USA > Pennsylvania > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania Vol. II > Part 60
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James E. Nagle was married in 1867 to Miss Mary L. Dech, who was born June 28, 1843, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Dewalt) Dech. Her father was a resident farmer of Up- per Nazareth township for many years, but is now deceased. Mrs. Nagle resides in a nice home in Lower Nazareth township, and her mother resides with her. She had two sisters: Martha, de- ceased ; and Elmira E. Two children left mother- less by the death of her sister last named have been reared by Mrs. Nagle.
JOHAN A. RIEGEL, a representative of the farming interests of Carbon county, making his home at Lehighton, comes of a family of German origin that was established in America by five brothers who crossed the Atlantic in the early part of the seventeenth century. Four of the brothers married American women, while one brought his wife with him from the old country. They set- tled first in Massachusetts where two of the num- ber continued to reside, while two others removed to New Jersey and one became a resident of Vir- ginia. It was to one of the New Jersey settlers that Johan A. Riegel traces his ancestry. He is a descendant of Jacob Riegel, who married Miss
Nancy Hartman, by whom he had five children : Jacob, who was educated for the bar, and in 1857 removed to Wisconsin, where he engaged in the practice of law; Amos, the father of Johan A. Riegel; Josiah, who died in childhood; Mary, the wife of John Hoffman ; and Louise, who married a Mr. Foltz.
Amos Riegel, the second son of Jacob and Mary (Hartman) Riegel, became one of the prominent and influential business men of Car- bon county. He was born in Lykens, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, July 15, 1815, and the days of his youth were spent upon a farm, after which he learned the tanner's trade, which he followed for a number of years, and later engaged in tan- ning and butchering for himself. Later, however, he gave his attention to the purchase and sale of stock, following that pursuit up to within five months prior to his death, on the 21st of June, 1898, at eighty-three years of age. He also con- ducted a general store from 1889 to 1892 at Le- highton. As his financial resources increased he made investment in land, becoming the owner of extensive realty interests, including one hundred acres of land, which was situated in the suburbs of Lehighton, now constituting a part of the Le- high Valley Railroad property at Lehighton. To this place he removed November 17, 1874, where he erected a fine residence, and there resided up to the time of his death. In 1889 he built a very large barn capable of sheltering an entire carload of cattle at one time. He was widely recognized as one of the most progressive men and leading agriculturists of the Lehigh Valley, and his busi- ness operations reached extensive proportions. He frequently shipped as high as six or more car- loads of live stock in a single week. His under- takings were crowned with a high degree of suc- cess, and thus he was enabled to engage in bank- ing enterprises. He was a director of the First National Bank of Mauch Chunk from 1868 until the time of his death.
Mr. Riegel was not only prosperous in busi- ness, but was a recognized leader in public affairs, and in 1858 was elected by popular ballot to the office of sheriff of Carbon county, which position
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he filled to the entire satisfaction of all law-abid- ing citizens. He also held the office of county commissioner for one term (1882-83-84), and in the performance of his public duties was ever reliable, trustworthy and capable. At the time of the Civil war he offered his services to the gov- ernment in defense of the Union, and was enrolled as second lieutenant in Company F, of the Thirty- fourth Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers. He went out in response to the emergency call, and participated in the battle of Gettysburg. Fol- lowing the expiration of his term of service he received an honorable discharge. He had pre- viosuly been a recruiting officer during the greater part of the period of the Rebellion. His fraternal relations were with the Masons.
Amos Riegel was twice married. He first wedded Miss Mary Ann Hoffman, February 16, 1842, and they became the parents of two chil- dren, but both died in childhood, and the mother died September 20, 1843. For his second wife he chose Mrs. Abigail Hunsicker, nee Arner, who had two children by her former marriage, namely : Louisa, wife of T. E. Sittler, of Andreas, Pennsyl- vania; and Emeline, wife of Thomas Musselman, a resident of New Mahoning, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Riegel became the parents of four chil- dren: Johan, Jerome, deceased ; Tilghman, who has passed away; and Sallie J., who resides in Lehighton. Mrs. Riegel died February 26, 1895.
Johan A. Riegel, the eldest son of Amos and Abigail Riegel, was born in Mahoning township, Carbon county, December 30, 1852, and began his education as a student in the public schools of that locality. Later he spent two and a half years in attendance at the Millersville State Normal School, and one year in Myerstown College. On completing his education he engaged in teaching for one term, but since that time has given his at- tention to farming pursuits, which he followed on an extensive scale in the west, spending five years in Iowa, fifteen years in South Dakota, and . two years in Missouri. While living in that sec- tion of the country he also filled several township offices in an acceptable manner. On the death of his father in 1898 he removed to Lehighton, es-
tablishing his residence on the old homestead, where he is now located as a prosperous, active and enterprising farmer.
Johan A. Riegel was married in 1877 to Miss Caroline Balliet and unto them has been born a daughter, Sarah H., whose birth occurred in 1885. They also have n adopted son, John J., who became a member of the household at the age of six years. He was born in 1875, and is therefore now twenty-nine years of age.
Miss Sallie J. Riegel, the only daughter and youngest child of Amos and Abigail Riegel, was educated at Lititz Seminary, and is a resident of the borough of Lehighton, where she is well known and has many friends.
ABRAM STOUT, M. D., of Bethlehem, well known in the Lehigh Valley because of his long connection with the medical fraternity and his skill in active practice, is a representative of a family whose ancestral history is traced back to Hesse Darmstadt, Germany. The founder of the . family in America was Jacob Stout, the great- grandfather of Dr. Stout, who on crossing the At- lantic to the new world settled in Williams town- ship, Northampton county. Isaac Stout, the grandfather, followed agricultural pursuits until within a short time of his death, which occurred when he was eighty years of age.
Hon. Isaac Stout, son of Isaac Stout, Sr., was actively connected with industrial interests in Northampton county, operating a sawmill in con- nection with farming. During the war of 1812 he enlisted in the American army and rose to the rank of major. He was equally prominent po- litically, and in 1836 served as a Democratic mem- ber of the house in the state legislature. He like- wise filled the position of justice of the peace, and was postmaster at Stouts, which town was named in his honor. His death occurred in 1856, at the age of seventy years. His wife, who in her maid- enhood was Catherine Clemens, was born in Doy- lestown, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and was of English and Scotch descent. She died in 1890 in her eighty-eighth year. Like the family she ad- hered to the Lutheran faith, and her husband was
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of the same religious belief. In the Stout family were eight children, but only three are now liv- ing. Hon. Lewis H. Stout, brother of Isaac Stout, was an attorney of Bethlehem, and a mem- ber of the state legislature in 1868. His sisters were Mrs. Frederick Christman, of Bethlehem; Mrs. Elizabeth Steckel, of that place; and Cath- erine, the wife of Samuel J. Shimer, of Milton, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Stout spent his boyhood days in the town which was named in honor of the famliy, and his academic course of study was pursued under Dr. Vanderveer, of Easton, where he continued until 1850. He was afterward for eighteen months a student in the Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg, and he entered upon preparation for the medical profession under the direction of his uncle, Dr. A. Stout. In 1852 he matriculated in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, and won his degree upon gradua- tion with the class of 1855. He was associated in his early professional career with his former preceptor, and uncle, whose successor he became on the latter's retirement in 1857. In September, 1862, Dr. Abram Stout was commissioned by Governor Curtin first assistant surgeon of the One Hundred and Fifty-third Regiment Penn- sylvania Infantry, with the rank of first lieutenant. Leaving Bethlehem he joined the Army of the Potomac, and participated in the campaigns that included the battles of Fredericksburg, Chan- cellorsville and Gettysburg, and when the term of his enlistment expired in July, 1863, he was mus- tered out with his regiment. He was afterward ·offered a commission as surgeon of a cavalry regi- ment, but his private and family affairs necessi- tated his remaining at home. Since his return to Bethlehem in 1863 he has engaged continuously in the practice of his profession, and has enjoyed a large patronage, being the oldest practitioner in the place. He was appointed United States pension examiner during President Cleveland's first ad- ministration, and again in Cleveland's second ad- ministration, and is yet serving in that office. He is also one of the consulting surgeons of St. Luke's hospital. He holds membership with the
Northampton County Medical Society, of which he has been president, and he was likewise presi- dent of the Association of Railroad Surgeons of the Lehigh Valley. He has been treas- urer of the Lehigh Medical Association since its organization, and he belongs to the State and National Medical Associations. He has be- come prominent in civic societies, has taken the Knight Templar degrees in Masonry, and is a companion in the military order of Loyal Legion.
Dr. Stout was married in Bethlehem, in 1857, to Miss Mary L. Cartright, who was born in Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, and died in 1887. Her father, Ira Cartright, was at one time an ex- tensive coal operator of Mauch Chunk. Dr. and Mrs. Stout became the parents of three children : I. Ira, who is connected with zinc mining inter- ests in Joplin, Missouri ; he married and to him were born five children : Helen, Georgine, Lewis, Abraham, and Caroline ; 2. George Clymer, who is a graduate of the Naval Academy of Annap- olis, and of the University of Pennsylvania, in which last named institution he is assistant his- tologist ; 3. Charles Edward, also a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, from which he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine; he subsequently took special courses, and is a throat, nose and ear specialist in Philadelphia.
HORACE DE Y. LENTZ, a member of the Carbon county bar, is a representative of a fam- ily that through many years has been connected with the progress and development of the Lehigh Valley.
He traces his descent from Conrad Lentz, his great-grandfather, who prior to the Revolu- tionary war settled in Lehigh county, Pennsyl- vania. He was a school teacher by profession, and died early in life. Among his children was Colonel John Lentz, the grandfather, whose birth occurred in Lehigh county in 1793. He was a shoemaker by trade, but later in life engaged in hotel keeping. For a number of years he was a successful contractor, and was one of the build- ers of the Lehigh canal. When yet a young man he removed to that portion of Northampton
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county which has since been set apart.as Carbon county. He was always prominently identified with public affairs, and was elected commissioner of Northampton county, and later filled the offices of sheriff and commissioner of Carbon county. He was among the originators of the idea to subdivide Northampton county and establish the county of Carbon. Colonel Lentz was deeply interested in military affairs all his life, and when but a lad enlisted in the War of 1812. His title of Colonel was obtained in the state militia. At the outbreak of the Civil war he was one of the first to volunteer, but was rejected on account of his advanced age. At the age of seventy he organized a company of reserves at Lehighton, Pennsylvania, and as their captain led them to Harrisburg in defence of the Union. He died at Mauch Chunk in 1875. Colonel John Lentz was married three times. His first wife was Mary Lacer, his second Julia Winter Barnett, the widow of John Barnett, and his third Mrs. Elizabeth Metzgar.
LaFayette Lentz was born of the first mar- riage, at Lehigh Gap, Carbon county, in 1828. His start in business life was gained as a clerk in a store at Parryville, Pennsylvania. Later on he engaged in railroad contracting, and was one of the original contractors of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. He has completed important sections of the Morris & Essex, North Pennsylvania, and Easton & Amboy railroads, and was the builder of the Vosburg Tunnel in Wyoming county. About 1869 Mr. Lentz engaged in coal mining near Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, and has since become a successful coal operator. At present he is the senior member of the firm of Lentz & Co., an important company doing business at Park Place, Pennsylvania. Although now well advanced in years he is still active, retaining his vigor to a remarkable degree and is an ardent lover of hunting and fishing. Few younger men can take longer tramps through the woods and by the sides of the streams than can Mr. Lentz. Personally, he is very popular, and has the love, respect and good will of his community. He mar- ried Miss Mary Swartz, who died in 1879. She
was a daughter of John Swartz, a farmer and inn- keeper of Northampton county. By that mar- riage there were born five children-John, James, and LaFayette, who died in infancy, and William O., the manager of his father's coal interests, and Horace De Y. Lentz.
Horace De Y. Lentz was born in Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, February 24, 1867. He was educated in the schools of Mauch Chunk, the Preparatory School for Lehigh University at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Adams Academy, Quincy, Massachusetts, and Harvard University, where he took the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1891. In the fall of 1893 he entered the law offices of L. H. Barber and Frederick Bertolette as a student at law, and was admitted to practice in the courts of Carbon county in 1896. Mr. Lentz is a member of the examining committee of the Carbon county bar. He is also a member of the University Club of Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, and one of the vestrymen of St. Mark's. Episcopal church, Mauch Chunk. In 1893 he. married Miss Jennie McCreary Alsover, a daugh- ter of the late Jabez Alsover, a prominent member of the Carbon and Luzerne bars, and Hannah Dodson Alsover.
GEORGE DAVIES, deceased, formerly the senior member of the well known foundry and machine firm of Davies & Thomas, Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, was born in the village of Merthyr- Tydvil, Glamorganshire, Wales, April 9, 1837. The firm of Davies & Thomas was formed in 1879, and rapidly built up a very large business. In the execution of some responsible contracts. they established a great reputation throughout the eastern portion of the United States.
His father, Daniel Davies, also a native of Wales, and a molder by trade, left his native land in June, 1846, accompanied by his family, and arrived in New York in July of the same year. He found employment as a foundryman in the Novelty Works, New York city, afterward being employed in Jersey City, New Jersey, and Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Later he went to Tamaqua, where he entered the employ of the-
Charge Davis
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late Hopkin Thomas, father of the junior part- ner of Davies & Thomas. In the early part of 1849 Mr. Davies left Tamaqua and went to Weatherly, and in July of 1850 came to Cata- sauqua, entering the foundry of the Crane Iron Company, under the late David Williams, manu- ufacturing castings on contract. Severing his connection with the Crane Iron Company in 1865, he entered into partnership with William Thomas in the foundry business, purchasing the old plan- ing mill in East Catasauqua ; three months later his son George was admitted to partnership. After two years the firm of Davies & Thomas was dissolved, Mr. Thomas withdrawing his in- terest, after which the title became Davies & Son, and the business was thus conducted until the death of Daniel Davies, in April, 1876, at sixty- three years of age. He was a man of staunch in- tegrity and honorable, upright principles, and for many years held membership in the Presbyterian church. His wife, Mary ( Philips) Davies, was born in Wales, and died there in the year 1839. Their children were: John, who died in 1862; George, mentioned hereinafter; and Mary A., who became the wife of James Thomas.
George Davies spent the first nine years of his life uneventfully in the land of his birth. Coming to Catasauqua with his father in 1850, he worked at the trade of molder for two years, after which he served an apprenticeship of five years at the trade of machinist with the Crane Iron Company, under Hopkin Thomas. In 1861, in company with Thomas Jones, he entered Eastman's Busi- ness College at Poughkeepsie, New York, and graduated with honors from that noted commer- cial school. In 1863, while at Parryville, he en- listed as first sergeant of Captain James Thom- as's company, Thirty-fourth Regiment Pennsyl- vania Emergency Volunteers, Colonel Charles Albright commanding. He marched with his company to Gettysburg, thence to Port Rich- mond, Philadelphia, and was honorably dis- charged at the expiration of his term of service.
Prior to the war Mr. Davies was employed as master mechanic in Belvidere, New Jersey, Cam- den and Amboy (New Jersey) shops, the Novelty Works, New York city, and at Parryville, Fenn-
sylvania. After the close of hostilities he re- turned to the latter named place, and became master mechanic there for a short period of time. He then took up his residence in Catasauqua, and with the exception of about five years (1871 to 1876), when he had charge of the Carbon Iron Works at Parryville, he remained there until his death. In 1879 his brother-in-law, James Thomas, with whom he had beeen on terms of intimacy from childhood, purchased a one-haif interest in the foundry and machine shop at Catasauqua, and this business relationship con- tinued until the death of Mr. Davies. The two men were devoted companions, the wishes of one being law with the other. The firm manufactured castings for many important enterprises, includ- ing the underground electric railway in Washing- ton, D. C., the Broadway cable in New York, the East River tunnel, the Hudson River tunnel, and the Traction and People's cable lines in Baltimore. They also manufactured car castings, and were the designers and original manufacturers of the Davies & Thomas engine. The works occupied at the time of Mr. Davies' death about ten acres, the foundry covering one acre, and the machine- shop being one hundred and thirty-five feet long by fifty feet wide. There were four large boilers, two blowers operated by two Davies & Thomas engines of one hundred and fifteen horse-power, and fifteen cranes, two of which, made by William R. Thomas, will lift fifteen tons each. The firm was identified with the Wahnetah Silk Company, of which Mr. Thomas was president and Mr. Da- vies a director. They were also the principal stockholders in the Electric Light and Fower Company, which was established in 1890. Mr. Davies was also a director in the Bethlehem Elec- tric Light and Power Company, which was es- tablished in 1882, and of which James Thomas was president. He was the owner of valuable real estate in West Bethlehem, and a stockholder in the Catasauqua National Bank.
Mr. Davies was identified with the Masonic fraternity, holding membership in Porter Lodge, No. 284, at Catasauqua. He was a staunch ad- herent of the principles of the Republican party,. but was unwilling to allow his name to be pre-
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sented for official position, preferring to devote his entire time to business pursuits. As a member of the school board, upon which he was serving at the time of his death, he was instrumental in promoting the grade of scholarship in the Cata- sauqua schools. He was a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, in which body he served in the capacity of trustee, steward and class- leader. He was a member of the building com- mitee at the time of the erection of Grace Metho- dist Episcopal church and parsonage, and was one of the most liberal contributors thereto.
On August 4, 1864, in Catasauqua, Pennsyl- vania, Mr. Davies was united in marriage to Mary A. Evans, the daughter of Thomas R. Evans, who emigrated from Wales to America, settling in Catasauqua, where for many years he followed the trade of blacksmith. Mrs. Davies received an ex- cellent education in Tremont Normal School, and was a successful teacher prior to her marriage. The following children were born to them: John M., who died in 1885 ; Elizabeth, who became the wife of Harry E. Graffin, of Catasauqua ; Row- land T., mentioned hereinafter ; George, who was superintendent for the Westchester Lighting Company at White Plains, New York, for a couple of years, but is now (1904) connected with the Davies & Thomas Company's works ; James, who is also connected with the same com- pany, and two infant children who died at Parry- ville.
Mr. Davies passed away at his late residence, Second and Race streets, Catasauqua, Monday evening, October 1, 1894, after an illness of two days. The funeral took place on Thursday after- noon from his late residence, the Rev. C. M. . Simpson, his pastor, preaching an eloquent dis- course ; the Rev. Dr. Earle, of the First Presby- terian church, offering the prayer ; and a selected choir rendering appropriate music. It was one of the largest and most eloquent tributes ever paid to a deceased citizen of Catasauqua. The work- men attended in a body, and numbered about one hundred and fifty. The remains were interred in the family plot in Fairview Cemetery. Mr. Da- vies was a most affectionate husband, a devoted
father, a loving brother, a true and excellent citi- zen, a consistent Christian, a considerate em- ployer, and on all sides is spoken words of praise for the manner in which he acted the part of a true man. His like is seldom met, and his sud- den death is universally regretted. At a meeting of the board of directors of the Catasauqua School District, the president announced the death of their late fellow-member, George Davies, whereupon the following was unanimously adopted :
In view of the death of our fellow school direc- tor, Mr. George Davies, we, the remaining mem- bers of the board, desire to put on record our con- viction that in the death of Mr. Davies the educa- tional interests of Catasauqua have suffered a heavy loss. The public schools have lost a liberal- minded and liberal-handed patron ; the teachers and pupils have lost a kind and considerate friend, who was ever ready to promote their interests. In the school board we have always found in him a congenial associate, a wise and prudent counselor, and an enthusiastic advocate of everything that seemed to be necessary for the improvement of our schools.
As a mark of respect for the departed, we close the schools on the day of the burial, in order that the teachers, as well as the board of directors, may attend the funeral in a body ; and as a further - mark of respect, we agree to fill the vacancy occa- sioned by the death of Mr. Davies by the appoint- ment of his eldest son, Rowland T. Davies, as a member of the board until the next election.
A special meeting of the board of health was called, and convened October 3, 1894, to take action on the death of Mr. George Davies. On motion the following resolutions were adopted :
Resolved, That in the death of Mr. George Davies the board loses an honored, esteemed and efficient member, whose wisdom and counsel will often be missed in our deliberations.
Resolved, That we extend to his bereaved fam- ily cur heartfelt sympathy in this their hour of trial and sorrow.
Resolved, As a last tribute of respect, we at- tend his funeral on Thursday, October 4, 1894, in a body.
AUSTIN A. GLICK, Secretary.
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Rowland T. Davies, the second son of George and Mary A. (Evans) Davies, was born March 24, 1869, at Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. During his boyhood days he attended the public schools, from which he graduated in 1884, and later be- came a pupil of A. N. Ulrich, of Catasauqua, who conducted a private school for the preparation of boys for college. Subsequently he entered Lehigh University, but left this institution prior to his graduation, and at once began his business career by entering the Davies & Thomas works. After working in the shops for two years he entered the office of the works, and after the death of his father, October 1, 1894, when the company was incorporated, he was appointed vice-president of the same, and has since held that responsible po- sition. Mr. Davies is very popular among his business associates and personal friends, owing to his many excellent characteristics. He is active and prominent in Masonic circles, being past master of Porter Lodge, No. 284, and past high priest of Catasauqua Chapter, No. 278. He is a member of the Catasauqua Club, of which he was president for two years. He is a Republican in politics, and at the death of his father he filled his unexpired terms as member of the health and school boards of Catasauqua.
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