Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 14

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 14

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ing record of their family: Willoughby and David, WILLIAM AUGUSTUS WALT, son of Willoughby C. Walt, and his father's successor as track fore- man on the Philadelphia & Reading road, was horn at Herndon Ang. 31, 1871, and there re- ceived his education in the common schools. He began working for the railroad company when twenty-one years old, and on April 19, 1900, was made track foreman of the Herndon branch. in which position he has since served. He has two men working under his supervision. His section extends from Herudon to Latsha. Mr. Walt has taken considerable interest in local politics and public affairs, having served as school director hoth of whom lived at Dalmatia, are more fully mentioned below: Henry, who was a boatbuilder and carpenter, lived at Liverpool. Perry Co., Pa., * where he died when comparatively a young man and where he is buried (his wife, Rebecca Borrel!, bore him three children, Jonathan,. Jane, who is married and lives at Saint George's Lock, Del .. and Rebecca, who died young ) : Catharine ( Kate) married Abraham Ziegler, of Herndon: Susanna died unmarried ; Caroline lives in Montgomery eounty : Sallie married Adam Gottshall and they lived at Pillow, Dauphin county: Betzy married Abraham Herman; Lovina married Henry Frey of the borough of Herndon and as election officer.

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Politically he is identified with the Republican erpool and Northumberland, and for thirteen party.

In 1895 Mr. Walt married Sarah Bordner, daughter of Samuel and Rebecca ( Heckel) Bord- ner, formerly of Dalmatia, this county. They have had four children, Katie A., Gertrude A., M. Arline and Mary M. Mr. Walt and his fam- ily belong to. the Reformed congregation of the Herndon Union Church.

SOLOMON Z. WALT, son of Willoughby Walt, was born April 1, 1848, in Lower Mahanoy town- ship, Northumberland county. In his youth he was trained to farm work, but when a young man he took up the miller's trade, completing his ap- prenticeship when twenty-two years old. He had learned the business at Uniontown ( Pillow ) and Lewisburg, Pa., and worked at it on his own ac- count one year, operating the Mandata mill, in Jordan township. For a number of years he fol- lowed wheelwrighting in connection with farming, beginning agricultural pursuits in association with his father, but in the spring of 1875 starting out for himself, on the thirty-three-acre tract in Low- er Mahanoy township where he now lives. It is one mile southwest of Dalmatia, in the indepen- dent school district. Mr. Walt has an attractive home and a valuable piece of property. He has a man to look after the farm work, he himself conducting a wheelwright establishment, which is well patronized by his neighbors. He is an ex- cellent mechanic, not alone in that line, but able to perform the work of various trades, and he does a thriving business, his services being in constant demand.

In 1871 Mr. Walt married Polly Zartman, daughter of Adam and Susan ( Forney) Zartman, and they have an only daughter. Lena Susan, now the wife of Charles S. Deppen. Mr. Deppen was born March 24, 1874, son of William and Susan (Shaffer) Deppen, grandson of William Deppen and great-grandson of Christian Deppen. He is engaged as a traveling salesman, and is an intelli- gent and substantial citizen of his community, one who enjoys excellent standing. Mr. and Mrs. Deppen have had two children, Ivy Thelma and Stena Reba.

Mr. Walt and his family are Lutherans in re- ligion, and worship at Zion's Church in Stone Valley: Politically he is a Democrat, and he has served as clerk of his township.

David Wald, son of Solomon, was born in Montgomery county, Pa., and when a young man learned the trade of carpenter, which he followed while living in his native county. About three years after his second marriage he moved to Northumberland county, settling at Georgetown (now Dalmatia), where he continued to work at his trade. For thirty years he was engaged as a carpenter in the boat yards at Mahantango. Liv-

years he and Augustus Arnold rented a boat yard and repaired boats. During this time Mr. Wald and his family lived at Mahantango, Juniata county. He then retired to Georgetown, where he died and is buried. His first wife, whose maiden name was Neiman, was from Montgomery county, and they had a son Augustus, who died at Herndon and is buried at Georgetown. His second wife, Rebecca ( Fegley), was from his own neighborhood in Montgomery county. and to them were born three sons and two daughters, as fol- lows: William, Joshua, David, Elmira ( married James M. Wiest) and Elizabeth (married George Bingaman). The family were Lutheran mem- bers of the Georgetown Church, and they are buried at that church.

JOSHUA WALD, son of David, was born Aug. 18, 1846, in Lower Mahanoy township. He re- ceived his education in the pay schools in vogue during his boyhood, first attending, school in his native township and later in Juniata county. When only eight years old he began driving a mule. on the towpath of the Susquehanna canal, and after a few years commenced boating, which he followed for seventeen seasons all told, two years before his service in the Civil war, and fifteen years after. He was only a youth when he enlisted at Harrisburg in Company K, 83d Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, for a year's service, but he was mustered out at the end of eight months, by reason of the war clos- ing. Among his active engagements were the action at Hatcher's Run and the operations be- fore Petersburg, besides a number of skirmishes. Resuming civil life, he continued boating until 1878, in which year he engaged in the livery busi- ness at Georgetown. After about five years in that line he went into the lumber business, in 1884, near Sunbury, contracting for logs and ties and peeling bark, and he was thus engaged for two years, in 1887 commencing farming. That vear he purchased a seventy-five-acre farm at Hickory Corners, in Lower Mahanoy township, which place he cultivated for nine years. This farm was formerly the property of William Schaf- fer and is now owned by Elmer I. Radel. In 1897 Mr. Wald settled in Georgetown (Dalmatia). where he owns a fine residence and has since lived in practical retirement, though he occasionally en- gages in coal digging in the Susquehanna. He is a respected citizen and is trusted by his fellow citizens, but he has never cared to undertake the duties of public office. Politically he is a Repub- lican.

In 1875 Mr. Wald married Alveretta Heckert, daughter of William and Lydia J. ( Favinger) Heckert, who had three children, Alveretta, Polly (unmarried ) and Henry (unmarried, who lives at Millville, Pa.). Jacob Heckert, grandfather

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of Mrs. Wald, was a farmer in Lower Mahanoy his residence here carrying on the wholesale and township. His children were Catharine (Mrs. retail lumber business. His first building con- George Doney), Jacob, William and Jessie. Two tracts were for the residences of William Kiefer, children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Waid: Judge Lincoln S. Walter, and P. A. Vought; as Jennie Lucretia, who died when fourteen months his patronage widened and his business increased old; and Edward M., who died when three he was intrusted with more and more important months old.

GEORGE H. KEEFER, general contractor at Mount Carmel, has been in business there since 1895. He was born in 18:2 in Milwaukee, Wis., son of Philip W. Keefer, grandson of George Keefer, and great-grandson of pioneers who came to Northumberland county from Berks county, this State.

The great-grandfather, a native of Oley town- ship, Berks county, came to Northumberland county when a young man, bringing his wife and two children, and settled in Shamokin township. He prospered, and engaged in agricultural pur- suits there the remainder of his life. He had a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters, namely: Daniel. George, John, Peter, Catharine, Mollie, Elizabeth and Hannah.

George Keefer was born in 1796 in Oley town- ship, Berks county, and was eight years old when the family settled in Shamokin township, where he grew to manhood. After his marriage he moved to Lower Augusta township, near Lantz's Church, where he was successfully engaged in farming and milling until 1864. He then dis- posed of the mill, but contimed to farm until his death, which occurred in this county Oct. 16, 1879. He was a stanch Democrat, prominent in the political affairs of his seetion and influential in the councils . of his party, and was chosen to several township offices. He was also prominent

work, the Masonie temple, the Donohue building and the George Lamskey building being all of his construction. He has also had many contracts outside of his own community, having built the waterworks at Columbia, S. C .; the filter plant at Oklahoma ; the waterworks at Winfield, Kans .; the silk mills at Marion, Ohio, and at Lewistown and Sunbury, Pa., for the Susquehanna Silk Com- pany; the converting works at Sunbury, for the same coneern ; and a silk mill for the Schwartz- enback Huber Company, Juniata, Pa. A mere list of his contraets is sufficient evidence of his standing, and the many substantial structures of his construction testify to the value and solidity of his work, as well as to his intelligent ideas on modern building and convenience in arrangement of space. He has held the respect and good will of his various patrons to an unusual extent. Mr. Keefer is president of the Mount Carmel Coal & Coke Company of . West Virginia. He is well known in his connection with the State National Guard, and during the Spanish-American war en- listed in Company E, 12th Regiment, Pennsyl- vania Volunteers, serving nine months. Socially he belongs to the Elks, Lodge No. 356, of Mount Carmel.

On June 16, 1896, Mr. Keefer married Maude Foye, daughter of Landis and Harriet (Wolf) Foyc. They have no children.

JOHN H. MAILEY, postmaster at Northum-

in the religious life of the community as a faith- berland, Northumberland county, was born Feb. ful member of Lantz's German Reformed Church. 6, 1861, at West Fairview, Cumberland Co., Pa., which he helped to build and which he served' son of William Mailey and grandson of Peter as trustee and elder for many years .. He . was Mailey. The latter was a resident of Harrisburg, twice married, and by his first wife, whose maid- Pa., where he died at the advanced age of eighty- en name was Lantz, had five children: Samuel five years. Among his children were John, Eli, L., born March 28, 1828: Peter. born March 3, William and Annie.

1838; Margaret; Hannah, and Mary M. By his second marriage, to Elizabeth Weiser, there were six children : Catharine, George W., Philip W., John S., Jennie and Luev A.

Philip W. Keefer, son of George, was born Nov. 22, 1846, and married Annie A. Kemp.

William Mailey, father of John H. Mailey, was born in 1830, and died in October, 1867, in Harrisburg. He learned the trade of iron work- er, which he followed all his life: His wife, Elizabeth (Heffley), daughter of Leonard Heffley, still survives him, and makes her home in Har- risburg. They were the parents of the follow- ing children : Abner, Amos, David, John H., Emory and George B.

George H. Keefer. son of Philip W. Keefer. came to Sunbury, Northumberland county, with his father when five years old, and attended school there. He learned the carpenter's trade under John II. Mailey attended the public schools of Duneannon. Perry Co., Pa., where he was reared, having gone there in 1867, the year of his father's death. He learned the nailing business, which he continued to follow until his removal to the bor- his father, and architecture under his unele. George W. Keefer, and in 1890 engaged in busi- ness on his own account in Sunbury, where lie built the Armory and the Northumberland Na- tional Bank building. In October, 1895, he set- ongh of Northumberland in 1890, after which he tled in Mount Carmel, during the early part of was employed by Taggart & Howell for one year.

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For the next sixteen years he was in the employ Pa.) ; Elias, who settled in Northumberland cour- of the Pennsylvania Railway Company, beginning as brakeman and advancing until, when he left the road, he had become extra conductor. 190% he was appointed postmaster at Northum- berland, and he has since devoted all his time to the duties of that position, in which his ser- vices are proving most satisfactory. He was re- appointed Feb. 23, 1911. The office is at present of the second class. Mr. Mailey is an esteeined and well known citizen of the borough, where he has taken considerable part in politics, as he did also at his previous location, Duncannon. He Bohmer, of Northumberland county) and Eli P. was elected chief burgess of Duncannon in 1889. Since his removal to Northumberland county he has served twelve years as borough committeeman of the Republican party. When the Northum- berland Gas Company was organized, in 1911, Mr. Mailey became one of the original directors, and is serving as general manager.

On June 26, 1884, Mr. Mailey married Matil- da C. Eshelman, daughter of Jacob Eshelman, of Duneanuon, and they have had four children : Eva, wife of M. P. Tierney, an attorney at law of Northumberland borough; Nora ; William, who married Ruth Burns, of Sunbury: and Charles. march to Gettysburg in 1863, after his enlistment Mr. Mailey and his family hold membership in the Methodist Church.

B. FRANKLIN HECKERT, attorney at law of Sunbury, Northumberland county,' associated in practice with George B. Reimensnyder, was born in that borough Ang. 4, 1876. He is a mem-

ty, and had ten children, all living, Henry A. (residing in Kansas City, Mo.), Emma E. (Mrs. I. J. Shroyer, formerly of Shamokin. now of Dauphin county), Riley W. (farmer in North- umberland county ), John W. (a merchant in He- gins, Schuylkill Co., Pa.), Mary A. (Mrs. John K. Maurer, of Schuylkill county, Pa. ), Sarah J. ( Mrs. Jacob Maurer, of the same county), Joseph L. (a baker in Girardville, Pa.), Lydia A. ( Mrs. John W. Bahner, residing near Stonington, North- umberland county), Lizzie A. ( Mrs. Elmer A. (the principal of schools at Schuylkill Haven. Pa.) : Isaac; Benjamin: Joseph, who resided in Perry county and who became a soldier in the Civil war, during which he was shot while re- lieving a picket, who did not recognize him; Riley; Elizabeth, Mrs. Isaac Lenker; Polly, Mrs. Harry Weaver, who has a son George. living in Shamokin, Pa .; Sallie: Catharine, Mrs. Jacob Wentzel, who resided in the State of Indiana; Christina, Mrs. Aaron Conrad, who resided in Perry county (Mr. Conrad was a soldier in the Civil war and died of typhoid after a forced

had expired ) ; Hannah, Mrs. John Christ; and two others, who died in youth. Of this family, Elias, now (1911) eighty-four years of age, and Hannah (Mrs. John Christ) are the only ones living, and both reside in Northumberland county.

ber of an old Northumberland county family, be- Pa., and grew to manhood in Lower Mahanoy ing a descendant of Michael Heckert, who emi- grated from Germany some time during the lat- ter part of the eighteenth century and settled in Lower Mahanoy township in the early days. He owned a considerable body of land, some of which is still in the possession of his posterity, who are still numerous in this county and also well represented in the Western States. Michael Heckert's sons were Francis, Yost, Peter and John: and he had a daughter, Elizabeth, who married Jacob Miller and moved to Armstrong Valley, in Dauphin county. Pa. The sons Fran- eis and Yost went West. There may have been other children.

Benjamin Heckert, the twelfth in order of birth, was born Aug. 14, 1835, in Butler county. township, where he received his education in the local schools. He learned the trade of cabinet- maker there and at Sunbury, to which place he came when a young man, and where he was for eight years in the employ of Sebastian Haupt. In 1862 he engaged in the furniture and under- taking business at Northumberland, where he re- mained until his removal to Sunbury, in 1871. There he was in business for many years as a funeral director and furniture dealer, having the largest establishment of the kind in the borough in his day and employing a number of clerks. His progressive and enterprising methods kept him at the head of the trade throughout his ac-

Peter Heckert, one of the sons of Michael who tive career. He retired some years before his remained in the home neighborhood, lived in Low- death, which occurred July 6, 1906. er Malianoy township, having taken up farm In 1859 Mr. Heckert married Sarah Jane Durst, who was born May 3. 1838, daughter of Andrew and Nancy ( Mahany) Durst, of Sunbury, and died Sept. 13, 1903. Mr. and Mrs. Heckert were members of the Lutheran Church, and fraternally he held membership in the I. O. O. F. lodge at Sunbury. He was independent in politics. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin lands . there. He died at Sunbury. He served in the war of 1812, was honorably discharged, and received two tracts of bounty land for his services in the war. He married Hannah Wit- mer, and their children were: George; Michael ; Peter, who settled and lived in Northumberland county and had two sons, Jacob (who is a marble cutter in Millersburg. Pa.) and Willis (who is Heckert: William N. died in infancy: Rev. railroader, living in Georgetown -- Dalmatia, Charles G. graduated from Wittenberg College.

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Springfield, Chio, became president of that insti- opened a general store in Excelsior, keeping a mis- tution and a clergyman of the Lutheran Church; Emma D. married William G. Savidge, of Sun- bury; Jennie M. married Sharon Stevens, of Har- risburg ; B. Franklin was a twin of Harry N., who was drowned in the Susquehanna river when fourteen years old.

B. Franklin Heckert received his early literary education in Sunbury, graduating from the high school there in 1893. He then took a course at Wittenberg College, Springfield, Ohio, from which institution he was graduated with the class of 1897, after which he had a year's study at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pa. He read law with George B. Reimensnyder, the foremost attorney of Northumberland county, was admitted to the bar of this county in 1900, and to practice in the Superior and Supreme courts in 1902. Since his admission to the bar he has been as- sociated in practice with his preceptor, Mr. Reim- ensnyder, who makes a specialty of the civil branch of the law. His personal and professional stand- ing and associations are most propitious.

Mr. Heckert is a member of the First Presby- terian Church of Sunbury and prominent in the Masonie fraternity, holding membership in Lodge No. 22, F. and A. M., of Sunbury, of which he was worshipful master in 1909: in Northumber- land Royal Arch Chapter, No. 174; in Mount Her- mon Commandery, No. 85, K. T., of Sunbury ; in Williamsport Consistory; and in Irem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Wilkes-Barre. He also belongs to the Americus and Temple Clubs of Sunbury.

JOHN GLOWA is connected with several of the most important business enterprises of Shamokin, borough of Shamokin.

Northumberland county, where he has been well , John Snyder, the first of this family in America, known in commercial circles for a number of years, came from Germany and settled at Trenton, N. J.

Mr. Glowa was born June 24, 1863, in Galicia, Austria, in which country his father, Mathew Glowa, followed farming. He died there. Jolm Glowa attended school in his native country, where though he did not establish a permanent home in that eity until 1906. He is a self-made man, one whose excellent judgment and well directed ex- ecutive ability have made him successful in his various undertakings.

eellaneous stoek, anything, in faet, that there was any call for. It was this liberal poliey of catering to the wants of his customers that made his busi- ness so successful, and he continued it until 1906, when he moved his residence to Shamokin. Here he has since lived, at No. 321 North Shamokin street. Ile still .has mercantile interests, being president of the Russian Mercantile Company, of Shamokin, in which line his long experience has fitted him for valuable executive service. Mr. Glowa was one of the original directors of the Market Street National Bank, of Shamokin, and is still serving in that capaeity : he is also a stoek- holder in the Shamokin and Coal Township Light and Power Company, in the Hoven Mercantile Company of New York City and in the Connell Powder Company of Scranton. He is a very pop- ular citizen of Shamokin, and stands well among his own countrymen there, being president of the Ruthenian Catholic Church, of which he was one of the founders. In his native land he was a member of the choir in his church until he left for America.

Mr. Glowa's first marriage was to Catherine C'hlebowsky, who died May 9, 1907, and is buried at Shamokin; she was a native of Austria. His present wife was Ella Emek. Five children were born to the first union: Mary, Michael, Mathew, Walter and Antiona.

SNYDER. David L. and Harry E. Snyder, brothers, residents, respectively, of Ralpho and Shamokin townships. the former postmaster at Ca- bel, are sons of David H. Snyder and grandsons of Joseph Snyder, the pioneer hotel-keeper in the

Coming to Northumberland county, Pa., he was one of the early residents of Rush township, where he died. He married Ellen Witlock, and their children were: Joseph ; Jacob, who died at Frack- ville, Schuylkill Co., Pa .; Reuben, who died at Snufftown, Northumberland county; and Sallie, Mrs. Teats.

Joseph Snyder, son of John, was born at Tren- ton, N. J .. Oct. 10. 1796, and grew to manhood at He married Annie Heller, a native also of New Jersey, born Sept. 18, 1794, and in 1818 came to Pennsylvania, settling in Rush township, North- umberland county, where he began farming. Some time later he opened a hotel at Snufftown, in Shamokin township, and thence in 1835 went to Shamokin. intending to engage in the hotel busi- ness. But the outlook was not encouraging, and

he grew to manhood, coming to this country in his native place, receiving an ordinary schooling.

1882. He landed at New York City Nov. 18th. and made his first location at Danville, Pa., where he found employment in the rolling mill, working . there three months. He was next employed on the construction of the railroad from Snydertown to Sunbury, Pa., and after following this work a short time entered the employ of the Excelsior . Coal Company, at Excelsior, Northumberland county, continuing with them for a period of seven . be returned to his old location for a short time. In years. In 1889 he located in Shamokin, where he 1836 he again went to Shamokin. where he began remained for the next three years, after which he keeping hotel in a building which subsequently

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formed part of the old "Vanderbilt Hotel," on the A Democrat in political opinion, he took consid- present site of the "Hotel Graemar." He con- erable interest in politics and public affairs ; was a member of the Methodist Church, and fraternally belonged to the I. O. O. F. He died Nov. 9, 1878. aged forty-four years, and is buried in Oak Grove cemetery. in Ralpho township. tinued the business with great success for several veais, and then accepted the position of resident land agent, to the duties of which he devoted his time for many years. Toward the latter part of his life he purchased a farm in Ralpho township (the On Dec. 25, 1856, Mr. Snyder married Mary J. Campbell, daughter of Nicholas and Hannah ( Yo -. cum) Campbell, and granddaughter of Obedialı Campbell. She now makes her home at Cabel. in Ralpho township. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder had the following children : Amy A. married S. F. Bough- ner and lived in Ralpho township (she died in July, 1901) : Rosella married William O. Hoff- man and they are living at Selinsgrove, Pa. : Jo- seph N. married Elizabeth Frederick and their home is in Shamokin township; Clark W., of Mil- ton. Pa., married Annie Rice and ( second) Kate -: David L. is mentioned below: Minnie married W. L. Eisele and is living at Williams- port : Harry E. is mentioned below : Calvin N .. who was a telegraph operator, died at the age of twenty-six years. . property later owned by his son John B.) and re- mained there two years, at the end of which time he returned to Shamokin. He died there Feb. 1. 1867. Mr. Snyder was a Democrat and filled vari- ous local offices, being the first constable of Sham- okin, tax collector, etc. He was active in Church work, having been one of the organizers of the First Presbyterian Church of Shamokin and large- ly instrumental in the erection of its edifice in' 1840. A good citizen. reliable and straightforward in all his dealings with his fellowmen, he was high- ly respected wherever known. His widow. who died Aug. 6. 1881. in her eighty-seventh year, was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They were the parents of the following children : Amelia married Joseph Enoch and ( second) Jon- athan Farnsworth; Harmon died in Shamokin : Rachel became the wife of Alem Sechler ; Eleanor, now the only living member of her generation, is unmarried and resides in Shamokin: David H. is mentioned below: John Boyd was born April 3. 1836, the first white child born within the limits of what is now Shamokin borough.

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 14

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