USA > Pennsylvania > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania Vol. I > Part 59
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Jonas Gerber, spending his boyhood days in the Mahoning valley, acquired his education in the comman schools there, and remained a resi- dent of his native locality until 1875, when at the age of twenty-two years he came to Weatherly. In 1879 he entered the shops of the Lehigh Val- ley Company to serve an apprenticeship as a boilermaker, and from that date to the present he has been a faithful employe of the corporation, with the exception of a short period, less than a a year, when he was employed by the D. S. & S. Railroad at Drifton, Pennsylvania, while the
shops were being moved from Weatherly. That was in 1894. He has now been in the employ of the company for twenty-five years. When he formed this industrial connection, the business was conducted under the name of the Beaver Meadow Company, and, when the business was merged into that of the Lehigh Valley Company, Mr. Gerber continued in the same position, and has made an excellent record with the company for reliability as well as excellent workmanship.
Mr. Gerber has contributed to the develop- ment and improvement of his borough, and is interested in all that pertains to its upbuilding and progress. He has built two fine houses here, erecting one on Main street in 1882 and a second on Hudsonville street in 1888. He also owns four acres of ground surrounding his home on Hudsonville street, and the beautiful lawn, adorned by trees and flowers, makes a pleasing setting for his dwelling. He belongs to the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, and he and his wife are members of the Reformed church.
Mr. Gerber has been twice married. In 1878 he wedded Miss Mary Try, and to them were born five children : John E., born in 1878; Mott- lans and William F., twins, born in 1882 ; Blanche D., in 1883; and Ambrose, in 1884. Of these children Blanche D. is the only one now living. For his second wife Mr. Gerber chose Miss Kate Chebs, who was born November 15, 1856, a daughter of John and Annie Chebs, and on the Ioth of May, 1886, gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Gerber.
A. J. LAUDERBURN, who for thirty years was a factor in Weatherly's commercial activity as proprietor of a general mercantile establish- ment, was born in Youngstown, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, on the 5th of November, 1823. The establishment of the family in Amer- ica antedates the Revolutionary war. The grand- father, Frederick Lauderburn, was a representa- tive of an old Swiss family, but his parents had removed to Germany, and from that country Frederick Lauderburn came to the United States. This, however, was when the country was still numbered among the colonial possessions of
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Great Britain, and when the colonists attempted to throw off the yoke of British oppression he enlisted in the continental army, becoming a mem- ber of the company commanded by James Brown, this company forming a part of the regiment in which Robert Knox was lieutenant-colonel. The family of Frederick Lauderburn numbered the following children: Christian, born in 1770; Frederick, born March 4, 1772; and Margaret, all natives of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of this number Frederick was a civil engineer, and was a man of broad learning and influence.
Christian Lauderburn, the father of A. J. Lauderburn, was born in Philadelphia in 1770, and became one of the prominent iron-workers of his day. He owned a large forge roller mill and foundry, and employed many men in the conduct of his enterprise. In his family were ten chil- dren, four of whom are yet living, namely : Fred- erick, Harriet, Elizabeth and A. J. Lauderburn. .
The last named attended the common school in the place of his nativity until his twelfth years, when his parents removed to Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where he com- pleted his education. He had some military ex- perience in his early manhood, and in 1851 was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the state militia and aide-de-camp to William F. Johnston, governor of Pennsylvania. The same patriotic loyalty which ever characterized his ancestry has been manifest in his own citizenship. When he had completed his education he entered upon his business career in connection with railroad serv- ice, but soon abandoned this for clerical work. He spent four years at Tuscarora in the employ of Oliver B. Buckman as a bookkeeper, and in February, 1862, removed to Beaver Meadows, where he accepted a similar position in the serv- ive of S. W. Hudson. Subsequently he became associated with a Mr. Smith in a mercantile en- terprise carrying a full line of goods. This part- nership was continued for several years with suc- cess. In 1867 Mr. Lauderburn removed to Hud- sondale, where with two partners under the firm name of Lauderburn, Smith and Hudson, he built and equipped a flouring mill at a cost of
twenty-two thousand dollars. They at once be- gan the operation of their plant, but after the ex- piration of three years the property was rented and the enterprise abandoned as an unprofitable one. The mill is now in possession of the Weath- erly Water Company. It was in 1871 that Mr. Lauderburn took up his abode in Weatherly, where he first became connected with an enter- prise called a co-operative store. He soon aban- doned this, however, and in 1874 opened a store on his own account in connection with his son, A. H. Lauderburn, under the firm style of Lau- derburn & Son, and this he continued for thirty years with profit to himself and satisfaction to his many customers, carrying a large and well se- lected line of goods, for which he found a ready sale, owing to his earnest desire to please his patrons and his honorable business methods. As his financial resources increased he made judi- cious investment in real estate, and for many years he has been actively engaged in operating in property, owning considerable realty in Weatherly.
In public affairs Mr. Lauderburn has been prominent and influential in his adopted town, and his efforts in behalf of public progress and improvement have been beneficial to the borough. He served Weatherly as a school director for seven years, and he is now. (in 1904) treasurer of the Weatherly Water Company, in which he is also a heavy stockholder. Socially he is a mem- . ber of Hazel Lodge, No. 327, F. A. M., of Hazelton, Pennsylvania, and religiously he is connected with the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he was a steward and also trustee. For twenty-five years he has been a faithful and con- sistent member of the church at Weatherly.
Mr. Lauderburn was married in 1849 to Miss Margaret Deuel, of Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and to them were born seven chil- dren, six of whom reached years of maturity, namely : Albert H., Ella, Mary, Frederick, John and Edward. Of these Mary and John are now deceased. Mr. Lauderburn has passed the eigh- tieth milestone on life's journey, and his has ever been an honorable, useful and active career, in
alber go. Gidas
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which his well directed and intelligent efforts have brought to him success, while his honorable methods have gained for him the respect and confidence of his fellow men.
ALBERT JOHN DANIEL GUTH, who was the oldest hotel proprietor of Allentown, and who conducted the Lafayette Hotel, was born in 1849, on the old family homestead of the Guth family, in South Whitehall township, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania.
He was a representative in the fifth genera- tion of the family that was founded in America by Lorendze Guth. In the early part of July, 1738, the ship "Thistle" left Zweibucken, on the river Rhine, Captain John Wilson, of Rotter- dam, commanding, with three hundred German emigrants on board, bound for the new world, and after a pleasant but long voyage of about fifty days anchor was dropped in the harbor of Philadelphia, in September, 1738. Part of the voyagers went to what is now North Carolina, but subsequently returned to Pennsylvania. The others at once established homes for themselves in the north part of this state, and among these was Lorendze Guth and his wife.
In his native land Lorendze Guth had been a commissioner of forestry, and on one of his scouting tips discovered what he supposed to be a bear, but upon firing he discovered that he had shot a man. He immediately gave himself up, and after a hearing was exonerated and dis- charged, but so keen was his regret over the ac- cident that the familiar haunts had lost their charm for him, and he determined to emigrate to the new world. Previous to this he had taken up three hundred and fifty acres of land along the Jordan river, in Whitehall township, Lehigh county, and he increased his realty possessions by purchases made from Nicholas Kern, Richard Kohler and Thomas and Richard Penn, until he was the owner of one thousand acres. He built thereon a stone house which is still owned and occupied by Eli J. Guth, having never been out of possession of a member of the family.
Lorendze Guth, the founder of the family in America, had six children: Lorendze, Jr., who
married, and had nine children ; Adam, who mar- ried Barbara Strickler, and had eleven children ; Feter, who married, and had two children ; Julia Ann, who became the wife of Peter Kohler ; Eva Barbara, wife of George Henry Mertz ; and Mar- garet, wife of Adam Dorney.
Lorendze Guth, Jr., married Margaret Xander, and had a large family, one of whom, Daniel Guth, married Margaret Wieder. They became the parents of Edward Guth, who is the father of Albert John Daniel Guth. He was also born on the old family homestead, and became a prosperous farmer of his community in an early day, owning a large and valuable tract of land. He married Polly Troxell, and they had two sons, the elder being Clinton Guth, who married Ida Hoffman, and had three children, Jennie, Han- nah and Mabel. Of these, Jennie married Elmer Newhardt, and has one child, Ida ; while Hannah became the wife of Clinton Kuhns, and has a daughter, Florence, and a son, Albert.
Albert Guth was a student in the public schools in his early boyhood days prior to enter- ing the normal school conducted by Professor Heffner, at Siegersville, Pennsylvania. On put- ting aside his text books he continued the work of the farm in connection with his father, and as- sisted in its further cultivation and development until twenty-one years of age, when he started out in life on his own account. He rented sev- eral farms, operating these in turn, having at times as much as one hundred and seventy-five acres of land under cultivation. He carried on a general farm business until 1886, when he came to Allentown, and in company with his father-in- law, Joseph Kressly, purchased the old Lafayette Hotel property. This they conducted together until 1893, when Mr. Guth purchased Mr. Kress- ly's interest, and since then until his death, March 18, 1904, conducted the business alone. He was the oldest hotel proprietor of Allentown, and his was one of the best family hotels in the county. Mr. Guth gave his political allegiance to the Democracy, and he and his family were members of the Reformed church.
He married Sarah Kressly, a daughter of Jo- seph and Lydia (Bittner) Kressly. Her pater-
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nal grandparents were Jacob and Hannah (Moyer) Kressly. Her maternal grandfather was Jacob Bittner, who married Miss Werley. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kressly were the parents of six children: Frank, who died in infancy ; Sarah, now Mrs. Guth; Acquilla, the wife of Penn D. Good, by whom she has one son, Arthur ; Alvin, deceased ; Emma, who became the wife of George Grim, by whom she had two children, George and Lizzie, the latter now deceased, as is their father, and since his death the widow has become the wife of Henry C. Nicola ; and How- ard, who completes the Kressly family. To Mr. and Mrs. Guth have been born three children, Henry, died in infancy ; Elmer Alvin, who mar- ried Barbara Guth ; and George E. K. Guth.
SOLOMON D. RINKER, justice of the peace and manager of the Elmer Warner depart- ment store in Weatherly, was born in Packer township, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, on the 20th of December, 1863.
There are many ancestral homes in Pennsyl- vania, where have resided several generations of the family. Mr. Rinker is a representative of one of the old families of the state, founded here at an early period in the development of the com- monwealth. His paternal grandfather, John Rinker, was an extensive lumberman of Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and in his family were six children : Robert, John, Solomon, Oliver, Mary and Anna. Of this number Solomon Rinker was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and was a man of intelligence and scholarly attain- ments, who devoted ten years of his life to the work of school teaching, in which he was very successful. In community interests he took an active and helpful part, and during fifteen years served as justice of the peace in Packer town- ship, Carbon county. He made a most creditable record because of his fairness and impartiality. After arriving at years of maturity he wedded Miss Elizabeth Faust, whose birth occurred in Facker township, Carbon county, Pennsylvania. She was a daughter of John Faust, a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and one of the pio- neer settler of Packer township, Carbon county.
There he secured large tracts of land and carried on farming on an extensive scale. He had thir- teen children, two of whom are now living-Mrs. Kate Keller, and Henry, of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Rinker were born eleven children, eight of whom are yet liv- ing : Henry, William, Caroline, Rosanna, Jonas, Lizzie, Solomon D., and Lucinda.
Solomon D. Rinker, whose name introduces this record, was born in Packer township, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, December 20, 1863, and spent his boyhood days in his parents' home, whence he was sent to the public schools. He is a graduate of the Weatherly high school, having removed to the borough of Weatherly in 1877, when fourteen years of age. His life has largely been devoted to clerical work in connection with mercantile interests in Weatherly, and his serv- ice has always beene most satisfactory to those by whom he has been employed. For thirteen years he acted as bookkeeper in the large department store owned by Elmer Warner, and in 1904 he was promoted to the position of manager, thus being given the entire charge of the establish- ment. He is well qualified for the work, having become familiar with the business in principle and detail, and in control of the establishment is dis- playing marked enterprise and capability.
Mr. Rinker was united in marriage in 1886 to Miss Susie Harrison, and they became the pa- rents of two children, Harry and Fay, who are now students. Having lost his first wife, he was again married, in May, 1894, his second union being with Mrs. Ketchem, nee Amer, who by her former marriage had two sons, Walter and Clyde Ketchem, who are also in school.
Mr. Rinker is one of the popular and prom- inent residents of the borough of Weatherly, and has given active co-operation and material as- sistance to many movements and measures for the general good. He served as borough auditor for three years, and is now filling the office of justice of the peace, to which he was elected in 1897. He is a member of the Patriotic Order of Sons of America, and of the Independent Order of Red Men, and as a consistent member of the Reformed church he is taking an active and help-
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ful interest in its various activities, being super- intendent of the Sunday school at this writing in 1904.
CHARLES GILBERT. Although Charles Gilbert passed away in 1863, he is yet remem- bered by many of the older residents of Weath- erly as one of the pioneer citizens of the borough who assisted materially in its upbuilding, devel- opment and improvement. He was born in what is now Monroe county, Pennsylvania, on the 20th of June, 1817, and was a son of Samuel Gilbert, also a native of Monroe county. He was a cooper by trade, and in connection with work at that vocation was extensively engaged in farming. He served his country as a soldier in the war of 1812, and was descended from an ancestry well represented in the war for independence. His religious faith was that of the Quakers, or So- ciety of Friends. He married a Miss Butz, and to them were born five children: Mary, Lydia, Charles, Peter and Sarah A.
Charles Gilbert was reared upon his father's farm, and the common schools of the neighbor- hood afforded him his early educational privi- leges. From his boyhood days he assisted in the work of the fields, but in his youth he also learned the carpenter's trade, and during the construction of the Lehigh canal he served as gang boss in the building of the locks and dams. His work, how- ever, was all destroyed when the locks and dams were carried away in the great flood of 1841. Mr. Gilbert was afterward employed by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, as a builder and contractor. Hc removed to Weatherly on the 3d of April, 1843, and there purchased considerable property, while later he became owner of a hotel which had formerly been the property of a Mr. McDowell, who was the first landlord in Weatherly. Will- iam Tubbs bought the property of the original owner, and Mr. Gilbert became its third owncr. After removing to Weatherly he erected ten houses, which were occupied by the men who re- moved to this place in order to opcrate the shops of the Lehigh Railroad Company. This was the early beginning of the borough, and from that
time until his death Mr. Gilbert took an active and helpful part in the upbuilding and material improvement of the locality. While his early school advantages were limited, through experi- ence, observation and reading he acquired a good fund of practical knowledge which enabled him to overcome many difficulties and obstacles in life and utilize his opportunities to the best ad- vantage. Hc was a selfmade man in the true sense of the term, and through his capable con- trol of his business interests and the judicious use of his earnings he became a well-to-do citi- zen, accumulating quite a large amount of property. Mr. Gilbert is remembered by those who knew him as a man of most genial, jovial nature, of kindly spirit and generous purpose, and made for himself a host of friends. In public affairs he was always interested in a helpful prac- tical way, and he served his county as commis- sioner for one term and his borough as school director. Socially he was connected with the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows. His death oc- curred in the year 1863, and his wife, long sur- viving him, passed away in 1900.
The home life of Mr. Gilbert was a happy one. He was married December 27, 1840, to Miss Mary Siglin, of Monroe county, Pennsyl- vania, and they became the parents of four chil- dren, namcly : Sarah A .; Susan E. and Joseph, both deceased ; and Mary J. The last named be- came the wife of Samuel Croll, and to them were born six children: Elizabeth, Gilbert, Elsie, Emily, Clara and Samuel. The first named, Sarah A. Gilbert, was born in what is now Mon- roe county, Fennsylvania, on the 13th of July, 1842, and on the 14th of March, 1858, she gave her hand in marriage to William Hann, who was born in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. He was there reared and educated, and in 1867 re- moved to Carbon county, Pennsylvania, where he became an extensive farmer, successfully carry- ing on agricultural pursuits for over a third of a century. His life was ever upright and honor- able, being in consistent harmony with his prin- ciples as a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Socially he affiliated with the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows. His death occurred
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in the year 1900. To Mr. and Mrs. Hann were born ten children, of whom six are now living, namely : Charles G., George R., William N., Mary J., Della M. and Edna C. Hann.
OWEN J. KISTLER, whose activity in bus- iness affairs made him one of the valued resi- dents of Weatherly, was a descendant of an old Palatinate family whose history is recorded else- where in this volume. He was born in Lynn township, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, in 1849, his parents being Jonas J. and Lavina ( Brobst) Kistler, both of whom were natives of Lehigh county. The father has devoted his life to agri- cultural pursuits, and is now living in 1904 at the advanced age of eighty-one years, but his wife passed away in 1900. They were the pa- rents of ten children, six of whom are living, namely : Samuel, Jonas, Matilda, Lydia, Louisa and Polly.
Owen J. Kistler spent his boyhood days upon the home farm, as had his forefathers, and early became familiar with the work of tilling the soil. The public school system of his native township afforded him his educational privi- leges, and in early manhood he made a trip to the west in order to see the country and broaden his views by coming in touch with other men and minds. He soon returned, however, satisfied to make his home in his native state. In the early years of his manhood he carried on agricultural pursuits, and in 1889 he removed to Weatherly, where he turned his attention to the coal business, and in connection with dealing in that commodity he also conducted a livery stable, following his dual pursuit for six years. On the expiration of that period he established a furniture and under- taking store in connection with Edwin F. War- ner, in which business he continued with profit for eight years. In all of his trade transactions he was honorable and straightforward, and he found that integrity and industry constituted the key that unlocked the portals of success. While leading an active business life he yet found time and opportunity to serve his fellow townsmen in various official positions. He served as constable, councilman, assessor, street commissioner, mem-
ber of the board of health and mercantile ap- praiser, and was ever prompt and faithful in the discharge of the duties which thus devolved upon him. Socially he was affiliated with the Knights of Malta, and religiously he was a member of the Lutheran church, in which he served as deacon and trustee.
In 1873 Mr. Kistler was united in marriage to Miss Lydia Kistler, who died four months later. On the 12th of March, 1875, he wedded Miss Henrietta Steigerwalt, of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, who was born on the 12th of July, 1856. They became the parents of ten children, nine of whom are yet living : Calvin J., who mar- ried Miss Maggie Mooney, by whom he had two children, Henrietta and Jason: Mary E., who became the wife of Julius Oliver, and is the mother of three children, Esther, Russell and Cal- vin : Kate, who is the wife of Erasmus Druken- miller ; Lizzie L., Barbara L., Gertrude L., Una A., Bertha I. and Wilbur J. In 1890 Mr. Kistler erected a very commodious and handsome resi- dence which occupies an excellent building site, and there he spent his remaining days, passing away November 18, 1900, at the age of fifty- one years. Widely and favorably known in the borough, his death was deeply regretted not only by his immediate family but also by many friends. His widow, who is held in high esteem through- out the community, yet occupies the home which was built by her husband.
HENRY A. GRAVER. Among the pro- gressive and therefore prosperous manufacturers of the borough of Lehighton, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, may be mentioned the name of Henry A. Graver, the successor of his father in the brick manufacturing business, who is de- scended from an ancient and honorable family of that name who succeeded the Moravians in the possession of the land lying between Bridge and Mahoning streets.
The pioneer ancestor of the American branch of the family was Henrich Graver, a German, who immigrated in 1732 in company with others. Among the children born to him was a son, Henry Graver, grandfather of Henry A. Graver.
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He was a native of Montgomery county, Penn- sylvania, followed the occupations of farmer and tanner, and was one of the thrifty and worthy citizens of that section of the state. His first wife, whose name is unknown, bore him two chil- dren, and his second wife, Elizabeth (Ux) Graver, bore him the following named children : Henry, Anthony, Lewis, Kate, Sallie, Polly, Eva and Julia A. Graver.
Lewis Graver, father of Henry A. Graver, was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, in January, 18II. His early childhood was spent on a farm, and his educational advantages were limited to a very brief duration. In 1823, when in his twelfth year, his father removed to Le- highton, Carbon county, and their time was fully occupied in clearing the land and tanning hides. Subsequently Lewis was engaged in the con- struction of the Lehigh Canal, and after the completion of that work he was employed by the same company, the Lehigh Coal Navigation Company, to operate one of their boats. Later in life he and his brother, Andrew Graver, en- tered into partnership in the building of boats, but after a brief period of time Lewis disposed of his interest to his brother, and then purchased about two hundred acres of land, as above de- scribed, where he conducted general farming for about thirty-five years. During this period of time he operated a milk route at Mauch Chunk, subsequently shipped the product of his dairy to other markets, and also established a brick yard which he operated with success for eighteen years. He retired from active pursuits in 1881, his son Henry A. succeeding to the business. Lewis Graver served as assessor of Mahoning township, and councilman of Lehighton. He was a faithful member of the Reformed church, in which he held the office of deacon.
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