Hi Susan & Jean- Just wanted to add my 2 cents to the list archives. I too am researching IRVINs. I've talked to Jean before & there is no connection but not to Susan. Here's my line: 1. Harry Irvin (1878-1948) married Jeanette Flory, daughter of Will Flory and Ida, C.1903 in ?PA?. Children from this marriage were: 2. Mildred Irvin 3. Ethel Irene Irvin 4. Evelyn Irvin 5. Frances Winifred Irvin 6. Donald Leroy Irvin. 7. Harry Wilbur Irvin 8. Dean Irvin Diane.Casey@bull.com ______________________________ ----- Message from Twojcjc@aol.com on Fri, 4 Jan 2002 23:28:28 EST ----- Hi Susan, I have a marriage between Anna Mary HUGHES b. 1865 in Altoona, PA (dtr. of John Davis Hughes & Hannah (HICKS) from Centre Co. Pa.) and Oscar G. IRVIN b. 1866 in Baileyville, Pa, (Centre Co.) son of Patterson and Susan (GARRETT) IRVIN. Anna Mary d. 1939; Oscar d. 1931 and they are Interred at Fairview Cem. in Altoona, PA. Children: Earl Patterson IRVIN Hildred V. IRVIN B. 1886 d. Jan. 29, 1981, Interred at Fairview Cem. Altoona. This is all the info that I have at this time. Any connections out there? Jean ______________________________ ----- Message from See1255@aol.com on Sat, 5 Jan 2002 08:57:26 EST ----- Hi Jean, I'm sorry to say I have no Oscar, or the kids listed. I checked for Hicks and Hughes with no success either. Susan

Thank you all bigtime! This email is going out to some 6 email lists who have been helping with questions I have raised in connection with Bucher AYRES. I am pleased (extremely pleased!) to say that he was found in 1850 under a different name. He *always* went by Bucher AYRES. Yet, in 1850 he was found with family members as Jacob B. AYRES. No wonder he was so hard to find. There were two Jacob Bucher AYRES in the family tree, so I should have been suspicious there had been a precedent. Thanks, too, for the answers to Aid-de-Camp and Webster Warburton Treaty and related matters. This gives me a lot of insight into what my relative was doing and why he was travelling. Here is that 1850 Census, just for the record: 1850 census, 14 Sep, North Ward, Harrisburg, Dauphin Co. Pa. P47 Dwelling 1, Family 1 William Ayres 47, Attorney, RE$10,000, all b Pa. Sarah E. or C. 49 Mary 42 Susan B. 20 Eliza J. 17 John 14 Elizabeth Bowman 16 William Armstrong 12 Jacob B. Ayres 26, Agent

Vince, Bucher AYERS does not show in Linn's History of Centre and Clinton Counties (1883). John LYON is chronicled therein, as follows, on pp 408-409, under the Potter Township section. "Centre Hall is built on the Janet Sharon survey patented to William Maclay, Nov. 13, 1787, and was originally the farm of John Lyon, ironmaster (son-in-law of Hon. William Maclay). John Lyon was born in Cumberland County (now Juniata) Aug. 11, 1782, and was a nephew of William Lyon, one of the early prothonotaries of Cumberland. He resided in his early youth with his relative, Lieut. Robert Lyon, at Northumberland, and afterwards at Carlisle and Harrisburg. He married, April 29, 1808, Jane, youngest daughter of Hon. William Maclay, and removed to Centre County in 1813, and in connection with Jacob Halderman and William Wallace, of Harrisburg, built Pennsylvania Furnace. In 1818 he acquired Colerain and Sligo, in connection with R. T. Stewart, and with him built Sligo rolling-mill in Pittsburgh in 1825. His first wife died in 1809, leaving one son, William M. Lyon, Esq., of Pittsburgh, and in 1820 he married Margaret Stewart, by whom he had a large family, Patton Lyon, J. P. Lyon, James B., S. S. Lyon (of Bellefonte), Mrs. J. R. Lowrey, George W. Lyon, Mrs. Bucher Ayres, Mrs. Rev. Robert Hamill, Mrs. George B. Porter, and Thomas Lyon. William Lyon sold the Janet Sharon and land adjoining Feb. 1, 1864, to Christian Hoffer, of Lebanon County." Oddly enough Bucher Ayres didn't show in the index! I looked through J. Simpson Africas History of Huntingdon County and found nothing of particular interest to furthering your search. The name "Patton" probably was so-called after John Patton, who died in 1804. He was an able veteran of the Revolution. His family name was one closely associated with the iron interests of Centre County, they being among the founders of Centre Furnace in College Township. Thus, Lyon probably named his son after a business associate. On an interesting note, the bones of John Patton along with his battle sword were removed from their last resting-place on his property in 1932 and taken in an elaborate funeral cortege to Huntingdon, where he was reinterred by the side of his second wife. Descendants of his first wife were outraged at this, but as far as I know, he still reposes in Huntingdon. Justin Justin Kirk Houser Genealogist/Researcher of Central PA and Beyond Main Lines: Houser, Breon, Shawley, Ranio/Hrynio (and others) President, BAHS Class of 2003 Student Representative, BASD Board of Education Listowner, PACENTRE-L@Rootsweb.com Historian, Schürch Association of North America (specialty Central PA lines) Member, Valley View United Methodist Church "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature"

Well, I was quite surprised this morning, upon visiting the PACENTRE Website, to find an admixture of LYON, STEWART, and PATTON at: http://searches1.rootsweb.com/usgenweb/archives/pa/centre/history/local/pgap01.txt John LYON married a STEWART and had issue, among his 10 children (!), one John *Patton* LYON. It looks to me as if John LYON either very much admired the fellow of the surname PATTON, or possibly had a kind of connection via family. Although I am not extremely interested in delineating the whole LYON Genealogy, I am particularly interested in that family and in the history and biography associated with it. Not that I intend to write a book or anything. That is just not for me, though I often post articles on the web (see my STEWART entry on Dauphin County's Site). Justin, your list administrator (and apparently a very hard worker in the list's behalf!) is kindly assisting me when he can. I am very grateful for this, you can bet! If any among you have any biographical or historical information on the above family surnames as listed in the Subject line of this letter, I would love to hear about it. Thanks again! Vince Summers P.S. I am aware of the wedding gift to Bucher and Jane Alice Lyon by her father - a Georgian Style home that is on the National Register, though again, I would love to hear of any history or biography in connection with the matter.

Vince, Lyon, Shorb & Co. owned a lot of land in that area (Ferguson Twp., Centre Co. and Franklin Twp., Huntingdon Co.) and conducted iron ore operations. If she was of that family, she was possessed of some degree of wealth, and there should be some records on them. Justin Justin Kirk Houser Genealogist/Researcher of Central PA and Beyond Main Lines: Houser, Breon, Shawley, Ranio/Hrynio (and others) President, BAHS Class of 2003 Student Representative, BASD Board of Education Listowner, PACENTRE-L@Rootsweb.com Historian, Schürch Association of North America (specialty Central PA lines) Member, Valley View United Methodist Church "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature"

Vince, I guess you'll have to add another county to your search. Spruce Creek Presbyterian Church is in Huntingdon County (Franklin Twp. I believe) about a mile over the line from Centre County. It was established in 1798. They have done a book of its history, containing what records they have, and it is in the Bellefonte library. I do not think the records go the whole way back to 1798, however. A road near the church leads back to a large cemetery which is called Spruce Creek Presbyterian Cemetery. I hope this helps you in your search. Justin Justin Kirk Houser Genealogist/Researcher of Central PA and Beyond Main Lines: Houser, Breon, Shawley, Ranio/Hrynio (and others) President, BAHS Class of 2003 Student Representative, BASD Board of Education Listowner, PACENTRE-L@Rootsweb.com Historian, Schürch Association of North America (specialty Central PA lines) Member, Valley View United Methodist Church "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature"

Hello, I am looking for the 1850 location of Bucher AYRES. This is not easy, contrary to what was typical of the times. This guy started out in Harrisburg, went to Philadelphia, Centre County, Shelby County in Tennessee, and back to Philadelphia! It is amazing I can find him at all. Bucher AYRES m Jane Alice LYON April 11, 1854 Spruce Creek Presbyterian Church. Was this a Centre County church? A Dauphin County Church? I am sending this post to both counties. Vince Summers

Can anyone relate to this family. As you can see have many dates missing. Descendants of Jacob Albright 1 Jacob ALBRIGHT .. +Catharine BRUNGART ...... 2 Zachariah ALBRIGHT b: 10 September 1796 in York, PA d: 28 May 1889 in Clamo Green, Wisconsin .......... +Elizabeth KRAMER b: 13 May 1799 in Centre Co PA. m: 03 October 1819 in Centre Co Pennslyvania d: 26 December 1867 in Clamo Green, Wisconsin ............... 3 Sarah ALBRIGHT b: 30 September 1820 in Centre Co Pennsylvania d: 14 March 1880 in Stephenson, Illinois ................... +Peter EMERICK ............... 3 Zacariah Jr ALBRIGHT b: 13 February 1822 in Centre Co Pennsylvania d: 20 October 1886 in North Bend Nebraska ................... +Catherine KEPLER ............... 3 Albert ALBRIGHT b: 27 January 1825 in Centre Co Pennsylvania d: 08 March 1914 in Monroe Green Wisconsin ................... +Silvia BOBB m: 27 February 1852 in Stephenson Co Illinois ............... 3 David Henry ALBRIGHT b: 15 August 1833 in Centre Co Pennsylvania d: 19 July 1916 in Dayton, Columbia Washington ................... +Matilda DENNIS m: 14 November 1861 in Monroe Green Wisconsin Thanks for any help Sue

Good evening, friends, I was very disappointed and rather upset today when I knew that the inclement weather would prevent me from saying my last good-bye to Ray Sharer. (We now have seven inches of snow on the ground and it is still falling.) However, the response from so many of you truly makes me feel that I have served to uplift his memory and tell the story of his life one more time, just as he enjoyed to do. And I believe that he would approve of the effort, and be happy with it. The fact that so many of you found his life story interesting is a tribute to him in itself. From the bottom of my heart, I wish to thank you for taking the time to remember Ray with me. Justin Justin Kirk Houser Genealogist/Researcher of Central PA and Beyond Main Lines: Houser, Breon, Shawley, Ranio/Hrynio (and others) President, BAHS Class of 2003 Student Representative, BASD Board of Education Listowner, PACENTRE-L@Rootsweb.com Historian, Schürch Association of North America (specialty Central PA lines) Member, Valley View United Methodist Church "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature"

Thanks Gloria Between you and Justin my fingers will be nubbins. There is a lot I do not have compiled, and probably will have data, that you may not have. Thanks will send info when I get caught up. Sue ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gloria Harbach" <harbachg@suscom.net> To: <PACENTRE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2002 5:33 PM Subject: Re: [PACENTRE] Re:Brungart/Wohlford > Hi Sue - > George Brungart m. Elizabeth Wohlford and had > Amanda E. b.Aug 28, 1841 > Mary Jane b.Nov 19, 1842 > Henry James b.May 15, 1845 in Lamar Twp, Clinton Co, PA > > Elizabeth was the dau of John (ca 1783-1857) and Catharine Wohlford > > Sarah Wohlford who married Adam Brungart was a sister to Elizabeth. > > John and Catharine Brungart had 13 children (at least). > > Gloria Harbach > > Would anyone have any Brungart/Wohlford connections > > in Centre Co. I am looking for George Brungart who > > married Elizabeth Wohlford and Adam Brungart > > who married Sarah Wohlford. > > Some dates for the Brungart men would be > > helpful. > > Thanks > > Sue > > > > > > > > ==== PACENTRE Mailing List ==== > > Respond to posts if you have data on the particular question -- you never > know when someone has information that can help you! > > > > > > > > > > ==== PACENTRE Mailing List ==== > Commercial Advertising on this List, or E-mails expressly directing subscribers thereto, must be cleared with the listowner (JKHouser84@aol.com) > > >

I do not have any direct blood-line Rudisill ancestry so would not be interested in the book. However, for those who have, you may wish to ck out Annette Kunselman Burgert's "18th Century Emigrants," Vol. 1 (The Northern Kraichgau), pub. 1983 by the Pennsylvania German Society. In this work (pp 302-307) is information on the emigrants of that name and their German origins and background, some dating to as early as the 1665 marriage of Hans Rudisile to one Anna Liebel(?), dau. of Wendel and Apollonia Liebel at Michelfeld in the Northern Kraichgau. Other records on the family are from nearby Sinsheim. These Rudisills settled in York County, PA. Interestingly (to me, anyhow), Mrs. Burgert's same work contains family on my own Leib family who also came from Reihen and settled in the same vicinity of York Co., PA. -- among them the immigrant John (Johannes) Leib, b Reihen 5 Aug 1696 who died at Manchester Twp., York Co., 1763, naming (among others), a son, Gottfried, whose marriage is recorded in Christ Luth. Ch. of York 22 Dec 1761 -- Johann Gottfried Leib, to Barbara Rudisill, dau. of Jacob Rudisill. So I do have this distant connection to a Rudisill, but am not working on that fam. Fred Houts, Brooklyn Center MN

Hi Sue - George Brungart m. Elizabeth Wohlford and had Amanda E. b.Aug 28, 1841 Mary Jane b.Nov 19, 1842 Henry James b.May 15, 1845 in Lamar Twp, Clinton Co, PA Elizabeth was the dau of John (ca 1783-1857) and Catharine Wohlford Sarah Wohlford who married Adam Brungart was a sister to Elizabeth. John and Catharine Brungart had 13 children (at least). Gloria Harbach > Would anyone have any Brungart/Wohlford connections > in Centre Co. I am looking for George Brungart who > married Elizabeth Wohlford and Adam Brungart > who married Sarah Wohlford. > Some dates for the Brungart men would be > helpful. > Thanks > Sue > > > > ==== PACENTRE Mailing List ==== > Respond to posts if you have data on the particular question -- you never know when someone has information that can help you! > > >

Would anyone have any Brungart/Wohlford connections in Centre Co. I am looking for George Brungart who married Elizabeth Wohlford and Adam Brungart who married Sarah Wohlford. Some dates for the Brungart men would be helpful. Thanks Sue

F.Y.I. Taken from CyndisList, Jan. 4 2002, posting. M. Corrigall ========= << URL: http://genealogy.lv/1876Berks/ TITLE: 1876 Atlas of Berks County DESCRIPTION: This web site is a digital presentation of the historical 1876 Atlas of Berks County, Pennsylvania. =~=~=~= URL: http://genealogy.lv/1889Harrisburg/ TITLE: 1889 Atlas of the City of Harrisburg, PA DESCRIPTION: On these pages you will find images of a very valuable and difficult to find book, Roe's Atlas of the City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania from 1889. =~=~=~= URL: http://genealogy.lv/1864Lancaster/ TITLE: 1864 Atlas of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania DESCRIPTION: Presented on this web site, scanned images from the 1864 Atlas of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. =~=~=~=

Looking for descendants of my 2nd Gr-grm, Mary Ann DOLAN, b. 1825, Co. Galway Ireland; d. 1890, Allegheny City, Allegheny Co., PA; spouse #1, Patrick KELLY, b. abt. 1820, Ireland; d. ???; spouse #2 Richard HALL, b. 1817, Ireland; d. 1875, Allegheny City, Allegheny Co., PA. Mary Ann had two brothers: 1.) Martin, b. 1822, Co. Galway Ireland>Centre Co., PA; md. Ida Marie REEDER; and 2.) Thomas DOLAN, b. 1826, Co. Galway, Ireland>Westmoreland Co., PA; md. Julia/Judith CAIN/KANE. Please contact me at -- ACMBJC@aol.com Thanks for your time. Marybeth Corrigall northeast Ohio

I enjoyed reading this article on Mr. Sharer. Thanks for doing it. marythomas@compaq.net ----- Original Message ----- From: <JKHouser84@aol.com> To: <PACENTRE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2002 8:51 AM Subject: [PACENTRE] A Tribute to Ray J. Sharer (1899-2002) > Good morning, list, > > Returning from church this morning we saw the snowflakes falling round us. > The much-predicted "winter storm," the first of the year, is bearing down on > Centre County. Unfortunately, this means that the roads will be in too poor > a condition today for me to travel over the mountain to Centre Hall, PA, to > be personally present at the funeral service for my friend and relative, Ray > J. Sharer, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 102. > > I did not know Ray until he was past 100 years old; he was a half-second > cousin of my great-grandfather, and as such was (we believe) the last living > grandchild of Susan (Arbogast) Harter, my 3rd great-grandmother. He had a > few recollections of her; she passed away when he was 13 years old, in 1912. > > One day, glancing at the newspaper in 1999, I noticed in the "Milestones" > column that Ray Sharer of the Salem Hill Haven Nursing Home in Spring Mills > was 100 years old. I knew that my 3rd great grandmother Susan had been > married first, briefly, to a Sharer, who died not long after their wedding. > She had one child to him. Looking in my records, I found that this Ray > Sharer was one of the sons of this child. > > It was a little while later that we traveled over to the nursing home to > visit this newly-found relative. He was a remarkable man, an expert > woodworker (he made many decorations for the Home out of popsicle sticks -- > they were amazing). His memory was a little slow at the start, but once you > got it jogged, he would take you back nearly a century to a time and place > that now resides only in the history books, and in the memories of the few > souls such as him who have lived into the 21st century. > > The visits were very enjoyable, and I compiled the notes I took of his > conversations, along with some other data I had, into a biographical sketch > of Ray. Since I am not able to attend his funeral service today, I thought > it appropriate that he should be thus remembered on our list. I thus post > the biographical sketch here: > > A TRIBUTE TO RAY > > Ray John Sharer was born July 28, 1899, in Potter Township, Centre County, > Pennsylvania. His birthplace was a small cabin located on the property owned > by his parents, Jacob and Jennie (Hetzel) Sharer. > > Jacob Sharer, the father of our subject, was born August 29, 1857, in Walker > Township, Centre County, PA, the son of Jacob and Susan (Arbogast) Sharer. > His father's brother, David Sharer, went out hunting in the Alleghenies and > caught typhoid fever. It spread to his whole family, with the exception of > his mother and grandfather. His grandmother, Anna Mary (Henderson) Sharer > died on 18 Feb 1858, aged 52; his father, Jacob Sharer Jr., died just three > days later, aged only 19. > > Jacob's mother remained with the family for a few years, ultimately marrying > a local widower, Andrew Harter. Jacob remained with his grandfather, Jacob > Sharer Sr. He later was hired out to work for his aunt, Mrs. Henry Garbrick > of Jacksonville. > > In 1880, Jacob Sharer married Elizabeth Agnes Smeltzer and moved to a farm > two miles east of Centre Hall, in his own words, near Penns Cave. Together > they had several children. Those who reached adulthood were Sylvester E. > (1881-1956); George W. (1885-1966); and Bertha (1891-1968), who married > Andrew Gregg Carper, a local auctioneer from Oak Hall, Pa. Another child, > Marion, died in November, 1894 at the age of six years. > > Elizabeth died on 24 March 1894 at the age of 38. She had been working, > apparently about the house, when she gave birth, seemingly early. The baby > had what was called "early sickness," and there was no way to administer > medicine. Both mother and child died and were buried in the same grave in > the Reformed and Lutheran Cemetery in Centre Hall, PA. > > Jacob then married Ray's mother, Jennie Olevia Hetzel, in 1896. He was 41 > and his wife was 19. Jennie had been born May 3, 1877 in Aaronsburg, Centre > Co., Pa. Her father was Michael Hetzel, a tailor of German descent. Jacob > and Jennie had several children. Viola, who married Harry Lanson Burris, and > died of uric acid poisoning at the age of twenty five in 1923; Ray, our > subject; Jacob P. Sharer; Mabelle Gertrude, later Mrs. Franklin White; and > Franklin G. Sharer. > > Our subject remembers his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Anna (Dinges) Hetzel, as > a fairly grouchy woman. She would work wherever she found a place. Ray > remembers driving his mother down to the sale at Aaronsburg, in the buggy > over snow covered roads. The snow was so wet it piled on the horses' feet. > They couldn't get the horse to run. This was probably the sale of her > household effects before she moved in with the Sharers, as is indicated by > contemporary records. > > Ray's father's property was about two miles east of Centre Hall, and the > cabin was off the road at the foot of the mountain. It was made of logs 8-10 > inches wide. While it was warm, Ray recalls that it was not big enough for > his family. Sometime after Ray married and left home (in 1919), his father > tore down the old structure. There were also sink holes in the area. > > When Ray was young, the family moved out of the small house, although it > still stood. Jacob Sharer had purchased 80 acres along the road to Penns > Cave. He built a new brick home there, completing it in 1906, according to > Ray. The house was started, but work was completed first on the barn, where > straw, hay, and wheat were stored. The family slept in the old mountain > house for about two years while the new structure was being built, so it was > probably started about 1904. Ray recalls that this occurred when he was > about five. The barn was made of wide logs notched out. A pin was driven in > to hold the logs. On the west side of the house, along the woods, Ray can > remember big logs being cut down to make room for it. This apparently took > several years, as Ray was involved in sawing the logs and selling the lumber. > The lumber company, who were apparently involved with this, had a shack up > for a barn and four to eight horses to haul the lumber. Local landowners > helped the nearby operations of lumber companies in those days. The property > was all fenced. Today, the structure is in the hands of the Amish. Ray has > nothing but good to say about the Amish, as he feels they keep the land in > its proper usage and farm it well. > > Growing up, Ray recalls that he was never sick. He didn't have any of what > was called "kid sickness," such as measles, mumps, etc. He walked a mile > (one way) across the fields each day to school, even in snow up to his knees. > The school house was two miles from Centre Hall on the road to Penns Cave. > When others had the "kid sicknesses," Ray walked it alone. He attributes his > health to plenty of hard work. When he was young, he helped clean out the > horse and cow stables. He remembers that his brother, Jake, three years his > junior, was more playful than he. Ray wanted to work and get the job done. > > His work paid off, as Ray was granted increased responsibilites by his father > as he grew older. He and his father went to a sale when he was young and saw > a three-year old horse, which he considered to be a pretty animal. His Dad > said, "What do you think?" Ray said, "I'm going to buy her." And buy her he > did. > > Ray learned to walk the horses in teams. There was a particularly old horse > that would not go on its own, but it would walk with a team. Ray's job was > to take the milk down to Centre Hall, to have it shipped from the Railroad > Station. The horse didn't want to go with the spring wagon. Ray figured out > how to make it go. Ray's Dad said, "Ray, how did you get it to go?" Ray > simply answered that he was a horseman. > > Twenty-two acres of his father's property were flat fields. When Ray was > about seven or eight, his Dad took him to learn how to harrow the fields with > horses by himself. His father had confidence in him. Jacob Sharer put Ray > on the main horse. Ray asked for the lines; his father replied that they > might get tangled up. Ray drove the horse perfectly down the harrow. The > horse would whinny when the dinner bell was rung; Ray would unhitch her, get > on her back, and ride her into the barn. > > One of Ray's most distinct memories of this work was that his father trusted > him with the horses. One advantage was that the ground was flat, and without > hills. > > A particular incident occurred when Ray was 13 years old. While plowing in > the field, a rock lifted him straight up in the air, and he had to reset the > plow. > > In his youth, Ray had no car to drive. Cars were scarce in those days, and > Ray drove horses in order to get around. > > Ray was married on Christmas Day, 1919, to Miss Laura May Reeder. She had > been born on June 26, 1901, in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania. Death deprived our > subject of his beloved wife on December 14th, 1972. She suffered a heart > attack and survived for nine days, before succumbing. Together Ray and Laura > had four children: Reeder J. Sharer, who passed away in the fall of 2000, > aged 79 years; Inez E. Sharer, who died in 1928, at the age of four; Marvin > R., who died in 1954, at the age of 27; and Marion J., who is yet living in > Centre Hall, Pa., the last surviving member of the family. > > When he was about 40 years old, Ray bid on land across the street from the > homestead farm (the sale had been turned over to the Bellefonte Trust > Company). He received 100 acres across the road. Half had already been cut > for lumber. He farmed this and on his father's land. Today the land is > covered in developments and houses. Ray sold the land for $2,000 after a few > years, in 1952. Some of the land went to Ray's sons. Part of the land > recently sold for $48,000. > > Ray was instrumental in working at the Grange Fair grounds throughout his > life. He grew up with the fair. Both Jacob and Ray were lifelong members of > Progress Grange in Centre Hall. Jacob Sharer, Ray's father, was a member of > the Fair Committee and actually bought land so he could sell it to the Fair > Association for the use of the Fair. He remembers it from its earliest days, > when his father and others would arrive in horse-drawn spring wagons. It > lasted about a week, with the lowest attendance on Mondays and Tuesdays. > Folks did not attend so often in those days, according to Ray. Horses were > tied down to posts on the fairground. Hay was tied in the back of the spring > wagons to provide feed to the horses. When he was six or seven years old, > about 1905, Ray remembers going down to take a look at the horses, all tied > up. > > In later years, Ray recalls that he was there to help set up the fair, and he > was there to help tear it down as well. He had the Fair Checkbook to > purchase things for the fair. Ray worked for the fair and also for Penn > State University. He was expert at knowing what needed to be built and how > to handle the tents. He fixed toilets. In addition, he was in charge of > turning the water on and off at the beginning and end of the far, and moving > all the benches and tables into place for the fair, and removing them when it > was over. He was also in charge of getting sheets of glan milk powder, 4 > feet by 6 feet, so people could watch the milk being poured before the truck > came in to take the oil and sell it. > > There were problems with the fair. At one point, a fire burned down two hog > barns. Some kids threw a match into one of the barns. The heat of one fire > caught the next one on fire and both burned to the ground. Flies were also a > nemesis, to the point that people from Centre Hall complained and fly killer > was sprayed around. > > After Ray quit farming on his own, he served for a while as President of the > Fair Committee. He also handled the finances. He actively began his work > for the fair at age 14, and continued until he was 80. As George McCormick > once put it, "Ray, I don't know how you figure everything out." > > His activity with the fair continued into the 21st century. In August, 2001, > at the age of 102, Ray was on hand to dedicate a new gate erected on the > fairgrounds, being the first to ride through the new gate. He was driven in > a 1948 Plymouth. It was a momentous event, and Ray enjoyed the time > afterward he spent on the fairgrounds. > > Later on, Ray built a brick home on a hill, apparently for the University. > After this, he wanted ten days off to go and tend to the fair. The > University told him, "Now Ray, stay with us steady or quit." He persuaded > them to allow him to have the time off for the fair. He returned and worked > steadily for them ever after. The fair work became too demanding, as it took > all of his time, so he quit. Today, he feels that the fair is getting > entirely too big. > > Ray was so busy with these things that his wife often told him, "You're not > home at all!" He would also help local farmers in addition to his other > tasks. At one time, he helped the late Tom Delaney of Centre Hall put new > logs in his barn. Driving tractors incessantly on the farms, Ray says, is > what ruined his hearing. He remains hard of hearing to this day. > > Ray gave up driving some years ago. He was driving along one day after > having stopped at Sears to look at Window Blinds. He blacked out at the > wheel, lost control of his vehicle, and woke up headed for a small truck. He > was encouraged to quit driving after this. He felt no pain during this > experience at all. > > After entering the nursing home, Ray found a new hobby in making flowers out > of spoons and other decorative articles. He sold some of these and donated > others to the nursing home. They beautifully adorn his surroundings. > > Ray has been a member of St. Lukes Lutheran Church in Centre Hall, PA, for > many years. He thanks God for the health that he has. He also considers his > never having smoked nor drank and that he was a hard worker to be factors in > his longevity. The fact that his father lived to be 85 years old (dying in > 1942), and his mother's attainment of the age of 77 (passing away in 1944), > have shown hereditary genes toward longevity in Ray's background. Ray's only > regret was that time has deprived him of the acquaintance of all those whom > he held dear in his youth, and he frequently expressed joy in the knowledge > that ere long, he would join them in that happy land beyond the blue. > > This transition occurred on Thursday, January 3, 2002, when the Spirit of Ray > John Sharer was carried to that happy land when pain and sorrow are no more. > He passed away at the Centre Community Hospital in College Township. On > Sunday afternoon, the 6th, after services in his church, the remains were > laid away in the Reformed and Lutheran Cemetery in Centre Hall to await the > joyous resurrection. > == > Justin > > Justin Kirk Houser > Genealogist/Researcher of Central PA and Beyond > Main Lines: Houser, Breon, Shawley, Ranio/Hrynio (and others) > President, BAHS Class of 2003 > Student Representative, BASD Board of Education > Listowner, PACENTRE-L@Rootsweb.com > Historian, Schürch Association of North America (specialty Central PA lines) > Member, Valley View United Methodist Church > "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" > > > ==== PACENTRE Mailing List ==== > Much info which has been posted on the list already may be found in the PACENTRE Archives. View them at: http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl >

This was a very beautiful tribute to Ray Sharer. My condolences to us all on the loss of one of our most valued fellow historians. There shall be no more fond remembrances from Ray apart from the ones recorded by Justin. I hope he plans to send copies to Bellefont. The loss of this documentation would be tragic indeed. Renee Waring

Good morning, list, Returning from church this morning we saw the snowflakes falling round us. The much-predicted "winter storm," the first of the year, is bearing down on Centre County. Unfortunately, this means that the roads will be in too poor a condition today for me to travel over the mountain to Centre Hall, PA, to be personally present at the funeral service for my friend and relative, Ray J. Sharer, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 102. I did not know Ray until he was past 100 years old; he was a half-second cousin of my great-grandfather, and as such was (we believe) the last living grandchild of Susan (Arbogast) Harter, my 3rd great-grandmother. He had a few recollections of her; she passed away when he was 13 years old, in 1912. One day, glancing at the newspaper in 1999, I noticed in the "Milestones" column that Ray Sharer of the Salem Hill Haven Nursing Home in Spring Mills was 100 years old. I knew that my 3rd great grandmother Susan had been married first, briefly, to a Sharer, who died not long after their wedding. She had one child to him. Looking in my records, I found that this Ray Sharer was one of the sons of this child. It was a little while later that we traveled over to the nursing home to visit this newly-found relative. He was a remarkable man, an expert woodworker (he made many decorations for the Home out of popsicle sticks -- they were amazing). His memory was a little slow at the start, but once you got it jogged, he would take you back nearly a century to a time and place that now resides only in the history books, and in the memories of the few souls such as him who have lived into the 21st century. The visits were very enjoyable, and I compiled the notes I took of his conversations, along with some other data I had, into a biographical sketch of Ray. Since I am not able to attend his funeral service today, I thought it appropriate that he should be thus remembered on our list. I thus post the biographical sketch here: A TRIBUTE TO RAY Ray John Sharer was born July 28, 1899, in Potter Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. His birthplace was a small cabin located on the property owned by his parents, Jacob and Jennie (Hetzel) Sharer. Jacob Sharer, the father of our subject, was born August 29, 1857, in Walker Township, Centre County, PA, the son of Jacob and Susan (Arbogast) Sharer. His father's brother, David Sharer, went out hunting in the Alleghenies and caught typhoid fever. It spread to his whole family, with the exception of his mother and grandfather. His grandmother, Anna Mary (Henderson) Sharer died on 18 Feb 1858, aged 52; his father, Jacob Sharer Jr., died just three days later, aged only 19. Jacob's mother remained with the family for a few years, ultimately marrying a local widower, Andrew Harter. Jacob remained with his grandfather, Jacob Sharer Sr. He later was hired out to work for his aunt, Mrs. Henry Garbrick of Jacksonville. In 1880, Jacob Sharer married Elizabeth Agnes Smeltzer and moved to a farm two miles east of Centre Hall, in his own words, near Penns Cave. Together they had several children. Those who reached adulthood were Sylvester E. (1881-1956); George W. (1885-1966); and Bertha (1891-1968), who married Andrew Gregg Carper, a local auctioneer from Oak Hall, Pa. Another child, Marion, died in November, 1894 at the age of six years. Elizabeth died on 24 March 1894 at the age of 38. She had been working, apparently about the house, when she gave birth, seemingly early. The baby had what was called "early sickness," and there was no way to administer medicine. Both mother and child died and were buried in the same grave in the Reformed and Lutheran Cemetery in Centre Hall, PA. Jacob then married Ray's mother, Jennie Olevia Hetzel, in 1896. He was 41 and his wife was 19. Jennie had been born May 3, 1877 in Aaronsburg, Centre Co., Pa. Her father was Michael Hetzel, a tailor of German descent. Jacob and Jennie had several children. Viola, who married Harry Lanson Burris, and died of uric acid poisoning at the age of twenty five in 1923; Ray, our subject; Jacob P. Sharer; Mabelle Gertrude, later Mrs. Franklin White; and Franklin G. Sharer. Our subject remembers his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Anna (Dinges) Hetzel, as a fairly grouchy woman. She would work wherever she found a place. Ray remembers driving his mother down to the sale at Aaronsburg, in the buggy over snow covered roads. The snow was so wet it piled on the horses' feet. They couldn't get the horse to run. This was probably the sale of her household effects before she moved in with the Sharers, as is indicated by contemporary records. Ray's father's property was about two miles east of Centre Hall, and the cabin was off the road at the foot of the mountain. It was made of logs 8-10 inches wide. While it was warm, Ray recalls that it was not big enough for his family. Sometime after Ray married and left home (in 1919), his father tore down the old structure. There were also sink holes in the area. When Ray was young, the family moved out of the small house, although it still stood. Jacob Sharer had purchased 80 acres along the road to Penns Cave. He built a new brick home there, completing it in 1906, according to Ray. The house was started, but work was completed first on the barn, where straw, hay, and wheat were stored. The family slept in the old mountain house for about two years while the new structure was being built, so it was probably started about 1904. Ray recalls that this occurred when he was about five. The barn was made of wide logs notched out. A pin was driven in to hold the logs. On the west side of the house, along the woods, Ray can remember big logs being cut down to make room for it. This apparently took several years, as Ray was involved in sawing the logs and selling the lumber. The lumber company, who were apparently involved with this, had a shack up for a barn and four to eight horses to haul the lumber. Local landowners helped the nearby operations of lumber companies in those days. The property was all fenced. Today, the structure is in the hands of the Amish. Ray has nothing but good to say about the Amish, as he feels they keep the land in its proper usage and farm it well. Growing up, Ray recalls that he was never sick. He didn't have any of what was called "kid sickness," such as measles, mumps, etc. He walked a mile (one way) across the fields each day to school, even in snow up to his knees. The school house was two miles from Centre Hall on the road to Penns Cave. When others had the "kid sicknesses," Ray walked it alone. He attributes his health to plenty of hard work. When he was young, he helped clean out the horse and cow stables. He remembers that his brother, Jake, three years his junior, was more playful than he. Ray wanted to work and get the job done. His work paid off, as Ray was granted increased responsibilites by his father as he grew older. He and his father went to a sale when he was young and saw a three-year old horse, which he considered to be a pretty animal. His Dad said, "What do you think?" Ray said, "I'm going to buy her." And buy her he did. Ray learned to walk the horses in teams. There was a particularly old horse that would not go on its own, but it would walk with a team. Ray's job was to take the milk down to Centre Hall, to have it shipped from the Railroad Station. The horse didn't want to go with the spring wagon. Ray figured out how to make it go. Ray's Dad said, "Ray, how did you get it to go?" Ray simply answered that he was a horseman. Twenty-two acres of his father's property were flat fields. When Ray was about seven or eight, his Dad took him to learn how to harrow the fields with horses by himself. His father had confidence in him. Jacob Sharer put Ray on the main horse. Ray asked for the lines; his father replied that they might get tangled up. Ray drove the horse perfectly down the harrow. The horse would whinny when the dinner bell was rung; Ray would unhitch her, get on her back, and ride her into the barn. One of Ray's most distinct memories of this work was that his father trusted him with the horses. One advantage was that the ground was flat, and without hills. A particular incident occurred when Ray was 13 years old. While plowing in the field, a rock lifted him straight up in the air, and he had to reset the plow. In his youth, Ray had no car to drive. Cars were scarce in those days, and Ray drove horses in order to get around. Ray was married on Christmas Day, 1919, to Miss Laura May Reeder. She had been born on June 26, 1901, in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania. Death deprived our subject of his beloved wife on December 14th, 1972. She suffered a heart attack and survived for nine days, before succumbing. Together Ray and Laura had four children: Reeder J. Sharer, who passed away in the fall of 2000, aged 79 years; Inez E. Sharer, who died in 1928, at the age of four; Marvin R., who died in 1954, at the age of 27; and Marion J., who is yet living in Centre Hall, Pa., the last surviving member of the family. When he was about 40 years old, Ray bid on land across the street from the homestead farm (the sale had been turned over to the Bellefonte Trust Company). He received 100 acres across the road. Half had already been cut for lumber. He farmed this and on his father's land. Today the land is covered in developments and houses. Ray sold the land for $2,000 after a few years, in 1952. Some of the land went to Ray's sons. Part of the land recently sold for $48,000. Ray was instrumental in working at the Grange Fair grounds throughout his life. He grew up with the fair. Both Jacob and Ray were lifelong members of Progress Grange in Centre Hall. Jacob Sharer, Ray's father, was a member of the Fair Committee and actually bought land so he could sell it to the Fair Association for the use of the Fair. He remembers it from its earliest days, when his father and others would arrive in horse-drawn spring wagons. It lasted about a week, with the lowest attendance on Mondays and Tuesdays. Folks did not attend so often in those days, according to Ray. Horses were tied down to posts on the fairground. Hay was tied in the back of the spring wagons to provide feed to the horses. When he was six or seven years old, about 1905, Ray remembers going down to take a look at the horses, all tied up. In later years, Ray recalls that he was there to help set up the fair, and he was there to help tear it down as well. He had the Fair Checkbook to purchase things for the fair. Ray worked for the fair and also for Penn State University. He was expert at knowing what needed to be built and how to handle the tents. He fixed toilets. In addition, he was in charge of turning the water on and off at the beginning and end of the far, and moving all the benches and tables into place for the fair, and removing them when it was over. He was also in charge of getting sheets of glan milk powder, 4 feet by 6 feet, so people could watch the milk being poured before the truck came in to take the oil and sell it. There were problems with the fair. At one point, a fire burned down two hog barns. Some kids threw a match into one of the barns. The heat of one fire caught the next one on fire and both burned to the ground. Flies were also a nemesis, to the point that people from Centre Hall complained and fly killer was sprayed around. After Ray quit farming on his own, he served for a while as President of the Fair Committee. He also handled the finances. He actively began his work for the fair at age 14, and continued until he was 80. As George McCormick once put it, "Ray, I don't know how you figure everything out." His activity with the fair continued into the 21st century. In August, 2001, at the age of 102, Ray was on hand to dedicate a new gate erected on the fairgrounds, being the first to ride through the new gate. He was driven in a 1948 Plymouth. It was a momentous event, and Ray enjoyed the time afterward he spent on the fairgrounds. Later on, Ray built a brick home on a hill, apparently for the University. After this, he wanted ten days off to go and tend to the fair. The University told him, "Now Ray, stay with us steady or quit." He persuaded them to allow him to have the time off for the fair. He returned and worked steadily for them ever after. The fair work became too demanding, as it took all of his time, so he quit. Today, he feels that the fair is getting entirely too big. Ray was so busy with these things that his wife often told him, "You're not home at all!" He would also help local farmers in addition to his other tasks. At one time, he helped the late Tom Delaney of Centre Hall put new logs in his barn. Driving tractors incessantly on the farms, Ray says, is what ruined his hearing. He remains hard of hearing to this day. Ray gave up driving some years ago. He was driving along one day after having stopped at Sears to look at Window Blinds. He blacked out at the wheel, lost control of his vehicle, and woke up headed for a small truck. He was encouraged to quit driving after this. He felt no pain during this experience at all. After entering the nursing home, Ray found a new hobby in making flowers out of spoons and other decorative articles. He sold some of these and donated others to the nursing home. They beautifully adorn his surroundings. Ray has been a member of St. Lukes Lutheran Church in Centre Hall, PA, for many years. He thanks God for the health that he has. He also considers his never having smoked nor drank and that he was a hard worker to be factors in his longevity. The fact that his father lived to be 85 years old (dying in 1942), and his mother's attainment of the age of 77 (passing away in 1944), have shown hereditary genes toward longevity in Ray's background. Ray's only regret was that time has deprived him of the acquaintance of all those whom he held dear in his youth, and he frequently expressed joy in the knowledge that ere long, he would join them in that happy land beyond the blue. This transition occurred on Thursday, January 3, 2002, when the Spirit of Ray John Sharer was carried to that happy land when pain and sorrow are no more. He passed away at the Centre Community Hospital in College Township. On Sunday afternoon, the 6th, after services in his church, the remains were laid away in the Reformed and Lutheran Cemetery in Centre Hall to await the joyous resurrection. == Justin Justin Kirk Houser Genealogist/Researcher of Central PA and Beyond Main Lines: Houser, Breon, Shawley, Ranio/Hrynio (and others) President, BAHS Class of 2003 Student Representative, BASD Board of Education Listowner, PACENTRE-L@Rootsweb.com Historian, Schürch Association of North America (specialty Central PA lines) Member, Valley View United Methodist Church "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature"

Hi Tim, No Anna Maria Rudisill listed. The book is a limited edition (200 copies) published in York, PA, in 1936, and is by James Jefferson Rudisill. This copy was presented to Geneva Mower Baker, a Rudisill descendant who is listed in the genealogy. Could be some connection if your Anna Maria was from York. Diana

Hi Justin, What a wonderful tribute to your friend! Even though you weren't able to attend his memorial service, you extended it to include all of us. Thank you. Thank you for taking us on a trip back to another time in a place that witnessed the lives and deaths of our family members who went before us. Have a good day, Justin. Thank you again. Sue ----- Original Message ----- From: <JKHouser84@aol.com> To: <PACENTRE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2002 6:51 AM Subject: [PACENTRE] A Tribute to Ray J. Sharer (1899-2002) Good morning, list, Returning from church this morning we saw the snowflakes falling round us. The much-predicted "winter storm," the first of the year, is bearing down on Centre County. Unfortunately, this means that the roads will be in too poor a condition today for me to travel over the mountain to Centre Hall, PA, to be personally present at the funeral service for my friend and relative, Ray J. Sharer, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 102. I did not know Ray until he was past 100 years old; he was a half-second cousin of my great-grandfather, and as such was (we believe) the last living grandchild of Susan (Arbogast) Harter, my 3rd great-grandmother. He had a few recollections of her; she passed away when he was 13 years old, in 1912. One day, glancing at the newspaper in 1999, I noticed in the "Milestones" column that Ray Sharer of the Salem Hill Haven Nursing Home in Spring Mills was 100 years old. I knew that my 3rd great grandmother Susan had been married first, briefly, to a Sharer, who died not long after their wedding. She had one child to him. Looking in my records, I found that this Ray Sharer was one of the sons of this child. It was a little while later that we traveled over to the nursing home to visit this newly-found relative. He was a remarkable man, an expert woodworker (he made many decorations for the Home out of popsicle sticks -- they were amazing). His memory was a little slow at the start, but once you got it jogged, he would take you back nearly a century to a time and place that now resides only in the history books, and in the memories of the few souls such as him who have lived into the 21st century. The visits were very enjoyable, and I compiled the notes I took of his conversations, along with some other data I had, into a biographical sketch of Ray. Since I am not able to attend his funeral service today, I thought it appropriate that he should be thus remembered on our list. I thus post the biographical sketch here: A TRIBUTE TO RAY Ray John Sharer was born July 28, 1899, in Potter Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. His birthplace was a small cabin located on the property owned by his parents, Jacob and Jennie (Hetzel) Sharer. Jacob Sharer, the father of our subject, was born August 29, 1857, in Walker Township, Centre County, PA, the son of Jacob and Susan (Arbogast) Sharer. His father's brother, David Sharer, went out hunting in the Alleghenies and caught typhoid fever. It spread to his whole family, with the exception of his mother and grandfather. His grandmother, Anna Mary (Henderson) Sharer died on 18 Feb 1858, aged 52; his father, Jacob Sharer Jr., died just three days later, aged only 19. Jacob's mother remained with the family for a few years, ultimately marrying a local widower, Andrew Harter. Jacob remained with his grandfather, Jacob Sharer Sr. He later was hired out to work for his aunt, Mrs. Henry Garbrick of Jacksonville. In 1880, Jacob Sharer married Elizabeth Agnes Smeltzer and moved to a farm two miles east of Centre Hall, in his own words, near Penns Cave. Together they had several children. Those who reached adulthood were Sylvester E. (1881-1956); George W. (1885-1966); and Bertha (1891-1968), who married Andrew Gregg Carper, a local auctioneer from Oak Hall, Pa. Another child, Marion, died in November, 1894 at the age of six years. Elizabeth died on 24 March 1894 at the age of 38. She had been working, apparently about the house, when she gave birth, seemingly early. The baby had what was called "early sickness," and there was no way to administer medicine. Both mother and child died and were buried in the same grave in the Reformed and Lutheran Cemetery in Centre Hall, PA. Jacob then married Ray's mother, Jennie Olevia Hetzel, in 1896. He was 41 and his wife was 19. Jennie had been born May 3, 1877 in Aaronsburg, Centre Co., Pa. Her father was Michael Hetzel, a tailor of German descent. Jacob and Jennie had several children. Viola, who married Harry Lanson Burris, and died of uric acid poisoning at the age of twenty five in 1923; Ray, our subject; Jacob P. Sharer; Mabelle Gertrude, later Mrs. Franklin White; and Franklin G. Sharer. Our subject remembers his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Anna (Dinges) Hetzel, as a fairly grouchy woman. She would work wherever she found a place. Ray remembers driving his mother down to the sale at Aaronsburg, in the buggy over snow covered roads. The snow was so wet it piled on the horses' feet. They couldn't get the horse to run. This was probably the sale of her household effects before she moved in with the Sharers, as is indicated by contemporary records. Ray's father's property was about two miles east of Centre Hall, and the cabin was off the road at the foot of the mountain. It was made of logs 8-10 inches wide. While it was warm, Ray recalls that it was not big enough for his family. Sometime after Ray married and left home (in 1919), his father tore down the old structure. There were also sink holes in the area. When Ray was young, the family moved out of the small house, although it still stood. Jacob Sharer had purchased 80 acres along the road to Penns Cave. He built a new brick home there, completing it in 1906, according to Ray. The house was started, but work was completed first on the barn, where straw, hay, and wheat were stored. The family slept in the old mountain house for about two years while the new structure was being built, so it was probably started about 1904. Ray recalls that this occurred when he was about five. The barn was made of wide logs notched out. A pin was driven in to hold the logs. On the west side of the house, along the woods, Ray can remember big logs being cut down to make room for it. This apparently took several years, as Ray was involved in sawing the logs and selling the lumber. The lumber company, who were apparently involved with this, had a shack up for a barn and four to eight horses to haul the lumber. Local landowners helped the nearby operations of lumber companies in those days. The property was all fenced. Today, the structure is in the hands of the Amish. Ray has nothing but good to say about the Amish, as he feels they keep the land in its proper usage and farm it well. Growing up, Ray recalls that he was never sick. He didn't have any of what was called "kid sickness," such as measles, mumps, etc. He walked a mile (one way) across the fields each day to school, even in snow up to his knees. The school house was two miles from Centre Hall on the road to Penns Cave. When others had the "kid sicknesses," Ray walked it alone. He attributes his health to plenty of hard work. When he was young, he helped clean out the horse and cow stables. He remembers that his brother, Jake, three years his junior, was more playful than he. Ray wanted to work and get the job done. His work paid off, as Ray was granted increased responsibilites by his father as he grew older. He and his father went to a sale when he was young and saw a three-year old horse, which he considered to be a pretty animal. His Dad said, "What do you think?" Ray said, "I'm going to buy her." And buy her he did. Ray learned to walk the horses in teams. There was a particularly old horse that would not go on its own, but it would walk with a team. Ray's job was to take the milk down to Centre Hall, to have it shipped from the Railroad Station. The horse didn't want to go with the spring wagon. Ray figured out how to make it go. Ray's Dad said, "Ray, how did you get it to go?" Ray simply answered that he was a horseman. Twenty-two acres of his father's property were flat fields. When Ray was about seven or eight, his Dad took him to learn how to harrow the fields with horses by himself. His father had confidence in him. Jacob Sharer put Ray on the main horse. Ray asked for the lines; his father replied that they might get tangled up. Ray drove the horse perfectly down the harrow. The horse would whinny when the dinner bell was rung; Ray would unhitch her, get on her back, and ride her into the barn. One of Ray's most distinct memories of this work was that his father trusted him with the horses. One advantage was that the ground was flat, and without hills. A particular incident occurred when Ray was 13 years old. While plowing in the field, a rock lifted him straight up in the air, and he had to reset the plow. In his youth, Ray had no car to drive. Cars were scarce in those days, and Ray drove horses in order to get around. Ray was married on Christmas Day, 1919, to Miss Laura May Reeder. She had been born on June 26, 1901, in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania. Death deprived our subject of his beloved wife on December 14th, 1972. She suffered a heart attack and survived for nine days, before succumbing. Together Ray and Laura had four children: Reeder J. Sharer, who passed away in the fall of 2000, aged 79 years; Inez E. Sharer, who died in 1928, at the age of four; Marvin R., who died in 1954, at the age of 27; and Marion J., who is yet living in Centre Hall, Pa., the last surviving member of the family. When he was about 40 years old, Ray bid on land across the street from the homestead farm (the sale had been turned over to the Bellefonte Trust Company). He received 100 acres across the road. Half had already been cut for lumber. He farmed this and on his father's land. Today the land is covered in developments and houses. Ray sold the land for $2,000 after a few years, in 1952. Some of the land went to Ray's sons. Part of the land recently sold for $48,000. Ray was instrumental in working at the Grange Fair grounds throughout his life. He grew up with the fair. Both Jacob and Ray were lifelong members of Progress Grange in Centre Hall. Jacob Sharer, Ray's father, was a member of the Fair Committee and actually bought land so he could sell it to the Fair Association for the use of the Fair. He remembers it from its earliest days, when his father and others would arrive in horse-drawn spring wagons. It lasted about a week, with the lowest attendance on Mondays and Tuesdays. Folks did not attend so often in those days, according to Ray. Horses were tied down to posts on the fairground. Hay was tied in the back of the spring wagons to provide feed to the horses. When he was six or seven years old, about 1905, Ray remembers going down to take a look at the horses, all tied up. In later years, Ray recalls that he was there to help set up the fair, and he was there to help tear it down as well. He had the Fair Checkbook to purchase things for the fair. Ray worked for the fair and also for Penn State University. He was expert at knowing what needed to be built and how to handle the tents. He fixed toilets. In addition, he was in charge of turning the water on and off at the beginning and end of the far, and moving all the benches and tables into place for the fair, and removing them when it was over. He was also in charge of getting sheets of glan milk powder, 4 feet by 6 feet, so people could watch the milk being poured before the truck came in to take the oil and sell it. There were problems with the fair. At one point, a fire burned down two hog barns. Some kids threw a match into one of the barns. The heat of one fire caught the next one on fire and both burned to the ground. Flies were also a nemesis, to the point that people from Centre Hall complained and fly killer was sprayed around. After Ray quit farming on his own, he served for a while as President of the Fair Committee. He also handled the finances. He actively began his work for the fair at age 14, and continued until he was 80. As George McCormick once put it, "Ray, I don't know how you figure everything out." His activity with the fair continued into the 21st century. In August, 2001, at the age of 102, Ray was on hand to dedicate a new gate erected on the fairgrounds, being the first to ride through the new gate. He was driven in a 1948 Plymouth. It was a momentous event, and Ray enjoyed the time afterward he spent on the fairgrounds. Later on, Ray built a brick home on a hill, apparently for the University. After this, he wanted ten days off to go and tend to the fair. The University told him, "Now Ray, stay with us steady or quit." He persuaded them to allow him to have the time off for the fair. He returned and worked steadily for them ever after. The fair work became too demanding, as it took all of his time, so he quit. Today, he feels that the fair is getting entirely too big. Ray was so busy with these things that his wife often told him, "You're not home at all!" He would also help local farmers in addition to his other tasks. At one time, he helped the late Tom Delaney of Centre Hall put new logs in his barn. Driving tractors incessantly on the farms, Ray says, is what ruined his hearing. He remains hard of hearing to this day. Ray gave up driving some years ago. He was driving along one day after having stopped at Sears to look at Window Blinds. He blacked out at the wheel, lost control of his vehicle, and woke up headed for a small truck. He was encouraged to quit driving after this. He felt no pain during this experience at all. After entering the nursing home, Ray found a new hobby in making flowers out of spoons and other decorative articles. He sold some of these and donated others to the nursing home. They beautifully adorn his surroundings. Ray has been a member of St. Lukes Lutheran Church in Centre Hall, PA, for many years. He thanks God for the health that he has. He also considers his never having smoked nor drank and that he was a hard worker to be factors in his longevity. The fact that his father lived to be 85 years old (dying in 1942), and his mother's attainment of the age of 77 (passing away in 1944), have shown hereditary genes toward longevity in Ray's background. Ray's only regret was that time has deprived him of the acquaintance of all those whom he held dear in his youth, and he frequently expressed joy in the knowledge that ere long, he would join them in that happy land beyond the blue. This transition occurred on Thursday, January 3, 2002, when the Spirit of Ray John Sharer was carried to that happy land when pain and sorrow are no more. He passed away at the Centre Community Hospital in College Township. On Sunday afternoon, the 6th, after services in his church, the remains were laid away in the Reformed and Lutheran Cemetery in Centre Hall to await the joyous resurrection. == Justin Justin Kirk Houser Genealogist/Researcher of Central PA and Beyond Main Lines: Houser, Breon, Shawley, Ranio/Hrynio (and others) President, BAHS Class of 2003 Student Representative, BASD Board of Education Listowner, PACENTRE-L@Rootsweb.com Historian, Schürch Association of North America (specialty Central PA lines) Member, Valley View United Methodist Church "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" ==== PACENTRE Mailing List ==== Much info which has been posted on the list already may be found in the PACENTRE Archives. View them at: http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl