Samuel Kettering, III

Samuel Kettering, one of the leading men of North Annville township, Lebanon county, was born November 24, 1843,in Lebanon county, a son of Samuel and Frances (Shenk) Kettering, the former of whom was born October 31, 1808, and the latter November 4, 1812.  They were married in December 1830, and the father died September 4, 1885, aged seventy-six years, ten months, four days, the venerable mother surviving until April 3, 1887, when she followed her husband, aged seventy-four years, four months, twenty nine days.  Their children were: Mary, born October 29, 1832, married Michael Naftzger; Joseph, born December 26, 1833, married (first) Leah Sherk, and (second) Betsey Sherk, a step-sister (all are deceased); Samuel, born August 24, 1835, died January 14, 1837; Jacob, born July 14, 1837, married (first) Lydia Kreider, and (second) Kate Gingrich; Frances, born April 15, 1840, married John Sprecher, of Cornwall Township; Rebecca, born February 8, 1842, married John Kreider; Samuel, born November 24, 1843, married Amanda Light; John, born November 18, 1845, married Lizzie Bucher; Lydia, born January 18, 1848, married John Bachman; Philip, born March 4, 1850, married Mary Keifer; Henry, born December 2, 1851, married Lydia Kreider, and is deceased; Amanda, born August 8, 1853, married Ezra moenger.  All of the above are surviving [date of this publication was 1904] except the three noted.

Samuel Kettering was about six months old when his father removed to South Annville township, and he remained at home on the farm until the age of twenty three, when he began operations for himself on a farm in South Annville township.  Two years later he went to Bethel township, where he continued to farm for five years, and then moved onto his present property in North Anville township, the old Daniel Kreider farm of 148 acres, with a large, comfortable residence and handsome stone barn.  In addition to this valuable property, Mr. Kettering owns the old Light farm, on the Belle Grove road, containing ninety-seven and one-half acres, and is also the owner of the Light homestead of 127 acres, in Bethel township, where his wife was born, as well as another fine property, the old Segrist farm of 115 acres in South Annville Township which, aggregated, makes Mr. Kettering one of the largest landowners in Lebanon County.

On October 4, 1866, Mr. Kettering was married to Amanda Light, born May 25, 1848, a granddaughter of Peter Smith and Martin Light, and a daughter of Isaiah and Catherine (Smith) Light, the former of whom was born in Bethel Townshipo July 28, 1818, and died September 28, 1891; the latter was born October 13, 1820.  Their children were Amanda; Nathaniel, Born April 28 1851; and Sarah Ann, born April 11, 1854, who died when between two and three years old.  Children as follows were born to Mr. and Mrs. Kettering:  Alice, born July 5, 1868, married John A. Herr, and they have had children - Samuel Adam, David Henry, Isaiah, Mary, Alice and Elizabeth, one dying in infancy.  Catherine, born January 6, 1871, married George W. Steinmetz, and died November 17, 1901, leaving an infant, Catherine K., one day old.  John Henry, born October 25, 1873, married Elizabeth Long, and they have children - May, Commodore Perry, and Edith.  Mary Ann, born February 24, 1870, married Philip E Franzler, and has one child, Kettering Paul.  Frainy, born July 30, 1880, married Clement Brubaker, and they have two children, Mary and May. 

The family is one most highly esteemed in North Annville township, and is connected by marriage with many of the old and leading families.