Sollenberger ~ Diller Families

-- All of our research papers on these families have much more to read about.

-- The Sollenberger family directory also has even more on the family.

-- The Diller family directory also has even more on the family.

-- The Sollenberger ~ Diller ~ Bentz photos are some of the oldest photos in my collection.


My maternal grandmother was Irene Mary Wrightstone. Her parents were Edwin Underwood Wrightstone and Hattie Amelia Arnold.

Hattie was born to Anna Mary Solenberger and Luther H. Arnold.

Anna's parents were Jacob Mohler Sollenberger and Mary Ann Diller.

Luther's parents were John Arnold and Harriet Kinter.

During the time preceding and following the revolutionary war, these families ventured to the western border of Lancaster County to the banks of the Susquehanna River. There the families crossed the river into York and Cumberland Counties, joining the growing farming communities in and around the townships bordering the Susquehanna, and its tributaries. From here our families migrated further west into the ever expanding western Pennsylvania counties.

The Colonial Pennsylvania patriarch of the Sollenberger family is said to be Ulrich Sollenberger. We currently cannot connect Ulrich to John Sollenberger (1771-1855), who is part of our family that settled in the Franklin and Cumberland County Townships of Pennsylvania.

Our Diller Colonial Pennsylvania patriarch begins with Caspar Elias Diller I (1696-1795), who came from the Heidelberg area on the banks of the Rhine river of Germany to Philadelphia in 1733. The Diller family helped settle the western wilderness areas of Lancaster County; Caspar's lands were used to help create the town of New Holland. As new Pennsylvania counties were carved out of the western wilderness, Caspar's family members migrated into York, Adams, and Cumberland Counties.

Our family link is with Caspar's son, Caspar Elias Diller II (1744-1796), who moved into western Lancaster County , now Cumberland, in the spring of 1773. He settled in Middleton Township, south of Carlisle. It was in this area his son, Casper Diller III (1766-1825) grew up before moving a short distance into Allen Township.

By as early as 1800, the Sollenberger and Diller families were neighbors in Allen Township Cumberland County Pennsylvania.

The Sollenberger Family

-- I did have the original copy of the Sollenebrger family biographies written by David L. Sollenberger in 1921, but I gave it to a Wrightstone cousin.


It was reported John's ancestors originated in Knappelen, Wynigen, Bern, Switzerland. Also, that his grandfather, and Colonial Pennsylvania patriarch, was Ulrich Sollenberger (1717-1767) who arrived in America in Philadelphia in 1737 on the ship "Andrew Galley" from Rotterdam via Cowes. Ulrich died in 1767 in Tulpehocken Township Berks County Pennsylvania.

John's father was reported to be Michael Sollenberger, who was born 1746 to Ulrich in Berks County Pennsylvania. In 1794 Michael moved to Botetourt County Virginia, where he was reported to have died in 1810.

Our lineage begins with John Sollenberger who was born to one of four brothers that emigrated into Lancaster County Pennsylvania from western Germany. The Sollenberger name has been upon the records of Cumberland County for more than two years. Like many of the early settlers in this section the family came from Lancaster County, but tradition does not say from what part of that great county.

Our Sollenberger families were German Baptists, but the families regularly attended the Lutheran Church, of which denomination most of them are members.

John Sollenberger (1771 - 1855)

-- My maternal 5th great grandparents: John Sollenberger and Barbara Yockey.

-- This is the John Sollenberger (1771-1855) reasearch paper has a few more details on his family, and the family directory has so much more.


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John Sollenberger was born July 23rd 1771 to Joseph Sollenberger in Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. John's father, Joseph, was one of four brothers that settled in Lancaster County Pennsylvania.

-- My maternal 6th great grandparent: Joseph Sollenberger.


About 1785, as the west was being expanded and settled, John moved with his parents into West Pennsboro and Tyrone Township area of Cumberland County Pennsylvania.

John took up a trade in the farming community, and in 1791 he married Barbara Yockey. Barbara was born April 25th 1770 in Lancaster County Pennsylvania.

During the fall of 1794, while living in the Carlisle area of Cumberland County, John bought two adjoining farms in Allen Township Cumberland County Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1795 John then moved his family to the farm, where he continued his farming for the next sixty years. The corner stone of the farm is dated 1816.

On May 21st 1795 Michael Ege conveyed to John Sollenberger 132 acres of land, which adjoined lands of George Brindle, Samuel Irvine, and the heirs of James Crockett. This land lies upon the eastern slopes of the Stony Ridge in Monroe Township, and has remained in the Sollenberger name continuously down to the present day.The family and children were members of the Church of the Brethren.

Barbara was 61 years old when she died December 25th 1836, and was laid to rest on the family farm cemetery, which is located south of Scotland in Franklin County Pennsylvania. John then married Catherine Kline-Hartman, who was born July 3rd 1786. She was previously married to Mr. Hartman.

John was 84 years, 1 month, and 5 days old when he died September 28th 1855. He was laid to rest on the family farm, about 150 years southeast of the house, in the area of Huntsdale with his wife Barbara. Catherine died May 15th 1874, and she was laid to rest in the German Baptist Church cemetery in Huntsdale Dickenson Township Cumberland County Pennsylvania.

There were no children between John and Catherine Kline.

John and Barbara Sollenberger had six sons and four daughters. When John died in 1855, his obiturary indicated he had nine living children; one daughter died some years ago.

i. John Sollenberger was born September 10th 1793 in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. He married Hettie Scott.

ii. Michael E. Sollenberger was born February 27th 1795 in Lancaster County. He married Elizabeth Benedict.

iii. David Sollenberger was born April 9th 1796 in Allen Township (present day Monroe Township) Cumberland County Pennsylvania. He who married Catherine Frantz.

iv. Joseph Sollenberger (1798-1882). He married Mary Mohler.

v. Samuel Sollenberger was born September 24th 1799 in Allen Township Cumberland County. He married Elizabeth Smith.

vi. Elizabeth was born January 15th 1801 in Allen Township Cumberland County. She married David Free.

vii. Barbara Sollenberger was born May 5th 1803 in newly formed Monroe (Allen) Township Cumberland County Pennsylvania. She married Samuel Etter.

viii. Sarah Sollenberger was born 1808 in Monroe Township Cumberland County. She married Martin Lehman.

ix. Catherine Sollenberger was born April 19th 1811 in Monroe Township Cumberland County. She married Samuel Plough.

x. Abraham Sollenberger was born September 29th 1814. He died November 15th 1887 when he was 73 years and 16 days old. He married Anna Mary Widder who died on October 21st 1905 , aged 76 yrs 8 months 18 days. Abraham and Anna had a son named Harry who died December 15th 1883, aged 5 years 8 months 4 days. They are buried at Mohler's Church, 6/10 mi south on Gettysburg Road where it crosses Wesley Drive, Lower Allen Township.

Joseph Sollenberger (1798 - 1882)

-- My maternal 4th great grandparents: Joseph Sollenberger and Mary Mohler.

-- Here is our paper on Joseph Sollenberger (1798-1882), and the family directory has so much more.


Joseph Sollenberger was born March 15th 1798 to John Sollenberger and Barbra Yockey on the family farm in Allen Township Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

Joseph married Mary Mohler who was born on November 26th 1795 to Christian Mohler and Magdalena Springer in Dickinson Township Cumberland County Pennsylvania.

-- My maternal 4th great grandparents: Christian Mohler and Magdalena Springer.


Joseph and Mary began their married life in the vicinity of Whorleystown located in Allen Township. The family lived on a farm in this area for a number of years, and it was here a number of their children were born.

About the year 1841 the family moved to Upper Dickinson Township, in the area of Whitehouse, present day Mooredale, where they lived the remainder of their lives.

Mary died March 12th 1842, and Joseph died September 24th 1882. They were both laid to rest in the Huntsdale Church of the Brethren Cemetery located in Dickinson Township Cumberland County Pennsylvania.

Joseph and Mary Sollenberger had three sons and three daughters.

i. Anna Sollenberger was born 1820. She married Samuel Eby.

ii. Susanna Sollenberger was born February 16th 1825. She married Martin Shenk.

iii. Joseph Martin Sollenberger was born February 20th 1828

iv. Barbara Ann Sollenberger was born November 30th 1830. She married Daniel Landis.

v. Jacob Mohler Sollenberger (1832-1899). He married Mary Ann Diller.

vi. Levi M. Sollenberger was born 1839.


Time For a Refresher

-- My maternal grandmother, my mother's mother, was Irene Mary Wrightstone, who married Edwin Charles Klinger.

-- Irene's parents were Edwin Underwood Wrightstone and Hattie Amelia Arnold. Hattie's parents were Luther H. Arnold, and Anna Mary Sollenberger. But, they never married.

-- Anna's parents were Jacob Mohler Sollenberger and Mary Ann Diller.

-- These families lived in the mid to late 18th century area of Allen located in Allen Township, Cumberland County Pennsylvania. In 2014 the area is known as Churchtown, which is located in Monroe Township, Cumberland County.

-- In 1867 Mary's father, Samuel C. Diller, and Jacob Sollenberger, moved to Franklin Township, York County, Pennsylvania.

-- Samuel owned a number of farms off present day South Mountain Road located in Franklin Township of Northern York County, near Dillsburg Pennsylvania.

Jacob Mohler Sollenberger (1832-1899)

-- My maternal 3rd great grandparents: Jacob Mohler Sollenberger and Mary Ann Diller.

-- Jacob's research paper on his life and family will have much more to read, and the family directory has even more.

-- There are also numerous photos on this familiy, which are the oldest in our collection.

-- Here are photos of Jacob, and his wife Mary.


Jacob Mohler Sollenberger was born on July 18th 1832 to Joseph Sollenberger and Mary Mohler in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

He was a farmer, and farm laborer, in Dickenson Township, and the Churchtown area of Monroe Township Cumberland County Pennsylvania.

Jacob married Mary Ann Diller, while living near Churchtown, Monroe Township. Mary was the oldest child born on November 30th 1829 to Samuel C. Diller and Catherine Richwine.

Jacob and Mary lived and farmed in Cumberland County for over twenty years. Then in 1867, along with Mary's father, purchased a farm on present day South Mountain Road, Franklin Township, York County, Pennsylvania.

Mary's father Samuel Diller also purchased a number of farms in the same area, and moved there with his family in 1867. Sometime after 1880, Jacob and Mary sold their farm, and purchased a small place in Uniontown, at present day Union Church Road and South Mountain Road Dillsburg Pennsylvania.

Many of the Diller and Sollenberger men were ministers and pastors. The Diller and Sollenberger families, along with John Arnold's family, attended the South Mountain Union Church.

-- John Arnold and his neighbor, Samuel Diller, where warrantees for property, dated May 29th 1868, which they then warranted to Robert Neil on June 8th 1868. The original warrant for the land was dated October 28th 1757.

-- In 1860, Samuel Diller (Samuel was Mary Sollenberger's cousin, her father's brother Solomon Diller's son) was a laborer and cabinet maker living with and/or working for the Jacob M. Sollenberger family in South Middleton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

-- The church was funded and built in 1867 by Reverend Samuel Diller, on a section of Samuel's farm. Samuel supervised the building of the church, which cost him $1,500. The church was then dedicated by Reverends Warner, Fohl, and Hunter.

--  At the time there was church organization, but in 1868, a Sunday-school was organized, its membership was sixty-five, and G. W. Brandt was the church superintendent.

--  Services were held in the building by clergymen of the Evangelical Association United Brethren in Christ, German Baptist and Church of God.


By 1877 John Arnold purchased a farm from Samuel C. Diller, who moved to Michigan.

-- Samuel C. Diller is the son of Samuel Diller, who had several large farms in the Franklin Township area of York County.

-- John Arnold and Samuel Diller are both related to our Wrightstone family through Edwin Underwood Wrightstone


In 1880 Aaron Sollenberger was living with Jacob and Mary. Aaron is the son of Jacob's cousin, Samuel Sollenberger. Jacob's and Samuel's fathers were brothers, who were the sons of John Sollenberger and Barbara Yockey.

Jacob Sollenberger was 66 years old when he fell ill with Dropsy (Edema). After two weeks Jacob died on May 29th 1899, while living in Franklin Township. He was buried at the Mount Zion Cemetery located in Monroe Township, Cumberland County.

Mary Diller-Sollenberger died January 8th 1913 at the age of 84, shortly after the 1912 Sollenberger Family Reunion that was held at her home in Uniontown.

Mary was laid to rest with her husband, and son Abraham, at the Mount Zion Cemetery, Monroe Township.

-- My maternal 3rd great grandparents: John Sollenberger and Barbara Yockey.

-- To read more on the children, read Jacob's research paper, and visit the family directory.


Jacob and Mary Sollenberger had five sons and 4 daughters.

i. Catherine Ann Sollenberger (1855-1880). She married Christian Shultz.

ii Simon Joseph Sollenberger (1857-1929). He married Catherine K. Aker.

iii. Diller Samuel Sollenberger (1858-1915). He married Mary Jane Kochenour.

iv. Levi Cyrus Sollenberger (1860-1923). He married Mary E. Smith.

v. Abraham A. Sollenberger was born October 22nd 1862 in Monroe Township. He died March 18th 1864 while the family lived in Monroe Township. He is buried with his parents at the Mount Zion Cemetery, Monroe Township Cumberland County Pennsylvania.

vi. Anna Mary Sollenberger (1864-1920). She married Tobias Bentz.

vii. Alice Susan Sollenberger (1866-1926). She married Calvin Knaub.

viii. Ira Jacob Sollenberger (1870-1953). He married Annie M. Slothower.

ix. Julia Ann Sollenberger (1872-1931). She never married.

Anna Mary Sollenberger (1864-1920)

-- My maternal 2nd great grandparents: Anna Mary Sollenberger and Luther Henry Arnold.


Anna was born November 27th 1864 to Jacob Sollenberger and Mary Ann Diller in Monroe Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

In the fall of 1882 Anna was a young eighteen year old women living in rural Franklin Township, Northern York County Pennsylvania.

It was during this time that a 14 year old farm laborer named Luther Arnold worked on the farms of Anna's Uncles, Cyrus and Simon Diller.

On June 7th 1883, Anna gave birth to a daughter, Harriet (Hattie) Amelia Arnold, at the Sollenberger family farm in Franklin Township, York County.

-- Hattie is my maternal Wrightstone great grandmother.

-- On August 28th 1883 Anna, and her father Jacob, filed a charge against Luther, resulting in court case #041. The charge against Luther was fornication and bastardy.


Hattie lived with Anna's parents on Mountain Road

Then on March 18th 1890 Anna married Tobias Bentz

-- Tobias's first wife was Alice B. Sollenberger who was born in 1855, and died June 2nd 1887.

-- Anna Sollenberger and Alice Sollenberger are 4thcousins; they share the same 4th great grandparents.

-- >Tobias and Alice Bentz had three children; two daughters and one son.

-- Tobias and Anna lived in the Siddonsburg area of Monaghan Township about five miles away from the Sollenberger farm where Hattie lived with her grandparents.


As a young girl, Hattie, would walk about a half mile from her Grandparent's Sollenberger farm to the Harmony Grove Church of God. This church is now called the Harmony Bethel Church of God, and is located at the intersection of present day South Mountain Road, and Clear Springs Road, Franklin Township.

After Hattie's grandfather Jacob Sollenberger died, Hattie lived with her grandmother Mary Ann Sollenberger in Uniontown, where the Diller family had a small apple orchard. This home was at the intersection of present day South Mountain Road and Union Church Road Dillsburg Pennsylvania, and parts of the orchard is still there, but overgrown.

It is at this same intersection that Simon Diller had built a church, which burned down, and was later relocated across Mountain Road. Today this church is known as the Celebration Community Church on South Mountain Road Dillsburg.

Simon Diller performed the marriage ceremony between Hattie and Edwin Wrightstone on December of 1902. I suspect it was conducted in Simon's church at Uniontown, which was part of the Clear Springs post office area.

-- On page 39 of the "Descendents of John Sollenberger" referenced in the bibliography, the author, D. L. Sollenberger compiled over a period of years the responses from Sollenberger family members, and the details of their family. Someone from Jacob and Mary Sollenberger's family replied to D. L. Sollenberger.

-- Also on page 39 Hattie is identified as a child between Tobias and Anna Bentz. We know that Hattie's father was >Luther H. Arnold, and that she used her name Hattie Arnold on the marriage license. But after her mother married Tobias in 1890, did Hattie become known as Hattie Bentz?


Anna and Tobias were living in Harrisburg in 1920. Anna just returned by Trolley from visiting Hattie and her new born baby, Jim, in New Cumberland. In the evening after her visit with her daughter, Anna Mary Bentz died at age 54 of heart failure on March 25th 1920.