Valentine "Felty" Showalter, son of immigrants Jacob and Marie Showalter Sr., was born about 1736, probably in Switzerland, and died in 1803 near Brock’s Gap in Rockingham County, VA. Valentine’s goods and chattels were sold at public auction on July 30, 1803 in Rockingham County. According to the estate papers, Valentine was a weaver. Nicknamed “Felty,” he married a woman named Anna (possibly a Funk but unproven and unsubstantiated). During the Revolutionary War, while living in Chester County, Penn., Valentine “Felty” served as a private in a county militia that was first under the command of Captain Israel Moore, and second under Captain David Wilson.

Children of Valentine and Anna Showalter were:

1. Mary Showalter was born circa 1765 and died before 1807. She married a cousin, Christian Showalter, son of Jacob and Barbara (Oyer) Showalter. Christian was born circa 1763 and was alive when the 1840 census was taken for Rockingham County, VA. Christian and Mary moved to Rockingham County, where she died and he married second to Catherine Roadcap, daughter of Emanuel and Catherine (Hoover) Roadcap, of Brock’s Gap. They owned 90 acres along Cedar Creek, about 12 miles north of the courthouse. We do not know the names of the children from Christian’s marriage to Mary.

2. John Showalter was born circa 1767 and died about 1814/1815. He married Elizabeth Roth on Dec. 28, 1791, in Rockingham County. The name John was so popular that by 1820 there were three and by 1830 four heads of households named John Showalter in Rockingham County.

3. Valentine G. Showalter was born circa 1768. It is believed that he lived in Shenandoah County during his early years in the Shenandoah Valley.

4. Joseph Showalter, born ca 1770, and married Lydia Roush, Sept. 12, 1797. They migrated to Wayne County, Ohio in 1827.

5. Jacob Showalter was born circa 1773. He married a cousin, Elizabeth Funk, daughter of Henry and Barbara (Showalter) Funk Jr. Jacob was the progenitor of the musical Showalter family (Singer’s Glen) that was nationally known during the 19th and early 20th century. No completely proven account of Jacob and Elizabeth’s children has been produced. Here is the best-known account that is based on a number of records from various sources.

a. Henry Showalter was born in Rockingham County on June 14, 1793. He served as a soldier during the War of 1812. His widow’s pension application stated that he was 6 feet 2 inches tall, had black hair and blue eyes. On Nov. 2, 1799, Henry married Lydia Hindgardner of Hardy County, VA. She was born on July 15, 1799, and died in Wert County, WV. They lived first in Hardy County, and moved to Fayette and Greene Counties, PA to Tyler and Wetzel Counties (1820s), VA. Eight children were born to their marriage: Mary Elizabeth Showalter, Christian Jacob Showalter, Mahala Showalter, Frances Showalter, Anthony W. Showalter, John Jackson Showalter, Nancy Ann Showalter, and Henry H. Showalter.

b. Anthony Showalter (1800-1873) married Elizabeth Shull of Shenandoah County.

c. Daniel Showalter was born in 1801 in Rockingham County, and died on April 9, 1870, in Apponosse, Iowa. He married Nancy Donley, who died Nov. 21, 1872. They were buried in the Concord Cemetery near their last home in Iowa.

d. Ulrich Showalter was born in Rockingham County on Oct. 10, 1804, and died Aug. 18, 1860 in Wetzel County, WV. He married Elizabeth Howard in Greene County, PA, in 1830. They had six children:

e. Lydia Showalter died in 1819.

f. John Showalter settled in Ohio.

g. Hetty Showalter married William Betz.

h. Magdalena Showalter was born circa 1805 and died Feb. 7, 1864. She married George Moyer, son of Michael Moyer II. George was born on Feb. 2, 1800 and died May 2, 1888. Seven children were born to their marriage. They lived at Crab Run near the Rockingham/Hardy County boundary.

6. Nancy Showalter was born circa 1775, and married Jacob Funkhouser, July 21, 1797, in Shenandoah County, VA. They migrated to Ripley County, Indiana, where Jacob died in 1840. Eight children known.

7. Catherine Showalter married Christian Allebaugh.

8. Susannah Showalter was born circa 1779, and married Samuel Sager, Oct. 30, 1797, in Shenandoah County, VA. They moved to Trumbill County about 1810, and several years later resettled in Beaver County, PA. Samuel, son of Gabriel and Margaret (Delpin) Sager, was born Feb. 6, 1778 at Stony Creek, Shenandoah County, VA and died in 1860 at New Brighton, Beaver County, PA.

9. It is possible that a Christopher Showalter was a son of Valentine. More research is needed in the Shenandoah County, VA land and personal property tax records.
 

Compiled by:
Wilmer L. Kerns PhD
4715 North 38th Place
Arlington, VA 22207-2914