Kreps, Jacob Fordney

JACOB FORDNEY KREPS.

Jacob Fordney Kreps was born in Greencastle, Franklin Co., Pa., June 15, 1806. His ancestors were Germans, who settled in Lancaster County about the middle of the eighteenth century. His grandfather, Michael Kreps, was a hatter by trade, and established himself in business in the town of Lebanon, then a part of Lancaster County. By industry and frugality he acquired a handsome estate. He raised a family of three sons and two daughters, viz.: Jacob and William (twins), Catharine, Polly, and Michael. Catharine was married to the Rev. Jacob Schnee, a Lutheran minister, who at an early day located in Greensburg, and for a short period ministered to the Lutheran congregation there. He afterwards united with Mr. Rapp’s community, at Harmony, Butler Co., Pa., and was cashier of their bank.

His father, Jacob Kreps, was born in Lebanon in the year 1772, and was brought up to the trade of his father. In 1794 he married Catherine Hetterick, daughter of Jacob and Margaret Hetterick, of Pittsylvania County, Va., to which place they had emigrated a short time before from Dauphin County. The engagement having been made he was necessitated to make a journey of more than three hundred miles to claim and bring back his bride. They remained in Lebanon four or five years, and settled in Greencastle in 1798 or 1799, where he carried on his business for many years, employing a number of hands. He made annual business excursions South to dispose of his surplus stock, many of his acquaintances having settled in that region. They had seven children, six sons and one daughter, viz.: William, John, Charlotte, Michael, Jacob, Albertus, and Augustus, all now deceased except Jacob and Albertus. On one of these excursions the subject of this sketch accompanied him, and the opportunity was afforded him of taking a boy’s view of the institution of slavery. His impressions formed at the time were decidedly unfavorable and were never changed. His opportunities for acquiring a common education were perhaps as favorable as were enjoyed in those early times, having been kept at school from the age of four to thirteen years with some intermission, during the last two years of which, the study of grammar and geography having been introduced, he acquired a slight knowledge of those branches. At the age of thirteen he was placed in a hardware-store with his uncle, William Kreps, Esq., at Hagerstown, Md., who was also postmaster. This was a great advantage to him, giving him a better knowledge of arithmetic and improving his penmanship. His chief associate in the post-office was his cousin, John M. Kreps, who became a leading minister and D.D. in the Presbyterian Church, and was successor to the celebrated Dr. Mason as pastor of the Rutgers Street Church, city of New York, the only pastorate he ever held, and where he died in the year 1867. (The doctor changed the name from "Kreps" to "Krebs," believing the latter to be the correct orthography.)

Mr. Kreps remained with his uncle until the death of the latter, which occurred in 1822. He then returned home to learn the trade of his father. In those days it was considered important (at all events it was very common) for young men, after serving their apprenticeship, to travel some ("take a tramp") in order to see the country and to become more perfect in their occupation.

"Tramps" of that period were quite a different genus of men from the tramps with which the country is so much annoyed today. The business of manufacturing hats (by hand) was then carried on all over the country, and was profitable and respectable, and journeymen hatters constituted a large class, traveling over the country and stopping to work when necessary. They were united by associations, and were ever ready to give assistance to their comrades when in need. They were "traveled men," and consequently intelligent. Their acquaintance was sought and they were introduced into the best society of the place. The State of Kentucky was a favorite "tramping-ground," for the reason that in many of her chief towns large shops were located, in which a number of men were employed, besides, the people of that State, perhaps more than any other, were given to fine dress, and of course it required the very finest "beaver" to complete the dress of a gentleman. At the age of twenty-one, with a comrade, Joseph Gilmore, he started on one of these "tramps," and at the end of the fifth day arrived at Pittsburgh, footsore and weary, but cheerful and happy at the prospect of the pleasure before them. They remained at Pittsburgh a few days to rest and see the sights, boarding with a Mrs. Beltzhoover, who lived on the southeast corner of the Diamond. The grand river with its splendid steamers and the busy city were sources of never-ending wonder and excitement to our inexperienced boys. They took passage on board the "Ben Franklin" for Cincinnati and Louisville, remaining a few days at each of these places. While at the latter place they bad a new and strange experience in assisting a brother hatter in taking a flat-boat loaded with hats over the falls. The pilot on this occasion was one Boone, a descendant of the famous Daniel Boone. It seemed to them a dangerous undertaking, and the service was rendered only to accommodate one of their craft. Upon leaving Louisville they visited a number of towns in the interior, among which were Lexington, Frankfort, Lancaster, Harrodsburg, and Bardstown. At Lancaster, Mr. Gilmore concluded to stop for a while, and Mr. Kreps continued his travels in company with Joseph Lockwood, also a journeyman hatter. After losing his traveling companion, and being without an intimate friend, a few months was sufficient to satisfy him with such a wandering life, and he set his face homeward. The steamer "Kanhawa," upon which he took passage for Wheeling, collapsed her boilers at the mouth of Guyannotte River, and twenty-three of the passengers, officers, and crew were either killed or badly injured. The heartrending scenes upon this occasion made an indelible impression upon the mind of the young traveler. A few months after this he settled in Greensburg, Pa., where, in partnership with James Wood, he carried on his trade for a couple of years. Jan. 20, 1831, he married Eliza, daughter of Adam and Hannah Turney. Mr. Turney came to Westmoreland County with his father in 1785. He married, 1811, Hannah, daughter of Rev. J. William Weber, one of three brothers who emigrated from Holland prior to the Revolution. They settled for a time in New Jersey, where two of the brothers, John and Henry, joined the Continental army. Henry was killed during the war. The Rev. Weber (now Weaver) came to Westmoreland County at quite an early day, and was one of the first ministers of his denomination (German Reformed) who preached in ,the counties of Western Pennsylvania and Ohio, traveling extensively, preaching to the people, and planting churches. He finally settled upon his farm on Big Sewickley Creek, where Col. Painter’s mill and salt-works are now located, and where he died in 1817. Adam Turney carried on the copper and tinsmithing business for a great, many years in Greensburg. He died in 1872.

Mr. Kreps returned to Greencastle with his family, December, 1831, where he engaged in different branches of business, railroading, merchandising, etc. In the spring of 1845 he was appointed postmaster, holding the office until 1849, when he resigned and settled in West Newton, where. he now resides. In the spring of 1850 he engaged in the foundry business, afterwards adding general merchandising. and was moderately successful. At the commencement of the Rebellion he took a deep interest in every means employed for its suppression. He was called to preside over the first war-meeting that was held in this part of the county, and was elected one of the officers of a company organized for home protection, under the command of the venerable Gen. Joseph Markle as captain. During the summer of 1861 he enlisted nineteen men to make up the quota necessary to fill the ranks of the company commanded by Capt. A.G. Oliver in the Twelfth Reserves, went with them to Harrisburg, saw them sworn in, and accompanied them to their camp at Washington. He never harbored a doubt of the success of the Union arms. He was one of the first men in the county to invest his money in the 5-20 bonds of the government, when so many were doubting and faltering. Five of his sons volunteered, and spent an aggregate of twelve years in the service. One of them, Capt. John W. Kreps, was wounded at Liberty Gap, in Tennessee, June, 1863, and was discharged on account of disability. His brother, Lieut. F.A.M. Kreps, took command of the company, and with a number of officers and men of the Seventy-seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers was captured at the battle of Chickamauga, and after an imprisonment of fifteen months in different prisons, and six escapes and five recaptures (one through the noted tunnel at Libby), he, with Lieut. E.P. Brooks, made a final and successful escape from Columbia, S.C. Floating in a canoe by night, and under the protection of the colored people during the day, they reached the sea-coast, and paddled several miles out to the gunboat "Nipsic," and were taken to Hilton Head, where they were clothed and sent to Washington.

In 1863 Mr. Kreps was appointed a commissioner to visit the Pennsylvania regiments attached to Rosecrans’ army in Tennessee, where he spent five or six weeks. Three of his sons were in this branch of the army. In 1864, with a number of other gentlemen, he was again appointed a commissioner to visit the Pennsylvania regiments in front of Richmond and Petersburg, and to supervise the Presidential election of that year. He has always felt a deep interest in the improvement and welfare of his adopted home, and has at different times been elected to a place in the Borough Council and school board. In 1869 he was honored by an election to a seat in the Legislature from the Westmoreland and Indiana legislative district, and served in the session of 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Kreps, although partially reared in another branch of the Christian Church, have for near half a century been attached to the Methodist Episcopal Church. A license to preach as a local preacher is among the many positions of honor and trust to which Mr. Kreps has been called by his church. According to their means they have been liberal contributors to the different benevolent institutions of the church, especially to the Freedman’s Aid Society, in which they have always felt a deep interest.

Their family consists of six sons and two daughters living, and one son and one daughter deceased, twenty-eight grandchildren living and six deceased. We give the following personnel of their descendants: Catherine, the eldest, wife of Dr. J.Q. Robinson, of West Newton; four daughters and one son living, and one daughter deceased. George Rippey Kreps, postmaster, Greenville, Mercer Co., Pa.; four daughters living and one deceased. Hannah, wife of A.E. Dravo, Sewickley township; three sons and one daughter living, and one son deceased. Capt. John W. Kreps, proprietor of dry-docks, Allegheny City; three sons and two daughters living, and one daughter deceased. Maj. Frank A.M. Kreps, business manager of Evening Mail, Allegheny City; one son and one daughter living, and one son deceased. Lieut. Adam T. Kreps, manufacturer of engines, saw-mills, etc., Greenville, Mercer Co., Pa.; three sons living. David Dempsey Kreps, manufacturer of lumber, and planing-mill, Greenville; two sons and one daughter living and one son deceased. Capt. William Augustus Kreps, lumber manufacturer and planing-mill, Greenville; one son and one daughter living. His oldest grandson, Jacob Fordney Kreps, Jr., was appointed one of the pages of the House by Gen. Selfridge, Clerk of the House, at the session of 1870, and in 1879, after a competitive examination, in which twenty-three participated, he was appointed a cadet to the United States Military Academy at West Point from the Twenty-third District by Col. Thomas M. Bayne, M.C., and he expects to graduate in June, 1883.

Mr. and Mrs. Kreps still reside at West Newton, where, on Jan. 20, 1881, surrounded by their numerous descendants and a large company of their friends and neighbors, they celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their married life.