William and Mary (Albright) Bock, were both natives of the "Keystone" State, and the parents of nine children. The mother [Mary] died in 1835. The father subsequently married Susan Shieb, who was the mother of fifteen children. Mr. Buck died in 1860. He was a successful farmer and miller, and held during his lifetime, numerous positions of honor and trust.

Remarkably 23 of his 24 children lived to adulthood (a rarity back then). His estate papers list these heirs: sons Joshua, William A., Jacob, Lewis W., Simon C., Peter F., John Augustus [sic], Thomas J, James Henry, Samuel Pierce, Daniel Salem, daughters Sarah, Justina, Emeline, Sabilla, Emma Valina, Louisa, Mary DeFehn, Diana Leib, Hannah M. Seltzer, Catharine Reed and the children of his daughter Elizabeth Seltzer: William, Jacob, Benjamin and Sarah Seltzer.

Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Schuylkill County Pennsylvania, by Samuel T. Wiley, edited by Henry W. Ruoff, published by Rush, West and Company 1893 - Philadelphia, Pa, Pages 418 and 419:

"William Bock, father of William A., was born at Hamburg, Berks county, Pennsylvania, in 1790, and was brought to McKeansburg with his father at the age of eighteen months, where he resided until his death in May, 1860. He was a farmer all his life, and a man of considerable genius, being able to work at carpentering, blacksmithing, and several other lines of mechanical work. He was a democrat in politics, all his life taking quite an active part in political matters, and was elected director of the poor of Schuylkill county for three years, serving in that capacity from 1841 to 1844. He also filled, from time to time, almost all of the several township offices of his township, and was a leading citizen of his neighborhood, widely-known and highly respected by all his neighbors. He was first married to Miss Mary M. Albright, mother of William A., a daughter of Henry Albright. She died at the age of forty years, in 1835. By this marriage he had nine children, five sons and four daughters. He was married a second time to Miss Susanna Sheip. By this marriage he had fifteen children."