David R. Hollopeter

My maternal grandfather, David R. Hollopeter, was born June 5, 1943, in Seneca County, Ohio, to Frederic and Phebe Hollopeter. Frederic was a direct descendant of Mathias who had probably come from Germany and taken aland grant in York County, Pennsylvania, in 1754. I have a copy of the grant along with the early genealogy of the Hollopeter family which was compiled by distant cousins. They tried to learn from correspondence to Germany, Holland, and Switzerland just where Mathias was born but due to the poor keeping of records at that time, (they were kept in churches) the authors of the history were unable to determine. However, his tombstone still stands in York County and the inscription is cut in German. He was born in 1728 and died in 1799 the same year that George Washington died.

David Hollopeter was one of eleven children. Among his sisters and brothers was Rachel (Mrs. James Watson) parents of Howard Watson, Myrta Watson Wheeler, and Lillie Watson Wheeler. Brothers of David were Gifeon, Silas, and Ephraim. The last two named were carpenters and helped to erect the Methodist Church at Grelton. David also had a brother Charles who practiced medicine in Fostoria, Ohio, several years. He then moved to Portland, Oregon, where he continued to practice for a number of years.

David Hollopeter served in the Civil War and came to Henry County from Seneca County after the war. He married Adeline Walker on October 29, 1867, and settled on a small farm on the west side of the Harrison-Damascus Township line about one mile north of State Route 6. To this union was born four children: Myrtle Hollopeter Rockey, Dick, Ode, and Nellie Hollopeter, my mother, who married Charles R. DeTray. David Hollopeter passed away May 18, 1899. He and Adaline are buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, McClure.

Submitted by Lillian DeTray Steiger