From Robert Esch, Esch Ancestry 11-23-07 on Ancestry.com 12/22/2007 kb3css@verizon.net,
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HENRY1 COMFORT was born August 08, 1818 in Perry Twp., Snyder Co., Pa., and died August 13, 1867. He married SARA A. KREBS Abt. 1836. She was born November 27, 1819 in Greenwood Twp., Juniata Co. Pa., and died December 09, 1884.

Notes for HENRY COMFORT:

Some records indicate his name to be William Henry Comfort.

The information from the Comfort family was compiled by Martha Elizabeth Laudenslager Davis, in August of 1969. The dates of this generation and the next generation come from the headstones from St. Paul's Church cemetery by Mahantango Creek.

The church still stands (2004) and is located about 5 miles North of Liverpool, Pa. From Liverpool, take Route 104 N, to the left of Routes 11 and 15 North, and proceed about 3 miles. Just before the bridge of Mahantango Creek, with a junk yard on the left, there is a dirt road to the right (which follows the creek). Proceed about a half mile. St. Paul's church is on the right. It is a small red brick church with a front addition covered with siding. At the rear, is a white siding attachment of Ladies and Gentleman outhouses. In the older part of the cemetery, you will find a row of headstones, beginning with Henry Comfort, then Sarah his wife. In the next row (moving away from the church) are the stones of Jonathan Newman and his children.

On the headstone of Henry, you can barely read his name, but the birth year 1818 is visible, and death date 13 July 1867, followed by 48 yr., 11 mo., 5 d. The Text from the Bible is: 2 Tim. 15, V. 7 & St. On the next stone, it says: Sarah, wife of Henry Comfort, born 27 Nov. 1819, d. 12 May 1884, 64 yr., 5 mo., 17 da.

Will of Henry Comfort -

" I, Henry Comfort, of Perry Township, Snyder Co., and state of Pennsylvania, being sick and weak in body, but yet of sound and discretionary mind and memory; and considering the uncertainty of this mortal life, do hereby publish the following as my last Will & Testament, hereby revoking all former Wills, by me at any time heretofore made.

1st: I ordain that as soon as practicable after my decease, my personal property, which is not hereinafter otherwise disposed of shall be appraised by two discreet and disinterested men, and shall then be sold at Public Sale, and out of the proceeds of such sale, and also of any money that I may have at the time of my death, my funeral expenses and any just debts that I may have, shall be paid, share and share alike, unto my three children: John Comfort, Lucinda intermarried with Jonathan Newman, and Elizabeth, intermarried with Jacob Zellers.

2nd: Out of my personal estate I ordain that my wife Sarah retain, in lieu of the Three Hundred dollars now set aside by law for a widow, the following articles, Viz., 2 Bedsteads & Bedding, 1 Corner Cupboard, 1 Sink, 1 Stand, 1 Parlor-Stove, 7 chairs, 1 Mantle-Clock, 1 Chest, 1 Table, 1 Spinning-Wheel, 1 Cow, 1 Hog, 1 Wood-Chest, 1 Bureau, 1 Iron-Kettle, all carpet now in the house; also Grain sufficient for her Bread until the Harvest next succeeding my decease, and all the Wool of this year's Shearing -- Also all the Queensware.

3rd: I further ordain that after the selections of beds are made by my wife as aforesaid, my Son John Comfort shall also select a Bedstead & necessary bedding thereto which I hereby bequeath unto him.

4th: As regards the Real Estate which I am now in possession of, I bequeath thereunto my son John Comfort, the Farm on which I now reside, situate in the Township of Perry, County of Snyder, and State of Pennsylvania, containing Eighty-six Acres - more or less - with all the improvements thereon; reserved however that the same be estimated at Fifteen hundred dollars -- and that out of the same, he pay over unto my two daughters, Lucinda, intermarried with Jonathan Newman, and Elizabeth, intermarried with Jacob Zellers, One Thousand dollars -- that is, five hundred dollars to each of them, in manner following, Viz: At one year from the time of my death, one hundred dollars unto each, and every year thereafter one hundred dollars unto each of them until Six Hundred and Sixty-Six dollars, and sixty six cents be paid in full. And the residue of three hundred and thirty three dollars and thirty three cents to be paid unto my said daughters at one year after the death or second marriage of my wife.

And during the life or widowhood of my said wife, my son John Comfort shall pay unto her annually, beginning one year after my death, the interest of one-third of the estimate of the Farm -- that is to say the interest of five hundred dollars -- But upon her second marriage the said dower to cease forever.

And lastly I constitute my friend Solomon G. Dressler and my son John Comfort, Executors of this my last Will and Testament.

I further ordain that my widow, after my death, shall have her residence, house -- room -- Etc. with free egress and regress, in the house wherein I now reside, as long as she remaineth my widow, or until her death." -- Dated July 9th A.D. 1867

Signed, Sealed and Delivered, and Declared as his last Will and Testament by the Testator, in the presence of us.
Henry Comfort (seal)
Witnesses:
Michael Shetterly
S. G. Dressler

Be it remembered in the 25th day of July A.D. 1867, before me Jacob P. Aurcinel, Dept. of Wills, to, in and for, said county, personally appeared Michael Shetterly, S. G. Dressler, subscribing witnesses to the foregoing will, who after being duly sworn according to law, do dispose and say that they were personally present and did see and hear Henry Comfort, the Testator, sign, seal, publish and declare the foregoing and lawful instrument of writing, as and for his last Will and Testament, that at the time of so doing, he the Testator was of sound mind and disposing memory as deponents believe that they subscribed their names as witness to the same, at the request and in the presence of the Testator, and in the presence of each other, and that the names of Michael Shetterly & S. G. Dressler are of deponents' own proper hand writing, and further say not.

Sworn and Subscribed the
day and year aforesaid
before me --
Michael Shetterly
S. G. Dressler
Jacob P. Aurcenal, Dept. of Reg.

I have a photo of him, given to me by "Aunt Martha", the genealogist for her side of the family, and who has maintained files on the Comforts, Newmans and related families. The photo shows Henry wearing his top hat. The story is that he always wore this hat when he was doing his farming. This top hat is the black, stove-pipe style hat usually only worn by gentlemen at formal occasions. I'm going to say that his wearing of that hat speaks volumes about the type of person and farmer he must have been.

Turning to the census records, we find --

1850 Greenwood Twp Juniata Co. Penna.

Henry Comfort 36 Farmer $500 PA
Sarah 33 PA
Emely 13 school all the rest PA
Susan 11 school
(Lucinda ?) (9 ?)
Eliza 9 (7 ?) school
John 5
Levi 3

Missing from this census is Lucinda, who would be age 9. Other census reports show that Eliza (= Elizabeth) was born around 1843, so in this census, she should be age 7, and then Lucinda would be inserted between Susan and Eliza, with Lucinda age 9 and Eliza age 7. I have not found any other census records in 1850 with Lucinda enumerated, so I am assuming that the census enumerator erred, confusing Lucinda with Eliza, and forgetting to include Lucinda. Also, based on family records, the age of Henry should be 32, and that of Sarah 30.

1860 Perry Snyder Co. Penna.

Henry Comfort 41 Farmer $2000/$600 PA
Sarah 40
Elizabeth 16
John 13 school
John Swartz 14 school
Henry Taylor 83

Note also that the age of Henry should be 42, based on family records. Presumably John Swartz is helping with the farm, along with John Comfort. Henry Taylor seems just to be a boarder, with no known family ties.

So far, I have not located Sarah Comfort in the 1870 census. Henry would have died in 1867, and according to the Will, Sarah was entitled to remain in her house. In the next census, Sarah is living with her daughter Elizabeth.

1880 Susquehanna Juniata Co. Penna.

Jacob Zellers 40 Farmer PA
Elizabeth 36
Sarah Comfort 60 M-in-law and Widow

This is Sarah's last census appearance, since she dies in 1884.

More About HENRY COMFORT:
Burial: 1867, St. Paul's Church, Perry Twp.

More About SARA A. KREBS:
Burial: 1884, St. Paul's Union Church (EUB), Perry Co., Pa.

Children of HENRY COMFORT and SARA KREBS are:
i. EMILY2 COMFORT, b. Abt. 1837.
ii. SUSAN COMFORT, b. Abt. 1839.
2. iii. LUCINDA COMFORT, b. June 07, 1841; d. December 09, 1920, Mount Pleasant Mills, Snyder Co., Pa..
3. iv. ELIZABETH COMFORT, b. October 06, 1843; d. December 01, 1930.
4. v. JOHN COMFORT, b. January 06, 1845, Perry Twp., Snyder Co., Pa.; d. October 21, 1915.
vi. LEVI COMFORT, b. Abt. 1847.