USA > Pennsylvania > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania Vol. I > Part 43
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Edwin F. Warner was reared and educated in his native town, attending the common schools, and in early life learned the cabinet-maker's trade and undertaking business from his father, who followed those pursuits in Tannersville. He re- mained in that borough until 1881, in which year he came to Weatherly and established a furniture and undertaking store which he has since con- ducted with excellent success, securing a large and growing patronage by reason of the straight- forward business methods which he has ever fol- lowed. He has a well assorted line of modern furniture and undertaking goods, and his thor- ough knowledge of the business and his earnest desire to please his patrons have been strong ele- ments in his success. He has also been active and influential in community affairs here, and for ten consecutive years held the office of councilman, being several times re-elected to that position. He was also tax collector for one year, and he is now chief of the Weatherly fire department, which numbers eighty members. His political allegiance is given to the Democracy, and he is identified with various fraternal organizations, belonging to Hazelton Lodge, No. 327, F. & A. M .; Lilly Chapter, No. 177, R. A. M., of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania ; and Hazelton Commandery, No. 73, K. T., of Hazelton, Pennsylvania. He also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, and has membership relations with the Knights of Pythias, the Knights of the Golden Eagle, the Improved Order of Red Men, and the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America, while he and his wife hold membership in the Reformed church.
Mr. Warner was married in 1882 to Miss Car- rie Wass, a daughter of George Wass, of Tan- nersville, Pennsylvania, and they have become the parents of six children, namely : H. F., Peter G. C., Mamie, Carrie, Nettie and George C.
CAPTAIN OWEN A. LUCKENBACH was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, January 14, 1834, and died in the same city October 16, 1890. The family is of German lineage, and was estab-
Edwin 7 Warner
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lished in America by Adam and Eva (Spiess) Luckenbach, who crossed the Atlantic in 1740. Their son, John Ludwig Luckenbach, was born in Germany in 1738, and came to the United States with his parents. He wedded Mary Mag- dalene Hottel, who died in 1795. Their son, John Adam Luckenbach, was born in 1761, married Mary Magdalene Becker and died in 1842. His wife was born in 1761, was married in 1781 and died in 1837.
John David Luckenbach, son of John Adam and Mary Magdalene (Becker) Luckenbach, and the father of William Luckenbach, was born in 1783, was married in 1804 to Elizabeth Clewell, and died in 1850. His wife, who was born in 1783, died in 1867. They had a large family, namely : Jacob, who married Mary Whitesill; George; William; Elizabeth, the wife of J. Clin- ton Weber; Henrietta, wife of William Rigg ; Anna, wife of Solomon Shaefer ; Matilda, wife of Charles Jacoby ; Rebecca, wife of Ephraim Keck ; Thomas David, who married Josephine Whit- meyer ; and Sarah Ann, wife of Edward Babel.
William Luckenbach was married three times. His first wife was Elizabeth Rice and they be- came the parents of ten children : I. Josephine, the eldest, born October 10, 1831, died November 8. 1844. 2. Owen A., born January 14, 1834, died October 16, 1890; he married Jane E. Crocker, and had five children-Joseph R., Gertrude W., Conie E., Owen F., and Jennie E. 3. Joseph R., born March 4, 1836, died May 26, 1860. 4. William D. was a resident of Easton and lives in Allentown. 5. Caroline E., born May 27, 1838, died June 17, 1862 ; she was the wife of Bernard E. Lehman, and had a daughter, Anne W. Leh- man, who was born June 4, 1860, became the wife of Edward Sewell, and died July 7, 1885, leaving a daughter, Carrie L. Sewell, born June 12, 1884. 6. Ellen, born September 28, 1842, is the wife of Rev. Charles Nagel, and has two children : Anna L., who was born September 19, 1872, and died October 31, 1902, and Murray C., born June 16, 1875. 7. Sophia, born April 1, 1844, is the wife of Hugh M. Maxwell, and has a daughter, Grace, born July 14, 1876. 8. Amelia, born Au- gust 10, 1846, died December 22, 1894; she was
the wife of Rev. J. Alexander Rondthaler, and she had nine children, namely : Ethel, born July 2, 1871, and is the wife of Arthur McCain : Marion, born in February, 1872, and married a clergyman ; Robert, born in August, 1873; Will- iam D., in December, 1874, and is married ; James, in March, 1879; Anna, in 1881; Alice, in 1882; Nathan, in 1884; and Arnold, in 1885. 9. Anna, born July 7, 1848, is an instructress at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. 10. Frances, born February 22, 1851, is the wife of J. Samuel Krause, and has four children : Adeline, who was born December 20, 1871, is the wife of Frank Hamman ; Margaret, born May 24, 1873, is the wife of Henry Morris; Matthew, born October 21, 1878, and died December 27, 1878 ; and Helen, who was born January 13, 1878, and is the wife of Fred McCain.
William Luckenbach, by his second wife, Sarah Ann Zahm, had one daughter, Elizabeth R., born June 28, 1856. His third wife, Anna Maria Kraeder, still survives him. There were no children by that marriage.
William Luckenbach, the third son of John David Luckenbach, was reared in Hanover town- ship, Lehigh county, and on the big Moravian farm on the south side of the Lehigh valley. He learned the trades of cabinet maker and carpent- ering under Benjamin Eggert, and afterward worked as a journeyman in Philadelphia for a short time, but resumed building operations in Bethlehem, where he continued until the '50s. He was then for a number of years a prominent hardware merchant of Bethlehem, and in 1871 was succeeded by his son, Owen Augustus Luck- enbach, and his son-in-law, J. Samuel Krause.
Owen Augustus Luckenbach was reared in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and pursued his edu- cation in the Moravian school. He entered upon his business career as a clerk in the employ of Jacob Rice, who conducted a general mercantile store, and afterward went to Philadelphia, where he was connected with the hardware business. While there, at the time of the Civil war, he en- listed with the three months' men, and after re- ceiving his discharge on the expiration of that period re-enlisted in the regular service, in which
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he remained for nine months, until he was wounded at the battle of Cedar Mountain, this injury causing him to lose one limb. He was then retired from the army with the rank of captain. After the war Captain Luckenbach re- sided in Washington, D. C., occupying a posi- tion in the ordnance department until 1866, when he removed to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and en- gaged in the hardware business with his brother- in-law, J. Samuel Krause. He was actively and prominently connected with this enterprise, which proved a very profitable one, up to the time of his death. He was at one time United States col- lector of internal revenues. He served as post- master of Bethlehem from 1881 until 1885, his commission being the last signed by President Garfield just before his assassination, and he was re-appointed by President Harrison to the posi- tion. Socially he was connected with J. H. Tay- lor Post, No. 182, G. A. R. He was a man of great public spirit, and took an active interest in community affairs.
Captain Luckenbach was married September 14, 1864, to Jane Crocker, of Washington, D. C., a daughter of Francis and Anna Woodworth Crocker. The children born of this marriage were : I. Joseph R., who was born October 28, 1865, and died April 1, 1880; 2. Gertrude W., born Jan- uary 6, 1868, and now the wife of Dr. H. C. Mashland, of Philadelphia, and they have four children-Annetta R., Marion W., Harvey C., and Jean C. 3. Carrie E., born October 3, 1869, and died June 14, 1871. 4. Owen F., born Oc- tober 8, 1871, and married Helen Lines, and they have one child, Owen Augustus. 5. Jennie E., born May 23, 1874, at home.
EDWIN FREDERICK HARTZELL, of Bethlehem, was born near Martin's Creek, in Lower Mount Bethel township, Northampton county, October 29, 1839. The ancestral history of the family is one of long connection with this portion of the state. His great-grandfather, John Hartzell, also born in Lower Nazareth township, spent his entire life in that locality, following the occupation of farming, and his death occurred when he was more than eighty years of age. His
son, John Hartzell, Jr., born in the same town- ship, was reared on the old family homestead, made farming his life work, and also devoted some time to school teaching, while as a musician he had more than local note. His death occurred when he had passed the fiftieth milestone on life's journey. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Clause, was born in Bethlehem town- ship, Northampton county, and was a daughter of Philip Clause, who was a pioneer settler there, and made the locality his place of residence throughout his remaining days. To John and Elizabeth (Clause) Hartzell were born seven children : Sarah, who became the wife of William Heiney, of Newburg, Pennsylvania, and Thomas, now eighty-one years of age, being the only ones living at this writing, in 1904. The mother reached the advanced age of more than ninety years.
Charles Hartzell, the father of Edwin F. Hartzell, was born in Lower Nazareth township, Northampton county, pursued his education in the public schools, and spent the days of his youth on his father's homestead. He afterward- fol- lowed farming in Newburg, and later in Beth- lehem township, where he lived until he put aside business cares. He spent his last years in retire- ment from labor in the borough of Bethlehem, where he died July 31, 1884, at the age of sixty- nine years. In early manhood he married Sabina Schweitzer, who was born in Forks township, a daughter of Frederick Schweitzer, who as a farmer of that township, and afterward removed to Lower Mount Bethel township, Northampton county, where he died at the age of sixty-nine years. His wife bore the maiden name of Cath- erine Eckert, and died at the age of eighty-eight years. She had three children, all of whom are now deceased, and the eldest died at the age of ninety years. Rudolph Schweitzer was the great- grandfather of Mr. Hartzell, and the latter has in his possession a deed or agreement which was executed February 9, 1776, conveying to Ru- dolph Schweitzer a tract of land of two hundred acres, for which he paid four hundred pounds in English money, equivalent to two thousand dol- lars in American money. It was his grand-
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daughter, Sabina Schweitzer, who became the wife of Charles Hartzell. She died at the age of seventy-six years, in the faith of the German Lutheran church, of which she had long been a member. By her marriage she had six children, of whom four are living: Edwin F., Anna E., wife of William Frankenfield, of Bethlehem; Charles F., and Amanda E.
Edwin F. Hartzell spent the days of his youth upon his father's farm, and early gained practical knowledge of the work of the fields, assisting his father in their cultivation until twenty-three years of age. He then came to Bethlehem, on the IIth of April, 1864 and secured a situation as clerk in the Sun Hotel, where he remained for fourteen years, on the expiration of which period he be- came connected with the stage business, running a line of stages to hotels and private residences. On the 6th of May, 1893 he sold out, after which he accepted the position of assistant postmaster under H. A. Groman, and afterward under C. L. Shimer and L. W. Snyder, acting in that capacity until May 9, 1900. In the meantime, on the 16th of February, 1900, he had been elected tax col- lector of Bethlehem, and he resigned: the other office in order to enter upon the duties of the new position, in which he will remain as the incum- bent until 1906.
Mr. Hartzell gives his political support to the Democracy, and on that ticket was chosen to his present office. He is a member of the Royal Ar- canum, the Knights of the Golden Eagle, and the Patriotic Order of Sons of America, and he has a strong and deep attachment for our American institutions and the land of his nativity. He be- longs to the Reformed church, takes an active part in its work and is now serving as a trustee and the treasurer of the church.
Mr. Hartzell was married, October 13, 1864, to Miss Mary E. Hoffman, who was born Feb- ruary 12, 1842, in Whitehouse, New Jersey, and is a daughter of Ralph Hoffman, of Hunterdon county, New Jersey, who in 1860 removed to Santee Mills, Pennsylvania, and in 1867 to Springtown, New Jersey and there died Oc- tober 26, 1871. In the family were thirteen chil- dren, eleven of whom reached years of maturity,
but with the exception of Mrs. Hartzell, since June 26, 1891, all are deceased.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hartzell have been born two children. Wardale Jay, a machinist, married Martha Mitman, and they have one child, Adele Elizabeth. Robert Stanley married Jeanette Wal- ter, daughter of Dr. Barnet C. Walter, and they have four children-Edwin Walter, Howard Bar- net, Florence Elizabeth, and Rhoda Katharine Hartzell.
JOSIAH RICKERT, a well known contrac- tor and builder, for the past twenty years a resi- dent of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is a native of the state, born in Springfield township, Bucks county.
John Rickert, father of Josiah Rickert, was a son of Andrew Rickert. John Rickert married Sarah Eckert, a daughter of George Eckert, who settled in Bucks county, Springfield township, during the latter part of the eighteenth century, probably in 1785. The children of John and Sarah (Eckert) Rickert were as follows: I. Catherine, who married Ezra Mitchell; 2. Caro- line, who married Henry Arnold, and their chil- dren were John, William, Amanda, Devina; 3. Sarah ; 4. Elizabeth, who married Henry Mus- selman, and whose children are Quintis, Manos, William and Jane ; 5. Maria, who married Wash- ington Miller, and whose children are William, Jacob, John, George, Catherine, Ida, Carrie. 6. Susanna, who married Silas Cope and whose chil- dren are Mary, Nettie, Laura, William and Ray- mond; 6. Josiah Rickert, of whom a more ex- tended notice appears. George Eckert, father of Sarah (Eckert) Rickert, had a most interesting family history. He was the son of a wealthy merchant in Germany, and was an eminent physi- cian of Bucks county. Some time before his death there was published in America an account of an estate in Germany to which Dr. Eckert had fallen heir. Through some inadvertence the papers containing this information were destroyed by his wife, leaving no possible clue. This un- fortunate occurrence has deprived the present generation of the enjoyment of probably a mil- lion of dollars. The records have since been re-
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covered, but it is supposed that the claim has been outlawed, since it would hold good for only thirty years. The children of George Eckert are I. John ; 2. George ; 3. Henry ; 4. Jacob ; 5. Sarah, who became the wife of John Rickert, and the mother of Josiah Rickert.
Josiah Rickert, the sixth and last child and only son of John and Sarah (Eckert) Rickert, was born July 24, 1832. He was educated in the counties of Bucks and Lehigh. After leaving school, he served an apprenticeship in the car- penter's trade and became a highly skilled work- man. He has followed the trade successfully all his life, building himself a home in Bethlehem. He married Eliza Bitting, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Seabold) Bitting. Thomas Bit- ting was born in Lehigh county, carried on a large tailoring establishment, and is now de- ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Rickert have three living children-Allen O., Araminta A., and Tilghman Franklin.
J. J. HOFFMAN, a prominent business man, and senior partner in the firm of Hoffman & Shimer, carriage manufacturers of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is a son of John and Maria (Sieg- fried) Hoffman of Lehigh county.
Mr. Hoffman was born in Lehigh township, March 2, 1827. His early education was obtained in the public schools of Northampton county. His first essay at earning a livelihood was as an agri- culturist. He worked on a farm in Northampton county, where he remained until 1855, when he determined to make a larger venture in the busi- ness world. He served an apprenticeship in the carriage building trade in Catasauqua, Pennsyl- vania. Believing himself proficient in the busi- ness, he opened a small shop in Bethlehem, Penn- sylvania. His confidence was justified by the re- sult. The business grew from year to year until it became a large establishment. In time he took a partner, I. H. Shimer, and the firm known as Hoffman & Shimer, carriage builders, are now the largest manufacturers of carriages in that sec- tion of the country. Mr. Hoffman is a director in the Lehigh Valley National Bank. He is a member of Christ Reformed church of Bethle-
hem, and has held all the official stations therein.
Mr. Hoffman married Lavina (Lavinia) Line, a daughter of Joseph Line, of Salsburg. Three children were born of this marriage, of whom two are living : I. Amanda H., who became the wife of J. H. Shimer, and to whom were born two children, Alsie and Robert ; 2. Emma, who became the wife of Walter Crawford, and to whom was born one child, Julia.
OWEN P. HELLER, of Bethlehem, repre- sents one of the old families of the Lehigh valley prominently connected for many years with busi- ness interests that have been of value to the sub- stantial upbuilding and development of this sec- tion of the state.
His paternal grandparents were Michael and Magdalena (Buchecker) Heller. The former was a manufacturer of linseed oil, carrying on business in Hellertown for many years. There he resided and reared his family of three children : Tobias, Paul, and Mary Magdalena, who died unmarried. He had also three other children, who died in in- fancy. The eldest son was married to Susanna Rentzheimer and they had five children: Cath- erine, who became the wife of Jonathan Rumfield, and reared a family ; Charles, who married Miss Elizabeth Burt, and had eight children-Van Cages, Mary, Eva, Napoleon, Charles, George, Jennie and Lillie, the last named now deceased ; Priscilla, who became Mrs. Wunderley ; Susanna, the wife of Jacob Erdman, by whom she has two sons ; and Amos, who married Angelina Bieber, and has three children.
Paul Heller, the second son of Michael Heller, was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, in 1784, and throughout his career followed the occupation of farming. He married Catherine Beil, and they had three children: Abraham, Owen and Mary. The elder son wedded Mary Egner, and their children were Parmelia, who be- came Mrs. Neimeyer ; Franklin B., who married Miss Mary Dillinger, and had two children : Rob- ert and Mary ; and Sylvesta, who is the wife of Alfred Sell. The daughter of Paul and Catherine Beil Heller was married, and became the wife of Peter Trexler and their children were: Eliza-
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beth, who married Daniel Weber ; Sarah, who first married a Mr. Rosenberger, and afterward Mr. Ehrney; Valeria, wife of John Miller ; John, who married a Miss Benner ; Peter, who married a Miss Rumfield ; and Ida, the wife of John Cope.
Owen P. Heller, the younger son of Paul and Catherine (Beil) Heller, was born in Upper Sau- con township, Lehigh county, January 10, 1822, and was there reared, pursuing his education in the schools of his home locality. When but a boy he began working on the farm, and early became familiar with the labors of field and meadow. Upon his father's death he inherited a good tract of land situated near the Blue Stone church in the vicinity of Coopersburg. Taking up his abode upon that property he carried on farming for many years. In his work he was practical and methodical, and as the result of his labors he an- nually harvested good crops which brought to him a fair financial return. Economy and diligence at length resulted in bringing to him a very desir- able competence, and in the evening of life he is now living retired, enjoying the fruits of his former toil. In 1866 he put aside the active cares of the home farm, and removed with his family to Bethlehem, where he has since resided. He has now passed the eighty-second milestone on life's journey.
While living in Upper Saucon township, Le- high county, Mr. Heller was a school director for several years. In politics he has always been a Democrat, giving unfaltering support to the men and measures of the party. He belongs to the Emanuel United Evangelical church at Bethle- hem and today is its oldest member. His has been an upright and honorable life, and he receives the veneration and respect which should ever be accorded to one of advanced years.
Mr. Heller was united in marriage to Miss Leah Brunner, a daughter of John Wilhelm and Mary (Sell) Brunner. She was born in Lehigh county, near Emaus, January II, 1824, and unto this marriage was born one son Llewellyn, whose birth occurred in Upper Saucon township, Le- high county, February 25, 1856. He married Anna Giess, a daughter of James and Caroline (Stuber) Giess. Her paternal grandparents were
Christian and Julia (Veberoth) Giess. Her fa- ther was born February 26, 1824, in Salisburg, Pennsylvania, and her mother's birth occurred January 8, 1826. Christian Giess served his coun- try in the Civil war, enlisting in the Fifty-fourth Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, at the age of sixty-two years. He was taken prisoner by the Confederate forces and incarcerated in Anderson- ville, where he died March 23, 1864. He had a son Amos, who also served his country as a Union soldier in the Civil war. Anna Giess, the wife of Mr. Heller, was born May 22, 1858, in Allen- town, Pennsylvania. Unto their marriage have been born two children : Roger Paul, born Octo- ber 9, 1888; and Claire Aline, born September 21, 1893.
JOHN SEIPLE, of Bethlehem, is a represen- tative of an old family of German origin that was established in America in the middle of the eight- eenth century. Three brothers of the name came to the new world from the fatherland and settled in Hilltown township, Bucks county, Pennsyl- vania. Henry Seiple, a son of one of these broth- ers, was born in Hilltown township, and was the direct ancestor of John Seiple.
The next in the line of descent was named John, who was born in 1779. In his early man- hood he followed the miller's trade, but afterward devoted his energies to farming until his death, which occurred in 1858. Unto him and his wife, Elizabeth Seiple, were born eleven children : Mary became the wife of Jacob Cope, and her children were: Lydia R., Silas, Enos, Rash and Jacob. Elizabeth Seiple married Josiah Miller, and her children were Mrs. Sophia Frankenfield and Mrs. Elizabeth Curtis. Enos Seiple married a Miss Crissman, and their children were Amanda ; Han- nah, the wife of Dr. Shive ; Samuel, a practicing physician and surgeon; and Monroe. George Seiple, the fifth member of the family, is further written of below. Annie became the wife of An- thony Moyer, and had one son, John. Barbara became the wife of Jacob Kern, and had a son John. Catherine married Jacob Koffel, and had four children: John; Sarah, the wife of Rev. Sharf ; Maria, the wife of Rev. Smith ; and Eliza-
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beth, the wife of John Schwartz. Lena Seiple was the eighth member of the family. John B. married Miss Angeny, and their children were five in number : Emeline, the wife of F. Fox; Elizabeth, the wife of R. Kulp; John, who mar- ried a Miss Delb ; William, who married a Miss Wambold; and Jacob. Jacob Seiple, the tenth child of John and Elizabeth Seiple, married Nan- cy Bryan, and their children were Elizabeth, the wife of Moses Ohl; Hannah, the wife of David Reiff ; and Amanda, the wife of Andrew Shelly. The youngest member of the family of John and Elizabeth Seiple was named Silas.
George Seiple was born in 1811, and became a stonemason by trade. He followed that pursuit for a number of years, and subsequently turned his attention to the business of weaving carpets. His death occurred in May, 1857. He mar- ried Caroline Frankenfield, and they had ten children, six of whom came to maturity-John, Addison, Manassas, William, Isburn, and Ellen. Of these, Addison Seiple wedded Mary Benner, by whom he had four children: Ellsworth, who married a Miss Wooding; Amanda, the wife of David Funk ; Ida, the wife of Harvey Ritter ; and Frank, who married Anna Brader. For his sec- ond wife Addison Seiple chose a Miss Althaus. Manassas married a Miss Hannah Bitting, and their children were Elmanda, the wife of Richard Breich ; Cora E., and Harvey S. William Seiple married Amanda Hut, and to them were born four children: George H., who married a Miss Becker, and since her death has married a second time; Caroline; Samuel G .; and Ada. Isburn Seiple married Hattie Null and they became the parents of five children : Herbert, Belva, Ella, Joseph and Elsie. Ellen is the wife of Thomas Joncs, and the mother of two children, Royal and Warren Jones:
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