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Note: "Washington Sheetz was a farmer, and BORN and raised on the Sheetz homestead, which was buil t by his father, William Sheetz, and located in Jefferson Twp., now Wayne Twp., Dauphin count y, PA. He was reared on the farm and attended the common schools of his township. The 1870 U S PA census records for Jefferson Township, Dauphin county, lists him RESIDING with his paren ts William and Barbara Sheetz. He notes that he is 24 years old, and a farm laborer. Washingt on remained at home and worked on the farm until the fall of 1875 when he married. At the dea th of his father, in the year 1879, he bought the homestead, which consisted of one hundred a nd thirty seven acres, of which he continued to cultivate. (In the 1880 US PA census record s for Wayne Twp., Dauphin county, he is listed as "head of household". Along with his wife Ma ry E. are (2) daughters, Sarah E., and Carmi A., as well as his mother Barbara Sheetz (age 68 ) and (2) servants: Milton Ritzman, age 10, and Mary A. Warfel, age 17. It is not known at th is time if Washington and Mary Ellen were "legal guardians" of these (2) children, as a myste ry continues to surround their residence in the Sheetz household). "Washington was a Democra t and member of Bowerman's St. Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Church." This information was fou nd in the Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, PA, 1896, published b y RUNK & COMPANY, pg. 1138. In 1903 Washington became a member of the building committee elec ted to construct a "new" church building on the site of the existing lutheran church in Enter line. This information came from a tribute program on the rededication of Bowerman's in 195 6 which gave a brief summary of the early history of the church. From his obituary from an ob scure newspaper clipping (no name) copied from the files of another "Sheetz researcher" the f ollowing information was noted: "Washington Sheetz, one of the best known residents of this s ection, died on Monday of last week at his home near Waynesville, after a long illness. He wa s aged 73 years and is survived by his wife and the following children: Mrs. Aaron M. Hoffman , Mrs. Fred Lebo and Charles Sheetz of Enterline; Mrs. Harry Fleager of Dauphin and Carrie, a t home. He also leaves one brother, John Sheetz of Elizabethville, and two sisters, Mrs. Henr y Welker and Mrs. Leonard Hawk of near Enterline. The funeral took place Thursday morning fro m Bowerman's church, the Rev. J.F. Stabley, pastor of the Fisherville Lutheran charge, offici ating. Interment was made in the adjoing cemetery. This was dated July 7, 1919." Washington' s grave lies next to his second wife, Agnes (Hoffman) Sheetz, who, coincidently was also a co usin to his first wife, Mary Ellen (Hoffman) Sheetz. A large oval framed portrait exists on W ashington, where it hangs proudly in the home of his granddaughter Arlene (Hoffman) Lyter, o f Halifax. Other smaller photos taken during different stages in his life have also survive d and are in the possession of numerous descendants.
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