been a '49er? He would have had to have returned by the time of his first child's birth 4 years later...
Research Wishlist
- Scan & transcribe estate papers for Henry Kline
