John D. Hepler, III was born in Upper Mahantongo (area now part of Eldred) Twp., Schuylkill Co., PA.

He was the son of Rev. John M. Hepler and Elizabeth Dinger.

He married (first) Rebecca Zartman / Cartman abt 1848 in Schuylkill Co., PA.

He married (second) Lydia Dunkelberger Snyder abt 1863.

John died in Eldred Twp., Schuylkill Co., PA.

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Biography, Adolf W. Schalck & Hon. David C. Henning, State Historical Association, 1907, "History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania", pp. 208-209

Excerpt from "Biographies..."

Hepler, John D., of Pitman, stands as a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of Schuylkill county and is a citizen to whom is accorded the utmost confidence and esteem. He was born in Eldred township, June 27, 1828, a son of John M. and Elizabeth (Deriger) Hepler, the former of whom was born in Eldred township and the latter in Hegins township. The paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was John Hepler, born in Berks county, Pa., a son of Casper Hepler, who came from Germany and numbered himself among the pioneers of Berks county. John M. Hepler was reared, educated and passed his entire life in Eldred township. He was a successful farmer, an honored and influential citizen, a man of deep religious convictions and a clergyman of the Church of God. He was originally a Democrat but later affiliated with the Republican party and wielded much influence in local affairs. He was one of the first school directors elected in his native township, where both he and his wife were held in high regard and where both died. Their children are here mentioned: Kate, Emanuel, and Elizabeth are deceased; the subject of this sketch was the next in order of birth; Magdalene is the wife of Levi Schrope; Susan, Rebecca, and Richard are deceased. John D. Hepler received the advantages of the somewhat primitive subscription school maintained in the vicinity of his birthplace, in which he was instructed in both German and English. He was reared to maturity on the old home farm, which was heavily timbered at the time when his father located on the place, having only a small clearing and log buildings of the pioneer type as the only improvements. John D. assisted his father in reclaiming the land to cultivation and has ever continued to make his home in Eldred township, where he owns a finely improved farm and is recognized as one of the leading agriculturists of this section of his native county. He has long been prominent in local affairs; is a stanch Republican in his political proclivities; has held various offices of public trust; has served on the jury for thirty-one times; was tax collector for twenty-eight years; assessor nineteen years; school trustee twenty-five years; school director twenty-four years, and township clerk two years. He is one of the pillars of the Church of God in Eldred township and has been an elder in the same for twenty-two years. He has also rendered long service as trustee of the church and was its treasurer for a number of years, being active in all departments of the church work. For several years past he has lived essentially retired, enjoying the rewards of former years of earnest toil and endeavor. He is well preserved in both physical and mental faculties, is a man of broad information, and takes a lively interest in the questions and issues of the day. Mr. Hepler's first marriage was solemnized in 1848, when he wedded Miss Rebecca Cartman, of Eldred township. She died in 1862. Concerning the eight children of this union the following data are given: Rachel, now residing with her father, is the widow of Jeremiah Bishop and has one daughter; Henry and Daniel are twins, the former a prominent farmer of Eldred township and the latter a resident of South Bend, Ind.: Henry has seven children and Daniel three; John, an employee of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company, resides at Shamokin, Pa., and has five children; Emanuel, in charge of his father's homestead farm, married Emma Lucas and they have four children; Lydia is the wife of Samuel Hornburg and they have six children; William, a resident of Shamokin, is likewise an employe of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company, and his children are five in number; Rebecca, residing at Pennington, N. J., is the widow of Jacob Hunt and has two sons. For his second wife Mr. Hepler married Miss Lydia Snyder, of Northumberland county, and her death occurred in March, 1900. Four children were born of this marriage: Priscilla is the wife of Richard Hubler, of Ashland, Pa., and they have eight children; George is a bachelor and remains at the paternal home; and Laura and Josiah are deceased.