For my cousins, and other interested parties, in the spirit of being grateful for our forefathers who struggled greatly that we may have religious freedom and prosperity in America.
(From
Brillharts of America, John A. Brillhart, 1926)
John
Brillhard was born 1701. In
the year 1721, at the age of twenty-one years, he met with a lady by the name
of Marie Rariegh whom he loved, courted and later married. To, this union were
born three boys John, Samuel, and Peter. The name was later changed to
Brillhart.
Peter
Brillhart (1726-1782) was
born in 1726 and in 1745 married Mary.
He was a son of John Brillhard and Mary Rariegh Brillhart and came
across the sea with his two brothers, Samuel and John. To this union were born eleven children: Nancy, married to Joseph Graybill: Jacob, Peter,
Christian, Joseph, John, Elizabeth,
married to Samuel Bixler; Eva, married to Samuel Flichkenger; Annie, Barbara,
and Maria, married to M. Figley.
For some years he lived in the northwest
part of Switzerland, then
when he with his brothers and their families came to this countryin 1737; he
took up some land on the southeast side of the old Indian Trail now known as Shrewsberry Township,
York County, PA.,
Dunkard Valley. (This land was a William Penn
land grant, many of which were given to those fleeing religious persecution in Europe.)
He was an industrious man. He managed to buy a large tract of land, and
overcame many difficulties and hardships.
With his kind Christian life he helped many around him. He and his brother, John, helped to organize
the Dunkard Church, now known as the Church of the
Brethren, about the year 1758, in the place where they settled.
His pioneer life was filled with cares. He was a blacksmith and cooper by trade and a
hewer of timber.
Christian
B. Brillhart, (1762-1811)
son of Peter and Mary Brillhart, was married to Anna Weber. They had six children: John, Samuel, Peter,
Nancy, Christian, and Christena. At his
death Christian bestowed all his estate to his widow. At her death she bestowed all her estate to
her trusty son Peter, executor, and her daughter, Nancy.
Samuel
Brillhart, (1802-1867) son
of Christian and Anna Weber Brillhart, was married to Elizabeth Bealer. They had eight children: Mary Ann, Samuel,
Elizabeh, Licinda, Anna, Julian, John
F., and Isaac.
Mary Ann was married to Henry Kessler.
Samuel Brillhart, son of Samuel and
Elizabeth Bealer Brillhart was married to Angeline Spangler. They had five children: Uriah, Franklin,
Lizzie, Hattie, and Emma.
Franklin Brillhart was married to Elizabth
Albert. Five children: Lous, Rosie,
Clyde, Verna and Salem.
Lizzie Brillhart was married to Mr. Bransom.
Samuel
Brillhart (1838-1912) came "west" in 1865.
Uriah
S. Brillhart (1870-1939),
son of Samuel and Angeline Spangler Brillhart, a grandson of Samuel and
Elizabeth Bealer Brillhart, was born May 6, 1870, near Summum, Ill.,
where he was raised to manhood on a farm and completed his common school
education.
In the year 1891, on Sept. 21, he was united in marriage to Lillie
Mummert. He took up the carpenter trade
which he has followed most of the time since.
In the year 1897, on Sept. 1, he united with
the Church of the Brethren. In 1906,
Sept 1, he was elected to the Deacon’s office and on Sept. 18, 1907, he was
called to the ministry. Then in 1908 on
the second day, his wife, who was a faithful helper, was called to the Heavenly
Home, leaving him with the care of seven children.
In 1909, on Nov. 17, he was advanced to the
second degree of the ministry. In 1910,
he moved to Quinter, Kansas,
where he (resided until his death in 1939)
In 1914, Oct. 29, he was advanced to the
Eldership and his is faithfully caring for his little flock.
(From my entry in the McDonough County
History, Macomb, IL)
George S. Brillhart (1893-1955) from
Astorie married Maye Winston (30 June 1896-Nov 1976) from Browning and took up
residence in McDonough
County, near Adair. While living there, they had their first two
sons, Charles (14 Jun 1917- Apr 1985) and Harold (4 Oct 1918- Sep 1975) and
witnessed the building for the first "hard road" between Table Grove
to Macomb. They later moved to the Moore farm North-East of Industry where their
third son Cline (1933) was born. A few
years later, they moved to the Everly farm near Industry which George and Harold farming
together. All three sons graduated from Industry High School.
Harold D. Brillhart
(1918-1975)
Harold
married Zelma Woodruff from Industry and continued to live on the Everly
farm. They had three children Luan (14
Jul 1942), Leota (1945-1946) and David
(27 May 1949). He retired from farming
in 1964 and moved into Industry where Harold held a variety of positions and
eventually opened a bicycle shop. Harold
and Zelma were very active members of Industry Methodist
Church, Harold being a
Methodist lay speaker. He was at one time a member of the Industry school
board. Harold is fondly remembered by
the boys of Industry as the kindly man who owned the bicycle shop and always
had time to fix a flat or hold a hand.
Zelma worked for fifteen years at Mcdonough Power in Macomb.
Both Luan and David are graduates of Industry High School. Luan attended Western
Illinois University
and graduated from the University of Illinois, Circle and currently lives in San Jose, CA. David graduated from Knox
College and Carnegie-Mellon
University and lives in Mobile, AL.
David K. Brillhart (1949-
)
