USA > Pennsylvania > Book of biographies; This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of the Seventeenth congressional district, Pennsylvania > Part 31
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John Riehl, the father of our subject, was born at Easton, Northampton County, Pa., and his early days were spent working in a blacksmith shop; later he purchased a fine farm and was one of the leading farmers of his community. By the exercise of economy, he succeeded in accumulating enough money to purchase another farm, and now owns two of the best farms in his section of the county.
Our subject was reared upon his father's farm, where he assisted him in his labors, but in 1851 he became a hotelman, which proved to be the calling to which he was best adapt- ed, as he built up a reputation that will stand as an example to the rising generation. His first hotel was known as the American House, at Easton, Pa., but a few years later he moved to Bethlehem, Pa., where he opened the American House and conducted that hotel for some time, when he moved to Mauch Chunk, Pa., and opened the Mansion Hotel. In 1860 he went to Danville and bought the Mon-
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tour House, which was a part of the Mont- gomery estate, of Magill & Boyd. He en- larged and remodeled his purchase into a three-story building, which has fifty-six finely furnished rooms and a large dining-room, office and salesroom. The hotel is on the cor- ner of Mill and Market streets, one of the best locations in Danville for his business. In 1892 our subject retired from active life and has leased his hotel to his nephews, Augustus L. and Samuel B. Cressman, who have contin- ued the business to the present time.
In 1888 Mr. Riehl was made president of the Danville Agricultural Society. This asso- ciation dates back to February 1, 1856, when the first fair was held in Montour County, then Columbia County. For many years Danville held the largest fairs in this section of the state; May 8, 1892, the name of the so- ciety was changed to the Montour County Agricultural Society of Danville. The society owned a tract of land consisting of seventy-six acres, well equipped for a fair ground. In 1896 the buildings on the grounds were destroyed by a heavy wind and Mr. Riehl, being a large stockholder, purchased the fair ground. For some time our subject has contemplated put- ting the fair ground into a farm, as the land is well adapted to farming purposes, but as yet the ground is still used for the fair.
Mr. Riehl was united in marriage to Eliza- beth Cressman, a daughter of Samuel B. Cressman, of Bucks County, Pa., and our sub- ject was called upon to mourn the loss of his beloved companion, who passed from this life in 1887, at the age of fifty-nine years. One child was the result of their union, Lizzie, who died, aged six months. Mr. Riehl purchased of Mrs. Susan Woodside the property at No. 9 East Front street; he has remodeled and en- larged the same into a handsome residence. He is a member of the Danville Lodge No.
224, F. & A. M .; Danville Chapter No. 239, R. A. M., and Calvary Commandery No. 37, K. T.
ORACE G. SUPPLEE, who efficient- ly served as manager of the Farmers Produce Exchange from 1886 until he purchased the establishment in 1898, is one of the leading citizens of Bloomsburg. He was born at White Hall, Pa., October 27, 1859, and is a son of George W. and Sarah (Hamer) Supplee.
His grandfather was Samuel Supplee, who was a prosperous farmer of Chester County, and who married Catherine Reinwald, both of whom lived to reach an advanced age. George W. Supplee, the father of our subject, was born near Phoenixville, Chester County, and settled on a farm in Montour County in 1857. and eight years later purchased a farm at Jerseytown, upon which he made many im- provements and followed agricultural pur- suits for many years. Subsequently he sold the estate, which is now owned by A. J. Zeis- loft, and retired to Bloomsburg, where he re- sided until his death, in October, 1896, aged seventy-one years. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Hamer, was born July 1. 1826, and is a daughter of Murphy and Mary (White) Hamer, both of whom died at an early age, and were survived by the following children: Martha; Jane; William: James: Sarah, our subject's mother; Hannah: and Robert. As a result of their union Mr. and Mrs. Supplee became the parents of the fo !- lowing children: Antoinette, wife of C. De Mott; Gertrude, whose union with A. Girton resulted in the following issue,-Raymond. Frederick, Otto, Robert and Archie: Horace G., the subject of this personal history: Anna,
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who married J. Nuss, and has two children, Ruth and Preston; and George, who died at the age of seventeen years.
Horace G. Supplee, after completing the prescribed course in the public schools, at- tended Greenwood Seminary and the Blooms- burg State Normal School. He then engaged in teaching for seven terms, or until 1886, when he accepted his present position as man- ager of the Farmers' Produce Exchange, one of the most enterprising concerns in the town. It was established in 1882, in a large brick building, three stories high, which was erect- ed at a cost of $8,000 and was incorporated with a capital of $10,000. In the fall of 1898 Mr. Supplee purchased the entire plant. He carries a complete line of general merchan- dise, grain, fertilizers, plaster, salt, groceries, flour, feed, hay, wooden and willowware, boots, shoes and all kinds of country produce; in fact, everything that is needed by a house- keeper, including furniture and carpets. The store is well arranged, neat in appearance, and everything about it has an air of prosperity, which bespeaks the excellence of Mr. Sup- plee's management. The Exchange is very de- sirably located, being situated at No. 601 Market street.
Mr. Supplee was united in matrimonial bonds to Eleanora Bryfogle, a daughter of Daniel and Emma (Gould) Bryfogle, and they are the happy parents of two children : Mabel, born in Bloomsburg November 4, 1889; and George W., also born in Bloomsburg Febru- ary 21, 1894. Mr. Supplee served in the town council one term. He is a Republican in his political views. He is a member of the Bap- tist Church, of which he has been a deacon for several years. Socially, he is a member of Washington Lodge No. 265, F. & A. M .; Chapter No. 218, R. A. M .; Crusade Com- mandery No. 12, Knights Templar; and Cald-
well Consistory of Bloomsburg, of which he is treasurer.
AMERON SHULTZ, M. D., is one of the rising young physicians of the town of Danville, Pa., and a highly esteemed citizen of the community. He is a son of Benjamin F. Shultz, one of the oldest and most highly-respected physicians and surgeons who ever practiced in the borough of Danville.
Peter Shultz, grandfather of our subject, was a resident of Plainfield, N. J., for a num- ber of years, but later he became a resident of Derry township, Montour County, Pa., and, purchasing a large tract of land, he erected a hotel, which he conducted for several years; he also carried on general farming. During his latter days he gave up his hotel business and devoted his entire attention to agricul- tural pursuits. He was joined in marriage to Sarah Robbins and a family of nine children was born to them.
Benjamin F. Shultz, the father of our sub- ject, was born on the old homestead in Derry township, Montour County, March 19, 1828. He first attended the primary schools of his native township. He taught school in the borough of Danville and, while teaching, studied medicine under Dr. James Straw- bridge, A. M., M. D., of Danville. Subse- quently he studied under Dr. Pancoast, of Philadelphia, and then entered the Jefferson Medical College of that city, and was gradu- ated from that institution in 1852. He then began practicing his chosen profession in Danville, Pa., where his labors were crowned with success and he soon won the confidence and esteem of his community. He continued in his profession with great success, but in 1877 he was obliged to retire from the medical
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field because of poor health. He accordingly purchased a farm of three hundred acres, which is now the property of his daughter, Mrs. Vincent, and there he quietly and happi- ly spent the last six years of his active life. He also owned a large block, No. 425 Mill street. and one at No. 510 Bloom street. Politically, Dr. Shultz was an unwavering Republican and always lent his aid toward the success of his chosen party. In religious views he was in- clined to be liberal. He passed from this life February 1, 1896, and left a good name, that will stand as an incentive to the rising genera- tion. In 1857 he was united in the bonds of matrimony to Elizabeth Mower, a daughter of John Mower, and two children blessed the union: Dora Elizabeth, who is the wife of O. R. Drumheller, who is proprietor of the Windsor Hotel, at Shamokin, Pa .; and Clar- rena, who died in infancy. Mrs. Shultz died in 1861 and he formed a second marital union with Mary Heckert, a daughter of John Heckert. She died at the age of forty-eight years, leaving the following children: Cam- eron, our subject; Florence, wife of A. H. Grone; Deborah, who wedded T. G. Vin- cent; Arminda, a student at Irving College. Mechanicsburg, Pa .; and Maggie and Wil- liam, who died in infancy.
Our subject acquired a good education in the public schools of Danville and then read medicine in his father's office for some time. He then entered the Jefferson Medical Col- lege of Philadelphia, and was graduated with the class of 1892. He immediately returned to his home and opened a general practice, which he continued until 1896, when he went to New York City and took a special course in the diseases of the stomach. He has since built up a large and successful practice and is the only specialist on diseases of the stomach in this part of the state. Dr. Shultz pir-
chased the handsome mansion on Market street, which was built by Peter Baldy at a cost of forty-five thousand dollars, and in which he has his offices and parlors. Dr. Shultz's mansion is located on a large lot 273 by 80 feet in dimensions and the house is sur- rounded by a beautiful and well-kept lawn, which greatly adds to the beauty of his home.
Dr. Shultz chose for his life-companion Margaret Frances Thompson, a daughter of Hon. S. Y. Thompson, M. D., of Danville. and one child is the result of this happy union, namely: Annie Mary, born in Danville, Pa .. August 19, 1893. The Doctor is a member and past grand master of Montour Lodge No. 109, I. O. O. F .; a member of Washington Camp No. 364, P. O. S. of A., and of Lotus Conclave No. 127, I. O. H.
J OHN FLEMING, who for many years was a prosperous farmer near Camp- bell's Mills, Forks township, Sullivan County, Pa., is now living in happy retirement in the town of Forksville, where he is held in the highest esteem. He is a son of John and Ann (Curl) Fleming, and was born in the state of New Jersey, April 29, 1827.
John Fleming, the father of our subject, lo- cated in Luzerne County, Pa., and there fol- lowed his trade as mason during the remain- der of his life, dying at the age of fifty-five years. He married Ann Curl, who died at the age of about eighty years. and their child- ren were as follows: Martha; Mary Ann: Rebecca; Julia; Rosella; Daniel, who was killed in war; John, the subject of this sketch: Russell, a resident of California; and two who died in infancy.
John Fleming upon reaching the age of twelve years went to live with Joseph Warren
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of Forks township, a farmer by occupation, and after attaining man's estate, he purchased a tract of one hundred and twenty acres of timberland and immediately set about to clear it. This land is located near Campbell's Mills, Forks township, Sullivan County. There he erected a house and other substantial build- ings necessary for carrying on his business. He transformed the tract from a wilderness to a beautiful farm, and beginning with little or no means he applied himself with great energy and accumulated sufficient wealth to enable him to retire in 1889. He disposed of his estate to Edward Bahl, and purchased a valuable lot in Forksville at the corner of Water and Main streets upon which he built a handsome house and a good barn. He has since resided there and has gained a large number of friends who hold him in the high- est esteem.
Mr. Fleming formed a marital union with Zilpha Ann Rogers, who was born August 2, 1829, and is a daughter of Moses A. Rogers, a record of whose life appears elsewhere in this Book of Biographies. This union resulted in the following issue: Isaac R., born October 25, 1854, a merchant of Picture Rock, and who married Minerva Matthews, by whom he has three children, Ora, Carl, and Bruce: Annie J., born April 7, 1856, married Charles Nye, and has one son, Claire; Clara B., born October 7, 1860, married to O. H. Gardner of the city of Minneapolis; Melvia A., born December 15, 1861, married Barton Moly- neux of Buffalo, N. Y., and they have three children, Lee, Myrtle, and Chester; Mary S., born January 2, 1863, married George Snyder of Forksville, and they have two children : Marion, and Lou; Della J., born February 14, 1868, married Dr. William F. Randall, a resi- dent of Dushore, and they have a son, Ralph; William R., born August 18, 1865, resides in
Grafton, N. D .; C. Q., born October 14, 1870, who lives in Scranton, Pa .; Bertha, born Sep- tember 21, 1872, lives at home with her par- ents; and Blanche R., who was born March 28, 1875, and died January 17, 1897, aged twenty-two years.
Politically Mr. Fleming is an independent Republican and has held several minor offices of the township, such as assessor and tax col- lector. Religiously 'he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
AJOR EMANUEL CLAY HAM- ILTON. The subject of this re- view is gratefully remembered as one of the most energetic, progressive and public-spirited citizens of Northumberland County. He is survived by his widow, who is now a beloved resident of Shamokin, and by four children. Our subject was born in the city of Lancaster, Pa., February 15, 1835, and was a son of Peter Hamilton and a great- grandson of a former governor of this state who was reared in the Colonial days. Mr. Hamilton traced his ancestry to an English- Scotch origin, the family being one of the earliest to settle in Eastern Pennsylvania. Part of the site of the city of Lancaster is ground which originally was deeded to our subject's ancestors by William Penn.
When quite young our subject evinced a great fondness for study and he applied himself diligently to obtaining an excellent education, principally through his own effort, and well equipped himself for the active and uniformly successful career he subsequently enjoyed. In 1852 Mr. Hamilton went to Baltimore, Md., where he resided five years; then he returned to this state and located in Lewistown. When the daring Rebel leader,
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Gen. Robert E. Lee, sought to invade Penn- sylvania our subject was one of the first to grasp a musket and assist in repulsing the Confederates and driving them out of the state. Early in 1865 Maj. Hamilton was ap- pointed postmaster of Lewistown by Presi- dent Lincoln, which position he most accept- ably filled for some time. He also was agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad in Lewistown borough, having entire charge of the com- pany's interests there. While at Selinsgrove Maj. Hamilton did most effective service and won an enviable reputation as a shrewd and capable detector of criminals and acted as as- sistant to Detective W. Y. Lyon of Reading, Pa. With Detective Lyon our subject solved the mystery and arrested the perpetrators of one of the worst crimes ever committed in this state, the murder of the aged Knistlers, a case which was celebrated. Link by link the chain of evidence was put together by the sleepless and vigilant "officers and the crime fastened upon Uriah and Jonothan Moyer, Emanuel Ettinger and Israel Erb. The Moyer brothers were hanged, Ettinger committed suicide in jail and Erb was sen- tenced to life imprisonment in the peniten- tiary in Philadelphia.
In 1877 Maj. Hamilton removed from Lewistown to Adamsburg, Pa., where he con- ducted the Merchants' Hotel for three years, then locating in Selinsgrove, where he also engaged in the hotel business for six years. He removed to Shamokin in 1887 and became proprietor of the Exchange Hotel, which he ran until 1890, when he retired from the busi- ness and devoted his attention and his marked ability to promoting and successfully insti- tuting street railway enterprises. He was the leading spirit in the formation of the Shamo- kin Street Railway Company in 1892 and he was the first president of the company, hold-
ing the office for two years, when he sold his stock in the corporation and immediately be- gan to agitate the formation of the Shamokin & Mount Carmel Street Railway Company. which was quickly organized, the line being built and put in operation in 1894. He was made president of the company and subse- quently was succeeded in that office by G. M. Smith, remaining one of the directors until his death.
Our subject was united in marriage to Cornelia Beam of Lancaster, Pa., on July 26. 1860. Their happy union was blessed with five children, as follows: John D., now dead. who was station agent at Adamsburg when fifteen years of age, and who married Cora Earhart of Snyder County, Pa., who bore him two children, E. C. and Mertie Irene: Samuel A., who has been in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad for eighteen years. since he was fifteen years of age, and is now a resident of Roaring Springs, Blair County. Pa .; a daughter, the wife of Charles A. Heintzman of Shamokin, who was one of the first letter-carriers in that city and is now in the postal service; Nellie, who is the wife of Charles Lark, a leading attorney of Shamo- kin; Bertie, who is with her mother. Maj. Hamilton took great interest in fraternal so- cieties and was a Mason, a Knight Templar and Shriner; an Odd Fellow; and an enthu- siastic member of the Benevolent Order of Protective Elks. In politics he was a stanch Republican and was very active in the coun- cils of his party.
LISHA M. ECKMAN of Kline's Grove is postmaster and one of the most prominent and active men in the community. He was born in Upper Augus- ta township, Northumberland County, Pa ..
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May 10, 1847, and is a son of Charles and Elizabeth J. (Kline) Eckman.
The paternal grandfather, Charles Eck- man, was born in New Jersey and was the first of the family to locate in Upper Augusta township. He married a Miss DeWitt, and they raised a large family of children. The maternal grandfather was John Kline of Rush township, who married Eleanor Campbell. He was a shoemaker and always practiced his trade in Rush township. His children were as follows: Robert; Elizabeth; Caroline; Elisha; David.
Our subject's father, Charles Eckman, was born in Upper Augusta township and lived there all his life, following the trade of black- smith, and later in life was a farmer. Mr. Eckman was well known in politics, being an active member of the Whig party, and during the war held many township offices. He was treasurer of the Bounty Fund and a member of the Methodist Church, being class-leader in the church for many years. His death, which occurred in February, 1890, was greatly mourned by all, for he was a man of kind deeds and warm heart, always willing to lend a helping hand. His wife, Elizabeth J. Kline Eckman, came from Upper Augusta township and now lives on the old home- stead. She bore him five children : John Ed- gar, a soldier in the Rebellion, who died in 1868, and who married Theresa Forrester: Elisha M., our subject; Margaret, deceased; Clarissa Ann, deceased, who married H. C. Savidge, and bore him two children, Grace and Edgar; James D., who lives with his mother on the old homestead and has been a teacher for a number of years.
Elisha M. Eckman, the subject of this bi- ography, was educated in the common schools and lived at home until he was twen- ty-eight years of age, working at the car-
penter trade for several years. On January 26, 1875, he married Mary Elizabeth (Reed) Campbell, widow of Harmon K. Campbell of Upper Augusta township, who died in 1871. He was a miller and also a farmer at Kline's Grove, and had one son, Edward R. Camp- bell, who was born January 18, 1865. Edward R. is a farmer, merchant and assistant-post- master at Kline's Grove. He was married March 30, 1886, to Mary E. Haupt of Sun- bury, Pa., and they are blessed with two chil- dren, Melville, born July 22, 1887; and Har- mon E., born July 10, 1897.
Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Eckman, our sub- ject's wife, was born January 19, 1840, at Reed's Station, Shamokin township, and is a daughter of Jacob G. and Maria (Hoffman) Reed; the latter was born November 13, 1818; both, however, were born in Shamokin township. Mr. Reed was a farmer and died January 12, 1852; his wife still resides on the old homestead. They were the parents of sev- eral children, as follows: Elizabeth, the wife of our subject; Sarah Jane, who died single; John H., who also died single: Abraham H., a farmer in Shamokin township, who married Lucy A. Bugner; Lydia Ann, deceased, who was the wife of Peter Overdorf; Jacob G., wheelwright and blacksmith at Pottsgrove, Pa., who married Elizabeth Teets, and who has two daughters, Belle and Gertrude.
After his marriage our subject took up farming in Rush township, also working at his trade, continuing this until 1883, when he bought the Kline's Grove Mill property, a flour and grist-mill. Mr. Eckman now runs a chop and saw-mill. He is a firm upholder of the Republican party and has always voted its ticket. He has been postmaster at Kline's Grove for twenty-five years. He is known all over the county as an honest, upright cit- izen. Mr. Eckman is also known for his
Halden Chester
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warm and generous heart, never refusing help to a person in distress or in misfortune. Religiously Mr. Eckman is an attendant of the Methodist Church.
OLDEN CHESTER, a retired mine operator of Shamokin, whose por- trait is shown on the oppo- site page, has won an enviable reputa- tion among the best business men and is recognized as the personification of honor and integrity. He was born in the Green Mountain state, near the Canadian line, Sep- tember 30, 1833. He is a son of Joseph and Hannah Chester. He went with his parents to Schuylkill County, Pa., when quite young and was reared in that county. As his father died on a trip west when Holden was still a lad, he received no education worthy the name, but began life in the mines at the age of nine years, first working as a slate-picker. He continued working in and around the mines in that capacity, also assisting miners and driving horses and mules inside, until he attained the age of fourteen years. At that age he apprenticed himself to learn the trade of a blacksmith at Tamaqua, serving six years and working from Pottsville to Tamaqua, a distance of sixteen miles. Having served the full apprenticeship and completely mastered the trade, at the age of twenty he began black- smithing in the coal regions, working at var- ious places, and continuing until about 1854, when stationary engineering engaged his at- tention for six years. He then served as out- side mine boss in the Schuylkill coal region until August, 1861.
Our subject, in August, 1861, enlisted in the Union Army as a private in Company L. 3rd Reg., Pa. Vol. Cav., serving for three
years; his service during the last six months was as a veterinary surgeon, acting under a commission from the Secretary of War, and as such he was mustered out of service. after serving all three years in the Army of the Potomac. After the war he again engaged as mine boss, taking charge of the erecting of a large colliery at Williamstown, Dauphin County, remaining there for eight years as foreman or boss. In 1873 he removed to Sha- mokin, and has remained there ever since. He engaged as superintendent of the Mineral Railroad & Mining Company, comprising five collieries, all in the vicinity of Shamokin, and served in that capacity until the beginning of 1880, when the Lykens Valley and Williams- town collieries, three in number, were added to the five previously described, and Mr. Ches- ter was appointed general superintendent of all those collieries, which position he held un- til 1886. About that time he purchased an in- terest in the Union Coal Company, which op- erated three collieries in the vicinity of Sha- mokin; after taking charge of the mines he continued as superintendent of those collier- ies until 1893, when he sold his interests and withdrew. Since then he has looked after other affairs and has been interested in the bituminous coal fields of West Virginia, be- sides other enterprises in Shamokin.
In 1883 Mr. Chester assisted in organizing the Shamokin electric light companies and. with the exception of one year has served as president. He is also president of the Sha- mokin Gas Company; is a director of the Guarantee Trust & Safe Deposit Company: is a director of the Shamokin Powder Com- pany, and has been ever since its organiza- tion; he is president and largest stockholder of the Shamokin Packing Company.
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