USA > Pennsylvania > Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania biography : illustrated, Vol. III > Part 34
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55
ROTHERMEL, Amor Cornelius, Prominent Educator.
Professor A. C. Rothermel, principal of the Keystone State Normal School, having served in that capacity since 1899, a period of fifteen years, is a native of the Keystone State, born at Moselem, Berks county, Jan- uary 6, 1864, son of Lewis W. and Lydia R. Rothermel, natives of Berks county, Pennsylvania.
His preliminary educational training was obtained in a private school, which he at- tended for eight years. He then entered
928
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
the Keystone State Normal School at Kutz- town, pursued a four years' course and graduated from that institution in 1886. He then accepted the principalship of the Pleas- ant Valley Academy in Monroe county, Pennsylvania, remaining for a term of one year, after which he became a student in Franklin and Marshall College, from which he graduated in the class of 1891. In the same year he became a teacher of Natural Science in the Keystone State Normal School at Kutztown, and two years later was elected vice-principal, serving in that capacity until 1899, when he was appointed principal of the State Normal School, a brief history of which follow. Professor Rothermel keeps abreast of the times in all matters pertaining to his calling, and while devoting his best energies to his work he is still a student and is well versed in topics of general interest, but especially in the line which will aid him most in his chosen field of labor. He is progressive without being radical, and is not dependent on old methods of instruction nor too forward in the adoption of new ones. Yet his keen judgment, fine sense of practicability and skill in adaptation have made his school noted, the imprint of his personality being keenly felt. Few have the faculty to secure and maintain to a greater degree that har- mony between principal, teachers, pupils and patrons which is such a potent factor in the success of any school. In 1906 he received the degree of Doctor of Pedagogy from Dickson College, and in 1910 the de- gree of Doctor of Literature from Frank- lin and Marshall College. He affiliates with the German Reformed Church, and is vitally interested in the work of the Young Men's Christian Association. He is a mem- ber of Lodge No. 377, Free and Accepted Masons.
Professor Rothermel married, June 30, 1894, Ada L. Spatz, of Reading, Pennsyl- vania, daughter of John and Katherine (Moyer) Spatz. They have an adopted
child, Ruth Mary, born at Reading, Penn- sylvania, May 9, 1896.
The following is a report of the super- intendent of public instruction, 1900:
The Keystone State Normal School build- ings are beautifully located on high ground in Maxatawny township, in the suburbs of the thriving borough of Kutztown, Berks county, Pennsylvania, midway between the cities of Allentown and Reading. This nor- mal school is the outgrowth of Fairview Seminary and of a still earlier school known as Franklin Academy, which was founded at Kutztown in 1836. The number of stu- dents was limited to thirty-three, and no pupils were received for a less time than six months, for which period the tuition fee was ten dollars. To bring the academy under the provisions of a State law then existing, giving an annual appropriation to an academy enrolling twenty-five pupils. the institution was incorporated in 1838, with Daniel B. Kutz, Daniel Bieber, Colonel John Wanner. David Kutz, Dr. C. L. Schleman, David Deisher and Henry Heffner, as its first board of trustees. Hon. Alexander Ramsey, later of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was one of its earliest instructors.
In 1860 Fairview Seminary was estab- lished mainly through the efforts of Rev. J. Sassaman Herman, a clergyman of the Re- formed church. The Franklin Academy had been closed for some years. The first and principal teacher of the Fairview Semi- nary was Professor H. R. Nicks. The seminary opened with five pupils, Miss Clara Wanner, Mr. O. C. Herman, Mr. Erastus Bast, Mr. Jefferson C. Hoch and Mr. N. C. Schaeffer, the latter named the honored and eminent superintendent of pub- lic instruction of the State of Pennsylvania. In 1861 forty-five students were enrolled. In 1863 there were at one time eighty-five pupils in attendance, a fair proportion of them being boarding students. The home of the school at this time was the building occupied in 1900 by Colonel T. F. Fister, and known familiarly as Fairview Mansion. The school continued to grow until 1866, when it was merged into the Keystone State Normal School.
Professor Nicks was one of the main workers in the establishment of the normal, doing much of the rough pioneer work which led to the establishment of what was destined to become one of the leading
929
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
schools of the State. In 1863 five acres of land were purchased and on this plot of ground a building was erected at a cost of $6,500. For several years this school was known as Maxatawny Seminary. Professor Nicks was principal, Professor Samuel Transeau, now of Williamsport, acted as assistant principal, and in 1865 Professor J. S. Ermentrout became associated with the school. In March, 1865, the Philo- mathean Literary Society was organized, and in September of the same year its rival, the Keystone Literary Society, then known as the Kalliothymean, sprang into existence.
The cornerstone of the Keystone State Normal School was laid, with appropriate exercises, on September 17, 1865. Not quite a year later, September 13, 1866, the complete building was dedicated. As Pro- fessor Ermentrout said: "With the cele- bration of appropriate religious and literary exercises, to the honor of Almighty God. to the service of a sound Christian morality, and to the educational interests of the State of Pennsylvania." Besides Professors Ermentrout and Nicks the good people of this section of the country, especially the Hottensteins, the Biebers, Dr. Gerasch, Solomon Christ, David Schaeffer, and others, were greatly interested in the estab- lishment of the normal.
For some years before the school became a normal school leading men of the district, notably Rev. B. E. Kramlich, afterwards for many years the efficient president of the board of trustees of the normal school, Hon. H. H. Swartz, then county superintendent of schools of Lehigh county, and later also trustee of the normal, and others, advocated the conversion of the seminary into a State Normal School for the Third District, con- sisting of the three counties of Berks, Le- high and Schuylkill.
The first principal of the school as organ- ized under the State Normal School law was Professor John S. Ermentrout. He served in this capacity from 1866 to 1871. His successors to date (1900) have been: Rev. A. A. Horne, D. D .. 1871-77; Rev. Nathan C. Schaeffer, Ph. D., D. D., 1877- 93; Rev. George B. Hancher, Ph., D., 1893- 99: Professor A. C. Rothermel, 1899-1914.
The material growth of the school has been continuous, phenomenal and substan- tial. For twenty years building operations have been almost uninterrupted. The earlier accommodations were soon outgrown and
now, with the acception of a single three- story brick building known as the "stewards' building," not a single one of the first struc- tures is standing. In 1880 the "Ladies' Building" was erected; in 1887 the "Chapel Building" was added; 1891 saw the addi- tion of the extensive northern wing or boys' dormitories ; in 1893 the old "main build- ing" was supplanted by the magnificent $75,000 "Center Building"; in 1896 came a splendidly appointed kitchen and laundry; in 1898 the electric light plant was estab- lished, and now (1900) while this is being written the sound of hammer and saw are plainly heard as the workmen are busily preparing timbers for the roof of the superbly appointed "Model School and Gymnasium Building," which is in process of erection and which the school will occupy in the first year of the new century.
The buildings of this normal are in some respect unique; all of the structures are practically under one roof, the separate edi- fices being connected by covered bridges built on steel beams, thus affording protec- tion to the students in inclement weather as they pass from their dormitories to the vari- ous recitation or assembly rooms. The rooms, both those used as dormitories and those utilized for recitations are large, airy, well lighted and well heated. The full amount of space to each student required by sanitary ideals are here most fully pro- vided. A passenger elevator, operated by steam and water power, conveys pupils to the various floors whither their duties call them.
The equipment of the school is select and extensive, additional outlay being made for this each year by a progressive and zealous board of trustees. There are three libraries, each containing some thousands of volumes ; one of these is the general reference library, the others are the property of the two flour- ishing literary societies. To each of these libraries constant additions are being made. The apparatus for the physical, chemical and biological departments is full and when the new laboratories are completed the school, in this matter, will rank second to none of its class.
Under the direction of Dr. N. C. Schaef- fer, who was a member of the Pennsylvania industrial commission, the manual training department was established in 1891. From that time to the present (1900) manual training has been maintained regularly, the
930
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
instruction being given on pedagogical lines, the course being at the same time eminently practical and obtaining marked recognition in the reports of the United States Com- mission of Education. During the current year it is proposed to add, in this depart- ment, plain sewing for the female pupils ; clay modeling and mechanical drawing as portions of the course in manual training are in successful practice under the direc- tion of the instructor in drawing and the fine arts. In fine arts, drawing, painting and crayoning are thoroughly taught to pupils requiring or electing these branches.
Although intellectual ability must be ranked as of greater worth than mere phy- sical prowess, nevertheless this school recog- nizes the value of a sound physical basis for mental capacity, consequently the physical nature of the pupils is not neglected. For some years a well equipped gymnasium has been in use in temporary quarters. On the completion of the new building it will be installed in more suitable and commodious quarters. On recently acquired land tennis courts and a capacious football field have been laid out on which, as on the baseball diamond on the old campus, the Athletic Association holds its contests and students generally find relief from tedium of study in physical exercise and manly games.
Years ago the Keystone State Normal School set for one of its aims that of train- ing students to think and to think exactly, freely and independently. To this aim the school adheres and the faculty do all in their power to develop in the students the two things of most and lasting benefit to themselves, namely, character and capacity. This aim it is believed is largely realized.
The value of the buildings, grounds, and equipment are estimated at $800,000. The significance of the work done for our State and county in these years of the existence of the school cannot be estimated. One prominent instrumentality in furthering the work of the school is the quarterly maga- zine, the "Normal Vidette," published under the auspices of the faculty and trustees. This is a well printed, illustrated school journal, averaging fifty pages to the issue. The first number was issued in March, 1894. Its present managing editor is Pro- fessor L. B. Sinnette, to whom much of its present success is due.
During recent years the faculty has been considerably augmented in numbers and
it is the effort of the institution to keep abreast of the age in every respect. The growth in attendance of pupils and in the number of graduates is gratifying, placing, as it does, this normal school in the front rank of normal schools of our country.
HILLMAN, John Hartwell, Man of Affairs, Financier.
The Iron City! The name tells of a titanic industry developed and conducted by men strong of heart and brain-men of the type of the late John Hartwell Hillman, founder and for many years head of the firm of J. H. Hillman & Sons, iron brokers, and a pioneer in the coke manufacture of Western Pennsylvania. Mr. Hillman be- longed to a race of ironmasters, the Hillman family being prominent in six of the United States in ironmaking, viz .: New Jersey, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.
(I) The first account that is mentioned of a Hillman in West Jersey is in 1697, when John Hillman, a husbandman, pur- chased a plantation of Francis Collins. This contained one hundred and seventy acres of land and was situated in Gloucester (now Center) township, Camden county, New New Jersey. This farm lay on both sides of the present road from Haddonfield to Snow Hill. In 1720, by deed of gift, he conveyed the tract of land to his son John (who was married in this year), anticipat- ing his will in that particular. At his death, about 1729, his personal property amounted to one hundred and ninety-two pounds. His wife Margaret survived him. Their chil- dren : Daniel, see below; John; Ann, and Abigail.
(II) Daniel, son of John and Margaret Hillman, was born, it is believed, before his parents came to New Jersey. He settled on a tract of one hundred acres given to him by his father in his will, which was purchased in 1701, of William Sharp. Here he erected a house and cleared the farm. This was situated in what was then Glou-
931
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
cester township (now Center). He died during 1754 and in his will, dated October 17, 1754, leaves legacies to his wife Eliza- beth, and to his sons who were as follows: John; Daniel, see below ; Joseph, and James. (III) Daniel, son of Daniel and Eliza- betlı Hillman, is supposed to have been born about 1720. On November 9, 1743, the monthly meeting book of the Society of Friends of Haddonfield, New Jersey, had the record of Daniel Hillman Jr. and Abi- gail Nicholson (see Nicholson line) appear- ing and declaring their intention of marry- ing. Consent was given Deceniber 13, 1743, and on January 12, 1744, it was recorded that it had been accomplished. On Octo- ber 17, 1754, he, with his brother John, bought of Timothy Matlock a lot on the northwest side of the Main street, in Had- donfield, where the Methodist church now stands. Sold part of same to John Shivers, May 15, 1758. He died about 1763. Chil- dren of Daniel and Abigail (Nicholson) Hillman : Daniel, Sarah, Elizabeth, Samuel (see forward).
(IV) Samuel Hillman, son of Daniel and Abigail (Nicholson) Hillman, the great- grandfather of John Hartwell Hillman, was of Trenton, New Jersey, and is known in history as the "fighting Quaker," having, in defiance of the peace principles of the Soci- ety of Friends, enlisted in the Continental army. In consequence he was dismissed from the Trenton meeting. He was under age when his father died, and the exact date of his birth is not known. The records of the Adjutant General's office, State of New Jersey, show that he was enrolled as a pri- vate in Captain Richard Chesseman's com- pany of light horse, attached to the First Battalion Gloucester county, New Jersey, militia ; also private in Captain John Stokes' company of the Second Battalion, Glouces- ter county, New Jersey, militia; also pri- vate in Captain Franklin Davenport's com- pany of artillery attached to General Silas Newcomb's brigade of New Jersey militia ; also private of Captain Thomas Hugg's
western company of artillery, New Jersey State Troops, during the Revolutionary War. He married Mary Hannold, about 1782. Their children were: Daniel ( see below), James, George, Abigail, Maria, and Sarah. He was an iron manufacturer and in casting in his lot with the patriots aban- doned not only his creed but his means of livelihood. His ardor stood the test, carry- ing him triumphantly through the seven years' struggle for independence.
(V) Daniel, son of Samuel and Mary (Hannold) Hillman, was in partnership with his brother James in the iron business at Trenton, New Jersey. He afterward went to Kentucky, about 1820, and engaged in the iron business. He built the first forge in Tuskaloosa county, Alabama, in 1829, and another in 1830 at Tannehill. Shortly after coming west he became associated with a number of men, among them Ralph McGehee and Richard B. Walker, who were impressed with the immense deposits of brown hematite ore in Roupes Valley, Ala- bama, and they decided to try the experi- ment of making iron on a cheap scale for the Jefferson county settlers, the nearest market for bar iron being then at Tuska- loosa. With the assistance of Mr. Hillman the company erected a little furnace on a bold little stream which runs across Roupes Valley and flows into Shade's creek. Here a large hammer, propelled by water, ham- mered out the best kind of tough metal and supplied the counties for some distance around with plows, horseshoes and hollow ware. He married Grace Huston, and their children were: Daniel (see below), George, Grace, Charles, James. He died in the State of Alabama in 1832.
(VI) Daniel, son of Daniel and Grace (Huston) Hillman, was born near Tren- ton, New Jersey, 1807. He became exten- sively associated with the manufacture of charcoal, pig iron and boiler plates in Ken- tucky and Tennessee. He prospected through Jones Valley, Alabama, shortly after the Civil War, and purchased the ore properties
932
Jawas İstercat Pab a
JA.Hillman
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
on Red mountain, known to-day as the Songo Mines, which are operated by the Birmingham Coal and Iron Company. He was the founder of the great "Hillman Iron Works." His sons followed their hereditary calling-one of them, John Hartwell, is mentioned below. The other, T. T. Hill- man, became president of the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company. The wife of Daniel Hillman was Ann, daughter of Dr. John Hartwell and Ann (Watson) Marable, of an old Virginia family.
(VII) John Hartwell, son of Daniel and Ann (Marable) Hillman, was born Septem- ber 27, 1841, in Montgomery county, Ten- nessee, and received his education in schools of the neighborhood and at Nashville Mili- tary Academy, now Nashville University. Upon reaching manhood he followed in the footsteps of his ancestors, choosing to de- vote himself to the iron business. In asso- ciation with his father and brother he formed the firm of Daniel Hillman & Sons, a flourishing concern which for many years operated furnaces and rolling mills in Ken- tucky and Tennessee. During the Civil War he manufactured charcoal iron for cannon and cannon balls. He was on the Confederate side, and fought under General Forrest, although his father was a Union man. After his father's death he continued in the manufacture of charcoal iron and boiler plate until the advent of steel boiler plate. In the South in the old days it was his custom to trade with the Pittsburgh machinery manufacturers, and the ex- changes then were made by water, the ma- chinery being sent South by boat, on the rises, to the furnaces and rolling mills located on the Cumberland river, and pay- ment being made in pig iron. These ex- changes took place in the days when ma- chinery was worth eight cents to twelve cents a pound, and the pig iron from $50 to $65 a ton.
Mr. Hillman moved to Pittsburgh in 1886 and started the brokerage firm of J. H. Hill- man & Company, which later became J. H.
Hillman & Sons, a corporation which holds to-day a position of proud preëminence in the sphere not only of iron manufacture but of the coal and coke business. Mr. Hillman became one of the pioneers in the manufacture of coke, being the first to bring Southern coke pig iron into Pittsburgh, shipment being made by river on coal barges returning from Southern trade. This was about 1888. About 1893 lie became inter- ested in Connellsville coking coal and was active in the opening up of the lower Con- nellsville or Klondike district, in which by far the greater percentage of Connellsville coke is manufactured to-day. He later be- came interested in the manufacture of the coke himself and continued in this business up to the time of his death. His accurate estimate of men enabled him to surround himself with assistants who seldom failed to meet his expectations and his clear and far-seeing mind grasped every detail of a project, however great its magnitude. In July, 1913, the J. H. Hillman & Sons Com- pany purchased a controlling interest in the Bessemer Coke Company, which owns ap- proximately two thousand three hundred acres of coking coal in the Connellsville and Klondike regions. J. H. Hillman Jr., of the firm of J. H. Hillman & Sons, is now president of the company. With the acquisi- tion of these lands the purchasers have be- come the largest shippers of coke in the United States. Their total output, includ- ing the new acquisition, will be 3,500,000 tons of coke annually, and a large quantity of bituminous coal which will be shipped to all parts of the United States and Mex- ico. Truly, John Hartwell Hillman's works follow him, and he has left successors more than able to continue them.
In everything pertaining to the welfare of Pittsburgh, Mr. Hillman ever manifested a keen and helpful interest. A Republican in politics, he always steadily refused to be- come a candidate for office, but gave the loyal support of a good citizen to all meas- ures which he deemed calculated to con-
933
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
serve the cause of good government. A lib- eral giver to charity, he ever sought, in the bestowal of his benefactions, to avoid the public gaze. He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Duquesne Club, and a number of other societies and clubs in the Pittsburgh district. The per- sonality of Mr. Hillman carried with it an atmosphere of energy, alertness and calm and forceful confidence. Fine looking and dignified, his resolute face lighted by keen but kindly eyes, his whole aspect and bear- ing were those of a man accustomed to be deferred to. Possessing generous impulses and a chivalrous sense of honor, it could be truly said of him, as it often was, "His word is as good as his bond." Richly endowed with those personal qualities which win and hold friends, he was genial, courteous and kindly in manner and speech, a gentleman in every sense of the word.
Mr. Hillman married, June 2, 1869, Sallie Murfree Frazer, whose ancestral record is appended to this sketch, and the following children were born to them: John H .; Ernest ; James F .; Harry; Elizabeth, de- ceased ; Mary, deceased ; and Sara F. John H. Hillman, already mentioned as of the firm of J. H. Hillman & Sons, and presi- dent of the Bessemer Coke Company, is also president and director of the United Connellsville Coke Company and a director of the Connellsville Central Coke Company. Ernest Hillman is also of the firm of J. H. Hillman & Sons, and a director of the United Connellsville Coke Company. James F. Hillman, like his brother, belongs to the firm of J. H. Hillman & Sons. All the sons, as their records testify, have inherited a large measure of their father's business abil- ity. Miss Sara Hillman contributes to news- papers and periodicals, articles of historic value.
A woman of much individuality and dis- tinction and possessing what is rare among her sex, namely, business acumen of a high order, Mrs. Hillman is also invested with the charm of domesticity, and this combina-
tion of traits fitted her in an exceptional manner to be the true and sympathizing helpmate of a man like her husband. De- votion to the ties of family and friendship was the ruling motive of Mr. Hillman's life and never was he so happy as at his own fireside, surrounded by the members of the household and by those who were admitted to the circle of his intimacy. Mrs. Hillman is a member of the Pittsburgh Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution ; Dolly Madison Chapter, United States Daughters War of 1812; and the Society of Colonial Dames of America. Mrs. Hill- man founded in 1913, in memory of her daughter, the Elizabeth Hillman Memorial Scholarship in Maryville College, Mary- ville, Tennessee. It was given through the Daughters of the American Revolution, Pittsburgh Chapter, of which Elizabeth Hill- man was a member. The scholarship is in perpetuity for mountain girls who are to be educated in the college. Mrs. Hillman also founded, in memory of her daughter Mary, the Mary G. Hillman Memorial Scholarship in the Hindman Women's Christian Temperance Union School, Hind- man, Kentucky. This scholarship was founded and given through the Dolly Madi- son Chapter, United States Daughters of War of 1812. It is held in perpetuity for the education of mountain girls.
The death of Mr. Hillman, which occur- red October 10, 1911, removed from Pitts- burgh a man whose business capacity was of the highest order, a citizen of active patriot- ism and a man of refined tastes and benevo- lent disposition-one who, in every relation of life, had never wavered in his loyalty to the loftiest principles.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.