Weavers of Fine Linen

Mary and Jay Weaver

My family tree was planted in Europe many centuries ago. My ancestors were all of Germanic origin. Most of my lines originated in Switzerland, primarily from the Cantons of Zurich and Berne. They were Anabaptists and were persecuted rather severely during the 16th and 17th centuries. Most of them fled Switzerland and lived for a time in the Palatinate in Germany. From there they came to Pennsylvania and settled in Lancaster County during the early 18th century.

Some of my ancestors were also Lutherans who came from Germany during the 18th century. The counties of Lancaster, Lebanon, and Berks were settled largely by people of Germanic background. The early settlers were Lutheran, Reformed, Catholic, Mennonite, and the German Baptist Brethren (Church of the Brethren).

A dialect known as Pennsylvania Deutsch (German, not Dutch) became the common spoken language of these people for many years. My parents spoke it fluently. Although still spoken by a few people, mainly the Amish and Old Order Mennonites, it is disppearing as a spoken language. There have been a number of things written in the dialect, but it was mainly used for speaking.

More historical and genealogical information can be found on my Genealogy Page

Joshua, Sherry, James Weaver

My ancestors were known as Weavers of Fine Linen. Not only did they create lovely woven products, but also a line of fine Weavers. I am a product of that lineage. I grew up in the home of a Mennonite family in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Although my early ancestors in this country were weavers by trade, the last 4 generations before me were carpenters by trade.  Since I had some physical disabilities due to Polio Meyelitis, I could not follow that trade, and I became a teacher.

My educational background includes a diploma from Ephrata High School, Ephrata, PA; a B.S. in Ed. at Millersville University, Millersville, PA; an M.S. in mathematics at the University of Illinois; and further graduate work at Penn State University.

I began my teaching career at West Reading High School, West Reading, PA in 1956. In the fall of 1957, I took a position teaching mathematics at Warwick High School, Lititz, PA. After completing my M.S. at Illinoi, I took a position at Millersville University, Millersville, PA in the fall of 1959. I retired there as Professor Emeritus in Mathematics in 1988.

Ellen Weaver

In 1955 I married Mary N. Musser from Landisville, PA. We were married in the East Petersburg Church of the Brethren, East Petersburg, PA. Our daughter Ellen was born in Reading, PA in 1956 and our son James was born in Lancaster, PA in 1960. Jim and his wife Sherry of Conestoga, PA brought forth our only grandchild Joshua in Lancaster, PA in 1990.

Since retiring from teaching, I have spent my time with a number of interests. These include researching my family history, writing articles, poems, and hymns. You can find much of this on my Writings Page and on my Thought for the Week. I also spend a lot of time working with my computers. For more on this, see my Computing Page. I continue to teach Sunday School courses on occasion and for many years I taught a beginning computer course at Ramblers Rest Resort, Venice, FL.

If you are interested in learning about my church affiliation and my religious practice and beliefs, you can find some information about that on my Faith Page. Since developing this web site a number of years ago, my life has become an open book. I dedicate this page to my parents, J. Landis Weaver and Ada S. (Horst) Weaver who brought me into this world and taught me how to live my life.