USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > A twentieth century history of Erie County, Pennsylvania : a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 16
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On March 25, 1896, Mr. Wheeler married Miss Cora Annette Bur- ton, a native of Portland, New York, born August 21, 1865, but who spent most of her life from the age of three until her marriage at Rip- ley, that state. Her father died at that place, March 4, 1904, and her mother is yet one of its honored residents-a venerable lady of eighty- nine years, with a strong memory and a bright mind, and finely preserved
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ASTOS LENOX T LDEN FOUNDATIONS
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was conducting alone at the time of his death, November 5, 1908. In his civic relations, the deceased was a valued adviser, and rendered especially active service as a member of the school board, Hamot Hospital and Erie cemetery. In his religious faith, he was an Episcopalian connected with St. Paul's church, and for many years an earnest and efficient superin- tendent of its Sunday-school at one of its missions. He also served as vestryman, junior warden and treasurer at St. Paul's. His wife, whom he married in 1861, was Nancy I. Glover, daughter of Rev. Bennett Glover, long rector of that church. Mrs. Colt is a native of Erie, but received the most of her education at St. Xavier's Convent, Pittsburg. Her life has been an elevating influence, both intellectually and morally.
WALTER S. WHEELER. The Wheeler family has long been a potent factor in the development of the horticultural and live stock interests of Erie county, Walter S. himself being one of the largest raisers and handlers of fine beef cattle in this locality. He is a native of Le Boeuf, this county, born March 13, 1858, son of Charles and Sarah Jane (Clark) Wheeler. The father was born near New Ipswich, New Hampshire, in 1826 and died April 26, 1904, while the mother, a Massachusetts lady, was born at Townsend Center, July 9, 1835, and is living in LeBoeuf township. Charles MI. Wheeler removed to Erie county about 1853, in that year buying land in the township named and devoting it to farming and live stock purposes for the balance of his life. At the time of his death he was a large land owner, being proprietor of an extensive tract of wheat land in Marshall county, Minnesota, as well as the owner of his large and productive farm in Erie county. He had prospered in worldly possessions and had also earned an honorable reputation as a public man, having been a member of the Pennsylvania legislature for two terms. In Masonry, he had attained to the thirty-second degree, being at the time of his death a member of Perfection Lodge of Erie, Erie Chapter and Commandery and Pittsburg Consistory.
Walter S. Wheeler, of this biography, was the second of six sons and was educated at the Edinboro Normal School and Waterford acad- emy, graduating from the latter institution in 1878. He lived with his parents and assisted his father until he was twenty-one years of age when he was placed in control of the home farm and continued to conduct it from 1878 until 1893. He then purchased one hundred and fifty acres of land two miles east of North East borough, twelve acres of this tract being at the time cultivated to grapes. Since that time he has success- fully developed eighty acres of different varieties of grapes, also fine orchards of apples and peaches. The balance of his estate is devoted to the raising of live stock, and he has christened his place the "Walter S. Wheeler Stock and Fruit Farm." As he grows the finest of fruits, he naturally commands the highest of prices, and the same may be said in regard to his raising of beef cattle. As this has all been accomplished through his own persistency and agricultural skill, he naturally takes great pride in the appearance and the productiveness of his farm. In politics, he has always been a firm Republican.
On March 25, 1896, Mr. Wheeler married Miss Cora Annette Bur- ton, a native of Portland, New York, born August 21, 1865, but who spent most of her life from the age of three until her marriage at Rip- ley, that state. Her father died at that place, March 4, 1904, and her mother is yet one of its honored residents-a venerable lady of eighty- nine years, with a strong memory and a bright mind, and finely preserved
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generally, in view of her remarkable age. She is a Unitarian, as was her husband. Mr. and Mrs. Walter S. Wheeler are the parents of Ruth Annette Wheeler, born January 10, 1892, and now a bright pupil in the seventh public school grade.
The biographer wishes to make a few remarks about the modern residence of Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler. They have remodeled the old homestead which is situated two miles east of the beautiful little city of North East, on the Erie and Buffalo highway. Their country seat is one of the most complete and modern homes in Erie county, as a country residence. It is heated by the latest improved steam method, and lighted by natural gas and wired for electricity ; has polished floors and elegant suites of rooms; and the decorator has displayed great artistic skill in the adornment. The residence being situated on an eminence, commands a charming view of the surrounding country. Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler are to be commended in the erection of such a beautiful home in their home township.
FRANK R. SIMMONS, a prominent business man of Erie, Pennsyl- vania, is a native of the county in which he lives, having been born in East Springfield, March 3, 1845, son of Elliott and Mary ( Hart) Sim- mons. The genealogy of the Simmons family is traced back directly to Jonas Simmons, who was born in Berlin, Rensselaer county, New York, March 11. 1:58, a descendant of German pioneer settlers of that locality. Several members of the family took part in the French and Indian war and also in the war of the Revolution, and Jonas Simmons, though not a regularly enlisted soldier, experienced many of the hardships incident to border warfare during the Revolutionary period. About 1809 or 1810 the family moved to Chautauqua county, New York, and in 1825, Peter Simmons, son of Jonas, came to Erie county, Pennsylvania, and settled in Springfield township. His family consisted of four sons, one of whom was Elliott, the father of Frank R. Elliott Simmons was born in James- town, New York, May 20, 1820, and from his fifth year has lived in Erie county. Here he was engaged in the tanning business for many years, up to the time he retired from active life in 1873.
Mary ( Hart) Simmons, the mother of Frank R., was born in Weston, Windsor county, Vermont, August 27, 1825. Her paternal ancestors were English, while her mother's people, who bore the name of Lawrence, were of Scotch origin. Mr. Simmons' great-grandfather Lawrence enlisted in the Revolutionary army at the age of sixteen, and served until the close of the war ; he was one of the latest survivors of that great struggle, and died at his home in Vermont, at the age of ninety-six years. Grandfather Lawrence had three sons in the war of 1812.
Frank R. Simmons was the first born in his father's family. A brother. Herman, born January 21, 1848, died January 15, 1862. After attending the public schools of Springfield, Frank R. entered Oberlin College, where he took a classical course, and graduated with the class of 1820. Then he accepted the principalship of the graded schools at Utica, Ohio, which position he held for three years. In 1873 he as- sociated himself with Joseph Osborn, a practical tanner, and engaged in the tannery business in Girard, Pennsylvania, Mr. Simmons having charge of the buying and selling end of the business in Erie. The death of Mr. Osborn in 1875 terminated this association, and Mr. Simmons removed to 136 East Ninth street, where he has since continued to deal in hides, wool, pelts, tallow, leather and findings. In 1889 he built a
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large cold storage plant at 132 East Ninth street, and, in addition to his other business, has since that date carried on a large wholesale business in butter, cheese and eggs.
September 11, 1872, Mr. Simmons married Susanna, daughter of William and Sarah (Reed) Alsdorf. Like her husband, Mrs. Simmons traces her ancestry back to a Revolutionary patriot. Her great-grand- father on the paternal side was a soldier in the Revolution. His people were among the early Dutch settlers near Schenectady, New York. Her mother was descended from Scotch-Irish ancestry, all of whom were Covenanters in faith. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons have one child, a daughter, Edith May, who is the wife of J. B. Campbell, a well-known manufacturer of Eric.
Politically, Mr. Simmons is a Republican, and while he is not a politician, he has always taken a deep interest in local affairs, and has served as a member of both the select and common councils of Erie.
JOIIN S. YAKES. A well-known business man of Erie and an active and prominent member of its select council, John S. Yakes, is a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, born on the 1st of March, 1862. He is a son of Daniel and Margaret (Smith) Yakes, both of whom were also born in that county and are now deceased. The grandfather, George Yakes, was a native of Germany and founded the family in America. John S. was reared in Lancaster county and in 1881, when nineteen years of age, obtained his first experience of western life by spending two years in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Texas. Deciding, however, that he preferred the east as a home section, he returned to Lancaster and there engaged in the retail tobacco trade, later becoming identified with the Fatman Tobacco Company of New York, packers of leaf tobacco.
Mr. Yakes became a resident of Erie in 1887, first engaging in the retail tobacco business in the old Ellsworth House block on North Park row. Two years later he moved his business to the Erie Trust building and, after conducting it for another two years, sold out to Frank Fairbairn. He then became a traveling salesman for the Drum- inond Tobacco Company of St. Louis, and a year and a half thereafter re-established himself in business as a retail tobacco dealer and a cigar manufacturer. He is still successfully engaged in these lines, his factory being at No. 361 West Ninth street. In February, 1909, he also engaged in the sale of automobiles on North Park row, his wide acquaintance with the best people in the city having materially assisted him in estab- lishing this enterprise on a good paying basis. Just a year prior to that time his popularity and prominence in the community were brought into evidence by his election to represent the Third ward of Erie in the Select Council, and in that body he is serving as chairman of the com- mittee on police, docks and railroads and of law and franchises. Mr. Takes is also a member of the orders of Elks and Knights of Pythias. His wife, before marriage, was Miss Emma Keech, of Altoona, Penn- sylvania, and their daughter, Elaine, was born in 1891.
CLARK W. ZUCK. One of the old and honored families of the Key- stone state is that of which John Zuck, Sr., founder of the branch in Erie county, was a worthy member. He was numbered among the sterling pioneers of this county and contributed in liberal measure to its civic and industrial development, as have also his descendants in succeed-
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ing generations. No family in the county is more clearly worthy of consideration in a compilation of the province assigned to the one at hand than is that of Zuck, which to-day has numerous representatives in Erie county,-prominent in connection with business and civic affairs.
John Zuck, Sr., was a native of Pennsylvania and was of stanch German lineage. The family was founded in this commonwealth in the colonial days and, so far as available data indicates, he himself was a native of Bedford county and was born on the 12th of January, 1267. He married Polly Riblet, who was born February 13, 1767, and they took up their residence in Erie county in 1802. They settled in Mill Creek township, where the family name has since been one of prominence and one uniformly honored. Concerning the children of John and Polly ( Riblet) Zuck the following data are properly entered: John, Jr., was born in Hopedale township, Bedford county, Pennsylvania, October 7, 1790; Christian, in Bedford county, November 2, 1792; Jacob, in the same county, in 1495, and Henry in 1797; Solomon was born in West Mill Creek township, Erie county, January 13, 1805; Catherine in the same township, February 15, 1807; and Abraham was a native of the same township, where he was born in 1812. John Zuck, Sr., reclaimed a large tract of land in Mill Creek township and was one of the sturdy pioneers and successful agriculturists of that section of the county, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred on the 11th of August. 1842; his wife survived him by more than a score of years, as her death occurred July 24. 1863.
John Zuck, Jr., was a valiant soldier in the war of 1812, and was actively identified with the various operations of the military forces in this section of the state during that conflict. For his services he received a tardy recognition, as he was granted a pension about two years prior to his death. His entire active career was devoted to agricultural pursuits and he was one of the progressive and successful farmers of Mill Creek township until he was summoned from the scene of life's activities. He was a man of strong individuality and sterling character and ever held a secure place in the confidence and esteem of the community in which practically his entire life was passed. On the 29th of June, 1813, he was united in marriage to Sally Ebersole, and they became the parents of six children : Samuel B. P., who was born July 10, 1815, is deceased ; Mary A., likewise deceased was born July 9, 1817: Catherine, who be- came the wife of Levi Gordon, was born March 9, 1821, and both she and her husband died in this county; Fanny, born November 19, 1824, is the widow of Levi Wolfe and resides in La Grange county, Indiana ; John S., deceased, was born September 21, 1827; and John Christian, of whom more specific mention is made in following paragraphs, was born August 26, 1832. John Zuck, Jr., was summoned to the life eternal September 27, 1872. and his wife passed away February 6, 1862; both were zealous members of the Dunkard church.
John Christian Zuck has passed his entire life in West Mill Creek, where he has lived and labored to goodly ends and where he is to-day one of the oldest and most honored citizens. He has been influential in public affairs in his township, where he has been called upon to serve in various offices of trust and responsibility, including those of school director, road commissioner and a member of the county board of direc- tors of the poor. He has long been a zealous member of the Asbury Methodist Episcopal church, with which the other members of his family are identified, and he has been liberal and zealous in support of all depart-
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ments of church work. In politics he is aligned as a stanch advocate of the cause of the Republican party. During the long years of a signally active and useful life he has given a continuous allegiance to the great basic art of agriculture, in connection with which he has reaped the generous rewards which should ever attend well directed endeavor and steadfast integrity of purpose.
On the 22d of September, 1853, was solemnized the marriage of John C. Zuck to Martha Fry, who was born in Mckean township, this county, August 8, 1833, and who is a daughter of Martin Fry, who came to Erie county from Lancaster county in the pioneer days. In 1903 Mr. and Mrs. Zuck celebrated their golden wedding anniversary, which was made an occasion of historic and social note in their home town- ship, where they received the earnest congratulations of the host of friends who assembled to do them honor. Of their four children all are living except one: Wayne E., who was born November 6, 1854, is a rep- resentative farmer of West Mill Creek; William, who was born Novem- ber 29, 1855, died at the age of seven weeks ; Clark WV. is more definitely mentioned farther on in this context; and Lester J., who was born Sep- tember 1, 1869, is engaged in hardware business in Erie.
Clark Wellington Zuck, the third in order of birth of the children of John C. and Marthia (Fry) Zuck, was born on the old homestead farm in Mill Creek township, on the 1st of August, 1857, and he is to-day known as one of the most extensive horticulturists and market gardeners of his native township and as one of its most popular and loyal citizens. He was reared to the sturdy and invigorating discipline of the home farm and his early educational advantages were those afforded in the district schools. He remained with his parents and was associated in the work and management of the home farm until after his marriage, and in the spring of 1882 he purchased fifty-five acres of land on the Ridge road, West Mill Creek. The property was at the time practically unimproved but the soil, of peculiar integrity, he discovered to be spec- ially well adapted for gardening purposes and he selected the same on this account. He has developed the fine little farm into one of the best gardening tracts in this section of the state, and the improvements in every department, including buildings, are of the best modern type. He has conducted his industrial operations here according to scientific prin- ciples, has shown careful discrimination in the selection of stock and seeds, and his success had been further assured through the practical experience gained in the training of earlier years. He has made a spec- ialty of the propagating of lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes, and has an entire acre under glass for the forcing of products for the early markets. His horticultural greenhouses, equipped throughout with the best of facilities, are the largest and most modern in this section of the state, and in his prosperous enterprise he finds a ready demand for his products at the highest market prices.
Clark W. Zuck has well upheld the honors of the name which he bears and is one of the progressive and public-spirited citizens of his native township and county, where he commands unequivocal confidence and esteem. In politics he gives his support to the principles for which the Republican party stands sponsor, and he and his wife hold member- ship in the Asbury Methodist Episcopal church. He served two terms as school director and for five years was superintendent of the county alms house,-1901-03 and 1904-06. In a fraternal way he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
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On the 21st of September, 1880, Mr. Zuck was united in marriage to Nancy Ocene McKee, who was born in Mill Creek township, about one mile distant from her present home, on the 28th of August, 1859, and who is a daughter of John and Mary Ann ( Pherrin) McKee. Her father was born in Mill Creek township, in 1807, and died in 1868. He was a son of John McKee, who was born in Ireland, and who was one of the sterling pioneers of Erie county, Pennsylvania, whither he came from Fayette county, this state, in 1797, in company with his brothers, Patrick and Alexander. He married Mary Maxwell, who was seven years of age at the time she accompanied her parents on their emigration from Ireland to America and who was reared and educated in Penn- sylvania. She died in 1870, at the venerable age of ninety-three years, and it was her portion to survive all of her children, each of whom attained to ripe age. John and Mary (Maxwell) McKee became the parents of three sons and one daughter, and the family still has numerous representatives, in the third and fourth generations, in Erie county. John McKee (2d), father of Mrs. Zuck, was one of the successful farm- ers of Mill Creek township and was a citizen who ever held the un- qualified esteem of the community. He was a member of the Episcopal church and his death occurred in 1868, as already noted. His wife, Mary Ann ( Pherrin) McKee, was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, in 1823, and she survived him by nearly forty years, as her death occurred in 1906. She was a daughter of Samuel Pherrin, an honored pioneer and successful farmer of Mill Creek township. John and Mary Ann ( Pherrin) McKee became the parents of seven children : Winfield Scott, the eldest, is a representative farmer in West Mill Creek; Thomas Benton likewise is one of the sterling farmers of the same township; Anna J. is the wife of Thomas D. Willis of Mill Creek town- ship, this county: Adelaide died at the age of seven years; Nancy Ocene is the wife of Mr. Zuck, as noted in preceding statements ; Ida Rebecca is the wife of Daniel E. Butt, a farmer of Mill Creek township; and John Clayton is a prosperous farmer of the same township.
Clark W. and Nancy O. (McKee) Zuck have three sons, all of whom are associated with their father in business, under the title of C. W. Zuck & Sons. John Floyd, the eldest of the sons, was born January 4, 1882, and he married Miss Orra Garloch; Bert Curry was born January 28, 1885; and Arthur P. was born May 7, 1889. All three of the sons are energetic young business men and enjoy unalloyed pop- ularity in their native township, in whose social life they take an active part.
JACOB KALTENBACH. As a citizen Jacob Kaltenbach is held in un- qualified esteem in Erie, the city of his birth, where he has served in various offices of public trust, and the high regard in which he is held in the community indicates his sterling integrity of character and his loyalty and public spirit as a citizen. He has been successful in his business operations and he is today one of the substantial and popular citizens of his native county. Mr. Kaltenbach was born in the family home on East Ninth street, in the Second ward of the city of Erie, on the 23d of March, 1849, and is a son of Ignatius and Catherine (Weitzen) Kalten- bach, the former of whom was born in Baden, Germany, and the latter in Rheinpfalz, Prussia. Ignatius Kaltenbach was reared and educated in his native land, whence he came to America when a young man and numbered himself among the early settlers of Erie county. He landed
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in New York City, whence he made his way to Buffalo by canal and from the latter point to Erie by lake boat, as this was before the era of railroad facilities. His future wife came to Erie county about two years later, in company with her brother, and the brother died a few years later, a victim to the cholera, which was then epidemic. In the city of Erie, which was then a village, the parents of Jacob Kaltenbach were married and here they continued to reside during the remainder of their long and useful lives, ever holding a secure place in the confi- dence and regard of the community.
Ignatius Kaltenbach was among the early devotees of the fishing in- dustry in Erie. He began operations in this line long before steam tugs or even steam-propelled fishing boats were in vogue. He was a man of sterling character and in connection with the years of consecutive industry he gained a competency, the while he remained deeply appreciative of the advantages and attractions of his adopted country. He died in the city of Erie on the 28th of August, 1884, at the venerable age of eighty- four years and eleven months, and his wife was summoned to the life eternal on the 26th of February, 1892, at the age of seventy-four years. They were devout communicants of the Catholic church and in Erie originally held membership in the parish of St. Mary's church, in which their marriage was solemnized, but they later transferred their member- ship to St. Joseph's parish, with which they continued to be prominently connected during the rest of their lives. They became the parents of six children, of whom three attained to years of maturity and of whom one son and one daughter are living. The other of the three, likewise a son, died in 1871.
Jacob Kaltenbach, of this sketch, was reared to manhood in his native city and to its parochial schools he is indebted for his early edu- cational discipline. At the age of fourteen years he entered upon an apprenticeship to the trade of harnessmaking, and in 1866 he com- pleted his apprenticeship, which was most thorough and through which he became a skilled workman. In the year mentioned he went to the city of Cleveland, where he was engaged in the work of his trade for a period of three years, at the expiration of which he returned to Erie, where he entered the employ of Valentine Ulrich, in whose establishment he continued in the work of his trade during the ensuing thirteen years. In 1881 he engaged in the liquor business on East Eighteenth street, and in the following year removed to his present location, at the corner of Twenty-sixth and Peach streets. Two years later, however, he again established headquarters on East Eighteenth street, near the depot of the Nickle Plate Railroad, where he erected a building for the purposes. Three years later he purchased the property which he had formerly util- ized at Twenty-sixth and Peach streets, where he erected his present substantial and attractive building. in which he has since continued to conduct a successful business.
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