Jacob Holben was born in Armstrong County, where he died March 30, 1911, aged seventy-eight years, ten months, twenty-five days. His wife Amelia (Doverspike) Holben, died January 14, 1908, aged seventy two years, one month, seventeen days. Their children were; Jennie, who died young; Annie, who married Jacob Miller of Oak Ridge; Rebecca, who married Jacob Minich of Ringgold Twp., Jefferson County; Catherine, who married John H. Shaffer of New Bethlehem; Ellen, who married Adam Wells; Sarah, who married John Wells, a brother of Adam Wells; Emma who married G.W. Reddinger of Armstrong County; Caroline who married David Reddinger of Clarion County; Christina, who married James L. Slagle of Mahoning Township; Grant who married Jennie Yount of Ringgold Township; Margaret (Mrs. Frick) of Ohio; and Jacob and Harvey, both died young.
Mr. Holben was a farmer, and carried on extensive operations in Redbank Township.
When his country had need of his services during the Civil War, although he was married at the time, he enlisted and served for three years, participating in many important battles and at some time was captured and served time in Andersonville Prison. He served with Co. B, 78th PA Infantry Regiment. Returning home after the war he resumed farming thus continuing until eight years of his death, when he moved to South Bethlehem, Armstrong County, where he rounded out his useful life. A Republican, he held many township offices, and also acted as an administrator and executor in the settlement of many estates. In religious matters he was a member of the New Salem United Evangelical Church, but attended the Methodist Church in New Bethlehem before he died. He and his wife are buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery, Mahoning Township, Armstrong County, PA.