Mary Hartzell was born on Jan. 22, 1827 in Somerset County, PA and is believed -- although not entirely proven -- to have been the daughter of George and Mary (Younkin) Hartzell. She never learned to read or write.

They resided in Brandonville, Preston County, WV circa 1858; Aleppo, Greene County, PA in 1860; in Upper Turkeyfoot Township (post office Somerfield), Somerset County, PA in 1870; in Springhill Township, Fayette County, PA in 1880; and by 1900 in Vanderbilt, Dunbar Township, Fayette County. 

Their known children were Sarah Holiday, Elijah H. Holiday, Lindsey "Linzy" Holiday, Lucinda Holiday, Emma Foster and Louise Frost. 

In Aleppo in 1860, Josiah earned a living as a tenant farmer and the family drew their mail at a post office across the state line in Cameron, Marshall County, VA (later West Virginia). Then in Somerset County in 1870, his occupation was recorded by the census-taker as "keeping Bradey [or "Bradly"] Hs." The 1880 census shows him as a farmer. For more than three decades, they were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Josiah passed away near Leisenring at the age of 56 on April 20, 1890. An obituary noted that he "was held in high esteem by his neighbors." Burial was in Oak Grove Cemetery in Uniontown.

[Should you have any knowledge or documents about Mary connecting her to her presumed parents George and Mary, please consider sharing that with us to enhance the accuracy of this biography. You may reach us via email.]

Son Elijah H. Holiday (1858-1927) was born in January 1858 in either Marshall County, WV or Brandonville, Preston County, VA, counties which later became part of the newly formed state of West Virginia. By 1860, he and his parents had moved across the state line into Aleppo, Greene County, PA. 

He was united in marriage with Hulda Ann Moore (1849-1900), who was nine or 11 years older than he.

They had these known children -- Adna "Adney" Shallenberger, Cora B. Holiday, Minda Alice Mickey, Mary A. Holiday and Ella M. Holiday.

In 1880, when the United States Census was enumerated, Elijah and Huldah resided in German Township, Fayette County, where Elijah earned a living as a laborer. Later, they were farmers in and around Vanderbilt, Fayette County, PA. 

Sadly, Hulda passed away on April 10, 1900 at the age of 51, with burial in Dickerson Run Union Cemetery. When the federal census was taken later in 1900, the widowed, 42-year-old Elijah resided with his daughters and widowed mother on the Vanderbilt farm. 

He married again on Feb. 19, 1902 to Lorinda "Flora" Shallenberger (1858- ? ), daughter of Lester and Agnes Shallenberger. The nuptials were held in Uniontown, led by Rev. O.S. Reed. 

Suffering from stomach cancer at age 68, Elijah succumbed in Uniontown Hospital on May 5, 1927. Interment was in Dickerson Run Union Cemetery. Nathaniel Shallenberger, who served as informant for the death certificate, was unable to identify the name of Elijah's mother.

Daughter Adna "Adney" Holiday (1882- ? ) was born in January 1882. She wed Ollie S. Shallenberger ( ? - ? ) and they lived in Dunbar Township, Fayette County. Heartache enveloped this young family in the summer of 1910 when their four-and-a-half-year-old son Earl (Dec. 13, 1905-1910) contracted peritonitis. His health plummeted and he died on July 5, 1910. The child's tender remains were laid to rest in the Dickerson Run Union Cemetery. A gossip column notice in the Connellsville Daily Courier noted that the boy's grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Holliday, traveled from their home near Juniata, Fayette County to attend the funeral.

Daughter Cora B. Holiday (1883- ? ) was born in July 1883.

Daughter Minda Alice Holiday (1885- ? ) was born in September 1885. She married (?) Mickey.

Daughter Mary A. Holiday (1888- ? ) was born in December 1888.

Daughter Ella M. Holiday (1891- ? ) was born in June 1891.

Son Lindsey W. "Linzy" Holiday (1861-1933) was born on April 8, 1861 in Marshall County, VA or Brandonville, Preston County, VA (counties which later became part of West Virginia), or in Pennsylvania (records differ). In his young manhood, he was a farmer and dwelled in Franklin Township, Fayette County.

At the age of 29, in about 1890, he was united in matrimony with Charlotte "Lottie" Hardin (or "Harding") (1861-1942), daughter of Jackson and Margaret Diana (Mallory) Hardin of McKeesport, or Morris Cross Roads, near Pittsburgh. H.F. King officiated at the wedding, held in Uniontown, Fayette County.

Their two known daughters were Grace M. Crawford Ring and Maude B. Barton.

In 1900, they resided near Uniontown, where Lindsay earned a living as a coal miner. Over the years, Lindsey became a mine foreman. In failing health, he was admitted to the Allegheny County Home in Collier Township near Pittsburgh. At the age of 72, he suffered an acute heart attack and died 10 minutes later, on May 4, 1933. Burial was in Laurel Point Cemetery near Uniontown. Lottie lived for another nine years as a widow, and made her home in McKeesport at the address of 913½ Fifth Avenue. Stricken with cancer of the pancreas at age 82, she died on March 5, 1942.

Daughter Grace M. Holliday (1892-1958) was born on May 25, 1892. She was married twice. Her first husband was Ernest W. Crawford ( ? - ? ). The couple is believed to have produced one daughter, Mrs. George Binkney. The marriage was rocky, and on June 12, 1929, when she was 37, she left the home. They obtained a divorce on June 20, 1938. In 1942, she signed her mother's death certificate. When she was age 52, she married again to 53-year-old John H. Ring (1891- ? ), son of Swedish immigrants Frank and Anna (Snowdon) Ring of New Castle, Lawrence County, PA. Alderman Eddie Klein performed the nuptials at Duquesne, near Pittsburgh. At the time of marriage, John worked as a mechanic and lived at 913½ Fifth Avenue in McKeesport. He had been married and divorced previously. Grace spent her final years at 1312 Scott Street in McKeesport, and suffered from heart disease and diabetes. She died there at the age of 65 on April 10, 1958. Funeral services were led by Rev. Richard H. Bartley of the First English Lutheran Church of Duquesne. Her remains were placed into eternal repose in the Richland Cemetery in Dravosburg, and an obituary was published in the Uniontown Morning Herald.

Daughter Maude B. Holliday ( ? - ? ) married Frank Barton ( ? - ? ). In 1958, they dwelled in Irwin, Westmoreland County, PA.

Daughter Lucinda Holiday (1864- ? ) was born in 1864.

~ Daughter Emma J. (Holiday) Foster ~

Daughter Elizabeth Foster grew up in Sykesville.

~ Daughter Louise B. (Holiday) Frost ~

In 1900, they dwelled on Patterson's View in Allegheny City, a community later absorbed into Pittsburgh's North Side. Later in life, they resided with their married daughter at 2745 Banksville Road in Pittsburgh.

When she was 64 years old, Louise was stricken with apoplexy and died after 14 months of suffering on May 23, 1934. Her remains were placed into repose in Pittsburgh's Union Dale Cemetery.

John's fate it not yet known.

Daughter Gertrude M. Frost (1886-1953) was born on Feb. 19, 1886 in Uniontown. She grew up in Allegheny City. She married Frank M. Dean (1881-1941), son of James and Ellen (McLaughlin) Dean of Pittsburgh. The couple initially lived in Titusville, Crawford County, PA and had two known children --- Louise (Dean) Charlesworth O'Conners and Wilbur L. Dean. In the early 1940s, the family made their residence at 2745 Banksville Road in Pittsburgh, where Frank was employed as a laborer in the "relief" industry. Having been stricken with chronic heart disease, Frank died just a few weeks shy of his 60th birthday on June 28, 1941. Burial was in the Union Dale Cemetery on Pittsburgh's North Side. As a widow, in the early 1950s, her home address was 812 Church Run Street in Titusville. She died of coronary artery disease, hardening of the arteries and diabetes at the age of 67 on April 5, 1953. Her remains were placed into rest in the Jerusalem Corners Cemetery in Venango County. Mrs. Louise Silvis was the informant for the certificate of death.