SHEEDER, Joseph.--Henry Sheeder was born in Germany, Oct. 23, 1745, and married, Aug. 16, 1774, Dorothea Helfenstine, born May 24, 1741, and to these were born the following children:  Caroline, Frederick, Catharine, Henry, Philip, and Louisa.

Henry, with his family, arrived in Philadelphia on Nov. 26, 1793, the first year of the yellow fever.  He died Dec. 2, 1807, and his wife, Dorothea, Aug. 17, 1823.  His son Frederick was born Feb. 20, 1777, in Nassau, Saarbriicken, Germany, and married, March, 1798, Anna, daughter of Nicholas Halderman, who was born Nov. 6, 1778.

Frederick was several years a tailor in Philadelphia, and there often saw and personally knew President Washington.  He was a close reader, and familiar with all the events of our country from the time of his arrival to his death.  He participated in the war of 1812, and was encamped at Marcus Hook.

He wrote in 1846 a history of Vincent township, from which information has been obtained for this work.  On March 4, 1860, he and his wife celebrated the sixty-third anniversary of their marriage, from which came up to them ten children, forty-seven grand- and thirty-seven great-grandchildren.

Frederick erected over two dozen buildings on his and other farms.  He died Sept. 18, 1865, and his wife, Anna, July 29, 1860. Their children were Frederick, dec'd; Henry, dec'd; Mary, m. Joshua Yeager; Samuel, dec'd; Philip; Caroline, dec'd; Catharine m. Elhanan John, and dec'd; Sarah, m. William Culley; Joseph; and Benjamin, dec'd.

Of these, Joseph Sheeder was born in West Vincent township, May 11, 1820.  He spent his boyhood days on the farm, and was educated in the common schools.  He was married, March 5, 1846, to Catharine E., daughter of Thomas McClune, of West Nantmeal township, and has had four children, viz.:  Margaret K., J. Fred, Anna Mary, and Victoria.  He resides on the old homestead place, and is a good farmer.  He is a Republican in politics, but has never sought office.  His farm is finely located in a beautiful region of country, and on it he has a splendid farm-residence.  He operates a saw- and his son J. Fred conducts the paper-mill on his real estate, situate in the extreme southern part of the township, and where his father, Frederick, settled at the beginning of the century.