BIOS: William D. BERKEY, Davidsville, Somerset County, PA

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History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania and Bedford County by E. 
Howard Blackburn; Somerset County by William H. Welfley; v.3, Pub. The Lewis 
Publishing Company, New York/Chicago 1906, ppg. 493/4

William D. BERKEY.

William D. Berkey, of Davidsville, traces his descent from Jacob Berkey, who 
emigrated from Germany about 1775 and settled at Berlin, Somerset county.  He 
and his wife were Seventh-Day Baptists.  Jacob Berkey died about 1820.
Peter Berkey, one of the nineteen children of Jacob Berkey, was born in 
September, 1782, in Brothers Valley township, and on May 7, 1817, married Mrs. 
Elizabeth Fylock, born September, 1782.  Their family consisted of the following 
children: Mary, born September 22, 1802; Jonathan, born November 22, 1804; 
Rachel, born August 15, 1805; Catharine, born November 5, 1806; Elizabeth, born 
March 1, 1808; Daniel, mentioned at length herinafter; Susan, born December 15, 
1811; Anna, born April 14, 1815; Peter, born May 7, 1817; Catharine (2), born 
September 19, 1820; Joseph, born December 10, 1822; and Sarah, born June 8, 
1826. Mr. and Mrs. Berkey were Seventh-Day Baptists.
Daniel Berkey, son of Peter and Elizabeth (Fylock) Berkey, was born January 15, 
1810, and during the greater portion of his life was engaged in farming.  About 
1867 he moved to Indiana, where he passed the remainder of his life.  For many 
years he was an old-line Whig, but later became a Republican.  He was a member 
of the German Baptist church until his removal to Indiana, when he joined the 
old order of Brethren.  His death occurred in 1896.
Daniel Berkey, son of Daniel Berkey mentioned above, was born in 1833 in Paint 
township and settled on a farm near old Astala, on which he passed the remainder 
of his life.  He served as school director and also as treasurer of the board.  
He was a Republican and a member of the German Baptist church.  Mr. Berkey 
married Caroline, daughter of Jacob Bicker, and they were the parents of the 
following children: 1. Ephraim, married ______ Hostetler.  2. Levi, married 
Harriet Sears, has one child.  3. Jacob, married Levina Baumgardner, by whom he 
had four children, and after whose death he married the widow of Christian Rice.  
4. William D., mentioned at length hereinafter.  5. Mary, wife of Samuel Weaver, 
has nine children.  6. Lavina, wife of Jacob Knadle.  7. Sarah, wife of E. 
Miller, has three children.  8. Fannie.  9. Daivd.  10. Lucy.  11. Daniel, died 
at the age of seven years.  The death of Mr. Berkey, which occurred when he was 
sixty-three years old, was caused by his being tortured by robbers, a full 
account of the tragedy being given on another page.  His daughter Lucy died from 
the effects of an injury received at the same time.
William D. Berkey, son of Daniel and Caroline (Bicker) Berkey, was born April 
17, 1859, in Paint township, and began his career as an agriculturist on the 
Kifer farm, two miles from Northwest Elon, Cambria county, Pennsylvania.  He 
subsequently sold the estate and purchased property in Paint township, where he 
remained three years.  At the end of that time he disposed of the property to 
the B. & W. Coal Company.  In 1898 he moved to Davidsville and there purchased a 
portion of the John Kaufman farm, on which he has since made his home.  He is a 
Republican and a member of the German Baptist church.
Mr. Berkey married, October 29, 1882, Fannie, daughter of Gillers Seese, of 
Paint township, and the following are their children: Harry W., born March 31, 
1885; Morris E., born March 2, 1887; Nettie M., born May 11, 1889; Frank N., 
born July 29, 1891; Elberta, born January 20, 1894; Irvin W., born May 26, 1897; 
Annie, born February 19, 1901; and Mary, born March 11, 1903.