Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 34

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 34

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Daniels, living with her brother John; and Ro- ents died in Austria, his father in 1904, his moth- setta, deeeased.

er in November, 1909.

John A. Weaver was born Oct. 15, 1847, at his fatlier's "United States Hotel" (located at the pres- ent site of the "Graemar") in Shamokin,' and there reecived his edueation in the public schools. Until 1879 he remained associated with his fa- ther, in the management of the hotel, and he then entered the employ of the Mineral Railroad & Mining Company as their representative in the coal and iron police, filling that position until Sep- tember, 1885. It was during this time that the notorious Molly Maguires infested the mining region. Resigning, he took the position of su- perintendent with H. A. Weldy & Co., manufac- turers of explosives and powders, who carried on business for some time at the old Paxinos powder mill and later discontinued the manufacture of powder. The eonecrn underwent a change in 1908, becoming part of the Dupont Company, which has two plants in this region, one at Paxinos and Mr. Menapaee was in his twenty-sixth year when he came to America, landing at New York June 16, 1886. He immediately proceeded thence to Pennsylvania, settling at Green Ridge, in Mount Carniel township, Northumberland county, where he followed mining two years. For the next five years he was engaged at that occupation in Lu- zerne eounty, this State, at the end of that period locating in Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, where he remained for three years, engaged in tlie gro- eery business. He then established himself in the mercantile business in Shamokin, Northumber- land county, at Spruce and Market streets, and from that borough removed to Mount Carmel, where he was similarly engaged on Oak street. In 1898 he built his home at Atlas, near Mount Car- inel, moving there May 30th of that year. His residence was the third to be built in the town. Mr .. Menapace carried on the grocery business one at Alaska. Mr. Weaver acts as distributing agent, a position he has shown himself well qual- ified to fill, his business and personal standing having been won by long and efficient service, and he has shown ability in the discharge of every responsibility with which he has been intrusted. there, for two years, having a thriving and stead- ily increasing trade from the start. He secured a hotel lieense in 1901 and since then has con- ducted an up-to-date and well furnished hotel at No. 200 Columbia avenue. On the night of Oct. 18, 1910, Mr. Menapace's old hotel building, to- Mr. Weaver's connection with the municipal ad- ministration began in 1875, when he was elected councilman, serving many years as such. In 1881 he was elected chief burgess, to which office he was again elected in 1889. During his administra- gether with eight tenement houses owned by him, was destroyed by fire, but a larger and more modern hotel was immediately erected on the same site, and two bloeks of the houses have also been rebuilt. In addition to conducting his tion many changes were made in the conduet of the hotel business, Mr. Menapace deals in cigars and chewing gum in a wholesale way, and is a build- ing contractor. He is a substantial and esteemed citizen of his section.

various borough offices, and several particularly valuable ideas were put into practice, which gained him the esteem and support of a large number of the best citizens of Shamokin. The first uni- Mr. Menapace is a prominent member of St. formed poliee force was established during his Peter's Catholic Church, being president and a term. He showed his progressive spirit in num- trustee of the congregation, and he was one of erous ways, winning universal good will by his the leaders in the construction of the present fine public-spiritedness and loyalty to the best inter- ests of the borough.

church, serving as chairman of the building com- mittee. He is a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, being especially active in that fraternity, serving as director of the Eagles Home Associa- tion ; he assisted in the building of the Home, in which he takes deep interest. He is a director arine M., who died when eight years old. The of the Miners' and Laborers' Building and Loan Association, and in that, as in every other trust, has proved himself worthy of the responsibility committed to him.

In June, 1872, Mr. Weaver married Clara A. Hanley, daughter of N. A. Hanley, of Shamokin, and they have had two children : Charles Ray- mond, who is now assisting his father; and Cath- family are Presbyterians in religious faith. Mr. Weaver is a Democrat in politics, and socially holds membership in Shamokin Lodge, No. 255, F. & A. M.

CELESTE MENAPACE, proprietor of the "Austrian Hotel" at Atlas, near Mount Carmel, Northumberland county, is the leader of his eoun- trymen in his district and well deserves his pop- ularity, which is not confined to those of his own nationality. He is a native of Tuenno, Austria, born April 13, 1861, son of Bonifacio Menapace, who was a teamster by occupation. Both his par-

· On Aug. 10, 1887, Mr. Menapace married Ce- lesta Pasquin, and to their union has been born a family of twelve children, nine of whom are liv- ing, namely: Frank (who assists his father and is also engaged as a contractor), Julia, Richard, Robert, Mary, Rudolph, Charles, Anna aud Ed- ward.

REV. JOHN CH. 'KONSTANKEWICZ. rec- tor of the Ruthenian Catholic Church at Sham-

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okin, Northumberland Co., Pa., was born June expectations, and the success of its adequate eom- 10, 1859. He received his education in Austria, pletion is due largely to the efforts of the East completing the course of four lower normal class- End Lumber Company and especially of general es in Przemysł and eight gymnasial elasses in manager Mr. A. P. Reitz. When the church is Lemberg, and, passing an examination of maturity, completed it will eost around $80,000. In 1908 entered the theologieal department of the Univer- sity of Lemberg. Completing the theological course in four years, he was ordained by the Bishop of Przemysl, and then served one year as soldier in the Austrian army, in compliance with the laws of the country.

Becoming assistant in a church of Jaroslaw, he was also appointed, by the minister of war, to the office of army chaplain with the 20th Regiment, Infantry, holding that office for three years. Then he assumed charge of a parish in the village of Lalin, where he remained eight years. Coming to the United States on April 30, 1893, he has since had charge of the Ruthenian Catholic Church at Shamokin. The following history of the ehureh and comments on the Ruthenians were contributed by him :

John Madzelan, Moses Domtzko, Phillip Murd- za, John Glowa and Anthony Luezkowec were the first immigrants who came to Shamokin, Pa., from Galicia, Austria, in the year 1880. A little later a few more eame over. Their number being very small, they were not able to build a church of their own and for that reason they joined the St. Stan- islaus .Kostka Polish Church and for some time financially assisted this church and helped to main- tain the priest thereof. When, somewhat later, more Ruthenians made their home here, they pur- chased lots on the corner of Pearl and Pine streets, and there in the year 1882 built a church, a small wooden building, which was dedicated by Rev. John Wolanski, the first Ruthenian Catholie priest in America, at that time holding the pas- torate of the Ruthenian Catholic Church of Shen- andoah, Pa. He administered to this ehurch un- til 1890.

a deal was closed with Miss C. May for $13,000, whereby the property across from the church passed into the hands of the congregation, to be used as the parish house. Those who by their ef- forts have helped the progress of the new church most are: John Glowa, Theodore Talpash, Julian Kopyscianski, John Nowak, Alex. Sharshon, Gab. Malinak, Nik. Tehanski, Michael Stelma (de- ceased) and a few others.

The first permanent rector of the Ruthenian Catholic Church of Shamokin was Rev. Theo. Obuslikewicz, who had charge from 1890 to 1891. On May 1, 1893, Rev. John Ch. Konstankewicz took charge of the parish and is the present reetor. In closing, two brief explanations should be made : (1) Here in America the Ruthenians are often erroneously styled "Greeks." They are not Greeks, and among the laboring people not one understands a single word of Greek. They are a branch of the great Slavonic race and the name of the nationality is Ruthenian. There are thirty- two millions of these people, out of which nun- ber 2,700,000 inhabit Galieia under the dominion of Austria; over 600,000 northern Hungary, ad- joining the borders of Galieia, and 29,000,000 all of southern Russia, under the dominion of the "White Czar." The Russians call the Ruthenians the "Little Russians," thereby endeavoring to as- similate them with themselves and show the world What a great nation Russia is. But sneh assimni- lation has no historical foundation whatever.

The reason they are called Greeks arises un- doubtedly from the fact that the first immigrants were unable to understand the English language, either in whole or in part, and upon being ques- tioned as to whom they were they would answer, "Greek Catholies." But the word Greek pertains

With the growth of the parish the church proved too small to hold all its members and it was then only to the form of their ehureh. because the decided that a new and larger structure should be Ruthenians belong to the Eastern Church, just as built. The site of the old church, however, was other nationalities inhabiting Europe belong to the not suitable for the intended new edifiee. There- Western (or Roman Catholie) Church. A German or Frenchman, or any other European, belonging were purchased from John Mullen for the sum of to the Roman Catholic Church might similarly,. fore, in 1897, two lots on North Shamokin street - $8,000. On March 11, 1905, a contract was drawn on coming to this country, in his ignorance of with the East End Lumber Company of Shamokin, the English language describe himself as a Roman which company undertook to build the church for Catholic, but he would not be a Roman any more $46,000. The plans for the structure, which is in than a Ruthenian is a Greek.

the Byzantine style, were drawn by Messrs. E. E. (2) Many people do not know the meaning of Quaife and Howe, architects, whose offices are in the three-armed cross which surmounts the Ruth- Jersey City, N. J. The marble granite of which enian Church. In that cross are two crosses; one the church is constructed was obtained from the upon which the Lord Christ was erncified, the Rylston Stone Company of Gouverneur, N. Y. other upon which was crucified the Saint Apostle Andrew, brother of the Saint Apostle Peter. The

Horsh & Brother, of Allentown, Pa., supplied the copper with which the domes and corniees are cov- eross of Apostle Andrew is in the form of an X. ered. The building has come up to the highest Saint Andrew, before his erneifixion, begged that

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he be nailed to the slanting cross, because he felt daughter of John Willoughby, of Shamokin, and unfit to hang from such a eross as the one upon they have one. ehild, Meriam. which his God and Master was hanged. Saint Andrew was that Apostle who first earried the word and wisdom of Christ into the north and penetrated to the place upon which to-day stands the great city of Kiev, the capital of the Ruthen- ians, and there on the hills of Kiev he planted the eross of Christ. Therefore the Ruthenians con- sider him their patron saint and apostle, and his cross was joined with the cross of Christ, the com- posite eross being erceted on the domes of the new churel.

JOSEPH S. KOWALESKI, M. D., of Shamo- kin, a young physician and surgeon of the bor- ough who has already established a good practice, was born there July 2, 1887, son of Michael Kow- aleski and grandson of the late Francis Kowa- leski.

Francis Kowaleski was a farmer and landowner in Poland, where he died in 1882. His family consisted of two sons and five daughters, the sons being Michael and George.

Michael Kowaleski was born Sept. 29, 1859, in Russian Poland, and was reared upon the farm. Coming to America in May, 1882, he landed at New York City, where he remained but three days, liowever, continning his journey to Shamo- kin, Northumberland Co., Pa., where he has since made his home. After working at mining for twelve years he engaged in the store business, which he conducted about five years, and meantime, in 1892, he entered the hotel business, which he has followed successfully to the present time. His location, at No. 710 North Shamokin street, is well and favorably known, and he has a good trade.

Mr. Kowaleski married Catherine Sinkszda, and to them have been born six children, only three of whom are living: Joseph S .; Volley, who is a elerk in the reeorder's office at Sunbury, this county ; and Stanley, at school.

Joseph S. Kowaleski attended publie school at Shamokin and in 1903 was a student at Detroit College. He then went to the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Md., in 1906, changing from that institution to the Jefferson Medieal College, at Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in 1907. He continued his studies abroad, entering the University of Vienna, Austria, where he received his diploma in 1908. Returning home, he has since been engaged in general prac- tice in Shamokin, being located at No. 413 Spurz- heim street. He is a member of the Northum- berland County Medieal Society and is a man of exeellent standing both personally and profession- ally throughout this district. He is a member of the St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Church.

MOSES SHIPE, a retired citizen of Sunbury, belongs to. an old family of Northumberland county. The name is also found spelled Shive, Scheib, and Sheib, and the family has been long established in Pennsylvania, where there are num- erous representatives at the present day. One Jaeob Shive (now spelled Shipe) died in Chillisquaque township, in June, 1815, leaving a widow, Mary, and some children. One Barbara Shive died in June, 1850. The executor of the will she made was John Shive, and she mentions her sons Jacob and John Shive and refers to her other children.

Henry Shipe, grandfather of Moses Shipe, was born Sept. 27, 1798, and lived in Shamokin town- ship, this eounty, having a farm at Weigh Scales, in the extreme southeastern corner of that town- ship. This farm later came into the possession of William Persing. Mr. Shipe was a farmer by occupation. He died Feb. 13, 1879, and his wife, Mary, died June 3, 1862, aged sixty-seven years, two months, seven days. They had children as follows : John, Henry, Michael, Abraham, Jacob, Betsy (married Jacob Persing) and Polly (mar- ried Valentine Hummel).

Michael Shipe, son of Henry, was born June +, 1807, in Shamokin township, and died Oet. 7, 1878, in Upper Augusta township, where he is buried, at the Mount Pleasant church, as is also his wife. He was a Methodist in religious faith. By trade he was a carpenter, and he helped to eut down and chop timber in the forest. He married Judith Hinterleiter, born Feb. 9, 1806, whose people came from Berks county and settled in Mahanoy township. She died March 27, 1885, the mother of nine children, namely: William, who lives in Sunbury, Pa. : Isaac, of Upper Au- gusta township (his wife Elizabeth died Dee. 27, 1900, aged sixty-eight years, eleven months. eleven days, and is buried at the Mount Pleasant church) ; Henry, deceased : Angeline, Mrs. Peter Eekman; Ira, deceased; Moses; Michael, of Vir- ginia ; Emanuel, deceased : and Rev. Jonathan R., a Methodist minister, of York, Pennsylvania.

Moses Shipe, son of Michael, was born Dee. 27, 1837, in Shamokin township, and was only a child when the family settled in Upper Augusta town- ship, where he received his edueation in the "red schoolhouse." He was a soldier in Capt. S. P. Wolverton's Company (E), 18th Regiment, Penn- sylvania Reserves, in 1862, and was in active serv- ice. During the greater part of his aetive life he was engaged as a railroader, beginning work for the Pennsylvania Company in August, 1865. and working for them continously until his re- tirement, in December, 1908, a period of over forty-three years. He has made his home in Sun-

Dr. Kowaleski married Annie Willoughby, bury since May, 1865, his residence being at No.

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907 East Market street. Mr. Shipe is a much street, where he has since been located, following respected resident of the borough, a zealous mem- his profession and, in connection therewith, the insurance and real estate business. ber of the Methodist Church, which he served for over fifteen- years in various offices, for some years as steward, He is independent in politics, voting as he sees fit.

Mr. Timmes has been quite active in the Demo- cratic party, served as secretary of the county committee for four years, and on Feb. 10, 1910, was elected chairman of that committee, an honor he has earned by efficient and disinterested serv- ice. In 1907 he was elected a member of the bor- ough council, in which he served until 1910.

Socially Mr. Timmes holds membership in the Cresco Club of Shamokin (of which he is secre- tary), the Kaprian Club of Georgetown Univer- sity, the Knights of Columbus, the B. P. O. Elks and the I. O. R. M .; he has served the latter organization as sachem of Sham-O-Kin Tribe. In religion he is a Catholic, belonging to St. Ed-

SHOTZBERGER (Shotsberger, Schotsberger). Galen Shotsberger is well known in Sunbury as

the borough council. He was born in Shamokin The Shotzbergers are a Snyder county family, but Aug. 25, 1881.

Joseph Timmes, grandfather of John W. Tim- one of the proprietors of the "Fairmount Hotel," mes, was born Jan. 23, 1826, in Prussia, Germany, one of the best hotels in that borough.

and coming to America while a young inan was among the early settlers at Shamokin, Pa. In ica came to this country during the Revolutionary 1864 he bought the hotel property at the corner also dealt extensively in real estate, and was a The founder of the Shotzberger family in Amer- war with the rest of his countrymen, Hessians, of Shamokin and Independence streets, from Wil- sold into the British service, and was one of the liam Atwater and wife, and there engaged in the Hessians captured on Christmas night, 1776, at hotel business from that time until his death, Trenton. The prisoners were held at Reading, which occurred in Shamokin Jan. 16, 1873. He Pa., and after the war, with a number of others who refused to return to the mother country, he man who succeeded in all his undertakings, pos- settled in territory now embraced in Snyder county. Among his children was a son named Jonathan.

sessing intelligence and ability above the average. His wife, Mary, born in 1830, survived until 1887. They were members of St. Edward's Catholic Church. Mr. and Mrs. Timmes had three chil- dren who reached maturity : John M., Joseph (who lives in Philadelphia ) and Mary.

Jonathan Shotzberger, born about 1790, was a resident of what is now Union township, Snyder county, and followed farming, having a tract of 320 acres located three miles south of Freeburg.

John M. Timmes, son of Joseph, was born in Pa. He was a tall, well proportioned man. and 1856 in Shamokin, and there passed his entire an intelligent and prosperous farmer. He died in life, dying in April, 1883, in the prime of his 1857 or 1858, aged sixty-seven years and is buried young manhood. After the death of his father at Verdilla, Snyder county. He was a Lutheran. he succeeded him in the hotel business, which he followed until his own death. He married Mary Hennes, and they had two children, Catherine and

John W. The mother is now the wife of M. G. of Jacob Strawser; Polly, wife of John Stahl ; Steif, of Shamokin.

His wife, whose inaiden name was Matter, was a German woman, and they had eleven children, all now deceased, as follows: George; Lydia, wife John; Elias; Jacob; Catharine, wife of Jacob Heim ; Ann, wife of Henry Auker ; Susan. wife of Urias Kratzer: Sarah. wife of Joseph Steffen ; and Malinda, wife of Isaiah Haines.

John W. Timmes received his preparatory edu- cation in the parochial schools of Shamokin and took his college course at Georgetown (D. C.) University, graduating from that institution in George Shotzberger, son of Jonathan, lived at Freeburg, Pa. He was a blacksmith by trade. but followed farming during the later years of his life. His wife was Molly Riegel, and they had an only daughter, Elizabeth, who died aged sixteen years. 1901. He then entered the law school of the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania. at Philadelphia, where he was graduated in 1904. Returning to Shamokin, he entered the office of W. H. M. Oram, attorney, with whom he remained two years. meantime, in 1905, being admitted to the bar of Northumber- John Shotzberger, son of Jonathan, lived on land county. In 1906 he established offices of the original homestead and followed farming all his own in the Timmes block, on Independence his life. His wife was Sarah Holtzapple, and

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On Dec. 31, 1863, Mr. Shipe married Rebecca Clark, daughter of John and Margaret (Thomas) Clark, and they have had three children: Isaac P., now deceased; George A., of Sunbury, Pa .; and Herbert C., of Monongahela City, Pennsyl- vania.

JOHN W. TIMMES, attorney, of Shamokin, Northumberland county, is one of the younger ele- ment in that borough who have been commendably active in public affairs. He is building up a cred- itable law practice, is also engaged in the insur- ward's Church, of Shamokin. ance and real estate business, and is well known in local Democratic circles and for his services in

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they had eight daughters and four sons: Emma of Jere Lower. So he entered his present asso- J., Percival, Amelia, Aliee, Anna, Barbara, Katie, ciation with some experience of the business. He Laura, Mrs. Scholly, John, and two sons who is a man of sterling character, and has served as died young.

Elias Shotsberger, son of Jonathan, was born on his father's homestead, and lived at Freeburg, Pa. He was a blacksmith, and for a number of years was in partnership with P. S. Riegel. They invented the first hay-fork put on the market. He died in May, 1904, and is buried in Ever- green Cemetery. In religion Mr. Shotsberger was a staneh Lutheran, and he served in the church council many years. He was a Demoerat in his STRAUSSER. The Strausser or Strawser fam- politieal affiliations, and was an overseer of the ily has long been settled in Snyder county and is poor for some years. He married Amelia Nagle, related to the Shotzbergers, Stahls and other old and they had children as follows: Calvin, Charles, families of that region. William and Harry, all of whom are citizens of · Freeburg, Snyder Co., Pa .; Galen, of Sunbury, the Susquehanna river in Chapman township, in Pa .; Jennie, wife of George W. Goy, a farmer; Sallie, unmarried, who lives at Freeburg; and Alice, married to G. S. Persing, an employee of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.

Jacob Shotzberger, son of Jonathan, lived on part of the homestead of his father after the lat- . ter's death and engaged in farming. He is buried at the Grubb Chureh. His wife was Barbara Gougler, and their children were as follows : Jona- than, now of Elkhart, Ind .; Jacob, of Shamokin Damn, Pa .; Malinda, deceased; Catharine; Aliee, and Anna. .

GALEN SHOTSBERGER, son of Elias and Amelia (Nagle) Shotsberger, was born in 1879 in Snyder county, where he grew to manhood and received his edueation in the public schools. At an early age he began to give evidence of the tact and enterprise which have made him a suc- cessful business man. Sinee 1901 he has been joint proprietor with Charles A. Conrad, of Sun- bury, .of the "Fairmount Hotel" in that borough, under the firm name of Conrad & Shotsberger. The hotel is an old established hostelry of Sun- bury, built originally by the grandfather of the senior proprietor, but it has been thoroughly re- modeled to meet modern requirements and is con- ducted in the most approved manner. Though it has always been a successful hotel stand, it has never had a more prosperous stage in its eareer than under the present management, which means that Mr. Conrad and Mr. Shotsberger are both men specially adapted to the hotel business who have developed its possibilities according to up-to- date standards. The location, at East Market street and Fairmount avenue, in a good neighborhood, yet close to the business section and within a few blocks of the Pennsylvania railroad station and post office, is excellent. Mr. Shotsberger was in the cigar and tobaeco business at Freeburg before he came to Sunbury, when he became a clerk at the "Parker House," then under the management

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Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Part 34

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