USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > Catasauqua > A history of Catasauqua in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania > Part 17
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Mr. Frederick was also a cabinet maker, i. e., a furniture builder. The old fashioned rocking chairs were shaped to fit the persons for whom they were made. This explains why we never see two such chairs exactly alike in height, width or tilt.
Upon the death of Owen Frederick in 1875, his son-in-law, Henry A. Steward, took charge of the business and continued therein until his death, April 3, 1897. During Mr. Steward's nineteen years in the business he buried 2114 bodies, of which 553 were men, 474 women and 1087 children. After the death of St. Steward, his brother-in-law, Ogden E. Frederick, and his "right hand . man." William H. Scherer, took the business and are running it in the name of "Frederick and Scherer" ever since.
Mr. Frederick is in charge of the furniture and upholstering department and Mr. Seherer attends to the undertaking. The latter is a practical embalmer and is extremely skillful in this art. He has "held" bodies as long as nine days in a state of perfect preservation. Since February 14, 1887. he was in the employ of Mr. Steward, and rendered constant service with the Trocar. Mr. Scherer has also served his time at the bench as a cabinet maker. A few years ago he re-built the beautiful hearse which they have in use and also designed and built their "first call wagon."
Frederick and Scherer added upholstery since their co-partnership.
Since May 13, 1897, Mr. Scherer buried 2349 bodies. Mr. Scherer's records of persons, deaths and burials, are well nigh perfect. Even the hour of death, the service and place of burial are given.
ELMER E. ERDMAN. Charles Snyder opened an undertaker's establish-
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THE HISTORY
ment at 203 Front Street in the spring of 1882 and continued in business until his death in May, 1902. Ilis widow, Mrs. Ellen Snyder, waited upon calls until Angust of the same year, when Elmer E. Erdman bought the establishment from the estate. The first license granted to a woman undertaker in the State of Penn- sylvania was issued to Mrs. Snyder on September 26, 1898. She died Septem- ber 26, 1906. Mr. Erdman is a graduate of Prof. H. S. Eckees' Philadelphia School of Embalming and Sanitation since July 26, 1902. He is licensed by the State Board since June 26, 1905, and is a member of the State Funeral Directors' Association. During his business career to May 11, 1914, he interred nine hundred twenty-eight bodies.
HARRY F. ECKENSBERGER. Henry J. Eckensberger began house painting and paper hanging in town late in the fifties. He was the first to in- troduce Lewis' whitelead to the town. While painting at a window in the house of Solomon Biery, now the property of Miss Carrie Miller on Front and Union Streets, a squad of newly mustered soldiers marched by ou their way to the front in obedience to President Lincoln's call. Mr. Eckensberger was so stirred by the sight below him that he promptly climbed down from his scaffold and joined the rauks of the "Boys in Blue." After his return from the war Mr. Eekensberger resumed his chosen trade. His son, Harry F. Eckensberger, learned the trade from his father and struck out for himself in 1885. He employes six men.
TITUS R. CASE. Reuben Case is one of the old style painters. He started in business in 1873; and three years later he added paper hanging to his trade. There are very few men who know how to grain a panel so as to rival the natural eross cut of the wood. This is an art which Mr. Case can practice with astonishing accuracy. His son, Titus R., learned the trade with his father, com- meneing at the tender age of ten years. In 1901 the latter succeeded his father in the business.
FRANK II. D. NEWHARD. In 1875 Frauk H. D. Newhard began work as a painter and paper hanger. During all these years he has been beautifying the homes in this section. He is a man of genial temperament, who has gathered throughout these years much of pleasantness to pass on to those whom he meets.
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OF CATASAUQUA
CHARLES E. SHECKLER, JR. The fore-runner of the Sheekler sta- tionery store was established at No. 409 Front Street, by O. M. Fuller and Edward Sehlaugh, some forty years ago. Later O. M. Fuller purchased his partner's share in the business and conducted it as O. M. Fuller and Company. During 1891 Charles E. Sheekler. JJr., bought the business, and, after conducting it at the old place for eleven years, he moved to his new establishment on Church Street, opposite the Town Hall. During the days when pupils furnished their own books and supplies, this store carried a heavy stock and was well equipped to cater to every want. Since School Boards furnish books, this department has been closed ont by Mr. Sheckler. He carries a full line of stationery and wall paper, and contraets for house and sign painting and house decorating.
JOHN K. FEENSTRA. A great deal of the beautifying of the homes and .residences in the Borough and surrounding territory has been done by John K. Feenstra. On January 10, 1906, Mr. Feenstra began work as a paper hanger and painter, and has his place of business located on Howertown Road near Walnut. The demands of his customers require the constant employment of two men.
EDWIN OLDT. John T. Williams and W. W. Mckeever combined to contraet for hauling, moving, etc. In 1893 Edwin O. Oldt bought the interest of Mr. Williams and the firm name, Oldt and Company, was adopted. In 1895 Mr. Oldt purchased Mr. McKeever's share and continued in business for him- self. Contracting, general hauling, and moving comprise Mr. Oldt's business. So extensive is this enterprise that Mr. Oldt employs the services of ten horses, four moving vans, three coal wagons, two extra heavy trucks and six earts. The Oldt barn burnt to the ground on the night of February 16, 1914. His horses and wagons, however, were saved. The barn was immediately rebuilt according to improved plans. Besides the new barn there is an office building and a wagon house.
HOFFMAN AND FOLLWEILER. The contracting firm, composed of Alvin J. Hoffman and W. A. Follweiler, established themselves on Church Street in 1902. By the end of five years their patronage had developed to such
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THE HISTORY
proportions as to require larger stables, sheds and storage facilities. They moved to Sixth Street below Chapel, where they erected a brick structure large enough to accommodate their various requirements. They have a large ice storage whence they supply their wholesale and retail trade with Bear Creek and Min-
HOFFMAN AND FOLLWEILER STABLES
eral Springs ice. They carry a stoek of sand, cement, and vitrified bricks. They contract for hauling and cement construction. They also run a blacksmith shop. The firm uses eighteen horses in their business and also run four ice wagons and five hauling wagons. Their equipment is valued at about fifteen thousand dollars.
CALVIN D. PETERS. In 1912 Calvin D. Peters began taking contraets for cement work. His skill in the use of this kind of building material and his ability in handling the business side of contracts, both large and small, has brought to him much of this kind of construction work. The number of men that he employs varies from twelve to eighteen. The capacity of his mixer is large enough to handle the biggest local contracts. He has done a large part of the reenforced concrete building in this section.
CATASAUQUA GRANITE WORKS. Opposite the entrance to Fairview Cemetery on Lehigh Avenue, stands the stone cutting establishment of the Cata- sauqua Granite Works. Elmer M. Bernd, the proprietor, started the business in 1899 and since that date has set a large number of the monuments and head-
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stones in Fairview. He buys the finished stone and with the assistance of one stone entter does the lettering. Mr. Bernd is a skilled and careful workman, a reliable and successful business man.
ZELLERS. The native barber, Franz Zellers, now almost an octogenarian, is a native of Bavaria. He learnt his trade in Vienna, to which city he came in 1848. Barbers, in those days, were expected to take a course in surgery, so that they might be able to attend to many wants of the afflicted. The barber who took the prescribed course was granted a diploma under which he was permitted to operate. The law of the country also required the shops of surgical barbers to be kept open by night as well as by day. Franz Zellers took the pre- scribed course in Vienna and was graduated at the age of eighteen years.
Ile served his country for eight years in the Austrian Army, having been . draughted in 1859. In 1866 he migrated to this country, and located as a barber, at Steubenville, Ohio. He came to Catasauqua in 1871 and opened the shop at 507 Front Street.
His son. Alvin R. Zellers, assisted his father, when a lad of but ten sum- mers. When he reached his manhood he entered into partnership with him; and when the father retired in 1898, the son succeeded him.
A genial tonsor who knows how to administer a smooth shave is a source of great comfort and delight to his erinated victim that may be possessed of an effeminate skin.
GEORGE W. FITZHUGH. Undoubtedly, one of the oldest residents as well as the oldest barber in point of service is none other than the colored gen- tleman, George W. Fitzhugh. It was on June 30, 1873 (forty-one year ago). that Mr. Fitzhugh came to Catasauqua and became an assistant barber to Wm. Welch. Mr. Welch died on July 4. 1874, when the present proprietor launched into business for himself by purchasing the good will and barber shop from his former employer's heirs.
The building in which the shop is located was originally the town fire-engine house, built by a company of young men who were desirous of organizing a fire company. Here for many years the old fashioned hand pump engine was housed and five charter members of that first company still survive. The build-
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THE HISTORY
ing is eighteen by twenty-one feet and is a one story structure.
Mr. Fitzhugh has the enviable distinction of having shaved every burgess except three, viz .. Uriah Bruner, William Goetz, and A. C. Lewis; and further- more, he has never missed one day in forty-one years in not being able to attend to his business.
QUINTUS H. SMITH. Quintus H. Smith never bas any difficulty in re- membering the time when he became an apprentice to Joe Norton, who had a barber shop at 223 Front Street. It was in the year of the great blizzard, 1888, that he started out with the ambition of becoming a barber. For four years he
INTERIOR OF SMITH'S BARBER SHOP
worked zealously with Mr. Norton when he went to Hokendauqua and set up a shop of his own on the corner of Second and Lehigh Streets. Remaining here three years, he located a new shop on the corner of Second and Mulberry Streets of town in 1896.
Peculiar to relate, Mr. Smith finally drifted back to the building where he had started out as an apprentice. A Mr. Moats had had a barber shop here in the meantime, but had left some time previous. Mr. Smith endeavored to
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OF CATASAUQUA
build up the trade that Mr. Moats had abandoned. He succeeded very well and eight years later sold out to Kurtz Brothers of Bethlehem. Kurtz Brothers, in 1909, moved the shop to 215 Front Street, in the building formerly occupied by the Beitel Jewelry Store. Mr. Smith was retained by these people as their manager. It was here that the Kurtz proprietors furnished one of the finest tonsorial parlors in the Borough. They completely designed and made the furnishings themselves at a cost of $2400. However, Mr. Smith's dreams were to become proprietor of this up-to-date and first class barber shop, and accord- ingly two years later, he bought back the business from Kurtz Brothers, and ever since has continued as proprietor. During the past years his business has grown to sneh an extent that it requires the assistance of his two sons to attend to the trade.
WILLIAM ROXBERRY.
A number of years ago, when Catasauqua had one of the best semi-professional baseball teams in Eastern Pennsylvania, no less a personage than William R. Roxberry, the congenial and up-to-date barber, was the um- pire. At the same time, Mr. Roxberry conducted his barber shop at Front and Walnut Streets where anyone desiring to have any tonsorial work done could also receive informationas to the doings in the baseball world.
INTERIOR OF ROXBERRY'S SHAVING PARLOR
When the room occupied by Mr. Roxberry was converted into a motion picture theatre, it necessitated his moving into the Edgar building upon its completion, December 18, 1912. Here he invested one thousand dollars in equipment and to-day can boast of one of the most modern and sanitary tonsorial parlors in the Lehigh Valley.
OLIVER HI. GIERING. Prior to Oliver H. Giering's assuming the pro-
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THE HISTORY
prietorship of the barber shop at 509 Second Street, he worked as an assistant to Mr. Edwin Weiss. In 1902 Mr. Giering purchased the business from Mr. Weiss and has had charge of the shop since. About two years ago he remodeled his parlor and now ean boast of an up-to-date barber shop. Mr. Giering has a long line of shaving mugs on his shelves which is indicative of a large pa- tronage.
ROBERT BAUMER. It seems that Robert Baumer, the barber at 1112 Third Street, has not had the usual experience of most barbers, in that he has not moved from the above place since he started in business. Mr. Baumer also has the distinction of having been the first barber in North Catasauqua. Equipped with all the latest and up-to-date appliances and being a genial pro- prietor, he enjoys a lucrative trade.
EDWIN WEISS. Edwin Weiss located as a barber at 509 Second Street in 1887 and retained the proprietorship until 1902, when he sold out to O. HI. Giering. From here he moved to 1143 Third Street, where he remained until 1905. Desirous of having a residence of his own, he built a dwelling at 1205 Third Street, with the barber shop in the front part of the building. Here Mr. Weiss enjoys a large trade and helps to keep the gentlemen of North Cata- sauqua smooth of mien.
JOHN H. MISSMER. In 1908 Samuel Roth established a barber-shop at 424 Second Street. Two years later, April 2, 1910, the present proprietor bought out Mr. Roth. Within two months after starting, Mr. Missmer added another chair and completely renovated the shop. It is understood among the male members of his community that to have a good shave is to go to Missmer's.
SAMUEL A. ROTH. Samuel A. Roth started in business as a barber on February 15, 1909, at 424 Second Street. Here he remained a little over a year when he moved to 429 Front Street. During 1912 the second-hand furni- ture store located at 611 Front Street was vacated and Mr. Roth thought this place very desirable for a barber shop. He changed the store room into a first class shop and now is able to satisfy all those desiring a hair cut or shave.
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OF CATASAUQUA
WILLIAM E. JOHNSTON. William E. Johnston started in business on Race Street and remained there for a period of fifteen years. Upon the death of Joe Wehrley, who had his barber shop at 33 Front Street, Mr. Johnson pur- chased his present place of business. Shortly after, he installed all the latest sanitary appliances and completely renovated the shop. Here he has been located for the past one and a half years and attends to all the tonsorial needs of the gentlemen of the lower end of town.
THE MAJESTIC THEATRE. The pioneer moving picture man in town is W. HI. Wentz. Mr. Wentz has had a feeling that much good can be done a community by affording it clean and instruetive amusement ; and, therefore. proceeded to build the Majestic Theatre on the corner of Front and Pine Streets in August, 1909. The building was twenty-four by sixty feet with a capacity
MAJESTIC
THE MAJESTIC THEATRE
of two hundred seats. Mr. Wentz has been concerned constantly with the com- forts of his patrons so that not a season passed without his having made some kind of improvements; and during the spring of 1914, he built an addition to the Majestic so as to increase its size to fifty-five by ninety-eight feet and its capacity to seven hundred and five seats. The theatre is heated by steam, venti- lated by a special ceiling apparatus, and has a fire-proof boiler-house. This is probably the first theatre of its kind in the state that is constructed according
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THE HISTORY
to legal requirements. Association films are used. Mr. Wentz is an extremely public spirited man. For recreation, as well as pleasure, he has been fitting his ground beside the theatre for skating in winter; for baseball in summer; for basket-ball in fall and for quoit pitching for all during the warm weather.
THE PALACE THEA- TRE. The Palace Theatre is the creation of William H. Man- ley and W. R. Roxberry, and is located on the corner of Front and Walnut Streets. Besides a moving picture show house, the Palace also offers vaudeville attractions. The building was completed October 12, 1912, and is most beautifully adorned .. Its size is thirty by one hundred feet and its ca- PALACE THEATRE paeity offers three hundred and fifty seats These people censor and select their films with caution so as to offer the public elevating and clean entertainment.
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CHAPTER VIII-HOTELS.
HOTELS.
During the days of stage-coach travel the public house in a given community was the place around which the whole surrounding country centered. Cities and towns then were situated far apart. A trip to Allentown and return meant a day's journey. No one thought of taking a "run" to the city after supper and returning for bed before the second watch of the night. The nights, too, were dark, as God intended they should be, that men might all the better sleep. The traveler could not know he approached a city by the reflection of her arc-lights in the heavens. Only robbers haunted the dark waysides during the small hours of the night or perchance a belated wanderer who had lost his course. To such a one the glimmering light that shone out of the distant maze of dropping dews was a welcome beacon. Having reached its standard, lifting high the name of its location and genial host, the weary wanderer speaks a gentle Ho! to his willing beast, and implores the versatile landlord to tell him, "How far to my destina- tion ?", "May I lodge here for the night ?" and countless other queries. He now puts up at the Ho-tell.
BIERY'S HOTEL.
The hostelry of Biery's-Port was Biery's Hotel, located on Race Street. This is the beautiful, cut stone structure at the rear of the American Hotel. It was built in 1826 and its foundation and walls are still in a perfect condition. The property now belongs to George B. F. Deily.
AMERICAN HOTEL.
The first large hotel which a traveler beholds when entering Catasauqua by trolley is the American. It is one of the oldest hotels in the Borough, having been
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THE HISTORY
built in 1852. Later, in 1889, it was entirely rebuilt and made up-to-date in every respect. Today the hotel has thirty-two rooms and is capable of accommodating
AMERICAN HOTEL
about fifty guests. There were no less than fifteen proprietors since the time of its erection, the present one being George Monshein.
THE EAGLE HOTEL.
Joseph Laubach built the Eagle Hotel in 1850. Located on Front and Bridge Streets within easy access of the Catasauqua stations, the Eagle was a popular hostelry from the beginning. In 1861 his son, William H. Laubach, bought the business and continued until 1865, when his brother, Franklin P., suc- ceeded him. In 1876 the father again took charge and continued until 1886, when Oscar H. Harte purchased the property. After Mr. Harte's death in 1891
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OF CATASAUQUA
his widow, Floranda, became proprietress. Mrs. Harte sold out to Captain W. H. Bartholomew who sold the property November 6, 1906, to the present proprietor, Edward L. Walker. The hotel contains thirty-six rooms and is modern in all its appointments and equipment. Many improvements have been made to the
EAGLE HOTEL
property at various times so as to keep the Eagle in pace with the times. The bar-room is especially well fitted out with modern and sanitary appliances. There is also a commodious stable connected with the hotel.
THE PENNSYLVANIA HOTEL.
The Pennsylvania Hotel was built by Harrison Hower in 1855. Two addi- tions were made to the original structure at certain times, and in 1909, Mr. John W. Geiger, the present proprietor, remodeled the adjoining tobacco store and attached it to his hotel as a beautiful and inviting Rathskeller. The names of certain proprietors are still to be found but the tenure of their respective proprietorships are not known. Mr. Hower was followed by Edward Overspeck, and his brother Oliver, Adam Bellesfield, Aaron Vogel, Ed. Golding, Mr. Von Steuben, Moses Guth, Charles N. Alberts, and his brother George, Fitchie and Geiger, and the present proprietor. The hotel has thirty rooms and is equipped with hot and cold water and steam heat.
PENNA. HOTEL PENNA. HOTEL
Pennsylvania Hotel, Catasauqua,
PENNSYLVANIA HOTEL
THE HISTORY
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THE CATASAUQUA HOUSE.
In 1849 Catasauqua had two hotels, the American house on the corner of Front and Race Streets, at that time the centre of the town, and the Temperance House, which was in the building now occupied by the Fuller Oil Company at the corner of Front and Church Streets. In that year Jessie Knauss came here from Cedar Creek and built the Catasauqua House. Because of the strong temperance sentiment it was very difficult to obtain a license. After a protracted contest the court at Allentown granted a license to the Catasauqua House and also to the Eagle Hotel, which was opened at the same time. To celebrate the license victory in both hotels a parade was arranged. With all the pomp of a Roman Triumph, bands playing and flags flying, the jubilant victors marched up Front Street.
With this spectacular origin the Catasauqua House has quietly lived on. At the end of a long list of proprietors is that of Frederick Schwegler, the present owner. He bought the hotel in March, 1906, and since that date has been its capable manager. The house has twenty-two rooms, heated by steam and lighted by both electricity and illuminating gas.
THE FARMER'S HOTEL.
This hotel, located on Front Street, but a short distance below the northern Borongh limits, was styled originally, The Crystal Palace. It was built by Charles Clausen early in the sixties. When Owen MeCarty got possession of it, he improved the property and called it The Farmer's Hotel. Mr. McCarty was considered an exceptionally well qualified hotel man. The Farmer's Hotel was the center of many a political storm. Many a luminary of the County and State blazed from MeCarty's piazza, and illumined the gaping crowd upon the per- plexing issues of the day. In 1895 JJohn Fisher acquired control of the property and managed the affairs of the hotel for seven years. About twelve years ago Frank MeCarty took possession of the Farmer's and is still its proprietor. The building accommodates fourteen guests, is heated by steam, illuminated by gas and electricity, and supplied with hot and cold water. There is also stabling for seven horses.
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THE HISTORY
THE ST. GEORGE HOTEL.
The St. George Hotel was established at No. 607 Front Street in 1859 by George Koop, a Veteran who served under Captain Harte in the Catasauqua Militia. In 1872 the Hon. Ernest Nagle acquired it and continued to be its scholarly proprietor until 1894. Mr. Nagle had quite a reputation as a Latin scholar. Since 1894 Leopold Ehle conducts the place. He now calls it Ehle's Cafe.
THE NORTHAMPTON HOUSE.
This hotel dates back sufficiently to be considered one of the oldest hotels in North Catasauqua, although the exact date of its establishment has been lost. David Jones was proprietor at the elose of the eighties. In 1890 the proprietor- ship passed into the hands of Alfred Hahn whose tenure lasted but two years. Mr. Hahn, however, accomplished a marvelons feat. Without a dollar to his credit, he erected the beautiful three story frame structure still standing on the eastern approach to the Hokendauqua Bridge, and furnished it in first class style. Mr. Hahn possessed a keen mind and bore a convincing personality.
Joseph Gorman acquired the property through a forced sale and after seven months passed the property over to Daniel H. Harris whose tenure is twenty-one years. The house accommodates thirty-four people, is heated by steam, illum- inated by gas and electricity. and furnished with hot and cold water. There is also a commodious stable.
THE IMPERIAL.
After the National Bank of Catasauqua had finished her triumphal procession into her new home at Second and Bridge Streets, in 1903, her old habitation on Front Street below Mulberry was converted into a hotel, called the Im- perial. This originally was James Lackey's general store, a building two and one-half stories high. During 1858, it was converted into a banking house, as the article on the National Bank relates. In 1867 the building was enlarged and modernized so as to meet the growing demands of a progressive institution. The first proprietors of the Imperial were Lovine Miller and John G. Sacks. Having bought the interests of these gentlemen, Adam Langkammer took pos- session in May, 1906, and is still the monarch of the Imperial. The house is a three and one-half story brick building, heated by hot water and has a hot and eold water service. Its capacity offers comforts to seventy-five guests.
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