USA > Pennsylvania > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania Vol. I > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87
ROBERT E. JAMES, president of the Easton Trust Company, a lawyer of high capa- bility, and who has occupied various positions of honor and trust in the state and under the federal government, is of mingled Welsh, Scotch-Irish and German blood, and a descendant of ancestors who were pioneer settlers in Pennsylvania shortly after the coming of William Penn. In the pater-
89
GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS.
nal line he represents a family of Baptists, dating from the early part of the seventeenth century. In the McHenry and Wilson lines he comes of that sturdy Scotch-Irish Presbyterian race which under the policy of James II. and the Cromwel- lian settlement and the later adjustments of Wil- liam of Orange, settled in Ireland, and finally left that country and came to America, where they became the founders of Presbyterianism in the new world, and of families which bore conspic- uous parts during the Revolutionary war and in the subsequent history of the country.
John James, the immigrant ancestor of Rob- ert E. James, was a native of Pembrokeshire, in Wales, and whose ancestry in Wales is a matter of church records for many generations. He was born in April, 1660, and married in Wales. He and his wife Elizabeth were members of Ridilin church, in Pembrokeshire. He and his family, several of whom were then adults, came to Amer- ica in 1710, and finally settled in Bucks county, where he purchased a tract of one thousand acres of land in New Britain township, upon which he passed the remainder of his life. The line of de- scent from John James to Robert E. James, is as follows :
William James (2), one of the children of John and Elizabeth, was born in Wales in 1692, and came to America with his father. He and his wife Mary lived and died in Bucks county, Pennsyl- vania.
John James (3), son of William James, was born, lived and died in Bucks county. His wife was Elizabeth Evans.
Josiah James (4), son of John James (3), was born in 1741, at the ancestral home, and there died December 2, 1806. His wife was of the same name (Elizabeth Evans) as was his mother.
Evan James (5), son of Josiah James (4), was born in Bucks county, and lived there during his entire life. He was a man of high character and liberal education, of ample means, and was well regarded throughout the community. He married Elizabeth McHenry, and from this un- ion there was issue, two children-William Mc- Henry James, who became a physician residing
near Doylestown, and Robert Evan James, herein- after written of at length. This union of Evan James and Elizabeth McHenry introduces the Scotch-Irish element into the ancestry. Elizabeth McHenry was the descendant of Francis Mc- Henry, the immigrant ancestor of that name, who came from County Antrim, Ireland, where the family had been transplanted from Scotland. Francis McHenry's wife was Mary Ann Wilson, a daughter of Hugh Wilson and Sarah Craig. Hugh Wilson was a son of Thomas Wilson, an officer in the army of William of Orange, and who for his services at the battle of the Boyne was given a large tract of land at Coote Hill, County Cavan, Ireland. Hugh Wilson, with his broth- ers-in-law, the Craigs, came to America about 1720, and ultimately founded what was known as the Irish Settlement, near Bath, in Northamp- ton county. This settlement was among the earliest in the Forks of the Delaware, and has sent its lines of descent throughout the United States, and numbers in those lines many noted person- ages, including the present President of the United States, several governors of the states, judges, etc., etc.
Hugh Wilson, Francis McHenry's father-in- law, was appointed a commissioner to establish the county seat at Easton and to erect the orig- inal court house. He was also appointed king's justice upon the organization of the county, and served in that capacity until the time of his death, just prior to the Revolutionary war. Francis McHenry was a Presbyterian preacher, and for almost half a century was the pastor of the Deep Run church in Bucks county. His brother came to America at the same time and located in Balti- more; his son was on Washington's staff, sub- sequently on Lafayette's staff, afterwards a mem- ber of Washington's cabinet, and Fort McHenry, near the city of Baltimore, was named in honor of his services. Francis McHenry was for some time associated as pastor of the Deep Run church, with William Tennent, the founder of the old "Log College" on Neshaminy Creek. Tennent and his College were the nurses of educated Pres- byterianism in America, and Princeton College may fairly be said to be the sequence of his la-
90
HISTORIC HOMES AND INSTITUTIONS.
bors. Francis McHenry was honored by his son Charles, whose heroic exploit at the massacre of Paoli is a matter of history.
William McHenry, a son of Francis McHenry, was born at Deep Run parsonage, during the ministry of his father, on May 6, 1744. He mar- ried Mary Stewart, and their third child, Eliza- beth, born March 7, 1776, became the wife of Evan James, so uniting the Scotch-Irish ances- try upon the stock of the Welsh ancestry.
Robert Evan James (6), second of the two sons of Evan and Elizabeth McHenry James, was born at Line Lexington, Bucks county, Pennsyl- vania, September 26, 1802, and died August 13, 1860. His early education was obtained in the schools at New Britain and Doylestown. Sub- sequently he entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, from which he was graduated; after which he pursued an advanced medical course in the Medical Department of the University of Penn- sylvania, from which he also received the Medi- cal degree. He located for practice at Freemans- burg, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, whence he soon removed to Centerville, Upper Mount Bethel township, of the same county. He married Caroline Dietterich, who was born at Williams- burg, Upper Mount Bethel, in 1817, and died in 1853; she was a daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Kintz) Dietterich. Caroline Dietterich's ances- tors were of German descent, and came from Germany to America in 1748, and took up lands in what is now known as Upper Mount Bethel. Her grandfather, Louis Kintz, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, in the Third Regiment of the Continental Line.
Dr. Robert Evan James remained in Upper Mount Bethel township, after locating there, during the remainder of his life. He was a leader in his profession. His practice extended over the entire upper portion of the county of Northamp- ton, a portion of Monroe county, and reached into the county of Warren, in the State of New Jer- sey. He was a man of extraordinary influence, and was held in the most profound respect by the people in the communities in which he practiced. He aided in the organization of the Northampton County Medical Society, of which he was the
first president, and served in that capacity until his death. He was a Democrat in politics, with strong anti-slavery inclinations, participating in his views in that respect with his close personal friend and political associate, Governor Reeder. He was a leader of political thought in his section, and while as a rule, he declined political offices, he was elected to the state legislature in 1837, but refused to accept a second term, which was cus- tomary, and subsequently never was a candidate for office, except in one instance, when he was a candidate for congress, and was defeated in the convention by his opponent, the late United States senator, Richard Broadhead, by one vote. He was devoted to educational interests, and the unusual educational advantages given to youths of his period in Mount Bethel still remain a mat- ter of comment and admiration among the people. His personal character was admirable in all re- spects. He was a gentleman of the old school, frank, affable, sympathetic, dignified, and the impress of his life is still potential in Mount Bethel. To Dr. Robert Evan and Caroline James were born five children: I. Frances, who be- came the wife of Dr. Hiram Long; 2. Mary E., who became the wife of the late Hon. Truman H. Purdy, who was a lawyer of Sunbury, Pennsyl- vania ; 3. William McHenry, a manufacturer of Steelton, Pennsylvania; 4. Jacob Dietterich, a lawyer, now residing in Sunbury, Pennsylvania ; 5. Robert Evan.
Robert Evan James, youngest child in the fam- ily last named, was born in Upper Mount Bethel township, Northampton county, August 9. 1848. Until his father's death in 1860 he resided at home, attended the local schools, and partially prepared for college. He subsequently became a student temporarily at Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg, afterwards at Bucknell Univer- sity at Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where he passed his freshman year, and was admitted to the sophomore class at Lafayette College. He graduated from Lafayette College with the class of 1869. He then entered the law office of Ed- ward J. Fox, Esq., and was admitted to the bar, November, 1872. Prior to his admission he was principal of the Easton high school.
Henry F Steckel
91
GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS.
Subsequent to his admission, he at once en- gaged in the practice of law, in which he has been successful up to the present time. His profes- sional abilities found recognition in his election to various positions open only to lawyers of capability-to the office of county solicitor, in 1879; to that of district attorney of the county, in 1880; to that of city solicitor, in 1884; and in 1883 he was Democratic nominee for the judge- ship in the Dauphin-Lebanon district. Shortly after his admission to the bar, Mr. James was elected to the Easton school board, and im- mediately thereafter was made president of that body, and so continued until January 1, 1877, when, having been elected to the house of repre- sentatives of the state legislature, he resigned his connection with the school board, to enter upon legislative duties. He was a member of the legislature in the years 1877 and 1878. He early took an active interest in political affairs, as in- dicated by the offices held, and during the admin- istration of President Cleveland he was appointed national bank examiner for eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and subsequently assigned as such to the city of New York, remaining in office during Mr. Cleveland's term, and a portion of the term of President Harrison, voluntarily re- signing in 1890 in order to give personal at- tention to the Easton Trust Company, of which he was one of the organizers. He subsequently became president of the Trust Company, and has remained such to this time. In politics Mr. James is a Democrat of the Tilden-Cleveland school, and has no sympathy with the political wreckers who in later years have made the party an object of pity and reproach. Mr. James was an active leader in state politics for many years. He was on several occasions chairman of state conventions and of important committees, etc. He was the chairman of the committee on resolutions which in 1896 presented for adoption a gold Democratic platform for the Democrats of Pennsylvania, and which platform was adopted by the convention almost without a dissenting voice, and when, three months later, the convention reconvened in order to readjust its political conscience and make it harmonize with the philosophy of the Platte,
Mr. James, as the representative of the Demo- crats, who would not surrender party principles for the hope of temporary success, presented their protest upon the floor of the convention. Mr. James has taken great interest in banking mat- ters, and in 1891, at the solicitation of the joint committee on banking of the Pennsylvania legis- lature, especially appointed, prepared and urged to final adoption the bill establishing a banking department for the State of Pennsylvania. He is at this time chairman of the Association of Trust Companies of the State of Pennsylvania.
Mr. James is a member of various Masonic bodies, and is affiliated with Dallas Lodge, F. and A. M., Easton Chapter, R. A. M., and Hugh de Payens Commandery, K. T. He is also a member of Sigma Chi college fraternity. He is of fine personal appearance, excellent social qualities, and his broad information and brilliant conver- sational powers make him an admirable acquisi- tion to various intelligent circles. He is an elo- quent speaker, and at the bar and on the rostrum has made a wide reputation as an orator and advo- cate.
Mr. James was married, April 4, 1876, to Miss Anna B. Heller, a native of Easton, and daugh- ter of Louis and Anna B. Heller, of Reading, Pennsylvania. Of this marriage was born one child, Robert Evan James, April 10, 1879. He was educated at Easton Academy, and graduated at Lafayette College in the class of 1901. He was admitted to the bar and is now associated with his father in the practice of his profession.
HENRY FRANKLIN STECKEL, one of the oldest members of the Northampton county bar, has for more than half a century been an honored and respected citizen of Easton. His ancestors were among the earliest settlers of this county.
While Northampton was still a part of Bucks county, his great-grandfather, Christian Steckel, settled in the western part of this county. In 1736, having secured a patent for 266 acres of land from the Penns, he located at what is now Egypt, Lehigh county. He constructed a house upon his estate which served the twofold purpose
92
HISTORIC HOMES AND INSTITUTIONS.
of a dwelling and a fort for defense against at- tacks by the Indians. The dimensions of the building are thirty-five by forty feet, with walls two and a quarter feet in thickness, and the struc- ture is still standing in good condition, owned by Joseph Steckel, also a direct descendant of Chris- tian Steckel. The latter was married to Maria Baer, and they had ten children, five sons and five daughters.
Daniel Steckel, born September 1, 1767, was one of the sons and the grandfather of Henry Franklin Steckel. Daniel left the old homestead and became one of the first settlers at Bath, being the ancestor of the Steckels who, for more than a hundred years, have lived at Bath and its vi- cinity. He was married to Rebecca Jones, daugh- ter of Jesse Jones, who originally owned the Steckel tract at Bath. After acquiring consid- erable land in and about Bath, Daniel purchased the tannery which had been established by his father-in-law. He conducted the tanning busi- ness very successfully for many years, together with the management of his agricultural interests. The old stone mansion a short distance from the tannery was built by Daniel, and is still owned by his grandson, Henry F. Steckel. Being a mem- ber of the Reformed church, he was actively inter- ested in the erection of the old church at Bath, and rendered valuable financial aid for its con- struction. Daniel Steckel attained a very great age, and, always having been closely identified with the best interests and welfare of the com- munity, he was tendered a public celebration by his fellow-citizens on his hundredth birthday, September 1, 1867, as a mark of the esteem and high regard in which he was held by every one. He was noted as the possessor of an extraor- dinary memory. In politics he was an adherent of the Democratic party. On the 18th of Sep- tember, 1868, he closed his long life of usefulness and honor at the great age of one hundred and one years. Daniel Steckel was survived by the following children : Saralı, Hannah, Daniel, Jr., Elizabeth, Joseph, and Peter, who was sergeant in Captain Sheffer's company in the war of 1812, and sheriff of Northampton county from 184I to 1844.
Joseph Steckel, son of Daniel and Rebecca Jones Steckel, was born March 29, 1806, at Bath, where he was educated in the common schools. After leaving school he learned the tanning busi- ness under the tuition of his father. Pursuing this industry as his life-work, he soon succeeded his father as proprietor of the business. Follow- ing the paternal example he managed a large tract of farming land in connection with his commer- cial pursuits, and, like his father, was successful in both. He and his family were members of the Reformed church at Bath. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Deemer Scholl. She was born in Moore township, in 1808. Joseph Steckel died in 1872, and his widow survived him many years, passing away on March 6, 1898, in the ninetieth year of her age. Their children were : Henry Franklin, Susan A., deceased ; and Elizabeth, deceased.
Henry Franklin Steckel, son of Joseph and Elizabeth Scholl Steckel, was born at Bath, Northampton county, February 25, 1829. He received his primary education in the schools of his native place. Later he came to Easton and attended the well-known school presided over by Dr. Vanderveer, celebrated as one of the best educators of his day. After finishing his studies at the Vanderveer school, he decided to take up the study of law. He pursued his legal studies under the guidance of Matthew Hale Jones, Esq., then one of the leading attorney's at the Northampton county bar. He was ad- mitted as a member of this bar in 1852. For two years Mr. Steckel practiced in Easton, and at the end of that time was elected prothono- tary of the court of common pleas of Northamp- ton county, his election being the result of the reputation for legal knowledge and integrity of character which he had already acquired. He held the office of prothonotary for two terms of three years each, his discharge of the duties de- volving upon him more than justifying the con- fidence with which he was regarded by his fel- low-citizens. After retiring from the office of prothonotary, Mr. Steckel again devoted his time to the practice of law for a period of six or seven years. In the meanwhile, on the retirement of
93
GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS.
his father from the tanning business in 1864, he succeeded to the proprietorship of the tannery, which he conducted successfully in connection with his legal practice. In 1867, owing to ill health, Mr. Steckel gave up the active practice of his profession at Easton and moved to the "Scotch-Irish settlement" near Bath, where, hav- ing purchased the old Wilson estate, he soon com- pletely regained his health. A few years later Mr. Steckel again moved to Easton in order to look after his large real estate interests. He has lived in this city ever since, reaping the fruits of his long and honorable career.
On the 20th of June, 1866, he was married to Anna M. Whitesell. She is the granddaughter of Henry Whitesell, who was born in 1798, in Sus- sex county, New Jersey, and who was married to Julia Correll, a native of Northampton county. Their son, Daniel, born in 1816, in Nazareth township, married Catharine Messinger, who be- longed to an old family of Forks township, Northampton county, where she was born in 1816. Their daughter became the wife of Henry F. Steckel, and they are the parents of two chil- dren : Jennie M., born April 13, 1871 ; and Dan- iel E., who was born on the 22d of February, 1880.
THE SANDT FAMILY. Thus far seven generations of Sandts have been represented in this country, all of whom so far as is known can be traced to a common ancestor, John Sand, who with his wife, Elizabeth Christina Seip, widow of a Mr. Chumber (possibly Jumper) with two children, crossed the ocean in 1766 from Rotter- dam, on the vessel called "Chance," landing in Philadelphia on September 23. They are said to have been married en route. It is known that the wife came from Gammelsbach, in Hesse Darmstadt, near Heidelberg, Germany, to which place the numerous Seip family in eastern Penn- sylvania trace their ancestry; and as she was intimately associated with the wife of Edward Shimer, also a Seip, living im Lower Mount Bethel township north of Easton, it is probably that they were either sisters or cousins. It is more than likely that Adam Sand hailed from the
same section of Germany, though as yet no defi- nite evidence to substantiate the belief has been secured.
He at once took up 319 acres of land in Forks township, not far from the Delaware river, at a point now known as "Sandt's Eddy," for which he paid 165 pounds sterling. When the oldest of his three sons, Adam (born December 17, 1767, died September 28, 1835), had reached the age of twenty-three he purchased an adjoining tract of 223 acres extending along the northern bank of the Mud Run Creek to the Delaware river, for which he paid the sum of 706 pounds, and placed it in charge of this son. Thus, at the time of his death, which occurred April 7, 1793, he had ac- quired 543 acres of land, which eight years later, according to the provisions of an interesting will, were divided into "three parcels equal in quality and value," Adam, the oldest son, receiving a portion of the homestead farm and retaining part of what he already had; Michael (born March 30, 1769, died April 12, 1851) receiving a por- tion of the homestead farm, and John (born July 22, 1771, died May 4, 1833) being apportioned the land stretching to the Delaware river. From these three sons have grown the three branches that embrace all the Sandts that are known to have lived in this country, and they may be desig- nated as the Adam Sandt, Michael Sandt, and the John Sandt branches.
Considerable land was added to the three farms by these sons, particularly to that of John Sandt, who, at the earnest solicitation of his wife, Magdalena Correll, bought the farm of her fa- ther upon the latter's death, and had accumu- lated when he died 682 acres. Having died in- testate, the orphans' court was called upon to divide the estate and make distribution to the thirteen children, and the offspring of the four- teenth, John, who had died before his father. The estate was appraised at $33,470.60.
This farming country, extending from "Sandt's Eddy," along both sides of the Mud Run, through the northern section of Forks town- ship, the southern of Mount Bethel and Plain- field townships, from the native sacred heath, where chiefly lie enshrined the life, traditions,
94
HISTORIC HOMES AND INSTITUTIONS.
history, and memories of the first three genera- tions. Of the old homestead of Adam Sand on Michael's farm, the walls are still standing, but are invisible because of the frame structure reared around them; Adam's home has since been re- placed by a new frame building; and the old "yellow house" which John owned, and in which all his children except the youngest, (Susanna) were born, was torn down and replaced by the present substantial hotel structure at Sandt's Eddy. Another landmark that John left was the stone bridge across the Mud Run Creek. To him belongs the credit also of having paved the way for the construction of the roadway along the Delaware River.
The Sandts of the first four generations particularly, formed strong attachments among themselves, and never ventured far from home. Even to-day the great majority of the Sandts, 1719 of whose names are collected in a record kept by Peter B. Schoch, of Easton (married to a daughter of Adam, of the John Sandt branch) will be found in Northampton county. The only Sandts of the third generation (and they are thirty in number) who migrated from the old settlement were John, of the Michael Sandt branch, who settled in Reading, and Joseph, of the same branch, who settled 'on a farm in Mon- roe county.
Unusually large families were the rule in the second, third, and fourth generations. Adam (second generation) married to Anna Marie Fuchs (born December 10, 1767, died September 28, 1835) had four children, thirty-two grand- children, and III great-grandchildren; Michael, married to Anna Marie Shiffer (born March 7, 1771, died February 9, 1853) had twelve chil- dren, 120 grandchildren, and 398 great-grand- children ; John, married to Maria Magdalena Cor- rell (born October 10, 1773, died January 10, 1848) had seventeen children, eighty-six grand- children, and 200 great-grandchildren. In the Adam Sandt branch the names Pyscher and Rasely figure quite largely ; in the Michael Sandt branch, the names of Schug, Meyers, Root, Shu- man, and Werkeiser; and in the John Sandt branch, the names of Mann and Lerch.
In the first three generations farming was al- most the exclusive occupation of the Sandts. It would appear that John Sandt (second genera- tion) had given the impetus in the direction of other vocations ; for besides farming his land, he ran a saw mill and conducted a reputable and suc- cessful hotel. He had eleven stalwart sons of fine large physique, and most of them were ex- ceptionally successful in farming, many of their children launched in business, teaching and other pursuits. Prominent among them was the young- est son, Samuel, a sketch of whose life appears further on, who became a physician, while his sons in turn, two of whom are alumni of Lafay- ette College, either entered law or engaged in business. Four of Philip's sons were at one time teachers, and none of them continued on the farm. His oldest son, John, a sketch of whose life is given below, was a physician, and his brother Philip, widely known and respected throughout the county, conducted a successful store at Stock- ertown. Uriah, son of Charles, was a lawyer.
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.