Benjamin K Brobst (1832 - 1900)

Born 21 May 1832 in Lynn Twp, Lehigh Co, PA

Ancestors

Husband of Carolina Mosser (Kistler) Brobst — married 24 Apr 1855 in Lynn Tp, Lehigh Co, Jacksonville PA

Descendants

Died 21 Jun 1900 at age 68 in Allentown, Lehigh Co, PA

Biography

Pvt Benjamin Brobst served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: Sep 10, 1864
Mustered out: mmm dd, yyyy
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Co. C 207th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry

Baptism: JUL 1832. Jerusalem (Red) Church, Stony Run, Albany Tp, Berks Co, PA. ^[1]

Buried West End Cemetery, 12th & Chew Sts., Allentown PA.

Occupation: farmer, gristmill, huckster, driver, Cross Keys Hotel employee.

Religion: Lutheran.

Note: #N3.

Census: @N1579@.

Marriage Husband Benjamin K. Brobst. Wife Carolina Mosser Kistler. Marriage 24 APR 1855. Jacob’s Union Church Cemetery, Lynn Tp, Lehigh Co, Jacksonville PA. ^[2] Child: James K Brobst. Child: Josephina K Brobst. Child: Elisabeth K Brobst. Child: Rosa K Brobst. Child: Maria Jane K “Jane” Brobst. Child: Sarah ‘Sallie’ K Brobst. Child: Amanda K Brobst. Child: Milton K Brobst. Child: Oliver K Brobst. Child: Allison K Brobst. Child: Carolina K "Carrie” Brobst. Child: George K. Brobst. Child Status: @C97@. Child: Ada Catherine K Brobst.

Husband Jacob F. Brobst. Wife Lydia Kistler. Marriage 12 MAR 1822. ^[3] Note: #N993. Child: Samuel Kistler Brobst. Child: Jacob K. Brobst. Child: Magdalena Brobst. Child Status: @C96@. Child: Henry Brobst. Child: Lovina Brobst. Child: Daniel Kistler Brobst. Child: Annie Brobst. Child: Benjamin K. Brobst. Child: Louisa Brobst. Child Status: @C96@.

Notes

Note N3.

Photos: - http:/millpictures.com/Millsdetails.cfm?millid=793 has pictures of the renovated Oswald-Kistler mill in 2005.

• Benjamin BROBST was baptized at the Jerusalem "Red" Church in July 1832 (no day given); transcription of the records by John L. Kistler shows birth 21 May 1832, parents given as Jacob F. Brobst and Lidie. Baptismal sponsors were Peter and Margarethe GRÄSLE. Note that Benjamin's gravestone (looks like a modern replacement) shows him born 1834. — Record of burials at Jerusalem (Red) Church shows Peter KRESSLY, husband of Margaret KRESSLY, he b. 10 Oct 1800, d. 22 Jan 1866 at age 65-3-2; the GenWeb list of burials there says she was born a KRESSLEY. Peter KRESSLY appears in the 1820 census in neighboring Heidelberg Tp. • Benjamin, the 8th child and youngest son, was only 4 when his father Jacob F. BROBST died. Did his mother Lydia KISTLER take him back to live at her father's place? • He married his 2nd cousin once removed Carolina Mosser KISTLER in April 1855 and by August that year had his first child, James, who his daughter Elva said was born at the Kistler gristmill on Ontalaunee Crk just W of New Tripoli. This mill had been built by Carolina’s father Christian and his brother Daniel S., financed by their father Samuel. Assume Ben had given up his storekeeping job and was running the mill. • 6 Jun 1863 [at age 31], B.K. BROBST is listed among ‘Hucksters residing in other counties and trading in Berks’ , Class. 10, rate , per Reading Gazette and Democrat, Saturday, June 06, 1863, Page: 4. • By 1870 Ben was listed in census as a “huckster” and ran food over the Blue Mountain to Tamaqua PA. John HENDRICKS, who attended grade school in Tamaqua, says the trip would have been a half-day buggy ride. Ben reportedly moved his family to Tamaqua, where he may have had a grocery store. We don't know when he moved there or how long he was there -- he might have held on to the house he owned 1876 in Steinsville even though he'd moved to Tamaqua and Tobyhanna. • 1880 the family is far to the east in Tobyhanna, Monroe County, where Ben and several of the children are working in a factory. [See Censuses for details] Ben & Carolina’s granddaughter Elva BROBST used to talk of people in Tobyhanna -- perhaps some of the family stayed there. • A Benjamin BROBST served in the Civil War, but Elva never mentioned her grandfather serving, just an uncle who had the little New Testament volume she owned that had saved his life (stopped a bullet when it hit the Bible in his breast pocket). The Benjamin who served was in the 207th Pennsylvania Infantery, Company C, a Pvt. • Benjamin is listed as Not Accounted For in the muster lists for his Regiment. • Finally Ben went to Allentown and is buried there. The Allentown 1887 directory shows him (age 55) at 309 N. 9th with children Allison, Amanda, Oliver, and Rosie -- his occupation is "driver." 1889 directory he's still at that address with Rose but is listed as "emp." for Cross Keys Hotel. • 1890 directory same address, occupation is "laborer," and Ben has as "boarders" Allison, Carrie, Oliver, and Rose. Oddly enough another Benjamin BROBST is listed next to him who is "hostler" at the Cross Keys Hotel, which was owned and operated by descendants of its first owner, Henry HAGENBUCH, our 5g-half-uncle. • Allentown’s Union and West End Cemeteries abutt one another and now appear to be a single cemetery. • Of Benjamin and Lydia's 13 children, 1 stayed in Kistler Valley (Josephina), 1 moved to Hazleton/Tomhicken (James), 1 to Bethlehem (Ada), 1 to New Jersey (Oliver), and 9 moved to Allentown. (Some of this information from Arthur Kistler Klingaman's letter. Note that one of Benjamin's daughters, Josephina, married Jacob Mosser KLINGAMAN and was the only child of Benjamin who stayed on a farm in Kistler Valley.). ^[4][5]

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S2
2. ↑ Source: #S2
3. ↑ Source: #S424
4. ↑ Source: #S231
5. ↑ Source: #S6 Film Nr. M554, roll 14

• Bates, Samuel P, History of Pennsylvania volunteers 1861-5 prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature Publisher Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer Vols. 1-5 Printed 1869 to 1871. Vol. V Page 678

• Source: S2 Brobst, Bill, 6072 Currituck Rd, Kitty Hawk NC 27949