ANCESTOR SPOTLIGHT
Getting Acquainted with our Relatives:
Donna Everhart presented an introduction to her dad, Clair Mock, who was present. Clair celebrated his 100th birthday on July 24, 2005. He did something he always wanted to do, ride a Harley Davidson Motorcycle.
Clair was born July 24, 1905, the son of Wilson Decker and Idella Catherine Barefoot Mock. Idella is the daughter of Espy and Annetta (Emerick) Barefoot, and Espy is the son of William S. and Dianne (Heck) Barefoot.
Clair lived in Spruce Hollow. He was a self-taught mechanic; and he worked on the farm and loved gardening. He worked for Sealtest Dairy, retiring in 1972.
Clair now lives at Colonial Courtyard; he walks 3 miles a day, takes no medicine.
He does take 2 T each day of the following mixture: 2C vinegar and 1C honey.
Clair has been receiving the prize as the oldest man, and we hope he continues to do so for many more years.
Here is an article on Clair when he celebrated his 99th birthday.

"Bedford Resident Has Strong Ties to Church"

Clair Mock holds replica he made of the original Mock Church built in 1843.

You can't keep a good man down, they say, and Clair Mock of Bedford is proof. He celebrated his 99th birthday July 26, and he still walks from 2 to 4 miles a day.
It was fitting that he marked the milestone with a cake at the Bedford Church of
the Brethren, Just up the road from Colonial Manor, where he lives, Mock has been a member of the Dunnings Creek Church of the Brethren all his life, and the original church building was erected on land donated by his great-great-grandfather in 1843. Known as the old Mock Church, it still stands but is used only occasionally.
Clair made three exact replicas of the Mock Church, complete with logs and separate doors on opposite sides - one for men to enter and the other for women and children. They are complete with a table and plank benches inside.
One replica was sent to the denomination's headquarters in Elgin, IL, and another to Church of the Brethren Pennsylvania Middle District office in Huntingdon. The third will go to Dunnings Creek Church.The original church, located between Pleasantville and Ryot, would not be standing if Clair had not inspired several other men to help him restore it, a job that took about 10 years.
But that's getting ahead of the story.
Six families of Brethren started the congregation, meeting in homes until 1842,
when the George Holsinger family arrived from Woodbury. They decided to build a
church and Christian Mock donated the land, although there are stories that he may
have received $5 for it.
The one-room log structure measured 35 by 26 feet and had segregated seating for men and women on plank benches. In those days, some of the preachers were good for an hour and a half or longer. There was no pulpit, just a table. The church was used for 75 years, but was outgrown as the congregation expanded. The Holsinger Meeting House was built, and then the Point Church, and a church at New Paris. One preacher served all three until Point wanted its own pastor.
The Rev. John E. Roland came in 1940 and served all three for $75 a month and a parsonage up the road from the New Paris Church. His salary later was raised to $80. He stayed for seven years.
"Back in the 1940s, gasoline was scarce," Clair said. "He would drive up one of the hollows and get out and walk to visit all those families up there. I'd like to see a preacher today do that."
The present Dunnings Creek Church was dedicated in January 1971. Meanwhile, the original Mock Church was in bad shape, practically falling apart. Logs had rotted and the floor was dangerous. The congregation talked about tearing it down.
"I didn't want to hear that," Clair said. "One Sunday afternoon six of us went up there, and we decided we could put new logs in if they would give us permission."
With him were Karl Kaufman, Harry Barefoot,Fred Barefoot, Jim Everhart and Neal Weaver. Others joined them later, but they put the first logs in. They jacked up the walls, took the bad logs out and put new ones in, then put metal between the
logs and chinked them with mortar. The whole building was restored.
"At Christmastime, they'll go up and have a Christmas service there with candles and oil lamps," Clair said. "That's really a nice service."
Hay rides are scheduled from the old Mock Church. Upon their return, there is a vesper service and hot dogs.
As for himself, Clair said he plans to keep on walking, as he enters his 100th year. He said he takes no medicine of any kind except eye drops now and then. He does take his own mixture of apple vinegar and honey to keep the blood vessels cleared out. "I eat a lot of vegetables, fruit and nuts," he said. "God furnishes all that stuff to help you out."
His religion is very real to Clair. When asked if he had any advice for people today, he held up his Bible and said, "Right here's a lot of good advice. Read that and pray every day. That's a lot of good advice to start with."
Clair was born in Lincoln Township, near Lovely, in 1905, one of 10 children of Wilson and Idella Mock. He attended the five grades in a little school above Lovely, and worked on the family farm.
Over the years, he worked at various jobs. Among them were the Pennsylvania Railroad shops at Altoona, the brick plant at Sproul and New Enterprise Stone & Lime.
He was married April 6, 1930, to Ruth Lillian Bowser. Her death in 2002 broke a union of 72 years. He has four children: Elaine Sollenberger, Donna Everhart, Nancy Mitchell and Arthur Mock. He has 12 grand-children and 18 great-grand-children.
There were also several articles in the paper when he celebrated 100 years.

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Clair rides a Harley at 100 years.
This year after learning about Clair Mock, we were entertained by the band HTAF. Dave Burns, son of Patty Jones, grandson of G. Robert and Barbara Hott, descended through Elizabeth (Barefoot) Hammer, is a member of the band. They will also entertain us in 2006. For the “Getting Acquainted with Our Relatives” presentation in 2006, Mark Hott has agreed to tell about his grandmother Elizabeth (Krise) Hott, descended through Elizabeth (Barefoot) Hammer. For years Elizabeth Hott attended the reunions and served in various offices and mailed the postcards.
Minutes by Roberta Woodley, Secretary