Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 20

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1090

USA > Pennsylvania > Northumberland County > Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1 > Part 20

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).

On June 20, 1859, Mr. Williams married Cath- arine Morgan, of Minersville, Pa., and they cele- brated the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage June 20, 1909. Eleven children were born to their union, namely: David is a resident of Mount Car- mel and engaged as fire boss at the Richard Col- liery: George is engaged in the hotel business at Mount Carmel; Franklin is deceased: Wesley is superintendent of the Black Diamond coal mine near Seattle, Wash .; Thomas Reese is mentioned below : Garfield lives at Seattle, Wash. : Emma (deceased ) was the wife of 'Squire William Amour. of Mount Carmel; Sarah E. married Roscoe Fegley, deceased. and resides at Mount Carmel : Carrie is the wife of Henry Marsh and lives in Philadelphia ; Lottie is the wife of David Muir. of Shamokin, Pa. ; Ella M., unmarried, lives with her parents.

THOMAS REESE WILLIAMS, postmaster at Mount Carmel, has in various ways been associated . with public affairs there, directly or indirectly, for Thomas Reese Williams was a year old when his parents settled at Mount Carmel. He attended the local public schools and later was a student at the Shamokin Business College, from which he was graduated, in 1893, after which he did office work for some time at Mount Carmel. He read law under Hon. Lincoln S. Walter, at Mount Car- mel, and at this period gained his first experience many years. He was at one time city editor of the Mount Carmel Daily News, was recently rep- resentative of the district in the State Legislature, and has served as a member of the school board from the First ward. In all these associations he has proved a reliable and capable worker. worthy of the trusts reposed in him. Mr. Williams is a native of Schuylkill county, Pa., born Feb. 1, in the postal service, being a local mail carrier for

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

four years and three months .. For one year he was died Dec. 27, 1872: wife Lydia, born June 18, city editor of the Mount Carmel Daily News. In 1809, died Sept. 2. 1884) ; Henry and Philip, 1905 Mr. Williams bought the well known "Valley who lived in the Sugar Valley, near Lewisburg, House" near the Pennsylvania railroad station in Pa. : Mrs. Philip Kerstetter: Mrs. Michael Schaf- fer, and Mrs. Peter Bischoff. Mount Carmel, and conducted that hotel for three vears and three months, making a success of the business. In 1908 he was elected to the State Legislature on the Republican ticket, receiving a flattering majority, and gave most satisfactory service throughout his term. He received his ap- pointment as postmaster of Mount Carmel, to suc- ceed the late George H. Cope, on Jan. 28, 1910. Mr. Williams is a director of the Miners' and La- borers' Building and Loan Association.

On Sept. 18, 1902, Mr. Williams married Edith Wightman, daughter of Charles and Sarah Wight- man. To them has been born one son, Glenn.

JOHN A. WERT, proprietor of the Wert de- July 30, 1871. Their children were as follows: partment store at Shamokin, has been sole owner of that establishment since 1890 and began his mercantile career in the borough several years married Jacob Garman: Anna married Frederick previously. His interests have expanded stead- ily, his connection with various enterprises of the borough showing him to be a man of progress- ive as well as active impulses. His ability as a manager has had many practical demonstrations.

John Wirt, son of Henry, lived for a number of years in the Mahantango Valley, in 1838 settling at Mandata, where he engaged in the milling bus- iness. That year he built the frame mill at Man- data which is still standing, and he followed the business for a number of years, prospering con- tinuously. He acquired considerable land about Mandata. He and his family worshipped at the Stone Valley church, where he and his wife Bar- bara, daughter of Matthias Witmer, are buried, their tombstone records reading as follows: Jo- hannes Wirth, born Nov. 16, 1795, died Sept. 8, 1852; his wife Barbara, born Nov. 30, 1794, died Lydia married David Campbell; Elizabeth was the second wife of David Campbell; Catharine Snyder : Mary married Martin Harris: Michael died soon after his marriage to Mary Lesher : John married Judith Wentzel: Daniel (born May 6, 1829, died Sept. 5, 1855) was a particularly well built and strong man, and operated the Mandata mill for ten years (he and his wife Rebecca Seiler had one son, John, and one daughter, Sarah) ;

Mr. Wert was born in Jordan township, North- umberland county, June 30. 1864, son of Moses

Wert and great-grandson of Henry Wert. The Moses married Mary Ann Spotz.

name is spelled Wirt by many members of the family, and the earlier spelling was probably Wirth, as shown by tombstone records. The Werts are of German origin. Adam, the first of this line to come to America from Germany, arrived in this country with his wife Eva before the Rev- olutionary war, and settled at or above what is now the site of Millersburg, in Dauphin county. Pa. These pioneers had nine sons, who settled

Moses Wert, son of John, was born Jan. 24, 1832, in the Mahantango Valley in Lower Ma- hanoy township, Northumberland county. He was a lifelong farmer, living in Jordan township, : near Mandata (where he had a tract of two hun- dred acres), until fourteen or fifteen years before his death, when he retired. Upon giving up ac- tive labor he settled in Herndon, where he died in 1904. His widow still occupies their home at that in different parts of the country, the family be- place. He was a man well known and highly re- coming scattered over New Jersey, the Carolinas, Ohio and through the West, besides having many representatives in Pennsylvania.

John Wert, the second, father of Henry, lived in the Lykens Valley, about two miles above Mil- lersburg.

spected. and though he devoted himself principally to the management of his own affairs, he served as supervisor. He was a Democrat in politics and in religion a Lutheran, his family adhering to the same belief. In his earlier years he belonged to the Stone Valley Church, but after removing to Herndon he became a member of the church there. and he is buried in the Wirt and Shafter family

Henry Wert (or Wirt) was a pioneer farmer of the Mahantango valley in Northumberland county, having settled in that section when the plot at Herndon. He was a devout Christian and Indians. still roamed the forests, and the red mien an enthusiastic church worker, serving in various church offices and taking a keen interest in the were neighborly with "Henner" Wirt, to whom they bade farewell when they left the region. He welfare of the Sunday school.

and his wife Elizabeth are buried side by side at Mr. Wert married Mary Ann Spotz and they the Stone Valley church in Lower Mahanoy, where had four children, namely: Clara Rebecca mar- we find the following tombstone records: Johann ried George T. Shaffer, of Herndon, who is de- Heinrich Wirth, born Dec. 22, 1769. died June 2, ceased : Emma J. married John P. Tressler, of 1846; his wife Elizabeth, born Nov. 30, 1271, died Herndon; Alveretta, who died in 1886, was the wife of Dr. Fred D. Raker, of Shamokin: Johu

Sept. 6. 1838. They had children as follows: John and Michael, who both lived in the Mahan- A. married Ellen S. Eisenhart. tango valley ( Michael was born March 16, 1798.

John A. Wert received the publie school ad-

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

vantages in his native township and later attended Berrysburg Academy. He remained at home with his father until he reached the age of eigliteen years, since when he has been identified with his present line of business. Beginning as a clerk in the employ of J. P. Tressler, at Herndon, he came thenee to Shamokin in 1884 and for one year elerked in the store of C. L. Sowers and D. K. Haas. Later he was engaged for two years with D. K. Haas, whom he bought out in 1887, in 1888 forming a partnership with N. C. Wolverton. They did business as Wert & Wolverton until 1890, in which year the association was dissolved, and Mr.

and up-to-date goods, Mr. Wert having the faculty

Wert has since done business alone. In 1899 lie township, Northumberland county, where both his erected the fine store in which the business has wives are also interred. His first wife, Catharine since been located, at Nos. 215 to 219 West Spruce ( Fagely), died in 1854, and he subsequently mar- street. The store is well stocked with seasonable ried her sister. Ellen, who died Feb. 11, 1900.

Curtis Q. McWilliams was reared at Elysburg, of meeting the demands of his customers and the where he received his early education in the pub- good business judgment to introduee new lines lic schools and at the academy. When fifteen years which create .further demand, the trade multi- old he came to Shamokin, where he had found plying of itself as one good suggestion follows another. His high reputation for honorable deal- ing he strives to maintain in every possible way.

Though merchandising has been his principal interest Mr. Wert has done what every enterpris- ing business man should do, encouraged the intro- duction of modern business institutions of every kind into his community, and he is a director of the Market Street National Bank, director and viee president of the Croninger Paeking Company, and director of the West Ward & Black Diamond Building and Loan Association. He is a prom- inent member of Trinity Lutheran Church, in which he has held all the offices and has served as Sunday school teacher. Fraternally he belongs to Lodge No. 664, I. O. O. F., and, to Camp No. 30, P. O. S. of A., being partienlarly prominent in the latter organization as president of the P. O. S. of A. Hall Association.

On Jan. 27, 1887, Mr. Wert married Ellen S. Eisenhart, daughter of Daniel and .Sarah (Beisel) Eisenhart, and they have a family of seven chil- dren, namely : Alva M., W. Ray, Minnie G., How- ard D., Norma L., Sarah E. and Mary E.

CURTIS Q. McWILLIAMS is one of a group of energetie eitizens of Shamokin who have long been regarded as arbiters of matters affecting its advancement. His judgment and foresight, espe- cially in the field of publie utilities, have made him a valuable factor in their promotion, and for a quarter of a century he has been identified with almost every important enterprise of the kind un- dertaken in the borough. Progressive in his own affairs, he has advocated many public improve- ments in advance of their apparent usefulness, and he is regarded as a farseeing, intelligent business man. with a broad ontlook on questions affecting public and private interests.

Mr. McWilliams was born in Shamokin Sept. 10, 1852, son of J. Scott and Catharine ( Fagely) MeWilliams and grandson of Robert MeWilliams. The latter settled at Elysburg, Northumberland connty, where he died. He married Margaret Craig (a sister of his brother David's wife) and they had five children : Sarah (died unmarried), John Scott, William J., Samuel W., and Mary H. (married Paterson Johnson and resides at Dan- ville, Pennsylvania).

John Scott McWilliams was born in what was then Shamokin township, and died in 1893. He is buried at St. Peter's (the Blue) church, in Ralpho

employment as clerk in the store of Valentine Fagcly, later entering the employ of Reuben and William Fagely, pioneer business men there. Ain- bitions to gain a better education than he had been able to acquire in his boyhood, he went to the famous Eastman Business College, at Poughkeep- sie, N. Y., in 1870, and the following year was given charge of the store of William and Reuben Fagely, continuing with them in that capacity un- til the autumn of 1874. He then resumed study once more, entering Lafayette College, at Easton, Pa., where he remained for two ternis. In April, 1875. he left that institution to look after the vari- ous interests of Reuben Fagely, remaining with him until he died, after which he aeted as executor of the estate.

Meantime, on May 1, 1878, Mr. MeWilliams be- gan his independent business eareer, becoming a partner of the late Darlington R. Kulp in the lum- her business, under the firm name of Kulp & Me- Williams. The following year they added two lines, iee and brick, and on Jan. 1, 188 ?. W. C. McConnell became a member of the firm. which from that time was known as Kulp, McWilliams & Co. On Aug. 15, 1886, this partnership was dis- solved, Mr. Kulp taking the lumber interests, .Messrs. McWilliams and McConnell continuing as partners in the iee and brick business until 1903. Mr. McWilliams then sold his interests in that business. However. he still retains other important connections. He is a stockholder in and director of the Guarantee Trust & Safe Deposit Company. For many years he has been one of the chief work- ers in the management of the various water eom- panies which have had such a large share in the prosperity of Shamokin and surrounding places. He was one of the corporators of the Roaring Creek. Anthracite and Bear Gap Water Companies. and served as treasurer of all three of these con-

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

corns from the time of organization, being presi- Dec. 4, 1195, married Jacob Unger, and they went dent, treasurer and manager of the Bear Gap Water West, where they died: John was born Feb. ES, Company and president and manager of the Roar- ing Creek Water Company. He is now also president of the Shamokin Water Com- pany, of which he was the treasurer from May, 1886, until 1899. His familiarity with the workings of these companies, and his long experience in their administration, make him an authority and a valuable counselor, as the success of the various companies attests.

Mr. McWilliams was married Oct. 7, 1879, to Louisa Geywitz, daughter of John and Anna (Schmid) Geywitz, natives of Wurtemberg, Ger- many, who came to Shamokin before their mar- riage. Mr. Geywitz died in 1888, his widow con-

tinning to make her home in Shamokin. To Mr. land county, having been but six years old when and Mrs. McWilliams were born four children, Guy E. (born Sept. 23, 1882, died Nov. 26, 1898),. common schools and was reared to farming, which Ida Catharine (born May 20, 1885), John Scott he followed principally all his life, also conduct- and Douglass E. The family belong to Trinity Lutheran Church.

Socially Mr. McWilliams is a Mason, holding membership in Elysburg Lodge, No. 414, F. & A. M., Shamokin Chapter, No. 264, R. A. M., and Shamokin Commandery, No. 72, K. T. In polit- ical matters he is a Republican. He is a member of the Union League, Philadelphia.

FAGELY. The Fagely family is of German origin and was founded in Pennsylvania by Jacob and Maria Eve Fagely, who came to this country from the Old World in 1733 in the ship "Samuel," of London. Hugh Percy master, from Rotterdam,

Christian Fagely, son of the emigrant, had a son George.

George Fagely, son of Christian, had a son Christian, who was the great-grandfather of Mr. bury) ; Valentine, born in 1826. in Shamokin Curtis Q. McWilliams, of Shamokin.

township, lived at Shamokin in retirement: Ro- sanna, born March 17, 1828, in Shamokin town- 28, 1764, in Maiden-creek township, Berks Co., ship, died Sept. 17, 1883, and is buried at Sun-

Christian Fagely, son of George, was born Sept. Pa., and moved with his family to Shamokin town-

ship, Northumberland county, in 180S. There he and second to Henry Tregellas, of Sunbury) : spent the rest of his life, engaged in farming, Catharine, born Aug. 28, 1830, in Shamokin purchasing a large tract of unenitivated land township, was the first wife of J. Scott Mc Wil- liams, and died Oct. 31, 1854: Caroline, born Jan. 26, 1832. in Shamokin township, married Wil- loughby Haas, of Shamokin township, died May 25, 1906, and is buried at the Blue church : Wil- liam, born Nov. 20, 1833, in Shamokin township. died Ang. 5, 1856, and is buried at the Blue which he cleared and improved, becoming one of the leading and most prosperous agricultorists in his community. He died Dec. 31. 1845, and is · buried at the Blue church. He was a Lutheran in religious faith. His wife. Magdalena (Lelnnan). who was born April 1, 1773, in Berks county, died

in Northumberland county. They were married in June, 1792, and had a large family, as follows : -

Elizabeth, born March 16, 1794, married Henry Martz, and died in May, 1850; Catharine, born 6

1797; Benjamin, born Nov. 21, 1798, died unniar- ried; Hannalı, born Dec. 1, 1800, died young; Solomon, born June 19, 1802, died Sept. 6, 1883; Hannalı (?), born March 31, 1804, was the last survivor of the family; William, boru Jan. 5. 1806, died Feb. 17, 1874, unmarried (he was the first postmaster at Shamokin) ; Amos was born Feb. 1, 1808 ; Mary Magdalena, born March 21, 1810, died young; Nathan, born June 30, 1812, left a daughter ; Reuben, born July 25, 1814, died Feb. 21, 1880, unmarried.

Solomon Fagely, son of Christian, born June. 19, 1802, in Maiden-creek township, Berks county, was reared in Shamokin township, Northumber-

the family settled there. He was educated in the ing a hotel at Mount Carmel two years and later operating a mill at Paxinos for several years. He then returned to the old homestead, where he farmed the rest of his life. He was a prominent man in the community in his day. With his wife and family he belonged to the Lutheran Church, and in politics he was originally a Democrat, later (after the breaking out of the Civil war) a Re- publican. He died Sept. 6, 1883, and is buried at the Blue church.

In 1823 Solomon Fagely married Maria Eve Klase, who was born Dec. 20, 1803, in Northamp- ton county, Pa., and died Feb. 13, 1887 ; she, too, is buried at the Blue church. She was a daugh- last from Deal, which qualified Aug. 15, 1733. ter of Valentine and Maria Eve Klase, the latter Jacob Fagely was thirty-two years old at the time, his wife, Maria Eve, twenty-seven; their son, dying Ang. 2, 1838; she is buried at Snydertown, Christian, was four years old.

born Oct. 1, 1766, in Northampton county, Pa., Pa. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fagely: Eliza, born Oct. 4, 1824, in Shamokin township, married Solomon Weaver, of Sunbury, and died Aug. 22, 1879 (she is buried at Sun-

bury (she was twice married. first to John Sober,

June 19, 1843, and is buried at the Blue church church: Henry K., born March 15, 1836, in' Shamokin township, lived in Sunbury, where he was proprietor of the Standard Wire Nail Works and of a general merchandise store: Harrict. born April 2. 1838, in Shamokin township, died July

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

1, 1839, and is buried at the Blue church : Ellen, the son-in-law, Christopher Bittenbender, one hun- born Jan. 8, 1840, in Mount Carmel, Pa., was the second wife of J. Scott McWilliams, and died Feb. 1, 1900 ; Mary Eve, born March 9, 1843, in Shamn- okin township, died March 21, 1860, and is buried at the Blue church : George K., born Nov. 24, 1845, in Shamokin township, was formerly sheriff of Northumberland county.

FETTEROLF. The Fetterolf ( Federolf, Fetherolf) family, two of whose representatives in Upper Mahanoy township, Northumberland coun- ty, are Edward and Daniel Fetterolf, brothers, is of Dutch origin, its founder in this country, Peter Federolf, having been a native of Wachbach, Hol- land, born in. 1699. In 1229 or 1730 he married Anna Maria Rothermel, only daughter and eldest of the six children of Johannes and Sabilla (Zim- merman ) Rothermel. In 1730 Peter Federolf and his wife accompanied his father-in-law to America, the voyage being made in the "Thistle," and about 1732 lie and his wife and one of her brothers, Leon- ard and Rothermel, located in Hereford township, Berks Co., Pa., where Peter Federolf acquired a large acreage of what has become valuable farm land, upon which he passed the remainder of his life, dying there. His property was partly in Here- ford township and partly in Longswamp township, and he made his home near what is now Seisholtz- ville, near the line of Lehigh county. Leonard Rothermel located in Perry township. Berks coun- ty, before the Revolution. and there died at an ad- vanced age, leaving a large family.

Peter Federolf was a man of more than ordinary importance in his locality, not only because he was a large land owner, but because his successful man- agement of his own affairs showed him entitled to influence and leadership in the conduct of such matters as affected the general welfare. He reared a family of seven children, who became connected by marriage with other substantial old families of the county, and all of whom are mentioned in his last will and testament (on record in the court- house at Reading, Will Book B), made July 19, 1784, and probated Sept. 16, 1184. showing that he died during the summer of that year. The witnesses to the will were Henry Bortz and Chris- topher Schultz. the executors Paul Groseup, of Rockland township, who was the testator's true and trusty friend (he was the ancestor of Judge Peter Grosscup. the Federal jurist of Chicago), Jacob Fethierolf, the eldest son, and Christopher Bittenbender, blacksmith, a son-in-law. In later years this Christopher Bittenbender obtained the original Federolf homestead, on which is located the Federolf private burial ground, where the emigrant ancestor, Peter. is buried, as well as Christopher Bittenbender, his wife, and some of their children. The will sets forth that the son Jacob was to have three hundred acres of land;

dred acres of land; the six children of the son Peter, who predeceased his father, three hundred pounds of money (divided between them) ; that the son Philip, deceased, left one daughter; that the daughter Catharine was twice married, first to John Siegfried and after his death to Abraham Zimmerman; that the daughter Barbara married a Hehn (name now spelled Hain) ; the daughter Magdalena married Christopher Bittenbender, who was a blacksmith and farmer, and who as previ- ously noted eventually acquired the old homestead of Peter Federolf, which remained in the Bitten- bender name until 1908. About 18-40 a valuable find of iron ore was discovered on this property, and some of the Bittenbenders became wealthy thereby, the ore mines being worked until the early eighties.

Jacob Fetherolf was born Feb. 16, 1762, and died April 6, 1823; he is buried at Wessnersville, Berks Co., Pa. His wife Catharine, born May 12, 1760, died Jan. 10, 1849. (There was a Jacob Fetherolf, son of Peter, who died in Albany town- ship in 1823, and whose will is on record in Will Book 5, page 412. He left sons John and Peter.)

The will of a Peter Fetherolf of Berks county who died in 1840 is also on record (Will Book 8, page 242). He died without sons, and John S. Kistler and William Mosser were the executors.

Johann Peter Fetherolf, ancestor of the North-' umberland county branch of the family, was born June 30, 1764, in Hereford township, Berks coun- ty, and was one of the six children of Peter Feder- olf, son of the emigrant Peter Federolf, mentioned in the latter's will. He came to this region before his marriage and here wedded Anna Maria Dun- kelberger, who was born Sept. 2, 1672. They lived for some years in Cameron township, where their children were born, later settling ou a large farm in Upper Mahantango township, across the line in Schuylkill county, which Mr. Fetherolf pur- chased from a man named Carl, who got the best of the bargain. He did not tell Fetherolf that there was a mortgage upon the property, which he ( Fetherolf) was obliged to pay, so that the transaction proved an expensive one. Neverthe- less, he became a most successful man, and by the time of his death had accumulated a large estate. His original tract in Upper Mahantango town- ship is now divided into three farms. the one on which the first set of buildings was erected, and on which Johann Peter Fetherolf, lived. being now the property of William Mattern. When he came to the Mahantango Valley the Mahantango creek was alive with fine fish, and he and his family found them an acceptable addition to the larder in those days when variety in food could not al- ways be obtained even by the well-to-do. Johann Peter Fetherolf died . Nov. 2, 1848. his wife on Feb. 4, 1853, and they are buried at the Salem

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

(Herb) Church, located immediately across the was a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Shutt) Northumberland county line in Schuylkill county, Spotts and granddaughter of John Spotts. Two where some of their children also rest. In reli- children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Fette- gious faith the family were all Lutherans, Johann rolf: Amelia (deceased) married Jacob H. Schaf- fer, and their only son, Charles F., is mentioned elsewhere in this work; Alexander was accidentally killed in a runaway, when a young man. Peter Fetherolf was a saddler by trade, and he `was a short-set man physically. His ten children were: Samuel, Peter, John, Joseph, George, Jo- seph (2), Daniel, Mrs. Josiah Geist, Mrs. Joseph

Peter Fetherolf (tombstone inscription Fette- Dunkelberger and Mrs. John Zimmerman. We rolf), son of Johann Peter, was born Jan. 6, 1806, give some account of the six sons who reached and died March 16, 1861. He lived in Upper maturity.

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.

Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Part 20

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co. Number of Pages: 1090

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1090