Andrew was the son of Jacob Haffner, who is outlined below. He was born in PA, and married Mary Tharbaugh (Torebach) June 6, 1795 in Augusta Co. VA. Andrew's will was dated Sept. 5, 1827, Proved May 1838. To Wife and Children or their heirs. Final Settlement April 1, 1855, with Samuel and Daniel Haffner, executors. In 1856 executors sold 216 acres on a branch of

 Naked Creek, Augusta Co. to Michael Flory. This land is noted as adjoining Balser Lutz, Robert Snap and John II Switzer. JohnII and Mary Haffner were neighbors judging by this land sale deed.

The Lutz's and the Sowers figure in the oral history of our family, I remember my mother talking about connections to them, neighbors that lasted 5 generations in memory.

  Children

Samuel b.1812 d.1885, Daniel b.1814 d.1886 married Diana Lutz, Margaret b.ca 1816 d.1898 married Samuel McClung, Jacob II b.Mar.24,1796 mar.Susanna Lutz, Heinrich b.Apr7,1797 mar. Margaret Sower, Elizabeth mar. George Sower, Mary Ann b.1800 mar. Henry Switzer, John b. Mar1,1803, Susan Catharina b.1809

Jacob Haffner, Father of Andrew

 Jacob Haffner was the father of Andrew, and was born abt. 1756 in the Palatinate in Germany.  He died in April of 1829, in Augusta Co. VA, but his wife's name is not known.  He lived in PA in 1780, serving as a "Korl" in the 5th Batt. under Capt. Mich Lechner's 4th Comp. His residence was then Codorus Twp.,York Co. PA.  In 1782 we find him serving in the Penn State Militia, York Co. as a Corporal under Capt. Henry Kesler's Comp.

 Jacob's will in Book 16, p.569 dated Sept. 4,1815, Proved 1829, names the heirs as they appear below.  Andrew was the executor and received the Plantation of 217 acres where he and his father lived. The rest of the children received money.

The children of Jacob, according to the Will

Catherine Haffner mar. a Wehrley,  Michael Haffner mar. Mary Catharina Seibs, Margaret Haffner mar. a Skyles,  Phillip Haffner mar. Catharina Fullwider, daughter of Ulrich Fullwriter Mar.9,1793,  Magdalen Haffner mar. Christian Lambert May 20,1795,  Barbara Haffner mar. George Tharbaugh Dec.21,1801, Christian Haffner, Elizabeth Haffner mar. John Mille, Andrew Haffner Mar. Mary Tharbaugh June 6,1795.

The Hafners lived Next to the Switzers in Augusta Co. VA

Deed for the Meeting House/Schoolhouse at Naked Creek, Augusta Co. Va.

"Old Slatehill"

      Augusta County, Va.

"ANDREW HAFFNER, for and in consideration of the conveniences and general benefit of the neighborhood and the further consideration of ONE DOLLAR in hand, paid him by the trustees ABRAHAM SWITZER and BENJAMIN BRYAN (Trustees chosen by the subscribers to the schoolhouse) 25 July 1836 land containing 16 sq. rods and a pathway to the spring (with the liberty of dipping water out of the spring at any and every time it may be necessary so to do.) So long as they the said trustees or their successors in office or the people keep the house that is now built on said lot or any and every one that may hereafter be built in sufficient repair for to hold preaching, keep reading or singing schools in and no longer, for those purposes and no others is this deed intended."

This deed goes to provide a view of the community around Naked Creek, and is further fleshed out by a Mrs. Wetzel, who was a daughter of Abraham SwitzerII in the following words from a letter to her son.

"You see, they hardly ever sent letters in those days, only by carrier on horseback were few and far between;  I think Springhill was a little town, the closest --- them where they went with their produce unless they took it "over the mountain" to some larger place.  Stauton was (seemed) quite a ways off then, but only may have been 30 or 40 miles.

Old Slatehill was their school house where they went to school. Your Grandfather Wetzel was raised in the same neighborhood as my father and mother and I think the Bryan and Switzer homesteads joined, yet am not sure, but I know when my grandmother Switzer died, quite suddenly one evening, Uncle Antony ran to the top of the hill and called "Oh, Mr. Bryan, Mother is Dead!".  ----- You know the houses those days were all set as near the center of the farms as possible (southern fashion) and handy to the spring for they couldn't keep house without a springhouse for milk and butter.  I suppose the schoolhouse was named from the slate on the hill".  

This excerpt verifies a tightly drawn neighborhood around the spring and schoolhouse that encompassed the families of Switzer, Croushorn, Bryan, Haffner, Wetzel, Lutz, Snap and Tharbaugh.  In a letter written by P.C. Switzer the following references to the community.

"The Mr. Croushorn we saw below Mt. Sidney --- is some of your Uncle John's children. There was a Slate Hill Schoolhouse and there is a Mt. Solon post office, but it is about 8 miles" away.

Balzar Lutz was a potter in this community, he is mentioned in an article on Potters in Augusta, Va.

Balzar Lutz, a county potter, left to his wife Catherine, in a will dated 1846, "as many of my German books as she may wish to keep." In the inventory of the estate was an 8 day weighted brass clock, 3 spinning wheels, a loom, and a German Bible. At the time of his death he owned 844 acres.