John Mohler (1772 - 1835)

Born 5 Apr 1772 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Magdalene Rinehart — married 16 Apr 1799 in Augusta County, Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died 17 Apr 1835 at age 63 in Rockbridge County, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Much of the information in this biography of John Mohler comes from Genealogy of the Ludwig Mohler Family in America, by Cora Garber Dunning.^[1] John’s marriage date from that book has been corrected based on available records.

John Mohler was born near Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania on 5 Apr 1772, the son of John Mohler, grandson of Jacob Mohler, and great grandson of Ludwig Mohler. He served in the 3rd Battalion of the Lancaster County Active Militia during the war until 1795. He moved to Virginia and was married in Augusta County on 16 Apr 1799 to Magdalene Rinehart.^[2] They lived first in Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, Virginia and then, in 1801, settled in Augusta County, Virginia. John and Magdalene had 11 children:

Hannah C, b. 11 Dec 1800^[3]

Magdalene, b. 23 Dec 1801, d. 8 Dec 1876^[4]

Christina Jane, b. 30 Aug 1803, d. 14 Apr 1892^[5]

Jacob, b. 13 Jan 1804, d. 22 Jan 1880^[6]

Hester, b. 4 Aug 1805,^[7] d. 19 Aug 1858^[8]

Elizabeth, b. 3 Jul 1807^[9]

Lydia, b. 3 Jul 1809^[10]

Abraham Reinhardt, b. 10 Mar 1812, d. 22 Jul 1892^[11]

John, b. 21 Mar 1814 (died young)^[12]

Sarah, b. 27 Apr 1816, d. 2 Oct 1882^[13]

Anna, b. 12 Sep 1818, d. Jun 1869^[14]

“John Mohler was a man of a cheerful disposition, possessing merry blue eyes, rather light hair, large features, and the air of a man accustomed to prosperity. He always wore drab clothes and rode a gray horse, which he sat with military dignity. He was not a church man, in a strict sense.”^[1]

Cora Garber Dunning's history says that “in a hill, on John Mohler’s estate, was discovered in 1804, a limestone cavern, named for its finder, Weyer’s cave." But Wikipedia says "According to legend, the cavern system was discovered in 1804 by 17-year-old Bernard Weyer, manager of the local distillery, looking for a missing trap. Originally, it was called Amend's cave, named after the land's owner, Matthias Amend. In two years, Amend opened it for the public, one of the first show caves of the United States. The locals, however, preferred to name it after the original discoverer."

In any event, John Mohler must have capitalized on tourism generated by the cave. Dunning's history says "the old Mohler mansion was turned into a country inn that was rivaled by none in Virginia in the cosmopolitan character of its guests, and the reputation of its cuisine. These Mohlers were slave holders; the cave and the inn produced abundant revenue and the Mohler family grew famous for the quality of their hospitality. John Mohler’s original home was a large structure of logs, which was abandoned for a commodious brick mansion of twenty-one rooms, as time passed, and the fame of Weyer’s cave grew.”^[1]

It isn't known how long the Mohler's lived in the mansion. In the 1810 and 1820 census, John is living in August County.^[15][16] But in 1830, he is living in Rockingham County.^[17] John Mohler died on 17 Apr 1835, aged 63, at “Rose Hill”, Rockbridge County, Virginia, while on a visit to his son Jacob’s wife. He was buried in Falling Springs churchyard in Rockbridge County, Virginia, and was buried at Falling Spring Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Plot D-4, in Glasgow, Rockbridge County, Virginia.^[1][18]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Genealogy: Genealogy of the Ludwig Mohler Family in America, compiled by Cora Garber Dunning, The University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1921, pp. 17-19. https://archive.org/details/genealogyofludwi00dunn/page/16/mode/2up
2. ↑ Marriage: Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", database, FamilySearch Record: XR73-15T (29 January 2020), John Mohler, 1799. Name: JOHN MOHLER; Spouse’s Name: MAGDALINA RYANHART; Marriage Date: 16 APR 1799; Marriage Place: AUGUSTA, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES
3. ↑ 1850 Census: "United States Census, 1850," citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: M432; Line: 3; Digital film/folder number: 004204490; FHL microfilm: 444697; Image number: 307; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01132-6 FamilySearch Record: MXQK-HH6 (accessed 9 August 2023) FamilySearch Image: S3HT-DYL8-VB4 Hannah Beddow (52) in Lake Township, Logan, Ohio, United States. Born in Virginia.
4. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images Find A Grave: Memorial #36765091 (accessed 9 August 2023), memorial page for Magdalene Mohler Garber (23 Dec 1801–8 Dec 1876), Find a Grave Memorial ID 36765091, citing Saint Mary Cemetery, Masonville, Delaware County, Iowa, USA; Maintained by Barb (contributor 47902039).
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images Find A Grave: Memorial #12889160 (accessed 9 August 2023), memorial page for Jane Mohler Raynes (30 Aug 1803–14 Apr 1892), Find a Grave Memorial ID 12889160, citing Middle River Church of the Brethren Cemetery, New Hope, Augusta County, Virginia, USA; Maintained by Mike (contributor 46775771).
6. ↑ Family History or Pedigree: "Geneanet Community Trees Index." Original data: Geneanet Community Trees Index. Paris, France: Geneanet Ancestry Record 62476 #5177633549 (accessed 9 August 2023) Name: Jacob Mohler; Gender: M (Male); Birth Date: 13 janv. 1804 (13 Jan 1804); Death Date: 22 janv. 1880 (22 Jan 1880); Death Place: Baltimore Baltimore Co Maryland (Baltimore), Maryland, USA; Father: John Mohler; Mother: Magdalene Rinehart; Spouse: Frances Jane Grigsby; Child: Abraham Weaver Mohler David Guin Mohler Elisha Grigsby Mohler Elizabeth Hawkins Mohler Frances Jane Mohler John Trimble Mohler Magdaline Rinehart Mohler; View on Geneanet: https://gw.geneanet.org/ottopalfenier?n=mohler&oc=9&p=jacob.
7. ↑ Family History or Pedigree: "Geneanet Community Trees Index." Original data: Geneanet Community Trees Index. Paris, France: Geneanet Ancestry Record 62476 #5177633496 (accessed 9 August 2023) Name: Hester Mohler; Gender: F (Female); Birth Date: 4 août 1805 (4 Aug 1805); Birth Place: Weyers Cave Augusta Co Virginia (Weyers Cave), Virginia, USA; Father: John Mohler; Mother: Magdalene Rinehart; Spouse: Henry Weade; Child: Benjamin Franklin Weade Frances Jane Weade Henry Charles Weade John Mohler Weade Martha Ann Weade Mary Louisa Weade Sarah Margaret Weade; View on Geneanet: https://gw.geneanet.org/ottopalfenier?n=mohler&oc=&p=hester.
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images Find A Grave: Memorial #65127393 (accessed 9 August 2023), memorial page for Hetty Mohler Weade (unknown–19 Aug 1858), Find a Grave Memorial ID 65127393, citing Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery, Augusta County, Virginia, USA; Maintained by LNM (contributor 47438535).
9. ↑ Family History or Pedigree: "Geneanet Community Trees Index." Original data: Geneanet Community Trees Index. Paris, France: Geneanet Ancestry Record 62476 #5760144515 (accessed 9 August 2023) Name: Elizabeth Mohler; Gender: F (Female); Birth Date: 3 juil. 1807 (3 Jul 1807); Father: John Mohler; Mother: Magdaline Rinehart; View on Geneanet: https://gw.geneanet.org/drivingmenuts?n=mohler&oc=23&p=elizabeth.
10. ↑ Family History or Pedigree: "Geneanet Community Trees Index." Original data: Geneanet Community Trees Index. Paris, France: Geneanet Ancestry Record 62476 #5760144901 (accessed 9 August 2023) Name: Lydia Mohler; Gender: F (Female); Birth Date: 3 juil. 1809 (3 Jul 1809); Father: John Mohler; Mother: Magdaline Rinehart; View on Geneanet: https://gw.geneanet.org/drivingmenuts?n=mohler&oc=2&p=lydia.
11. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images Find A Grave: Memorial #117874688 (accessed 9 August 2023), memorial page for Abram Reinhardt Mohler (10 Mar 1812–22 Jun 1892), Find a Grave Memorial ID 117874688, citing Edgewood Cemetery, Weyers Cave, Augusta County, Virginia, USA; Maintained by Marlin Diehl (contributor 47001193).
12. ↑ Family History or Pedigree: "Geneanet Community Trees Index." Original data: Geneanet Community Trees Index. Paris, France: Geneanet Ancestry Record 62476 #5760144835 (accessed 9 August 2023) Name: John Mohler; Gender: M (Male); Birth Date: 21 mars 1814 (21 Mar 1814); Death Place: Young, Texas, USA; Father: John Mohler; Mother: Magdaline Rinehart; View on Geneanet: https://gw.geneanet.org/drivingmenuts?n=mohler&oc=22&p=john.
13. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images Find A Grave: Memorial #135240722 (accessed 9 August 2023), memorial page for Sarah “Sally” Mohler Sniteman (1816–29 Oct 1882), Find a Grave Memorial ID 135240722, citing Old Flory Cemetery, Fishersville, Augusta County, Virginia, USA; Maintained by Marcia Lynne vonGunden (contributor 47059326).
14. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images Find A Grave: Memorial #188197001 (accessed 9 August 2023), memorial page for Anna Mohler Fitch (1818–Jun 1869), Find a Grave Memorial ID 188197001, citing Correctionville Cemetery, Correctionville, Woodbury County, Iowa, USA; Maintained by Dena Gray-Fisher (contributor 48183371).
15. ↑ 1810 Census: "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch Record: XH23-5KM (accessed 27 April 2021), John Mohler, Augusta, Virginia, United States; citing p. 366, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 66; FHL microfilm 181,426.
16. ↑ 1820 Census: "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch Record: XHLT-NG4 (accessed 27 April 2021), John Mohler, Waynesboro, Augusta, Virginia, United States; citing p. 33, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 132; FHL microfilm 193,691.
17. ↑ 1830 Census: "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch Record: XH5N-5ST (20 February 2021), John Mohler, Rockingham, Virginia, United States; citing 245, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 199; FHL microfilm 29,678.
18. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images Find A Grave: Memorial #36077706 (accessed 9 August 2023), memorial page for John Mohler (15 Apr 1772–17 Apr 1835), Find a Grave Memorial ID 36077706, citing Falling Spring Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Glasgow, Rockbridge County, Virginia, USA; Maintained by Ginny Mangum (contributor 48662523).