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Cornelius S. Fetterman
October 30, 1847 - July 30, 1928

Mary Whitner Fetterman
March 20, 1851 - August 27, 1907

St. Paul's United Church of Christ Cemetery, Numidia, PA
Mary Whitner and Cornelius S. Fetterman

Son of Hannah Leiby and Simon Fetterman, Cornelius and Mary Whitner, daughter of Catharine Helwig and John Whitner (Wittners in Germany, Whitner-Witner Families—Pennsylvania and South Carolina Branches, personal family book compiled by Lottie E. Whitner [undated]) were married in January 1870. When first married, they lived on her parents’ farm in Slabtown, Roaring Creek Township, Columbia County, PA, where Cornelius worked as a farm laborer. By 1880, Mary and Cornelius were now living and working their own farm in Locust Township, Columbia County, and five of their eleven children had been born:

  1. Sarah A., 1870 - 1915;
  2. Hannah E., 1872 - 1934;
  3. Emma C., 1875 - October 27, 1936;
  4. Mary Rebecca, 1878 - ;
  5. Clara G., 1879 - 1947;
  6. Susannah Agnes, July 3, 1882 - December 16, 1890;
  7. Ellen (Ella—according to Lottie), 1884 - ;
  8. John A., January 14, 1887 - September 3, 1956;
  9. Ada S., 1889 - 1945;
  10. Effie M., 1892 - 1957; and
  11. Edwin Pius, February 1, 1895 - before June 13, 1895. A death notice was run in the Catawissa News Item on this date that a child of Cornelius Fetterman of Roaring Creek Valley had died, aged four months.

Mary died in 1907 at the age of 56 years, five months, and seven days after an illness of several years. At the time of her death, she and Cornelius were living with their youngest three children in the Village of Numidia, Columbia County; nine of their children were living.

In 1910, Cornelius continued to farm the land where he and Mary raised their children. At this time, daughters Ada and Effie were still living with him as well as his son John, daughter-in-law Ella, and grandchild, Carl K. By 1920, he was now living in Scott Township with son John, who had now taken up farming, and his family. In 1928 after a short illness, Cornelius died in the home of his son in Catawissa; he was survived by six children, 54 grandchildren, and 26 great-grandchildren, as well as one brother and one sister.

Mary and Cornelius are buried at the St. Paul’s UCC Church—Reformed Cemetery in Numidia, PA, where they had been devout members.

Picture documented on June 26, 2003.