I would not have known the maiden name of George’s wife, nor her parents, were it not for a message board posting I found ”Want parents of George Diehl born 1807 PA died 29 Jun 1885 Union County, buried at New Berlin wife Elizabeth Walter (daughter of Frederick and Rachel Fetter Walter).” This was posted by Mary B Lontz.

It turns out this is absolutely correct as proven by the death certificate of Adda Steese which names her parents as George Diehl and Elizabeth Walter, none other than the daughter Adda who lived with them in 1850, age 6, and 1860, age 16.

She can be accounted for in her father’s household in 1820 and then her husband’s household in 1830-1870.

Charles A Fisher documents the Union County marriage 7 Sep 1845 of George Diehl of New Berlin to Eliza Bower of Union Township. The problem is I do not know which George Diehl it was. There were, in fact, 9 George Diehls in the 1850 Census in Union Co -- though only one had a wife named Elizabeth. There was also an Eliza Deal in New Berlin age 27 who may well be a widow as she has two young children with her: Percival age 7 and Sarah age 1. But how could Percival be 7 if this is Eliza (Bower) Diehl married in 1845?

But I have ruled out that our George Diehl had two wives named Elizabeth as the death certificates of three women, one born in 1836, one 1843 and one 1851, that all say their parents were George Diehl and Elizabeth Walter. And all three daughters can be accounted for in the appropriate Census listings with their parents.

I don’t know for sure the name of George’s father. There is an older George Diehl buried in Kratzerville, the same place where George’s wife’s parents are buried, so the geography seems right. This older George was still alive when the 1840 Census was taken, but where was he? Could he be the older male in the household of George Diehl which had a male age 30-40 (George) and a male age 70-80 (his father George?).

But the strongest evidence is that there was an 1853 deed I found whereby Sem Schoch of New Berlin and wife Margaret sold several town lots in New Berlin to Jacob Diehl and George Diehl Jr. I believe this was our George who lived in New Berlin from before 1850 and died there and I take the fact of George being named Jr. to be compelling. I believe George and Jacob were brothers.

[As an aside, from my research, I believe that Margaret Schoch was Sem’s second wife and he, her second husband. Her first husband was George Kleckner, son of Solomon. She was born Margaret Ruhl and was the woman mistakenly identified by some sources as our George Kleckner’s wife. This point is addressed further in my discussion of George Kleckner.]

I do not know where he was born but I believe he was raised in or near Kratzerville and was connected to the Diehl, Walter and Fetter families of that place. Later he moved to New Berlin and lived out his life there.

1830. An older George Diehl lives in Centre Twp, Union Co while a younger one lives in Union Twp, Union Co. I believe this is father and son. The younger has no children yet and his neighbors are Benjamin Fetter 30-40, Jacob Deal 30-40 and his wife's parents, the Frederick Walter household.

1840. There is a George Diehl household in Penns Twp, Union Co which I think is the right household. I’m not sure why the family is in Penns Twp and I also don’t know if the head of household is the male age 30-40 or the one age 70-80. My hunch is that it is the younger man who is head of household and that living with him are both of his parents as well as his wife and children.

1850. George lives with several of his known sons including: George W 11, William 8 and Frederick 3.

1860. George lives in Limestone Twp, the area surrounding New Berlin.

1870. George lives in New Berlin.

1880. George lives with his son Washington age 41. The son is typically named G W in the records of the First Lutheran Church of Mifflinburg where he and his wife Rebecca worshipped. For awhile, Rachel E Diehl, wife of William, was listed as a member too. G W was named George W in both 1850 and 1860.

On 26 Dec 1853, Sam Schoch and Margaret, his wife, sell to Jacob Deal and George Deal, Jr. 4 town lots in New Berlin and filed two separate deeds, each covering two lots, to record this fact.

I am only guessing that Jacob may have been the brother of George Jr. There was a Jacob, a few years older than George, living in New Berlin in 1850 and 1860. I am taking the fact that George is called George Jr as quite significant and may be strong evidence that he was indeed the son of George Diehl.

His estate administrator was George W Diehl -- I suspect this was his son and not his grandson. George, deceased, was said to be of E Buffalo Twp.

His tombstone gives his birth and death dates. Most everything else I know about him comes from Census listings.

In the 1850 Census we find Henry J 19, F Ann 16, Eliza 14, George W 11, William 8, Adda 6, Frederick 3 and Jane (James?) 1. And by 1860, daughter Margaret, born 1851, joined the family.