CENTRE LINES

The ROYER 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 ROYER. 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).

Four books in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte deal at some length with the Royer family. They are Jay Gottwals Francis' Genealogical Records of the Royer Family in America: or More Especially Those of Sebastian Royer's Family; the same author's Selected Pages from the History of the Royer Family in America: Genealogical Records of the Royer Family in America: or More Especially Those of Sebastian Royer's Family; Aaron Gift's History of the Gift, Kern and Royer Families; and, Daniel Hester's History of the Royer Family: Genealogical Records of the Family from the Rheinland-Pfalz to America Especially Those of Georg Christoff Royer.

There are 25 different first-name entries for Royer in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are many references to the these names in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898) with three of them (with an identifiable Centre County connection) having a separate profile: D.E. Royer (b. 1846. s/o Jefferson and Hannah Gramley); J.E. Royer (b. 1863, s/o Aaron and Mary B. Hertz); and, T.E. Royer (b. 1840, s/o Henry and Susan Wolfe).

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

In BELLEFONTE Borough:

William T., 23, printer--133 East Lamb Bella Anna P. Linnie M.

In FERGUSON Township:

Amos, 84, retired--Pinegrove Mills Hannah J. Elmer J. 18 Jennie A.--Pinegrove Mills

In MILES Township:

Benjamin, 46, farmer--Madisonburg Amanda William 18 Clayton E. 15 John N. 13 Maggie I. Kate R. Allen C. 2 Cephas, 14--Rebersburg Daniel D., 42, farmer--Rebersburg Mary A. Edwin L. 11 Kline H. 9 Almeda H. Harry W., 49, farmer--Livonia Lydia Maggie Lizzie E. Henry G., 42, farmer--Wolfs Store Ella B. Ida--Madisonburg Rebecca Isaac, 53, laborer--Bellefonte Elizabeth Maggie Kate P. Jacob, 33, farmer--Madisonburg Sarah J. Oscar N. 14 Eliza J. Lizzie I. Jefferson, 71, retired--Rebersburg Joel, 79, retired--Rebersburg John E., 27, laborer--Rebersburg Alice I. James S. 9 mos. John F., 21, laborer--Madisonburg Mary--Rebersburg Laura E. Roland, 26--Rebersburg Annie Montessa Helen F. Thomas E., 49, farmer--Rebersburg Emma J. Susan M. Harry 16

In MILLHEIM Borough:

Edward, 24, carpenter Minnie A. Elmira Seymour 21 Aggie M. Frank P. 12 Henry, 78, retired Julian Franklin 45 Anna John, 53, carpenter Henrietta Charles W. 28 William C. 20 Lotta L. Lloyd J. 6

In PENN Township:

Anna R.--Millheim George, 45, farmer--Millheim Hannah F. Samuel L. 12 John H. 10 Obea E. 8 Herman J. Vernie S. Minnie

In POTTER Township:

Daniel E., 17, laborer--Tusseyville Edith--Centre Hill Emma--Centre Hill Frank B., 16--Tusseyville Harvey R., 4--Potters Mills Henry, 14--Tusseyville Henry,54, farmer--Centre Hill Amelia Harvey E. 27 Eddie E. Mary E. John V. 14 Clyde 5 mos. Jacob F., 42, farmer--Tusseyville Mary C. John C. 11 Maggie J. Elzie M. John H., 32, farmer--Tusseyville Mary E. Jacob 11 Susan R. John 3 Ella F. Jonas B., 53, farmer--Centre Hill Mary J. Elmer J. 22 Lettie J. Sarah E. Luther M. 13 Thomas F., 36, farmer--Potters Mills Emma E. Rhoda A. Catharine William L., 21, laborer--Centre Hill William W., 48, laborer--Centre Hill Sarah J. Carrie M.

In SPRING Township:

John B., 40, farmer--Bellefonte Mary J. Susan J. John 5 Samuel, 24, laborer--Bellefonte Susan--Bellefonte

In WALKER Township:

John, 58, carpenter--Zion Louisa A. William A. 30 Harvey 21 Ada E.