Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 106

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1024

USA > Pennsylvania > Northumberland County > Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2 > Part 106

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Mr. Wetzel is a member of B. P. O. Elks Lodge No. 267, and in religion is identified with the Enna married William Mautz.

Episcopal Church. of which he is a communicant. On Thanksgiving Day, 1906. he married Elizabeth

William R. Wetzel was born near Fisher's Ferry Downs, daughter of Joseph O. Downs, of Sunbury. and is an old railroader, being now engaged as

Jacob Wetzel. of Hereford township, Berks Co., Pa., made his will May 8, 1185, and it was pro- bated Nov. 9. 1785. This document mentions his wife Worthy Maria, and shows the oldest son to have been Jacob. To the son Conrad was given JOHN W. SCHABO, fire boss at the Excelsior the large Baseler Bible. The children were: colliery, operated by the Excelsior Coal Company, Jacob, Johannes, George, Philip, Catarina, Peter, of Excelsior, Northumberland county, has been in Heinrich, Conrad and Marialiss.

Jonathan Wetzel, born in 1801, was a farmer and lived near New Berlin. Snyder Co., Pa. ; he is bnried at the New Berlin Church, of which he was a Lutheran member. To hin and his wife, Esther Hoffman, were born children as follows: Jonathan, who was killed while serving as a sol- dier in the Civil war: Samuel, Solomon and Wil- liam, all of whom were soldiers in the Civil war: David : Elizabeth, wife of Daniel Wenner : Hannah. wife of John Gilbert : and Polly, wife of Emanuel Haslett.

David Wetzel, son of Jonathan, born March 3, 1838. in Union County, Pa., was engaged as a farmer for many years during his earlier life, until his removal to Middleburg, Pa., in abont 1893. Previons to that time he had several good farms in Jackson township, Snyder county, and he still owns a considerable amount of real estate. For more than a quarter of a century he has been agent

for several fire insurance companies. Mr. Wetzel married Elizabeth Spangler, daughter of Elias Spangler, and they have had eight children: Cal- vin, Harry, Jennie, Elsie, Clayton, Eva May and

James Wetzel was born in March, 1832, in Lower Augusta township, was engaged as a lab- a member of the Lutheran Church. His widow, Lavina (Clement), daughter of Peter Clement, lives in Sunbury with her son Edwin. Mr. and Mrs. Wetzel had a large family, viz .: Frank is deceased ; Amanda, Cornelins and Hannah died when small ; one daughter died in infancy ; Nathan, born July 14, 185%, at Fisher's Ferry. came to Sunbury in June, 1813, and since 1877 has worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and is a member of the Relief Association (on Dec. 9, 1818, he married Katie Eyster, daughter of Con- rad Evster, and they have five children, Daisy, Harry, Lillie, Alice and Walter: the family are Lutherans ) : William, of Sunbury, an electrician, is married and has a family ; Edward, of Sunbury, is an electrician ; Angeline married William Ray ;

conductor on a freight train on the Susquehanna division. He married Mary Thomas, and they have an only son. The family live at No. 233 Spruce street, Sunbury.

the employ of that company for a number of years `and is one of the substantial and respected citizens of his locality.

Mr. Schabo was born at his parents' old home in Columbia county, Pa .. Aug. 29. 1864, son of John Schabo, now a retired citizen of Shamokin, . Northumberland county, ex-county treasurer, and otherwise well known in this section. He came to Shamokin with his father and began work as a slate picker, later being employed at mining. He then supplemented his early education by study at St. Vincent's College, which is situated at La- trobe, Westmoreland Co., Pa., graduating from that institution in 1882. Returning to Shamokin, he was engaged in the shoe business for some time, amd then for seven years was an employee of the Shamokin & Edgewood Railway Company. He has since been employed at the collieries.

On May 6, 1886, Mr. Schabo married E. Ammmbuster, daughter of Edward Armbuster, of Manch Chunk, Pa., and of the two children born

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to them one is living, Jolin Edward, who is fore- familiar with the most approved and up-to-date man for the East End Lumber Company of Sha- processes in the production of beer, and encour- mokin, is married to May Hower and has two aging the various movements which have been children, Tryllis . and Rea. The other, Harry, is made to place its manufacture on the basis which deceased.

modern hygiene demands. He is a member of the Brewmasters' Association and was one of the sev- enteen charter members of the American Brewing Institute.

Mr. Linder married Amelia Utgen, a native of Germany, and they have two children, Helen and Catherine.

Socially Mr. Linder holds membership in the I. O. O. F. He is a baseball player of some note, having played with some of the strong teams while in New York City.

ALEXANDER LONG, of Shamokin, Nortli- umberland county, is one of the old and respected residents of that place, where he is living in re- tirement after many years of industry. He fol- lowed mining throughout his active years after coming to this country.

Mr. Linder was born at Baden, on the Rhine, Germany, Oet. 4, 1873. His father Adolph Lin- Mr. Long is a native of County Donegal, Irc- Jand, born Aug. 15, 1842. His father, Charles Long, was foreman in a slate quarry in Ireland and also had a farm of forty acres which he culti- vated, being thus in quite prosperous circum- stances. He and his wife, Margaret ( Boyd), lived to advanced age, he dying wheu eighty-eight years old and Mrs. Long when one hundred and Canada), Abraham, James, Anna, Catherine, Amelia, Margaret, Alexander, Jane and Susan, der was also a native of Baden and became a civil engineer. Coming to America in 1880 he settled in New York City, where for a number of years he was engaged in contracting and building, doing the frame work on buildings. In 1886 he bought out the bottling business of the Star Brewery in New York City and also became a member of the firm of the Star Brewery, continuing in this connec- one. Their children were: Charles (who died in tion until 1892. He has since had no active busi- ness associations. He married Mary A. Gerold, and they had children as follows: Anna. Charles, Adolph, Theodore, Eugene, Annial and William J.

William J. binder was a child when he came

with his father to America. IIe received a publie wife and young family, landing in New York

.Alexander Long was reared in his native coun- try, remaining there until after his marriage. He was twenty-one when he came to America with his City. Their first location was in Carbon county, Pa .. and Mr. Long also spent some time in Ches- ter county and at Pittsburg before settling in Shamokin, in 1871. Here he followed mining for twenty-five years, until he met with a serious ac- cident, in 1906, which incapacitated him for the work in which he had been engaged; from that time until his retirement he was employed at other work in the colliery.

school education, and has been engaged at the brewing business from boyhood, having begun work in that line Aug. 15, 1889, at the Star Brew- ery in New York City. He began at the bottom and learned the trade thoroughly, and after leav- ing the Star Brewery enlarged his experience by service with various other establishments, being in the George R. Alley Brewery for two years and later in the Atlantic City Brewery for two years. While at the latter place he made a special brew Mr. Long was married in Ireland to Jane Love, a native of that country, who died Dec. 31, 1909. aged seventy-three years, at Shamokin, and is buried there. They had a family of seven chil- dren, namely: Charles L .. assistant road foreman for the Philadelphia & Reading Company, is now located at West Milton, Pa., and is well known at Shamokin, which he still calls home; Maggie is the wife of William Metz: Patrick, born in 1868. a skilled well and shot driller, died March 4. 1909, and his widow and family still reside at Shamokin (he married Jennie Thompson, and they had three children, Alexander, Charles and of Würzburger which was very successful. For a year after leaving the Atlantic City Brewing Com- pany he was with Jacob Hornung, in Philadelphia, and then spent short periods in various cities, get- ting different breweries in satisfactory running order. In February, 1907. he came to Shamokin to take the place of brewmaster at the Eagle Run Brewery, which he has improved in many ways by his progressive and intelligent methods of manu- facture, its output having an excellent reputa- tion in the locality, where the demand has widened considerably within the past few years. Mr. Linder has always been a scientifie brewer. Jennie) : James is a conductor on the Pennsylvania

Mr. Schabo is a Democrat and has been some- what active in local party matters, having served on the election board for about fifteen years. He is at present acting as councilman of his ward, the Third. Like the rest of the family he is a member of St. Edward's Catholic Church of Sha- mokin, and fraternally he belongs to the Knights of Columbus and the C. K. of F.

WILLIAM J. LINDER has been brewmaster at the Eagle Run Brewery in Shamokin for sev- eral years and is a man well known in his line all over the United States. He has increased the out- put of the plant with which he is now connected materially by his improvements in the quality of the product.

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railroad; Mary married Draper Lewis: Jolin is he was made assistant foreman of a gang of men fireman at the "Windsor Hotel," Philadelphia, outside, which position he still holds at the Locust Pa. ; Annie married William W. Smith.

Mr. Long is a member of the Episcopal Church, and fraternally he is an Odd Fellow.

GEORGE KLINGER, engineer at the Loeust Spring colliery, at Locust Gap, in Mount Carmel township, this county, was born Dee. 4, 1872, at ville. Mount Carmel, and has passed praetieally all his

Mr. Klinger married Jane Sharp, daughter of life at Locust Gap, having come to this place when, John Sharp, and to them have been born children but four years old. He belongs to a branch of the Klinger family now numerously represented in Schuylkill and adjoining counties.

as follows: A daughter that died in infancy; Emma, now Mrs. Abraham Morgan ; George ; John, who is an engineer; Thomas, a fireman; Ida M., wife of Frank A. Bergstresser; Bella; William, who died aged twenty-three years; Raymond : Hattie; Margaret, wife of August Zimmerman; and Albert, a teacher in Mount Carmel township.

The ancestors of the Klinger family in America emigrated from Holland. Alexander Klinger sailed in the ship "Albany," Robert Brown, master, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes. Isle of Wight, England, and landed at Philadelphia Sept. 2, George Klinger received his edneation in the publie schools of Locust Gap, and began work like inost boys around the mines, picking slate. He followed this for three years, after which he 1749. He settled in Reading, Berks county, and was in the first list of taxables on record of Reading, 1759. His name also appears in the first United States census of Reading, taken in 1790. tended door inside and then drove inside. Later He was a real estate owner in the city of Reading, he was employed outside at the self-aeting plant · as appears by patents taken for lots in 1:53. He before he commeneed firing. In 1900 he was served as a private in the Revolutionary war, in promoted to engineer and has since been engaged as such, in his present position at the Locust Spring colliery. He is an industrious and efficient worker, respeeted as a good citizen and a man of excellent habits. Capt. Conrad Shirman's company, of Berks county volunteers. He died in the city of Reading in April, 1802. His son George Adam Klinger had previously settled in Mahantango, which at that time still was territory of Berks county.

The great-grandfather of George Klinger lived in Dauphin county, Pa., and followed farming. of Helfenstein, Schuylkill Co., Pa., and they have

He died upon his farm near Klinger's Church. His children were: Andrew : William, who died in Dauphin county, and Daniel. who died at Seven Points, Northumberland county.

Andrew Klinger, grandfather of George Klinger, was born in 1801 in Dauphin county, and coming to Northumberland county was here engaged in mining for many years, being a boss at Shamokin, Mount Carmel and Locust Gap. He died at Mount Carmel in 1866. His wife, Mary (Helwich), died in Shamokin, and they were the parents of eight children, namely: Catherine married William Starr; John died in Mount Carmel: Sarah mar- ried John Kleiser : Reuben died in Mount Carmel (he was a soldier in the Civil war) ; George A. is mentioned below: Mary died unmarried ; Bella married Daniel Deleamp; William was killed while serving in the Civil war.

George A. Klinger, son of Andrew, was born in Dauphin county, June 21, 1841, at the lower end of Deep Creek Valley, near Klingerstown, and was only two years old when brought by his parents to Shamokin. He began working in the mines when a boy, being first employed at the "Water Gap," now the Cameron colliery. He also followed min- ing at Mount Carmel, in 1875 coming to Locust Gap, where he has since been engaged. In 1903

Spring colliery. During the Civil war Mr. Klinger was in the Union army, enlisting at Ashland in Company G, 129th Regiment, Pennsylvania Vol- unteers, and receiving his discharge at Harrisburg. He was in the service nine months, and took part in the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellors-

On June 1, 1899, Mr. Klinger married Clara Bergstresser, daughter of William Bergstresser,

a family of five eliildren : Hazel, Clayton, Alfred, Catherine and Jennie.

Mr. Klinger is a member of Mount Carmel Lodge No. 630, I. O. O. F., and of Washington Camp No. 116, P. O. S. of A., of Mount Carmel. He is a Methodist in religious connection, but has no political bonds, voting independently.

EBERHARD GROSS, one of the foremen at the Cameron colliery, where he has been stable boss since 1907, has been a resident of the borough of Shamokin since 1892, and with the exception of three years during which he was in the hotel busi- ness has been engaged in the mines ever since.

Mr. Gross is a native of Cologne, Germany, born July 31, 1857. son of Bertolete Gross, who fol- lowed farming in Germany, where he died in June, 1857. His wife. Anna Mary (Rosenthal), daugh- ter of Broel Rosenthal, died in March, 1890, at the age of seventy-two years. and they are buried in the same churchvard. They were Catholies in re- ligions faith. They had five children, as follows : John, who served in the Franeo-German war of 18:0-71. is still living in Germany ; Anthony died in 1867 at the age of twenty-two years; Charles, who served in the Franco-German war, lives in Germany; Joseph is a resident of Germany (he

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served in the German army) ; Eberhard is men- he went to Florida, where he has since made his tioned below.

Eberhard Gross attended the public schools and was reared upon a farm, also following mining during his early life. He served three years as a private in the German army, from 1817 to 1880. From that time until he came to America he fol- lowed farming and mining. Taking passage at Antwerp, he crossed to Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, Canada, landing June 29, 1891, and remained there for six months, after which he was in Massachusetts, working at the Davis mines, about five months before coming to Shamokin, in 1892. He went to work as a miner at the Cam- eron colliery for several years, and for three years, 1899 to 1901, was engaged in the hotel business as proprietor of the "Franklin House." He has since been employed at the Cameron colliery, where he was made stable boss in 1907. He is trustworthy and efficient, and has the confidence of his employers and the respect of his fellow workmen.

On May 10, 1881, Mr. Gross married Lena Hafer, daughter of Henry and Annetta (Schmidt) Hafer, and they have become the parents of ten children, five of whom survive, namely: Mary A., wife of E. C. Keller: Joseph, superintendent for

the Metropolitan Insurance Company at Wilkes- a member of the I. O. O. F. and the Knights of

· Barre, Pa .; Frank, Herman and William, all at home. The deceased were Charles, Henry. Lena, of the Methodist Church.

John and Elizabeth. Mr. Gross has had his own home, at No. 817 East Commerce street, Shamokin, WESLEY VAN GASKEN, a veteran of the Civil war now living retired at Shamokin, North- since 1905. The family are Catholics in religious faith, belonging to St. Edward's Church. Mr. umberland county, was engaged for many years as a blacksmith in the collieries in this vicinity, and

Gross is a Democrat and interested in local party affairs, having served as committeeman of Sha- he is a son of Henry Van Gasken, who in his day mokin.

JAMES H. McBRIDE, of Shamokin. has made his home in that borough since 1888. For a num- ber of years after settling here he was employed at the collieries and since 1898 has been an employee of the Croninger Packing Company.

- Mr. McBride was born May 9, 1863. at Scranton. Lackawanna Co., Pa., son of James McBride and grandson of Michael McBride, a native of Ireland who came to America when a young man and set- tled at Paterson. N. J. Later he moved to Bridge- port, Conn .. where he died. His family consisted of eight children, namely: James, Henry, John, Charles, Susan. Mary. Rosie and Sarah.

James McBride. son of Michael, was born at Paterson, N. J., and there spent his early life. He learned the trade of engineer and ran the first passenger train on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western ; he was also the first to run a coal burner on the New York, New Haven & Hartford road. He served in the Union army during the Civil war, was' a sergeant in the 2nd New Jersey Cavalry, and was promoted three times for gallantry. In 1866

home. He had worked as stationary engineer for a number of years, and upon going to Florida became engineer on a vessel. His wife, Sarah ( McGee), died in 1865 at Shamokin, Pa., the mother of three children: Michael, who lives in Shamokin; Susan, wife of Fred Rock; and James H.

James H. McBride was only two years old when brought from Scranton to Northumberland county, and his mother dying when he was very young, he was reared by Solomon Klase, at Snydertown, this county. He attended public school there at Sny- dertown, and since 1888 he has made his home in Shamokin, where he first found employment as engineer at the collieries, continuing to work at the mines until 1898, when he took his present position with the Croninger Packing Company. IIe holds the responsible post of chief engineer. He is a reliable and industrious worker, and has the respect of employers and fellow employees.

On Dec. 22, 1888, Mr. McBride married Ida Rowe, daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Jury) Rowe, of Lykens, Pa., and they have had three children : A daughter that died in infancy, Albert S. and Susan E. The family reside at No. 630 West Spruce street, Shamokin. Mr. McBride is Pythias, and in religious connection is a member

was one of the best known men about the coal regions. He was born July 28, 1838, in Phila- delphia. Pa., and belongs to a family which origi- nated in Holland and which has been established in America from Colonial times. The emigrant ancestor came from Holland and landed at Lewes, Delaware.

John Van Gasken. Sr., and Sarah, his wife, are the first of the line of whom we have record. Their son John was born March 4. 1744, and their son Nicholas was born Sept. 10. 160.

John Van Gasken, Jr., born March 4, 1744, was in his thirty-second year when the Revolution broke out and he must have known Caesar Rodney and many of the Delaware patriots; for he himself served in the war and was with Washington at the famous crossing of the Delaware. He married Susanna Hill, who was born Ang. 31. 1752. daughter of Thomas and Susanna Hill, and they had children as follows: (1) John, born Aug. 15, 1764, was married June 18, 1802, to Hannah Hill, and had children : Susanna, born June 15: 1805, and John, born Feb. 5. 1807. (2) Sarah was born Feb. 1. 1176.

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(3) Thomas, born Sept. 29, 1778, died March 9, teen, when he went to Lancaster to learn the 1795. (4) Joseph was born March 11, 1781.

blacksmith's trade in the locomotive shop. After Joseph Van Gasken, born March 11, 1781, died three years there he entered the Baldwin shops at Jan. 24, 1828. He followed farming in Delaware. Philadelphia, where he was employed at the time He married (first) Ann Barnet, who was born of his enlistment in April, 1861, for service in the March 15, 1786, daughter of Solomon and Rachel Civil war, in Company D. 61st Regiment. Penn- Barnet. and died in December, 1822. On March sylvania Volunteers. He served to the elose 8, 1823, he married (second) Rodie Morris. His of the struggle, with the Army of the Potomac, children, all by the first union, were as follows: taking part in the battle of Gettysburg and many other important engagements. Though he saw wound upon his left hand. Mr. Van Gasken was war, and he has a record of which he may well be proud. He thinks it is the fighting blood he inherited from his Revolutionary ancestor, whom he honors for his patriotism, which indueed him to

(1) Rachel, born Nov. ? , 1808, was over ninety when she died, and though in her advanced years hard service he himself escaped with only a flesh both sight and hearing were impaired she con- tinued to visit her children, unattended. traveling the only one of a large family to serve in the Civil considerable distances by railroad, and like her brother John, who lived to advanced years, but not to such a great age as she attained, remained active and intelligent to the end. (2) Jolin, born Nov. 12, 1809, died Sept. 19, 1811. (3) Henry go to the rescue of his country in the days of the is mentioned below. (4) William, born Dee. 18, Civil war. 1813, died Dee. 28, 1813. (5) Sarah Ann, born At the end of the war Mr. Van Gasken returned Sept. 16, 1816, died Nov. 8, 1816. (6) Mary. to Pennsylvania, and settling at Shamokin fol- born July 27, 1818, died Oct. 6, 1818. (?) John lowed his trade at the various collieries, continu- (2), born Aug. 1, 1820, died young. (S) Barnet, ing thus until his retirement, in 1890. In 1864 he born Nov. 29, 1822, died Sept. 22, 1824.

married Nancy Lake, daughter of David N. and

Henry Van Gasken, father of Wesley Van Sarah ( Farrow) Lake, of Shamokin, the former Gasken, was born Aug. 24, 1811, in Delaware, and of whom served many years as justice of the peace died Feb. 10, 18:4. He followed contraeting, in in that borough. Mr. and Mrs. Van Gasken had which he was engaged at various places, being five children. all of whom married, and they have located for a time at Detroit, Mich., returning three great-grandchildren. Chantilly, their eldest later to Philadelphia. He was one of the "forty- child, married Elmer H. Priee, of Shamokin, and niners" to go out to California, where he remained has children: Nancy, Wesley, Edward, Dorothy four years, working as a carpenter, in the course and Sidney. Mary married Harry M. Dauser, now of which time and pursuit he put together the living at Providence, R. I., and they have two boat "Swan," which was built at Wilmington, children, Frank and Harry. Harry, who died Del., and shipped to California in sections. He in Shamokin Dee. 16, 1909, at the age of thirty- became captain of this boat when it was put into nine years, married Cora S. Sweitzer and left two service, running between Saeramento and San children, Milton and Rachel. Rachel is the wife Francisco. Returning East, he located in Sha- of Sidney Yeager, resides in Norfolk, Va., and mokin in 1852, and there took contraets in the has two children, Carroll and Margaret. Sarah, building of the first collieries. He subsequently became superintendent of the Carbon Run colliery, daughter, Aliee.

now known as the Bear Valley colliery, and for a

telligent, respeeted eitizen, he is a eredit to his wife of E. F. Harding, of Boston, Mass., has one

Mr. and Mrs. Van Gasken reside at No. 93 time was division superintendent of the Reading Commerce street, Shamokin. He is a member of Coal & Iron Company, in the Shamokin District Lineoln Post, No. 140, G. A. R., at Shamokin, and one of its past officers ; in religious matters he is under Franklin B. Gowen, president, in these various eapaeities becoming widely known through- identified with the Presbyterian Church. An in- out the coal regions, and among all classes.

On July 24, 1834, Mr. Van Gasken married family and a substantial member of the eom- Mary Fearer, who was born June 13, 1815, in munity. Philadelphia, daughter of John and Elizabeth Fearer, and died Nov. 4, 1862. They were the

JAMES F. GORDON, inside foreman at the parents of four children : Rachel, born July 12, Locust Spring section at Locust Gap, this 1836, who married Edward Farrell, of Sacramento, county, is one of the best known men Cal .; Wesley ; Henry Clay, born April 16, 1846; of that place and a miner of fifty years' ex- and Mary F., born Dec. 15, 1848, who married perience, having begun work at the breaker when

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 106

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co. Number of Pages: 1024

Author: Floyd, J.L., & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, J. L. Floyd & Co.
Number of Pages: 1024