CENTRE LINES

The HOOVER Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on HOOVER. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

Five books in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte deal at some length with this family. They are Jerry Burkett's The Huber-Hoover Family History Index, Albert Henry's The Hoover Family: from Johan Conradt Huber I circa 1710 to Robert Perry Hoover, 1934, Blanche Hoover's The Hoover Family: Ancestors and Descendants of Harry Toner Hoover, Harry Hoover's The Huber-Hoover Family History: A Biographical and Genealogical History of the Descendants of Hans Huber from the time of his arrival down to the Elenth Generation, and, Mary Lontz's Centre County Ancestors.

There are 29 different first-name entries for Hoover in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are many references to the Hoover name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898) with the following persons (with an identifiable Centre County connection) having a separate profile: GEORGE D. Hoover (1852, s/o Jacob and Rachel Fisher), GRANT Hoover (b. 1865, s/o Harvey and Mary Catlow), SAMUEL Hoover (b. 1838, s/o Philip and Lena Grenewalt), WALTER R. Hoover (b. 1860, s.o Wilson R. and Elnora Lawhead). WILLIAM A. Hoover (b. 1845, s/o William and Elizabeth Murray), and Z. Hoover (b. 1852, s/o William F. and Elizabeth Murray).

And, now, your ancestors' HOOVER neighbors in 1890:

In BELLEFONTE Borough:

Augustus M., 39, coal dealer--144 East Curtin Adda T. Lawrence A. 8 Carrie--131 North Ridge Maggie--201 East Bishop Charles 5 Mary--131 North Ridge Mary A.--131 North Ridge Alexander 22 Bella Mary E.--31 North Spring Isabella J. William Hoover, 20--131 North Ridge

In BENNER Township:

John A., 36, laborer--Pleasant Gap Susan E. Cynthia J. William--Pleasant Gap

In BOGGS Township:

David, 19--Milesburg Mary--Milesburg Mary--Roland

In BURNSIDE Township:

Mae E.--Pine Glenn Samuel F., 32, laborer--Pine Glenn Victoria Harry J. 6 Minnie B. Ida M. Clyde 4 Raymond 2 William 1 mo

In COLLEGE Township:

Bella--State College

In FERGUSON Township:

Alice H.--Pine Grove Mills Edward 16 Harry 12

In HAINES Township:

Annie R.--Aaronsburg Henry E., 26, laborer--Woodward Emma

In HALF-MOON Township:

George W., 63, farmer--Stormstown Margaret Emma P. Miles 12 Bertha Minnie Warren P., 38, laborer--Stormstown Amanda Louisa Cordy Ellen Frederick 9 Viola Angola Agnes

In HARRIS Township:

William C., 55, farmer--Linden Hall Louisa C. William P., 28 Bertha Ross C. 17 Elsie L.

In HOWARD Borough:

Wm, 23, laborer

In HUSTON Township:

John C., 51, speculator--Julian Cecelia Budd 7 Sarah--Julian William 21, laborer--Julian Harry 19 Lewis 17 Jenis 15 Andrew 12

In MILLHEIM Borough:

Amelia Annie Lydia Dottie

In PATTON Township:

Alexander H., 35, farmer--Julian Alice Elizabeth A. Rose L. Philip 4 George B. 2

In PENN Township:

Catharine--Coburn Catharine--Coburn William T. 32 Franklin C. 5 Ellen--Coburn Rhoda Henry N., 8--Coburn John, 56, farmer--Coburn Anna George 2 John H., 35, teamster--Millheim Mary E. Daisy D. Lydia C. Herbert A. 12 Emma J. Boyd E. 7 Roy C. 4 Brooks F. 6 mos Lydia A.--Millheim

In PHILIPSBURG Borough:

Ellen--Locust Street George W., 47, lumberman--Presquile Street Elizabeth John T. 22 Eva Margaret Esther George W. 8 Malcolm 5 Elizabeth Margaret--3rd Street Mattie--Front Street Phoebe I.--3rd Street Effie C.

In SNOW SHOE Township:

John T., 64, laborer--Snow Shoe Mary E. William, 24, laborer--Snow Shoe Enoch Daniel L. 8 Laura E.

In SPRING Township:

David K., 63, laborer--Bellefonte Mary E. Aley J. 27 Catharine A. Edward, 14--Pleasant Gap Mary--Axemann

In TAYLOR Township:

Samuel, 52, farmer--Port Matilda Maria J. William 25 Sarah Allen 22 Lina Franklin 20 James F. 25

In UNION Township:

Alida T.--Fleming Ralph 5 Austin, 41, carpenter--Fleming Susan Maria E. Bathsheba J. Myrtle M. Edward W. 1 Christian 69 George D., 38, farmer--Fleming Maria Harry T. 11 Lula M. Christopher B. 7 Clara Rachael Israel, 46, farmer--Fleming Hannah H. James O. 19 Jacob, 57, farmer--Fleming Mary J. Henry H. 23 Samuel A. 19 Mary Almeda Frances E. 12 Viola S. Rachael--Fleming William E., 46, farmer--Fleming Harriet E. John C. 10 Nervel 4

In UNIONVILLE Borough:

Harvey, 57 hotel keeper Mary Siman 23 Clyde 17 George P. 15 Mattie Henry W., 53, lumberman Mary W.

In WALKER Township:

Samuel, 46, carpenter--Nittany Frances R. Minnie I. George