BIOGRAPHY:
Abraham Merkel, eldest child of Abraham, was born about 1805-1806, and died in Jun e,
1849, aged about forty-three years. His death occurred in the hay field, from the effect s
of drinking much cold spring water when overheated, and he is buried at New Bethel Church
, in Albany township. He was a tall man over six feet, and was strong and an excellent
worker . Abraham Merkel married Maria (Polly) Kroninger, who was born Sept. 8, 1808 and
died Dec. 23 , 1878, aged seventy years, three months, fifteen days. Children as follows
were born to their union: Anna m. John Cameron, of Sagon, Northumberland Co., Pa.;
Catharine m. Jonathon Machmer, who was noted as a singer, and they conducted the Upper
Bern Hotel a number of years; Abraham, born Jan. 13, 1832, died Feb. 14, 1908, m. in 1859
Leah Follweiler (1835-1901), and they had a family of seven children; Sarah Jane (m. Adam
Berk, and died leaving a son, Wm. H., w ho has his home with his aunts, Louisa and Clara
Merkel), Astor (m. Ida Kline), Rosa Alice (m . Francis Allsbach, deceased), Cordelia (m.
Alfred Allsbach, and died leaving a daughter, Lea h M. ), Louisa P. (a popular school
teacher of Albany township), Clara (is unmarried and lives on the homestead with her
sister Louisa), and John A. (m. Emma E. Nester, and has two child ren, Elsie M. and Leah
L.); Susanna m. Ferdinand Machmer and later a Mr. Baum, of Hamburg; Aa ron m. Valeria
Miller and they live at Conshohocken, Pa.; Caroline m. William Machmer, who me t a tragic
death in Michigan; Rebecca m. Michael Schaeffer, of Tower City, Pa; Sarah m. James De
Long, of Reading; James K. is mentioned farther
on. Caroline and Susanna both lived and died in Michigan.Record in montgomery county
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