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MICHAEL BOLICH, JR. & SALOME HEPLER |
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Michael Bolich, Jr. |
Salome Helper |
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Michael
Bolich farm
Michael
Bolich farm
Front face
of farm house
House
constructed in 1830
Michael
Bolich farm
Back face
of farm house
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| Michael Bolich, Jr. was born on January 25, 1797 near McKeansburg, Pennsylvania, the son of Michael Bolich, Sr. and Christihna. He married Salome, the daughter of Peter Hepler and Anna Maria Wagner. Salome was born on February 17, 1798. Michael passed away on January 17, 1871. Salome later died on April 11, 1874. They were both buried at the Barry United Evangelical Church Cemetery in Lavelle. The Pottsville Republican records the following information on their May 7-9, 1934 edition: Lavelle Lavelle was first called Salome, in honor of Salome Hepler Bolich, wife of Michael Bolich, owner and pioneer settler. Later, the name Salome was applied only to the west end, and Rocktown was applied to the east end of the town. The east end was owned by George Snyder, a brother-in-law of Michael Bolich. The name Lavelle was given to the entire settlement of Salome and Rocktown about 1880, in honor of the noted lawyer of Ashland and famous cavalryman of the Civil War Martin M.Lavelle. It was at this time the first Post-Office was established. Pioneer of Lavelle The Pioneer settler of Lavelle was Michael Bolich, born in 1797 near McKeansburg, Pa. For many years the deeds as recorded named this portion of Butler Township as Salome, or Salomeville. Michael Bolich was a local preacher, probably of the Baptist faith. He held services in many of the log houses here and throughout the Hanyost, Deep Creek and Mahantongo Valleys. Barry Church, which was attended by the Lavelle folk, is built on ground which was given by Michael Bolich. His claim was all timber land; his hands were the first to swing the axe in the forest and build here a home. The log house, his first home in this region, had a door but no lock, window frames but no windows. The first land cleared was by him, and it was his gun that fired the first shot that send the bear or the wolf either to his hiding place or to the salt barrel for winter use. South of Lavelle, he built a saw mill run by water power. Here he cut the lumber used to build a home for each of his children, residing in Barry, Butler, and Eldred Townships. Michael Bolich was the father of the following children: Anna, wife of Adam Fertich; Salome, wife of George Bensinger; Manda, wife of Samuel Grow; Rebecca, wife of Isaac Betz; Polly, wife of Daniel Hepler; Levina, wife of Daniel Smith; Nathan, William, Emanuel and Timothy. Michael Bolich died in 1871 and was buried in the Reed Cemetery; later his body was removed to the Barry Cemetery, south of Lavelle. Michael and Salome had the following children together: (not necessarily in their correct order of birth) Anna, born December 18, 1817,l married Adam Joseph Fertich and died December 20, 1892 Maria "Polly", born July 28, 1819, married Daniel M. Hepler and died June 30, 1887 Salome, married George Bensinger Rebecca, married Isaac F. Betz Amanda, married Samuel Grow William H., married Elizabeth Adams Emanuel "Manuel", married Mary Adams Lovina, born March 2, 1827, married Daniel S. Smith and died February 6, 1903 Nathan, born December 18, 1830, married Esther "Hetty" Fetteroff and died January 5, 1894 Timothy M., born 1838, married Christiana Grow and died February 11, 1904 | |||