USA > Pennsylvania > Book of biographies; This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of the Seventeenth congressional district, Pennsylvania > Part 49
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Our subject is a Republican and has been elected to the borough council for two terms. He has been for many years an active and prominent member of St. Matthew's Episco- pal Church of which he is junior warden, and is also treasurer of the parish house connected with the church. On November 2, 1871, our subject married Clara Haas, a daughter of Daniel Haas of Sunbury. They have two sons: Dr. Charles H., who was graduated from the Sunbury High School and subse- quently spent three years in Bucknell Uni- versity at Lewisburg, Pa., after which he studied medicine and in 1897 was graduated from the Medico-Chirurgical College, Phila- delphia,-he then spent nine months in the
Miners' State Hospital at Ashland, Pa., in practical clinical work and is now located at Shickshinny, Pa., where he is practicing his profession and is also surgeon for the Penn- sylvania Railroad Company; and Raymond, who is attending school.
J OHN H. GOESER, of the firm of J. H. Goeser & Co., wholesale dealers in groceries, is one of the most highly- respected citizens of Danville, Pa., was born in Danville January 1, 1852, and is a son of Anthony and Catherine (Schumacher) Goeser, and a grandson of John Goeser, who was a farmer of Germany.
Anthony Goeser, the father of our subject, was born on the river Rhine and was the first of the family to come to America. He was born and reared upon a farm, and, los- ing his father when a lad, in 1812 began work- ing to assist his mother in supporting her large family. A short time later his mother was united in marriage, and our subject's father, at the age of nine years, was put out with other relatives to seek a living for him- self. Attaining his manhood with a strong constitution and willing hands, he engaged in farming; he was a man of untiring. energy and perseverance and by the exercise of economy, he succeeded in laying aside most of his earn- ings. His mother passed from this life at the age of fifty-eight years, and Anthony and his younger and only brother took possession of their father's farm and carried on general farming until 1843, when Anthony sold his interest in the farm to his brother. Leaving his home and sweetheart, AAnthony departed from his. native country, and on the ship "Manchester," sailed to the United States. landing in the city of New York. He took the steamer to Albany, N. Y .. and went
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thence by railroad to Buffalo. Later he went west as far as Wisconsin, where he intended locating, but being very much disappointed with this country, he returned to his native land. Shortly after arriving in Prussia, he re- ceived a letter from a friend who resided in Danville, Pa., and in 1842 again sailed for the United States, then locating at Danville, where he was employed in the rolling mills as a rail straightener. He remained in this country some time and then returned to Prus- sia, where he was united in marriage with Catherine Schumacher, who lived in Muen- stereifel Parish, on an estate called Hoespelt. Mr. Goeser made her acquaintance while working for her father and much against her parents' will they were married. With his bride he returned to the United States for the third time to build a home, and to ac- cumulate a fortune. They built a home on York's Hill, Montour County, and in 1857 erected a large house and kept boarders; the hotel was known as the "Father Ryne House;" in 1873, when the local option edict was passed against the usage of liquor, our subject's father abandoned the sale of liquor and only cider thereafter was sold, and the hotel was then known as the "Cider Depot." The latter part of Anthony's life was spent in retirement and enjoying the fruits of his la- bors. He entered the world of rest in 1880. One child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Goeser. John H., our subject. Mr. Goeser was a Ger- man Catholic, and in 1862 founded St. Hu- bert's German Catholic Church and school.
John H. Goeser was educated in the com- mon schools of his native town, and his younger days were spent working with his father. His first business undertaking was in tobacco; purchasing a horse and wagon he engaged in the wholesale business, which was successful from the start, and in later years
he engaged in the wholesale grocery business at Pottsville, Pa., with Joseph Hummell. Two years later he sold his interest, moved to Dan- ville, and established his present business. He formed a company with Joseph Fish and Joseph Snyder, and they erected at No. 122 East Center street a large three-story brick block; they also built a large warehouse. Our subject also built a fine store at Mount Carmel, Pa., at a cost of $8,000. The pro- prietors are popular and highly esteemed citi- zens, who have a good reputation for hon- esty, and their establishment is one of the largest of its kind in Central Pennsylvania. Our subject was one of the promoters and served as president of the Equitable Stocking Company of Danville, now known as the Dan- ville Knitting Mills Company, in which he owns an interest. He was instrumental in se- curing the silk mill.
Mr. Goeser has served three terms as alder- man from the Third Ward, and is president of the board of trade, of which he is in fact the life and backbone. In 1878 he formed a matrimonial alliance with Theresa Liebner, a daughter of Joseph Liebner of Pottsville, Pa., and to this union five children have been born: Coletta; Joseph; Carl; and Mary and Augusta, both of whom died in infancy. Mr. Goeser and family are members and regu- lar supporters of the German Catholic Church of Danville. Our subject has enlarged and remodeled his father's homestead into a fine residence. He is a very energetic and suc- cessful business man, and holds a prominent position among his fellow-citizens. Mr. Goe- ser's portrait is shown on another page.
ILLIAM HEMINGRAY, Sr., a worthy and esteemed citizen of Shamokin, is purely of English de- scent. He is a son of John and Ann (Ellis)
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Hemingray and was born April 22, 1826, at the family homestead in Derbyshire, England.
John Hemingray, father of our subject, was born in the village of Heage, Derbyshire, Eng- land, about 1783. He was reared and edu- cated in the same village, where he followed the occupation of a miner for many years, but finally conceived the idea of trying to better his condition in life by coming to America. He brought with him his wife, formerly Ann Ellis of Castle Dunington, England, and his son William, and located at Mt. Laffer, Schuylkill County, Pa., where he again turned his attention to mining, but death overtook him in 1846, just ten weeks after coming to America. His widow fifteen years later crossed to the unknown shore.
William Hemingray had very poor advan- tages for obtaining an education during his boyhood, which was spent in England. When twenty years old he left England with his parents and came to America. They reached the mining districts of Pennsylvania and lo- cated in Schuylkill County, where he engaged in mining. After mining there about five years he located at Yellow Springs, Dauphin County, where he continued the same occu- pation for one year, and was promoted to the position of pit-boss, which position he re- tained for three years, giving entire satisfac- tion to his employers. His next move was to the bituminous coal regions of Chesterfield County, in Eastern Virginia, where he re- mained for two years, and then returned to Dauphin County. Pa., and took charge of the outside workings of a colliery at Rauch's Gap, where he remained for some time. He was afterwards located at the following places: Kanawha Valley, W. Va., where he was em- ployed as mine-foreman by Col. Garland, and remained for three years; Lykens, Dauphin County, where he continued to labor till the
outbreak of the Rebellion; Gilberton, Schuyl- kill County, at which place he was foreman of the South Side Colliery for one year and a half; Ashland, where he had charge of Repp- tier's colliery for a term of three years, re- signing his position to accept the more im- portant position of mine inspector. He yielded to the urgent solicitations of his friends and became a candidate for this office in 1873, be- ing elected by a majority of the examining board. He served in that capacity five years, making his headquarters at Shamokin.
Mr. Hemingray had made mining a life- study, and, having worked about mines all his life, he was thoroughly qualified to fill this high office in an able manner and discharge its duties most acceptably. He still makes Shamokin his home. Of late years he has done no active work in the line of mining, ex- cept locating mines in the anthracite region. He has made a study of geological subjects, especially iron ore and coal, and is considere:1 good authority on this subject. Rebecca Chaundy became his wife. She is deceased. having passed away May 30, 1895. But two of their children grew to maturity: William, Jr., born June, 1851, was united in marriage with Ella Samuels, born in 1856. Their home was blessed by the presence of one daughter. Cora, born in 1876. She was reared in Sha- mokin and is highly educated, being a grad- uate of the Shamokin High School. She is now a very successful teacher in her native city. Lizzie, wife of William Morgan, died. leaving two children as a legacy to her husband: Lila, who lives with her father in Shamokin, and is his joy and comfort: and Derby, who now resides near Philadelphia.
Our subject has always taken an active part in educational affairs in his community, and has served a term of five years as school direc- tor. He is an earnest Republican and zealously
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advocates the principles of his party. Socially he is a member of the I. O. O. F., and affil- iates with the members of Shamokin Lodge. He is a willing worker in the M. E. Church and has lived an active and useful life.
ETER G. MILLER, a wholesale and retail dealer in coal and wood located at No. 861 Market street, Blooms- burg, Columbia County, Pa., and one of the most enterprising and prosperous citizens of that town, was born at Pittston, Luzerne County, Pa., October 11, 1863, and is a son of Jacob Miller, also a native of Luzerne County.
Our subject was educated in the public schools of Pittston and in 1887 he removed to Bloomsburg and engaged in the tobacco and cigar business on Market street, where J. Moyer now resides. He discontinued that business one year later and rented the old Jacoby coal yards which he conducted for two years; at the expiration of that time he pur- chased the yards and built new stables, ice- houses, an office, and two dwellings, one of which is a handsome brick structure and is the home of our subject. Mr. Miller ope- rates the largest coal and wood yards in Co- lumbia County. His coal is delivered to him by canal-boats and he owns a storage-dock which has a capacity of four thousand tons.
Mr. Miller was united in the bonds of mat- rimony to Margaret Jacoby, a daughter of Oliver and Eliza (Hartman) Jacoby, and granddaughter of John and Elizabeth (Weikle) Jacoby. John Jacoby was born in Hillstown, Bucks County, Pa., and his wife was a native of Coopersburg, Pa .; soon after their marriage, they moved to Bloomsburg. where he followed his trade as a wheelwright.
They were the parents of the following child- ren: Melvina; Maria; Oliver A .; Arminda; Enos; and Martha M. He died young and his wife passed from this life aged eighty-four years. Oliver A. Jacoby, the father of our sub- ject's wife, was born near the city of Philadel- phia, October 12, 1820, and died in 1890. He was a very successful man in business and suc- ceeded in accumulating a comfortable fortune. He was wedded to Eliza Hartman who bore him the following children : Leonora, wife of G. A. McKelvey; George, deceased; Jennie, also deceased; and Margaret, wife of our sub- ject. Mr. Jacoby was a strong Republican in politics, was a member of the I. O. O. F. of Bloomsburg, and served as a school direc- tor several years. Religiously he was a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church.
To Mr. and Mrs. Miller has been born one child, Edward J. In political views, our sub- ject firmly supports the Republican party. Mr. Miller is in the prime of life, prosperous, and surrounded by many warm friends. He is a wide-awake and energetic business man and has given aid and comfort to numerous enterprises other than business ones.
LBERT C. FISHER, a well-known citizen of Trevorton, Northumber- land County, Pa., is a son of Jacob and Margaret (Bower) Fisher, and was born September 25, 1859, in Trevorton, Pa.
The paternal grandfather, Christian Fisher, was a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, and never came to America. His son, Jacob, our subject's father, was born April 23. 1828, in Wurtemberg, Germany, and came to Amer- ica in 1856, locating at Trevorton, Pa. Al- though he had learned the trade of a silk- weaver in Germany, he worked in the mines.
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being engaged there for a period of thirty years, after that time assisting his son in the store. He is a member of the Evangelical Church. His wife has been dead several years. Their children were: Bertha, whose first hus- band was Albert Wetzel, and whose second husband was Daniel Reitz of Bear Valley; Albert C., our subject; Jacob, a laborer living in Golden, Colo .; and Mary, the wife of George B. Raker of Trevorton.
Albert C. Fisher, the subject of this biog- raphy, was educated in the common schools and learned the trade of a baker at Ashland, Pa. He has since followed that business con- stantly in Trevorton, Pa., also carrying on the mercantile business. He does an extensive business and is favorably known for his up- right dealings with all.
Politically Mr. Fisher has always been an unswerving Republican, but has never as- pired to office. He is a member of the P. O. S. of A. Mr. Fisher married Ella Fritz, an es- teemed lady of Trevorton.
OLOMON SCHOENER, a highly respected citizen of the borough of Mount Carmel, who for many years was employed in the collieries in that locality, is a son of John and Anna (Evans) Schoener, and was born near Womelsdorf, Berks Coun- ty, Pa., May 15, 1830.
John Schoener, the father of our subject, was born in Bucks County, Pa., but emigrated to Berks County and settled near the village of Rohrersburg, where he lived until his death. His occupation was that of a black- smith and he always followed it successfully. He married Anna Evans, by whom he had a family of eleven children, namely: Andrew, deceased; Mary; William, deceased; Sarah; Mahlon, a farmer living in Berks County;
John, also a resident of Berks County; Solo- mon, our subject; Frank, a resident of Berks County; and three others who died in in- fancy.
Solomon Schoener was reared in Berks County, where he resided until fifteen years of age, when he removed to Union County, and there learned the trade of a tobacconist. He subsequently removed to Schuylkill Coun- ty, where he resided until he removed to Mount Carmel, in April, 1876, where he was employed in the collieries several years as a laborer in getting out timber for the mines. He is a man of excellent judgment, is ener- getic, and possesses the confidence of all with whom he has any business or social relations. In political attachments he is a firm supporter of the Prohibition party, both by influence and vote, but he was at one time a member of the Republican party. He has served as a councilman in the borough a number of times to the entire satisfaction of his constituents. In addition to his other business interests he has always dealt quite extensively in real es- tate in Mount Carmel, at one time owning the Mount Carmel House. He was for some time the largest real estate dealer in Mount Carmel, but as the town grew and the demand for building property increased he gradually disposed of his holdings. At the present time he owns three tenement houses and five va- cant lots in Mount Carmel. He owns also two tenements in Mahanoy City, and is also interested in real estate in Lewisburg and Wyomissing, the latter a suburb of Reading.
Mr. Schoener has been twice joined in hymeneal bonds, his first union being with Maria Womer, by whom he had three chil- dren, as follows: Irvin, deceased; Franklin, a confectioner at Mount Carmel; and Anna, the wife of Harry Woodley of Mount Carmel. He formed a second alliance with Catherine
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Womer, now deceased, a sister of his first wife, and they had nine children: John, deceased; Charles, deceased; William, who holds a cler- ical position; Delia, the wife of Elmer John, an attorney-at-law of Mount Carmel; An- drew, a resident of Mount Carmel, who was admitted to the bar at Carlisle, Pa., in June, 1898; Ada; Catherine; and two others whose deaths occurred in childhood. Religiously our subject is a member and trustee of the United Evangelical Church of Mount Carmel.
REDERICK HAAS, a representative and influential citizen of Sunbury, and register of wills, recorder of deeds, and clerk of the Orphans' Court of Northumber- land County, Pa., is a son of Capt. Jacob W. and Eliza (Jones) Haas, and was born in Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Pa., May 3, 1858.
The Haas family is of German stock and the original emigrant was Frederick Haas, the great-great-grandfather of our subject, who came from Germany and settled in East- ern Pennsylvania during the early colonial period. His son, also named Frederick, and great-grandfather of our subject, was for many years a resident of Sunbury.
Frederick Haas, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Sunbury in 1800 and died in Shamokin in 1860, having moved there during his latter days. He was one of the leading business men of the county, and in early life was engaged in merchandising and tanning. Politically, he was a Whig, and served as treasurer of the county from 1824 until 1827. He was united in the bonds of wedlock to Elizabeth Swartz, a daughter of Michael Swartz, who came from Wurtemberg, Germany, to America prior to the Revolu- tion, in which war he was a soldier. In 1798
Mr. Swartz came to Sunbury and took up 600 acres of land in Beaver Meadows, where he remained the rest of his active days. He was the father of Hon. John Swartz, who repre- sented the Seventh Congressional District of Pennsylvania in Congress. Mr. and Mrs. Haas were the parents of six sons and four daughters, one of whom was Jacob W., the father of our subject, who was born in Potts- ville, Pa., June 25, 1833, where he grew to manhood. He was employed as clerk and bookkeeper up to the breaking out of the late war, and on September 21, 1861, he enlisted in Company G, 96th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., and served throughout the war as captain of his company. He participated in all the battles of the Army of the Potomac from 1861 to 1863. After the war he spent two years in the oil fields of Western Pennsylvania. In 1867 he went to Shamokin, Pa., and was con- nected with various collieries in that vicinity; he was clerk and foreman until 1890, when he took a tour through the Southern States, prospecting in the interests of the Roanoke Iron Company. In 1895 he became deputy register and recorder of Northumberland County, which office he still retains. Politi- cally he is a strong Republican. He was mar- ried to Eliza Jones, and they reared a family of children.
Frederick Haas, the subject of this bio- graphical sketch, at the age of nine years went to Shamokin with his parents. He received his primary education in the public schools of his native town, and later attended the high school at Shamokin, taking a regular course. He then was admitted to the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, N. Y., in 1878, and after studying part of the course there he re- signed on account of ill health and returned home, and the next fourteen years were spent clerking at the Luke Fidler Colliery at Sha-
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
mokin, Pa., and in the recorder's office at Sunbury. Entering politics as an active and aggressive Republican in 1894 he was elected register and recorder and clerk of Orphans' Court of Northumberland County, which was at that time a strong Democratic county. In 1897 he was re-elected, and holds that po- sition at the present time. In 1877 our sub- ject became a member of Company B. 7th Reg., N. G. Pa., and in 1880 he was pro- moted to lieutenant and four years later he resigned from the company. He is a member of Rescue Hose Company of Shamokin; also a member of Mount Tabor Lodge No. 125, I. O. O. F .; and Sunbury Lodge No. 22, F. & A. M.
In 1892 Mr. Haas was united in marriage to Nellie Murray of Shamokin, and two chil- dren has blessed this union, namely: Frank M., and Frederick, Jr.
AMES POLLOCK MCCLEERY, M. D., the oldest practicing physician and surgeon of Milton, Northumberland County, Pa., commands an extensive practice throughout that section of the county. He has a comprehensive knowledge of the med- ical profession and he skilfully treats the most complicated cases with promptness and de -. cision, which give his patients the greatest confidence in his ability. He is ever a kind friend to his patient as well as the physician, and it pleases his many acquaintances to be called his friend. Dr. McCleery is a son of William and Margaret (Pollock) McCleery, and was born in Milton, Northumberland County, November 13, 1832.
John McCleery, grandfather of our subject, was born at the forks of the Conestoga, Lan- caster County, Pa., October 13, 1767, and was
a son of Michael and Janet MeCleery. Michael was born in County Carlow, Ireland, his an- cestors having settled in that country at the time of the early persecutions in Scotland. John McCleery and Mary Lytle, who was born at Lytle Ferry, Dauphin County, on the Susquehanna, March 16, 1774, and a daughter of Joseph and Sarah Lytle, were united in marriage by Rev. Nathan Souden, September 23, 1802. ller father was of Eng- lish descent and her mother Irish. This union was blessed by the following offspring: Wil- liam; Sarah, the wife of John L. Watson, born February 18, 1805; Joseph, born Janit- ary 10, 1807; Jane, who became the wife of Rev. David X. Junkin, was born February 4, 1809; Elizabeth, born September 10, 1811; and Mary, born March 16, 1814, and married Rev. Nathan Shotwell. Early in life John Mc- Cleery was a merchant at Harrisburg, but sub- sequently he moved to Milton, Northumber- land County, where he was among the first business men. He opened a general merchan- dise store on South Front street, where Fol- mer's grocery store is now, and did a very large business, buying produce and grain, which he shipped down the river in arks to the larger cities, receiving merchandise in ex- change. He finally retired from this business and purchased a farm, which is now a part of the William Cameron estate, and there erected good substantial buildings which are still standing. He was always classed among the leading citizens of his community, and was very successful in business affairs, leaving a considerable estate at the time of his death. He and his wife now lie in the Harmony Cem- etery at Milton.
Dr. William McCleery, the father of our subject, was born at Halifax. Dauphin Coun- ty, Pa., July 31. 1803, and early in life was brought to Milton by his parents, practically
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growing up with that borough. He was a very apt scholar and obtained a good mental training in the public schools, after which he began the study of medicine under the direc- tion of Dr. James S. Dougal; and graduated from the Jefferson Medical College at Phila- delphia in 1827. He was a man of well-known ability and established a very large practice, possessing the respect and esteem of every one. As his oldest son, our subject, grew to manhood he directed him in the study of med- icine and with great pride watched his marked advancement. In 1857 he turned his entire practice over to his son and retired for the time being, but an active brain such as he pos- sessed is never content unless in full operation. and it was but a short time until he built the first steam saw-mill ever erected on the West Branch of the Susquehanna, at Milton. It was situated where the car manufacturing es- tablishment is now located, and Dr. McCleery operated it until his death, on December 4, 1867, aged sixty-four years. He was origi- nally a Whig in politics, as was his father be- fore him, but he later became a Republican. He erected and lived in the handsome brick residence now owned by his son John. Ho was joined in the holy bonds of wedlock with Margaret Pollock, a daughter of William Pol- lock, and a sister of the late James Pollock, ex-governor of Pennsylvania, and they were the parents of the following children: Mary, born September 9, 1830, who is the wife of Joseph D. Potts of Philadelphia; James P., our subject: Sarah, deceased, who was born November 5. 1834; John, born in 1837, mar- ried Mary Helen Marr; William P., born April 27, 1834, lives at Troy, Pa .; and Julia J., deceased, who was born October 18, 1841, and was the wife of Jesse Merrill. Mrs. Mc- Cleery died in 1842. at the age of thirty-six years.
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