'YALE'VNIVERSITY ? L I B R,A R,Y * BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA COMPRISING A HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE COUNTY By SAMUEL T. WILEY * AUTHOR OF HISTORIES OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK; PRESTON AND MONONGALIA COUNTIES, WEST VIRGINIA; FAYETTE, WESTMORELAND, BLAIR, INDIANA AND ARMSTRONG COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA, ETC. TOGETHER WITH ABOUT FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE PROMINENT MEN AND LEADING CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY CAREFULLY REVISED AND EDITED By HENRY W. RUOFF ILLUSTRATED RUSH, WEST AND COMPANY, Publishers PHILADELPHIA, PA. 1893 Press of The Jas. B. Rodgers Printing Company, 52 and 54 North Sixth Street, Philadelphia. -5f^ Cka7 PREFACE. THE last written usually, though the first read by most intelligent book men, is this page. Hence it is that authors often use this privilege to fence against adverse criticism, or apologize for errors of omission or commission, singularly for getting the fact that nothing of man's crea tion is perfect, and that the dear critics are not only busy pointing out the " Mistakes of Moses," but are exploiting upon the faults of creation itself. We welcome them all, for doubters and critics we esteem the salt of every civilization, and we will rest content that every person competent to know, after even a superficial examination, will realize that the whole has not been the work of " the idle singer of an empty day." The work is divided into two parts : His torical and Biographical, with a full analytical Index, which will render easy reference not only to each biography, but to every incident of interest in the book. In the Historical feature of the work, a grouping of the main facts, and not an ex haustive history of the county, was attempted, whilst in the Biographical feature, instead of devoting large space to the men of pre-Revo- lutionary times, it was intended to make this a live Cyclopedia, which, while it preserves much that is valuable in the past, will include the men who are doing the work and mould ing the thought of the present time. This work, we believe, will supply an invaluable and useful means for establishing identity, relationship, birth, official position, details as to many military records and other important data which are necessary to the making up of family history. The Publishers. Table of Contents. HISTORICAL A GRICULTURE, Statistics of, Anthracite Coal, Discovery of Page 199 Agricultural Societies . "DOROUGH History Boroughs . . Ashland . . , Auburn .... Cressona . . Delano . Frackville . . Gilberton . Girardville Gordon. . . Landingville Mahanoy City Middleport . Minersville . Mt. Carbon . New Philadelphia New Ringgold Orwigsburg . . Palo Alto . . Pine Grove . Port Carbon Port Clinton Pottsville. . St. Clair .... Schuylkill Haven Shenandoah . . Tamaqua . . Tremont . . . Tower City . . Yorkville . . . 28 and 201 154 155 167 177180 1 So 179 176172178180 162178 172179 179 r78 170177 176174 179 155 175 173165 168175 177177 Page /^IVIL Roster .... 37 ^"^ Congressmen 37 Judges , 37 Sheriff's 38 Prothonotaries . 38 Treasurers . . . 38 Commissioners 38 Registers of Wills, Clerk of Orphans' Court and County Recorder ... 39 Recorders .... . . 39 Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court . . 39 Clerk of the Courts . 39 State Representatives. ... 39 State Senators 40 Civil War, The 49 Washington Artillery . . 51 National Light Infantry ... 51 Officers and men of the Fifth Pennsylvania from Schuyl kill county 52 Company C 52 Company E . . . . -S3 Company F . . • ¦ S3 Company I 53 Sixth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers 54 Company B . . . 54 Company C 54 Company D 55 Company E 55 Company F . . . . 56 Company G . .... 56 Company H 56 Page Ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers 57 Company, H 57 Company K . . . -57 Tenth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers ...... 58 Company G 58 Scott's Rifles, of Tamaqua . . 58 Washington Light Infantry, of Pine Grove 58 Fourteenth Regiment Pennsyl vania Volunteers . . . 59 Company'B (Lafayette Rifles) 59 Company B (Lafayette Rifles, of St. Clair) 59 Sixteenth Regiment Pennsylva nia Volunteers 59 Company B 59 Company D 60 Company E 60 Company I 60 Schuylkill Guards, of Miners ville 61 Twenty-seventh Regiment P. V. M. 61 Twenty-seventh Regiment Pa. Vols 61 Thirty-ninth Regiment P. V. M. 62 Fortieth Regiment — Eleventh Reserves 62 Forty-eighth Pa. Vols. . . .62 Company A . . . . 63 Company B 64 Company C . . . . 65 Company D . .66 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page Company E 67 Company F . . . 68 Company G ... 69 Company H 70 Company I . . . -7*2 Company K 73 Casualties in the Forty-eighth 74 Fiftieth Regiment Pa. Vols. . . 80 Company A 81 Company B 82 Company C . . .82 Casualties in the Fiftieth . . 83 Fifty-second Regiment Pa. Vols. 84 Fifty-third Regiment Pa. Vols. 85 Fifty-fifth Regiment Pa. Vols. 85 Company E . .... 85 Casualties 85 Fifty-sixth Regiment Pa. Vols. 86 Company C 87 Company D 87 Company E 87 Company K 87 Casualties 87 Sixtieth Regiment — Third Cav alry 87 Company I 87 Sixty-fifth Regiment— Fifth Cav alry 88 Representatives from Schuylkill county in Sixty-Seventh Regiment . . 89 Seventieth Regiment ... 90 Seventy-fifth Regiment ... 91 Seventy-sixth Regiment . . 91 Eighty-first Regiment, Pa. Vol. 91 Eightieth Regiment 91 Company A 92 Company E 92 Company F 92 Company G 94 Company 1 94 Casualties 95 Eighty-ninth Regiment — Eighth Cavalry 95 Ninety-Third Regiment, Pa. Vol 96 Ninety-sixth Regiment .... 96 Company A 97 Company B ...-•¦ . 98 Company C 98 Company D . . . 99 Company E 99 Company F 100 Company G . ... 100 Company H 101 Page Company I 101 Company K 102 Casualties 104 Ninety-ninth Regiment, Pa. Vol. 107 One Hundred and Fourth Regi ment, Pa. Vol 107 One Hundred and Seventh Regi ment, Pa. Vol . . . . 108 One hundred and Eighth Regi ment — Eleventh Cavalry . 108 One Hundred and Sixteenth Regiment, Pa. Vol. . 109 Thirteenth Cavalry — Irish Dra goons .... ...no One Hundred and Twenty- seventh Pa. Vol no Company K no One Hundred- and Twenty-ninth Regiment, Pa. Vol ... in Company A in Company B 112 Company E . .... 112 Company G 113 Company H 113 Casualties 114 One Hundred and Thirty- seventh Pa. Vol 115 Company K 115 One Hundred and Fifty-first, Pa. Vol 115 Company 1 115 One Hundred and Sixty-first . 116 Company A 116 Company B 116 One Hundred and Sixty-second 116 Company H 117 Company F 117 Casualties 117 One Hundred and Seventy-third 118 One Hundred and Eighty- fourth, Pa. Vol. . . . 118 Company F . . . . . 118 One Hundred and Ninety- fourth, Pa. Vol . . *. n8 Two Hundred and Tenth, Pa. Vol ,,9 Company E ng Two Hundred and Fourteenth Reg. Pa. Vol n9 Schuylkill men in other Regi ments 120 In the Navy , 125 In Regiments not ascertained . 125 Coal Industry, The 127 Coal Trade, Growth of . . Coal Production, Growth of Churches County Seat, Removal of . County Formation . . . Coal Developments, Recent Coal Stage, Pioneer . . . Page 48 44 •47 483° I3S 43 T7ORGES and Furnaces, Early . 29 Frontier Forts 27 Flood of 1850 . . .48 f* EOLOGY Girard Coal Lands Geography 19 17 201 IT ISTORICAL Sketch of Schuylkill County . , 17-208 TNDIANS 24 Indian Depredations .... 27 T ONG Strike, The . . . . 130 Lumbering 29 TWT EMBERS of the Bar . . 40 j-VI Medical 147 Physicians, Registered 147 Dentists " 151 Veterinary Surgeons, Reg istered ; 151 Mound-builders 23 Mexican War 47 Roster Co. "B" 47 Mollie Maguires 131 /^vRWIGSBURG 29 DIKES I40 Postal I52 Political 151 Public Buildings ig0 Gourt House 153 County Prison 193 Almshouse 104 Miners' Hospital . . . 197 Press, The 1C4 Papers in the County .... 155 Pottsville Athenaeum . . . . 202 Pottsville Scientific Association . 202 Pioneer Settlers 25 "DAILROADS I4i TABLE OF CONTENTS. OECRET Societies Schools .... Schuylkill Navigation . Statistics Total Population . Minor Civil Divisions Manufacturing . AgricultureTaxation ... Indebtedness npOPOGRAPHY . -*- Tory Path, The . Townships . Barry . Blythe . . Branch . . Butler . . Page 153-200 143 43 197 197 197 199 199 200200 18 28 1 80 180 180 181 181 Page Cass 182 East Brunswick ... .182 East Norwegian 183 East Union ...... 183 Eldred 183 Foster 183 Frailey 183 Hegins 184 Hubley . . . . 184 Klein . . 184 Mahanoy . 185 New Castle 185 North Manheim . .186 North Union ... ... 186 Norwegian . .186 Pine Grove 186 Porter 187 Rahn 187 Reilly . . . Rush . . . Ryan .... SchuylkillSouth Manheim Tremont . . Union Upper Mahantongo Washington . Wayne . . . West Mahanoy West Brunswick Walker .... West Penn . . T TNION Canal AXTARof 1812 Page .87 190 190 190 190 4440 10 TABLE OF CONTENTS. BIOGRAPHICAL. A UMAN, Samuel . ¦**¦ Adam, John M. . . Aikman, James Allison, Robert . . . Albright, Hiester S. Altstatt, Francis . . Allen, Charles F. ... Atkins, William . Arters, Professor Charles D. Adams, George . Acker Charles R. Page 254287 3»7395 421481 52S584599 6S0 747 "DANNAN, Benjamin . . 213 Barlow, Ephraim . . 225 Brown, Col. David P 229 Binkley, Dr. George K 239 Bensinger, Charles .... . 247 Brumm, Hon. Charles N. . . 248 Brown, Albert E 252 Bartholomew, Hon. Lin . . . 259 Bedford John W. . . . 266 Boyer, Dr. Francis W 272 Burke, Martin M 291 Bartholomew, Rev. Allen R. . . 295 Bast, Jeremiah F 302 Boone, Milton 312 Bretz, Henry W. . . .314 Burnard, John H 322 Brown, David C 323 Baker, Emanuel H. ... 355 Baily, Daniel 362 Becker, John F 364 Brensinger, Aaron N. . . 365 Bell, Mayberry B. . .... 384 Broughall, William 389 Butz, Jonathan H. . . . . 398 Basler, William 405 Bechtel, Francis W 411 Brode, Samuel 412 Bock, William A 418 Brown, Dr. George W 441 Beecher, J. William 456 Burchill, George 467 Buechley, William 482 Bechtel, Hon. O. P. . . Beck, Frederick . . Beck, Edward Beck, William . . . Bossier, Alfred J. . . Beddall Family, The Beddall, Samuel A. . . Beddall, George W. . Beddall, Edward A. Beddall, Benjamin D. Beddall, Nathan W. Becker, Emanuel K. Bordy, Albert . ... Birmingham, Patrick J. . Bertolet, Benneville F. . Boner, Nathan S. Bracey, Thomas . Brennan, Michael P. . . Bock, Paul Bretz, George M. . . Bender, Frank C. Brown, George L. . . . Brower, Hon. Calvin W. Boyer, Henry C. . . Boyer, Mahlon H. Beecher, Orson . „ Beresford, Rev. Father Philip F Bergen, John Brennan, Hon. James E. Bock, Rev. George M. . Brown, P. J Batdorff, Zechariah .... Burkert, Elias P. Bradigan, John J Bronson, Alfred F., M.D. . Batdorff, Theodore F. Barlow, Daniel .... Bleiler, Dr. Charles A. . Barnhart, Captain Frank H Bechtel, John A Brady, Dr. Sobieski H. . Biddle, J. C, M.D. . . . Page 484497499 499 500 506506 5°7508508508 5H5'7 535 53553754i 544 557 56156457o597612621625 631634 64265265S661 672 676689690 704707718 722 735 743 /^ARTER, William H. . . -* Callen, Dr. J. Spencer . Comery, Andrew Carey, Henry C Carey, William H. . . Cumming, Benjamin W Cochran, James G. . . Coyle, Hon. John J. . Coleman, Cornelius . Curran, John E. . . . Coble, Dr. Jacob W. Christ, Isaac S Christian, Captain Daniel Croxton, Thomas . . . Cole, William R. . . Carter, Frank .... Callen, John Maurice . Cooper, Professor J. W. Connell, Phil. J Conry, Hon. Patrick . . Christ, Jphn B Conrey, Patrick, Sr. Carter, William J. . . . Cochran, Andrew B. Cake, Professor J. J. . . Campbell, John . . Coyle, John R "pvIEFENDERFER, Geo. C. . ^"^ Drumheller, Jesse . . . De Frehn, Joseph Detweiler, Dr. Peter C. . . Davis, John J. Dutfield, Joseph . .... Donaldson, Hon. William . . . Dechert, Dr. Daniel Davies, William O Dunkelberger, William C. . Doerflinger, Gustavus Adolphus . Downs, Thomas S Dech, William J Dreher, Dr. Chas. B Derr, Prof. J. F., A. M Dolan, Joseph Page 240 244261283 315320 351 358379392 40240643° 46447i483 520 524 53i 609 644 647 701 713724 736 748 232 233 234313342347 381 394 401404406408 416433 447455 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 11 Devlin, Michael Donkin, Robert . Doyle, Thomas . Deihm, John R. Dobson, Oliver . Doyle, M. E. . Drasher, Samuel Dilfield, Elias . Doyle, Michael J Dagget, Rev. Peter F. Deibert, Albert F. . Dando, Mrs. Margaret Deegan, James R. Daddow, Samuel Harries Depew, Joseph A. Dence, Hon. John X. . . Davis, John T T7ISENHUTH, Andrew C. . *—' Eckert, John L Ehrhart, Professor Wm. N. . . Ebling, Robert .... Ebert, John Evans, Hon. Clay W. . . Eberle, Christian .... Evans, Charles W., M.D. Emrich, Elijah . ... T7OWLER, Hon. Marmaduke * Filbert, P. K., D.D.S. . Focht, Hon. James Faust, Alexander S. ... Fegley, Perry W Freeman, Lester A Fogarty, Rev. P. F. Follweiler, Hon. Warren T. . Frack, Samuel Fisher, Rev. John J Fligge, August .... Flanagan, Peter Fisher, Charles Fitzpatrick, Thomas E. Faust, David ..... Foley, Thomas J. . . . Francis, Abraham K Felty, Aaron T Page 462465 491 581 586 594 606645 650 654 663667 669 681 716 73° 739 3°7 333 • 377 380 - 399 . 501522 • -586 698 P. 269 • 285 . 285 ¦ 294 37° ¦ 372 39° 437 450 • 49° 560 . 629 65 < . 678 ¦ 685 702709 • 714 /~* REEN, Hon. David B. ^^ Gaughan, Patrick J. . 215256 Grover, Dr. William E. . . 265 Gise, Prof. H. Day . ... 347 Geary, Jos. W 354 Gus, Samuel 355 Gerber, George H 371 Gruhler, Rev. John 388 Page Guss, Hon. Wallace 423 Griesbaum, Matthias . . 426 Goldsmith, George J. . , . 478 Gray, Dr. James C 492 Glick, Joseph Miller ... 5 14 Griffiths, Peter . 539 Gilbert, Alfred 559 Guldin, Benjamin C, M.D. 592 Gensemer, Daniel 610 Granger, Charles . . 635 Giles, Thomas . . 653 Gay, Samuel . . . . 657 Geier, Thomas 694 TT AYWOOD, Benjamin . . . 211 Higgins, Hon. Thomas J. 257 Heblich, Nicholas 272 Hoppes, Andrew . ... 292 Holahan, Rev. James A. . . . 308 Hendler, Captain Henry J. . 311 Hoffman, John P 313 Hamilton, George . . Heebner Family, The ... Heebner, Henry R Heebner, George ... Heebner, Dr. Thomas T. Hill, William D. Heiser, Dr. Edward . Hock, Conrad Hirsh, Robert H. . Hummel, Levi . . . , . . Hoy, Thomas . . . Henderson, Charles . Haupt Family, The Hinterleitner, Rev. Gustavus Adolf, D.D Henning, David C. . Hay, Rev. Edward G. Hack, William C. . . Helfrich, George H Humbert, William F. Hawk, Dr. William A. Hetherington, Jonathan Hullihan, John .... Hagenbuch, Charles C. Heintzelman, Robert W Hewel, Joseph .... Heil, Henry Heaton, William H. Heberling, Simon P. Henry, Rev. Elias S. . Hermany, Dr. Phaon . Huber, Major Levi . Harris, Robert .... 33' 343344344 345 400 408 414419 427 44245i 46647i 5°5 529565 568 580603606608616629631°33637 657664679 6S3 686 Hummel, Hon. Edward Hosie, John H. . . Himmelberger, John H Helms, Peter D. . . Hoffman, Dr, J. Louis Harris, John P. . Hughes, Francis Wade T RISH, Guy C. . . . Irish, George J. Israel, George M. . T OHNSON, Elmer E. J Johnson, George W. Jungkurth, Henry G. Johnson, Josiah W. . James, J. H. Jones, Arthur E. . . . Jones, David E. Jones, William D. . . TZ ISTLER, Dr. John S. -^ Kirk, Hon. S. C. . Kline, David B. ... Keyser, Rev. Henry A., D.D. King, Hon. Charles F. . Knapp, John C Kaiser, Nicholas .... Koch, Richard Henry . Kimmel, William, Kehler, J. K Kriner, H. Wilson . . , Kulp, Frederick R. . . Kirlin, E. J Kepner, W. Clinton .... Klock, Dr. Henry A. . . . Keim, Jeremiah B. . . Kessler, Peter . . Kealy, James Keefer, Senator Luther R. . Kuehn, William O Kaufman, Hon. Benjamin Kaufman, Daniel E. ... Koerper, Peter, Jr. Kennedy, William J. ' Kear Family Kear, William G Kear, Richard C Kear, Charles R. . . Kear, Edward G Kear, Harrison A. Kear, Frank G Keilman, Geo. W. Kaercher, Franklin B. Page 703 706 71872873273575o 290316 538247263519523618 650673 707 226 237241264273286289 336 34i 357 386420 452 460 504542 557578 582 59i602614617649666666667667 66S 668 668674 744 12 ' TABLE OF CONTENTS. Kaercher, George R. Kaercher, Franklin P. Kaercher, Samuel H. Kaercher, William H. . . Kaercher, Daniel W. Kaercher, Edward E. . T ANGTON, Dr. Daniel J Lewis, Dr. Thomas Luther, Roland C. Lenker, Dr. Christian Long, James H. . Laubenstein, Levi . . . Lee, Ralph R. . . . Leckie, William . . Lytle, Nathaniel C. Litsch, Maurice Lewis, William H. . Losch, Hon. Samuel Alfred Little, Dr. George .... Littlehales, Robert ... Lenarkiewicz. Father Joseph A. Lutz, Samuel O. Lebo, Henry G. . . Leibensperger, Oscar P. . . Lutz, Willoughby . . . "jyTATZ, William J. . . Morris, Ebenezer . . Miller, Prof. Frank Seward . . Medlar, Valentine W. ... Miller, Alfred M Moreton, Daniel D. ... Monaghan, Hon. Bernard J. Muldowney, Rev. John P. Morgan, Hon. John W. . . Moyer, Francis Moyer, Solomon R Miller, Preston .... Mortimer, Samuel M. . . , . McElroy, Edward . McGurl, Daniel McGovern, Rev. Father Francis J Miller, Joseph Moyer, Joseph W Meek, Charles A Matten, Dr. William A. . . . Matten, Hon. Charles C. . . . Mettam, Albert McAdams, William ... Maurer, James McCul lough, Rev. Father Peter Morrell, James Marks, Rev. Charles A. . . . Page 745745 745745 745746 26S293297 3°9 332 385415 473 525 543 547549 572 605 609656672675717223 235 235 251 303 3'»321324329 346348356 360 378 413425428435 454461 469476 508 513 521526 526 Mervine, Moses Mensch, Isaiah . McKeon, Hon. Francis Munley, Michael E. Miller, Elias . . Moody, William E. Marshall, David S., M.D. Master, Milton H. . . Millington, Joseph T. Moore, Cyrus . . . Morris, David . . . Madison, James M. . Murphy; Walter E. . Murphy, T. J. . . McGettigan, Rev. Hugh J. McMurtrie, William . Martin, Smith . . Maguire, John . . Marks, John, . Moore, Simon . . McDonough, L. F. Mohan, Charles B. Moyer, Professor Charles H. Martin, Dr. William John McDevitt, Rev. Father John "XT ICE, Hon. Decatur E. . Nagle, General James Nagle, Col. Daniel . . . Naus, John R Neuser, David Ney, Henry J. . . /~V HARA, Michael, . . . ^ O'Hara, Dr. Patrick H. O'Reilly, Rev Father Henry F, O'Connor, Michael T. Oliver, William J. Orme, Seth . . O'Connor, Jeremiah O'Donnell, John . Owens, James . . O'Connor, John J. OALMER, Dr. Charles T. Pott, Benjamin . Potts, George H. . . Pleasants, Gen. Henry Patterson, Joseph F. . Patterson, Burd . . . Patterson, Rev. Father C. F Prendergast, Martin . Powers, Rev. James F. Payne, Joseph M. . . Page 538545 545546 552 554 555566573 577592599 607 620623627 ^34636640 648 678689 699 727 73i 277298300 362 427 429 242 243 3°4431444 472 530 5^9 646 725245 349 374 398 416486 562 5^359° 693 Parker, John W .... Phillips, Capt. Edward J. . Phillips, Dr. Edwin F. . . Pershing, Judge Cyrus L. . Potts, Hon. W. Ramsay . . Q UAIL, Dr. Charles Edward Quail, Dr. Foster Koehler "O YON, Hon. John W. -*¦ *- Roseberry, John W. Roseberry, George D. Reilly, Hon. James B. Reinhold, Eli Spayd Rausch, Livingston V. Ryan, James W Ryon, Hon. James . Reed, Elias E. . . Reilly, John A Rich, Job . Rich, Isaac B Roads, Jacob O . . Rettig, Charles ¦ . Rickert, Col. Thomas H. Rentschler, Henry D., M.D. Ryan, Dr. Michael, C. . Roberts, Jacob Reichley, Anthony J., Jr. Rosengarten, George . . Rohrheimer, Morris Reese, J. W. . . . Rooney, Rev. John J. Reynolds, John F Reynolds, Michael J . . Rasbridge, Robert B . . Robertson, Andrew Roberts, Robert W. . . Robenold, G. H., D.D.S. Reinhard, Bartolet S . Rowe, John Rinck, James A . .. . . Raush, James . . Rubrecht, James W. Rentz, Frank Reilly, John W. . . . CHEAFER, P. W. "^ Straub, Dr. David W. Scheurman, Henry Schrader, J. W. . . Seltzer, Albert W. . Schalck, Adolph W. Scheifly, John . . . Spalding, Dr. S. C . Page 695 712 738 742749 279 280 217 221 222228255 258 269 319 324332 335336 339361 368 3^9 379 424 4504684774794S0 5'35i4546 55' 574 607614643671674695 705 737209227 250253 274 278288 3°5 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 13 Page Stellwagon, William M 306 Shepherd, Watson F 317 Stoeffregen, Louis . . .326 Smith, Asa G. W 327 Smith, Benjamin J. . . . . . 331 Schmeltzer, Francis 334 Starr, Dr. Samuel E. . . . 377 Shepp, Daniel ... . . 382 Sharadin, Daniel . ... 389 Sprenger, John A 391 Schirner, Dr. John C. F. . . 393 Stein, William . . . . 409 Sterner, Charles E 421 Schum, Daniel . . . 430 Spiese, Franklin P 439 Salade, Dr. James W. . . . 443 Snyder, George W 457 Schmidt, G. Lorenz 461 Shumway, Channing 488 Sigfried, Gen. J. K 493 Shindel, Chas. S 510 Stichter, Valentine 518 Snyder, Henry R .520 Shoemaker, William H 533 Sanner, William S 541 Schwalm, Peter , . 553 Spayd, Prof. H. H 575 Seltzer, Wesley A 578 Swayze, M. Alice, M.D 587 Shultz, Dr. David L 589 Stitzer, Capt. W. F 595 Smith, Heber B 596 Shadle, Joel 6n Schwenk, Wm. K 619 Spencer, William 622 Steel, Chas. E . . 624 Schomo, Dr. Cosmus S. W., . 639 Stoffler, Joseph 642 Shultz, William ... Shaw, Sidney Sechler, Rev. Nathan W. . Sensel, John Schlappich, Daniel T. Shoener, Hon. John T. . Strauch, Augustus R. . Stanton, Peter Steel, Hon. J. Irvin . Stuart, Charles M. . . . •-pHOMPSON, Major Heber S. Teter, George H. Toole, John J. . . Turner, Jesse . . . Turner, William W. Turner, Frank N. . Taggart, David, M.D. Taylor, Benjamin T. Titman, Chas. E. . Thornton, Michael Toole, John . T TLMER, Jacob . u Umholtz, Augustus . V EITH, John . . . Vetter, David . Page 659 662684 . 68568869170S710 719 734 219 4°3432448449449470491 574604726367 417 296353 \17"HITNEY, William Lebbeus 216 * * Williams, Thomas T. . . 246 Whitehouse, W. John 260 Webb, John 264 Wilkinson, Levi J 267 Wadlinger, George J 275 Walker, Hon. Thomas H 281 Weber, Dr. Louis 284 Wiest, Dr. Harry G 325 Wiltrout, Charles 328 Page Williams, John P 352 Williams, Wm. R 376 Wagner, Charles C. . . 434 Weldy, Henry A 438 Wagner, William C 435 Wetherill, Col. John M 458 Weiss, Prof. George W 474 Windsor, Wayle 477 Wetter, J. Frederick 482 Wagner, Captain Emil C. . 5*5 Whitaker, Professor Martin P . . 532 Whitaker, Professor Michael J . . 532 Whitfield, Rowland 567 Werntz, John F . 580 Watson, Hon. Malachi C. . . 600 Wilson, Dr. Robert B 615 Wren, George H • . 625 Wilcox, Gordon H 655 Weissinger, L. W 670 Wolfe, George H 677 Wachter, August 697 Woll, Joseph . ... . . 733 Waters, William, Sr. 738 Waters, William, Jr 739 Wilhelm, William 746 \7"ODER, William L 224 A Yost, Daniel J 363 Yost, Israel 364 Young, John 403 Young, George H 463 Yeo, William J. . . . 630 Yuengling, Frederick G. . . 740 yiMMERMAN, Rev. Isaac P 236 ^"/ Zimmerman, Henry .... 293 Zwiebel, Edward . . 425 Zerbey, J. H. . . .503 Zimmerman, Lewis ..... 559 ILLUSTRATIONS. Facing Page Albright, Hiester S .... 421 A Typical Coal Breaker . . . . 135 Barlow, Ephraim .... ...... 225 Brumm, Hon. Charles N. . . . . 248 Beddall, Samuel A. . . . . ... 506 Beddall, George W. . . . . . . . . 507 Becker, Emanuel K ..... . . 511 Birmingham, Patrick J. . . . . . . 535 Brennan, Michael P . . ... . . 544 ¦ Boyer, Henry C 612 Batdorff, Theodore F. . 690 Barlow, Daniel 704 Biddle, J. C, M.D. . 743 Cochran, James G 351 Coyle, Hon. John J . . 358 Christ, Isaac S. .... ..... . . 406 Connell, Phil. J . 531 Cochran, Andrew B 713 Dechert, Dr. Daniel 394 Doyle, M. E 594 Dagget, Rev. Peter F 654 Deegan, James R. . , 669 Dence, Hon. John X 730 Fowler, Hon. Marmaduke P. 269 Gruhler, Rev. John 388 Griffiths, Peter 539 Helfrich, George H 568 Hermany, Dr. Phaon 679 Huber, Major Levi 683 Hendler, Capt. Henry J 311 James, J. H 618 Kirk, Hon. S. C 237 Koch, Richard Henry '. ... 336 Klock, Dr. Henry A . 504 Keefer, Hon. Luther R. . . . Lewis, William H Losch, Hon. Samuel Alfred Meek, Charles A Matten, Hon. Charles C. . . . -McCullough, Rev. Father Peter Marks, Rev. Charles A McGettigan, Rev. Hugh J. Miners' Hospital .'..... Nagle, Gen. James O'Connor, Michael T. . . . Oliver, Thomas Patterson, Rev. C. F. . . Parker, Hon. John .... Philips, Dr. Edwin F. . Quail, Dr. Foster Koehler. Reilly, Hon. James B. Ryon, Hon. James Sheafer, Peter W Shepp, Daniel Spiese, Franklin P. . . Sigfried, Gen. J. K Steel, Hon. J. Irvin Schuylkill County Court House. Thompson, Maj. Heber S. . . Titman, Charles E Whitehouse,W. John Weber, Dr. Louis Williams, William R. Wetherill, Col. John M. Weiss, Prof. George W. . Wagner, Captain Emil C. . . Watson, Hon. Malachi C. . . . Woll, Joseph . . Faciug Page ... 582 547 549 454469 521 526623 197 298 43i 444 562695 738 280 228 3>9 209 382 439493 7'9 193 219574 260 2 84 376458 474 5'5600733 15 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. Geography — Topography — Geology — Mound Builders — In dians — Pioneer Settlers — Frontier Forts — Indian Depre dations — The Tory Path — Discovery of Anthracite Coal — Orwigsburg — Lumbering — Early Forges and Furnaces — County Formation — Civil Roster — The Bar — War of 1812 — Schuylkill Navigation — Pioneer Coal Stage — Union Canal — Growth of Coal Production — Mexican War — Growth of Coal Trade — Floods of 1850 — County Seat Removal — The Civil War — The Coal Industry Long Strike — Molly Maguires — Recent Developments — Pikes ¦ — Railroads — Schools, Churches and Banks — Medical, Po litical and Postal — Secret ¦ Societies — Borough and Town ship History — Public Buildings — Census Statistics — Mis cellaneous. §N a work whose character is so largely biographical, it is impossible to allot to the presentation of the history of the county such space as is given in a work principally historical in scope; yet a careful grouping of the main historical events of Schuylkill county has been made, and some facts of interest for the general reader have been collected from sources of information not easily available to the public. Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, is in the heart of the wonderful anthracite coal region of America, and lies between 76 ° 1 5 ' and 760 45' west longitude from Greenwich, England, 2 or 15' and 45' longitude from Washing ton city, this country ; and between the 40th and 41st degrees of north latitude. As a po litical division of the State, Schuylkill county' is bound on the northeast by Luzerne and Carbon counties ; on the southeast by Lehigh and Berks ; on the southwest by Lebanon and Dauphin ; and on the northwest by Northum berland and Columbia. In geographical position Schuylkill is one of the eastern counties of the State, while its geographical center and center of population are not very far north of Pottsville, and near the boundary line of Norwegian and New Castle townships. Schuylkill county in order of ^ize is twen tieth ; in order of age is forty-fifth ; and in order of alphabetic designation is fifty-fourth ; while in wealth it is the 10th of the sixty- seven counties into which the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is now divided. The county has an area of 840 square miles, or 537,600 acres, with an average length of 30 miles, and an average width of 2\]/2 miles. Schuyl kill, one of the richest mineral counties of the world, was named after the Schuylkill river, 17 18 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY whose name is from the Swedish word schuy- len, meaning to hide. The county constitutes the Thirteenth Con gressional and the Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth State Senatorial districts, while it constitutes the Twenty-first Judicial district of Pennsyl vania, and sends six representatives to the State Legislature. Schuylkill county was formed in 1811 from Berks and Northampton counties, and in 18 [8 a small area was added on the northwest from Columbia and Luzerne counties, thus giving it its present area and boundaries. Topography. — The surface of Schuylkill county consists of a succession of hills, val leys and mountain ridges, nearly parallel with each other, and trending northeast and south west throughout its whole extent. The main mountain chains are classed as seven in num ber by R. A. Wilder, as follows : Blue, or Kittatinny; Second, Sharp, Mine Hill, Broad, Mahanoy and Locust; while P. W. Sheafer enumerates but three — Kittatinny, Second and Sharp, claiming that Broad and Locust moun tains are'but continuations of Sharp mountain in its sweep around the southern coal field and Mahanoy, an extension of Broad as it zig zags around the middle coal field. These mountain chains are from six to eleven hun dred feet above the valleys, and from one thousand to* seventeen hundred feet above tide. The following eloquent description of these mountains and hills is taken from R. A. Wilder's able article on the topography of the county : " These hills and valleys are gener ally a group of grand telluric waves, forming synclinal and anti-clinal axes of the strata, and they appear to have been caused by the im mense upheaving forces commencing at the ancient coast line of the ocean, and pressing forward to the northwest with such tremen dous power as to throw most of the then hori zontal strata into a vertical position for a great distance inland, till they began to weaken in strength, and finally ceased to act, and left with their expiring throes the great convul sions which enfold the wealth of an empire." Wilder says that between Blue mountain (the southern boundary of the county) and Second mountain are Summer Hill and Lime ridge, ranges that attain no elevation ; that Second mountain has a double crest from the eroding effects of springs, which has suggested the name of Gobel Berk, or Fork mountain. Sharp mountain is the southern boundary of the anthracite coal field. No small ridge ex cept Red mountain intervenes between Sharp mountain and Mine Hill, the latter of which is the great anti-clinal of the Schuylkill coal field. Next comes Broad mountain, an ele vated plateau, sixteen hundred feet above tide, and contains in the county an area of eighty square miles, which is a great water shed for the Susquehsnna, Schuylkill and Lehigh rivers. This mountain separates the southern from the middle coal fields. The next mountain in suc cession is Mahanoy, the southern wall of the middle coal field. Between Mahanoy and Lo cust mountains are a few small ridges. P. W. Sheafer differs in several respects from Wilder in his description of the topography of the county. We condense the following from the topographical part of his " Geology of Schuylkill County." Blue mountain forms the entire southern boundary of the county, and is separated by an undulating valley, varying in width from the double-crested chain of Second mountain. A narrow red shale valley suc ceeds it and extends to Sharp mountain, the third great chain. Second and Sharp every where within the county limits run parallel to the Blue mountain ; but beyond the eastern OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 19 boundary, along the Lehigh, and beyond the western, along the Susquehanna, they turn back, or double sharply on their courses, re ceiving other names, and again pursue a north easterly direction. Broad and Locust moun tains are the continuations of Sharp mountain, in its sweep around the southern coal field, and Mahanoy mountain is but an extension of Broad, as it zig-zags around the middle coal field. North of these last ranges the moun tains are more broken and show less distinctly the general course ; but the main ranges are remarkable for the uniformity of level of their crests. The drainage of Schuylkill county is by three river systems — the Susquehanna, Schuylkill, and Lehigh. The Susquehanna, by Swatara, Wiconisco, Mahantongo and Mahanoy creeks, and Catawissa creek, an affluent of its north branch, drains the western and northern parts of the county ; the Schuylkill, through its main and west branches, and the Little Schuylkill the large middle area, and most all of the southern basin of the county, while the Lehigh drains the eastern edge of the county through Nesquehoning, Mahoning and Lizard creeks. The Schuylkill river breaks through the Blue mountain by a single gateway, but its waters force the passage of Second mountain by five narrow passes and gap Sharp range in eight places. Wilder says that the accumula tions from rainfall and melting snow are sud denly precipitated into the beds ofthe streams and carried away in floods, thus affording no water-power for extensive manufacturing be yond a saw or flouring mill. The soil is not fertile in the coal regions, and the best farming lands are to be found between Blue and Second mountains and in the extreme western and northern parts of the county. Geology. — The geological structure of the county will be given as revealed by the labors of Shaefer, Rogers and Lesley. We condense the following from Sheafer. The geological formations of the county are in the Upper Si lurian, Devonian and Carboniferous ages and include from No. IV. to No. XIII. No. IV. (Levant of Rogers). — The Oneida conglomerates and gray Medina sandstone are a massive outcrop in the Blue mountain and then dip beneath the surface. No. V. (Surgent, also Clinton). — This form ation forms the foothills of the Blue mountains on the north, is a red group of shales, slates, and sandstones, fifteen hundred feet thick, and in the east expands into rolls over a mile in width. No. VI. (Pre-meridian, also L. Heldelburg). — This formation has two groups, one of varie gated marls and water cement, and the other of shaly and cherry limestones, is often twelve hundred feet thick. It seems to lie near No. V, and the cement limestone has been quarried twenty feet thick at McKeansburg, Orwigs- burg, and Schuylkill Haven. No. VII. (Meridian, also Oriskahy).— Al though No. VII has been found in Lehigh, yet it has never yet been identified in Schuyl kill county. No. VIII. (P. re-meridian, U. Helderburg and others). — This formation, six thousand feet thick, includes several groups of rocks. The Cadent, or Hamilton group, a black slate deposit, is one thousand feet thick in the val ley north of Blue mountain, often causing use less search for coal. The upper rocks of this group enclose the Bradford oil sand of north western Pennsylvania, but are too much broken in this county to promise oil. The formation is in the great valley between Blue and Second mountain. No. IX. (Ponent, also Catskill).— This 20 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY group of red shales and massive red and gray sandstones, sometimes five thousand feet thick, is found principally on the southern flanks of Second and Mahoning mountains. No. X. (Vespertine, also P. G. Sandstone). — This formation of red, white and yellow sand stones, flanked on one side by the red rocks of No. IX, and on the other by the red shales of No. XI, surrounds the coal basin with a picturesque red and white wall. No. XI. (Umbral, also M. C. Red Shale).— This third red formation of the State, is prin cipally red argillaceous sandstone in this county, where it carries a thickness of three thousand feet, and occupies a large area, as it borders the outcrop of No. XII. No. XII. (S. Conglomerate, also P. Con glomerate). — This formation forms the base of the coal measures of Pennsylvania. Its thick ness protected the anthracite coal from erosion, and it extends over the larger portion of the county, being composed of massive gray Quartzose Conglomerates, interstratified by bands of brown sandstones and varying from six hundred to one thousand feet in thick ness. No. XIII. (Coal Measures) — These meas ures, over three thousand feet in thickness, rest on the great conglomerate floor of No. XII. Thirty coal beds exist in these meas ures, of which fifteen are workable. The series can be separated into three divisions by the color of the ash of the coals : a lower or white ash group, middle or gray ash and an upper or red ash. The following section gives the order from highest to lowest of these workable beds, with color of ash and thickness of coal : Name of Bed. Color of Ash. Thickness. I. Sandrock . . . . Red 3 feet Interval. Name of Bed. 2. Gate .... Interval. 3. Little Tracy . Interval. 4. Big Tracy . . Interval. 5. Diamond . . Interval. 6. Little Orchard Interval, 7. Orchard . . Interval. 8. Primrose Interval. 9. Holmes . . . Interval. 10. Seven Foot Interval. 11. Mammoth . . Interval. 12. Skidmore Interval. 13. Buck Mountain Interval. 14. Lykens Valley Bed . Interval. 15. Lykens Valley Lower Bed Conglomerate. Color of Ash. Thickness. . Red 7 feet . Red . Red . Red . Red . Red 3 6 3 6 . . Gray Ash 10 " . . White Ash 5 " . . White Ash 7 " . . White Ash 25 " . White Ash 6 " . . White Ash 9 " Upper . . Red Ash 8 " Red Ash 3 " Total coal 107 " The Lykens Valley intra - conglomerate coals are very free burning. The Buck Moun tain is a hard and rough coal, and with the Skidmore is of great value for smelting pur poses. The Mammoth sometimes reaches forty feet in thickness ; the Seven Foot bed is a coal of the purest quality, while the Holmes is hard, compact and short-grained, being suit- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 21 able for furnace purposes. The Primrose coal is a gray-ash coal, or the transition from the red to the white ash. The red ash coals are the two Orchards, Diamond, the two Tracys, Gate and Sandrock beds, and they were first developed, but being abandoned at water level when the productive lower coals were opened. The anthracite coal area of Schuylkill county comprises about two hundred and ten square miles, and is included in two fields, the Southern and Middle, together ¦ with a few isolated patches on Broad, Green and Spring mountains. The Southern anthracite coal field resembles an ill-shaped shark, with its nose resting on Lehigh, at Mauch Chunk, extends southwest- ward as a great valley bounded by Sharp mountain on the south and Locust and Broad mountains on the north, gradually increasing in width, until, west of Tremont, it subsides into two prongs, the north one reaching west ward to Wiconisco, in Dauphin county, and the southern one to within six miles of the Susquehanna, at the town of Dauphin. The basin as a whole may be regarded as one deep synclinal enclosed by the converging dips of Sharp and Broad mountains, with an undulat ing bottom, forming parallel (canoe-shaped) subordinate basins. This southern anthracite coal field is forty miles long, with a width of from two to five miles, and having a total area of one hundred and forty-three square miles. It is the great anthracite store house, and when the other and shallower fields are exhausted, its Mammoth and other deep lying beds will yield up their almost innumerable millions of remaining tons. The southern wall of this field in the county is gaped in four places, through which flow the Little Schuylkill, the main and the west branch of the Schuylkill and the Swatara, and through these openings pass the railways that run to the very mouths of the mines. That portion of the Second or Middle anthracite coal field in Schuylkill county extends twenty miles eastward from Ashland, is bounded by Broad and Mahanoy moun tains, and embraces an area of sixty-three square miles. This field is not as deep as the first, and hence the red ash coals lie only in the centres of its deep basins. This field is divided into three principal basins, the Mahanoy, Ellengowan or Middle, and Shen andoah or Northern. The Mahanoy is remark ably uniform, and merges into the Ashland basin ; the Middle basin narrows at Turkey run and then becomes the William Penn basin ; while the Shenandoah is comparatively shallow. The lower or white ash beds are well developed and extensively worked in the Second field, but its rocky encircling bar rier wall is only pierced at one place— Ash land — by a gateway, through which flows Mahanoy creek. A system of railways from all the mines unite, and by this gap find an outlet to the market. Lying between the First and Second fields is the conglomerate, covered Broad moun tain, in some of whose synclinal folds are small areas of coal, the principal one being the New Boston basin, six miles long and not quite half a mile in width, containing coals of the lowest group. Several small isolated basins are in the northern part of the County, on Catawissa creek, but are shallow and carry only the lower coals, and belong to the Lehigh system of basins. In concluding the valuable article from which we have both condensed and quoted concerning these coal fields, Mr. Sheafer says : " In Schuylkill county, we are specialists. We BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY are dependent upon one substance: coal is king. There is no gold, silver, lead, copper, or other valuable metals. Though we have good iron ores, they are so disseminated as not to furnish one workable bed. Yet we largely help Pennsylvania to furnish nearly half the iron manufactured in the United States. We have a large farming area, well cultivated by our industrious and frugal German farmers. Our convenient location to the great markets of the Atlantic seaboard, our canals and abun dant railroad facilities, our great commodity, always give a promise and an attitude among the great counties of our grand old Common wealth, which we are ever proud to realize." The coal areas of the Carboniferous age in the United States are five in number: Massa chusetts-Rhode Island; Allegheny; Michigan; Illinois, Indiana, and West Kentucky; and Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas, containing one hundred and twenty thousand square miles of workable coal-beds. Two gen eral classes of coal are obtained, anthracite and bituminous. Anthracite coal is only found in the Massachusetts-Rhode Island and Alle gheny coal areas. In eastern Rhode Island, and in Bristol and Plymouth counties, Massa chusetts, a hard and unsatisfactory anthracite coal is found. It lies in thirteen beds, and at the present time the only mine worked is at Portsmouth, Rhode Island. In the Allegheny area, anthracite coal is found in eastern Penn sylvania, and occurs to a limited extent in Virginia. The anthracite coal-fields of eastern Penn sylvania are confined to a limited area of four hundred and seventy-five square miles, situ ated in the seven counties of Carbon, Schuyl kill, Northumberland, Columbia, Dauphin, Luzerne and Lackawanna, and lying between the Lehigh and the Susquehanna rivers, form ing a long, irregular tract IOO miles in length by 30 in width. Three districts are recognized in this region, called the first or southern, the second or middle, and third or northern coal fields. These coal measures are generally surrounded by two mountain ridges, the ex terior one consisting of sub-carboniferous sandstone. This is separated from the interior ridge by a valley, more or less broad, of easily- decomposing red shale, overlying which occurs the true conglomerate, holding in its bosom the valleys or basins in which the anthracite occurs. These two series of ridges protected the coal from the denuding agents which re moved it from the intervening barren dis tricts. The first, southern, or Schuylkill coal-field is mainly in Schuylkill county, but extending east into Carbon and west into Dauphin county, and comprises one hundred and forty-six square miles. The second, or middle, coal-field is in North umberland, Montour, and Schuylkill counties, and includes the Shamokin, Mahanoy, and Lehigh basins, and comprises ninety-one square miles. The third, northern, or Wilkes-Barre basin is in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties, and contains about twenty beds of workable coal- beds, with an area of one hundred and ninety- eight square miles. The great advantages in burning anthracite coal are: Cleanliness, lack of smoke, compact ness, rapidity with which steam can be raised, great heating -power, and purity of some varie ties for iron-making. This great region lies convenient to the great manufacturing district of the United States. Two or more railroads carry the coal from all of its basins to New York and Philadelphia, whence it is distributed by water transportation OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 23 to the various important industries of the Middle and New England States. Other rail roads carry this coal to Lakes Erie and Ontario, whence it is distributed to the various great cities of the West and Canada. The following table of the production of an thracite coal in the United States, for 1880, may be of some interest : No. No. of Counties. Mines . Employees. Tons. Newport, R. I., . . I 32 6,176 Pulaski, Va., . . . I 47 2,600 Carbon, Pa., . . . 7 2,560 808,373 Columbia, Pa., 7 829 318,573 Dauphin, Pa., . . . 2 1,256 450,345 Lackawanna, Pa., 44 13,822 5,825,316 Luzerne, Pa., . 9S 26,702 11,687,672 Northumberland, Pa. 27 5,890 2,099,966 Schuylkill, Pa., 92 19,569 7,404-177 Susquehanna, Pa., . 1 277 4i 18,173 Totals, . . . . 70,748 28,621,281 Mound- Builders. — The prehistoric races that inhabited Pennsylvania are known by the name of Mound-Builders and Indians. The former had a great empire in the valley of the Mississippi, where they erected, out of earth, those great works whose ruins remain until this day. These great works were of two kinds : first, mounds; second, fortifications. The mounds in form were round, oblong, and pyra midal ; while in use, they were of four classes : temple, altar, effigy, and tomb-mounds. This mysterious race of people seemed to have come as far eastward as the Allegheny mountains, in which a few vestiges of their mounds still re main. They seem to have occupied the moun tains as hunting-grounds, and if any of them were ever on the soil of Schuylkill county, it was in the character of hunters, and not as permanent settlers. This strange race of people derive their name from the mounds which they built. They came from the west and north, were probably of Asiatic origin, and found likely their way to the shores of America over the frozen floor of Behring's strait, or by coast ing along the chain of the Aleutian islands. The Mound-Builder had no domestic animals, and was a numerous race. Why left this mighty race this great empire? Did war from the Indian or famine waste them ? Or sought they a southern clime more warm than glows beneath our northern skies ? None with certainty can tell. They may have been driven out of the country by the Indians, according to the traditions of the lat ter, or they may have gone south and become the ancestors of the ancient Mexicans and Peruvians. It is generally accepted now that man ex isted in North America during the glacial epoch of the paleolithic period in the stone age ; and stone implements made by him have been found in the Trenton gravels, the Ne braska loes beds and the auriferous sands of California, which strengthen this view; as well as the finding of the celebrated" Calaveras human skull, at the depth of one hundred and fifty feet, in a California mining shaft. The art products of the aboriginal Ameri can, whom many suppose to have been the mound-builder, are represented by articles in stone, clay, bone and shell. Those of stone are arrow and spear-heads, grooved hammers' and axes, gouges, semi-lunar knives, awls, scrapers, mortars and pestles, food vessels, spades, plummets, ornaments, pipes, images, and inscribed petroglyphs or tablets. The pottery of the middle Atlantic States was rude in character and imperfectly burned. Bone was used for fish hooks, spoons, awls and or naments. Shells were used for cups, spoons, chisels and knives. 24 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY The early settlers paid but little attention to the ruins of the Indian, and would have given less to those of an older people, if such had ever existed in the county. Indians. — Upon the disappearance of the mound-builder, was the advent of the Indian, and succeeding a race with no history but a civilization, came a people with a tradition but no civilization. The origin of the Indian like the fate of the dim mysterious mound- builder is involved in obscurity, and is only fruitful of speculative theories. The Indian seems to be of Mongolian ex traction, and was, in all probability, the second wave of population from the old to the new world across the wild waters of Behring strait. The Indian occupation of the United States admit of two theories : first, a peaceable pos session ; second, a forcible one. The first is most likely, as the mound builders were a semi-civilized people, and from their great works, it is fair to presume, as strong in num bers as the Indian invader. But it is fair pre sumption that between the inferior advancing and the superior retreating races the clash of mortal conflict would be inevitable. If the mound builder withdrew from the field of battle, after repulsing his Indian foe, to resume his southward and sunward journey, it would give to the Indian the idea that his enemy had fled ; and on this his tradition of conquest, as repeated to white prisoners in 1754-55, was undoubtedly founded. The Indian copied after the mound builder. He used flint to make his arrow and spear heads, and stone to make his tomahawks, hammers, pestles and ornaments ; clay and shells to make his pottery-ware, but failed to work copper, and at the coming of the white man had lost all trace of the copper mines left by the mound builder on the shores of Lake Michigan. The stone grave chamber of the mound builder suggested the stone-pile arave ofthe Indian. The Indian was a terrible and cruel foe. On their own grounds in the woods they were far more formidable than the best European troops. Although inferior in numbers, they defeated Braddock's grenadiers and Grant's highlanders that had fought on many a bloody battlefield. The finest drilled veteran troops of the world failed when led against the dark tribesmen of the forest. When on their own ground, and any ways near equal in numbers, the Indians were never defeated by any enemy except the backwoodsmen of the Alleghenies, who won their most notable victory over the the red men at the battle of Point Pleasant, or the Great Kanawha, in 1774. The Huron-Iroquois family of nations was the most powerful of any Indian confederacy dwelling on this continent at the time of its discovery by the Europeans. Of these nations the most formidable were the Iroquois. They were called the Five Nations until they were joined in 17 12 by the Tuscaroras from the Carolinas, and after that became the celebrated Six Nations. They called themselves Ho-de- no-sau-nee, or People of the Long House. Their home was in New York. The Iroquois or Six Nations were bound together by a remarkable league, which was the great secret of their wonderful power and astonishing success. In each nation there were eight tribes, which were arranged in two divisions, and named as follows : Wolf, Bear, Beaver, Turtle, Deer, Snipe, Heron, Hawk. " The division of the people of each nation into eight tribes, whether pre-existing or per fected at the establishment of the confederacy, did not terminate in its object with the nation OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 25 itself. It became the means of effecting the most perfect union of separate nations ' ever devised by the wit of man.' In effect the Wolf tribe was divided into five parts and one- fifth of it placed in each oi the Five Nations. This tribal league is an extraordinary speci men of Indian legislation, and forms an endur ing mdnument to that proud and progressive race, who reared, under its protection, a wide spread Indian sovereignty." The Iroquois had conquered all the Indian tribes in Pennsylvania many years before there were any white settlers on the present territory of Schuylkill county, which was then merely a hunting ground for the Delaware Indians, and not a permanent residence for any tribe. The country was not fitted for Indian towns, while the streams were rough and carried a heavy undergrowth of laurel, which prevented fishing and any easy way of canoe travel by short stages. Tradition says that on or close to Sculp hill, and near the junction of the little creek that flows around Orwigsburg with the Schuyl kill was an Indian village, whose name is lost and whose founder has gone down to oblivion. Perhaps here some Delaware chief sought to lay the foundations for the capital town of his dominion on the Schuylkill, but fate and for tune were not propitious, and his seat of em pire on the upper Schuylkill was arrested in its growth before attaining any size, and sank into premature ruin. The destiny of the In dian village in being shorn of capital honors ere its extinction was reflected in the fate of Orwigsburg, the white man's early metropolis and first seat of authority that was founded near it, when overpowering interests removed the county seat to Pottsville that also took thereafter from it the pride of superior num bers. In the southern part of West Penn township it is said that the early settlers found traces of a former Indian village and burial ground, while pioneer residents related that in various localities of the township they found evidence of a former Indian occupation. Small mounds, it is said, were visible for years at several places, and arrow-heads, tomahawks, stone hammers and other weapons and implements of savage life were found. In Wayne township, on the Michael Fritz farm there have been found Indian weapons and implements, and sufficient evidence ex isted, some years ago, to indicate an Indian residence and fort at an early day. In Tremont township, in the western part ofthe county, a large number of arrow-heads have been found, a fact indicating a favorite Indian hunting ground in an early day. An old Indian trail passed over the site of the borough of Pine Grove, but no account of it has been preserved, and undoubtedly there were other trails known to the early settlers whose names, courses and history have be,en lost for want of some one fifty years ago to have gathered up the information which was then available. Enough of fragmentary evidence, however, remains to show an Indian occupation even if but light, at some time preceding the coming of the whites, at which time the territory of the county was used by the savages solely as a hunting ground. Pioneer Settlers. — Tradition has it that sev eral persons settled as early as 1730 in the county, but there is*no authentic evidence to support the claim, and in all probability those early settlers were nothing more than hunters whose cabins were nothing more than bark shanties. The purchase of the lands on the Tulpehocken from the Indians in 1732 by 26- BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Thomas Penn, and the extinguishment of the red man's title in 1 749 to the country north of the Blue or Kittanning mountains, between the Susquehanna and Delaware rivers, gave the i inhabitants of Berks and Northampton coun ties, the right and the security to settle in what is now Schuylkill county. The earliest settlements were made from either Allemingle or the Tulpehocken, and in all probability were confined to a few clearings along the streams ofthe Blue mountain as want of roads and lack of wagons would have prevented any advance toward settlement on the head waters- of the Schuylkill, where the axe ofthe white' settler seems not to have been heard until after the close of the French and Indian war in 1759. The first white settler of whom we have any authentic account was George Gottfried Or- wig, who, with his wife Gloria,.settled at Sculp- hill in 1747, near the site of the last traditional Indian village in the county. They had come from Germany, and after a brief stay in Berks county had pushed north of the mountain to make a home for themselves in the pathless woods. That they had neighbors soon there is no doubt, but who or when we know not, only that they fled back to Berks county when the French and Indian war commenced, and remained there until its close, in 1759. The second settlement was made on Muddy branch about 1750 by Philip and George Clauser, and the Adams family and And. Steitzel. After the close of that struggle the course of settlement commenced to ascend the Schuylkill towards its Hfead-waters, and was made by the Germans from Berks county and by some direct from the Fatherland. The second stream of emigration was also German, like the first, but came from North ampton county and was led by Henry Ohi, who in 1760, in the valley of Lizard creek, in what is now West Penn township, in the northeastern part of the county. He was fol lowed by the Steigerwalt, Gilbert and other Northampton families. The settlement was retarded by Indian depredations for a time, but received many families during the Revolu tionary war, and then so grew and flourished that in 1780 it possessed a store, and ten years later a tavern and a church. The third settlement was Pine Grove, where the Schnokes, Hetricks, Swopes, Schaefifers, Bresslers and others settled about 1760. The fourth point of settlement of which we have any reliable account was Williams valley in Porter township, in the southwestern part of the county, and was made by Daniel Wil liams and his son Ennier (presumably from Berks county), about 1774. The fifth settlement centre, in order of age, was in 1775, near Klingerstown, in Upper Mahantongo township, in the extreme south western part of the county. To that locality came Peter Klock in the year above named, and five years later Alexander Klinger arrived. They were soon joined by Jacob Baum, Rob ert Clark, Seamon Shuman, Andrew Osman and Gideon Williams, the latter being a Welsh man. In 1775, Martin Dreibeldis was residing on the site of Schuylkill Haven, where he had a mill at that time. In 1780, a number of Lutheran families settled near Salem church, in Washington township, where Peter Hetzel had located in 1770, and of those who settled from 1780 to 1790 we have mention of: Philip Zerbee, Nicholas Shuck, Adam Kahlbach, George and William Kremer, Peter Weaver, Peter and Nicholas Paffenberger, Christina Betz, Henry Appel, Michael Bressler, Paul Lengel, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 27 Stephen Diehl, Samuel Owen, Casper Bretzius, John Adam Brown, Jonathan Kerschner, Piatt Wagner, and men by the names of Teb- bich, Gebhert, Boyer, Bilger and Worner. About 1780, Jacob Yohe was near Miners- ville. In 1790, Jacob Fox and his two sons set tled on the site of Branch Dale, and three years later Thomas Reed built a saw mill where Minersville stands, and afterwards erected a tavern and distillery, while in 1799 Berkhart Moser, from Northampton (now Lehigh) county, built a saw mill and house at Tamaqua, and was accompanied there by his son, Jacob, and John Kerschner. In 1800, Lewis Reese and John Reed set tled on the site of Pottsville, and pioneer settlements in Schuylkill county may thus "be ! said to have terminated in the initial year of the present century, as by that time every part of its territory had been opened up to settlement, although some sections were not ' inhabited for nearly twenty years later. Frontier Forts. — From 1744 to 1764, the j inhabitants of Berks county suffered from raids of the Indian tribes living beyond the Blue mountain, and in order to protect them selves, built a line of forts along that ridge, at a distance of fifteen or twenty miles apart, so that rangers from one could reach the next in a day's march. Two of these forts, Franklin and Lebanon, were north of the mountain and were in Schuylkill county. Fort Franklin was built in 1756, on Lizard creek, a tribu tary of the Lehigh ; and Fort Lebanon, often called William or Bohundy, was erected two years earlier, on a branch of the Schuylkill. Some time after 1756 the settlers near the site of Auburn built a fort to afford them security from the Indians who had raided what was then the territory of West Brunswick town ship. This fort, whose name has not been preserved, stood on the farm owned in 1881 by Lewis Marberger. The " Blockhouse " was a strong log building, afterwards used by Martin Dreibeldis, in North Manheim town ship, that afforded the early settlers protection in time of Indian troubles. It was built some time between 1756 and 1770. There were, in all probability, other block houses, or fortified places in the county, but all record of them has been lost, beyond one built on the moun- taid near Pine Grove. Indian Depredations. — In October, 1755, the Indians commenced to raid the Schuylkill valley, and on February 14, 1756, a band visited the house of Frederick Reichersdorfer in West Brunswick township, where they shot two of- his children and burned all of his property. This same band then proceeded to Jacob Gerhart's, where they slew one man, two women and six children. Two children escaped under a bed, where one was burned with the house and from which the other es caped out of the house and reached some white settlers a mile away. When the news of this massacre reached Maxatawny, Berks county, a strong party visited the scene of slaughter and destruction. On the 25th of March, 1756, the Indians again visited what is now West Brunswick township, and the result of their raid is de scribed by the Pennsylvania Gazette, of April that year, as follows : " Ten wagons went up from Maxatawny to this township, to bring down a family with their effects. As they were returning, about three miles below a Mr. George Zeisloff 's, they were fired upon by a number of Indians from both sides of the road, upon which the wagoners left their wagons and ran into the woods. The enemy killed George Zeisloff and wife, a lad of twenty, a 28 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY boy of twelve, and a girl of fourteen, four of whom they scalped. A boy was stabbed in three places, but his wounds were thought not to be fatal. Three horses were killed and five taken away by the Indians." A third and last destructive raid by the Indians into West Brunswick township, was made in November, 1756, when they mur dered Adam Trump and took his wife and son prisoners, besides carrying off the wife and three children of Adam Burns. Trump's wife broke away from her captors, and although wounded in the neck by a tomahawk thrown after her, yet made good her escape- While this section was ravaged by the sav ages yet Paul Heins, an early settler, was said to have never been molested, on account of his having always set a bowl of bread and milk before every Indian visitor to his cabin. Tradition has it that during the French and Indian war — about 1757 — that the white set tlers abandoned West Penn township and retreated into Berks county, where a party of them determined upon recrossing the Blue* Mountain and surprising the Indians or " Yellow Boys " in their camp, that on the summit of the mountain one of them acci dentally discharged his gun and then descend ing instead of turning back, the thus alarmed Indians ambushed them so effectually that but one escaped to return with the tidings of his comrades' death. During the French and Indian war, the depredations of the savages seemed to be con fined to the east and north side of the Schuyl kill, but when the Revolutionary struggle came there were Indian troubles on both sides of the river, although the loss of life was not so great or the destruction of property so much. A pioneer by the name of Sherman shot an Indian near New Ringgold, on the Little Schuylkill, at some time during the Revolu tionary war, and several settlers were killed during that great struggle in North Manheim township, which was then the residence of Valentine Trace, a noted Indian fighter. On the site of Pottsville, in 1780, John Neiman or Negman, with his three children, were murdered by the Indians, and during the Revolution the settlers at Pine Grove and elsewhere in the county were annoyed by the savages, but no further murders have come down to us beyond the Neiman family, which caused a considerable stampede of settlers to the south side of the Blue mountain. Tradition asserts that when the rural beauty and peaceful shades of the beautiful Wyoming valley were stained with blood and desolated fire, that Taman, a noted Indian chief, was foremost in the slaughter, and that later he was captured at Hawk's curve and hung near the site of the village of Tamanend, in Rush township, said to derive its name from Taman's end. The Tory Path. — During the Revolutionary war, what few men were in Schuylkill county were busily engaged in defending their homes against the Indians and in providing for their families, and however patriotic they may have been they had but little opportunity to serve in the Continental armies. During the Revo lution there was a route of travel that traversed the county from southeast to northwest, which was known as " The Tory Path," whose name is suggestive of its use in those days, although history and traditions are alike silent as to its objects and what occurred along it. Discovery of Anthracite Coal. — The first discovery of anthracite coal in Pennsylvania was in the Wyoming valley in 1768, and its existence was suspected as early as 1770, on OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 29 the Schuylkill, by Scull, who marks on his map of that year the possibility of coal beds on the headwaters of the above named stream. But it remained for Nicho Allen, a native of New England and a lumberman who lived on the Broad mountain, to make the actual dis covery in Schuylkill county in 1790. In one of his hunting expeditions in that year Allen camped out on Broad mountain for the night and kindled a fire among some rocks. During the night he wakened to find a mass of glow ing fire, he having accidently set fire to the outcrop of an anthracite coal-bed. Allen made known his discovery but never profited by it, " and after having for a considerable time advocated the value of anthracite, and of his important service to the region in discov ering it, without receiving substantial reward, he left the region in disgust for his native State, in New England." The first successful use of this coal in the county was for smithing purposes in 1795, by a blacksmith named Whetstone. Orwigsburg. — In 1796, Peter Orwig, the second son of George Gottfried Orwig, the first settler in the county, laid out Orwigsburg, the first town in Schuylkill county, and named it after his family. At first it built up very slowly, yet its citizens were industrious and prosperous, and it soon became the infant metropolis of the upper Schuylkill valley, and in 181 1 was made the seat of justice for the new created county of Schuylkill. Lumbering. — The early settlement of the county was due to a certain extent to the op portunities for successful lumbering. From the Blue to Sharp mountain, the original tim ber was chiefly white oak and chestnut, while beech, birch, poplar, gum and maple were also found. North of Shaip mountain the valleys were covered with Spruce or hemlock, under which flourished a heavy growth of laurel ; while the mountain sides, half-way up, bore white pine, which was succeeded by chestnut, white oak, beech or maple, that reached to the summits, where yellow or pitch pine was the prevalent growth. Much of this timber was valuable for lum ber, and many of the first settlers came to en gage in lumbering. Saw-mills were erected on nearly every stream, and from 1780 up to 1820, lumbering was the main business ofthe people. For some years prior to 1820, over one hundred mills were known to be running all the time in the county. This lumber was arranged into rafts along the sides of the streams where it laid until high water or a " fresh " came to float it into and down the Schuylkill to Reading and other points below that place, where the raftsmen sold it, if not already disposed of to a buyer, to lumber mer chants who were present there during the rafting seasons. The completion of the Schuyl kill navigation put an end to rafting — the first stage of lumbering, and lumber was trans ported by canal and slack-water to Philadel phia, until all the valuable timber was used. Early Forges and Furnaces. — Some ten or fifteen years after the lumbering business was fairly launched, several enterprising citizens turned their attention to the manufacture ot iron, and the United States census reports for 1880 says that a forge appears to have been built near Port Clinton in 1801, and that Reese & Thomas built a small charcoal furnace at Pottsville, between 1800 and 1804. In 1804 or 1805, 'Rev. F. W. Geisenheimer & Co., built Valley furnace, near Silver Creek, just north of the site of New Philadelphia; in 1807, John Pott erected a forge and furnace at Potts ville, and in 18 10, Tobias Rickel built Pine Grove forge at Pine Grove. Two years later, 30 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Daniel Focht and Daniel Graeff built a forge on the Little Schuylkill, and we have no fur ther account of a new furnace or forge much before 1830. All these early forges and fur naces used charcoal, and we have no account from whence their owners obtained iron ore — whether in or out of the county. County Formation. — On March 18, 181 1, an act of the legislature of Pennsylvania was ap proved by Governor Snyder for the erection of a part of the counties of Berks and North ampton into a separate county, to be known as the county of Schuylkill. The first section of the act recites : That all that part of Berks county, within the limits of the following townships, Brunswick, Schuyllcill, Manheim, Norwegian, Upper and Lower Mahantongos, and Pine Grove townships in Berks county, and West Penn and Rush, townships in North ampton county, be erected into a county, henceforth to be called Schuylkill. By an act passed March 3, 1818, the follow ing territory was annexed to Schuylkill county as Union townships : " All that part of Luzerne and Columbia counties lying within the fol lowing lines, viz : Beginning at a corner in the line dividing the county of Columbia from the county of Schuylkill ; thence extending through the township of Catawissa, north ten degrees, east four miles and a half to a pine tree on the Little mount; thence extending through the townships of Catawissa and Mifflin, north forty-five degrees, east five miles to a stone on Bucks mount and in a line dividing the county of Columbia from the county of Luzerne ; thence through the town ship of Sugar Loaf, in the county of Luzerne, south seventy degrees, east eight miles, to the line between the county of Schuylkill and the county of Luzerne ; thence along the said line and the line between the county of Columbia and the county of Schuylkill to the place of beginning." The act directed courts to be held at the house of Abram Reiffsyder, in Brunswick township, until a court-house was erected. The first court was held in the east room of this house, on the third Monday of December, 181 1. Judge Porter presided, with George Rausch and Daniel Yost as associate Justices. The first grand inquest were : B. Kepner, George Body, Jacob Houser, A. Yost, P. Feg- ley, Tobias Wagner, Isaac Yarnell, P. Kaup, Con Roeder, D. Fenstermacher, D. Bensinger, P. Albright, Joseph Hecke, Joseph Old, A. Hoffer, John Hoch, D. Graeff, George Hille- gas, A. Gilbert, P. Siedel and Conrad Yeager. J. Andrew Shultz, Daniel Montgomery and a Mr. Clark were appointed to fix the location for the seat of justice. " McKeansburg, Schuylkill Haven and Orwigsburg were rival candidates, with claims nearly equally balanced. It is said that Peter Frailey, Daniel Graeff, John Kobb, John Dreher, Phillip Hoy and others induced the owners of saw-mills on the Manhannan creek, which runs near the borough, to detain the water in their mill ponds for a time; and when the commissioners were at Orwigsburg, at a preconcerted signal (the blowing of a horn) they hoisted their flood gates, and the stream, swollen in consequence, so strongly impressed the commissioners with the manu facturing facilities of the place that they decided in its favor." In 1 84 1 an attempt was made to forma new county, in which the Mahantongo townships were to be included ; and twelve years later a second attempt was made to form a new county by name of Anthracite out of the east ern part of Schuylkill and the southern part of Luzerne. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 31 The following paper was written in con nection with the formation of the county by Samuel Lewis, and on account of its histori cal value is inserted entire : " I have been frequently requested to write a history of Schuylkill county, but have hith erto declined making the attempt, conceiving that I lacked nearly every qualification for such a task, and particularly that I was entirely ignorant of the language spoken by the great body of the original settlers, and which is still the vernacular tongue of their descendants and others from whom it is to be hoped that much local information might be obtained. And further, that more pressing engagements, involving the necessity of pro viding for the hour that was passing, never left me much time to collect the necessary information, even if I could have spoken the language of those who possessed it. "Upon further reflection and examination of the subject I thought that I could con tribute something towards the end in view that might be hereafter used for the purpose of a history. And it also occurred to me that by making our Association the depository of such fragmentary knowledge as might be col lected from time to time, a mass of informa tion would be accumulated from which some thing useful and valuable might be extracted hereafter. " The first thing that seemed necessary was to define the boundaries of that portion of our state known as Schuylkill county. This, it is well-known, was principally taken from Berks county, and the latter was carved out of Lancaster county, and the latter out of Chester county. So that the ground on which Pottsville stands, as well as a large portion of Schuylkill county, was at one time actually within the limits of the county of Chester. This carries the inquirer back to the days of the first great Proprietary of Pennsylvania ; and it occurred to me that to first give an introductory view of the history of the estab lishment of a few of the older counties would be pertinent. The information thus embodied will not be found in the same connected shape anywhere else, and may possibly afford some amusement if not instruction. " By the tenth section of the charter from Charles, the Second, to William Penn, he was empowered to divide the country thereby granted into towns and counties, and to erect and incorporate towns into boroughs, and boroughs into cities. " William Penn landed at Newcastle in the (now) State of Delaware, to take possession of his province and territories, on October 24, 1682, and on December 7 following met a general assembly of the people at Upland (now Chester), for the purpose of passing laws for- the government thereof. " He also, shortly afterwards, established a Provincial Council to assist him in carrying on the government. The printed minutes of this council commenced on March 10, 1683. There are documents to show that the coun cil had been established previous to this date, but their minutes, if they kept any, are lost. At this meeting of the council the sheriff of each county was called in to make their return, as it appears, of a recent election. Their names and the names of the counties are given, from which it appears that the lat ter were six in number, viz. : Philadelphia, Chester, Bucks, Newcastle, Kent and Sussex. But how or when these counties were estab lished, and what the boundaries were between them, does not appear. " Proud in his history of Pennsylvania says that ' Toward the latter end of the year 1682, 32 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY William Penn, with the assistance of his sur veyor general, Thomas Holmes, commenced the laying out of the city of Philadelphia,' and in the next page adds, ' About this time he, with the consent of those who first purchased of him, divided the province and territories into six counties (three in each),' then naming them as above, but does not give his author- ity. " William Penn, in a letter to the Earl of Sunderland, dated July 25, 1683, says : ' I have laid out the province into counties. Six are begun to be seated lying on the Great river and planted about six miles back.' "The above is about all the information that has come down to us relative to the lay ing out of the first counties. " Things remained in this position until the spring of 1685, after the return of William Penn to England, when a council was held at Philadelphia ; present, Thomas Holmes, presi dent, and nine other members ; ' It being moved in council to have the line of separa tion known and distinguished between the counties of Philadelphia and Bucks at the river Delaware, the county of Bucks to begin at Poaquessing creek, and to take in the easterly side thereof, together with the town ships of Southampton and Warminster, and thence backwards.' And several members of council acquainted this board that they heard the Governor positively grant and say that the afore-mentioned line should be the divi sion line between the two said counties, and being put to the question whether that should stand as the division of the counties aforesaid it was carried in the affirmative without dis sent. " And also at the same meeting, the follow ing proceeding in relation to the line between Philadelphia and Chester counties took place : " ' Whereas, the Governor in presence of John Symroch and William Wood was pleased to say and grant that the bounds of the coun ties of Chester and Philadelphia should be as follows, viz. : That the bounds should begin at the Mill creek and sloping to the Welsh township and thence to Scoolkill, etc., in obe dience thereto and confirmation thereof. " ' The council having seriously weyed and considered the same have, and do hereby agree and order that the bounds betwixt the said counties shall be thus, that is to say : " ' The county of Chester to begin at the mouth or entrance of Bough creek, upon Del aware river, being the upper end of Tinicum island, and so up that creek, dividing the said island from the lands of Andros Boone, etc. ; from thence along the several courses thereof to a large creek called Mill creek, from thence up the several courses of the said creek to a W. S. W. line dividing the Liberty lands of 'Philadelphia from several tracts of land be longing to the Welsh and other inhabitants, and from thence E. N. E. by a line of marked trees, 120 perches more or less, from thence N. N. W. by Harford township, iooo perches, 7more or less, from thence E. N. E. by the land of John Humphries, no perches, more or less, from thence N. N. W. by the land of John Eckly, 880 perches, more or less, from thence continuing the same course to the Scoolkill river, which said Scoolkill river afterwards to be the natural bounds. "The question being put, whether the aforesaid creeks, courses and lines shall be the bounds betwixt the Counties of Philadelphia and Chester according to the Governor's grant as aforesaid.— Unanimously passed in the affirmative. — Minutes of Council, vol. 1, page 126. And again—" At a Council held at Phila- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 33 delphia, the 8th of 2d month (April), 1685, the line between the counties of Philadelphia and Bucks was finally established as follows : ' To begin at the mouth of Poaquessing creek on Delaware river and to go up thence along said creek by the several courses thereof to a S. W. and N. E. line, which said line divides the land belonging to Joseph Growdon and Company from the Southampton township; from thence by a line of marked trees along said line 120 perches more or less, from thence N. W. by a line of marked trees, which said line, in part, divided the land belonging to Nicholas Moore, from Southampton and War minster townships, continuing the said line as far as the said county shall extend.' — Minutes of Council, vol. 1, page ijo. " Thomas Holmes was at this time the Surveyor-General of the Province, and also a member of the Council, and occasionally acted as President pro tem. He probably fur nished the lines for these counties where they were not bounded by creeks, as we do not find that any commissioners or surveyors were sent out for that purpose, as was some times the case afterwards. " No other limits than the above were given for the three counties, and it seems to have been tacitly understood that they were to em brace the whole Province, and to have their division lines and their jurisdiction extended with the purchase of the country from the Indians and its settlement by the whites. Philadelphia alone was, in reality, circum scribed by shorter limits, though doubtless without the knowledge or intention of the Council. The division line between it and Chester was the Schuylkill, which we pre sume would extend to the head of its main branch. " And the line between it and Bucks was 3 to be continued on a north-west course — this was subsequently so continued — forming the line between the counties of Mongomery and Berks on one side, and Bucks and Lehigh on the other — to the line of Northumberland county. And singularly enough this line crosses the main branch of Schuylkill, at the town of Tuscarora, very near its source — hence giving Philadelphia county definite limits all around, and leaving the remainder of the Province to be divided between Chester and Bucks by an extension of the aforesaid northwest line. " Nothing more appears to have been done in relation to the limits of counties during the life-time of William Penn. " The next county laid off and established was Lancaster, which as it originally con tained a part of what is now Schuylkill county, and the manner of its establishment tends to show the increasing strength and power of the popular branch ofthe Proprietary Govern ment, it may be interesting and instructive to sketch the history of the transaction a little in detail. " At a Council held February 6, 1728-9, a petition of the inhabitants of the upper parts of Chester county was laid before the Board and read, — setting forth the inconveniences they labored under by reason of their great distance from the county town where the courts are held, the offices kept, and the elections made, etc. " And praying that a division line be made between the upper and lower part 'of said county, and the upper part thereof erected into a county with all the immunities, rights and privileges which any other county of the province does now enjoy. "After some discussion the further con sideration of the subject was postponed until the next day, when after full consideration 34 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY it was resolved : — ' That as well for the reasons set forth in the said petition, as the security, peace and good order of the whole government, there doth appear a real neces sity that a new county should be erected according to the prayer of the said petition ; and although the power of erecting counties is wholly vested in the Proprietary, and there fore in the Governor as his lieutenant, yet inasmuch as this will require the establish ment of Courts of Judicature, with other alterations for which a due provision will best be made by a law, it may be convenient that the Governor should acquaint the House of Representatives now sitting with the appli cation made to him that the same be carried on with and strengthened by the joint and unanimous concurrence of the whole Legisla ture.' And again, at a Council held February 20, 1728-9 — the Governor informed the Board that he had acquainted the House of Repre sentatives with his intention to erect the upper part of the county of Chester, into a separate county, in which they had concurred, and that an equal number of the inhabitants of the lower and upper part might run the division line : '¦ Whereupon it is ordered that Henry Hayes, Samuel Nutt, Samuel Hollingsworth, Philip Taylor, Elisha Gatchel, James James, John Wright, Tobias Hendricks, Samuel Blunston, Andrew Cornish, Thomas Edwards and John Musgrave, or the major part of them, calling to their assistance John Taylor, the . surveyor of Chester county, meet at some convenient place near Octorara creek or river and cause a marked line to be run from the most northerly or main branch of the Octorara creek northward, or to the east or west thereof as it shall pe found most con venient to the next high ridge of barren or uninhabited hills that trend from thence to Schuylkill river, keeping as near as may be to the ridge of the said hills and to proceed along the ridge thereof, yet with as few changes in the course as the situation will admit, and fixing the same to the most conspicuous natural and durable marks, that may be the least subject .to uncertainty or variation. To be bounded southward by the southern bounds of the Province, and eastwardly by the said Octorara creek, and from thence the northern line to be by them run -as aforesaid to the said hills, from thence and along then to the river Schuylkill, and the main northern or easterly branch thereof above the forks of said river, to lie open to the westward and northward till further order shall be given therein, and to make report of their proceed ings to this Board.' " At a Council held May 2, 1729, the report of the commissioners was received, stating that they had performed the duties assigned to them, and giving a description, by courses and distances, of the division line run by them. And then the Board declared that ' the upper part of this province described as aforesaid are hereby declared to be erected, and are accordingly erected into a county by the name of Lancaster county. And it is ordered that the same be signified to the House of Representatives, and the return laid before them for their direction in describing the boundaries thereof in the Bill now before them for establishing Courts of Judicature, etc., within the same.' — Minutes of Council, vol. 3, pages jfj, etc. "The Act of Assembly passed the 10th of May, 1729, for erecting certain parts of the Province into a county, sets forth, ' That all and singular the lands within the Province of Pennsylvania, lying to the northward of Octo rara creek, and to the westward of a line of OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 35 marked trees, running northeasterly to the river Schuylkill, be erected into a county, named and from henceforth to be called Lan- caster county ; and the said Octorara creek, the line of marked trees and the river Schuyl kill aforesaid, shall be the boundary line or division between the said county and the coun ties of Chester and Philadelphia. " William Penn, upon his arrival in this coun try, erected six counties and established courts of justice, etc., therein, without asking assistance from anyone. But' in a few years after his death, the deputy or lieutenant-gov ernor, appointed by his heirs, finds it necessary to ask the assistance of the House of Repre- ' sentatives or popular branch of the govern ment in establishing a new county. » " None ofthe descriptions ofthe line dividing Lancaster from Philadelphia are very clear or certain ; it was to be from the corner of Ches ter, the river Schuylkill, and the main north ern or easterly branch thereof, above the forks of said river. The Little Schuylkill might be made to answer these conditions, but what is known as the Main or Big Schuylkill was in after times considered by the officers of the government as the dividing line, as will be shown in its proper place. Perhaps it was not easy to make it more definite through a coun try so little known at that day, and besides the land was not at that time purchased of the In dians further up than the Blue mountain, and the Indians contended, not further than the Lechay hills, or those passing south of Read ing. Of course a division line higher than this, was but of little practical consequence at that time. " It may be here remarked that in striking contrast with the restlessness and love of change of modern times, the line thus estab lished between the counties of Chester and Lancaster remains the division line between them to this day. And that the line between Berks on one side, and Philadelphia and Mont gomery on the other, remains the same as it was established in 1685. " We now come to the county of Berks, from •which the principal part of Schuylkill county was subsequently taken, the remainder of the original county having been taken from Northampton. As the bills for establishing these counties were both passed on the same day, we will treat of them together. " By an Act of Assembly passed the 1 ith day of March, 1752, it was enacted that 'all and singular the lands lying within the Province of Pennsylvania, within the bounds as hereinafter described, be erected into a county named and henceforth to be called Berks, bounded as fol lows : by a line at the distance of ten superfi cial miles southwest from the western bank of the river Schuylkill, opposite to the mouth of a creek called Monocacy — to be run northwest to the extremity of the Province, and southeast until it shall intersect the line of Chester coun ty, then on one straight line, crossing the river Schuylkill aforesaid to the upper or north westward line of McCall's manor; thence along the said line to the extremity thereof, and con tinuing the same course to the line dividing Philadelphia and Bucks counties ; then along the said line northwest to the extent of the county aforesaid.' " And by the 13th section of the same Act, Edward Scull of the county of Philadelphia, Benjamin Lightfoot ofthe county of Chester and William Cookson of the county of Lancaster, were ' appointed to run, mark out and distin guish the boundary line between the said counties of Philadelphia, Chester, and Lancas ter, and the hereinbefore mentioned county of Berks, or so much thereof as they or a major- 36 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ity of them for the respective counties, shall judge convenient and necessary.' " I cannot find that any return ofthe running of the lines of Berks county was made to the Governor and Council as was the case with Lancaster by the commissioners. The return may have been made to the Assembly, or may be found among the records of some of the counties concerned. Should I hereafter dis cover it, I will add it as an appendix to this paper. " By an Act passed March u, 1752, it was enacted that ' all and singular the lands lying within the Province of Pennsylvania be erected, and the same is hereby erected into a county named and henceforth to be called Northamp ton; — to be divided from the county of Bucks by the upper or north'westward line of the Durham tract to the upper corner thereof; then by a straight line to be run' south west- wardly to the line dividing the townships of Upper and Lower Milford, thence along the said line to the line dividing Philadelphia and Bucks counties, and then by that line to the extremity ofthe province.' " And by section 1 3, of said Act, John Chap man, John Watson, Jr., and Samuel Foulke were ' appointed commissioners to run, mark out and distinguish the boundary between the said counties of Bucks and Northampton.' But no mention is made in the act of the running of any other lines. Doubtless presuming that if the line of Berks county were run as in the Act erecting that county is directed, it would be all that was required. " The foregoing brief history ofthe establish ment of sundry counties in the eastern part of the State, may tend to show, as already observed, the growing and increasing strength of the popular branch ofthe Proprietary gov ernment. " William Penn upon his arrival in this coun- 1 try erected six counties, and established courts | of justice, etc., in them without asking assist- ¦ ance from any one. Not even deigning, so far as we know, to leave any record of his acts or any descriptions of the boundaries of the several counties. But in 1728, a few years after the death of Penn, the Deputy or Lieu tenant Governor appointed by his heirs, upon the petition for the erection of Lancaster I county, while asserting that the right of erect ing counties is wholly vested in the Proprietary, and therefore in the Governor as his lieuten ant, yet as courts, etc., will have to be estab- • lished, thinks it convenient that he should acquaint the House of Representatives then sitting of the application made to him, that the same might be carried on and strengthened by the joint action ofthe whole Legislature, — and it was so carried on and consummated. But the Council in this case appointed the com missioners to run out the boundaries of the new county and directed them to report to council, which they did. And then in 1752 when we come to the erection of Berks and Northampton, the only notice taken of the matter in the minutes of the Council is as above stated. The commissioners to run the boundaries were named in the acts,' but to whom they were to report, or whether they were to report at all, is not set forth either in the acts or minutes of Council. " By an act passed April 17, 1795, the Gov ernor was authorized to ' appoint commissioners to run the lines between the counties of Berks and Northumberland counties (among other lines),— beginning at the forks of Mahantongo and Pine Creeks, at a place called Spread Eagle, and from thence N. 66 E., until the same shall intersect the line dividing the counties of Berks and Northampton, which OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 37 shall hereafter be deemed and taken to be the boundary line between Berks and Northum berland counties.' " This line was subsequently run and thus enclosed Berks on all sides by definite lines. No further alterations were made in them until 1811, when by an Act passed March 1, 181 1, it was enacted that ' all that part of Berks county lying and being within the limits of the following townships, to wit : The townships of Brunswick, Schuylkill, Manheim, Norwe gian, Upper Mahantongo, Lower Mahantongo and Pinegrove, in Berks county; and the townships of West Penn and Rush in the county of Northampton, shall be and the same are hereby, according to their present lines, declared to be erected into a county, hence forth to be called Schuylkill.' " It must be evident that this description conveys no definite idea of the size, shape, or even position of the new county, further than that it was to be parts of Berks and North ampton. To form an adequate idea of these matters we must first know the size, shape and position of" the nine townships as they were located and adjoined to each other in 181 1. I have made some progress in investigating this matter; but much remains yet to be done. If I should be able to complete it, the results will be hereafter communicated. " It was this indistinctness of description of Which I was well aware that induced me to be so particular in describing the boundaries of the counties of Berks and Northampton and the manner of their establishment. "The county of Schuylkill was enlarged by an Act of Assemby passed the 3d day of March, 1 8 1 8, which enacted, — ' That all that part of Co lumbia and Luzerne counties lying and being within the following lines viz. : Beginning at a a corner in the line dividing the county of Columbia from the county of Schuylkill, thence extending through the township of Catawissa, N. 10 E., 4^ miles to a pine tree on the Little Mount. ; thence extending through the townships of Catawissa and Mif flin, N. 45 E., 5 miles to a stone on Buck's Mount., and in a line dividing the county of Columbia from the county of Luzerne, thence through the township of Sugarloaf, in the county of Luzerne, S. 70 E., 8 miles to the line between the counties of Schuylkill and Luzerne, thence along the said line and the line between the county of Columbia and the county of Schuylkill to the place of beginning, shall from and after the passing of this act be annexed to the county of Schuylkill, and from henceforth be called Union township.' " CIVIL ROSTER. Congressmen. — The following have been elected from Schuylkill county: Edward B. Hubley, 1834, 183*3; George N. Eckart, 1846; Charles D. Pit man, 1848; C. M. Straub, 1852; J. H. Camp bell, 1854, 1858, i860; MyerStrouse, 1862, 1864; Henry L. Cake, 1863, 1868; James B. Reilly, 1874, 1876; John W. Ryon, 1878; Charles N. Brumm, 1882, 1884, 1886; James B. Reilly, 1888, 1890, 1892. fudges. — From 181 1 to 1851 the following judges were appointed : Robert Porter, Samuel D. Franks, Calvin Blythe, James M. Porter, Anson V. Parsons, N. B. Eldred and Luther Kidder. Charles W. Hegins was elected in 1850 and died shortly after, being succeeded by E. O. Parry. H. S. Souther was next appointed, and served until 1 87 1, when Thomas H. Walker was elected, and D. B. Green became judge of the court of common pleas. Cyrus L. Pershing was elected president judge in 1872, and O. P. Bechtel second additional law judge in 1877. In 1881 David B. Green was elected additional law judge ; he died in 1892, and Mason Wendman was appoin'ed to succeed him, and was elected in 1893. In 1882 38 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY and again in 1892 Cyrus L. Pershing was elected as president judge, while Oliver P. Bechtel was re-elected additional law judge in 1887. By act of assembly in 1867 was established the first district of criminal jurisdiction, including Schuylkill, Dauphin and Lebanon counties. Col. D. B. Green was appointed as its judge and served as such until it was abolished by the constitution of 1871. Sheriffs. — William Green, 181 1; Frederick Hesser, 1814; Benjamin Christ, 1817; George Rahn, 1820-1831 ; Matthias Dreher, 1823; John Rausch, 1823; Samuel Huntzinger, 1825; Charles Frailey, 1828; Henry Rausch, 1834; Peter F. Ludwig, 1837; J. T. Woolison, 1840; Jeremiah Reed, 1843; John T.Werner, 1846; Christian M. Straub, 1849; James Nagle, 1852; William Matz, 1855; John P. Hobart, 1858; John Rausch, 1861 ; Michael Horan, 1864; George C. Wyncoop, 1867; Charles W. Pitman, 1870; James I. Pitman, 1871 ; J. Frank Werner, 1874; William J. Matz, 1877; J. Monroe Boyer, 1882; B. J. Duffy, 1885; Andrew Comery, 1888; Jos. Woll, 1 89 1. Prothonotaries. — James McFarland, 181 1 ; Philip Frailey, 181 7; Jacob Dreibelbis, 181 9; Henry W. Conrad, 1821 ; Peter Frailey, 1824; Jacob Hammer, 1827; Lewis Audenreid, 1836; George Rahn, 1839; Charles Frailey, 1842-1860; Chris tian M. Straub, 1845 '> Thomas Mills, 1848; John Harlan, 1851; Samuel Huntzinger, 1854; Daniel H. Shoener, 1857; Joseph M. Feger, 1863 Thomas J. McCamant, 1866; William J. Matz 1869; Hiram Moyer, 1872; Thomas F. Kerns 1875-1878; Wm. J. McCarthy, 1881 ; Wm. J McCarthy, 1884; M. P. Brennan, 1887; S. C Kirk, 1890; James Deegan, 1893. Treasurers. — Daniel Graeff, 1812 ; John Ham- mer, 1815; Jacob Huntzinger, 1818, 1822; John Schall, 1819, 1825, 1832; Joseph Hammer, 1828; Joseph Ottinger, 1834; John M. Brikel, 1838; Jacob Huntzinger, Jr., 1840 ; Henry Shoemaker, 1844; Henry Krebs, 1846; B. C. Christ, 1848; F. B. Kaercher, 1850; George D. Boyer, 1852; Isaac Ward, 1854 ; Samuel K. M. Keepner, 1856 ; William Bickel, 1858; James R. Cleaver, i860; Joseph H. Ruhards, 1862; Henry J. Hendler, 1864; William B. Rady, 1866; Conrad Seltzer, 1868; Edward Bradley, 1870; George A. Her ring, 1872; Daniel Barlow, 1874; Cyrus Moore, 1876; Louis Stoffregen, 1879; Alex. Faust, 1881 ; Louis Blass, 1884; M. J. Whalen, 1887; Thomas Pepper, 1890; Daniel Dechert, 1893. Commissioners (term of office three years). — Abraham Angstadt, John Ruth and John Zebner, elected in 181 1; John Hammer, Conrad Kersh- ner, George Kimmel, 181 2 ; George Orwig, 1813 ; Benjamin Christ, 1814 ; Henry Straub, Christopher Boyer, 181 5; Daniel Focht, 181 6; Christian Brobst, 181 7; Jacob Hehn, 1818; Philip Foegly, 1819; John Pott, Abraham Reifsnyder, 1820; John Seltzer, 1822 ; John Reed, Abraham Ai%- stadt, 1823; John Gehner, 1824; Henry Shoe maker, 1825 ; Ludwig Berger, 1826; John Matz, 1827; Henry Ege, Samuel Haine, 1829; David Turner, 1831 ; George Reed, 1832; William Mortimer, 1833; John Brans, 1834; John Shoe ner, 1835; Philip Osman, 1836; Adam Focht, 1837 ; Abraham Boughner, Benjamin Pott, 1838 ; Benjamin Lantzer, Edward O' Conner, 1839; George Seitzinger, George Boyer, 1841 ; Samuel R. Medlar, 1842; George Moser, 1843; Henry Zimmerman, 1844; Frederick Beck, William Wagner, 1845; George H. Stichter, 1846 ; Lewis Dreher, 1847; Isaac Betz, 1 848 ; William Frailey, 1849 ; Michael Fritz, 1850 ; Thomas Foster, 1851 ; George Hartline, 1852 ; Jacob Kline, Isaac Straub, 1853; Andrew H. Wilson, 1855; David Lengle, 1856; Philip Boyer, 1857; Edward O'Conner, 1858; Samuel Kaufman, 1859; Evan J. Thomas, i860; Daniel B. Althouse, 1861 ; Robert Wall, Edward O'Conner, 1862; David Foley, Charles Springer, 1863; Elijah Zeiglar, 1864; Benjamin Evart, George Wilson, 1866; Edward Kerns, 1867; Patrick Dormer, 1868; Peter Miller, 1870 ; Valentine Benner, 1872; Moses Hine, 1873; Patrick Conry, 1874; Morgan W. Fehr, Lewis Blass, Patrick Collins, 1875; Samuel Garret, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 39 Daniel Beyer, A. J. Shortull, 1878; John Leahy, Daniel Boyer, A. J. Shortull, 1881 ; John Leahy, John Leonard (after serving eleven months was removed on account of irregularities in his elec tion ; J. O. Roads was appointed in his place) ; James Callery (died in office and Geo. Evans was appointed in his place), 1884; Samuel G. De Turk, Geo. D. Moyer, J. J. Bowes, 1887 ; E. E. Reed, Saml. G. De Turk, J. J. Bowes, 1890; Frank Rentz, C. F. Allen, J. P. Martin, 1893- Register of Wills, Clerk of the Orphans'1 Court and Recorder (offices combined until 1857).- — James McFarland, elected 181 1; Philip Frailey, 181 8; Jacob Drieblebis, 1819; Francis B. Nichols, 1821; Peter Frailey, 1824; Charles Frailey, 1831 ; Samuel Huntzinger, 1833; Joseph Morgan, 1836; Jacob Hammer, 1838; Jacob Krebs, 1840; John H. Downing, 1.842; Samuel Guss, 1845; Daniel Kercher, 1848; Lewis Reeser, 185 1 ; Joshua Boyer, 1854. Recorders. — Levi Huber, 1857; Dennis Maher, i860; Benjamin F. Griffith, 1863; Martin Schaefer, 1866; Ernst F. Jungkurth, 1869; J. Webber, 1872; Adam Hartwig, 1875; John A. Reilly, 1878; Wm. C. Haussler, 1881; A. J. Shortall, 1884; J. H. Levan, 1887; Henry Scheurman, 1890; Henry Scheurman, 1893. Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court. — Jacob Feger, 1857; Joseph Bowen, i860; Adolph Dohrmann, 1863; Charles McGee, 1869; Benjamin F. Cranshan, 1872 ; Richard Rahn, 1873, 1878s J. C. Purcell, 1881 ; G. U. John son, 1884; Samuel Beard, 1887; Samuel Beard, 1890; Charles C. Matten, 1893. Clerk of the Courts. — This office was combined with that of prothonotary until 1857. Since 1857 Charles A. Rahn, James Glenn, Charles F. Rahn, and O. J. Aregood have served ; Elhannan W. Free- hafer, 1881 ; Elhannan W. Freehafer, 1884; Daniel Duffy, 1887; John J. Toole, 1890; A. J. Shortall, 1893. State Representatives (Schuylkill and Berks counties one district from 1812 to 1828, since then Schuylkill one district). — Jacob Krebs, 181 2, 1813; Jacob Drieblebis, 1 81 4; Christian Halde- man, 1815; Michael Graeff, 1816, 1825; John W. Roseberry, 1819; Jacob Rhan, 1820; William Audenreid, 1822, 1823; George Rhan, 1824, 1826, 1827, 1829; Samuel Huntzinger, 1830, 1831, 1832; Charles Frailey, 1833, 1855; Henry D. Conrad, 1834, 1835 ; Jacob Hammer, 1836, 1844,1853; Daniel Krebs, 1837; William Mor timer, 1838; Augustus Holmes, 1840; John Deaver, 1841 ; Christian N. Straub, 1842, 1844; Abraham Hubner, 1843; James Taggart, 1845, 1846; George Boyer, 1845,1846, 1848; Samuel Kaufman, 1847; Alexander W. Leyburn, 1847, 1848; John A. Otto, John W. Roseberry, 1849; Nicholas Jones, 1850; William J. Dobbins, 1850, 185 1 ; John S. Struthers, 185 1; Stephen Ringer, Bernard Reiley, 1852 ; John Horn, Jr., 1853, 1854; Samuel Hippie, 1854, 1856; Benjamin Christ, 1855; William R. Lebo, 1856, 1857; George Wagonseller, 1857; Charles D. Hippie, 1858.; Michael Weaver, 1858, 1864, 1865 ; T. R. L. Ebur, 1858; Cyrus L. Pinkerton, 1859, i860; John S. Boyer, 1859, i860; P. R. Palm, 1859; Joseph R. Maurer, i860; Henry Huhn, Daniel Koch, Lin Bartholomew, 1861; James Ryon, 1862; Lewis C.Dougherty, 1862; Adam Wolf, 1862, 1863; Edward Kerns, 1863, 1864; Con rad Graber, 1863, 1864; John Dormer, Joshua Boyer, 1865; Kennedy Robinson, 1866, 1867; John M. Crossland, 1866; P. F. Collins, 1866, 1867; Philip Breen, 1867, 1869; Edward Kearns, Michael Beard, 1868, 1869; D. E. Nice, 1868, 1869; James Ellis, 1870, 1871 ; J. Irvin Steele, 1870, 1871; F. W. Snyder, 1870; Francis Mc- Keon, 1871; Wallace Guss, 1872; Charles F. King, 1872, 1873; W. H. Uhler, 1872; Thomas Egan, 1873, J874; Benjamin Kaufman, 1873; John W. Morgan, Frederick L. Foster, 1874. After 1874 the following members ofthe House of Representatives were elected for two years, under the new constitution : 1875 — ist district, John W. Morgan; 2d, Charles L. Loudenslager ; 3d, Joshua Boyer; 4th, S. A. Losch, William J. 40 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Lewis, Frederick L. Foster; 1877 — ist, John W. Morgan ; 2d, David J. McKibben ; 3d, Wil loughby C. Felthoff; 4th, John M. Kauffman, Decius H. Wilcok, W. Ramsay Potts; 1879 — ist, Patrick Conry ; 2d, John F. Welsh ; 3d, I. T. Shoener; 4th, S. C. Kirk, C. Palsgrave, Clay W. Evans; 1882, ist district — Thos. Higgins, 2nd district, James E. Brennan; 3d district, Edw. Schlecher; 4th district, Wm. E. Fulmer, Fred E. Stees, Edward Hummel. 18S4, ist district — M. A. Leary; 2d district, D. D. Phillips; 3d district, Thos. Purcell ; 4th district, E. W. Thomas, C. W. Sherman, John M. Kaufman. 1886, ist district — John Tahany; 2d district, D. D. Phillips; 3d district, Thomas Purcell; 4th district, Elias Davis, E. W. Thomas, C. C. Matten. 1888, ist district — Wm. 'E. Jones; 2d district, Eugene Donohue ; 3d district, Wm. M. Bachert ; 4th district, Wm. R. Potts, Calvin W. Brower, Elias Davis. 1890, ist district — J. J. Brennan ; 2d district, Eugene Donohue ; 3d dis trict, Wm. M. Bachert ; 4th district, Elias Davis, Geo. W. Kennedy, S. S. Cooper. 1892, ist dis trict — J. J. Coyle ; 2d district, John X. Dence ; 3d district, Wm. Follweiler; 4th district, Geo. W. Kennedy, S. A. Losch, S. S. Cooper. State Senators (Schuylkill and Berks one dis trict 1812-35; Schuylkill and Columbia, 1836- 43; Schuylkill, Carbon, Monroe and Pike, 1844 -49; Schuylkill, 1850-74; and since then two districts). — Peter Frailey, 1812, 1816; James B. Hubley, 1820; William Audenreid, 1823; Jacob Krebs, 1828, 1832; Charles Frailey, 1836, 1850; Francis W. Hughes, 1844; George Rahn (to fill vacancy occasioned by the resignation of F. W. Hughes), 1845; J°hn Hendricks, 1853; Christian Straub, 1856; Robert M. Palmer, 1859; Richard Reilly, 1862; William M. Randall, 1865, 1868, 1871; Oliver P. Bechtel, 1874; John P. Cob- han, 1875; Luther R. Keefer, 1877; William- L. Torbett, 1877 ; John Parker, 1879. 1882, 30th district, Chas. F. King; 1884, 29th district, L. R Keefer; 1886, 30th district, M. C.Wat son; 1888, 29th district, L. R. Keefer; 1890, 30th district, B. J. Monaghan; 1892, 29th dis trict, L. R. Keefer. War of 181 2. — Quite a number of soldiers from Schuylkill county served in the Second War for Independence against Great Britain, but all those so far have failed who have attempted to secure their names. The following served from Hegins township : Peter and Jonathan Bressler, Peter and George Dinger, George Dedrich, John Schoup and John Kessler. Members of the Bar. — The Chronicle publishes the following list from the time the county was or ganized up to the present day. The early records of the county were unsystematic and incomplete, and some names may have been omitted. From 1 818, the record has been faithfully kept, and the list to date is quite complete and is without doubt the most accurate list that has ever been published": E. B. Hubley, Oct. 16, 1818; Christopher Loeser, July 31, 1821 ; George Taylor, Oct. 31, 1821 ; Alex. L. Hays, Oct. 31, 1821 ; Wm. B. Potts, Oct. 27, 1823; John Bannan, March 30, 1824; Thos. Morris, Jr., July 27, 1824; Chas. A. Bradford, July 27, 1824; Geo. M. Keim, Oct, 24, 1826; Daniel J. Heister, Oct. 24, 1826; Joseph H. Spayd, March 26, 1827 ; W. C. Leavenworth, Dec. 30, 1828; Sergeant Hall, July 28, 1829; David Cander, July 28, 1829; Edward Owen Parry, Oct. 26, 1829; Geo. W. Farquhar, March 29, 1830; Philip S. Markley, March 29, 1830; Nicholas J. Wood, March 29, 1830; Robert C. Grier, March 29, 1830; Joseph M. Duncan, March 31, 1830; John C. Flanigan, April 1, 1830; Nathan Nathans, April 2, 1830; John S. Wharton, July 26, 1830; Volney B. Palmer, July 26, 1830; Wm. F. Dean, July 26, 1830; John Henderson, July 26, 1830; Henry W. Smith, July 27, 1830; Benjamin Parks, July 27, 1830; John J. Wurtz, July 29, 1830; Levi Hollingworth, Oct. 25, 1830; Geo. W. Woodward, Oct. 26, 1830; John Swift, Oct. 27, 1830; Joseph S. Cohen; Oct. 29, 1830; Robert M. Barr, Dec. 30, 1830; Joshua W. Comly, March 29, 1831 ; Jacob' Hoffman, Oct. 23, 1832 ; Hugh Bellas, Oct. 23, 1832; Benj. W. Cumming, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 41 March 25, 1834 ; Garrick Mallery,40ct. 27, 1836 ; Ebenezer Greenough, Oct. 27, 1836; Jacob Broom, July 24, 1837; John P. Hobart, July 24, 1837; Zaccur Prall, July 26, 1837 ; Francis W. Hughes, Oct. 23, 1837 : Charles Heistand, Dec. 20, 1837; Eli K. Price, Oct. 21, 1839; James Pleasants. July 27, 1840; John W. Roseberry, Jr., Sept. 20, 1841 ; James H Campbell, Oct. 18, 1841 ; A. W. Leyburn, Dec. 13, 1841; Decatur E. Nice, June 1, 1842 ; John M. Foster, June 2, 1842; Augustine Dooly, July 18, 1842; Benjamin Gerhard, July 20, 1842; Wm. M. Meredith, July 20, 1842; Wm. B. Heiskell, July 20, 1842 ; John C. Neville, July 21, 1842; Horace Smith, Oct. 24, 1842; C. W. Brooke, Oct. 30, 1843; Chas C. Raunn, July 24, 1844; Paul B. Carter, Dec. 11, 1844; J. S. Mc- Micken, March 3, 1845 '> Vincent H. Smith, March 5, 1845; R- M. Palmer, March 5, 1845; Evan O. Jackson, June 5, 1845 > Charles W. Hegins, June 10, 1845 j James T. Hale, June 10, 1845 > Charles J. Jack, June 17, 1845 > James C. Marshall, Sept. 8, 1845 > Wm- p- Foulke, Dec. 5, 1845 > Calvin Blythe, Dec. 8, 1845 > Jacob S. Livingood, Dec. 8, 1845 > George W. Matchin, March 3, 1846 ; John Ulrich, June 6, 1846 ; Robt. H. Hobart, June 11, 1846; Benj. Bartholomew, July 7, 1846; Thos. Robinson, Dec. 9, 1846; Thomas H. Walker, Dec. 9, 1846 ; Howell Fisher, Dec. 9, 1846 ; Charlemagne Tower, Dec. 24, 1846; Wm. Cornfield, Feb. 4, 1847; Bowman Bell, March 1, 1847 > John R. Breitenbach, Sept. 9, 1847; Joseph W. Cake, Sept. 10, 1847; J. K. Hamlin, Sept. 14, 1847; John Porter, Dec. 16, 1847; Wm. Ayres, June 5, 1848; Win. B. Wells, Sept. 15, 1848; Crosby W. Ellis, Dec. n, 1848; A. L. Hennershotz', March 21, 1849; J- B. Mc- Enally, June 4, 1849; James Cooper, June 4, 1849; Brua Cameron, June 4, 1849; Peter Burns, June 4, 1849; Hugh M. North, June 4, 1849; Henry W. Lewis, June 4, ¦ 1 849 ; Edward Shippen, June 4, 1849; T. L. Boileau, June 5, 1849; Wm. H. Hubbard, June 6, 1849 > Bushrod W. Hughes, June 6, 1849; Peter Gwinner, June 12, 1849; Edward Olmstead, July 25, 1849 > Daniel E. Phillips, Sept. 3, 1849; G. H. McCabe, Sept. 11, 1849; Edwin A. Brooke, Sept. 17, 1849; Caleb F. Bowman, Dec. 3, 1849; Othneil De Forest, Dec. 3, 1849; Seymour D. Ball, Dec. 4, 1849; John Weidman, Dec. 5, 1849; O. H. Wheeler, Dec. 11, 1849; J°bn Hendricks, June 13, 1850; Wm. M. Rockafellow, Sept. 9, 1850; Edward H. Baldy, Sept. 10, 1850; John Williamson, Dec. 2, 1850; Craig Biddle, Dec. 6, 1850; Wm. L. Whitney, Dec. 17, 1850; Le Grand Bancroft, March 3, 185 1 ; John C. Bullit, March 13, 185 1 ; Lemuel G. Traugh, March 20, 185 1; Henry B. Woods, June 11, 1851 ; Nathaniel P. Hobert, June 19, 1851; John Banks, Sept. 1, 1851 ; Daniel H. Mulveny, Sept. 3, 1851 ; John Hughes, Sept. 9, 1851 ; Matthew Canning, Sept. 9, 1851; Heister Clymer, Dec. 1, 1851 ; Geo. D. Haughawout, Dec. 1, 1851 ; James A. McBarron, Feb. 6, 1852; Joseph W. Parker, June 7, 1852; Isaac M. Cake, June 12, 1852; George H. Clay, July 28, 1852; Thomas R. Bannan, Sept. 8, 1852; Charles D. Hippie, Dec. 1, 1852; John T. Shoener, Dec. 10, 1852; Thomas T. Kutchen, June 7, 1853; M. Edgard Richards, June 7, 1853; J. B. Swett, June 7, 1853; James Lewis, Sept. 9, 1853; Seth W. Geer, Nov. 10, 1853; Jacob Riegel, Dec. 8, 1853 ; James M. Richards, June 9, 1854; George de B. Keim, Jan. 22, 1855; David B. Green, Jan. 23, 1855; Myer Strouse, March 6, 1855 ; William R. Smith, March 12, 1855 ; Francis P. Dewees, June 8, 1855 ; William J. Leib, Dec. 8, 1855 ; Jonathan Wright, Sept. 2, 1856 ; Cyrus L. Pinkerton, Sept, 17, 1856; James Ryon, Dec. 1, 1856; Christo pher Little, March 16, 1857; Lin C. P. Bartholo mew, March 16, 1857 ; Albion P. Spinney, March 16, 1857; Conrad F. Shindel, Dec. 16, 1857; John T. Boyle, Sept. 20, 1858; James Ellis, Sept. 20, 1858; John P. Brook, Sept. 21, 1858; George M. Dallas, Sept. 16, 1859; W. Ramsey Potts, Sept. 17, 1859; Franklin B. Gowen, May 31, i860; B. M. McCormick, Feb. 2, 1861 ; B. B. McCool, Feb. 6, 1861 ; Henry Royer, March 19, 1861 ; Robert L. Leyburn, March 19, 1861 ; Herman B. Graeff, March 19, 1861 ; Orlando C. Tiffany, Sept. 5, 42 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY 1861 ; George W. Ryon, Sept. 11, 1861 ; Wallace P. Ryon, Dec. 9, 1861 ; John C. Conyngham, March 19, 1862 ; George W. Matz, March 19, 1862; Jacob A. Hazen, April 19, 1862; Daniel D. Dillman, April 19, 1862 ; John W. Ryon, March 23, 1863; Henry C. Bergstresser, April 15, 1863; Henry S. Marr, April 15, 1863; Guy E. Farquhar, June 1, 1863; E. Greenough Scott, June 2, 1863; Cornelius Smith, June 6, 1864; David A. Jones, June 20, 1864; Seth H. Yecum, April 26, 1865; Silas W. Geis, April 29, 1865; Frank T. Bennett, June 12, 1865; W. J. Wol- verton, Sept. 5, 1865; S. G. Kennedy, Sept. 5, 1865; Wm. A. Marr, Sept. 8, 1865 ; Martin M. L'Velle, Sept. 25, 1865; Wm. H. Dewees, March 5, 1866; Adolph W. Schalck, March 5, 1866; Solomon Foster, March 16, 1866; Bernard Reilly, Jr., March 16, 1866; Mason Weidman, March 30, 1866; Fergus G. Farquhar, April 9, 1866; Oliver P. Bechtel, May 10, 1866 ; John A. M. Passmore, Sept. 24, 1866; John W. Bickel, Dec. 12, 1866; Joel B. McCamant, Dec. 12, 1866; James H. Grier, Sept. 2, 1867; John H. James, Dec. 18, 1867; Shadrach J. Raughley, Jan. 27, 1868; William D. Seltzer, March 16, 1868; George H. Troutman, April 13, 1868; John A. Nash, April 13, 1868; Horace M. Darling, May 13,1868; Francis W. Bechtel, May 13,1868; Elias G. Hughes, May 13, 1868; Francis C. Campbell, May 18, 1868; George R. Kaercher, Nov. 16, 1868; James B Reilly, Jan. 11, 1869; Joseph W. Cake, Nov. 5, 1869; Z. T, Gait, Dec. 21, 1869 ; Henry C. Sheafer, May 14, 1869 ; Geo C. Chambers, Sept. 8, 1869; Albert Knittle, Oct. 8, 1869 ; L. D. Haughawout, Dec. 13, 1869 ; Chas. F. Smith, Jan. 10, 1870; Harry C. Dornan, March 7, 1870; Charles N. Brumm, March 7, 1870 ; Geo. S. Coleman, March 21, 1870; Charles C. Wells, April 11, 1870; B. B. Laucks, April 25, 1870; Theo. W. Gunster, June 11, 1870 ; G. B. Nich olson, Nov. 8, 1870; George D. Budd, Nov. 29, 1870; Frank P. Ryan, Dec. 12, 1870; Lyman Hakes, Dec. 26, 1870; J. S. Leisenring, Feb. 13, 1871 ; A. S. Hottenstein, May 10, 1871 ; S. P. Auchmuty, Jun^ 7, 1871; L. Merriman, June 20, 1871; Chas K. Taylor, Nov. 6, 1871; Richard P. White, Dec. 4, 1871 ; Edward Burr, Dec. 4, 1871; Benj. F. McAttee, April 24, 1872; Henry Souther, May 13, 1872 ; D. C. Henning, April 8, 1872; John V. Reynolds, Aug. 12, 1872; I. Y. Sollenberger, Oct. 21, 1872; Thomas R. Beddall, Jan. 20, 1873; S. A. Garrett, March 17, 1873; Walter S. Heilner, March 19, 1873; Thos- M- France, June 2, 1873 5 Jos- L- Walsh, June 2, 1873 > Nicholas Heblich, June 2, 1873; Anthony Camp bell, Dec. 22, 1873; James F. Minogue, Sept. 7, 1874; John J. Clark, Sept. 7, 1874; John F. Whalen, Sept. 7, 1874; W. John Whitehpuse, July 6, 1874; T. H. B.Lyon, July 20, 1874; W. A. Redding, Aug. 16, 1874; H C. Sheafer, Oct. 5, 1874 ; James M. Healy, Dec. 7, 1874; Francis A. Mortimer, Dec. 3, 1874; Albert G. Green, June 22, 1875 '> s- G. M. Hollopeter, March 13, 1875; Frank S. Christian, March 30, 1875 ; Sam. H. Kaercher, Aug. 23, 1875 > A- J. Pilgram, Aug. 23, 1875 ; James R. Henderson, Aug. 23, 1875 > Josiah Lineaweaver, Dec. 6, 1875; Horace Walter, Dec. 4, 1876; E. M. Monaghan, Dec. 4, 1876; Jacob Kline, Dec. 4, 1876; Martin Byrne, Dec. 4, 1876 ; Joseph W. Moyer, Dec. 4, 1876 ; Joseph H. Pomeroy, Dec. 26, 1876; Robert L. Johnson, March 29, 1877 ; J. I. Litchenberg, June 4, 1877 ; Edmund D. Smith, Dec. 3, 1877; Jno. A. Sulli van, March 4, 1878; Frank H. Garrett, June 3, 1878 ; Lewis B. Walker, June 17, 1878; Burd S. Patterson, June 24, 1878; L. R. Myers, Dec. 4, 1878; Samuel B. Fisher, Dec. 4, 1878; Bernard H. O'Hare, Dec. 6, 1878; M. P. McLoughlin, Dec. 9, 1878; James F. Grady, Feb. 10, 1879; Patrick M. Dunn, March 3, 1879 '> Isaac M. Price, Sept. 3, 1879 ; Charles C. Matten, April 28, 1880 ; George M. Roads, June 30, 1880; W. K. Wood bury, July 26, 1880; George J. Wadlinger, March 2, 1 88 1 ; Alfred C. Oliver, March 2, 1881 ; Richard H. Koch, May 2, 18S1 ; Wm. Wilhelm, May 2, 1881 ; Philip Keller, July 5, 1881 ; Burd S. Edwards, July 5, 1881 ; G. H. Gerber, Sept. 5, 1 88 1 ; W. Potts Ramsey, Nov. 14, 1881 ; John E. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 43 Schull, Nov. 14, 1 88 1 ; Michael Powers, Nov. 14, i88r ; David C. Herrington, Jan. 23, 1882; John J. Davis, March 5, 1883 ; John F. Dolphin, March 5, 1883; Brua C. Keefer, Sept. 3, 1883; John R. Coyle, Sept. 24, 1883; James W. Ryan, Sept. 1, 1884; Edward A. Beddall, March 2, 1885; Charles E. Breckons, March 2, 1885 ; A. J. Galla gher, May 4, 1885 ; A. L. Shay, Sept. 7, 1885; Wm. G. Wells, Jan. 4, 1886; Arthur G. Smiley, Jan. 4, 1886; Charles Heilner, March 15,-1886; J. O. Ulrich, June 21, 1886; Wm. L. Littlehales, Sept. 6, 1886; Norman V. S. Farquhar, July 10, 1887; George W. Ryon, March 14, 1887; James A. Rinck, June 13, 1887; Jos. S. Whitehouse, July 5, 1887; Reese P. Daniels, July 11, 1887; Charles A. Snyder, Jan. 7, 1889; R. S. Boshore, Jan. 7, 1889; M. H. Wilhelm, Jan. 7, 1889; S Monre Enterline, July 1, 1889; D. W. Kaercher, July 1, 1889; Benj. W. Cummings, July 7, 1890; M. C. Reinhold, July 7, 1890; Frank P. Krebs, March 17, 1890; Horace Bartholomew, Sept. 7, 1891 ; Christian P. Kramer, Sept. 7, 1891 ; C. O Burkert, Sept. 7, 1891. The following is a list of attorneys, the dates of whose admission were not set opposite their names. Some of them were connected with the bar at the time of its organization : George Wolff, Fred'k Smith, Charles Evans, Jonathan Good, Fred'k Haller, William Ball, David McGowen, John Spayd, Marks I. Biddle, John W. Collins, James B. Hubley, James L. Dunn, Curtis, Simon Cohen, John K. Clement, Charles Witman, John Davis, Charles D. Donnell, J. W. Roseberry, Sr., James H. Graeff, David F. Gordon, P. H. Lyman. Schuylkill Navigation. — The Schuylkill Nav igation Company was incorporated by Act of Assembly, March 8, 181 5, and had for its ob ject a system of canals and slackwater naviga tion, whereby the water of the Schuylkill river could be utilized for all purposes of transportation from its head waters to Phila delphia. James McFarland, John Pott, Daniel Graeff, George Dreibelbis and John Mullow- ney were the commissioners from this county, and were to raise at Orwigsburg one thousand shares of stock at fifty dollars each. Work was commenced, and the first dam built at Mt. Carbon in the spring of 18 17, and by fall the canal and slackwater were made navigable to Schuylkill Haven. In the spring of 1 818 a freshet carried away the dams and inlet locks of the previous year, and they were rebuilt by an engineer named Cooley on a plan of his own, and withstood the flood of 1850. During 1818 work was commenced along the entire line throughout the county, but was not com pleted until 1 821, and three years later boats were enabled to run to Philadelphia. This navigation was established to transport every thing else but coal, and yet strange to say, when completed, it transported coal almost to the exclusion of everything else. Pioneer Coal Stage. — The birth of the great anthracite coal industry will bear date from 1820, when three hundred and sixty-five tons of anthracite were sent to Philadelphia from the head waters of the Lehigh river. From that time forward capital has advanced its mil lions to carry on the coal trade, whose pro portions increase with each succeeding year. From 1795, when anthracite was first burned in a smith-shop until 1820, when it was used for fuel in Philadelphia, was a quarter of a century, during which period it grew slowly into public favor. In 1808 Judge Jesse Fell first burned it in a grate. Four years later Col. George Shoemaker, of Pottsville, took nine wagon loads of anthracite to Philadel phia, where he sold two loads for the cost of their transportation, and gave the other seven away. He was branded as an impostor, who was trying to sell black stones for coal. He induced Mellon & Bishop to try his black 44 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY rocks in their Delaware county rolling mill, and the test gave anthracite coal to the world as the best possible fuel to be found. Colonel Shoemaker accompanied his coal to the rolling mill, where the foreman pronounced the coal to be stones, and of no account for heating purposes. Early the next morning Shoema ker and Mellon, who was a practical workman, kindled a fire with wood in one of the furnaces and placed the coal on the burning wood. They were then called to breakfast, and on returning they found the furnace in a perfect glow of white heat. The iron was heated in much less than the usual time, and passed through the rolls with unusual facility. The test brought an apology from the foreman, and caused Mellon & Bishop to notice its value and usefulness in the Philadelphia newspapers. The first coal shipments by the canal were made in 1822, when 1,480 tons were poled down the line. Three years later came a wonderful rush of operators and speculators into the county — men who sought to win mil lions in a short time by speculation in the " black diamonds " that were in constant de mand in the great manufacturing cities of the Atlantic seaboard. Land rose to fabulous prices, an.d two years later, when a revulsion came, many lost their investments instead of having secured a fortune. The early methods of mining were primi tive and crude. The windlass and bucket were used to hoist the coal from the pit until, at thirty or forty feet, the water drove them out to commence a new pit. The gin worked by horsepower succeeded the windlass, and in a short time the pit was abandoned to open the veins at the foot of the hills by drifts. There the coal was first taken out by wheel barrows, and successively by horse and mule power over wooden railways. The next great trouble encountered was la borious and expensive transportation from the mouth of the pit or drift to the canal. The pick, the hammer, the shovel and the riddle were used on the surface to fit the coal for transportation, and then it was loaded into wagons and hauled to the canal, often at a cost of twenty-five cents per ton for each mile. In 1 829, 79,973 tons were nearly all hauled in wagons, and then the operators commenced to suggest railroads from the mines to the canal, while in the same year another event- occurred that was important in the history of the county — the building of the Union canal to connect the waters of the Susquehanna and the Schuylkill. Union Canal. — In 1828 it- was proposed to make a dam across Swatara gap as a reservoir for this canal, that was to connect the Susque hanna with the Schuylkill ; but the citizens along Swatara creek objected, as it would de stroy their rafting, and after various projects had been discussed it was resolved to con struct a canal along that creek, with the ex ception of two miles of slackwater near the county line, in what was then the little dam. Work was commenced in 1828, and during 1829 was prosecuted along the entire line. The canal was so far completed on November 30, 1 830, that boats passed through it to Pine Grove, and on December 3d left that place for Philadelphia. As first constructed, the canal was capable of bearing boats whose ca pacity was twenty-eight tons, but when the coal trade increased this great water-way was increased in size. Growth of Coal Production. — In 1829 the following five railroads from the shipping ports to the mines were put under construc tion : The Schuylkill Valley railroad, running ten OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 45 miles from Port Carbon to Tuscarora, and having fifteen branches. The Mill Creek railroad, running four miles from Port Carbon up the valley of Mill creek. The Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven rail road, running fifteen miles from Schuylkill Haven to Broad mountain, and having five miles of branches. The Mt. Carbon railroad, running seven miles from Mt. Carbon up ' the east and west branches of Norwegian creek. The Little Schuylkill railroad, running twenty miles from Port Clinton to Tama qua. The superstructure of all these roads was a • wooden rail, strapped with flat bar iron, and the motive power was horses. During 1830 the coal market became" over stocked, and the price declined. The next year was no better, but 1832 brought an in creased trade and abundant prosperity, al though the boatmen charged extortionate prices at times for boats. In the last-named year a coal mining association was formed for the county, and it reported the total capital invested in the trade at $7,106,000. In 1833 an outcry was made against incorporated coal companies, and a successful trade in 1834 was followed in the next year by the boatmen's strike, which terminated in a descent of three hundred and fifty of them on Pottsville, where they were routed and their leaders captured. The year 1836 witnessed high wages, scarcity of boats and a good price for coal. In 1837 Col. "John M. Crossland took the first boat load of coal direct from Pottsville to New York, and established the direct coal trade with that city. The succeeding year ushered into existence the first incorporated mining company, against the protest of the people and the veto of the Governor, which was defeated by the House passing the bill over his head by the requisite majority. This company was incorporated as the Offerman Mining Company; but its charter never became operative. About this time the discovery was made that iron ore could be smelted by anthracite, and the iron trade received a new impetus, which was dampened jn 1839 by a flood and a depression that continued throughout 1840. In 1 841 times were better, but in 1842 a strike among the miners occurred on Thursday, July 7, which was crushed bloodlessly by the sheriff with the Orwigsburg and Schuylkill Haven volunteer companies. The year 1842 witnessed a great change in the transportation of coal to market when the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company entered the field as a rival to the Schuylkill Navigation Company. The opening of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad was cele brated by a public dinner and ball at Potts ville, on January 11, and the railroad company .immediately reduced the cost of transportation to $1.1 1, but the producers.instead of benefiting by this reduction in freight charges foolishly reduced their coal from twenty-five to fifty cents per ton on board boats at the landings. The trade became sluggish, wages had fallen to $5.25 per week to miners and $4.20 to laborers, and the coal producers ordering all wages payable in "store orders " precipitated the strike of that year among the miners who demanded cash for their work. The Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad was the first road in the county put in condition for the passage of the steam cars of the Philadel phia and Reading Railroad company, and on May 21, 1842, a train of fifty cars carrying one hundred and fifty tons of coal, left Schuylkill 46 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Haven at 4 o'clock in the morning and their contents was discharged into a vessel that set sail from Port Richmond for an eastern port in the evening of the same day. Thus the railroad superseded the canal and made possible the full future development of the coal region and the rapid movement of vast quantities of coal which the canal would have been unable to have accomplished. In 1842 efforts were commenced to improve the methods of breaking coal, which resulted two years later in the huge coal breakers of the present day. From breaking by hand through iron rod screens with two-inch meshes, John White introduced wire screens with meshes of various dimensions to save the consumers all trouble of breaking. In 1842 the penitentiary breaker was intro duced. It consisted of a perforated cast iron plate through which the coal was broken by hammers, the coal falling into a hopper from which it passed into a circular screen worked either by hand, horse-power or by steam. In 1844 the modern coal breaker, patented by Joseph Batten, of Philadelphia, was introduced at Gideon Bast's Wolf Creek colliery, and soon came into use throughout the whole region. The breaker consists of two or more cast iron rollers with projecting teeth that revolve toward each other and through which the coal passes and is broken into the required sizes. After being broken it passes into revolving circular screens which separate the different sizes which drop into a set of schutes or bins, ready to be transferred by the raising of a gate into the railway cars. The dump schutes above the rollers always have elevation suffi cient to carry the coal by gravity through the rollers, screens and bins into the cars. The entire breaker and screening machinery is generally driven by a steam engine of fifteen to forty horse-power. The next move for the improvement of the coal trade was the reconstruction of the trans porting railroads from the mines to the Phila delphia and Reading Railroad. These roads — now called lateral roads — were all recon structed by 1845, and were operated, with a few exceptions, by the Philadelphia and Read ing Railroad Company. The operators were now saved the expense of keeping up their own transportation cars, but were dependent on the railroad company for transportation facilities and liable to losses by a shortage of cars and their unfair distribution. On March 10, 1846, the president of the railroad com pany met the operators, many landholders and the wharfholders of Port Richmond, at convention at Pottsville, to arrange for an equitable distribution of cars for the ensuing season and to prevent in the future the com plaints of injustice in that direction in the past. During the four years succeeding 1842 the Schuylkill Navigation Company learned that it was in danger of losing the bulk of its coal tonnage and took steps to improve its facili ties and enlarge its capacities of navigation. These changes were made by the close of 1846. Boats of from one hundred and eighty to one hundred and ninety tons could be floated on the canal ; new docks, new wharves and landings were provided at the shipping ports, and cars were furnished in which to transport the coal from the mines to the canal. There were one hundred and ten operators and one hundred and forty-two collieries in the county, and the active competition of the canal and the railroad company promised in creased prosperity to mine owners and opera tors. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 47 Mexican War. — During 1846, when the coal interests of the county were brightening up most remarkably, war was declared against Mexico by the United States, and Schuylkill county furnished one company, the Washing ton Artillery of Pottsville, that served in the Mexican war. This company was organized by Capt. James Nagle, in 1840, as the Potts ville Blues and two years later changed its name to Washington Artillery, when it was supplied by the State with arms. The original members were boys all under twenty years of age whose first uniform was made of blue drilling. The Washington Artillery offered its ser vices to the Governor and was accepted. The company only numbered thirty men, but was soon recruited up to the full strength by en listments at Minersville, St. Clair and Schuyl kill Haven. The citizens of Pottsville pre sented every member with a revolver and each officer with a sword. On December 5, 1846, the company left the old town hall at Pottsville, and went to Phila delphia by rail, from which they were sent to Harrisburg, where they were transferred to canal freight boats and transported through inclement weather to Pittsburg. At that city they were mustered into the United States to serve during the war, and became company B, ist regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers. They went by steamboat to New Orleans, camped on the old battle ground, joined in a grand parade in that city on the 8th of January, and on February 16, 1847, embarked on a trans port that carried them to the island of Lolos, where they were the first company that dis embarked %!i the spot selected by General Scott for commencing operations againt Vera Cruz. They took part in the siege of Vera Cruz, where they received their first infantry fire from the Mexicans, while marching through the chaparal, and were in the battle of Cerro Gordo. They were also in action with guer rillas near Castle Perote and in the vicinity of Matamoras. In June, 1847, Lieutenant Kaercher and sergeants Farnham and Shodman came back on recruiting service to Pottsville, where they recruited several men. They rejoined the company three months later, and after serving with it at the City of Mexico and Vera Cruz, the company returned to Philadelphia by the same route that it went to Mexico, was there mustered out of the service and was received at Pottsville with all the honors that grateful and admiring friends could bestow on them. F. M. Wyncoop, who left Pottsville as a private, became colonel of the regiment at Pittsburg, and commanded the brigade at St. Angel, being highly complimented by Scott for capturing General Valencia. ROSTER OF COMPANY B. Officers — Captain, James Nagle ; lieutenants, Simon S. Nagle, F. B. Kaercher, Jacob Fels- nagle ; sergeants, Edward Kehr, W. S. Nagle, Edward Kaercher, L. S. McMiken ; corporals, Enos Zentmoyer, J. E. Farnum, David Lewel- lyn, Edward Napon ; drummer, Daniel Nagle, Jr.; fifer, Reuben Stamm. Privates — -A. H. Berger, Bernard Barr, Charles Brumm, Levi Bright, Nelson Berger, James Cochran, John Doyle, Peter Doughty, Levi Epler, Henry Fisher, G. W. Garrett, Henry Graeff, J. C. Gilman, T. W. Guthrie, E. P. Hiney, John Hays, John Hand, W. H. Hatchley, David Jones, John Jennings, Elias Kelly, John Kipley, Singleton Kim- mell, William Knockenhouse, Michael Lusht, William Lyons, A. B. Macey, Alexander 48 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY McDonald, F. C. McGreen, Ferdinand Mam- erenk, John Mooney, John Myers, Samuel Maglauchlen, V. K. Mills, William Marple, Benjamin Nagle, J. M. Nolan, Seth Price, Edward Robbins, Henry Richards, James Ruckle, A. N. Stamm, Benjamin Smith, Ben jamin Shell, Charles Scrimshaw, Daniel Shappel, Eli Shelley, Franklin Seitzinger, G. K. Seitzinger, Henry Smink, John Stegnen John Shuster, J. W. Shoop, James Sands, Michael Sands, R. H. Savage, Samuel Shad- man, Emanuel Shelley, Thomas Simpson, William Seitzinger, O. D. Thomas, F. M- Wyncoop, Gotlieb Wisshue, R. F. Walter, Robert Welsh, William Wolfinger, William Wethicomb, John Douty. Levi Bright and John Douty were killed. Growth of Coal Trade. — During 1847, the Philadelphia & Reading Company sought to avoid a rivalry with the Navigation Company) offered to extend its business and give 400,- 000 tons of the coal tonnage to the Naviga tion company, which offer was refused. The coal marketed during the year was 1,583,374 tons, of which only 222,693 tons were sent by the Schuylkill canal. This loss of trade by the Navigation Company led to an accommo dation in 1849 with the railroad company whereby 600,000 tons were conceded to be transported over the canal, although the actual amount carried was 489,208 tons- From Pottsville to Philadelphia by rail the freight was one dollar and seventy cents per ton, while by canal it was only seventy-five cets. Yet the latter price was twenty-cents higher than had been charged on the canal the previous year. The operators grumbled at this advance, and at a remonstrance meet ing at Pottsville, they agreed on a system of suspensions against eastern speculators. On March 10, 1849, the shipment of coal to mar ket was suspended except to iron works, arid this suspension was to hold until April 7th. This suspension was continued to May 2d, and then when the operators were ready to resume they were confronted by an organized strike upon the part of miners and laborers for an advance in wages. The strike ended by May 2 ist, and to prevent an overstock of the market, another suspension of two weeks was ordered to commence on June 23d; but with this measure enforced the market con tinued dull throughout the year. Floods of 18 jo. — On the f8th and 19th of July, 1850, a great flood swept down the Schuylkill valley and so suspended navigation that the coal supply was restricted and the operators were benefited for a time ; yet their greatest prosperity came directly after the second flood that swept down and over the Schuylkill valley on September 2d. This last flood was the most fearful that had ever vis ited the county since its settlement by the whites, and in its pathway of ruin lay the wreck of a vast amount of property. It burst Turn? bling run reservoir, forty-two feet in height and covering an area of twenty-eight acres, with a capacity of 23,000,000 cubic feet of water, and sent its immense volume into the raging torrents gathered from a hundred tributary streams. By this second flood the canal was rendered useless for the remainder of the year, coal went up in price, and the railroad company could hardly furnish transportation for the demand of coal. County-seat Removal. — The development of the coal interests of the northern part of the county, and the rapid growth of Pottsville, indicated at an early day that the removal of the county-seat from Orwigsburg to the former named place was but a question of time, con- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 49 ditioned only by the growth of population in the coal districts. The project of removal to Pottsville was agitated as early as 1831. On November 19 of that year a meeting at the Exchange hotel in Pottsville was held, and it was " resolved that it is expedient to effect the removal of the seat of justice to Pottsville." It was claimed that a majority of the people would be accommodated by its removal to Pottsville, and a second resolution was passed appointing Benjamin Pott, Burd Patterson, Thomas Sil- lyman, Jacob Seitzinger, and John C. Offer- man as a committee to solicit subscriptions to defray the expense of erecting public build ings. At another meeting, on December 3, this committee reported that funds sufficient had been subscribed. In the meantime, Orwigsburg had not been idle during this movement on the part of Pottsville, and on January 21, 1832, a meeting was held at the court-house, which passed resolutions denouncing the project of removal by the " idlers " and " lot holders " of Potts ville. In a short time the movement subsided and was not revived until 1842, when railroad communication was established between Potts ville and Philadelphia, but did not take any definite form. In 1847, population had so increased that the removalists anticipated success at the polls, and petitioned the legislature for re moval. The legislature passed an act, which was approved March 13, 1847, for the condi tional removal of the county-seat of Schuyl kill county from Orwigsburg to Pottsville and provided for a vote of the qualified voters of the county upon the subject. This act also provided that removal should only take place if the citizens of Pottsville should erect suitable brick or stone buildings for a court-house.and 4 public offices, and that William F. Sanders, Augustus Holmes, Joseph F. Taylor, James B. Levan, and Joseph Fertig, should be com missioners to select a suitable lot or lots in Pottsville, on which to erect the said court house and public offices. Intense excitement prevailed throughout the county, and when the election came off, in 1847, there were 3551 votes for. removal and 3091 against it. The legislature then passed a second bill for the removal of the county- seat from Orwigsburg to Pottsville, as the first one was claimed to be unconstitutional, and the citizens of Pottsville erected the court house and public office buildings. On De cember 1, 1 85 1, the public records were placed in the new court-house, and Pottsville became the county-seat of Schuylkill county, which it has continued to be ever since. The Civil War. — When the national flag went down on Fort Sumter, the people of Schuylkill county, irrespective of party, de manded the suppression of the threatened re bellion. On Monday, April 15, 1861, Presi dent Lincoln's call for troops was announced, the next day the requisition for these troops was received, and on Wednesday, so promptly was it answered by Schuylkill, two companies, the Washington Artillerists and the National Light Infantry, two hundred and fifty strong in numbers, left for Harrisburg and Washing ton city. Companies were rapidly raised in all parts of the county, and by the 24th of April twenty-two companies, aggregating eighteen hundred and sixty men, had left for Washington, which sixteen hundred of them had reached on the evening of the seventh day after President Lincoln's proclamation. "On the evening ofthe 16th, a meeting convened at the court-house in Pottsville, at which patriotic resolutions were adopted, and 50 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY five trustees — Andrew Russel, Thomas H. Walker, S. N. Palmer, Levi Huber, and Ben jamin Haywood — were appointed to take charge of subscriptions and funds for the aid of the families of volunteers. During the meeting subscriptions to the amount of $5200 were received, and within four days this amount was increased to $6915, from seventy- seven contributors. Similar meetings were held in other parts of the county, and within a week a total of $24,286 was subscribed." To this fund Burd Patterson & Son sub scribed $1000; William H. Johns, $250; Christopher Loeser, James S. Kirk and Gideon Bast, each $200, and each of the following, $100: T. H. Walker, J. M. Wetherell, F. W. Hughes, B. F. Pomroy, L. F Whitney, James W. Bowen, Benjamin Bannan, John Bannan, John Shipper, E. O. Parry, J. Sillyman, G. H. Gay & C. W. Hegins, J. H. Campbell, Charles Baber, J. S. Carpenter, A. Russel, G. W. Sny der, B. W. Cumming, William Milnes, Jr., Solomon Foster, Frank Pott, Fox & Brother, John Clayton, Myer Strouse and mother, William Wolff, John T. Hobart, A. H. Hal berstadt, Benjamin Haywood, Palo Alto Roll ing Mill, Michael Bright, John T. Werner, Thomas Foster & Co., I. F. Vorhees, Samuel Morris, Jr., John S. Morris, R. R. Morris, W. Donaldson, David Beveridge, Jacob Christian, Jacob Huntzinger, Jr., H" Rosengarten, J. D. Cake, George Patterson' Ruch & Evans, Charles F. Kopitzsch, George De B. Kerm, Jacob A. Hazen, William B. Wells, Nichols & Beck, Pliny Fisk, Gideon Bast, A. S. Moorhead, Benjamin Pott, Robert F. Weaver, L. Vasline and J. Pott, William Mortimer, Jr., B. F. Taylor, James Focht, Thomas Johns, D. G. Yuengling, J. W. Rose berry, Thomas Cooch, R. M. Palmer, William E. Boyer, Thomas Petherick, Samuel Harri son, L. H. Allen/ M. P. Fowler, Nicholas Seitzinger, A. Landaner, G. H. McCabe, H. F. Stidfole, William Price, J. C. Deibert, Henry Saylor, Drs. S. and F. Shannon, W. H. Hopkins, A. T. Troutman, G. D. Matchin, John Kitzmiller, Lyman Nutting, Levi Miller, R. H. Stees, J. L. Nutting, John Hoch, J. E. Graeff, E. L. Tyler, William Graeff, Peter Filbert, Sr., and Isaac Harvey. A large number of others contributed smaller sums, according to their financial con dition. Committees were appointed in every town ship to report the families of volunteers need ing aid, and the patriotic women of the county organized a " Nurse's Corps," whose services were tendered the country, through the Sec retary of War. Ladies' Aid societies were organized auxiliary to a central society at Pottsville, and large contributions were sent to hospitals and battlefields. " On the evening of April 17th five Penn sylvania companies, including two from Schuyl kill county, mentioned above, had reported at Harrisburg. As they passed through Balti more the next day they were insulted and as saulted by the mob which the day after at tacked the 6th Massachusetts. They reached Washington at 7 P. M. of the 18th, being the first to reach the city in response to the call of the 15th, for which promptness they were subsequently voted the thanks of the House of Representatives. They were quartered in the Capitol, on the Potomac front of which they immediately commenced the construc tion of temporary defenses. During the period of their enlistment they were engaged in various duties in and about Washington. They became a part of the 25th regiment, of which Lieutenant H. L. Cake, qf the National OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 51 Light Infantry, was made colonel, and Captain John B. Selheimer, ofthe Logan Guards, lieu tenant-colonel. An evidence of the good quality of the soldiers composing these com panies is found in the fact that more than half of them afterward became commissioned offi cers, of every rank from lieutenant to briga dier-general." The muster rolls of the companies when they reached Harrisburg were as follows : Washington Artillery. Officers. — Captain, James Wrenn. First lieutenant, David A. Smith ; second, Francis B. Wallace ; second, Philip Nagle. Ser geants, Henry C. Russell, Joseph A. Gil- mour, Cyrus Sheetz, W. J. McQuade. Quar termaster's sergeant, G. H. Gressang. Cor porals, D. J. Ridgway, Samuel R. Russell, Charles Hinkle, Reuben Snyder. Privates. — George H. Hill, Francis P. De wees, Wm. R. Potts, Thomas Johnson, Nelson T. Major, I. E. Severn, Thomas Jones, Thomas Severn, fifer; George Myers, J. C. Weaver, John E'ngle, Chas. P. Potts, Chas. Loeser, Jr., H- K. Downing, Wm. H. Hardell, J. B. Brant, Chas. Slingluff, Theodore F. Patterson, Chas. Evans, Chas. Hause, Francis Hause, D. B. Brown, John Christian, A. G. Whitfield, W. Bates, Oliver C. Bosbyshell, R. F. Potter, A. H.Titus, Jos. Reed, Joel H. Betz, John Curry, Robert Smith, Aug. Reese, Hugh Stephenson, H. H. Hill, Eli Williams, Benjamin Christian, Thomas Petherick, Jr., Louis T. Snyder, E. J. Shippen, R. M. Hodgson, Wtn. W. Clemens, C. C. Pollock, Wm. Auman, Wm. E. Riley, Edward T. Leib, Daniel Morer, W. Brown, Edward Nagle, Godfrey Leonard, Charles F. Garrett, G. W. Bratton, John Nagle, Wm. Heffner, Vict. Werner, Val. Stichter, Francis B. Bannan, Wm. Bartholomew, Geo. Steahlen, Charles A. Glen, Wm. Spence, Patrick Han ley, Wm. J. Feger, Wm. Lesher, D. C. Potts, Alba C. Thompson, Daniel Christian, Reuben Snyder, Samuel Beard, Thomas Irwin, Henry Deutzer, Philip Deutzer, H. Bobbs, John Pass, Heber S. Thompson, B. F. Jones, John J. Hetherington, Peter Fisher, Wm. Dagan, A. • F. Bowen, drummer; J. R. Hetherington, Nelson Drake, Benjamin Heffner, Francis A. Seltzer, Charles A. Hesser, Samuel Shcener, Charles Maurer, James S. Sillyman, Henry Brobst, Peter Grow, Alfred Huntzinger, W. Alspach, John Hoffa, J. F. Barth, Wm. Cole, David Williams, George Rice, Joseph Kear, Charles E. Beck, F. B. Hammer, P.. H. Frailey, Thomas Corby, Charles Vanhorn, John Noble, Joseph Fyant, Alex. S. Bowen, John Jones, Frank Stitzer, Wm. A. Maize, Wm. Agan, George H. Hartman, Richard Bartolett, Lewis Douglas, Richard Rice, Fred. Christ, Frank P. Myer, Bernard Riley. National Light Infantry. Officers. — Captain, E. McDonald, First lieutenant, James Russell; second, Henry L. Cake; third, Lewis J. Martin. Quartermas ter's sergeant, D. Downey. Privates. — J. Addison. McCool, Lamar S. Hay, George G. Boyer, John Simpson, Thomas G. Houck, Edward Thomas, Elias B. Trifoos, John Stodd, Lawrence Manayan, B. F. Bart lett, William Madara, Emanuel Saylor, Wm. T. Garrett, John P. Womel'sdorf, Charles Rus sell, J. J. Dampman, Ernst Saubrey, C. F. Hoffman, Jacob Bast, Daniel Eberle, William H. Hodgson, Ernst T. Ellrich, Amos Forse- man, C. F. Umberhauer, Abraham Mclntyre, William R. Roberts, Jonas W. Rich, Charles Weber, Terence Smith, F. A. Schcener, Will iam Pugh, Frank Hanley, James Smith, Geo. W. Mennig, James Marshall, Ira Troy, Uriah Good, William Irving, Patrick Curtin, John Burns, Edward McCabe, F. W. Conrad, John 52 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Donigan, John Mullins, John Lamons, William McDonald, George W. Garber, F. W. Simp son, Alexander Smith, David Dilly, George Shartle, A. D. Allen, W. F. Huntzinger, George A. Lerch, James Carroll, John Bene- • diet, Edmund Foley, Thomas Kelly, John Eppinger, John Rouch, David Howard, Jere miah Deitrich, William Weiler, William A. Christian, Mark Walker, Ralph Corby, Henry Mehr, F. Goodyear, William Carl, Anthony Lippman, John P. Deiner, William A. Beidle- man, Charles J. Shoemaker, James Donigan, Edward Moran, Herman Hauser, Louis Weber, Thomas H. Parker, John Howell, Henry Yeger, William Davenport, James Lander- field, James R. Smith, Michael Foren, Alex ander Smith, W. M. Lashorn, Levi Gloss, Samuel Heilner, Enoch Lambert, Frank Wen- rich, Joseph Johnson, Henry C Nies, Jacob Shoey, John Hartman, William Buckley, Henry Quinn, Thomas G. Buckley, William Becker, J. P. McGinness, Charles J. Redcay Jr., William Britton, Thomas Smith, J. M' Hughes, Thomas Martin, Henry Garing, Dallas Dampman, John Bodafield, M. Edgar Richards Thomas Butt, John Cooper. "In 1862 an invasion of Pennsylvania by the rebels was threatened, and Governor Cur- tin, on the 10th of September in that year, issued an order calling on the militia to or ganize, arm and be in readiness for a sudden call. Says Wallace: '"The order had the desired effect through out the State, and nowhere was there a deeper feeling of earnestness and determination than in Schuylkill county. The people closed their places of business and went to drilling. Com panies were organized throughout the county and ready to move at a moment's notice. The order came on the 13th of September, and be tween that date and the 17th eighteen com- '- panies left the county for Harrisburg for State defense. One company of cavalry started, but was ordered back before reaching Harris burg. ' " These companies returned after a campaign of two weeks. Some of them were in line of battle, but none were actually engaged." Several of the first companies from the county were placed in the 5th regiment, which was organized April 21st, 1 861. These com panies were the Columbian Infantry, Com pany C ; Minersville Artillerists, Company E ; the Scott Artillery, of Schuylkill Haven, Com pany F; and the Ringgold Rifles, of Miners ville, Company I. " This regiment went to Annapolis on the 23d, and to Washington on the 27th. If was at Alexandria when the battle of Bull Run was fought, and it did not participate in any engagement during its term of service. It was discharged July 25th, 1861." OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE FIFTH PENNSYL VANIA FROM SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. Company C (Columbian Infantry, of Glen *Carbon). Officers. — Captain, James Brennan. First lieutenant, John Keating; second, Michael Curry. Sergeants, Thomas and Daniel Law- ler, Patrick Brennan, Michael Daily. Cor porals, James Keating, George Lawler, Patrick Wade, William Curran. Privates. — John Carroll, Nicholas Delany, Michael Brennan, Eli Lee, J. Mulaowny, Patrick Dullerd, Daniel Carter, Patrick Tobin, Michael Keating, Daniel Curry, John Whelan, Richard Moran, James Moran, James Borgin, James Grant, Patrick Brennan, William Mc Donald, William Ryan, Alexander McMentru, James Brennan, Matthew Mouly, Patrick Brennan, William Carty, James Boyle, Ed ward Brennan, William Dullerd, Edward Keating, William Cleary, John Mulhall, Nich- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 53 olas Purcell, Thomas Tobin, Laughlin Bren nan, John Moran, Patrick McKerns, Patrick Dooling, William Simmons, Lawrence Tobin, William Daily, James Tobin, William Bren nan, Michael Foley, William Curran, Michael Cavenaugh, Michael O'Brien. Company E (Minersville Artillerists). Officers. — Captain, William Hower. First lieutenant, G. W. Brumm ; second, Daniel Freiler. Sergeants — Frank C. Bender, Daniel P. McElroy, Condy Fury, Philip Wernert. Corporals — William Wensel, Jacob Pauly, John Carr, Michael Foley. Privates. — John Foley, Michael Devlin, John Carroll, Frederick Kline, Jacob Geir, Edward A. Reed, Patrick McGlinn, George Ridley, Henry Smith, Thomas Nixon, Charles Ger hard, Charles Weitzennigger, William Ken nedy, Michael Moran, John L. Brennan, Adam Godshall, Thomas Brennan, Mathias Laubach, Joseph Smith, Patrick McGovern, John Done- hue, James O'Donald, Thomas Levens, James McManemen, Elisha Andrews, Charles F. Falls, Robert A. Maingay, Thomas J. Weaver, Patrick McDonoch, John H. Burger, Thomas Murphey, William Murphey, William Diehl, Philip Gullung, John Reed, Frederick Sieber, Philip Mohan, John McGee, James Porter, Daniel Martin, Michael Bamrick, Henry Lei- tenberger, Michael Condron, John Gerher, Patrick McGuire, Patrick McGee, John Duff, Jacob Haase, Edward Ferguson, Thomas Williams, Thomas Reese, Sebastian Grover, Thomas S. Brown, Joseph Tonkinson, Daniel Hummel, William Holze, William S. Welsh, Morgan Pugh, John Bissicomer, Adam Ehni, William Levant, William Welsh, Samuel Achebach, James H. Levan, George Reamer. Company F (Scott Artillery, of Schuylkill Haven). Officers.— Captain, F. B. Medlar. First ieutenant, D. F. Burkert; second, T. K. Mills. Sergeants — U. A. Bast, P. F. Quinn, C. R. Guertler, F. D. Koch. Privates. — Henry Dry, George Schreds, J. W. Coho, J. B. Wright, Laft. Becker, C. Rau- denbush, Jacob Christ, C. Betzler, Joseph Ropp, George Miller, D. Houghman, J. Sheriff, Sam uel Martz, H. Heffner, John Polly, J. Huntzin ger, H. P.Urner, R. Auman, C. Oaswalt, M. Poyer, F. Krohberger, O. Nuttle, D. Matte- son, W. Conway, A. Kissinger, P. Sheck, Wil liam Kluck, J. River, J. L. Minnig, F. Wise, Samuel Gray, F. Sheck, G. W. Mercer, J. F. Saylor, William Mowry, William Hain, J. Wenting, H. Hehn, H. Knorr, D. Renard, Benjamin Emerick, J. B. Martz, M. Johnson, J. Swivel, J. Freshly, E. W. Minnig, William Shadle, George Reed, Jacob Hehn, S. Arm- prister, J. L. Weber, W. H. Mennig, Noah Cross, C. Knorr, J. McLaird, Daniel Haffa, E. Blanch, E. Coller, William Hiney, J. Straus- ser, J. Bower, J. Dampman, P. L. Logan, C. Bickley, V. Burns. Company I (Ringgold Rifles, of Minersville). Officers. — Captain, George J. Lawrence. First lieutenant, Charles N. Brumm ; second, Sam uel Richards. Sergeants — Samuel Richards, Thomas D. Griffiths, Fred. Gunther, John J. Williams, Thomas Robertson. Corporals — William H. Jones, George Parey, Joseph For ney, John Evans. Musicians — Niel S. Maclay, R. K. Levan. Privates — George Allen, Samuel Allen, David Auld, William Ball, Joseph Beadle, Henry C. Benseman,Winfield Benseman, David Bowen, Jacob Burkert, Isaac P. Chalfant, Dan iel Chester, Daniel Christian, Charles Cholar, John Crawford, Lewis Dennis, Reuben De- walt, William Dier, Peter D. Eby, Albert C. Forney, Richard Forney, John Geiger, John Goodfellow, Benjamin Haines, Charles W. Haines, William Hesser, George B. Hindson, 54 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY William Hopkins, Watkin Howells, John Jef ferson, Raymond A. Jenkins, David J. Jones, Thomas Joy, Charles O. Keller, James D. Law rence, Lewis Lee, James Levens, David Levy, John Lovet, James Manning, William Maggi- son, Amor Markert, William D. H. Mason, Joseph Morgans, George McNeil, Henry Owens, John Parry, William S. Peel, William Redner, George Reece, Henry Reese, Stephen Reese,Michael Shilthorn, John S.Silver,Henry Snyder, Albert W. Sterner, Joseph Smith,Wil- liam E. Taylor, William H. Taylor, John W. Thirlwell, Theodore P. Trayer, Frederick Wat- kins, William Webster, Sampson Wigmore, Jacob Witman, George W.Wythes, Joseph H. Wythes, Jacob Zimmerman. SIXTH REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUN TEERS. Schuylkill county had seven companies in this regiment : The Port Clinton Artillery, Company B ; the Marion Rifles, Company C, recruited at Port Carbon ; the Nagle Guards, of Pottsville, Company D ; the Ashland Rifles, Company E; the Washington Yagers, of Potts ville, Company F ; the Lewellyn Rifles, Com pany G; and the Tower Guards, of Pottsville, Company H. The Sixth Regiment was a part of Thomas' brigade, of Patterson's Division, and helped make a demonstration on Harper's Ferry, after which it was engaged in a couple of skirmishes before the expiration of its three months' term of service. . Company B (Port Clinton Artillery). Officers — Captain, D. B. Kauffman. First lieutenant, George F. Shillinger; second, O. Hatch. Orderly sergeant, E. W. S. Kiemtzel. Quartermaster, William H. Harrison. Fifer, James Sterner. Drummer, Frank Lintz. Privates — Elijah Miller, Arthur P. Hatch, Oliver McLane, John Taylor, J. M. McCalli- ster, James M. Elliott, D. McCallister, John A, Elliott, Benjamin G. Otto, John Shenk, John Murry, Nelson Simons, George Hendricks, Frank Wentzel, Peter Bridegam, Benjamin Roberson, Joseph Long, Franklin Simons, Lewis Long, James Gribben, Samuel Wallace, William Huntzberger, Obadiah Stahlnecker, J. Richards, John H. Stager, Henry Snyder, W. S. Heartline, John Little, Richard Len- hard, Frank Nolen, John Walters, William Clark, Joseph Mauer,William J. Elliott, Joseph Bridegam, Henry Hyneman, John Kling, Sam uel S. Moyer, Nathaniel Cunfear, Michael Kel ler, Aaron Boyer, Thomas P. Smith, John A. Moyer, Thomas W. Combs, Franklin Fabean, Henry Wyneman, Jr., Daniel Fox, M. R. Thompson, Justice Carat, John Seaman, Isaac Miles, Charles Beauverly, A. Weathern, F. Boch, Harman Leager, John H. Dillinger, T. P. S. Roby,-William S. Lessig, Theodore Dear- ing, Henry J. O'Connel, Henry Mackeson, Augustus Shearer, William Markle, John Mc- Grath, Moses Nolen, John H. Moyer, George Linsy. Company C (Marion Rifles, of Port Carbon). Officers — Captain, J. K. Sigfried. First lieu tenant, M. D. Weand ; second, George W. Sny der. Sergeants — Philip Cares, John Gillespie, James Teasdale, Thomas Hilton, Jacob Buch- man. Corporals — George W. Holder, Charles Hilbert, James Gillespie, James Kane. Fifer, Stephen Jones. Drummer, Henry Swartz. Privates — Samuel Aregood, Alexander Alli son, Abraham Ahley, James Boyd, Joseph Beadle, David Bour, G. Burton, I. Courtright, C. L. Chilson, William Garris, P. Garber, R. M. Huntzinger, Ashton Hilton, James Hen derson, Henry Hodge, Henry Hignor, Abra ham Hummell, William Kane, Robert Kane, John Kline, Anthony Klingols, Joseph Kep- ley, John W. Laing, William Lloyd, John OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 55 Lloyd, William Mackey, Samuel McQuade, William Martin, P. May, John P. McCord, James B. Oliver, David J. Price, Theodore Pletz, Patrick Pursell, Charles Paul, F.W. Reed, Patrick Shields, J. W. Shappell, Joseph A. Se- ligman, George Stout, James Stout, William Smith, John Stanton, John Smith, William Stevenson, Samuel Seitzinger, Alexander Smith, John Seward, A. Shilthouse, George W. Thomson, Jesse Templin, J. Umbehower, Thomas Williams, Perry Watts, David Wer- tle, Watkin Waters, William Williams, Eman uel Bechtel, M. Davidheiser, John Ferry, John Mullen, D. B. Mitchell, G. W. Stillwagon. Company D (Nagle Guards, of Pottsville). Hcer's — Captain, Daniel Nagle. First lieu tenant, David P. Brown ; second, William W. Potts. Sergeants — F. A Bonawitz, G. W. Garret, Jacob Douty, Nicholas Wynkoop. Cor porals — J. F. Brannan, James Sand, Nathaniel M. Stout, David Hodge. Privates. — George A u rand, George Ayr- good, William Bambrick, William Barrier, David Baker, George Boyer, John Bowler, David Biggs, William H. H. Brown, James Bambrick, Jacob F. Behler, Alpheus Cheany, Matthew Clarkson, Peter Carrel, James Coch ran, Wallace Cake, Thomas Chadwick, J. E. Dreiblebies, George W. Ebert, Samuel Fisher, William Griffith, Henry Heiser, William Houck, James R. Helms, Adam Hendley, Is rael Hendley, John Hinckcliff Archibald Hodge, Silas C. Hough, Thornton Hanley, John Johnston, William Johnston, Samuel Kramer, Wesley Knittle, Jacob Kline, George Knowles, William Lawrence, Charles Lucas, Edward Morris, Thomas Martin, Charles Mat thew, Anthony Norgan, Charles Norgan, Thomas D. Price, Charles F. Rahn, Thomas Reid, Thomas Ryan, E. F. Shappall, Michael Sands, David Sands, George Snyder, Leonard F. Shishorn, Frank Seitzinger, Henry Seitzin ger, William F. Small, David Schrack, Jacob Shade, Jacob Semore, William Trimmins, Henry Wilson, Patrick Whalan, John Ward, William Wernick, J. H. B. Warfield, Israel Vancannan, James Winters. Company E (Ashland Rifles). Officers. — Captain, Israel Seitzinger. First lieutenant, Levi C. Leib ; second, John C. Gar ner. Ensign, John Van Hollen. Quarter master, George Harman. Sergeants — R. F. Moson, Peter Houk, Franklin Steese, Freder ick Hopkins. Corporals — Franklin Garner, Andrew Arnold, John Slaterback, Oscar Rahn. Drummer, Joseph Keeler. J Privates. — Thomas Brennan, Henry Barndt, Emanuel Bolich, Josiah Berger, Barnabas Bil- I lian, John Colohan, Daniel Carmitchel, Thomas Conner, Patrick Colohan, Jr., John Cleaver, Gabriel Crow, William Cooper, Henry F. Dengler, John O. Davis, Jsaac F. Davis, How ard Edmonds, James A. Easton, Evan Evans, Lawrence Focht, George Fetterman, Lafay ette Fetterman, Jacob Farrel, J. J. Fertig, James Gillespie, W. T. Hartz, Charles Hen- rich, W. A. Himelright, Franklin Hartz, James Hetherington, John Heck, Richard Jones, James Knabb, John F. Klock, John Langton, John Loudon, Abraham Levy, Joseph Mann, Martin V. Murry, Nathan J. Moyer, Condy Maguire, B. F. May, Thomas Owens, Jacob Oswald, Samuel K. Phillippi, George Price, Thomas Piatt, Christian Rherig, John Rhor- back, Richard Rhan, Erastus Shuman, Edward Shutt, George N. Simpson, Jacob K. Shelly, Calvin Shindler, Anthony Spoo, Thomas Smith, Peter Schneider, Edward Wentzel, Joseph E. Wilson, John A. Wilson, John Wagner, Tobias Witman, James Bradbury, James Craige, James McDade. 56 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Company F (Washington Yagers, of Pottsville). Officers. — Captain, H. J. Hendler. First lieu tenant, Theodore Miller ; second, Nicholas Michel. Sergeants — John Liebner, Christian Schlitzer, George Broschart, William Land- field. Corporals — Bernard Becker, Michael Friederich, John Landefield, Philip Lambrus- chini. Drummer, Andrew J. Snyder. Privates. — Julius Bathe, Joseph Braem, Peter Broschart, George Barnes, Richard Brennan, Reuben Burch, William Callighan, Thomas Drobil, Joseph Dockweiler, Charles Eberle, Joseph Eick, Ignaz Foss, George Grass, La- renz Gutmann, Charles Gluntz, Charles Gess- ler, Eberhard Gessler, Adam Heim, Joseph Hohmann, Casper Henry, August Hammer, George Hummel, Henry Jaeger, Valentine Kimmel, Charles F. Kuentzler, John Klein, John Kleindinst, William Koehler, Henry Lang, Charles H. Lukowitz, William Mont gomery, Charles J. Murphy, Adam Mayer, Michael Messer, Gottlieb Nathalz, Henry Oss- wald, Christian Prong, Laughlin C. Quigley, Preston Rassifer, Jacob Riegel, Charles Rien- hardt, Peter Rebhahn, Francis Renner, Jacob Saylor, Lewis Seltzer, Conrad Stoffregen, Henry Staehle.William Seyfert, Joseph Sturm, John Schneider, Ernst Schwanner, George Schwartz, Martin Seip, Jacob Scheibelhut, Francis A. Voelkers, Anthony Wageck, Fred erick Weitzel, Gottlieb Wisehuk, Peter Wol- lium, George Wandress, Charles Zapf, Fred erick Zeppenfield. Company G (Lewellyn Rifles). Officers. — Captain, Hiram Chance. First lieutenant, Edward J. Robson ; second, A. D. Shoffstall. Sergeants — Joseph Dilcamp, Thomas Partridge, Philip Fitzpatrick, William Davis. Quartermaster's sergeant, John D. Burge. Corporals — D. A. Alspach, Benjamin Focht, Daniel Troutman, , Michael Murry. Fifer, William Downing. Drummer, B. Down ing. Privates. — Thomas Anges, John Athey, John A. Bush, F. H. Barnhart, John Burlee, William Burk, Daniel Bonawitz, Michael Brennan, Michael Cavanaugh, W. J. Clauser, Simeon Clauser, Richard Cole, Augustus Delcamp, Thomas Dolan, George English, William Eng lish, M. Emrigeuldo, Joseph Fisher, William Green, James Green, James Galagher, Joseph Gee, Joshua Greenawalt, Thomas Grant, F. Galagher, Edward Griffiths, Patrick Grant, John J. Hopkins, Daniel Hilbert, Andrew Haws, J. A. Horn, Joseph Henrickson, Thomas Holigan, Francis Jones, John John ston, Daniel Jones, William Kerns, Charles Kutz, Gotleib Kutzer, William Lavenberg, L. Lavenberg, Daniel Manning, Andrew Miller, John Moran, C. McNulty, Jacob Minnig, Charles Maurer, James Mullhall, John Maley, H. Updegrave, Peter Rhoades, R. Rodgers, H. Runyan, John Rooney, George Rankkin, William Straw, Joseph Shoffstall, R. S. Thir- well, George Wilson, James Wilson, Samuel Wesner, Benjamin Warey, Israel Warey, George Young, Peter Zimmerman, John S. Zimmerman. Company H (Tower Guards, of Pottsville). Officers. — Captain, Charlemange Tower. First lieutenant, James Ellis ; second, Henry Pleas ants. Sergeants — William J. Hinkle, Henry Fisher, Edward C. Baird, John J. Huntzinger. Corporals— Samuel M. Ruch, David H. Hoff man, Daniel H. Leib, Hugh Mullin. Drum mer, Abraham Nagle. Fifer, Cornelius Trout. Privates.— Martin Acorn, John Bailey, John H. Batdorf, Charles Berluchy, John Bolich, William Bowman, Jacob Boyer, James B. Brown, Joseph Buck, Thomas Campbell, Charles Christian, Mahlon Collett, John R. Conynghham, Samuel Cowley, John Cooper, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 57 Charles Crosland, John Cruikshank, Frederick W. Davis, Thomas N. Davis, Daniel D. Dill- man, William Douty, Richard Edwards, Thomas Fitzsimmons, George W. Foltz, An drew Garber, Samuel Heffner, Charles Haz- zard, John Hower, James Hood, Zachariah Jones, J. H. Kaufman, Henry Z. Kibler, Her man Krauth, Frank Krebs, Samuel B. Lau- benstien, John Laurenberg, George Leech, Frank Leonard, Frank Lebengood, Luke Lee, O. W. Lilley, Hugh Lynch, John Martz, John McElrath, John McShier, Jacob Mervine, G. W. Matz, George W. Overback, Frank J. Parvin, Jr., John Paull, Robert M. Rinker, David Y. Root, Thomas J. Rose, Gabriel Shollenberger, Daniel Siegfried, John Snyder, Jacob Spotts, Elisha Stone, Edgar R. Titus, George J. Weaver, Andrew Weinman, Allen Weir, Henry Williamson.William Wren, Elias Yerger. NINTH REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUN TEERS. In this regiment the Wetherill Rifles, of St. Clair (Company H), and the Keystone Rifles, of Port Carbon (Company K), represented Schuylkill county. The regiment lay near Wilmington, Delaware, for a short time, was then attached to General Miles' brigade and took part in an advance toward Winchester, Virginia, but was not- engaged in any battle during its term of service. Company H (Wetherill Rifles, of St. Clair). Officers. — Captain, Edward Frane. First lieutenant, John D. Jones ; second, Frederick A. Herwig. Sergeants — Thomas Ray, Henry Kroba-, Jr., John March, John Carl. Corpor als — William J. McCarthy, Edward A. Smith, William G. DeTurk, Thomas Torbet. Musi cians — John Butterwick, John Bummersbach. Privates. — James Atkinson, James Bummers bach, August Beurne, Jacob Britt, Lloyd T. Brewes, William Breman, George Beaumant, Charles H. Blue, John W. Barnes, Benjamin Chadwick, William H. Cape, Joseph W. Den- nings, James Dormer, Patrick P. Donovan, Lewis Deekes, Charles Dress, Daniel W. Freeman, Frederick Grum, George Hether ington, John Howels, John Humphreys, Wil liam H. Humes, John Harrison, Samuel Hawn, Edwin F. Hensel, Hatton Hannum, William Johnson, Joseph Korbey, Ralph Kor- bey, Faro W. Krebs, James King, ^eter C. Kreiger, Nicholas Kern, Charles Kaler, Samuel Kendall, Thomas Lewis, Evan Lewis, John Lennon, Samuel Mateer, Peter Mahley, John McGowen, James Martin, William Mur- gan, Michael McHugh, James Moore, Jere miah McMahon, F. McLafferty, Jacob Neifert, Amos L. Neilds, Morris O'Neil, Jacob Parvin, Thomas Paul Palmer, James Riley, John W. Reese, Charles L. Roorbach, John Rhobalt, John S. Steele, Michael Sedgwick, John Tag- gert, Henry Huhn, Nicholas Welsh, Augustus Wolff. Company K (Keystone Rifles, of Port Carbon.) Officers. — Captain Matthew Byrnes. First lieutenant, William Cusack ; second, Thomas Brennan. Sergeants — John Mullen, John Moore, Michael Dougherty, Barnard Duffy. Corporals — John Leamy, William Gaynor, James Burke, James Slattery. Musicians — Thomas Fegan, Edward Cunningham. Privates. — James Allison, James Agnew, Henry Bouseman, Martin Baker, John Bren nan, Francis Byrnes, Michael Brennan, Ethan Crandall, Patrick Cawley, Richard Condon, James Creamer, James Casserley, Edward Coyle, Michael Cannon, Patrick Curran, Ed ward Coonan, Thomas Carlin, Francis Carr, James Dailey, Peter Doggett, John Dorrigan, William Flannery, Martin Foyle, John Fitz- simmins, William Fitzgerald, Patrick Gavin, 58 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY James Gollaher, Patrick Gleason, Edward Hoary, Brian Hailey, Daniel Harrison, John Hailey, Samuel Hayes, William Jefferson, Andrew Keaveny, Daniel Kent, Patrick Kelly, William Keaten, George Little, William Mc Donnell, Edward McVay, Michael McGlaugh- lin, James McLaughlin, Jeremiah Manauge, Daniel McCabe, John Martin, Daniel Mooney, Edward Mullen, James O'Brian, William O'Brian, George Prichard, James Parks, Hugh Rudy, .Thomas Rowe, James Ryan, John Ryan, Sr., John Ryan, Jr., James Sullivan, Patrick Shannon, Patrick Smith, William White, Patrick Walker. TENTH REGIMENT. The Scott Rifles, of Tamaqua (Company G), and the Washington Light Infantry, of Pine Grove, were in this regiment. It was engaged in an advance on Winchester, Vir ginia, but was engaged in no battle. It was mustered out ofthe Union service on July 31 1861. Scott Rifles, of Tamaqua. Officers. — Captain, William B. Lebo ; First lieutenant, S. B. Lutz; second William De- Pue. Privates. — Edward Davis, David Davis, Samuel B. Graeff, John M. Reinhart, William King, George E. Hughes, William J. Wil liams, O. G. Treichler, Jeremiah Trout, John Greathead, Richard Kitchen, William Lane, George W. Henrie, Theodore Casey, George W. March, William T. Thomas, James Scheifly, George Kisler, Isaac Chester, John Minnier, Nicholas Lusch, Charles Freiden- berger, William Miller, Martin Barr, George Vardy, Philip Heilman, Ephraim Moser, John Dunn, James Barton, Jonas Hine, Thomas J. Richards, David Reese, William Delamore, John H. Southam, Thomas March, Daniel B. Brause, Henry H. Snyder, John Fairchilds, David R. Burkey, David Nahf, Elias Fatzin- ger, John Richardson, William Shoemaker, John Kershner, Jeremiah Delay, Albert Moyer, Peter Shlasser, Edward Jones, David E. Davis, Thomas W. Griffith, James M. Moyer, William Allen, Abraham Markle, Charles C. Hensberger, B. Williams, B. A. Houser, Samuel T. Kehl, William R. Moyer, Samuel Brobst, John Landie, Elias Macord, J. Smessersmith, E. B. Thomas,- Joseph Mummy, William Schwartz, Robert Casey, Patrick McManamon, F. Kleckner, William Higgins, Jacob Campbell, William Horn, Daniel Trout. Washington Light Infantry, of Pinegrove. Officers.— Captain H. H. Bechtel. First lieutenant, J. W. Barr; second, P. A. Filbert. Sergeants— E. M. Matthews, Philip Keely, Caleb Wheeler, Lewis Lookingbill. Corpor als — Jacob B. Kreider, William Bonnawitz, Jerome Ley, Peter Rump. Privates. — Joseph Allison, Bearmount Brook, Paul H. Barr, William W. Bright, Robert Byers, George Bretz, Daniel Bretz, Henry Britigum, William Brenner, Daniel D. Brown, Marcus Dry, Frederick Dutter, George Fritz, William H. Filbert, Henry Fry, John Fox, Henry Feger, William Grove, Aaron Greenwald, George Goodman, Edward Heckman, Edward Heisler, Jacob Huber, Jr., John Harvey, Adam Hand, Joseph Harmon, David Harrigon, Frederick Hammer, Henry G. Krise, Benhart Kamget, George Kill, Samuel Lehman, Irvine Loeser, William Lehman, Joshua Martz, Franklin Muthgart, Joseph Moorheiser, Samuel G. Miller, Har rison Manviller, Franklin Moore, James Man- viller, George Rothmend, Henry Reinoehl, David Reader, David Spangler, Israel Span- cake, Ephraim Schrope, Peter Smeltzer,' Thomas Schwartz, Thomas Seibert, Aaron OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 59 Stees, Frederick Schrope, Jacob Snyder, Amos Stine, George Schnept, John Scherer, Gotleib Schiveller, John Scheeler, William Sick, William Wetzel, Frederick Wegelin, Peter Weaver, William N. Wolverton, Samuel Wei ler, Henry Yeager, Andrew Zimmerman, Peter C. Zelleff. FOURTEENTH REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. Company B (Lafayette Rifles), of Schuyl kill county, was in this regiment. It was engaged in several expeditions sent qut in quest of the enemy, but participated, in no battle, and many of its officers and men re enlisted. Company B (Lafayette Rifles, of St. Clair). Officers. — Captain, William H. Jennings First lieutenant, William G. Burwell ; second. John Ennis. Sergeants — Charles Blacker Thomas M. Price, William G. Gwyther, Nich- ola Schmeltzer. Corporals — Michael A. Welsh, David Ruse, James Blacker, Edward R. Brecken. Fifer, William Birt. Drummer Michael Clark. Privates. — William Ansbach, William Blacker, William Brown, William Brennan, John Blakely, William Childs, Thomas Cresswell, Benneville Clase, James J. Cooper, John Crow, John Catcher, Wil liam Davis, John Dougherty, Jonah Davis, John Donley, William Dudley, John Dolan, Joseph Dixon, George Evans, John Francis, George Farnie, William Gittin, Thomas Gwy ther, Robert Green, John Green, William Gable, Evan Humphries, George Hancock, James Highten, Marshall Harrison, David Jenkins, Isaac B. Jones, Jeremiah David, Theodore Koch, John Kelley, George Lock- ett, John Mason, Edward Mason, Patrick Murray, John L. Morgan, William Price, James Pusey, Frank W. Richardson, Robert Rogers, Reese Reese, John Snaden, John W. Smith, George Smith, William M. Steel, Ed ward Sedgwick, John Stevens, Charles Taylor, John Taylor, George Thomas, John G. Thomas, John Thompson, Adgate Van- horn, John Vincent, David D. Walker, Thomas Wilson, Daniel Walker, John Wood, George Wonders, Adam W. Zimmerman. SIXTEENTH REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. The German Light Infantry, Company B, of Tamaqua ; the Jackson Guards, Company D, of Tamaqua; the Wynkoop Artillery, Company E, of Silver Creek; the Union | Guards, Company I, of Pottsville, and the Schuylkill Guards, of Minersville, were from Schuylkill county. Like many of the three months' regiments, it was never engaged in any battle. Company B (German Light Infantry, of Tamaqua). Officers. — Captain, Philip Guenther. First | lieutenant, Henry Eigenbrod; second, John , Goepfert. Sergeants — John Horn, Andrew Hartwig, William Sandrock, John Hoffman. Corporals — Christopher Erbe, Frederick Eigenbrod, Frederick Kroll. Musician, Wil liam Maettern. Privates. — John George Albricht, William : Aedling, Christopher Boetler, Larenz Berlet, Theodore Burri, John Foolher, Christopher Gross, Adam Hartwig, V. Hess, G. Hess, ; Justus Haethe, Jacob Horman, Aaron Hei- man, Conrad Herwig, Heriem Keilman, : Conrad Kuch, John Knierren, Christopher i Keitel, John Linburg, George Moeller, Balt- hasser Rabe, Jacob Kimback, Jacob Seepp, Christopher Schade, Peter Schlosser, Adam Storck, Philip Wallauer, Christopher Hart man, Augustus Rediger. 60 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Company D (Jackson Guards, of Tamaqua). Officers. — Captain, C. M. Donovan. First lieutenant, Condy Boyle ; second, Patrick McGuigan. Sergeants — Patrick Farrell, Charles Harkins, Edward M. Nellis, Owen Boyce. Corporals — James O'Donnell, Joseph Early, Patrick McKeloy, Stephen McShaeffry. Drummer — John Higgins. Fifer — Richard Dunn. Privates. — Hugh Boyle, Patrick Boner, John Broderick, Robert Boyle, Patrick Cona- han, Condy Cannon, John Campbell, James Conner, Francis Cannon, Patrick Costin, Michael Cavanaugh, John Chapman, Thomas Clark, Thomas Delaney, James Deacon, James Fitzgerald, Condy Fisher, William Foster, Patrick Fitzsimmon, Patrick Gorrick, Condy Gallagher, Anthony Gallagher, Patrick Hag- erty, Matthew Long, Charles Millet, James Mulhasen, Thomas Mulhasen, Daniel Mundy, Edward Morrissey, Patrick Melly, Michael Mulloy, Stephen Mulloy, Isaac Mason, John Mooney, Michael Martin, Patrick Mulhart, Francis Moore, Charles McCahill, Alexander McManus, William McShaeffry, John Mc- Guire, John McHugh, Henry McNalley, Ed ward McDevitt, James McGonley, Peter McGovern, Patrick McGee, Patrick Powers, Martin Ryan, Michael Reardon, P. C. H. Rooney, Patrick Shovelin, Michael Stapleton, Richard Tobin, F. A. Whitaker, Patrick Winkle, Samuel Walley, . Michael Kearney, Adolphus Zearklebach. Company E (Wynkoop Artillery, of Silver Creek). Officers.— Captain, William Winlack. First lieutenant, Patrick McQuade; second, Law rence Ennis. Sergeants — William Cullen, Robert Wassen, James Callery, William Treaner. Quartermaster, Thomas J. O'Brien. Corporals — Stafford Johnson, John Carty, Charles Murray, Thomas Feeley. Drummer, James McAllister. Fifer, Michael Martin. Privates — Solomon Berger, James Brenin, Stephen Croney, William Corby, Samuel Clemens, Francis Cramer, Thomas Corcoran, Robert Dawson, Charles Dumb, Patrick Delaney, Evan Davis, Francis Dooling, Pat rick Donivan, John Elliot, Dennis Fuller, William Fitzpatrick, Michael Foley, John Heggins, Patrick Heggins, Jacob Hill, Albana Harp, John S. Haas, James Irving, Daniel Jones, Martin King, David McAllister, Thomas Miller, William Miller, Charles Mor rison, Samuel Miller, James McKinney, James Meeghar, Peter McGonagle, John McGraw, Michael O'Brien, Jonah Piatt, George Rogers, Andrew Rogers, John Sneddin, James Shields, James Soesby, William Snyder, John Scott, John Slowy, Andrew Sponsler, Benjamin Smith, Thomas Tosh, John Thompson, John Thomas, John T. Williams, John S. Wingerd, Richard S. Walters, Henry C. Young, John Garrison, John Geary, Samuel Fairchild, John Rosser, Thomas Moon, William Frederick, William Taylor, Jacob Hew, William Morris. Company I (Union Guards, of Pottsville). Officers.— Captain, Joseph Anthony. First lieutenant, John P. Powers; second, John Dougherty. Sergeants— Thomas Quirk, John Shortall, James Fogarty, John M. McBarron. Corporals— John Ryan, Thomas Dooley, Pat rick Curry, Dennis Carrol. Drummer, Thomas Smith. Fifer, William Perry. Privates.— James Brady, Michael Boland, Arthur Branagan, William Brennan, Edward Britt, Michael Bohanan, Francis Conery, William Cowey, Thomas Cowey, Daniel Cole Patrick Cook, Thomas Cullen, William Clancy, Robert Calhoun, Hugh Drummond, Jeremiah Drenan, Peter Devine, Thomas Dougherty, Patrick Darahan, Daniel Doogan, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 61 Robert Devine, Francis Davis, James Davis Joseph Dolan, Thomas Eagan, Thomas Far- rell, Edward Ford, Thomas Flinn, James Goolden, John Glerson, Patrick Gallagher, Thomas Hussey, Michael Hillan, Martin, Hamburry, James Kerns, Thomas Kennedy, Michael Kelly, Michael Lanigan, John Lynaugh, Frank McCann, Edward Moore, William McGuire, John McGowan, John Murray, Daniel McCoy, Bernard Blunkirt, John Quinn, Philip Reilly, John Ragan, Pat rick Savage, James Sexton, Edward Shield, Timothy Sullivan, Thomas Scott, Peter Stan ton, Robert Troy, Thomas Tracy, James Tye, John Toben, Peter White, Aaron William, Richard Walsh, John Walsh, Dubois Wil liams. Schuylkill Guards, of Minersville. Officers. — Captain, Horace C. Bennett. First lieutenant, Andrew Liddle; second, Wil liam E. Kline. Sergeants — John Davidson, John McGurl, Thomas Simpson, Michael Comeford. Corporals — Robert Hutchinson, George Kantner, John Matthews, William Foley. Drummer, John Jones. Privates. — William Bareton, John Berger, William Brennan, Patrick Brennan, Joel Black James Connor, William Chalenger, William Cooper, James Conner, James Cantwell, Thomas Dunlap, John B. Davis, Carl Fritch-. ley, Nicholas Foust, John N. Furguson, Wil liam Fowler, James Forbis, Jacob Ford, George Faster, Andrew Grant, John Garret, Michael Hughes, William Hay, John Henry, Daniel Hughes, Frederick Hinck, John Hoar, John Heffner, James Johnson, John H. Johnson, John Judge, Edward Jones, James Kerron, James Kilrain, John Murray, William Nixon, John Nolen, Michael Landy, David N. Mor gan, George Morris, George Minnes, John McDonald, James McCulloch, Robert Pace, Joseph Presser, Thomas Roads, William Rob ertson, Frederick Rice, Isaac Beed, James Schoffield, Samuel Snoddy, John Sutton, Joseph Spencer, Samuel Slocum, John Stone- house, Thomas Steel, D. Shollenberger, Charles N. Taylor, Thomas M. Thomas, Ben jamin A. Watres, John Wormel, James H. Welsh, John Williams, Joseph Zimmerman. TWENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT, P. V. M. When in June, 1863, Pennsylvania was a second time invaded, the citizens of Schuylkill county at once took measures to meet the emergency. Companies were raised and sent forward to Harrisburg. It is said that 700 men left the county within 24 hours. These volunteers were organized into the 27th P. V. M., of which companies A, B and C were from Pottsville, E from Tamaqua, G from Ashland and I from Frailey township. The regiment moved to Columbia on the 24th, guarded the bridge across the Susque hanna, and was on Sunday, the 28th, attacked by a large force of rebels, who were prevented from crossing. Thus the Pennsylvania rail road, as well as other roads, and bridges, were saved from destruction. In this action the regiment lost no men. Three deaths from disease occurred during its brief term of ser vice. TWENTY- EIGHTH REGIMENT PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. This regiment, containing forty men from Schuylkill county, was raised under au thority of Governor Curtin by Colonel (af terward General) Geary. It was uniformed and equipped at his expense, and achieved a brilliant record. The few men from this county bore an honorable part, and many of its veterans re-enlisted and served through the war. 62 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY The following were from Schuylkill county: James Silliman, Jr., lieutenant ; Daniel Sit ter, Thomas Cunningham, Alexander Mc- Kecheney, corporal ; William Moyer, Sidney Glase, Edward Dailey, Francis Agnew, Thomas Young, Gideon Mosser, Aaron Mosser, Thomas McGurl, Daniel Schwenk, Maberry Trout, Brian Dolan, Thomas Hart, William Leffler, Jacob Shoemaker, Patrick Canfield, James Ganley, Thomas Highman, James Shirey, Gustavus Hoffman, John Mor gan, Charles Barnett, Richard Brennan, John Kilrain, Jacob Arnold, Edward R. Eveland, Herbert Weston, William Horn, William J. Schreffler, Jacob Bobst, Philip Goulden, James Hughes, John Lavenberg, sergeant ; Alexan der McDonnell, Andrew Wilson, Emanuel Spartzer, Henry E. Moore, Thomas J. Foster, color corporal. THIRTY-NINTH REGIMENT, P. V. M. Nearly all the men in this regiment were from Schuylkill county. In July, 1863, they left Harrisburg for Carlisle, and thence went to Shippensburg, from which place they marched to Chambersburg and to Green Cas tle, but the enemy had retreated from each of these places before their arrival. fortieth regiment.— Eleventh reserves In this three-years' regiment Schuylkill county was represented by about thirty men. It was organized on July 1, 1861, and on the 30th was mustered into service at Washing ton. In September it had a slight skirmish with the rebels across the Potomac, and in December went into winter quarters near Lewinsville. In June, 1862, the regiment went to the Chickahominy, and at the battle of Gaines' Mill was fiercely engaged, losing forty-six killed and one hundred wounded. It was captured there and sent to Richmond, whence it returned in August. It was in the second Bull Run and Mary land campaigns, and was at Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, in all of which it was warmly engaged. Its last service was in the Wilder ness, where it was under fire for several days. Immediately after the battle of Bethesda Church it returned to Pennsylvania, and was mustered out of the Federal service. The following were from Schuylkill county : John Koch, William Matteer, John Draw- ble, musician ; Christian Ernst, Michael Mc- Cue, C. W. Keyser, H. Dintinger, John Bitner, William Bitner, Ferdinand Wentz, William Overy, C. Haldeman, Lewis Moyer, William Ray, Charles J. Foulk, Joseph Herring, Ter ence Conigham, Holden Chester, John Can ning, John Delay, Joseph Mosser, Isaac Wil liams, Josiah Poke, Daniel Kistler, Josiah Detrich, Noah Krum, Moses Neyer, Monroe P. Martin, David Adams, Aaron Rex. FORTY-EIGHTH PENNSYLVANIA VOLUN TEERS. This regiment was raised by Col. James Nagle under authority of Governor Curtin. Colonel Nagle determined to raise the regi ment in Schuylkill county and was assisted by Joseph A. Gilmour, James Wren, Henry Pleasants, Joseph H. Hoskins, Daniel Nagle, Daniel B. Kauffman, John R. Porter, H. A. M. Filbert, William Winlack and Phjlip Nagle. The regiment was recruited from August 15 to September 20, 186 1, when it left for the front. It received a stand of colors from Governor Curtin, on behalf of the ' State, and another stand from John T. Wer ner, of Pottsville. On the second stand was inscribed the words "In the cause of the Union we know no such word as fail." Com pany A was from Port Clinton and Tamaqua. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 63 Companies B, C, D, G and H were recruited at Pottsville, and Company E at Silver Creek and New Philadelphia, while Company F was from Minersville. Company I came from Middleport and Schuylkill Valley, and Com pany K from Schuylkill Haven and Cressona. The regiment was first sent to North Carolina, and then brought back to Virginia, where it lost 152 men at Second Bull Run. It was engaged at Chantilly, and lost 1 1 wounded and 1 missing at South Mountain. It fought with great bravery and coolness at Fredericksburg, was next sent to Tennessee, where it was in the battle of Blue Spring and the siege of Knox ville. After a veteran furlough it rejoined the Army of the Potomac and fought with great bravery through the Wilderness campaign, and in front of Petersburg, with the 36th Massa chusetts, captured 4 cannon, 1,500 stand of arms 600 prisoners. It mined and blew up a large fort, lay in Fort Hell for some time and took part in the battle of Poplar Spring Church. On the 3d of April the 48th with the rest of the line occupied Petersburg, and remained at the front till the surrender of Johnston, after which it was mustered out and returned to Pottsville, where it arrived July 20th, 1865. Field and Staff Officers. Colonel, James Nagle. Lieutenant-Colonel, Joshua K. Sigfried. Major, Daniel Nagle. Quartermaster, James Ellis. Chaplain, Sam uel A- Holman. Sergeant-Major, Charles LoeSer, Jr. Commissary-Sergeant, Charles W. Schnerr. Fife-Major, James W. Sterner. Drum-Major, Abraham Nagle. Band. Staff-Major, William A. Maize ; leader, J. W, Sounders ; William J. Feger, Daniel Kopp, John T. Hays, Charles Hemming, Levi Nagle, William Birt, John Cruikshank, Thomas Severn, Charles A. Glenn, John George, John Drouble, William Lee, Edward L. Haas, James Aikman, Frederick Brown, Nicholas McArthur, Albert Bowen, James N. Garrett, John Aikman, William Hodgson, Charles Slingluffi William H. Gore, C. T. McDaniel, H. Wheat. Company A. Officers. — Captain, Daniel B. Kaufmann. First Lieutenant, Abiel H. Jackson ; second, Henry Boyer. Sergeants — Lewis B. Eveland, Albert C. Huckey, William Taylor, Milton B. Nice. Corporals — John J. Huntzinger, Francis M. Stidham, Peter Zimmerman, John Little, John S. Bell, John Taylor, Joseph B. Carter. Privates. — George Airgood, George Al bright, William Betz, Elias Brittain, George Briegel, Thomas B. Boyer, Charles B. Bron- denberger, Israel Britton, William A. Berger, George Betz, John Cochran, John Cochley, B. F. Cummings, James Day, Patrick Dailey, Henry Davis, Jacob Deitrich, William Drei- belbeis, Benjamin Dreibelbeis, George Ehr- good, James S. Eveland, William Eddinger, Samuel Eckroth, F. Frederici, C. Goodhart, A. Goodhart, John Gallagher, Charles Greiger, John Hummel, William F. Heiser, Henry C. Honsberger, Jacob D. Honsberger, William Jacob Hein, John Heck, Jordan C. Haas, Lewis Hessinger, William K. Jones, Newry Kuret, Willis S. Kurst, William H. Koch, Coleman Jacob Kramer, Benjamin Keller, Franklin Kcenig, George Liviston, Daniel Leiser, John H. Leiser, William Miller, William Meek, Bernhard McGuire, Levi Mor- ganroth, John McLean, James Meek, Samuel B. Moyer, Joel Marshall, George Miller, William .Neeley, Andrew Neeley Simon Nel son, Isaac Otto, John Pugh, George Prigel, Henry H. Price, Richard B. Perry, George Ra mer, Lewis M. Reese, John Rufe, Frank W. 64 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Simon, Augustus Shickran, John Springer, Morgan Simon, Henry Schriser, John P. Spreese, Nelson Simons, David Steele, Jesse Springer, Abraham F. Seltzer, John Shenk, Henry Simpson, John Stahlnecker, Obadiah Stahlnecker, Bernard West, Franklin Went- zell, John Weivils, John Whitaker, Samuel Weiser, Oliver Williams, John F. Youser. Re-enlisted Veterans and Recruits : Officers. — Captain, Henry Boyer. First lieutenant, Levi B. Eveland ; second, Albert C. Huckey. Sergeants— William Taylor, Abraham F. Seltzer, Henry H. Price, John Gallagher. Corporals — John Taylor, Frank lin Frederici, Jacob S. Honsberger, Charles Brandenburg, Monroe Heckman, James S. Eveland, James Meek, Thomas B. Boyer. Musician, Wm. H. Hinkley. Wagoner, Wm. D. Martin. Privates.— George Airgood, John Adams, James D. Ash, Elias Britton, Israel Britton, William Booth, James Becker, William Beltz, George Bond, William Bachman, James Baker, George Betz, Thomas Carter, John Cochran, B. F. C. Dreibelbeis, William Drei- belbeis, Joseph Dreibelbeis, Henry Davis, William Eddinger, Samuel Eckroth, Frederick Ely, Christian Ferg, Charles Goodman, Ed ward Gallagher, Abraham Greenawaldt, David Houser, M. J. Hunsberger, John J. Huntzinger, Lewis Hessinger, John Hegg, Hiram Hail, Philander N. Hause, Jordan C. Hause, William J. Huckey, Wiloughby Hine, Elias Hoffman, John Holman, Charles W. Hillegas, Franklin Halderman, George Hen dricks, John Hugg, Charles Jones, William Knapp, Benj. Keller, W. A. Koch, Henry E. Kerst, Charles Krueger, Willis L. Kerst, Franklin King, James Kelchner, Jacob Ker- shner, Daniel H. Koch, William Kaufman, Morgan Leiser, Lewis R. Love, George Livingston, Joel Lins, Elias Lins, Marcus M. Mallard, William H. Meek, David Meek, John McClean, Robert McClean, Samuel B. Moyer, Jacob W. Moyer, Jacob M. Moyer, George Miller, Joel Marshall, John C. Medler, Monroe Martin, Jabez McFarlin, Isaac A. Otto, Richard B. Perry, Philip Richards, Lewis M. Robinhold, John Richel- derfer, Francis M. Stidham, Frank W. Simons, Nelson Simons, H. Lewis Sterner, James W. Sterner, Simon Snyder, Thomas P. Smith, J. Lewis Smith, Jonas Sigfried, Jacob D. Sig- fried, Nathan Sitler, John H. Sheaffer, John W. Sheaffer, Chas. Abel, J. St. Clair, Nicholas Snayberger, Henry Schreyer, Jesse Springer, Samuel Schollenberger, Augustus Schickman, Oliver Williams, John Weibel, F. H. Wagner, Simon Whetstone, John Peter, George Ben- singer, James Demsey, Lemuel Griffith, Ben jamin F. Kline, Isaac Mumma, Charles Rin- ker, Francis B. Seltzer, William Shantz, Henry Weikel. Company B. Officers. — Captain, James Wren. First lieutenant, Ulysses A. Bast ; second, John L. Wood. Sergeants — William H. Hume, Thomas Johnson, William D. Hughes, John G. W. Bassler, Nelson W. Major. Corporals — Joseph Curty, Reuben Robinson, Joseph Johnson, Andrew Wren, George Evans, Jacob Freshly, Samuel C. Stouch, Thomas P. Williams. Privates.— Solomon Augusta, Charles Bick- ley, Joseph Brown, John S. Barnhart, Domiri- ick Bush, Alfred E. Bindley, Richard Brown, Sebastian Bickert, Clemence Betzler, William Bradley, Joseph Brooks, Samuel Brook, Law rence Brennan, John Baker, John Collohan, Philip Carlan, Joseph Corby, Henry Copeland, Robert Gamble, Thomas Connell, Patrick Dorsey, Charles Dress, Jackson Delaney OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 65 Michael Devine, Thomas Davidson, John Davis, David J. Davis, William Davidson, William Davis, William Durkin, George E. Evans, Israel Eiler, William Freeman, Michael Finerty, William H. Francis, Isaac L. Fritz, Edmund Gabriel, William Hill, Daniel Hoffy, Matthew Humes, Carey Heaton, John Hower, John Caspar Henry, John Howells, William Harris, John Hafling, William Humer, Con rad Ham, James Hunter, Frederick Knittle, Pharaoh Krebs, Abraham Kleckner, William Kissinger, Peter Lufte, Peter Langton, Mark Lamb, John Lucia, Jackson, Long, Thomas C. Littlehales, Jonathan C. Leffler, Lawrence Moyer, David W. Molsen, George Marsden, Anthony McKerney, Michael McLaughlin, Thomas Mack, Rolandus Mayer, Elbridge Prince, Alexander Prince, L. M. Reese, Daniel Root, Joseph Rehrig, John Robson, James Rider, Adam Rush, Paul Shuck, Nic holas Shilterhower, Joseph Sefrin, Samuel Stanley, Solomon Schaeffer, Peter Schultz, David Thomas, Thomas Taylor, J.ohn Vincent, John W. Williams, John Wadsworth, William H. Ward, John Watkins, John Williams, Thos. G. Williams, Philip Yost. Re-enlisted veterans and volunteers, 1864: Officers. — Captain, Ulysses A. Bast. First lieutenant, William H. Hume ; second, Thos. Johnson. Sergeants — Thomas P. Williams, John Watkins, Robert Campbell, William Kissinger, John Homer. Corporals — William H. Ward, David J. Davis, Clemence Beltzer, Joseph Rarig, James Rider, Isaac L. Fritz, Sebastian Rickert. Musician — George W. Johnson. ' Privates. — Henry Altman, William Atkins, George Albright, John Barron, William R. Brooks, John E. Budeck, Alfred E. Bind ley, John Brown, Gardner Bell, Daniel M. Bankes, David Dietz, John Dietz, Wlliam 5 Engle, John D. Frehn, Benjamin Glouser, Thomas Griffiths, Samuel Heckman, Carey Heater, John Haker, Jacob Hammer, Charles H. Kershner, Christian Louer, Abraham R. Markle, Laurentus C. Moyer, Thomas J. Muldoon, William Reppert, Wil liam Stevenson, Albert J. Shifferstein, Gotleib Shoufler, William Schwartz, Lewis Steinhour, Henry Shoppel, W. Williams, J. Wigner, W. Wise, D. Wary, John Yonkers, Henry B. Kreitz, Edward Cheetham, John Coutts, David Christ, William H. Dintinger, James B.' Fry, William Fry, Robert Jones, Michael Kinsley, Lewis Kleckner, Nathan Lins, Franklin S. Lins, Christopher Lugan, Daniel F. Mace, Daniel H. Moyer, George Morsdin, Henry Rinker, William L. Swoyer, John Shoemaker, G. H. Ulmer, Charles Vaughn, Joseph H. Zehner. Company C. Officers. — Captain, Henry Pleasants. First lieutenant, George W. Gowen ; second, Thomas F. Fitzsimmons. Sergeants — Charles W. Erd- man, William Clark, Charles H. Miller, Oliver C. Hatch. Color Sergeant, Arthur P. Hatch. Corporals — David O'Brien, James Hood, James Gribens, James Clark, Edward Monagher, John Dooley, Samuel Lewis, Obadiah Stoll- necker. Drummer, Lewis Howard. Fifer, William D. Williams. Wagoner, Theodore Titus. Privates. — Peter Bowman, Edward Brennen, Mark Brennen, William Brennen, Thomas Burk, William Birt, Michael Condron, James Conner, Patrick Cummings, Edward Daniels, William J. Daubert, Henry Dersh, John Dougherty, William Dudley, Wlliam Degan, Henry Early, John Eppinger, William Fitz patrick, Daniel Flagherty, Albert T. Frazer, Jonas Geiger, Barney Gettler, Gilbert Graham, Thomas Hanahoe, Henry Hurst, William H. BIOGRAPHY, AND HISTORY Hulsey, David Hamilton, James Horn, Jacob Haines, George W. Hatch, Casper Henry, George Hitchings, John Harrison, Samuel Harrison, Jacob Jones, William Jones, John Jones, John W. Jones, James Lowe, Wlliam Larkin, William Liviston, Thomas McAvoy, Edward Morgan, William Farrell, Michael McGloughlin, Henry Merlin, John Mullin, John Murray, James McElroth, Robert Mc- Elroth,John Murphy, James Nicholson, Henry O'Connel, Thomas Owens, Edward Owens, Hugh Pickfert, Thomas Phalen, Lewis C. Quigley, Edward Rouch, William Rodgers, James Roberts, John O. Rorety, Henry Rudge, Daniel Richard, Solomon Strauser, Jacob Smith, Francis S. Smith, Andrew Scott, John Shelby, Martin Toben, Richard "Joben, Wil liam Thomas, John Woll, Thomas Whalen, Charles Walker, Henry Weiser, John Weiser, Samuel Weiser. Re-enlisted veterans and volunteers, 1864: Officers. — Captain, George W. Gowen. First lieutenant, Charles Loeser; second, William Clark. Sergeants — James Clark, Henry Weiser, Jonas Geier, John Rorety, Samuel Wallace. Corporals — Samuel Weiser, John Shalvey, Henry McDernold, Michael Condron, Henry Rudge, James Nicholson, William Liv ingston. Musicians — Lewis Howard, Robert Rogers. Wagoner, Gilbert Graham. Privates. — Abraham A. Acker, Dennis Adarns, Harrison Betz, Thomas Boyle, Murt Brennan, Daniel Brown, Robert Clark, James Coakley, William Daubert, Andrew Dunleavy, William Demmerce, John Daugherty, John Dolan, Henry Earley, Michael Earley,William Fitzpatrick, Patrick Farrel, Jacob A. Gruver, John Harrison, Samuel Harrison, John F. Hartman, Jacob * Haines, Casper Henry, George W. Hatch, James Horan, William J. Haines, William Johnston, Allen A. D. Long, Enoch Lambert, Anthony McCoy, Edward McGinnis, Alfred W. Miller, Michael Mohan, William Neeley, Andrew Neeley, Richard Ryan, William Sweeney, Edward Sweeney, George C. Seibert, Isaac Straugh, Toban Martin, John S. Wheatly, John Whitaker, Joseph Sturm, Thomas Elliott, James T, Martin. Company D. Officers. — Captain, Daniel Nagle ; First lieu tenant, William W. Potts; second, Charles Kleckner. Sergeants — Henry P. Owens, James K. Helms, Alexander Fox, Peter C. Krieger, William Bambrick. Corporals — George Ramer, Leonard F. Schrisron, James Evans, William Timmons, Peter Fisher, Ed ward Reichard, Israel Vancannon, Henry E. Stichter. Privates. — George Artz, William P. Ames, Charles Aurand, James Brennen, Sr., John Bambrick, James Bambrick, George Bowman, Philip Beckman, Mattis Bailey, James Bren nen, Jr., Henry Berkholter, Elias Bixler, J. Bixley, Philip Henry Canter, John W. Derr, Levi Derr, John H. Derr, Jonathan Detreich, Franklin Dorward, Jacob Derr, Solomon Eister, Henry Graeff, Henry Gottshall, Ho ratio Grim, William Houck, John W. Heib- ner, Franklin Houck, Peter Hartz, Mattis Hinan, John Hunchinger, George Hartz, Wil liam Harris, George W. James, Thomas Kin ney, Elias Koble, Philip H. Kantner, John Kessler, Andrew Klock, David T. Kreiger, Isaiah Kline, Jarrett Kline, George W. Kline, Joseph Koons, Charles Kline, Jacob Koons, John Liercutt, Edward Lenhart, Charles W. Lindemuth, James Mangham, James D. Mor gans, Charles Miller, Levi Morganrantz, John ' Nunemacher, Albert R. Norringer, Botto Otto, Lewis Quinn, William Ryan, Henry Rothen- berger, William Reese, George Shertle, John OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 67 Sullivan, William H. Smith, David Smith, William Shaeffer, Matthew Shaeffer, George W. Stellwagon, Addison S. Seamon, And rew Spear, Samuel Stichter, Augustus To- bergty, Solomon Ungstadt, Daniel Wolf, Thomas Whalen, Christian Wildt, Daniel Weldy, Henry Williamson, Jacob F. Werner, Henry Walhaller, Solomon Yarnall. Re-enlisted veterans and recruits, 1 864 : Officers. — First lieutenant, James K. Helms ; second, Henry E. Stichter. Sergeants — Henry C. Graeff, George Bowman, H. C. Burkhalter, H. Rothenberger, Albert R. Novinger, Wil liam Timmons. Corporals — Botto Otto, Franklin Hoch, Walter P. Aims, Jonathan Deitrich,, Philip Beckman, Franklin Dorward, Edward Lenhart, David Smith. Musicians — Charles Brobst, Jeremiah Meinder. Wago ner, John W. Derr. Privates. — George Artz, Charles Arndt, James L. Baum, Chas. W. Baum, Orlando Baum, John B. Boyer, Joseph Buttinger, Jonathan Bower, John Brown, George S. Beissel, Patrick Covligan, Jackson L. Cas per, G. W. H. Cooper, Jackson Derr, Levi Derr, John Dolan, Charles Deitrich, Lewis Deitrich, Daniel Deitrich, John Deitrich, James J. Dalious, Henry Dorward, Edward J. Ebert, Samuel Eppley, Solomon Eyster, Frank B. Graeff, Horatio Grim, George Hartz, Mattis Himan, Charles F. Hesser, John Hoover, Thomas Jones, Stacy John ston, Isaiah Kline, Daniel Knarr, Jonathan Kauffman, Nathan Kessler, Samuel Kessler, James Klinger, Francis J. Krieger, Peter C. Krieger, John Kehler, Andrew Knit- tie, Jacob Klauser, Charles Kline, Joseph Lindemuth, Philip Lettrick, Jonas Miller, Gust. H. Miller, Zachary F. Moyer, Henry D. Moyer, William F. Moyer, David Maury, Daniel Merwine, James Nolan, Daniel Okom, Jonathan Okom, Simon Ritter, Jonas Z. Raber, Samuel Reeser, William Ryan, P. L. Strausser, Alfred J. Stichter, Frank B. Shriver, William H. Smith, David Williams, William H. Williams, Daniel Weldy, Amos Walbridge, Daniel Wolf, William Weikel, John D. Weikel, Samuel Wenrich, Aaron B. Wagner, Solomon Yarnell, Joseph Zeigler, Elias Zimmerman, Albert Bean, James Brad ley, Michael Connelly, Henry Dentzer, Wil liam Goodflech, Henry Geist, William Hess, George Kain, George W. Knoll, Daniel Kistar, Elias Kahler, Thomas McCormick, Levi Montgomery, Edward McGuire. John Mus- cott, Richard B. McBride, Simon Ritter, Chas. Schollenberger, Jacob E. Schmidt, Emanuel Straub, Michael Whalen, Matthew W. Wolf gang. Company E. Officers. — Captain, William Winlack. First lieutenant, William Cullen ; second, Thomas Bohannan. Sergeants — Joseph H. Fisher, John Seaward, Johnson Stafford, Thomas Tosh, William Trainer. Corporals — John McElrath, James Brennen, Michael Landy, Samuel Cle mens, James May, William Clemens, David McAllister, William Macky. Drummer, Geo. Latham. Fifer, John Cameron. Wagoner, John McSorley. Privates. — Alfred Barlow, James Burger, James Brown, John Becker, John Brennen, Michael Bohannan, Samuel A. Beddall, James Breslin, Michael Brennen, Thomas Brennan, John Burns, John Breadbent, Lewis Buler, Solomon Berger, John Burns, Richard Coogan, Peter Cresson, Jefferson Canfield, Michael De- vine, John Doe, Henry Dooling, Michael Delany, John Dooly, John Duneho, James Ervin, John Ferguson, James Farrel, James Greener, John Garrison, Thomas Griffith, John Greiner, William Hyland, Fritz Henry ; 68 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Gotleib Henry, John Jones, William Jenkins, William Jefferson, Elijah Knight, Joseph Lord, Henry Lord, Patrick Lynch, James Mc Laughlin, David Morgan, William Morgan, John Mercer, John McFreely, G. McNeely, Sr., G. McNeely, Jr., Thomas Major, John Martin, Edward Murphy, James Miller, Wil liam Miller, John McGrath, Robert McRay, John McSorby, William Morse, Michael Mc Allister, William Morgan, John Penman, Rob ert Penman, Michael Poet, James Purcil, Wil liam Poet, Robert Patton, Patrick Rogers, William Robertson, James Rogers, Daniel E. Reedy, Samuel Seward, John Sunderland, James Smith, John Schrader, James Simpson, John Spousler, Alfred Trainer, Robert Thomp son, David Williams, John Walker. Re-enlisted veterans and recruits, 1864: Officers. — Captain, William Winlack. First lieutenant, Thomas Bohannan ; second, Chas. A. Schnerr. Sergeants — John C. McElrath, James May, Williams C. Cinens, Thomas Tosh, David McAllister. Corporals — Samuel Clemens, Samuel Beddell, Patrick Lynch, James Greener, William J. Morgan, Robert Penman, John Mercer, John Penman. Musi cians — George Latham, George J. Heisler. Wagoner, William Jefferson. Privates. — Henry Auman, Frank Boyer, Daniel Boyer, Joshua Boyer, Daniel D. Bar nett, Robert Beverage, Michael Brennan, Mi chael Bohannan, James Brown, John Bren nan, Patrick Brennan, James Conners, Lind sey H. Campbell, Albert Cumings, Thomas Clemens, John Clemens, Jerome Castle, John DeFrain, Cornelius Dress, Thomas Devine, Robert Devine, John Dooley, Archibald Dunlap, John Danagh, William Evens, William Evens, Thomas Evens, Law rence Farrell, William J. Fagan, Valentine Frantz, Patrick Grant, Martin Gutschall, Wil liam Gaynor, William Hodget, Thomas Hob- wood, Isaac Hardee, Thomas Hall, John Jones, George A. James, William C. James, John Judge, William B. Kane, Alexandria Kelly, Michael Landry, Joseph H. Lord, John Lyons, Timothy Leary, George McMily, Robert McElrath, William McElrath, David Morgan, John Murry, John Major, James Mercer, William Mullen, Robert Meredith, Jr., Robert Meredith, Sr., Thomas McGee, James McLaughlin, James Meighan, John McRay, Thomas McClennan, John McSorely, Edward McGinnis, Michael Muir, Mungo Penman, John D. Pocket, Henry Pierce, David Quinn, Charles Quinn, David E. Reedy, Patrick Rodgers, William Reasons, James, Regan, Daniel Ramsey, Abraham Sigmund, George Stout, James Shields, Alfred Spotts, Wil liam Simmers, George W. Schaeffer, Robert B. Thompson, Thomas Whaland, Benjamin Woomer, David Williams, Anthony Wade, John Watson, Jeremiah Weaver, William Young, Archibald Dunlop, George J. Heisler, Michael Muir, Robert Meredith, Charles Blanck, Joseph Clemens, Thomas Carby, John Dunlop, Edward Daley, Austin Gaynor, Thos. Hays, George Loesby, John Lowry, Daniel McGeary, William Murphy, William Mullen, James Norton, John O'Neil, Christian Walter, James Whalen. Company P. Officers. — Captain, Joseph H. Hoskins. First lieutenant, Henry James ; second, John L. Williams. Sergeants— John W. Jenkins, William E. Taylor, Charles W. Haines, James A. Easton, Henry Reese. Corporals — Henry Jenkins, Jeremiah Griffiths, William S. Red- ner, William Hopkins, Joseph Gould, George N. Douden, David Griffith. Musicians — John Lawrence, David Fulton. Privates.— James Andrews, Albert Adam OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. John Brown, Charles Boyer, William Brere- ton, William Ball, John Devlin, Jr., Isaac Dando, John Devine, Samuel Dunkerly, George Edwards, James W. Evans, William Fulton, Richard Francis, James Glenn, Ed ward Griffith, Cyrus Haynes, Francis Jones, William T. Jones, Wiliiam Jenkins, Michael Killrain,William Labenburg, Jonathan Leffler, John Lencia, Richard Littlehales, Thomas Leyshorn, Thomas Lloyd, Thomas Mooney, Patrick Monaghan, John Morrissey, John McGee, John J. Morrison, Morgan P. Owens, Robert D. Padden, John Powell, Edward G. Pugh, James Paully, John Phillips, Patrick Quinn, Peter Quinn, William Sedgwick, Wil liam Straw, John Starr, Thomas J. Thomas, Thomas Thomas, Stephen Taggart, Charles Treisbach, Evan Thomas, Thomas E. Taylor, Richard Williams, William J. Wells, Robert Wallace, William D. Williams, John Wilson, Daniel S. Wolff. Re-enlisted veterans and recruits, 1864: Officers. — Captain, Joseph H. Hoskins. First Lieutenant, Henry James ; second, John L. Williams. Sergeants — James A. Easton, Henry Reese, Joseph Gould, Richard Hop kins, George Edwards, Charles W. Haines. Corporals — Robert D. Padden, William J. Wells, Patrick Monaghan, John Powell, Aus tin Farrow, Robert Wallace, Isaac Barto, Samuel Glenn. Musicians — John Lawrence, David Fulton. Wagoner, William Holsey. Privates. — Isaac Ackley, James Andrews, William Ackenbach, Richard M. Adams, Wil liam Ball, James ' Brennan, James Brennan, Patrick Boren, Murtough Brennan, James Bradley, Wm. Burland, James Bambrick, Wm. Bush, Anthony Carroll, Thomas Curry, William Carroll, Patrick Carroll, John Car roll, James Carr, John A. Crawford, John Crawford, Samuel Dunkerly, John Devine, William E. Duffy, John Devlin, Simon Devlin, William H. Davis, Elijah Defrehn, Henry Dillman, Thomas Davis, John E. Davis, Pat rick Dolan, David Davis, John Eddy, Wil liam Fulton, Henry Ferrick, Joseph Finley, Thomas Garlan, David Griffiths, John Grif fiths, Henry C. Heisler, John Hosgood, Henry Holsey, James Houte, Plamilton Hause, Cyrus Haines, Thomas James, George H. Jones, Sampson Jenkins, David T. Krieger, Jacob Kuhns, George W. Kohler, William H. Kohler, Thomas D. Lewis, John Lyng, Peter Litchfield, Cornelius Leary, Thomas Lyshon, Isaac Lewis, John Law less, Michael Lavell, John Morrissy, John McGee, Thomas Murphy, Israel Manning, James Murphy, David McElvie, William Moore, George Manders, James W. Manning, John McVay, Henry McCann, Patrick Mallen, William Murphy, James Paully, Hugh Pick- ford, Edward G. Pugh, John Philips, Frank Queeny, Edward J. Robson, John J. Reese, George Ramer, Michael Ryan, George Sheri dan, George W. Stellwagon, William Smith, Edward L. Shissler, Timothy Schaeffer, Hor ace F. Straub, Thomas M. Thomas, David F. Thiel, William E. Taylor, Edward Turner, Andrew Werner, Michael Welsh, Richard Williams, Lewis Woods, Edward R. West, Michael Wilson, Benjamin F. Wiest, Thomas J. Williams, Augustus H. Witman, Robert Wallace, Thomas Wilson, David Miller, John Miller, Thomas Broderick, Jacob F. Ferree, Hugh Glacken, Elias Shell, John Wallace, Thomas Wardrop. Company G. Officers. — Captain, Philip Nagle. First lieutenant, Cyrus Sheetz; second, Oliver C. Bosbyshell. Sergeants : Henry C. Jackson, Richard M. Jones, Robert Smith, Theodore 70 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY F. Patterson, Reuben Reeser. Corporals : James C. Neis, William Auman, Curtis C. Pollock, Charles F. Kuentzler, Charles B. Evans, George Fame, William Martin, Ed ward H. Sillyman. Drummer, Samuel E. Banghart. Fifer, James Auman. Wagoner, Henry Hablery. Privates. — William P. Atkinson, Lawrence Brennan, Michael Brennan, David P. Brown, Louis A. Bright, Henry Burnish, Joel Betz, Patrick Cummings, Michael Clark, Thomas Clark, John S. Clements, James Chadwick, Daniel Donne, Philip L. Deihl, John Delaney, Henry Doolin, Henry Dentzer, David Eberly, Clement Evans, Edward Flanagan, John Fame, William Freeman, John Galligen, Wil liam P. Gillingham, Washington J. Glassmire, John Grace, Alexander Govern, Jr., Andrew Galigen, John P. Hodgson, John Hutton John Humble, Charles H. Hazzard, William H. Hardell, John W. Jones, John P. Kuentz ler, Henry Krebs, John Kagle, Charles Loeser, Jr., James Muldowney, William A. Beidleman, Joseph Bell, John R. Brown, Mathusalem Berger, John Becker, William Maurer, Edward Murphy, Joel A. Mark, George Meyer, William Mason, John Mul- downy, Edward McCabe, Henry W. Nagle, Patrick Nash, Abraham Nagle, Edward F. Owens, John Pugh, William Price, Louis Quinn, John Rogers, Robert Reed, Patrick Ryan, Adam Reed, Valentine G. Raush, Josiah A. Reed, John H. Smith, William Smith, John Shaw, William Stevenson, Ed ward Sykes, William Strauser, Monroe T. Schreffler, Daniel Smail, Charles Timmons, John Toben, George Traub, Jr., Jonathan Wallingham, John Wonders, Henry Yerger. Re-enlisted veterans and recruits, 1864 : Officers. — Captain, Oliver C. Bosbyshell. First lieutenant, Curtis C. Pollock; second, Henry C. Jackson. Sergeants — Richard M. Jones, Robert Smith, William Auman, Charles F. Kuentzler, Charles B. Evans. Corporals — George Fame, Edward H. Sillyman, Edward Flanagan, John W. Smith, Daniel Dowyne, Monroe Schreffler, Alexander Govan. Musi cians — David Eberle, Samuel Banghart. Wagoner, Jacob Dietrick. Privates. — James Auman, William P. At kinson, John Armstrong, Abraham Abra hams, James Allison, John Becker, John R. Brown, David P. Brown, Robert D. Brown, Daniel Boyer, Patrick Boyle, Michael Clark, Joseph Cheatham, Patrick Cunningham, An drew Colihan, Charles Clark, John Drobel, Harrison Dates, John Delaney, Patrick Daley, Clay W. Evans, William Farney, James Frazier, John Frazier, B. Flickenger, J. Galli gan, Patrick Galligan, Matthias Goodman, Jacob Gwinner, Nicholas Gross, Patrick Grant, John Humble, Adam Hendley, John P. Hodg son, J. Howard. Jones, John P. Kuentzler, John Kautter, Henry Krebs, Jr., David Lech- ler, George W. Lawrence, William Maurer, William Martin, Charles H. May, Jonathan Moyer, Winfield S. McDaniels, Patrick Nash, Peter Norrigang, John Ragang, John Rep- pert, Dewald Schrow, James Sennett, Christian Schaeffer, William Shaw, Patrick Savage, William Slatterly, William Stall, Patrick Smith, James R. Spencer, William Simpson, John Wright, Adolphus Walbridge, William Williams, Peter Carl, Patrick Galligan, Charles Laub, John Rudolph, Joel Frederick. Company H. Officers. — Captain, Joseph H. Gilmour. First lieutenant, William J. Hinkle; second, Edward C. Baird. Sergeants— Daniel D. McGinnes, Samuel M. Ruch, Alexander S. Bowen, Thomas J. Rose, William T. Garrett. Cor- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 71 porals— Charles C. Hinkle, Samuel B. Lau- benstein, James R. Hetherington, Raymond A. Jenkins, Alba C. Thompson, William Brown, David B. Brown, Joseph Reed. Mu sicians — Andrew J. Snyder, Martin Acorn. Wagoner, Charles Kyer. Privates. — Albert Adams, Lewis Aurand, John Baer, John E. Benedict, Crawford Ben- nie, Henry Bensteel, William H. Berlie, George M. Christian, William H. Dreibelbeis, William Davis, Charles Driesbach, Richard Edwards, Charles Eberly, George T. Eisen- huth, David Everly, John Engel, Charles Focht, Samuel Fryberger, Henry Fery, Rich ard Forney, Alfred C. Forney, Albert Hart- line, John M. Howell, Richard Hopkins, William Huber, John H. C. Heffner, Anthony Herbert, John E. Kalbach, Valentine Kimmell, Francis D. Krebs, William Lloyd, Franklin Leib, Edward M. Leib, George W. Mowry, Henry C. Mathews, John F. Kleinginna, Thomas Kelly, Benjamin Kohler, William V. B. Kimmel, Charles Knarr, Daniel Lauer, William Loeser, William A. Lloyd, William D. Lloyd, Horace Lloyd, Bernhard McGuire, James Marshall, William A. Millet, Conrad Miller, Daniel Moser, James Mulholland, Jo seph Metz, Charles Metz, James Marshall, Jo seph Metzinger, William Nagle, Charles Nor- rigan, Daniel Ohnmacht, Samuel Petit, Henry Parensteel, August Reese, William Reese, Peter Radelberger, John W. Ray, Michael Scott, Thomas H. Sillyman, Isaac L. Schmehl, George Schilthorn, John A. Sponsaler, Henry Shay, David A. Smith, Peter. Smith, James Wentzell, Henry Williams, Josiah F. Wilder- muth, Joseph Weise, Jacob Wagner, Jacob A. Whitman, John Winlaw, Jacob Weise. Re-enlisted veterans and recruits, 1864: Officers. — Captain, William J. Hinkle. First lieutenant, Alexander S. Bowen; second, Samuel B. Laubenstine. Sergeants — Alba C. Thompson, Thomas H. Sillyman, Peter Rad elberger, Henry Bernsteel, Daniel Moser, David B. Brown (sergeant-major). Corporals — Henry Foy, Anthony Herbert, Charles Norrigan, Charles Focht, William Burlee, William A. Lloyd, Henry C. Matthews, Jacob A. Whitman. Musicians — Andrew J. Snyder, James Marshall. Wagoner, George W. Chris tian. Privates. — Lewis Aurand, Charles Aurand, Joseph Alexander, Martin Acorn, Crawford Bennie, John Baer, Isaac Bannon, James Bat- dorf, James Mulholland, Joseph Metz, Charles Meter, Edward Metz, Charles DeLong, Wil liam Donnelly, John Donnelly, Morris Everly, Charles Eberle, Edward Edwards, Joseph Edwards, George T. Eisenhuth, Charles Fet terman, Isaac Fetterman, Emanuel Fox, Sam uel Fryberger, Alfred C. Forney, John Galla gher, Anthony Gallagher, Thomas Gannon, John M. Howell, John H. C. Heffner, William H. Haley, Joseph S. Hayes, Philip Heffron, George Halladey, David Baker, William Barr, John C. Benedict, Abraham Benscoter, Harri son Bright, Daniel R. Bright, Thomas Beagley, Jefferson W. Beyerly, James Wentsell, James Welsh, John Wineland, F. Josiah Wilder- muth, Jacob Weise, Anthony Yeick, Job Hirst, James R. Hetherington, William Huber, John Jennings, Harry Jones, William V. B. Kimmel, Frank Krebs, John F. Kalbach, John F. Klienginna, Benjamin Koller, Lewis W. Kopp, Charles Kyer, William Loeser, Daniel Lauer, George E. Lewis, William D. Lloyd, John Lloyd, Arthur Murphy, Joseph Moore, George W. Morey, John Carroll, Henry F. Christian, Joseph Chester, Daniel Cooke, John Cruikshank, Thomas Davis, Albert Davis, William Davis, Joseph Metzinger, Michael Melarkey, Conrad Miller, Adam 72 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Moy, Daniel Ohnmacht, John H. Olewine, Michael O'Brien, Anthony O'Donnell, Thomas Palmer, John Pritchard, John W. Ray, Henry Reb, David Slenker, Reuben Snyder, William Schnieder, John Stevenson, Samuel T. Skeen, Thomas Severn, John Spears, Michael Scott, George Shilthorn, Peter Smith, Henry Shay, Ambrose H. Titus, Jonathan Tillett, George Uhi, Henry Craw, George Hallady, James D. Hetherington, John Judge, Thomas Lloyd, Jacob Miller, William Price, George M. Raup, John Road, Josiah W. Thompson, Alexander Bennie, Thomas Evans, John Graber, Will oughby Lentz, Michael Mulloohy, Peter Mc- Canna, John Muntitude, Thomas Smith. Company I. ' Officers. — Captain, John R. Porter. First lieutenant, George H. Gressang; second, Michael M. Kistler. Sergeants — Benjamin B. Schuck, Francis D. Koch, Samuel F. Kehl, Theodore Pletz, Hugh Koch. Corporals — Edward Shappell, Eli McCord; Jacob Ung- stadt, Harrison H. Hill, Oliver H. J. Davis, Benjamin B. Kershner, Joseph Edwards, Charles E. Weaver. Musicians — Allen Koch, William Faust. Privates. — Isaac Arnold, Francis Allebach, Isaac Arndt, Josiah Barringer, Isaac Beltz, Alexander Boone, Anthony K. Beltz, Isaac K. Beltz, Jacob W. Bachman, Francis Boner, Harrison Bunce, John F. Bachman, Daniel S. Boyer, Thomas Coombe, Charles Curtis, John Clark, Elias Dresh, Lewis Douglass, William F. Eddinger, Levi Fisher, Eli Foust, Lewis V. Focht, Nathan Furman, John De Frehn, William Fenstermacher, Jacob Gangloff, Jo seph Gilbert, Daniel Glase, William Halsey, Benjamin Hoffman, Frederick Henry, James Heiser, Josiah Hein, Barnard K. Houser, Jonas Haldeman, Wesley Knittle, Franklin Kramer, Elias Kehl, Charles N. Kretter, Peter Keller, Josiah Kramer, Henry Keyman, George Klase, Daniel Klase, Charles R. Koch, Henry W. Kreter, Israel Kramer, Hezekiah Link, Charles F. Leiser, Charles S. Leiser, John Moser, James McReynolds, William Miller, John E. Moyer, Charles H. Millet, James Millet, William Munberger, William Owens, Henry Reinhart, Henry Reinhard, James Reynolds, Conrad Reich, Rudolph Rumble, Jacob H. Rumble, Franklin Reigel, George Schertle, Augustus Shulther, Christian Seward, Luke Swain, William S. Snyder, George Sassaman, Elias Thresh, Alfred Trainer, John Unbenhocker, Benneville Wil liams, William Weiers, Franklin Yost, Benja min Zimmerman. Re-enlisted veterans and recruits, 1864: Officers. — Captain, B. B. Schuck. First lieutenant, Joseph Edwards; second, Francis D. Koch. Sergeants — Oliver Davis, Luke Swain, Jacob Ongstodt, Frank Allebach, James McReynolds. Corporals — George W. Klase, Henry W. Crater, Wesley Knittle, Benjamin Williams, Elias C. Kehl. Musi cians — William Faust, Jacob Bechman. Wag oner, Israel Kramer. Privates.— Isaac Beltz, Isaac K. Beltz, Frank Boner, Herman Buntz, John F. Bech man, John Brown, Cyrus Derrick, John Daleus, Benjamin Drehrer, S. T. De Frehn, George Dresh, Martin Dooley, David Deitz, John Dietz, Abraham Eisenhower, William Engel, Henry J. Ege, John Frehn, Lewis Fauss, Albert Fritz, Nathan Fourman, Joseph Gilbert, Henry Goodman, Lewis J. Garber, David Garber, Charles H. Good, Josiah Hein, Henry H. Hill, Frederick Henry, James Heiser, B. A. Houser, Charles W. Horn, Washington Horn, Samuel Hollister, Thomas Jones, William F. Beyerick, Daniel Bankis OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 73 James Boner, Lewis Blablehamer, John Bar ron, Charles Curlis, Peter Keller, B. B. Kersh- ner, Daniel J. Kehl, Samuel F. Kehl, Hugh Koch, Charles R. Koch, Allen Koch, William Kramer, Charles S. Leiser, Charley Lindej muth, John Link, Adam Lengert, Henry Madenfort, Lucien Monbeck, Albert Mack, Jonathan Mowrey, John R. Mauger, Barney McArdle, John S. Moyer, William Marberger, Daniel Neyer, Samuel Neiswender, Henry A. Neyman, Nathan Neifert, William Owens, William J. Price, Theodore Peltz, John Clark, John H. Cooper, Patrick Crowe, Joseph Cobus, Elias Dresh, Charles DeLong, Conrad Reich, Rudolph Rumbel, Amos Rumbel, Henry Reinhard, Albert Reinhard, Frank Reigel, Frank E. Ringer, Thomas J. Reed, William Reppert, Jacob Reichwern, Christian Seward, Henry Shappell, Thomas Schall, William F. Scheur, Edward Shoener, Joseph Shoener, William F. Snyder, Mad. K. Smith, William Tyson, John Umbenhocker, William Weiers, William Wheeler, Jerry Willower, Charles C. Wagner, Reuben Watt, Frank Yost, Benja min Zimmerman, Albert Zimmerman, Wesley Boyer, Samuel Freed, Jacob Neyman, Matthew Cooper, James Costello, Thomas Griffith, John Lees, Parker Lance, Robert Martin, August Reinhart, Jacob Shappell, William Smith, John F. Tobias. Company K. Officers. — Captain, Henry A. M. Filbert. First lieutenant, Isaac F. Brannon ; second, Jacob Douty. Sergeants — Francis A. Stitzer, Patrick F. Quinn, Thomas Irvin. Corporals —Daniel Moser, Thomass Brennan, Patrick Hanley, Francis Jones, George J. Weaver, Charles D. Boyer, James Moran, George M. Dengler. Musicians — William Straw, John M. Brown. Privates. — David Boyer, Peter Boyer, John Berger, Joseph Burgess, Peter Burke, Daniel Bausum, Michael Brennan, John Brawn, Wil liam Bull, Isaac F. Brannan, James Brennan, Joseph Chatham, Michael Clarey, John A. Crawford, John Carr, John Campfield, Thomas Curry, John Cary, John Dechant, George Dentzer, William H. Dress, David R. Dress, David D. Dress, Jonathan Dress, William D. Dress, Charles Dress, Albin Day, James Day, Jr., Frederick H. Day, Michael Delany, James Dullard, Nelson Drake, William Doubert, Adam Engly, Richard Edwards, Horatio Edinger, Edward Edwards, David Fenster- macher, William Fenstermacher, Elias Fen- stermacher, Lorenzo Focht, Arthur Gray, Christian Haertler, Adam Hendley, Nathaniel Houser, Hugh B. Harkins, Howard W. Haas, James Cavanagh, David Long, William Lau- benstein, John Lowler, Jesse Lord, Charles Long, William Labenberg, John Lawrence, Jacob Letterman, Lewis Maul, Philip Mc- Keaver, John Murphy, George F. Mains, Henry McDermot, James McDonald, Michael Mullin, Daniel Moser, Daniel Omacht, Ed ward P. Payne, William T. Reed, William Richards, John Rees, John Raber, Nathan Rich, Franklin Simon, Frederick W. Snyder, David H. Stitzer, Henry Shultz, John Sher man, Daniel Shanely, John Starr, Hiram Spears, Adam Scherman, Peter Stine, Edward Shappell, Thomas Toban, John Wool, John Widner, John Weaver. Re-enlisted veterans and recruits, 1864: Officers. — Captain, Isaac F. Brannon. First lieutenant, James Douty; second, Francis A. Stitzer. Sergeants — Thomas Irwin, John C. Hinchcliff, George M. Dengler, William Lau- benstine, Christ N. Haertler. Corporals — George J. Weaver, John Degant, David H. Stitzer, Horatio Edinger, Daniel F. Bausum, John C. Berger, Henry Shultz, John M. Brown. 74 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Musicians — William Straw, Henry Yost, Wag oner, Warren Carey. Privates. — Martin Adams, John Adaman, Samuel Bossier, Nicholas Delaney, Albin Day, John F. Dentzer, David R. Dress, Nelson Drake, William H. Dress, Edward Edwards, Franklin Ehly, Jacob Ebert, Thomas Fough- erty, Fertenline Felty, Elias Fenstermacher, Henry Fenstermacher, Arthur L. Gray, John Gillenger, George H. Gross, Henry Grim, Howard W. Haas, Wellington P. Haas, Nathan Houser, David Houser, Thomas E. Hudson, William Heisser, Simon Hoffman, Joseph Burgess, John Bartolet, Wesley Belford, John W. Henn, Allen Hine, Daniel Haas, Hugh B. Harkins, John Jones, Francis Koch, John King, James Kavanaugh, Benjamin F. Kline, Charles Long, Lewis Lebengood, Henry Lord, John Little, Thomas Leonard, Lewis Lucken- bill, Jacob Lauby, John N. Lauer, Lewis A. Moul, John C. Moul, Wilson W. Miller, John Mulhall, George F. Morgan, John Murphy, Philip McKeaver, Richard Bartolet, Michael Cashan, Jonathan Dress, Milton Nagle, Charles Osterhout, Edward P. Payne, David H. Phillips, William F. Pelton, John Patry, William T. Reed, Henry Reader, Jeremiah Reed, Nathan Rick, William P. Shaffer, Augustus Shollen berger, Oliver W. Schwartz, George Showers, Frederick W. Snyder, Gottlieb Schack, Casper Shut, John A. Sherman, Paul Snyder, Henry Trough, Paul White, John Widner, Andrew Weaber, Ephraim Whetstone, Michael Cashan, Jacob Ebert, Henry Fenstermacher, Benja min F. Kline, Paul Snyder, John Bouseman, Daniel Fenstermacher, Amos Homan, Joseph Wildermuth. CASUALTIES IN THE FORTY-EIGHTH. In the Battles of Bull Run (Second) and Chantilly. Killed.— R. D. Filbert, Co. R; Samuel Petitt, Co. H ; Thomas Kelly, Co. H ; William Hopkins, Co. F; William Nagle, Co. H ; Charles T. Leiser, Co. I ; Paul White, Co. K. Wounded. — Lieutenant J. D. Bertolette, Act. A- Adj. Gen. Company A : George Albright, William Betz, Elias Britton, George Miller, Andrew Neely. Company B : Thomas John son, Bassler, Freshly, John Lucid, Nicholas Shiterour. Company C : Thomas Whalen, Jonas Gerger, Solomon Strausser, James Low, Edward Brennan. Company D : H. P. Owens, John W. Darr, Frank Dorward, Henry Gotshall, George Hartz, Philip H. Kantner, Peter C. Kreiger, David T. Kreiger, Company E : J. H. Fisher, John Cameron, Michael Bohannan, James Bergain, Sr., James Bergain, Jr., John Becker, Henry Lord, Abra ham Klekner, Robert Thompson, William Moose. Company F : Henry Jenkins, George N. Douden, Stephen Taggart, John Powel, Thomas Lloyd, William Jenkins. Company G: Charles Evans, M. Berger, John Grace, James Muldowney, Lewis Quinn, Joshua Reed, William Smith, John Shaw', John Wonders, John Willingham. Company H : William Dreiblebis, J. T. Wildermuth, George T. Eisenhuth, George W. Christian. Company I : B. F. Kershner, Rudolph Rumble. Company K : Eli Fenstermacher, James Day, Milton Ludwig, James Cavanagh, James Dullard, Joseph Burgess. Missing. — Company A : B. G. Otto, John Taylor, Brobst, Israel Britton, Henry Davis, William H. Koch, George Livingston, Daniel Leiser, Joel Marshall, Morgan Simon, John Leiser, John Springer, F. W. Simon. Company B: Philip Hughes,, William Brad ley, Henry Copeland, John Evans, L. M. Reece, Joseph Rahny, Samuel Stanley. Com pany C : O. C. Hatch, John Rorety, John Wiser, Barney Gettley, Murt. Brennan, John OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 75 Jones, William Larkin. Company D : William Bambreck, George Ramer, Leonard Shrishom, J. T. Vankamon, William Timmons, Mattis Bailey, Eli Derr, Isaiah Kline, Joseph Kuhns, Charles Miller, Boto Otto. Company E: Stafford Johnson, D. McAllister, Alfred Bar low, Jef. Canfield, James Farrell, James Greener, Joseph Lord, Thomas Major, John McSorley, Michael Brennan, Hugh McFeely, Simon Moyer. Company F: Thomas J. Thomas, John J. Morrison, John Morrisey, Samuel Dunkroly, Peter Quinn, John Devine, Michael Kilbrain, Richard Littlehales, Thomas Lyston, John Haggerty. Company G : H. C. Jackson, Joel Betz, John Fame. Company H : Samuel W. Ruch, Thomas H. Sillyman, John E. Benedict, William Huber, Daniel Laner, John W. Ray, Isaac L. Schmehl. Company I : Theodore Pletz, Christopher Seward, H. Link. Company K : H. M. Fil bert, Thomas Brennan, Patrick Hanley, David Boyer, W. D. Dress, Daniel Shanely, W. Fen stermacher, Hiram Spears, William T. Reed, William Lavenberger. South Mountain. Wounded. — William Clark, Company C ; Jeremiah Griffith, Company F ; George Brigle, Company A : J. Kline, Company D ; James McElrath, Company C; James Paully, Com pany F ; John F. Balbach, Company H ; Michael Scott, Company H ; Benjamin Hoff man, Company I ; Israel Kramer, Company I ; John F. Bochman, Company I. Missing. — Martin Foley, Company G. Antietam. Killed. — William Cullen, Company E; Lewis A. Focht, Company I ; Daniel Moser, Company K ; Alexander Prince, Company B ; Alva F. Jeffries, Company D ; John Broad- bent, Company F ; Charles Timmons, Com pany G ; George Dentzer, Company K. Wounded. — Company A : H. H. Prince, Charles Krieger, B. F. Dreiblebis, George Beltz, John Whitaker. Company B: Mat thew Hume, Frederick Knittle, Lorentus Moyer, John Robison, John R. Simpson. Company C : William Clark, Edward Mona- han, Samuel Wallace, James Gribons, Robert Rodgers, James Horn, Henry Dersh, John Dougherty, John Shenk. Company D : Rothenberger, George Artz, Walter P. Aimes, James Evans, John Stillwagon, George W. Stillwagon, Samuel Stichler, Franklin Hoch. Company E : John Seward, William Trainor, John McElrath. Company F : John W. Jen kins, William E. Taylor. Company G: Charles F. Kuentzler, John Pugh, John Rodgers, Henry W. Vogle. Company H : Richard Forney, Jacob A. Witman, Daniel Ohnmacht, William Davis, Samuel Fryberger. Company I : M. M. Kistler, Charles Millet, Peter Keller, Matthew Freeman. Company K : P. F. Quinn, David Fenstermacher, Edward Payne, Francis Simon, John Shaw, Peter Boyer. Fredericksburg. Killed. — Henry Williamson, Company D ; Reuben Robinson, James Williams, Company A ; Michael Devine, Company B ; John Wil liams, Company B ; William Hill, Company B ; Thomas Kinney, Company D. Wounded. — Company A : Joseph B. Carter, William F. Heiser. Company B : John S. Wood, N. W. Major, William Brown, Clem ents Betzler, Carey Heaton, Philip Carling. Company C : Henry Weiser, Samuel Harri son, Charles Walker, Andrew Scott, Michael McGloughlin, John Murray. Company D: John H. Derr, H. C. Burkholter. Company F : Michael Sandy, Samuel Clemens, Robert 76 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Hughes, Edward Murphy, John Sunderland. Company F: David Griffith, Evan W. Thomas, William Fulton. Company G : James C. Nies, Daniel Drum, John Tobin. Company H : Joseph A. Gilmour, Alba C. Thompson, Valentine Kinswell. Company I: Francis D. Koch, James Miller, Wilson Kearns, Edward F. Shapelle, Jacob Gongluff, Charles E. Weaver, Anthony Beltz, Joseph Gilbert, Elias Faust. Company K : John Curry, Thomas Curry, Frank Simon, Michael Delaney. Missing. — George Ayrgood, Company A. Siege of Knoxville, November and December, 1863. Killed. — Company H : Joseph Reed, John Sponsler, Joseph Werse. Company I : Jonas Haldeman, Charles Weaver. Wounded. — Company C : Martin Tobin. Company F : Austin Farrow. Company G : Henry C. Jackson. Company H: J. F. Wil dermuth. Company I: James Heiser. Com pany K: Jacob Douhy. John Murphy. Missing. — George A. Livingston, Company A; Daniel Root, Company B; Robert Mc Elrath, Company C ; James Brennan, Com pany E ; Isaac Arndt, Company I ; J. R. Sherman, Company K. Wilderness and Spottsylvania, May 6 To 15, 1864. Killed. — Company A: Lewis M. Robin- hold, Isaac Otto, John J. Huntzinger, Abel C. T. St. Clair. Company B: David J. Davis, Matthew Hume, Frederick Knittle, Laurentius C. Moyer, Daniel Wary, John Deitz. Com pany C: Daniel Brown. Company D: Jona than Kaufman. Company E: Lawrence Far- rell. Company F : David F. Thiel, John Morrissey, Lewis Woods, Richard Williams. Company G : H. C. Jackson, William Wil liams. Company H : Abraham Benscoter. Company' I : Henry J. Ege. Company K : John W. Henn. Wounded.— Company A: A. C. Huckey, Charles Brandenburg, Jacob S. Housberger, Morgan Leiser, Benjamin F. C. Dreiblebis, Charles Hillegas. Company B: Thomas B. Williams, William Kissinger, Gottlieb Schauf- fer, David Deitz, John Brown. Company C : William Clark, Jones Geier, Michael 'Mohan, William Neely, William J. Haines, Murtz Brennan, James Coakly. Company D : H. E. Stichter, Henry Rothenberger, Edward Lenhart, James Deitrick, Botto Otto, Perry L. Strausser, George S. Beissel, William F. Moyer, John Kehler, Jonas Miller, Joseph Ziegler, .Patrick Cooligan, Andrew Knittle, Gustavus H. Miller, Henry D. Moyer. Com pany E : John C. McElrath, Samuel Clemens, James McLaughlin, George W. Schaeffer, David Williams, W. Simmons, G. W. James, W. C. James, James Meighan, Robert Pen man. Company F : Richard Hopkins, John Powell, William E. Taylor, Israel Manning, Anthony Carroll, William S. Wright, James Brennan, And. Westner, Henry Holsey, Wil liam H. Kohler, John Eddy, John T. Reese, John Crawford, A. H. Whitman. Company G : R. M. Jones, George Fame, John Becker, Adam Hendley, James Spencer, M. Berger, John Armstrong, Clay W. Evans, Patrick Grant, William Maurer, John Kautter, Patrick Savage. Company H : Samuel Fryberger, William Donnelly, William Huber, Benjamin Roller, John Klineginna, Daniel Ohnmacht, Albert Davis, John Stevenson, Michael Me- larkee, Daniel Cooke, John Cruikshank, Michael O'Brien, Charles Focht, John Ole- wine, Joseph Edwards, Thomas Palmer, Joseph Chester. Company I : L. Swain, J. Ongstadt, D. Kiase, W. Knittle, Charles Lin- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 77 dermuth, F. Bonner, C. W. Horn, M. Dooley, W. Tyson, C. DeLoflg. Company K : George J. Weaver, David R. Dress, Elias Fenster macher, Thomas Fogerty, Henry R. Schulze, Franklin Ehly, Simon Hoffman, Andrew Wea- ber. Missing. — George C. Seibert, Co. C; Ed ward H. Ebert, John D. Weikel, Co. D ; Wil liam Gutshall, Co. E; George Kramer, Co. F; Harrison Bright, Michael Scott, Lewis Au rand, James Wentzel, Co. H ; W. B. Beyerle, B. McArdel, W. B. Shearer, Co. I. From the 15TH to the 31ST of May, 1864. Killed. — Patrick Doolin, Henry McCann, Co. F ; Samuel B. Laubenstein, Charles Nor- rigan, Co. N. Wounded. — Joseph A. Gilmour, Jacob Ker schner, Co. A ; William H. Humes, John Bar ren, Samuel Heckman, James Frazier, Co. B ; John B. Boyer, Henry D. Moyer, Charles Deitrick, Co. D ; Richard Hopkins, John Craw ford, Henry Dillman, David Kreiger, Co. F ; John Gallagher, Co. H ; Francis Allebach, Christian Seward, Frederick Henry, Herman Buntz, James Boner, Co. I. • From May 31ST To June 4Th, 1864. Killed. — Alexander Govan, Co. G; David Williams, Co. E ; Edward G. Pugh, William Smith, Co. F; James Allison, Co. G; Joseph Alexander, Co. H ; William J. Price, Benjamin B. Kershner, George Dresh, Co. I ; Jacob Lan- by, Co. H. Wounded. — P. C. Loeser, William Clark, Co C ; Samuel C. Strausch, Robert Campbell, Co B; E. Tosh, Co. E; James N. Easton, Co. F C. F. Kuentzler, Co. G ; Henry Bernsteel, Co H ; .Oliver Davis, Jacob Ongstadt, Co. I ; O Heckman, Co. A ; Robert D. Paden, Co. F John Halton, Co. G; Henry C. Matthews William A. Lloyd, Co. H ; E. C. Kehl, Co. I William Koch, George Beth, John Hugg, Si mon Snyder, Elias Linns, J. D. Ash, Samuel Eckroth, Israel Britton, Co. A ; Patrick Far- rell, John Dolan, Thomas Boyle, Co. C ; Daniel Boyer, Daniel E. Reedy, John Clemens, Rob ert Beverage, Patrick Brennan, Charles Quinn, Albert Cummings, Co. E; George H.Jones, J. Kuhns, W. E. Duffy, Cyrus Hanes, James Bradley, James Houte, Co. F ; William Martin, Co. G; John C. Benedict, Jose S. Hays, An thony O'Donnell, James Welsh, William Davis, Edward Metz, Co. H; Peter Keller, John Clark, William Owens, John H. Cooper, J. Willour, William Kramer, Co. I ; H.W. Hass, Milton Nagle, William C. Keiser, Thomas Hudson, Co. K. Assault at Petersburg, June 17TH, 1864. Killed.— John Major, Co. E; H. F. Straub, Isaac Lewis, Co. F ; George W. Morey, Jeffer son W. Beyerle, James Mulholland, Anthony Gallagher, Co. H ; Nathan Rich, Co. K. Wounded. — J. Helms, Co. D ; C. C. Pollock, Co. G ; D. B. Brown, Co. H ; Joseph Edwards, Co. I ; R. Campbell, Co. B ; H. Weiser, Co. C ; Thomas Irwin, Co. K ; James Rider, Co. B ;¦ Jacob Deitrich, Co. D ; Robert Wallace, Co. F; Elias Britton, John Holman, John Mc Lean, John Cochran, William Hickey, John H. Shaffer, Joel Lins, Co. A; L. Deitrich, J. D. Casher, Joseph Berlinger, Co. D; William Reasons, Thomas Clemens, James Regans, James Mercer, R. B. Thompson, Co. E; Murt Brennan, Patrick Boran, E. L. Shissler, Co. F; Howard Jones, Joshua Reed, Co. G ; Charles Eberle, Lewis Aurand, Jonathan Dillet, Co. H ; Frank E. Ringer, William Cramer, Co. I ; John Gillinger, Oliver W. Schwartz, David Houser, Co. K. Missing. — A. Wren, Jacob Wigner, Co. B ; Mike Lavell, William Auchenback, Co. F. 78 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY On the i8th of June, 1864. Killed. — Simon Devlin, Co. F; Thomas Davis, Co. H ; Arthur L. Gray, Co. K. Wounded. — Ben. Williams, Co. I ; Henry Schreyer, Francis M. Stretham, James W. Ster ner, William Dreiblebis, Joseph Dreiblebis, Co. A; Gilbert Graham, Co. C; Joseph Linder- mut, Co. D ; Chris. Seward, Samuel T. De Frehn, Jacob Ruchwein, Charles R. Koch, Co. K. Additional Casualties Reported by Company Commanders to January, 1865. Killed.— David B. Brown, Co. H ; William Levison, Co. C ; John F. Dentzer, Co. K ; Lewis Hessinger, Co. A ; Abraham A. Acker, John Whitaker, Co. C ; Henry Darwood, Dan iel Okron, Co. D ; Daniel Boyer, John Dan- agh, Co. E; William Smith, Co. F; William Simpson, Co. G ; James Heiser, Co. I ; John F. Dentzer, Co. K. Wounded. — Joseph H. Hoskins, Co. F ; James Clark, Co. C ; William Laubenstein, Co. K; George Bowman, Co. D. Joseph Rarig, Co. B ; Samuel Clemens, William J. Morgan, Robert Penman, John Mercer, Co. E ; Henry Fry, Co. H ; Lewis R. Loye, Israel Britton, Jabez McFarlan, Co. A ; William R. Brooks, Henry Shoppel, John Yonker, Co. B ; Andrew Dunleavy, William Demerce, Robert Rogers, Co. O ; James L. Baum, Jacob Derr, Nathan Kessler, John L. Werkil, Co. D; Cornelius Dress, Patrick Grant, William McElrath, John McRay, Daniel E. Reedy, Abraham Sige- mund, Anthony Wade, John Watson, Co. E ; William Duffy, William Bell, Hamilton Hause, Co. F ; Patrick Cunningham, John Kauer, Pat rick Galligan, Charles H. May, Co. G; Job Hirst, John Lloyd, William Schneider, Samuel T. Skeen, Co. H ; Isaac Boltz, Charles H. Good, Martin Dooley, Thomas J. Reed, Joseph Gilbert, John Umbenhocker, Benjamin Wil liams, Henry Goodman, Co. I ; John Bartolet, Ephraim Whetstone, Co.*K. Missing. — O. A. J. Davis, Co. I; Samuel Wallace, Co. C; Henry C. Graeff, Co. D; Robert Paden, Co. F ; Lewis H. Sterner, Frank W. Simons, Samuel Schollenberger, C6. A ; John E. Bubeck, Gardner Bell, Jacob Ham mer, Thomas Griffiths, William Stevenson, Co. B; Murt Brennan, Charles Dintinger, William Larkin, Co. C ; George W. H. Cooper, William H. Williams, Daniel Deitrich, Co. D ; John Dooley, Edward Maginnis, Co. E; Wil liam Fulton, Joseph Finbey, William Moore, Michael Walsh, Willjam Koehler, David Mil ler, Elijah DeFrehn, Co. F; Patrick Grant, Nicholas Gross, Joshua Reed, Co. G ; Henry Jones, Joseph Moore, John Hallady, Philip Heffren, Co. H ; Patrick Crowe, Joseph Co- bus, Lucian Monbeck, Nathan Neifert, Henry A. Neyman, William Weirs, Co. I ; George Cross, Thomas Leonard, John Patry, Thomas Fogarty, Co. K. Charge at Petersburg, April 2d, 1865. Killed. — George W. Gowen, John Homer, Co. B ; Daniel D. Barnet, Co. E ; David Mc- Cloir, Co. F ; James Ring, William Donnelly, George Uhi, Co. H ; Albert Mack, Albert Zimmerman, Wesley Boyer, Co. I. Wounded. — Henry Reese, Co. F; William Auman, Co. G ; Thos. H. Silliman, Co. H ; John Watkins, Robert Campbell, William H. Ward, Co. B ; Henry Rothenberger, Co. D ; William J. Wells, Co. E ; P. Radelberger, Co. H ; James Nicholson, Co. C ; Levi Derr, Co. D ; Wm. D. Morgan, Co. E; John Devlin, Co. F ; John Adams, Co. A ; Robert Jones, Co. B; George C. Seibert, Jasper Goodavaunt, Albert Kurtz, James T. Martin, Paul Dehne, Co. C; Aaron Wagner, Jacob Schmidt, E. McGuire, Joseph Buddinger, Chester Phillips, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 79 Thos. Whische, Co. D ; Wm. C. James, Robert Meredith, Frederick O. Goodwin, Thomas -Hays, Co. E; James Densey, John Crawford, Co. F ; Peter Bailey, John Droble, Patrick Daley, Nicholas Feers, Thomas Howell, Thomas Smith, John Wright, George Kane, Co. G; Willoughby Lentz, Geo. E. Lewis, Benjamin Koehler, Henry C. Matthews, Co. H ; Jonathan Mowery, Charles C.Wagner, Joseph Shoener, John Road, Henry Goodman, Co. I ; S. Hoffman, Benjamin Kline, Paul Snyder, Jacob Erbert, David Phillips, John Williams, John Windermuth, Co. K. Missing. — Isaac L. Fritz, Co. B ; John Mc Elrath, Co. E ; James McReynolds, Co. I ; James Hanan, Co. C ; Geo. W. James, Co. E ; William Reppert, Michael Kingsley, Nicholas Stephens, Lewis Kleckner, Henry Kinker, Daniel Hurley, Co. B ; Samuel Kessler, Co. K; David McGeary, John O'Neil, Co. E; Albert Fisher, Co. F ; Patrick Galligan, Co. G ; James Mullen, Theodore Kett, John Oats, Thomas J. Reed, Jacob Reichmine, Co. I ; William Pelton, John Marshal, George Shaners, Co. K. Mortuary Record. Killed. — Colonel George W. Gowen. Major Joseph A. Gilmour died of wounds. Company A. Killed or Died of Wounds. — John Springer, B. G. Otto, John Brobst, John H. Leiser, James Williams, Lewis M. Robinhold, Isaac Otto, John J. Huntzinger, Abel C. F. St. Clair, Lewis Messenger, Henry Simpson, George Betz, Simon Snyder, George Airgood. Died of Disease. — William Miller, John N. Spreese, Bernard West, David Kruger, John Ruff, George Bright, Richard Lee, Peter Zimmerman, Nelson Simons, David Houser, Samuel Schollenberger. COM?ANY B. Killed or Died of Wounds. — John H. Hus sey, John Homer, Reuben Robinson, David J. Davis, L. M. Reese, Alexander Prince, Michael Devine, John Williams, William Hill, Matthew Hume, Frederick Knittle, Laurentus C. Mose, Daniel Wary, John Deitz, John Coats, Nicholas Shitehour, Samuel Heckman, Christian L. Laner, William Kissinger. Died of Disease. — Thomas Davidson, Isaac Fifer, Abe Forrer, Thomas Connell, John Rob- son, Abraham Wadsworth, William Schwartz, Thomas G. Williams, drowned. Company C. Killed or Died of Wounds. — William Levi- son, John Whitaker, John Weiser, Barney Getler, Daniel Brown, Abraham A. Acker Michael Mahan. Died of Disease. — A. F. Frazier, Daniel Berghard, Thomas McEvoy, Joseph Lorr, Edwards Daniels, Patrick Farrell, Michael Crinbin, Charles Dintinger. Company D. Killed or Died of Wounds. — Charles Miller, George Kamer, William Bambrick, Alva J. Jeffries, John Sullivan, Henry Williamson, Thomas Kinney, Jonathan Kaufman, Henry Dorward, Daniel Okon. Died of Disease. — Alexander Fox, Henry Graeff, J. H. Dorr, Andrew Spear, Andrew Klock, Addison Seaman, Mattis Shaefer, William H. Smith, John Dietrich, Solomon Eyster, David Miller, C. Philip Beckman, Charles E. Hesser, Jonas Z. Raber. Company E. Killed or Died of Wounds. — William Cullen, Thomas Tosh, John Broadbent, Lawrence Farrell, David Williams, John Major, Daniel Boyer, John Danagh, Daniel Barrett, William 80 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Reasons, James Reagan, James Shields, Daniel E. Rudy, murdered; Anthony Wade, acci dentally shot ; Valentine Frantz, suicide. Died of Disease. — John Morton, James P. Farrell, Thomas Major, William Evans, George Welsh, Patrick Rogers. Company F. Killed or Died of Wounds. — William Hop kins, John Powell, Henry Jenkins, John J. Morrison, David F. Shiel, John Morrissey, Lewis Woods, Richard Williams, Patrick Doolin, Henry McCann, Edward G. Pugh, William Smith, Horace F. Straub, Isaac Lewis, John Bradley, David McCloir, Israel Manning, Andrew Werner, Simon Devlin. Died of Disease. — William Brereton, Charles Triesbach, Daniel Fenstermacher, J. Evans, Jacob Wagner, Elijah De Frehn, William Fulton, Frank Queeny, Peter Litchfield. Company G. Killed or Died of Wounds. — Curtis C. Pol lock, H. C. Jackson, Alexander Govan.William Smith, Charles Timmons, John Fame, William Williams, James Allison, William Simpson, John Armstrong, J. Howard Jones, James R. Spencer. Died of Disease. — Philip L. Drehl, Henry Burnish, Edward McCabe, Charles Clark, Charles Hesser. Company H. Killed or Died of Wounds. — Samuel B. Lau- benstein, David B. Brown, Joseph Reed, John Sponsler, Charles Harrigan, William Nagle, Thomas Kelly, Samuel Petit, Joseph Weise, Abraham Brewster, George W. Morey, Jeffer son W. Byerle, James Mullholland, Anthony Gallagher, Thomas Davis, Charles Driesbach, William A. Millet, Joseph Chester, Job Hirst, James King, William Donnelly, George Uhi, Joseph Alexander. Died of Disease.— William T. Garrett, Chas. C. Hinkle, R. A. Jenkins, Charles Knorr, Thomas Lewis, Charles O. DeLong, Isaac Bannon, John Donnelly, Edward Edwards, Lewis W. Kopp, William D. Lloyd, P. Heni- ran, Charles Aurand. Company I. Killed or Died of Wounds.— B. B. Shuck, Jos. Edwards, George H.Gressang (drowned), Lewis V. Focht, Charles F. Letzer, Jonas Haldman, Charles Weaver, Henry J. Ege, William J. Price, Benjamin B. Kershner, George Dresh, James Herser, John Clark, Jerry Willoner, James Bower, Lewis Beerble- hamer, Isaac K. Beltz, Albert Zimmerman, Albert Mack, Wesley Boyer. Died of Disease. — Alexander Boone, Charles E. Weber, Reuben Watt, Lewis J. Garber, Daniel J. Kehl, Daniel Mayer. Company K. Killed or Died of Wounds. — R. D. Filbert, Daniel Moser, George Dentzer, John W. Henn, Jacob Lantz, Nathan Rich, Arthur L. Gray, John L. Dentzer. Died of Disease. — Patrick Handley, Peter Boyer, Peter Burke, George F. Maines. FIFTIETH REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. Companies A and C were recruited in Schuyl kill county. The regiment was sent south, where it was engaged on Beaufort Island and in the battle of Coosaw. At Pocotaligo Cap tain Parker lost his life. From the south the regiment was recalled to Virginia, and' fought gallantly at Second Bull Run. It was at Chantilly, South Mountain, Antietam and Frederickburg, and then went west, where it took part in the siege of Vicksburg, and did some hard fighting and severe marching in OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 81 Tennessee. It re-enlisted in 1 864, did severe fighting through the Wilderness campaign and in the siege of Petersburgh. It was en gaged in the operations of the army early in April, 1865, and was among the first regiments that reached Petersburgh on its fall. It partici pated in the ceremony of laying the corner stone of the national monument at Gettys burg, and afterwards was mustered out of the service. The following officers and men were from Schuylkill county : Regimental Officers. Colonel, B. C. Christ. Quartermaster, Al bert Jones. Assistant quartermasters — John S. Eckel, Charles J. Needier. Surgeon, David G. McKibbin. Drum-major, Henry A. Hoff man. Fife major, Daniel Koop. Company A. Officers. — Captain, J. B. Brandt. First lieu tenant, Samuel R. Schwenk ; second, Edward F. Wiest. Sergeants — Henry J. Alspach, Henry Brodt, Samuel Schwalm, Jacob Zim merman, Daniel Hoffa. Corporals — David J. Alspach, William J. Snyder, John Heisler, Franklin H. Barnhart, John Schreffler, Daniel Troutman, Simon B. Bleiler, Solomon Wiehry. Clerk, Benjamin Focht. Musicians, Jacob Lehman, William J. Schuckert. Wagoner, Joshua Greenawalt. Privates. — Nicholas Adams, Cyrene Bow man, William F. Bowman, Charles Biehl, David Ballen, William Blanchford, John Bix ler, William H. Bleiler, John Bower, Charles Blessing, Elias Bixler, Jonathan Brenner, James Burns, Peter Brum, Edward Carl, Will iam Clark, Martin Cannon, Michael Cannon, John R. Dieter, Isaac Derker, Henry Deibler, William H. Delcamp, Jonathan Doubert, Thomas Dawson, William Doubert, Benjamin 6 Davis, Samuel Engel, James F. Ellenbaum, Augustus Erdman, Elias Engel, Jacob Engel, Jacob F. Ferree, John Fuller, Christian Frank- houser, Jonas Faust, Isaac Feindt, Patrick Flinn, Frank Fox, John Flinn, Peter Grow, William Herb, William J. Hesser, Benjamin Hartzog, Jonathan Harter, Samuel Hoffa, John J. Herring, Henry Hoyer, Isaac Houtz, Benjamin Herman, Andrew Herb, Edward Harner, Jacob Herbst, Daniel Hoffa, Patrick Joice, Phillip F. Kauffman, Samuel W. Kauff- man, Samuel Kaercher, Daniel Klinger, Joel Kramer, Charles J. Kneedler, Anthony Keiser, George Lester, John J. Laudenslager, Jacob Luhlasser, Henry Lengel, August F. Miller, John D. Manning, Elias Minnich, Alexander McLaughlin, Israel Morgan, Robert Mc Clellan, Michael Mochan, Jonathan Miller, Augustus Mellon, Charles Muckenstom, Peter S. Otto, Levi Osman, Aaron Osman, Patrick O'Neil, Robert Pace, John Raber, Wm. Roth- ermel, Daniel Riegel, Harrison Runyon, Jonas P. Riegel, David Reese, Richard Rahn, Aaron Schofstall, John D. Schearer, Hiram Straw, Jacob Starr, Abraham Snyder, Jacob Stark, Emanuel Schweikert, Edward Thomas, John Unger, Uriah Wenerich, August Weisner, Isaac Wolff, Daniel D. Weaver, Franklin Wiehry, Philip A. Wiest, Michael Wolfgang, Andrew Williams, Bursey Wight. Re-enlisted veterans and recruits : Isaac Artz, Daniel Binkley, Charles Beach, Jacob Boyer, Philip Boyer, Edward Bixler, Martin Bressler, Franklin Bressler, Jackson Bixler, Joseph Clouser, Edward W. Clark, Harry Christ, Daniel Delcamp, Jacob Dressier, Isaac H. Dornsife, Joseph Delcamp, Levi Dodge, Jeremiah W. Dornsife, Philip Deitrich, Lenniary Erdman, Peter Fox, Joel Godshall, Noah Geist, Joel Honenstein, John Henry, Jacob Henry, Simon Klauser, Lewis Krebs, 82 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Peter F. Lucus, Hiram Michael, John H. Maurer, Joseph Otto, Abraham Phillips, Benja min F. Pinkerton, John Steckley, Jonathan B. Stutzman, John Seifert, Daniel Stoop, Abraham F. Starr, Nathaniel Stutzman, Augustus F. Schreiber, Abraham K. Schwenk, Henry Shadel, Jacob Shade, D. H. Snyder, A. K. Schwenk, Elias T. Troutman, Emanuel Troutman, Francis K. Wiest, Hiram K. Wiest, Samuel B. Wiest, Michael Wolf, John K. Zerby, John H. Zimmerman, George Zimmer man, Lewis Zimmerman. Company B. George Hiney, William Hiney. Company C. Officersi — Captain, D. F. Burkert. First lieutenant, George W. Brumm ; second, John F Saylor. Sergeants — William H. Mennig, L. Becker, William H. Hiney, James Saylor, William Hill. Coaporals — Augustus Mellon, C. Brown, D. Raudenbush, S. Losch, L. Eckert, G. H. Hoffman, R. Bechtel. Drum mer, J. Helms. Fifer, J. Graeff. Wagoner, L. Schwartz. Privates. — Elias Berger, Augustus Berger, John G. W. D. Brisons, Jonathan Brener, Gotlieb Bergert, Benjamin Brown, G. W. Brumm, George Cake, Henry W. Deibler, John Doudle, Peter Dunkle, Ceorge Donnar, Samuel Eckley, Emanuel Eckel,* Wm. Emrick, Isaac Eckert, Richard Fahl, Frank Fenster macher, Jacob Guertler, Alexander Garrett, Aaron W. Gilbert, George Hiney, Samuel Hoffman, William Hoffman, George Heebner, Jacob Harbst, Jacob Hehn, Henry Hehn, Henry Hill, Joseph Handell, James K. Helms, Stoughton Keihner, Jonas W. Kremer, George Klingner, Charles Knarr, Benjamin Knarr, Josiah D. Lehman, Joseph Long, John Little, Lewis Long, Thomas Lloyd, James K. Levan, Henry B. Miller, Daniel Murie, George Moyer, Patrick McCollough, Daniel McGlann, Patrick Molloy, Edward Marland, Charles Mecinstorn, Charles Oswald, Edward Oswald, Israel Oswald, William Patten, Morgan Pugh, Peter Powell, George Reed, John Ryan, Frederick Scheck, George R. Schwenk, Jacob Scheck, George Simpson, A. Shirk, Enoch Shaeffer, Peter Steinbach, Alexander Williams, Franklin Wise, William Wildermuth, Patrick Williams, William Wagner. Re-enlisted veterans and recruits : Officers. — Captain. Daniel F. Burkert. First lieutenant, William H. Hiney ; second, John Eckel. Sergeants — William Hill, Augustus Mellon, Chades E. Brown, David Raudenbush, James H. Levan. Corporals — Samuel A. Losch, Levi Eckert, Alexander P. Garrett, Henry Hill, George Schwenk, John Dowle. Musicians — Henry B. Miller, Volney Bell, Clinton McGibbins, Wm. H. Gensler. Privates.— Samuel Agley, Gottlieb Burkert, Elias Berger, William Baker, Albert Bartlett, L. Baker, Charles Burkert, Daniel Berger, George Bousman, Jacob Benedict, Alpheus Comber, Rolandus Correll,George Cake,Henry Dibler, Peter Dankle, Peter Dilcomb, Emanuel Eckel, John Eckert, William Eckert, Isaac Eckert, John N. Eckert, Daniel Everhart, Peter Fritz, John Fritz, Christian Gulliver, William D. Guertler, Jacob Getler, Samuel Hoffman, William Hoffman, Jerome Hoffman, Henry Hehn, Edward Heebner, George Heebner, Jacob Hehn, William Hehn, Ro- mandes Harner, Stoughton Kiehner, William J. Koch, Garret Kerrigan, Charles Knarr, Benjamin Knarr, Josiah Lehman, Adam Lloyd, Thomas Lloyd, George W. Lloyd, Joseph Long, William G. Losch, George Moyer, Patrick McCullough, John McHargne, John B. Martz, Samuel Martz, Daniel Martz, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 83 Charles Oswald, Israel Oswald, Edward Os wald, Thomas Rupp, Edward Rieger, George Reed, Michael Riley, John Ryan, John Reed, Albert Reigan, Franklin Reinheimer, Frank lin Sharon, Charles Shoppell, Adam Schwab, Samuel Schwenk, Frederick Scheck, Jacob Scheck, William Sirles, Daniel Sullivan, Will iam Tyson, Irvin Tyson, William Williams, Charles Williams, Patrick Williams, Levan Warner, William Wagner, William Wilter- muth, Josiah Wright. Recruits under the call of July 18th, 1864: Jacob Bender, Henry Burns, Louis Boyer, Franklin Burns, William Bretz, George W. Brown, Joseph Correll, Henry B. Christian, Charles Eiler, Marks E. Eckert, Mahlon Garby, David Hulebush, Andrew Krebs, Isaac Knarr, George Knarr, John L. Lendal, Jacob Lindermuth, William Merker, Henry B. Mills, Edward Marland, George Myer, Martin Poots, Lewis B. Raber, John Seifert, Lewis Sayman, Paul Sheck, John Sweeney, William B. Safert, John Smith, William Shugart, Augustus Wall, Thomas Walises, Samuel Wasner. Under the call of December 19th, 1864: David Black, Franklin E. Fisher, William Koch, Charles Kearney, Peter Paul. Company D. — Thomas P. Davis. Company E. — Benjamin Roberson. Company F. — Lieutenant Albert Hunt zinger. Company I. — John Mackey, Jas. Gaskins, Corporal William Cole, John Deniston, John A. Bush, Josiah Wright. Company K. — Daniel Hilbert, Jacob K. Clauser. Casualties in the Fiftieth. In the battles of Bull Run (second) and Chantilly : Company C— Killed : George W. Kinley and Edward Haemer. Wounded: D. Berkert, Jonas Kremer, George Simpson, Peter Powell, Samuel Hoffman, Garret Garrigan, Benjamin Knarr, Dennis Mellery, John Martin, George Schwenk. Missing: Jacob Getler, Charles Knarr, Franklin Wise, Edward Marl, Henry M. Diebler. Company A. — Killed: John Heisler, Peter S. Otto, Edward Hamer. Wounded: Henry Brodt, Samuel Schwalm, David J. Alspach, Nicholas Adams, John Bixler, Cyrene Bow man, John Herring, Daniel Hoffa, Henry Hower, William H esser, Andrew Herb, Will iam Biller, Emanuel D. Faust, August Erd man, Samuel Kauffman, Alexander Mc Laughlin. Missing: Benjamin Herman, Levi Ossman, Philip A. Wiest. In the battles of South Mountain and Antietam : Company C. — Killed: Richard Fahl, Daniel McGlenn. Wounded: Augustus Berger, Jeremiah Helms, Jonathan Branner, Samuel Agley, John Graif, William Patten, Franklin Fenstermacher, Jacob Hehn. Company A. — Killed: E.Warner. Wounded: S. Schwalm, William Biller. At Campbell's Station and Knoxville : Killed : Emanuel Faust, Co. A. Wounded: Henry Dieble, James Birnie, Co. A; M. McKeon, Co. D; A. Gift, Co. E; William Cole, Co. I ; H. Geehler, Co. H. In the battles of the Wilderness, and sub sequent engagements up to June 6th, 1874: Company A. — Killed: Henry Faust, Simon Bergle. Wounded: Benjamin Focht, William H. Delcamp, George Lester, Jacob Henry, Conrad Earl, Jackson Bixler, Dan. Hoffa, Nathaniel Rickert, Emanuel Swikert, Elias Trautman, Michael Wolfgang, Daniel Del camp, John D. Shearer, Augustus V. Schuber, Michael Wolf, Lewis Zimmerman, Abraham Starr, Nathaniel Stutzman, Isaac Artz, Aaron 84 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Ossman, Cornelius Schlegel, Harrison Wal ton, Philip Dietrick, Jonathan Hearter, John Zimmerman, August Weisner, Benjamin Her man, Joel Kramer, Edward Bixler, William F. Clark, Peter Fox, Jonathan P. Stutzman, Joel Stronecker, Samuel B. Wiest, Benjamin T. Pinkerton, Patrick Joice, Abraham Schwenk. Missing and Prisoners: Uriah Wenerick, Hiram Stern, David Balton, Edward W. Clark, Josiah Saltzer, Daniel Stein, Hiram R. Wiest, Daniel R. Burkley. Company C. — Killed: William H. Hill, Michael Riley, Levan J. Warner, Sam. Martz, Dan. Evert, Jacob Benedict, Thomas Lloyd, Franklin Sharer, John Reed, Emanuel Eckert, Albert Bartolet. Wounded: Levi Eckert, Wm. Eckers, Peter Fritz, Christ Gulliver, Wm. Hoffman, George Lloyd, Adam Lloyd, John Mehargne, Charles Shappell, Adam Lehwab, Irvin Tyson, Josiah Wright, D. T. Burkert, Augustus Mellon, Chas. Oswald, Wm. Wildermuth, Henry M. Diebler, Josiah D. Lehman, Gottlieb Burkert, Henry Hill, Wm. H. Hiney, George Cake, Wm. Koch, Lafayette Baker, John Eckert, Jacob Hehn. Missing: David Raudenbush, John Dowdle, Samuel Agley, Elias Berger, Peter Dankle, Wm. Guertler, Henry Hehn, Wm. Hains, Garrett Kerrigan, Dan. Sullivan, William Williams. Mortuary Record. Company A.— Killed or died of wounds: John Heisler, William H. Delcamp, Peter S. Otto, Edward Harner, Emanuel Faust, Henry Faust, Simon Reigle, Jacob Henry, Conrad Carl, John D. Manning (murdered). Died of disease: David G. Alpach, Nathaniel Stutz man, Robert McClelland, D. Towney. Company C. — Killed or died of wounds: William H. Hill, Michael Riley, Levan J. Warner, Sam Martz, Dan. Evert, Jacob Bene dict, Thomas Lloyd, Franklin Sharer, John Reed, Emanuel Eckert, Albert Bertolet, James Golles, Jeremiah Helms. Died of disease: Lucian Schwartz. FIFTY-SECOND REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. About fifty citizens of Schuylkill county were in this regiment, which was organized in October, 1861. It was one of the first regiments to enter Yorktown after its evacu ation by the rebels, and was engaged at Fair Oaks and Seven Pines. In December the regiment went south and was engaged in the long siege of Fort Wagner. A large portion of the regiment re-enlisted, and in June, 1864, the 5 2d took an active part in the attack on Fort Johnson, in which one hundred and twenty-five were made prisoners. In February, 1865, a detachment from this regiment entered the deserted Fort Sumter and city of Charleston. The men from Schuylkill county in this regiment were: Wesley Cummings, John Fairfield, Joseph Reed, Charles O'Hara, John Brennan, Ed ward W. Collahan, Henry C. Niese, James Donevan, Abraham Butts, David Jeremiah, Joseph Dale, Joseph Shivelhood, Thomas Thomas, James Davis, Captain Beaton Smith, Samuel Williams, Erastus Sowers, Charles Lucas, Ralph Sowers, William Jones, Lieu tenant William H. Hughes, Sergeant B. F. Jones, Lawrence Giles, Gerhart Welter, Albert Senef, Captain John Jones, Jr., Lieutenant John J. Hennessy, Michael Henegan, Edward Ryan, James Carman, Henry J. Banks, Jesse Fegley, Elias K. Faust, Edward L. Hubler, Aaron Lamberson, Jeremiah Messersmith, Henry Neifert, Michael O'Donnel, James McGarr, John Brennan, Patrick Burke, John Butler, James Cleary, Michael W. Donahoe, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 85 James Donahoe, Thomas Dalton, Patrick Donnelly, Patrick Donahoe, Walter Fitzgerald, Stephen Horan, James H. Horan, Richard Kealey, Thomas Naughton, Henry Paden, Christopher Ready. FIFTY-THIRD PENNSYLVANIA REGIMENT. The 53d was one ofthe regiments raised for the defense of the State on its second invasion, in 1863. Companies C, F, H and I were from this county, and the regiment was stationed at Reading during its term of service. FIFTY-FIFTH REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. Company E of this regiment was from Schuyl kill county. The regiment served in the South, ' and at Pocataligo bridge lost twenty-nine killed and wounded. In 1864 most of the men re enlisted, and the regiment was engaged before Richmond until the close of the war, being mustered out August 30, 1865. Company B contained John Layman and Frank Kemmerer; Company C, William Wagner, and Company F, James Fowler. Company E. Officers. — Captain, Horace C. Bennett. First lieutenant, George H. Hill ; second, John Slot- terback. Sergeants, Winfield Benseman, George Slotterback, Henry C. Benseman, George Parry, Henry E. Snyder. Corporals, John McClay, James Miller, Michael Murray, Miles Rourke, Charles Fritchley, John Dei trich, William Challenger, Daniel Chester. Drummer, George Allen. Privates. — Dennis Adams, John Booth, John S. Bannan, Matthew Beggs, John Baird, Jacob Berger, Daniel Billman, James Campbell, John Campbell, Patrick Comeford, Daniel Conway, Edward Coyle, James Caton, John Condron, Patrick'Churchfield, Daniel F. Dengler, Patrick Delaney, William Derr, Owen Finety, George Foulk, William Fowler, Jacob Fluge, Alexan der Fairley, John Gehrer, Francis Gallagher, Andrew Govan, John Harrison, Robert Hay, Henry Hepler, William Hay, George. Haas, John Haas, David Hughs, John J. Jones, Wil liam Kuehn, William Kuehn, Jr., James Kel- ter, Patrick Lynch, John Lawrence, John Lantz, Mortimer Langton, John Maggee, Thos. Maggee, Daniel McAllister, Peter Mur phy, John Mohan, James McFarlane, Michael McNamara, Francis Munday, William Mag gee, Patrick McDonough, John McCain, John Madden, James O'Donnel, James O'Kane, John Paden, Robert Pease, Patrick Rafferty, Arthur Rogers, Monroe Reed, Peter Reitz, Thomas Sharp, George Smith, Thomas Tobin, James Tobin, Hiram Thomas, Luke Welsh, John Wormal, John Wormwood, Joseph F. Welsh, David Wier, John B. Wagner, William Wil liamson, Samuel D. Watkins, Aaron Yoder, George Zernholt. Re-enlisted veterans and recruits : Captain, George H. Hill. Corporal, William Fowler. Privates, Philip Ansty, John S. Ban nan, Daniel Billman, Solomon Billman, Craymer, Thomas Conway, Patrick Church- field, Arthur Connery, George Dunlap, John Dormer, John McCann, Thomas Patten, Luke Welsh. Casualties of the Fifty-fifth Regiment. From the 6th to the 16th of May, 1864, inclusive : Company E. — Killed, George Stone, Peter Reitz, Michael McNamarra, Theodore Weiser. Wounded, J. Slotterback, W. Benseman, John McLay, Daniel Chester, Miles Rourke, Jacob Fluge, Andrew Govan, John Madden, Henry Aumet, Charles H. Kantner, David Wier, Thomas Wilson, George Raudenbush, James BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Wood, William P. Maggee, James S. Camp bell, Haley Wren, Charles Fritzley, Daniel Lodge. Wounded and missing, John Maggee, James Tobin, William Kuehn, Aaron Yoder, Daniel Billman, Solomon Billman, John Mc- Cann, Luke Welsh, John Booth, Philip Anstee, Thomas Conway, Robert Reed, James Mc- Farlane, George Dunlop, Thomas Patten, David Hughes, Edward Coyle, Patrick Church- field. May 20 : Killed, John Welsh. Wounded, Fredrick Reed and Thomas Sharp. Missing in action, John S. Bannan, Rosewald and Stephens. June 3 : Killed, Edward Lewis. Wounded, William Challinger, Michael Murray, S. D. Watkins, George Smith, Michael Guldin, John Fry, Still Hull. Missing, Patrick Delaney, William Wil liamson. September 29: Killed, James Robinson, Co. C. Wounded, George H. Hill, Co. E ; Thomas Howe, Co. G ; Josiah Hissong, Co. H ; Frank P. Berger, Co. B ; D. Meyers, Co. F ; Charles Long, Co. G ; David Lines, Co. K ; G. T. Barnacle, Francis Warner, Michael Hussa, Co. A; Sam uel Startzer, Co. B; Michael Golden, G. N. Kise, Co. E ; George Dike, B. B. Black, Jacob Shank, John Strain, Henry S. Swartz, Philip Breidenbach, George Walters, Co. F ; J. Stiffer, Co. G ; Charles Stokeman, George Ganehow, Hiram Matthews, Edmund Fisher, Co. H ; Matthew Garland, Co. I ; Cornelius Mock, F. H. Luther, Co. K. Wounded and missing, John O'Neill, Co. I ; A. Flanigan, Harry E. Eise- beise, Co. G; Paul Mock, Co. I ; Rufus Mit chell, Co. C ; Sylvanus B. Summerville, Co. D ; Stephen Walker, Solomon Fetterman, Co. F ; John Lane, Harry Sharts, Co. G ; Alfred Ruggles, Charles Bisbin, Edwin Hughes, Co. I. Missing, Barney Adair, Co. F; Michael Murray, Co. E; D. Black, Co. G; John B. Mock, Co. K; Emanuel Frcelich, Co. B; George Zeinhelt, Co. E; D. Kennedy, Co. F; John Bartlebaugh, Co. I; John Christ, Co. K; Michael Bock, Co. A ; James Tyson, Jacob Snyder, Amos Stout, George Strickler, Joseph Dike, Elias Howe, William Telle, Fidele Birer, Co. B; William A. Vance, Co. C; Daniel Mer- rich, Co. D ; Hiram Thomas, John Jeffries, James Murphy, Co. E; Harrison Overdorff William Cochrane, William P. Patterson, Co. F; Joseph Wilders, C. Rush, William Smith, Co. G; H. B. Stick, John A Moyer, Co. H; John Barr, Philip McCormick, Lawrence, Co. I ; John Roch, Cyrus Gephart, Andrew Plucker, John Palmer, Co. K. Mortuary Record. Company E. — Killed or died of wounds, Hor ace C. Bennett, George Stone, Peter Ritz, Mi chael McNamarra, Theodore Weisser, John Welsh, Edward Lewis, John Padden (acciden tally). Died of disease, William Fowler, Lewis Lewis, John S. Bannan, George S. Yinnell, John Jones, Co. B ; Cirter Rogers, Co. C. FIFTY-SIXTH REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. This regiment was organized in the fall of 1 86 1. Company K was recruited in part in Schuylkill county. In March, 1862, it went to Washington, and was in the Maryland cam paign in the autumn. It was also in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Get tysburg, in which last it had the honor of opening the contest. In the following March a portion of the men re-enlisted and received their furlough. They returned in April, 1864, were engaged in the Wilderness campaign and the operations around Petersburgh. Its repu- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 87 tation as a regiment was hardly surpassed by that of any other in the service. In Company C was Michael Haley ; Com pany D, John Delaney ; Company E, Dennis Adams and Thomas Row, and in Company K, the following: Captain David Mitchell, Asst. Quar. Pres ton Rossiter, Sergeant Robert B. Kane, Cor poral George W. Rose, Corporal William Bar- num, Francis Dickerson, Isaac B. Jones, James A. Hetherington, Philip Cortier, William Ste venson, George Allison, Nicholas Curren, Harrison Smith. Casualties. Pfevious to the actions on the Weldon Rail road : Wounded. — Ira N. Bennet, Samuel Shaw, George Allison, Michael Maher, John Flana- kers, William Bowers, William H. Reynolds, Washington Trout, William N. Roeport, Mi chael Luby, Daniel Hess, Reuben Seccolty, Cabren Waltz, James Albert, Edward Warren, Cyrus Madanies, Solomon Benker, Henry W. Barkely. In the engagement on the Weldon Railroad, August 1 8, 19, 20 and 21 : Killed.— Hugh McFadden, Co. B ; Michael Harley, Co. C ; John G. Lebo, Co. I ; Isaiah Wilber, Co. K. Wounded.— Captain I. N. Bennet, Co. K; Jared B. Cobbin, Co. K ; Nelson Early, Co. A ; Westley M. Brubecker, Co. B; Modest Ru- bonock, Co. C ; Modest Welger, Co. D ; Ed ward Phillips, Co. G ; Thomas Cochlin, Patrick Cannon, John Fisher, Co. H; T. H. Cyres, William Reeves, Lyman Anjers, Co. I ; Chris tian Kir, Robert Kain, Jacob Harrill, David T. Craig, Matthias Hertinger, Washington Grant, George Night, John Lovegrow, Co. K. Mortuary Record. Company K. — Killed or died of wounds, George Allison, Harrison K. Smith, John Flanakers, William Bowers, Isaiah Wilbur, Michael Haley, Jacob Harell, Hugh McFaden, Co. B ; John G. Lebo, Co. I. SIXTIETH REGIMENT— THIRD CAVALRY. This regiment, first known as Young's Light Kentucky Cavalry, was recruited in 1861. It was subjected to severe discipline and drill under Colonel W. W. Averill, with the result of making it one of the most efficient regi ments in the service. It was with the Army of the Potomac from McClellan's advance upon Manassas until Lee surrendered, and covered itself with glory. So numerous were the engagements in which the Third participated that space will not permit even a mention of them. The regi ment was constantly active, and was engaged in most of the cavalry campaigns that have become historic, and in many actions remark able valor and efficiency were displayed, When the time for re-enlistment came, a portion of the command was organized into what was known as the veteran battalion, and ' was mustered out in August, 1865. Among recruits to Company C. were James E. Roan and James Gallagher, and to Com pany A, Adam Frank and Richard Morgan. Company I. Officers. — Captain J. Claude White. First lieutenant, Howard Edmunds. Sergeants — Daniel Jones, John Burlee, S. P. Boyer, John Johnson, David Levy. Corporals1— George W. -Clark, John Large, William Green, Edward Ferguson, William Ryan, John F. Gallagher, Edward Griffith, William A. Noble. Buglers- Joseph Miller, Marqueze Erneiquildo. Farrier — Thomas N. Davis. Blacksmiths— Holden Chester, Watkin Waters. Teamster — William Edwards. 88 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Privates. — Edward Austin, Samuel K. Boyer, Thomas Bull, Charles Bickley, Calvin D. Brower, John Brennan, John Byle, John Baker, William Bainbridge, Anthony Burns, John Craney, Michael Carney, John Collahan, James Carroll, James Cox, David Challenger, Patrick Cassady, Joseph Dickson, David Duncan, Michael Donnelly, John Donnelly, William Devine, Joseph J. Edwards, John Flynn, Robert Ful.ton, John Fox, Frederick Guenther, Adam Gottschall, John Humphrey, William Hiel, Lewis Hummel, James Johnston, Daniel Kent, George Kries, Edward H. Klinger, Martin Lawler, George Lambert, James Law- ler, Thomas Morley, Edward McCabe, Fran cis McCann, John M. Mowery, Edward Mc Mullen, William Maroney, John Maybe, James McCabe, Edward McAndrew, Joseph Mann, John Mealy, John H. Miller, Michael J. Moran, William Mann, Lawrence McKnight, William Norton, William O'Mealy, Patrick O'Neal, Christian Ochner, John Porter, Thomas H. Price, Joseph Patton, John Ryan, John Roaney, Thomas Reily, David Reese, John Reily, James Reily, Reese W. Roberts, Frederick Shrop, John Stonehouse, John Smith, John Sterling, Calvin Shindler, George W. Shutt, Charles Stromier, Augustus Storm, Ephraim Thompson, Francis Umbenhower, James H. Welsh, Andrew H. Wilson, George Wyatt, William Williams, Calvin D. Wright, William Waterhouse, George Wilson, Daniel , Wiehry, James York, Zimmerman. Recruits under the call of October 17th, 1863: John Bourk, Patrick J. Donahoe, John Duffy, James Donnahoe, Daniel Green, James F. Keating, James Keating, Thomas Lean. Under the call of July 18th, 1864: Henry Britt, Monahan Bartholomew, Ed ward Brahany, Patrick P. Brennan, John Boas, William Brennan, Michael Brennan, Richard Brennan, Samuel Bennet, John Brown, Michael Bergen, William Bell, John Bowen, James Burns, Thomas Curry, Patrick Crean, Patrick Cardan, Henry Cameron, John Cowan, Patrick Cowry, Edward Carey, Thomas Cromin, Mar tin Cain, Thomas Carney, Patrick Dolan, John Donahoe, David Davis, John Dougherty, Ed ward Donahoe, Thomas Devine, James Dar- ragh, John Davis, William Evans, James Farrell, Patrick Gillespie, James Garetty, Ed ward Goulden, Thomas Horan, Dominick Hope, John Hurley, William Hall, Thomas Kelly, Patrick Kelly, William E. Kline, Ed ward Kinney, Patrick Langton, Patrick Lar kin, William M. Lewis, Bernard McKeever, Daniel McAndrew, John McGlinn, William Mulheran, John McGowan, Edward Morrissey, Henry McAllister, Edward Mulhall, James McGovern, James Murphy, Michael Murphy, Patrick McBrearty, Thomas Morgan, John McLaughlin, William Michael, Michael Mul- lany, Patrick Norton, Michael O'Neal, Thomas O'Neill, Morgan P. Owens, Thomas Piatt, David Parry, David Phillips, Richard Peel, William Ross, Thomas Riley, Dennis Ryan, Thomas Rose, Henry Riley, James Renfrew, James Sweeney, George Shivelhut, Joseph Saddler, John Waters, John Whittaker, James Watkins, James Wilkins. SIXTY-FIFTH REGIMENT— FIFTH CAVALRY. The " Cameron Dragoons," as this regiment was first called, was recruited among the first of the three years regiments. Authority to raise this regiment was first granted by the national government, and it was for a time thought to be a United States organization. It served on the Peninsula and in North Carolina, and in 1864 returned to Virginia, where it was actively engaged around Peters- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. burgh, until the close of the war. A portion ofthe command was mustered out May 19th, and the remainder, after being consolidated with the 3d, was mustered out August 7th, 1865. The following were from this county : William Cowley, corporal ; Peter D. Helms, bugler; John Rhorback, Daniel Rended, ' James Mulgrave, Jacob Immendorf, John Barras, Thomas Downs, Joseph Edwards, John Baily, David B. Hufman, George Har- man, William Bowen, Joseph McGrew, Weth erill Dryder, Adam Halkyard, Joseph Wilson, Hazlett McElwain, William Lindemuth, Charles Williams, Henry Dress, Richard R. Riland, Michael Rockham, Peter Grosh, Jacob Shuey, Lieutenant Seth H. Yocum, Sergeant Henry M. Clayton, Charles Madara, William Carl, Hugh Drumm, Thomas Marley, Oliver Nuttle, John Derkin, Silas C. Hough, John Hartman, Thomas Winn, Byron G. Clay ton, David Eberle, Patrick Martin, Thomas Cummings, Louis Weaver, Charles Weaver, Herman Hauser. Under the call of October 17th, 1863, John Drumheller, Francis Morley, Edmund Lloyd and George Lloyd enlisted ; and under the qall of July 18th, 1864, for five hundred thou sand men, the following : Charles Boyer, Henry Luckenbill, David Smith, William F. Bensinger, Franklin E. Bensinger, Daniel R. Britton, John Brady, Lewis Blasius, Milton Crouthamel, James Donahoe, Philip Durang, William Dillman, Peter Dom, Thomas B. Evans, John Ettring- ham, George Fetterman, Joseph Fetherolf, Joseph Feist, Daniel Garland, Anthony Geg- ler, Theodore Houser, John Hopkins, Joseph Horn, Israel Hartz, James J. Hannon, Rich ard H. Jones, David Jones, Abner G. Klees, Peter K^eesner, Moses Kuhter, Samuel A. Mertz, Charles Mock, Edward C. Maicks, William Murray, Peter Meyer, John W. Merk- ert, Daniel McManaman, Thomas Owens, Michael O'Shaughnessy, John Price, William Price, John H. Remley, Patrick Spallman, Peter Snow, Charles A. Seitzinger, John L. Seitzinger, Charles H. Smith, John Stahl, Jacob Shane, Robert Teple, George Theobald, Benjamin F. Treibley, John Thomas, James Wentzel, Peter S. Wilson, Henry Warnich, Peter Bummersbach, Oswald Ford, Benjamin R. Roberts, Edward Mason, George Sykes. Under the call of December 19th, 1864, were : Robert Anderson, Michael Costello, Richard Chadwick, James Dolan, William Dougherty, Thomas McGowen, John H. Minnig, Thomas Prior, Patrick Ryan, John Wanner, Thomas Burks, James Connor, Joseph Clews, David Childs, Reese Davis, Joseph F. Donkin, John Elliot, James Evans, Cornelius Flynn, James Fox, Hugh Fox, Jacob Gothie, John Howard, William Hublett, Enoch Jones, William Lucid, David Morgan, Joseph Miller, John Murphy, Richard McNale, Christopher Mehan, Robert McLain, Lambert Ruffing, William Stevenson, Thomas J. Williams, George Zell, Andrew Zeigler. REPRESENTATIONS FROM SCHUYLKILL IN THE 67TH, 70TH, 75TH AND 76TH REGIMENTS. Authority to recruit this regiment was given by the Secretary of War in July, 1861, yet its organization was not completed till the spring of 1862. Company K was raised in Schuyl kill county. Most of the regiment were cap tured at Winchester, and afterward paroled from Libby Prison and Belle Isle. A large number of the men re-enlisted in 1864, and the regiment did splendid fighting at Fisher's Hill and at Cedar Creek, where it lost forty- eight men. It served around Petersburg and 90 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY in North Carolina, and was mustered out July 14th, 1865. From Schuylkill county in Company K, were : Officers. — First lieutenant, Theo. F. Patter son ; second, William Heffner. Sergeants — Edward Nagle, Jno. J. Christian, Franklin A. Schoener, Francis Hause. Corporals — George Rice, Martin Hutchinson, John Martz, Samuel B. McQuade, Benjamin F. Bartlet, Daniel H. Christian, Charles Ewing. Drummer, John Y. Wren, Jr. Bugler, Henry Myers. Wag oner, Daniel Keeler. Privates. — George Albertson, Nathan Bra- den, John Bauman, Jr., John Bauman, Sr., Benjamin Christian, Benjamin B. Davis, S. Francis Deihm, Peter Dimmerling, D. D. Da- lius, Charles Dunkleberger, William D. Ewing, Eli Fatzinger, William Faust, Charles F. Garrett, John Goyer, Edward Hause, Daniel Kemery, Martin Langton, Jacob Lutz, Edgar P. Lewis, John Lawlews, William Lowthert, John McGurl, Aaron Moore, Thomas T. Myers, James O'Rorick, Henry S. Ponter, John Richardson, James Roehrig, William Schmidola, Daniel Shobe, Daniel Shrively, Samuel Schoener, James Schoener, Theodore Sands, George Snyder, Edgar R. Titus, Jere miah Trout, Abraham Windland, John M. Witterman, John M. Wilman. Other members of the regiment from Schuylkill county were : William Welsh, John Higgins, Hugh Col lins and William Johnson, Co. A; Jacob L. Glass, Co. H. Under the call of October 17th, 1863, the following joined the regiment : Sergeant, Benjamin F. Bartlett. Corporals, Daniel Christian and Samuel Shoener, Co. K, and Privates Thomas Campbell, John Dallas, Co. B ; George Albertson, Benj. Christian, Benj. B. Davis, Martin Langton, Franklin A. Shoener, Wm. Schmela, Co. R. In the autumn of 1864, George Rice, of Company A, was killed ; and Charles Ewing, Edward Hause, Burd Vliet, Patrick McDer- mott, John Bauman and S. Hayes were wounded. SEVENTIETH REGIMENT— SIXTH CAVALRY. This regiment was principally recruited in Philadelphia and Reading. Schuylkill county furnished fifty or sixty men. It was mustered into the service for three years in December, 1 86 1. It was at first armed with the Austrian lance, and afterward with carbines. Most of its service was in Virginia and Maryland. It was mustered out in August, I865, at Louis ville, Ky., having previously been consolidated with other regiments. From this county were the following: Michael Pepper, Henry Field, Joseph Davis, James Brennan, Daniel Sanders, Thomas Grif fith, Daniel Christian, Michael Lanigan, John Sauerbrey, Corporal David Auld, William. Bowman, Daniel Hoffman, Thomas Callahan, John Walker, John Memear, John Richard son, Christian Stein, Evan Davis, Jacob Christ, Henry Wright, Henry Heckler, John R. Roads, Albert Bordy, Hiram Helms, George Knarr, William Loy, George Moyer. Recruits in 1863: Thomas Aubrey, James F. Hager, Samuel Mace, Henry Schultz. Under the call of December 19, 1864, were the following : John Brennan, Leander Fetterman, John Greenhalgh, Wellington B. Howe, Jeremiah Hartnett, John Ingham, Daniel Kent, Aaron Minnich, George E. Moser, James McCullion, John McCanley, Franklin Price, Ira Road- armel, William M. Blystone, Robert Cxowley, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 91 Nicholas Curran, Anthony Cain, William Fitz patrick, Edward Kelly, Jonathan Kline, James Keegan, John G. Kapp, William B. Levan, John McDermott, John McCully, Jeremiah H. Snyder, Patrick Tolimsh, Joseph Watts. SEVENTY-FIFTH REGIMENT— PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. Thirty men from Schuylkill county were in this regiment, which was mainly composed of Germans from Philadelphia. It entered on* its service in September, 1861, and served to the close ofthe war; most of the time in Virginia, and the rest in the southwest. Schuylkill county men were: Barnabas Billeau, Long Lorenz, John Hart man, Jacob Shoey, David White, George Won drous, Charles Whitesnecker, John W. Heck, Barnabas Litmyer, Henry Stan, Christian Roehrig, Lewis Sigler, John Buchler, Joseph Beighler, Barnabas Billian, John Thompson, Sergeant Jacob Pauley, Jacob Yost, Nicholas Veil, Philip Mohan, Matthias Laubach, Charles Oarther, James Cloan, Weighnecker, Gottleib Horning, John Hartman, Corporal Jacob Guenther, John Guenther, Charles Goodman, Joseph Navel, George Brushower, Corporal Frederick Vance, Matthias Kafer, Jacob Bush. SEVENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT— KEYSTONE ZOUAVES. In this regiment were thirty or forty men from this county. It was organized in No vember, 1 86 1, and served till the close of the war. It went to South Carolina ; was ordered to Virginia, and afterwards participated in the operations against Fort Fisher. The following, in several companies, were from Schuylkill county in this regiment: Jere miah Kremer, Francis Kremer, Joseph Knittle, John Guyer, John Nolen, William Kantner, Jacob *urger, Charles Benseman, Patrick Adams, Frank Umbenhauer, William Umben- hauer, Francis Doonen. Also the following in Company K: Lieutenant, Charles N. Brumm. Sergeants — William S. Moorehead, James N. Hughes. Corporals — Adam Malick, Zachariah Falls, Joseph Evans. Privates — Emanuel Esterheld, Franklin Moser, William P. Mourer, John Brown, Joseph Robertson, Charles Malick, James Davis, George Hass, Robert Davis, Henry Henich, Horace De Haven, Henry Mull,David Jenkins, Isaac Davis, Peter Deiter, Daniel Shirey, William Hurley, Michael Boyle, Thomas Conell, Thomas Reed. EIGHTY-FIRST REGIMENT— PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. ' The 8 ist regiment was organized in the autumn of 1861. In 1862 it participated in the campaigns of the Peninsula, Maryland and Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg and the valley of Virginia in "1863, in the Wilderness cam paign and around Petersburg in 1 864 and 1865. In June, 1865, it was mustered out ofthe Fed eral service. The men from Schuylkill county were: William Brennan, Daniel Dunn, William Casey, Michael O'Brian, James Halfpenny, James Glenroy, Andrew Rogers, Charles Mor rison, John Ratcliffe, Jenkins Evans, W. Wil liams, John O'Donnell, William Thomas, Robert Mackey, James King, John Ratcliffe, William Mackechney, Jeremiah Delay, James Burns, Owen Fisher, Aaron Breish, Emanuel Zimmerman, Patrick Guldin, Andrew Rogers, Thomas Morton, William Schreffler, Isaac Kennan, Barney Kelly, Peter Dolan. EIGHTIETH REGIMENT. Companies A and F were recruited in Schuylkill county, and other companies con tained some men from this county. It was 92 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY recruited in the autumn of 1861, and in De cember of that year it went to the department of the Cumberland, where it was engaged in scouting and had many sharp skirmishes and some severe fights. In January, 1863, the regiment was engaged in two sharp skirmishes at Rover and one at Unionville. In the action at Shelbyville the 7th made a brilliant charge in the face of a rebel battery, which it captured. It went on an expedition in pursuit of Wheeler's cavalry, and was on the march during eighteen con secutive days and nights, with scarcely any rest. A large portion of the regiment re-enlisted in 1864 and received a veteran furlough. After its return it was actively engaged in the mem orable campaign of the following summer, and the march across the gulf States. April 28, 1865, it arrived at Macon, Ga., where it re mained until August, 1866, and was mustered out ofthe service. Of the field and staff officers of the regiment, the following were from Schuylkill county: Colonel, George C. Wynkoop. Majors — John E. Wynkoop, James J. Seibert. Adjutant, R. F. Moson. Quartermaster, Thomas H. Rickert. The muster rolls are as follows : Company A. Officers. — Captain, William H. Jennings. Lieutenants — Thomas H. Rickert, John D. Jones. Sergeants — William J. Allen, Thomas M. Price, David J. Price, Henry B. Zimmerman, John A. Ennis, David T. Reese. Corporals — Charles L. Roorbach, Frederick Hopkins, David H. Wetzel, Edward H. Shute, Peter F. Kelly, Morris O'Neal, John Greathead, Wil liam Arter. Farrier, Frederick W. Davis. Blacksmith, Adam M. Fahringer. Musicians — Joseph Ashlan, John Mcllhenny. Saddler, John Clews. Wagoner, Peter Starr. Privates. — Edward Austin, Daniel Anspach, George Anspach, William Angus, Anthony Burns, James Bateman, John Bramley, Edward Bradley, Henry H. Beisel, Jacob Beaver, John Brennan, Joseph Cowlishaw, Ralph Corby, John L. Cranston, Thomas Chadwick, Benja min Chadwick, Peter Clarke, Martin Cannon, John Canfield, John Carl, J. Dodds, J. David son, R. S. Dawson, Matthew Dodds, Francis U. Duffy, John Dolan, Thomas Duly, Samuel Effort, John Ferguson, Clement Feindt, Patrick Fogarty, Daniel Fagley, William Geigher, William Gottshall, James G. Gillespie, Benja min Hertzog, Jacob Himmer, John T. Hazzard, John Heather, John Hartline, William Heney, Frederick Hammer, George Hetherington, Felix Herb, George W. Herring, Richard Jones, Jacob D. Jones, George B. F. Kitchen, James Keely, Ralph Kerby, Patrick Kelly, Henry Koch, John T. Kelly, Emanuel Kahres, Luke A. Lanigan, Francis Leonard, Edmund Livesly, Edward McMullen, William Mont gomery, Lewis Maul, Isaac Marks, John Mac, James A. Mertz, W. Madden, J. O. Mahoney, P. Mulcachny, D. Paul, D. I. Price, Emanuel Paul, Thomas Powers, Philip Rafferty, John M. Robson, George Rahn, John W. Reese, Arthur O. Roorbach, John Snyder, Henry H. Snyder, James Smith, John Segley, John Smith, Emanuel Snyder, Augustus Shuttheiser, Frederick A. Schrope, Peter H. Snyder, Lewis H. Shutt, Joseph C. Shaw, Charles Tighe, William Thomas, John Taggart, John Thomp son, Thomas William, Peter Winter, Charles Welsh, Charles White, Daniel D. Walker, Augustus H. Wetzel, John H. Wetzel, Nicho las Welsh, Eli Williams, Francis Weigley, Charles Ward, Robert M. Zimmerman, Joseph B. Zimmerman, Henry B. Zimmermar* OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 93 Company E. Officers. — Lieutenants — Heber S. Thomp son, Bernhard Reilly. Sergeants — George F. Stahlin, Charles Vandusen, George M. Boyer, Jarhes A. Wilson, A. Bummersboch, Condy McGuire. Corporals — John K. Donnehower, George C. Lee, Valentine K. Boyer, George J. Harig, William Watkins, Samuel Winn, William Jenkins, Joseph R. Fisher. Buglers — Joseph Partridge, John Coughlin. Farrier, William O. Jones. Blacksmith, Adam Mager. Saddler, Joseph Reed. Teamsters — Josiah H. Anderson, David Levan, Jonathan B. Reber. Privates. — Martin Berger, John Baney, Wil liam H. Beaver, James Boyle, Charles, Bowers, John B. Berger, Abraham Berger, John D. Burge, Owen Brennan, William H. Bartolet, Charles L. Braucher, John Cochran, Thomas Crosby, James Collins, Timothy Crimmens, Michael Cleary, Charles B. Clingerman, John Cunningham, Michael Carey, Thomas Dolan, John Dickenson, Joseph Dennings, James F. Dent, Samuel Dunlap, Richard Fotheringill, Patrick Flinn, Emanuel Fisher, John Fitzger ald, Richard H. Fisk, John A. Fartich, Jr., Daniel Fitzpatrick, Henry C. Freed, Michael Gildes, Barney Hegin, Henry Haines, William Hodge, Patrick Haley, Charles S. Hower, Elias Horn, John House, Thomas Jones, Joseph Jones, William R. Klinger, Daniel King, George Keyser, Carl Leage, Llewellyn Llewellyn, Edward Lawler, Cornelius Link, Geo. Lambert, Charles Linn, Patrick Murphy, Michael Moran, John H. Miller, David Martin, John Mooney, Jacob Nargot, Amos Poff John Rosser, Francis Reed, Peter Rehrig, John Reilly, Gideon Reber, John V. Spear, William J. Stevens, Eli Seiler, James Shire, Daniel Seigfried, Samuel S. Shannon, Samuel Trump, S. J. W. Vernon, Abraham Vandyke, James Wilson, «Thomas Wilson, Thomas B. Wood, John A. Wilson, John Weightman, J. H. B. Warfield, Amandus Wumer, William Zehner, John Ward. Company F. Officers. — Captain, Cyrus Newlin. First lieutenant, Ber. Reilly; second, Joseph H. Denning. Sergeants — V. R. Boyer, William Zehner, William Smith, William Jenkins, John Williams, James A. Wilson, Daniel Siegfried, John M. Rich. Corporals — William H. Bea ver, George M. Boyer, Condy McGuire, Rich ard Fotheringill. Buglers — Joseph Partridge, John Coughin. Blacksmith, Adam Mager. Saddler, Abraham Vandyke. Privates. — William Anstock, Adam Aum- mersboch, Joseph Adams, Abraham Berger, Charles Bowers, Jacob Beler, G. W. Bordmanj Patrick Boyle, Benjamin Beacher, John J. Beacher, William Bond, C. L. Bartholomew, William Brennan, Dennis Bowers, William Blacker, Charles Blacker, John Betz, David Boyer, Henry Breslin, William Breslin, Jacob Broom, Samuel Bryson, John Bummersboch, John Ball, Charles Burke, Bart Ball, Charles Beaumont, Peter Bowers, Joseph W. Beau- hart, John Bertz, Thomas Baldwin, James Collins, John Cunningham, Hart Coggins, John Cunningham, Ezra Cockell, Patrick Cassey, Peter Creiger, A. J. Chambus,- Ed ward Connors, John Deaner, Adam Det- youne, James Dougher, John Dunlevy, Rob ert Devine, John Davis, John Dando, William English, Samuel Evans, David Evans, Thos. B. Evans, George English, William H. Eise, John A. J. Fartick, Joseph R. Fisher, William J. Fox, Joseph Fotheringill, Jacob Fronty, David S. Fox, Michael Flenery, Albert Fron- ley, James Fogerty, David Gower, Thomas Gradwell, Charles S. Hower, William Harris, Peter Haine, David Henry, James Hagerty, Martin Haley, Edward Hines, Joseph Halde- 94 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY man, William F. Hisser, B. M. Hoffee, Francis Hahn, Jacob Hubzer, Francis W. Hagerty, Joseph T. Hart, George Houser, Thomas W. Jones, Elias Jones, Robert Jones, David Jones, David R. Jones, Bernard Kelley, Theodore Koch, George Koch, Aquilla Kniffe, Pat rick R. Kearns, Joseph Knapp, Llewellyn Llewellyn, David Levan, Cornelius Link, Charles Linn, Daniel Lynch, John C. Long, George Leib, Alexander Lafferty, James Lyons, Isaac Miller, John Miller, Jr., John McGuire, John W. Moyer, Samuel Mitchell, John A. Moore, George F. Millet, Joseph May, Peter McGan, Patrick McLaughlin, Michael Murray, Robert Marchal, Adam L. Metz, George Metz, Thomas H. May, Philip Manley, Daniel McManamee, Michael Mc- Shay, Christian Newser, George Nutz, John O'Donnell, John O'Neil, James Price, Salathiel F. Paine, Gideon Rahn, George Reese, Wm. Richard, Peter Raber, Albert Robert, Thomas Ray, George Shutt, Solomon Shreffler, Fred erick Smith, Thomas Shaw, Henry Sykes, William Sultzer, James Sheer, James Shine, William Stack, Henry Simmers, Samuel Thomas, John D, Thomas, Adgate Vanhorn, Samuel Winn, Richard Williams, Amandus Wumer, Samuel Waters, Davis Williams, William Watkins, Michael Wilson, Francis Whitehead, Oliver Williams, John D. Wil liams. Company G. Henry Allison, John Albert, Jacob Albert, Daniel Bayler, James Burns, John Cochlin, Christian Crouse, Samuel Cooper, James Can- field, Peter Greiger, Jr., Henry Hardensteine, Henry Huber, William Hoffman, William Housee, Lewis Jones, Henry Keidlinger, Charles M. Kantner, Tillman W. Miller, Levi Mease, Michael Murphy, Henry W. Moore, Peter Miller, James McGloughlin, James McGuire, Levi Mease, Michael Murphy, Henry Reinoehl, George S. Rehr, Isaac D. Steel, Thomas L. Woods, Elias Wolf, Richard Wren. Company I. Officers. — Captain, Heber Thompson. Lieu tenant, George W. McAllister. Sergeants — Isaac Hall, Isaac Heith, James A. Crinnian, Thomas B. Stewart, James C. Davis, Fred. Hillbish, C. L. Conner. Corporals — John Morressey, Owen P. Keho, Casper Sherman, Peter Pontzler, Morgan Davis, John Smith. Privates. — Thomas Allen, Joshua E. An drews, Thomas Bohannan, William Boden, Lewis C. Crosland, Samuel Cramer, David T. Davis, William Dechant, Wardes Eck, James Flattery, Philip Gulling, James Hetherington, William Homerth, Abraham Hummel, Henry Lewis, Samuel W. Mason, William Montgom ery, Henry Ochternocht, John Partridge, Thomas A. Simpson, William Siltz, John Strouse, Isaac Schloss, Albert Sands, Charles Taylor, Henry Wessner, Henry Bowsman, Peter Clark, Samuel Cramer, James Fallen, Abraham Hummel, Peter James, Michael Messuer, Henry Messuer, John McGovern, James Taylor, William Watts. Company L. Captain. — William Wren. Privates. — Pearce Bousman, John G. Co- hoon, William Glennon, Bernard Hellenthal, Henry Hackman, George W. Reber, Patrick Sullivan, Michael Troy, William Dechant, George Lee, John Cluff, John Duffy, Mc- Knight, Thomas H. Parker, James Roley, Francis Reed, John Wright, Charles F. Loeser. Other Members. Garret Hasker, George Kaiser, Condy Mc Guire, Martin L. Kurtz, John Deegan, Jacob D. Jones, George R. Bensinger, John Burns, Luke McCabe. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 95 Re-enlisted Veterans and Recruits. Regimental Officers. — Colonel, Wm. B. Sipes. Lieut-colonel, James J. Seibert. Major, 2d battalion, Wm. Jennings. Quartermaster, Thos. Rickert. Company A. — Privates, James C. Conners, Daniel Cobley, Patrick W. Cahill, James Delaney, George C. Farrell, John Hennessey, Henry Koch, Michael Kelly, Joseph Kennedy, Charles Keegan, John McCabe, Morris Mur phy, Dennis O'Neal, Frederick Plotz, Augus tus Schlotman, Thomas H. Spittle. Company C. — Private William Boden. Company D. — Privates John Dunlevy, Jas. Haggerty, William Jackson. Casualties. From Dec. 26, 1862, to Jan. 5, 1863 : Killed. — James Gillespie, Co. A ; Henry Fry, Co. I. Wounded. — William Madden, Co. A ; Michael Gildea, Co. F ; Samuel Bramer, John Partridge, Co. I. Prisoners and Missing. — John T. Hazzard, Co. L ; Corporal Carle, Joseph Shaw, Emanuel Kahlis, John Koch, Co. A ; William Zehner, Abraham Berger, Josiah H. Anderson, Thos. Jones, John Weightman, John Fitzgerald, Samuel Trump, Co. F; Cornelius Link, Co. E ; David Lewis, Abraham Hummel, William Montgomery, Co. I. , From April 28 to May 31, 1864, inclusive: Killed. — Peter Longwell, Co. B; James Fleming, Co. I ; James R. Black, Co. B ; Pat rick McLaughlin, Co. F ; James Muller, Co. K; Adam James, William Ainsworth, Co. M. Wounded. — George Herr, Co. K ; John H. Yeomans, Co. B ; Henry Artman, Co. D ; James Waters, Co. I ; Abraham Kepperly, Co. K ; Edward L. Beck, Co. M ; Gustavus Wetzel, William R. Waldron, Co. A ; Allen E. Williams, David McClintock, Benjamin F. Warren, Co. B ; George L. Covert, Co. C ; Robert T. Mowrer, William Rihel, Co. E; Jacob Beler, David Williams, John Dener, Co. F; Samuel Muller, Co. G: Thomas Lowe, Co. H; Josiah Mahaffy, Andrew Dufford, Co. I ; Jacob Secrist, Charles Tennis, Ezra Bow man, Co. K ; Henry M. Birefer, Henry Gief- fried, Co. L; Maloney, Theodore P. Seip, Josiah Covey, John Crook, Co. M. Prisoners. — Cyrus Newlin, Co. F; William Anspach, Co. A ; Daniel Hoffer, John A. Pat- ton, Co. B; Henry R. Morrison, William H. W. Thomas, Robert M. Cummings, Co. A ; Henry Rider, Co. L. August 19, 1864 : Killed. — David L. Davis, Co. A. Wounded. — Charles M. Kantner, Co. K ; Alonzo E. Kline, Co. A; Orvin P. Kehoe, Co. I. Wounded and Missing. — David P. Reese, Co. A ; George M. Boyer, Co. F ; Francis Weigley, William Robinson, Peter Mulcachey, Co. A ; Levi Seibert, Co. I. Mortuary Record. Killed or Died of Wounds. — Robert McCor mick, Co. F; Nicholas Wynkoop, Co. F; Francis L. Reed, Co. L ; James Fleming, Co. I ; Peter Longwell, James R. Black, Co. B . Patrick McLaughlin, William A. Jones, Thos. Dolan, William Morris Robinson, Co. F ; James Gillespie, Co. B ; Henry Fry, Co. I ; Archibald Muller, Co. K; Adam James, Wil liam Ainsworth, Co. M. Died of Disease. — Samuel Dunlap, Joseph Jones, Amos Poff, Joseph Zimmerman, Geo. M. Bower, Co. F ; Alonzo Martz, Co. I ; Geo. Rhan, Geo. Anspach, Co. A ; John T. Haz zard, Co. L. EIGHTY-NINTH REGT.— EIGHTH CAVALRY. In this regiment Schuylkill county was rep- 96 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY resented by forty or fifty men. It was organ ized in July, 1 86 1, was intended as a rifle regi ment, but was changed to cavalry. In the spring of 1862 it took the field, and was actively engaged in cavalry service during the war, mostly in Virginia. At Chancellorsville it made one of the most gallant charges in the war. It lost heavily in many of the actions in which it participated, and was mustered out of the service at Richmond in August, 1865. The following from this county were in the 89th: Corporal John J. Payne, Thomas McGurl, James Walsh, Robert C. Payne, David Davis, Joseph Nunemacher, John Walsh, George Gibson, William Callaway, Benjamin Thomas, George W. Burton, Thomas Richards, Adolph Goershel, Mark Eltringham, James M. Moyer, Isadore Luch, Andrew McCann, James Car- rigan, Edward Gamble, Christian Miller, Jas. Owens, John Yately, Owen James, Peter O'Neal, James Reilly, Michael Griffin, Owen Larkin, John McKern, Henry McLyn, Patrick Rice, Charles McCall, Israel Nunemacher, John Ward, John Gillespie, Henry F. Rein- hart, William Wallace, Albert J. Deuel, Samuel Hale, Thomas Jones, John James, Patrick Eagan, John McAughey. NINETY-THIRD REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. This regiment was organized in September, 1 86 1. It was in the Peninsular campaign, and in that which culminated at Fredericksburg. It was at Chancellorsville and at Gettysburg. In February, 1864, a large number of the men re-enlisted, and the regiment returned in time for the Wilderness. It engaged in the opera tions before Petersburg, went with Sheridan in his Shenandoah valley campaign, and then to Philadelphia to do duty during the Presidential election, and returned to the front of Peters burg. It was mustered out in June, 1865. The following men were from Schuylkill county : H. Clay Bowman, Henry Conrad, Cyrus Knapp, Nelson Knapp, Jacob Fox, William H. Riland, Abraham Heck, Abraham Lehr, Corporal John Southam, James Moyer, Joseph Southam, Charles Luckinbill, Jeremiah Kel ler, Jacob Oswold, Lawrence Goodman, Francis McQuade, William Wetzel, Sr., Wil liam Wetzel, Jr., William Vogt, Sergeant Wil liam W. Bright. Under the call of October 17, 1863, were : Lieutenant Wilham H. Riland, Jacob Fox (wounded in 1864), William F. Barton, John Eastwood, Christian Sechrist. Under the call of December 19, 1864, the following joined Company F as privates : Levi Adam, Samuel H. Brown, Henry E. Bartow, Henry Boyer, Israel Clemens, Wil liam Fessler, Simon Fisher, William Foreman, Jeremiah Faber, Samuel Heiser, Henry Hum mel, Elial Klinger, Samuel Leffler, Peter W. Miller, Elias Minnich, Samuel Marshall, Howard Miller. William Ragear, Israel Reed, Franklin Ragear, Israel R. Reahm, Jeremiah Reed, George W. Schmelzer, Aaron Strupen- haver, James M. Stomm, Michael Witmer, Fairfax Washington, Joseph H. C. Weaver, Henry Youtz. NINETY-SIXTH REGIMENT. The nucleus of this regiment was the National Light Infantry of Pottsville, which was the first military company to offer its ser vices to the government on the outbreak of the rebellion. The history of the company in the three months' service is given elsewhere. In the fall of 1861 the regiment was raised, with its camp near Pottsville. It joined the OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 97 Army of the Potomac, and by a brilliant charge on June 26 saved a part of the army from destruction. It was engaged at Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellors ville, Gettysburg, in the Wilderness battles, around Petersburg and in the Shenandoah val ley campaign. The 96th was mustered out September 22, 1864. The muster roll of the regiment, with addi tions made by recruiting, is as follows : Regimental Officers. Colonel, Henry L. Cake. Lieutenant-col onel, Jacob G. Frick. Major, Lewis J. Mar tin. Adjutant, M. Edgar Richards. Quarter master, Charles Sailor. Sergeant-major, John Harlan, Jr. Quartermaster sergeant, John A. Schweers. Commissary sergeant, J. J. Damp- man. Hospital steward, John Rodgers. Sur geon, Daniel W. Bland. Assistant surgeon, Washington Nugent. Chaplain, Rev. Samuel F. Colt. Ensign, John Vanhollen. Band. Principal musician, N. J. Rehr. Drum- major, H. K. Downing. H. G. Wallbridge, Christian Ferg, A. F. Wallbridge, C. Bodman, H. M. Law, H. Bodman, H. Hoffman, J. W. Morgan, Fidel Fisher, A. B. Wallbridge, W. McDaniel, H. Wallbridge, G. V. Roehrig, J. Ward, C. Oberlies, A. Smith, H. C. Shoe ner, J. Bodefeld, J. N. Lauer, S. H. Parker, J. Kepley, A. Pfaltzgraf, C. Trout. Company A. Officers. — Captain, La Mar S. Hay. First lieutenant, William F. Huntzinger ; second, J. Albert Saylor. Sergeants — Ernst Sauer- brey, Edward Thomas, Charles F. Hoffman, Frank Simpson, Jonas M. Rich. Corporals — Mark Walker, Henry Gearing, Thomas G. Houck, Frank Hanley, Alexander Smith, Wil- 7 liam Britton, JohnStodd, John Donegan. Mu sicians, George Wertley, Edward Niese. Wagoner, Warren Crossland. Privates. — James Bartholomew, George Brazer, William Brown, William Beynon, George Bownwell, Richard Brennan, Henry C. Boyer, Thomas Brown, John Berdanier, Francis Brennan, Michael Carroll, William Charlton, William Dress, William Daniels, Dallas Dampman, Jonas J. Dampman, George DeCoursey, Joseph F. Dengler, Jacob M. Dewald, Luther Dufer, John Dentzer, James Donegan, William Edwards, Edward Ebert, John Endly, John Ellis, John Frazier, Ed ward Fenstermacher, Thomas Farr, John Ferry, Elijah Gloss, John Garragan, Charles H. Grieff, Joseph Gee, William Gould, Joseph Goldsworthy, August Garber, Levi Gloss, John Hartline, John H. Higley, Leybrand Hoffman, Daniel Hartline, Emanuel Henry, Edward Hayes, James Holi^ter, Thornton B. Hanley, John Hendley, James Hopestein, James K. Hess, John Hummel, William E. Hay, Gomer Jones, John Jones, Samuel Kiswick, Caleb Kinzi, John Kleininger, Edward Kemp, Michael Leary, Daniel Linden muth, Joseph Lindenmuth, William F. D. Lord, John Laf- ferty, Edward Linnen, Michael Larkin, Wil liam Lal"kin, Jacob Ledich, Matthew Morrell, George W. Mennig, John Madison, Daniel McCoy, Edward McCormick, James P. Gin- nis, Michael Nash, Henry Neatheimer, Chaun- cey K. Nugent, Hugh B. Nugent, James O'Donald, John Omar, Clement D. Potts, David Prichard, John Propts, Henry Reich- ard, Sylvester C. Rice, Alexander Rodgers, John Rodgers, Henry Reinhard, Robert T. Rigg, John Reed, Charles J. Redcay, August Refraw, Stonefield, John Simpson, Henry Simpson, Edward Smith, John Ster ling, Frank Strouse, William Smith, Terence BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY F. Smith, Emanuel Templin, John Thompson, David Welsh, William Weand, Frederick F. Wade, Henry Warnick, John Ward, Nicholas Yost, Charles Zerbe. Company B. Officers. — Captain, Peter A. Filbert. First lieutenant, Ernest T. Ellrich ; second, Levi Huber. Sergeants — John Van Hollen, Lewis Luckinbill, Charles J. Shoemaker, John A. Schweers, Paul H. Barr. Corporals — David Huber, Daniel Bonawitz, Jacob Geier, Eras mus W. Reed, Frederick A. Snyder, Gregory Rothman, Frederick Kline, Edward T. Jones. Musicians, William Lehman, Joseph Keeler. Clerk, Frederick E. Stees. Wagoner, Joseph Schwartz. Privates. — William Adcock, Joseph Aich, Charles Bast, John Bonawitz, Breiti- gan, Samuel Bell, Franklin Bridegum, Joseph Bower, John Berdania, Martin Brannan, Peter Brenner, Jacob Bonawitz, Jacob Bast, Charles W. Berger, Thomas A. Brown, Andrew Bucher, John Birckenbach, Jr., William Brit ton, Peter Barr, Joseph Banner, Michael Bleckle, William Clemens, Peter Clemens, Jacob Christ, Charles Chaundy, Martin Cary, John Collahan, Alexander Dubbs, Victor Dubbs, August Dorschki, Henry Ecker, Jo seph Eick, William Fritz, Joseph Fessler, Ir win Fessler, William H. Filbert, Henry A. Fry, Henry Ferst, Reuben Fertig, Joseph Fisher, Jacob Gnoreck, Andrew Glennan, Richard H. L. Goebell, John Grossen, Nicho las Grosz, John Herbert, Henry Hehn, Henry Hartenstein, John E. Harvey, Franklin Har vey, John Hardenack, Jacob Huber, Jr., John Hornish, Henry I. Keefer, William Kutz, Lewis'Kotchin, James Keesey, Jacob H. Keif- fer, Reuben Kaercher, Marcus Luckinbill, Wil liam A. Leffler, John Lewis, Bernhard Litman, Matthew Lambert, George Langben, Cornelius McNulty, Peter McMannmin, John McGarrity, Peter McOnenny, John McDonnel, James Mc- Girr, Andrew Martin, John Matten, William Mangold, Daniel Martin, Solomon Moyer, Jacob L. Mennig, Joseph Mennig, Joseph Moreheiser, Charles Miller, Henry Miller, John Miller, George Hagle, Jacob Oarther, James Owens, Henry Oarther, Moritz Oes- treich, John Purcel, Richard Rahn, William Reiweld, Isaac Reed, Reuben Rishel, John Reed, Israel Reed, William B. Reinhcehl, Peter Redinger, George Remer, Ferdinand Rein hard, Thomas Scanlen, Michael Shawnessy, Jacob B. Snyder, William Shirk, Henry Sterner, Jeremiah Sterner, Joseph Sterner, Frederick Seigel, Frederick Seiber, William B. Snyder, Christian Seibert, John Thornish, Charles Tomas, William Tovey, Charles F. Umben- hauer, Francis Vaughn, August Wolf, Jacob Wanner, Levi Wolf, Albert Wike, Charles Williams, John Wetzell, Henry Zimmerman. Company C. Officers. — Captain, William H. Lessig. First lieutenant, Isaac E. Severn; seond, Samuel R. Russell. Sergeants — Edwin L. Severn, Alex ander ^ Allison, William Buckley, Louis A. Bruns, Henry Fisher. Corporals — William Freast, Jacob Epting, James B. Oliver, David Williams, David E. Rishel, Hugh Stevenson, Thomas Hilton, George W. Holder. Drum mer, Elias B. Trifoos. Fifer, Stephen Jones. Wagoner, John H. H. Hanley. Clerk, Edward J. Phillips. Privates.— John Allison, John Alles, John Allen, Joseph Ashworth, John Billey, John W. Balliet, Joseph Beadle, Arthur Brannagan, William Brannan, Sylvanus Bishop, Charles Bast, William Beadle, Louis Bocam, James Boyd, John Brobst, Patrick Burns, Jphn J. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 99 Crosland, Martin Curry, John W. Curry, Nich olas Dindorffi George Delgar, David Davis, William Davenport, John Davis, Samuel Davis, George W. Farrel, John Frazer, Samuel Fisher, John Fisher, George W. Foltz, Charles C. Fox, James Flaney, Henry Groatman, Thomas Garis, William Hay, Bryan Haley, John Hart man, Joseph Hober, John W. Hall, James Jennings, Jenkin Jones, John F. Kluck, Fran cis Knittle, William Kind, David Kuhns, Christopher Kane, James Lafferty, Hugh I. Lynch, William Miller, Franklin Matz, Saul McMinnzie, William Milnes, Amos Merker, William Madara, John McCaffrey, Edward McAndrew, John Moore, John Noble, John Nimelton, Thomas Oliver, John Paul, Henry Rittman, August Richter, Joseph Rarig, Pat rick Reagan, Reuben Rishel, Thomas Rad- burn, Charles Shelly, Augustus Smith, Jacob Saylor, John Suddon, Emanuel Saylor, George Saylor, Martin Sipe, Henry Stubblebine, Mar tin Spence, Boas G. Smith, Gabriel Schollen- berger, John Simpson, Edward Thomas, David Thomas, Alexander Yost, Thomas Williams, Perry Watts, James Wolfinger. Company D. Officers, — Captain, John T. Boyle. First lieutenant, Zaccus P. Boyer; second, John T. Hammer. Sergeants — Amos Forceman, Ira Troy, Charles Beaumont, Ezra Hendley. Cor porals — William Henry, George Leech, Wil liam Hart, James Sands, James Scofield, Thomas D. Price, James Gough, George W. Thompson, William Morris Lashorn. Clerk, Michael A. Welsh. Drummers — John Price, Robert L. Wright. Wagoner, William Mc- Glone. Privates. — William Adcock, John Boyle, William Becker, Jonas Becker, Charles Bur ton, John Black, Thomas Campbell, William Campbell, Kyram Comefort, William Cooper, John Cunningham, John Carr, William Corby, F. N. Douden, Edmund Davis, John Daugh erty, James Doyle, David Evans, David Ed wards, P. Ferfao, Edward Freel, Samuel Fred ericks, Joseph Farrel, T. Grant, Jno. Geeen- wood, J. T. Hannum, Elijah Hart, Jacob Hart, Frederick Heitzer, James Hughes, Edward Henry, William P. Jones, Enos Jones, Thomas Jones, William Jones, William Kenley, George Kepler, Luke Kelly, Jacob Krauch, Gomer Llewellyn, David Lewis, John Morgan, Wil liam W. Moyer, Thomas Morgan, Patrick Morrisey, John Mort, William Moffit, Edward Mason, John McGlone, Milton Moyer, Charles Newton, William Prasser, Dennis Purcell, Henry Peckmon, Thomas Reese, George Ritzel, John Stewart, Samuel Seitzinger, Mich ael Sands, George Symons, Thomas Shuttle- worth, Cornelius Shooelin, Walter Thomas, George A. Thomas, Jones Vonderslice, Elias Walters, Daniel Wolff, John L. Williams, David D. Williams, Thomas D. Williams, Thomas Wickersham. Company E. Officers. — Captain, James Russel. First lieutenant, John S. Oberrender; second, John F Robins. Sergeants — Charles C. Russel, Philip W. Cool, Thomas H. Reed, William Mayberry, Evan Thomas. Corporals — Wil liam Whitebread, John Kelly, Nathan Santee, Edward Moncton, Henry Quinn, Stephen Horn, William W. Cares, William Zigler. Musicians — John Waters, George Sterling. Wagoner, John Augustine. Privates. — John A. Aixler, James B. Ayres, John Black, Cyrus Burkhart, John P. Brennan, John D. Brennan, Reuben Boyer, Henry S. Best, Reuben Balliet, John Balliet, William Bar, William Bennie, Josiah Balliet, John 100 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Crowley, Thomas Comerford, Martin Carey, Samuel Davis, Patrick Dunn, Lewis Frantz, Lewis Frederick, John Foley, Herbert Fletcher, Emanuel Fry, Ferdinand Fry, William George, Thomas Geinen, Stephen Gross, Charles Geti- kee, Henry Hoffman, Aaron Hettinger, David Howard, Joseph Huber, John H. Hamer, As- bury Johnson, Joseph W. Jarrard, Jacob Jones, William H. Kuhns, Albert Klinger, Wil liam Kirk, Eli Kener, Francis Kemp, Zach- arias Kramer, Morgan Lukenbill, Samuel Seiwel, Abraham Schleppy, Jacob Smith, Samuel Mumaw, Michael Mackey, James P. McGinnes, John Merril, James Muldowney, John Miller, Benjamin Mitchel, Daniel McColl, Samuel McAffee, James Nicholas, Michael Naughton, John Naughton, John N. Oberren- der, Edward Oplinger, Edward Onspoch, Charles Pallen, John S. Painter, John Pope, Henry Roth, James S. Russel, William S. Ramsey, William Riley, Nicholas Spohr, Cyrus Shearer, Adolphus Steigner, Peter Smith, Wil liam Sharg, Gustavus G. Schollenberger, Wil liam E. Stookey, James Sands, William Trout, Otto G. H. Vogel, Daniel Wallen, Daniel Woodring, Henry Weigner, Jacob W. Wood- ring, Jeremiah Weaver, Mark Whitebread, Jeremiah Woodring, Joseph Yost. Company F. Officers. — Captain, Joseph Anthony. First lieutenant, John Dougherty ; second, Charles Dougherty. Sergeants — Michael Boland, Den nis Carrol, James Casey, John Brennan, Thos. Tremble. Corporals — Thomas Tracy, Philip Reilly, Richard Walsh, Robert Borland, James Brady, William McAlister, Aaron Williams, Patrick Sullivan. Musicians — William Moor- head, Solomon Spohn. Privates. — Edward Anspach, Michael Ary, Michael Boren, Daniel Boren, Thomas Boren, George Barnes, Anthony Barnes, Francis Blizzard, Uriah Barry, John Boyle, Edward Britt, David T. Brown, John Broms, Patrick Curtin, Michael Cavanaugh, Michael Carrol, Samuel Cowley, Michael Connery, Timothy Curtin, Thomas Curry, Jerry Daneen, James Durkin, James Dunnigan, William Duyer, Patrick Dooley, John Donahue, Patrick Fer- rence, Jr., Daniel Faust, Bonaparte Fell, Ed ward Ford, M. Flemming, Hugh Glacken, Patrick Glennon, Andrew Glennon, Philip Gouldin, John Healy, Sr., John Healy, Jr., Martin Hamburg, Bernard Horan, Francis Harris, William Hifferon, John Higgins, John Healy, Jeremiah Hartness, John Hauly, Daniel King, William Kirk, Patrick Kennedy, James Keating, Rodger Kain, Michael Cavanaugh, George Lee, Michael Leary, Edward Moor- head, Thomas Marshall, Andrew Martin, Daniel McCole, Michael Moran, William Moran, Michael McBride, Luke McKall, Patrick Martin, Alexander Marshall, James Muldowney, Bernard Mathew, Sylvester Mad- dock, William Manates, Patrick Nevins, Dom inick O'Donnell, John O'Donnell, Edward Phillips, James Purcell, Thomas Purcell, Pat rick Powers, John Quinn, William Quirk, James, Ruddy, Michael Ryan, Lawrence Ryan, John T. Simpson, William Smith, Edward Shere, Daniel Sweeney, Cornelius Shonelin, John Salmon, Edward Shilds, Thos. Thomas, John Tremble, James Whelan, John Ward, Patrick Ward, John Welsh. . Company G. Officers. — Captain, James N. Douden. First lieutenant, Jacob W. Haas ; second, A. S. Fesig. Sergeants — Frank N. Douden, John Williams, Jacob Allvord, Benjamin B. Wag ner, William H. Fesig. Corporals — Amos Kuntzleman, Jonathan Bear, Jacob K. Bueh- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 101 ler, Henry Keiser, John C. Gratz, Alfred D. Hans, Layayette Billig, James M. Feree. Musicians — James Zulich, Joseph Workman. Wagoner, Nathan Herb. Privates. — Julian Bade, Edward Blanch, John Borkelbach, Samuel Coley, Lewis I. Fey, John L. Grim, John Gloss, John Goodfellow, George Heebner, Frank Harrison, John Kel- legher, John McCormick, Jacob Nice, William Reynolds, Fred. Sell, Abraham Strawser, Peter Senger, William W. Thompson, Mark Trifoos. Company H. Officers. — Captain, Charles D. Hippie. First lieutenant, Henry Royer; second lieutenant, William J. Martz. Sergeants — William E. Reilly, William H. Davis, Jacob Brubaker, George E. Hughes, Joseph S. Johnson. Cor porals — Daniel B. Hartline, Henry F. Hun- sicker, John S. Keely, John M. Hughes, John K. Fernsler, Charles S. Colt, Joseph Monday, Cornelius McNulty. Musicians — Francis Reed, Charles Yost. Wagoner, Conrad Bordell. Privates. — David Alvord, Wm. Ashenfelter, Jr., Wm. Britton, Martin Brennan, James Bas- sington, Saml. Brobst, John Brobst, Napoleon Bickleman, Nicholas Bower, Christian Biddle, Adam Bordel, John Boyer, Emanuel Conrad, John Cavenaugh, James Carl, Patrick Callen> Daniel Campbell, Terrence Cunningham, Mat thew Cosgrove, James Carrol, John Caligan, John Carfield, William H. Crossland, Edward Conrad, Romanus Conrad, Morris Clancy, John Cleary, Richard Davis, Dennis Delaney, Daniel Davis, George W. Dull, John Don nelly, William S. Evans, Daniel Engle, Richard Evans, Jonathan Erdman, John E. Evans, Anthony Fisher, Patrick Fell, William H. Fox, Peter Friece, John H. Fink, Charles Fell, John Fuller, Daniel Faust, Joseph Gee, Jacob Gross, Thomas Garber, Philip Grater, JosephT. Haldeman, Edward Hudson, Michael Haus, John Hasset, John Haley, Charles Haley, Frederick Hoy, Charles W. Hillegas, William Horn, Benjamin K. Hendricks, David W. Jenkins, Reuben Kaercher, Charles Kline, Daniel Kaercher, Joseph Kennedy, Martin Kelly, Henry P. Koons, Levi Kistler, Hiram Kimmel, George Kenley, John M. Lehman, Jacob Lettich, Henry H. Lutz, David Lamp- block, Richard Meek, Patrick McDonald, William Manear, Ephraim Moser, Patrick Mallon, Thomas L. Morgan, Thomas Morgan, Albert H. Macknet, Daniel F. Mattis, Jeremiah Miller, James Murphy, David Mellon, Aaron Miller, Michael McCormack, William Nether- wood, William Ortner, Joseph Pasco, Patrick Quinn, Charles Schanty, Henry Seifert, Chris tian Seiver, Francis Strouse, Joseph Sterner, Samuel Shissick, John F. Stidham, John Sent- man, James Shunk, John Shone, Frederick Sherry, William Sponsaler, Joseph Snyder, William D. Trout, James M. Treichler, David P. Thompson, Oliver G. Treichler, Frank R. Umbenhaur, Patrick Virdow, Perry Watts, John G. Weldon, Thomas Walker, Frank Whetstone, Henry Weon, William T. Williams, William D. Yerger, Daniel D. Zollers, Charles B. Ziegler, Oliver J. Ziegler, Solomon Zimmer man. Company I. Officers. — -Captain, Isaac M. Cake. First lieutenant, Matthew Byrnes; second, J. A. Hennessey. Sergeants— John Bowles, John Killeen, Francis Canfield, Francis McGurk, Michael Mackey. CorPorals — William Irving, Michael Keating, Henry Russell, James Mc- Carrol, John Haley, Patrick Curran, James Sexton, Elijah Andrews. Musicians — Peter Kelly, Henry Law, Thomas Burk. Wagotier, Adam Red. Privates. — Peter Brennan, James Barry, 102 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY James Burns, Thomas Burns, Thomas Brown, Thomas Boyle, Thomas Bainbridge, John Brennan, William Brown, Thomas Bannister, Thomas A. Brown, Michael Blecker, James Creamer, Ethan Crandle, John Crawford, Michael Callahan, Patrick Carl, Thomas Mor gan Cadwalader, William Cusack, Patrick Carrol, Thomas Canton, James Curley, Patrick Curran, Thomas Callahan, James Conlan, John Dalton, JohnDooley, Samuel Davidson, Jere miah Dinert, William Broyer, Edmund Davis, William Irvin, C. Evans, Patrick Ferns, John Farrel, Martin Foyles, Patrick Gavin, John Gleeson, Patrick Gallagher, Daniel Galahan, James George, James H. Higley, Emanuel Hewne, Brian Haley, John Harper, Stephen Horan, John Hobbs, John Hibbard, John Haley, John Harlan, Sr., William Irving, Lewis Kotchin, Patrick Kerns, John Cava naugh, Morgan Kennedy, James Kramer, John Keegan, James King, John Liman, Mar tin Langton, Joseph Minnich, William Mc Donald, James McArdle, William Menear, Richard McNamara, Patrick Morris, James McDevit, John Morret, Thomas Morney, Peter McAmany, Thomas Morgan, John Mul- lin, Lawrence McGrath, Manus Mahaffey, Thomas McCormack, Thomas A. Nixon, Thomas Naughton, William Nixon, « Peter O'Donnel, Timothy O'Connor, Morris Oes- truht, Michael O'Brian, James Owens, Patrick Owens, Dominick O'Donnel, John Purcell, James Purcell, Patrick Purcell, Thomas Ross, Thomas Reilly, James Ruddy, Michael Ryan, John Straham, Michael Sweeney, Fred. Seigle, Charles Sarney, Michael Shoughency, Thomas Scanlan, Daniel Sweeney, John Sullivan, John Samon, Jeremiah Sullivan, James Tye, Francis Vaughn, John Whalen, David Williams, John Williams, William Weakline. Company K. Officers.— Captain, Richard Budd. First lieutenant, George G. Boyer; second, Neill Coyle. Sergeants — Peter Houck, William Burke, Patrick Brennan, Patrick McGee, An drew Anderson. Corporals — Patrick Conville, James Cantfield, William Brennan, Thomas Burns, James E. Toban, Patrick Delank, Thomas Moore, James E. Toban. Musicians Joseph Rutledge, Michael McMullen. Wag oner, Daniel Lawler. Privates. — William Ablewright, Elisha An drews, John Booth, William Brown, Michael Butler, Andrew Brennan, John Brennan, Geo. Brennan, Francis Boland, Daniel Boren, Rob- bin Boyle, Patrick Birney, Thomas Bergan, John Broderick, Larry Bradley, William Budd, John Collins, John Crawford, Michael Cant field, John Cavenaugh, Thomas Cocklin, Kearon Comerford, Jeremiah Curn, William Curn, Timothy Conners, John Conners, James Derrah, Edward Donley, Thomas Dudley, William Darraugh, Luke Delaney, Philip Delaney, Patrick Downey, Patrick Fay, Patrick Ford, Patrick Fagan, John G. Farrel, John Farrel, Michael Flyn, Thomas Gribben, James Gallagher, Edward Gallagher, Daniel Galla gher, Barnet Gribben, Jacob Graeff, John Hern, John Hollan, Andrew Hughes, Domi nick Hart, Thomas Holloran, John Holloran, Michael Holloran, John Jenkin, James John ston, Andrew Keyes, James Kerney, John Kelly, John Love, Patrick Laddin, John Law ler, John J. Lawler, Thomas Lawler, Patrick McLane, John Maley, William Moffet, Frank McMeaghey, Hugh Mullen, Richard Mack, Frank McKahia, Barney McMichael, Patrick McAllister, James McGuigan, Barney Mc- Mulligan, Henry McGrath, Patrick McGlenn, Michael McCarty, Patrick Maly, Michael Mullin, Thomas Martin, Martin O'Brian, James OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 103 O'Donald, John Purcell, John E. Purcell, Michael Quinn, John Quinn, John Ryan, Reece Reece, Lawrence Ryan, Ferdinand Reinhardt, George B. Rice, Anthony Sheri dan, James Shields, James Tobin, Timothy Whalen, James Wilson, Patrick Welsh, Charles Westner. A number of the veterans of this regiment re-enlisted, and it received recruits to some extent, but not enough to enable the regiment to retain its organization at the expiration of its term of service in August, 1864. At that period the members were mustered out of service, with the exception of the following re-enlisted veterans and recruits. Their organ ization was called the " Ninety-sixth Battalion, P. V.," and was temporarily attached to the 95th regiment. There were two companies — E and L — as follows : Recruits and Re-enlistments, Company E- Officers. — First lieutenant, Frank W. Simp son ; second, Chas. C. Russell. Sergeants — John W. Hughes, Philip W. Cool, William Smith, Joseph Gee, Reuben Balliet. Cor porals — William Beynon, William Daniels, Daniel T. Wallen, William D. Traut, John Foley, Lewis Frederick, John Miller, James M. Denn. Musicians — George Sterling, Solo mon Spohn. Privates. — James Bartholomew, John Berd- nia, William Brown, William Britten, George Barnes, Levi Bittenbender, Henry Buff, Levi Buchman, William Bell, James N. Canfield, Mashloc Clifton, Martin Cary, Stephen Dresher, Jeremiah Derneer, John Donegan, Christian Earnst,'John Evans, Henry A. Fry, Edward Ford, George K. Fry, Charles C. Fox, Aaron F. Hettinger, George H. Hartman, Reuben Heller, James Hollister, David Howard, David Jones, Levi Klinger, Jeremiah Klinger, Joseph Keeler, George Kromas, Levi Kromas, Elias Kisppaugh, George Londsedle, John Lafferty, William Leffler, Adolph Lutz, Bernard Lit- man, Matthew Lambert, Daniel Martin, Ed ward W. Miles, Alexander Marshal, Stephen Mensinger, Samuel Martz, Matthew Morrel, Joseph Ming, Samuel Muman, John McNulte, Henry Neathamer, Richard Noble, David Nans, Charles Paden, Thomas Purcell, William S. Ramsey, James Sands, Peter Stair, John T. Simpson, George Stegner, Sylvester Symns,- Samuel Seiwell, Tilman Seiwell, Jos. Schwartz, John Thompson, Emanuel Templer, John Washburn, John Whetzel, Michael A. Welsh, Henry Woodring, William Woodring, Jacob Wright, Libert J. Welsh. RECRUITS AND RE-ENLISTMENTS, COMPANY L. Officers. — First lieutenant, Lewis Lucken- bill. Sergeants — William Curren, John Sulli van, John Welsh, Charles Fisher. Corporals — Arthur Brannegan, James Soye, Thomas Gribben. Musician, James Zulich. Privates. — Wm. Adcock, Thomas Becker, Lawrence Bradley, John Broderick, James Carlin, William H. Crosson, George W. Dull, Patrick Downley, John Donnelly, Hugh Gar rigan, Charles Haley, Dominic Hart, Jacob Kranch, John Cavanaugh, Gomer Llewellyn, John Lannan, Paddy Laddy, Thomas Moor, Thomas L. Morgan, James Murphy, John McCarty, Lawrence McGrath, Adam Reb, Charles Shelly, J. Salmon, Solomon Zimmer man. Other Recruits. In addition to the above are the following names of men of Schuylkill county who en listed in the regiment in the spring of 1864 : James Brennan, William H. Bell, Edward Comford, Thomas Fogarity, John Follman, Michael Gallagher, Daniel Hennessey, John 104 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Luke, Michael Mack, John Murray, Michael Murphy, Thomas Maley, James Moran, Mat thew Muldowney, Michael P. O'Brian, Hugh O'Brian, John O'Brian, James O'Neal, Patrick Ryan, James Ryan, John Sullivan, William Treiny, Charles Woodford. Casualties. In the battles of South Mountain and An tietam : Killed.— Lewis S. Martin, John Dougherty, Co. F; Sol. McMinzie, Co. B; Gomer Jones, Co. A. ; Martin Sipe, Co. C ; Thomas Reese, Thomas D. Williams, Co. D; Otto G H. Vogle, Co. E; Thomas Heines, Co. G; Chris tian Beidle, John Haley, Henry Z. Koons, John Sentman, Oliver G. Treichler, Charles B. Ziegler, Co. H ; William Weaklin, George James, Co. I; Patrick McAllister, Barney McMichael, Co. K. Wounded. — Edward Thomas, Co. A ; John Van Hollan, Co. B : Alexander Allison, Thos. Oliver, Co. C ; Joseph S. Johnson, George E. Hughes, Co. H ; Frank Hanley, Co. A ; Thos. Hilton, Co. C ; Patrick Sullivan, Co. F; Rich ard Brennan, Edward Fenstermacher, Caleb Kinzi, Edward McCormack, Co. A; John Frazer, Charles Bast, Hugh Lynch, David Thomas, Arthur Branagan, Co. C ; John Carr, William Campbell, Co. D ; Benjamin Mitchell, Co. E ; Michael Connery, Andrew Glennon, John O'Donnell, Thomas Tracy, Francis Har ris, Co. F ; Joshua Strasser, Joshua Workman, John D. Grim, James Kaercher, Louis Fritz, Joel Bard, Abraham Strasser, Robert D. Weaver, Israel Strasser, Co. G ; William Horn, John Cleary, David P. Thompson, David Mellon, Aaron Miller, Michael McCor mack, Jeremiah Miller, David D. Jenkins, Thomas L. Morgan, William Ortner, Patrick Fell, Peter Triese, Anthony Fisher, Co. H ; John B. Davis, Thomas Boyle, Peter McAn- nany, Daniel Sweeny, Manus McAffrey, Boyd S. Campbell, Michael Callahan, John Lennon, Co. I; Jeremiah Curran, Thomas Gribbon, Patrich Welsh, Patrick Delaney, Michael Mc Carty, John Broderick, Barnett McMulligan, Jacob Graeff, John Hollan, Charles Westher, Patrick Conville, John G. Farrell, Patrick Fay, Michael Holleron, Co. K. In the battle of Chancellorsville : Killed. — Evan Thomas, Company E ; Michael Mackey, Company I; William Ma- dara, Company C ;" James Schofield, Company D ; D. Hartling, Company H ; Joseph Fess ler, Company B ; Michael Connery, Thomas Purcell, Company F; Martin Kelly, Peter Fries, William Kloss, Joseph T. Holderman, John Coffield, Company H; John Farrell, Company K. Wounded.^— Lieutenant Van Hollan, Com pany B ; A. Allison, Company C ; John Oberrender, Company E ; Thomas Brown, Thomas Houck, Company A; H. P. Barr, Company B; William Freast, Company C ; Frank Dondin, Company G ; Jacob Brubaker, Company H ; John Bower, Company F ; John H. Higley, Company A ; D. E. Reshell, Com pany C ; Charles Newton, Company D ; La fayette Billig, Company G ; John Keely, C. Robb, Company H ; Brennan, Com pany K ; William Daniels, John Stodd, Ed ward Lennon, Company A ; Jer. Sterner, Charles Williams, Charles Sterner, Company B ; John Davis, Henry Shebblebine, Martin Spence, Company C ; Luke Kelly, John Black, Edmond Davis, Walter Thomas., John L. Williams, Company D; Daniel McCall, Jacob Smith, Peter Smith, Mark Whitehead,' Com pany E; James H. Hayes, Hugh Glackin, Hugh Keenan, John O'Donnell, Company F; John Shollenberger, Edwin Moyer, John S. Rentx, Lewis Fritz, John Perkey, Company OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 105 G; Daniel Campbell, Michael McCormick, Henry H. Lutz, Oliver J. Zeigler, H. J. Eve land, Napoleon Breckleman, James Brassing- ton, Company H ; Lawrence McGrath, James Coulter, Walter Kenney, Boyd S. Campbell, Thomas Scanlin, Company F; Thomas Martin, Thomas Moore, Barney Griffin, Company K. Missing. — David Pritchard, Company A; Henry Fisher, Company C ; John Allison, Company C ; George Brazier, William Brown, Company A ; Jacob Bast, Joseph Eich, Lewis Kothey, James Kesey, Joseph Merchciser, Company B; John Miller, Company E; Mor ris Chancey, Charles Haley, A. Long, J. R. Smith, John G. Weldon, Company H ; Joseph S. Harvey, Company I; John Brennan, John Hassett, Company K. From the 5 th to the 16th of May, 1864: Killed. — Edward Thomas, Company A ; S. Fisher, Company C; William Zigler, Francis Kemp, Company E ; Benjamin E. Wagner, James Ferree, Company G ; Wm. B. Reinoehl, Company B ; Geo. Delker, Company C ; James Gough, Company D ; Josh. Workman, Com pany G; William Brennan, Company K; James Sexton, Alexander Smith, John Stodd, Company A; Andrew Bucher, H. J. Keefer, Company B ; J. Davis L. A. Bruns, Company C; Samuel McAfee, Jacob Wright, William Woodring, Solomon Moyer, Company E ; Bartholomew Haffey, John Harley, Jr., Com pany F ; Frank Workman, James Betz, Com pany G ; John H. Stedham, Daniel Campbell, Company H ; Patrick Kelly, Company I ; Thomas Lawler, Martin O'Brien, James Mo ran, Company K. Wounded. — E. J. Phillips, Company F ; E. L. Severn, Company K ; John S. Obearender, Company E ; Joseph Johnson, Company H ; Michael Mackey, Company I ; P. H. Barr, Company B ; George Foltz, James B. Oliver, Company C ; Ezra Hendley, Company D ; John Ixler, Company E ; Philip Reilly, Wil liam McAllister, Company F ; John Williams, Jacob Allword, Company G; William Able- white, Company K ; Wm. Bynoon, Company A ; John E. Harney, John Hardnack, F. A. Sndyer, Company B ; Chas. Fisher, Company C ; John Foley, James M. Denn, Company E Bonny Fell, Patrick Martin, Company F ; J Jerome Muller, Company G ; John Shan Joseph Mudey, John Boyer, Company H John Sullivan, Company I ; Delaney Company K; William Brown, John Done gan, John Folener, Edward Fenstermacher Daniel Hartleih, Henry Neadhannuers, Nicho las Yost, Matthew Morell, James Lee, Com pany A; Joel Wanner, Vict. Dubbs, Joseph Minnig, Wm. A. Leffler, Joseph Sterner, Wm. Mangold, Fred. Reinhard, Wm. Britten, Jos. Eich, Sol. Moyer, Company B ; John Evans, Martin Currey, John Hartman, John Simpson, Cyrus Shearer, Martin Carey, Adolph Lutz, Jacob Saylor, Wm. Beadle, Company C ; George A. Thomas, Jacob Hart, Wm. Camp bell, Company D ; Levi Billheimer, Christian Ernst, Baron Hettinger, George Sandseidle, Richard Noble, Sam. D. Sager, Charles Shadle, Jacob Sims, Sylvester Sims, Manasses Dutter, Jesse Welsh, Enoch Hummel, George Kramer, Henry Bislien, George Stagner, Levi Bittenben- der,Wm. Ramsay, Company E ; Michael Cava- naugh.Thomas Marshall, John O'Donnell, John Haely, Sr., George Barnes, Company F ; John Beard, George C. Bear, Philip Batdorf, Joseph Balliet, Lewis Fritz, John Luke, Edward Pugh, John Schollenberger, Daniel Stahl, Israel Strasser, Company G ; Abraham Long, Henry H. Lutz, Nap. Beckleman, James Brassington, Wm. H. Grossen, Thomas Walker, Frank Whetstone, Company H ; John Samon, Timo thy O'Connor, Lawrence McGrath, John 106 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Shannon, Peter Kelly, Walter Kenney, Ethan Crandel, Company I ; Daniel Hennessy, John G. Farrell, Pat. Ryan, Samuel Bell, Andrew Hughes, Thomas Maley, Company K. Missing. — Wm. Lord, David Pritchard, Daniel Bone witz, C.F.Umbenhower, Company B; David Williams, Company C; Charles Beaumont, Samuel Seitzinger, Company D ; Chauncey Nugent, Edward McCormick, Michael Larkin, Company A ; Frank Knittle, Company C; Henry Roth, Levi Frederick, Company E ; Thomas Curry, Company F ; Joseph Workman, Eben M. Geary, Edwin Moyer, Company G ; John Reed, Company B; Edward Friel, Company D ; Casper H ut ter, Christian Kernisel, Elias Kisback, Albert Kringer, John Krammer, Richard Lutcy, John Snyder, Company E; Sylvester Maddox, Company F; Daniel Betz, Eli Hardinger, David Machemer, John Perkey, Henry Rom- berger, Henry Wrenger, David Williams, Company G; Daniel Engel, Jonathan Erd man, Company H; James Murphy, Matthew Muldowney, Company K. In other engagements : Killed. — Frank Umbenhower, Company B ; Jacob Wagner, Company E. Wounded.— Major Huber, Captain Van Hollen, Adjutant Hannum ; William McAl lister, Company I; B. Fame, Company F; Joseph Gile, Patrick McClinchey, Company A ; Samuel Fisher, John Jones, Company C ; G. Roomes, Henry Woodring, Company E ; Frank Wagner, Company G ; Thomas Grib- bin, Company K; R. S. Johnson, Fred J. Avery, Company not known. Mortuary Record. Killed, Major J. Martin. Died of Wounds, Adjutant John T. Hammon. Company A. — Killed or Died of Wounds: Edward Thomas, Jonas M. Rich, Thomas G. Houck, Gomer Jones, John H. Higley, Levi Glass, Hugh B. Nugent, Alexander Rogers, Henry Stonefield, Henry C. Simpson, Nicho las Yost, James Sexton, Alexander Smith, John T. Stodd, Chauncey K. Nugent. Died of Disease : Charles F. Hoffman, Frank Han ley, Michael Carroll, John Madison, Michael Nash, Henry Reinhart, John Reed, Elijah Gloss. Company B. — Killed or Died of Wounds: Ernst T. Ellrichs, William B. Rineacht, Joseph Fessler, Andrew Bucher, William Mangold. Died of Disease: Michael Bleekle, Charles Channely, Henry Eckler, George Nagle, Henry Sterner, William Kutz, A. Wilkes. Company C. — Killed or Died of Wounds: Alexander Allison, William Freast, John Alli son, George Delker, Martin Sipe, Samuel McMunzie, William Madara, Henry Stub- blebine, Louis A. Bruns, Samuel Fisher, John Davis. Died of Disease : James Wol- finger, John W. Hall, Alexander Martin, Alexander Rost, August Richter, William Kind, Henry Hanley, S. Bishop. Company D.— Killed or Died of Wounds : James Schofield, James Gough, Charles New ton, John Black, John Carr, William Corby, James Hughes, Thomas Rease, Jonas Van- derslice, Thomas D. Williams. Died of Dis ease : William Becker, Charles Burton, Thos. Campbell, John Dougherty, Luke Kelly, Michael Sands, Cornelius Shovelin, S. Cover. Company Y,.— Killed or Died of Wounds : William Mayberry, William Zigler, Francis Kemp, Evan Thomas, Christian Cammersel, Samuel Sager, Jacob Wright, Samuel Mc- Affer, William Woodring, Solomon Moyer, John A. Ailer, Otto G. H. Vogel. Died of Disease: Nathan Santee, Edward Mouckler, Stephen Gross, Charles Gelighe, William H. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 107 Kuhns, William C. Stookey, Joseph Yost, John Merril, J. Benzinger. Company F. — Killed or Died of Wounds: John Dougherty, Michael Boland, Dennis Carroll, R. Welsh, Patrick Ferns, Michael, Connery, John Healy, Jr.,Barth Hoffy, Thomas Marsher. Died of Disease : Patrick Kennedy, Joseph Whelan, Patrick Glennon, John Ha ley (3d). Company G. — Killed or Died of Wounds: Benjamin B. Wagner, Joseph Ferree, Joshua Workman, James Betz, Thomas Haines, Mc Coy Sargent, Frank Freen. Died of Disease : Simon Brobst, Philip Batdorf, Charles Henry Cook, Marks Trifoos, James Hill, Elias Stras ser, William Thompson, Joseph Workman, Samuel Williams. Company H. — Killed or Died of Wounds: Daniel B. Hartline, Daniel Campbell, Peter Fries, Martin Kelly, William Klass, Henry T. Koons, John Sentman, John H. Stedman, Oliver G. Treichler, Chas. B. Zergler, Christian Bidel, James Brassington, John Clarey, John Haley, Joseph T. Holdeman, Aaron Miller, Jeremiah Miller. Died of Disease: Conrad Berdel, John Coffield, Conrad Romanus, Jesse De Frehn, Daniel Karcher, Levi D. Kistler, Michael Nans, Joseph Snyder, William Spon- saler. Company I. — Killed or Died of Wounds : Francis Canfield, Martin Foyle, George James, Patrick Kelly, Thomas Scanlan, William Wickham, Timothy O'Connor, John Mor, Patrick Ferns. Died of Disease: Patrick Owens, William O'Brien, William Nixon, James H. Higley, Joseph Walderman, John Bowler. Company K. — Killed or Died of Wounds : Thomas Burns, Patrick McAllister, Barney McMichael, John Ryan, Michael Hollahan, Patrick Fay, John Farrell, William Brennan, Thomas Lawler, Martin O Brien, John Maley. Died of Disease : O'Neal Coyle, James E. Tobin, Thomas Bergen, James Canfield, Hugh Smith, John Collins, James N. Tobin, Patrick McGree, Daniel Boran, Charles Wessner, John Lawler, Philip Delaney, John Kelly. NINETY-NINTH REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. Schuylkill county had seventy-five men in the 99th regiment, whose organization was completed in February, 1862. It was engaged at Groveton, and at Fredericksburg. In the spring of 1864 a large number of the men re enlisted, and the regiment served in the Wil derness and before Petersburg. The following were from Schuylkill county : Michael Maloy, Stephen Maloy, James Dur- rah, Henry Williams, John Keim, John Kerns, John Sullivan, John Hatnmell, John Lewis, Peter Tomkinson, Charles Whitmire, Robert Thomas, James Mullhall, William R. Williams, Morgan Hughes, John Beadle, Thomas Rus sell, William Samuel Russell, John Hummel, James Rice, John McKernan, Andrew Murphy, James Toohey, John Schweider, Patrick Foley, Samuel Steelfax, James Feannery. ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTH REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. This regiment, which was organized in the autumn of 1861, received a company from Schuylkill county in January, 1864, while it was engaged in the siege of Charleston. It re turned to Hilton Head, went to Florida, and after a month came to Alexandria, Va. On the expiration of its term of enlistment the veterans and recruits were organized into a battalion," which served till the close of the war. Three men from Schuylkill county went out with this regiment : Jonathan Kennedy, Moses Nunemacher and Benjamin Miller. The following is a copy of the muster roll of the company from Schuylkill county : 108 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Officers. — Captain, J. W. Kantner. First lieutenant, W. A. Christian ; second, Elias Sassaman. Sergeants — Henry C: Boyer, Aaron King, James Moyer, Charles D. Purcell, Frank B. Graeff. Corporals — Holden Chester, James Hodgkins, William H. Roehrig, Joel Sassa man, Israel Britton, Joseph Hodgkins, John Hunlock, John Realley. Musicians — John Moyer, James Sterling. Privates. — William Alberton, James Bachart, Joseph Becker, Gideon Bilman, Francis Bream, Daniel Brobst, John Bowman, Michael M. Bachart, Samuel Baker, William Cook, Charles Campbell, Hugh Callahan, Peter Connelly, John W. Crosley, Jacob Doubenspeck, Henry J. Donahue, Edward Donagliff, Daniel Eckrcth, Edward Ebert, Daniel H. Foust, John Fero, Thomas Fay, John Fries, Aaron Froutz, Jonas Froutz, Henry Fleckinstine, Jos. Geiger, Wm. Gettis, John Hess, Frank Hollenbach, Isaac Hinckley, John Haggarty, James B. Hullehu, James Heartman, William Harting, James James, Lewis Kemmerer, Elias Kocker, Heze kiah Karshner, Francis Karshner, Samuel Koenig, Solomon Koenig, James Lorah, Ed ward Lorah, Obadiah Levan, Samuel Long, Levi R. Miller, Joseph Miller, George W. Moyer, John J. Morgan, David Morgan, David Ocker, John O'Brien, James Ormes, Thomp son Price, Robert Paugh, William Reger, John Reger, Thomas Riley, Levi Rubrecht, Benne- ville Schuck, Philip Sweigert, Wm. Swenter,. Peter Steigerwalt, Aaron Steigerwalt, James Trine, Charles Wummer, Levi Wertman, Philip Wertman, Harrison Wagner, William Zellner. ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH REGIMENT,- PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS, This regiment, organized in the spring of 1862, had about forty men from Schuylkill county. It served in the Shenandoah valley, in the Rappahannock and Rapidan campaigns, at the second battle of Bull Run, South Moun tain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellors ville, Gettysburg, and in the campaign in the valley of Virginia. In 1864, nearly the whole regiment re-enlisted, and on their return from their furlough were engaged in the campaign in front of Petersburg, at the close of the war. The regiment was discharged in July, 1865. The following were from Schuylkill county: Nathan Dinger, John Zeigler, James B. Hetherington, John Sullivan, Samuel Kraffert, John Ryan, Isaac P. Lykens, James Cochlin, John Ziegler, John M. Work, George Mander, John Weber, Captain James A. Moore, Chris tian Scheck, John M. Boyer, John Donehugh, Thomas Sullivan, Jeremiah McCarty, Edward Reilly, Patrick Kelly, Thomas Brennan, Thomas Sullivan, Harrison Wm. Mannriller, Folletin Hershman, Francis Heilner, Benne- ville Hoyer, Reuben Miller, Wendel Miller, Moses Carl, Ellis Dietrich, George Huber, Henry Heckler, Henry Hoy, Samuel Lehman, John Lehr, David Reed, Frederick Scheck, William Sterner, Nicholas Snyder, George Nagle, Philip Clouser, Lieutenant Hiram Chance, Henry Kegey, John Fox. ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTH REGIMENT- ELEVENTH CAVALRY. In August and September, 1861, the one hundred and eighth was raised, and early in 1865 about forty men from this county were placed in it after its veterans had re-enlisted. In the spring it was attached to General Sheri dan's army, and served till the close of the war. It was engaged at Five Forks and at Appo mattox Court-house. It lost in this brief cam paign three officers killed and twenty-six en listed men killed and wounded. "It captured - one hundred and ten field-pieces, forty-one mortars, six heavy guns, one hundred and twenty carriages and caissons, seven forges and a large quantity of ammunition and other stores." It was mustered out August 13 1865. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 109 Companies A and M included the following from this county : John Allen, John G. Buhl, Edward Bricer, Maner Conahan, Daniel Christian, John Hayes, Henry Holland, John Jenkins, John Owens, William D. Williams, Jonathan Becker, John Boydell, George Bell, John Botts, Nicholas Cunningham, George Carley, Alfred Dearden, John Evans Joseph J. Edwards, Winfield Fritz, John Galligher, William Griffiths, John Hen derson, William Higginson, Ralph Kirby, Henry Kelly, William Klare, Thomas Llewel lyn, James Lewis, John McDonough, Evan Morgan, Richard Newton, Edward Reese, John Seitzinger, Hugh Stride, James Thorpe, James Walters, Herman Wright, Thomas A. Wil liams, William Williams. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEENTH REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. The one hundred and sixteenth was organ ized in June and July, 1862. Company F of this regiment was in Schuylkill county in the spring of 1864. The company participated in the following engagements, according to Wal lace : Wilderness, May 5 and 6, 1864; Todd Tavern, Po River, Spottsylvania (two actions), Gaines' farm, Tolopotomy Creek, Cold Har bor, Petersburg, Williams' farm, Deep Bot tom, Ream's Station, Hatcher's Run, two raids of two days each, and Dabney's Mill. The following is the muster roll of Company F, in March, 1865 : Officers. — Captain, William A. Shoener. First lieutenant, George Reber. Sergeants — Edward S. Kline, William M. Wagner, Horace B. Klock, Daniel Moyer, Charles Maurer. Corporals — William Emerich, Daniel B. Berk heiser, Solomon Evely, Christian Dieffenderfer, Levi P. Miller, William L. Hutton, Solomon Kamp. Musicians — Jacob Schroeder, Daniel Kramer. Privates. — Wm. Aikman, David M. Adams, Benjamin Berkheiser, Franklin Brigel, Henry H. Berger, David H. Brummer, Jas. Day, John H. Dohrman, Elam Derulf, Elias Ditzler.Thos. Ditzler, Michael Dolan, Moses Evely, Semana Faust, Daniel Fahl, Gideon Freese, Daniel Henne, John G. Hahn, Albert Hendricks, Joseph M. Johnson, Reuben Kamp, Thomas Kramer, Cyrus Knapp, Francis Kramer, Sam uel Kramer, Francis S. Kramer, Josiah Koch, Jeremiah Lawrence, Jonathan Lahme, Daniel Linn, June Moyer, Charles H. Moyer, Lewis M. Miller, Albert L- Moyer, Joseph P. Mor gan, Daniel Murphy, Isaac Nyer, Jacob Rahn, Christian Reichert, Joseph B. Reber, Alfred Reinheimer, Henry Reppert, Franklin Reber, Morgan Shoener, Clayton Smith, Willoughby Woollis, Martin M. Wagner, John Wagner, Franklin Webber, William H. Webber, Frank lin Wagner, William Webber. There jvere also from Schuylkill county in this regiment, Alexander McCabe, Edward O'Brien, Daniel Drey, Isaac Herring, William Dorey, John Miller, Charles Rafferty, and others, whose names could not be learned. The casualties in Company F were : Killed in Action. — Adam Wagner, James White, Lewis Heinbach, Joshua Evely. Died of Wounds.- — Charles Reichert, Charles Houk, John A. Berger, Wm. Moser, Nathan Raush, Joseph Wagner, Richard Shoener. Died of Disease. — John J. Hanker, Levi Herring, John Freese, Peramus Hoffman, Amos Reppert, John Warner. Wounded. — Geo. Reber, Edward S. Kline, William M. Wagner, Solomon Evely, William L- Hutton, Daniel Kramer, Moses Evely, John G. Hahn, Jos. M. Johnson, Cyrus Knahn, Francis S. Kramer, Jonathan Lahme, Christ. Reichert, Alfred Reinheimer, Henry Reppert, Willoughby Woollis, Franklin Webber. Captured. — Dan Moyer, Wm. Emerich, Dan B. Berkheiser, Christ. Dieffenderfer, Jacob Schroeder, Wm. Aikman, David M. Adams, Benjamin Berkheiser, Franklin Brigel, Henry II. Berger, David H. Brummer, James Day, no BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY John H. Dohrman, Elam Derulf, Daniel Fahl, Dan Henn, Reuben Kamp, Thomas Kramer, Josiah Koch, Charles H. Moyer, Charles Moyer, Christian Reichert, Joseph B. Reber, Franklin Reber, Morgan Shoener, Clayton Smith, Martin M. Wagner, John Wagner, William Webber. In Company G the following casualties may be noted : Wounded. — Frank Leib, Abraham Faust, Samuel S. Kramer, Eli Boyer, Thos. Miller, Frank Reber, Henry Deitzler, Henry Seitzin ger, Wm. B. Hunback, George Fribey, Henry Trumbo, John Sherman, Jacob Shilthorn, Lewis De Long, Jonathan Meyer. Missing. — George Wildermuth, Adam Beachner, Peter Snyder, Wm. Hunback. THIRTEENTH CAVALRY— IRISH DRAGOONS. In this regiment (one hundred and seven teenth) were attout seventy Schuylkill county men. It was organized in August, 1862, did guard and picket duty at Point of Rocks and at Winchester, where it was engaged in the skirmish which opened the battle of Winches ter. It was in the action at Culpepper in Oc tober, 1863, and lost many prisoners. At Hawes' Shop, May 28, it was hotly engaged, and in June joined the army in front of Peters burg, and was often in action. In February, 1865, it was ordered to Wilmington, N. C, and opened communication with General Sherman. It was in an action with Hampton's cavalry, was engaged in suppressing guerrillas that infested the country near Fayetteville, and was discharged in July, 1865. From Schuylkill county were the following : Isaac Kleckner, George Huth, Lewis Leiser, Jacob Zimmerman, George Gilbert, Joseph Zimmerman, John Landig, William Andrews, Benjamin F. Thomas, Co. A ; Edward O'Shea, Levi Haldeman, Daniel Welsh, John H. Rum ble, William Calloway, J. L- A. O'Shea, Wil liam Heffner, James Thomson, John Duffy, Co. B ; John Hendricks, John Miller, Joshua H. Lutz, Jonathan Billig, Morgan Lewis, Co. D ; Fritz Bickleman, Joseph Spaats, Christo pher Rooney, Thomas Herbert, Thomas Lov- ett, James Kane, Charles Paul, Co. E ; Cor poral R. Mackechney, G. Henry, Thomas Shire, William H. Falls, John Cunious, Daniel Miller, Louis Klinger, Godfrey Smith, Jere miah Managan, James Mullen, Matthias Rhoads, William Murphy, George Craft, James Murry, James Costello, Richard Ger man, Isadoah Luck, John P Phillips, Philip Fox, S. H. Lutz, J. D. Lutz, Co. F ; Daniel Brienig, Joseph Murry, Charles Faust, John Lutz, George Richards, Jacob Kroll, James Salmon, A. H. Glassmeyer, Edward F. Smith, Michael Lynch, John Powell. ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVENTH, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. Company K, of the one hundred and twenty- seventh, was recruited in part in Schuylkill county. During its term of service the regi ment was engaged in the battles of Fredericks burg and Chancellorsville — in the former of which twelve of the men from this county were wounded. From this county were Elijah Fisher, of Company C, and the following members of Company K. Officers. — Captain, William Fox. Sergeants —Daniel Downey, Richard Bertolett, T. Henry Bechtel. Corporals— Lewis M. Yost, R. G. Luckenbill, Augustus Klock. Wagoner, Wil liam J. Barr. Privates. — Henry Aum, Samuel Bumberger, Geo. Brown, Paul Banks, Henry Berkheiser, Benj. Berger, Franklin Brigel, George Ebert, Ellis Fessler, Henry Feger, Charles Geiger, Benjamin Goebel, Charles Herbert, Elias Hautz, Jacob Hummel, William L. Hutton, Edward Heckman, Christian Hay, Edward A. Heckman, Frederick Keller, Franklin Klahr, /OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. Ill Charles F. Kantner, George Lengel, Amos Lehman, Reuben Lessig, Daniel Leidy, James I. Lush, Charles Minnich, Samuel F. Martz, Reuben Moyer, James McMaree, Charles Ma- berry, Isaac H. Pierman, Samuel F. Prigel, Dr. John Rupp, Franklin E. Ringer, Lewis B. Reber, George W. Reber, William Strausser, Samuel Schreckengus, John Strouse, Charles Springer, Jeremiah Snyder, Joseph R. Thomas, Theodore F. Upchurch, Milton Williams, John West, John Whittle. The casualties at the battle of Fredericks burg were as follows : Wounded. — Corporal William A. Klock, Paul Banks, Franklin Brigel, Ellis Fessler, Elias Hautz, William L- Hutton, Christian Hay, Franklin Klahr, Charles Minnig, Jolin Whittle. Wounded and Missing. — Edward A. Heck man, Lewis B. Reber. ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINTH REGI MENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. This regiment was organized August 15, 1862. It moved to the field of Antietam too late to participate in that battle, and in De cember reached the battle-field of Fredericks burg, where it was severely engaged, and lost in killed and wounded one hundred and thirty men. At the battle of Chancellorsville it was again engaged, and General Tyler said in his official report : " The One Hundred and Twenty-ninth was on our left, and no man ever saw cooler work on field drill than was done by this regiment. Their firing was grand — by rank, by company and by wing in perfect order." On the expiration of its term of service the regiment was mustered out. The following are the rolls of men and officers from this county : Regimental Officers. Colonel, Jacob G. Frick. . Lieutenant-colo nel, J. Armstrong. Major, Joseph Anthony. Adjutant, D. B. Green. Quartermaster, Wil liam F. Patterson. Company A. Officers. — Captain, George J. Lawrence. First lieutenant, William W. Clemens ; second, Samuel Richards. Sergeants — John S. Silver, Joseph C. Haskins, John M. Heiner, Charles F. Falls, William E. Kline. Corporals — John Matthews, Albert W. Sterner, William Dyer, George W. Wythes, Joseph Smith, George Spencer, Joseph Forney, Jacob Zimmerman. Drummer, Richard K. Levan. Fifer, Samuel Achenbach. Wagoner, Peter D. Eby. Com pany clerk, Theodore P. Frazer. Privates. — William Atkins, Mathias Ault, Samuel Allan, John Alexander, Richard Adams, John Allan, William Bannan, James Brennan, Daniel R. Bright, Harrison Bright, Jacob Berger, Charles Constantine, Samuel Confire, Peter Cloppier, Simon Clouser, Mat thew Dorrmer, William L. Davis, Abel Davis, Thomas B. Davis, David Evans, Lewis Ed wards, Edward Forney, Henry Forney, Sam uel J. Groom, Jeremiah Heckman, Stephen Harris, George Warner Heckman, John W. Hesser, Patrick Hughes, Rosser Howells, John Hollman, Joseph Heisler, William H. Howells, Benjamin Humphrey, George Hof- fenden, John James, Richard Jones, John Jefferson, Thomas James, Byron A. Jenkins, John M. Jones, William J. Jones, William D. Jones, Samuel Kunfare, Eli Lee, Lewis Labenburg, William Lyons, Charles Laramy, George Lee, Mark Lyons, Henry Lauder- man, Elias' Miller, John I. Miller, George Maize, John Mullen, Thomas Millington, Michael Mohan, Henry Miller, Barney Mc Cormick, Thomas Morgan, John Nicholas, Joshua Nixon, Thomas Owens, James O'Neal, Henry Parry, John Parry, William Robertson, 112 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Patrick Rooney, James Ryan, John S. Robins, William J. Robins, Henry S. Robins, Charles H. Roehrig, Newsome B. Robins, William Schopp, John Sutton, Albert Seltzer, John Smith, William C. Sponsler, William Sweeney, Martin Tempest, Albert Tanner, John Taylor, Henry C. Taylor, William J. Williams, James S. Wythes, Thomas H. Wythes, Edwin Webb, James S. Weiser, Peter S. Welsh, William Williams, George W. Weiser, Thomas M. Williams, Jacob Youse, John P. Zimmerman, Thomas H. B. Zulick, Jacob Zimmerman. Company B. Officers. — Captain, William Wren. First lieutenant, M. V. B. Coho; second, Jacob Parvin. Sergeants — Wm. G. DeTurk, A. G. Yeager, James Edwards, Daniel W. Freeman, Richard Jones. Corporals — John W. Coho, Joseph Bodefield, Isaac B. Rich, Francis Sin clair, Evan Humphreys, George D. Bensinger, George W. Staats, Theo. Kock. Drummer, Wm. H. Sterner. Fifer, John Stahl. Com pany clerk, George W. Keiter. Quarter master, Theodore Thorn. Privates. — William Atkins, Israel Anspach, Francis Binder, George Bedford, Peter Brown, Edward Bernsteel, Henry W. Betz, Conrad Bobb, Franklin Clark, Edward Cake, Daniel B. Crawshaw, Joseph Daddow, Griffith Davis, John H. Davies, Thomas Davis, Augustus A. Dauflinger, Shadrack R. Davis, John Davis, Charles F. Deivert, John Dudley, Richard Edwards, Edward Edwards, John Egalf, Clay W. Evans, Anthony Ferguson, John Freder icks, Patrick F. Ferguson, Eli R. Fisher, George W. Gartley, William F. Gressang, Anthony Gallagher, John George, William Gotloab, Dominick Gillespie, William F. Glime, James Grimer, William D. Guertler, William Haeffer, Edward A. Hodgson, Daniel D. Hart, William A. Helms, Constantine Hess, James Hirsch, William Hoffman, Solomon Homer, John James, John Jennings, Reuben Kline, John Knowles, Charles Kleiner, David Lewis, Daniel H. Laughlin, Thomas H. Lewis, John Major, William H. Matter, Ephraim Mattern, John McBarron, Chas. McLaughlin, William W. Mortimer, John Mitchell, John Mullen, Wm. McElrath, James Martin, David Morgan, John W. Moyer, Daniel Miller, John Miller, John Noles, Benjamin Neiman, Edward Parensteel, Francis Pinter, Jacob Powells, Thomas Probert, Isaac Purnell, Jonas M. Rich, Edward Raber, John Rigg, Thomas Riley, Samuel Rowley, Samuel Rushworth, Franklin Spohn, Francis H. Smith, Robert Smith, Frederick Sheck, August Shlotman, John F. Shoemaker, Henry Stahle, William Stodd, J. Benton Saylor, John C. Triese, Alexander Thompson, Thomas Thornton, Thomas Tracy, John S. Thomas, Richard Uren, Daniel Wallace, John Weise, George Watkins, Eli Yerger, Emil Zimmer. Company E. Officers. — Captain, E. Godfrey Rehrer. First lieutenant, William S. Allebach ; second, Robert L. Leyburn. Sergeants — Jacob H. Martz, Elijah T. Bodey, William Shoemaker, John T. Bond, Webster D. Dreher. Corpo rals — Lewis S. Boner, Jacob Roberts, Jere miah Messersmith, Charles H. Sneath, Ab salom K. Whetstone, Leonard Bowers, Pierce Bousman, George F. Becker. Drummer, Albert Moyer. Privates. — Thomas Allen, William Allen, James Beacher, Clarence E. Bailey, Jacob T. Brown, Franklin Becker, John Bear, Nathan Becker, Solomon Billman, Christopher N. Blum, James Boner, William M. Brown, John Bond, Henry Becker, James Becker, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 113 Jacob S. Bishop, Dr. George Bond, William Booth, Augustus Dorflinger, John Ditinger, Joseph Dunnegin, Samuel Day, William W. Davis, S. F. Donaldson, John Eynon, Samuel Faust, Edward Gallagher, Ernst Grover, Ed ward Gallagher, William H. Haldeman, Daniel Hartung, Amos Heine, Elias Hoppes, Benja min Houser, F. W. Houser, C. H. Hendricks, Gideon Hartung, Jonas Hile, Dr. John Horn, Joseph Houser, S. Huntzinger, William W. Johnson, E. Kauffman, Gideon Kocher, Joshua Kleckner, Henry Kleckner, Adam Krause, William Lotze, J. S. Longacre, Harrison L. Lutz, Lewis Moyer, Daniel M. Moyer, Albert W. Moyer, Alexander Miller, Daniel H. Moyer, Michael McMahon, George Nutz, Moses Neyer, James Oswald, Willoughby Reinhart, William Rex, William Reppart, David Rill, Wm. H. Reesger, August Rae- gart, D. Reicheldeifer, William H. N. Robin son, Elias Sassaman, William Schultz, Daniel Shoener, Isaac Singley, Conrad Specht, Henry Schultz, John Sheaffer, Francis H. Shoener, Elias Snyder, John L. Speece, Franklin Trout, G. W. Walker, Franklin Weythel, Asher Wommer, Jacob Wagner, John L. Wertman, John B. Wilford, David Zimmerman, Stephen Zehner, George W. Zeigler. , Company G. Officers. — Captain, Levi C. Leib. First lieutenant, Erastus M. Furman ; second, John H. Schall. Sergeants — Franklin Kluse, Geo. Bailey, Patrick Collier, Daniel Leib, Henry Boughner. Corporals — Aaron Lambertson, Stephen Reese, John Busycomer, Edward C. Murray, Michael Shopbell, Franklin Ben singer, Philip Mumberger, Joseph Fetterman. Musician, Thomas H. B. Zulick. Privates. — Alfred Ayers, John B. Boyer, Francis W. Bensinger, William F. Bensinger, Lewis Biltz, Thomas R. Bickley, Neil Con way, Charles Conner, John B. Chewllew, Gabriel Crow, Charles H. Conrad, Moses Colburn, Joseph Cobes, William Clever, Aaron Dreher, Isaac Davis, John Darr, Mark Daniels, David D. Davis, Lewis Driesbach, Samuel H. Dunkelberger, Henry Dupont, Francis Davis, John Engle, Blacious Fritz, Joseph Fetterolf, Elijah Fisher, Gregory Gill- ham, William Hull, Franklin Hollister, Theo dore Houser, Philip Huntzinger, Baltes M. Hampton, Benjamin Jones, Jacob Kerr, Luke Kelly, Andrew Kessler, Charles Krapp, John Keiper, Thomas Leam, Richard Llewellyn, Joseph Levy, Barnard Murray, Frederick Moyer, John Mann, Thomas Morris, George Major, Joshua Payne, William W. Price, George Price, John A. Phillips, Samuel Pettit, Strange J. Palmer, Augustus Reichart, Wil liam Steenhilbert, Jacob Steenhilbert, James Shannon, Adam S. Smith, Michael Shoppel, George S. Smith, Jacob Shelley, Daniel Sny der, John Shultz, Samuel Stellfox, Charles Straub, John Trerathan, Patrick Ward, George Williams, Jonas Wentzel, William Walter, William Werkel, William Williams, Samuel Zimmerman, William Zimmerman, Henry W. Zartman. Company H. Officers. — Captain, John' A. Devers. First lieutenant, William Lerch ; second, Edward Wertley. Sergeants — John B. Steel, John Wooley, George Minnes, Samuel H. Eargood, William Quoit. Corporals — John Elliott, William E. Webster, Jabez Woolley, William Bracefield, James Martin, John Walsh, George H. Lerch, Martin Tempest. Musicians — Charles H. May, Cyrus A. Schucker. Privates. — Samuel Ash, John Andrews, Wil liam Broughal, George Bracy, Charles Beau mont, Franklin Bucher, George W. Barr, 114 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Henry Bowman, John W. Brown, Peter Bumbersbach, Michael Cannon, Edward Con ner, James Conner, James Crawley, William Davis, Elias Delong, Griffith Davis, John W. Dengus, Jacob Elliott, Charles Eck, John Eldridge, Oswald Ford, Patrick Ferguson, George Freed, Lewis H. Gorgas, William Grove, John Harrison, Richard Hopkin, Peter Hain, David Howard, Wellington P. Haas> John Haslem, Joseph Halloway, Joseph Jones, Eli Lees, James Lime, Isaiah Lime, Enoch Lambert, David Lewis, Henry Lerch, John Mullin, John McCabe, Joseph McCabe, John B. McCord, John Major, Isaac Neff, Henry Orman, Tobias Oliver, William H. Osman, George H. Payne, Thomas Roe, James Rob- bins, John Roe, John Richards, Robert Reed, David Sneden, John W. Smith, William Sud den, Richard H. Shoener, William Spang, Si mon Unler, Chas. Vemont, Jacob H. Wertley. Casualties. At the battle of Fredericksburg : Killed. — J. Parvin, Co. B ; William H. Koch, Co. C ; Joseph Felterman, Co. F ; John M. Jones, John Nicholas, Thomas Millington, Co. A ; James Edwards, John C. Niese, Co. B ; George Bidwell, Edward Wilson, Co. D ; Clarence E. Bailey, Co. E ; Jeremiah Albert, Corporal Josiah J. Trausen, William W. Price, Gabriel Crow, Co. G ; Franklin Willauer, Co. K. Wounded. — Captain Lawrence, Co. A ; Wil liam Wren, Co. B ; J. K. Taylor, Co. C ; Herbert Thomas, Co. D ; E. G. Rehrer, Co. E ; L. C. Leib, Co. G ; A. A. Luckenbach, Co. C ; Joseph Oliver, Co. D ; Chas. F. Falls, Co. A; William B. McCarty, Co. C; E. F. Bodeg, Co. E; Oliver H. Armstrong, William H. Hartrell, Co. F; William Dier, Jacob Zim merman, Co. A; A. R. Scholl, Co. C; J. Bach man, Reuben Serch, Co. D ; William Aleer, Otto Wohlgemuth, Co. F; H. W. Zartman, E. C Murray, Co. G; Jabez Wooley, Co. H; George A. Simons, Co. K; Samuel Allen, John Allen, Peter Cloppier, Patrick Hughes, William E. Kline, John Robbins, Peter Welsh, Jerry Heckman, John Hohlman, William Robertson, John Taylor, Benjamin Humph reys, Co. A ; Charles F. Deibert, Edward Ed wards, Patrick F. Ferguson, William D. Guert ler, Richard Jones, Thomas H. Lewis, Samuel Rushworth, Eli Yeager, Co. B ; W. M. Whal- lon, Co. C ; Reuben Albert, Edward Alsfeldt, Burton Burrell, Paul Dormer, Isaac Fine, Irwin Hartzell, James Moyer, Frank Tomer, John Shiffer, Co. D ; Adam Krause, William Johnston, Samuel Huntzinger, George W. Zeigler, John A. Shaeffer, Jacob Wagner, Co. E; John Butz, Enos Dunbar, Robert Ellet, William Frey, David Frankerrfield, Edward Fraunfelder, Joseph Geisinger, Andrew Hoff man, Henry Hunsberger, Thomas Kelly, John Kressler, William Joy, John Maginnes, Chris tian H. Rice, Edward Transue, Joseph Wheeler, John Wallace, Co. F ; Aaron Dreher, Isaac Davis, Blazius Fritz, Andrew Kessler, Richard Llewellyn, Adam Maury, Joshua Payne, John A. Phillips, Thomas Richards, George Williams, Co. G ; William Grove, John Heslem, Peter Hain, David Lewis, John W. Dunges, Henry Bowman, Co. H; Jacob R. Weikel, George Harbst, Morris Hunsicker, Co. I; Corporal George A. Simons, William Sletor, Henry Steinmetz, Co. K. Missing. — Samuel A. Aregood, Co. H; Michael F. Schofield, Co. G ; William J. Jones, Co. A ; Peter Brown, Co. B ; Henry Benner, Samuel Bear, William W. Shelley, Co. C; Charles Barnett, Matthew McAbee, Samuel Williams, Co. D ; Christian N. Blum, Co. E ; Robert Hill, David Bruce, Derrick Atten, Co. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 115 F; Franklin Hollister, Co. G; John W. Smith, Peter Bummerbough, John Bracey, James Crawley, Ely Leese, William Davis, Richard Shoener, Enoch Lambert, Co. H. At the battle of Chancellorsville : Killed. — James Brennan, Co. A; Thomas Probers, Co. B ; John Holman, Co. E ; John R. Jones, Co. C ; David Zimmerman, Co. E. Wounded.— Major Anthony, Chas. F. Falls, Co. A; Charles Miller, Co. A; William F. Glinne, Co. B ; William H. Halderman, Co. E; Charles Eck, Co. H ; John Alexander, Byron A. Jenkins, Winsome B. Robins, Jacob Youse, William Sponsler, William Schopp, Co. A ; Corporal William F. Glime, George Watkins, William McElrath, William D. Guertler, Thos. Davis, Co. B ; Charles Luckenbach, Co. C ; Arthur Davis, William Tomer, Geo. Oberly, Co. D ; Corporal William H. Haldeman, James Oswald, Joseph Houser, George Walker, Alexander Miller, George Bond, Co. E ; Theodore Labar, Co. F; Corporal Charles Eck, Isaac Neff, Faussold Ford, James Martin, Co. H; Jacob Curry, Joseph Kalp, John J. Hausicker, Co. I ; Martin Kichline, Co. K. Missing. — Frederick Weldon, Co. C; Wil liam Spansler, Co. A ; Richard Jones, Co. B ; Joseph Donegan, Co, E; Samuel Ash, Co. H ; Reuben Fluck, Co. C. Mortuary Record. Killed or Died of Wounds. — George J. Law rence, Co. A; J. Felterman, Co. G; John M. Jones, John Nicholas, Thomas Millington, James Brennan, Co. A; James Edwards, John C Niese, Thomas Probert, Co. B; Clarence E. Bailey, John Holman, David Zimmerman, Co. E; William W. Price, Gabriel Crow, Co. G. Died of Disease.— Edward Wertley, Co. H; Joseph Heisler, Co. A; John Michael, Reuben Kline, Edward Reber, Co. B; Asher Woomer, Co. E; George Andrew Lerch, George H. Payne, Co. H. ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEVENTH PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. Company K of this regiment was from Schuylkill county. The regiment was organ ized in August, 1862, for the term of nine months. It was at Crampton' s Gap, in South Mountain, at Fredericksburg and at Chancel lorsville. The men from this county in Company K were: Michael Burns, James Brannan, James Ban- degrast, Patrick Corcoran, John P. Culloghan, Charles Conner, John Cowen, Peter Cullig- hatn, John C. Conner, James Donahue, Ed ward Donahoe, Patrick Donoho, Thomas Dor- kin, Michael Farrel, John Hailey, James Hannan, Thomas T. Hoarn, John B. Hainan, Thomas Joyce, Patrick Kelly, John Lanckton, Martin D. Langton, Roger Malarkey, Barthol omew Monahon, Captain Dennis McLaughlin, Michael Tige, Michael Tigh. ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY- FIRST REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. A large portion of Company I was recruited in Schuylkill county. It was a nine months' regiment. It went to Washington in Novem ber, 1862, and patroled a region infested with guerrillas and inhabited by traitors. At the battle of Gettysburg the regiment fought desperately and exhibited a coolness and courage rarely equalled. It lost in this fight two officers and sixty-six men killed, twelve officers and one hundred and eighty-seven men wounded, and one hundred missing. In Company I of this regiment were the fol lowing : Officers.— Captain, Wm. L- Gray. First lieutenant, H. H. Merkle ; second, C. P. Potts. Sergeants— John Cohoon, Charles Bartolett, Joseph Kanter, Thomas Morgan. Corporals— 116 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Elias Bartolett, John Buchanan, Jacob R. Haertler, Frank W. Berkheiser, John Hen dricks. Musician, Lewis Lebengood. Wag oner, George W. Coover. Privates. — Jonathan Auchanbach, Daniel Bresler, Patrick Brennan, Albert Bacon, Wil liam Delp, Daniel Dillman, Benjamin Dillman, John C. Duncan, Elias Delcamp, John Deitrich, Franklin Ehly, Adam Eichley, Daniel Fesler, Michael Fesler, Jacob Fisher, Henry Felton, William Gray, Samuel Howser, W. H. Hoff man, Commodore Hendricks, Jacob Hohmakre, Anthony Hummel, Daniel Hilbert, Charles Henrich, William Hendricks, Isaac Jones, Levi Knabb, Jacob Louby, Harvey McCarty, William Manning, John Maclure, William Moyer, Anson C. Miller, William McLaugh lin, Stephen Palsgrove, John Runkle, Jere miah Reed, Jacob Rauch, Jeremiah Starr, Samuel Schwenk, Oliver Schwartz, Peter Schnerring, William Wesner, Daniel Yeik, John Zimmerman, B. F. Zimmerman, George Zechman. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIRST REGIMENT, SIXTEENTH CAVALRY. Eighty-four men were recruited in Schuyl kill county for the 161st regiment (16th cav alry), and assigned chiefly to companies A and B. In the following spring the regiment was engaged at Hatcher's Run, Dinwiddie Court house, Five Forks, Amelia Springs, Sailor's Creek and Farmville. After Lee's surrender it went to North Carolina to the support of Sherman; then was sent to Lynchburg, where it remained till the close of its term of service. The Schuylkill county men were : Company A. Joseph S. Conrad, Thomas Canfield, Gabriel Derr, John Fisher, Israel Kramer, Jonathan D. Moyer, William Owens, Daniel Oswalt, Michael Roach, Charles Riland, Robert Smith, Evan J. Thomas, William Williams, Thomas Williams, John D. Williams. Company B. Henry Bayler, Casper Bufflap, Edward Barr, John W. Barr, George W. Clark, Thomas A. Collins, Philip A Carr, Edward Delaney, Wil- mer A. Davis, Edward Dress, William H. Deibert, Robert Ennis, Samuel Eisenhart, Moses Eierby, Edward Fox, George M. For- rer, John Gray, Henry Gehret, John Hall, William Horn, John Horn, Jr., John Houck, Sassaman Hendricks, Commodore Hendricks, Jacob E. Heatherington, John Horan, James Harrison, Daniel W. Hand, Hiram Kimmel, Henry Keen, Samuel Kreicher, David Levy, George W. Lengel, William Ley, Samuel Lin- dermuth, Patrick Lenahan, James McDonald, Michael Mease, Daniel McKinsey, Isaac Moyer, Daniel Moul, Emriguildo Marques, Samuel Minnich, Nathan Myer, Henry Pin kerton, Charles Phillippi, Charles Redmond, David Rader, Joseph Reich, Levi Rarich, George Reed, Aaron Riley, Ephraim B. Schrope, Henry Shak, John Sagar, Lewis C. Shartel, S. W. Schwartz, Joseph B. Saylor, Alfred M. Saylor, Adam Shuey, Frederick Steahley, Daniel Warts, Nathan Wagner, John Williams, Milton Williams, John K. Weiondt, Jacob J. Yeager, Jacob J. Zimmerman, Freder ick Zeck. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SECOND REGI MENT—SEVENTEENTH CAVALRY. Company H, consisting of 93 men (subse quently reinforced by sixty-one more), was recruited in Schuylkill county. The regiment was at the battle of Chancellorsville, where it did important service and was highly compli mented for its coolness. It was again engaged at Gettysburg. A detachment was with Gen eral Kilpatrick in his raid on Richmond, and the regiment participated in the brilliant cam paigns of Sheridan. At all times it did effi cient service, and its losses were heavy. The following is the muster roll of OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 117 Company H. Officers. — Captain, William Thompson. First lieutenant, Baird Snyder; second William J. Allen. Sergeants— George W. Garrett, Jacob A. Schlaseman, Charles Simmer, Thomas Hoch, Bernard Eisenhuth, William H. H. Brown, John Smith, John C. West. Corporals — Joseph H. Weaver, George S. Herring, Charles Davis, Benneville M. Harris, Franklin Rhodes, Eberhard Gressler, Joseph H. Beadle, William Douty. Teamsters— Radiant Riffert, Emanuel H. Bolish. Blacksmiths — John Martz, Levi Werntz. Saddler, Philip Artz. Wagoner, Jacob E. Fertig. Privates. — Hugh Bradley, Joseph M. Brobst, Samuel E. Blaber, Jonas Banker, Louis Banker, George W. Banker, Joseph Bitler, Francis Bleckinger, Jacob Baker, Isaac H. Blue, John P. Clauser, George Doutal, John Doherty, Henry F. Dengler, Daniel Derr, Elias Derr, Charles M. Eyster, Lewis Furham, James Finley, Peter Feterolf, William Gross, Benneville Ganker, Oliver Goldman, Daniel Hoy, Thomas Herbert, Martin Haley, Jacob B. Heiser, John K. Hoffa, Thomas Haley, Thomas I. Koppenhaffer, Benjamin F. Kloch, Joel Koons, Isaac Kobel, Zachariah Kramer, Daniel D. Kriger, Joseph Lhidenmuth, John Ludwig, Philip Luckner, Lewis M. Langdon, Levi Michael, Samuel G. Miller, Daniel Mc Donald, Solomon Maury, Charles G. Marwine, Charles G. Matthews, John Mulligan, William Markle, Daniel McMullin, Emanuel Moyer, William Michael, George Nungesser, Benja min Nungesser, John G. Norris, Solomon S. Obenhouser, Charles Proctor, John J. Ryan, Aaron S. Rubright, Elias E. Reed, William I. Rupert, Daniel A. Rumbel, Franklin B. Schrope, Michael Schorer, John M. Snyder, Isaac Sell, Joseph Simmer, James P. St. Clair, Daniel Strausser, Charles B. Troy, Philip Troy, Thomas White, Jacob Werner, William R. Williams, Jonas Weiss, Hiram Yorgey, Isaac H. Yarnall, Samuel Yarnall, Jacob Zimmerman, William B. Zimmerman. Under the call of July 18, 1864, the follow ing enlisted in company H: Frank Beaver, John C. Bucher, Luke Bren nan, Jacob Carl, Thomas Casey, Michael Con- ley, Jesse Y. Cleaver, Henry Depken, Gott fried Etzel, Benjamin Fetterman, Allen B. Fisher, James Graham, Alfred Good, Solomon Gable, David G. Glen, Joseph Higgins, Ber nard Hasher, Henry T. John, Lloyd W. John son, Abraham Knicher, Felix Kline, Jacob Kline, James Kestenbounder, Otto Kallenbach, Michael L- Lloyd, Henry Lindenmuth, Daniel McMullen, Commodore P. Mears, Peter Mourer, Jonas Marks, Theodore Miner, Michael McDonnell, Charles Neier, Peter O'Shaughnessy, George Phillips, Melvin S. Parke, George Plappert, Nathaniel Roedef, William Rumbel, Peter Rohan, Lloyd T. Rider, Andrew Sommar, Nicholas Schmitz, Joseph Schlee, James Ward, Edward Watkins, Peter Werntz, Daniel Yeich. Under the call of July 18, 1864, the following enlisted in Company F : David Davies, David Evans, Thomas Jones, Richard Jones, Thomas Loftus, Morris Thomas, Joseph Morris, Thomas Morgan, Henry Price, Benjamin Reese, Isaac Raker, Thomas Ste phens, Frederick Thomas, John J. Williams. Casualties in Company H in the summer of i860 : Killed.— Emanuel Moyer, Philip Troy, Joel Koons. Wounded. — William Rupert, Thomas Hock (left behind in a rebel hospital), George W. Bankers, Elias E. Reed. Subsequently, in northern Virginia : Wounded. — William Thompson, Philip Artz, George Douter, Lewis Langdon, Daniel Derr. Captured.— Thomas Herbert, Jacob Worms, Charles Eyrster, Charles Mairain, Michael 118 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Shover, John Snyder, Joseph Bidlow, William Zimmerman, Franklin Schubb, Levi Michael. ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-THIRD PENN SYLVANIA REGIMENT. Companies A, D, F and H of the 173d were drafted in this county in 1862, for nine months. In November it was sent to Norfolk. It was engaged in fatigue, guard and provost duty, and made some tedious marches, but it was not in action. ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-FOURTH PENN SYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. One-fourth of Company F was recruited in this county. It was organized in May, 1864, and was in the battle of Tolopotomy Creek. It was in the battle of Cold Harbor, then en gaged in several successive assaults on the enemy's works, in which it lost heavily — indeed, its losses in killed, wounded and pris oners amounted to 350 out of 500 that first went into action at Tolopotomy. The remnant of the men were engaged at Deep Bottom, and lost twenty-seven killed and wounded out of ninety-seven engaged. It also suffered many losses while at work in the trenches near the enemy's lines. Sixty-seven members of this regiment died in the prison at Anderson ville, some at Salisbury and Florence, and many wounded prisoners in Petersburg. Company F had the following men from Schuylkill county : Officers. — Lieutenant, W. D. Williams. Sergeant, S. S. Dull. Privates. — H. W. Adams, Frederick Boltz, John F. Dull, Percival Eckel, John Gallagher, Charles Goldman, Jacob Hearter, George Hearter, Charles Krise, P. F. Lehman, John F. Miller, John Marks, Jr., L- C. Reinoehl, Emanuel Riffert, Joseph Richards, Anthony Trefskar, Bertram Trefskar, Michael Wert, Samuel H. Whetstone, James Delogier, John Montgomery, Evaristus Wills. ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY-FOURTH PENN SYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. This regiment was recruited for one hundred days. Companies A and F were raised in Schuylkill county. The regiment was organ ized July 22, 1884, and moved to Baltimore the same day. During its term of service it was engaged only in guard, provost and escort duty. This regiment included from Schuylkill county, Colonel James Nagle, Major O. D. Jenkins, Adjutant John H. Schall and the following : Company C. Oflicers. — Captain, Zacur C. Pott. First lieutenant, Thomas J. Foster ; second, John C. Guss. Sergeants— Hudson C Kind, Henry Walbridge, Daniel W. Filbert, Robert M. Palmer, Jacob Riegel. Corporals — Milton Williams, Henry Deibert, Byron O. Manville, William Helms, Amos Boyer, James Glover, Thomas Welsh, T. P. Gould. Musicians- Frederick Orrum, John Kohler. Privates.— David Anstock, John Burkhart, Henry Bauseman, John Bauseman, Jacob Bailer, Jacob Botts, Charles Brownmiller, Samuel Brown, Frank Bertram, Henry Beyerle, William Beacher, James Bathurst, Levi Con- rate, Raphael Cake, George Collins, Jacob Chrisman, William Daubenspeck, Miles Dough- man, Edward Eccard, E- W. Frehafer, Alonzo Fernsler, John J. Fernsler, George Forrer, John E- Fuchs, Joseph Gerz, Henry Gluntz, Daniel Ginter, William Hepler, J. A. Hunt zinger, James N. Hodgson, George Hame, Isaac Hardy, Albert Hoffman, Herman Hoff man, Michael Jordan, John Johnson, George Kauffman, William Kalbach, Joshua Keller, William Klinger, George Laury, James Lynch, Patrick McGloan, Thomas Matthews, Andrew Moran, Henry Nimelton, John Neff, John A. Nash, Thomas H. Phillips, William Queeny, Patrick Rhorig, George Rahn, John Roaney, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 119 Charles Shoener, John Schmelzer, Henry Strohmeier, George Skeen, Jonathan Sterner, Oliver Smith, William Shay, Eugene Sands, Andrew Steffee, Victor Setley , William Toohey , Franklin Trexler, Joseph Uble, Felix Weidel, Daniel Wiltrout, Richard Williams, John Wal- bridge, William Wortz. Company H. Officers. — Captain, George W. Staats. First lieutenant, John W. Kantner ; second, Fr. S. Haeseler. Sergeants — John H. Jervis, Joseph Boedefeld, William Christian, James Hughes, John Kirkpatrick, John Rigg. Corporals — Joseph Redcay, Robert Wilson, William Dicus, Arthur Connery, James Dolan, Albert Haeseler, Lewis Kline. Musicians — James Sterling, John Snyder. , Privates. — Elijah Allen, Michael Burns, John Bomm, James Chestnut, Thomas Davis, John W. Davis, James Delaney, Benjamin F. Fisher, Henry Faults, George Fox, Jacob M. Faust, William H. Francis, George Gottschall, Isaac K. Good, Elijah Hoffman, Charles Howard, Benjamin Howells, Harrison Hood, Philip Horn, Robert Houck, Philip J. Klair, Adam Kleident, James Leonard, Jonah Lewis, Thomas McGee, Conrad McGee, James Madi son, William Morgan, George Martin, David Moore, Jacob Miller, James O'Brien, Isaac Purnell, Michael Reynolds, Benjamin Rieggle, Samuel Reed, Wendall Roiman, Edward Ram sey, Jeremiah Sterner, William Smith, Ben jamin F. Smith, John Sillyman, Emarmel Shaub, William G. Shertel, William Sponsler, Peter Snow, Michael Umberger, Thomas Wren, Nicholas Watkins, John Wolfinger, Charles A. Yeager. TWO HUNDRED AND TENTH REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. Schuylkill county furnished nearly all the men in Company E of this regiment. Soon after its organization, in the autumn of 1864, it joined the Army of the Potomac before Petersburg. From this time to the close of the war it was frequently engaged, and always displayed a stubborn bravery that would have done honor to veterans. The following were from this county, besides G. W. Garber, first sergeant of Company H : Company E. Officers.— Captain, John Cook. Second lieu tenant, Wm. S- Morris. Sergeants— Samuel Bower, Wm. H. Keller, Uriah W. Tiley, John Gartly. Corporals — M. Montgomery L'Velle, Charles Wagner, Charles P. Koch, J. J. Wag ner, Benj. Haines, Jos. B. Thomas, Edward Fletcher. Privates. — Patrick Burke, James Barnes, Mark Barrett, Henry C. Betz, Michael Curley, Samuel Davidson, H. S. Daddow, Thomas E. Evans, Reece M. Evans, Charles Foust, Alex. Hart, Samuel Hinchkliff, Thomas Hussey, R. Hoffman, B. Hoffman, B. Hyman, Benj. J. Houseknecht, John Hagerty, John Joyce, Pharon W. Krebbs, Lewis Koednitz, John Kelley, Frank Leahy, Henry Lewis, Alfred Lintz, William McKoy, James Morley, Robert McMullen, John McKearnan, Joseph McKabe, Michael Naughton, John Oriel, William Paul, Lawrence Rasteter, Ed. A. Reed, Lewis Stolte, Bernard Schrader, James Stride, James Sarick, John H. Thomas, Uriah W. Tiley, Christopher Walker, Elias Webster, Michael Ward, James Whims, James Yost, William Bainbridge, Jacob Bummersbach, Edward Brennan, John Hag- gerty, John Joice, John Kelley, James A. Kel ley, Frank Leahy, James Morle}*-, William Mc Coy, Michael Naughton, Thomas Roe, Joseph Sarichs, James Stride, James Whims. TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH REGI MENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS. Known as the Eighth Union League, it was organized in March, 1865, for one year. Com pany A included three and Company C thirty- 120 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY four men from this county. During its term of service it was only engaged in guard, pro vost and garrison duty. The men from Schuylkill county were : Patrick Fox, Martin Hulihan and Edward Kehoe, of Company A, and the following in Company C Israel Adams, Daniel Barr, William Blatch- ley, John Bookmiller, Frank Bloomer, John M. Crosley, James Connelly, Alexander Cole, Benjamin J. Cook, George Emerich, John H. Felty, Henry Fleckinstine, Thomas Fitzgerald, James Grimes, John Hummel, Joseph Hale, Jacob Levan, Adam Lengel, William Mar shall, James McBride, Michael Mullen, James Mahon, Robert Paugh, Joseph Reichard, Emanuel H. Reed, Henry Rehr, George Rehrer, John H. Smith, Patrick Smith, John Traner, John Weisert, Isaac Zimmerman, George M. Zimmerman, Joseph Zerby. SCHUYLKILL MEN IN OTHER REGIMENTS; The following were volunteers from Schuyl kill county who served in other Pennsylvania regiments : 23d.— Reuben Dewald, John H. Griffith, Abraham Horn, Benjamin Jenkins. 26th.— James Goldsmith, Christian Shane. 27th. — James Gallagher. 29th.— Andrew Haas, Patrick Hallahan, John Marley. 30th. — Thomas Martin. 31st.— Major, John M. Wetherill ; Surgeon, A. G. Coleman, William Higgins, George Locket; Corporal, James Stapleton, Peter Shoots, Frederick Whitegall, Philip Heilman, John Boyle, Patrick Fitzsimmons, John Camp bell, Mark Foster, Sergeant, David B. Matt- son, William Conway, Patrick Dollard, Color Corporal, Thomas J. Foster. 32d.^John Stallecker, Lewis Kerschner, James Carl, Michael Donnelly, William Ed wards, Hadesty, Lieutenant Edward R. Moll, Adam Gilbert, Henry Yost, William Boyer, Edward Thomas, Chester Holden. 33d. — David Stahler. 34th. — Corporal James Porter, Corporal Dan iel Doherty, Geo. Carr, Robert Troy, Francis Davis, Marty Sullivan, Patrick Canfield, Thos. Creeswell, Edward Foley, Robert Hagerty, Michael Mullen, John Paxon, Benjamin Dry, Hospital Steward John H. Johnson, James Jenkins. 35th. — Wm. A. Parmenter, Henry P. Slater, Michael Canfield, Emanuel Kurtz, Richard Sauce, Thomas Boran, Martin Dasey, Patrick Finny, James McAllister, Charles Coller, Henry Johns, Lieutenant Jacob Bonewitz. 36th. — Henry Harris, David Reddinger, Henry Heffner, Van Burenbike, Emanuel Paul, Samuel Gottshall, John Caughlin, Robt. Hunt zinger, Thomas Curry, William Williams, Aaron Breish, William Casey, Daniel Dunn (fifer), Jeremiah Delaney, John Miller, James B. Murray, Robert Makey, John O'Donnell, Ser geant William J. Williams, John Rooney, Cyrus Soliday, William Keasey, Henry Barr, Charles Miller, Robert M. Huntzinger, John J. Huntzinger. 37th.— Dram major Dennis Fields, Thomas Powers. 38th.— John Delaney, Longstaff Middleton, Sergeant Thomas D. Griffith, Michael Shields, Thomas Flynn. 39th.— George Schwenk, George Bretz. ' 41st.— Martin Pike. 4,2d. — David Williams. 43d.— Captain E. W. Matthews, Sergeant Patrick Bradley, Corporal Thomas Robinson, James Boyle, Michael Gray, John McCabe, Ephraim Uhler, Frank Bridegam, Henry "Barr, Ephraim Uhler, William Umbenhaur, Corpo ral L. E. C. Moore, Joseph S. Walker, George Wilson, Martin Baker, John Donner, Henry Feller, Oliver Goldman, James Hanley, Ed ward Maidenlord, Patrick McLaughlin. 44th. — Thomas Norton, George Adams, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 121 Thomas Horn, Sergeant Jackson Potts, Ser geant James Smith, James Allison, Alonzo Bird, Jacob F. Kinney. 45th. — William D. Lyons, Thomas McCabe. 46th. — Gaven McCullough, Patrick Dono van, Cornelius Neischwinder, Patrick Mullen, Nicholas Curren, William Brosius, George Brosius, Augustus Snyder, William Darmody, John Fox, Ephraim F. Kripe. 47th. — George Kilmer, Michael Bumshire, George R. Hebler, Henry Defend, Augustus Upman. 49th. — Sergeant Jacob Strausser. 51st. — John Welsh. 53d. — Henry May, C. F. Lichtenhorn, Pat rick McLaughlin, Daniel McGallas. 57th. — Christian Wier, John Stack, Edward Mereine. 58th. — James Holton, James Owens, Corpo ral Bennett Cobley, Michael Sweeny. 59th. — Thomas Moore, Alexander Clark, Francis P. Waters. 61st. — Augustus Seller, Augustus Faust. 62d. — Henry Shurey. 63d.- — John Cameron. 64th. — John Brennan, James Blake. 66th. — Owen Dolan. 68th. — James McGugert, Thomas Riley. 69th. — Sergent John Ryan, Edward Brown, Martin Reilly, Emanuel Spatzer, Hugh Livingston, James Cole, John Maley, Daniel McCoy, Henry Stonefield, James Donahoe, John Bradley, Michael Flynn, John Mulhall. 71st. — Reuben Miller. 72d. — Charles Raudenbush, William Place, Joseph H. Wythes. 79th. — Patrick J. Gallagher, John Thomas, Augustus Tucker. 82d. — Thomas T. Morgan. 83d. — Adam Mort, Dr. Thompson. 84th.— William Bulks, Washington Tau- bert, Patrick Burns, Joseph A. Pinkerton, Eugene Downey, Corporal John Snedden, John Garrigum, George Rher. 88th. — William Beaumont, David Howard, John Eppinger, Jacob S. Bram, William Pugh. 90th. —Joseph Williams, Thomas White, Robert S. Smith, Samuel Robinson, James Geran, John Hessin, Philip Calavour, James McGrath, William Tomkins, Jacob L. Bricher, James Moore, Patrick Money, John Donnel- lanson, Hiram Spades, Henry Spades, Charles Dugan, Charles Gill, Theodore Roberts, Mi chael Brady, Robert Donahoe, Sergeant Chas. A. Major, Lewis C. Crossland. 92d. — Frederick Schrope, John Evans, Thomas Williams, James McGill, Lieutenant Thomas D. Griffiths, Richard Morris, Ser geant Frank Garner, Daniel Carmitchel, John Carmitchel, Lemuel Morgan, John G. Jones, Patrick Kerrigan, Thomas G. Corbin, John T. H. McConnell, John Gallagher. 95th. — Peter Campbell, David Sands, John Umbenhower, Ephraim Moyer, Peter Breen, Henry Clemens, Franklin Eckert, Edward Purcell, William T. Wolff, Dennis Brennan, Stephen Brennan, Patrick Lawler, Lawrence Ryan. 97th. — Corporal William McCanly, Charles O'Hara. 98th. — Hospital steward H. R. Seddinger, George Jacobs, Peter Smith, Levi Deitrich, Joseph Earny, Henry Zimmerman, Lewis Frank, Jacob Rindernecht, William Koehler, Joseph Ediner, Jacob Wasser, Frederick Strohm, George Marquette, Henry Weiss, John Kramer, William Stahley, Frederick Hetterling, John Bloom, Frederick Headerly. 100th. — Dr. Palm. 101st. — Jenkins Wiltner, Joseph Blunt, Lieu tenant George L Brown, Sergeant John Perry, Joel Strauser, John Fritz, Henry Berkman, Richard Morris, Joseph Tomkinson, Jacob Deiter, Jacob Went, Adam Wingenfield, Jacob Weiss, Valentine H. Groff, Dick Morris, John Perry, Joseph Tomlinson. 105th. — Daniel Anspach, Edmund Kline, Sergeant Isaac A. Dunster. 122 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY 106th. — George H. Jones, Lieutenant, William M. Jones. 108th. — Edward Shoemaker, Charles Furey, William Giddings, James B. Currey. 109th.— James Purcell, Edward Mentze, John Bowen, James McGill," John Powell, George Ridley, Evan Williams, Sergeant Jona than Humphrey, John Edwards, James Boran, Owen Brennan, William Horan, Michael Mahan, James McGill, John Prosser, Nehe miah Ford, George H. Jones, Charles Filbert, Hiram Hizer. 110th. ^ Assistant Surgeon P. R. Palm, Thomas Wiggan, Joseph Blunt. 112th. — Adam Eichly, Martin Conway, Charles L- Baltz, Thos. Connor, Henry O. R. Fernsler, Edward S. Hetherington, John S. Helms, Thomas Kelly, William H. Muth, William H. Matter, Michael O'Neil, John Reppel, John Rose, John Shanley, James Tracy, Butler E. Downing, John Y. Wren, Dick Pott, Augustus Heisler, Wells Beck, Milton Moyer. 113th. — John C. Morgan, Adjutant G. W. Henrie, Reuben Frederick, Levi Clifford, Charles Clifford, Lawrence Owens, William Stevenson, Daniel Salmon, Samuel Moore. 114th. — Theophilus Heycock, John Morgan. 115th. — Christopher Welden, William Wel don, John F. Fernow, John W. Oxrider, Robert Casey, Alexander McCabe, James Boyd, John Collins, William Partington, Ser geant Barney McCarn, Michael Rearden, M. Cunningham. 118th. — William Simpson, Adam Frantz, Samuel Y. Beard, Robert A. Maingay, Joseph L- Seiders. 119th. — Adam Delong. 124th. — Sergeant Henry I. Stager, John W. Phillips. 128th. — Assistant Surgeon Theodore C. Helwig, Jeremiah Smith, John Seiders. 130th. — Sergeant John W. Alexander, James Alexander. i32d.— Daniel S. Yeager, J. F. C. Williams, William F. Hay. 133d.— William Slack, James Grimes. 136th.— Corporal R. P. H. Phillips. 139th.— Theodore Meyers, James Meyers. 141st.— Sergeant D. W. Scott. i42d.— Bernard McNaller. 147th. — Jacob Riddle. 1 50th . — Abraham Everhard. i52d.— Lieutenant Joseph N. Porter, An thony Flaherty, Maxwell Darby, Patrick Hogan, Edward Davis, William Light, John F. Casey, John Delaney, Patrick Flaherty, Thomas Grady, Thomas Harrod, Barney Kelly, James Leslie, Kanslow Fisher. i82d. — Charles Schroeder, Henry J. Stein, Joseph Davidson, D. H. Finfroch, David Hissong, William H. Snively, Jacob Buck- waiter, Richard Murphy, Franklin Schropp, William Schropp, Charles Bressler, Nathan Buck, Jacob Miller, Adam Strohl, Alfred Lesher, Alexander Lesher. ia2d. — Daniel Boice, Lloyd Cox, Thomas Hopkins, Frank Jones, John C. Jones, Richard Jones, Charles Kunkel, Abiathar Powell, Joseph Snyder, Moses Stiff. 198th. — Daniel M. Everhard. 199th. — John T. Block, John Litweiler, Henry Shuman, John Stuber, Jacob R. Saylor, William N. Yost. 200th. — Francis Diehl, Jonathan Davidson, George Fogt, Thomas Goheen, Michael Hofa- lech, William Leaver, Thomas Matthews, Thomas McCauley, Thomas McShea, Charles O'Donnell, John Richards, George Scholly. 202d. — Edward Brennan, William H. Dil- linger, Augustus Faust, Jacob D. Hoffman, George J. Hyde, John R. Hood, William Hill, Bernard Lynch, James Lynch, Zachariah P. Madara, John Meghan, David Quina, Elias Quinn, George Schimp, Wilson Sechler, Elias Snyder, William Stout, Charles Wissner, James Woods, William Wertz, John Weise. 208th. — Charles Heagey. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 123 213th. — Matthew McAfee, John Bear, Isaac Miller, William Schriver. 215th. — Charles J. Hendricks, Matthew L- Johnson. In Negro Regiments. ist U- S. — William H. Harrison, Charles Lee ; 3d U. S-— Elijah Entry, Charles Cala- man, John C. Cole, Charles H. Wilson, Daniel Wright ; 8th U. S.— Henry A. Bhular, George Delaman, Gabriel Enty, Jonathan Enty, John H. Groom, Edward Lee, Thomas Powell, Charles Thomas ; 24th U. S.— Alex ander Brown, Joseph Jones, David Molson, Daniel Molson, John Surls, Israel Smith ; 32nd U. S. — George Jackson, Hosea Rigbee, Ben jamin Robinson ; 41st TJ. S — James Snowden ; 43d U. S.— Samuel Bartlett. In Regiments of Numbers Not Known. William Bradley, James Cosgrove, James Fisher, Thomas Daress, Bernard Duffy, Mat thew Flanigan, William Boggs, Alexander McDonald, Patrick Johnson, William B. Get ter, Michael Madden, Morgan Reynolds, Lewis Sanders, William Thomas. In the First Army Corps. Henry C. Benseman, George Brazier, John H. Ebert, William Edwards, Cyrus Haner, Richard Rahn, Sylvester C Rice, Perry Waltz, Francis Vaughn. In Independent Organizations. Anderson Cavalry (afterward 15th Penna. Cavalry.)— Charles Henry Jones, Ivens R. Jones, John Guldin, David E. Holmes, Robert C. Morris, Alfred M. Halberstadt, Horace A. Moore, Edward Fame, William Gable, Thomas A. Jones, James Henderson, Wellington J. Kram, Charles E. Beck, Theodore F. Beck, Henry W. Morgan, Richard C. Kear, John N. Bannan, Oscar Rahn, Charles W. Bratton, Frank Lefler ; John Weidman's Cavalry.— Isaac Meare, Abraham Lehrer; 4th Penna- Art.— Patrick Sullivan, Sergeant John C. Hughes ; 5th Penna. Art. — Henry Pugh, John Hughes, James Rice, James Whalen, Henry Harris, William Davis, Henry Harrison ; 7th Pa. Art— Robert Rowe ; McCall's Flying Art. — William Umbenhower ; Independent Engi neers. — Lieutenant Joseph Fay ant ; Harris' Pa. Cav. — Stephen Ferguson, Martin " Lawler, James Lawler, Michael Christopher ; Scott Le gion — Patrick Brennan ; Gen. Negley's Body Guard — Thomas Edmonds ; Anderson Zouaves — John Delay ; Signal Corps — Lieutenant Theodore F. Patterson, John Curry, Charles Garret, Francis M. Hodgson ; Gen. Thorp's Staff— Lieutenant Albert G. Whitfield; Gen. Johnson's Guard— Stephen Ferguson ; McLean Guards— Thomas Morton ; Lambert's Inde pendent Cav. — Lieutenant W. F. Austin, Sergeant John A. Patterson, Corporals Solo mon Foster, Jr., James Whitfield, Privates Aaron Billington, George W. Filer, F. N. Lawton, William Parry, James Russell, George Rhoads. In Regiments of Other States. iSt N. J.— Thomas Haley ; 6th N. J.— James McCormick, Archibald Lavebrech ; 14th N. J. —John G. Dengler ; — N. J.— John Maley ; ist N. Y.— Joseph Nunemacher ; 3d N. Y. Cavalry —Thomas Reilly ; 7th N. Y.— Joseph Smith ; 10th N. Y.— David Gordon; 33d N. Y.— Robert Coates ; 36th N. Y.— Patrick Kane ; 40th N. Y.— William Burns; 48th N. Y — Owen Duffy ; 57th N. Y.— William Jones, Evan Jones ; 69th N. Y.— John Reily, Patrick Fealthy ; 104th N. Y.— John McWilliams ; N. Y. Excelsior regiment — Adjutant William Hartz ; Sickles' brigade— Frank Spatz ; other regiments, N. Y.— Terence Dolan, Condy Haffy, Michael Burns, Lewis Kershner ; 20th ]yre _Henry Davis ; 15th Mass— Conrad Am- thower ; 8th Va.— Colonel Lucien Loeser ; 5th O.— Charles Nierman ; 9th O— A. G. Brand- ner ; 10th O. — William Glaspire, James McClinchey ; 16th O.— Lieutenant Manuel B. 124 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY De Silva; 18th O— Valentine H. Leib; 12th Ind. — William J. Koch ; 20th Ind. — James D. Long ; 23d Ind. — George Nunemacher ; 33d Ind. — Charles Houseman ; 39th Ind. — Francis Koch ; 58th Ind. — Sergeant Uriah Good, Zac- carias Jones ; 84th Ind. — Charles N. Taylor ; other regiments, Ind. — Aaron Greenwalt, James Long, Charles Medlar ; 8th 111. — Jacob Deibert ; 15th 111.— Rudolph Small ; 19th 111.— George P. Campbell ; 55th 111. — Corporal John Casey ; other regiments, 111. — Morgan F. Say lor, William Steele ; 2nd Ia. — Thomas Rausch ; 5th la.— William Godling ; 9th la.— Dr. J. Bowman ; 8th Mich. — William Schisster ; 5th Wis. — Allan Evans, John Evans, Joseph Fos ter, William Foster ; 16th Wis. — William Evans, Jacob Britt ; 15th Ky. — Joseph Rupp ; 24th Ky. — Sergeant De Silva, Benjamin Pott ; 32d Tenn. — James Devine ; 25th Mo. — Ser geant John Weiler ; 2d Cal. — William Henry Harrison Werner. In the Regular Army. Fifth Artillery. — Benjamin Franklin An drews, Edward Boyle, Robert Boyle, Patrick Buggy, John Munhall, Robert Nowrie, John Jones Powell, James Whalen, Daniel Richard Williams, Corporal John Williams, Patrick Canfield, John Connor, John Donehue, Thomas Griffith, Henry Harris, Robert Hag- gerty, Abraham Horn, Thomas P. Higgins, James Jenkins, David Jones, Charles A. Keller, Edward McGee, William Nixon, John Naw- lan, John Nicolls, Francis O'Neal, Hugh Pugh, James Condron, Edward Cull, James Evans, William Edwards, Charles Fury, George Hellshaw, John D. Kelly, Sergeant James McGloughlin, John Morgan, John Por ter, James Rice, Robert Tate, John Rae, John E. Spencer, Henry Straub, Patrick Brennan, John Walborn, John Wrigly, James Welsh, Thomas Ferguson, Edward Coller, R. D. Fer guson, Robert Ferguson, John Jeffries, John Thomas, James Kane, Michael Glennin, John* Henry, John Morgan, Daniel Morgan, Peter Riland, Thomas Levens, Elias Day, Peter Grimes, Lawrence Brennan, Lawrence Bruton, Richard Barnes, Patrick Craven, James Camp- field, Patrick Kelly, Jacob Sheriff, Daniel McClellan, Thomas Donehugh, Alexander Day, James Redmond, Jacob Leatherman, William Walsh, William H. Harrison, Michael Brennan, Franklin Mayberry, Daniel Hummel, Patrick McGovern, Thomas Owens, Francis Harrison, Henry Owens, Daniel Dougherty, Corporal James Porter, John Tobin, Thomas Cresswell, Thomas Harrison, James Potter, Thomas Collohan, Lewis Bonnerville De Lacy, William Brennan, Francis Davis, John Clarey, Patrick Ratchford, Thomas Scott, Francis Smith, William Cowby, Robert Troy, George Carr, Dennis Sullivan, Martre Sullivan, Den nis Sullivan, Thomas Scott. Sixth Artillery. — Michael Pepper, J. Letter- man. Sherman s Battery. — Thomas Lavell. First United States Cavalry. — Christ Bloom field, Samuel Cover, Patrick Gilmore, Francis Leman, Henry Miller. Fifth Cavalry. — Captain Edward T. Leib, John H. Wilson, Charles Weaver. Sixth Cavalry. — Colonel W. H. Emory, William Everly, Morris Everly, Thomas Tur ner, John Kane, Thomas Kelly, Corporal William Mattern, John Bird, Benjamin Mills, Henry Fields, Abraham Heck, Martin Law ler, James Brennan, Charles Lucas, Joseph Davies. Third Infantry. — Lieutenant Joseph A. McCool. Fourth United States Infantry. — Michael Howard, James B. Hawk. Fifth Infantry.— Arthur Donly, Dennis De laney, Francis Williams, David Morgan, Van Buren Weike, William Weike, C Arerline. Sixth Infantry. — Lieutenant W. H. Bar tholomew, Joseph Davis, Benjamin Mills, Patrick Hough, Martin Dacy, Henry Feilas, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 125 John McCormick, John Henrie, Peter Riland, John Stevens, Patrick How. Eighth Infantry. — George Wineland. Twelfth Infantry. — Sergeant William L. White, Richard Coogan, Thomas Manuel. Thirteenth Infantry. — William Lynch, William Lloyd, James Dunlevy, John Warlow, John McCarty, John Conneff, Thomas R. Williams, William R. Griffith, Richard Coo gan, Patrick Corcoran, William Lynch, John Miller, William Rafferty, Thomas McGlone, Michael Brennan. Fourteenth Infantry. — Dudley Gerdon, William Higgins. Fifteenth United States Infantry. — Henry Adam, John Bowers, George Brinton, John Birkinbine, Michael Bradley, Charles Baird, James Brennan, William Bradley, John Barret, Peter Carrol, John Campbell, John Carney, Lewis Crosby, John Clark, Philip Devine, John Elliott, Bartholomew Fell, James Focht, John Farley, James Gannon, William Gunn ing, Nathan Gillmore, James Higgins, Thomas Hibbit, John Hamilton, George Irwin, Michael Jennings, James Kelly, John King, Michael King, John M. Keim, Jonn Lynch, Martin Lee, John Llewellyn, Henry McGhan, Thomas McDonald, John Mich, Peter Magnan, James McDavid, John C. Mason, Richard Marshall, John McMenamin, John Morney, John Metz, John Miller, Andrew Martin, James McCoy, Patrick O'Brian, Charles O'Hara, Patrick O'Neil, Edward Phillips, George W. Pritman, William Riley, James Rorry, Michael Rubey, James Smith, John Sailor, John Woods, John Welch, Charles Williams, Harvey J. Wagner, John Wilson. Sixteenth Infantry. — James Allen, Michael Brown, Thomas Burns, Thomas Bodey, Peter .Brayson, Peter Bruce, Frederick A. Baldwin, John Brown, Patrick Connelly, John Clark, Charles Crouse, John Cain, Luke Connelly> James Doran, John Dawson, John Donnelly, Edward Daler, William Froulk, James Farrel, Michael Fagan, William Freny, Patrick Ger- ret, Thomas Gibson, Arthur Grant, James Gill, William X. Griffin, Charles Harrison, Francis Hare, Peter Hagerty, Thomas Horan, James Harross, William Henderson, John Harrington, Henry Hall, Michael Kruming, John Kelly, John Kelly, Peter Lynch, James Logan, John March, Robert Mitchell, Thomas McGuire, Michael McCann, Charles Murray, George McCay, James Murray, Patrick Moran, John B. Mears, John A. Mag- han, William Mullen, Patrick O'Neill, John Osborn, John Parker, John Quinn, Martin Riley, James Ryan, Edward Riley, Michael Rinay, John Ross, John Rooney, John Sweeney, Michael Seymour, George Stanton, Henry Sudler, Augustus Sweeney, Philip Smith, Peter Stroup, John Smith, John Slack, Thomas Smith, Edward Sooner, John Todd, John White, Barney Williams- Eighteenth Infantry. — Colonel Henry B. Carrington, Lieutenant Lewis T. Snyder, Valentine Henry Leib, John Ebert. Regiments not Ascertained. — Captain Henry Baird, Captain Edward Hartz, Matthias Frantz. In United States Hospitals. — Surgeon Wil liam Beach, Assistant Surgeon Thomas Tur ner, Surgeon C. P. Harrington, Surgeon Liv- ermore, Surgeon John G. C. Levering, Henry Heilner, Surgeon John T. Carpenter, Surgeon Henry R. Sillyman, Surgeon Henry C. Parry. Medical Cadet. — George Saylor. In Commissary Department. — William Dan- iell, William B. Lebo, G. M. Straub, John G. Hewes. In Secret Service. — Samuel Byerly. In the Navy. — Surgeon Douglas Bannan, Surgeon Robert L. Weber, Ass't Eng. Richard M. Hodgson, Ass't Eng. Thomas Petherick, Michael McDonough (marine), Patrick Mc Gee, George Fegley (marine), George H. Ber ger, S. S. Bassler (captain's clerk), James 126 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Brannan, James M. Carr, John Carr, John Gray, Edward Riley, William Yost (marine), William S. Peale, John Evans, Patrick Carrol (marine), Thomas Cribbens (marine), William Rose (marine), John Hippie (marine), John Stevenson (marine), Thomas McDonough (marine), Thomas Corby, Ass't Eng. Howard D. Pott, Acting Master F. G. Pryor, Thomas Kelly, James McDonald, John Bannan, Samuel Holmes (marine), Robert T. Ewing, James Dolan, Albert Saylor, Thomas Bentley, John Britt, William J. Barnett, Patrick McGee, Stephen Haughton, John Matig, John Steven son, Patrick Finnigan, William John Brandt, John Dougherty, John Shay, Henry Muli- neause, John Weaver, James Carpenter, Ass't Eng. Hiram Parker. Mortuary Record of Schuylkill county men in various regiments. Killed, or died of wounds or disease : John Eplin, i32d Pa. Regt; John W. Sen- nett, Co. B, 53d Pa.; George Rice, Co. K, 67th Pa.; Amos Fisher, Co. A, 88th Pa.; Sergeants Emanuel Moyer, Philip Troy, Joseph Koons, Co. H, 17th Pa. Cav.; Sergeants John F. Mundy, Josiah W. Matthews, Co. F, 109th Pa.; James Jenkins, Co. F, 5th U. S. Art. George W. Overbeck, Co. G, 8th Pa. Cav. William Henry Pritchard, Co. E, 78th Pa. Sergeant Robert A. Maingay, Co. D, 118th Pa.; Albert Boone » Meyer, Co. L, 9th N. Y.; Patrick Divine, Capt. S. S. Richards's Pa. Cav.; William Casey, 8 1st Pa.; Joseph L. Seiders, Co. I, 118th Pa.; James Devine, 32d Tenn.; Henry Harris, 36th Pa.; Sergeant Ben jamin Franklin Jones, Co. I, 5 2d Pa.; Martin Pike, Co. D, 41st Pa.; Daniel Schwenk, Co. N, 28th Pa.; Emanuel Esterheld, Co. K, 76th Pa.; George Nagle, Co. G, 107th Pa.; Daniel Wiehry, Co. L, 3d Pa. Cav.; John Davis, navy; John M. Southam, on western gunboat; James B.Kane, 13th Pa. Cav.; Frank Dolan, 69th N. Y.; Frederick Boltz, Co. F, 184th Pa.; A. R. Wilson, Co. I, 2d Pa. Cav. ; Sergeant George S. Herring, Co. H, 17th Pa. Cav.; Corporal J. B. Heiser, Co. H, 17th Pa. Cav.; L. Kershner, Co. D, 198th Pa.; Henry Hoy, Philip Keely, 107th Pa.; William R. Wren, Co. K, 19th Pa. Cav.; Sergeant Silas C. Hough, 5th Pa. Cav.; John C. Cole, 43d U. S. colored; Henry H. Bickley, Co. E, 10th N. J. ; Thomas K. Rausch, Co. C, 2d Iowa; Sergeant James Murray, Co. H, 8 1 st Pa. ; Thomas H. James, 1 st N. Y. Cav. ; Sergeant Theodore F. Beck, Co. D, 15th Pa. Cav.; Sergeant William Place, Co. E, 72d Pa.; William C. Shissler, 8th Mich. ; Edward Heth erington, Battery I, 2d Pa. Art. ; William H. H. Brown, 17th Pa. Cav.; John Roseberry Roads, Co. M, 6th Pa. Cav.; Degenhart C. Pott, 1 1 2th Pa. Regt.; Charles Francis Koch, 25th Mich.; Edward R. Eveland, Co. E, 28th Pa.; Sergeant John J. Jones, Co. I, 15th N. J.; Frederick Snyder, Co. E, 151st Pa.; Captain James Robertson, Co. I, 22d la.; Lieut. George Byron Clayton, 5th Pa. Cav.; George B. Smith, Co. E, 147th Pa.; Lieut. Will. K. Pollock, ist U. S. Art; William M. Steel, Co. A, 124th 111.; Lieut. J. A. Dunston, Co. C, 105th Pa.; Henry Hehn, 9th Pa. ; Robert Davis, Co. K, 76th Pa.; Michael Henegan, Co. K, 5 2d, Pa.; William Welsh, Co. A, 67th Pa.; John O'Don nell, Co. H,.8ist Pa.; John Menear, Co. E, 6th Pa. Cav.; Corp. Jeremiah Delay, Co. H, 8 ist Pa.; Reese W. Roberts, Co. L, 3d Pa. Cav.; Jacob Arnold, Co. D, 28th Pa., Christian Ernst, nth Pa.; John H. Miller, Co. L, 3d Pa.; Benjamin Miller, 6th U. S. Cav.; Henry Harrison, Co. A, 5th Pa. Art.; Jacob Deiter, Co. I, 101st Pa.; Joseph Dale, 52d Pa.; Joseph Foster, Co. D, 5th Wis.; Patrick Dollard, Co. H, 31st Pa.; Thomas Sullivan, Co. D, 107th Pa.; Thomas Boran, Co. B, 6th Pa.; Martin OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 127 Dacy, Co. B, 6th Pa.; William H.' Medler, 8 ist Pa.; George Wilson Bratton, Co. G, 15th Cav.; John S. Meredith, Co. H, 137th Pa.; Corporal John H. Slingluff, Co. A, 138th Pa.; Lieut. Wm. D. Williams, Co. F, 184th Pa. Mortuary record in the nine months' service : Marcus Drey, of Captain Wellington's Zou aves, 129th Pa.; George Andrew Lerch, Co. H, 129th Pa.; Lieutenant Edward Wertley, Co. H, 129th Pa.; Captain George J. Lawrence, Co. A, 129th Pa ; John Michael, Co. B, 129th Pa.; Reuben Kline, Co. B, 129th Pa.; Edward Reber, Co. B, 129th Pa.; Joseph H. Heisler, Co. A, 129th Pa.; George H. Payne, Co. H, 173d P. V. M.: Samuel Burkhart Richland, Jr., Co. G, 129th P. V.; Asher Woomer, Co. E, 129th P. V. The Coal Industry. — Three companies, the Lehigh Coal and Navigation, the Delaware and Hudson Canal, and the Pennsylvania Coal, sought in the eastern markets in 185 1 to practically monopolize the trade and leave Schuylkill county without customers. The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company attempted to thwart their design by reducing their rates on coal, and in order to do so suc cessfully, they arranged with wharf-owners at .Port Richmond to secure the large tonnage pf the coming year at that place. This course excited the Navigation Company, who rashly acted before making any investigation and lowered coal freight rates very low, thus throw ing the trade into confusion. 1852 proved a prosperous year for all con cerned in the coal trade — operators, capitalists and laborers. Bannan Peale and Weatherel's statistical chart prepared for the World's Fair, at New York in 1853, gave the following statistics of the Schuylkill coal region : Number of collier ies, 115; red ash, 58 ; white ash, 57 ; operators, 86; miles of underground railroads, 126^; steam engines employed in the coal opera tions, 210; aggregate horse power, 7,071; number of miners and laborers employed at collieries, 9,792 ; miners' houses, out of towns, 2,756 ; capital invested in collieries, $3,462,- OOO ; of which there was invested by individual operators about $2,600,000 ; number of yards in 'depth of the deepest slope, 353 ; thickness in feet of the largest vein of coal, 80 ; of the smallest, 2. 1853 also proved a prosperous year, and 1854 is known in the history ofthe anthracite coal trade as the " good year," when an extra ordinary demand was made for coal and high prices were prevalent. In the last-named year, the extension of the Mine Hill and Schuyl kill Haven Railroad was completed by Sep tember into the Mahanoy Valley, and that great coal region was opened up to the eastern markets. The year 1855 was satisfactory to operators and laborers. In 1856, a coal association was formed with Samuel Sillyman as president, and the efforts of the Scranton coal producers to monopolize the market made it apparent to the transpor tation companies operating in Schuylkill county that rivalry between them would be ruinous to their interests. The railroad com pany, however, made a drawback of fifteen cents from Port Richmond fo New York and the eastern markets, based on the discovery that the tolls to Port Richmond were equal to the prices of the New York companies in the New York market, but were fifteen cents too high for the eastern markets. The Naviga tion Company, on learning of this arrangement on the part of its rival, then made a reduc tion of fifteen cents per ton by canal to Phila delphia, which move, unfortunately, unsettled 128 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY the whole trade, as the New York companies reduced their rates in a corresponding degree and the buyers, anticipating another season of ruinous competition, pursued a policy detri mental to the interests of the entire coal re gion. The sad and bitter experience of 1857 in duced the Schuylkill coal operators to seek a prevention of its losses by entering into an arrangement with president John Tucker, ofthe Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Com pany, whereby he resigned the presidency of his road and assumed the regulation of the Schuylkill coal trade. Mr. Tucker was admirably qualified for the position which he assumed as head of the new coal association, which represented an output of over three millions of tons. The panic of September, 1857, came, and Mr. Tucker's utmost skill and great energy were insufficient to make the trade prosperous. 1858 opened with gloomy prospects. The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company sold at auction iooo tons of coal below circular prices, and the Schuylkill oper ators were compelled to seek lower rates of transportation or be driven from the markets. The Navigation Company made no reduction in tolls, but allowed the burden of reduced rates to fall on the boatmen, while the railroad company made just sufficient reduction to induce the operators to continue operations. It now became manifest that individual enter prise was not sufficient, and that associate capital was an absolute necessity for the de velopment of the Schuylkill anthracite coal region. In a paper read before the Pottsville Scientific Association by P. W. Sheafer, he said : " It is doubtless unfavorable to the profit able working of our coal beds that there is frequently both a want of capital and of the proper concentration of that which exists. Certainly no method of mining coal can be less economical than to fit out a number of separate operations upon comparatively small estates, with all the necessary engines and other improvements, instead of selecting a suitable point from which the coal of several adjacent tracts could be worked by one large operation equipped in the best manner. This policy can only be carried out effectively by the union ofthe proprietors of adjacent tracts. Indeed, the pursuit of the coal below the water level, requiring increased capital, has already tended to the concentration of the business of mining in fewer hands ; and as the necessity of shafting to the lower coals becomes more apparent, the discussion, among those inter ested, of an enlightened system of harmonious action is more and more frequent." The years 1859, i860 and 1861, were not promising to the coal operators, but their greatest trial came with the early days of 1 862, •when the Pennsylvania Coal Company reduced the rates of coal fifty cents per ton below the opening prices of the preceding year. This action seemed to have inaugurated the very midnight of the gloomy period, whose day- dawn of better times came in the same year with the increased consumption of coal by the government for war purposes, and by the manufacturers of war material. A flood on the 4th of June delayed navigation three weeks and reduced the coal supply one million bushels, thereby causing prices to advance, and helped to improve the coal trade. A few small labor strikes occurred during 1862, and some collieries were stopped for some days. An important move of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company during the year OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 129 was the leasing of the following railroads : Swatara, April ist ; Mount Carbon, May 16th ; Mahanoy and Broad Mountain, July ist; and Union Canal, July 25th. It also purchased the stock ofa proposed railroad to New York City. 1863 witnessed a wonderful expansion ofthe coal trade, and the next year was one of wonderful prosperity, with high prices for coal, labor and transportation, and only marred by the Mollie Maguire and other labor troubles, that called a portion of the 10th New Jersey regiment into Cass township to restore order. July, 1864, witnessed a strike of the engi neers and brakemen of the lateral roads, which were then taken possesion of by the United States, and operated to supply coal for govern ment use until the old hands declared their strike off and returned to work. During the early part of 1865 the govern ment demand almost ceased, and the wages of labor was reduced from twenty-five to thirty-three per cent, which led to a suspension of work at the collieries for nearly two months. In 1866 the trade was dull, and in 1867 and 1868 was but little better, prices being kept up somewhat by several turnouts that lessened the supply. In 1868 a strike was made to reduce a day's work from ten to eight hours, without any reduction in the wages, but ultimately failed, although considerable mob violence was displayed. On July 23, 1868, the Work- ingmen's Benevolent Association or Miner's, Union was organized, and in 1869 carried on quite a contest with the operators, but failed after a four months' strike, extending from the middle of May to the middle of Sep tember, to establish their " basis system " with the operators ; but they compelled the com panies to make large advances in wages. On November 19, 1869, the Anthracite Board of Trade of the Schuylkill region was organized, representing 4,437,000 tons of coal, and acted thereafter for the operators in all negotiations with the workmen. Previous to this (April 28, 1869) Franklin B. Gowen had been elected president of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company, and a strong hope was entertained that under his adminis tration the Schuylkill coal region would receive the support which had been withheld from it by the company for many years. 1870 was a worse year than 1869. On July 12, 1870, the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company leased the Schuylkill Navi gation Company, and thus crushed all rivalry to it in transportation in the county. Mining operations were suspended from April to August, while Jfie operators and miners were trying to agree upon a basis of wages. The miners asked for wages on the basis of $3 per ton for coal at Port Carbon, while the operators claimed that $3 was too high to permit competition with the large companies of the Lackawanna region, and the matter was settled at the request of both parties by Mr. Gowen, by the " Gowen Compromise," under whose terms the $3 basis was established, but sliding down as well as up with the change in the price of coal. Toward the close of the year (November 7) the Anthracite Board and the Benevolent Association sent delegates to Pottsville to settle the terms of a basis of wages for 1871. An agreement was signed and ratified, based on $2.50 per ton as the price of coal at Port Carbon. The association soon joined in a strike that was ordered in the Lackawanna coal region and work in the Schuylkill region was suspended for four months. Then, after all efforts had failed to make any arrange- 130 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ment, a board of arbitration was constituted with Judge William Elwell as umpire. On the subject of interference with the working ofthe mines, Judge Elwell rendered an adverse decision to the miners' claim, and gave a scale of wages based upon $2.75 per ton for coal at Port Carbon. The average price at Port Carbon for the year, after the adoption ofthe scale, was $2.61 per ton. The year 1 870 also was remarkable for the organization of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. It was an auxiliary of the railroad company and purchased during the year seventy thousand acres of coal land in Schuylkill county, which was " capable of supplying all the coal tonnage that can possibly be transported over the road for centuries." In 1 87 1 the rate of wages was on $2.50 per ton at Port Carbon and wages not to go below that if coal did decline, which it did to $2.14 per ton, while in 1872 the miners obtained more favorable terms still from the operators. In 1873 the Philadelphia and Reading Company, after having spent $800,000 in loans to individuals to work their coal lands, with unsatisfactory results, concluded to go into the coal business for themselves, and Mr. Gowen so regulated the coal trade as to insure prosperity to his own company and benefit all other coal companies in the county. An organization was formed under the title of the " Associated Coal Companies," composed of the large mining and transporting com panies ofthe county, and their measures were such that the coal trade was prosperous, not withstanding the great panic of 1873 and the opposition of the press and the coal brokers. Wages was arranged for the year on a basis of $2.50 per ton of coal at Port Carbon as a minimum, and the associated companies kept the price up to $2.58 per ton during the year. The Philadelphia and Reading Company formed a " pool " at Port Richmond for the consolidation and shipment of coals for pro ducers, and engaged in the retail coal business in Philadelphia, where they built large yards. The great depression in manufacturing in 1874 depressed the coal trade; yet the $2.50 basis of wages was maintained in Schuylkill county, and the average price of coal at Port Carbon for the year was $2.60 per ton. The Long Strike. — A general reduction of wages in 1875 was resolved upon by the coal operators throughout the entire anthracite region on account of the depressed state of the coal trade. The following scale of wages was decided upon for 1875 : " Outside wages, first class, $1.50 per day; second-class, $1.35 ; all inside work to be on a basis system — basis $2.50 per ton at Port Carbon ; inside labor and miners' wages to be reduced ten per cent, below the rates of 1874; contract work to be reduced twenty per cent. ; one per cent, on inside work to be paid in addition to the basis rate for every three cents' advance in the price of coal above $2.50 per ton ; and one per cent, to be deducted from the basis rate for every three cents' .decline in the price of coal below $2.50 per ton at Port Carbon. No maximum and no minimum. " The wages in 1874 were : for miners, $13 per week; inside labor, $11 per week; outside labor, $10 per week, when the price of coal was $2.50 per ton at Port Carbon, and to rise one cent to every three cents' advance in the price of coal above $2.50 per ton. These terms were submitted to a committee of the Miners' and Laborers' Benevolent Association on the ist of January, 1875. After some dis cussion they were rejected, and an order OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 131 issued by the officers of the association that work at the mines should be stopped imme diately." Thus commenced the celebrated " Long Strike" of 1875, which lasted for six months, during which time a reign of terror existed throughout the great anthracite coal region and paralyzed every other industry as well as that of coal production. The struggle was long, bitter and deter mined upon the part of both the miners and the operators, and terminated in the complete overthrow of the miners' association, as it was not able to cope successfully with the Phila delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, whose resources were greater than those of any individual operator or home coal com pany. The issue was decisive, and placed the operators in complete and unquestioned con trol of their collieries, with power to pay a rate of wages without consulting any working- men's association. The " Long Strike " ended in June, and the dissolution of the Associated Coal Companies took place on August 22. One-half million bushels of coal was sold at a sacrifice, was re duced from fifteen to twenty-five per cent., and many operators ran their collieries to determine which was the cheapest, to work or stand still. Mollie Maguires. — In the history of crime in the United States no criminal organization ever made as startling a record as the Mollie Maguires, who held the anthracite coal regions in a state of terror for many years. One who is well acquainted with the coal region says : " The ruffianism which prevailed here dur ing many years under the name of Mollie Maguireism was transplanted here from Ire land; but it never could have acquired the fearful character which it came to possess here had it not found a condition of things favor able to its development. One historian speaks as follows of the Irish, who constitute the larger portion of the population in the miners' villages and ' patches ' of the coal regions : " Coming here fresh from the contact with the landlord and the land agent in Ireland, with no surrounding influence to teach them their error, they transfer a prejudice which has grown with their growth and strengthened with their strength to the coal operators and the boss, from whom they derive their sub sistence and under whose direction they work. Taught from infancy to believe that as against them capital is never used except as an instru ment of oppression, under the influence some times of real wrongs, but more frequently under a mistaken belief of an encroachment upon their rights, a spirit of resistance is aroused, which wicked and designing wretches have so used and controlled as to render the undetected commission of horrid crimes not only easy, but to a certain extent sympathized with." In the initial year of the present century the Ribbon Society, of Ireland, was organized against "the oppression of the landlords," and were charged with the commission of many crimes. About 1843 the Mollie Ma guires were organized as a branch of the Rib bon men. The society derives its name either from a ferocious woman who was a terror to civil officers, or a woman at whose house the organization was effected; while others say the title came from some of the members disguis ing themselves in women's clothes to more securely and unexpectedly attack and beat the civil officers, or " process servers." It is not believed that the Mollie Maguires were transplanted here from Ireland, yet it seems that miners, who came from the Emer- 132 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY aid Isle, and were acquainted with the doings of the society there, suggested the name for the lawless organization that in 1848 signed its threatening notices, " One of Mollie's Children," and in 1854 was known as " Black Spots," and also as " Buck Shots." Dewees says of them: "The Mollie Maguire of the coal region comes into existence without cause or pretense of a cause in the past or present history of this country. Standing the equal before the law of any man or set of men in the land, his rights guarded and even his prejudices re spected, he becomes with fiendish malice and in cold blood an incendiary and assassin; a curse to the land that has welcomed him with open arms, and a blot, a stain and a disgrace upon the character of his countrymen and the name of the land of his nativity." Another writer says: "In this country no association was ever organized under the name of Mollie Maguire. The Ancient Order of Hibernians, a benevolent and highly respectable association, which had a large membership in the United States, in Canada and Great Britain, and was in Penn sylvania as well as some other States incor porated by law, came to be controlled in the coal region by the desperate outlaws who con stituted what were termed Mollie Maguires here, and who stamped their character on the order in the coal regions. " It does not appear that there was in the constitution of this order anything criminal; but the evidence is too strong to admit of a reasonable doubt that the divisions of the order throughout the United States were as sessed to raise funds for defending the crimi nals here. Charitable people seek to excuse this action of the national delegates, arid to believe that the members of the order else where had no sympathy with the acts of these outlaws." In 1862 the Mollies first became prominent in the county by inciting resistance to the officers of the law and raising riots to stop work at some of the collieries where miners had struck. Through the years 1863 and 1864, and 1865, they continued to commit outrages. The Miners' Journal of March 30, 1867, charges them with having committed fourteen murders in the county in 1863; fourteen in 1864; twelve in 1 865 ; five in 1 866 ; and five up to March 30, 1867. From 1868 to 1871, there were no murders ; but in December of that year, the Mollies commenced a fearful career of crime, that made their names infamous throughout the whole civilized world, by a murder in Carbon county. The terror of the terrible Mollie Maguires was such in the county that none felt secure who condemned their proceedings. Franklin B. Gowen, president of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, seeing the inability of the civil authorities to crush the society that threatened the coal trade with destruction, employed privately a Pinkerton detective named James McParlan, an Irish man, who is thus described : " Of medium height, a slim but wiry figure, well knit together; a clear, hazel eye; hair of an auburn color, and bordering upon the style denominated as sandy ; a forehead high, full, and well rounded forward ; florid complexion, regular features, with beard and moustache a little darker than his hair, there was no mis taking McParlan's place of nativity, even had not his slight accent betrayed his Celtic origin. He was, in fact, a fine specimen of the better class of immigrants in this country. He was passably educated, had beheld and brushed against the people ofa considerable portion of OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 133 the new world during the short time he had been in it, and earned a reputation for honesty, a peculiar tact and shrewdness, skill, and per severance in performing his numerous and difficult duties, and worked himself into the position of a firm favorite with those of his employes intimately associated with him." McParlan's career as a Mollie we give in the language of one well acquainted with the facts : " He first came into the county at Port Clinton ; then visited Auburn, Pine Grove, Schuylkill Haven, Tremont, Mahanoy City, New Town, Swatara, Middle Creek, Rausch's Creek, Donaldson, Tower City and other places, making investigations which convinced him that the existence of the order of Mollie Maguires was a reality, and also that ' if every member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians was not a Mollie Maguire, every Mollie Ma guire was a member of the Hibernian Order.' "After visiting Philadelphia he returned, and for a time made his headquarters at Potts ville, where he became very popular as a good-hearted, roystering, reckless devil. He ' literally sung, danced, fought and drunk himself into popularity with the rough men among whom he mingled.' He here made the acquaintance of Pat Dormer, a Mollie, and one of the county commissioners. He suc ceeded in passing himself on Dormer as a member of the order and a fugitive from justice, and was by him introduced and recom mended to the body-master of the Shenandoah division. He went to Shenandoah in February, 1874, and finding it the stronghold of the Mollies, he made it his headquarters during his entire career in the coal regions. At first he engaged as a miner, but finding that Work inter fered with his detective operations, he aban doned it, and accounted for his ability to live without work by saying that he was a govern ment pensioner, and by pretending to some that he was a ' shover of the queer,' or passer of counterfeit money. Herepeated to the body- master (Michael or ' Muff' Lawlor) the story that he was a fugitive from justice, and that he dared not write to his body-master at Buffalo for a card, and proposed to be initiated again. This was assented to, and the initiation took place April 14th, 1874. " The ceremony of initiation was simple, consisting of an explanation of the principles of the order ; in which it may be observed there was nothing objectionable, and an obli gation of secrecy, mutual friendship, and obe dience to the rules of the order and to superior officers ' in everything lawful and not other- | wise.' This was followed by instruction in the secret work, or ' goods,' which consisted of signs of recognition, toasts for the same purpose, passwords, and night words. " McParlan thus became what he had before professed to be, a full-fledged Mollie Maguire. He found that there was no such distinct order in America as the Mollie Maguires, but that in the coal regions vicious men had taken posses sion of the Ancient Order of Hibernians for the accomplishment of their fiendish purposes. This society was chartered by the Legislature, and in its written constitution not only was nothing reprehensible to be found, but, on the contrary, it inculcated pure principles of be nevolence and morality. So thoroughly had the Mollies taken possession of it in the coal regions, however, that the avowed objects of it were wholly disregarded ; not even a pre tense being made of carrying them out." McParlan also stated that when a member wanted any one killed he reported to his body master, and if the death was decided on, assassins were furnished from another division 134 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY to do the bloody work, and thus would not be known by any one who -might meet or see them. The miners complained of unfair coal wagons, false weight, the discharge of men without cause and various other matters in connection with the operating of the mines. When the strike of 1875 closed in defeat to the miners, the Mollies inaugurated a perfect reign of terror, and the project even was dis cussed by the society of attacking Mahanoy City. The Mollies by their votes and their mem bers who held township and county offices, were enabled to win pardons for criminals and defeat the ends of justice in many cases. This fearful state of affairs led a committee of fifty prominent citizens ofthe county to visit Harris burg and secure the passage ofa law by which a criminal court was established for the counties of Dauphin, Lebanon and Schuylkill. Col. David B. Green was appointed Judge of this district and held the office until its abolish ment by the new Constitution of 1874. The Shenandoah Herald, conducted by Thomas Foster, fearlessly denounced the Mollies, notwithstanding their threats of de stroying the office and killing the editor. On September 3, 1875, a murder was com mitted at Storm Hill, in Carbon County, and the murderers, who were Mollies, were ar rested and taken to Mauch Chunk. Michael Doyle, one of these murderers, was convicted on information furnished by McParlan, through the Pinkerton Agency, and James Kerrigan, a prisoner at Mauch Chunk, was so worked upon as to turn " informer," and sub stantiated McParlan's account. Vigilant committees had now been formed in Schuylkill county, and Charles O'Donnell, a murderer and Mollie, was killed by some of these vigilants, near Mahanoy City, an act that struck terror into the hearts of the Mollie Maguires, as it was using against them their own favorite weapon of assasination. Their days were now numbered, and the courts were preparing to act with an iron hand. On May 4, 1876, James Carroll, James Roarity, James Boyle, Hugh McGeehan, and Thomas Duffy were arraigned at Pottsville for the murder of Yost. McParlan was brought on the witness stand, and for the first time the people of the county knew of his existence. He was on the stand for four days, and his testimony was confirmed by Kerrigan, whose evidence the Mollies proposed to break by the perjury of several of their witnesses. The trial was not concluded on account of the sickness and subsequent death of one of the jurors. McParlan's evidence was so thrilling and wonderful that he held the house in silence and astonishment At the second trial Boyle, McGeehan, Car roll, and Roarity were convicted of the murder of Yost, for which they were hanged on June 21, 1877. Duffy had demanded a separate trial, at which he was convicted. He was also hanged with his comrades, in June, 1877. Thomas Munley and Davis Donnelly were hanged for the murder of Sanger, at Raven's Run ; and Martin Bergen met the same fate, being convicted of the murder of Patrick H. Burns. John (commonly called " Jack ") Ke- hoe, an acknowledged leader ofthe Mollies, was tried and convicted of the murder of J. W. S. Langdon, and was hanged on December 18, 1878. His counsel had made the most strenuous efforts to save him from the extreme penalty of the law; but the power of the society was broken, and its influence gone, and the prisoner went to the gallows. The courts acted with decision and dispatch ^u./A.^veT Pottsville Pa ^j^ A TYPICAL COAL BREAKER. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 135 in the Mollie Maguire cases, and after dispos ing of the murder trials nearly twenty Mollies were tried for attempted murder and for perjury, for which crimes they received sen tences of from seven down to two and a half years at hard labor. This Mollie Maguireism, with all its mys teries, passed away as a power and an influence in the great anthracite coal region, where it once reigned supreme, through the efforts of Franklin B. Gowen, President of the Phila delphia and Reading Iron and Coal Company, and the better class of the citizens of the county who utterly condemned assassination as either a means of justice or injustice. Recent Developments. — The greatest devel opment of the county has been in its coal production. The following description of a block of coal from a Schuylkill county colliery and the machinery used at a mine is given in the catalogue of Pennsylvania exhibits at the World's Columbian Exposition : "The exhibit of coal is naturally an-import- ant and comprehensive one. A square obelisk of Pennsylvania Anthracite, fifty-four (54) feet in height, occupies the center of the mining building, and is, perhaps, the most conspicuous single exhibit there. The blocks of coal for its construction were taken from the Mam moth Anthracite Coal Vein, in the mines of the Lehigh Valley Coal Company, on the Girard Estate. This obelisk, in the form of ' Cleopatra's Needle,' presents exactly the height and structure of one of Pennsylvania's largest coal veins, with the actual stratification of coal and slate as they occur in the vein from which the material is taken. The knowledge of the vast area of our coal mines is world-wide; but this needle is a vivid presentation of the additional and most strik ing fact that these veins exist in a thickness of over fifty feet. All the varieties of coal, in the eight marketable sizes, found in the anthracite region are shown in pyramidal glass cases, and a complete working illustra tion of the preparation of the coal is presented, by means of a miniature coal breaker and mine. " The breaker, which is a working model showing the whole process of preparing anthracite coal for the market, was built to scale, and is about fourteen feet in height ; the breaker and mine together cover about two hundred and fifty square feet of space. It is finished in hard wood and includes all the machinery of a modern breaker. The shaft and the slope are represented, the methods of raising and dumping cars, and of breaking, screening and loading coal, as in actual practice. In the mine itself are shown methods of laying out, working, ventilating and timbering for different pitches, also the methods of transporting coal in the mine, and of signaling with electric bells. In addition to these are pumps, mine cars, drills, scrapers, and in short the complete apparatus used in the mining and preparing of anthracite coal. The methods of anthracite mining are still further illustrated by a series of exception ally fine working drawings." On the Girard Estate referred to in the above description, are some of the most valuable mines in the country. An account of this estate and its valuable mines will be found elsewhere in this volume. The story of the progress of the coal pro duction is best told in the following table, which gives the number of tons produced in the years named in the Schuylkill field as in comparison with the total product of the entire anthracite region : BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Year. 182O 18211822 18231824 1825 1826 18271828 1829 I830 I83I I8321833 18341835 I836I837 1838 1839184O 1 84I 18421843 1844 18451846 I847 1848 I849 1850 1851 1852 18531854 • 18551856 ,1857 18581859 Schuylkill. 1,480 1,128 1,567 6,500 16,767 3i,36° 47,284 79,973 89,984 81,854 209,271252,971 226,692 339,5o8 432,045 530,152 446,875 475,077 490,596 624,466 583,273 710,200 887,937 1,131,724 1,308,500 -',665,735 !,733,72i 1,728,500 1,840,620 2,328,225 2,637,835 2,665,110 3,291,670 3>552,943 3,603,029 3,373,7973,273,245 3,448,708 Whole region 357 1,070 3,720 6,951 11,108 34,893 48,047 63,434 77,5i6 1 12,083 174,734 176,820 363,871 487,748376,636 560,758 684,117 879,441 738,697 818,402 864,384 959,973 1,108,418 1,263,598 1,630,350 2,013,013 2,344,005 2,882,3093,089,238 3,242,966 3,358,899 4,448,9164,993,471 5,i95,i5i 6,002,334 6,608,517 6,927,580 6,664,9416,759,3697,8o8;252 Year. i860l86l 1862 I863 1864 18651866 1867 18691870 1871 1872 1873 1874 18751876 I8771878I879 1880l88l 1882 I883 I884 I8851886 1887 1889 189O18911892 Schuylkill. 3,749,632 3,160,747 3,372,583 3,9", 683 4,161,970 4,356,959 5,787,9025,161,671 5,335,737 5,725,138 4,851,855 6,3.14,4226,469,912 6,294,769 5,642,180 6,281,712 6,221,934 8,195,042 6,282,2268,950,3297,554,742 9,253,958 9,459,288 10,074,726 9,478,3149,488,426 9,381,407 10,609,028 10,654,116 10,486,185 10,867,822 12,741,285 12,626,784 Whole region. 8,513,123 7,954,314 7,875,412 9,566,006 10,177,475 9,652,391 12,703,882 12,991,725 13,834,132 13 723,030 15,849,899 15,113,407 19,026,125 19,585,17818,980,726 19,712,472 18,501,311 20,828,179 17,605,262 26,142,680 23,437,242 28,500,017 29, 1 20,096 31,793,027 30,718,293 31,623,529 32,136,36234,641,017 38,145,718 35,407,71035,855,174 40,448,336 41,893,320 To get the actual product of the mines, add 12 per cent, to above table,— the amount consumed in and about the mines and sold to the local trade. In 1882, the anthracite coal fields were divided into seventeen districts by J. H. i OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 137 Jones, confidential accountant of the trans porting companies, and this division was pro visionally adopted by the Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania. The seventeen dis tricts thus accepted were : Carbondale, Scr*an- ton, Pittston, Wilkes-Barre, Green Mountain, Black Creek, Hazleton, Beaver Meadow, East Mahanoy, West Mahanoy, Shamokin, Panther Creek, East Schuylkill, West Schuylkill, Lor- berry, Lykens Valley and Loyalsock. Of these districts the 9th, 13th, 14th and 15th were wholly in Schuylkill county, while a large part ofthe iothand i6thand a portion of the 8th and 12th were within the county. We give the following list of the operating collieries in those districts wholly or partly in the county in 1881, with their products in tons as compiled from the mine inspectors' reports : 9. EAST MAHANOY DISTRICT. Ellangowan, Lanigans, 240,977; Elmwood, Mahanoy City, 282 ; Knickerbocker, Yates- ville, 113,555; Mahanoy City, Mahanoy City, 1 14,339 1 North Mahanoy, Mahanoy City. 71,190; Schuylkill, Mahanoy City, 81,925 ; St, Nicholas, St. Nicholas, 1 1 1,03 1 ; Tunnel Ridge, Mahanoy City, 74,654; Copley, Mahanoy City, 68,777; Glendon, Mahanoy City, 95,481 ; Primrose, Mahanoy City, 55,193; Coal Run, St. Nicholas, 127,400; Staffordshire, St. Nich olas, 11,422; West Lehigh, Mahanoy City, 46,757; Webster, Mahanoy City, 24,119; North Star, Mahanoy City, 24,000; total, 1,261,102. 13. EAST SCHUYLKILL DISTRICT. Middleport, Middleport, 6,600; Pine For est, St. Clair, 41,549; Eagle, St. Clair, 49,361 ; Beechwood, Mt. Laffee, 39,706; Wadesville, Wadesville, 110,874; Eagle Hill, New Phila delphia, 70,084 ; Pottsville, Pottsville, 16,478 ; Palmer Vein, New Philadelphia, 28,000 ; St. Clair, St. Clair, 3,524; Sharpe Mt., Pottsville, 2,540; Monitor, Wadesville, 1,854; Peach Orchard, St, Clair, 1,362; St. Clair, St. Clair, 235 ; Hiawatha, Middleport, ; New Bos ton, New Boston, 153,924; East Lehigh, Mahanoy City, 10,116; Repplier, New Castle, 3,106; Mammoth, Broad Mt, 750; Whip- poorwill, St. Clair, 129; Keim & Repp, Mill Creek, 165; Garfield, 252, , 637; total, 541,246. 14. WEST SCHUYLKILL DISTRICT. Gate Vein, Pottsville, ; Mine Hill Gap, Minersville, 48,902 ; Thomaston, Hecksher- ville, 82,975 ; Richardson, Glen Carbon, 58,388; Glendower, Glen Carbon, 51,465; Phcenix Park No. 2, Phcenix Park, 33,011; Phoenix Park No. 3, Phcenix Park, 22,163 ; Black Mine, Llewellyn, 16,357; Ellsworth, New Castle, 11,933; Black Valley, Miners ville, 1,942; Dundas No. 7, Minersville, 5,000; Jugular, New Castle, 869 ; Swatara, Swatara, 53,124; Otto, Branchdale, 55,905; Black Heath, Minersville, 21,132 ; Chandler, Miners ville, 100; Lewis Tract, Minersville,* 207 ; W. C. Diamond, Minersville, 5,058 ; Swatara, Swatara, 1,046; Chandler Tract, Minersville, 9; W. C. Big Diamond, Wolf Creek, 8,000; W. C. Diamond, Minersville, 566; Forestville, Forestville, 7; Middle Creek, Swatara, 2; total, 478,161. 15. LORBERRY DISTICT. Colket, Donaldson, 43,221; East Frank lin, Upper Rausch Creek, 19,179; Rausch Creek, Tremont Township, 85,382 ; Tremont Lands, Tremont, 131 ; Woods, Tremont, 1,054; total, 148,967. IO. WEST MAHANOY DISTRICT. « Boston Run, Boston Run, 46,705 ; Conner, Girardville, 137,251; Girard, Girardville, 69,- 138 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY 567; Hammond, Girardville, 95,274; Indian Ridge, Shenandoah, 143,562 ; Plank Ridge, Shenandoah, 107,195; West Shenandoah, She nandoah, 122,264; Shenandoah City, Shenan doah, 84,819; Bear Run, St. Nicholas, 19,221 ; Furnace, Gilberton, ; Gilberton, Gilber- ton, 52,988 ; Girard Mammoth, Raven Run, 14,273; Turkey Run, Shenandoah, 114,298; Bear Ridge No. 1, Mahanoy Plane, 63,196; Bear Ridge No. 2, Mahanoy Plane, 74,425 ; Colorado No. 1, West Mahanoy Township, 81,564; Shenandoah No. 2, West Mahanoy Township, 126,510; Lehigh No. 3, West Mahanoy Township, 170,078; Packer No. 4, West Mahanoy Township, 200,682; Cam bridge, Shenandoah, 9,065 ; Cuyler, Raven Run, 177,954; Draper, Gilberton, 117,132; Kohinoor, Shenandoah, 175,861 ; Lawrence, Gilberton, 112,200; Stanton, Gilberton, 57,- 854; Kehley Run, Shenandoah, ; Wil liam Penn, West Mahanoy Township, 222,- 252; Laurel Ridge, Mahanoy City, 11,016; Oakdale, Mahanoy City, 10,000; Mount Car mel, Mount Carmel, 184,358 ; Bast, Big Mine Run, 91,7.85 ; Helfenstein, Helfenstein, ; Keystone, Locust Dale, 7,726 ; Merriam, Locust Summit, 93,589; Potts, Locust Dale, 96,240; North Ashland, Dark Corner, 119,300; Pres ton Nos. 1 and 2, Girardville, 63,491 ; Pres ton No. 3, Girardville, 88,576; Tunnel, Ash land, 17,404; North Franklin No. 2, Trevor- ton, 93,310; Reliance, Mount Carmel, 104,- 964; Locust Spring, Locust Gap, 90,508; Locust Run, Ashland, ; Locust Gap, Locust Gap, 86,000 ; Ben Franklin, Douty- ville, 32,158; Monitor, Locust Gap, 126,062; Black Diamond, Mount Carmel, 7,368 ; Hazel Dell, Centralia, 29,000 ; Mount Carmel, Mount Carmel, 135,612; Big Mine Run, Big Mine Run, 134,525; Continental, Centralia, 62,506; Montana No. 1, Centralia, 73 ; Franklin No. 2, Barry Township, 29,917,; Rausch Gap, Valley View, 1,195 ; Montana No. 2, Mon tana, 42,941 ; Pioneer, Ashland, 958; Logan, Centralia, 117,525; Centralia, Centralia, 10,- 662.; Bear City, Centralia, 2,450; Morris Ridge, Centralia, 45,507; total, 4,532,916. 16. LYKENS VALLEY DISTRICT. Lincoln, Tremont Township, 146,899 ; Kal- mia, Orwin, 83,167; West Brookside, Porter Township, 374,533 ; Williamstown, Williams town, 279,790 ; Short Mountain, Lykenstown, 198,188; Big Run Gap, Williams Valley, 2,628; total, 1,085,205. 8. BEAVER MEADOW BASIN. Coleraine, Beaver Meadow, 138,187; Spring Mountain No. 1, Jeansville, 102,075 ; Spring Mountain No. 5 and Drift, Jeansville, 1 13,025 ; Tresckow, Tresckow, 116,561 ; Spring Brook No. 5, Yorktown, 83,685 ; Spring Brook No. 6, Yorktown, 94,994 ; Beaver Brook, French- town, 98,028 ; Honeybrook, No. 1, Auden- ried, 81,116; Honeybrook, No. 4, Audenried, 164,940; Honeybrook No. 5, Audendried, 124,302; total, 1,116,913. 12. PANTHER CREEK DISTRICT. Breaker No. 3, Nesquehoning, 136,150; Breaker No. 4, Jamestown, 54,324; Breaker No. 5, Andrewsville, 73,240; Breaker No. 6, Andrewsville, 91,551 ; Breaker No. 9, Coal- dale, 59,133 ; Breaker No. 8, Coaldale, 140,- 365 ; Breaker No. 10, Bull Run, 86,463 ; Breaker No. 11, Bull Run, 81,525; Green wood, Tamaqua, 2,776; West Lehigh, Tama qua, 16,500, total, 742,027. The seventeen districts named in a preced ing paragraph were arranged in six mining districts, whose names, numbers and inspec tors were as follows in 1 88 1 : First Schuylkill, No. 1, Samuel Gay; Sec- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 139 ond, Schuylkill, No. 2, Robert Mauchline; Third Schuylkill, No. 3, James Ryan ; Middle Carbon & Luzerne, No. 4, G. M. Williams ; Eastern Carbon & Luzerne, No. 5, Patrick Blewitt; Southern Carbon & Luzerne, No. 6, James E. Broderick. The output of these mining districts for 1 88 1 is given in the following table. District. I 2 3 4 5 6 Shipment. 1,726,069 4,248,6664,181,679 7,021,505 7,310,042 5,037,948 29,525,909 Colliery Consumption. 103,566 254,980 250,904 Not given 402,222 Not given Total. 1,829,635 4,503,646 4,432,583 7,021,505 7,7 1 2,264 5,037,948 30,537,58i Some definite idea of the thickness and rela tive position of the coal veins of the county may be gained from the two sections that are here given of the Pottsville and Shenandoah and Mahanoy basins : Section Pottsville Basin. On Belmont Estate. Lewis coal bed . 8 feet Interval .... . . 210 " Spohn coal bed . . . 8 " Interval . . . . 210 " Palmer coal bed . . • 3 " Interval 268 " - Charlie Pott coal bed . . 3 " Interval 78 " Clarkson coal bed . .... 7 " Interval ... 83 Selkirk coal bed . . . . 7 " Interval 120 Leader of coal ... ... 3 " Interval ... 45 " Peach Mountain coal bed . . 5 " Vicinity Pottsville Shafts Interval . .... Coal . . . Interval . . ... Little Tracy coal bed . . Interval . . . Coal Interval . . . . . Little Diamond coal bed Interval . . . Diamond coal bed Interval .... Little Orchard coal bed Interval ... Orchard coal bed . . Interval .... Primrose coal bed . Interval . . Holmes coal bed Interval Leader of coal Interval .... Mammoth upper coal bed IntervalMammoth lower coal bed Interval Skidmore coal bed . Interval ... Seven Foot coal bed Interval . . . Leader of coal Interval . . Leader of coal IntervalBuck Mountain coal bed Eckert Colliery, Tremont. IntervalCoal . Interval Coal 60 feet 3 " 58 " 6 " 198 " 2 " 40 " 3 " 122 " 6 " 158 " 3 " 25 " 4 " 190 " 8 " 91 " 4 " 70 " 4 " 140 " 7 " 15 " 25 " 60 " 8 " 72 " 3 " 80 " 00 " 25 " 2 " 25 " 554 feet 2 " 50 " 2 " 140 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY IntervalLykens Valley coal bed Total thickness Total coal . 55 feet 10 " 3251 feet 154 " Section Shenandoah and Mahanoy Basins. Vicinity Ellangowan Colliery. Interval 4 ice 55 " Diamond coal bed • 7 " Interval . ... . . . 118 " Little Orchard coal bed 3 " Interval ... ... . 24 " Orchard coal bed 11 " Interval . . ... - 152 " Primrose coal bed . . . 8 " Interval ... . roo " Holmes coal bed • 13 " Interval 00 " Coal . . 4 " Interval . . ¦ 131 " Mammoth coal bed, top split 12 " Interval ... . 39 " Mammoth coal bed, middle split 8 " Interval . . 23 " Mammoth coal bed, bottom split 15 " Interval .... 21 " Skidmore coal bed 4 " Interval . ... 24 " Seven Foot coal bed . 7 " Interval . . 71 " Buck Mountain coal bed . . 12 " Total thickness .... 872 feet Total coal . . ... 108 " Sections reported by the Second Geological Survey as taken in nine other coal basins of anthracite region give a total thickness and total coal as follows : Basins. Total Thickness. Total Coal. feet Carbondale (No. 0 • 329 feet 26 Carbondale (No. 2) 296 a 12 Lackawanna . • 705 a 72 Wilkes-Barre . • 957 u 94 Nanticoke . . • 1013 a 104 Black Creek . 447 it 74 Hazleton . . 610 a 85 Shamokin 1525 a 117 Panther Creek . 2294 k 126 Aside from increased coal production there has been marked development recently in the agricultural and railway progress of the county, and in every branch of industry; while the educational and religious institu tions have kept abreast of the times. Pikes. — Early wagon roads preceded the old pikes, which in turn gave way to the railroads ofthe present, that are now threatened in the populous centres of the country with being supplanted in the passenger travel by the electric railways. The country had nothing but wagon roads until the construction of the old Center turn pike, and the coming of the railroads, which prevented the building of any more turnpikes in Schuylkill county. The old Sunbury wagon road was estab lished in 1770, and ran between Reading and Sunbury. It was the route over which travel passed between Fort Augusta and Philadel phia. It was scarcely passable except on horseback. From P6rt Clinton it ran to Schuylkill forge, some two miles; thence in a serpentine course to Orwigsburg; then to Schuylkill Haven; thence to Pottsville over nearly the route ofthe Center turnpike, though it crossed the river only seven times ; then through Minersville to Deep Creek valley, some five miles west from Ashland1;, thence OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 141 over Locust mountain toward Sunbury. It was made barely passable by voluntary labor. At Deep Creek valley a road branched from this, and pursued a crooked course to Pine Grove, and thence to Lebanon. Like the Sunbury road, it was barely passable except for horseback travelers. Except these two roads there were at the time of the construction of the Center turn pike, and for many years afterward, scarcely any roads worthy of the name in the county. People traveled over bridle paths, or oftener on foot, always taking with them their rifles to be ready for any game they might en counter. In 1829 an act of Assembly author ized the construction of a state road between Mauch Chunk and Pottsville, which was never built. As late as 1830 or 183 1 passengers could for the first time be conveyed between the two places ; but nineteen of the thirty miles were traveled by railroad. Many state roads were about this time projected, but only a few were built. On March 21, 1805, by an act of Assembly, a company was incorporated " for making an artificial road by the nearest and best route from the borough of Sunbury, in the county of Northumberland, to the borough of Read ing, in the county of Berks." By another act, passed March 21, 1809, the Governor of the state was authorized to subscribe for six hun dred shares of the stock. By an act of March 30, 1 8 12, the Governor was authorized to sub scribe for three hundred shares in addition to the six hundred subscribed before ; and by an act of March 26, 1821, $35,000 was to be sub scribed, provided $30,000 should be applied to the payment of a judgment in favor of the Bank of Pennsylvania. In 1809 the road had been opened through, but its condition was very imperfect, and much of the work of construction was done between 1807 and 18 1 2. Center turnpike in Schuylkill county passed from Port Clinton through the townships of West Brunswick, North Manheim, Norwegian, New Castle and Butler; through the boroughs of Orwigsburg and Pottsville, in which last it constitutes Center street; through the towns of New Castle and Fountain Spring and the borough of Ashland, on the line between Columbia and Schuylkill. This road was an extension ofthe turnpike between Philadelphia and Reading, and con stituted a portion of the great thoroughfare between Philadelphia and Sunbury. From the time of its construction to the es tablishment of navigation along the Schuylkill this road was the thoroughfare over which all the commerce between Sunbury and its vicin ity and Philadelphia was carried. Two noted taverns on this road were those of Nicho Allen, on Broad Mountain, and John Boyer, on Mine Hill, where the main business was the sale of liquor. A portion of this old road in Schuylkill county is still kept up as a turnpike. Railroads. — The first railroad in the State of Pennsylvania was the one built by Abraham Pott, in Schuylkill county, in 1826. This road was a half-mile in length and ran from Mr. Pott's coal mine to the mouth of Mill creek. It was equipped with wooden rails, and its cars of one and a half tons coal capacity were drawn by horses, a horse being able to draw thirteen cars. R. A. Wilder, who served for many years as chief engineer and superintendent of the Mine Hill Railroad, thus describes the railroads of the county in 1881 : " The railroad system of Schuylkill county 142 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY embraces a network of roads more extensive and intricate than that of any other region of equal extent in the country. These roads ramify in all parts of the county where coal is mined, follow the windings of the streams through the many valleys and ravines, climb the mountains, over plains or by winding along their sides, or pass under them through tunnels. They enter the mines, to all parts of which they extend ; and it is a well known fact that a greater number of miles of railroad run beneath the surface than above it in this county. Like the ramifica tions of the vascular system of an animal, these branches unite in a few main lines, which carry to the different markets the immense amounts of coal that are brought to them from the mines to which the branches extend. " What are known as the lateral railroads of Schuylkill county were first constructed to accommodate the Schuylkill canal with a coal tonnage from the district south of the Mine hill and east of the west branch, covering an area of between sixty and seventy square miles. Previous to the construction of the laterals, the coal openings had been made in the immediate vicinity of the canal ; no one was more than half a mile distant, and the tracks running to the loading place were no more than extensions of the mine roads a short distance beyond the mouths of the drifts. The mine tracks were very primitive. They consisted of notched cross ties (sleepers) on which a wooden rail, three by four or four by six inches, was laid and fastened by wooden keys driven in by the side of the rail The gauge of the track was made to suit the fancy of the owner; but the average was forty inches. The mine cars held about a ton of coal and slate, and the wheels were loose upon the axle, like those of a wagon. There was usually a platform upon which the coal was dumped for the purpose of separating the impurities before loading, as breakers had not then been introduced." The early lateral roads were: Mine Hill, commenced in 1828; Mill Creek, 1829; Schuylkill Valley, 1829; Norwegian and Mt. Carbon, 1830, and the Little Schuylkill. We give the following list of railroads of Schuylkill county in the order 'in which they were chartered and the years, so far as could be obtained, in which they were opened: Union Canal, 1826, about 1830 to junction; Little Schuylkill, 1828, 1832; Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven, 1828, 1831 ; Schuylkill, Valley, 1828, first part of railroad, 1830; Mill Creek, 1828, partly opened 1829; Mount Carbon, 1829, 1848; Catawissa, 1831, 1854; Swatara, 1831, about 1840; Philadelphia and Reading, 1838, 1842; Mt. Carbon and Port Carbon, 1842, 1844; Schuylkill and Susque hanna, 1844, 1855 ; East Mahanoy, 1854, 1863; Lehigh and Mahanoy, 1857, 1865; Mahanoy and Broad Mountain, 1859, i860; Nesquehoning Valley, 1861,1864; Mountain Link, 1859, 1864; The Peoples', 1865, 1872. Girard Railroad to develop Girard coal lands never fully opened and long since abandoned. It consisted of several inclined planes and intervening levels. It was laid out from the Schuylkill to the Susquehanna, and the east ern end constructed, but not much used, as the whole scheme was an error in transportation. During the past twelve years several impor tant railroad facilities have been added to the previous liberal distribution of tracks to all parts of the county of Schuylkill. There is probably no area in the United States of equal extent containing so. many miles of railroad as are in operation here ; and in no other territory is such a vast tonnage OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 143 collected for the trunk lines leading to the great commercial marts. (Among the most important railroads re cently constructed in Schuylkill county are the Pennsylvania, Schuylkill Valley Railroad, and the Schuylkill and Lehigh Valley Rail road. The former was built and is operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad Co., and the latter by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Co. The first named follows the general course of the Schuylkill Valley from Philadelphia to Pottsville, and thence pushes northward across the Broad mountain into the middle coal field in the vicinity of Shenandoah, where it makes connections with other railroads. It also joins the Lehigh and Mahanoy division of the Lehigh Valley Railroad near Delano, and thence to the upper Lehigh region, and into the Susquehanna Valley. This line was opened to traffic about 1886 or 1887. A branch road extends from Pottsville via Fish- back to Minersville and new coal operations of the Lytle Coal Co., west of Minersville. The Schuylkill and Lehigh Valley Railroad extends from the Lehigh Valley Railroad at Lizard Creek Junction to Blackwood Col lieries, near Tremont, a distance of forty miles from the Lehigh river, and was opened to traffic in 1890. There is a branch road from West Wood junction connecting with the Peoples' Railway, and by it entering the borough of Minersville, and also extending to the York Farm Collieries near Pottsville. This road connects with the P. & S. V. R. R. at Schuylkill Haven, and enters Pottsville Over that line under a contract. These railroads are constructed in the most substantial manner, and may, in the near future, become parts of trunk roads to the north and south in accordance with projected lines and surveys. A branch ofthe Lehigh and Mahanoy Rail road has been extended to the New Boston Collieries on the Broad mountain, which also connects with the northern division of the P. & S. V. R. R., by which the Lehigh Valley Railroad trains enter Pottsville from the north under contract. The Electric Railway System is beginning to furnish means for inter-communication be tween the towns of Schuylkill county, which will add greatly to their convenience of access. The lines already constructed and in opera tion are the Schuylkill Electric Railway, ex tending from Yorkville through Pottsville and Palo Alto to Port Carbon, with branches to Fish- back and the Upper Tumbling Run lake, and the Schuylkill Traction Railway, located in the Mahanoy Valley, and furnishing facilities of travel to the many flourishing mining towns and coal operations built up in that important part of the anthracite coal field. Both of these roads are operated by the trolley system, and appear to possess value as an investment, which will be greatly increased with growing economics in the power department. The wasted energy of fuel is a terrible drain upon the commercial application of steam, whether applied direct to the movement of machinery and trains, or through the medium of the gen erated electric current. Schools. — The history ofthe common schools up to 1876 is condensed from a report made in 1877 by Jesse Newlin, county superinten dent in the last named year. For a long time, after the first settlements were made in the southern or agricultural portion of the county no schools were estab lished, and only the children of a portion of the scattered settlers received instruction in the primary branches from their parents. In their youth these people had been instructed 144 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY by their parents and clergymen in their native country, and they did not deem an education necessary, beyond the ability to read the Bible and catechism, and keep their accounts. They believed an education, beyond the rudi mentary one which they had received, inclined its possessor to indolence and- vice. It was not till the commencement of the present century that they began to gather their chil dren in schools — at first in private rooms and afterwards, when settlers had multiplied suffi ciently, in rude log school-houses. These were built by voluntary contributions of materials and labor. In these instruction was given in reading, writing, the rudiments of arithmetic, sacred music, the catechism, etc., and the pastor was usually the teacher. This curriculum of instruction continued in general use up to the time of the acceptance of the common school system, or more than half a century, in the townships of Brunswick and West Penn, which were the first to establish these primitive schools and the last to accept the common school system. In all the agricultural districts, which are situated between Second mountain and the Blue hills, the German settlers entertained the same views concerning the utility of education and the amount necessary to enable people to accumulate property and learn the simple tenets of their religious faith. The only higher institution of learning in the county was the Orwigsburg Academy. The academy was succeeded in 1824 by the Arcadian Institute, which was established in the old court-house by Professor W. J. Burn side. He was succeeded by Elias Schneider, A. M., and he by Rev. Mr. Fries. The insti tute went down in 1864. Although many of the German districts in this county were slow to adopt the school system of 1834, to Schuylkill belongs the honor of first moving in the direction of free education. Mr. William Audenreid, who re presented Schuylkill and Berks counties in the Senate in 1825, was the first to propose and earnestly advocate the establishment of the fund which has since become the founda tion of the present school system. He was the leading advocate of English schools in his town (McKeansburg). At a meeting of county commissioners and delegates from the district in the county at Orwigsbufg in 1834, the provisions of the school law, owing to the prejudices of the German population, then constituting four- fifths of the inhabitants of the county, were accepted by only four districts in the county. These were Orwigsburg, Pottsville, Norwegian and Schuylkill; and of these Schuylkill re fused to elect directors favorable to the enforce ment of the law. Politicians were, of course, found to espouse the cause of ignorance as long as it remained popular. In Orwigsburg the free school system was almost unanimously adopted, and since 1865 graded schools have been maintained. In 1829 Abraham Pott, of Port Carbon, built at his own expense the first and only school- house in the town prior to the acceptance of the new school system, of which he was one of the most prominent champions. Norwe gian and the townships that have been formed wholly or in part from it have always availed themselves of the full benefits of the school system and amply remunerated their teachers. In 1834 Tamaqua belonged to Schuylkill township, which then included the districts of Blythe and Mahanoy, and parts of Butler, New Castle and East Norwegian. In Tamaqua the friends of the new system prevailed ; and ! in the vote on its adoption in 1835 they out- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 145 witted and defeated the dull opponents of educational progress, who preponderated in the rural part of the township, by reserving a body of voters till near the closing of the polls, when the other party were leading and had concluded they need not exert themselves. Tamaqua then elected directors who at once put the system into operation. Among the first directors we find such men as the Hon. Benjamin Heilner, Doctor D. Hunter, A. H. Deuel, and others of like intelligence. The latter was secretary of the first board. Judge Heilner and Doctor Hunter served in the Tamaqua school board over thirty years. In Schuylkill township there were two pay schools, in log houses, where children were taught at fifty cents per month till 1837. The Free School system in 1838 was adopted in Manheim. Out of this, which in 1838 had eight schools, five districts have been formed, with thirty-nine schools. Pine Grove unani mously rejected the system in 1834. Pine Grove village organized an independent district in the spring of 1835 ; north Pine Grove in 1843, and west Pme Grove in 1845. There- mainder of the township was without public schools till 1847. In Rush, which included what are now Rush, Rahn, Ryan and Klein townships, a school was opened in 1810, through the in strumentality of John Faust, who became a resident of the township in 1806. It was taught by Francis Keenly in an unoccupied log house. Mr. Faust's son, Jacob, subse quently built and furnished three houses for school purposes at his own expense ; and when the school system was introduced built a school-house and presented it and the lot to the township. These houses, and a school kept in an old saw-mill, were the school facilities of Rush till 185 1, when the court, on 10 petition of Mr. Faust and a few others, ordered the common school put into operation. Jacob Faust procured the use of the English lan guage in the schools. From four schools in 185 1 the number in all the districts has grown to twenty-six. In Brunswig the first school in the county was established about the year 1777, at the " red church," followed by others at McKeans- burg, New Ringgold, and one near what is now Moser's hotel. In 1838 the friends of the free schools here beat their opponents through the latter voting for " common " schools under the impression that they were the existing schools, whereas, they were the very thing the obstructionists thought they were voting against. In 1849, when two more independent districts — South Brunswig and Center — were formed a school was opened in each. These were soon followed by other sections forming themselves into independent school districts as soon as a majority favored the system. West Brunswig was the last to yield to the system, and only acquiesced when compelled by the order of the court. East and West Brunswig townships now include fifteen school districts, with twenty-six schools, super vised by ninety directors. Ten of these districts have but one school. The annual school term has never exceeded five months. In Upper and Lower Mahantango the common schools were not accepted till 1850, when Eldred township and what is now Lower Mahantango made the advance movement. These were followed by others, until 1868, when what was left of Upper Mahantango brought up the rear through a peremptory mandate from the court. The original territory now embraces the school districts of Barry, Eldred, Porter, Hubley, Hegins, Kessler, and Upper and Lower Mahantangos. They had thirty-eight 146 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY schools, with an annual term of five months. West Penn was forced into accepting the common schools in 1868 by the court appoint ing Peter Seiberling, Reuben F. Lerby, John S. Longacre, Ludwig Berner, Thomas Zim merman and William Backert school directors. They at once organized the board, located and built fifteen school-houses, and opened the schools for four months. Some of these were men of business, and suffered very materially for a few years by the withdrawal of much of the patronage of the opponents, who outnum bered the school men three to one. The oppo sition has almost entirely disappeared. Pre vious to the formation of Butler, in 1848, there had been one " pay school " in the territory which it includes. Miss Mary Savage was the teacher, and the school was supported by A. H. Wilson, Samuel Boone, Peter Seitzinger, and R. C. Wilson. In 1877 Butler had forty- eight schools, with a term of nine months. Barry accepted the school system in 1852, Wayne in 184 1. In this township Christian Meyer taught during forty-one years from 1829. In Union township the Germans suc ceeded in defeating the adoption of the free school system until 1858, when the court appointed six directors. But these men, after laying a school tax and locating school- houses, were forced to retreat. "In July, 1859, the court appointed six others, who fought the cause with a- determi nation equaled only by that of the opposition. They levied the tax and appointed the col lector, who, being a man of unshakened cour age and endurance, accomplished his part of the work under the most trying circumstances. He says : ' Many guns were leveled at me, and threats were made. At one house I was badly scalded by a woman throwing boiling water over me ; at another a woman struck me on the back of the head with a heavy iron poker ; and at another I was knocked down with a stone and assaulted with pitchforks and clubs, but succeeded in getting away with three cows. Many wealthy farmers did not pay their tax till after I had taken some of their stock, advertised it for sale, and they had con sulted their attorneys.' " In Mahanoy town ship twenty years ago there was not a single school of any kind. In 1858 it commenced with three free schools ; to-day it has within its original limits ninety-four public schools — more than in any one of the counties of Mon tour, Union, Sullivan, Pike, Fulton, Forest Elk and Cameron. These schools are nearly all graded; have an annual school term of nine months, and paid in 1876, for teaching alone, $34,155.88. It has two public high schools. It has also a number of excellent grammar schools. The first teachers' institute in the county was held at Pottsville in 1851, under the in struction of P. G. Angele, A. M., D. G. Rush, N. Olmstead, B. Bannan, A. K. Brown, A. H. Ludlow, and S. E. Carr. Fifty-seven were in attendance at this session ; among whom were many who have subsequently attained high rank as teachers, or in other walks in life. Semi-annual institutes were held till 1859; then they were held annually till 1875, in which year the institute numbered four hundred and forty-eight teachers. A teacher's association was organized in 1863, and existed until 1867. Public libraries are connected with several ofthe schools, and literary and debating societies organized in many of the townships have done good work in the educational field. Many ofthe schools of the county are graded. Orwigsburg academy was incorporated March 29, 1813, and continued in operation as late as 1853. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 147 Churches. — Within the present century the few early log churches have been succeeded successively by plain frame and brick houses, and they in turn by the many handsome church edifices now to be found in every part of the county. We compile, from the United States census reports, the following table of the number of churches in the county from 1850 to 1870: NUMBER OF CHURCHES IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. Denomination! 1850. i860. 1870. Lutheran 30 36 24 Methodist ... 18 44 18 German Reformed . . . 4 19 26 Baptist . ... 5 11 H Episcopal . 5 9 7 Presbyterian .... 9 4 6 Catholic . .... 6 15 H Mennonite 1 — — Moravian . . . 1 — — Union ... 4 — — Winebrenner — 1 — Jewish . ... — 2 — Swedenborgian . — 1 — Evangelical Association — — 10 4 13 32 Totals . . . . 87 146 131 Medical. — On February 22, 1845, an Allo pathic medical society was formed at Potts ville by Drs. George Halberstadt, J. S. Carpenter, Thomas Brady, G. H. Knobel, William Housel, Enos Chichester, J. G. Koehler, Samuel Shannon, G. W. Brown, S. M. Zulich, and R. H. Phillips. This society has been very active ever since its organiza tion, and took a prominent part in the organi zation ofthe State Medical Society in 1848. From June 25, 1881, to August 7, 1893, the following physicians have registered in the prothonotary 's office, opposite their names: Name. 1 88 1. W. H. Robinson, H. C. Parry, . A. P. Carr, . . D. W. Bland, . J. M. Gwyner, Mary A. Swayze, B. C. Guldin, . And. Bush, . J. C. Biddle, R. S. Chrisman, D. S. Moyer, • John McCrystle, J. G. Dreher, . D. J. Langton, G. K. Binkley, T. A. Helwig, A. B. Sherman, S. J. Seyfert, G. M. Miller, Thos. Maguire, R. T. Weaver, J. C. Bechtel, . A. M. Stapp, W. F. Kistler, . J. S. Kistler, T. W. Swalm, H. A. Klock, W. R. Owen, . Z. P. Boyer, Jr., A. P. Bissell, . F. W. Boyer, C. B. Dreher, . D. J. Marshall, S. H. Brady, J. P. Callen, C. T. Palmer, . H. G. Wiest, Geo. Y. Lehr, from the places set Residence. . Pottsville. . Pottsville. . St. Clair. . Pottsville. St. Clair. . Pottsville. . Minersville. . Ashland. . Shenandoah. . Pottsville. . Friedensberg. . Minersville. . Pine Grove. . Ashland.Orwigsburg. Minersville. Girardville. Pine Grove. Mahanoy City. . Pottsville. Pottsville. . Summit Station. . McKeansburg. Minersville. . Shenandoah. . Pottsville. . Mahanoy City. . Ashland. Pottsville. Mahanoy City. . Pottsville. . Tamaqua.Ashland. Lost Creek. Shenandoah. Pottsville. Schuylkill Haven Tremont. 148 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Name. ii. Emil C. Luke, . . L. M. Thompson, T.J. Birch, . . . . P. J. Keiser, . . . David Taggart, . . W. A. Hawk, . . . Constantine Ruttger, Thomas Lewis, . . J. G. Raessler, . . . W. J. Hain, . . . J. H. B. Amick, . . G. H. Halberstadt, . J. W. Brown, . . . H. Y. Hartman, . . H. C. Fegley, . . . Daniel Dechert, . . Phaon Hermany, . . A. H. Halberstadt, . D. L. Schultz, . . . O. P. Piper, . . . G. F. Brendle, . . D. J. McKibbin, . . R. N. Ramsay, . . S. C. Spalding, . . J. B. Davis, . . . J. T. Carpenter, . . Irving D. Willrout, . E. S. Solliday, . . E. F. Phillips, . . O. S. Saylor, . . . Samuel Collins, . D. W. Straub, . . Chas. E. Quail, Samuel E. Fetzer, . I. J. Bevan, .... Jas. Donaghue, . . Philip Weber, . . Isaac J. Kistler, . . B. F. Salladay, T. K. Halbauer, . . Residence. Shenandoah. Mahanoy City. Port Carbon. Tamaqua. Frackville. Orwin. Mahanoy City. Hegins twp. Tremont. Schuylkill Haven Pottsville. Tower City. Orwigsburg.Ashland.Cressona. Mahanoy City. Pottsville. Auburn. Schuylkill Haven Mahanoy City. Ashland. Mahanoy City. Shenandoah. Shenandoah. Pottsville. Schuylkill Haven Tamaqua. Tower City. Pottsville. Reading. Shenandoah.Auburn. Mahanoy Plane. Mahanoy City. Girardville. Mahanoy City. West Penn. New Ringgold. St. Clair. Name. Residence. 1 88 1. Lebo Williams, . . Valley View. Geo. W. Brown, . . Port Carbon. D. W. Williams, . . Shenandoah. A. L. Flexer, . . . Tamanend. R. B. Wilson, . . Tower City. E. L. Yeager, . . H. D. Rentschler, . Ringtown. J. P. Palm, . . . . Schuylkill Haven J. C. McWilliams, . New Castle. C. W. Bankes, . . Middleport. Wale Windsor, . . Pottsville. D. McDonald, . . Mahanoy City. W. T. Beach, . . . Minersville. J. B. Nice, . . . . Frackville. M. R. Karteman, Hegins township. J. K. Kistler, . . West Penn. C K Herb V-s> XV. J. J. ^- 1 u , . . W. R. Hoch, . . . Pottsville. S. A. Gibson, . Shenandoah. W. G. Knittle, . . Tremont. G. W. Ebrite, . . . Ashland. C. H. Haeseler, . . Pottsville. L. J. Enders, . . . Leib. J. Frick, .... Mahanoy City. B. P. Backus, . . . Philadelphia. H. B. Karterman, . Mahantongo twp. J. Baur, .... Tamaqua. William Bailey, St. Clair. J. Donaghue, . . Girard. L. A. Snyder, Ashland. J. E. Dunlap, . . . St. Clair. J. C. F. Schirner, Tamaqua. J. K. Bowers, . . Reading. 1882. Mrs. Catherine Sheeder, Minersville. J. E. Shadel, . . . Shenandoah. C. Lenker, . , . Schuylkill Haven E. W. Farrow, . . Barry. J. C. G. Swaving, Pottsville. T. J. Ritter, Mahanoy City. J. A. Beatty, . . . Frackville. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 149 Name. 1882. E. N. Harpel, . A. R. McDonell, J. E. Bellville, Thos. Corany, J. S. Carpenter, J. V Albert, . Jno. Walsh, . Prof. H. P. Loman J. H. Kauffman James Crage, . W. C. J. Smith, B. H. Davis, . 1883. J. W. Bird, . J. A. S. Moffet, G. W. Seip, . W. H. Matten, F. U. Johnson, R. R. Breisch, W. M. Snyder, R. Blakslee, . T. H. Wetzel, Residence. Pottsville. Schuylkill county Pottsville. Girardville. Pottsville. Pine Grove. Cole Dale, Philadelphia. Schuylkill county St. Clair. Pottsville.Mahanoy City. Donaldson. Mahanoy City. Reading. Port Clinton. Philadelphia. Shenandoah. Pine Grove. Plymouth, Luzerne Co. Girardville. W.H. Carr,. . H. T. Nathorst, ¦*¦ Irvin Seitz, 1884. H. G. Nice, . Luke Walsh, G. W. Ressler, J. I. Hoverder, C. D. Miller, . S. M. Fetzer, . E. A. Sherman, J. C. Gray, J. W. Coble, . George Little, M. P. O'Brien, W. L. C. Forrester, A. S. Cummings, J. L. Bauer, . . . 1885. C. W. Evans, . . B. L. Fetherolf, D.D.S., Tamaqua. St. Clair. Sacramento. Port Clinton. Girardville. Hegins.Pitman.Mahanoy City. Shenandoah. Philadelphia.Cressona. Lansford. Pottsville. Minersville. Girardville. Mahanoy Plane. Girardville. Tremont. Name. 1885. E. J. Schlicher, J. L. Sheafer, J. H. Van Metzreid, C. A. Bleiler, . J. L. S. Moyer, E. K. Steckel, . C. M. Rickert, P. N. K. Schwenk A. L. Boughner, Hermany Robenan, G. W. Dreher, 1886. G. W. Eiskaup, J. H. Sandell, . S. G. Mengle, . S. Bevins, . . Louis Weber, . H. A. Robbins, 1887. W. W. Deyson, D. W. Dunder, Emma Roxberry Jacob Roads, . J. G. Weist, . . W. S. Rink, . . F. H. Coyle, . H. E. Merkel, . G. B. Beach, . J. C. Cooper, . A.S.N.Lowen,D C. R. Miller, . L. W. Moyer, . W. H. Heiser, . H. M. Schall, . J. E. Miller, . J. S. Mengle, . J. D. Graven, . James Stine, . J. W. McCawley, T. A. Grigg, . Residence. Gilberton. Walker Twp. Girardville. Frackville. Cressona. Orwigsburg. Tower City. Philadelphia. Tamanend. Pottsville. Tamaqua.Girardville. Girardville. Minersville.Port Clinton. Mahanoy City. Bloomsburg. Philadelphia. Tremont. Philadelphia. Mahanoy City. Yorkville. St. Clair. New Philadelphia. Ashland. Ashland. Jonestown. D. S., Tamaqua. Middleport. Barnesville. • Gilberton. Landingville.McKeansburg.Port Clinton. Sternsville, Lehigh Co. Shenandoah. Shenandoah. Ashland. Mary E. Fetherolf, D. D., Tamaqua. John Ege, .... Reading. 150 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Name. Residence. 1887. F. B.Nice, . . . . Harrisburg. H. R. Bricker, . . Mahanoy City. W. F. Klein, . . Berks Co. J. M. Walborn, . . Frackville. S. G. F. Moyer, . . Philadelphia. H. S. Booker, . Silver Brook. 1888. P. O. Bleiler, . . . Girardville. A. L. Gillars, . . Pottsville. A. F. Bronson, Girardville. L. W. Prevost, \ Tremont. M. C. Ryan, . Coaldale. J. L. Hoffman, . Cressona. C. D. Carr, . . St. Clair. A. A. Bancroft, . Pottsville. G. F. Mattens, . Shenandoah. C. C. Hagenbuch, Mahanoy City. W. H. Lewis, . ' Mt. Carmel. N. L. Price, . Port Carbon. C. W. Fisher, Taylorsville. August Super, . Pottsville. W. A. L. Riegel, Wilkes-Barre. W. W. Stranger, . Hazleton. 1889. W. T. Hamilton, . Ashland. Jno. Kauffman, Hazleton. D. C. T. Watkins, . Mahanoy City. J. D. Moyer, . . Ashland. A. A. Seibert, . Pottsville. A. B. Kurteman, Upper Mahantongo.Tp. F. H. Brobst, . . . Newtown. W. D. Kartman, Upper Mahantongo.Tp. B. H. Nice, . . Hamberg. D. D. Davis, . . Gordon. E. E. Bashore, Pine Grove. I. C. Bruce, . Shenandoah. H. B. Hollifield, Shenandoah. H. B. Hollifield, . Shenandoah. Peter Jasinski, . . Shenandoah. W. E. Schlemm, Reading. M. F. McTaggert, . Shenandoah. W. E. Reifsnyder, . Reading. Name. Residence. 1889. Randall Hutchinson, Silver Brook. C. A. Detweiler, Schuylkill Haven. Hammonto*wn, N. J. Barnesville. J. M. Peebles, Frank Womer, C. H. Brobst, . S. B. Swavely, C. J. Hoffman, 1890. G. R Shenk, . J. G. Kistler, . T. F. Heebner, J. D. Kiefer, . N. B. Robins, E. L. Straub, J. A. Jones, H. C. Bowman, M. J. Flanagan, A. H. Howard, W. S. Jenkins, I. D. Moser, . C. M. Bordner, Pearson Serrill, Jno. Ott, . . H. C. Fuller, . 1 891. R. I. Hines, . R. H. Hess, . Chas. H. Philips, . W. A. Lomison, G. M. Hamilton, J. A. Gantz, . J. R. Bissell, . . L. C. Robinhold, Jacob Behler, C. R. Shoemaker, E. B. Wenner, T. D. Williams, . A. M. Sittler, M. Z. Albro, I. J. E. Shapira, . 1892. Chas. F. Ruch, . J. G. Schaller, Macungie, Pa. . Pottstown. Morea. Ringtown. Leibysville. Port Carbon. Frackville. Minersville. Minersville. Mahanoy City. Schuylkill Haven Ashland. Millersville. Nelson City. Frackville. Shenandoah. Gordon. Patterson. Mahanoy City. Frackville. Tremont. . Shenandoah.Donaldson. Shenandoah. Reading. Mahanoy City. Port Clinton. Keptners. Shenandoah. Jersey City. Ashfield. Silver Brook. Shenandoah. Wehr. Catawissa. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 151 Name. 1892. S. E. Wertman, . . M. S. Kistler, . . H. N. Sherman, A. P. Seligman, . . B. C. Maud Coble, . W. O. Smith, . . E. E. M. Hoffman, Foster K. Quail, P. H. O'Hara, . . Reuben Hochlerner, John Szlupas, . . J. A. Harrison, . • J. H. Moore, . . C. B. McCIure, . . 1893. Robert M. Kennedy, W. F. Christ, . . . H. H. Wilford, . . Edward C. Dreher, . A. N. Mehrenlender, H. G. Crease, . . . Thos. D. Casey, . . Mary Cope Cumming, Pottsville. Geo. H. Moore, . . Tremont. Isaac I. Kalbach, Hamburg, Berks Co. Residence. Mahanoy City. Shenandoah.Mahanoy City. Mahanoy Ciiy. Tamaqua. Pottsville. Hegins. Auburn. Shenandoah. Shenandoah.Shenandoah.Mahanoy City. Pittston. Heckscherville. Pottsville. New Ringgold. Tamaqua. Tamaqua. Shenandoah. Silver Brook. Ashland. Harry E. Dunlop, R. J. Ritz, . . J. H. Enterline, . W. C. Sittler, . . J. Harry Swaving, W. A. Kuter, . W. J. Summowicz, Tremont. Ashland.Mahanoy Plane. New Mahanoy. Pottsville.Barnesville. Mahanoy City. Dentists. — From 1883 to 1893, the follow ing thirty-two dentists registered : G. M. Miller, P. N. Barker, P. K. Filbert, S. B. Detweiler, J. H. Johnson, W. F. Faust, J. C. Freeston, F. M. Poulson, H. T. Nahorst, H. J. Herbein, J. Y. Cline, H. D. Matten, Earle Salada, S. L. Starr, C. S. W. Schomo, G. C. Hertz, E. A. Livering, C. L. Irwin, J. D. Lowery, K. P. Hill, A. H. Thomas, C. F. Havice, Veterinary Surgeons. the following twenty- geons registered at the J. W. Salada, U. S. Fridireci, A. E. Schwindt, Michael Haley, J. S. Heim, Lewis Dreisboch, F. A. McCarthy, Henry Pirman, Edward Heiser, • . Daniel Ohe, W. D. Schuler, D. J. Frenk, R. C. Sleath, E. D. Longacre, W. H. Hertz, H. E. Esterbrook, C. G. Home, F. R. Jones, F. L. Degorn, J. W. Erwin, Frank Womer, W. E. Grover, J. J. McKinstry, W. E. Prather. — From 1889 to 1893, seven veterinary sur- court-hou'se : William Arthur, Nelson Knapp, William Lynagh, Daniel Yeick, Urise Welborn, John Collins, James Brennan, I. L. Bond, J. B. Gise, Peter Haley, B. E. Britton, John Jones, E. E. Kuder. Political. — The true Strength of political parties in any county is best given in the pop ular presidential votes cast in the same, and we present in the following table the vote for President at each Presidential election since 1824, when the people commenced voting for their chief magistrate, except 1828, which could not be obtained at this writing : 1824 Rep. Andrew Jackson, 319 Coal'n. John Adams, 34 Rep. William H. Crawford, 131 Rep. Henry Clay, 29 152 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY I832 1836 18401844 1848 1852 1856 i860 1864 1868 1872 1876 Opposition, Dem. Andrew Jackson, Nat. Rep. Anti-Mas. Dem. Martin Van Buren, Whig. William H. Harrison, Dem. Martin Van Buren, Whig. William H. Harrison, Dem. James K. Polk, Whig. Henry Clay, Lib'ty. James G. Birney, , Whig. Zachary Taylor, Dem. Lewis Cass, F. Soil. Martin Van Buren, Dem. * Franklin Pierce, Whig. Winfield Scott, F. Dem. John P. Hale, Dem. James Buchanan, Rep. John C. Fremont, Amer. Millard Fillmore, Rep. Abraham Lincoln, Dem. John C. Breckenridge, I. Dem. Stephen A. Douglas, Cons't. Union. John C. Bell, Dem.Dem.Rep. Rep.Dem. Rep. Rep. 1270 482 1380 687 2184 1881 3404 2571 3 4808 3490 35 47584128 10 7035 2188 2682 7568 4968 422 139 1880 Geo. B. McClellan (home), 9245 Geo. B. McClellan (army), 295 Abraham Lincoln (home), 7166 Abraham Lincoln (army), 685 Horatio Seymour, Ulysses S. Grant, Ulysses S. Grant, Dem. and L- Horace Greeley, Dem. Samuel J. Tilden, Rep. Rutherford B. Hayes, G'b'k. Peter Cooper, Smith, 8 Dem. Winfield Scott Hancock, 11,508 9428 8707 8657 6983 io,457 8677 1240 Rep. James A. Garfield, G'b'k. James B. Weaver, 1884 Rep. James G. Blaine, Dem. Grover Cleveland, G'b'k. Benjamin F. Butler, 9337 2489 11,272 11,200 1426 1884 Pro. John P. St. John, 1888 Dem. Grover Cleveland, Rep. Benjamin Harrison, Pro. Clinton B. Fisk, G'b'k. Alson J. Streeter, 1892 Dem. Grover Cleveland, Rep. Benjamin Harrison, Pro. Bidwell, Peo. James B. Weaver, Soc. -Lab. Wing, 149 13,05412,522 211 193 13,677 11,426 290 23 Postal. — The present Postal System has grown from small beginnings, and on January 11, 1825, the Pottsville post office was estab lished with Thomas Sillyman as postmaster. Since then offices have multiplied until there are now postoffices in the county as follows : Adamsdale, Aqua, Artz, Ashland,Auburn,Barnesville, Barry,Blackwood, Branch Dale, Brandonville, Broad Mountain, Buck Mountain, Coaldale, Cressona, Cumbola,Delano, De Turksville Donaldson, Dow, Drehersville,Elwood, Fearnot Fountain, Frackville. Mahanoy Plane, Mantz, Middleport, Minersville, Molino, Morea Colliery, Muir,New Boston, New Ringgold, North Penn, Nuremberg,Oneida, Orwigsburg,Orwin,Park Place, Pinedale, Pine Grove, Pitman, . Port Carbon, Port Clinton, Pottsville (c. h.), Quakake, Rausch's, Raven Run, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 153 Friedensburg, Gilberton, Girard Manor, Girardville,Glen Carbon, Good Spring, Gordon,Haas, Hecksherville,Hecla, Hegins,Helfenstein,Hepler, t Joliett, Kehler, Kelayres, Klingerstown, Kepner,Landingville,Lavelle,Leib,Leibysville,Llewellyn,Locust Dale, Lofty,Lost Creek, McKeansburg, Mabel,Mahanoy City, Zion's Ravine, Reynolds, Ringtown, Rock,Rough and Ready, Sacramento, Saint Clair, Saint Nicholas, Schuylkill Haven, Seek, Shaft, Shenandoah, Sheppton,Silver Brook, Silver Creek, Steigerwalt, Sittler, Suedberg, Summit Station, Swatara, Tamanend, Tamaqua, Tower City, Tremont, Tuscarora, Valley View Wehr,Weishampel, Grove. Secret Societies. — All the leading secret societies are represented in Schuylkill county. The Patriotic Order, Sons of America, has the largest number of organizations and the great est numerical strength, having fifty-seven camps, and a membership of 6,302 in 1892. Free Masonry. — We give the numbers, names and locations of the institution of the Masonic Lodges in the county in 1893 : No. Name. 138 Schuylkill 216 Pulaski 222 Minersville 238 Tamaqua 267 Swatara 270 Page 285 Anthracite 294 Ashland 409 Pine Grove 426 Cressona 511 Shenandoah Chapters. 159 Schuylkill 177 Tamaqua 196 Mountain City 219 Griscom 222 Tremont 252 Mizpah Commanderies. 3 1 Evanhoe 39 Prince of Peace 41 Constantine Place. Orwigsburg PottsvilleMinersville Tamaqua Tremont Schuylkill Haven Saint Clair Ashland Pine Grove Cressona Shenandoah Minersville Tamaqua Pottsville Ashland Tremont Mahanoy City Tamaqua Ashland Pottsville. Patriotic Order, Sons of America.- the districts, numbers, location and ship ofthe camps in 1892: schuylkili,, district no. 1. Location. Mantzville . . . Tamaqua .... Delano New Ringgold . North Penn Lofty . ... Snydersville . Tamaqua . . . QuakakeSilver Brook . . Andreas No. 44 57 72 IOO132 363 438 525 578 593 615 n Total -We give member- Members. 96 162177154 44 20 45 293 74 36 46 1 147 154 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY SCHUYLKILL, DISTRICT NO. 2. No. Location. Members. 66 Frackville . ... 149 75 St. Clair . 260 134 Port Carbon .... 145 135 Middleport . . . 47 475 77 594 Morea Total 18 6 696 SCHUYLKILL, DISTRICT NO. 3. 45 Auburn ... • • 57 47 Schuylkill Haven 199 48 Port Clinton . . 46 49 Pine Grove . . ¦ 203 73 Cressona . ... 94 86 Orwigsburg 95 129 Cressona 64 223 West Pine Grove 74 247 Landingville 56 264 Friedensburg . 89 507 Summit Station . Total . . . 40 11 1017 SCHUYLKILL, DISTRICT NO. 4. H Pottsville 142 36 Pottsville . . . . 244 46 Minersville . . . . . U3 74 Donaldson 94 76 136 266 72 500 77 7 Total SCHUYLKILL, DISTRICT NO. 5 878 1 12 243 124 Mahanoy City 214 125 214 167 Mahanoy City .... 209 183 165 206 184 No. 235265 284 460 IO Schuylkill, district no. $— continued. Location. Members. William Penn . ... 62 Ringtown . • • • • 75 Gilberton ... • 94 Mahanoy City ... • 93 85 109 H5 184 225 5 38 41 62 71 84 106 260 3J3 496 Total SCHUYLKILL, DISTRICT NO. 6. Weishample ... Valley View .... Hegins ... . . Pitman Hepler . . . • ¦ Total . ¦ • SCHUYLKILL-COLUMBIA DISTRICT. Montana .... Helfenstein . . Gordon . ... Ashland . . Ashland . . . Centralia Lavelle . Fountain Springs Locust Dale . Total . . . 1553 4i 47 53 97 29 267 28 17 80 54 99 112116 24 42 572 Borough History. — The twenty-seven bor oughs of the county are : Ashland, Auburn, Cressona, Frackville, Gilberton, Girardville, Landingville, Mahanoy City, Middleport, Minersville, Mt. Carbon, New Philadelphia, New Ringgold, Orwigs burg, Palo Alto, Pine Grove, Port Carbon, Port Clinton, Pottsville, St. Clair, Gordon, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah, Tamaqua, Tremont, Yorkville and Tower City. The Press. — In the following table are given the names, location and politics of the 26 OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 155 papers published in Schuylkill County, in 1893: Schuylkill county. Advocate, . . . Ashland, . . Dem. Evening Telegram, a . Local. Local, .... a <( Record . . . " Neutral. Item, Frackville, Local. Gazette, . . Girardville, . Ind. Record, . . . Mahanoy City, Ind. Tribune, . . . a . Rep. Free Press, . Minersville, . Dem. News, Orwigsburg, . Local. Herald, . . . Pine Grove, . Ind. Amerikanischer Republikaner (German) . . . Pottsville, . . Rep. Evening Chronicle . Dem. Jefferson Demokrat, (German) . . . t( * Dem. Miners' Journal, . (f . Rep. Republican, (C . Rep. Saturday Night Review, " . . Ind. Schuylkill Repubh can, " Rep. Standard, . . . n . . Dem. Call, Schuylkill Haven, Rep. Herald, .... Shenandoah, . Rep. Sunday News, u Ind. Dem. Courier, . . . Tamaqua, . Ind. Recorder, . . . a Dem. Valley Echo, . . Tower City, . Local. News, . ' . . Tremont, . Ind. West Schuylkill Press, . . . Tremont, . Ind. Pottsville Borough. — The county seat of Schuylkill county, and one of the great coal centers of the world, is the borough of Pottsville, one of the prosperous and pro gressive towns of the "Keystone State." Tradition tells that the Neiman family built a cabin in Mauch Chunk street, and was mur dered there by Indians prior to 1800. In the initial year of the present century Lewis Reese and John v Reed settled on the site of Pottsville, where the former was joint owner with Isaac Thomas of a tract of land on which they proposed to erect a furnace. After the discovery of anthracite coal the place grew rapidly into a town. The borough of Pottsville lies in five val leys principally on the tracts of land called Pomona, Stephens Green and Coal Pit and is now divided into seven wards: North, North east, Northwest, Middle, South, Southeast and Seventh. Pottsville was laid out by John Pott in 18 16 or 1 8 17, and was incorporated as a borough, February 19, 1828. Of the first permanent settlers we have the following account: " The operations of John Pott, Sr., were carried on at Pottsville prior to 1810 by John Pott, Jr., and Daniel Focht, as his superinten dents. They found here the Reed house, pre viously mentioned ; a log house occupied by one Alspach, where Charles Baber's residence now is ; one occupied by Anthony Schutt, on Lawton Hill ; Thomas Swoyer's house, which stood where the livery stable on Union street now is ; Nathan Taylor's house, on the pres ent site of the Philadelphia and Reading freight depot, and the old Neiman house — or what remained of it. The Pott furnace was completed in 1808, and the proprietor fitted up the Alspach house as a residence for himself and family, and in 18 10 he came here to re side. His family record included these names : Maria, his wife, and their children, John, Jr., Magdalina, Benjamin, James, Abraham, Mary, Catherine, William and Jacob. This family constituted no small accession to the popula tion ofthe place, which, by this time, included the families of several workmen who were at- 156 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY tracted here by the prospects of profitable labor in the furnace." In 1824 the place did not contain a dozen houses, but seven years later numbered over five hundred. John Pott, Sr., erected Greenwood fur nace and forge in 1807, and three years later an anthracite vein of coal nine feet thick was discovered. With the coal development came the growth and progress of Pottsville. Census returns for sixty years show a steady increase in population. They are : 1830,2,464; 1840,4,337; 1850,7,575; i860, 9,444; 1870,12,384; 1880,13,253; and 1890, 14,117. Pottsville is well equipped with hotels. The Merchants' Hotel was erected in 18 18, by George Dengler, and before its present en largement was known as the White Horse Tavern. Pennsylvania Hall Hotel was opened in 1 83 1 by George Shoemaker. The Morti mer and old Pottsville houses came next, and about 1830 the Exchange, afterwards Union Hotel, was built. The Buckwalter, North western, Rising Sun, Trap, American Lamb, Moyer, and Eagle houses, were erected be tween 1830 and 1845. In 1825 postal communication was opened with Pottsville and the post office established. The postmasters and their dates of appointment have been as follows : Postmasters. — Thos. Sillyman, appointed, Jan. 11, 1825; Geo. Taylor, June 7, 1825; Chas. Boyter, Sept. 20, 1827; Enos Chu- chester, Aug. 18, 1828; Joseph Weaver, Feb. 20, 1839; John T. Werner, Sept. 8, 1841 ; Michael Cochran, Aug. 16, 1848; Daniel Krebs, Feb. 15, 1847; Andrew Mortimer, May 2, 1849; John Clayton, April 18, 1853; Henry L. Acker, June 14, 1853; Mrs. Mar garet Sillyman, April 6, 1861 ; Miss Amanda Sillyman, May 17, 1862; Miss Elizabeth Sil lyman, June 21, 1862; James H. Mudey, July 26, 1868; Wm. R. Cole, Feb. 2, 1891. With the early building up of Pottsville came the establishment of a newspaper by George Taylor, who had an old Ramage press, and on March 31, 1825, issued the first num ber, on coarse brown paper. After various changes, Benjamin Bannan, in 1829, bought the outfit, and the Journal soon became "The Miners' Journal and Schuylkill Coal and Nav igation Register." In 1848, Mr. Bannan added "Pottsville Advertiser" to its formidable title. On May 14, 1877, the present Miners' Journal Publishing Company was formed, and the paper is daily and weekly, the daily having been established in 1873. In 1855 the Jeffer son Demokrat succeeded the Demokratische Freiheits Presse, and in 1865 purchased the Schuylkill Demokrat. The Amerikanische Re- publikaner was established in 1855, and in 1871 the Pottsville Vol 'ksblatt appeared. The Welsh magazine, Seren Orllewinol, was started in 1844, but was removed in 1868 to Scran- ton. The second English paper in Pottsville was the Pottsville Advocate, which appeared in 1830. Succeeding papers were : The Potts ville Emporium and Democratic Press, 1838; Anthracite Gazette and Schuylkill County Ad vocate, 1844; Mining Register and Schuylkill County Democrat, 1850; Pottsville Gazette, 1854; Democratic Standard, 1857; Evening Transcript, 1873; Pottsville Standard, 1874; Emerald Vindicator, 1874; and Legal Record, 1 879. The Legal Chronicle, Workingman, and Sunday School Helper, were short-lived publi cations. The present papers of Pottsville are : Ameri- kanischer Refublikaner, Evening Chronicle (daily), Jefferson Demokrat, Miners' Journal OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 157 (daily and weekly), Republican (daily), Satur day Night Review, Schuylkill Republican and Standard. The Miner's Journal is an evolution from a paper established by George Taylor in 1825, and after a couple of changes passed into the hands of Benjamin Bannan in 1829. Mr. Bannan changed the name to the Miners' Journal and Schuylkill Coal and Navigation Register, and 1848 he added to this title, and Pottsville Advertiser. In 1866 Mr. Ramsey purchased a half in terest in the paper with Mr. Bannan, and on the evening of September 1, 1869, the first issue of the Daily Miners' Journal was pub- ished. In 1873 Mr. Ramsey purchased the other half of the business. May 14, 1877, the Journal became the property of P. W. Sheafer and Frank Carter, who organized the Miners' Journal Publishing Company. Mr. Sheafer soon sold his interest to J. C. Bright, who in turn sold it to W. R. Cole, who continued as the editor and owner of a two-thirds interest until 1889, when Mr. Carter, the present owner, became sole pro prietor. TheEvening Chronicle (daily) was established on April 17, 1875, by Solomon Foster, Jr., and A. H. Bigler, by whom it was conducted one year, when Mr. Foster became sole owner by purchase of Mr. Bigler's interest, and con tinued its publication until June, 1876, when he sold it to the Standard Publishing Com pany, by which company it has since been run. The Pottsville Standard is a weekly paper, and is an evolution through many changes of the Democratic Standard, established by Henry L. Acker in 1857. In 1865 it was changed to the Pottsville Standard, and has since been known by that name, although its publication was suspended for a time before it came under its present management, that of the Standard Publishing Company. The Pottsville Republican (daily). — The Schuylkill Republican was started. at Miners ville December 14, 1872, by Charles D. Elliott and John O. Beck, respectively local editor and foreman of the Miners' fournal, of Pottsville. In November, 1874, Mr. Beck re tired, and the paper was conducted by Mr. Elliott, until September 28, 1879, when J. H. Zerbey, who has since been editor and pro prietor, purchased the business. In April, 1884, Mr. Zerbey removed the plant to Potts ville, and six months later issued a small daily campaign paper, known as the Daily Republican, which, proving a success, was per manently continued. The first number of the fefferson Democrat appeared on August 9, 1855 ; it was published by three Philadelphia gentlemen, who dis posed of their interest shortly after to Hendler & Schrader, who published it until 1874, when H. J. Hendler retired, and J. William Schrader became sole proprietor and editor, and con tinued as such until his death in 1892, when J. Frederick Wetter became its editor and proprietor. The Amerikanische Republikaner. — The Potts ville Volksblatt, an independent Democratic paper, was started by August Knecht in 1871, but suspended publication in 1873. Two years later Mr. Knecht assumed editorial charge of the Amerikanische Republikaner, and since the death of Mr. Snyder has continued its publi cation. Saturday Night Review, of Pottsville, was founded August 29, 1889, by John J. O'Con nor and P. J. Martin, and conducted under the firm-name of O'Connor & Martin up to May 23, 1891, when Mr. Martin sold his 158 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY interest to J. Hornung, and the firm-name was then changed to O'Connor & Hornung. They operated the paper four months, when F. J. O'Connor purchased the interest of Mr. Hornung, and the firm-title was changed to O'Connor Bros., who have since been the proprietors. The brewery business was commenced in 1829 by D. G. Yuengling. The Orchard Brewery was opened in 1830, and the Market street brewery in 1865. In the year 1829, when American brewing was a business in its infancy, the late D. G. Yuengling established the Eagle Brewery at Pottsville. He was an enterprising gentleman, of good business ability, and he established a reputation throughout the state for the uni form excellence of all goods which he put on the market. In 1832 his buildings were en tirely destroyed, and were then rebuilt in sub stantial manner, as they now stand, on Mahan tongo street, although they have been en larged at various times since. The present managing proprietor, Frederick G. Yuengling, was admitted by his father as a co-partner in 1873, when the firm-name, D. G. Yuengling & Son, was adopted. At the death of the senior Mr. Yuengling, in September, 1877, his widow, by the pro visions of his will, succeeded to his interestin the business, and the firm-name remains the same. The Eagle Brewery has been the train ing school for several of the most successful men who are now in the business. In 1868 Charles Rettig and a Mr. Leibner founded at the corner of 9th and Market streets, Pottsville, what is now known as the Market Street Brewery. They continued in partnership until 1872, when Mr. Rettig be come sole owner. It has been increased from time to time in capacity. Charles Rettig died July 1 2, 1 893, and the brewery is now run under the name of Chas. Rettig & Son. Snyder's Colliery Iron Works were estab lished in 1835 and enlarged in 1852, while the Orchard Iron Works were built by John L. Pott in 1848, and Noble's Boiler Works date back to 1852. Sparks, Parker & Co.'s Boiler Works were commenced in 1855, and have since been operated under that name. William Lynch began pig-iron manufacture in 1839, and was succeeded, in 1853, by Atkins Bros., who built two additional furnaces, one in 1865 and the other in 1872. The Pennsylvania Diamond Drill Company was formed in 1869, to manufacture the diamond drill introduced six years before in the United States by its inventor, Rudolph Leschot, of Paris, France. The Simon Derr Stove Works were established in 1848 by Joseph Derr, and in 185 1 Simon, his brother, entered into a partnership with him under the firm-name of J. & S. Derr, which continued until 1864, when Simon Derr became sole proprietor, Joseph having started a foundry on the present site of the Pennsyl vania passenger depot. Simon Derr continued as proprietor of the works until his death in 1 891, when the business was assumed by his son, Charles F. Derr. In Fishbach, or the northern part of the borough, in 1853 were erected the Pottsville Rolling Mills, whose various departments re quired at the close of the late war nearly one thousand men to operate them. The Pottsville Spike and Bolt Works is an other important industry. They were founded in 1872, and the company was incorporated in 1890, for the purpose of manufacturing spikes and bolts to be largely used in the anthracite coal region, The officers of the company upon organization were: John W. Roseberry, president until his death, in 1893, and George OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 159 D. Roseberry, secretary and treasurer. The directors are: J. O. Roads, George D. Rose berry, Frank Roseberry and Rachel M. Douglass. The Jacob Ulmer Packing Company, whose plant is located at Jalapa, is one of the largest and most complete establishments of its kind in the country. The enterprise was founded in 1873 by Jacob Ulmer and David Neuser. Subsequently Mr. Ulmer purchased the interest of Mr. Neuser, and in August, 1874, Louis Stoeffregen became Mr. Ulmer's partner, and continued as such until August 25, 1875. Mr. Ulmer continued as sole proprietor until December 1, 1890, when it was resolved into a corporated stock company under the cap tion of Jacob Ulmer Packing Company. The packing house of A. W. Seltzer & Brother was erected in 1887 by A. W. and W. H. Seltzer. Their plant is located in Jalapa, and since the above date they have conducted a large and successful business. The Tilt Silk Mill, a very considerable en terprise of the borough is one of three large mills operated by the Phcenix Manufacturing Company of Patterson, New Jersey. The com pany, after investigating the comparative mer its of various towns as a site for their proposed mill, decided to locate in Pottsville. This de cision was the result to a large extent of the inducements held out by the enterprising Board of Trade of that place. The enterprise was opened in 1888, and gives employment to seven hundred hands, and is one of the most complete of its kind in the world. The offi cers are: Albert Tilt, president; J. W. Cong- don, vice-president, and J. M. Harris, manager. In modern methods of lighting, heating and street-railway travel Pottsville is well toward the front. The Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Pottsville was incorporated July 5, 1889, with a capital stock of $60,000. The first officers as well as the present officers are : President, Heber S. Thompson ; vice-presi dent, Hiester S. Albright ; secretary, Richard W. Kear ; treasurer, Charles W. Barker. The Pottsville Steam Heat and Power Com pany was organized in 1888, with a paid-up capital of $55,000. The officers at organization were: P. D. Helms, president; D. L. Krebs, treasurer; and Baird Snyder, secretary. The present officers are: W. S. Sheafer, presi dent; John C. Lee, treasurer; and Baird Sny der, secretary. The Schuylkill Electric Railway Co. was granted articles of association October 4, 1889. Letters patent were issued on October 5^ 1889, and the original incorporators were : J. H. Zerbey, Bird S. Patterson, General J. K. Sig- fried, Major S. A. Losch and J. T. Zerbey. The first officers were : Burd S. Patterson, president; J. H. Zerbey, secretary; and John T. Zerbey, treasurer. The present officers are: J. K. Sigfried, president and general manager; F. G. Yuengling, vice-president; Jesse Newlin, secretary ; and John F. Zerbey, treasurer. The paid up capital of the company is $150,000, and its bonded indebtedness $95,- 000. The road extends from Yorkville, through Pottsville and Palo Alto, and to Port Carbon and Tumbling Run — a total distance • of eight and one-third miles. An interesting chapter in the history of Pottsville is that of its banks. The first bank was the Miners', which was incorporated in 1828, with $200,000 capital, until January 1, 1840. Francis B. Nichols was the first presi dent, and Daniel J. Rhoads, cashier. On the 25th of February, 1831, Mr. Nichols resigned, and on March 4, John Shippen was appointed to the vacancy. The legislature extended the 160 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY charter from time to time, and on the 18th of April, 1856, authorized an increase of capital to $500,000. The bank was converted into a national banking association on the 30th of December, 1864. The present officers are William L. Whit ney, president; William Thompson, vice pres ident; and Mr. De Frehn, cashier. The Safe Deposit Bank of Pottsville was chartered in 1870, as a safe deposit company, with banking privileges, and commenced busi ness in 1 87 1, with an authorized capital stock of $200,000. The present officers are : C. H. Tyson, president ; and Charles H. Hazzard, cashier. The present paid-up capital stock is $100,000. The Pennsylvania National Bank was de clared open by the United States comptroller of the currency in 1866, with a capital of $100,000. Jacob Huntzinger was the first president, and Charles H. Dengler, cashier. The president resigned November 5, 1867, and his son, J. Albert Huntzinger, was chosen to the vacancy. In October, 1 869, the president and cashier both tendered resignations, and Mr. Dengler was elected president, and Wal lace P. Ryon, cashier. On the 14th of Janu ary, l873, R- F- Lee was elected president, and Joseph F. Dengler was appointed cashier. July 10, 1875, the capital was doubled. The present officers are : John W. Ryon, president; J. C. Lee, vice-president; and Mr. Seibert, cashier. The Government National was chartered as the Government Bank of Pottsville, under the laws of this State, on February 25, 1863, with a capital of $50,000. William F Huntzinger, president, and H. H. Huntzinger, cashier. The capital was increased June 27, 1864, to $ 200,000, and on the 15th of the following May the institution was converted into a national bank. The capital was again in creased in April, 1872, to half a million. The present officers are : A. L. Boehmer, presi dent, and John F. Zerbey, cashier. Capital stock, $50,000. The Mechanics' Safe Deposit Bank had its origin in 1852, when the Pottsville Life Insur ance and Trust Company was incorporated, with insurance privileges ; $20,000 were paid in, which was one-fifth of the authorized capi tal. The officers were : Nathan Evans, presi dent; B. F. Taylor, secretary and treasurer. In 1873, by order of court, the name was changed to "The Mechanics' Safe Deposit Bank." The Miners' Trust Company Bank had its origin in 1850, when a charter was granted to John H. Adams and Jacob Huntzinger, and their successors, to do business at Schuylkill Haven, with a capital of $100,000, as a mutual life and health insurance company. A sup plement to the charter, February 17, 1854, changed the name to The Miners' Life Insur ance and Trust Company of Pottsville, where business was first begun in that year." In 1854, with a paid-up capital of $12,500, the average deposits exceeded a hundred thou sand dollars. A second amendment to the charter, May 24th, 1871, changed the name to The Miners' Trust Company Bank. Pay ments were suspended August 4, 1876, and the deed to the assignees was signed Septem ber 14. The Pottsville Bank did business at Lyceum Hall block, Market street, frorn March 4, 1872, to April, 1873, when it removed to the Seitz building, in Centre street, and sus pended. Henry Saylor, Charles H. Woltjen, and William Garrett were its officers. The National Bank of Pennsylvania was chartered in 1864, as a State Bank, with a cap- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 161 ital of $200,000. Its career was a brief one, and it closed in 1866. November 26th of that year its board of trustees passed a resolution that the Miners' Trust Company redeem its circulation, as it had been a bank of issue. Jacob Huntzinger was its president, and Charles H. Dengler, cashier. The Farmers' Bank of Schuylkill County was incorporated April 14, 1845, and com menced business at Schuylkill Haven, two years later. In 185 1 it was removed to Potts ville, and transacted business for a time in the residence of Judge Walker, on Mahantongo street. Judge George Rahn was the first president, and was followed in succession by A. Reifsnyder, Henry Saylor and Joseph W. Cake. An act of Assembly in 1870 provided for the closing of the bank, and George R. Kaercher was appointed receiver. The Mountain City Bank was chartered April 8, 1870, with $500,000 stock. Its offi cers were : John W. Roseberry, president ; John Davison, vice-president ; Charles H. Dengler, secretary and treasurer. The career of this bank was brief. The Merchants' Exchange Bank is another of the stranded institutions that once flour ished in Pottsville. It was chartered in March, 1873, and commenced business with a capital of $62,000. The German Banking Company, with a stock capital of $100,000, went into operation in March, 1872, at No. 5 Market street. Francis Alstatt was its first president, and dur ing its existence Jacob Ulmer was vice-presi dent, and James W. Nagle and John P. Ber tram were treasurers. The Real Estate Title Insurance and Trust Company of Pottsville was organized October x7, 1877, by Charles H. Woltjen, Burd S. Patterson, Theodore Guger, Dr. F. W. Boyer 11 and James A. Medlar, who were also the original directors. Of this company the pre sent officers are : Guy C. Farquhar, president ; Dr. F. W. Boyer, first vice-president ; F. G. Yuengling, second vice-president ; Norman S. Farquhar, secretary; and James A. Medlar, manager and treasurer. The business is chiefly banking and mortgage loaning, and the company also does a large real estate business. The capital stock is $250,000, with a paid-up capital of $125,000. In moral enterprises the citizens have always been active, and the Pottsville Benevolent Association, which was formed in 1873, has a noble work in alleviating the misfortunes and sufferings of the poor and needy. The asso ciation, in 1873, established a home, with which was connected both a day and Sunday- school. The Pottsville Iron and Steel Company, one ofthe strongest and most successful corpora tions in the country, is the successor of the Atkins Brothers, who, in 1853, purchased the Old Pioneer Blast Furnace, which was erected in 1806. This was one of the oldest furnaces in the country; it had been operated with comparatively little success up to the time it passed into the ownership of the Atkins Brothers, who tore down a considerable por tion ofthe old plant, and rebuilt and increased its capacity many times. In 1865 they built another furnace, and still another in 1872. The business was success fully conducted under the caption of Atkins Brothers until 1880, when it was incorporated into the Pottsville Iron and Steel Company, with Charles M. Atkins as president. He acted in this capacity until his death, in 1889, when his son William succeeded to the presi dency. During the rapid progress of their business they incorporated the Pottsville Roll- 162 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ing Mills, and subsequently the Bridge Works. At Pottsville was commenced the manufac ture of "anthracite iron with hot blasts. The Miners' Journal says : January 18, 1840, an experiment was con summated in Pottsville which had a wide influence upon both state and nation. On that date it was conclusively settled that iron could be smelted with Pennsylvania anthra cite coal, exclusively by the use of hot blast. This experiment was made at the old " Pioneer Furnace," the site and foundation of which is now the property ofthe Pottsville Iron and Steel Company. It extended over a period of three months, and ended on the above date with appropriate celebration. The first suc cessful use of hot blast to smelt iron with hot blast exclusively is credited to George Crane, of Wales. This idea, however, was not original with him \ for as early as December, 1833, Dr. Frederick W. Geissenhainer, of New York City, took out a patent for smelting iron with anthracite coal exclusively with both hot and cold blasts. He tried this at his Valley Furnace) Silver Creek, this county, and demonstrated its feasibility. By August 6, 1 836, he had manufactured considerable iron, but, owing to a defect in the blowing frame, it being of wood, soon gave away. On Feb- uary 7, 1837, Crane was successful with his experiment in England. In August of that year, Dr. Geissenhainer gave notice that he would resist Crane's application for patent on the ground of priority of patent. The patent office sustained the doctor's claims. He died soon afterward, and Crane had not been suc cessful. About this time Burd Patterson, of Pottsville, offered $1,000 per ton for ten tons of good iron smelted by anthracite coal. Shortly afterwards he began the erection of a furnace for this purpose. On October 26 1834, the Journal announced the success of the enterprise. From this on anthracite coal has been used successfully in smelting iron." The patriotism of the inhabitants of Potts ville is attested by two monuments in the borough toward whose erection the people of the county also generously contributed- Soon after the death of Henry Clay, in 1852, the project was conceived of erecting a monument to his memory. Measures were at once adopted for carrying this project into effect, and on the 26th of July in the same year — the day of the funeral obsequies in Pottsville of the great statesman — the corner stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies, in the presence of a large concourse of peo ple. The building committee consisted of Samuel Silliman, E. Yardley and F. Hewson. To the chairman of this cpmmittee, Mr. Silli man, more than to any other person, is due the success of this undertaking. The cost of the monument was between $7,000 and $8,000. John Bannan presented the ground. The statue, which is of iron, was moulded and cast by Robert Wood. The soldiers monument in Garfield square, stands as a lasting testimony of the patriotism and regard of Pottsville and the county for the soldier. The Soldiers' Monument Park Association was incorporated in 1887, with Henry Royer, president; Maj. John A. Schweers, secretary; Dr. F. W. Boyer, treasurer ; and Capt. D. C. Henning, solicitor, with thirty-one directors. The monument is octagonal in shape, stands over forty-two feet high and was dedicated Oc tober 1, 1 89 1. Gen. Horace Porter delivered the oration. Mahanoy City Borough.— -This important anthracite centre of America is one of the prosperous and populous towns of Schuylkill OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 163 county that ranks almost in the list sf Penn sylvania cities. Mahanoy City is in Mahanoy township, and extends from east to west along both sides of Mahanoy creek. Commencing on the south the principal streets are Maple, Spruce, Mahanoy, Pine, Water and Centre; while starting on the west the main, north and south streets are D, B, Catawissa, Second, Main, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh Eight and Ninth. Mahanoy City was settled in 1859, became incorporated as a borough, December 16, 1863, and in 1870 contained a population of 5,533. Its rapid growth and progress is the result of its coal industry. The post-office was established in 1839, with John Lindemuth as postmaster, and since then among his successors have been C. C. Hagenbuch, David Philips, Mary Severn, Jacob L. Bricker, M. J. Litsch, and V. W. Medlar, whose term will expire in March, 1894. Numerous fine churches and school build ings are to be found in the borough, while the leading secret societies of the United States are well represented. The first fire company of the borough was Humane, No. 1, organized June 18, 1868, while the second, The Citizens, came into ex istence in February, 1870. The early hotels of Mahanoy City include among them, the Mansion house, and the Merchants', Eagle and Exchange hotels. The military spirit of the borough in 1875, led to the organization on November 15th, of that year, of Company C (Silliman Guards), Seventh Pennsylvania National Guard, whose fine armory was established in the city-hall block. Mahanoy City has two banks, the First National and the Union National. The First National was organized September 26, 1864, with a capital stock of $50,000, which has been increased from time to time until now it is $100,000. The first president was Abraham Focht, who was succeeded by Nicholas Ballat, who was succeeded by Edward S. Silliman, the present incumbent. William L. Yoder has been cashier since its organization. The Union National, was organized Feb ruary 8, 1889, chartered March 26, and com menced business on the last-named day, with a capital stock of $100,000. Its officers are: Andrew Comery, president; C. D. Kaier, vice- president; and E. S. Reinhold, cashier. The Fidelity Building and Loan Associa tion of Mahanoy City was incorporated Oc tober 29, 1874, and Scheurman's Building, Loan and Saving Fund Association was or ganized in October, 1874, with Carl Scheur man, president; David Bowman, treasurer; and William Encke, secretary. The Mahanoy City and William Tell Build ing and Loan Associations were in liquidation in 1880, their shares having matured. The Weber was then in operation. Mahanoy City Gas Company. — This cor poration was organized February 21, 1874. The first officers were : W. F. Smith, presi dent; George H. Troutman, secretary; Wil liam L. Yoder, treasurer. The authorized capital of the company is $30,000. The works were completed and the gas turned on October 1, 1874. The present officers are: E. S. Silliman, president; W. L. Yoder, treas urer; and G. W. Seligman, secretary and superintendent. Mahanoy City Water Company was orga nized and a charter authorizing the issue of stock to the amount of $100,000 was pro cured in 1864, and under it E. S. Silliman was elected president, and Frank Carter, secretary. 164 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY John Eichman was appointed collector and superintendent. The present officers are : E. S. Silliman, president; H. M. Parmley, secretary and treasurer; and E. S. Silliman, superintendent and collector. The most important collieries in the vicinity of the borough are : Mahanoy City. — The drift here was opened and a breaker built in 1863, and the first coal was shipped in the spring of 1 864, by Hill & Harris. The veins worked are the Primrose and Mammoth. Harris, Sparr & Co's Colliery, opened in 1878, commenced shipping during the fol lowing year. The capacity of the breaker, operated by one small engine, was fifty tons daily. The vein worked is the Skidmore. Reynolds, Roberts & Co.'s Colliery was opened by R. Phillips & Co. in 1872, and operated by them until 1877, when it was sold. Its capacity is one hundred tons daily. It works many men and boys. The Webster Colliery was operated by John Holland, in 1874, and the first shipment of coal was made in December of that year. The capacity of the breaker was one hundred tons daily, and the power was furnished by one engine. Mr. Holland sold the colliery to King, Tyler & Co., and during their adminis tration occured the riot of 1875, which was caused by an attempt of a mob to close the works. The Elmwood Colliery was opened at a point opposite the Grant Iron Works, in 1871, by R. R. Lee & G. H. Wren. They erected a breaker and machinery at a cost of $85,000, and operated it until 1874, when it was sold to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. The slope has a depth of one hundred and twenty yards on the Prim rose, Mammoth and Seven-feet veins. The capacity of the breaker was 500 tons daily, and the average shipment about 300 tons. The Grant Iron Works, located just south of the borough limits, were erected in 1865 by Thomas Wren, of Pottsville. In 1867 they were purchased by Ralph R. Lee and George H. Wren, who operated them under the firm-name of Lee & Wren until 1877, when Mr. Lee retired, and they have since been conducted by Mr. Wren. The works are devoted to the manufacture of steam engines and pumps, rolling-mill, mining and furnace machinery. The Eagle Hosiery Mill was founded in 1889, by a stock company, under the firm- name of the Eagle Hosiery Mill Company. This firm operated the business six months, when they leased the mill to Charles Chipman & Son, of Germantown, Pennsylvania, who operated it up to January 25, 1892. In the meantime there was added considerable ma chinery, and on the above date Hon. W. E. Jones and W. G. Johnson purchased all the machinery and leased the building, and have since conducted a successful business under the firm-name of Jones & Johnson. The Charles D. Kaier Brewing Company, Limited, was founded by Charles D. Kaier. The first plant was erected in 1883 by Charles D. Kaier, on the corner of South Main Street and Commercial Alley, and was rebuilt and enlarged on the same site in 1890 by Mr. Kaier, who operated the business up to Sep tember 1, 1892, when it was merged into a co-partnership under the firm-style of the Charles D. Kaier Brewing Company, Limited. They employ thirty hands, and have an an nual product of twenty-five or thirty thousand barrels. The Mahanoy City Light, Heat and Power Company was organized in 1887, with E. S. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 165 Silliman, president ; Andrew Comery, secre tary and superintendent; and W. L. Yoder, treasurer. The capital stock is $30,000, and its present officers are : E. S. Silliman, presi dent; W. L. Yoder, treasurer; and George M. Seligman, secretary and superintendent. Along with the growth of Mahanoy City came the establishment of its first newspaper, The Mahanoy Gazette, which was founded in 1865 by Dr. G. H. B. Swayze. In 1866 it was purchased by Milliam Ramsay, who re mained proprietor until 1878, when it was purchased by Andrew Connery and T. H. B. Lyon, and the name was changed to The Mahanoy Tribune. They held the paper until 1880, when it was purchased by E. S. Rein- hold and I. Y. Sollenberger. This partner ship continued only about six months, when Mr. Sollenberger became sole proprietor, until October, 1886, when L. V. Rausch and J. B. Irish purchased it. In a short time Guy C. Irish was taken into the partnership. Since 1886 the paper has been run under the firm- name of Rausch & Irish. It has always been republican in politics. The Tri- Weekly Record is the outgrowth of The Mahanoy City Local, established by Charles Spencer in 187 1. It was a small ad vertising sheet. On November 2, 1871, Mr. Spencer inaugurated The Mahanoy Valley Record, a small subscription paper, which he later sold to John Parker, father of its present proprietor, John W. Parker. On September 15, 1877, the paper was changed to a tri weekly, and named Parker's Tri- Weekly Record. Afterward it became The Tri- Weekly Record, its present name. It is a penny paper, eight columns to the page, the largest penny paper in the county. The Camp Record was founded October 1, 1890, by D. E. Pennypacker, president; Theo. Harris, secretary and manager; and A. C. Campton, treasurer. It is devoted to the in terests of the P. O. S. of A., more especially in Schuylkill county. Shenandoah Borough. — This active and en terprising coal center of Schuylkill county is in the northern part of Mahanoy township, being one of five large and prosperous bor oughs in the valley of Mahanoy creek. Shen andoah is on the Shenandoah branch of the Pennsylvania and Reading Railroad, fourteen miles from Pottsville. It is distant from Mauch Chunk eighteen miles, and one hun dred and five miles from Philadelphia, and the Mahanoy division of the Lehigh Valley Rail road passes through the place. Shenandoah was laid out in 1 862, and became a borough on Jan uary 16, 1866. It lies in the heart of a rich coal district whose development brought the borough into existence and has made it pros perous and populous. The site of Shenandoah was originally owned by Peter Kehley, who as early as 1835 built a log house near the present Lehigh Val ley depot. Several years previous to i860 he was induced to transfer his title to the land to parties in Philadelphia for a _ nominal con sideration, but continued to occupy it, at an annual rental of a dollar, until his death. In the spring of 1862 the purchasers of Mr. Keh- ley's land, then or subsequently known as the Philadelphia Land Company, anticipating the speedy opening of coal mines here, had a town surveyed and plotted by P. W. Sheafer, then acting as civil engineer for that company, who gave to it the name of " Shenandoah City, " probably after Shenandoah creek, which runs through the southeastern portion ofthe present borough. The following summer the Land Company built an hotel, on the corner of Main and Center streets, which was opened, under 166 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY the name of the United States Hotel, in August, 1862. This was the first frame building put up in Shenandoah. The same year James Hutton built two dwelling-houses, and build ing was also begun at the Shenandoah City colliery. The opening of that colliery, which was begun in 1862, brought to this place many of the first settlers. Seymour Wright, Jacob O. Roads, James Hutton, Christian Young, John Houzer and perhaps a few others came here in 1862. Miller, Roads & Co., was an early business firm who erected the first saw-mill, blacksmith and carpenter shops, and store building. In 1864, W. C. Kennedy opened the first drug store, and Dr. W. S. Beach became the first resident physician. The collieries of Shenandoah have given it wealth and prosperity. The early collieries were: Shenandoah City, i862;Kehley Run, 1864; Plank Ridge, 1865; Kohinoor, 1868; Turkey Run, 1869; Indian Ridge, 1870, and Cambridge, 1875. The early hotels were: the National, Columbia,Shenandoah Valley and Merchants'. The Columbia Hose and Steam Fire Engine Company was organized July 11, 1870, the Shenandoah screen works were started in 1873, and Company H, 8th regiment, N. G. P., was mustered into the state service Juue 22, 1876. The Shenandoah Valley Bank was incor porated and commenced business in 1870, with a capital of $50,000. William Grant was elected president, and Joel B. McCamant cashier. Upon the death of Mr. Grant, in 1873 ; Jonathan Wasley became president. This bank continued to do business until 1878, when an assignment was made. The Miners' Banking Company was established in 1875, with a capital of $50,000 ; C. F. Weber was president, and G. W. Garret cashier. The bank suspended after doing business two or three years. The Merchants' National Bank of Shenan doah, was chartered April 8, 1891, and an organization effected in March, 1891. Capital stock $100,000. Its officers are : J. S. Kistler, president; P. J. Gaughan, vice-president; and E. B. Hunter, Cashier. The First National Bank of Shenandoah is a sound financial institution with a capital stock of $100,000. The present officers are: A. W. Leisenring, president, and John R. Leisenring, cashier. Shenandoah Citizens' Water and Gas Com pany. — This company was incorporated in the spring of 1870, with a capital of $50,000, divided into 5,000 shares. Its' first officers were ; George A. Herring, president ; George L. Reagan, secretary; Martin Delaney, treas urer. The first directors were William Grant, George G. Jacoby, Joseph Boehn, Orlando P. Hart, James G. Hutton and Jonathan Wasley. The town is well supplied with pure spring water, brought from Kehley Run and Locust Mountain. The present officers of the com pany are : S. D. Hess, president ; J. O. Roads, secretary, and J. Wasley, treasurer. The Shenandoah Gas Light Company was organized June 4, 1884, with a capital stock of $25,000. The officers upon organization were : S. A. Beddall, president ; H. A. Swalm, secretary and Dr. J. S. Kistler, treasurer. The present officers are: Dr. J. C. Callen, president; Dr. J. S. Kistler, secretary ; George W. Beddall, treasurer. The town was first lighted by gas on Christmas, 1874. The " Citizens' Electric Light Company of Shenandoah " was organized in April, 1887, with a capital stock of $25,000. Its first officers were: P. J. Ferguson, president; Charles Wasley, secretary, and William OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 167 Kimmel, superintendent and treasurer. The present officers are : P. J. Ferguson, president; John Gruhler, secretary and William Kimmel, superintendent and treasurer. The capital stock was raised to $40,000 in 1891. The Shenandoah Electric Illuminating Company was organized in 1887. The capital stock upon organization was $30,000. The officers were : president, S. A. Beddall ; sec retary, H. A. Swalm; treasurer, Dr. J. S. Kistler. The present officers are : president, Dr. J. C. Callen ; secretary, Dr. J. S. Kistler, and treasurer, George W. Beddall. The Shenandoah Manufacturing Company was chartered February 21, 1893, for the purpose of manufacturing hats, caps and clothing. The enterprise will employ, when fully in operation, 150 hands. The officers are : president, Henry W. Titman ; vice- president, J. M. Rabbins ; secretary and man ager, John S. Housenick ; treasurer, P. J. Gaughan, and assistant secretary and manager, L. J. Wilkinson. The above-named officers also constitute the directors, and the capital stock of the company is $25,000. The press of Shenandoah has kept pace with the progress and enterprise of the borough. The Shenandoah Herald was established in 1870, by Thomas J. Foster and Henry C. Boyer. On August 21, 1875, a daily edition, known as the Evening World was issued, which was continued until November 16, 1878. The Evening Herald took a very decided stand against the " Mollie Maguires," and as a result of the extra expense incurred in the keeping of a paid police force was sold by the sheriff. Later, the Weekly Herald was again started, and in 1883 the. entire plant including the Mining Herald was destroyed by fire. In 1888 Mr. Boyer, with the assistance of J. S. Kirkwood & Company, revived the daily edition. Mr. Kirkwood retired in 1890, since which time the conduct of the Herald has devolved upon Mr. Boyer. The Sunday News, of Shenandoah, was founded in 1878, by M. J. Doyle, who has since edited the paper. In 1885, his brother, D. J., became a part ner, and subsequently another brother, John E., became assistant editor. The paper is now conducted under the firm-name of Doyle Brothers. Ashland Borough. — In Butler township, on Mahanoy creek, thirteen miles north-east from Pottsville, is Ashland, whose rise was due to the development of its/ surrounding coal fields, and whose progress has been the result of its iron industries as well as its coal production. Ashland is on the line of the Mahanoy and Shamokin branch of the Philadelphia and Reading and the Lehigh Valley Railroads. In 1820, Jacob Rodenber- ger had an old log hotel on the site of Ash land. The town was laid out in 1847, and ten years later, on the 13th of February, was chartered as a borough. Burd S. Patterson, a prominent citizen of the county, had for years predicted that some day an important mining town would cover the slope of the mountain near the tower, and took steps that, in 1845, induced John P. Brock, of Philadelphia, and James Hart to join him in the purchase of two large tracts of land in the vicinity; one of four hundred acres, from the Bank of Pennsylvania, at a uniform price of $30 an acre, and the same area from Judge Gordon, of Reading, at $11 per acre. To these united tracts they gave the name of the Ashland Estate, and took an opportunity to test the character of their pur chase by sending in the fall of 1846 an experi enced miner, named Patrick Devine, with a 168 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY force of men,, to develop the coal veins cross ing the tract. During the following year the village site was surveyed by Samuel Lewis and named Ashland, after Henry Clay's famous Kentucky home. The proprietors cleared lands, laid out streets, built substantial tenement houses for their workmen, and in duced immigration. One of their acts was to give to Jacob Larish two lots in consideration of his erecting and occupying a hotel. With the opening of the Wadleigh colliery, in 1852, the establishment of the Ashland Iron Works in 1853, and the commencement of the Tunnel colliery, in 1856, came growth and prosperity to the little town that has now almost the proportions of a city. The borough has a sound financial institu tion in the Citizens' National Bank of Ashland, which opened its doors on June 6, 1875, with a capital of $60,000. Its present officers are : W. H. Heaton, president ; John Hunter, vice- president ; and George H. Kelfrich, cashier. The directors are W. H. Heaton, John Hunter, Peter E. Buck, W. A. Marr, William Lande- field, E. K. Becker, J. M. Glick, L. A. Riley, and O. B. Williard. The Ashland Banking Company, the Ashland Savings Bank, and the First National Bank of Ashland were financial institutions that after a short career suspended between 1875 and 1881. A fire department was organized in 1867, when the Washington Fire Company was formed. Ten years later American Hose Company, No. 1, was organized. The borough of Ashland put the construc tion of water works under contract in August, 1876. These works went into operation May 31, 1877, and have been from time to time enlarged, until their present cost is placed at $90,000. The Ashland Gas Light Company was or ganized and incorporated in 1874, with the fol lowing officers : E. P. Burkert, president; Frank Rentz, secretary; and Adam Waldner, treas urer. The present officers are : J. B. Price, president; John X. Dence, secretary; and Frank Rentz, treasurer. The borough is well lighted. The Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Ashland was organized in 1885, with the following officers : president, B. M. Hampton ; secretary, Theodore F. Barron ; and treasurer, George H. Helfrich. The capital stock is $5000. The present officers are : president, John B. Price ; secretary, C. F. Russell ; treas urer, William McConnell. The Arc Light Company was consolidated in 1893, with the above company. The Mining Gazetteer was founded in 1857 by J. H. McElwain, a civil and mining en gineer. After four months Mr. McElwain was succeeded by J. H. Hennessey, who continued its management until i860, when he was suc ceeded by Dr. Yocum. It suspended in 1863. The Ashland Advocate was started in 1 864 by Newhall & McGinley, but was purchased in 1866 by J. Irvin Steel, who is now its able editor. In 1889 he founded the Evening Tele gram, a daily which he has since edited. The Ashland Local is owned and ably edited by J. H. James. Tamaqua Borough.— -On the Little Schuyl kill branch of the Philadelphia and Reading and the Tamaqua branch of the Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad, seventeen and one- half miles from Pottsville, is Tamaqua, which was taken from the territory of Schuylkill and West Penn townships. In 1799 Berkhard Moser settled on the site of Tamaqua, where he built a saw-mill and two years later erected a log house. In 18 17 Moser discovered coal, which was successfully mined until 1874, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 169 when the breakers were burned and the mines ruined, at a loss of $1,500,000 to their owners. For twenty-five years after 1799 but few dwellings were erected. The town was laid out from parts of West Penn and Schuylkill town ships in 1829, at which time the population was about 150. The design was to name it Tuscarora, but some enterprising person arose too early in the morning for the pioneers and gave that Indian name to the village four miles west. As the waters of the Tamaqua, rechris- tened Wabash, the west branch of the Little Schuylkill, passed through the tract, it was decided to name the infant with the name of the creek, Tamaqua, which is Indian for run ning water." The town was incorporated in 1832, and im provements of a substantial character in 1846 were commenced which have been continued up to the present time. In 1849 the borough built water-works, and thirty years later commenced to organize their present well-equipped fire department. In the flood of 1850, over sixty persons, it is said, were drowned in the borough. Greenwood Rolling Mill was built in 1865, and Tamaqua Shoe Factory in 1874- The latter lay idle for about eleven years after 1877, and then the building passed into the hands of the Tamaqua Boot and Shoe Manu facturing Company, which was started by H. A. Weldy in 1888, and is now managed by his son Clarence. The factory gives employment to 45 persons, and the annual output is worth $50,000. Tamaqua has two banks. The First National Bank of Tamaqua was incorporated in 1865, and surrendered its charter as a State banking institution. It was originally organ ized as the Anthracite Bank in 1850. The amount of capital stock paid in is $100,000. This bank suspended payment October 14, 1878, and resumed just a month later. This embarrassment occurred in consequence of the failure of Charles F. Shoener. The bank has always been a paying institution. The surplus is now $70,000. Its present officers are : E. J. Fry, president, and Wallace Guss, acting cashier. The second bank of Tamaqua is the Ta maqua Banking and Trust Company, which commenced business in 1865. At the time of organization Daniel Shepp was elected presi dent, and H. A. Spiese cashier. Its present board of directors are : Dr. C. B. Drehr, Philip Kolb, W. S. Allabach, David Zehner, H. A. Weldy, Joseph Mitchell, L. F. Fritch, Daniel Shepp and Al. Leopold. H. A. Spiese was succeeded by Al. Leopold, the present cashier. Capital stock, $78,000; paid-up stock, $47,000 ; and reserved stock, $21,000. The Tamaqua and Lansford Street Railway Company was organized November 2, 1891, by F. P. Spiese, Robert Harris, D. D. Phillips, J. R. Coyle and C. W. Eberle. The officers are: F. P. Spiese, president; A. P. Blakslee, secretary; and P. J. Ferguson, treasurer. The intention of this organization is to con struct an electric railway from Tamaqua to Lansford and Summit Hill. The whole line, when completed, will cover a distance of about seven miles, and it is intended to employ the very latest improvements in the equipment and construction of the road, and have all appointments first-class. The company has an authorized capital of $50,000. The Edison Electric Illuminating Company, of Tamaqua, was incorporated July 8, 1885, with an authorized capital of $30,000. It was organized with the following officers : Henry A. Weldy, president; F. P. Spiese, secretary and manager; and C. H. Weldy, treasurer. 170 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY The directors were: H. A. Weldy, F. P. Spiese, Dr. C. B. Dreher, Daniel Shepp and Samuel Brode. The officers in 1893 were: Daniel Shepp, president; and F. P. Spiese, secretary, treas urer and manager. The present directors are : Daniel Shepp, F. P. Spiese, Dr. C. B. Dreher, H. A. Weldy and Samuel Brode. The Tamaqua Legion was started in 1849 by J. M. & D. C. Reinhart, the name being changed soon afterwards to the Tamaqua Gazette, sub sequently to the Tamaqua Anthracite Gazette. The paper suspended publication in 1861 for two months, and was then sold to R. L. Ley- burn, who changed the name to the Anthracite Journal. Captain Leyburn entered the civil war a year later. Messrs. - Fry & Jones as sumed proprietorship until he returned. The paper was then sold to the Monitor Pub lishing Company, and published as the Satur day Courier until it was sold to Eveland & Shiffert in 187 1. In 1872 Mr. Shiffert's inter est was purchased by Robert Harris. The firm later purchased the material of the Anthracite Monitor, a labor-reform journal, started in 1 87 1 , and which at one time had an immense circu lation and influence. They thus acquired the title to the old Legion, and all the honors of the first printing establishment Tamaqua ever had. In 1878 Daniel M. Eveland retired, and Harris & Zeller took charge. Tamaqua then boasted of two daily papers — the Item, pub lished by Levi Huppert, and the Courier, by Eveland & Harris. They, however, were short lived. In 1 88 1 the Courier partnership was dis solved, Robert Harris becoming the sole pro prietor. The paper has since been published, up to June, 1893, as a weekly, when Robert Harris made it semi-weekly. It is a four-page, six-column paper, independent in politics, and has a good circulation. The Tamaqua Recorder was founded in May, 1892, by Robert H. Hirsh, the present editor and proprietor. It is a four-page, seven column weekly, and has a good local circula tion. Orwigsburg Borough — In Manheim town ship, eight miles east of Pottsville, and three miles north of Landingville station, is situated Orwigsburg, the early capital and metropolis of the county, whose supremacy in numbers and civil position departed when coal suc ceeded agriculture as the leading industry of the Schuylkill valley. Orwigsburg was laid out as a village in 1796, by Peter Orwig, in honor of whom it was named, and became a borough in 1813. Between 1809 and 1829 the larger part of the village was built. The first masonic lodge in the county was organized at Orwigs burg, on June 17, 18 13, and the First Na tional Bank of that place is considered as one of the sound, financial institutions of this county. It was organized in 1890 with the following officers : H. P. Blakslee, president ; Hiester S. Albright, vice-president, and Geo. W. Garrett, cashier. Shoe manufacturing is now the leading in dustry ofthe borough. In 1873 Thomas Hoy and Solomon Moyer leased the old court house at Orwigsburg for a period of ninety-nine years. A stock company was organized, of which Solomon Moyer was president, Charles Dengler, vice-president ; Thomas Hoy, treas urer, and John T. Shoener, secretary. This company was organized as the Orwigsburg Shoe Manufacturing Company of Orwigs burg. The original stock was $10,000, but was increased from time to time until it be came $25,000. Their first machinery was worked by foot- power. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 171 The shoe manufacturing firm of H. S. Al bright & Company, was established in 1880, a partnership being formed between H. S. Al bright and A. E. Brown, which lasted until July 1, 1883, when Mr. Brown was succeeded by Geo. C. Diefenderfer. Since that time the firm has been known by the above title. Their factory is a handsome two and a half story frame, with a front of 64 feet, and being 80 feet in depth. It is well equipped, and they employ 75 hands besides having 8 traveling salesmen on the road for the popular shoes of their manufacture. The J. S. Zulick & Co., Shoe Manufacturing business, of Orwigsburg, was first commenced by George H. Bickley and Hon. John T. Shoener, under the firm-name of Bickley & Co., which firm continued up to 1 881, when T. B. Zulick purchased the interest of Mr. Bickley. The firm up to April, 1893, was under the style of Shoener & Co. On July 1, 1893, they were succeeded by J. S. Zulick & Co., consisting of John S. Zulick and Harry M. Zulick. Their plant is located on the corner of Cen ter square and Lebanon street. They employ twenty-five hands and manufacture 42,000 pairs of shoes per annum. Their factory is the second in the borough in order of age. Their specialties are misses', childrens', and infants' McKay sewed and Goodyear turned shoes. A. E. Brown & Company are among the leading shoe manufacturers of Orwigsburg, In 1882, this firm was established by A. E. Brown, P. W. Fegley and others. In 1889, they built their present factory, which is located on the corner of Mifflin and Warren streets. It is forty-two feet in front and eighty-four feet in depth and two stories high. They employ about ninety-four hands, and do a large and remunerative business. Kepner, Scott & Company are successful shoe manufacturers. The business of this firm was founded in 1885, by W. Clinton Kepner, who became a' member of the firm of Beck, Haeseler & Company. This continued until 1887, when John C. Beck retired, and the business was continued under caption of Kepner, Haeseler & Company, until 1890. Then Mr. Haeseler retired and was superseded by Alexander Scott, of Frackville, and the firm assumed its present style. Their fac tory is ninety feet front, and forty feet deep, being three stories in height. They employ seventy-six hands and six traveling salesmen, and are known as manufacturers of first-class goods. The firm of Foimer & Company was formed August, 1889, for the purpose of manufactur ing shoes. It consisted of George Foimer, of Shenandoah, and C. W. Diefenderfer and George J. Irish, of Orwigsburg. The firm continued until May 21, 1 891, at which time the partners chartered a stock company under the name of Foimer & Company. The officers are: George Foimer, president; George J. Irish, vice-president and superintendent; C. W. Diefenderfer, secretary, and George T. Foimer, treasurer. The factory is a frame structure, forty by one hundred feet, two stories high. They employ one hundred hands, and carry on a very successful busi ness. The firm of Eisenhuth & Miller, shoe man ufacturers, of Orwigsburg, consists of Andrew C. Eisenhuth and Alfred Miller. They man ufactured their first pair of shoes on January 9, 1893. The firm was formed in November,' 1892, and their factory is sixty feet long by forty feet wide. They employ forty hands and manufacture an excellent grade of chil dren's and infants' shoes. 172 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY In addition to the above enterprises, a flour ishing box factory is located in the borough. It is devoted to the manufacture of boxes to supply the demands of the flourishing shoe trade of the town. Orwigsburg has good water works, which were put in operation in June, 1885. The councilmen at that time were : Thomas Hoy, president; Charles H. Haeseler, Thomas Anthony, Morgan S. Albright, Jacob Bohr- man and William Eltz. The water works are the property of the borough. The Orwigsburg News, a lively newsy sheet, was established in 1889, by Gus. Samuel, by whom it has been since conducted. It has a good local circulation. Minersville Borough. — In Norwegian town ship and four miles distant from Pottsville, by the People's Railway, is Minersville, one of the populous and enterprising boroughs of the county. Minersville was laid out in 1830 by Titus Bennet, and became a borough in 183 1. Its name is said to have been derived from the fact of so many of its inhabitants being en gaged in coal mining. The first settler was Thomas Reed, who, in March, 1793, built a saw mill and log house, and afterwards put up a tavern and distillery. Minersville has grown in population until it numbers nearly 4000 people. It has a supply of excellent water, and a well-equipped fire department. The Minersville Water Com pany was chartered in 1855. The main industry ofthe place, aside from coal mining, was the Minersville iron works, which were founded in 1838, by William De Haven, who commenced with only a blacksmith and a car shop. These works are now idle. Minersville has an excellent financial insti tution in the First National Bank, which was incorporated in 1863 with a capital of $50,000. The first directors were : Richard Kear, president; Samuel Kauffmann, cashier; Jacob Wist, J. S. Lawrence, John Witzeman, John Mohan and John Wadlinger. The present officers are: Charles R. Kear, president; Charles E. Steel, vice-president; and H. F. Potter, cashier. The Schuylkill Republican was established in 1872 by Charles D. Elliot and John A. Beck. In 1874 Mr. Beck retired from the firm, and the paper was conducted by Mr. Elliot until September, 1879, when J. H. Zerbey purchased the establishment and operated it there until 1884, when he moved the plant to Pottsville. The same year Charles E. Steel founded the Free Press, a four page, eight column paper, of Democratic proclivities. Girardville Borough. — This important coal, railroad and business center of Schuylkill county is in Butler township, and was named in honor of its founder, the distinguished philanthropist, Stephen Girard. In 1832 Girard sent agents to develop his large tracts of anthracite land in Schuylkill county, and to build a railroad, whose early completion was delayed by the death of its illustrious projector. The site of Girardville was on one of these tracts, and its first build ings were a hotel and real estate office. In 1862 it had a hundred inhabitants, and the opening of ten collieries within a few miles of the place caused so rapid a development of the town that it became a borough in 1872. Girardville now numbers nearly 4000 of a population, and has an excellent bank, the First National, which was organized in Octo ber, 1890, with a capital stock of $50,000. Its first officers were E. C. Wagner, president; C. D. Kaier, vice-president; and Jesse H. Babb, cashier. Mr. Kaier has been succeeded OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 173 as vice-president by Albert Bordy. Its origi nal directors were: Wagner, Kaier, D. P. Brown, J. C. Biddle, W. J. Yeo, Albert Bordy, J. E. Haas, Thomas Bracey, and G. W. Barn- hard. From this board of directors Kaier and Haas have retired, and Peter Griffiths, W. H. Lewis and Moses Mervine have been elected to succeed them. The electric railway of the Schuylkill Trac tion Company passes through the borough, giving it an easy and desirable means of com munication with the many neighboring towns. The Palace Theatre Company organized in 1890 with Em. K. Becker, president; J. M. Glick, secretary ; and Louis Blass, treasurer, has given the borough a theatre, which for the completeness of its equipment and ap pointments, would do honor to many a larger town. The borough is well supplied with water, owning its own water works, whilst through the Girard Gas Company, good lighting fa cilities are provided. The officers of the latter company are: Louis Blass, president, and J. M. Glick, secretary. The Press and Times was founded in 1878 by J. J. Weightman and Col. T. F. Hoffman, who conducted the paper until 1880, when it was purchased by B. J. Arnold and B. J. Smith, who published it for one year, when Mr. Arnold became the sole proprietor and continued as such down to 1890, when his son Albert became editor and proprietor. The paper was known as the Girardville Gazette until July, 1893, when it was changed to the Press and Times. It is republican in politics. In March, 1892, Christian Eberle, with Philip Blass, under the firm-name of Eberle & Blass, engaged in the manufacture of overalls, in which they have since continued. Schuylkill Haven Borough. — Four miles south from Pottsville, at the junction of the east and west branches of the Schuylkill river lies Schuylkill Haven, one of the largest boroughs and chief industrial centres of the county. The place was laid out by Jacob Dreibelbis about 18 1 1, and became a borough by act of assembly, May 23, 1840. On the line of two railways, it is also the terminus ot the West Branch or Mine Hill Railroad. The founder of Schuylkill Haven was Martin Dreibelbis, who came from Berks county before the Revolutionary war, and built a saw and grist mill on the site of the present boat yard. The village grew with the development of the coal trade. In 1832 East Schuylkill Haven and Kugler's addition were laid out. " Schuylkill Haven has been an important point for the shipment of coal since the com pletion of the West Branch or Mine Hill railroad, which has its terminus here, and which has connections with the system of railroads that ramify through the coal regions. Since the abandonment of that portion of the Schuylkill navigation above, it has been the point of shipment for all the coal tonnage that passed over that navigation. An extensive system of docks early came into existence here. These have been much changed by reason of casualties by floods, and exigencies to which changes in railroad management have given rise. It has, since the completion of the Schuylkill navigation, been a point where boat building has been extensively car ried on." The rolling mill of the Schuylkill Haven Iron Company, was erected in 1870, by the Direct Iron Company, to change ore into iron, but two years later was changed to a rolling mill proper. The Schuylkill Haven Iron Works manufacture merchant bar iron, 174 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY truck bolts and railroad spikes, and make a specialty of horse-shoe bars. The borough has kept pace in local im provements with the other boroughs of the county. The Schuylkill Haven Gas and Water Company was organized in 1881, for the purpose of supplying Schuylkill Haven and Cressona with gas and water. It is a stock company with a capital of $75,000 in bonds and $100,000 in stock. Caleb A. Home, of Philadelphia, has been president of it since its organization. G. S. Loyer, of Roxborough, Philadelphia, has also been secretary of it since its organi zation. William B. Rudy was treasurer from organ ization up to January 1, 1891, when G. S. Moyer succeeded to that position, which he still holds. Henry Steck, of Philadelphia, was manager from 1 88 1 to 1884, when William H. Mellon, of Schuylkill Haven, succeeded him. In 1882 this company began to supply gas, and in 1885 water works were put in operation. In 1 891 the borough of Schuylkill Haven put up an electric light plant which is used to light the streets and most of the business places. The industrial development of the borough within the last few years has been rapid and substantial. The knitting mills and shoe fac tories, of which there are quite a number within the borough, are all substantial and thrifty enterprises, that give employment to quite a number of people and add very much to the material prosperity of the place. Port Carbon Borough. — A prosperous coal and railroad town of Schuylkill county, is Port Carbon, which is situated in East Nor wegian township and east of Pottsville. Port Carbon was laid out under the name of Middleport, between 1821 and 1828, by John Pott, the founder of Pottsville. In 1828 Mr. Pott sold a tract of land embracing the village, to Jacob W. Seitzinger and William Wetherill, who re-named the place Port Carbon, because it was a shipping port for large quantities of coal. Port Carbon was incorporated as a borough in April, 1852. Of its suburbs, Lawtonville, Irishtown and Rhodes' addition were laid out in 1829; Acre- town in the succeeding year, and Mechanics- ville, in 1836, by John and Robert Young. Philip Faust was the first resident. The first store was opened by Samuel Christman in 1827, and Dr. William Hansel became the pioneer physician of the place. Railroad communication was opened with Philadelphia in 1845, while postal facilities had been secured sixteen years earlier, in May, 1829, when the Port Carbon post office was established with Elisha Warne as postmaster. The borough has grown slowly, and within the last decade has gained over five hundred in population. The iron industry dates back to 1865, when Z. P. Boyer built a rolling mill. He soon added a furnace, and in 1878 the entire plant became the property of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. The Franklin Iron Works were erected in 1863, by Allison & Bannan, on the site of the former works built by Alfred Brook in 1842. Robert Allison took charge of the Brook works in 186 1, they having previously been abandoned. He repaired them and partially rebuilt them, and they have since been con tinuously operated by him in conjunction with other parties. From 1 86 1 to 1878 the firm-name was Alli son & Bannan, and from 1878 to 1888 the busi ness was carried on by Allison alone; since the plant has been conducted by Allison OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 175 & Sons. They manufacture mining machinery, which has a wide sale throughout the United States and in Canada and Australia. The works give employment to about ioo men. One of the latest industries of the place is shoe manufacturing, which was inaugurated in 1893 by the Philadelphia Shoe Manufacturing Company, of Port Carbon. The Port Carbon Electric Light, Heat and Power Company was organized on February 21, 1890, with a capital stock of $10,000. The following officers of the company have served from 1890 to the present time : G. W. Heebner, president ; W. W. Turner, secretary ; Robert Allison, treasurer ; and W. H. Brenner, super intendent. The directors are : J. M. Oren, Isaiah Cartwright, W. H. Brenner, John Crane, Eobert Allison, W. W. Turner, W. H. Carey and G. W. Heebner. Tremont Borough. — This place is situated in the eastern part of Tremont township, and is one of the prosperous boroughs of the county. No buildings of any consequence were erected here prior to 1844. The post office was es tablished in 1848, with John B. Zeibach as first postmaster. It was incorporated as a borough in 1866, has a population of over 2000, and owes its progress and prosperity to the exten sive mining interests near it. In addition to these enterprises, the borough contains the Tremont Engine and Boiler Works; operated by a stock company, of which William K. Schwenk is president, and Hon. C. W. Brower secretary and manager. These works were originally established in 1 847 by Umholtz & Lentz as the Tremont Iron Works. The First National Bank of Tremont was organized in 1865, and continued to do busi ness until 1879, when it voluntarily closed, paying up all deposits. The borough is provided with well-equipped water works. They had their origin in 1870, when Isaac P. Bechtel constructed a small res ervoir for private purposes. In 1874 the Tre mont Water and Gas Company, a stock com pany, was organized, with Isaac P. Bechtel as president, in which position he served until his death in 1892, since which time Zechariah Batdorff has been its president. The place supports two papers; the Tremont News is edited and published by U. G. Bat dorff, and the West Schuylkill Press, formerly owned and edited by Hon. S. C. Kirk, but since 1884 has been owned and ably edited by John A. Bechtel. St. Clair Borough. — One of the important boroughs of Schuylkill county, formed from the northwestern part of East Norwegian township, and located on the Philadelphia and Reading and the Pennsylvania Railroads, four miles distant from Pottsville is St. Clair. It was first settled about the beginning of the present century by Michael Boechtel, a farmer, who was followed by John Malone, a lumber dealer, the Nicholas family and others. Among the early industries of the village were a cider-mill and two saw-mills. In 1831 Carey, Lee and Hart purchased a tract of land from St. Clair Nicholas, on which they laid out the first street, and christened the new village St. Clair, from the first name of its former owner. The village then contained but forty or fifty inhabitants; but it has since grown until now it contains a population of nearly four thousand. In the year 1829 the Mill Creek Railroad was built from Port Car bon to that place ; the cars were drawn on wooden rails by horses. This road was sup planted by the Mill Creek branch of the Phil adelphia and Reading, built to St. Clair and New Castle in 1845. In '842 Burd S. Patter son began work on the St. Clair furnace, 176 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY which was suspended in 1844. It was com pleted in 1864 and purchased by James Lang ton, who operated it until 1873, when it was closed. St. Clair was incorporated as a borough on May 9, 1850. Among its first officers were: Jacob Metz, president of the council, and Chas. Lawton, chief burgess. The principal industry upon which the prosperity of the town is dependent is the many collieries lying adjacent to the borough. The Orchard, Prim rose, Peach Orchard, Holms and Mammoth veins of coal have been and are now most suc cessfully mined. The Miners' Supply Company was founded in 1870 by S. L. Daddow and Jesse Beadle, who, under the firm-name of Daddow & Beadle, manufactured safety squibs successfully up to the death of Mr. Daddow, since which time the business has been managed by his son H. L. Daddow. Messrs. Daddow and Beadle were the inventors of the famous miners' safety squib. St. Clair has a fine water works and a good fire department. In 1892 the borough put in an electric light plant, of which J. W. Reese has been superintendent since its establishment. Gilberton Borough lies in the valley of the Mahanoy creek, and was formed from a part of West Mahanoy township lying north of the Broad Mountain. It was chartered in 1873, and the first election was held on March 1st, of that year, resulting in the election of E. S. Seaman as chief burgess, and Joseph Byers, John Hulihan, John Brennan, John Shandy and William Ryan as councilmen. It consists of three wards known as East (Gilberton), Middle (Maizeville) and West (Mahanoy Plane). Mahanoy Plane was named from the incline plane which connects the Mill Creek Railway with the Mahanoy and Shamokin branch of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. Many tons of coal are daily hoisted over the moun tain by means of these planes, which require twenty-eight engines and eighty-three men to operate the stationary and hoisting engines. In the village is located a repair shop, and it is made the headquarters of a division of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. The col lieries in the immediate vicinity are the^Bear Ridge Collieries and the Lawrence Colliery. Maizeville, the Middle Ward, was named after one of the founders of the Stanton Col liery, and is located on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. The establishment of the Gilberton and Draper Collieries gave rise to the founding of the village of Gilberton. It constitutes the East Ward of the borough. These three villages of the borough of Gilber ton all are located on the electric road of the Schuylkill Traction Company. Pine Grove Borough, one of the oldest bor oughs of the county, is located in the eastern part of Pine Grove township, on Swatara Creek. The village was first named Swal- lowtown, later Barrstown, and later took its present name from a grove of pines which has since disappeared. It was laid out in 1830 by J. Milner Roberts, Jacob Gunkel becoming the first settler and resident within the present borough limits in 1 77 1. It was incorporated as a borough in 1832. Tobias Rickel built, in 1810, Pine Grove Forge, and sold it in 18 19 to Peter Filbert, who erected an edge tool factory, known as the " Tilt-Hammer Forge." They were abandoned in 1828. The first tannery in the place was established in 18 10 by Jona than Gerdel, who operated it until 1824. It later became the property of Levi Miller, who' operated it until 1856, when it was rented by OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 177 Daniel Gensemer, and is now operated by his two sons, George W., and Harry L. John Derby built a foundry in 1845, which was burned in 1852. The Pine Grove Herald was established in 1878 by Alfred Gilbert, who has ever since been its editor and proprietor. Palo Alto Borough. — Benjamin Richards and William H. Warder, both of Philadelphia, formerly owned the ground upon which Palo Alto now stands. The borough was incor porated in 1854, and is about two miles long, extending along the base of the Sharp Moun tains, and is bounded on the north by the boroughs of Pottsville and Port Carbon. It was laid out in 1844, by John G. Hewes. The impetus which contributed to the rapid growth of the place was the fact that at the time of its laying out it was the northern term inus of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and the Schuylkill Navigation. In 1854 and 1855 William Harris built an extensive roll ing mill just above the bridge between the rail road and the river. Benjamin Haywood, who had become owner ofthe former, built another in 1863 on the opposite side of the railroad. The two constituted what was known as the Palo Alto Rolling Mills, and were owned by Benjamin Haywood at the time of his death, in 1879. He had developed a large business and operated them for a number of years with none other than the benevolent purpose of giving employment to the men. About a mile from the rolling mills stand the round house and repair-shops of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, which give employment to quite a number of men, and are ably superin tended by William M. Stellwagon. Yorkville Borough joins Pottsville on the west, and was incorporated on March 8, 1865. It takes its name from the York farm, which was so called because it once belonged to the 12 New York and Schuylkill Coal Company. The village was surveyed and laid out in 1844 by Samuel Lewis, for Carey, Lea & Blanchard, Abraham Hart, and the Miners' Bank of Potts ville. The borough is one-and-one-half miles long from east to west, and has an average width of one mile. It is the western terminus of the Schuylkill Electric Railway, which gives it easy and rapid transit to Pottsville, Palo Alto, Port Carbon, and Tumbling Run. Toiver City Borough. — The rapidly growing borough of Tower City was named after Charlemagne Tower, who resided in Potts ville at the time of the laying out of the vil lage in 1868, but who afterward removed to Philadelphia, where he died. It was incor porated as a borough on December 19, 1892. It is situated in Porter township, and is sur rounded by a very thrifty farming community, but is dependent chiefly for its prosperity upon the collieries within easy reach. It is well supplied with churches, and has a first-class graded school. The Valley Echo, the only newspaper in the borough, was founded by Dr. Robert B. Wilson on December 9, 1892 ; it is a four-page, eight-column sheet, pub lished every Saturday morning, and has a good local circulation. Auburn Borough. — In South Manheim township, on the Schuylkill river, is the pleas ant and important town of Auburn, whose early name was " Scotchman's Lock." Sam uel K. Moyer, a boatman, eighteen years after the opening of the canal, built the first house and kept a store. In 1842, the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company established a station and changed the name of the village from " Scotchman's Lock " to that of Auburn. Boat-building became a helping industry to the place, which secured a postoffice in 1846, with Isaac Hoffmeister as first postmaster. 178 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY In 1854, the Susquehanna and Schuylkill Railroad was completed to the town. In 1857, Auburn was incorporated as a borough, and now contains a population of nearly one thousand people. Its latest industry is " The Auburn Bolt and Nut Works." The company was incorpor ated under state. authorities and organized in April, 1887. The board of directors at that time consisted of nine members : A. K. Frederici, Charles E. Quail, Joseph Frederici, James Raush, J. H. Diefenderfer, Henry Kimmel, and W. H. Diefenderfer. Dr. Charles E. Quail, president, Henry Kimmel, teasurer, and W. H. Diefenderfer, secretary. The works having been completed in the spring of 1888, were leased May 1, 1888, to D. J. Driscoll, of Reading, Pennsylvania, for five years. When the lease expired May 1, 1893, the shareholders sold their stock to D. J. Driscoll, who reorganized the company, with James Nolan as president ; W. S. Rourke, secretary, and D. J. Driscoll, treasurer. The works were then leased to D. J. Driscoll, who has successfully operated them ever since. These works represent an investment of $60,000. Nezv Ringgold Borough was named in honor of Major Ringgold, the first officer who fell in the Mexican war. Daniel Focht originally owned the ground upon which the borough now stands; but in 1863 it became the prop erty of F. W. Hughes, who laid it out in 1867. The village was made a borough in 1877, and Paul Bock was elected its first burgess. The first public house, known as the Half- Way-. House, was kept by Charles Focht. In 1850, Daniel and Abraham Long erected a tannery in the village, and for a number of years did a profitable business ; but it at last grew un profitable and was abandoned. It is located on the Little Schuylkill branch of the Phila delphia and Reading Railroad, and has been a station since 1862. Middleport Borough is situated in the south eastern portion of Blythe township, on the Schuylkill Valley Railroad. According to traditional history, Adam Stahl, whose descendants became large land owners, was the first settler. In 1829, Jacob Huntzinger purchased a tract of land north of the railroad above mentioned. Soon afterward, however, he associated with him bne Mr. Rausch, and in about 1829 the land was laid out in build ing lots and offered for sale by them. The remainder of the territory within the borough limits and south of the railroad was owned by the Da Costas. Among the pioneer business men of Middleport was Jacob Hunt zinger, who opened a store in the spring of 1829; and Messrs. Furguson & Jones, who established the second store in May, 1830. On May 2, 1859, the borough council of Middleport first met. The first burgess was Charles Bensinger. Gordon Borough. — The borough of Gordon was incorporated in 1891. The land upon which the borough now stands was originally patented to the Kunckle family, and later came into the possession of the McKnight family, of Reading, who laid out a village which they named after Judge Gordon, of Reading. The building ofthe Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven railroads, and the surveying and staking out of the planes was the influ ence which attracted immigrants to the place. The planes, a great mechanical achievement, were completed in 1855. By means of these planes thousands of tons of coal are daily lifted over the mountain, thus forming an out let for a large field unavailable by means of the ordinary railroad. It contains the repair OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 179 shops and round-house of the railroad com pany, and its growth and prosperity have been steady and substantial since the completion of the plane. Port Clinton Borough. — The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on January 30, 18 16, granted to Lenhard Rishel the land in and around Port Clinton. The village was laid out in 1829, and incorporated as a borough in 1850. It is situated at the junction of the Little Schuylkill division of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad with the main line of that road from Philadelphia tp Pottsville, and the leading business consists in the shipment of coal from the mines in the vicinity of Tama qua, twenty miles distant. Mount Carbon Borough, a suburb of Potts ville, is located in the northern part of North Manheim township, just south ofthe borough limits. Among its early residents were : Lewis Murphy, Joseph Porter and Nicho Allen, the latter of whom was engaged in the lumber and saw-mill business. During the early history of Schuylkill county, Mount Carbon was a town of considerable commer cial importance, being the head of Schuyl kill navigation and the terminus of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. But since the opening of the Union Canal, the com pletion of the Mine Hill Railroad, and the extension of the Reading to Pottsville, the town has made very little progress. In 1864 it was incorporated as a borough. The Mount Carbon Brewery — the only bus iness enterprise of any considerable import ance of the borough of Mount Carbon — was erected in 1886, and put in operation in May of the following year by G. Lorenz Schmidt. He conducted the business successfully until his death, August 20, 1893, since which time it has been operated by the estate. Frackville Borough. — In West Mahanoy township, at the great coal plane, is Frack ville, founded by David Frack, in 1852. He opened a hotel, and in 1861 laid off a part of his land — " Girard Place" — into a village called Frackville, which became a borough on April 10, 1876. Samuel Haupt, in 1854, pur chased a farm adjoining Frack, and laid out a village called Mountain City, that is to-day a part ofthe borough of Frackville, whose pop ulation is now nearly three thousand. On May 25, 1876, the first borough election was held, the result of which was the election of D. P. Haupt, as chief burgess, and Henry Parton, A. Bone, Reuben Wagner, Robert McNealy, William E. Dersher, and H. C. Wagner, as councilmen. The first school building was erected in 1862, on a lot pre sented by Mr. Haupt. Since then the schools have made rapid progress, and are now kept in a fine brick building. The borough is prosperous and progressive, and in modern conveniences is well up to the front. The Frackville and Gilberton Light, Heat and Power Company, which supplies Frack ville, Gilberton and Mahanoy Plane with light, was organized in 1891, with an author ized capital of forty thousand dollars, twelve thousand of which is paid up. The officers upon organization were : Dr. David Taggart, president; Dr. C. A. Bleiler, secretary, Charles C. Wagner, treasurer, and L. C. Anstock, manager. New Philadelphia Borough was incorporated as such in 1868. The first settler in the place was Shadrach Lord, and the first burgess was Charles Tanner. Andrew Bubb and Nathan Barlow built the first two houses within the borough limits, these were the only two houses within the borough limits in 1841. 180 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY The first church at New Philadelphia was the Lutheran church, built in 1852. The borough is situated in Blythe township, on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. Landingville Borough is one of the young est boroughs of the county, and is situated in North Manheim township, three miles from Schuylkill Haven, on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. It contains one hotel and two flourishing shoe factories. Cressona Borough. — To the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad, Cressona owes its existence. Cressona is in West Branch Val ley, in North Manheim township, and its site was owned by Thomas Sillyman, who sold it to John C. Cresson, then president of the above-named railroad. Cresson laid out the town, and it bore the name of West Haven until 1857, when R. A. Wilder secured a charter for it as a borough, by the name of Cresson, in honor of President Cresson, its founder. The leasing of the Mine Hill Rail road by the Reading Company, when the former was about to be extended to the Le high river, was hurtful for many years to the borough. But of late years Cressona has recovered its prosperity, and has increased its population from 826 in i860, to 1,481 in j 1890. Delano Borough was organized in 1881, and is situated in Rush township. It is a rail road town. The repair shops of the Lehigh Valley Railroad located here in 1866, and formed the starting point of the village. Here are also located the bridge works of the same company. Townships. — Schuylkill county contains thirty-six townships, which will be briefly noticed in alphabetical order. The popula tion of these townships will be given under the head of statistics of population. Barry Township. — Barry was erected in 1 82 1 from Norwegian and Schuylkill town ships, and among its original settlers were John Garivy, John Bailey, and the Yarnall family, from New Jersey. In 1 81 5 Charles Marwine came from Phila delphia, and John Clauntz, John Heter, and Shupert, from Berks county. Dr. George Long was the first resident physician ; and the first school-house was erected in 1820. The free-school system went into operation in the township in 1847. A grist-mill was erected in 18 10 where the Isaac Reed mill now stands, and another was built some twenty years later on Deep creek, and in the west part of the township Daniel Klinger built a mill in 1840. The first saw mill was built by George Kessler on Deep creek about 18 15. A small tannery was erected at an early day by a man of the name of Johnson, on the banks of Mahanoy creek. The opening of a foundry by John Otto in 1845 took place. It was sold in 1865 to John Fisher, who carried on the manu facture of coffee mills until 1869 when it was destroyed by fire. Barry is bounded by Northumberland county, and Eldred, Hegins, Foster and But ler townships. The principal villages in the township are : Tailorsville, at which the first post-office, Barry, was established, and Weis- hample was named for J. F. Weishample, an itinerant preacher ofthe Winebrennerian sect, about 1855. Mabel post-office was established in 1869, with Isaac F. Betz as postmaster. Barry station on the Shamokin branch of the Phila delphia and" Reading Railroad was established in the summer of 1880. Blythe Township.— In 1846, Blythe was formed from Schuylkill township. Blythe is OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 181 bounded by Ryan, Schuylkill, Walker, West Brunswick, North Manheim, East Norwegian, and New Castle townships. It was named in honor of Judge Blythe. Of the early settlers but little is to be found. They were farmers, and few in number, until the opening of the Schuyl kill Canal. The central portion of the town ship, east and west, is in the coal belt of the first coal field. The first colliery was prior to 1850, and on the Mammoth vein at Silver Creek. The first post-office was established in May, 1830, at Middleport, with Jacob Huntzinger as postmaster. Valley Furnace was built about 1804, or 1805, by Rev. F. W. Geisenheimer & Co., and after being rebuilt in 1835-36, ran for several years. Mr. Geisenheimer was a New Yorker and a scientific man, and under his direction the furnace improved from year to year. Prior to 1836 many experiments had been made in the manufacture of iron with coal as a heating agent. In this year, with the assistance of Abraham Pott, he triumphed and succeeded in obtaining the iron separate from the cinder. During the year 1836 Governor Ritner visited the furnace, and was much gratified with what he saw ofthe successful new process in iron manufacture. Blythe township has two boroughs, Middleport and New Philadelphia, within its borders. Branch Township. — Branch was formed in 1836, from Norwegian. It has been reduced in area by a portion of Frailey township being taken from it, in 1847; a'l °f Cass in 1848; and a part of Reilly in 1857. The township is bounded by Cass, Minersville, Norwegian, North Manheim, Wayne and Reilly town ships. A large part of Branch township is in cluded in the first coal field. Settlements were commenced prior to 1750, and of the early settlers were Philip and George Clauser, the Adams family, Andrew Steitzel, Jacob Hime, Mark Britton, Abraham and Jacob Faust, the Biddle family, and Thomas Reed. The first coal mine was opened on Salem River, in 1831. The main villages of the township are Lle wellyn, Dowdentown, West Wood and Phcenix Park. Llewellyn is the largest. It is situated two miles south-west of Minersville, and was named after a coal miner. Early schools were held in private rooms furnished for the purpose by liberally disposed settlers. The pioneer teacher was Philip Del camp, followed shortly after by John Clark and Henry Miller. The first public school was held in a room in a private building, built, owned and occupied by Abraham Faust in 1834. Butler Township. — In 1848, Butler was formed from Barry township. It is bounded *by Northumberland and Columbia counties, and Union, West Mahanoy, New Castle, Cass, Foster and Barry townships. Nicholas Seit zinger, tradition says, made a clearing at Fountain Springs in 1795. About 1801 c^me several Seitzingers, the Fausts and Roden- burgers. Gordon, once called Mount Hope, grew up with the building of the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad and the coal planes that lift from fifteen hundred to two thousand cars of coal daily over the mountain. Ashland and Girardville boroughs were carved from the territory ofthe township. The prin cipal villages of Butler township, are : Locust Dale, — George C. Potts opened the first col liery here and began the shipment of coal in 1858; Fountain Springs, the earliest post- office in the township was settled as early as 1 801, by the Seitzinger family; the Miners' Hospital is located here ; Big Mine Run had its existence in the opening of the Bast & Taylor collieries in 1854; Holmesville, Con- 182 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY nor's, Rappahannock and Rocktown, are small villages whose existence was due to the coal industry. Cass Township. — West of the geographical centre of the county is Cass township, which was formed from Branch, in 1848. It is bounded by Butler, New Castle, Norwegian, Branch, Reilly and Foster townships. A Mr. Alspach is said to have been the first settler in the township. Pioneer life in Cass was arduous and uninviting. In the southern portion of the township the farmers found, in the process of culti vating their farms, arrow heads, spear heads, stone hatchets and other aboriginal relics, and though it does not appear that any con siderable Indian village was ever located within the township lines, these are proof that the savages at least frequented the section. The first coal mine opened was in 1 831, on the Block Heath vein. Numerous collieries are now worked in the township. Mining opera tions have tended largely to the village growth. The principal villages of Cass town ship are : Mackleysburg, Heckscherville, Coal Castle, Forestville, Woodside, Jonestown, Thomaston, Sheaffer's Hill, Mine Hill Gap and Delaware village. The most important of these are Forest ville and Heckscherville, which were built up under the auspices of the Forest Improvement Company. This corporation opened up stores and carried on a general business in the town ship a number of years. East Brunswick Township. — One of the farming and manufacturing townships of Schuylkill county is East Brunswick, which was erected in 1834, from Brunswick town ship. It is bounded by Walker, West Penn and West Brunswick townships, and Berks and Lehigh counties. The first settlers in the township were : Daniel, Jacob and Frederick Bensinger, Ulrich Heiser, Daniel Swebb, Daniel Koening, Christopher Boyer, George Buchert, John Bolick, Abraham Seltzer, Christian Koch, Bernhard Kepner, Andrew Benkes, and John Kenear. The Bensingers, Philip Schwartz and John Kenear erected the first log cabins. The first brick house in the township was built by Daniel Kerschner. The first grist mill was built about a mile below New Ringgold. In 1812 was built the little Schuylkill forge, that was succeeded in 1867 by a large forge, which was afterwards changed into a steel factory. In 1829 Susannah forge was built, and some years later was converted into a rolling mill, that was run until 1850. Hecla forge was erected in 1830, and Mount Vernon forge in 1851. The chief villages of the township are : McKeansburg, for many years the most prom inent village in this section, it was laid out in 1803, and was named in honor of Governor McKean ; Hecla was surveyed and laid out in lots in 185 1, by Mathias Richards; Drehrs- ville and Rausch's Station are merely railway stations. In 1835 the first attempt was made to adopt the common-school system in East and West Brunswick township, by creating an independent school district out of a portion of East Brunswick and calling it McKeans burg. This attempt was finally successful, and was followed in 1849 by two more inde pendent districts. They were South Bruns wick and Center districts. The first school- house in the township in which the children were taught in English was erected in Mc Keansburg. The first resident physician was Dr. Daniel Foltz, whilst the first church was a log building built over a century ago, one- half mile from New Ringgold. It was OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 183 a union church, built by the Dutch Reformed and Lutheran congregations. East Norwegian Township. — This township was taken from Norwegian in 1811, and is bounded by Norwegian, New Castle, Blythe and North Manheim townships. Among the early settlers on or near Mill Creek were : Peter Mewsch wander, John Hughs, Philip Del camp, John and Conrad Heim, and Solomon, Jacob, Peter and George Reep. The earlier villages were Coquenac and Mill Creek. Mining is the great interest in the township. Crow Hollow drift was opened on the Mam moth in 1 83 1. The sinking of Pine Forest shaft was commenced May 5, 1864, and reached completion in November, 1866. East Union Township. — In 1867 East Union was formed from Union, Rush and Mahanoy townships. It is. bounded by Union, North Union, Klein, Mahanoy and Rush townships, and Luzerne county. Of the first settlers of any note, who came in 1802, we have account of Thomas and William Goottschall. The township contains two villages, Brandonville and Torbert. Brandonville is a post village on the Cata wissa Valley Railroad. It was laid out in 1864 by Nelson Brandon, who owned the land on which it is located. The post office was established in 1868, and Rudolph Breisch was made first postmaster. Torbert is a pleasant hamlet, and is doubtless as well and favorably known from being the residence of Hon. Wil liam S. Torbert, as from any other reason. The estate of Mr. Torbert covers about seven thousand acres. Eldred Township. — Eldred was erected, in 1848, from Upper Mahantongo township, and is bounded by Northumberland county and Barry, Hegins, Hubley and Upper Mahan tongo townships. Between 1805 and 1808 Caspar Heplar, Jacob Reinart, Samuel Dres- chler and John Bescher came into the town ship. The main villages are Pitman and Helfenstein, named for Judge William L. Helfenstein. The Schuylkill basin touches this town in such a way as to indicate a favorable mining location, and in 1868 Judge William Helfen stein, of Pottsville, induced the firm of Bittle, Gilerman & Robison to open a colliery at the point which now bears his name. The first coal was shipped from here in 1870, over the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. The Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com pany purchased the interest of Judge Helfen stein in 1872, and continued to operate the mines until 1877 when work in them was sus pended. Foster Township. — This township was erected in 1855 from Butler, Barry and Cass town ships. Foster is bounded by Barry, Butler, Hegins, Frailey, Reilly and Cass townships. Of its earlier settlers no accurate account has been preserved. The southern coal field ex tends into the township, and mining is carried on at Mt. Pleasant, Glen Carbon and other points near those two places. The Mt. Pleasant, Glen Carbon, Glendower and Taylor collieries some years ago passed into the hands of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. In 1 83 1 Widow Levan kept a tavern in an old log-house on the site of Mount Pleasant. This village grew up under the impetus given to the neighborhood by coal operations in the vicinity by John Graham and others. Glen Carbon, in the south-eastern part of the town ship is a post village. Frailey Township. — This township was named in honor of Associate Judge Charles Frailey, and was formed in 1847 from Branch, 184 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Barry, Porter and Lower Mahantongo town ships. It is bounded by Hegins, Barry, Reilly, Tremont and Porter townships. The first settler, Black Charley, a colored man, erected a log hut near Donaldson, where he lived a hermit life. Of the other early settlers Major William Colt, Captain Samuel Gaskins, David Lomison, Mahlon McCloughton, Adam Etien and Jacob Crone were the most prominent. Donaldson is the only village of any impor tance. It was named in honor of William Donaldson, who owned the land when the village was laid out. The village is situated nearly in the center of Frailey, east and west, at the foot of the Broad Mountains, and about one-half mile from the southern boundary of the township. The first building erected was the Franklin House, in 1842, or 1843. The first physician in the village was Dr. Cameron. Daniel Lomison was the first post-master. Hegins Township. — This township was erec ted in 1853 from Lower Mahantongo, and a part of Foster in 1858 was attached to Hegins" It is bounded by Hubley, Upper Mahantongo, Eldred, Barry, Foster, Frailey and Porter townships, and Dauphin county. The early settlers were : Boyner, George Klinger, John Kuntzelman, James Osman, Benjamin Bassler, Peter Dingier, Christian Stutzman, George Dedrich, Christian Kruns, Peter Bix ler, John Dietrich and Jacob Heberling. Farm ing has been the principal occupation in the township. The leading villages are Hegins- ville, Valley View, Fountain and Rausch Gap. Heginsville took its present name in 1850, when the post-office here was established. The village takes its name from the township, which, in turn, derived its name from Judge Hegins, who occupied the bench at the time the township was chartered. Valley View was formerly known as " Osmantown," in honor of Joseph Osman, the pioneer hotel- keeper. The post-office was established here in 1827, by the name of Lower Mahantongo, but was later changed to Valley View. Fount ain post-office was established in 1872. The town is situated in the extreme eastern part of the township, on the Tremont and Kutz- town road. Hubley Township. — In. 1853 Hubley was erected from Lower Mahantongo township. It is bounded by Upper Mahantongo and Hegins townships and Dauphin county. Michael Beigert made the first settlement in 1804, and was shortly followed into the township by Philip and Michael Artz, George Dietrich, Daniel Bixler, John and Henry Stoney, John Haldeman and John Schmitz, who settled in different localities. Hubley is an agricultural township to some extent, and does not con tain any villages of any size. The first saw-mill was built by John Stoney on Deep Creek about 1820. The first grist mill was built about two years earlier, by Con rad Coil. The first thoroughfare in the township was the stage road from Reading to Klingers- town. The old Indian trail running through this county into Northumberland passed through this township near the Pottsville road. Abraham Hoffa built the first hotel and the first store within the township limits. The post-office at Sacramento was established in 1877. Klein Township. — This township was formed from Rush, and named in honor of Associate Judge Jacob Klein. It is bounded by East Union and Rush townships and Luzerne and Carbon counties. Coal forms the sole wealth of the township in which there never was but one field — two acres — cleared for raising grain or vegetables. John Stackhouse, at the "Green Fields," was the first settler, and OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 185 those who came after him for several years were industrious Germans. Silver Brook Colliery was commenced in 1864, and Honey Brook Collieries, six in number, were opened in 1854. Nos. 1, 4 and 5 of the Honey Brook Collieries are in Klein township. The oldest road in the township is the one leading from Tamaqua to Hazleton. It has been in existence more than a hundred years, and in early times formed the main line of travel between Pottsville and Wilkes-Barre. The first tavern was kept by John Stackhouse, and the accommodations were exceedingly poor. Teamsters and travelers were obliged to sleep on the floor on blankets, there being no sleeping apartments. Summit Station re ceives its name from its situation — atjfie high est point on the Catawissa Railroad, 1,547 feet above the sea level. The only house at Silver Brook, in 1864, was that of Mrs. Betz- enberger, and up to 1871 contained a com pany store. Mahanoy Township. — In 1 849 Mahanoy was erected from Rush township. It is bounded by West Mahanoy, Union, East Union, Rush and Ryan townships. Mahanoy is one of the great coal townships of the county. Its first settler was a German named Reisch, who came about 1791, to the site of Mahanoy City. In the next ten years came Henry Ketner, Henry Stauffer, Samuel May, John Eisenbotb, Daniel Brobst and Erastus Wil liams. The St. Nicholas Colliery was opened in 1 861; North Mahanoy, 1861; Schuylkill, 1863; Primrose, 1861 ; Tunnel Ridge, 1863; Glendon, i860; New Boston, 1864; Copley, about 1861; West Lehigh, 1864; Bear Run, 1863; Suffolk, 1864; Ellangowen, ; Knickerbocker, 1864; and Boston Run, 1862. The principal villages of Mahanoy are : Morea, New Boston, St. Nicholas and Yates- ville. St. Nicholas includes St. Nicholas, Wiggans and Suffolk patches, as they were formerly called. It was settled in 1 861, at which date Cake & Guise commenced mining operations here. The first store kept in St. Nicholas was by Smith & Krebs, and was opened in 1861. New Castle Township. — In 1847 or 1848 New Castle was organized from Norwegian township. It is bounded by Butler, West Ma hanoy, Blythe, East Norwegian, Norwegian and Cass townships The early settlers were Jacob Yoh, John Boyer and Nicho Allen. New Castle is a coal township. Drifts were opened and collieries were commenced at Wadestown about 1830. Beechwood Colliery was opened at Mt. Laffee in 1847. The East Pine Knot, Reppiler and Ellsworth Collieries were opened at New Castle village respectively in 1830, 1840 and 1873. The St. Clair Powder Mills were started in 1840, and in i860 were removed to the east part ofthe township. These works were originally owned by Frack & Seltzer, who afterwards sold out to John L. Geiger and Lewis Koch. The main villages are : Wadesville, a mining village in the south-eastern part of the township, laid out in about 1830, by Lewis Ellmaker, and named after Captain John Wade, a coal opera tor. The only industry in that vicinity is the mines. The first coal mined was by George Philips, prior to 1828. Mount Laffee, a min ing village, was settled about 1840. Among the early settlers were Tobey Hire, Robert Bradley, Mrs. Joice and Mrs. Peck. New Castle was laid out in 1830 by Lewis Ell maker, who expected this village to become the great mining center of the anthracite coal region. Six taverns soon sprung up, and John Spohn built the first store. George 186 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Reiffsnyder and Peter Kline were the magis trates. North Manheim Township. — This township was erected, in 1845, h°m Manheim township, and is bounded by Branch, Norwegian, East Norwegian, Blythe, West Brunswick, South Manheim and Wayne. The early settlers were Germans, among whom were John Deibert, Jacob Krebs, Jacob Minnich, Daniel Shoppell, Michael Bolich, Henry Hollebush, Michael Kosh, Henry Strouch and the Wagners, Reeds, Rebers, Kostners, Bergers and Decherts and Martin Dreibelbeis. The Laflin & Rand Pow der Mills were built over a quarter of a cen tury ago. The county home and hospital are in this township. The main villages of North Manheim have all become boroughs, and in clude in their number Cressona, Schuylkill Haven, Mt. Carbon and Landingville. This township comprises a portion of the the finest farming section in the county, and the products ofthe farms find a ready and good market in the villages and boroughs of the coal region, which enables the farmers to use fertilizers of all kinds to enrich their lands and prepare them for the production of such grains and vegetables as finds the most ready market. The farmers of this township are progressive and fully abreast of the times, and their build ings and surroundings are neat and substan tial. Their school buildings are good, and furnished with patent seats and other modern conveniences. North Union Township. — In '1867 North Union was erected from Union township. It is bounded by Luzerne and Columbia counties, and Union and East Union townships. The earliest known settler was Conrad Faust, in 1806. In 1809 Albertus Miller came, and in a few years after this settlements were made in various parts of the township. The only village in North Union is Zion's Grove, founded in 1830 by Jacob Breisch, and named after Zion's church. In 1868 the post-office was established, and the first postmaster was Theodore Van Duzen. There the first two elections were held in 1867. Norwegian Toivnship. — One of the nine original townships of Schuylkill county is Norwegian, which was erected in 181 1 from Berks county. It is bounded by Branch, Cass, New Castle, East Norwegian and North Man heim townships. Of the early settlers were : Bright, Jacob Yohe, John Boyer and William Yohe. The township settled up very slowly during the first twenty-five years of its history; jDut in about 1826, the population began to increase, because ofthe developments ofthe coal trade, made possible by the com pletion of the Schuylkill canal to Mount Car bon. With the completion of the old turnpike in this township, in about 181 1, came the first hotels, kept by Boyer and Yohe. The surface of this township is broken and rugged, which rendered farming — the chief occupation ofthe early inhabitants — difficult to pursue suc cessfully ; but the coal mines are numer ous and important, but of their early develop ment little information is to be obtained. John and James Lyons mined on the York farm prior to 1 8 16. Various companies operated shafts and collieries until the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company commenced extensive colliery operations, since which time the mines of Norwegian have yielded large amounts of coal. Pine Grove Toivnship. — This township was erected from Berks county in 181 1, and is ¦ bounded by Tremont and Washington town ships and Lebanon and Berks counties. The first settlers were Germans, and came between OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 187 1750 and 1760. Among the families who set tled in the township prior to the Revolution were the Schnokes, Hetricks, Swopes, Shaef- fers, Breslers, Boyers, Zimmermans, Fettys and Stines. A man named Gistwite settled about 1756, and was murdered by Indians. A forge was built by Daniel Rondebach and in 1844 was changed into the Stanhope furnace by Adam Brown. It was located about two miles East of Pine Grove borough, and was operated until 1875, since which time it has been closed. The leading villages are : Mifflin, Elwood and North Pine- Grove. The first store was opened in Mifflin by Hans C. Christesen in 1868, who was instrumental in establishing the post-office in 1873; Daniel B. Kochenberger was the first postmaster. Elwood is a post-office, and contains about a dozen dwellings. North Pine Grove is a suburb ofthe borough of Pine Grove, and is a growing and thriving little town. Porter Township. — In 1840 Porter was erected from Lower Mahantongo township, and was named after Governor David Porter. It is bounded by Frailey, Hegins and Tre mont townships and Dauphin county. In 1774 Daniel and Ennier Williams, father and son, settled in Williams' valley, and in 1803 Daniel Green built the old Keffer tavern. Coal was mined as early as 1830, and the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company pur chased valuable coal lands in the township before 1880. The principal towns in Porter Township are : the borough of Tower City ; Johnstown, laid out in 1869 upon the lands of John Dietrich; Reiner City, in. 1869, by and upon the lands of George Reiner ; Sheridan, in 1870, by and upon the lands of Alexander Thompson ; and Ostermanville, in honor of H. J. Osterman, of Tremont. Rahn Township. — This township was formed from West Penn in i860, and is bounded by West Penn, Walker and Rush townships and Carbon county. Berkhard Moser, who after wards with a Mr. Houser took up a tract of two thousand acres of land, was the first set tler. Rahn is essentially a coal township, and the first discovery of coal was made on the present site of the Greenwood slope. Green wood Slope Mine was opened in 1838 ; No. 10 Tunnel Mine, i860; and No. n Tunnel Mine, 1875. The villages in this township are Coal Dale and Gearytown. Coal Dale is a scattered mining village, whose buildings are principally frame. The first houses were erected in 1846; in what was known as Bugtown, and two years later houses were built at Old Coal Dale. New Coal Dale was begun in about 1849. Coal Dale post-office was created in 1871, with Charles F. Goslie as postmaster. Gearytown was named in honor of Governor John W. Geary. Its first dwelling was erected in 1866, and occupied by Richard Boyd. Reilly Township. — In 1856 Reilly was formed from Branch township, and named in honor of Associate Judge Bernard Reilly. It is bounded by Foster, Cass, Branch, Wayne, Washington and Frailey townships. Jacob Fox and his wife and four children were the first settlers, coming in 1790. In 1836 Martin Weaver opened the first colliery. Sometime later the Otto colliery was commenced, and in 1850 Swatara colliery was opened. The main villages of the township are : Branch Dale, founded about 1836 with the opening of the mines by Martin Weaver. This village de rives its name from being located on the extreme western branch of the Schuylkill river, and embraces the village formerly known as New Mines. Ezra Cockill built the first church in 1875, and Rev. Richard Kaines was the first minister. Swatara is located on 18S BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Swatara Creek, a short distance south of Swatara Falls. Newtown is located one mile southwest of Swatara. The original grant of land on which this village is situated was granted to Michael Kunkel, bearing the date of 1703. Rush Township. — This township was taken in 181 1 from Berks county. Itis bounded by Schuylkill, Rahn, Ryan, Mahanoy and Klein townships and Carbon county. Thomas Lindner came in 1800; John Faust, 1806, and Abraham Boughner in 181 5. These and other pioneer settlers all came from Berks county, and all were Germans. Several pow der mills were erected after the late civil war commenced, and one, the Dupont & Weldy's, has survived all of its competitors. In this township are the villages of Home town, Tamanend and Quakake. Hometown, the oldest of these, was founded in 1829 by the Duncans of Philadelphia. Tamanend was started in 1853, and its name is of Indian derivation. Quakake is located near Tamen- end, and its hotel is said to be the oldest building in that part of the township. Ryan Township. — In 1868 Ryan was taken from Rush and Mahanoy townships, and named in honor of Judge James Ryan, of Pottsville. It is bounded by Mahanoy, West Mahanoy, Rush, Schuylkill and Blythe town ships. The first settlers were the Dreshes and Heasings, who came about 1784. In that year the first log house was erected by David Dresh, on what was known as the Klingman farm ; and then, upon this farm, he planted the first orchard in that township. The pioneer ministers were Revs. Schellhart and Kroll, who held meetings in a log house, owned by David Dresh. Isaac A. Blew organized the first Sabbath-school, and built the first public school house in 1854. Schuylkill Township. — This township was one of the original townships of the county organized in 181 1. It is bounded by Ryan, Rush, Rahn, Walker and Blythe townships. From Schuylkill have been taken several townships. Its early settlers were principally Germans and New Englanders. It is a coal township, and has several collieries. The villages of this township are Patter son, Tuscarora and Newkirk. Patterson is probably the oldest town in the township, but Tuscarora claims the honor. South Manheim. — In 1845 South Manheim was taken from Manheim township. It is bounded by West Brunswick, Wayne and North Manheim townships and Berks county. Matthew Hein and Adam Smith were pioneer settlers. Pott's furnace was built by John Pott at an early day, and was destroyed by fire in 1877. Kauffman & Bro. 's furnace, at Jefferson station, was an enterprise of con siderable importance for some years, but now lies idle. The first saw-mill was erected on Reffee creek in 1777 by one Mr. Werner, and the first grist-mill was owned by a Mr. Kersh- ner, who erected it about 1780. Tremont Township. — This township was formed in 1847 from Pine Grove, and is bounded by Lebanon county and Frailey, Reilly, Porter, Washington and Pine Grove. Tremont, as a word, comes from the French, tres mont, meaning three mountains. Henry Zimmerman was, the first settler in 1817. He was soon followed by the Hippies, Pincker- tons, Clarks and Mellons. Tremont coal commands an extra price, and its collieries are Kalmia, opened in 1869; Lincoln, 1869; Lower Rausch Creek, 1858, and Lorberry, 1335. The township has two prosperous • villages,— Lorberry Junction and Kalmia, a very small place. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 189 From the number of arrow-heads found in the vicinity, it is concluded that it formed a favorite Indian hunting ground. The first road in the township was the old Sunbury road, which ran from Reading to Sunbury, passing through Lorberry and Joliet. It was constructed in the latter part of the last century. The organization of Tremont school district dates back to the formation of the township in 1847. Union Township. — This township was erected in 1 8 18, from Columbia and Luzerne counties, and is now bounded by Mahanoy, West Mahanoy, Butler, East Union and North Union townships, and Columbia county. Frederick Labenburg is said to have been the first settler. Ringtown is the principal vil lage, and was founded about 1838. In 1871 the Catawissa Valley Agricultural Society purchased ground at Ringtown and held its first fair there in that year. The land upon which this village is built was owned by Benjamin Nehlf, and it takes its name from a thieving act which occurred in the locality in 1830, which caused an enemy of Mr. Nehlf to speak sneeringly of it as Ringtown. Andrew Foster, who died in 1863, was the first physician of the township, whilst Daniel Butler was the first magistrate. There are traces of Indian occupancy in the township, and the early settlers claim that a deserted encampment was found near the Philip Derr place. Upper Mahantongo Township. In 181 1 this township was erected from Berks county, and is now bounded by Dauphin and Northum berland counties, and Hubley, Hegins and Eldred townships: The first settler was Alexander Klinger, who came in 1780. Jacob Baum, Robert Clark, Seamon Shuman, Andrew Osman, and Gideon Williams were early settlers. The principal village in the township is Klingerstown. The post-office was established in that vil lage in 1850, and mails were delivered once a week by way of Reading and Sunbury. George Maurer kept the first store in the vil lage, whilst Dr. Piffer was the first physician to locate in the place in 1840. The con servatism of the people made the township the last in the county and one of the last in the state to adopt the common-school system, and not until 1865 were the educational interests of the township placed under its operations. Washington Township. — In 1856 Washing ton was formed from Pine Grove and Wayne townships. It is bounded by Tremont, Reilly, Branch, Wayne and Pine Grove townships, and Berks county. Among the settlers be fore 1790, were Philip Zerbe (first to settle), Nicholas Shuck, Adam Kalbach, George Kremer, William Kremer, Peter Weaver, Peter Poffenberger, Nicholas Poffenberger, Christina Betz, Peter Hetzel, Henry Oppel, Michael Bressler, Paul Lengel, Stephen Diehl, Samuel Owen, Caspar Bretzius, John Adam Brown, Jonathan Kerschner and Piatt Wag ner. There are two villages in the township, Rock and De Turkville. Rock is a post-office on the Shamokin and Sunbury branch of the Philadelphia and Read ing Railroad. The place was formerly known as White Horse, taking its name from a tavern at that place. Jerome Riland was the first postmaster there in 1868. The first tavern in the township was kept near De Turkville by Solomon Christ in 1827. Wayne Township. — This township was formed in 1827 from Manheim and Pine Grove townships, and is bounded by Reilly, Branch, Washington, North Manheim and South Man- 190 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY heim townships, and Berks county. Nothing definite of the time of the first settlement can be found. Among the early settlers were the Schneps, Millers, Boyers, Webbers, Weavers, Rhines, Hummels, Gebharts, Apples, Gom- beys, Shiffers, Wommers and Kearchers. The chief villages in Wayne are Friedensburg and Summit Station. Mr. Summer was the original purchaser of the site of Friedensburg. It was once a can didate for the distinction of being the county seat, but the stronger claims of Orwigsburg prevailed. The tract of land upon which stands Summit Station was granted to Egi- dions Moyer in 1774 by the proprietors ofthe Province of Pennsylvania. The first house in the village was built by the original purchas ers in 1774 or 1775. The post-office was es tablished about 1854. West Mahanoy Township. — This township was erected in 1874 from Mahanoy. It is bounded by Union, Butler, New Castle, Ryan and Mahanoy townships. It is a coal town ship, and its collieries are : The Philadelphia Coal Company's, Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, opened from 1863 to 1875; and the Cuyler and Girard Mammoth, opened in 1865. The township contains five villages : Lost Creek, Colorado, William Penn, Rappahannock and Raven Run. West Brunswick Township. — In 1834 West Brunswick was erected from Brunswick town ship. It is bounded by Blythe, East Bruns wick, North Manheim and South Manheim townships and Berks county. There were many Indian depredations in this township which are noticed elsewhere in this volume. But little account can be secured concerning the early settlements. Walker Township. — This township was taken in 1878 from Schuylkill township, and is bounded by Schuylkill, East Brunswick, Rahn, West Penn and Blythe townships. The first settlement made in Walker was in the Lewistown Valley in 1803, by Germans and New Englanders. West Penn Township. — In 181 1 West Penn was erected from Northampton county. It is bounded by Rahn, Walker and East Bruns wick townships, and Carbon and Lehigh counties. West Penn is the largest township in Schuylkill county, and among its early settlers were the Gilbert, Ohi and Steigerwalt families. In i860 Steigerwalt's cotton and cloth factory was erected, and nine years later Snyder & Son built their machine shop for the manufacture of threshing machines and a foundry to make chilled plows. The earliest justice of the peace of whom any record exists, whose jurisdiction extended over the present limits of West Penn, was one 'Squire Krum, appointed by the Governor in 1794. Early in the latter half ofthe last cen tury the Indians were very troublesome to those who attempted to establish homes in West Penn and elsewhere north of the Blue Mountains. At one time they were so aggres sive as to drive the whites south ofthe moun tains, forcing them to abandon their improve ments. The first merchant in the township was Tobias Wehr, who erected and opened a store in Lizard Creek valley as early as 1780. He was also the first tavern-keeper. Dr. Dol- linger was the first physician, and took up his residence in the township in 1830. The first grist-mill in West Penn was built in 18 12 on Lizard Creek by William Ohi. Public Buildings.— ¦" The first courts in Schuylkill county were held at the tavern of Abraham Reiffschneider, in Orwigsburg. The first court-house was erected in that borough in 18 1 5. It was of brick, two stories high, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY COURT HOUSE. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 193 about forty by fifty feet. The court-room was on the first floor, and the jury rooms and the public offices in the second story. The cost of the building was $5,000. The first court was held in it in the spring of 18 1 6. A bell was presented by Samuel Bell, of Reading, and it still swings ' in its ancient turret high,' where it does duty by calling the hands in a shoe manufactory to work, and announcing the hours to the people of the borough. It bears the inscription ' Thomas W. Levering, founder, Philadelphia, 18 17.' In 1827 a building for the public offices was erected. It was built of brick, about thirty feet in the rear of the court-house, and it had about the same dimensions. It contained two fire-proof vaults. In 1846 an extension was added to the court house, filling the space between it and the public offices, thus converting the whole into one building." By the terms of the act of removal of the court-house from Orwigsburg to Pottsville, the public buildings in Orwigsburg wereto be held by the borough for school purposes. In 1854 an academy called the Arcadian Institute was established, and the court-house was used for this school. The Institute having failed, an act was passed by the Legislature in 1870, ap pointing S. R. Midlar, Christian Berger and S. H. Madden commissioners to sell or lease the old court-house and public offices. In accord ance with the provisions of this act, these commissioners in 1873 leased this building for the term of ninety-nine years to the Orwigs burg Shoe Manufacturing Company. The second court-house was erected at Pottsville. A lot was purchased between Sec ond and Third streets, from the estate of George Farquar, and the work of demolishing the buildings thereon and making the neces sary excavations was entered on in October, 1849. Contributions in work and material, as well as money, were received, and all the work was done under the superintendence of Isaac Severn. The total cost of the structure, in cluding a bell of 1,623 pounds and a town- clock, was about $30,000. The building was I23 by 37 feet, two, stories in height. The second story was divided into a court-room, 87 V* by 54 and 21 feet in height, and four jury rooms, a consultation room and a library. The judges of the court, in May, 185 1, certi fied to the commissioners the satisfactory condition of the court-house, and in Decem ber, 185 1, the grand inquest reported the new court-house built by the citizens in every way satisfactory. The removal of the public rec ords from Orwigsburg to this house was com pleted December 1, 185 1. The third and present court house is a handsome structure, inferior to none in the state, outside of Philadelphia and Pittsburg. It is located on Court House hill, and was formally opened and dedicated for business on September 3, 1892. The approximate cost was $400,000. It is of the Romanesque style of architecture, and the Cleveland sandstone was used in its construction. It is 100 feet wide, 195 feet long and five stories high, or 171 feet from the grade line to the finial. The interior is handsomely finished in natural red- oak, and the offices are elegantly furnished and well equipped with vaults and every facil ity for preserving the records of the county. It contains three court-rooms and a first-class law library. The whole building is well heated from two thirty horse-power engines in the basement. "Previous to the erection of a jail in Or wigsburg, in 1 8 14, prisoners were kept in the cellar of Reiffschneider's tavern. This cellar was made in the side of a declivity, and a 194 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY stump was left at one end. To this stump a ring was attached by a staple, and slippery prisoners were fastened to it. The stump, with the ring attached, remained till 1 850. This cellar proving insufficient, a portion of Judge Rausch's house was used for the same purpose, and there, it is said, prisoners were sometimes fastened to a ring in one of the apartments. "The first jail was built in 18 14, by Jacob George and Peter Kutz. It was of field stone, about thirty-two feet square, and two stories in height. By a subsequent addition its length was made some seventy-five or eighty feet. Some years since, in accordance with the pro visions of the act of removal, it was converted into a school-house. " The act for the removal ofthe seat of jus tice provided for the erection of a prison in Pottsville at the expense ofthe county. Early in the year 1850 the commissioners com menced preparations for carrying out this pro vision of the law. Four lots on Market street were purchased for a site, at a cost of $7,000, and a ' water lot ' was also purchased, at $500. Plans, specifications and estimates were made, and work was commenced on the building lot, and a reservoir was constructed on the water lot. " In January, 185 1, the site on Market street was exchanged for that on which the prison stands, in the rear of the court-house, on Sanderson street. "A new plan by Mr. N. Le Brun, the architect for the prison, was adopted, and the work was commenced in the spring of 185 1." " Previous to the incorporation of Schuylkill county as a poor district the poor of each township or borough were let out to the lowest bidder to be cared for, as was the practice in many other counties. " By an act of Assembly approved April 4, i83i,the county of Schuylkill was made a poor district, and John C. Offerman, Michael Graeff, Samuel R. Kepner, John Barr, John Hughes, Simon Marborger and William Griff were named in the act commissioners to select and purchase a site for a house of employment for the poor of the district. " On the 9th of April two hundred and twenty-six acres of land on the Center turn pike, in North Manheim township, about one mile north from Schuylkill Haven, were pur chased from Charles Christ for $6,000. To this were added in 1835 forty-two acres pur chased from Benjamin Pott at $1,000, and by subsequent purchases and transfers the farm has come to include about two hundred and eighty-three acres. " When the farm was first purchased there stood on it a hotel or tavern-house (still stand ing), which was used as an alms-house till the main building was erected in 1833. This was of brick, 90 by 48, three stories in height. In 1850 a wing used as a nursery, also of brick, three stories in height,. 42 by 32, was built in the rear ofthe main building, and in 1873 an other story was added to the latter. "A stone building two stories in height, 28 by 65, was erected in 1842. It was formerly used for the insane, but it is now a quarantine, or place for the care of contagious diseases. The infirmary, 80 by 40, of brick, three stories in height above the basement, was built in 1859. Its apartments are occupied as medical and surgical wards. It possesses the requisite conveniencies for institutions of this kind. " The building for the insane was erected in 1869, It is of brick, three stories high, and covers an area of 82 by 42 feet, with a wing in the rear 25 by 20 feet. It has some thirty- vifc fitt !l',|,:I»v m JI^#S3^iioi »^^^^ MINERS' HOSPITAL. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 197 eight rooms, arranged with special reference to the care of insane cases, and the basement has rooms for lodging vagrants and tramps. The bakery and laundry, also of brick, two stories in height, was erected in 1872. " The estimated value of the farm is $34,270; of" the main building, $50,000; insane depart ment, $28,000; infirmary, $21,000; laundry and bakery, $5,100; quarantine, $1,200; out buildings, $4,600; total, $144,170. "The barn was erected in 1874. It covers an area of 65 by 120 feet, and has a height of 20 feet above a basement of ten feet. It was built at a cost of $23,000 plus the expense of boarding in the county prison the commis sioners under whose superintendence it was erected. " Shops of various kinds are standing on the grounds, and airing yards are enclosed for those who are liable to wander. All the build ings are supplied with water from a reservoir some two miles distant. The barn-yard is surrounded by a substantial wall seven feet in height. "The farm is in an excellent state of cul tivation, and everything about the establish ment gives evidence of the able and careful administration of all its affairs." Miners' Hospital. — In 1873 a gift enterprise was started for the purpose of trying to raise funds to build a hospital, the necessity for which had long been felt. Several thousand dollars were raised, but was all lost through the failure of a bank in which it had been de posited. On June 11; 1879, an act was passed by the Legislature, authorizing the erection of a hospital, and appropriating $60,000 for the purpose, and providing for the appoint ment of six commissioners to locate it and superintend its erection. The commissioners appointed were : D. A. Beckley, of Columbia 13 county ; John D. Morgan and Thomas F. Kerns, of Schuylkill; Jacob R. Eby, of Dauphin ; William R. Lilly, of Carbon, and William James, of Northumberland. The commissioners decided upon Fountain Springs, about a mile from Ashland, as the location, and the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad donated the ground. The commissioners, after completing it in 1882, turned it over to nine trustees, as pro vided in the act. The present trustees are : Gen. William Lilly, president; Maj. Heber S. Thompson, vice-president ; William H. Lewis, treasurer; Capt. E. C. Wagner, secretary; Edward Reese, Hon. Charles F. King, A. P. Blakslee, Dr. D. J. Langton and T. M. Righter. Dr. J. C. Biddle has been superintendent and surgeon-in-chief since its opening. Census Statistics. — We have carefully com piled the following statistics regarding the population, manufactures and agriculture of Schuylkill county : I. STATISTICS OF POPULATION. TOTAL POPULATION. Year. White. Colored. Total. 1820 II,2l6 95 ",339 1830 20,508 236 20,744 1840 28,728 325 29,053 1850 60,305 408 60,713 i860 89,153 ¦357 89,510 1870 I 16,044 384 116,428 1880 129,616 358 129,974 189O I54,i6"3 MINOR CIVIL DIVISIONS— 187O-189O. Division. 1890. 1880. 1870. Ashland borough . . 7,346 6,052 5,714 First ward . 1,507 Second ward . . 1,462 198 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Division. Third ward Fourth ward . Fifth ward . Auburn borough Barry township . Blythe township Branch township Butler township, includ ing Connor Patch and Rappahannock villages Connor Patch village Rappahannock vil lage Cass township . Cressona borough . . Delano borough . . East Brunswick town ship East Norwegian town ship East Union township . Eldred township . . Foster township . . Frackville borough Frailey township, in cluding Donaldson village .... Donaldson village Gilberton borough East ward . . Middle ward . West ward Girardville borough East ward . . Middle ward . West ward Gordon borough Hegins township Hubley township 1890. 1880. 1870. 1,6041,672 1,101 880 740 5 1 1 913 1,041 950 1,320 1,049 I>924 951 986 1,200 4,493 4,8i5 5,905 513 362 549 73i 2,642 3,004 4,621 1,481 1,455 1,507 1,362 434 1,462 1,544 1,661 586 700 983 1,116 588 614 1,147 1,190 968 494 690 1,001 2,520 1,707 1,321 1,307 1,322 958 979 3,687 3,098 1,562 677 1,448 3,584 2,730 1,268 1,596 720 I,'94 753 1,896 1,430 1,154 968 740 547 Division. Kline township . Landingville borough . Mahanoy City borough First ward . . Second ward . Third ward Fourth ward . Fifth ward . . Mahanoy tpwnship, in cluding Morea, New Boston, Saint Nicho las and Yatesville vil lages Morea village . . New Boston village Saint Nicholas vii lage .... Yatesville village Middleport borough Minersville borough East ward . . . West ward . . Mount Carbon bor ough New Castle township New Philadelphia bor ough New Ringgold borough North Manheim town ship North Union town ship Norwegian township . Orwigsburg borough . Palo Alto borough . . Pine Grove borough . Pine Grove township . Port Carbon borough Port Clinton borough Porter township . . 1890. 1880. 1870. 3,068 1,536 316 712 11,286 7,181 5,533 3,925i,923 1,267 1,442 2,729 6,54i 4,450 9,400 823 635 138 823 750 708 381 230 377 3,504 3,249 3,699 J, 943 1,561 333 327 364 1,317 1,512 2,229 562 360 558 240 100 2,391 2,607 2>429 1,124 848 666 8l9 932 1,39° 1,290 792 728 1,424 1,588 1,740 Mos 957 2,601 2,327 2,274 x>976 2,346 2,251 606 686 578 1,648 2,625 M67 OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 199 Division. Pottsville borough Middle ward . North ward . Northeast ward Northwest ward South ward . Southeast ward Seventh ward Rahn township, includ ing Coaldale and Seek villages Coaldale village . Seek village . . Reilly township Rush township . . Ryan township Saint Clair borough Middle ward . . North ward South ward Tower City borough Schuylkill Haven bor ough . . East ward . North ward South ward West ward Schuylkill township Shenandoah borough First ward . . Second ward . . Third ward . . Fourth ward . . Fifth ward . . South Manheim town ship Tamaqua borough . East ward . . . North ward . . . South ward . . 1890. 1880. 14,117 13,253 2,942 1,498 2,096 2,990 2,667 1,050 874 1870. 12,384 1,4521,522 599 4,149 2,648 1,849 658 i,7i51,264 706 3,68o1,234 1,050 i,396 2,0533,088IJ54 712 896 32653o 15,944 ! O.I47 4,657 1,440 3J49 3,084 3,6l4 876 906 6,054 5,730 2,153 2,042 1,859 2,129 1,227 521 1,890 2,291 609 5,726 3,052 2,940 1,840 2,951 929 5,960 Division. 1890. 1880. 1870. Tremont borough . . 2,064 1,785 1,700 Tremont township . 771 1,001 754 Union township . . 1,310 1,292 1,110 Upper Mahantongo township . . . 732 718 761 Walker township . . 569 510 Washington township 1,338 1,352 1,313 Wayne township . . 1,533 J>630 1,540 West Brunswick town ship 1,373 T,358 1,163 West Mahanoy town ship * 4,743 4,494 West Penn township . 2,256 2,215 C99° Yorkville borough . . 916 640 553 II. STATISTICS OF MANUFACTURE. We present the following tables of selected manufactures in Schuylkill county for i860 and for 1880: i860. 1880. 565 480 5,017,756 4,854,058 1 7,434 3,028 173 251 $3,760,404 1,016,641 $2,996,185 4,169,130 $10,945,020 6,047,336 No. of establishments Capital Male hands over 16 . Female hands over 15 Annual wages paid . Material used . . . Value products III. STATISTICS OF AGRICULTURE- We give the following table showing the cereal and several other agricultural produc tions of Schuylkill county in 1850 and in 1880: 1850. 1880. Bus. wheat . . . 64,928 117,300 " corn .... 165,556 376,516 " rye .... 243,557 136,900 " oats .... 275,405 " buckwheat . . 42,334 40,896 Tons hay 16,644 29,579 Bus. Irish potatoes 136,380 482,584 " sweet potatoes 56i 200 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY 1850. 1880. Pounds butter . . 324,i73 624,018 cheese -16,172" tobacco 6,764 LIVE STOCK IN 1850 AND 1880. 1850. 1880. Number of horses . 3189 5006 mules . 870 sheep . 5872 1070 swine . 10,877 12,138 neat cattle 8730 " milch cows 8296 other cattle 6829 Among the products of Schuylkill county in 1880 were 4323 pounds of wool, and 343,- 503 gallons of milk. VALUATION. In 1879 the valuation of the county was given as follows : real estate, $24,924,290 ; and personal property, $1,088,236. TAXATION. The taxes for 1879 were returned as fol lows: State, $2516; county, $174,401, and city, borough, township and school, $403,432. INDEBTEDNESS. The debt of the county in 1879 was given as follows : bonded debt, $703,488 ; floating debt, $49,904. A sinking fund was reported in connection with the debt, of $3508. Miscellaneous. — Under this heading will be given some additional information that may be of interest to the citizens of the county. Secret Societies. — In addition to the Masonic fraternity and Patriotic Order Sons of America, noticed elsewhere in this volume, we have obtained a complete list of the Castles of the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Coun cils of the Junior Order of American Mechan ics in Schuylkill county. The following are the Castles ofthe Knights ofthe Golden Eagle, in 1892, in the five dis tricts into which the county is divided : No. Name. 48 Mountain 68 Tamaqua 74 Anthracite 85 Pioneer 86 Eureka 107 Tremont 124 Pine Grove 125 Geo. Wash. 135 Tower City 136 Mammoth 151 Miners 168 Auburn 195 St. Clair 323 Delano 324 Mt. Carmel 451 StarofV'ly Location. Pottsville Tamaqua ShenandoahAshland Mahanoy City Tremont Pine Grove Pottsville Tower City Girardville Minersville Auburn St. Clair Delano Mt. Carmel Hegins No. of Members. 102 108141 57 177 92 163 72 57 85 84 5i 67 The following Councils of the Junior Order of American Mechanics are in Schuylkill county : Webster, No. 23 ; Mountaineer, No. m; Pottsville, 263; Williams' Valley, 317; Prosperity, 340; Mt. City, 351 ; Valley View, 363 ; Maj. W. H. Jennings, 367 ; Reiner City, 374; Industrial, 437 ; Advance, 584; Frack ville, 828 ; Monument, 847 ; Carpenter, 848 ; West Penn, 887 ; Oneida, 889 ; St. Clair, 933; Protection, 935 ; and Gordon, 936. We have been unable to secure complete lists up to this time of the subordinate branches of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Improved Order of Red Men, Knights of the Mystic Chain, Grand Army of the Republic, Good Templars, United American Mechanics, Temple of Honor and Temperance, D. O. H., Knights of Honor, Brotherhood of the Union, Improved Order of Heptasophs and the Pa- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 201 trons of Husbandry, all of which have had an honorable existence in the county for a longer or shorter time. On the First Discovery of Anthracite Coal. — The following is from the pen of George M. Bretz, of Pottsville : "History gives to Nicho Allen, in 1790, on Broad Mountain, Schuylkill county, and Philip Ginter, in 1791, at Summit Hill, Car bon county, credit for having first discovered anthracite coal in the lower or southern coal field. There seems to be no doubt but that these men did find out crops of veins of coal ; but that they were the first to discover it is evi dently an error. In proof of which the following extract from the "Legislative Record" of the State of Pennsylvania, March 15, 1784, should be sufficient to convince all that coal was not only known, but mined at least six years prior to 1790 in Schuylkill county. The preamble of the Act of March 15, 1784, says that the object of this bill is to open the river Schuylkill to navigation from tide water to the coal mines, and in the body of the bill it appoints certain commissioners to carry out the provisions of the act, giving three persons charge of each section of the work, the last three to have charge from Tamaqua creek (Little Schuylkill) to the coal mines at Bosler's saw mill. This saw mill was located at the junction of Norwegian creek and the Schuylkill river, just north of the gap through which the latter river cuts its way through Sharp Mountain. The site now occupied by the Pottsville Iron and Steel Company's furnace. The Girard Coal Lands. — An excellent and accurate description of the above-named lands is given in the Colliery Engineer, in 1887, by Jacob S. Foster and E. C. Wagner, assistant superintendent of the Girard estate in Schuyl kill and Columbia counties. From this ac count we condense the following information : This estate was bequeathed by the world's greatest philanthropist for the especial purpose of maintaining a home and* school for the male orphans of Pennsylvania, 2500 of whom now enjoy its benefits. Girard paid the trus tees of the old Bank of the United States $30,100 on April 17, 1830, for sixty-eight tracts of coal and timber lands, containing 29,4942*4 acres on the Mahanoy and Catawissa creeks, in Schuylkill county, except five tracts now in Columbia county. To perfect his titles to these tracts Girard paid over $1 14,000, and after his death his will was contested by his relatives, and to-day but about 18,000 of the 29,000 acres are left to the coal estate be queathed to Philadelphia for the education of the male orphans of Pennsylvania at Girard college. Girard realized the future value of the coal region when other Capitalists scoffed at the idea, and expended large amounts in de veloping his coal lands, and subscribed $200,- 000 toward the building of the old "Girard railroad." On January 1, 1869, the ten collieries on the Girard coal estate were leased for fifteen years, and on January 1, 1884, were leased again for an additional term of fifteen years, expiring in 1899. The last leases for twelve collieries are as follows : No. 1, Connor & Hammond ; No. 2, Girard, and No. 3, North Ashland, to the Phila delphia & Reading Coal and Iron Company ; No. 4, Packer 2 and 4; No. 5 Continental and No. 6, Packer 1 and 5, to the Lehigh Valley Coal Company ; Nos. 7 and 8, West and East Bear Ridge to the Philadelphia and Reading 202 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Coal and Iron Company ; No. 9, William Penn to William Penn Coal Company; No. 10, Keh- ley Run to Thomas Coal Company; No. 11, Packer No. 3, to Lehigh Valley Coal Com pany. No. 12, South Laurel Ridge, to John A. Dutter. The income from these rentals has already grown into millions, and a careful estimate places the gross revenue to exceed ten million dollars ere the coal is exhausted. One-half the coal receipts are invested in real estate in Philadelphia, This policy in time will give the estate a permanent income for all time to come, and generations yet un born will rise up and bless the name of Stephen Girard. Pottsville Scientific Association. — On the 10th of October, 1854, several scientific gentlemen, among whom were Doctors James S. Carpen ter, J. H. Wythes, and A. Heger, and Messrs. Samuel Lewis, P. W. Sheafer, and C. Little, met at the office of P. W. Sheafer for the pur pose of founding a scientific institution as a center of communication for the scientific men of the county, and for the advancement of science. The effort proved successful, and the association had a prosperous and profita ble career of about ten years. A large and well-selected cabinet of minerals was collected, and also a library of more than 700 bound volumes on scientific subjects, and a large collection of valuable pamphlets. The library was placed in charge of the Pottsville Athen aeum, and the mineral cabinet was presented to Lafayette College. The Pottsville Athenaeum — On the 29th of January, 1877, Rev. A. Prior, P. W. Sheafer, George Chambers, Charles H. Woltjen and Josiah Lineaweaver met in the office of P. W. Sheafer to consider the feasibility of organiz ing a literary association. Agreeing that such an institution was desirable, a meeting was appointed for the election of officers, and Rev. A. Prior was chosen president, P. W. Sheafer, vice-president; George Chambers, recording secretary; Rev. B. F. Patterson, corresponding secretary, and Charles J. Wolt jen, treasurer. These officers, with the man agers, Heber S. Thompson, Edward D. Smith, Edward E. Swallow and Walter S. Church, constituted the first executive board. This association was incorporated as the Pottsville Athenaeum, under the act of April 29, 1874, for the purpose of the establishment and maintenance of a library, and the promotion of literature and science; and was formally opened on the 5 th of April, 1877, in three rooms, which, were secured in the Journal building for that purpose. The charter, which is perpetual, was approved by Judge Walker, September 24, 1877. It provides that the capital stock of the corporation shall be $5,000, divided into one thousand shares at $5 per share. This is the principal source of revenue to the institution. Provision is also made for the sale of family tickets at $5 per annum, to adults $2 per year, and tickets to stockholders, and teachers and pupils of the borough schools, at $1 per annum. The constitution adopted provides that the Athenaeum be composed of five departments: A public library, a reading room, departments for literary and musical entertainments, and a debating club. Agricultural Societies. — The Schuylkill County Agricultural Society was organized at a meeting of farmers in Orwigsburg, Feb ruary 22, 1 85 1. Hon. Jacob Hammer was chosen president, Edward Kearns and B. W. Hughes, vice-presidents ; J. S. Keller, secre tary, and Henry Hoy, treasurer. A charter, which had been drawn up by J. S. Keller, was adopted, and Hon. Jacob Hammer was OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 203 appointed to procure its enactment by the Legislature. The first Fair of the Society was held at James Lessig's Hotel, in North Manheim, about three miles from Orwigsburg, on the Center turnpike. It was quite successful. In the summer of 1854, three-fourths of an acre of ground in Orwigsburg was purchased from Daniel Boyer and fitted up for a Fair Ground. Changes by sale and purchase have since been made to meet the growing requirements of the Society, and the present capacious, convenient, and tasteful grounds, including an area of eighteen acres, have been de veloped. The records of the Society for a number of years are lost, and a connected history of its doings cannot be given. Its Annual Fairs have been regularly held ; the exhibitions have been creditable, and it is believed that much good has been accomplished through their instru mentality. The Agricultural and Industrial Associa tion of the Catawissa valley was organized in November, 1870, with the following officers: William Grant, president; Jacob Breisch, vice-president ; T. J. Foster, secretary ; Philip Kolb, treasurer. Five Annual Fairs were held by this Association, and two by a temporary organization. The Society was re-organized in May, 1879, with the following officers : L. D. Krebs, president ; Jonathan Wetherington, vice-pres ident ; Israel Applegate, secretary, and Joseph Stauffer, treasurer. Two thousand dollars of the stock in this Society has been taken, and it has a good prospect of success. The direc tors at this time were: J. M. Litman, O. W. Chisington, G. R. Goodman, D. M. Stauffer, G. S. Hughes, Lemuel Deeble, Franklin Linder- muth, D. D. Krieger, P. M. Basson, P. J. Ferguson and Samuel Drasher. In 1856 a Society for the promotion of agriculture, horticulture and mechanics was organized at Schuylkill Haven, with John J. Paxon as president, and J. S. Keller, secretary. During several years the Society was prosper ous, and its annual exhibitions were well sustained ; but financial embarrassments ulti mately compelled it to suspend operations. The Mahanoy Valley Agricultural Asso ciation was organized in 1886. BIOGRAPHICAL. 207 PETER W. SHEAFER SCHUYLKILL COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES. -f^ETER W. SHEAFER was born March 31, 1 8 19, in Halifax, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. His father, Henry Sheafer, an enterprising and prominent man, was one of the pioneers of that section, the president of the Lykens Valley railroad company, and devel oped and superintended the Lykens Valley coal mines at Wiconisco, Dauphin county. He was the first to introduce anthracite coal into the Susquehanna market in 1834. Mr. Sheafer received his early education in the schools near his birthplace, and then took a full course in the Oxford academy, New York. His father's example and his early associations had much to do with shaping the course of his aspirations, and it was in the battle of real life that he finished his educa tion. Mr. Sheafer's connection with his father in the early development of the Lykens Valley mines familiarized him with the geological structure of the coal measures of that region, and ultimately led to his joining the first geo logical survey of Pennsylvania. While ex amining these mines in 1836, Prof. Rogers was so impressed by his geological knowledge, insight and enthusiasm, that he offered him, although but seventeen years old, a position on his corps. He was assigned with Prof. Whelpley, during the years 1837 and 1838, 14 to the work of surveying and mapping the southern and middle anthracite coal fields. They worked out the complex structure of these main basins, showing their canoe-like shapes, their combination of steep and gentle dips so accurately that the second geological survey, with the aid of thirty to fifty years' development by mining operations, has only elaborated their work. In 1839, he resigned his position on the survey in order to again assist his father, with whom he remained until 1848, when he went to Pottsville and located as a surveyor and engineer, first assisting and then succeeding Samuel B. Fisher. His train ing on the geological survey at once proved of great value to him, and his services as sur veyor, engineer and geologist were universally demanded by landowners and operators in the Schuylkill, Mahanoy and Beaver Meadow dis tricts. His reports cover almost every tract in these regions, and are hundreds in number. Mr. Sheafer, in connection with Wm. Par ker Foulke and other gentlemen of Phila delphia, succeeded in obtaining, in 185 1, an appropriation from the Legislature to com plete the work of the first survey, and it is to him that the geological world is mainly in debted for the publication of Rogers' magnifi cent work. When the work was reorganized in 1 85 1, Mr. Sheafer took charge of the under- 209 210 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ground portion of it, and connected every mine working with the accurate surface survey conducted by others of the corps. " He was," says Prof. Lesley, "the geologist of the survey in 1 85 1 par excellence, knowing more of the field than the rest of us combined." Among the assistants of the State survey there were a number of men, Whelpley, Desor, Lesquereux, Lesley, Sheafer and others, who have risen to eminence in their profession, and whose inti macy in this work resulted in life-long friend ships. Of these, now, only Lesley is living. After the completion of the survey of 1851, Mr. Sheafer continued in Pottsville, identified with the development of the several coal fields. He laid out Ashland, Girardville, Mahanoy City, Shenandoah, Mount Carmel, Gilberton, Mahanoy Plane, and other now prosperous towns. He represented the Foulke and Preston Retreat lands, the Girard heirs, the City lands. He located the first mines of the Shenandoah and Mahanoy valleys, and lived to see that part of Schuylkill county grow from a wilderness to a prosperous and populous community, and the coal production from nothing to millions of tons. During the years 1870 to 1874, Mr. Sheafer made frequent efforts to secure the passage of the Bill authorizing the second geological survey of the State, and when this was ac complished, assisted in having his friend and companion, Prof. J. P. Lesley, of the Univer sity of Pennsylvania, appointed State Geolo gist, whose work he encouraged and aided. Mr. Sheafer was an intimate business and personal friend of the late Franklin B. Gowen, who constantly sought his advice in the pur chase of many of the valuable estates now owned by the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. After the absorption of the greater part of the anthracite lands by the several railroad companies, Mr. Sheafer der voted his untiring energies and wonderful sagacity to the development of the coal estates in which he and his friends were interested. His experience in geology led to his em ployment in the examination of coal lands and development of mines all over the United States and Canada. His reports cover inves tigations in Nova Scotia, Rhode Island, Vir ginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indian Territory, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and Washington. He was frequently called to give expert testi mony on coal and coal lands, one of the last occasions being in the celebrated Coxe-Lehigh valley case before the Interstate Commission. The development of the anthracite regions was his life-long study and pleasure, one of his last efforts being the compilation of nu merous notes on coal waste and its prevention. How to mine and burn coal more economi cally was the burden of his thought during his last years, as a member of the Coal Waste Commission. During all the years of his active career Mr. Sheafer compiled many maps, tables of the coal trade, etc., from the time when the industry amounted to but 225,000 tons, up to his last year, when 35,865,174 tons were mined in the anthracite region. This accumulation of statistics and maps show part of his life work, and would fill many volumes of great scientific value. One of his works is the Historical Map of Pennsylvania, which was published by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in 1875. It showed patient research and great aptitude for statistical details. Among his more prominent publications are an exhaustive article on coal, in the Amer ican supplement of the Encyclopedia Britan- nica, an Address before the Pardee Scientific OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 211 Department of Lafayette College, Easton, Pa., and a paper on The Exhaustion of Anthracite Coal, read before the American Association for the Advancement of Science, at Saratoga, 1879, of which society he was a fellow. He was also a member of many other societies, among them the American Philo sophical Society, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, the Historical Soci- ity of Pennsylvania, and the American Insti tute of Mining Engineers. He was also one of the vice-presidents of the American Coloni zation Society, and a member of many other bodies devoted to the improvement and edu cation of humanity. In 1889, he was appointed by Gov. Beaver a member of the Coal Waste Commission, to investigate the more economical production of anthracite coal, of which commission he was a member at the time of his death. P. W. Sheafer always took an active interest in the affairs of the town in which he resided. He was a member of the School Board during a number of years after 1867, and was instru mental in establishing the High School. He was one of the original members of the Be nevolent Association in 1877, and its branch charitable institution, the Children's Home, in which he continued great interest until the time of his death. He was also one of the originators of the Pottsville Athenaeum, and was for some years its president. He was also largely interested and aided financially in the establishment of numerous industries for the employment of the people and the im provement of the town. He was also prominently connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, but devoted much time to the furtherance of the general cause of religion, and aided churches of all denominations both locally and throughout the country. In politics, Mr. Sheafer was a stalwart republican, evincing an interest at all times in his party's welfare. He was the representative of his district among the presi dential electors during the Blaine campaign of 1884, and in 1886 presided at the reception given to Blaine during the Beaver gubernato rial campaign. Political offices he never oc cupied, but held the honorary position of United States Assay Commissioner in 1879. He continued his active business career during his entire lifetime, and died, after a brief illness, March 26, 1891, at Brown's Mills in the Pines, New Jersey, where he had gone for the improvement of his health. In 1848, Mr. Sheafer married Miss Harriet N. Whitcomb, a New England lady, who, with three sons and one daughter, survive him. -JOENJAMIN HAYWOOD, manufacturer, ^ was born in Southwell, near Notting ham, England, November 9, 1804, and died July 9, 1878. His father and grandfather had both been manufacturers of hardware, and at the age of twelve he was apprenticed to a blacksmith, with whom he served his time. When twenty- four he emigrated to the United States, landing in New York in 1829. Not succeeding in finding work, he went to Philadelphia, and thence, on foot, to Reading, where he was ad vised to try his fortune in Pottsville. After working there for a short time as a journey man, he contrived to commence business in a small way on his own account. The system of mining coal below the water level being in troduced about this time, his keen foresight showed him the future mechanical needs of Pottsville, and he went to Philadelphia in 1833, where he purchased a steam engine and 212 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY some other machinery for his shop. This engine was put up by George W. Snyder, and was the first employed in Schuylkill county. In 1835 his sound judgment led to his forma tion ofthe well-known firm of Haywood & Sny der, Pottsville (his small machine shop being removed from Port Carbon for that purpose), established for building steam engines and mining and other machinery. In 1845 the firm erected an extensive machine shop and foundry at Danville, Pa. They made the first set of rolls for the manufacture of T rails in the United States, and constructed, in 1845, the first apparatus for sawing hot iron. Aside from this business they were heavily engaged in coal mining operations, as Milnes, Hay wood & Co. The main burden of this business fell on the subject of this sketch, who in 1850 disposed of all his different interests and went to California, but was at first unsuccessful. He had shipped a large number of frame houses to San Francisco, but they proved un saleable and did not realize the cost of freight. With customary energy he engaged in the lumber business, erecting for that purpose a steam engine and saw-mill near Sonora — the first put up in California outside of San Fran cisco. He was again unfortunate and returned to San Francisco without means. Borrowing a little money from one of his apprentice boys he started as a blacksmith ; subsequently adding the making of iron shutters, fire-proof doors and bank vaults. In this he was highly successful, and while there had many offers of positions of trust and responsibility, but de clined them all. He organized the Mechanics' Institute of San Francisco — now the most flourishing one on the Pacific coast — and was its President till his departure. After an absence of five years he decided to settle in Pottsville, and disposed of his busi ness in the West at a handsome profit. His return to his old field of action was greeted by a perfect ovation ; the old workmen of Haywood & Snyder met him at the depot, and escorted him into the town in triumphal pro cession. He then purchased an interest in the Palo Alto rolling-mill, at that time a small concern. It was first carried on by the firm of Haywood, Lee & Co., then by Benjamin Haywood & Co. ; and still later by Benjamin Haywood alone, who was its sole proprietor until his death, and the establishment grew into vast proportions. The capacity of the works was 20,000 tons annually, the number of hands employed, 500, with a monthly pay roll of $20,000 ; and the yearly amount of business was from $1,000,000 to $1,500,000. After the beginning of the late depression in the iron industries of our country these works were for some time .continued in operation with the benevolent intention of giving em ployment to the men, as the proprietor was independently wealthy from other sources. In 1862, he superintended the erection of the works of the Allentown Rolling Mill Company, and was its president for some years. He also built, in 1865, the Lochiel Iron Works at Harrisburg, by express desire of Simon Cameron. He was active in politics (though uniformly declining office), and was early a member of the old Whig or Home Industry party, but later joined the Repub licans. He was one of the commissioners for organizing the Union Pacific Railroad, with Colonel Thomas A. Scott and J. Edgar Thompson. He was a kind friend to the colored people ; a generous benefactor to the working-man and the poor. During the war he was selected by Governor Curtin to visit the Pennsylvania troops and look to their comforts ; and by authority reclothed many OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 213 regiments, one of them being the Fourth Pennsylvania volunteers, of which Governor Hartranft was colonel. In 1830 he was married to a daughter of Daniel Rhein — the first friend he found in this country, and a fine specimen of an honorable, godly man — who died at the age of ninety. His domestic relations were peculiarly happy, and his marriage was somewhat tinged by romance — it being by his wife's father's direc tion that he settled in Pottsville. He had five children by this union — two sons and three daughters — of whom two daughters only are living. Much of the above sketch was drawn from the pages of the " Biographical Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania." JOENJAMIN BANNAN, journalist and po litical economist, was born in Union township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, April 22, 1807, and died July 29, 1875. His father was a farmer and teacher, occu pied in agricultural pursuits during the spring, summer and fall, and teaching in the winter. He died when his son was but eight years old. Benjamin went to' school only about two years all together during the next seven years ; for at that time schools were open only for three or four months, during cold weather. It was at Unionville that he was inspired with the idea of becoming a printer and editor, from reading the Village Record, to which the teacher subscribed. Having learned the ut most that was taught in the schools of that day. at the age of fifteen he was indentured to learn the printing business in the office of the Berks and Schuylkill Journal, of which George Getz was proprietor, where he remained six years. During his term of service the same industry and honesty of purpose and action which characterized his whole life won the re gard of his preceptor, who asked him to be come his partner and associate in the business. Meanwhile, at the close of his apprenticeship, he had repaired to Philadelphia, where he worked in several printing offices, finally being engaged in the establishment of Lawrence Johnson, the celebrated type founder, where he added the art of stereotyping to his already thorough knowledge of printing. After a visit to Reading, where he received the offer already noted, he thought it advisable to decline it and directed his steps to Pottsville. On his arrival there he found the office of the Miner's Journal in the hands of the sheriff; and, be lieving that this was a fair opportunity and a field for future operations, concluded to pur chase it. Almost all his ready funds were invested in this enterprise, and the subscrip tion list numbered but 250. This took place in April, 1829, and he was connected with this one paper nearly forty-four years. On July 1, 1866, he disposed of a one-hall interest in the establishment, and wishing to retire from business in January, 1873, sold the other moiety ; nevertheless his attachment to the Journal was so great that he continued writing for the paper and attending to the coal statistics, as when he was sole owner. The number of subscribers had increased to over 4,000, and its weekly circulation was only exceeded by that of three other political journals in the State, outside of the large cities. Mr. Bannan's first vote was cast for John Quincy Adams for President, in 1828, and he voted at every succeeding presidential election as long as he lived, and always in opposition to the Democracy. Indeed, during his whole life he never voted for a democrat when there was a contest between the political parties. 214 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY He was always a firm and undeviating sup porter of protection to American industry, and proposed and organized the first tariff league in 1840, after the disastrous effects of the first compromise bill had became apparent ; which led to the adoption ofthe tariff of 1842, the most beneficial measure, in many respects, ever passed by Congress. In 1841 and also in 1 86 1 he collected signatures to the longest petitions ever laid before the national legisla ture, praying for protection to home industry. For a period of fifteen years he held the posi tion of school director and for fourteen years was president of the board. During this period he suggested to Governor Pollock the present admirable normal school system of the State, in all its details, which was after ward adopted. It is justly claimed for him that he was the first to propose a plan for a national currency;' as far back as 1857 he first originated it and published a series of articles on the subject. His views were communi cated to several prominent bankers, who acquiesced in his suggestions and admitted that such a currency as he proposed would be the best obtainable, but thought his scheme could not be carried out, as the States had usurped from the general government the power to issue money, and as the latter had so long acquiesced in their action the States would never surrender it. He even prepared circulars embodying his views and distributed them through the two houses of Congress, but they received very little attention from any of the members. Four years elapsed, and the war of the Rebellion broke out and a national currency became a necessity. He communi cated with and afterward visited Secretary Chase, recalled the circular and compared it with the bill Secretary Chase had prepared, and the latter was found to be in perfect accordance with Mr. Bannan's plan of 1857, except in a few unimportant particulars and one important feature, which was not incor porated in the bill — the introduction of an expanding limit. This was not done, as it was impossible to foresee what the exigencies of the country might demand. The idea of having an issue of currency in proportion to the wealth of the country and expanding it on that basis seems to have been original with him. It was submitted to the late Stephen Colwell, of Philadelphia, who was also a writer on currency, and who had collected all the works written on currency and money, in all languages, from all countries, numbering more than 700 volumes and pamphlets, and in none of them had he observed the expres sion of a similar idea. As a thinker and writer on important public matters Mr. Bannan belonged to an advanced school, and earned for himself an honored and respected name ; and wherever he was known, either at home or abroad, his opinion and advice were so licited and made use of. As a practical re former he was far-seeing and liberal, and was ever among the foremost in proposing and carrying out ideas and projects tending to the improvement and advancement of his fellow- men, particularly of the laboring classes. As a writer on matters pertaining to the coal trade, his experience of over two score years in the anthracite region fitted him with special and peculiar qualifications. As a coal statis tician he was the foremost in the country. The trade had grown up with himself, and in reality it had almost become second nature to him ; particularly on account of the use he made of the opportunities that fell in his way in the matter of statistics. On coal his figures and tables are made use of in every publication of any importance in this country and abroad. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 215 We have in mind at this time two large works in which he is not only quoted, but highly complimented, and his tabular state ments given are conclusive. As a high test of the value of the statistics he has collected in the coal trade, we need only refer to the fact that the Bureau of Statistics at Washington on several occasions honored him by asking him to furnish them with information on this important subject. The great work which he undertook to publish, and which he had prepared for puri fication principally by Samuel H. Daddow, mining engineer, he only furnishing the sta tistics and outlines for the same, is entitled, " Coal, Iron and Oil." It was the most ex pensive single volume issued by any publisher during the Rebellion, reflects great credit upon him, and elicited from the Lo?idon Min ing Journal the statement that no single volume ever published in England affords so much information on the subjects treated of in that publication. Influenced by the peculiar circumstances of time, Mr. Bannan, about seven years ago, published a monograph on " Our National Currency and how to Improve it,'' which takes the ground as originally suggested in his first circular in 1857, of adopting an expanding limit to its issue, keeping the paper issue unconvertible into coin on demand hereafter, but allowing a proportion of it to be received in payment of duties ; the legal tenders of the government to be received in payment of taxes and debts due to the government ; the issue of national bank notes to be apportioned to the several banks in proportion to their wealth ; the fractional currency to be cancelled and a debased silver coinage substituted which would, therefore, always remain at home ; this was done in England nearly fifty years ago, j and as a consequence England has always re tained her silver. These features may strike the average reader as being somewhat novel and startling at first, but Mr. Bannan discussed his propositions so clearly and forcibly that by many it is believed they will be received with more favor as they are studied and com prehended by impartial and unbiased minds. Mr. Bannan was a worker all his life ; it was only when he could no longer hold the pen that he at last suffered it to drop from his * fingers. In losing him the country lost a man whom it cannot soon replace, and whose ! merits will always be acknowledged. The above is essentially as found in the Bibgraphical Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania. HON. DAVID B. GREEN, late law judge of Schuylkill county, and a jurist of high repute, was born in Reading, Berks county, Pennsylvania, December 22, 1 831. His pa rents were John and Catharine (Bright) Green, the former a successful merchant of Reading. After attending the schools of his native city and some preparation in private schools, he entered Yale college, from which he was grad uated in 1852. After graduation he returned to Reading and began the study of law in the office of John S. Richards, Esq., being admit ted to the bar in January of 1855. In April of the same year, he located in Pottsville, and started upon his professional career with marked success from the beginning. Shortly after the outbreak of the civil war, in the year 1862, he enlisted in the service of his country, and was appointed adjutant ofthe 129th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, at that time attached to the 5th army corps. With this regiment he served nine months, taking part in the battles at Bull Run, Antie- 216 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY tam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, to gether with a number of minor engagements. During the summer of 1863, when Pennsylva nia was in imminent danger of being invaded by the Rebel forces, he was instrumental in the organization of the " emergency " regi ments, and was appointed lieutenant-colonel ofthe 27th Pennsylvania regiment, with which he continued until mustered out of the service in the following August. He resumed the practice of law in Pottsville, and in 1865 formed a law partnership with the late Hon. Lin Bartholomew. This partnership was amicably dissolved in 1 866. In 1 867 he was appointed by Governor John W. Geary, without solicitation on his part, to fill the position of president judge of the new criminal court for the counties of Schuylkill, Dauphin and Lebanon, shortly before created by the passage of a State law. Afterwards Judge Green was elected to the position for a term of ten years, but the crimi nal business of the court having been disposed of at the close ofthe year 1874, the court was abolished by the new constitution of the State, and he was transferred to the Court of Com mon Pleas of Schuylkill county as law judge for the remainder of the term. His term of office having expired in 1878, he then became the nominee of the Republican party for as sistant law judge of the county, but was de feated by Hon. O. P. Bechtel, after which he resumed the practice of his profession. In 1 88 1, however, he again presented himself as a candidate and was elected judge of the Court of Common Pleas for a term of ten years- His term expired in 1891, and at that time he was again re-elected, holding the position to the time of his death, February 6, 1893. Dur ing the entire period of Judge Green's service he was rigorously faithful to the performance of his duty. In point of fidelity, expedition in the dispatch of business, legal acumen, soundness of judgment and professional cour tesy, his career is that of an agreeably excep tional man. As a citizen of the county of Schuylkill and the commonwealth of Pennsyl vania, he was uniformly honored and respected, even by his bitterest political opponents, while in his administration of justice, no one has ever presumed to charge him with the minutest perversion. Judge Green was united in marriage with Catharine, daughter of L. P. Brooke, formerly of Lynchburg, Va., but latterly of Pottsville, on December 8, 1870. To them have been born three children : Ida F., born July 25, 1872 ; Katharine, born July 3 1, 1873 ; Douglas Bannan, born June 26, 1881. Judge Green was a member of Gowan Post, No. 23, G. A. R. In a business way he was for a number of years a director of the Safe Deposit Bank of Pottsville, of which he was one of the original stockholders. TAf ILLIAM LEBBEUS WHITNEY, presi- "" dent of Miners' National Bank of Potts ville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and one ofthe most widely known business men of that city, is a descendant of John and Elinor Whitney, who emigrated from England and settled in Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635 — one ofthe oldest American families. Since that time the family has been separated into a number of branches, to one of which the sub ject of our sketch belongs. He is a son of Lebbeus and Elizabeth (Ford) Whitney, and was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the 16th of January, 1823. In July, 1832, the family removed to Port Carbon, Pennsyl vania, and consequently he became a citizen OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 217 of Schuylkill county. He received his edu cation in the public schools, was then fitted for .college, and entered Dickinson college at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1843, and received the Master's degree in 1846. After his graduation he began teaching in the female academy at Port Gibson, Mississippi, where he remained until 1847. At the expi ration of this time he became a clerk in the Miners' Bank of Pottsville, and during which time he also pursued the study of law with the Hon. James H. Campbell. He was ad mitted to the Schuylkill county bar in 1850, and engaged in the active practice of his pro fession until in 1870, he became cashier ofthe Miners' National Bank, and finally in 1882, its president. Aside from his professional career and his connection with the bank, Mr. Whitney was instrumental in the formation ofthe Pottsville Benevolent association, which had its origin about the year 1867, and of which he was first president. He served in that capacity for a number of years, and was at the same time president ofthe Home for Friendless Children. He was also at one time clerk of the borough of Pottsville, and held the position of .vestry man of Trinity church. During the war of the Rebellion, he was adjutant of the 27th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer militia, and was mustered out of service on On December 19, 1850, he married Ann T Potts, daughter of Thomas M. and Hannaette R. Potts. His first wife died on September 19, 1854, at the age of twenty-seven years. On October 2, 1862, he was united in marriage with Emma St. Clair Nichols, daughter of Francis B. and Anna M. Nichols, of Potts ville. He is the father of the following children: Potts, born October 18, 185 1, died December 21, 1869; Nattie A., born August 31, 1853; Harriet Nichols, born December 12, 1863, died December 27, 1863; William A., born December 6, 1864; Francis Nichols, born April 1, 1868 ; Emma St. C.born March 16, 1870. Mr. Whitney is a member of Pulaski Lodge No. 216, F. and A. Masons, and Ancient York Mason, Chapter , with which he became connected on January 29, 1855, a°d was made Master in 1857. Of the latter organization he was district deputy Grand Master. In both his public and his private life, Mr. Whitney is a man of excellent qualities. Aside from the business world he is an intelligent observer of the political and social movements of the times, and has given considerable time and thought to the various forms of social economy. In his contact with men he is dignified and courteous, and shows a com mendable sympathy with the movements and measures which tend to elevate and purify the present state of modern society, whether frorn the standpoint of politics, of business, or religion. He is regarded as one of the sub stantial and trustworthy citizens of Pottsville. HON. JOHN W. RYON, of Pottsville, one of the leading lawyers of the State of Pennsylvania, belongs to an old and distin guished family. He is the son of John and Susannah Ryon, and was born at Elkland, Tioga county, Pennsylvania, March 4, 1825. His father was a native of Hanover township, Luzerne county, and first saw the light of day on January 1, 1787. He remained a resident of his native county for a period of fourteen years, at the expiration of which time his father removed to South Port, near Elmira, 218 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY New York. Here he remained until the year 1 8 1 1 , when he " returned to his native State and began the cultivation of a farm at Elkland, Tioga county — a pioneer farmer of that beau tiful valley which has since become one of the most productive and wealthy agricultural dis tricts of the State. He was a man of broad experience and great practical intelligence, besides possessing a rare and discriminating business tact. With these qualifications, he was called upon to serve the interests of the people in capacity of a law maker and a law conservator. He was elected to the lower house of the Pennsylvania Legislature several successive times, and later to a place in the Senate of the same body. Besides these places of trust he was superintendent of canals of Pennsylvania for four years, and associate judge of Tioga county for fifteen years. His entire public service reflected a deep integrity and brought to him not only the respect and confidence of the people, but the conscious ness of a work performed from- unselfish and loyal motives. The childhood and youth of the son, John W., was passed in an uneventful way upon his father's farm at Elkland. He began his edu cation in the public schools and continued it at Millville academy, Orleans county, New York, and Wellsboro academy, Tioga county, Pennsylvania. After graduating he read law under Hon. John C. Knox, of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, until Judge Knox was elected to a seat in the Pennsylvania Legislature, when he finished his studies under the Hon. James Lowrey, and was admitted to practice in the county of Tioga in December, 1846. After admission to the bar he opened an office in Lawrenceville, Tioga county, where he commenced the practice of his profession and continued until 1863. Four years after launching upon his professional career, he was elected district attorney of his county, and at the expiration of the term was re elected. The conditions which were then present in Tioga county gave rise to many different phases of legal procedure, embrac ing a large number of mining and ejectment • cases, all of which had a decided influence in developing the legal faculty and presenting many of the finer issues of legal procedure. Mr. Ryon benefited by this valuable experi ence, and to it, no doubt, is due considerable of his ability and resources as an ejectment lawyer. In his own county he was brought in contact with many men of ability and acumen, but his practice soon extended beyond its limits, and he was burdened with demands for his services in many of the surrounding counties. With a view to secure a less varied practice, together with the comforts of home life and the pleasures of intellectual culture, he removed to Pottsville during the civil war. Here he took place among the leaders of the bar, and was identified with almost every im portant case. In 1878, he was nominated for Congress by the Democratic party of the thirteenth district, and after an exciting cam paign in which both the Republican and Greenback-labor parties figured as opposition, he was elected by a small majority. The Greenback-labor party held to a species of commission which was vehemently opposed by Mr. Ryon, who declared for the principles " that labor is best protected when the labor ing man is free to make his own contracts ; that all the laws which interfere with this right are hostile to the laboring man ; that the wages of labor should be fully protected, and that the proprietors of mines, manufac tories, etc., should be required to secure their employees against damages ; that capital and MAJ. HEBER S. THOMPSON. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 219 labor have a common interest; that capital should pay fair wages for an honest day's work, and wages should be paid in honest money ; that paper money not redeemable in gold and silver is not money." As a member of Congress, Mr. Ryon was regarded as one of the ablest lawyers of that body, in whose practical sense and wisdom the interests of his constituents were safe. Besides professional duties, Mr. Ryon has been conspicuous in business and public en terprise. For many years he was a director and for several years has been president of the Pennsylvania National Bank of Pottsville, and holds the position of director in the Gas, Electric Light and Title Insurance and Trust companies of Pottsville. At Elkland, he is the owner of a new roller flouring mill and a fine farm of four hundred acres, besides other interests of minor importance. At the outbreak of the civil war, John W. Ryon was an active Union man and took a prominent part in raising and mobilizing troops. He assisted in organizing company A, of the famous Bucktail regiment and accom panied it to the State capital. Upon General Cameron's refusal to receive any more troops, this company was obliged to go into quarters at Harrisburg, and the project of organizing a reserve corps of fifteen thousand troops for Pennsylvania was originated. Our subject took an aggressive part in procuring the pas sage of a bill with such purport through the Pennsylvania Legislature. The corps was organized, and Mr. Ryon was appointed by Governor Curtin as paymaster, with the rank of major. This position he held until the corps was mustered into service in November, 1 86 1. This corps reached Washington in a moment of imminent peril, and prevented the capture of the capital after the disastrous defeat of the Union army at Bull Run. Its history is written in symbols of death and martyrdom, and its heroism is attested by the missing limb and the unmarked grave. Very few survived the war. Mr. Ryon was twice married, first to Julia F. Pinkham, a daughter of Tobias Pinkham, of the State of Maine, a clergyman of the Presbyterian church and a well-known gradu ate of Andover theological seminary. His first wife died in 1866, after having given birth to two children : Frank J., at present a resi dent of California, formerly an admitted at torney of Schuylkill county ; Julia F., mar ried to Girard Hobart, of Colorado. Mr. Ryon's second wife was Mary E. Dougherty, a daughter of Dennis Dougherty, of Potts ville, whom he married in 1868. To this marriage the following children were born : John W., Jr., in the> milling business at Elk land, Tioga county, married to Alice Haegy, daughter of Dr. Haegy, of Oceola, Pennsyl vania ; Robert, a lad of thirteen, at home. ltJTAJOR HEBER S. THOMPSON. The A American ancestry of the Thompson family, of which the subject is a member, is traceable back to the year 1735, the date of the earliest settlement by any of its members in the United States. They are of Scotch lin eage, descendants from a stock of old Scotch Covenanters, who early in the eighteenth cen tury passed over from Scotland to Ireland, where they became temporary residents. The first to emigrate to this side of the Atlantic were John Thompson, Sr., and his brother James, who left County Antrim, Ireland, about 1735, and upon landing in Pennsylvania took up residence at Cross Roads, Chester county. From thence they removed to Hanover town- 220 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ship, Lebanon county (then Chester county), and later to a place about ten miles distant from Harrisburg. Here John married his second wife, a Miss Slocum, and shortly after ward removed to a farm three miles east of Thompsontown, which fell by bequest to his sons, Peter and Thomas. At Thomas' death he bequeathed his interest to Peter, who in turn bequeathed it at his death to John Peter, his son, deceased in 1882. James Thompson settled along South Mountain, in Franklin county, where his descendants still reside. John, Sr., was married three times : first to Miss Greenleaf (or Greenlea) ; upon her death to Miss Slocum, and the third time to Sarah Patterson. By his first marriage he had four children, one ofwhom, William, was the grand father of Heber S., of this sketch. He was born in Thompsontown, Hanover township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, in 1754; served in the war for independence, and particpated in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. By occupation he was a farmer and merchant. He married Jane Mitchell, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, by whom he had six sons and three daughters — one son, Samuel, being the father of William, Lewis C, Heber S., and Emily. Samuel (father) was born in Thomp sontown, Dauphin county, in the year 1792; and died in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, March 7, 185 1. On November 6, 1827, he was, united in wedlock with Ann Alricks, of Harrisburg, who died August 27, 1828, at the age of twenty-nine years and ten months, without issue. He again married, August 6, 1833, Elizabeth Cunningham, of Newton Hamilton, Mifflin county, Pennsylvania. She was born March 3, iSo5,and died at Pottsville, Pennsyl vania, October 5, 1874, the mother of four children: William, born May 22, 1834, Vice- President Miners' National Bank of Pottsville, and Lieutenant-Colonel in the 17th Penn sylvania Cavalry from 186 1 to 1865; Lewis C, merchant of Pottsville, born November 7, 1835, married to Rebecca F. Bruner, of Chester county, by whom he has the following children : Elizabeth, Marie Louise, Carrie Frances, William M. and Elsie; Emily J., married to Major Edward C. Baird, both de ceased, and Heber Samuel. Heber Samuel Thompson was born in Potts ville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, August 14, 1840. After receiving his preparatory education he fitted for college, entered Yale University, and was graduated therefrom with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1 861, receiv ing the degree of M. A. from the same Uni versity in 1 87 1. After leaving his alma niater he enlisted in the civil war, April 16, 1 861, at Pottsville, as a private soldier, in company H, 25th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, the first troops to reach Washington. On July 29, 1 861, his first term of enlistment expired, and he re-enlisted October 22, 1861, in the 7th Pennsylvania cavalry, as first lieutenant of company F, and May 1, 1863, was promoted to the captaincy of the company. On March 18, 1864, he was transferred to the position of acting inspector-general of the first brigade, second cavalry division, army of the Cumber land, and served in this capacity until August 20, 1864. Being then a prisoner of war on parole, and unable to secure an exchange, he resigned, and was discharged January 24, 1865. His first service was in the army of' the Cum berland, under General Buell, during which time he participated in eleven engagements, in one of which — at Horse Cave, Kentucky— with his company, he captured six officers of General Bragg's staff, with other prisoners. In the same army, under General Rosecrans, he took part in six engagements, and on June OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 221 27, 1863, with his regiment, in a famous charge, captured three pieces of artillery and four hun dred prisoners at Shelbyville, Tennessee. He was afterwards transferred to Sherman's army in its campaign to Atlanta. During this time he passed through twelve engagements, and was finally taken prisoner at Lovejoy Station, Georgia, August 20, 1864. He was carried to Macon and Augusta, Georgia, successively, and then to Charleston, South Carolina, where he remained in the prisoners' hospital at Ri- kersville (a suburb of Charleston), until De cember 18, 1864. Since 1874 Mr. Thompson has been the civil and mining engineer of the Girard estate. He is a member of the American Philo sophical Society, Philadelphia, a member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and of the American Institute of Mining Engineers. Among other organizations with which he is identified as a member are'the following : So ciety of First Defenders, of which he is vice- president; Post No. 23, G. A. R., of Pottsville, Pennsylvania ; Union Veteran Legion, En campment No. — , Pottsville ; Loyal Legion of the United States ; member and vice-presi dent of the board of trustees of the State hos pital for injured persons of -the anthracite coal region at Ashland, Pennsylvania ; member of the county visiting committee of the State Board of Charities and State committee on lunacy ; president of board of directors of the Edison Electric Illuminating company, of Pottsville * member of the board of directors of the Orphans' Home, Pottsville ; director of the Pennsylvania (Schuylkill Valley division) railroad company ; general manager of the Girard water company. He is a communi cant and elder ofthe First Presbyterian Church, and also superintends its Sabbath school. Mr. Thompson married January 23, 1866, Sarah E. Beck, daughter of Isaac Beck, of Pottsville, who has borne him the following children : Emily, married to J. Parker Hood, an officer of the Union Trust Company of Philadelphia; Samuel Clifton, a graduate of Yale University in class of 1891, and of the School of Miners, Columbia University, New York, class of 1 893 ; Margaretta L, Eleanor (deceased), and Heber Harris. JOHN W. ROSEBERRY, the oldest but one of the living attorneys at the Schuyl kill county bar, and a man whose name was prominently identified with many of the busi ness enterprises of the county, is a son of John W. and Margaret (Good) Roseberry, born on July 20, 1 8 17, in Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. About 1730, John Roseberry, great-grandfather of John W. , left the place of his nativity near the Scottish border in England, and set sail for America. After landing and some little inspection of localities, he located "on a farm near Phillips- burg, Warren county, New Jersey, where he spent the remainder of his days in agricultural pursuits. His son, William Roseberry, grand father of John W., adopted his father's voca tion, married Mary Mackey, and had a family embracing seven children, one ofwhom, John W., Sr., was the father of our subject. The father was born on the old homestead in New Jersey, in the year 1793, and after receiving a fair common school education he attended what afterwards became Lafayette College. After finishing this general preliminary education, he entered upon the study of law with a prominent attorney of Reading, Pennsylvania, and was admitted to the Berks county bar. In 181 1, shortly after his admission he re moved to Orwigsburg, then the county seat of 222 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Schuylkill county, and here practiced his pro fession until his death in 1825. In politics, he was a democrat, and was elected as repre sentative of the counties of Berks and Schuyl kill to the State legislature. At this period the Commonwealth was brought to face many grave public questions, all of which were in delibly impressed upon him with peculiar significance. Later, he held in the county of his adoption the office of deputy Attorney- General, an office corresponding at the present time to that of district attorney. He showed, also, a decided interest in the martial equipment of the State, and for a time held the commission of Captain of a company of volunteers at Orwigsburg. "During the construction of the Schuylkill canal, he served in the capacity ofa civil engineer. He was the father of three children ; John W. ; Mary (now deceased), married to J. Oliver Rhodes, acting secretary of the Shenandoah Water Company of Shenandoah, and Rebecca, the wife of George McCabe, an attorney of Phila delphia, Pennsylvania. Joh.n W. Roseberry married on October 20, 1846, Elizabeth S., a daughter of George Douglass, formerly of Philadelphia, but whose death occurred in Orwigsburg. By this marriage they have the following children : George D., secretary and treasurer of the Pottsville Spike and Bolt works. These works were established in 1872 and incorporated in 1 890, for the purpose of manufacturing spikes and bolts largely used in the coal regions, though a general business is done throughout the country. The plant necessitates the em ployment of about forty men, and has proved a success of no mean order, due largely to tact and executive ability of those in imme diate charge. It is officered as follows : John W. Roseberry (now deceased), president ; George D. Roseberry, secretary and treasurer; directors, J. O. Rhodes, Frank Roseberry, Rachel M. Douglass. The second child, Annie, is married to Nathaniel P. Hobart, of New York City ; Frank is assistant cashier of the Pennsylvania National Bank of Pottsville; Mazie, married to W. Malison Hall, agent for the Scribner Publishing Company; Clement, a civil and mining engineer. Mr. Roseberry received a good education in the academy at Orwigsburg and other academies and private schools of the county. After leaving school, he entered the office of the Miners' Journal, where he learned the trade of a printer. He then entered the em ploy of L. Johnson & Co., printers and stereo- typers of Philadelphia, and there made an enviable reputation as an efficient and careful worker. He afterwards gave up printing, began the study of law with A. W. Potts at Orwigsburg, and was admitted to the Schuyl kill county bar in 1841. Here he opened an office and continued to practice until the county seat was changed to Pottsville, when he also removed thither. His practice in Pottsville was varied and successful, and his professional career has done much to re flect credit upon the man. In addition to the practice of law, Mr. Roseberry was con nected prominently with many other of the business enterprises of the borough in which he lived. He was for a number of years a director of the Pennsylvania National Bank, and also for some time president of the Moun tain City Banking Company. During the latter part of his life he was president of the Potts ville Spike and Bolt works, and of the Great Kanawha Coal and Lumber Company, the latter of which owns and controls a large tract of coal and timber land in Kanawha county, West Virginia. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 223 In politics, Mr. Roseberry was originally a whig, and became a republican upon the organization of that party, remaining such until the Hayes-Tilden campaign, when he became dissatisfied with the principles and practices of that party and became a democrat. He adhered to the Democratic party since that time, though never wedded to pure par- tyism, preferring principle to party. In 1848, he was elected to the legislature of Pennsyl vania, but did not aspire to a second term. While a member of that body he was con nected with a number of important committees. He has filled many local offices, and no matter how unimportant they may have seemed, always discharged his duty with the utmost fidelity. At the time of his death, 1893, he was president ofthe Bar Association of Schuylkill county. For twenty years he held membership in the Episcopal church, attesting his religious faith in addition to the many commendable characteristics ex hibited in his social, professional and business career. — & TTJIIiLIAM J. MATZ, ex-sheriff of ^-rt-> Schuylkill county and a well-known business man, is a son of William and Cath erine (Kerechner) Matz, was born in West Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, December 1, 1838. His grandfather Matz was a native of Berks county, which at that time embraced Schuylkill, where he pur sued farming as an occupation and resided until his death. He was a Jeffersonian demo crat and enthusiastic in the support of his party. His marriage resulted in the birth of the following children : Joseph, Daniel John, William (father of William J.), Gabriel, Susan Moyer, Mary, Mrs. Schellenberger, and Mrs. Hammer, who was formerly married to Henry Rauch, sheriff of this county, but afterwards to Eli Hammer. Subject's father, William Matz, was born on the old homestead in West Brunswick township, Berks county, Novem ber 11, 1 80 1, where he continued to reside until 1848, when he removed to Pottsville, Pennsylvania. The earlier part of his life he spent in farming, but after removing to Potts ville purchased the Merchants' hotel (then called the White Horse), which occupied his time for some years. In politics he was a staunch, active democrat, and in October, 1855, he was elected by his party to the office of sheriff of Schuylkill county for a term of three years. He died in July, 1865, and at the time of his death and prior, was a member of the German Reformed church. The fol lowing named children resulted from his marriage: George W. (dead), Thomas H., Daniel (deceased), Jemima Wagner, Amelia Drumheller, Mary E. Matz, Susan Schellen berger, Louis Wolf and Emma V. Wieder; one died in infancy. William J., the remaining son, married Julia A. Richards, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, October, 1859, a daughter of Samuel Richards, by whom he has ten children, six of whom have grown to maturity: Julia, married to John C. McCIure of Los Angeles, California ; Katie, married to J. Oliver Roads, Jr.; Flora, Lulu, Marion and William J., Jr., at home. Mr. Matz received his education in the public schools of Pottsville and at Lititz academy, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. After leav ing school, he acted as Deputy Sheriff under his father during his tenure of office. In 1859, he became joint proprietor, with Jesse Drumheller, of the Merchants' hotel, under the firm name of Matz and Drumheller. When the Civil War began he sold his interest to his partner, and in 1867 engaged in coal min- 224 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ing in this county and in operating iron ore beds in Lancaster county. In this he was engaged until the year 1869, when he was elected to the office of Prothonotary for Schuylkill county, in which capacity he served for a period of three years. At the expiration of this time he again resumed coal operating in his native county until 1875, and in Clear field county to the present time. In 1877, he became a candidate for Sheriff on the Demo cratic ticket and was elected for a term of three years. Mr. Matz has always taken a commendable interest in county, State and national political affairs. In 1876 he was a delegate to the Democratic National Conven tion which met at St. Louis and nominated Samuel J. Tilden for the presidency, and has frequently represented his party as a delegate to State conventions. Previously, in 1867, he was mail agent between Pottsville and Phila delphia on the Philadelphia and Reading rail road. At the present time (1893), Mr. Matz is treasurer of the Cressona Powder company, located near Cressona, Pennsylvania. This company was organized in 1890, and he at once became treasurer and manager, having also been one of the organizers. The entire conduct of the business now lies in his hands, • to which he has brought a valuable experience, tact and executive ability. He is also treas urer of the Schuylkill Haven Iron company, located at Schuylkill Haven, this county. He is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M. TiflLLlAM L. YODER, cashier of Mahanoy City First National bank, who is prom inently identified with the business interests of that city, is a son of Daniel and Mary (La Rosa) Yoder. He was born near Orwigs burg, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, March 19, 1830. His ancestors were natives of Berks county, Pennsylvania, where his pater nal grandfather, Peter Yoder, lived and died. Peter was a farmer, merchant and hotel keeper combined, and through thrift and industry acquired quite a comfortable competency. He was father of eight children : Hannah, wife of Abraham Mensh ; Esther, married to Daniel Focht; Benjamin, deceased; Daniel, father of subject; Elizabeth, wife of Abram Strom; George, Sarah and Mary. Daniel Yoder (father) was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, Oley township, July 15, 1789, and removed to a place near Orwigs burg, Schuylkill county, in the year 1825. In 1850 he went to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and died there December 3, 1871. He was a tan ner by trade, and prior to his removal to Orwigsburg gave his entire attention to that business, acting in the capacity of manager for his father. Subsequently he engaged in building boats at Orwigsburg for the Schuyl kill canal, and later, undertook the manufac ture of 'pumps, in connection with which he became a contractor for laying water-pipes. He was a man of considerable energy and a respected citizen of the different places in which he lived. Together with his wife, he held membership in the Evangelical church, while in politics he cast his ballot with the Whig and Republican parties in the order of their existence. In church work he was in deep sympathy and devoted much time and strength to furthering its interests. His mar riage occurred on February 22, 1815, and resulted in the birth of seven children : Eliza, Caroline, Mary, Charles, Joseph I., William L. and James; all deceased, with the exception of James, Eliza and subject. William L. Yoder was joined in matrimony with Anna Wooley, a daughter of George and EPHRAIM BARLOW. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 225 Sarah (Roberts) Wooley of England, but recently of Pottsville, on April 24, 1855. To this union four children have been born, three of whom are still living : Howard W., married to Anna Kenney of Philadelphia, and now residing in New Castle, Virginia, where he is cashier of the First National bank ; Clara A., wife of Charles A. Stine, Jr., of Norristown, Pennsylvania, in the plate glass business with Heroy & Co.; Emily F., at home. Mr. Yoder received his education in the Orwigsburg academy, and upon leaving school began life as a clerk in Pottsville, which con tinued to be his occupation for sixteen years. In i860 he was employed as receiver of taxes for the borough of Pottsville, and in 1 862 was appointed deputy collector of internal revenue for the tenth district, composed of the coun ties of Schuylkill and Lebanon. He served in this capacity for two years under James A. Inness, collector of that district. In Decem ber, 1864, he was appointed cashier of the First National bank of Mahanoy City, and down to the present time has filled that posi tion, having removed to that city at the beginning of his appointment. Mr. Yoder was one of the organizers of the Mahanoy City Gas company, and has been treasurer of it since its inception in 1872. He is also treasurer of the Light, Heat and Power com pany of the same city, organized in February of 1888. Besides these he has interested himself in the Union Saving Fund, of which he was treasurer and director, and the Serial Building and Loan association. For a num ber of years Mr. Yoder served on the school board in various capacities, and exhibited an unusual degree of interest in the educational condition of his city. He is a member of varjous fraternal organi zations, among which are the following: 15 Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M., of which he is past master, and is now treas urer of both blue lodge and chapter; Mizpah Chapter, No. 252, R. A. M.; Girard Lodge, No. 52, I. O. O. F., of Pottsville, of which he is Past Grand. Mr. Yoder took a prominent part in the establishment of the Methodist Episcopal church in Mahanoy City, and has been one of its most influential workers, and is a member of the Building committee for the erection of a new church now in progress. He has been superintendent of the Sunday school of that body for sixteen years, and in all his relations as citizen, business man or churchman, enjoys a merited respect and confidence. EPHRAIM BARLOW, a respected citizen ^^ of Mahanoy City and the representative of one ofthe old families of Schuylkill county, is a son of Nathan and Esther (Kulp) Barlow, and was born in New Philadelphia, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on August 17, 1837. His father was a native of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, born in January, 1795, and Came to New Philadelphia, this county, in the year 1824. His residence at New Phil adelphia extended down to the year 1868, when he removed to Mahanoy City, where he died February 28, 1 870. During the last twenty-five years of his life he filled the office of justice of the peace, but prior to that time he had been a merchant and coal operator in a small way. While in New Philadelphia he was engaged in. the saw-mill and lumber busi ness, and for a short time, 1828 to 1829, oper ated a coal shaft at Lick Run, this county. Prior to the late civil war he gave his sup port to the Democratic party, but after the close of that conflict he transferred his vote to 226 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY the Republican party. In church matters he is an attendant upon the services of the Pres byterian church. On June I, 1817, he was united in marriage with Ann Brooks, of Montgomery county, by whom he had one child, John, born May 1, 18 18, and deceased in 1887. Mrs. .Barlow died May 1, 1818, at the age of about twenty- five years. His second marriage occurred March 10, 1824. By this marriage he had the following children : William H., born September 4, 1825; Phcebe, born June 16, 1827, and deceased January 18, 1859; Nathan, born November 24, 1829, and deceased March 16, 1856; Hiram, born August 23, 183 1, and deceased February 28, 1856; Daniel, born .January 22, 1835, and deceased August 12, 1883; Ephraim, subject; Alfred, born March 13, 1 84 1 ; Malinda, born November 24, 1843, and died March 24, 1 867 ; Esther, born Feb ruary 21, 1846, died May 1, 1882; Harriet, born November 22, 1848, died November 2, 1 851; George W., born May 17, 185 1, died June 2, 1858. Ephraim Barlow was joined in marriage with Joanna M. Beddall, a daughter of Thomas, Sr., and Mary Beddall, of Port Carbon, in June, 1863. To this union three children have been born, two of whom died in infancy, the third, George Washington, was born on De cember 3, 1866, and married Ida Beddall, who is deceased. He married a second wife in the person of Anna Skeath, and now resides in Mahanoy City, where he is a successful lumber dealer. Mr. Barlow, subject, was educated in the common schools of Schuylkill county, and in 1857 journeyed to California, where he en gaged in gold mining for a period of five years. In the winter of 1862 he returned to Mahanoy City and embarked in the merchandising bus iness, which engaged his attention up to the year 1876. At the termination of this period he began a wholesale and retail lumber busi ness, to which he has devoted his attention down to the present time. He is director of the Army Hall association, is a republican in politics, and served a number of terms upon the borough council of Mahanoy City. Re ligiously he is a member of the English Luth eran church, and in the fraternal world is identified with Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M., of which he has been junior and senior deacon. T\R- -JOHN S. KISTLER, a physician of recognized skill and ability of Shenan doah, Pennsylvania, and president of the First National bank of that city, is a son of William V. B. and Judia (Seidel) Kistler, and was born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, April 27, 1857. His ancestors on the paternal side were originally of German stock, but left the fatherland seven generations ago. Among the first to take up residence in this country was one George Kistler, who after his arrival located in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, where he figured as one of the earliest settlers of that section of the State. From Mont gomery county his descendants scattered to other localities, notably Lehigh county, where John Kistler, the grandfather of Dr. John S., was born and lived during the entire, period of his life. He followed the occupation of farming, which by thrift and industry brought him a comfortable livelihood, and death closed over his career leaving nothing but the record of a life of honesty and right endeavors. «His marriage to Mary Probst was productive of a number of children, among whom was the father of our subject, who was born in the county of Lehigh in the year 1830, to whose OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 227 soil he has clung ever since. When he arrived at the proper age, he adopted his father's occupation, farming, and has by dint of econ omy and good management become quite prosperous. To the business of farming he added that of drover, but at present is living practically a retired life. In his political views he is an adherent of the Democratic party, though never a partisan in a strict sense, nor blinded to the true purpose of legislation. From a religious point of view he was a mem ber of the Evangelical Lutheran church. He married a daughter of Braugher Seidel, and had ten children, five sons and five daughters. The five sons were all physicians : Wm. F. practices in Minersville, this county ; Dr. John S. (subject) ; Hiram, dead ; Milton S., practices in Shenandoah; Douglas S., practices in Wilkes Barre. Dr. John S. Kistler was joined in the bonds of matrimony to Clara Dengler, a daughter of Charles Dengler, a justice of the peace at Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, on July 12, 1883. By this marriage three children were born : Earl, born August, 1885; John, born April, 1887; Marian, born April, 1892. Dr. Kistler received his academic education in the public schools of his native place, at the State Normal school at. Kutztown, and at Union seminary, New Berlin, Union county. After the usual course of medical reading and preparation under a preceptor, he entered Hahnemann medical college of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was graduated therefrom in the class of 1879. Immediately after gradu ation he located in Shenandoah City, where he has Iver since remained in continuous and successful practice. Aside from his professional work, Dr. Kist ler is largely identified with the material busi ness interests of Shenandoah City. He was one of the organizers and has been president of the First National bank of Shenandoah ever since its organization in 1891. He is also secretary of the board of directors of the Shenandoah Electric Illuminating company, the Shenandoah Heat and Power company and the Light and Gas company. In 1883 he took an important part in forming a Building and Loan Association, in which he has been more or less active since as director. In all his relations, either business, or professional, • or social, Dr. Kistler is uniformly well liked. He is popular and genial, and carries into active life those qualities of mind and heart which command for him a general esteem. He is a member of the Schuylkill county Homoeopathic Medical society; and in his political and church affiliations, is respectively a supporter of the Democratic party and the Methodist Episcopal church and Evangelical church. f"*R. DAVID W. STRAUB, of Shenandoah, *-* Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is one of the leading practitioners of that city. He is a son of Levi and Leah (Boyer) Straub, and was born in Lower Towamensing township, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, on January 28, 1855- The Straub family have been natives of Carbon county for the past three generations. Grandfather David Straub has been av life-long resident of that county, Towamensing town ship, and died upon the old homestead in the year 1877, at the age of seventy-nine years, He was a farmer by occupation, and married Mary Olewine, by whom he had a family of eleven children. John Boyer, maternal grand father of Dr. Straub, was a native of North ampton county, which at the time of his birth was still connected with Carbon county. He 228 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY died in Carbon about 1869, aged ninety-three, after raising- a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters. Levi Straub, father, was born in Lower Towamensing township, Carbon county, in 1828, and has always resided in the vicinity of his forefathers. By occupation he is a farmer and a carpenter, which two pursuits he carried on conjointly. Politically, he joins forces with the Republican party, while religiously he is a communicant of the Evangelical church. Through his marriage a family of three chil dren resulted, that grew to maturity : David W., subject; Anna Buck, and Elmer, a prac ticing physician at Minersville, Schuylkill county. Dr. Straub was united in marriage with Laura Le Bar, a daughter of Jesse and Pame- lia Le Bar, of Slatington, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, June 14, 1877. This union has resulted in an issue of four children, as fol lows : Mabel L., C. Lee, Homer W. and Violet L. He was educated in the public schools and Lehighton academy, and after graduation from the latter, engaged in teaching school for two years in Carbon county, Pennsylvania. Sub sequently he read medicine under the precep- torship of Dr. J. P. Grosscup, of Reading, Pennsylvania, and was graduated from Hahne mann Medical college, at Philadelphia, in 1877. After graduation he began practice at Millport, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, where he continued for three years, up to 1880. About this time he removed to Shenandoah, opened an office, and has met with uniform success as a medical practitioner. He is a member of the Schuylkill county Homoeo pathic Medical society, of which he was presi dent in 1 89 1. Of this society he was the chief organizer and propagator„and is the author of its Constitution and By-laws. He is also author of a "Symptom Register and Case Record " for physicians' office use. HON. JAMES B. REILLY, member of Congress from the thirteenth district of Pennsylvania, is a son of Bernard and Mar garet Reilly, and was born August 12, 1845, in West Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. His father was a native of West Meath county, Ireland, where he was given birth in the year of 182 1. He was educated and reared in his native country, and after attaining his majority in the year 1842, left friends and kindred behind him and eame to the United States. He located in Schuylkill county, and in 1850 removed to Pottsville, where he died in 1889. During his residence in Schuylkill county he followed railroad contracting, and was en gaged in quite a number of important under takings, being under the employ of the Canada and Atlantic railroad company, the Schuylkill and Susquehanna, and- Philadelphia and Read ing companies. His marriage to the mother of our subject resulted in the birth of eleven children, nine girls and two boys. Frank P., the other brother, is a resident of Pottsville, where he is engaged as a telegraph operator. James B. Reilly was united in marriage with Mary A. M. Hoey, a daughter of Owen Hoey, a native of Ireland, but since his ma jority" a citizen of Pottsville. His marriage took place in 1868. Mr. Reilly was educated in the high school of Pottsville, and for a number of year After wards devoted himself to careful private study. He then began the study of law with Hon. F. W. Hughes, a very prominent lawyer, and was admitted to the bar of Schuylkill county on HON. JAMES B. REILLY. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 229 Januaiy u, 1869. Since that time he has followed his profession with zeal and devo tion, and acquired a large practice, not only before the courts of his own county, but also before the State and United States Supreme Courts. In politics Mr. Reilly is a democrat, and as such was elected in 1871 to the office of district attorney of Schuylkill county, for a term of three years. He discharged the duties connected therewith with very com mendable fidelity, showing decided profes sional ability and forensic power. In 1874 he was nominated by the Democratic party of his district for Congress, and was elected, taking his seat with the Forty-fourth National Con gress. In 1876 he was re-elected to the Forty-fifth Congress, in 1888 he was sent to the Fifty-first Congress, and in 1890 was again returned to the Fifty-second sitting of the National House, and again re-elected in 1892. During the many years of service Mr. Reilly has been a member of various important committees, among which were the Pacific railroad committee, the select committee on the Columbian Exposition, and that on Mines and Mining. He was one of the authors of the bill granting pensions to soldiers' widows, and is the sole author of that feature of the bill relative to the preferred claims of work- ingmen in case of bankrupts. To his con stituents and to the interests of his county and district he has always been true to the best of his ability, in the discharge of his trust, and very often instrumental in the passage of special bills affecting Schuylkill county. He was a delegate to the national convention which nominated General Hancock for the Presidency, and has served as per manent chairman of State conventions. Aside from legal and political lines, Mr. Reilly has also interested himself in the public and indus trial well-being of his city. He is a member of the board of directors of the Schuylkill Real Estate, Title, Insurance and Trust com pany, and also of the Board of Trade. Mr. Reilly in 1881 and 1882 was a candidate for additional law judge, and at that time had a large following, which attested to his worth and integrity. He is a member of the Catholic church, a man of independent mind and thought, but exceeding tolerant ofthe opinions and convictions of others. His oldest son, Frank X. Reilly, is a leading architect of Pottsville, and has just secured the adoption of his plans for a new armory for that city. /COLONEL DAVID P. BROWN. The history of "Schuylkill county and its chief industry, the great anthracite coal trade, would be incomplete without a sketch of the life and work of Colonel David P. Brown, division su perintendent of the Lehigh Valley Coal com pany of Lost Creek. He is a son of David W. and Elizabeth (Percy) Brown, and was born in Shillbottle, Northumberland county, England, February 14, 1825. His paternal grandfather, David Brown, was also born and reared in Northumberland county, England, where he lost his life on December 25, 1813, by black damp, while in performance of his duty in making his round of inspection of the mine. David W. Brown, father, was born Septem ber 25, 1802, in the same county in England, where he lived until the fall of 1826. In the meantime he had grown to manhood and married Elizabeth Percy May 1, 1824, who, with our subject, Colonel David P. Brown, then a child of a few months, accompanied him to Hetton, county of Durham, England, where he worked as miner at Hetton colliery 230 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY until August, 1829, when he set sail with his family for America. They landed in Boston October 16, 1829. From that city they came direct to Philadelphia, thence to Pottsville, Schuylkill county, by way of the Schuylkill canal, reaching the latter place in November of that year. The anthracite coal trade of Pennsylvania was then in its infancy, but David W. Brown, who had been reared in a mining district in England, knew that its growth and the development of the vast fields of coal in the Schuylkill region were but a question of a short time. Accordingly, within a brief period after his arrival in Pottsville, he formed a partnership with a Mr. Daddow, and leased the Little Tracy vein colliery at Oak Hill, about four miles from Pottsville, which they operated successfully under the firm name of Brown & Daddow, until 1835, when Mr. Daddow retired. Mr. Brown purchased his interest and continued the operation of the colliery until his death, which occurred April 5, 1846. His union with Elizabeth Percy was blessed with five children, as follows : David P.; Major William, who was a prominent and successful coal operator in the Shamokin re gion up to the time of his death, which occur red in 1878, and which resulted from an injury sustained by an accident at one of his collie ries. He enlisted in Company — , 16th regi ment, P. V. infantry, in April — , 1861, and served with the rank of major until , . Peter, the third son, is numbered with those who offered up their lives for the preser vation of the Union. He enlisted at Pottsville in 1862, in company — , 129th Pennsylvania volunteers, and was killed at the battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, December 13, 1862; Jane, who became the wife of Major Joseph Anthony, who also distinguished himself in the war of the Rebellion. He enlisted in 1 86 1 in the 16th regiment, Pennsylvania vol unteer infantry, and served with that regiment as captain, also as captain in the 96th Penn sylvania regiment until he was transferred to the 129th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry. At the battle of Chancellorsville he was severely wounded by being shot through the lung and incapacitated for further service, though he survived for a period of fifteen years afterwards. During his term of service he was promoted to the rank and title of Major, for gallant and meritorious service; Mary, who married Major J. Claude White, also a veteran ofthe war for the Union, and a veteran coal operator. He served with the rank of major in the 3d Pennsylvania cavalry from April, 1 861, until -, when he became disabled by disease contracted in the service, after taking part in several engage ments in which he distinguished himself by his coolness and bravery. The educational advantages afforded Colonel David P. Brown in his youth were necessarily limited, his ather being a pioneer in the advance guard of civilization in Schuylkill county, long prior to the establishment of the common schools as a part of the educational system of the State. At the age of seven years he had had the advantage of a few months' instruction in a select school, and this, together with the in struction given by his father and mother, formed the basis of his education. But being a man of close observation and studious habits, and possessing a retentive memory and a clear intellect, he acquired knowledge quite readily without the aid of a preceptor, until he stored his mind with a vast fund of information touching a variety of subjects, but more espe cially those pertaining to the great mining industry, to which he has devoted his life, and which he has assisted in developing to its OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 231 present magnificent proportions. He was but eight years old when he took up his life work, commencing in the capacity of a screen boy at his father's Oak Hill colliery, and working upward, filled almost every position about the breaker before he grew to manhood. When his father died he was so thoroughly familiar with all the details of the business that he was enabled to continue uninterruptedly the opera tion of the colliery for the estate, which he and his brother William did, under the firm name of David P. Brown & Co., until 1864, when the business was disposed of. The development of the Mahanoy Coal basin was then in its incipiency. Packer collieries Nos. 1 and 2 had been opened and were being operated by the Philadelphia Coal Company. The position of superintendent of these works was tendered to Colonel Brown, and he ac cepted and assumed charge at once. The Philadelphia Coal Company was subsequently merged into the Lehigh Valley Coal Com pany, and Packer collieries Nos. 3, 4 and 5, operated under the direction and management of Division Superintendent Brown, who has operated them successfully ever since. Col onel Brown stands in the front rank among the progressive and successful colliery mana gers in the anthracite region, and the collieries in his charge are among the best equipped for the production, preparation and shipment of coal. Many ofthe mechanical devices for the movement of coal underground, for hoisting it to the surface and preparing it for the market, are of his own invention, and have been adopted by other colliery managers. He has devoted a great deal of time to the subject of mine ventilation, with the result that the mine workings of the Packer collieries are the best ventilated perhaps in the entire anthracite region. In politics, Colonel Brown was a whig up to the time of the birth of the Re publican party, when he became a member of that organization, and an earnest advocate of its principles. He has never held or sought a political office of profit, though he served as president of the town council of Pottsville, during his residence in that borough. He also served in the Union army during the war of the Rebellion. Early in 1861 he enlisted in company D, 6th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, of which he was subsequently elected lieutenant. He served three months, taking part in the skirmish at Falling Water, Virginia. At the expiration of his term of service he received a captain's commission, with authority to recruit a company for the three years' service, but, on account of his brothers having enlisted, he was obliged to abandon this purpose in order to give his time to the management of his father's estate. He is an honorary member of Gowen Post, No. — , G. A. R., of Pottsville ; and an active member of Lost Creek division No. 9, Sons of Temperance, of which he is past officer. He is an earnest and enthusiastic advocate ofthe cause of tem perance, and for many years has exerted his strong influence in behalf of its success. He is also a Past Master of Pulaski Lodge No. 216, F. and A. M., of Pottsville, of which he lias been a member since 1848 ; a member of Mountain City Chapter, Knights Templar, and Constantine Commandery R. A. M., N6. 41, also of Pottsville. On June 7, 1848, Colonel Brown was married to Ellen Lloyd, of Potts ville, and their union was blessed with the following children : A. David, who married Elizabeth Severn, and now resides in Lost Creek, and is outside foreman of Packer col lieries Nos. 1 and 5 ; William P., who is clerk in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading coal and iron company in Philadelphia ; Han- 232 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY nah, wife of William H. Kaercher, outside foreman of Packer collieries No. 2, 3 and 4, and a resident of Lost Creek ; James C, a graduate of the Pottsville high school, and who is now engaged as a teacher in the schools of West Mahanoy township. Mrs. Brown died in , and on August 15, 1883, Colonel Brown married Ella P., a daughter of Dr. William N. Rob- bins. By this marriage he has two children, Gaynor S. and David R. fJEORGE C. DIEFENDERFER, a promi nent and widely-known shoe manufac turer of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania, is a son of Christian and Elizabeth (Kimmel) Diefender fer, and was born in Orwigsburg, January 28, 1856. His paternal grandfather, John Diefen derfer, was a native of Lehigh county, Penn sylvania, but migrated to Orwigsburg about the year 1850, and after remaining there for a time removed to Auburn, where he died in in the year 1869. He was by occupation a cooper, which trade he followed faithfully and industriously throughout his entire life. Chris tian Diefenderfer, father of George C, was born in the county of Lehigh. During the civil war, early in 1862, he offered his services in defence of the stars and stripes, enlisting first in April, in the 97th regiment Pennsyl vania infantry, from which he was afterward transferred to the 116th. In the contest at Reim's Station the Union forces were defeated, and he was carried captive to Salisbury prison, North Carolina, where, after unknown suffer ing, he died in 1863, true to his country to the last. His marriage with Elizabeth Kimmel was blessed with seven children, five of whom still survive : John, a resident of Orwigsburg, holds a responsible position under the firm of H. S. Albright & Co.; George C, subject; Annie, married to George W. Bickley; and Alice, married to Daniel E. Schoener, both residing in Orwigsburg ; Lewis K. is engaged in a prosperous mercantile business in Wico- nisco, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. George C. Diefenderfer, on October 9, 1881, was'united in marriage with Mary E. Maurer, a daughter of Dr. A. G» Maurer, of Lykens, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, who for many years was a prominent practicing physician, and met his death on the Summit branch of the Pennsylvania railroad by an accident. This union has resulted in the birth of three chil dren : Alan L., Florence E. and Margaret M. Mr. Diefenderfer, after having completed a course of study in the public schools of Orwigs burg, attended Waynesburg college, Waynes burg, Pennsylvania, and there completed his education. The first few years after gradu ation he devoted to teaching, but finally aban doned it for a clerkship in his uncle's store at Wiconisco, after teaching one term in the public schools of the latter-named place. He remained in his uncle's store for a period of thirteen years, during which time he served five years as postmaster and superintended a drug-store at the same time. This business experience proved invaluable to him, and laid the foundation for his subsequent success. In 1883 he came to Orwigsburg, and with Mr. H. S. Albright, under the firm name of H. S. Albright & Co., engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes, in which business he has continued to the present time. The building occupied by them is a substantial and com modious two and a half story frame building, fronting sixty-four feet on Market street, and extending back eighty feet. It is well equipped with the best modern machinery for the manu facture of ladies', misses', and children's shoes, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 233 and gives employment to about eighty-five men, besides eight traveling salesmen, who distribute their goods throughout the west and northwestern parts of the United States. In the fraternal world, Mr. Diefenderfer is prominently connected with the best fraternal organizations, among which are Ashlar lodge, No. 570, F. and A. M.; Mountain City Chap ter, No. 196, Royal Arch Masons; Constantine Commandery, No. 41, Knights Templar; Har risburg Consistery; Lu Lu Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Philadelphia, and is a thirty-second degree Mason of the northern jurisdiction of the United States. Politically, he is a republican, and manifests a deep interest in the educational affairs of his native borough. He is at pres ent president of the board of directors of the Orwigsburg public schools, is a director of the Schuylkill county Agricultural Society, organ ized in 1852, and one of the organizers and directors of the Orwigsburg First National Bank. Mr. Diefenderfer, personally, is a man of pleasant manners, affable, and, from a business point of view, possesses the attributes of in tegrity and conscientiousness. He is public- spirited, unselfish in his desires to promote the common welfare, and is identified with all movements looking toward that end. JESSE DRUMHELLER, a well and favor- ably-known business man of Pottsville, is a son of Abraham and Sarah (Seitz) Drum heller, and was born April 15, 1826, in the county of Northumberland, Pennsylvania. His father, a native of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, removed to a place near Sun bury, where he died in 1839 at the age of sixty-one years. The father was a man of integrity, and commanded the respect of his fellow-citizens. The family consisted of pa rents and six children, four sons and two dau ghters : Isabella Swineheart ; Sarah Travel- bliss; Isaac, located in Sunbury; Nicholas; David, now deceased ; and Jesse. Jesse was joined in marriage with Amelia C, a daughter of William Matz (see sketch) of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in the year 1849. To them have been born four children : Charles I., deceased ; Henry H. (married Agnes Orgal), who lives in Pottsville, and is employed as timekeeper in the railroad shops ; George W. (married Sarah Wolf), a draftsman located in New York city, was graduated from the Pottsville high school, and later in 1888, from Lafayette college, Easton, Pennsylvania ; Mary, at home, a graduate of the Pottsville high school. Mr. Drumheller during his boy hood learned the trade, which he fol lowed for some twelve years. He removed to Pottsville in 1845, and in 1857 befcame prop rietor of the Merchants' hotel. One year later he purchased the hotel property, con tinuing in that business until 1881, when he retired. Since that time he has been en grossed by a variety of business interests. He is at present a director of the Pennsylvania National Bank of Pottsville, and has been for a number of years. He is also a director of the Pottsville Water company, Pottsville Iron company, and the Pottsville Steam, Heat and Power company, and a manager of the first mentioned. His political views are in accord with the Republican party, and although not an aspirant to office, he served as Jury Com missioner from 1872 to 1876, and a member of the city council for seven years. Relig iously, he is a member ofthe Lutheran church, in which he takes a quiet, though earnest in terest. As regards fraternal organizations, 234 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY his sympathies are keen, and he has allied himself with quite a number of the foremost. He is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, Knight's Templar, Constantine Com- mandery, No. 41, Royal Arch Masons, and Lily of the Valley Lodge, No. 281, I.O.O.F., of which he is Past Grand. JOSEPH DE FREHN, a well-known con tractor and builder and substantial citizen of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, was born in Orwigsburg, same county, on December 12, 1821. He is the son of Daniel and Susanna (Noeacer) De Frehn. His father was a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and was born in the year 1791, near Tuscarora, and before he had reached the age of twenty-one removed to Orwigsburg. Here he was apprenticed to learn the carpenter trade, after the completion of which he continued to reside in the village of his adoption until 1842. At the expiration of this time he took up a residence in Potts ville, the county seat, where he lived until his demise fourteen years later. During the latter part of his career he was a contractor and builder and carried on a large line of work in connection with both private and public building. His marriage resulted in the birth of eleven children, of whom six were daughters and five were sons. Both he and his family were adherents of the Lutheran church. Joseph De Frehn was joined in the bonds of wedlock, first to Barbara A. Spohn, daugh ter of John Spohn of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, May 15, 1844. By this marriage he had one child, which is now deceased. His first wife died May 12, 1847, at the age of twenty-two years. He re-entered marital bonds with Abigail Stine of Dauphin county, Pennsyl vania, February 22, 1849. By this marriage there has been an issue of five children, four daughters and one son : Clara, wife of Albert Esterley, both deceased ; Ida and Ellen E., both deceased; Joseph H., married to Ella Sheerer, a general contractor now residing in Pottsville, and Carrie, wife of Edward Roe, a druggist resident in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Mr. De Frehn, during boyhood, received a common school education, and afterward learned the carpenter trade with his father, with whom he came to Pottsville in 1841. He has since made this city his place of per manent residence, with the exception of three years spent in the city of Philadelphia. After his marriage he broadened out his trade of carpentering to include that of contracting and building, the combination of which he has pursued throughout his entire life. In 1876 he retired from active business and gave himself up to the less arduous duties of pure citizenship. Beside his main business, he was at one time a director of the Mountain City bank, and is still a director of the Great Kanawha Coal and Lumber company of West Virginia. In his political relations he has always been content to remain a citizen inde pendent of official aspiration. In the national and State elections he uses his vote and influ ence for the Republican party. In church matters he is a supporter of the Lutheran denomination, while he also holds member ship in Girard Lodge, No. 53, I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Grand, and Henry Clay Lodge, No. 44, Knights of Pythias. Mr. De Frehn is recognized by his fellow- townsmen as a man of honor, business success, and an exemplary citizen. He has been very largely the architect of his own fortune, which OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 235 has been due to an inherent tact, perseverance and a never failing courage. At his age in life, past circumstances have been such as to afford a very agreeable and pleasing retro spect. He has been a useful citizen in his community, loyal both to himself and the public at large. "CBENEZER MORRIS was a son of John and Catherine ( ) Morris, and was born in Wales Jifne io, 1832, and died in Mahanoy City December 10, 1892. He received his education in his native country and emigrated to the United States about the year 1854. Shortly after his arrival he located near St. Clair, Schuylkill county, Pennsylva nia, and remained there until the time of his marriage, when he removed to Tremont, and thence to Mahanoy City in 1863, where he continued to reside down to the time of his death. He was by occupa tion a miner, which business remained his chief pursuit throughout life. Politically, he affiliated with the Republican party, and when a young man took more than a passing inter est in public and political affairs. He served as school director of his town for a number of years and also as supervisor of his borough, and was elected justice ofthe peace, but never took the oath of office. Prior to his death he was a member of the Mahanoy City Lodge, No- 357, F- and A. M.; Mizpah Chapter, No. 252, R. A. C; Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 31, Knights Templar, and of General Grant Lodge, No. 575, I. O. O. F. He was united in marriage on August 9, 1856, to Mary Edwards, a daughter of John Edwards, a native of Wales, but since 1 847 a citizen of Schuylkill county. This marriage resulted in a family of twelve children, eight of whom are now living : Joseph E. of Potts ville ; John L. of Morea; Sarah J., wife of William Schoener; Janet Louisa (deceased), wife of Alfred Palmer, agent of the Lehigh Valley railroad at Mahanoy City ; Gertrude, wife of Thomas Powell of Mahanoy City; Abner I., ticket agent at the Lehigh Valley railroad at Mahanoy City; Lincoln and Eben ezer, at home. Mr. Morris was a man possessing in a marked degree those qualities of head and heart which endeared him to all with whom he became affiliated, and his death was deeply mourned by the community in which he had so long lived and which knew him so well. ^ROF. FRANK SEWARD MILLER, the present efficient superintendent of the Mahanoy City public schools, was born May 9, 1862, in Clifford, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, a son of Seward E. and Effie A. (Gardiner) Miller. His great-grandfather, Adam Miller, was a native of Ireland, and emigrated to America shortly after the Revolutionary war. He lo cated in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in farming until the time of his death. Here Grandfather Charles Miller was born and lived the greater part of his life. He was by profession a minister in the Baptist church, and devoted his entire life to that calling, mainly in the vicinity of Clifford. He was a democrat in politics, though a nominal one, and at the time of John C. Fremont's candidacy for President of the United States, he changed his political texture from that of a democrat to a republican, whose party tenets he continued to support during the remainder of his life. He was united in mar riage with Miss Orvis, who bore him a family of eight children, six boys and two girls. 236 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Seward E. Miller, father, was born on the old Miller homestead, near Clifford, Susque hanna county, Pennsylvania, on June 7, 1825. His childhood and boyhood were spent upon the farm, and he early became accustomed to the scenes of rural life. After having received as good a training as the public schools of that time afforded, he entered the University at Lewisburg, for the completion of his edu cation. Subsequently he read law, and was admitted to the bar of Luzerne county, Penn sylvania, but through taste and conviction he changed to the profession of the ministry, upon which he entered about the year 1855. His denominational sympathies were with the Baptist church, and in that church he de termined to spend his best energies and deep est devotion. He was -assigned to various charges, and after a life of usefulness in that vocation, he retired to the home of his child hood, where he now resides. In politics, he was formerly a republican, but in the present state of political sentiment he allies himself with the Prohibition party. He was united in marriage to a daughter of William Gardiner, of the State of Connecticut, on February 24, 185 1. She was a descendant of one of the oldest families of that State, representatives of which came to the Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, at a very early day. By this marriage, Mr. Miller became the father of eight children, five boys and three girls : Susan, Jessie A., Frank S. (subject), Charles H., deceased, Hugh C, deceased, Eugene K., Ruth D. and Ralph. Frank S. Miller was united in marriage on December 29, 1885, with Clara M. Gardiner, of Clifford, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, who has borne him four children : Helen A. D., Edna Ann, Adeline Louise, Edith Frances. He received his education in the public schools of his native county, at private schools of Clifford, and at the Millersville State Normal School, from the latter of which he was grad uated in 1883, at the head of a class of forty- nine members. After graduation he pursued special work in German and French, and also read law sufficient for admission to the bar, but never became a candidate for admission. At the age of twenty-one he became principal of the public schools at Everett, Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and held this position for a term of five years ; he then resigned to accept a position as principal of the academic department of the Peirce Business College of Philadelphia, and held this position for two years, when he resigned to accept the position of borough superintendent of the schools of Mahanoy City, in April, 1890. In this capa city he has the entire supervision of the schools of the city, aggregating thirty-two in all, and embracing an enrollment of about two thousand pupils. Professor Miller is a young man of intelli gence, who keeps thoroughly abreast of the latest advances in public school education. He possesses good executive ability, shows tact in supervision, and an ample scholarship for the maintenance of a high educational standard in the schools of Mahanoy City. He is a prominent republican, and is the presi dent of the young men's Republican club of Mahanoy city, and acted as its representative in the assembly ofthe Republican clubs ofthe State at their annual session held at Scranton in 1 891, and at Reading in 1893. nEV. ISAAC P. ZIMMERMAN, pastor of St. John's English Lutheran church, of Mahanoy city, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Lydia (Bowman) Zimmer- HON. S. C. KIRK. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 237 man, and was born in Dauphin county, Penn sylvania, on May 17, 1855. The Zimmermans have been natives of the United States for the past three generations, the first of them being Christian Zimmerman, a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. His father was born in Germany, and emi grated to Eastern Pennsylvania at an early pe riod in the history of the State. Grandfather Zimmerman, while still a young man, removed to Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, engaged in farming, and passed the remainder of a quiet and peaceful life in that county. He died about the year 1846, at the age of seventy years. His marriage resulted in an issue of nine children, four sons and five daughters. The father of Isaac P. Zimmerman was born on the Dauphin county homestead, February 12, 1816, and died there on July 14, 1888. He was also a farmer by occupation, and was life-long resident of Dauphin county. Through frugality and care and close industry he suc ceeded in acquiring a very comfortable com petency, at the time of his death having in possession a farm of two hundred acres in a good state of cultivation. He was a member ofthe Lutheran church ofthe General Synod, and was recognized throughout his entire life as a man devoted and consecrated to the ad vancement of church work. For a number of years he filled the office of elder in the Luthe ran church at Fisherville, Dauphin county, and was also superintendent of the Sabbath- school at that place. Politically, he affiliated with the democratic party, though he latterly became a prohibitionist. His marriage resulted in the birth of eight children, five sons and three daughters. Isaac P. Zimmerman was joined in the bonds of matrimony to Emma L. Rutter, a daughter of John and Margaret A. Rutter of Halifax township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, De cember 24, 1874. By this marriage they have two children, Ernest J. and Ruth M. Mr. Zimmerman received his education at Selin's Grove, Snyder county, Pennsylvania, and in the Missionary Institute of the Lutheran church. He received his theological training in the Seminary, from which he was graduated in 1883. After graduation he was stationed at Montoursville, Lycoming county, Pennsylva nia, as pastor of the Lutheran church at that place until the year 1887. At the expiration of this time he received a call to St. John's English Lutheran church in Mahanoy city, which he accepted and which position he now fills. He is an energetic, enthusiastic worker, is zealous for the moral and religious good of his fellow-men, and through his efforts the church at Mahanoy city has largely increased both in point of membership and usefulness. At the time of his inception as pastor the membership of the church numbered one hundred and twenty-eight ; at the present time it has in creased to about three hundred. In his private and pastoral relations Mr. Zimmerman has always exhibited an exemplary life, and is looked upon as a strong moral force in the community in which he labors. HON. SALATHIEL CLEAVER KIRK, the present popular and efficient pro thonotary of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is the son of Solomon and Margaret (Wil liams) Kirk, and was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, on April 11, 1845. Solomon Kirk, his father, was of Scotch descent, while his mother was of German descent. The former was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, about the year 18 13, and 238 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY subsequently removed to Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, thence to Harrisburg, and finally to Perry county, where the subject of this sketch was born. Subsequently he removed to Schuylkill county, where he died at the age of fifty-nine years. S. C. Kirk, as he has always written his name, received his primary education in the public schools of Tremont, at which place his father died. When about the age of fifteen years he attended a local normal school at Tremont, held by County Superintendent Krewson, and during his stay at this institu tion he met the expenses of tuition by acting as janitor, and by other services in connection with the school. At the close of the term he entered the class for examination and received a certificate permitting him to teach in the schools of Schuylkill county. In the follow ing autumn he was awarded a primary school, and from that time advanced step by step until he was elected as teacher in the high school. Shortly after he began teaching, he entered the State normal school at Millers- ville, Pennsylvania, where he remained some time, but was at last forced to give up his course there through lack of funds. He re luctantly returned home, but by independent effort and close application redeemed in part the loss of instruction brought about by un fortunate circumstances. He was the founder of what is known as the West Schuylkill Normal school at Tremont, a local institution that did much towards helping the worthy and those of limited means to obtain an edu cation and a start in life, some of whom are now prominent teachers in the county. He was secretary of the Teachers' Institute of Schuylkill county for a number of years, and a member of the committee on permanent certificates. During the eighteen years in which he was engaged in teaching, he also did more or less work of a literary character, especially for the newspaper press. He first began as an occa sional contributor to the Boston Pilot, sub sequently edited by John Boyle O'Reilly, to which he was a contributor for a number of years. Afterwards he became educational editor of the Pottsville Standard, and upon the retirement of Jacob Sanders, took charge of the Tremont News, now owned by U. G. Batdorff. In 1877, he founded the West Schuylkill Press, now edited and managed by one of his pupils, John A. Bechtel. In the spring of 1882, he accepted an editorial, posi tion on the Williamsport Sun and Banner, but one year later returned to Schuylkill county to assume the city editorship of the Miners' Journal. On the latter paper he remained under successive administrations, becoming associate editor latterly, which position he retained until his nomination for the office of prothonotary in 1890. Politically, Mr. Kirk is a democrat, and while a stanch advocate of the principles of that party, is by no means given to the wor ship of party idols. He is a man who has always been independent in thought, and as a consequence has been independent in action. From factions and sects he has stood aloof, and accorded every man the same freedom in this respect that he claims for himself. The aim of all his political endeavors has been to promote purer political methods, secure good government, and conserve whatever in the past has been proven to be worthy of per petuation. About the time he reached his majority he was elected to a place in the first council of the borough of Tremont, which he held for i several years, and was elected a school direc- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 239 or in the same borough. In 1878, in the fourth district, he received the unsolicited nomination of his party, and was elected as a representative to the State Legislature, though that district was overwhelmingly republican. During his term of office, Mr. Kirk was instrumental in calling to account many of the political abuses which existed at that time, and which became largely pertinent matters of inquiry by the Legislature of the State and of Legislative committees. By reason of the stand which he • took in behalf of honest government and integrity in office, he was threatened with defeat in his district should he ever present himself again as a candidate for legislative honors. The next year shows clearly the status of political ethics in the fourth district — it was registered in Mr. Kirk's defeat by a small majority. In 1888, Mr. Kirk, at the urgent solicitation of his party, accepted a nomination for State Senator and came within one hundred and eighty-four votes of being elected in a district which is republican by from six hundred to eight hundred majority. Again in 1890, Mr. Kirk was presented by his party in nomination, for the office of prothonotary, and after a some what vigorous struggle, was elected to that position, whose duties he is now actively engaged in discharging, by a majority of over nineteen hundred. Both as a public official and as a man, Mr. Kirk's career has been one of integrity and blamelessness. He has always been an enemy of political and social wrong, and has sought in his advocacy, and in so far as he was personally able, to bring about such an adjustment of relations as would conduce to harmony and public good. He is a man of striking personality, hroad-minded, public spirited, conservative, and yet enterprising. In his official capacity he discharges the func tions of his office with strictest fidelity, is accommodating, and always holds himself in duty bound to discharge the functions of the public trust with an even more rigid fidelity than a private obligation. On August 21, 1866, he was united in mar riage with Sarah Jane Netherwood, a daughter of William and Mary Netherwood, of Tre mont, Pennsylvania. To them have been born the following named children: Ina E., wife of James A. Rinck, Esq., an attomey- at-law of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania ; Emily Corinne, a teacher in the public schools, and active member of the Methodist Episcopal church ; and Elma, who died about three years ago, in the seventh year of her age. Mr. Kirk is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church in which he holds the im portant positions of exhorter, class leader, and Sunday-school superintendent; president of the Young Men's Christian association ; takes quite an active part in literary and forensic work, and is constantly called upon for political and other addresses. He is also president of the Pottsville branch of the Mutual Guarantee Building and Loan asso ciation, and is connected with different other organizations. © /"^EORGE K. BINKLEY, M.D., a success- ^* ful physician of Orwigsburg, is a son of Benneville and Eliza (Kline) Binkley, and was born March 27, 1846, in Berks county, near Leesport. His paternal grandfather, Harry Binkley, was a native of Berks county, and served one term as its sheriff. He was an ac tive politician, ardently advocating the princi ples of the Whig party. Benneville Binkley, father of George K. Binkley, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in the year 18 18. He 240 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY still resides on his well-cultivated farm there, giving a part of his time to auctioneering and cattle-raising. Many droves of fine cattle are sent by him to the eastern markets. Accept ing the doctrines which his father so persist ently advocated, he at first became a whig, but afterward cast his fortune with the repub licans, advocating their principles with a full heart. On , he was joined in marriage with Eliza Kline, who was a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and born in the year 1819. To them nine children were born : William, educated in the Millersville State Normal School, and at present editor of the Sidney Journal, Sidney, Ohio; George K., subject ; Henry, a divine of the German Re formed church of New Berlin, Union county, Pennsylvania ; John, who lives by honest toil on his farm in Berks county, Pennsylvania; Benneville and Munroe, prominent grocers of Chicago, Illinois ; Mary, the wife of Peter Gerhordt, an influential citizen of Reading, Pennsylvania ; Emma, who married John So- non and lives comfortably in Leesport, Berks county, Pennsylvania ; and Sarah, at home. Dr. George K. Binkley was joined in wed lock on October 5, 1873, with Mary A. Melot, a daughter of George Melot, who from 1865 until his death in 1891 was a prominent resi dent near Orwigsburg. This marriage has been blessed with two children, May and Horace. After receiving a common-school education, Mr. Binkley entered Kutztown State Normal School, and there, by diligent study and close application, completed his education preparatory to reading medicine. He com menced his medical studies in the office of Dr. Edward Brobst, of Leesport, Berks county, Pennsylvania, and after taking a preparatory course under that eminent physician, entered the University of Pennsylvania, graduating with high honor therefrom in the year 1873. After completing his course, he at once located in Orwigsburg, where, by the same industry and application that characterized his work while in college, he has built up an enviable and still growing practice, enjoying the perfect confidence of his patients. In 1887, in con nection with his practice, he engaged in the drug business, which proves to have been a wise investment. He occupies a high position in Schuylkill Lodge, No. 138, F. and A. M., and is a member of the Medical society of Schuylkill county and the United States Phar maceutical Association. Being interested in the prosperity of the community, at its incep tion he became one of the organizers of the Orwigsburg National Bank, and as a stock holder is still interested in its success. Ready and willing not only to serve his country in time of peace, he freely offered his services to the nation in defence of its flag. In the be ginning of 1864, he enlisted in Company O, 198th regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and remained in the field until the surrender at Appomattox. He, was in active service under the command of General Grant in the Weldon raid and the battles of Lewis' Farm, White Oak Swamp, and Five Forks, serving with great courage. He was also one of the hun dred thousand, out of over a million enlisted, to witness the realization of the desire of the North — that of the surrender of General Lee. The country is, and ought to be, proud of the brave men who saved her from disruption. rrJlLLIAM H. CARTER, a prominent V*S|* business man of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in Pottsville, same county and State, on October 17, 1837. He is a son of William and Anna B. (Wagoner) Carter. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 241 The ancestors of Mr. Carter, on the paternal side, came to America about the time of the landing of William Penn, in 1682. They were strict Quakers in their religious convictions, and partook of the general characteristics of the Quaker sect. His grandfather, William Carter, was born in the vicinity of Philadel phia, and died near Haddington, where he owned and cultivated a farm. His father was born on this place about the year 1805, and came to Pottsville in 1826 or 1827, having walked the entire distance on the tow path of the Schuylkill canal. He was a blacksmith by trade, and after reaching Pottsville engaged in the pursuit of his trade, which he pursued for a number of years, relinquishing it prob ably about the year 1853. His death oc curred in 1889. He voted with the Whig party, and remained a strict adherent of that party until the formation of the Republican party. By marriage he had four children : Frank, William H. (subject), and two deceased sisters. William H. Carter was joined in marriage with Mary Morrison, a daughter of Edward Morrison, of Pottsville, Pa., on July 5, 1862. To them two children have been born : Fannie, wife of Dr. Thomas Lewis, of Mahanoy city ; and Mary, still residing at home. Mr. Carter, after receiving the usual training afforded by the public schools, entered a printing establish ment and learned the trade of printer. This trade, however, he made no attempt to follow, and shortly after finishing his apprenticeship he went into a grocery store, and remained there about a year, when he went into the office of his brother Frank, who is a civil engineer. In 1859 he came to Mahanoy City, and in 1862 became agent for Kear & Patton, who laid out the eastern portion of Mahanoy City. He received the appointment in 1864 16 as agent of the Delano Land Company, with on office in Mahanoy City. In connection with this he is also land agent of the Lehigh Valley coal Company, which company owns large and valuable tracts of land in North umberland, Schuylkill and Columbia counties. Auxiliary to his business as land agent, he conducts a fire insurance business, representing the .-Etna and Hartford Insurance Company. He also has the distinction of havings served as the first notary public of the borough of Mahanoy City. He is a republican in politics, and although not a partisan, has ever manifested a deep interest in the welfare of mat party. His enthusiasm, however, has never led him to become an office seeker, and he has always steadily devoted himself to the main lines of his business with very creditable success. As a citizen and as a business man, Mr. Carter enjoys the entire confidence of the citizens of Mahanoy City. y>AVID B. KLINE, foreman of the Grant *"^ Iron Works, at Mahanoy City, is a son of Eli and Mary (Binder) Kline, and was born, in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, on March 28, 1844. The great-grandfather of David B., on the paternal side, was originally a native of Ger many, but latterly drifted away from his Ger man ancestry, and the family was gradually transformed into one of Anglican speech. The grandfather of our subject was a native of Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and served with his father in the Mexican War. Grand father arrived at Three Rivers, Michigan, in 1858, where he lived until his death, at the advanced age of ninety-nine years. He was a farmer by occupation, and married Lizzie Lee, who died at the age of eighty-seven. By this 242 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY marriage he had a family of seven children, five boys and two girls. Eli Kline, father, was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and followed the pursuit of farming throughout his entire life. He was a democrat up to the time of General Scott's candidacy for the presidency of the United States, when he became a whig, and finally, upon the organization of the Republican party, allied himself with the latter party. He was the father of eight children, of whom six are living, twosons and four daughters. David B. Kline was united in marriage on December 24, 1867, to Valeria Stites, a daugh ter of Isaac Stites, a native of America, born in Easton. By this marriage he has the fol lowing children : Jennie D., a graduate of the High school, of the State Normal school at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and at present a teacher in the public schools ; Harry, a gradu ate ofthe Mahanoy City High School, class of 1889, at home; Leon, at home; and three de ceased in infancy. Mr. Kline received a common-school edu cation, indentured himself to learn the trade of machinist, but left before the term of his ap prenticeship had expired, to enter the army during the civil war. He enlisted on June 17 for the emergency service in Company C, 28th regiment Pennsylvania infantry, and was mus tered out July 28, 1863. At this time he re turned and pursued his trade until September 17, 1864, when he entered Company E of the 209th regiment Pennsylvania infantry, and was discharged at Alexandria May 31, 1865. Most of his service was in the Army ofthe Potomac, during which time he participated in the battles of Fort Stedman, Weldon Raid, capture of Richmond, Petersburg, and Gettysburg. After the close of the war, he returned to Mahanoy City, and was employed by Kinney & Herman one year, during which time he finished up his trade. Mahanoy City has been the place of his residence ever since, with the exception of two years. He was first employed regularly in the Grant Iron Works for five years, after which term of service he became foreman, and has since served in that capacity, with the ex ception of two years spent at Jeddo, Luzerne county, under Myrick & Wren. In connection with his work as foreman of the Grant Iron Works, he is the agent for the Exeter Steam Heating company, of Exeter, New Hampshire, which business is conducted independent ofthe iron works. For this latter business he em ploys a number of men to conduct his affairs and to carry on the work in Shenandoah, Frackville, Tamaqua, and other towns. In politics, he is a republican, and has served as councilman for three years, and is at present a member of the school board. He is an at tendant at the English Lutheran church, and is a member of Mahanoy City Council, No. 162, Royal Arcanum. lyriCHAEL O'HARA, who was one of the 4 most prominent and highly respected citizens of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, was born in County Mayo, Ireland, in 1839, an^ died in Shenandoah, January 9, 1893. When he was but eight months old his parents came to this country and settled at Waymart, Wayne county, Pennsylvania, and were among the pioneers of that section of the State. Mr. O'Hara grew to manhood in that county. He took up contracting, and at the time of the breaking out of the civil war he held a position on the D., L. and W. railroad, as contractor, with his residence at Scran- ton. In 1 861 Mr. O'Hara enlisted in the three months' service as first lieutenant under Cap- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 243 tain Rogers. At the expiration of that term of service he returned to Scranton, and in 1862 organized a company. With this company he was very popular, so popular that before they started for the front they presented him with a gold watch, full uniform, sword, sash and belt. Subsequently, upon being allowed choice of company, Mr. O'Hara resigned the captaincy of his own company and became a lieutenant under General Terry, where he remained until 1863. In the latter part of 1863, after return ing to his home in Scranton, he visited Ma hanoy Plane to inform Colonel Kopp that his (Kopp's) brother had been wounded on the battle-field. That visit was the means of causing him to locate in Shenandoah. Colonel Kopp offered him the foremanship of con struction on the first railroad (P. & R.) ever built into Shenandoah. Mr. O'Hara accepted the position, and while filling this position he became acquainted with Messrs. Jonathan Wasley and J. O. Roads, who tendered him a position as shipper at Shenandoah colliery, which he accepted and held one year, when he entered upon other pursuits in the town, and eventually acquired considerable wealth. He was always prominent in public affairs, and was well-liked and popular with all classes. He engaged in politics in the early history of Shenandoah, serving as chief burgess in 1873, 1874 and 1875, and for six consecu tive years served as county auditor of Schuyl kill county, and was a member of Watkin Waters Post G. A. R. On July 5, 1864, he married Mary F. Franey, a daughter of Martin Franey. This union was blessed with the following children : Martin F., Dr. Patrick H., born December 26, 1865, in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, where he was educated, graduating from the Shenandoah high school in 1886. He then entered the Niagara University, at Niagara Falls, New York, where he took a course preparatory to the study of medicine. He then entered the preceptorship of Dr. D. J. Langton of Shenan doah, and thence the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, from which renowned institution of learning he graduated May, 1892. While pursuing his studies at the University and during his vaca tions, he took special instructions under such prominent specialists as Professor Deaver of St. Mary's Hospital, Philadelphia, Dr. Rephus of St. Agnes' Hospital, and Dr. William Norris of Will's Eye Hospital. After his graduation Dr. O'Hara practised for a time in Shenandoah when he took an extended tour of travel throughout the United States, visiting many of the more prominent hospitals with a view of fortifying himself professionally. He came back to Shenandoah and practiced until 1893, when he was elected by the Directors of the Poor of Schuylkill county to take charge of the hospital in connection with the county alms-house and superintendent of the insane asylum ; Kate, Michael J. James, a student in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania ; Nellie, Maggie, Mary and Ar thur, all living ; and one deceased, Martin F., who was born June 20, 1865, in Shenandoah and learned the trade of a telegraph operator, and at the time of his untimely death was in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, as telegraph operator and clerk at the Shenandoah colliery. His death was occasioned by being struck by a train while on his way from work. He was a young man who stood deservedly high in his commu nity, and was universally loved and respected by all who knew him, possessing qualities of head and heart that endeared him to all his associates. 244 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY f^R. J. SPENCER CALLEN, one of the ~ leading physicians of Shenandoah, Penn sylvania, is a son of Alfred and Ann (Tucker) Callen, and was born in St. Clair, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, January 15, 1852. The family are of Welsh lineage. His father was born in the southern part of Wales in the year 1822, and crossed the Atlantic to the United States in 1852, locating in the suburban village of Providence, now a part of the city of Scran ton, Pennsylvania. In 1853 he removed to St. Clair, Schuylkill county, and fourteen years later to Shenandoah, same county, where he died in 1880. He followed mining for a live lihood during the first years of his residence in Pennsylvania, and gradually rose to the position of foreman. From 1867 to 1876 he engaged in merchandising in Shenandoah. He was a man of deep religious convictions and a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which denomination he frequently officiated as a lay minister. His marriage was solemnized in 1847, and was blessed by the birth of seven children, four sons and three daughters. Of this number three still survive : Rev. B. T., the present pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, who was graduated in a classical course from Wyoming seminary, Kingston, Pennsylvania, in the class of 1880, wedded Jennie Feor, of Pittston ; subject, J. Spencer; and Hattie A., a graduate of the Bloomsburg State Normal school. Dr. Callen was united in marriage to Mattie B. Parmley, a daughter of William and Jane Parmley, of St. Clair, Pennsylvania, June 1, 1887. To this union have been born three children, only one of whom is now living; Robert S., born April 4, 1888. After receiv ing the advantages of the public schools Dr. Callen entered the Wyoming seminary and completed his academic education. This done he entered upon the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. G. L. Reagan, of Shenandoah, but now of Berwick, Pennsylva nia. He was graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Mary land, in 1 88 1, taking the fifth prize in a class of one hundred and forty -four for general pro ficiency in theoretical and practical medicine. Since his graduation he has been in active practice in the town of Shenandoah. He is a member of the County and State medical so cieties, and was formerly president of the Medical Association of Schuylkill county. Besides the active practice of his profession Dr. Callen is identified largely with the busi ness interests of his city. "He is president of the Shenandoah Heat and Power Company, a director in the Citizens' Arc Electric Light Company, and also in the Shenandoah Water and Gas Company. In church and religious work he also takes a leading part, having been for the past eleven years superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Sunday-school, the largest Protestant school in Shenandoah. As an active worker in the church and an advo cate of the efficacy of the religious spirit in life he affords an example worthy ofcommen-) dation. He is a trustee in the church of his choice. Fraternally he is a member of Shen andoah Lodge, No. 591, I. O. O. F. Dr. Callen's mother was born in Temple Cloud, Somersetshire, England, on July 10, 1820, and is now residing at Shenandoah with him, well preserved and in comparatively good health. Dr. Callen is a wide-awake, enterprising business man, as well as a successful and skilled physician. He is a man of influence in his city, characterized by affability, integ rity and a laudable public spirit. His ambi- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 245 tion reaches beyond the bounds of mere sel fishness and material consideration, to that wider and higher sphere of life, in which intel lectual, moral and spiritual elements are de manded for the rounding out of a more perfect character. He is popular and well liked. ^HARLES T. PALMER, M. D., the well- ^ known Eye and Ear specialist, is a son of Hon. Robert M. and Isabella (Seitzinger) Palmer, and was born in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1843. His father was a native of New Jersey, born in Mount Holly in the year 1820. His grand father, Judge Strange N. Palmer, was a son of Hon. Nathan Palmer, a lineal descendant of Miles Stanish, settled in Pottsville in 1829, and remained a resident of that place for a period of thirty-six years. Nathan Palmer was born in Plainfield, Connecticut, and in early life came to Pennsylvania, where he afterwards served in the State Senate for three years, having been elected by his Democratic constituents of Luzerne and Northumberland counties. Robert was nine years of age when his father removed to Pottsville, and in his , youth began the trade of printing. He passed through the usual routine of the apprentice, and step by step reached the editorial chair of the Emporium. While performing his editorial duties, he took up the study of law, and was admitted to practice before the Schuylkill county bar in 1845. In 1850, he was elected district attorney of his county, and from that time forth took high rank as an able, careful, conscientious lawyer. He allied himself with the Democratic party, and from time to time was prominent in its councils, when, in 1858, he was elected to the State Senate from Schuylkill county. During the last year of his term, he filled the chair of Speaker of the Senate, and acquitted himself with honor and dignity. His grandfather occupied the same position half a century before. In the spring of 1 86 1, he was appointed by President Lin coln as Minister to the Argentine Republic, South America, and sailed for that country in May of the same year. His health began gradually to fail after a short residence there, and his physicians advised a change. He resolved to return home before the end ofthe year, but on the thirteenth day of his voyage, April 26, 1862, he died, and his remains were buried beneath the waves of the sea. He left a widow and six children, three of whom still survive, the eldest being our subject. Charles T. received his preliminary educa tion in the public schools of Pottsville, upon the completion of which he began reading medicine under Dr. Thomas G. Morton, of Philadelphia, now president of the State board of the insane. He then entered the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1865. During his course in i864-'65, he was resident sur geon of the Wills' Eye hospital of Phila delphia. Prior to this, in 1862, he had served as medical cadet in the U. S. army hospital at Philadelphia, and in 1863, enlisted in com pany B, 27th Pennsylvania volunteers, as a private, went to the front for service and was discharged July, 1863. After his graduation, Dr. Palmer located in Pottsville, where he has since continued to practice, the first eight years in general medicine, and since that time as a specialist of the Eye and Ear. He has acquired a large and successful practice, and is regarded as a professionally learned and skillful practitioner. He is a member of the State medical society, of the county medical society, and is one of the board of United 246 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY States pension examiners. In politics, he is a republican, active and faithful to his convic tions, and in 1872 was elected Coroner of Schuylkill county, for a term of three years, during the Mollie Maguire excitement. Fra ternally, he is connected with the following organizations : Gowan Post, No. 23, G. A. R. ; Miners' Lodge, No. 20, I. O. O. F. ; Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M. ; Mountain City R. A. Chapter, No. 196 ; Constantine Commandery, No. 41, Knights Templar. Dr. Palmer married January 23, 1872, Sue Mortimer, a daughter of William Mortimer, a prominent retired merchant of Pottsville, now deceased. Two children have been born to them: Sue, born September 30, 1877; Charles T., Jr., born February 10, 188 1. yHOMAS T. WILLIAMS, a well-known insurance man, and the present justice of the peace of Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Thomas and Cather ine (Williams) Williams, was born in South Wales on October 15, 1857. His father was a native of Wales, and was born about the year 1830. He emigrated to Minersville, Schuylkill county, about the year 1 86 1, where he died in 1875. By occupation he was a miner, which he pursued throughout the entire period of his residence in this coun try. His marriage resulted in a family of three sons and three daughters: Mary, died in Wales, at the age of two years ; David, a resi dent of Shenandoah, Schuylkill county ; Mary, deceased at the age of three years ; Sarah, wife of John Seiders, of Lebanon, Pennsyl vania ; John, deceased in Mahanoy City, Penn sylvania, on November 29, 1877; and Thomas T., subject. Mrs. Williams was born in the year 1820, and died in the year 1873. Thomas T. Williams was joined in marriage on January 7, 1882, to Emily Seager, a daugh ter of John and Eliza Seager, of Shenandoah> Pennsylvania. Mr. Seager was a native of England, came to America about the year 1 86 1, and is still living in Shenandoah City, where he pursues the occupation of a miner. The fruit of this marriage was three children : Herbert, born January 1, 1883; Thomas, born August 29, 1884; Emily, born April 3, 1889. Mr. Williams attended the public schools of Minersville for a short period, and then began work in the mines near that place. In 1879, he removed to Shenandoah, of which city he has remained a resident up to the present time. He continued as an employee of the mines until the year 1884, when he was elected a member of the town council in the Third Ward. Politically, he is a republican, and has always taken an active part in the politics of his city and county. In 1885, he was ap pointed tax receiver by the commissioners of the county, to take charge of the State and county taxes. In 1877, he received an appoint ment as justice ofthe peace through Governor Beaver, and in 1888 was elected to serve the full term* of five years, at the end of which time he was re-elected for a similar term. In 1886, he represented his county as a delegate to the State convention, in which convention General James A. Beaver was nominated for the governorship. He has often, prior to and since that time, represented his district in county conventions. In the year 1887, in addition to his duties as justice of the peace, he added those of insurance agent, representing a num ber of the oldest and best-known companies. He is also a representative of several well-known steamship lines. Fraternally, he is connected with Shenandoah Lodge, No. 591, I.O.O.F., of which he is a Past Grand, and General Harri son Lodge, No. 251, Knights of Pythias. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 247 TQLMER E. JOHNSON is a son of George W. and Sarah Johnson, and was born in St. Clair on the 36th of May, 1861. His father, Captain George W. Johnson, was born in Durham county, England, on August 15, 1839, and in 1846, with his parents, emigrated to the United States. Shortly after landing the family came to Schuylkill county, and since that time Captain Johnson has re mained a resident of the county, with the exception .of four years spent in Carbon county, Pennsylvania, in connection with Tun nel colliery No. 6. He was early in life initi ated into the work of the mines, first began as a slate picker; and subsequently passed through the various gradations open to the energetic and ambitious employee of a colliery. At St. Clair, this county, he was employed ' in the Hickory colliery, owned and operated by William Milnes, Jr. & Co. Here he was regularly promoted until he was finally placed in charge of the shipping interests and all the supplies necessary for the operation of the colliery. This position he filled for five years when in March, 1865, he was transferred to the collieries located near Tuscarora, this county, and placed in charge as superinten dent of the Mammoth Vein Coal Company. Subsequently he entered with Messrs. Dovey and Southall, who became proprietors of the Phcenix Park collieries near Minersville, where he remained for four years, thence he went to Shenandoah, and opened and operated the Turkey Run colliery for nine years. At the expiration of this time he engaged in the mercantile business in Shenandoah up to the year 1890, when he removed to St. Clair, where he now resides. Captain Johnson is a man of great energy and perseverance, and his success in life must be attributed in great part to these qualities in addition to a per sonality of force and magnetism. He has always been a patron of the public school system, and served for five years as a member of the school board, a part of the time as president. In 1884 he was elected Register for Schuylkill county, and served one term of three years with credit to himself and entire satisfaction to the county. He was united in marriage with Sarah Bradbury, a daughter of William and Ann Bradbury, by whom he had a family of three children : William G, who is a member of the Eagle Hosiery Manufac turing Company of Mahanoy City, this county; Elmer E., subject ; and Sarah A. Elmer E. Johnson received his education in the high school of Shenandoah, and was sub sequently graduated from the Philadelphia School of Pharmacy in 1884. He is a re publican in politics, and has always manifested a decided interest in the political affairs ofthe county. In January, 1885, he removed to Lost Creek, Schuylkill county, where he has continued in the drug business with success down to the present time. In the year 1890, he was elected justice of the peace, and still serves in that capacity. He is a young man of tact and business energy, whose success is assured. He commands the respect and esteem of his fellow-townsmen. /VHARLES BENSINGER, a leading tailor ^¦^ of Mahanoy City, was born June 23, 1822, in East Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. His parents were Jacob and Hannah (Dreher) Bensinger. Frederick Bensinger, grandfather of Charles, was a native of Montgomery county, and mi grated to East Brunswick township, Schuyl kill county, before the time of the Revolu tionary war, where he began farming, and continued until the outbreak of the conflict. 248 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY At that time he gave up civil pursuits and entered into the struggle for independence with the characteristic zeal and patriotism of the American colonist. Subsequently he be came a pensioner through his services in behalf of the independence of his country. He was united in marriage to Mary Weiman, and was the father of eight children. His son, Jacob, father of our subject, was born in Schuylkill county, Bensinger's Valley, on a part of the five hundred acres that his father received by patent from the Common wealth. The year 1 796 marks the date of his birth, and his death occurred in 1847, at the age of fifty-one years. His vocation was that of a blacksmith and farmer. In 1843, he re moved to Middleport, Schuylkill county, and afterward to Lewistown, this county, where he died. He was a Jacksonian Democrat in his political affiliations, to which party he was thoroughly wedded. His marriage re sulted in an issue of six children, three boys and three girls. Charles Bensinger entered matrimonial bonds with Christina Kleckner, a daughter of John Kleckner, of East Brunswick township, Schuylkill county. By this marriage they have children as follows: Sarah E., wife of Theodore Hammer, a salesman of Phila delphia, Pennsylvania; Joseph J., of Dubois, Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, proprietor of the Commercial Hotel ; John C, of Strouds- burg, Pennsylvania, in the merchant tailoring business ; Emily C, married to Jacob H. Olhausen, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, superin tendent of the Jersey Central railroad; Han nah L., at home; Howard O., living in Du bois, Pennsylvania, a clerk in the employ of his brother Joseph ; Ida S., wife of E. Fred erick Vosburg, a druggist, of Dubois; and four dead. Mr. Bensinger benefited by a common school education, and then entered upon an apprenticeship to learn merchant tailoring. After the completion of his trade, he left Pottsville, and went into business for himself at Middleport, Schuylkill county, where he remained for twenty-five years. At the expi ration of this time he removed to Mahanoy City, and has been there since 1868. He is one of the oldest tailors in the county, and has been in continuous business for over fifty years. In politics, Mr. Bensinger is a republican, and voted for Henry Clay at the time of his candidacy for President of the United States. While at Middleport, he served eight years as postmaster, having been appointed by Presi dent Lincoln to that position. Besides this he has served as school director at both Middle- port and Mahanoy City. Religiously, he is a member of thet English Lutheran church. In the fraternal world, he is a very prominent figure, and holds membership in Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M. ; Middle- port Lodge, No. 474, I. O. O. F., of which he is a charter member, and to the Henry Clay Encampment, No. 172, I.O.O.F., of Mahanoy City, of which he was first Chief Patriarch ; also, to the Senior Order of U. A.M., No. 220, as a charter member. HON. CHARLES N. BRUMM, ex- repre sentative in the United States Congress from the Thirteenth district of Pennsylvania, is a son of George and Salome (Zermholdt) Brumm, both of whom were of German birth. In the year 1841 his family moved to Miners ville, then a town of thrift and considerable size, and has resided there since, with the exception of a year spent in Philadelphia. HON. CHAS. N. BRUMM. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 249 Charles received his education in the common schools of his native place, and with the ex ception of a year's attendance at Pennsylva nia College, he was denied any further higher education. His mother died when he was fourteen years of age, and his father when he was twenty, but already he had launched upon the tide of independent life. He at first learned the trade of jeweler and watchmaking, in accordance with a mechanical turn of mind, which later evinced considerable fertility. He invented a meat-cutter, upon which he secured letters of patent, a brick and mortar elevator, a railroad snow-shovel and a self-starting car- brake, all of which involved more or less me chanical ingenuity. Besides his predilection for mechanics, he also had a fondness for dis putation and dialectics and was led to register himself as a student of the law. He, accord ingly, entered the office of Hon. Howell Fisher, a successful and prominent lawyer, then residing in Minersville, and continued for nearly two years, when the first call for troops was made by President Lincoln. When this alarm was sounded Mr. Brumm laid aside volumes of torts and equity, and went to the front. He first enlisted as a private with the Ringgold Rifle Company, and before the expi ration of three months he was elected to the position of first lieutenant. At the end of this time he re-enlisted in company K, 75th regi ment, Pennsylvania volunteers, for a term of three years. He was shortly afterwards de tailed as assistant quartermaster, and served in that capacity on the staffs of Generals Bar low and Penny-packer, tenth army corps, until the end of his term. After the close of the war he engaged in the drug business for a short time, but was soon led to resume the study of law, which he did in the office of Hon. Edward Owen Parry. About this time Schuylkill county was the scene of great social disorder, and Mr. Brumm was sent to the State capital with a view to obtain, if possible, the passage of an act au thorizing a special court and a special police force and a non-partisan jury law. Through his efforts largely such enactments took place, and when he shortly afterwards made applica tion for admission to the bar, he met with an unexpected refusal to be examined, because his efforts in obtaining order and security in his county were alleged to be derogatory to the dignity of the old established courts. He was refused admission for about two years and a half, but finally, on March 7, 1870, he was admitted after having been admitted to practice in both Lebanon and Dauphin coun ties. Mr. Brumm has conjoined to his successful professional career the pleasures of politics to a greater or less extent. Up to 1876 he had always been active and decisive in his support of the Republican party, and has uncompro misingly denounced every heresy contradictory to good government and pure patriotism. In 1 87 1 he was a candidate for district attorney, but met with defeat at the hands of Hon. James B. Reilly, the Democratic nominee, the county being at that time overwhelmingly Democratic. The financial question then be fore the country began to present itself to Mr. Brumm in a new light, leading him to adopt substantially the position of the National Greenback Labor party, though some time previous to the formation of that party. In the councils of the Republican party he ad vised the adoption of such a financial policy, and after repeated rebuffs allied himself with the Greenback party, voting for Peter Cooper for President in 1876. In 1878 he was nominated for Congress by 250 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY his party in Schuylkill county and became the opponent of his old preceptor Hon. Howell Fisher, the nominee of the Republican party, and Hon. John W. Ryon, the Democratic can didate. The latter was elected by a plurality of one hundred and ninety -two votes. In 1880 he again received the nomination of his party and having also received the endorsement of the Republican party, was elected over Mr. Ryon by a very decided majority. In 1882 he defeated Colonel J. M. Wetherill. In 1884 he defeated W. F. Shepherd, Esq., and in 1886 he defeated Hon. J. B. Reilly; in 1888 he was defeated by Hon. James B. Reilly. Under the administration of President Har rison he was appointed Assistant Attorney- General under Attorney- General Miller, but declined acceptance. He then resumed the practice of law, and in 1892 again was the nominee of his party for Congress, but went down in the general political landslide. Mr. Brumm was a member, of the Union League, and is at present a member of Law rence Post, No. — , G. A. R., the Loyal Le gion, the Union Veteran Legion, Washington Camp, Patriotic Order Sons of America and the German Order of Harugari. On April 7, 1862, he was joined in marriage with Virginia James, a daughter of William and Susan James, of Minersville, Pennsylva nia, and a sister of ex-district attorney Henry James, of Schuylkill. To them have been born nine children ; six of them are living — Howell Lincoln, a pattern-maker; Charles Claude, a machinist, married to Lucinda Bed- dow, of Minersville; Susan Ida, Joanna Lillie, Frank L. and Seth Arthur. Mr. Brumm, during his political career, has always stood for principle rather than party. He has been a careful student of economics and never afraid of logical consequences, let them lead where they may. In his advocacy of political measures he always opposed the communistic and incendiary measures of po litical upstarts, and believed in a rational com mon-sense method of healing the differences between capital and labor. In this respect he had a large and intelligent following. HENRY SCHEURMAN, the present affa ble and efficient recorder of Schuylkill county, is of German stock, and was born in Cassel, Germany, January 17, 185 1. The father of Henry Scheurman, Carl Scheurman, was born in Frankenburg, Ger many, March 15,1 820. Desiring to better his condition and escape the crowded economical conditions which existed in his native country, he resolved upon coming to the United States. In 1853, he located in Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, which for three years was the home ofthe family, when they removed to Tuscarora, thence to St. Clair, and in 1861 to Mahanoy City, where the father died, March 13, 1878. His trade was that of a carpenter, at which trade he worked until 1867, when he went into the hotel business, which he pursued the re mainder of his life. Politically, he was a dis ciple of the school of Jackson, and took an active interest in the local politics of his bor ough. In religious matters, he was active and enterprising. He was a member of St. Paul's German Reformed church, and was one of the organizers of the first Sabbath school in con nection with his church. He was a leader in that movement which resulted in the establish ment of the German cemetery at Mahanoy City. He married Elizabeth Schaumburg, who was also a native of Germany, and had a family of two children : Mrs. Lena Eichler, and Henry, who married, December 24, 1878, Mary E. Gabbert, a daughter of Adam Gabbert. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 251 Henry Scheurman had not the advantages of a higher education, but received his mental training in the public schools of the county. When a boy he worked in the mines, and con tinued to work in and about the mines until he succeeded to his father's hotel business in 1878, since which time he has, with the excep tion of five years in the regular army of the United States, conducted the hotel business in Mahanoy City. He is a democrat of unswerving fidelity, and has ever taken a delight in the diver sions of politics. He served as a member of the borough council of Mahanoy City during the years of 1882, 1883, and 1884, and as tax collector in 1885. In 1885, he was elected a justice of the peace, and served five years; he refused renomination, and in 1890 was elected recorder for the county of Schuylkill, which position he is now accept ably filling. From 1872 to 1877 he served in the stand ing army of the United States, being in Gen. Crook's division, then stationed chiefly at Forts D. A. Russell and Fetterman, in Wyoming. He took part in the campaign which resulted from the outbreak of the Ute tribe of Indians of Utah, and the campaign against the Indians of South Dakota in 1877. He was discharged at Camp Robinson, formerly known as the Red Cloud agency, in 1877, just prior to the killing of General Custer. He is a member of St. Paul's German Re formed church of Mahanoy City, and of a number of secret and fraternal organizations, which are: General Grant Lodge, No. 575, I.O.O.F. ; Henry Clay Encampment, No. 172; Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 94, A.D.O.H.; and of the Citizens' Fire Company, No. 2, of Ma hanoy City. T >ALENTINE W. MEDLAR, postmaster of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill county, was born in McKeansburg, this county, on August 7, 185 1, a son of George and Mary A. (Schirer) Medlar. The Medlars are of French descent, the grandfather, Daniel Medlar, having come with his father from France when a boy. He first settled in Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he died in Hamberg. His business was that of a farmer, and his family consisted of six children, four sons and two daughters. Val entine's father was a native of Berks county, and was born near Reading in the year 18 19, where he passed the early part of his life. Later, he removed to Hamilton county, Indi ana, where he died in the year 1861. After the close of the civil war his family returned to Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, and resided there one year, after which they came to Schuylkill county, which has since been their home. Mr. Medlar was a blacksmith, a civil engineer and a farmer by occupation, while in political persuasion he was respectively a whig and a republican. While a resident of McKeansburg he served as justice of the peace for a period of nearly forty years, and was also appointed postmaster, but did not serve in that position. Religiously, he attached himself to the German Reformed church, of which he was a consistent and devoted member. His first wife was Rebecca Boyer, by whom he had thirteen children, three sons and ten daughters. Mrs. Medlar died in 1854. His second marriage to Mary Schirer resulted in the birth of ten children, three daughters and seven sons. Valentine W.' Medlar was united in mar riage to Mary E. Lawton, a daughter of Thomas and Jane Lawton of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, on May 5, 1872. 252 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Mr. Medlar received his education in the common schools and through independent study, after which he learned the harness- making trade, which he followed for nine years in Mahanoy City. The succeeding nine years he spent as a clerk, and in April, 1890, was appointed postmaster for a term of four years, during the administration of Presi dent Harrison. He is politically a republi can, and has served as a director of schools in his borough for a term of three years. For thirteen years he was a member of company E, Silliman Guards, ten years of which time he served as corporal and sergeant. During the brigade encampment of Gettysburg, Penn sylvania, he was appointed commissary ser geant, and later, filled that position on Governor Beaver's staff, after his election. Fraternally, he is a member of Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 617, I. O. O. F.; Eureka Castle, No. 86, Knights of the Golden Eagle, of which he is Past Chief, and also an active member of Washington Hook and Ladder company No. 1. Q LBERT E. BROWN, a young business man of great promise and a prominent shoe manufacturer of Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, Pennsvlania, is a son of David C. and Louise (Shoellenberger) Brown. He was born in Landingville, this county, on December 16, 1855. He received his preliminary education in the public schools of Orwigsburg, but most of his education has been received in the more practical school of experience and through his own independent efforts — through attrition with the world, its competition, its ambitions, the contrariety of character ex hibited by its people. When still a boy he entered the employ of Solomon Fidler, of Orwigsburg, who was quite extensively en gaged in the building of boats for the Phila delphia and Schuylkill canal, and soon became his book-keeper and clerk. He remained in this capacity until the year 1874, when he accepted a position with the Orwigsburg Shoe company, as a travelling salesman. After having been on the road for this company for two years, he associated himself with Mr. Albright, under the firm name of Albright and Brown, for the purpose of manufacturing chil dren's and misses' shoes. This partnership continued in force for a period of four years, at the end of which time it was amicably and by mutual consent dissolved. The two succeeding years Mr. Brown spent in the employ of boot and shoe jobbers, and then entered into partnership with P. W. Fegley, under the style of A. E. Brown & Co., manufacturers of boots and shoes. In 1889 they built the substantial and com modious factory located on the corner of Mifflin and Warren Streets, which they at present occupy. The factory is a frame struc ture forty-two feet front, eighty-four feet deep and two stories in height, and gives employ ment to about ninety hands, including eight travelling salesmen, who carry their goods throughout every State in the Union. Within the past few years, as the result of judicious management, the orders received by this com pany exceed their capacity to fill them, which fact argues very strongly indeed for the quality of goods turned out. As a business man, Mr. Brown is character ized by energy, enterprise and inherent busi ness faculty. His marked success has been largely due to his knowledge of men and things, courage to hold out under difficulties, and his capability in the management of the details of a large and growing trade. In this OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 253 he has shown himself to possess discrimina tion, judgment and patience, three qualities that are necessary wherever success is possible Personally, he is very agreeable and popular, and possesses those attributes of character and personality that attract, which in others so often repel. He is a man of strictest probity, and has inspired a confidence that is un doubted. Mr. Brown is a republican in politics, and served an unsolicited term as borough coun cilman. He is also a member of Schuylkill Lodge No. 138, F. and A. M., and of the P. O. S. of A., of Orwigsburg. He was united in marriage with Alice E. Bickley, a daughter of John H. Bickley, of Dover, New Jersey, on September 10, 1881. Their union has resulted in the birth of the following children : Clarence B., born July 13, 1882, and Guy A., born June 23, 1885. J W. SCHRADER, the well-known and * popular editor and proprietor of the Jefferson Democrat, was born June 28, 1828, in Hanover, Germany. When but three years of age he was taken by his grandparents, with whom he remained until the death of his grandfather, when he was taken and educated by his uncle, an educated minister who lived in Hanover, Germany. After obtaining a fair education, he worked for a time as a clerk to a lawyer, and then learned the trade of a printer. In 1849, seeking his fortune in the^ New World, he set sail for America, landing in the country without friends or money ; but possessed ofa strong will and a desire to suc ceed, he set resolutely to work. He secured employment as a track hand on the Camden and Amboy railroads for one year, when he went to Bucks county, and for one year was engaged in the iron ore mines. In 185 1 he came to Schuylkill county, and for a time was employed as a section hand on the Schuylkill and Susquehanna railroads, and later, for a short time, as stone mason, under the late Adam Schelling, of Ashland, this county. In 1852 he located in Pottsville and took a position as printer in the office of the Schuyl kill Democrat, a German weekly paper pub- by Phillip Leipe. On August 9, 1855, Mr. Schrader and H. J. Hendler formed a partner ship and purchased this paper, changing its name to The Jefferso?i Democrat, issuing the first copy of that paper on the above date. They continued to operate this paper until 1872, when they purchased the Pottsville Standard, which they edited for two years', when Mr. Hendler retired from the firm and Mr. Schrader became sole proprietor and editor of the Jefferson Democrat, in which capacity he served until death ended his labors. Mr. Schrader was a man of high literary attainments, he was a great reader and a close student of current events, and in this way ob tained a vast fund of information which he could express in vigorous and elegant lan guage, and his paper was the best edited and most widely circulated German paper in the county. His paper was held in high esteem by the German element of the county, and his good judgment was frequently sought by others than his own countryman. He was a man who took a special delight in the subject of music, in which he was proficient, serving at one time as a church organist. Politically, a democrat, he was actively interested in local and State and national politics, and political policies. 254 BIUGRAPHY AND HISTORY Mr. Schrader lived an exemplary life, and his death was lamented by all who knew him. CAMUEL AUMAN, of Pottsvlle, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, is a man, who through energy, foresight, and strict business integrity, has achieved success. He is a son of Henry and Catherine (Breyman) Auman, and was born in Amity township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, November 14, 1824. His grand father on the paternal side was Henry Auman, Sr., a native of Hanover, Germany, and came to the United States as a Hessian mercenary of the British crown, during the war of the Revolution. He- was one of those who were surprised by General Washington and taken prisoners prior to the memorable battle of Trenton. At the conclusion of the war, he refused to return to his native country, and settled near Amityville, Amity township, Berks county, where he engaged in teaching school. For this he had been specially fitted in the splendid system of German schools, before his departure from his native country. In church matters he also was prominent, being a member of the German Lutheran church', of Amityville, for a number of years,' in which he was choirmaster. He died in the year 1839, at the age of eighty-three years, near Amityville, Berks county, Pennsylvania. His wife's maiden name was Catherine Beitam, a resident of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, by whom he had five children, two sons and three dau ghters : Elizabeth, Catherine, Sarah, George, and Henry, all deceased. Henry, father of Samuel, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1795, and removed to Union county, this State in 1842, from whence he came to Pottsville in April, 1848. He was a weaver by trade, but prior to coming to Pottsville, had been variously engaged in farming, butchering, etc. After his removal to Pottsville, he again resumed his trade and continued it until his death in February, 1874. In politics, he gave his sup port to the whig and republican parties, while religiously he was a communicant in the German Lutheran church. By his mar riage he became the father of eleven children : Albert, Levi (deceased), William, Henry (de ceased), James, Samuel (subject), Mary (de ceased), Amelia, Sarah, Catherine (deceased), Elizabeth (deceased). Samuel Auman was first united in marriage to Sarah Umbenhauer, of Pottsville, Penn sylvania, on April 6, 1849. To them were born four daughters: Sallie E., deceased; Emma L., at home ; Ellen E., wife of Win field Robinson, a merchant living at Wilkes- Barre ; Minnie, wife of Thomas H. Hooper, of Wilkes-Barre, a mining contractor. His wife died February 13, i860, at the age of twenty-nine years. Mr. Auman again mar ried Mrs. Elizabeth Hollenbeck, widow of Eben Hollenbeck, of Memphis, Tennessee, August 6, 1 861, by whom he has two children: William, a civil and mining engineer, married to Ona Flack, and now a resident of Wilkes- Barre, Pennsylvania ; and one died in infancy. Mrs. Auman, his second wife, is a daughter of Jedediah Irish, a native of Luzerne county, (now Bradford county), Pennsylvania, born April 8, 1797. Mr. Irish left his native county about 1820, and removed to Mauch Chunk, From this period on his life was marked by a number of removals. He successively resided at Rockport, Mauch Chunk, Mifflin, Hazelton, Tuscarora and Pottsville, accommodating him self to his business as civil engineer and sur veyor, which he followed assiduously all his life. He died in Luzerne county, Pennsyl- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 255 vania, on January 18, 1871. While at Mauch Chunk, he was engaged as manager of the lumber business of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation company. He was a democrat in political principles, and during the years 1834-35, represented Northampton county in the State Legisla ture. His marriage resulted in the birth of four children, of whom only two reached matu rity: Theodore, a farmer in the State of Georgia, and Elizabeth (now Mrs. Auman), Elizabeth was born November 17, 1825, and was married to Eben Hollenbeck, June 23, 1852. He died November 12, 1858. By this ^marriage she became the mother of two children : Jedediah, Jr., married to Mar garet Hannum, and now living at Hazelton, Pennsylvania, a mining engineer in charge of mines at Millinesville, Pennsylvania ; and Gay, deceased. Mr. Auman was educated in the common schools of Berks and Union counties, and came to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in 1845, where he has since resided. He learned the trade of bricklaying, and followed it as a journeyman until 1849, when he began con tracting and building. To the artistic and architectural excellence of his work, some of the leading edifices of Pottsville are the best testimonials, among which are school-build ings, stores, banks, dwelling houses, and churches. The jail and court-house have also been improved by his work. At present he is building for the Lehigh Valley Coal company some twenty blocks of houses. Mr. Auman is a republican, but not in any sense a strong partisan ; served as a member of the council for five years and school di rector for almost two terms, receiving the sup port of all parties. "CLI SPAYD REINHOLD, cashier of the Union National Bank of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, was born at Reinholdsville, Lan caster county, Pennsylvania, January 14, 1847. He received his education at the Myerstown academy and Millersville State Normal school, and then further fitted himself for a business career by a thorough course in book-keeping and commercial law. After teaching in the public schools of his native county for a period of three years, he accepted a position as book keeper for a large wholesale house in Phila delphia, where he remained until the opening of the Union Business college of that city in 1865, in which he was offered a position. In 1866, he removed to Detroit, Michigan, where he became book-keeper in the western office of the New York Life Insurance company, for which position he was highly recommended by the college. Ill health compelled him to re sign this place, and the next year he returned East and took up his former vocation of teach ing in Schuylkill county. He closed his career as teacher by resigning the superintendency of the Mahanoy City public schools, which he did in August, 1871, in order to enter the ser vice of the First National Bank of that city. He remained connected with this bank for a term of eighteen years, when, in 1889, the Union National Bank was organized, and he became its cashier, which responsible position he now holds. During the year 1882, Mr. Reinhold made a trip to Europe, visited the principal countries and cities ofthe Continent, and contributed a series of very interesting and instructive letters to the Mahanoy Tribune, of which he had once been editor, relative to his travels and observations abroad. Although his life has been a busy one, Mr. Reinhold has found time for broad scientific and literary culture, the pursuit of which af- 256 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY fords him rare pleasure. He has made a large collection of specimens illustrating the subjects of mineralogy and geology, and is an associate member of the Philadelphia Academy of Nat ural Sciences, to whose scientific publications he has been a frequent contributor. Literature and science are subjects that have always made a very sympathetic appeal to him, and for which he has a special affinity. In this respect, he has not only familiarized himself with the English literature bearing upon his favorite specialties, but has also a large acquaintance with the foreign literature of the subjects as well. Besides this purely intellectual recre ation, he takes a keen interest in the municipal affairs of his city, and has served as secretary of the city council continuously since 1873. He is a man of weight and intelligence in public affairs, and brings to the council the wisdom of discrimination and good judg ment. Mr. Reinhold wedded Louisa J. Compton, of the State of New Jersey, on , 1866. To them has been born one child, Milton C, a graduate of Bucknell University in the class of 1888, and at present a practicing attorney at the bar of Schuylkill county. He is treasurer of the Eagle Hosiery Mill. ¦0ATRICK J. GAUGHAN, vice-president of the Merchants' National bank and a prominent business man of Shenandoah, Penn sylvania, is a representative of that large class of enterprising and progressive citizens of Irish extraction, whose genius and personality are reflected from every walk of life. He is a son of Lawrence and Mary (Kelly) Gaughan, and was born in August, 1852, in Vermont. His grandfather, Patrick Gaughan, was born in County Mayo, Ireland, came to America and spent seven or eight years of his life, but re turned to the fatherland, where he died. In 1 82 1, Lawrence Gaughan first saw the light of day on the " Emerald Isle." He came to the United States with his father, when twelve years of age, but returned with him, where he remained aintil 1849, when he again sought the hospitable shores of America, locating this time in Vermont. He soon after wards came to the State of New York, and once more crossed the Atlantic to his native Isle, where he remained until 1864, when he came to Girardville,Schuylkill county, his home ever since and where he now lives a retired life. He married a Mary Kelly, who died when Patrick, the only issue, was but one and a half years old. Patrick J. Gaughan was educated partly in the schools of Ireland and then a good busi ness course in Villanova College, near Phila delphia. In 1872, he took a position with Mr. J. B. Monaghan, a dry-goods merchant of Shenandoah, as a clerk for two years, when he entered Villanova College for two sessions ; he then came back to Shenandoah, and in con nection with Peter J. Monaghan, under firm name of Monaghan and Gaughan, embarked in the dry-goods and grocery business. This partnership continued until 1880, when Mr. Gaughan purchased the entire stock and has successfully conducted the business ever since. His store is located at No. 27 Main Street, and is ninety-six feet deep by seventeen feet wide. He occupies three floors, which are well filled with everything usually found in a first-class store. Mr. Gaughan does not confine himself exclu sively to his mercantile pursuits, but has taken an active part in the shaping and moulding of many of the business enterprises of his town. He lent largely of his time and influence to that OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 257 move which resulted in the organization of the Merchants' National Bank of Shenandoah, in March, 1891. He became its first vice-president and has been continued in that position to the present time. He helped to organize the Shenandoah Heat and Power Company, and •has been one of its directors since its organi zation. He is treasurer of the Miners, Me chanics and Laborers' Building and Loan Association, and is treasurer of the Shenandoah Manufacturing Company, organized in 1893. He affiliates politically with the Democratic party and served a year as treasurer of his borough. On , 1 8 — , he married Anna J. Miles, and to this union have been born eight children. Three died in infancy; the living are : Ella, Annie, Mary, Joseph and Miles. Mr. Gaughan is a wide-awake, enterprising citizen, ever ready to give his influence to any move which has for its direct object the wel fare of society and the good of the commnity in which he lives. HON. THOMAS J. HIGGINS, of She nandoah, Pennsylvania, well-known throughout the county of Schuylkill as an ex- representative in the State Legislature from the first district of Schuylkill county, is a son of Charles and Catherine (Jennings) Higgins. He was born in Cass township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on February 25, 1853. Mr. Higgins is of Irish descent, his father having been born in County Mayo, Ireland, and in 1 848 he emigrated to the United States and during the first years of his residence in this country made Minersville, this county, his home. He removed in 1864 to Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, where he died. During the latter part of his life he engaged in the dryJ 17 goods and grocer's business, which pursuit occupied him until the time of his death. He took an unusual interest in the public weal and well-being in his neighborhood, cast his vote with the Democratic party, under which party he served as a school director of She nandoah, for one term. He was president of the school board for quite a number of years. In his religious professions he belonged to the Roman Catholic church, to which he was de voted, and whose welfare he' kept with a single heart. By his marriage he had a large family of children. Thomas J. Higgins, the subject of this sketch, received his education in the common schools and at Villanova college, after which he began the merchandizing business in Shenandoah, in which he continued ten years. From early manhood he has always been in terested in political and state affairs, and has figured prominently in the political arena of Schuylkill county. In the year 1880 he was elected a member of the state assembly from the first district of his county, and served in that body during the sessions of 188 1 and 1883. During the period of his service the first ap propriation, amounting to $76,000, was pro cured for the Miners' Hospital at Ashland, Pennsylvania. He also introduced in the house, which was passed by a credible vote, a resolution expressing sympathy with the Irish people in their state of oppression at that time. This resolution was defeated in the senate. Besides this he introduced a bill in the house calling for an appropriation of $50,000 for the support of miners' orphan schools in the anthracite coal regions, which was defeated by the senate but passed by the house. Mr. Higgins has always shown a commend able interest in the social and humanitarian condition of the people of his own county. 258 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY He has always been solicitious for their well- being, for the alleviation of suffering, the edu cation and sustentation of the neglected, and the general uplifting of the lower classes. Of these facts his public record and attitude are the best attestation. Mr. Higgins was united in marriage with Elizabeth, a daughter of Miles and Susan Reily of Philadelphia, on October 15, I879. To this union there have been born two chil dren, John and Ellen. Religiously, he and his family are connected with the Roman Catholic church of the Annunciation. J ^IVINGSTON V. RAUSCH is one of the proprietors of the Mahanoy Tribune, and is well known in Mahanoy City as a sub stantial and successful newspaper man. His parents are Valentine G. and Mary (Long) Rausch, who at the time of his birth, February 3, 1858, were residents at Rausch Station, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. The first American ancestor of the Rausch family was John Rausch, who came from Ger many about 1780, and located in Berks county, Pennsylvania (then Chester county). This man was the great-great-grandfather of Livingston V. His great-grandfather was Samuel R. Rausch, a native and lifelong resident of Berks county, as!was also John Rausch, his grand father. The latter was by occupation a con tractor and builder, and devoted considerable of his time to the construction of railroad work, part of the time being employed in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, and some time in the State of Kentucky. In this capac ity he had associated with him H. J. Hendler and Colonel Feger, under the firm name of Rausch, Hendler & Feger. He came to Schuylkill county (which at that time had been separated from Berks) in 1859, and was ap pointed sheriff to fill an unexpired term. At the termination of this period he was, elected to a full term of office. Subsequent to this time he removed to Philadelphia, where he was engaged in the coal business until his death in 1869. He married a Miss Stichter, by whom he had nine children, six daughters and three sons. The father of Livingston V. was born in Schuylkill county, on the old homestead, at what is now known as Rausch Station, in the year 183 1, at which place he passed the entire span of his life, with the exception of a very few years. He was a man of more than ordi nary education and -ability, and had a good knowledge of civil engineering. In this latter capacity he became an assistant to his father, in addition to keeping his books. During the civil war, he, in 1862, enlisted in Company G, 48th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infan try, and served until June io, 1864. He first enlisted as a private, afterward became forage master, and later was made wagon master in charge of the provision train. He was drowned in the Potomac river June 10, 1864. By his marriage he had four children, three daughters and one son. On June 27, 1880, Livingston V. Rausch was joined in marriage with Carrie E. Schoe ner, a daughter of Major John F. Schoener, of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill county. By this marriage he has two children, Lily and Wil liam S. Mr. Rausch received his education in the common schools, and began an independent career as a clerk, in which capacity he served two years. Later, he learned the trade of printer, and passed through the various pro motions ofthe printing business, until in 1886, in conjunction with J. B. Irish, he became pro- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 259 prietor of the Mahanoy Tribune, under the firm name of Rausch & Irish. A year later, Guy C. Irish, a brother of J. B. became a member of the firm, and under this management the paper has since been successfully and ably conducted. Mr. Rausch is secretary of and a director in the Serial Building and Loan asso ciation of Mahanoy City, and is unusually active in the interests of his city and the general public welfare. He is a republican in poli tics, and his paper is conducted with a view to forwarding the interests of that party, which he believes to represent the best and most feasible policy for the successful administration of pub lic affairs. He is a member of the Methodist church and an officer in its Sabbath school. Besides this, he is a member of Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M., member of Mizpah Chapter, No.. 252, R. A. M., and Ivan- hoe Commandery, No, 31, K. T., Past Com mander General of the Patriotic Order Sons of America, member of Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 617, 1.O.O.F., and of Mahanoy City Coun cil, No. 162, Royal Arcanum. HON. LIN BARTHOLOMEW was born at Brookville, Jefferson county, Penn sylvania. He was the third son of Benja min Bartholomew, df Philadelphia, who, like our subject, was a lawyer, and member of the State Legislature in 1846, representing the district of which Jefferson county was a part, and was afterwards district attorney of Schuyl kill county, to which he removed with his family. Mr. Bartholomew received a liberal education, mainly at the Pottsville Academy, then under the charge of Elias Snyder, well known throughout eastern Pennsylvania. The ' celebrated Daniel Kirkwood was at that time one of the professors. As a boy after leaving school Mr. Bartholomew engaged in active business for a short time, but under the advice of friends and following the bent of his own inclination he commenced the study of law in the office of his father, and was admitted to the practice of his chosen profession in the several courts of Schuylkill county in the year 1857. By force of circumstances and education he connected himself with the Republican party in its inception, and very soon after his admission to the bar, by ability and inclination he occupied a promi nent position in county politics. He was an aspirant for the office of district attorney in 1859, but failed to secure the nomination of his party. In i860 he was nominated and elected a member of the lower branch of the Legislature, and served on the committee of judiciary (general), and also ways and means during the critical juncture in the nation's his tory, when South Carolina and sister States passed ordinances of secession. In 1861 he received the commission of aide-de-camp to Brigadier-General Wynkoop from Governor Curtin, and in pursuance of his appointment served in that position at York, Pa., and Cock- eysville, Md.* His commission was annulled by the War department under a general order revoking and restricting appointments of that nature by State authority. He was then ap pointed by the Secretary of War, General Cameron, to the permanent and responsible position of his private secretary, and served in that capacity until some time after the first battle of Bull Run, when he resigned and re turned to Pottsville to resume the practice of his profession. In September, 1862, he was at the battle of Antietam, and in 1863, when the State was invaded by the Confederate army, he served in the 27th regiment Pennsylvania militia, Col. 260 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY J. G. Frick. He served as a delegate to a number of State conventions, and was in 1 868 a delegate at large from the State of Pennsyl vania to the Chicago convention, where he supported General Grant for the Presidential nomination. In 1872 he was elected one of the members at large of the convention to amend the constitution of Pennsylvania, in which convention he was on the judiciary committee, and also chairman of the commit tee on schedules. He was well known through out the State as a political speaker and as a lawyer. He was possessed of a fine flow of language and good perceptive faculties, under stood human nature and had a keen sense of humor. He was forcible as a speaker, and sometimes rose to eloquence; was a good de bater, ready in argument, and quick at repartee. The esteem and admiration in which he was held by his fellow-townsmen were evidenced in the fall of 1879, upon the occasion of his return from a trip of a few months to Europe. His fellow citizens, of all shades of politics, united in giving him a public reception, which amounted to an ovation. He died suddenly on the 22d of August, 1880, of heart disease, at Atlantic City, N. J. [The above is from Munsell's History of Schuylkill county]. TAf JOHN WHITEHOUSE, a leading at torney of the Schuylkill county bar, and prominently known throughout Eastern Pennsylvania as a criminal lawyer, was born in Blythe township, county aforesaid, State of Pennsylvania, June 15, 1852. He is a son of David and Maria (Shakespeare) Whitehouse. Paternal grandfather, Timothy Whitehouse, was a native and life-long resident of England. He was a machinist by trade, as was also his father, both of whom were skilled and efficient workmen. David Whitehouse, father of W. J., was born in the town of Dudley, Stafford shire, England, in the year 1823, and came to the United States in 1848. Shortly after his arrival he located at St. Clair, Schuylkill county, where he continued to reside for three years, when he removed to New Philadelphia. At the latter place he lived about twenty-five years, at the expiration of which time he came to Pottsville. He now lives in practical retire ment. Prior to his coming to this country he had learned the trade of machinist, and worked at that trade until the time of his departure. After his arrival in Pennsylvania, he continued the trade until the outbreak of the Civil War, part of which time he was also engaged as a stationary engineer. About 1861, he pur chased a small colliery near New Philadelphia, which was formerly known as the Whitehouse colliery, and operated it until the close of the war. This closed the active period of his life. In politics, he wields his suffrage in be half of the republican party, and has always manifested a keen interest in the outcome of both national and local campaigns. His marriage with Maria Shakespeare of Stafford shire, England, resulted in an offspring of eight children. W. J. Whitehouse was united in marriage with Sallie Wintersteen, a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Shaw) Wintersteen, of Port Carbon, this county, on January 13, 1878. This union has resulted in the birth of three children : Marian S., Clarence A. and John. Mr. Whitehouse received his education in the common schools of Schuylkill county and Cumberland Valley Institute, Mechanicsburg, at which latter institution he prepared1 for en trance to Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa. Subsequently he became a teacher in the W. JOHN WHITEHOUSE. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 261 Cumberland Valley Institute, and pursued at the same time a special course of study under his principal, Professor Egey. At the close of his academic career he began the study of law, under Hon. Lin Bartholomew, a promi nent lawyer of the Schuylkill county bar, and was admitted to practice in the year 1874. After his admission to the bar he remained in the office with his preceptor for three years, at the expiration of which time he became the ' republican candidate for District Attorney, but was defeated by eighty-two votes. This election was followed by a contest which lasted three years — the longest in the history of the State. In the year 1881, he became solicitor for .the county through an appointment of Commissioners of Court, and after the death of one of the- commissioners, was displaced by Mr. after some political chicanery on the part of the remaining two commissioners. At this time he disclosed his j intention of again presenting himself as a can- didate for District Attorney. He was accord- ! ingly nominated, and at the following election I was declared the winning candidate by a j majority of six hundred and fifty-seven votes. In this connection it is pertinent to record the defeat of the two commissioners above referred to. Mr. Whitehouse has been repeatedly a delegate to republican State conventions, and has twice been the • representative of his dis trict in National conventions, in 1880 and 1888 respectively. During the National con vention of 1888, he appeared before the Penn sylvania contingent in a speech ridiculing the proposed nomination of Mayor Fitler, of Phila delphia, for the Presidency, and offered as- a substitute the name ofthe burgess of his own town. This virtually quashed the Fitler boom and recalled the caucus to a sober con sideration of what might be a sensible line of action. At the present time, Mr. Whitehouse is a delegate-at-large to the National conven tion of the Republican League, which met in Louisville, Kentucky, in September of this year (1893) He has always taken an active part in State and county politics, is a brilliant speaker, and has an intelligent comprehension of party issues, party machinery, and the peremptory need of party purification. As a lawyer, Mr. Whitehouse stands de servedly high. He has made a specialty of criminal law, and of the intricacies and subtleties of criminal procedure he is no less a master than ofthe system of jurisprudence that pre scribes and proscribes human conduct. The secret of the criminal lawyer lies as much in unveiling the secrets of the heart as in a know ledge of the law and the routine of a case, which triple forces Mr. Whitehouse uses with telling effect. He is a careful student of law literature, as well as of human nature, pos- esses a keen and discriminating mind, and is always alert in the detection of technical points and legal manceuvering. Personally, he is affable, dignified, and commands the highest esteem. He is a member of the Patriotic Order Sons of America, and president of the Casino Club. TT NDREW COMERY, ex-sheriff of Schuyl- ''"*" kill county, and president of. the Union National Bank of Mahanoy City, is of German lineage and was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, January I, 1845. Grandfather John Comery was born in Germany, but emigrated to Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he lived for a time and removed to Cumberland county, where he died. His life vocation was that of farming, and he belonged to that large class of prosper- 262 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ous and enterprising farmers for which the counties of Lancaster and Cumberland are noted. Father Andrew Comery, Sr., was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, and died in the county of his nativity on April 16, 1868. He in his earlier life took an active and en thusiastic part in the Pennsylvania State Mili tia, serving as first lieutenant in that body. He married Catharine Snyder, of Cumberland county, and had a family of five boys and four girls. Andrew Comery obtained a fair education in the public schools of Cumberland county and the Millersville State Normal school at Millersville, Pennsylvania. He was just merging into manhood when the bugle note of war was sounded, and he hastened to the defence of his country. He entered Company I, 9th regiment, Pennsylva nia volunteer cavalry in July, 1861, in the army ofthe Southwest under Rosecrans and Sherman, respectively, and served to the close of the war. He was twice slightly wounded, and once at the battle of Cripple Creek was taken prisoner and held two days, aside from which he was never away from his command. This command, as is well-known, saw some very severe fighting. Such engagements as Chickamauga, Bentonville, Averysboro, Frank lin and Murfreesboro deserved to be marked among the more important battles of that great civil contest. He came out of the war and repaired to the peaceful pursuits of a teacher and farmer until 1869. He taught during the winter months and farmed during the summer. In 1869, six years after Mahanoy City was incorporated as a borough, Mr. Comery located in it and has made that his home ever since. He came to the place as a clerk in a flour and feed store, in which capacity he served two and a half years. Perceiving that the rapidly growing town of his adoption offered a good field for a real estate and insurance enterprise, he entered upon and successfully pursued these lines of business until 1888. Mr. Comery has always been a republican of the most pronounced type, and has always taken an active part in every measure that had for its object the promotion of the public weal. Shortly after coming into the borough he was elected justice ofthe peace and served contin uously until 1888, when he was the successful candidate of his party for the office of sheriff. This was a very flattering compliment to Mr. Comery 's popularity throughout the county which is strongly democratic. He entered upon the duties of his office January 1, 1889, and surrendered the office to his successor January 1, 1892. Perhaps the executive affairs of the county coming directly under the su pervision of the sheriff were never more effi ciently or satisfactorily administered than they were under the administration of Andrew Comery. Since January 1, 1893, he has been in the- real estate, insurance and title business in connection with Mr. Smith. In 1889 he assisted in the organization of the Union Na tional Bank of Mahanoy City. Of this bank he was made its first president, and has served in that capacity to the present time (1893). He is prominently identified with nearly all the business enterprises of his town. He was chiefly instrumental in organizing the Mahanoy Light, Heat and Power company, and served as its secretary and superintendent as well as secretary and superintendent of Mahanoy City Gas company. He is a direc tor of the Schuylkill Real Estate, Title, Insur ance and Trust company of Pottsville.- In fraternal matters he is a member of General OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 263 Grant Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Mahanoy City Severn Post, No. no, G. A. R., of Mahanoy City, and is commander of Company E, 8th regiment, National Guards of Pennsylvania. Mr. Comery was united in marriage with Sarah Latham, and to this union have been born six children : Ella, Edwin, Phcebe, Ethel, William and Harold. /GEORGE W. JOHNSON, of Lost Creek, Schuylkill county, was born in Potts ville, Pennsylvania, August 27, 1843, a son of Colonel Thomas and Mary A. (Mason) Johnson. Colonel Thomas Johnson, his father, was born in Wilmington, Delaware, on February 22, 1 8 14, and was brought up in the city of Philadelphia by his aunt, his parents having died when he was very young. After a brief experience in the schools, he learned the trade of shoemaker, and assiduously applied him self to his trade for a number of years. In 1832, he removed to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, where he lived until 1866, on September 5, of which year he died. Prior to the Civil war, he was colonel ofthe : regiment ofthe National Guard of Pennsylvania, consisting of thirteen companies. Upon the outbreak of hostilities, he gave up his command, and en listed in First Defenders, first five companies of Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, and served for a period of three months, most of which time he was located at Fort Washington. Upon the expiration of this term of service, he returned home and entered company B, 48th regiment Pennsylvania infantry, as second ser geant, for a period of three years. After being out in the service for some time, he was commissioned as first lieutenant (1863) and was discharged in 1864 in front of Petersburg on account of disability, but still assisted in carrying ammunition for the soldiers at New bern, North Carolina. He was wounded in the second battle of Bull Run, and during this campaign participated in many other engagements. When General Burnside con ducted the campaign in Eastern Tennessee, he was among the unfortunates who were shut up for twenty-dne days in Knoxville, until the relief of General Thomas freed them from the Confederate siege. After this, his corps followed General Longstreet to Greenville, Tennessee, and then returned to Blaine's cross roads in East Tennessee. After a furlough of thirty days here, he re-enlisted for a period of three years longer. During his period of ser vice, he participated in the battles of Bull Run, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and all the intervening engagements to the fall of Petersburg. After the close of his military service he returned to Schuylkill county. His marriage resulted in the birth of nine children, four sons and five daugh ters. George W. Johnson was united in marriage with Mary Galligen, of Pottsville, Pennsyl vania, on September 6, 1871, who has born him a family of two children : William F. and Catherine M. He received his education in the public schools of Pottsville, and remained a resident of that place until the year 1875, when he removed to Lost Creek, where he has since resided. Up to 1890, he had been engaged in various pursuits, and in that year he opened an oyster saloon, and in connection with this, conducts a store. During the Civil war, Mr. Johnson enlisted on August 22, 1 86 1, at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in company B, 48th regiment Pennsylvania volunteer in fantry, and served until July 25, 1865. He enlisted as a drummer boy, and with the ex- 264 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ception of eight months in the hospital, saw active service during the entire period. He is republican in politics, and takes an active interest in all questions of local and national importance. In 1889, he was ap pointed postmaster at Lost Creek, and served until May 13, 1893. Prior to that time, in 1887, he had been elected justice of the peace for a term of five years, but upon his appoint ment as postmaster in 1889, he resigned. Fraternally, he is a member of Washing ton Camp, No. 235, Patriotic Order Sons of America, of which he was one of the orga nizers in 1883, the first president, and for a number of years, secretary. He is also a member of Shenandoah Castle, No. 74, Knights of the Golden Eagle, of which he was one of the organizers, and member of the Watkin Waters Post, No. 146, G. A. R., at Shenan doah, Pennsylvania. nEV. HENRY A. KEYSER, D.D., the popular and learned pastor of St. Paul's Reformed church, of Mahanoy City, Pennsyl vania, was born in Long Swamp township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, February 1, 1844. Mr. Keyser received a thorough literary and theological training in Heidelberg University, at Tiffin, Ohio, graduating from the theologi cal department of that institution in the class of 1869. On April 1, 1870, he came to Ma hanoy City and took his present charge. The congregation was first organized as a mission in 1864, and continued as such until Mr. Key ser took charge, when it was made a regular self-sustaining church. This church is a two- story, substantial building, was built in 1864, and is forty feet wide by ninety-two feet long. It is in a flourishing condition, and the congre gation now consists of not less than eight hundred members. Mr. Keyser takes a nominally active part in fraternal matters. He belongs to Washington Camp, No. 167, Patriotic Order Sons of America; Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 617, In dependent Order of Odd Fellows; Royal Ar canum, and an insurance organization known as " The Good Fellows." Mr. Keyser has been twice married ; his first union was with Miss Isabelle Newcomet. One child, Ida M., was the issue of this union. His second marriage was with Hannah Rhoads. Rev. Mr. Keyser is deservedly popular with the congregation with whom and for whom he has so long and zealously labored, and well deserves the high esteem and regard in- which he is held by his parishioners and all who know him. JOHN WEBB is a son of James and Pris cilla (Davis) Webb, and was born in Pembrokeshire, South Wales, November 24, 1826. He was educated in the schools of his native country, and emigrated to the United States in 1863. Here he first settled in Dau phin county, Pennsylvania, but, a short time later, removed to Mahanoy City, Schuylkill county, where he engaged in mining. This had been his occupation prior to his emigra tion to the United States, and continued such for about eleven years subsequent. At this time, when about thirty-six years of age, he became superintendent of the collieries at Mahanoy City, owned by Fisher Hazzard, of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania. In this capacity he remained for eight years, while in the mean time he had purchased a farm near Gerhart's Station, Carbon county. After he had resigned his position as superintendent, he purchased real estate in Mahanoy City, which became a source of profitable speculation. He continued in the real estate business for a number of OT SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 265 years, and during the past eleven years has not been in active business pursuits. He is a republican politically, and as such was elected school director of his borough, but on account of ill health went to Europe at this time, together with his wife, and was forced to resign. Some what later, he was elected to the office of bur gess of Mahanoy City, having previously filled out an unexpired term. He has been elected to the same position twice since. Mr. Webb is a member of the English Bap tist church, and also prominently connected with Mahanoy City Lodge, F. and A. M;, and General Grant Lodge, No. 575, I.O.O F., of which he is Past Grand. He was united in marriage, May 10, 1856, to Margaret, a daugh ter of Thomas Lewis, of Wales, and by this marriage has had one son, Richard R., who lives with his father. f^R. WILLIAM E. GROVER, a leading dentist of Mahanoy city, is a son of Na than and Eliza (Swank) Grover, and was born March 8, 1856, in Columbia county, Pennsylva nia. Michael Grover, grandfather, was a native of Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and lived there all his life, engaged in the pursuits ofa farmer. Nathan Grover, father, was born in Columbia county, in 183 1, where he resided until 1873, when he moved to Hazelton, Lu zerne county, where he has since resided. His vocation has been that of a tobacconist. He married Eliza Swank, a native, also, of Colum bia county, and had eight children, three boys and five girls. Dr. Grover received a good mental disci pline in the common schools of his native county and the Hazelton high school. He has made his own way in life. When but a boy he entered upon a clerkship ; after a term of service in this capacity, his qualifications com mended him to the notice of his employers, Cox Bros., and he was accordingly made su perintendent of their large store at Gowen, Luzerne county. But he was always ofa stu dious turn of mind, and had that within him which was always longing for something higher. He, finally, resolved upon the study of dentistry. He graduated from the Pennsyl vania Dental College of Philadelphia with the class of 1889. He had, however, taken a course and practiced two years at Rock Glen, Luzerne county, before graduating from the Pennsylvania Dental College. After his grad uation, he located for a short time in Hazelton, but in 1890 located in Mahanoy city, where by close application to the duties of his profession he has built up a good practice and possesses in a marked degree the respect and confidence of an appreciative clientele. The doctor has never had the inclination to take much part in political matters. He is a democrat, and has served one term as school di rector while a resident of Rock Glen, Luzerne county. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, Mahanoy city, Council No. 162 Royal Arcanum, General Grant Lodge No. 575 I. O. O. F., and Patriotic Order Sons of America at Mahanoy city. Dr. Grover and Linda Snyder, daughter of Elias Snyder of Columbia county, were united in marriage on June 1, 1878, and five children, Lulu, Bessie, Claude, Edith and Walter blessed this union. Dr. Grover is a man of good social and intellectual parts; qualifications which, when combined with a persevering spirit and close application, are sure to crown their possessor with ultimate success. 266 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY JOHN W. BEDFORD. Among the pro minent and successful merchants of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, must be placed the man whose name heads this sketch — a resident business man of Lost Creek, Penn sylvania. He is a son of Francis and Mary (Green) Bedford, and was born in Philadel phia, Pennsylvania, February 13, 1836. His grandfather, Bedford, was a native of Wake field, England, in which country he passed his life, and now lies buried under the mar bled inscription : " Reqi'iescat in pace.''' His father was bofti at the same place in the year 1804, and emigrated to the United States in 1829, locating first in Philadelphia. In 1838 he removed to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and afterward to Minersville, same county, where" he died on , 1889. In the latter part of his life he followed the merchandising business, but in the earlier part of his career he was a musician, by profession, through which he acquired considerable reputation as a vocalist. His marriage resulted in the birth of eleven children, six sons and five daughters. John W. Bedford was united in marriage to Emaline D. Torrey, a daughter of William and Elizabeth Torrey, of Brownsville, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, on October 20, 1857. There have been five children born to them who are still living : Alonzo F., J. Claude, and Theodore T. Alonzo F. is manager of the Bedford Shoe factory at Carlisle, Pennsyl vania. J. Claude was educated at the Uni versity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, in which he afterward took a post-graduate course. He is now a lawyer practicing in Philadel phia. Theodore T. is assistant manager of the Bedford Shoe Factory at Carlisle. John W. Bedford received his more ad vanced education at Kingston Seminary, Lu zerne county, Pennsylvania, and after leaving school embarked in the mercantile business at Jeanesville, Carbon county, as assistant to his father, who at that time was manager for William Milnes & Co. He continued here for a period of five years, and in 1852 went to Minersville, Pennsylvania, as a clerk in the mercantile business, where he remained until the year 1858. From here he removed to Swatara, and thence to Centralia, and again in 1865, to Mahanoy City, where he engaged in the coal operating business. In the latter business he associated with him a partner in the person of Walter G. Cox, under the name of Bedford & Cox, and operated the Shoe maker colliery for a period of five years. At the expiration of this time he went to Osage county, Missouri, and purchased a tract of timber land and engaged in the lumber busi ness, manufacturing largely bridge timber and railroad ties. He remained thus engaged until the year 1874, when he closed out the business on account of the financial failure of Jay Cook & Co., of Philadelphia, by whom he lost considerable money. During this year he removed to Lost Creek and became super intendent for the Lost Creek Store Company, for whom he conducted business about three years. In conjunction with J. C. Bright, of Pottsville, he now purchased the business and ran it under the firm name of J. C. Bright & Co., limited, of which Mr. Bedford remained superintendent. Mr. Bedford is also interested in stores at Blackwood and Lansford, and is vice-president of the Bedford Shoe factory company at Carlisle, from whom the firm takes its name. He is a man of large business experience and a thorough student of human nature. This experience, business tact and many genial social qualities render him especially fitted for the management of large and varied OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 267 interests. Mr. Bedford is also public spirited, wide awake to the interests of his town and community, and entirely unselfish in the pro motion of everything tending to the public good and common weal. He is respected, and a man whose opinions carry weight and significance. J . EVI J. WILKINSON, an enterprising business man of Shenandoah, Pennsyl vania, is a son of William T. and Mary A. (Clemmitt) Wilkinson, and was born in Dur ham, England, February 18, 1864. His grandfather on the paternal side was also a native of England, County Durham, where he was reared and where he died. Father was born in County Durham, Eng land, in 1836. He was reared and educated in his native country, and came to America in 1 87 1, locating in Mahanoy city, at which place he died in 1889. His avocation throughout life was that of a miner. He was a quiet, un assuming man, who attended strictly to his own affairs, and whose highest ambition was to provide for the happiness and the comfort of his own family. He was a man of studious habits, retentive memory, and possessed a vast fund of information on cur rent events and topics of the day. He was a consistent member of the Roman Catho lic church. By his marriage to Mary A. Clemmitt, daughter of John Clemmitt of Eng land, he had a family of three children : Sarah I., who died at the age of two years ; Alfred D., who was educated at St. Mary's College, Emmettsburg, Maryland, received an appointment in the Philadelphia Post Office in 1886, and in 1887 took a position in the Pension Department at Washington, District of Columbia. During the time he filled this position, he was diligently employing his time, and completed a course of study in the medi cal department of the Georgetown University, from which he graduated in May, 1893. He is now located at Washington, D. C, where he is practicing. , Levi J. Wilkinson entered upon a business career at a comparatively early age. His preparatory mental training was attained in the public schools of Mahanoy city, where when years of age, he took a position in a dry-goods store until 1886. He was quick to observe and faithful in the performance of every duty entrusted to his care, and at this date considered himself competent, although but twenty-two years of age, to manage a business on his own account. In 1886, he located in Shenandoah and opened up a dry- goods store, and has been eminently success ful. His store is located at No. 29 South Main Street, and is sixty-five feet long by fifteen feet wide, two stories high, and well filled with everything found in a first-class dry-goods establishment. He does not confine himself exclusively to his mercantile pursuits, but his hand is to be seen in many of the substantial business enterprises of a public character of his town. He was one of the organizers of the Merchants' bank, and has been a director since its organization, also a director of the Shenandoah Heat and Power company, the Shenandoah Electric Illuminating company, and the Shenandoah Gas company. He is a democrat politically, and a member of the Roman Catholic church ofthe Annun ciation. Mr. Wilkinson is a young man of more than ordinary business ability, as his record clearly shows. It stands as a striking example of what oneness of purpose combined with hon est motives and an enterprising spirit will accomplish for a man. 268 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY -fNANIEL J. LANGTON, M. D. Among ^^ the most successful and talented phy sicians of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, must be placed the name of Dr. Daniel J. Langton. He is a son of Peter and Mary (Harrison) Langton, and was born in Palo Alto, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, September 12, 1857. His people were of Irish descent, his grand father, Patrick Langton, having been born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, about the year 1809, and emigrated to the United States in about 1830. His first place of location was at Potts ville, Pennsylvania, where he resided for a number of years. He then removed to Port Carbon, same county, where he conducted a hotel, and thence to Ashland, where he died in January, 1879, at the age of seventy years. During his residence at Ashland, he was connected with the collieries as a mine boss. He married a Miss Tracy, and reared a family of nine children, four sons and five daughters. The father of Daniel J. was a native of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, and was born on February 14, 1832, and died at Ashland, in February, 1879. He received a very fair edu cation at the select school in Palo Alto, and * began his career in life by teaching in the schools of Ashland. He subsequently en gaged in the mercantile business, and at the time of his death was conducting a large clothing business in Ashland. About the same time that he was engaged in merchan dising, and during the prosperous times of transportation on the Schuylkill canal, he purchased and ran a boat for commercial purposes, from which he realized consider able. He was a member of the Roman Catholic church, to which he gave a liberal support, and one of its zealous workers. His family, included one son and five daughters. Dr. Langton was united in marriage to Isabel Scanlan, a daughter of ex-Sheriff Scanlan, on October 23, 1883, by whom he has three children: Isabella, born November, 1884; Daniel, born December, 1887; Edward, born February, 1889. Dr. Langton was educated in the Ashland public schools and high school, from the latter of which he was graduated in June, 1874. Upon the completion of his course, he read medicine with Dr. William Owens, of Ash land, then entered Jefferson Medical college in Philadelphia, and was graduated in March, 1880. He first opened an office at Ashland, Schuylkill county, began a very auspicious professional career, and in the fall of that year was elected coroner of the county for one term of three years. In September, 1881, while still holding that office, he removed to Shenandoah, same county, where he has con tinued in successful practice. He is a member of the county, State and American medical societies, and trustee of the Miners' Hospital located at Ashland. Although a general prac titioner, he makes the nose, throat, eye and ear his specialties, to the abnormalities and derangements of which, he brings a thorough knowledge and skillful treatment. He is a democrat in politics, in which he is quite an enthusiast, and religiously, a member of the Roman Catholic church. Dr. Langton is one of the best and most favorably-known citizens in the city of Shenan doah. He is public spirited, energetic and enterprising, and never hesitates to lend a hand for the good of society and the promo tion of the public good. He is not only interested in the healthfulness and sanitation HON. MARMADUKE P. FOWLER. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 269 of his city, but also sees the need of material and mental and moral growth in equal degree. He is held in uniform respect and esteem by his fellow-townsmen. JAMES W. RYAN, district attorney of Schuylkill county, is a son of James and Sarah (Houlahan) Ryan, and was born Octo ber 16, 1858, in Norwegian township, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania. His grandfather was Patrick Ryan, a native of Queen's county, Ireland, in which county he passed his life. The father of James W. was also born in Queen's county, in the year 1827, and emigrated to America in 1848, upon ' attaining his majority. His place of location was Pottsville, where he began the struggle of life in Westwood mines. Shortly afterward he married, and was promoted to foreman of the Esherman colliery, at Mahanoy City, this county. Later, he gave up mining and became a contractor, building what is known as the East Union township State road, in conjunc tion with several others. In 1874, he pur chased a farm in Butler township, Schuylkill county, where he now resides. He is a demo crat in politics, and has served as supervisor of Mahanoy township. In religious faith, he is a Catholic, in which church he takes quite an active interest. His marriage resulted in a family of fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters. At the early age of nine years, the son, James W., was introduced to the stern reali ties of life in the capacity of a slate-picker. He subsequently passed through a varied ex- , perience in the mines, until, at the age of six teen, he entered school. His evenings and | mornings were spent in labor upon his father's , farm, and his vacations engrossed in the same * manner, making his intellectual struggle one of difficulty and severe task. But persever ance and a oneness of purpose led him out of the toils into a clearer path. His inherent ability triumphed, and in a short time the taught became the teacher. He continued teaching for some four or five years, and then entered upon the study of law in the office of the Hon. James B. Reilly, where he remained until September, 1884, when he was admitted to the bar of Schuylkill county. An office was first opened in Shenandoah, and latterly in Pottsville, where he has since practiced. Besides teaching, he served as first deputy sheriff of the county for two years under B. J. Duffy, and later as deputy prothonotary. In 1892, Mr. Ryan entered the political field as a candidate for district attorney, was suc cessful, and consequently entered upon his duties January 1, 1893. As a lawyer, as a public official, and as a man, Mr. Ryan possesses many encouraging characteristics. He has felt the tide of advers ity, knows the heat of conflict, and appreciates the value of energy, self-reliance, and integ rity. He is a close student of the law, a forci ble speaker, cogent and discriminating in ar gument, and, above all, shows that he possesses convictions that must outweigh the false glare of sophistry, or the -subterfuges of mere sel fishness. His dignity of character, his legal versatility, his affability, bespeak for him a de served success. Mr. Ryan, on November 15, 1886, was united in marriage with Anna L., daughter of John and Rose O'Hara, of Philadelphia. HON. MARMADUKE P. FOWLER, a leading business man of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, is a son of Gilbert H. and Rachel (Mach) Fowler, and was born at Fowlersville, Columbia county, Pennsylvania, July 25, 1826. 270 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY His grandfather, Benjamin Fowler, was a North Englander by birth, and came to the United States in 1 790, locating on the Hudson near Sing Sing, New York. On his journey to this country he was accompanied by his two brothers, who took up residence in New York city. Later in life he journeyed west to Columbia county, Pennsylvania, of which county he was one of the earliest settlers. His experiences here were those consequent upon the life of a pioneer, and embraced many dangers and hardships. He had enlisted in the war of the Revolution prior to his re moval to Pennsylvania, and was married after Independence was declared. By occu pation he was a blacksmith, and in. church affiliation a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was wedded in Reading, Pa., to a Miss Fowler of that place (a lady of German descent), by whom he had a family of eight children, six sons and two daughters. Father of M. P. Fowler was a native of Fowlersville, Columbia county, Pennsylvania, born June 8, 1800, and died November 24, 1874, in Elizabeth city, North Carolina, while visiting his son, who at the time was a resi dent of that State. He pursued farming up to the year 1835, when he embarked in the mercantile business at Fowlersville, married, and continued up to the year 1870, when he disposed of his store to his sons, Zechariah T. and Samuel S. At this time he retired to private life and sustained nothing more than a nominal connection with the active business world. He was a man of strong religious zeal and deep devotion, and took a prominent part in the work of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was a member. To the erection and material support of the church he also gave with a liberal hand, donating the site for its erection. In politics he was a supporter of the Whig party, and upon the organization of the Republican party transferred his allegiance to that party. In military affairs he also took considerable pride, having organized the first military company in Columbia county, of which he was a commander for a number of years. His first wife (mother of subject) was born in Berwick, Columbia county, on , 1800, and died May 9, 1840. She bore twelve children, eight sons and four daughters. His second wife was Catharine Smith, by whom he had three sons and one daughter. M. P. Fowler was brought up on his father's farm and received his education in the com mon schools of his section of the county. In boyhood he was accustomed to farm work and later as an assistant in ,his father's store, in which capacity he continued until he reached his maj ority. At the termination of this period he entered the employ of Milins, White & Co., of Beaver Meadow, Carbon county, as a clerk, remaining until the close of the year 1848, when he took charge of a store for Hamburg & Co., successors to former named company, in whose employ he remained until 1850. He then went to Coal Rain in the service of George Rich, and in the year 1852 formed a partnership with William H. Wilson, and purchased the freight line from Tamaqua to Port Clinton, which was conducted success fully for nearly twelve years, when the owners sold to the Reading railroad company in 1863. During that period Mr. Fowler was the freight agent for the Catawissa railroad company, north of Tamaqua, and from 1852 to 1863, express agents for Howard & Co., handling over $18,000,000. Mr. Fowler entered the drug business in Tamaqua from 1858 to 1865, and was made postmaster of that city from April 17, 1861, to April 1, 1865, when he re- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 271 signed. While in Tamaqua he was a member of the council and school board for a term of ten years, and took a deep interest in the schools. In March, 1864, he made a new departure, and with Harry Huhn directed his attention to the coal business, operating at Fowler's Patch under the firm name of the Knickerbocker Coal company. This plant was disposed of to O. W. Davis in 1865, and in 1866 was formed into a stock company, in which Fowler and Huhn owned a controlling interest. It was officered with Mr. Fowler as president and manager, and Mr. Huhn as sec retary and treasurer. Under this management the business was conducted until 1873, when they sold to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron company. Simultaneously with these other enterprises, Mr. Fowler in 1867, went into the iron industry with the firm of Hancock, Creiling & Co., at Danville, Pennsylvania, and maintained his relations with that firm until about 1870, when that company was merged into the National Iron company, and on Janu ary 23, 1873, this company failed. At this time he negotiated a lease of the two furnaces for five years, kept them fn operation for nearly two years, and at the close of that time, closed up his business, and connected himself with the Tamaqua Boot and Shoe factory. In 1875 he offered himself as a candidate for Prothonotary for Schuylkill county on the the republican ticket, but was defeated by a majority of two hundred and twenty-three votes, in a county of almost two thousand democratic majority. The next year he was a candidate for legislative honors in the third district of his county, and the returns were brought in in favor of William C. Fetthoffi He contested the election, however, in 1877, be fore the courts, and his opponent was sustained by that tribunal. An appeal was then made from the decision and the matter brought be fore the State committee on elections, which body declared him elected, and it was so rati fied by the House of Representatives. Mr. Fowler took his seat twenty-four days before the expiration of his term and received full pay for the entire term. In 1877 he removed to Shenandoah, same county, and engaged in the flour, grain and lumber business, in which he has a large trade, both retail and wholesale. Aside from this he is a director of the First National bank of Shenandoah and of the Citi zens' Electric Light Company. Fraternally, he is a member ofthe Tamaqua Lodge, No. 238, F. and A.M., ofthe Tamaqua Chapter No. 177, R. A. M., and of Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 31, Knights Templar and Scottish Right Masons, 14th degree. In 1863, he was lieu tenant of company E., 27th regiment emer gency corps, and is now a member of Double- day Post, No 187, G. A. R., at Tamaqua. Mr. Fowler married December 31, 1849, Margaret C, a daughter of William H. and Susan E. Wilson, of Beaver Meadow, Carbon county, Pennsylvania. To them five children have been born : Susan E., educated at Rich ards College, Canandaigua, N. Y., and Buck nell University, at Lewisburg, Pa., and is now bookkeeper for her father ; Sarah E., a gradu ate of Bucknell University, and wife of Joseph H. Pomeroy, an attorney of Shenandoah ; Mary E., graduate of Bucknell University, married to Francis J. Boyer, of Galesburg, 111. ; Rachel B. (educated in Bucknell Univer sity, and for a number of years a well-known and popular teacher in Kindergarten schools in Philadelphia, Shenandoah and Helena), wife of C. W. Helmick, of Helena, Mon. ; Maggie E. (educated in the private school of Rev. Benj. Meeker, of Tamaqua), wife of Morgan E. Gable, manager of the Pittsburg Times. 272 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY His wife was born February 18, 1829, and died November 1, 1875. He again married Maggie J. Weir, a daughter of Duncan and Elizabeth Weir, of near Pottsville, but formerly a native of Scotland. Mr. Fowler is a man of varied business ex perience, ability and a highly respected citi zen. He is popular, deserving, and by his agreeable and affable manner has attracted to him many persons of deep friendship. His many qualities of mind and heart have gained for him a general esteem. JA ICHOLAS HEBLICH, a well-known and A successful lawyer of Pottsville, is a son of Philip and Margaret (Kramer) Heblich, and was born in the kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, March 9, 1849. Philip Heblich, father of Nicholas, was born in the kingdom of Bavaria, November 3, 18 10. There he was reared and educated and lived until he came to Schuylkill county in 1852, settling at Bushy Tract, but later removed to Middleport, where he died, May 5, 1890. Before emigrating to this country, and while yet a young man, he had learned the trade of a distiller, at which trade he worked up to the time of coming to Schuylkill county, when he took up the pursuits of a miner, following this avocation during the remainder of his active life. His union with Margaret Kramer was blessed with five children : Susanna, widow of William Herman; Philip, a" resident of Middleport, this county, and an engineer by vocation ; and Nicholas; two having died in infancy. • Nicholas Heblich obtained a fair education in the Middleport public schools, this county, and still further pursued his studies in the Millersville State Normal school, at Millers ville, Pennsylvania. Having a natural aptitude and liking for the legal profession, he resolved to enter upon the study of its principles ; accordingly, he entered, as a student, the office of the Hon. O. P. Bech tel, the present well-known and popular judge of Schuylkill county. On June 2, 1873, Mr. Heblich was admitted to the bar of Schuylkill county, and has practiced successfully to the present time, numbering among his clientele some of the most prominent and intelligent men of the county. Mr. Heblich was united in marriage, Feb ruary 18, 1886, to Rosa Reiger, a daughter of Gottleib and Christiana (Vogt) Reiger. This union has been blessed with the following children: Marguerite, born January 17, 1877; and Oliver, born December 17, 1889. Mr. Heblich evinces a normal interest in secret and benevolent associations, and is a member of Middleport Lodge, No. 474, Inde pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and of Middle- port Lodge, No. , Knights of Pythias. FRANCIS W. BOYER, M. D. Among the leaders of the medical profession of Schuylkill county, but more especially of Pottsville, must be placed Francis W. Boyer, whose name heads this sketch. His parents were William E. and Hannah E. (Schwalm) Boyer. He was born in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on February 18, 1848. His grandparents on both sides were natives of Berks county, Pennsylvania. William Boyer, his paternal grandfather, removed from there in 18.10, to Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, where he died in 1878,, aged eighty- one years. He was an old line whig, took an active part in the early politics of Schuyl kill county, and was elected one of its first sheriffs. The greater part of his active life was devoted to public service as a county or OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 273 village official. He married Maria Henrietta Frederica Stull, by whom he had eight chil dren, six sons and two daughters. Dr. Boyer's father was born in Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, October 29, 1823. He lived in that vicinity for a period of twenty years, when he removed to Pottsville, and is still residing in that place. His present occu pation is that of a tobacco merchant, to which business he has devoted the greater part of his life. He is a republican and served for twenty-four years as school director and three years as member of the council. Religiously he takes a more than ordinary interest in the Evangelical church of Pottsville, in which he is regarded as one of the leading and promi nent members. For thirty years he was a class leader and president of the board of trus tees, besides filling many stations of lesser importance. His family included three chil dren, two sons and one daughter : Francis W., subject; Laura H., wife of James A. Medlar, and Edmund S., a graduate of Lafayette col lege, and at present a practicing lawyer at Somersworth, New' Hampshire. Dr. Boyer was joined in marriage with Car oline G. Hammeken, daughter of Gouverneur N. Hammeken, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, January 7, 1874. To them have been born seven children : Anna A., Marion G., Gover- neur H., Laura F., Judith M. C, Caroline G, and Francis E. Dr. Boyer was educated in the Pottsville high school, and after his graduation there began reading medicine under the preceptor ship of Dr. C. H. Haeseler, of Pottsville. He entered the medical department of the Univer sity of Pennsylvania, and was graduated there from in 1868, and one year later from Hahne mann college, Philadelphia. During this year he was a resident in the Maryland Eye and 18 Ear Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland. He opened an office in Pottsville and began the practice of medicine, which has been attended with laudable success down to the present time. He has had an extensive and varied experience through his own practice, and also the benefit of the best clinical observation af forded by our large cities. This, together with assiduous and close study, has made his advice particularly significant. He is a mem ber of the American Institute of Homoepathy, the Pennsylvania State Homoepathic Medical society, and also of the Homoepathic Medical society of Schuylkill county. Dr. Boyer is a republican in politics in which he takes a nominal interest; is vice- president of the Schuylkill Real Estate, Title, Insurance and Trust Company, and president of the board of trustees of the Evangelical church of which he is an active and consistent member. HON. CHARLES F. KING, ex-state sen ator of the twenty-ninth district and well-known citizen of Mahanoy city, is a son of James A. and Rachel (Geddes) King, and was born October 4, 1841, in Wilmington, Delaware. His grandfather, Charles King, emigrated to Delaware from Germany, and died in Wilmington. He followed the sea for a livelihood and remained rugged in health until the time of his death. His marriage to Mary Fox bore a fruitage of twelve children of which the father of Charles F. was one. He was born in Wilmington about the year 1 8 17, continued to reside there until 1842, when he removed to Philadelphia and remained until 1848. At this time he came to Miners ville, Schuylkill county, where he spent most of his remaining years. He died in Girard ville, same county, in the year 1867. By oc- 274 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY cupation he was a carpenter, but afterwards relinquished that calling and took charge of several collieries at different periods as super intendent. He espoused the tenets of the Whig party during its existence, and later at tached himself to the Democratic party. Grandfather King served in the war of 18 1 2, and during the Mexican war was in command of a vessel of the United States navy. James A. King married a daughter of John Geddes of Bucks county, Pa., who bore him seven children, four boys and three girls. Charles F., whose name heads this sketch, was educated in the common schools until he * reached the age of ten years, when he became an errand boy, and subsequently clerk, in a general store. He remained in this position for a period of six years and afterwards con nected himself with a colliery, as assistant to his father, for three years. When the civil war began he was anxious to try the fortunes of war, and in 1861 enlisted in Co. C, 1st regi ment, Delaware volunteer infantry, as a private, and served with this regiment about twenty-two months. At the end of this time he was dis charged from his regiment on account of sick ness, but afterwards joined company K, 137th regiment volunteer infantry, and served ten months, this being a nine months regiment. Part of this time he was member of a detach ment from the regiment to do duty in the ord nance department. His service was entirely confined to the Army of the Potomac. After returning to civic life he was employed as station agent of the Philadelphia and Read ing Railroad at Mahanoy City, which position he held for two years. He now changed his occupation to that of railroad contractor, and has continued in that business up to the pres ent time, ranking as one of the oldest in con tinuous service now living. In politics Mr. King is a strong democrat, and was elected by that party as a representa tive in the state legislature in 1871 for a period of six successive years. In 1882 he was hon ored by the same party in being elected to the state senate from the Twenty- Ninth senatorial district. Upon the expiration of his term he was re-elected and served an additional three years. He has also been elected from time to time as a delegate to state conventions, and at both times of President Cleveland's nomina tion was one of the delegates to the national convention. Mr. King is one ofthe trustees ofthe Miners' Hospital at Ashland and was one of the organi zers of the Union National Bank of Mahanoy city, of which he is a present director. He has been twice married : first, to Cecelia Moody, daughter of F. R. Moody of Pottsville, and the second time, in 1873, to Sarah C. King, a daughter of Charles S. King, of . He is the father of five children, two of whom are dead. Those still living are M. Annetta, Edmund and Charles Bayard. Mr. King is an adherent of the Catholic church and one of its strongest supporters. Both in public and private life he has borne himself without reproach and commands the respect of his fellow-townsmen, without regard to party or sect. £T LBERT W. SELTZER, ofthe well known firm of A. W. Seltzer & Bro., is a son of Conrad and Dorothea E. (Roehrig) Seltzer, and was born in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, July 7, 1843. He was of direct German descent, his father having been born in Marburg, Hesse Castle, Germany, Sep tember 17, 18 17. The ancestors ofthe father were by occupation nearly all butchers, and it was but natural that the son should adopt OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 275 that business. He came to the United States in 1832, and located in Fishback, a suburb of Pottsville, where he followed his hereditary occupation until about the year of 1870, when he began dealing in live stock. This he con tinued up to 1889, at which time he retired from active business. He was a careful, saga cious, prudent business man, and in both branches of his enterprises met with very com mendable financial success. Politically, he affiliated with the Democratic party, in which he always took an active and aggressive interest. In 1864 his party honored him by election to the office of County Treasurer, in which capacity he served until 1866. He was also a man of strong religious feeling, a mem ber of the German Lutheran Church, and for a number of years held the positions of elder and trustee. His marital union resulted in a family of twelve children, eleven of whom are still living; seven sons and four daughters. He died September 2, 1890, in Pottsville. Albert W. was joined in marriage with Emma R., a daughter of Jacob Kohber, one of the pioneers of Pottsville, February 22, 1866. They are the parents of five children: Dorothea E., married William C. Knight, son of the proprietor of the Pennsylvania Hall Hotel and book-keeper at the Tilt Silk Mill ; Charles A., at home, in the employ of the firm as book-keeper ; Mary, Alice A., and Ammie. Mr. Seltzer received his education in the Pottsville public schools, and after having some business experience and serving a nine months' term in the civil war, he further pre pared himself for a business career by enter ing Eastman Business College, at Pough- keepsie, N. Y., from which he was graduated in July, 1864. His first venture on his own account was the live-stock business, which he began in 1866 and successfully continued until 1887. During this year he and his brother, William H., engaged in the pork- packing business, for which purpose they erected a plant on Water and Temple streets. The main building is 200 x 200 feet, with a wing 175 x 175 feet, and three stories high. They employ thirty-five men in the establish ment, and slaughter annually fifty-five thous and head of hogs, fifteen hundred head of cattle and six hundred calves, approximately, besides a large number of sheep and lambs. The business has grown step by step in im portance and stability in attestation of the enterprise and energy of the firm. Mr. Seltzer enlisted at Harrisburg, August, 1862, in Company A., 129th regiment Pennsyl vania Volunteer Infantry, for nine months, and received an honorable discharge from service May 26, 1862. During this time he took part in all the engagements of the army of the Potomac, receiving two flesh wounds. He is a member of the Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., and the German Lutheran Church, in which latter he has been elder for about nineteen years, and deacon for five years. Mr. Seltzer is a democrat, politically, though better defined as an independent. He was a member of the city council for thirteen con secutive years, a member of the school board five years, and takes a decided interest in all matters which require a wise public spirit and loyal patronage. © f>EORGE J. WADLINGER, a talented ^ and popular lawyer of Pottsville, Penn sylvania, is a son of Francis and Anna M. (Shaub) Wadlinger, and was born in Miners ville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, July IO, 1857. His grandfather, George J. Wadlinger, was a native of the kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, 276 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY where he lived and died. His son, the father of George J., was also born in Germany, in the year 1836, and died in Mahanoy City, Schuylkill county, in 1879. He came to Minersville, Pennsylvania, in the year 1854, and remained there until 1865, when he went to Mahanoy City, where he engaged in the mercantile business. In connection with this, a short time before his death, he was superintendent of collieries, and with his brother, John Wadlinger, was interested in Phcenix Park colliery under the firm name of F. Wadlinger & Co. He was also superin tendent ofthe Diamond colliery at Forestville and Anchor colliery at Heckscherville ; while acting in this capacity, he received the injuries that subsequently caused his death. In politics, he was a very active democrat, but never as pired to office. By his marriage the following named children were born that lived to ma turity : Frank, a resident of Mahanoy City ; John A., residing at same place ; Jacob, living in Pottsville, clerk to the county com missioners ; Michael M., Mahanoy City ; and George J. Mr. Wadlinger was united in marriage on August 29, 1882, with Margaret D. Jones, a daughter of David W. Jones, a native of Wales, but recently a resident of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. To them have been born five children : Mary Louise, born June 5, 1883, and died at the age of eighteen months; Charles V. and George W., twins, born December 5,1885; Francis Raymond, born September 12, 1890; Herman David, born May 14, 1893. He was educated in the public schools of Mahanoy City, and later entered St. Vincent College in Westmoreland county, Pennsyl vania, from which he received the degree of master of accounts, June, 1873. He is now president of the alumni association of that college. After his graduation he engaged in the mercantile business in Mahanoy City, during which time he did considerable news paper corresponding, and had also begun the preliminary study of law. He retired from mercantile business in 1879, and entered the office of Hon. Charles N. Brumm, where he continued his law studies until March 4, 188 1, the date of his admission to the bar of Schuyl kill county. He then opened an office in Pottsville, and has been in active, successful practice ever since. Mr. Wadlinger is a strong supporter of the Democratic party, and has always been re garded as one of its ablest and wisest coun sellors. He has been frequently urged to present himself as a candidate for political honors, but has usually declined to seek po litical preferment. However, he was elected a delegate to the Democratic State convention in 1883, and presented the name of B. B. McCool for nomination to the office of State treasurer, and has also been a State delegate several times s"ince. In 1891, also, he was nominated for the position of Additional Law Judge for the county of Schuylkill, in oppo sition to Judge David B. Green, but was defeated. He is a stockholder, and one of the original organizers of the Union National Bank of Mahanoy City, a successful financial insti tution. He is also president of the Americus Democratic club of Pottsville, secretary of the Schuylkill County Bar association ever since its organization in 1887, and a member of the committee for examination of students for admission to the bar, for six years. Aside from these, Mr. Wadlinger is a member of the staff of reporters for the District Reports — a series of legal records which, since 18.91, have OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 277 held a very important place in the law litera ture of the State. In 1889, he published his well known treatise, . the " Law of Costs in Pennsylvania," which has received a very candid endorsement from the bench and bar of the State, and in which he has exhibited his ability as a clear and cogent legal writer. He is thoroughly familiar with the routine of court procedure, is an earnest and profound student of the finer issues of legal jurispru dence, and above all bears an unblemished integrity. HON, DECATUR E. NICE, an able mem ber of the bar of Schuylkill county and ex-member of the State Legislature, is a son of William and Sarah (Eckert) Nice, and was born in Hamburg, Berks county, Pennsyl vania, March 5, 18 19. His grandfather; John Nice, is a direct descendant of George Nice, who came from the city of Nice in 1688. Nice was at that time under the French regime, and he was obliged to flee from it on account of the merciless persecution of the Huguenots by the government. Upon his arrival in the United States, he took up his abode at Ger mantown, Pennsylvania, now a part of Phila delphia, where he died. Upon his arrival he purchased a patent for nine hundred acres of land from the King of England, and also pur chased nine hundred acres from William Penn in what is now Montgomery county, Penn sylvania. Upon his property in Montgomery county, which became the Nice homestead, grandfather Nice was born about the year . He was a large land owner, and be sides the conduct of several farms, he operated a flouring mill, a fulling mill, a tannery and distillery, the output of which was transported to Philadelphia. In addition to his many business enterprises, he was also a large money-lender, and at that time was accounted a man of opulence. When he was but four teen years of age he took leave of his father, during the Revolutionary war, and made an expedition through the- mountains to Cata wissa Valley, where powder was manufactured at that time, and after having secured a supply took it to General Washington at Valley Forge. This incident gives a faint exhibition of the patriotism and feeling of loyalty that animated him at that time. His farms were worked by slaves at that period, and his whole conduct of affairs betokened energy, thrift and success. By his marriage, he had thirteen children living at the time of his death, each ,of whom received a legacy of $13,000 from the estate. The father of subject was also born on the old homestead in Montgomery county, but after reaching his majority, transferred his fortunes to Susquehanna county, from which county he came to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in 1835, where he died October 25, 1855, at the age of sixty-six years. He was originally a silversmith and watchmaker, and later a mer chant. While a citizen of Pottsville, he con ducted quite a successful business in the line of merchandising. He married, May 5, 1818, and reared a family embracing four children : Decatur E. ; Barbara, married to Joseph F. Taylor ; Sarah E. ; John E., married to Martha Kergerslager. All now deceased with the ex ception ofthe subject. Decatur E. married Susan Silliman, a daugh ter of Thomas Silliman, of Pottsville, Penn sylvania, February 14, 1844. They have two children : Sarah, wife of William Ramsay, of Pottsville, and Elizabeth H. His first wife died in , 1861. He married the second 278 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY JHTDOLPH W. SCHALCK was born in Wiesbaden, in Germany, January 16, 1845, and is the son of George and Sophia (Windisch) Schalck. His ancestors were all natives of Germany, and, with the exception of his parents, remained in the old world. The father of our subject was also a native of Wiesbaden, born in 1820. His education was obtained under the splendid system of time, Annetta Silliman, a sister of his former wife, in 1863. Mr. Nice was prepared for college at the Milton academy, Milton, Pennsylvania, and entered the University of Vermont, where he continued for three years, being compelled to leave at the end of that time by reason of impaired health. In 1 841, he was graduated from the law academy at Carlisle, Pennsyl vania, and immediately began practice at Pottsville, where he is now the oldest member j of the bar but one. He is a democrat politi cally, and as such was district attorney under j Governor Porter from 1843 to 1844, and rep- J resentative of Schuylkill county in the Penn sylvania Legislature during the years i867-'68. He has been president of the city councils for j three years, and has served a number of times as delegate to political conventions, the most notable of which was that nominating Mr. Tilden for the presidency. He is a director and secretary of the Schuylkill Electric Light Company, and also secretary of the Pottsville Gas Company. Fraternally he is a member of Pulaski Lodge,- No. 216, F. and A. M., of which he is Past Master. Mr. Nice is an honored and respected citizen, thoroughly awake to the best interests of his city and county, and enjoys the uni form confidence of all who know him. German schools, and early in life he learned the trade of locksmith and gunsmith, and dur ing several campaigns served in the German army as armorer. In 1854 he determined to seek his fortune in the United States, and upon his arrival located in the town of Pottsville, where he has ever since pursued his vocation of gunsmith and other closely allied mechan ical work for which he has a wonderful capa city, being celebrated as a genius in all sorts of mechanical arts They had but one child, their son, Adolph W. The career ofthe son was somewhat varied. After passing through the public schools of Pottsville he found employment as a clerk in a wholesale glass and china importing house in Philadelphia, where he remained about two years. He grew restive, however, under cler ical duties and returning to Pottsville, became a reporter on a German weekly paper — the Schuylkill Democrat. Later, in 1862, he be came a clerk in the office of that eminent lawyer, Franklin B. Gowen, Esq., then district attorney of this county, and later on the pres ident ofthe Philadelphia and Reading railroad company. Here he began the study of law. He was admitted to the bar in 1866, and for some years remained associated with Mr. Gowen until the latter's removal to Philadel phia. Ever since then Mr. Schalck has been in the active practice of his profession; though, for some years, also simultaneously engaged in politics, beginning about 1871. In politics Mr. Schalck is a democrat, and in 1874 was a candidate for district attorney in that party, with the late George R. Kaercher, Esq., as a competitor. Mr. Kaercher was the successful candidate ; but during his administration Mr. Schalck was the solicitor for the directors of the poor of the county, — and also became chairman of the Democratic County Commit- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 279 tee during the Presidential campaign of 1876. In 1877 he was nominated for district attor ney and was elected. Later on, from 1 88 1 to 1884, he served as attorney to the county commissioners of Schuylkill county, and also repeatedly as treasurer and chairman of the Democratic County Committee ; his last cam paign as chairman being that of 1 890, when the county gave Governor Pattison over 4100 majority, the largest majority it ever gave to any candidate. Mr. Schalck in his professional and public life is regarded as an active, energetic, indus trious and persevering man, true alike to both client and party. He has done good work as a campaign speaker, and equally as much as an organizer of his party. During the late war Mr. Schalck twice en tered the army, serving in emergency regi ments when Pennsylvania was invaded by the enemy; and for over ten years has been and still is the quartermaster of Gowen Post, No. 23, ofthe Grand Army of the Republic. He has also been very closely connected with the German Order of Harugari, of which order he is the present chief officer for the State. Mr. Schalck married in 1870 Emma R. Haeseler, daughter of the late Dr. Charles Haeseler, the pioneer homoeopathic physician in Schuylkill county. They have only one child, a daughter, Louise G., now eighteen years of age. In church matters Mr. Schalck is an active member ofthe German Lutheran church, and for many years a trustee of the same. 1*\R. CHARLES EDWARD QUAIL, of Auburn, Pennsylvania, one of the most prominent and successful physicians of Schuyl kill county, is a son of Conrad and Mary (Ports) Quail, and was born in Baltimore, Maryland, October 9, 1841. His father was of German birth and parentage, and came to the United States about the year 1825. He took up his residence in Baltimore, and after a period of eighteen years in that city, died, in 1845, at the age of forty years. By occupa tion he was a contractor and builder, carrying on this line of work in Baltimore, St. Louis, and other places on a large scale. In 1843, he was engaged to superintend the erection of the government arsenal at Harper's Ferry, and met his death through the rupture of a blood vessel while thus employed. He was promi nently identified with fraternal organizations, and was one of the charter members of Co lumbia Lodge, I.O.O.F., the first order of that kind organized in Baltimore, in which he was valued as a man and as an enthusiastic worker. He was wedded to a daughter of John Ports, a native of southern Pennsylvania, but latterly a citizen of Manchester, Maryland, in which latter place he died in 1853, at the age of eighty-four years. Mr. Ports was a carpenter and contractor, in connection with which busi ness he also operated a large farm. He was a democrat of the Jacksonian type, and a mem ber of the Lutheran church. His family con sisted of his wife (nee Mary Wentz) and eleven children, five sons and six daughters. The mother of Dr. Quail was born in Car roll county, Maryland, and died at Hampstead, in the same county and State, in the year 1887, at the age of seventy-seven years. She bore a family of six children, four sons and two daughters: George W., deceased; Margaret, deceased ; John H , a farmer, living near Hamp stead, Maryland; William, died in Philadel phia, April, 1893; Charles E., subject; and Susan, wife of Joseph Little, of Hampstead, Pennsylvania. 2*0 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Charles Edward was educated in the schools of Baltimore, and at Mt. Irving college, Man chester, Maryland. Before graduation, how ever, the civil war had burst upon the nation, and his patriotic zeal enlisted his sympathies in behalf of his country. He accordingly en listed, August 2, 1862, at Baltimore, in Com pany D, 8th regiment Maryland volunteers, under command of Colonel Andrew Denison. This regiment belonged to the brigade of Major-General John R. Kenly, of the Army of the Potomac. He did valiant service with this army for two years and ten months, re maining in the service until the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox. In many of the engagements of the Army of the Potomac, he was a participant, and lived to see the vindica tion of national sovereignty and the establish ment of republican autonomy, when the thun ders of war had ceased. After the close of the war he entered the Maryland University Medical college, and was graduated in 1 867. He began practice at once, and was retained in the Baltimore Infirmary for one year. In 1868, he removed to Auburn, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where he has continued his practice down to the present time (1893). In connection with his practice, he engaged in the drug business in 1892, which he still continues. He has been a member of both county and State medical associations, and in 1873 was elected by the republican party as coroner of Schuylkill county. Dr. Quail, aside from professional duties, has been largely identified with the business interests of his town. He is the owner of an excellent farm in West Brunswick township, one mile southeast of Auburn, possesses valuable real estate within the corporate limits of Auburn, and, in 1887, was one of the organizers ofthe Auburn Bolt and Nut works, of which he was president nearly the entire five years of its operation under that name. He is a member ofthe pension medical examining board ofthe county, appointed under President Harrison's administration, and has been a school director and treasurer for a number of years. In relig ious matters, he affiliates with that body known as the Independent Church of God, of which he is a trustee and valued member. He is also a member of the Jerre Helms Post, No. 26, G.A.R., at Schuylkill Haven. Dr. Quail was united in bonds of marriage to Emma C. Weishample, a daughter of Rev. John F. and Gertrude Weishample, of Balti more, Maryland, June 4, 1867. To them have been born five children : Charles E., died in childhood; Foster Koehler (see sketch), de ceased ; E. Lulu and Flora J., students at Millersville State Normal school; Charles, student at Pottsville Grammar school. Dr. Quail is a man of many excellent quali ties, genial, affable, and enterprising; he is favorably known as a physician of skill and learning, and by reason of his various business interests has a large acquaintance throughout the county, while he has the uniform esteem and respect of his fellow-townsmen. lT\R- FOSTER KOEHLER QUAIL, son of Dr. Charles E. Quail (see foregoing sketch), and a young physician of superior worth and attainments, was born at Auburn, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, June 23, 1869, and died at Ennis, West Virginia, December 21, 1892. He received a careful home train ing, and during his early youth was sent to the Pottsville public schools, where he remained six consecutive years, graduating therefrom in 1887. Immediately after graduation he began the study of medicine with his father, and in DR. FOSTER KOEHLER QUAIL. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 281 the autumn of the year 1888 entered the Medico-Chirurgical college of Philadelphia, from which he was graduated with high honor in 1891. He was a close and apt student dur ing his professional course, and sustained the highest average in practical clinics in his class, for which he was awarded, at the commence ment exercises, the gold medal offered by Dr. W. F. Waugh, professor of medical practice. He was elected resident physician of the hos pital of his alma mater after graduation, and while serving in that capacity entered the com petitive examination at the Philadelphia Hos pital, and was appointed to fill one ofthe sixteen positions at that institution, against a competi tion of seventy applicants. On December 1, 1892, he entered upon the discharge of his du ties, and continued in that position until he was called and accepted a place as physician to the Turkey Gap Coal and Coke Company, at Ennis, West Virginia. Here, by close application and professional skill, he soon built up a very envi able and rapidly-growing practice. But his, in many respects, brilliant career was fated to be cut short when still in the fresh vigor of young manhood and bright hopes. He contracted typhoid fever while in attendance upon one of his patients, and, despite the best treatment and care, succumbed to the irresistible sweep of death. He died after an illness of sixteen days. Dr. Quail's life was a twice-told tale — nay, one oft repeated — that of a man of promise, and talent, and many unusual qualities, stricken down in the threshold of usefulness. He was a young man of integrity, of fine presence, dignified in his address, courteous and kind in his contact with men. In point of religious and intellectual life, his was one of consistency and beauty, setting forth qualities of manli ness, earnestness, and the Christian life with singular felicity. At a special meeting of the Alumni association of the Medico-Chirurgical college, appropriate resolutions of respect were offered. He was interred December 27, 1892, at Auburn, his home, and a very hand some Quincy granite monument marks his resting-place — a shaft significant of paternal sorrow and paternal affection. His funeral was attended by many prominent persons, from both at home and abroad, who had come to pay their last respects to him whom they loved in life, and whose memory they cherished in death; at which time Prof. S. A. Thurlow, of Pottsville High school, delivered an appropri ate oration on the life and character of the de ceased. HONORABLE THOMAS H. WALKER. Among the number of distinguished jurists who have occupied the bench of Schuylkill county must be included the man whose name heads this sketch. He is a son of Lewis and Sarah Yeates (Hubley) Walker, and was born June 18, 1823, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. His grandfather was a well-to-do farmer of Chester county, Pennsyl vania, where he passed his life and died. His father was also a native of Chester county, but early cast his line of life in another locality. He was an iron master of prominence, and when he died at Lebanon, Pennsylvania, in 1825, was serving in that capacity in the em ploy of the Colemans. His marriage resulted in the birth of three children, two boys and one girl: Lewis L., a practicing physician, located at No. 3612 Chestnut street, Philadel phia ; Margaret H., deceased, and Thomas H. Judge Walker was educated at Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania, and Pennsyl vania College at Gettysburg, same State. After his course here he was appointed by A. B. 282 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Monford, one of the chief engineers of the divisions of the State, to a position on an engineer corps then engaged in the construc tion of the Wiconisco canal in Dauphin county. He remained two years in this capacity, and was then promoted to the rank of assistant engineer on the North Branch canal, and took residence for over one year at Northumberland, Pennsylvania. Shortly after this time he entered the law office of Horace Smith, Esq., a prominent lawyer of Pottsville, read law and was admitted to the bar in 1 846. Since that time his career was shaped within the same county. Ten years after his admis sion to practice he was elected district attorney of Schuylkill county, on the Democratic ticket, but at the expiration of the term declined re election. Since that time he has frequently been the nominee of Schuylkill county for Congress, but in each case has yielded to the other counties — Lebanon and Northumber land—which at the time composed the Con gressional district. He has been twice a Presidential elector, and with more or less frequency attended the State Conventions of his party as a counsellor of weight and wis dom. In 1 87 1 he was elected additional law judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Schuylkill county for a term of ten years, which place he filled with fidelity and honor. In the summer of 1878 he was appointed by Governor Hartranft one of the delegates from Pennsylvania, with Joseph R. Chandler and others, to the International Prison Congress, which convened at Stockholm, Sweden, on August 20, of that year. With this Commis sion he visited all the principal prisons of Europe, including those of London, Berlin, Paris, Vienna, Dublin, Edinburgh and Geneva, with a view to studying the various penal systems in vogue, and the methods of their management. Since his retirement from the Bench, he has again devoted himself to the active practice of his profession, in conjunc tion with his son, Lewis B. Walker. He has been a director of the Miners' Bank, and President of the People's Railway Company, and is at present the President of the Union Hall Association, and an active official of the Schuylkill Electric Railway Company. Both he and his family are devoted members of the Episcopal church, of which he was formerly one of the vestrymen. Judge Walker was married on the 18th of May, 1854, to Susan E. Shellenberger, a daughter of Daniel Shellenberger, of Ham burg, Berks county, Pennsylvania. By this marriage three children were born who reached maturity : Lewis B., married to Carrie L. Eckel, of Yorkville, Schuylkill county. He was graduated from Lafayette College in 1878, studied law and was admitted to the bar of Schuylkill county in the spring of 1878. He has been in active practice ever since, and is the editor of the Legal Record, in connec tion with Arthur J. Pilgram, published in two volumes, containing chiefly decisions in the courts of Common Pleas of Pennsylvania. In addition, three volumes have been published under the title of " Reports of cases decided by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, which have been omitted from the regular reports," by Lewis B. Walker, Esq. ; Sarah C, is mar ried to Edward S. Newell, a surveyor of Potts ville, where he filled the position of borough surveyor for a number of years ; Clarence, a resident of Horatio, Jefferson county, Pennsyl vania. He is a graduate of Lehigh University, at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and by profession a mining engineer in the employ of the Ber- wand White Coal Company of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, as chief engineer. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 283 Judge Walker was appdinted by Governor Pattison, of Pennsylvania, a commissioner to represent the State in the Inter-State Anti- Trust Conference, which met at Chicago on the 5th of June, 1893, and was by that body elected one of the Vice-Presidents of the permanent organization to carry out the object ofthe convention. HENRY C. CAREY. Among the earliest ; pioneers in the ownership of coal lands ' in Schuylkill county, were Henry C. Carey, Isaac Lea, Edward L. Carey and Abraham . Hart. All of these gentlemen were exten sively engaged in the book publishing busi ness in Philadelphia; the first two being members of the firm of Carey, Lea and Blan- i chard, and the last two constituting the firm of E. L. Carey and A. Hart. In 1835, they purchased from Arthur St. Clair Nichols and Francis B. Nichols the St. Clair tract, and the same year they bought a controlling in terest in the York Farm and Eyre tract. The St. Clair tract remained in the possession of Henry C. Carey, Abraham Hart and Eliza C. Baird, the latter being the sister and one of the heirs of Edward L. Carey, until January 1, 1872, when it was disposed of to the Phila delphia and Reading Coal and Iron company. The control of the York Farm and Eyre tract remained in the possession of the heirs of Isaac Lea and Edward L. Carey, until it was recently sold in 1888, to E. N. Frisbie and by him to the Lehigh Valley Coal Company. Henry C. Carey, who was born in Phila delphia, on December 15, 1793, and died there October J3, 1879, was a well-known writer on economic questions — indeed the most original American investigator of these problems. His fame is world-wide, and his books, one or more, have been translated into French, Ger man, Italian, Swedish, Russian, Japanese and other languages. On the purchase of these lands these gentlemen selected for their agent Thomas James, Baird, who had married the daughter of Mathew Carey, and the sister of Henry C. Carey and Edward L. Carey. Removing with his family to Pottsville in August, 1835, he resided there until his death in 1842. He had graduated at the U. S. Military academy in 1 814, and served in the war of 1812-1815 as a lieutenant of light artillery in Canada, under General Izard. He resigned in May, 1828, being then captain in the third regiment of U. S. artillery. In 1838, he was elected cap tain of the National Light Infantry of Potts ville, and in 1839, lieutenant-colonel of a battalion of volunteers of which his company constituted a part. His son, Edward Carey Baird, born in Pottsville in 1836, served with great distinc tion in the late war of the rebellion and reached the position of assistant adjutant- general of volunteers with the rank of major. At the battle of Gettysburg he was on the staff of General Reynolds, and in the first days fight that General, being mortally wounded, died in Baird's arms. Subsequenty to the close ofthe war, General Meade, on whose staff Baird had continuously served from Mechanicsville to Fredericks burg, expressed the opinion of him : " I have never known a man who had greater capacity for handling troops in action than Baird. Had he been <"n the line instead of on the staff he would have come out of the war a major-general." Major Baird died in November, 1874. 284 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY J fr PUIS WEBER, M.D., one of the best known and most successful physicians of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born at Roaring Creek, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, December 25, 1859, and is a son of Philip G. and Amelia (Frantz) Weber. His father was a native of the Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, born March 31, 18 17, and came to the United States in the year 1846, first locating in Tremont, Schuylkill county. From here he removed to Roaring Creek, Northumberland county, and thence to Maha noy City in 1862. He died in the latter place, January 11, 1889. He received his education in the public schools of his native country, and upon its completion began reading medi cine under his uncle, Dr. Walaner, of Kern, Prussia, and in 1840 was graduated from the medical department of Heidelberg University. After graduation he entered upon the practice of his profession at Hamburg, Germany, for six years, and at the termination of this period resolved to seek honors in the United States. During his stay in this country he was in active and successful practice up to the time of his death. In his church affiliations he was a communicant in the German Lutheran church, while politically he supported the Democratic party. He was united in marriage January 25, 1842, and was the father of eleven children, seven sons and four daugh ters. Dr. Louis Weber was educated at Swatara Institute, Jonestown, Lebanon county, Penn sylvania, and then began the study of medi cine under the preceptorship of his father. He later attended the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, and Jefferson Medical College of the same city, but before the completion of his course changed to the medical department of the University of the City of New York, from which he received his diploma in 1880. The next year he spent in post-graduate and clinical work at Philadelphia. After this time he opened an office for the general practice of his profession, in Philadelphia, and became assistant at Prof. Strawbridge's Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital, in Philadelphia. He prac ticed here for six years, and in 1887 removed to Mahanoy City, this county, where he has since resided and pursued the professional career of his choice. He has been attended here with enviable success, and enjoys a large general practice in connection with his special treatment of the diseases of the eye, ear and throat. In the latter specialties, Dr. Weber has had a rare education, and a large and varied experience. He has not only had the advan tage of the best American institutions and instruction, but also made a special trip to Europe for the purpose of perfecting his knowledge, as far as possible, along these lines. He has studied in the medical and clinical institutions at Berlin, Heidelberg, and visited noted hospitals of London, Dublin, and other noted European medical centers, and brings to his practice the benefits of care ful observation and skilful diagnosis. Dr. Weber was wedded to Matilda Barlow, a daughter of William H. and Salina (Kinselbach) Barlow, of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, on March 17, 1883. To them have been born three children, William L., Anna M., and Ida E. He is a member of the Lutheran church of Mahanoy City, and in his political views a democrat. In politics he always takes a keen and intelligent interest, having at heart the good of the County and State. To the church he has always been a liberal contributor, and has manifested a deep concern for its moral and humane efficiency. DR. LOUIS WEBER. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 285 j^ K. FILBERT, D. D. S., one of the ~ • leading dentists of Schuylkill county, is a descendant from a sturdy German ances try. He was born in Marion township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, June 6, 1850, the son of Samuel and Catharine (Kalbach) Filbert. His grandfather, John Filbert, was a native of Lower Heidelberg township, Berks county, while his great grandfather was born in Wur- temburg, Germany. His great grandfather emigrated to the United States at an early date and became one of the pioneer settlers of Berks county, where he pursued the occupa tion of farming and carpentering. His mar riage to Elizabeth Leiss resulted in a family of four sons and four daughters. The father of subject was born in Berks county, and died December 9, 1872, at the age of sixty-two years and six months. By occupation he was a farmer, was attended with very considerable success and at the time of his death was the possessor of two large farms. Politically he was a democrat, and as such was elected director of the poor two terms. Both he and family were affiliated with the Lutheran church, in which he served at various times as deacon, elder and treasurer. Nine children were born to him, of whom five were sons and four daughters. P. K. Filbert, one of the sons, whose name heads this sketch, was married February 25, 1875, to Julia M. Sell, a daughter of John H. Sell, of Berks county, Pennsylvania. To them have been born four children : Bertha A., Edward S., Catharine J., and Emily E. Dr. Filbert was educated in the schools of his native county and afterwards was engaged in farming and clerical work. Later he en tered the Pennsylvania College of Dentistry, from which he was graduated in March, 1873, Afterward he located in Pottsville, entered uppn his profession, and has since developed a successful and lucrative practice. Besides his professional work Dr. Filbert has been interested along certain business lines and is at present a director of the Schuylkill Real Estate, Title, Insurance and Trust Company. In politics he is independent of party, but is in general sympathy with Democratic principles. He is largely and prominently identified with secret and fraternal organizations, being a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., of which he is now Master, Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, R. A. M., of which he is Past High Priest, and Constantine Comman- dery, No. 41, K. T., of which he is Captain General. Besides these he in Past Grand of Miners' Lodge, No, 20, I, O. O. F., and a member 'of Franklin Encampment, No. 4. Personally Dr. Filbert is genial, affable and popular, while professionally he stands in the front rank of his profession, indicating that he possesses the qualifications ofa successful man in the broadest sense ofthe word. HON. JAMES FOCHT, a prominent re tired merchant of Pottsville, ex-asso ciate judge of Schuylkill county and the scion of an old and respected family of the same, is of good old Schuylkill Valley stock, and is a son of Daniel and Esther (Yoder) Focht, and was born in East Brunswick township, Schuyl kill county, October 8, 18 18. George Focht, grandfather, was one of the earlier settlers in Oley township, Berks county, Pennsylvania. Daniel Focht was born in Oley township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, in , and came in 1806, ten years prior to the laying out of Pottsville, as super intendent and clerk for John Pott for the erection of a charcoal furnace and forge, 286 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY selecting the site on which the Messrs. Atkins since then built their anthracite furnaces, now owned and operated by the Pottsville Iron and Steel Company. After serving in this capacity for several years he became a partner and was actively associated with Mr. Pott in carrying on the forge and making bar iron until 1812, when '-. he severed his connection with the firm and removed to Orwigsburg, and shortly after- j ward settled in East Brunswick township, and in company with Daniel Graeff erected a charcoal forge, the first, it is believed, ever operated by water power from the Little Schuylkill river. He retained an interest in this forge until 1836, when he retired from active business. Aside from the distinction of having been among the pioneers in "the iron industry of the county, he merits recognition as one of the founders of the Evangelical association in Schuylkill county, of which church he was for many years a local preacher. As manufacturer and believer in protection to home industries, he was a whig politically, and served one term of three years as county commissioner of Schuylkill county. He mar ried Esther Yoder, and to them were born a large family of twelve children ; ten boys and two girls. Judge Focht was educated in the McKeans burg select school, and in 1836 came to Potts ville, and was engaged in dry-goods and grocery stores, as clerk, and salesman until 1846, when he engaged in the mercantile business on his own account, being among the oldest merchants of the place. He continued the dry-goods business until March 20, 1892. He first embarked in a general mercantile business, then dry-goods and groceries; finally in i860 carpets and oilcloths were added. In 1 889 the town having become so populous and the business in carpets so great, he deter mined upon clearing out his other lines and to confine himself to the carpet trade, in connec tion with which he is best known to the younger generation. As a merchant, Judge Focht was deservedly successful. Good judg ment, strict habits and industry won for him the confidence of the community, which con fidence and respect he has always retained. Like his father before him, Judge Focht was a whig, and cast his first vote for General William Henry Harrison in 1840. When the Republican party was formed he joined its ranks and has always been one of its staunch- est supporters. He served as borough coun cilman and as a member of the school board a number of years. In 1862 Governor Curtin appointed him Associate Judge of Schuylkill county to fill the unexpired term of George Rahn, deceased, and discharged the duties of that office, fully justifying the confidence reposed in him. Judge Focht married in 1846, Martha, a daughter of David and Nancy Evans, of Lu zerne county, Pennsylvania. All of the five children of this marriage are living : David, a retired wholesale grocer, of Mahanoy city; Clara ; Charles, a civil engineer ; Mattie and Harry. He has been an active member and Past Grand of Girard Lodge, No. 53, I. O. O. F, and a Past Grand Patriarch of Franklin En campment. Of the Miners' National Bank, he has been a director for thirty years. .JOHN C. KNAPP, of Mahanoy City, Penn sylvania, belongs to that well-to-do sub stantial class of Germans, who have by their industry, economy, and thrift, added greatly to the prosperity of Schuylkill county. He OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 287 is a son of Charles and Maria Regina (Nuffer) Knapp, and was born in the kingdom of Wurtemburg, Germany, in the year 1827. He came to the United States in 185 1, took up a residence at Minersville, Schuylkill county, and remained there during the four succeed ing years, after which he went to Port Carbon. In the latter place he was employed in a flour mill until the year 1859, when he removed to Pottsville, and engaged in the butcher trade. In 1862, he transferred the business to Mahanoy City, which has since ' that time continued to be his place of business and residence. Through careful attention to the details of his trade, it has grown to a very creditable extent, and has enabled him to launch out into various other enterprises, from which he derives a very comfortable in come. Besides the meat business, he is the owner of a confectionery store and one of the finest business blocks in Mahanoy City. The latter is situated on the southwest corner of Main and Center streets, and presents a very fine appearance. It was built in 1872, and is constructed of brick, forty-five feet front, sixty feet deep and three stories high. The first floor is used for store rooms, the second floor for offices, and the third for a secret society hall. To this block there is an addition, forty-seven feet long and two stories in height, which constitutes the residence of Mr. Knapp. Mr. Knapp was united in marriage with Sarah Rieger, a daughter of John Rieger, of Pottsville, by whom he has a family of nine children : Maria Regina and Sarah, at home ; Rosa, wife of Wallace Haldeman, of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania; Charles M., Laura, Wil liam John, George and Frederick, at home. He was educated in the public schools of his native country and in the more practical school of experience. After a short residence in this country, he allied himself politically with the Democratic party, and has been honored by that party by being elected to the offices of councilman and school director of Mahanoy City. He is a member of the Lutheran church, a member of General Grant Lodge, No. 575, I. O. O. F., Royal Arcanum Council, No — , of Mahanoy City, and of the German Order of Harugari. Mr. Knapp is a prosperous, energetic, honest business man, and through his own efforts has won for himself a place of recognition among the business men of his city. He attends closely to and superintends all his business transactions, and by the exercise of care and prudence, has succeeded in accumu lating a fair share of this world's goods. He is a good citizen, kind, generous and loyal to the interests of State and home. JOHN M. ADAM, one of the leading mer- ^ chants of Mahanoy City, was born in Mont gomery county, August 15, 1842. He is the son of John H. and Mary (Case) Adam, and grandson of John Adam, a large farmer of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, who died about 1855. The latter was one of the early settlers of that county, was the owner of three farms and a large tract of timber land. He was a democrat of the Jacksonian type, and was united in marriage with a lady of German descent, who bore him three sons and three daughters. The father of John M. Adam was also a native of Montgomery county, born in 1824. About the time he reached his majority he removed to Berks county, on a farm which was formerly owned by his father, located in Hereford township. Here he continued the cultivation of his farm until the time of his de cease. Politically, he adopted the party of his m BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY father, in which he took more than a nominal interest, representing it in a number of small offices in his county. He was a member of the Catholic church, and died on February IO, 1883. By his mariage he became the father of five children, as follows : Lizzie, deceased, John M., subject, Charles, deceased, Lucy Anna, and Edwin, the latter of whom married Kate Crowell and lives at Mount Carmel, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, where he is engaged in the mercantile business. John M. Adam was united in marriage with Kate Sanders, a daughter of Amos Sanders, a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, but now a resident of Philadelphia, on July 4, 1870. An issue of nine children has been the fruit of this marriage : Charles L., born in Mahanoy city, April 13, 1871 ; Amos W., born Decem ber 9, 1873 ; Agnes, born June 6, 1876; John, born May 22, 1880 ; Annie, born October 17, 1883; Herman, born June 11, 1886, deceased December 5, 1889; Joseph, born October 18, 1888; Anthony, born February 2, 1890; Rose, born December 3, 1892. Mr. Adam received his education in the common schools of Berks county and started out on his career in life as a tiller of the soil. He remained in Berks county until he had attained the age of twenty-one years, after which he came directly to Mahanoy city and accepted a position as clerk in the mercantile business, the same place at which he is now located, on West Center street. At this time the business was conducted by Kerr & Rehr, until June, 1864, when Rehr died. In 1869, Mr. Adam was taken in as a partner, and the firm was styled Kerr & Adam. At the expi ration of" a year Kerr sold his interest to Brown, and the business was then conducted by the firm of Brown & Adam, which associa tion continued until December, 1892, when the interest of Mr. Brown was purchased and the entire business conducted since that time by Mr. Adam alone. The business embraces that of general dry-goods, groceries, flour and feed, and is carried on in a building forty-two feet deep and twenty-five feet wide, three stories of which are occupied. Politically, Mr. Adam is a democrat, and together with his family holds membership in the Roman Catholic church. He is a tho roughly reliable and well-to-do business man, who, by strict fidelity to business and careful conduct of business details, has established a large and growing trade. He stands among the best business firms of Mahanoy city. JOHN SCHEIFLY, formerly owner and proprietor of the Scheifly House at She nandoah, Pennsylvania, is the son of John and Scheifly, and was born in Som- neytown, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, September 1, 1813. He received his educa tion in the common schools of that place, after which he was apprenticed to learn the printing trade. He was employed for thirteen . years continuously as a compositor on the Farmers' Friend, published in Somneytown, Pennsylvania. In 1855 he removed to Phila delphia, and became the editor and proprietor of an independent newspaper known as The Banner. He continued to publish this paper for two years, and in 1857 removed to Tama qua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and became proprietor of the Columbia . House, which he kept for a period of four years. In 1 86 1 he was appointed lieutenant quarter master of the 25 th regiment Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, " the First Defenders," for a term of ninety days. At the expiration of this time he returned to Tamaqua, where he continued to reside until the year 1870, when OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 289 he removed to Shenandoah and engaged in the hotel business, conducting what is now known as the Sheifly House, of which he was the owner and proprietor down to the year 1882. At this time he retired from the busi- ¦ ness and was succeeded by his son James P., who is the present proprietor of the hotel. In political faith, he has always been a voter for the best man irrespective of party, though nominally a democrat. He is a member of Trinity Reformed Church and Watkins Waters Post, No. 146, G. A. R. In 1 841 he was united in marriage to Catharine Moyer, a daughter of Daniel Moyer, of Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, by whom he has a family of four children living : Ella, at home ; James P., proprietor of the Scheifly House ; Catharine, wife of J. H. Murphy, a merchant residing in New York City; Sallie M., wife of J. H. Haverstock, a resident of Wilmington, Del., where he pursues the trade of painting. Mr. Scheifly is a man who has by his straightforward and honorable career merited the respect and the good-will of all those with whom he has come in intimate contact. He now lives a retired life, and in his closing years looks back over a career that has been filled with honest purposes and a desire to benefit those with whom he came in contact in an entirely unselfish manner. He has not sought worldly aggrandizement, but has always been content with the humble ambition of duty and its results. He is uniformly respected and commands the good-will of the citizens of Shenandoah. JA ICHOLAS KAISER. Among that body ' of men who have from small beginings acquired place and confidence in the business circles of Schuylkill county, Nicholas Kaiser, 19 of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is entitled to a place. He is a son of George and Dora Kaiser, and was born in Bavaria, Germany, on May '27, 1825. His father was born in Germany about the year 1788, and died in the vicinity of his birthplace about the year 1858. During his youth and early manhood, Nicholas Kaiser was employed in a pottery, and continued in that business until his emi gration to the United States in 1848. After his arrival in this country, he settled in the city of Philadelphia, and was employed in a shoe factory. In the year 185 1, he removed from there to New Philadelphia, Schuylkill county, where he was employed in a pottery for two years, at the expiration of which he came to Pottsville, where he now resides. Since coming to Pottsville, he engaged in the pottery and brick business for two years, and then began buying rags, old iron, rubber shoes, etc., which he continued until 1868. With the savings of his income from this line of work, he engaged in the general mercan tile business on the corner of Seventh and Market streets, on a small scale. This he persevered in until the year 1888, at which latter date he had established a very credit able store and trade. About this time he was succeeded in the business by his son, John H., who has continued it to the present time. He is a democrat in politics, a member of the German Catholic church, and has manifested an unusual interest in American institutions. He was united in marriage with Catherine Dindorf, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, a daugh ter of Nicholas and Elizabeth Dindorf, in , 1853. By this marriage nine children have been born : Charles, a resident of Lincoln, Nebraska ; George, resident of the same place ; John H., merchant of Pottsville, married to Emma Siegman ; Frank, married 290 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY to Mollie Housman, and now engaged in the grocery business at Pottsville ; David, mar ried to Florence Byerly, also living in Potts ville ; Joseph, employed in the silk mill ; Henry, learning navigation on the School- ship Saratoga, with headquarters at Phila delphia ; Catherine, wife of Albert Oedinger, of Philadelphia, a druggist ; William, at home, in business. Mr. Kaiser is a successful retired business man of Pottsville ; what he possesses has been gotten through his own honest efforts and untiring industry. /">UY C. IRISH, one of the editors and ^* proprietors of the Mahanoy Tribune, Schuylkill county, is a son of Theodore D. and Mary L. (Sheafer) Irish, and was born on September 2, 1855, in Carlisle, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania. The Irish family were originally of German lineage, the grandfather of Guy C, having been a direct descendant of a well-to-do Ger man family. Most of the life of the latter was passed in Carbon and Schuylkill counties. He was essentially a self-made man, and be came a very successful civil engineer, under the employ of Asa Packer. In his profes sional capacity, he became the supervising engineer during the construction of the Lehigh Valley railroad. He died at Shockshinney, on the banks of the Susquehanna, about the year 1871. He was a whig in politics, and had a family of two children, father of Guy C, and Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Auman, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Theodore D. Irish, father, was born on June 14, 1830, in Audenried, Pennsylvania. He went South shortly after the close of the war, and at first engaged in gold mining in the State of Georgia. Subsequent to this he en tered the employ of the United States Military railroads in and about Washington, as train dispatcher, and was located at Alexandria, Virginia, a short distance from Washington. By his marriage there has been an issue of four children, all boys : Frank, traveling passenger agent for the Chicago and Northwestern rail road company, with permanent headquarters at Philadelphia; Ned, up to 1893, superin tendent of the Cornwell and Lebanon railroad, but subsequently engaged in the wholesale coal business under the firm name of Irish Bros., having associated with him in the busi ness his brother, Jediah B. Irish, who has had a number of years of practical experience in coal dealing. On April 6, 1886, Guy C. Irish was united in marriage with Sadie M. Schoener, a daughter of John F. Schooner, of Mahanoy City, who has borne him two children, Helen and Mary. He received his education in the public schools of Baltimore, Maryland, and was in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company for fifteen years, starting in the stationery business at Mahanoy City on February 1, 1889. In 1888 he be came associated with Mr. Rausch, and assumed the proprietorship and control of the Mahanoy Tribune, a thirty-two column weekly journal, established in 1865 by William Ramsey, et alia. The paper has since been ably con ducted, and has been devoted to the interests of the Republican party, the town, county and State. It has a large circulation throughout the county and coal regions generally, and is always wide-awake in all its departments, whether news, editorial, or advertising. In connection with the publication of the paper there is a large and well equipped printing department, which turns out work in the high est style of the art. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 291 Mr. Irish is a member and trustee of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is also con nected with Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 617, I. 0. O. F., and Council, No. 162, Royal Arcanum. He is a young man who has gained an enviable popularity through his connection with the newspaper world, pos sesses talent as writer, and personally is graced with many commendable social char acteristics. "Hir ARTIN M. BURKE, a resident of Shen- 4 andoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylva nia, and a practicing attorney before the bar of that county, was born June 16, 1865, in Ashland, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. He is a son of Edward J. and Margaret (L'Velle) Burke. Grandfather John Burke was a native of county Mayo, Ireland, and emigrated to the United States about the year 1866. Soon after locating at Ashland, Schuylkill county, and later at Lost Creek, same county, where he still lives. Before his coming to this coun try he was a farmer by occupation, but after his arrival in Schuylkill county he gained his livelihood by working in the mines. His father was born in Ireland about 1840, and was employed in his native country as a farmer and light-house keeper. He came to the United States about a year and a half prior to the arrival of his father, and removed with his father to the places mentioned previously. By vocation he has been a miner ever since his residence in Schuylkill county, and has taken a prominent part in the opening of new mines within the county. In politics he has been actively identified with the Democratic party, and served for a period of seven years as a member of the school board in West Mahanoy township. He is now one of the board of examiners of miners in the Fifth Anthracite district. In everything pertaining to the well-being and uplifting of the mining classes, he has taken an important and prominent position, whether political, social or humanitarian. Religiously he is connected with the Roman Catholic church, of which he is a consistent and zealous member. His marriage to the daughter of Martin L'Velle, a native of County Mayo, Ire land, and a prosperous farmer, resulted in a family of eight children, five sons and four daughters. Martin M. Burke received his education in the public schools of his native township, and started out upon his career in life as a teacher in the common schools ¦ of West Mahanoy township. He began teaching in September, 1880, and continued until the autumn of 1890, when he entered the office of his uncle, M. M. L'Velle, Esq., of Ashland, and began the study of law. On September 6, 1892, he was ad mitted to the bar of Schuylkill county, and since that time has been in the active practice of his profession, having offices in Shenandoah and Pottsville. He is a member in good standing of the Roman Catholic church at Shenandoah, under the charge of Rev. Father, O'Reilly, and is prominently connected with the Catholic Total Abstinence Union, and has served as secretary and vice-president of the State organization by that name. Mr. Burke has always been commendably ' active in the educational interests of the county, and since his admission to the bar gives promise of rapid rise in the profession of the law. He is a young man of ability, enthusiasm and proper ambition, which backed with an unblemished character will not fail to place him upon a desirable footing with his brethren at the bar of Schuylkill county. 292 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY On September 12, 1893, Mr. Burke was, united in marriage to Miss Mary Ella Foley, second daughter of James and Margaret Foley, of Shenandoah, by Rev. H. F. O'Reilly in the Annunciation Roman Catholic church of Shenandoah, and has taken his residence in his cottage on South White street. Q NDREW HOPPES, a well known busi- "^^ ness man, and large real estate owner of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, is a son of Christian and Salma (Steger- wald) Hoppes, and was born on January 19 1826, in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. His great-grandfather was a native of the Kingdom of Saxony, Germany, and emigrated to the United States at a very early date. He became a citizen of Lehigh county, Pennsyl vania, which at that time had not been separ ated from the county of Northampton. He died in that county. His son, Michael Hoppes, grandfather of subject, was born in North ampton county, and continued a resident in the vicinity of his birthplace throughout life, which he passed in the peaceful pursuit of agriculture. During the War of Independence he shouldered a musket and took part in the memorable conflict which resulted in our national freedom. At the time ofthe birth of Christian Hoppes, he was a citizen of West Penn, Schuylkill county, where he passed the remainder of his life. Christian Hoppes adopted the occupation of his father, and at the time of his death was the possessor of a farm having an acreage almost double the ordinary farm. He was a republican in poli tics, and a member of the Lutheran church. His family, beside his wife, consisted of twelve children, six sons and six daughters. Andrew Hoppes was united in marriage to Susanna Mosser, a daughter of Jacob Mosser, a native, and formerly a resident of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Hoppes died on March 9, 1890, at the age of sixty-five years. This marriage resulted in an issue of twelve children : Dennis M., in the mill business at Mahanoy City, and married to Sarah Fetter- hoff; Jacob M., married to Sallie E. Matthias, a resident of Mahanoy City ; Emmanuel, de ceased ; Angelina, wife of William K. Hill, a farmer residing near Kepners, this county; Sarah, wife of Charles Brode, a resident of Barnesville, Schuylkill county ; Israel, a sta tionary engineer of Mahanoy City ; Owen, deceased ; William M., a salesman of Maha noy City ; Alvina, wife of S. Calvin Zeigler, a cigar manufacturer of Allentown, Pennsyl vania ; Emma L., wife of Adam Wingert, a blacksmith by trade, resident in Mahanoy City ; Andrew Grant, a jeweler, located in Middletown, Schuylkill county ; George, a resident of Mahanoy City. Mr. Hoppes was educated in the common schools, and for a short time attended a Nor mal school in the State of New Jersey. He learned the milling trade, and while at West Penn, operated a saw-mill and grist-mill, in conjunction. He also owned in the vicinity of West Penn two farms, aggregating two hundred and eighty-five acres, and a piece of timber land in the Blue Mountains containing eighty acres. In 1877, he came to Mahanoy City and erected a flouring-mill, which he still owns. This mill is thirty-five feet wide, seventy- five feet deep and four stories in height. In connection with this he is the possessor of considerable realty in Mahanoy City, in the shape of dwelling-houses and store-rooms, which yields a very fair rental. Mr. Hoppes is a well-to-do citizen, has a large acquaintance throughout Mahanoy City OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 293 and Schuylkill county, and is generally looked upon as a man of good business qualifications and tact. He is a republican in politics, and a member ofthe Evangelical church. f\R- THOMAS LEWIS, a physician in good standing, of Mahanoy city, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Thomas Sr. and Harriet (Reifschneider) Lewis, and was born near Tamaqua, this county, April 30, i860. His father was born in Wales, June 7, 1 82 1, and emigrated to the United States in 1844 and upon his arrival located at Tamaqua. Being of a migratory character, he subsequently located at various places throughout the country, but finally, in 1864, came to Mahanoy city, where he has since re sided. By occupation he has been a mine foreman for many years, and also owns a drug store in Mahanoy City. Politically, he is a republican, though not a partisan in any sense. He was twice married, and by his first mar riage he had one son, William J., now deceased. By his second marriage, three children were born : Thomas, subject ; Charles H., a former pharmacist of Mahanoy City; Hannah, mar ried to Mr. Wm. F. Richardson. Dr. Lewis was united in marriage with Fanny Carter, daughter of William H. Carter of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, on January 22, 1885. From this marriage three children have resulted : Charles H., William C. and Robert P. He was educated in the public schools of Mahanoy City and at a private school. Subsequently he read medicine with Dr. P. A. Bissell of Mahanoy City, from whose precep torship he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Maryland, and was graduated in 1881. Since that time he has been in the active practice of his profes sion in Mahanoy City, and has also acted as superintendent of his father's drug store since the death "of his brother on March 4, 1883. Dr. Lewis has been uniformly successful in his professional career, and commands the confidence of both his fellow-practitioners and his clientele. He is a member of the County and State Medical Societies, and is also connected with a number of fraternal organizations, among which are Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 617, I.O. OF., of which he was Vice-Grand; Eureka Castle, No. 86, K. of G. E., of which he is Past Chief; and to the Royal Society of Good Fellows of which he is medical examiner. HENRY ZIMMERMAN, one of the most prominent contractors and builders of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of George and Katherine Zimmerman, and was born at Northumberland, county of Northumberland, Pennsylvania, on April 26, 1819. At the age of eighteen years Mr. Zimmerman came to Pottsville, and was indentured with Samuel Haupt, a carpenter and contractor, to learn the carpenter trade. Upon the comple tion of his trade he located in Pottsville and entered into his business with an energy and ambition that could not but be followed by success. For the first few years he was em ployed as a journeyman, but in 1837 he began business on a much larger scale, devoting himself almost exclusively to the superin tendency of work under contract. His busi ness grew little by little in extent until at various times he had under his employ from fifty to seventy-five men. Many imposing structures in all parts of the city of Pottsville bear witness to his workmanship and genius. 294 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY In the year 1882 his son, John H., took imme diate charge of his business, and the firm name was changed to that of H. Zimmerman & Son, which firm has become one of the most widely recognized and substantial in that line of busi ness in Schuylkill county. Besides his purely business interests the elder Zimmerman has been identified with the public service as school director and as building inspector for a great many years. He is a republican in poli tics, and is a member of the Methodist Epis copal church, in which he is a trustee and was fornierly class-leader. In every branch of its work he has shown himself a willing servant and is recognized as one of the strongest sup porters of the cause of Methodism. He was also a member of Miners' Lodge,.No. 20, I. O. O. F. Mr. Zimmerman has been twice married. The first time to Susanna Phlieger, a daughter of Frederick Phlieger. His second wife was Abigail Heiser, a daughter of George Heiser, of Schuylkill Haven, this county, whom he married on November 10, 1847. He has a family of nine children : Kate M., wife of C. W. Wells, an attorney-at-law, residing in New York City; Charles E,, married to Anna Gun- der, and now residing in Pottsville, Pennsylva nia, in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad ; Emma E., at home, a teacher and graduate of the Pottsville high school ; John H., at home, a contractor and builder, the worthy successor of his father; Samuel H., married to Sophia Bast and now living in Pottsville, connected with the firm of H. Zim merman & Son as foreman ; Anna and Mary Jane, at home; Carrie and William H. John H. Zimmerman, the junior member of the firm, is a young man of excellent business resources, and has shown himself a very capa ble manager. Through his frank and straight forward manner, as well as by his undoubted integrity, he has succeeded in sustaining the reputation of the firm in its many important relations. He is a member of the Central Republican club, and has shown an intelligent interest in behalf of the party of his choice. TTLEXANDER S. FAUST is a typical "^^ representative of that sturdy German class of our citizenship, which, by thrift and industry, have pushed themselves to the front. He is a son of Samuel and Esther (Shartle) Faust, and was born March 30, 1832, in Berne township, Berks county, Pennsylvania. His ancestors on the paternal side are of Hessian stock, having descended from a Hessian sol dier by that name, who was somewhat con spicuous in the war of the Revolution. His father; Samuel Faust, was also a native of Berks county, Berne township, and was born about the year 1800. He lived in that county the greater part of his life, moving to Potts ville, Pennsylvania, in the year 1 841, where he died in 1865. He was a farmer by occupa tion, which business he followed during about two-thirds of his life, but after his location in Pottsville, interested himself in merchandising and the hotel business. In politics he was a supporter of the Democratic party, and in religion a member of the Reformed church. His family embraced seven children, as follows: Sarah, married to Elias Faust, of Pottsville, a man of the same name, but not a relative; Maria, died unmarried ; Alexander S., subject ; Samuel, deceased; August, a tobacconist, living in Philadelphia; Lucy, living with Alexander S. ; William Henry, located in the West. Alexander married Catherine Walburn, a daughter of Michael Walburn, of Berrysburg, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 295 Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, on October 5, 1856. By this marriage he had a family of ten children : Dollie Esther, died young ; Susan, married to John Reber, of Pottsville, a manufacturer of hosiery, mill on corner of Third and Norwegian streets ; Catherine, mar ried to Robert Wren, a machinist of Pottsville Charlotte, deceased ; Alexander, deceased Benjamin, resides at home, a painter by trade Charles Oscar, at home, a painter and paper hanger ; Annie S., at home ; and Lucy, de ceased. Mr. Faust was educated in the public schools of Pottsville, and learned the trade of paper hanger, at which he worked as an apprentice four years. He then worked a year as a ¦journeyman, when in 1856, he went into the business on his own account. This has been his permanent and continuous business ever since, which has now grown to very creditable proportions. Besides his business of painter and paper hanger, Mr. Faust engaged for a year in the lumber business. He started in life almost penniless, but with a will and energy that was bound to succeed. His success was entirely in his own hands, and he was left to fight the battle single- handed and alone. His close application to business, his fidelity to any trust reposed in him, and his honest efforts, have since led him through to circumstances of comparative comfort and ease — circumstances that have been well earned. In politics Mr. Faust is a democrat, and as such was" elected treasurer of his county in 1 88 1. He has also frequently filled other minor city offices with credit and honor. He is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M. Aside from the above matters of a business nature, he is a stockholder and secretary of the Cressona Powder Company, and deals somewhat in real estate. nEV. ALLEN R. BARTHOLOMEW, pas tor of Trinity Reformed Church, Potts ville, Pennsylvania, was born at Dannersville, a small village near Bath, Northampton county, ¦ Pennsylvania, September 16, 1855. He is the youngest son of a family of eight children. Though of poor parentage and deprived of his father's care at an early age, yet he was sent to school from a child and, by his love for knowledge, he made fine progress in his studies. From childhood he evinced a strong inclination for the holy ministry. He was often found in a room by himself, attempting to conduct a religious service after the fashion of the country parson. At the age of twelve he and his mother made their home with his only brother, the Rev. Abraham Bartholomew, at Lehighton, Pennsylvania, who has been a faithful minister of the Gospel for over thirty years. Here he pursued the course of study in the Academy and received the preparatory training for his future life-work. He also taught several terms in the public schools with splendid success. In the year 1874, agreeably to a growing desire in his heart, he entered the Theological Seminary of the Reformed Church at Lan caster, Pennsylvania. He was the " boy " of the class in age and in knowledge, but he soon won the confidence of the professors and the affection of his classmates, and, on the day of graduation, his thesis on " The Blessed ness of Heaven '' was received with great favor. During his senior year he was sent to supply the vacant pulpit of the Reformed Church at Hummelstown, Pennsylvania. His sermons were so highly satisfactory to the people that 296 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY they made him promise he would accept a call as soon as he was licensed to preach. He re ceived his licensure from Lancaster Classis, convened in annual session at Manheim, Penn sylvania, May 25, 1877. His ordination to the sacred office and his installation as pastor took place at Hummelstown, on June 17, of the same year, in the presence of a large con gregation, by a committee, consisting of Revs. E. V. Gerhart, D.D., LL.D., President of the Theological Seminary at Lancaster, Conrad Clever, of Columbia, and George W. Snyder, of Harrisburg. He was very successful in his first charge. He did not feel th'at his work was done when the invitation came from his second field of labor, but his older brethren in the ministry advised him to accept the urgent call from the Swatara charge and locate at Jonestown, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania. On September 9, 1878, he was united in the bonds of matrimony to Miss Maria S., only daughter of Mr. Joseph Karch, cashier of the Valley National Bank at Lebanon, Pennsyl vania. Their union has been blessed with eight children, four ofwhom are living; Ruth Amelia, Joseph Karch, Mary Hannah and Grace. On October 1, he removed to his new charge, where he continued his labors with the most gracious results, until the hand of Providence led him, in the spring of 1882, into his present pastorate. When Rev. Bar tholomew assumed charge of this congrega tion it was in great financial distress, with a discouraged membership. The first year's work laid the foundation for the signal success that has since been crowning the labors of his ministry. It did not require much time for him to impress, not only the people of his flock, but also the community, that he was an untiring worker, and «as a result of his labors the membership has more than trebled itself. The handsome new church that replaces the old house of worship is a monument to his zeal as well as to the liberality of his people. There are few ministers in the country who perform the same herculean labors and who enjoy a greater popularity than he does. He has also won for himself an enviable" reputa tion as a lecturer, having constant engage ments in the lecture-field. 'The newspapers everywhere have given flattering notices of his ability as a speaker. He preaches entirely from manuscript, and yet few of his hearers are aware of this fact, because he possesses the rare gift of reading his lines without having to follow his notes. From the year 1887- 1890, he was the efficient secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Re formed Church in the United States. During his time he did much by his voice and pen to increase the spirit of liberality among the people. He wrote the beautiful book, entitled ' Won by Prayer " or " The Life and Work of Rev. Masayoshi Oshikawa of Japan." It is one"of these earnest and practical publications which should find its way into every Sunday- School and Church library. There are few men in the Reformed Church who write in a more graceful and pleasing style or who enjoy a greater celebrity as a public speaker.- In 1890, Franklin and Marshall College conferred the honorary degree of Master of Arts upon him, and no one deserves it more. He is a member of W. C, No. 14, P. O. S. of A., and the chaplain of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M. JOHN VEITH, mining superintendent of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, is a son of John and Margaret (Keene) Veith, and was born June 3, 1832, in OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 297 Rhenish Bavaria, Germany. His father was a miner by occupation, and a native of the same locality mentioned, born in the year 1806, and died in 1847. He met with an accidental death while driving a tunnel. After his death, his wife, the mother of subject, came to Amer ica and resided at Silver Creek, and died at Patterson in the winter of 1890. She was the mother of eight children; Christian, John, Peter, Valentine, and Mary are still living — Valentine in Kansas City, Missouri, and the others in Northumberland county, Pennsyl vania. John married Mary Anna Hartmann, a daughter of Peter Hartmann, a native of Rhen ish Prussia, who came to Ameri ca about the year 1848, located first at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and later at Kaska William, in the same county, and died in Pottsville in 1891. This marriage resulted in the birth of sixteen children, twelve of whom are still living : Susan, married to Joseph P. Knapp, of Yadesville, Schuylkill county ; Mary, married to William T. Coonly, an employee of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, as private secretary ; Peter, married to Anna Hartmann, and now re siding in Pottsville, in the employ of the Phila delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company; Emma, wife of W. H. Gibson, deceased ; John, resides at home; Kate, Clara, Callei, Lena, Bertha, and Charles. Mr. Veith was educated in Germany, and emigrated to the United States in 1850. He located for about five weeks in New York City, and on January 17, 185 1, came to Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, in which he first lo cated at Kaska William, and was employed as a miner. He continued to work in the mines until 1863, when he became a boss for various companies, acting in this capacity for about ten years. In 1872, he was employed by the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com pany, first as superintendent of the North Franklin, Nos. 1 and 2 collieries, for one year, and then of the Locust Dale district. This latter district comprised nine collieries at that time. His superintendency of these works extended over a period of three years — from 1874 to 1877 — at the termination of which he received a call to go to Pottsville as the assist ant of William Herman, who was the mine inspector for this company. Upon the death of Mr. Herman, in March, 1879, Mr. Veith was appointed to succeed him. In the year 1887, the title of the position was changed from that of " mine inspector " to that of " min ing superintendent of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company." The func tion of this position is the superintendency of all the vast mining interests of the Philadel phia and Reading Company in Schuylkill, Northumberland, and Columbia counties. It requires the most vigilant care and most care ful supervision to keep under the eye the work ings of so vast an enterprise. In politics, Mr. Veith was formerly a demo crat. He then changed to Republicanism, and again reverted to his original views during the Hayes-Tilden Presidential campaign. At pres ent he is not a partisan of any sort, but a voter free from the traditional trammels of party en thusiasm. His position might more exactly be defined as an independent. He is an active member of the German Catholic church. j^OLAND C. LUTHER, superintendent of *> the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, is a son of Peter D. and Eliza beth (Mills) Luther, and was born in Port Car bon, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, January , 1846. His American ancestors are direct 298 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY descendants of the great reformer, Martin Luther, the first of whom settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in its pioneer age. In this county also was born the grandfather of Roland, a reputable and skillful physician. His son, Roland's father, was also a native of Lancaster county, but in 1832 crossed over to Schuylkill county and located at Port Carbon. He died at Ashland in 1881, at the age of years. His business was that of a coal operator, in which line he was pio neer in the anthracite field/and through which he acquired quite a competency. He was the father of four children, two of whom are still living, Walter Scott, a resident of Pough- keepsie, New York, chief engineer of the Phcenix Horse Shoe company, and Roland C. Mr. Luther was educated in the public schools and at the Polytechnic College in Philadelphia. After leaving college, he first tried his fortune at mine operating, and in 1866 was employed as clerk of the Locust Gap colliery, at that time controlled by his father. The year 1867-68 he spent as assistant en gineer in the construction of the Wilmington and Northern railroad, extending from Wil mington to Reading. In 1869 he was super intendent of the Kaska William colliery, operated also by his father. The next year he saw service as engineer with the Philadel phia and Mahanoy Coal Company. The plant and coal lands of this company were then purchased by the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, and he was continued in their employ as mining engineer. In June, 1874, this company purchased large iron ore property on the Hudson, near West Point, and he was subsequently sent there to super intend operations until his resignation in De cember, 1875. After a short stay in Pottsville, Mr. Luther went to the Pacific coast to take charge of mining industries situated in south eastern Nevada, for a New York mining com pany, and then became chief engineer of con struction for the Eureka and Colorado River Railroad Company. In 1882, after a large and varied experience in civil and mining engineer ing, he returned to Pottsville and was appointed mining engineer of the Reading Coal and Iron Company, and finally on May 1, 1888, became general superintendent of the above named company. To this position he brought a rare knowledge of both theoretical and practical engineering, together with a large experience and undoubted executive ability. It is this that continues to mould successfully the oper ative policy of the company. In October, 1874, Mr. Luther was . married to Theresa Yuengling, daughter of David G. Yuengling of Pottsville, by whom he has two children, Roland Y. and Edwin C. In his church affiliations he is an Episcopalian. />ENERAL JAMES NAGLE, soldier and citizen, was a son of Daniel and Mary (Rorig) Nagle, and was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, April 5, 1822. Philip Nagle, his grandfather, was a native of Reading, where he died in 1840, at the age of eighty-four years. He was a stone mason by occupation, and served in the Revolutionary war as a drummer. His son, the father of James, was born in 1803, but before he had reached his majority removed to Womelsdorf, Berks county, and thence to Pine Grove, Schuylkill county, in the year 1830. Five years later he removed to Pottsville, where he died in 1851. By occupation he was a cabinet maker, in connection with which he did painting of various kinds. He voted with the Whig party, and in religious belief adhered to the doctrines •••*wftfin7: GEN. JAMES NAGLE. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 299 of the Lutheran church. By his marriage, eight children were born that grew to maturity, three daughters and five sons ; James, Eliza, Daniel (see sketch), Ellen, Mary, Philip, Levi and Abraham. Philip enlisted in Captain D. A. Smith's company, as first lieutenant, for a term of three months. This company was among the first at Washington, and belonged to the troops known as the " First Defenders." At the expiration of this term of enlistment, he was promoted to the captaincy of company G, 48th Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, and was stationed at Hatteras Island. He died in March, 1891, at the age of fifty.-three years. Levi enlisted as a musician in the 48th regi mental band, and after his term of service remained in Washington as a clerk in the pension bureau. Abraham served in company D., 6th Pennsylvania regiment, for 3 months, and afterwards in Company D, 48th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, for a term of three years. He is now a resident of Pottsville. James, our subject, received his early edu cation in the Reading public schools, but the greater part of his education was obtained in the school of experience and through con tinued self-effort. He usually worked during the day and went to school at night. In his youth he learned the trade of paper-hanger and painter, which he followed throughout his active business life, taking his father's business after the death of the latter. He showed a decided military talent from earliest manhood, and became a member and later, a captain of a company of Pennsylvania State militia. In 1844, he organized the Wash ington artillery, of which he was captain, and left Pottsville on December 5, 1846, to enter the Mexican war. This company was known as company B, First Regiment, P. V. I., Col. F. M. Wynkoop commanding. During the course of the war he took part in the siege of Vera Cruz, and at the battle of Cerro Gordo acting-major of his regiment. On January 20, 1847, his command routed a force of Guerrillas at Lahoya, and on October 14 and 19 he took part in engagements at Huaman- tla, Puebla, and Atlixco, each of which re sulted in an overwhelming victory for the United States troops. Subsequently he en tered the City of Mexico with his regiment in the triumphal procession which marked the coup d'etat of the Mexican war, and was finally stationed at San Angle until the war formally closed. He was mustered out of service with his company at Philadelphia, July 27, 1848. Upon his return to Pottsville, he was, in 1852, elected Sheriff of Schuylkill county, and shortly thereafter he was appointed Brigade Inspector of Pennsylvania, with the rank of Colonel. He remained closely identified with the military affairs of the county and state until i86i,when, at the beginning of the civil war, he was cojjimissioned colonel of the 6th Pennsylvania, and ordered out for service, taking part in the skirmish at Falling Water. In August, 1 86 1, he organized the 48th Pennsylvania regiment, with a view to serving three years, and of which he was commander. His regiment did service at Fort Monroe, Hatteras Inlet and Newbern, while at the second battle of Bull Run General Nagle com manded with gallantry and judgment the 1st brigade, second division of the 9th army corps. Soon after this battle he was recommended for promotion by General Reno, and was sub sequently commissioned by President Lincoln as brigadier general. In this capacity he commanded at the battles of Chantilla, South Mountain and Antietam, in each of which en gagements his brigade bore itself with credit and distinction. At Antietam his command 300 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY took an important part in carrying the Antie tam Bridge, which was considered by General McClellan as the one event that saved the day. For this service General Nagle received the highest compliments. At Annisville and Fredericksburg his brigade was' in the thickest ofthe fight and sustained heavy losses in both killed and wounded. From this time until 1863, General Nagle was ordered into Ken tucky, and in consequence of heart disease was compelled to resign his command much to the regret of his men and General Sturgis, who was in chief authority. While at home, rest and absence from the excitement and arduous duty of war soon acted as a restora tive, and his general health improved to such an extent that when General Lee began his invasion of Pennsylvania, he organized the 39th regiment Pennsylvania militia for the emergency, and was placed in command. The troops were mustered out, however, August 2, 1863, and in the next year he organized the 194th Pennsylvania for a qne hundred day service, was commissioned commanding colo nel July 21, 1864, and ordered to Baltimore, Maryland, where he was placed in command of eight thousand troops at Monkin's Woods, to guard the approach of the city. On Novem ber 5, 1864, he was finally dismissed, and on August 23, 1866, died of heart disease at his home in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. General Nagle was married to Elizabeth, a daughter of John and Catharine Kaercher of Pottsville, December 15, 1852. To them have been born nine children, seven of whom grew to maturity : Emma, wife of James Bowen, superintendent of the Pottsville Gas Works ; James W., married to Josephine Hutchinson, and at present advertising agent for the Phila delphia Inquirer; John D., secretary and treasurer of the Textile Record, Philadelphia, married to Mary Crosland; Laura, wife of John Dooley, late conductor on Philadelphia and Reading railroad, both deceased ; Marcus H., married to Sallie Helms of Pottsville; Frank L, of Boston, Mass., connected with the Textile Record of Philadelphia, and princi pal agent, married to Laura Rosengarten, of Pottsville, Pa. ; Kate A., wife of Lincoln Philips, a jeweler of Jamestown, New York. In politics, General Nagle in the earlier part of his life aligned himself with the Whig party, but upon the organization of the Republican party transferred his allegiance to that party. At the time of his death he was a member of the borough council of Pottsville. He held membership in the Lutheran church. General Nagle was pre-eminently a military man, and a patriot. His life was permeated with a military spirit, and in this respect broadened him into a loyal and devoted citi zen. After his return from the Mexican war, the citizens of Schuylkill bounty, in token of his. eminent services and the goodwill they bore him, presented him with a valuable sword. He is still remembered by a large number of his fellow-townsmen, and occupies a generous place in their hearts. ^OLONEL DANIEL NAGLE, brother of General James Nagle (see sketch), was born in Womelsdorf, Berks county, Pennsyl vania, April 1, 1828. He was educated in the public schools of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, whither his father had removed, and learned the painting and paper-hanging trade with his father. This he continued until the year 1846, when he enlisted on December 5, in company B. (his brother's company), first regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, Colonel F. M. Wynkoop, commanding. He origin- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 301 ally enlisted as a drummer, but carried a musket through the siege of Vera Cruz, At lixco, Huamantla, Natural Bridge, Lahoyah Pass ; was in the battle of Cerro Gordo, and on the march to Pueblo, and then returned to headquarters at Perode Castle. At this junc ture, he was compelled to return home on account of some imperative business and family affairs ; not, however, until the city of Mexico had been taken and hostilities ceased. He received his discharge at Perode Castle, Mexico, October 30, 1847. During this service he won the esteem and regard of his officers, and in the engagements in which he carried a musket he bore him self bravely and firmly until he was called home, much to the regret of Colonel F. M. Wynkoop, commander of the department. After his return, he resumed his former business, which he continued until the be ginning of the civil war. When this conflict began he laid aside the duties ofa civilian, and enlisted on April 18, 1861, at Pottsville, in Captain Tower's company as a private. Upon their arrival at Harrisburg, however, he was appointed second lieutenant. The company having more than the legal number of men, was then divided and two companies formed, to the captaincy of one of which the subject was elected. This Nagle Guard of Potts ville was company D, sixth regiment, under the command of Colonel James Nagle. Dur ing the first three months he served in the Cumberland Valley and took part in the skirmishes of that campaign. After the re organization of the forty-eighth Pennsylvania regiment by Colonel Nagle, his brother, he was elected captain of company D, of that regi ment. He first proceeded to Fortress Monroe, Virginia, under General Wool, and from thence to Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina, where they relieved an Indiana regiment, there garrisoned, until General Burnside organized an army corps. He then took part in the capture and reduction of Newbern, having some time prior been promoted to the rank of major of his regiment. The troops remained here until General McClellan arrived in front of Rich mond, when they were ordered to reinforce him. Before they reached him hostilities had ceased, and his command was stationed at Newport News, where he resigned in July, 1862, and returned home on account of sick ness and death in his family. During the invasion of Pennsylvania by General Lee, he ' re-enlisted in September, 1862, and was com missioned lieutenant-colonel of the nineteenth emergency regiment. He was out two weeks in service, when he was appointed by Gover nor Curtin as colonel of the 173d regiment drafted militia. In this capacity he served the full time of nine months. His command was first ordered to Norfolk, Virginia, where it was used to guard the approaches to the city which approaches were Kempville, In trenched Lines, Sewell's Point, Indian Pole Bridge, Great Bridge, Cape Henry Light house, Fort Norfolk and Tanners' Creek. Their headquarters were at Camp Viele. In May, 1863, he was ordered to Norfolk to re lieve a Wisconsin regiment, and then per formed provost duty in the city and suburbs. July 10, 1863, he received orders from General Viele to report to General Meade at Gettysburg, but he met General Meade at Boonsboro, Md., who in turn sent him to the eleventh army corps under charge of General O. O. Howard. His regiment reached the aforesaid corps at Berlin, and was assigned to service in Virginia on the Orange and Alexandria railway, with headquarters at Manassas Junction. While stationed here he 302 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY guarded this road from Broad Run to Manassas Junction. He was stationed at Kettle Run and other points until August 18, 1863, when he was discharged from further duty, by reason of his term of service having expired. After his return to Schuylkill county, Col. Nagle became a coal agent for a short time and then engaged in the flouring business for a few years. In 1876, he retired from that line of work, and returned to his original business of painting and paper-hanging. He is a prominent member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., and of the Mexican 'Veteran Association. Religiously, he is in faith a Lutheran. Colonel Nagle has always been a republican in politics, and at the break ing out of the civil war was a member of the borough council, which office he filled until the expiration of his first three months' service, but resigned on account of re-enlistment On July 6, 1848, he was united in marriage with Hannah, a daughter of John Kantner, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Their union was blessed with eight children, five of whom are now living : Edwin Seculas, married Nellie Sicerott, and is chief clerk for Riley & Company, importers of machinery of Boston, Massachusetts ; Daniel Winfield, married Va leria Koons, and is the head bookkeeper in the Lutheran Publication House, of Phila delphia ; Millard Fillmore, married Jennie Meek, and is a member of the firm of Meek & Nagle, general lumber and coal merchants of Shamokin, Pa. ; Harry Clay, married Katie Sterner, and is a clerk in the Lutheran Publi cation House, of Philadelphia ; and George W., at home. Mrs. Nagle died January 8, 1877, aged forty-six years. He again mar ried on July 20, 1880, to Rebecca Loose, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, daughter of Joseph Muthart, of Berks county, Pennsylvania. JEREMIAH F. BAST, the proprietor and ^ founder of the Royal Knitting Mills at Schuylkill Haven, is a son of Henry and Esther (Focht) Bast, and was born October 13, 1841, in Rockland, Berks county, Penn sylvania. Henry Bast was born in Berks county in 1818, and came to this county in 185 1, locating on a farm near Schuylkill Haven, where he lived until 1879, engaged in carpentering and contracting. In 1879 this work became too arduous for a man of his age, and seeking a lighter vocation he went to Pottsville, and engaged in the grocery business until his death, May 18, 1892. Politically, he was in his earlier years a democrat, but being a tem perate man, and fully realizing the magnitude of the evils qf intemperance, he espoused the principles and doctrines of the Prohibition party. He was a consistent member of the Evangelical church. By his marriage to Esther Focht he had a family of four boys and three girls. Jeremiah F. Bast had a very limited educa tion in the common schools ; at the age of seventeen years he learned the trade of car penter with his father, ¦ at which trade he worked twenty-eight years for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, a part of the time as foreman. While in the employ of this company Mr. Bast started a dairy business, for the purpose of giving his sons, then merging into manhood, something to do. This business was successfully carried on by them for a term of eleven years. In 1889 Mr. Bast built his present factory, and equipped it with the latest and most improved machinery for the manufacture of cotton, woolen, worsted and silk goods, but at the present time his factory is devoted to the manufacture of ladies' cotton underwear. His OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 303 plant includes the following machinery: ten body frames, nine sleevers, five crochet ma chines, four shell machines, four sewing machines, two trimmers, two zigzag machines, one button-hole machine, four loopers and two winders, giving employment to forty-five hands. It is kept busy all the time, a part of the time running double turns. In politics Mr. Bast is a republican, and has served as a member of the council and school board of his borough. He is an active worker and a liberal supporter of the Evangelical church, holding the offices of steward, trustee and treasurer of that church in Schuylkill Haven. Mr. Bast has been twice married. His first marriage was December 3 1 , 1 86 1 , with Susanna Krames, who died October 10, 1862, and was blessed with one child, Alice, now dead. His second marriage was on June 6, 1865, to Sarah Reber, and the result of this marriage is a family of seven boys, all living : Walter M., Harry E., Samuel I., Oscar O., George E., Thomas F. and Homer J. QLFRED M. MILLER, of the firm of Eisenhuth & Miller, shoe manufacturers, of Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, is a son of Nathaniel and Mary (Greena- wald) Miller, and was born in Albany town ship, Berks county, Pennsylvania, March 28, 1866. Nathaniel Miller was born in Albany town- thip, Berks county, in 1834, but came in 1867 to Schuylkill county, locating in Orwigsburg, and was engaged for a number of years in operating a stage line between Orwigsburg and Landingville, but abandoned that and went into the green grocery business, which he followed the remainder of his active life. His death occurred September 2, 1873. He was a whig formerly, but a republican from the or ganization of that party. He was a consistent member of the Reformed church. He married Mary Greenawald, a daughter of Jacob Green- awald.and had the following children : George, dead; Herman G., who resides in Summerville, South Carolina, a photographer ; Alfred M., and Annie E. Mr. Miller spent very little of his time in school. His father died when he was young, and it devolved upon him to help to support the family; so at the early age of eleven years he took a position in the Orwigsburg shoe fac tory, growing up in that business. He re mained with that firm six years, and accepted the position of second cutter in the shoe factory of A. E. Brown & Co., of Orwigsburg, and at the end of three months took the responsible position of first cutter in that well-known house. This position he held until he resigned in 1892, to go into business on his own ac count. At this time Mr. Brown recom mended him as being the most reliable em ployee employed by that firm for eight years, missing the working hour but once, and losing but one day, and that because of a funeral. The position of cutter in a shoe manufacturing establishment is a very important and respon sible position, and the highest testimony as to Mr. Miller's efficiency and trustworthiness is to be found in his long-contined service with that firm ; they showed still further their esti mate of him by entrusting a larger part of the buying to his judgment, with which experi ence he gained the reputation of being a very careful and shrewd buyer. The firm of Eisenhuth & Miller, consisting of Andrew C. Eisenhuth and Mr. Miller, was organized in November, 1891. They went about their work with the same energy and push that has 304 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ever been their characteristics. They broke ground for their factory on November 9, 1891, and on January 9, 1892, just two months later, the first pair of shoes was finished. The factory is a neatly appointed wooden struc ture sixty feet long by forty feet wide, and gives employment to forty hands, including six traveling salesmen, and is devoted to the manufacture of children's and infants' shoes. Their product finds a ready market throughout the middle Atlantic and western states. Mr. Miller is a republican in political warp and woof, and a member of St. John's Re formed church. He belongs to Grace Lodge, No. 157, I.O.O.F. Mr. Miller is young man of promise, who, through close economy and steady application to whatever line he has undertaken, has, though comparatively a young man, risen to a prominent position in one of the substantial and prosperous shoe factories of Orwigsburg, the shoe town of Schuylkill county. nEV. FATHER HENRY F. O'REILLY, the scholarly priest in charge of the Annunciation Roman Catholic church of Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a native of Ireland. During his early life, through strong religious convictions, Father O'Reilly was induced to prepare himself for the duties of the priesthood and the sacred service of the Holy Mother church. His classical education was received in his native country, after the completion of which he set sail for the United States, and landed in New York city, April 26, 1863. His philosophical and theological education was obtained at St. Charles' Seminary, Philadelphia. His first charge after his ordination was at Susquehanna, Susquehanna county, Penn sylvania, and then at Kellyville, Delaware county, in the same state, at both of which places he did conscientious and self-denying religious work. Shortly after this he was sent to St. Francis' church, Philadelphia, where he remained until July, 1870, at which time he was transferred to Shenandoah, this county. At Shenandoah he was the pioneer priest and met with many difficulties and discouraging circumstances in the upbuilding of his parish. The town at that time was small, the facilities for external worship very meager, but hope and zeal ever burned upon the altar of his heart, and out of the material tribulations came the victory of faith and the spirit. In his efforts to build a new house of worship, he from time to time received substantial encouragement, and the year 1872 witnessed the laying ofthe corner stone of the handsome structure that now lifts its gilded cross heavenward. The religious progress of the church under Father O'Reilly was carried on pari passu with the material, and from a comparatively small be ginning, the number has reached about three thousand souls. Father O'Reilly has been an indefatigable worker in his chosen field — a man of energy, strong individuality, zealous and of fine pres ence. He is a good organizer, possesses rare executive ability, and above all a spiritual force and sympathy that make for God and righteousness. He is popular with his congre gation and uniformly loved and respected by the best of citizens of Shenandoah. As a valuable auxiliary to his church work, he has established a catechetical school for the instruction of young people in the doctrines of the church, and in the history and unique character of the Christian religion. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 305 Q C. SPALDING, M. D., the oldest prac- *¦'• titioner of Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of H. C. and Margaret A. (Cassin) Spalding, and was born in Washington City, February 26, 1844. The Spaldings were an old family of the State of Maryland. Zechariah Spalding, grand father, was a native of St. Mary's county, that State, a farmer by occupation, and one of its most substantial citizens. He was a life-long resident of the county, was in his religious views a Catholic, and cast his vote with the Democratic party.' He was united in marriage with Cecelia Van Ryswick, by whom he had a large family of children, among whom was the father of Dr. Spalding, who was born in the county of St. Mary's, Maryland, in the year 18 12. While still in early manhood he removed to Washington City, where he con tinued to be a resident until his death in 1867. He received his education at Charlotte Hall academy, St. Mary's county, and then took up the study of law, was admitted to the bar, and afterwards became a practicing attorney in Washington City, where he gave his time almost exclusively to the line of pension law. In his political proclivities he was by birth and election a democrat of the Jacksonian type, but never at any time became a seeker for office. His marriage resulted in the birth of two children : Dr. S. C. and Edward D., the latter deceased. Dr. S. C. Spalding was united in marriage with Agnes Garrett, a daughter of Nathaniel J. Garrett of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, on June 1, 1 88 1. There has been no issue. He received his education at Forest Hall academy, St. Mary's county, Maryland, from which he was graduated in the classical course. After having finished his education, he began read ing law, but his health failed to such an extent 20 that he was forced to give up his intention in this direction. Subsequently he devoted him self to teaching for a time, and then took up the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. John H. Turner, of St. Mary's county, Maryland. He was graduated from the medi cal department of the University of Maryland, at Baltimore, Md., in 1870, and for a short time after graduation was resident physician of the Baltimore Almshouse. In the fall of 1870, he removed to Lafayette, Indiana, where he practiced for a period of six months, at the end of which time, he returned East and opened, up an office in Shenandoah City, where he has continued to practice down to the present time. Besides a very creditable medical practice he is a director of the Citizens' Building and Loan Association, and is inter ested in other respects along business lines. He is a member of the county and state Medical Societies, and was President of the former, as well as a delegate to the National Medical Association. He is, also, a member and President of the Board of Health of She nandoah. Religiously, he is a member of the Catholic Church, of the American Catholic Historical Society, and for five years was Deputy Coroner of Schuylkill county. For merly he espoused the cause of the Democratic party, but within recent years, he has held himself independent of party, and has sought only the best representation in both State and National politics. The grandfather of Dr. Spalding on the maternal side was Commodore Stephen Cassin, a son of Commodore John Cassin, ofthe United States Navy, who served in the War of the Revolution. Grandfather Cassin was a patriot of the genuine American stamp, and during the War of 1812 displayed great valor in the battle of Lake Champlain under Commodore 30ti BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY McDonough, under whom he served as a lieutenant. TAflLLIAM M. STELLWAGON, master mechanic at Palo Alto station, and su perintendent of the round-house, machine, car and car repair shops of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company at Palo Alto, St. Clair and Frackville, a resident of Palo Alto, this county, is a son of Joseph and Mary (Owen) Stellwagon, and was born in Philadel phia, Pennsylvania, February 27, 183 1. His father, Joseph Stellwagon, was born in Philadelphia on November 2, 1800, where he lived all his life, following the vocation of a hotel-keeper, and died in November, 1846, aged forty-six years. He was a democrat , and took a very active part in the politics of that city, having held at different times a num ber of local offices. He married in 1829 Mary Owen. By this marriage he had three sons : William M., subject; Joseph A., dead; and George W., who lives' at Dayton, Ohio, and who served throughout the civil war, enlisting in Pottsville as a private in the 48th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers. He was wounded at the battle of Antietam in September, 1862. William M. Stellwagon was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia until he was sixteen years old when he entered the acad emy at Strasburg, Lancaster county, Pennsyl vania, where he confined for one and a half years. He then served an apprenticeship at the trade of machinist with John A. Agnew, of Philadelphia. In September, 185 1, he en tered the service ofthe Philadelphia and Read ing Railroad Company as a machinist, and has been in the service of the company uninter ruptedly up to the present time. He started in as a journeyman machinist and went through the different promotions of outside foreman, foreman of the engine-house, foreman of the shops, and is at present master mechanic of Palo Alto station, having charge of the round house, machine shop, car shop and car repair shop at St. Clair and Frackville, and has under his supervision and direction about two hun dred men, besides a number of other men who come indirectly under his charge. He devotes his entire attention to this supervision, and that he has given entire satisfaction in the per formance of his duties is fully attested by the fact of his long-continued service with the company, in whose employ he has been for the past forty-two years. In politics he is a republican, and has held several local offices at different times, among them that of borough councilman. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, holds the offices of trustee and steward in that church, and also takes an active part in con nection with the Sabbath-school. He is a member of Schuylkill Lodge, No. 138, F. and A. M., of Orwigsburg; of the Masonic Veter ans of Philadelphia, of Henry Clay Lodge, No. 44, Knights of Pythias, of Pottsville, Pa. In all the walks of life he has acquitted him self with credit and honor, and he is held in the highest esteem, confidence and respect, not only by the community in which he lives, but by the officials of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad company, with which com pany he has been connected for so many years. Mr. Stellwagon was joined in the bonds of matrimony with Adelaide Merset. By this union he had twelve children, of whom three sons and six daughters are living: Joseph, as sistant foreman with his father, married Amelia Carr, and lives at Palo Alto ; Mary, at home ; Adelaide, married to Frank Carp, an engineer on the Schuylkill Valley and Frackville rail road ; George W., married to a Miss Pheiffer, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 307 of Pottsville ; Elizabeth, wife of William Dul- field, a moulder by vocation of St. Clair; Annie E., William B. and Bertha, at home; and Sarah, wife of J. Garrett, who is in the insur ance business in Philadelphia. HNDBEW C. EISENHUTH, an enter- "^^ prising young shoe manufacturer of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania, is a son of Henry and Catherine (Christ) Eisenhuth, and was born August 14, 1863, in Auburn, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. The great grandfather of our subject on the paternal side of the family, Bernard Eisen huth, was almost a contemporary of George Washington himself, being born in March, 1755, in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania. During the Revolutionary struggle, result ing in our National Independence, he was left at home to take care ofthe family, whilst his son, George Eisenhuth, the grandfather of our subject, was in the patriot army under General Anthony Wayne, with the rank of Captain. Conrad Eisenhuth removed to Berks county, where he married Catharine Saylor, a native of Philadelphia, and who died in 1848 at the advanced age of ninety-five years. He was among the pioneers of that county and became a lumberman, a trapper and a hunter, avoca tions indigenous to a pioneer life. He was a man of remarkable physical vigor, and at the age of one hundred and five years worked in the harvest field with apparent ease. His first vote was cast for George Washington, and he voted at every Presidential election down to Lincoln, dying in June, 1866, at the extreme age of one hundred and eleven years, three months and twelve days. Quite likely, George Eisenhuth, grandfather, was born in Auburn ; it is at least known that at an early day he went to Pottsville and became proprietor of a hotel on the present site of the Merchants' hotel. This hotel he operated a number of years, and accumulated consider able money, and invested extensively in the coal lands of the county. He removed to Shenandoah, this county, about the time that place was founded, and lived there until his death in 1884. He was twice married ; first time to a Miss Saylor. Among the issue of this marriage was the father of subject. His second mar riage was with a Miss Mary Baer. Henry Eisenhuth, father, was born in Mill- heim, Pa., in 1830, but has been a resident of Schuylkill county most of his life. He mar ried Catharine Christ, who was born February 5, 1840, and died May 3, 1891. The fruit of this marriage was a family of seven children : John, who is a station agent for the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company at Orwigsburg; Andrew C. ; T. Harry, who is in the employ of his brother Andrew as bookkeeper and ship per ; Kate, the wife of Howard Eisenburg, of Hazleton ; and Mamie, a milliner of Reading, Pa. ; two died in infancy. In Mr. Eisenhuth 's career we find an example of what a young man can accomplish even with a limited edu cation, coupled with a strong will and inde fatigable energy. After leaving the public schools of his township, he entered the Kutz- town Normal school. He then taught school five terms, two of them in South Manheim township, two in Porter township, and one as principal of tbe Green Street building in the borough of Hazelton, Luzerne county. This position he resigned in 1884, to accept the po sition of bookkeeper in the office of A. E: Brown & Co., of Orwigsburg. He remained with that firm until January 1, 1892. During this time he made a study of the shoe busi- 308 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ness in all its details, and feeling that he was competent to pursue successfully the business on his own account, he formed an alli ance with Alfred M. Miller, under the firm name Eisenhuth & Miller, and embarked in the manufacturing of shoes. The factory of this firm is located on the corner of Tannuaryand Warren Streets, and is sixty feet long by forty wide, two stories high. It gives employment to forty hands, including six traveling sales men. They manufacture children's and infants' turn shoes exclusively, and dispose of their product throughout the central and western States. Mr. Eisenhuth is a republican, has served for eight years as town clerk, and is one of the school directors of his borough. He is a member of Schuylkill Lodge, No. 138, F. and A. M., of which lodge he is a Past Master ; Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, R. A. M., at Pottsville ; Constantine Commandery, No. 41, Knights Templar, of same place; Grace Lodge, No. 157, I. O. O. F., of Orwigsburg, of which he is a past officer ; and St. Paul's Lutheran church, at Orwigsburg. His union with Anna R. Wernert, daughter of Victor Wernert, of Orwigsburg, on March 11, 1892, has been blessed with the following children : Harry, Lillian, Floyd and Marguerite. nEV. JAMES A. HOLAHAN, the present pastor in charge of St. Stephen's Roman Catholic church at Port Carbon, Pennsylvania, is a son of Richard and Nora (Driscoll) Hola- han, and was born on February 2, 1861, in the village of Middleport, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. His father was a native of county Tipperary, Ireland, and about the year 1858 came to the United States. He located in Middleport, Schuylkill county, where he now lives. His business has been that of a coal operator, in which he has been engaged during the greater part of the period of his residence in this State. He formerly operated what was known as Coal Hill colliery at Middleport, but now lives a retired life. He is a democrat in poli tics, and in connection with his party has served as delegate to the county convention, has discharged the duties of school director and other local offices. He was united in mar- j. riage with Nora Driscoll, who is still living, in March, i860. This union has resulted in a family of twelve children, nine boys and three girls. Rev. James A. Holahan received his pre liminary education in the public schools of Middleport, Palo Alto and Port Carbon. Subsequent to his leaving the public schools he was employed as a clerk for four years by William H. Carey, a grocer at Port Carbon. At the end of this time he entered St. Charles' seminary at Overbrook, Montgomery county, in September, 1880, and was ordained to the priesthood of the Roman Catholic church on June 15, 1889. After his graduation he re ceived his first appointment to St. John's Roman Catholic church at Thirteenth and Chestnut streets, Philadelphia, where he re mained until February 24, 1893. At the ex piration of this time he received an appoint ment from Archbishop Ryan, of Philadelphia, to St. Stephen's Church at Port Carbon, where he has since been stationed, and has dis charged the functions of his office. Father Holahan is a man of intelligence, scholarly tastes, and is deeply devoted to the interests of his parish. Under his ministry the church has shown a notable increase, and many lines of church work have been in creased in extent and efficiency. He is a OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 309 young'man of promise, and through his zeal, devotion and earnestness in the cause of re ligion and humanity gives promise of accom plishing a work fruitful of results. He is well liked, and commands the respect and confidence of his people. J"\R. CHRISTIAN LENKER, a prominent physician of Schuylkill Haven, and a descendant from prominent and pioneer fami lies of the state, was born near Elizabethville, Dauphin county, March io, 1842. His great grandfather on the maternal side, Ludwig Shott, was one of the original settlers in the Lykens Valley, having removed from the vicinity, of Reading in company with Lykens, for whom the valley was named. Their efforts to establish homes and open the section to civilization was hazardous, and was met with much opposition from the roaming bands of Indians who were occupying the territory, and with whom the settlers were in frequent battle. His grandfather, also named Ludwig Shott, was born in- Dauphin county. He was a farmer, and successfully followed that vocation all his life, except for a period I during the war of 181 2, when he served his country in the military operations in and around Baltimore. Dr. Lenker's grandfather, Stephen Lenker, was a native of Chester county. He emi grated to Dauphin county in the latter part of ; the last century, and settled near Elizabeth ville, where he owned and cultivated a fertile farm of two hundred acres. He was a pros- j perous man, intelligent and respected. Chris tian Lenker, the father of the present Dr. Christian Lenker, was born in Dauphin county, in the year 1800. He was a farmer, vigorous and enterprising. In public matters he took an active interest. He was a democrat, and was elected by his party a county commis sioner, faithfully looking after the interests of the entire people. He was a leader in military affairs, and was a captain in the State militia. He was twice married. His first wife was a Miss Hawk, and by this union there were two children. His second marriage was with Susan Shott, and to them were born four sons, one of them being Christian, the subject of this sketch. The brothers were Daniel, Valentine and Hiram. Hiram died at the age of fourteen. Daniel is a prominent real estate dealer in Canton, Ohio. He began life as an iron moulder, and was at one time foreman of Buckeye Mower and Reaper Works. He enlisted and served in the civil war as a lieu tenant in the Canton artillery. Valentine, who resides at Berrysburg, Dauphin county, is a saddler and harness maker, and a dealer in the goods of his trade. In 1861, he en listed, in the 9th regiment Pennsylvania cavalry, and served three years with distinc tion. He is a republican, and has been elected and served two terms as assemblyman from Dauphin county, in the State legislature. Dr. Christian Lenker received a primary education in the public schools of Dauphin county. At the breaking out of the war he was a student at Mount Union college, Ohio. He immediately withdrew from the college , and joined the Canton artillery, serving with that body three months. He then enlisted in company H, 19th Ohio regiment, and in 1863, re-enlisted in the same regiment as a veteran, serving in the army altogether four years and three months. He was a true patriotic soldier, shirking no hardship and evading no duty. He was at the front in many arduous cam paigns and marches, and on the hotly con tested battlefields of many states. At various 310 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY times and occasions he served under Buell, McClellan, Rosecrans, Halleck, Thomas, Sherman and Grant, and in the states of West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas. He was an active par ticipant in many ofthe battles fought in those states. During his long service he was seldom absent from the field df war from any cause ; and when convalescent from sickness in Nash ville, Tennessee, twice escaped to rejoin his command, and was as often" returned to the hospital by his superior officers. After being honorably mustered out at the close of the war, Dr. Lenker attended Millersville State Normal school, and was graduated with the class of 1869. Being fully capable and well prepared he began teaching, first in the gram mar school at Millersburg, Dauphin county, and afterwards in the Boys' High School at Lock Haven. He was elected principal of the city schools of Lock Haven, and per formed the duties with credit to himself and benefit to the schools, for one year. At the expiration of the scholastic year he was elected to and accepted a similar position in the schools of Northumberland, Northumberland county, where for three years further success crowned his efforts. Dr. Lenker was a suc cessful teacher and an efficient school manager, , and in the change of professions the State lost a valuable educator. But the gain was to the sick and afflicted, for while filling the position at Northumberland he, under the preceptor ship of Dr. Joseph Priestly, undertook the study of the medical sciences, a profession in which he was to distinguish himself even more than he had in teaching. In 1875, after a thorough preparatory training, he entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, and was graduated in the med ical department in 1877, and also attended the auxiliary courses for two years. He located near Bloomsburg, Columbia county, and began practicing. With a prac tical mind, trained to understand and analyze, and possessed of a thorough knowledge of theory, he was not long in establishing him self and holding a lucrative practice. But in 1882 he determined to locate in Schuylkill Haven, which he did, and where he has since attained much prominence in the practice of his profession. Thoroughly equipped in all that pertains to the art, with a nature humane and kind, a logical and discriminating mind, well balanced in every way, he stands easily in a position high among the leading practi tioners of his county and State. The knowl edge of what to do, and the persistent energy to do it, two very essential factors in a physi cian, are possessed in a large degree by the Doctor. He is, in addition, a man of high social standing, a good citizen, prominent in the affairs of his section, and posted in the occurrences and methods of the world in general. He is a member of the Schuylkill County Medical Society, and of the State Medical Society, and is held in high professional and personal esteem by his brother members. He belongs to the Union Veteran Legion, En campment No. 19, at Pottsville; and to the Jerre Helms Post, G. A. R., of Schuylkill Haven. He is a member of Lafayette Lodge, No. 199, F. and A. M., at Lock Haven ; and of the Carroll Lodge of the I. O. O. F., at Schuyl kill Haven. In politics, Dr. Lenker is a republican, and while in no sense an office seeker or a partisan, he takes an active interest in the furtherance of the party's interest and its prosperity. He was a delegate to the National Convention at CAPTAIN HENRY J. HENDLER. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 311 Minneapolis in 1892, which nominated General Harrison for a second term. He is at present most successfully serving his third year as a member of the school board of Schuylkill Haven. Dr. Lenker was married June 6, 1878, to Mary Stoddard, of Wilkes-Barre, a daughter of John Stoddart, now deceased, who was a prominent lumber dealer of that section. Five children have blessed their union. They are : Robert E., Frank S., Helen, Marian L. and Harold E. Dr. Lenker is in every way a representative man, safe and conservative, an honor to his section. To such citizens is due the material prosperity of a community. ^TAPTAIN HENRY J. HENDLER, ex- ^^ county treasurer of Schuylkill county, and a well-known and popular retired citizen of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of John A. and Eva Elizabeth (Heil) Hendler, and was born in Grossenlueder, Kreiss Fulda, Ger many, September 11, 1824. He attended the schools of his native place in Germany until thirteen years of age, when he emigrated to the United States, landing August 5, 1839, in New York City, whence he proceeded to Philadelphia, where he took passage on a canal boat over the Schuylkill canal to Pottsville, which has ever ^ince been the home of his adoption. Here he appren ticed himself to Joseph Klein for a term of four years to learn the trade of a shoemaker. At the expiration of his apprenticeship, he en tered upon the active work of his trade and continued until 1852, when he was appointed mai) agent on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, in which capacity he served until 1 861. It was during his service in this capac ity, in 1855, that he assisted in the establish ment of the German paper known as the- Jefferson Demokrat, he being its godfather. This paper was published under the firm name of Hendler & Schrader until 1866, when he formed a partnership with J. William Schrader and C. N. Barkly, under the firm name of H. J. Hendler & Company, and added to the above publication that of the Pottsville Stand ard, which publications he assisted in editing and managing from their inception until 1874, when he retired from the firm. During his long-continued connection with these papers the touch of his genius was reflected in a way fully attesting the public spirit and enterprise characteristic of the man. In 1 861, at the outbreak of the civil war, he responded to President Lincoln's first call for volunteers, and went to the front. He was made captain of Company "F" (Washington Yaeger's), Sixth regiment, Pennsylvania volun teer infantry, and for three months participated in the engagements of his regiment in Vir ginia. At the end of which term he returned home on account of business cares. Captain Hendler has always been a staunch democrat, and has always taken a lively and intelligent interest in the success of his party's policies. In 1863 he was elected treasurer of Schuylkill county for a term of two years. During his tenure of office $2, 250,000 passed through his hands, a sum $137,000 in excess of theATSON F. SHEPHERD, a leading law yer of Pottsville, is a son of Cornelius and Jane (Fell) Shepherd, and was born De cember 28, 1844, in Buckingham township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. His grandfather, John Shepherd, was a native of Saulsburg township, same county, a farmer by vocation, who just before his death removed to Buck ingham township. He died at an early age. His family embraced the following named children: Joseph, Benjamin, John, Cornelius, Rachel, Mary A., Elizabeth and Sarah. Cor nelius (father) was given birth in the year 1820, and died November, 1 884, having passed his entire life in Bucks county, Buckingham township, the home of his father. He was a thrifty, industrious farmer, took a lively inter est in the local politics of his district, and was generally identified with all measures promot ing the public good. He was elected on the Democratic ticket as a director of the poor at the time when cholera was epidemic in his county. He married Jane Fell, daughter of Eli Fell, of Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Both the maternal as well as the paternal side of the house are of Quaker lineage. Eli Fell was married to Rachel Bradshaw, by whom he had 318 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY twelve children: Eli, James, Morris, Elias, Hicks, Watson, Ruth, Eunice, Huldah, Martha, Rachel and one dying in infancy. Father of subject had the following named children : Joseph, a resident of Norristown, Pennsylva nia, married to Margaret J. Long, by whom he had seven children : Elizabeth, married to Robert D. Long, of Durham township, Bucks county, by trade a merchant tailor, mother of two children; Carlyle, a resident of Bucking ham township, Bucks county, married to Han nah Overholt, now deceased, was elected to the State legislature and took his seat January, 1893; Cornelius, a graduate of the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, located at Trenton, New Jersey, married to Jennie Long, by whom he has three children : Martha, married to R. J. Armstrong, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania ; Sallie J., at home ; Watson F., and two boys and two girls de ceased. Watson F., married on May 26, 1870, Bar bara Long, a daughter of James Long, of Warren county, New Jersey. They have but one child, Jennie. Mr. Shepherd received his education in the public schools and Tuscarora Academy, Juniata county, Pennsylvania, where he prepared for entrance to college. He aban doned the idea of entering college and regis tered as student at law with Hon. Henry P. Ross, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, afterward judge of Montgomery county. He was ad mitted to the bar of Bucks county in Septem ber, 1867, and came to Pottsville in 1868, where he entered upon the practice of his pro fession, and by his industry and ability went to the front rank. In connection with the law he has added that of politics, and has figured largely in that field as an advocate of Demo cratic principles. He is the present solicitor of the county almshouse, and has been for twelve years. In 1886 he was nominated by the Democratic party for Congress, at a time when there was a fusion of the Republican and Greenback parties as the opponent of Charles N. Brumm. The contest was a bitter one, Mr. Shepherd making an aggressive fight from the start upon his opponent, and came nearer being elected than any one who ran against fusion, and would have been elected had it not been for the fact that certain disappointed can didates in the Convention used their influence against him in the election. While he has always been active, Mr. Shepherd has never been an office-seeker aside from his candidacy in 1886. He is frequently identified with the State Conventions, and at one time was a mem ber of the executive committee of the State association of Democratic clubs, of which he is now one of the vice-presidents. Mr. Shepherd, wife and daughter are mem bers of the First Presbyterian church. He also belongs to the P. O. S. of A., camp No. 14, of Pottsville. +%ANIEL D. MORETON, one of the earlier settlers and a highly respected citizen of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a native of Staf ford, Staffordshire, England, where he was born March 1, 1821. Mr. Moreton's father was also a native of Stafford, at which place he was born in 1770. He was indentured when a boy to learn the trade of a wheelwright, and after working at his trade in his native country he emigrated to the United States and located in Lowell, Massachusetts, where he followed lock build ing, which was his avocation at the time of his death in 1846. His matrimonial union with Mary Hammersley resulted in an issue of five children, three sons and two daughters. Daniel D. Moreton came to the United Hon. JAMES RYAN. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 319 States in the summer of 1846, and located in Pottsville. In 1847 he located at his present residence at No. 514 West Market street, and has lived there ever since. He served an ap prenticeship of seven years in England to the trade of a tinsmith. Prior to coming to Potts ville and four years afterward this was his vocation. In 1850 he took up' plumbing and gas fitting, and pursued that line of work with marked success until he retired from active business in 1875. Mr. Moreton has been an enterprising, public spirited citizen, and has always had the welfare and prosperity of his town at heart. He has been for the last thirty years one of the managers of the Pottsville Water Com pany, in which company he is a heavy stock holder. He is president of the Union Hall Association, and has been on its board of management since its organization in 1865. Coming to the country when Henry Clay was a bright and shining light and a brilliant advocate of the politics of the Whig party, he became a member of that party, to which he ardently adhered until that party became disrupted in 1858. He then became affiliated with the Republican party as the natural progeny of the Whig party, and has ever since voted with that party on all matters where a vital prin ciple was at issue. He is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., of which lodge he is a Past Master ; Mountain City Chapter, No. 216, R. A. C, of which he is Past High Priest. Mr. Moreton married on December 25, 1845, Sarah A., a daughter of John and Susan Parton. She was born in London, England, in 18 1 7, but when a small girl her family went to Stafford. They were married in the Church of England, and still adhere to the tenets of that church. Mr. Moreton is a plain and unassuming man, universally honored and respected by all who know him for his honesty and probity and kindly disposition. HONORABLE JAMES RYON, brother of John W. Ryon (see sketch), and son of Senator John Ryon, was born in Elkland, Ti oga county, Pennsylvania, November 13, 1831. He received his education in the Lawrenceville academy and Genessee college, Lima, New York ; from the latter institution he was forced to retire on account of ill health at the end of two years. Shortly afterward, he entered the law office of his brother, the Hon. John W. Ryon, at Lawrenceville, read law, and was ad mitted to the bar at Wellsboro in September, 1856. Immediately upon his admission he removed to Schuylkill county and located in the town of Tamaqua. After a successful practice of five years, he was nominated for the legislature on the Democratic ticket, and was elected. His term of service was one of the most exciting in the history of the State, covering a period when the country was brought face to face with many momentous questions, upon which the several states were called upon to act with decision and wisdom. He was opposed to slavery in the abstract, but respected constitutional rights ; but his whole soul recoiled at the thought of the political dismemberment of the states, and his course of action in the legislative chamber was ever zealously in favor of national autonomy. In 1862, he was elected president judge of the twenty-first judicial district, and occupied the bench for a period of ten years, during which time he won the confidence of the bar through his careful judgment, his nice discrimination, his legal versatility, and his eminent fairness. At the expiration of his term of service, Judge 320 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Ryon was re-nominated for the position, but by reason of the unprecedented strength of the opposing parties — the Republican and Green back-Labor — the fusion candidate, Hon. Cyrus Pershing, was elected. In 1872, he resumed the practice of law, and occupies a leading place among the legal fraternity of the State. As an ejectment lawyer he has few peers and no superiors, and figures largely in important cases of this character. Besides his law practice, Judge Ryon was prominently con nected with coal operating interests under the firm name of John Anderson & Co. This company has conducted a successful business in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, for a period of over fourteen years. In 1856, Judge Ryon was united in marri age with Charlotte A. Wolfe, a daughter of George Wolfe, of Columbia, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. To them have been born three children, the eldest of whom is George W., a graduate of Lafayette college, Easton, Penn sylvania, and at present a practicing lawyer of Pottsville. He married Mary Bruner, of Cali fornia, Pennsylvania, to whom have been born two children, James and George W., Jr. George W. is a prominent Odd Fellow, and assistant commissary general of Pennsylvania on Gov ernor Pattison's staff, with rank of lieutenant colonel. In, 1889 he was the Democratic can didate for district attorney. Florence V., the second child, is married to Dr. H. D. Thoma- son, a medical practitioner of the state of Michigan. They have one child, Charlotte C, aged five years. John P., the third child, is married to Blanche Silkman, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and is now a resident of Potts ville. He was graduated from Lafayette Col lege as a civil engineer, and later pursued a special course in electrical engineering at Le high University. JOENJAMIN W. CUMMING, ESQ., the Nestor of the Schuylkill county bar, is a son of George M. and Hannah (Dilworth) Cumming, and was born in Philadelphia, Penn sylvania, January 11, 1808. The family of which he is a descendant is of Scotch stock, and emigrated from Inverness in the Scotch Highlands to the United States at a very early day. His grandfather, David Cumming, was a native of Philadelphia, but moved to a place about twelve miles from that city and became the founder of Willow Grove. Here he lived the life of a retired gentleman farmer. The father of Benjamin W. was born in Phil adelphia in 1777, and came to Pottsville, Schuylkill county, in the year 1828. He died in Pottsville about the year 1855. While in Philadelphia, he was for a number of years a hardware merchant, but after his location in Pottsville he dealt largely in real estate. In politics, he was a whig of the old school, and considering the immobility of the time, took quite an active part in political movements. For many years he was a vestryman in the Episcopal church. His marriage took place before his arrival in Pottsville and was fruit ful to the extent of three children, of which our subject was the eldest. Emily D. became the wife of George H. Potts, both are n6w deceased ; Isabella was married to George W. Snyder, both deceased. Benjamin W. Cumming was joined in mar riage with Emily Washburne, a daughter of Zenas Washburne, of Otsego county, New York. By this marriage he had three child ren : George M., Mary C, and Benjamin W. Mr. Cumming was educated in Ellwood seminary, near Philadelphia, upon the com pletion of which in 1832, he removed to Potts ville with his father, and began the study of law with W. F. Dean, Esq., and was admitted OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 321 to the Schuylkill county bar in 1834. From that date he was in active continuous practice until about 1880, since which time he has lived a retired life. Politically, he has always been an adherent to the principles of the Democratic party, in whose behalf he took a moderate degree of interest. He has never been, however, a political partisan, nor has he been a seeker after the spoils of party victory. For a number of years he has been a director ofthe Miners' National Bank of Pottsville. Mr. Cumming holds membership in the Protestant Episcopal church, and is also iden tified with Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., was one time District Deputy Grand Master of the Schuylkill district. He is not only well and favorably-known in professional life, but has also created strong friendships in nearly every walk of life. He is a man of integrity and a high sense of honor, and now when nearing the close of a long and useful life, can look back over the record with the pleasing consciousness that there are few enemies to calumniate his remaining days. Mr. Cumming enjoys the highest esteem of his professional brethren and the respect of his fellow-townsmen without exception. HON. BERNARD J. MONAGHAN, sen ator from the Thirtieth district of Penn sylvania, was born in Ashland, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on March 31, 1861, a son of John B. and Anne E. (McHugh) Monaghan. His grandfather, Bernard J. Monaghan, Sr., was born in county Mayo, Ireland, and emi grated to the United States in the year 1844. Soon after arrival he located in Minersville, and in 1868 removed to Ashland, Pennsylva nia, and thence to Shenandoah, where he died 21 in the year 1882, in his eighty-third year. He was a member of the Roman Catholic church and was active in the Democratic party. He was united in marriage with Margaret Camp bell, who bore him a family of six children, four daughters and two sons, two of whom are now dead. John B. Monaghan, father of Bernard J., Jr., was also a native of county Mayo, Ireland, born in May, 1835, in which place all the members of his family were like wise born. He emigrated to the United States about the year 1847, an^ took up a residence in Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, in 1868, where he engaged in the wholesale liquor business, which he has followed during the past thirty-five years. Politically, he is a democrat, and religiously holds membership in the Roman Catholic church. His marriage resulted in a family of ten children, seven sons and three daughters — one son and one daugh ter are now deceased. Bernard J. Monaghan was united in the bonds of wedlock with Lizzie E. McOboy, a. daughter of Lawrence and Catharine McOboy, of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, on October 14, 1892. They have one child, Anna. Mr. Monaghan received his education in the public schools of Ashland and Shenandoah, graduat ing from the latter in the year 1874. He was also graduated from Bryant and Stratton's business college of Philadelphia, Pennsylva nia, in 1878. Immediately after this date he engaged in a general merchandise business with his father, under the firm name of John B. Monaghan & Sons, successors to John B. Monaghan, who had been previously engaged in the merchandising business since the year 1868. This association remained intact until the year 1887, when the father retired from the firm, and the business was carried on by his sons. The business has since been en- 322 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY larged and is still continued. Besides this, Mr. Monaghan is largely interested in grain, coal and cattle, and maintains an establish ment in Hawarden, Sioux county, Iowa, under the firm name of Monaghan Bros., for the purchase and shipment of cattle and grain. Mr. Monaghan is an active and enthusiastic democrat, and in November, 1890, was elected from the Thirtieth senatorial district of Penn sylvania, as a member of the State Senate, and at present is a member of the committee on insurance, elections, legislative apportion ment, and municipal affairs. He is thoroughly awake to the needs and interests of the dis trict which he represents, and has an intelligent comprehension of the important questions growing out of the industrial and social rela tions which exist in the mining regions of Pennsylvania. In his official capacity, as well as in his personal relations, he exhibits many good qualities and enjoys the confidence of his own city as well as that of his own con stituency generally. Religiously, he is a member of the Roman Catholic church. JOHN H. BURNARD, a contractor and builder of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in Cornwall, England, August 3, 1859. He is a son of Henry and Jane (Hamilton) Burnard. His father emigrated with his family from the above-mentioned place to the United States about the year 1868, and located in Mahanoy City, where he at the present time resides. He is a carpenter by trade, and has followed it throughout the greater part of his life. Soon after his arrival in Schuylkill county, he allied himself with the Republican party, in the propagation of whose principles he manifests more than ordinary concern. At the hands of this party, he served as a council man for one term and is now (1893) the nominee for chief burgess of Mahanoy City, through the favor of the same party. His marital union resulted in an issue of two children, both sons : John H., subject, and Richard, now located in Philadelphia. His first wife died in the year 1866, and he afterwards united in marriage with Millicent Symons, who bore him three children, as follows : Millicent, Lily, and Arthur. John H. Burnard was united in marriage by his first union with Emma King, a daughter of George King, of Mahanoy City, on June 29, 1882. She died in 1884. His second marriage was with Jennie Edwards, a daugh ter of Thomas J. Edwards, of Mahanoy City, which ceremony occurred on April 30, 1889. The last marriage resulted in an issue of two children, both sons : Hamilton J. and Nor- vin T. After receiving a limited education in the public schools, he learned the carpenter trade, which he followed as a workman down to the year 1884, when he began contracting and building. In the spring of 1892, he began dealing in lumber in connection with con tracting and building, and in both branches of ¦his business has met with success. Politically, he belongs to the Republican fold, and is a member of General Grant Lodge, No. 575, I. O. O. F., and also a member of Henry Clay Encampment of Mahanoy City, of which he is Past Patriarch; and of Eureka Castle, No. 82, Knights of the Golden Eagle. The Burnard family were among the earliest settlers of Mahanoy City, and have witnessed the growth of its diversified interests from a little hamlet to a city of eleven thousand in habitants. They are landmarks in municipal growth, and as such are entitled to creditable mention in the organic history of Schuylkill OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 323 county. John H. Burnard has been a rela tively successful business man, stands well in the eyes of his neighbors and community,' and is justly entitled to the esteem and respect due to an old family. f"\AVID C. BROWN, a prominent citizen of Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, and a well-known business man of this county, is a son of Daniel and Mary (Christman) Brown. He was born September 7, 1832, in Richmond township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he passed the early period of his life. The Brown family of Berks county was one of the pioneer families, sturdy and eminently respectable. Grandfather, Daniel Brown, Sr., was one of the earliest settlers in Oley town ship, and died in his adopted county at a ripe old age. His son, the father of David C, was born at Princetown, same county, Ruscomanner township, in the year 1808, and died in 1865, residing just before his death in Richmond township. He was a wheelwright by trade, and pursued his chosen vocation until within fifteen years of the close of his life, which latter period he spent in practical retirement on his farm. Politically, he cast his ballot with the Republican party, while his religious sympathies were centered in the Lutheran church, of which he was a valued and con sistent member. He was also a member of Montgomery Lodge, No. 159, I. O. O. F., at Reading, Pennsylvania. His marriage resulted in a family of ten children, eight sons and two daughters. David C. Brown has been twice married; his first union was with Anna Bella Shoel- lenberger, a daughter of Henry Shoellenber- ger, a prosperous farmer of Upper Berne township, Berks county, Pennsylvania. This marriage was blessed by the birth of the fol lowing children : Albert E., a prominent shoe manufacturer and business man of Orwigs burg, Schuylkill county (see sketch) ; Walter, a resident of Manayunk, Pennsylvania, in the employ of the Fairbanks' Scales company; Franklin, a shoe merchant at Royersford, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. His first wife died January 3, 1862, and he married as his second wife Emma R., a daughter of Henry Ketner of West Brunswick township, Schuyl kill county, by whom he has had ten children: Carrie D., the wife of George D. Gehris, of Birdsboro, Berks county, Pennsylvania; Daniel W., a painter of Ft. Madison, Iowa ; Harry L., of Orwigsburg; Mary M., Emma R., Minnie M., Hattie M., Elsie M., Hannah B., and Nel lie, at home. Mr. Brown was educated in the common schools of Richmond township, learned the trade of wheelwright with his father, and sub sequently went into the boat-building business at Landingville, this county. Here he en gaged in the construction of canal boats, which he pursued for about twenty years. At the expiration of this time he began the manufac ture of carriages and wagons at what is now known as Adamsdale, in which business he continued eight years. He then went into the shoe manufacturing business at Orwigsburg, taking an interest in the shoe business of his son, Albert E. Brown, of the firm of A. E. Brown & Co., which he still retains. On January 9, 1891, he purchased a farm con taining one hundred and twenty-one acres in North Manheim township, to which he now gives considerable attention. Mr. Brown re sided in the aforesaid township, near Adams- dale, until the spring of 1887, when he removed to Orwigsburg and built the pleasant attractive 324 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY home in which he now lives. Politically, he is a supporter of the Republican ticket, and is at present serving as a school director of Orwigs burg, in the efficiency of whose schools he manifests a decided interest. Religiously, he is a member of the Lutheran church. He is also a member of Schuylkill Lodge, No. 138, F. and A. M. ; Grace Lodge, No. 157, I. O. O. F. ; and Landingville Camp, No. 247, P. O. S. of A. He also served nine months in the army of the late war. Mr. Brown is one of the honored and re spected citizens of Orwigsburg, a very genial and affable man, and enlists the good graces of all who are fortunate enough to come in con tact with him. He has been successful in the business interests of life and now enjoys life's aftermath in the consciousness of having spent a life of integrity and well-directed effort. nEV. JOHN P. MULDOWNEY, of Schuyl kill Haven, is a son of Thomas and Mary (Moore) Muldowney, and was born at Cum- bola, this county, in July, 1856. His father, Thomas Muldowney, was born in Queen's county, Ireland, in 1824, where he was reared and educated, and whence he came to this country. He came to Pottsville in 1853, but died at Gilberton, this county, Feb ruary 1, 1888, aged 64 years. He was mar ried to Mary Moore, who was also a native of Ireland, a daughter of Michael Moore, of Queen's county, Ireland, and died at Gilberton, February 2, 1892, aged 60 years. The result of this marriage was a family of five children, four sons and one daughter. Father Muldowney was educated at Villa nova College, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, and at St. Charles' Borromeo Theological Seminary, Overbrook, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He was ordained to the priest hood in May, 1888, at the Cathedral, Phila delphia, and was appointed to his first charge at Holmesburg, Philadelphia, June 8, 1888, where he remained one year. At this time he was assigned to the charge of the St. Ambrose church, at Schuylkill Haven, upon the duties of which he entered July 6, 1889, where he has ever since officiated. This church has a large congregation, and Father Muldowney's duties include spiritual ministrations to one hundred and thirty families embraced in his parish. He is highly respected among all classes of the community, and is deservedly very popular among his parishioners. He has established himself in their affections by his kind, gentle, and sympathetic ministrations among them. "PLIAS E. REED, an honored veteran of the civil war, and an efficient Commis sioner of Schuylkill count}-*, Pennsylvania, is a son of Moses and Fayetta (Strauser) Reed, and was born at Delaware Mines, near Potts ville, Pennsylvania, August 23, 1846. His paternal grandfather, John Reed, was born in the city of brotherly love in 1801, but in 1824 moved to Fishbach, a suburb of Pottsville, where he resided until his death in 1867. Politically he was a whig, and filled the offices of school director and justice of the peace of Fishbach for a number of years. For many years he was the efficient superintendent of the Delaware mines, operated by the Delaware Coal Company. He married and reared a family of eleven children, ten sons and one daughter. Moses Reed, father of Elias Reed, was born in 1824 in Pottsville, where he lived the most of his days, but a few years prior to his death he removed to Shamokin, North- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 325 umberland county, this State, where he died in 1891. He was a blacksmith, and followed his trade all his life. In politics he was a republi can from principle ; in religion an ardent member ofthe Lutheran church. On June 20, 1845, he married Fayetta Strauser, a daughter of David Strauser, and to this union three children were born, two sons and one daugh ter: Elias, Charles M., and Barbara. Elias E. Reed, when a small boy, removed with his parents to Pottsville, where he was educated and where he still resides. He was married June 20, 1867, to Emma Myers, a daughter of Nathan Myers, of Pottsville. This union has been blessed with eight children, three of whom are living : Elias E , Jr., Maud, and John P. In politics Mr. Reed has always been a strong republican, and has served four years as borough councilman, and in 1890 was elected county commissioner for a term of three years. He is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, Free and Accepted Masons; Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, Royal Arch Masons; Constantine Commandery, No. 41, Knights Templar; Cordwell Consistery at Bloomsburg; and is a 32d degree Mason of the Northern Jurisdiction ofthe United States ; also, to Washington Camp, No. 500, Patriotic Order Sons of America. At the breaking out of the civil war Mr. Reed was attending school at Pottsville, and although only sixteen years of age, yet he quit his studies to join the Union forces in defence of the Govern ment. He enlisted in Company H, 17th Pennsylvania cavalry, at Pottsville, July, 1862. for a term of three years ; served his full time, and was honorably discharged July 4, 1865, at Philadelphia. His company belonged to the cavalry corps of the Army of the Potomac, and was in fifty-seven regular engagements, besides many skirmishes. At Garrisonville he was wounded in the right knee, and at Trevilian Station was shot through the right foot, this being of such a serious nature that he barely escaped amputation of that member. After the close of the war, Mr. Reed returned home and learned the painting trade, which he followed four years. Since 1871 he has been engaged in the manufacture of cigars. He now belongs to Gowen Post, No. 20, Grand Army of the Republic, and to the Union Veteran Legion, of which he has been master almost continuously since its organization. j"^R. HARRY G. WIEST, a physician" in good standing of Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, is a son of Jacob and Savilla (Webb) Wiest, and was born in Minersville, Schuylkill county, on September 22, 1849. His ancestors are all natives of Germany, his father having emigrated from that country, together with his four sons, to America, in 1840. His first place of residence was at Miners ville, Pennsylvania, in which place he held citizenship for a period of forty-eight years. He died August 17, 1888, at the age of sixty- nine years. The first part of his career in the United States was spent as a clerk, in which capacity he continued until the beginning of the civil war, at which time, in association with John Morgan, of Newcastle, he began the operation of a colliery near Miners ville, under the firm name of Wiest & Mor gan. This colliery was operated successfully up to the year , when Mr. Wiest retired from business. At the same time a large mercantile business was conducted in con nection with the colliery. Politically, Mr. Wiest gave his support to the Republican party, and religiously he held membership in the 326 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY English Lutheran church. His marriage bore fruit in the birth of two children, Harry G., subject, and Joseph W., a saddler and harness manufacturer of Minersville, married to Sallie Detmore. Dr. Harry G. Wiest attended the schools of Minersville, and subsequently he entered the State Normal school at Kutztown, Pennsyl vania, where he remained until 1868, when he entered his father's store and was engaged as a clerk for several years. During the period of his clerkship he had also taken up the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. William F. Kestler, of Minersville, and Dr. Malcom Mac Farlin, of Philadelphia. Later, he entered Hahnemann Medical college of Philadelphia, from which he was graduated March, 1876. After his graduation he located at Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, where he prac ticed for a period of nine months, and in September of the next year removed to Schuylkill Haven, where he has since been in continuous and successful practice. He is a member of Schuylkill county Medical Asso ciation, and has served in the official capacities of president, secretary, and treasurer of that organization. Dr. Wiest is a supporter of the Republican party, and for three years has been deputy coroner of Schulkill county. Fraternally, he is a member of Peacock Tribe, No. , In dependent Order of Red Men. On April 14, 1881, he was united in marriage with Mary L., a daughter of Fred. L. and Magdalene Beck, of Beckville, Penn sylvania. This union has been blessed by the birth of three children : Helen, deceased ; Florence S., and Mary G. J ^OUIS STOEFFREGEN, ex-Treasurer of ^"^ Schuylkill county, is a son of Frederick and Charlotte (Frobet) Stoeffregen, and was born in Hanover, Germany, December 23, 1 83 1. His father was a native of Saltzgitter, Hanover, Germany, born on October 10, 1806. He was educated in the public schools and in Hildesheim Industrial School, in' which he was prepared as a worker in the salt business, and was afterward employed as general mana ger of the Iron and Salt works at Saltzgitter. He continued in this business until the year 1846, when he came to the United States. The first year after his arrival was spent in New York City, and the following year he changed his residence to Pottsville, Pennsyl vania. Here he was employed in Heywood, Snyder & Mills Machine works as a me chanic, with whom he remained until 1847, at which time he went into business on his own account, manufacturing iron rails and all kinds of materials belonging to that kind of business. This he continued up to the time of his death, July 30, 1875. He held membership in the German Lutheran church for many years, to which he was devotedly attached and in which he was an ardent worker. Nearly every office of the church at one time or another had en trusted its functions to him. His marriage took place on May 20, 1829, and three chil dren were the fruit: Frederick C, born Feb ruary 20, 1830, a machinist living in Pottsville and employed by the Philadelphia and Read ing Coal and Iron Company; Louis, subject; J. Conrad, born April 15, 1836, a butcher by trade, residing and doing business in Pottsville. Louis Stoeffregen was married to Mary Bossart, a daughter of John Bossart of Schuyl kill Haven, Schuylkill county, on July 22, 1854. The fruit of this marriage has been six children: Clara C, born March 14, 1855, died OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 327 November 16, 1856; Emma R., born July 29, 1856, married to Philip Brenneman, a furniture dealer of Pottsville; Laura C.born December 25, 1858, at home; Carrie A., born August 19, 1861, died August 4, 1862; Frederick J., born September 6, 1863, and died August 18, 1864; Louis F.,born January 19, 1866, married Effie Schleicher", and now engaged in the drug busi ness in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. The mother of Louis Stoeffregen was born November 19, 18 1 1, and is now living with him well pre served and in good health. Louis was educated in Dr. Warwicke's In stitute at CEnabrueck, Germany, up to the time of his coming to the United States, which event took place in 1847, when the family joined the father who had preceded them one year. He clerked in a store for three years after his arrival, then ran a butch ering business until 1874. At this time he started a meat market and packing business with J. Ulmer as a partner, which engrossed his attention until 1875, when with L. W. Weissinger, he built a stock yard on Coal street. Two years later he sold his interest to his partner. He was a director in the Pottsville Bank which closed its doors in 1876, but has since paid its creditors in full of all their deposits. In 1876 he became a candi date for the State Legislature in the Fourth district of Schuylkill county, and was defeated by three votes. He then rested from political engrossment until 1879, when he became a candidate for county treasurer, and was elected for a term of three years by a majority 962 votes. After the expiration of his term of office he was engaged as Deputy Recorder of the county under William C. Haussler during 1882, 1883 and 1884. Then engaged in the hardware business for two years at Mahanoy City with George Seligman under the firm style of Seligman & Co., since which time he has lived in practical retirement. Mr. Stoeffregen is a member ofthe German Lutheran church, of which he is elder, and of Wallhalla Lodge, No. 20, A. D. O. H., and he is now secretary of that organization for the State of Pennsylvania. He is also a member of Hayden Lodge, No. 44, 1. O. O. F., of which he is Past Grand, and for Six years was a member of the borough council. Mr. Stoeffregen is a man of good business qualities, and possesses the very necessary qualification of energy, and has taken an ac tive interest in the growth and development of the various business enterprises of his borough. HON. ASA G. W. SMITH, Schuylkill Ha ven, Pennsylvania, superintendent of the Cressona Powder works, at Cressona, Pennsyl vania, is a son of John and Catherine (Stevens) Smith, and was born at Southwick, Massachu setts, on January 17, 1842. His father, John Smith, was born at South wick, Massachusetts, in 18 18, and resided there until he removed to Kingston, New York, in 1857, where he lived until his death, which occurred while he was on a busi ness trip to New York, at the Astor House in that city, in 1864. His business was that ofa manufacturer of powder ; he was one of the firm of Smith & Rand, afterward merged into the Smith & Rand Powder Company. They had powder manufactories at Kingston, New York ; Newburg, New York ; Scranton, Penn sylvania; and Carbondale, Pennsylvania, and during the war furnished the government with large quantities of powder. After his death, the company was merged into the Laflin & Rand Powder Company, his widow, Mrs. Cath erine Stevens Smith, who is still living at 328 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Kingston, New York, continuing as the largest shareholder of stock in the company. He was married, in 1840, to Catherine Stevens, a daughter of Benjamin Stevens, of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, which union was blessed with a family of seven children. Hon. Asa G. W. Smith was educated at Williston Seminary, Easthampton, Massachu setts. He learned the business of a powder manufacturer with his father, remaining with him until his death as superintendent of his father's interest. In 1865, he came to Cres sona, Pennsylvania, and built what is now known as the Cressona Powder works. These works were operated by him and his brother, Albert J. Smith, now of Chicago, Illinois, until 1870, when he entered into an agreement of partnership with the Laflin & Rand Powder Company, by the terms of which agreement he continued to own the property and be super intendent of the works, which agreement con tinued in force until January, 1890. At this time the present Cressona Powder Company was organized as a stock company, with the following officers and stockholders : president, C. F. Rahn (since deceased), of Pottsville ; treasurer, William J. Matz ; secretary, A. E. Faust ; superintendent, Asa G. W. Smith ; and additional stockholders, William Weissinger and Solomon H. Kaercher. The works have continued to be operated by this company until the present time, manufacturing all kinds and grades of powder and explosive materials. In 1883, Mr. Smith secured a contract for building a portion of the line of the West Shore railroad, at which work he was engaged for about two years ; he also, in connection with his brother, William N. Smith, did con siderable contract work in the building of the acqueduct for the city of New York at South Yonkers, Westchester county, New York, sink ing shafts Nos. 18^ and 19. About 5000 feet Pf tunnelling was excavated there in about one year's time. He also did considerable contract work for the city of Reading, in the way of fur nishing crushed stone for paving and other purposes. In politics, Mr. Smith has always been a democrat, and has taken considerable interest and an active part ; he represented the First district of Berks county, composed of Read ing, in the Pennsylvania Assembly in the ses sions of '83 and '85, with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituency. ?VHARLES WILTROUT, an active and ^^ enterprising business man, and a promi nent and upright citizen of Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, is a son of David and Maria (Hoy) Wiltrout, and was born on September 27, 1 83 1, in Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. The great-grandfather, John Engelbird Wiltrout, was a native of Germany, who a generation before our memorable struggle for Independence left the fatherland, seek ing a home in the New World. This home he resolved to establish near Kutztown, Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he settled on a farm, and reared a family of seven sons and one daughter. On this farm, in 1770, John Wiltrout, grandfather, was born and reared, but about 18 10 he came to Port Clin ton, this county, where for a time he kept a hotel, and then removed to a farm near Or wigsburg (then the county seat), where he died in 1845. Politically, he was an ardent old line whig, and religiously a strict member of the Lutheran church. He was united in marriage to a Miss Rishel, which union was blessed with a family of two sons and five OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 329 daughters. David Wiltrout, father, was born in 1803, at Port Clinton, and died a young man at Orwigsburg, in 1835. His vocation was that of a manufacturer of linens. He ! was united in marriage to Maria Hoy, daugh- ; ter of Philip Hoy, a native of Berks county, : but a pioneer settler near Orwigsburg, this county, where he spent his days engaged in the avocation of a farmer. He was personally acquainted with Daniel Boone, the great hun ter and Indian fighter of the " Dark and | Bloody Ground," and served under " Mad " Anthony Wayne, when that illustrious and , valiant fighter was sent in J 794 to quell the : Indians of the Northwest. To this union ; were born four sons and one daughter ; three of the sons are deceased ; the daughter, Han nah, became the wife of Carl Yeakel, of Or wigsburg, this county. Charles Wiltrout, after receiving a common school education in the schools of Orwigs burg, went in the autumn of 1845 to Schuyl kill Haven, to learn the trade of a tailor. After thoroughly mastering the details of the trade, he, in 1851, established a merchant tailoring business, which he has faithfully and successfully pursued to the present time. He is a republican in politics, but has never sought office, but being one of the older residents of Schuylkill Haven, he has been frequently called to the offices of its municipal govern ment, and has served his people as school director, member of the council, burgess and assessor, and always with entire satisfaction to his constituents and credit to himself. Church work finds in him a hearty supporter and ready sympathizer, and he is a liberal con tributor to the Trinity Evangelical church, of which he is a trustee. Mr. Wiltrout has been twice married, first in April, 1 852, to Elizabeth Wildermuth, which union resulted in the birth of four children : Clara L., who married Dr. J. H. Wingender, of Hudson," Wisconsin; Kate, who became the wife of George F. Dengler, the present postmaster at Schuylkill Haven ; Dr. Irving D., who was graduated from Jefferson Medical college in the class of 1877, located in Hud son, Wisconsin, where he is proprietor of a Sanitarium, and is a very successful practition er of medicine, and Ella R., the wife of Philip S. Kinports, who is a druggist of Minneap olis, Minnesota. Elizabeth Wildermuth Wil trout, died June 18, 1886, and Mr. Wiltrout married as his second wife Emma L. Reneker on January 30, 1890, a graduate of the Phila delphia Normal school, and who was for fifteen years prior to her marriage principal of the Norris J. Hoffman Grammar school of Phila delphia. e> HON. JOHN W. MORGAN, a prominent citizen of Shenandoah city, and ex- representative of the First Legislative district of Schuylkill county, was born in Merthyr TydYil, Glamorganshire, South Wales, Febru ary 6, 1836. His father was a native of the same place, where he died in 1870. By occu pation he was a miner, to which he devoted his entire life. His marriage bore a fruitage of seven children that grew to maturity, two of whom emigrated to the United States, John W., and his sister Ann, who was united in marriage to John W. Williams in 1873, a present resident of Lost Creek, Schuylkill county. John W. Morgan came to the United States in the early part of 1854, and first located in Wadesville, near Pottsville, Pennsylvania, where he continued for one year. Later, he removed to West Wood, and from there to East Mines, where he remained for a short 330 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY time, when he again changed his place of resi dence to Mt. Laffee. He remained here for a short time and then removed to Pottsville, where he resided for ten years, thence to St. Nicholas, where he remained two and a half years, and afterwards to Mahanoy City and Lost Creek, in the latter of which he spent twenty years of his life, and finally, in 1886, to Shenandoah, where he has since resided. His education was such as was afforded by the schools of his native country, and early in life he entered the mines, where he met with a more practical and much harder routine of experience. He remained in the mines of his native country until the year 1854, when he changed his fortune. to the anthracite coal re gion of Schuylkill county, where, after a some what varied experience in the mines, extending over a period of thirty years, he was, in 1888, employed as foreman in the Shenandoah City colliery. At the outbreak of the civil war he en listed in the regimental band of the 96th regiment Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, and served about one year, after which he re enlisted in July, 1863, and served in company G, 39th regiment Pennsylvania National Guard, commanded by Captain Philip Nagle. After his term of service expired in connection with this company, he, in September, 1864, be came a private of the 4th Delaware battery, heavy artillery, from which he was discharged at the close of the war after an honorable record. Politically, he is a republican, and in 1886 was'prominently identified with the Labor Re form party. In 1873, he was nominated by his party, endorsed by the Labor Reform party, for the office of representative in the State Legis lature from the First district of Schuylkill county. He was elected, served his term of office, and was re-elected by the same parties in 1874. He was again returned in 1875 and 1876, and in 1877 and 1878. During the period of his representation he put forth every effort to secure such legislation as would benefit the condition of the laboring classes in his county, and in fact throughout the entire mining dis trict of Pennsylvania. During the time of his membership in the Legislature he took a prominent part in the scheme for the estab lishment of the Miners' hospital, was a mem ber of the board of trustees, and finally wit nessed the establishment of that institution toward which he had contributed so much time and energy. Fraternally, he is a member of Shenandoah Lodge, No. 511, F. and A. M., of which he is Past Master ; Member of Griscom Chapter, No. 219, R. A. M., of Ashland; Prince of Peace Commandery, No. 39, Knights Tem plar at Ashland; member of Shenandoah Lodge, No. 591, I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Grand ; and to the Shekina Encampment, No. 134, I. O. O. F., at Ashland, Pennsyl vania. Mr. Morgan was united in marriage on May 31, 1856, to Miriam Williams, a daughter of Joseph Williams, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, who bore him one child, William, now mar ried to Laura Wooley, and residing in Shen andoah, where he conducts the business of a hatter. Mrs. Morgan died in 1857, at the age of twenty-one years, and her husband was after ward, in 1859, united in marriage with Mar garet Price, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, by whom he had twelve children, seven ofwhom are still living, six sons and one daughter : Ivor, Taliesin, Aneirin, John, Arthur, Cara- doc, Howell, Caswallon, Llewelyn, Garfield and Edith Myfanwy. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 331 /GEORGE HAMILTON, a highly respected citizen of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of William and Susan (Morrow) Hamilton, and first saw the light of day in April, 1816, in county Donegal, Ireland. The ancestors of Mr. Hamilton all lived and died in the " Emerald Isle," himself and one brother, Edward, being the only two that ever came across the water. Edward located in Mount Carbon, now a suburb of Pottsville, in 1837, where he died. In eleven years after Edward's locating in this country he was fol lowed by his brother George, who also located in Mount Carbon, where he lived until 1885, when he came to Pottsville, where he has ever since resided. When Mr. Hamilton first located in Mount Carbon, he was engaged in boating on the Philadelphia and Schuylkill canal; this canal was then a very active thoroughfare of com merce, and Mr. Hamilton, in connection with others, frequently made voyages to Baltimore, New York City, Albany and other seaboard towns, carrying the raw products of his region tb these places, and bringing in return the manufactured products of these great centres. In 1873 he embarked in the mercantile bus iness in Mount Carbon, and successfully plied that business until he retired from the activi ties of life in 1885. He is a republican politically and a consist ent member of the Methodist church. In 1859 Mr. Hamilton and Anna J. Haws were united in marriage, and to this union have been born five children: Carrie J., the wife of Edward Leader, of Shamokin, North umberland county, Pennsylvania; Spencer, a merchant of Shamokin; Gray, who resides at home and is a clerk in the employ of the Phil adelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company; and George W., at home attending school. jOENJAMIN j. SMITH is a son of John and Ellen (Ray) Smith, and was born September 2, 1848, in Tamaqua, Schuylkill county. John Smith, father, was of English nativity, being born in Burnley, England, in 181 5. He came to the United States in 1840, and located in Pottsville, afterwards in Tamaqua, and now lives in Gordon, Schuylkill county. His voca tion through life has mainly been that of a stationary engineer. He espouses the cause and is a firm believer in the principles ofthe Re publican party, with which party he has always voted upon questions of a national character. He is a strict member of the Methodist church.* He married Ellen Ray, a daughter of Benjamin Ray, of Irish nativity but who emigrated to America and died in St. Johns, Canada. To this marriage were born five children: Ebenezer, a locomotive engineer and a resident of Gordon, this county; Mary J., married to L. W. Towns, who resides in Pottsville ; Margaret A., Emma, and Benjamin J., who was married December 31, 1871, to Annie, a daughter of John Johnson of Girard ville, Pennsylvania. To this marriage have born a family of eight children : John G, Horace, Cyrus O, Ida Ray, Eben W., Ben jamin G, Florence Annie, and Lillian J. Mr. Smith was educated in the Tamaqua schools and Eastman National Business Col lege. He then clerked for five years in Girard ville. He was then appointed a justice of the peace for the borough of Girardville to fill an unexpired term, at the expiration of this pe riod he was elected for a full term ; at the ex piration of this term he was appointed deputy sheriff under sheriff Michael C. Scanlon. Mr. Scanlon died when but one year of his service had elapsed, and Mr. Peter McCabe was ap pointed to fill the unexpired term ; Mr. McCabe 332 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY was succeeded by Mr. J. M. Boyer, then came Bernard J. Duffy and Andrew Comrey, and what attests to Mr. Smith's efficiency and pop ularity more than anything else that could be said, is the fact that he held the position con- ' tinuously under each one of these officers. It goes without saying that this official work was entirely satisfactory. In 1891 he was the can didate of his party (the Republican) for the office of sheriff and greatly reduced the major ity of the opposition. Since retiring from active politics Mr. Smith has engaged in real estate and insurance. He is an active worker in the Primitive Methodist church, in which organization he is a local preacher. JOHN A. REILLY, ex-recorder of Schuyl kill county, and a prominent business man of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, is a son of Miles and Susan (McGovern) Reilly, and was born May 8, 1844, in Newark, New Jersey. Miles Reilly, father, was born in County Cavan, Ireland, and emigrated in 1836 to Newark, New Jersey, when after a short stay he came to Bear Ridge, Schuylkill county, where he lived until 1867, and retired to Philadelphia, where he died in 1877. He married Susan McGovern, and had eight chil dren, two boys and six girls. Mr, Reilly attended the public schools of his county, and at the age of twenty-six years went into the liquor business in Pottsville for two years, when he came to Shenandoah, where he has been in the wholesale liquor business ever since. He is an uncompromis ing democrat, in which party he has always taken an aggressive part, and for the success of which he has given of his time and sub stance. In 1878 he was elected recorder for his county, and for one term dispensed the duties of that office with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. Mr. Reilly is identified with other business interests of his town and county. He helped to organize the First National Bank of She nandoah, and has been one of its directors ever since. He also helped to organize the Merchants' National Bank, and served as a director in that bank for a time. Mr. Reilly has been uniformly successful in business, and notwithstanding that he was among the unfor tunates who were burned out in 1883, he has fully recovered from the effects of that calamity, and has accumulated considerable property through business tact and foresight. He is a large stockholder in the Ashland Coal and Coke Company, a company which controls a large tract of coking coal lands in West Vir ginia, which lands they are now successfully developing. On September 2, 1869, he married Ella, a daughter of Patrick Curry, a native of Kil kenny, Ireland, but who located in Pottsville, this county, in 1830, where he died in 1861. To this union have been born nine children : Thomas E., a clerk in the census department at Washington, District of Columbia ; Nellie V., at home; John H., a graduate in 1893 of Peirce's Business college, Philadelphia; Charles A., at home ; Ignatius, Nannie, Maggie, James, and Frank. JAMES H. LONG, one of the successful business men and public spirited citizens of Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, was born in Fredericksburg, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, on February 8, 1864. He is a son of John H. and Louisa (Dixon) Long. Jacob Long, his paternal grandfather, was a thrifty farmer of Lebanon county, where he was born, reared and died. His death OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 333 took place in the year 1885. John H. Long, father, was also a native of Lebanon county, born on his father's farm on July 6, 1845, and died in Fredericksburg, same county, on May 11, 1877. He was a watchmaker and jeweler by trade, which occupied his time throughout life. In politics, he was a strong republican, and enthusiastic in religious affairs, being a member of the United Brethren church. He married Louisa Dixon, a daughter of Hamil ton Dixon, on November 24, 1862. The mar riage has resulted in an issue of six children of whom three are still living : James H., Jacob and Amos, the latter a resident of Tremont, this county. James H. Long on July 6, 1884, was joined in matrimony with Kate Dull, a daughter of Jefferson and Elizabeth Dull, of Tremont. They have three children: Laura M., James Harry, and Jennie L. James H. is now de ceased. Mr. Long was educated in the com mon schools of Lebanon county, and from the age of thirteen to eighteen years, he was em ployed in the mines adjacent to Tremont. He then learned the trade of a tinsmith, after the completion of which he began business for himself at Tremont, where he continued for a half year. Subsequently, he went to Pine Grove, where he conducted a like busi ness for a year, when he purchased the large hardware business of J. W. Minning, which he added to his tinning trade. This occupied his attention for five years, when he sold to Minning and Barto, and purchased a half in terest in the Northwestern hotel of Pottsville. Somewhat later, he disposed of the hotel property and removed to Orwigsburg, where he again embarked in the hardware business, dealing largely in stoves, tinware, etc. His store in Orwigsburg occupies a building front ing twenty-three feet on Market street, and extending back seventy-five feet. The ware house has a front of twenty feet and a depth of forty-eight feet. His residence is situated on Mifflin street, and is a very attractive and desirable home. Mr. Long has been identified for an indefi nite period with the Republican party, in whose principles he has always felt a deep concern. While at Pine Grove, he served two terms as a member of the town council, and resigned during the latter term by reason of his removal to Orwigsburg. Since his residence in Orwigsburg, he has served in the capacity of borough auditor. He is a man of good business qualities, is public spirited, and in all matters pertaining to the progress of the community, educationally or morally, he is always found to be sympathetic and aggres sive. In this respect he ranks among the leading citizens of Orwigsburg. JOHN L. ECKERT, a leading and highly- respected citizen of Hecla, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is of German birth and parentage, and was born in the kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, on September 3, 1840. He is the son of John L. and Eva (Neumester) Eckert. In the year 1854, Mr. Eckert, together with his mother, came to the United States and settled in Hecla, East Brunswick township, this county. Here they remained a short time, and then removed to a place near Orwigsburg, where they remained a short time, and finally returned to East Brunswick township in 1865. Mr. Eckert has continued to be a citizen of this township ever since. He received his education in the common schools and at a local Normal school, conducted for a period at Tremont; and in the year 1858, after he had reached 331 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY his eighteenth year, began teaching. He con tinued in that occupation for some twenty years, during which time he taught sixteen terms in East Brunswick township, three terms in the McKeansburg district, and two terms in a private school. In the year 1865, he took charge of the Hecla hotel, which he conducted as owner and proprietor up to the year 1887. He has been ticket agent of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad at Hecla since 1886, and since 1881 has been superintendent of the Knickerbocker Ice Company, at Hecla. In addition to this, he owns a farm of seventy acres, in a good state of cultivation. Politi cally, he is a democrat, and since 1877 has been actively identified with that party. He has been favored by his party with election to the offices of assessor, auditor, and school di rector, all of which he filled with credit. He is also a member of the Lutheran church, and has been superintendent of the Sunday school since 1857. In 1879, he was appointed by the county committee as mercantile appraiser, the duties of which position he discharged for one year. Fraternally, he is a member of East Brunswick Lodge, No. 802, I.O.O.F., was one of the organizers, and first Noble Grand. He is a member of Scott Encampment, No. 132, I.O.O.F., of Tamaqua, of which he is Past Chief Patriarch ; and of Constance Degree Lodge, No. 161, of which he was first Noble Grand. He was Deputy Grand Master for the middle district of Schuylkill county two years. His lodge he has represented fifteen times as a representative to the Grand Lodge of Pennsyl vania. He was united in marriage with Sarah, a daughter of Abraham and Catherine Houser, of East Brunswick township, on May 12, i860, by whom he has eight children : Angelina E., wife of Frank Gerber, a resident of West Penn township, this county ; Mary A., wife of B. S. Greenwood, a resident of Pottsville, where he is by occupation a druggist; Harry M. E., married to Kate Kistler, and now residing in Tamaqua, in the employ ofthe Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company; Cyrus O. H. mar ried to Clara Weaver ; Cora A., wife of David E. Reinhart, a farmer, of East Brunswick town ship ; Walter, a resident of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, by occupation a brakeman on the Philadelphia and Reading railroad from Darby creek to Philadelphia ; Howard L. B., a brakeman on the Philadelphia and Reading, and at present residing at home. FRANCIS SCHMELTZER was born in St. Engbert, Rhinepfals, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, on October 12, 1824. His parents were Francis and Mary M. (Ochs) Schmeltzer, both of whom were born in the same place, the former in the year 1797, and latter in 1799. In 1835, the elder Schmeltzer with his family, consisting of four sons and two daughters, set sail for the United States, and landed in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on September 13, 1835. Ofthe children, George is located in Premer county, Iowa, and Peter at St. Clair, Schuylkill county, John at Tacoma, Washington ; Mrs. Hannah Wallner in Dakota, Mary M. is deceased, and Francis is a resident of Pottsville. Mr.Schmelt- zer's father died in St. Clair during the year 1855, and his mother during the year 1857. By trade, his father was a shoemaker, which upon coming to America, he gave up and went into the mining business. He, together with his family, was a member of the German Catholic church. In addition to the children already mentioned, four were American born : Nicholas, a carpenter, and resident of St. Clair; OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 335 Anthony, a blacksmith by trade, of St. Clair, this county ; Mrs. Elizabeth Cams, a resident of the State of Iowa, Premer county; and Gertrude, deceased, all were born in Pottsville. Francis Schmeltzer was joined in marriage with Margaret Thurn, of Philadelphia (who is a daughter of Jacob Thurn, a native of Rhinepfals, Germany, where he died) on February IO, 1855. The following named children have resulted : Peter, a blacksmith, located in Elmira, New York; Franklin, a bottler of the firm F. Schmeltzer & Son; Joseph, married to Louisa Sterner, of Potts ville, Pennsylvania ; Elizabeth, wife of Henry Ney, proprietor ofthe Exchange hotel, Potts ville ; John and Mary, at home. Mr. Schmeltzer began life as a cart driver in the coal mines of Schuylkill county, when a mere boy, and continued as a laborer in the mines until he had attained the age of thirty- six years. At this time, he became a foreman, and continued as such for a period of fifteen years, when he was appointed government inspector of mines, and served a term of five years, beginning with the year 1875. At the expiration of this term of service, he again accepted a place as foreman, and remained in this position until he was again appointed mine inspector under the employ of the Phila delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. He served in this capacity down to May, 1 892, when he resigned on account of ill health, and has since lived in retirement at No. 1301 West Market Street, where he enjoys all the com forts of a pleasant home, having obtained during his active life a fair competency. Throughout his entire career, Mr. Schmelt zer has shown himself to be a capable and thoroughly reliable man, whether as a day laborer in the mines, or as inspector of a large district, giving employment to thousands of persons. He has been a man with a steady aim and a singleness of purpose, whose watch word is fidelity rather than selfishness or self- emolument He is respected and trusted. v JOB RICH, a venerable and highly re spected citizen of Pottsville, is a son of Isaac and Charlotte (Tillett) Rich, and was born September 9, 18 12, in South Wales, near Newport. The Rich family has been resi- dentially identified with Pottsville and Schuyl kill county since 1836, the time at which Isaac Rich, father, located in Pottsville. Isaac Rich was a miner by vocation and a Methodist in religious belief. He died in Pottsville in 1848 at the advanced age of seventy-six years. His marriage to Charlotte Tillett resulted in a family of five children that grew to maturity : George, dead; Job; Isaac, killed in the mines; Jane ; Jonas, killed in the mines ; John, an en gineer. Of these, George, in connection with Charles M. Miller, under the firm name of Miller & Rich, were large coal operators of the county. Job Rich had few or no advantages for securing an education, but was educated, as he himself puts it, " by the circumstances of life," the most practical schooling that can come to any man. As early as 1837, Mr. Rich commenced coal operating at Wa'desville, * Schuylkill county, and in 1842 he commenced operations at what is now known as York Fame colliery, now owned and operated by the Lehigh Valley Company. He operated this colliery up to 1881, when he sold out, and has since devoted his time to looking after his varied real estate interests. He is an ardent member and zealous worker in the Methodist church, having been a member of that church since 1836, and is now the oldest living male 336 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY member of the Pottsville congregation. He has held all the official positions in the church government. Mr. Rich's life is truly one worthy of study and emulation ; in it we would learn lessons of honesty and probity, of temperance and moderation, of industry and economy, virtues which when exemplified, as they are in his life, cannot fail to bring to the possessor that serenity of mind and repose of conscience, which are the crown of a life well spent. He married Dorothea Afflick, and had a family of four sons and three daughters : Isaac B., Henry J., a salesman for the mercantile firm of J. C. Bright & Co.; Mary F., who became the wife of George W. Simmons, a resident of Pottsville; Belle A., the wife of Thomas A. Jones, also of Pottsville; John W., a farmer by vocation and living in Pottsville; Charlotte A., at home, and J. Newton, a mer chant of Pottsville. The son, Isaac B. Rich, was educated in the common schools of Pottsville and learned the trade of a machinist, at which trade he worked nine years. In 1871 he took a position as su perintendent of a colliery at Ashland for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com pany, which he held for three years. In 1874 he went into the manufacturing of building brick, which he successfully carried on for a term of sixteen years. On August 8, 1862, Isaac B. Rich enlisted in company B., 129th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry as a private, and was mustered out May 10, 1863, at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as sergeant, by reason of the expiration of term of enlistment. He took part in some hotly contested battles, among which were: Kearneysville, Freder icksburg and Chancellorsville, and a number of skirmishes. He is a member of Gowen Post, No. 23, G. A. R., of which post he has served two terms as commander. Mr. Rich married Anna L. Stichter on April 10, 1865, and has the following children: Dora, Emma, William, Arthur I., and George M., all at home. nICHARD HENRY KOCH, ex-district attorney and a candidate for judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, in the fall of 1892, is one of the leading attorneys of the county. He is a son of Daniel and Mary (Beck) Koch, and was born in Middleport, county and State mentioned, on April 2, 1852. There is a tradition that the settlement of his paternal ancestors on the Delaware was antecedent to the founding of the State of Pennsylvania by William Penn. The great- great-grandfather of Richard H. took an ac tive part in the French and Indian war, but after a period of service was forced through sickness to return to rjis home, where he shortly afterward died, leaving a widow and eight children surviving. One of the children was William Koch (great-grandfather), who was born in Philadelphia on April 1, 1747. His childhood was spent in his native city, but the greater part of his boyhood at Womelsdorf and in Oley township, Berks Co. Subsequent ly he removed to and settled in East Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, occupying the farm now in possession of Morgan W. Koch, a descendant of the same family. After his set tlement in Schuylkill county William Koch operated a grist-mill, now known as Kunkle's mill, in connection with his farm. He was twice married, and by his second wife (Mary Neifong) had nine children, of whom Henry (grandfather) was the fourth in order of birth. William Koch died May 3, 1832. RICHARD HENRY KOCH. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 337 Grandfather Koch, a prosperous farmer, miller and merchant, was born on the old homestead in East Brunswick township, this county, October 5, 1791, and died February 19, 1867, at New Ringgold, after having spent a lifetime in that vicinity. He married Su sanna Bock, the only daughter of Balthaser Bock, who was a native of Germany. She became the mother of ten children : Daniel, father, born at Kunkle's mill, which, was built by his father; Hugh, Henry, William and Charles (twins), Mary, wife of Eli Miller — both deceased; Catherine, wife of William Shuman — both deceased; Sarah, wife of Charles T. Bowen, of Pottsville, and Amanda, wife of Jacob H. Pyle — both deceased, Balthaser Bock was born on March 30, 1746, in Aide Hassan, in Grafschaft, Ha- nan, Germany, and when eight years old was brought to the "colonies by his father (who subsequently was a soldier in the French and Indian war). The family settled near Hamburg, Berks county, and a short time afterward his mother died in Philadelphia. After the death of his mother Mr. Bock mar ried on October 17, 1780, Susan Margaretha Bolig. Although he was lame, he served as a volunteer in the Revolutionary war one and one-half years, and now lies buried at McKeans burg, Schuylkill county. He died January 17, 1827. His only daughter, wife of Henry Koch, was born July 19, 1797, and died De cember 12, 1886. Daniel Koch (father), a merchant farmer and miller by occupation, was born in East Brunswick township on December 24, 1 8 16, near the old mill erected by his ancestors. His boyhood was spent in this vicinity and also his early manhood up to the period of his marriage, after which latter event, in 1 844, he removed to Middleport and engaged in the 22 mercantile business. In 1857 'he located at Auburn and engaged in farming, in which business he was very successful. The year 1866 found him in Monocacy, Berks county, in the ownership and management of a flour ing mill, and the next year he went to Fleet wood, where he purchased a mill and operated it until 1882. Since that time he has been living in practical retirement at his home in the latter named borough in Berks county. In his political texture he has always been a republican, and before his declining years manifested a spirited and intelligent interest in the politics of his county and state. In 1854 he was a candidate for sheriff of Schuyl kill county onthe Republican ticket in opposi tion to William Matz, and in i860 was elected a representative in the State Legislature from Schuylkill county as the colleague of Hon. Harry Huhn and Hon. Lin Bartholomew. During the invasion of the North by the Con federate army Mr. Koch entered the emer gency service in the 27th regiment Pennsyl vania militia under command of Captain Martz, and was present at the burning of the bridge at Columbia, which stayed the progress of that army. He was joined in marriage on October 24, 1839, t0 Mary Ann Beck, by whom he had a family of eleven children, ten of whom are still living. Harriet was born January 17, 1 841, and is the wife of Benjamin Jacobs. Francis D., born August 21, 1842, entered the late civil war at the beginning ofthe three months' service in company F, 5th regiment, as fourth sergeant, and served until the end of the term, when he re-enlisted in company I, 48th regiment, for a period of three years. At ] the end of this time he re-enlisted as a veteran, ! and served to the end of the conflict. During I his term of service he took part in nearly all 338 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY the important battles of his corps, and received thirteen wounds. He now resides in West Conshohocken, where he superintends a large stone quarry. Allen, born February IO, 1844, was a member of company I, 48th regiment, for three years and forty-five days, slightly wounded at the battle of Newbern, North Caro lina and is now a merchant in Omaha, Nebraska. Jeremiah, born October 27, 1845, served with his father in the emergency service, and now lives in Columbia, Lancaster county, Pennsyl vania, where he is by occupation an architect. Albert B., born November 27, 1847, and died April 6, 1853. Sarah, born March 26, 1850, is the wife of Dr. L. R. Lentz, of Fleetwood. Richard Henry is the subject of this annal. Emmanuel, born March 3, 1854, is now located in California; Arenius G, born April 3, 1856; Kate, born June 8, 1859, wife of O. I. Mellot, of Fleetwood, Berks county, and Ambrose Ellsworth, born January 24, 1864, now living at Ogden, Utah. Mrs. Koch, the mother of these children, was born on January 24, 18 14, and died August 26, 1888. Maternal great-great-grandfather, John Beck, was a Prussian officer in command of a troop called the Light Horse cavalry. He came to America about the year — , and located in Philadelphia. Here he remained for a time with a merchant whose life he had saved at sea during a very violent gale. His family con sisted of three sons and five daughters, who after his death became widely separated. He died in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, at a ripe old age. Great-grandfather, John Philip Beck, was born in Berks county, and died at the age of sixty years. He was a gunsmith by trade, and for that reason was exempted from military service in the war of the Revolution. He is also buried at Lebanon. By his marriage three sons and three daughters were born, one of which sons was Emanuel Beck, grandfather of our subject, who was born in Lebanon May 12, 1788. He was a millwright by occupation, and died at the age of ninety years after having reared nine children. Richard H. Koch lived at Middleport until he was five years old, then on his father's farm at Auburn up to the age of fourteen years, during which time he attended the common schools of that vicinity. Subsequently he attended the Philomathean Academy near BirdsborQ and the common schools at Fleet wood, where he prepared himself for admis sion to the State Normal School at Kutztown. He was graduated from this latter institution in the year 1871 with the first honors of his class. After graduation he taught school two years in Schuylkill and Lehigh counties, and then accepted a call to his alma mater, as in structor in mathematics, which position he held for six years. While connected with the State Normal School he did considerable work in connection with county institutes, lecturing in Berks, Lehigh, Monroe and Northampton counties. After his resignation from the work of the normal school he removed to Pottsville and entered the law office of Hon.. Francis W. Hughes, the Nestor of the Schuylkill county bar, and was admitted to practice in May, 1 88 1. He has since been admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the State, and in 1890 to the Supreme Court of the United States. During the period of his legal career he has been arduously devoted to his profes sion, and is highly esteemed as a lawyer by his fellow-members of the bar. In politics Mr. Koch is a staunch republican, and in the campaign of 1880 took a vigorous part as a speaker and organizer. In 1883 and 1884 he served as chairman ofthe Republican County Committee when the county reached its OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 339 highest Republican vote. On the first of Janu ary, -1887, he was appointed deputy district attorney, and held this position until January, 1890, when he became district attorney for a period of three years. This election was an undoubted compliment to the popularity and ability of the deputy, for at this time the county was strongly Democratic. His term of service in this capacity was a very active one, which is attested by the fact that three thousand three hundred cases were cleared from the docket during his incumbency. At different times he has occupied positions on committees of his party, and has frequently served as delegate to county and State Con ventions. In 1892 he was nominated for the office of judge of Schuylkill county, but in the triangular fight was defeated. In the fraternal world, Mr. Koch is identi fied with a number of organizations, among which may be mentioned Huguenot Lodge, No- 377. F. and A. M., at Kutztown, Pennsyl vania; Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, R.A. C. ; Constantine Commandery, No. 41 ; I. O. O. F., of Pottsville ; Patriotic Order Sons of America, in which he takes an active part ; the Elks, Knights of the Golden Eagle and Royal Arcanum. Mr. Koch served as soli citor for the borough of Pottsville for five consecutive years, and then refused re-elec tion. He is also a director of the Centennial Memorial Association of Valley Forge, estab lished for the purpose of preserving that sacredly historical spot for the future inspira tion of the American people, and especially everything that carries with it patriotic memo ries. For some years he was a trustee of the State Normal School at Kutztown, as repre sentative of the State. He married, on September 30, 1884, Annie S. Philips, a daughter of William Philips, late Captain in the 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry, and during the late war fatally wounded at the battle of Cold Harbor. To this marriage four children have been born : Roscoe, born June 17, 1887; Helen, born July 17, 1889; Marshall, born September 24, 1891, and Mar- jorie, born September 22, 1893. In both professional and private life, Mr. Koch has borne himself above reproach, and by his ability, his manliness, and many mental qualifications has forced an enviable respect and popularity. As a criminal lawyer he is especially entitled to the high place which he holds among the legal fraternity of the Schuyl kill county bar. His geniality, generous sympathy, and extreme humanity have made for him many warm and lasting friends. JACOB O. ROADS, one ofthe most widely known and thoroughly respected resi dents of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was born January 1, 18 17, in Maiden township, Berks county, Pennsylvania. His struggle with for tune began early in life and in a very humble way, but an unswerving determination to rise in life, coupled with true American grit and tenacity of purpose, rapidly carried him up the ladder of business prosperity. Thrown among the great coaling interests of the Keystone State, Mr. Roads quickly de veloped a surprising aptitude for the manage ment of mining enterprises, and before many years past his majority, undertakings of more or less importance were intrusted to his judgment. Mr. Roads is the son of John and Elizabeth Roads. His grandfather was Conrad Roads, who came to this country from Germany and settled in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, where he engaged in farming. He subse- 340 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY quently removed to Reading, where he died and was buried at Spiese church, six miles south on the Philadelphia and Sunbury turn- I pike. Mr. Roads' father was a native of Eastern j Pennsylvania, where he spent most of his life. He was eighty-four years old when he died at j Hamburg, Berks county, in 1866. He was married first to Elizabeth Fritz, the mother of Jacob O. Roads, who was one of a family of six sons and five daughters. She died in the i spring of 1823, and was buried at Zion's church, Windsor township, Berks county. Mr. j Roads, Senior, again married Saloma, widow ! of Aaron Brown Miller, who was a Miss Kel- | ler. By this marriage there were five children, four daughters and one son. Jacob O. Roads began life as a canal boy on the Schuylkill canal. He was then at the i tender age of eight years, and his steady advancement from that lowly occupation proves that he had in his composition the qualifications that produce the self-made man. Two years of work upon the canal resulted in the acceptance of a position in a drug store, J where several more years of experience were placed to his mental credit. Next a country store clerkship of some duration,, and then Mr. Roads again returned to the canal and remained three years, when he again became a clerk. He had then become of age and the business field began to widen. He went to Pottsville in 1841, and began his life there as a clerk, and continued as clerk and superin tendent for E. W. Maginnis at Gate Van. During this time, Mr. Roads had wooed and married Mary M., the daughter of John W. Rosebury, of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania. This was on December 21, 1843, where his ability and steady business habits had already attracted favorable notice, and the young clerk's progress was becoming rapid. From this union eight children resulted, five of whom are still living. First, Mary, who died in infancy; second, John W., also deceased; third, Alice, who married Dr. B. C. Gulden, of Minersville ; fourth, James G., deceased ; fifth, Nellie R., a teacher of the Pottsville high school, of which she is a graduate; sixth, George M., who, after graduating frorn the Pottsville high school, read law with Hon. Lin Bartholomew, and was admitted to the Schuylkill county bar in 1884; seventh, An netta, a music teacher and graduate of the high school ; eighth, Jay O., who after finish ing his education at the high school, became a mining and civil engineer, and is now in the employ ofthe Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. While in the employ of E. W. Maginnis, Mr. Roads sank the West Gate Van slope in B of Pottsville. In 1848, he went to New Philadelphia and formed a partnership with James' J. Conner and William Littlehales, under the firm style of Conner, Roads & Littlehales. They sank a slope on Spoon Van, on Burlow and Kvans' tract, a short distance west of New Phila delphia. The partnership dissolved in 1852, continuing as Conner & Roads, and again in 1854, the firm changed, becoming J. O. Roads & Co. In 1855, t^e concern sold out to Gustavus G. Sholenberger. Mr. Roads was at that time only thirty-eight years old, and had already accumulated money. He went to Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, and engaged in the lumber business with George H. McCabe for a short time, but again returned to coal operating in 1857, on Zachariah Run at Windy Harbor colliery, Schuylkill county. He next assumed the superintendency of the Silver Creek colliery, owned by Miller & Fisher. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 341 He also operated the Le Van colliery in Tamaqua. Mr. Roads next became a partner with Miller & Fisher, the firm being A. C. Miller & Co., composed of August C. Miller, Frederick Fisher, Michael F. Maize, and J. O- Roads. This partnership continued until 1868. In 1880, Mr. Roads went to North Carolina to superintend the mines of Francis F. Hughes, Francis Deweese, and — Wilson, and remained with them for three years. From 1873 to 1878, Mr. Roads occupied the responsible position of president of the Shenandoah Water and Gas Company, and has since been the secretary. In the spring of 1885, he again went to North Carolina to manage the business of a company interested in gold mining for a short time, and in the fall of that year was appointed commissioner of Schuylkill county, by the Court, to serve the unexpired term of John Lenard. In 1878, he was appointed assignee of the Shenandoah Valley Bank, and in 1885 was appointed re- ; ceiver of the Dauphin Iron Company of Dau- ¦ phin county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Roads is a stanch republican, and has served as a school director for Blythe town- j ship for one term. The Lutheran church j claims him as a member. Although in his ! ¦ I seventy-seventh year, he is still interested in ; society work, and is a member of Pulaski '. Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., and has the j honorable distinction of being the oldest liv- ! ing member of the lodge, a patriarch among ; his brothers. He is Past Master and con- ' tinues in good standing. He is also a mem ber of Mountain City Chapter, No. 41, R.A.M. , Mr. Roads is to-day a living example of ! what probity of character, business enterprise ! and untiring zeal may accomplish from the lowliest beginnings. Beloved by a large and prosperous family, respected by his fellow- men and implicitly confided in by his business associates, Jacob O. Roads is now enjoying in the autumn of his life the reward of an in dustrious youth and wisely spent middle life. The planting and the reaping over and the harvest garnered for the needs of his ripe old age. TA>ILLIAM KIMMEL. Among the prom inent business men of Shenandoah who are characterized by thrift, industry and un doubted integrity is the man whose name begins this sketch. He was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, July 16, 1834, and is the son of Valentine and Catharine (Krownnell) Kimmell. His father was a native of Germany, and was born in the Rhine Provinces, January 15, 1805, at the time when those provinces were under the rule of Napoleon. He left his native land in the year 1832, and emigrated to the United States, shortly after which he located in Pottsville, and at the end of a resi dence of thirty-three years died there. He had learned the profession of surveying in his native country, but during his residence in this country pursued mining exclusively. In political matters he was a strong and life-long adherent of the Democratic party, and re ligiously a member of the German Lutheran church, to the propagation of whose doctrines he was devoted and in active sympathy. His marriage bore a fruitage of ten children, six sons and four daughters. Mr. Kimmel received his education in the public schools of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and soon after leaving school apprenticed himself to a cabinet maker in Pottsville, to learn the business of cabinet-making and joinery. He worked at this trade for two years, until 1863, and then passed over' into Columbia county, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in min- 342 BIOGRAPHY AND. HISTORY ing under the employ ofthe McCauley Moun tain Mining Company. He remained in this capacity until the year 1865, when he went to Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, and was en gaged by Samuel D. Griscom, as superinten dent of his work of erecting trestles and other heavy joined work. He remained in this capacity down to the year 1 870, and from that time until 1884 entered into the house con tracting business, with Mr. Depew as a part ner. From 1884 to 1887 he became superin tendent of the Shenandoah Gas Light Company and was also a director of that company during its existence. Later he helped to or ganize the Citizens' Arc Light Company, and was connected with it as director and general superintendent, from the date of its organiza tion. Since 1875 he has also been treasurer of the Mutual Savings Fund. Mr. Kimmel is a strict and loyal democrat in his political affiliations, and in local politics has taken an active and influential part. He is interested more largely, however, in having good municipal government than in the advo cacy of mere partyism. He has been chief burgess of his borough for two terms, tri ennial assessor three different terms, and has also served in the capacity of regular assessor. He, together with his family, is a member of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church, of which he is a trustee. He was first united in marriage to Mary Matthias, a daughter of Lewis Matthias, of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, on March 18, 1858. This marriage was productive of three children: Mary, deceased; Minnie, graduate of Bloomsburg Normal school, married to Henry Haler, a butcher of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania ; and Anna, a graduate of the Bloomsburg State Normal school in the class of 1880, and at present a teacher in the public schools of Shenhandoah. Mrs. Kimmel died December 22, 1864, at the age of twenty- eight years. Mr. Kimmel again took marital vows on July 1, 1866, with Millie A. Johnson, of Columbia county, Pennsylvania. To them three children have been born : Mary, at home ; William V., a carriage painter residing in Columbia county, Pennsylvania; and Amanda, deceased. Mr. Kimmel is an enterprising man, promi nently connected with the business life of Shenandoah, and is regarded as trustworthy and straightforward iii all his relations. He has the confidence of the citizens. JOHN J. DAVIS. The men who super- vise the workings of the mines of the great anthracite coal region are men of no ordinary intelligence and discernment. One of such men is the subject of this sketch. John J. Davis was born in Llanedlos, Wales, October 2, 1845, ar>d is a son of John and Elizabeth (Williams) Davis. Mr. Davis had poor advantages for securing an education in the ordinary sense of the term, but at the early age of eight years he went to work in the collieries of his native country, thus gaining an education in the field of mining, which makes his present position possible. In 1865 he came to this country, locating first in the soft coal district at Johns town, Cambria county, where he remained from April until July, when on the 29th of that month he came to Ashland, Schuylkill county, where he was engaged as miner until 1875, when he was appointed fire boss at the Tunnel Colliery at that place, which position he held until January 20, 1886, when he was promoted to be inside foreman of Preston OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 343 Colliery, No. 3, at Girardville, which position he held until May 1, 1889, when promotion was again his fortune, and he was advanced to the position which he now holds, that of District Superintendent of the St. Nicholas district, which comprised, until recently, seven collieries, but now consists of four, viz. : Suf folk, Bear Run, St. Nicholas and Maple Hill ; collectively giving employment to 2600 men. In political texture Mr. Davis is a republi can, and always takes a normal interest in the subject. He is a member of Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M., Mizpah Chapter, No. 252, Royal Arch Masons, of same place, and of Prince of Peace Commandery, No. 39, at Ashland ; Knights of the Golden Eagle, No. 136, Girardville, and Royal Arcanum Council, No. 162, at Mahanoy City, also Aqua Lodge, I. 0. O. F., No. 757. On May 27, 1844, Mr. Davis was united in marriage with Elizabeth, a daughter of Joseph Hughes, and to this union have been born fourteen children, of which there are now eight living, viz. : Margaret, the wife of George Howells, of St. Nicholas ; Mary J., Joseph, William, Lizzie, Gwinn, Ida and John. ^HE HEEBNER FAMILY. The Heebners are an old family of German stock, their re mote ancestors having settled in Montgomery county prior to the Revolutionary war. In that county, near the present city of Norris- town, George Heebner, grandfather, was born, entered the war for independence, serving with credit to himself and honor to his country. The musket he carried is in the possession of Henry R. Heebner, and is a much-valued relic of that famous struggle for liberty. About 1 816, the tide of emigration having set toward Schuylkill county, George Heeb ner migrated to that part of the county, now near the present site of the county home, where he purchased and cleared up a farm, and upon which he built a grist mill known as Heebner's Mills. In politics, he was a demo crat of the Jacksonian stamp. Abraham Heeb ner, father, was born in Montgomery county in 1799, was reared in that county and on the old pioneer home near Orwigsburg until 1829, when he came to Port Carbon, then the ter minus of the Philadelphia and Schuylkill canal, and, as such, a lively business mart. This part of the country was a wild and sparsely- populated region, and the surrounding neigh borhood was covered with a good quality of timber ; he therefore erected sawmills, and was engaged for a time in the manufacture of lum ber, which was conveyed by means of the canal to Philadelphia and other towns along the route. He operated on the canal before mules or horses were used on the towpath, and when the boats were propelled by human energy. He soon took up railroad contracting, build ing one of the first railroads of the county, known as the Mill Creek road, which extended from Port Carbon to St. Clair, this county. He opened up and operated the " New Found Out," or Bear Ridge colliery, and later went into the mercantile business in Port Carbon, which was his life-work until he retired from its active pursuits. His death occurred in 1868. In politics, he was, during his earlier days, a democrat, but became a great admirer of Clay and his policies, and finally drifted into the Republican party ; and, whilst he did not pursue politics as a profession, he always took an active interest in all matters which pertained to good government ; he represented his dis trict in the Pennsylvania Assembly one term, in the sessions of 1844 and 1845. He was a 344 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY consistent member of the Presbyterian church. His union with Esther Reid was blessed with the following children : Charles, Henry R., George W., John, Catherine, Phcebe, Elizabeth, and Emma W. Charles, who was married to Emma Comb, lived until his death in 1849, in Port Carbon, this county, where he was en gaged in mercantile pursuits. Henry R., one of the firm of Heebner & Brother, prominent and enterprising business men of Port Carbon, was born March 13, 1828, in Schuylkill Haven, this county; he obtained a common-school education and an academic education in Lititz academy at Lititz, Lancaster county, Pennsyl vania. In 1866, he and his brother, George W., purchased their father's mercantile business in Port Carbon, a first-class business stand, and have been successfully conducting it ever since, under firm name of Heebner & Brother. In connection with his mercantile interests, he also for a time was engaged in operating Windy Harbor colliery, near New Philadelphia, this county. He is a partner with his son-in-law, G. W. Gray, in the Southern Transportation Barge line, with headquarters at Georgetown, District of Columbia. In church and fraternal work, Mr. Heebner takes an active and intelli gent part. He is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., at Pottsville ; Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, R.A.M., of Pottsville; Constantine Commandery, No. 41, Knights Templar, of the same place. He is also a member of Schuylkill Lodge, No. 27, 1.O.O.F., at Port Carbon, and has been a ruling elder in the Presbyterian church for many years. On March 15, 1849, Henry R. Heebner was united in marriage to Elizabeth Lewis, a daughter of John C. Lewis, one of the pioneers of Port Carbon. To this union have been born twelve children, ten ofwhom are living: Ida, at home; Lurene, married first to David Beddall, now deceased; her second union was with George W. Gray, now in Washington, District of Columbia, in the transportation business, as proprietor of the Southern Transportation Barge line ; Alfred, who, after graduating in 1 876 from Lafayette college, Easton, Pennsyl vania, studied for the ministry, and is now en gaged in the pursuits of his profession as a minister in the Methodist Episcopal denomina tion. He now has charge of Simpson Memorial church, Philadelphia. He married Lillie Ma son. Charles, a graduate of Lafayette college in the class of '78, taught school for some years, and subsequently read law with Judge Dallas and Crawford, of Philadelphia. He was admitted to practice in that city in 1884, and is now assistant general counsel for the Philadel phia and Reading Railroad Company. Atta, who married W. S. Guiterman, editor of the Shamokin Daily Dispatch, of Shamokin, Northumberland county ; Wilfred, a broker's clerk, of Philadelphia; Bertie; Minnie; Maude, the wife of James T. Suit, an undertaker, of near Maysville, Kentucky; and H. Guy. George Heebner, the third son of the fam ily, was born August 11, 1836, in Port Carbon,, this county, obtained an education in the public schools of his town, and launched forth into the ¦ active duties of life at the age of eleven years, when he accepted a position as clerk in the store of Mattison & Baber, merchants of Port Carbon, having previously had a drill in his father's store that made him very efficient for a boy of his age., He clerked for other parties in Pottsville and Port Carbon until 1855, when he left his native heath and went to Hamburg, Berks county, where he was for two years a grain merchant. His father, becoming rather old and unable to further discharge the onerous duties of his mercantile business, in 1857 ne came to Port OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 345 Carbon and relieved his father — running and managing the store for him, until his father retired entirely from active life in 1866, when George W. and his eldest brother, Henry R., purchased the mercantile business and have conducted it continuously to the present time under the firm name of Heebner & Bro ther. In addition to this business, which is a first-class general store doing a large trade, he is also engaged extensively in piano and organ dealing, having stores in Pottsville and one in Shamokin. In addition to these enterprises of a mercantile nature, his hand is seen and his influence felt in many of the pub lic enterprises of his borough. He helped to organize the Philadelphia Shoe Manufac turing Company of Port Carbon, established in 1892 for the purpose of manufacturing shoes • he has been a director of this company since its organization. The Electric Light, Heat and Power Company of Port Carbon was or ganized in 1890, and Mr. Heebner has been its president continuously since its organization. He was for years a director in the Miners' Bank of Pottsville. In politics he affiliates with the party of Lincoln and Garfield, and although he has never sought office, he has frequently been urged to accept political preferment at the hands of the people of his borough. He has been for six years a mem ber of the council, and for nine years a mem ber of the school board. He is a consistent member ofthe Presbyterian church, and takes an active part in its work and councils, serving as a ruling elder and a trustee, being treasurer ofthe board. He is a member of Schuylkill Lodge, No. 27, I. O. O. F. In 1858 Mr. Heebner was united in marriage to Elizabeth Wyncoop, deceased, a daughter of the late General George Wyncoop, of Pottsville. This union resulted in one child, Libbie F., who became the wife of John Paxson, now residing in Schuylkill Haven, in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. In i860 Mr. Heebner married for his second wife Anna M., a daughter of Simon S. Fister, of Hamburg, Berks county, Pennsylvania ; and this union has been blessed with the following children : Dr. Thomas T., born November 19, i860, in Port Carbon, this county, educated in the Pottsville High school, graduating in the class of 1878. He then accepted a position in the store of Heebner & Brother, at Port Carbon, for two years. In the spring of 1880 he took up the study of medicine with Doctors Brown and Birch, of Port Carbon, entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in the autumn of 1880, -and graduated in the class of May, 1883. He immediately located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he practiced until March, 1890, when he came to Pottsville, as medical examiner for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. While living in Scranton he served from September, 1884, to March 14, 1890, on the staff of surgeons for the Lackawanna hospital. In fraternal matters the doctor stands high, and takes an active part in the following organizations : Union Lodge, No. 291, F. and A. M., of Scran ton, Keystone Consistery, A. A. S. R., 32°, of the Northern Jurisdiction of the United States, Robert Burns Lodge, I. O O. F., of which he is a Past Grand. He has also served as State Vice-President of the P. O. S. of A. The doctor was married October 17, 1883, to Mary Coxon, of Port Carbon, who died July 27, 1888. To them were born two children : " Nellie G, born February 21, 1885, and died August, of the same year ; and George W., Jr., born July 25, 1888. John W, second son of George Heebner, married Sallie Macdonald, 346 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY and is engaged in the mercantile business in Pottsville ; Abram, who married Maude Phil ips, and now resides in Port Carbon, but is engaged in the manufacture of secret and be nevolent society regalia at Pottsville ; Esther P., who is the wife of Albert G. Ives, at present first teller in First National Bank of Scranton. The remaining members of this family, and the children of Abraham Heebner are : John, formerly in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, as First Au ditor, and now a resident of Philadelphia ; Catharine, now deceased, was the wife of G. W. Wintersteen; Phoebe; Elizabeth, deceased ; and Emma, deceased, was the wife of Jesse Newlin, of Port Carbon. FRANCIS MOYER, county surveyor of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Jacob and Eliza (Knittle) Moyer and was born in Blythe township, Schuylkill county, February 4, 1848. The grandfather of Mr. Moyer, Jacob Moyer, was a native of Shoemakersville, Berks county, where he owned and operated a grist mill and where he died. He was married to a Miss Strausser, and had a family of four children: three sons and one daughter. Jacob Moyer, father, was also a native of Shoemakersville, where he first saw the light in 1 8 19, but later removed to East Brunswick township, this county, where he has since re sided. He learned the trade of a blacksmith, but has not followed it to any extent for a number of years, devoting his attention essen tially to farming. Like his father, he is a democrat and a member of the German Re formed church. He married the mother of subject who was a daughter of Jacob Knittle of near Kutztown, Pa., and had a family of four children : Eman uel, a resident of Mahanoy City, in the mercan tile business ; Lovenia, the wife of John P. Cook, a farmer of East Brunswick township ; Francis Alfred, a carpenter in the employ of the Hampton Company, coal operators at Scan- ton, Lackawanna county, Pennsylvania, and Lewis W., a graduate of the Baltimore Medical College in the class of 1888, and who, after taking a special course in Wills' Eye and Ear Hospital at Philadelphia, located at Mauch Chunk, where he has since practiced the spe cialities for which he made preparation, and is at present (1893) serving upon the medical board of pension examiners. Francis Moyer, married, July 7, 1873, Su sannah, a daughter of Joshua and Susannah (Shoener) Boyer of McKeansburg, East Bruns wick township, this county, and to them has been born nine children, five of whom are yet living: Francis M., Amanda S., Silas A., Miles H. and Claud E., all at home. Mr. Moyer was educated in the public schools of East Brunswick township and three terms during 1869-70-71 at Ursinus College, Montgomery county. He then taught one term, and in autumn of 1871 entered the Key stone State Normal school at Kutztown, Berks • county, where he spent three spring terms, teaching during the winter. He taught six teen consecutive terms, fifteen of them in Schuylkill and one in Berks county. While attending the Normal school he took a course in surveying and engineering, and in 1872 took up that line, which he has since followed. He is a democrat in political faith, and was elected county surveyor of Schuylkill county in 1877, and was again re-elected in 1890. In 1877 he was also elected justice of the peace for his township, and has been continued in office by re-election ever since. He has always OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 347 taken a lively interest in local political matters, and has held nearly every office within the gift of the people of his township and always with credit. He takes a prominent stand in church mat ters and is a deacon in the German Reformed church. JOSEPH DUTFIELD is a son of Joseph and Mary (Britton) Dutfield, and was born in Frampton Parish, Gloucestershire, England, on January 14, 1838. His father was a native of England, a miner by occupa tion, and remained an employee of the mines until he reached the age of seventy-three years. He died in his native land at the age of eighty- five years, being at the time of his death and many years prior a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was twice married, and by his first wife reared a family of nine children. His first wife was Mary Britton, after whose death he was united to Hannah Cook, by whom he had ten children. Mr. Dutfield passed his childhood and youth in his native land, and with his two sisters came to America about the year 1866. He was united in marriage to Cecilia England, a daughter of Mark and Hannah England, of England. By this marriage five children have been born, two of whom are living : Mary Ann, deceased; Elizabeth, deceased; Joseph Charles, deceased; William, a moulder married to a Miss Stillwagon, of Palo Alto, this county; and Janney, at home. After Mr. Dutfield's arrival in America in the year 1866, he took up a residence at St. Clair, where he lived for twenty-six years. At the expiration of this time he came to Pottsville, where he continued his occupation of mining, which had been his permanent and continuous line of business subsequent to his arrival in the United States. In politics he is a republican, and during his residence at St. Clair served seven years as a member of the borough council. He for one year also discharged the duties of borough treasurer. He is a member of the Methodist church, of Mineral Lodge, No. 285, I. 0. O. F., at St. Clair, and Lincoln Lodge, No. 92, K. of P., bf the same place. ¦ftROFESSOR H. DAY GISE, principal of the public schools of Schuylkill Haven, is a son of Joseph D. and Elizabeth C. (Witmer) Gise, and was born in the borough of Gratz, Dauphin county, Pennsyl vania, November 7, 1858. His grandfather, Benjamin Gise, was a na tive of Lehigh county. He was a farmer by vocation, and died at Gratz, June 3, 1884, aged 79 years. In politics, he was a repub lican. He was also a member of the Evan gelical church. He married Margaret Um- holtz, born December 10, 18 10, and had a family of six children who grew to maturity. He was an upright citizen, well and favorably known and highly respected by all who knew him. His .father, Joseph D. Gise, was born at Gratz, Dauphin county, on April 27, 1834, where he has lived all his life. He received a good education, finishing at New Berlin Seminary. He taught school for fourteen years, and for eighteen years thereafter was engaged in the United States Internal Reve nue service, as a store-keeper and gauger. He is now living a retired life on his farm. In politics he has been an active republican. He entered the Federal service during the late war of the Rebellion, having been commis sioned and mustered into the service as second lieutenant of Company I., 177th regiment Penn- 348 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY sylvania volunteers. He served in the Army of Potomac, continuing therein until mustered out August 5, 1863. He was married on January 25, 1857, to Elizabeth C. Witmer, who was bom in North umberland county, Pennsylvania, on March 14, 1840, and is still living. By this marriage he has two sons who are living : H. Day and George W., both of Schuylkill Haven. Professor Gise was educated in Berrysburg seminary, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, and graduated with honors from the Millersville State Normal school, Millersville, Penn., in the class of 1878. His career as a teacher, however, had begun two years prior to his : graduation. After graduation he took the position of principal of the schools of Union- town, Dauphin county, for one year, after which he taught two terms in Lancaster county. He was elected principal of Berrys burg seminary, Dauphin county, and after one year's stay came into Schuylkill county and took the principalship ofthe schools of Donald son for two years, and then for two years j taught in East Mahanoy township. Frack- \ ville was the scene of his labors for the next two years, at the end of which time he, in ' 1887, took the principalship of the schools of Schuylkill Haven. His work includes the supervision of thirteen schools. He has served three successive years as a member of the , board of examiners for permanent certificates. In every position which he has filled he has acquitted himself with credit and honor, both [ to himself and the profession to which he \ belongs. His retention for six years past in his present position, a most laborious and try ing one, is abundant evidence of his having filled the same to the entire satisfaction and 1 approbation ofthe board of directors and the I public for whom they act. t In politics, he is a republican in state and national affairs, with an independent leaning in local matters. He has been a member for some years past of the Lutheran church, taking quite an active interest in church work. Genial, pleasant, a perfect gentleman in all his commingling with society, he is deservedly popular with all classes, and ranks high as an educator. He was married February 16, 1889, to Mattie Adelaide Diebert, a daughter of Jacob S. Diebert, a life-long resident of Schuylkill Haven, this county, by whom he has one son, George Eugene, born October 15, 1890. Q"OLOMON R. MOYER, a well-known citi- zen and prosperous business man of Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of William and Elizabeth (Rothe) Moyer, and was born in Maiden Creek town ship, Berks county, Pennsylvania, on August 20, 1834. His father, William Moyer, was also a native of this county, born at Sinking Springs in 1 801, and died at Monterey, Maxsu- tawney township, same county, on August 21, 1880. He was a farmer by vocation, in con nection with which he dealt largely in live stock, especially horses. In politics he was originally a whig, but upon the organization ofthe Republican party he henceforth identified himself with that party. He was a member of the Lutheran church, and the father of two children : Sarah, wife of Peter C. Warner, a retired tanner of Kutztown, Pennsylvania, and Solomon R., subject. Solomon R. Moyer received his education in the common schools and at Freeland semi nary, now Ursinus college, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. After leaving college he began the butchering business at Monterey, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 349 Berks county, Pennsylvania, which he con tinued four years, after which he entered into a partnership with his father and Mr. Christ- man, which lasted for a year, for the purpose of dealing in cattle. This partnership was mu tually dissolved in i860, when he moved to Schuylkill county, and he subsquently asso ciated with himself his brother-in-law, William S.Albright, of Orwigsburg and James Ecroyd, of Muncy, Lycoming county, this State, after which the capacity of their establishment was greatly enlarged and the business made one of success. From 1862 to 1865 they did a large business, but during the latter year Mr. Albright retired from the firm and the two re maining partners continued the business until 1873. In i860 Mr. Moyer removed from Berks county to Brunswick township, Schuyl kill county, where he resided for a period of five years and afterwards located at Orwigs burg, where he has continued to reside until the present time. In 1873, in connection with Thomas Hoy, Mr. Moyer leased the old court house of Schuylkill county, located at Orwigs burg, for a term of ninety-nine years, in which was carried on the work of the Orwigsburg Shoe Manufacturing Company, a stock com pany whose purpose is indicated by the title, and of which Mr. Moyer was president, Charles Dengler, vice-president; Thomas Hoy, treas urer, and John T. Schoener, secretary. After six months' operation Mr. Hoy retired from the business. The paid-up capital was origi nally $ 1 0,000, which was increased to the sum of $25,000. In 1892 Mr. Moyer sold his interest and devoted his time and attention to his flour mill, which he had purchased in i860 in West Brunswick township. This he fitted up with the latest improved machinery, and is at the present doing a large and increasing busi ness. In political texture, Mr. Moyer is a republi can, and has quietly sought to advance the interests of his party whenever legitimate opportunity presented itself, while religiously he holds membership in the Lutheran church. Mr. Moyer was united in marriage with Susan S. Albright, a daughter of Joseph and Esther Albright of West Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on September 7, 1858. By this marriage the following chil dren have been born : Abner Calvin Horace and Esther Elizabeth Rebecda, both of whom are now deceased. Abner died on July 31, 1880, when at the age of twenty-one years, and Esther on February 28, 1889, at the age of twenty-nine. At the time of her death she was the wife of Dr. E. K. Steckel. "JOENJAMIN POTT (deceased), a member of the distinguished family one of whose members became the founder of the city- of | Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was a son of John, Sr., and Maria (Lesher) 1 Pott, and was born in Oley township, Berks j county, Pennsylvania, oajune 10, 1793. The Pott family is of English descent, and a well authenticated tradition has it that during the Masonic disturbance in that country the older representatives were forced to abdicate the rights of citizenship and take refuge in Holland. The original founders of this numer ous family in America were Wilhelm, his two sons, John Wilhelm and Johannas and his brother Dagenhart, who settled at German- town, Pa., in 1734. One of these sons, John Wilhelm, who died in Oley township, Berks county, in 1767, married Mench Hoch on December 28, 1755. To them were born two sons, William who married late in life and re moved to Franklin county, where he died 350 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY without issue, and John, father of the subject of this annal. From the beginning of their residence in Oley township, Berks county, they were en gaged in the mining and manufacture of crude iron. John, Sr., learned the iron business with his father, and in 1790 purchased an old forge near Pottsville, Schuylkill county, since known as the old " Pioneer Furnace," which he mod ernized and converted into a plant better suited for his purposes. This enterprise was from time to time added to and enlarged until at present it has grown into one of the most important industrial institutions of Schuylkill county. It also became the nucleus around which sprang up a village, which in honor of the proprietor ofthe furnace was named Potts ville. Such was the beginning of the present capital of Schuylkill county, whose existence is due to the energy and courage of John Pott, Sr., who, when the county of Schuylkill was still an unbroken wilderness, pushed out into its frontiers and established an industry which carried with it all the concomitants of civilized life. Mr. Pott continued in the con duct of his furnace until the time of his death in the year 1827, and lived to witness the par tial growth of the city which he had founded. He was not wedded exclusively to his private ¦affairs alone, but spent equally as much time in bringing about proper municipal regula tions and conditions in the community. He was public-spirited, possessed unusual energy, was a man of broad intelligence, together with the somewhat rare gift of organization. To these essential qualities of a progressive man in pioneer times, was also added the subtler and more humane qualities which are requisite to the rounding out of the complete man. He was kind and generous in the extreme, whose life apparently was not for self, but for the common interest and the common good of those whom he had attracted to himself John Pott, Sr., was united in marriage with Maria Lesher, to whom were born a family of nine children : John, Jr., Magdalina, Benjamin, James, Abraham, Mary, Catherine, William and Jacob. He and his family were members of the Lutheran church and gave it the sup port not only of material means, but also of a consistent and constant devotion. After the death of John Pott, Sr., his sons John, Jr., and Benjamin, subject, succeeded to the management of the iron business, but con ducted it for a short time only, when it was disposed of to other parties. Subsequent to this Benjamin Pott engaged in farming near the site of Pottsville, and so continued until the year 1848, when he disposed of his farm, returned to Pottsville, and lived in practical retirement until his death in 1868. In his political affiliations Mr. Pott was a whig during the existence of that party, and after the birth of the Republican party he transferred his allegiance to the latter. He was an admirer and a warm supporter of Henry Clay, but individually never had any political aspirations. On January 26, 18 16, he was joined in mar riage with Christine Dreibelbis, a daughter of Martin Dreibelbis, one of the oldest and best- known citizens of Schuylkill county. ' The latter was born on October 5, 1757, in Rich mond township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, which at that time was a part of Chester county. He removed to Schuylkill county and settled in Schuylkill Haven about the year 1792, and shortly afterward purchased a large tract of land in that vicinity. H e was an active, energetic man, and was largely interested in developing the resources of the county even at that early day, and personally superintended JAMES G. COCHRAN. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 351 a variety of concerns. He operated his farms, conducted a store, saw-mill, distillery, and was generally interested in the material progress and prosperity of his section of the county. Besides this he took a deep interest in educa tional affairs and was instrumental in the es tablishment and sustentation of both schools and churches. He was an enthusiastic Union man during the late civil war and contributed largely to the expense of raising companies, giving a bonus to many men as an inducement to enlist and helped in many instances to support the families of those who were in the service. Mr. Pott's marriage resulted in an issue of eight children : Hannah, wife of Lawrence F. Whitney (deceased); Sarah, wife of Lewis Vastine, a merchant of Danville, Pennsylva nia; John L., a machinist and proprietor at one time of the Orchard Iron works at Potts ville; Christine, wife of D. K. Snyder, a resi dent of Schuylkill Haven, this county; Ame lia, wife of George Scholl, a farmer and coal merchant; Jane, deceased; Benjamin, a farmer, coal merchant and civil engineer, resident in Topton, Berks county, and Emma, at present a resident of Pottsville. JAMES G. COCHRAN, a retired merchant of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and an intel ligent and highly respected citizen, is a son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Gage) Cochran, and was born in County Derry, North of Ireland, February 12, 1814. Grandfather, Benjamin Cochran, was a native of County Derry, where he died. His vocation was that of a stone-mason con tractor. 'Father, Benjamin Cochran, was a native and life-long resident of County Derry, where he was extensively engaged in manufacturing. He died when his son, James G., was but twenty-three years of age, and one year later, in 1838, his widow, mother of subject, came, together with subject, to Philadelphia, Penn sylvania. Here Mr. Cochran purchased a horse and dray, and for three years earned a livelihood as a drayman, he and his brother Thomas carrying on the business together. At the end of this time James sold his interest to his brother, and in 1842 came to Pottsville, this county, and for forty years was suc cessfully engaged in the manufacturing of clothes and the retailing of ready-made cloth ing. Mr. Cochran has been a steady, progressive, and enterprising citizen, evincing the greatest enthusiasm, and displaying marked energy in whatever sphere of life he happened to be placed ; whether as a drayman in the streets of Phila delphia, or business man in Pottsville, his marked personality has ever been a distinguish ing characteristic. He has always been a republican, and has uniformly shown that in terest in the subject that we should so naturally expect of a public-spirited citizen who has the welfare of his municipality at heart ; he served twelve years as a member of the Council of Pottsville, during which time he fearlessly ad vocated every measure that had for its object the welfare of the citizens and the substantial good of the borough. He is an ardent and consistent member and liberal supporter of the. Presbyterian church, and an honored member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216 F. and A. M. Before leaving Erin's shore and on July 19, 1834, Mr. Cochran married Rachel Gillespie, a daughter of Andrew Gillespie, of County Der ry, Ireland, and after living ovei half a century together in each other's peaceful society, she left him to join the Great Unknown on April 18, 1890. 352 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY JOHN P. WILLIAMS, an enterprising fur niture dealer of Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of James and Mary (Prichard) Williams, and was born in South Wales, August 17, 1836. His father was a descendant from an old Welsh ancestry, and was. born in the year 1 807, in South Wales, and died there in 1852. He was a gardener by occupation, and brought up a family of seven children, all of whom were born on their father's native heath. They are as follows : John P., subject ; James (deceased in 1 891), formerly a partner in the furniture business with John P.; Thomas, born in 1840, and died in 1883, formerly district superin tendent at Minersville for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company ; Mary, wife of Edward Metz, of Shamokin, Pennsylvania, foreman for the Central Coal Company; Mar garet, married to Clarence Rice, and died at Kingston, Pa., in 1881 ; Samuel, died in Shen andoah, in 1885, in the employ of his brother J. P. at the time of his death ; Annie, wife of Daniel Huntly, a carriage manufacturer of Elmira, New York. John P. Williams was united in the bonds of matrimony with Sarah, a daughter of Martin and Elizabeth Scott, of Pittston, Pennsylvania, on November — , 1865, by whom he has had four children : James, a member of the firm James P. Williams & Son ; Lizzie, Mary and Ida. Mr. Williams came to Pennsylvania in the year 1854, and first located at Pittston, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. In the course of about nine months, his mother and family joined him at that place, the former dying the next year, at the age of fifty years. Mr. Williams was ] employed in the mines about Pittston until the outbreak of the civil war, when, in 1862, he enlisted at Pittston, Pennsylvania, for a term of three years in company K., I42d regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry. His regi ment served with the first and fifth army corps of the army of the Potomac, and participated in all the engagements of that army until the battle of the Wilderness, where he was wounded in the thigh, and afterwards trans ferred to the Chestnut Hill hospital, Philadel phia. He remained here six months, and as soon as he had recovered joined his old regi ment in front of Petersburgh, Virginia, and continued in service until the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox. After the termination of the war he em barked in the furniture and undertaking busi ness at Pittston, with his brother James, under the firm name of J. P. Williams & Bro. In 1865 the Williams Bros, changed their busi ness to Shenandoah, and continued the same until the death of James in 1891. At this juncture J. P.'s son, James, was admitted to the firm, and the business continued by J. P. Williams & Son. The business of the present firm is varied and extensive, and ranks among the first in Shenandoah. Mr. Williams is a member of the Welsh Baptist church of Shenandoah — a church for whose organization he was largely responsible, and in which he was the first deacon. He is also a member of Shenandoah Lodge, No. 591, I. O. O. F., Shenandoah Valley Encampment, No. 258, I. O. O. R, Shenandoah Tribe, No. 155, I. O. of R. M., of which he was keeper of Wampum for twelve consecutive years, and a member of Watkins Waters Post, No. 146, G. A. R. Mr. Williams is a deserving, energetic, scru pulous man, whose present success in life is largely attributable to his industry, carefulness in business affairs and constant perseverance. Through his independent and single-handed course he has merited the warm esteem in OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 353 which he is held, while his valiant services in behalf of the country of his adoption have en deared him to the hearts of all national patriots. "^AVID VETTER, a well known citizen, and the present station-agent of New Ringgold, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Mary (Hetzel) Vetter, and was born in Pottsville, county above men tioned, on February 22, 1843. He is of German lineage, and possesses many of the characteristics which render the German-American citizen a man of integrity and trustworthiness. His grandfather, John Vetter, was born and spent his entire life in the German Empire. Here, also, the father of David Vetter was born in the Province of Baden, February 26, 18 15. He emigrated to the United States in the year 1828, and. shortly after his arrival settled in the state of New York, together with his wife and family, the former of whom was a native of Germany. In the year 1840 he removed to Pottsville, and thence in 1864, to New Ringgold, where both he and his wife died ; the former on August 8, 1885, and the latter on April 20, 1883. By occupation his father was a brick- maker, and carried on this business for a num ber of years in the city of Pottsville, and later took to farming. In his religious affilia tions, he was a member of the Lutheran church, of which he was a regular attendant. His marriage was productive of a family of six children, three sons and three daughters, all of whom grew to maturity. David Vetter was united in marriage with Mary C, a daughter of John and Christina Hetzel, of New York State, on June 15, 1863. This marriage has been blessed by an. issue of eight children : Sarah E., married to Chris- 23 tian Miller, a miner now residing in Mahanoy City; Mary R., wife of George Sassaman, farmer, a resident of Barnesville, this county ; Flora L., wife of Alvin Fussleman, a resident of Slatington, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, by trade a carpenter ; John H., a shoemaker, at home ; George W., learning telegraphy ; Katie M., Carrie E., Lottie P. David Vetter attended school and passed the period of his boyhood in Pottsville, and after leaving school was employed on the Schuylkill and Erie canal, where he followed boating until the outbreak of the civil war. On August 22, 1862, he left his home, enlisted in company H, 120th regiment, New York volunteers, at Kingston, New York, and entered the service. After arriving on the field he was assigned to the second brigade, second division of the third corps of the Army of the Potomac, with which he served until the close of the war. During the entire period that he was out he conducted himself with valor, and was a participant in the battles of Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Cold Harbor, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Gettysburg and many others of lesser importance. After the close of the war he returned to New Ring gold and learned the art of telegraphy, in which business he has served for a period of over twenty-one years as night operator. At the expiration of this time, in the year 1891, he was promoted to the position of station agent at New Ringgold, which position he still occupies. He is also agent for the United States Express at that point. Politically, he is a republican, of the con servative order, and in 1878 was elected justice of the peace, and is now serving his fourth term in that capacity. He has also been a member of the school board for fifteen years, a member of the borough council for six 354 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY years, and is the present secretary of the for mer body. Religiously, he shows a profound interest in all church affairs, is a member of the Lutheran church, in which he is a deacon, and was for more than fifteen consecutive years superintendent of the Sabbath-school of that church. He is also a member of Wash ington Camp, No. ioo, Patriotic Order Sons of America, with which order he has been con nected for the past twenty-five years, and has been honored with all the offices within the gift of the local chapter. He is also an active member of Doubleday Post, No. 189, of the Grand Army of the Republic. JOSEPH W. GEARY, a well-known civil engineer of Pottsville, this county, is a a son of James and Elizabeth (Kingsnorth) Geary, and was born February 25, 1829, in Bristol, England, where his father was for a number of years a real estate broker, but who later moved to London, where he died in 1874. Joseph W. Geary is one of a family of thir teen children. Of this large family but three came to this country, James Francis being the first, who came to New Orleans, in 1851, and later went to St. Louis, Missouri, where he died in 1858. At the age of twenty-three years, in 1852, having had a good education in his line, Mr. Geary came to this country, and for one year made his home in Philadelphia. From June, 1853, to February, 1856, he was engaged as an engineer upon the construction of the Le banon Valley Railroad. At about this time, in 1856, the unusual ac tivities in the anthracite coal regions induced him to locate in Pottsville, where he has been engaged in the avocation of a civil and min ing engineer ever since, except a period of service in the civil war. From 1858 to 1861 he was engaged a part of the time in St. Louis, Mo. He is a member of Gowen Post, No. 23, G. A. R., George G. Meade Command, United States Regular Army and Navy veterans. In 1 86 1 he was appointed aide-de-camp on Gen. Fremont's staff and was detailed to serve on the staff of Gen. Prentiss as engineer. In 1863, when Pennsylvania was threatened by an overrun of the Confederate army, in fact, when her borders had been invaded and her soil baptized with the precious blood of many of her heroic sons, Mr. Geary was one among so many furnished by Schuylkill county, who left all else and rushed to the defence of the Commonwealth and the Nation. He enlisted in 1863, in the 26th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer infantry, under Colonel Jennings. This was an emergency service, and after the battle of Gettysburg and the retreat of Gen eral Lee and the Confederate army, there was no further use for the emergency soldiers as such, and Mr. Geary went into the Paymaster's department of the North Atlantic squadron United States navy, in which capacity he served until the close of the war. He was mustered out August 3, 1865. Mr. Geary married first time in 1855, to Mary, a flaughter of Daniel Bishop, of Exeter township, Berks county, Pa. To this union were born two children : John P. Bishop and Harry Kingsnorth. His second union was with Miss Mary L. Town, a daughter of Thomas B. Town, of Philadelphia. Four children have blessed this union : Joseph W., a civil and mining engineer and now (1893) the nominee of the Republican party for the office of county surveyor of Schuylkill county ; Frank L, a printer, now located at Cumberland, Mary land ; Mary and Cecelia Elizabeth, both at home. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 355 PJMANUEL H. BAKER, proprietor of the -^ Star Knitting Mills of Schuylkill Haven, is a son of Godfrey and Elizabeth (Albert) Baker, and was born in Berne township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, July 20, 1843. His father, Godfrey Baker, was a native of Philadelphia, but removed therefrom in early life to Berks county, where he lived until his death at Leesport, in July, 1885. He was an upright citizen, honored and respected by the entire community. He married Elizabeth Albert, by whom he had a family of four chil dren, three sons and one daughter. Mr. Baker was educated in the common schools of Leesport, Berks county, Pennsyl vania. He commenced life as a driver on the tow-path of the Schuylkill canal at the early age of ten years. He continued boating on this canal, in the regular line of promotions, until he became the owner himself of a boat, which he, as captain, ran between Schuylkill Haven and tide-water, taking in the ports of Baltimore, New York, and some of the New England ports, aswell as up the Hudson river to Albany and Troy. He enlisted and was mus tered into the Union service in the late civil war, as a private in company E, 188th regi ment Pennsylvania volunteers, in the spring of 1864, serving till the close of the war with distinction and honor. His regiment was at tached to the Army of the James, and took ' part in quite a number of battles and skir mishes. Entering the service as a private, he went through the different promotions until he was finally commissioned a second lieuten ant, was mustered out as such. After the close of the war he again took up boating, and con tinued until 1889, with good success, when he went into his present business, building the factory which he has since operated. The factory building is forty-two feet long by thirty- four feet wide and two stories high, and it is known by the name of the " Star Mills," and is devoted to the manufacture of women's un derwear, employing about eighteen hands. In politics he is a republican, although he has never sought or held office. He is a member of St. John's Reformed church of Schuylkill Haven, is an upright and highly respected citizen, a self-made, successful busi ness man. On July 20, 1872, he was united in marriage with Debbie L. Spotts, a daughter of Jacob Spotts of Berne township, Berks county, Penn sylvania, and by this marriage has four chil dren living, three sons and one daughter: Gains, Herbert, Harry, and Edna. /"^US SAMUEL. Among the widely read, public spirited and enterprising young men of Orwigsburg, none stand higher than the popular editor of the Orwigsburg News. He is the son of David and Regina (Leib) Samuel, and was born in Orwigsburg, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1863. Simon Samuel, grandfather, was a native of Rhenish Prussia, and lived and died there. David Samuel, father, was born in Rhenish Prussia, in 1833, and emigrated to America in 1856, locating in Orwigsburg, where he now lives. He formerly dealt in cattle, but of late years has engaged in the green-grocery business. He is a firm democrat, and dis charged the duties of school director and borough councilman with credit. He married Regina Leib, daughter of Zadock Leib, who was born in Rhenish Prussia in 1S37. Five children have been born to them, one ofwhom is dead : Bertha, wife of Simon Buttner of New York City ; Isaac, a clothing manu facturer of Reading, Pennsylvania; Gus, sub- 356 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ject; Mrs. Frank E. Boyer, of Orwigsburg, and Albert, deceased. Gus Samuel was educated in the public schools of Orwigsburg and the Kutztown State Normal school. In his school work he was painstaking, persistent and thorough, early showing outcroppings of literary ability. He commenced the teacher's profession in Schuylkill county, this State, where he taught one term, after which he was engaged in Berks county one year, but disliking the work, discontinued the calling and engaged in the grocery business in Orwigsburg, which he conducted until 1889, when he established the Orwigsburg News, of which he has been editor and proprietor ever since. The print ing trade was not entirely new to him, for he had been doing job work for the last eighteen years. He is an active democrat politically, tak ing a great interest in the political affairs of his county, having served a number of years on the executive committee, and was chairman of the Cleveland League of Orwigs burg in the last national campaign. He was president of the Friendship Hose Company, and is one of the executive committee of the Schuylkill Agricultural Association. Among his lodge connections are some of the most prominent secret organizations of the country, being a member of Camp No. 86, P. O. S. of A. ; Industrial Council, No. 437, Junior Order of United American Mechanics ; Grace Lodge, No. 157, I. O. OF. ; and Schuylkill Lodge, No. 138, F. and A. M. His paper is indepen dent in politics. It is a clean sheet and does its part in moulding aright public opinion and elevating the standard of moral worth in the community. He richly deserves the liberal patronage which his paper has attained. ^RESTON MILLER, a well-known sur- veyor and civil engineer of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, now in the service of the Phila delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, is a son of John and Leah (Bower) Miller. He was born in Lykens Valley, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, on February 6, 1838. His forefathers, on his paternal side, were natives of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and on the mother's side of Berks county, Pennsylvania. His grandfather, Jacob Miller, passed the latter part of his life in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, in which county his death occurred about the year i860. At the time of his demise he was eighty years of age. He was a farmer by occupation, a member of the German Reformed church, and married Mary Ruhl, by whom he had two children, one of whom was John, the father of our subject. The father was born in 1806, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania (now Lebanon county), prior to the removal of his parents to Craw ford county. In early manhood he crossed over into Dauphin county, where he began the business of a tanner, which he followed up to the year 1847. After this date he pur chased a farm, and gave his attention to its cultivation until the close of his life, in 1879. His death occurred in the village of Berrys- burg, Dauphin county, whither he had re moved for the purpose of affording educational advantages to his children. Politically, he voted with the Democratic party until the era of Knownothingism, when he became a repub lican. In religious matters, he was first a member of the German Reformed church, but latterly connected himself with the Methodist Episcopal church. His family included three daughters and one son : Anna M., wife of Samuel Snyder, a farmer living near Berrys- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 357 burg, Dauphin county, Isabella, Preston, and Alice. Preston was joined in matrimonial bonds with Sarah Swab, a daughter of Jonathan Swab, of Berrysburg, Dauphin county, Penn sylvania, on December 27, 1867. Their union has been blessed by the birth of two children : John , H, a druggist in Philadelphia, and Charles L., a foreman in a retail coal yard in Philadelphia, in the employ of Worner Shuster & Co. His wife died on September 12, 1876, at the age of thirty years. Mr. Miller again married December 31, 1879, Elizabeth Robin son, a daughter of William J. Robinson, Of Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, by whom he has two children : Anna R. and Helen. "Mr. Miller received his education in the schools of Berrysburg, and at Union seminary. He made a special study while in school of mathematics and surveying, and started in life as a teacher, remaining such until he attained the age of twenty-eight years. This was in the year 1867, having, in the meantime, com menced surveying at the age of nineteen years, and directed his attention to it exclusively until the year 1868. At this time he accepted a position as land surveyor and mining engi neer with Munson & Williams, Schuylkill county, and continued with them down to 1872. In 1870 he removed to Tower City, same county, which he made his place of resi dence until the year 1876, after which he removed to Pottsville, where he has since resided. From 1872 to 1876 he was assistant surveyor for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, under Jesse Holly, and subsequent to that time he has been placed in complete control of that work. Mr. Miller is the owner of a fine farm in the western part of Schuylkill county, to which he devotes some attention. In politics he is inde pendent, but upon national issues usually favors the policy ofthe Democratic party. In 1859 he was elected surveyor of Dauphin county for a term of three years, and again elected in 1865. He is a member of the Tower City Lodge, No. 755, I. O. O. F, and also of the Masonic Fraternity. He is a capable, deserving business man, has shown marked proficiency and skill in the practice of his profession and his management of business details, while in point of character and upright ness he commands the esteem of his employers and of his fellow towns-men. The maternal grandfather of Mr. Miller was John Bower, whose mother was the daughter of William Pott, the patentee of a large tract of land, located in Oley township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, dated 1743. In this township John Bower was born, but subse quently, in 181 1, removed to the northern part of the county, which at that time was divided off and created into the county of Schuylkill. Thence he removed to Dauphin county, where he died. His business was that of a farmer and tanner. He married Anna Kehler, by whom he had seven children, two sons and five daughters. T K. KEHLER, a successful retired • business man of Shenandoah, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, was born in Eldred township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on May 10, 1827. He is a son of John and Catherine (Knerr) Kehler. The Kehler family have been natives of Schuylkill county, for the past three or four generations. Grandfather John Kehler was born in Eldred township (at that time Ma- hantonga township), Schuylkill county, and was by trade a tailor. Later in life, however, 358 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY he retired to a farm and passed the remainder of his days in agricultural pursuits. He was joined in wedlock with Catherine Hepler, who bore him eight children, five sons and three daughters. In his church connections, he was a loyal member of the Evangelical church. John Kehler, father, was born upon the Kehler homestead in the township of Eldred and county of Schuylkill, in the year 1803, and died in the vicinity of his birth-place during the year 1865. He was a farmer by occupation, a member of the Evangelical church, and politically gave his support to the Republican party, subsequent to Buchanan's administra tion. His marriage bore fruit in the birth of ten children, seven sons and three daughters. J. K. Kehler was united in marriage with Catherine Hepler, a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Houck) Heplerof Mahanoy Valley, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, on December 18, 1847. His marriage has been productive of a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters : Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Glenwright, in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, and a resident of Minersville, Schuyl kill county ; Miranda, married to Sylvester Yost, assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Shenandoah ; Augustus, married to Mary J. Glenwright, and now deceased; Joseph H., married to Catherine Snyder, and now residing in Shenandoah, where he is in the employ of the United States postal ser vice ; Monroe H., a former grocer of Shenan doah, married to Angeline Johnson ; Oscar S., a dry-goods merchant of Shenandoah, united in marriage with Alice Snyder ; Edwin deceased, and Ida M., at home. Mr. Kehler was reared upon his father's farm, and followed the occupation of a farmer in Eldred township, this county, for a period of eleven years. At the termination of this time, he engaged in merchandizing, which he continued for two years, and then removed to Deep Creek, where he conducted the store for one year, afterwards returning to Eldred town ship, where he again resumed farming, and so continued for an additional period of seven years. Subsequent to this time, he removed to Locust Dale, and conducted a hotel and store in conjunction, which engaged his atten tion until March, 1867. Since that time he has been a resident of Shenandoah City, where he continued in the mercantile business until his retirement in 1885. Politically, he is a republican, and filled the office of borough treasurer for five years. He is a member of the Evangelical church, and of Washington Camp, No. 112, Patriotic Order Sons of America. HON. JOHN J. COYLE, a prominent citi zen of Mahanoy City, and present member of the Pennsylvania Assembly, was born in Norwegian township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, November 10, 1863, the son of Philip and Julia (Duffy) Coyle. His grandfather on the paternal side of the family was Edward Coyle, a native of county Cavin, Ireland, in which country he passed his life and now lies buried. His son, father of John J., was born in the same vicinity in the year 18 19, and came to the United States when about fifteen years of age. He at once upon his arrival proceeded to Schuylkill county, which, from that time hence, became his adopted home, with the exception of a four years' residence in Columbia county, from 1868 to 1872. He removed to Mahanoy township in 1872, where he died in 1874. By occupation, he was a miner, and the father of HON. JOHN J. COYLE. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 359 seven children, two daughters and five sons. Politically, he espoused the cause of the Re publican party, in which he took more than an ordinary interest. He was elected to a number of local offices, among which were those of tax collector, township treasurer, etc. In church matters, he was a member of the Catholic church, to which he contributed liberally, and whose cause received his un stinted support. John J. Coyle was joined in marriage to Mary, daughter of Michael and Margaret Groody, of Mahanoy City, December 29, 1885. They are the parents of two children, Margaret and Julia. Mr. Coyle's boyhood was spent in the town ship of his adoption, where he alternately attended school and worked. The greater part of his education, however, was obtained through his independent self-effort. He be gan life at the age of sixteen as a school teacher in Mahanoy township, where he was employed for three years. Three more years were occupied in a similar manner in Foster township, Luzerne county. In 1887 he ac cepted a position as book-keeper for the firm of J. P. McDonald & Co., at Freeland, Luzerne county, with whom he continued one year, then resigned and removed to Mahanoy City, where he engaged in a general fire, life, and accident insurance business. He likewise took an interest in organizing and became one of the promoters of the Mahanoy City, Shen andoah, Girardville and Ashland Street Rail way Company, now operated by the Schuylkill Traction Company. Mr. Coyle is a loyal republican, and in 1889 was appointed justice of the peace by Governor Beaver, to fill an unexpired term caused by the resignation of Edward Jennings. In this capacity he served until 1890, when he was nominated for and elected to the same office by a majority of twenty-three votes in a Democratic ward, hav ing a majority of one hundred and fifty. In 1 89 1, he was nominated by the Republican convention on the first ballot, after a heated contest, as delegate to the proposed Constitu tional Convention. The next year, without solicitation, he was unanimously nominated by the republicans of the first district of Schuylkill county for the office of Assembly. The Democratic party nominated John J. Reilly and the Prohibition party James Patter son, under the caption of Independent Repub lican candidate, in opposition, but both were defeated by a majority of two hundred and four votes. In the Legislature, Mr. Coyle is a member of the following committees : State Municipal corporations, of which he is secre tary ; City Passenger Railways ; Insurance » Coal and Iron ; and Elections. He was a very active member and intro duced a number of important bills and resolu tions, among which were an assessment bill providing for a better system of assessments, and a joint resolution asking for the appoint ment of a committee consisting of five mem bers of the House and three of the Senate, to investigate the cause of the many mine acci dents that have happened in late years, with the view of reporting to the next session of the Legislature an act to provide better mining laws and establish a regular department of mining. He secured its unanimous passage in the House, but when it reached the Senate it was referred to the committee on Mines and Mining, where it was severely antagonized by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and all the large mining corporations, and was finally killed. He is a man of energy, intelligence, and many excellent personal qualities, who has 360 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ever in mind the best interests of the people and the common good. His affability and kindly manner have won for him many friends, while his manifest ability and integrity inspire full confidence and trust. Already, he has shown the undeniable qualifications of a suc cessful and reliable public servant. Q'AMUEL M. MORTIMER, a citizen of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and a repre sentative of an old Pennsylvania family, is a son of Andrew and Catherine (Moll) Mortimer, and was born in the city of Pottsville, on March 28, 1832. John Mortimer, his paternal grandfather, and Jane, his wife, settled in Robinson town ship, Berks county, Pennsylvania, at a date prior to the war of the Revolution, in which county both died. The former was by occu pation a farmer, and had a family of six children : William, John, George, Samuel, Andrew and Nancy. After the demise of their parents the family, about the year 18 10, removed to Port Clinton, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, from which place, in after years, they separated and took up places of residence at different points. Andrew Mortimer, was born on the old homestead in Berks county on November 22, 1791, and some years after his removal to Port Clinton, Schuylkill county, he removed to Pottsville, where he lived the remainder, of his life and was deceased on March 28, 1854. Shortly after his arrival in Pottsville, he opened a small colliery near that place, and operated it as his means would permit. At first he established a retail coal business, which grew little by little in propor tion until he was enabled to use a much larger force. In the year 1830, he was elected borough constable for a term of two years (from 1 830 to 1 83 1 'inclusive), being employed at the same time in doing contract work. He continued the latter line of work until the year 1846, when he removed to Tuscarora, this county, and again engaged in coal operat ing until the year 1849, at which time he was appointed postmaster at Pottsville, by Presi dent Zachary Taylor, being a member of the Whig party, of which Taylor at that time was the chief. He was a man who was thoroughly alive to the great issues of the day, and took an intelligent interest in both the local and national politics of his time. He served for a number of years as school director, member of council, and in 1844 was elected burgess. In religious matters he was also very enthu siastic, was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he held the 'office of trustee and class leader for many years. His marriage resulted in a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters, as follows : George, Hannah, John W., Wil liam R., Elizabeth, Andrew, Sarah C, and Samuel M. Samuel M. Mortimer, subject, was united in marriage with Elizabeth Corby, of Potts ville, on October 25, 1855. To .them have been born six children, three of whom are living: Hannah, married to Heber S. Zerby, a bookseller and stationer of Pottsville; Emily, married to E. T. Griffith, a resident of Maha noy City; and Carrie, married to Charles Spencer, resides in Llewellyn. In the year 1849, ^r. Mortimer engaged to learn the trade of hatter, and served with Oliver Dobson a term of four years, subsequent to which time he worked as a journeyman until 1864, when he became a dealer in hats, caps and furs. He continued this latter business until the year 1885, when he retired on account of ill health. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 361 Politically, he is a republican, aqd has served as borough treasurer for fifteen years in suc cession, beginning with the year 1877. In 1889, he was appointed notary public for a term of four years, which position he still holds. In fraternal matters, he is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., and also of Seneca Tribe, No. 41, Independent Order of Red Men. AVHARLES RETTIG, who wasa well-known and popular brewer of Pottsville, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, was a son of Bene dict and Caroline (Kleinpater) Rettig, and was born in Baden Baden, Germany, November 24, 1839, and died in Pottsville, July 12, 1893. He received his education in his native village, principally through the night schools, having been employed during the daytime in glass blowing. From the age of sixteen to nineteen he learned the trade of brewing with his uncle, Karl Lang. After the completion of an ap prenticeship in this business, he emigrated to the United States in the year i860, and relates that upon his arrival in New York City he had as the sum total of his worldly capital twenty- five cents, and of this amount he was relieved shortly after landing by a. colored bootblack, who, after having inveigled him into having his boots blacked, decamped with the quarter on the pretence of getting change, and failed to return. His first experience, therefore, in the New World was not one to inspire courage or to fill the ambitious spirit with over-ardent hopes. Although penniless, he worked his way to Philadelphia, where he found employ ment with Engle & Wolf, brewers of that city. After remaining here a short time he was recommended by Peter Schemm to Fred. Lauer, the famous beer brewer of Reading, Pennsylvania, who subsequently sent him to his brother, George Lauer, of ' Pottsville, for whom he served as foreman at the Orchard brewery until 1865, at which time he deter mined to start in business for himself. Through his service thus far, he had succeeded in hus banding his earnings well, and in partnership with his father-in-law, under the firm name of Rettig & Liebner, started the little brewery adjoining the Blue tavern on the Port Carbon road. At first it was a very miniature affair, and the work was entirely done by Mr. Rettig himself. Three years later they purchased the site at Ninth and Market streets, and in creased the business to a very creditable ex tent, when, in 1872, the sole charge of the business came into the hands of Mr. Rettig, and was again increased until it has reached its present capacity. The present buildings of the brewery are constructed in a durable manner, and are well equipped with everything needful for the manufacture of porter, ale and beer. About twenty operatives are employed, besides as many head of horses and mules, and the output per annum is about twenty thousand barrels. The product of this brew ery is of an excellent quality, and for its purity and medicinal properties has received the recommendation of many prominent physi cians. The business since the death of Mr. Rettig has been run under the firm- name of Charles Rettig & Son. On September 5, 1865, Mr. Rettig was united in marriage to Augusta Liebner, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. To this union five children have been born : Emma E., wife of August Grum, a draftsman, and now salesman for the Rettig brewery, resident at Pottsville ; William O., married to Mamie E. Ruff, and general manager of the brewery ; and three others, who are deceased. 362 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Mr. Rettig was a straightforward, honorable business man and citizen. He was careful in his conduct of business affairs, and through such management gained for himself a comfort able competency and the general regard of his fellow-citizens. JOHN R. NAUS. A man well known for the sterling qualities of honesty and prob ity, and for his financial success in the world, is John R. Naus, of Schuylkill Haven, Penn sylvania. Mr. Naus was born December 28, 1829, near Halifax, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, and is a son of George and Sarah (Lehr) Naus. Mr. Naus is a direct descendant, onthe ma ternal side, of a Revolutionary hero, his grand father Lehr having laid down his life in defence of his country at the siege of Baltimore, dur ing the war of 1812. George Naus (father) was born near Middle- town, Dauphin county, in 1790. As a boy he went to Halifax, same county, where he lived until 1835, when he came into Schuylkill county, locating at Schuylkill Haven, where he died two years later, in 1837. He lived in an age when machinery was not such a potent factor in the production of the necessaries and conveniences of life as at the present time, but they were chiefly the product of skilled hands ; hence it was that the product of his vocation's — that of carpet-weaver and basket-maker — found ready sale in the market at remunerative prices. Politically, he was a follower of Clay, and in religious faith a strong adherent to the faith of the Reformed church. John R. Naus had very meagre advantages for securing an education ; his father dying when he was but eight years old, he was soon after thrown upon the world to earn his own living and make his own way through it. At the age of eleven years he went on the tow- path of the Philadelphia and Schuylkill canal as a driver, earning in this way his first dollar. He remained on the canal until 1850, when he quit boating, and for two years fired on a steamboat which plied on the Raritan river, between New Brunswick and New York. In 1852, Mr. Naus commenced railroading, first as a laborer, but was rapidly promoted, serving respectively as brakeman, conductor, fireman, and, in 1859, commenced running a locomotive engine on the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad, being continuously in this capacity until November, 1890, when he retired from the activities of life, and is now enjoying the fruits of an industrious life at Schuylkill Haven. In politics, Mr. Naus is a republican, but never sought nor held office. The Lutheran church claims him as a member, being a trustee and active worker of that denomina tion. Since 1854 he has been an active and influential member of the Sr. O. U. A. M., at Schuylkill Haven. Much of Mr. Naus' success in life is due to the wise counsels and the helpful inspiration of his wife, Annetta (Koch) Naus, whom he married on January 1, 1855, and who is a daughter of John Adams Koch, of Schuylkill Haven, this county. "j^ANIEL BAILY, an old and respected citi zen of Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania is a son of Daniel and Mary (Cahill) Baily, and was born in county Cork, Ireland, Janary 11, 181 1. His father was born in the same country and county, of which he was a life long resident. The latter's marriage resulting in an issue of eleven children, two of whom emigrated to the United States, Daniel, sub- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 363 ject, and Michael. The latter ofwhom served in the war of the Rebellion, in which he was killed. Daniel Baily arrived in the United States in the year 1861, settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, until the year 1863, at the end of which time' he removed to Shenandoah, this county, where he has since been in con tinuous residence. In early life he learned the trade of a carpenter, which he followed until the year 1879. Subsequent to that time, he became a contractor and builder, and erected some of the handsomest and most substantial buildings in Shenandoah City. In 1879 he was elected justice of the peace in the Fifth Ward of Shenandoah, and still fills that position. In connection with his official duties as justice, he does considerable in the nature of collections and related work. Po litically he is a democrat, and has always given his undivided support to the standard bearers of that party, though he is free from bigotry and scorns political calumniation. In convic tion, as well as through heredity, he is an adherent of the Roman Catholic church, and holds membership in the church of the An nunciation of Shenandoah, to which he is devotedly attached. On October 8, 185 1, he was united in mar riage with Margaret Clensay, of county Cork, Ireland, by whom five children have been born, three sons and two daughters ; Daniel, Jr., Patrick, John, deceased; Margaret and Mary. Mrs. Baily departed this life on July 19, 1892, at the age of sixty-seven years. "fNANIEL J. YOST, a prominent business man of McKeansburg, this county, is a son of Jonathan and Mary (Kleckner) Yost, ?and was born July 22, 1820 in East Bruns wick township, Schuykill county, Pennsyl vania. The paternal grandfather of the subject of this annal, Daniel Yost, was born in Mont gomery county, Pennsylvania, in 1759, ancl emigrated at an early day to what is now McKeansburg, Schuykill county, where he died in 1839. He was an active, enterprising man in his day; a whig in political faith, he always interested himself in public affairs, believing it the duty of every good citizen to protect and foster the common good. He stood deservedly high in his community, not only for the cardinal principles of honesty and uprightness of character inherent within him, but for clearness of conception and good judgment as well. It was therefore but natural that he should be called to positions for which these qualities of mind and heart had rendered him especially competent to fill. He was, accordingly, elected justice of the peace for a number of years in his township, and discharged the duties of this office with such marked ability and signal impartiality to all concerned that he was called up higher, being elected associate judge of the county. Judge Yost married Barbara Hillogus, and had a family of ten children. Jonathan Yost, father, was born in Mont gomery county, Pennsylvania, in 1797, and died in East Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, in 1866. He came to Schuylkill county with his father, learned the blacksmith trade and followed it a number of years, but relinquished it and took up farming, which was his work during the last twenty years of his life. He was an active and ardent mem ber of the German Reformed church at McKeansburg, serving in nearly all the offi cial positions in the church organization. He married Mary Kleckner, a daughter of Andrew 364 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Kleckner, one of the earlier immigrants from Germany into East Brunswick township, this county, where he followed the avocation of a farmer and where he died. This union resulted | in a large family of twelve children, six sons i and six daughters. Daniel J. Yost was educated in the public schools, having but meagre advantages for securing an education. He learned the trade of a miller early in life, and after working at his trade for fourteen years purchased a grist mill in 1855, in Walker township, this county, which he operated until 1889, when he trans ferred it to his son Jonathan, and embarked in a mercantile business in McKeansburg. His political cast is Republican, and he is ah ardent member of the German Reformed church. He first married Charlotte Klotz, a daughter of Christian Klotz, of Carbon county, on December 25, 1846. To this union' were born two children, both deceased, Ellen and Alice. His second union was with Lydia Bretney, of Carbon county, Pennsylvania, April 16, 1854. To them have been born seven children : Milton (dead), Ellen, Jona than I., Alice (twin sister to Emma, married to James E. Greenawald, of Walker township, a miller and resident of Walker township), Emma (dead), Calvin D., at home, a graduate of Ursinus college in the class of 1891, and from the Seminary in connection with the col lege in 1893, and James A., at home, a clerk in his father's store. Israel Yost, a prosperous farmer of East Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, is a son of Jonathan and Mary (Kleckner) Yost, and was born in East Brunswick township, this county, September 11, 1834. (See ances tral history of Daniel J., his brother.) Israel Yost learned the trade of a miller at he age of twenty years, and followed it for eight years. In 1870 he purchased a farm of one hundred acres in East Brunswick town ship, near the borough of New Ringgold, where he has since resided, engaged in farm ing, carrying on a huckstering business in connection with it. In 1891 he established a creamery at Meyerstown, Lebanon county, which is now operated by his son Salem. Politically Mr. Yost is a republican, and an active member of the German Reformed church at McKeansburg, of which he is a warden. He is a member of East Brunswick Lodge, No. 802, I. O. O. F., of which he is a Past Grand, and Washington Camp, No. 100, P. O. S. of A. Also treasurer of said camp for fifteen years. On September 7, 1862, he married Sarah, a daughter of John and Sarah Gerber, of East Brunswick township, and to them have been born ten children, of which seven are living: Priscilla, Salem P., Sallie E., Israel C, Mamie M., Ammon H. A. and Walter A. JOHN F. BECKER, a merchant arid well- known citizen of Palo Alto, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Jacob and Catherine (Perry) Becker, was born in Potts ville, county and state above mentioned, on September 5, 1841. His grandfather, Matthias Becker, was a native of Germany, born about the year 1779, and prior to his emigration to America, served as one of the body-guard to Napoleon the First. Subsequent to his arrival on this side of the Atlantic, he came to the state of Penn sylvania, and located at Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where he died about the year i860. He was accompanied on his journey from his native country to the United States by his wife and family, except one, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 365 Jacob, who preceded the family some years. The Beckers were among the first settlers in Pottsville and its vicinity, and have conse quently been witnesses of the growth and progress of that city. Jacob was a miner by occupation, and met his death at the Oak Hill colliery, on August I, 1857, aged forty-nine years, through a mine explosion. He was united in marriage with Catherine Perry, a daughter of Peter Perry, a native of France, about the year 1840. The result of this mar riage was a family of ten children, of whom six are still living, two daughters and four sons : John F., subject; Kate, Jacob, Joseph, Magdalene and Nicholas J. The latter is a coppersmith by trade, in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. John F. Becker has been twice married. His first alliance was with Gertrude Bappart, by whom he had one child, now deceased. Mrs. Becker died on March 10, 1875. His second marriage was with Mrs. Francisca Pfeiffer, (nee Kopp). Mr. Becker received his education in the public schools of Pottsville, and at an early age began working in the mines as a slate picker. He continued here for three years, and then entered the employ of a rolling mill, where he worked at various odd jobs until he learned the business of a roller. In the latter capacity he then con tinued until October 2, 1861, when he entered the Union service during the late civil war. He enlisted in company G, 48th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, and served until July 17, 1865. During this period of service he participated in a number of battles, among which were the battles of Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, Antietam, Freder icksburg, Wilderness, Petersburg, the cam paign of East Tennessee, besides a number of minor skirmishes. He was wounded in the battle of Wilderness, on May 5, 1864, but afterwards rejoined his regiment, and was present at the surrender of Lee at Appomat tox. After the close of the war he returned home and purchased a canal boat, and began a freight transportation business plying be tween Pottsville, New York City and Hart ford, Connecticut. This occupied his atten tion from 1865 to 1879. In the latter year he gave up boating and went into the mercantile business at Palo Alto, which has since con tinued to engross his time. He, at present, owns a large first-class general store, which steadily developed to its present proportions since 1879. Politically he adheres to the Democratic party, and served as a school director for a period of nine years. He has also served as borough treasurer for a period of equal length. Religiously, he is a member of St. John's Roman Catholic church, belongs to St. John the Baptist Beneficial Society, the Union Veteran Legion, and the social club of Nine of Pottsville. Mr. Becker is a man of good business and social standing, is wide-awake and energetic, and has contributed his share to the upbuild ing of the community in which he lives. He is a man of good social qualities, careful business habits, and always uses his influence on the side of good morals and good order. In this respect he fulfils the duties imposed upon him by the state and society. Q ARON N. BRENSINGER, now residing ¦"¦ in Auburn, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, is a son of Daniel M. and Catherine (Nebel) Brensinger, and was born in Long Swamp township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, on September 5, 1846. 366 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY His grandfather was Jacob Brensinger, a son of Caspar Brensinger, who was born in Lor aine, France, and emigrated to the United States shortly after his marriage in 1791 . He first settled, after his arrival in this country, in Exeter township, Berks county, and was one ofthe pioneers of that section of the country. He was an iron worker by occupation, and operated a charcoal forge, which occupied the major portion of his life in this country. Grandfather Jacob Brensinger was born in Exeter township, and died in Penn township Berks county, July 14, 1887, at the age of ninety-three years. He was a farmer through out life, and a member of the Lutheran church. He was united in marriage with Elizabeth Mest, by whom he had a family of ten chil dren, six daughters and four sons. Daniel M. Brensinger, one of the sons, and father of Aaron N.,was born in Berks county, on May 3, 1822, and died in south Manheim township, Schuylkill county, on November 4, 1 89 1. He had been a resident of Schuylkill county twenty-eight years prior to his death. His trade was that of a bricklayer, but during the latter part of his life he was engaged in farming, in which latter occupation he was successful and prosperous. At the time of his death he was the owner of a farm containing one hundred and seventy-six acres in an ad vanced state of cultivation. He was a mem ber of the Lutheran church, a democrat in politics, and manifested a spirited interest in public affairs. In his township, at various times, he was called upon to fill offices of public trust. The result of his marriage was an offspring of four children : Aaron N., sub ject; Augustus, a farmer residing in South Manheim township, now filling the office of justice of the peace ; Leanda, wife of Joseph Moyer, a farmer of Berks county ; and Daniel J. Aaron N. Brensinger was united in marriage with Annie T. Sigfried, a daughter of Jona than and Clara Sigfried, of Jefferson Furnace, this county, on April 20, 1867. They have three children : Agnes V, married to Charles Haynes, a carpenter and builder by trade, re siding in Auburn ; Clara and Sallie S., at home. Mr. Brensinger was educated in the public schools of Berks county, and learned the trade of bricklaying with his father. After coming to Schuylkill county, he was employed in the Jefferson charcoal furnace, first as a laborer, and received gradual promotion during his period of service until he became a skilled workman in that business. In 1876 he gave up the fur nace business, and was employed as a clerk for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company at Beechwood. Subsequently he returned to the furnace and became mana ger and clerk, with the responsibility con nected with the supervision of the entire plant. He remained in this capacity for five years, and in 1879 engaged in the distilling business at Jefferson furnace with his father, under the name of D, M. Brensinger & Son. Here he continued until 1886, in which year he re moved to Auburn and accepted the position of station agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at that place. He has since that time efficiently discharged the duties of his position and that of agent for the Adams Ex press Company, which latter duties he performs conjointly with those of railroad agent. He casts his vote with the Republican party, and was elected by that party to the office of justice of the peace in West Brunswick town ship, in the spring of 1893. He is at the present time a member of the school board in the same township, and has served in that ca pacity during the last five years. He is a OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 367 member of the Lutheran church. Fraternally, he is a member of Washington Camp, No. 45, P. O. S. of A., and has been master of forms and ceremonies in connection with that order for six successive terms. He is also a member of the Philadelphia division of the railroad asso ciation, and Auburn Castle, No. 168, Knights of the Golden Eagle, in which he has been Clerk of the Exchequer for seven successive terms. .JACOB ULMER, one of the most enter- prising business men of Pottsville and the founder ofthe Jacob Ulmer Packing Com pany, is a son of John and Agnes (Rebmann) Ulmer, and was born November 24, 1826, in Wurtemburg, Germany. At an early age, about 13 years, he was indentured to learn the trade of a butcher, after completing his trade he worked at the same for a number of years in the principal cities of Europe, and at the age of twenty-four he resolved upon seeking his fortune in the United States, and emigrated thither settling in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he remained until 1852, when he removed to Philadelphia. In 1854 he was engaged in helping to build the first railroad ever built into Atlantic City. On July 2, 1854, he took up his residence in Pottsville and for a few months worked in the shops of John Reiger and George Gwinner, and in March, 1855, opened a meat market on North Center Street. In the following Sep tember he located on Second Street, and on April 1, 1857, removed to Center Street, two doors from his present market, and a year later purchased the property in which his market is now located. Mr. Ulmer Was remarkably successful in business from the start and in less than two months after he had started in business in 1855, his sales had so increased that he was compelled to employ two butchers to assist him. By strict attention to business and the exercise of energy, prudence and sagacity his business has been gradually growing until it it is now perhaps the largest of the kind in Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia. In all of its arrangements it is most complete. In 1873 the plant was commenced on the corner of Front and Railroad streets, but since then in 1 891, it has been greatly enlarged and improved under the supervision of a Chicago architect, who is well posted on all matters pertaining to the subject, and who pronounces it a model packing house in every respect. The improvements spoken of consisted in the erection ofa five story brick and iron building directly on the corner of East Railroad and Walnut streets. This building connects with the old struc ture, the three lower stories of which are also built of brick, iron and cement. The main building is now 90 x 200 feet, and the capacity has been increased from 200 to 500 hogs per day. In addition to this the company also has large stables, cattle yards and hog pens on the south side of Railroad street, occupying as much space as the main building. The business is ranked as one of the substantial and prosperous enterprises of Pottsville and gives employment to sixty hands. On December 1, 1890, the business was re solved into a corporated stock company under the caption of Jacob Ulmer Packing Company. Mr. Ulmer has five children : John G, who is a resident of Pottsville and a member ofthe company; Jacob S. , also a member of the company, and is its manager ; William, deceased ; Louisa E., and Louis F., also a member of the firm. 36S BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Mr. Ulmer has been a man of enterprise in the borough of his adoption, and has taken a lively interest in other matters pertaining to the development and welfare of the same. He is a director in the Pottsville Steam Heat and Power Company and the Edison Electric Illuminating Company. In 1892 he relinquished active business pursuits and removed to Philadelphia, where he is now enjoying the fruits of an active, industrious and successful business career. Mr. Ulmer's life is indeed an exemplification of that well-known aphorism, " There is always room at the top." /COLONEL THOMAS H. RICKERT is ^^ one of Pottsville's successful business men. He is a son of George and Amelia (Hammer) Rickert, and was born in North Manheim township, near Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, April 8, 1834. His grandfather, Richard Rickert, was a native of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and in his boyhood came to Schuylkill county to better his fortunes, his father having died when he was quite young. His first and last location was at Orwigsburg, where he engaged in farm ing, mining, and various other pursuits until the time of his death in 1857, at the age of eighty-five years. He was a man of intelli gence and stability, the greater part of whose education was gained in the hard school of experience. His political sentiment was strongly Whig, in which party he took an active interest; while he also possessed a keen admiration for Henry Clay. Religiously, he cast his sympathies with the Evangelical Association, of which he was one of the original founders, and in which he took a zealous, aggressive part. He was married to a Miss Gilbert, and reared a family of three sons and three daughters. The father of Thomas H. Rickert was born in Orwigsburg, this county, in November, 1 810. At the early age of fourteen years he engaged in mining on his own account. He mined the coal at Minersville and transported it by teams to Mount Carbon, whence it was transported by the way of the Philadelphia and Schuylkill canal to Philadelphia; subsequeptly he mined successfully in the county, at Miners ville, New Philadelphia, and other points, until the yea,r 1872. At this time he retired from active business and resided in Pottsville until 1 89 1, since which he has resided in Reading, Pennsylvania. He is a republican in politics, an active member of the Evangelical church, in which he has held many positions of im portance, and a man of commendable public spirit. His wife died July, 1 890, at the age of seventy-eight years, after having given birth to and reared with a mother's care, five chil dren : Elizabeth Linder, living at Orwigsburg ; John R., located at Reading ; Emma Bohan nan, in Philadelphia ; George L., a resident of Virginia; and Thomas H., in Pottsville. Thomas H. was educated in the public schools of Pottsville, and almost by heredity started life in the coal business, first with his father and then independently. To his coal operations he soon added that of railroad con tracting, which has proved to him successful and remunerative. His work of this nature has been in connection with the Buffalo ex tension of the Lehigh Valley railroad, the Cumberland Valley, Schuylkill Valley, Penn sylvania, and the Philadelphia and Reading. Col. Rickert has always thrown his political support to the Republican party, though he has never sought preferment at the hands of the party. At the beginning of the late civil OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 369 war, in response to his patriotic convictions, he enlisted in the service of his country. He served as quartermaster of the 7th Pennsyl vania cavalry, and the different divisions and corps of the army of the Cumberland until the spring of 1865, when he resigned. He took part in most- of the engagements of the army of the Cumberland, among which were : Stone River, Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge, Chickamauga, thence to Atlanta, and thence returned to Frankfort and Nashville, and followed the leadership of General Thomas to Atlanta, almost the terminus ad quem of the civil war. He is at present .a member of Loyal Legiqn, Gowen Post, No. 23, G. A. R., and also Encampment No. 19, Union Veteran Legion. Colonel Rickert was united in marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Van Dusen, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, September 23, 1856. Two children have resulted from this union, Anna T. and D. Van Dusen. HENRY D. RENTSCHLER, M. D., ex- county coroner and a well-known and popular physician of Schuylkill county, is a son of Jacob and Sarah (Deal) Rentschler, and was born May 5, 1841, in Berne township, Berks county, Pennsylvania. Grandfather Rentschler was a resident for many years of Hamburg, Berks county, but afterwards became a farmer and distiller near that place. Jacob Rentschler, father, was born on the old homestead near Hamburg, in 1804, and died in the county of his birth, at Berneville, in 1874. He was a man of considerable busi ness enterprise, and aside from the pursuits of a farmer was engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods, the mill being located upon his 24 farm. He married Sarah Deal, who died in 1845, when Henry was quite young. Doctor Rentschler, on February 15, 1869, was united in marriage to Miss Emma Rum ble, daughter of Daniel Rumble, of Ringtown, this county, and to them have been born eight children ; Ada Letta, the wife of Dr. George H. Shenk, of Reading, Pennsylvania; Maurice, now a student of medicine in the University of Pennsylvania, at -Philadelphia; Walter R., a student of medicine in the same institution ; Sadie M., a student in the Bloomsburg State Normal School ; Harry J., Robert F., Bessie and Guy. Doctor Rentschler was educated in Wash ington Hall, at the Trappe, Montgomery, county, Pennsylvania, in its day a well-known and popular institution of learning. After thus fully equipping himself, he entered upon the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Doctor Devilla Schoener, of Shartlesville, Berks county, Pennsylvania, and thence in the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1864, and almost immediately located in Ringtown, where he has remained to the present time. In political faith the doctor is a democrat, and was elected in 1878 coroner ofthe county of his adoption, and served one term with credit to all concerned. The schools in him find a hearty friend and an able and intelligent advocate. He has served twenty-two years continuously as a member of the school board of Union town ship; twenty-one of them as secretary of the board. In fraternal matters he stands deservedly high. He is a member of Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M., Mizpah Chapter, No. 252, R.A. M., at Mahanoy City; Ivanhoe Com mandery, No. 3 1 , Knights Templar, at Mahanoy 370 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY City, and Ringtown Lodge, No. 287, 1. O. O. F. He is also a member of the Schuylkill County Medical Society and the Pennsylvania State Medical Association. Doctor Rentschler stands for all that is pro gressive, and keeps fully abreast of the times, and is a man deserving and fully possessing the respect and confidence of those with whom he comes- in contact. •f^ERRY W. FEGLEY. Of the many in dustries which contribute to the pros perity of the county, the shoe industry deserves to be ranked among fhe first. The firm of A. E. Brown & Co., of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania, of which Perry W. Fegley is a partner, is a representative of this class of industries. Perry W. Fegley, son of Charles and Livinia (Hoffman) Fegley, was born May 8, 1855, in Orwigsburg, Scjiuylkill county, Pennsylvania. His grandfather, Abraham Fegley, was a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, but settled at an early day on what is now known as the Martin Schaeffer farm in the suburbs of Orwigsburg, where he lived the major part of his life engaged in the peaceful pursuits of a farmer. His later days were spent in peace ful retirement in Orwigsburg, where he died in 1874. He married Sohna Berger, Decem ber, 1813, and to them were born a family of one girl and two boys, of which Charles Feg ley, father, was one. He was also a native of Long Swamp township, Berks county, where he was born September 4, 18 14. He came with his father to the vicinity of Orwigsburg, where he was reared. He took up the pur suits of a farmer, owning and cultivating a farm in East Brunswick township until spring of 1839, when he bartered his farm for a boat, which he christened " Jennie Lind." This boat he operated upon the Philadelphia and Schuylkill canal until 1862, when he took up contracting in and around the mines of the Schuylkill county coal region for ten years. He is now enjoying the fruits of an indus trious life in happy retirement at Orwigsburg. He affiliates with the Democratic party, and is a consistent member of the Lutheran church. On December 24, 1849, he was married to Livinia Hoffman, a daughter of Jacob Hoff man. (See sketch of Doctor Hoffman, her nephew, for history of the Hoffmans.) She was born April 26, 18 18. This union resulted in the issue of two children : Henry C, who was born January 20, 1852, studied medicine, and graduated from Jefferson Medical college, Philadelphia, in March, 1877. He then lo cated in Ashland, where he successfully prac ticed his profession until death cut short his prospects, May 28, 1888. Perry W. Fegley was educated in the schools of Orwigsburg. In the spring of 1871, he was apprenticed to learn the trade of a carpenter, but in October of the same year, not liking the trade, he left his apprenticeship and learned the trade of a tinsmith, at which he worked until June, 1873. At this time he entered the employ of the Orwigsburg Shoe Manufacturing Company ; here he served a full apprenticeship of three years, at which time he was made a foreman in the factory, and continued as such until 1884. The firm of A. E. Brown & Co. was then formed, and Mr. Fegley became a partner, and has continued in that capacity ever since. In political mat ters Mr. Fegley follows the tenets of the Re publican party, and takes an intelligent interest in the local politics of his town. . He takes a deep interest in educational matters, and, as a OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 371 member of the school board, when the present fine school building was built, did much to overcome the opposition to its building and to mould a sentiment in its favor. The build ing, which is certainly a great credit to the town, stands as a monument to the push and enterprising spirit of such men as Perry W. Fegley. During the year 1884, when the question of supplying his native town with water from a mountain reservoir was broached, Mr. Fegley was one of the prime movers ; and the intense opposition which at first developed against what everyone now calls the greatest blessing, was in a great measure allayed and the happy result brought about by the intelligent efforts of Mr. Fegley. In 1892 the Evangelical Lutheran congre gation, of which, the subject of this sketch is a leading member, and its trustee since 1 890, moved to build a new church building. It is to the continued interest and direct aid which men like Mr. Fegley devoted to this cause, and especially in his position as chairman of the building committee, his faithful and ener getic services, that the beautiful Gothic brick church now adorns the town ; and, standing as it does, near the school house aforesaid, it is but another part of the municipal monu ment which the untiring energies and liberality of Perry W. Fegley aided to rear. He is a prominent member of the Lutheran church, and has been a trustee since 1890. The marriage of Mr. Fegley to Isadore Thorne, daughter of Theodore Thorne, of St. Clair, took place on October 31, 1875, and has resulted in the following issue : Theodore C, born July 2, 1876; Mabel Livinia, born July 22, 1877; Lillie, born May 26, 1886; Hilda, born July 14, 1887; Perry W., Jr., born July 26, 1892. Mr. Fegley is a man who, by his industry and integrity is on the sure road to success, and eminently deserves the high regard in which he is held by his fellow-citizens. />EORGE H. GERBER, an attorney of Schuylkill Haven, is a son of David and Maria (Buck) Gerber, and was born in North Manheim township, this county, April 6, 1857. His great-grandfather, Henry Gerber, was a native of Germany, and emigrated to the United States, locating in West Penn town ship, this county, where he resided until his death. His grandfather, John Gerber, was born in West Penn township, this county, but re moved later to East Brunswick township, where he died in 185 1, aged fifty-six years. He was a farmer all his life. He married Miss Sarah Schaeffer, and had a family of eight children, seven sons and one daughter, all ofwhom are still living: John, Samuel, David, Nathan, Joshua, Benjamin, Phanas and Sarah, who married Israel Yost, a farmer and cream ery proprietor of East Brunswick township, near New Ringgold, Schuylkill county. David Gerber, father, was born in West Penn township, this county, in October, 1821, but removed to North Manheim township, in 1 841, where he has lived ever since. He learned the trade of a shoemaker, which trade he followed until 1844, when he purchased a farm in North Manheim township, to which he removed and upon which he has since lived, a farmer by occupation. In politics, he has always been a stanch republican, but has never sought or held any office. He is a member of the Reformed church. He is also a member ofthe S. O. U. A. M. of Schuylkill 372 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Haven. He is an upright and highly res pected citizen of North Manheim township. He was married to Maria Buck, a daughter of Andrew Buck, one of the largest, most prominent and widely-known farmers of East Brunswick township, by whom he has had a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters : Emma, wife of George M. Moyer, of Schuylkill Haven; John A., a farmer living on the old homestead in North Manheim township ; Angeline, wife of Francis Keiser, of Mahanoy City ; Andrew William ; Clara married to J. J. Dilcher, of Mahanoy City; George IL, of Schuylkill Haven; Elmira, wife of Howard J. Figley, of Orwigsburg, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Gerber was educated in the public schools of his township and at the Keystone State Normal school, Kutztown, Pennsylvania, graduating from the latter in the class of 1877. After graduation he taught school for three years, and entered as a student of law under the late Judge Green, of Pottsville. He was admitted to the bar of Schuylkill county, September 6, 1881, at which bar he has successfully practiced ever since, and now enjoys a large and lucrative practice. He is also a partner in the shoe manufacturing firm of Berger, Brown & Co., of Schuylkill Haven, having been one of the promoters of this enterprise, which gives employment to about forty hands. In politics he has always been a republican, but has never sought or held office. He is a member of Carroll Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Schuylkill Haven, and also a member of the Royal Arcanum of Schuylkill Haven. He was married November 16, 1883, to Ada M. Palsgrove, of Schuylkill Haven, and has one child : Florence M. Gerber. J .ESTER A. FREEMAN, son of Alansori and Kate (Miller) Freeman, was born in Winsted, Connecticut, March 4, 185 1, and is a scion of an old and respected family of New England. Tradition says that his ancestors emi grated from Scotland and settled on Cape Cod early in the colonial period. Daniel Freeman, his great-grandfather, lived in Attleborough, Massachusetts, where he reared a family of four boys and four girls. One of these sons served with great credit in the war of 181 2, while the others occupied positions of honor and trust in civil life. Truman, the second son, was twice married, Mercy (White) Freeman, his first wife, bearing six children, the youngest of whom was Alanson, father of the subject of this sketch. The family moved to Pawtucket, then a part of Massachusetts, when Alanson was about eight years old. The parents were poor, and the children were obliged to aid in common support by working in a cotton mill. Alan- son's entire school course consisted ofa single term of three months. At the age of eighteen he learned the trade of saddler and harness maker, which he fol- i lowed for the greater part of his life, but being eager for knowledge he pursued a course of self-instruction by which he be came qualified to enter the profession of school teaching. He taught with marked success for several terms in Illinois. He was a life-long student, and became an eloquent public speaker and forcible writer. He died in Palmyra, New York, March 20, 1890, leaving a widow and one son, his only daugh ter, Alice, having died in infancy. Lester completed his studies in the Paw tucket High School in 1866. For several years he was employed successively as errand boy, salesman and bookkeeper in clothing OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 373 stores in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and after wards as salesman in dry goods stores in Pawtucket and Boston. He next took a course in the Rhode Island State Normal school, from which he was graduated in 1872. During the next six years he taught in Rhode Island, occupying responsible posi tions in Phcenix, Middletown, East Provi dence, Block Island and Woonsocket. He achieved an enviable reputation as principal of a school in East Providence, where he labored for four years. For two years he was secretary of the Rhode Island Institute of instruction. In 1878, when he took charge of the schools of Hawley, Wayne county, Pennsyl vania, they were ungraded and very poorly organized. Things began to assume a new aspect from the moment the new superin tendent arrived. He soon established a good graded system, and worked out a course of study commensurate with the needs of the entire township of Palmyra, in which the vil lage of Hawley is located. When, in 1882, he accepted a position of wider usefulness at Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, he left the schools of Hawley in excellent working condition, the pride of every citizen. Of his success as principal of the Shenan doah High School for the two years ending in June, 1884, and as superintendent of the schools of that city for the following nine years, the best evidence is found in a growth from twenty-five schools and twenty-nine teachers in 1884 to forty-five schools and forty-eight teachers at the close of his third term June, 5, 1893. A fair account of his work in Shenandoah is given in the following letter of " R. L." to the Educational News of Philadelphia, June 3, 1893, which expresses the concurrent opinion of scores of visitors : " That it pays to employ competent teachers and wide-awake superintendents is generally acknowledged to be correct in theory, but the practice seldom harmonizes with it. Shenan doah, in Schuylkill county, forms, however, a [ striking exception. Here competent teach- j ers, nearly all normal graduates, are employed, j and the superintendent, also a graduate of a normal school, is a man who keeps himself abreast of the latest and best in education. With such favorable conditions work of un usual excellence can be expected, and this expectation is realized to a greater degree in these schools than probably in any others in the State except in some ,of those -in Pitts burg. " At Shenandoah, the best educational thought is not only entertained as correct theory, but put into practice. Here the new education has acquired a thorough foothold, and the excellent condition of the schools, as evidenced in the superior work of the chil- , dren, freely and gladly done, proves con clusively the correctness of the theory. " The children in all the grades, from the primaries up, read with ease and intelligence. ' A notable circumstance of most of the read ing is that it is not done simply for the sake of reading, but for information. Superintend ent Freeman holds, and rightly, that children should as early as possible read to increase their stock of knowledge, and in accordance with this idea much of the reading is from geographical, historical, natural history and elementary science books. " After the pupils have read a paragraph or a page, they are expected to give the substance of it in their own words, and the ease and correctness with which they do it are remark able. Mr. Freeman believes that pupils should be trained to read thoughtfully, so that they 374 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY may remember what they read, and the re sults' his teachers attain show that it can be done. " The material for language work is taken from everything that is read or done in the schools — from descriptions of objects, from problems and their solutions, geography, his tory, science, etc. Concentration of effort is the idea at the foundation of the work, and the advantage of it to the pupils is too evident to need proof. " In almost all other schools children detest language work, — consider it a bore; not so" at Shenandoah ; here they enjoy it and are eager for it. " Instead of coming to class with grammars and arithmetics, as the children do in the schools that follow the ' regular fashion,' these come with their work prepared that they can show that they understand what they do. " In arithmetic, they can not only explain their work, but can give an ocular demonstra tion or illustration of its correctness. Perhaps what must seem most remarkable to all who are unacquainted with the most advanced teaching, is, that the primaries' first year's pupils solve problems within their range of knowledge, not only with whole numbers, but with fractions ; do it well, too, and seem to enjoy it. In fact the pupils of all the grades appear to enjoy their work. " Singing by notes and words is taught to all the grades, the tonic-sol-fa system being used, and if music is taught anywhere else with equal success, the readers of the News should be informed of it. " Where the most earnest work is made a pleasure, as is done in these schools, govern ment takes care of itself, and the teachers, no matter how hard they work, enjoy themselves. " Too much credit cannot be given super intendent L. A. Freeman for the excellent condition to which these schools have been brought. " Teachers* and directors' who desire to see good schools should visit Shenandoah." The results above described are the more surprising from the fact that Shenandoah con tains a greater percentage of foreign-born popu lation than any other large town in Pennsyl vania. To take the children of such a popu lation, and, through the inspiration of the schools, to Americanize them and make them intelligent, industrious, virtuous men and women, is a task of no mean proportions. In the work of organizing, harmonizing, instruct ing, purifying and inspiring such incongruous elements of future citizenship, Mr. Freemart stands almost without a peer. He is a republican in politics, but has neither the time nor the inclination to enter the arena of public life. He is a member of J. W. Stokes Lodge, No. 515, I. O. O. F., and of the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America. In December, 188 1, he married a daughter of Mr. J. B. Fitch, of Hawley, Pennsylvania, who has borne him two children, Alice, De cember 20, 1881, and Roy, July 28, 1883. />EORGE H. POTTS, the subject of this ' ^"* biographical article, was born in 181 1, on his father's estate on the Delaware. Left an orphan by the death of his mother, in 1813, he found a home in Pittstown, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, in the family of his father's sister, Mrs. Judge Rockhill. He early gave evidence of the possession of that innate en terprise which afterward placed him promi nently among the most successful business men of the United States, and at fifteen, an age when most youths are thinking only of boyish OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 375 amusement, we find him an assistant in an ex tensive mercantile house of Philadelphia, re ceiving a practical business training. Here he remained three years, laying the foundation of a busy, useful, and in many respects remark able career. With the advantages of good birth and a fine social connection, he was yet not wealthy, and his position as a self-made man was only the better assured by the oppor tunities for early training and education which he enjoyed. In 1820, he removed to Pottsville, Pennsyl vania, and at once engaged in mining oper ations. At that time everything connected with the anthracite coal interest was in very primitive condition. Practical mining, as it is now known, was yet to be introduced. What coal was mined was brought to the surface only in limited quantities, and by the hardest phys ical exertion. Its preparation for market was equally crude in its processes. The facilities for conveying it to the seaboard cities were of the most primitive description. Only 44,000 tons of anthracite were mined in 1828. From 1834 to 1845 he was the most extensive indi vidual coal operator in the Union. He erected the first engine for mining coal below the water- level ever set up for mining purposes in Penn sylvania ; it was built by Messrs. Haywood & Snyder, at their establishment in Pottsville. He was the first to use plates of iron for break ing coal, and erected the second breaker ever put in operation. He built the first boat which was employed to convey coal to the city of New York direct from the Schuylkill region, and which opened the way for the immense inland water transportation of a later date. He was one of the ten men to subscribe $300 each to be used in experiments in making anthracite iron, which were crowned with success. After a residence of twenty-four years in Pottsville, in 1853, Mr. Potts removed to New York as the local representative of the exten sive coal and iron firm of Lewis Audenreid & Co., with which he associated himself, and of which he became the senior member. While occupying this position, his excellent judg ment, business qualifications, and executive ability placed the firm at the head of the coal and iron trade of the United States, and won the frequent admiration and applause of those with whom he came in contact. By the death of Lewis Audenreid, in 1873, the firm was dissolved, Mr. Potts retiring, and his son, Hon. Frederick A. Potts, who has since continued the business with remarkable success, becom ing sole proprietor. The regret manifested on all sides at Mr. Potts' retirement from active business life, in 1873, will not soon be forgotten, as it was felt that the loss of such a man to the coal and iron industries of America could not be readily replaced. With an ample fortune, won by a life of unintermitted industry, Mr. Potts de termined to pass his remaining years in ease and quiet; but so great was the pressure brought to bear upon him to induce him to accept the vacant presidency of the National Park Bank, of New York, of which he had been one of the organizers, and had long been a director, that he finally consented to assume its duties and responsibilities. His election, in September, 1 879, to the position of president of one of the wealthiest and most prominent banking corpo rations m the Union was welcomed with un bounded satisfaction by stockholders and cus tomers, and was the subject of much favorable comment by the press of New York and the other great financial centres of the country. Among the early friends of Mr. Potts in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, the following incident, illustrative of his unyielding probity, is current. 376 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY It is related here in the hope that it may serve as an example to others in their days of disas trous business failures: In 1848, by the failure of a gentleman in Philadelphia, with whom Mr. Potts was connected in business, he lost $104,000; he was forced to call his creditors together, and settle with them at fifty cents on the dollar, and was obliged to borrow money to enable him to do even this. Sixteen years later, he paid these compromised claims, amounting to over $100,000, although he had been legally exonerated when he made the compromise, compelling his old creditors to accept interest on the balances, in spite of the fact that they repeatedly refused it and used their utmost powers of persuasion in attempts to convince him that he ought not to pay it. ! In 1832, he married the eldest daughter of George M. Cumming, of Pottsville, who bore him seven children. In 1863, he was again married to a daughter of Judge Gideon Hard, of Albion, Orleans county, New York, who has represented his district in the State Assem bly and in the National Congress, and has long been prominent in judicial and political circles. By his last wife Mr. Potts had three chil dren. rrjILLIAM R. WILLIAMS, a quiet, re- ^^"* spectable and unostentatious citizen of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of William and Catharine (Rees) Williams, and was born in Monmouthshire, South Wales, August 17, 1811. Both his parents were of Welsh descent, and both were born in the immediate vicinity ofthe subject's birthplace. The family, which consisted of the father, mother, and five sons, emigrated to the United States in the year 1842. William R. had preceded them nine years, he coming in the year 1833, landing at Carbondale, Luzerne county, June 22, of that year. After their arrival the father and his family first joined him at Carbondale, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, where his mother died, after which his father removed to Minersville, where he died in 1877. He followed mining for a livelihood during his entire period of residence in the United States. In his re ligious belief both he and his family were con nected with the Primitive Methodist church. William R. Williams in 1833 located at Carbondale, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and subsequently removed, whence he went to Ohio, where he remained one year, when he returned to Pottsville, and has lived within four miles of that place ever since, with the exception of a short residence at Minersville. At the age of nine years he began work in the mines, and continued as a laborer in the same until about the year 1858, when with Thomp son T. Jenkins he began the operation of a colliery at Mt. Laffee. He continued these operations for a period of six years, at the termination of which the partnership with Mr. Jenkins was dissolved, and a new one formed with Daniel and Abraham Fochts of Philadel phia, for the purpose of carrying on operations at the same place. They soon transferred, however, the scene of their operations to Mahanoy City, where they continued in busi ness for some six or seven years. They then sold their plant to the Philadelphia and Read ing Coal and Iron Company in 1877, and Mr. Williams retired. In the politics of the state and county, Mr.' Williams has always exhibited a worthy interest, but he has never sought at any time official or political preferment. However, he is thoroughly awake to the great political and social issues of the country, and, as he thinks, subserves the common good best by casting \ WILLIAM R. WILLIAMS. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 377 his vote with the Republican party. He has been a member of the Lutheran church for twenty years, and now performs the functions of an elder in that church. He is also a member of Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M., and not only stands well in the fraternal world, but is recognized as a man of worth and business integrity by the entire citizenship of his adopted city. j^ROFESSOR WILLIAM N. EHRHART, ex-principal ofthe High School at Shen andoah City, was born in Perry county, Penn sylvania, on February 15, 1848. Professor Ehrhart received his education in the public schools of his native place, and was graduated from the State Normal school at Millersville, Pennsylvania, in the scientific de partment, with the class of 1884. Prior to his graduation here, he had been graduated' from the elementary course of the Bloomsburg Normal school. After graduation he taught in the public schools of his native county, and afterwards two years in the graded schools at Lllewelyn, Schuylkill county. Subsequently he became principal of the Tamaqua High School, where he remained for a period often years, and since 1884 has been principal of the High School at Shenandoah City. During the civil war, early in 1865, he enlisted in Company G, 149th regiment Pennsylvania infantry, and served until the close of the war. He is a member of Camp No. 112, Patriotic Order Sons of America, of Shenandoah. On September 11, 1877, he was joined in mar riage with Julia C. Whitenight, a daughter of D. E. and Catharine (Aurand) Whitenight, of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. By this marriage one child has been the result, Raymond Nel son, born April 18, 1879. Professor Ehrhart is a man of scholarly parts, educational tact, and thoroughly efficient in his duties as a high school principal. He is a man of weight and intelligence in the pub lic and social affairs of the city, and commands the respect and esteem of his educational pa trons. Mr. Ehrhart is now engaged in busi ness in Pottsville. f"\R. SAMUEL E. STARR, D.D.S., a rising and popular young dentist of | Potts ville, Pennsylvania, is a son of Eli and Carrie (Jeffries) Starr, and was born January 3, 1863, in Philadelphia. Emory Starr, grandfather, was a native and life long resident of Chester county, Pennsyl vania, where he was engaged in the pursuits of a farmer, belonging to that class of well-to- do and prosperous farmers for which that county is noted. Eli Starr, Doctor Samuel Starr's father, was also born in Chester county, but preferring a professional to a farm life, he made prepara tions for the profession of dentistry soon after, in 185 1, moving to Philadelphia, where he successfully practiced his profession a number of years. He later became interested in White's Den tal Manufactory, the largest establishment of its kind in the world ; the plant is located at Twelfth and Chestnuts streets, and is devoted to the manufacture of dental supplies of every description, and as an evidence of the high standing of the firm and the superior character of their work, it is only necessary to mention that their product finds a ready sale all over the United States. Dr. Eli Starr is a republican politically, although not a seeker after office, and a strict member of the Presbyterian church. 378 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY On , he was married to Carrie, a daughter of Emerson Jeffries, a scion of an old and respected family of Delaware county. To this union have been born six children : Eugene, at home with his parents ; Walter, who married Miss Cora Sinclair and is now a practicing dentist at 121 South Seventeenth street, Philadelphia, having completed a course in dentistry in the University of Pennsylvania ; Dr. Samuel E. and Annie, the wife of Jack Jolly of Philadelphia. Dr. Starr received his preliminary training in the public schools of Philadelphia and Professor Hastings' Academy in West Phila delphia. In 1886 he went into the store of the White Dental Manufacturing Company, with which his father was connected. After remaining there a short time, he took up the study of dentistry in the Pennsylvania Dental College) from which he graduated in the class of i888_ He then practiced one year in the office and under the supervision of his brother, when he came to Pottsville, this county, where by strict application to his work, he has built up a good practice with the fairest of prospects for his ultimate professional success. He is a member of Camp No. 12. P. O. S- of A. rjDWARD McELROY, a leading merchant and ex-postmaster of Coaldale, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Edward and Hannah (Gallagher) McElroy, and was born on February 29, 1852, in Tuscarora, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. He is of Irish ancestry, his father having been born in county Donegal, Ireland, about the year 18 18, and came to America in the year 1845. He located in Tuscarora, Schuyl kill county, in the year 1852, and in 1872 he removed to Coaldale, same county, where he still lives. He has been a miner by occupa tion since his residence in the State of Penn sylvania, and has led an industrious and exem plary life. He was united in marriage to Hannah Gallagher, who is still living, and by whom he had a family of nine children, eight boys and one girl. Edward McElroy was united in marriage with Mary Brennan, a daughter of David and Alice Brennan, formerly of Ireland, but latterly of Coaldale, on February 14, 1876. By this marriage he has the following children : Han nah, David, Edward, Alice, Marian (deceased), and William. Edward McElroy was the recipient of very meagre educational advantages, and after a brief period in the common schools, began working in the mines, which he continued until the year 1871. By self-effort and by in dependent study, he, in later years, acquired a very fair knowledge ofthe elementary branches, and in the autumn of 1872 began teaching, and continued in this profession until 1887. Ofthe seventeen years which he spent in teaching, sixteen were devoted to work in Rahn town ship. At the end of this period he gave up teaching and embarked in the mercantile busi ness in Coaldale, to which he has devoted his attention down to the present time. He con ducts a first-class general store, and through his tact and business method has established a large and growing trade. In his political views he is in concurrence with the platform and policy ofthe Democratic party, and under the administration of President Cleveland served in the official capacity of postmaster at Coaldale. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church, in which he is a consistent and zealous worker, and at the present time is a member of the building committee, which OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 379 has charge ofthe erection ofa new church edi fice in Coaldale. As a citizen he shows a laudable interest in all matters of public im provement, and is generally sympathetic with all rational measures for the public good. -jryR. MICHAEL C. RYAN, the well known and popular physician of Coal dale, Rahn township, this county, and the efficient principal of the schools of his town ship and the village of Coaldale, is a son of Michael and Mary (Coleman) Ryan, and was born October 4, 1854, in Tuscarora, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania. Michael Ryan, father, was born in Galway, Ireland, and came in 1850 to Tuscarora, this county, where he lived until 1883, when he removed to Coaldale, where he died in 1886. He married Mrs. Mary Reagan (nee Coleman) and had a family of seven children. Being one of a large family, Michael was compelled to go to work at an early age to help sup port the family. At the age of nine years, he went to work on the breaker as a picker of slate, and did everything in and around the mines until between seventeen and eighteen years of age. He had in the meantime strictly applied his spare moments to study, and was qualified to pass an examination for a teachers' certificate. He took his first posi tion as a teacher at Lewistown school near Tuscarora, and thence he went to Brandon ville and Reynolds' Station successively. In 1877, he removed to Coaldale, then a small village, which has since been his home. In 1886, he entered Jefferson Medical College, of Philadelphia, and graduated in the class of 1888. He opened an office in Coaldale, and has been successfully practicing that profes sion* in connection with teaching ever since. Shortly after completing his medical course he was elected supervising principal of. the schools of Rahn township, and principal of the High school at Coaldale. This position includes the supervision of the work of ten teachers employed in the High school and seven employed in the schools of the town ship. It is unnecessary to say that the super vision and his connection with the schools is entirely satisfactory; that fact is eminently shown in the long period of his service. Politically, a democrat, and religiously, a member of the Roman Catholic church, he takes an active part in all matters connected with the same. Dr. Ryan was married July 25, 1889, to Mary, a daughter of Dennis Doyle, of Eng land. To this union were born two children, Mary and Catherine. Mrs. Ryan died on March 27, 1892, at the age of twenty-six years. /"CORNELIUS COLEMAN, proprietor of the Union House, at Llewellyn, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Fred erick and Margaret (Schade) Coleman, and was born in Lykens township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, on March 27, 1829. His grandfather, Carl Coleman, was born in Berks county, and removed from there with his father, John Coleman, to Dauphin county. His great-great-grandfather, John Coleman, was a native of Germany, and emigrated to the United States about the year 1704, at which time he settled in the State of Louisi ana, at that time in the possession of France. After the war of the Revolution he came North to the State of Pennsylvania, and set tled in Berks county, where he shortly after wards died. His great-grandfather was born in Berks county, but early in life removed to 3=10 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Dauphin county, where he died. He served in the Revolutionary war under the command of General Lafayette, and was subject to many thrilling experiences during that conflict. Grandfather Carl Coleman, died in Lykens township, Dauphin county, in the year 1839, at the age of seventy years. He was a farmer by occupation, as were all his American pro genitors, and attained to considerable promi nence in the community in which he lived. Religiously, he was a member of the German Lutheran church, and in his political prefer ences gave support to the Democratic party. His marriage with Barbara Stein was blessed by the birth of thirteen children, seven daugh ters and six sons, of which children Frederick Coleman, father of subject, was the third eldest.. Frederick Coleman was born in Dauphin county," Pennsylvania, upon the old home stead, in Lykens township, on August 17, 1807, and died at the same place on April 5, 1869. He was a farmer by vocation, and a democrat in politics, and active in church work. His marriage was productive by his first wife, of three children, one son and two daughters. His first wife died in January, 1834, and was born on April 10, 18 10. His second wife was Lydia Schade, a sister of his former wife, by whom he had nine children that grew to maturity, five sons and four daughters. Cornelius Coleman was united in marriage with Sarah Ritzman, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Ritzman, of Dauphin county, Penn sylvania, on April 6, 1852. Shortly after his marriage he removed to Hubley township (at that time called Lower Manhantonga town ship), Schuylkill county, and resided there until 1859, engaged in farming. Subsequently he removed to Llewellyn and purchased the Union House, which he has since conducted with success ; it is now known as the Jackson House. In the matter of suffrage, when called upon to cast his ballot, he does so in behalf of the Democratic party. Under this party he has been elected to a number of township offices, such as school director, treasurer, assessor and other minor offices. During the late civil war he was instrumental in raising a fund for the relief of soldiers in distress, and was honored by being appointed as treasurer of that fund. He is a member of the German Lutheran church. ROBERT EBLING, of Pinedale, and one ^r of the directors of the poor of Schuyl kill county, is a son of Gideon and Elizabeth (Fahl) Ebling, and was born in West Bruns wick township, this county, March 22, 1842. John Ebling, grandfather, was a native of Berks county, and was engaged in the pursuits of a farmer and blacksmith. He removed to West Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, about 1 83 1, where he lived for a few years, then returned to his former home. Gideon Ebling, father, was born in Oley township, Berks county, in 181 3, and was educated in the public schools of Reading. In 1 83 1 he removed to West Brunswick township, this county, where he settled on a farm, upon which he lived until death closed his labors, October 24, 1892. Politically a democrat of pronounced views, he was always an enthusiactic supporter of his party's can didates and principles. He was for many years a member of the Reformed church, taking an active part in church work at all times, and helped to build the church at Auburn. He was an upright and highlf re- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 381 spected man. He was united in marriage with Elizabeth Fahl, the result of which union was a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters, all living; of whom, Albert, enlisted during the late civil war in company G, 28th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, and now lives in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania; Jacob, also served in the Federal service in company K, 97th regiment Pennsylvania vol unteers, and now lives in West Brunswick township, this county. Robert Ebling was educated in the pay schools of his day, lived with his father and worked on the farm until eighteen years old, when he learned the blacksmith trade at Auburn, which trade he followed for four years. He then married and settled upon a farm, and has followed that vocation ever since. He is a democrat in politics, in which party he has always taken an active interest, and has held several township offices, at the present time holding the office of school director. He was elected a director of the poor for Schuylkill county in 1891, to serve a term of three years, which position he is now filling with credit. He is a member of the Reformed church, and takes a creditable and active in terest in all church matters. He entered the Union service during the late rebellion, as private in company G, 28th regiment Pennsyl vania volunteers, under Colonel J. C. Frick of Pottsville. He enlisted also in the emergency service of 1862. He is a member of Lodge No. 543, 1. O. O. F, of Auburn. His maternal grandfather, John Fahl, was a native of West Brunswick township, this county, where he lived all his life, following the vocation of farming, and died at an advanced age. He was one of the pioneers of that sec tion*, helping to open it up to cultivation and civilization, and lived there when it was in habited by the Indians. Mr. Ebling married Sarah Dewald, a daugh ter of Joseph Dewald of South Manheim township, and by this union has seven chil dren, three sons and four daughters; Irwin, married to Annie Miller of Washington town ship, now living at Orwigsburg; and Annie, Kate, Joseph, Ellen, John and Mary, living at at home. TA>TLLIAM DONALDSON was born in the town of Danville, Pa., July 28, 1799, and died in Pottsville, November 16, 1887. His grandfather, William Donaldson, was a soldier of the Revolutionary war throughout its entire period. His father, John Donaldson, died early, leaving him, at the age of seven, with his widowed mother and several sisters to struggle for support. They met with suc cess, however, and in additibn William ac quired a. fair education. He learned the mer cantile business with the venerable Matthew Newkirk, of Philadelphia, now deceased, and soon afterward started in that vocation in his native town. There he operated extensively in the purchase and sale of grain and other products of the country, which were then sent to markets in arks on the Susquehanna river. These transactions made him favorably known to all the leading merchants and dealers in that valley as far south as Baltimore. In 1829 he married a daughter of John Cowden, Esq., a merchant of Northumberland, Pa. Their family consists of a son and three daughters. Mr. Donaldson became, in 1837, the princi pal owner of a very large body of coal lands in the western part of Schuylkill county, at that time comparatively a wilderness ; and, almost unaided, conceived the project of de- 382 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY veloping this portion of the anthracite coal fields. Its accomplishment by the construc tion of a railroad and the erection of colliery improvements necessarily involved the outlay of a very large amount of capital, and years of time and personal attention. Nothing daunted, this work was undertaken. The Swatara Railroad was built under his management. The Donaldson Improvement and Railroad Company was- organized with the same presi dent. Soon the railroad was finished, which connected his and vast bodies of other coal lands with the Mine Hill Railroad and Union canal, and numerous extensive and costly collieries were erected on the land. The town of Donaldson also was laid out on the property. Thus a wilderness was converted into a productive territory under His leader ship. He remained in the control of the Swa tara Railroad Company and the Donaldson Im provement and Railroad Company until 1863, when they were merged in the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. During this time he participated in one' of the most important legal contests affecting land titles that ever took place in Pennsyl vania. Its final termination in favor of Judge Donaldson well illustrates his great energy and intellectual strength. The title to all his coal lands was involved in this suit. It is the great case of Grant vs. Levan, as reported in Fourth Pennsylvania State Reports, beginning on page 393. While at Danville he was appointed an associate judge for Columbia county by Gov ernor David R. Porter, entirely without solici tation on his part or that of mere personal friends. This appointment was confirmed by the senate unanimously. In politics for many years he was a demo crat of the "'old school," but never sought office. He and the late Justice Grier, of the United States Supreme Court, participated in the first meeting held in Danville in support of General Andrew Jackson for President. After that Judge Donaldson co-operated with the Democratic party until 1848, when he was an elector on the "Free Soil" ticket. In 1863 he almost entirely retired from actual business pursuits, though idleness was impossible for his active mind and tempera ment. For over seventy years he was a member of the grand lodge of A. Y. M. of Pennsyl vania. The charter for the Danville lodge, No. 224, was granted to him as a worshipful master. He was an active participant in the affairs and management of the Presbyterian church. He was especially interested in the " Second church" at Pottsville, organized by Rev. I. D. Mitchell in 1857. The warm, genial and social disposition of Judge Donaldson surrounded him with a vast circle of devoted friends, and he enjoyed, as he deservedly received, the kindest sympathies and approval of all who knew him. j^ANIEL SHEPP, president of the Tamaqua Banking and Trust Company, the Edison Illuminating and Power Company, and one of the most prominent business men of Schuyl kill county, is a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Zachrias) Shepp, and was born in Reading, Berks county, Pennsylvania, March 26, 1830. The Shepp family is of German lineage. Conrad Shepp, grandfather, was born in 1753 in Germany, and emigrated from Frankfort on the Main, that wealthy imperial and Hanseatic city of Germany, and located in Alsace town ship ; afterward Muhlenburg township in the city of Reading, Pennsylvania. DANIEL SHEPP. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 383 He came to this country as a poor boy and for a time worked at day laboring, accumu lating enough money in this way to purchase an ox. His employer went his security for a second one, which he drove to Philadelphia and sold, making his first start in the way of a drover, which 'he afterward followed ex tensively and successfully. By strict frugality he soon had enough money to purchase a farm of one hundred acres, which by careful management soon became one of the most desirable in the region. He wedded a Miss Klohs, and had a family of six children, five daughters and one son. He died in 1837. Daniel Shepp, father, was born February 16, 1802, and was reared a farmer and drover, inheriting the old homestead, upon which he lived all his life, and where he died in 1 88 1. He was a member of the Reformed church in which he held the office of elder for many years. Politically, he adhered to the tenets of the Democratic party. He married Elizabeth, a daughter of Daniel Zachrias. She was born September 30, 1800. To this union were born : Susannah, Elizabeth, Samuel, Rebecca, Daniel, John, and Jacob. Daniel Shepp was reared on the old Read ing homestead, received his mental tutoring in the common schools and Unionville academy in Chester county. In 1851, he, in connection with twenty others from Reading and vicinity, started for California by way of the isthmus of Panama. He was for seventeen months successfully engaged in gold mining on the Pacific coast, saving over $5000. He came home in 1852, and on November 1, of same year took a position as bookkeeper for W. H. Climer & Co , of Mount Laurel furnace for sixteen months. In March, 1854, he came to Tamaqua and in connection with A. W. Kauffman and Daniel Baum, built the stone flouring mill, known as the Tamaqua Steam Mills, and operated under the firm name of Daniel Shepp & Co., for a period of two years. In 1856, Adam Aulthouse, his brother-in- law, purchased the interests of Messrs. Kauff man and Baum, and up to 1861 the business was conducted as Shepp & Aulthouse. At that time Henry F. Stidfole purchased A u It- house's interest and for six years the mill was run under the firm name of Shepp & Stidfole. In. 1867 Joseph and John Hirsh purchased Stidfole's interest, and the business was con ducted under the firm name of D. Shepp & Co. up to 1 89 1, when, through a purchase ofthe Hirsh brothers' interest, Mr. Shepp be came sole owner and has operated it since, under the same firm name. On the first of March, 1869, in company with Conrad Graeber and John Kempel, he purchased the lease of the Locust Gap col liery, Northumberland county, and for five years under the firm name of Graeber & Shepp operated that colliery, at the end of which time Kempel sold his interest to J. B. Hirsh, John Graham, and Simon Stein, and was operated for five years more under same firm name. In December, 1882, he became asso ciated with Joseph Mitchell, the operator of the West Lehigh colliery, near Tamaqua, which business they are still operating, under firm name of Mitchell & Shepp. In 1886 in connection with James Fitchom and Joseph Zehner, under firm name of Daniel Shepp & Co., they engaged in the shipping of coal in Carbon county. In the same year he opened up * one of the largest veins in the anthracite coal region ; the vein ranges from one hundred and twenty-five feet to one hun- 384 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY dred and fifty feet in thickness ; the product of this colliery, which is in Carbon county, they sell to the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. In matters of public improvement he has always taken an active and enterprising hand. He was one of the five who organized the Edison Illuminating and Power Company of Tamaqua in 1885, of which company he is the present president. He was prominently con nected with the organization of the Tamaqua Banking and Trust Company, organized in 1865, and has been its president since its organization. Mr. Shepp has not confined his business operations to his own town and county, but has other and varied interests throughout the State and country. He is largely interested in the lumber and railroad industry. He owns a large tract of timber land near Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, of 6000 acres. In 1887 in order to furnish the proper facilities for the development of the large tract of timber land, he built ten miles of railroad connecting the tract with the New York and Erie railroad. He also owns a tract of timber land consisting of 4000 acres in Lycoming county, Pennsyl vania, and leases 3000 acres together with ten miles of railroad connecting with the Pine Creek railroad at Campbell station. He is also interested in the Texas and Oregon Rail way Company, which road connects Pine Creek railroad at Campbell's Station. He is president ofthe Blue Mountain Manufacturing Company, a company controlling 13,000 acres of timber land in Schuylkill county, and is devoted to the manufacture of supplies for the mines. In political texture he is a democrat and served for twenty-eight years as a member of the borough council ; twenty-four of them as president of council. He is an elder in Trinity Reformed church and has been since its or ganization, and for thirty-six years in succes sion has been superintendent of the Sabbath school. In fraternal matters Mr. Shepp stands high. He is a member of Tamaqua Lodge, No. 38, F. and A. M., of which he is Past Master ; Tamaqua Chapter, No. 1 17, R.A. C, of which he is a Past High Priest; Ivanhoe Com mandery, No. 31, Knights Templar, of which he is Past Eminent Commander; Ringgold Lodge, No. 318, of I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Grand and for last thirty years treasurer ; Scott Encampment, No. 132, of which he is 'a past officer. October 14, 1857, Mr. Shepp married Mary Isabella, a daughter of Joshua and Susanna Boyer; to this marriage have been born the following children : Mamie, the wife of Dr. P. N. K. Schwent, a leading physician in Wills' Eye and Ear hospital, Philadelphia. Rev. William H., who married M. Louisa Fink, and now resides in Georgetown, District of Columbia. He graduated from Palatinate college at Collegeville, in the class of '88, and has since been following the profession of the ministry ; Anna L, at home ; Edward M., at home, employed with his father; Daniel F., attending school at Sylvan hall, at Reading ; Joseph H. and Rosa B., both at home. 1UTAYBERRY B. BELL, a well known A citizen of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and for fifteen years its efficient and popular bur gess, is a son of Jonathan and Margaret (Boardman) Bell, and was born in Amity township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, , i»i; The ancestors of Mr. Bell for several gener- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 3X5 ations back were natives of Berks county, be longing to that considerable element of the county who are noted for their thrift and prosperity as farmers. Mr. Bell's father, Jonathan Bell, was born on the paternal acres in Amity township, Berks county, in 1793, settled down to a life of tilling the soil, and died a comparatively young man in 1838. He was a democrat in political texture, and a Lutheran in religious belief. Ten children were the fruits of his union with Margaret Boardman. They were : Albert (dead), Matilda, Mayberry B., Caroline (dead), George Washington, Charlotte, Marga ret, Jackson, Angeline (dead) and John (dead). Mayberry Bell had a very limited education in the schools of Berks county. After obtain ing his majority he entered the employ ofa Mr. Curtin, the father of the illustrious " war Governor," Andrew G. Curtin, and who was at that time extensively engaged in canal naviga tion upon the Pennsylvania canal between Bellefonte and Philadelphia. Mr. Bell was for one season in this employ as captain of a boat ; he then, in partnership with a Mr; Smith, built a boat and operated it upon the Philadelphia and Schuylkill Canal and Atlantic tide water for one year, when he sold out to his partner and launched into the wholesale and retail grain trade in Pottsville, for a term of five years. It was about this time that Mr. Bell made a venture in coal operating, carrying on Mt. Laffaa colliery, near Pottsville, from 1850 to 1854, and having leased, in 1856, some coal lands in the vicinity of Mt. Carmel, Northum berland county, he dpened up a small works at what is yet known as " Bell's Tunnell Col liery ; " operating this colliery one year, hav ing in the meantime sold out his interest in the Mt. Laffaa colliery and his grain business in Pottsville, he removed to Pottsville and 25 for twelve years carried on a successful livery business. This comprehends Mr. Bell's business career, except that he has served fifteen years as burgess of Pottsville, one term as justice of the peace and one term as school director, during a part of which time he has mingled with that business, a retail coal business. He is a staunch republican, but counts among many of his friends those who usually adhere to the opposing party. Mr. Bell's political popularity is sufficiently attested by his long continuance in office. On March 3, 1852, he was united in mar riage with Sarah Heffner, a daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Shartle) Heffner. Samuel Heffner was born in Berks county, Pennsyl vania, in 1800, and came when twenty -one years of age to Pottsville, building the first hotel in the place on Centre Street. He was a public-spirited man, and took an intelligent interest in the current affairs of his borough. Politically a whig, then a republican, he was active in the politics of his town, serving as justice of the peace and as councilman. His marriaee with Sarah Shartle resulted in a family of seven children : Edward, Charles (dead), Sarah, Lucy, Samuel (dead), Elizabeth, and William, (dead), was killed in the mines. T .EVI LAUBENSTEIN, proprietor of the -^ Marble and Granite Works, Nos. 516 and 518 Garfield Place, Pottsville, Pennsyl vania, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, on October 9, 1820. He is a son of Peter and Mary (Bauser) Laubenstein. His father, Peter Laubenstein, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1792, and removed to Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, about the year 1822, when he began the operation of a farm, near Schuylkill Haven 386 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY in Wayne township, which he conducted suc cessfully up to the year 1853. At this time he removed to Schuylkill Haven, where he died in 1878, at the age of eighty-four years. Prior to his death he lived a retired life, and conducted his farm through tenants. He was first a whig in politics, and then a republican and also held membership in the Lutheran church. His marriage resulted in a family of eleven children, seven sons and four daugh ters. Levi Laubenstein was united in marriage first to Sarah Berger, a daughter of Ludwick Berger of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, in 1846, by whom he had a family of eight children. His second marriage was with Lydia Sigfried. Mr. Laubenstein attended the public schools, and at the age of eighteen engaged to learn the tinning business, which he followed for a period of twenty-five years. At the end of this time he engaged in the manufacture of screens at Minersville, with his brother Jonas, under the firm name of Laubenstein & Bros., in which business he continued six years. In 1870 he embarked in the marble and granite business, which he has continued down to the present time. Mr. Laubenstein is a manufac turer of marble and granite monuments, head stones and markers, and also a dealer in marble and slate mantels, floor-tiling of all kinds, gates, posts, railings, grates and fenders. Every branch ofthe business is very thoroughly equipped, and employment given to a force of skilled marble and granite workers. Mr. Laubenstein is a republican in politics, a member of the English Lutheran church, and also of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M. J i WILSON KRINER, a resident of Potts- A * ville, Pennsylvania, and a reliable and substantial citizen, is a son of Henry and Jane (Wilson) Kriner, and was born on July 8, 1834, in Northumberland county, Pennsyl vania. His father was a native of Schuylkill county, born near Orwigsburg in the year 1792, and when about thirteen years of age his parents removed to Northumberland county, where they took up a residence in Lewis township. This county and township henceforth contin ued to be the place of residence of the entire family. Henry Kriner took up the vocation of a farmer, and followed it until the time of his death, in 1878. Politically, he was a sup porter of the Democratic party and platform, and was honored with a number of local offices. He was a member of the Presbyte rian church, interested himself largely in its various lines of work and in the extension of its usefulness, besides holding very important official relations with it. His marriage with Jane Wilson, daughter of Hugh Wilson, re sulted in the birth of five children: Mary, Anne, H. Wilson, Jane, died in infancy, and Richard. H. Wilson Kriner was united in marriage in July, 1857, with Susan Wise, a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Wise, of Williamsport, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania. This mar riage has been productive of two children: Jennie, wife of John R. Mortimer, of Reading, Pennsylvania, foreman of the Reading Eagle and job printing office ; Byron W., first mar ried to Kate Guier, and after her decease to Margaret Cascaden, of Phcenixville, Pennsyl vania, at present a resident of Mt. Carmel, where he is engaged as purchasing agent for the Union Coal Company. Mr. Kriner received his education in the OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 387 common schools of Schuylkill county, which at that time, in his vicinity, offered very poor advantages. At the age of seventeen he en gaged to learn the carpenter trade, and after the completion of his apprenticeship continued to work at it until 1861. Subsequently he was employed in a planing mill at Pictured Rocks, Lycoming county, until 1870, after which date he came to Schuylkill county, and located in the city of Pottsville. Here he was engaged by William Buechley, as foreman of the latter's planing mill, for a period of seven years, at the end of which time he entered the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, as a foreman in their shops at Pottsville. Politically, Mr. Kriner gives his support to the Republican party, but never in any way sought a return by presenting himself as a candidate for office. He is a communicant of the Lutheran church, and has, during his con nection with it, been called upon to fill many of the most important offices. Fraternally, he is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., at Pottsville, of which he is a past officer. JAMES AIKMAN, the efficient foreman ofthe lower shops of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Janet (Banks) Aikman, and was born on June 9, 1833, in the town of Sterling, Scotland. His father was a Scotchman by birth and education, born on June 27, 18 10, and left his native land for the United States in the year 1849. He died in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, in the year 1 S90. During the period of residence in Pottsville, he was almost contin uously in the employ of the Pottsville Gas Company. He was twice married, and as the result of his first marriage had three children, two sons and one daughter. After the death of his first wife he was united with Janet Reid, by whom he had five children. James Aikman, in September, 1879, was joined in marriage with Helen R. Richardson, a daughter of Robert Richardson, of Scot land. By this marriage seven children have been born, five sons and and two daughters : John, George R., James, William W. and R. Garfield ; Janet King and Helen. Mr. Aikman received his education in Scot land prior to coming to the United States, and in 1850, began to learn the trade of ma chinist with E. W. McGuiness, a coal operator and machinist. After learning his trade he pursued it until 1859, when he became a fore man. In January of 1879, he was offered and accepted the position of foreman in the lower shops of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company in Pottsville, and is at the present time occupying that responsible position. In matters political, he casts his vote with the Republican party, and as such was a school director of his borough foi two years. Fraternally, he is a member of Star Lodge, No. 219, F. and A. M., of Glasgow, Scotland. He is also a member of the First Presbyterian church at Pottsville, and one of the trustees. Mr. Aikman, during the civil war, in 1861, enlisted in the 48th regimental band, and served one year in the 9th Army Corps, com manded by General Burnside. At the end of this time he was mustered out of service in accordance with the act of Congress abolish ing all regimental bands. He at once came home and returned to civil pursuits until the threatened invasion of Pennsylvania by Gen eral Robert E. Lee, when he entered the 37th regiment, company G, of the Pennsylvania 388 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Emergency Corps, and was present at Gettys burg in that corps. After Lee's defeat and the retreat of the Confederate army he again returned to Schuylkill county. nEV. JOHN GRUHLER, pastor of St. John's Evangelical German Lutheran church of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, is a son of Martin and Christina (Messner) Gruhler, and was born in Aldingen, Wurtemberg, Ger many, January 3, 1833. His early education was acquired in the public schools of his native village, and his theological training in the Christian Missionary school in the land of Switzerland. After spending some time at this institution in study he repaired to Jerusalem, and there assisted in a mission school, at the same time continuing his course in Oriental languages and Christian theology. He continued practical mission and pastoral work in the Holy Land until the year 1871, when he embarked for America, landing in New York City, October 25th of that year. From here he proceeded at once to Shenan doah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and took charge of the German Lutheran mission at that place, which had been previously organized by Rev. M. Schimph, of Mahanoy City, same county. At that time the member ship consisted of but fifteen families, and wor ship was conducted in a small frame building on the present site of the parsonage on West Cherry street. In these cramped quarters Mr. Gruhler conducted services for about two years, when, in 1873, the congregation began the erection of a new church, which was dedicated January 11, 1874, as the St. John's Evangelical German Lutheran church. The congregation has gradually grown in number under its present able and popular pastor until it now numbers two hundred and forty-five confirmed communicants. In 1879 Mr. Gruh ler introduced English services into his church during the evening hours appointed for wor ship, for the purpose of encouraging the attendance of the younger members of his parish. This has been a decided success, and has served to induce a fidelity and interest- that is now bearing a rich fruitage. Mr. Gruhler tendered his resignation in 1888 in order to take a well-earned rest from the arduous cares of his church, preparatory to a contemplated visit abroad, but his congrega tion refused to accept his resignation. He was instead granted a leave of absence, con ditional upon his furnishing an acceptable supply to conduct the affairs of the church in his absence, which he did. Aside from his pastoral duties, Mr. Gruhler has identified himself with much of the mate rial and municipal enterprise of his city. He was treasurer of the Shenandoah school dis trict for six successive years, was one of the organizers of the Citizens' Electric Light Company, of which he has been secretary since 1889, and was one of the organizers and origi nal directors of the First National Bank, with which he is still officially connected. He has been married three times : first, in 1 861, to Fanny Wilsdon, who died in London, England, January 13, 1865. He again mar ried, on April 5, 1866, M. Caroline Kreutz, of Jerusalem, by whom he had eight children, two of whom died in Palestine in infancy, and one in Shenandoah. Those living are Martin and Christian, proprietors of the People's Drug store, Shenandoah. His second wife died December 1, 1883. He was again married January 5, 1.885, to Mrs. Hafner, widow of Martin Hafner, of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. He is now president of the third district REV. JOHN GRUHLER. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 389 conference of the Evangelical Lutheran church, Synod of Pennsylvania and adjacent States, a man of marked individuality, deep religious convictions and those intellectual and moral characteristics that bespeak great personal force and strength of character. TAJtfLLIAM BROUGHALL, a man who has for many years been prominently identi fied with the great anthracite coal industry of Schuylkill county, and at present an active and intelligent district superintendent, is a son of Thomas and Mary (Adams) Broughall, and was born in Staffordshire, England, in 1838. Mr. Broughall sought the fortunes of America when about seventeen years of age, locating for about six months in Lowell, Ohio, and then for a short time in the bituminous coal distict in the basin of the Monongahela river, whence he came • to Minersville, this county, where he worked one year in the mines, and then for a short period was engaged in the same capacity at St. Clair. When the call to arms came Mr. Broughall dropped the pick and took up the sword and musket. He accordingly enlisted in 129th regiment, company " H," Pennsylvania Volun teer Infantry, in the nine months service, and served with credit to the end of his term of enlistment. He afterward entered the emer gency service as second lieutenant. After this mining again engaged his atten tion at Mahanoy City for a short time, when he took the contract of sinking three slopes, one for the Schuylkill Navigation Company, at Buckville, one for J. J. Dovey, and one for Gideon Bast, both the latter at Tuscarora, this county. This engaged his time for two and one-half years, when he went to what is now known as Ellangowan colliery, about two miles from Shenandoah, and worked as a miner until the shaft was being sunk at that place, when he commenced bossing. He was engaged in the capacity of a boss about fifteen years, or until 1888, when he was made dis trict superintendent. His district comprises the following collieries : Ellangowan, Knicker bocker, West Shenandoah, Turkey Run and Yatesville Jig House, one of the busiest dis tricts in the region. Politically Mr. Broug hall is a republican, and in fraternal matters takes a lively interest, being a member of General Harrison Lodge, No. 25 1, Knights of Pythias, at Shenandoah, Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M., at Mahanoy City, Mizpah Chapter, No. 252, Mahanoy City, Prince of Peace Commandery, No. 31, Knights Templar, at Ashland, and Severn Post, No. 1 10, G. A. R., at the same place. On December 9, 1863, Mr. Broughall was united in marriage with Gueney Templen, and to them have been born two children : Thomas and Elizabeth. V^ANIEL SHARADIN, proprietor of the Eagle Underwear Mills, of Schuylkill Haven, is a son of Charles and Elizabeth (Gei- ger) Sharadin, and was born in West Bruns wick township, near Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, April 11, 1842. His grandfather, Jacob Sharadin, was in all probability a native of near Topton station, on the East Penn Railroad, Berks county. He removed to Schuylkill county about 1830, and took up his residence in West Brunswick township, where he lived until his death, about 1873, following the calling of a farmer. In politics he was in early life a whig and in later years a republican. Charles Sharadin, father, was born in Berks county, in 1 8 18, his father removing in his 390 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY youth to West Brunswick township, Schuyl kill county; he continued to reside there until his death in 1885, at the age of sixty-eight years. He owned a small farm in that town ship upon which he lived, following the busi ness of farming. He was a modest, unassum ing man, highly respected by all of his neigh bors. In politics he was a republican, and served for four years as supervisor of his township, his numerous re-elections attesting the es teem and approbation of his services in that position by them. He married Miss Elizabeth Geiger, who was born near Orwigsburg, about 1 82 1, by whom he had three children, two sons and one daughter, viz., Mary Ann, widow of David R. Fall, deceased, who now lives at Orwigsburg; Daniel, of Schuylkill Haven, and William, a large brick manufacturer at Ham burg, Berks county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Sharadin was educated in the common schools of West Brunswick, and upon nearing manhood took up and learned the trade of boat-building, which was then quite a profit able business. In 1866 he entered into the transportation business owning and operating a line of boats on the Philadelphia and Schuylkill Canal, running between Schuylkill Haven and the Atlantic tide water, continuing to operate the same until 1888, when he quit boating and embarked in his present business in the spring of 1889, under the firm name of Baker & Sharadin, erecting his present building for that purpose. The business was continued under the firm name of Baker & Sharadin until Octo ber 31, 1 89 1, when Mr. Sharadin purchased his partner's interest and has since conducted the business alone. The Eagle Underwear Mills are 50 feet by 32 feet wide, two stories high, a very neat frame building and engaged exclusively in the manufacture of underwear, employing about twenty-five hands. Mr. Sharadin is a republican, and although he has never sought office, he was elected borough auditor of Schuylkill Haven, in which capacity he served for three years, evidencing the good will and esteem in which he is held by his fellow-townsmen. He has been a mem ber of the Reformed church for some years past. He was married June 4, 1864, to Miss Catharine Wagner, a daughter of Tobias Wagner (deceased since 1869), of Landing ville, this county, by whom he has had eleven children ; nine living and two dead, viz. : Charles, living in New York City; Thomas, living in New York City; Harry, an engineer on the Pennsylvania Railroad running between Pottsville and Philadelphia ; Annie, at home ; Lizzie, wife of William Dress, of Schuylkill Haven; William, in Schuylkill Haven; Ed ward, at home ; George W. (dead) ; Daniel and Blaine, at home. Mr. Sharadin is among those who offered their services to their country during the late civil war. He enlisted September 15, 1862, in the Pennsylvania volunteer service for a term of nine months, and was honorably discharged July 10, 1863, by reason of expira tion of term of enlistment. nEV. P. F. FOGARTY, the present pastor of St. Jerome's Roman Catholic church, at Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, was born in Potts ville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on February 1, 1857. He is of Irish descent and parentage, his father, James Fogarty, having been born in Kilkenny county, Ireland, in the year 1825. Twenty years later, he emigrated to the United, States, and at first located at Harper's Ferry, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 391 in Virginia, afterward removed to Staten Island, New York, where he remained until 1849, when he came to Pottsville, and perma nently resided near that city until his death in December, 1892. By occupation he was a mechanic, and served as foreman in the mar chine shops at Pottsville for quite a number of years prior to his death. In politics, he was an uncompromising democrat, and for a period of twenty-five years occupied a place on the school board of East Norwegian district, most of which time he was secretary of the board. He was married, September, 1849, to Bridget Wall, and of their sons, Robert is a trainman by occupation, and runs between Pottsville and Philadelphia ; Michael has charge of the electric plant at Port Carbon; Thomas is a carpenter by trade, and lives near Pottsville ; James is em ployed by the Philadelphia and Reading Rail road Company in their office at Pottsville. Father Fogarty received his education in the public schools of Pottsville, and then studied theology and prepared for the sacred office of the priesthood at St. Charles' seminary, located at Overbrook, Montgomery county, Pennsyl vania, and was ordained on March 20, 1886. His first appointment was made to the parish of St. Patrick's, Pottsville, where he remained about fifteen months, when he was sent to Philadelphia as assistant rector of the church bf the Sacred Heart. On August 18, 1887, he was sent to take charge of St. Ambrose's church, at Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, and on July 6, 1889, came to Tamaqua as of ficiating priest of St. Jerome's church. Father Fogarty is an earnest and devout man, and has laid hold upon the work of the church with a zest and enthusiasm that fore shadow great social and moral good. He is sympathetic, scholarly, the possessor of a vari ously cultured mind, and attracts by his per sonality and example. In his conception of life, he holds aloft the ideal of manhood — in tegrity of character, purity of life, the brother hood of mankind, and the Fatherhood of God — as the principles of true living. In this re spect he has drawn to him an intelligent fol lowing and devoted congregation, whose reli gion has become vital forces in their daily prac tical life. St. Jerome's Roman Catholic church at Tamaqua was erected in the year 1858, and the following is the roster of its pastors : Rev. E. V. Rowan, 1886 to 1889; Rev. Peter Mc Cullough, 1883 to 1886; Rev. D. S. Bowes, 1 88 1 to 1883; Rev. Joseph Bridgman, 1877 to 1881; Rev. P. C. McEnroe, 1875 to 1877; Rev. Richard O'Connor, 1874 to 1875; Rev. Thomas Quinn, 1863 to 1874; Rev. David Whelan, 1861 to 1863 ; Rev. Morris A. Walsh, 1856 to 1861; Rev. James Morris, 1852 to 1856. Tamaqua is one of the oldest Catholic con gregations in interior Pennsylvania. In the archives of St. Jerome's church is preserved a complete and continuous record of baptisms and marriages solemnized in the parish since 1843. JOHN A. SPRENGER, the popular pro- prietor of the Cressona House, at Cres sona, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in Wayne township, county and state aforesaid, on February 28, 1848. He is a son of Charles Augustus and Sarah (Kromer) Sprenger. Grandfather Sprenger was a native of Ger many, born in Baden about the year 1785, and emigrated to the United States in the year 1833. After his arrival he located in Phila delphia, and died twenty years later at the age of seventy-five years. Charles Augustus 392 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Sprenger, father of John Albert, was born at the same place in Germany, on May 10, 1811, and emigrated to the United States in 1831, where, after his arrival, he located in Allen town, Pennsylvania, and removed thence to Wayne township, Schuylkill county, about five years later. He died in Schuylkill county on December 19, 1865. He gained a livelihood while in this country by selling clocks, until some time after he reached Schuylkill county, when he purchased a farm and continued to cultivate it during the remainder of his life. In politics he joined forces with the Democratic, party, and was for a period of fifteen years, in Wayne township, a prominent justice ofthe peace and school director. For about ten years he was secre tary of the school board. In the fall of 1862 he was elected to the office of county com missioner on the Democratic ticket for three years. In his religious preferences he was a Lutheran. His marriage to the daughter of Louis Kromer was blessed with an issue of twelve children, six sons and six daughters. November 21, 1876, John Albert Sprenger was united in marriage with Sarah Isabelle Sherts, a daughter of Lewis and Caroline Sherts, of Springfield, Massachusetts. By this marriage he has six children : Lulu May, John Lewis, Carrie Sherts, Hattie Isabelle, James Albert and Allen Miles. Mr. Sprenger spent his childhood and youth upon a farm until the age of sixteen years was attained, meanwhile profiting by the advantages offered by the public schools. About this time he began teaching, and continued as a teacher in the schools of Schuylkill county for five years. In 1869 he gave up teaching and engaged in the produce business in Lebanon county, which he continued to the year 1871. Sub sequently he went to Philadelphia and became a conductor on the street railway, but after an experience of about a year, returned to Cres sona, where he became the proprietor of the Cressona House, which he has since con ducted as a successful enterprise. He is also engaged in the retail coal business, and has been since the year 1890. Politically, he is an independent democrat. He has been a member of the school board for ten years in succession, serving as secretary of the board for eight years. He is also treasurer of the Citizen's Building and Loan Association since its organization in 1888. Fraternally, he is a member of Cressona Lodge, No. 426, F. and A. M., of which he is Past Master; Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, R. A. M., and Constan tine Commandery, No. 41, Knights' Templar. He also holds membership in Miami Tribe, No. 82, Independent Order of Red Men. JOHN E. CURRAN, inside foreman of the Otto colliery, of Branchdale, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, was bom in Cass township, in Coal Castle, on February 9, 1849. He is a son of Edward and Julia (O'Brien) Curran. Edward Curran, father of John E., was a native of Ireland, being born in County Kil kenny in the year 1808. In the year 1836 he left his native land and emigrated to the United States, shortly after locating in the Heckscherville Valley, in the immediate vicin ity of Minersville, where he died in December, 1867. He was one of the pioneer settlers as well as one ofthe pioneer miners of Schuylkill county, and throughout his entire life was in some way connected with the mining indus try of that region. His family consisted of nine children, six boys and three girls. All are now deceased with the exception of John OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 393 E. and two sisters. Jeremiah, during his life time, took quite an active interest in local politics, and was at one time a candidate for county commissioner on the Democratic ticket. Nicholas died a,t the age of four years. James was killed in the Pine Knot colliery at the age of sixteen years. Edward was deceased at the age of thirty-two years. Patrick died in boyhood. Anne, the eldest of the family, was married to William Welsh (now deceased). Mary, the other sister, is the wife of James O'Connor, a miner by occupa tion. Bridget died in infancy. John E. Curran was joined in marriage with Bridget Nash, a daughter of Patrick and Mary Nash,- of Pottsville, on November 27, 1872. This marriage has resulted in an issue of seven children living, six daughters and one son : Julia; Edward (deceased) ; James, assistant telegraph operator at the Otto col liery, located near Branchdale, Schuylkill county; Mary; Ann; Anastasia; Kate, and Ella. Mr. Curran received a limited education in the common schools of Cass township, and at the early age of nine years was employed in and about the mines to do work of various kinds. Since this time he has been continu ously employed in some capacity in connec tion with the mining industry, and always in Schuylkill county, except a short time when he was engaged in gold mining in California. In December, 1883, after a term of efficient service as a laborer and miner, he was ap pointed to the position of fire boss in the Mine Hill Gap colliery. Subsequently he ac cepted a similar position in the Taylorsville colliery, and later at the Glendower colliery. At the expiration of his term of employment at the latter place he received an appointment as inside foreman at the Beechwood colliery, in which capacity he served until September 1, 1888. At this time he made another change, accepting a more desirable position of a similar nature in the Otto colliery, at Branchdale, where he has continued down to the present time. His present position is one of responsibility, and through the natural conditions with which it is surrounded in volves the utmost care. In his political affiliations he is a democrat, and as such has served as a member of the school board of Cass township, although he takes no interest in politics generally. Re ligiously, he is an adherent of the Roman Catholic church, to which he gives an undi vided support. f^R. JOHN C. F. SCHIRNER of Tama qua, Pennsylvania, is a son of John G. and Elizabeth (Johnson) Schirner, and was born near Easton, Northampton county, Pennsyl vania, March 4, 1827. His father was a native of Saxony, Germany, born in 1802, emigrated to America in 1821, when a young man, and located on the Dela ware river near Easton, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, where he resided up to the time of his death in 1874, in the seventy-second year of his age. He was a tailor by trade, but soon after coming to Easton, he engaged in merchandising, which he followed the re mainder of his life. He was an active and in fluential member of the Lutheran church all his life. Early in life he married Elizabeth Johnson, by whom he had a family of three children, two daughters and one son, named respectively : Maria M., the widow of Aaron Serfass (late of Easton) ; Rosanna C, deceased, who was the wife of Josiah M. Weygandt ; and John C. F., the subject of this sketch. Dr. Schirner was educated in the public 394 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY schools of Easton, and at Lafayette college. He read medicine with Dr. C. C. Fields, a prominent physician in Easton, and attended the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1850. He at once began ] the practice of his profession at Tamaqua, this county, and assiduously applied himself to the development of a large practice, in which he soon became eminently successful. His reputation as a skillful and successful physician rapidly spread, and he found himself heavily taxed with the demands upon his time and skill. Dr. Schirner married Miss Anna M. Seip, a daughter of William and Maria Seip, of Reiglesville, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1 848, by whom he has a family of six children, three sons and three daughters, named re spectively in the order of birth : Ella, the wife of Roscoe Reich, a clerk in the office of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company at Easton, Pennsylvania ; William G, a farmer living near Tamaqua ; Charles C, a pattern-maker living in Philadelphia ; Z. Elwood, a clerk in the office ofthe Phoenixville Bridge Works at Phcenixville, Pennsylvania ; and Edith M., the wife of W. Williams of Tamaqua, a clerk in the office of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company at that place. In politics, Dr. Schirner affiliates with the Republican party, though he is by no means a strict partisan. He abhors political chi canery, and is a firm supporter of political purity in its widest sense. He is a sincere and firm believer in Universalist doctrines. He is a member of the Order of Knights of Honor, and also of Washington Camp, No. 525, P. O. S. of A., of which latter body he was president. Dr. Schirner has been engaged in the prac tice of his profession in Tamaqua for a period of forty-three consecutive years, and is now gradually retiring from active practice, being forced to turn over many of his old patients into younger and more active hands. Physical endurance has its limits, and the Doctor feels that he is no longer able to stand the heavy strain, and that in justice to himself and his health he should take some rest. To this end he is gradually adapting himself, and in his retirement will take with him the love and esteem of a wide circle of friends and admirers, whose utmost confidence he has enjoyed dur ing the many years of his active professional life. f^ANIEL DECHERT, M. D., One of the ^^ most successful and prominent physi cians of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Elijah and Mary (Kochenberger) Dechert, and was born in Myerstown, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, February 7, 1846. His paternal grandfather was John Dechert, a native of Berks county, near Reading, where he lived throughout his entire life, and passed to rest in the year 1865, at the age of eighty- seven years. By occupation he was a life long farmer, who by a careful husbanding of his earnings was enabled to live a comfortable life. His political influence was cast with the Whig party, while in his religious vows he was a member of the German Reformed church. He was married to a Miss Sthron, and had a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters. Elijah Dechert, father, was born near Read ing, Berks county, Pennsylvania, , 1826, and removed to Myerstown, Lebanon county, where he died April 10, 1893. He was the father of fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters. Dr. Dechert has been twice married, his DR. DANIEL DECHERT. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 395 first wife being Virginia, a daughter of Benja min and Catharine Kline, of Rehrersburg, Berks county, Pennsylvania, to whom he was united on January 16, 1868. By this marriage he had one child, Eva M., at home. Mrs. Dechert died May 31, 1884, at the age of thirty-five years. Dr. Dechert again married Ada Beck, a daughter of William and Tilla Beck, of Beckville, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, on October 16, 1885, by whom he has one child, Clare B. Dr. Dechert was educated at the Myerstown academy, and after the completion of his course here began reading medicine under the pre ceptorship of Drs. Jacob and J. S. Tryon, of Rehrersburg, Berks county, Penna. Sub sequently he entered the University of Penn sylvania, medical department, and was gradu ated in the class of 187 1. He opened an office j and began the regular practice of his profes sion at Cressona, Schuylkill county, and con tinued there up to the year 1889, when he changed his location to Schuylkill Haven, same county. This has continued to be his j home down to the present time, where he enjoys a large and successful practice. Aside | from his professional work, Dr. Dechert has { interested himself along other lines of a more purely business character. He is a member and director of the Diston Manufacturing Company at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in which he is a large stockholder, and is also the owner of a farm at Cressona. In the matter of politics, he is a republican, and has been at various times elected a member of school boards ; formerly at Cressona, he was a member for seventeen years in succession, and president ofthe board eight years. Under the administration of Dr. S. H. Halberstadt he served as deputy coroner, and is at present deputy under Dr. D. S. Marshall. He is a member of the County Medical Society, and was elected a delegate to the American Medi cal Association which met in Chicago in 1893. In church matters he affiliates with St. John's Reformed church. During the progress of the civil war he enlisted in 1863, at Harrisburg, as an emer gency man, for three months, to repel General Lee's invasion of the north. At the termina tion of this enlistment he entered company H., 1 86th regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer In fantry, and served until September, 1865. After the close of the Rebellion he taught school in Lebanon and Berks counties for four years — the interim between the close of the war and his entrance into the medical college. In 1879 he was appointed physician to the county almshouse, and served three years, and again in 1884 when he served one year; both these appointments were under Demo cratic administration. In 1870 he was ap pointed census enumerator for the largest district of .Berks county; this work, which was performed on foot, required fifty-seven days to complete. Dr. Dechert is a man whose standing pro fessionally and socially is above reproach. He is a skillful physician, well read in the higher art of his profession, and is further fortified through a large and varied experience. Civically he tries to do his duty; is public spirited, interested in the education of the masses, and always in sympathetic harmony with all movements for the moral and eco nomic well being and advancement of those around him. ftOBERT ALLISON. Among the promi- t nent and progressive business men who have contributed to the development of the industries of Schuylkill county must be placed 396 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY the subject of this sketch. Mr. Allison is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth Allison, and was born in England on December 25, 1827. His father was an Englishman by birth, and emigrated to the United States in the year 1828, when Robert was about one year old. After his arrival in the United States, he came to the vicinity of Pottsville and en gaged in coal mining in the anthracite collier ies. He was a miner of unusual skill, and soon rose to the position of superintendent of mines, which position he filled with unquali fied success in various collieries. He was among the pioneers of the anthracite coal in dustry of Schuylkill county, was a witness to the rapid and extensive growth which those industries have lately attained, and was well known throughout the county as a good citizen and a man of unusual worth. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for many years, and contributed to it largely financially as well as through his zeal and steadfastness to the cause of Christian devotion. Through his marriage were born nine chil dren, two sons and seven daughters : Joseph, Robert (subject), Ann, wife of George Lynn, of Hastings, Nebraska ; Elizabeth, widow of Matthew Stocker, now living at Denver, Colo rado ; Jane, wife of John Cather, of Shenan doah, Pennsylvania ; Martha, widow of Jacob Forney, a resident of St. Clair, Pennsylvania ; Mary, widow of Mr. Breckons, living at St. Clair, Schuylkill county ; Louisa, wife of Benjamin Howard, of Sheep Ranche, Cali fornia ; Emily, wife of Clay W. Evans, of St. Clair (see sketch), Pennsylvania. Robert Allison received his education in the common schools of Schuylkill county, which at that time afforded comparatively poor facilities and a very limited course. The greater part of his education, in fact, has been acquired through self effort since leaving school and through attrition in the experiences of a somewhat varied career. After finishing his course in the schools he entered the ma chine shops of Haywood & Snyder, Pottsville, Pennsylvania, as an apprentice of that trade. After serving his term of apprenticeship, he worked about, a year and a half as a journey man. At the end of this time he accepted a position as foreman of the Tobias Wintersteen Iron Works at Port Carbon, and later, a similar position in the works of Pomeroy & Son, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. In i86i,he returned to Port Carbon and took charge of the Frank lin Iron Works, which had for some time been abandoned. These works were repaired and partially rebuilt, and have since been con tinuously operated by Mr. Allison, himself, or in conjunction with other parties, down to the present time. From 1861 to 1878, the firm name was that of Allison & Bannan, the latter of whom retired in 1878. From this latter date until 1888, the business was carried on by Mr. Allison alone, since which time it has been conducted by Robert Allison & Sons. The works are devoted to the manufacture of all kinds of mining machinery, such as pumps, air-compressers, rock-drills, hoisting ma chinery, etc., all of which through excellence of workmanship have a wide reputation and extensive sale throughout the mining regions of the United States, Canada and Australia. The works give employment to about one hundred hands. Politically, Mr. Allison is a supporter of the Republican party, and has always taken an active part in bringing about the legitimate success of his party. In 1892, he was urged by his friends to become a candidate for the office of state senator before the Republican County Convention, which, after considerable OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 397 solicitation, he permitted. He has also fre quently been a delegate to the Republican state and county conventions. During the threatened invasion of Pennsyl vania by the Confederate troops in 1863, Mr. Allison gave up the peaceful pursuits of the citizen, and joined the military forces of the state to resist the progress of General Lee's army. He was commissioned and mustered in as a captain, and after the battle of Gettys burg returned to Schuylkill county. Besides his other pursuits he is president of the Anthracite Electric Company of Pottsville, is director of the Pottsville Gas Company, was one of the organizers and now treasurer of the Port Carbon Electric Light, Heat & Power Company, one of the principal stock holders and treasurer of the Philadelphia Shoe Manufacturing Company of Port Carbon, di rector of the Pennsylvania National Bank of Pottsville, president of the Citizens' Hall Cor poration of Port Carbon, and president of the Franklin Savings Fund of Port Carbon. Fraternally, he is connected with Schuylkill Lodge, No. 27, 1. O. O. F., of which he is trea surer; Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., of Pottsville; Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, R. A. M. ; Constantine Commandery, No. 41, Knights Templar, of Pottsville, and Lu Lu Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine at Philadelphia, also of Golden Rule Lodge, No. 43, Knights of Pythias, of Port Carbon. In earlier years he also served as president of the board of trustees of the Miners' Hospital at Ashland, Pennsylvania, having followed the late Hon. Simon Cameron, who was the first president of that institution. ' Mr. Allison is a prominent member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American Institute of Mining Engi neers. He is an inventor of note and recog nized skill and ingenuity, having patented a number of inventions of a mechanical nature. Among the more important are : The Cataract Steam Pump, which, upon its introduction in 1868, practically revolutionized the system of pumping water from the anthracite coal mines of Pennsylvania; the Hydraulic Feed for Dia mond Rock boring machines. The success of diamond rock drilling was largely due to this invention ; another of his inventions of considerable importance is a Portable Boring Machine for boring wheels, pulleys, etc. He has also invented and patented several im provements on the Percussion Rock drill, which have proven valuable both mechanically and pecuniarily. One of his latest inventions is a Differential Governor for high speed auto matic engines, which is proving a valuable adjunct to electric light and power plants, and is already taking the place of some of the in ferior regulators in use. Air compressing machines have also been improved through his mechanical ingenuity. Mr. Allison has been twice married. His first wife was Catherine Thornberg, daughter of Solomon Thornberg of Pottsville, Pennsyl vania, by whom he had a family of twelve children, four sons and eight daughters ; Emily, wife of Frank Knittle of Port Carbon, Pennsylvania; William, now deceased, for merly married to Ida Morris, who now resides at Port Carbon; Charles, who married Miss Amanda White of Pottsville, and is now a partner with his father under the firm name of Robert Allison & Sons ; Laura, widow of Dr. Halbauer, late of St. Clair, now living at home with her father; Kate, wife of W. W. Turner; Joseph, a resident of Wyoming Territory; where he owns a cattle ranch ; Minnie, wife of Elvin Schartel, formerly of Pottsville, but now living at Cumberland, Maryland; Fannie, 398 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY wife of John G. Royal, formerly of Philadel phia, but now a resident of Pottsville, and is present manager of the Hoover Mercantile Company of Pottsville ; Louisa, wife of E. A. Dobbins of Pottsville ; Carrie, at home ; Frank and Nellie, twins, Frank now located at New castle, Wyoming, and Nellie at home, in Port Carbon. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Allison was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary \ M. Stocker. Mr. Allison is one of the leading and repre sentative business men of Schuylkill county, and has filled and holds many positions of responsibility and trust, in all of which he has acquitted himself in a manner creditable and honorable. He has been in a marked degree successful in his business ventures, is public spirited, progressive, and both as a citizen and a man of affairs commands general esteem. /*>EN. HENRY PLEASANTS, soldier and ^* civil engineer, was born in Buenos Ayres, South America, February 17, 1833. He is the son of John Pleasants, of Philadel phia. He arrived from South America in 1846, and entered the Philadelphia High school, where he graduated in 185 1. He pursued the practice of railroad engineering with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. In 1857 he began to practice mining engineering in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and continued to follow that branch of the profession until 1 86 1, when he entered the army, being mus tered in on September 1 1. He was promoted from captain of company C to be lieutenant- colonel, September 20, 1862. In June, 1864, he was commanding the Second Brigade of the Second Division of the Ninth Army Corps, then stationed in front of Petersburg, and there he rendered a most efficient service, which -became memorable in the annals of the war as the Petersburg Mine Explosion, the details of which are well known to every reader of history. It was said by General Meade and Major Duane, chief engineer of the Army of the Potomac, to be the first work of the kind ever attempted. For this act he received a letter of congratulation from Gen eral Meade himself. On October 1 he was promoted to the rank of colonel, and on December 18 was mustered out, his term of service having expired; but on March 13, 1865, he was advanced to the rank of brevet brigadier-general. On his return to Pottsville he resumed the practice of his profession, and when the Philadelphia and Reading Coal Company was formed he took the position of chief engineer of that company. JONATHAN H. BUTZ of Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, is a son af Nathan H. and Leander (Haas) Butz, and was born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, November 25, 1829. His great-grandfather, Samuel Butz, was a native of Germany, and emigrated at an early date to this country, settling in Long Swamp township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he lived until his death. He followed the vocations of a blacksmith and a farmer, and was highly esteemed by all who knew him for his benevolence and sterling qualities of char acter. His grandfather, John Butz, was born in Long Swamp township, Berks county, Penn sylvania, where he was reared and lived most of his life. He followed the vocation of a farmer, and died at Clay, Berks county, Penn sylvania, at the ripe age of ninety-four years. He was for many years a member of the OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 399 Reformed church, always evincing a lively interest in its success and welfare. In politics, he was an old line whig, and until quite advanced in age took a lively interest in the political movements of his times. He was highly beloved and esteemed by his fellow- citizens, which was attested at his death by a largely-attended funeral. His father was born on a farm known as the Old Hume's tract, in December , 1806, where he spent his youth, and reached man hood. In 1829 he went to Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, where he followed the pursuit of farming until the year 1849, when he removed to Schuylkill Haven, this county, and became a hotel-keeper. Here he built what is known as the Spring Garden House in 1849, which he conducted for a number of years, afterwards disposing of it and purchasing a grist-mill at Cressona, this county, which he operated until his death in September, 1886. He was originally a whig, but became a democrat in later years. He served as director of the poor, and in several other local offices, through the favor of the Democratic party. For many years he was a member of the Reformed church, in which he was deacon, and has always been known for his charitable and Christian character and benevolent deeds. He married Leander Haas, who bore him a family of four sons and five daughters, all living. Mrs. Butz was born in August, 1809, and is still living. Jonathan H. Butz received his education in the common schools of Lehigh county, and soon after leaving school accepted a position in business. In 1859 he came to Schuylkill Haven and started independently in the mer cantile business, which he has since continued with commendable success. Since 1871 he has also been more or less engaged as a sur veyor in and around the borough of Schuylkill Haven. In politics he is a democrat, and has served as a member of the borough coun cil, and during the past seventeen years as a member of the school board. He has also been a justice ofthe peace since 1871, and has discharged the duties of that office with credit. Religiously, he is a member of the Reformed church, with which he has been connected for a number of years, and in which he has served as deacon, elder and trustee. He has always taken a very active part in church affairs, and has manifested great concern for the advance ment of its cause. As a man, he stands very high in the esteem, respect and affection of the people of Schuylkill Haven, and has always been regarded as an exemplary citizen. He was married to Miss Hannah Krebs, a daughter of Philip Krebs of North Manheim, Schuylkill county, and has three children living at home, Eva, Carrie and George. TOHN EBERT, a well-known and popular citizen of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Margaret (Beam) Ebert, and was born in Burwick, Columbia county, Pennsylvania, November 28, 18 16. His grand father, Joseph Ebert, belonged to one of the old and well-known families of Columbia county, in which he passed the entire period of his life. His father was born in the same county about the year 1785, and with the exception of a very few years, was also a life-long resident of that county. His death was superinduced by exposure during a hunt ing expedition in the Broad Mountains, and occurred in the year 1855. The last few years of his life were spent in Pottsville, which city was the scene of his last hours. In the earlier part of his life he was a farmer, 400 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY but in the course of years he joined with that occupation contracting and bridge building. At that time the turnpikes were owned by private corporations, and the greater portion of his work as a contractor consisted in the building, repair, and construction of such pikes. In his political proclivities he adhered to the party of Jefferson and Jackson, but during the latter part of his life subscribed to the doctrine and policy of the Whig party. His marriage was blessed by the birth of eight children, four sons and four daughters. John Ebert was joined in wedlock with Elmira F. Glassmire, daughter of Peter Glass- mire of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, on February 24, 1852. By this union eight children were born : George W., a machinist located in Indianapolis, Indiana ; Frank P., a machinist now living in Indianapolis, Indiana, married to Clara Haeseler ; Clara, at home ; Henry Clay, married to Lottie Marboch, now living in Pottsville and engaged as a pattern maker ; Tunis S., a machinist, at home; Bird P., mar ried to Fannie M. Manning, at present a resi dent of Indianapolis, where he follows the trade of a machinist ; Ulysses Grant, a resident of Indianapolis and a pattern maker by trade ; Charles B., a carpenter of Philadelphia. Mr. Ebert came to Pottsville with his father in 1835, and has since remained a resident of that city. At the beginning of his career he followed steam boating, first on the Philadel phia and Schuylkill canal, and later in Virginia and North Carolina, his different periods of service aggregating thirty-three years. In 1865, he was appointed tax collector for the borough of Pottsville, in which office he was continued for fourteen years in succession, from 1872 to 1886. As judge of election, he was elected for twenty-two years in succes sion, and at the present time is assessor and appraiser of property. In 1890, he was appointed as census enumerator for the middle ward of Pottsville. In politics, he is a stanch republican and manifests a more than ordinary activity in behalf of that party. His family holds membership in the English Lutheran church, to which he is a liberal contributor. Fraternally, he is a member of Girard Lodge, No. 53, I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Grand and has been a representative in the Grand Lodge of the State of Pennsylvania, and also Franklin Encampment, No. 4, of which he is Past Chief Patriarch. His membership in the I. O. O. F. dates from 1839, and he bears the distinctions of being the oldest, but one, in Odd Fellowship in his State. Mr. Ebert is a man of popularity in both fraternal and political circles, and is intelli gently informed upon the leading questions of to-day as they affect both the nation and society. He has had considerable public experience, and his counsel upon questions of public import carries with it weight and significance. TA>ILLIAM D. HILL, a skilled architect of Pottsville, this county, is a son of William H. and Emma W. (Hyde) Hill, and was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Oc tober 16, 1854. William H. Hill, father, was a native of Oley, Pa., but came to Pottsville, this county, in 1846, where he lived until 1848, engaged in the grocery business. In 1849 he moved to Philadelphia and embarked in the wholesale coal business, which he successfully followed until his death, which occurred August 30, 1859. Politically he was a republican, but politics never had sufficient charms for him to induce him to relinquish business to follow its capricious whims. His union with Emma OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 401 W. Hyde, deceased since 1850, was blessed with three children : Clara G, who became the wife of Fred. S. Case, a publisher of San Fran cisco, California ; William D., and Edwin M. a resident of Los Angeles, California. William D. Hill received a good prelimin ary education in the Pottsville high school and the Bloomsburg State Normal school, at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and then entered the office of Thorne & Farrell, architects, of Wilmington, Delaware. After receiving a thorough drill and gaining a complete and comprehensive knowledge of the art and the science of his profession under these well- known architects, he came to Pottsville in 1885, and has been successfully pursuing his profession there ever since. Realizing that a knowledge of carpentering was essential to the highest practical success, of an architect, he devoted some time to learning that trade before entering upon his work as an architect, and his popularity in Pottsville is the highest testimony of his success, and stands as the strongest argument in favor of thorough and systematic preparation before entering upon any line or avocation of life. Many of the most beautiful private as well as public buildings of Pottsville and other parts of the country are the products of his ideal ity, and show that he has a clear conception of the highest aims of architecture, that of blending and uniting the beautiful and the useful. Politically a republican and religiously an Episcopalian, he takes an active interest in the welfare of the former, believing that good government is conserved by the intelligent voting of the individuals of society. The church in him finds a firm believer and a lib eral supporter. On March 8, 1882, Mr. Hill was united in 20 marriage to Minnie A. Schenck, a daughter of Alonzo Schenck. To this union have been born two children : Emil Douglas and Julia Frances. T»>-ILLIAM O. DAVIES, the efficient agent for the Lehigh Valley Coal Company at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of Edward Davies, and was born in Chester, England, February 27, 1847. In 1862, at the age of fifteen, he came to America, and accepted his first position as a bookkeeper at a place called Newport, near Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and afterward took the position of superintendent of the store at the same place for the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, which position he held until 1872, when he went west, locating at St. Paul, Minnesota, and entered the service of the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad Company, first as a level-man in an engineer corps, and then as freight accountant, paymaster, and traveling auditor, respectively. He remained with this company until 1883, when he accepted the position of superin tendent for the Southwest Virginia Improve ment Company, with headquarters at Poca hontas, Virginia. Here he remained until 1885, when he took a position at Snow Shoe, Pennsylvania, as superintendent of two stores, in which position he remained until 1889, when he went to Wilkes-Barre and assumed the management of the commission house of I. B. Lathrop & Sons. In April, 1892, Mr. Da vies came to Pottsville, and took the posi tion of agent for the Lehigh Valley Coal Com pany. In fraternal matters, Mr. Davies stands high. He is a member of Nanticoke Lodge, No. 541, F. and A. M.; Snow Shoe Lodge, No. 226, I. O O. F., at Snow Shoe, Pennsylvania, and the Knights of Pythias, No. 149," at the same 402 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY place. Mr. Davies was united in the bonds of matrimony on August 19, 1872, to Sarah B., a daughter of Burroughs Cole, of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, and to this union have been born nine children : Mary M., Maggie B., Frank (deceased), William M., Daisy, Nel lie, Arthur, Edward and Charles. iT\R- JACOB W. COBLE, of Tamaqua) Pennsylvania, is a son of Jacob and Johanna C. (Wagner) Coble, and was born in Elizabethtown, Lancaster county, Pennsylva nia, July 5, 1842. On the paternal side, his family is of Scotch- Irish descent. His father was also a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1857, at the age of sixty-two years. He was extensively engaged in the butchering business all his life, and was widely and fav orably known throughout that region of country. In politics he was a staunch and consistent whig. In early life he married Johanna C, a daughter of Dr. David Wagner a veterinary surgeon, originally from near Wurtemburg, Germany, who had settled at- Elizabethtown in 1804, and followed his profession to the close of life. His wife, the mother of Dr. Coble, died in Elizabeth- town in 1878, surviving her husband some twenty-one years. They had a family of seven sons and one daughter. Dr. Coble married Sarah A. Keller, a daughter of Dr. Sebastian and Hannah (Kuntz) Keller, of Elizabethtown, December 25, 1861. Dr. Keller was an old practitioner of that place, having practiced there for the past fifty years. As the fruit of this union, Dr. Coble has a family of four children, two of whom are living: Dr. B. C. Maud Coble, and Ira G. The daughter, Dr. B. C. Maud Coble, was educated at the Lebanon Valley College, and subsequently graduated from the Women's Medical College of Philadelphia in May, 1892, having taken a full five years' course. She has since been actively and successfully pur suing her professional calling in Tamaqua. She is a member of the County Medical So ciety, and was elected a delegate to attend the State Convention which met at Williamsport in May, 1893. The son, Ira G., is now attending the Uni versity of Pennsylvania, taking a course in the Veterinary Department. Dr. Coble, himself, had but the advantages afforded him by the common schools, and with a mastery ofthe rudimentary principles so se cured, he began the study of medicine under the direction of Dr. P. M. Ziegler, of Reading, Pennsylvania, and Dr. S. Keller, of Elizabeth- town, in i860. In 1866 he entered the Uni versity of Pennsylvania, and graduated there from in 1867. He began practicing at Eliza bethtown, and continued in that locality until 1872, when he removed to Annville, Lebanon county. There he pursued his professional calling until 1879, when he removed to Tama qua, Schuylkill county, where he has since re sided, and has built up a large and lucrative practice. Dr. Coble is a member of the County Med ical Society, and also of the Board of Health of Tamaqua, in both organizations exercising a strong influence by reason of his skill as a physician. In politics he is a republican, but not a partisan ; he is rather inclined to be con servative. In religion, he is identified with and an esteemed member of the Lutheran church. He is also a member of Elizabeth- town Lodge, No. 128, I. O. O. F., having been a member of that lodge for the past twenty -two years, and enjoys the honors of being Past Grand. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 403 AEOEGE H. TETER, a successful trucker and huckster, and a respected and worthy citizen of McKeansburg, East Bruns wick township, this county, is a son of George and Phcebe (Hommas) Teter, and was born near Oley, Pike township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, November 25, 1830. George Teter, father, was also a native of Berks county, born at Oley on April 7, 1796. There he was reared, educated and learned the potter trade, which he followed success fully until 1839, when he purchased a farm of two hundred acres in East Brunswick town ship, this county, on which he located and resided uninterruptedly until his death, on July 13, 1867. As a tiller of the soil success attended his indefatigable efforts, as well as his previous avocation. He was reared in the Quaker faith, but later in life he became a member ofthe German Reformed church, and was a whig in politics. He married Phcebe Hommas, born April 1, 1797, and their union resulted in a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters. Mr. Teter removed to East Brunswick township with his father and the family, and continued to reside in that township until 1883, following the vocation of a farmer, where he still owns a farm of ninety-eight acres. On the above date he removed to McKeansburg, this county, where he has since resided, engaged in huckstering and trucking. Here he has been successful, making a Specialty of the cultivation of strawberries. Politically he is a republican, and a member ofthe Lutheran church, iri which he is active and influential, having been elder for the past eighteen years. His marital alliance on No vember* 13, 1852, with Catherine, a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Reed of East Bruns wick township, this county, has resulted in the following issue : Samuel, constable of East Brunswick township, this county, employed by the Knickerbocker Ice Company, married Elizabeth Seltzer and resides at Barnesville ; Violetta, the wife of Henry Dreibelbliss, who is a farmer of East Brunswick township; Francis, deceased ; Rebecca, the wife of Levi Bausher, a farmer of Walker township, this county; Irvin, a trucker and huckster, em ployed with his father at McKeansburg, mar ried Cordelia Gerber ; Elizabeth, deceased ; Kate, the wife of Benjamin Godshall, a fireman on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, and resides at New Ringgold, this county ; Maria, at home; Oliver L., employed with his father in trucking and huckstering at McKeansburg, married Lavina Shellhammer. .JOHN YOUNG, one of the proprietors of the Sharp Mountain colliery at Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Mary Young, and was born in Germany, September 26, 1849. John Young, Sr., father, was the only one of his ancestry who came to America. He was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, Ger many, in the year 1825. He received his education in his native land, and emigrated to the United States in the year 1852, first locat ing in Pottsville, where he lived until 1858, when he removed to Ashland, Schuylkill county, in which latter place he died in 1861. His wife was also a lady of German nativity and ancestry, and bore him several children, one of whom, Peter, at the time of his death, was a resident of Tamaqua and connected with the firm of W. C. Dunkelberger & Co., proprietors and operators of the Sharp Moun tain colliery. The other members of the fam ily are John, subject ; Jacob, deceased ; 404 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY George, a clerk in Tamaqua ; Henry, deceased, and Joseph, in the hotel business at Mt. Car mel, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, and Caroline, the wife of W. C. Dunkelberger, of the firm of W. C. Dunkelberger & Com pany. John Young received his education in the common schools of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and first began the conduct of a restaurant in Philadelphia for two years, and from there to Pottsville, which he continued for sixteen years. At the end of that time, upon the death of his brother Peter, he took his brother's position in the firm of William C. Dunkel berger & Co., and has since been wholly occu pied in the management and operation of the colliery owned by that firm. On February 25, 1876, he was united in marriage with Cath erine Snyder, a daughter of August and Mary Snyder, of Ashland. This union has borne fruit in the birth of one child. In politics Mr. Young is a democrat, and religiously is a member of the Roman Catholic church. TTJILLIAM C. DUNKELBERGER, a ^-A-J* well-known member of the firm of Dunkelberger & Co., coal operators of Tama qua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Samuel B. and Harriet (Hoffman) Dunkel berger, and was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, on January 16, 1857. Jonathan Dunkelberger, his grandfather on the paternal side, was a resident during the greater part of his life of Eastern Pennsylva nia, but during his declining years he went west, and died in the state of Iowa a few years after taking up a residence in that state. By occupation he was a farmer and a miller. The father of William C. Dunkelberger was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylva nia, in 1825, of which county he was a resi dent his entire life, with the exception of four teen years, which he spent in Schuylkill county. He was deceased in Tamaqua, in the latter county, in November, 1891. During his youth he had learned the business of mill ing with his father, and to this, later in life, had added the trade of stone-mason. He was a republican in politics, in which party he took a nominal interest only. He was united in marriage to a daughter of Jacob Hoffman, of Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, who bore him a family of six children, three sons and three daughters. William C. Dunkelberger was united in the bonds of marriage with Caroline Young, a daughter of John and Mary Young, of Locust Dale, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, in August, 1884. His wife has borne him two children, William and Mary. He received his elementary education in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, where he lived until he reached the age of twelve years. Subse quently the family removed to Locust Dale, Schuylkill county, and there remained until 1884. During the greater part of this time down to 1882, he had been an employee ofthe mines, but at the close of that year he engaged in the hotel business in Locust Dale, and con tinued down to 1885, when he opened a store in association with George Young, under the firm name of Young & Dunkelberger. Within a few years this partnership was dissolved and he removed to Tamaqua, where he began coal operating with John Young and Charles H. Weldy as partners, under the firm name of Dunkelberger & Co. In this latter business he has continued down to the present time. The colliery of this firm is located near Tama qua, Schuylkill county, and is known as the Sharp Mountain colliery. About sixty hands OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 405 are employed in its operation, and the daily production is about ninety tons. Mr. Dunkelberger is a republican in poli tics, and a member of St. Jerome Roman Catholic church. He is a man of good busi ness qualities, understands the management of men, and through undenying effort, as well as through his careful management, has de veloped a large and increasing business. He is prominent in the business circles of Tama qua, and has a wide acquaintance throughout the county. T AVILLIAM BASLER, a successful merchant and practically a self-made man of Middleport, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Christian and Louisa (Herman) Basler, and was born March 7, 1842, in the kingdom of Fitchbach, Germany. When he was about four years of age his father, Chris tian Basler, determined to leave his native land and try the fortunes of the New World. After his arrival in the United States he located near Pottsville, Pennsylvania, but shortly afterward removed to a place called Brushy Tract, in the same county, where he lived for a number of years. Thence he removed to Frackville and Port Carbon re spectively, in which latter place he lived in comparative retirement, and died in 1877. By occupation he was a tinner, in which line he was a superior workman, and commanded a large patronage. He was nominally a demo crat, and in his religious affiliations adhered to the doctrines of the Catholic church, of which he was a devoted member. His mar riage resulted in the birth of ten children, three sons and seven daughters: Catherine, Carolina, Louisa, Lena, Elizabeth, Mary, Mol lie, Peter, Christian and William. William Basler, subject, was united in mar riage with a daughter of Eli T. Miller, on February 28, 1864. To them have been born fifteen children, as follows : Sarah, wife of Moses Purnell, a resident of Tamaqua, Schuyl kill county; William, married to Catherine Hopkins, and now residing at Middleport, Pennsylvania; Mary J., Laura, Ida, Pearl, Carrie, John, Charles, Nelson, Eli, Roy, Allen, Della and an infant (the latter three being dead), are still under the parental roof. Mr. Basler received very poor educational advantages during the period of his childhood and youth. At the age of eight years he was obliged to commence life as a slate picker on the breakers. For eighteen years he worked in and about the mines, and his unemployed hours were diligently spent in an attempt to pick up the elements of an education. His diligence in this respect met with a very fair reward, for to this course of action he owes a great deal of the pleasurable satisfaction which follows upon the acquisition of knowledge. . By toil and diligence in the mines he saved sufficient of his earnings to engage in the mercantile business, which he did in Middle- port, Pennsylvania, about the year 1866; he has continued this pursuit down to the pres ent time, and as a business man enjoys the full confidence of all those with whom he has been thrown in business relations. During the last fourteen years, in connection with his business of merchandising, he has also been a coal operator, which has been a source of considerable financial remuneration. Frater nally, he is a member of Middleport Lodge, No. 474, I. O. O. F., and politically is practi cally independent, though upon the great national issues he casts his vote with the Republican party. 406 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY /"GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS DOERFLIN- GER, a widely known wholesale dealer and packer of fine meats in Pottsville, is a son of Maxamillian and Margaret M. (Boch- ler) Doerflinger, and was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, June 6, 1843. His father, Maxamillian Doerflinger, was born in Walds- hut, Baden, Germany, on October 12, 181 1, and emigrated to America at an early date, and settled in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, where he died October 25, 1850. While in Germany he followed his trade, that of jeweler, and for a time after coming to the United States he pursued the same calling, but abandoned it to go into the hotel business, which he con ducted until his death. He was naturally of a military turn of mind, and organized the first company that was ever formed in Potts ville, known as the Yeagers, of which he was chosen captain. On the 31st of August, 1839, he married Margaret M. Deiner, a daughter of John and Caroline Deiner, who was born in Sarbrick, Prussia, April .16, 1819, and died in Pottsville, March 25, 1881. To them were born three children : two daughters, deceased, and Gustavus A., who still survives. While he was yet quite young his father died and his mother married Charles B. Boehm. By this second marriage she had three children : Amelia, Charles E. Jr., and Clara, all of whom are now dead. Gustavus A. Doerflinger was educated in the public schools of Pottsville, after which he learned the butcher business with his step father. He stayed with him until his death, May 6, 1869, and for a while thereafter con tinued to conduct the business for his mother ; this he did until May 25, 1879, when he em barked in the business for himself, and now has one of the finest retail meat markets in the city. In 1888, he increased his establish ment in Fishbach, a suburb of Pottsville, and went to wholesaling meats and packing pork, beef, and pure leaf lard, on a large scale. His packing plant is a large and well-equipped one, located in Fishbach, and gives employ ment to over a dozen men. Owing to the great variety of the meats cured and the perfection of the execution, his brands are known all over the eastern part of the State and command the highest prices in the mar kets. In politics he is a republican, and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, and in re ligion he is a member of the Lutheran church. On December 7, 1865, he married Hannah E. Fernsler, the worthy daughter of Frederick D. and Harriet E. Fernsler, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. By this union two children have been born to them : Margaret M. and Maxamillian, both of whom remain at home with their parents. At the time of the Pitts burg riots in 1877, Mr. Doerflinger was elected lieutenant of company G, Pottsville light infantry, and did active service in sup pressing the disturbance. In the beginning of 1862, he enlisted in company B, 129th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers of Potts ville, and was actively engaged in the field at Bull Run, August 30, 1862, Fredricksburg, Chancellorsville and a number of skirmishes. The country owes her rise, progress and stability to her self-made and patriotic sons, and with such men of real worth, Mr. Doer flinger is very properly classed. JSAAC S. CHRIST, the scion of an old and honored family of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and an enterprising, thorough going contractor of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, is a son of Emmanuel and Elizabeth (Shunk- wiler) Christ, and was born February 4, 1852, in Eldred township, this county. ISAAC CHRIST. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 407 The Christ family is of German stock, but settled in this country prior to the Revolu tionary war. The great-grandfather, Jacob Christ, owned a farm in the vicinity of Nath- way, Berks county, which he sold, receiving for it a couple, of chests of Continental money, which when it depreciated left him almost moneyless, and he was put to the necessity of striking out anew on fortune's road. He located in Williams valley, Schuylkill county, and in connection with others, received a tract of land extending from the present site of Pine Grove down the valley. Here he began the manufacture of lumber and to clear up a home in the wilderness. His nearest market at that time was Philadelphia. Emmanuel Christ, grandfather, was born in Nathway, Berks county, but located near the beginning of the present century in the Ma hanoy valley, Schuylkill county, and died in Mahantonga township, this county, in 1833. The father of Isaac Christ was born in the Mahanoy valley, March 25, 1825. He was indentured to learn the trade of a carpenter, and carpentering and cabinet making were mainly his life work, although he owned a farm in Mahantonga township, upon which he lived until 1865, when he sold his farm and moved to Ashland, where he has since lived. He is a democrat of pronounced and decided views, and has held the office of councilman ofthe borough of Ashland a number of terms. He has been twice married ; he wed as his first wife Elizabeth Shunkwiler, and had a large family of ten children, six boys and four girls, of which Isaac, our subject, is one. As his second wife, he married Judith Kluck; four children are the issue of this union. Emmanuel Christ, father, is a sober, industrious man, whose highest ambition has been to pro mote the welfare and happiness of his family. Isaac Christ did not have the best advan tages in the way of securing an education, but availed himself of such opportunities as the common schools of his township afforded. He, as regards a trade, followed in the foot steps of his father and learned carpentering, at which he worked as a journeyman for John Shelly, building breakers in the coal region. In 1875, having proven his efficiency and skill, he became Mr. Shelly's foreman, and built as his first work as foreman, the Logan colliery, for L. A. Reilly & Company. He continued Mr. Reilly's faithful foreman until about 1 88 1, when he went into the breaker building business on his own account, follow ing it in this way until 1886. In 1 886, his ability as a skilled breaker builder having been brought to the attention of the Lehigh Valley Coal and Navigation Company, he was offered the position of master builder by this company, which position he accepted and creditably filled for five years. During this time he lived in Lansford, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, but at this time he came to Tamaqua and purchased an interest in the Tamaqua Manufacturing Company. He took the superintendency of the company, and still very efficiently discharges the duties of that important position. He also carries on a large contract business in breaker building. He employs a large force of men, and has built some of the largest breakers in the region. On August 20, 1871, Mr. Christ married Hattie Hepler, a daughter of Rev. Jacob Hepler, a minister in the church of God de nomination. To this marriage have been born thirteen children : William Henry, a graduate of the Kutztown Normal school in the class of 1892, and now teacher in Schuyl kill county ; Charles E., at home— assistant of his father as an architect ; George Monroe, 408 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY a foreman for his father ; Lizzie May, Hattie J. ; Katie V., Erwin, Albert J. (dead), Lily Grace, Emma Jane (dead), Robert Cleveland and Allan Bayard (twins), and Clarence Clayton. yHOMAS S. DOWNS, a merchant of Coal dale, Schuylkill Co., Pennsylvania, is a son of William and Margaret (Simpson) Downs, and was born in county Donegal, Ireland. His father was a native of Southern Eng land, removed from there to Ireland, county Donegal, where subject was born, and thence to Scotland, where he died. Thomas S. Downs, while still in Ireland, at tended the schools about a year and a half, but was mainly reared and educated in Glas gow, Scotland. He came to the United States, landing in Philadelphia on June 30, 1852, when in his twenty-first year. Within a fortnight after his arrival he went to Carbon county, and located near the border of Carbon and Schuylkill counties. Here he continued as a teamster for a period of two years, and on September 12, 1855, left this region and went to California, where he was engaged in the gold fields of Mariposa county for a con siderable length of time. At the expiration of this time he went to San Francisco with the intention of going to Australia, but was taken sick, gave up his contemplated trip, and upon recovery returned to Carbon county, Pennsylvania. Upon his return he accepted a position as boss in a colliery for Van Home, Fellows & Co., in which capacity he remained for some time, and was then appointed outside foreman. He retained this position for about fifteen years, when he removed to Tamaqua, and engaged in the general merchandising business for a few months, and m November, 1872, located at his present place of business. He now conducts a large general store, which is regarded as one of the most complete stores in the village of Coaldale. Politically, he is a republican, and in 1880 was census enumerator of Rahn township, but beyond this has never accepted an office of any sort within the gift of the party. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and for merly held the office of trustee. In matters fraternal, he takes considerable interest, and is connected with Tamaqua Lodge, No. 238, F. and A. M. Mr. Downs was united in marriage with Martha J. Millen, a daughter of Joseph Millen, of county Donegal, Ireland. By this marriage he has five children living : Nettie, Lizzie, wife of Harry Andrews, of Coaldale ; William Joseph, George Thomas and Mary J. |**"\R. EDWARD HEISER, a prominent and successful veterinary surgeon of Potts ville, Schuylkill county, is a son of George and Catherine (Hoenich) Heiser, and was born in Pottsville, September 8, 1829. His grandfather, Ulrich Heiser, was born in Oley township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, but lived nearly all his life in North Manheim township, Schuylkill county (then Berks county), where he was a prominent and pros perous farmer. He married a Miss Schwenk, and to them were born seven children, three girls and four boys. Dr. Heiser's father was born in North Man heim township, Schuylkill county, but came, in 1830, to Schuylkill Haven, where he died in 1836. When a young man he learned the trade of a millwright, and carried that on in connection with contracting and building for the greater part of his life. He was a disciple of that school of political economists in which OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 409 Henry Clay was a prominent teacher. He lived through a period that witnessed the adoption of the free common school system in Penn sylvania. The measure providing for the adoption of the system met with great oppo sition in some localities; this was especially so in the locality in which he lived, but in the conflicts touching this question his influence was always exerted in favor of the schools, and afterward he served a number of years as director of the schools of North Manheim township. He had seven children, three sons and four daughters. Dr. Heiser, prior to arriving at his majority, was engaged in various occupations. Upon reaching his majority, he entered into the liv ery business in Schuylkill Haven. At this time he began a close and systematic study of the horse and his diseases, and soon became a skilled and efficient veterinary surgeon. He practiced his profession in Schuylkill Haven until 1870; also dealt in horses and mules. In 1870, he became proprietor of the Lone Star hotel, near Pottsville, but at the end of two years he went to Pottsville, and has since pur sued his profession exclusively. He enlisted in the emergency service, when Pennsylvania was threatened with invasion after the battle of Antietam. Dr. Heiser married, in 1869, Mary Logan, a daughter of Benjamin Logan, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania. One child, Sallie, is the issue of this marriage. TA^ILLIAM STEIN, Mine Inspector for *" the Sixth Anthracite coal district, and a prominent citizen of Shenandoah, Pennsyl vania, is a son of James and Agnes (Nichol) Stein, and was born November 15, 1838, in Scotland. Grandfather, William Stein, was also a native of Scotland, where he was born and reared. He was among Wellington's victorious troops at the world-renowned battle of Waterloo. James Stein was also born in Scotland in 1808 ; he took up the avocation of a miner and followed it during his active life, dying at the age of sixty-two years. At the early age of eighteen years, he became a member ofthe Presbyterian church, with which he was closely affiliated as an ardent and devoted Christian all his life. His marriage with Agnes Nicol was blessed with the following issue : Agnes, William, Elizabeth, Margaret, who lives in Southampton, England; Euphemia lives in Dunfermline, Scotland ; and Ann, who married and now resides in Sidney, New South Wales, Australia. Mr. Stein had very poor advantages for early training of an intellectual character, ex cept such inspiration and mental guidance as comes from the wholesome example of Chris tian parents. Having attended school but a short time, at the age of eight years he took the inceptive step in that line of work along which he was afterwards to achieve honor and success. He went to work in the mines at that age, and worked until twelve years of age, when he was possessed of a desire to attend school. He accordingly entered night school, and by close application and zealous improve ment of his spare moments, obtained a fair education by the time he attained unto his majority. During all this time, however, he was engaged in mining, and in this way gained that practical knowledge of the subject which renders his present position possible. At the age of twenty-one he had, by strict economy, saved enough money to take a course of civil and mining engineering. He accordingly entered under the tuition of George Simpson 410 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY of Glasgow, one of the most thoroughly com petent civil and mining engineers of all Scot land. He remained under this tutelage two years, and then entered for five years the em ploy of William Baird & Company, one of the largest iron manufacturers and coal opera tors of the world, as superintendent of their sinking department. For the next two years his ideas were still further enlarged and his experience broadened by an engagement with the Addie Oil Company at West Calder, fifteen miles west of Edinburgh. Mr. Stein now had the advantages not only of a good technical drill in all that pertains to the subject of mining, but had also shown that he possessed the ability to combine theory and practice by his successful superintendency of various mechanical enterprises. Believing that this country furnished advan tages for such talent not to be found in the crowded economical conditions of his native country, he emigrated in 1872 to Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. Here he worked at Plank Ridge colliery for three years as a miner. His first promotion in this country came at the end of these three years, when he was made assistant inside foreman for two years at Keeley Run colliery. From 1877 to 1885 he served as inside foreman of Hammond colliery, Girardville. At this time he entered the competitive ex amination, with fifteen others, for the position of mine inspector and was the successful can didate. He was accordingly appointed in 1885 Mine Inspector of the Sixth Anthracite district, which comprises forty-one collieries, -that give employment to at least 20,000 men and boys. In political texture, Mr. Stein is a republican, but has neither the time nor the inclination for office seeking. He is a mem ber ofthe Presbyterian church. January 21, 1862, Mr. Stein and Sarah Reid, a native of Lanarkshire, Scotland, were united in marriage. To this marriage the fol lowing children were born : James (see sketch below) ; Matthew, a druggist of Mahanoy City ; William, a graduate of the Millersville State Normal school in the class of 1 891, and now a student of medicine in the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Jessie Brown, at home ; Agnes, a teacher in the public schools of Schuylkill county ; Sarah ; Euphe- mia, a teacher ; Annie and John. William Stein stands as a typical representa tive of that sturdy Scotch stock whose genius adorns so many of the avocations of life and whose citizens are an acquisition not only to the material prosperity of a nation, but to its intellectual and moral strength as well. Dr. James Stein, a prominent physician of Shenandoah, and the son of William and Sarah (Reid) Stein, was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, February 15, 1863. He came with his father to this country when he was but eight years of age ; the family being in poor circumstances, James was put to the necessity of going to work as a picker of slate, on the coal breaker, at the age of eight years to help support the family. From thirteen to six teen years he attended the public schools of Girardville, during the winter months and worked in the mines during the summer. The sessions of 1881, 1882 and 1883 he spent in Dickinson College, Williamsport, and then read medicine with Dr. A. B. Sherman of Girardville, and entered in 1884 the University of Pennsylvania, and graduated from the medical department in the class of 1887. He at once located in Shenandoah, and by strict professional application secured a large and appreciative clientele. In connection with his practice he also owns a first-class drug OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 411 store, known as the Peoples' Drug Store, on the corner of Main and Center Streets. He is a republican in political following, and a member of the Trinity Reformed church. He married on January 9, 1889, Hannah, a daughter of Joseph M. Brown of Philadelphia. FRANCIS W. BECHTEL, a well-known attorney at the Schuylkill county bar, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was born in Tubert township, Northumberland county, Pennsyl vania, on April 11, 1837, a son of John and Eliza (Beeber) Bechtel. His maternal grand father, John S. Beeber, was a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, Maiden Creek township, while his grandfather on the paternal side was a native of Bucks county. John Bechtel, father of Francis W., was a native of Bucks county, born about the year 1795. He was twice married, and had the fol lowing named children : James B., a lawyer by profession, now deceased, who resided in Read ing, Pennsylvania, where, prior to his death, in 1873, he served as district attorney ; Louise, wife of Samuel Young, of Reading, Pennsyl vania ; Alfred B., deceased, formerly a travel ing salesman and clerk ; Elmira, wife of George L. Medler, Mahanoy City, this county — she is now deceased; Francis W., subject; Hettie, wife of David F. Ritter, a resident of Middleport, Schuylkill county ; O. P., presi dent judge of Schuylkill county (see sketch); T. H., for many years in the wholesale notion business in Philadelphia, a member ofthe firm of Jones, Bechtel, Shibely & Co. Francis W. Bechtel received his education in the schools of Middleport, and while his father resided there attended the post-office as a clerk. Afterwards he engaged in teach ing in Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he remained for two years, after which he returned to Middleport, and taught for three years. Subsequently he became principal of the schools at Schuylkill Haven, and while there was united in marriage on August 6, 1863, to Alicia Wilson, a daughter of John Wilson, deceased. After his marriage he continued teaching until the year 1863, when he was appointed freight and ticket agent ofthe Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Railroad at Miners ville, Pennsylvania, where he remained a year, and then received appointment as clerk to the commissioners of Schuylkill county, in which capacity he served for four years. Prior to this time, in the fall of 1862, he had registered as a law student in the office of Franklin B. Gowen of Pottsville, and afterwards entered the office of Hon. John W. Ryon. He was admitted to practice before the bar of Schuyl kill county on May 18, 1868, and since that time has been in the active and successful pursuit of his profession. His practice is not confined to Schuylkill county alone, but he has also appeared before the courts of the adjacent counties, as well as the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, before which latter he was admitted to practice in the year 1870. In 1863, when Southern Pennsylvania was invaded by the Confederate troops, he enlisted in company B, 27th regiment of the Pennsyl vania emergency corps, and was present at Wrightsville in June, 1863, when the rebel troops burned the bridge. After this engage ment his regiment was sent to Carlisle, thence to Chambersburg, and from there to Hagers- town, Maryland, and was finally mustered out in the fall of 1863, after a service of two months. Mr. Bechtel is a democrat, and was elected solicitor of Schuylkill county in the year 1870, in which office he served for three years. 412 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY He has also been chairman of the Democratic County Committee, and has generally been active in the service of that party in his own county. His family includes three children : Elmer F., a civil and mining engineer, assis tant of Heber S. Thompson, chief engineer of the Girard Estate ; he married Irene Scheu man, a daughter of William Scheuman of Pottsville, Pennsylvania; Edgar W., a gradu ate of the Pottsville High school, and admitted to the bar of Schuylkill county on September 5, 1892, and is now serving as deputy district attorney of the county under J. W. Ryan ; Mamie C, wife of Philip C. Womelsdorf, a civil and mining engineer, resident at Philips- burg, Center county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Bechtel is professionally a man of abil ity and fine legal education. He is thoroughly familiar with the details of court practice, and has had occasion to carry many cases before the Supreme Court of the State. He is care fully and widely read in the different branches of legal literature, possesses a discriminating judgment, whose opinions carry weight and authority. As a citizen also he is honored and respected. G"AMUEL BRODE, an active, enterprising ^^ and thrifty business man of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, closely identified with the ma terial interests of his city, is a son of Thomas J, and Sarah (Olewine) Brode. He was born at Hometown, a village near Tamaqua, Schuyl kill county, May 27, 1844. Michael Brode, paternal grandfather, was a native of Monroe county, Pennsylvania, where he resided the greater part of his active life. He removed to White Haven, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, during his declining years, where his demise took place. His marriage resulted in a large family of children, one of whom was Thomas J., father of Samuel. Thomas was born on the old homestead in Monroe county in the year 1819, and while still a lad the family removed to White Haven, Luzerne county. Here he received his early education, passed the epoch of his boyhood, and later learned the trade of milling and saw milling, which business he conjointly operated successfully for a number of years. When his declining health demanded change, he gave up the milling business and followed the butcher trade and hotel business athis home town near Tamaqua, the remainder of his life. In 1843 he removed to Tamaqua, where he remained until his death in April, 1890. Mr. Brode, at the time of his decease and prior to it, was an active and influential member of the Evangelical church, for many years fill ing various official positions. In 1842 he was united in marriage with Sarah, a daughter of Andres Olewine, which union resulted in the birth of ten children, five of whom are living : Charles, Elmer, Benjamin, Samuel and Sarah. The latter is the wife of Dr. Charles Dreher, whose biography appears elsewhere in this volume. Samuel Brode received his education in the public schools of his native place, and learned the butcher business with his father, with whom he remained until he attained his majority. In 1865 he engaged in gold mining in North Carolina, acting in the capacity of superin tendent of the mines for Mr. M. F. Ludwig. After fourteen months, he returned home, and went to Audenried, where he followed his ori ginal business for a short time. During 1867 he butchered on his own account, and mark eted his meat at Summit Hill, and in its im mediate vicinities, living meanwhile in Tama qua. He has step by step enlarged his business OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 413 and at present it has reached very creditable dimensions. In 1885 he was one of the five organizers ofthe Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Tamaqua, and has been a director since its organization. At the time of the battle of Gettysburg in 1863, Mr. Brode enlisted in company F, 27th regiment Pennsylvania volunteer militia, which hastened to reinforce the Union army at that place. He participated in the skirmish at Wrightsville, and arrived at the battle ground just after the' Union troops had gained their famous victory. Mr. Brode was joined in wedlock with Lucy, a daughter of Israel and Elizabeth Miller, of Tamaqua, on May 27, 1866. To them have been born ten children, five of whom are liv ing: Cora, wife of Dr. George W. Dreher, of Shamokin, Pennsylvania ; William, married to Lizzie Lane, now residing in Tamaqua ; John E., employed by his father; Thomas and Charles, at home. Mr. Brode and family are members of Trinity Reformed church, to which they are ardently devoted. "fVANTEL McGURL, a prominent citizen ^^ and well-known contractor of Potts ville, is a son of Michael and Ann (Board) McGurl. He was born in Minersville, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, on August 1, 1845. Mr. McGurl is of Irish lineage, his grand father, Daniel McGurl, having been born in county Longford, Ireland, where he passed his life and died at the early age of thirty-four years. By profession, he was a mining and civil engineer, and in this line of work reached a point of creditable efficiency and promi nence. Religiously, he affiliated with the Roman Catholic church, to which he was earnestly and faithfully attached. His mar riage resulted in the birth of but two chil dren. Michael McGurl, father, was born in county Longford, Ireland, at the McGurl homestead in the year 18 10, where he was reared and educated. He emigrated to the United States in the year 1829, and after landing in New York, he took up his residence for a short time in the vicinity of that city, soon after coming to what was then known as Phcenix row, on the border of Minersville, this county. He was one of the pioneers of that section, and was a witness of the growth of the mining industries of that place. From here he re moved to Jonestown in Cass township, Schuyl kill county, one mile from Minersville, where he died March 25, 1886, at the advanced age of seventy-six years. His occupation was that of a laborer in the mines, and with the exception ofa short time in the employ ofthe Forestville Improvement Company, this was his life's work. He was married in his native country before emigration, and became the father of seven children, five sons and two daughters : John, killed in the battle of Win chester, during the late civil war, at which place he lies buried ; Thomas, wounded in the Peninsular Campaign and brought home to Minersville, where he died ; Daniel, subject ; James, a resident of Pottsville ; Mary, living with Michael J. ; Annie, wife of John J. Mc- Kernan, of Girardville, and Michael J. (see sketch). The four oldest sons were carpenters and the daughters teachers. Mr. McGurl was a member of the Roman Catholic church, and in politics voted with the Democratic party. He served as school director in his township for five years, and was also treasurer of that township, in whose schools he took a much more than ordinary interest. His wife was the daughter of James Board, of Ireland, who 414 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY died at the extreme old age of one hundred and three years. Daniel McGurl received a scanty education at the schools near Minersville, and at the age of nine years was employed as a slate picker on the breakers of the collieries, and con tinued working at various kinds of labor con nected with the mines up to the age of seven teen. At this time he was apprenticed to learn the carpenter trade, and after serving the customary period worked as a journey man until the year 1867. On July 5 of that year, he removed to Pottsville, this county, which has since been his place of residence and business. In 1872 he undertook con tracting and building on a large scale, and at the present time employs from forty to forty- five men. Mr. McGurl has constructed many of the finest and handsomest buildings in Pottsville, among which is St. Patrick's Ro man Catholic church, the most artistic build ing in the city except the court-house. It was completed in 1893 at a cost of $100,000. He is at present erecting a school building to cost $85,000. Mr. McGurl is recognized as one of the progressive and substantial business men of the county. He is a man of integrity, energy and business sagacity, and through persistent effort has pushed himself to the front. He is eminently deserving of the respect in which he is held. On September 18, 1869, he was joined in marriage with Mary A., a daughter of Ber nard and Margaret Mcjoy, of Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania. Their children are : Anna, Maggie, John, Gertrude, Bernard (de ceased), Ella (deceased), and C. Edgar. Mr. McGurl is a devoted and consistent member of the Roman Catholic church, and politically supports the Democratic party. His brother John, at the opening of the Rebellion, enlisted at Minersville, April 17, 1861, in company K, 16th regiment Pennsyl vania volunteer infantry, first defenders, and went to the front ; at the expiration of his time, he reenlisted in company K, 67th regi ment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, for a period of three years. He was killed at the battle of Berryville, near Winchester, June 21, 1863. Thomas enlisted July 24, 1861, in company I, 8th cavalry, for three years, but was brought home on account of sickness, superinduced by exposure, and died January 28, 1863. His service was in the Peninsular Campaign. />-ONRAD HOCK is the son of Michael and Mary (Schaefer) Hock, and was born in Dorheim, by Friedburg, Hesse, Ger many, May 14, 1825. He' was educated in the schools of his native village and more largely through independent study. In 1853 he broke away from the associations of his native land and came to the United States, shortly after his arrival settling in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, which has since remained the home of his adoption. During the first twelve years of his residence here, he was employed in a rolling mill, first as an iron cutter and then as an accountant. In 1865, he erected a limekiln, which proved a success from its beginning, and which consequently en gaged his attention from that time on. In 1884, he retired from the conduct of the limekiln, and immediate control was assumed by his sons, George, John and William. The seat of operations is at Cressona, Schuylkill county, where two kilns are in constant operation. Mr. Hock has always maintained an independ ent position in politics, though he generally cast his vote with the Democratic party. He OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 415 was for two years a member of the borough council, and has also served nine years on the school board. The church of his choice is the German Reformed, in which he has served as elder and deacon for a period of twenty-six years in succession. He has always been active in the support of the church in all its varied in terests, and has remained in sympathetic touch with its work throughout the entire period of his connection with it, which is co-extensive with the existence of the church itself. He is a member of Hayden Lodge No. 44, I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Grand, and a member of Wallhalla Lodge, No. 20, A. D. O. H., of which he is Past Grand. Mr. Hock was married in his native country on August 20, 1850, first to Maria K. Apple, of Friehlingen, Hesse, Germany. His first wife died July 23, 1883, and on July 31, 1884, he married again. The second wife was Mrs. Katherine Snyder (nee Shnaeiker). His family included the following named children : Wil liam, born August 8, 1854, married to Mary Albergast, and now living at Cressona; George, born April 2, 1858, married to Caroline Moyer, and now living in Pottsville, engaged in the lime business ; John, born December 26, i860, married to Cora Kinsley, now residing in Pottsville, engaged in the coffee roasting and malt business; Henry, born November 3, 1862, married to Emma Snyder, at present a resident of Roanoke, Virginia; Conrad K., born September 4, 1865, clerk for Saylor Lumber company ; Louis, born Sep tember 5, 1867, at home in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. nALPH R. LEE, formerly assistant super intendent of the upper shops of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com pany, of Pottsville, is a son of Richard and Isabella (Fletcher) Lee, and was born at Gras- sington, England, September 9, 1834, and died in Pottsville July 26, 1893. His grandfather Lee was a native of Eng land, but came to America at an early day, and located at Pottsville, where he lived until his death. His father, Richard Lee, was born in Eng land, in 1806, and came to this country in 1835, locating at Pottsville, where he became a clerk for George W. Snyder, a machinist of Pottsville, and where he resided until his death. He was a republican in politics, but never sought or held office ; he was a member of the Protestant Episcopal church, in the affairs of which he took an active interest, being one of the vestrymen of the church at Pottsville ; he was married to Isabella Fletcher, which union was blessed with a family of seven children who lived to maturity, three having died while young. Ralph R. Lee was educated in the public schools of Pottsville; he learned the trade of a machinist with George W. Snyder, of Potts ville, and has followed that trade at that place all his life, except eighteen years, during which he carried on the business of a machinist" in Mahanoy City, this county. He left the latter place in 1882, and returned to Pottsville to ac cept the position of assistant superintendent of the upper shops of the Philadelphia and Read ing Coal and Iron Company at that place. In politics he was a republican, but never sought or held office. During the war of the Rebellion he was commissioned and mustered into the Union service as captain of Company B, 19th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, on , 1862, in which service he continued for about two months; he re-enlisted during the rebel invasion of Pennsylvania in 1 863, and was commissioned and mustered into the ser- 416 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY vice as first lieutenant of Company G, 39th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, at which time he served for three months. He was a member of Gowen Post, No. 20, G. A. R., of Pottsville; he was married to Mary E. Cook, a daughter of Isaac Cook, of Myers, Lebanon county, by whom he has had a family of four teen children, six sons and eight daughters, thirteen of whom are living. JOSEPH F. PATTERSON, the official court stenographer of Schuylkill county, was born in Durham county, England, May 8, 1850. Mr. Patterson had somewhat limited opportunities for securing an education in his native country. In his nineteenth year, be lieving that the United States offered better advantages than his own country for a young man desirous of rising in the world, he set sail for America. He came directly to Schuylkill county, locating at Donaldson, where he engaged as a miner up to and including 1875, following all the grades of contract mining. During this time he took an active interest in labor questions, and served as a district officer in the Miners' and Laborers' Benevolent asso ciation, and was subsequently elected county secretary. While working as a miner Mr. Patterson's spare moments had not been wasted. By dint of hard study he had gained a fair knowledge of stenography. In 1875 he asked for and was given a trial as amanuensis by the staff of the Legislative Record at Har risburg. At the end of the session he resumed his work at the mines. During the sessions of 1876, 1877 and 1878 he filled a regular position on the staff. During a portion ofthe long Congressional session of 1876 he held a position as assistant upon the corps of the Congressional Record at Washington. In 1 878 he was engaged as assistant by the official stenographer of one of the divisions of the Supreme Court of New York City, which position he held for over two years. Having by this time had a thorough drill in many responsible and trying situations, in each of which he had succeeded, in 1881 he was ten dered the important and responsible position of official stenographer of the courts of Schuyl kill county. He accepted and has held the place ever since, giving entire satisfaction to the court, the bar and all others concerned, and is recognized as a careful, accurate and painstaking official. His greatest feat of re- portorial work was accomplished in the cele brated Shepp-Coxe ejectment suit in the win ter of 1890-1891, wherein during the ninety days of trial the transcript of each day's pro ceedings was, with unfailing regularity, laid upon the desks of the contending counsel at the opening of the court on the day succeed ing. He was the first business man in the county to use the type-writer in his office work, and ten years later was also the first to utilize the phonograph as a useful part of a modern office equipment. He is a member of Swatara Lodge, No. 267, F. and A. M., of Tremont, and Donaldson Lodge, No. 382, and Concord Encampment, No. 166, I. O. O. F., of Donaldson. In 1872 he was married to Amanda Miller, daughter qf Samuel Miller, of Donaldson, and two daughters have been born to them. TAflLLIAM J. DECH, a resident of Shen andoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylva nia, is a son of William and Lydia (Cuder) Dech, and was born in Lehigh county, Penn sylvania, November 28, 1836. His paternal grandfather, Philip Dech, was OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 417 also a native of Lehigh county, of which he was a life-long resident. His forefathers had all been farmers by occupation, and he as well followed in their footsteps. The father of William J. was born in Lehigh county, in 1796, in Upper McGungie town ship, where he continued to live the entire period of his life in agricultural pursuits. In his political proclivities he belonged to the Democratic party, by which party he was elected to the office of county commissioner for three terms. He took a very active part in the. political issues of the county, and had a wide and general knowledge of public affairs. Religiously he affiliated with the Lutheran church. He was united in marriage with Lydia Cuder, daughter of John Cuder, of Lehigh county, by whom he had a family of nine children, two of whom died young. Among those living are Henry, a cabinet maker and undertaker, of Upper McGungie township, Lehigh county; Samuel, a farmer and resident of the same county; Peter, a resident of Lehigh county, and by trade a carpenter ; Benjamin, a wheelwright by trade, living in Slatington, Lehigh county ; William J., subject; James, a carpenter by trade, located at Catasauqua ; Sallie, wife of James Gochenbaugh, now deceased. William J. Dech was united in marriage with Catherine Marshall, a daughter of Joseph and Maria Marshall, of Shenandoah, Penna. He received his education in the common schools of Lehigh county, and learned the trade of wheelwright. After finishing this trade, he continued working at it for a short time, and then engaged in the hotel business in Reading and Bethlehem, for about a dozen years. In July of 1886, he located in Shen andoah City, where he engaged in the business of blacksmithing, wagon building and related work, which has since that time been his per manent business. Politically he is a voter of the Democratic ticket, and while in Lehigh county served one t^rm as jury commissioner of that county. He is a member of the Gen eral Reading Lodge, No. 227, F. and A. M. ; Shenandoah Lodge, No. 515, I. O. O. F., and the Watkin Waters Post, No. G. A. R. After the first draft during the civil war, Mr. Dech entered company B, Maryland vol unteers, and after a short service re-enlisted in the 199th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, as a musician, and served four years with the exception of one month and sixteen days. During his service he received a wound at the battle of Chancellorsville, and by reason of his disability was captured as a prisoner of war and held about forty-eight hours, when he was exchanged. He took part in the bat tles of Gettysburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg and other lesser engagements. TX UGUSTUS UMHOLTZ, a skilled mechanic ^^ of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of Philip and Susanna (Carl) Umholtz, and was born in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, February 15, 1842. Umholtz, paternal grand father, was a native of Germany, and emigrated to America, locating in Gratztown, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. He was one of the successful farmers of that section of the coun try. Philip Umholtz, father, was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, in about 18 13, and died in Pottsville, this county, in 1842. By trade he was a pattern-maker, but for many years was the efficient superintendent of the Tremont Iron Works at Tremont, Pennsylva nia. He married Susanna Carl, a daughter of Carl, and had by her a family of ten children, five of whom still survive. Maggie, 418 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY married to John Hoffa, of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania; Augustus; Charles, a fine ma chinist of Bristoltown, Pennsylvania; Susanna, wife of Rev. Mr. Haines, of Girardville, Penn sylvania, a minister of the Methodist church ; and Kate, wife of William Yodder, a machinist jn the • employ of the Steelton Iron Works, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Augustus Umholtz married Mary J. Strong, and had by this marriage seven children : Alice G. , married to Harry Hinple, of Potts ville, Pennsylvania ; George S., a trusted em ployee of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company; Emily A., Irom E., Bessie J., Howard and Harry P., still remain at home. Mr. Umholtz's education was obtained in the public schools of Tremont, Pennsylvania. He was afterwards apprenticed to learn the trade of pattern-making, which he did in the Tremont Iron Works. So efficient and skillful in his trade did he become that soon he was made foreman in the works of John L. Pott, of Pottsville. He had worked there but one year when he accepted, in 1879, a much better position as foreman in the pattern department of the upper shops of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company's shops at Pottsville. He has remained in their employ ever since, being one of their most trustworthy men. In politics, he is a stanch republican, but not an office-seeker. In religion, he is a consecrated and devoted member of the Methodist church. Mr. Umholtz stands identified with that body of self-made men which form the bone and sinew of the country, — men whose influ ence is always felt and whose example is worthy of imitation. mILLIAM A. BOCK, a carpenter and builder of Pottsville, is a son of William and Mary M. (Albright) Bock, and was born at McKeansburg, East Brunswick township, this county, April 28, 18 19. His grandfather, Baltzer Bock, was born in "Old Haslau," Hesse, Germany, in 1747, and came to America when only nine years old, with his father's family in 1755. He was sold to a party living near Pine Grove, this county, to pay for his passage, and his father's family settled in Berks county, Pennsylvania, where the former died. Baltzer Bock, the grandfather of W. A. Bock, after serving the time for the payment of his passage, went to Berks county, and learned the trade of wheelwright, following his trade at Hamburg for many years. After ward, in 1793, he removed to McKeansburg, the oldest town in the county, laid out in 1803, where he lived until his death in 1828, aged eighty- one years. After removing to McKeansburg, he followed farming on a tract of four hundred acres of level land, which he owned. He served in the Revolutionary War under General Washington ; was a member of the Lutheran church, and gave the ground for the church and school-house at McKeansburg. He was a federalist in politics, and was a well-known and highly respected citizen. He married Miss Susanna Bolich, by whom he had a family of five children, who grew to maturity, four sons and one daughter. 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, i860. He was a farmer all his life, and a man of considerable genius, being able to work at carpentering, blacksmithing, and several other OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 419 lines of mechanical work. He was a demo crat 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 re spected 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. William A. Bock was reared at McKeans burg until seventeen years of age. He then went to learn the trade of a carpenter under ex-county commisioner Peter Miller, at Or wigsburg, this county. After learning his trade he continued to work as a journeyman for seven years. In 1845 he removed to Potts ville, Pennsylvania, where he has since resided. One year later, in 1846, he was employed by D. G. Yuengling, brewer of Pottsville, to superintend their carpenter work, and con tinued with them up to 1872. During this time and since he has been engaged in con tracting and building houses in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. He is a republican in politics, and his family are members of the Lutheran church. He is an upright and highly- respected citizen, and successful business man. He married Miss Mary Reed, a daughter of James and Mary Reed, of Pottsville, by which union he has two sons living: James, a draughtsman in the office of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, drafting wood work on breakers ; he married Mary Miller, and lives at Pottsville ; and Frank S., who married Etta Webb, and is an inspector in the carpet de partment of the firm of Marshall Field & Co., of Chicago. © nOBERT H. HIRSH, the bright young editor of the Tamaqua Recorder, as well as its proprietor, is a son of Peter and Elizabeth (Mackay) Hirsh, and was. born in Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on May 6, 1868. John Nicholas Hirsh, his grandfather, was a Frenchman by birth and lineage. He was born in France, and came to the United States about the year 1830, shortly after which he settled in Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania. He was one of the oldest pioneer settlers of this section, and witnessed the growth of many of its industries, and the rise of its business interests. His death took place in Tamaqua in the year 1875, after he had reached the eighty-third year of his age. He followed huckstering for a livelihood, through which he acquired considerable of a com petence. In politics, he was a democrat, and a great admirer of the statemanship and leadership of General Jackson, while in his religious opinions he was in concurrence with the doctrines of the Roman Catholic church. He was united in marriage with a Miss Mar garet Smith, by whom he had a family of nine children, three sons and six daughters. The father of Robert H. was born in Tamaqua, Pa., on September 16, 1838, of which place he has been a life-long resident, with the ex ception of the period elapsing from 1861 to 1865, during which time he was in the coun tries of Mexico and Central America, and in the States of Nevada and California. In early years he learned the trade of a machinist, 420 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY which he continues to follow. At the present time he is in the employ of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company in their shops at Delano, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Presbyterian church. His marriage to a daughter of Robert and Ellen (McConnell) Mackay, a native of the North of Ireland, but more recently a citizen of Tamaqua, resulted in a family of seven chil dren, four of whom are still living : Robert H. (subject) ; Mary, Nellie and Eddie. Robert H. Hirsh received his education in the public schools of Tamaqua, from which he was graduated in 1883. After graduation, he was apprenticed to learn the trade of printing with the Tamaqua Courier, and remained there four years. After serving his appren ticeship, he went to Philadelphia, and was successively employed on the Philadelphia Times, Record and Ledger, as a compositor In 1 89 1, he became proof reader in the office of Mr. Dornan, a book publisher, with whom he continued until May, 1892, when he re turned to Tamaqua and founded the Tamaqua Recorder. The Recorder is a four page, seven column weekly newspaper, Democratic in its political tone, and has a circulation of about fifteen hundred. Both its editorial and news departments are conducted with ability, and its present circulation has been built up through the activity and energy of the present editor. He is a talented writer, and through his experience in the newspaper world, has acquired the faculty of readily detecting and discriminating the kind of news demanded by the modern newspaper. His paper has rapidly come to the front in Schuylkill county, and has taken standing with the best. Mr. Hirsh is a member ofthe First Presby terian church. FREDERICK R. KULP, of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, is a son of Christian and Catherine (Reininger) Kulp, and was born in Douglas township, Montgomery county, Penn sylvania, July 13, 1847. Christian Kulp, his father, was born in South Coventry township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1800. He was a farmer by occupation, and early in life removed to Doug las township, Montgomery county, where he lived, and died in 1872. He was a democrat in politics, and an active member of the Ger man Reformed church all his life. He married early in life, and had a family of thirteen children, eight daughters and five sons. Frederick R., the subject of our sketch, was reared upon the farm and received his educa tion in the common schools. On attaining his majority, he removed to Tamaqua, where he has since resided. He is a miller by trade, having mastered his trade at Pottstown, at the age of nineteen years, and was employed with Messrs. D. Shepp & Co., until 1880. In this year he went to Pottsville, following the trade for the next four years. In the spring of 1884 he engaged in the flour, feed and grain busi ness at Tamaqua, and has conducted said business continuously since. He has been successful, and is enjoying a good and lucra tive trade. Mr. Kulp has been thrice married ; first to Malinda Halderman, a daughter of Matthias Halderman of Tamaqua, on October 13, 1872, by whom he had one child, a daughter, Emma (now deceased). His first wife died at the age of nineteen years. He next married Josephine Lutz, a daughter of Moses and Susan Lutz, of Tamaqua, by whom he had three children: Howard (since deceased), Luella M., and Eloa (the latter also deceased). His second wife died on February 24, 1885, HIESTER S. ALBRIGHT OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 421 in her 28th year, and on May 9, 1886, he married Mary C, the sister of his former wife, by whom he has had two children, a son and a daughter, Earl and Emily. Mr. Kulp is one of Tamaqua's substantial citizens, and as a business man ranks high. He is a republican in politics, though non partisan, and in religion worships with the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he is an active member. /"?HARLES E. STERNER, the enterprising ^"^ and artistic merchant tailor of Potts ville, Pennsylvania, is a son of David and Maria (Long) Sterner, and was born January I3> 1855, in Pottsville, Schuylkill county. The ancestors of Charles Sterner on the paternal side are of sturdy German stock. His grandfather, John Sterner, was a native of Long Swamp township, Berks county, but migrated to the farming district of this county, near Friedensburg, prior to the war of 1812, where he lived the remainder of his days en gaged in the peaceful pursuits of a farmer- He entered, as an officer and served with credit to himself, in the war of 18 12, our second struggle for independence. David Sterner, father, was born in the old homestead near Friedensburg, August 2i> 1826, remaining at home until twenty years of age, when he came to Pottsville, where he has lived ever since, now ranking among the earlier settlers of the place. When a young man he learned the trade of a stone mason, which trade he pursued during most of his active life. Politically he was a whig, but became a re publican upon the organization of that party, and has always adhered to the principles of the party of Lincoln and Garfield. His union with Maria Long has resulted in a family of four children : Marietta, at home ; Charles E , Susan and Hannah. Charles E. Sterner, after receiving an ele mentary education in the schools of Potts ville, learned the trade of a machinist; he worked at this trade from 1872 until 1886, when he learned the trade of a tailor, working for a time at journey work. In 1890, the merchant tailoring firm of Alsdorf & Sterner was established, consist ing of Mr. Sterner and his father-in-law, Philip Alsdorf. The house of Alsdorf & Sterner is located at No. 116 North Centre Street/where they have well-equipped and com modious apartments, well filled with the best and latest style of goods, and their highest aim is to please their customers, in which worthy ambition they are uniformly success ful. Mr. Sterner is a member of Lily of the Valley Lodge, No. 281, I. O O. F. Mr. Sterner was married on January 1, 1887, to Louisa M., a daughter of his business partner, Philip Alsdorf. HIESTER S. ALBRIGHT, vice-president of the First National bank of Orwigs burg, and a prominent shoe manufacturer of the same place, was born in West Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, this State, on June 20, 1856, and is a son of William S. and Amanda (Bodey) Albright. His paternal great grandfather was Peter Albright, who resided in West Brunswick township, and earned a liveli hood at farming, and died May 5, 1836. His paternal grandfather, Joseph Albright, is a native of West Brunswick township, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, where he still lives, •at the ripe age of eighty- three years, a pros- 422 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY perous and contented farmer. All his life he has been an active and devoted member of the German Reformed church. His marriage with Esther Sheridan, in the year 1834, who died April 5, 1883, was blessed with seven children, of whom three still survive : Thomas, who re sides on the old homestead ; Susan, married to Solomon R. Moyer, a prominent shoe manufacturer and miller of Orwigsburg ; and Morgan S., a shrewd horsedealer, also of Or wigsburg ; Joseph, Beneville, Lucian, William S., the father of Heister S., are dead. William S. Albright was born May 31, 1836, in West Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where he lived until about the year i860, when he became a resi dent of Orwigsburg, at which place he lived until his death, September 5, 1868. While on the farm he was extensively engaged in farm ing and milling, but upon locating in Orwigs burg he gave his time exclusively to droving, dealing principally in horses and cattle. He married Amanda Bodey, who was born Janu ary 11, 1837, in Manheim township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. To this union were born five children, three of whom died in in fancy; the other two still survive, Bella Virgi nia and Hiester S. Hiester S. Albright, on January 6, 1886, married Virginia F., the daughter of James J. Newhard (now deceased), formerly a jeweler, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania. To them was born, April 17, 1887, a child, Nellie Virginia. Mr. Albright attended the public schools of Or wigsburg until the age of twelve, when his school days were suddenly ended by the death of his father, and young Albright was thrust out into the world to win the battle of life single-handed. He was first employed by Moyer & Son, who conducted a general mer cantile business in Orwigsburg, whom he so faithfully served that at the end of one year a better position awaited him with John C Beck, also a general merchant of Orwigsburg. He remained in the employ of Mr. Beck for two years, until he sold out, after which he was employed by the Orwigsburg Shoe Manu facturing Company, as packer an d shipper, and was afterward transferred to the cutting department, where he worked about two years. It was then that in the West alone was found the realization of the " Young man's imagination," so thither he went to reap a harvest which he had not sown. But when once there he saw the advantages of the East as he had never seen them before, conse quently returned and accepted a position with the Philadelphia and Reading Express Com pany, in the autumn of 1879, remaining until the spring of 1880, when he formed a partner ship with A. E. Brown for the manufacture of shoes, which lasted until July 1, 1883, when Mr. Brown was succeeded by George C. Die fenderfer, since which time the firm has been known as H. S. Albright & Co. Their factory is a handsome two and a half story frame building, fronting sixtyrfour feet on Market Street, and extending back eighty feet, well equipped with the most improved machinery for the manufacture of ladies', misses' and children's shoes, giving employment to about seventy-five men, besides eight traveling sales men, who carry the product to nearly all the northwestern States, even selling on the Pacific coast. In addition to his interest in the fac tory, Mr. Albright owns a very desirable farm of thirty acres situate in the suburbs of Or wigsburg, where he devotes a part of his time to agricultural pursuits. Mr. Albright's supe rior standing in the community is pointedly marked out by his lodge membership, public spirit and business enterprise. He is a member OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 423 of Schuylkill Lodge, No. 138, F. and A. M. ; Mounfain City Chapter, No. 196; and Con stantine Commandery, No. 41, at Pottsville; Harrisburg Consistery- ; Lulu Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Shrine, at Phila delphia ; and a 32nd degree Mason of the Northern jurisdiction ofthe United States. In politics, Mr. Albright is an active repub lican, and to him frequently falls the honor of representing his town in state as well as in county conventions. In religion, he is a de voted and consistent member of the German Reformed church. He is a director and vice- president of the Edison Electric Light Com pany of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and to him more than to any other person is due the organization of the First National Bank of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania, which opened its doors the latter part of September, 1 890. He became its first vice-president, which position of trust and honor he still holds. The busi ness interests, prosperity and local government of a place are always fostered and secured by men ofthe character of Hiester S. Albright. HON. WALLACE GUSS, of Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is the son of Samuel and Lydia Christina Guss, and was born at Pine Grove, Schuylkill county, on January 28, 1843. The family from which he is descended were residents of Southeastern Pennsylvania, and his father, Samuel, was a native of either Montgomery or Chester county, where he was born in the year 1802, and whence he moved to Pine Grove, Schuylkill county, about the years 1840-42. He soon became identified with the business and political affairs of the county, and, being ofthe Democratic faith, he was honored with an election to the office of register and recorder in the years 1847-48. Soon afterwards he moved to Orwigsburg, where he lived for a short time, and then moved to Schuylkill Haven, in the same county, where he died in 1852, at the age of fifty years. His widow died in 1 891, at the advanced age of eighty-three years. The children of Samuel and Lydia Chris tina Guss who reached maturity were five in number. Their names, given according to the order of ages, were : Lydia, who became the wife of George Doerr, of Mifflinton, Juniata county, Pennsylvania ; Elmira (now deceased), who became the wife of William F. Voute, of Chicago ; Wallace, subject ; John C, at present a resident of Kansas, where he carried on the business of farming and general merchandise ; Samuel F., who is at present foreman of the Scott Iron Works, at Reading, Pennsylvania. Our subject, the Hon. Wallace Guss, oldest of the male children who reached maturity, received his education in the common schools of his native county. He began the career of independent work at the age of eighteen years by teaching in the common schools of his county. After serving in this position for a time, he turned his attention to clerical employment, and filled several responsible positions in Pottsville, the county seat. Among 'these was that of clerk in the provost mar shal's office, during the years 1863-64. In the year 1867, at the age of twenty-four, he took up his residence in Tamaqua, where he has lived ever since. Soon after his coming to Tamaqua he was appointed to the position of teller in the First National Bank, of that place, and immediately identified himself with the business interests of the community. A republican in politics, and an active worker, he rose to a high place in party councils and 424 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY JACOB ROBERTS, one of the leading citizens of Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Harris) Roberts, and was born in Newtown near Penzance, Ludgven Parish, England, on January 3, 1820. Peter Roberts, grandfather, was a native of the same country and parish, of which he was a life-long resident. He died in 1825, at the age of seventy-five years. He gained his livelihood through the pursuits of a farmer, was a member of the Episcopal church, in which his family held a pew for more than one hundred and fifty years in succession. The father of Jacob Roberts, was born in the year 1790, and was killed by a fall in the mines, in the year 1827. He was also a member ofthe Episcopal church, of which he was a loyal and consistent member. He married a daughter of Charles Harris, a native in popular esteem, and in 1872 was elected to represent his district in the General Assembly of the State. As a recognition of his business qualities and the confidence reposed in him by the officials of his institution, he was promoted to the position of assistant cashier in the year 1882. This position carries with it the prac tical duties and responsibilities of the cashier, as the latter official is a non-resident and only nominally in authority. Our subject is one of those broad-guaged, public-spirited and generally useful citizens, whom the limitations of business do not belit tle and narrow. He is an honored member of Tamaqua Lodge, No. 238, F. and A. M., and other organizations whose mission is brotherhood and charity. Deeply interested in military affairs, he enjoys the rank of major of the Eighth regiment, National Guards of Pennsylvania. of Cornwall, England, and by occupation a sailor and fisherman, who died in Cornwall at the age of ninety years, and his wife at the age of one hundred and four years. Mr. Roberts reared a family of three children. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Roberts married Thomas Curnow, to whom she had three children, all now residents in Port Adelaide, Australia. Jacob Roberts, tfather, died when he (Jacob) was seven years of age. Early in life Jacob started to work in the mines in his native country, and followed that occupation up to the year 1848, when he emigrated to the United States and located at Tamaqua, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania. Here he was em ployed in the mines in the capacity ofa com mon miner for a period of three years. After that he became mine boss for the firm of Heaton & Carter, in whose employ he re mained down to the year 1861. At that time he became superintendent of the Hackle Barney colliery, near Mauch Chunk, Pennsyl vania, operated at that time by the firm of Scheen & Cunningham. He continued here until the year 1867, when he became a member of the firm of Roberts, Cunningham & White, but after one year removed to Ma hanoy City, this county, and became interested in the Shoemaker colliery, which he super intended up to the year 1869. During the latter mentioned year he changed his location to Tamaqua, same county, where he operated the Reinhart Run colliery to 1872, and sub sequently the Union mines at Plymouth, Luzerne county, during the time intervening between the years 1872 and 1882. At the end of which time he retired from active busi ness life, but has continued his residence in Tamaqua. Mr. Roberts is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is looked OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 425 upon as an exemplary citizen by his fellow- townsmen. He is a man of the highest honor and integrity, has met with a very creditable degree of business success, and yet has con served all those qualifications necessary to good citizenship and an honorable career. He was united in marriage with Amelia Roberts, a daughter of Thomas Roberts of near Penzance, England, in the year 1840. To them have been born five children : Jacob, married to Emma Simpson, and now residing in Wilkes-Barre, a coal operator of the firm of Roberts, Treesbach & Co. ; Amelia, wife of John Carter, a resident of Clearfield county, Pennsylvania ; Belinda, wife of William Taylor of Beaver Meadow, Pennsylvania, now de ceased ; John, married to Mary Johns, U. S. Express agent at Tamaqua; and Mary, wife of William R. Jones a shoe merchant, whole sale and retail, of Tamaqua, this county. CDWABD ZWIEBEL, a brass founder and worker and skilled plumber of Potts ville, is a son of Michael and Catherine (Kreitzmeir) Zwiebel, and first saw the light of day October 2, 1853, in St. John, Alsace, Germany. Michael Zwiebel was born in Germany about 1815, learned the trade ofa brass foun der in his native land, and worked at it all his life. In 1854 he came to this country, lo cating in Pottsville, where he died in 1873. He married Catherine Kreitzmeir, who was born in Germany in 1817; to this marriage there was born a family of six children that are living : Catherine, married to Peter Smith of Pottsville ; Tillie, became the wife of Lewis Clausman, of Pottsville; Michael, who is in the employ of the Jersey Central Railroad, and is now located at Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne county, Penna. ; Clara, the wife of Edward Hause, of Pottsville; Edward (subject); George, a resident of Pottsville. Edward Zwiebel was educated in the schools of Pottsville, and following in the foot steps of his father, learned the brass founder's trade, and in connection with this he has con ducted a plumbing business to the present time. Mr. Zwiebel is an active member of Ameri can Hose company, No. 2, of Pottsville and St. John's Roman Catholic church of same place. On November 10, 1887, he was united in marriage with Mary, a daughter of John and Caroline Schraum, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. j^EV. FATHER FRANCIS J. McGOV- r ERN, the present able and scholarly of ficiating pastor of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church, at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of Terrence and Margaret (Coffey) McGovern, and was born in Mt. Carbon (now part of Pottsville), Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, January 29, 1853. His father was a native of Ireland, born in the year , and came to America in the year 1840. Soon after his arrival he located in Pottsville, which he continued to make his home until his death in 1880. By occupation he was a locomotive engineer, and most of his life was passed in the employ of the Philadel phia and Reading Railroad Company, aggre gating a service of thirty years. His wife, the mother of Father McGovern, is still living in Palo Alto, Schuylkill county, at an advanced age. Mr. McGovern was a democrat in his political affiliations, but never an aspirant for any kind of official preferment. His marriage resulted in the birth of eleven children, eight sons and three daughters, all deceased with the exception of our subject and Peter, who is 426 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY now living at Ottumwa, Iowa, and -employed as an engineer on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. Father McGovern received his elementary education in the public schools of Palo Alto and Port Carbon. Subsequently he entered Villanova college, near Philadelphia, in Mont gomery county, in the year 1874, and the fol lowing September became a student in St Charles' Seminary, at Overbrook, where he remained until 1882, when he was ordained as a priest of the holy Roman Catholic church ; he first received an appointment for a short time, and was placed in charge of St. Jerome's church, in Tamaqua, Schuylkill county. Later, he was an assistant at St. Agnes' Church, at West Chester. After this he was successively assistant at St. John's and St. Mary's, in Phila delphia, and in June, 1889, was sent to Port Carbon until January, 1893, when he finally was placed in charge of St. Patrick's, in Potts ville, Pennsylvania, under whose supervision the church edifice begun by Rev. William A. Duffy was completed. Father McGovern is a man of high intellec tual attainments and many excellent qualities of heart ; he is earnest, loyal, and diligent in his pastoral work, and since his connection with St. Patrick's has accomplished much both materially and spiritually. In his present re lations his duties are many and onerous, but, with strong convictions that his work lies in the amelioration of spiritual suffering, the reflex from such a task has brought an abundant benediction. In every movement for the in tellectual and moral and social uplifting of those about him, Father McGovern is always in clos est sympathy, and as an exemplar of the ideal life he stands an undoubted moral force in his parish. THTR. MATTHIAS GRIESBAUM. It is not A saying too much in praise of the Ger man element of this country when we state, that perhaps no country has contributed so many good, substantial, law-abiding, and thrifty people to the United States as has the German nation. Prominent among this class of citizens is Matthias Griesbaum, a highly respected citizen and skilled mason contractor of Pottsville, this county. Born in Baden, in the most thickly populated portion of Germany, December 29, 1827, he became discontented with its crowded economic conditions and longed for the free dom of the land across the sea, whither he came to the United States in 1854. Mr. Griesbaum had learned the trade of a mason in the Fatherland, and after landing in this country spent a short time in Newark, New Jersey, and then came directly to Potts ville, Pennsylvania, where he has lived ever since, excepting seven years, during which he lived in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. His life-work has been that of a mason, in which he showed such ability that the de mands upon his time and services were such that he was forced by this pressure of circum stances to employ a number of assistants, and eventually drifted into mason contracting, his present business. Politically, Mr. Griesbaum is a democrat in national matters, but inclined to be independent in local politics, voting for principles rather than parties. Mr. Griesbaum, while in Newark, New Jer sey, became acquainted with, and married, Amelia Knecht. Four children have been the products of this marriage : William G., who married Lydia Falker ; he is a contractor in brick work ; Edward, Mary, and Kate, all at home. Mr. Griesbaum is strictly a self-made man, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 427 and well deserves the esteem and respect in which he is held by all who have business rela tions with him. J ^EVI HUMMEL, a well-known furniture ^^ dealer and business man now located in Pottsville, county of Schuylkill, was born at Summit Station, county above mentioned- in the year 1844. He is a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Evans) Hummel. The father of Levi Hummel was a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, but in the early part of life removed to Summit Station this county. Later, he came to Pottsville where he carried on the business of a green grocer until his death in December, 18911 aged 70 years. Upon national and loca' questions of political significance he voted with the Whig and Republican party, while in church matters he attended and communed in the Reformed church. His marriage resulted in a family of thirteen children, eight of whom are still living, whose names are as follows • Levi, subject of sketch ; Ferdinand, Allen' Jane, Amanda Fey, Clara Lessig, Emma Fernsler and Taries. Levi Hummel was joined in marriage with Lucy Sweigert, who has borne him a family of five children : William H., in the employ of his father ; Charles F., in the furniture business at Cressona ; Harry D., bookkeeper for his father and also manager of the under taking business, and Oscar J., in his father's employ. George, the fifth child, was drowned in Norwegian Creek on June 1, 1889. Mr. Hummel's first wife died in July, 1878, and he afterwards married Ellen Ackerman, by whom he had one child, Carrie. Both are de ceased; the wife died May 30, 1886, and the child in July, 1887. Mr. Hummel in his youth was apprenticed to learn the carpenter and cabinet making j trade, which he pursued for about fourteen ! years. His entrance into the furniture busi ness dates from the year 1877, and he has since been closely identified with that industry. His store extends from 500 to 508 North Centre Street, is sixty-five feet front, forty -five , feet deep, and occupies two floors. He handles various kinds and grades of furniture, > carpets, house furnishings, etc., and in con- j nection with it carries on an undertaking l establishment. In the fraternal world he is a prominent j and well-known figure, and holds membership in a number of prominent organizations, among which may be mentioned Lily of the Valley Lodge, No. 281, I. O. O. F. ; George Washington Castle, No. 125, Knights of the Golden Eagle ; Henry Clay, No. 44, Knights of Pythias, and Gowen Post, No. 23, G. A. R. He entered company A, 27th regiment Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, for a period of three, months during the civil war, and was honorably discharged therefrom at the termination of that period. He is a member of the Trinity Reformed church, and votes with the Republican party. "fNAVID NEUSER, of Pottsville, Schuylkill 1 ^^ county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Henry i and Elizabeth (Schmidt) Neuser, and was born in the province of Westphalia, kingdom of Prussia, Germany, on April 15, 1833. His ' father was born in the same locality in the year 1802, and with his family emigrated to the United States in the year 1853. He set- ; tied at Minersville, Schuylkill county, where he died on July 5, 1874. Prior to his coming to the United States he had been a farmer. He was a member of the German Reformed 428 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY church, of which he was a regular attendant and constant worker. His marriage resulted in the birth of four children : Henry, formerly a butcher by trade, was killed by a horse in 1866; David, subject; Elizabeth, widow of John Wilt. She now resides in Pottsville ; Lizzie, wife of Frank Starr, living in Llewellyn, Schuylkill county, a miner by occupation. David Neuser learned the butcher trade in early life in Minersville, which he pursued up to April 1, 1857, when he removed to Llewel lyn, Branch township, this county, where he purchased a butchering establishment from Josiah H. Reed, and continued in the butcher ing business until 1864. About the same time he engaged in the purchase of cattle, sheep, and other live stock, which he carried on simul taneously with the slaughter business until the year 1866. In this year he disposed of his interest to Jonathan Moyer & Brother, and opened a general store in the village of Lle wellyn, which he continued to conduct until 1873. During this year, in conjunction with Jacob Ulmer, he built the packing-house in Pottsville, now conducted by the well-known firm of Jacob Ulmer Packing Company. During the next year, however, he sold his interest to Mr. Ulmer, and continued the management of his farm near Llewellyn until 1875, when he removed to Pottsville, where he has since resided. In that year, in associa tion with L. W. Weissinger and Louis Stoef fregen, he purchased the Schuylkill Company stock-yards, and under the firm name of Stoeffregen & Company, a large business was carried on in live stock until the year 1876, when this company was dissolved. Mr. Neuser since that time has continued independently as a dealer in sheep, hogs, calves, etc., in which he does a very extensive business. Besides his interests already mentioned, he was at one time a director of the Merchants' Exchange Bank of Pottsville, which is now extinct. He also owns a tract of land con taining about seventeen hundred and eighty- two acres, largely timber land, in Union county, Pennsylvania, a farm at Llewellyn, and considerable real estate in the city of Pottsville. He is a member of the German Reformed church, and politically is independent. He was, however, a member of the borough council for three years, and was school dir ector of Pottsville for one year. Fraternally, he is a member of Minersville Lodge, No. 222, F. and A. M., with which organization he has been connected since the year 1868. In June, 1855, he was united in marriage with Louisa Von Der Heiden, of Minersville, formerly of Germany. By this marriage they have eight children: Henry, married Rica Oxe, and now living in Llewellyn, Pennsyl vania, a butcher by trade ; Amelia, wife of Adolphus Wilcox, a clerk in the Pension department in Washington City; Louis, a resident of Llewellyn, this county, under the employ of his brother Henry ; Teressa, wife of William Gunter, a moulder by trade, resid ing in the South ; Franklin, in the employ of his father ; Albert, a baker located in Phila delphia ; Nora and Alvin, at home. JOSEPH MILLER (deceased), a highly respected and industrious citizen of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in Germany, on August 10, 1835, and died on October 7, 1892. His childhood, youth and early manhood were spent in his native land, and in the year 1861 he came to the United States, attracted hither by the favorable opportunities which the country, and OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 429 especially its natural resources, offers to every man of industry and perseverance. Three years after his arrival he opened up a bakery in the city of Pottsville, which he conducted until the time of his death. Possessing the usual characteristics of the German. American citizen, and by dint of steady work, close at tention to his business affairs, and a careful investment of his earnings, he won a place of recognition among his neighbors and friends. He was a strict and devoted member of the German Catholic church, and always, so far as he knew, placed his life and action on the side of honesty, integrity of character, and the promotion of the common good. His marriage to Margaret Kastner, a daughter of John and Kunigunde Kastner, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, July, 1866, re sulted. in an issue of five children: Joseph, at home ; Mame, wife of Charles Christ, a baker of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania ; Lizzie, married to William Hinterleitner (deceased) ; she mar ried as her second husband, George Roppel ; Albert and John, at home. HENRY J. NEY, proprietor of the Ex change hotel of Pottsville, this county, is a son of Jacob and Josephine (Rice) Ney1, and was born March 17, 1852, in North Man heim township, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania. John Ney, grandfather, was born February 8, 1790, in Lorraine, France, but came to this country in 1832, and located for a short time in 'New York City, but soon after came to North Manheim township, Schuylkill county, being among the earlier settlers of that section of the county. He had the distinction of ser ving in the French army under Napoleon before coming to this country. Coming to this country at a time when Jackson, as the exponent of Democracy, was very popular, he became a follower of that creed, to which he adhered until his death in 1862. He married Anna Galey Ney (nee Hoffman), and had a family of four children, of which Jacob Ney, father, was one. Jacob Ney was born in the Department Mosselle, Lorraine, France, August 25, 1826. He learned the trade of a carpenter, and throughout most of his active life was engaged in boat-building on the Schuylkill canal, and breaker-building in the Schuylkill county an thracite coal region. Since 1882 he has lived a comparatively retired life in Pottsville. In political faith he adhered to the school of his father. He has been twice married, first time to Mary J. Rice. To this union have been born a family often children, of which Henry J. Ney is one. His second union was with Mary Dimmerling, of Pottsville, on May 18, 1886. Henry J. Ney, after receiving such mental training as the schools of his native township afforded, learned the trade of a carpenter with his father. This trade he followed until 1880. At this time he established a bottling business in Ashland, Schuylkill county, successfully carrying on this business until 1887. From 1887 until 1889 he was engaged in the restau rant business in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne county, and from 1889 to 1890, in the same line at Hazelton, same county. Since 1890 Mr. Ney has been the popular proprietor of that well known hotel, the Exchange, of Pottsville. This is a first-class hotel, centrally located, at 119 and 121 North Centre street, and the large custom with which it is filled is the highest testimony as to the popularity of its proprietor. In politics, he follows in the footsteps of his 430 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ancestors, who have always been unswerving democrats. On May 6, 1879, Mr. Ney married Eliza beth M., a daughter of Frank Schmeltzer, a resident since nine years of age of Schuylkill county, although of German nativity. To this union have been born the following children : Frank G., Henry F. (dead), Celia T. (dead), Florence M., Henry J., and Agnes C. f"\ANIEL SCHUM was a native of Berks ; ^^ county, Pennsylvania, born February 23, ' 1821, in Biddle township, the son of Christian i and Mary (Wilhelm) Schum, and died March 6, 1893, in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. His father wasa native ofthe same county and township, but died in Berne township, when about the age of thirty-five years. His ancestors had been farmers, and consequently when he reached the age of maturity he adopted the same pur suit, in which he met with a very fair degree of success. His marital relations resulted in the birth of six children, one daughter and five sons : Catherine, deceased ; Daniel, sub ject; Jonathan, Jacob and William, deceased; and John, at present a citizen of Reading, Pennsylvania. Daniel Schum was united in marriage with Marian Artman, a daughter of John Artman of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, on February 17, 1846. They have a family of five children : Francis i W., married to Anna Wummer, and now living j in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, a carpenter and i builder by trade; Albert B., married to Eliza- ' beth Fensler, now living in Pottsville in charge j of his father's business; John C, deceased; ; Benjamin A., a citizen of Braddock, Pennsyl vania, where he occupies a position as clerk in a mercantile establishment; Catherine, at home. Mr. Schum came to Pottsville on June 10, 1839, and apprenticed himself to Samuel Houck, for the purpose of learning the car penter trade. Since the completion of that trade, he has devoted his entire attention to it for the past thirty-six years. During the first period of his career he worked as a journey man, and about the year 1869, drifted into the business of contracting and building upon a larger scale. His efforts in this direction have been attended with unusual success, and to-day many of the finest buildings in Pottsville, stand in direct attestation of his skill and workmanship. In all his transactions, Mr. Schum was known as a thoroughly honest and conscientious man. Personally too, he was very popular, affable and agreeable, and through his kindly attitude and courtesy won many friends. In. his political ten dencies he had a strong leaning toward the Republican party, but did not take sufficient interest in what might be called pure politics to exhibit a partisan spirit. When men or issues were before the public he weighed each in a scale of merit and determined upon that alone in which direction his support wuld be thrown. Though not a member of any church, his influence and example were always found in support of individual and public good. ^APTAIN DANIEL CHRISTIAN is a son of William and Ann (Bower) Christian, and was born in Minersville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on March 26, 1840. He is of Swiss ancestry, his grandfather having been born in Switzerland in the latter part of the last century, but before the middle of his life emigrated to the United States and took up a residence near Reading, Berks county, Pennsylvania. He was accompanied to this country by his two brothers, Michael and MICHAEL T. O'CONNOR. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 431 John, who located in the same vicinity. Some time prior to his death, grandfather Christian left Berks county and removed to Schuylkill Haven, this county, then Berks county, whence he removed to Pottsville, where he died. The father of Daniel Christian was here born on April 12, 1812, and has been a life-long resident of Schuylkill county. He is still living in Wayne township, where he is engaged in the trade of blacksmithing. His marriage was productive of seven children, three sons and four daughters : William, a resident of the State of Kentucky ; John, de ceased ; Sarah, married to Mr. Le Van, of Columbia county, Pennsylvania; Daniel, sub ject; Mary, deceased; Rebecca, wife of Mr. Sterner, of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania; Cath erine, deceased. Daniel Christian entered into the bonds of marriage with Catharine M. Creasey, a daugh ter of Mahlon Creasey, of Ashland, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on May 20, 1870. He received his education in the common schools of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and learned the trade of wheelwright. About the time he completed his trade the civil war began, and he enlisted as a private in company I, 5th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, on April 21, 1 86 1, and was assigned to the first brigade, third division, of the Army of North ern Virginia. From June 3 to July 23, he was assigned duty in the defence of Washing ton, D. C, and afterwards at Alexandria, Vir ginia, after which he was mustered out on July 24, 1 86 1. He re-enlisted as a private in company B., 6th Pennsylvania cavalry, August 29, 1 86 1, and remained in the service until May 11, 1864, when he was retired for a short time, by reason of a gun-shot wound in the left hand. Upon his recovery from this disa bility he entered company A, 1 ith Pennsylva nia cavalry, April 6, 1865, and served in Southeastern Virginia until mustered out, August 13, 1865. During his term of service he participated in nearly all of the engage ments of the Army of the Potomac, aggre gating about forty. After the close of the war, he followed his trade, and in conjunction with his brother William, conducted a wheel wright and blacksmith shop at Ashland. This was continued for two years, when he was employed on the police force in the coal and iron regions of Schuylkill county. In 1877, he became chief of this police force, and is now serving in that capacity as an efficient and thoroughly capable man. He is a member of the Lutheran church, and also of Camp No. 19, Union Veteran Legion of Pottsville. IIITICHAEL T. O'CONNOR, the present A well-known and popular general freight and ticket agent for the Philadelphia and Reading Railread Company, at Mahanoy City, and a delegate from Schuylkill county to the Democratic National Convention at Chicago that nominated Grover Cleveland for the Presi dency in 1892, is a son of Michael and Mary (Brennan) O'Connor, and was born January 26, 1857, in Heckscherville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. Michael O'Connor, father, was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1830. When a young man of but sixteen years of age, he broke away from the associations of his nativity, and came to Heckscherville, Schuylkill county, where he followed mining as a means of securing a livelihood, until he came to Mahanoy City in 1873. Politically he has always affiliated with the Democratic party, and in his younger days took an active part, serving a number of years as a school director of Cass township. He 432 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY married Mary Brennan ; to them were born nine children, seven boys and two girls. Michael T. O'Connor, subject, received a good education in the schools of Mahanoy City, graduating from the High school in the class of 1872. Leaving school he took up tele graphy, and after attaining to a sufficient degree of proficiency, took a position with the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com pany at Boston Run, for eight months. In 1873 he came to Mahanoy City and became the operator for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. He went through the different promotions of ticket clerk, yard mas ter, train dispatcher, and in 1889, because of the record made for efficiency and. fidelity in each of these positions, he was appointed general ticket and freight agent for that com pany "at Mahanoy City. He is the agent for the United States Express at that place ; also a director in the Serial Saving Fund of Mahanoy City. Mr. O'Connor is a stanch democrat, and believing every man should be sufficiently interested in political matters to see that the best men are elected to office, he has taken an active part, but his time and influence have been freely given to the support of others. He has frequently represented his party in county and state Conventions, and in 1892 was one of the national delegates from Schuylkill county to the Chicago Convention that nominated Grover Cleveland for the Presidency. Mr. O'Connor and Elizabeth Haughney, daughter of John Haughney, of Mahanoy City, were wedded September 12, 1889. To them has been born one child, James. JOHN J. TOOLE, a well-known and pop- v ular citizen of Pottsville, is a son of John and Ellen (Ormsby) Toole, and was born in Primrose, a suburb of Minersville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, May 3, 1852. His paternal grandfather was a native of Ireland, and emigrated to the United States in the year 1848. Immediately after his arrival he took up his abode at Primrose, where he continued to reside the remainder of his life. His death took place in the year , at the advanced age of ninety-two years. His marriage resulted in the birth of four sons and two daughters. John Toole, father of subject, was born in Ireland, and came with his father and the other members of the family to the United States in 1852. He continued to live at Prim rose until 1862, when he removed to Shen andoah, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1835. Politically, he allied himself with the Demo cratic party, in whose fortunes he took an active, aggressive interest. He was a member of the Roman Catholic church, to which also his family were adherents. His wife bore three children : P. J., who lives in Shenan doah, a musician ; John J., and Ellen, married to John McNeil (now deceased), of Shen andoah. John J. Toole was married to Bridget O'Connor, of Schuylkill county, April 29, 1 874. They are parents of seven children : Francis P., John A., Ellen, Catherine (de ceased), Maurice (deceased), Jeremiah and Eugenia. His first wife died May 27, 1887, at the age of thirty-five years. His second wife was Bridget Sheehy, of Pottsville, whom he married February 3, 1890, and by whom he has two children, Alphonsus and Leo. Mr. Toole was educated in the public schools of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, and first engaged in the saloon business in Shenandoah in 1873, and continued six years. In 1879 he opened a clothing store in the same place, which he conducted successfully until 1881, when he became a bottler of soft drinks, which engaged OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 433 his attention until 1887. During 1885-86 he was burgess of Shenandoah, and was prior to that time, 1881-84, a member of the borough council. In 1887 he became a candidate for clerk of courts of Schuylkill county, but was defeated by the independent candidate, Mr. Freehofer. Next year he was appointed to the position of warden of the county prison, and served over two years, when he was again nominated and elected clerk of courts for a term of three years, beginning January 1, 1890. Mr. Toole is a strong supporter ofthe Democratic party, was a delegate to the Con vention nominating Governor Pattison, and is known as a popular and affable man. He has a wide acquaintance throughout the county, has been an obliging and exemplary official, and eminently deserves the high esteem in which he is held. He is a member of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church. j^R. CHARLES B. DREHER, of Tama qua, Pennsylvania, was born near Drehersville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, October 24, 1845, and is a son of William and Mary (Bear) Dreher. His Grandfather, Philip Dreher, was a son of Peter Dreher, who origi nally came from the vicinity of the Tyrolean Mountains, Austria, prior to the Revolution, and settled in that part of Berks county, now Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. Peter Dreher served through the Revolu tionary war and was wounded in the battle of Brandywine. He served under the immediate command of Washington, and participated in all the trials and hardships ofthe patriot army from the beginning to the close of the strug gle for Independence. Phillip Dreher, the grandfather, was born in Berks county (now Schuylkill county), be- 28 tween Orwigsburg and Port Clinton, and here he resided all his life, dying about 1 869, at the age of eighty-four years. He had been a thrifty farmer all these years, led a moral and upright life, and won the esteem and respect of his neighbors. He was a consistent mem ber of the Lutheran denomination and active in church work, and in the later years of his life became identified with the Evangelical church. He was a democrat in politics, although not an active participant in party machinery. He, early in life, married Anna M. Bolenbach, a farmer's daughter in that vicinity, and as the fruit of said marriage had a family of twelve children, five sons and seven daughters. William Dreher, the father of the subject of our sketch, and one of the above sons, was born on the old homestead near Orwigs burg, Schuylkill county, in 18 12, and resided there also during his life, dying in 1889, near Drehersville, a village which had been sub sequently founded by the Dreher family. He had also been engaged as a farmer, and through thrifty mangement secured a fair competency for his later years. Like his father before him he was a democrat in politics, but wholly conservative in his views. He was a member of the Evangelical church, and prominently identified with its interests, having served as a deacon for a number of years. He married in early life Mary Bear, and from this union sprang a family of six sons and one daughter: The subject of this sketch; A. C. Dreher, of the firm of Dreher Bros., Shamo kin, Pennsylvania; G. W. Dreher, M. D., of Shamokin, Pennsylvania; W. A. Dreher, station agent of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, residing near Drehers ville ; Thomas Dreher, of the firm of Dreher Bros., Shamokin, Pennsylvania; Oscar, who 434 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY is an invalid; and Mrs. A. H. Miller, a widow, residing in Shamokin, Pennsylvania. Dr. Dreher, the subject of our sketch, married Sarah Brode, a daughter of Thomas J. and Sarah Brode, of Tamaqua, Pennsylva nia, October 7, 1869, and has now a family of five children living: Augusta, residing at home; Dr. Edward C, who was educated in and graduated from the public schools of Tamaqua, and at the Millersville State Normal school; later, read medicine with his father, and graduated from the Hahnemann Medical college in April, 1893; Herbert, Guy and Anabel, the latter three also residing at home. Dr. Dreher was educated in the public schools, and for one year attended the select school of Professor D. P. Burnett, at Palo Alto, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. Sub sequently he attended the Millersville State Normal School, Lancaster county, Pennsyl vania. He next entered the office of Dr. Benjamin Becker of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and pursued the study of medicine, attending at the same time the usual course of lectures in the Hahnemann Medical College, graduating thereform in 1867. In the spring ofthe same year he located at Tamaqua, where he has since devoted himself closely to the practice of his profession. Thoroughly equipped for the work upon which he was about to enter, he met success at the very outset of his career, and he has admirably succeeded in building up a large and lucrative practice. He is a member of the Schuylkill County Homoeopathic Medical Society, and has been honored with a term as president of the asso ciation. He is also an honorary member of the American Institute of Homoeopathy ; has been a director of the Tamaqua Banking and Trust Company since 1885, and was one of the five men who organized the Edison Elec tric Light Company of Tamaqua, of which he has been a director since its organization. Dr. Dreher is a prominent figure in Masonic circles, in which he holds the esteem and regard of a warm host of true and admiring friends. He is a member of Tamaqua Lodge, No. 238, F. and A. M., of which he is a Past Master. He, like his ancestors, affiliates with the Democratic party, but the aspiration for political preferment has not developed itself even in his generation. He, as his ancestors before him, has no further interest in the politics of the day than a desire to see the best and the most competent men placed in official stations. /"CHARLES C. WAGNER. To the Ger- ^ man families that left the fatherland within a comparatively recent date and settled in her villages and towns, Schuylkill county owes much of her prosperity and substantial business thrift. Prominent among such fami lies is the Wagner family of Frackville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. Henry Wagner was a native of Germany, but in 1843, moved to St. Avoir, France, where up to 1849 he superintended a distillery; at this time he returned to Prussia, and in connection with a brother-in-law, Jacob Sny der, ran a stone-quarrying business, furnishing stone for building the bridge across the Saar river at Saarbrucken. He was engaged in the business until he came to the United States in 1 85 1. « He located in the Tumbling Run valley, where he was engaged up to 1872 in super intending the Schuylkill valley railroad, be tween Middleport and Tuscarora. In 1872, he went to Frackville, this county, and lived a retired life until his death in July, 1891. Henry Wagner was a man of strong religious OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 435 feelings and sentiments, and was an ardent mem ber ofthe Lutheran church, and held nearly all the offices in its organization. He was twice married. His first union was with Margaret Kline, a daughter of Conrad Kline of Guet- tihgen, Germany ; two children were the issue of this union : Catherine and Henry C, both born in Prussia, Germany; Henry is now deceased ; Catherine married Englebert San- ner, now deceased, she lives in Minersville, Schuylkill county. His first wife died in 1843, at the age of twenty-seven years, and he married as his second wife, Sophia Kline, sister of his first wife. To this marriage five children have been born : Charles C, born August 2, 1845, in St. Avoir, France, married on February 22, 1870, to Susan Oerthur, a daughter of John Oerthur, of Minersville. He now resides in Frackville, this county, and is a member of the firm of C. & W. C. Wagner, butchers and ice dealers. He is a veteran of the war ofthe Rebellion, having enlisted Sep tember, 12, 1 86 1 at Pottsville, in 19th regiment, company B., Pennsylvania volunteer infantry. He served in this regiment to the expiration of his term of enlistment July 30, 1862, and he re-enlisted February 22, 1864, in company I. 48th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer in fantry, and served to the close of the war. On April 2, 1865, he was wounded in the right limb at Fort Hell. Among the more im portant battles in which he participated were : Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and others. William C, born May 1, 1848, also in St. Avoir, France. He married Anna Blackwell, a daughter of James Blackwell, of Frackville. He is a member of the above firm of C. & W. C. Wagner ; Caroline, born at Tumbling Run, Schuylkill county ; Reinhart A., born at Tumbling Run, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania. He married Amanda Hoffman, now deceased, a daughter of Peter Hoffman, of Frackville, this county. He, Reinhart, now lives in Frackville, where he is engaged in the wholesale and retail timber and lumber trade ; Augustus, born September 20, i860, and died April 18, 1876. In the history of the present business firm of C. & W. C. Wagner, several changes are to be noted. The business was first organized by Henry C. and William C.Wagner in 1871, under firm name of Wagner & Bro., butchers. The business was continued under this cap tion until 1878, at which time, William C. transferred his interest in the business to his brother, Henry, who conducted the business until his death in 1881. William C, upon re tiring from the firm in 1878, went to Mahanoy City and pursued the same line of business there up to the time of his brother's death, when he came back to Frackville, and in con nection with his two brothers, Reinhart A. and Charles C, under firm name of Wagner Bros., took charge of the business and carried it on up to 1 89 1, the time at which the present firm took charge, and since which they have done a successful business. JOSEPH W. MOYER, ESQ., a successful ^ attorney of the Schuylkill county bar, is a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Snyder) Moyer, and was born October 26, 1852, in Mt. Pleas ant, Foster township, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania. Grandfather, George Moyer, was of German nativity, being born near the French border. He entered the army of Napoleon, being with him in his march to Moscow, and was one of the small remnant of that mighty army that returned. Shortly after his return he emi- 436 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY grated to this country, locating in Gratztown, Dauphin county, where he spent the remain der of his days, engaged in mercantile pur suits' Daniel Moyer, father, was born in Gratz town, Dauphin county, in 1820. He, when a young man, learned the trade of a carpenter, and has followed that line of work all his life, becoming a skilled and proficient mechanic and an inventor of some note in the line of agri cultural implements, among which are a corn planting machine and a power flax brake. He also owns a farm, to which he gives some attention, but now lives essentially a retired life at Hamburg, Mercer county, Pennsylva nia, whither he went in 1856. Daniel Moyer is a man who has ever taken an active interest in the success of the policies and principles of the Republican party, of which party he has been an adherent since its organization. He has never sought office, though frequently urged to do so. For thirty years he has been active in the English Re formed church. His wife, Elizabeth Snyder, daughter of Jacob Snyder, was born in Dau phin county, and is entitled to membership in that organization known as " Daughters of the Revolution," her grandfather on the ma ternal side, Sheiley, having taken a valiant part in that memorable struggle for the rights of man. Joseph W. Moyer is one of a family of nine children, three girls and six boys : Christina, the wife of John Shalor, a carriage builder of Mercer county, Pennsylvania ; Levi, a veteran of the civil war, having entered in January, 1863, in Company A, 139th Regiment Penn sylvania Volunteer Infantry, and served to the close. He is now a farmer in Delaware town ship, Mercer county, Pennsylvania ; Amelia Jane became the wife of James Williams, now deceased. He entered the Confederate army from Maryland, where he lived at that time, but near the close of the war he deserted the Confederate cause and cast his fortunes with the Union cause ; Joseph W. ; Hiram (dead), who was formerly a teacher ; David, who re sides at Fredonia, Mercer county, a contractor by trade ; William, a stone contractor and a resident of Mesopotamia, Ohio ; Emanuel E., a student of law with Judge J. E. Stevenson, of Geauga county, Ohio ; Mary, the wife of Lewis France, a resident of Mercer county. After obtaining a good preliminary educa tion in the common schools of Delaware town ship, Mercer county, and the State Normal school at Edinboro, Pennsylvania, Mr. Moyer registered as a student at law, in 1873, with the firm of White & Jackson, of Mercer, Mer cer county, Pennsylvania. After pursuing his legal studies for a time with this firm, in the meantime teaching a term of school to help him defray the expenses of his course, he came to Schuylkill county in 1874, and completed his studies with the well-known law firm of Hughes & Farquhar, of Pottsville, and was ad mitted to the Schuylkill county bar in No vember, 1886, since which time he has been a successful practitioner at that bar. Although a successful practitioner of law, yet Mr. Moyer has found time for other mat ters of considerable moment of a business character. In 1886, in connection with some New York City capitalists, he assisted in the organization of the Schuylkill and Lehigh Valley Railroad Company. This road, which was afterwards built by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, extends from Tremont, Schuylkill county, to a point on the Lehigh river known as Lehigh Gap, and was built at an expense of two million dollars. It short ens the route from the southern anthracite OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 437 coal fields to New York City thirty-four miles, resulting in a large saving of rates to that city. Mr. Moyer was the solicitor of this company until the road was sold to the Lehigh Valley Company. Politically, Mr. Moyer was an active repub lican up to 1888, being in 1880 the nominee of his party for Assembly from his Legislative district, but was defeated by a small majority. In 1888, not believing in the policy ofthe Re publican party upon the issues of the tariff and the pensions, he cast his lot with the Democratic party, to which he has since strictly adhered. In 1 88 1 Mr. Moyer was married to Martha Elizabeth Wilthen, nee Roper. HON. WARREN T. FOLL WEILER, rep resentative ofthe Third district of Schuyl kill county in the Pennsylvania State legisla ture, belongs to that class of intelligent, am bitious young men who by the very force of their individuality are destined to rise above the level of common aspirations. He is a son of Charles and Catherine (Heinly) FoUweiler, and was born in Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, November 11, 1864. Daniel FoUweiler, his paternal grandfather, was a son of Barnhardt FoUweiler, a soldier of the Revolutionary war; he was a native of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, where he died well advanced in years. During his lifetime he was a prosperous farmer, and owned a farm of considerable acreage in Lynn township. His family, with himself, were members ofthe Reformed church, to which they were con sistently devoted. His marriage resulted in an issue of seven children, four sons and three daughters, one of whom, father of Warren T.,was born in Lynn township, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, April 26, 1836. , He (father) continued to reside in Lehigh county up to the year 1859, when he removed to Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, which he has since made his place of residence ; his occu pation is that of a merchant, in which he has been successful ; he began merchandising upon his first arrival in Tamaqua. In his political views he is a democrat, while his church pref erence is that of the Presbyterian. In the First Presbyterian church of Tamaqua he has been a trustee for a number of years. He married Catherine Heinly, a daughter of David and Amelia Heinly, of Berks county, Pennsylvania, on November 1, 1862. To them have been born five children. Warren T. was united in marriage with Su san Hinkley, a daughter of William and Emma Hinkley, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Novem ber 1, 1892. He was educated in the Tamaqua public schools, passing through the entire course, and at the same time learned the art of telegraphy in the Western Union telegraph office in Tamaqua. In 1 880, he was employed as a special operator by the New Jersey Cen tral Railroad, and in 1881 entered the general office of the Western Union Telegraph Com pany in New York City, being the youngest of about 600 operators ; he continued in the ser vice of this company until 1883, when he was employed by the Philadelphia Press in their bureau in New York. The next year he was transferred to the office in Philadelphia, and remained connected with the Press until 1887. This year he changed to the employ of Lowe & Co., brokers, of Philadelphia, and in 1888 went to Dennison, Texas, as an operator for the Texas Pacific Railroad Company. During the same year he went to Kansas City, Missouri, and was employed on the Kansas City Times 438 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY as a receiver of special press despatches. In 1 889 and 1890 he was employed by the Jackson ville, Tampa and Key West Railroad Company as operator during the yellow fever epidemic. In the latter year he returned north and took a position as operator in the train master's office at Tamaqua, for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, and shortly after ward was elected a member of the advisory committee of the Philadephia and Reading Railroad Relief Association. In his political belief and opinions Mr. FoU weiler is a staunch and progressive democrat, and in the spring of 1892 was elected auditor of the borough of Tamaqua on that ticket. In Noverriber of the same year he became the candidate of his party in the Third district of Schuylkill county, for representative in the State legislature, and was elected by a majority of 1086 votes over John U. Kershner, of Tus carora — the largest majority ever given in that district. Mr. FoUweiler has the distinction of being the youngest member of the lower house. In addition to unusual native ability and ver satility, he has had the benefit of a wide and varied experience with the world — its complex machinery, the great issues of social and po litical life, the various and varying conditions of public sentiment, as well as the foibles and selfish impulses which motive conduct in men. He is a young man of good judgment, dis crimination, and foresight, and, being the pos sessor of such attributes, has forced a just recognition as a public man and a private citi zen. Mr. FoUweiler is affable and courteous in manner, keeps in intelligent touch with the questions of the day, and is entitled to a con fidence that is sure to be held in sacred trust. HENRY A. WELDY, a prominent citizen and leading business man of Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in the City of Reading, Berks county, Pennsyl vania, on September 19, 1831, and is the youngest child of John and Margaret Weldy. Both his grandfather and father were natives of Reading. The former was born in 1768, married in 1797, and died in 1853. By trade he was a carpenter. Mr. Weldy's father was engaged in the hardware trade in Reading, from the age of fifteen until his death, which occurred in 1877. His mother died in the year 1835. The other members ofthe family consisted of a sister, Catherine, born in 1827, died in 1829, and one brother, Joseph, who was born in 1829 and died in 1833. Henry A. Weldy received a good common school education, and at the age of seventeen was apprenticed to B. & H. Rhein to learn the cabinet-maker's trade. At the termination of his apprenticeship, he gave up the cabinet- making business and began pattern-making, .under the employ of the Little Schuylkill Railroad Company at Tamaqua. He remained in this business from 1853 to 1862, when in March of the latter year, in company with C. F. Shindel, he bought from H. Huhn a small powder mill situated on the little Schuylkill and under the firm name of H. A. Weldy & Co., began the manufacture of blasting powder. The next year, E. F. Shindel was taken in as a partner, and under the same firm name the business was conducted until April, 1871. At that time the company sustained a serious loss through the blowing up of one of their mills. This accident led to a change in the firm ; E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co. pur chased the Messrs Shindels' interest; Mr. Weldy retaining his own interest. The busi ness since that time has been many times en- FRANK P. SPIESE. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 439 larged, and has ever since been carried on j under the old firm name of H. A. Weldy & i Co. From the commencement of the enter- | prise to the present time, the sole management ofthe business has rested in the hands of Mr. j Weldy, and its growth from small beginnings to one of the largest establishments of its kind in the county, is a sufficient testimonial to his ability as a careful and intelligent business man. Besides his connection with the powder mill, Mr. Weldy was formerly president and director of the Edison Electric Light Com pany of Tamaqua, of which he was one of the organizers. He, also, in 1888, started the Tamaqua Boot and Shoe Manufacturing Com pany, of which his son, Clarence, is manager. This factory employs forty-five persons, and the annual output is valued at about $50,000. Mr. Weldy is a republican in politics, and for ; a number of years has been a member of the Council of the borough of Tamaqua. He is j essentially a self-made man, started in life j with no resources whatever, and through energy, judicious management, and a careful husbanding of his earnings, he has reached an enviable degree of success. He is unassum ing in his manner, courteous in his attitude toward others, and merits the high esteem in which he is held. On November 19, 1854, he was united in marriage with Annie, daughter of George and Kate Lambert, of Sinking Spring, Berks county, Pennsylvania, by whom he has four children : Charles H., Kate G., John E. and Clarence S. FRANKLIN P. SPIESE, a prominent merchant of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, and well-known throughout Schuylkill county as an enterprising and energetic business man, is a son of Jacob and Hannah (Moser) Spiese, and was born in East Conventry township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, on January 20, I85S- The ancestors of our subject are of sturdy German stock, but were among the early set tlers of Northern Chester county, Pennsyl vania. George Spiese, grandfather, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, but desiring to escape the crowded centres of his own country, emi grated in 1760 to the United States, and located in Chester county, where he took up a large tract of land. Upon this tract of land he spent the remainder of his days, in clearing up and improving it, and now lies buried at Shenkle's cemetery near the scene of his in dustrious pioneer career. Upon this tract, the old homestead, Jacob Spiese, father, first saw the light of day in 1801. He learned the trade of a miller and followed it a number of years during his earlier life, but later became a tiller ofthe soil. Politically, a staunch democrat, and religi ously an ardent member and supporter of the Reformed church, he died in 1868, after living a life of industry, honesty and probity. Hannah Moser, the mother of Frank P. Spiese, was born at Douglassville, Berks county, Pennsylvania, in 1809, and died in Chester county in 1879. She was the daugh ter of John Moser, a descendant of one ofthe pioneer families of near Douglassville. The family settled in that vicinity at an early day and became a numerous and prosperous family, owning large tracts of land. The marital blending of the lives and for tunes of Jacob Spiese and Hannah Moser re sulted in the issue of nine children, five sons and four daughters. Mr. Spiese, though born in East Coventry township, Chester county, was reared in North 440 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Coventry township, whither his father removed when Franklin P. was but one year old. He was reared upon the farm and was educated at Franklin school of that township. On January 4, 1872, at the age of seventeen years, being possessed of an aspiring and ambitious spirit and eager to launch into the battle of life on his own account, he came to Tamaqua, this county, and accepted a position as clerk with his brother, in the office of the Catawissa railroad. This position he retained four months, when he was forced to resign, on account of his health. He then entered upon an apprenticeship with a carpenter and builder, serving a full term of four years. On March 8, 1877, he embarked in the wholesale and retail shoe business in Tamaqua. He at first was associated with William H. Beyel, under firm name of Beyel & Company; this alliance continued but two weeks, when Mr. Spiese purchased his partner's interest and operated the business alone until 1879 when he took into the business his brother, Henry A. Spiese, under the firm name of F. P. Spiese & Company; this business rela tion existed until May 24, 1883, when H. A. retired. He then continued the business alone until April 1, 1885, when William R. Jones was admitted to the firm, the firm still retain ing the name of F. P. Spiese & Company. From 1877 to 1879 he was engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes. Mr. Spiese has not confined himself to the mercantile business alone, but has kept pace with the spirit of the age, and his hand and influence is to be seen in many of the indus trial enterprises of his own town and the county. On July 8, 1885, he organized the Edison Electric Illuminating Company, and has been its secretary and manager ever since its organization and is its present treasurer. He is the largest stockholder in this com pany. He was also one of the organizers of the Edison Electric Light Illuminating Com pany of Pottsville, in 1889, of which company he has been a director since its organization. He is now secretary and was one of the organizers of the Tamaqua Board of Trade, organized in 1887. The Tamaqua Knitting Mills, of which he was the largest stock holder, was the direct outgrowth of the efforts of this board. He was one of the organizers and is now president of the Tamaqua and Lansford Street Railway Company, the object of which is the construction of an electric street railway between Tamaqua and Lansford and intermediate points. He is a stockholder in each ofthe following business enterprises: First National Bank of Orwigsburg; Tamaqua Banking and Trust Company ; Pottsville Arc Light Company (is one of eight who own the plant); Tamaqua Building and Loan Association, of which he is also a director. In addition to these busi ness interests of a varied nature, he is the owner of a farm in Chester county and con siderable realty in Schuylkill county. In political matters he is a democrat and takes a lively interest in all phases of the body politic, whether it be municipal, state, or national. He has served as a member of the school board of his town, and is now and has been its treasurer for a number of years, and is a life member of the School Directors' Asso ciation of Schuylkill county. On October 28, 1873, Mr. Spiese joined Camp No. 57, Pennsylvania P. O. S. of A. at Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, and in 1875 Schuyl kill Commandery, No. 1, located at Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. At Milton in 1877, he was unanimously elected State Vice-president; at Pittsburgh, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 441 in 1 890, he was elected State President, and at Gettysburg, the year following, he was elected for the second term, being the only member of the society who has the honor of being re elected to that office. His service as State President entitles him to life membership in the State Camp of Pennsylvania", and to a voice and vote in that body so long as he maintains his membership in the Order. He was one of the organizers and first president of the Citizens' Fire Company, a member of the Board of Health of Tamaqua, and its present president, and in fact in every move of a public nature in connection with his town, as well as in adjoining towns, his council and help is usually sought. On August 25, 1880, he was united in mar riage with Emma Bowden, a daughter of William Bowden, an early coal operator of Tamaqua, and a native of England. This union resulted in an issue of one child : Edna, deceased, in November, 1887. t\R. GEORGE W. BROWN (deceased), in his day a well and favorably known physician of Port Carbon, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born on July 2, 181 8, in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, a son of George and Margaret (Dougal) Brown. His father was educated at Princeton Col lege for the profession of the ministry, but on account of ill health was obliged to abandon it, and subsequently took up the study of medicine with Dr. Dougal, of Milton, North umberland county, Pennsylvania. His health was not such that he was able to go on with this profession, and after some years he drifted into politics, and was elected Prothonotary of Northumberland county. He died in Sun bury, on April 20, 18 19. His marriage to Margaret Dougal, a daughter of Dr. James Dougal, his former preceptor, resulted in the birth of three children, of which George W. : was the youngest. George W. received his education in the seminary located in Milton, Pennsylvania, and came to Pottsville when about sixteen j years of age, where he filled a clerical posi- j tion. Subsequently he went to Tamaqua and accepted a similar position, and in 1840 en tered upon the study of medicine with Dr. David Hunter, of Tamaqua. He entered i Jefferson Medical college in Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in 1844. Immediately after his graduation he located in Port Carbon, this county, where he prac ticed successfully until the time of his death, which occurred on February 23, 1890. The major part of his time and attention during life was given to the study and practice of medicine, in which profession he attained an enviable de gree of skill and efficiency. In connection* with his practice he devoted some time to the conduct of his farm, located near Port Carbon, in which he took a great amount of pleasure. Politically, he was a supporter of the Whig party, and after the organization of the Re publican party attached himself to that body. Prior to and at the time of the civil war he was a strong Abolitionist and a deep Union sympathizer. With the exception of two years, he served continuously as a member of the council of Port Carbon from the year 1854 to the time of his death. He was also a member of the school board for two terms. He was especially solicitous in behalf of the educational, church, and general municipal interests of Port Carbon, and always dis charged his duties as a citizen with zeal and fidelity. He was a member and elder of the Presbyterian church of Port Carbon, one of 442 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY the leading members of the County Medical Society, and also of the State Medical Associa tion. During his residence of almost half a century in Port Carbon he made many lasting and deep friendships throughout the county and State, and was regarded by the medical profession of the county as one of its most learned advisers. In his death the citizens of Port Carbon lost one of its most respected citizens, and the poor and suffering one of its readiest helpers and sympathizers. On November 21, 1844, Dr. Brown was united in marriage with Rebecca Tyndal, a daughter of Elijah Tyndal, of Salem, New Jersey. By this marriage there has been an issue of six children : Annie, wife of 'Dr. W. T. Beech ; Margaret, married to Dr. T. J. Birch, a practicing physician of Port Carbon ; Emily, wife of E. M. Erdman, a machinist of Port Carbon ; George W., a machinist now residing in Port Carbon, married to Mary Nuttle ; Maria, married to T. R. Reddall, an attorney-at-law resident in Shenandoah, Penn sylvania; John, married to Minnie Weakline, and at present in the drug business at Port Carbon, Pennsylvania. ^THOMAS HOY. Among the deserving and enterprising business men of Or wigsburg, Schuylkill county, none enjoy a higher standing than does Thomas Hoy. He is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Willtrout) Hoy, and was born in North Manheim town ship, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on Feb ruary 5, 1833. Philip Hoy, his paternal grandfather, as far as known, was a native of Berks county, but the greater part of his life was spent in Or wigsburg, of which place he was one of the pioneers, and consequently one of the earliest settlers in the county. He died about 1840. During his life time he took out a patent for a large tract of land, containing several hundred acres in the vicinity of Orwigsburg, and he and his sons another of about sixteen hundred acres where the city of Shenandoah now stands. Henry Hoy, father, was born on February 16, 1798, in Schuylkill county, this State, and was a life-long resident of North Manheim township and the village of Orwigs burg, at which latter place he died on April 14, 1859. At the death of his father he had come into possession of a farm, and conse quently he adopted farming as his principal occupation. In politics, he was a firm repub lican, and at one time was elected director of the poor of Schuylkill county. For many years he was a member in good standing of the Evangelical church. His marriage with Eliza beth Willtrout was fruitful in the birth of eight children: Susanna, Mary, Catherine, Reuben, Thomas, Elizabeth, Henry and Sarah. Of these Catherine and Elizabeth are deceased. Thomas Hoy was married to Sarah Faust, the daughter of Daniel Faust, of West Bruns wick township, Schuylkill county, on Septem ber 3, 1854. They are the parents of sixteen children, thirteen of whom are living : Rosa, Pancoast, George W., Annie M., Sarah, Thomas P., Dora F., Elizabeth, Cecelia, Mary A., Catherine, Morris and Carrie. Mr. Hoy was educated in the common schools of Orwigs burg, in addition to which he spent three months in the Arcadian School at Orwigsburg. He started in life as a farmer, and may be ac counted one of the most successful farmers in Schuylkill county. Aside from his real estate of one hundred and forty-seven acres in the borough of Orwigsburg, he possesses large interests in timber and mineral lands in Ly coming county, and owns five hundred acres in the State of Florida, upon which there is a OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 443 valuable fruit farm as well as lots in other towns of the state. He also possesses valu able real estate in Virginia, in joint proprietor ship with Martin Schaefer and David C. Brown, containing valuable granite quarries; besides the Central Hotel and other properties in the village of Orwigsburg. Politically, he is an active and aggressive republican, and as such has served as chief burgess, president of the town council, and of the school board of Orwigsburg for a number of years Fraternally, he is a member of Grace Lodge, No. 157, I. O. O. F. As a man of enterprise and public spirit he stands very high in his community. He was the organizer of the South Schuylkill Mutual Fire Insurance Company, of which he was president for a number of years, and it was through his efforts that the Orwigsburg Shoe Manufacturing Company was established, of which he was made general superintendent and treasurer. After disposing of his interest in connection with this company he engaged in the butchering business and the manufac ture of phosphate for some time and also took a deep interest in the erection of water-works for the borough of Orwigsburg. This latter movement met with considerable opposition at the hands of a number of citizens, but through his untiring efforts and perseverance to overcome all objections, the tide of senti ment was finally turned in its favor and the works eventually erected. Done, as this was, in a spirit of benevolence, a deep debt of grat itude is owing Mr. Hoy for his valiancy in the fight which resulted in the establishment of so beneficent an enterprise. f"\R. JAMES W. SALADE, a veterinary surgeon of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was born in Eastern Berks county, Pennsylvania, on August 14, 1850. He is a son of Abraham and Julia (Le Van) Salade. His paternal great-grandfather was born in France, and was one of the historic company that came to America with the Marquis de Lafayette to take part with the American troops in behalf of the independence of the colonies. At the close of that conflict he was not disposed to return to his native country, and consequently settled near Wo melsdorf, Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he died, honored and beloved by every patriotic citizen. George Salade, the paternal grandfather, was a native of Berks county, bom at Womelsdorf, and later removed to the Trappe, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, where he passed an industrious life as a black smith. He died in 1852, soon after his retire ment to Hereford township. Abraham Salade, father, was born at the Trappe, Montgomery county, in the year 18 10, but with his father removed to Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he died in the year 1865, at the age of fifty-five years. Abraham conducted a farm for a number of years, but afterwards aban doned it and engaged in the hotel business at Huff's Church. He was a democrat of the Jeffersonian school, held many local offices, and enjoyed the entire confidence of the people. Religiously he adhered to the doc trines of the Lutheran church. His marriage to Julia Le Van, of Maxatawny, was fruitful in the birth of eleven children, three sons and eight daughters : William, present clerk of courts of Berks county, Pennsylvania ; Sarah, married to John Weil, a resident of Greenville, Pennsylvania ; Hannah, first married to Jacob Rohrbach (deceased), and afterwards to George Hoffman, a resident of Berks county, near Huff's Church; Eliza, married to John Frohn- heiser ; and Louisa, married to George Huber, 444 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY both residing in Berks county ; James W. ; Lydia Anne, wife of Edwin Stauffer, of Here ford township ; Tillie, wife of Araham Shap pell, of Bethlehem, Lehigh county ; Abraham, a mine contractor of Macungie, Lehigh county ; Amanda, wife of John Gilbert, steward of the Berks county almshouse; and Ida, wife of John Rush, deceased at the age of twenty-four years, at Norfolk, Virginia. Dr. James W. Salade married Mary A. Covely, a daughter of David Covely, of Here ford township, Berks county, Pennsylvania. This marriage has been blessed by the birth of three children : Annie, Katie, and Ira, a very promising little fellow, bright, intelligent, and ambitious, and an athlete, the pride of his family and fairly idolized by his loving father, was killed on the Pennsylvania railroad on July 9, 1893, at the age of 12 years, 1 1 months, and 22 days. Dr. Salade's early education was obtained in the common schools of his township, and at the early age of fourteen years, through the death of his father, Abra ham, the responsibility of caring for his family was thrust upon him. Necessity forced him to seek work in the mines, and while in the pursuit of a livelihood his books were his constant companions. In this way he attained sufficient education and preparation to enable him to successfully pass an examination for a teacher's certificate. He subsequently taught six years in Berk county, Pennsylvania, dur ing one of which he was principal of the Boyertown Grammar school. Through these independent efforts he was enabled to enter Kallynnean Academy at Boyerstown, and to complete the college preparatory course at the Kutztown State Normal school. He was afterwards graduated from the Ontario Veteri nary College at Toronto, Canada, with high honor, in the class of 1883. After graduation he first located in Reading, where he remained about six months, then to Topton, where he remained for two years, and finally to Potts ville, where he has since practiced with marked success. In politics he is a staunch democrat, and served as deputy warden of the county jail from 1874 to 1875. From 1877 to 1882, he was superintendent ofthe insane asylum at Reading, and at present is deputy sheriff of Schuylkill county. He is a very popular man in the fraternal world, and holds member ship in the following well-known organiza tions: Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M. ; Oley Lodge, No. 318, I. O. O. F.; and No. 363, Junior Order of United American Me chanics. He also belongs to the Pennsyl vania State and the United States Veterinary Associations, and was the organizer and pro- motor of the Schuylkill County Mutual Bovine Association, whose object is the inspection of meats and milk. He was the first graduate ofthe Veterinary College to practice in Schuyl kill county, and his superior knowledge and practical observation have done much to ele vate the science of veterinary medicine in Schuylkill and adjoining counties. He is practically a self-made man, has won his way to recognition through difficulties, and in both his professional and civic relations has shown himself worthy ofthe highest confidence. TAflLLIAM J. OLIVER is one of the pro gressive, energetic business men of Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. He is a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Martin) Oliver, and was born in Mahanoy city, Schuyl kill county, on September 22, 1864. His father, Thomas Oliver, was an English man by birth, born at Pensnett, Staffordshire, England, April 6, 1840, and on October 27, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 445 1863, about a year after his marriage, which occurred on June 9, 1862, he emigrated to America. Shortly after his arrival he located in St. Clair, Schuylkill county, where he lived until March, 1864. Subsequent to this time he moved to Mahanoy City and leased the water level of a colliery, which, prior to its burning down in 1869, was known as Hill's colliery. This was operated under the name of the Staffordshire colliery, in conjunction with Messrs. Jones and Ward, under the firm name of Jones, Ward & Oliver, up to the year 1882. At the close of this year he changed his place of residence and business to Ta maqua, same county, where he, in company with Messrs. Swartz and Jones, leased the Greenwood colliery, of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Co., one of the oldest collieries in that region, which a number of years prior had been abandoned by the Little Schuylkill Company. Under his good business manage ment the colliery was put in successful opera tion, and since that time has yielded a very fair income. He purchased of Messrs. Swartz & Jones their interest, and continued its suc cessful operation down to the time of his death, when the property passed into the ownership of the different members of his family. In July of 1891, he purchased a large interest in the Tamaqua Manufacturing Com pany, and in October of the same year was made president of the company. In September of the same year he purchased a controlling interest in a slate quarry located at Slatington, Pennsylvania. He was also at various times interested in numerous other business enterprises, and was president of the Tamaqua branch of the Mutual Building and Loan Association of Philadelphia. In addi tion to this he possessed considerable realty, and was regarded as a substantial and enter prising business man generally. Politically, he was a prohibitionist of a very ardent and aggressive type, though upon other political and social issues he was in general concur rence with the Republican party. Fraternally he was a member of Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M., but after his removal to Tamaqua he transferred his membership to the lodge of that city. His marriage to Elizabeth Martin was followed by an offspring of nine children : William J., subject ; Abram T. and Alexander L., both residents of* Ta maqua; Thomas H., a pattern maker in the employ of the Tamaqua Manufacturing Com pany ; E. May and Edgar W., at home, and Edward F., whose death occurred at the age of six years through the accidental swallow ing of a collar button, and one boy and girl who died in infancy. The death of Thomas Oliver occurred Jan uary 16, 1892, and fitting resolutions of re spect were passed by the Tamaqua Manufac turing Company of which he was president ; by the Primitive Methodist church, and its annual and general Conferences in connection with the state and national government ot that organization. The Rev. E. Humphries, his pastor, and one in whom he always trusted as a friend and counsellor, has characterized him in the following terms : " Thomas Oliver was a diamond in the rough — one of those rare characters whose real virtues and worth become the more' apparent the deeper you get below the not over-prepossessing exterior. His worst side, if he had one, was the outside. He never sought to appear to be what he was not. Without the adornments and embellish ments of refinement and education, he won men to him by his transparent honesty and unaffected simplicity. He hated sham, despised duplicity, scorned affectation, and abhorred 446 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY hypocrisy. There was a bluntness about him which was not always pleasing, but it at least had the merit of frankness. There was no mistaking his meaning. A mean or unjust thing made his eyes flash fire, his coOntenance frown with indignation, and he was unsparing in denunciation of it. This did not always secure the best word of wrong doers ; such a man can never have the good word of every body. ' Woe unto the man of whom all speak well.' That woe was not the portion of our friend. He could not tolerate unrighteousness or smooth over with fair words a contemptible deed. He never could ride the fence on any matter ; he had his own convictions and the courage to stand by them. Yet he was not self opinionated, but would pay a respectful hear ing to reason and surrender his own opinions to truth and justice. Rising by his own in dustry, business sagacity, and indomitable push, to a position of influence and honor in the industrial and financial world, from com parative obscurity and indigence, he maintained throughout all his prosperity the same frank, open-minded, liberal-hearted, simpler-mannered Thomas Oliver, that he was at the inception of his successes. " Moreover he was a Christian. Not in the cold intellectual sense, not by a mere intellec tual assent to the doctrines of Christianity, but by a hearty, whole-souled acceptance of Christ as a personal Saviour, and" a cheerful submission to Him as a personal leader and commander. While possessing those rougher and sterner elements of character to which reference has been made, he nevertheless had a sympathetic nature. He was like the Master, touched with the feelings of human infirmities and sorrows. His eye wept at the sight of human suffering, his heart melted in the pres ence of want, and his generous hand was ever ready to relieve distress. His charities were so numerous and unostentatious, that heaven itself will alone have kept the record. The poor of Tamaqua will miss him, and the church will be impoverished through his departure." The son, William J. Oliver, was united in marriage on September 25, 1889, to Sallie A. Gregory, a daughter of Elijah Gregory, superintendent for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company's collieries at Girardville, this county. There has been born to them one child, Mabel S., who died at the age of two years and two months. Mr. Oliver was educated in the public schools of Mahanoy City, and during boyhood worked about the Staffordshire colliery, owned and operated by his father. At the age of twelve years he entered the employ of the Philadel phia and Reading and Pottsville Telegraph Company, as a messenger boy, and remained in such capacity for a period of eighteen months, during which time he learned the business of telegraphy. At the expiration of this time he accepted a position under the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, as assistant operator at Mahanoy City. After a successful service of some years in this capacity, although not yet twenty years of age, he was made station agent at that place, as well as agent for the Adams Express Company, which position he held for several years, and while the youngest agent on the line, was very suc cessful and a favorite alike with the company and its patrons. On the fifteenth of March, 1887, he resigned and came to Tamaqua to take an interest in his father's coal business, and shortly afterwards opened up a general store. Since this date he has been closely associated with his father's interests down to the present time. In October of 1891 he OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 447 became connected with the Tamaqua Manu facturing Company, and was made its Treas ' urer, to which, after his father's death, was added the office of secretary, both of which offices he still holds. He also is secretary and treasurer of the Tamaqua Branch of the Mutual Guarantee Building and Loan Associ ation of Philadelphia. At present much of his time is engaged in looking after the affairs of the estate. Mr. Oliver is a young man of promise and excellent business qualifications. In politics he has followed in the footsteps of his father, having belonged to the Republican party and later to the Prohibition party. In November, 1892, being its candidate for the Legislature in the Third Representative district. He is a member of the Primitive Methodist church and president of the Trustee Board of the Tamaqua church. Has always been an active . temperance worker, formerly belonging to the Good Templars, and is at present identified with the Roll of Honor, a temperance organi zation of Tamaqua, also a member of the Society of Christian Endeavor. Fraternally he is a member of the Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M. j^ROFESSOR J. F. DERR, A.M., the present principal of the High school in Tamaqua, is a son of Joseph and Julia (Fox) Derr, and was born on May 21, 1857, m Tul pehocken, Berks county, Pennsylvania. His grandfather, John Derr, was a native and life-long resident of the same county, where he owned a large farm and engaged in its cultivation until his death. His father was born on the same homestead in Berks county, in the year 1809, and lived in that county from birth to death. He followed the voca tion of farming, was a republican in politics, a member of the Reformed church, and died October 30, 1875. His marriage resulted in the birth of but one child, J. F., subject. Professor Derr, after leaving the public schools, entered the Keystone State Normal school, at Kutztown, Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in the class of 1880. In June, 1893, the honorary degree of A.M. was conferred upon him by Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania. After graduation, he taught for three years the Secondary school at Ironton. Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, and had also, at the same time, general supervision of the Primary grade in that town. He subsequently taught the Grammar school at Hokendauqua for a period of four years. At the expiration of this time he came to Schuylkill county and accepted the principalship of the High school in Tamaqua', which position he has very ac ceptably filled for the past six years. He is a popular teacher, a good disciplinarian, and is thoroughly familiar with the work required in schools of all grades. On questions of political significance he generally casts his vote and gives his influence to the Republican party. Fraternally, he be longs to Camp No. 525, Patriotic Order Sons of America, of which order he is a past offi cer. He is also a member of the Reformed church, in which he is an active worker, and holds the position of assistant superintendent of the Sabbath school. On July 22, 1890, Professor Derr was joined in marriage with Kate Olive, a daughter of L. F. and Catharine (Haldeman) Fritsch, of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. This union has re sulted in the birth of one child, LeRoy F., born April 28, 1892. 448 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY JESSE TURNER (deceased) was a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Springer) Turner. He was born in Newcastle, Delaware, October 24 1802, and died in Port Carbon, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, August 12, 1889. The Turners of Port Carbon are descend ants of one ofthe oldest and most respectable families that settled in the State of Delaware. Daniel Turner (formerly spelled Terneur) was a French Huguenot, driven out of France by the Edict of Nantes. After this Edict he first went to Amsterdam, Holland, under the pro tectorship of William, Prince of Orange, whence he came to this country, and settled at New Haerlem, New York. He was one of the two representatives sent to the General Provincial Assembly at New Amsterdam, on the 10th of April, 1664. One member of his family, Peter Turner, married Elizabeth Graven- roth, a descendant of Andrew Gravenroth, of Knickerbocker fame, who emigrated from Amsterdam, Holland, to New York City, where he filled the office of High Sheriff, un der Governor Peter Stuyvesant, and subse quently removed to New Rochelle. This union resulted in a family of several children, among whom was Thomas Turner, the father of the late Jesse Turner. Thomas Turner was united in marriage with Miss Springer, a descendant of one of the oldest Swedish families of Delaware. The Springer family originally came from Ower- ther, Sweden, one member of which had been private secretary to Governor Prince. They originally formed a family settlement on farms westof Wilmington and Newcastle, with which vicinity the name of Springer has been long and honorably associated. John Springer, the maternal grandfather of Jesse Turner, was one of the heroes of the Revolutionary War, and served three years in Washington's army as wagon master. He helped remove the fragment of the colonial army from Valley Forge to Yorktown after that memorable scene of deprivation and hunger, and was present at the time of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, at Yorktown. A large portion ofthe Springer family now lie buried in the old Swede church yard at Wilmington, Delaware. The union of Thomas Turner and Elizabeth Springer resulted in a family of eight children : Eliza, Jesse, subject ; John, Thomas, Caroline, Peter, Sarah A. and George W. Jesse Turner spent his childhood and youth on his father's farm in Delaware, and while yet a young man, came to Tuscarora, Schuylkill county, where he was for a number of years engaged in coal operating and mercantile pur suits. He finally dropped the latter and de voted his entire attention to the mining and shipping of coal, for which purpose he formed a partnership with Lebbeus Whitney, under the firm-name of Turner & Whitney, Mr. Turner was the first operator to carry coal by mule cars from Tuscarora to Port Carbon landing. The coal business grew rapidly in extent and importance, and he finally made his shipments to New York City and other large ports, and became largely interested in the shipping business on the old Schuylkill canal. In 1844, he disposed of his coal inter ests and accepted a position under the Phila delphia and Reading Railroad Company as weighmaster, at a site near Anthracite Hall, where he took account of all the coal shipped from the Tamaqua Valley. He held this posi tion until the year 1885, when he retired en tirely from active business. In his earlier days he manifested an active interest in the public affairs of his town, and served a number of years as a director of schools. He was also for OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 449 years prior to his death a director of the Miners' National Bank of Pottsville. Mr. Turner was deeply impressed with the importance of systematic church work, and was one of the organizers of the First Presby terian church of Port Carbon. On April I, 1831, he was instrumental in organizing a Sabbath school in connection with that church, in the old stone building now standing on Coal street, Irishtown, an addition to Port Carbon, of which he was one of the first superintend ents. He continuously held that position for a period of nearly fifty years, besides taking an almost unprecedented interest in all other lines of church work. The greater part of the time of his superintendency he also filled the office of church elder. Mr. Turner was first united in marriage to Ruth T. Foster, a daughter of Dr. Jeremiah J. Foster, for a number of years a practicing physician in Woodbury, New Jersey, but later in life a respected citizen of Port Carbon. This marriage was blessed with six children, three sons and three daughters. There are now living two sons. His second wife, who still survives him, was Miss Matilda Le Huray, of Summit, N. J., daughter of Nicholas Le Huray, deceased, of Philadelphia. William W., born October 1, 1847, m P°rt Carbon, Schuylkill county, was married July, 1872, to Kate E., a daughter of Robert Allison, of Port Carbon. By this marriage there have been born five children : Harriet Thompson, Jesse, Mary, Willie and Annie. William W. Turner received his education in the common schools of Port Carbon and at the Friends' Central High school at Philadel phia. He learned the business of a druggist with D. S. Jones, of Philadelphia, but after two years gave up the drug business and accepted a position with the Moshannan Land and 29 Lumber Company, of Osceola Mills, Clear field county, Pennsylvania. In 1 871, he came to Port Carbon as a bookkeeper for Allison & Bannan, proprietors of the Franklin Iron Works. He continued with this firm unin terruptedly until March 10, 1887, when the firm of Robert Allison's Sons was formed, and he became one of the partners in the new business. His particular function is to take charge of the books, correspondence and finan cial affairs of the concern. Since 1883, he has also been secretary of the Port Carbon Elec tric Light, Heat and Power Company. He is a republican in politics. He has always taken a great interest in the musical affairs of his town and is one of the board of control of the chartered Musical Association, of Port Carbon. The third son of Jesse Turner, Frank N., was born in Port Carbon, September 30, 1852. He was educated in the public and private schools and at the Friends' Central High school at Philadelphia, and spent a short time as a student at Swarthmore College, Delaware county, Pennsylvania. He further prepared for college in Tuscarora academy, Juniata county, from which he entered Le high University, at South Bethlehem, Penn sylvania, paying special attention in the latter institution to the subject of mathematics. By reason of an accident at the University, he went to Blair Presbyterian academy, Blairs- town, New Jersey, and after graduation here in 1873, entered Lafayette college, at Easton, Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1877. In the autumn of 1877 he matricu lated in Princeton Theological seminary, but on account of ill-health was obliged to retire in the spring of 1878. He returned home, where he remained until 1880, at which time he went to Kansas, where he remained a short time, and then returned to Rendville, Perry 450 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY county, Ohio, where he entered the employ of the Sunday Creek Coal Company. With this company he remained until April, 1 88 1, when he formed a partnership in general store busi ness with Charles Carter, under the firm-name of Carter & Turner, which remained in force until February, 1884. At this time he received an appointment as a clerk in the Miners' National Bank of Pottsville, and sustained his connection with it until September 1, 1892, when he associated with him Frank J. Sheafer, of Pottsville, in the Real Estate, Insurance, and General Commission business, under firm- name of Sheafer & Turner. In September, 1882, he married Ada H. Eshleman, a daughter of Benjamin Eshleman, and great-granddaughter of John Potts, found er of Pottsville. To them have been born three children: F. Warren, born June 17, 1883 ; Ruth Thompson, born March 25, 1885I; Thomas Norton, born October 12, 1888. Mr. Turner is in politics a republican, and in his church affiliations, a member of Port Carbon Presbyterian church, with which he is prominently connected as superintendent of the Sabbath school and elder. He was one of the organizers of the Philadelphia Shoe Manufacturing Company of Port Carbon, and is president of that concern. Also, a member of the Board of Control, of the Port Carbon Musical Association, of which he was one of the organizers, and at present one of its most active members ; also member of Board of Directors of the Public Schools of his nattve borough. e> O-AMUEL FRACK, is the son of Daniel *"* and Mary (Balliet) Frack, and was born in North White Hall township, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, July 22, 1832. His grandfather, Michael Frack, was born in Northampton and lived in Northampton county, but moved later to -Lehigh county, where he died. He was a farmer by vocation. He married Hannah Ruch, and had a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters. The eldest of these sons, Daniel Frack, father, was born in Northampton county in 1803. From that county, together with his family, he moved in 18 10 to Lehigh county, where he lived until J 83 3, in which year he came to St. Clair, Schuylkill county, when he engaged in the hotel business in St. Clair until 1842, at which time, in connection with Michael Seltzer, he engaged in the manufacture of blasting powder, under the firm-name of Seltzer & Frack. In 1843, he engaged in coal operating in connection with Daniel Sheaffer and Frederick Frey, under firm-name of Frack, Sheaffer & Co., operating a colliery near Wadesville, this county. In 1850, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, upon a part of which about one-half of the thriving little borough of Frackville now stands. In 1852, he located upon the tract and laid out the eastern part of the town. For three years he devoted himself to farming pursuits, but in 1855, he again engaged in the hotel business in connection with his agricul tural pursuits. He died in Frackville on November 7, 1890. He was a prominent member of the Lutheran church, serving as an elder and trustee in Zion's German Luth eran church of Frackville. His union with Mary Balliet resulted in the following issue: Leonora, Samuel and Daniel B. QNTHONY J. REICHLEY, JR., a min ing timber merchant of St. Clair, this county, is a son of Anthony J. and Savina (Scheuffler) Reichley, and was born in New- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 451 castle, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, June 25, 1864. His father, Anthony J. Reichley, was born in Wiirtemburg, Germany, in 1826, and emi grated to this country in 1847, locating at Newcastle, where he has since lived, being now the second oldest man in the place. He has followed the vocation of a laborer all his life. He married Savina Scheuffler, a daughter of Godfrey Scheuffler, a native and former resi dent of Newcastle, who removed to Kansas in 1873, where he now lives. Their union was blessed with a family of three children, two sons and one daughter : Anna, married to George Arnot, a butcher of St. Clair; Anthony J., subject ; and Frederick, living at St. Clair. Mr. A. J. Reichley, Jr., was reared at New castle, this county, and educated in the public schools. In 1870, he removed to St. Clair, where he has since resided. In 1885, he embarked in the mining timber business, sup plying the mines with all kinds of mining timber. He owns large tracts of timber lands in Schuylkill and Mifflin counties of this State, and does a large and extensive business in this line, probably the largest busi ness of the kind in this section. He is a self- made, successful business man, of great force and energy of character, and shrewd business tact. He is a member of the Reformed church, and takes a laudable interest in church work. He is a member of Anthracite Lodge, No. 285, F. and A. M., of St. Clair, Pennsyl vania. He married on February 28, 1890, Carrie Gwinner, a daughter of Jacob Qwinner, of St. Clair, by whom he has one son, Ray mond. f^HARLES HENDERSON, one of the ^ oldest residents of St. Clair, who was formerly identified with a number of business interests of Schuylkill county, is a son of Robert and Frances (Quinsy) Henderson, and was born at Elliott, Maine, July \2, 18 12. His father, Robert Henderson, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and emigrated to this country when a boy with his parents. He was a seafaring man and owned a ship. During the war of 18 12 he quit following this life, and engaged in the mercantile business at Portsmouth N. H., at which business he con tinued the remainder of his active life. He was married to Miss Frances Quinsy, by whom he had a family of six children, four sons and two daughters. ' Mr. Henderson, at the early age of eleven years, began a seafaring life, and at the age of sixteen years he was made second mate, the second officer of his vessel, sailing out of Portsmouth, N. H., to various ports. He con tinued as a sailor until 1837, having been pro moted until, finally, he had almost full charge of the ship. In the latter year he went to visit his brothers, Edmund K. and Alexander, at Pottsville, Pa., who urged him to relinquish sea life, which he finally consented to do. He went into mercantile business on his own account at Pottsville in August, 1837, continu ing therein for eight months, after which he went to Wadesville, this county, remaining there a short time, then returned to Pottsville, intending to go to Philadelphia, thence to sea again, but through the persuasion of Mr_ Burd Patterson he went to work at the " Old Pioneer Furnace " at $3.50 per week, and was soon made manager of that furnace, in which capacity he continued up to 1841 or '42. During this time he was called upon to open up the Catasaqua furnace, which had 452 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY been chilled by its manager. In 1842 he be came superintendent of the Eagle Hill col liery, operated by his brothers E. K. & A. Hen derson, continuing as such for one and one-half years. He was then engaged by Mr. Benj. F. Pomeroy to start the Schuylkill Valley furnace, formerly located above New Philadelphia, Schuylkill county, which furnace is now extinct ; he went there and managed it for a short time. Then he accepted the posi tion of superintendent of the Old Pinkerton, or St. Clair colliery, from 1843 to 1852. At this time he was employed by a New York firm as an expert to visit and examine a colliery in Illinois. Returning to St. Clair soon after, he was placed in charge as super intendent, of a colliery near St. Clair, owned and operated by Mr. George W. Snyder, and continued as superintendent for him until 1861, when he took charge of another colliery at St. Clair for one month. After this he took charge of two collieries for the Star Coal Co., one colliery being located at Minersville and one at Silver Creek, this county, remaining with them until the company failed in 1863. In 1868 he was prevailed upon to go up to the Buck mountains and take charge of the operations at the four slopes of the Buck Mountain Coal Company, whose mines were then drowned out. He soon had them in good condition and the mines again in opera tion, and he continued with the company until 1870, when the Mollie Maguires drove him away, they having assaulted and left him for dead, as they supposed, at the mines. Since then he has lived a retired life at St. Clair, having accumulated a nice competency, enjoying the ease and comfort that is befitting a man who has been in years past such an active business man. "p J. KIRLIN is one of the leading citi- '-. ^"*# zens and most substantial business men of Port Clinton, this county. He is a son of Elias and Margaret (Packer) Kirlin, and was born in Union township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, on January 29, 1826. Mr. Kirlin is descended from an old and honorable Swedish ancestry. The name is Anglicised from the German-Swedish " Kue- nen." The American family line is traceable back to the time of the emigration of six families of Swedish emigrants to the United States in the early part of the seventeenth century. Subsequent to their arrival they came to Eastern Pennsylvania, and settled near what is now known as Boyerstown, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and they and their posterity have been closely identified with the growth and development of Eastern Pennsyl vania. Grandfather John Kirlin was born in Douglasville, Berks county, Pennsylvania, of which county he was a life-long resident. He was a miller by trade, and during the war of 1 81 2 owned and operated a gun-barrel manu facturing establishment near Reading, Penn sylvania. From this establishment many guns were manufactured to supply the soldiers during the war of 1812. In his political pro clivities he was a whig, and in church matters he allied himself with the Methodist Episcopal church. He was united in marriage with a Miss Jones, of Chester county, Pennsylvania. Elias Kirlin, father of E. J., was born in Union township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, in 1796, and died in the same county in Janu ary, 1879. ln the early part of his life, he was a sickle-maker by trade, and also carried on farming. He was a very successful farmer, and was a man of influence in the neighbor hood in which he lived. During the greater portion of his life, he was interested in the boat- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 453 ing traffic on the Schuylkill canal simultaneous with his other lines of work. He was a re publican in politics, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was twice married. His first marriage was celebrated with Mary Wolf, which resulted in no issue. Subsequent to the death of his first wife he was united in marriage with Margaret Packer, by whom he had a family of two sons and two daughters that grew to maturity. Maternal grandfather, Jacob Parker, was a native of Chester county, Pennsylvania, and served in the war for Independence, under the command of General Washington. He parti cipated in the battles of Brandywine, German- town, and other engagements in the vicinity of the Delaware. By trade he was a shoe maker, and died at the. age of ninety-two years. E. J. Kirlin was joined in marriage with Caroline Diener, a daughter of Peter Diener, of West Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on May 30, 1850. This marriage has been productive of a family of nine children : Elias "H., married to Mary Roeherbach, now residing in Schuylkill Haven, in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, as train dispat cher ; Alonza A., married to Kate Rishel, and now residing in Port Clinton, a coal shipper by occupation ; Veidella, wife of Josiah Rub- right, foreman of Burnside colliery near Sha mokin, Pennsylvania; George E., a shoe mer chant and postmaster of Port Clinton ; Nora A., wife of William H. Hartman, a coal mer chant residing in Williamsport, Pennsylvania ; Elwood M., married to Annie Mohl, and at present engaged in the manufacture of brick at Port Clinton ; Maggie E., wife of John H. Shades, of Reading, Pennsylvania ; Carrie E. and Charles P., at home. Mr. Kirlin received his education in the public schools and at the private school of Professor Stetlers of Berks county, Pennsyl vania. After completing a course here, he learned the tailor trade, and afterwards pur sued this line of work for a period of five years. At the time of his arrival at Port Clin ton he was almost penniless, but through per sistent effort and a never-failing courage, he at once, set to work and placed himself upon a better financial footing. In 1846, he received an appointment as freight agent under the Schuylkill and Philadelphia Railroad Com pany at Port Clinton. He continued in this position until 1865, when he engaged in the mercantile business at Port Carbon for two years. In 1866 he removed to Franklin, Venango county, Pennsylvania, and engaged in oil speculating, where he continued for about a year. After this venture he returned to Port Clinton and took charge of the Cen tral Hotel, which he continued to conduct until the fall of 1868. At this time he went to Savannah, Georgia, and engaged in the dyster-fishing business for a short time. After his return to Schuylkill courity, he began shipping coal, which business engaged his attention until January, 1869. Upon this latter date he was appointed mail agent between Williamsport and Port Clinton, and remained in that position until July 8, 1874. Subse quent to this date, he again returned to Port Clinton and began the manufacture of brick in West Brunswick township, under the firm style of E. J. Kirlin & Co., which he has since continued to follow. In 1886 he became a stock holder and director in the Keystone Dynamite and Powder Company, which com pany was dissolved in 1888, and was super seded by the Globe Dynamite and Powder Company, of which Mr. Kirlin is president. 454 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY The works of this company are located at Stony Creek, four miles west of Port Clinton, whose annual output is valued at $25,000. Mr. Kirlin is a republican in politics, and served as justice of the peace since 1853, an<^ has served as chief burgess almost continu- ouslysince 1856. He is a member of Schuyl kill Lodge, No. 138, F.and A. M.,with which he became connected On February 22, 1848. In his business, social and fraternal relations he is regarded as a man of energy, enterprise and many sterling qualities of character. During his life he has had a large and varied experience with men and affairs, which proves of valuable assistance to him in his present business. He is popular, and stands high in the estimation of the citizens of Port Clinton. f^HARLES. A. MECK. Among the active ^^ and enterprising business men of Schuyl kill county must be mentioned the name of Charles A. Meek, of Schuylkill Haven, a son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Meek. He was born in Heidelberg township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, on June 16, 1831. His paternal grandfather, Samuel Meek, was a native of Germany, and emigrated at an early day to this country, locating in Berks county, Pennsylvania, from which county he entered the United States military service in the war of 1 812, and offered his life upon the altar of his adopted country. His father, Benjamin Meek, was born in Berks county, in 1807, and died in Bechtel township, same county, in 1890, at the age of eighty -three years. He had been a life-long resident of that county, was a farmer by occupation, and in that business reached a creditable degree of success, having been the owner at the time of his death of four farms. He was a democrat in politics, and for many years held member ship in the German Reformed church. In point of character he was an industrious man of strictly temperate habits and propensities, and held in high esteem in the community in which he lived. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Ruth, a daughter of Jacob Ruth, a native of Berks county, and a prominent resi dent of Sinking Springs. Charles A. Meek passed his boyhood on his father's farm until he attained the age of four teen years, during which time he had also assiduously applied himself in an effort to obtain a mastery of the rudimentary subjects then taught in the schools. At the end of this period «he accepted a clerkship in a store located in Freystown, Berks county, where he remained until the year 1850. He then came to Schuylkill Haven, this county, and entered a store as a clerk, where he remained for a period of one year. In 185 1 he embarked in the mercantile business in partnership with B. F. Ketner, which association remained in force until the year i860, when Mr. Meek purchased the interest of his partner and conducted busi ness independently. Soon after this time he began the conduct of a lumber business, and finally, after twenty-nine years' successful ex perience in the mercantile line, dropped the latter altogether. Since 1880 he has pushed out extensively* into the lumber business, and has formed many business alliances, which make his interests quite varied and complicated. To show something of the nature and extent of his business, it is sufficient to make mention of a farm of one hundred and thirty-eight acres, situated in Pine Grove township, this county, and another of four hundred and eight acres in Wolf township, Lycoming county, this State ; also two of one hundred CHARLES A. MECK. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 455 and twenty acres in Washington township, this county, owned by Messrs. Meek, Boyer, and Keaver, and the firms with which he is con nected. In connection with Keaver and Strunck, he is the owner of a farm of one hundred and thirty-eight acres in East Bruns wick township, this county. Another tract of land of one hundred and forty-three acres in the same county is deeded* to Meek and Stump. In Northumberland county he is part owner of four thousand five hundred acres of timber land, and in Center county, with Mr. Nagle, possesses sixty thousand, three hundred acres, upon which they have built eight miles of railroad for purposes of developing its timber and mineral resources. In connection with F. J. Simon, under the firm-name of Meek & Simon, Mr. Meek has a large cattle ranch in Colorado, besides owning large undivided interests in both town and country properties in and about Schuylkill Haven, At Mt. Carmel, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, in connection with Nagle & Philips, he operates a large colliery under the name of the Femdale Coal Com pany. In addition to these many branches of industry, he does considerable business in the line of contractor and builder, bearing something of the same nature as the aforesaid industries. Notwithstanding the fact that business in terests have a large claim upon Mr. Meck's time and energies, yet he finds time to perform his duties socially and civically. He takes an active part in the different branches of church work, and is connected with the Reformed church of Schuylkill Haven, in which he has been a communicant for many years. In poli tics he allies himself with the Republican party, but takes no interest further than the desire and the effort to bring about a good and harmonious administration of public affairs. He has served for a period of fifteen years as a member of the school board of Schuylkill Haven,1 and amidst pressing duties from other sources has always found time and manifested a readiness to do what he could to advance the educational interests of his town and county. Mr. Meek was united in marriage with Miss Priscilla Hartman, a daughter of Daniel Hart man, of Bethel township, Berks county, which union has resulted in an issue of seven chil dren : Pierce, a physician, graduated from Jefferson Medical cqllege, Philadelphia, located at Nanticoke, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, where he is in the active practice of his pro fession .; Milton, a clerk in his father's office ; Thomas, a merchant of Schuylkill Haven ; Jennie, wife of M. F. Nagle, associated with Mr. Meek in the lumber business ; Hattie, wife of H. A. Hesser, an insurance agent of Schuylkill Haven ; Kate, wife of Charles F. Derr, foundryman of Pottsville. JOSEPH DOLAN, a substantial and well- known business man of Pottsville, the youngest son of Hugh and Mary (Heslin) Dolan, was born in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, May 20, 1842, and died in the same place June 14, 1893. His father, a native of Langford, Ireland, came to the United States about the year 18 17, and settled in the vicinity of Pottsville; after remaining here a short time, he removed to Northumber land county, but in 1837 returned to Pottsville, where he continued to reside until his death (at the age of seventy-five years) in 1872. In his early manhood he learned the trade of car penter and builder, which business became his life's occupation. Many of the improvements 456 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY in Pottsville were made under his supervision, or during the period of his residence there ; he also built a number of boats for the Schuyl kill canal. Politically, he was a lifelong demo crat, and in his religious affiliations was a mem ber of the Roman Catholic church. He took a strong interest in church matters, and was instrumental in the erection of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church, in Pottsville. His family consisted of seven children : Thomas (deceased), Michael, Elizabeth (deceased), James, Anna (deceased), Francis (deceased), and Joseph (deceased). Joseph Dolan married, in 1872, Mary J. Homer, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This union resulted in the birth of five children, four ofwhom survive him: Hugh, Mark, Paul, and Louisa. Mr. Dolan was educated in the public schools of Pottsville. After leaving school, he learned the trade of carpenter and builder, which he plied for fifteen years. After this time he engaged in railroad contracting, bridge-building, and tunneling, in which he did a large business for ten or twelve years. During the last six years he made a specialty of tunneling, in which line he established a reputation second to none, and enjoyed the distinction of driving, in a single month, a greater number of yards than are of record of any known contractor in the world in the same length of time. During the late civil war Mr. Dolan was a staunch supporter ofthe Union; in 1861 he enlisted in Company I, 16th regiment, Penn sylvania volunteers; he was at the battle of Falling Waters and other engagements. His brothers, Francis, Thomas, and James, also did military service. Francis enlisted in Com pany I, 69th regiment, New York volunteers, in 1 86 1, and served until his death, which re sulted from a wound received in the battle of Fredericksburg. James served in the United States navy under Admiral Farragut; he en listed at the beginning of the war, and after participating in nearly all the engagements of the Mississippi campaign, remained in the ser vice until the close of the war. Thomas en listed in the 3d Confederate cavalry of Louisi ana in 1 861, was wounded and captured whilst skirmishing in Kentucky, came home, and died in Pottsville. As his father, Joseph Dolan was in religion, a Roman Catholic, and in politics, a demo crat; he was appointed and served as deputy sheriff by and during the term of Sheriff Wil liam J. Matz ; subsequently-was warden of the Schuylkill county prison for three years, and has served as a member of the city council. Unassuming, reserved, and quiet in manner, yet a strong man, his word was a bond,- his integrity unquestioned. His friends — and all who knew him were his friends — mourning his loss, will ever keep his memory green. Few are they to whom the poet's lines are more appropriate, or whose lives have been by them more fully exemplified, than by the subject of this sketch — " Honor and fame from no conditions rise ; Act well your part — there all the honor lies.'' J WILLIAM BEECHER, one of Schuyl- • kill county's well-known business men, is a son of Orson and Angeline (Zimmerman) Beecher, and was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, June 23, 1850. His grand father, John Beecher, was a native of Massa chusetts. His great grandfather was Thomas Beecher, of the. famous Beecher family of Massachusetts. John Beecher died in Wil liamsport, January 5, 1859, where he had gone to reside a few years prior to his death. His OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 457 business was that of a railroad contractor, and to him is due the distinction of having built one of the first roads in the State, that from Blossburg to Corning, in 1834. His marriage resulted in the birth of six children, four sons and two daughters. His father, Orson Beecher, was also born in Wellsboro, Tioga county, the date of whose birth was the year 18 15. From this place he moved to Camden, New Jersey, where he remained for a period of twenty years. He afterward went to Virginia, and finally returned to Pine Grove, Schuylkill county, where he now re sides. While in Camden, New Jersey, he was a wholesale coal dealer. His family included three children: J. William, the subject; Ella C. and Orson, Jr. John William Beecher was educated in the public schools of Camden, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, and at the Polytechnic College, Philadelphia, from the latter of which he was graduated in the class of 1870. After gradu ation he engaged in civil engineering and con tinued this class of work until 1875, when he entered the lumber business with William Zimmerman his grandfather on the maternal side, under the firm name of Zimmerman & Beecher. Subsequent to this C. K. Sober be came a member of the. firm, and it was then styled Zimmerman, Beecher & Sober. After the death of Mr. Zimmerman, the firm became Beecher & Sober, and was finally dissolved in January, 1893. -In 1887, the Glen Union Lumber Company was organized and Mr. Beecher elected treasurer. The seat of this company's operations is at Glen Union, Clin ton county, Pennsylvania. Beside this busi ness interest, he is connected with the lumber business of Center, Clearfield and Schuylkill counties, in all of which he is an owner of timber lands for himself and in conjunction with other parties, aggregating about forty- five thousand acres. In his own city he is director of the Schuylkill' Electric Railroad Company. The early life of Mr. Beecher was passed in Camden, New Jersey, and it was not until 1886, that he became a resident of Pottsville, though prior to that time he had considerable business connections with it. He is a man of excellent business qualities, careful and cal culating at every step. To this and his ex ecutive ability he owes a great deal of his material success. He married Sarah A. Kline, daughter of Wellington Kline, of Potts ville, January 10, 1884, by whom he has one son, Harold K. Mr. and Mrs. Beecher are members of the Methodist church. /"GEORGE W. SNYDER, formerly a prom- ^^ inent citizen of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 14, 1805, and died in October, 1887. His childhood and youth were spent in the city of his nativity, and he there also received a public school and academic education. After the completion of his education he apprenticed himself to learn the trade of a machinist, and for a number of years followed that vocation in Philadelphia. In the year 1835 he removed from Philadelphia to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and entered into partnership with Benjamin Haywood, of the latter place, under the firm name of Haywood & Snyder, the purpose of which partnership was the manufacture of boilers, engines, pumps and mining machinery in general. This partnership continued in force until about the year 1850, when Mr. Haywood retired and was succeeded by the late Benjamin Milnes. Snyder & Milnes con tinued to do business until 1854, after which 458 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY date the shops were managed and controlled by Mr. Snyder alone down to the year 1882; at this latter date he retired from active busi ness and spent the remainder of his days in quiet retirement. The shops of Mr. Snyder were located on the present site of what are now known as the upper shops of the- Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. During the period of his management a large and profitable busi ness was developed ; and in the extent of out put, as well as in character of work, the works ranked third in the state. The plants leading were the Bush Hill Iron Works of Philadel phia, and the Ft. Pitt Iron Foundry of Pitts burgh. In addition to his iron interests Mr- Snyder was also one of the largest coal opera tors in Schuylkill county, and for a number of years was actively identified with this industry- He operated at various places among which were Young's Landing, St. Clair, Silver Creek) W est West and Mill Creek. Mr. Snyder was a man of intelligence, honor and great enterprise. He manifested skill and tact in the management of his personal affairs, and at the same time was alive to the interests of the public and private good. His public spirit, active life, charitable disposition and many excellent qualities made him a well- known figure in Schuylkill county. He was united in marriage with Isabella Cumming, a sister of Benjamin Cumming, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in the year 1838. Mrs. Snyder died in 1884, at the age of sixty- seven years. By this union there was an issue of ten children : Baird, residing in Pottsville, Pennsylvania; George H., deceased; Louis and Ada, deceased ; Isabella, wife of George S. Clemment, of Pottsville; Edwin, late of New York City, and Emily. Three were deceased in infancy. fVOLONEL JOHN M. WETHERILL. ^^ The following sketch of the career of Col. Wetherill is substantially that contained in the "Biographical Encyclopedia of Penn sylvania," with a few additional facts : Colonel John Macomb Wetherill, a soldier and well known citizen of Pottsville, Pennsyl vania, was born in Philadelphia, February 11, 1828, and is the son of Dr. William and Isa bella (Macomb) Wetherill. His great-grand father, Samuel Wetherill, was a member of the Society of Friends ; but when the Revolution ary war opened, discarded the peculiar tenets of that society in regard to non-resistance, and took up arms on behalf of the patriotic cause, deeming it proper in certain cases to act in defence of civil rights. He was the founder ofthe sect of the Free Quakers (sometimes called "Fighting Quakers"), and, aided by others, erected the meeting-house at the southwest corner of Fifth and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, now occnpied by the Appren tices' Library, and to the building fund of which both Washington and Lafayette con tributed. John M. received a liberal educa tion at the University of Pennsylvania, and at the age of eighteen he removed to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in the busi ness of managing coal lands and mines in Schuylkill county, then in possession of his family. When he arrived there it was entirely undeveloped ; the theories of mining coal were crude and the principles of practical mining had not been applied or discovered. The undulating character of the veins and the basins which they formed was not known. While these lands were under his manage ment the theories which had been projected respecting them were practically proved and applied. In their investigation he was promi nent and indefatigable. Much credit is, there- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 459 fore, due to hirh for the successful and far- ! reaching results since obtained. In his ex perimentation he was characterized by enter prise and courage, and he did so at the cost of much time, labor and large expenditure of means. Col. Wetherill has always taken a promi- * nent part in politics and holds closely to Dem ocratic principles. In 1857 he was the candi date of his party for State Senator in his dis- ; trict, but owing to a division in its ranks he was defeated by Hon. Robert M. Palmer. Since he attained his majority he has always been an enthusiast in military affairs. He entered a volunteer company as a private, and was successively elected major, lieutenant- colonel and colonel. At the outbreak of the late civil war he immediately joined the army upon the first call made by the President for volunteers. On the 19th of April, 1861, he was mustered into the service as aide-de-camp and acting assistant adjutant-general, with the rank of captain, and was attached to Keim's division of General Patterson's command. This was a three months' term of service, at the expiration of which he entered the 82d regiment, Pennsylvania infantry, as major, in which he served three years and one month. This regiment formed a part of the sixth army corps of the army of the Potomac, and saw a maximum amount of service. A short time prior to the battle of Gettysburg (June 14, 1863), he received promotion to the rank of lieutenant-colonel for his gallant and merito rious services. He served in the battles of Yorktown, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, the seven days' fight before Richmond, Malvern, Chantilly, Antietam, Williamsport, Fredericks burg, Gettysburg, Funkstown, Rappahannock Station, Mine Run, North Anna, Tolopotomy, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and Fort Stevens, and was in the campaign on the Shenandoah under General Sheridan. His courage and general military conduct during the war chal lenged the attention of his superior officers, especially at the battle of Cold Harbor, where Colonel Bosset was wounded and the com mand of the regiment devolved upon him. He was mustered out of service September 16, 1864, at the expiration of his term, having done his duty bravely and nobly, and shown himself a fearless soldier and gallant officer. On his return home he resumed the man agement of his estates, which were sold to the Reading Railroad Company in 1871, though he continued to superintend them until July 1, 1873. Since that time he has done little in an active business way beyond looking after \ his own private business interests. He was chosen delegate to the Constitutional Conven tion held in Philadelphia during 1872 and 1873, and gave a good account of his steward ship. In that body he served as a member of the committee on manufactures, mining and commerce and proved himself a useful mem ber in shaping legislation for the benefit of the coal interest. He has ever been a use ful, honorable and consistent member of his party, seeking no remuneration, but laboring in its ranks from conscientious and patriotic motives, never having held office save in the instance referred to. His distinguished patriot ism in the cause of his country and his efforts for the advancement and uplifting of society generally, mark him as a man of generous and unselfish impulses. He is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., Gowen Post, No. 23, G. A. R., of which he is past commander, Encampment No. 19, Union Veteran Legion, and of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, Commandery of the State of 460 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Pennsylvania. He is also the present presi dent of the Game Protective Association, in which he takes a strong interest. TA> CLLNTON KEPNER, a descendant of * an old and respected family, and one of the first settlers of Schuylkill county, and the enterprising member- and manager of the Shoe Manufacturing Company of Kepner, Scott & Co., of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania, was born September 18, 1859, near New Ringgold, Schuylkill county, and is the son of Bernard and Mary (Richards) Kepner. The Kepner family is of German lineage, the family having settled several generations ago in Schuylkill county (then Berks), whence Bernard Kepner, paternal grandfather, pur chased a large tract of land in the vicinity of Kepner village which was named for him. On this tract of land he cleared up a farm, and devoted the remainder of his days to the till ing of the same, also following lumbering and general mercantile business. On the old homestead, Bernard Kepner was born, reared, and educated at Newtown acad emy, and with the exception of fourteen years, during which he lived in Montgomery county engaged in the produce business, he has always lived in Schuylkill county, and since 1862 in Orwigsburg. On December 25, 1849, he married Mary, a daughter of William Richards, a native of Boyertown, Pa. To this union have been born seven children: Kate, the wife of D. D. Dubert, a merchant of Auburn, Schuylkill county ; Sallie, the wife of O. D. Schock, a resident of Hamburg, Berks county, Pennsylvania, and in the em ploy of the Department of Agriculture at Harrisburg ; Samuel R., in the tobacco trade at Orwigsburg, Franklin, died 1857; Dora; W. Clinton ; and Ella. After receiving all that could be obtained in the way of an education in the public schools of Orwigsburg, Mr. Kepner entered the school room as a teacher, for two terms in 1 879-80-8 1 , in West Brunswick township, this county. Teaching did not offer the proper induce ments for the exercise of his energies and the development of his ambition, and he, accord ingly, entered the employ of the Orwigsburg Shoe Manufacturing Company, as a clerk, for about one year, when he went upon the road for the same company as a traveling salesman, until 1885. During all this time Mr. Kepner had been a close student of the details .that enter into the successful manufacture and sale of shoes, and felt that at this time he was I fully competent to make, a venture into the business on his own account. He became a | member of the firm of Beck, Haeseler & Co., which continued until 1887, when Mr. John C. Beck retiring, the business was continued under the caption of Kepner, Haeseler & Co., until 1890, when Mr. C. H. Haeseler was superseded in the firm by Alexander Scott, of Frackville, Schuylkill county, and the firm name changed to Kepner, Scott & Co., — its present style. The factory is a well-equipped frame building, ninety feet front by forty deep, and three stories high. The enterprise gives ! employment to seventy-six hands, including six traveling salesmen that carry the products | of the factory throughout the states of the I South and West. Mr. Kepner is a staunch democrat, and has i held various local municipal offices. He is at present a member of the school board of his borough. He stands high in Masonry, being a member of Schuylkill Lodge, No. 138, F- and A. M. ; Mountain City Chapter, No. 196. R. A. C, of Pottsville; and Constantine Com mandery, No. 41, Knights Templar of Potts- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 461 ville. He is an active member of the Lutheran church, of which he is treasurer. On Decem ber 31, 1889, he married Ella Rauch, daughter j of Amelia Rauch. To this union has been born one child, Mildred, born August 3, 1891. Mr. Kepner is truly a representative man of the thriving and prosperous borough of Or wigsburg, and is truly typical of that push and enterprise which has built up its chief en terprise — the shoe industry. (> LORENZ SCHMIDT, the founder and ^¦** until his death the proprietor of the Mount Carbon Brewery, one of the most sub stantial business enterprises of Mount Carbon, a suburb of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was a son of Andrew and Margaret Schmidt, and was born in Burghaslach, Bavaria.Germany, August 1, 1845. At the age of fifteen years he was indentured to learn the trade of a brewer. After learning the trade he followed the same in his native country until 1872, the time at which he emi grated to the United States. He located in Reading, Pennsylvania, where, for five years, he was employed by the well-known firm of Lauer & Co., brewers. In 1877 he leased of Mr. Lauer what was then known as the Orchard Brewery of Potts ville, now extinct, and removed to Mount Car bon and operated that brewery "until 1887. In 1886 he erected what is known as the Mount Carbon brewery, and it was put in operation in May, 1887. This brewery he operated up to his death, August 20, 1893, since which time it has been operated by his estate. The brewery is located on Centre and Main streets, Mount Carbon,and is a fine brick building, one hundred and thirty-five feet front by forty feet deep. The brewery proper is four stories high. The ice house is an ample building, three stories high. The building throughout is equipped with the most improved machinery. It gives employ ment to eighteen hands, and the annual out put is about fourteen thousand barrels. Mr. Schmidt was a member of the German Luthe ran church and of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M. On November 20, 1872, he was united in marriage with Miss M. Theresia Peters, a daughter of Anton Peters of Prussia. This union resulted in the issue of eight chil dren; four are living: William J., G. Lorenz, Edward F., and Frederick E., all at home. Mr. Schmidt's career stands as a typical representation of what thorough preparation for any special line of work, coupled with a continuity of purpose, will accomplish for a man. Mr. Schmidt bore the distinction of hav ing served in the Franco-Prussian war in 1870. 1T\R- WILLIAM A. MATTEN, a rising and successful medical practitioner of Mc Keansburg, East Brunswick township, this county, is a son of Charles and Sarah (Paul) Matten, and was born at Port Clinton, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, March 17, i860. Charles Matten, father, is a native of Ham burg, Berks county, Pennsylvania, born April 12, 1834. He obtained his education in the public schools of his native village, and in early life was apprenticed to and learned the trade of shoemaking. This not being adapted to his taste, he soon relinquished it, and re moved with his father, Henry Matten, to Port Clinton, this county, in 1858, where he has since resided uninterruptedly. Here he en tered the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, and has been a trusted and efficient . locomotive engineer for that company, as his thirty-five years' con- 462 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY tinued service fully attests. He is also in terested in brick manufacturing, as a member ofthe firm of E. J. Kirlin & Co. Politically, he affiliates with the Republican party, religiously with the Lutheran church. His marriage with Sarah, a daughter of Daniel , Paul, of East Brunswick township, this county, was blessed with the following issue : Edward J., the proprietor of the Central Hotel at Port Clinton, this county; William A., subject; j Catherine, the wife of James Preetziner, of Hamburg, Berks county, this State; Thomas, a butcher at Port Clinton ; Ellen, at home with her parents ; Dr. Harry, a graduate of the Dental Department of the University of Penn sylvania, Philadelphia, in the class of 1891, and a successful practitioner of dentistry at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. On September 12, 1890, Dr. Matten was joined in matrimony with Amanda, a daughter of Nathan and Bridget Bausher, a prosperous farmer and respected citizen of East Bruns wick township, this county. Dr. Matten acquired his elementary education in the pub lic schools of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and was graduated from the high school of that place in the class of 1877. Immediately after his graduation, he took up the study of medi cine, under the preceptorship of Dr. J. B. Patterger, of Hamburg, Berks county, Penn sylvania. After reading with him two years, he entered the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in 1 88 1, since which time he has resided and practiced his profession at McKeansburg, where he has established, by close application to business and professional skill, a lucrative and growing practice. He is a member of both County and State Medical Societies; East Brunswick Lodge, No. 138, F. and A. M., at Orwigsburg ; East Brunswick Lodge, No. 802, I. O. O. F. ; Washington Camp, No. 100, P. O. S. of A., at New Ringgold, this county ; and Protection Council, No. 935, Jr. O. A. M., of McKeansburg. Dr. Matten is affable as a companion, devoted as a husband, and conscientious as a practitioner of medicine. inTNICHAEL DEVLLN, a well-known citi- zen of St. Clair, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Catherine (Bradigan) Devlin, and was born in Miners ville, same county and state, on December 26, 1848. The ancestors of Michael Devlin were na tives of Ireland, in which country his father was born in 1804, and emigrated to the United States in the year 1829. Shortly after his arrival he was attracted to Schuylkill county, and there took up his abode near Minersville, where he remained until his death in 1872. During the first part of his life he was a farmer, but at the same time became interested in the coal business, which at that time was and has since continued to be the leading industry of Schuylkill county. He was a member of the Roman Catholic church, and had a family of nine children, seven sons and two daughters : Christopher, a carpenter and contractor by occupation, now living in Girardville ; Mary Gallighan, a resident of the state of Wiscon sin; Martin, a blacksmith, located at Reading, Pennsylvania; Simon, a soldier in the late war, killed at the battle of the Wilderness ; Margaret Brennan, of Mahanoy City; Michael, subject; Thomas, a resident of Shenandoah; Hugh, killed in a mine explosion during the sinking of a shaft at Pottsville, in 1875 ; and John. The latter enlisted in Company F, 48th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers in OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 463 1861, at Minersville, Schuylkill county, and served to the close of the war. At the battle of Petersburg he received a severe wound the arm. During most of the time in of his service he served in the ninth army corps under command of General Burnside, and participated in all the battles and skir mishes of that corps. After the close of the war he attended college at Philadelphia, then located in Wilmington, Delaware, where he was employed in the Pullman Palace Car works, after which he removed to Detroit, Michigan, where he continued in business for several years. He has been prominent in politics and labor movements in Schuylkill county, and served two terms in the State Legislature, and was a member of a special embassy to Canada under President Cleve land's first administration. He is also a mem ber of the executive board of the Knights of Labor. Michael Devlin passed his boyhood in the borough of Minersville, where he received his education and was first initiated into the coal mining industries of Schuylkill county. At the age of fourteen years he began as a slate picker in the collieries, and then became a cart driver and laborer. Soon after this, he became an inside boss, and in the year 1877, the date of sinking the Pottsville shafts, he was transferred to the Beechwood colliery as inside foreman, where he continued until the year 1888. At* this time he was appointed district superintendent of the Pottsville and St. Clair mining district, under control of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com pany, in which position he continues. In 1873, he removed to St. Clair, this county, which has since continued to be his home. During the years 1863 to 1865, he was a resident of Lafayette county, Wisconsin, where he was employed in the lead mines, and later in the gold mines of Colorado. On April 18, 1 861, he enlisted in Company E, 5th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, and served for a period of three months during the civil war. He is a member of John Ennis Post, No. 47, G. A. R., of which he is commander. Politically, he is a democrat, and together with his family, holds membership in St. Mary's Roman Catholic church. Mr. Devlin was united in marriage with Ellen McKeown, a daughter of James and Jane McKeown, of Minersville, Pennsylvania, on November 23, 1863. By this marriage nine children have been born : Catherine, wife of Michael Nolan, a miner, resident of St. Clair ; Teressa, wife of Christopher Egan, a resident of St. Clair ; Nellie, wife of William Dormer, of St. Clair; John G, a graduate of the Pottsville high school, class of 1891, and now a student of mining engineering; Simon E., a tailor by trade ; James F., Michael P., and Flora, attending school. /TEOEGE H. YOUNG was born in Blooms- ^^ burg, Columbia county, Pennsylvania, on February 15, 1855, a son of George H. and Catherine (Deisinger) Young. His father was a native of Germany, born in 18 15, and emigrated to the United States in the year 1846. Soon after his arrival in this country, he took up his abode in Blooms burg. In his native country he had followed the occupation of mining, but after his arrival in America, he engaged in contracting, and later became an overseer of ore mines located near Bloomsburg. In the year 1863, he, together with his family, removed to Mahanoy City, where he engaged in mining coal for a 464 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY time, and where he died on August 6, 1872. He was a democrat of the pronounced type, and during the entire period of his citizenship in this state never missed an election. In his religious views he held to the doctrines of the Roman Catholic church, of which he was a consistent and devout member. Aside from his connection with the Roman Catholic church, he was for a time an instructor in German at the Catholic school located in Mahanoy City. His marriage was blessed by the birth of six children that reached maturity : Elizabeth, wife of John Bosche, a miner re siding at St. Clair; Wendell W., a miner living in St. Clair; George H., subject; Mary, married to M. J. Whitaker, a teacher of Shen andoah; Barbara and Anna. George H. Young came with the family to Mahanoy City, where he received his prelim inary education, and at the age of twelve years began working in the mines. Here he continued until the year 1886, and was gradu ally promoted from time to time until he reached the position of inside foreman of the West Lehigh colliery at Tamaqua, Pennsyl vania, operated by the firm of Dunkelberger & Co. He continued in this place during the succeeding four years, and in the year 1889 passed an examination for the position of min ing foreman, and received a foreman's certifi cate. During the next year, he took charge as inside foreman of the Oak Hill colliery at Minersville, this county, owned and operated by Leisenring & Co. Subsequently he leased with John B. Maley the Emerald colliery, located near New Street, and owned by the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com pany, which has since been operated with a very creditable degree of success under the firm name of Young & Maley. Of this col liery, Mr. Young is superintendent, and the entire supervision of the colliery falls to his lot. The annual output of the mine is about six thousand tons. Mr. Young is a democrat in politics, and a member of the German Catholic church. On January 28, 1879, he was united in marriage with Lizzie, a daughter of Peter and Mary (Betz) Maley of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, by whom he has six children : Anna K., Mary A., William G., George J., Therressa L. and Frank F. ^THOMAS CROXTON, a coal operator of St. Clair, this county, is a son of John and Betsy (Taylor) Croxton, and was born at Royton, near Manchester, Lancashire, Eng land, January 26, 1824. His father, John Croxton, was born in Shropshire, England, in 1797, and removed to Lancashire, England, when a young man, where he was married and lived until his death, in 1849, having been a miner all his life. He married Betsy Taylor, a daughter of Caleb Taylor, of Lancashire, England, and had a family of three children, one son and two daughters : Thomas, Sarah and Jane. Thomas Croxton was employed in the mines in England before coming to this coun try, beginning at the age of eleven years and continuing until 1847, when he emigrated to the United States and located at Pottsville, where he engaged in mining until 1848, when he removed to St. Clair, at which place he has since resided. After coming here he was em ployed as a miner up to 1854, when he was promoted to the position of assistant boss at Hickory colliery, near St. Clair, where he continued until 1866, having been promoted to foreman of that colliery in i860. In 1866, he was employed by Johns Bros., as superin tendent of Eagle colliery, and remained with OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 465 them in that capacity until they sold out the colliery to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company in 1882. Then he was employed in the same position by the Phila delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, and continued there as superintendent for that company until June, 1889, when the Company, abandoned the colliery. At this time he and Robert Donkin, his son-in-law, under the firm name of Croxton and Donkin, leased the colliery, which they have since operated, Mr. Croxton being the inside man ager and having the general supervision of the business, and Mr. Donkin being the out side manager. Mr. Croxton has always been a staunch republican, and during the slavery agitation before the war, he was an abolitionist, and took a lively interest in the overthrow of "slavery. His family are members of the Protestant Episcopal church. He is a mem ber of Lincoln Lodge, No. 92, Knights of Pythias, at St. Clair. He is a benevolent and genial gentleman, an honest and highly re spected citizen and a successful business man He was married May 7, 1845, to Ellen Armitage, a daughter of James and Mary Armitage, of Brighton, England, which union has been blessed with a family of six chil dren, two sons and four daughters : John, de ceased; Mary A., wife of Robert Donkin, of St. Clair, whose history appears in this vol ume ; Elizabeth E., at home ; Sarah J., mar ried to Charles Hoffman, of Port Carbon, this county, and is now dead ; Sophia and Thomas, both dead. HOBERT DONKIN, a coal operator, of St. Clair, this county, is a son of Henry and Margaret (Kirkley) Donkin, and was born in County Durham, England, May 14, 1848. 30 His father, Henry Donkin, was also born in County Durham, England, August 22, 18 19, and emigrated to this country with his family in 1848, settling at Whitfield's Patch, near Middleport, this county, where he engaged in mining, at which occupation he had been em ployed in England. In 1852 he removed with his family to Hazleton, Pennsylvania, where he worked as a miner, going from there in about 1853 to the* Kaska William mines, in which mines he was injured in 1853, necessi tating the amputation of his left leg, after which he ran a stationary engine until i860, when he removed to St. Clair, where he lived until his death, June 4, 1886, in his sixty- seventh year. After coming to St. Clair, he engaged in the saloon business, in which he continued until 1882, when he retired from business. He was a Republican in politics, and an Episcopalian in religious belief. He was married, in 1 842, to Margaret Kirkley, a daughter of Joseph Kirkley, of County Dur ham, by whom he had a family of nine chil dren, six sons and three daughters : Joseph F., a tinware and hardware merchant, living in southern California ; Robert, subject ; Eliza- , beth, deceased ; Margaret, deceased ; William, who resides in southern California, and owns a ranch; Sarah, wife of Washington Orme, foreman at the Primrose colliery, near Miners ville, this county; Thomas H., a tinsmith, living in southern California ; Harry H., a clerk in a dry goods and grocery store in southern California ; and Edward J., who was killed by a fall of rock in the mines of the Eagle Hill colliery in 1887. Robert Donkin remained with his parents until the age of twenty-three years, when he was married. At the age of nine years he began picking slate on the breaker, and engaged in all the different kinds of work about the mines. 466 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY In 1873 he began firing an engine at Tunnel Ridge colliery, near Mahanoy City, where he worked for two years, when he returned to St. Clair and became engineer at Eagle colliery, and continued as such under Johns Brothers' ownership, and also under that of the Phila delphia arid Reading Coal and Iron Company, from the time the latter company took charge of the colliery in 1882 until they abandoned operating it in 1888. At this time he and Thomas Croxton, under the firm-name of Croxton & Donkin, leased the colliery, and have operated it successfully ever since, Mr. Donkin attending to the outside management. In politics, he is a republican, and takes a lively interest in local affairs; he has been elected a member of the school board of St. Clair continuously for the past nine years, and is now its president, having been also, at dif ferent times, its secretary and treasurer. He has been a member of the I. O. O. F. for over twenty years, and is now a member of Mineral Lodge, No. 285, at St. Clair, of which he is Past Grand. He was a charter member of Seitzinger Encampment, I. O. O. F., of which he was Past Chief Patriarch, but which en campment is now extinct. He is an upright, popular, and energetic business man, and is highly esteemed and respected by all classes of the community. Mr. Donkin was married, July 7, 1872, to Mary H. Croxton, a daughter of Thomas and Ellen (Armitage) Croxton, of St. Clair, by which marriage he has two sons living, Harry C. and Thomas A., both at home. i-pHE HAUPT FAMILY.— The ancestors -*- of the Haupts, of Frackville, are of German stock. The most remote ancestor of which we have any knowledge and the grand father of the eldest representative of that family now living in Frackville was George Haupt, born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, about 1759. He was reared and educated in that county, and was indentured to learn the trade of a tailor. He married Margaret Over- beck, and emigrated to lower Augusta town ship, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania. Here he purchased a tract of land, then a wilderness, and proceeded, with characteristic energy, to clear up and found a home, pursu ing, at intervals, his trade. On this home stead he reared a large family and died at the ripe old age of ninety-three years. Samuel Haupt, his son, was born January 11, 1804, in what is now lower Augusta town ship, Northumberland county, and is the one prominently identified with the history of Schuylkill county and especially of the bo rough of Frackville. As an example of what energy and perseverance will accom plish, his biography is worthy of careful study by any one who would seek success and fortune. His boyhood days were spent amid the rural surroundings of his father's pioneer home, with very scant opportunities for school ing, his time being taken up in assisting his father in his worthy effort to establish a home. At the age of seventeen years he was appren ticed to learn the trade of a carpenter. He served his full term of four years, and then, well equipped in the possession of an useful trade, he packed his little belongings in a handkerchief and journeyed across the moun tains seeking work, his destination being Potts ville. He had but sixty-two and a-half cents in his pocket when he started. This was spent for lodging and supper upon the night of his arrival ; so that, in a strange town and without money, he was in a trying situation. He, however, soon secured work in connec- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 467 tion with a new colliery being opened up, be ing engaged in this capacity for four months. i After this he plied his trade in Pottsville, and finally took up contracting and building, in which he was successful at every point, and in the course of a few years was enabled, through his savings, to purchase property in that place. Business became very dull in Pottsville about this time, and he returned to his home in Northumberland county, but re turned again upon the revival of business prosperity, and resumed his former business, employing quite a force of hands, and build ing many of the older buildings of Pottsville. He pursued this line of work up to 1854, when he moved to what is now Frackville. In 1854, he had purchased a tract of land consisting of one hundred and seventy-nine acres, then a dense forest, but now the site of the western half of the borough of Frack ville. He gave all his attention to this until 1 86 1, when he laid it out in lots and built upon them. This occupied his energies until his death, April 19, 1882. In 1830, he wed Lydia, a daughter of Valentine Fasolt, of lower Augusta township, Northumberland county, and had a family of the following children : Louisa, who now resides in Frack ville, the widow of John B. Nice; Andrew, a farmer of Northumberland county ; David P., a lumber dealer, livery man and real estate dealer of Frackville ; Francis S., who, in con nection with his brother John, is proprietor of the Mountain City Water Company, and of which he is president and manager; John, secretary and treasurer of the Mountain City Water Company; William, a farmer on the old homestead in Frackville ; S. R., a farmer ; Henry, a carpenter, contractor and builder of Frackville. /"GEORGE BURCHILL, a young and active ^^ business man of Frackville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is the son of Morris and Grace E. (Vaughn) Burchill, and was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, November 20, 1856. His father was born in Staffordshire, Eng land, about the year 1836, and came to the. United States at the age of fifteen years. He first settled in the vicinity of Pottsville, and subsequently removed to various places in the State of Pennsylvania, when in 1876 he came to Frackville, Schuylkill county, where he has since continued to reside. He is a miner by occupation, and has made that his permanent work down to the present time. Politically, he is a republican. His family consisted of eight children, six sons and two daughters. George Burchill was united in wedlock with Susan M. Eiche, a daughter of Peter and Anna Eiche, of Hamburg, Berks county, Pennsylvania, on Easter Sunday, March 4, 1878. This union has resulted in the birth of two children, Grace and Isabella. His educa tion was received in the common schools, and at the age of eleven years, he entered the employ of a colliery at Glen Carbon, as a slate picker, and was regularly promoted until August 6, 1888, when he became inside fore man of the Lawrence colliery, near Frack ville, Pennsylvania. He remained in this latter position down to May 23, 1892, when the firm of Lawrence & Brown failed finan cially, when he took charge of a colliery owned by "the estate of P. W. Sheafer, and in conjunction with Simon Moore, under the firm of Moore & Company, conducted it for a short period of time, when it reverted to the Sheafer estate. Since that time he has been inside .foreman of the same colliery. In his 468 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY political proclivities, he is a member of the Republican party, in which he manifests a de cided interest. Under this party he has been elected a member of the Borough Council of Frackville for nine consecutive years, and was president of that body for two years. Fraternally, he holds membership in Wash ington Camp, No. 66, Patriotic Order Sons of America. Mr. Burchill is a man who is deserving of great credit for the manner in which he has di rected his career in life. Starting in the lowly capacity of a slate picker, he has by fidelity to duty and the interests of his employers, worked his way step by step to a position of trust and responsibility. He is a man of good business ability, and possesses many com mendable characteristics as a citizen and a man of affairs. ^>EORGE ROSENGARTEN is a son of John H. and Adelaide (Fiirsten) Rosen garten, and was born in Hanover, Germany, January 9, 1826. His father was also a native of Hanover, born on June 4, 1782, and emi grated to the United States in the year 1 844 His first place of residence was at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, where he continued to reside until his death, June 4, 1879, at the age of ninety-seven years. He was a farmer by occupation, and a member of the German Lutheran church, in which he was an active and consistent member. His first marriage resulted in the birth' of three children, one son and two daughters : Mrs. Spada, now liv ing in Hanover, Germany, at the age of eighty-three ; Mrs. John Volpert, died in Minersville, in April of 1890, at the age of seventy-two ; and Henry, who died in Potts ville. Mrs. Rosengarten died in Hanover, Germany, in the year 1823, and her husband I subsequently married Adelaide Fiirsten. By this latter marriage was born one son, George, subject of this sketch. He was educated in the common schools of his native country, and after his arrival in Schuylkill county in 1844, engaged in the bottling of porter, which he continued until 1864. The next year he opened a grocery, flour and feed store on West Market street, which he continued to operate until the year 1870, when he erected a new building on the corner of Fifth and Garfield Square, where he continued in the same line of business. His undertaking has proved an unqualified success, and to-day his business is among the largest in the city of Pottsville. He is a director of the Miners' National Bank of Pottsville, and has been for a number of years ; is a stockholder in the Edison Illuminating and Power Company, in the Pottsville Water Company, and in the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Politically, he is independent, but served as a councilman of his city for a term of three years. He has also been director of the Pottsville Saving Fund, -^nd together with his family is an attendant of the German Lutheran church, of which he is an elder. He was united in mar riage with Mary Mundinger, of Minersville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, in Septem ber, 1855. To this union has been born six children : M. Addie, at home ;' John G., mar ried to Lizzie Dehner, and now living in Phila delphia, a wholesale jeweler by occupation; William H., married to Ida H. Sterner, of Pottsville, employed with his father as a clerk ; Minnie M., H. Walter and Bessie H., at home. Mr. Rosengarten must be classed among the successful business men of Pottsville. He has always been a close adherent to his busi ness interests, and in this respect has shown an exemplary career. In his relations as a citi- HON. CHARLES C. MATTEN. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 469 zen, and in his attitude toward the public wel • fare, he has also exhibited a commendable spirit. He is held in high esteem by his fellow townsmen, and with those with whom he has come in business touch. HON. CHARLES C. MATTEN, a rising attorney of the Schuylkill county bar and the present solicitor for the borough of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Hinkle) Matten, and was born January 8, 1858, in Pottsville, this county. Henry Matten, father, was born in Ham burg, Berks county, December 25, 1834, but was reared and educated in Orwigsburg, then the county seat of this county. After leaving school he apprenticed himself to learn the trade of a tailor, finishing his trade in Potts ville, and sometime shortly after finishing his trade in 1856, settled down in Pottsville, where he has lived ever since. Shortly after perma nently locating in the place, he added to his regular trade the business of a merchant tailor, and has continued to pursue that line of busi ness to the present time, and by strict adhe rence to honest business principles and methods, has built up one of the best business houses of its kind in the county. Politically, he was formerly a whig, but now a republican, and he evinces a lively interest in all matters of politics, but has never aspired to political preferment, though frequently urged to do so. In 1854, he married Elizabeth Hinkle ;'this union resulted in a family of three children : Emily, who is at home ; Charles C, and Harry, who is in the merchant tailoring busi ness with his father. Charles C. Matten obtained a good mental drill in the Pottsville High school, from which he was graduated in the class of 1875, and is at present the president of the High School Alumni Association. After his graduation he taught school for two terms, when he took up the study of law in the office of the late George R. Kaercher, one of the legal lights of the Schuylkill county bar, faithfully pur suing his studies and passing a creditable ex amination, he was admitted to the bar in May, 1880. The school-room again invited him, and for one year he taught in the High School of Pottsville. He then relinquished his work as teacher and took up the practice of that profession for which he had made especial preparation, the law, practicing in Pottsville until 1882, when believing that the west offered better ad vantages than the east for the rise of a man in that profession, he located in Omaha, Ne braska, where he was admitted to the bar, and where he practiced for a time, but soon re turned to his native town, preferring to live and work surrounded with the associations of his youth. Mr. Matten is a republican in political fibre, and has always taken a lively and intelligent interest in all that pertains to the political economy of his locality and the nation. He was appointed Speaker's clerk, to serve during the Sessions of 1885, of the Pennsyl vania Legislature, which position he filled with credit to himself and with entire satis faction to that body. In 1887, Mr. Matten aspired to sit as a member in that body to which he had so re cently been a clerk, and was elected to repre sent the Fourth Legislative district of Schuyl kill county. In 1892, Mr. Matten was elected borough solicitor for the Borough of Pottsville, which position he very acceptably fills to the present 470 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY time. In addition to this he is the legal repre sentative of a large number of private savings funds. In 1893, he was elected Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court of Schuylkill county, and is a member of the School Board of Pottsville. In that popular organization, the Patriotic Order Sons of America, he takes a prominent part, and is an active and influential member of Camp No. 14, of Pottsville. Hon. C. C. Matten is a young man of ability, and well deserves the respect and confidence reposed in him by the people of his city and district. "f-NAVID TAGGART, M.D. Among the successful and skillful physicians of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, must be mentioned Dr. David Taggart of Frackville. He was born December 19, 1856, in the county of Northumberland, Pennsylvania, and is the son of James and Sarah (Cowden) Taggart. The Taggarts have been natives of North umberland county for the past three genera tions, in which county both father and grand father of David on the paternal side, have passed their entire lives. His father during his life-time was a merchant of prominence and good repute, through which business he gained a very comfortable livelihood and acquired considerable of a competency. Dur ing the existence of the Whig party, he threw his influence in that direction, but upon the formation of the Republican party, he became an adherent of that party. In the late civil war he was captain of Company B, 5 th regi ment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, and was mustered into service May 27, 1861. He was killed at New Market Cross Roads, Virginia, June 30, 1862. By his marriage with Sarah Cowden he had two children. Dr. David Taggart was educated at the Friends' Central High School at Philadelphia, and later at Swarthmore College near the latter city. After finishing his academic education he read medicine under the perceptorship of Dr. Joseph Priestley of Northumberland, Pennsyl vania. Subsequently, he matriculated in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, and was graduated therefrom in the class of 1879. He at once opened an office and began the active practice of his profession at Frackville. His uniform success from the beginning of his professional career has been such as to hold him in that vicinity ever since. In conjunction with his medical practice, Dr. Taggart conducts a drug business, which has proved equally successful. He is also financially interested in the Frack ville Light, Heat and Power Company, of which he is president. Dr. Taggart is a member of the County and State Medical Societies ; of the former he is vice-president. Fraternally he is a member of District Lodge, No. 823, I. O. O. F., at Frackville, and of the Patriotic Order Sons of America. In political texture, he is a repub lican, arid though a member of no church has always thrown his life and influence on the side of a broad personal and public morality and philanthropy. He was united in marriage on April 30, 1883, to Mary Grant, a daughter of William and Jane Grant of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. This union has resulted in an issue of two children, both sons. In his professional business and private career, Dr. Taggart commands the respect of the citizens of his own town and of the large district throughout which his acquaintance OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 471 extends. He is looked upon as a more than ordinarily successful physician, as a man of integrity and generous sympathy. He has always been pronounced in his attitude for public and private health, and is a strong advocate of both city and country sanitation. Personally he is kind and affable and seeks to put himself in intellectual sympathy with the various classes with which he comes in imme diate contact. This has been done, not as a politic business principle, but because it has emanated from a personality that always seeks the good of others. TA^ILLIAM R. COLE, present postmaster of Pottsville, was born in Baltimore, Md., February 9, 1835. His paternal ances tors were of English birth, and were among the earliest settlers of Maryland, locating in Anne Arundel county; of that State. They were tillers of the soil for many generations. His maternal ancestors, ofthe family name of Gibson, were natives of Tyrone County, Ire land. Mr. Cole is a journalist by profession and at an early period of his life became a publisher, his first venture being a daily morn ing newspaper, which he published for a short time in Richmond, Va., in the year 1857. He was subsequently publisher and editor in Baltimore of the Sunday Telegram — weekly ; the Baltimore Commercial — daily, morning ; the ' Evening Bulletin — daily, evening ;'the Sunday Bulletin — weekly. In 1861, while representing the Baltimore Clipper as city correspondent at the State capitol at Annapolis, Md., he was appointed reading clerk of the House of Delegates of the Maryland legislature. In 1864 he was elected chief clerk of that body, and re-elected to that office at the sessions of 1865 and 1867. He was chosen secretary of the Maryland Constitutional Convention of 1864. In 1865, the legislature having enacted a law establish ing an emigration bureau, Mr. Cole was appointed by Governor Thomas Swann to be Commissioner of Emigration. He was sub sequently reappointed for a second term. At the close of his official duties he entered vigorously into the pursuit of his profession of journalism and shortly after became one of the proprietors of the Baltimore Commercial. His newspaper enterprises were prosecuted with zeal, industry and intelligence ; but not meeting with an encouraging pecuniary return, Mr. Cole disposed of his interests in 1872 and went to Philadelphia. After a brief residence in that city, he was called to Pottsville in November, 1873, to take charge of the publi cation department of the Miners' Journal. He was successively manager, editor and pro prietor of that widely influential newspaper until the fall of 1889, when it passed into other hands. Mr. Cole was appointed by President Harrison as postmaster of Pottsville on Janu ary 6, 1891. nEV. GUSTAVUS ADOLF HINTER- LEITNER, D. D., pastor emeritus of the Evangelical Lutheran church of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was born in Weissenburg, King dom of Bavaria, Germany, on October 2, 1824. When quite young, at the age of nine years he began the study of the classic languages in the so-called " Latin School," of his birth place, preparing himself for entrance into the higher educational institutions of his native country. After finishing his studies he was called by the State government as teacher to a similar school, where he was engaged nearly three years. He had several years previously made up 472 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY his mind to come to America for the purpose of entering upon ministerial labors in the Lutheran church; accordingly, in 1849, he crossed the Atlantic, and after, but a few weeks, ' was called to the assistance of an aged Luth eran minister in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, where he officiated eighteen months. As a regular member of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Pennsylvania, he accepted a call from the Lutheran congregation at Kutztown, Berks county, in 1850, and a short time afterward from three other congregations in the neighborhood, and labored in that county until 1866. In 1865 recognizing his classic culture, his synod elected him as German professor of the Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pennsyl vania, but he refused the honorary call, pre ferring the work of the pastor to that of the professor. In 1866 he was elected pastor of the German Evangelical Lutheran Trinity church at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and entered upon his duties as such the same year. For twenty-seven years the doctor zealously la bored in that congregation until he resigned as Pastor Emeritus on January 1, 1893, with an annual pension during his lifetime. In the current of his ministerial work he was at dif ferent times commissioned by his synod to privately prepare a number of students for en trance into the holy office. Some years ago the title of Doctor of Di vinity was conferred upon him, as a recogni tion of his services and scholarship by the Lutheran institution of Muhlenberg college. In 1853 Doctor Hinterleitner and Mary Anna Herbst, daughter of William Herbst, M. D., of Oley, Berks county, Pennsylvania, were united in the holy bonds of matrimony; their union has been blessed with thirteen chil dren, of whom four sons and four daughters are living. On February 5, 1893, Mrs. Hin terleitner died, and her death was universally lamented by the community, who knew her as an amiable Christian woman. Dr. Hinterleit ner is remarkably preserved in both mind and body, and is able to attend to ministerial duties, and for all the qualities which go to make up the Christian, the scholar and the gentleman, none stand higher in his com munity than Doctor G. A. Hinterleitner. G[ETH ORME, a well-known and popular citizen of St. Clair, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Margaret (Airy) Orme, and was born near Manchester, England, on November 8, 1847. H is father was born in Lancashire, England, about the year 1809, and emigrated with his family to the United States in 1854. He first located at St. Clair, Schuylkill county, where he died on December 19, 1874. He gained his livelihood by working in the mines and in sinking shafts and slopes in the anthracite region. His wife bore him a family of seven children that grew to maturity, five sons and two daughters : Levi, a miner, living in Shenandoah ; Venus, wife of William Brown, of the Ellengowen colliery, now living near Shenandoah ; Ruth, wife of Elias Webster, a miner, of Shenandoah ; Seth, subject ; Pilot, residing at Middleport, Pennsylvania, foreman in one of the mines ; Asa, killed in the Wades ville shaft near St. Clair, in 1873, at the age of twenty years ; Washington, a fire boss at the Pine Forest colliery. Seth Orme came to St. Clair when he was but seven years of age, and with the exception of two years in Sharon, Mercer county, from 1857 to 1859, he has been a continuous resi dent down to the present time. At the age OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 473 of eight years he entered the employ of the collieries, and continued in the mines up to the year 1862, at which time he lost his left lower leg through an accident in the mines. Subsequent to that time he attended school a short time, and afterwards learned the shoe- making trade, which he followed as a journey man up to the year 1873. At this time he opened a shoe store, which he has since con tinued, and which has proven a successful venture. In politics he affiliates with the Republican party, in which he takes a spirited and intelli gent interest. He was a member of the borough council for two terms, 1878 to 1881, and in 1879 was elected president of that body, and again in 1885. In 1886 he became a mem ber ofthe school board, and in 1888 and 1889 was secretary and president respectively. In 1878 he was nominated on the Greenback Labor ticket for the office of recorder of deeds of Schuylkill county, but the suffrage of the voters was divided among four candi dates, John A. Reilly, the Democratic candi date being successful. The total vote cast was twenty-four thousand, and Mr. Reilly was elected by a plurality of one hundred and twenty-six votes over Mr. Orme. In view of the political situation at that time, the vote of the Greenback Labor candidate was very extraordinary, no third party man ever having reached a similar vote in the county. In May, 1 88 1, he received the appointment as postmaster at St. Clair, and served to the year .1885. He was re-appointed in April, 1889, and is now filling his second term with satis faction to the public and honor to himself. He was a member of the State Republican convention in 1886 which nominated General James A. Beaver for Governor, and also in 1889, at the time Mr. Boyer was nominated for State Treasurer. In his fraternal relations he is a member of Mineral Lodge, No. 285, I. O. O. F. ; of Schuylkill Tribe, No. 202, Improved Order of Red Men, of which he was the first Sachem; and a member of the Grand Body, which he represented as a delegate from Pennsylvania in the Great Council of the United States. He is also a member of Lincoln Lodge, No. 92, Knights of Pythias, of which he is Past Chancellor, and is now keeper of the Records and Seal ; and of the Grand Lodge of Knights of Pythias of Pennsylvania, for the past eigh teen year. Mr. Orme was united in marriage with Mary A. Styers, a daughter of William and Susan C. Styers, of St. Clair, this county, on August 4, 1872. This marriage has been blessed by the birth of five children : Maggie E., William J., Anna A., John L., and George G. Mrs. Orme died December 4, 1890, and on June 8, 1893, Mr. Orme took for his second wife Salina, a daughter of William S. Davis, of Shenandoah, this county. jryjILLIAM LECKIE, a son of Samuel ^-A-* and Kate (McClellan) Leckie, was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, near the birthplace of Robert Burns, on October 4, 1857. His father was also a native of Scotland, born in Ayrshire, in 1833, and came to the United States in the year 1879. He died in the year 1890, at Shenandoah. His first place of resi dence in this country was at Shenandoah, at which place he spent the greater part of his life, and now lies buried in its cemetery. He was a republican in his political affiliations, a Presbyterian in his church belief, and the father of fourteen children. His wife was a native of 474 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Scotland, and is still living at Shenandoah at an advanced age. William Leckie, subject, was the oldest of the sons, and at an early age was obliged to go to work for the support of the family. The first nine years of his life was spent upon the farm, and subsequent to that period he worked in the mines for three years, He alternated his time between the mines and farm until the year 1878, when he came to America and located in Shenandoah, this county. His father came to Shenandoah six months later. He entered the mines first as a repairman, in which capacity he served for two years, and has since that time been connected with the mines. In 1882 he was appointed fire-boss for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, and remained in that posi tion two years. At this time he was made in side foreman for the Buck Mountain Coal Company, near Delano, this county, in which capacity he served for four years. He then became inside foreman at the Oak Hill Col liery at Minersville, for a brief time, when he took a position under the Lehigh and Wilkes- Barre Coal Company as district superintendent, having charge of the collieries of that com pany for two years and eight months. At the end of this time, in 1 891, he was transferred to the York Farm Colliery, near Pottsville, where he operated as inside foreman for the Lehigh Valley _Coal Company. This position, which is one of great responsibility and requires the minutest oversight, he has since filled with credit and success. In his political affilia tions he holds to the Republican party, and religiously is connected with the Presbyterian church. He is also a member of Shenandoah Lodge, No. 511, F. and A. M., at Shenan doah; Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 617,1.0. O. F., at Mahanoy city. He was united in marriage with Annie M. Kolb, a daughter of Rev. F. F. and Ann Mary Kolb, on November 26, 1883. Rev. Mr. Kolb is a minister in the Presbyterian church, and is now located at Alburtris, near Allentown, Pennsylvania. Mr. Leckie's marriage resulted in the birth of four children : Jean, Nellie, Andrew and William. During the early part of Mr. Leckie's life he spent two years at Dickinson Seminary, Williamsport, Pennsyl vania, but was obliged to give up his academic course before graduation. He has since pro fited, however, to an unusual extent, through independent study and wide reading, and pos sesses a mind of culture and intelligence. I^ROFESSOR GEORGE W. WEISS, superintendent ofthe schools of Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, and one of the best known educators in the State, is a son of George L. and Anna (Weinberger) Weiss, and wais born in Milford township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, on January 25, 1844. His grandfather, Killian Weiss, was a native of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, in which county he lived and now lies buried. By occupation he was both farmer and tailor, and by dint of successful management and un remitting labor he acquired comfortable sur roundings and a fair competency. He mar ried a Miss Landis, and became the father of seven children, five sons and two daughters. George L. Weiss, father of George W., was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, in 1796, and after his marriage removed to Mil ford township, Bucks county, where he pur chased a farm and devoted his life to its culti vation. He received a common school educa tion, was a man of good judgment and became a farmer of thrift and energy. In connection GEO. W. WEISS. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 475 with his conduct of the farm he ran a flouring and saw mill, which did quite an extensive business. He died in 1859, at the age of sixty- three years. His marriage bore a fruitage of six children that grew to maturity : Samuel, a produce dealer, living in Philadelphia ; George W., subject; Sue, married to Jacob Reiff, a retired merchant and farmer living in Leder- ochville, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania ; Anna, wife of John Schantz (deceased), for merly a farmer and miller residing in Bucks county ; Henry a farmer living near Quaker- town, Bucks county ; Hannah (deceased), wife of Henry Geho. George W. Weiss was united in marriage to Harriet Henderson, a daughter of William and Mary Henderson, of Port Carbon, this county, on August 17, 1876. To them have been born four children : William Howard, born June 8, 1877; Anna Mabel, born March 8, 1 881 ; George Harold, born January 14, 1883; Harriet Edith, born July 13, 1886. Mr. Weiss received his primary education in the public schools of Bucks county, which was followed by two sessions, beginning in i86i,at the select school of Dr. A. R. Home in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. In 1865 he spent two terms at Freeland seminary, located at Collegeville, Montgomery county, and in the fall of 1868 entered the State Normal School at Millersville, Pennsylvania, and was graduated in the elementary course in the class of 1870. Simultaneously he pursued about half the studies of the scientific course. At the age of sixteen he lost the care and supervision of his father, and subsequent to that time was thrown largely upon his own resources. He met adversity in many forms, but with a stout and never-failing courage, he pressed forward amid many difficulties toward the sought-for goal. During his course at school he was entirely self-supporting, and the independence of spirit inculcated and fostered at that time, has been a telling element in his future success. Before his graduation he began teaching in Milford township, where he " held the fort " for some seven or eight terms, and also taught one term in the Soldiers' Orphan school at Quakertown, and in 1870 was elected principal of the schools at Fort Carbon, Schuylkill county, where he remained from 1870 to 1877. At the termination of this period he resigned and accepted the principalship of the schools at Schuylkill Haven, a more lucrative position, which he held until the year 1881, when he was first elected to the superintendency of Schuylkill county, to which position he has been con tinuously elected up to the present time. His professional career as a teacher and superin tendent includes a period of twenty-nine years, twenty-three of which have been spent in Schuylkill county. Mr. Weiss' administration as county super intendent has been marked with a zeal and fidelity, backed with professional skill and energy, which have brought the public schools of the county up to a standard unexcelled by those of any county in the State. He has been progressive in his ideas, not only keep ing pace with the advanced methods of teach ing, but in many things originating and lead ing in the educational movements of the day. The Directors' Association of Schuylkill county, the first organization of the kind in the State, was the direct outgrowth of Mr. Weiss' recommendation. It was an important step in the educational growth of the county. The directors became more interested in school work and were brought into closer sympathy with the teachers. The results have been better school-houses, improved schoo 476 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY grounds, more modern apparatus and furni ture and better pay to the teachers. Such good results followed from the Directors Association in this county, that it soon spread into neighboring counties, and now has an existence in all the progressive counties in the state. The most recent suggestion of Superintend ent Weiss was for the organization of a State Directors' Association, and a movement is now on foot to bring about such a result. To him also belongs the honor of instituting Arbor Day. It was first suggested to him in a course of study prepared in 1882, which was three years before the appointment of Arbor Day by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Having spent a. life-time in the school room, the practical knowledge of his work has given him confidence in the correctness and feasibility of his ideas, which have since, judged by their success, exhibited a rare fore sight. While he has been strict and methodi cal in his ways, insisting upon the teachers carrying out his instructions, he has been at the same time the teachers' best friend. Mr. Weiss has a beautiful home in Schuyl kill Haven and an interesting family. He is not only a leader in county school affairs, but takes a great interest in the social, literary and religious welfare of the people resident at his chosen home. All of which has gained for him an enviable place in the hearts of all those with whom he comes in contact. QLBERT METTAM, a lumber dealer and "^^ well-known citizen of St. Clair, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Elizabeth (Huish) Mettam, and was bom at Hucknall Torkard, Nottingshire, England, on July 29, 1 86 1. His father was a native and resident of the same place, born about the year 1829, and died in May, 1862. He was by occupation a marble cutter and sculptor, and in his work exhibited a marked degree of skill and genius. His marriage with Elizabeth Huish bore fruit in a family of four children : John H., a hotel keeper, who resides in Nottingham, England; William H., a grocer ; Alfred, deceased in 1878; and Albert, subject. The latter was educated in the common schools of his native country, and at the age of twelve years was apprenticed to learn car pentry and building. This business he has continued during the greater part of his life. In the year 1884 he emigrated to the United States, and settled in St. Clair, Schuylkill county, where he began his career in this country as a journeyman carpenter. He con tinued in this capacity until the year 1887, when, in addition to carpentering, he began contracting and building. He also deals extensively in all kinds of lumber, finished and unfinished, as well as planing-mill work. The latter branch of his business has devel oped considerably within the past several years, and has reached very creditable propor tions. As a contractor he is trustworthy, and his work at all times receives the most care ful and painstaking supervision. In this respect no one in his section of the county bears a higher or more enviable reputation. His place of business, including lumber yard, office, etc., is centrally located in the town of St. Clair, near which also he owns and occu pies a very pleasant and desirable home. On December 29, 1883, Mr. Mettam was joined in the bonds of marriage with Clara Swain, a daughter of Thomas and Rhoda Swain, of St. Clair. His marriage has been blessed by the birth of two children : Archi- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 477 bald, born December io, 1884, and Alfred E., born November 30, 1885. Mr. Mettam in his political proclivities is inclined to the Republican party, though he holds himself at liberty to vary his politics in accordance with his convictions and judgment ; both as to men and issues. He manifests an interest in the common good, in the improve ment and development of that section of the county in which he resides, and has always discharged faithfully the duties of a citizen and a man. Although his educational advan tages were somewhat meagre, yet he has always exhibited a disposition to become acquainted with the leading lines of the world's literature, and through intelligent and persistent effort has acquired an acquaintance ship with many of the leading writers of all times and countries. Such recreation has afforded him, not only a high degree of men tal culture, but also given him an amount of pleasure which cannot be had from any other source. He also takes an interest in the schools of his borough, and is a patron of every movement which tends to the general enlightenment and purification of the com munity. & rrJAYLE WINDSOR, deceased, was born ^-^-4 ;n Coventry, England, June 8, 1 820, and died in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, in March, 1885. Mr. Windsor, when a young man and while yet in England, entered the employ of a phy sician, who was also a druggist ; in this way he acquired a good knowledge of the subject of physiology and the science of chemistry. He came to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in the "forties," and shortly afterward engaged in the restaurant business, in which he was financi ally successful, and through strict economy and close application to business, acquired a competency that enabled him to retire from active business several years prior to his death. Mr. Windsor was three times married. None of his issue grew to maturity. His last marriage was with Mrs. Mary Ball (nee Jenkins), widow of Silas Ball, a well-known coal and lumber merchant of Pottsville. Mr. Windsor was a quiet, unassuming man, who attended strictly to his own business affairs, caring little for the diversions of politics, although showing the interest of an intelligent and well-posted citizen in all mat ters pertaining to the political status of his town and State. He was a consistent mem ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. TllTORRIS ROHRHEIMER conducts one A of the oldest and most reliable whole sale and retail clothing establishments in eastern Pennsylvania, and is regarded as a highly respected and intelligent citizen of the city of Pottsville. He is a son of Leser and Rebecca (Weiesenek) Rohrheimer, and was born in Lorsch, the kingdom of Hesse Darm stadt, Germany, on August 6, 1839. His parents were in fairly moderate financial circumstances ; and he, being the eldest of the family, was taken from school at an early age to assist his father in business ; hence his opportunities for obtaining scholastic training were somewhat limited. Since that time, however, his contact with the business world has been of such a charac ter that through attrition he has obtained a large practical and general knowledge of both men and business methods. It was this train ing in the school of experience which laid the foundation for the career which was to follow. 478 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY In early life he was employed by his father, who was a grain dealer, as a clerk, and in 1859, launched out in life himself and started upon a business career. It was his notion that the United States offered opportunities to the young and enterprising business man which were not possible in the crowded cen ters of Europe, and without capital he set sail from his native country and landed in New York City. Shortly after his arrival he ob tained a clerkship, the duties of which he dis charged for a period of nine months. At the end of this time he removed to Cleveland, Ohio, and was there engaged as a traveling salesman for two and a half years, and sub- seqently embarked in the clothing business at the same place, with E. Rheinhammer, with whom he continued up to the year 1864. Dur ing this year he removed to Pottsville, and purchased a half interest in the clothing house of Joseph Schloss. This business had been commenced in 1844 by Herman Schloss, a relative of Joseph Schloss, and is therefore one of the oldest clothing houses in eastern Pennsylvania. Herman Schloss conducted the business up to the year 1849, when he sold out to Joseph Schloss, who continued it until 1864, at which time Mr. Rohrheimer became a member of the firm. The business was conducted subsequent to 1864 and up to 1868, under the firm-name of Schloss & Co. At the date mentioned, the interest of Mr. Schloss was purchased by Mr. Rohrheimer and he was the sole conductor until 1889, when George J. Goldsmith was admitted as a partner, and the firm-name was changed to Rohrheimer & Co. Their place of business is located at No. 18 North Center street, and occupies a spacious room twenty feet front, and one hundred and thirty feet deep. Their business has been gradually and substantially increasing since the establishment ofthe house, and at the present time they have joined with the wholesale and retail trade a first-class tailor ing establishment, employing a large number of skilled workmen. Some notion may be had of the extent of the business from the pay-roll of the employees, which amount to about $20,000 annually. Mr. Rohrheimer is also the owner of a valuable farm situated in Yorkville, just outside the corporate limits of Pottsville, in which he is greatly interested. He at one time served as supervisor of the Pottsville Benevolent Association, is a mem ber of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., and of Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, R. A. M., of which he was formerly treasurer. He was united in marriage on July 5, 1865, to Mary Schloss, a daughter of Isaac Schloss, deceased, one of the pioneer business men of the city of Pottsville. To them has been born one daughter, Sarah, the wife of George J. Goldsmith (see sketch). /"VEORGE J. GOLDSMITH, a prominent business man of Pottsville, Pennsyl vania, and a member of the firm of Rohr heimer & Co., wholesale clothiers and mer chant tailors, is a son of Jacob and Fannie (Silverman) Goldsmith, and was born at Wash ington, Washington county, Pennsylvania, on February 18, 1862. When two years of age his family removed to Philadelphia, in which city he was reared and educated. After leaving school he learned the trade of a cutter, which he followed up to the year 1877. m 1 88 1, he removed to Pittsburg, and thence in 1885 to Pottsville, in which latter place he has since resided. After his arrival in Potts ville, he found employment in the cutting department of M. Rohrheimer, and continued OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 479 there until 1887, when he became general manager, and two years later was admitted to partnership. Mr. Goldsmith is an active and energetic young man, possessing excellent business qualifications, and having the faculty of draw ing to himself a large circle of friends. He is assiduously and strictly devoted to the in terests of the firm of which he is a member, and has through his personal qualities ex tended the popularity and merit of his house. He is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, R. A. M., and Girard Lodge, No. 56, I. O. O. F. He married on January 5, 1889, Sarah Rohrheimer, a daughter of Morris and Mary Rohrheimer, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. J W. REESE, a resident of St. Clair, • Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of William J. and Anne D. (Williams) Reese, and was born in the town of St. Clair, county and state mentioned, on June 23, 1861. His grandfather, John Reese, was a native of Wales, born in Monmouthshire, and emi grated to the Unites States, in the year 1845. Shortly after his arrival in this country he proceeded to Schuylkill county, and located at St. Clair, where he died in 1856. While in his native country he pursued the occupation of a miner, and during his residence in Schuylkill county he followed the same calling. He first entered the mines of this county as superin tendent of the Eagle colliery, operated by William H. Johns. He was the first superin tendent of this colliery, and at the time of his death still held this position. Politically, he held to the Republican party, and was a mem ber ofthe Methodist church, of which he was a loyal and active supporter. He was joined in marriage with Mary Thomas, who bore him a family of eighteen children, six of whom grew to maturity : Thomas, William, Isaac, George, Albert and John H. William J., father of John W. Reese was born in Nantiglow, Wales, on February 19, 1838, and at the time of his father's emigra tion to the United States, he accompanied the family. Since that time, he has been a resident of St. Clair, where he at the present time resides. In early life he learned the trade of a machinist and blacksmith, which he con tinued to follow up to the year 1871. At that time he was employed as outside foreman at the Eagle colliery near St. Clair. He- con tinued in that position until the year 1888, after which he re-engaged in blacksmithing, and is now employed in that capacity at the Pine Forest colliery. He is a Republican in poli tics, was a school director for ten years in succession, and treasurer of the school district for one year. In his church affiliations he holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. His marital alliance with Anna D., a daughter of David Williams, of Llamsanlett, Wales, resulted in a family of five sons and three daughters, who grew to maturity : John W., subject ; Arthur, conductor on the Phila delphia and Reading railroad ; George H., outside foreman for the Lehigh Coal Com pany ; William A., in charge of the machinery at Silver Creek colliery ; Mary, a teacher ; Anna, Alma and Charles G., attending school. All are living in St. Clair except George, who resides at Blackwood. David Williams, father-in-law of William J. Reese, emigrated to the United States at the same time with paternal grandfather of the subject, and located in St. Clair. About the year 1849 he removed to California, during the gold excitement in that State, and died there 480 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY soon after his arrival. He was a miner by by occupation, married and had two children, who are living ; the mother of John W. Reese and Catherine. John W. Reese received his education in the schools at St. Clair, where he took a full course, and was graduated in 1879. Subse quently he learned the trade of a machinist and blacksmith, which trade he continued to pursue up to September, 1892. During this year he became superintendent of the Electric Light plant of the borough of St. Clair, which position he now fills. He is a member of Washington Camp, No. 75, Patriotic Order Sons of America, of which he is now secretary and trustee ; and also member of Camp No. 21, P. O. of T. A., auxiliary order of P. O. S." of A. , of which he is State assistant president. He is likewise president of the Alert Steam Fire company. Politically, he votes the Republican ticket, and was a member of the town council for two years, of which body he was president for one year. He has always shown an intelligent interest in local politics, and has used his influence largely in behalf of political purity and good government. He is possessed of many good business qualities, and discharges the duties of a citizen with fidelity. Mr. Reese was twice married; first to Bertha Fielding, a daughter of Thomas and Mary Fielding of St. Clair, Pennsylvania, April 29, 1883. Mrs. Reese died on Septem- ter 29, 1889, aged twenty-eight years. His second wife was Bertha Greenwood, a daugh ter of Luke and Anne Greenwood of Locust Summit, Northumberland county, Pennsylva nia, to whom he was united on March 10, 1892. This marriage has been blessed by the birth of one child, Natalie B . nEV. JOHN J. ROONEY, a young minis ter of talent and ability, and temporary pastor of the Roman Catholic church at Ta maqua, Pennsylvania, is a son of Michael and Margaret (Reagen) Rooney, and was born in New Philadelphia, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, March 14, 1867. Thomas Rooney, paternal grandfather, lived and died in County Galway, Ireland. Michael Rooney, father, was born in the same part of Ireland in 1820, and emigrated to the United States in June, 1845, settling in New Philadelphia, Schuylkill county, this State, where he was employed in the mines for some three or four years; he then discontinued this occupation, and remoyed to New Philadelphia, and engaged in the gro cery business. In this he was very successful. In three or four years after opening up, his increasing trade had enabled him to enlarge his establishment until he had the largest gro cery and dry goods store between Pottsville and Tamaqua. In 1885 the grocery depart ment was converted into a millinery store, and placed under the supervision of his daughters. He retired from active life soon after this, on account of the weight, of many years. In connection with his mercantile pursuits, he was interested for several years in the operation of Silver Creek colliery; he was an active democrat, and held many of the local offices of his borough. In religion he was an ener getic Christian worker in the Roman Catholic church. On January 27, 1850, he married Margaret Reagen, and their union has resulted in a family of three sons and five daughters : Mary, wife of Frank P. Langton, and who conducts a millinery business in Ashland, while her husband is interested in an organ and pi ano business ; Anna M., a milliner, of New Philadelphia, this State; Beezie J., milliner; Maggie (deceased), wife of William Coffey ; OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 481 Lucy E., milliner ; Thomas F, carpenter and general mechanic ; Rev. M. F., assistant pastor of St. Patrick's church at Pottsville; and John J. Rev. John J. Rooney received his elemen tary education, preparatory to entering Over brook seminary, in the public schools of New Philadelphia; he was graduated with honor from the same seminary January 6, 1892, and was ordained to the ministry and appointed assistant pastor of St. Mary's, Tremont, im mediately on completing his course. After nine months of successful ministry there, he was made assistant pastor of St. Vincent's Roman Catholic church, of Minersville, Penn sylvania ; he continued here but eight months, when he was apointed temporary pastor of St. Jerome's Roman Catholic church, of Tama qua, where he now (1893) ministers. Rev. John Rooney is a young man of exceptional schol arship, exemplary character, and is popular with his people. FRANCIS ALTSTATT, a prosperous busi ness man and a typical representative of the progressive German element of Potts ville, Pennsylvania, is a son of Valentine and Margaret (Yost) Altstatt. He was born in Grossenluder, Kreiss Fulda, kingdom of Prus sia, Germany, on December 11, 18 19. His father was a native of the same place, where he was reared and passed his life. In his family were four sons, two of whom left the fatherland and came to the United States in an attempt to better their fortunes. Francis crossed the ocean in the year 1837, a"d two years later was followed by his brother George. Upon his arrival in this country, Francis first took up his residence in Phila delphia, where he only remained a few months 31 until he formed the purpose of locating in Pottsville, Schuylkill county. Mr. Altstatt received his education in the schools of his native country, and after having finished a general education, took up the study of sur gery in a private school. He afterwards, however, gave up this study, and engaged in the barber business, which he carried on for a period of about thirty years. In the year 1855, he opened a music, book and stationery store combined, in Pottsville, which he con tinued down to the year 1886. At the same time, he accepted the agency for the Hamburg-American Packet Company's passenger line; Richard & Company's bank ing house, and several saving funds, as well as engaging in a general insurance and real estate business which he has since continued. During the existence of the German Bank of Pottsville, he was president of that institu tion for some six or eight years, and is now a director of the Real Estate, Title, Insurance and Trust Company of that city, and president of the Pottsville Mutual Fire Insurance Com pany. Mr. Altstatt has always allied himself with the Democratic party upon both national and local issues, and was elected by all parties as a member of the city council for two terms. Religiously, he holds membership in St. John's Roman Catholic church, of which he has always been a firm supporter, both financially and devotionally. In 1838, he was one of the organizers of the Washington Yaeger Military Company, and some years later, he was elected first lieutenant and subsequently captain for a number of years. On August 2, 1840, he was united in mar riage With Elizabeth Lecher, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, by whom he had five children 482 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY that reached muturity: Mary, wife of Emil Langguth, a piano manufacturer, who now lives in Pottsville ; Josephine, wife of John J. Murphy, a reporter on the Evening Chronicle ; Margaret, at home ; Amelia, married to A. T. Jones, of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, a cloth ing merchant ; George, deceased. Ti^ILLIAM BUECHLEY, an enterprising and well-known lumber dealer of Potts ville, is a son of Christopher and Margaret (Rothenberger). Buechley He is a native of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, having been born at Schuylkill Haven, December 29, 1845. His father was a native of Germany, born in Wiirtemburg in the year 1802, and came to the State of Pennsylvania in early manhood. He first took up his residence at Schuylkill Haven and engaged in blacksmithing, which he followed for a number of years. He then gave up his trade and began teaming on the Reading pike, which was the great thorough fare of trade before the constructiog of the railroad. In 185 1 he removed to St. Clair, this county, and kept a hotel and dealt in lumber, jointly, until the time of his death in 1864. He was an active member of the Lu theran church and was twice married. By his first wife he had one daughter, Mary, married to William Baur, a druggist of St. Clair. His second marriage resulted in the birth of three children: the subject, William ; Henry A., in the employ of C. M. Betz & Co., Philadelphia; and Charles, employed /by Cofrode & Sailor, bridge builders, of Reading, Pennsylvania. William Buechley married Anna Slobig, of St. Clair, this county, April 23, 1867, by whom four children were born : Laura, William, Jr., Lulu, and Fred. B. In boyhood, he benefited by the common schools of his native village, and after his father's death, which occurred in July, 1864, he engaged in the retail lumber business at St. Clair. In this he continued until 1868, when he disposed of his lumber yard and located in Pottsville. Here he began a wholesale business in lumber, which he con tinues. Mr. Buechley employs a number of men and does an annual business of $60,000. He is in general sympathy with the Republican party, but rather independent in politics. Fraternally, he is a' member of Anthracite Lodge, No. 285, F. and A. M., at St. Clair, and of the Chapter at Catawissa, and Con stantine Commandery, No. 41, Knights Tem plar, at Pottsville. J FREDERICK WETTER, the well- • known and popular editor of the Jef ferson Democrat, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of Henry and Verena (Hauenstein) Wetter. He was bom in Degerfelden, Can ton Aargau, Switzerland, November 17, 1846, and early in life was apprenticed to learn the printing business in his native country. With a desire to cast his fortunes elsewhere, he de termined to come to the United States, which he did in the year 1867. Upon his arrival he depended upon his trade to procure him a livelihood, and after various peregrinations, during which he was employed in Baltimore, Maryland ; Newark, New Jersey ; Wheeling, West Virginia ; Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; and some smaller places, he found his way to Pottsville in 1869. Ever since that time he has been identified with the newspaper inter ests of Schuylkill county. In 1892 he became the editor and proprietor of the Jefferson Democrat, an eight-column weekly paper, which he conducts with tact and ability. The Democrat is the German organ of the Demo- 484 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY passed into the hands of Benjamin Bannan in April, 1829, who changed its name to the Miners' Journal and Schuylkill Coal and Navigation Register, and in 1848, Mr. Bannan added to this title and Pottsville Advertiser. In 1866, Mr. Ramsay purchased a half in terest in the paper with Mr. Bannan, and on the evening of September 1, 1869, the first issue of the daily made its bow to the public as the Daily Miners' Journal, the publication of the weekly Journal being continued. In 1873, Mr. Ramsay purchased the other half of the business. On May 14, 1877, the Jour nal became the property of P. W. Sheafer and Mr. Carter, who organized the Miners' Journal Publishing Company. Mr. Sheafer soon sold his interest to J. C. Bright, who in turn sold it to W. R. Cole, who continued as the editor and owner of a two-thirds interest until 1889, when Mr. Carter became sole pro prietor. The paper is a live, active, newsy sheet. In political faith Mr. Carter has always been a republican. He is a member ofthe Presby terian church. He is an honored member of Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M., the Chapter at Catawissa and Constantine Commandery, No. 41, K. T., at Pottsville. Mr. Carter has been twice married ; his first union was with Hannah B. Osier, and was blest with an issue of three children : George T., Helen O. and Jessie. His second marriage was with Louisa V. Pershing, a daughter of Hon. Cyrus L. Per shing, president judge of Schuylkill county. To this union one child, Donald, has been born. HON. O. P. BECHTEL, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, on January 31, 1842. He is a son of John and Eliza S. (Beiber) Bechtel. His American ancestry, both paternal and maternal, belongs to Eastern Pennsylvania, and thoroughly represents the sturdy, inde pendent, conscientious element in our German American citizenship. John Bechtel, father, was a native of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and was born near Doylestown, the county seat, on October 6, 1798. Subsequently he removed to Berks county, where he resided for a number of years, and was well known as the proprietor of the " Half-way House " be tween Reading and Kutztown. Aside from the proprietorship of the hotel he was also a mail contractor and storage owner, busied in the transport of passengers and mails between Easton and Harrisburg, via Allentown and Reading, and from Reading to Pottsville. At a later period he removed to Northumberland county, where he remained for about a dozen years as a conjoint farmer and hotel-keeper. His farm was known as the " Warrior Run farm," and the Stone Tavern which stood upon it, a few miles from Watsontown, was a hos telry that sheltered many a traveler. In 1847 he removed from here to Pottsville, Schuylkill county, and thence to Middleport, same county, in 185 1. At the latter pjace he received the appointment of postmaster, and held it during the administrations of Pierce, Buchanan and Johnson, which fact argues that he must have been a painstaking and careful official. Polit ically, he was a democrat, and manifested a commendable earnestness in behalf of that party in both local, state and national cam paigns. He was twice married. His second wife was Eliza S. Beiber, of Berks county. She was born in the year 1808, and died at Mid dleport, in June, 1880, her husband's demise OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 485 having taken place in the latter part of De cember, 1872. The childhood and youth of O. P. Bechtel were spent on his father's farm in Northum berland county. During this time he attended the common schools, mainly the common schools in Middleport, from which he obtained a good English education. When about eighteen years of age he began teaching in Wayne township, Schuylkill county, and in succeeding winters in Brunswick township. A couple of years later he registered as a stu dent, for a part of a year, at Freeland seminary — now Muhlenburg College — and in Septem ber, of 1 86 1, accepted a place in Arcadia In stitute, at Orwigsburg, where he divided his time as teacher and student. During the suc ceeding year he assumed control and success fully conducted a school in Mahanoy City, which received his attention until April, 1864. At this time he abandoned teaching and became bookkeeper of the Preston Coal and Improve ment Company at Girardville, and continued to discharge the functions of this position until March 20, 1865. Following the bent of his natural aptitudes, he, at this time, entered the office of Messrs. Hughes & Dewes at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, as a student of law, although three years prior to this time he had registered as a student in the office of his brother, James B. Bechtel, at Reading, Penn sylvania. He was examined for admission to the bar on April 12, 1866, passed with credit, and on May 10th ofthe same year, was form ally admitted to practice before the bar of Schuylkill county. Immediately after his ad mission he opened an office on Center street, Pottsville, and began the practice of his pro fession. He was a close student, soon enlisted the confidence of his clients, and demonstrated both -in the office and courts, by his fidelity and zeal, that his future place among his col leagues at the bar was not to be one of ob scurity. In the year 1873, he was induced by his party (the Democratic) to accept the nom ination for the office of State Senator from the tenth district, and was elected to that position by a majority of nearly fifteen hundred votes over three opposing candidates. He took his seat and served for three years to the unquali fied satisfaction of his constituents, but on ac count of pressing and increasing professional duties refused a renomination. Prior to his election to the Senate, he had also refused the nomination for district attorney. He now continued his professional career until August, 1877, when he was unanimously nominated by the democrats in convention assembled for the office of Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. To this office he was elected by a large majority and entered upon his judicial duties in January, 1878. At the expiration of this term, in 1888, he was unanimously renomi nated and re-elected by the largest majority ever given a candidate in Schuylkill county. Judge Bechtel's course on the bench has been one that has met the approbation of all- intelligent citizens without regard to party or sect. He is learned in the law, dispassionate in judgment, sympathetic within the limits of justice and humanity, and in his official atti tude commands the respect and confidence of the legal fraternity within his jurisdiction. Aside from the jurist, he is socially and per sonally and civically a man of many excellent qualities, who registers his influence on the. side of social order, the intellectual and moral uplifting of the masses, and both public and private purity. On account of these attributes, which far transcend those of the politician and the office seeker, he has won a place in 486 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY the minds and hearts ofthe citizens of Schuyl kill county. , On September 15, 1868, Judge Bechtel was united in marriage with Mary Elizabeth Epting, of Pottsville, daughter of Jacob and Rebecca Epting. On the maternal side, Mrs. Bechtel is a representative of the Myer family, whose prestige was long since established in Penn sylvania through her grandfather, Philip, and her great-grandfather, John Myer, both of whpm at some time filled the office of surveyor- general. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Bechtel has resulted in the birth of two children : Harry O., educated at Haverford College, Pennsylvania, and at present a student-at-law; and Carrie, at home. fcURD PATTERSON. No one took a more prominent, active and effective part in the upbuilding of the anthracite coal and iron industries, and the development of Schuylkill county, than Burd Patterson, who was for more than forty years a leading citizen of Pottsville. Mr. Patterson was born in 1788, and his early life was spent in Juniata county, Pennsylvania. He was of thorough American stock. His great-grandfather, James Patterson, settled in Conestoga, Lancaster county, in 1717. He is supposed to have been a Scotch-Irishman, though it is said he came to this county from Salisbury, England. He took an active part in the controversy between Pennsylvania and Maryland over their respective boundaries. His son, Captain James Patterson, removed to Juniata county and settled on the banks of the " blue Juniata," opposite the present town of Mexico. He built a fort and traded with the Indians. He was a famous rifle shoL He was also a cap tain in one of the two Provincial regiments. His son, George Patterson, married Jane Burd, a daughter of James Burd, the colonel of his father's regiment, and Sarah Shippen, a descendant of the first mayor of Philadelphia. 1 Burd Patterson was the son of George, and was named James Burd after his maternal grandfather, but he dropped the " James," and was always known simply as " Burd " Patter son. When a boy, on a visit to Philadelphia, he saw General Washington passing along the street. He received a good classical education, and became a professor in the old Mount Airy college, at Chestnut Hill, near Philadelphia. Then he married Matilda Dowers, a daughter of Edward Dowers and Rachel or Regina Heydrick, a cousin of the father of ex-Justice Christopher Heydrick, late of the Supreme Court of the State. In 1824 he visited Pottsville, then a place of twelve houses, situated on islands in a swamp, and the next year took up his per manent residence there. He lived for several years in the old stone house on South Centre street, at the corner of Mauch Chunk street, opposite the Atkin's residence. He then built the mansion on Mahantongo street, be tween 8th and 9th streets, where he lived for about thirty-seven years, and until his death. When he first came to Schuylkill county the anthracite coal industry had just been started there, and there was a great rush from all parts of the country and from abroad. He engaged in. the real estate and coal business. In conjunction with Abraham Pott, a son of John Pott, the founder of Pottsville, he laid out Pott and Patterson's addition to Pottsville, which embraced the bulk of the Middle and Northwest wards, and a large part of the South ward. Market square, now Garfield square was laid out at his suggestion. He OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 487 took a prominent part in the early develop ment of the towns of Port Carbon, St. Clair, Tamaqua, Ashland, Mahanoy City, Girardville, Minersville, Yorkville, Patterson, and other places in the county. He was the first president of the Coal Operators Association of Schuylkill county, a position which he held for several years. He joined in offering a reward for the dis covery of the best plan for working below water level. His most important service was in connection with the first successful use of anthracite coal exclusively to make iron. He had control of the Pioneer furnace on the island at the south end of Pottsville, now owned by the Pottsville Iron and Steel Com pany. He induced William Lyman, of Boston, to operate the furnace and to use anthracite coal exclusively. The latter secured the service of Benjamin Perry, a Welshman, who had some familiarity with the experiments in his native country with its hard coal to the same end. A reward of $5000 was offered by Nicholas Biddle and other Philadelphians to the first furnace operating exclusively with anthracite coal. The Pioneer furnace fulfilled the condition by running from the middle of November, 1839, to the middle of January, 1840. The event was duly celebrated by a banquet at the Mount Carbon Hotel, January 18, 1840, at which Mr. Lyman proposed the following toast : " Burd Patterson, the gentleman who originally projected the an thracite experiment in Pottsville and the firm friend of every enterprise which advances the interests of Pennsylvania." During the period of the three months' trial at the furnace David Thomas visited his friend Perry, and offered some suggestions. Thomas was building the furnace at Catasaqua, which has generally been credited as the first to exclusively use anthracite coal success fully, but that furnace was not started until July 4, 1840, nearly six months after the ter mination of the successful trial at the Potts ville furnace. Between these two dates several other anthracite furnaces were blown in, including the Roaring Creek furnace of Burd Patterson & Co., which was the first anthra cite iron furnace in the Susquehanna Valley. In the great depression of the coal and iron trade following the panic of 1837, and the low tariff legislation ofthe 40's, Mr. Patterson, like many others, failed. Subsequently he retrieved his fortunes and paid his indebtedness. Some adverse criticism has been made because, when Mr. Lyman got into business difficulty with the Pioneer furnace, Mr. Patterson did not help him out. The fact that Mr. Patterson himself failed about the same time, after aiding Mr. Lyman to the extent of his ability, answers such criticism. The experience gained during these hard times made Mr. Patterson ever after a strong supporter of the policy of protection. When the civil war broke out he was enthu siastically for the Union, refusing even to associate with former friends whom he thought by their conduct were giving aid and comfort to the rebel States. He was frequently con sulted by Governor Andrew G. Curtin, a dis tant relative, as to the situation in the coal region. He and his son, Joseph S. Patterson, headed the list of subscribers for the fund guaranteeing the payment of the volunteers with the sum of $1000. The Union League of Pottsville, of which Joseph S. Patterson wag president, had his warm support. He was much interested in the introduction of the Bessemer process of making steel into this country, and sent two gentlemen to England to investigate the matter. He formed a com- 488 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY pany, which erected a building at Schuylkill Haven to test the process, but his unexpected death on March 30, 1867, after a few days illness, caused by catching cold at a friend's funeral, put an end to the project. Upon the announcement of his death a large, meeting of prominent citizens of the county was held at Pennsylvania Hall, Pottsville, which adopted resolutions highly eulogistic of his work in the development of the anthracite region, and appointed a committee to take action toward founding the " Burd Patterson School of Mines," as a practical memorial ; a project which the hard times, which shortly fell on the coal trade, prevented being carried out. On the day of his funeral the business houses of Pottsville were closed, and a general regret expressed. Mr. Patterson was a man of a very generous and liberal disposition, and gave many a young and poor man a helping hand which enabled him to achieve success in after life. He always felt a keen interest in the affairs ofthe government, though the only office he ever accepted was that of councilman for the South ward of Pottsville for a couple of years, about the time of the formation of the borough. /"VHANNLNG SHUMWAY, treasurer and general manager of The Standard Pub lishing Company of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of Orsman O. and Lydia (Snyder) Shumway, and was born in Fulton, Oswego county, New York, on August 21, 1844. Mr. Shumway is a descendant of sturdy New England stock, his grandfather, Amasa Shumway, having been born in Vermont, in 1788. About 1820, he removed to Mexico, Oswego county, New York, where he died jn 1855. He followed farming as his life- work, and was a strict follower of the doc trines of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married Hannah Spencer, an English lady, and had a family of nine children ; three sons and six daughters. Orsman Shumway, father, was born in Mexico, Oswego county, New York, in 1825, where he continued to reside until 1845, when he located in Fulton, same county, and opened a stationery and book store, which business he successfully carried on a number of years until he was burned out, when he became principal of the Faley Seminary at Fulton for a term of six years. Subsequently he was elected Police Justice, serving in that capacity until he left the place in 1867. In this year, he removed to Vineland, New Jersey, and opened up a book and stationery store, in which business he was engaged until death ended his labors in 1871. Politically, he was a republican, and took an active part in the affairs of his party. He was twice the nominee of his party for State Senator, but his district being strongly Democratic, was defeated both times. For many years he was a devoted member and an active worker in the Methodist church. He was twice married ; his first union was with Lydia Snyder, who bore him but one child that grew to maturity. His second marriage was with Amanda Baldwin, who bore him one child, that grew to maturity, Otway H., of Oswega county, New York. On December 20, 1868, Mr. Shumway married Deborah, a daughter of W. F. Garri son, a prominent shipbuilder of Cape May county, New Jersey, to them two children were born : Jay G., general superintendent of The Standard Publishing Company, and Otway H., in the employ of the government bindery in Washington, D. C. * OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 489 Deborah (Garrison) Shumway died on Feb ruary io, 1874, aged twenty-six years. Mr. Shumway married as his second wife, Ella J., a daughter of Joseph Whitfield, of Pottsville, Pa., (see his sketch), February 9, 1 876. To them have been born three children : Jessie W., Lucia D., and Channing R." Channing Shumway was educated in the common schools and Faley Seminary at Ful ton, New York. Upon leaving school he accepted a position until 1863, as clerk in the post-office at Fulton. In 1863 he enlisted at Fulton, in company A, 24th regiment, New York cavalry, and served with his command until he was mus tered out at the close of the war in June, 1865, near Alexandria, Virginia. He was in the 2nd division of Sheridan's cavalry corps, but was detached with the division while Sheridan was in the Shenandoah Valley and placed in the Army of the Potomac, and participated in all the battles of that army from the Wilder ness to the surrender of Lee at Appomatox. On June 19, 1864, he was wounded in the ankle, in front of Petersburg, Virginia. After the close of the war, he took a position as clerk, in the general post-office at Washing ton, until September, 1866, when he resigned and entered the employ of Joseph Fayal, of Jefferson county, New York, as clerk until 1867. For the next year and a half he was engaged m the grocery business, six month in Vineland, N. J. Nearly two years in Cape May county, N. J. and one year in Camden. He then took a general agency with the Wheeler & Wilson Sewing Machine Company for one year. In 1 870 he came to Pottsville, and for five years carried on a book and sta tionery business. In 1875 he became the business manager of the. Evening Chronicle, and upon the absorp tion ofthe Chronicle by the Standard Publish ing Company, he became the treasurer and general manager of the new company. The Standard Publishing Company was organized in 1875 ; but in 1877 it was re-organized with the following officers : Henry Royer, presi dent ; C. W. Harper, secretary, and C. Shum way treasurer and general manager. The plant is a large and well equipped throughout for doing all kinds of job work and for the manufacture of blank books. They are the publishers of the Evening Chronicle and the Pottsville Standard. The Evening Chronicle was established on April 17, 1875, by Solomon Foster, Jr. and A. H. Bigler, by whom it was conducted one year when Mr. Foster became sole owner by purchase of Mr. Bigler's interest and continued its pub lication to June, 1876, when he sold it to the Standard Publishing Company, by which com pany it has since been run. It is a first-class daily paper of six or seven columns folio or six or seven columns quarto as the exigencies of the occasion may demand. It has a good local circulation and is a clean and newsy sheet. The Pottsville Standard is a weekly paper, and is an evolution through many changes of the Democratic Standard, established by Henry L. Acker in 1857. In 1865 it was changed to the Pottsville Standard, and has since been known by that name, although its publication was suspended for a time before it came under its present management. Both the daily and the weekly are staunch advocates of the principles of the Democratic party. Mr. Shumway, one of the leading spirits in the enterprises above described, is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, R. A. M., 490 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY and Constantine Commandery, No. 41, K. T. Also the Pottsville Club and Gowen Post, No. 23, G. A. R. nEV. JOHN J. FISHER, the popular and cultured pastor of Trinity Reformed church, Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, is of German extraction, and the scion of an old and highly respectable family; he is a son of Daniel and Lydia (Spankuchen) Fisher, and was born in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, August 30, 1855. His grandfather, Jacob Fisher, was a native of Berne township, Berks county, Pennsyl vania, within whose boundaries he lived out the span of his life, and died in Friedensburg February 14, 1846, at the age of sixty-five years. The name of his great-grandfather was also Jacob, who was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, and emigrated to the United States at an early age. He settled in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in the vicinity of Friedensburg, the scene of his last years ; his vocation' was that of teacher and preacher in his native country. Grandfather Fisher was a farmer by occupation, a member of the Reformed church, and married Catherine Filbert, by whom he had a family of eight children, seven sons and one daughter. Daniel Fisher, the father of John J„ first saw the fight of day in Berne township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, on November 25, 1820, and twenty-nine years later removed to Potts ville, Schuylkill county. He remained in Pottsville until about 1858, when he was at tracted to Mahanoy City, which has since been his place of residence. By occupation he was a brick manufacturer, which business engaged his time and attention up to the year 1870. In his religious convictions and sympathies, he joins forces with the Reformed church of the United States, in which he has been in full and active membership for many years. He has filled nearly all the official positions within the gift ofthe church, and was one ofthe original thirteen men to whom is due the founding of the chufch in Mahanoy City, and since that time has remained one of its strongest and most earnest supporters. In politics, he throws his support to the Democratic party, and is now serving his second term as supervisor of Mahanoy City, through favor of that party. He was united in marriage to Lydia, daughter of John and Christina (Feltie) Spankuchen, of Pine Grove township, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, on April 26, 1845, by which marriage he has had an offspring of nine children, seven sons and two daughters. John J. Fisher was united in the bonds of wedlock with Elmira K., a daughter of Charles B. and Sarah M. Wagner, of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, January 29, 1 880. To them have been born three children : Calvin Ursinus, Gertrude E., and Mary I. He was educated in the public schools of Mahanoy City up to the year 1873, when, in April of that year, he entered Ursinus College, at Col- legeville, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated as second-honor man in the class of 1878. During the next year he was graduated from the seminary of the Reformed church at the same place, and was licensed to preach the gospel by the Classis of Lebanon June 7, 1879. He almost immedi ately received a call from Trinity Reformed church, at Tamaqua, and on February 1, 1880, was installed pastor of that church, where he still continues. Mr. Fisher is a man of scholarly attain ments, earnestness, devotion, and religious zeal ; he is tolerant in his teachings concerning OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 491 the ideal life, and impresses, by his character and personality, the force of divine truth as he sees it in the contrariety of nature, the vast complex of human history, and the universal consciousness of mankind. In connection with his work at Trinity, he is also pastor of Christ's Reformed church of Rush township since 1880, and St. Peter's Reformed church, in Ryan township. He has also supplied occasionally at Tuscarora and Delano, this county. Trinity Reformed church of Tamaqua is located on the corner of Washington and La fayette streets, and was rebuilt in 1892, at a cost of $4000. On February 26, 1893, it re ceived a beautiful memorial gift, consisting of a chime of nine bells, which adds greatly to the aesthetic effect of the external church ser vice. JOE^JAMLN T. TAYLOR, one of the earliest settlers and one of the most re spectable citizens of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was born October 16, 1808, in Mifflinburg, Centre county, Pennsylvania, and was the son of Isaac and Mary Elizabeth (Harris) Taylor. He was one of a family of eleven children, whose names are as follows : William, who died young; William, Joseph, Stephen, Re becca, Benjamin, Joseph, Charles, Isaac, Eli zabeth and Robert Paul. Benjamin T. Taylor obtained a fair educa tion in the common schools of his native county, where he was reared until twenty years of age, at which time in about 1828, he came to Pottsville, where, with the excep tion of six years, spent in Philadelphia, he lived until death ended his labors on March 8, 1 891. During his almost three quarters of a century stay in Pottsville, he was known as an active and upright business man. Politically, Mr. Taylor was an old line whig, being a great admirer of Henry Clay. Upon the extinction of that party, which had counted among its followers so many ofthe best men of our land, and the advent of the new-born Re publican party, he became one of the fosterers of the infant and continued one of its most ar dent supporters until his death. He served two terms as chief burgess of his borough with entire satisfaction to its constituents. On April 9, 1833, Mr. Taylor was united in marriage with Elizabeth Fisher. To this union have been born nine children : Isaac, Charles, Henry, Frank, George, John and Edwin, all deceased, and Emma R. and Sarah E., who survive. Emma R., became the wife of Daniel D. Maginnis, well known in the coal and iron business, of Schuylkill county. He was born in Pottsville, this county, June 13, 1837, and died in the town of his nativity, February 9, 1888. He was mustered into ser vice of the civil war in defence of his country, and was attached to the 48th regiment, Penn sylvania volunteer infantry, as first sergeant, subsequently promoted to adjutant, and served with credit to himself and honor to his country until he was honorably discharged by reason of his ill health. His union with Emma R. Taylor was blessed with the following children : Elizabeth, Tay lor (dead), Benjamin, Paul (dead), Wesley (dead), and Gerda. George W., the fifth son of Mr. Taylor, was married to Emma Bertram. She and their three sons, James B., George F. and John P., survive him. yHOMAS DOYLE, division superintendent of the southern district for the Philadel phia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, is a son of Michael and Mary (Welsh) Doyle, 492 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY and was born December 19, 1838, in Nor wegian township, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania. Michael Doyle was a native of Queen's County, Ireland, whence he emigrated in 1833 to America, and located in Schuylkill county. He was a miner, and as such worked at vari ous places throughout the county ; at one time he operated on his own account a small colliery in Blythe township. He died in 1856, in New Philadelphia, this county. He had a family of five children, two boys and three girls. Thomas Doyle has been twice married ; his first union was with Julia Keane, a daughter of Patrick Keane. He had by this marriage a family of six children. His second marriage was with Margaret, a daughter of Bernard Reilly and sister of the Hon. James B. Reilly, present congressman from the 13th District. Two children have resulted from this marriage. Mr. Doyle's advantages for securing an education were limited indeed, attending for a time the public schools of Blythe township. At the age of twelve years he laid down his books and took up the pick, and his life work has been that of a miner or supervisor in and around mines to the present time. There is no work about a colliery either inside or out side with which Mr. Doyle is not thoroughly acquainted. He has served in them all. In 1869 he took a position as inside mine boss at a colliery near Silver Creek. He remained there four years, and in 1873 entered the em ploy of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company as mine inspector for what was then known as the Pottsville district. Shortly afterwards he became district superintendent for the Tremont district for the same com pany. He remained in that position four years, until 1878. At this time he was again transferred to the Pottsville district as district superintendent for one year. The next year he acted as assistant to the general super intendent of all the mines of the company John Veith. In 1880, Mr. Doyle was made division superintendent of the southern dis trict. This is a large territory, embracing a supervision of all the mines of the company south ofthe Broad Mountains. Mr. Doyle deservedly stands high in the estimation ofthe company, as his continuous connection with it for over twenty years fully attests. His is a knowledge that comes only by a life time of zealous application and thought and close perception combined with good judgment and the ability to act promptly when the opportunity presents' itself. f\R. JAMES C. GRAY was born in Cres sona, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on February 13, i860, and is a son of John and Agnes (McKelvey) Gray. He is of Scotch extraction, his father having being born in Renfrewshire, Scotland, on July 14, 1832. When still a child about two years of age, he was brought by his mother to Cape Breton Island and Nova Scotia, where they lived until the year 1837. During this year the family removed to Pennsylvania, and located in Minersville, where John Gray was for the main part educated and brought up. After a short residence here, Mrs. Gray mar ried Robert Johnston, and the family then re moved to the State of Maryland, remained a few years in that State and returned to. Minersville, where they resided up to their death. After several more removals including Pottsville and Reading, John Gray came to Cressona in 1856, which has continued to be his residence. While at Minersville, he learned OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 493 the trade of a machinist and blacksmith, which he continued to follow until the year 1870, when on account of his health he was obliged to relinquish it. In that year he was ap pointed foreman of the railroad yards con trolled by the Philadelphia and Reading Rail road at Cressona, in which position he has remained ever since that time. Politically, he is a republican. He was twice married. His first wife was Agnes Johnson, a daughter of Joseph Johnson, of Pottsville, by whom he had one child, now deceased. Mrs. Gray died on February 21, 1857, aged twenty-two years and five months. He married the second time, Agnes McKelvey, a daughter of David McKelvey, of Pottsville; by whom he had eleven children, seven sons and four daugh ters : Isabella, wife of Samuel Klock, a butcher living in Lebanon, Pennsylvania ; James C, subject; William L., a resident of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, a stationary engineer at the Pettibone shaft; Jennie, wife of Adam Applegate, a resident of Cressona ; Robert S., a machinist by trade, but now reading medi cine with his brother ; Annie E., Agnes M., a teacher in the schools of Cressona borough, George A., Allen, and John M., at home. The latter is a graduate of the Medico-Chirur gical College of Philadelphia, in the class of 1893, and was elected as an assistant surgeon in the Miners' hospital on May 8 of the same year. James C. Gray, received his preliminary edu cation at the Cressona public schools, after which he taught four terms in the schools of his borough. During part of this time he was engaged in the study of medicine, under the preceptorship of Dr. G. W. Brown (deceased), of Port Carbon. Later he entered Jefferson Medical College, and was graduated from that institution in the year 1884. Since that time he has been in the active practice of his pro fession at Cressona. He is a member of the Schuylkill County Medical Society, in which for some time he filled the office of vice-presi dent, and is now one of the delegates to the State Medical Convention. He is a republi can and served as school director for three years at Cressona, and is an active member of Methodist Episcopal church. In the fraternal world, he is a member of Washington Camp, No. 73, Patriotic Order Sons of America, of which he is past president ; and also a mem ber of Miami Tribe, No. 82, Independent Order of Red Men. />EN. J. K. SIGFRIED.— Joshua K Sig- ^"^ fried was born in Orwigsburg, then the seat, of justice of Schuylkill county, July 4, 1832. His father, Jonas Sigfried, was a native of Pennsylvania and a wheelwright by trade. He died about 1840. His mother, who pre vious to her marriage was Miss Susan Krater, was a native of Schuylkill county. She died at Orwigsburg in 1863. General Sigfried at tend school between the ages of six and ten years, and then embarked on the sea of busi ness life as a store boy in the employ of Messrs. Lyon & Rishel, at Port Clinton, where he remained five years. At the expira tion of this time, realizing the need of more schooling than he had been enabled to obtain, he entered the old Pottsville Academy as a student. It was only a year, however, before he found it necessary to again find employ ment and resume the laborious task of making his way in the world. Going to Lykens, Dauphin county, he entered the store of William H. Hetherington, who two years afterward disposed of the business to Lewis Heilner, with whom young Sigfried remained 494 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY a year or thereabouts. Then he was in the flour and feed trade at Port Carbon a year and a half, when he abandoned the mercantile career he had entered upon and engaged for a year with Bacon, Price & Co., as a shipper of coal. The next year he passed as bookkeeper for Tobias H. Wintersteen, the Port Carbon machinist. Then until the outbreak of the Rebellion he was engaged in shipping coal for Sillyman & Myers, Samuel Sillyman and George H. Potts & Co. at Port Carbon, and for Lewis Audenreid & Co., and George H. Potts & Co., at Schuylkill Haven. General Sigfried early formed a taste for military life. In April, 1857, he attached himself to the old Marion rifle company as a private. In the following October he was promoted to the first lieutenancy of the com pany, and April 20, i860, he was appointed major ofthe 3d regiment attached to the ist brigade of the 6th division of Pennsylvania militia. When treason raised her black flag over our land General Sigfried was among the very first to consecrate his influence, his time, his best energies and his life itself to his coun try. The following interesting account of his patriotic and gallant military career during the late war is extracted from Wallace's " Memo rial of the Patriotism of Schuylkill county in the American Slaveholders' Rebellion : " General Sigfried entered the service in April, 1861, as captain in the 6th Pennsylvania regiment, Colonel James Nagle, for a period of three months, at the expiration of which he was mustered out at Harrisburg. After his return home he assisted to organize the 48th Pennsylvania regiment, of which he was com missioned major, and mustered into the service on the ist of October, 1861. He moved with the regiment to Hatteras on the nth of November, 1861. He was promoted lieuten ant-colonel by election on the 30th of that month. He was ordered to the command of Camp Winfield, Hatteras, on the 9th of De cember. He moved with the regiment to Newbern, N. C, on the nth of March, 1862. In April, 1862, he took command ofthe regi ment, Colonel Nagle having been detached to command the ist brigade, 2d division, of what was afterwards the 9th corps. The regiment left Newbern on the 6th of July, and reached New port News on the 9th. Colonel Sigfried spent the month here in placing his regiment in an effective condition. He left with his regiment for Fredericksburg, to join General Pope, on the 2d of August. The regiment left Freder icksburg on the 1 2th, marched to Culpepper and joined General Pope on the 14th. It was immediately thrown forward to Cedar Moun tain, and performed picket duty when General Pope's retreat commenced. The regiment moved from there on the retreat on the 18th. It moved toward and occupied Kelly's Ford on the Rappahannock. Lieutenant-Colonel Sigfried, with a portion of his regiment, recrossed the river in support of Buford's cavalry, who were engaged in a sharp skir mish with the enemy. The regiment remained at Kelly's Ford until the 22d, when it moved up the river. The regiment, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Sigfried, was in the second battle of Bull Run, August 29 and 30, 1862. It fought gallantly and lost heavily. September 1 he manceuvered the regiment skillfully at the battle of Chantilly. He com manded the regiment through the Maryland campaign of 1862, participating in the battles of South Mountain and Antietam. After the last engagement he was promoted colonel, to date from the 10th of September, 1862. He commanded the regiment at the battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. After OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 495 the battle he was complimented by Generals Sturgess, Ferrero and Nagle for the manner in which he took the regiment into and for the ability with which he handled it while in action. March 25, 1863, Colonel Sigfried left Newport News with his regiment for the west. He reached Lexington, Ky., April 1, where the regiment remained on provost duty until September 10, 1863. During that time Colonel Sigfried was provost marshal of the city and military commandant. He left Lex ington on the 10th of September as colonel, commanding the ist brigade, 2d division, 9th army corps, on the march to East Tennessee, to join Bumside's forces at Knoxville. The distance (two hundred and twenty-six miles) was marched in eighteen days, without fatigue or straggling,, in consequence of an admirable plan adopted by Colonel Sigfried upon start ing. The brigade arrived at Knoxville, Sep tember 28, and reached Bull's Gap October 14. From there it marched to Lick creek and Blue Springs. Colonel Sigfried com manded the brigade in the battle of Blue Springs, fought October 10. He returned to Knoxville October 15, shortly after which he was ordered to take command of the 2d divi sion, 9th corps. On the 22d, with his division, Colonel Sigfried moved to Louden; then to Lenoir, where it remained until November 14, when the division returned to Louden, and covered the retreat of the army on the 15 th from Lenoir to Campbell's Station. At this point Colonel Sigfried resumed command of the ist brigade, Colonel Hartranft taking com mand of the division. At the battle of Camp bell's Station, fought on the 16th, Colonel Sigfried's brigade opened the engagement, and participated in it all day, retreating at night to Knoxville, reaching that place on the follow ing morning. At this time the siege of Knox ville by the rebel General Longsreet com menced. The key of the defences was held by the 9th corps — a very important point in the line of works being held by the brigade of Colonel Sigfried. The siege was raised on the 5th of December, the rebels retreating to ward Virginia, and our forces following. January 3d, 1864, the 48th regiment, having re-enlisted for three years, left its camp near Blaine's Cross Roads, Tenn., for home on veteran leave, for reorganization, and it arrived at Pottsville, February 3. Having recruited its ranks to the maximum number the regi ment left Pottsville, March 14, 1864, under command of Colonel Sigfried, for Annapolis, where it was ordered to rendezvous. It left Annapolis to co-operate with General Grant in his great Virginia campaign, April 23, 1864. On the 4th of May Colonel Sigfried was appointed to command the ist brigade, 4th division (colored), 9th army corps, the duty of which was to guard the immense trains necessary to facilitate Grant's opera tions. That duty ceasing after the army had crossed the James and established itself in front of Petersburg, Colonel Sigfried's brigade was assigned to other important duty. The circumstances under which he received this brigade command, and the manner in which he discharged the duties of the office, will be learned from the following letter : U. S. Senate, Washington, April 30, 1881. General J. K. Sigfried. My Dear General: I learn that a " History of Schuylkill Coun ty, Pa.," is about to be published, and I would be glad to have a copy of it, for I am sure it will contain honorable mention of its gallant soldiers who served with me during the late 496 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY war for the suppression of the Rebellion. You, my dear general, will be prominently mentioned if the compilers of the work know as much of your skill, gallantry, and unselfish co-operation as I do. I shall never forget the disinterested patriotism which actuated you when you were asked by me to take com mand of the ist brigade of the 4th division of the 9th corps. It was composed of colored troops, and I naturally wanted to give it my best officers for brigade commanders. I well remember the desire you had to remain with your old command, and with what reluctance you yielded to my desire and order. I wanted you with the 4th division because you were one of my best officers, and commanded my entire confidence and esteem. Please have a copy of the work, when it comes out, sent to me at Bristol, R. I. With kind regards to your family, I remain, my dear general, Faithfully your friend, A. E. Burnside. At the explosion of the mine at Petersburg Colonel Sigfried, with his brigade, partici pated in the charge on the enemy's works. Subsequently he was brevetted brigadier-gen eral by President Lincoln for his gallantry in this action. He continued in command of the brigade until mustered out of service, October 2, 1864, by reason of the expiration of his term of service. During his career in the army General Sigfried won the highest encomiums'from his superior officers for the fidelity, prudence and ability with which he discharged the duties devolving upon him. Without his knowledge, they recommended him for promotion from colonel to brigadier, for meritorious conduct in the field. October 1, 1870, General Sigfried was appointed major-general of the Sixth Divi sion National Guards of Pennsylvania, in which capacity he served until the fall of 1878, doing good service as commander of troops in subduing the riots which prevailed in various parts of the States during that period. Octo ber 22, 1878, when the officers were reduced to one major-general and five brigadiers, he was commissioned brigadier-general of the third brigade, serving until 1885, when he resigned. His whole administration during his connection with the National Guard of Pennsylvania has been so efficient and suc cessful as to win for him the commendation of men and officers under his command and the superior authorities to which he is answerable for the performance of his responsible duties. Since the close of the war ths General has been most of the time prominently identified with various mining enterprises. In Decem ber, 1865, he assumed the management of the Wolf Creek Diamond Coal Company's coller- ies near Minersville. In 1868 he formed a copartnership with George C. Potts and reared and operated the Mount Laffee colliery. Later Mr. Potts disposed of his interest in the business to Messrs. Powell & Wigton, of Philadelphia, and General Sigfried managed the enterprise until he sold his interest to the same parties, in 1872. From that time until in 1874 he owned a one-third interest in the Tunnell colliery, at Ashland, the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company owning the remaining two-thirds. During the year last mentioned the corporation became, by pur chase, the sole owners of the colliery. General Sigfried served a term in the Port Carbon school board and another in the town council before the war, and after the war one full term (three years) and a portion of a term in the Pottsville school board as its president. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 497 From the very inception of the Republican party General Sigfried has been an ardent advocate of its principles and an active worker for its success. In 1874 he was nominated for the office of State senator, but was de feated by the Democratic nominee, Judge O. P. Bechtel. In 1875 he was appointed boiler inspector for the district comprising the coun ties of Schuylkill, Columbia and Northumber land, and reappointed in 1878 and 1881, and continued in that office until the act was abol ished in 1884. He then again embarked in coal operating at Herbine colliery, near Minersville, which he operated until the mine was exhausted in 1890, since which time he has been president and general manager of the Schuylkill Electric Railway Company. He is of a liberal philanthropic nature, and for the last eight years has been president of the Childrens' Home Benevolent Association of Pottsville, an institution which has and is doing great good in Pottsville. He was chosen chairman of the republican county committee in 1880, and again in 1881 and 1882. On March 10, 185 1, he married Miss Eliza beth Sim, a lady of Sc otch extraction, but a native and then a resident of Port Carbon. To this marriage were born the following chil dren : Maggie, dead ; David B., dead ; Ida S., Cora P., the wife of J. H. Zerbey, editor and proprietor ofthe Daily Republican (see sketch) ; W. Elmer, at Johnstown, Pa. , a machinist by avocation ; J. Reno, who married Miss Ella Rose, and is engaged in the mercantile busi ness in Pottsville ; and Carrie. The first and last born have died. He is an active and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Pottsville, and has been for thirty-nine years, and has been president of the board of trustees for 32 fifteen years. He is also a class leader and a steward. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1862, joining in the city of Lexington, Kentucky. He is now an hon ored and respected member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., at Pottsville. General Sigfried's life has been a busy and a useful one, and the results of his exertion cannot but encourage others who are struggling against difficulties which threaten to be insurmountable. His ad vancement is due almost entirely to his own energy and personal worth, for he may be said to have made his way unaided from childhood. Among the many self-made men of the anthracite regions of Pennsylvania General Sigfried takes a prominent position. His career marks him as a man of enterprise, perseverance and ability. Whether in civil, political or military life he has been success ful, and is one o"f the notable Pennsylvanians of his generation. [The above is essentially as found in Mun- sell's history of Schuylkill county.] FREDERICK BECK, of Cressona, Penn sylvania, is a son of Jacob and Mary (Beider) Beck, and was born in what is now the present village of Beckville, North Man heim township, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, on December 6, 1824. Jacob Beck, father, was born in the town of Reitlingen, kingdom of Wurtemburg, Ger many, in the year 1789, and emigrated to the United States about the year 18 17. After his arrival in this country he settled in the Schuyl kill Valley, where he was employed on the Schuylkill canal for a period of years, plying between French creek and Pottsville. Sub- 498 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY sequently, he became foreman of a force of carpenters, and was engaged in the construc tion and repair of locks in connection with the canal. He located in Pottsville about the year 1818, and continued as an employee of the canal company for a number of years after wards. He was also a civil engineer of con siderable efficiency, and did railroad survey ing and drafting. In 1822, he removed to Manheim township, purchased a farm of one hundred acres, and became the founder of Beckville. During this time he served as an assistant engineer in the survey of the Mine Hill Railroad, which was constructed about the year 1828 or 1830. Upon the tract of land which he purchased he erected a saw mill, and in 1829, also a grist-mill, which has been in the possession of William Beck since 1861. During the latter part of his life he busied himself with the less exacting duties of his farm and mills. He died in the year 1850. During his life he was a staunch demo crat, a member of the Lutheran church, of which he was one of the foremost members. At the time of his death he was treasurer of the Lutheran church, and had previously filled many of its more important offices. His marriage was celebrated in the year i8i7,just prior to his emigration to the United States. This marriage was productive of six children that grew to maturity: Elizabeth, widow of Joseph Wilde, now living in Hazel ton, Pennsylvania ; Jacob, deceased ; Frederick, subject ; George, deceased ; Edward, a resident of Beckville ; John, deceased ; Mary, wife of Emile Stecker, both deceased ; Catherine, wife of David Clark, residing at Hazelton ; William, resident of Beckville, where he pur sues the trade ofa miller. Jacob Beck, Sr., was very active in behalf of the free school system at the time of its adoption in Schuylkill county, and was one of the first board of directors in North Manheim township. He served in this capacity until the time of his death, when he was succeeded by his son Frederick. In 1872, William, brother of Frederick was elected, and has since served in that capacity. Frederick Beck, subject, was married to Magdaline Hurleman, a daughter of George Hurleman, of Glen Worth, Schuylkill county, on. February 9, 1848. By this marriage he has three children : George J., married to Cilda McDaniel, and now residing in Hazel ton, Pennsylvania, where he pursues the trade of a butcher; Mary L, wife of Dr. G. W. Weist, of Schuylkill Haven; and Charles F., a successful merchant, of Cressona, who married Mary Cowley. Mr. Beck received his educa tion and grew up in the village of Beckville, which has ever since been his place of resi dence. He learned the carpenter trade, and pursued it for about eight years. Subse quently, he became proprietor of Beck's Hotel, about 1855. This hotel had previously been conducted by his father, who had come into possession of it about 1830. Frederick con tinued proprietor about three years, and then removed to Cressona, this county, where he took charge ofthe Park House, and continued until 1865. After this he returned to his old home at Beckville. In 1868, he was elected a director of the poor of Schuylkill county on the Demo cratic ticket, and served one term. He was unusually active in local political affairs, and filled many of the township offices. From 1859 to 1870, he was tax collector of North Manheim township. In 1872 he was elected steward of the almshouse, in which capacity he served for nine consecutive years, and sub sequently for five years longer, after the wave OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 499 of Greenbackism had subsided. He has also been interested in the manufacture of sawed lumber, but in recent years has given his attention exclusively to the hotel business. He is a member of the Lutheran church of Schuylkill Haven, of Cressona Lodge, No. 426, F. 'and A. M., and of Herndon Lodge, No. 550, I. O. O. F., with which latter organi zation he has been connected for a period of forty-six years, being the oldest member. "CDWARD BECK, a highly-respected and "^ prominent citizen of Beckville, Schuyl kill county, and a brother of Frederick and William Beck (see sketches), was born at Beckville, on the old homestead, on March 1 1 , 1829. He was reared and educated in this vicinity, and the entire period of his life has been confined to North Manheim township. At the age of twenty-one years he engaged in lumbering and in the conduct of a saw mill, which he has continued largely until the present time. At the same time he has car ried on farming somewhat extensively, and has been generally engaged in collateral lines of work. In connection with his lumber business he has necessarily been forced to deal more or less in timber land, and at the present time is the owner of six hundred acres in North Manheim and Wayne town ships. He is a democrat in politics, but upon many important questions differs from the position taken by that party. Religiously, he affiliates with the Reformed church. His marriage to Mary Ann Strauch, a daughter of Isaac and Kate Strauch, of Cres sona, this county, was celebrated on May 2, 1857. They are now the parents of one child, Isaac G., married to Kate L. Rhubert, at present living with his father on the farm. Mr. Beck was formerly appointed executor of his mother's estate, and considerable of his time has been devoted to the management of that estate. Both in his relations as a citizen and soci ally, Mr. Beck is regarded as a man of worth, intelligence and strictest integrity. He has been closely identified with the material de velopment of the vicinity in which he lives, and through his variety of business interests is widely and favorably known. 7T\ ILLIAMBECK, a resident of Cressona, ^^** Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and a brother of Frederick Beck (whose sketch see for ancestral history), was born at Beck ville, county and state above mentioned, on August 5, 1840. His childhood and youth were spent in his native village of Beckville, where also he received his education. In his earlier years he learned and followed carpen tering, and subsequently the milling trade, which he has since followed, and at the present time he is also the station agent for the Schuyl kill and Lehigh Valley railroad. Since the construction of that road in the year 1890. He wields his ballot in behalf ofthe Democratic party, and in 1880 became a candidate for sheriff of the county, and was defeated by a small majority, through the fusion of the Greenback and Republican parties. He has been a school director for twenty-one years in succession, and secretary of the board for a period of eighteen years. His religious choice is the Lutheran church, with which he has been connected for a number of of years as a useful and loyal member. He is a charter member of Miami Tribe, No. 82, Improved Order of Red Men, of which he is Past Sachem ; Cressona Lodge, No. 426, F. and A. 500 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY M., of which he is Past Master; Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, R. A. M., of which he is Past High Priest; and Constantine Com mandery, No. 41, Knights Templar, of which he is Past Commander. He was united in marriage with Matilda Strauch, a daughter of Isaac and Catharine Strauch, of North Manheim township, this county, on February 18, 1862. This marriage has resulted in the birth of eight children, six daughters and two sons : Ada, wife of Dr. Daniel Deckert (see sketch) ; John J., a resi dent of Beckville, married to Ida Cockley ; Catharine A., Blanche M., Anna M., Mabel S., Clarence F., and Effie M., at home. TTLFRED J. BOSSLER, an enterpising business man and good citizen of New Ringgold, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of George E. and Anna (Snyder) Boss ier, and was born in Windsor township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, November 10, 1836. Mr. Bossier belongs to an old and respected ancestry, the American branch of which has always resided in the eastern part of the State. Grandfather Jacob Bossier was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and died in Windsor township, same county, about the year 1846. He was a sturdy, progressive farmer, and by a strict adherence to the duties of that occupation he reached a creditable de gree of success. He was a democrat in poli tics, and a strong admirer of General Jackson, whose political principles were firmly im pressed upon him from the time he cast his first vote. His religious views accorded with the German Reformed church, and he conse quently united himself with that body and became a spirited worker for its extension and usefulness. He married Mollie Engle, who bore him a family of nine children, six sons and three daughters. George E. Bossier, father of Alfred J., was also born in Windsor township, Berks county, where he first saw the light in 1809. He died in Perry township (which was afterward formed from a part of Windsor), same county, in May, 1872. He was a farmer by occupation, and had also learned the milling trade, which two lines of work busied him the. greater part of his life. During the last fifteen years of his career he confined his entire attention to farm ing. Politically, he followed the footsteps of his father and voted the Democratic ticket. He was honored by this party with many of the more important local offices of his town ship, the duties of which he always discharged with credit and fidelity. He was likewise a member of the German Reformed church, in which he filled the offices of elder and trustee. His wife was a daughter of Benja min Snyder, of Kutztown, Berks county, to whom he was united in 1835. This marriage resulted in an offspring of ten children. Alfred J. Bossier took in marriage Magda- line Unger, a daughter of Samuel and Eliza beth Unger, of Perry township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, on September 24, 1859. He received his education in the public schools and at the Kutztown academy. At the close of his educational career he engaged in oper ating a grist-mill at Shoemakersville, Berks county, in which business he continued up to the year 1869. At this time he removed to Schuylkill county, East Brunswick township, and was employed in running the Moyer grist mill. This mill remained in his hands until 1880, but two years prior to this date he had engaged in manufacturing lumber in West Brunswick township, and at the date above mentioned he devoted his entire attention to OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 501 his lumber interests. He, at the present time, continues the lumber business, and is exten sively engaged in both retail and wholesale trade. In connection with this he does a general contracting and building business, and in 1 890 added a department devoted to agri cultural implements and general farm supplies. In 1880 he took charge ofthe Weaver mill in East Brunswick township, and operated it until 1886, at which time he removed to New Ringgold, where he has since resided. At this place he has erected a very handsome home, and enjoys the rest and the ease which are the rightful possessions of a busy and well-spent life. Politically, he is , a democrat, but formerly gave his support to the Republi can party. He is a member of the German Reformed church, to which he gives a hearty support. He has been a useful citizen and a successful business man, and is eminently de serving of the high regard in which he is held. HON. CLAY W. EVANS, ex-member of the State Legislature from the Fourth district of Schuylkill county, is a son of Thomas W. and Eliza (Tomlinson) Evans, and was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Feb ruary 10, 1844. The Evans family are of Welsh descent, but at an early date removed to the United States and settled in eastern Pennsylvania. Here, in Chester county, now West Chester, Thomas W. Evans, father of Clay W., was born on November 23, 1821, the son of Lot and Phcebe (Baldwin) Evans. Grandfather Evans was a native of Berks county, Pennsyl vania, but early in life removed to a place near West Chester, Chester county, and in 1824 took up a residence at Catawissa Furnace, Northumberland county. From here he re moved in 1829 to Pottsville, and thence in 1832 to St. Clair, same county, where he died in 1858, at the age of seventy-one years. During the early years of his life, he was en gaged as a clerk ; but upon his removal to Catawissa he erected a forge, a furnace and a grist-mill, and these continued to occupy his attention while he remained there. During his stay in Pottsville, he was in the employ ofthe Miners' National Bank, and continued in that relation until his removal to St. Clair, when he became a superintendent of one of the collieries owned by Mr. Nicholas. In 1853 he was en gaged as a clerk by Mr. Whitfield, and con tinued several years. In the latter part of his life he was town clerk for a time, and was also elected to the office of justice ofthe peace. He was a whig and republican in politics, a Quaker in religious faith, and had a family of six children, four sons and two daughters. Thomas W. Evans came to St. Clair with, his father in 1832, and has resided there con tinuously since that time, with the exception of four years, 1850 to 1854. His occupation through life has been that of a stationary en gineer, in which business he has been engaged for a period of fifty years. He is the oldest resident of the borough of St. Clair, and has been witness to many changes both in the borough and county. His marriage took place on April 14, 1843, his wife being a daughter of Benjamin and Margaret Tomlinson of North umberland county, Pennsylvania. This union was blest with a family of four children: Clay W., subject ; Charles E., married to Ma tilda Schoener, and at present a resident of St. Joseph, Missouri, a tinsmith by trade ; Horace, married to Ella Welsh (deceased) of Pottsville, a resident of St. Clair; Harry T, married to Caroline Saylor of Pottsville, and now living in Frackville, where he is engaged in the mer cantile business. 502 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Clay W. Evans was two years of age when his father removed to Pottsville, and when the latter went to St. Clair with his family, Clay was placed in the public schools at that place. During the summer months he worked in the mines as a slate packer, and the remainder of the year he spent in school. He continued this dual arrangement for a period of three years, when in 1857 he was employed in the grocery store of Walter Sedgwick. He continued in the latter position until the outbreak of the civil war in 1861, when he ran away from home, went to Harrisburg and enlisted in com pany F, 7th regiment, Pennsylvania cavalry, for three years. His mother, however, induced him to return home, but he again enlisted in company B, 129th regiment, Pennsylvania vol unteer infantry, in July, 1862, and served for a period of nine months. At the expiration of this time he re-enlisted in company G, 48th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, for three years. At the battle of Spottsylvania, he was twice wounded. Subsequently he was taken to Wilmington, Delaware, and shortly afterward went to Washington city, was ex amined by the military board and received a commission as second lieutenant in the 31st regiment, United States colored troops. He served in the armies of the James, the Potomac and the Rio Grande, and was finally discharged in December, 1865, with the rank of captain. During his service he participated in the bat tles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wil derness, Spottsylvania, the engagements in front of Petersburg, Poplar Grove church, Five Forks, and all the other engagements in the army ofthe Potomac, down to the surren der of General Lee at Appomattox. After the surrender of Lee he immediately went to Texas, as an officer of the regular army, to take part in quelling some Indian disturbances along the Rio Grande. He was mustered out at Hartford, Connecticut. After his return home, he was, July 21, 1873, commissioned captain of company K, 7th regiment, N. G. P., and mustered out on July 31, 1878. He was also aide-de-camp on staff of General Sigfried, former commander ofthe 3d brigade, N. G. P., and was appointed ordnance officer and in spector of rifle practice, with the rank of major in the same brigade on February 8, 188 1. He resigned in August, 1883. After his return from the war of the Rebellion, Mr. Evans entered the employ of Boone & Keiter, as a clerk, and continued for a number of years. In May, 1872, he engaged in the mercantile business, which he still continues, dealing en- tensively in dry-goods and groceries. Politically, he is a republican of the staunch- est type, and as such served as a member of the borough council for two terms, and presi dent one term. He has also been a member and president of the school board, and in the years 1879-80 was a member of the Pennsyl vania State Legislature from the fourth district of Schuylkill county. During the Blaine cam paign he was elected an alternate delegate to the national convention of the Republican party. Fraternally, he is a member of An thracite Lodge, No. 285, F. and A. M., of which he is Past Master; Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, R. A. M. ; Constantine Commandery, No. 41, Knights Templar; Min eral Lodge, No. 285, I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Grand, and of John Ennis Post, No. 47, G. A. R., of which he is Past Commander. Mr. Evans was united in marriage with Emily E. Allison, a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Allison, of St. Clair, Pennsylvania, on September 3, 1866. They have three chil dren : Cad M., in Denver, Colorado, Guy H. and Robert A. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 503 . J H. ZERBEY, editor and proprietor ofthe * Pottsville Daily Republican and Schuyl kill Republican (weekly) and an enterprising business man of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of W. M.and Sarah L. (Swalm) Zerbey, and was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, June 13, 1858. William M. Zerbey, father, was born in Orwigsburg, this county in 1824, where he continued to reside until about 1844, when he removed to Pottsville, where he died in July, 1891. When a young man, he learned the trade of a carpenter, but after pursuing his trade for a number of years, em barked in the mercantile business in Potts ville. As a business man he was successful and was well liked by all who came in con tact with him, whether socially or in business relations. He was an active member of the Meth odist Episcopal church, in which organization he held the offices of steward and class leader. His marriage resulted in an issue of six sons and two daughters; Ella, wife of Charles D. Elliott, associate editor of the Daily Republican ; William, deceased ; Adelia E., who married Frank A. Harper, now de ceased, formerly book and time keeper for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com pany at Pottsville; John F., cashier of the Government National Bank at Pottsville ; Heber S., formerly a teacher by profession and the successor to his father's business; subject ; Robert A., associate business mana ger of the Republican ; Frederick E., division engineer of the Mahanoy division, for the Lehigh Valley Coal Company. Mr. Zerbey married on June 16, 1880, Cora E., a daughter of Gen. J. K. Sigfried, of Pottsville. Two children, Frances and Jay are the issue of this union. Mr. Zerbey was educated in the excellent public schools of Pottsville, graduating from the High School in 1874. He immediately entered the office of the Schuylkill Republican then published at Minersville, four miles from Pottsville. He learned the printing trade thoroughly and also prepared himself to take charge of the business and editorial depart ments. Before he had finished his apprentice ship, he was in full charge of the office, was later taken in as a junior partner, and in 1879 became sole editor and proprietor. In April, 1884, Mr. Zerbey moved the plant to Pottsville, and six months later issued a small daily campaign paper known as. the Daily Republican, which proving a success' was permanently continued. By reason of its independent treatment of all public questions, its vigorous advocacy of popular interests and its live and complete news service, it has be come a favorijte in the lower anthracite coal regions, its actual paid daily circulation being over 7,000 copies and constantly increasing. Mr. Zerbey is a strong advocate of the principles of the Republican party, and has been an active and influential factor in the politics of his county. He, however, has never hesi tated to assume independence of action, when ever he believed strict adherence to party lines was inimical to the public good. He has always refused political preferment, pre ferring to wield his influence through the medium of the pen. He is a hard worker, an unrelenting enemy to public official and cor poration wrong, and domestic in his habits. A few years ago, Pottsville, which is now a growing thriving town, was in a stagnant con? dition, owing to the withdrawal of individual coal operators, by reason of their absorption by the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. 504 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Mr. Zerbey, through the paper, began an agitation which resulted in the establishment of a Board of Trade, of which he became a member. Through the efforts of this board many new enterprises were induced to locate in the town ; among them are : The Tilt Silk Mill, which employs about 700 hands, and a large shirt factory. He was the original projector of and was the chief influence in the move which resulted in the building of the Schuylkill Electric Railway, giving electric railway facilities to Pottsville and adjoining towns. For some years he has been president of the Pottsville Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He is a director in several saving funds and other business enterprises, and is thoroughly identi fied with the material interests of his town and Schuylkill county. Mr. Zerbey has not been content in pro ducing two very bright and newsy journals, but has done personal yeoman service in ad vancing and increasing the business prosperity of the community in which they circulate. -J^R. HENRY A. KLOCK, a prominent homoeopathic physician of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Joseph and Magdalena (Hepler) Klock, and was born in Pitman, this county, on August 16, 1848. The first of the Klock family, of which Henry A. is a member, came to America in 1743, from Wurtenburg, Germany, and in all probability made Berks county, Pennsylvania, the place of his first residence. Great-grand father John Peter Klock was born in the lat ter named county in 1771, and died at the age of seventy-five years. He was a farmer by occupation, and the father of a large family. Peter R. Klock, grandfather of Dr. Henry A., was born December 20, 1798, and died on October 26, 1869. The place of his birth was in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and he died in Eldred township Schuylkill county. He was one of the founders of the Union church in that township, and now lies buried in the cemetery adjoining this church. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth Zerfing, by whom he had a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters, of whom the father of our subject was the eldest. He was born on the Klock homestead, in Eldred township, on November 29, 1824, and re mained a life-long resident of that township. His decease occurred on May 26, 1865. He was a farmer, merchant, cattle and grain dealer, and was a man of weight and import ance in the neighborhood in which he lived. Politically, he was a republican of a very enthusiastic type, and was actively identified with the local political issues of his commun ity. His marital alliance with the daughter of Henry Hepler, son of Casper Hepler, one of the first settlers of the township, a native of Eldred township, Schuylkill county, resulted in the birth of two children, Henry A. and William J., the latter of whom still lives on the old homestead in Eldred township, where he pursues the occupation of farmer and butcher conjointly. Dr. Henry A. Klock received his education in the public school of his native place and at Union Seminary (now Central College), Union county, Pennsylvania. Subsequently he took a commercial course in the Quaker City Busi ness College, of Philadelphia, and in 1868 accepted a clerkship in the store of Peter E. Buck, of Ashland. Shortly afterward he went into the mercantile business at Pitman, Schuylkill county, where he continued up to DR. HENRY A. KLOCK. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 505 1875. At the close of this period he began the study of medicine, entered Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia, from which he was graduated on March 11, 1878. Immedi ately after graduation, he entered into partner ship with Dr. Benjamin Becker, of Pottsville, and after six months' practice came to Maha noy City, where he has since maintained a successful and growing practice. He is a member of the Schuylkill County Homoeo pathic Medical Society, and was one of its organizers. He is also a member of the Evangelical Association, and has held office as school director of his town for a number of years. In the fraternal world he holds membership in Mahanoy City Lodge, F. and A. M. ; Washington Camp, No. 124, Patriotic Order Sons of America ; Knights of Honor, No. 2335 ; General Grant Lodge, No. 575, I. O.O. F. ; and Garfield Commandery, No. 21, P. O. S. of A. In a business way he is a director in the Fidelity Building and Loan Association and the Serial Building and Loan Association of Mahanoy City. Dr. Klock was joined in marriage to Eliza beth S. Seiler, a daughter of Elias Seiler, of Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, by whom he has two sons, Joseph Victor, born March 19, 1873; and Egbert Le Roy, born December 1, 1880. Joseph Victor is now a member of the Junior Class in Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia, Pa. j^AVTD C. HENNING, a 'leading lawyer of the Schuylkill county bar, and a well- known resident of Pottsville, is a son of David and Margaret (Eilert) Henning. He was born in Union county, Pennsylvania, Novem ber 22, 1847. During boyhood he attended the common schools of Union county, and later entered Bucknell University (then known as the University of Lewisburg) where he re mained for one year. At the end of this period he returned home and began teaching school at the age of seventeen, and in August, 1868, was made principal of the Pine Grove High School. He resigned this position March 29, 1870, and entered the law office of Hon. Lin Bartholomew, a leading lawyer of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, March 20, ofthe same year. On April 2, 1872, he was admitted to the bar of Schuylkill county, and up to the present time has been one of the active and progressive attorneys. His practice is not confined to the courts of his own county, but he frequently appears before the tribunals of adjoining counties and in the Supreme and United States District Courts of the State. He served two years as solicitor of Schuylkill county — 1886 and 1887 — and took quite a prominent part in erection of the soldiers' monument in Garfield Square, Pottsville, dedi cated October 5, 1 89 1, with General Horace Porter as orator of the day. He has also been a member of the bar examining com mittee since 1874, and is now its president. Aside from his purely professional career, Mr. Henning is one of the directors of the Pottsville Iron and Steel Company, and is interested in other business enterprises. He is a republican is politics, and was secre tary of the county committee in 1872 and its chairman during 1 873-1 874. His service has always been rendered freely and with a good will, never with the view to official preferment or a candidacy for political spoils. In 1887 he was sent as a senatorial delegate to the Republican State Convention and was elected chairman of the county dele gation. In the fraternal world he is a member of 506 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Pine Grove Lodge, No. 409, F. and A. M., and from 1883 to 1888 was captain of the Washington Artillerists of Pottsville, an or ganization of five companies, known as " the First Defenders of the War of the Rebellion." Mr. Henning was united in marriage on May 29, 1880, to Isabel Atkins, a daughter of the late Charles M. Atkins (see sketch), presi dent of the Pottsville Iron and Steel Com pany. To this union have been born two children: Nannie A., born April 23, 1881 ; and Charles M. A., born April 29, 1884, and deceased March, 1892. Mr. Henning is an able lawyer and has a large practice. He is learned in the law, pos sesses a keen and discriminating mind and is painstaking in his conduct of a case. By reason of these qualifications, in addition to a dialectical and forensic ability, he is entitled to be ranked among the first legal advocates of his county. THE BEDDALL FAMILY. Samuel A. Beddall, one of the representatives of the above-mentioned family, and a prominent citizen of Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Thomas and Mary (Shakespeare) Beddall, and was born on April 7, 1845, in Pottsville, Schuylkill county. His ancestors on both the paternal and ma ternal side are of English birth and extrac tion. Grandfather John Beddall was a native and a life-long resident of Staffordshire, Eng land. In this latter place the father of Samuel A. Beddall was born, in the year 181 2, at Brierly Hill, and remained in his native coun try until the year 1834, at which time he em barked for the United States. Soon after his arrival he located near Pottsville, at a place called North America, and became interested in coal mining. In the year 1850, he formed a. partnership with Andrew Robertson, and began operating a colliery on the Sharp Mountain. They later operated the colliery known as the Eagle Hill colliery, under the firm name of Beddall & Robertson, continu ously until about the year 1871, when the mine was sold to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. A few years after this latter transaction, Mr. Beddall retired from practical business life, and devoted the remain der of his years to the enjoyment ofthe fruits of his earlier industry. Besides the Eagle colliery, he was also concerned in other collieries in Schuylkill and Northumberland counties. In the year 1889, he made a trip to England and the continent, and during that year was sud denly attacked with a stroke of apoplexy, which resulted in his death on November 18, 1889. Mr. Beddall was a man who was as siduously and earnestly devoted to his busi ness interests during the period of his active life, and was uniformly straightforward in all his business transactions. He was the happy possessor of business tact, a winning person ality, and a rare business intelligence, which conspired to bring about the success which was deservedly his. Politically, he was a republi can, though he never aspired to any official position whatever within the gift of the party. His marriage with Mary Shakespeare was celebrated on September 7, 1836. This union was productive of an issue of twelve children : Joanna, wife of Ephraim Barlow, of Mahanoy City (see sketch) ; Joseph S., a mine foreman and inspector, of Shenandoah City ; Benjamin D., outside boss at the William Penn colliery, and a resident of William Penn ; Samuel A. ; Thomas R. ; Lily, wife, of George Wren, of Mahanoy City (see sketch); George W. ; Louisa L, unmarried ; David J., died in 1884, at the age of twenty-eight years ; S. Roland ; SAMUEL A. BEDDALL. GEORGE W. BEDDALL OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 507 Edward A., and Nathan W., and three others, who died in infancy. Mrs. Beddall is a direct descendant through her grandfather, Joseph Shakespeare, of the celebrated poet and dramatist, William Shakespeare, and is still living on the old homestead near Port Carbon, this county. Samuel A Beddall was educated in the public schools of his native county, and sub sequently spent two years in the Cumberland Valley Institute, at Mechanicsburg, Pennsyl vania. After leaving school he 'became a mine superintendent in Schuylkill county, and served in this capacity for a period of three years. At the expiration of this time he be came land agent and mining engineer of the Sheafer & Gilbert estate. Politically, he ad heres to the principles of the Republican party, under which party he has served as a school director for three terms, and has been surveyor of his borough for four years. He is also a director of the Shenandoah Heat and Power Company, of which he was one of the original organizers ; of the Incandescent Light and Gas Company of Shenandoah, and is a stockholder in the Merchants' National Bank. In August, 1 86 1, he entered the Union ser vice during the Civil War, in company " E," 48th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, and served in the 9th army corps under Gen eral Burnsides, until mustered out in July, 1865. He enlisted as a private, and before the period of his engagement was over had received promotion to a sergeantcy. During the period of his enlistment, he took part in all the battles in which his regiment was en gaged, and escaped without being either wounded or taken prisoner. Fraternally, he is connected with Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., of Pottsville ; Washington En campment, No. 112, P. O. S. of A., of Shen andoah ; Watkin Waters Post, No. 136, G. A. R. and is also connected with the Methodist Episcopal church of Shenandoah, in which he has been president of the board of trustees for the past twelve years. He was united in marriage with Mary M. Bedford, a daughter of Francis and Mary M. Bedford, of Minersville, this county, on April 5, 1870. Eight children have been the result of this union: Charles N., connected with an engineer corps under S. M. Reilly ; Frank B., and Joanna. Five died in infancy. George W. Beddall was joined in mar riage on July 18, 1877, with Mary May, a daughter of Philip and Catherine May, of Port Carbon, Schuylkill county, by whom he has six children living : Edward, May, Carrie, Amy, Catherine, and George. He was educated at the Cumberland Valley Institute, located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsyl vania, and at the age of fifteen years he was employed in the mines for a brief period of time, after which he apprenticed himself for a period of three years to learn the cabinet- making trade with Daniel Knittle, of Port Carbon. He completed the trade, but did not continue to pursue it. He first entered the employ of J. A. Smith, a hardware merchant of Shenandoah, and here learned the business which subsequently became his life work. After five years' service, he purchased an in terest in the concern, and the firm name was changed to J. A. Smith & Co., which remained in force until the withdrawal of Mr. Smith from the partnership. At this time Mr. Bed dall and his brother David became sole pro prietors, and the firm became Beddall Bros., until 1884, when David Beddall died, after which the business was conducted by George W. alone until 1887. At this time his brother Nathan became a partner, and the firm con- 508 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY tinued as Beddall & Bro. The former was also one of the organizers of the Merchants' National Bank of Shenandoah. In politics, he votes the same ticket as his father and brothers. The store-room occupied by the hardware establishment of G. W. Beddall is a well-equipped and substantial building, thirty feet front, and one hundred and fifty feet deep. The contents are varied and extensive, and embrace a complete line of all articles kept in a first-class hardware store. The firm is recognized as among the best in Shenandoah, and enjoys a large trade. Edward A. Beddall was joined in mar riage with Carrie E. Guiterman, a daughter of Henry Guiterman, a prominent coal opera tor of Port Carbon, Schuylkill county, by whom he has two children : Helen, aged five years, and Thomas Henry, aged two years. He received his preparatory education in the Pottsville High School, and was graduated from Yale college in the class of 1883, and in January of the following year took up the study of law in the office of Mason Weidman, Esq., and was admitted to the bar of Schuyl kill county on March 1, 1885, and has since that time been in the active practice of his profession. Politically, he is like his ances tors, a supporter of the Republican ticket, and in the fraternal world is identified with Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M.; Mountain City Chapter, No. 186, and Constantine Com mandery, No. 41, Knights Templar. He is also a member of the First Presbyterian church. Benjamin D. Beddall was born in Potts ville on February 2, 1843, and received his education in the public schools and at Crit tenden's Commercial College, now extinct. When about five years of age his parents re moved to New Philadelphia. Later in life he was employed in and about the mines, and in 1863 he was promoted to the position of a mine foreman. In 1873, he removed to Wil liam Penn colliery, and became outside super- tendent for the William Penn Coal Company, in which, position he has remained up to the present time in the faithful discharge of the duties of that position. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is trustee, and is also connected with Shenan doah Lodge, No. 511, F. and A. M. He has been twice married ; his first marriage was with Jane Davis, in 1865. By this marriage six children were born, three sons and three daughters. Mrs. Beddall died in 1884, at the age of thirty-eight years. His second mar riage was with Sallie A. Falls, a daughter of James B. Falls, of Minersville, Pennsylvania, on August 20, 1885. One child has been born to this marriage. Nathan W. Beddall received his educa tion in the public schools of Port Carbon and at Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania. Subsequent to his graduation he taught school four years in Schuylkill county, and in Janu ary, 1887, he purchased a half interest, in the hardware business of his brother, George W. Beddall. He has continued a member of the firm of G. W. Beddall & Bro., to the present time. Politically, he wields his influence in behalf of the Republican party. Mr. Beddall was united in marriage to Miss Clara Thick ens, a daughter of William Thickens, of Shenandoah, this county, on September 10, 1889. Their marriage has resulted in an off spring of two children : Mary and Nathan. ZTjlLLLAM McADAMS, a well-known and successful contractor of Potts ville, Pennsylvania, is a son of William and Francis (Martin) McAdams, and was born in Philadelphia, Pa., December 31, 1849. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 509 The great-grandfather of William Mc- Adams, W. McAdams, was a native of Scot land, but emigrated to the United States some time prior to 1794, as he is known to have been living in Philadelphia at that date. William McAdams, grandfather of subject, was born in Philadelphia, and when a young man, prior to 18 14, removed to Baltimore, Maryland. While residing there he served in the United States service in the war of 1812, and took part in the battle which resulted when the British attacked Baltimore. He was a companion and friend of Thomas Wildey, a prominent Mason and .the founder of Odd Fellowship in America. He removed from Baltimore to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, thence to Philadelphia, and then to Pottsville, and died in Camden, New Jersey, in 1875, at the age of 81 years, followed by his wife in 1 88 1 at the age of 83 years. His avocation was that of a silver plater. In politics he was a whig, and was always active in the support of his party. He married Mary M. Little, and to them were born six children, three sons and three daughters : Charles, died in the United States navy; James, who entered the civil war — the 1st New Jersey volunteers — and was killed in the Seven Days' Battles; William McAdams, father; Mary, dead; Christine and Eliza beth. William McAdams, the oldest of the sons and father of subject, was born in Gettysburg, Adams county, Pa., on March 5, 1826, but removed with his father to Philadelphia in 1845, residing there until 1850, when he re moved to Pottsville, and shortly after to Philadelphia, but returned in 1854 to Potts ville, where he has ever since lived. He is a coachmaker by trade, and has followed it all his life. He also possesses considerable in ventive genius of a mechanical nature. For a number of years prior to the war he was a member of the prominent coach-making firm of Hoffman, Rishel, Lieb & Williams. He is a prominent member of Lily of the Valley Lodge, No. 281, of Pottsville, an active republican, and has served one term as burgess of Pottsville. He married Francis Steward Martin, of St. John's, New Brunswick, in Philadelphia in 1848, and by her had three sons and four daughters, all living. They are: William (subject), Robert, John, Fannie, Mary, Clara and Ida. William McAdams was only five years old when his parents first moved to Pottsville. His education was obtained in the schools of that borough, leaving school to enter the service of his country when Lee invaded Pennsylvania in 1863. After returning to the pursuits of a civil life he was apprenticed to learn the trade first of stove moulding, then carriage building, and a commercial line for a time engaged his at tention. He then took up the subject of civil engineering, and in 1873 entered the corps of of the United States topographical engineers, then engaged in surveying the scene of Sheri dan's cavalry operations in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. Mr. McAdams followed civil engineering either in field or office work until 1884. During these years of experience in that capacity he served with entire satisfaction the following well-known and responsible firms: A. J. Womelsdorf, civil and mining engineer of Pottsville, Pa.; Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company; Walter Sheafer, civil and mining engineer of Pottsville; Le high Valley Railroad Company; Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the Duluth and Iron Range 510 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Railroad Company at Two Harbors, Minne sota. In 1884 he went into the general contract ing business under the.firm name of McAdams & Brother, and as such had built the Orwigs burg water works ; several different lines of mains for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, the main one being from the Silver creek down to Pottsville, a distance of nine miles ; the cold storage yards at Land ingville for the same company ; a number of pipe lines, stout pipes and all special work on the Pennsylvania and Schuylkill Valley Rail road from Hamburg to Nescopie. He also built two extensions at Silverbrook for the Catawissa division of the Reading Railroad, ten thousand yards of masonry and ten miles of grading and track-laying on the Minersville branch of the P. & E. division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Girard estate pipe line at Raven Run Dam, the Schuylkill Electric Railway track from Pottsville to Tumbling Run, and is now (1893) engaged upon the work of the Shenandoah City Water Com pany. Mr. McAdams is a man who possesses a good practical and theoretical knowledge of all kinds of engineering work and con tracting. That his work gives satisfaction and that he stands high in the estimation of the public as a contractor and builder is at tested to an eminent degree by the number and the character of constructive enterprises with which he has been connected in his im mediate locality. In political faith Mr. McAdams is a staunch republican. He is also a member of Temple lodge, No. 6, F. and A. M., of Albuquerque, New Mexico. ?CHARLES S. SHINDEL, a popular and ^^ highly-esteemed young business man of Tamaqua, is a son of Conrad F. and Mary I. (Bailey) Shindel, and was born in Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, April 29, 1867. His father, a prominent lawyer, was a native of Dauphin County, born at Lykens, November 10, 1836. He removed to Tama qua, Schuylkill County, in 185 1, where he died March 6, 1890. He was educated at the Hartford Preparatory School and Frank lin and Marshall College at Lancaster, Penn sylvania, from which latter institution he was graduated. After graduating he entered upon the study of law with George H. McCabe, of Tamaqua, and was admitted to the bar of Schuylkill county in 1857, and continued in active practice down to the time of his death. His practice was largely in the Orphan's Court, before which he did a large and varied busi ness. He also practiced before the various District Courts and the Supreme Court of the State. Aside from his legal practice, he was engaged in a number of business enterprises. He became partner in a stove manfacturing concern in Tamaqua, under the firm name of Robinson & Co., which was subsequently, in 1882, merged into the Tamaqua Manufactur ing Company. In the latter Mr. Shindel was one of the principal stockholders, director and solicitor. He was also interested in the Ta maqua Boot and Shoe Company for many years, and was a stockholder in the Pottsville Real Estate, Title, Insurance and Trust Com pany. In 1877 he purchase a farm one mile north of Tamaqua, upon which he erected a handsome residence, which continued from that time until his death as his place of abode. Mr. Shindel was a republican in politics, and during the Garfield campaign in 1 881, was one of the presidential electors from Pennsylvania. iiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii; EM. K. BECKER. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 511 He was frequently solicited at different periods to declare himself for the office of president judge and member of Congress, but persist ently and uniformly declined. At the time of his death and prior, he was prominently con nected with the Masonic fraternity. His mar riage with Mary L. Bailey was productive of the following children : Ella, wife of J. Frank Ellick, a hardware merchant, living in Tama qua ; Elizabeth F., wife of F. C. Gier, a whole sale cigar dealer, located in Syracuse, New York ; Clarence B., train dispatcher for the New Jersey Central Railroad at Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania ; James E., a resident of Tama qua, retired ensign officer from the United States Navy ; Charles S., subject ; Louisa M., at home; and Conrad F., Jr., at home. Mrs. Shindel, wife of Conrad F. , Sr., is a daughter of Milton Bailey, a native of Tamaqua, but now a resident of Jamestown, New York. He was a local minister, and an active church worker, but is at present retired to a life of rest. Conrad F. Shindel was an able and popular lawyer as well as a good business man. He stood for principle, honor and the virtues of a true manhood. Always courteous, generous and unselfish, he everywhere challenged es teem and respect. His son, Charles S., was educated . in the public schools and at Wyoming Seminary. After leaving school he was employed in his father's office as a law clerk, and continued with him up to the time of his father's death. Subsequently he took charge of an insurance business, representing many of the most reli able and substantial companies. He is also a director and president of the Tamaqua Manu facturing Company, to the latter of which posi tions he was elected about one and a-half years ago. In politics he casts his ballot with the Republican party. In the spring of 1892 he was elected chief burgess of his borough, and in the latter part of the same year was appointed justice of the peace, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Justice Souder. He was elected to the same place in 1893. Mr. Shindel is a young man of promise and enviable popularity. He is a good busi ness man and has always borne himself above reproach. He is a member of Washington Camp, No. 525, Patriotic Order Sons of America. CMANUEL K. BECKER. The name of "^ Becker is one of the best known and praiseworthy in Schuylkill county, and especi ally so in the county of Berks, Pennsylvania. In the latter county it has been prominently identified with the agricultural and business industries, and throughout several generations has been above reproach. Emanuel K., a legatee of this ancestral prestige, is a son of Samuel and Hettie (Kein) Becker, and was born in Perry township, Berks county, Penn sylvania, March 4, 1841. His grandfather, Daniel Becker, was likewise a native of Berks courity, within whose limits he passed his entire life. He was a farmer by occupation, lived an uneventful life and died at the age of seventy-two years. His union with Susannah Kinsy (who died at the age of seventy-four) resulted in the birth of nine children, four son and five daughters. Maternal grandfather, John Kein, a native of Berks county, married Mollie Bloom, and had a family of five children, one son and four daughters. The former died at the age of eighty-six, and the latter at the age of eighty-eight years. Samuel Becker, father of Emanuel J., was born in Perry township, Berks county, Penn sylvania, August 15, 1815, and died at the 512 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY old homestead in the year 1884. In early life he began teaching school, and for a period of twenty years devoted himself to this line of work. The remainder of his life he passed in the cultivation of his farm and the related industry of raising live stock. He was married on July 17, 1834, and throughout life was a consistent member of the German Re formed church. His mother was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, August 30, 1816, and died in the same county February 2, 1890. Mr. Becker was the father of the following named children : Susannah, An gelina, deceased ; Hettie ; Emma ; Mary ; Emanuel K., subject ; Samuel R., deceased ; Lewis ; and Thomas, deceased. Lewis is a contractor and builder residing at Pine Grove, Schuylkill county. Emanuel K. Becker was united in marriage with Sallie, a daughter of John and Rebecca Miller, of Schulykill Haven, Pennsylvania, on May 7, 1S66. This union has been blessed by the birth of three children : Harry W., born June 18, 1868, now married to Ella Ulrich and residing at Girardville, this county, a prosperous lumber merchant, and with H. Brooks Hooper is conducting the Brother hood Circuit, the object of which is the pro tection of theatrical companies and local managers; Florence M., born June 18,, 1876, and deceased August 20, 1876; Charles E., born December 10, 1882. Mr. Becker received his education in Berks county while still a youth on his father's farm. He remained with his father until he reached the age of twenty, when he apprenticed him self to a carpenter, learned the trade and be came a most efficient and capable workman. In 1863, he removed to Schuylkill county and settled in Mahanoy City, where he worked at his trade until 1865, when he removed to Girardville, same county, and entered the field as contractor and builder. His skill, energy and business tact soon made him pro minent in the business circles of the town, and many buildings, from an architectural and utilitarian standpoint, attest his success. In 1 88 1, he established quite extensive lumber yards at Girardville, where he conducted both a large retail and wholesale business in con nection with that of contracting. After years of active business life and struggle, he retired in 1 89 1, with a comfortable competency. He was one of the organizers and has been a director of the Citizens National Bank of Ash land, Pennsylvania, since its organization. He is also a director of the Keystone Wagon Company, Reading, Pennsylvania, president of the Palace Theatre Company, Girardville, treasurer ofthe Girard Gas Company, and vice- president of the Girardville Savings Fund for a number of years. Religiously, he is a mem ber of the German Reformed church, and is also connected with Catawissa Lodge, No. 349, F. and A. M. ; Washington Camp, No. 125, P. O. S. of A. ; Shenandoah Commandery, No. 14, Sons of America, at Shenandoah, Pa., and Aqua Lodge, No. 737, I. O. O. F. In all his business relations, Mr. Becker is regarded as a man of strict fidelity and honor. He has had a large and varied experience, and to this and his many excellent qualities as a man, is due his popularity and success. In his conception of life he seems to have grasped the true principles, living in an un selfishness, tolerance and magnanimity of heart, that make the retrospect of life a de light in declining years. He is uniformly respected for his service to himself and to those in touch with him. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 513 JAMES MAURER, a member of one of the leading mercantile firms of Mahanoy Plane, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Charles D. and Mary (Slagel) Maurer, and was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, September 21, 1867. Felix Maurer, paternal grandfather, was a life-long resident of Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, where he died about the year 1858, at the age of fifty-three years. He was quite a large owner of real estate, was promi nent in the politics of his county, and was elected sheriff of the county of Northumber land through the favor of the Democratic party. He united in marriage with Mary Geist, and reared a family of three sons and three daughters. Charles D. Maurer, father, was born in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, on November 2, 1843, received his education in the common schools, and subsequently removed • to a farm near Sunbury, which he conducted some years, and later he removed to Treverton, Northumber land county, Pennsylvania, and engaged in the mercantile business in partnership with his brother, W. G. Maurer, and S. H. Rother- mel, under the firm name of Maurer Bros. & Rothermel. This business compact remained in force for a period of twelve years, while at some period during this time, in conjunction with S. H. Rothermel, he engaged in the manufacture of powder. In 1887 he removed to Mahanoy Plane, where in conjunction with his brother, W. G. Maurer and W. H. Roth ermel, he purchased an interest in the East and West Bear Ridge collieries, which they operated until their purchase by the Phila delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com pany. Meanwhile he conducted a mercantile business with his brother, at Mahanoy Plane, until 1886, the time of his death. The busi- .33 ness was conducted until 1889 by Mrs. Maurer, mother of subject, and W. G. Maurer, his uncle. By his marriage with Mary Slagel he had five children : James, subject ; Felix, O., a merchant ; Charles D., Jr., a grocer ; Helen and Curtis N., at home. James Maurer attended the public schools of Mahanoy Plane down to the year 1883, when he entered Bloomsburg State Normal School, and took a three years' course prepar atory to entering college. He entered Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania, in 1886, and graduated in 1890. The year pre vious he, together with his brother, Felix O., succeeded to the mercantile business which had been conducted during the three years prior by his mother and uncle, and continued the business under the firm, name of James Maurer & Bro. Since that time they have been more than ordinarily successful, and at present conduct one of the largest mercantile concerns in Mahanoy Plane. JOHN F. REYNOLDS, the present busi- ness manager of the Weekly Item, pub lished at Frackville, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, was born in Middleport, same county, on August 15, 1854. He is a son of Thomas and Mary (Quinn) Reynolds. The ancestors of John F. Reynolds were natives of County Louth, Ireland, his grand father, Thomas Reynolds, having been born in that county, and there spent the entire period of his life. Thomas Reynolds, father, was born in the same county in the year 1812, and came to America about the year 1853. His first place of residence was at Lamberts- ville, New Jersey, from which place he came to Middleport, Schuylkill county. He lived 514 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY in the latter place until the year 1864, after which he removed to Mahanoy Plane, where he died in 1863. His marriage to Mary Quinn (who died on May 1, 1893) resulted in the birth of thirteen children, five sons and eight daughters, five of whom are still living. John F. Reynolds was joined in the bonds of wedlock to Ellen Cosgrove, a daughter of Patrick Cosgrove, of Minersville, Pennsylvania. They have five children : Nellie, Mamie, Mag gie, Annie and Thomas. Mr. Reynolds is in debted for his education to the common schools of his native township, after, the completion of which he served in various capacities, and in 1877 embarked in the clothing business at Mahanoy Plane. He continued in this business for about three years, when he closed out his stock and opened up a dry goods and grocery store, which engages his attention at the present time. In addition to this he is business manager ofthe Weekly Item, a wide awake newspaper published at Frackville, this county. Politically he is a democrat, and a present member of the borough council of Gilberton, of which body he has been presi dent for the past seven years. He is an active worker in behalf of the interests of his party, is intelligently informed upon the leading questions of the day, and is a man of influence in his community. He is a director of the Building, Loan and Savings Association of Gilberton, with which he has been connected for a number of years. lliriCHAEL J. REYNOLDS, brother of A John F., was born on September 18, 1856, near Middleport, Schuylkill county. He received his early education in the public schools of Mahanoy Plane, and started in life as an employee of the mines. For a number of years he was a slate picker on the breakers, and did other work ofa nondescript character in and around the mines. He so continued until the year 1 881, when he went into the clothing business in Mahanoy Plane, in which he continued for a period of about three years. In the year 1884 he was elected justice of the peace of his borough, the functions of which office he discharged with credit and ability. In his political affiliations he is a democrat, and manifests an intelligent interest in party affairs. He is now serving his second term as justice of the peace. Religiously he is a member of the Roman Catholic church, and is also a member of St. Patrick's Total Absti nence society. JOSEPH MILLER GLICK, a prominent business man and ex-postmaster of Gi rardville, Pennsylvania, and a well known citizen of Schuylkill county, is a son of Reuben and .Elizabeth (Allen) Glick, and was born August 13, 1840, in Lehigh county, Pennsyl vania. The Glick family is of German descent, great-grandfather, John Glick, having emi grated, with his four brothers, from Germany and settled in Upper Bucks county, from which section Lehigh county was afterward formed. In Lehigh county, John Glick Jr., (grandfather) was born. He became a tiller of the soil, and also owned and operated a distillery up to the age of seventy years, when he moved to Tiffin, Ohio, where he lived a retired life until his death. Reuben Glick was born in Lehigh county, on the old homestead of the Glicks, on March 19, 1809. He lived here all his life engaged in the peaceful pursuits of a farmer and died January 1, 1892. He was a consistent and devoted member of the Evangelical church, CAPT. EMIL C. WAGNER. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 515 and in political faith, in his early manhood followed the tenets of the Old Line Whigs, but after the disruption of that party in 1858, he became a republican, and strictly adhered to its principles and policies to the time of his death. His wife, Elizabeth Allen Glick, was born July 5, 1807. She was a daughter of Moses Allen, of English descent, born Sep tember 16, 178 1, and for a number of years a resident of Warren county, New Jersey. To Mr. and Mrs Glick were born "six sons and one daughter : William Wallace C, born December 19, 1830; Moses, born December 25, 1833; Hannah Charity, born September 8, 1837; Joseph Miller; John W., born Sep tember 12, 1842; Edward A., born February 16, 1845; and James Monroe, born August 12, 1847. Joseph M. Glick was reared on his father's farm and attended the schools of his native township. In May, 1864, he enlisted in com pany C, 133d regiment Indiana volunteer in fantry, and served four months. In 1866 he came to Girardville and entered upon a mer cantile career, embarking in the shoe business, and by business tact, courteous demeanor, and strict integrity, has built up a lucrative trade. On August 26, 1866, Mr. Glick mar ried Mary Margaret Hoover, a daughter of John Hoover of Girardville, this county. To them were born three sons : George W., born February 2, 1872. He married Jennie Tray- lore, and is now a mail agent on the Philadel phia and Reading railroad and resides at Shamokin; Reuben J., born August 15, 1874; and A Hoover, born December 9, 1883. His second union was with Margaret Fudge on March 19, 1890. Two children were the issue of this union : Oliver Henry, born May 4, 1890; and Joseph Allen, born November, 1892. In political matters, Mr. Glick has always affiliated with the Republican party, in whose annals he stands high. Prior to the first in auguration of President Cleveland, he held for fourteen consecutive years the position of postmaster of Girardville. His strict integrity and executive ability are well known and appreciated by his fellow citizens, and have earned for him various positions of trust and honor. He is secretary of each of the follow ing business enterprises of his borough : Gi- rardville-Savings Fund and Loan Association, Girardville Gas company and the Palace Theatre company. He was one of the organ izers ofthe Citizens' National Bank of Ashland in 1875, and has been a director ever since. He was also one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Girardville. He is also a member of the borough council. In his business ventures Mr. Glick has been eminently successful, and now in the prime of life, surrounded by his family and friends, is worthy of the high esteem everywhere accorded to him. AVAPTAIN EMIL C. WAGNER, of Girard- ^^ ville, assistant superintendent of the vast Girard estate in Schuylkill and Columbia coun ties, and one of the most prominent and popu lar citizens in the Schuylkill region, is a son of Louis and Christina (Berg) Wagner, and was born in Geissen, Germany, May 29, 1846. Louis Wagner (father) was also born in Geis sen, Germany, in 1808, and emigrated to this country in 1849, locating in Philadelphia, where he resided continuously up to his death, which occurred in 1883. He learned the shoe- making trade in his native town, and followed that business throughout his long life. He married Christina, a daughter of Carl Berg, 516 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY also of Geissen, Germany, and to them was born a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters. The subject of this sketch, Captain Emil C. Wagner, came to this country with his parents when but three years of age. He was edu cated in the public schools of Philadelphia, and learned the machinist's trade with the well-known firm of William Sellers & Co., machine builders, of that city ; he followed this trade successfully until 1867, when he was offered and accepted a clerkship in the employ ofthe Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad Com pany, which position he resigned in 1869, to accept the more responsible and lucrative ap pointment of assistant superintendent of the vast Girard estate in Schuylkill and Columbia counties. Upon assuming the duties of this appointment he removed to Girardville, which has since been the headquarters of the estate in the coal region, and the home of Mr. Wag ner. The promptness and fidelity with which he discharged the duties of his exacting posi tion, and the uniform courtesy with which he treated all those who had business relations with him, soon won him hosts of friends in his new home ; and the active interest which he at once manifested in the material welfare of the town marked him as a progressive and valued citizen ; he has been an active spirit in the promotion of nearly every business enter prise, large and small, that has been launched in the town since he became a resident of it, and has contributed liberally of his time and means to its advancement. He was a leading spirit in the organization of the First National Bank of Girardville, of which institution he is now president ; he was also active in the or ganization of the Girardville Gas Company, and the People's Building and Loan associ ation, of which he was treasurer for fifteen years, and of which he at present is a director. Captain Wagner has always taken an active interest in school matters, and has devoted much of his time and energy to the work of promoting the success and increasing the ef ficiency of the public school system ; lie was chosen a member of the first school board elected in Girardville, after the incorporation of that borough in 1870, and has been a mem ber almost continuously since then, holding at different time's, during the twenty years of his membership, the offices of president, secretary, and treasurer ; he has also been honored by the Schuylkill county convention of school directors, by being several times chosen to pre side over the deliberations of that body. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the State hospital for injured persons of the anthracite coal regions of Pennsylvania, at Ashland, and has been secretary of the board since April 1, 1889. He takes a lively interest in military matters, and for the past several years has been captain of company F, 8th regiment, N. G. P., stationed at Girardville, which company has rendered excellent service in the many emergencies during the seventeen years of its existence. He is a man of com manding presence and fine military bearing, and enjoys the respect and confidence of his command to the fullest extent. Captain Wagner is also a director of the Mahanoy Valley Agricultural association, and a member of the American Institute of Engi neers, and holds the position of surveyor for the borough of Girardville. In politics he is a stalwart republican, and always takes an active interest in the welfare of his party and the success of its principles. He is a promi nent member of the Masonic fraternity, being a past officer in Blue Lodge Chapter and Com mandery, at Ashland, Schuylkill county, and a OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 517 thirty-second degree Mason of Philadelphia Consistery, and Division Commander of the Knights Templar for Schuylkill county; he has also been for twenty years a member of the I. O. O. F., and is at present ( 1 893) treasurer of Girard Lodge, No. 737, of that order. On March 10, 1869, Captain Wagner was united by marriage to Margaret H., a daughter of John and Sarah Kerr, of Philadelphia. To this union were born two children, Charles W. and Christina, both of whom are living with their parents at Girardville. TTLBERT BORDY, well known as a lead ing business man of Girardville, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Joseph and Mary (Runkle) Bordy. He was bom in Dushore, Sullivan county, Pennsylvania, March 13. 1843. His father was a native of France, born in June, 1800, and emigrated to the United States in the year 18 18, with his father and family, locating in Sullivan county, not far from the vicinity of our subject's birthplace. From here he removed to Schuylkill Haven in 1849, and continued his residence in that place until his death in 1885. By occupation he was a car penter, and was under the employ of the Schuylkill Navigation Company as foreman for forty-three years in succession. His mar riage bore a fruitage of seven children, three sons and four daughters. Albert Bordy was joined in wedlock with Ellen, a daughter of John and Rebecca Miller of Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, on February 10, 1866. They have been blessed by the birth of three children : Mary R., Laura and Joseph M. Mr. Bordy was about six years of age when his parents removed to Schuylkill Haven, and between that age and ten attended the schools of that place. Subsequent to that time he was em ployed as a canal boy on the Philadelphia and Schuylkill canal, whose duty it was to drive the mules used in drawing the boats. He re mained in this kind of service up to the age of eighteen years, when, on August 8, 1861, he enlisted at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in company H, 6th regiment, United States cavalry, for a period of three years, during the civil war. On August 8, 1864, he was honor ably discharged and mustered out of service. At the battle of Malvern Hill, on August 6, 1862, he was wounded in the head and lost a fragment of his skull ; at the same time he was taken prisoner and incarcerated for thirty days in Libby Prison. During the battle of Gettys burg, July 3, 1863, he was again taken prisoner at Fairfield, near Gettysburg, and transferred to Richmond, Virginia, and held at Belle Island and Libby Prison for twenty-three days. Dur ing his term of service, Mr. Bordy participated in the battles of Williamsburg, Slattersville, Mechanicsville, Hanover Court-house, Black Church, Malvern Hill, Fredericksburg, Beverly Ford, Middleburg, Upperville, Fairfield, and took part in General Stoneman's raid. In all his service be bore himself with gallantry and courage. After returning home he was engaged on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad for six months as a brakeman, when in the spring of 1865 he purchased a boat on the Philadelphia and Schuylkill canal, and engaged in the busi ness of freight transportation until 1868. From this latter date until 1874, he carried on a trading business between Baltimore, Maryland and New York City, at the close of which time he removed to Girardville, Schuylkill county, and engaged in mercantile business. He was one of the organizers of the First 518 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY National Bank of Girardville, and has been a director and vice-president for the past three years. He also owns an orange grove near Fairmount, Florida, which he purchased in 1886. It has been under cultivation for eight years, and contains over one thousand orange trees and about three hundred other fruit trees. Mr. Bordy is, generally speaking, a demo crat in his political views, but adheres strictly to no party. He holds the right to vote for the man of integrity and capability. He is now president of the school board of his borough and is also fraternally identified with Page Lodge, No. 190, F. and A. M., of Schuyl kill Haven. In his career, Mr. Bordy is deserving of great credit. He has climbed the ladder step by step, from" a canal "boy to a position of business prominence and social standing, of which he may well be proud. Through it all, as a citizen, a soldier, and as a social indivi dual, he has led an irreproachable life and commanded the general respect of all who know him. He is a man of good business qualities, kind, affable, and merits the good will that undoubtedly is his. t Valentine stichter, a substantial business man of Pottsville* Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of George H. and Mary (Hahn) Stichter, and was born in the county and state aforesaid on February 17. I834- The ancestry of Mr. Stichter for the past several generations have been natives of east ern Pennsylvania. George H. Stichter, father, was born in Reading, Berks county, Pennsyl vania, about the year 1805, and arrived in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, about the year 1828. He was a continuous resident of Pottsville until the year 1889, the time of his death. By trade he was a tinsmith, and was one of the oldest and most extensive dealers in tinware of Pottsville. In addition to this line of business he formed a partnership with E. L. Esterly under the firm name of Stichter & Esterly, and engaged in the hardware busi ness, which was conducted under their man agement until 1854. Subsequent to that time Mr. Stichter again went into the hard ware business in association with his son,. under the firm name of George H. Stichter & Son. At this time the site of their stores was ori the south side of Center street, between Norwegian and Market. Afterwards they purchased and removed their business inter ests one square below, on the west side of Center street, and there continued until the year 1876, when the elder Stichter retired from the firm, and the business was conducted by the son, Valentine. The firm has been an exceptionally prosperous one, and has been under the most careful and painstaking over seers. All kinds of hardware and tinware are handled, and the business occupies a building eighty feet deep, fifteen feet front and two stories in height. Valentine Stichter in his political affiliations is a Republican, in which party he takes a commendable interest. At the beginning of the civil war he en listed as one of the first defenders, and on April 19, 1 86 1, reached the city of Washing ton as a member of company H, 25th regi ment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, under command of Captain James Wren. After going into camp the original company was divided, and at that time he was placed under the command of Captain D. A. Smith. At the expiration of his term of enlistment he OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 519 was honorably discharged, and returned to Schuylkill county. He again entered the service of the emergency corps at the time of Lee's invasion. At the present time Mr. Stichter is a mem ber and treasurer of the English Evangelical Lutheran church, and has always taken an active part in all matters connected with the welfare of that church.. He is also a mem ber ofthe Lily ofthe Valley Lodge, No. 281, I. O. O. F., at Pottsville, and is one of those whose name is inscribed on the roll of remem brance in the corner stone of the Philadelphia temple. For twenty consecutive years he has been a representative of his lodge to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. He is also a mem ber of Gowen Post, No. 23, G. A. R. In 1855 he was united in marriage with Sarah Spohn, a daughter of John Spohn, of Pottsville, but formerly of Reading, by whom he has four children : Mary M., wife of George W. Hamilton, a conductor on the Philadel phia and Reading Railroad between Pottsville and Reading; Clara S., deceased; Alice H., wife of Samuel Moore; and one died in in fancy. Valentine Stichter is one of a family of eleven children, seven sons and four daugh ters : Henry P.; Valentine, subject ; Emma R., wife of Augustus Fox, a grocer of Potts ville; Anna, wife of Isaac B. Rich, of York ville ; Joseph, an employee of the Pennsylva nia Railroad Company at Pottsville, married to a daughter of Timothy Boyle ; Mary, de ceased; Anna, deceased; Elizabeth, wife of John Stein, teller in the Miners' National Bank ; Catherine, deceased ; John H., a ma chinist of Reading, Pennsylvania, married to a Miss Brown. HENRY G. JUNGKURTH, one of Potts- ville's leading and respected citizens, is a son of Ernest F. and Anna M. (Funk) Jungkurth, and was born at Tamaqua, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, on November 27, 1855. His father was a native of Germany, born in Kur-Hessen on November 7th, 1832. He emigrated to Americain 1854, and settled in Tamaqua, but removed with his family to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in the year 1862, where he now resides. He had been a toiler in the mines before coming to Tamaqua, but possessing intellectual qualifications above the requirements of this vocation, he was elected justice of the peace. He held this office but a short time, when he was employed as bookkeeper for D. G. Yuengling & Son, with whom he remained until 1867, when he purchased the Walhalla House . in Pottsville, and went into the hotel business, which he continued up to 1869 or 1870. In politics he is a staunch and popular democrat of the Jef- fersonian school. While in the hotel busi ness he was deputy treasurer under Conrad F. Seltzer, and during the term of December, 1869, December, 1872, was recorder of deeds, etc., for the county of Schuylkill. At the ex piration of this time he was a candidate for re-election, but through the fusion of the Greenback Labor and Republican parties, was defeated. Having beeri retired from office through the uncertainty of politics, he, in 1872, engaged in the mercantile business, in which he continued until 1874, when he aban doned it. Since that time he has given his time exclusively to the insurance business, in which he does work in the line of both fire and life insurance. In religious matters he is a member of the German Reformed church, in which he has been quite active for many years; he has held 520 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY in the past, at various times, most of the im portant offices within the gift of the church. On November n, 1854, he was united in marriage to Anna M. Funk, a daughter of Daniel and Margaretha Funk, who bore him five children : Henry G; John W., a book keeper in the Fairmount Iron works, Philadel phia; George W., a wholesale liquor dealer, of Pottsville ; Mary, wife of William Steidle, a dairyman, of Pottsville ; and Amelia, mar ried to John Davis, an employee of the Potts ville Iron and Steel Company. Henry G.Jungkurth received his preliminary education in the public schools of Tamaqua and Pottsville, and at the age of thirteen years he quit school to accept a clerkship in his father's hotel, where he remained until the age of sixteen. At this time he entered Pierce Business College of Philadelphia, and was graduated with credit in 1871. He is actively identified with the Democratic party, and dur ing his father's administration as recorder of the county was his chief clerk. At the expi ration of his father's term of office he received appointment as clerk for the commissioners of the same county, continuing in this position until 1876. In May, 1877, he became a law clerk in the office of A. W. Shalck, Esq., the functions of which position he discharged until 1890, when he was appointed deputy prothono tary for a term of three years, which position he now holds. Fraternally, he is a member of Seneca Tribe, No. 41, I. O. R. M. ; a mem ber of Lily of the Valley Lodge, No. 281, I. O. O. F. He is also secretary of the 3d brigade band of Pottsville, and a member of Trinity Reformed church. On June 26, 1876, he mar ried Emma V. Gross, daughter of Washington and Hannah Gross, of Pottsville. This union has been blessed by the birth of three chil dren : Virginia G, Roy C, and Gilmore, JOHN MAURICE CALLEN, the compe- ^ tent secretary of the Pottsville Iron and Steel Company, as well as secretary and treasurer of the Pottsville Bridge Company, is a son of Maurice and Elizabeth (Dunn) Callen, and was born December 13, 1857, in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. Maurice Callen, father, was born in Ireland, in the year 1823, where he was reared and married, shortly after which event, in about 1845, ^e came to Pottsville, where he has since resided. In 1846 he married Elizabeth Dunn, who was born in 1826 and who died in 1884. The fruits of this marriage were a family of twelve children. John Maurice Callen was educated in the public schools of Pottsville, where he obtained a fair knowledge of the common school branches ; most of his education was, however, to come through a different channel — by actual experience in the business world. On June 23, 1872, he accepted a position as errand boy with the Pottsville Iron and Steel Company, and he has been with that company ever since, having by the sheer force of his energy and merit forced himself through all the promotions from errand boy to those re sponsible positions which he now holds. He is a republican politically. On April 23, 1884, Mr. Callen married Eli zabeth Reilly, a daughter of the late Thomas Reilly, of Reading, Pennsylvania. To this marriage have been born three children : Wil liam, May, and John M., Jr. HENRY R. SNYDER, agent of the Phila delphia and Reading Railroad at Maha noy Plane, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born on May 20, 1844, in Mohrsville, Berks county, Pennsylvania, a son of John REV. PETER McCOLLOUGH. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 521 and Elizabeth (Rahn) Snyder. The Snyder family of which Henry R. is a representative, have been natives of Berks county, Pennsyl vania, for a number of generations. Grand father Philip Snyder was a farmer by occupa tion, and served as a soldier in the war of 1812. Politically, he was a Jacksonian Demo crat, and was one of the leading members of the German Reformed church. John Snyder, father, was born on the old Snyder homestead near Mohrsville, Berks county, Pennsylvania, in 1808, and died in the same county about the year 1881. In addition to farming he was a potter by trade, and built and operated a pottery on his farm near Mohrsville. In his political views, he adopted those advocated by the Democratic party, which he had inherited from several generations of his ancestry. His wife bore a family of eight children, three sons and five daughters. Henry R. Snyder was joined in the bonds of marriage with Elenora C. Leinbach, a daughter of Jacob Leinbach, of Leesport, Berks county, Pennsylvania, in November, 1 866. By this marriage there was an issue of four children : Mary, wife of James Strouse, of Reading, Pennsylvania, cashier of the Read ing hardware works; Emma, married to Isaiah Seibert, who also resides in Reading, engaged in the flour and feed business ; and Flora and Clara, both deceased. Mr. Snyder received a common school education in the village of Mohrsville, and subsequently attended the academies at New Berlin, Snyder county Pennsylvania, and at the Trappe, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. After the completion of his education he taught school for eight years in Berks and Schuylkill counties, and in 1869 started out on the railroad business under the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, as district col lector, comprising Pottsville, Port Clinton, Shenandoah, and all intermediate points. In this capacity he served for sixteen years in the same district, and resided at Pottsville and Schuylkill Haven. He removed to Frackville in May, 1882, and has been station agent at Mahanoy Plane ever since, under the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Rail road Company and the United States Express Company. Politically, he is a republican, and in religious affairs, he holds membership in the Reformed church at Frackville, Schuylkill county. He is a member of Carroll Lodge, No. 120, I. O. O. F., at Schuylkill Haven; and of the Royal Arcanum, at Shenandoah, Penn sylvania. nEV. FATHER PETER McCULLOUGH, the present popular and eloquent priest of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church at Girardville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Joseph and Bridget (McBride) McCullough, and was born in County Tyrorie, Ireland, January 10, 185 1. His father was likewise a itative ofthe Emerald Isle, and passed his entire life in his native country. He married young and was the father of seven children, three sons and four daughters, all of whom emigrated to America. Father McCullough attended the schools in the vicinity of his home up to the age of twelve years, and on April 10, 1868, with his brother John and two sisters, Mary and Jane, landed in Philadelphia. Seventeen years prior to this date they had been preceded by Catherine, who had emigrated in 1 851, and joined Patrick and Bridget in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Soon after Peter's arrival he entered La Salle college, Philadelphia, where he remained until September, 1869, when he entered the preparatory seminary at Glen 522 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Riddle, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, and remained there until 1 871. In September of that year he entered Overbrook Seminary at Overbrook, Montgomery county, Pennsyl vania, and remained there until 1878, when he was ordained on January 24, of that year. After his ordination he received an appoint ment as curate of the St. Charles' Roman- Catholic church at Kellyville, Montgomery county, where he remained four months. In June, 1 878, he was transferred to the St. Charles Roman Catholic church in Philadelphia as an assistant, where he continued until March 17, 1883. From here he received a call to the pastorate of St. Jerome's church at Tamaqua, this county, and remained there until August 15, 1886, at the expiration of which time he went to Girardville, same county, and took charge of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church. Here he remained and has devoted himself with a consecrated and unselfish spirit to the * upbuilding ofthe church under his immediate care. St. Joseph's church at Girardville was or ganized in July, 1870, by Rev. Joseph Bridg man, who was succeeced by Rev. Daniel O'Connor, January 22, 1877, who officiated until August 15, 1886. This latter date marks the time of the present rector's accession and also the beginning ofthe effort which resulted in a new church building. The building is situated on the corner of Parker and Richard streets, arid was completed on October 9, 1872. It is a beautiful structure, exhibiting architectural good taste and artistic simplicity, is sixty feet wide and one hundred and twenty- eight feet deep, heated with steam and fitted throughout with modern conveniences — an altogether fit shrine for the devotion of the pure heart and the penitent spirit. The present state of affairs is largely due to the efforts and Christian zeal of Father McCullough. He has stamped his work for God and humanity upon the church walls, the altar, and, deeper still, upon the minds and hearts of his people. He leads by his personality, as well as by his teachings and the spirit harmony of the mass, and the blend ing of these forces under the guidance of an uncommon generosity and humanity, has en deared him to his people and strengthened the work of his hand. ?CHRISTIAN EBERLE, a prominent citi- ^^ zen of Girardville, Pennsylvania, and a man who has been connected with a variety of business interests in Schuylkill county, is a son of Peter and Catherine (Conrad) Eberle. He was born in one of the Rhenish provinces, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, on May 22, 1847. His parents were born in the same province, the father in 18 10, and mother in 1820. They remained life-long residents of the place near which they were born, and are now both deceased. His father died in 1858, and his mother in 1870. He followed farming throughout his life, and was a member of the Lutheran church. His marriage with Cath erine Conrad resulted in a family of nine chil dren, which grew to maturity, seven sons and two daughters, six of whom, five sons and one daughter, emigrated to the United States. Christian Eberle came to the United States in the year 1864, and after his arrival settled at Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. While still a resident of his native country he was engaged upon his father's farm, but dur ing his residence in Pottsville he first engaged in the barber trade with his brother Jacob, and. followed that business until January 3, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 523 1870, when he removed to Girardville, where he has since resided. In 1876 he engaged in the jewelry business in Girardville, and asso ciated with him his son, Frederick W., under the firm-name of C. Eberle & Son. In March, 1892, he engaged in the manufacture of over alls in conjunction with Philip Blass, and also in the fall of that year opened a merchant tailoring establishment in conjunction with Mr. Blass. Aside from these enterprises he is a director and treasurer of the Girard Sav ing Fund, in which official capacity he has been connected since 1884. He is also a director of the Palace Theatre Company, and of the Girard Gas Company, of which latter organization he has been president for two terms. He was one of the organizers and first directors of the Mahanoy City, Shenan doah, Girardville and Ashland Electric Rail road Company, now known as the Schuylkill- Traction Company, and was one of the first to suggest the practicability of such a road or a series of roads. Fraternally, he is a mem ber of Aqua Lodge, No. 737, I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Grand, and was former dele gate to the Grand Lodge of the State in 1876. He is also a member of Catawissa Lodge, No. 349, F. and A. M., and holds membership in the Reformed church. In his political affilia tions he casts his vote with the Republican party, under which party he has served as school director for two terms, borough treas urer for two terms, tax collector for three terms. In 1889 he received the appointment of postmaster of Girardville,, which office he filled acceptably until October, 1893, when he was succeeded by P. J. Birmingham, the pres ent incumbent. He was united in marriage with Wilhelmina, a daughter of Conrad and Mary Reidler, of Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, on October 2, 1870. This marriage has resulted in the birth of ten children, seven sons and three daughters : Frederick W., married to Clara Bichler, and now residing in Girardville, associated with his father in the jewelry business ; Laura, Wilhelmina, Katie, Christian, Jr., John, Charles, Albert and Lewis, at home. JOSIAH W. JOHNSON, of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, is one of the leading busi ness men of that place as well as a popular citizen. He is a son of Samuel and Mary (Storey) Johnson, and was born near Gratz- town, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on June 15, 1839. John Johnson, his grandfather, was born near Norristown, Montgomery county, Penn sylvania, and from there removed to Colum bia county, Pennsylvania, where he died about 1855, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. He became a prosperous farmer, and owned a farm of over three hundred acres at the time of his death. He voted with the Democratic party, and held membership in the German Lutheran church. He was united in wedlock with Hannah Strong, and became the father of seven children, six sons and one daughter. Samuel Johnson, father, was a native of Columbia county, Pennsylvania, born in Beaver township, of that county, July 20, 1808. He continued to live here almost his entire life, and died in the county of his nativity on June 19, 1890. By occupation he was a farmer, and became a man of prominence in the local politics of his section, filling many of the township offices and taking a general interest in public affairs. He affiliated with the same church as his father. His marriage was pro ductive of nine children, five sons and four daughters. When Josiah was two years of age his 524 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY parents removed to Columbia county, Penn sylvania, and consequently he was brought up and received his education in that county. In 1865 he removed to Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, which latter place has been the scene of most of his active life. When a youth he learned the carpenter trade, and made it his means of support up to the year 1869, when he began contracting and building. From that period he has been largely engaged in this kind of work, and in 1888 added the retail branch of his business, a lumber yard. Besides building and contracting he did con siderable in the retail lumber business. He has been treasurer of the Building and Loan Association for a number of years, and was one of the original organizers of that concern in 1878. He has been treasurer and director since 1888. Besides these interests he is a stockholder in the Merchants' National Bank. Mr. Johnson married Ebasenah, a daughter of Benjamin and Sands, of Columbia county, Pennsylvania, on by whom he has a family of four daughters : An- geline E., wife of Monroe H. Kehler, a former grocer of Shenandoah, Pa.; Clara E., married to George Van Sciver, a china merchant of Camden, New Jersey; Ada F., married to John Fennel, a printer of Camden, New Jersey; Mary E., deceased. Mr. Johnson is an enterprising, level-headed business man, who has conned his business to a creditable point of success. This he has done by fair dealing, honest work and a desire to honorably discharge every duty devolving upon him. He possesses the confidence of the business fraternity of his city and the respect of his friends and neighbors. j^ROF. J. W. COOPER, who, for the past nine years, was the popular and efficient principal of the Tremont public schools, and who is now principal of the High school of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, is a son of S. A. and Mary Wilkinson Cooper, and was born in Rising Sun, Maryland, July 5, 1857. His paternal ancestors were of Welsh de scent ; maternal, Scotch and English. S. A. Cooper, father, was of Quaker extraction, born in Chester, Delaware county, Pennsyl vania, and died in East Nottingham township, near Oxford, Chester county, this state, June 23, 1866, at the age of fifty-three years. He was engaged extensively in farming most of his life, and in connection with which he con ducted a general real estate business. He first married Jane Taylor, of Media, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, and to them were born four children, three sons and one daughter. His second marriage was with Mary Wilkin son, June 23, 1852. This union was blessed with a family of nine children, three of whom, two sons and one daughter, grew to maturity. Professor Cooper was reared in Chester county, near Oxford, Pennsylvania, his parents having moved there when he was quite young. He received his elementary education in the the public schools of Lower Oxford township and Oxford Academy. At the age of eighteen he embarked in the teachers' profession in Chester county, Pennsylvania, teaching for seven years with marked success. His edu cation was completed in the Millersville State Normal School. In 1883 he was graduated in the Elementary course, and in 1884 in the Scientific. He was a diligent student, careful and thorough in his work, and exemplary in character. Immediately after his graduation he was elected principal of the Tremont public schools, which position he filled with efficiency OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 525 until the fall of 1893, when he was elected principal of the High School of. Shenandoah. He is abreast of the progress in education, master of the most modern methods of instruc tion, and ranks with the most successful edu cators of the county. In politics he is a democrat from principle, and has been chairman of the Democratic county convention. He was a prominent can didate for the county superintendency in tha spring of 1893, being second in the contest, but was defeated by the present incumbent. He was a member of Tremont Castle, No. 107, Knights of the Golden Eagle, of which he is a Past Chief; Washington Camp, No. j6, P. O. S. of A. ; Tremont Lodge, No. 245, I. O. O. F. ; and Swatara Lodge, No. 267, F. and A. M. On February 9, 1 881, he was married to Ida May Jackson, a gifted and talented daugh ter of J. Morris and Margaret (Wright) Jack son, of Fulton township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. lUATHANIEL C. LYTLE, of Mahanoy A Plane, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born on December 7, 1831, in Northum berland county, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Ephraim and Mary (Conrad) Lytle. His grandfather, Ephraim Lytle was in all probability a native of Lancaster county. Pennsylvania, but at an early day crossed over into Northumberland county, where he settled on a farm, and continued its cultivation until the time of his death. On this farm, the father of Nathaniel C. was born and lived throughout the period of his life. The farm was situated in Lower Augusta township, Northumberland county, and under careful management was brought into a high state of cultivation. In politics, he was a democrat, held a number of township offices during his life, and served in the war of 18 12, in which war he held the position of sergeant. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, in which he served as elder, and had a family of thirteen children, of which nine are still living, five sons and four daughters. Nathaniel C. Lytle was joined in the bonds of marriage with Miss Ellen Schofield, a daughter of Bowler S. Schofield, of Mt. Laffee, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, by whom he. has five children : Frank, a student in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, and will .graduate in the class of 1894, formerly graduated from the Key stone State Normal school at Kutztown, Penn sylvania; Ephraim, Joseph M., Mary Ellen, and Clara, at home, Mr. Lytle received his education in the common schools of his native county, at Freiburg Academy and New Berlin Seminary. After the completion of his education he taught school during the winter time and worked at the carpenter trade during the summer. This condition of affairs remained in force for nine years, after which he worked at the carpenter trade exclusively for about six years. In 1868, he embarked in the mercantile business, which since that date has continued to occupy -his time and atten tion. The door of his present place of busi ness was open to the trade on the 19th of September, 1868 and is therefore one of the oldest places of business in the borough. In religious affairs, Mr. Lytle and his family are attendants of the Methodist Episco pal church. Politically, he votes with the Democratic party, and has served in a number of local offices. While in Northumberland county, he served for a term of three years as county auditor. He is also a member of Ashland Lodge, No. 294, F. and A. M. 526 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY .JAMES MORRELL, a successful business man and enterprising merchant of Gir ardville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born on December 15, 1853, in Newcastle, Pennsylvania ; a son of Benjamin and Eliza beth (Williamson) Morrell. Benjamin Morrell, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in England and emi grated to the United States in 1845 or 1850. His first permanent home was found in New castle township, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, in which locality he spent the remaining years of his life, and died in the year 1869. He worked in the mines to procure a liveli hood, was a republican in politics, a member of the Episcopalian church, and had a family of nine children, five girls and four boys : John enlisted in the Union Army during the civil war, was wounded at the battle of Chick- ahominy and died in Bellevue hospital, New York City; Benjamin, of Girardville, Penn sylvania ; George, deceased ; James, subject ; Lizzie, deceased ; Sarah, married to Thpmas Hollingsworth (deceased); Mary, deceased, formerly wife of George Horswood ; Harriet, deceased : Hannah, wife of David Davis, of Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania. James Morrell was united in marriage with Emma E. Shappell, a daughter of Samuel Shappell, of Perry township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, on December 25, 1875, by whom he has two children living and two dead. Those living are Kate and Lizzie. Mr. Mor rell, after receiving a meagre education, began work on the breakers in the collieries of Schuylkill county from a very early age up to sixteen years. At this time he commenced driving a delivery wagon for a general store in Girardville, which he continued for four years, after which he returned to work in the mines. A short time after his return to the mines he was injured, and after that period engaged in merchandising in Girardville, which has since been his permanent occupation. He has a first-class general store, in which he handles dry goods, groceries, house furnishings, flour, feed, etc. The store room is sixty feet deep and twenty feet front, while its interior ar rangement is such as to greatly facilitate the expeditious handling of goods. In politics, Mr. Morrell allies himself with the Republican cause, though he has never sought office, and is in no sense what might be termed a politician. Fraternally, he be longs to Aqua Lodge, No. 737, I. O. O. F., at Girardville, Pennsylvania, and Encampment No. 125, Patriotic Order Sons of America. nEV. CHARLES A. MARKS, the schol arly and popular rector of the Protestant Episcopal church at St. Clair, this county, is a son of A. A. and Lucy (Piatt) Marks, and was born July 19, 185 1, in New Haven, Con necticut. A. A. Marks, father, was* born in Waterbury, Connecticut, in 1825, but removed when a young man to New Haven, where he com menced his business career. Not having a trade of his own, he pursued a plan, which showed much of the enterprise characteristic of the New Englander, for learning one. He desired to learn the trade of a wood-turner, but did not apprentice himself to one, but secured the services of one, in a small business which he had started. Possessing a mind quick to perceive he soon mastered the details of that trade, becoming a skilled wood worker. Expansion in trade and business kept pace with his increased pro ficiency, and ere long a large and prosperous REV. CHARLES A. MARKS. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 527 business had been developed, giving employ ment to quite a number of men. Having the business in a good condition, he made a pleasure tour of the West, leaving the manage ment of the factory to others. This shows something of the enterprising spirit of the man, for no sooner had his influence and super vision been withdrawn, than the business failed. He then removed to New York City in 1853, and engaged in the manufacture of arti ficial limbs. In this business as in all others he has shown a spirit of enterprise that is truly characteristic of the man, and by dint of inde fatigable energy has built up an enviable busi ness, and is known all over the United States, and at the Columbian World's Fair at Chicago, he received the highest reward — the gold medal. He is of a generous and charitable nature, and contributes freely to the building of schools and benevolent and humane insti tutions. He married Lucy Piatt, a daughter of Charles Piatt, and a close relative of ex-Senator Thomas C. Piatt, of New York. Charles Piatt was a cabinet maker and un dertaker in New York City, and gained quite a notoriety during the cholera outbreak in 1848, because of his gratuitous and strenuous efforts to take care of the many victims of that most dreaded plague. His marriage bore a fruitage of four children ; three sons and one daughter. Rev. Marks was educated in the public schools of New York City and Union College at Schenectady, New York, from which he graduated in 1876. He then entered upon his theological training in the Theological Semi nary of West Philadelphia, graduating there from in 1879, and was made a deacon, and the following year was ordained a priest. In 1880 he became an assistant rector of St. Andrew's Church of West Philadelphia, in which position he remained one year, when he received a call to St. Peter's Church at Hazelton, Luzerne county, Pa., the field of his spiritual labors for the next two years. In 1882 he accepted the rectorship of the Holy Apostles' Protestant Episcopal church at St. Clair, this county, this county, his present charge. Rev. Marks has been an indefatigable worker in his chosen field, and has built a number of churches in his district, among which are one at Frackville, one at Shenan doah, Schuylkill county, and finished the building of the rectory at Hazelton, Luzerne county, besides improving the church build ing at St. Clair by the addition of steam heat. In 1888 he began the creation of a parish building, which for the uniqueness and prac tical nature of its design is certainly worthy the study and emulation of all ministers. It is located adjacent to the church on the north east corner of Hancock and Nicholas streets ; is forty feet wide by sixty feet deep, and two stories high, and when completed will cost about ten thousand dollars. The first floor will contain a library filled with works ofa standard character for the use of his parishioners, a reception room in which they may meet in social recreation, and a society room for the use of the various church societies. The second floor is a spacious hall arranged with a special view for the Sunday school and theatrical entertainments and lectures. On August 22, 1875, Rev. Marks was joined in marriage to Mary, a daughter of Nicholas Devine, of Brooklyn, New York, and to them have been born eight children ; Lucy May and Anna Amelia, both attending St. Mary's College at Burlington, New Jersey; 528 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Charles Edwin, attending Stratford College, Connecticut; Mary Esther, Eliza Jeanette, and Charles Amasa. Two are deceased. In the fraternal world Rev. Mark stands deservedly high ; he is a charter member and was the first president of Washington Camp No. 475, P. O. S. of A., which he is present chaplain. He is also a member of Anthracite Lodge, No. 285, F. and A. M., at St. Clair; Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, R. A. M., and Constantine Commandery, No. 4 1 , Knight's Templar. Rev. C. A. Marks is a man possessed of an enterprising progressive spirit ; with a keen insight into the motives that move men's souls and believes in keeping in close touch with the world and its doings. He possesses a strong individuality, is a good organizer, possesses rare executive ability, and above all a spiritual force and sympathy that makes for God and righteousness. /•CHARLES F. ALLEN. The Allen family to whom the subject belongs, originally came from New England and have been prom inently connected with the business and so cial life of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, for the past two generations. Charles F. is a son of Lucian H. and Hannah (Hudson) Allen, and was born in Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, August 14, 1853. Hubbard Allen, grandfather of Charles F., was a native of Vermont, born at Rutland in the Green Mountains, in the year 1803, and afterward removed to Cayuga county, New York, where he died in 1873. He was a shoe maker by trade, and a democrat in politics. Before leaving Rutland he had united in mar riage with a Miss Crowningshield, by whom he had nine children, three sons and six daughters. The father, Charles F. Allen, was also a na tive of Vermont, born in the year 1827, and removed with his father to Central New York, whence he came in 1846 to Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. Part of the journey, that from Schuylkill Valley to Tama qua, was made on foot, and after a little effort the wanderer found employment in the ma chine shops which had just then been opened and put into operation by John K. Smith. Five years after his arrival at Tamaqua, Mr. Allen became associated with John and Richard Carter, as owners of the works in which he had formerly been an employee. For many years this firm conducted an ex tensive and profitable machine and foundry business. In 1858, William T. Carter, of Philadelphia, succeeded his uncle, and in 1868 Charles F. Shoener was also taken into the firm. The shops were destroyed by the in cendiary work of the Mollie Maguires on De cember 9, 1873, while the shops were run ning at their full capacity. The works were immediately rebuilt on a much larger scale, and in 1875, Mr- Carter withdrew from the firm, and the future firm became Shoener & Allen. The machine shop and foundry did a very large business, and was conducted by Messrs. Shoener & Allen up to the year 1880, when Mr. Allen disposed of his interest to Mr. Shoener and amicably withdrew. During the same year, the works reverted to Carter, Allen & Co., circumstances compelling Mr. Allen to re-enter the firm for the purpose of adding additional experience and tact to the conduct of the business. The works now continued under this management up to 1886, when the business was closed out, and so re mains. After a busy and successful career, Mr. Allen died in November, 1890. He was a man widely known, not only in his own borough OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 529 and county, but generally throughout the business circles of Eastern and Central Penn sylvania. He was a man of excellent busi ness and social qualities, and everywhere com manded esteem and respect. He took more than an ordinary interest in both local and national politics, and while not distinctively partisan, was a strong adherent ofthe Repub lican cause, toward the success of which he wielded his influence. His marital relations resulted in an issue of three children : Frank H., superintendent and executor of the • Allen estate, resident at Tamaqua; Charles F., subject; and Mary L., at home. Charles F. Allen was joined in marriage with Katie F., a daughter of John F. and Mary Boughner of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, in 1877. To them have been born seven chil dren : Hannah, Bertha, Francis L., Hubbard H., Clara B., Maud and Charles. He received his education in the Tamaqua public schools and in Pennsylvania Military Academy, loca ted at West Chester. After leaving school Mr. Allen learned the trade of machinist with his father, which he continued to follow the five succeeding years. In 1880, he be came book-keeper for Carter, Allen & Co., and continued in that capacity for six years, when in 1886 he was appointed executor and manager of his father's estate. In addition to this, he is manager of Allen's Opera House in Tamaqua. In politics, he is a republican, and was elected in 1890 as auditor of Schuyl kill county for a term of three years, and in 1893 was one of the successful candidates for the office of county commissioner. Personally he is popular and well liked. nEV. EDWARD G. HAY, pastor of the English Lutheran Church, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of Rev. C. A. Hay, D. D., and Sarah R. (Barnitz) Hay. He was born in Harrisburg, Dauphin county, Pennsyl vania, May 4, 1856. His father, Charles A. Hay, D. D., was born at York, Pennsylvania, February 11, 1821. After attending the schools in his native town, he entered the sophomore class of the Penn sylvania College, graduating in 1839. He pursued his theological studies at Gettysburg, and at Berlin and Halle in Germany. In 1843 he was licensed to preach the gospel. In 1844 he accepted a call to Middletown, Mary land, whence, in the same year, he was trans ferred to the combined professorships of Ger man in Pennsylvania College, and in the Theological Seminary, which position he con tinued to occupy until 1848, when he received a call to Hanover, Pennsylvania. After serv ing the congregation at Hanover for one year, he assumed the charge of Zion church, Harris burg, where he labored until 1865, when he was again called to the Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, as Professor of Hebrew and Old 'Testament Theology, Pastoral Theology and German Language and Literature. " During almost the entire time of his Professorship at Gettysburg, he also served Christ church as its pastor. In this Professorship he continued until the day of his death, which occurred suddenly June 26, 1893." His . marriage was blessed by the birth of eight children, five of whom are still living, three sons and two daughters : John W. was graduated from the University of Pennsyl vania, and from the medical department of the same institution. He is at present a druggist, located in Harrisburg; Fannie E. is married to Rev. M. L. Heisler, a graduate of the Semi- 34" 530 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY nary at Gettysburg, and present pastor of the Lutheran church at Dauphin, Pennsylvania ; Mary J. is the wife of Professor John A. Himes, occupant of the chair of English Literature at Pennsylvania College, Gettys burg, Pennsylvania. Edward G., subject, was joined in marriage with Ella B. Buchanan, daughter of Washing ton Buchanan, of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, September 16, 1879. They are now the parents of one child, Edward B., born June 4, 1 88 1. Mr. Hay entered Pennsylvania College at the age of fifteen, and was graduated in 1875. Three years later he finished his course of study in the Theological Seminary at the same place, and accepted a call to a pastorate at Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, the duties of which he discharged from July 29, 1878, to November 22, 1880. At the expiration of this time he was invited to take charge of the English Lutheran church, at Pottsville, where he has since been located. Mr. Hay is a man of scholarly tastes, a pulpit orator of brilliancy and of commanding presence, and has done much by reason of his religious enthusiasm to incite his people to thoughtful, spiritual lives. During his pas torate the membership of the church has reached five hundred, and material improve ments have been made aggregating about $36,000. 1 He is a member of Miners' Lodge, No. 20, I. O. O. F., of which he is now chaplain. JEREMIAH O'CONNOR, a merchant of Mahanoy Plane, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, is a son of William and Margaret (McCarthy) O'Connor, and was born in county Cork, Ireland. He came to the United States with his father when about sixteen years of age. His first place of location was in Centralia, Columbia county, Pennsylvania. Prior to his coming to this country he had received a fair educa tion in his native countiy, and in the year after his arrival he passed a successful exam ination for a teacher's certificate, but on account of his age was refused a school. Shortly afterward he engaged to learn the trade of printing in the office of the Miner's' Gazetteer. Subsequently he went to Boston, Massachusetts, where he worked at his trade for a period of three years, mastering it in all its details. From Boston he went to San Francisco, California, when after a period of three years' service in the printing business he returned to Centralia and conducted a grocery and provision business for about two and a half years. At the expiration of this time he taught school two terms, after which he went to Tamaqua and was appointed busi ness manager and treasurer of the Anthracite Monitor, a paper espousing the cause of the working men and of workingmen's unions. He remained in this capacity until the year 1872, when he removed to Mahanoy Plane and engaged in the mercantile business, which has permanently occupied his attention since that time. In connection with his store he conducts a hotel and saloon. In the capacity of a saloon-keeper he has a very enviable record, by reason of the fact that during the entire period of his experience in that busi ness, extending over twenty years, not the slightest disturbance has occurred in connec tion with his place of business. Mr. O'Connor has always been a strong advocate ofthe Democratic party, and while a citizen of Centralia was elected a member of the school board for that borough. He has also served in the capacities of councilman, PHIL J. CONNELL. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 531 auditor and school director of Gilbertown borough, and has always maintained a close relation with educational interests wherever he has resided. Religiously, he is an active member of the Roman Catholic church. On May 29, 1873, he was united in marriage to Bridget Meade, a daughter of John and Mary Meade, of County Limerick, Ireland. By this marriage he has four children living : Mary Agnes, Thomas M., Francis and Maggie; four children are deceased. ^HIL. J. CONNELL, the efficient and popular clerk to the County Commis sioners of Schuylkill county, is a son of Patrick J. and Mary (Clark) Connell, and was born at Girardville, this county, October 12, 1864. Patrick J. Connell, father, was a native of County Cavan, Ireland, but came to America in the early forties, and located at Tamaqua, Schuylkill county and thence at Girardville, same county, where he died in 1868. In his earlier days he was engaged as a contractor in and around the mines, driving tunnels and opening up mines, etc., but later went into the mercantile business in Girardville, in which business he was engaged, up to the time of his death, which occurred on the 29th of August, 1868. Politically he was a democrat, always taking a lively interest in the affairs and success of his party, though he never aspired to political preferment. His union with Mary Clark was blest with a family of ten children, seven boys and three girls. Of this family but three grew to maturity. They are, Patrick, a min ing engineer and a resident of Girardville; Phil. J., subject, and Kate, at home. Phil. J. Connell was educated in the public schools of Girardville; his father dying when he was young, it devolved upon the boys to help support the family. Accordingly, at the age of ten years, he was forced to leave school and go to work at picking slate on the breaker, attending school at such times as the collieries were idle. He worked in and around the mines until twenty-one years of age, the last two and a half years he was employed as an engineer in the mines. At the age of twenty-one, having saved his money, he resolved upon entering school. He entered the Keystone State Normal School at Kutztown, Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated with the first honors in a class of forty -two members, in 1887. He then taught from September, 1887, to January 1, 1888, when he was appointed assistant clerk to the county commissioners of Schuylkil county for one term of four years, when he became chief clerk on January 1, 1892, which position he now holds. He has always taken a lively interest in athletic sports ; locally speaking he is consid ered the best authority on base ball, foot ball and horse racing. He is a member of the Athletic Club of the Schuylkill Navy, and the Philadelphia Amateur Swimming Club and the Pottsville Bicycle Club. He is a confirmed student of the drama, and possesses considerable talent for that particular line of life. Pie has had flattering offers from several of the leading theatrical companies of Philadelphia, among them being the Girard Avenue and Forepaugh's Theatre Stock Company. In political matters he is 1 a democrat, and has always taken an active part in the affairs of the party. 532 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY j^ROFESSOR MARTIN P. WHITAKER, superintendent of the Shenandoah pub lic schools, is a son of Thomas and Mary (Dermody) Whitaker, and was born at West- wood, near Pottsville, October 22, 185 1. William Whitaker, grandfather, was born in County Galway, Ireland, but located in Schuylkill county about 1840, and died shortly afterward. The father of Martin P. Whitaker was born in Galway County, Ire land, about 1822, preceding his father one year to this country, and settled in Westwood, but soon afterward, in 1857, went to Swatara, living there until 1864, when he removed to Yatesville, this county, where he died on May 27, 1886. His life work was mining. He married Mary Dermody, who died October 31, 1854. This union was blessed with an issue of eleven children ; three died in infancy: William, a miner, living at Yatesville; Ann, the wife of John Campbell, of Hastings, Cam bria county, Pennsylvania; John, also a miner, living at Yatesville; Martin, subject; Michael J. (see sketch below). The father married a second time, to Bridget Keenan, and had four children : Thomas, a resident of Philadelphia ; Mary, the wife of Michael Cunningham, of Morea, this county ; Ellen, and Joseph. On June 8, 1876, Mr. Whitaker and Mary C. Barry, daughter of John Barry, of County Cork, Ireland, were united in marriage. This union has resulted in the following issue : Joseph A., now at St. Charles' Seminary, Overbrook, preparing for the priesthood; Mary R., James B., Nellie, Charles, John and Anna ; two died in infancy. Professor Whitaker was educated in the common schools and the State Normal school at Millersville, Pa. When a boy he worked at the breaker pick ing slate, but he had assiduously improved his spare moments, and at the age of fifteen was qualified to pass an examination for a teacher's certificate, and commenced teaching at that early age. From 1874 to 1879 he was superintendent ofthe schools of East Mahanoy township, this county, after which he spent one year as clerk to the county recorder, John A. Reilly. He then took the position for three years of clerk for the Philadelphia and Reading Ex press Company, at Shenandoah. From 1886 to 1893 he taught in the public^ schools of Shenandoah. In June, 1893, he took charge of the schools of Shenandoah as borough superintendent. His position is a very trying one, and includes the supervision of the work of fifty-one teachers. ^ROFESSOR MICHAEL J. WHITA KER, the principal of the Gilberton public schools, is the son of Thomas and Mary (Dermody) Whitaker, and was born at Westwood, near Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on August 6, 1854. Michael J. Whitaker was joined in the bonds of matrimony with Mary Young, a daughter of George H., and Catherine Young, of Yatesville, on August 7, 1876, by whom he has had four children: Bernard, Harry, Clement, and Aloysius. Porfessor Whitaker received his education in the common schools of the county and at select schools at Port Carbon, Schuylkill county. He commenced teaching at the age of about fourteen years, and has been continuously engaged in that business for a period of twenty-six years, and throughout the whole of his career his work has been confined to Schuylkill county. His first principalship was at Park Place, Schuyl kill county, and afterwards at Yatesville, at OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 533 the latter of which places he taught twelve years, then came to Gilberton, where he has continued .since 1883. His present duties consist in a general supervision over five schools, together with the direct conduct of the advanced recitations. In politics, he is a democrat. Professor Whitaker is one of the oldest, in point of service, and most popular teachers in Schuylkill county. He has had a large and successful experience, has grown up almost in the school-room, and is thoroughly familiar with the methods and routine of public school work. He manifests tact, skill, and evinces a sufficient scholarship to advance the public schools of Gilberton to their right ful place in the public school system of the county. TA^ILLIAM H. SHOEMAKER, justice of the peace of Shenandoah, Pennsylva nia, a son of the late Marshall G. and Rebecca (Welliver) Shoemaker, was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, October 17, 1832. When he was two years old his father removed from Pottsville to Columbia county, Pennsylvania, to engage in the mercantile business, where he lived in New Columbia, Rohrsburg and Buck Horn until he reached manhood. He received his education in the common schools at home and at Bradley's select school, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming seminary. After finishing his education he became a clerk in his father's store and post- office at Buck Horn, and continued as -such until 1857, with the exception of fourteen months, when he taught school. In 1857 he engaged in business with his father, under the firm name of M. G. & W. H. Shoemaker, at Buck Horn, Pennsylvania, and continued in business there until 1877, His father removed in 1865 to Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and there engaged in mercantile business with the said son, who, in 1877, also removed to Shenan doah, Pennsylvania. He was appointed post master in 1867 by President Lincoln, although a Democrat, to succeed his father, who had served for some twenty-five years prior as postmaster, and continued to serve as such under Presidents Lincoln, Johnson, Grant and Hayes, until after his removal to Shenan doah in 1879. He has since then resided in Shenandoah, serving most of the time since removing there in responsible positions. For a number of years he was a member of the borough council, of which body he was also president from 1879 to 1883. In the spring of 1883 he was elected to the office of justice of the peace, and is now serving his third consecutive term in said office. He also, while a resident of Columbia county, Penn sylvania, served as township auditor from 1854 to 1877, the voters re-electing him con tinuously until his removal to Shenandoah. He has been a democrat in politics all his life, and in all of the public positions which he has been called to fill he has merited and received uniformly marked approbation of his services by his fellow-citizens, irrespective of party. He has been a member of the Shen andoah Methodist Episcopal church for many years. In December, 1857, he married Miss Effie Farley, daughter of the late Peter Farley, of Stark county, Ohio, who died near Toledo, Ohio. They have two sons living. The eldest son, Edward W., twenty years old, is at present attending Dickinson College, Car lisle, Pennsylvania, as a student at law, and Sanford W., a student in the High school at Shenandoah. 534 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY His father, Marshall G. Shoemaker, son of Andrew and Catherine Girton Shoemaker, was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, in 1 8 1 1, where he was reared to manhood. He was married to Rebecca Welliver, daugh ter of Jacob Welliver, a native of New Jersey, and removed to Pottsville in 1832, where the subject of this sketch was born, and resided there until 1834, when he returned to Colum bia county, Pennsylvania, and engaged in business as a merchant. He resided at Buck Horn until 1865, during which period he was postmaster from 1843 to 1867, and served as constable for one year and assessor for two years. In 1865 he removed to Shenandoah, where he continued to reside until his death in 1 88 1, at the age of seventy years. In poli tics he was a democrat, a tailor by trade, and a merchant from 1834 until his death. His wife, Rebecca (Welliver) Shoemaker, mother, was born in New Jersey, survived him two years, dying at Shenandoah in 1 883 at the age of almost seventy-six years. His paternal grandfather, Andrew Shoe- * maker, son of Jacob and Catherine Girton Shoemaker, was born in New Jersey in 1780. His father removed to Columbia county, Pennsylvania, in his youth, where he lived until his death in 1850, aged seventy years. He was an hotel-keeper, a member of the Presbyterian church, and a democrat. They had a family of five children, three sons and two daughters. His paternal great-grandfather, Jacob Shoe maker, was born in New Jersey in 1760, and served through the whole of the Revolution ary war. His brother, Isaac Shoemaker, shortly preceding, had settled in Wyoming valley, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, when Jacob, who had married Mellick moved with his family into Greenwood valley, Columbia , county. Another brother, Abra ham, had settled in Montgomery county, same state, whilst Esau, also a brother, had become a resident of Baltimore, Maryland. Jacob, the paternal great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was finely educated for his time, both in English and in German. On July 4, 1849, at a ripe old age, he was buried at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, with the honors of war, and among the last of the veterans in that locality of the ever-memorable struggle of the Revolution. His maternal grandfather, Jacob Welliver, was a native of New Jersey, but removed therefrom when a boy, at the age of fourteen years and an orphan, and settled at Black Run, Columbia county, Pennsylvania, where he continued to reside until after the Wyoming massacre, July 3, 1778, when he, with other settlers of that region, fled to Harrisburg, and thence to Philadelphia and New Jersey. He was pressed into the quartermaster's service as a teamster on arrival in New Jersey, and later carried a musket, serving till the close of the war without receiving any pay — not having been regularly enlisted into the ser vice, nor a volunteer. He, however, showed his strong patriotism in continuing in the ser vice after serving as teamster, and, shoulder ing his musket, took his place in the ranks, and continued in the service without pay to the end of that memorable struggle. He re turned after the war to his farm iri Columbia county, and resided at Black Run on his farm until his death in 1842, at the ripe age of eighty-nine years. He had been a prosperous and successful man in his calling. PATRICK J. BIRMINGHAM. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 535 -j^ATRICK J. BIRMINGHAM, a well- known citizen and the present postmaster of Girardville, is a son of Patrick and Mary (Quirk) Birmingham, and was born at Melich, County Galway, Ireland, December 22, 1849. Patrick, Sr., was a native of the same county as his son, born in the year 1801, and emigrated to the United States in 1852, locating soon after his arrival at Westwood, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, between Pottsville and Miners ville. He pursued mining during his latter life, and at the time of his death in October of 1872, was in the employ of the Mine Hill Railroad Company. His marriage bore a fruit age of five children, three sons and two daughters. Patrick J., James F., Catharine, Mary and William, (deceased). Patrick J. Birmingham was united in mar riage with Elizabeth Hope, a daughter of James and Mary (Rafter) Hope of Girardville, Schuylkill county, on April 5, 1877. To this union have been born four children living: William, Mary, James and Joseph ; Francis is deceased. Mr. Birmingham received his education in the public sbhools and at Professor J. A. M. Passmore's Classical Institute at Pottsville, Pennsylvania. He started in life as a teacher, and taught in the gounty of Schuylkill seven teen terms. He then in August, 1869, re moved to Rocktown, and in 1 870 to Girard ville, where he now resides. In the year 1874, after having given up teaching, he entered the boot and shoe business, which he has con ducted successfully ever since. Aside from this, he has been secretary of the People's Building and Loan Association since its or ganization in 1 88 1. Politically, he is a democrat, and in the great work of the party has manfully put his shoulder to the wheel, always exhibiting a loyalty and interest that made him a desirable supporter. In 1875 he was treasurer of his borough, and in 1891 was made tax receiver. In 1885 he received the appointment as post master of Girardville, and served most accept ably in that capacity, and, in 1893 was re appointed. Religiously he holds membership in St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church, to which he is a liberal contributor, and to the extension of whose doctrines, he is loyally devoted. He is also a member of Division 4, A. O. H., and of the association of the Sons of St. Patrick. Mr. Birmingham's career has been one of varied experience, and honest endeavor; he has seen fortune and misfortune, and has received a diploma from the school of adver sity. But withal, he knew no such word as discouragement. He was ever hopeful, full of a creditable ambition, and knew the force of will that must operate to bring success. He is a good citizen, awake to the best in terests of his town and county, and deserves the high estimation in which he is held. He is pleasant, generous, and sympathetic — 4hree qualities that attract man to man. -£*ENNEVILLE F. BERTOLET, superin^ ^^ tendent of the Mahanoy and Shamokin division ofthe Philadelphia and Reading Rail road, is the son of Mayberry A. and Louisa (Fisher) Bertolet, was born October 31, 1844, at Rausch's, Gap, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania. His grandfather, Daniel Bertolet, was a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, in which county he was a lifelong resident. In his po litical attitude he was an old line whig, and took a very prominent part in the politics of 536 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY his time, at one time serving as a member of the State Assembly and of the State Senate of Pennsylvania. In religion, he affiliated with the Quakers, and was loth to adopt the dog matic ritual and ceremonial of the established churches. Mayberry A., father, was also a native ot Berks county, Pennsylvania, in which county he lived a number of years, and was one of the pioneer ironmasters of that region. In the early part of his career he removed to Rausch's Gap, where he erected a forge, soon after which he went to Reading, Pennsylvania, and, in partnership with S. Bertolet, engaged in the same industry and continued operations until the year 1857. Subsequent to this he went to Philadelphia, and was connected with the naval office at that place up to the time of his death in 1862. Politically, he took a great interest in the Republican party, and was very active in all legitimate lines of action looking toward the success of that party ; he also was prominently identified with the educational affairs at the different places of his residence, and was de lighted to be of service in improving the intel lectual and moral tone of the people at large. He was a member of the Reformed church, and through his marriage had a family of eleven children, five sons and six daughters : Howard, deceased in 1861 ; Wellington, lo cated at Reading, Pennsylvania ; B. F., subject; Mayberry A., located at Tamaqua, assistant trainmaster under his brother; Charles, de ceased at the age of three years ; Elizabeth, died in infancy ; Emma, wife of Charles Fritz, formerly of Reading, but now of Indianapolis, Indiana; Mary, deceased, formerly wife of Benjamin E. Davis, of Philadelphia ; Amelia, deceased ; Maggie and Louisa, the latter mar ried to Charles M. Frame, of Reading, Penn sylvania. Benneville Bertolet was united in marriage first to Elizabeth Stevens, a daughter of Dr. John Stevens, of Reading, Berks county, Pennsylvania, in 1876. By this marriage the following-named children were born : Bentley S., Edward Reed, Wellington, John, and William. Mrs. Bertolet died on January 17, 1889, and subsequently, on June 13, 1891, Mr. Bertolet was united in marriage to Emma Templin, a daughter of John Templin, of Le banon county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Bertolet received his education in the public schools of Reading, Pennsylvania, and started in life in his father's rolling mill as an iron worker, until the year 1862, when he enlisted in the Union army and became a member of Company D, of Durell's battery, field artillery, as one ofthe First Defenders ; he was mustered out in June, 1865, after taking part in all the battles of the Virginia campaign. After the close of the war he returned to Reading, and on June 6, 1865, accepted a position under the Reading Railroad Company, on a passenger train run ning from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to New York City. On April 1, 1868, he was made baggage master, and held this position until May 4, 1870. At this time he was promoted to the rank of passenger conductor, and on April 1, 1880, to the position of passenger car agent, having charge of all the passenger crews on the main division and branches of the Philadelphia and Pleading Railroad. On Oc tober 3, 1882, he assumed the position of train master on the main line division, which he filled acceptably, and on June 1, 1891, was appointed superintendent of the Atlantic City Railroad, which position he held until March 1, 1893. Upon this date he was transferred to the super intendency of the Mahanoy and Shamokin division of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 537 Fraternally, Mr. Bertolet belongs to Post No. 1 6, G. A. R., at Reading, Pennsylvania; also the Masonic Lodge, No. 437, Excelsior Chapter, No. 237, and Reading Commandery, No. 42 ; he is also a member of St. Paul's Episcopal church, at Reading. Mr. Bertolet is essentially a self-made man, who by inherent energy and unusual executive capacity has regularly ascended the scale to the position of trust and responsibility which he now holds. He is a man of excellent busi ness ability and resources, and through his skillful management of the minor affairs, as well as the more important factors of a large corporation, has shown himself fitted to main tain a controlling hand over the interests of an important concern. His integrity and his fidelity in public office, as well as his character in private affairs, have never been assailed, and he stands to-day among the honored and es teemed citizens of Schuylkill county. JA ATHAN S. BONER is a son of Charles A and Priscilla (Smith) Boner, and was born on the 23d of September, 1846, in the county of Schuylkill, Pennsylvania. The Boner family is of Irish lineage, the great-grandfather of Nathan S., having emi grated from Ireland to America at a very early period, where he took a part in shaping the institutions and moulding the sentiment of the State of Pennsylvania. Although there is no definite information to that effect, it is highly supposable that the grandfather of our subject was also a life-long resident of Eastern Pennsylvania. His father, however, was a resident of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and before he reached the zenith of his life removed to Schuylkill county, and located near Lewistown, in the vicinity of which, in the course of years, he became the owner of *a small farm. He had early in life learned the trade of . a blacksmith, and after his removal to Lewistown, went to Mahanoy City, where he worked at his trade, and calmly met his death in 1891. He had been a resi dent of Mahanoy City for thirty years. Politi cally, he passed through the entire gamut of partyism, was first a democrat, then a whig, and finally a republican. Religiously, he was connected with the Reformed church. He married a daughter of Henry Smith, on , and had by this marriage six chil dren : Henry S., superintendent of the Luth eran Publishing Company of Philadelphia : Lewis S. , formerly a book-keeper in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, deceased in June, 1891 ; Sarah, wife of Oliver Peters (now deceased), of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania; Nathan S., subject; Charles S., deceased in 1890, a book keeper before his death ; Albert S., died in infancy. Nathan S. was joined marital bonds on July 11, 1871, with Margaret L. Bone, a daughter of Ambrose Bone of Scotch lineage, and until a recent period a citizen of Canada He now resides in Reading. By this marriage. Mr. Boner has seven children living : Priscilla, Minnie M., Ambrose, Daisy A., Earl L., Harry, George F. His education was secured through the public schools of his county and certain select schools. After he had finished his education, he accepted a position as clerk in Mahanoy City, and retained it until he enlisted in the United States Army in 1866, in which he served for a period of three years, being stationed the greater part of the time in the State of Nevada. At the expiration of this term of enlistment he returned to Schuyl kill county, and has here remained, with the exception of four years. At the present time 538 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY he is the efficient and obliging manager of Alexander Scott of Frackville, Schuylkill - county. In politics, he is a Republican, and holds membership in the Reformed church, General Grant Lodge, No. 575, I. O. O. F., and Washington Camp, No. 284, Patriotic Order Sons of America. fJEORGE M. ISRAEL was born on March ^"^ 1 1, 1866, in WilkesBarre, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and is the son of George H. and Sarah C. (Kalbach) Israel. His grandfather, George Israel, was a native of Germany, but emigrated to the United States about 1840, and located in Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, until the close of his career. By trade he was a stone mason. George H. Israel, the father of George M., was at the period of his coming to the United States about seven years of age. He, therefore, received his education* in this country, after which, with his father, he learned the trade of mason, which he has followed throughout all the years since. At the present time he resides on a farm near the village of Reynolds, five miles south of Tamaqua. On the great political issue of the country he votes with the Republican party, and has been a staunch supporter of that party from the time of his first connection with it. His marriage resulted in the birth of ten children, of which three are deceased. George M. Israel was joined in marriage with Irene Eleanora Houser, a daughter of John F. Houser, of Tamaqua, this county, By this marriage two children have been born : Helen Naomi and Earl Wellington. Mr. Israel attended the public schools of Tamaqua, but left school about two months before the time of his graduation, to enter upon the study of telegraphy. After com pleting a course in Tamaqua, he continued to follow that business for about a year and a half under the employ of the Jersey Central railroad, and later became operator for the Reading railroad at Zehners,.Buck Mountain and Tamaqua. At the close of his term at the latter place, he came to Mahanoy Plane, where he accepted an appointment as assistant train master, on October 2, 1889, which posi tion he has filled with credit since that date. His district extends from Buck Mountain to Locust Dale junction, including the Shenan doah Branch ofthe Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. He is a director ofthe Mutual Benefit Build ing and Loan Association, a member of District Lodge, No. 823, I. O. O. F., of Frackville, and a supporter of the Methodist Episcopal church at Mahanoy Plane. llirOSES MERVINE, a leading citizen and A business man of Girardville, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of William and Mary M. (Weiser) Mervine, and was born in Center township, Berks county, Penn sylvania, on October 31, 1836. He is of German parentage, his father having been a native of Morgantown, Berks county, and was left an orphan when he was fourteen years of age. After his father's death, William Mervine, father of Moses, re moved to Maiden Creek township, same county, where he was brought up in the family of his uncle, John Plank, meanwhile attend ing the district school. Subsequently he married and located in Center township, where he purchased a farm of two hundred and thir teen acres. The remainder of his life was spent in the occupation of a farmer. Politi- PETER GRIFFITHS. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. , 539 cally, he espoused the cause of the Whig party, while religiously, he affiliated with the German Presbyterian church, in which he took an active and aggressive interest through out his life. Through his marriage resulted an issue of three children who grew to ma turity, all sons: Moses, subject; John, a resi dent of Reading, Pennsylvania, engaged as a traveling salesman for a wholesale grocery house, and William, also a resident of Read ing. Moses Mervme was united in marriage with Angelina Becker, a daughter of Samuel and Esther (Keim) Becker, of Berks county, Pennsylvania, November io, 1859. To them have been born nine children; Thomas, in the employ of his father ; Joseph, married to Margaret Miller, and now living at Ashland, Pennsylvania, where he conducts a meat mar ket; Anna, wife of Mahlon Cleaver, a dealer in hats and gents' furnishing goods at Girard ville ; Emma, (deceased) wife of Philip Blass ; Fanny and Sallie, at home ; J. William, de ceased ; Mamie, deceased, and one died in in fancy. Mr. Mervine passed his boyhood upon his father's farm, and remained with his father as an assistant until he was about thirty years of age. In 1866, he began an independent ca reer, started dealing in cattle and live stock, and finally became a large shipper from Buffalo, New York, East Liberty, Pennsyl vania, and Chicago, which business he con tinued until the year 187 1. During the summer of that year he moved to Girardville, Schuylkill county, and opened a meat market, in which business he has continued at Girard ville" and Ashland to the present time. Since 1 892, he has been a director of the first Na tional Bank of Girardville, and is also treas urer of the Girardville Electric Light and I Power Company. Mr. Mervine is an adher ent of the German Presbyterian church, in which he, with his family, has held member ship for a number of years. Politically, he casts his vote and wields his influence for the Republican ticket. Latterly his party favored him by election to membership in the Girard ville borough council. At the time of the Mollie Maguire disturbances he acted in the capacity of police captain, and during his term of service experienced many thrilling inci dents. Mr. Mervine is a man of recognized worth and integrity in the community in which he lives. He has been prosperous in business, done his duty as a citizen, and contributed whatever he was able to the maintenance of public order and the common good. His business and private life are beyond reproach. j^ETER GRIFFITHS, the enterprising and energetic hardware merchant of Girardville, this county, is a son of John and Ann (Hulmes) Griffiths, and was born Novem ber 1, 1850, in Staffordshire, England. John Griffiths was born in Lancashire, Eng land, in 1829, of poor but respectable parents. His advantages in his early boyhood were very limited, in fact it might be said, his entire education was such as he was able to glean by his association with men, rather than with books. Realizing that the land across the sea furnished better advantages to a young man seeking to establish a home and secure a competency, he set sail for the United States in 1863, locating in what is now the flourish ing borough of Girardville, but which then contained but two houses. Here he built the third house. From this time until his death, in 1885, Girardville was his home. 540 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Shortly after coming to this country, he became interested in contract work of various kinds in and about the mines, such as sinking shafts, driving tunnels, etc., and in this con nection it is worthy of mention, as showing his wonderful retentive memory, that being unable to read or write, yet he kept a strict and accurate account of the time and wages of each of his many employees. In this work he was actively and successfully engaged until 1865, when he opened up a hotel and successfully carried on the hotel business until 1 88 1, when he retired from active busi ness. Politically, he was a republican, but became an adherent of the Greenback Labor party at a time when that party had many ardent and influential adherents in Schuylkill county. He served as councilman in his borousrh a o number of terms. His marriage with Ann Hulmes was blessed with the following children : Peter, Mary Ann and Jane, all died in infancy, prior to the emi gration of the family to this country ; Char lotte (deceased), who was married to Daniel Whitely ; and Peter. Peter Griffiths is strictly a self-made man ; leaving school when but nine years of age to enter one of the potteries of his native town, he had the advantages of a very limited edu cation. At the age of twelve years, he went to work at picking slate in the breaker, in which work he was engaged until seventeen years of age, at which time he commenced his apprenticeship to learn the trade of a tin- . smith. At the expiration of his apprentice ship, in 1870, he entered the employ of his father, who had formerly established a tin- smithing business in the village, continuing in this employ until November, 1879, when he purchased the business and has operated it ever since. Mr. Griffiths' motto has been " Onward and upward," and chief among the principles of his business decalogue, has been improvement and expansion. So he has gone ahead adding line upon line, and in the way of hardware, plumbing, stove, steam and gas fittings, increasing his stock until from the meagre capital of four hundred dollars, his store has become a model in its line, with a capital stock of more than twelve thousand dollars. His business operations are not confined to his individual meicantile pursuits, but are to be seen in nearly all of the sub stantial business enterprises of his town and county, as well as in other parts of the country. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Girardville, and has been a director since its organization in 1890; and is a stockholder in each of the following business organizations of his town and county: Schuylkill Traction Com pany, People's Building and Loan Associa tion, Girard Building and Loan Association, Palace Theatre Company, and is a director of the Schuylkill Mining Company of the Red Jacket Group of six silver mines at Creede, Colorado. He is also largely interested in real estate in Girardville, Tamaqua and Atlan tic City. In politics, Mr. Griffiths adheres to the principles and policies of the party of Lin coln and Blaine, and although evincing an active and live interest in the politics of his day, yet he has never aspired to political preferment. He is at present serving his fifth term as treasurer of his borough. He is a member of Ashland Lodge, No. 294, F. and A- Masons, and of Aqua Lodge, No. '737, I. O. O. F. On December 25, 187 1, Mr. Grif fiths was united in marriage to Ruth, a daughter of William Lane, a native of Wales. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 541 This union was blessed with the following children: John, Clara, William, Ellsworth (dead), Edna (deceased), and Gordon. T AVILLIAM S. SANNER. Among the leading and progressive business men of the thriving town of Frackville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, must be placed the man whose name heads this sketch. He is a son of John T. and Catherine (Sander) Sanner, and was born in Minersville, this county, on February 24, 1859. He is of German ancestry, and belongs to an old and respectable family. His father was born in the kingdom of Prussia, Germany, in the year 1824, and emigrated to the United States about 1856 or 1857. His first place of residence was in Minersville, Schuylkill county, from which place he removed to Mahanoy Plane in 1869, thence to Frackville in 1874, where he died February 13, 1880. By occupation he was a miner, which business constituted his life's work. Religiously, he was connected with the Lutheran church, in which denomination he held the office of elder, and was always active in his support of the various lines of church work. He was united in rharriage with Catherine Sander, by whom he had a family of ten children, four sons and six daughters. Mrs. Sanner died on December 24, 1870, at the age of thirty-eight years. William S. Sanner was united in the bonds of marriage with Catherine S. Holzer, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, on January 28, 1886. This union has resulted in the birth of one child, Catherine, born January 9, 1888. Mr. Sanner received his education in the common schools of his native town, and began life as a baker in Frackville, in the year 1875. He continued in this capacity until the year 1877, when he embarked in the general mercantile business, which has remained since that time his chief line of work. In 1891 he erected a new store house in Frackville to keep pace with the growing demands of his business. This new building is one of the most com plete and substantial structures in the town, and internally is arranged with exceeding neatness and good taste. Mr. Sanner is a republican in his -political tenets, and is now serving his second term as a school director. He is a member of the Lutheran church, in which he has been an elder for a period of five years, and actively throws his energies into any movement, re ligious or social, which conduces to the well- being of his community and its moral advance ment. Fraternally, he is a member of Camp No. 66, Patriotic Order Sons of America, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Frackville. T^HOMAS BRACEY is a son of James and Elizabeth (Burchall) Bracey, and was born in October, 1842, in Staffordshire, Eng land. His father came to America about the year 1846 or 1847, and located in Wadesville, near the present city of Pottsville. Somewhat later he moved to St. Clair, same county, where he lived for about ten years, until the time of his death in 1875. He was by occupation a miner, to which he devoted the greater part of his time, mainly upon the inside work of collieries. His marriage was productive of the following named children : William, married to Mary Lewis (now deceased), at present a resident of Port Carbon, Schuylkill county, where he is engaged in the saloon business ; Thomas, sub ject; James, married to Mary A. Bradbury, 542 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY by whom he has the following children : Sallie, James C, Lilian, Lizzie, George H. and Thomas C. ; Mary, married to James Hallen, of Girardville, a saloon keeper ; George H., married to Sallie Miller, of Frackville; Charlotte, married to Leonard Stein, a resident of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania ; Emma, mar ried to Louis Jordan, a resident of Girard ville. Thomas Bracey began his career in life as a slate picker in the mines of Schuylkill county, and continued as such until he was twenty-four years of age. In February of 1869, he, together with his brother, formed a partnership for the purpose of conducting a meat market. The subsequent years were occupied in this manner, and at the present time they do a large and increasing business in the slaughter of cattle and other animals. Politically, he is an advocate of Republican principles, and for a period of three years served as a member of the council. He has also been honored with the office of borough treasurer, which he has filled for two terms of two years each. His brother James also served as a councilman for a term of three years. Both are members of Aqua Lodge, No. 737, I. O. O. F. Mr. Bracey is, also, trustee and treasurer of the P. M. Church of Girard ville. Thomas Bracey was united in marriage with Elizabeth Bradbury, a daughter of William and Ann Bradbury, of Schuylkill county, on April 18, 1864. This union has resulted in the birth of six children : William G., Mary, Emma, Annie, Sarah and Lottie. JEREMIAH B. KEIM is the popular pro- v prietor of the American House located in Girardville, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania. His direct ancestors on the paternal side were natives of Berks county, Pennsylvania, where his great-grandfather, Daniel Keim, was born and passed his life. Grandfather, John Keim, was also a native of Berks county and life-long resident of Perry township. He was a farmer by vocation, and was accounted a man of weight and influence in the [neigh borhood in which he lived. John Keim, father of Jeremiah B., was born on the old homestead in Perry township, about the year 1823. He departed from the usual custom in a farming locality, and apprenticed himself to learn the shoemaking trade, which he continued to follow during the former years of his life, but during the last thirty years, has lived a retired life. In politics, he was a democrat of the Jacksonian type, and is an active worker in the Reformed church, of which he has been a member for many years. His marriage re sulted in an offspring of six children, three daughters and three sons, one of whom, Jere miah B., was born on July 11, 1847, in Perry township, Berks county, Pennsylvania. Jeremiah B. Keim was united in marriage with Christiana Miller, a daughter of John and Rebecca Miller, of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on January 20, 1867. By this marriage four children have been born, one of whom is dead. Those living are Perditha, John and Mollie. He was educated in the common schools of Berks county, his oppor tunities for which were very poor. At the age of eighteen years, he went to Hamburg, Berks county, where he engaged to learn the trade of a miller, but shortly left Hamburg and went to Evansville for a year and a half, where he was employed in a mill, and after wards to Girardville, Schuylkill county, in 1867, where he drove a delivery wagon for three or four months, and then was employed OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. ¦543 as an inside clerk for the succeeding three or four years. At the end of this time he went to Reading and became a traveling salesman for a wholesale notion house, which engaged a year of his time, when finally he came back to Girardville and accepted a clerkship in a store. From this business he changed to the butcher trade, then again to the mercantile business in conjunction with A. Bordy, under the firm-name of Keim & Bordy. In 1875 he sold his interest in the store to Mr. Bordy, and repaired to Philadelphia to enter the em ploy of Hicks, Magee & Co. After a stay of about nine months, he again returned to Girardville, and under the employ of Mr. Mervine, conducted a bianch store at Ashland for fourteen years. On January 3, 1891, he purchased the American House in Girardville, and has been conducting it successfully ever since. He is a member of Aqua Lodge, No. 737, I. O. O. F.; Patriotic Order Sons of America; Encampment, No. 125 ; and is also connected as a member with the German Reformed church. 1UTAURICE LITSCH, ex-postmaster and A a prominent insurance man of Mahanoy City, stands as a typical representative of that large class of citizens of our country of Ger man lineage, who by their frugality and in dustry have taken such a prominent part in our nation's history. In art, science, war and religion, her pages are emblazoned with the records of men who are of German stock. Maurice Litsch is a son of Henry and Catherine (Wagner) Litsch, and was born October 31, 1854, in New York City. Father, Henry Litsch, son of Philip Litsch, was born in Germany, June 23, 1823. After receiving the rudiments of an education in the schools ofthe Fatherland, he came in 1852 to New York City, but soon afterwards, in 1854, removed to Ashland, Schuylkill county, and remained in that place until October 19, 1858, the date of his locating in Mahanoy City. He remained in Mahanoy City until May 2, 1865, when he made a trip to Germany and remained one year and four months, when he again cast his fortunes in this country, locating this time in Slatington, Lehigh county, whence he came again to Mahanoy City, where he has since lived, with the exception of a period in the west, during which time he was engaged in the manufacture of brick. He learned the trade of a mason while in Germany, and that has- essentially been his line of work through out life. He is now a mason contractor. He is a democrat, and has served as a councilman of his borough. His marriage to Catherine Wagner was blessed with twelve children, six boys and six girls, of which Maurice is the eldest living. The public schools of Mahanoy' City, one year in a Buffalo academy, and one year, four months in Germany, during which he studied the German language, are the sources from which Mr. Litsch secured his educational training and discipline. He was for a time after leaving school engaged with his father, but later took the agency at Maha noy City for the Singer Sewing Machine Company. In 1880 he was elected by his party — the Democratic — as a justice of- the peace for the borough of Mahanoy City, carrying on, in connection with this, a fire insurance business. In June, 1885, he was appointed postmaster of Mahanoy City, and served a full term of four years, when he again took up fire and life insurance. He is also the owner and proprietor of a wholesale and retail liquor store in Mahanoy City. Mr. Litsch is a democrat of strong feelings, 544 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY and is active in the councils and organization ofthe same, and in addition to the offices of a political nature before mentioned, he has frequently served his party in State and county conventions, and is the present efficient and popular chairman of the Democratic county, committee. On May 14, 1885, he married Helena Blick- ley, a daughter of Frank and Elizabeth Blickley, of -Mahanoy City, and has the fol lowing children : Cecelia, Maude, George and May. 1CJTICHAEL P. BRENNAN, ex-Prothono- A tary of Schuylkill county, and a citizen of Mahanoy Plane, same county, is a son of Patrick E. and Anastasia (Purcell) Brennan, and "was born August 11, 1849, in County Kilkenny, Ireland. His father was a native of Ireland, born in that country about the year 1 8 16, and came to America in the year 1853, first locating in Cass township, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania. He continued to live here a short time, when he removed to Mount Pleasant, same county, where he resided until his death in 1873. He followed mining for a livelihood, was a very enthusiastic democrat, and served both as supervisor and school director for a number of years. His marriage resulted in the birth of eight children, six boys and two girls. William, brother of Patrick E., en tered the Union army during the late Civil war, and was killed at the battle of Spottsylvania, May 10, 1864. He had enlisted for a long term in the 96th regiment Pennsylvania volun teer infantry. Michael P. Brennan was united in marriage .on June 21, 1888, to B. Ann Ryan, a daugh ter of John and Bridget Ryan. John died in the year 1893, at the age of seventy -three. His wife, prior to marriage, was a teacher in the public schools of Mahanoy Plane and or ganist in the church. This union was fruit ful in the birth of three children : Anastasia, Joseph, and John P., deceased. Mr. Brennan was educated in the public schools of Cass and Foster townships, and later at the Millers ville State Normal school. After the com pletion of his education he accepted a posi tion as clerk in the Prothonotary's office under Hiram Moyer, who was at that time the incumbent of that office. In this position he spent three years, and subsequently was with Prothonotary Thomas F. Kerns, during the panic caused by trie financial failure of the Miners' Trust Company, in which Mr. Kerns lost $24,000. At this time, by reason of the desire to diminish expenses in the office of Prothonotary, Mr. Brennan was trans ferred from that office to that of Recorder, then filled by John A. Reilly. In this office, he remained for a period of about a year, at the expiration of which time he accepted a position in the Auditor's Department of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, and discharged the functions of that position from 1880 until the autumn of 1887, at which latter date he was elected Pro thonotary of Schuylkill county. He dis charged the duties of this public trust with an acceptable and unquestioned fidelity, and since the expiration of his term of office he has pursued the vocation of a traveling sales man. In his private and business relations, Mr. Brennan is affable and congenial, and as a citizen has always manifested a public spirit and commendable interest in the progress of his county as well as in the community in which he lives. MICHAEL P. BRENNAN. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 545 JSAIAH MENSCH, a well-known jeweler of Mahanoy Plane, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, is a son of John L. and Rebecca (Mensch) Mensch, and was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, December 15, 1859. His father was a native of the same county, having been born in that county about the year 1834. Subsequently he removed to Sun bury, Northumberland county, and thence to Williamsport, where he lived for a period of fifteen years, and of which place he is still a resident. He is a blacksmith by trade, but has followed various lines of business in addi tion to the pursuit of his trade. He was united in marriage with Rebecca Mensch, by whom he had a family of six children, five sons and one daughter, all deceased with the exception of Isaiah and one brother, John, the latter of whom is a resident of Williams port, Pennsylvania. Isaiah Mensch was united in marriage with Catherine Kolbach, daughter of Isaac and Louisa Kolbach, of Frackville, Schuylkill county, on August 30, 1884. By this union there has been an issue of two children : Bessie L. and Anna R. Mr. Mensch re ceived his educational training in the public schools of Sunbury. Before the completion of his education, his mother died, and at the age of fifteen years he began to learn a trade — that of a jeweler — with J. W. Stevenson, of Sunbury. He remained with Mr. Stevenson for four years, at the expiration of which time he engaged in business on his own account at Mahanoy Plane. This was about the year 1885. He has continued his business and residence at that place down to the present time. Both as a business man and as a skilled workman, he has been successful, and stands well among the citizens of Mahanoy Plane. In his political proclivities, he espouses the 35 principles of the Democratic party, while re ligiously he holds membership in the Luth eran church. He is a member of District Lodge, No. 823, I. O. O. F. HON. FRANCIS McKEON, ex-assembly man from Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, and at present a well-known hotel- keeper of Mahanoy Plane, same county, was born in County Leitrim, Ireland, on August 18, [827. He is a son of Bernard and Mary (Cafferty) McKeon. Mr. McKeon emigrated to the United States on May 13, 1846, and after his arrival in this country took up a resi dence at Newcastle, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, where he continued to reside down to the year 1874. At the end of this time, on September 2d, of the same year, he removed to Maizeville and erected a hotel building, now known as the Central Hotel, which he has since conducted, and of which he is the present proprietor. In connection with the hotel he has conducted a grocery business which was begun in the year 1875. Politically, he is a democrat of the stanchest type, and in the year 1871 was elected as a member of the State Legislature from Schuyl kill county. After his return from the legis lature he was made tax collector of Maizeville for several years, to receive the state, county, school and road taxes. Religiously, he is a member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic church of Mahanoy Plane, at which both he and his family are constant and devoted worshipers. Mr. McKeon is a man of public and private worth ; he is interested in the development of his village and county, is thoroughly informed upon the issues affecting both state and na tional prosperity, and manifests a laudable public spirit in behalf of the advancement of the interests of his own county. 546 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY He was united in marriage with Ann Dor- mady, daughter of Patrick and Mary Dormady, of St. Clair, Schuylkill county, on June 13, 1850. By this marriage he has had a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters. nOBERT B. RASBRIDGE, a skilled ma chinist in the employ of the Philadel phia and Reading Railroad Company, and a popular citizen of Gilberton, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Thomas and Jeanette (Wylie) Rasbridge. He was born in Gordon, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on May 23, 1862. His father received his educa tion in the common schools of Schuylkill and Luzerne counties, and learned the trade of carpenter, which he followed for a number of years, reaching the position of foreman. He married in Gordon, where he had passed his earlier life, and has since continued to make that his place of residence. His political principles are in general concurrence with those of the Republican party, and in state or national issues he votes with that party. In his own borough he has been elected to the office of councilman, which he has creditably filled for several years. He was married to Jeanette Wylie, a daughter of Joseph Wylie, by whom he had nine children, five boys and four girls. Robert B. took in marriage Inez M. Buz zard, a daughter of Samuel and Samantha Buzzard, of Williamsport, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, on May 23, 1889. Mr. Rasbridge obtained his education in the public schools of Gordon, Schuylkill county, after which he served an apprentice ship of nine months to learn the business of baker and confectioner. Ill health forced him to give up this design, and he began working for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, first as a shop and mes senger boy, and then as an apprentice in the machine shops. After the completion of his trade, he worked six rhonths as a journeyman, and was then promoted to be foreman in the shops at Williamsport, where he remained nearly two years, and then came to Mahanoy Plane in 1889, as superintendent of the Plane at that place, under the employ of the Phila delphia and Reading Railroad Company. This position is a very responsible one, and entails the utmost care. It embraces twenty-eight boilers, and necessitates a force of eighty-three men to operate the stationary and hoisting engines. Besides his connection with the Reading Railroad Company, he is president of the Mutual Guarantee Savings and Loan Association, of which he was one of the organizers. Politically he votes the Republi can ticket. TUTICHAEL E. MOTLEY, a general mer- A chant of Mahanoy Plane, was born in County Mayo, Ireland, August 14, 1847. He is a son of Edward and Mary (McAndrew) Munley. His father and ancestors for a period of years have been natives of the same county and place, where the former died in the year i860, at the age of fifty-three years. By occu pation he was a farmer, married Mary Mc Andrew, and had a family of six children, four of whom were daughters and two were sons. Two died in infancy, and the names of those remaining are Ann, Mary, John and Michael E. Michael E. Munley left his native country and came to the United States in the year 1864. In a short time after his arrival he located in Girardville, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, and two years later removed to Mahanoy Plane, where he remained until the WILLIAM 11. LEWIS. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 547 year 1868, when he removed to the state of Iowa, and took up residence in the City of Des Moines, where he remained until the year 1870. Being somewhat dissatisfied with the West, he returned to Mahanoy Plane in the following year, where he has since continued to live. During the first part of his life, down to the year 1871, he adopted the vocation of a miner, but subsequent to that time engaged in mercantile pursuits. The latter business occupied his attention until the year 1875, when he met with financial reverses, which necessitated the closing out of his business In 1879, he so far recovered that he re opened business, and carried a general line of merchandise. In addition to his mercantile trade he, in the beginning of 1893, engaged in the saloon business, which has proved a very profitable investment. Politically, Mr. Munley is a democrat, and as such has been a member ofthe school board for two and a half terms, of which he was secretary one term. He has also been tax collector for one term, and has been a member of the standing committee of .... for a term of three years. Religiously, he is a member of the Roman Catholic church, of which he was formerly treasurer. He was also a member of St. Patrick's Total Abstinence society for seven years, and was secretary of that organization for two years. ' On July 3, 1870, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Lundy, of St. Clair, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, daughter of Michael and Margaret Lundy, by whom he has had thirteen children, seven of whom are living, four sons and three daughters. TAflLLIAM H. LEWIS, superintendent of the William Penn colliery, and one of the most prominent persons connected with the anthracite coal trade, is a sori of John C. and Hannah (Umstead) Lewis, and was born at Port Carbon, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, Sep tember 6, 1840. John C. Lewis (father) was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1800, and his wife, Hannah Umstead Lewis, was born at the same place, in the same year. In 1833 they removed to Pottsville, and thence to Port Carbon, where Mr. Lewis engaged in contracting. Subsequently he became a school teacher, and later a prosperous boat-builder. But with the decline of boating on the Schuylkill canal, which began in the early sixties, the boat-building trade languished, and he sold out and embarked in the mercan tile business in Port Carbon, in which he con tinued with success up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1873. Politically, he was first a whig and then a republican; and in religion an active church worker. During the forty years of his residence in Port Carbon he won the esteem and confidence of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances by leading an upright and honorable life. His estimable wife, Hannah Umstead Lewis, was an exemplary Christian lady, a dutiful wife, a loving mother, and a generous, kind-hearted and charitable neighbor. The fruit of their union was a family of five children, three sons and two daughters : A. Byram, deceased ; Elizabeth, wife of Henry R. Heebner, of Port Carbon ; John A., a contractor and builder, residing at Shenandoah; Hannah, widow of Henry Maize, and a resident of Ashland; and* William H., the subject of this sketch. William H. Lewis spent his boyhood days in the town of Port Carbon, and received his education in the public schools of that 548 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY borough. In 1857, at the age of seventeen years, he was engaged in the mercantile and coal business in Tremont, Schuylkill county, where he continued as manager and book keeper until 1862, when he resigned to ac cept the position of book-keeper and manager of Miller, Maize & Co's. stores. He continued in their employ until 1869, when he became general manager for the firm of Packer, Rath- burn & Co., at Pottsville, who were operating collieries in the Mahanoy and Schuylkill val leys. Shortly afterwards he formed a partner ship with M. F. Maize, and under the firm name of Maize & Lewis, operated what is now known as the West Shenandoah colliery, at Shenandoah, until 1 873, when they sold out to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. The position of general manager ofthe William Penn colliery, in West Mahanoy township, was then tendered him and accepted, and he has continued in charge and operated it under different ownerships successfully ever since. The William Penn is one of the largest shippers and most profitable collieries in Schuylkill county. It is equipped with all the latest improved machinery for the hoisting and preparation of coal, employs about nine hundred hands, and ships about three hundred thousand tons of coal per annum. Stickney & Conyngham, the owners and operators, are also owners of the Lytle colliery, near Miners ville, and are largely interested in the Union Coal Company, which operates several large collieries in the Shamokin region, and Mr. Lewis has charge, as manager, of these inter ests as well. ' In politics, Mr. Lewis is a republican, and although he has never aspired to office, he has been several times chosen as a delegate to the State conventions of the party, and his counsel and advice is often sought by the party leaders. He is also a member ofthe Methodist church, and takes an active interest in promoting its welfare and in the success of the Sunday- school, of which he is the superintendent. Mr. Lewis is also connected with several of the financial institutions of the county, and has industrial interests and investments elsewhere. He is a director of the First National Bank of Shenandoah, of the First National Bank of Girardville, and of the First National Bank of Orwigsburg. He is also a director and stock holder of the Fall Bottom Coal and Coke Company of West Virginia, and a member of the board of trustees of the State Hospital for Injured Persons, at Ashland, Pennsylvania. He is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is a Past Master; and he also belongs to Lu Lu Temple, A. A. O. K. M. S., at Philadelphia. Mr. Lewis is deservedly popular, both as an employer of labor and as a progressive citizen whose highest aim is the advancement of the material interests of the county and the pros perity of those in his employ. He is justly held in high esteem by a very large circle of friends and acquaintances, who recognize his ability and admire the energy and force of character which have enabled him to win suc cess in the face of many adverse circumstances. On September 13, 1865, Mr. Lewis was united in marriage with Sarah E. Maize, a daughter of M. F. and Catherine Maize, of Pottsville. Their union was blessed with ten children, five of whom are living, two boys and three girls. Mrs. Lewis died in 1890, and was sincerely mourned by a wide circle of friends, who ad mired her fine social qualities and genuine womanhood. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 549 HON. SAMUEL ALFRED LOSCH, the present representative in the Pennsyl vania State Legislature of the 4th District of Schuylkill county, and a prominent citizen of Schuylkill Haven, same county, is the eldest • son of George and Eliza (Gessner) Losch. He was born in Uniontown, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, on December 19, 1842. The paternal line came from England, where the great-great-grandfather was associ ated with George Stephenson, the famous inventor of the tramway. Jacob Losch, his son, came to America, and prior to the Revo lution was engaged in the manufacture of gunpowder at Germantown, Pennsylvania. He was one of the zealous patriots at the birth of the new nation, and his loyalty was the cause of his financial ruin. At the time of the battle of Germantown his works and property were destroyed, and many interesting relics are preserved in the Pennsylvania archives* of peculiar significance concerning this man. His son, also named Jacob, removed to Lykens valley, Dauphin county, where two Sons were born, the youngest, George, being the father of the subject of this present sketch. He was a miller by occupation, and repeated reverses kept him a poor man. When the Mexican war began he joined friends in Balti more, Maryland, and started with an inde pendent company for Vera Cruz. The ship foundered on the voyage and all hands were lost. Meanwhile two children had died, and the mother of our subject was left in a help- less condition of poverty. By her industry, however, she kept her two boys at home and instilled into their youthful minds the principles which have been so conspicuous in guiding their lives. Mrs. Losch was a daughter of Dr. Frederick Gessner, of Hanover, Germany, who after serving as surgeon in the German army came to America, settled for a time at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he married into the Zeigenfus family, and then removed to Gratz, Dauphin county, where he was soon engaged in an extensive practice, which he continued until his death. Before Samuel was eleven years of age he went bravely to work to assist his mother, first on a farm for one year, subsequently ina brick yard one year, and then in the summer of 1857 or 1858 on the Schuylkill canal. In the meantime, however, he had attended a few terms of school, one term under W. A. Fields, who was employed by the Navigation Company duririg the summer and who taught what was known as the boat-boys' school during the winter. In the summer of 1861, with his mother's consent, he entered the ser vice of the Union army, upon the call to arms, as a member of Company C, 50th regi ment Pennsylvania volunteers, and was soon after sent to the front. He was successfully promoted corporal, sergeant, second lieuten ant and first lieutenant, and continued in the conflict until mustered out July 30, 1865, as a veteran. During his term he participated in more than thirty engagements, many of them the most stubbornly contested battles in the history of the war. Among them may be mentioned Port Royal, second battle of Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericks burg, Siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Missis sippi, Siege of Knoxville, Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and many others of lesser importance down to the final surrender of Gen eral Lee at Appomattox. On July 4, 1865, when the corner-stone of the Soldiers' National Monument at Gettys burg was laid by the Grand Lodge of the Ancient Order of Free and Accepted Masons 550 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY of Pennsylvania, the 50th Pennsylvania regi ment of veteran volunteers was selected by General Grant to represent the armies of the United States, in recognition of their gallant and meritorious services rendered during the war. As a further mark of the high esteem in which Lieutenant Losch was held by his com manding officer, Colonel Samuel Schwenk, he was selected to command the color company of the regiment on that memorable occasion. In 1 87 1 Governor John W. Geary made Mr. Losch commissary of the sixth division N. G. P., on General Sigfried's staff, with the rank of major. Governor Hartranft also, upon the reorganization ofthe guard, commissioned him as major of the fourth division, but at the expiration of his commission he declined re appointment. At the close of the civil war he took a position as employe in the Schuylkill Haven and Mine Hill Railroad Company's yard, and at the same time succeeded in learn ing the telegraphic alphabet. This was ser viceable after a short time in securing him a position as time-keeper and night operator. Subsequently he accepted a position as mate rial agent under the same company at Cressona, and later acted as baggage-master between Schuylkill Haven and Glen Carbon, under the employ ofthe Schuylkill Haven and Mine Hill Railroad Company, until the year 1873. Upon the election of General Hartranft to the gubernatoral chair in 1872, he received an appointment as clerk under Secretary of State Quay, which he continued to fill until 1874, when he became a candidate for and was elected to the Pennsylvania State Assembly, served in the sessions of 1875 and 1876. During this time he introduced and cham pioned the first labor arbitration bill ever pre sented to an American legislative body, and was ever found to be a strong advocate of measures for the adjustment of the difficulties arising between capital and labor. In this respect he has been controlled by a desire to secure the best legislation for all classes, by the introduction of an equitable, economic jurisprudence. In the mining regions he greatly interested himself in the movement which resulted in the founding of the Miners' Hospital at Ashland, and has always been generously sympathetic in the presence of suffering and distress. After the expiration of these terms in the assembly he was appointed as clerk under Governor Hartranft, and during the last year of his administration he was promoted to chief clerk. He was retained in the same position during Governor Hoyt's entire administration. In 1884 he served on a special mission in the Southern States as Post Office Inspector, and in 1884 was appointed by President Arthur as Secretary to the Territory of New Mexico and served with honor and credit to the territory and to himself, acting a portion of the time as Governor of that territory. During Cleveland's administration he was re moved because of offensive partisanship, and returned to Pennsylvania in September, 1885, and was chosen chairman of the Republican County committee by acclamation, re-elected in 1886 and 1887. As a recognition of his faithful party service, the Legislature of 1887 elected him chief clerk of the House of Rep resentatives, and his services were duly appre ciated by all the members without regard to party or sect, and at the close of the session they presented him with a handsome gold watch and chain as a token of their reeard o and esteem. Major Losch has been a delegate to a OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 551 majority of State conventions since his active identification with politics, and in 1 880 was one of the three hundred and six who voted for General Grant in the National Convention of that year. In 1892, the voters of the Fourth Legislative District of Schuylkill county again favored him as their representative, and he has been so continued until the present time. In the House he has been an active and influential member, and during the session of 1893 succeeded in getting the act passed which he had so vigorously advocated in 1875 and 1876 on the same floor ; the feasibility of which had so impressed the convictions of Governor Hartranft that he recommended it in his annual message of that date. This act, which received the signature of Governor Pat- tison in 1893, was entitled "An Act to establish boards of arbitration to settle all questions of wages and other matters of variance between capital and labor.'' He is a member of the following House committees : City Passenger Railway, Counties and Townships, Legisla tive Apportionment and Railroads, and is chairman of the Committee on Coal and Iron and of the special committee to investigate the Electrical Trust Combine of Philadelphia. The bill to form a new county out ofa part of Luzerne and Schuylkill counties was re ferred to the Committee on Counties and Townships, of which Mr. Losch was a mem ber. Through his influence the bill was negatived by the committee after having passed the Senate ; thus he saved the* dismemberment of the county of Schuylkill. He was one of the organizers of Post No. 26, G. A. R., of Schuylkill Haven, and his earnestness and loyalty were rewarded by his election in 1876 to the post of department senior vice-commander. He is also a member of Page Lodge, No. 270, F. and A. M., at Schuylkill Haven; Mountain Chapter, No. 196, R. A.M., of Pottsville City, and Encamp ment No. 19, Union Veteran Legion of Potts ville. He is a charter member of each of the following : Washington Camp, No. 47, P. O. S- of A., of which he was a member before the war; Pecos Tribe, I. O. R. M. On October 14, 1879, Major Losch was united in marriage to Fidelia Summers, a daughter of Henry Summers, a wholesale merchant of Zanesville, Ohio. This union has resulted in the birth of the following named children : Amy Summers, Helen Gessner, Henry Graffen, Ruth Eliza A., Christopher Magee, Naoma Palmer and Char lotte Marie. In both his social and official relations Major Losch is courteous, affable and unsel fish. He was a gallant soldier, knows the feelings, passions and ambitions of all classes of people through contact with them, has tested adversity and prosperity, and has been an advocate of the equalization of men in so far as their natural aptitudes, acquirements i and worth permit. He is the friend of the worthy poor, and with equal fairness has sought justice, in his economic policy, in be half of the worthy man of wealth. He is a man of undoubted integrity, discriminating judgment, has a broad grasp of public affairs and is a safe representative of the interests and welfare of the people. QNDREW ROBERTSON. Among the successful and well-known coal oper ators of Schuylkill county must be placed the subject of this sketch. He is a son of George and Agnes (Akin) Robertson, and was born near Johnson, Scotland, April 2, 1826. His father was a native of Scotland, 552 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY of highly respectable parentage, and with his family came to the United States in the year 1830. He took up his abode first and last in the Schuylkill Valley near New Philadelphia, this county, where he continued to live until the time of his death in 1849, at the age of forty-five years. His life had been spent in the mining regions, with which he had a minute acquaintance, first, simply as a miner, and then as contractor and operator. He was twice married ; first, to Agnes Akin, by whom he had two daughters and four sons, three of whom were born in Scotland : George (deceased), Mary, Andrew, Alexander (de ceased), James (deceased) and Christina. His first wife died in 1838, aged thirty-three years. His second marriage was to Maria Hoary, by whom he had two children, John and Agnes. Andrew was united in marriage with Phcebe, a daughter of Nathan and Esther Barlow, of New Philadelphia, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, in August, 1849. By this marriage two children were born which reached ma turity : Andrew D., a coal operator, married to Clara Heffner, and at present residing in Shamokin, Northumberland county, Pennsyl vania, and Nathan J., deceased. His first wife died in i860, at the age of forty years. He married a second time Malinda, a sister of his first wife in 1862, by whom he had two children : George W., a coal operator, mar ried to Clara Fulton, and now living in Shamo kin, Pa. : Phcebe J., married, to Frank G. Clemens, a resident of Mt. Carmel, North umberland county. The second wife died in 1866, and he again entered matrimonial bonds in 1867 with Rose Barlow as consort. Mr. Robertson was reared near New Phil adelphia, received an ordinary education and began coal operating first in a very small way, and then increasing little by little the volume of his business until at the present time he is one of the leading operators of Schuylkill county. In Northumberland county, Pa., he operates what are known as the Excelsior and Carbon collieries. In West Virginia he is a large owner of coal lands, and is identified in a prominent manner with the Turkey Gap Coke and Coal Company. Besides being directly interested in the coal and coke business, Mr. Robertson is a director of the Edison Illuminating Company, Shamokin, Pa., director of the Shamokin Gas Company, director of the Pottsville Water Company and a director of the Safe Deposit Bank of Pottsville. Fraternally, he is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., Moun tain City Chapter, No. 196, and to Constan tine Commandery, No. 41. Mr. Robertson is a supporter of the Re publican party, though his politics are deter mined more by principle than by any species of narrow partyism. In business he is straight forward and honorable, and through his in tegrity and manifest tact has forced a just recognition of the qualities necessary to a good citizen and a public-spirited man. T^LIAS MILLER, the well-known powder manufacturer of Ringtown, this county, is a son of Israel and Elizabeth (Shearer) Miller, and was born September 11, 1837, in Berks county, Pennsylvania. Israel, the father of Elias Miller, was a native of Berks county, whence he emigrated in 1854 to Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, where he died in January, 1882. His avoca tion throughout life was chiefly that of a butcher and drover. In his political faith he was a democrat, and religiously, a member of the Lutheran church. He married Elizabeth OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 553 Shearer, who is yet living at the age of sev enty-five years. On July 3, 1859, Elias Miller and Mary A. MacAfee, daughter of Samuel MacAfee, of Tamaqua, were united in marriage. Samuel MacAfee was of Scotch stock, and was one of the earlier settlers in the vicinity of Ta maqua. Mrs. Miller is one of a large family, consisting of fourteen children : nine boys and five girls. The union of Elias and Mary A. (MacAfee) Miller has been blest with the following issue: Lizzie, dead : Samuel, who married Amanda Forman, and is now superintendent for his father and resides in Union township ; Wil liam, who married Emma Lindenmuth and resides also in Union township ; Cora, the wife of George Megesser, a shoemaker, of Ring- town ; John, Frank, Arthur and Randall. Elias Miller received his educational train ing in Tamaqua, but learned, when but a young mart, the trade of a butcher with his * father, and followed that trade twenty-seven years, six of them in Tamaqua, and twenty- one of them in Union township, this county, whither he migrated in 1867. When Mr. Miller came into the Catawissa valley he located upon a farm near Ringtown, where he lived until April, 1889, when he moved into Ringtown and built himself a nice home. In September, 1883, being of an enterpris ing spirit, he built a powder mill, a short dis tance from Ringtown, and commenced the manufacture of blasting and mining powders. This venture was very prosperous, and in 1886 he built another mill, one of the finest, if not the finest, mill of the kind in the State of Pennsylvania. It is ample in size and well equipped throughout with the latest and most improved machinery. In political matters he takes an intelligent part and especially is he interested in the common schools. He has served eighteen years as a member of the school board of Union township, several of them as president of theboard. He is the president of the Ringtown Agri cultural Society and of the Ringtown Horse Improvement Society, of which he was one of the founders. He is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Mahanoy City, and the Union National Bank of the same place. He is a member of Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M. ; Mizpah Chapter, No. 252, of the same place ; the Philadelphia Consis- tery, Knights Templar, and Ringtown Lodge, No. — , I. O. O. F. Mr. Miller is an enter prising; energetic citizen, always advocating any measure which has for its object the fur therance or preservation ofthe common good, and stands high in the estimation of all who know him. ftETEE SCHWALM, a substantial citizen and prosperous farmer of Porter town ship, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Frederick and Catherine (Stein) Schwalm, born August 21, 1836, in what is now Hub- ley township, then Lower Mahantango, this county. The Schwalm family are of German nativity and ancestry. John Schwalm, grandfather of Peter, was born in Germany, but early in his career left his native home, and determined to seek fortune in the New World. He accord ingly sailed for the United States, and upon his arrival settled in Mahantango township (now Hubley), in the Hegins Valley. He was by occupation a farmer, and continued to till the soil until his death. Frederick Schwalm, father, was born in Hubley township. He 554 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY adopted the occupation of his father, that of farming, and continued it throughout his life. In his political bent he was a democrat, though he never took an active part in the issues of parties. He was three times married. His first union was with Catherine Stein, mother of our subject; this union was blessed with a family of twelve children, eight sons and four daughters. His second union was with Sarah Serfing, while his third wife was Harriet Die ter, by which last union he had a family of three children. Peter Schwalm was united in marriage with Maria Schrop, a daughter of John and Eliza beth (Haldeman) Schrop, of Hegins township, Schuylkill county, by whom he has the fol lowing children : Elizabeth, deceased, formerly wife of Alfred Hand, and who became the mother of two children — Harry H., died at the age of eleven months, and Ira; Ellsworth, a farmer of Hegins township, married to Jane Kessler; George M., married to Agnes Haert- ter, who lives in Reiner City, in the employ of his father; Albert T., a teacher; William O, married to Annie Bixler, and now living at Donaldson, this county, where he conducts a hardware and tinning busines ; Mary E. and John P. Mr. Schwalm received his education in the common schools of Hubley township, this county, and after his. marriage purchased a grist mill in the same township, where he car ried on the milling business for three years. At the end of this period he removed to Wil liams Valley, in Porter township, and purchased a farm of 139 acres, to which he has since de voted considerable of his time in its improve ment and cultivation. Upon part of it is built the present village of Reiner City. In his farming and other pursuits Mr. Schwalm has met with uniform success, and is now consid ered one of the most prosperous farmers in the county. In 1887 he purchased another farm in Hegins township, containing about 118 acres, the greater part of which is in an ad vanced state of improvement and cultiva tion. Politically, his sympathies lie with the Re publican party, under which he has held vari ous township offices, among which are those of assessor and school director. He is a member of the Reformed church, is a man of integrity and intelligence, and wields a more than ordinary amount of influence in the com munity of which he is a resident. TA>*ILLIAM E. MOODY. Among the sucr cessful business men of Tremont, for uprightness of character and straightforward dealing, none stand higher in the estimation of the people than does the popular druggist, William E. Moody. He is a son of Joseph and Elmira (Deibler) Moody, and was born in Tremont, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, August 14, 1861. Abraham Moody, grand father, was a native of Carlisle, this State, where he followed farming up to 1855, when he removed to Phcenixville, Chester county, where he lived in retirement until 1877, when he passed away under the weight of eighty- four winters. Joseph Moody, father,, was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, July 29, 1826, and when his father went to Phoenixville, accompanied him. In 1845, however, he re moved to Tremont, this county, where he has since resided ; closely following his trade, that of moulder. From 1871 to 1875, with Wil liam Reese, under the firm-name of Reese & Moody, he operated the Tremont Boiler and Machine Shops. In religious circles he is quite active, and is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 555 joined in matrimony with Elmira Deibler, October 7, 185 1, and to them have been born, in order of their ages, the following children : Clara J. and John, both of whom are dead ; Ella M., married to Harry Adams, of Tremont ; Irene E., deceased ; William E. ; Charles W., a prominent druggist of Reading, Pennsyl vania; Harry P., a conductor on the Philadel phia and Reading Railroad ; and May B., wife of R. S. Bashore, a successful attorney of Tremont, Pennsylvania. William E. Moody was reared in Tremont, Pennsylvania, and received his education in the public schools of that place. In 1878 he entered the store of Mr. J. H. Shultz, of Tre mont, to learn the drug business. After com-. pleting his course he accepted a clerkship in the drug store of Samuel Gerhard, Philadel phia, where he stayed for two years, in 1883 removing to Mt. Carmel, Northumberland county, in which place he continued his pro fession for one year. In 1884 he returned to Tremont and opened up a drug store of his own, which he has successfully conducted ever since. In 1888 he purchased a drug store in Reading, of which at present his brother is manager. He is a republican in politics, and in 1891 was elected a member of the board of school directors for a term of three years. He married Alice L, a daughter of Harry and Bettie Smith, of Donaldson, Schuylkill county, this state, January 18, 1887. This union has been blessed with two children : Ted E., deceased, and Florence S. Mr. Moody is one of the directors, and at present, vice-president of the Hancock Build ing and Loan Association, and for the last eight years has been agent for the American Red Star and Inman Steamship lines. . He is a member of Tremont Castle, No. 107, Knights of the Golden Eagle, of which he is master of records ; Mount Eagle Commandery, No. 74, of which he is secretary ; Swatara Lodge, No. 267, Free and Accepted Masons, being at present Worshipful Master; Tremont Chapter, No. 221, Royal Arch Masons, of which he is a Past High Priest ; Hermit Com mandery, No. 24, Knights Templar at Le banon, Pennsylvania ; and Philadelphia Coun cil, No. 11. f"\AVID S. MARSHALL, M. D., a graduate of Jefferson Medical College and a suc cessful physician of Ashland, is a son of Peter and Mary (Fisher) Marshall, and was born in Womelsdorf, Berks county, Pennsylvania, September 19, 1855. His grandfather, David Marshall, was a native of Sinking Springs, Berks county, and one of the most prosperous farmers of that section in his time. He had one brother, a physician by profession. He married and reared a family of one son and three daughters, the former being the father of the subject of this sketch. Peter Marshall (father) was born at Sinking Springs, Berks county. About 1850 he removed to Womels dorf, where he established a homestead, upon which he lived until his death, in 1890. He was a progressive and successful farmer, own ing three of the most valuable and thoroughly cultivated farms in that county, one of which was the Conrad Wiser farm, at Womelsdorf. In politics, Mr. Marshall was a democrat, and he was both active and influential in the coun cils of his party in the county. He held the office of school director in his district, and was an earnest advocate of universal education and an uncompromising champion of the common school system. His strict integrity and successful business methods commended him to his party as an especially available candidate for-the office of director of the poor, 556 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY and he was twice nominated and elected. He was a member of the Reformed church at Womelsdorf, and took an active interest in its welfare and in extending its influence. He married Mary Fisher, daughter of Samuel Fisher, a native of Berks county, and one of the most prominent citizens and prosperous far mers in that part of the state. To this union five children were born: Emma became the wife of Wayne J. Stump, and is now residing on the old homestead at Womelsdorf; Lizzie x (deceased) was the wife of Harry Taylor, of Womelsdorf; Adam, who died at the age of twenty-three, after graduating from Bucknell University; John F. P., who was educated at Palatinate College, Lebanon county, and East man's Business College, Poughkeepsie, and who is now located on the Conrad Wiser farm, and who is quite prominent in business and political circles in that county, having served as a State and National delegate to Democratic conventions, and having been elected to the office of director of the poor, in which he served with conspicuous ability; and David S., the subject of this sketch. David S. Marshall was reared in Worne] s- ' dorf, and prepared for college in the Womels dorf Academy. He entered Palatinate College at Myerstown, Lebanon county, in 1868, and graduated in the class of 1872. He then took up the study of medicine with Doctors James C. and Lewis S. Livingood, of Womelsdorf, and in the spring of 1873 entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in the class of 1876. After gradua ting he entered the Charity Lying-in Hospital of Philadelphia, where he remained for a year, when he returned to Womelsdorf and com menced the practice of his chosen profession in the office just vacated by Dr. D. B. D. Beaver, now the renowned specialist of Read ing. He was successful from the start, and during the two and a-half years he remained in his native town, he succeeded in building up a profitable practice. In the spring of 1879, he concluded that the thickly populated districts of Schuylkill county afforded a better field for a large practice than the sparsely in habited farm districts of Berks, and he removed to Ashland. His professional success here has exceeded even his most sanguine expecta tions, and is equalled only by his personal popularity among the very large circle of ac- | quaintances he has in the county. His skill as a physician and surgeon was quickly demon strated, and in a brief time he acquired a large and profitable practice. He is an active mem ber of the County and State Medical Societies, and enjoys the esteem and confidence of the members of his profession to the fullest ex tent. In politics, Dr. Marshall is a democrat, and in spite of the demands made upon his time by a large and constantly increasing practice, he takes a lively interest in the welfare of his party and the propagation of its principles. He was but a short time a resident of Ashland when he was chosen a member of the school board of that district, upon which he served for six years, the last three as president ofthe board. In 1892 he was nominated and elected by the Democratic party coroner of the county, which office he now (1893) holds. He has also been honored by being chosen to represent the democrats of his district in the State convention in 1886, in which Chauncey F. Black was nominated for Governor. He is a member of Ashland Lodge, No. 294, Free and Accepted Masoris; Griscom Chapter, No. 219, R. A. M.; Prince of Peace Commandery, No. 39, Knights Templar; the I. O. O. F., and OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 557 Patriotic Order Sons of America. He is also a member of the Presbyterian church. On May 31, 1877, he married Mary A. Sell, a daughter of John H. Sell, a merchant of Womelsdorf, Berks county, Pennsylvania. To this union have been born a family of three sons: Harry Sell, born April 9, 1878; J. Frank, born March 6, 1882, and Sell Lewis, born January 24, 1 •^ETER KESSLER, a prosperous farmer, good citizen and a representative of an old family, is a son of Abraham and Cather ine (Binger) Kessler, and was born September 28, 183 1, in Porter township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, near what is now known as the village of Johnstown. His father was a native of Berks county, Beddall 'township, and came to Pine Valley near the beginning of the present century, and about the year 1825 purchased a tract of land containing about seventy-five acres in Porter township, which he continued to im prove and cultivate until the time of his death, in 1887. The business of farming engaged his atten tion during the greater part of his life, and for six or eight years he was engaged in the manufacture of blasting powder for use in the mines. He was a democrat in politics, and as such held the office of school director, super visor and other local offices. Religiously, he affiliated with the Reformed church, in which he was one of the governing officials. He married Catherine Binger, who bore him nine children, one of whom died in infancy. Of those living four are sons and four daughters. His wife died in the year 1854. Peter Kessler was united in marriage with Catherine Zerby, daughter of George and Hannah (Klouser) Zerby, of Hegins township, who bore him five children, four of whom are living : John H., married to Silesia Boar, who resides on the farm of subject ; Henry A., married to Emma Eliza Bultz, and now lives near Johnstown, by occupation a farmer; A. Johnson, married to Sallie Neuhardt, and now living near Johnstown, employed on his father's farm ; Sallie, wife of William Wise, a miner of, Johnstown, Schuylkill county ; Mary E., wife of Otto Zimmerman, a teacher and laborer of Johnstown, Schuylkill 1 county. Mr. Kessler received his education in the common schools of his native township, which was somewhat meagre, both as to extent and quality. The greater part of his education, in fact, has been obtained since through self- effort and through his contact with active life. In youth he learned the trade of a carpenter, at which he worked for a period of four years, when he commenced farming on the old homestead. This he has improved and added to by purchase until he now owns a farm of two hundred acres of improved land, besides thirty acres of timber land. The conduct of his farm, together with the related industry of stock raising, has occupied his attention down to the present time. Politically, he gives his support to the Republican ticket, and under that party has for a number of terms, aggre gating twenty-five years, been elected to the office of school director of his township. He also served for a term as tax-collector. "f*%AUL BOCK, a popular and enterprising merchant of New Ringgold, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in McKeans burg, county and State above mentioned, on October 14, 1826. He is a son of Peter and Mary M. (Fey) Bock. 558 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY His paternal grandfather, Baldher Bock, was a native of Germany, and when only nine years of age, with his two brothers, Jacob and William, came to the United States and set tled in eastern Pennsylvania. William took up a residence in Philadelphia shortly after his arrival. Grandfather Bock spent some time in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, prior to the war of the Revolution, and in 1795 removed to a place near McKeansburg, Schuylkill county, where he died in 1827. He was a farmer by occu pation, and through a careful disposition of his earnings and by assiduous labor, he was placed in very easy financial circumstances some years prior to his death. He owned a farm of four hundred acres in East Brunswick township, the greater part of which was in a good state of cultivation. He was an enthu siastic churchman, held membership in the Lutheran church, to which he contributed liberally, besides making a large donation for the purpose of erecting a new church edifice. He was united in marriage with a Miss Bolich, who bore him five children, four sons and one daughter, Peter Bock, father, was born near McKeansburg, this county, in 1786, and died in the same county in the year 1849. He was a large farmer, to which occupation he devoted his life, and attained to considerable influence in the neighborhood in which he lived. He held membership in the church which his father had so liberally supported, and held nearly all the offices within the gift of that body. His political support was given to the Whig party. He was united in mar riage with Mary M. Fey, and had a family of eight children, three sons and five daugh ters. Paul Bock was joined in marriage with Amelia Boyer, a daughter of William and Elizabeth Boyer, of Berks county, Pennsyl vania, on January 21, 1849. This marriage has been productive of an issue of eight chil dren, five of whom are now living. Mr. Bock was reared on his father's farm, and from the age of eighteen to twenty-three was apprenticed to learn the carpenter trade. Subsequent to this time he engaged in farm ing for twenty years, and in i860 became in terested in the lumber business. With the latter business he was connected down to the year 1880, during which time he was exten sively engaged in the manufacture and sale of prepared lumber. In 1870 he started in the mercantile business, and conducted that busi ness parallel with his lumber interests. Lat terly he has confined his attention exclusively to his store, and has built up a large and growing trade. He is a republican in politics and has been honored at various times with election to local offices. He is a member of the Lutheran church, in which he has held the offices of elder and deacon for a number of years. Fraternally, he is a member of Schuylkill Lodge, No. 138, F. and A. M., at Orwigsburg ; of East Brunswick Lodge, No. 802, I. O. O. F., and Washington Camp, No. 100, P. O. S. of A., of which latter organiza tion he was treasurer for seven years. Mr. Bock is a man of weight and influence in the community in which he lives, is intelli gently informed on economic and political questions, and has always exhibited a com mendable public spirit. He has been suc cessful in business, and has acquired a great many of those comforts which render life pleasant during declining years. He is uni formly respected and esteemed. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 559 J ^ EWIS ZIMMERMAN, a successful mer chant of Llewellyn, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was a son of John and Hannah (Hime) Zimmerman, and was born in Branch township, Schuylkill county, on November 20, 1842, and died June 4, 1893, in Llewellyn, same county. His grandfather, on the paternal side, was a native of Dauphin county, Pa., in which county he spent the earlier part of his life, but died in Susquehanna county, same state. John Zimmerman, father of Lewis, was born in the year 1830, and removed to Branch township, Schuylkill county, where he died on September 30, 1885, at the age of seventy-five years. He was a wood-chopper by occupation, and was also employed as a laborer on the railroads and as a teamster. He was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church, married and reared a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters : Sarah, died in infancy; Elizabeth, wife of Gildes White, a resident of Newark, New Jersey; Jacob H., a resident of Llewellyn, a carpenter by trade; John H., a farmer of Branch town ship, Schuylkill county; Lewis, subject; Frank lin, a stationary engineer, of Branch township; Susan, wife of Philip C. Gehres, a miner, re siding in Branch township; Hannah, married to Johann Cockill, a carpenter, resident at Ashland, under the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company; Cath erine and Henry C. Lewis Zimmerman took in marriage Amelia C. Sponsler, a daughter of George and Anna Sponsler, of Llewellyn, Schuylkill county, in 1877. They have two children, Minnie A. and Howard B. After receiving the usual common school education Mr. Zimmerman started out in life as fireman of a stationary engine, but continued in this vocation but a short time, when on February 25, 1864, he enlisted at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in Com pany A, 50th regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, for a period of three years or until the close of the civil war. Immediately after enlistment he went to the front. During his period of service he participated in the battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1864, and was slightly wounded afterwards at Nye river; not deterred by this, however, he still kept in the front rank of his company, and was again wounded in the left wrist and hip at the battle of Spottsylvania. After this engagement he was taken to Jarvis Hospital, Maryland, where he had his left arm amputated, and remained there from May 5, 1864, to September of the same year. From there he was transferred to the Manor Hospital, near Philadelphia, where he remained until the spring of 1865, when he was transferred to the Chester Hospital some time after the surrender of General Lee. After his return home he was employed as an engi neer at the Spring Hill colliery, when he became manager of Phcenix Park Colliery No. 2, and continued in that position until the year 1867. Subsequently he clerked in a hotel for some time, and in 1868 was appointed collector of taxes in Branch township. Two years later he engaged in the general mer chandise business at Llewellyn, and from that time until his death enjoyed a successful and increasing business. In politics, he was a republican, and took an active part in the presidential campaign of General Grant. He was a member ofthe Ger man Lutheran church, and of Captain Law rence Post, No. 17, G. A. R., at Minersville. IT LFRED GILBERT, the founder, editor "^^ and proprietor of the Pine Grove Herald, of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, is a son of George and Elizabeth (Matter) Gilbert, and 560 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY was born September 8, 1 849 in Lykens Valley, Dauphin county. The Gilbert family is among the older fami lies of that fertile and historical valley, Jacob Gilbert, grandfather, having emigrated to the valley from Lebanon county when a young man, and died there iri 1 866, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. The avocation of a fanner was his life work, and religiously he was an ardent and devoted Methodist. He married a Miss Sheesly, and had a family of six children, two daughters and four sons. George Gilbert, father, was born in Lebanon county, December 31, 1813, and went, when six years of age, with the family into Lykens Valley, where .he spent the remainder of his days, dying November 24, 1869. When young he was indentured to learn the trade of a carpenter, but soon abandoned that trade to take up farming, which, in the main, was his life work. He was a man of steady habits and good judgment, and stood high in his community for sterling qualities of character. This is fully attested by the fact of his serving in his township thirteen consecutive years as justice of the peace ; his career, as such, was terminated by his death. As justice of the peace he was very popular and did a large business, being frequently called upon to settle up estates and act as guardian. He married, first time, Catherine Long, and had five children, two sons and three daughters. His second union was with the mother of subject, and "resulted in an issue of two sons and three daughters. Alfred Gilbert was educated in the common schools of Lykens Valley and the Berrysburg Seminary, learned photography with Samuel Miller, of Lykens, and opened a gallery in Pine Grove, this county, in 1872, successfully pursuing this line of business until 1878. For the last three years he ran a job printing business in connection with photography. At this time he became a pioneer in the news paper line through founding the Pine Grove Herald, of which he has been editor and pro prietor ever since. It is a bright, spicy, newsy sheet, of independent political proclivi ties, issued weekly, and has a good local clientele. In political matters, he is of the party of Cleveland, and religiously affiliates with the Methodist Episcopal church. In fraternal matters, Mr. Gilbert takes an eminent part, being a member of Pine Grove Lodge, No. 148, I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Master, and has in addition served almost three years as district Deputy Grand Master of the western Schuylkill district, which comprises eleven lodges and a mem bership of twelve hundred. He is also a member of Pine Grove Lodge, No. 409, F. and A. M., of which he is Worshipful Master, and is keeper of the exchequer of Lodge No. 124, Knights ofthe Golden Eagle. On December 24, 1872, Mr. Gilbert married Lizzie, a daughter of John and Sarah Shaud, of Jonestown, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania. QUGTTST FLIGGE, a typical representa tive of that sturdy German element whose genius and industry are felt in many of the substantial and thrifty avocations of life, and whose loyal citizenship is a source of great strength to the Republic, is a son of Fredrick and Charlotte (Grube) Fligge, and was born January 5, 1848, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, — one of the most densely populated portions of Europe. Mr. Fligge was an only child, whose father died when he was a small boy; hence the responsibility contingent upon rearing and OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 561 preparing him for the stern battle of life de volved upon his mother, who believed that this country afforded better opportunities for a young man than did Germany, with her crowded and stinted economic conditions. Accordingly they set sail for America in 1854, landing in Baltimore, Maryland, on April 12 of that year. Then he attended school and worked alternately at various kinds of manual labor up to 1863, when he went to Pottsville, this county, and learned the trade of a brush maker. There he worked, after completing his trade, up to 1869, at which time he re turned to Baltimore, where he continued his trade up to 1874, when he removed to the village of Hecla, East Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and engaged in the manufacturing of brushes, in which business he has since continued successfully. He employs several hands, and the annual product of his business is about $6,000. He manufactures a superior quality of brushes, which find a ready market throughout this and adjoining counties. He also owns a farm of ninety-two acres, situate in East Brunswick township, near Hecla. Politically, he affiliates with the Republican party, and has filled the office of school director for a term of three years. Religiously, he is closely identified with the Lutheran church and has served as deacon of that church for several years. In 1869 he was united in marriage with Christina', a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Stalzenbach, of Baltimore, Maryland. To them have been born a family of twelve children, seven of whom are living, whose names in the order of their ages are : August, Maggie, Herman, Louisa, Anna, Mary and Fredrick. 36 /"GEORGE M. BRETZ, a popular and well- known citizen of Pottsville, and a (pho tographer of note in central Pennsylvania, is a son of Jacob and Mary A. (Dipple) Bretz, and was born in Carlisle, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, on June 6, 1842. George M. Bretz was educated in the public schools of Carlisle, and at the age of twenty years he began learning the art of photog raphy. He worked a very few weeks at the business, when he received an appointment as clerk in the quartermaster's department at Nashville, Tennessee, under the command of General Buell. He continued there from July, 1862, to March, 1863, when he was transferred to the headquarters of General McPherson, at Lake Providence, where he remained one month and then received an appointment for service under General Grant. In this latter position he remained until May 4, 1863, when he resigned and returned to Carlisle on account of sickness. In the year 1864, after a partial recovery, he removed to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and was employed as a photographer, after which he returned to his native place and accepted a clerkship in the office of the provost marshal until the year 1865. About this time he went to New- ville, Pennsylvania, and in partnership with C. L. Lockman, began the photographing busi ness, and continued to devote his time to it until 1867. In February of this year the partnership was dissolved. In 1873 he began photographing on his own account, and has since successfully continued in that line of work. In November, 1892, his gallery was destroyed by fire, and thirty-four thousand negatives were rendered useless. Since that time he has been almost entirely engaged in landscape photography, and was one of the artists employed by the Pennsylvania Board 562 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY of World's Fair Managers to photograph scenes in the anthracite coal regions of Penn sylvania. His line of work embraced, in this connection, both interior and exterior views, the committee in charge pronouncing the re sult as " excellent work." Aside from the business of photography, Mr. Bretz has made a very careful and exhaustive study of the anthracite coal industries of this State, and has prepared lectures upon the development and present status of these industries, accom panied by photographs and scenes taken from the regions themselves. His lecture upon this subject has been very favorably received, and has been highly commended on account of both its popular and technical merits. In 1 884 he made a series of views for the United States Government Exposition at New Orleans, many of which were underground scenes made by means of the electric light. This use of electricity in photography is probably the first instance of its successful use. In 1890 he invented a camera, in connection with R. W. Kear, which very perfectly takes in an entire circle ; but this not being practi cally useful, the area is reduced to an arc of one hundred and eighty degrees, and for pur poses of landscape photography has proved a marked success. Mr. Bretz is a republican in politics. Fraternally, he is a member of St. John's Lodge, No. 260, F. and A. M., at Carlisle, and is also connected with the Epis copal church. He was joined in marriage with Emma L. Gilbert, a daughter of Jacob and Catherine Gilbert, of Pottstown, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, on June 6, 1872. This mar riage has been productive of an issue of two children : Mary A. and Gilbert F. Mr. Bretz is a skilled photographer, well- informed upon the practical and theoretical phases of his art, and has been very success ful as a lecturer upon the subjects to which previous allusion has been made. Person ally he is affable and agreeable, and possesses many social and intellectual qualities which have gained for him many friends. nEV. FATHER C. F. PATTERSON, the present affable and devoted officiating priest of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church at Ashland, Pennsylvania, is a native of the Keystone State, born in Philadelphia, Novem ber 25, 1848, the son of Samuel and Margaret (McGrath) Patterson. His father and mother were both natives of Ireland, and came to Philadelphia about 1848, where the former died in the year 1877. His mother is still living. Father Patterson was educated profession ally in St. Charles' Seminary at Overbrook, near Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated on June 7, 1873, and was or dained at the same time. His first appoint ment was at St. Philip's church, Philadelphia, the parish in which he was born and received the first religious inspiration and impetus. Here he remained until his appointment at Ashland, where he has since remained and consecrated his life and talents to the work to which he has been called. He has one brother, John, who is first assistant conveyan cer in the real estate department of the Penn sylvania railroad office at Philadelphia. St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church, over which Father Patterson presides, was founded at Ashland, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, in 1856, and was opened for service on St. Patrick's Day, 1857. At that time it was attended by Rev. Thomas Linden, who was also assistant at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. In Sep- REV. C. F. PATTERSON. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 563 tember, 1857, he was succeeded by Rev. Michael Sheridan, who continued the conduct of services until his death on September 25, 1880. In the following October the present priest, Rev. Cornelius F. Patterson, came to the charge, and has remained there continu ously until the present date. The present imposing edifice, situated on the corner of Eleventh and Walnut streets, was commenced immediately after his installation. The corner stone was laid on the last Sunday of August, 1886, and services have been held in it regu larly ever since September, 1886. The build ing is sixty feet wide and one hundred and seventeen feet deep, constructed of brick, with Indiana graystone trimmings. The church property also includes a very handsome brick parsonage, fitted out with modern conveni ences. The cost of the whole was about $40,- 000, and the capacity about sixteen hundred. Rev. Father Patterson is a man of excellent parts, scholarly, eloquent, fair-minded, and extremely tolerant. He possesses those finer instincts that are the conjoint product of an inherent sense of honor and the direct result of intellectual, moral and spiritual culture. He exerts a marked moral influence upon the members of his parish, and by force of charac ter, a righteous life and judicious teaching, has led out into the freedom of a higher life many a weary plodder. He is uniformly held in high esteem because he has sought, un selfishly and without reward, to lead his fellow creatures into spheres of useful, unselfish, reverential living. lllTARTIN PRENDERGAST, of Heck- A scherville, Pennsylvania, is a son of Martin and Margaret (Knight) Prendergast, and was born in Castleboro, County Mayo, Ireland, April 9, 1827. His father was a native of the same place, and emigrated to America in April, 1847, settling in Minersville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where he resided until his death in 1856, in the seventy- seventh year of his age. He was a member of the Roman Catholic church, and led a quiet and circumspect life in retirement after coming to this country. In early life he married Mar garet Knight, a daughter of Richard Knight, of County Mayo, Ireland, by whom he had a family of three sons and two daughters: Henry, Mary, Lawrence (deceased), Martin and Ann. Martin came to this country with his father and the family, and soon after engaged in min ing as a laborer, continuing in such employ ment until 185 1, when he became outside fore man of the Mine Hill Gap colliery. In this position he continued for nine months, when he removed to Will county, Illinois, where he was employed on a canal for seven months, after which he returned to Minersville, Penn sylvania, and labored in the mines for a year. In 1853 he removed to Heckscherville, and became the outside foreman ofthe Heckscher ville colliery, holding the position until 1865. He then again returned to Minersville, and became the foreman of the East Pine Knot colliery up to 1872; then to the Thomaston colliery as outside foreman up to 1877, after which he took charge of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company's machinery at Heckscherville until 1882. He next be came outside foreman of the Glehdower col liery, where he remained until 1889. In the latter year he went to the Beechwood colliery as outside foreman, remaining one year, and then went to the Thomaston colliery, where he remained until January 1, 1892, when he retired. Mr. Prendergast married Mary A. Harkins, 564 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY a daughter of Edward and Ann (Boyd) Har- kins, of Minersville, Pennsylvania, September 30, 185 1, by whom he has had a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters, named respectively in the order of their birth : Elizabeth G., wife of Patrick H. Love, of Heckscherville, superintendent of the Glen- dower colliery, near Minersville ; George L., stationary engineer of the Thomaston colliery; Martin E., assistant outside boss at Thomaston colliery ; Wm. H., a carpenter, at Heckscher ville ; Etta, living at home ; Charles A., a stu dent at the seminary of St. Charles Borromeo, at Overbrook, Pennsylvania ; Katie, a sister of Adminda convent, at Merion, near Philadel phia ; and Mollie A., who resides at home. Mr. Prendergast is a democrat in politics, and commands considerable political influence in his locality. He has also enjoyed political preferment, having served as treasurer of Cass township for one year. He has been a hard and faithful worker, and by his thrift and industry has reared a large family, the members of which reflect great credit upon the unselfish and devoted spirit of him who has so cheerfully and uncomplain ingly given the best years of his life to their welfare and advancement in life. As a member of the Roman Catholic church, as a man and a citizen, he commands the love and esteem of his neighbors to an eminent degree, and in his retirement from the activities of a business life enjoys the rest which so fittingly follows long and arduous labor. FRANK C. BENDER is a son of Louis and Mary (Volpert) Bender, and was born in Westphalia, Kingdom of Prussia, Ger many, on July 18, 1836. Louis Bender, father, was born in the same place, of which he was a life-long resident, and died itt, March, 1868. He was a stone mason by trade, and by his marriage with Mary Volpert he had a family of six children, two sons and four daughters, five of whom emigrated to America. Frank C. Bender emigrated to the United States in the year 1852, and settled in Miners ville, this county, which place has since con tinued to be his home. For a period of ten years he was employed with his uncle, John Volpert, in the liquor and bottling business. This occupied his attention down to the period of the civil war, when in April, 1861, the Minersville Artillery Company, of which he was a member, enlisted in the war for a period of three months. He served the time of his enlistment and returned, on the expiration of his term, to Minersville, where, in 1862, he recommenced the wholesale bottling of liquors and carbonated drinks, under the firm-name of F. C. Bender & Co. He had associated with him in this business Frank Wadlinger, who continued a member of the firm for a period of eighteen months, when his interest was purchased by Mr. Bender, and conducted by him alone down to the year 1891. At this date his son, Frank J., became a partner, under the firm-name of Bender & Son, which firm does a large and successful business. Besides the business already referred to, Mr. Bender is treasurer of the Edison Electric Illumina ting Company, and has been a director ever since the organization of the company. Re ligiously, he is a member of the German Cath olic church, and in politics he belongs to the conservative wing of the Democratic party. For two terms he has been a member of the borough council, and has always been in sympathy with any project which would suc cessfully effect a betterment of the municipal OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 565 condition. He is a member of Captain George J. Lawrence Post, No. 17, G. A. R. On November 15, 1863, Mr. Bender was united in marriage with Kate O'Connor, a daughter of Patrick and Bridget (Maley) O'Connor, of Heckscherville, Schuylkill Co., Pennsylvania. By this marriage they have six children, one son and five daughters : Mary, married to P. M. Kelly, now a shoe merchant of Minersville, Pa., formerly a printer of Philadelphia ; Frank, who married on June 6, 1893, Elizabeth C. Lav/rence, a well-known vocalist and a daughter of Abram Lawrence, of Minersville, Pa., and now a mem ber of the firm of Bender & Son ; Anna, Cath erine, a skillful pianist ; Ella and Gertrude, all at home. Mr. Bender is a careful, conscientious busi ness man, who, through close application to the details of his vocation, has acquired a very creditable competency. He is identified with the best citizens of the borough in a business and social way, and possesses the character istics which render him popular and well liked. yyjILLIAM C. HACK. Honesty and ^^* probity of character, tenacity of purpose, methodical habits — all essential qualities of a successful business man — are highly exemplified in the life and character of William C. Hack, the successful and popular hardware merchant of Tremont, Pennsylvania. He is a son of George and Agnes M. (Ep- pinger) Hack, and was born in Tremont, Pennsylvania, November 7, 1861. Geprge Hack, father, was born in Wurtemburg, Ger many, in 1833, and emigrated to the United States in 1854, settling in Tremont, this county, where he engaged in the brewing business, erecting the first brewery in the place, which he continued to operate five or six years. He then sought other employ ment, working in the mines for the next thir teen years. In the spring of 1870 he removed to Shamokin, Pennsylvania, where he con ducted the Central Hotel. He was very suc cessful and accumulated a considerable amount of money, which he invested in real estate. His days were ended there April 24, 1885. He was a staunch democrat in politics, and an acceptable member of the German Lutheran church. He married Agnes M. Eppinger, a daughter of John M. Eppinger, July 30, 1857, and had a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters : Catherine, wife of Andrew Herb, proprietor of the Arcade restaurant, Sha mokin, this State; Mary, wife of. Dr. Lewis Wolverton, a practicing physician of Shamo kin ; John; William; and Maggie, wife of William Sechler, of Shamokin, a partner in the Arcade restaurant. The other children died in infancy or during childhood. William C. Hack's education was obtained in the public schools of Shamokin, Northum berland county, Pennsylvania, after which he assisted his father in the hotel until his death, when he and Andrew Herb succeeded as pro prietors, continuing the business until 1887. At this time William Hack severed his connection with the hotel and removed to Tremont to engage in the hardware business. This move proved to have been a successful venture. He now conducts a large store and has an extensive trade in all kinds of hard ware, paints, oils, glass, tools, builders' ma terials and house furnishing goods. In con nection with this store he conducts a wholesale and retail lumber business. He has been a director for six years, and since January of this year (1893), has been president of the Hancock Building and Loan Association. 566 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY On January 18, 1887, he married Alvina K. Sanner, a daughter of Rev. Daniel and Eliza beth Sanner, of Tremont, this county. Their union has been blessed with three children : Allen G., George D., and Anna M., all of whom are living. In politics, Mr. Hack is a staunch democrat of the Cleveland school. He has been a member of the board of school directors for five years, having been selected as secretary in 1 89 1 and 1892, and elected president in 1893. He was also appointed deputy coroner of the Tremont district of Schuylkill county in January, 1893. In religion he is a consistent communicant of the German Lutheran church. He is a member of Tremont Fire Company, No. 1 ; Tremont Lodge, No. 245, I. O. O. F. ; Swatara Lodge, No. 267, F. and A. M., of which he is Junior Warden ; Tremont Chap ter, No. 221, R. A. M. ; Hermit Commandery, No. 24, Knights Templar, at Lebanon, Penn sylvania ; and Royal Arcanum. "niTILTON H. MASTER must be classed A among the leading and successful business men of Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. He was born in Here ford township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, on September 21, 1855, is the son of David and Catherine (Honsberger) Master. His father, David Master, was a native of Hereford township, Berks county, within whose borders he spent the entire period of his life. He died in 188 1, at the age of sixty- eight years. By occupation he was a shoe maker; in politics, a member of the Demo cratic party, under which he filled various local offices in«-*the township in which he lived; and in his religious affiliations was an active member of the Reformed church. Through his matrimonial alliance he had a family of ten children, eight sons and two daughters. Milton H. Master was joined in the bonds of marriage with Layina Hanich, a daughter of Amos and Christina Hanich, of Miners ville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on March 21, 1878. This union has been blessed by the birth of six children : Harry E., Robert H., Grace L., Mabel I., Thomas J., and Ruth Irene. He was educated under the common school system of his native county, and while yet early in boyhood began the trade of marble cutting. After the completion of his trade he followed it as an employee for a period of one year, and in the year 1875 located in Minersville, Schuylkill county, where he . opened up a marble and granite-cutting estab lishment, which he conducted down to the year 1882. During this year he removed to Shenan doah, where he continued in this line of busi ness, which has been conducted with unquali fied success. He also has a branch marble yard at Mahanoy City, this county, which was established in the year 1885, besides being a partner in a granite quarry located in Berks county, Pennsylvania, operated under the firm name of the Keystone State Granite Com pany. Mr. Master casts his vote with the Demo cratic party, and has served a number of years as a member of the borough council of Shenandoah borough, of which he was secre tary one term. He is a member ofthe Trinity Reformed church, in which he holds the offi cial position of treasurer. Fraternally, he is connected with Anthracite Lodge, No. 136, I. O. O. F.; Washington Camp, No. 226, Patriotic Order Sons of America, of which he OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 567 was the first president, and Shenandoah Com mandery, No. 14, P. O. S. of A. Mr. Master is a young man of more than ordinary business ability and intelligence. Through his inherent energy and skillful con duct of affairs he has increased his business from very modest beginnings to its present proportions. In his dealings and contact with men generally he is regarded as possessing the highest degree of integrity, and through his workmanship and painstaking care to meet the wants and tastes of his patrons, he has won for himself a position of high favor. He commands the uniform respect and confi dence of both the citizens of Shenandoah and Mahanoy City. nOWLAND WHITFIELD, a well-known citizen of Pottsville, is a son of Joseph and Ellen (Dorman) Whitfield, and was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, June 24, 1834. His father was a native of England, born in the vicinity of Liverpool in May, 1807, and at the age of seventeen, in company with Thomas Nuttal, his relative, a botanist and traveler of note in that day, came to the United States. Although his coming was originally merely a visit of pleasure and observation, yet the character of the country and the conditions with which he was surrounded, were such that a very short time induced in him a desire to make this his future home. He soon after entered Harvard College, and graduated with distinction in a class that embraced some of the brightest intellects of the age. Among his associates at Harvard are the names of Edward Everett, the statesman and orator, Stuart and Allston, the celebrated painters, Judge Story, the jurist, and Longfellow, the poet, together with a galaxy of almost equally brilliant intellectual and classical stars. After his graduation he became an itinerant artist in obedience to his natural inclinations and train ing, a great inspiration to which he received under the tutelage of both Stuart and Allston. This transference of the natural and the ideal to canvas absorbed the early years of his life, and awakened for all time the keen sense and discriminating perception of the artist — an awakening that influenced his entire life and character. In 1831 he came to Pottsville and engaged in the dry goods business, which he continued for forty-six years, the time when death closed his career. Besides his mercan tile business he was extensively interested in coal operating, which also seemed to prosper well in his hands. In fact, his mind was of such a versatile nature that no function of the citizen, of the business man, of the husband and father, of the idealist seemed wanting. In politics he was a strong whig and an ap preciative admirer of Henry Clay. His con victions could not be said to be those of a sectary, but were broader than any party or platform. He was a firm believer in protec tion to American industries and was in aggressive sympathy with every movement, every pulse of national and social life, that would conduce to a higher plane of life — political, intellectual and moral. His marriage resulted in the birth of seven children, three sons and four daughters : Mary, married to Colonel Henry Royer, general merchant of Pottsville, Pennsylvania; Rowland, subject; Albert, a resident of the State of Georgia; Fannie, married to Abraham Seligman, dry goods merchant at St. Clair; Franklin B., living in Topeka, Kansas; Lucy, married to Edwin W. Harper of Philadelphia; and Ellen, married to Channing Shumway. Rowland was united in marriage with Lottie E. Brick, of St. Clair, by whom he had seven 568 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY children, three of whom are now living: Lucian B., in business in Pottsville with his father, married to Catherine Haddock; Mary R. and Ellen J., graduates of Pottsville High School, at home. Mr. Whitfield was graduated from the public schools of Pottsville in 1849, at which time his father was interested in coal- operating at St. Clair. After graduation, he went to St. Clair, engaged in the mercantile business and there remained until the year 1869. At the expiration of this time he re turned to Pottsville and engaged in the flour business on Second Street. In politics he is a republican, and has served as a member of the borough council, to which he was unanimously elected. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and a number of fraternal orders. among which are the following: Anthracite Lodge, No. 285, F. and A. M., of St. Clair, of which he is Past Master; Mountain City Chap ter, No. 196, R. A. M., Pottsville ; Constan tine Commandery, No. 41, K. T., Pottsville, of which he is a charter member. Mr. Whitfield is a successful, straightforward business man, and enjoys the confidence and respect of his fellow-townsmen. He is quiet and reserved in manner, careful in judgment, and bespeaks an affability that lies deeper than mere words. />EORGE H. HELFRICH, cashier of the ^^ Citizens' National Bank at Ashland- Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is one of the substantial and enterprising citizens of Schuyl kill county. He is a son of Daniel and Mar garet (Bock) Helfrich, and was born October 6, 1833, in Maxatawney township, Berks county, Pennsylvania. The grandfather of George H., on the pa ternal side, was John H. Helfrich, a native of Germany, who emigrated to the United States in the year 1772, and first located in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania. He was a minister of the German Reformed church, and as such was sent to this country as a missionary to promulgate the cause of liberal Protestantism. The scene of his labor was the northeastern part of Lehigh county, where he zealously devoted himself to the work of organizing and ministering to the churches of that vicinity. The entire span of his life was devoted to the work of infusing a religious spirit and in the upbuilding ofthe Christian cause in his adopted country. He died on the 5th of December, 1810. Daniel Helfrich, father, was born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, on March 7, 1785, where he continued to live until about 181 5, when he removed to Mayatawney township, Berks county, where he purchased some land and undertook its cultivation. After pursuing the vocation of a farmer for some years, he added that of a merchant, and as such did a prosperous business. He was twice married. His first wife was Maria Hoch, by whom he had a family of eight children. His second wife was Margaret Bock, the mother of George H., and of seven other children. George H, Helfrich was united in marriage on the 17th of October, 1854, to Margaret Slaughterbach, a daughter of Jacob Slaughter- bach, a native of Perry county, Pennsylvania. By this marriage they have five children, two ofwhom are living, Clara M. and Annie M. Mr. Helfrich is practically a self-educated man, having had the advantages of but a few years in the common schools of his native county. In starting out upon his career in life, he first accepted a position as a clerk in a store, in which capacity he was engaged for a number of years, when he became a book keeper for the mercantile establishment of f \ si • / % f ^y GEORGE H. HELFRICH. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 569 Emanuel Bast, at Minersville, Pennsylvania. In 1856 he accepted the position of book keeper for the Big Mine Run colliery of Schuylkill county, which position he filled acceptably for a continuous term of nineteen years. In 1875 the Citizens' National Bank of Ashland was organized, upon the organiza tion of which Mr. Helfrich was offered the position of cashier, which he accepted. He has since this time been connected with the bank as one of its trusted and most efficient officers. Politically he is a Republican ofthe staunchest type, and has served as a school director in Ashland for a period of ten years- Fraternally, he belongs to Ashland Lodge No. 294, F. and A. M., of which he was secre tary for a term of twenty-seven years, and for which term of continuous service he received a handsome gold medal ..from the lodge in recognition of his fidelity and faithfulness, and is now its treasurer. He also belongs to Griscom Chapter, No. 219, R. A. M., Prince of Peace Commandery, No. 39, K. T, Consis tory of Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Free Masonry, and Lu Lu Temple at Philadelphia. Besides these he belongs to Locust Mountain Lodge, No. 538, I. O. O. F., in which he has served thirty-four years as secretary, and is now its treasurer. Mr. Helfrich is highly esteemed by his fellow-townsmen as an exemplary citizen, and a good business man of undoubted integrity. JOHN O'DONNELL, of Heckscherville, Pennsylvania, is a son of Jeremiah and Catherine (Herrick) O'Donnell, and was born in County Tipperary; Ireland, February 11, 1833- His father emigrated to America with his family in 1840, and settled in Friendsville, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania. A few years later he removed to Pottsville, Pennsyl vania, where he resided until his death in 1856. He was principally engaged as a contractor for stone work, and among the work done by him may be mentioned that on the north branch of the Philadelphia and Schuylkill canal, and of Lock No. 3, on the same canal. He was a consistent member of the Roman Catholic church, and a liberal supporter of parish work at all times. Mrs. Catherine O'Donnell, the mother of John, was a daughter of Edward Herrick, also a native of County Tipperary, Ireland, and a well-known hotel keeper. Her brother, the late Richard Herrick, was a prominent and extensive Cotton presser in New Orleans. The family of Jeremiah O'Donnell consisted of four children, three sons and one daughter — named respectively in the order of age : John; Edward, late proprietor of the Lamokin House at Chester, Delaware county, Pennsyl vania, and now deceased ; William and Brid get, both deceased. Mr. O'Donnell, the subject of our sketch, learned the carpenter trade in Pottsville, Penn sylvania, and worked at it for a short time as a journeyman, when he went to Philadelphia and followed the carpentering trade there until 1853. He then removed to Pottsville, where he continued his trade until i860. In the latter year he removed to Minersville, where he became foreman for William H. Harris, a builder of mining cars. In 1863 he removed to Heckscherville, where he was em ployed at his trade by the Forrest Improve ment Company, continuing with this company until 1875, when the Philadelphia and Read ing Coal and Iron Company assumed control of that corporation. He then embarked in the general merchandising business upon his 570 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY own account, and continued the business in dividually until 1890, when the firm-name was changed from that of J. P. O'Donnell to that of O'Donnell Bros. This firm does a very large business, and carries an extensive stock of general merchandise. Mr. O'Donnell was married in Philadelphia in 1855, to Mary A. Burke, a daughter of James and Catherine Burke. The former died in the parish of Cashel county, Tipperary, Ireland. To them have been born eleven children, one dying in early infancy, and one (Catherine) at the age of thirteen years. The eight surviving children are : Jeremiah P., of the firm of O'Donnell Bros. ; Mary E., mar ried to George Prendergast, a stationary en gineer at Thomaston's colliery ; Joseph, of the firm of O'Donnell Bros.; John, now taking a course in Villanova college; William, a stu dent of Georgetown college, District of Columbia ; James, a student at Villanova college; Edward P., a clerk for O'Donnell Bros. ; and David A., who is still at home with his parents. Mr. O'Donnell is a staunch democrat, as also are all the rest of his family of sons. He has had a number of responsible positions of trust, and is highly esteemed for his probity and strict integrity. He served as treasurer of Cass township for one term, from 1868 to 1869, and was postmaster uninterruptedly from 1 874 to 1 890. He was interested for a time in the firm of Wadlinger & Co., operating the Heckscher ville colliery, and has in all his business vent ures met with most gratifying success, and enjoys a most enviable reputation as a consis tent and honorable man and citizen. /"VEORGE L. BROWN, a citizen in good ^* standing of Minersville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in Milton, Northumberland county, this State, on December 6, 1838. He is a son of Isaac and Mary A. (Lawrence) Brown. His grandfather was a native of Northamp ton county, and some time prior to the war of 18 1 2, moved to Clinton county, where he died. His son, the father of George L. Brown, was born in Northampton county on May 23, 1804, and died at Milton, Northum berland county, in 1883. He was a general merchant by occupation, was united in mar riage with Mary A.' Lawrence, daughter of George and Esther Lawrence, of Milton, by whom he had a family of nine children, three daughters and six sons. Of the sons three served in the late civil war. George died in infancy ; Carrie L., is the wife of Colonel H. A. Fonda, of Milton, Pennsylvania, a retired railroad superintendent ; George is the sub ject of this annal ; William H., is now de ceased, but formerly resided at Bloomsburg ; Isaac W., served in the late civil war, and is now located in Chicago ; Webster also served in the civil war, and is at present a farmer and grain dealer, residing at Fort Dodge, Iowa. His service in the Union army was under General Kilpatrick, the famous cavalry commander, under whom he served for three years, and was severely wounded in the foot. Mary E., is married to A. E. Slocum, of Au burn, New York, a member of the Bardsley Manufacturing Company ; James died in in fancy. George L. Brown was joined in marriage with Rachel Moore, a daughter of Samuel Moore, of Slouchsburg, Berks county, Penn sylvania. By this marriage two children were born, both of whom are now dead. Mr. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 571 Brown received his education in the academies at Milton, Pennsylvania, and at Academia, Juniata county. After leaving school he en tered into the mercantile business, when about nineteen years of age, with his father at Mil ton. In 1 86 1 he removed, to Minersville, and continued the same general line with G. J. and J. S. Lawrence of that borough, with whom he continued as a clerk until the begin ning of the civil war. At this time he gave up civil duties, and on September 14, 1861, enlisted in Company I, ioist regiment Pennsylvania volunteers as a private. He was shortly afterward commis sioned as second lieutenant, and on March 1, 1863, was promoted to the first lieutenantcy, and attached to the second brigade, third division, fourth army corps of the Army of the Potomac until December 4, 1863. Upon this date he was transferred to the first bri gade, first division, eighteenth army corps, and served mainly in the states of Virginia and North Carolina. During his term of service he took part in the siege of Yorktown, the battles of Williamsburg, Savage Station, Fair Oaks, the seven days' fight before Richmond, Bottom's Bridge, Charles City Cross Roads, Long's Bridge, Jones' Ford, Harrison's Land ing, Blackwater, Virginia ; Goldsborough, North Carolina ; Southwest Creek, Wilming ton Railroad Bridge, Swan Quarter, Little Washington, Blount's Creek, Swift's Creek, Williamston, Foster's Mills, Jamestown and Plymouth Creek. On April 17th to 20th, 1864, while resisting the final charge of Hoke's North Carolina brigade, at Plymouth, North Carolina, he was wounded in the left arm and left breast, and taken prisoner. Sub sequently he was confined in the prisons at Plymouth, Weldon, Macon, and in the jail yard at Charleston, South Carolina, where, with the other prisoners, he was placed under a heavy artillery fire from the Union forces then besieging the city. From here he was removed to Columbia, Camp Sorghum, Char lotte, Raleigh and Goldsborough. He escaped four times, and was recaptured as often, twice by bloodhounds. On November 3, 1864, he escaped from Camp Sorghum, North Carolina, and was out seventeen days before being recaptured. He was finally paroled on February 27, 1865, and sent to Annapolis, Maryland, where he was mustered out on March 15, 1865. After his return from the war he entered into the drug and hardware business with Jacob S. Lawrence, under the firm-name of Lawrence & Brown. This partnership continued in force until 1885, when he retired from the firm to enter the coal operating business with Jacob S. Lawrence, at Mahanoy Plane. He continued in this business until January, 1892, when, by reason .of the financial stringency, the firm was forced to make an assignment. While operating this colliery Mr. Brown, in connec tion with Mr. Lawrence and Foimer, started a large general store in 1887, at Frackville, and continued to operate it down to the date of the assignment. Since that time Mr. Brown has been a resident of Minersville, and is now managing the old Lawrence drug and hard ware business. His failure financially was one of those unforeseen disasters which some times occur in the business career of men without any particular assignable cause. Throughout his entire career, however, Mr. Brown always commanded the entire confi dence and respect of both his friends and creditors, and is held by them in high esteem for the honorable and straightforward way with which he has met his misfortune. He is a charter member of Captain George J. 572 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Lawrence Post, G. A. R., Minersville, and has served as post commander of the same, and has also served as aide-de-camp on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief of the G. A. R., and was Department Commander of the State of Pennsylvania, G. A. R., in 1879 anc* 1880. Y\R- GEORGE LITTLE, of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, is a son of the late Christo pher and Anna (Russel) Little, and was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, October 18, 1861. His grandfather was William S. Little, a native of Cecil county, Maryland, a prominent farmer of that section, and who died in 1876, at the advanced age of eighty-four years, leav ing surviving him one daughter and one son, the above-mentioned Christopher, the father ofthe doctor. < Christopher Little, his father, was born in Cecil county, Maryland, on December 31, 1825, and was reared on the farm of his father. He subsequently took a course in West Not tingham Academy, and entered Princeton College, from which he graduated in 1847. Soon after leaving college he went to Selma, Dallas Co., Alabama, where he taught school for awhile, coming to Pottsville, Pennsylva nia, in 1849, where he was employed for a time in Professor Schneider's academy as a teacher of modern science. In 1850 he be came associate editor of the Miners' Journal, then owned and edited by Benjamin Bannan, Esq. On April 15, 1855, he resigned this position, and, having also read law during this time, he registered himself, after his resig nation, as a law student in the office of Hon. James H. Campbell, of Pottsville, and was admitted to the bar of Schuylkill county on March 16, 1857. He practiced continuously and actively for some years, attaining a marked degree of success in the line of collections, but owing to declining health he was forced to relinquish his practice. He subsequently engaged in the insurance business, at first representing the New York Life, but after wards the Equitable Life Assurance Company, in which he continued to the time of his death. He was a vestryman of Trinity Episcopal church, of Pottsville, for a number of years, and at the time of his death was the District Deputy Grand Master for Schuylkill and Co lumbia counties of the F. and A. M. frater nity, of which he had been a Past Master for twenty years. In politics he was a republican, and for a series of years had been a member of the Pottsville school board, and its secre tary for a long time. The family of Christopher Little consisted of eight children, five sons and three daughters. Dr. George Little, one of the sons and the subject of our sketch, was educated in the Pottsville High School, and graduated there from June 18, 1880. He then took up the study of medicine under the direction of Dr. J. T. Carpenter, of Pottsville, and completed a course in the University of Pennsylvania, graduating May 1, 1884. He at once entered upon the practice of his profession, locating at Tamaqua, this county, where he has since resided. Dr. Little is a member of the County and State medical societies, and is the efficient secretary and treasurer of the first named society. He is also a member of the Lehigh Valley Medical association. Dr. Little married Nannie, a daughter of Michael and Margaret Beard, of Tamaqua, on September 19, 1886, and they have four chil dren, three daughters and a son : Anna M., Jessie R., Katherine B. and George B. In politics Dr. Little is a republican, and has been deputy coroner for six years, and also OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 573 out-door physician for the same length of time. In religion he is identified with the Episco palian denomination, being a member of that church (Calvary), and has been a vestryman for several years. Dr. Little is a member and the founder of Washington Camp, No. 525, P. O. S. of A., founded in May, 1887, and was the first presi dent of the camp. He is also an active and zealous charter member of Tamaqua Tribe, No. 288, Independent Order of Red Men. . The doctor is a rising young man, growing in popularity, and by his skill and experience in his profession has gained a fine and lucra tive practice. JOSEPH T. MILLINGTON, a prominent contractor and builder of Tremont, Penn sylvania, is a son of William and Ann (Parks) Millington, and was born in Pottsville, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, December 4, 1859. William Millington, paternal grandfather, was a native of Staffordshire, England, where he lived and died. William Millington, father, was born in Staffordshire, England, in the year 18 19, and emigrated to the United States in 1847, locating at Donaldson, Schuylkill. county, this State, where he became a dealer in mining timber. He followed this business at Donaldson until 1853, when he removed his interest to Pottsville, this county, and con tinued there for a short time, after which he transferred them to St. Clair, where he has since lived. Having pursued this branch of lumbering ever since his arrival in this coun try, he retired from its active engagements in 1891. He is a firm republican in politics. He married Ann Parks, a daughter of John Parks, by whom eight children were born ; four sons and one daughter are yet living: Harry, a farmer, married to Sallie Guy, and resides at Beaver Meadows, near Hazelton, Pennsylvania ; George, who lives at St. Clair ; Joseph T., Benjamin F., a practicing physician of South Londonderry, Vermont, married to Emma Krebs, and Mattie, wife of Enos J. Ball, of Tremont. Joseph T. Millington completed his ele mentary education in the public schools of St. Clair and Pottsville. He then entered Hinman's Business College, Pottsville, from which he was graduated in 1875. Subse- • quently he took a course in the Philadelphia School of Pharmacy, graduating with honor from this well-known institution in 1881. Be fore taking this course of instruction he had been four years employed in a drug store in Philadelphia. Upon his graduation he entered the store of A. Wenrich, druggist, also of Philadelphia, where he remained for six years, and afterward the store of C. Mitcheal, where he stayed two years. In 1884 he went into the drug business for himself at Centralia, Pennsylvania, but after three years' experience abandoned it, removed to Shamokin and began to deal in mining timber. But this engaged his attention for one year only, for in 1888 he returned to Philadelphia and again took charge of a large drug store, which he soon abandoned. In 1890 he removed to Tremont and engaged in contracting and building, and in connection with it carried on a wholesale and retail business in all kinds of finished lumber, such as doors, windows, mantels, etc. He was first in partnership with Enos J. Ball, under the firm name of Ball & Millington ; but in February, 1893, he purchased the in terest of Mr. Ball, and now (1893) conducts the business in his own name. In politics he has always been a firm republican. In 1882 he married Sadie R. Magill, a daughter of Robert and Margaret Magill, of Phila- 574 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY delphia. To this union have been born two children : Margaret R. and Harry (deceased). Mr. Millington is a young man of energy and ability, a pleasant gentleman, and a worthy and substantial citizen. p-HAKLES E. TITMAN, a popular citizen ^^ of Shenandoah, and a man who is thor oughly identified with various business enter prises of that borough, is a son of Isachar M. and Mary M. (Kinney) Titman, and was born near Bloomsburg, Columbia county, Pennsyl vania, August 19, 1857. Isachar M. Titman was born at Greenwood, Columbia county, Pennsylvania, October 20, 1828, and resided in the county of his nativity up to March, 1867, when he removed to Shen andoah, where he resided until his death, which occurred June 19, 1893. During his active business life he was engaged in stock-dealing, droving and farming, in which combined busi ness he was uniformly successful, but retired from active business in 1883. He never sought office, although a staunch adherent to the democratic faith. January 22, 1 851, he mar ried Mary M., a daughter of Rev. John Kinney, and to this union were born four children : John A., a resident of Philadelphia, a powder manufacturer ; Henrietta, who is the wife of Martin Shoemaker, a grocer, of Shenandoah ; Charles E., subject; and Hugh W., an ice dealer and manufacturer of hats and caps at Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. Charles E. Titman married, December 9, 1880, Elizabeth, a daughter of Hon. William L. Torbet, ex-State Senator from the Thirtieth Senatorial district of Pennsylvania, and a resi dent of Girard Manor, this county. To this union four children have been born : Lillian E., Esther (deceased), Mary and Charles E., Jr. Mr. Titman was educated in the common schools of Shenandoah, and in 1879 began his business career as a butcher in Shenandoah, which he continued up to 1881, when he em barked in the lumber business, both wholesale and retail, and furnishes lumber and timber used in and around the anthracite coal mines. In addition to this business, which is an ex tensive and flourishing one, he is vice-president and general manager of the Trout Run Rail way Company, a road which connects with the Fall Brook road at Campbell, Lycoming county, and with the Philadelphia and Erie road at Heiner Station, Clinton county. He is president and general manager of the Oregon and Texas Railroad, which connects with the Fall Brook road at Campbell and extends to Oregon Hill, near English Centre, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania. He was president of the Mahanoy City, Shenandoah, Girardville and Ashland Street Railway Company at the time the charter was granted, being one of the prime movers in its organization. This company was subsequently merged into the Schuylkill Traction Com pany. In political matters Mr. Titman may be rightly placed among the independent demo crats, whose influence and ballots are cast in behalf of good government — local, State and national. re- nOBERT W. ROBERTS, a highly spected citizen of Silver Creek, Pennsyl vania, is a son of Jonathan and Hannah (Wil liams) Roberts, and was born in Nant Caed- paeth, North Wales, October 28, 1841. His father was reared in the same town, and lived and died near his birth-place, passing away at the age of 66 years. Most of his life was spent in the lead mines of Wales. He was an CHARLES E. TITMAN. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 575 acceptable member of the Congregational church for many years, as was also Mrs. Roberts, who was a native of Llanynys, North Wales, and resided there till the time of her death in 1870. She had lived a useful Christian life for fifty-six years. By their marriage a family of nine children was born, five sons and four daughters. Three of the sons emigrated to America: Robert W.; Wil liam, who crossed over in 1879, settled for a time at Shenandoah and then removed to Illi nois, where he died in 1883 ; and Peter, who landed in Montreal, Canada, and died in Jersey City, New Jersey, October 7, 1889. Robert Roberts received his education in the common schools of Wales. At the age of fourteen he was obliged to give up his studies and go to work in the mines. In 1869 he came to this country, locating for a time at Armstrong Coal Works, Buena Vista, Alle gheny county, Pennsylvania, where he was em ployed in the mines. From there he removed to Wadesville, Schuylkill county, in August, 1869, and worked in the mines there for a short time, after which he went to Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, at which place he resided up to 1880, when he again moved, this time to St. Nicholas, this county. There he was made superintendent of Suffolk colliery for the Suf folk Coal Co., continuing with them for four years. In 1884 he removed to Gilberton, to accept the foremanship of the Draper colliery, which position he held until June, 1887, when he went to New Philadelphia, where he now resides, and took charge of the Kaska William colliery for the Alliance Coal and Mining Company. He conducted the business suc cessfully until May, 1890, at which time he and Thomas Mauker, under firm-name of Roberts & Mauker, leased and operated the colliery for over two years, until the coal was exhausted. In 1880 he was appointed a member of the examining board for mine inspectors. He served one term as school controller of the public schools of Gilberton, and was once appointed by the court to fill a similar position in New Philadelphia. In pol itics he is a republican, never, however, tak ing a very active interest. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. On October 15, 1 870, he was married to Miss Burgess, a daughter of Joseph and Catherine Burgess, of North Wales. Their marriage has been blessed with six children, of whom Carolina L., Catherine H., and Raymond J have passed away; Edith M., Cecelia and Roy J., still survive. j^ROFESSOR H. H. SPAYD, the efficient superintendent of the public schools of Minersville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Catherine (Haak) Spayd, and was born on October 26, 1845, in My erstown, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania. His first American ancestors were residents of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and were of German extraction. They settled in this country some time prior to the war of the Revolution. Grandfather George Spayd was born at Ephrata, Lancaster county, Pennsyl vania, but removed from there to Lebanon county about the year 1826. He there located in the vicinity of Myerstown, where he died about the year 1875. During the most of his life he pursued the occupation of farming, though in his youth he had learned the cooper trade ; the latter, however, was not in accordance with his tastes, and he gave it up for the more con genial one of farming. In religious faith he was a German Baptist. He was united in 576 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY marriage with a Miss Conrad, by whom he had eight children. John Spayd, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Ephrata, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in the' year 1 8 19, and died in Schaefferstown about the year 1891. He was engaged in farming, was in order of time a supporter of the Whig and Republican parties, and showed an intelligent interest in the political movements of his day. He was united in marriage with a daughter of Wil liam Haak, a native of Myerstown, Lebanon county. She is still living and is the mother of ten children. H. H. Spayd was joined in the bonds of marriage with Sarah Donaberger, a daughter of David D. and Sarah Donaberger, of My erstown, Lebanon county. They have no children, but raised and educated their nephew, A. Bond Warner, who is now engaged in business in Minersville. Mr. Spayd was edu cated in the public schools and at the Myers town academy, Millersville State Normal school, Palatinate college at Myerstown, and in a business college at Elmira, New York. After the completion of his education he entered at once upon the profession of teach ing, and at the age of nineteen was elected to a place in the public schools of Lebanon county. Subsequently he removed to Rush township, Schuylkill county, where he taught two terms, and in 1871 removed to Miners ville, this county, to accept the principalship of the grammar school, having previously served two years as principal of the public schools at Llewellyn. In 1883 he was made the successor of Dr. J. W. Danenhower as superintendent of the schools, and has con tinued in that position down to the present time. During the civil war Professor Spayd en listed in Company C, 149th regiment Pennsyl vania volunteer infantry, and served until the close of the war. He was promoted regularly corporal, sergeant, and latterly was the color- bearer o f his regiment. During his period of service he had a varied and thrilling experi ence, and took part in the following battles : Pollock's Mill, Fredericksburg, Chancellors ville, Laurel Hill, North Anna, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Hatcher's Run, Gettysburg, Todd's Tavern, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Six Mile House, Boydtown Road, Second Hatcher's Run and Tolopotomy. He was wounded at the battle of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863, and twice slightly in the campaign from the Wilderness to Hatcher's Run, and was subsequently confined in the hospital at Get tysburg, Pennsylvania ; at Baltimore, Mary land, and at Germantown, Pennsylvania, from July 4, 1863, to December 20, of the same year. At the battle of Gettysburg he was likewise taken prisoner, but being unable to walk he was left on the battle-field until he was afterward removed by the members of his own regiment. At the conclusion of the war he was occupied a short time in the mer cantile business in Philadelphia, but with this exception his time has been continuously devoted to his chosen profession. In politics he is a republican, was at one time a member of the executive committee ofthe county, but has never offered himself as a candidate for official preferment. In the Baptist church of his borough, of which he is a member and a licentiate, he takes an active part, and has been honored with the offices of deacon and super intendent of the Sabbath-school. Fraternally, he belongs to Post No. 17, G. A. R.; Myers town Lodge, No. 358, I. O. O. F., and En campment No. 149, I. O. O. F., at Myers town. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 577 Professor Spayd is a member of the State Teachers' Association, and is one of about a dozen who hold life membership in that organ ization. He is also a member of the National Educational Association, and is one of the councillors of the American Institute of Civics, whose object is the inculcation of patriotic sentiment in the minds of the present generation. For three years he served as a member of the committee on permanent cer tificate for Schuylkill county, of which com mittee he was chairman. Professor Spayd is a most popular school man, has a wide acquaintance with the schools of Pennsylvania, and is looked upon as an educator of ability and tact. He is scholarly and practical. /"VYRUS MOORE of Minersville, Penn- sylvania, is a son of Michael and Re becca (Groombach) Moore, and was born in Shafferstown, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, November 30, 1826. Adam Moore, his grandfather, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and when a young man settled in Shafferstown, Lebanon county, where he married and died. He died in 1839, at the age of seventy-seven years. He had been a cooper by trade, and also followed farming to some extent. He was also a mem ber of the German Lutheran church at that place, ever actively interested in all church work, and during his lifetime filled the various offices of the Shafferstown church. In politics he was a democrat, and a firm friend and believer in the principles of the Jackson school of Democracy. At an early age he married Barbara Bulmon, of that place, by whom he had four children ; Henry, Michael, William and Sarah, all of whom grew to maturity but are now deceased. 37 Michael Moore, his father, was born in Shafferstown, and resided there up to his death in 1828. He was also a member ofthe same church with which his father had been so long and prominently connected, and like his father was thoroughly imbued with the spirit of Democracy. When a young man he apprenticed himself to the carpenter trade, which occupation he followed for some years. He married Rebecca Groombach, ofthe same locality, by whom he had two children, a son and a daughter, named respectively : Cyrus, the subject of our sketch ; and Anna, (now Mrs. Anna Reisenbach), a resident of Lebanon county at the present time. At the time of his father's death, in 1828, Cyrus Moore was but a year and ten months old, and he was taken to his grandfather's home, and by him reared to manhood. He learned the trade of a tinsmith and worked at the trade in Shafferstown until 1846, when he removed to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and entered the employ of William Hill as a tinner, and continued as a journeyman until the following year. In July, 1847, he went to Minersville and worked for the firm of Hill & Williams, and on September 4, following, he and Solomon A. Phillips bought the interests of Hill & Williams, and formed a partner ship under the firm-name of Phillips & Moore, since which time they have continued the business in the line of tinware, stoves and roofing, and have developed a thriving, pro gressive trade. Mr. Moore is the president of the Miners ville Home Fire Insurance Company since 1 89 1, was one of its organizers in 1873, and has been a director thereof ever since its organization. He was a director of the Minersville Water Company for ten years ; a member of the borough council for eighteen 578 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY years; and in 1876 was elected treasurer of Schuylkill county, for the term of three years, by the Democratic party — the party with which he affiliates. Mr. Moore married Catherine Hiller, a daughter of Jacob and Catherine Hiller, of Pottsville, on March 17, 1850, by whom he has had a family of five children, three daughters and two sons, named respectively : Anna, widow of John Straub ; Stephen A. D., deceased ; Elizabeth ; Catherine, wife of John Broser, train dispatcher at Hazleton, Penn sylvania, for the Lehigh Valley Railroad ; .and Harvey. Of these, three reside with their parents at present. Mr. Moore and his family are all members of the English Lu theran church of Minersville. He is also connected with a number of fraternal orders, in all of which he commands the highest esteem of his brethren for his exalted char acter as a man and a citizen. He has been a member of Minersville Lodge, No. 222, F. and A. M., for many years, and for the past fifteen years has served as its treasurer. He has also been a member of Social Lodge, No. 56, I. O. O. F., for many years, is a P. N. C, and for twenty-five years has served as its treasurer. He became a member of the Grand Lodge in 1850. Few men have established themselves more strongly in the esteem and regard of their fellow-men than Cyrus Moore. As a business man, upright and square in his dealings ; as a citizen, ever alive to the responsibilities de volving upon him ; and as a brother among his brethren, true as steel. TA>ESLEY A. SELTZER, a prosperous farmer of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania, is a son of Nathan and Catherine (Albright) Seltzer, and was born at Drehrsville, East Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, on January 22, 1855. Abraham Seltzer, grandfather, was born in Barnesville, Berks county, Pennsylvania, and died at Drehrsville, this county — being among the earlier settlers in that portion of Schuyl kill county. His avocation was that of a farmer, and he also kept a hotel for a number of years at Drehrsville. The father of Wesley A. Seltzer was born ;n Drehrsville in December, 1827, and died at the same place at the age of thirty-three years. He was a general business man, — owned and operated a farm, a hotel and a general store. He was a democrat in political texture, and a member of the Reformed church. He married Catherine, a daughter of Peter Albright, of West Brunswick township, and had a family of two sons and two daughters: Elizabeth, deceased; subject; Oscar, deceased, and Mary, deceased. Mr. Seltzer was united in marriage, to Joanna Hoy, a daughter of Jacob and Eliza beth (Faust) Hoy, in 1 874. To them have been born seven children: Fr^nk P., Ollie, Mary, Annie, Catherine, John W. and George I. Mr. Seltzer is a farmer by vocation, and owns a fine farm of one hundred and thirty- five acres in the borough of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania. He is a republican in politics, and a member of the Reformed church. JAMES KEALY. Among the many promi nent men in a business, as well as a civic sense, engaged in the coal industry of Schuylkill county, must be mentioned the man whose sketch follows. He is a son of Richard and Honora (Butler) Kealy, and was born in the parish of Arias, Ireland, February 22, 1839. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 579 His paternal grandfather, James Kealy, was a life-long resident of Ireland, and by occupa tion a book-keeper. His grandfather on the maternal side was Thomas Butler, a native of Queen's county, Ireland, who emigrated to the United States in the year 1832, and located in New York City. After a brief residence here he transferred his fortunes to Valley Furnace, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, probably about the year 1847. He died at the latter place in 1857, at the age of eighty- four years. By occupation he was a butcher. His marriage resulted in an offspring of seven children, all of whom were born in Ireland. Richard Kealy, father of James, was born in the same parish as his son, about 181 5, and with his family crossed the Atlantic, and landed in New York City in 1843 > thence he removed to Valley Furnace, and subsequently removed to Centralia, Columbia county, Penn sylvania, where he died in 1868. He was a miner, and derived a livelihood while in this country by working in the various collieries- In religion he was a Roman Catholic, as were his ancestors. He reared a family of twelve children : James, subject ; Thomas, Richard, Martin, Patrick, John, Bridget, Anne, Cather ine, Margaret, Elizabeth and Mary. James Kealy wedded Mary A. Burke, a daughter of Michael and Sabina (Jennings) Burke, of Ashland, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, on October 23, 1865. They have eight children : Richard P., a mining engineer in the employ of George B. Markle & Co., at Jeddo, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania — a graduate of the Minersville High School and La Salle College, Philadelphia; Thomas J., a student at St. Charles' College, at Ellicottville, Maryland ; Harriet, a graduate of the Miners ville High School ; John, a clerk at Phcenix Park colliery ; Catherine, attending school ; James, deceased ; Mary A., at school ; Eliza beth, deceased. Mr. Kealy was employed in the mines at the early age of nine years, and consequently his educational advantages were rather im poverished. He has since profited, however, by considerable independent study and the educational reflex of a somewhat varied ex perience. In 1856, after a short residence at Valley Furnace, he became a slate picker and cart driver in the mines at Centralia, receiving a mere pittance in compensation. After this he was indentured by his father to learn the blacksmith trade, and gave up one year to service at the forge. In September, 1861, at the outbreak of the civil war he cast aside the tongs and hammer and enlisted at Ashland, Pennsylvania, in Company A, 7th regiment, Pennsylvania cavalry, for a term of three years. At the expiration of this term of en listment he again tendered his services on the battle-field of Huntsville for an engagement of equal length, serving to the close of the war. He was discharged in September, 1865, with the rank of sergeant. After his return from the war he was employed in the mines at Centralia until 1870, when he was offered a position as superintendent of the North Ash land colliery, then operated by John Anderson & Co. He continued in this position until the year 187^, when the colliery changed hands, passing under control of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. By this company he was retained, and in 1880 was promoted to the superintendency of the entire district, controlled by that company, adjacent to Minersville. He has been superintendent until the present time. Mr. Kealy is a member of the Roman Catholic church, a member of George J. Law rence Post, No. 17, G. A. R., of which he is 580 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Past Commander, and from 1866 to 1868, was connected with the Workingmen's Benevolent Association as president. He is a staunch democrat in politics, and during the period of his residence in Centralia served two terms as school director, and a number of times as a member of the borough council. He is a man, who by fidelity to his em ployers and through inherent worth, has risen step by step in the social and business scale. Whether in the lowliest position or in the place of greatest trust, he has always manifested the willingness and desire to do what was best for employer and employed. Through a successful fulfillment of the duties imposed by such a stand, he has enlisted the sympathies and the good will of two very important classes. In his business qualifica tions he is careful, mindful of the details of a complex industry, as well as its larger issues. Through his scrupulousness in this respect he commands a justly earned confidence. TA^ILLIAM F. HUMBERT, of Donaldson, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of William Humbert, and was born in Donaldson, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on October 17, 1856. His ancestors on the paternal side were largely natives and residents of Pottsville, this county. His father was born in Pottsville, where he lived most of his life, but just before his death removed to Cressona. He was a merchant by occupation, in which he could be accounted fairly successful. The mother of William F. was a native of England, and died in Donaldson during the year 1891, at the age of fifty-one years. His father's family consisted of seven chil dren. William F. Humbert was joined in marriage on March 29, 1879, to Lizzie G. Opie, a daughter of James Opie. By this marriage the following children have been born : Alice, James, Lewis, Frederick, Martha, Clyde and Herbert. Mr. Humbert received his education in the common schools of Donaldson, and learned the trade of a stationary engineer, which he continued to follow up to the age of twenty- eight years. At the expiration of this time, he accepted a position as clerk in the store of George Opie, of Donaldson, with whom he remained up to the year 1891. At this time he, in conjunction with W. F. Crone, pur chased a store, and have been operating it ever since. Their store consists of a general dry goods and grocery department. Politically, he is a. republican, and a mem ber of Donaldson Lodge, No. 332, I. O. O. F., and Camp No. 74, Patriotic Order Sons of America. JTOHN F. WERNTZ, a banker and financier of recognized ability and a man who, by industry, perseverance and frugality, has risen from the lowly and more humble walks of life to a position of affluence and wealth in the borough of Pine Grove, was born in Pine Grove (now Washington) township, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, April 26, 1835. His parents being in very moderate circum stances, his early opportunities for education and intellectual culture were limited to poor schools and little opportunity to attend them, being obliged to assist in weaving carpets, cloth and linens, and chopping cord wood from the early age of six years to ten. During this time, with the assistance ofa kind mother and seventeen days at school, he OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 581 learned to read the German language quite well. At the tender age of ten years he was employed as a boat horse-driver on the Union canal. Many were the hardships endured while thus employed, every twenty-four hours of work with a few hours of sleep made a day, and thirty days a month, and the salary was four dollars a month. This employment he followed for seven years, rising to the position of captain of the crew. While thus employed during the summer season, he worked for farmers and chopped wood during the winter, attending school when the weather was too disagreeable to work, at the end of which time he was engaged for one year in building locks and widening the canal. Subsequently he apprenticed himself to the blacksmith trade for nearly three years. During his apprentice ship he devoted his leisure moments to study and cultivating his mind preparatory to enter ing the teachers' profession, which he did in 1855, teaching school during the winter months in this county, and working at his trade ift the summer up to i860, when he abandoned his trade of blacksmithing and followed teaching exclusively for five years. From 1865 to 1875 he was employed as a traveling salesman during the summer months and as a teacher during the winter months. On the latter date he relinquished teaching and was employed as a traveling salesman in various lines, attaining more than an ordinary degree of proficiency, and continued this line of work up. to 1884. About the year 1875, in connection with his business as traveling salesman, he embarked in the money broker age business at Pine Grove, which he con ducted successfully up to 1886, when the de mands and necessity for local banking facilities were such that he resplved upon opening a bank. He accordingly merged this business into the Pine Grove Bank, a private institu tion which he has since operated with a marked degree of pecuniary success to him self and full satisfaction to his patrons, and which furnishes convenient and satisfactory banking facilities to the citizens of Pine Grove and vicinity. He has a capital stock of about $100,000, which includes a $25,000 investment in real estate. He does a general banking, loan and discount business. In 1865 he was elected justice of the peace, and has filled that office for fifteen consecutive years with credit to himself and satisfaction to the citizens. He has also served as borough treasurer for a number of years. During the war he was an active worker in behalf of the Union cause. JOHN R. DEIHM, a descendant, on the paternal side, of old Revolutionary stock, and an inventor of note of Pottsville, Pennsyl vania, is a son of George and Mary (Right- myer) Deihm, and was born in Carnarven township, southern Berks county, January 10, 1823. The Deihm family is of German lineage, but for several generations have been in this country. The great-grandfather on the pa ternal side of the family was one of the German families that settled prior to the Revolutionary war in the Shenandoah val ley, Virginia. He was a patriot in the Revolutionary struggle of 1776. Grandfather, William Deihm, was born in the Shenandoah valley in 1764, also entered the Revolutionary struggle, serving a good long period. After the close of the war he settled in Reading, Berks county, and became quite prominent, not only in military matters, but in civil affairs as well, becoming the first sheriff of Berks 582 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY county. He married, and had a family of six sons and two daughters. George Deihm, father, was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1796. The family continued their residence in Read ing until 1 81 8, when they removed to a point fourteen miles south of Reading, called Mor- gantown, when the grandfather purchased a hotel, and, in connection with the running of the hotel, founded a number of other enter prises, among which were a hat manufactory, linseed oil factory and a distillery. The pro duct of the hat factory was sold chiefly to the Southern people for their slaves, and was transported to that region by teams via Rich mond, Virginia. These enterprises they oper ated until 1825, when William, grandfather, retired to Reading, and the father of subject continued the hat business until his death, in 1841. He married Mary Rightmyer, who sur vived her husband twenty-six years, dying at the old homestead at Morgantown in 1867, at the age of sixty-nine years. They were the parents of five children, three sons and two daughters. John R. Deihm learned the coach-building trade, but soon entered the employ, as a car penter, of the Philadelphia and Reading Rail road Company, at Reading, and remained with them three years, when he came (in 1846) to Pottsville, when he again took up the coach- making business and followed it with success until 1857. Mr. Deihm is of an inventive nature, and about 1 860 he completed a patent coal-breaker, which he sold, realizing a hand some profit. This was followed by a patent slate-picker, in 1861, which was very popular with coal operators. From i860 to 1868 he was engaged in the manufacture of screens, then for eight years he was in the marble busi ness, and in 1887 his inventive aptitude again asserted itself, and he invented a bed-spring, which heisnow (1893) perfecting. He is an ac tive member ofthe Methodist Episcopal church of which he is a trustee, and of Mineral Lodge, No. 285, F. and A. M. ; Mountain City Chap ter, No. 196, R.A. M. Mr. Deihm has been twice married ; his first union was with Elizabeth C. Green, of Read ing. To them were born six children : Anna J., Charlotte, Sallie, Lucy, John E. and Mary. His first wife died in 1884, at the age of sixty years, and he married, as his second wife, Mrs. Amelia Seidel (nee Adams), of Potts ville, Pennsylvania. O'ENATOR LUTHER R. KEEFER, State Senator from the Twenty-ninth district- now serving his fifth consecutive term in that capacity, was born March 5, 1834, in Harris burg, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Andrew and Catherine (Brua) Keefer. Andrew Keefer, father, was born in 1803 in Littlestown, Adams county, Pennsylvania, and was reared and educated in the place of his birth, receiving a good education, consid ering the advantages of the day. He learned the cabinet-makers' trade and located in 1818 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he followed his trade for a number of years, but finally drifted into mercantile pursuits. In 1847 he removed to Schuylkill county, locating in Schuylkill Haven, and for six years success fully conducted a hardware business. In 1 85 3. he, in connection with his two sons, John and subject, established a foundry and ma chine shop at what was then known as West Haven, now Cressona, and remained with this firm until 1870, when he withdrew and went to Schuylkill Haven and carried on a mercan tile business until death ended his labors on May 1 , 1 876. He was formerly a whig, and $snniiiiiiii§iiiiiiiill HON. LUTHER R. KEEFER. jSHHHiIIiliHIIIillllli OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 583 took a lively and intelligent interest in those moves which led up to the organization of the Republican party, of which party he was always a staunch supporter, and served as postmaster of Schuylkill Haven under the ad ministration of Millard Fillmore. He was active in religious matters, being an enthusiastic follower of the Lutheran faith, and helped to found St. Matthew's Lutheran church of Schuylkill Haven. In all the mat ters in connection with the organization of this congregation he took a leading part. He was an elder at the time of his death, had been leader of the choir, and for fifty years superintended the Sabbath-school. He was three times married; his first union was with Catherine Brua, on March 24, 1829. Three children were the fruit of this union : Amelia J., wife of Adjt. Jno. T. Hannum, 96th Regt. P. V. I., of .Schuylkill Haven; John B., paymaster in the regular army, and subject. Mrs. Catherine Brua Keefer died in November, 1836, and Mr. Keefer, on February 27, 1838, married as his second wife Elizabeth Eby, who died in about two years afterwards, after giving birth to one child, Anna M., wife of A. H. Schock, of Allentown, Pennsylvania. His third marriage was with Rebecca Schaf- first, on November 26, 1844, and two children, Walter and Edwin, bless this union. Senator Keefer attended the public schools of his native city, and after removing to Schuylkill Haven was admitted to the higher classes in the public schools of that place. He also pursued an academic course in a private school of his town, and then taught in the public schools for a time. He was then apprenticed to learn the trade of founder in the Colebrookdale Iron Works in Berks county, of which W. W. Weaver was propri etor. After serving a full apprenticeship of four years, he returned in 1853 to his home, and in partnership with his brother, John B. Keefer, established a foundry and machine shop at what was then known as West Haven, now Cressona, Schuylkill county. This busi ness was successfully carried on until 1875, when Mr. Keefer withdrew from active busi ness. From his earliest manhood Mr. Keefer has been held in the highest esteem by his neighbors, being an enterprising and progres sive citizen. He has been frequently called upon by the people ofthe community in which he lives to serve them in various capacities, and has been in turn elected a member of council, burgess and school director. Upon the breaking out of the civil war his business affairs were in such a shape as to require his personal attention. He so arranged matters, however, that he was able to give his country his services, and for two years was the enroll ing officer of his district. In 1863, when Pennsylvania had been in vaded by the rebel hosts, he joined Company A, 27th regiment P. V. I. emergency service. He afterwards was appointed Deputy U. S. Marshal for the Fourteenth sub-district of Pennsylvania.. Mr. Keefer is not an orator in the common acceptance of the term, though he is one of the most industrious and successful of legisla tors. He served in the Senate Committee on Railroads, as chairman for twelve years. At the present time (1893) he is serving on the following committees : Finance, Appropria tions and Gratuities, Corporations, Apportion ments, Mines and Mining and Elections. In 1880 he served on the special committee to examine into the alleged misappropriation of money by the State Treasurer, arid in il 584 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY was one of the special committee to draft a general revenue bill. During the session of 1889 he was a mem ber of the special election committee to deter mine the election contest in the Third Sena torial district of Philadelphia; case, Osborn vs. Devlin. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg, and the Board of Trustees of the Keystone State Normal school, at Kutztown, Pennsylvania, and takes a great interest in the subject of educa tion. Hon. L. R. Keefer takes a prominent part in secret and fraternal matters, and is an hon ored member of a number of the most promi nent ones. He has been a Mason since 1856, serving as Master of Page Lodge, No. 270, as early as 1863, and of Cressona Lodge, No. 426, in 1872. He belongs to Tamaqua Chap ter, No. 177, R. A. M., and Ivanhoe Com mandery, No. 31, K. T, also belongs to Dent zer Post, No. 29, G. A. R., at Cressona, and has filled all the executive offices in the post; for many years he has been a member of Washington Camp, No. 129, P. O. S. of A. Religiously he is affiliated with St. Matthew's Lutheran church, in which he is an active worker, and to the support of which he con tributes freely. On November 27, 1855, Mr. Keefer and Anna Osier, daughter of Jehu Osier, of Potts ville, Pennsylvania, were united in marriage. To them have been born six children : Ida S., the wife of Dr. H. F. Palm, of Camden, New Jersey ; Brua C, who after graduating from the Pottsville High School, read law with the Hon. Lin. Bartholomew, finishing under the preceptorship of D. C. Henning, and was ad mitted to the Schuylkill county bar. He is now located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania- Alice, at home; William B., attending the Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg, and two that died in infancy. He is very popular among his constituents, as his long-continued service as senator from his district fully attests. Personally he is congenial and affable. rXJILLlAM ATKINS, president of the ^¦^"*" Pottsville Iron and Steel Company, is a son of Charles M. and Anna M. (Prior) Atkins, and was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, August 27, 1855. His grand father, William Atkins, was a native of Chester county, Pennsylvania, whence he removed to Columbia, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1852, at the age of fifty-four years. He was a shipper by occupation, and as such ran a line of boats over the old State canal from Columbia to Pittsburg. He con ducted a large ahd successful business of this kind, and continued his commercial pursuits until the time of his death. In politics, he supported the party of Jefferson and Jackson, and took an unusually active part in the local politics of his time. At one time he served as State Flour Inspector. He was mar ried to Phcebe Wentriken, of Chester county, Pennsylvania, who became the mother of eight children, five sons and three daughters. Charles M., father of William, was born in Columbia, Lancaster county, this State, on March 27, 1827. He was educated at the Lititz academy in the same county, and after leaving school became interested with his father in the transportation business, remain ing with him until the latter's dea'th, when he succeeded to the business. He continued the successful management of that business until November, 1853, .when he transferred his ambitions to a new field of activity. He OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 585 came to Pottsville, this county, and began the reduction of iron ore and later the manufac ture of iron. What was known as the Pioneer Blast Furnace (one of the first established in the county, built in 1806,) passed into his ownership, and with his inherent business ability he gave a new impetus to the iron business of Pottsville. Prior to this time the furnace had been, operated with very indif ferent success, but with the change in owner ship, and a relay of new energy and enter prise, it became a marked success. Mr. Atkins, in 1865, tore down the greater part of the old furnace, rebuilt and enlarged the capacity of the plant in many ways. He purchased the Pottsville Rolling Mill, and incorporated it wjth his rapidly increasing business, and in 1872 erected another furnace to keep pace with the law of demand and supply. Up to the year 1880, the firm was known as Atkins Bros., the members of the firm being Charles M. and his two brothers, Hanson E. and Wil liam W., the two latter having become part ners shortly after the purchase of the furnace. In 1880, the business was incorporated under the name of the Pottsville Iron and Steel Com pany, with Charles M. Atkins as president, in which capacity he served until his death, Sep^ tember 3, 1889. Mr. Atkins married the daughter of Rev. Azariah Prior, on October 5, 1854. This union resulted in the birth of seventeen chil dren, of whom eight are living : William, subject; Isabel P., wife of David C. Henning, a practicing attorney of Pottsville (see sketch) ; Anna P., wife of August Heckscher, of New York City, treasurer of the Lehigh Zinc and Iron Company, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania ; Phcebe W., married to John C. Lee, of Potts ville, vice-president of the Pennsylvania Na tional Bank; Hanson E., assistant superin tendent ofthe Pottsville Rolling Mill; George H., a student at Lehigh University; John S., at Yale University, and Elizabeth K. i William Atkins was graduated from the ! Pottsville- high school in the year 1872, and became shortly afterward superintendent of the furnace, continuing in that capacity up to 1878. At that time he took charge, as superintendent, of the rolling mills, and after his father's death succeeded him as president of the company. He brings to the company a large and valuable experience, rare business ; tact and careful, methodical business habits. ; On October 28, 1880, Mr. Atkins was united in marriage with Harriet, a daughter of Charles Baber, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Their union has been blest by the birth of ] two children : Charles Baber, born August 12, 1880, died June 20, 1885, and William Atkins, Jr., born April 29, 1883. For many years the name of Atkins has been prominently identified with the business interests of Schuylkill county, and especially of Pottsville. Through tireless energy, strict attention to business details and an irreproach able integrity, the father, Charles M., acquired a competency far above the ordinary. Through out life, however, he was more than a success ful business man. He possessed many ex cellent social and humanitarian qualities, and throughout the wide circle of his acquaint ance commanded an enviable respect. At his death he bequeathed to his children and those who succeeded him in business, not only a heritage of material wealth, but the prestige of an honorable and exemplary career. Both have promise of being sacredly and intelli gently husbanded by the son, who now enjoys the full confidence and good will of all who are thrown in contact with him in either business or social relations. 536 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY f>-HARLES W. EVANS, M.D., one of the most successful physicians of Tremont, Pa., is a son of Abram B. and Elizabeth (McKinney) Evans, and was born at Tremont, Schuylkill county, this state, Sept. 15, 1859. Abram B. Evans was born at Minersville, Schuylkill county, this state, in 1834. His parents died when he was quite young, and Abram was brought up by a Mr. Troutman, a practical merchant of the place, where he learned the mercantile business. At the early age of eighteen, so fast had his business qualities developed, Mr. Troutman made him sole manager of his extensive business. In this new position he showed the same efficiency that had characterized his work hitherto. His success was very marked, and he continued with Mr. Troutman until his marriage. After this he removed to Tower City, where he engaged in the mercantile and coal business under the firm-name of Evans, Althouse & Co. The same colliery being now operated by the Philadelphia and Read ing under the name of East Brookside, which is considered one of the most valuable coal properties in the anthracite region. Detecting a possible advance in real estate, he invested largely in lands in the immediate vicinity of Tower City, from which he re ceived large dividends. In politics he was an exemplary republican ; in religion, a highly commendable member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married Elizabeth McKinney, the daughter of Philip McKinney, to whom two sons and two daughters have been born : Emma, married to Isaac Cook, an extensive stock raiser of Kansas ; Sybilla J., married to Dr. S. S. Koser of Williamsport, this State ; Charles W., and Milton H., a doctor of den tal surgery of Philadelphia. Charles W. Evans completed his education preparatory to reading medicine .in the Mil lersville State .Normal School. After leaving this institution he commenced his medical course in the office of Dr. S. S. Koser, a prominent physician then of Tremont, after wards entering the University of Pennsylva nia, from which he was graduated in the class of 1884, with high honor. Since his gradua tion he has practiced his profession with marked success in Tremont. In school he was known as a hard worker, pointed and practical thinker, all of which he has carried into his practice since. His present success is due to his close application and perseverance in his profession. He is an active member of several lodges and fraternal organizations: The Schuylkill County and State Medical Society, Swatara Lodge, No. 267, F. A. M., Tremont Chapter, No. 221, of which he is a Past High Priest, and Hermit Commandery, No. 24, of Lebanon, this State. In politics, he is a republican from principle, and has served one term as deputy coroner under Dr. Guldin, of Min ersville, Pennsylvania. On October 8, 1889, he was married to Sue C. Cockill, a daughter of Ezra and Mary Cockill of Middlesboro, Kentucky. ¦/"\LIVER DOBSON was one of the most prominent and respected business men of Pottsville, and was born in Port Clinton, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on July 15, 1 810. In his early life he learned the trade of a hatter, under the apprenticeship of a Mr. Fister, a manufacturer of hats, then located at Hamburg, Berks county. The young man was of an enterprising spirit, and as soon as he had learned his trade located in Pottsville, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 587 and commenced in a small way the manufac ture of hats. Then the work was all done by hand, and for a time the products of his own individual labor was sufficient to supply the demand, as the industry at that time was a new one in Pottsville. His workmanship soon com mended itself to the public, and with increased confidence came increased demands, and his business began to expand in proportion as the people became acquainted with his product and his straightforward business methods. He was soon compelled to employ quite a force of help, and also added to his hat manu facturing enterprise that of a retail mercantile business in hats, furs and related lines. These lines of industry he pursued with persever ance and success, until death ended his useful career on February 22, 1874. , Men who, through honesty and probity of character, coupled with industry and tenacity of purpose, have succeeded in life, are always in demand by the public in the community in which they are known ; hence it was that Mr. Dobson was called to a directorship of the Miners' National Bank of Pottsville, which position he held for many years prior to his death. In his political belief he was a republican, and served a number of terms as a councilman of his borough. On September 7, 1842, he was united in marriage with Miss Anna E. Foster, a daugh ter of Jesse and Eliza Foster, of Pottsville. To this union were born a family of five children: Emma L., Mary E., Carrie B., the wife of John E. Walters, of Kerwood, Ohio ; Oliver, de ceased, and Hannah, deceased. , 11IT ALICE SWAYZE, M. D., a popular A " physician of Pottsville, Pa., is a daugh ter of Robert Beaver and Sarah (McMurtrie) Swayze, and was born at her parents' farm home in Montour county, Pennsylvania. The father and mother of Dr. M. Alice Swayze were born in the vicinity of Hope, Warren county, New Jersey — the former in A. d. 1809, the latter in 181 2; but early in their married life removed to the farm they had purchased in Pennsylvania, at that time located in Columbia county, but which, by division of said county, became the new county of Montour. The mother of Dr. Swayze died of typhoid fever while the latter was yet a little girl ; the father is yet living at a ripe old age in the calm and comfort of an industrious life. Dr. Swayze's father continued at farming, assisted by his sons, and for several years was also engaged in lumbering ; but about the time of the beginning of the war of the rebellion, he retired from his farm and embarked in mer cantile pursuits in the then new and "primitive town of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill county. In all business pursuits he has displayed an unusual faculty of adaptation and persevering energy, which secured to him a fairly-won success, and affords him comfortable retire ment and quiet in his advanced years. Since his youth he has been an active mem ber of the Methodist Episcopal church, has repeatedly filled various leading positions in local religious interests, was instrumental in starting several successful Sunday-schools in communities where there had previously been none, serving in the capacity of superinten dent in each instance ; and after locating in Mahanoy City, took early measures for organ izing the pioneer Methodist Episcopal society there, was appointed the first class leader ofthe 588 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY same, and secured a minister from one of the older towns to supply them with preaching services at private houses of members. Being an " Old-line Whig " in politics, and entertaining profound convictions of the need and value of protective tariff principles to shield and develop American home industries and prosperity, he heartily joined in the estab lishment of the Republican party, and has always given to it his sterling loyalty through out its eventful progress. In his youth there was no common school system of education under the provision and patronage of the Commonwealth, as in our , modern days, and his opportunities for school- study were necessarily limited. This denial of his youth stimulated the practical purpose that his own children should be afforded all available opportunity to acquire needful En glish educations, to prepare them for their business and social spheres. It was under the shelter and promptings of such family influences that Dr. M. Alice Swayze formed the qualities which fitted her for the laborious and inspiring pursuits of her active womanhood in the high calling of her adoption. After leaving the home public school, she finished her general education in Dickinson Seminary, Williamsport, Pa. ; then she began the study of medicine under the preceptorship of her eldest brother, George B. H. Swayze, M. D., in Philadelphia ; and in due course of hard study she graduated at the Women's Medical College of Philadelphia class of 1873. After the professional experience of success fully filling a hospital appointment in connec tion with her Alma Mater in Philadelphia for one term, she in 1874 began an extensive general and special practice in women's and children's diseases, in various towns and ham lets in Schuylkill county, locating her office and home meanwhile in Mahanoy City, where she had previously resided with her father, and enjoyed a general social acquaintance. Two years later she removed to Pottsville, it being more central and of convenient access, and where she has continued her large and successful practice to the present time. Dr. Swayze is a close student of medical literature in her departments, keeping in pulse with the progress of practical ideas in the means and science of healing the sick by prompt and gentle modes of treatment, which secure con fidence and success. Aided by her clear and analytic mind, her cordial and sympathetic ministrations to the physical and mental needs of her patients have always won for her the warm gratitude and abiding friendship of her numerous patrons. The very kindly recognition of Dr. M. Alice Swayze by the generous-minded profession in Schuylkill county has done much to disperse the narrow prejudice which medical men formerly entertained toward women physi cians. She was promptly elected to member ship in the honored Schuylkill County Medi cal Society, appointed to prepare papers on professional topics, made delegate to and member of the State Medical Society of Pennsylvania, and elected vice-president ofthe Schuylkill County Medical Society. Dr. Swayze has one sister, Lizzie A., the wife of Perry D. Black, merchant, lumberman and builder, residing at Rohrsburg, Columbia county — whence also her father has r.ecently removed. The doctor also has three brothers: the eldest, Dr. George B. IL, graduate of Jefferson Medical College, class of 1859; did surgeon's service in the army, subsequently practiced in Mahanoy City, was the promoter and first editor-in-chief of the first newspaper OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 589 published in Mahanoy City — The Mahanoy Gazette; and is now a successful practitioner and medical writer in Philadelphia ; Clark M., formerly a merchant in Schuylkill and Luzerne counties, but since residing in Philadelphia ; Theodore P., merchant and fruit grower, at Berwick, Columbia county, Pennsylvania. f"\R. DAVID L. SHULTZ, a popular phy sician of Schuylkill county and respected citizen of Auburn, Pennsylvania, is a son of Dr. Augustus and Catherine (Haas) Shultz, and was born at Hamburg, Berks county, Pennsylvania, May 12, 1852. Few men of Schuylkill county were more widelyand favorably known than Dr. Augustus Shultz, father of the subject of this annal, and truly is his record an interesting and varied one. Born in the province of Prussia, Ger many, in 1800, he was educated in the capital of the empire, Berlin, where he received a good medical education. His enterprising spirit stimulated his ambition, and1 he accord ingly left the fatherland and went to Brazil, South America, where he practiced one year, and then came to New York City, and cast his fortune among strangers. • Under these circumstances he accepted a position as a clerk in a drug store, where he remained for a time, and then came to Hamburg, Berks county, where he practiced until 1853, when he came to Auburn, Schuylkill county, where he died in 1871. He was a man in whom was reposed the utmost confidence of the people,' not only as a practitioner of medicine, but in a business way as well. He did not confine himself to the exclusive practice of his profession, which was very large, but being of broad-gauged intellectuality, his mind reached out and inquired into all questions, whether of a commercial, political, social or religious nature, and his influence, time and substance were freely given to the promotion of the good connected with any and all of these phases of life. In i860 he embarked in the mercantile business in Auburn, and for a number of years carried on a successful business. In political sentiments he was a republican, and served as chief burgess of the borough of Auburn from the time of its in corporation, in 1859, until his death. He also served as justice of the peace a number of years. In 1866 he was elected director of the poor of Schuylkill county, and served hon orably one term. The church found in him a strong adherent, industrious worker and a liberal supporter. He held at various times nearly all the offices in the Lutheran church organization. He married Catherine Haas in 1829, and had a family of thirteen children; all grew to maturity except one son, who died young. Dr. David L. Shultz obtained a good pre paratory education in the Bloomsburg State Normal School at Bloomsburg, Columbia county, Pennsylvania. He then entered upon the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. John C. Koehler of Schuylkill Haven, afterwards entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, and graduated in 1876. He im mediately located in Auburn, where he has practiced ever since. The doctor is a repub lican in politics, and while he takes an intelli gent part and an interest in the subject, yet does not allow it to divert his attention from the practice of his chosen work. Fraternally, he is a memjber of Auburn Castle, No. 168, Knights of the Golden Eagle. He married on October 27, 1890, Mary A., a daughter of Benjamin and Rebecca Drumheller, of Land ingville, this county. 590 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Dr. Shultz is in the possession of an envia ble practice, and is universally loved and respected for his liberality and generous traits. His sympathy is so broad that his professional aid is frequently given with no prospects of financial compensation, but entirely in response to the beatings and impulses of a heart filled with charitable feelings. nEV. JAMES F. POWERS, the scholarly and eloquent rector in charge of Trinity Episcopal church, Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of William B. and Sarah E. (Belknap) Powers, and was born in Springfield, Ver mont, on November 28, 1836. The family of which Rev. Powers is a mem ber has been for several generations of New England nativity. His grandfather, Ashael Powers, prominent in the civil and military his tory of his section, was born in Springfield, Vermont, where he now lies buried. His name was enrolled among those who fought for freedom in the war of the Revolution, serving as an officer. In his political faith he espoused the cause of the federalist and afterward became a whig, and served as a member of the state legis lature of his native state a number of terms. Aside from those pursuits of a military and civic nature, he also owned and cultivated a large farm, which is still in the ownership of his descendants. William B. Powers, father, was born upon the old homestead at Springfield, Vt. Upon that farm he was reared and educated, and then took up the avocation of a farmer, which he followed during his active life. He died in Boston in i860. At the early age of three years Rev. Powers was unfortunate in the loss of his mother, and from the age of twelve waged the battle of life on his own account. At this age he took a clerkship in a store in Boston, where he re mained until sixteen years of age, carefully husbanding his earnings all the time, and at this time had saved enough money to enter Tuft's college near Boston, from which he graduated in 1861. After his graduation he spent three years in the profession of teach ing, two years as principal of the Grammar school on Cape Cod and one year as princi pal of the High school at Winchester, Massa chusetts. In 1863 he was ordained as a minister in the Universalist church, and took his first charge at Cambridge, Massascusetts, where he built a church and remained two years, leav ing it in a well organized condition to take charge of the First Parish church at Maiden, where he officiated for eight years. He was ordained a deacon in the Episcopal. church and took charge of St. James' church at Woonsocket, Rhode Island, in 1872, where he remained until September, 1873, when he was ordained a priest and received a call to the Church of the Advent in Philadelphia, and remained there until he came to Trinity church, Pottsville in 1885. Rev. Mr. Powers has been twice married; his first marriage was with Miss Anna Greene, of Boston, in 1862. Mrs. Anna (Greene) Powers was deceased in 1872, and he married as his second wife, in September, 1886, Miss Ethel W. Wolf, of Philadelphia, which union has been blest in the birth of one child, Frank Ethelwulf. Rev. James F. Powers is a logical and pleasant speaker, of dignified bearing, yet affable and agreeable in his manners; he possesses those qualities of head and heart which draw to him a large circle of admiring OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 591 friends, and is possessed of an energetic and sympathetic disposition that makes for God and righteousness. TA^ILLIAM O. KUEHN, a citizen of'Miners- ville, Pennsylvania, and a justice ofthe peace of that borough, is a son of William and Johanna (Schlein) Kuehn, and was born on September 27, 1842, in Clausthahl, Kingdom of Hanover, Germany. His father was born in Germany in the year 1 8 19, and came to America on the 22d of No vember, 1854. After landing in New York City, he took up his residence in the metro polis for a period of four and a half months, after which he came to Minersville and located a few miles from the borough limits. Here he pursued the occupation of coal mining, and rose to the position of an overseer. During the civil war he gave up the civil pursuits in which he was engaged, and on Au gust 19, 1861, enlisted in Company E, (com manded by Horace C. Bennett), 55th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, for a term of three years; after serving until January 1, 1864, he re-enlisted in the same company and regi ment, but died while at home on a furlough on February 29, 1864. Politically, he was a republican, and in his church affiliations held to the German Catho lic church, of which he was a consistent and honored member. His marriage to Johanna Schlein resulted in a family of eight children, six boys and two girls. William O. Kuehn was united in marriage with Alice Jones, a daughter of David and Mary Jones, a native of Wales, but who since 1842 has been a citizen of Pennsylvania. By this marriage nine children have been born : Mary Alice, deceased in infancy; William J., George W., Winfield Scott, Fiederick C, David E. and Henrietta, twins; Harry Albert and Estella. Mr. Kuehn received his education in the German and American schools until he reached the age of twelve years. From that period on his education was received in the practical school of experience. On August 19, 1 861, he enlisted in Company E, same reg iment with his father, and was mustered out on the 29th of April, 1865. In the latter part of 1862 he was promoted to corporal. When he first went out into the service he was as signed to the Tenth Army corps, but was after wards transferred to the Eighteenth. At the battle of Drury's Bluff he received a wound in his right leg below the knee, which necessi tated its amputation. At this time he was taken, prisoner and carried to Richmond, Vir ginia, to hospital No. 21, where he remained eighty-eight days, at the expiration of which time he was paroled and taken to Annapolis, within the Union lines. After the civil war he took up the occupa tion of stationary engineer, and from 1867 until 1872 was employed in that capacity in and about the collieries of Minersville. In 1872 he purchased a saloon and restaurant, which he conducted for a time, but finally re turned to the occupation of engineering. In 1875 he was elected by the republicans to the office of justice ofthe peace in Ward E, now 1st ward, Minersville, and served in that capacity until 1880, when he was defeated by thirteen votes. The successful candidate, John F. G. Kumsius, died, however, on October 20th, of that year, and Mr. Kuehn was appointed to complete the term. At the expiration of this term he was re-elected and served the succeed ing term, which expired in 1886. At this time he was again re-elected and has continued in office until the present time. 592 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY In connection with his official duties, which he has discharged with commendable credit and satisfaction, he acts in the capacity of agent for the Red Star Steamship Line, and is also employed in the capacity of a clerk by Adam Hinkel, a lumber dealer of Minersville. He is a member of Captain George J. Law rence Post, No. 17, G. A. R., of Minersville. f"\AVID MORRIS, of Minersville, Pennsyl vania, is a son of Joseph and Maria (James) Morris, and was born in South Wales, October 14, 18 19. His father died in South Wales in 1823, leaving surviving him four children, two sons and two daughters, and the widow. David was then but four years old, and he was reared by his mother. At an early age he was employed as a miner in his native country, and worked until 1867, when he set sail for America, and ar rived in Ashland, Schuylkill county, in May of that year. The following year he sent for his mother and family, who joined him at Ashland, where they all resided up to 1873, when they removed to Girardville, this county, and where the mother now resides. David was employed as a miner until 1881, when he became inside foreman of the Girardville colliery, near Girardville, in which position he remained until 1885. He was then trans ferred to the Hammond colliery, as inside foreman, where he remained until 1889, when he removed to Minersville, his present resi dence. In 1889 he became the district superintendent of the Branchdale district of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, which position he has since filled with great credit to himself and satisfaction to the company. Mr. Morris was married to Charlotte Powell, a daughter of Watkins and Martha (Haskin) Powell, of near Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, on August 12, 1872, and they have five children, four sons and a daughter, named respectively in order of birth : Joseph, Wat kins, David J., Edward and Martha. Mr. Morris is an active and consistent member of the English Baptist church, and prominently identified with all active church work. He has been prominent in its councils, and has acceptably served as trustee. toENJAM1^ C. GULDIN, M. D., ex-coro ner of Schuylkill county, and one ofthe most prominent physicians of Minersville, same county, is a son of Benjamin H. and Mary (Rudy) Guldin, and was born at Mt. Carbon, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, January 5, 1849. The most remote ancestor of Dr. Guldin, of whom there is any definite knowledge is Daniel Guldin (his great-grandfather), who was a native of Switzerland, and while still a young man emigrated to the United States during their formative period. He settled in what is now Oley township, Berks county, Pennsylva nia, when the forests were still primeval and the red man had not as yet forsaken his haunts. Here he underwent the experiences incident to the life of the pioneer settler, se cured a farm, prepared it for cultivation, and before the close of his life he saw around him the evidences and birth-marks of a new com munity, characterized by progress and the growing forces of an older civilization. He died in the county of his adoption at an ad vanced age. Politically he was a strong dem ocrat ofthe Andrew Jackson type, and in those days threw himself into the national cam paigns with a great deal of party enthusiasm. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 593 In religion he was a follower of Calvin and united with the Presbyterian church. By his marriage he had twelve children, eleven sons and one daughter. One of these sons, Abraham, was the grandfather of Benjamin C. He was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in the memorable year 1775, on the old homestead, and continued to reside in that vicinity up to the year 1833. Prior to this latter date he engaged in farming, merchandising and hotel-keeping, the period elapsing from 1827 to 1833 having been spent at Womelsdorf in the latter occupation. In 1833 he became the owner and operator ofthe Mt. Pero forges, near Stanhope, Schuylkill county, and in the industry of iron manufac ture was one of the earliest in the county. He conducted the business at Stanhope until the year 1837, when he removed to Middle- town, Berks county, where he undertook the management of the Chrestean furnace for a year, when he was taken sick, returned home and died the same year, 1838. He, like his father, was an active democrat, but never became a seeker for office. In the year 1801 he was united in marriage with Hannah, a daughter of Joseph Horn, of Berks county, Pennsylvania, by which union were born five children, whose names are in order of birth: Joseph, deceased; Elizabeth, deceased; Benja min H., father; William, deceased; Catherine. Benjamin H. was born near Womelsdorf, in Lower Heidelberg township, county of Berks, Pennsylvania, on September 4, 181 3. He was educated in the common schools of his native county and through independent study, after which he registered with Dr. Adam Stronch, of Womelsdorf, as a student of medicine, in whose office he continued a course of reading for three years. In 1835 he went to Pine Grove, this county, and continued reading in 38 the office of Dr. J. G. Armstrong, meanwhile supplementing it with clinical observations and practice. Owing to his pecuniary cir cumstances, however, he was forced to relin quish the study of medicine and accepted a clerkship in the office of John Putt (or Potts), the pioneer iron manufacturer of Schuylkill county, whose works were near Cressona. He continued in this position for a period of two years, when he accepted a similar clerk ship at Jefferson furnace for a short time. In 1838 he engaged in contracting, first for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company — bridge work — continuing with' this company and the Schuylkill canal down to the year 1844. In this branch he was highly success ful and realized handsomely from a financial point of view. In 1845 he removed to Potts ville, where he has since resided, and has been largely engaged in the coal business, operating for a time the colliery at Mt. Laffee, now known as Beechwood. During the period ofthe civil war he dealt quite largely in horses and mules, and from 1850 to 1855 owned a jewelry store in Pottsville. Prior to that, from 1840 to 1850, he had been the owner of a drug-store in the same place. Politically he is a conservative republican, and has served as justice of the peace for twenty-five consecutive years in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. He is also prominent in frater nal circles, and is identified with the following organizations: Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., of which he is one of the oldest mem bers and a Past Master; Girard Lodge, No. 53, 1. O. O. F., of which he is a Past Grand. Mr. Guldin wedded the daughter of John Rudy, of Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill county, Dec. 26, 1839. This union bore fruit in the birth of four children: John A., married to Mary Mortimer, now retired and living in Pottsville, 594 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Pennsylvania; Hannah, deceased; Benjamin C, subject; William L., deceased. Mrs. Guldin (mother of the above children), died in 1853, aged thirty-five years. Mr. Guldin again mar ried, in 1 86 1, Jennie Engle, of Philadelphia, by whom there has been no issue. Dr. Benjamin C. Guldin received his educa tion in the public schools of Pottsville, from which he was graduated in 1 866. Immediately afterward he began reading medicine with Dr. A. H. Halberstadt, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Later he entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, from which he received his diploma March 10, 1870. After graduation he opened an office and began practice at Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, where he remained five years. In 1875 he removed to Minersville, where he succeeded in estab lishing a large and lucrative practice, and where he now resides. From June 1, 1890, to Januaiy 1, 1893, he served as coroner of Schuylkill county, during which time he had occasion to test the constitutionality of the Salary Act, in which he was sustained by the Supreme Court 6f the State. In the interim between 1885 and 1889, he was a member of the board of United States pension examin ers for Schuylkill county, and was re-appointed in 1893, and is now treasurer of that board. From 1882 to 1885, as well as from 1888 to 1889, he was physician to the county prison. Dr. Guldin is a member of St. Paul's Epis copal church, and is junior warden of the vestry. In politics he has always been an active democrat. He is also a member of Lodge, No. 207, B. P. O. E., at Pottsville, and of the county and State medical societies. He married August 15, 1 871, Alice M., a daughter of Jacob O. Roads (see sketch), of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. They have one daughter, Margaret. Dr. Guldin is well and favorably known throughout the county as a physician, a public official and as a man. He is a learned and skilled physician, and has had the advantages of a large and varied practice. In this respect he stands in the front rank of his profession. As a man he is genial, sympathetic, and pos sesses the attributes of kindness and cordiality. He commands the intelligent respect of all who have been thrown in relation with him, and uniformly inspires confidence and esteem. ?Y^ E- DOYLE, editor and proprietor of *-¦-*• the Shenandoah Sunday News, is a son of Dennis and Mary (Gleason) Doyle, and was born in Forestville, Cass township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on April 15, [856. His father was a native of Ireland, born in County Tipperary, in the year 18 1 5, and emi grated to the United States in 1852. His first and last location was Forestville, Schuylkill county, where both he and his wife died in the year 1892, the former in May and the latter in July. By occupation he was a miner, which had been with him a, life-long pursuit, in his native country as well as in the United States. Religiously, he was a member of St. Vincent De Paul's Roman Catholic church at Minersville. His marriage with Mary Gleason resulted in the .birth of six children, three sons and three daughters. Mrs. Kate Jenner, a leading business lady of Philadelphia ; Mrs. John O'Brien and Mary occupy the old homestead at Forestville ; D. J. and John are residents of Shenandoah and are connected with the News. M. E. Doyle was united in marriage with Bridget E. Delaney, a daughter of Martin and Bridget (Higgins) Delaney, of Shenan doah, Pennsylvania, on February 10, 1881. M. E. DOYLE. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 595 This union has resulted in an issue of two children : Catharine and Martin. He was educated in the public schools and was em ployed on a newspaper beginning with Novem ber 27, 1 87 1, at which time he began the trade of printing, with a view of becoming a newspaper compositor. He continued in the office of the Shenandoah Herald until the year 1878, when he started the Sunday News. In 1885 he took in his brother, D. J. Doyle, as a partner, and subsequently took in his brother, John E., as assistant editor. The paper is independent in politics, devoted largely to local, national and foreign news, and in form consists of eight pages, thirty-five by forty- eight inches. Mr. Doyle is a democrat in politics, but never allows his political prefer ence to control in any way the publication or conduct of his paper. The paper is conducted with a great deal of ability and tact, shows careful censorship, and is thoroughly abreast of the times both in point of contents and mechanical make-up. Because of its policy and recognized ability it has made itself influ ential. Its opinions on popular subjects and particularly upon the politics of the county are of a character that make them eagerly read and widely commented upon. It deserves and has a prominent place among the news papers of Schuylkill courity. Mr. Doyle is connected with Annunciation Roman Catholic church, of which he is a member and vigorous worker. He is ene of the earliest residents of Shenandoah and has seen the town grow from a mere village to its present proportions. /"?APTAIN W. F. STITZER, a hotel- ^ keeper of Schuylkill Haven, is a son of John D. and Sarah (Heckaman) Stitzer, and was born near Rehrersburg, Berks county, Pennsylvania, January 2, 1835. His father, John D. Stitzer, was born in Philadelphia on April 8, 1799. At the age of twenty-three years, he migrated to Berks county, and located at Rehrersburg, where he lived until he removed to Schuylkill Haven in 1844, at which latter place he thereafter lived until his death in 1879, aged 80 years. He was a shoemaker by trade. In politics he was, in early life, a whig, and later a repub lican, but never sought or held any office. He was a member of the Lutheran church for many years, and was an upright and highly respected citizen. He was married in 1822, to Sarah Heckaman, a daughter of Henry Heckaman, of Stoughburg, a soldier in the war of 1 81 2, and who died in 1853, at the age of seventy-eight years. To this marriage a family of thirteen children, six sons and seven daughters, were born, ten of whom are yet living ; of whom Francis A. and David N. enlisted in the Union service during the late civil war, and both served long terms of ser vice, from the beginning to the close of the war, with credit to themselves and honor to the family. Francis A. was born in Rehrers burg, Berks county, August 29, 1840, and •entered the Federal service as a private April 17, 1 86 1, but was promoted to the rank of ser geant, lieutenant and major, and was mustered out as major July 27, 1865. He served also as deputy collector of internal revenue at Easton, Pennsylvania, for fifteen years. He removed to Cheyenne, Wyoming, February 20, 1886, where he has since been engaged as an active business and military man, taking a prominent part also in the politics of that' young state. David H., after being mustered out of the service at the close of the war, had charge ofthe Gordon Plane of this County for a time, when he removed to Kansas, where he now lives, engaged in farming. 596 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Captain Stitzer was educated in the com mon schools of his town. He went on the canal as a driver in 1844, when but nine years of age, and continued boating on the Schuylkill canal until 1867. In 1855, he became a captain and ran between Schuylkill Haven and New York City until he quit boat ing in 1867. He is a republican in politics, and has always taken quite an active interest in local political affairs. In the spring of 1868, he was elected constable of Schuylkill Haven, and was re-elected from year to year, serving con tinuously for a period of twenty-four years when he resigned. He has also been tax collector from 1 869 up to the present time. In the mean time he has also collected the tax for North Manheim township, three different times, as well as that of Port Clinton once ; and he likewise collected $10,000 out of Shenandoah in 1878. He is recognized as an expert col lector, in which he has been very successful, as is shown by his long continuance in that position at home and having been so frequently called upon to collect taxes for other places. He has also been engaged as an auctioneer. On February 9, 1882, Captain Stitzer took charge of Stitzer's Cafe, which he has since been conducting as a hotel and restaurant. He has proven his ability to as successfully conduct this as the other lines of business in which he has been engaged, and has become a very popular boniface. He has been a member for some years of the Lutheran church, and has ever been an upright and highly respected citizen of Schuyl kill Haven. He married on August 19, 1857, Emma Hammes, a daughter of the late John Hammes, formerly of Berks county, but later a resident of Pottsville, where he died. By this union he has had a family of nine children, four sons and five daughters : Charles, a druggist by profession, who married Miss Grace Craver, and now resides at Central City, Nebraska ; Horace, a saddler, who lives at Seward, Nebraska ; William G., engaged with his father at home ; Garfield, at home ; Annie, wife of Benjamin Kline, of Philadelphia; Kate, wife of Lewis A. Greff, of Pottsville ; Susan, at home ; Ella, a teacher by profession, at Sudeburg ; and Carrie, at home. KEBER B. SMITH, of Pottsville, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Robert Smith, and was born in the county and state above mentioned ori April 18, 183 1. His father, Robert Smith, was a native of Lincolnshire, England, but emigrated to America. Immediately after landing he pro ceeded to Pottsville, Schuylkill county, and located on Mahantango street, where he continued to live until his death. He was a plumber by trade, and during the first part of his residence in Pottsville pursued that business. Afterwards he became superin tendent of the Central turnpike, running from Northumberland to Reading, and held that position for quite a number of years. At the time of his death he was still in the employ of the company operating that road. Religiously he was a member of the Episcopal church. He married, prior to his leaving England, and had a family of ten children : Mary, deceased ; Virginia, deceased ; George M., a plumber of Pottsville; Heber B., subject; Edward Shippen, of Cleveland, Ohio, a tinsmith by occupation ; Emily, the wife of John Lanch, of Frackville, Pennsylvania; Robert, a green grocer of She nandoah, Pennsylvania ; Benjamin F., a soldier of the late civil war, and a resident of Wyom ing Territory. During the late civil war Heber B. Smith OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 597 entered company A, 27th regiment, Pennsyl vania Volunteer Infantry, under command of Captain David Smith, and served six months. After his return he was united in marriage with Elizabeth J. Kautner, a daughter of John Kautner, one of the oldest citizens of Potts ville. This marriage has been productive of an issue of four children : John Charles N., a ranch man located in the State of Colorado ; Susie, at home ; Andrew Russel, a professor of music, in the employ of the Empire Theatre, formerly graduated from the Broad Street Conservatory of Music, Philadelphia; Mollie J., deceased, formerly wife of James Gorman, of Denver, Colorado. Fraternally, he is a mem ber of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M. ; Mountain City Chapter, No. 196; and Con stantine Commandery, No. 41, K. T., of Potts ville. He is also a member of Miners' Lodge> No. 20, I. O. O. F., and Independent Order of Red Men. He is connected with nearly all the fraternal and beneficial organizations of his borough, and also with Gowen Post, No. 23, G. A. R., and the First Baptist church. HON. CALVIN W. BROWER, ex-Assem blyman, secretary and general manager of the Tremont Engine and Boiler works, and a man who has taken more than an ordinary interest in the business development and growth of the borough of Tremont, is a son of John B. and Elizabeth (Schofield) Brower, and was born in Pine Grove, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, January 3, 1841. Abraham Brower, paternal great-grandfather, was a native of Berks county, this state, and resided on the old homestead, located on the banks of the Schuylkill below Douglassville, which was in possession of the Browers from 1750 to 1865. He owned quite a large tract of land there, upon which he constructed iron works, and operated them for a great many years. Here he ended his days. Abram Brower, paternal grandfather, was born on the old home estate, and died there in 1820, at the age of seventy years. He suc ceeded to his father's business, and continued to look after the farm and conduct the iron works, manufacturing farming implements principally. He married, and had a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters. At this time the family were all Episcopalians. John B. Brower, father, was born on the old homestead December 5, 1805, and died in Tre mont, this county, in 1880. He attended school with the noted Benjamin Bannan, of Pottsville. His earlier years were spent on the Union canal, which connected Pine Grove with the Philadelphia and Schuylkill canal at Read ing. He owned a boat and transported coal for a number of years, there being no railroads at that time. Subsequently he became man ager of the Eckert furnace, owned by Dr. Eckert, of Reading, now known as the Elwood furnace. This position he held for about ten years. From 1845 to 1850 he conducted the Stanhope furnace, located two miles east of Pine Grove, this county. About 1850 he en tered the employ of Mr. Henry Heil, then ex tensively engaged in the coal business and other enterprises, Mr. Brower being book keeper and manager. Originally he was an old-line whig, but on its organization he cast his fortune with the Republican party. Three years of the time with which he was associated with Mr. Heil he was postmaster of Tremont. Prior to his coming to Schuylkill county, in 1830, he was an active and consistent member ' of the Episcopalian church. His first marriage was with Elizabeth Schofield, to whom four children were born, three sons and one daugh- 598 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ter. She (mother) died in Pine Grove in 1841, at the age of thirty-two years. He afterward married Lucy Hertzog, and by her had two children, both sons. Hon. Calvin W. Brower's mother died when he was only three months old, and the cares consequent to his childhood were cast upon friends for ten years, until 185 1, when his father's second marriage was celebrated. In 1852 he removed with his father to Tremont, where, in the common schools, he received his education. From the age of thirteen to fifteen he was employed as a clerk in the store of Henry Heil, working through the summer and attending school during the winter. At the expiration of this time he was apprenticed to C. A. & A. M. Seltzer, of Tremont, to learn the machinist trade, which he completed. At the age of seventeen he took a trip west, and was in Kansas during the agitation of the slavery question, in which John Brown figured so prominently. In 1859, while at Leaven worth, Kansas, he assisted in the construction of the first steam engine that was built west of the Mississippi river. From Leavenworth he removed to St. Joseph, Missouri, where he followed his trade for a short time, after which he was working at different places between St- Paul and St. Louis. He then went to New Orleans, and in 1861 returned home on the first boat not searched by the South. On the breaking out of the civil war he enlisted at Tremont in Company L, 3d Pennsylvania cavalry, for three years. He served in the Army of the Potomac, participating in all the regular engagements of the entire three years, never being absent from his company, and was honorably discharged at Philadelphia in Sep tember, 1864. On his return from the war he resumed his trade, and was soon made super intendent of the Donaldson Iron works, of Tremont. In 1878 he leased the Tremont Iron works, which were established in 1847 by Um holtz & Lentz, and operated them until 1892, when the business was resolved into a stock company known as the Tremont Engine and Boiler Works, of which Mr. Brower is secre tary and general manager. They manufacture engines, boilers, mining machinery and archi tectural work. He is an active republican in politics, and has been a member of the board of school di rectors, and also of the borough council for three years. In 1886 he was a delegate to the Republican State Convention, and in the ses sion of 1889 and 1890 he represented the Fourth district, Schuylkill cpunty, in the Penn sylvania legislature. He is prominently con nected with a number of secret organizations ; he is a member of Williams Post, No. 136, G. A. R., of which he has been quartermaster for a number of years ; Tremont Lodge, No. 245, I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Grand; Tremont Encampment ; Swatara Lodge, No. 267, F. and A. M., of which he has been Past Master for the past twenty- four years; Tre mont Chapter, No. 221, R. A. M., of which he is Past High Priest. He is the oldest past officer ofthe Blue Lodge and the Chapter, and has filled every elective office in them. Pie married, on December 25, 1865, Eliza beth Bixler, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Bixler, of Donaldson, Schuylkill county, this State. To them were born six children : Clara B., Lewis W., Mamie B., John B., Harry S. and Walter S. Mr. Brower is a man of great business ca pacity, integrity, public spirit and enterprise, and is a representative man of his county. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 599 TAMES M. MADISON, a florist of Potts- ^ ville, Pennsylvania, and a veteran of the civil war, is a son of Anthony and Harriet (Dick) Madison, and was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, April 21, 1845. Anthony Madison, father, was born ih Dur ham county, England, but transferred his resi dence to Pottsville, Pa., where he died in 1865. James M. Madison's mother, Harriet Dick, was a native of Scotland, but came with her father to Pottsville. Anthony and Mary Dick Madison were the parents of thirteen children : four sons and nine daughters ; eleven are yet living. James learned the trade of a florist, under the employ of Benja min Bannan, with whom he served a term of eighteen years. When Pennsylvania was threatened with an invasion, after the battle of Antietam, in 1862, Mr. Madison was one among so many patriotic boys of Schuylkill county who rushed to the defense of the Commonwealth in the Emergency service. He enlisted in Company " B," 39th regiment, and was mustered out at the end of three months. In July, 1864, he re-enlisted in Company " H," 194th regiment, for the re mainder of the war. He was mustered out in June, 1865, by reason of the close of the conflict. In 1884 he went into the horticul tural business on his own account, starting what is now known as Park Nursery. His houses are ample and well equipped, and contain 25,- 000 square feet of glass. His product is always of the best quality and has become so popular that he fills many orders throughout the surrounding country. He is the present Senior Vice Commander of Gowen Post, No. 23, G. A. R. Mr. Madison married Cevilla, a daughter of Eli Faust, of Pottsville. To them have been bom two children : Theodore and Alexander M. j^ROFESSOR CHARLES D. ARTERS, ex-postmaster of Tremont and superin tendent of the schools of Tremont township, this county, is a son of Robert and Harriet (Cox) Arters, and was born in Caernarvon township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, December 1 1, 1834. John Arters, paternal great-grandfather, a descendant of Quaker stock, born in the north of Ireland, emigrated to the United States during her early colonial history, and settled near the present site of Downingtown, Chester county, Pennsylvania. Several of his brothers fought in the war of the Revolution. John Arters, paternal grandfather, was reared near Downingtown, Chester county, this state, where he died in 1852, at the age of sixty-nine years. His remains were in terred in Brandy Manor Presbyterian ceme tery. He and his father before him were pioneer farmers of that county. Some of his relatives were engaged in the manufacture of wooden plates, with which they supplied the soldiers of the Revolution. In politics, he was a democrat from principle, and belonged to the Friends' Society. He married Anna Miller, a descendant of one of the early Eng lish Quaker families that settled in Chester county, and had by her a family of three sons and one daughter. His father, Robert Arters, was born near Downingtown, in 181 2, and on reaching his majority removed to near Churchtown, Lan caster county, where he passed away in the year 1856. By trade he was a tanner, but most of his life was devoted to farming, especially the latter part of it. In politics, he was an active democrat, and successively filled most of the offices of his township. Though entertaining many of the doctrines held by the Friends, yet he never identified himself HOO BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY with them. . He married Harriet Cox, the talented daughter of John Cox, who was born in Lancaster county, this State, in 1769, and died there in 1852. His life was spent prin cipally in tilling the soil. He entertained the doctrines of the Episcopal church, and was one of its most devoted and consecrated members. In his younger days he was a federalist, but later in life a democrat. He married Catherine (Kochler) Keller, to whom were born ten children, seven sons and three daughters. Robert Arters, father, reared a family of eleven children, six sons and five daughters, nine of whom lived to grow to maturity. Prof. Charles D. Arters received his. educa tion in the common schools of Lancaster county and Caernarvon Academy. He was a close, industrious student, and his work was always thoroughly prepared. At the age of twenty- four he commenced to teach, having chosen the profession as his life work. His first experience was in the common schools of Lancaster county, where he taught with marked success for six years. In 1868, he removed to Newcastle, Schuylkill county, since which time he has taught continuously. He removed from Newcastle to St. Clair in 1868, thence to Tremont in 1872, where he has since resided. In 1869, he was elected principal ofthe schools of Tremont township, and so satisfactory has been his work that he has been continued in his position until the present time (1893), a complimeut bestowed upon few of the profession. He is abreast of the times, being conversant with all the mod ern ideas of education, and ranks deservedly high among the teachers of the county. He is a staunch republican, and was appointed postmaster of Tremont under the Harrison regime in 1889, and in connection with this office conducted a stationery store. In re ligion he is a consistent member of the Epis copal church. On February 14, 1864, he enlisted as a private for one year, in Company K, 195th regiment,' Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, and did active service in the field. He now belongs to Lieutenant Williams Post, No. 136, G. A. R. He is a member of Caer- narvon Lodge, No. 357, I. O. O. F., and is Past Master of Swatara Lodge, No. 267, F. and A. M. Professor Arters was married to Ellen Hoff man, a daughter of Jacob and Eliza Hoffman, of Lancaster county, this State, December 22, 1 869. This marriage has been blest * with two children : Ida, wife of George Haak, a colliery smith, of Pottsville ; and Laura, mar ried to Charles A. Snyder, an attorney, of Pottsville. As a professional man and upright Christian gentleman, none of the citizens of Tremont are held in higher esteem than is Prof. Charles D. Arters. HON. MALACHI C. WATSON, ex-Sen ator from the Thirtieth Senatorial dis trict of Pennsylvania, and a well-known and respected citizen of Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Michael and Bridget (Higgins) Watson, and was born March 31, 1845, in Pottsville, this county. Michael Watson, father, was born in Athlone, County Roscommon, Ireland, where he lived until 1840 or 1 84 1, when, seeking to better his condition, he emigrated to America and located first in Pottsville. He was a man possessing a fine education for those days, and withal possessed a natural ability and aptitude that made him a valuable man in almost any line of business, consequently he became a bookkeeper for a coal operator by the name HON. MALACHI C. WATSON. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 601 of Kelley, who operated at New Castle, not far from Pottsville, in which position he was acting at the time of his death in 1848, at Valley Furnace, near New Philadelphia. His remains now peacefully repose in the Catholic Cemetery No. 2, at Pottsville. His union with Bridget Higgins, June 8, 1844, in Philadelphia, was blessed with two children : Malachi and James, who was born August 29, 1846, and was killed by acci dentally being run over by a coal train while attempting to board the same at Glen Carbon this county, on September 14, 1 861. The mother of Malachi Watson married a second time to Martin Delaney, who died in Shenan doah, February 24, 1886. Mr. Watson was educated in the public schools, but at the early age of seven years commenced picking slate in the breaker at Silver Creek, Schuylkill county, and at other times served in the following positions in and around the mines : tending door, blowing the fan, and driving mules until he was fourteen years of age, when he engaged with his step father in the contract of driving a coal breast. At the age of about 18 years he engaged, with his uncle, Michael Higgins, one year in boating, transporting government supplies from Philadelphia to Alexandria and Wash ington, D. C, during war times. He, after this, again returned to Schuylkill county, loca ting about the middle of January, 1863, in Shenandoah, and again took up mining which he pursued until 1869, when he moved to Ashland and embarked in the wholesale liquor trade for a term of six years. His business venture in Ashland was a successful one finan cially and having accumulated sufficiently, he in the meantime, built the store which he now occupies at No. 116 and 118 South Main Street, Shenandoah. The building is in a good location, is three stories high, thirty feet front by seventy-two feet deep with stabling and carriage rooms attached, thirty by fifty-five feet. He moved into his present place in 1875, and opened up a wholesale and retail liquor trade, and shortly afterward in 1877 added to it that of a first-class livery business, and in 1879 still further increased his business lines by the addition of a wholesale business in porter, ale and beer, which three lines of busi ness he now very successfully pursues. In the Centennial year being possessed of a de sire to see and learn something of the land of his father's nativity, he made a trip to Ireland and had the pleasure of meeting an uncle and an aunt on his father's side; as well as many other relations from whom he learned that his remote ancestors were probably among the Scotch Covenanters, that emigrated to Ireland at an early date. After spending some time in traveling over the Island, studying the manners, customs and institutions of the people he crossed the Channel to Liverpool, England, where he remained some time and from which place he took ship to Philadelphia. Mr. Watson has been a very successful business man and has accumulated consider able realty. In addition to that already de scribed he owns what is known as the Watson House Block, situated on the southeast corner of Center and Main Streets, Shenandoah, the Haskey restaurant building near the Lehigh Valley Depot, same town, besides real estate in Homestead, Allegheny county, Pennsyl vania, and is also interested in iron ore and marble lands in Caladega county, Alabama. Although his life has always been one of business activity, yet he has found time to devote to the duties of politics. His political faith is expressed in the principles and policies of the Democratic party, of which party he ha 602 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY always been an ardent adherent and supporter. In 1886, he was elected from the Thirtieth Senatorial district of Pennsylvania to repre sent it in the upper house ofthe Pennsylvania legislature, and served a full term of four years with credit to himself and entire satis faction to the people whom he represented. For the last sixteen years he has been an active member of Columbia Hose Company No. 1, of Shenandoah, and since twenty-four years of age has been a member of St. Patrick's Society. On September 30, 1867, Senator Watson was united in marriage to Ann, a daughter of Bryan and Ann Monaghan, of Ashland, their union has been blest with the following children : Mary, a teacher of music and Annie; three died young. HON. BENJAMIN KAUFMAN. Among the prominent citizens and public men of Schuylkill county who stand high in Ma sonic circles, and who are popular with the people, is ex-assemblyman, Benjamin Kauf man. He is a son of Jonas and Sarah (Boyer) i Kaufman, and was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, September 15, 1836. Two brothers, Jonas and Christian Kaufman, born in Wurtemburg, Germany, emigrated to America in 1680, and settled in Lancaster county, being among the first settlers. Their descendants located in Lykens Valley, this county, while yet the Indian claimed posses sion. Many times they were driven from their settlements by the attacks of the savages, but leaving their families at Pine Grove, always returned and retook their homes. Great bravery and courage were displayed by these Pennsylvania pioneers of civilization. Samuel Kaufman, paternal grandfather, was born in Lykens Valley, Schuylkill county, this state, in a part now known as Hubley township, where he lived and died at an early age. He followed farming all his life, owning a large, rich farm. In politics he was a whig, and in religion a consistent Lutheran. He married a Miss Klueger, to whom were born eight children, six sons and two daughters : Jacob, who was a merchant of Lykens Valley, but who is now dead ; Henry and Samuel, both dead ; Samuel was a civil engineer and served one term as county commissioner of Schuylkill county, and for a long time was cashier of the First National Bank of Miners ville, Pennsylvania. He also represented Schuylkill county one session in the Pennsyl vania Legislature ; Emanuel, who for a while followed the merchandise business, but went West, enlisted in the civil war, and after being promoted to the rank of captain died from typhoid fever ; John, a farmer, but now dead ; Mary, married to a Mr. Baker, of Treverton, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania; and Sarah, now dead. Jonas Kaufman, father, was born in Lykens Valley, Schuylkill county, this state, in 18 15. After following his trade, that of millright, for twelve years, he engaged in the mercantile business at Valley View, where he continued until 1845, when he removed to Llewellyn, Pennsylvania, and engaged in the mercantile business, at which place he died in 1859. He, in 1B50, sold out and commenced taking contracts for building breakers and houses, which he continued until his death. He was a whig in politics, and in religion an acceptable member of the Lutheran church. In the agitation ofthe common school system he was one of its most ardent advocates. He married Sarah Boyer, a daughter of Peter Boyer, who originally lived in Berks county, but removed to Stone Valley, Northumberland county, where he died. To this union were OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 603 born six children, three sons and three daugh ters : Benjamin ; Elias, a merchant of Tower City ; John, merchant and postmaster of Wi- conisco, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania; Sarah, wife of Frederick E. Palmer, of Philadelphia ; Mary J., married to Adam Miller, of Potts ville; and Esther, wife of Louis Bache, a resident of Llewellyn. Benjamin Kaufman received his education in the common schools of Llewellyn, where he resided until 1861. At the age of twelve years he accepted a clerkship, which he pur sued for twenty-two years. He was so suc cessful that at the age of seventeen he was made manager of Mr. Donald's store in Llewellyn, Pennsylvania. He continued with him for three years, after which he was employed by Tyson & Kendrick as manager and book keeper of their store at Gilberton, Pennsyl vania, with whom he stayed until 1864, when the colliery was sold to the Gilberton Coal Company. In 1864 Mr. Kaufman purchased the store at Gilberton, and conducted it until 1866, selling out and removing to Wiconisco, Dauphin county, where he again went into the mercantile business, but continued only two years, after which he became a member ofthe firm of Savage Bros. & Kaufman, and opened up the Brookside colliery near Tower City. After operating it successfully for four years, they sold out to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. He is an active republican in politics, and represented Schuyl kill county in the Pennsylvania legislature in the session of 1873, though his district was largely democratic. He was a candidate for re-elecfJon, but was defeated by a very narrow margin. In the fall of 1869 he removed to Tremont, where he has since resided. While there he has served on the board of school directors for nine years. He is a member of Tremont Lodge, No. 256, I. O. O. F. ; Tre mont Castle, No. 2 1 6 ; Captain of Mount Eagle Commandery, No. 74, Knights of the Golden Eagle; Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is a charter member; Tremont Chapter, No. 221, Royal Arch Masons, of which he is Past High Priest ; Philadelphia Council, No. 1 1 '; Hermit Com mandery, No. 24, at Lebanon, Pennsylvania, of which he is Past Eminent Commander; Philadelphia Consistory of Ancient Accepted Scottish Right Masons, and is a 32d degree mason of the Northern Jurisdiction of the United States. He married Anna M. Reed, a daughter of Henry and Maria Reed, of Llewellyn, Schuyl kill county, this state, May 20, 1855. This union has been blessed with ten children : Irwin M., married to Anna Albright, employed as a manufacturer in the Kopitzsch Soap Com pany ; Lillie, wife of Charles Adams, a printer of Tower City; Anna S. ; Ulysses B., married to Sarah E. Haerther. He died November 21, 1893. Harry L., married to Sallie Rich ards, clerk in a Tremont lumber yard; Lizzie, wife of E. H. Bretzins, a miner, and lives in Tremont ; Carrie, a popular teacher and gradu ate of Millersville State Normal School, class of 1890; Minnie R., J. Howard, and Sadie E., who still remain at home. f\R- WILLIAM A. HAWK, a skillful, ^^ successful and popular physician and surgeon of Tower City, this county, was born at Lykens, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, October 11, 1859, and is a son of David and Elizabeth (Alvord) Hawk. Jonathan Hawk, who was a prosperous farmer and railroad contractor, resided most, if not all, his life at Lykens, Dauphin county 604 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Pennsylvania, where his son David, father of subject, was born September 19, 1838, and where he has resided ever since. In early life he was employed in and about the mines, and did all the various kinds of work from that of a slate picker on the breaker to a miner. In 1870, he, with Edward Miller, under the style of Hawk & Miller, opened and operated the Short Mountain colliery for a period of ten years, supplying the local trade of Lykens Valley with coal. In 1880, Mr. Hawk re linquished the arduous duties and turmoils of an active business career, and now lives in retirement at Lykens, Pennsylvania, enjoying comparative ease and comfort in his declining years. He belongs to the party of Grant and Garfield, and has always taken an active interest in the advancement and success of the party with which he is identified, but is in no sense an office-seeker. He has served as a member of the borough council a number of terms. His matrimonial alliance with Eliza beth, a daughter of George and Elizabeth Alvord, of Wiconisco, on February 17, 1858, has been blessed with ten children, five sons and five daughters. Dr. Hawk was educated in the public schools of Lykens, Pennsylvania, and was graduated with honor from the high schools of that place in the class of 1876. Immediately after his graduation, he began reading medicine, under the preceptorship of Dr. W. J. Smith of Lykens, Pennsylvania. After having read with him two full years, he entered the Jeffer son Medical College of Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated in 1880. In connection with a general medical course, he also took a special course in Will's Eye Hospital, under Professor Keiser and Dr. Hall, president of that institution, as well as a special course on the ear, nose and throat, in the hospital of the Jefferson Medical college. After having thus thoroughly prepared him self for the successful practice of his chosen profession, he located at Johnstown, Porter township, this county, where he practiced until 1887, when he removed to Tower City, this county. Here by close application to his professional duties, and by ready diagnosis and skillful treatment of disease, he has de veloped an enviable and lucrative general practice, as well as a good practice in the specialties of the ear, eye, nose and throat. He is an active worker in and a liberal contributor to the Lutheran church, and like his father, a firm believer in the doctrines and principles of the Republican party, and he has served four years as school director of Porter township. He is prominently and actively identified with a number of fraternal organiza tions ; he is a member of William's Valley Lodge, No. 466, K. of P. ; Washington Camp, No. 52, P. O. S. of A., of which he is Past President ; Washington Commandery, No. 22, of which he is Past Commander ; William's Valley Lodge, No. 317, Junior Order of Ameri can Mechanics, of which he is Past Counsellor ; and to the Knights of the Golden Eagle. His marital union with Ellen, a daughter of Jack son and Mary Moyer of Auburn, this county, on October 22, 1882, has been blessed with four children : Bertha, deceased ; George W., David J. and Lottie M. Dr. Hawk is a congenial and affable com panion, as well as a skillful and succesful practitioner of medicine. 1UTICHAEL THORNTON, a successful re- A tired business man, and a highly re spected citizen of Union township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Patrick and OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 605 Leonora (Hogan) Thornton, and was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, in 1830. In 1854 Mr. Thornton .left the " Emerald Isle" and sought his fortune in the New World. He came into the Catawissa valley, and located in Union township, at what is now known as the Ringtown station, on the Cata wissa Railroad. In 1855, soon after his arrival, he was employed as a watchman on the Cata wissa railroad, in which position he continued as a trusted and faithful employee for twenty- five years. In 1880, with the savings accumulated while in this position, he purchased a farm of twenty- five acres, all well improved, and having upon it a hotel property formerly known as the American House, and now lives in easy re tirement upon this property. In 1854 he married Margaret Toomly, of County Tippe rary, Ireland. Nine children are the fruit of this marriage — four are living : Michael, Jr., a farmer, and resides with his father; Mary, the wife of Michael Connery, a hotel-keeper at Shenandoah ; John L., at home, and the man ager of his father's hotel ; and Maggie, at home. HOBERT LITTLEHALES, a prosperous merchant of St. Nicholas, this county, is a son of William and Mary (Whitehead) Littlehales, and was born July 12, 1846, at Silver Creek, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania. William Littlehales, father, Was born in England, where he was reared, and came to America in 1830, and located in the vicinity of Pottsville. He was an experienced miner, and his first position in this country was that of a mining superintendent. He opened up the col liery known as Greenberry Valley ; he then held positions of trust in his line at Silver Creek, New Philadelphia and St. Clair, where he opened up a colliery for himself, which he operated a number of years. He then opened another colliery at Broad Mountain, which he successfully operated fourteen years, in the meantime operating also a colliery at St. Clair; this colliery, however, was burned down, and the one at Broad Mountain at the expira tion of the lease. He then retired to Pottsville, where he spent the remainder of his days, dying in 1867. He married the mother of our subject, and had a family of eight boys and two girls : John, who is a machinist and resides at Raw lins, Wyoming Territory ; Robert, died in in fancy ; William H,, who was a mine superin tendent and was murdered by the " Mollie Maguires" in 1867; Richard, a resident of Mahanoy City, a miner and a veteran of the civil war, serving in 48th regiment, Company F ; Thomas C, a resident of St. Nicholas, this county, an engineer by avocation and a veteran also of the civil war, having served in the same regiment as his brother, Thomas ; Daniel, who was burned to death by an accident at the age of fourteen years ; subject; Washing ton, deceased since 1881 ; Mary Ann, the wife of Robert Morrison, deceased ; she lives at Shamokin, Pennsylvania; and Sarah J., the wife of Thomas P. Davies, now deceased ; he was the brother of Lieutenant-Governor Davies. Mr. Littlehales married, on February 3, 1867, Harriet, a daughter of Jonathan Okom, of Schuylkill county, and a soldier in the 48th regiment, Company F, in the civil war. To this union have been born two children : Wil liam Henry, married Elizabeth Cameron — he now resides in Mahanoy City ; and Jonathan, at home. Mr. Littlehales was educated in the common 606 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY schools of his day, and in 1885 went into a mercantile business in St. Nicholas, and has been in that business there ever since. In 1888, in addition to hjs mercantile busi ness, he commenced the manufacture of over alls, coats, etc., and has continued that line of business to the present time. He is a member of Mahanoy City Lodge, No- 357. F- and A. M., of which he is a Past Master, and is the present presiding officer of Mizpah Chapter, No. 252, R. A. M., and of Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 31, Knights Tem plar, at Mahanoy City. He is a republican in political principle, and has served as postmaster at St. Nicholas ever since it was established. Prior to his embarking in the mercantile business, he commenced picking slate in the breaker at the age of eight years, and followed mining in its various promotions until he be came an outside foreman for William Ken- drick, at Girardville ; then he became inside foreman for William Taggart, at Mt. Pleasant, and then served as superintendent for his father a number of years. JONATHAN HETHERINGTON, a retired farmer, of Ringtown, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and a man possessing in a marked degree the confidence and the respect of the community in which he lives, is a son of George and Nancy (Walton) Hetherington, and first saw the light of day in County Dur ham, England, on April 1, 1826. With the praiseworthy purpose of trying to better his condition, he, in 1840, left the land of his nativity and settled in St. Clair, this county. St. Clair was his home for twenty- four years, when he, in 1865, crossed the mountains and located in Union township two and one-half miles from Ringtown, on a farm, where he lived and successfully culti vated this farm until the spring of 1893, when he left the farm and removed to Ringtown, where he is now enjoying the fruits ofa well- spent and industrious life, in peaceful retire ment, honored and respected by all who have relations with him. He is of the party of Lincoln and Garfield and Harrison, and is serving as a member of the school board of Union township. He is an ardent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married Catherine Burgeth and has seven children : Edward, Clara, Albert, Mary, Sallie, Charles, and Mattie. C" AMUEL DRASHER, a well-known hotel keep'er, of Ringtown, Pennsylvania, is the son of George and Susanna (Bowman) Drasher, and was born September 25, 1816, in Mifflinville township, Columbia county, Penn sylvania. Mr. Drasher's limited education was ob tained in the common schools of Columbia county. He was reared upon a farm, and naturally took up that line of business, in which, by dint of industry, he has been emi nently successful. He followed that line of work in Columbia county until 1844, when -he came into the Catawissa valley, locating in Schuylkill county, about two miles south of Ringtown, in Union township. Then he pur chased a small farm, to which he afterward .added by purchase until now it is a large farm of 312 acres. He afterward purchased a farm of 103^ acres in North Union township. Upon the first-named farm he lived until 1888, when he purchased the Eagle Hotel, of Ringtown, and has since resided there, engaged in the management of this first-class hostelry. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 607 Mr. Drasher has been twice married. His first union was with Elizabeth Hedler, of Columbia county. To them five children were born : John (dead), Boyd, Peter, George, and Elizabeth. He married the second time to Anna Lindemuth, and has by this marriage the following children ; Henry, David, Charles, Annie, Nima, Emma, Fannie, and Ida. />: H. ROBENOLD, D. D. S., the indus- N*# trious, skillful and popular young den tist of Tremont, Pennsylvania, is a son of Moses and Susan (Oswold) Robenold, and was born at Chapman's Station, Lehigh county, Pennsyl vania, August 2, 1870. Isaac Robenold, pa ternal grandfather, was a native of Seipstown, Lehigh county, where he resided on a large farm all his life, and where he died in 1865, at the age of sixty-two years. He was a staunch democrat of the Jackson school, and a con sistent member of the Lutheran church. He married Judea Walbert, and had a family of thirteen children. Moses Robenold, father, was born in Weisenburg township, near Seips town, Lehigh county, this state, June 2, 1833, and died at Chapman's Station, August 1, 1891. Until 1874 he had been engaged in farming, when he removed to Chapman's Sta tion and became the proprietor of Chapman's hotel, which he continued to conduct until 1890, at which time he retired from busi ness. He was a firm . democrat, and an active member ofthe Lutheran church, having been a deacon for many years. He was prom inently connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In 1856 he married Susan Oswold, a daughter of Samuel Oswold, a pros perous farmer of Mulltown, Berks county, where he resided most of his life. In 1891, one year after he had retired from active life, he died at Chapman's Station, under the weight of fifty-eight years. To this marriage three sons were born : Milton B., a grocer of Reading, Pennsylvania; Albert S., a graduate of the Philadelphia Dental College, class of 1887, who resides in Allentown; and G. H. (subject). G. H. Robenold received a thorough Eng lish education in the public schools. Early in life there developed in him an inclination to study dentistry. He entered the office of his brother Albert, a dental surgeon, with whom he took an eighteen months' course prepara tory to registering in the Philadelphia Dental College. He was apt in his studies, skillful in his work, and was graduated from that well- known institution with honor in the spring of 1890. Immediately thereafter he opened up an office in Coopersburg, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, and two months later an office at Allentown. He practiced alternately at these places until 1891, when he removed to Tremont, where he has since continued his profession, establishing branch offices at Pine Grove and Tower City. December 26, 1891, he married Mary Kalb, a worthy daughter of Israel and Martha A. Kalb, of Lehigh county, this state, to whom one child, Martha S., has been born. Mr. Robenold is an intelligent and reliable young dentist, and richly deserves the increasing confidence and practice which he enjoys. TA^ALTER E. MURPHY, the genial pro- prietor of the Merchants' Hotel at Mahanoy Plane, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, is a son of Edward and Elizabeth (Cul len) Murphy, and was born in New PhiladeU phia, this county, on August 23, 1854. His father was born in County Wexford, 608 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Ireland, and emigrated to the United States while still a young man, and settled in Mid dleport, Schuylkill county, later removing to New Philadelphia, where he died in the year 1855, at the age of twenty-four years. By occupation he was a miner, and during his short life this continued to be his chief occu pation. He was united in marriage with the daughter of Thomas Cullen, oflreland, County Wexford, and had a family of three children, two daughters and one son. After his death, Mrs. Murphy married Hugh Haggerty, by whom she had a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters. She died in Tusca rora, Schuylkill county, in the year 1890, at the age of sixty-two years. She was a native of Syracuse, New York. Walter E. Murphy was united in marriage, first to Ella Coleman, daughter of Patrick and Hannah Coleman, of Tuscarora, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, May 3, 1 881, by whom he had four children : Edwin, John, Frank, and Irene, deceased. Mrs. Murphy died on November 15, 1890, and he again* married on April 20, 1892, Annie Boes, of Tuscarora, this county, a daughter of Kyran and Fanny Boes. His education was received in the common schools of his native place, and about the age of fifteen years he was em ployed about the breakers of the collieries as a slate picker, where he continued for a time, and was then employed as an engineer, first as fireman, and then in full control down to the year 1880. From the year 1880 to 1882 he resided in Leadville, Colorado, where he was employed as a silver miner. At the end of this time, however, he returned to Mahanoy Plane, and became the proprietor of the Mer chants' Hotel, which he has conducted down to the present time with a marked degree of success. In his political affiliations he is a supporter of the Democratic party, in which he takes a lively interest. Religiously, he is a member of the Roman Catholic church. JOHN HULLIHAN, the oldest resident and a favorably known citizen of Gilber ton, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Bridget (Nolan) Hullihan, and was born in Ireland, on June 1, 1838. After his immigration to the United States in 1846, he located in Schuylkill county, at a place known as West West, where at the early age of ten years he was introduced into the mines, and worked there continuously down to about the year 1888, when he gave up the occupa tion of mining. Six years prior f:o this time, he erected a hotel in Gilberton, and has con ducted it in connection with a saloon down to the present time. Politically he is an active supporter of the Democratic party, and as such has served as a member of the borough council, for a period of six years. Prior to his becoming a resident of the borough, he had served as a member of the school board of Mahanoy township for six years. He also served one year as clerk of the borough council. Mr. Hullihan has been identified with the borough of Gilberton for a greater length of time than any other of its citizens. He became a resident of that place in the autumn of 1862, and has seen it grow from a mere hamlet to a town of nearly 4,000 popula tion. He was united in marriage on April 30, 1865, to Ann Matthews, a daughter of John and Alice Matthews of Gilberton, and has a family of ten children, nine of whom are living. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. G09 FATHER JOSEPH A. LENARK IEWICZ, is pastor of Saint Cassimer's Polish Roman Catholic Church at Shenan doah, Pennsylvania. This church is located on the corner of Jarden and Apple streets. The congregation of which Father Lenar kiewicz is the pastor was organized in about 1872 by Andrew Strupisnke with about twenty-five families. Rev. Strupisnke remained pastor until 1877. The church building at that time was twenty feet front by forty deep, and an unpainted, un- plastered, plank structure roofed with boards. In 1877 Father Lenarkiewicz took charge and at once began to make many needed improve ments. He, in addition to painting, plastering and roofing it, built two additions, each ten by twelve feet. In 1882, the congregation having grown very large and the old building being inadequate to accommodate them, Father Lenarkiewicz erected a new church building on the site of the old one. The new building is a brick structure forty feet front by eighty- three feet deep, and in 1887 he built an ad dition to this building of fifty by thirty feet. It is now a very fine structure, presenting a good appearance, and contains five altars. The congregation has rapidly grown until it now contains at least 2,500 souls. HON. PATRICK CONRY, a public-spirted citizen of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania and ex-representative in the Pennsylvania Legislature from the First District of Schuyl kill county, is the son of Michael and Nora (Mellet) Conry, and was born in County Mayo, Ireland, December 18, 1846. His father was also a native of Ireland, County Galway, and emigrated to the United States in 1850. His first place of settlement after 39 his arrival in this country, was at St. Clair, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, whence he removed to Ashland, same county, and in 1873, from there to Shenandoah. In the latter place he died in 1880, at the age of eighty-three years. He gained his livelihood through the occupation of a miner, and throughout his life "in Schuylkill county, was engaged in and about the mines. His family comprises three sons and four daughters. Patrick Conry received his education in the national schools of his native county, which all told amounted to about three years. At the age of nine years he was brought in con tact with the mining industry, and the greater part of his life since that time has been engaged in that occupation. Since the year 1865, he has been living in Shenandoah. In May 1864, Mr. Conry enlisted in com pany C, 3d regiment, Pennsylvania cavalry, at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, for a term of one year in the Union service, and served in that regiment till the close of the war. He was discharged in May, 1865, after having partici pated in the battles of Hatcher's Run, Peters burg, and other minor engagements. In his political convictions, Mr. Corny is a democrat; and as such served as a school director of Shenanhoah for seven terms, and is now president of that body. In 1878, he was elected to the State Assembly from the First Legislative District of Schuylkill county, and served until 1881. While in the House he took a very active part in having the bill passed for the establishment of the Miners' Hospital, at Ashland, Pennsylvania, and also for the organization of night schools in the mining regions for the benefit of those who were otherwise denied the privileges of educa tion. He is now foreman of the Schuylkill Traction Company, organized in 1S92. In his 610 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY church affiliations, he and his family are con nected with the Roman Catholic Church, of which he is a faithful and consistent member. Mr. Conry manifests a commendable inter est in the affairs of his borough and county, and has always exhibited an unusual interest in its educational system and facilities. He is an enterprising and loyal citizen, who has thor oughly at heart the best interests of the indi vidual as well as the public good. "f^ANIEL GENSEMER, a successful retired tanner and highly respected citizen of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Fitchorn) Gensemer, and was born in what was then Ocalico township, now Blaineport township, Lancaster county, Penn sylvania, September 23, 1823. The father of subject was also born in Blaineport township, Lancaster county, in 1 78 1, and died in the place of his nativity in 1873. His was a, long and active life. Start ing in his long and useful career as a butcher for four years, when he took up droving for six years. Realizing the advantages of a trade to a young man who courted the smiles of fortune, he apprenticed himself to learn the trade of a tanner, at Adamstown, Lancaster county, where he followed the business suc cessfully for a number of years, when his three sons, Daniel, John and Henry, succeeded to the business. The farming industry had charms for him, and he consequently owned a farm of two hundred and fifty acres in the same township, to the cultivation of which he gave some time. He was in political matters a whig, and in religious affairs a consistent member of the German Reformed Church. He married Elizabeth Fitchorn and had nine children : Levi (dead), William (dead), Henry, Daniel, John, George, Sallie (dead), Catherine and Elizabeth (dead). Daniel Gensemer learned the trade of a tanner in his father's tannery, and worked in and around the tannery and upon the farm until 1849, when he, in connection with his brothers, John and Henry, under firm name of D. Gensemer & Bros., succeeded to their father's tanning industry, and successfully conducted it until January 1, 1856, when Daniel came to Pine Grove and rented the tannery of Levi Miller. He was joined by his brothers in April of the same year, and the firm of D. Gensemer & Bros, took charge and operated the tannery until 1859, when Henry Gensemer sold out his interest in the business to Daniel and John, and the firm style was change to D. & J. Gensemer, which continued until 1863, when Daniel, Henry and John purchased the John A. Bechtel tannery, and operated these two tanneries until 1866, when Henry Miller was taken into the firm, and the caption changed to D. Gensemer & Co. This firm continued until 1876, at which time Mr. Miller went out of the firm and Henry Gen semer sold his interest to Daniel, who, in connection with his brother John, operated it until 1883, when George W., son of Daniel, became a partner in the business, and in 1889 the firm was still further strengthened by the addition of another son, Harry L. Under this alliance the business was conducted until 189-2, when the enterprise fell into the hands of the two junior members, George W. and Harry L. —firm name, George W. & H. L. Gensemer—* who are now the sole owners and proprietors. Their aggregate annual output amounts to about $100,000. Daniel Gensemer was one of the organizers and first directors of the Orwigsburg First National Bank, and was treasurer of the Cen- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 611 tral Building and Loan and Savings Associ ation for twelve years. For eight years he was interested in coal operating in connection with the Stanton colliery at Mahanoy Plane. Politically, he was formerly a whig, casting his first vote for Henry Clay ; but upon the disruption of the Whig party he became a republican, and has ever since adhered strongly to the party of Lincoln and Blaine, being a firm believer in protection to American indus tries. He has never sought office at the hands of the people except in his own borough, which he has efficiently served in the following capacities : chief burgess, one term ; school director, one term ; and town councilman, a number of terms. He is a member and active worker in the Evangelical church. Mr. Gensemer married, on April 6, 1857, Catherine, a daughter of Joseph and Barbara Loose, of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and to them have been born the following children : Lizzie, the wife of J. J. Krimiriel, a baker and confectioner of Pine Grove; George W., a tanner of Pine Grove ; Daniel, a lumber con tractor for the Philadelphia and Reading Rail road Company, and a merchant at Good Spring, this county ; Savilla K., the wife of Clell Bow man, president of Lafayette College, at Lafay ette, Oregon; Anna B., at home; Harry L., a tanner of Pine Grove ; Joseph L., a graduate of Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg in class of 1892, and is now attending Madison College, New Jersey, preparing himself for the minis try. JOEL SHADLE, a prosperous merchant of Tower City, Pennsylvania, is a son of William and Matilda (Neidlinger) Shadle, and was born on January 18, 1855, in Porter town ship, Schuylkill county. His grandfather, Daniel Shadle, was a na tive of Mahantango Valley, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, whence he removed to Porter township, Schuylkill county, where he purchased a farm and continued to reside the remainder of his life. He was a citizen of considerable prominence in the township in which he lived, and was held in respect by his neighbors. The father of Joel Shadle was born upon this homestead in Mahantango Valley, Northumberland county, in 1834, and died at Pine Grove, Schuylkill county, at the age of 35 years. Prior to his death he had been a resident at Rausch's Gap, Lebanon county. By vocation, he was a farmer and carpenter, and during the greater part of his life was in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, at their shops at Rausch's Gap. Religiously, he was connected with the German Lutheran church. His marriage with the daughter of Jonathan Neidlinger, a former resident of Clark's Valley, Dauphin county, resulted in a family of five children, four sons and one daughter. The mother is still living at the age of fifty-eight years. Joel Shadle was united in marriage on Jan uary 1, 1877, to Mary C. Tucker, a daughter of Benjamin and Mary Tucker, of southern England, but recently a resident of St. Clair, Schuylkill county. By this marriage there has been an issue of eight children, seven daughters and one son : Edna C, Ella W., Charles W., Mary M., Eliza G., Hattie A., Maud T. and Bessie. He was educated in the common schools, and owing to the early death of his father was compelled to begin work at the age of twelve years. He was at first employed by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company in their shops at Pine Grove, where he learned the business of stationary engineer. Subsequently he went to Brookside colliery, 1 where he continued to manage a hoisting en- 012 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY gine for about a year and a half, and after that the inside stationary engine for a period of three years. Here he remained until he went into the mercantile business in Tower City in 1879. From this time forward, merchandising became his chief business. In 1889, he sold his interests in Tower City, and removed to Clinton, Clinton county, Iowa, where he engaged in the grocery business until January, 1893, when he sold and came back to Tower City, where he has since engaged in a first- class general mercantile business. At the present time he conducts one of the largest and most successful concerns in Tower City. In politics, he is a democrat, and religiously holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Emulation Lodge, No. 255, F. and A. M., of Clinton, Iowa. HENRY C. BOYER, one of the best known citizens of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, and editor of the Shenandoah Herald, was born in Hamburg, Berks county, this State, August 30, 1843, and is a son of John S. and Sarah (Moyer) Boyer. The paternal grand father of Henry C. was a native of Schuylkill county, Brunswick township, where he lived the greater part of his life and died. His oc cupation was that of a farmer, in which he experienced great contentment and acquired a comfortable livelihood. He was united in marriage with a Miss Le Van, by whom he had five children, four sons and one daughter. His father, John S., was born in the county of Schuylkill, Brunswick township, Pennsyl vania, in 1 810, which at that time was a part of Berks county. He continued a resident of that section of the county until the year 1849, when he removed to Tamaqua, same county, where he died in 1883. By occupation he was a merchant, contractor and farmer, while he was also active in politics and the public inter ests of his county. In 1859 he was elected by the Republican party as a representative in the State legisla ture, and continued as a public advocate of the common good for two terms. In the great question between capital and labor he took a deep interest, and made quite an extensive study into its economic bearing, believing that there was a rational mode of adjustment, and that that adjustment could only be brought by the intelligent and mutual understanding of the claims of each class by the other. In his church affiliations he was a member of the German Lutheran church. His family em braced twelve children, six sons and six daugh ters. Henry C. Boyer was wedded to Margaretta A., a daughter of Joseph M. and 'Mary Millet, of Blythe township, Schuylkill county, in 1866. To them have been born three children : John R., a printer by trade and now a letter- carrier; Joseph M., a printer and present man ager of the Herald; Mary B., at home. Mr. Boyer was educated in the common schools, and in early life learned the trade of printer, which he pursued as a journeyman up to the year 1861. In the meantime, in 1857, he, although but fourteen years of age, in con nection with Daniel D. Dunn, commenced the publication of a weekly newspaper, the Young American, which was suspended after one year's trial. In 1861 his heart was stirred in behalf of the Union cause and national preser vation, in consequence of which he enlisted in Company A, 96th regiment, Pennsylvania vol unteers, at Pottsville from Tamaqua, for a term of three years ; he was discharged, however, in 1862, on account of disability. In 1863 he re-enhsted in Company E, Pennsylvania emer- HENRY C. BOYER. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 613 gency corps, and after that in Company E, 194th regiment, for the 100 days' service. At the expiration of this term of service he joined, in the spring of 1865, Company G, 104th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infan try, of which he was the orderly sergeant (first sergeant), and served until the close ofthe war. His regiment was connected with the Army of the Potomac, in nearly all the engagements of which he participated. After the war he was appointed sergeant-major of the 7th regi ment, N. G. P. In 1866 Mr. Boyer was assistant United States assessor at Tamaqua for one year, and then removed to Hazleton, Luzerne county, where he became ' foreman of the Hazleton Sentinel and remained such until 1870. At the expiration of this time he came to Shenandoah, and in conjunction with his brother-in-law, Thomas J. Foster, now editor of the Colliery Engineer, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, started the publication of the Shenandoah Herald. This business association continued until 1888, when Mr. Foster withdrew, the entire conduct of the paper falling into the hands of Mr. Boyer. Prior to this, in 1875, the Evening Herald, a daily paper, was presented to the people of Shenandoah — the paper that made the original and valiant fight against the Mollie Maguires. After this murderous gang had been broken up and punished by the legal tribunals, the paper was closed out by the sheriff, as a result of the extra expense incurred in keeping a paid police protection, etc., during the unearthing of the most fiendish conspiracy in the history of the State. Later, the Weekly Herald was again started. After the sheriff's sale, on November 12, 1883, the entire plant, in which the Mining Herald was also published, was destroyed by fire. In 1888, with the joint assistance of J. S. Kirkwood & Co., they revived the daily edition, Mr. Kirkwood retiring again in 1890. Since this time the conduct of the Herald has devolved upon Mr. Boyer. The paper has always been republican in politics, and its edi torial columns have espoused the cause of the Republican party and good government with out fear or political subsidy. Mr. Boyer was appointed to the position of postmaster of Shenandoah in 1875, and served four years; he was re-appointed by President Harrison in December, 1889, for another four years. He was elected justice ofthe peace in 1884, for a period of five years, besides attend ing many county and state conventions. Dur ing i89i-'92-'93 he was chairman of the Borough Republican Committee. In a busi ness way he was one of the incorporators, and is now a director, of the Mahanoy City, Shenandoah, Girardville and Ashland and the Lakeside Electric Railway Companies, and is also a member and director of the Lakeside Land Improvement Company, at East Mahanoy Junction. In 1878 he was appointed a railway mail clerk on the Williamsport and Port Clinton route, on which route he served two years, when he was transferred to the Pottsville and Philadelphia route, upon which he served nearly a year, when he resigned and again took up his avocation. Mr. Boyer is a man of integrity and common sense, and has been a successful newspaper man. His paper is conducted with ability and tact, and shows behind its editorial department an independent and facile pen. He is also a public-spirited and law-abiding citizen, whose desire is to see a better-educated public con science and higher conception of public good. In this respect he has enlisted the sympathies of the best people of his borough and county. 614 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY He has been foremost in the advocacy of all important local enterprises, many of them being realized. © JOARTOLET S. REINHARD, a thrifty merchant of Tower City, Schuylkill county, is a son of -Reuben and Abalona (Shadle) Reinhard, and was born in Roscomb- manor township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, July 15, 1847. Reuben Reinhard was born in Oley town ship, Berks county, in 1820, and died in the same township in 1884. His avocation was that of an agriculturist, and he was a repub lican in political principle. He married Aba lona Shadle, and had a family of eight chil dren : Valerius, Martin L., Daniel, Bartolet, Catherine, Mahlon, John, and Owen, all living, except John. Mr. Reinhard's youthful and boyhood days were spent upon the farm and amid the rural scenes surrounding his birth. Farming being distasteful to him and becoming restive under the routine of a farmer boy's life, he concluded to learn the trade of a tanner, and, accord ingly, went to Elizabethville, Dauphin county, and apprenticed himself to learn that trade. He followed that trade there three years, when in 1868 he removed to Tower City, this county, and worked at his trade until 1879, when he removed to Kutztown, Berks county, and embarked in a general mercantilebusiness for four years. In 1883 he again returned to Tower City, and in connection with Joel Shadle carried on a general mercantile busi ness for four years, under the firm-name of J. Shadle & Co. In 1887 they sold out, and in 1889 he again went into the same line of busi ness with G. Schoffstall, under the firm-style of G. Schoffstall & Co. This store is a first-class general one, 22 by 50 feet, well filled with first- class goods, comprising the following lines: groceries, boots and shoes, hats, caps, flour, grain and provisions. Mr. Reinhard is a progressive, enterprising citizen, and was interested in the organization of the Williams Valley railroad, of which he is a stockholder. Of the United Brethren church, at Tower City, he is a trustee and a class leader. He has been twice married. His first helpmeet was Catherine, a daughter of John B. and Elizabeth (Schoffstall) Mattis, of Tower City, whom he married November 10, 1866. To this marriage were born two children : Annie V. and John R., a student of the Keystone State Normal school, Kutztown, Pennsylvania. His first wife died August 7, 1890, and he married, May 15, 1892, as his second wife, Ellen, a daughter of John Um holtz, of Williamstown, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. f"\ANIEL E. KAUFMAN, the proprietor of the Union House at Tower City, Pennsylvania, and a descendant of one of the pioneer families ofthe Lykens Valley, is a son of Jacob and Lydia (Drehr) Kaufman and was born in Hubley township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, January 26, 1836. Two brothers, Jonas and Christian Kaufman, born in Wurtemberg, Germany, emigrated to America in 1680, and were among the first settlers in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Some of their descendants located in the Lykens Valley in what is now Schuylkill county, while the region was yet in possession of the Indians, and many were the conflicts they had with them, many times being driven from their settlements ; but leaving their fami lies at Pine Grove, they always returned and retook their homes. Mr. Kaufman, paternal grandfather, was born OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 615 in Lancaster county and removed to Hubley township, Schuylkill county, where he engaged in farming, owning a large farm. Politically he was a whig, and religiously a Lutheran. He married a Miss. Klinger, who bore him eight children, six sons and two daughters, one of whom, Jacob, was the father of our subject. Jacob Kaufman was born in Hubley township, the scene of so many valorous conflicts engaged in by his forefathers, and lived there until 1857, when he removed to Treverton, Northumberland county, Pennsyl vania, where he died in 1879, aged sixty -eight years. He was a man of considerable busi ness enterprise, following farming and mer chandising. He was a disciple of the political school of which Henry Clay was a great leader, but upon the disruption of the Whig party became a republican. He was a consist ent member of the Lutheran church, in which he was very active. His marital alliance with Lydia Drehr was blessed with an issue of ten children, seven sons and three daughters. Daniel Kaufman, on September 22, 1857, married Catherine, a daughter of Aaron and Mary (Reed) Kuhter, of Hubley township. To them have been born seven children : Priscilla, the wife of F. P. Henry, a .teacher by profession and a resident of Tower City, Pennsylvania ; Alice, the wife of C. H. Schwenk, of Tower City; Solara the wife of Alfred Lewis, of Tower City; Teresa, the wife of Charles Entes, of Tower City; Susan, the wife of R. W. Heintzelman, a druggist of Tower City, and Catherine. Mr. Kaufman was reared upon his father's farm in Hubley town ship, but removed to Wiconisco, Dauphin county, in 1866 and two years later came to Tower City, his place of residence ever since. At the age of ten years Daniel entered the store of his father, as a clerk, which position he occupied until twenty-one years of age, when he took up a mercantile and hotel busi ness in Hudley township which he continued until he removed to Dauphin county, where he clerked. When he came to Tower City he embarked in the hotel business; first as pro prietor for eighteen months, of the Brookside hotel, when he built his present large hotel known as the Union House, which he has since owned and conducted. He i« a repub lican in politics and a Lutheran in religious faith. f>R. ROBERT B. WILSON, a practicing physician and the editor and proprietor of the Valley Echo of Tower City, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Robert and Jane (Bennie) Wilson, and was born in Glas gow, Scotland, February 14, 1831. Robert Wilson was also a native of Scot land, born near Glasgow, in 1795. There he was reared, educated and followed the voca tion of a mine superintendent until 185 1, when he, together with his family, emigrated to the United States, settling at Minersville, this county, where he resided up to his death, which occurred in December, 1853. He was a consistent and devout member of the Inde pendent church of God. His matrimonial al liance with a Miss Smith, of Glasgow, Scot land, who died there in 1829, was blessed with six children, two sons and four daughters. Mr. Wilson took for his second wife Jane Bennie, who, after the demise of her husband, removed to Shamokin, Northumberland county, this state, where she died in 1892, at the ad vanced age of eighty-six years. Their union was productive of two sons and three daugh ters. Dr. Wilson attended the common schools of 616 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY his native country until he was twenty years of age, and after arriving at Minersville he taught school in this county a short time, after which he attended the Orwigsburg Semi nary, Orwigsburg, this county. Subsequently he taught eight consecutive winters in the common schools of this county, devoting his leisure time while teaching to the study of medicine. He then entered a New York medical college, from which he was graduated in 1863. -After his graduation he practiced his profession in Philadelphia eight years, whence he removed to Williamstown, Dauphin county, this state, where he pursued the work of his chosen profession until 1873. On that date he removed to Tower City, this county, where he has since resided and practiced his profession. Dr. Wilson, aside from his professional duties, finds some time to indulge his literary proclivities. On December 9, 1892, he in ac cordance with his predilections for work of a literary nature, founded the Valley Echo, of which he has since been editor and proprietor. The Echo is a four-page, eight-column sheet, published every Saturday morning. Although conservative and fair to all, yet it reflects the doctrines and principles of the Republican party, and has a good local circulation. Dr. Wilson is a republican from principle, and ex ercises his influence for the advancement and common good of both county and state. He has served as deputy coroner of Schuylkill county for twelve years ; is now one of the staff of physicians for out-door relief of this county, was a member of the school board nine years, of which he was respectively presi dent and secretary. He is also a member of the County Editorial Association, and was its president in 1892. In these positions he has acquitted himself faithfully, honorably and creditably. The celebration of his marital union in December, 1864, with Annie, a daughter of James Watkins, of Minersville, this county, has resulted in eight children, five ofwhom still survive: Robert J., editor ofthe Mt. Carmel Daily News, married Irene Gage, and resides in Mount Carmel, Northumber land county, this state; William B., editor and proprietor of the Weekly Item of Mt. Carmel; Mary A., Elizabeth and Annie, who are with their parents. A^HARLES C. HAGENBUCH, deceased, ^^ was a former well-known druggist and ex-postmaster of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania. He was a son of Robert and Sarah (Bonboy) Hagenbuch, and was born at Light Street, Columbia county, Pennsylvania, April 27, 1835. He received his education in the common schools of his native place, and at the age of fourteen, entered a drug-store for the purpose of learning that business, which he did in connection with telegraphy. Subse quently he was employed in the drug store of John Taggart, of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and took charge of the business for a period of ten years. The business then passed into the ownership of George Hagenbuch, and Charles continued to conduct the business until the year 1861. At this time he came to Mahanoy City, and remained a citizen of that borough until the time of his death on Dec. 13, 1889. He was one of the early business men of Mahanoy City, opened a drug store there shortly after his arrival, and by devoting his time and energy exclusively to the man agement and extension of his business, achieved more than an ordinary degree of suc cess. He continued actively engaged throughout the entire period of his life, which was one of unusual calm and evenness. From 1863 to OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 617 1865, inclusive, he served as postmaster of Mahanoy City, and was for a number of years a director of the First National Bank. At the time of his decease he was a member of the Presbyterian church, to which church he had always been a devoted and zealous ad herent. Mr. Hagenbuch was united in marriage to Anna D. Ramsay, a daughter of Dr. John and Mary (Downing) Ramsay, of Blooms burg, Pennsylvania, on May 8, 1862. To them have been born six children : James, a student at the Jefferson Medical College, Phil adelphia, married to Bessie Seligman, of Ma hanoy City : George, deceased ; Horace, mar ried to Jessie Porter and at present engaged in the drug business in Mahanoy City ; Bert, attending the University of Pennsylvania Medical College, at Philadelphia; Mary, de ceased, and Nellie, at home. The business of the late Mr. Hagenbuch is conducted under the direction .of the family, who still reside in Mahanoy City. j^ETER KOERPER, JR., a successful cigar manufacturer and the proprietor of the East Ward Hotel of Tremont, this county, is a son of Peter and Margaret (Betz) Koerper, and was born at Tremont, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, February 17/1856. Peter Koerper, father, was a native of Ger many, born in Rhinepfaltz, Bavaria, November 24, 1824. Leaving the fatherland in 1854 to seek a home in the New World, he landed in New York City on January ist of that year. Three years later he migrated to Tremont, this county, where he has resided continuously up to the present date (1893). He diligently plied the avocation of a miner in his native country, as also did he in this up to 1858, when he purchased the East Ward Hotel, of which he immediately took charge and con ducted successfully until 1882, at which time he, having obtained a fair competency, retired from the active duties of life, and his son Peter, succeeded him as proprietor. Politically, he has ever affiliated with the Democratic party, is active and influential in local and county politics, having filled most of the offices of his borough, as well as the office of county auditor for a term of three years, from 1875 to 1877 inclusive. He is a member of the German Lutheran church, as are most of the members of his family. On February 24, 1852, he was married to Margaret Betz, a daughter of Jacob and Bena Betz, of Schuylkill county. To them have been born a family of thirteen children, seven of whom are living, whose names in order of ages are : Elizabeth, the wife of Frederick Lauer, who resides in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and is a moulder by trade; Peter Jr., subject; Jacob, who lives in Denver, Colorado, where he follows the trade of a plasterer ; Lewis, who is an engineer, of Denver, Colorado; Bena, the wife of George Weissinger, a butcher of Pottsville, this county ; Charles, a cigar maker of Tremont, this county, who married Sallie Sheidley ; and Maggie, at home. Mr. Koerper, Jr., attended the public schools of Tremont up to the age of seventeen years, when he was apprenticed to learn the trade of cigar-making. At the age of twenty he had mastered this trade, which he followed as a proficient and skilled journeyman up to 1879, at which date he embarked in the manufac turing of cigars. He manufactures a superior quality of cigars, for which he finds a ready wholesale and retail market. In 1888 he succeeded his father in the proprietorship of the East Ward'Hotel, which he has since con- 618 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ducted successfully in connection with his manufacturing interests. He is a member of Tremont Castle, No. 107, Knights ofthe Golden Eagle, and Wash ington Camp, No. 76, P. O. S. of A. Mr. Koerper is an enterprising and affable gentle man who has the respect of his fellow- townsmen. J H. JAMES, ESQ., ex-district attorney of *J • Schuylkill county, was born on the 9th day of February, 1847, in Minersville, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, and is the son of William and Susan James. Mr. James, Sr. was born in Cornwall, England, on the 24th day of January, 1817. In 1828 he sailed for this country, and settled in Schuylkill Haven, where he learned the trade of boat building.. From there he went to Richmond, Virginia, and bought an interest in a boat yard, and built the first deck boat ever built on the banks of the James River. Owing to failing health he was compelled to seek climatic change, and he returned to Schuylkill Haven, where in 1840 he married Miss Susan Mar- lin. Thence he removed to Bloomsburg, Columbia county and engaged in mining ore and boat building. In 1845 he took up his residence in Minersville, and superintended collieries for Bast, Pearson & Co., and remained in this capacity until 1853, when he became a partner. He sold out his interest in 1858, and went to New Castle, and became a member of the coal mining firm of Heckscher, James & Co. Subsequently he was in charge of J. B. McCreary's colliery, Audenreid ; Charles Hampshire, Jeanesville ; Robert Gorrell, Cen tralia, and others. He was one of the pioneers in the development of the coal industries of this and adjoining counties, and as superintend ent of coal mines was eminently successful, having sunk twenty slopes, all of which were profitably operated. He finally removed to Minersville, and retired from the scenes of active life, to spend the evening of his remain ing years in peace and quietude in his old home. He was appointed one of the com missioners by Governor Hoyt to select a site for the erection of the Miners' Hospital, located at Fountain Spring, near Ashland, this county. Mr. James was a man of many excellent qualities, which made him a genial friend in a wide circle of acquaintances. As husband and father, the kindly graces of his heart contributed in making the home circle the dwelling place of peace and happiness. His death occurred on Monday morning, September 7, 1887. He left surviving his wife and five children, viz., Mrs. C. N. Brumm, Minersville ; J. H. James, Esq., Ashland ; Mrs. Joseph Wolf, Shamokin ; William and Miss Nevada, both of whom reside at Ashland. Mrs. James, who survived her husband but five years, was born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, in February 1821 ; she was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Marlin, both of whom were members and founders of the First Evangeli cal Association. She was the grand-daughter of John Peter Shindel, Esq., of Lebanon, for many years prominent in the politics of that county. Mrs. James possessed many Christian virtues, among which charity was conspicuous. Her patriotism and love for country were amply exemplified during the war in the sphere occupied by the Christian women of the land. She was a devout and consistent member of the Episcopal church ; as wife, mother and friend, she will be gratefully remembered by all who knew her. Her death occurred at Minersville, July 1, 1890. In 1862 J. H. James began a course at Dickinson Seminary, Williamsport, remaining J. H. JAMES. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 619 several months, when he left school, to join the army, enlisting in Captain Thomas Ben nett's company of Williamsport, that was organized for three months' service, and remained until the company was mustered out. He then returned to the seminary and completed the classical course, graduating in 1866, receiving the degree of A. B. In 1878 he delivered the address before the Alumni of Dickinson, his alma mater, and in 1885 deliv ered an address before the literary societies of the same institution. Soon after returning to his home in Centra lia, he began the study of law in the office of A. P. Spinney, Esq., of Ashland and was admitted to the bar in 1868, and has practiced his profession ever since. In 1874 he moved to Ashland, where he has since resided. In politics he has always been a stalwart republi can. He was twice chosen chairman of the Republican Committee of Schuylkill county, and served one term as solicitor for the Direc tors of the Poor, and was elected district attorney in 1884, on the Republican ticket- At the expiration of his term of office he traveled extensively through the British Isles and the Continent of Europe. After he returned from Europe, he purchased the Ashland Local, and in 1 892 was elected presi dent of the Schuylkill County Press Associa tion. He is actively engaged in the pursuits of his profession and enjoys a large and lucrative practice. e rrjILLIAM K. SCHWENK. Among ^^"*' the prominent and progressive busi ness men of Minersville, Pennsylvania, belongs the man whose sketch follows. He is a son of Jacob and Anna (Keeler) Schwenk, and was born near Schwenkville, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, on March 10, 1841. The Schwenk family are of German extrac tion, as the name would imply, and the first American ancestor was grandfather John Schwenk, a son of John Schwenk, Sr., a native of Germany, who emigrated to the United States in the year 1701, and settled in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Here he took out a patent for a large tract of land ad joining the Penn purchase, where he began as the architect of his own career in what was then almost an unbroken forest. The grand- . father of William K-, as also his father, lived and died here, having followed, in the main, the peaceful and equitable pursuit of a farmer. As was the custom in those times with large farmers, he carried on various other enter prises,, among which were a saw mill, a tan nery, a woolen mill, and linseed oil mill. These combined industries in time made him a man of wealth and influence. In his political convict-ions he was a pronounced whig, and religiously he adhered to the forms of the Lu theran church. He married Catherine Snyder, which union resulted in an issue of eight children, three sons and five daughters. Jacob Schwenk (father) was born on the old homestead on October 11, 181 1, and re sided there until his death, on March 21, 1 88 1. He succeeded, with his brother Aaron, his father in the conduct of business affairs, and in time became superintendent of the farm, oil manufactory, brick plant, powder mills, and tannery. This business compact with his brother continued until the year 1846, when it was mutually dissolved. In church and politics he followed the footsteps of his father. He was united in wedlock with a daughter of Conrad Keeler, of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and had a family of eight children, three sons and five daughters. William K. Schwenk united in marriage 620 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY with Louisa, a daughter of Daniel B. and Eliza (Albright) Althouse, of Tremont, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on Septem ber I, 1864. They have had eight children, three sons and five daughters : Daniel L., de ceased; Charles A., outside foreman of Oak Hill colliery ; Anna R., Minnie, William, and Grace, at home ; two died in infancy. Mr. Schwenk received his education in the common schools and at Frederick Institute, Montgomery county. From the age of four teen until twenty-one he helped to superintend his father's business interests, and in 1862 en gaged in the brewing business at Tremont, Schuylkill county, which he conducted for one year. In 1863 he changed to the coal business, and began operating on the Sharp mountains. At the expiration of three years he sold his coal rights and machinery, and began the manufacture of coal screens for use in collieries and brick works, at Tremont. This engaged his time until 1871, when he began operating the Black Diamond colliery, at Mt. Carmel, Northumberland county, Pennsylva nia, which he continued in successful opera tion until 1886. He was cashier of Mt. Car mel Savings Bank for a number of years, and removed to Minersville in 1888, where he became a member of the firm of Leisenring & Co., operators of the Oak Hill colliery, near Minersville. Of this colliery Mr. Schwenk has entire supervision. Aside from this, he has been president of the Mt. Carmel Savings Bank since 1891, is president of the Tremont Engine and Boiler Works, since its organiza tion in 1892, and is a director of the Mount Carmel Water Company. In politics he is a republican, and as such has served both as school director and councilman at Mt. Carmel. Mr. Schwenk has had a varied and exten sive business experience, and throughout its entire range has exhibited unusual tact and enterprise. He is careful and methodical in his habits, possesses a keen foresight and good judgment. He is a man of strictest integrity, and is always interested in behalf of and loyal to the public good. Both in his business and social relations he commands a well-earned respect. T^ J. MURPHY is one of the most • popular and successful merchants of Tremont, Pennsylvania, and a man who takes an active interest in the various business enterprises of his borough. He is a son of Bartholomew and Joannah (Sheehan) Murphy, and was born in Lorberry, Tremont township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, July 18, 1854. Cornelius Murphy, paternal grand father, was a native of Southern Ireland, and emigrated to the United States in 1846, settling at Lorberry, this county where he died in 1862, two years after he had passed his three score years and ten. He followed the voca tion of farming while in his native country, but on coming to America retired from active work. He was a consistent member of the Roman Catholic church. He married Mary Kelly, to whom were born three children : Margaret, Mary and Bartholomew. Bartholo mew Murphy, father, was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1822. He, with his family, emigrated to the United States in 1846, locating at Lorberry, this county, where he lived until 1872, when he removed to Tremont, at which place he passed away in 1886. He followed the occupation of mining all his life. In politics he was an active democrat, and held at various times most of the offices of Tremont township, having been tax collector from ten to fifteen years. In religion he was a con sistent and active member of the Roman OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 021 Catholic church. He married Joannah Shee- ha.n, a daughter of Timothy Sheehan, and had a family of three sons and two daughters that lived to maturity: T. J., Jr.; Cornelius (de ceased) married to Margaret Conley ; Marga ret ; Hannah Flemming ; and Bartholomew, a clerk in his father's store, married to Anna Lonergan, and resides at Middle Creek, Schuylkill county. T. J. Murphy was educated in the public schools of Schuylkill county. At the age of eight he commenced as a breaker boy in the mines, working during the summer months and attending school through the winter ; this he continued for four years. From twelve to twenty-three years of age he did all kinds of work about the mines, from slate picker to miner, performing a man's labor at the age of fifteen. In 1877 he was employed on the Pennsylvania Railroad to run between Potts ville and Philadelphia, first as brakeman, after wards as fireman. He remained with that company until 1884, when he engaged in a general mercantile business in Tremont, Penn sylvania, which he has since conducted with exceptional success. In the same year (1 884) he and Henry Himmelberger, under the firm name of Himmelberger & Murphy, purchased a steam feed-mill, which they operated for a period of two years, at which time Mr. Murphy sold his interest to Mr. Himmelberger. Since their con struction, July 1, 1892, he has been one of the directors, also vice-president of the Tremont Engine and Boiler Works, being one of the, organizers. He is a director and for two years was president of the Hancock Building and Loan Association of Tremont, Penn sylvania, which was organized in March, 1886. In politics he has always been an active democrat of the Cleveland school, and with great credit has filled the borough offices of school director, auditor and treasurer, the last of which he has held for four years in suc cession. He is a consistent member of the Roman Catholic church of the Immaculate Conception. On August 10, 1880, he was joined in marriage with Mary Dugan, a daughter of Hugh and Mary (Johnson) Dugan, of Palo Alto, Schuylkill county, this state, by whom one child, Joseph, has been born. Mr. Murphy is one of the most successful business men of Tremont. The neat and orderly condition in which his store is always kept is suggestive of prosperity. He deals fairly with all classes, and richly deserves his constantly increasing success. JI1TAHLON H. BOYER, a prominent mer- A chant of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, and the owner of vast tracts of timber lands in the county, is a son of William and Elizabeth (Hoyer) Boyer, and was born near Reading, Berks county, Pennsylvania, December 6, 1837. Grandfather, on the paternal side ofthe fam ily, was a native of near Philadelphia, but was taken when quite young by his parents to near Reading, then a wilderness and the habitation of the Red Man, by whom he was captured at the age of seven years, and carried up the Sus quehanna river, where he was held in captivity until the age of sixteen, when he again re-* turned and rejoined his family near Reading, where he died. William Boyer, father, was born on the old homestead near Reading in 1800, and died at the same place in 1857. In his early days he was engaged upon the Philadelphia and Schuylkill canal, but later became a weaver of linens, quilts, etc. He found his political af- 622 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY finity in the precepts of the Democratic party, and his religious faith was comprehended in the tenets of the German Reformed church. He was twice married ; his first union was with Susanna Hoyer, who died within less than a year after marriage, and he married as his second wife the mother of our subject, by whom he had four children, two sons and two daugh ters. Mr. Boyer was reared in Berks county chiefly, and at the age of seventeen years went to the Pacific coast and engaged in gold min ing for eleven years, when he returned to Schuylkill county and began investing in lum ber lands, until he now owns several thousand acres in the county, besides several valuable tracts in other parts of the state. Upon some of these tracts saw-mills are engaged in the manufacture of lumber. In addition to his large and varied lumber and real estate inter ests, he is prominently identified with the mer cantile industry of Pine Grove. In 1886, in connection with George Paxton and John Richter, under the firm name of M. H. Boyer & Co., he embarked in the mercantile business on a large scale in his borough. Politically, he follows in the footsteps of his ancestors, and has served nine years as a member of the school board of his borough. He is a trustee in the German Lutheran church. The nuptials celebrating the union of Mr. ? Boyer and his wife, Mary (Leininger) Boyer, took place December 24, 1869. This union has been blessed with nine children: George W., at home, in the employ of his father; Mar garet A., Louis P., dead ; Frank A., Anna E., Minnie E., Gertrude S., Ella C. and Charles M. TAMLLIAM SPENCER. Among the old and honored families of Minersville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, belongs the family of which William Spencer, the subject of this annal, is a representative. He is a son of George and Mary (Williams) Spencer, and was born on August 7, 1830, at a place known as West West, near Minersville, this county. The father of William Spencer was a native of England ; but with the transfer of his for tunes to the United States, he came imme diately to Schuylkill county, and took up his abode near Minersville, at the village above mentioned, where he resided until the year 1837, when he removed to Minersville, where he subsequently died. Soon after his location in Schuylkill county he began coal operating in the vicinity of "West West, and afterwards opened up other collieries in the vicinity of Pottsville. The whole period of his active life was employed in coal operating, and in deed at the period of his death in 1862, he was called away in the midst of life's active duties. He was a member of the Methodist church, and had a family of four boys and three girls which grew to maturity. William Spencer, subject, received his edu cation in the public schools, and after the re quisite preparation entered Lafayette College at Easton, Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in the class of 1847. -After his graduation he went into the coal operating business with his father, and continued thus engaged until a short time after his father's death. About this time be became superin tendent of the Buck Mountain colliery, near Hazelton, where he remained for eighteen years. In the autumn of 1885 he returned to Minersville, and has made that borough his home down to the present time. After his return to Minersville he became interested in REV. H. J. McGETTIGEN. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 623 manufacturing of sewer-pipes in the State of Alabama. Later he was identified with the Bottom Creek Coal and Coke Company of Vivian, West Virginia, of which Company he is president, corresponding secretary and gen eral manager. This business at the present time engrosses his time and attention. On November 3, 1853, he was united in marriage to Amelia J. Prevost, a daughter of John Prevost, who was a native of near Phila delphia. Mr. Prevost was of French extrac tion, came to Minersville, in 1829, and was there deceased in 1863. He, shortly after coming to Minersville kept hotel for a short time, but drifted into other lines of business, and for a number of years prior to his death in 1863, lived a retired life. Politically he was an old line whig, and served as borough treas urer and school director a number of years. He was united in marriage with Mary Jones, a native of Wales. His family consisted of eight children, five girls and three boys. Mr. Spencer's marriage resulted in an issue of one child, Mary E., deceased quite young. nEV. HUGH J. McGETTIGAN, the pas tor of St. Mary's Roman Catholic church, of St. Clair, is a native of Schuylkill county, having been born in one of the mining villages of Blythe township, in May, i860. His parents were both born in Ireland. His father, Hugh McGettigan, belonged to a fam ily which has given to the Catholic church of Ireland some of its most distinguished orna ments in the ranks of the clergy. He himself received an education far above the average afforded by the schools of that time. He came to America in 1852, and settled in the immediate neighborhood of Pottsville. He afterwards engaged in the profession of teach ing, in which calling he spent the last thirty- two years of his life. He was highly esteemed by his neighbors and friends, and possessed the good will of all who knew him. Although not a politician, yet he always took great in terest in such matters, and was an ardent be liever in the principles and policy of the Democratic party. He was an active and devout member ,of the Catholic church, and did much to extend its influence in the com munity in which he lived. His death took place on the 31st of May, 1 89 1, at the age of sixty-five years. He was survived by his wife and six children. Hugh J. McGettigan passed his boyhood days in the typical manner characteristic of the youth of the mining region. He began to work about the mines at an early age, and alternated this with going to school in the winter season. He devoted himself so closely to the attainment of knowledge that he rapidly distanced his companions, and at fifteen years of age became a teacher himself. In this pursuit he was most successful, and, with ap plication, joined to superior talent, he had every reason to look forward to a brilliant future. He had, however, resolved to follow a different calling, and accordingly he entered St. Charles Seminary, Overbrook, Pennsylva nia, to prepare himself to enter the ranks of the Catholic priesthood. Having completed his seminary course with success, he was ordained a priest June 15, 1889. Immediately after being ordained he became assistant pastor of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church, at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, where he remained for three years. On June II, 1892, he became rector of St. Mary's church, at St. Clair, where he is at present stationed. His parish embraces the borough of St. Clair, a portion of Newcastle, and East 624 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Norwegian townships, and contains a mem bership of 1,450 souls. Father McGettigan is a very affable and congenial person, who has the spiritual inter ests of the members of his parish thoroughly at heart. He is a man of excellent parts, possesses a pleasing presence, scholarly in bearing, and is ruled by an undoubted enthu siasm in all the varied details of his work. Besides the many duties imposed upon him by the immediate work of the parish, he is yet not negligent of his duties as a citizen and as a conservator of public morals. He possesses the good will of his parishioners and the citizens in general. St. Mary's' Roman Catholic church, of which Father McGettigan is now pastor, was organized on September 2, 1863, and was first attended by Rev. Father N. J. Walsh, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. . The first officiating pastor was the Rev. James Brehoney, who held his first services May 1, 1864, in Walker's Hall. He remained in charge of the parish up to April, 1874, during which time the church and parsonage were built. His suc cessor was Rev. Philip McEnroe, whose pas torate extended to April 18, 1877. Since that time the parish was ministered to by Rev. Michael McEnroe and Rev. M. J. Gately. ^HARLES E. STEEL, editor and proprie- tor of the Free Press of Minersville, and vice-president ofthe First National Bank ofthe same place, is a son of Hon. J. Irwin and Mary (Gwin) Steel, and was born in Holidaysburg, Blair county, Pennsylvania, on March 29, 1861. The family removed in 1865 to Ash land, this county, and Charles was educated in the schools of that town, graduating from the High School in 1876. He then took the initiative step in that line of work which has since been his avocation — journalism. He entered as a reporter, the office of his father, who was the proprietor of the Ashland Advo cate, and remained with him until 1881 when he established the Ashland Messenger, a weekly, of which he was editor and proprietor for one year. In 1882 he went to Wilming ton, Delaware, and for six months was en gaged upon the Morning News, when he came to Mahanoy City, this county, and became the founder of a weekly paper, The Local, which he published one year. In 1884 he located in Minersville and es tablished the Free Press, a four-page eight- column paper of democratic proclivities. It is a spicy, well-edited paper, and well deserves the popularity which it enjoys. It is espe cially devoted to the booming of the inter ests of Minersville. Mr. Steel does not confine himself exclusively to the editing and publish ing of his paper, but takes a lively and intelli gent part in every move which has for its object the public weal. He has been for four years secretary of the Minersville Build ing and Loan Association ; for two years secretary of the Minersville Water Company ; is a director and since 1891 has been vice- president of the First National Bank of Miners ville ; is secretary of the Board of Trade of Minersville, and for two years has been presi dent of the borough council. Religiously, he is of the Presbyterian faith. He is a prominent figure in the Good Templars, and has been secretary of the State organization of that order for the past nine years, and is the editor and publisher of the official paper of the order, the Keystone Good Templar. On June 18, 1882, Mr. Steel married Mollie K., a daughter of Stephen and Margaret (Kear) Dando, of Minersville. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 625 fNRSON BEECHER, a highly respected ^ citizen of Pine Grove, this county, is a son of John and Clarinda (Niles) Beecher, and was born July 15, 181 5, in Tioga county, Pennsylvania. Samuel Beecher, grandfather, was born in Massachusetts, but became one of the pioneer settlers in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, where he located at what was then called Cowanisco. He later removed to St. Louis, Missouri, where he died about 1825. He was married to a Miss Sanford, and had a family of five children : three sons and two daughters. John Beecher, father, was born May 24, 1785, in Middletown, Massachusetts, and came when a young man with his father to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and thence removed to Williamsport, where he died June 5, 1859. During his early life he was engaged in the lumber business, but went into the mercantile business at Wellsboro, Tioga county, where he lived engaged in that business a number of years, when he removed to Williamsport, Lycoming county, and for two years kept a hotel, when he retired. Politically, he was a very prominent demo crat, and served in the following offices in Tioga county: commissioner, county treas urer, sheriff and assembly. Hon. John Beecher married in February, 1807, Clarinda Niles, a Connecticut lady born August 16, 1786, and died September 2, 1881 ; to them were born six children. Orson Beecher was educated in Wellsboro Academy, and was appointed to a cadetship in West Point Military Academy, where he remained two years, but was compelled to give up the course on account of failing health. He then returned to Wellsboro, where he resided until 1838, engaged in speculating in various lines. In the latter year he went to 40 Williamsport with his father, thence in 1858 to Camden, New Jersey, and for fifteen years was in the employ of the Camden and Atlantic Railroad as conductor. In 1873 he removed to King William County, Virginia, where he purchased two farms, one of 400 acres from Robert E. Lee, Jr., son of Gen. Robert E. Lee, and another of 500 acres. He lived there eight years operating these farms, when he came to Pine Grove, this county, where he has since lived a retired life. He married Angeline, a daughter of Wil liam and Catharine Zimmerman, of Pine Grove, in 1849. To them were born three children: John W. (see sketch), Ella C, and Orson Jr. rjEOEGE H. WREN, a well-known citi- ^^ zen of Mahanoy City, and the genial owner and proprietor of the Grant Iron Works, is a son of Thomas and Mary (Hay) Wren. He was born in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, No.vember 12, 1847. The name of Wren has long been promi nently identified with the coal, iron and man ufacturing industries of the anthracite coal regions of Pennsylvania. Thomas Wren, father of George H., was a native of Scot land, born in Glasgow, June 10, 1823, the son of William and Jane (Macbreth) Wren. When Thomas was still, in his boyhood, the family removed to Nova Scotia, where his father died. Soon after his mother and the other members of the family emigrated to Pennsyl vania and located at Pottsville, where Thomas entered the machine shops of Messrs. Hay wood & Synder, and served an apprenticeship of four years and eight months, to learn the trade of moulding. When he mastered the trade, in partnership with his brothers, John 626 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Y. and James Wren, he carried on business about two years in the Eagle foundry, then on the present site of the freight depot of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. In 1850, Thomas Wren & Bros., built and opened the Washington Iron Works in Potts ville, where in 185 1, they constructed the machinery for the first rolling mill in the country that manufactured " T " rail and bar iron, the property of Messrs. Harris, Burnish & Co., at Fishbach. After a time John Y. Wren withdrew from the firm, and the business was conducted by Thomas and James Wren until the firm was dissolved in 1864 by mutual con sent. He also, in 1854, engaged with others in coal operations, in which he, since that time, has been largely and extensively inter ested. He owned and operated collieries at St. Clair, at Mt. Laffee and at Eagle Hill, in the latter of which he associated with him Hons. John W. and James Ryon, under the firm- style of Thomas Wren & Co. Mr. Wren is still a large stockholder in the Grant Iron Works at Mahanoy City, but since the year 1888 has been living in practical retirement. Aside from his coal and iron manufacturing interests, Mr. Wren served for a number of years as a director of the Miners' National Bank of Pottsville. He is also a director of the first National Bank of Mahanoy City, a stockholder in the Shamokin Banking Com pany, the Hamburg Savings Bank, and was one of the organizers of the Orwigsburg Shoe Manufacturing Company, which latter organi zation carried on business in the old court house in Orwigsburg, the former county seat of Schuylkill county. He was connected with this company as director and stockholder for a period of eight years. At the present time he is a director of the Edison Electric Illumi nating Company of Pottsville. Mr. Wren has been twice married, the first time to Mary, a daughter of George Hay, of Pottsville, in 1 844, by whom he had a family of six children, five sons and one daughter. Agnes H. is the wife of John Kemmerrer, a saddler of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. William R. enlisted during the civil war, at Philadelphia, August 12, 1863, in the 19th Pennsylvania volunteer cavalry, for a period of three years. He served with the Army of the Tennessee, and participated in all the engagements of that army until he was taken prisoner and incar cerated at Cohabura, Alabama. In this prison he was compelled to suffer the barbarities of Southern revenge for eleven" months, and died soon after his release from starvation at Jefferson barracks near St. Louis, Missouri, in 1864. George H., subject; James M., is a machinist, and is connected with the Grant Iron Works at Mahanoy City ; Robert B. married Catherine Faust, of Pottsville, and is by trade a machinist ; Joseph G. wedded Emma Rosseter, of Pottsville, and is a resi dent of Pottsville, where he pursues the trade of moulder. Mr. Wren's first wife died May 10, 1853, and he was again joined in marriage to Sarah P. Shorno, on October 1, 1 861, by whom he has had three children : Mary J., Martha S., and one child, deceased. He is a member of the Presbyterian church of Pottsville, and fraternally is connected with Mahanoy Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M., of which he is Past Master. He is also a Knight Templar. Mr. Wren is recognized as one of the fore most business men in Schuylkill county, and has done much towards its material develop ment. He is bluff but kindly in his manner, irreproachable in honor and integrity, and altogether a man of indisputable weight and influence. He has been careful in his conduct OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 627 of business affairs, has shown great resources, and is eminently deserving of the success, financial and otherwise, that has crowned his efforts. George H. Wren, his son, received his edu cation in the Pottsville public schools and afterward at Eastman Business College, Poughkeepsie, New York, from the latter of which he was graduated in November, 1864. After his course here he returned to Potts ville, Pennsylvania, and became a clerk in a grocery store for a short time, and in 1865 went to Mahanoy City, where he accepted a place as manager and book-keeper for his father in the Grant Iron Works. He continued in this capacity until 1867, when with R. R. Lee he purchased his father's business, which they operated under the firm name of Lee & Wren. This partnership continued up to the year 1877. Prior to this time, however, in 1 87 1, they built the Elmwood colliery, and sank the slope for the same, and the year before began operating the Rough Diamond colliery (now Park colliery), which they con tinued from December, 1870, to February, 1873, at the expiration of which time it was disposed of to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. At the end of 1877 Mr. Lee sold his interest in the Grant Iron Works to Mr. Wren, who henceforth operated it alone. During the partnership of Lee & Wren, the'Grant Iron Works constructed most of the machinery for the collieries about Mahanoy City, as well as the machinery for the Bechtelville Iron Company and the Kutz town Iron Company. They also operated the lead mines near New Galina, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. The Grant Iron Works, now operated by George H. Wren, were erected by Thomas Wren, his father, in 1865, and are located south of the borough limits. The machine shop and foundry occupy a building 135 x 53 and 50 feet high ; the erecting shop is 70 x 35 and 30 feet high ; the smith shop, 60 x 30, and 16 feet high ; office 32 x 17 and 15 feet high. The foundry and machine shops are stone, with slate roof, and the other buildings are frame roofed with slate. When in opera tion the works give employment to about fifty men. Mr. Wren is a republican in his suffrages, and religiously a member of the Presbyterian church. He is also a member of Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M., and a director of the Mahanoy City Park Associa tion. He was united in marriage to Sallie A., daughter of Thomas and Mary Beddall, of Port Carbon, Schuylkill county, on November 8, 1870. To them- have been born two chil dren : Mary B. and Thomas B. Mr. Wren is a capable man, of good busi ness ability, energy, and a proper ambition. He has pushed his way to the front through superior management of business details and a careful conduct of private affairs. In his contact with men his manner is pleasing and affable, and through his many admirable qualities, business, social and intellectual, he compels respect and esteem. mILLIAM McMURTRIE, late mine in spector of the Seventh anthracite coal district, whose death occurred at his home in Ashland, December 9, 1892, was a son of Hugh and Mary (Martin) McMurtrie, and was born at Coalcastle, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, in 1850, of parents who,although possessed of more than average intelligence, yet were in humble circumstances. At a very 628 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY early age it became necessary for him to enter the breaker as a slate-picker, assisting his father in this way in the support of his family. Thus it was that his advantages for securing an education were very limited, a fact which he always regretted, though never allowed to discourage him in his effort to succeed in the race of life. He advanced by the usual steps from slate-picker to miner, and in course of time, owing to his practical knowledge of gas, he was temporarily appointed fire boss, and when the position was permanently vacated, he made application for the position and re ceived it, having commended himself to the management and shown himself a faithful and competent fire boss : from this time on his advancement was rapid. He was filled with a deep, unquenchable desire to succeed ; but at about this juncture he began to realize the difficulties that lay across his pathway because of his limited education, but not unlike that world-renowned Napoleon who said, " There shall be no Alps," he reso lutely and patiently applied himself to the study of such questions as bear directly upon the subject of mining and was able to pass a first-class examination for a mine foreman's certificate of competency. A vacancy occur- ing at the Philadelphia and Reading Com pany's Richardson colliery, he was advanced to a mine foremanship, where his ability, both technical and executive, proved of great value to the Company. Two years later, when George Scott, Jr., was promoted to a district superintendency, he was selected because of his ability and peculiar fitness to be inside foreman of Knickerbocker colliery, near Shen andoah, Pennsylvania. This colliery embraces in its mine workings all the conditions possible in an anthracite mine, the workings being in a number of different seams both above and below water level. The seams varied in pitch from flat#to perpendicular ; sorne were gaseous and others remarkably free from gas. The mine employed a large number of men of various nationalities and temperaments, and great executive as well as technical ability was required in the foreman. It was the purpose of general mine superintendent, John Veith, to secure, for this purpose, the most competent mine foreman in his district, and after a careful survey of the field, Mr. McMurtrie was called and was installed inside foreman of Knicker bocker colliery. For four years he discharged his duties with honor to himself and with entire satisfaction to his superior officers. His plan of self-study and education was persevered in until (1888) he felt himself com petent to appear before the examining board as a candidate for the inspectorship ; he was successful in passing the examination with a very high percentage, and was appointed inspector of the Seventh district; — his term would have expired in April, 1893. Mr. McMurtrie was a self-made man in every sense of the word. He was full of energy and laudable ambition. As great a student of financial and commercial matters as he was of technical subjects pretaining to the subject of mining, he was shrewd and careful in the investment of his savings, and had he lived he would undoubtedly have acquired consider able wealth. He was a man of positive opinions, but liberal in his views and intercourse with those of opposite ideas. He was admired and re spected by all those who were thrown in con tact with him, and the familiar " Mac " with which he was greeted by his personal friends, was an abbreviation that never meant any thing but affectionate regard. On June 25, 1882, he married Mary A. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 629 Morris, daughter of John Morris, a native of Ireland, but who emigrated from that country to Schuylkill county and became a mine fore man, in which capacity he was serving at Anchor colliery when he was killed in 1871. The issue of this marriage are : Alexander, born June 3, 1884 ; Mary, born July 24, 1886 ; Josephine, born August 15, 1888; William, born March 4, 1890; Margaret, born August 28, 1891. -0ETER FLANAGAN, a popular and well- to-do merchant of Ashland, Pennsylva nia, is a son of John and Winifred (McCune) Flanagan, and was born in County Roscom mon, Ireland, in 1834. John Flanagan was of Irish nativity, but emigrated to the United States in 1851, and settled in St. Clair, Schuylkill county, where he lived six years, and then came to Ashland, where he died in 1 881. His marital union with Winifred McCune resulted in a family of five children that grew to maturity. Mr. Flanagan was quite a young man when, in 185 1, he came to this country with his father, but he possessed a strong will and a worthy ambition, two qualities when combined in the same individual usually crown the possessor with ultimate success. His earnings were economically taken care of until, in 1874, he was enabled to embark in the mercantile busi ness. He has been continuously in that line of business ever since, and has been uniformly successful. In political matters he is a believer in the principles and policies of the Democratic party, and although he has never aspired to office holding, yet he considers it the duty of every good citizen to take such an interest in the subject as will insure the people the best administration of affairs, whether they be of the municipality, the state, or the nation. He has, therefore, served his turn in the capacities of councilman for three years, and as tax re ceiver three years. On February 16, 1863, he married Margaret Igo, a daughter of John Igo, of St. Clair, this county, and their marital union has been blessed with the following children : John C, em ployed with his father in the store ; Patrick, dead ; Michael J., who graduated from Jeffer son Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1890, took a position for a time in St. Joseph's Hospital, Reading, and later, the position of assistant surgeon in the State Miners' Hospital at Ashland, where he is now located ; Catherine, the wife of John J. Laughton, the agent for the Lehigh Valley Railroad Com pany at Centralia, Columbia county, Pennsyl vania; Ellen, deceased; Thomas, with his father in the store; Mary, at home; Margaret, dead; Peter, James and Joseph. nOBERT W. HEINTZELMAN, a popular and enterprising young druggist, as well as the first and present burgess of the borough of Tower City, was born May 24, 1859, in Middleburg, Snyder county, Pennsylvania. He is a son of M. P. and Elizabeth (Hauser) Heintzelman. M. P. Heintzelman, father, was a native of Schuylkill county, but early in life removed to Sunbury, Northumberland county, where he for a time was engaged in business. Subse quently he went to Snyder county, and from there went west, where he remained for a brief period of time, when he returned to Snyder county, where he died in the year 1871. At the outbreak of the civil war he entered the service upon the first call for troops as major ofthe I72d regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, 630 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY and was afterward promoted to the position of colonel of the 208th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, in which position he was mustered out of the service. His marriage was produc tive of two children : Charles, who lives at Shamokin, where he is an assistant distributor in the post office, and Robert W., subject. Robert W. received his education in the public schools of his native county, and at the academy at Selin's Grove, Snyder county. After the completion of his education he taught school for a short time, and then engaged in the drug business as a clerk for J. Howard Ultz, of Selin's Grove, in whose employ he remained until the year 1885, when he embarked in the drug business on his own account in Tower City, Schuylkill county. He has here re mained until the present time, and through his energy and business qualities has succeeded in establishing a large and growing business. In his political tendencies he is a republican, and as such has been elected chief burgess of the borough of Tower City since its organ ization. He has never been a party man in the vulgar sense of that word, nor has he been a self-seeking aspirant for political preferment, but has always had the desire to see the public served by conscientious representatives, what ever the party or creed. While still a young man he served for two years as a page in the State legislature of Pennsylvania. Fraternally, he is a member of the I. O. O. F. Mr. Heintzelman is a young man of more than usual promise and ability, and is regarded as an enterprising, public-spirited citizen, be sides possessing many qualities socially and intellectually. He is a nephew of General S. P. Heintzelman, who distinguished himself and is nationally known through his gallantry and bravery during the late civil war. TJ"i lliLIAM J. YEO, a prominent and ^-rt-J> progressive merchant of Girardville, Pennsylvania, is a son of William and Rosa mond (Green) Yeo, and was born July 15, 1848, in St. Clair, Schulylkill county, Penn sylvania. William Yeo, father, was a native of Eng land, whence he emigrated to this country in 1842, and located near Pottsville, where he resided most of his life, but removed in 1884 to Girardville, where he died on September 22, 1886. He was a shoe merchant by voca tion, a man of good education and took an active part in all public affairs. He served as school director and a member of the St. Clair council, and as borough treasurer. He was active in religious matters, and served as a local minister in the Primitive Methodist Church. William J. Yeo received his mental culture in the public schools of St. Clair and the Mil lersville State Normal School, Millersville, Pennsylvania. Leaving school he entered his father's store as a clerk, where he received that business training which in after life proved of great value to him ; he continued in the employ of his father until 1872, when he embarked in the shoe business on his own account, at Girardville, and has since success fully carried on that business. By principles of high honor in all things, he has gained the confidence of the business community in which he lives, and upon the organization of the First National Bank of Girardville in 1 890 he was elected a director. He is also secretary of the Girardville Electric Light Company, and has served as director and secretary of the Girardville Gas Company, showing that he takes an active part in all public enterprises in any way connected with the progress or prosperity of his borough. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 631 He is prominently identified with the Primi tive Methodist Church, and for the last twenty- one years has served as secretary of the board of trustees. He is a prominent member of Ashland Lodge, No. 294, F. and A. M.; Aqua Lodge, No. 737, I. O. O. F., of which he has been secretary for ten years and is now secretary of their Cemetery Association. He is a republican in political belief, and is at present serving as tax receiver for his borough. He married Phcebe, a daughter of George Banfield, of St. Clair, this county, in 1871, and has four children : William G., Emma M., Edith and Harry. JOSEPH HEWEL, a retired brewer and respected citizen of Tremont Pennsylva nia, is a son of Christopher and Magdalina Hewel, and was born in Wheler, Rhine Pro vince, Germany, September 6, 1838. Early in life he learned the brewing trade, which he followed in his native country until 1868, when, thinking this country offered superior advantages in his line, he emigrated to the United States, locating at Cincinnati, Ohio, where for five years he was engaged as a brewer. In 1873, he transferred his interests to Pittsburgh, and continued his business in that city until 1877, at which time he removed to Tyrone, Blair county, this state, and pur chased the Tyrone Brewery, which he oper ated until 1890, when he rented it to the Bavarian Brewing Company. In 1891, he purchased the Tremont brewery from W. W. Stewart, and took up his residence in Tremont, where he now (1893) lives. Up to May, 1892, he and his son John J., conducted it under the firm-name of Hewel & Son, when John bought his father's interest, and has since been sole proprietor. He manufactures a superior quality of beer, porter and ale, the yearly out put of which is from three thousand to four thousand barrels. Mr. Hewel is an acceptable member of the Roman Catholic church of the Immaculate Conception. j^EV. FATHER PHILIP F. BERES- V FORD, the able and scholarly pastor of St. Vincent de Paul's Roman Catholic church of Minersville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Philip and Joanna (Cheasty) Beresford, and was born on Decem ber 24, 1848, in Dungarven City, County Waterford, Ireland. His father was a native and life-long citi zen of Ireland, born in the year 1812 and died in 1869. He was a very active and energetic business man in his day and was one of the progressive citizens of his native country. He owned five farms and in addi tion to operating and overseeing these, he operated a woolen mill in Deelish, a flour ing mill, and gave attention to other minor lines of business. His real estate was among the most valuable in the country, and he was one of the largest, if not the largest taxpayers. Politically he was a Tory and took a spirited part in all political issues, though he was also popular with and well liked by the opposition. By his marriage with Joanna Cheasty he had a family of fifteen children, eight of whom are still living. Philip F. Beresford, the subject of this annal, received his preliminary education in the Academy at Dungarven under the preceptor ship of Professor Edward Dwyer, a distin guished educator and specialist in the classics. Subsequently, in 1 871, he came to the United States and located in Cape Girardeau county, 632 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Missouri, where he entered St. Vincent de Paul's Seminary. He remained here until 1874, when, 'through Archbishop Wood, he became affiliated with the diocese of Philadel phia and entered the Seminary at Overbrook, Montgomery county, from which he was graduated in 1877. He was ordained into the priesthood ofthe Roman Catholic church on February 26, 1877, and was first appointed to the pastorate of St. Patrick's church at Audenried, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, for one month. For four months he had charge of St. Stephen's church at Port Carbon, and then was curate of the Church of the Imma culate Conception at Philadelphia for a short time. On January 1, 1878, he was pastor of St. Joseph's church at Lowerytown, Carbon county, but was transferred to St. Teresa's church, Philadelphia, where he remained until February 3, 1885. Upon this latter date he took charge of St. Vincent de Paul's church at Minersville, with which he is now identi fied. The parish of St. Vincent de Paul's was established in January, 1846, with the Rev. Hugh P. Fitzsimmons, at that time assistant at St. Patrick's church, Pottsville, as its first pastor. Soon after assuming charge of the parish, Father Fitzsimmons erected a small , frame chapel, 20 x 30 feet, in the cemetery lot, where he celebrated mass for his people. On April 21, 1846, preparations were made for a new building, and the foundation walls for a church edifice, 50 x 100 feet, were erected. The corner-stone of the building was laid in the following August by Bishop Newman, of Philadelphia, in the presence of a large number of clergy and several thousand people from adjacent districts. A sermon was preached by Rev. Father McElhone, of Philadelphia, and at the following Christmas the building was so far completed as to per mit the celebration of mass. The new parish of St. Vincent de Paul covered an area of about two hundred and forty miles, extending in an easterly direction about thirty miles, three miles from north to south, and containing a Catholic population of about seven thousand souls. During the pastorate of Father Fitzsimmons the church was only partially finished. The interior was finished under the charge of Rev. Michael Malone, and in August, i860, was exteriorly adorned by a tower at its southern extremity costing $900. In December, 1861, the pre sent handsome bell, weighing 1,086 lbs. and costing over "$400, was placed in the tower. The pastoral residence, 40 x 60 feet, two and a half stories high, adjoining the church, was built by Father Malone in 1852, at a cost of about $4,000. Father Malone was a man of ideal Christian life and very often responded to sick calls at a distance of forty miles from the church. He died April 16, 1877, after a pastorate of twenty-eight years and eight months. His remains repose in a vault in front ofthe church on Sunbury Street. The succeeding pastors have been : Revs. James McGoveran, P. J. Egan (deceased), John Scanlon, Matthew P. O'Brien and the present pastor, Rev. P. F. Beresford. During the past few years many improvements have been made to the church property and a new church built at Branchdale, which is under the immediate charge of the parish of St. Vin cent de Paul. Father Beresford is assisted by Rev. J. J. Rooney. St. Mary's Star of the Sea, at Branchdale, was built under the supervision of Father Beresford, and opened for service on Febru ary 6, 1866. It is a substantial frame edifice, 40 x 60 feet, having a stone basement, and OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 633 was dedicated on May 15, 1892, by Arch bishop Ryan, of Philadelphia. Father Beresford is a man of great energy and enthusiam, and has been of untold service in his ministrations to the spiritual wants of his people. He possesses a cultured mind, is impressive in manner and has thoroughly at heart the moral and religious interests of the community in which his pastorate lies. HENRY HEIL. One of the most promi nent and widely known coal and iron operators of Eastern Pennsylvania in his day, and a man of broad mind and liberal economic principles was the late Henry Heil, of Tre mont, Pennsylvania. He was born near Union- town, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, October 27, 181 3. His early opportunities for obtaining an education were very scant and meagre indeed, having attended the public schools of his native county but two months ; yet being active, energetic and a man of a naturally bright mind, he gleaned more than an ordinary education by his association with men and experience in business. Early in life he learned the millwright trade, and about 1827 removed to Pine Grove, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in the milling business, owning and operating a mill for many years. In connection with his milling interests, for a part of his time, he was conducting a general mercantile business. He owned three or four boats which ran on the Union canal between Pine Grove and Balti more, Maryland; this he continued until 1842, the business being quite lucrative, when he removed to Tremont, where he lived until his death, February 18, 1872. He was interested principally in coal while in Tremont. He opened up and operated the East Franklin colliery until 1872, when he sold out to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com pany. While engaged here he was interested in a colliery between Tremont and Donaldson He and John Dutton operated the Marshfield colliery for about three years, and he was con cerned not only in the anthracite region, but in large fields in the bituminous region. For several years he was the owner of the large Howard iron works in Centre county,- this state. His interests were not confined to coal and iron alone, for he possessed large tracts of timber land in both Dauphin and Schuyl kill counties. He operated saw-mills there, and did a large lumbering business, besides sawing all the timbers used in the collieries which he owned or with which he was con nected. His mining interests were so ex tended that they included interests in several gold-diggings in California, as well as oil-wells in western Pennsylvania. There were few branches in the mining industry in which he was not in some way or other concerned. Being one among them, he was an especial friend of the workingman, furnishing employ ment to hundreds of them. He had a chari table heart and gave liberally to churches and other benevolent institutions. In religious circles he stood deservedly high, being a very active member of the Evangelical church, many of the offices of which he had very effi ciently filled. He first married a Miss Bower, of Millers- burg, Pennsylvania. His second marriage was with Susan Ruth, a daughter of Daniel Ruth, a prominent Berks county farmer, July 30, 1845. To them were born seven children: Lewis W., deceased; George R., a traveling salesman, married to Laura Brook; Alice, who is now dead; Emma, wife of George W. Gar rett, cashier of the First National Bank of Or- 634 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY wigsburg, this county; Harry L., a resident of Tremont; Catherine R., widow of W. D. Pierce, and living at Tremont; and Lincoln, deceased. Mr. Heil was a man of great busi ness capacity, of enthusiastic earnestness, of strict integrity and conscientious devotion to duty. e, Q'MITH MARTIN, a popular and successful ^^ merchant of Tower City, this county, and one of the organizers of the Williams' Valley Railroad Company, is a son of Moses and Nancy (Guskin) Martin, and was born in County Antrim, Ireland, August 26, 185 1. Moses Martin, father, was born, it is pre sumable, in Northern Scotland, and emigrated when a young man to County Antrim, Ireland, where he followed the peaceful pursuits of a farmer until his death, February 19, 1854, aged forty-four years. His matrimonial alliance with Nancy Guskin, a native of the highlands of Scotland, who, with her father and family, settled in County Antrim, Ireland about the beginning of the present century, was blessed with a family of eight children, seven ofwhom survived to emigrate to America ; one, Mary, died in her native county, Antrim. In 1862, the family, which then consisted of Mrs. Martin, Margaret, Thomas, John, Matthew (deceased), Smith (subject), and Robert (de ceased), sailed for this country, landing on May 24 of that year at Swatara, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where Mr. Martin, the subject of this biographical sketch, grew to manhood, and where he started in life as a slate picker on the breaker. He continued to reside here, employed in various capacities in and about the mines, from a slate picker to a miner, until 1 871, when he located at Tower City, this county. He continued as a miner until 1887, when he embarked in a general mercantile business in Tower City. In 1891, in order to meet the demand of his increasing and rapidly growing business, he erected a store room 20x46 feet deep; in connection with this, his residence is 32x46 feet deep, two stories high, with a good basement. The building is heated throughout by a furnace in the basement. He was one of the seven men who organized the Williams Valley Railroad Company in 1891, and was one of the original directors. He is an active worker, a liberal contributor and an honored member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which organi zation he has served as trustee and steward a number of terms. He is also a member of Swatara Lodge, No. 267, F. and A. M. Mr. Martin his been twice married. His first union, on February 17, 1876, was with Mary McCIure, of River Falls, Wisconsin, who died March 31, 1887, aged 37 years.. Their union was productive of the following issue : Thomas W., Elizabeth M., Matthew J., and John A. M. He took for his second wife Mrs. Sarah Colliatt (nee Rogers) of Wi- conisco, Dauphin county, this State, April 18, 1888. When Mr. Martin started in life his only stock in trade was ability to work coupled with an unyielding determination, to succeed, and by close application to business and inde fatigable efforts, he has built up a large and rapidly growing mercantile business. JOHN BERGEN, one of the directors of the poor of Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, and a resident of Heckscherville, this county, is a son of Michael and Julia (Ryan) Bergen, and was bom in Heckscherville, August 14, 1845. His grandfather, Michael Bergen was a OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 635 native and resident of Ireland all his life. He was married to Mary Boran, who survived him some years, and afterwards emigrated to this country, where she died at the advanced age of ninety-five years. Michael Bergen, father, was born in Ireland in 1817, and came to America in 1842, locat ing at Heckscherville, this county, where he afterwards lived and died in 1865, at the age of forty-eight years. He followed the voca tion of a miner. In politics he was a demo crat. He was also a member of the Roman Catholic church. He was married to Miss Julia Ryan, a daughter of Patrick Ryan, of Ireland, by which marriage he had a family often children, three sons and seven daugh ters, the sons being Michael, who died at Heckscherville, aged two years ; Patrick J., keeper of the hospital at the Schuylkill county Almshouse, and John of Heckscher ville. Mr. Bergen was educated in the common schools of his town. He began working in the mines at the early age of nine years, and continued the work in and around the coal mines in the vicinity until 1883, when through an accident he had his leg broken, prior to which, however, he had other quite serious accidents upon several different occasions, while engaged in mining operations. In 1883 he purchased the Mountain Colliery at Thom aston, this county, and commenced operations on his own account, in which he has been engaged ever since. In politics he has always been a democrat, and taken an active part in local politics, hav ing been frequently sent as a delegate from his district to county conventions. He served as auditor of Cass township for three years, school director for one year, treasurer of the school fund of his township for one year collect or of school-tax for one year, and collector of road and state county taxes each for one year. In November, 189 1, he was elected to the posi tion of director of the poor of Schuylkill county for the term of three years, which term he is now serving. In all the positions which he has held Mr. Bergen has proven faithful and worthy of the trusts reposed in him, from time to time, and the approbation by the public of his official acts has been frequently manifested in choosing him thus often to fill the several offices named. He was married to Miss Mary Ryan, who died Febru ary 2, 1890, aged forty-three years, a daughter of Thomas Ryan, a miner by vocation, and a native of Ireland, who emigrated to the United States and settled at Heckscherville, where he lived until his death in 1885, aged sixty-three years ; by this marriage he had ten children, of whom three are dead and seven are living, namely : Michael, Thomas, Francis, Jeremiah, Mary J., Elizabeth, Martha, all at home, and Daniel and John, both de ceased. /CHARLES GRANGER, the well and favor- ^^ ably known insurance man and notary public of Girardville, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, was born in Tamaqua, this county, on April 4, 1852. He is a son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Booth) Granger. His father was an Englishman by birth, born in Derbyshire, England, April 22, 1817, and emigrated to the United States in the year 1848, taking up his first residence at Tamaqua, Schuylkill county. He continued to reside there until the year 1 861, when he removed to Girardville, the place of his demise. He died May 27, 1881. By occupation he was a miller and a baker, which constituted his chief occupation during the early period 636 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY of his lifer Later he became connected with the collieries, and for a number of years was foreman at Preston collieries, Nos. i and 2, and Bast colliery at Big Mine Run. In these collieries he served a period of from fifteen to twenty years. He was married to the mother of our subject on May 25, 1841, by whom he had four sons and two daughters that grew to maturity. Charles Granger received his education in the common schools at Girardville, Pennsyl vania, and started in life as a clerk in a store. In 1868 he became shipping clerk at Preston collieries, Nos. 1 and 2, for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, and re mained in their employ for a period of ten years, terminating his connection with this company in the year 1876. From this latter date until 1881, he was connected with the Hammond colliery in the same capacity, and at the expiration of this time became clerk and book keeper in the office of Captain E. C. Wagner, assistant superintendent of the Girard Estate. As such he remained until August 5, 1890, when he was appointed notary public, in connection with the duties of which office he carries on an insurance business. He is a republican in politics, served three years as a member of the council, and was a member and president of the school board, as well as borough clerk, for a number of years. Fraternally, he is a member of Aqua Lodge, No. 737, I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Grand, and formerly District Deputy of the Eastern Schuylkill district for a period of two years. Mr. Granger has been twice married. His first wife was Marcia Edwards, a„ daughter of Richard Edwards of Minersville, Pennsylvania, to whom he was united April 4, 1874. Mrs. Granger died June 20, 1874, without issue. He subsequently married Lizzie M. Harris, a daughter of George and Isabella Harris of Llewellyn, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, by whom he has two children, Ida Bell and Arthur William. JOHN MAGUIRE is an upright, intelligent man, a veteran of the late civil war, and at present district superintendent of the Tre mont District of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. He is a son of Thomas and Ann (Callow) Maguire, and was born in Whitehaven, Cumberland, England, June 26, 1845. Thomas Maguire, father, was also born there March 29, 1821, and emigrated to the United States in 1852, settling first in Potts ville, this state, whence he removed after one year to Gold Mine Gap, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, in 1853. In 1854 he was em ployed to work in the mines at York Farm colliery. After remaining there a short time he removed to St. Clair, working in the collieries until 1864, when he was made fore man of the Pine Forest collieries near St. Clair, which position he filled successfully until the time of his death, November 5, 1877. He was a republican in politics, and a con sistent member of the Primitive Methodist church. His marriage was with Ann Callow, to whom one child was born, John. Mrs. Maguire (mother of subject) was born in Whitehaven, England, August 20, 1825, and died there February 12, i860, while on a visit. In June of 1862, he was united in marriage with Jane McDonald. Tb them was born one daughter, Sarah J., who married John Red ding, a fire boss of East Franklin, Schuylkill county, this State. John Maguire was educated in the common OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 637 schools of his native country. At the age of ten years he began to pick slate and work on the breaker, which he continued for five years. In i860, with his father and father's family, he visited his birth-place, and while there was sent to sea ; but disliking sea life, he returned with his father to St. Clair, after three months' service. On his return he was again employed in the mines, which occupation he continued until 1862, when he enlisted for one month in the Emergency Company C, 6th Pennsylvania volunteer infantry. In 1863 he enlisted in Company C, 39th Pennsylvania volunteer in fantry, another emergency company for six weeks. On February 8, 1864, he enrolled at Pottsville in Company F, 7th Pennsylvania cavalry, for three years, or during the war. He was mustered out at Macon, Georgia, and honorably discharged at Harrisburg, Pennsyl vania, September 6, 1865. He belonged to the Cumberland cavalry corps, and the Army of the Mississippi, and was actively engaged in the Atlanta campaign, fall of 1864; capture of Atlanta ; Wilson's raid through Alabama and Georgia, winter of 1865 ; capture of Selma, Alabama; fall of Montgomery, Ala bama, and Columbus, Georgia, and partici pated in the capture of Jefferson Davis, President of the Southern Confederacy. After the close of the war he returned to St. Clair, and was engaged under his father in sinking the Pine Forest shaft, working there until 1867, when he was promoted to be fire boss at the Pine Forest colliery, where he continued until the spring of 1 868, at which time he was promoted to assistant mine boss, and in 1878 was made mine boss of these mines. This position he held until 1881, when he was employed in a like station in the Richardson colliery, near Minersville, Pennsylvania, where he remained up to April 17, 1882, at which time he removed to Tremont, Pennsylvania, where, having been appointed district super intendent of the Tremont district for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, he has since resided. Politically, Mr. Maguire is a republican, but has never been very active in the councils of the party. Religiously he is a trustee of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a mem ber of Lieutenant W. D. Williams Post, No. 136, G. A. R., of which he is now commander ; Lincoln Lodge, No. 92, Knights of Pythias, of St. Clair, of which he is Past Chancellor ; Tremont Council, No. 962, Royal Arcanum, of which he is Past Regent ; Mineral Lodge, No. 285, I. O. O. F.,at St. Clair; and Swatara Lodge, 267, F. and A. M., in which he is Master of Ceremonies. December 15, 1866, he married Sarah J. Lowthert, a daughter of Joseph and Mary Lowthert ; to them twelve children have been born, nine of whom are still living: Elizabeth N., wife of Adam Williams, a miner of Tremont ; Joseph, a mining engineer in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, married to Mary Campbell, and lives in Tremont ; John, shipper for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com pany at Glendower colliery, married to Mary Moore, also lives in Tremont ; Ella, William, James, Sarah J., Elmer M. and Grace still remain at home with their parents. TA/ILLIAM H. HEATON, president of the "* Citizens' National Bank of Ashland, and one of the prominent citizens and sub stantial business men of that town, is a son of Reuben and Mary (Carter) Heaton, and was born March 22, 1843, in Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. His paternal grand- 638 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY father, Joseph Heaton, was a native of Eng land, and was by profession a civil engineer. He came to America and located in North ampton county. Subsequently he removed to Columbia. He married Sarah, a daughter of Samuel McNeill, Brigade Quartermaster in General Hand's Brigade, General Sullivan's Division, during the Revolutionary war. Reuben Ayres Heaton (father) was born in Allen township, Northampton county in 1813. He received a good education and a thorough business training, both of which he turned to excellent account in after years. Early in life he was attracted to Tamaqua by the anth racite coal trade, which was then in the early stage of its development, and with which he subsequently became prominently identified. Beginning life as a clerk in the employ of firms at Tamaqua and Mauch Chunk, engaged in the coal industry, he rapidly acquired a thorough knowledge of that business, and in 1835 located at Tamaqua and embarked in business for himself, opening the colliery known as High Mines, near that borough. In 1 86 1 when the impetus given to every branch of industry by the civil war, had created an extraordinary demand for coal, he opened the Preston colliery at Girardville, and operated it profitably until 1864, when he sold out and retired from business. Upon his retirement he went to Philadelphia, where he is still living, enjoying in his declining years the fruits of an active life and successful busi ness career. In politics, he is a republican, but while giving his party a loyal and active support at all times, he has never sought office or become in any sense a politician. On February 22, 1838, Reuben Ayres Heaton was married to Mary Carter, daughter of Robert Carter, of England, who has been a help-mate to her husband in the truest sense of the word, and who is still living at the age of seventy-three years. To this union a family of ten children, seven boys and three girls were born, as follows : Samuel M., who is engaged in the wholesale coal business in Philadelphia, and who is quite prominent in business, social and military circles in that city ; Elizabeth Ayres, wife of W. F. Donald son, a retired business man, also of Philadel phia ; William H. ; Robert C, now of Boston, Massachusetts, but formerly engaged in the coal-mining industry of this county; Sarah J. (deceased) ; Edmund H., a prosperous North umberland county farmer, whose residence is at Milton, where he is also identified with a number of industrial and financial enterprises. He is a director of the Milton Safe Deposit and Trust Company; George W., a retired coal merchant of Philadelphia ; R. Augustus, also a retired coal merchant of that City ; Maud, who is at home with her parents; J. Arthur, who is engaged in the retail coal busi ness in Boston. William H. Heaton was educated in the common schools ofthe borough of Tamaqua, and in Canandaigua Academy, Canandaigua, New York. He was early engaged with his father in the coal business at Tamaqua and Girardville. On September 15, 1862, he en listed in Company G, 6th regiment Pennsyl vania militia, and served during the emergency of that period, as an orderly sergeant. Early in 1865, in connection with his brothers, he opened the Cuyler colliery, at Raven Run, which they operated continuously and success fully under the firm-name of S. M., W. H. and R. C. Heaton, for a period of twenty years, disposing of it to the Philadelphia and Read ing Coal and Iron Company in 1885. Mr. Heaton was one of the organizers and a director of the Citizens' National Bank of OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 639 Ashland, when that institution was chartered and authorized to commence business in July, 1875. Two years later he succeeded J. H. Hoover as president, and has held that posi tion ever since, devoting his whole time to it since 1885. The bank is one of the soundest and most successful financial institutions in the coal region, as is shown by the annual statement for 1892, from which these figures are taken : Individual deposits subject to check, $312,769.51; surplus fund, $75,0001 and accumulated undivided profits, $7,000. The capital stock of the bank is $60,000, and the present officers are : W. H. Heaton, presi dent; John Hunter, vice-president; George H. Helfrich, cashier. The board of directors is composed of the following-named promi nent and successful business men : W. H. Heaton, John Hunter, Peter E. Buck, William A. Marr, William Landefield, E. K. Becker, J. M. Glick, L. A. Riley, and O. B. Milliard, all of whom are well and favorably known in business circles at home and abroad. Mr. Heaton is a republican in politics, and a menjber of the Presbyterian church, of which he is trustee. On May 2, 1872, he married Emily J. Doilglas, a daughter of Andrew A. Douglas, of Mauch Chunk, this State. To their union one child, a boy, Robert D., was born on July 21, 1873. t"\R- COSMUS S. W. SCHOMO, the leading dentist of Ashland, Pennsylvania, and well known throughout Schuylkill county as a leading Odd Fellow, is a son of Charles and Phcebe (George) Schomo, and was born July 26, 1855, m Hamburg, Berks county, Penn sylvania. The family of which Dr. Schomo is a de scendant is of French stock, his grandfather, Joseph Schomo, having emigrated, near the beginning of the present century, with a band of French Huguenots, and settled in 1806 at Hamburg, Berks county, where he died in 1867. He was a man of steady, methodical habits, and brought to bear upon his chosen vocation, the mercantile business, that integ rity of purpose and enterprising, industrious spirit which were soon to command success. He was twice married ; his first union was with a Miss Miller, and resulted in the birth of two sons and one daughter: Charles, John and Eliza. His second union was with Mary Les- cher, who was the mother of six children : William, Joseph, Harrison, Mary, Amanda and Ella. Mrs. Mary Schomo died February 21, 1893, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years and six months. Charles M. Schomo, father, was born in Hamburg, Berks county, January 2, 1 821, and died in the place of his nativity on September 23, 1877. He succeeded to his father's mer cantile business in the year 1848, and success fully continued the business until 187 1, at which time he took a leading part in that movement which resulted in the establishment of the Hamburg Savings Bank, the first bank of Hamburg. Because of his well-known business ability and standing in the community for integrity and honesty, he was chosen its cashier, and after filling this important position for a number of years lived in peaceful retire ment until his decease. He inherited his re publicanism from his father, and as such was an active participant in all political matters that were in any way connected with the good government and peace of the community, al though the whims of politics never had suf ficient charms for him to induce him to leave his business and follow its caprices. His mar riage with Phcebe George, who is yet living, 640 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY resulted in the following children : Emma and Rosetta, at home; Cosmus and Cornelius, twins — the latter has been deceased since April 24, 1884; Calvin, a graduate of the Pennsylvania Dental College, and now a prac titioner at Hamburg, Berks county. Dr. Schomo was educated in the public schools of Hamburg, graduating from the High School in the class of 1873. He studied dentistry under the preceptorship of Dr. G. M. Miller, of Mahanoy City, and afterward Dr. J. E. Freeston, of Hamburg. Leaving Dr. Freeston, he went to the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery in the autumn of 1875, and completed his course there in March, 1877. He located for three months at Mahanoy City, this county, and in June, 1877, removed to Ashland, where he is still located and in the enjoyment of a large practice. In January of 1877 he was married to Miss Amanda Jacoby, a daughter of Joseph Jacoby, of Hamburg. Two children have been born to them: Robert, born October 30, 1877; Grace, born in September, 1889. A republican in politics, he is active and consistent in his party's behalf, but has always declined to run for an office, although repeatedly urged to be a candidate. In fraternal matters Dr. Schomo stands deservedly high. He is a member of Locust Mountain Lodge, No, 538, I. O. O. F., has passed through the chairs, and has twice represented his lodge as a delegate ; first time in 1886, as a delegate to the Grand Lodge, which met in Harrisburg, and again in 1887 at Scranton, and during the same years repre sented Shekinah Encampment, No. 134, in the Grand Encampment. For two years, commenc ing in June, 1 887, he was the efficient and enthu siastic District Deputy Grand Master for the Northern Schuylkill district. As an evidence of his efficient work in this capacity, it is only necessary to mention the fact that the mem bership, under his1 administration, ran up from 1200 to 2200. He is also a member of Ash land Lodge, No. 294, F. and A. M., and of the English Lutheran church, being leader ofthe choir. Dr. Schomo is one of Ashland's most re spected and substantial citizens, a gentleman who is held in the highest esteem by the best people, and is universally regarded as a prac titioner of skill and comp"etency. JOHN MARKS, a well-known citizen of * Tremont, Schuylkill county, Pennsylva nia, and the representative of an old and highly respected family, is a son of John and Susan (Rumberger) Marks, and was born in Pine Grove township (now Tremont town ship), on November 4, 1 847. His father was a German by birth, born in the kingdom of Bavaria, on February 24, 1 82 1, and emigrated to the United States in 1835. His first place of settlement was in Philadelphia, and subsequently, in 1840, he removed to Porter township, Schuylkill county, and five years later came to Tremont township, same county. He ¦continued to live in the vicinity of Tremont until the year 1 849, and in September of that year moved into the village, where he died March 13, 1880. Before his emigration to the United States, and while still a resident of his native country, he followed the trade of a butcher. After coming to the United States, however, he took up mining, and was employed as a miner up to the year 1858. At this date he engaged in a general mercantile business in Tremont, and was one of the earliest as well as one of the most successful business men of that bor ough. He continued there in active business until the year 1868, when the store was pur- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 641 chased by his son John, and has by him been conducted since that time. He was a demo crat in politics, was elected and served as con stable of Tremont for a period of four years, and was also a school director in the town ship and borough of Tremont aggregating twenty-four years. Of this body he was president for a number of years. He was a member of the Hebrew church, was united in marriage in the year 1840, and had a family of eleven children, seven sons and four daugh ters : Isaac E., a grocer of Tremont ; Eliza beth, wife of Mr. George Haetter, of Tremont; Emanuel, deceased; John, subject; Henry, deceased; Sarah, wife of John Seyfert, of Philadelphia; Frederick, a miner living in Tremont ; Caroline, wife of George T. Bass- ler, of Reading; Benjamin Franklin, in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading shops, Reading, Pennsylvania ; Rebecca, wife of Benjamin Tipton, of West Virginia; and one died in infancy. John Marks received his education in the schools of Tremont, and at about the age of thirteen years began assisting his father in the store. Previous to this time he had alternated between picking slate in summer time and attending school in the winter. He continued with his father as a clerk until March 14, 1864, when he enlisted in the Union service in Company F, 184th regiment, Penn sylvania volunteer infantry, at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for a period of three years. He ' was discharged frorn duty on July 18, 1865. During this period he served in the second army corps of the Potomac, under the com mand of General Hancock, and participated in all the engagements from the battle of the Wilderness to the surrender of Lee at Appo mattox. His conduct during this term of service was one of gallantry, and at the battle 41 of Cold Harbor, on June 3, 1864, he received a wound which disabled him for active service for some time ; but upon his recovery he re joined his company and served until the close of the conflict. After the close of the war he returned home and again entered the employ of his father, with whom he continued until 1868, at which time the conduct of the store passed into his hands, and he at once entered into the business - with zest and energy. Through his devotion to the details of his business, and through careful management, he has developed a very creditable and growing trade. Aside from his mercantile interests, he is also engaged in the livery business. He wields his suffrage in behalf of the Democratic party, for which, party he is always solicitous and active. He has been a member of the council for three* years, school director for six years, and was president of the board during half of that time. Religiously, he affiliates with the German Lutheran church, and fraternally is connected with Lodge No. 245, I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Grand; to Tremont Union Encampment, No. 167, I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Chief Patriarch ; Tremont Castle, No. 107, Knights of the Golden Eagle, of which he is Past Chief; and Lawrence Post, No. 17, G. A. R., of which he is Past Commander. He also belongs to Wil son Commandery, No. 22, Union Veteran Union, with which he has been connected as an official. He has been a member and direc tor of Tremont Fire Company, No. 1, for a number of years. On March 30, 1872, Mr. Marks was joined in marriage with Catherine Kopp, a daughter of Conrad and Catherine Kopp, of Tremont, Pennsylvania, who has borne him a family of four children : Charles E., Edward T, John A., and Mabel M. 642 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY JOSEPH STOFFLER, a well-known resi dent, and for many years a borough officer of Tremont, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, is a son of Andrew and Mary A. (Engeszer) Stoffler, and was born in Neudigen, Baden, Germany, on October 15, 1823. His father was also a native of that country, and successfully followed the trade of glazier throughout his entire life. He was deceased in Baden, on July 29, 1863, at the age of eighty-one years. Religiously he was a prominent and conscientious member of the German Catholic church, of which he was treasurer and secretary for a period of about forty years. His marriage to Mary A. Enges zer resulted in a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters. Joseph Stoffler received his education and learned the trade of window-sash making in his native land. In 1854 he emigrated to the United States, landed in New York City, and first received employment in a chair factory in New York City. After five months' service there, he accepted a position in a cabinet-mak ing establishment, which he left in 1855 and removed to Tremont, Pennsylvania, where he further pursued that line of business, in which he became a master workman. For eighteen years he continued to follow this business in conjunction with that of carpentering. In politics, Mr. Stoffler has always been an active democrat, and in 1885, under the administration of President Cleveland, he was appointed postmaster of Tremont, which posi tion he efficiently filled until relieved dur ing the administration of President Harrison, in 1889. He was also a member of the school board for a period of twelve years in succession, during which time he held the position of treasurer. For two years he was treasurer of the borough of Tremont, and acquitted himself with honor. In 1867 he became a director of the Tremont Savings Fund, and afterward became book-keeper for that institution, which position he held for twenty-three years, or to the time of the dis solution of that corporation. About 1872 he was elected collector of Tremont borough, and again re-elected in 1890 and 1893. Fraternally, he is a member of Tremont Lodge, No. 45, I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Grand. In 1855, he was joined in the bonds of wedlock with Catherine Egi, of Tremont, a daughter of Xaver Egi, of Germany. This marriage has been blessed by the birth of five children : Anna, Frederick, Joseph (all of whom are dead), and William G., an employe of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company ; besides one deceased in infancy. Mr. Stoffler is identified as a member with the church of the Immaculate Conception, is an upright and conscientious man, and always registers his conduct on the side of high moral and Christian endeavor. HON. JAMES E. BRENNAN, ex-mem ber of the Assembly from the Second Legislative district of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and at present a citizen of For estville, this county, is a son of Patrick and Mary (Maley) Brennan, and was born in June, 1844, in County Kilkenny, Ireland. His father and family left Ireland in the year 1852, and emigrated to the United States, shortly afterward locating in. Forestville, Cass township, Schuylkill county. He was a coal miner by occupation, and continued to work in the mines throughout the entire period of his residence in the county. In 1865 he died, leaving a family of ten children, six of whom OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 643 were born in Ireland. James E., the subject of this sketch, was united in marriage with Miss Ellen Shortall, daughter of Patrick and Catherine Shortall, of Forestville, and their union has been blessed with twelve children, as follows : Mary, wife of Thomas McLaugh lin, of Shamokin, Pennsylvania; Kate, mar ried to Patrick Purcell, of Forestville, Penn sylvania; Teresa, wife of Patrick Brennan, of Forestville; William John, married to Kate Brennan, and at present resident of Forest ville, Cass township, Schuylkill county; Francis, deceased ; Richard, Thomas, Albert, Frank, Henry G., Gertrude and James, de ceased. Shortly after his marriage he re moved to Williamstown, Dauphin county, where he engaged in driving gangways, and while there he became very much identified with the Workingmen's Benevolent Associa tion, and for a time was president of the associa tion. On account of his activity in behalf of the interests of this organization he was discharged from his position and obliged to return to For estville, where he has since resided. Mr. Bren nan evinced early a liking for politics, and has always been prominent in the politics of his township and county. He has on many occa sions represented the democrats of his dis trict in county conventions, and has held many local offices. In 1875 he was elected school director of Cass township, and served as sec retary of the board during the year 1876. The next year he became tax collector, and in 1 88 1 was treasurer ofthe school board, and at the same time was collector of State and county tax. In 1880, he went into the hotel and saloon business in Forestville, and has con tinued in that business down to the present time. In 1882 he received the democratic nomi nation in the Second Legislative district for assemblyman, and at the following election he was declared by the people's votes the winning candidate, and during the next two years served in the State Legislature. At the expiration of his term of office he returned to the mines, and was there employed for about two years. In the fall of 1 891, he accepted a position as foreman on a branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which was- then being driven from Pottsville via Minersville to the Lytle colliery, near Forestville. The contractor, Mr. Joseph Gorman, was very much pleased with his work, so much so that the following year he again employed him to oversee a piece of road for him at Mt. Carmel, which he accom plished very creditably in the short period of three months. Mr. Brennan is a man who has had a wide experience with men, is intel ligently informed upon public questions, and has always been interested in sustaining the workingman's rights. JOHN ROWE, a stationary engineer of ^ Tremont, Pennsylvania, connected with the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, is a son of John and Margaret (Jenkins) Rowe, and was born in Monmouth shire, South Wales, December 5, 1828. John Rowe, his father, was a native of North Wales, whence he removed to Monmouthshire, and later, in 1832, emigrated to the United States. Soon after his arrival he settled in Schuylkill county, after having traveled considerably throughout the mining regions ofthe East. In 1836 he took up a residence at Five Points, this county, where he was joined by his family, Subsequently he removed to a place near Potts ville, now known as Mechanicsville, after which he returned to Five Points, where he died in 644 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY November, 1850, at the age of about sixty-five years. He worked in the mines during his whole life. Politically he was a whig, and re ligiously a member of the Baptist church, in which he was deacon. He was twice married. By his first wife he had two children, both girls. His second marriage was with Marga ret Jenkins, which union was p'roductive of four children, one son and three daughters. John Rowe, subject, at the early age of ten or twelve years, began as a carter at the Cum- bola mines, Schuylkill county, and continued to work in the mines until 1845, when he was made stationary engineer at Cumbola, which occupation he has followed continuously ever since. He was also at one time outside foreman of the. Black Heath colliery, operated by William H. Harris. In this position he remained five years, and in 1854 removed to Minersville, and from thence to Tremont in 1882, where he now resides and holds the po sition of engineer at the Middle Creek col liery. In politics he is an active and aggressive republican, and has been honored by his party by election to the borough council of Tre mont. He married Winifred Owens, a daughter of Morgan and Jane Owens, of Minersville, this county, on September 18, 1854, by whom he has a family of six children: Jane, wife of John Woodward, a tobacconist of Minersville, Penn sylvania; Mary, at home; John H., married to Clara Enzensperger, and at present proprietor of the Union House, Ashland, Pennsylvania; Margaret, Rufus and Arthur, the latter a paint er by occupation, and married to Lizzie Gammel, both residents in Philadelphia. Mr. Rowe is a deserving, industrious and honorable man, and enjoys the confidence and good-will ofthe citizens of Tremont. JOHN B. CHRIST, an enterprising baker and confectioner, of Tremont, Pennsyl vania, is a son of George B. and Margaret (Kline) Christ, and was born at Yorkville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, June 24, 1851. George P. Christ, father, was born in Alsace- Lorraine, France, on February 18, 1 8 19. The earlier part of his life was devoted to farming ; but he enlisted in the French army, and for seven years served under the French flag, during which time he took part in the dis turbances in Algeria, Africa. In 1846, he emigrated to the United States, and made Pottsville his first place of residence. Sub sequently he removed to Yorkville, Schuylkill county, and from there went to Tamaqua, where for thirty years he followed the trade of a blacksmith in and about the collieries of that vicinity. After this long term of service he engaged in the hotel business at Westwood, which continued to occupy his time until the death of his wife. He then left Westwood, and returned to Tamaqua, where he now resides. Politically, he is a Jeffersonian demo crat, and in his religious affiliations adheres to the German Catholic church. In about 1848, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Margaret Rice (nee Kline), a daughter of Martin Kline, the latter of whom died in Germany. His wife was first united with George Rice 'in Germany, and came with him to the United States in 1844, locating in Pottsville, Pennsyl vania. At the outbreak of the civil war he was among the first to enlist, and no tidings were ever after received as to how or when he fell. Mr. Christ's marriage resulted in the birth of seven children who lived to maturity : Catherine, wife of Albert Smith, a section superintendent of the Philadelphia and Read ing Railroad, now resident in Westwood; OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 645 George B., a baker of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania; Lewis A., foreman in the malt cellar of Yueng ling & Sons' brewery, at Pottsville ; Edward, brakeman on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and a resident of Cressona, this county ; - Charles, baker and confectioner, of Tamaqua; and John B., subject. John B. Christ, on May 27, 1874, was united in marriage with Mary Buehler, a daughter of Peter and Catherine Buehler, of Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania. By this marriage eight children have been born : Annie, Catherine, William, Harry, George, Howard, Alice M., and Carrie. Mr. Christ was brought up in Yorkville, Schuylkill county, and received his early education in the public schools of that place, after which he took a special course in German in the German Parish Catholic school of Pottsville. At an early age he began pick ing slate at the Llewellyn colliery, at which he worked during the summer months, and attended school in the winter. This alterna tion of affairs he continued up to the age of fifteen years, when he was apprenticed to Joseph Miller, of Pottsville, to learn the trade of baker and confectioner. During the suc ceeding nine years he followed this business, and in Jurie, 1877, opened a bakery and con fectionery at Tremont, where he built up a successful business, when on November 8, 1890, his establishment was entirely destroyed by fire. With his characteristic push and energy he immediately rebuilt and reopened business, with enlarged facilities and in more commodious quarters. His patronage since that time has been constantly increasing, and he is now beginning to reap the results of his industry and business application. In politics Mr. Christ is a staunch and active democrat, and is at present a member of the borough council, which office he has twice filled before with entire satisfaction. He is at present chairman of the public property and finance committee of hisborough. Religiously, he is a consistent and influential member of the Roman Catholic church of the Immaculate Conception, of Tremont. "CLIAS DILFIELD, a veteran of the civil war, and the popular proprietor of the Tremont Hotel, Tremont, Pennsylvania, is a son of Joseph and Rebecca (Deal) Dilfield, and was born in Uniontown, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, March 19, 1845. His father was a native of the Kingdom of Prussia, Ger many, born in 1796, and emigrated to the United States in about 1835, settling at Union- town, Dauphin county, where he died Septem ber 18, 1854. He followed droving and stock- dealing for a livelihood. During most of his life he was an active member of the German Reformed church, and at various times filled some of the most important offices in that organization. His marriage to Rebecca Deal occurred about 1838. This union was blessed with six children, two daughters and four sons : Mary A., who married Amos Straub, a prosperous farmer residing near Berrysburg, Dauphin county; Elizabeth, who married Henry Hilbush, a well-to-do farmer of near Richmond, Virginia ; Elias; Aaron, a success ful grocer of Topeka, Kansas ; Riley, a trusty fireman of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com pany ; and Joseph W., a respected citizen of Chicago, Illinois. Elias Dilfield was born and reared in Union- town, Dauphin county. On February 1, 1863, he freely offered his services to the nation in defence of the stars and stripes, enlisting for three years, or during the war, in Company B, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry. July 28, 1865, he 646 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY was honorably discharged at Lexington, North Carolina. He served in Killpatrick's division, and was one of the one hundred thousand brave men who followed General Sherman in his famous " March to the Sea." His leg was severely shattered by a fall from his horse on the march from Marietta to Atlanta. He showed his coolness, courage and devotion to the Union cause in all engagements partici pated in " Sherman's March to the Sea." After the Union cause had triumphed he returned to Uniontown, his old home, and completed his trade, that of harness making. In 1869 he removed to Shamokin, this State, where for a time he was employed in the mines and on the railroad. Soon after this (1872) he went into the hotel business at Val ley View, Schuylkill county, first as proprie tor of the " Valley View," then of the Union House for three years. During this time he was also engaged in the harness business. In April, 1 88 1, he removed to Tremont and took charge of the Union House, which he con ducted successfully for four years, during which time he was also engaged in the manu facture of harness. In 1885 he sold the Union House, and during the next year purchased the Tremont House, of which he has since been the owner and proprietor. Mr. Dilfield has been a life-long democrat, though not very active in politics. While at Valley View he served one term as president of the board of school directors, and has been for a number of years treasurer of the board. His religious opinions accord with the Ger man Reformed church, with which he has been connected for a number of years. He is prominently connected with the Tremont Fire Company, No. 1 ; is a member of Wil liams Post, No. 136, G. A. R. ; of Hegins Lodge, No. 726, I. O. O. R, at Hegins, Schuylkill county, of which he is Past Grand ; and of Swatara Lodge, No. 276, F. and A. M. Mr. Dilfield was married three times. First to Ellen McClain, daughter of James and Mary (Kopenhofer) McClain, of Millersburg, Dauphin county, this State, December 25, 1866, to whom four children were born: Clara R., and Harry E., are dead ; Mary E., married to William G. Wertley, a painter and paper hanger of Reading, Pennsylvania; John C, who is still at home; and Elmer E., ap prenticed to learn the hatter trade at Reading, this State. His first wife was born April 18, 1843, and passed away Sept. 18, 1877. His second marriage was with Mrs. Sarah Daniels (nee Hoffa), of Waterloo, Iowa, May 26, 1878. She died February 19, 1 884, aged thirty-eight years and ten months. On February 22, 1885, was celebrated the marriage to his pre sent wife Mrs. Ellen Umholtz (nee Keiser), of Uniontown, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. This union has been blessed with two chil dren : Jennie E. (dead) and Raymond. JAMES OWENS, merchant of Coaldale, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in Caernarvonshire, Wales, in the year 1854. He is a son of James and Ellen (Wil liams) Owens. The ancestors of James Owens were all natives of Wales, in which country they also died. His mother, together with three of her children, came to America in the year 1873, and first located in Slatington, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, where she died in the year 1874. After her death the children became separated: Ellen remained at Slatington, where she died in 1875 ; Mary is a resident of New York City, the wife of Henry J. Roberts, and James, subject. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 647 On November 5, 1877, James was united in marriage to Margaret Thomas, a daughter of John Thomas, of Slatington, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania. By this marriage there was an issue ofthe following children : James, Ellen, Jennie (deceased), Maggie, Mary and John. Before coming to this country, by reason of his father's death in one of the slate quarries of Wales, James was compelled at an early age to begin work for the purpose of helping to support the family. As a consequence of this, his education was rather limited, and what he has since gained has been through independent effort and business contact. After coming to the United States he went to work in the slate quarries at Slatington, Penn sylvania, and worked faithfully to support his mother and family until he arrived at the age of twenty years. During this time he had saved sufficient money to enter the academic department of Muhlenberg College in Allen town, where he spent a short time, after which he returned to the quarries and worked as a skilled laborer for nine years. At the expira tion of this time, he was employed as clerk for the estate of Henry Williams, his uncle, a wealthy slate operator at Slatington. Here he remained as a clerk for a period of three years. At the end of this time he went into partnership with W. P. Prum, under the firm name of Prum & Owens, for the purpose of starting a mercantile business. Since that time they have been unusually successful and have developed a large trade. Their store room is the largest in this section of the county.- The main room being seventy-five feet deep with a front of twenty-four feet, and an addition having dimensions of twenty feet in width and seventy-five feet in depth. In politics, Mr. Owens is a republican, who has always been content to cast his vote and use his influence to further the interests of that party without being an aspirant for further honors. In religion he is a member of the Welsh Presbyterian church. -0ATRICK CONREY, Sr., ex-county com missioner of Schuylkill county, is a son of Daniel and Sabina (Walsh) Conrey, and was born near Clair Morris, County Mayo, Ireland, December 20, 1830. His father, Daniel Conrey, was born in the same vicinity, where he lived all his life and died. He was married to Miss Sabina Walsh, who was also a native of that locality. Mr. Conrey, who had been a farmer in Ire land, left home March 24, 1854, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and landed at New York City May 16, 1854. He located first in Brooklyn, where he was employed as a stevedore until April 25, 1855. On April 28, 1855, he removed to St. Clair, where he has since resided. He was first employed about the mines as a la borer for one year, when he was promoted to be a miner, at which he worked until 1862. In March, 1861, he started in the wholesale liquor business, in which he continued until 1890, when he, engaged in the retail branch of the business, in which he has built up a large trade. From 1872 to 1874 he was engaged in rail road contracting on a Berks county railroad to Reading, Pennsylvania, and also on the line from Reading to Slatington; he contracted for the building of two sections on the Slatington end of the line, and from 1874 he sub-con tracted until the completion of the line. He is a democrat in politics, and has taken an active part in local contests. He was elected one of the county commissioners of this county in the fall of 1873. He has been elected a 648 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY member of the borough council of St. Clair for the past eighteen years, and is now serving in that capacity. His long service and con tinuous re-election for so long a period attests his popularity with the citizens of his town, their approbation of his official acts, and their esteem for him as a man. He is also a mem ber of the Roman Catholic church. He was married, April 14, 1866, to Miss Bridget Cum mings, a daughter of Andrew and Agnes Cummings, of County Mayo, Ireland, which union has resulted in five children, who are living, three sons and two daughters, viz. : May, a member of the St. Joseph sisterhood, at the Roman Catholic cathedral, Philadelphia; Thomas, foreman of Edwin C. Burt & Co.'s shoe store, of New York City; Joseph, who lives in South Dakota; Celia, at home; and Patrick, Jr., who is also employed at Edwin C. Burt & Co.'s shoe store. Q'lMON MOORE, the efficient superintend- ent of the Lawrence colliery, this county, and a man who has had a large and varied ex perience as a superintendent of mines in the anthracite coal region, is a son of Edward B. and Mary (Little) Moore, and was born in Durham county, England, February 25, 1844. Edward B. Moore, father, was born in Dur ham county, England, on January 15, 1828, but emigrated with his family in December, 1852, to the United States, and settled first at Llewellyn, this county. In his native country he was employed in the mines in the capacity of a deputy fire boss. After locating at Llewellyn, he was engaged in the capacity of miner for one year, and five years more in the same capacity at Donaldson, this county. At about this time he removed to Rausch Creek, and for about fifteen years was the superin tendent of the colliery at that place, when he removed to Lower Rausch Creek and served in the capacity of superintendent for Miller, Graeff & Co. until his death, which occurred August 4, 1875. He married Mary Little, and had eight chil dren : six sons and two daughters. Simon Moore, our subject, was united in marriage on February 9, 1866, with Isabelle Long, a daughter of Charles Long of Donald son, and to this union have been born six children that are living: Esther L., Charles W., Mary F., Martha J., Annie E. and Alice E., all at home except Martha, who is at present attending the Millersville State Normal School, preparing for the profession of a teacher. Mr. Moore received his education in the common schools. He commenced picking slate upon the breaker at the age of ten years, but attended the schools during the winter months. At the age of eighteen years, he changed his line of work, and became a stationary en gineer, discharging the duties of this avoca7 tion with fidelity until twenty-one years of age, when because of the efficiency he had dis played, he was placed in full charge of the pumps and machinery at East Franklin col liery near Tremont, which position he filled three years. From 1868 to 1875, he held the position of outside boss at the same colliery. In 1874, he emigrated to the bituminous coal region, where, however, he remained but a short time when he returned to Schuylkill county, and took the position of superintendent of Middle Creek shaft, east of Tremont. He re mained there until 1879, when he went to Minersville, and for eight years superintended the Richardson colliery at Glen Carbon. He then removed to Frackville and took charge OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 649 as superintendent of Lawrence colliery until 1892, when he took general charge of the colliery for the P. W. Sheafer estate, and has since managed it for them. Mr. Moore is a firm believer in the princi ples and policies of the Republican party, and has served a number of terms as a member of school boards: is now serving his second term as a member of the board of Frackville borough and has always manifested a com mendable interest in the public schools. Fraternally he is a member of Swatara Lodge, No. 227, F. and A. M., Tremont Chapter, No. 221, R. A. M., at Tremont, and since May 13, 1872, of Hermit Commandery, No. 24, K. T. of Lebanon, Pennsylvania. TlllLLIAM J. KENNEDY, one of the lead ing business men and prominent citi zens of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, is a son of Michael and Bridget (Mona- han) Kennedy, and was born July 5, 1849, in Westwoods, Schuylkill county, about half a mile from the borough of Pottsville. His parents were natives of Ireland and em igrated to Pennsylvania about 1838, and located at the place where our subject was born. Somewhat later they removed to Minersville, same county, where the father lost his life in the mines in the year 1854. His marriage resulted in an offspring of eight children, two boys and six girls, whose names are as follows: Patrick' Mary, Catherine, Bridget, Margaret, Ellen, Annie and William J. (subject), who was united in marriage with Margaret O'Neill, a daughter of John O'Neill. This marriage was blessed by the birth of three children: William, John, and one de ceased in infancy. Mrs. Kennedy died in the year 1891. Mr. Kennedy received his educa tion in the schools of Minersville from which he was graduated; later he attended St. Joseph's Academy at Baltimore, Maryland, and after finishing his course there apprenticed himself at the age of fifteen to learn the tailor trade. This trade he pursued for a number of years in Philadelphia, and then returned and took charge of a shop for Thomas Quirk. Here he was advanced to the position of fore man, continued some time, and then entered the employ of P. Kearns. Mr. Kearns subse quently removed to Shenandoah in 1879, and Mr. Kennedy was retained in charge of the store until 1880. During this year the latter, with Mr. Charles E. Wilhelm, formed a part nership under the firm-name of Wilhelm & Kennedy, and purchased the aforesaid estab lishment in Shenandoah, which they con ducted for about a' year. At the close of this time they purchased the store in Potts ville, which they are now successfully con ducting. Their place of business is located at No. no North Centre street, the building is twenty feet front, one hundred and five feet in depth, and three stories in height. They carry a large stock of general house-furnishing goods, in connection with which they have a large trade. They also carry on a general tinware and plumbing business, for the con duct of which they require fourteen hands. Politically, he supports the Democratic party, and takes an active interest in state and county politics. In the autumn of 1892 he was a candidate for assemblyman from the Fourth Assembly district of Schuylkill county, and has always exhibited a decided interest in the welfare of his party in Schuylkill county. He is a member of St. Patrick's Catholic church of Pottsville, of which he is an ardent and conscientious supporter. 650 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY /"VNICHAEL J. DOYLE, assistant engineer of the Tremont district of the Phila delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, is a son of Thomas and Julia (Keane) Doyle, and was born at Silver Creek, Schuylkill county, October 4, 1865. (For ancestral his tory see sketch of father, Thomas Doyle.) Michael Doyle was educated in the public schools of Pottsville, graduating from the High School in 1884, and at once entered the service of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company at Tremont, as a chainman, and at the end of two years was promoted to the position of assistant engineer of the Tre mont district, which position he very com petently fills at the present time. In polit ical matters he is a democrat, and is the present auditor of the borough of Tremont. He married on July '22, 1890, Mary, a daughter of Thomas Holland, of Swatara, this county, to which union has been born two children, Marguerite and Thomas. QRTHUR E. JONES, the efficient and trustworthy outside foreman of the West Bear Ridge Colliery in the borough of Gilberton, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is the representative of a respectable Welsh ancestry. He was born in the year 1848, in South Wales, and is a son of Evan and Jane (Arthur) Jones. Evan Jones, his father, was born in Wales in the year 18 [8, and came to America in the year 1850. After landing he was first attracted to Minersville, Pennsylvania, by reason of the anthracite coal fields located in that vicinity. He obtained employment in the mines at this place, and there remained until the year 1859, when he removed to Wadesville, Schuylkill county, where, during the year 1865, he was killed through the breaking of a rope on the slope connected with one of the collieries. Throughout his entire life he pursued the vocation of a miner, and was regarded as a careful and judicious workman. He was united in marriage with Jane Arthur, a native of Wales, who bore him three children : Wil liam E., inside foreman of the Good Spring Colliery, Schuylkill county ; Edwin E., a miner residing in Donaldson, near Miners ville, and Arthur E., subject. Mrs. Jones died in the year 1861. Arthur E. Jones was united in marriage in November, 1869, with Ann Evans, a daughter of John N. Evans, of Wales, a native of the same county as the father of Arthur E. By this union two children have been born, still living: Evan J., a graduate of the State Nor mal school at Clarion, Pennsylvania, in the class of 1892, and now principal ofthe schools at Driftwood, Pennsylvania, and Susan, at home. Mr. Jones was educated in the com mon schools, where he received very poor advantages, and while in the early years of his life entered the mines as a fan turner at Mt. Laffee, Schuylkill county. Here he occu pied various positions both as an unskilled and a skilled workman, until he became the inside foreman of the Burnside Colliery, near Shamokin, Northumberland county, Pennsyl vania, in the 1875. From this place he removed to Black Ridge Colliery in Luzerne county, where he accepted the outside fore- manship, and subsequently became the inside foreman of the Continental Colliery in Colum bia county, Pennsylvania, under the control ofthe Lehigh Valley Company. At the close of his period of service here, he became assistant outside foreman of the Turkey Run Colliery for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, and finally of the Bear OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 651 Ridge Colliery in 1891, which position he has since filled with entire satisfaction to his employers and those under his immediate supervision. His jurisdiction extends over the outside operations of both the East and West Bear Ridge Collieries. Mr. Jones has a minute and extensive knowledge of every thing in relation to the management of a colliery, and outside of his technical knowl edge is a man of wide reading and general intelligence, largely acquainted with the issues of the business and political world. He has appeared a number of times before the board of mine inspector examiners as a candidate for appointment under that board. In politics, he is non-partisan, and casts his vote for the man who represents the firmest principles, and is, in himself, the most trust worthy in official positions. /CHARLES FISHER, a prominent farmer and lumber dealer of South Manheim township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in Port Clinton, county and state above mentioned, on March 6, 1827. He is a son of John and Catherine (Kramer) Fisher. His grandfather, John Fisher was a native of Long Swamp township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, born about the year 1780, and removed to Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, shortly after his marriage. He was married to Rebecca Greissinger, who was born January 16, 1767, and died at the age of over eighty- eight years. He was a farm laborer, and died near Orwigsburg. Through this marriage five children were born, — one son and four daughters. His father was born in the same township and county aforesaid, on March 15, 1804, and when but a mere boy removed with his father to Orwigsburg. In his youth he was apprenticed to learn the milling trade with Daniel Faust, who lived in the vicinity of Orwigsburg, and subsequently followed that trade for six or seven years. From there he went to Port Clinton, and thence to South Manheim township, finally, in the year 1836, coming to Auburn, where he has since resided. In the year 1850, he built a stone grist mill on Bear Creek, one mile west of Auburn, which he owned and operated for a number of years. January 18, 1880, he died, aged seventy-five years, having re-married five years prior to his death. In addition to his mill property he was the owner of a farm, contain ing one hundred and fifty acres; and consider able real estate in Auburn, in the shape of houses and lots. He was a member of the Church of God, in which he held active mem bership and filled the office of trustee. In his " politics he was originally a republican, but later found himself in fuller accord with the principles of the Democratic party. He married Catherine Kramer, who was born September 16, 1802, and died, March 25, 1881. His family consisted of eight children, six sons and two daughters, that grew to maturity. Charles Fisher was joined in the bonds of matrimony with Phoebe Berger, a daughter of John and Sallie Berger, of South Manheim township, on March 25, 1848. This marriage has resulted in an offspring of eight children : Louisa, living at home ; Jackson, deceased ; (his widow now resides at Orwigsburg, Penn sylvania :) Rebecca, deceased ; Charles, de ceased ; Elijah, married to Clara Sigfried, now living in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, where he is engaged as a brakeman on the Schuylkill division of the Philadelphia and Reading rail road ; Emma, wife of Francis Huntzinger, a resident of Auburn, Pennsylvania and con- 652 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ductor on the Schuylkill division ofthe Phila- adelphia and Reading railroad; Ellsworth, married to Jennie Diefenderfer, and now resid ing with the subject, employed on the farm ; Catherine, married to Reuben Kirchner, a farmer of West Brunswick township. Charles Fisher came with his father to South Manheim township when he was quite young, and has resided in that township down to the present time. He was brought up as a farm boy, and was also accustomed to work in connection with the grist-mill and saw-mill. He continued with his father until he reached the age of twenty-five years, when he engaged in farming independently, and also operated the mill built by his father, for several years ; after which he kept a flour and feed store in Auburn for a short time, but finally returned to farm ing. He is at present the owner of a farm containing two hundred and eighty acres, one hundred and fifty acres of which are under cul tivation. In 1865, in addition to his farm work, he began lumbering and preparing tim ber for the mills. He owns two tracts of tim ber land, containing ninety-eight and twenty- six acres respectively, and in addition to this he cuts timber extensively on other lands purchased for that purpose. His business in this respect is quite extensive and remunera tive. In his religious views he is in general accord with the Church of God of Auburn, to which body he gives an active and intelligent support. nEV. GEORGE M. BOCK, pastor in charge of Christ Lutheran church at Mahanoy City, Pa., is a son of George and Catherine (Stunz) Bock, and was born in Rochester, New York, on January 25, 1870. Rev. Bock is of German lineage : his grand father was John Bock, a native of Hesse, Germany, where he lived and died. His father, George Bock, was born in Ger many in 1838, and shortly after attaining to his majority, emigrated to the United States and located in Rochester, New York, where he has ever since resided. He is a thrifty German, and by industry and frugality has accumulated considerable realty within the limits of his adopted city. This property he is now engaged in improving by laying it out into building lots ; thus contributing his share to the growth and prosperity of the city. He is also proprietor and owner of what is known as the Half- Way House in Rochester. He is an active republican in political text ure, but inclined to support with his suffrage those men who seem best qualified for the positions to which they aspire. He has been twice married. His first marital alliance Was with Elizabeth Shaft, and resulted in the birth of two children : Henry and Libbie. Mrs. Elizabeth Shaft Bock died in 1868' and Mr. Bock was again married to Catherine Stunz; this union was blessed with three children ; George M., subject ; Katie and Frederick C. Rev. Bock was educated in Wagner College at Rochester, N. Y., which he entered at the age of thirteen years, and graduated in 1888, at the age of eighteen years, being the first to take the full six years' course and grad uate. He immediately entered upon the theo logical course in the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, and graduated in 1892, and was ordained at Reading the follow ing June, and immediately took charge of of what is known as the Port Carbon charge, which consists of the Lutheran churches at Port Carbon, St. Clair and Middleport. The churches at Port Carbon and Middleport he OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 653 found in a disorganized condition, in that the members were scattered among the other churches ; he at once began a work of reor ganization and left them in an excellent con dition, and his leaving was a source of unani mous regret to the members of his charge, to whom he had endeared himself by his Chris tian character and those qualities of head and heart that make for God and righteousness. On August I, 1893, he left this charge in re sponse to a call to the pastorate of Christ Lutheran church at Mahanoy City, which for some time had been without a pastor and which was in a somewhat disorganized con dition. With characteristic energy and enthu siasm, he set about the work of bringing together the disorganized elements of the church, and putting it in good working con dition. In this work, although merely in its incep tion, he is succeeding, and the congregation, which was numerically weak, is becoming strong and daily increasing. He has made thorough preparation for the work of his choice, and success will surely crown his efforts wherever he may be placed. He is a good speaker, speaking in both the English and German languages, and possesses rare executive ability and an amiable and affable disposition that draws to himself a host of friends. T^HOMAS GILES, a resident of Mahanoy Plane, Schuylkill county, Pennnsylvania, and the efficient foreman of the East Bear Ridge colliery in the same county, is a son of Willliam and Jane (Bunt) Giles, and was born in Cornwall, England, on May 10, 1843. The father of Thomas was also a native of England, in which country he remained until about the year 1861, when he determined to try his fortune in Australia. By occupation, both in England and during the period of his residence in Australia, he was a laborer. He was married to Jane Bunt, by whom he had nine children, five sons and four daughters, only one of whom came to America. Thomas Giles received his education in the schools of England, which was to say the least very scanty, being confined to about a year and a-half in a school offering meagre advantages. At the early age of eight years he began working on a farm, living meanwhile with his uncle. This line of work continued until he reached the age of fifteen years, when he crossed to Wales, entered the mines and began the career of a miner. Here he re mained until the year 1867, when he emigrated to the United States, and came directly to Schuylkill county, where he was employed at Cressona. After working for a considerable length of time in various mines in Schuylkill county, he removed to Tioga county, Penn sylvania, where he worked in the soft coal regions. Subsequently he removed to Schuyl kill county, and located at Ashland, where, in 1873, he was promoted to the position of fire boss at the Tunnel colliery. He remained in this position five months, after which he worked as a miner in the same colliery, and later entered the employ of the Keystone colliery, in which, in 1883, he became fire boss, by reason of the accidental killing of the former fire boss. From this place he was transferred to the West Bear Ridge col liery at Mahanoy Plane, where he remained as foreman for three years, thence to Kohinoor to a similar position, where he remained two and a-half years. Finally he was called to the East Bear Ridge colliery to superintend some needed and important improvements, and was henceforth retained as foreman, which 654 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY position he has continued to fill with un qualified satisfaction. Politically, as regards the great national issues he is a republican ; but in local politics he holds himself independent. He served as school director in the borough of Ashland for a period of six years, and also served as justice of the peace in the same borough before the time he removed to West Bear Ridge colliery. He is now a, member and the treasurer of the school board of Gil berton borough. Mr. Giles was united in marriage to Fannie Horton, a daughter of John Horton, a native of Bristol, England, by whom he has the fol lowing children : Rosa, wife of Charles Cobley; Richard, married to Janet Calderhead; John, married to Nettie Wagner, now residing in Gilberton; William, a conductor on the elec tric railroad; Thomas, Jr., and Bessie. Mr. Giles buried his first wife in March, 1878, and was again united in marriage in September of the same year to Ella, the second daughter of William and Elizabeth Lowthert, of the borough of Pottsville. Mr. Giles' second wife died in February, 1884, leaving behind her two daughters : Hannah and Ella, who are at home. nEV. PETER F. DAGGET, of Lost Creek, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Richard and Mary A. (Crosby) Dagget, and was born at Tuscarora, in the same county, April 22, 1853. His grandfather was Peter Dagget, a native of County Meath, Ireland, where he lived and died at the age of ninety years. His father, Richard Dagget, was also a native of Ireland, who emigrated to America in 1847, and set tled at Port Carbon, Schuylkill county, where he was employed in the opening of the Tus carora Valley Mines, as a mine foreman. Here he continued for ten years, when in 1857 he removed to Bear Ridge, for the purpose of opening up the mines at that place. He was the first man to put a pick in these mines, and was the last man taken out of them, his death being the result of a mine explosion on February n, 186 1. His father, during his life, had always been a democrat, and ever took an active interest in the politics of his adopted country. He was an earnest, faithful and consistent member of the Roman Catholic church, and led an hon est, consistent, exemplary life. His family consisted of five children, one daughter and four sons, named respectively: Julia (deceased); John, residing at Gilberton ; George, residing with his brother at Lost Creek; Thomas, residing at Branchdale ; and Peter F., the subject of our sketch. Father Dagget was educated in the public schools ; but his father having died when he was only nine years of age, he was taken from school for a time. He subsequently at tended the seminary of St. Charles de Borro meo, at Overbrook, Delaware county, Penn sylvania, and graduated from that institution in 1885. He was ordained May 23 of the same year, and became the assistant pastor of St. Bernard's Roman Catholic church at Easton, Pennsylvania. Four months later he became the assistant pastor of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church at Norristown, Penn sylvania, where he labored for sixteen months, or until October 1, 1890, when he was assigned as pastor of St. Mary's parish of Lost Creek, succeeding Father H. J. McManus. St. Mary's parish was founded in 1880, by Father Martin Walsh, who two years later, on August 29, 1882, was succeeded by the late Father Mc Manus. The parish comprises about sixteen REV. P. F. DAGGET. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 655 hundred souls, and was formed out of the Shenandoah and Girardville districts. The church is a fine and substantial edifice, eighty- two by forty- two feet, with a temperance hall thirty by sixty feet, and with the parsonage occupies a lot two hundred feet front by two hundred feet in depth, in a most desirable location. Since the accession of Father Dag get material improvements have been made, among them being the placing of tlie Florida Steam Heater in both the church and parson age. The parish is in a very prosperous condi tion, and under the ministrations of Father Dagget much good work is being done here. The T. A. B. society of this parish and its band have one hundred and twenty-five en rolled members, and the temperance cadets, eighty. /GORDON H. WILCOX, a trusted employee of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, is a son of Hon. Decius H. and Angeline (Troutman) Wilcox, and was born in Llewellyn, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, June 21, 1865. Aaron Wilcox, grand father, was a native of Shenango county, New York, where he spent all his days on the farm, and died at the advanced age of sixty-nine years. He was attached to the doctrines of the Whig party, and voted his convictions. Decius Wilcox, father, was born in Delaware county, New York, September 14, 1828, but removed to Dauphin county, and again to Klingerstown, Schuylkill county, in 1841. His early life was spent on the farm, but during this time he was diligently preparing himself for j the teachers' profession. His efforts were suc cessful, and he embarked in his calling first in Schuylkill county, where he taught in Donald son for two years, removing then to Tremont, Schuylkill county, at which place he was en gaged until 1863, when he went to Llewellyn and conducted the American Hotel until 1865. Since then he has been engaged in the hotel business in various parts of the state. From 1865 to 1867 he managed the United States Hotel, in Tamaqua ; from 1867 to 1869 he kept the hotel in Uniontown, Dauphin county ; and from 1 869 to 1 870 he was proprietor of the American House, in Mechanicsburg, Cumber land county. He then returned to LleWellyn, and kept hotel until 1889, at which time he retired from the business. He is a republican from principle, and has been a member of the board of school directors of Llewellyn bor ough, and at present is tax collector. During the session of 1877-8 he represented Schuyl kill county in the Pennsylvania legislature. In religion he is an active and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was united in marriage with Angeline Troutman, and to them have been born four children, one son and three daughters : Ettie F., wife of William A. Cockill, postmaster at Llewellyn, Pennsylvania ; Laura A. , married to George W. Earnest, proprietor ofthe American House, Llewellyn; and Gordon. Gordon H. Wilcox was educated in the pub lic schools of Llewellyn, Minersville and Potts ville, graduating from the latter place in 1883. Immediately thereafter he was employed as chainman by the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, continuing with them for about eighteen months. Subsequently he was a naval student at Bedford, Massachusetts, for over two years on board the "S. P. Chase." In 1888 he removed to Tremont, again accept ing the position of chainman with the Phila delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company for the Tremont district. In this capacity he continued up tp 1889, when he was promoted 056 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY to engineer, which position he still holds. He is a member of Tremont Castle, No. 207, Knights of the Golden Eagle. On August 20, 1890, he was married to Sallie M. Cockill, a daughter of Thomas C. and Mary Cockill, of Llewellyn, Pennsylvania. Mr. Wilcox is a bright young man, possessing exceptional business ability, and has a bright future before him. O'AMUEL O. LUTZ, a leading merchant ^^ and popular citizen of Tamaqua, Penn sylvania, is a son of Moses and Susan (Kleck ner) Lutz, and was born in Tamaqua, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, on April 19, 1857. Jacob Lutz, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Lewistown, Rahn township, this county, where he died. His avocation throughout life was that of a tiller of the soil. His marriage to Miss Hertsough resulted in an issue of twelve children, nine sons and three daughters. Moses Lutz was born in Lewistown on January 14, 1827, and lived there until 1853, when he removed to Tamaqua, where he died, August 2, 1 89 1. He followed railroad con tracting in partnership with his brother, Daniel, until he came to Tamaqua, when he was employed in the flour and feed business by Daniel Shepp and H. F. Stedpole, until 1864; when he embarked in a livery business. In 1869 he formed a partnership with Paul Scherer, under the firm-name of Lutz & Scherer, and engaged in a general mercantile business, which he continued until his death. He was a republican in political texture and served two terms as a member of the council of Tamaqua borough. He was an active member and liberal sup porter of Trinity Reformed church, of Tama qua. His union with Susan Kleckner resulted in an issue of two sons and four daughters, as follows : Isaac S., a member of the present firm of Lutz & Scherer, merchants, of Tama qua ; Samuel O., subject; Mary C, wife of Frederick R. Kulp, of Tamaqua ; Susan L., wife of D. A. L. Davis, of Lansford, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, and Emma J., the wife of W. F. Meredith, of Tamaqua. Susan Kleckner Lutz died in 1877, at the age of forty-nine years, and Mr. Lutz rnarried as his second wife Harriet Mensch. Samuel O. Lutz received his mental train ing in the public schools of Tamaqua and Mount Joy Seminary (now extinct) in Lancas ter county, Pennsylvania. He began his training for a mercantile career at the age of sixteen years, when he took a clerkship under the firm of Lutz & Scherer. He remained in the position until 1883, when Mr. Scherer died, and he became the buyer for the firm, and continued as such until his father's death, in 1 891, when he succeeded his father as manager of the enterprise. The store is one of the finest in this part of the State. The firm handles dry goods, car pets and groceries, in each of which lines their stock is large and of first-class quality. The house is located at No. 48 Broad street, and is twenty-five feet front by one hundred and fifteen feet deep. Three floors are occu pied. In political affiliations Mr. Lutz is a repub lican, and is at present a member of the school board of his borough. He is also a member of the Tamaqua Building and Loan Association. January 5, 1878, Mr. Lutz was united in marriage to Annie, a daughter of William Jacobs, of Tamaqua. To this union was born one child : Susie. Mrs. Annie Jacobs Lutz OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 657 died in 1880, and Mr. Lutz married as his second wife Emma, a daughter of L. F. Fritsch, of Tamaqua, and to them have been born three children : William F, aged eight; Olive F., aged five ; Samuel, aged three. QIMON P. HEBERLING, a prominent *^ merchant of Johnstown, Schuylkill coun ty, Pennsylvania, was born in Porter town ship, near the village in which he now resides, on February 3, 1859. He is a son of John and Catherine (Rumberger) Heberling. The Heberlings are one of the oldest fami lies in Schuylkill county. Grandfather Henry Heberling was born in Porter township, Schuylkill county, and remained a resident of that township until the time of his death. He was a farmer by occupation, as was also his son, John, father of the subject, who was born about the year 1833, and still lives in the vil lage of Johnstown. His life-work was similar to that of his father, and until within recent years he has been actively and successfully engaged in the duties of farm work. In poli tics he espouses the cause of the Democratic party, though he has never taken anything more than a merely nominal interest in purely party affairs. He is a member of the German Reformed church, with which he has been connected for a number of years, and in all lines of church Work he is in deep sympathy and harmony. His marriage with Catherine Rumberger, a native of Williams Valley, Por ter township, resulted in a fruitage of nine children, of whom three are living : George, a resident of Johnstown, Schuylkill county; Rebecca, wife of John Nelson of ToWer City, and Simon P., subject. Simon P. Heberling was united in marriage with Emma Rowland, a daughter of William 42 and (Morgan) Rowland, in March, 1 89 1. By this marriage one child has been born, John W., the date of whose birth is October 16, 1891. Mr. Heberling attended the common schools of Porter township dur ing the winter season, and worked on his father's farm during summer time. He con tinued to assist his father until he was about twenty-five years of age, whe"n in 1888, he began the mercantile business in the village of Johnstown. His venture has proved a suc cessful one, and he now owns and conducts a first-class general store with a constantly in creasing trade. His store room is ample and commodious, having the dimension forty feet deep and twenty-two feet wide, both floors of which are occupied for the immediate pur poses of his trade. In politics, the Demo cratic party receives his support, while fra ternally he is a member of Williams Valley Encampment, No. 317, Junior Order of United American Mechanics, at Tower City, Pennsylvania. e> Q'AMUEL GAY, late mine inspector for a ^ large district in the anthracite coalfields of Pennsylvania, was a son of George and Rachel (Summerville) Gay, born August 1, 1838, in Gloucestershire, near Bristol, England. His grandfather, Henry Gay, was also a native of Gloucestershire, and by vocation a miner. He married Nancy Ann Osborne, and became parent" of the following children : George, Felix, Harry, Ann and Rachel, besides two who died in infancy— all married in England, where they have since died. George, the father of Samuel, had five children, subject and four sisters : Rachel, deceased ; Elizabeth, still living in England ; Sarah, deceased ; Mary, in England. Samuel Gay was united in marriage with 658 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Fannie Thompson, a daughter of Edmund Thompson, of England. They were the parents of five children, four boys and one girl : Harry, married to Miss Sarah Batdorff, and lives a,t Shamokin, where he is employed as a mining engineer and superintendent of a shaft of the Langdon Coal Company ; George, a mining engineer in the employ of the Turkey Gap Coal Company, at Ennis, McDowell county West Virginia ; Arthur, learning the trade of machinist in Pottsville ; Clyde W. and Fannie, at home. Mr. Gay. w.as educated in the common schools of his country, and before coming to America was engaged around the mines. After landing in the United States he came directly to St. Clair, Schuylkill county, where he was employed for four years as a miner, and from there he went to New Philadelphia, where he was similarly engaged. His em ployers at this place, Miller & Maize, showed their appreciation of his services by placing him in charge of the machinery which was necessary to operate their shafts, and soon after he became the general superintendent of both the inside and outside operations of the plant, and remained in that capacity until 1865, when the collieries were sold to the New Philadelphia Coal Company. Mr. Gay was retained by this Company as their general superintendent until the property again re- ' verted to Miller & Maize, at which juncture he entered into a contract with the Cdmpany to operate a shaft which had been opened by him while in the employ of the New Phila delphia Company. This shaft was operated as an independent enterprise, and the coal sold to the Company. Sometime later he accepted a position as superintendent of the Carbon Hill Coal Company near Richmond, Virginia, but after eight months resigned, and purchased an interest in a colliery known as the Gate Vein, between New Philadelphia and Newport. This was operated for three years, and the plant disposed of, after which he became part owner of a colliery at Mt. Carmel, which engaged his attention about a year. He then removed to Mahanoy Plane, and was the in side superintendent for Miller & Hope for four years. In 1875 he passed a competitive examination before the Board of Examiners to be appointed mine inspector for the south ern district of Schuylkill county. The ex amination was passed cum laude, and he be came the successful appointee, and filled this position from 1875 until death terminated his active and useful career, November 30, 1893. In politics, Mr. Gay did not ally himself strictly to any party, although his general political cast was that of a republican. Fra ternally, he was a member of Shenandoah Lodge, F. and A. M. His acquaintance through the county was large, and through genial and affable manners he entitled him self to a deserved popularity. He was quiet in manner, intelligent in many lines col lateral to his professional work, and possessed many excellent qualities of both mind and heart. "J^ J. BROWN, a citizen and merchant of • Reiner City, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Heberling) Brown, and was born in Porter township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on March 20, 1857: His paternal grandfather, Philip Brown, was a son of Peter Brown, which latter was a native of Alsace, Germany. Pete.r Brown, the great-grandfather of sub ject, emigrated to the United States and set tled in the State of Virginia. During the war OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 659 of the Revolution he served as a teamster, and was engaged in hauling supplies from Philadelphia to Virginia. He was thus en gaged throughout the entire period of the war. His death occurred in his adopted state. Grandfather Brown was born in Virginia,, and in the earlier part of. his life removed to Berks county, Pennsylvania, and thence to Clarke's Valley, Dauphin county, where he married. After his marriage he came to Schuylkill county, and purchased a tract of land in Porter township, which he put in condition for farming. He had originally learned the trade of shoemaking, and he carried on his trade conjointly with farming throughout the greater portion of his life. He died in Schuyl kill county. His suffrage was given to the Whig party, while in religious matters, he was a member of St. Peter's Lutheran church. His marriage to Miss Swab resulted in an off spring of five children, among whom was the father of P. J. Brown. The former was born in Porter township, Schuylkill county, on May 12, 1825, and has spent his entire life within the borders of that township. He is a lum berman and laborer by occupation, a republi can in politics, and a member of St. Peter's Lutheran church. His marriage with Eliza beth Heberling was blessed by the birth of seven children, six sons and one daughter. P. J. Brown was brought up in Porter township, and at the age of twelve years was employed in the mines, where he began at the bottom of the ladder and gradually ascended. He continued in the mines until 1878, and at that time, owing to an injury received, gave up mining, and engaged in the mercantile busi ness. He has continued merchandising since that time, and now conducts a very prosperous business in Reiner City. Politically, he affili ates with the Republican party, and formerly served as township clerk and auditor. In 1890 he was elected justice of the peace for a period of five years. He is a stockholder in the Williams Valley Railroad, in which he has been interested from the date of its origi nal incorporation. TT\ ILLIAM SCHULTZ, a prosperous and ^^¦*" successful timber merchant, and one of the most prominent and well-to-do farmers of Pine Grove township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Leah (Fid dler) Schultz, and was born in Llewellyn, Schuylkill county, on June n, 1849. His father was a German by birth, born in the province of Saxe- Weimar, Germany, on March 15, 1821. In his youth he learned the trade of a tailor, but in succeeding years failed to follow it In 1839 he emigrated to America, and first located near Whitehaven, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged as a contractor and builder on railroads and canals. Thence he removed to Mauch Chunk, and there resided with the late Joseph Heisler. After his marriage he removed to Llewellyn, this county, and began work in the mines and continued for a short time, after which he en gaged in the lumber business with Samuel Griscom. This period of employment paved a way for his future career, for soon afterward he embarked in the same business indepen dently, which he has followed for a period of thirty years. Near Llewellyn he has cleared a hundred acres of timber, and also has cut lumber largely in the Red Mountains, this county. Besides these places, he has also en gaged in lumbering in Clark's Valley, in Dau phin county, and near Yellow Springs, Leba non county. During the panic of 1873, on account of a breach of contract on the part of 660 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY certain coal companies, he was financially driven to the wall, and through depreciation in the value of lumber he lost more than $15,000. He recovered, however, in a short time from this temporary financial embarassment, and by the year 1876 had paid in full all his liabilities. From 1876 to 1881 he resided at Yellow Springs, Lebanon county, in which latter year he removed to Tremont, in which place he died in the year 1893. Some years before his death his business interests were purchased by his son, who continued the business. He was a republican in politics, and for a number of years was a member of the council of Tremont borough, beginning with the year 1889. Re ligiously, he worshiped with the United Breth ren church up to the time of his coming to Tremont, after which he was connected with the Evangelical church, of which he was a consistent member. His marriage took place on February 13, 18 — , and was blessed by the' birth of five children, three sons and two daughters : John H., a druggist of Tremont, married to Emma Ziebach; William, subject; George, of Tre mont, married to Rebecca Kramer, at present engaged in the grocery business ; Leah, wife of Professor W. J. Wills, of Norristown, Mont gomery county, Pennsylvania. William Schultz was first united in marriage to Catherine Dilley, a daughter of John H.and Susanna Dilley, of Clark's Valley, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, on January 6, 1877. By this marriage he had three children : Annie E , John D. and Maggie M. His first wife died on January 19, 1888, at the age of twenty-nine years, seven months and twenty-nine days. He married, the second time, Sarah E. Rein- oehl, a daughter of David and Elizabeth Rein- oehl, of Williamstown, Dauphin county, Penn sylvania, on February 20, 1890. Mr. Schultz received his education in the common schools of Llewellyn, Pennsylvania, and at Annville Academy, near Lebanon, Pennsylvania, after which he attended East man's Business College, at Poughkeepsie, New York, and was graduated therefrom in the fall of 1872. Immediately afterward he was em ployed as a clerk at Wiconisco, Dauphin county, by Joseph Goldsmith, and subsequently began clerking for his father in Clark's Valley, with whom he continued until the year 1881, when he purchased his father's business and continued on his own account. He resided at Yellow Spring, Lebanon county, until 1886, when he removed to Pine Grove township, about a mile north of Pine Grove borough, where he has since resided. He still continues in the lumber business, taking lumber from the lands of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, in Dauphin, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties. He at the same time operates a farm of 200 acres, 160 of which are cleared and in an exceptionally fine state of cultivation. Politically, he votes with the Republican party, and fraternally, he is a member of Pine Grove Lodge, No. 409, F. and A. M., of which he is Past Master ; of Pine Grove Chapter, No. 221, R. A. M.; Hermit Commandery, No. 24, Knights Templar, at Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and a member of the Mystic Shrine, at Read ing, Pennsylvania. Mr. Schultz has been a successful man from a business point of view, and aside from that is regarded as one of the substantial citizens of that section of Schuylkill county. He is a man of broad intelligence on public affairs, is largely interested in the development and pro gress of his county and state, and discharges the duties of citizenship with commendable fidelity and felicity. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 661 ^ECHARIAH* BATDORFF is one of the ^ leading citizens of Tremont, Pennsylvania, and a son of George and Susan (Gunderum) Batdorff, and was. born in Bethel township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, on May 15, 1828. His grandfather, John Batdorff, was a life-long resident of Bethel township, Berks county, a prosperous farmer by occupation and a democrat in politics, in which he was an intel ligent counselor and supporter. He was a member of the Lutheran church, in which he took an active interest, and was united in mar riage with a Miss Seller, by whom he had a family of six children, four sons and two daughters. George Batdorff, his father, was a native of Bethel township, Berks county, and was born in the year 1786. He continued to reside in that township throughout his life, and was an extensive farmer up to the time of his death. In 1847 and 1850 his son, Zechariah Batdorff, was extensively engaged in the lumber and mercantile business and owned one thousand acres of timber land, upon which he erected a saw-mill south of Tremont, between the Red and Second mountains, and cut a large amount of timber. His marriage resulted in an off spring of thirteen children, eight sons and five daughters. He died on the old homestead in the year 1842. At the time of his father's death Zechariah Batdorff was quite young. When still in his youth he removed to Fredericksburg, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, where he received em ployment at the age.of fifteen years as a clerk, and continued there up to the spring of 1847. During this year he located in Tremont, at which place he has since lived. After coming to Tremont he first embarked in the flour, feed and provision business, in which he con tinued up to the year 1849. At this latter date he added a department of dry-goods and groceries, which was conducted conjointly until the year 185 1. During this year he dis posed of his mercantile interests, and began conducting a foundry, now known as the Tre mont Engine and Boiler Works, for the firm of Baird, Gleason & Co. This occupied his attention until 1862, when he purchased the business, and operated on his own account up to the year 1868, doing a large and profitable business. In 1865 the plant was destroyed by fire, but was immediately rebuilt and its ca pacity increased. In 1868 the concern was resolved into a stock company, and took the name of the Tremont Iron Manufacturing and Coal Company, and was conducted as such up to the year 1878. At this period it was leased to the Hon. C. W. Brower. In 1862 Mr. Batdorff purchased the Stanhope furnace near Pine Grove, and operated it for two years, after which he sold to William Starr. During the next year he organized and founded the First National Bank of Tremont, in which he , held stock to the amount of $65,000. Pie became president of the bank, and was largely its director until 1877, when he sold his stock and the bank continued doing business until 1879. At this time the bank voluntarily closed out the business, after paying up all deposits on account of lack of support. At the present writing Mr. Batdorff is the owner of two farms in Pine Grove township, contain ing respectively fifty-six and sixty acres. In 1865 he purchased a mill and a farm contain ing two hundred and forty-five acres, and owns besides a half interest in the George Adam Zerby farm, containing two hundred acres. He is also the owner of other real estate. Since 1877 his time has been fully occupied in the management of his. large estates. 662 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY In addition to these interests he is also pres ident ofthe Tremont Water and Gas Company, of which company, conjointly with1 Isaac P. Bechtel, he was the organizer in 1865. He had been a director up to the time of Mr. Bechtel's death, when he succeeded him as its president. In 1870 he built the Union Hall at Tremont, and now owns , and manages it. In political matters he is independent, and always votes for the man who appeals to him as being the most competent to fill the office. He has contributed very liberally to the build ing of churches in his town, having built the German Lutheran church in 1856, and com pleted the English Lutheran in 1868, of which church he has been a trustee since its organi zation. He married Catharine Seltzer, of Jonestown, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, in the spring of 1850. To them have been born the follow ing children: Theodore F. (see his sketch), Urias G, who married Ella Loose, and now resides in Tremont, editor and proprietor of of the Tremont News; Lallie J., the wife of Harry S. Gay, a resident of Shamokin, Penn sylvania, superintendent of Nelson Shaft for J. Langton & Company, of Elmira, New York ; Susan, died in infancy, and Charles, who died in 1883. C'IDNEY SHAW, a well-known resident of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, is a son of George and Mary A. (Haywood) Shaw, and was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England, on January 12, 1852. His grandparents on both sides were of English extraction, Michael Shaw, his parental grandfather, was a native of Lancashire, where he remained his entire life with the exception of two years spent in Pottsville with his son prior to his death, which latter event occurred in 1853. His maternal grandfather when quite a young man became an English soldier, was injured at the battle of Waterloo, became a pensioner of his country, and never being able to follow hard labor, opened a barbering estab lishment, continuing the business the rest of his life. His father was born in Oldham, England, in the year 1827; he was a velvet weaver by trade, but not liking the confinement and seeking something more congenial to his taste, came to the United States in 1851, locating in Schuylkill county near Young's Landing, in the village now known as Mechanicsville, staying with his brother Ralph, a well-known stonemason, and here in this spot overlooked from the west by the lone graves of the founders (Young Brothers), he performed his first work in the new land, about the coal mine then opened in the place. Being a born mechanic, and men being scarce, he was invited by the Horton Brothers, two Englishmen, to go with them to their new col liery at Donaldson, where they placed him as helper in the blacksmith shop. Proving him self equal to the occasion, he very soon had a blacksmith's fire for himself, and became one of the leading mechanics of the county. He continued at his trade of blacksmith until age began to tell, when he spent the last few years in comfort and ease at his home in Donaldson. He died in the year 1889, on January 4, after a very short illness. He be came a full citizen in November, 1856. In politics, he was an ardent republican, and was very enthusiastic for the success of that party. He was prominently identified with the local labor organizations and fraternal orders. Through his marital union with the mother OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 663 of our subject, who is still livirg, he had a family of three children: Sidney, subject; George T., foreman in the car shops of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company at Palo Alto, this county, and Mina A., a prominent teacher in the Donaldson public school. Sidney Shaw was joined in marriage with Sallie Williams, in the centennial year. She was a daughter of James A. Williams, a Welshman by birth, and a miner by occupa tion ; he was killed in the mines at Donaldson in 1858, she being an infant. Her mother comes of the good old Revolutionary stock of Adams, her (the mother's) great-grand father and great-granduncle serving in the Continental army, and were with Washington during the memorable winter at Valley Forge. By this marriage they have two children, Bessie and Leila, born respectively on Decem ber 8, 1878, and October 21, 1881. One child, Mamie, they buried. Mr. Shaw received his education in the pub lic schools of Frailey township, and latterly through independent study and general read ing. He began the practical experience of life in the capacity of slate picker at the colliery now known as East Franklin Colliery, working, as was customary, during the summer months and going to school in winter. In the year 1868 he was employed as fireman at the breaker steam boilers, and a year later ac cepted a position as engineer at the Colket Colliery, in Donaldson, running the first mine ventilating fan erected in Schuylkill county. At this place he passed through the various promotions that are open to men of ability and trustworthiness. In the year 1880 he started in business for himself, removing to Tremont, and engaged in the manufacture of temperance and mineral drinks, continuing the same until 1 885, when he sold out to his brother and removed to Potts ville, and purchased a wholesale liquor store, on the site of his present hotel stand ; he con ducted both branches of the business, whole sale and retail, until the Brooks' law came into force, when he was obliged to discontinue one branch, and gave up the wholesale trade and confined himself to the hotel business and the retail trade exclusively. This branch of the trade he has successfully conducted up to the present time. Politically, he votes with the Republican party, takes a commendable interest in the local and national campaigns, and in 1893 was a candidate before the Republican con vention for the office of register. He is a charter member of the Order of Chosen Friends, a flourishing order admitting male and female. Also a prominent working member of George Washington Castle, No. 125, Knights of the Golden Eagle. Q LBERT F. DEIBERT, a highly-respected "^^ citizen of Cressona, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of William and Henri etta (Kalb) Deibert, and was born in Landing ville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on July 11, 1845. He belongs to a sturdy German family of thrift and energy. His grandfather, Philip Deibert, was a native of Schuylkill county, and owned a farm in North Manheim township, in the cultivation of which he continued until the time of his death. William Deibert, father of Albert F.,was born on his father's farm, near Landingville, this county, in February, 18 12, and continued to- reside the greater part of his life in the county. He died at Landingville in February, 1893. 604 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY By occupation he was a boat-builder, which business occupied his attention up to the year 1829, when he retired from the active business of life. At the time he was engaged in boat building many of the industries of Schuylkill county were as yet in a state of infancy, so that he witnessed the beginning and progress of a great deal of the material growth of the county. He assisted in building the Philadel phia and Schuylkill canal, and also, during the earlier years of his life, was engaged in boat ing for a short time. In his political proclivi ties he had a strong leaning toward the Re publican party, and in nearly every instance gave his support to the principles of that party. He was a member of the United Brethren , church for a time, but later connected himself with the Evangelical church, in which he be came an active worker, and to which he always gave a loyal support. He was a local preacher for a number of years, and did much good among that class of people who are either un able or indisposed to attend church. He was united in marriage with a daughter of Helfrich Kalb, of Schuylkill county, and had a family of nine children, four sons and five daughters. Three of the sons, J. Henry, George and subject, enlisted and served in the war of the Rebellion. Henry lives in Elkton, Maryland, and George lives in Illinois. Albert F. Deibert was joined in the bonds of marriage with Angeline Kromes, a daughter of Benjamin and Rebecca (Kramer) Kromes, of Cressona, Pennsylvania. This marriage has been productive of a family of four children : Gussie R., wife of G. A. Bear, a resident of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in the employ of the Disston Manufacturing Company; Harry F., married to Sallie Leifsneider, at present a resident of Cressona and in the employ of his father ; Lottie E., at home ; and one deceased. In the year 1 867 Mr. Deibert engaged in the mercantile business in Landingville, this county, where he continued until the year 1881. At the expiration of this time he removed to Cressona, and continued a general merchan dise business until the year 1892, when he added a retail lumber yard. Aside from his mercantile interests, he is a director and vice- president ofthe Cressona Saving and Building Association, with which he has been connected in a business capacity for a period of four years. He is also a stockholder and director of the Henry Disston Manufacturing Co., at Wil liamsport, Pennsylvania. Politically, he is a re publican, and has been postmaster of Cressona since the year 1891. He has likewise served as a member of the school board of his bor ough. In the fraternal world he is identified with the Royal Arcanum, in which order he is chaplain. He is also a member of Denser Post, No. 29, G. A. R., of which he is Junior Vice-Commander. Mr. Deibert enlisted in the civil war in 1862 in an independent company, and served nine months. nEV. ELIAS S. HENRY, the popular and scholarly pastor in charge of St. John's Lutheran church at Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, is a son of George M. and Lydia (Strickhouser) Henry, and was born near Shrewsbury, at Railroad, York county, Pennsylvania/Novem ber 30, 1823. The Henry family is an old and respected family of York county. Rev. Henry's an cestors on both the paternal and maternal sides of the family settled in that county about the middle of the eighteenth century. They came originally from Alsace Lorraine, now a part of Germany, then of France. The grandfather of subject, Christian Henry, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 665 was born in York county, and lived there all his life, dying in 1830 at the age of sixty- three years. His life-work was that ofa farmer, in which line he was successful, and from which he realized a competency. He was a member of the Lutheran church, in the councils of which he was prominent, and for the success of whose principles he was an ardent worker. He married Eva Miller, and to them were born three sons and one daughter. George Henry, father of Rev. Elias S. Henry, was born in Shrewsbury township, York county, January 30, 1799, and died in the same township December 11, 1864. He, like his father, pursued farming for a liveli hood, but later in life added to it the milling business. He was a man who was universally respected for his honesty and integrity, and was a pillar in the German Lutheran church, in which he served as deacon and elder. His marriage with Lydia Strickhouser, daughter of John Strickhouser, a native and life-long resident of York county, resulted in the birth of five children, three sons and two daughters. Rev. Henry was educated in the Pennsyl vania College at Gettysburg, from which he graduated in the classical course in 1849 an(^ the theological course in 185 1. After his graduation from the seminary he was under the employ ofthe seminary as agent for their endowment fund one year. On September 21, 1852, he came to Pine Grove, and became the pastor in charge of St. John's Lutheran church, and has remained there ever since. Rev. Henry has been an indefatigable worker in his chosen field. The church of which he has immediate charge at Pine Grove was organized in 1845 with a membership of. thirty; it now contains a membership of two hundred and fifty mem bers, and is in good financial condition, being entirely out of debt and having money at interest. In addition to holding two regular j services every Sunday morning and evening at St. John's he also preaches at Jacob's church, Exmore and Salem church, Washing ton township, on alternate Sunday afternoons. Also at St. Peter's Union church at Pine ! Grove. During the long period of his pastorate be has baptized nearly 6000 children and ninety- five adults, married 1 140 couples ; preached 2260 funeral sermons; confirmed 1558 and preached 9375 sermons. So that it is plainly , to be seen that Rev. Henry's life has not been that " of an idle singer of an empty day." He has been twice married. His first marriage was on September 12, 1853, to Sarah A., a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Kendall) Conrad of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and resulted in an issue of three children ; Elizabeth, the wife of Robert Irwin, a resident of Pine Grove, and as a railroad conductor, under the employ of the P. & R. R. R. Co.; George C, pastor of St. John's Lutheran church of Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated in the classical department of the Pennsyl vania College at Gettysburg, in the class of 1876, and from the theological department; in 1879; Lottie, married John A. Richter, a clerk for the mercantile firm of Boyer & Co., of Pine Grove. Mrs. Sarah A. Henry died August 12, 1 869, at the age of forty-six years, and Rev. Henry married as his second wife Elmira, a daughter of John and Eliza Seidel, of Leba non, Pennsylvania, February 6, 1872. 666 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY "TAEAR FAMILY.— The history of Schuyl- \ kill county, and especially the borough of Minersville, would be incomplete without special mention of the Kear family, which has been closely identified with various business interests of the county for the past three generations. Grandfather Richard Kear was of English lineage, born in the Forest of Dean, England, but was afterward attracted to the mining regions of South Wales, where he was employed in the mines until the year 1830. At the end of this time he, with his two sons, William and Richard, set sail for America, and landed in Philadelphia in April of that year, going thence to Pottsville, Schuylkill county, by way of the Schuylkill * canal. In this county he took up a residence at Minersville, where Richard, Sr., died in 1836, at the age of sixty-four years. The sons were employed in the mines for a short period, and in 1832 undertook the operation of the Little Diamond Colliery (now abandoned) and continued up to about the year 1835. About this time the career of the two brothers, William and Richard, began to 'diverge, and a little space must be devoted to each. Richard, Sr., married and had four children : William (father), Mary, Francis (died in Wales), Thomas and Richard, Jr. Richard, Jr., after his association with his brother William, in the conduct of the Little Diamond Colliery, began operating upon a more extensive basis, and in the course of years reached an extraordinary degree of financial success. He began to operate in dependently in the Wolf Creek district in 1847, and continued successfully until May 4, 1864, when he died. Long prior to this time he succeeded his father in the conduct of the Little Orchard plant on- Oak Hill. William, father of William G, was born at Blaen Avon, South Wales, in 1808, and after the death of his father at Minersville in 1836, began operating the Little Orchard Colliery on Oak Hill in- conjunction with his brother Richard, Jr., and continued up to the year 1847. After this date he opened the Peach Orchard mines, and supplied the borough of Minersville and vicinity with coal through a retail trade. In 1856, he became overseer in the colliery owned and operated by his brother Richard, Jr., at Wolf Creek, where he con tinued until i860, when he retired from active work. He died in Minersville, February, 1890. Mr. Kear was a strong supporter of the Whig party during its existence, and when the Republican party was organized he trans ferred his allegiance to it. In the early days of Minersville, he had been elected to and ' served on the borough council. In religious matters he held membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, and filled at various times official positions in that organization — at his death that of treasurer. He married Elizabeth Gregg, a daughter of Francis Gregg, a native of South Wales, who emigrated to the United States in 1850, went to Missouri in 1859, where, a few years later, he died, at the age of seventy-seven years. By this marriage Mr. Kear had the following children that -grew to maturity: William G. ; Mary (dead) ; Margaret ; .Richard C. ; Charles R. ; Edward G. ; Harrison A., and Frank G. William G. Kear was born in South Wales on May 9, 1830, and when but a lad, with his mother, joined his father at Miners ville, Schuylkill county. His education in schools was very meager to say the least, and at the age of nine years he was employed on a coal breaker to pick slate, in which occupa tion he continued until he had reached his OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 667 seventeenth year. He then was apprenticed to and learned the blacksmith trade, which he plied up to the year 1853. In this year he crossed the continent to the Pacific coast, and was employed by Benjamin Haywood in the manufacture of fire-proof building equipments and safes, in whose employ he continued until 1856. At the end of this time he returned home and again resumed his trade and followed it for about one year. The next year found him in the butcher business, and in the latter part of the same year he accepted the position of outside foreman of the Mine Hill Gap colliery operated by his uncle. He continued here one year, and in i860 began shipping coal for the same colliery to Schuylkill Haven, when shortly he was again placed in full charge of the outside operations, and so remained until the death of his uncle in 1864. After his uncle's death, Wm. G. associated with himself Mrs. Margaret Dando, Charles Kear, Edward Kear, Harrison Kear and R. C. Kear, under the firm-name of Kear Bros. & Co., and assumed control of the Mine Hill Gap collieries. This association remained in force until the year 1872, when the property was disposed of to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. After the closing out of this property, William G. be came one of the organizers of the Minersville Coal and Iron Company, which occupied his time and attention until 1880. During the same period he entered the mercantile busi ness, which he carried on in conjunction with his other enterprises down to the year 1888, when he retired from active business life. At the present time he devotes his time to his private business interests. He is a Republican in politics. William G. Kear was united to Sarah, a daughter of Joseph. Bordy, of Schuylkill Haven, on December 26, i860. They have three children : Bertha, wife of Howard Jones, traveling agent for L. C. Thompson, wholesale and retail hardware merchant of Pottsville, Pennsylvania; Mary, wife of W. W. Jones, stationery dealer of Minersville ; and Jessie, at home. Margaret married Stephen Dando in 1852. Stephen Dando was born in England, but in 1846, when a young man, emigrated to the United States, and settled in Minersville, this county, fie was a prominent business man of that borough. His marriage resulted in the birth of six children : Mary (deceased) ; Franklin (deceased); Jennie, who became Mrs. Straub, and now lives with her mother in Minersville ; Mary, the wife of Charles E. Steel (see sketch) ; William and Minnie (both deceased). Richard C. Kear was born in Minersville, where he lived nearly all his life. He gradu ated from Dickinson seminary in 1856. In 1864 he embarked in the coal business with his brothers, in the firm of Kear Bros. & Co., which business relation he sustained until they sold to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, when he with a partner operated the Wolf Creek Colliery until 1874, when the colliery was abandoned. He then became a member of the Minersville Coal and Iron Company for two years, being at the same time engaged in the manufacture of brick one year, when he went west and located at Salina, Kansas, and engaged in a banking and real estate business, which he followed until 1892, when he was accidentally drowned. He was a soldier in the late war, under Gen. Rosecrans. He married Eliza beth Bartholomew and had two children. Charles R. Kear, president of the First National Bank of Minersville, was born in 668 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Minersville, September 20, 1846, and at an early age set out upon his career as an em ployee of the mines. He received his educa tion in the public schools of his native town and at Dickinson Seminary, Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Soon after leaving school he enlisted in the civil war, July, 1862, as a private in Company K, 29th regiment Penn sylvania volunteer infantry, for three months — an emergency company. At the expiration of his term of enlistment he returned home, and was employed as shipper at Mine Hill Gap colliery, operated by his uncle, Richard Kear. With him he continued until 1864, when he became a member of the firm of Kear Bros., which succeeded Richard Kear in the operation of the aforesaid colliery until its sale to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. In 1867, he became a director of the First National Bank of Miners ville, later vice-president, and in about 1886, was elected to the presidency as the successor of his father. In 1883, he was elected secre tary and superintendent of the Minersville Water Company, in which he owns a con trolling interest. He was formerly a director and the principal stockholder of the Miners ville Coal and Iron Company, and at present is director and treasurer of the Minersville Building and Loan Association, and agent for a large tract of land situated near his town. He is a republican in politics and is now a member ofthe borough council. He is a member of Captain George J. Lawrence Post, No. 7, G. A. R., member and a representative on the borough council through the courtesy of the republicans of Minersville. On February 6, 1869, Mr. Kear wedded Josephine, a daughter of Conrad and Dorothea Seltzer, of Pottsville, by whom he has eight children, seven sons and one daughter : Charles. F., assistant cashier of the Miners ville First National Bank, married to Emma Moll; Conrad A., pattern maker in the Scott Iron Works, Reading Pennsylvania; Albert S., engaged with his father ; Robert S., at school ; and George S., William, Mary and Frank, at home. Edward G. Kear was born February 22, 1842, in Minersville, where he has always re sided. He married Mary, a daughter of Joseph Bordy, May 10, 1862. To them have been born the following children : Edward H., who married Susan Meahing; they reside in Minersville; Irene May, the wife of George Scott, of Minersville ; Irvin B. and Joseph, both of whom reside with their parents. Harrison A. Kear was born in Miners ville, January 11, 1849, anc^ received his edu cation in the high school of his native town and at Dickinson Seminary. He commenced life as a teller in the First National Bank of Minersville, and later was appointed deputy collector of internal revenue for the fifteenth division of the first district, comprising the county of Schuylkill. Mr. Kear has always taken an active interest in politics, and is a warm supporter ofthe Republican party. He is also a member of Minersville Lodge, No. 222, F. and A. M. ; Schuylkill Chapter, No. 159, R. A. M. ; Constantine Commandery, No. 41, K. T, of Pottsville; P. O. S. of A., Camp No. 46; the Independent Order of Red * Men, Tribe — ; and a director of Minersville National Bank. Frank G. Kear was born March 10, 1854, in Minersville, received his education in the public schools and attended Dickinson Semi nary. Later he took a course in civil and mining engineering at the Polytechnic Insti tute situated in Philadelphia. After the com- JAMES R. DEEGAN. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 669 pletion of his course in 1879, ne engaged in the brewing business with Daniel Frieler, under the firm-name of F. G. Kear & Co., and continued this business with success until the year 1883, when he retired. He has been a member and director of the Minersville Coal and Iron Company, of the First National Bank since 1878, a director of the Water Company since beginning of the same year, director and president of the Minersville Fire Insurance Company, and owner and manager of the Mountaineer Opera House. Frater nally he is connected with the Umatilla Lodge, No. 287, I. O. R. M., of which he is a charter member, and of Washington Camp, No. 46, P. 0. S. of A. Politically, he is a republican, and has served as a member of the borough council. Mr. Kear has been twice married, first to Kate, a daughter of Henry and Catherine Hoenich, of Minersville, Pennsylvania, Octo ber 23, 1878, who bore him three children : Cara, Laura and Harvey (all deceased). Mrs. Kear died July 21, 1889, at the age of thirty- one years. He again married Kate, a daugh ter of Jacob and Sarah Snyder, of Minersville, April 23, 1890. '—& TAMES R. DEEGAN, prothonotary elect of Schuylkill county, Pa., is a son of John and Sarah Deegan and was born in New York City, December 4, 1850. At the early age of three years Mr. Deegan was unfortunate in the loss of his father. His mother married as her second husband, John Mellon, of Reading, and the family removed to Pottsville, where James was reared and educated. At the early age of fifteen years a predilec tion for business began to assert itself, and he quit school and began business on his own account in the line of trucking and huckstering. In 1866 he was offered and accepted a clerk ship in the store of M. R. Nichols, of Potts ville, with whom he remained as an efficient and trusted employee for twelve years. In 1 878, at the solicitation of Charles D. Kaier, he went to Mahanoy City and disposed of a large, general stock of goods for that gentleman, and one year later embarked in the hotel business as proprietor of the Merchants' Hotel at Ma hanoy Plane, where he remained three years. In April, 1882, he came to Ashland, and for eight years as owner and proprietor, success fully conducted the Ashland House, when he sold out and fitted up his present place of business, Hotel Inlet, at No. 30 Center street. Mr. Deegan's political creed is expressed in the principles and policies of the Republican party, of which party he is a staunch supporter, and for the success of which, in the conflict of ballots, he has done valiant service. For four consecutive terms he has been a member of the borough council of Ashland, during which time he efficiently acted in the capacity of president. In the Autumn of 1 893, he was the candi date of his party for the office of prothonotary of Schuylkill county, and was elected over his opponent, S. C. Kirk, the present incumbent, by a majority of over eight hundred votes. Mr. Deegan married, Nov. 6, 1884, Rebecca Leib, a daughter of Captain L. C. Leib of Ash land, and who for twenty-one consecutive years prior to Cleveland's first administra tion, served as postmaster of that place. James R. Deegan is well-known throughout Schuylkill county, and is popular with all classes. - He is possessed of an affable spirit, a charitable disposition, and those qualities of head and heart which always draw to their possessor a host of earnest and admiring friends. 670 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY T . W. WEISSINGER, one of the most * enterprising and successful business men of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of Casper and Catherine (Siegel) Weissinger, and was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, April 29th, 1-837. In 1853 ^e left his native country and emigrated to the United States, locating in the autumn of that year in Read ing, where he secured his first work, working on the canal two weeks at a compensation of eighty-one cents a day. He soon, however, directed his footsteps to Schuylkill County, arriving in Minersville on Thanksgiving day of that year Here he entered the employ of Conrad Seltzer, a butcher, for four months, at five dollars per month. His next field of labor was in the meat market of John Moser, of Pottsville, where he was employed about two years, and later worked in Louis Stoeffregen's market one year and three months. Up to this time he had never received more than from ten to fourteen dollars a month for his services. Leaving Stoeffregen's employ, he entered the employ of Jacob Roth, a Schuylkill Haven butcher, for whom he worked fif teen months, ending in March, 1857. in April of this year, he, in partnership with a Mr. Keifer, under the firm-name of Keifer & Weis singer, opened a meat market in Schuylkill Haven. This business compact lasted one year and seven months, when in November, 1859, Mr. Weissinger established a market, of which he was sole proprietor, and which he successfully operated until 1865, when he relinquished butchering and began dealing extensively in cattle, which he has continued to the present time, and which has gradually developed into one of the foremost enterprises ofthe kind in this part of the State. He dis poses of about 4000 head annually. His stock yards in Pottsville are large and conve niently arranged. From 1859 to 1865 while engaged in butch ering in Schuylkill Haven, Mr. Weissinger invested heavily in the stock of the Schuylkill Haven Direct Iron Company. In 1869 he became president of the company, in which capacity he has served ever since. In 1873, in partnership with the late Gideon Bast, he rented the works, improved them and carried on the business until 1874, when he purchased the • entire property, enlarged the mill and conducted the enterprise with J. A. Medlar as a partner in the enterprise only for one year, when Mr. Medlar retired, and Mr. Weis singer was sole owner and manager until Jan uary, 1880,' when he sold a two-thirds interest to Messrs. George R. Kaercher and C. F. Rahn. Save for repairs the mill has not been idle a single day since 1880, and has done a very profitable business, yielding a good rate of interest on the investment. He is president of the Cressona Powder Company, having succeeded C. F. Rahn, who died January 1, 1893. The popular resort for the pleasure-loving people of Pottsville, known as Tumbling Run Park, about one mile from that place has been the outgrowth to a very great extent of the enterprise of Mr. Weissinger. The grounds comprise about nine acres, upon a part of which is a fine natural grove of pines, and through which winds the silvery Tumbling Run, upon which a large dam has been built, furnishing a very popular resort for boating and fishing. Within these grounds in 1892 he erected a commodious and well-equipped hotel and a finely appointed carousal. He was one of the organizers of the Schuylkill Electric Railway Company, of which he is one of the directors. In addition to the above OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 671 lines of enterprise of a varied nature, he deals extensively in real estate. In 1869, he pur chased his farms, upon one ofwhich he lives just j onthe suburbs of Pottsville. He was married August 26, 1858, to Rebecca Moyer of Schuylkill Haven, who has born him twelve children : Benjamin F., who resides with his father, employed as a conductor on the Phila delphia and Reading Railroad; George, in the employ of his father ; Annie C, the wife of George G. Frick, who is in the employ of the Philadelphia Post Office; Mary A., Laura E., Lenhart W., Jr., a butcher; Henry, a carpen ter; Isaac C, a butcher; Emily R., who is taking a course of music in the city of Boston ; Louis 0., Frederick A., and Walter E. Mr. Weissinger, in his political affiliations is a democrat, but takes no active interest in the subject. Religiously he is a member of ofthe German Lutheran Church. Mr. Weissinger's career is a striking exam ple of what can be accomplished unaided except by energy, integrity and perseverance. TAMES A. RINCK, a leading lawyer of Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, is a descendant of a highly respectable German ancestry, and was born in East Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, on February 2,1860. He is a son of Michael and Catherine (Stark) Rinck. His father was born in one of the Rhenish Provinces of the Kingdom of Bavaria, Ger many, about the year 1820, received his edu cation in that country, and came to the United States in the year 1846. Shortly after his arrival he took up a residence at Reading, Pennsylvania, but, shortly afterward, went to Port Clinton, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where he resided five years, thence to West Brunswick township, where he died on March 9, 1869. During his stay in this country he was chiefly under the employ of the Reading Railroad Company in the capacity of a section boss. He was an industrious man of good habits, a democrat in politics, and a member of the Roman Catholic church. His wife was born in Germany, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, on March 25, 1822, and is still living on the old home in West Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, after having borne a family of nine children, whose names are as follows : Emma, wife of Conrad Moyer, a farmer living in South Manheim township, Schuylkill county, near the village of Auburn ; John, deceased; Catherine, married to H. M. Beckel, a cigar manufacturer, living in the borough of Pottsville ; Charles, a resident of St. Nicholas, Schuylkill county, where he is employed as a clerk by the Philadelphia and Reading Rail road Company; Clara, deceased; James A., subject; Michael, a merchant, living in Churchtown, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania; Mary, married to J. T. Graff, a merchant of Shenandoah, this county; and one deceased in infancy. James A. Rinck, on March 12, 1892, wedded Ina E. Kirk, a daughter of S. C. Kirk (see sketch), the present prothonotary of Schuylkill county. His marriage has been blessed by the birth of one child, Helen Kirk, born February 1, 1893. He received his education in a private school at Port Clinton, conducted by Professor R. S. Unger, and at the Keystone State Normal school, located at Kutztown, Pennsylvania. After having finished his education he entered upon the study of law with Guy E. Farquahar, of Potts ville, Pennsylvania, and was admitted to the bar of Schuylkill county on June 13, 1887. He practiced at Pottsville until Marcn, 1890, 672 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY HENRY G. LEBO, of Tower City, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Daniel and Sarah (Schofstall) Lebo, and was born March 28, 1866, in Lykens, Dauphin c'ounty, Pennsylvania. He was a grandson of Emanuel Schof stall, who was a resident of the vicinity of Gratz- town, Dauphin county. By vocation he was a successful farmer. His paternal grandfather was Michael Lebo, a native of Dauphin county. Daniel Lebo, father, was born in Lykens Valley, Dauphin county, of which he was a life-long resident, dying in the year 1 87 1. He was a carpenter by occupation, a republican in politics, and had a family consisting of thirteen children. Henry G. Lebo was united in marriage to when he removed to Tamaqua, and opened a law office, in connection with which he carried on some work in the general insurance busi ness. He is in addition notary public, secre tary and solicitor for the Tamaqua Building and Loan association, and solicitor for the Coaldale Building and Loan association. In addition to this he served two years as solicitor for the borough of Tamaqua, and at present acts in that capacity for West Brunswick and Rush townships, and for the school board of Rahn township. Politically he is a democrat, | and has been secretary of the Democratic County Committee for three years. He is a member of Camp No. 14, Patriotic Order Sons of America, and is also an attendant and sup porter of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a young man carefully read in the leading lines of the law, and through the energy and enthusiasm already manifested bids fair to become a prominent figure in the business circles of Tamaqua. Violet Fetterholf, a daughter of Samuel F. and Hannah Fetterholf, of Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. By this marriage there has been an issue of one child, Roy. Mr. Lebo was 'educated in the common schools of Lykens, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, and learned the trade of a tinsmith, upon the completion of which he followed it as a jour neyman for three years. At the end of this time, he started in business for himself at Valley View, this county, where he remained for a period of one year, when, in 1 890, he removed to Tower City, Schuylkill county, and engaged in the tinning and hardware business, where he does a large and successful business. In politics, he is a republican, and at present a member of the School Board of Tower City. Fraternally, he belongs to Tower Lodge, I. O. O. F., and Camp No 52, Patriotic Order Sons of America. He is also a member of the Lutheran Church. T^LIAS P. BURKERT, a well-known and respected citizen of Ashland, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Solomon and Mary (Price) Burkert, and was born in 1822, in Richmond township, Berks county, Pennsylvania. Great-grandfather, Henry Burkert, was born in Germany, but emigrated at an early day to what is now Richmond township, Berks county, where he was engaged in the avocation of a farmer, and where he died. Christian Burkert, grandfather, was born in Berks county in 1751, and died in the same county in 1840. He was a shoemaker by trade, and served in the Revolutionary war. Solomon Burkert was also a native of Berks county, where he lived all his life. He was a shoemaker by trade, a democrat in political OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 673 conscience, and followed the faith of the Lutheran church. His marriage to Mary Price resulted in the following children that grew to maturity : Thomas, dead ; William, dead; Elias; Daniel, a farmer of Berks county. Mr. Elias Burkert married Mary N. Auman, of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. He has two children: Theodore P., a pros perous farmer of Marion, Kansas, and Chris tian 0., an attorney of Ashland, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Burkert was apprenticed when a boy to learn the trade of a shoemaker, at which trade he worked over twenty years, when he practically retired from active business. Dur ing the gold excitement in 1 849, he went to California, and was engaged in mining two years. Since 1858 he has lived in Ashland. Politically he was a whig, but upon the disruption of that party in 1858 became a republican, and has served as a member of the borough council of Ashland. t^AVID E. JONES, the efficient inside foreman at Foster's colliery, No. 11, at Coaldale, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Eben and Sarah E. (Jones) Jones, and was born in Wales on January 25, 1848. His father was a native of Wales and a rep resentative of an old and well-to-do family. He came to the United States in the year 185 1, and located in Coaldale, Schuylkill county, where he died in 1870. His vocation, both in his native country and while a resident of Schuylkill county, was that of a miner. He was united in marriage with Sarah E. Jones, also a native of Wales, born in the year 1821, by whom he had a family of ten children, eight of whorh grew to maturity. David E. Jones was united in marriage with 43 Elizabeth Gurlym, by whom he has six chil dren : Evan, clerk for the Sheldon Axle Fac tory at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; Mary, Sallie, William, Severus and Franklin. Mr. Jones received a somewhat meagre education in the common schools, and began work in the mines at an early age, first as a slate picker, and then in various capacities, until, by faithfulness and fidelity to duty, he reached the position of a foreman. In 1 88 1, he was appointed foreman at Foster's Tunnel under the Lehigh Coal and Naviga tion Company, and subsequently was trans ferred to Colliery No. 11, under the same company, where he remained for a period of six years. He is at present the inside fore man in this colliery, which is one ofthe largest and most important in the anthracite region of Schuylkill county. The position is one of greater responsibility by reason of the diffi culty involved in the operation of the mine. The coal is taken from four different veins, involving a complexity of internal arrange ments which are seldom found in any colliery. He has under his immediate charge about two hundred and fifty hands, and averages an out put of about six hundred and sixty tons per day, of nine hours. In his political sentiment he is a republican, and has served a number of years as school director of Rahn township. Many years prior to this time his father had served a term as justice ofthe peace in Rahn township, extending over a period of nine years, being the first justice in that township, as well as the first school director. Frater nally, Mr. Jones is a member of Tamaqua Lodge, No. 238, F. and A. M., at Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. He is a sober, industrious and deserving man, who has worked himself step by step into a position of responsibility and trust. 674 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY His life has always been marked with earn estness, honesty and a desire to meet the re quirements ofa good citizen in so far as he knew them. He has the confidence of both his employers and those under his immediate control. TAMES RAUSH, a well and favorably known business man of Auburn, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Abra ham and Mary (Long) Raush, and was born in Maiden Creek township, Berks county, this state, on September 12, 1837. His grandfather Raush was of German birth and ancestry, having been born in Hesse, Germany. He emigrated to the United States about the year 1 790, and first settled in what is now known as Maiden Creek town ship, Berks county. He followed farming after his arrival in this State, and became a man of considerable weight and influence in the vicinity of his home. He owned a large farm prior to his death, and was otherwise placed in very comfortable financial circum stances. Religiously, he held membership in the Lutheran church, and in politics was a staunch democrat. His marriage resulted in an offspring of five children, four sons and one daughter. Abraham Raush, (father) was born on the old Raush homestead in Berks county, Pennsylva nia, in 181 1, and died in the same township in 1848. He was a farmer by occupation, a demo crat in politics and a member of the Lutheran church. By his marriage eight children were born, four sons and four daughters. After the death of the father, the mother and children removed to Auburn, Schuylkill county, where she died in 1884, at the age of sixty-five years. At the time of his mother's removal to Auburn, James Raush was twelve years of age. He attended school and passed his boy hood in the village of Auburn, and in 1862 accepted a position as brakeman on the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad, a branch of the Philadelphia and Reading Rail road. Soon after his employment in this capacity he received a promotion to engineer, and continued as such up to 1877. ^n this year he became owner and proprietor of the St. Elmo Hotel at Auburn, and conducted it down to 1888. In connection with the hotel he kept a feed store, coal yard and grocery store. He sold the hotel in 1888, but con tinued and enlarged his other business enter prises, which he has succeeded in making profitable and successful concerns. In his political bent he is a republican, and under that party has held a number of official positions in his borough. Fraternally, he is a member of Auburn Lodge, No. 543, I. O. O. F. Both he and his family are members and liberal supporters of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Raush was united in marriage in i860. To this marriage have been born twelve child ren, two of whom are deceased. Those living are : Peter, engaged with his father in business ; Monroe, married to Amelia Matz, and at present a resident of Philadelphia, an engineer ; Caroline, at home ; Katharine, at home ; Ida, wife of William Yuengling, of Philadelphia ; David, an employee of the Auburn Bolt and Nut Works ; Laura, Lillie, Enoch and Annie, at home. /"?EORGE W. KEILMAN, one of the lead ing citizens of Porter township, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, and proprietor of the Steam Bottling Works near Tower City, is a son of George and Susanna (Krouse) OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 675 Keilman. He was born in Tamaqua, this county, on August 13, 1854. His father belonged to a respectable and well-to-do ancestry, and was born in Germany. He left his native land for the United States in the year 1845, and upon his arrival in this country located in Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, where he lived the greater part of his life. He died in Tuscarora, this county, about 1882, at the age of forty-nine years. Before he left his native country he had been engaged in mining pursuits ; but after his location in Tamaqua he went into the bottling business, which re mained his chief pursuit until the time of his death. He was a member of the Lutheran church, and the father of eight children, of which four were boys and four were girls. George W. Keilman took as his wife Louisa Dreisigcker, of Tamaqua, this county, by whom he had a family of fourteen children, all of whom are deceased with the exception of five : Annie S., George E., Dora, Flossie and Bertha. Mr. Keilman is indebted to the common schools of his own county for his earlier edu cation, upon the completion ofwhich he learned the bottling business with his father. In 1879 he quitted Tamaqua, and came to Tower City, where he embarked in the bottling business on his own account. Ever since that time he has conducted a successful and growing business. His present plant consists of a building fifty- four feet long, eighteen feet wide and one and one-half stories high. These works are de voted to the bottling of all kinds of carbonated drinks, as well as beer, ale, etc. His business is not confined to Tower City alone, but com prises a region within about a twenty-five-mile radius, which is daily traversed by four teams. Politically, he adheres to the Democratic party, in which he takes simply a nominal interest. ANSCAR P. LEIBENSPERGER, a prom- ^ inent merchant of McKeansburg, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of David and Lydia (Schmoyer) Leibensperger, and was born in Maxatawney township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, January 26, 1859. His grandfather, Matthew Leibensperger, was a native of Berks county, and spent his entire life within that county. He was a far mer by occupation, and owned three hundred acres of land under cultivation, and the same amount of timber-land. In politics he was a republican, and a member of the Lutheran church. He married, and had a family of four children, three sons and one daughter : Jacob, who in early life, removed to Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and located near Meadville, where he died ; Daniel, who lived in Maxa tawney township, Berks county, where he pursued the occupation of a farmer ; Benjamin, a resident of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania ; Cath erine, deceased ; and David, father of subject. The latter was born in Maxatawney township, Berks county, in the year 1 806, and died there in August, 1878. He succeeded his father as the owner and cultivator of the old homestead, and became one of the prominent farmers of that section of the county. Besides his farm ing interests, he dealt largely in lumber for a while, and during the panic of 1872 and 1873, he was driven to make an assignment to the amount of $75,000. In politics he was a re publican, and filled many ofthe more important offices in his township. He gave his support religiously to the Lutheran church, and served in various official capacities in connection with it. Pie was a trustee and deacon for a number of years, and contributed much to the religious and financial growth of that body. He mar ried Lydia Schmoyer, of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, by whom he had a family of 676 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY eleven children, five sons and six daughters : Oscar P., subject, was united in marriage with Ida M. Gernert, a daughter of Jonathan and Lucy Gernert, of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, ori June 4, 1881. By this marriage five chil dren have been born: Clarence F., born in Newtown, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, on March 22, 1882; Harry O., born in Reading, November 20, 1883; Edwin H., born in Read ing, April 5, 1885, and died on September 9, 1885 ; Lucy I., born in McKeansburg, Schuyl kill county, on August 15, 1886; David L., born in McKeansburg, March 5, 1889. Mr. Leibensperger was educated in the common schools, and afterwards entered the Keystone State Normal School at Kutztown, Pennsylvania, in 1878, and remained there until 1881. During his stay at the normal school he prepared for college, and was afterwards admitted to the Muhlenburg College at Allen town; but on account of his father's failure in business he was obliged to give up his college course. He afterwards taught school for seven winters in Maxatawney township, Berks county, beginning in the year 1873. At the end of this time he removed to Reading, and engaged in the local express business, where he continued for four years. In 1884 he gave up this business, came to McKeansburg, this county, and embarked in the hotel business. At the present time he is the proprietor of the Drovers' and Farmers' Hotel, in connection with which, prior to the year 1890, he con ducted a butchering business and general meat market. In 1890 he opened a large general store, in which he handles both dry goods and groceries, and at present enjoys a large and lucrative trade. Besides these various lines of business, he is also engaged in the manufac ture of brushes, having erected an establish ment for this purpose in the year 1892. Politically he is an adherent of the Republican party, and was elected justice of the peace by that party in the year 1889, and served for four years. On December 1, 1892, he was appointed postmaster at McKeansburg, and in the spring of 1 893 was elected a school director of East Brunswick township. Fraternally he is a member of East Brunswick Lodge, No. 802, I. O. O. F., and Encampment No. 935, Junior Order of American Mechanics. Re ligiously he affiliates with the Lutheran church. JOHN J. BRADIGAN is one of the sub- stantial citizens of Shenandoah, who, by indomitable energy, perseverance and steady work, has conquered adverse circumstances and earned for himself a place of respect and independence among his fellow-townsmen. He is a son of Michael and Julia (Christopher) Bradigan, and was born in Minersville, Schuyl kill county, Pennsylvania, September 29, 1849. His grandfather, Michael Bradigan, was a native of Ireland, born in county Mayo, of which he was a life-long resident. Here also his father was born on September 27, 1830, but came to the shores of the United States fourteen years later. He landed and took up residence first in New York city, where he remained a very short time, and then removed to Philadelphia, and was em ployed on the docks at Port Richmond. Prior to his coming to America, he had pur sued the occupation of farming, and while in New York was engaged in making brick and as a laborer. Shortly after arriving in Phila delphia, he was induced by one Mr. Spencer to go to Minersville, Schuylkill county, and work in the collieries. He began at Llewellyn, this county, as a miner in the year 1846, and continued in that section until November, 1862, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 677 when he removed to Shenandoah and con tinued mining up to the time his health became impaired. He died in the latter place on November 7, 1890. At the time of his death, and many years prior, he was a mem ber of the Roman Catholic church, to which he was devotedly attached. By his marriage he became the father of nine children — seven sons and two daughters. In politics he was a strong supporter of the Democratic ticket. John J. Bradigan was joined in the holy bonds of matrimony to Julia Franey, a daugh ter of Martin and Ellen (Fowler) Franey, of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, on July 29, 1870. This union has been blessed by the birth of five children, all girls. He received his edu cation in the common schools, and at a very early age in life was employed in the mines as a slate picker. From this lowly position he rose step by step through the regular routine of work, until in 1888 he was made an assist ant boss, and finally became superintendent of the Shenandoah district for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron company. At the present time he has the supervision of the three largest collieries in the anthracite coal region. He is in politics a voter of the Dem ocratic ticket, and in religion a member of Annunciation Roman Catholic church of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. Mr. Bradigan is eminently deserving of the position of trust which he now holds. He is pre-eminently a self-made man who has passed through almost the entire gamut of the min ing industry. In every position which he was called upon to fill, he showed a fidelity and trustworthiness which was ever deserving of something better. He met with all kinds of adversity, and cut his way through it step by step, until he stood upon a level with men of like perseverance and courage — a success ful man. For this he deserves all credit, and stands out as an example of what self-energy, self-reliance and independent spirit may accom plish. /GEORGE H. WOLFE, supervisor of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, be tween Mahanoy Plane and Herendon, North umberland county, Pennsylvania, is a son of George and Mary (Hurley) Wolfe, and was born February 29, 1854 in County Cork, Ire land. He was the only one of a large family to come to America, which event took place about the year 1873, when he had attained the age of twenty one years. His education was, so far as schools are concerned, com pleted in his native country, and for the first few years after arriving in the State of Penn sylvania, be became a laborer. He first took up a residence in Bloomsburg, Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and obtained employ ment in connection with a blast furnace. Sub sequent to this he worked on the Pennsyl vania Canal, between Catawissa and Rupert, at the end of which time he came to Schuyl kill county, and began work on the track re pairs of the Catawissa Railroad, until May, 1879, when he became a section boss at Girard Manor, Schuylkill county. He con tinued to reside at Girard Manor, until July 23, 1884, when he went to Lewisburg, Penn sylvania, as a track foreman for the Philadel phia and Reading Railroad Company, on the S. S. and L. branch. On September 1, 1884, he was transferred to Shamokin as road fore man of the Shamokin and Sunbury division for two years. After this he was a section boss on the branch from Shamokin to Williamsport, and on April 17, 1889, received an appointment as supervisor of the Reading Road, between West Milton and Newbury 678 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Junction, discharging the functions of this place until January 15, 1891, when he came to Mahanoy Plane as supervisor, under the same employ, between Mahanoy City and Locust Dale. On June 1, 1892, the line of his supervision was extended to Herendon, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania. He has full charge of all repairs on this division, which is divided into seventeen sections, each of which is under the charge of a separate foreman. Religiously, he holds to the Roman Catholic faith. On January 7, 1875, he was united in mar riage with Margaret Steiner, by which mar riage eight children were born : William H., John F., Ida C, George A., Sarah E., Mary, and two died in infancy. ?T*HOMAS E. FITZPATRICK, the popu lar and well-known furniture dealer and undertaker, of Mahanoy Plane^ Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Andrew and Ann (Rating) Fitzpatrick, and was born in Haverstraw, Rockland county, New York, August 26, 1854. His father was born in County Cavan, Ire land, in the year 1833, and emigrated to the United States at a very early age, being ac companied by his mother and family. They first located in Haverstraw, New York, where he was reared and lived the greater part of his life. About the year i860, he came to Hazle ton, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and from there removed to Plymouth, Luzerne county, fifteen years later, where he now lives. While in New York State, he learned the trade of a brickmaker, but since coming to Pennsylvania has been in charge of stationary engines, as an engineer. He is a member of the Roman Catholic Church, and casts his vote with the Democratic party. His marriage resulted in a family of five children, four sons and one daughter. Thomas E. Fitzpatrick removed to Hazleton with his father, and thence to Mahanoy Plane in January, 1886, where he has since resided and followed the business of engineering up to the year 1890. At this period he began the furniture and undertaking business, in which he has developed a very creditable and grow ing trade. He is a. member of A. O. H., Di vision No. 10, at Gilberton, of which he is chairman of the Standing Committee. On February 18, 1890, he was united in marriage with Mary Walsh, of Mahanoy Plane, a daughter of James Walsh. Mr. Fitzpatrick stands well in the business circles of Mahanoy Plane, is energetic, enterprising, and of irre proachable character. T . F. McDONOUGH, an efficient and * popular teacher, justice of the peace and land surveyor of Pine Grove, Schuylkill county, this state, is a son of Joseph and Catherine (Leibig) McDonough, and was born in Bethel township, Berks county, Pennsyl vania, February 25, 1859. Joseph McDonough, grandfather, was of sturdy Scotch stock, born in the " land of the thistle" in 1775, where he was reared and educated until 1802, when he emigrated to this country, locating at South Mountain, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1838. He married Mary Conrad, and had a family of eight children ; four sons and four daughters. Joseph McDonough was born in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, on August, 1820, and thence removed to Bethel township, Berks DR. PHAON HERMANY. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 679 county, Pennsylvania, where he resided until 1 860, when he located at Pine Grove, Schuylkill county, where he died December 27,1883. His occupation throughout his active life was that , of a farmer. Politically, he was a republican of liberal views, and a member of the Evan gelical Church. He was twice married; his first marital alliance was with Anna Bergman, and resulted in an issue of three daughters. His second marriage was with Catherine Lei- big, which resulted in a family of five children, four sons and one daughter. Mr. McDonough obtained a good common school education in the high school of Pine Grove. This was supple mented by several terms in the Millersville State Normal School. After thoroughly pre paring himself for the work of teaching, he, at the age of nineteen, entered upon this pro fession, and has taught fifteen consecutive and successful terms in Schuylkill county. Being a man recognized for his good judgment, and possessing in an eminent degree the respect and confidence of the community, he was elected justice of the peace of North Pine Grove, February, 1885, and after serving cred itably one term of five years, was re-elected. Mr. McDonough's administration as justice of the peace has been characterized in an emi nent degree for his unbiased judgments and fairness to all concerned, and seldom have they been appealed from. In political texture he is a staunch Democrat, and takes a lively and in telligent interest in all matters pertaining to the success of his party. On July 1, 1878, he was elected a member of Company " H, " 8th regiment, (now " G," 4th regiment), N. G. P.; was promoted to corporal April 17, 1880 ; sergeant June 20, 1882; discharged July 7, 1883. On May 4, 1888, he was elected second lieutenant of said company, and subsequently, on April 17, 1 89 1, promoted to first lieutenant of said com pany. He continued as an honored member of this organization until May, 1893, when he re- j signed. He is a member of Pine Grove Castle, | No. 124, Knights ofthe Golden Eagle, of which he was a charter member, and is now Past Chief. On November 8, 1889, he married Alice, a daughter of William and Catherine (Hollinger) Wagner, of Manayunk, Philadelphia. This marriage has been blessed with two children : Virginia M. and Hannah C. f"VR. PHAON HERMANY, one of the old est and best known practitioners of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, was born in Jacksonville, Lehigh county, this state, on September 16, 1840. He is a son of John and Salome (Kistler) Hermany. His grandfather, Philip Hermany, was born at sea in the year 1754. The original name of the family was Hermon, but has since been Anglicized to Hermany. The first settler in this country by that name was great-grand father Hermany, who adopted Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, shortly after his arrival, as his place of residence. It was in this county that the grandfather of Phaon grew up amid pioneer surroundings and the experiences characteristic of pioneer life. John Hermany, father, was born in Lehigh county in the year 1 800, and died in the same county at the age of sixty-three years. In the early part of his life, he pursued farming as a means of obtain ing his livelihood, but later in life he con ducted a store and hotel. He was the founder of the village of Jacksonville, Lehigh county, and served as postmaster there for a period of twenty years. Religiously, he was connected 680 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY with the German Reformed church. His marriage was productive of a family of ten children, four sons and six daughters. Dr. Hermany entered into the bonds of matrimony with Mary J. Bowman on Decem ber 6, 1863, by whom he has three children living : Horace, a graduate of Jefferson Medi cal College, April, 1892, since which time he has been practicing medicine in Philadelphia in addition to conducting a drug store ; Susan L. B., and Sallie K. B., at home. Dr. Hermany was educated in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and prior to reading medicine, taught school two terms. He then took up the rudiments of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. Daniel Shade, of Lehigh county, and later, entered the medical depart ment of the University of New York, from which he was graduated March 3, 1863. After graduation he came directly to Mahanoy City, where he has been since in continuous practice, with the exception of four years, during which time he was engaged in the drug business. Dr. Hermany has won a rec ognized position among the practitioners of Mahanoy City. In politics, he allies himself with the Re publican party, and as such served as deputy coroner for Mahanoy City and its vicinity. He is a member of the Lutheran church. In the fraternal world Dr. Hermany stands high, and is a prominent member. He is a member of Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M. ; Mizpah Chapter, No. 252,.Royal Arch Masons ; Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 31, Knights Templar, and the Philadelphia Con- sistery, S. P. R. S., in all ofwhich he is a past officer, with the exception of the Consistery. He is also a member of the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, LuLu Temple, Philadelphia. He is also a member of Council No. 162, Royal Arcanum, of Mahanoy City ; the Northwestern Masonic Aid Association ; Asa Packer Lodge, No. 328, I. O. O, F.; Washington Camp, No. 124, Patriotic- Order Sons of America. Professionally, he is a member of the County Medical Society, of which he is presi dent, and also of the Pennsylvania and Ameri can Medical Associations. Dr. Hermany is a man who stands deser vedly high in his community both socially and professionally, and is a man in whom is reposed the highest confidence of all with whom he comes in contact, and counts among his clientele many of the most intelligent people of the borough of his adoption. /TEOKGE ADAMS, the founder of the ^^ thriving village of Adamsdale, is one of the most enterprising and public-spirited busi ness men of Southern Schuylkill county. He is a son of Samuel and Catherine (Strausser) Adams, and was born in Windsor township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, March 3, 1828. Peter Adams, paternal grandfather, was a na tive of the same township and county, and had there followed the vocation of a farmer all his. life. He was a consistent member of the Re formed church, and a democrat in politics. Samuel Adams, father, was born in Windsor township, Berks county, this state, in the be ginning of the present century, and died at the early age of twenty-five years. Most of his life was spent at the carpenter trade. He married Catherine Strausser, a daughter of Henry Strausser, and by her had a family of three children : George ; Catherine, who died at the age of eighteen unmarried ; and Han nah, wife of Edwin Skeim by first marriage, and of John Carl by second marriage. Both OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 681 husbands are now (1893) dead, and she lives in Pottsville. George Adams was first married to Eliza Deiner, daughter of Peter Deiner of West Brunswick township, this county, and to them were born the following children : George C, an employee in his father's store, married to Mary Kramer, and lives in Adamsdale ; Rich ard S., foreman in Bradley's agricultural works at Chicago, 111.'; Kate E., wife of Mor ris Runkel, of Landingville, a dispatcher in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company; Frank P. agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad, living at Adams- dale ; Charles S., who lives at home, an employee in his father's store ; John H., a teacher by profession, living at home ; and Robert W. There were four other children, all of whom died in infancy. His second marriage 'was with Mrs. Diana Schall (nee Meyer), a daughter of Rev. Philip Meyer, a minister of forty-nine years' service in the Reformed church. Mr. Adams is a firm democrat, and an acceptable member of the Reformed church. He attended for a time the common schools of Berks county, but received the greater part of his education through his business transactions. He is a carpenter by trade, and has followed that line of work up to the present time. He is the founder of Adamsdale, the village which now bears his name. In 1853 he located where the town now stands, and commenced the building of boats, which he continued for thirty-one years, or until the discontinuing of the canal, and at the same time was interested in the buying and selling of cattle. He is engaged in several business enterprises, and is the life and spirit of the place. For the last thirty years he has also looked after his farm ing interests in connection with his other busi ness, being the owner of two valuable farms, consisting of over two hundred acres, in the vicinity of Adamsdale. He owns a carriage factory, and is engaged in the repairing and building of carriages. A brick-yard is also located on his property, which he sometimes operates himself, but at other times leases out. In his large general store are found all the qualities and varieties of goods usually kept in a first-class establishment. In connection with two partners he owns a shoe factory de voted to the manufacture of infants and misses' shoes of the McKay and Goodyear styles, in which about forty hands are em ployed. Of this factory, Mr. Adams is gen eral supervisor and manager. Mr. Adams is a man who, by dint of good judgment coupled with energy and enterprise, has shown a marvellous capacity for compre hending and carrying to a successful develop ment a variety of business interests as diverse in their nature as they are varied in number. Such men are a benefaction to any commun ity. e QAMUEL HARRIES DADDOW, de- ~ ceased, a former citizen of St. Clair, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, and promi nent as a writer on the scientific aspects of the coal mining and collateral industries in the United States, was a son of Jonathan and Katharine (Harries) Daddow. He was born at St. Agnes, Cornwall, England, March 14, 1827. His father emigrated to the United States in the year 1831, and settled with his family at East Delaware, Schuylkill County, where he carried on small coal-mining opera tions for several years. He was united in marriage December 31, 1856, with Esther A. Beadle, who bore him one son. His death occurred on March 23, 1875. 682 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Samuel H. Daddow received a limited edu cation in the common schools of Schuylkill county, and began work in and about the coal mines about the year 1840. Some years later he took charge ofa colliery store at Oak Hill, this county, and during the intervals between business hours employed his leisure in study for self-improvement. He devoted himself specially to geology, mine engineering and kindred subjects, which were to play such an important part in his after career. At this time, also, he began to contribute articles to local and metropolitan papers. Subsequently he left this position to engage with Benjamin Bannan, proprietor of the Miners' Journal, of Pottsville, in collecting and preparing statistics on coal and mining. He remained with Mr. Bannan until 1855, at which time he went to Virginia and took up a residence at Richmond. During His stay in the south, he was engaged in locating and managing coal and iron mines, salt works, fur nace sites, etc., and in connection with a brother and uncle operated a colliery at Farm- ville, Virginia. In addition to this practical work, he contributed a number of articles to the Richmond Inquirer on the mineral re sources of Virginia and the South. In 1864 he returned to Pennsylvania, and again en gaged in gathering statistics and data, which were used in the work entitled " Coal, Iron and Oil," for which practically his whole life had been a preparation. The book was issued by Daddow & Bannan in 1866, and at once took rank as the standard authority on these sub jects in this country. He also engaged in literary work of a lighter character, and fur nished a variety of stories and sketches for Lippinoott' s Magazine and other periodical publications. The article on " Coal and Coll ieries" in the last revised edition of Apple- ton's Cyclopedia is also from his pen. In 1872 he became general manager of the col lieries of the Erie Railway Company in Penn sylvania with headquarters at Scranton. Dur ing his management the great purchase of undeveloped coal lands were made by this company, and at the time these were consid ered by a number of business and scientific men as rash and disastrous investments. Suc ceeding years have amply shown, through the large profits yielded, their great value, and give attestation to the accuracy of Mr. Dad- dow's judgment and foresight. In 1870, Mr. Daddow, in conjunction with Jesse Beadle, invented the miners' safety squib for explod ing blasts. A small building was erected at St. Clair for its manufacture, and thus origin ated the Miners' Supply Company, of which Mr. Daddow and Mr. Beadle were the chief members. In 1874 he resigned his position at Scranton and gave his whole time and atten tion to the manufacturing business, which gradually developed and widened to such an extent that at the present time, the products of the plant find market in all the regions wherever coal is mined. This business con tinued to occupy him until the time of his death on March 23, 1875. Subsequent to his death the work has been continued by his family conjointly with Mr. Beadle, and is the principal business concern of the borough of St. Clair. Personally, Mr. Daddow was a man of strong character and great versatility of mind. He was clear in his conceptions of right and wrong, and inflexible of purpose under such convictions! He had grown up with the min ing industry of the state, was thoroughly acquainted with its practical, commercial and scientific phases, and had been a deep student of the economic and social questions growing MAJ. LEVI HUBER. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 683 out of it. His life was a busy one, full of usefulness and practical enterprise, and withal, modulated and tempered by an 'intellectual and spiritual culture which gave to him an attractive personality. 1UTAJOR LEVI HUBER is a son of VA Michael and Regina Elizabeth (Uhler) Huber, and was born -November 9, 1818, in Pine Grove township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. Grandfather Huber was a native of Ger many ; but when yet a young man, he emi grated to Switzerland and thence to the United States, settling in Lebanon county, Pennsyl vania, and died in Lebanon, the county seat of that courity. In April, 1769, Michael Huber, father, was born in Lebanon, migrated to what is now known as Pine Grove township, Schuylkill county, about 1809, and died there in 1845. His life work was that of a carpenter and cabinet maker and undertaker. In political faith he was a follower of the creed of Jeffer son and Jackson, and was a member of the German Reformed church. He was a man who took great interest in military affairs, and at one time held the commission of major in the Pennsylvania State Militia. His wife, Regina Elizabeth Uhler, was a daughter of Christopher Uhler, a native of Wurtemburg, Germany, but who emigrated at an early age, to Lebanon county, where he died. By this marriage there was a family of ten boys and one girl. Major Huber married Margaret Stackpole, a daughter, of Thomas Stackpole, of near McVeytown, Juniata county, Pennsylvania; this union has resulted in the following children: Ivanhoe S., lives at Shamokin, I Northumberland county, and is cashier of the I Shamokin Banking Company ; Elizabeth, the wife of Frank Carpenter, station agent at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania; Frederick T, in 1 the flour and bakers' supply business in New York City ; Amelia, married John A. Shull, a graduate of Lafayette College, who studied law and was admitted to the Schuylkill county bar, and is now the efficient superintendent of the schools at Long Island City, New York ; Sarah A , at home. The public schools of Pine Grove township and the academy at Myerstown, Lebanon county, were the sources through which Major Huber obtained his education. Leaving school he learned the tailor's trade at Pine Grove, and for four years did journey work in New York City and London, England. In 1844 he went into the tailoring business in Pine Grove on his own account, continuing it up to 1849. For five terms, from 1849 to I854, he was engaged in teaching in the county. In the spring of 1854 he was elected justice of the peace for the borough of Pine Grove, but had not yet completed his term, when he was, in 1S57, elected county recorder for a term of three years. Major Huber has a war record of which any man might justly feel proud. He was mustered into the service in September, 1861, as second lieutenant in Company B, 96th regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and for meritorious conduct was promoted first to be first lieutenant, then captain, and in the fall of 1863 was commissioned major, which commission he held when he was mustered out on Octobor 24, 1864. He was in the Army of the Potomac under all its different command ers, and took part in all the battles of his regiment, and escaped unhurt, except a slight flesh wound at the battle of Spottsylvania C. 684 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY H. After coming out of the service, the Major, in November 1864, accepted a position in the office of D. G. Yuengling (now D. G. Yuengling & Son), large brewers of Potts ville; he has held that position continuously to the present time. Mr. Huber is a public-spirited, enterprising citizen, taking an active interest in all that pertains to the good of his town. Especially is he interested in the progress of the public schools, believing that upon the nature of the common schools of the land depend largely the peace and prosperity of the municipality and the whole commonwealth. In the spring of 1865 he was elected a school director of of the borough of Pottsville, and has served continuously to the present time — the last thirteen years as president of the board. He takes a deep and active interest in secret and benevolent associations ; he is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M. ; Mountain City Royal Arch Chapter, No. 196, Constantine Commandery No. 41, K. T., in all of which he passed the several chairs, and of Lu Lu Temple, Order of Nobles ofthe Mystic Shrine. He is a member of Pine Grove Lodge, No. 148, I. O. O. F., and of Franklin Encampment, No. 4, 1. O. O. F. ; of Henry Clay Lodge, No. 44, Knights of Pythias. He is an active member of Gowen Post, No. 23, G. A. R. ; Encampment No. 19, Union Veteran Legion, and of Pennsylvania Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. By ap pointment he is the D. D. G. Master, F. and A. M. of District No. 11, comprising twelve lodges in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. nEV. NATHAN W. SECHLER, the scholarly and popular pastor in charge of St. Paul's Reformed Church, at Ringtown, this county, is a son of Nathan and Leah (Faust) Sechler, and was born in Limerick township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, September 18, 1864. The paternal grandfather of Rev. Nathan W. Sechler, Henry Sechler, was born in Montgomery county about 1805, and lived there all his life, and died in 1877. When a young man he learned the trade of a mason in which he became -a proficient and skilled workman, and later took up contract ing in that line. Politically, he was a democrat, and religiously a devoted and active member of the Reformed church. He married Fannie Reninger, and to them were born two sons and four daughters. Nathan Sechler, father, was born in Upper Hanover township, Mont gomery county, September 20, 1832, and now resides in Limerick township, same county, having lived all his life in that county. He also learned the trade of a mason, and added to that the trade of a bricklayer, and in 1865 took up farming in connection with his trade. He is an elder in the Reformed church, in which religious body he has been an active worker, and has served in all the offices of the local executive organization. His marriage with Leah Faust, daughter of Jacob Faust, has been blessed in the birth of three sons and one daughter : Sarah A., wife of Mahlon Livingood, of Pottstown, Mont gomery county ; Edwin H., a farmer of New Hanover township, that county ; James J., deceased, and Nathan W. Rev. Sechler has had a thorough educational preparation for the work of his chosen profes sion. After securing a good common-school education, he entered, in 1878, Washington Hall Collegiate Institute at The Trappe, Montgomery county, where he remained three years. He then for three years longer OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 685 pursued the study of the ancient languages and theology under the direction of Rev. C. H. Herbst, when he entered, for one term, the Congo Select School at Congo, that county. In 1887 he entered Ursinus College and The ological Seminary and completed a theological course in 1890, and was licensed to preach by Goshenhoppen Classis May 16, 1890, and was ordained and installed by a committee of East Susquehanna Classis June 14, 1890. In June after being licensed, he came to Ringtown, and took charge of St. Paul's Reformed church, where he has ever since remained. Rev. Sechler is a hard worker, and is recog nized as a man not only of talents, but of un usual executive ability, and has done much to strengthen the cause of Christianity in his chosen field. He has built two new churches, one at Ringtown and one at Beaver Valley, Columbia county, Pennsylvania,' and remodeled the church at Nuremburg. May 29, 1890, he was united in marriage with Sallie Huns- berger, a daughter of Isaac Hunsberger, of Limerick Square, Montgomery county. JOHN SENSEL, the popular and geniaj hotel proprietor, at Llewellyn, Cass township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in Cohessen, Germany, on De cember 16, 1820. He is a son of John and Susanna Sensel. His ancestors were all natives of Germany, and, with the exception of himself, none of his family came to the United States. In the year 1846, when he was about twenty-six years of age, he left his native land and set sail for the New World. Shortly after his arrival he found his way to Schuylkill county, and took up a residence in Branch township, where he was employed in the mines until the year 1849. At this time he engaged in the lumber business with John Shultz, under the firm name of Sensel & Shultz. This partner ship remained in force for a period of two years. Subsequently, he conducted a busi ness of a similar nature independently, and operated a saw- mill down to the year 1863. At this latter date he purchased and opened a tavern in Llewellyn, which he conducted until the year 1869, when he rebuilt and remodeled the house which he now occupies. He has continued as manager and proprietor of the hotel above mentioned with success down to the present time. His house is well kept, carefully managed, and enjoys with each suc ceeding year an increasing patronage. Politically, he casts his vote with the Republican party, while in his religious con victions he has registered vows in connection with the Lutheran church, of which church both he and his wife are regular attendants. In 1 85 1 he was united in marriage with Catherine Adams, of Branch township. This marriage has been without issue. V%AVID FAUST, one of the best known citizens and a popular insurance man of Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of George and Rebecca (Klingerman) Faust, and was born near Barnesville, Rush township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on September 25, 1836. The earlier representatives of the Faust family lived in Orwigsburg, same county, whither they had removed from Berks county, Pennsylvania. Here, in the former named place, grandfather John Faust spent the greater part of his life and died in Mahanoy township. He was a farmer by occupation, 686 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY and married a Miss Huntzinger, a daughter of Jacob Huntzinger, Sr., by whom he had the following children : John, Jacob, George (father), William, Henry, M. Solma Kling- erman, Jonathan, Phcebe, Elizabeth, Mary and Rosanna. George Faust was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in 1804, and his wife was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1 8 1 2. At the age of twenty years he removed to Rush township, Schuylkill county, near Barnesville, where he pursued the occupation of farming until his death in October, 1846. His wife died at Shamokin, Pennsylvania, in the year 1885. Politically, he cast his vote and wielded his influence for the Democratic party, while in religious matters he held fellowship in the German Reformed church. An issue of nine children resulted from this marriage — four sons and five daughters. David Faust is indebted to the common schools of his native county for his early education. He was reared on a farm, and con tinued in agricultural pursuits up to the age of twenty-five years. At this time he began carpentering, and continued in that business for a period of six years, after which he spent three years as a canvassing agent in the insu rance business. In 1863, he opened up an office for the conduct of the same business in Mahanoy City, which engaged his attention until 1873. Since that time he has enlarged the list of companies represented, until at the present time his general business represents the best companies extant in life, fire and acci dent insurance. Mr. Faust is a member of the Evangelical Association of North America, of which he became a member in September, 1856, and is also connected with John W. Stokes Lodge, No. 515/I. O. 0- F. On April 4, 1858, he was united in marriage with Sarah E. Horn, a daughter of Daniel and Susanna Horn, of Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. By this marriage eleven chil dren have been born, of whom three sons and three daughters are still living : Oliver C, married to Elizabeth Winters, and now resides in Boston, where he is a teacher of music in the New England Conservatory, from which institution he was graduated in music in 1889 ; John M., married to Emma Erdman, a plasterer by trade, now living in Shenan doah; Harvey F., married to Ella Horn, a resident of East Union township, this county, and engaged as a clerk to his father; Lillie, wife of William Johnson, and living at Cam den, New Jersey ; Carrie M. , wife of Edward Rosewall, a clerk resident in Camden, New Jersey, and Arvella, at home. Both as a citizen and a man of affairs, Mr. Faust maintains a high standing among the citizens of Shenandoah. He has succeeded in establishing a large and profitable business, and has also always manifested a strong inter est in public good. He is public- spirited, a liberal patron of education, and casts his influ ence upon the side of public and private morals. nOBERT HARRIS, a highly reputable citizen of Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in Devonshire, Eng land, on June 1, 1854, a son of John F. and Mary A. (Greening) Harris. His father was a native of England, Devon shire, and was born in 1823. He left his native land, and emigrated to the United States about the year 1859, first locating in the vicinity of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill coun ty. In 1874 he gave up residence in Maha noy City, and removed to Frackville, same OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 687 county, where he has since continued as a resident. While in his native land he was a rock miner and contractor, and since coming to Schuylkill county has largely devoted his time to mining pursuits. Politically, he allied himself with the Republican party, and during the existence of the Labor Reform party, took an unusual interest in the efforts made to extend the principles of that party. Notwithstanding his untiring zeal in behalf of the new party, yet he could never be induced by his friends to become an aspirant for any kind of political or public preferment. His wife was a daughter of George Green ing, a native of Devonshire, England, by whom he had a family of four children, three sons and one daughter. Robert Harris, was apprenticed in 1862, while still in England, to learn the trade of printing, and served in that capacity for two years. In 1869, with his mother and three brothers, he came to the United States and joined his father, who was at that time located in Mahanoy City. In this latter place he entered the office of the Mahanoy Gazette, and finished his trade in November, 1871. Subsequently he came to Tamaqua, Pennsyl vania, where he was employed as foreman by Eveland & Shiffert, owners and editors of the Saturday Courier, in which position he re mained until February, 1872, when he pur chased the interest of Mr. Shiffert, and became part proprietor of the Courier, with which he has been connected ever since. Fraternally, Mr. Harris is a member of Tamaqua Castle, No. 68, Knights ofthe Golden Eagle, of which he was the first presiding officer, and is now Past Chief, besides being a representative to the Grand Castle for five years, and Master of the Historical Records until December, 1892. He was united in marriage with Sophia M. Myers, a daughter of Marcus Myers, a native of Bavaria, Germany, on May 1, 1874. This union has resulted in an issue of four children living, two sons and two daughters. The Tamaqua Courier traces its history back to the establishment of the Tamaqua Legion, in 1849, under the ownership and editorship of J. M. and D. C. Reinhart. The name was soon afterwards changed to the Tamaqua Gazette, and subsequently to the Tamaqua Anthracite Gazette, under which latter name it suspended publication in 1861 for two months, and was then sold to R. I. Leyburn, who changed the name to the Anthracite Journal. At this time Captain Leyburn entered the civil war, and a year later, Messrs. Fry & Jones assumed proprie torship until his return. The paper was then sold to the Monitor Publishing Company, and issued as the Saturday Courier, and again changed hands, this time passing into the ownership of Messrs. Eveland & Shiffert, in 1 87 1. During the next year Mr. Harris suc ceeded Mr. Shiffert, and the paper was con tinued under the control of Eveland & Harris. Subsequently the firm purchased the equip ment of the Anthracite Monitor, a labor-reform journal started in 1871, and which atone time had a large circulation and influence. By this transaction they acquired the following and good-will of the patrons of the Monitor and the prestige of the old Legion, of which the Monitor was the outgrowth — the first and oldest paper printed in Tamaqua. In 1878 Daniel M. Eveland retired, and Harris & Zeller took charge. At this time the Courier was changed to a daily, to keep pace with the growing demands of the borough, has well as to offset the competition brought about by the establishment of the Item, a daily paper pub- 688 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY lished by Levi Huppert. The Item soon be came extinct by reason of the death of its owner, and in 1881 the Courier partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Harris became the sole proprietor of the paper which he now publishes. Until January, 1893, the Courier was published as a weekly paper ; but since that time it has been transformed into a semi- weekly. It is a four-page, six-column, neatly printed paper, and is independent in politics. Both its editorial columns and the general contents of the paper show ability and tact. Under the present management it has steadily grown in circulation, in popularity and in in fluence. j^ANIEL T. SCHLAPPICH, an ex-teacher of this county, of twelve years' experi ence, a respected citizen and a successful butcher of the borough of Pine Grove, this county, is a son of John H. and Matilda (Hartman) Schlappich, and was born in Bethel township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, August 31, 1848. Samuel Schlappich, grandfather, was a native and life-long resident of Lower Bern township, Berks county, and died there in 1874, at the advanced age of eighty-three years, eleven months and twenty-one days. He was a prosperous and successful farmer, and owned two large and fertile farms in his native township. He was a consistent and devout member of the German Reformed church, and filled most, if not all, the offices in the church organization. Politically, he affiliated with the party of Jefferson and Jackson, took an active and prominent part in both local and county politics, and filled most of the offices of his township as well as the office of county commissioner for one term. He married Magdalina Haack, and to them were born a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters. John H. Schlappich, father, was born July, 1829, on the old homestead, and has resided all his life in Berks county, excepting one year in White county, Indiana, and since 1870 has resided at ^Etna. When a young man he learned the trade of a tailor, which trade he has followed almost exclusively throughout life. He, like his father, is a democrat in politics and a member of the German Reformed church ; in the latter he takes a prominent and active part, having filled all the offices in that church. He was united in marriage with Matilda, a daughter of Daniel Hartman, a prosperous farmer of Oley, Berks county, Pennsylvania, and to them have been born a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters. Mr. Schlappich was possessed ofa desire of securing a higher education than the common schools afforded. His means being limited, he was forced to the necessity of teaching school, which he began at the age of nineteen years, to secure funds to defray his expenses of at tending college. He entered Palatinate Col lege, Meyerstown, Berks county, Pennsyl vania, from which he was graduated in 1871. After his graduation he taught ten successive years in Wayne township, this county. In 1 88 1 he removed to Pine Grove, this county, where he has since resided and successfully conducted the butcher business. In 1890 he purchased a valuable farm of fifty acres, situated near Pine Grove township, which he conducts in conjunction with this busi ness. He is a member of the German Reformed church, and politically, he is a democrat, active and influential in local politics, and was justice of the peace of Wayne township a OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 689 short time ; also served as school director of 'Pine Grove borough. Fraternally, he is prominently connected as a member of Washington Camp, No. 49, P. 0. S. of A., of which he is past president; Lexington Commandery, No. 5, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and Pine Grove Council, No. 124, K. of G. E., of which he is past chief. On April 26, 1877, he was united in mar riage with Adelia Fegley, of Lykens, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, which union has been blessed with the following children : Eva J., John A., Mary J. and William H. /CHARLES B. MOHAN, a resident of Mi- v> nersville, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, is a son of Charles and Arretta (Reed) Mohan, and was born in Minersville, county and state already mentioned, on July 22, 1856. His father, Charles Mohan, was a native of Ireland, and was born in the county of Fer managh, and when a young man came to the United States in 1823. After his arrival he came to Pennsylvania, and first settled in Lebanon county, but shortly afterward removed to Schuylkill county and located near Miners ville. His first place of residence in this county was a log house, which stood opposite the present site of St. Vincent de Paul's church. He continued to live in Minersville until the time of his death, and for a number of years was a boss in connection with the collieries. He finally gave up mining, and engaged in the mercantile business at the place where the subject, Charles B., is located. This was about the year 1853, and he continued the business until the time of his death. His marriage with Arretta Reed resulted in the birth of ten children, three sons and seven daughters. Of 44 the sons, John is now located in Philadelphia; Terrence is engaged in the wholesale liquor business at Minersville. Charles B. Mohan was united in marriage with Leonora Kearney. By this marriage two children were born : Priscilla, now about eight years of age, and one deceased in infancy. Mr. Mohan was educated in the public and high schools of Minersville, and subsequently he engaged in business. In the year 1890 he came into possession of the store which he now owns and conducts, on the corner of Fifth and Sunbury streets. He handles all the ar ticles usually kept in a first-class general store, and through strict adherence to the details of his business enjoys an extensive and steadily- increasing trade. In connection with the store he conducts a hotel, known as Mohan's Hotel. In his political affiliations he is a democrat, and religiously is connected with the Roman Catholic church. H LFRED F. BRONSON, M. D., a young ^^ and promising physician of Girardville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Edwin and Laura (Furman) Bronson, and was born August 27, i860, in Wyoming county, Pennsylvania. He is a descendant of an old New England family, which originally settled in the state of Connecticut. His grandfather, Edwin Bronson, Sr., was a native of Connec ticut, but an early date removed to Bradford county, Pennsylvania, where he spent the greater part of his life. He was a minister of the Presbyterian church by profession,' was educated in Union College and Theological Seminary, and died in November, 1892, at the advanced age of ninety-three years. He was married to Mary Hitchcock, who was born about the year 1809. By this marriage two 690 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY children were born; Edwin Jr., father of Albert F., and Mary, who became the wife of Rev. Halleck Armstrong, a minister in the Presbyterian church, graduated at Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania, and a well- known and popular preacher. Albert's father, prior to the civil war, was a teacher; but upon the outbreak of that conflict he enlisted in the Union service. His marriage bore fruit in the birth of two children; Albert F., and Edwin D., a resident of Bradford county, Pennsyl vania, where he is by vocation a photographer. Albert F. Bronson was united in marriage on August 27, 1885, to Anita Durand, a daughter of Warren and Urania Durand, of Bradford county, Pennsylvania. By this mar riage two children have been the issue : DeForrest, born December 28, 1886, and lived but seven months, and Alberta, born on September 8, 189 1. Dr. Bronson received his education in the public schools of Penn sylvania, Waverly High School, N. Y., and in Susquehanna Collegiate Institute at To- wanda, Pennsylvania. After finishing his course here, he taught school for ten terms. Even before he had given up teaching and while principal of Wyalusing Academy he had entered the office of Dr. H. Bush, under whose preceptorship he prepared for entrance to the medical department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Michigan. He studied at this university two years, after which he went to Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New York City, and was graduated in the class of 1885. After graduation here he formed a partnership with Dr. F. S. Wilson, of Montgomery county, Pennsyl vania, who was at that time quarantine physician for the port of Philadelphia. Sub sequent to that time, in the spring of 1888, Dr. Bronson came to Girardville, Schuylkill county, where he has since been in the active practice of his profession. He is a member' of the Schuylkill County and Pennsylvania ! State Medical Societies, Lehigh Valley Medi cal Association and also of the American Medi cal Association. Of the former fie has been elected censor and representative to the State Medical Association. He is a member of the Board of Health and Board of Trade. Politi cally, he is a republican, and in religious faith affiliates w'ith the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a member of Washington Camp, No. 125, Patriot Order Sons of Amer ica, and Mammoth Castle, No. 136, Knights of the Golden Eagle. yHEODORE F. BATDORFF, justice of the peace, pension," insurance, and real estate agent of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is a son of Zachariah and Catharine L. (Seltzer) Batdorff, and' was born in Tremont, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, on November 22, 1850. He is of German ancestry. His father, Zachariah Batdorff, was born in the county of Berks, Pennsylvania, but removed to Schuyl kill county. He now lives at Tremont, this county, and was formerly engaged as an iron worker. He is a member of the English Lutheran church, a republican in his political sentiments, though in no sense a partisan. His marriage resulted in a family of five chil dren, three boys and two girls : Uriah G, a resident of Tremont; Charles Z., deceased; Lallie J., wife of Harry Gay, a resident of Shamokin, Northumberland county, Pennsyl vania, where he is superintendent of the Neil- son collieries, and the subject of this sketch. Theodore F. Batdorff was united in mar riage on May 5, 1874, to Annie G. Stees, a daughter of Reuben H. and Elmira R. Stees, THEODORE F. BATDORFF. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 691 of Pine Grove, this county. To them the fol lowing children have been born : Charles R., born March 20, 1875 ; Frank S., born July 27, 1877; and Theodora R., bom October 12, 1881. Mr. Batdorff received his education in the common schools of his native county, and afterwards learned the trade of machinist, though never pursued his trade to any extent. Shortly after the completion of his trade he went into milling business in North Pine Grove, subsequently into the stationery and printing business at Tremont, and then changed to the dry goods and grocery business. Later he accepted the position of cashier of the First National Bank of Tremont, in which position he remained from 1873 to 1879, subsequently filling various local offices of trust and respon sibility. Politically, he is a republican, and as such has served as a member of the council of Tremont, of which he served as president. After the expiration of his term as councilman, he was elected school director, and remained in that capacity for several years as secretary ofthe board. In 1881 he was elected justice of the peace, and discharged the duties of that office until 1883, when he removed to Potts ville to accept a position as bookkeeper and financial agent of Morris Rohrheimer, of Potts ville. In 1886 he was elected by the citizens of the Middle Ward justice of the peace, and at the expiration of his term of office was re elected. He was also elected jury com missioner of Schuylkill county in 1888, and served with unqualified credit. Fraternally, he is a member of Tremont Lodge, No. 245, I. O. O. F.; Tremont Union, Encampment, No. 167 ; Patriotic Order Sons of America, Camp No. 76, at Tremont ; and also Tremont Lodge No. 128, of the Knights of Pythias, at the same place. Religiously, he is a member of the English Lutheran church. Mr. Batdorff is a man of intelligence, well informed upon the political issues of the day, and at one time, from 1869 to 1876, was assistant editor and proprietor of the Tremont News. He is a wide-awake citizen, public spirited, and shows an intelligent concern for the private and common good of the citizens of his borough. © HON. JOHN T. SHOENER, ex-member of Assembly, and a prominent candidate for Congress from the 13th Congressional district in 1890, is a son of George and Mary (Super) Shoener, and was born April 5, 1850, in South Manheim township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. The ancestors of John T. Shoener were among the pioneer settlers in the vicinity of Orwigsburg; the great-grandfather, on the paternal side of the family, was a native of Berks county, but settled, when a young man, in what is now Schuylkill county, in the neighborhood of Orwigsburg, in all probability in what is now West Brunswick township. It is at least known that his son, grandfather of subject, was born in that township in 1800, and died in Orwigsburg in 1865. He was a thrifty and prosperous farmer by avocation, and also operated a stage line from Schuylkill county to Philadelphia. Politically, he belonged to that school of political economists whose watchword from the very inception of the Government to the present time has been " Internal improvements and protection to home industries." Hence, he was a whig, and upon the disruption of that party became a republican. He married a Miss Hesser, daughter of Frederick Hesser, who was a drummer boy in the Revolutionary war, and was with Washington at Valley Forge. He was born in the vicinity of Or- 692 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY wigsburg, where he died and is now buried. For a number of years, when court was yet held in Orwigsburg, he served in the capacity of court crier. George Shoener, father, was born in Orwigs burg in 1827, where he lived all his life, dying in 1865. He was a farmer and lumber dealer by vocation, but during the latter part of his life kept a hotel in Orwigsburg. Politically he followed in the footsteps of his ancestors) and was an ardent republican. His marriage with Mary Super was blessed with a family of six children, four sons and two daughters. Mr. Shoener was educated in the public schools of Orwigsburg until thirteen years of age, when he went with his uncle to Hennepin, Putnam county, Illinois, where for three years he attended the Hennepin High school. He then took up' the profession of teaching, and taught six terms ; five of them in his native county and one in Illinois, when he aban doned teaching and launched upon a business career. In 1873 he embarked in the manu facture of bricks between Port Carbon and St. Clair. The same year the Orwigsburg Shoe Manufacturing Company was organized, and Mr. Shoener was made its secretary. This was the first shoe manufactory established in the borough, and was operated in what was formally the court house of the county. Mr. Shoener, also, represented this firm's interests upon the road until 1878. In 1878 he, in connection with George H. Bickley, organized the Bickley Shoe Com pany, with which he was connected until July, 1893. Since which time he has been engaged as a wholesale dealer in boots and shoes. Mr. Shoener, true to the political traditions of his forefathers, has always been a republi can, and has always taken an active and intelligent part for the success of, and in the councils, of his party. In 1878 he was elected a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly from the Third Legis lative District of Schuylkill county by a majority of 180 votes, in a district usually Democratic by from 900 to 1 100 votes. While in the Assembly he was recognized as an intelligent and faithful representative of the people's welfare, and introduced, among other measures, the bill providing for the establish ment of the Miners' Hospital, for injured persons in the anthracite coal regions, at Ashland, Pennsylvania. This bill was suc cessful, and the hospital, a very popular and benevolent institution, now stands as a monu ment to the humane instincts and benevolent enterprise of Hon. John T. Shoener. At the time of its founding it was the only institution of its kind in the world, in that it was designed entirely for the laboring class, and is supported entirely by the State. In 1880 Mr. Shoener was nominated for re-election, but was defeated. In 1886 he was unanimously nominated for the State Senate from the Thirtieth Senatorial District of the state, a district ordinarily 2500 Democratic; but Mr. Shoener was defeated by but 73 votes, — a fact attesting in a marked degree his popu larity with the people of his district, as he would, undoubtedly, have been elected had it not been for the vote ofthe Prohibition candi date. In 1890 he was nominated to represent the Thirteenth Congressional district in Con gress, but was defeated by Hon. James B. Reilly, the Democratic candidate, by 1480 votes, although the Democratic candidate for Governor had a majority over the Republican candidate in the same district of 4400 votes. In the municipal affairs of his borough Mr. Shoener has always been in demand, and has OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 693 served in all the political positions in the gift of the people of his town. He is and has been for a number of years the president of the Orwigsburg Agricultural Society. He is Past-President of Camp No. 86, P. O. S. of A. of which he has been a member since 1867. He also belongs to Schuylkill Lodge, No. 138, F. and A. M., of which he is now treasurer; Mountain City Chapter, No. 196, R. A. M.; Constantine Commandery, No. 41, Knights Templar; and Industrial Council, No. 437, Jr. O. U. A. M. On June 22, 1875, he married Ida E. Kershner, and to them have been born three children : Walter D., Edna M. and John R. Hon. John T. Shoener is a man who has won and easily holds the confidence and re spect of the people of his county, by whom he is so well known. These facts are fully attested by the complimentary vote he has always been able to command whenever he solicited it from them. He possesses those qualities of head and heart which draw to him a host of friends. JOSEPH M. PAYNE, of Cressona, Schuyl- ^ kill county, Pennsylvania, patentee of the " double automatic and double safety coupler," was born in Philadelphia, on Sep tember 19, 1847, and is a son of George and Jane (Parnell) Payne. His father was born in North of Ireland, and emigrated to America. On this voyage he was accompanied by his father and family, who after arriving in America took up a resi dence, at Branby, Canada, at which place his father died. The son, father of Joseph M., subsequently came to the United States in the year , and located in New York State, whence he came to Schuylkill county, Penn sylvania, and located near St. Clair. He died at Beckville, North Manheim township, same county. After his arrival in the United States he made contracting his chief line of work. While in New York State, he did a large amount of work upon the Erie Canal, and after its completion continued his business in the iron and coal districts of New York and Pennsylvania. After his coming to St. Clair, he opened up a colliery, and was prominently connected with the opening of another col liery at present known as Payne's Patch Col liery, which was successfully operated at the time, and was later reputed to be very valuable. In 1844, after a life of varied experiences, he re moved to Philadelphia, and became the finan cial manager of Payne & Heckshire, operators of the aforesaid colliery. He died in that city in the year 1850. Aside from his coal interests he was a stockholder in the Sun bury and Erie Railroad, and became the owner of several large tracts of land along that line. He was united in marriage with Jane Par nell, by whom he had a family of eight chil dren, seven sons and one daughter. During the greater part of his life, both he and his family were closely identified with the Epis copal church. Joseph M. Payne at the age of three years was brought by his parents to Beckville, Schuylkill county, where he resided for twen ty-five years. Here he received his education and was initiated into the practical conflict of life. He first engaged in the ice and coal business while still in his teens, and has suc cessfully continued that business down to the present time. Aside from this he took out a patent on May 5, 189 1, for a car coupler known as " Payne's double automatic and double safety coupler," which is also combined with an electric brake. This ingenious arrangement has 694 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY received the endorsement of many mechanical experts and bids fair to displace in time many of the older methods of coupling. Working models of this invention are on exhibition at Pottsville, Reading, Richmond, Philadelphia, Elizabeth, New York, Brooklyn, Jersey City, Wilmington, Chester, Baltimore, Washington, Harrisburg, Altoona, Pittsburg, Chicago, Wil liamsport and Erie, making it possible for it to receive an extensive and diverse examination. Mr. Payne was united in marriage on May 1 8, 1876, to Mary C. Kline, a daughter of Jacob and Lena Kline, of Pottsville, Pennsyl vania. One child has resulted from this union, Eva B. He is an active member of the Meth odist Episcopal church, and for a number of years has been district steward, trustee and superintendent of the Sunday school. ^THOMAS GEIER is a son of Henry and Catharine (Moyer) Geier. He was born in Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, Pennsylva nia, November 12, 1837. Grandfather Henry Geier was of German descent, a farmer by occupation, and a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, in which county he passed his life and is now buried. Henry, Jr., his son, was also born in Berks county upon his father's farm, spent the days of his childhood, youth and early manhood there, and at the age of twenty-two removed to Or wigsburg, Schuylkill county, where he lived until his death, in 1 871, at the age of seventy- eight years, nine months and eleven days. He was a blacksmith by trade,, and plied his trade successfully until 1850, when he changed to the lumber business. For ten years he was superintendent of the lumber industry of David D. Lewis at Schuylkill Haven. This business he closed out in 1858, and then en tered the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, where he con tinued until his retirement from active life. He was a democrat until the organization of the Know Nothing party, and subsequently became a supporter of the Republican party, voting for Lincoln during his first candidacy. In religion he was first a member of the Ger man Reformed church, and latterly became a member of the Methodist church. His family embraced three sons and nine daughters. Our subject, Thomas Geier, was educated in the schools of Schuylkill Haven, and after leaving school learned the carpenter's trade. This he followed as a journeyman for a period of eight years, when he became a contractor and builder. He removed to Pottsville in 1882, and engaged in the management of a wholesale lumber business, which he still con tinues. Prior to his entering upon contract ing and building he was a wholesale grain dealer for about two years at Schuylkill Haven. Politically Mr. Geier is a republican, and as such was elected a member of the council of Schuylkill Haven for nine years, chief burgess six years and school director two years. He is a member of the English Lutheran church in which he has held the office of both deacon and elder. He is also a member of Carroll Lodge, No. 120, I. O. O. F., of Schuylkill Haven, in which he was Past Grand, and to Mt. Nebo Encampment, of which he was P. C. P. Mr. Geier married Lavina L. Eckert, a daughter of Benneville Eckert, of Berks county, Pennsylvania, November 28, i860. They have two children : Catharine R. (now deceased), married to Byron Kriner, of Potts ville, in the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company; Clara E., at home. HON. JOHN PARKER. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 695 TAMES W. RUBRECHT, a contractor and ^ business man of Cressona, Pennsylvania, is a son of William and Judith (Fusselman) Rubrecht, and was born in North Manheim township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, February 2, 1850. His grandfather, Daniel Rubrecht, was a native of Germany, who emigrated in early life to America, locating for a time on what is now the present site of the Schuylkill county almshouse. He was the owner of a number of teams, with which he was engaged in haul ing coal to Philadelphia and returning loaded with goods for the country merchants. He lived in Schuylkill county until his death. William Rubrecht, father, was born at his father's stand in Schuylkill county in 18 10, where he was raised. He married and located in North Manheim township, where he lived thereafter until his death in April, 1892, aged eighty -two years. He was a mason by trade, although owning a farm. In politics he was a democrat, but never sought office, although taking an active interest in the political move ments and events of his time. He was for many years a member of the Lutheran church. He was twice married ; his first union was with a Miss Baker, and resulted in the issue of two children. His second marriage was with Judith Fusselman, born in Berks county, this state, in 1807, and who died April, 1880. This second union resulted in a family of three children, two sons and one daughter : Sarah Anna, wife of David Achey, a farmer of North Manheim township, this county ; John Adam, a contractor of Telford, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania ; and James W. Mr. Rubrecht was educated in the township common schools ; he learned the trade of a mason and stone-cutter, and followed it, to gether with contracting in his line, until April, 1889, when he bought the West Grange Grist Mill, in connection with Mr. J. H. Knittle, at which business he has since been engaged, as well as contracting for the erection of build ings. Among the finest with which he has been connected was the superintendency ofthe erection of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church, of Pottsville. In politics he is a democrat, but inclined to be independent in local matters, and has never sought or been a candidate for office. He is a member of the Lutheran church, and is also a member of Lodge, No. , of the I. O. O. F., of Cressona. He was united in marriage, to Miss Mary Bohrman, a daughter of John Bohrman, of North Manheim township, who was born in Germany, by which marriage he has had two children, both living, viz. : Beulah May and Raymond W. JOHN W. PARKER, the editor and pro- ^ prietor of the Tri-Weekly Record, of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, is a son of John and Mary (Brown) Parker, and was born in the mining village of Buckville, near Tamaqua, now abandoned and fallen to decay, on April 18, 1857. His paternal grandfather was a native of county Durham, England, and the father of a large family. His father, John Parker, was also of English birth, first seeing the light of day within the shadow of Durham cathedral, one of the most celebrated of the old English cathedrals, in 1822, emigrating to America when a young man. Previous to coming to America, he, the father, had already gained a reputation as an advocate of Democratic ideas, and spoke from the same platform with Fergus O'Conner and other advocates of the 696 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ill-fated Chartist movement, which demanded for the English people the same political rights granted to American citizens by the Constitution of the United States. Shortly after attaining American citizenship he began to manifest, — being a born publicist, — a lively interest in politics, and again his sympathies were enlisted on the side of liberalism and greater freedom. He allied himself with the Free-soil party, throwing all his soul into the Fremont campaign, with the Pathfinder as his hero. Many of the oldest citizens of the county remember the stirring " Fremont and Freedom" songs he composed, which were surig from the hustings of this and neighbor ing counties during the campaign. His talents as a writer of verse were of no mean order, and his productions under the nom de plume of " The Buckville Blacksmith" won him an acknowledged place among the lesser poets of America. After the close of the war and in the seven ties, when new issues of an economic charac ter began to press for solution, true to his advanced liberalism, he allied himself with the Greenback Labor party. He was a prominent member ofthe first National Greenback Labor convention, held in Toledo, O., and served on the committees of organizations and resolu tions. He became an earnest and influential advo cate of the party's principles, and at a later period was elected to represent the Twenty- Ninth District in the State Senate, where his honesty of purpose and excellent judgment on all matters relating to labor interests and the coal mining industry were freely acknowledged and his advice and counsel solicited by those less familiar with these matters. His election was considered as a remarkable political achievement, inasmuch as he was opposed by William L. Torbert, the Democratic candidate, and by the regular organization of the Repub lican party, the nominee of the latter party withdrawing in Mr. Torbert's interest. Sena tor Parker served one term in the Senate, and in 1886 was the nominee of the Greenback Labor party for Lieutenant-Governor. As an example of his unselfishness in politics, an incident may be cited. In the election of a Republican candidate for Governor he ren dered services which were freely acknowledged by the recipient. When the campaign was over, the successful candidate sent for Mr. Parker, and after complimenting him highly on his services during the campaign, asked what political favor he desired of the administration. To the surprise of the Governor, Mr. Parker, instead of asking for a political berth, pre ferred a request for the pardon of a certain man who had been prominent in advocating the interest of labor organizations, and who had been imprisoned on a charge which he knew to be false. The Governor, true to his promise, examined into the case, and his peti tioner had the pleasure of seeing the poor but injured man restored to the bosom of his family. For several years after coming to America, Mr. Parker followed the occupation of a blacksmith ; but his literary learnings carried him into the newspaper field, and he success fully edited and published, in partnership with William P. Atkinson, the People in Tamaqua and Sentinel in St. Clair, and afterwards became editor of. the Anthracite Monitor, pub lished at Tamaqua, the organ of the Miners and Laborers' Benevolent Association, more familiarly known as the W. B. A., which at tained the largest circulation of any newspaper ever published in the county of Schuylkill. He took an active part in labor organiza- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 697 tion, was a profound student of the great social and political questions, which were the outgrowth of the complicated relations of labor and capital. For a number of years he was president and a leading spirit of the Workingmen's Benevolent Association, an organization that wielded a great influence for the good ofthe mine-workers throughout the entire anthracite region. During the pacific reign of this organization the miners enjoyed a prosperity never experienced before or since. His fairness and the just balance of his mind was such that he was trusted and respected alike by employer and employed, and a number of times was chosen by both sides as the sole arbiter of disputes. Mr. Parker was widely known as a man of worth, intellectual vigor and unique personal ity, who through the force of his convictions and the philanthropic interest which he mani fested in the condition of those about him, wielded the sceptre of his life in an unselfish and an impartial manner for the public weal. At the time of his death one of his numerous eulogists wrote in the Colliery Engineer of Scranton : " Mr. Parker was a labor leader, but not a demagogue. When his counsel was followed the workingmen always profited, and when at times the policy he advocated was thrown aside for that of demagogues, disas trous results were always the outcome." He was appointed by Governor Beaver a trustee for the State Hospital for Injured Per sons, at Ashland, Pennsylvania, and retained the position through all changes of state administration until his death. His marriage to the mother of our subject resulted in a family of six children, two girls and four boys. His second wife was the sis ter of his first, and is still living. He died May 6, 1892, at the age of 70 years. John W. Parker became proprietor of the Tri-Weekly Record, February 1, 1892, and has edited and managed it with commendable suc cess ever since. True to its history and tra ditions it remains an advocate of labor inter ests. It is independent in politics, but is usually found supporting the Republican candidates when their fitness for office is ac knowledged. The Tri-Weekly Record, on which Mr. Parker devotes his unremitting attention, — leaving the larger fields of political ambition to those whose tastes incline them iri that direction, — is the outgrowth of the Ma hanoy City Local, established by Charles Spencer, in 187 1. It was a small advertising sheet intended for free distribution, and at that time the present editor of the Record carried it around the streets and to the neighboring villages. On November 16, 1871, Charles Spencer inaugurated the Mahanoy Valley Rec ord, a subscription paper, which he sold later to John Parker, father of its present publisher. On September 15, 1877, the paper changed to a tri-weekly, and was named Parker s Tri- Weekly Record. The article " the'' was after ward substituted, and since that time it has been known as The Tri- Weekly Record. It is a penny paper, eight columns to the page, the largest penny paper in the county, and has a profitable and steadily growing business. John W. Parker was united in marriage with Alice Brown, daughter of James E. Brown, of Pottsville, on March 10, 1878, and the fruit of this marriage has been four chil dren, of whom two, James E. and Miriam, are living. AUGUST WACHTER, county auditor and proprietor of the West End Hotel, of Yorkville, this county, is a son of John and Clementina (Riede) Wachter, and was born in 698 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Wurtemberg, Germany, May 29, 1847. His father, John Wachter, was born in Wurtem berg, Germany, May 6, 181 2, where he lived all his life, and died January 19, 1862, in the fiftieth year of his age. He was a butcher and hotel-keeper, and was a good, prosperous business man, widely known throughout that portion of Germany. He was also a member of the German Roman Catholic Church. He was married to Miss Clementina Riede, by whom he had a family of ten children, viz. : Stephen, who emigrated to this country in 1854, and located at St. Clair, where he now lives, and is proprietor of a saloon ; Anthony, who lives at Wurtemberg, Germany ; Andrew, who died in France ; Paul, who came to the United States in 1868, and is now a car riage manufacturer at Lebanon, Pennsylvania ; Francisca, who resides at Wurtemberg, Ger many ; Rudolph, who emigrated to America in 1878, a butcher, of Yorkville, this county; August, of Yorkville ; Conrad, who is dead ; Mathias, also dead; and Cornelius, a watch manufacturer, of Wurtemberg, Germany. August Wachter emigrated to the United States in April, 1867. In his native country he was a potter by trade. On coming here he located at St. Clair, this county, and engaged with his brother in conducting a bakery, at which business he continued until 1869, when he went to Pottsville and accepted employ ment in a rolling mill, where he remained one and a half years. He then engaged as a miner, at Yorkville, until 1885, at which time he went into the dairy business, which he followed for four and a half years thereafter. In 1 89 1 he became owner and proprietor of the West End Hotel, at Yorkville, which hostelry he has prosperously and successfully con ducted up to the present time. In politics Mr. Wachter is a democrat, and has taken an active interest in local political matters. He has been borough clerk of York ville for seventeen consecutive years, and is now serving as such for the eighteenth year. He has also been chief burgess for one year, assessor for seven years, and school director for six years. In November, 1 890, he was also elected one of the auditors of Schuylkill county, for a term of three years, which posi tion he is now filling. He is also president of the Yorkville Fire and Hose Company. His long continuance as town clerk of Yorkville, and frequent elections to other responsible official positions, attest a _ marked degree of personal popularity and a faithful performance of duty on his part, in all of the several official positions which he has held from time to time. He is also a member of the German Roman Catholic Church, a member of the St. John the Baptist Society, and is secretary, and also one of the trustees of the St. Bernard Society He was married May 1, 1870, to Miss Teresa Biltheiser, a daughter of George and Hilde- yard Biltheiser, of Pottsville, which union has been blessed with a family of ten children, seven sons and three daughters, viz. : Mary R., Hildeyard, Alice, Andrew, Wilhelm, Joseph, John N., Frank J., August P., and Edward. "C LI J AH EMRICH, steward of the Schuyl kill County Almshouse, at Schuylkill Haven, is a son of John and Mary (Emrod) Emrich, and was born in North Wayne township, this county, in 1823. His grandfather, John Emrich, was a native of Switzerland, and emigrated to this country in 1 801, settling in North Wayne township, this county, where he lived until his death, tilling the farm upon which he had located. He was a. member of the Lutheran church. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. John Emrich, father, was born in North Wayne township in 1791, where he lived on a farm and died in 1862. In politics he was a democrat. He was a member of the Evan gelical Methodist Episcopal church, and was one of the first members of that church in his locality. He served as a trustee of the church for a number of years, with great acceptability. He married Miss Mary Emrod, and had a family of eleven children, six sons and five daughters. Mr. Emrich was educated in the common school held at the school building which formerly stood on the present site of the Schuylkill County Poor Farm. After reaching manhood he went into the boating business on the Philadelphia and Schuylkill Canal, owning and running boats on this canal for fifteen years. In 1870 he engaged in the livery business at Schuylkill Haven, in which he continued for eighteen years. He then embarked in the business of hosiery manu facture at the same place, and is now interested in the manufacture of underwear at Schuylkill Haven, where he employs twenty- two hands, turning out all kinds of underwear. On April ist, 1892, Mr. Emrich was elected steward of the Schuylkill County Almshouse, a very responsible position, and one which we are very happy to say has been most worthily filled by him since his incumbency of it. The care and superintendency of such an institu tion is no light task, attached to which is also the Poor Farm of three hundred acres, the superintendency of its cultivation, the keeping in repair all of the farm buildings and fences, as well as the almshouse itself, and the look ing after the wants, health and comfort of its inmates and employees, and the preservation of the proper tone of discipline among them, will test the executive ability of any man who may chance to fill this position. During the winter of 1892-93 there were kept there 436 persons. Mr. Emrich has met all the require ments of his position, filling it with entire sat isfaction, which is attested by the cleanliness and orderly appearance of the buildings and in mates, and neatness of the grounds under his rule. He has been a democrat in politics, and has always taken an active interest in political affairs, working for the success of his party ticket. He is a member of the Evangelical Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been a member for a number of years past, and is at present the president of the board of trustees of the church. Mr. Emrich enlisted in the ninety day's service, during the rebel invasion of 1862 into Maryland, in Company I., 39th regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, serving until the end of his term of enlistment. He again enlisted for the emergency during the rebel invasion of 1863 into Maryland and Pennsyl vania, in Company C, 90th regiment, Pennsyl vania Volunteers, and served for sixty days. He was present with his command at the battle of Antietam, in September, 1862, and was also with them near Gettysburg, at the time of the famous battle at that place, July 1-3, 1863. He married Miss Sarah Roudenbush, a native of Schuylkill Haven, and a daughter of Daniel Roudenbush, of that place, who was born at Orwigsburg. By this marriage he has one daughter, Angela, married to C. Loudenbach, a manufacturer of underwear, of Schuylkill Haven. PROF. CHARLES H. MOYER, of Port Carbon, this county, and one of the leading young and progressive educators of Schuylkill county, is the son of Charles K. 700 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY and Catharine (Hime) Moyer, and was born near the borough of Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, May 5, 1861. His great grand-parents were among the earliest settlers of Schuylkill county, and he is a direct descendant on the maternal side of probably the first pioneer and settler in the county, Paul Hime, who was known and distinguished by the significant title, "Indian Fighter." His grandfather, Abraham Moyer, was a na tive of West Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, Pa., where he was reared, lived all of his life, following the avocation of a farmer and blacksmith, and died highly respected and esteemed by all his neighbors and acquaint ances. His father, Charles K. Moyer, was also born in West Brunswick township, on August 1, 1823, where he was reared and continued to live until his death on November 24, 1890, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, having been engaged nearly all his life as a farmer, but followed butchering for about fifteen years. In politics he was a republican in state and national affairs, but in county and local matters entirely independent. He was a member of the Church of God for many years, in which he was always very ac tive, serving a number of years as class leader, which position he held at the time of his death, also as a trustee and as treasurer. He was a zealous and devoted- Christian man, strongly attached to his church, ever watchful of its welfare and ready at all times to help with his services and means every good work. His memory is blessed and cherished by all who knew him. He married Miss Catharine Hime, and had eight children, three sons and five daughters, six of whom are yet living,, viz.: Emma, married to Daniel F. Miller, of Orwigs burg, Pa. ; Elizabeth, wife of Alexander Reed, of Pottsville, Pa.; Sarah, married to Elias J. Reed, of Reedsville, Schuylkill county, Pa.; Hannah, wife of Walter H. Hoy, of Cheyenne, Wyoming; Irvin H., who owns and resides on a farm in Nebraska, where he is en gaged in farming; Lewis H., who married Almira Miller, of Drehersville, Pa., and resides at Allentown, Pa.; Charles H., of Port Carbon, and Francelia, living on the old homestead in West Brunswick township. Prof. Charles H. Moyer was educated in the common schools of his township until he en tered the Keystone State Normal School at Kutztown in 1877, He did not remain con tinuously in school until graduation, but taught school in the interims, graduating with high honor in the front rank of his class in 1883, having taken also meanwhile some of the branches of the scientific course, as well as that of the higher Latin and Greek courses, and was in fact in the same branches qualified to enter the Junior Class at College. After his graduation at the Keystone State Normal School, he was tendered and accepted the position of principal ofthe Central High School at Ringtown, which is practically a high school for Union township, continuing there two years, and filling that position with great credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the board of directors. When he was offered and accepted the position of principal of the Frackville Grammar School, filling that posi tion with like credit to himself, and continu ing there until his election by the board of directors, as superintendent of the common schools of Port Carbon in August, 1888, whereupon he resigned the principalship of the Frackville Grammar School, and accepted the former position, removed to Port Carbon and OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 701 entered upon its duties. Since which time he has held this position continuously. A strongly marked evidence of his success in the superintendency of the schools, is the fact that the board of directors has, in the short space of five years, increased his salary three times. His success and high reputation as an educa tor prompted his friends .to bring forward his name and urge his election to the position of county superintendent, by the Convention of School Directors held at Pottsville May 2d, i893- He was most loyally supported by his friends for this position, and although they did not succeed in electing him thereto, he yet re ceived a most flattering support therefor. He served as a member ofthe permanent certificate committee during the years of 1887 and 1888, during both of which years he was also its secretary. He is a highly intelligent, progres sive educator, up to the latest ideas and fully abreast with the times. In love with his pro fession, he sheds honor upon it. In politics he is a republican in state and national affairs, but in local matters votes solely in the interest of good municipal government. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is a local' preacher of that de nomination. He is a member also of the Board of Stewards. He served also as superintendent of the Sabbath school for one year after com ing to Port Carbon, and has served as assistant superintendent since that time. He has always taken the liveliest and most active interest in all church matters,, and is one of the younger pillars of the church, ever zealous and active ifl furtherance of the cause of Christianity in the world. He was married February 2, 1885, to Miss Fannie C. Barrow, a daughter of Philip M. Barrow, of Ringtown, Schuylkill county. By this marriage he has had three children, one son and two daughters, all living, viz. : Barton Barrow, Marion and Bessie. He has been the agent for his father's estate, and has had its management since his death. He is district president of the Patriotic Order of Sons of America for district No. 2, of Schuylkill county. He is a member of Constantine Com- manderyKnight Templars, and served as its sec retary for three years and is its present chaplain. He is a Past Grand of Schuylkill Lodge, No. 27, I. O. O. F. He is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. & A. M., of Pottsville, a member of Palo Alto Council, No. 285, Jr. O. U. A. M. TA^ILLIAM J. CARTER, clerk to the Schuylkill county prison, is a son of Robert and Eliza (Nesbitt) Carter, and was born in East Norwegian township, this county, November 15, 1861. His grandfather, Henry Carter, was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, where he lived on a farm all his life. His father, Robert Carter, was born also in County Kilkenny, Ireland, but emigrated to the United States in 1843, settling in New York City, where he resided for two years. In 1845 ^e came to Pottsville, and lived there until 185 1, when he took up his residence at St. Clair, where he continued to live until his death, in October, 1873. He was a miner most of his life, and was a foreman in the mines for many years. He was a democrat in politics, and was tax collector and also su pervisor of East Norwegian township for many years. He was a member of the Roman Catholic church, in which he was active for a number of years. He married Miss Eliza Nesbitt, which marriage was blessed with 702 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY a family of ten children, six sons and four daughters, viz. : Henry, who formerly served in the United States army and was stationed in Nebraska, but is now a farmer, residing in California; Robert, a police judge, of Du rango, La Platte county, California ; Jane E., wife of Michael Hallard, a miner, living at St. Clair ; Mary, wife of William Holden, also residing at St. Clair ; Elizabeth, dead ; William J., subject , John, a miner, of Mahanoy City ; George, a blacksmith, also of Mahanoy City ; James F., a graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, in the class of 1891, now an ensign of the navy, stationed at Annapolis, Maryland ; and Eliza beth E., dead. Mr. Carter was feared in the town of St. Clair and educated in the common schools of that place. At the age of eleven years he was employed as a slate -picker on the breaker. He continued to work as a miner until 1891, do ing all of the various lines of work in and about the mines. In the fall of 1891 he was appointed clerk at the county prison by the county commis sioners of Schuylkill county, which position he is now filling, with credit to himself and great satisfaction to all concerned. He was also elected school director for three successive terms, a manifest tribute to his worth and ef ficiency as a member of the school board, by his fellow-townsmen. He has always been a staunch republican and protectionist, and taken an active interest in local political movements. He is also a member of the Roman Catholic church. He was married, August 20, 1889, to Miss Julia A. Clark, a daughter of Michael and Julia (Lynch) Clark, of St. Clair, by whom he has had two sons, Robert and Vincent. ?THOMAS J. FOLEY, a well-known and popular citizen of Gilberton, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in County Picton, Nova Scotia, in the Dominion of Can ada, on August 27, 1854. He is a son of Martin and Ellen (Kelly) Foley. Paternal grandfather, John Foley, was a native of County Wexford, Ireland, and .spent the entire period of his life in his native land and county. Father of Thomas J. Foley, was born in County Wexford in 1826, and came to Nova Scotia, Picton county, when at the age of twenty-eight years. He was a miner by vocation, and continued to reside in his adopted county until his death in 1877. His wife was a native of Picton county, where she was born in the year 1826, and died in 1888. She was a daughter of William Kelly, a native of County Kilkenny, Ireland, who later in life became a citizen of Nova Scotia; where he took up a homestead on the coast, consisting of a small island, which has has since been called by virtue of that fact Kelly's Island. Mr. and Mrs. Foley were the parents of the following children: John, deceased at the age of twenty years ; William, a miner by vocation, still residing in Picton county, Canada ; Thomas J., subject; Martin, killed in the mines in Nova Scotia when seventeen years of age; Patsey, also killed in the mines when in his twenty- sixth year; Michael, a miner, resident in Can ada; James, a miner, living in Gilberton, Schuylkill county, Pa; and Moses, deceased. Thomas J. Foley was united in marriage on the 24th of July, 1877, with Catherine Maha noy, a daughter of Florence Mahanoy, of County Cork, Ireland. To this union the fol lowing children have been born: Florence, born May 24, 1879; Daniel, deceased at the age of fourteen months; Ellen, born March 21, 1883; Nora, born December 21, 1885; May, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 703 born December 25, 1887, deceased at the age of one year and ten months; Thomas, born on November 17, 1888; John,- born 1890, and died at the age of one month; William, bora in August, 1 89 1. Mr. Foley received his education in the schools of Nova Scotia, Canada, and at the early age of nine years made his first acquaint ance with the mines, in which he continued for twenty-five years. He emigrated to the United States in the year , became a resi dent of the State of Maryland for seven years, during which time he was united in marriage. At the close of this period he removed to Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where he has resided ever since. During his period of citi zenship in the United States, he has traveled quite extensively, and has been a careful ob server of the mining industry whenever an op portunity was presented. At the time of his coming to Schuylkill county in 1882, he had been one of eleven hundred miners discharged from the bituminous coal region of Maryland and southwestern Pennsylvania. Subsequent to that time for five years he was engaged at various places in the county, and at the expi ration of that time purchased an hotel stand in Gilberton, which was very prominently located, and upon this site erected the frame struc ture which now graces that borough. Since the erection of this hotel he has enjoyed a large and increasing patronage. Besides his hotel and other interests Mr. Foley is a direc tor and stockholder in the Frackville and Gil berton Electric Light Heat and Power Com pany, of which he was one of the organizers. Politically, he is a democrat, and has served as a member of the borough council of Gil berton. As a citizen and a man he is popular and commands the confidence and respect of the people. HON. EDWARD HUMMEL, ex-member of Assembly from Schuylkill county, and a popular citizen and business man of Pine Grove, this county, is a son of Benneville and Louisa (Zerbey) Hummel, and was born in Washington township, April 29, 1853. The family of which Mr. Hummel is a member was among the pioneers that settled in the western part of the county ; his grand father, John Hummel, was born in Berks county, in 1776, and removed, when a young man, to what is now Washington township, Schuylkill county, where he died in 1848. He served as a soldier in the war of 1812, our second struggle for independence. Politically, he wasa democrat, ofthe school of Andrew Jackson, whilst in religious faith he adhered to the tenets ofthe German Reformed church, upon whose exercises he was a regu lar attendant. His marriage to Maria Herb- ster resulted in the birth of eleven children, six sons and five daughters. Benneville Hummel, father, was born in Washington township, October 10, 1826, and after living a life of industry and usefulness, died in the same township on January 14, 1 88 1. His avocation throughout life was mainly that of a farmer, but in his early life owned a boat which he operated on the canal running between Schuylkill Haven, Philadel phia, and New York City. Politically, he was of the same creed as his father, and served as tax collector of his township several terms. He was a regular attendant and a consistent member ofthe Reformed church,. in which he was a deacon. He was twice married; his first union was with Louisa Zerbey, a daughter of Daniel Zerbey, of Washington township, and resulted in the birth of one son, subject. Louisa Zerbey Hummel died in December, 1853, at the early age of twenty-five years, 704 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY and Mr. Hummel married, as his second wife, Rebecca Hummel, and had an issue of eight children who grew to maturity, four sons and four daughters. Mr. Hummel was reared and given the ad vantages of the common schools as taught in the rural district of his native township. He, as a student, showed a great liking for books, and made rapid progress, and at the early age of seventeen was licensed to teach by Pro fessor Jesse Newlin, county superintendent of schools. He taught in Pine Grove, and with his earnings managed to attend seven sessions at Palatinate College, Myerstown, teaching during the winter. He taught continuously until 1 88 1, and all in Pine Grove township except one term in Washington. In 1881 he took up land surveying, which he followed in connection with other business, up to 1891. In 1884 he embarked in a mercantile business in Pine Grove, and successfully followed it until March 15, 1893. From 1889 to 1891 he, in connection with W. W. Brown and Theo dore Kimmel, was interested in the hotel busi ness at Pottsville, and on January 1, 1 891, he became the proprietor of the Eagle Hotel of Pine Grove, which he has since very success fully and satisfactorily conducted. Mr. Hummell is, by heredity and conviction, a staunch democrat, and has always taken a deep interest in the subject. Upon arriving at his majority he was elected constable of Pine Grove township, and the following year succeeded to the office of justice ofthe peace, which office he held by re-election for three terms, or fifteen years, or until he moved into the borough of Pine Grove in 1891. Entering thus early into politics and showing a spirit of progress, he was elected a director ofthe school board, and through his influence the township owes to a great extent the pro gress the schools have made in the last decade. His influence in the Democratic party soon spread, and in 1882 he appeared for the first time before the voters of his dis trict for election as a member pf the State legislature, and although his district is strongly republican, yet he was elected by a small majority. His work in that body is an open book. He stood by Governor Pattison in that memorable legislature, and his con stituents tendered him a re-nomination. In 1880 he was census enumerator, and now (1893) holds a commission as notary public in his borough. Religiously, he is a member of the German Reformed church, and fraternally, of the fol lowing orders : Pine Grove Lodge, No. 148, I. O. O. F., of which he is a Past Grand, and was a number of times a representative of his lodge in the Grand Lodge of Pennsyl vania ; Pine Grove Encampment, I. O. O. F., of which he is P. C. P.; Pine Grove Castle, No. 24, K. of G. E., of which he is a Past Chief and a trustee ; and also of Washington Camp, No. 49, P. O. S. of A., of which he was for merly a trustee. June 22, 1872, Mr. Hummel married Mary E., a daughter of George F. and Rebecca (Kreamer) Spancake, of Washington town ship. To them have been born eleven chil dren, eight of whom are living: Bessie E., Oscar E., Annie I., Stella M., Cora M., Francis F., Raymond E. and Harold H. f"\ANIEL BARLOW. Nathan Barlow was born in Montgomery county, Pennsyl vania, in January, 1795, but came to Schuyl kill county, locating at New Philadelphia in 1824, where he resided until 1868, when he removed to Mahanoy City, the place of his death, February 28, 1870. .,y\ y#-' jjaa£l*m%. DANIEL BARLOW OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 705 On June i, 1817, he was united in marriage with. Anna Brooks, of Montgomery county. His wife died at the early age of twenty- five years, leaving him with one child, John, born May 1, 1818. March 10, 1824, he was united in marriage with Esther Kulp, by this union he had eleven children. Daniel Barlow was a son of Nathan and Esther (Kulp) Barlow, and was born on Jan uary 20, 1835, at New Philadelphia, this county, and died in Mahanoy City, August 12, 1883. His first, marriage was with Jane Uren, daughter of Henry Uren. Their union re sulted in the following issue : Phoebe J. and Nathan A. His second marriage was September 30, 1869, with Mary M., daughter of John and Christiana Robertson, natives of Scotland, but settled in New Philadelphia, this county, in 1836. This marriage resulted in an issue of four children, Daniel R., William H., Rosetta R., and Hiram W. Mr. Barlow resided with his parents until eighteen years of age. His earlier years were spent in attendance at the public schools. After completing his course there he taught school a short time. In 1855 he went to California, where for nine years, a part of the time in connection with his brother Ephraim, he was engaged in gold mining and lumbering. In this venture, although young, he met with unusual financial success. In 1864 he returned to Schuylkill county and located in Mahanoy City, where he engaged in a whole sale flour and feed business, which he success fully carried on until 1873; at this time he was nominated by the Republican party and elected "to the office of county treasurer, and 45 served creditably one full term. He was a member of Mahanoy City Lodge, No. 357, F. and A. M.; also a member of Odd Fellow Lodge, Forrest city, California. In his political proclivities, he was a stalwart republican, and always took a deep interest in public affairs. He served a number of terms as a member of the council of Mahanoy City. After the expiration of his term as treasurer, he superintended the lumber business in Ma hanoy City up to the date of his death. He was a regular attendant of the Presby- teriari church. Daniel Barlow is kindly remembered by all who knew him, or had business relations with him, as a man of strict integrity, kindly dis position, and with a combination of mental attributes that contributed to an eminently successful business career. FRANK RENTZ. A typical representa tive of that sturdy German element of our citizenship to which we, as a nation, are greatly indebted for much of our strength and substantial industrial and intellectual develop ment is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. Frank Rentz, son of Conrad and Caroline (Mautler) Rentz, a prominently and favorably known business man of Ashland, Pennsyl vania, and county commissioner-elect of Schuylkill county was born in the province of Hohenzollern, Germany, March 9, 1833. Mr. Rentz was educated under that splen did system of common and preparatory schools for which his native land has long been the model of all progressive countries. At the age of fourteen and a half years, he was apprenticed to learn the trade of stone cutting and sculpturing, and served his full 706 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY apprenticeship of three years, and followed it in his native country until twenty years of age. In 1853, desiring to eschew the close competitions of his surroundings, he emi grated to the United States, and for one year plied his trade in Philadelphia. On June 6, 1854, he came to Pottsville, this county, where he followed his avocation until April 30, 1862, when he removed to Ashland, and opened a marble yard on his own account and successfully conducted the enterprise until 1883 when he sold it to his son, George F. Since coming to the borough Mr. Rentz has taken a leading part in all matters of a public nature whose object was a fostering and a furtherance of the public weal. He was very active in that move which re sulted in the founding of the Ashland Gas Light Company in 1874, and successfully moulded its destiny as a superintendent until 1888, and has been one of the directors in its organization since its inception. Since Sep tember, 1892, he has been treasurer of the company. In 1884 the Ashland Arc Light Company was formed under the auspices of the Gas Light Company, and Mr. Rentz took a leading part in this move, superintending the construction of the plant, and remaining as a director until it was sold to the Ashland Electric Illuminating Company in 1893. Since 1873, he has been secretary of the Miners' and Laborers' Saving Fund Associa tion, and since 1879 of the Locust Mountain Saving and Loan Association. He was instrumental in organizing the Mahanoy Valley Agricultural Association, and has served continuously as its secretary since its organization in 1886. Mr. Rentz has always been a stalwart re publican, and has ever taken an active part in - the councils of his party. He has served con tinuously as town clerk of Ashland since 1872. In 1873 he was electeda justice ofthe peace in his borough, and served by re-elec tion continuously until 1888, when he resigned and was commissioned a notary public, which position he has since held. In 1869 He was appointed assistant United States internal revenue assessor for his district north of the Broad Mountains, in which capacity he served two years, when the district was reapportioned. In 1893 he was one of the successful candi dates of his. party for the office of county commissioner. Mr. Rentz married on January 20, 1857, Anna, a daughter of William Frederick, a na tive of Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, but lat terly of Pottsville. To this union were born five children : George F., who succeeded to his father's stone-cutting business in 1883 ; Emma, wife of Andrew M. Seibert, of Read ing, Pa. ; Frank, an electrician, residing in Scranton, Pa. ; Katie, at home, and Edwin J., at school. Mr. Rentz by his straightforward business dealing has won and easily holds the entire confidence not only of his own immediate community, but of a large circle of friends and acquaintances throughout his own and adjoining counties. This is fully attested by the number of positions of a civic and politi cal nature entrusted to his care. JOHN H. HOSIE, the popular and efficient superintendent of the Lytle Colliery, near Minersville, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Julia A. (Bettes) Hosie, and was born at Pittstown, Luzerne county, Pennsyl vania, January 25, 1853. Mr. Hosie attended those two well-known and popular institutions of learning, the OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 707 Lehigh University and Lafayette College, taking a course in civil and mining engineer ing in the latter institution. Immediately upon finishing his education, in 1876, he was employed by the Fairlawn Coal Company at Scranton, Pennsylvania, as min ing engineer, in which capacity he remained until 1883, when the company, in recognition of their confidence in his fidelity, trustworthi ness and executive ability promoted him to a general superintendency of their collieries, and at the same time took him into the business as a partner. In 1891 he severed his connec tion with that company to become superin tendent and a member of the firm of the Lytle Coal Company, operators of the colliery form erly known as the Primrose, in South Cass township, this county. On June 3, 1886, Mr. Hosie and Louisa M., daughter of William W. and Eunice H. Alton, of Brooklyn, N. Y., were united in marriage. To them two children, John H., Jr., and Donald M., were born. Mr. Hosie, having made thorough prepara tion for his life-work, finds his success easily assured; and possesses the entire confidence and respect of all with whom he is brought into contact. TA>ILLIAM D. JONES, the present out side foreman ofthe Brookside Colliery, at Tower city, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, is a son of Reese and Elmira (Lee) Jones, and was born in Minersville, same county, in the year 1840. His father was born in Wales in the year 1813, and died in Minersville in 1889. He had come to America when a young man of about twenty years of age, and followed the trade of carpenter, which trade he had learned prior to his embarking for this country. Politically, he joined forces with the Republi can party, to which he was firmly attached during his life-tinje. His marriage to Elmira Lee was productive of an issue of nine chil dren. The son, William D. Jones, was denied the advantages of the schools, and his education is largely due to his own independent efforts. In his youth he learned the trade of carpenter with his father, which he followed for a num ber of years, but in the course of time became connected with the mines near his place of residence, in the capacity of boss, and step by step became outside foreman of the Middle Creek shaft. He held that position for two and a half years, when he accepted the posi tion of assistant master mechanic with the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. With this company he remained for about two years, and in 1885 accepted the position of outside foreman in the Brookside Colliery, which he has since held. He is a republican in politics, and belongs to Anthra- city Lodge, I. O. O. F., at Minersville. Mr. Jones is a deserving, upright man, who has passed through difficulties to his present re sponsible position. He has always been a ¦conscientious, pains-taking employee, faithful in the performance of every duty, and has thereby merited the good fortune that has come to him. lT\R- CHARLES A. BLEILER, of Frack ville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a young man who, besides being a success ful physician, has proved his ability in the business world as well. He is a son of David and Sarah (Seiberling) Bleiler, and was born in Lynnville, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, on June 24, 1859. The Bleilers have been natives of Lehigh county, for several generations. Grandfather 708 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY John Bleiler was a life-long resident of this county, where he conducted a large farm, and was considered a successful man. His son, father of Dr. Charles A., was born in Weisen- burg, same county, in which county he was a prominent farmer, besides carrying on the trade of a harness maker. He was a demo- ciat in politics, was a regular attendant at the German Reformed church, and died in Lynn- ville in the year 1882, at the age of fifty-nine years. His marriage to Sarah Seiberling bore a fruitage of eight children, six sons and two 'daughters. Dr. Charles A. Bleiler spent his childhood and youth upon his father's farm in Lehigh county, at the same time attending school in the immediate neighborhood. After the com pletion of his education, he read medicine with his brother Dr. P. O. Bleiler, of Girardville, Pennsylvania, and after serving a period under his preceptorship, he entered the Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in the year 1885. In May of the same year, after graduation, he came to Frackville, and located with a view to pur suing the practice of his profession. Since that time he has enjoyed a very successful and" increasing practice. He is a member of the County and State Medical Societies, of the former of which he was at one time vice-presi dent. Fraternally, he is connected with Camp No. 66, Patriotic Order Sons of America ; and also of Shenandoah Lodge, No. 511, F. and A. M. In politics, he casts his vote for the Democratic party, and has been a member of the council for a term of three years, to which he has just been re-elected, and of which he is now president. In 1889, he opened in the borough of Frackville, a drug, stationery and hardware store, which has so far proved a very successful venture. Besides these inter ests, he is a director of the Frackville Light, Heat and Power Company, and takes a gen eral interest in every progressive movement which tends to the development and upbuild ing of the town. On December 25, 1884, he was united in marriage with Alice F., a daughter of Daniel B. and Mary Kistler, of Allentown, Pennsyl vania. To them have been born three chil dren : Blanche I., Harris D. and Edgar C. Dr. Bleiler is a young physician who has rapidly advanced to the front among his pro fessional brethren in Schuylkill county. He is a careful student, has had the advantage of a varied hospital practice, and also an equally valuable practice in his own experience. He is conscientious in the discharge of his duty, and manifests a humane and commendable sympathy. Aside from his professional ca reer his hand has been generously felt in con nection with the pulse of a great many ma terial industries of Frackville and vicinity. JTUGUSTUS R. STRAUCH, a resident of Cressona, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, is a son of Isaac and Lovinia (Heiser) Strauch, and was born in Cressona, county and state above mentioned, on August 8, 1857. His father was a native of Schuylkill county, born near Pottsville, in the present township of North Manheim, on February 4, 1806, and removed from there to Cressona in the year 1840. He died in the latter place on July 4, 1885. During his early career he was a boatman on the Philadelphia and SchuylkilL canal, and subsequently engaged in the mer cantile business up to the period of his removal to Cressona. After his removal he began farm ing, in connection with which he conducted a OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 709 flour mill, and at the time of his death he was engaged in these occupations. During his lifetime he acquired considerable real estate, and was in very comfortable financial circum stances. Politically, he cast his vote with the Republican party, and at one time was county commissioner — at the time when Orwigsburg was still the county seat of Schuylkill county. He was also a member of the Reformed church, and was honored with many of the local offices in connection with it. He was twice married ; first, to a Miss Stageo, by whom he had six children, three sons and three daughters. His first wife died in 1844 ; afterwards he was united in marriage with Lovinia Heiser, by whom he had one son, the subject of this annal. Augustus R. Strauch was joined in marital bonds with Sallie Grimm, a daughter of Daniel and Esther (Fertig) Grimm, of Cressona, on March 6, 1880. This marriage has been pro ductive of an issue of two children, Lambert A. and Robert D. Mr. Strauch was reared and has always lived in Cressona and vicinity. During his youth he learned the trade of a miller with his father, and continued with him until the period of the latter's death, when he . succeeded to the business. He is a republican in politics, has served as a member of the school board of his borough, has been a mem ber of the council for three years, auditor for some time, and also served as chief bur gess for one term. Both he and his family are adherents of the Reformed church. He is also a member of Cressona Lodge, No. 426, F. and A. M., of which he is treasurer, and of Herndon Lodge, I. O. O. F. QBRAHAM K. FRANCIS, a man who has reached a creditable degree of suc cess in life, and a citizen of Pine Grove, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Samuel and Catherine (Koch) Francis. Fie was born in the southeastern part of Berks county, Pennsylvania, on October 30, 1830. His ancestors have been natives of the aforesaid county and state for the past three or four generations. Grandfather Jacob Fran cis was born in that county, of which he was a life-long resident, and where he died in the year 1848, at the age of sixty-one years. During his life-time he was one of the suc cessful and progressive farmers of his day, and won the respect and confidence of the com munity in which he lived. He was a demo crat in politics, and a member of the Lutheran church, always manifesting a commendable degree of activity in all religious work. He was united in marriage with Susan Wann, which marriage has been blessed by the birth of eight children — five sons and three daugh ters. Samuel Francis, father, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in 1805, and died within a mile and a-half of the place of his birth in the year 1876. He had adopted the occupa tion of his father, and had become a farmer. In this business he had prospered, and was one ofthe large and successful farmers of this county. On political issues he voted with the Democratic party, under which party he held a number of local offices. Religiously, he communed with the Lutheran church, in which church he was an active worker, and frequently filled offices of trust and responsi bility. He married Catherine Koch, of Berks county, Pennsylvania, who bore him a family of nine children— five sons and four daughters — seven of whom are still living. Abraham Francis was united in marriage to Sallie Christ, a daughter of John M. and Rebecca Christ, of Pine Grove, this county, in October, 1862. Mrs. Francis died in April, 710 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY 1888, at the age of forty-five years, without issue. Afterwards her husband united in marriage with Mrs. Mary Cooper {nee Miley), a daughter of Martin and Susan Miley, of Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, in November, 1889. Mr. Francis received his education in the public schools, and later at Freeland Seminary, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, now Muhlenburg College, where he remained as a student for a period of two years. Sub sequently, in 1856, he entered Orwigsburg Academy, and remained there for a short time, after which he became a clerk at Stanhope Furnace, where he continued up to the year i860. At the end of this time he became manager, and continued until the outbreak of the Rebellion. During this period the fur nace was closed. In 1861 he came to Pine Grove and entered the employ of Graff & Nutting, where he continued until December 16, 1864. At this time the firm of Francis, Walter & Co. was organized, and began oper ating the Middleburg Furnace in Snyder county, Pennsylvania, which furnace was con tinued until 1865. Subsequent to this date he returned to Pine Grove and accepted a clerkship with Miller, Filbert & Co., with whom he remained two years. He then went to Lincoln colliery, and became clerk and shipper for that colliery until 1882, when he began the management of the Rausch Creek colliery. At the end of this time he removed to Dauphin county, where he engaged in the wholesale coal business until 1886, when he entered into a new enterprise under the firm- name of Francis, Painter & Co., for the pur pose of quarrying and placing on the market dressed building stone. In 1888 he removed to Lebanon and built an ice plant in conjunc tion with J. R. Boughter, under the firm name of Francis & Boughter, which occupied his attention for one year. This was disposed of in 1889, and he returned a second time to Pine Grove, and began the manufacture of matches with the firm of Miller Bros. & Co. In 1 89 1 he disposed of his interest to John F. Jaques, and during the next year erected a brick-manufacturing plant, which he now oper ates, employing from twentyrfive to thirty men. The annual output of this plant is about four and a-half millions of brick. The main build ing of the plant is one hundred and ten by sixty feet, besides which there are two other buildings one hundred by fifty, and forty-five by twenty-five feet respectively, all well equipped and in good condition. Mr. Francis is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which he has been identified a number of years, and in politics is an independent republican. "j^ETER STANTON, a hotel keeper of Schuylkill Haven, is a son of Peter and Catharine (Murray) Stanton, and was born at Pottsville, March, 1840. He attended the public schools of Potts ville until he went to work as a boy in the mines. At the age of thirteen years he went to Schuylkill Haven, and learned telegraphy, which vocation he then followed until the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion. He was both train dispatcher and telegraph operator for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. When the war broke out he en listed, in the spring of 1861, in the three months' service, in Company I, 16th regiment Pennsylvania infantry, under Col. Ziegler, and served to the end of his term of enlistment. Then he enlisted for three years in Company — (commanded by Capt. Richards) regi ment, Pennsylvania cavalry, and served to the OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 711 end of his term of enlistment, participating with his command in all of their marches, raids and battles, without being wounded. At the close of the war, he returned to Schuyl kill Haven, where he was again employed as train dispatcher by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. Shortly there after, he purchased a boat, and began boating operations on the Philadelphia and Schuylkill canal, trafficking and trading with the cities of New England. He then was employed for a number of years as superintendent and boss for the contractors of the work of build ing the line of the Lehigh Valley Railroad in Schuylkill county, and subsequently became engaged with the Lehigh Valley Railroad while this railroad was being built- In April, 1873, he went into the hotel busi ness in Schuylkill Haven, in which business he has ever since been engaged. In politics he is a democrat, and served as mercantile appraiser for Schuylkill courity one term. He was married June, 1864, to Miss Bridget White, by whom he has six children living, two sons and four daughters, viz : Lee May ; J. Edwin, train dispatcher for Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, at Schuylkill Haven ; Annie, a 1 teacher in the public schools of Schuylkill Haven ; Bella ; Cecilia ; and Flor ence, now attending the grammar school at home. His son, John Edwin Stanton, train dis patcher for Lehigh Valley Railroad Company at Schuylkill Haven, was born at that place July 21, 1867. He was educated in the public schools of that town, finishing in the high school. Having learned telegraphy while at school, he accepted a position as telegraph operator, at the age of sixteen years, with the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company at Mine Hill crossing, and remained in their employ for one year. He then ran his father's boat on the Philadelphia and Schuylkill canal for about two and one-half years, his father being sick, after which he again entered the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company as a brakeman, from which he was subsequently promoted to be con ductor, which latter position he occupied for about one year. Then he was employed by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company as brakeman, and went to live at Easton, Penn sylvania, where he remained until August, 1890. At which time he entered the employ of the Schuylkill and Lehigh Valley Railroad Company at Spring Garden junction, first as telegraph operator, until February, 1 891, when he was appointed agent for the company at that point for both their freight and passenger business, which position he has retained to the present time. He was one of the organizers of the Mutual Guarantee Building and Loan Association, and has been a director thereof since its or ganization. He is also the business manager of The Telegraph Journal, a journal devoted to the subject of telegraphy and telegraph opera tors, and published monthly at Schuylkill Haven. The paper was started by Mr. Keiber and J. Edwin Stanton, under the firm-name of Keiber & Stanton, in May, 1892, and has been quite successful, filling a useful and needed sphere. In politics he is a democrat, and has been quite active in local political matters, having filled several local offices at different times, and is a popular and highly esteemed young man in that community. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church. 712 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY /¦VAPTAIN EDWARD J. PHILLIPS, a ^^ respected citizen and business man of Pottsville, is a son of John and Mary A. (Trengove) Phillips, and was born in West- wood, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, Feb ruary 26, 1844. His father was born in England, June 23, 18 1 5, and transferred his fortunes to the United States in the year 1840, his first loca tion being at Pottsville. Shortly after his arrival here he engaged in the coal business, first as a small operator on his own account, in conjunction with Richard Dennis. The business prospered for a time, but through the financial failure of their largest customers in Philadelphia, disaster soon followed the enter prise of Phillips & Dennis. Mr. Phillips was placed in somewhat depressing circumstances for some time, but through tact and energy succeeded in again placing himself upon a firmer footing. From 1856 to i860 he was superintendent for J. B. Cresswell & Co., of Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and later engaged to operate the Busby tract colliery at Kaska William for Dr. John Steinberger. The latter failed, and Mr. Phillips went into the employ of Samuel Silliman in an opera- » tion at Milford, near Tuscarora. Silliman also failed, after which Phillips went back into the employ of Steinberger at Silver Creek. From here he went to McAuley Mountain, Columbia county, to superintend the mines of P. W. Sheafer, who soon afterwards sent him to take charge of the Fisk works. Fisk sub sequently opened Suffolk Colliery at St. Nicholas. A short time afterward Fisk sold out to the Suffolk Coal Company, a party of Boston capitalists, whose president was Leverett Saltonstall, for some time collector of that port. Mr. Phillips continued as manager of the Suffolk Colliery until the expiration of the twenty years' lease, when the colliery was taken by the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. The Suffolk Coal Com pany was the last company of eastern capital ists that were brought into the anthracite region by the coal craze. In 1868, Mr. Phillips went into partnership with W. H. Sheafer, now of Philadelphia, and leased what is now Kalmia Colliery, and mined the first coal in the Fishing Creek tract. It proved to be the most remunerative colliery in the county. He then operated, both the Suffolk and Kalmia Collieries, leaving his son, Major E. J. Phillips, as superintendent of the Suffolk, and his son, Thomas IL, as superin tendent of Kalmia. Both these leases expired in 1884, and he retired from active business, and at that time was the oldest continuous operator in the county. He moved to Potts ville in 1875, where he died on March 6, 1887. In political faith he was a republican, and always manifested an exemplary interest in public affairs. He was a leading member of the first Presbyterian church, with all of whose various lines of work he was in deep sym pathy, and to which he contributed with a liberal hand. In all his relations with public and especially charitable institutions, he was worthy of emulation, being a liberal contributor to the Board of Ministerial Relief, Presbyterian Hospital of Philadel phia, Presbyterian Board of Education, Benevolent Association of Pottsville, and many .other charities that appealed to his magnanimity and good will. Aside from his coal interests, he was a director in the Miners' Bank, Pottsville Water Company, Schuylkill Valley division of the P. R. R., and one of the original incorporators of the Reading and Pottsville, and Pottsville and Mahanoy rail roads. He was also a director of the First A. B. COCHRAN. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 713 National Bank of Mahanoy City, one of the best paying financial institutions in the county. At his death he left a widow, three daughters, and four sons : Martha J., married to L. S. Bower, deceased ; Thomas H., a civil and mining engineer, married to Jennie Kulp ; Hugh, conducts his father's farm, known as the Cornwall farm in the vicinity of Pottsville ; Kate A., married to H. L. Williams, a coal operator of Pottsville ; Mary L. ; Abraham L., a jeweler, located in Jamestown, N. Y. ; and Edward J. Major Phillips married Bella, a daughter of Levi and Susan Hilbert of Port Carbon, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, December 25, 1865. To them have been born six child ren : Thomas Earl, a jeweler of Philadelphia ; Maude, married to Abram Heebner ; Harry E., Charles E., at Mt. Carmel ; Gertrude N., and Edith, deceased. Our subject was educated in the public schools and at Dickinson Semin ary, at Williamsport, Pennsylvania. After his course there, he began the trade of machinist, at which he had worked for a period of two years at Port Carbon, when the .civil war broke out. He at once enlisted, September 23, 1861, at Pottsville, Pennsylva nia, in company C, 96th regiment, Pennsylva nia volunteers, for a term of three years, | receiving his discharge October 23, 1864. For distinguished service, he was promoted on January 20, 1863, to the rank of sergeant- major, and January 20, 1864 to the captaincy of company F, same regiment. His regiment belonged to the sixth corps of the Army of the Potomac, commanded by General Sheri dan. During his term of service, Major Phillips took part in twenty-seven engage ments. He was wounded at Spottsylvania, Virginia, in 1 864, losing nine teeth and parts of both his jaw and tongue. While wounded he still remained with his regiment, but was unable to participate in engagements from Spottsylvania to Petersburg, but soon there after rejoined his comrades and took part at Weldon railroad. After the close of the war he accepted a clerical position in Mahanoy City-for a short time, and then attended Dickin son Seminary for a brief period. In 1865, he again took a position as clerk and shipper for the Suffolk colliery, where he continued until it was sold to the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, 1884. At this time, and after his father had removed to Pottsville in 1865, he became superintendent of the colliery and acted as such until 1884. In 1884 he took charge of the Draper Colliery, and superintended it until April, 1886, when he went to Honduras, Central America, and became general manager of the St. Lucia Mining and Milling Company, in which po sition he continued until the month of October, 1889. After his return home he purchased an interest in the colliery operated by Llewellyn Nagle & Co., .and the firm was changed to the Ferndale Coal Company, of which he is now superintendent. The plant is located one mile northwest of Mt. Carmel, and has thus far been a successful enterprise. Major Phillips is a republican in politics, a member of Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 37, Knights Templar, Mizpah Chapter at Mahanoy City, and to Blue Lodge, No. 357, Mahanoy City, F. A. M. He is a man of good busi ness ability, respected by his fellow-townsmen, and considered one of the substantial citizens of Pottsville. ANDREW B. COCHRAN, a prominent civil and mining engineer, of Pottsville, is a son of Andrew and Sarah Cochran, and was born July 14, 1836, in Philadelphia, Penn- 714 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY sylvania. His father, Andrew, Sr., was a na tive of County Derry, Ireland, and came to the United States about the year 1820, locat ing, first in Lancaster, and afterwards in Phila delphia, where he died at an advanced age. He was extensively engaged in the lumber business, both in Philadelphia and Williams port, and erected the first saw-mills, built at the last named place. In the latter part of his life he was also a dealer in real estate, and did a conveyancing business. His family con sisted of his wife, Sarah Boyd, born in Lan caster City, Pennsylvania, and six, children : Sarah, deceased ; Eliza, deceased ; Martha, Mary, Andrew and Richard, deceased. Andrew B. was united in the bonds of mar riage with Maria Gould, a daughter of William Gould, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, by whom he had two children, William A. and Cathe rine G. He was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia and the Central High School, in the latter of which he pursued a four years' course. Upon leaving school he learned the conveyancing business in his na tive city, and in February, 1859, removed to Pottsville, where he engaged himself to P. W. Sheafer, and took up the profession of mining engineer. He remained with Mr. Sheafer until 1862, when he went to New York City, and associated himself with his father, who was at that time in New York, in terested in mining speculations. He returned to Pottsville in the spring of 1866, and went into the employ of Harris Bros., until 1868, when he formed a partnership with George B. Strauch, to pursue the profession df mining engineering and surveying. This partnership continued until the year 1873, when it was amicably dissolved, and Mr. Strauch retired, on account of failing health, from the firm. The business was subsequently conducted by Mr. Cochran alone, until the year 1889, when his son became associated with him, and the firm name was changed to that of A. B. Coch ran & Son, mining engineers and surveyors. This firm is reliable beyond question, and, as a consequence, does a large and varied business. Mr. Cochran is a republican politically, and as such served as county chairman of the Re publican party, and frequently as a delegate to the State Conventions. He was elected borough surveyor of Pottsville, from 1871 to 1889, continuously. In the fraternal world he is well and favorably known, holding mem bership in Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M. ; Mountain. City Chapter, No. 196; Con stantine Commandery, No. 41 ; Lu Lu Tem ple of the Mystic Shrine, at Philadelphia, and in Lily of the Valley Lodge, I. O. O. F, at Pottsville. As a business man and as a citizen, none stand higher in the community in which he lives than does Andrew B. Cochran. He is modest, unassuming and universally respected and esteemed by all who are thrown into busi ness or social relations with him. TT ARON T. FELTY, who was a successful business man and prominent citizen of Pine Grove, Schuylkill, county, Pennsylvania, was a son of Levi and Lavinia (Basshore) Felty, and was born in Pine Grove township, county and state mentioned above, on October 18, 1852, and died in Pine Grove in November, 1893. His grandfather, Martin Felty, was of Ger man parentage. The name was originally " Fallentine," but has since been subject to various changes in orthography, until at pre sent it has reached the Anglicised form OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 715 "Felty." Grandfather Felty was born and passed the major portion of his life in Pine Grove township, and died in the year 1845, at the age of seventy-eight years. He was a farmer by occupation, and owned a very large tract of land, which has since been partitioned into a number of smaller farms, most of which are still in the possession of some member of the Felty family. Politically he was a sup porter of the Whig party, and in his religious affiliations adhered to the Lutheran church. He had a family consisting of seven children, three sons and four daughters. Levi Felty, father of Aaron F., was also a native of Pine Grove township, and was born in December, 1827. His childhood and youth were spent upon his father's farm, and when he grew to manhood he adopted the business of farming as his life's occupation. Through careful management, industry, and an eco nomic disposition of his earnings, he acquired a very comfortable competency, and ranks among the prosperous farmers of Pine Grove township. He is a republican, and has filled many ofthe more important offices. Together with his family, he is an attendant of the Lutheran church, in which church he now holds the office of trustee. His marriage to Lavinia, a daughter of Thomas Basshore, of East Hanover, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, has been blessed with a family of nine chil dren, four daughters and five sons. Aaron T. Felty was united in marriage with Ida A Duel, a daughter of Christopher and Sarah (Christ) Duel, of Pine Grove, on July 3, 1872. By this marriage he had four children : Mabel, Cora F., Bessie E. and Charles L. Mr. Felty received his education in the public schools, at Dickinson Seminary, Williams port, Pennsylvania, and at Lebanon Valley College, Annville Pennsylvania, from which latter he was graduated in the commercial course in 1871. After finishing his educa tional course he went to Chicago, and en gaged in the mercantile business, in which he continued for two years. At the expiration of this time he returned to Pine Grove, and accepted a clerkship for a year in the store of Miller, Filbert & Co., with whom he con tinued for a period of over nine years. On February 1, 1883, he engaged in the cloth ing, merchant tailoring, gents furnishing, and jewelry business in Pine Grove, and to the time of his demise enjoyed a large and pros perous trade. Aside from his mercantile interests he was treasurer of the West End Building and Loan Association of Pine Grove, the National Building and Loan Association of Washington, D. C, and also of the National Association at Hagerstown, Maryland. In his political proclivities he was a republican, took an intelligent part in the local politics of his borough and county, and served as a member of the town council for a period of eighteen years. He had been secretary of that association for almost an equal length of time. Mr. Felty was a very prominent person age in the fraternal world, and together with E. Z. Judson, Ned Buntline and William F. Cody (" Buffalo Bill "), was one of the organizers of the Patriotic Order Sons of America, in Chicago, and for twenty-five years was a member of that organization. He was a member of Washington Camp, No. 49, of which he was Past President, and was formerly treasurer for a period of ten years. He was also a member of Pine Grove Lodge, No. 148, 1. O O. F. ; Pine Grove Encampment, I. O. O F. ; Pine Grove Lodge, No. 409, F and A. M., of which he was Past Master ; Tremont Chapter, No. 221, R. A. M. ; a charter member of Tremont Castle, No. 128, 716 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Knights ofthe Golden Eagle, ofwhich he was first Past Chief; Tremont Council, No. 972, Royal Arcanum; and of Castle No. 124, Knights of the Golden Eagle, at Pine Grove, of which he was Past Chief and organizer. He was a member of the Lutheran church. Mr. Felty, in both his personal and busi ness relations, was a very affable man. Through his many qualities, both social and business, he attracted to himself a large circle of friends, and commanded the confidence and respect of his fellow-townsmen almost without exception. From a business point of view he was entirely successful, and occupied a well- deserved place publicly and socially in his community. JOSEPH A. DEPEW, a prominent mer- chant of Schuylkill county, and one of the most enterprising citizens of Delano, is a son of Samuel and Christina (Forider) Depew, and was born February 14, 1858, at Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. "The paternal grandfather of subject died in Tamaqua, this county. He married a Mrs. Mace (nee Mosier), and had a family of two children : Samuel and William, who is a resi dent of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. Samuel Depew, father, was born in Tamaqua on December 31, 1831, where he continued to reside until 1867, when he became one of the founders of the prosperous village of Delano, where he died in 1885. He was a master carpenter by avocation, and held the position of foreman in the bridge works at Delano, owned and operated by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, during his entire residence in Delano, a fact fully attesting to his ability and trustworthiness. He was a democrat in political faith, and a member ofthe Reformed church. He married Christina Forider, and to this marriage were born nine children, five boys and four girls: Ida, John, William, Joseph A. (subject), Elizabeth, Emma, Samuel, Charles E., and Clara. On December 24, 1878, Mr. Depew was united in marriage with Elizabeth J., a daughter of Levi Artz, of Delano, and to this union have been born the following children : Mary, Ruth, Christina and Linda. Mr. Depew commenced his business career when but a boy, as a clerk in the store at Delano, in which position he showed such aptness and business acumen that he was afterwards made business manager, in which responsible position he served continuously until he became proprietor, April 1, 1892. It is a first class general store, well filled with everything found in a store of its kind. It is sixty feet long by thirty feet wide, and two floors are occupied. Mr. Depew is a democrat in political fibre, and was appointed postmaster at Delano under the administration of General Harrison, and again appointed under the administration of Cleveland. " In school matters, as well as in all other pertaining to the welfare of his town, Mr. Depew takes a commendable interest. He has been for a number of years a member of the school board of Delano township, and is secretary of the board. In the fraternal world he stands deservedly high. He is a member of Tamaqua Lodge, No. 238, F. and A. M., ofwhich he is Master ; Mizpah Chapter, No. 252, Royal Arch Masons of Mahanoy City; Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 31, Knights Templar, at Mahanoy City; Asa Packer Lodge, No. 238, I. O. O. F., at Delano ; Camp No. 72, at same place; and Council No. 162, Royal Arcanum, of Mahanoy City. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 717 In all of the above he is a past officer. He is a vestryman in the Episcopal church. Mr. Depew is a man who has rightly won, and easily holds, the respect and confidence of the community in which he lives. As a busi ness man he stands for enterprise, honesty, and probity, and is always ready to lend his assistance to any move which has for its end the promotion of the public weal. Socially he is affable and agreeable. TillLLOUGHBY LUTZ, the efficient and popular Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Station agent at Auburn, this county, is a son of Jeremiah and Lucy (Len hart) Lutz, and was born September 12, 1858, in Auburn, Schuylkill county, Pensylvania. Jeremiah Lutz, father, was born in Wash ington township, Schuylkill county, where he was reared on a farm, but in early life learned the carpenter trade which he followed as his life's vocation. For about six years after learning the trade he followed it in the capacity of journeyman ; but as he began to comprehend more thoroughly the scope of the trade, he branched out into various lines of contract work, which he followed for a number of years. He was recognized as an efficient and skillful workman, and did a large business in his line. For three years he owned a boat yard at Auburn, and built boats which ran on the Schuylkill canal. He finds his political affinity in the republi can party, and has served his borough a number of terms in the capacity of school director and councilman. He is an active member of the Lutheran church and has served in all the official capacities of the church organization at Auburn, and is at pres ent holding the office of treasurer. His marital union with Lucy Lenhart has resulted in an issue of two children — subject and Kate. Willoughby Lutz and Mary M. E., daugh ter of Phaon P. and Mary E. (Acker) Haas, of Tamaqua, Pa., were united in marriage on October 12, 1882. To them have been born four children: Stella M., William A., Vincent and Harold J. The common schools and the Bloomsburg State Normal School are the sources from which Mr. Lutz received his education, taking a special course in the latter institution. After leaving school he followed for nearly one year the carpenter trade, having learned the trade under his father and followed it up to the time of his entering the Normal School. After his marriage he taught one term in 1883, in the public schools of Auburn. Subsequently he accepted the position of assistant station agent for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company at Auburn, and on October 1, 1887, on account of the confidence reposed in him by the Company, he was promoted to the position which he now holds. In addition to this position, he was appointed agent at Auburn for the Adams Express Company, and later of the United States Express Company. Politically, he is a republican, and for ten years in succession has served as a member of the school board of his borough, — two terms as secretary and is now serving his first term as president. For eight months he served as secretary, of the Hagerstown Build ing and Loan Association. In his religious affiliations he is a member of the Lutheran church. 718 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY JOHN H. HIMMELBERGER, a prom- inent wholesale and retail dealer in flour, feed, hay, etc*, of Tremont, this county, is a son of Jonathan and Catharine (Meek) Himmelberger, and was born at Womelsdorff Berks county, Pennsylvania, April 24, 1853. His paternal grandfather wasa native of Berks county, this state, where he followed milling all his life. He was a democrat in politics, and in religion a consistent member of the Lutheran church. Jonathan Himmelberger, father, first saw the light August 6, 1828, between Millers- burg and Straustown, Berks county, Pennsyl vania. From here he went to Hanover town ship, Lebanon county, and April, 1891 re moved to Bethel township, Berks county, where he now resides. He owns two large, rich farms, and operated a mill in connection with them until 1891, when he went out of the milling business. Politically, he is an active republican, and has filled many of the township offices of his township. In religion, he adheres to the doctrines of the Lutheran church, and has held the positions of deacon, elder and trustee, respectively, having all his life been very active in church affairs. He was joined in matrimony with Catharine Meek, and to this marriage have been born four sons, Charles, Franklin, Abraham L. and Jonathan, and two daughters that are still living : Mary, married to a Mr. Buck, and Catharine became Mrs. Snyder. At the age of seventeen Mr. Himmelberger accepted a position in a store in Berks county, which he held for three years, resign ing to learn the milling trade, which he fol lowed until 1878, when he removed to Tre mont, Schuylkill county, where, with Jona than Meek, under the firm name of Meek & Himmelberger, he engaged in the grocery and dry-goods business, running a flour and feed store in connection with it. In 1879 ne s°ld his interest to C. A. Meek, and returned to Hanover, Lebanon county, and embarked in the produce business, which he continued for three months. In 1882, at Hanover, he commenced again in the grain, flour, feed and salt business, which calling he continued there until 1887, when he removed his interests to Tremont, this county, where he still successfully con ducts them, running a chopping mill in con nection. While at Hanover he operated a mill in connection with his store, but sold it on leaving that town. He married Louisa Houser, a daughter of Michael and Amanda Houser, of Hanover, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, April 22, 1876. Their marriage has been blessed with a family of five children: Lydia M., Harry D., Allie F., Ralph J. and Catharine L. Mr. Himmelberger is a staunch republican from principle, and an efficient and active member and officer of the German Reformed church. He has filled the position of deacon, and is now serving the church as elder. He is a member of Tremont Council, No. 972, Royal Arcanufn; Washington Camp, No. 58, P. O. S. of A., of Jonestown, Pennsylvania; Tre mont Council, No. 107, Knights of the Golden Eagle, of Tremont, Pennsylvania, and director of Logan Building and Loan Associ ation. ® ?>APTAIN FRANK H. BARNHART, a leading citizen of Llewellyn, Cass town ship, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born in the village wherein he now resides, on May 16, 1840, and is a son of Jacob and Flo- randa (Schropp) Barnhart. His grandfather, Jacob Barnhart, was a native HON. J. IRWIN STEEL. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 719 of Pennsylvania, and passed most of his life in Schuylkill county. He was one of the pioneers of Schuylkill county, settling in the vicinity of Llewellyn, where he conducted a farm until the time of his death. He was united in mar riage with Catherine Blew, by whom he had a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters. Jacob Barnhart, father of Frank IL, was born in Silverton, Schuylkill county, Pennsyl vania, in 1 82 1, and resided in that vicinity until his demise in 1854. He procured his livelihood as a carpenter and contractor in and about the mines. His marriage to the daugh ter of John G. Schropp resulted in a family of four children. Captain Barnhart attended the public schools of Schuylkill county until he attained the age of twelve years, when he was employed upon the breakers in the vicinity of his home as a slate-picker. He continued in the employ of the. collieries until he reached the age of twenty years, during which time he had learned the business of stationary engineer. At the out break of the civil war, however, he laid aside the duties ofa civilian, and was one ofthe first to offer his services in defence of the Union cause. He enlisted on April 18, 1861, in com pany G, 6th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, in response to President Lincoln's three-months' call. After the expiration of this time he re-enlisted in company A, 50th regiment, for a term of three years, as a pri vate, and was regularly promoted as corporal, sergeant,' major, first lieutenant, adjutant and captain in his regiment. He served with dis tinction and honor until the close of the war, and received .his discharge from the service of the United States forces at Washington on July 30, 1865. During the term of his service he was a participant in the battles of second Bull Run and all subsequent battles of the Army of the Potomac up to and including South Mountain and Antietam. After this time he was transferred from the Army of the Po tomac to the Army of the West, and followed the vicissitudes of war with that army until the close of the conflict. After his return home he became a clerk and bookkeeper for a couple of years, and was then appointed to the coal and iron police force. In June of 1867 he re ceived a commission in the United States army as second lieutenant, and was in active duty until January 16, 1881, when he was retired with the rank of first lieutenant, since which time he has resided at Llewellyn. Captain Barnhart was united in marriage with Catherine P. Sessions, of Atlanta, Georgia, who died May 7, ii HON. J. IRVIN STEEL, the subject of this sketch, is a native of Blairsville, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, and was born March 10, 1840. His father, the Hon. Stewart Steel, born August 4, 1800, in Scot land, came to this country in 18 18, and located in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, where he com menced the study of law with Judge Moses Cannon, who was the first judge of Cambria county, and where he was admitted to prac tice in 1822, participating in the holding of the first court held in the new county of Cam bria, which was formed that year. Here he continued practice until 1830, when he removed to Blairsville, Pennsylvania, where he entered actively into practice in the counties of the district embraced by Indiana, West moreland and Allegheny. He took an active interest in politics, and was a warm personal friend of Plon. James Buchanan. He was appointed one of the United States consuls to 720 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Great Britain during the administration of President Polk, Mr. Buchanan having been appointed to the English mission by the same administration. After the expiration of his consulship he returned home and resumed the practice of law, and continued therein up to the period of his death in 1861. His mar riage with Myrtilla Sterrett, who was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, on July 6, 1807, and .who died in September, 1879, resulted in an issue of four children — three sons and one daughter. Hon. William A. Steel, the eldest son, was born October, 1836, thoroughly educated and studied law with Judge Newton D. Strong, of St. Louis, where he was admitted to practice in 1861. On March 19, 1870, he was licensed to practice in the Supreme Court of Illinois ; on the 22nd of the following April was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, and on the 10th of January, 1 87 1, was licensed in the United States Court of Claims. During the war he raised arid organized an independent battalion of four hundred and fifty men in St. Louis, of which he was commissioned commanding officer, with full rank of major. Prior to this he had been engaged in the construction of four gun boats for the United States Navy. After the close of the war he returned to Joliet, Illinois, his former home, and on a large scale engaged in the development of the stone resources of his district, and also of the coal mining interests of Wilmington, Illinois, sink ing the first coal shafts in that region. He was four times elected mayor of Joliet. He was married January 16, 1862, to Miss Francis Louise Sanger, daughter of Col. Lorenzo P. Sanger. After a varied, active and successful business career, he died in Joliet November 28, 1879, leaving a wife and three children, including a son, Sanger Steel, who succeeded to his large business. His widow and eldest daughter have since died. Stewart Steel, the second son, was born in Blairsville, Pennsylvania, in 1838. After re ceiving a liberal education, about the year 1854, he went to St. Louis and entered the banking-house of Haskell & Co. as a clerk. In recognition of his natural and acquired financial ability, he was from time to time promoted, until he became the trusted cashier of the house, and on April 1, 1863, was admitted to partnership. At the dissolve- ment of this old financial institution, Mr. Steel established a banking-house under the firm-name of Stewart Steel & Co., of which he was the financial head until his death, which occurred about two years later. He was married in 1862 to Lila Hegins, daughter of a prominent southern planter, residing at Lexington, Missouri. She died at their home in St. Louis several years after her husband's death. Two sons, Stewart and William Steel, now engaged in business in St. Louis, and two daughters are his survivors. The subject of this sketch, J. Irvin Steel, was the third son. Mrs. Sarah M. Conner (nee Steel) was born in 1842, and a graduate of the Ladies' Semi nary at Blairsville, Pennsylvania. She was married in 1861 to Joseph K. Conner, son of Rev. James Conner, and, with her family, two daughters and one son, resides in Allegheny City. The eldest daughter, Miss Myrtie, has been a musical student since early crfildhood, and has gained such efficiency as to cause her to be much sought after for musical renditions for'the gratification ofthe public. J. Irvin Steel received his early education at the Blairsville Academy, and later at Man chester, Virginia. After leaving school he OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 721 spent a year or two in travel, and located in his native place March, 1861, purchased and commenced the publication of the Blairsville Record, a newspaper that had been contributed to by his father for many years. In ' February, 1862, he purchased the Huntingdon Monitor, a newspaper that had recently been destroyed by a mob, and revived and re-established the same. It was twice afterwards attacked by a mob; but the paper was successfully and permanently established through Mr. Steel's energy and ability, and is yet a living witness to the fact. In the fall of this year, 1862, Mr. Steel attended his first State convention as a dele gate, and has rarely missed a State or National Democratic Convention since. The same year he took an active interest in the forming of a State Association of Editors, which organization became a permanent and most formidable body, embracing a member ship of several hundred editors. Mr. Steel has almost constantly served this association in some official capacity, and in 1891 was selected as its president. He has represented the organization in national conventions annually since 1887. The National Associa tion was formed in 1886. He also attended the World's Congress of Editors at Chicago, in May, 1893. From Huntingdon Mr. Steel came to Ash land, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, in 1866, and purchased the Ashland Advocate, a weekly journal established in 1864, and which he greatly enlarged and improved, and which he still continues to publish. In October, 1869, Mr. Steel was elected to the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania, as a member from Schuylkill county, and the following year was re-elected. The third term he declined, preferring to devote his attention to 46 the advancement of his paper and the unob trusive pursuit of the profession which he embraced in his earlier years. Mr. Steel was married in May, i860, to Miss Mary Gwin, of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania (a daughter of Hon. Alexander Gwin, a noted lawyer of that place). Their union resulted in the birth and rearing of five sons—Charles E., William Alexander, Stewart, James Irvin and Harry Gwin Steel. After leaving school, each, in turn, was given a thorough newspaper train ing, and all are following it as a profession. The wife and mother died at her home in Ashland in November, 1891. Mr. Steel, although a busy man, has found time during his life for much travel and research. It has been one of his customs to make an extended trip annually, and in the winter of 1888 spent several weeks in travel through Old Mexico. In 1889 Mr. Steel established Ashland's pioneer daily paper, the Evening Telegram, which rapidly grew into favor, and is now accepted as one of the most valued institu tions of the borough, being a zealous aid to every public-spirited enterprise, and an out spoken and fearless advocate of every measure tending to the prosperity and advancement of the people. Mr. Steel has held many positions of honor and trust. In November, 1875, he was com missioned by Governor Hartranft a delegate to the National Railroad Convention held in St. Louis, to consider the subject of the con struction of a Pacific railroad through the States and Territories of the Southwest. Mr. Charlemagne Tower was his associate dele gate from this Congressional District. In the formation of the organization of Democratic Societies of Pennsylvania, in 1887, Mr. Steel took an active part, giving much aid to the originator of the project, Hon. 722 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Chauncey F. Black, the first president, and through whose efforts and zeal it became one of the most formidable political organizations in the state. Mr. Steel was elected the first treasurer and filled the position for two years. He also filled the position of secretary to the Democratic State Central Committee one year. In September, 1891, Mr. Steel purchased a half interest in the Shamokin Daily Dispatch and the Weekly Times, two old-established papers of that place, since which date he has divided his time in the management of these papers and his Ashland plant. In 1 89 1 he took an active part in the forma tion of the Schuylkill Press Association, and became its first president. During his active life, Mr. Steel has gained the respect of a large circle of friends at home and throughout the state, as well as the con fidence of his business connections. He is a man of good sound understanding, of large practical experience, and a genial, courteous gentleman. JOHN A. BECHTEL, editor and proprie- tor of the West Schuylkill Press and the efficient and popular postmaster at Tremont, Pennsylvania, is a son of Isaac P. and Eliza beth (Weber) Bechtel, and was born in Tre mont, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, Janu ary 14, 1862. The great grandfather of John A. Bechtel was a native of Holland, but emigrated to the United States prior to the Revolutionary war and settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania where he spent the remainder of his days. He took up the avocation of a miller, from which he realized a competency, and.during Wash ington's encampment at Valley Forge, being in hearty sympathy with the Colonial cause, furnished freely not only of supplies from his mill, but money as well, thus doing all within his power to alleviate the suffering during this the most trying hour of that memorable strug gle. Grandfather Bechtel was born, reared and died in Lancaster county. His life-work was that of a miller, whilst in his political proclivities, he was a follower ofthe school of Jackson, a staunch democrat. He married Sarah Palm, and to them were born three children that grew to maturity; William, of Reinholdsville, Lancaster county ; Maria, the wife of Horatio Jones, who for two years was city treasurer of Reading, Pennsylvania, his present place of residence, and father of sub ject. Isaac P. Bechtel, father, was born in East Ocalico township, Lancaster county, February 18, 1832, and died in Tremont, this county on March 3, 1892. In 1850 he engaged in a general merchan dizing business in Millersburg, Berks county, where he remained about three years. In 1853 he removed to Tremont, where he spent the remainder of his life. Shortly after taking up his residence in Tremont he embarked in the flour and feed business, being among the earlier business men of that village. He was all his life a democrat of pronounced views, and five years after coming to the village of Tremont, as it then was, he was elected a jus tice of the peace for Tremont township, re elected in the township, and afterwards when Tremont became a borough in 1866, served continuously by re-election until his death, being elected almost unanimously in the elec tion of 1892 just prior to his death. This one fact tells the story of Mr. Bechtel's life in more eloquent and fitting language that can be expressed by tongue or pen. His was a life in which probity of character and all the OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 723 cardinal . principles of good citizenship pre dominated. He always took a lively interest in politics, believing that good government can only be conserved by the united action and effort of its intelligent citizens. He was frequently called upon to fill positions of honor and trust aside from the office of justice. He served two terms as a member of the school board, and a number of times as a member ofthe borough council. He served one term as deputy coroner, and was twice a candidate for the office of county recorder. In addition to these positions of a political nature he was for a number of years the trusted and efficient agent of the Swatara Coal Company, which company also dealt in land ; it was while acting in this capacity he con veyed a greater portion of the town lots of this village. Subsequently he took a similar posi tion under the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. He also dealt extensively in real estate on his own account. In 1870 he constructed a small reservoir adjacent to the town for the purpose of sup plying his private residence ; this afterward, in 1874, was merged into the Tremont Water and Gas Company, a stock company, of which he became first president, and in which posi tion he continued the remainder of his life. Other matters of a business nature which en gaged his attention was the supervision of a farm of one hundred acres near the borough and the manufacture of brick. He took a prominent part in church work, and for many years was a member and trustee ofthe Reformed church of his borough. His marriage with Elizabeth Weber, a daughter of Jacob Weber, resulted in the birth of five children, of whom three died in infancy. The two living are : John A., subject, and Sarah, who, after graduating from the Reading High School, took a position with her uncle, Hora tio Jones, city treasurer of Reading, serving with him during his incumbency of two years, and then entered the employ of Farrell & Company, safe manufacturers of Philadelphia as book-keeper, and later, in 1892, took a similar position with the safe manufacturing establishment of Mr. Remington of Philadel phia. She was married in September, 1893, to Daniel E. Ancona, attorney-at-law, of Reading, Pennsylvariia. John A. Bechtel was educated in the schools of Tremont and the Pottsville High School, from which he graduated at the age of twenty. Having learned the trade of a printer before leaving school, he began a life of independent action in 1882, when he purchased the print ing establishment of Hon. S. C. Kirk, and from 1884 to the present time has been the editor and proprietor of the West Schuylkill Press, a spicy weekly paper, published every Saturday, and something of the nature of which can best be learned by its characteristic motto : " Unfettered by party, Unbiased by creed, Unawed by power, Unbribed by greed." In connection with his journalistic work Mr. Bechtel has been secretary ofthe Schuyl kill Press Association since its organization on May 1, 1891. Upon the death of his father he was imme diately appointed to fill his place as justice of the peace, and was elected without opposition at the following election to serve a full term, but resigned when he was appointed post master. Since March, 1892, he has been secretary and superintendent of the Tremont Water and 724 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Gas Company. Fraternally he is a member of Tremont Castle, No. 107, K. of G. E., of which he was District Deputy two terms ; Mt. Eagle Commandery, No. 74, K. of G. E., and Pottsville Lodge, B. P. O. Elks. November 27, 1890, he married Mary A., a daughter of Frederick and Amanda Hart man, of near Reading, Berks county. To this union have been born two children, Marie Esther and Ruth Hartman. I^ROFESSOR J. J. CAKE, a well-known and popular educator of Pottsville and a veteran ofthe civil war, is a son of John and Hannah (Jameson) Cake, and was born De cember 14, 1841, at Terry Hill, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. The grandfather of Professor Cake, Jacob Cake, during the palmy days ofthe Schuylkill canal, was employed in various capacities on and about the canal, in which service he was engaged when he lost his life by being acci dentally drowned. Professor Cake's father, John Cake, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. His marriage with Hannah Jameson resulted in a family of seven children, five of whom served with valor in the late civil war; Efenger was a member of I22d regiment, nine months' volunteer infantry, and now resides in Read ing, Pennsylvania; Uriah, who also served in the late war, died at Lancaster City, where he lived, in 1889; John lost his life by accidental drowning at Washington, D. C, while in the service of the United States Government, as sisting the quartermaster in the moving of his stores; Jeremiah J.; William J., entered the war in defence of his country in ist Pennsylva nia reserves, in which body he served three years, and upon the reorganization of his reg iment re-enlisted as first seargent. At the bat tle of Spottsylvania he was severely wounded by being shot in the head, and was forced to retire from the service, after doing valiant service in defence of the flag. He now resides in Liverpool, New York, where he is engaged in the mercantile business. Professor Cake was educated in the public schools and the Millersville State Normal School at Millersville, Lancaster county, Penn sylvania. At the age of sixteen years he took up the profession of teaching, and with the exception of about two years, during which he served in the war, he has taught continu ously to the present time. After having taught a number of terms in Lancaster county, and filling several respon sible positions as a teacher, he, in 1 862, enlisted in I22d regiment, Company C, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, nine months' service; at the end of this term of service he returned for one term to the school-room ; but the appeals of patriotism were too strong to be resisted and he accordingly, in April, 1864, re-enlisted as a veteran in Battery I, Independent Light Artillery (Nevins' battery), for three years or during the war. He served until the close, being fnustered out June 24, 1865. After having fought valiantly in defence of his country, and seen the issues of the war satisfactorily settled, he began to look about him for some congenial avocation through which to earn a livelihood. .Teaching was to his taste ; accordingly he came to Potts ville, and in the autumn of 1865 was unani mously elected principal of the grammar school, and has been unanimously re-elected to various positions in the schools of Potts ville twenty-seven times, and has finished his twenty-eighth term. Professor Cake is a man of spirit and enter- OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 725 prise, and has not allowed close application to his professional work to narrow his ideas, nor to keep him from mingling closely with the citizens of his borough socially and commer- j cially. He helped to organize the Mutual Savings Fund of Pottsville, and has been its secretary uninterruptedly since 1875. As a member of the Presbyterian church he has always taken an active part, serving for j six years in the important position of choir ; leader. Gowen Post, No. 23, G. A. R., has claimed him as a member since its organization. He served as its commander in 1869, and as its j adjutant in 1893. He also belongs to Miners' Lodge, No. 20, I. O. O. F., of Pottsville, of which lodge he was Noble Grand in 1868. ' He is a member also of Franklin Encampment. ] Professor Cake stands high in Masonry, and is an honored member of Pulaski Lodge,1 No. 216, F. and A. M., and of Mountain City j Chapter, No. 196, R. A. M., of which he has 1 been secretary since 1877, and of Constantine Commandery, No. 41, Knights Templar, and has served as recorder since 1873. Mr. Cake was married to Sarah J. Klahr, a daughter of Benjamin Klahr, of Pottsville; to this union have been born three children: Augusta May, Louis J. and Stuart William. .JOHN J. O'CONNOR of Pottsville, Penn- , sylvania, clerk to the board of directors j of the poor of Schuylkill county, is a son of j John and Catherine (Sullivan) O'Connor, and 1 was born February 24, 1861, in Palo Alto, Schuylkill county. John O'Connor, father, was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1828, and emigrated to America in the early fifties, locating at Au gusta, Georgia. A few years later he removed north to Philadelphia, where he lived until 1857, when he came to Pottsville, where he resided until he removed to Palo Alto. When in the south he was employed as baggage master on the Savannah and Augusta Railroad and also on the police force; when he re moved to Philadelphia, he engaged as brake- man and conductor on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. After coming to Pottsville he purchased a number of barges, which he ran for some years on the Schuylkill canal until boating became unprofitable. In the meantime he did a commission business in the way of supplying ore from Piermont, N. Y. and other points to the Phcenix Iron Com pany at Phcenixville, Pennsylvania. Quitting this line of business, he lived at Palo Alto until his death, November 1, 1893. In politics he was a democrat, and always took an active part in local contests. He served as school director for a number of years, and was a can didate at one time for nomination by the Democratic county convention to the office of director of the poor, but withdrew his name from consideration before the result was reached. He was married May 19, 1857, to Catherine Sullivan, daughter of Daniel and Mary Sullivan (nee Hanlon,) who was born in County Cork, Ireland, March 25, 1831, and is yet living. The result of this union has been a family of ten children, two sons and two daughters living: Mary, wife of Michael Buoey, a loco motive engineer, residing at Creston, Iowa; Catherine, at home; Frederick J., manager of the Saturday Night Review of Pottsville, Pennsylvania ; John J., also of Pottsville ; Jo seph F., who died in 1886, in the 24th year of his age. Mr. O'Connor was educated in the public schools of his town and at Clark's Business 726 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY College, Pottsville, from which he graduated in the spring of 1 880. He went to New York City, and was employed as clerk in the office of Daniel McWilliams, a proprietor of tugs and barges, who also owned an interest in a large transportation . business. After leaving his employ, he returned to Pennsyl vania, and took up boating on the Schuylkill canal, serving as captain of a barge plying between Schuylkill Haven and the tide-water ports of Baltimore, Washington and New York, for about one year. Then he took up and learned the trade of horse-shoeing, then attending the Keystone State Normal school at Kutztown, Pa., afterwards teaching in the Glenworth school, North Manheim township, this county. In May 1886, Mr. O'Connor accepted a position as reporter on the Daily Republican, of Pottsville, in which position he continued until October 1, 1889. At which time, he and a partner started a weekly paper, under the title of Saturday Night Review, in the ownership of which he still retains his interest, with his brother Frederick J., who succeeded to the other half interest. After the paper was established, he returned to his former position as a reporter on the Daily Republican staff, and continued as such until March 20, 1 89 1 ; when he was appointed clerk to the board of poor directors, which posi tion he has retained ever since, filling it with ability and the evident approbation of all concerned. He is a democrat in politics, and has ever been one of the most active young democrats of the county. He served at different times as auditor, town clerk and assessor of Palo Alto. He was captain of the American Democratic Club, which was organ ized under President Cleveland's first cam paign, and which was one of the leading polit ical clubs of the campaign of 1884. In the following presidential campaign of 1888, he was captain of the South-east Ward Cleve land Club, of Pottsville, he having moved there in May, 1888. Aside from his activity in politics, Mr. O'Connor has also taken consider able interestin military matters, and served for five years as a member of Company H, eighth regiment, National Guard of Pennsylvania, under the late Captain Richard Rahn, of Potts ville. He was married October 4, 1887, to Bar bara Flear, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, by whom he has one daughter, Marion, born May 31, 1889. JOHN TOOLE, the efficient and highly popular deputy clerk of the courts of Schuylkill county, is a son of Austin and Mary (Kelly) Toole, and was born December 9, 1855, at Primrose, Cass township, this county. Thomas Toole, grandfather was a native of county Mayo, Ireland, but desiring to better his condition, came to the United States in 1848, and settled at Primrose, Cass township, this county, where he died at the age of ninety- two years. His marital relations resulted in a family of four sons and two daughters. Austin Toole, father, came to this . country with his father when but twenty years of age, and continued to live in the county until 1862, since which time the west has been his home. John Toole is the second df a family of three children : Margaret, the widow of Timothy Flynn, now resides in Minersville; John, subject ; and Michael, a miner by voca tion, now lives iri Primrose, Cass township. Mr. Toole was married to Sarah A. Dona hue, a daughter of James Donahue, a native of Ireland, but a resident, for many years prior to his death, of Minersville. To this union has OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 727 been born four children : Mary, Plelen, Sadie, (deceased) and Lillian. John Toole was reared in Cass township, where he attended the public schools, and like most ofthe boys of his locality spent his time on the breaker as a picker of slate, but becom ing restive in this position, and having a de sire within him for something higher, he be gan to prepare himself by a more thorough mental training. He accordingly attended the Normal School at Port Carbon, Schuylkill county, for a time, and at the age of seventeen secured a certificate of qualification to teach in the schools of his native county. He taught twelve years in the schools of Cass township, a sufficient guarantee of his success and ac ceptability as a- teacher. In political texture he is a staunch democrat, and takes a lively in terest in the public affairs of his country, and lends of his time and influence to the promo tion of his party's welfare and success. He was appointed deputy collector of internal revenue for the First District of Pennsylvania, composed of Schuylkill county and served ac ceptably for a term of four years. For one year he was upon the road, as a traveling salesman, and on January i, 1891, was ap pointed to the office of deputy clerk of the courts of Schuylkill county, and very efficiently discharges the duties of that office to the pres ent time. In 1883 he was the chairman of the Demo cratic County Committee, and in the following year was the unanimous nominee of his party for register of the county ; but on account of the great popularity of the standard bearer of the opposing party, James G. Blaine, his party in the county was defeated, although he made an excellent run. j^R. WILLIAM JOHN MARTIN, a popu lar and successful practicing physician, of Ashland, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, was born at Smithport, MeKean county, Pennsylvania, on November 15, 1853. He is a son of Lewis J. and Minerva (Smith) Martin. Plis paternal grandfather was a native of Ireland, but came to America, and located in Long Swamp township, Berks county, Penn sylvania, where he lived the greater part of his life, but during his later years removed to Schuylkill county. There Dr. Martin's father was born. He enlisted in the Union army, during the civil war, as second lieutenant of the National Light Infantry, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and went to the front. This troop belonged to the first defenders, and at the expiration of his term of service in con nection with it, he re-enlisted as major of the Ninety-sixth regiment, Pennsylvania volunteer infantry, and served until he was killed, on the 14th of September, 1862, at Crampton Pass, Maryland. By profession he was a civil engineer, and at the time of his enlistment was county surveyor of Schuylkill county. He was a republican, took an active part in the politics of his county, and had a family of three children : William John, subject ; Joseph H., a resident of Hamburg, Berks county, Pennsylvania, a painter and paper-hanger by trade ; and Louis E., a graduate of the Penn sylvania Dental College of Philadelphia, and a resident dentist of that city. Dr. Martin was united in marriage to Kate R. Sholenberger, a daughter of Henry S. Sholenberger, of Hamburg, Berks county, Pennsylvania. By this marriage they have three children : Charlotte Eleanor, Minerva Muriel, and Louis C. G. Dr. Martin received his education in the soldiers' orphan schools at McAllisterville and 728 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Chester Springs, Chester county, Pennsyl vania, and at the public schools of Hamburg, Berks county. After the completion of his education he entered upon the study of medi cine with Dr. B. F. Nice, of Hamburg, Penn sylvania, and afterwards entered Jefferson Medical College, in Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated in the class of 1 89 1 . Immediately after graduation he began the practice of his profession in Hamburg, and after a short residence here removed to Hazle ton, Pennsylvania, and thence to Ashland, in November, 1881, where he has since resided, and pursued the active practice of his profes sion. Politically Dr. Martin is a republican, and although formerly he took a very pronounced part in the fortunes of that party, he never be came an aspirant for office nor a candidate for any sort of political honors. Latterly he has taken simply a nominal part. In his religious affiliations, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he is secretary of the official board, and treasurer of the Sabbath- school. He manifests a deep interest in the various lines of church work, as well as exhi bits, by his social and professional life, a high character and professional zeal. j^ETER D. HELMS is a son of Peter and Lucy A. (Hirchhold) Helms, and was born in Myerstown, Lebanon county, Penn sylvania, on June 10, 1843. His great-grand father was a native of Holland, and while yet a young man emigrated to the United States and located in Reading, Pennsylvania, — one of its pioneer settlers. From here he removed to Philadelphia county, and thehce to Pike county, where he died. The original Dutch form of the name was " Helm," the " s " being added afterwards by grandfather Peter Helms. Grandfather Helms was born in Philadelphia county, and accompanied his father when he removed to Pike county, but shortly after re turned to Philadelphia. From here he went to Bucks and Lebanon counties successively, and engaged in the distilling business, to which he gave his exclusive attention until his retirement. Both he and his father served in the Indian wars of that period. His death took place at Mount ^Etna, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1850, at the age of sixty-two years. He was united in marriage to Caroline Phillips, by whom he had eight children, seven sons and one daughter. Politi cally he was a whig. ? The father of subject was born in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, January 12, 18 16, and in the year 1852 removed to Pottsville, cross ing the mountains from Myerstown to Potts ville in wagons, before the era of railroads in that section. He remained here one year, and then changed his residence to Philadelphia, where he continued until 1859; returning to Schuylkill county at this date, he took up his abode at Schuylkill Haven, and in 1876 re turned to Pottsville. By occupation he was a merchant tailor. Latterly he served in the northeast ward as justice of the peace for a term of five years, and during the Mollie Ma guire trials in 1872-73 was jury commissioner. He died while in the latter capacity and was succeeded by his son, Peter D. His political tenets were those of the Whig and Republican parties, both of which, in their respective times, received his hearty and unqualified support. In religion he affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church. He was married in 1837, and was father of four children, three sons and one daughter: Susan E. was born September 29, 1839, and married Capt. John Chambers, OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 729 of Philadelphia; James K. was born June u, 1841, and resides in Schuylkill Haven, Schuyl kill county. He enlisted in the three months' service, during the civil war, in the 6th Penn sylvania infantry, 1861, and after serving until expiration of that time, re-enlisted in Company D, 48th Pennsylvania infantry. From a pri vate, through meritorious conduct, he rose to the captaincy of his company. He participated in all the engagements of General Burnside's corps up to 1864, when he was wounded at the battle of Petersburg, and carried from the field. He now suffers from the effects of seven balls in his leg, The citizens of Schuyl kill Haven elected him justice ofthe peace, in which position he now serves. Jeremiah H., was born June 8, 1846. He also enlisted in the Union cause in July, 1861, Company P, 50th Pennsylvania infantry. He served in the command of General Burnside, and was killed at the battle of Antietam in 1863. Peter D., the second son, married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Edwards, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, June 13, 1867. To them have been born the following children : Richard, born March 13, 1868, a civil and mining en gineer and deputy United States surveyor for the State of Washington ; Jeremiah H., born April 15, 1869, holds clerkship under his father; Lucy A., born October 3, 1870, at home; Peter D., Jr., born November 15, 1874; Birch, born September 17, 1886; Clinton H., born December 20, 1889. Mr. Helms received his education in the Philadelphia public schools, and started in life as a liveryman in Schuylkill Haven, after which he boated on the Schuylkill canal for about one year, and then began house and sign painting. On July 30, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Cameron dragoons (afterward known as the 5th Pennsylvania cavalry), as bugler, and served for a term of three years. He was discharged at Petersburg, Virginia, in 1865, by reason of the expiration of his term of enlistment. While in the service he was always in the active performance of duty and during the whole period in the army of the Potomac, was not sick or indisposed for a day. After returning home, he was sent by the government, to Nashville, Tennessee, and then transferred to Chattanooga, same state, on special service. In 1865, he embarked in the livery business, and continued one year, when he was appointed by Superintendent Bines as storekeeper and yard-master at Gor don, on the Philadelphia and Reading Rail road. He served in this position until 1868, when he resigned, and came to Pottsville, where he engaged in the painting and paper- hanging trade. This occupied his attention until 1886. He then began the manufacture of butchers' supplies and machinery, in which business he is now engaged. Mr. Helms served as jury commissioner in 1872, 1873 and 1874, and has been a member of the city council for twelve successive years. He was appointed a trustee of the Miners' Hospital by Governor Beaver in 1887, but resigned in 1889. In 1885, in conjunction with Baird Snyder, he organized the Potts ville Steam Heat and Power Company, of which he was president until he disposed of his stock. He is a republican in politics, a member of Page Lodge, No. 270, a member of Grand Lodge, Pennsylvania A. Y. M., of which he is Past Master, member of Jere Helms Post, No. 26, G. A. R., of Schuylkill Haven, and Past Commander of Gowen Post, No. 23, G. A. R., of Pottsville. 730 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY HON. JOHN X. DENCE, member of the Pennsylvania Assembly from the Sec ond Legislative district of Schuylkill county, and a prominent merchant and shoe man ufacturer of Ashland, is a son of Anthony and Anne (Caul) Dence, and was born May 12, 1857, in Muncy, Lycoming county, Penn sylvania. Mr. Dence is of German lineage, his grand father, Adam Dence, having been born in Alsace Lorraine. In 1820, desiring to better his condition, he left the land of his birth and emigrated to the United States. He located in Milton, Northumberland county, where he died. His avocation was that of a miller. He was the father of three sons, the eldest being the father of our subject. Anthony Dence was but eight years old when his father came to this country. He was reared at Milton, and learned the trade of distiller and miller, and was also known as a colliery carpenter of skill. These lines of work he followed at Milton until 1858, when he removed to Ash land, and thence in 1876 to the state of Kan sas, his present place of residence. He has been twice married ; his first marriage was with the mother of subject, and resulted in an issue of three children — two daughters and subject. Mrs. Anne Caul Dence died in 1864, at the age of forty-three years, and he married as his second wife Miss Fanny Lynch, of Potts ville; to the latter union one child, a daugh ter, was born. John X. Dence has been identified with Ash land all his life, being but one year old when he was brought to this place by his parents. His education was obtained in the Ashland High School and St. Vincent's College, at Latrobe, Westmoreland county, this state, where he attended two years, and at Mount Saint Mary's College, Emmetsburg, Maryland, where he attended for three years. After leaving college he secured a liveli hood at various kinds of manual labor for two years, when he took the position of assistant agent for the Lehigh Valley Railroad Com pany, at Girardville, which position he held for a period of five years, or until 1884, when he accepted a clerkship in the State Hospital for Injured Persons of the Anthracite Coal Regions at Ashland, holding the latter posi tion four years. In 1888 he embarked in the mercantile busi ness in the line of leather and shoe findings in Ashland ; this line of business he followed exclusively until 1891, when he added to it the manufacture of boots and shoes under the caption of the Ashland Boot and Shoe Com pany. The enterprise has proved a profitable one, and gives employment to about twenty hands. Mr. Dence is an enterprising business man, ever awake to the best interests of his town, and his co-operation and influence has been sought in many of the enterprises of the bor ough of a public nature. He has for the past five years been secretary of the board of direc tors of the Ashland Gas Light Company. Politically, he is a staunch democrat always evincing a lively and intelligent interest in the success of his party. In 1892 he was elected to represent the Second Legislative District of Schuylkill county in the State Legislature, and served with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. He is a devout member of Saint Mauritius Roman Catholic church of Ashland, and is secretary of the German Catholic Union of Eastern Pennsylvania. His marriage on May 9, 1882, with Mary M., a daughter of Nicholas and Catharine HON. JOHN X. DENCE. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 731 Miller, of Ashland, has been blessed with the following children : John F., George (deceased) and Leo C. Mr. Dence has truly been the architect of his own success in life, and his career is an example of what industry, perseverance and probity of character will accomplish. He possesses and well deserves the^ esteem, con fidence and respect of the community in which he has lived and labored. nEV. FATHER JOHN McDEVITT, the popular and efficient pastor of the Ro man Catholic church of the Immaculate Con ception, at Tremont, Pennsylvania, and whose ancestors figured for several generations con spicuously in the civil, political and religious history of Ireland, was born March 19, 1843, in the parish of Ardstrauch, County Tyrone, Ireland, and is the son of Philip and Catherine (O'Hara) McDevitt. Philip McDevitt, father, was born in 1 809, in the parish of Upper Fahn, County Derry, Ireland, where he was reared, amid the most picturesque scenery of Ireland. When a young man he removed to the parish of Ard strauch, in the county of Tyrone, where he read law under Counsellor Cochran, but owing to ill health did not apply himself closely to the pursuits of that profession, but devoted much of his time to the cultivation of his large farm in that parish. He was a man of more than ordinary intellectual capacity, and a leader in the political field. His marital union with Catherine O'Hara was blessed with eight children, three sons and five daughters, five of whom came to the United States. Father McDevitt received an academic edu cation preparatory to entrance into the classi cal school at Mt. Johra, from which he gradu ated in 1868. He immediately set sail for America, and landed in New York City De cember 1, 1868, and soon afterward entered St. Charles' Seminary, at Overbrook, Mont gomery county, Pennsylvania, where he com pleted the full course, and was ordained to the holy priesthood May 16, 1875, at Harrisburg, by the Right Reverend Bishop J. FShanahan. He was immediately put in charge of St. Agnes' church, at Sellersville, Berks county, where he remained four months, when he was appointed assistant at St. Mary's church, Phila delphia, for five years. In June, 1880, he made a tour of Europe, visiting his native country and France, England and Italy, and returned the following October, and was appointed to his present charge, where he has remained ever since. The church of the Immaculate Conception was organized in 1853 with a membership of 100 souls, but during the various pastorates has greatly increased in size, until now it con tains from 1500 to 2000 souls. Under Father McDevitt's charge great pro gress has been made, not only in additions to the church, but in the extension and beautify ing of the grounds and church property. In 1885 he enlarged and greatly improved the church building, making it nearly double its former size, and later disposed of the old parsonage and erected the present handsome structure adjoining the church ; the grounds surrounding he leased and laid out in hand some walks and drives. In addition to his work at Tremont, he has extended his field of labors to Tower City, where, in 1885, he built a handsome church, accommodating a large membership. He also holds services at Beechwood. Father McDevitt does not confine himself exclusively to his ministerial labors, but, in 732 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY response to a broad-minded and Christian be nevolence, contributes to any worthy enter prise, and is not only universally respected, but looked upon as one of the most progressive and public-spirited men of this part of the county. © f"\R. J. LOUIS HOFFMAN, on his paternal side, is of German lineage, being a direct descendant of the family bearing the same name, of Halfe, Prussia, who had been connected with medicine since 1460, the most famous member of which, Frederick Hoffman (1660-1742), was one of the founders of the Halle University in 1693, and its first pro fessor of practice of medicine, which position he held. until the time of his death, with the exception of four years (1708-1712) which he passed in Berlin as the royal physician. His grandson, Cornelius, having taken up his resi dence in Switzerland, emigrated to the colo nies in 1768, locating on the Schuylkill below the present site of Pottstown, from which place he entered the service of his adopted country as a captain in Colonel Magraw's, 6th Pennsylvania regiment, second brigade, Col onial line, in 1776, and was with Washington on that memorable night when he crossed the Delaware river and surprised and captured the Hessians at Trenton. After the close of the war for Independence in 1783, he was mustered out of service, took up his residence in Brunswick township, then Berks county, on the present site of Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, and followed the pursuits of a farmer the remainder of his days. His son, Jacob, retaining possession of the homestead, mar ried Kate Benninger, and to them George E. (father)was born in Orwigsburg, i835,andwho, since 1859, has been successfully engaged in mercantile pursuits at Cressona, Schuylkill county. In political texture he is a republi can, and at one time, as candidate for the office of director of the poor of Schuylkill county, he reduced the then usual Democratic majority of 2000 to 200. He is, and has been, an active member of St. Paul's church, Cressona, having been one of its founders. He served twenty-three years continuously as superintendent of the Sunday-school, and then resigned. He married, on September 20, i860, Anna R. Morris, a descendant of distinguished Revolutionary stock. Richard Morris was a leader of distinction in the armies of Cromwell, and being dissatisfied about the time of the Restoration, he went to the Barbadoes Islands, and soon after trans ferring himself to New York, he purchased a large estate near Haarlem, Westchester county, — then within a few miles of the city, and obtained a grant from Governor Fletcher which erected his domain of more than three thousand acres into a manor under the name of Morrisania, and furnished with all the cus tomary memorial privileges. He died in 1673 leaving an only child, Lewis, an infant, who afterwards became chief justice of the Province of New York and Governor of New Jersey. His sons, Lewis and Robert Hunter, ¦ held the positions of judge of the Court of Vice Admiralty, and chief justice of New Jersey, and lieutenant-governor of Pennsyl vania, respectively ; the former, Lewis, being the father of Lewis, the signer of the Declara tion of Independence — of Gouverneur, the orator and member of Colonial Congress, and of Richard, the judge of the Court of Vice Admiralty and chief justice of the State of New York. John S. Morris, the great-grandson of Rich ard and grandfather of Dr. Hoffman, was born in Reading in 181 1, and died in Pottsville in 1887, having come to Pottsville in 1830, and JOSEPH WOLL. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 733 having engaged most of his life in the mer cantile business on the corner of Market and Centre streets. He was a public-spirited man, and seemed to inherit that spirit of patriotism for which several generations of his ancestors had been noted ; this is shown from the fact that during the late civil war he threw open his store freely to soldiers who needed assistance. Dr. Hoffman is one of a family of five children : S. Morris, at home at Cressona en gaged in the mercantile business; subject; Alice R. M.; Harry L. M., now attending Yale College, New Haven, Connecticut, and Lucy Brewster. Dr. Hoffman received his prelim inary education in the public schools at Cressona, and then entered upon the study of medicine for two years in the, office of Dr. Fegley, Ashland, whence he entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, and graduated an M. D., in the class of 1886, and a B. S. from the auxiliary department of the same institution. He then for two years took a position as resident phy sician in St. Luke's Hospital, South Beth lehem Pennsylvania, was later associated with the Fifth Street Dispensary, and out-door de partment of Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadel phia, and then located at Ashland, this county, where he has since successfully followed his profession. In political sentiment, he is a republican, and in religious faith, a Lutheran. He is a member of the Schuylkill County Medical Society, and of the Pennsylvania State Medical Society, and of the following secret and fra ternal, societies: Sheridan Council, No. 11 28, Royal Arcanum, ofwhich he is Medical Examiner ; P. O. S, of A., of which he is a Past President, and B. P. O. E. Lodge, No. 207, Pottsville, Pennsylvania. JOSEPH WOLL, the present sheriff of Schuylkill county (1893), is a son of Peter and Magdalina, (Young) Woll, and was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, November 14, 1853. His father was a native of Prussia, Germany, born in the year 18 12, and emi grated to Pottsville about 1836, where he lived until his death, April 9, 1884. In early life he had learned the shoemaking trade; but after his arrival in this country he discarded it after some years, and went into the hotel business. About 1845, he became owner and proprietor of the North East Hotel of Potts ville, and continued as such until his death. Besides the hotel business, he dealt consid erably in real estate. He first purchased a tract of twenty acres of land adjacent to Potts ville, upon which now stands the village of Jalapa, now a part of the corporate borough of Pottsville. About the same time he purchased another tract of six hundred and thirty-five acres in Mahanoy valley, Eldred township, but afterwards disposed of this, and came into possession of a farm of two hundred and thirty-five acres in Wayne township, this county, which he bequeathed at his death to his son Peter. Jr., upon which he now resides. In 1850 he owned, also, the Merchant's Hotel, at St. Clair, this county, and a hotel property in Shenandoah. One of his personal characteristics was a marked military spirit. He took great pride in military organizations and dis cipline, became captain of the Washington Yeagers, and was soon afterwards promoted to the rank of major. In politics he was a democrat, and in 1871 entered the race for county treasurer, but was defeated, owing to a division in the party. In .1850 he became one of the founders of the German Catholic church (St. John's Church), and was president 734 BIOGRAPFIY AND HISTORY of St. John the Baptist's Society for a number of years. His family embraced thirteen chil dren, seven of whom grew to maturity: Peter Jr., a farmer residing in Wayne town ship, this county ; John E., a painter by trade, living in Pottsville; Magdalina, married to John Bredfield of Montana; Elizabeth, mar ried to Lewis Gottschall, of Pottsville, in hotel and bottling business ; Joseph, sheriff of Schuylkill county; Philip, proprietor of a restaurant at Pottsville ; and George, a res- tauranteur of Minersville, Pennsylvania. Sheriff Woll in early life learned the black smith trade, after he left his father's farm, and until the year 1880 was content with the forge and hammer. At this time the North East hotel passed into his hands as proprietor, and so remained until 1892, when he entered upon his official duties. He entered the lists bn the Democratic ticket for the office of sheriff in 1887, but failed to receive the nomi nation. His candidature in 1891 was success ful, and he was elected by a majority of twelve hundred and forty votes over his republican opponent, B. J. Smith. The sheriff has inherited a great deal of his father's love of military life, and was one of the organizers of the Keystone battalion. He was honored by being made captain of the cavalry contin gent of this battalion. Mr. Woll isa member of St. John's Catholic church, St. John the Baptist's Society, the American Club, apoliti cal organization, and the Bovine Society, an organization whose purpose is the study and determination of diseases peculiar to that species. Of the latter organization he is treasurer. Sheriff Woll, December 21, 1873, was united in marriage to Catherine Brennen, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. From their mar riage there has been an issue of nine chil dren : William, Mary, Gertrude, Catherine, Elizabeth (deceased), Joseph Jr., Bertha, Hil- degard and Agnes. />HARLES M. STUART, foreman of the ^^ Philadelphia and Reading Railroad shops at Mahanoy Plane, Schuylkill county, is a son of Martin and Jane (Black) Stuart, and was born March 27, 1849, m Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Stuarts are of Scotch lineage, and are descended from a well-to-do and respectable family. Grandfather Martin Stuart emigrated to the United States at an early date and lived for a time in Philadelphia, but before his death returned to southern Scotland, his native land. Martin Stuart, Jr., father of Charles M., was born in Scotland about the year 18 13, and after coming to America located in Philadel phia, where he died about the year 1859. He at first was engaged in the delivery and dray business being, the owner of . a number of horses and carts. Afterward he engaged in a retail mercantile business. His marriage re sulted in the birth of nine children, seven daughters and two sons. Charles M. Stuart was united in marriage to Mary Speidel, a daughter of Otto Speidel, a native of Germany, but recently a resident of Frackville, Schuylkill county. By this mar riage three children have resulted, two daugh ters and one son ; Maggie, Ida and Eddie. Mr. Stuart received his education in the schools of Philadelphia, and learned the trade of machinist in that city, where, after working at his trade for a period of one year, he gave up his residence and in January, 1869, came to Mahanoy Plane, where he worked as a ma chinist until 1875. In this year he accepted a position as locomotive engineer, and was OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 735 thus employed until the year 1888, when he took charge as foreman of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad shops at Mahanoy Plane, under Division Master Allen, of Tama qua. © JNO. P. HARRIS, a member of the firm of v Harris & Frymire, general merchants of Mahanoy Plane, Schuylkill county, was born June 19, 1859, in Frackville, this county. He is a son of John and Amelia (Evans) Harris. The paternal grandfather of John P. Harris was a native of England, and came to America about 1 81 2, shortly after locating in Schuyl kill v Haven, Pennsylvania, where he resided until his death. He was chiefly engaged upon the canal, which at that time was one of the chief means of communication and transpor tation. His son, John Harris, Sr., was also a native of England, and was born about the year 18 12, and was brought to this country by his father. His childhood and early life were spent in the vicinity of Schuylkill Haven, where at the same time he attended the pub lic schools. About 1859 he removed to Frackville, this county, at the time when the Reading Rail road was being constructed, and was engaged in the hotel business until the completion of the road. He died in Frackville in January, 1888. He married Amelia Evans, daughter of Jenkins Evans, who was a native of Wales, and who at the age of eighteen years entered the English army in 1803. He was a mem ber ofthe 15th regiment of Hussars, and was discharged in the course of honorable service in 1 827, having served through the campaigns of the Peninsula and in the engagement at Waterloo ; he received at the end of that con flict, a medal in attestation of his bravery and daring. After the conclusion ofthe campaign, he came to the United States, and took up a residence in Pottsville, where he died in 1839. He was a man of fine military bearing and education, and while a resident of Schuylkill county, became military instructor of the first troops of the Pennsylvania state militia. John P. Harris was united in marriage with Elizabeth Coombe, a daughter of James Coombe. This marriage has been fruitful in the birth of three children : Ella, Newton and Maggie. The educational advantages of Mr. Harris were exceedingly poor ; but through his own individual effort, and through his contact with the world, he has gained a practical knowledge which under other circumstances would prob ably have been impossible. At the age of twelve years he began working for a railroad company, remaining in this em ploy until the age of twenty years. At the ter mination of this time he accepted a place on the coal and iron police of Schuylkill county, and remained in this capacity a period of ten years. Subsequently, in connection with Wm. Frymire, under the firm-name of Harris & Frymire, he embarked in the mercantile busi ness, which he still continues. In addition to this he conducts a meat market in Girardville, Schuylkill county, which has proven to be a very successful venture. In politics he is a firm republican, and is always enthusiastic in the support of that party. f"\R. SOBIESKI H. BRADY, a leading ^ physician of Schuylkill county, located at Lost Creek, Pennsylvania, was born in Car lisle, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, on October 20, 1852. He is a son of Ernest A. and Margaret (Dipple) Brady. 736 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY His grandfather was the Rev. Alfred Brady, at one time pastor of the New Bloomfield District Presbyterian church of Perry county, Pennsylvania, in which county he died about the year 1800. He was one ofthe first grad-. uates of Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsyl vania, under Presbyterian rule. He was united in marriage with Margaret Foster, by whom he had a family of six children, five sons and one daughter. •The father of Dr. Brady was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, on February 22, 18 12, and when a young man went to Carlisle; Penn sylvania, where he spent most of his life, later removing to Warren county, Illinois, shortly before his death, which occurred in 1885. He was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, educated in various schools, and after wards engaged in ministerial work until the time of his removal to the state of Illinois, at which time he accepted the position of cashier of the Monmouth (Illinois) National Bank, in which capacity he was serving at the time of his demise. He was also connected at the time of his death with the American Bible Society. In politics, he was a democrat, and by that party was elected register of wills of Cumberland county in 1861, for a term of three years, having a majority of over a thous and votes. He was united in marriage with Margaret Dipple, which resulted in an issue of six children, four sons and two daugh ters : Joseph F., clerk for Du Bois & Van Tassel, tanners of Du Bois, Pennsylvania ; Sobieski H., subject ; Ernest D., teller of the National Bank at Monmouth, Illinois ; Irwin T., resident of Monmouth, Illinois, by profes sion a lawyer ; Annie M. and Florence, all residents of Monmouth, Illinois, with their mother. Dr. Brady was to a certain extent self- educated, afterwards entered Dickinson Col lege, and then read medicine with Dr. James Herman of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. After this course of preparation, he entered the Univer sity of Pennsylvania,, from which he was grad uated in 1875. After graduation he located at Lost Creek, Schuylkill county, where he has since been in active and successful prac tice. He is a member of the County and State Medical Societies, in the former of which he holds the position of censor. In politics, he is a republican of very pronounced views, and has been a school director of West Mahanoy township for one term. Fraternally, he is a member of Shenandoah Lodge, No. 511, F. and A. M., of which he is Past Master from merit. Dr. Brady was united in marriage with Mrs. Elizabeth Gise (nee Dunston), of Lost Creek, on October 28, 1877. General Hugh Brady, who at one time figured prominently in the military history of Pennsylvania, was an uncle of Rev. Ernest A. Brady, father of Dr. S. H. Brady. JOHN CAMPBELL, of Branchdale, Schuyl- kill county, Pennsylvania, is,a son of John and Janet (Burt) Campbell, and was born August 12, 1858, near the place where he now resides. His grandfather, Alexander Campbell, was a native of Scotland, but emigrated to this county, where he died. His father was also of Scotch nativity, and arrived in Schuylkill county about the year 1855, locating near Branchdale. He was a miner by occupation, and died in the year 1875. His wife (nee Janet Burt), mother of John, is still living, and bore her husband nine children, seven of whom are still living. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 737 John Campbell received a limited education in the common schools, and at the age of nine years was employed in the mines as a slate picker. For twenty-five years he remained an employee of the collieries, at the end of which time he went into the saloon business in Branchdale, and since 1889 has continued to conduct a saloon and hotel. The house which he at present conducts has been in the possession of some members of his family since 1867. He is a republican in politics, and is a mem ber ofthe Order of Sons of Veterans, by virtue of his father's service in the Civil war. His father enlisted in Company E, 55th regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, in August, 1861, under the command of Colonel Richard White. During the period of his service he took part in all the engagements of his regiment, many of which were stoutly and valiantly contested. Fraternally, Mr. Campbell is a member of Swatara Lodge, No. 267, F. and A. M. , JOHN W. REILLY, a merchant of prom- inence of Palo Alto, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Catherine (Berons) Reilly, and was born on August 12, 1858, in the borough and county above men tioned. He is of Irish lineage, his father having been born in Ireland. The latter came to the United States, and located in Manayunk, near Philadelphia, but later removed to Palo Alto, Schuylkill county, where he died. For a number of years prior he had been a boatman on the Schuylkill canal, and while engaged in this business he contracted a fever, which resulted in his death. He was joined in mar riage with Catherine Berons, by whom he had four children, three boys and one girl : John, subject ; Mary, at home, Lawrence, at home, and Andrew, at home. Mrs. Reilly is still living at Palo Alto, at an advanced age. John W. Reilly was joined in marriage with Kate Foley, a daughter of John Foley, of Palo Alto, this county. By this union two chil dren have been born ; one is dead. John, the one living, was born March 5, 1891. Mr. Reilly received his education in the schools of Palo Alto, and at the age of fifteen years he was engaged on the canal in the capa city of driver on the lower tow-path about six months. And then for about ten years was engaged in the coasting trade in the vicinity of Long Island and the Hudson river. A part of this time he was under the employ of his uncle, and the remainder of the time he owned an interest in a vessel. In 1870 he went west, and located in Greeley county, Nebraska, where for nine months he was engaged in farming. He afterwards removed to Valentine, Nebraska, where he resided for five years, engaged in farm ing and draying. At the termination of this period he returned to the East, and located in Palo Alto in June, 1886. Here he engaged in the mercantile business, first upon a very small scale, and then gradually added to his business as the demand increased. At the present time his store is one of the largest and best patron ized in the borough. The store building is a structure twenty feet wide and twenty-four feet deep, situated on the main street in a very favorable location, and is convenient to the trade. In politics he is nominally a democrat, though upon many political issues he holds entirely independent views. He is a consistent member of the Roman Catholic church. 738 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY f"\R. EDWIN F. PHILIPS, a progressive physician and enterprising citizen, of Tower City, Pa., is a son of S. A. and Leah (Hornberger) Philips, and was born January 31, 1849, in Minersville, Schuylkill county, Pa. Dr. Philips was reared in Minersville, and educated in the High School of that town. Solomon A. Philips, father, was born in Lititz, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, March 5, 1823. He was reared and educated in Har risburg, this state, where he learned the trade of a tinsmith and sheet-iron worker, and pur sued his trade in Harrisburg and in Canton, Ohio, until 1847, when he came to Miners ville, where he has been engaged in the pur suits of his trade ever since. He is a repub lican in political texture, and has served in the town council and as president of the school board for twenty years. In 1864 Dr. Philips entered the military school of Professor William F. Wyers at West Chester, Pa., where he pursued his studies one year. Immediately following this, he took up the study of medicine under the preceptor ship of Doctor Oscar M. Robbins, of Miners ville. He then entered that renowned medical institution, the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, in which he took three full courses of lectures and graduated therefrom in 1 87 1. In addition to this, he had the ad vantage of a very valuable experience from 1867 to 1 87 1, as assistant to his preceptor, who had a very large and varied practice. Immediately upon his graduation in 1871 he located in Tower City, where he has prac ticed ever since, and by close application to the duties of his profession, combined with steady habits and a studious and discriminating mind, he has built up an enviable practice, and possesses the entire confidence of a large and intelligent clientele. He keeps fully abreast of the progress of his profession, and always stands ready to promote any measu re which may have for its object the amelioration ofthe ills to which the flesh is heir. He is a mem ber of the Schuylkill County Medical Society and the State Medical Society of Pennsylvania. He stands high in the fraternal world, and is a member of Swatara Lodge, No. 267, F. and A. M., of which he was Senior Warden; Minersville Chapter, No. 159, R. A. M,and Constantine Commandery, No. 41., K. T. He is also a member of Washington Camp, No. 52, P. O. S. of A. He is a republican in political matters, and has served as school director of his township two terms, one of them as secretary of the board, and is now a member of the borough council of Tower City. Since the organiza tion of the Williams Valley Railroad Company in 1 89 1, he has been its treasurer. May 28, 1872, he married Emma, a daugh ter of Thomas and Abigail Acker, of Port Clinton, this county, and to them have been born five children, three of whom are living : Lulu A., Maude A., and Ray A. TTJILLIAM WATERS, Sr., an experi- ^-"¦J* enced and early miner of Schuylkill county, is a son of William and Mary (Davis) Waters, and was born in Breckenshire, South Wales, August 10, 1830. His father was a native of Wales, where he lived all his life. Mr. Waters commenced working in the mines of his native country at the early age of seven years, and was engaged continuously in that line of work in Wales until he came to the United States in 1852. He located in Pottsville, where he resided until 1859, engaged in mining. By showing a strict fidelity to every trust reposed in him DR. E. F. PHILLIPS. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 739 he soon so coihmended himself to the notice of his employers that he was made outside foreman of Mt. Laffee Colliery in 1857, but was shortly promoted to the position of inside foreman of the same colliery, and in 1859 re~ moved his family to Wadesville. He remained in the latter position until 1862, when he was made inside foreman of St. Clair shaft, where he remained until 1867, when he removed to Shenandoah, and for three years served as in side foreman of Willian Penn Colliery, when he returned to St. Clair, and for four years, until 1874, held an inside foremanship at that place. In 1 874 he became superintendent of Girard Colliery, at Girardville, which position he filled for nine years, when he accepted a position as inside superintendent under W. H. Barnes & Co., who operated near Richmond, Virginia. He remained South but a short time, when he again located at St. Clair, and for a time was engaged in the capacity of a boss, and then took a position as district super intendent of the Shenandoah district, for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Com pany. From 1884 to 1889 he was under the employ of Foster, Williams, Allison & Co., as superintendent of gold and silver mines in Guayabillos, Central America, in which com pany he also held stock. For a time he was then engaged in prospect ing for coal onthe Broad Mountains near Silver Creek. Since 1891 he has filled the position of individual mine inspector. His territory extends over a large field. He married Ann Williams, of Glamorganshire, Wales, on June 4, 1853. This union has resulted in the birth of eight children : Mary, became the wife of Adam Blass, now deceased — was killed in the mines in September, 1891 ; Elizabeth, married William Lewis, of Centralia, North umberland eounty, and Anna, deceased. William, operator of the Red Ash colliery, was born in Wadesville, this county, on July 21, i860. He was educated in the public schools of the county, and commenced his varied experience as a miner at the age of seventeen years, and has been in that line of work continuously to the present time in Schuylkill county, except two short intervals, when he was in the same line of work in Hen rico county, Virginia, and in Honduras, Cen tral America, where he was engaged in gold mining. In 1889 he located in Girardville, where he remained until 1892, when he came to Wadesville, and, in connection with John and Abraham Graff, under firm-name of Graff Brothers & Waters, operated a colliery up to April 1, 1893, when William Waters, Jr., pur chased their interest, and has since conducted the business on his own account. Politically, he is a republican, and fraternally, a member of Aqua Lodge, No. 737, I. O O F., of Girard ville; Washington Camp, No. 125, P. O. S. of A.; and Mammoth Castle, No. 136, K. of G. E., of which he is Past Chief. On December 31, 1 88 1, he married Catharine, a daughter of Thomas and Ann Thomas, of Girardville; to this union five children have been born : Ann, William E, Mary, Thomas and Lizzie. The remainder of the children of the marri age of William Waters, Sr., and Ann Williams are : Emma, married F. J. Simmons, of Potts ville, a clerk for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company ; Barbara, at home ; and one died in infancy. JOHN T. DAVIS, inside foreman of the Gilberton Colliery and a well-known citizen of Gilberton, was born July 31, 1859, in the town of Llanartha, Wales, and is the son of David B. and Rachel (Williams) Davis. 740 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY The ancestors of John P. Davis, on both the paternal and maternal side, were natives of Wales. His father came to the United States about the year 1869, and first located in Co shocton, Ohio, where he worked in the bitumin ous coal fields. Later, he removed to Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, where he was employed as an iron worker. He died in Catasauqua, in the latter county. After becoming naturalized he allied himself with the Republican party, to which he gave his unqualified support. In his religious proclivities, he attached himself to the Presbyterian church. He was united in marriage with Rachel Williams, by whom he had two children, both sons, John T. and Thomas, the latter of whom is a miner, resi dent of Gilberton, and was formerly assistant foreman of one of the collieries near that place. John T. Davis was joined in marriage with Mary A. Howells, a daughter of George How ells, of Girardville, Pennsylvania. By this marriage three children have been born : Minnie May, Thomas John and Ethel. Mr. Howells was formerly a foreman in the mines. Mr. Davis was partly educated in Wales, and partly after he arrived in the United States. While in his native country, he was employed in the. tin and copper works, and shortly after coming to the United States, he engaged in the mining of bituminous coal. Subsequently he entered the employ of the. Thomas Crane Iron works, in Lehigh county; thence he removed to Northumberland county in 1873, and was engaged in the mines until 1875, when he returned to Locust Dale, Schuylkill county, where he did similar work for a year, and then came to Girardville, where he held the position of fire boss at Preston Colliery, No. 3, for a period of three years. At the expiration of this time he was appointed inside foreman at Lost Creek, Schuylkill county, for a year, and at the termination of which, in 1889, he accepted the position as inside foreman of the Gilberton Colliery, which position he has held continuously since that date. He is, besides, interested in a slate quarry at Slatington, Lehigh county, Penn sylvania, and was at one time candidate for the position of mine inspector in Schuylkill county. Politically, he belongs to the Republican party, under which he has been elected school director of the borough of Gilberton. Fraternally, he belongs to Aqua Lodge, No. 737, I. O. O. F., at Girardville, Pennsyl vania; the Masonic Fraternity, and to a beneficial association. Mr. Davis is a wide-awake, intelligent man, who has worked himself into general favor through his genial, social and business quali ties. His career has been largely self-directed, and has been guided by a worthy and com mendable ambition. He has always had the confidence of his employers, and as a citizen has always contributed his quota to the con servation and propagation of public good. FREDERICK G. YUENGLING, a member of the well-known firm of D. G. Yueng ling & Son, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, is 'a son of David G. and Elizabeth (Betz) Yueng ling, anld was born in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, on January 26, 1848. His father was of German birth and parent age, born in the Kingdom of Wurtemburg, Germany, on March 6, 1806. His education was received in his native land, upon the com pletion of which he learned the business of brewing. About the time he had reached his majority he emigrated to the United States, landing in Baltimore, in the year 1827. Two OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 741 years subsequent to this date, he located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but soon removed to Pottsville, erected a small plant on Center street, and started in the brewing business. From this small beginning the present plant and extensive business of D. G. Yuengling & Sons have grown. Mr. Yuengling continued the business thus established down to the year 1877, the year of his death. He was emi nently successful, not only in the brewing business, but as a business man generally, and many of the industries and public institutions of Pottsville have felt the touch of his public spirit. He was the first president of the Potts ville Gas Company, and served as such for years ; a director of the Pottsville Water Com pany and several other institutions. In politics he was an advocate of the princi ples held by the Democratic party, and wielded a vast influence in the local politics of his . borough and county, though never with the , ulterior design of securing political preferment or emolument. Religiously he was a member of the German Lutheran Church, to which he contributed the sum of $ 10,000 for the pur pose of erecting the present church building i of Pottsville. He served as a vestryman in [ the church for quite a number of years, and j in all its varied lines of work manifested a commendable spirit of interest and devotion. His marriage resulted in the birth of ten chil dren, three sons and seven daughters. Frederick G. Yuengling, one of the sons and subject of this sketch, was united in the bonds of marriage, with Minna Dohrman, of Brooklyn, New York, on April 3, 1873. To them have been born two children, fhe first of whom is now deceased, the one living being Frank D. Mr. Yuengling received his educa tion in the Pottsville High School, and later attended the State College, Center county, Pennsylvania, for a period of three years. Later he was graduated from a private school located on Staten Island, New York, in 1865. After this he entered Eastman's Business College, at Poughkeepsie, New York, where he finished his course in the following year. After the completion of his education he returned home and took the management of his father's brewing business until the year 1871, when he went to Europe with a view of completing his knowledge in the matter of brewing. After his return he worked with the Berger & Engel Brewing Company, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the purpose of obtaining a more complete, practical knowledge of that business. In 1873 he became associated with his father, as a partner, under the firm-style of D. G. Yuengling & Son, brewers of lager beer, por ter, ale and brown stout, which firm-name has been retained until the present time, Mrs. D. G. Yuengling being the representative of her husband, since the latter's decease. The brewing plant is located on West Mahantongo street, and occupies about two blocks, and has a capacity of 100,000 to 125,000 barrels an nually. The buildings of the brewery are of a superior kind, and are fully equipped with the latest improved apparatus, appliances and ma chinery, including a kettle of 300 barrels, ten pumps, three steam boilers,'of 400 horse-power respectively, and six steam engines. There are also two Mayer ice machines, with an aggregate capacity of about eighty-five tons, in active operation. The vats, mash-tubs, coolers, boilers, etc., in fact all the superior interior equipments commend the admiration of brewing experts, as well as those who have a less intimate knowledge of apparatus of this kind. The storage accommodations of the brewery are very extensive, so that the ale and 742 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY lager are not hurried from the vats to the consumers, but are kept in good cellars until they reach the proper maturity. The brewery is noted for its cleanliness, and the general care which is characteristic of the minutest part ofthe process. The ale brewed here is equal to the best imported. The entire product of this firm is unrivaled for purity and quality, and possesses a delicacy and flavor rarely found in other brands. They employ in their brewery over one hundred men, as brewers and operators, and twenty- five wagons delivering orders. Their trade, which is steadily increasing, now extends throughout all sections of Schuylkill, Northumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Luzerne and Lycoming counties, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, etc. In everything relating to the process of brewing, Mr. F. G. Yuengling is regarded as a high authority. Besides his brewing interest, Mr. Yuengling is connected, as president, with the Pottsville Gas Company, is vice-president of the Schuyl kill Electric Railway Company, vice-president of the Schuylkill Real Estate, Title, Insurance and Trust Company, and a director of the Safe Deposit Bank and of the Pottsville Water Company. Fraternally he is a member of Pulaski Lodge, No. 216, F. and A. M., and is also connected with Trinity Episcopal Church, to which he is a liberal contributor. He is a young man of excellent business ability and resources, and possesses many laudable social characteristics. He has shown himself capable in the management of a large and intricate business concern, and through his integrity, his uniform courtesy and eminent fairness, has won for himself the respect and confidence of a large class of people. As a citizen, a busi ness man, or socially, he has always exhibited a commendable spirit. \ JUDGE CYRUS L. PERSHING, presi- dent judge of the Twenty-first Judicial District of Pennsylvania, was born in West moreland county, this State. When he was five years of age the family residence was changed to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where his father died in 1836. Thrown upon his own resources, the subject of this sketch, by means of money earned in teaching school and clerking in offices connected with the State canal and railroad, paid his own way at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, of which in- l stitution he is a graduate. After leaving col lege he entered, as a student at law, the office of Hon. Jeremiah S. Black, in Somerset, Pennsylvania, where he was admitted to the bar, shortly after which time he commenced the practice of the law at his home, in Cambria county, Pennsylvania. In September, 1856, Mr. Pershing was nom inated as the Democratic candidate for Con gress in the district composed of the coun ties of Somerset, Cambria, Blair and Hun tingdon. The district was republican by a clear majority of 2,500, and had been carried in 1854 by over 5,000 majority. After an energetic canvass in the limited time between the nomination and the election in October Mr. Pershing was defeated by only 284 majority. In 1858 he was again nominated for Congress and defeated. The dissensions growing out of the Kansas slavery excite ment that year brought disaster to the Dem ocratic ticket, state and congressional. In 1 861 Mr. Pershing was elected to repre- resent Cambria county in the Legislature of the State, and was re-elected in 1862, 1863, 1864 and 1865. During the whole period of his service he was a member of the ways and means, judiciary and other important com mittees, general and special. At the session ! % 0H t f'yft *'ft tfti&' &i^a. Bpfa- a|/ i ¦ML- '"••t : v;;ifolte '''JM^^ya^r^' fSff — ^ J Jr x 1 yf ^f A ,yC J. C. BIDDLE, M. D. OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 743 of 1863, he was chairman of the committee on federal relations, and in 1864 was the nominee of the democrats for Speaker of the House. Mr. Pershing also represented his Congressional district in the Union National Convention, which met in Philadelphia in August, 1866, of which General Dix was elected president, and where, for the first time after the war, the leading men of both sec tions confronted each other in a deliberative assembly. In 1868 he was placed on the Democratic electoral ticket in the Presidential contest of that year. In 1869 Hon. Asa Packer and Mr. Pershing were placed in nomination as the Democratic candidates for governor and judge of the Supreme Court respectively. By the vote as counted both were defeated by small majori ties. 1872 Mr. Pershing was nominated for pres ident judge of the judicial district composed of the county of Schuylkill, by the conven tions of the Labor Reformers and republicans. He also received a large vote for the same office in the Democratic convention. His elec tion, which followed, necessitated his removal from Johnstown, in the western part of the State, to Pottsville, where he has since resided, being retained in that honorable office by re election continuously to the present time. On the 10th of September, 1875, Judge Pershing was nominated for governor by the Democratic State Convention, which met at Erie. Governor Hartranft was re-elected in consequence of the large majority which his party commanded in the city of Philadelphia. The State, outside of the city, gave Judge Pershing a handsome majority. Judge Pershing still presides over the courts of Schuylkill county. During the time he has occupied a seat on the bench, particularly in the years 1876 and 1877, the usual monot ony of judicial life was varied by a number of trials of Mollie Maguire conspirators, which excited great interest throughout the country. Judge Pershing easily stands in the very front rank of the eminent jurists of the Com monwealth. He has been a close student of the law, and his rulings have been character ized for their justice and equity, and his bit terest political opponents have never accused him even of unwitting perversion of justice. Through his long and honorable judicial career in Schuylkill county he has endeared himself to all law-abiding citizens, within whose hearts there exists for him a kindly feeling and an affectionate regard, that are the crown of a long, honorable and useful career. J C. BIDDLE, M. D., surgeon-in-chief and • superintendent of the State Hospital for Injured Persons, at Fountain Springs, near Ashland, is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Bowser) Biddle, and was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, June 6, 1854. His paternal grandfather, Jacob Biddle, was born in the city of Philadelphia. Jacob Biddle (father) was born in Philadelphia county, in 181 3, where he was reared and educated. He adopted the profession of broker, which he followed successfully for several years. He removed to Bedford county, where he engaged in speculation and farming until his death, which occurred in 1874. Dr. Biddle was educated in a private school in Bedford and the Normal school, at the county seat of Bedford county. After teach ing for a few years he took up the study of medicine in the office of Dr. D. S. Griffith, of Bedford, where he remained for one year, 744 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY entering Jefferson Medical College in 1874, and graduating in March, 1877, president of his class. After his graduation he went to Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, where he lo cated and commenced the practice of his chosen profession. His success from the start was almost phenomenal, and his career during the past sixteen years reflects credit on the profession. He quickly demonstrated his thorough and comprehensive knowledge of medicine, and the skillful and successful manner in which he performed the most diffi cult surgical operations soon advanced him to the front rank of his profession and won him a lucrative practice. In the fall of 1883 the State Hospital at Ashland was opened for the reception and treatment of patients, and Dr. Biddle was appointed by the Board of Trustees as surgeon-in-chief and superinten dent ofthe institution, which position he has since filled with marked ability and success. On the 27th of October, 1881, Dr. Biddle married Agnes McReynolds Buckingham, of Bloomsburg, Columbia county, Pennsylvania. To them have been born , three children : Marie, John C. and Robert McReynolds. In politics Dr. Biddle is a republican, but the exacting duties of his profession and the con stant attention required by the patients of the crowded hospital, leave him little time, even if he had the inclination, to take an active part in politics. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and takes an active interest in its welfare and the extension of its influence. He is 'a member of Shenandoah Lodge, No. 511, Free and Accepted Masons, also of Prince of Peace Commandery, No. 39, and Griscom Chapter, No. 219, of Ashland. He also takes an active interest in promoting the success ofthe. various business enterprises projected by the lea'ding business men of the county, with whom he is associated. He is at present a director of the Orwigsburg Bank, and of the First National Bank of Girardville. Dr. Biddle is an active and courteous gentle man, and enjoys the esteem of a very wide circle of friends and acquaintances throughout the State. FRANKLIN B. KAERCHER was a son of Daniel and Catharine (Shots) Kaer cher, and was born in Friedensburg, South Manheim township, Schuylkill county, Pa., on September 18, 1821, and died in Pottsville, August 29, 1 88 1. Daniel Kaercher, father, was a native of Hamburg," Berks county, but at an early date settled at Pottsville, and in 1843 removed to Philadelphia, where he died in 1 861. He was a cabinet maker by trade, and served in the war of 181 2. His union with Catharine, a daughter of Dreher Shots, of Orwigsburg, resulted in an issue of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters. All are now deceased. Franklin B. Kaercher, subject, was reared at Friedensburg, where he attended the public schools until twelve years of age, when, for one year, he was engaged in boating upon the canal between Pottsville and Philadelphia. He then for a short time joined his father, who was building a railroad at Shamokin, Pennsylvania. It was at about this time that he was presented with a copy of the life of Benjamin Franklin, which he read with great avidity, and which filled his youthful mind with aspirations, which, no doubt, had much to do with shaping his future career. He became possessed of a strong desire for knowledge, and eagerly read all books that came into his possession. He resolved upon learning the printing trade, and accordingly was apprenticed until twenty-one years of OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 745 age with Benjamin Bennan, then editor and proprietor of The Miners' Journal. After serving a full apprenticeship and fully mas tering the details of the trade, he went to Philadelphia, and was employed as a composi tor upon The Daily Sun, but soon returned to Pottsville, and in the Spring of 1844 founded the Anthracite Gazette, which he edited and published until 1846, when failing health com pelled him to sell out. He belonged to the military organization of Pottsville, known as the Washington Artillerists, and enlisted in Company "B," Captain James Nagle's com pany, as second lieutenant, in 1846, and served to the close of the Mexican war, taking part in most of the important battles of that con flict. From Pueblo he returned home and recruited one hundred men, and started again for Mexico, arriving just after that city sur rendered. The life of a soldier was much more congenial to his health than that of an editor and publisher, and at the end of his service he returned much improved physi cally. Shortly after his return he was nomi nated by his party — the Whig party, of which he had always been a stanch supporter — for the office of county treasurer, but because of the party then being in the minority he was • defeated; but three years later, in 1850, he was renominated, and because of his personal popularity overcame the majority ofthe oppo sition and was elected, serving a full term of three years. At the expiration of this term of service he then served three years as clerk to the county commissioners of Schuylkill county. In 1854 he embarked in the hotel business, being proprietor for seven years of the Exchange Hotel of Pottsville, and for four years of the Pennsylvania Hall Hotel, of the same place. It was while proprietor of the last-named hotel that he was appointed super intendent of the Girard estate, which respon sible position he filled with signal ability for a term of five years. He then began to turn his attention to coal operating, and for a time was interested in collieries at Lost Creek and Shenandoah, this county. He helped to or- | ganize the Safe Deposit Bank of Pottsville, and was its secretary and treasurer to the time of his death. He married, on September 3, 1844, Susanna, a daughter of Samuel and Eleanor Hunt zinger, of Pottsville, and to this union were born seven sons and three daughters, as fol- 1 . lows: George R., who was killed iri the famous Shoemakersville railroad wreck on September 19, 1890, was educated in the : Pottsville High School, of which he was the i first graduate. He then took a special course in Lafayette College, read law and was ad mitted to the Schuylkill county bar in 1862. He at once took a leading place as a practi tioner of law, and was looked upon by his fel low-members as one ofthe brightest advocates that ever practiced before the tribunal of the county. He was a democrat in politics, and served one term as district attorney of the county, and for nine years prior to his death held the responsible position of solicitor for the P. and R. R. R. ; Franklin P., a graduate of the Eastman Business College, and now secretary of the P. and R. C. and I. Co., at Philadelphia, where he resides; Samuel H., of Pottsville, a graduate of Lafayette College and one of the most prominent and success ful attorneys of eastern Pennsylvania, is solicitor for the P. and R. R. R. Co. and the Girard estate, as well as several other corpor ations ; William H., a superintendent of col lieries, Lost Creek, for the Lehigh Valley Coal Co. ; Edward E. (see sketch) ; Daniel 746 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY W., a graduate of Lafayette College and now a practicing attorney at Pottsville, Pennsyl vania; James M., deceased ; Ida L, the wife of Franklin M. Day, of Hazelton, Pennsyl vania ; Ellen, deceased, and Susanna C, wife of Rev. James P. Hawks, of Lebanon, Penn sylvania. CDWARD E. KAERCHER, assistant en gineer of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, in charge of the Tremont district, is the fifth son of the late Franklin B. and Susanna Huntzinger Kaercher and was born in Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, June 20, 1859. Edward Kaercher was educated in the pub lic schools of Pottsville, graduating from the high school in the class of 1878. In March, 1879, he went to Ashland, and for three years served as a chainman of an engineer corps, under the employ of the P. and R. C. and I. Co. He then came to Pottsville where he remained one year in the same capacity, and in 1882 was appointed transitman, and was stationed at Shamokin, where he remained five years. In July, 1887, he was appointed assist ant to Frank Hill, on the state geological sur vey, remaining in that capacity until Novem ber 1, 1888, and making surveys ofthe south ern anthracite coal fields. In 1888 he was made assistant engineer of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, in charge of the Tremont District, which responsible position he now holds. In political affiliations he is a Democrat, and always takes a lively and intelligent interest in the success of his party. He is now (1893) serving his second term as a member of the school board of Tremont, in the capacity of the secretary of the board, and has frequently represented his district in county conventions. He is a member of Tremont lodge, No. 241, I. O. O. F., Tremont Castle, No. 107, K. of G. E., of which he is a Past Chief, and Mt. Eagle Commandery, No. 74, K. of G. E., in which he is a Second Lieutenant. On March 1, 1883, he married Kate, a daughter of Henry Schaefer, of Millersburg, and to them have been born two children: Gertrude T. and Edna L. TTillilAAM WILHELM, a rising lawyer ^^* of Pottsville, is a son of John and Mary (Dieffenderfer) Wilhelm. He was born in Greencastle, Franklin county, Pennsylvania, September 6, 1855. His grandfather, John Wilhelm, was a native of Philadelphia, but removed to the western part of the State about the year 1805. He took up his residence in Franklin county, where he lived the remain der of his life, having completed his earthly labors in the year 1861, at the age of ninety- three years. Upon his arrival in Franklin county he became the manager of an estate, but shortly afterwards engaged in farming, his permanent vocation. The father of William Wilhelm was born in the same county, Feb ruary 14, 1824, and still resides there. By occupation he is a farmer, and is also president ofthe Turnpike Company of Franklin county. He has also the distinction of being the first banker of Greencastle, having been one of the prominent organizers of the First National Bank. By reason of his close proximity to Mason and Dixon's line, he was brought in close contact with many unique phases ofthe slavery situation at the beginning and during the progress of the late war. He was a de cided anti-slavery man, took part in the opera tions of the so-called " underground railway," and even shared the hospitality of his own OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 747 home with the famous John Brown and his patriotic band. Mary Dieffenderfer (mother of subject) was born in 1832 at Winchester, Virginia, the daughter of William Dieffen derfer, a direct descendant of one of the two Dieffenderfer brothers who settled in New Hall, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1728. The family of John Wilhelm consists of pa rents and seven children : William (subject) ; Charles E., member of the firm of Wilhelm & Kennedy, house furnishers, Pottsville, Pa., Georgia;(dead), married to Mr. Houseworth, a druggist in Arbu^kle city, California; Mac- Henry Holliday, attorney-at-law, located in Ashland, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania ; Minnie (died at the age of five years) ; Sue D., married to Harvey Spessard, Cham- bersburg, Pennsylvania, B. & O. R. R. agent ; and Jennie D., unmarried. William was educated in the public schools of his native place, and at the Millersville State Normal School, from which he was graduated in 1874. He taught school part of two years at Safe Harbor, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and the remainder of this time at his alma mater, studying at the same time toward a scientific degree. He was later made principal of the Tremont schools for a term of three years. Mr. Wilhelm then studied law, and was admitted to the Schuyl kill county bar in May, 1881, opening an office in Pottsville, where he has been in active practice ever since. In 1885 he became deputy district attorney, and held that posi tion until 1887. In the meantime he had been nominated by the Greenback party and endorsed by the Republican party for the office of Judge of Schuylkill county. He came to the county, however, in 1876 as a republican, but being in accord with the finan cial policy of Peter Cooper, allied himself with the Greenback party in 1877. His coun sel to the laboring men of his own county and others, too, has brought him into promi nence throughout the State generally. His allegiance to the Greenback party was charac terized by an intense zeal and by an active participation in all its campaigns, from 1878 to 1887. In 1888 he again allied himself with the Republican party on account of his tariff | views, and has been a strong adherent of that ; that party ever since, showing that principle and not partyism is his political guide. On April 29, 1885, Mr. Wilhelm was united in marriage with Emma F. Enzensperger, a daughter of Joseph Enzensperger, of Tremont, the latter deceased January 1, 1891. There have been born to them two children : Rose L., born October 9, 1886, and Ann^, born December 24, 1890. AVHABLES R. ACKER, the popular and ^^ efficient editor and business manager of the Daily Miners' Journal of Pottsville, Penn sylvania, is a son of John M. and Margaret (Ridall) Acker, and was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, March 26, i860. He was educated in the public schools of Scranton and the Wyoming Seminary. After leaving school he took a clerical position in fhe coal department of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad at Scranton for nine months, when he was advanced to the position of chief clerk of the Bloomsburg division of the same road, with headquarters at Kingston, Pennsylvania. He remained in that position until March 17, 1890, when he resigned to assume the business management of the Daily Miners' Journal of Pottsville, and since June, 1893, has, in addition to this, been the editor of that spicy and popular paper. Fraternally Mr. Acker is a member of 748 BIOGRAPHY AND, HISTORY Kingston Lodge, No. 395, F. and A. M., at Kingston, Pennsylvania ; Mountain City Chap ter, No. 196, R. A. M., and Constantine Com mandery, No. 41, K. T., at Pottsville. Mr. Acker and Kate Boughtin, daughter of Charles Boughtin, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, were united in marriage in October, 1882. To them have been born three children: Charles B., G. Elliott and J. Murray. JOHN R. COYLE, one of Shenandoah's most progressive and respected citizens, is a prominent and prosperous member of the Schuylkill county bar, and a son of Patrick H. and Catharine (Sheridan) Coyle. He was born in Nesquehoning, Carbon county, September 18, 1859, and spent his boyhood days at that place. John R. was one of a family of eight chil dren, four boys and four girls, bora to his parents, who were honest, frugal, and indus trious people ; and, like the sons of all miners in the anthracite coal region, he was compelled at an early age to assume the burden of toil, in order to contribute to the support of the family. He had in the meantime, however, availed himself of the advantage of the public schools, and received a good common school education. Being both ambitious and studious he continued his studies for several years after he had been compelled to go into the mines", and in 1877 entered Bryant & Stratton's Business College of New York, where he completed a full business course. Returning to Mauch Chunk, he taught school for a period of two years, and in 1881 entered the law department ofthe University of Michigan, from which he graduated in the class of 1883. A few months later he came to Schuylkill county, and, after being formally admitted to the bar, opened an office in Shenandoah and began the active practice of his profession. With a single exception, his career in the county has been an unbroken line of pro fessional success. His only reverse was met two weeks after he located in Shenandoah, where his library was consumed in the con flagration of November 12, 1883, which, in a few hours, swept away one-fourth of the prop erty of the town, thus sanctifying by fire, as it were, the beginning of his professional career. With the indomitable will and untiring energy, however, which have since made him one ofthe most conspicuous and enterprising citizens ofthe town, he went to work. He found clients and encouragement, and quickly estab lished a lucrative practice. From the start he took an active interest in every movement cal culated to promote the interests of the borough and the welfare of the people, and quickly be came recognized as one ofthe foremost citizens ofthe town. He was one of the original pro moters of the Mahanoy City, Shenandoah, Girardville, and Ashland Street Railway, and was solicitor for that corporation from its in ception, until it passed into the hands of the Schuylkill Traction Company. He has also been prominent and active in the organization of the various other electric railway companies in the Mahanoy valley, and is at present soli citor for the Tamaqua and Lansford Street Railway Company, and takes a prominent part in securing the proper co-operation and support to assure its successful completion. He is also president of the Northumberland, Bloomsburg, and Scranton Railway Company, a corporation which contemplates the building of an electric railway line from Nothumber- land to Scranton, along the Susquehanna river. Mr. Coyle has also been prominently identi- •fied with the financial institutions of the town OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 749 of Shenandoah for several years, being pro fessionally connected with the Merchants' National Bank, and having secured the charter for that institution. He was also active in organizing the Miners', Mechanics', and Lab orers' Building and Loan Association, a pros perous institution, ofwhich he is the solicitor. In his professional relations and business transactions, Mr. Coyle has always been prompt, pains-taking, and conscientious, and has won the highest esteem ofthe community for integrity and probity of character, while his uniform courtesy and kindness have earned for him the regard of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. HON. W. RAMSAY POTTS, a well-known citizen of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and ex-member of the State Legislature from the Fourth District, is a son of William Baird and Jane Hughes (Downing) Potts. He was born in Orwigsburg, Schuyl kill county, in 1838. His father was born in Pottstown, Mont gomery county, Pennsylvania, on February 22, 1802. After receiving a good academic education, he entered upon the study of law, and was admitted to practice in the courts of of Berks county in 1823. He removed to Orwigsburg, the county seat of Schuylkill county, in the year 1828. Immediately after the removal of the county seat to Pottsville, he removed to that place. His death took place in Pottsville in October, 1855. He was a prominent member of the masonic frater nity, was district deputy grand master of the State of Pennsylvania for a great number of years, and held that honorable position up to the time of his death. Besides being a practitioner in the courts of Schuylkill and Berks counties, Mr. Potts was also admitted to practice in the district and supreme courts of the United States, and of the supreme court of Pennsylvania, to the latter of which he was admitted upon the motion of James Buchanan, afterward Presi dent ofthe United States. Mr. Potts' ancestry were Quakers ofthe old stock. The grandfather of W. Ramsay Potts was William Potts, a prominent merchant and life-long resident of Pottstown, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and lies buried in the family cemetery at that place, where his son, William B. is buried. The great-grandfather, Dr. Jonathan Potts, was a physician of note, born at Pottstown, about 1747, and graduated from- the Medical University at Edinburg, Scotland, in 1768. During the Revolutionary war he was surgeon general of the army, and took a very promi nent and self-sacrificing part in the early struggle for national independence, and re ceived many complimentary notices from Con gress and its officers. W. Ramsay Potts received his education at the Orwigsburg and Pottsville Academies and the Norristown Institute. After the death of his father, he entered the employ of the Read ing Railroad Company as clerk at Schuylkill Haven junction. He accepted another em ployment in the company for a short time, when he resigned and engaged in business in Philadelphia. The panic of 1857 closed up the business. He returned to Pottsville and began the study of law with the Hon. Robert M. Palmer, appointed minister to the Argen tine Confederation by President Lincoln. He was admitted to the bar of Schuylkill county in i860, and at once entered upon the active practice of his profession. In 1876 he was elected to the Pennsylvania 750 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY Legislature, and served in 1877 and 1878. In 1888 he was again elected and represented the interests of his constituents with credit and ability. During the late civil war, Mr. Potts en listed on April 15, 1 861, with that body of troops afterward known as the " first defen ders," and now wears a " medal of honor," presented by the Commonwealth of Pennsyl vania to all of the gallant 530 who so va liantly and promptly offered their services in 1861. He afterward enlisted, in 1862, in Company B, 6th regiment, Pennsylvania vol unteer militia and was first sergeant, and in 1863, enlisted in the 27th regiment, Pennsyl vania volunteers, and was made lieutenant in Company B of said regiment. He has always been a staunch, earnest republican in politics, active in the interests of equitable and just legislation, and through his identification with the politics of his county, has won the. respect, honor and confidence of all parties. He was married in 1864 to Annie W. Larer, a daughter of the late General Daniel Larer. FRANCIS WADE HUGHES, attorney at law, was born August 20, 1 817, in Upper Merion township, Montgomery county, Penn sylvania, and died in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, October 22, 1885. His father John Hughes, was one of the principal men of his neighbor hood, regarded in his day as a man of wealth; was a gentleman farmer, leasing the greater portion of his estate to tenants. The family had settled upon the same estate before the time of William Penn, and in colonial and revolutionary days had held prominent posi tions of honor and trust. His mother, Han nah Hughes, was the eldest child of Benjamin Bartholomew, who was of French Huguenot stock, and had served through the entire Revo lutionary war as captain of a cavalry com pany. Mr. Hughes in his early childhood gave evi dence of the remarkable ability which rendered him so successful at the bar. With the natural fondness of a boy for but-door sports and ex ercise, he manifested an aptitude for study which an intelligent father observed and en couraged. Rev. David Kirkpatrick, of Milton Academy, at that time deservedly enjoyed the reputation of being one of the best teachers in the state. To his instruction young Hughes was confided. At this Academy he acquired a good classical as well as mathematical educa tion. In the fall of 1834 he commenced the study of the law with the late George W. Farquhar, in Pottsville. The following winter he entered the law office of John B. Wallace, of Philadel phia, under whose able guidance a broad, prac tical knowledge of the law was acquired. A knowledge of pleading gained at that time, Mr. Hughes has often in the trial of causes since displayed to the wonder and astonishment of court and bar. After the death of Mr. Wallace, which oc curred in the latter part of 1836, he entered the law school at Carlisle, then under the di rection of Hon. John Reed, the president judge of that judicial district. Here he met a number of his old schoolmates at the Milton Academy, among them Andrew G. Curtin, since famous as the war governor of Pennsyl vania. The same avidity for learning displayed by Mr. Hughes in, the offices of George W. Farquhar and John B.Wallace, Esqs., he mani fested at the law school, and by his fellow- students who are still living the recollection is still fresh of the extent of his learning, the facility with which it was acquired, and the OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. 751 brilliancy and clearness of its expression. He was admitted as an attorney in August, 1837, and immediately commenced, in Pottsville, the practice of his chosen profession. His practice, which from its commencement was lucrative, became extremely varied, his business import ant as a class, and his suits in all of the courts, and he has tried, probably, more causes than any other man in the State of Pennsylvania. He was familiar with, and at home in, all branches of the profession. He was, in 1839, appointed deputy attorney-general by Hon. Ovid F. Johnson, then attorney-general. He resigned this office three several times ; was subsequently reappointed, and held it altogether for eleven years. His knowledge of criminal law was consequently thorough, but his prac tice, mainly, was in the civil courts. He ranked among the first of the few great land lawyers of the country; was a fine equity practitioner; understood, in all its branches, patent as well as commercial law. He had few equals as a nisi prius lawyer in the country. He prepared a case rapidly, but with great skill and accur acy; examined and cross-examined a witness with rare ability ; argued with force, law and fact to court and jury, and in the general man agement of his cause enlisted the admiration of all. Although naturally impulsive, he held himself under complete control during the trial of a cause, rarely lost his temper — never his balance. His extended reputation, per haps, was gained in the argument of cases in the superior courts on appeal. As a law yer and a gentleman he was universally re spected by bench and bar. But whilst Mr. Hughes led a wonderfully busy life as an active practitioner at the bar, he always took an ac tive interest in politics, as well as in subjects pertaining to the general public welfare. In 1843, when but twenty-six years of age, he was elected to the State Senate by the Democratic party, by a large majority, there being in this county only 149 votes cast against him. He resigned his office as senator in 1844, and re turned to the practice of the law. Whilst in the senate he formed close friendly relations with the Hon. William Bigler, who, when elec ted governor of Pennsylvania, in the fall, of 1 85 1 , appointed him secretary of the Common wealth. In March, 1853, he was appointed attorney-general of the State, which office he filled until the early part of the year 1855. Although deeply interested in politics, his tastes and business cares prevented him from holding many political offices. He was one of the Presidential electors in 1856, and had been a delegate to many county, state and national conventions, over many of which he presided. He was, however, a politician of the old school; believed in the power of or ganization, and regarded parties as representa tives of principle, not as mere machines for personal advancement. In February, 1861, he was a member ofthe State convention at Harrisburg, known as the Peace Convention, and was a prominent mem ber of the committee on resolutions. When the war broke out, his support of the Union was prompt, energetic and valuable. He aided in fitting out one of the first five companies that reached Washington. He maintained, with voice and pen, the legal right of the gov ernment to put down rebellion with force of arms. He aided in the raising of regiments, and one regiment was familiarly known as his regiment. But he was a democrat ; was chair man of the Democratic State Committee in 1862, and in the unreasoning political zeal of the times was denounced by his political oppo nents. Efforts were made by them to have 752 BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY him arrested, which would probably have been successful had it not been that Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, then secretary of war, was his per sonal friend. Secretary Stanton telegraphed him that there should be no order for his ar rest without first granting him a hearing. As there were no charges affecting his loyalty to th§ government, except such as were mani festly founded in malice, no order was ever issued. Eminent as Mr. Hughes was as a lawyer and politician, his operations as a business man were extensive. He originated and aided in many enterprises; in the purchase and im provement of lands ; in the opening and work ing of coal and iron mines; in the establish ment of iron works and other factories. He was essentially a man of enterprise, and his county and his state have been enriched through his efforts. He embarked in a scheme for the reclamation of marsh lands about Long Island and Staten Island. In this he lost many thousands of dollars. He was eminent as a lawyer, disinterested and earnest as a politician, and in his death Pottsville not only lost one of her most be loved citizens, but the State one of her most distinguished sons. YALE UNIVERSITY a3900 2 00255556^b