USA > Pennsylvania > Book of biographies; This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of the Seventeenth congressional district, Pennsylvania > Part 30
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OHN H. BECK, a prominent farmer of Rockefeller township, Northumber- land County, was born in Fraley township, Schuylkill County, Pa., August 30,
1850. He is a son of John Jacob and Eliza- beth (Shadel) Beck, of Lykens Valley, Dau- phin County, Pa.
John H. Beck, our subject's paternal grand- father, was born in Northampton County, Pa., and settled in Lykens Valley, Pa., where he made a life-work of farming. He married Su- san Greenswicht of Northampton County and the following children blessed their union : Daniel; John and David, twins; Jonathan; George; John Jacob, our subject's father; Polly; Harriet; Susanna; and Christianna.
David Shadel, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was a native of Northumberland County. He married Polly Hoffey of Lykens Valley and to them were born six children : Elizabeth, our subject's mother; Henry; Car- oline; Sarah; Catherine; and Eve. He was engaged in the lucrative business of hat man- ufacturing and lived most of his life in Ly- kens Valley.
John Jacob Beck, our subject's father, was born June 24, 1820, and died May 15, 1883. He lived in Audenried, Pa., for several years and was a coal miner; he resided near Hazle- ton, Pa., three years. He was married in the spring of 1848 to Elizabeth Shadel, who was born in Schuylkill County, August 24, 1822, and after his marriage he moved to Rockefel- ler (then Lower Augusta) township, North- umberland County, and bought a farm of eighty acres of David Shipe, and there he lived until his death. He carried on general farming and later invested in more land and added to his farm. He was a Republican in politics, but preferred to advance his friends in office rather than himself. He was an ac- tive member of the Lutheran Church. Three children were born to our subject's parents, namely : John H .; David, who died at the age of seven years; and Louisa, who married W. B. Eister, Esq., a merchant and post-
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master of Seven Points, Pa. John H. and Louisa were educated in the common schools of the neighborhood and have lived all their lives in Rockefeller township.
Our subject bought the old homestead and has since added to it so that he has now 260 acres of valuable land upon which he has raised a great deal of stock, but is now en- gaged in general farming. He was united in marriage January 2, 1868, to Abbie R. Zost- man of Lower Augusta, a daughter of Daniel and Esther (Raker) Zostman, both of that township. Daniel Zostman, after the death of his first wife, was married the second time to Susanna Conrad of Lower Augusta. He was a tanner by trade and died in 1890. The children by his first union were: Sarah Ann; one, who died in infancy; Alexander; Har- riet; William; Mary Jane; Rebecca; Cath- erine: Abbie R., our subject's wife; one, who died in infancy; Daniel; and Esther. Our subject and wife have had thirteen children, and do not consider the number unlucky, as follows: William Edward, born January 13, 1868, died April 21, 1872; David Albert, born May 6, 1871, married Alberta Dunkelberger, and is a dairyman at Irish Valley, Shamokin township, Northumberland County; Mary Alice, born August 26, 1872, married Harvey E. Miller, a butcher, at Sunbury, Pa .; Daniel J., a farmer of Rockefeller township, born December 13, 1873, married Emma J. Maurer, and has two children, Laura V., and Lloyd E .; George W., born June 18, 1875, and works on a pipe line at Buffalo Valley, Pa .; Harry Luther, born July 18, 1877, mar- ried Susanna Dunkelberger, and lives in Shamokin township; John Norman, born June 26, 1881 ; Susan Elizabeth, born October 12, 1883, and married Theodore P. Bennett of Columbia County; Franklin W., born Jan- uary 20, 1886; Abbie M., born September 30,
1888; Kate F., born May 30, 1890; Esther N., born September 13, 1892; and Orville E., born July 23, 1895. The seven younger children live at home. Mr. and Mrs. Beck are members of the Lutheran Church. He has held many township offices; is a stanch Republican; is a member of Lodge No. 414, F. & A. M., at Elysburg, Pa., of which he is past master; a member of Camp No. 139, P. O. S. of A., of Seven Points.
Our subject is a good musician and has contributed to his own and others' enjoyment by playing the B-flat cornet for seven years in the Seven Points Band and tenor horn for five years in the same band. His hard work and sterling business qualities have brought the success which he deserves, the improve- ment of his property, and the respect and favor of the community in which he lives.
ILLIAM A. HARTZELL, the popular proprietor of the City Hotel and the Fashion Livery, is one of the leading and enterprising business men of the town of Bloomsburg. He is a son of Wil- liam and Martha (Clark) Hartzell, and was born in Danville, Montour County, January 8, 1851. His gradfather is Solomon Hartzell, a prosperous farmer of Northumberland County.
William Hartzell, the father of our subject, was born in Northumberland County, Pa., and his first work in his own interest was as a rail-straightener in the shops at Danville. He also owned a farm and was engaged in agricul- tural pursuits. He was a stockholder in the Danville Nail Manufacturing Company and spent the latter years of his life in retirement. He affiliated in marriage with Martha Clark, a daughter of Rev. Clark, of Northumberland
LLOYD T. ROHRBACH.
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County, and they reared the following chil- dren : Mary; Alice; Amanda; Minnie; Isa- bella, deceased; William A., the subject of this sketch; George W., deceased; and Edward C., of Sunbury. Mr. Hartzell died at the age of sixty-four years.
William A. Hartzell was reared on his father's farm and received his education in the common schools in the vicinity. He spent the early portion of his life in farming on the old homestead and in 1876 he moved to Blooms- burg and established a teaming and trucking business and also opened a boarding and feed stable at the Exchange Hotel barns. He con- ducted his affairs in a successful manner and remained in these businesses until he pur- chased the Stearns Hotel, which is now known as the City Hotel. He has made many improvements in the hotel, which has seven- teen well-furnished rooms. The landlord, by the genial and courteous manner which he manifests toward every one, has won a large share of the patronage of the public and is respected and esteemed as a man of real worth to the community. The hotel is at No. 121 West Main street and is a handsome three- story brick structure. In connection with the hotel Mr. Hartzell conducts one of the finest livery barns in the town, known as the Fashion Livery. He is a good judge of horse flesh and has about fourteen of the best roadsters to be found in the vicinity of Bloomsburg. He also owns several valuable trotting horses, which he keeps merely for his own pleasure. His vehicles are in keeping with the horses, being very stylish turnouts of every kind. Mr. Hartzell and his family reside at the hotel, but he owns a large double tenement house in Bloomsburg, which he rents.
Our subject formed a matrimonial alliance with Hannah Brewer, a daughter of Henry Brewer, of Danville, and they have been
blessed by eight children : Edward, Flora, Harley, and Eugene, deceased; George W., who is clerk in the hotel; Charles, who has · charge of the livery; Martha G .; and Mag- gie E.
Politically, Mr. Hartzell stanchly supports the principles of the Democratic party.
LOYD T. ROHRBACH, ex-prothono- tary and clerk of Northumberland County Courts, treasurer of the Sunbury Nail, Bar & Guide Iron Manufactur- ing Company, treasurer of the Sunbury Water Company, dealer in ice and coal, and manu- facturer of brick, is also a lawyer by profes- sion, and an active, all-around business man. He was born in Upper Augusta township, Northumberland County, Pa., January 22, 1839, and is a son of George and Mary C. (Artley) Rohrbach.
The family is of German descent and was among the earliest pioneers of Eastern Penn- sylvania, where our subject's grandfather was engaged for many years in conducting a char- coal furnace in conjunction with farming. He was a sedate man who attended strictly to af- fairs of his own concern; he was adverse to praise or flattery, had no aspirations for pub- lic life, and strictly adhered to his occupation and was a very successful and influential busi- ness man. He married Catherine Fenster- macher and they reared a large family of children, among them George Rohrbach, father of our subject.
George Rohrbach was born in Columbia County, Pa., in 1808. He became interested in the iron industry and was engaged in the foundry and furnace business all of his active days. In 1838 he located in Upper Augusta township where he resided a few years. then removed to Sunbury, living there more than
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half a century and passing from this life in 1894. He was an active member of the Lu- theran Church and was one of the founders of that church in Sunbury; he filled the office of trustee for a long time and also served in other offices of the church. He chose for his life companion, Mary C. Artley. They had a family of nine children, two of whom died in infancy. The others were: Clinton, who mar- ried Sarah Engle and was engaged in lumber- ing, farming and the foundry business, mak- ing a success of this trio of enterprises,-he died in Upper Augusta township; Jacob, who was also engaged in the foundry business, was afterward appointed postmaster at Sunbury, and is now living a life of retirement; Eliza- beth, the widow of Thomas G. Cooper of Sun- bury; Catherine, the widow of Harry Bourne, also of Sunbury; Lloyd T., subject of this sketch; Edward, who died at the age of eigh- teen years; William, who engaged in foundry work for many years, later was superintendent of the Sunbury Water Works, and died Feb- ruary 9, 1898. Our subject's mother passed to the life beyond in 1887, at the advanced age of eighty-eight years.
Lloyd T. Rohrbach received his primary education in the Sunbury public schools after which he entered Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg, passing through the freshman class, and subsequently entered the Susque- hanna University at Selinsgrove, Pa., and was graduated therefrom in 1861. In April of the same year he enlisted in the Union Army and was assigned to Company F, IIth Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., and served as clerk of the company. He was in the battle of Falling Waters, Va., and did army service for about three months, when he returned home and entered upon the study of law, reading in the office of the late Horatio Wolverton, and
later in the office of Judge William M. Rocke- feller of Sunbury, Pa.
In 1865 our subject was admitted to the bar of Northumberland County and imme- diately began the practice of his profession in Sunbury and continued the same to the ex- clusion of all else until 1872, meeting with much success and bringing himself promi- nently before the people. In 1868 he was ap- pointed U. S. commissioner and filled that office until 1872 when he resigned to accept the office of prothonotary and clerk of the Orphans' Court. He was re-elected to the same office in 1875, serving in all a period of six years. Mr. Rohrbach has always been a Republican, taking a leading part in the coun- cils of his party, in county, state and national politics. At the time of his first election the county was conceded to be Democratic by a majority ranging between 1,200 and 1,500, yet Mr. Rohrbach was elected on the Republican ticket by a majority of 600 votes, and was re- elected by a majority of about 300 votes. In 1896 he was a prominent candidate for the nomination for state treasurer and had a strong following, but withdrew his name be- fore the balloting began. In 1878 he engaged in the manufacture of lime, also dealing in coal and ice, which business he has since con- tinued, excepting the manufacture of lime, which he relinquished a few years ago. He assisted in organizing the Sunbury Water Works Company, which organization was ef- fected in 1883, and has since been its secre- tary and treasurer.
On December 20, 1866, our subject was united in the bonds of wedlock with Jennie C. Haas, daughter of John P. Haas of Sunbury, whose biography appears elsewhere in this volume. They are the parents of three chil- dren, John Haas, deceased; George Edward; and William R. George Edward is a mem-
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ber of the firm of Rohrbach & Son, dealers in coal and ice. He is also engaged exten- sively in dealing in land and lumber, having an interest in the firm of M. H. Kulp & Com- pany. To reach a correct idea of the magni- tude of the land and lumber speculations of this enterprising firm, M. H. Kulp & Com- pany, see personal history of M. H. Kulp, to be found in another part of this volume. George E. is also interested in the sand busi- ness. William R. is attending Susquehanna University.
For many years our subject has been elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Sunbury and is a prominent and leading church work- er, contributing liberally to the support of his favorite denomination. He has always been an aggressive business man, and his suc- cess is not surprising to those who know his traits of character. He is a gentleman, pleas- ant and genial in his manners, large-hearted and liberal in his views, and thoroughly tem- perate in all his habits; in fact, he is a model citizen, one whose presence would be wel- come in any community. Socially he is a member of Sunbury Lodge, No. 22, F. & A. M., also of the Chapter. His portrait is shown on a page in proximity in connection with the foregoing sketch.
R. CHARLES W. RABB, a young and very popular dentist of Blooms- burg, has a well-established patron- age and his work in dentistry is unexcelled in Columbia County. He was born in Blooms- burg June 13, 1873, and is a son of William and Abigail (Bell) Rabb.
His grandfather was Frederick Rabb, a native of Lubeck, Prussia, who came to Amer- ica with his family in 1839 and settled in Lit-
tle York, York County, Pa. In 1842 he came to Bloomsburg and opened a bakery on Third street, where Schuyler's hardware store now stands, and was later associated in business with his son-in-law, John Rheam, who suc- ceeded to the ownership of the business. He was united in marriage to Caroline Young. and they were the parents of the following children : Augustus; William; Lewis, de- ceased; twins who died in infancy; Hannah, deceased; and Charles F., the only one of whom was born in America. Mrs. Rabb passed into the world of rest in 1870, at the age of seventy years, and was followed by her husband in 1872, aged seventy-three years.
William Rabb, father of our subject, was born in Lubeck, Prussia, June 3, 1828, and came to this country in 1839 with his parents. He served an apprenticeship to the cabinet- maker's trade in Norristown. Upon attaining man's estate he came to Bloomsburg and started in business where Ringler's drug store is at present, where he continued for thirty years. In 1891 he built the building which is now standing upon that site. At the expira- tion of the period in which he followed cabi- netmaking, he sold out and purchased a farm of 116 acres in Madison township, Columbia County, where he lived for three years, and then, renting the farm, returned to Blooms- burg. He then conducted a grocery store until 1890, with good results; but in that year he retired and is spending his declining years in the peaceful quiet of home life. He is a shrewd business man and a successful mana- ger, and during the active period of his life he accumulated a comfortable competency. He has owned as many as forty stores and houses and at present owns fourteen, all of which are very valuable and well located. He takes great interest in educational matters and for many years served as school director.
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He was also a member of the town council for eight years. In 1856 he was united in mar- riage to Abigail Bell, a daughter of Abraham Bell, a native of the county, and they are the happy parents of the following children : Luther Isaiah, a dentist, who married Camilla E. DeSheppard and they have six children,- Fredericka, William, May, Inez, Robert and Arthur; Martha A., at home with her parents; Clara E., wife of Charles Welliver, and they have three children, William, Walter and Charlotte; Ida V., wife of George P. Ringler, druggist; and Charles W., in whom the inter- est of this sketch centers. Mr. and Mrs. Rabb are enjoying the best of health and their many friends join in wishing them many more years of continued happiness.
Dr. Charles W. Rabb attended the public schools of Bloomsburg and the Bloomsburg State Normal School, after which he took up the study of dentistry with his brother and graduated from the University of Pennsyl- vania in 1896. He then took a special course in gold-crowning from that well-known in- structor, Frederick Pesso, of Philadelphia, and in that line of work he has no superior in this section of the state. Immediately after completing his course of study he came to Bloomsburg and opened dental parlors at No. 6 East Main street, which are handsomely furnished. He was successful from the start and his patronage has ever been on the in- crease. He has great fondness for his profes- sion and he gives the strictest attention to his work. He is a young man just entering the prime of life and has a brilliant future before him.
AMES VAN DYKE, proprietor of a drug store, located on Third street, Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pa., and a leading and progressive citizen of
that borough, was born in Northumberland County, Pa., in September, 1853, and is a son of James and Hannah (Bell) Van Dyke, and grandson of Joseph Van Dyke.
Joseph Van Dyke, the grandfather of our subject, is of Hollandish extraction, and was a native and life-long resident of Northum- berland County. He was one of the greatest pilots on the Susquehanna River and piloted boats from Northumberland to Fort Deposit to New York City; he pursued that line of business many years prior to the building of railroads in this section of the state. In later years he conducted a hotel and was one of the leading men of his community. He was united in marriage to Miss Elsworth, an English lady, and they were the parents of a large fam- ily of children.
James Van Dyke, the father of our subject, was also born in Northumberland County, where he resided until 1857. In 1856 he was elected high sheriff of Northumberland County and January 1, 1857, moved to Sun- bury, Northumberland County, Pa. In 1865 he returned to Northumberland borough, re- maining there until 1869, when he again moved to Sunbury, where he resided the rest of his active days. He passed from this life in 1880, at the age of fifty-five years. During his younger days he was a pilot on the Susque- hanna River, but later he embarked in the hotel business, conducting the Washington Hotel. After he was elected sheriff he discon- tinued the hotel business to take up the duties of sheriff. In 1860 he built the Central Hotel at Sunbury and conducted it until 1865, when he erected the Van Kirk House in Northum- berland. Later he built the Keystone Hotel at Sunbury and, after conducting it for two years, it was destroyed by fire in 1870. Mr. Van Dyke enlisted in the Civil War in 1862 as quartermaster of the 47th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf.
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DANIEL A. WIEST.
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
He also dealt extensively in horses, selling them to the government during the Rebellion. He was married to Hannah Bell and they reared and educated a family of two sons and two daughters.
James Van Dyke received his mental train- ing in the public schools of his native town and at New Berlin Academy. Leaving school when young, he was employed in the drug store owned by Dr. Haupt, of Sunbury, with whom he remained six years, giving up his position on account of ill health. He then worked on the railroad for two years, after which he returned to Sunbury, and in Decem- ber, 1877, entered the drug store owned by Dr. Charles M. Martin, remaining in his em- ploy fifteen years. In 1893 he engaged in the drug business on his own account and opened a store on Third street, which he has since managed, doing a large business.
Politically, Mr. Van Dyke is an unwaver- ing Republican and has served in the borough council and as clerk. Socially, he is a member of Sunbury Lodge No. 203, I. O. O. F .; Sun- bury Lodge No. 267, B. P. O. E .; Col. James Cameron Camp No. 160, Sons of Veterans of Sunbury; the A. O. U. W .; also a member of the Royal Blue.
In January, 1877, our subject was united in the bonds of matrimony with Hannah Noth- aker, of Sunbury, and two children bless their home, namely: James P. and Mary L.
ANIEL A. WIEST, whose portrait, executed from a recent photograph, appears on the opposite page, is a prominent citizen of Trevorton, Zerbe town- ship, and is outside foreman of the North Franklin Colliery; he accepted his present situation in 1888 and realizes and fulfils to the
fullest extent the responsibilities of his duties. Mr. Wiest has led a varied and remarkable career and is still in the prime of his life. Hc was born March 1, 1849, in Sacramento. Schuylkill County, Pa., and is the only son of Edward F. and Elizabeth (Smeltz) Wiest He was highly educated, passing through the high school of Pottstown, and afterward at- tended Dickinson Seminary.
At the age of twenty years our subject joined the engineer corps of the Philadel- phia & Reading Railroad and continued at that occupation for over a year. He subse- quently took a trip West and combined busi- ness with pleasure by clerking for nearly a year at Denver, Colo., after which he drifted back to Pennsylvania and at Mount Carmel began railroading on the Sunbury Branch of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, re- maining about one year and serving as fire- man and brakeman. He next accepted a po- sition as shipper for the Reading Company at Locust Summit and worked there for sev- en years, discontinuing the same only to accept a similar and more lucrative position at the North Franklin Colliery, where he was also telegraph operator. He retained this position also for seven years, after which he was advanced to his present situation. Per- severing, continuous and energetic efforts are factors of his success.
On May 1, 1873. our subject was united in marriage with Mary J. Evans, and they have one son and three daughters, namely: A11- nie, Frank, Katie and Beulah. Mr. Wiest takes an active interest in educational mat- ters, being a member of the board of school directors of Zerbe township. Fraternally he is a member of Shamokin Lodge. No. 255. F. & A. M .; Shamokin Chapter: Shamokin Commandery; and Camp No. 124, Sons of Veterans, at Trevorton. Religiously he is
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an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and is president of the board of trus- cees of that church and also superintendent of the Sunday School. He has faithfully and honestly performed the duties of every posi- tion he has held and he has gained the confi- dence and esteem of his fellow-townsmen to the fullest extent.
Daniel Wiest, grandfather of our subject, was a native of Berks County, but removed to Klingerstown, Pa., and subsequently to Sacramento. He was a drover and was also engaged in the mercantile business. At one time he was a large real estate owner, own- ing the greater part of the land now in- cluded in the Brookside Colliery at Tower City. Later he operated a colliery at Rauch's Gap.
Edward F. Wiest, father of our subject, was born in January, 1828, and was reared and educated in Schuylkill County. He be- gan life as a farmer, but later went into the hotel business at Tremont. He rendered valuable service to his country in the Civil War. He was among the first to enlist, first serving in Company C, 25th Regiment, for three months; he then re-enlisted in Com- pany A, 50th Regiment, as first lieutenant, and served three years four months and ten days. After the war he engaged in the coal operating business as foreman at Mahanoy Valley for a short time, after which he again adopted the calling of an agriculturist, and is now spending his declining years in retreat at his elegant country home at Gratz, Dau- phin County. When Gen. Kossuth, the Po- lish patriot, made his famous visit to America in 1854, Mr. Wiest was on the staff of Gen. Wyncoop. He holds four commissions from different governors of the state of Pennsyl- vania. He was a member of the old state guard or militia and took a very prominent part in
the organization. He was aide-de-camp on Gov. William Bigelow's staff with rank of lieutenant-colonel. He and his wife were blessed with two children: Daniel A., the subject of this sketch, and Katie, wife of Pu- laski Gensel of Ashland, Pennsylvania.
AMES L. RIEHL, president of the Agricultural Society of Danville, and owner of the Montour Hotel, which he conducted for many years, is one of the popu- lar and esteemed residents of the town of Dan- ville, and is spending his latter days in enjoy- ing the fruits of the labors of his younger years. He was born in Northampton County, Pa., near the town of Easton, in July, 1829, and is a son of John and Susanna (Shimer) Riehl, and a grandson of John Riehl, Sr.
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