USA > Pennsylvania > Book of biographies; This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of the Seventeenth congressional district, Pennsylvania > Part 62
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Dr. Harvey J. S. Weicksel, our subject, re- ceived his preliminary education in the public
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schools and then attended one year at the State College of Pennsylvania, when he en- tered the veterinary department of the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in 1894, and located in September of the same year in Shamokin, Pa., where he has since remained. In connec- tion with his profession he does considerable work for Dr. Leonard Pearson, state veteri- nary commissioner of Pennsylvania, in the way of looking after the health of cattle.
Dr. Weicksel is a member of the United States Veterinary Medical Association and of the Pennsylvania State Medical Association; also a member of the Knights of Malta and of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, tak- ing an active part in the choir.
OHN PACKER HAAS, one of the representative business men of Sun- bury, Northumberland County, Pa., is a man of considerable influence, being held in the highest esteem by his innumerable ac- quaintances. He was born in Sunbury, Sep- tember 30, 1849, and is a son of John and Mary (Gheen) Haas. He is descended from Revolutionary stock, his great-grandfather on the paternal side having participated in the War of the Revolution.
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Daniel Haas, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was a native of Shamokin township, Northumberland County, Pa., where he en- gaged in tilling the soil, becoming a man of prominence in that locality. In political at- tachments he was a Democrat. He married Eve Reed, a member of a well-known family of Shamokin township, and their union was blessed by the birth of eleven children, among whom was John Haas, the father of our sub- ject.
John Haas was born June 22, 1822, in Shamokin township, Pa., and spent his young- er days in work upon his father's farm. After leaving home he engaged in mercantile busi- ness and in mining coal, spending many years in that business. He was a member of the firm of John Haas & Company and of Haas & Fageley of Shamokin, a firm very well- known at the time, but he retired from the coal business in 1875. He then was interested in the Sunbury Nail Works, with which he was identified until 1894, when he resigned as its president. He was always interested in public improvements and was connected with numerous public enterprises, namely: as di- rector of the First National Bank; one of the first directors of the Shamokin, Sunbury & Lewisburg Railroad, and was for many years president of the missionary institute, now known as Susquehanna University. He has been an eldler in the Lutheran Church at Sun- bury for thirty-five years, and was superin- tendent of the Sunday School for thirty years. Politically he is a Republican, and during the Civil War was a very strong Unionist. He is now enjoying life at the advanced age of nearly seventy-seven years. His union with Mary Gheen resulted in the birth of four chil- dren: John Packer, the subject of this sketch; J. Clementine, who married L. T. Rohrbach; Mary Alice, wife of the late Dr. C. M. Martin; and Louisa, who died in infancy.
John Packer Haas received his intellectual training at Susquehanna University and at Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg. Pa. Upon leaving school he was employed by his father at Sunbury, and later was extensively engaged in the wholesale and retail coal busi- ness at Baltimore, Md. While residing in that city he was appointed treasurer of the Baltimore postoffice to serve under Postmas- ter Harrison Adreon. Upon the expiration of
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his term of four years he returned to Sunbury, Pa., where he engaged in the iron business until the Sunbury mill closed down for a few years. He then engaged as New York State agent for the Pottstown Iron Company, with his office located at Syracuse, N. Y., and he efficiently served in that capacity until the company closed the works. He has since de- voted his attention to his private interests. He is a man of exceptional business ability, ener- getic and always trustworthy. He has the ex- plicit confidence of his fellow-citizens and is everywhere respected. In politics he is a stanch Republican. He was honored by the unanimous nomination for Congress from his county and declined the nomination from the Seventeenth Congressional District.
On November 4, 1872, Mr. Haas was united in marriage with Sally Schaffle of Lewisburg, Pa., eldest daughter of C. W. Schaffle, de- ceased, and they became the parents of three children: Mary G., now Mrs. A. J. Carter of Waynesburg, Pa .; Gertrude, who lives at home; and Jennie, deceased. In religious at- tachments the family are members of the Lutheran Church.
R ANSLER B. BIRD, the leading mar- ket gardener of the village of River- side, was born in Elysburg, Northumberland County, Pa., March 18, 1859, and is a son of John S. and Rachel Ann (Potter) Bird, and grandson of James S. and Sarah (Fisher) Bird.
Our subject's grandfather was a native of the state of New Jersey, but resided at Bear Gap, Northumberland County, Pa., the great- er part of his life, where he was engaged in farming. He married Sarah Fisher, who bore him a family of six children, namely: Henry,
James, John S., Lena, Anna, and Sarah. He died at the age of eighty-three years; his wife passed from this life aged eighty-two years.
John S. Bird, the father of our subject, was born on his father's farm at Bear Gap, Feb- ruary 1, 1824, and spent his younger- days learning the trade of a tanner; in 1875 he moved to Montour County and became a resi- dent of Mausdale, where he worked for Charles Fenstermacher for about eleven years. In 1877 he moved to Riverside, and purchasing four lots on the corner of Avenue E and Sunbury street, erected a fine residence, which he has since made his home. In 1862 Mr. Bird enlisted in the Union Army and served nearly three years; he was assigned to Company D, 150th Reg., in the famous Buck- tail Brigade, and was soon promoted to pri- vate, and at the battle of Gettysburg he was wounded in the left arm, for which injury he now receives a pension. His wife is Rachel Ann Potter, a daughter of Thomas Potter of Catawissa, Pa., and six children have blessed the union, as follows: Emanuel, deceased; James, a resident of Nanticoke, Pa., book- keeper for the Susquehanna Coal Company; Kersey, deceased; Ransler B., our subject; Levi, deceased; and Martin, a Congregation- al minister residing at Brainerd, Minn. Mr. and Mrs. Bird are members of the Methodist Church and our subject's father is sexton of the same. Mr. Bird is treasurer of the village of Riverside.
Our subject followed farming until 1887, when he removed to Riverside and purchased of Richard Wilson ten lots, or two and one- half acres of land; he improved the buildings, set out fruit trees and began raising vegetables for the market. In 1891 he erected a green- house, which contains forty-seven hundred square feet of glass, and he not only raises many beautiful flowers but keeps one of the
140
JOSEPH KEIM.
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
largest and best kept gardens in Northuni- berland County. On market days his wagon and display of vegetables, berries, fruit and flowers are the envy of all. Our subject also raises lemons, and during the season of 1898 he picked and sold over one hundred choice lemons; he also ships flowers and shrubberies to the surrounding towns.
Mr. Bird was united in marriage to Emma Shannon, a daughter of Joseph L. Shannon, whose sketch also appears in this Book of Biographies. Three children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bird, namely: John Elliott, born February 1, 1893; Eva Sophia, born June 24, 1896; and Esther Elizabeth, born March 22, 1898. Mr. Bird is independ- ent in his political views, always upholding the candidate who, in his opinion, is the best man. He has served as a school director; re- ligiously, he is a member and steward of the Methodist Church.
OSEPH KEIM, outside-foreman at the Henry Clay Colliery near Shamokin, Pa., was born July 19, 1843, in Blythe township, Schuylkill County, Pa., and is a son of Jacob and Maria (Steck) Keim.
Jacob Keim, our subject's father, and his brother Peter were the first of the family to come to America. They took an active part in the development of the anthracite coal in- dustry. Jacob Keim's life came to an untime- ly end when our subject was only six years of age, at the Kaska Williams Colliery, in Schuylkill County, it being the first accident of the kind in the anthracite coal region. Pe- ter Keim spent his life in mining and had al- ways worked with his brother until Jacob's death, when he removed to Wisconsin and took up a homestead. His family was swept away by an epidemic of cholera morbus.
Josepli Keim, our subject, was the eldest one of the family upon his father's death, hav- ing a younger sister and brother. The broth- er, Jacob, born two weeks after his father's death, is yet living and is a resident. of East Mahanoy township, Schuylkill County, where he follows mining as a business. The sister, Katherine, became the wife of Lawrence P. Brennan, and they reside at Jackson's Patch. At the age of eight years our subject went into a coal-breaker as a picker of slate, attend- ing school only for a short time during the year, and then under incompetent teachers, which gave him very poor advantages for ob- taining an education. From picking slate lie became a driver of teams in and around the mines, and next he engaged in farming, after which he ran an engine in Schuylkill County. His first position was with P. D. Luther, who operated the Kaska Williams Colliery, in Schuylkill County. Later our subject was employed as foreman at the Penitentiary Col- liery, also operated by Mr. Luther. Shortly afterwards he enlisted in Company H, 173rd Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., and entered the Civil War for nine months, remaining for about ten or eleven months. He did not participate in any engagement, as he arrived on the field too late for the battle of Gettysburg. After re- ceiving his discharge from the army he began work in the Kaska Williams Colliery under the employ of Mr. Luther, and ran engines for some time. Later he went to what was known as the Berry Colliery, which had been operated for a time by P. J. Berry, but upon his failure returned to the hands of the Mac- Neal Coal & Iron Company. Mr. Keim was appointed superintendent of the Berry Col- liery; his success in this connection made him the choice of the company to operate the Jackson's Patch collieries, a much more re- sponsible position. The strikes of the W. B.
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
A. entailed great losses and put to large in- convenience the MacNeal Company and, upon the company's failure, the property passed into the hands of White, Fowler & Snow, and our subject remained in their em- ploy. This company continued in business but a short time, when Franklin B. Gowen, who was the president of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company and the Phil- adelphia & Reading Railroad Company, fore- closed the mortgage, taking everything out of the mines and closing them up. Mr. Keim was with the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company while this was being done and subsequently he was transferred to the Knick- erbocker Colliery near Yatesville, under the same management, in the capacity of a fore- man, remaining there until about 1872, when he was again transferred to the Shenandoah City Colliery, remaining until May 1, 1884, when he left and went to Pottsville and went into the natural ice business for one year. On October 12, 1885, he again entered the em- ploy of the company, going to the North Franklin Colliery at Trevorton, and remained there until April 23, 1888, when he was trans- ferred to the Henry Clay Colliery at Shamo- kin, where he has since remained. This is one of the most important positions of the kind in the section; it includes the Henry Clay, Peer- less, Sterling and Big Mountain workings, and Mr. Keim has the superintendence of the outside workings of the Henry Clay and Big Mountain.
Our subject married Elizabeth Simmet, who died at Shenandoah, May 23, 1880. They have been blessed with six children: Mary, the wife of Edward Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa .; Matilda, the wife of John P. Quinn of Shamokin, Pa .; Herman J., a cutter by trade, who was employed by a large Chicago firm for five years, but is now in business for himself
in the West; Leo L., who lives in Shamokin, Pa., and is in the employ of the Henry Clay Colliery; Rose, unmarried; and John, who died in 1880 at Shenandoah.
Mr. Keim is a stockholder in the Shamokin Title & Trust Company. He is a Republican in politics and very much interested in all national affairs, but has never sought an offi- cial position. He is a member of Lincoln Post, No. 140, G. A. R., of Shamokin, and in 1897 was its commander; and is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Mr. Keim's portrait accompanies this sketch, being presented on a foregoing page.
J OHN REBMAN, one of the popular commercial travelers representing F. P. Delley & Company of Philadelphia, who makes his home at Danville, Pa., was born in Stuttgart, Germany, January 3, 1847, and is a son of John and Catherine (Hansel- men) Rebman, and grandson of Hesock Reb- man.
Hesock Rebman was a descendant of nobil- ity, and our subject has a copy of his coat-of- arms and crest. He had charge of the mint in Germany many years. His son, John, the father of our subject, was born in Germany, and was engaged in the manufacture of calico. He came to the United States in 1852 and set- tled in Frankfort, Pa., where he remained some time, when he moved to Philadelphia and spent the latter days of his life in quiet and peace. While a resident of Frankfort, he was successfully engaged in the manufacture of axles, and operated a large factory. He was united in marriage with Catherine Han- selmen, and they were the parents of two chil- dren, namely: Frederick, deceased; and John, the subject of this personal history. Upon
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
the death of our subject's father, Mrs. Reb- man was wedded to Louis Hontrum, and they have raised one daughter, Lizzic.
John Rebman entered the Wisengras Gym- nasium during his younger days, where he be- came a marvel in performing feats on the trapeze. He came to the United States on the ship "Washington" and landed in Philadel- phia May 13, 1860, and for some time he was engaged in following the barber's trade. He then took up his old profession, and traveled with many of the leading circuses in the United States, including Forepaugh's Show, Robinson's Show, was with R. E. Gardner four and one-half years, and was with R. S. Q. Stokes, when that gentleman made a tour through Europe, where our subject was billed as the special attraction. He was the first one to introduce to the world the double somer- sault, and won a reputation as the most dar- ing leaper of his day. Our subject spent many months traveling through Brazil and Cuba. He was obliged to retire from the show busi- ness as the hard work was fast telling on his physical health, and he came to Danville, Pa., and under the firm name of Krebs & Rebman carried on a wholesale and retail liquor house. In 1887 he became a traveling salesman, rep- resenting the well known firm of F. P. Delley & Co., of Philadelphia.
Mr. Rebman was united in the bonds of matrimony with Emma M. Leigles, a daugh- ter of E. R. Leigles, who for many years was identified with the iron mills of Danville, but who is now engaged in farming at Kipp's Run, Pa. Five children resulted from this union, namely: Frederick B., an operator at Youngstown, Ohio, was wedded to Anna Haves; Samuel C., a bookkeeper for Rochey, Pierce & Company of Pittsburg, was married to Jennie Askner, and they have one child, Annie; and Harry J., a lawyer of Danville,
who was admitted to the bar in 1895. Mr. Rebman is a member and past master of Dan- ville Lodge No. 516, F. & A. M .; Lodge No. 109, I. O. O. F .; I. O. R. M .; and K. of P.
ILLIAM KIEFER, one of the most enterprising and successful of the younger business men of Mount Carmel, has won success by his perseverance and industry. Hle is a son of William and Dorothea Kiefer and was born in Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill County, Pa., November 9, 1860. His parents were natives of Germany and cach came to the United States when young and subsequently married here.
The father of our subject located in Potts- ville, where he became a butcher, and followed the meat business for several years. He re- moved to Mount Carmel in 1884 and followed his business as a butcher until within a few years, when he practically retired from active business. He and his wife were blessed with a family of seven children, two sons and five daughters, one dying in infancy. The sur- viving children are as follows: Alice, wife of Dr. Edmund W. Samuel of Mount Carmel; William, our subject; Anna, wife of Oscar Scott, a cabinetmaker of Mount Carmel; Thomas, who is in business with the subject of our sketch; Mary and Emma, who are mil- liners in Mount Carmel; and Martha, a teach- er in one of the schools of Mount Carmel.
Our subject received but limited education in the common schools in Frackville, Schuyl- kill County, Pa. At the age of about seven- teen years he left home and removed to Mount Carmel, and entered the employ of Charles K. Maurer, who established the first meat market in the town of Mount Carmel. Wil- liam remained with Mr. Maurer for eight years, when he established a similar business
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.
on his own account, which immediately pros- pered and which, with his brother Thomas, he now conducts under the firm name of Kiefer Bros. He ran the market for six years, at the end of which period the business had so en- larged that his brother joined him and took up a part of the active management of the market. The firm now does the leading butch- er business in Mount Carmel. The brothers do their own killing and cater only to the best trade. They keep five delivery wagons con- stantly employed, and their business amounts to about six thousand dollars per month. The firm occupies the ground floor of a large three-story brick building, which is admirably arranged for their particular business.
Aside from his individual business Mr. Kie- fer has considerable interests in local corpor- ations and has done much to materially ad- vance the industrial prosperity of Mount Car- mel. He is a director in the Mount Carmel First National Bank and has been such for about six years; he is a director of the Edison Electric Illuminating Company; and a direc- tor of the People's Building & Loan Asso- ciation. In politics our subject is an active Democrat. He has served one term as a school director of the borough. He is a member of Mount Carmel Lodge No. 378, F. & A. M.
On December 25, 1886, Mr. Kiefer was joined in the bonds of matrimony to Mary Eddy, daughter of Peter and Lydia (Wool- cock) Eddy, of Shamokin. Their union has been blessed by two children: Frederick and Dorothy.
R. RALPH W. MONTELIUS, one of the most prominent and successful physicians and surgeons with a large practice in Mount Carmel and throughout Northumberland County, is a son of Alfred
M. and Eliza J. (Hartshorn) Montelius, and was born February 5, 1854, in Curwensville, Clearfield County, Pa. Having for some time been an active and enthusiastic member of the National Guard of Pennsylvania, when the war between the United States and Spain broke out, Dr. Montelius was one of the first to offer his services to his country, and he has served with distinction in various capacities, winning high praise as an officer of excellent executive ability.
The great-grandfather of our subject, Charles Montelius, had a most interesting ca- reer, starting out at an early age under con- ditions which were not the most favorable but which he turned to his advantage by his nat- ural ability and his pluck and perseverance. He was a native of Germany and was edu- cated with a view to his serving in the French Legislature. When quite young, however, Charles was kidnaped, brought to this coun- try and bound out to a Mr. Bartholomew, a merchant in Philadelphia, in payment for his passage to the United States. This occurred during the French revolutionary period. Charles served the necessary term of six years in payment of his transportation to this coun- try, paid strict attention to business, and in- cidentally won the affections of the daughter of Mr. Bartholomew, whom he married. He went into business as a general merchant at Sixth and Walnut streets in Philadelphia and, being persona grata to his father-in-law, from whom he received considerable encourage- ment and assistance, he was very successful. He finally removed to Union County, this state, where he invested extensively in farms in the Buffalo Valley territory, and spent the remainder of his life in managing his farms and several estates which he acquired. The grandfather was a man of determined char- acter and strong will and of positive opinions
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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
as to what was right or wrong. In politics he was a Whig. He was a member of the famous "Buck Shot Legislature," serving in it dur ing the most exciting period of its existence. It is related that he was urged by Thaddeus Stevens to "vote with the party and let con- science go to the Devil," but that was not in accord with Mr. Montelius' idea of right and he rebelled and refused to obey the dic- tate of the old political war-horse. His re- fusal to vote with his party on important measures caused a serious disturbance and resulted in a personal attack upon him. To escape personal harm, and at the same time act as his own judgment dictated, Mr. Mon- telius leaped from a second-story window in the state house and escaped from his tor- mentors. Religiously the grandfather was a member of the German Reformed Church.
Alfred M. Montelius, the father of our sub- ject, was born in Mifflinburg, Union County, Pa., in 1827, was reared and resided there un- til he was twenty-one years old, when he re- moved to Curwensville, Clearfield County, where for several years he was engaged in business as a general merchant. In 1861 he enlisted in the 105th Reg., Pa. Vol. Inf., and served eleven months during the Rebellion. After his discharge from the army he removed to Mount Carmel, in October, 1862, and was appointed superintendent of the Mount Car- mel Colliery, which was later operated by Montelius, Righter & Co., his brother, Wil- liam, being the head of the company. Sub- sequently Alfred became a member of the firm and retained his interest until his death, November 28, 1886. He was one of the or- ganizers of the Mount Carmel Water Com- pany, of which he was the first president; a promoter of the Edison Electric Illuminating Company, and the first bank of Mount Car- mel,-the Mount Carmel Savings Bank. He
was a Republican in politics and served as a school director for several terms. A. M. Mon- telius was known as a most charitable man, giving freely to the poor and being a very liberal supporter of the Methodist Church, with which he was affiliated. He married Eliza J. Hartshorn, daughter of Benjamin Hartshorn, a pioneer distiller of Clearfield County, and to them were born eight chil- dren, as follows: William T., who some time ago retired from active business and resides in Mount Carmel; Ralph W., the subject of this review; Walton II., a real estate dealer of Philadelphia; Katharine, the wife of Harry E. Brown of Philadelphia, who is in the em- ploy of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad; Belle Louise, wife of D. M. Hinkle, a promi- nent business man of Williamsport, Pa .; Rol- lin Clark, a prominent coal merchant in Phil- adelphia, who also is a Republican and very active in politics; Howard H., who is in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Wil- liamsport, Pa .; Frank, who is private secre- tary to J. M. Wallis, formerly general super- intendent of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
Our subject, Ralph W. Montelius. was ed- ucated in the common schools of Curwens- ville and in the academies at Mifflinburg and Elysburg and at the State Normal School in Bloomsburg, Pa. For a short time he man- aged his father's general store in Mount Car- mel, also studying medicine with Dr. W. J. Haas, the first resident physician of Mount Carmel. He entered Jefferson Medical Col- lege, Philadelphia, from which he was grad- uated in 1876. Because of il! health he did not immediately take up the practice of his profession, but in the fall of 1876 he removed to Mount Carmel and soon afterwards began the practice of medicine, which he has con- tinued there since. He has a large practice. particularly as a surgeon. Dr. Montelius is
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a member of the Schuylkill County Medical Society; the Lehigh Valley Medical Associa- tion; the Pennsylvania State Medical So- ciety; and the Medical Society of the United States. In politics he is a Republican and has served two terms as a school director and has frequently been a delegate to conventions of his party. He is a member of Mount Car- mel Lodge, No. 378, F. & A. M., of which he is a past master; and is past commander of Prince of Peace Commandery No. 22, Knights Templar.
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