Jacob Van Gorder, Jr was the only son of Jacob and Margaret Beamer Van Gorder. Jacob inherited his father's property and purchased his own land along the Slippery Rock Creek, totaling 200 acres. Jacob built a grist mill and saw mill on the Slippery Rock Creek about 1844 and it remained there for 100 years until it was torn down in 1947 when the dam washed out and the old mill was in danger of falling down.
Jacob Jr. and Nancy had 9 children: Andrew Alexander, Israel, Margaret Jane, Louisa, Almira Maria, Alvi Stevenson, Robert Sample, James Allen, and Nancy Belle.

Obit: New Castle Courant, October 22, 1886
Mr Jacob Vangorder, aged 80 years, and a highly respected citizen of Slippery Rock township, died Friday of last week. The deceased was widely known and was nearly 81 years of age. Funeral Sunday at 9:30am.

DEATH OF JACOB VANGORDER
Died October 16, 1886 at the residence of his son, James, Jacob VanGorder aged 81 years.
Mr VanGorder lived to quite an advanced age, although the asthma had caused much distress at times for many years at the close of his life. This long life was spent in the township where he was born, on the banks of the stream called Slippery Rock, and having near to him four sons and three daughters in their separate homes. His wife, Mrs Nancy VanGorder, died two years ago last August, and she was very much missed by her husband and family - and this is not strange for she was a woman of most excellent and devout spirit, a helpmate in truth during all their long life.
As a citizen we have always regarded Mr V conscientious, intelligent and exemplary; as a neighbor, prudent, peaceable and careful of the rights of all, unjust to none; as a business man, honest, wise and safe; in family life, considerate, kind and forbearing. But few in our county have been more widely known and more highly respected, walking quietly in the paths of a private life.
Mr V. was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church nearly all his life and for many years elder in the same.
His funeral on Sabbath, October 17th, with a service in the church, the six elders surrounding him acting as pallbearers, was very largely attended by people of all denominations and by his neighbors from the southern part of the county.
~ A FRIEND

Source: The Daily City News, New Castle, Pennsylvania
Wed, Oct 20, 1886 · Page 3