J. Howard Cramer, p. 211

J. HOWARD CRAMER, editor and proprietor of the Enterprise-Call, Burgettstown, is a son of E. V. and Susan (Weight) Cramer, and was born June 8, 1856, at Spruce Creek, Huntingdon Co., Penn.

The history of the family, of which this gentleman is a conspicuous and honored member, began with Isaac Cramer, who was born near MilIville, Gloucester Co., N. J., in 1786. He was the second child in a large family, and was of English descent, his father having emigrated to this country some time before, the exact date not now being known; but, at any rate, there is evidence that he served as a soldier in the American army during the Revolutionary war. In 1807 Isaac Cramer married Mary Van Eman, who was born in 1783, a daughter of John Van Eman, a farmer, also of Millville, N. J. Her parents had emigrated to this country from Wales. After marriage Mr. Cramer learned the trade of an iron molder. He was drafted and served through the war of 1812, and after the close of that struggle He moved to Cumberland county, N. J. In 1832 he went to Lancaster county, Penn., fourteen miles southeast of Lancaster city. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Cramer, of whom the following is a brief record:

(1.) Wilson was born in 1809; married Roxanna Speelman, in Monmouth county, N. J.; they emigrated to Lancaster county, Penn., a year or two later, and in 1843 located in the neighborhood of Johnstown. Eleven children were born to them, a majority of whom and their descendants are still living in the at locality; two sons were badly wounded in the Civil war. (2) Eliza Ann was born in 1811, and married Isaiah Hopkins in 1826. They afterward settled in Jefferson county, Penn.; fourteen children were born to their marriage. (3) Luke, born 1813, was married, in 1834, to Eliza Trimble, of lancaster county, by whom he had eleven children; their descendants are now living in that neighborhood; two sons were killed in the war of the Rebellion. (4) Isaac born 1815, married in 1837, Rebecca Hunt, of Lancaster county; moved to Philadelphia, where they lived and died; they had three children. (5) Mary, born in 1817, married in 1835, William Stimeatts, of Cumberland county, N.J., and they settled in Maryland, near Sykesville; they had seven children. (6) Sarah, born 1819, married, 1835, William Holland, of Virginia; moved to Virginia where they lived a number of years, and finally returned to Pennsylvania, and settled near Reading; five children were born to them. (7) Eli V., born in 1821, will have special notice further on in this sketch. (8) Joseph, born in 1823, married about 1846, Elizabeth Garner, of Lancaster county, and moved to Baltimore, but at the outbreak of the Civil war they returned to Pennsylvania and settled near Reading; they had three children. (9) David, born in 1825, was married in 1848 to Mary Harrison, of Philadelphia; they settled in that city. The former is still living there; Mrs. Cramer having been dead a number of years; their family consisted of three children, two of whom are now living. (10) Isaiah, born in 1827, married, about 1850, Elizabeth Gray, of Philadelphia; they also live in Philadelphia; two children were born to them. Isaac Cramer, Sr., the father of this family, died at the home of his son, Eli V., in 1857, aged seventy-one years; Mrs. Cramer passed away three years before at the same age.

Eli V. Cramer, born in 1821, was married, in 1821, was married, in 1855, to Susan Weight, at Spruce Creek, Penn., who died in 1865. She was the second of nine children born to John H. and Barbara (Zimmerman) Weight, both Germans. John H. Weight was the eldest of four brothers and several sisters. His father came from Germany and settled in Berks county, Penn., where John H. was born in 1807; he died at Altoona, Penn., in 1887. In 1866 Mr. Cramer married, for his second wife, Mary J. Stein, eldest daughter of Richard and Jane Stein, of Blair county, Penn. By his two wives Mr. Cramer had seventeen children, five by the first and twelve by the second. He is now living at Grant, Indiana Co., Penn. Mr. Cramer was an active participant in the two Know- Nothing riots in Philadelphia. In 1847 he enlisted as a recruit to the regular troops, and served for sixteen months in the Mexican War, in Gen. Scott's army. During the invasion of Pennsylvania by the rebels in the Civil war, he went out at the call of Gov. Curtin, and remained until the critical period was past, but saw no active service, Those of his children who have arrived at maturity are: J. Howard, the subject proper of this memoir; Wilson T., a farmer, married and living in Huntington county, Penn.; Mary and Martha (twins) (Mary is the wife of Mahlon Cryder, a clothing merchant of Tyrone, Penn.; Martha is married to E. L. Butler, of Altoona; Harry, an iron molder, is married to Amanda King, and they are living at Grant, Penn.; R. H. is a printer in Burgettstown, Penn.; Jesse H. is a printer in Pittsburgh, Penn.; W. A., a lumberman, and Victor E., an iron molder, are both living at the paternal home. It will be noted that this family has been represented in all the wars of this country since the emigration of the regular stock. The great grandfather of the present generation was in the Revolutionary war; the grandfather in the War of 1812; E. V. the Mexican war, and a number of the present generation in the war of the Rebellion. Isaiah also served in the Civil war, and experienced the horrors of Libby Prison. A singular fact in the history of the family is that the seven sons of Isaac Cramer, Sr., were iron molders, and the three daughters married iron molders. It will also be observed that they literally obeyed the Scriptural injunction to "Multiply and replenish the earth."

J. Howard Cramer, at the age of eighteen, commenced to learn the printing trade in the office of The Times, Curwensville, Penn., afterward finishing same in the office of the Raftsman's Journal, at Clearfield, same State. In 1879 he moved to Pittsburgh, and worked for a while in the job printing establishment of Myers, Shinkle & Co ; then went to Mansfield, Penn., and worked in The Item office for nearly two year. The proprietor of The Item, C. Knepper, had established a monthly paper at Burgettstown, named The Enterprise, and in August, 1881, sold it to Mr. Cramer, who immediately commenced the publication of a weekly edition, On January 1, 1888, Mr. Cramer bought The Call from M. R. Allen, and consolidated the two journals under the name of The Enterprise-Call, which is now a widely-read and prosperous paper. In 1882 J. Howard Cramer was united in marriage with M. Jennie Row, of Clearfield, Penn., daughter of S. J. Row, who for thirty years was the editor and proprietor of the Raftsman's Journal, the Republican organ of Clearfield county. To Mr. and Mrs. Cramer have been born four children, viz.: Amelia S., Ruth R., E. Kate (dead) and Charles H. Cramer.

Text taken from page 211 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

Transcribed March 1997 by George and Mary Ann Plance of Gainesville, FL as part of the Beers Project.
Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]