USA > Pennsylvania > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania Vol. II > Part 22
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death his widow married Levi Gehring, and has one child, Mary, wife of Thomas E. Ritter. They have three children, Lloyd, William and Jennie.
ERASTUS DANIEL HAWK was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, February 16, 1844, and died in Allentown. His father, Joseph Hawk, was a native of Kunkle- town, Monroe county, Pennsylvania, and for many years was proprietor of the hotel at that place, where he also conducted a store. He mar- ried Elizabeth Hess, and they became the parents of six children, of whom Erastus D. Hawk was the eldest. Jane, the eldest daughter, became the wife of Nelson Hester, and had a family of five children, but only onė, Rosa, is now living. Emma is the wife of Daniel Brinker, and has five chil -. dren : Frank, who married Mary Walter ; Floyd, married ; Carrie; Helen; and Paul. Pamilla is the wife of Benjamin Ward, and has one child, Fred E. Fannie is the wife of William Fron- feldter, and has one child, Flora. Ella is the wife of Rev. C. M. Landt, and has one son, Walter.
Like the other members of the family, Eras- tus D. Hawk attended the public schools, and after he had completed his education he assisted his father in various ways until twenty-one years of age. On attaining his majority he removed to Easton, Pennsylvania, where he began working for Mr. Pollock in the manufacture and sale of brushes. He continued in that employ for five years, and then came to Allentown, where he ac- cepted a position as salesman in the mercantile house of T. B. Anewalt, with whom he continued for two years. On the expiration of that period he joined James Roney in the manufacture of shoes, remaining as a partner in that enterprise for two years, when he returned to the service of Mr. T. B. Anewalt, with whom he continued until his death. He was one of the oldest and most trusted employes of the house, was thoroughly familiar with the business, and by his reliability and enterprise contributed in no small measure to its success.
Mr. Hawk was united in marriage to Miss Amelia R. Ward, a daughter of Michael and
Sarah (Moyer) Ward, of Northampton county, and she has one sister living: Josephia, the wife of Adam Shiffer, by whom she has two children, Ellen and Charles. Mr. and Mrs. Hawk had two children : Laura H., who died at the age of five years and five months; and Edwin W., who died at the age of five years and three months.
Mr. Hawk gave his political support to the Democratic party. He was always interested in the Lutheran church, and he was a member of the Masonic fraternity, being most loyal to the teachings of the craft. He was moreover a man of strong domestic tastes, most devoted to his wife, and his leisure hours were largely spent at his own fireside.
EDWIN KELLER, a prominent and enter- prising business man of Allentown, Lehigh coun- ty, Pennsylvania, is a native son of that state, born March 23, 1844, at Kellersville, Monroe county. He traces his ancestry to Christofel Keller and his wife, natives of Holland, who left their native country for America, but during the voyage he died, and Mrs. Keller landed in Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, with her two children, a boy and a girl. Subsequently, Mrs. Keller became the wife of Mr. Hotleib, who acted the part of a father to her children, they having none of their own. They resided on a farm near Kellers- ville, Monroe county, Pennsylvania, owned by Jacob Metzgar. The remains of Mr. and Mrs. Hotleib were interred near the Bossard stone house, on the hill not far from the church. For many years their graves were fenced around, but they are now in the field unknown.
The children of Christofel Keller and his wife were Christofel, born October, 1749, died June, 1799, buried at Hamilton Square, Monroe coun- ty, Pennsylvania, and a daughter. The former named married Miss Bossard, and the latter named married Phillip Bossard; she died in her seventy-seventh year. Christofel Kel- ler, Jr., and his wife resided near Kellersville for some years ; they then disposed of their land and located on the Daub farm, which was within five miles of Easton, but on account of dry
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HISTORIC HOMES AND INSTITUTIONS.
weather and failure of crops they returned to their former place of abode and purchased about six hundred acres where Kellersville is now lo- cated (then Northampton county). They were the parents of six children-three boys and three girls-Andrew, Christofel, and John George, born March 5, 1774, died October 16, 1833 ; and their daughters became the wives of Mr. Shafer, Mr. Tiete (or Deitrich), and Mr. Shultz. An- drew and Christofel, the two eldest sons, moved about for some time and at last settled near Cuba, New York. George, the youngest son, married Miss Rachel Dils, born October 13, 1776, died August 7, 1838, who resided in the vicinity of Blairstown, New Jersey, and they were the parents of five children-three boys and two girls. John, their eldest son, born February 18, 1795, died September 29, 1854, married Miss Sarah Trach, who resided about two miles south of Kellersville; Christofel, the second son, mar- ried Miss Elizabeth Erdman, who resided near Zion Cemetery; Joseph, the third son, is men- tion at length in the following paragraph; the two girls died before they attained the age of one year.
Joseph Keller, father of Edwin Keller, was born at Kellersville, Monroe county, Pennsyl- vania, February 7, 1800, and died June 22, 1857. He attended the rural schools in the vicinity of his home and thereby acquired a practical edu- cation. During his active career he was a mer- chant, miller, farmer, lumber dealer, and hotel proprietor, and in fact was the owner of Kellers- ville. He was serving in the capacity of judge of Monroe county, Pennsylvania, when the county seat was to be selected. There was a spirited con- test between the east and west ends of the coun- ty ; the east end was in favor of Stroudsburg, and the west end of Kellersville. Judge Keller of- fered to donate the ground and erect all the pub- lic buildings if Kellerville was selected as the county seat, but the end he represented was de- feated by a very small majority. He was a member of the Lutheran church, and a Democrat in politics. He was united in marriage to Lydia Butz, born May 3, 1805, died February 11, 1846,
of Butztown, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, who bore hime the following named children : George B., Samuel Stokes, Catherine, Rachel Dils, Ann Maria Jones, Christiana, Joseph, Charles Shaw, Jacob Theodore, Emma Lydia, Isaiah, Edwin, and Lydia. The mother of these children died February 1I, 1846, twelve days after the birth of her youngest child, Lydia. Jo- seph Keller then married Mrs. Mary Brodhead, who bore him two children (twins), Franklin Brown and Mary Francis. Mr. Keller died in Kellersville, June 22, 1857, survived by his sec- ond wife, who passed away at her home in Kel- lersville, January 14, 1867.
Edwin Keller, youngest son of Joseph and Lydia Keller, obtained his educational ad- vantages at the Hamilton school, Monroe county, which he attended until he was thirteen years of age ; at the Stroudsburg Academy, and the Dela- ware Water Gap school. At the age of fifteen years he came to Easton, Pennsylvania, and en- tered upon an apprenticeship of four years with Judge Stein to learn the jewelry trade. During the term of his apprenticeship the Civil war was in progress, and he enlisted in the state militia, serving during the year of 1862 under Colonel Henry Longnecker, and in 1863 under Colonel Melchoir Horn. At the expiration of his ap- prenticeship he went to Philadelphia, where he worked at his trade for six months, going from there to Springfield, Ohio, where he was em- ployed for two years, from there to Cincinnati, Ohio, from there to St. Louis, Missouri, from there to Indianapolis Indiana, and on September 1, 1865, he located in Allen- town, Pennsylvania. He entered into partner- ship with his brother, Samuel S. Keller, open- ing a jewelry store at No. 737 Hamilton street, September 12, 1865, purchasing the stock and property from John Newhard. This connection continued until 1888, in which year Samuel S. Keller retired and Mr. Keller continued the busi- ness alone for five years. He then admitted his eldest son, Herbert C. Keller, giving him a third interest in the business, and four years later he admitted his other son, Arthur E. Keller, giving
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him a like interest. In August, 1892, the busi- ness was removed to its present location, No. 711 Hamilton street. Mr. Keller is a Republi- can in politics, but has never sought or held pub- lic office, preferring to devote his energies to business pursuits. He is a member of the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church, and a char- ter member of the Livingston Club, having been one of its first vice-presidents.
At Allentown, Pennsylvania, May 9, 1871, Mr. Keller was united in marriage to Lizzie M. Christ, daughter of Charles E. Christ and his wife, Salome Christ, the former named having been a merchant of Allentown, and a Republi- can in his political views. Mrs. Keller was a student at Allentown Academy under Professor J. M. Gregory. Their children are: Herbert Christ, born April 7, 1873, at Allentown, Penn- sylvania, received his education in the public schools of that city, and is now a jeweler and optician in partnership with his father and brother. He married, September 16, 1895, Ida V. Schafer, daughter of Jeremiah and Hettie (Hottenstein) Schafer, who were the parents of two other children,-Mamie, wife of William Smith ; and Hilda, unmarried. Herbert C. and Ida V. Keller are the parents of one child, Wallace Herbert Keller, born February 3, 1898.
Arthur Edwin, born June 16, 1877, at Allen- town, Pennsylvania, attended the public schools of his native city and was graduated from the Allentown high school in 1895. He is a jeweler by trade, and is in partnership with his father and brother. On February 12, 1901, he married Helen M. Walker, only child of Daniel Z. and Sarah (Wetherhold) Walker, and they have one son, Edwin Walker Keller, born July 28, 1902.
WALLACE EDGAR RUHE, whose native talent and thorough preliminary training have made him one of the foremost architects of the Lehigh valley, is practicing his profession in Al- lentown, his native city. The family is of En- glish origin, but has been represented in Penn- sylvania through several generations. The first of the name of whom we have authentic record
was John Christopher Ruhe, who spent his entire life in England. His second so11, John F. Ruhe was born in that coun- try, whence he came to the United States. He married Henrietta Mackenroth, and they be- came the parents of seven children: Elizabeth Harriet ; Maria Carolina, who died in infancy ; John F., who married Catherine Keiper, and after her death wedded Elizabeth Kramer; Au- gustus, who died at the age of ten years ; George Henry, who died in infancy ; Johanna Louisa, who became the wife of Henry Ebner; and Charles Augustus.
The last named was the grandfather of Wal- lace Edgar Ruhe. He was born in Allentown in 1794, and for many years was engaged in the grocery and drug business in that city. He be- gan the manufacture of cigars in 1853, and three years later the firm name was changed to Charles E. Ruhe's Sons. The business has since been continued, and is now a leading enterprise of Allentown. Charles Augustus Ruhe married Susan Shirer, and they had twelve children, but five died in infancy. Seven reached years of maturity : Edward, who was killed while serving in the Mexican war; Clara is now seventy-five years of age ; Charles H. married Eliza A. Engle- man, and had seven children ; Frederick A. mar- ried Julia Ann Kocher, and had three children ; Joseph was the father of Wallace E .. Ruhe; Anna C. became the wife of Benjamin F. Roth and had nine children ; Mary Louisa completed the family.
Joseph Ruhe became one of the successors to his father's business. He married Eliza A. Fens- termacher, and his second wife was Mary L. Hartman. His six children were born of the first marriage: Raymond R., Elizabeth, Robert J., Mirian, Susan, the wife of Edward Levin, and Wallace Edgar. The father, well known in the business circles of the city and also prominent in community affairs, having served in several public offices, is represented on another page of this work.
Wallace E. Ruhe pursued his preliminary education in the public schools of Allentown. and for two years thereafter was a student in
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HISTORIC HOMES AND INSTITUTIONS.
Muhlenberg College. He afterward attended the Ulrich Preparatory School at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and in 1895 entered the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, Architectural Department, in which he was graduated with the class of 1899. He afterward pursued a post-graduate course of one year, making a specialty of the study of architecture and kindred branches. On leaving the University he went abroad and spent some time in Italy in further preparation for the profession which he had decided to make his life work. Upon his return to America he spent a short period in New York, whence he went to Philadelphia, and in those two cities was con- nected with some of the leading architects of the country, so that it is doubtful if any of the young men of his time had any better advantages than had Mr. Ruhe in preparing for his chosen calling. His natural aptitude and this close application soon took him beyond mediocrity to a position of distinction in his profession, and by reason of his superior merit he has attained enviable suc- cess since locating for business in his native city.
Mr. Ruhe returned to Allentown in the fall of 1901 and opened an office of his own. He employed as a clerk Robert Lange, of New York, whom he admitted to a partnership in 1903, and the firm of Ruhe & Lange occupies a pre-eminent position in their profession in this part of the state. Among the larger and more important buildings of Allentown which have been erected on plans drawn by Mr. Kuhe are the Young Men's Christian Association building, the office and store building of N. A. Haas, the addition to the Franklin school and the South Down Knit- ting Mill. The Catasauqua National Bank and some beautiful residences also stand as evidences of his skill and handiwork, including the Kos- tenbader palatial home at Catasauqua, and the residences of C. A. Matcham and C. F. Mosser. The more recent work which has engaged the at- tention of Mr. Ruhe is the erection of the new buildings of the Muhlenberg College, at the west end of the city, and the Christ Evangelical Lu- theran church.
In his religious views Mr. Ruhe holds to the faith of his father's family, that of the Reformed
church, while his political support is given to the Republican party. He belongs to the Elks Lodge of Allentown, No. 130, and is also identifred with the Livingston Club, and his prominence is not the less the result of admirable social qualities than of professional achievements.
REV. EDMUND BUTZ, now retired from the active work of the ministry to which he devoted so many years of a most useful career, resides in Allentown. He was born in South Whitehall, Lehigh county, November 18, 1827, and is a son of Solomon and Catherine ( Hecker) Butz. His paternal grandfather was Peter Butz. In the maternal line the ancestry can be traced to Rev. John Egidius Hecker, who in 1751 came to Pennsylvania from Herburn, Nassau, Ger- many. He was a minister of the German Re- formed church, and settled in Northampton county, where he preached the gospel for a num- ber of years. He married and had a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters- Adam, Yost, Jonas, Mrs. Peter Troxell, Mrs. Adam Troxell, Mrs. Bartholomew and Mrs. Koch. Of these Adam married, and his children were Jacob, John, Henry, Mrs. Landenslager, Mrs. Reigley and Kate.
Yost Hecker, the second son of the emigrant, married and his children were Adam, Paul, John Egidius, Jacob, Mrs. Woodring, Mrs. Kreiling, Mrs. Butz and Mary. There is no record of the daughters' children, but four of the sons reared families. Adam Hecker had five children : Wil- liam, Joseph, Mrs. Catherine Beitler, Mrs. Eliza Gilbert and Mary. Paul Hecker had two chil- dren, Anna and Owen. John Hecker had four children : Edward Egidius, John Franklin, Or- ville and Philemon. Jacob Hecker had a large family of nine children: Caroline, Benjamin, Mary, Elmina, Sarah, Willoughby, Henry H., Albert and Edward.
Jonas Hecker, the son of the emigrant, and the grandfather of William F. Hecker, had eight children : Daniel, William, Joseph, Jeremiah, Charles, Peter, Polly and Julia. The family his- tory gives the following record of the sons' fam- ilies : Daniel had eight children-Joseph, Frank-
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lin, Stephen, Daniel, Charles, Levi, Melinda and Polly. William had two sons, Robert W. and James. Jeremiah had two sons, Washington and Wayne.
In the family of Solomon and Catherine (Hecker) Butz, the parents of Rev. Edmund Butz, there were fourteen children: Amos, who married Hettie Werner, by whom he had six children ; Charles, who married Maria Long, and had six children; Aaron, who wedded Ellen Glupp, and had two children; Abram, who married Catherine Long, by whom he had five children ; Edmund, who married Leah Martz; Moses, who married Sarah Heinley ; Lydia, thc wife of Amos Guth, by whom sne had five chil- dren; Susan, who is the wife of George Guth, and has three children ; Leah, who is the wife of Edwin Hollenbach, and has eight children ; Lucy, who is the wife of Solomon Mertz, and has nine children ; Mary, who wedded Jonas Beidleman, by whom she has four children ; Caroline, the wife of Rev. George Haines, and has six children ; Catherine, who is the wife of Simon Strauss, by whom she has four children ; and Matilda, who married Uriah Hartzell, and has one child.
Rev. Edmund Butz attended the public schools and afterward pursued a course of study at home. By close application, unfaltering purpose and in- domitable effort he improved his opportunities. steadily progressed, and eventually gained the mental training and discipline which prepared him for the important life work which he chose. In 1858 he was ordained as a dcacon of the Evan- gclical church, and two years later he was made an elder. In 1858 he was licensed to preach, and his first charge was in Carbon county, where he remained for a year. He then went to Beth- lehem, where he also continued for a ycar, and next was at Nazareth and successively at Bangor and Bushkill. He was afterward at Kutztown two year ; Upper Milford two years ; Bethlehem one year : Germantown two years; Norristown, two years ; Pittstown and Phoenixville one year ; Slatington and Danielsville two years ; Reading, Ninth Street Evangelical church, for three years ; Schuylkill three years; Passing Shuk one year ; then to his old home in Lehigh county, where he
remained for three years ; next to Lancaster Sta- tion three years; Emaus, two years; Schuylkill, three ycars; Perryville and Lehigh Gap two years ; and Northampton and Lehigh Gap, where he remained for two years. Recently he has had no regular appointment, but has supplied the pul- pits of various churches during the absence of regular pastors.
Rev. Butz was married to Leah Martz, a daughter of Charles and Salome (Steiminger) Martz, in whose family were ten children, as follows: Tilghman, Solomon, Edward, Llew- ellyn, John, Rebecca, Caroline, Catherine, Sally and Leah.
EDWIN KLINE. The Kline family, of Ger- man lincage, has figured in connection with farm- ing pursuits in Lehigh county since 1781, and probably prior to that time. The name was or- iginally spelled Klein. According to early rec- ord Lorentz Klein was assessed for property which he owned in Salisbury township in 1781. His descendants are now very numerous in this part of the state. His daughter Elizabeth, born on the home farm October 28, 1767, was married in 1793 to John Bogert, by whom she had nine children. She died in 1867, at the very advanced age of one hundred years.
Christopher Kline, son of Lorentz Kline, was born on the old family homestead in Salisbury township, and ultimately became the owner of two farms bordering the Little Lehigh, one of a hundred and sixty-five acres, the other of one hundred acres. At his death he left three chil- dren, Lorentz, Reuben and Sarah. Of these, Lorentz Kline was the father of Edwin Kline of this review. He was born in Salisbury township in 1795, and died in 1882. He was a very pros- perous agriculturist, and accumulated three large farms, two on the Little Lehigh, of one hundred and fifty and one hundred and twenty acres re- spectively, and the other of one hundred and fifty- two acres. These have ever since been in posses- sion of the family, two of them being owned by Marcus Kline, son of Edwin Kline, while the other is the property of Benjamin F. Kline, of Allentown.
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HISTORIC HOMES AND INSTITUTIONS.
Lorentz Kline married Lydia Kemmerer, and they had six children, of whom Edwin was the eldest. Helena (2) became the wife of John Heinly, and has three children. Lydia (3) is the wife of William Lerch. Tilghman K. (4) was for many years a successful farmer, and became a director of the Second National Bank of Allentown, and of the Allentown & Coopers- burg Turnpike Company. At one time he was the owner of most of the site of South Allentown, and he donated half of the lot on which Grace Re- formed church stands. He is now deceased. Benjamin F. (5) was formerly engaged in farm- ing and afterward in conducting a lumber busi- ness. He is now living retired in Allentown, but still has valuable realty holdings. He married Almina Schwart. Mary Ann (6) married John Hottenstein and had five children.
Edwin Kline, eldest son of Lorentz and Lydia Kline, was born in Salisbury township, Lehigh county and in his youth attended the country schools, but completed his education in New Jer- sey. He afterward returned to the home farm, and gave his father the benefit of his assistance until he was twenty-five years of age. In 1848 he was married and removed to Emaus, locating on a farm of one hundred and fifty acres belong- ing to his father. He made his home there for twenty years. About 1868 he purchased a lot on Hamilton street in Allentown, and a little later installed his family in a rented house on that street, between Ninth and Tenth streets. He then commenced to build the comfortable home which is now ocupied by his widow, at No. 1038 Hamilton street. It was completed in 1873, and he occupied it until his death, and it is still the home of the family.
When Mr. Kline removed to the city he rented his farm on shares and retired from active busi- ness life, beyond making an occasional visit to the farm. This property is now in possession of his son, Marcus C. L. Kline. Mr. Kline was al- ways deeply interested in city as well as national politics, was an unswerving advocate of Demo- cratic principles, and did all in his power to pro- mote the growth and insure the success of his party, but would never consent to become a can-
didate for public office. His religious faith was that of the Lutheran church. He was a gentle- man of pleasing manner and kindly disposition, who made many friends.
Mr. Kline married Miss Elemina Seider, a daughter of Charles and Lydia (Engleman) Seider. Her ancestry in the paternal line can be traced back to her great-great-grandparents, who started for America with their one child, who died on the voyage. Two children were born to them in America-Abraham, and a daughter, who became Mrs. Bile. Abraham Seider married a Miss Roth, and their son Jacob Seider was the grandfather of Mrs. Kline. He married Catherine Cooper, and they had four children, of whom Charles was the eldest. The others were Daniel ; Edward, and Eliza, both de- ceased. Edward married Abbie Rohn, and they had three children: Daniel ; Francis, who mar- ried Rachel Schnurman; and Eliza, the wife of Charles Keim.
Charles Seider, father of Mrs. Kline, married Lydia Engleman, a daughter of Jacob and Eliz- abeth (Weaver) Engleman. They had two chil- dren, but the younger died in infancy, and Ele- mina became the wife of Edwin Kline, and had two children. The son, Marcus C. L. Kline, mar- ried Clara Keller, and has two children, Edwin Keller and Althea L. Kline. Emma Lidia died when about one year old.
GEORGE H. HAAS, M. D. Among the physicians of Allentown, Pennsylvania, who through recognized skill and through knowledge have gained places of distinction in professional circles, as well as a large patronage from the public, may be mentioned Dr. George H. Haas, who is a native of Lyon Valley, Lowhill township, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, born August 15, 1860.
The progenitor of the American branch of the family was Henry Haas, a native of Germany, who came to this country accompanied by two brothers. One settled at Haas Mall, between Rotherocksville and Riegelsville, one at Lynn- ville, and Henry located at what is now known as Haas's Mill, in Upper Macungie, above Fogels-
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