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(John) Michael Brode He was probably the fourth child of Samuel Brode and Anna Barbara Berkstresser. The census for 1800 lists three children for Samuel Brode, all under the age of ten years, two boys and one girl. There is a record of the birth of Samuel Brode, born Sep. 10 1795 in Bucks Co. (Indian Creek Church). Careful research has revealed no further record and he probably died before the family moved to Bedford Co. The children coming to Bedford Co. and included in the census report were Jonathan, Sarah and Michael. Michael's early life was spent at the Brode homestead west of the town of Saxton, Pa. Two of the early residences were still standing in 1942. His father was a tanner and on one occasion Michael, when a child, fell into a tan vat and was nearly drowned. After his marriage he lived for a time at Braddock near Pittsburg, Pa. He returned to Saxton about 1833 and lived at Stonerstown west of the present town of Saxton and later in Little Valley east of Saxton near Coalmont. He was a blacksmith by trade and it is said his wife was a blacksmith also. He is said to have been ill for nine years before his death. He married about 1823, Susanna Zimmerman, daughter of Abraham (or Alexander?) Zimmerman. An account of this family is given in a "History of the Borneman Family" by _____, 1879. The names of Michael's children are here given in order together with the Civil War records of four sons. Susanna is said to have died of a broken heart over the reported imprisonment and eath of the son John in the war. (See account of John.) They had eleven children, four of whom died young, one following an accident and three of scarlet fever. The others married and had large families.
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