William Lauffer

  General Notes:

William's residence was Greensburg, PA.

From the 1906 Lauffer History

William Lauffer was born in Mount Pleasant Township, Westmoreland County, Pa., November 1824. A few years later his father and mother moved to Manordale, Franklin Township, Westmoreland County, Pa., where he spent the early years of his life in the pursuit of farming and working on a saw-mill.

Early in life he was baptized by Dr. N. P. Hacke, and when he had arrived at the age of thirteen years, he became a full Communicant member of Emanuel German Reformed Church.

In the Spring of 1852 he purchased a farm of George McCreary, opposite the town of Warren, now Apollo, in Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County, Pa., and moved to it in the Spring of 1853, where he continued the pursuit of farming, and in the Spring of 1889 he moved to the David Yount Farm near the scene of his early boyhood days in Penn Township, near Harrison City, Pa., where he passed the remainder of his days.

He was married to Elizabeth Spence, of Apollo, Pa., June 20th, 1861, by Rev. Robert McMillan.

He was an industrious, prosperous, honest, upright, Christian father, a good citizen and a consistent member of the German Reformed Church and in his declining years attended the Denmark Manor Reformed Church, where he lies buried alongside the church in Woodlawn Cemetery.

In Politics he was a stalwart Republican; but in local elections the best man always received his vote.

He was modest in his manner, temperate in his habits, and had a host of friends. He had established an undying reputation for honesty and was held out as a worthy example.

His neighbors, who knew him best, were accustomed to say to each other, "You should be as honest as Billy Lauffer," as he was familiarly called.

In loving remembrance of William Lauffer, who died Dec. 29th , 1898, aged 74 years, 1 month and 23 days.

"One less at home-the charmed circle broken; A dear face missed day by day from its usual place. But cleansed, saved, perfected by grace. One more in Heaven ; one less on earth: Its pain, its sorrow, and its toil to share. One less the pilgrim's daily cross to bear; One more the Crown of the blessed to wear, At home in Heaven."

William married Elizabeth Spence on 20 Jun 1861 in Apollo, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. (Elizabeth Spence was born on 15 Dec 1839 in Indiana, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, died on 8 Sep 1905 in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania and was buried in Woodland Cemetery (Denmark Manaor), Export, Westmoreland County, PA.)