There is no more honorable or higher esteemed old settler-citizen of Drumore township, Lancaster county than N. N. Hensel, whose ancestry has been connected with the military as well as the agricultural history of this county. Great-Grandfather Fredrick Hensel came to America from his German home and was one of the earliest settlers in Northampton county. William Hensel, the son of Fredrick, was a carpenter by trade, in Lancaster, was a brave and Gallant soldier through the Revolutionary war, taking part in the battles of the Brandywine, Monmouth and Princeton and was also at Valley Forge with Gen. Washington through the terrible winter of 1777. His seven children were George, John, Jacob, William, Catherine, Elizabeth and Maria, and his death occurred at the age of ninety years. William Hensel the father of N. N. Hensel, was born in 1791 and died in 1856. He also was prominent in loyal service to his country, being a brave soldier of the war of 1812. About 1818 he married Mary Norton, of English Origin, born in the State of Maryland, and eleven children were born unto them, eight of whom grew to maturity: George W., Maria C., N. N., Eliza A., W.W. John H., Edwin F., and Mary, all of whom have since passed out of life except our subject and one brother, W. W. Hensel. N. N. Hensel was born in Harford county, Md., Oct.14, 1826, a son of William and Mary (Norton) Hensel. Early in life he learned the trade of wheelwright near Quarryville, and in 1849, he moved to Fairfield, Drumore township, and started a wheelwright shop; there he has remained all these years, one of the worthy and industrious citizens of the village. Mr. Hensel followed his trade continuously from 1844 to 1890, since which time he has been engaged in the coal and grain business. His fellow-citizen have asked many services of him of a public character, and he has efficiently filled the office of county auditor, and has been justice of the peace for the past fifteen years. Mr. Hensel was married in 1847, to Miss Susan Hawk, of this township, a daughter of Jacob and Mary Hawk, natives of Lancaster county; she was born Dec. 12, 1826, and she died in 1894. Their marriage was blessed with the following children; Anna M., who married A.M. Watson; Adda M., who married Joseph Watson; Sarah E., who married Maurice Pyle; Amanda J., who married Charles Chambers; George W., cashier of the Strasburg Bank, who married Ella Waidley; Fred H., who married Elizabeth Stanford, is a wheelwright by trade in Lancaster; Herbert; Alice V.; Edwin F.; Lewis; Elmer; Susan; and Horace. Of these six died young, Horace Susan, Alice, Lewis, Herbert, and Edwin. In politics Mr. Hensel, has always supported the republican party. Although not connected with any particular religious body, he has been a liberal contributor and supporter of the Methodist church and has ever upheld laws relating to good enterprises and movements promising to be of benefit to his community. Although he began life with limited means, his thrift and industry have enabled him to accumulate property so that he is now considered not only one of the most respected but also one of the substantial citizens of the locality.
Among the well known and respected citizens of Strasburg is Jacob Hildebrand, who has won the esteem and respect of the community through a long life, during which he has faithfully served his bough in a number of public capacities. Jacob Hildebrand was born Nov. 16, 1822, of German and French ancestry, a son of Jacob and Mary ( Heiney ) Hildebrand, the former of whom passed a greater portion of his business life in Soudersburg and Paradise. In those days there were no free schools in the locality in which they lived, and as the parents were limited in means, young Jacob had few educational advantages, and was earlythrown upon his own resources. The first attempt of the lad to make an honest living for himself was in 1832, when he engaged to drive a butcher wagon and deliver meatto the workmen building the Pennsylvania Railroad, between Ronk's and Leaman Place. Between the ages of thirteen and twenty years, the youth worked for Benjamin Herr, a farmer who lived about one mile east of Stasburg, laboring for his board and cloths, and it was through the kindness of Mr. Herr that he derived the little education which became his, as well as gaining the habits of study and investigation which proved useful in all his subsequent career. While living here he was permitted to attend the district school for several sessions, about four days out of each week, his benefactor pasying the expense. At the ageof twenty, Jacob entered t he cabinet making shop of Joel Rice, of Strasbu rg, remained in his employ for two years, and at the expiration of this apprenticeship, he started into business for himself, making furniture and working in carpentry, until 1852.At this date he purchased from W. S. Warren a stock of mercandise and entered into this business, remaining in the mercantile line until 1855, when he sold his stock and again resumed his former trade, engaging extensively in building and contracting; in 1856 he was a member of the building committee in the erection of the town hall. In 1854, Jacob Hildebrand was elected by his fellow citizens as chief burgess of the borough of Strasburg, and for thirty years he held other borough offices, but retired to privite life at last, declining to serve longer. In 1860 he was elected justice of the peace and immediately began to fimiliarize himself with the higher duties of this office, applying himself assiduously to the studying of surveying conveyancing, the drafting of wills, and other legal papers upon which he would have to pass judgement and until 1898 he was continued in the office, so efficently serving that many of the difficulties of the neighborhood were amicably setted according to his judgement, without litagation. In the spring of 1898, he declined reelection, and his son, Ross, was elected in his place. During one year he also filled the office of a notary public. From 1863 to 1871 he owned and operated a job printing office in the borough, the purchased being made in order to to keep this industry in town, circumstances being such that otherwise it would have been removed, and thus he made a permanent business which long flourished. In 1871, Jacob Hildebrand was elected county surveyor, of Lancaster county, on the Republican ticket, and held the office for nearly four years; during that time he prepared with great labor and careful rsearch connected drafts of the land originally granted by patent deeds in the townships of Strasburg, Paradise, Bart, Eden, and the greater part of East and West Lampeter. Jacob Hildebrand was married Nov. 16, 1847, to Eliza Spiehlman, who died in 1865, leaving tewn children: Elizabeth and Mary, decased; William W., Millars F., Ella S., the widow of Samuel Dougherty; John R., O. J., the wife of D. M. Aument; Laura K., the wife of Charles Kemerly; Sallie B., widow of J. W. Goodman; and J. Ross. In November, 1896 he married Elizabeth Kendig, the widow of John Pennell. Two of his sons are engaged in the leaf tobacco business, under the name of Hildebrand Bros., of Strasburg. ' Squire Hildebrand, as he is fimiliarly known is recognized as one of the most useful citizens of Strasburg; from a small begining, with almost no educational advantages, but by patient industry and study, he has advanced to a position of honor and trust in the community, and has transacted a large amount of important business, acting veryfrequently as administrator, assignee and executor, in the settling of many estates. Fraternally Mr. Hildebrand is a member of Stasburg Lodge, No. 301, I.O.O.F., having been a member since 1849, has passed thourgh all of the offices of the subordinate lodge, has been secratary of his own lodge for forty years and has served as represenative to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvinia. Mr. Hildebrand is also a member of the Lancaster County Historical Society in which he is much valued, and is one of the offical members of the M.E. Church, having se rved in the capacity of truste since 1862. In his long business and public career, he has amassed a competency, but what is better, he has secured for himself a reputation as a high-minded, honorable man.
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