USA > Pennsylvania > Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania biography : illustrated, Vol. III > Part 22
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Horace De Y. Lentz was born in Mauch
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Chunk, Pennsylvania, February 24, 1867. The public schools of his native town fur- nished his elementary education, and from them he went to the Preparatory School for Lehigh University at Bethlehem, Pennsyl- vania; Adams Academy, Quincy, Massa- chusetts; and Harvard University, from which he was graduated in the class of 1891 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He took up the study of law in the fall of 1893 in the offices of L. H. Barber and Frederick Bertolette, and was admitted to practice at the bar of Carbon county in 1896. Since that time he has been devoted to his pro- fessional work, in which he has met with unqualified success. For some time he has been a member of the examining committee of the Carbon county bar. He is a mem- ber of the University Club of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He married, in 1893, Jennie McCreary Alsover, daughter of the late Jabez Alsover, a prominent member of the Carbon and Luzerne bars, and of Hannah (Dodson) Alsover. Mr. Lentz is a brilliant and forci- ble speaker, and he is a representative of that class of American citizens who, while they promote individual success, also ad- vance the general prosperity. To-day, in the very prime of life, he stands strong in the consciousness of years already well spent, and strong to plan and perform in the future.
LACOCK, John Kennedy, Educator, Author.
John Kennedy Lacock, of Amity, Penn- sylvania, was born in that State, at Ten Mile, Washington county, November 16, 1871, son of Isaac Clark and Kate (Bell) Lacock. His father was a farmer by occu- pation ; he saw Civil War service as a sol- dier in Company D, 140th Regiment Penn- sylvania Volunteers, and was wounded in the second-day fight of the battle of Gettysburg.
John Kennedy Lacock received his pri-
mary education in the common schools, and was subsequently a student in Washington and Jefferson College, from which he re- ceived the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1901, and Harvard University, from which he received that of Master of Arts in 1906.
For years prior to entering college he taught school in the public schools of Wash- ington county. From 1901 to 1904 he was assistant principal in Jefferson Academy, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. During the col- legiate year of 1907-1908 he was assistant to Professor Albert Bushnell Hart, in Amer- ican Diplomacy, at Harvard University.
Mr. Lacock is an active member of vari- ous scientific and literary bodies-the Amer- ican Historical Association, the American Political Science Association, the American Society of International Law, the National Geographical Society, and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, and also the Harvard Club of Western Pennsylvania. He has made valuable contributions to his- torical literature, notable among them : "The Whiskey or Western Insurrection," "Brad- dock's Military Road" (Cumberland, Md., to Braddock, Pa.) and "Forbes's Military Road" (from Bedford to Pittsburgh). On these roads he has conducted research par- ties on foot, with a view to preserving to posterity the location of these once famous highways across the Allegheny mountains. He is a Presbyterian in religion, and a Re- publican in politics.
DAVIES, Franklin A.,
Lawyer, Public Official.
Prominent among the successful and emi- nent members of the Susquehanna county bar, noted for their legal attainments and ability of a high order, must be men- tioned Franklin A. Davies, of Montrose, whose birth occurred in Clifford township, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, July 31, 1861, son of Thomas R. and Jane ( Pow- el1) Davies, natives of Wales, from which
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country Thomas R. Davies emigrated when about fifteen years of age, thereafter mak- ing his home in this country, conforming to its laws and principles, and becoming a use- ful citizen, aiding in the development and welfare of the communities in which he resided.
Franklin A. Davies obtained an excellent education in the select school at Clifford and the Wyoming Seminary, and after com- pleting his course of study placed himself under the competent instruction of his brother, the late Thomas J. Davies, born June 4, 1853, died in June, 1909. Thomas J. Davies began the study of law in 1880, and two years later was admitted to the Susquehanna county bar, and formed a partnership with the late E. L. Blakeslee, which continued for about five years, and later as a law partner with Frank Lusk. He had such an extensive practice that he was not only engaged in his home county but was frequently called to Lackawanna, Lu- zerne and Bradford counties in the trial of cases, and was a familiar figure in the Su- perior and Supreme Courts of the State, and had appeared in the trial of cases in the United States Supreme Court, being the only member of the county bar honored by admission to that court. With such a teacher, Franklin A. Davies progressed rapidly in his study of the law and was ad- mitted to the Susquehanna county bar in 1908. He at once engaged in the active practice of his profession in Montrose, and is now in charge of the legal affairs of an extensive clientele. He is endowed by nature with strong mentality, and well equipped for his chosen profession by thor- ough study and wide research, therefore he has gained prominence in his special field of labor. His energies are not entirely confined to the practice of law, as he is serving in the capacity of president of the Susquehanna County Agricultural Society, president of the Susquehanna Bible Society, chairman of the County Farmers' Institute,
and member of the State Board of Agricul- ture. In 1908 he was elected justice of the peace, the duties of which office he per- formed in a highly creditable manner. He is a member of Warren Lodge, No. 240, Free and Accepted Masons; Warren Chap- ter, No. 180, Royal Arch Masons; Great Bend Commandery, No. 27, Knights Temp- lar ; and Montrose Lodge, No. 151, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is noble grand.
Mr. Davies is greatly interested in edu- cation, having taught school for several years previous to his marriage, and after his marriage he has served as school direc- tor for nine years, as president of the School Directors' Association of the county and as secretary of the State School Direc- tors' Association. He is one of the most active members of the Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library Asso- ciation, and the beautiful free library build- ing, stocked with its many thousands vol- umes, was largely due to the efforts of Mr. Davies.
Mr. Davies married, December 25, 1883, Christina A. Russell, born May 17, 1861, in Carbondale, Lackawanna county, Penn- sylvania, daughter of Jolın and Jeanette Russell, of Carbondale, Pennsylvania. Chil- dren: 1. Russell, born October 31, 1884; educated in Montrose public and high schools, and graduated from Dickinson Col- lege, class of '08. 2. Bertha, born Decen- ber 16, 1885; became the wife of Arthur J. Wheaton, of the First National Bank of Montrose, Pennsylvania. 3. Thomas R., born January 27, 1887; educated in Mon- trose public and high schools, and graduated from Lehigli University, class of 1911 ; now representative of W. R. Grace & Company, of New York, in Chile. 4. Elbert L., born June 29, 1890; educated in Montrose public and high schools and Mount Hermon Boys' School; two years principal of South Gib- son Graded School; now taking up a law course at Dickinson College.
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RINN, Charles William,
Business Man, Public Official.
Charles William Rinn, who is serving at the present time (1913) in the capacity of mayor of Allentown, his incumbency being noted for efficiency and capability, and whose successful career is well worthy of emulation, his chief characteristics being enterprise, perseverance, diligence and fore- sight, is a native of Easton, Pennsylvania, born October 6, 1868, son of Emil Edward and Louise Catherine (Schlechter) Rinn, natives of Germany, the parents of five chil- dren, and grandson on the maternal side of William Frederick Schlechter.
Charles W. Rinn spent his early child- hood days in Easton, his parents removing to Allentown, Pennsylvania, when he was six years of age. His father was a printer by trade, which occupation he followed for a number of years, and he was also the pub- lisher of a German paper, and later he en- gaged in the wholesale meat business, con- ducting the same successfully until his death, which occurred June 8, 1900.
Charles W. Rinn attended the public schools of Allentown until he was twelve years old, at which early age he began to earn his own livelihood, entering the em- ploy of a local coffee merchant, whose place of business was in the old Academy of Music building, and he remained with him for three years. He then apprenticed him- self to Kellar Brothers, jewelers, of Allen- town, serving for three years, during which time he gained a thorough knowledge of the jewelry trade. He then joined his father in the management of the meat busi- ness, they conducting their trade for fifteen years at No. 25 North Front street, and later for six years at Nos. 120-130 North Front street, and at the expiration of this period of time the plant was sold to Swartz- child & Company, a well known corporation. Charles W. Rinn has also devoted consider- able attention to the real estate business, conducting an office at No. 104 North Sev-
enth street. He conducted his business transactions in an honorable and straight- forward manner, winning for himself the esteem and respect of all with whom he was brought in contact, and this fact led to his nomination by the Democratic party for the office of mayor of Allentown, to which he was elected by the people in No- vember, 1911, defeating his Republican op- ponent, Hon. Fred Lewis, who is now act- ing as Congressman-at-Large for Pennsyl- vania. He gave to the duties of this ardu- ous position the same careful attention and thought as to his business pursuits, and the result was entirely satisfactory to all con- cerned, his administration of affairs being fearless and honest, giving a sturdy cham- pionship to every measure calculated to benefit the city over which he presided. He holds membership in several organizations and social clubs, and enjoys the esteem and confidence of many friends.
Charles W. Rinn married, February 26, 1891, Lillie Alice Kline, born January 14, 1869, daughter of Jonas and Sarah (Kem- merer) Kline. Children: Edward Kline, born June 22, 1898; Sarah Louise, born July 7, 1901 ; Charles William Jr., born De- cember 9, 1905, died August 4, 1908.
. LUTHER, John W., Physician, Professional Intructor.
To Dr. John W. Luther, one of the younger representatives of the medical pro- fession in the county in which he resides, is due that tribute of respect and admiration which is always given, and justly so, to those men who through indefatigable effort have worked their way upward to positions of prominence, and who have achieved dis- tinction through their own labors, whether in the professional or industrial world, and who by their honorable conduct in all the relations of life command the esteem and confidence of those with whom they are brought into contact.
Dr. Luther was born in the city of Read-
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ing, Berks county, Pennsylvania, May 21, 1875, his family having come to that city from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where they had lived for some generations. His paternal grandfather, Peter Luther, was a druggist in Lancaster county, and two brothers of Peter Luther, Martin and Dil- ler, were prominent medical practitioners in Berks county, Pennsylvania. William Behm, the maternal grandfather of Dr. Luther, was the proprietor of a hotel in Reading. Thomas M. Luther, father of Dr. Luther, was also born in Reading, and his brother, R. C. Luther, of Pottsville, now deceased, was superintendent of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal and Iron Company, and the first vice-president of that corporation. There were a number of other members of this family who also displayed exceptional business and professional ability.
Dr. John W. Luther was graduated from the high school of Reading in the class of 1894, and after one and a half years spent at the Drexel Institute in Philadelphia entered the Medical Department of the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, from which insti- tution le was graduated in the class of 1899 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He served an interneship of nine months at the Reading Hospital, and one of eighteen months at the University Hospital. He was resident physician-in-chief in the latter institution for one year, and then estab- lished himself in the private practice of his profession in the city of Philadelphia. His work had been of so excellent a character that he was appointed Instructor in Gyne- cology at the University of Pennsylvania, and was assistant gynecologist at the Uni- versity Hospital, as well as Obstetrician at the Maternity Hospital. In January, 1908, Dr. Luther was appointed head of the med- ical staff of the Palmerton Hospital, the only institution of its kind in Carbon county, Pennsylvania. Since then he has been ap- pointed as surgeon of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. When the town of Pal- merton was organized as a borough, Dr.
Luther was honored by being selected as the first chief burgess of the town, and will serve in this office until 1916. Hle is also president of the Palmerton Cooperative As- sociation ; president of the Carbon County Medical Society ; secretary of the Lehigh Valley Medical Association ; and a member of the Pennsylvania Medical Society and the American Medical Association. His fra- ternal affiliation is with Slatington Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and he is a member of the Lutheran church. A still more recent appointment with which Dr. Luther has been honored is that of surgeon- in-chief to the New Jersey Zinc Company, in which he has charge of the hygienic con- dition of the plant, the general health of the employes, and of all the subsidiary plants of this corporation.
Dr. Luther married, in Savannah. Georgia, in July, 1903, Aletta A. Artley, of that city, and they have children: Lois, born February 16, 1905; and Elizabeth, born December 21, 1907. Dr. Luther has never thrown off his earlier habits of close study. He keeps well abreast of the pro- gress made in his profession, partly by means of attentive reading of the current literature on the subject. There is nothing narrow or contracted in his nature, and he has won the affection as well as the confi- dence of his numerous patients, by his sym- pathetic manner as well as by his success- ful treatment of cases.
FOOTE, James L.,
Manufacturer, Public Official.
James L. Foote, founder and general manager of the Slatington-Bangor Slate Syndicate, a man of influence in the com- munity, progressive and enterprising, win- ning and retaining the confidence and esteem of all with whom he is brought in contact, is a native of Salisbury, Merrimack county, New Hampshire, born April 15, 1856, son of Thomas and Lydia (Tabor) Foote, natives of Massachusetts, the former named
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a carpenter and cabinetmaker, who settled at Salisbury in 1831. Thomas Foote was a son of Lewis Foote, born in 1784, enlisted in the war of 1812, being in service on the ship "Mars," which embarked from Ports- mouth, New Hampshire, with French "Let- ters of Marque and Reprisal," was captured by the English during the war, and after- wards lost in a severe storm and never heard from. Lewis Foote was a son of Thomas Foote, born at Amesbury, Massa- chusetts, in 1749.
James L. Foote attended the local schools and Orford Academy until sixteen years of age, and then entered the law office of John M. Shirley, Esq., at Andover, a prominent lawyer, and then the State Reporter of the Supreme Court, in order to pursue a course of study in law, and he completed his studies under the preceptorship of Hon. E. B. S. Sanborn, at Franklin, New Hamp- shire, in 1876. During this time, in 1875, he served as engrossing clerk of the State Legislature, and the same year received the appointment of justice of the peace. In April, 1877, upon attaining legal age, he was admitted to practice before the Su- preme Court of the State. He then opened an office at Manchester, New Hampshire, and conducted a general practice for four years, but this not proving congenial to his tastes, he took up his residence in New York City and engaged in mercantile busi- ness, continuing for four years. While so engaged, Mr. Foote, becoming aware of the great prospect in the promising slate regions of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, removed to Slatington, March 1, 1887. He first en- tered the employ of the late Henry Kuntz, Esq., proprietor of the Slatington Slate Company, as bookkeeper and salesmanager, in which capacities he served for six years. At the expiration of this period of time he became associated with certain enterprising citizens in the organization of the Slating- ton-Bangor Slate Syndicate for the manu- facture of roofing slate and slate black- boards, and was chosen for the offices of
treasurer and general manager, the duties of which he has since performed faithfully and conscientiously. During the past two decades their trade has developed to large proportions, extending throughout the length and breadth of the United States, also to foreign countries, and this increase has come to the company through the inde- fatigable efforts of Mr. Foote, who is recog- nized as an authority in the slate industry in the United States, and a great measure of the success has been due to his well-con- ducted, persistent and judicious advertising.
In addition to the above, Mr. Foote is a director of the Blue Ridge Traction Com- pany, which operates a street railway be- tween Slatington and Danielsville, and pres- ident of the Slatington Citizens' Bank, of which he was vice-president for three years. Upon locating at Slatington, Mr. Foote evinced a keen interest in its local govern- ment, and various offices were tendered to him, which he was compelled to decline owing to the stress of business affairs. In 19II he received the appointment of county prison inspector, reappointed the following year, and on both occasions was elected to the presidency of the board. In 1913, at the earnest solicitation of his many friends, he accepted the nomination for chief burgess, and he was duly elected at the ensuing elec- tion. He has also given considerable time and attention to the cause of education, fill- ing the office of school director for three years, also that of secretary and president. In 1899 Mr. Foote was one of the organ- izers of Christ Episcopal Church, with which he has since been connected, being one of its chief supporters and serving as senior warden. He is a member of the Be- nevolent and Protective Order of Elks, at Allentown; the Knights of the Golden Eagle, and the Knights of Malta, at Slat- ington ; the Pennsylvania Society of New York ; the National Geographic Society, and the Traffic Club of New York.
Mr. Foote married (first) in 1879, Ara L. Platt, daughter of Captain James H. and
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Sarah S. (Jones) Platt, of Manchester, New Hampshire; the former named en- listed in the Civil War and served as cap- tain of Company E, Second Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers, and was killed in 1864 at the battle of Drury's Bluff, Virginia. Mrs. Foote died in 1907, at Slatington. In 1908 Mr. Foote married (second) Emma Raleigh Blanchard, daughter of Trask W. and Almira (Gates) Raleigh, of Boscawen, New Hampshire, a lineal descendant of Sir Walter Raleigh, the distinguished repre- sentative of Queen Elizabeth, of Great Brit- ain, in the early discovery and settlement of Virginia, for which he was knighted.
MULHEARN, Edward M., Lawyer, Legislator.
It is difficult to characterize a man whose powers are as versatile and whose achieve- ments are as varied as are those of Edward M. Mulhearn, of Mauch Chunk, a leader of the bar of Eastern Pennsylvania, a for- mer District Attorney of Carbon county and a former member of the State Legislature. Throughout his entire professional career Mr. Mulhearn has been identified with Mauch Chunk, and is closely and conspicu- ously associated with its leading interests.
John Mulhearn, father of Edward M. Mulhearn, was born in Ireland, whence he emigrated to the United States, becoming one of the pioneer settlers of Carbon county. He passed there the remainder of his life, becoming a prominent citizen. He married Ann Sweeney, like himself, a native of Ire- land, and they became the parents of seven children, among them, Edward M., men- tioned below. Mr. and Mrs. Mulhearn are now both deceased.
Edward M., son of John and Ann (Sweeney) Mulhearn, was born June 15, 1849, at Mauch Chunk, where he received his early education in the public schools, which, in that region and at that period, afforded but meager advantages. From 1861 until 1865 he was engaged during the
summers in boating on the Lehigh canal, attending school during the winters, and in the latter year he entered St. Mary's Col- lege, Wilmington, Delaware, and St. Thomas of Villanova, at Villanova, Delaware coun- ty, Pennsylvania, remaining until June, 1871, when he graduated.
His literary education being completed, Mr. Mulhearn determined that his life work should be the practice of law, and with this end in view entered the law office of Daniel Kalbfus, of Mauch Chunk. After two years of close study and unwearied applica- tion he was admitted to the bar June 20, 1873, and at once entered upon the active practice of his profession, in which he has continued to the present day. His advance- ment to the leading position which he has now held for many years was the result solely of natural ability joined to earnest and conscientious endeavor.
Always actively interested in public af- fairs, Mr. Mulhearn has been from early manhood identified with the Republican party, and has done all in his power for the success of its measures and the support of its candidates. In 1881 he was elected Dis- trict Attorney of Carbon county, serving two terms of three years each, and dis- charging his duties to the perfect satisfac- tion of all good and law-abiding citizens. In 1889 he was elected to the Legislature by a majority of five hundred and served for one term of two years. He was appointed Solicitor of the Common Council of the borough of Mauch Chunk, an office which he filled with his wonted efficiency and fidelity. For twelve years he was chairman of the Republican County Committee, and was also solicitor for the county for six years.
In the welfare and progress of his native city, Mr. Mulhearn has ever taken a lively interest, cooperating in every plan which seemed to him calculated to further that end, and has been for the last twenty-five years solicitor for the Columbian Building and Loan Association. He is a man of
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many friends, genial and companionable, and possesses brilliant gifts as an orator, having been, for forty years, celebrated as a public speaker. He is a member of the Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception, and president of its St. Vincent de Paul Society, an organization actively engaged in charitable and benevolent work.
Mr. Mulhearn married, November 10, 1881, Mary A., daughter of John Behrendt. Mrs. Mulhearn, who was a woman of many virtues and a member of the Lutheran church, passed away February 28, 1892, leaving two children: John D., and Mary D.
Mr. Mulhearn's career has been one of substantial, brilliant and varied usefulness. In serving his State, he has brought honor both to her and himself, and it is with mingled pride and gratitude that Pennsyl- vania acknowledges her indebtedness to this gifted and loyal son.
KOLB, Albert, Physician, School Official.
Dr. Albert Kolb is one of the best known and oldest established physicians in Scran- ton, where he has been in practice for nearly thirty years, and is intimately identi- fied with the welfare and progress of the city. It was partly owing to his very able management that one of the most serious outbreaks of smallpox in recent years, oc- curring while he was superintendent of the Scranton Bureau of Health, was checked after three hundred and six cases had de- veloped. The success with which he coped with this serious epidemic has made his position in the esteem of his fellow citizens a very enviable one and given him high rank in the medical profession.
Dr. Kolb was born at Lancaster, New York, on May 8, 1860, being the son of Rev. Jacob Kolb, a native of Würtemberg, Ger- many, who married Catherine Widman and afterward came to America. Upon coming to this country he became pastor success-
ively of German Methodist churches in New York City, Jersey City, Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, and other cities. Fron1 1869 to 1871 he was in charge of a pastorate in Scranton, and again from 1884 until 1887. He was a notable contributor to religious journals; and died in 1900, in New York City, at the age of seventy- seven years.
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