John Lauffer, Sr., son of Christian, the Pioneer, was born March 8, 1769, in Northampton Co., Pa., and was a boy of five years when his father migrated into Westmoreland Co. In the year 1794 he moved on a tract of land north of Harrison City, a portion of which has since been known as the Hezekiah Waugaman farm.
His tombstone in the Denmark Manor Cemetery, Penn Tp., Westmoreland Co., bears this inscription: In memory of John Lauffer, Sr., died Feb. 18, 1851. Aged 81 years, 11 months, 10 days.
John Lauffer, Sr., was a very careful man in the matter of keeping an accurate family record. In his huge German Bible with its wooden lids covered with leather, he jotted down the dates of birth of his children as they were born. His estate was settled in 1856 after the death of his wife Barbara in 1855. Geo. Ashbaugh, son-in-law, and his son, Christian, were the executors. The whereabouts of that old Bible the descendants of neither Christian Lauffer nor George Ashbaugh can inform us. This old Bible may be no longer in existence. It simply shows the necessity of the publication of some such history as this to keep old records together, if we are to know in the later times, just Who-is-Who in the great Lauffer family.
John Lauffer, Sr., was the father of fourteen children.
Born of Susanna, nee Kemerer, first wife of John, Sr., who died Nov. 11, 1815, aged 41 years.
1. Elizabeth.
2. Susanna
3. Mary
4. Christian
5. Daniel
6. John, Jr.
7. Simeon
8. Seth
9. Hettie
10. Henry
11. Jacob
12. Sarah
Born of Barbara, nee Erret, second wife of John, Sr.
13. Hannah
14. Catherine
Family Members
Parents
Christian Lauffer
1723–1796
Susanna Best Lauffer
1735–1796
Spouse
Susana Kemmerer Lauffer
1774–1815
Siblings
Peter Laufer
1752–1830
Bartol Lauffer
1754–1822
Susanna Lauffer Drum
1756–1822
Henry Lauffer
1759–1827
Anna Catharine Lauffer Rice
1764–1823
Magdalena Lauffer Bash
1770–1838
Christian Loffer
1771–1823
Children
Elizabeth Lauffer Beamer
1795–1843
Anna Maria (Mary Ann) Lauffer Ashbaugh
1798–1874
Christian Lauffer
1799–1886
Daniel Lauffer
1801–1887
John Lauffer
1803–1904
Simon Lauffer
1805–1875
Seth Lauffer
1806–1895
Catharine Lauffer Waugaman
1823–1912
