Person Page - 765

     John Adam Schoffstall is also referred to as Adam Shoffstall in some sources. He was born on 7 January 1853, Dauphin County, PA.^1,3 He was the son of Samuel Schoffstall and Susannah Klinger.¹ John Adam Schoffstall married Polly Schwalm, daughter of Frederick Stein Schwalm and Elizabeth Scherdel, on 26 August 1873.^1,4,5 At the time of the 1900 Census, Adam and Polly were living in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, PA, where Adam was a farmer. They had been married 26 years and had given birth to 4 children, all of whom were then alive. Their household included a son, John A.⁴ In the 1910 Census, Adam and Polly were listed in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, where Adam was a farmer. Their household included one son, John A.⁶ John Adam Schoffstall died on 9 December 1922, Gratz, Dauphin County, PA, at age 69.^1,7 He was buried on 13 December 1922, at Simeon Church Cemetery, Gratz, Dauphin County, PA.^8,7
Newspaper obituary:
JOHN SCHOFFSTALL
John Adam Schoffstall died at Gratz, Saturday, December 9 1922, aged 68 yrs, 11 mos. and 2 [days].
He was born in Lykens township, January 7, 1853. the son of Samuel and Susannah Schoffstall, baptized in infancy and confirmed a member of Gratz Reformed Church, Mar. 26, 1869 by the Rev Jacob Kehm and on August 26, 1873, was married to Miss Polly Schwalm by Rev. Jacob Engle
Two sons and two daughters mourn the loss of father: John, on the old homestead and Charles of Valley View; Mrs. Charles Klinger and Mrs. Wm. Broscious both of Gratz.
Funeral services were held at 10 'clock, Wednesday Dec. 13 at Gratz by Rev. C. P. Wehr. Interment in the Lutheran-Reformed Cemetery.
Funeral Director, Miller.
Elizabethville Echo (Elizabethville, PA), 21 Dec, 1922, Thu, Page 1.⁵

     Polly Schwalm is also referred to as Maria in some sources.² She was born on 20 November 1854, Hubley Township, Schuylkill County, PA.¹ She was the daughter of Frederick Stein Schwalm and Elizabeth Scherdel. Polly Schwalm was baptized on 7 December 1854, Zion (Klinger's) Lutheran and Reformed Church, Erdman, Dauphin County, PA.² She married John Adam Schoffstall, son of Samuel Schoffstall and Susannah Klinger, on 26 August 1873.^1,3,4 At the time of the 1880 Census, Polly and Adam were farming in Jordan Township, Northumberland County, PA, where their household included their son Charles and daughter Mary.⁵ Polly and Adam were farmers in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, PA, with their youngest son John Adam. Both the 1900 and 1910 Census records indicate that Polly was the mother of only 4 children, all of who were then living.^6,7 Polly Schwalm died on 21 March 1914, Gratz, Dauphin County, PA, at age 59; of influenza.^1,8 She was buried on 25 March 1914, at Simeon United Lutheran Church Cemetery, Gratz, Dauphin County, PA.^9,10
Newspaper obituary:
Mrs. Adam Schoffstall
Mrs. Polly Schoffstall, wife of Adam Schoffstall died at her home at Gratz on Saturday, March 21st, after an illness of about one week with pneumonia and heart trouble. Her age was 59 yrs, 4 mos 1 da.
Deceased was the daughter of Frederick and Eliza Schwalm born Nov. 20th, 1854 in Hubley twp. Schuylkill Co. and was confirmed a member of Klinger's Reformed church Oct. 15, 1871 by Rev. S. Bassler and united in marriage Aug. 24, 1873 by the Rev. W. G. Engle. She it survived by her husband, 2 sons and 2 daughters.
Funeral Services were conducted by Rev. Wehr on Wednesday. Interment in the Gratz Cemetery.^11,12

     Mary Arfa Schoffstall was born on 5 February 1877.¹ She was the daughter of John Adam Schoffstall and Polly Schwalm.¹ Mary Arfa Schoffstall was baptized on 15 April 1877, Simeon Lutheran and Reformed Church, Gratz, Dauphin County, PA.² She married William Ellsworth Brosius, son of Michael L. Brosius and Catharine Bush, on 24 December 1892, Jordan Township, Northumberland County, PA.^1,3,4 In 1900, Mary and her husband William were living in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, PA, where William was a farmer. They had been married 8 years and had given birth to 3 children, all of whom were then living in their household -- Charles A., J. Adam, and Harry W.³ At the time of the 1910 Census, Mary and William had been married 17 years, having given birth to 4 children, 2 of whom were then living. Their household included 2 sons, Charles A., and Jay A.⁵ Mary Arfa Schoffstall died on 5 April 1928, Gratz, Dauphin County, PA, at age 51.^1,4
Newspaper obituary:
MRS. MARY BROSCIOUS
Mrs. Mary A. Broscious, wife of William Broscious of Gratz, aged 81 years, died at their home Thursday April 5th. She was the daughter of Adam and Polly Schoffstall and was born February 5, 1877 in Lykens Township. She was confirmed October 25, 1891 by Rev. J. G. Stauffer in the Gratz Reformed Church and on December 24, 1892 was united in marriage to William Broscious by the Rev. D. M. Stettler.
She is survived by her husband and two sons, Charles of New York State and Jay of Lykens Valley, one son and one daughter having preceded her in death.
Funeral services were held on Monday morning at ten o'clock from her home in Gratz and burial was made in the Gratz cemetery. A large number of relatives and friends gathered to pay their last respects.
The family desires to thank all those who in any way assisted on the day of the funeral and their bereavement.
Elizabethville Echo (Elizabethville, PA), 12 Apr 1928, Thu, Page 4.⁶
She was buried at Simeon United Lutheran Church Cemetery, Gratz, Dauphin County, PA.⁷

     William Ellsworth Brosius is also referred to as William Broscious in some sources. He was born in July 1870.^1,4 He was the son of Michael L. Brosius and Catharine Bush.³ Some sources record that William Ellsworth Brosius was born on 25 August 1870.³ He married Mary Arfa Schoffstall, daughter of John Adam Schoffstall and Polly Schwalm, on 24 December 1892, Jordan Township, Northumberland County, PA.^1,4,5 William Ellsworth Brosius died on 21 April 1955, at age 84.^1,3 He was buried at Simeon United Lutheran Church Cemetery, Gratz, Dauphin County, PA.³

     John Adam Schoffstall was born on 1 September 1890, Northumberland County, PA.^1,2,3 He was the son of John Adam Schoffstall and Polly Schwalm.¹ John Adam Schoffstall married Lillie Ann Willier, daughter of Rufus F. Willier and Annie Laura Rabuck, on 22 May 1912, Dauphin County, PA.^4,5 Some sources suggest that John Adam Schoffstall and Lillie Ann Willier were married on 24 May 1912 Dauphin County, PA.⁶ John Adam Schoffstall died on 18 September 1958, Polyclinic Hospital, Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA, at age 68.^7,1
Newspaper obituary:
Mr. Schoffstall, 68, Of Gratz
John A. Schoffstall, 68, of Gratz, died at Polyclinic Hospital, Harrisburg, shortly after midnight this morning, He had been admitted Wednesday, after an illness of the past week.
He was the son of the late Mr and Mrs. Adam Schoffstall, and was a long-time resident of Gratz.
Mr. Schoffstall belonged to Simeon Reformed Church, Gratz.
He was married to Lilly A. Willier, who survives, with the following children: Mrs. John Shiffer, Mrs. Arthur Lubold, Lykens, R. D; John, Jr., Stanley and Mrs. Earl Jury, and Albert, all of Gratz; Mrs. Glenn Leitzel, Millersburg; Charles, stationed with the U. S. Air Force on the Azores; seven grandchildren and two great-grand children.
Services will be held Monday at 2 p. m. from Marlin Reed funeral home, Pillow, in charge of Rev. Earl Marks, his pastor. Interment will be in Union Cemetery, Gratz.
Friends will be received at the funeral home Sunday after 7 P. M.
The Daily Item (Sunbury, PA), 19 Sep 1958, Fri, Page 23.⁸
He was buried on 22 September 1958, at Simeon United Lutheran Church Cemetery, Gratz, Dauphin County, PA.³