USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > Commemorative biographical encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania : containing sketches of prominent and representative citizens and many of the early Scotch-Irish and German settlers. Pt. 1 > Part 49
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- Daniel J. Attick, of the firm of Attick & Bros., manufacturers and dealers in lime and stone, was born in Swatara township, Dauphin county, Pa., in May, 1856. He is a son of Daniel and the late Mary A. (Mep- ford) Attick. He grew up on his father's farm, receiving a public school education in his native township. He was a farmer, and flour miller ; in April, 1895, he engaged in his present business. Mr. Attick was mar- ried in Harrisburg, December 23, 1886, to Elmira A., daughter of Col. Seneca G. Sim-
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mons and his wife, Elmira A. (Simmons) Simmons. He is a Democrat in politics. Mrs. Attick is a member of St. Stephen's P. E. church.
WIERMAN, THOMAS THORNBURG, son of Isaac Wierman and Susannah (Comly) Wier- man, was born in 1813, in Menallen town- ship, Adams county, Pa., and died at Harris- burg August 2, 1887. He was educated at private schools, that of Judge McLean, at Gettysburg, and Amos Gilbert, at Strasburg, Lancaster county, and was employed subse- quently on his father's farm at the home place until twenty-three years of age, teach- ing school in the neighborhood during the winter months. In 1836, through favor of Hon. Thaddeus Stevens, canal commissioner, Thomas T. Wierman received an appoint- ment and began his professional career as rodman on the survey for the North Branch canal from Wilkes-Barre to State line, under James D. Harris, chief engineer, remaining there two years. In 1838 he was employed under Mr. Harris on surveys to avoid the incline plane on the State railroad near Philadelphia. In 1840 was assistant under A. B. Warford, chief engineer on the repairs and improvements of the State canals from Harrisburg to Wilkes-Barre and stationed at Northumberland, remaining there two years, when the Legislature refused any appropri- ation for the continued employment of en- gineers. Mr. Wierman then repaired to his father's farm in Adams county and engaged in the business of raising and selling fruit trees.
In 1846 he was employed as agent for the State to stake out and superintend the con- struction of the eastern reservoir of the canal near Hollidaysburg. In 1847 he was engaged on the construction of a section of the Pennsylvania railroad passing Duncan- non, and completed it in 1849, when he moved to Lewistown, remaining for a period in charge of the track laying of the section extending to Huntingdon. In 1850 he re- turned to employment under the State as principal assistant engineer to complete the construction of the North Branch canal, under Wm. B. Foster, chief engineer, and thereafter was employed on a topographical survey of Long Island for the water supply of the city of Brooklyn. Thence to the Huntingdon and Broad Top railroad as superintendent.
The following notice appeared in a Har-
risburg newspaper, August 7, 1SS7: " Mr. Thomas T. Wierman, chief engineer of the Pennsylvania Canal Company, died on Tues- day, in his seventy-fourth year, at his resi- dence, 116 Pine street, this city. Deceased had been suffering for several weeks from an affection of the kidneys and his death was not unexpected.
" Mr. Wierman was born near Gettysburg, in Adams county, and learned the profession of civil engineering. In that capacity he became interested in many important public improvements in this State and did much toward their successful advancement. His first service as civil engineer was on the original construction of the Pennsylvania railroad, and subsequently on the construc- tion of the North Branch canal from Pitts- ton to the State line of the State of New York. He afterwards constructed, as chief engineer, the Chemung canal, which con- nected the water improvements of Pennsyl- vania with the New York State canals. After that he built the Barclay railroad, running from Towanda, Bradford county, to the vast bituminous coal fields in that county. Ile also made the original survey for the Brooklyn water works. Mr. Wier- man took charge of the Pennsylvania canal about the year 1857, being stationed at Huntingdon. While engaged in the con- struction of the North Branch canal he met the esteemed lady who afterwards became his wife, and who still survives him. She is Emily, the sister of Hon. Victor E. Piollet and Joseph Piollet, of Wysox, Bradford county. In 1859 the headquarters of the canal company was removed to this city, and Mr. Wierman from that time until his death continued in charge of the extensive business. These children, five in number, survive him: Thos. T. Wierman, Jr., Victor P. Wierman, Mrs. S. S. Mitchell, of Buffalo, Mrs. T. N. Ely, of Altoona, and Miss Sarah Wierman. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and adhered to that religious belief throughout his life.
"The death of Thomas T. Wierman re- moves from the field of action one who was interested almost from their infancy in the public improvements in this State, and by his industry and efficiency as civil engineer, together with his great executive ability, had added largely to the development and prosperity of his native State. Ile was a man of the strictest probity, cultured and companionable when among friends and
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never harsh, and attached to the enjoyment of his happy home life. Ile was affable to his employes, though demanding of them that honest attention to duty which so markedly characterized him. By reason- able frugality he amassed a considerable for- tune, and was fond of recounting how, hav- ing at an early age saved $100, it was stolen from him by a thief while passing through a crowd near the Jones House, in this city. He had a kindly manner and a strong, yet pleasing countenance, which is well repre- sented in the accurate portrait presented in this issue, and engraved for the Telegram."
SHOEMAKER, GEORGE J., was born in Har- risburg, Pa., March 20, 1813, son of Jacob and Anna (Rhoads) Shoemaker. Samuel Rhoads, his maternal grandfather, was born in Dauphin county, February 25, 1738. He kept a hotel in Harrisburg for a number of years ; was sheriff of Dauphin county, and was for several years a member of the Legis- lature. His wife, Mrs. Rosanna Rhoads, was born January 30, 1754. They resided after marriage in the eastern part of the State for a number of years and removed to Harrisburg near 1800. Mr. Rhoads died September 25, 1786, aged forty-eight years and seven months. His wife died May 19, 1838, at the age of ciglity-four years, three months and twenty days. Their children were John and Anna, the former born De- cember 30, 1775, and the latter March 15, 1779. John Rhoads never married. For a number of years he was manager of a fur- nace in Huntingdon county. Some time after 1800 he settled permanently in Harris- burg, and in partnership with John Candor conducted a dry goods and grocery store, in which business he continued until his death, April 12,. 1859; his age at that time was eighty-three years, three months and cigh- teen days. His sister, Anna Rhoads, was married to Jacob Shoemaker about the year 1807.
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Jacob Shoemaker was born in New Jer- sey and came to Dauphin county in 1800. Jacob and Anna (Rhoads) Shoemaker had three sons : Samuel R., born June 29, 1810, George J. and John J., born April 19, 1816. Samuel R. Shoemaker died in 1831, aged nineteen, and John J. in 18SS, at the age of seventy-two years. Mr. Jacob Shoemaker's trade was that of a hatter, which he fol- lowed for many years after his marriage. Ile purchased a vacant lot of ground in
1808 and built a frame house at what is now No. 30 North Second street. Mr. Shoe- maker filled various city offices, and died in June, 1847, his wife having departed before him, on March 1, 1841.
George J. Shoemaker, only surviving son of Jacob Shoemaker, attended the city schools, and completed his education in the Harrisburg Academy. At twelve years of age he was employed as clerk in the store of Mr. John Rhoads, and remained with him five years; after which he was clerk for Mr. John Candor for a short time. In 1832 he was employed as clerk for Mr. Moore, of Hollidaysburg, Pa., for a few months; from that place he went to Pittsburgh, Pa., and re- turned to Harrisburg in the same year.
In 1834 Mr. Shoemaker went to Phila- delphia to buy goods, and on the return trip, met with an accident on this side of the Schuylkill river which seriously disabled him. He was in the hospital for four days, after which he was removed to the Red Lion Hotel, where he was confined ten weeks. His recovery was so slow that it was about a year before he was able to resume busi- ness. In 1836 he was for one year clerk in the works at Schuylkill Forge, and then again returned to Harrisburg. During the remainder of Mr. Shoemaker's business life, thus far, he has been much of the time em- ployed in clerical positions. In 1840 he was elected town clerk, and served five suc- cessive years. He served one year as clerk of the county commissioners, and was at one time connected in this capacity with the Supreme Court. He was for a short time a member of the city councils, and filled the position of deputy sheriff for three years. Mr. Shoemaker is one of the oldest members of the Harrisburg Beneficial Society. In the year 1860 Mr. Shoemaker became the owner of all the lots of ground from his father's original purchase up to Walnut street, and built thereon four three-story brick houses, in one of which he now resides.
Mr. Shoemaker was first married, in 1837, to Elizabeth D. Allen, of Strasburg, Lancaster county, Pa. They had five children. Anna R., their first-born, was married to George Evans, of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, Pa., and is now the only survivor, in her fifty- ninth year. The deceased children are Matilda, George, Ellen, and John ; the last- named died in 1860, aged thirteen, while at- tending college. Mr. Shoemaker's second marriage took place in December, 1850; his
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wife was Catharine, daughter of George and Catharine (Rahm) Eichholtz. They had four children : Maria, wife of D. A. Weid- mann, of New York; Rose, wife of L. K. Scheffer, of Harrisburg; Louis C., book- binder, Harrisburg; George E., a prominent physician at St. Louis, Mo., who traveled through Panama, and returned by way of New York; he died July 20, 1889, aged thirty-four. Mr. Shoemaker is a sound con- servative Democrat, and stands by President Cleveland with loyal support. The family are members of the Lutheran church.
Mrs. Catharine Shoemaker was born De- cember 1, 1821. Her father, George Eich- holtz, was a native of Lancaster county, and was a cabinetmaker. He came to Harris- burg, and became clerk in the secretary's office, spending the remainder of his life in this city. His wife, Catharine, was the daughter of Melchiorand Mary (King) Rahm. Melchior Rahm kept the Franklin House, on Walnut street, for a number of years; he was elected sheriff, and was a member of the Legislature for the county of Dauphin. The children of Mr. and Mrs. George Eichholtz are: Catharine (Mrs. Shoemaker); Cecilia, died in April, 1896, aged thirty years, wife of Sobieski Keen ; Edwin, died at the age of four years; George, died in 1853. The mother died in 1822, aged twenty-six. Mr. Eichholtz married a second time in 1830, Miss Maria Lebaron. Their children are: Annie, wife of Augustus Moltz ; Maria, wife of James McClintock; Lebaron, died in childhood. Both parents are now deccased ; Mr. Eichholtz died in 1858, at the age of eighty-five.
~OTT, LEANDER N., was born February 11, 1814, in Harrisburg. His grandfather, John Nicholas Ott, came to Pennsylvania prior to the war of the Revolution. During the struggle for independence he was in active service. After the town of Harrisburg was laid out he removed there and entered into business. He at one time kept the ferry. His son John Nicholas married, August 13, 1805, Margaret Kissecker, of Cumberland county. Nicholas Ott, the younger, died suddenly November 5, 1832, near Womels- dorf where he was buried, but subsequently was disinterred and brought to Harrisburg. His age was fifty years. His wife Margaret died April, 1823, aged thirty-six years. Leander N. Ott was the third child of his parents, and was left an orphan at a very
early age. He received an ordinary school edneation up to the time of his father's death, when he learned the trade of saddlery. He, however, took a partial course at Jef- ferson College, beginning in the spring of 1834, where he remained two years, devoting his time chiefly to mathematical studies. In 1837 Mr. Ott entered the service of the State, in the engineer corps under General DeHaas, and was employed in the survey from Lewistown to Pittsburgh, over the Allegheny mountains, made with a view of avoiding the inclined planes at Hollidays- burg, the then terminus to the castern di- vision of the Pennsylvania canal, and con- necting with the internal improvements on the western side of the mountain. He was also employed upon a similar survey from Philadelphia to Downingtown and along the Brandywine under John T. Bailey, chief engineer. Under him he was engaged on the Wiconisco canal, and other public works, until the beginning of Governor Porter's administration, when he resigned. Mr. Ott completed the study of the law which he had been pursuing for some time under William McClure, Esq., of Harrisburg, and was ad- mitted to the bar of Dauphin county April 27, 1840. In 1846 he was compelled to leave the practice of the law for an occupa- tion which would give him more out-of- door exercise. He then entered the saw-mill business at Harrisburg with his brother-in- law, Capt. Jacob Dock. They were chiefly engaged in manufacturing ship building lumber for the Philadelphia and New York markets; and when in i850 it was found advisable to confine their business to the Delaware, he removed to Camdem, N. J., where it was carried on until the latter part of 1859. In 1860 Mr. Ott returned to Har- risburg, in 1861 purchasing his present resi- dence, situated in Susquehanna township. For sometime during the early portion of the war he was connected with the military department, and did good service for his country. From that period until the pres- ent time Colonel Ott has devoted most of his attention to farming. Country life has proved of great benefit tohim, and, although in his eighty-third year, he frequently enjoys horseback exercise. Mr. Ott married Caro- line Heisely, daughter of the late George J. Heisely, of Harrisburg. Of their children, the representative member of the family is Capt. Frederick M. Ott, a prominent lawyer of the Dauphin county bar.
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RUDY, JOSEPH, retired, residence at Derry and Nineteenth streets, Harrisburg, Pa., was born in Susquehanna township, Dauphin county, Pa., May 5, 1818. He is a son of Frederick and Elizabeth (Layman) Rudy. The Rudy family are of German extraction ; the grandfather Rudy settled in Lebanon county, near the site of the borough of Jonestown, at a very early date in the his- tory of that county.
Frederick Rudy, the father of Joseph Rudy, was born in Lebanon county. He removed to Susquehanna township, Dauphin county, where he was engaged in farming and distilling. Here he spent the greater part of his life; here he passed away, in 1855, and his body lies interred in the Shoop church cemetery. Both Mr. Rudy and his faithful partner through life attained to a good old age; Frederick having reached the age of eighty-two, and his wife, who died in 1857, that of eighty-four years. Of the ten children who constituted their family, two died in childhood; seven lived to mature years, but Joseph Rudy is now the only sur- vivor.
Mr. Joseph Rudy was married in Lebanon, Pa., September 25, 1843, to Hettie, daughter of Abram and Frances Landis, of Spring Creek, Lebanon county. They had ten children, two are deceased, one that died in infancy, and Elizabeth, wife of Benjamin Strickler. Those who survive are: John, a farmer, residing in Lower Paxton township; Frances, wife of Reuben Althouse, of Harris- burg; Joseph, residing in Harrisburg; Sarah, wife of S. W. Trullinger, a prom- inent farmer of Susquehanna township; Hettie, widow of David Hocker; C. Landis; Mary, wife of George Hain, of Harrisburg, and Abraham, residing in Philadelphia. Mrs. Hettie Rudy died September 7, 1871. On February 4, 1872, Mr. Rudy was again united in marriage, at Harrisburg, to Bar- bara Mumma, widow of John Mamma, and daughter of John and Susan (Nissley) Mumma. They had one son, Jonas M., born May 21, 1875; he is now a stenographer and type- wiiter. Mr. Rudy is a good, staunch Re- publican. The family attend the Reformed church.
KELKER, RUDOLPH FREDERICK, son of Frederick and Catharine (Fager) Kelker, was born February 17, 1820, at Harrisburg, Pa. In March, 1835, he entered the hardware store of Oglesby & Hinckley,
successors of Oglesby & Pool, who were suc- cessors to his father, to learn the business and continued with them until May, 183S, when, owing to delicate health, he left the establishment and gave attention to the im- provement of his father's lands in the vicin- ity of Harrisburg. On November 18, 1842, he purchased the interest of Mr. Hinckley and carried on the hardware business with his partner, Mr. Oglesby, until the death of the latter, March 21, 1846. He continued the business alone until May following, when he associated with him his two broth- ers, and conducted the same under the firm name of Kelker & Brothers, remaining in business until May 14, 1851, when on account of failing health he retired from mereantile pursuits. In 1852 he was elected a director of the Harrisburg Bank, in which institution he has served for a number of triennial terms. For several years he was a director of the First National Bank, and a manager of the Harrisburg cemetery. In the corpo- ration of Harrisburg as a city, he was ap- pointed with seven other citizens, by the Legislature, on the commission to lay out the streets and avenues necessary in the new territory included within its limits. From 1854 until 1891 he served as a trustee of the Harrisburg Academy, and was for a long time its secretary and treasurer. From 1866 to 1872 Mr. Kelker was one of the di- rectors of the poor for the county of Dau- phin, and through his instrumentality proper legislation was secured, new additional buildings erected and such improvements made in the general management of the almshouse as greatly alleviated the condi- tion of the unfortunate inmates. He was one of the founders of the City Hospital, a manager from its organization in 1873 until 1889; from March, 1878, until his resigna- tion, its treasurer, and was on the committee to superintend the construction of the new building erected in 1883-4. In 1873 and 1874 he was one of the trustees of the Penn- sylvania Lunatic Hospital at Harrisburg, and at the organization of the Harrisburg City Passenger Railway Company, in 1874, was made a director, and was treasurer from November 2, 1874, to May, 1891, when he resigned because the company began to run their cars on the Lord's Day. Apart from these active duties of citizen life, Mr. Kel- ker's labors in the Reformed church, of which he is a prominent member, it is here deemed proper to summarize. His parents were
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also members of the Reformed church, and on April 27, 1823, he was enrolled as a seholar in the Sunday school. December 27, 1835, he was confirmed by Rev. J. F. Berg, D. D., as a member of the church; a deacon of the church from 1841 to 1849, an elder in the same from 1849 to 1875, excepting the year 1867, and since May, 1883, has filled the same position. From October, 1836, un- til April 29, 1850, he served as a teaeher, and from the latter date until January, 1870, as superintendent of the Sunday-sclfool, when at the request of the consistory of the church, he took charge of an adult Bible class, which, during the first year inereased from twelve to ninety members and at the close of December, 1874, it numbered one hundred and sixty-one, when the class was assigned by the eonsistory to the pastor of the church on aeeount of Mr. Kelker's anti- ritualistie views. Being thus relieved of his work in the Sabbath-school he accepted an invitation to organize and take charge of an adult. Bible elass of both sexes, to be eom- posed of persons of all denominations as well as those who had no ehureh relation, which organization was effected under the name of the "Salem Bible Class of Harris- burg," which now has a large membership and has had connected with it during its existence more than nine hundred persons. The elass is ineorporated, has a valuable library and for the last twenty-three years has been one of the established religious in- stitutions of the eity. For many years Mr. Kelker was one of the vice-presidents of the Pennsylvania State Sabbath-school Asso- ciation and has been for a number of years one of the vice-presidents of the board of managers of the American Sunday-school Union, and of the American Tract Society.
In 1845 Mr. Kelker was elceted a trustee of Marshall College, Mercersburg, and sub- sequently, until 1869, a corporate trustee after its union with Franklin College of Laneaster, as Franklin and Marshall Col- lege. The Eastern Synod of the Reformed Church was incorporated in 1859, and he was one of the five trustees named in the charter and the first president of the board, and subsequently for a number of years treasurer of the same. Since 1863, with the execption of three years, up to October, 1890, he served as treasurer of the board of for- eign missions of the General Synod of the Reformed Church. He was a member of the synodical committee to prepare the "Trig-
lott Tereentenary Heidelberg Catechism," published in 1863, but dissented from the final aetion of that body, believing that inany changes made in the new English translation were wholly unwarranted and uncalled for. He repeatedly represented his congregation in Classis, and the Classis as delegate to the Synod. He was a member of the Synod of York in 1866, and made powerful opposition to the adoption and reference of the " New Order of Worship " to the General Synod. In 1867, with others, he united in a call for a convention of two hundred and twenty-five ministers and eld- ers of the Eastern Synod, which assembled at Myerstown, Pa., to protest against the "Order of Worship," as being contrary to the doctrines and cultus of the Reformed Church. One of the results of this move- ment was the establishment, in 1869, of Ursinus College, at Freeland, Montgomery county, Pa., under the presidency of Rev. J. H. A. Bomberger, D. D., with a university eharter, thus enabling the institution to teach theology as well as the elassics. In 1879 Mr. Kelker served as a member of the " Peace Commission," a body consisting of twelve ministers and twelve elders, chosen by direction of the General Synod of the Re- formed Church of, the United States by the several District Synods to assemble at Har- risburg, Pa., and adjust the differences ex- isting in the church in doctrine, cultus and government. After eight days' discussion a basis of union was unanimously adopted, and a new era in the history of the church was opened up, which brought peace and harmony. The work of the commission was unanimously approved by the General Synod and the same persons were at once appointed by it to prepare an "Order of Worship " for the denomination suited to its wants and evangelical in its character, which work was accomplished in 1884, and was constitutionally adopted as the Diree- tory of Worship of the Reformed Church in the United States.
In June, 1839, at his suggestion, the Sun- day-school teachers of Harrisburg founded the Harrisburg Sunday-school Union, of which he was the first secretary, and upon its reorganization, in 1854, was chosen presi- dent thereof. He was one of the founders of the Young Men's Christian Association, in December, 1854, and president of the same in 1856. Mr. Kelker has likewise been deeply interested in the temperance work. In 1837
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at the suggestion of, and in connection with an intimate friend, James Cowden, they started the first total abstinence society in Harrisburg, as previous to this date the tem- perance organizations allowed the use of malt and vinous liquors. In 1840 be took a prom- inent part in the Washington temperance movement, and has often represented the cause in State conventions. Since their or- ganization he has been the chairman of the executive committee appointed by the Chris- tian citizens of Harrisburg a number of years ago, to watch the applications for license, so as to prevent improper persons from obtain- ing the same, and to require all. engaged in the liquor traffic to conform to the provisions of the license laws. As foreman of the grand jury of the county in 1871, 1873 and 1879, he made presentment of the license law as a public nuisance, and gave valuable statistics on the subject which attracted great atten- tion. The report of 1873 was widely circu- lated, more than fifty thousand copies being printed by the friends of the temperance cause. In accordance with the suggestions of this report almost one-half of the applica- tions for that year for hotel and saloon liquor license were refused by the court. Mr. Kel- ker married, June 17, 1844, Mary Anne, daughter of Gen. William Reily, and their children were Frederick, Luther Reily, Ru- dolph Frederick, and William Anthony, of whom the second and fourth are living. Mrs. Kelker entered into rest August 27, 1890.
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