Michael Barnhart's Family Group Photo - Photo is owed by Sylvia Hott Sonneborn. Grandmother is Ella Hammer Krise.

BIOGRAPHY OF MICHAEL BARNHART
Biography: Storey, Henry Wilson. History of Cambria County. Pennsylvania, Vol.
II, by Henry Wilson Storey, New York, USA, 1907, pp. 542-544.

The trans-Atlantic ancestry of the Barnharts can be traced to the German Empire,
but the paternal grandfather, David Barnhart, was born in this country, and
settled at an early day in what, at that time, was a part of Somerset county,
Pennsylvania, now in Cambria county, where he located on a farm, and followed
the avocation of a farmer for many years. Michael Barnhart, father, was born in
Quemahoning township, Somerset county, in 1809. He attended the old subscription
schools of his boyhood days, and then engaged in farming, to which pursuit he
always directed his attention. He was a member of the Lutheran church, and lived
a straightforward and honest life in the community in which he resided. He was a
republican in politics, but, while taking an active part in local politics,
would never hold any office. His marriage with Elizabeth Sell resulted in the
birth of seven [Correction 8] children, four sons and three [Correction 4]
daughters, all of whom are living, except the oldest daughter, who died in 1893
[and one son who died in infancy.]. He died in November, 1889, and, although he
had reached the advanced age of eighty years, his mental faculties and physical
powers were unusually well preserved. His children were reared on the old
homestead in Yoder township, and received their education in the common schools
of that locality.The following is an excerpt from the "History of Cambria
County," pages 542-543: Michael Barnhart, son of David (I) and [Anna Maria]
(Koker) Barnhart, was born at the Barnhart homestead in Somerset county,
Pennsylvania, March 11, 1809. He also followed the occupation of farming, and
removed to Cambria county, in the same state, about 1852. There he purchased a
large tract of land which is now (1906) known as Roxbury, and is a part of the
eighth ward of Johnstown. Several of his sons and daughters are the present
owners of a portion of this property. He married Elizabeth Sell, daughter of
John and Barbara (Deil - correct to Diehl) Sell, and granddaughter of John and
[Susanna] (Hellman) Sell, the elder John Sell being a native of Scotland.
Barbara Deil was a daughter of William and Barbara (Nagle) Deil. The children of
Michael and Elizabeth (Sell) Barnhart were: 1. Henry, see forward. 2. Isaac D.,
married Rebecca Border. 3. David, married Kate Seese. 4. Mary, married Robert
Barkley. 5. Elmira, married Jacob Myers. 6. Elizabeth, married Joseph Hammer. 7.
Sarah, married John Lohr.

Obituary for Michael Barnhart: Johnstown Newspaper December 1889
Michael Barnhart - An old resident of Upper Yoder Township passed away this
morning in the person of Mr. Michael Barnhart, who had lived in the township,
just south of Johnstown, for thirty-six or thirty-seven years. Mr. Barnhart was
born in Somerset County, near Stoyestown, eighty-one years ago. He lived for a
number of years in Indiana County on the farm owned by Judge Thomas White. From
there he moved back to Somerset County and in 1858 settled on the farm in Upper
Yoder Township on which he ever afterward lived. His wife, who was Elizabeth
Sell, died about eleven years ago. She bore him eight children, seven of whom
are living as follows: Mary, wife of Robert Barclay, Henry, Elmira, widow of
Jacob Moyer; Isaac; Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Hammer, Esq.; Sarah, wife of Otto
Melander; and David, all of Roxbury [infant son said to be named Charles E.
Barnhart]. Before his death, Mr. Barnhart divided his farm among his children,
and the prosperous village of Roxbury is built upon it.

Bio. contributed By second great granddaughter Sylvia Hott Sonneborn