Mary Emma Hollar Landis

Mary Emma Hollar was born in Shippensburg, PA on October 22, 1844, first child of Henry Hollar and Sarah Ann Wagner who was the daughter of David Wagner. Three sisters followed and when Emma was twelve years old, her mother died. The Buttses ("Uncle" and "Auntie") befriended Emma for some years off and on and all became friends.

She went to select schools and academy, and after her father remarried, went to public school for four years. She was a popular young lady. In 1860 during the campaign to elect Lincoln president, she was chosen to represent Pennsylvania on a float of the states.

During her girlhood the family often went to her grandfather Hollar's at Mongul especially on Thanksgiving Day and holidays. She often talked of the big meals ~ two turkeys, a three foot platter of sausages, and all the fixings. There were rows on rows of mince and apple pies, and huckleberries, which had been put down in crocks layer on layer with sugar between. There was a large crowd of relations present. Sometimes they included her stepmother's family. They were not well to do and her father helped them. The mother was a boss and scared everyone. The father was meek as Moses. Emma was very fond of her Grandpa Hollar.

The Civil War fired her patriotic spirit. She made bandages, picked lint and furnished surgical supplies. She helped make "wives" bags containing thread, needles, buttons, etc. for the soldiers and Havalinds "to protect their heads from the hot southern sun".

In 1862 just before Antietam a trainload of one hundred day men stalled on the Cumberland Valley Railroad just before their door on Railroad Street. As they had a couple of hours, the Zouaves wandered round, especially attracted to the young ladies. One of the handsomest in new uniform spent his time beside her on her porch. She says he was an interesting talker, but the moving troop train cut short any romance. She never heard from him; possibly he was killed in the immanent battle. She remembers also the thunder of the ammunition train rushing to supply the troops at the same battle.

To her, Rebels and Democrats were much the same, and northern Democrats were "Copperheads". Yet when the Confederates passed through Shippensburg on foot and horseback on the way to the battle of Gettysburg, she considered some of them quite attractive and gentlemanly in spite of old clothes and a rather hungry look.

One of the Rebels, seeing her baby brother, asked to hold him in his arms. He fondled him until the command to march. She heard the thunder of artillery at the battle of Gettysburg and two months later, her father took her to Gettysburg and they drove over the hard fought field.

She enjoyed Mrs. Ellis' Ladies' School, took fancy work lessons from a New York woman but had only two and a half months of melodeon lessons. Amelia Hendricks was her best friend but she died at 20 years of age and Emma never got over it. "She was neat and lady-like and a good companion." Kate Elsrode was also a good friend until she turned Democrat just before Lincoln's second election and "that settled her".

Uncle Butts was much interested in Gid and discussed him with Henry Hollar. Her father was a particular man, and when Gideon asked for her, her father inquired, "Are you able to support a wife?" Gideon told him that he thought they could live on his income, and that they surely thought a lot of each other. So he gave his consent.

Emma often told that their bridesmaid and groomsman, his brother Ike, were with them much of the time in Philadelphia and Gideon paid their expenses, "every darn cent." Emma later confided that it had been a waste of money! Emma's father went down one night and the three attended the theatre to see Joseph Jefferson in Rip Van Winkle. They spent a short time with Lancaster County Landises.

In the fall they moved to Newville, where G. W. Landis bought the Soper Jewelry Store. They lived in the stone house on Main Street, where George was born in 1868.

The baby came rather unexpectedly at 2:10 on Monday morning in a severe snow storm. Doctor Robinson and his kindly wife attended the mother. She had several hemorrhages and was miserable. Monday morning her husband waded snow as high as fence tops, reached the railroad station, took train to Shippensburg to get a promised Mrs. Harris. She could not come but Aunt Mary Geesaman became the friend in need.

Emma was sleepless for days, causing much worry. Late in the week she asked them to take the pendulum clock out of the room because it's ticking annoyed her. Soon she fell asleep and did not waken until next afternoon. She recovered rapidly.

After a year or more they moved nearer the center of town at High Street near Main where the store was located in the house. Their next and last move took them in 1872 to the long-time home on Railroad Street (later named Center and then Big Spring Avenue #13) which in 1875 they bought and later added a third story. Here they lived together for 40 years until Gideon's death and she lived on as widow for 25 years more. Six children were born here, totaling eight - three boys and five girls.

In the summer of 1907, Gideon and Emma invited all their married children with their families to spend a week at home together. All were able to come. There were Gideon and Emma as well as the three daughters living at home, the married children, their husbands or wives, and thirteen grandchildren. All but a few slept at nearby friends homes but meals and entertainment were probided by the parents. It was a grand undertaking and somehow seemed providential as it was the first and last time the entire family was able to be together. Indeed, daughter Emma died in less than a year.

These are the eight children of Gideon and Mary Emma:

George m. Myrtle Carrothers

William; Laird; George; Richard; Dorothy

Nellie m. Rev. Will J. Shaner

Herbert; Miriam; Leland; Catharine; Bill

Mae m. J. Gary Morrow

Arthur Clair m. Bertha Rippman

Helen m. Elmer Baker; Virginia m. Peter Christie;
                            Arthur Clair Jr. m. Elizabeth C. Sydnor; Charles m. Nancy Eby;
                            Mary Emma

John E. m. Lillian Bower

John; Betty

Bess m. Wagner

Emma died unmarried

Ruth died unmarried

In the evenings Emma would read to the children, teaching them spelling, arithmetic and Bible verses in the sitting room back of the store while Papa worked out front on watches. At the sound of any disturbance, he would merely open the door a few inches and look in - that was all that was needed!

In the family, meals were always started with a blessing, which included a prayer for loved ones wherever they might be. In fact, the Church of God was the center of their life. They would be in their pews three or four times each Sunday. All had certificates for holding long-term offices of superintendent, treasurer, or secretary. Grandma Emma, who lived to her 90's, taught Sunday school every Sunday until her stroke prohibited it.

Clair's daughter Helen, who at the time was living in Cuba with her parents, recalls, "In 1913 when I was about twelve, Father was called to Newville because Grandfather was gravely ill. He had injured his foot, and gangrene had set in. Knowing so much about amputations and injuries from the Civil War, he refused to have his leg taken off. Besides, at 70, he felt it was God's will that he go this way rather than to live to be a burden on his family. He called all his children home and they waited at his bedside for three days until Clair, my father, could get there. When Grandfather saw him he quietly said, "Cuba's here, now I can go." He kissed his wife and children and then died.

"This was a beautiful story to hear but let's not kid ourselves," Helen said, "Grandfather really suffered. In those days they had nothing to kill the pain."

Her daughter Bess had been born in that house and lived with her mother all of her life. But the day came when Emma was the victim of a stroke at about 90 years of age. Then her absence from the window and from church was an eloquent reminder to townspeople of her disability.

She kept her bed for three and a half years, that same bed in which Gideon had died and every one of her children had been born, cared for by two daughters Bess and Mae. Emma was visited often by children and friends, usually she was rational and cheerful, often reminiscent, interested in general news and in people. She maintained her interest in the Newville Benevolent Society (for which she was secretary for many years), and in the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Church of God, of which she was treasurer. For 46 years she had taught the primary class in Sunday school. In 1934, on her 90th birthday, the international Sunday School Association, meeting in Philadelphia, sent her their medal for 50 years of attendance in Sunday school as scholar and teacher.

During her years in bed she had the tender care of her daughters Bess and Mae. Three sons were with her frequently. George stayed with them for eight months, spending nights within call. He set down incidents and sayings.

On the day after her stroke, October 26, 1933, she had a dream about being confined in jail. She was scared and wondered whether she was crazy. She thought of all of her relations but was sure insanity did not run in her family. Afterward she remembered a Michael Wagner from Germany that was lunatic: she saw him only once. Her grandfather took care of his needs but he had to be chained in an upstairs room. There is no other evidence of this and no one knows if it was part of Emma's dream or stroke.

She looked up one day and saw three men by her bed. She pointed to each - the doctor, the undertaker, and the monument maker - and said, "If we had the preacher we would have the whole works!"

Her son Clair reported a play to be given "The First Commandment". He explained, "Love thy neighbor as thyself". "'Deed it isn't," she said, "It is 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God."

Rev. Thomas was leaving her smaller church for a city church and more money. He said to her, "You don't like it?" She replied, "Oh, well, preachers come and preachers go, but the Lord stays forever."

On election day, still in bed, she said, "May the best man win, but if I could vote, I would vote Republican."

To George: "You try to do everything by rule. There is no reason why Bess and Mae should jump when you whistle."

She asked Herm Getter (making some repairs) to come to her side. "You can work but I can do nothing but eat. Do you go to Sunday school?" "Sometimes to Methodist. Usually sit on the steps." "That's not the same as going to Sunday school. And you have a good grandfather and grandmother." He said, "I've never done harm to any one but myself." (He was a drinker.) She replied, "You can't hurt yourself without hurting others."

In my father's house are many mansions, I hope to have a cottage there. I have friends here and there. I've decided that it's better to go and be at home with God."

A prayer: "Lord, thou are here. I can hear the treading of your footsteps -so light and airy. O Lord, watch over us, do all you can for us and for your own glory. Amen."

"I'm never alone. I can always pray a little."

Death ended twenty-four years of widowhood in April 1937. Her body was laid away in Newville Cemetery beside her husband's.

She had a keen mind, was a constant reader, competent in handling money and frugal from long practice in caring for a large family on small resources. Sympathetic for the poor and needy at home, she had a deep interest in missions. Her life contacts did not decrease her faith in God and in people. She had no fear of death. She was sure of immortal life. Emma Hollar Landis was so highly thought of in the community that her obituary took up half a page in the Newville, PA Valley Times Star on April 29th, 1937.