USA > Pennsylvania > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania Vol. II > Part 78
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James Madison Porter, born of the second marriage on the 6th of January, 1793, after ob- taining his education, studied law and was ad- mitted to the bar on the 24th of April, 1812. He became a resident of Easton, Pennsylvania, in 1818, and for more than forty years practiced his profession throughout the eastern portion of the state with eminent success. He was a member of the state constitutional convention of 1838, and his name was proposed for the presidency of that body, but he was defeated by Hon. John Sergeant, who won by one vote. Mr. Forter, however, pre- sided over the convention during Mr. Sergeant's absence in congress. He was president judge of
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GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS.
his district, then comprising the counties of Dau- phin, Lebanon and Schuylkill, and while holding that position was appointed by President Tyler to the position of secretary of war. He served in the cabinet during that administration, and upon his retirement resumed the practice of law. Not long afterward, however, he was elected judge of his district, and continued to preside over the court until failing health caused his resignation, and he died at his home in Easton November II, 1862. He belonged to a family whose history is one of honor and distinction, two of the repre- sentatives of the name having become governors -one of Michigan and the other of Pennsyl- vania. Many others have attained fame as law- yers and some as merchants, while in the Revolu- tionary and Mexican war others displayed marked gallantry in the defense of their country. Judge Porter was one of the founders and the first presi- .dent of Lafayette College, and for twenty-five years served as a member of its board of trustees. He then lectured in the law department of the college upon different subjects connected with jurisprudence. He was a leading official of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, and his co-operation in public affairs contributed in large measure to the progress of his state. Judge Porter married Eliza Michler, a daughter of Peter Michler, who be- longed to one of the oldest and most respected families of Easton. Seven children were born of this marriage, but all are now deceased.
James Madison Porter, son of Judge Porter and the father of him whose name introduces this record, was born in Easton, Pennsylvania, in 1834, and died August 1, 1879, at the age of forty- five years. His early education was acquired in public and private schools, and later he pursued a course in Lafayette College, in which he was graduated with the class of 1857. He then stud- ied law in his father's office, and became a dis- tinguished member of the bar. He served as dis- trict attorney for a few years, and held some local positions, but never sought or desired political preferment, being of a conservative nature and preferring to give his time and energies to his profession. He was a distinguished representa- tive of Masonry, and attained the thirty-third
degree, for which distinction he made a trip across the ocean. He held many high positions in the fraternity, and his opinions were regarded as authority on all matters pertaining to the craft throughout Pennsylvania and neighboring states. Like his father he endorsed the principles of the Democracy, and was a Presbyterian in religious faith. He married Ruth Pearson Cook, a daugh- ter of Dr. Silas Cook, of an old and influential family of Easton. They had two children, James Madison Porter, and Eliza Michler Porter, who became the wife of Ross H. Skillem, a leading physician of Philadelphia.
James Madison Porter (third) was born in Easton, May 10, 1864. He attended the public schools of that city, after which he was a student in the Hackettstown and Blairstown academies. In 1882 he matriculated in Lafayette College, in which he was graduated with the class of 1886 on completing the course in civil engineering. Fol- lowing his graduation he entered the employ of Nippett & Wood, large structural manufacturers of New Jersey, with whom he remained until he accepted the chair of professor of civil engineering in Lafayette College, which he is now filling. When a student in that institution Professor Por- ter spent the period of vacation in the employ of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company in con- struction work and in supervising the construc- tion of bridges. He has traveled extensively and being a close observer has in this way gained many valuable ideas concerning his chosen calling. He has not only a broad and practical knowledge of civil engineering, but as an instructor has great force and ability, imparting clearly and readily to others his knowledge of the science. Professor Porter belongs to the Zeta Psi Society, the Amer- ican Society of Civil Engineers, the American In- stitute of Mining Engineers, the Engineers' Clubs of New York and Philadelphia, and the Interna- tional Association for Testing Materials. He is a member and formerly was a director of the So- ciety for the Promotion of Engineering Educa- tion ; is a member of and was formerly secretary of section D of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He belongs to the Pon- fret and Markham Clubs; was vice-president of
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HISTORIC HOMES AND INSTITUTIONS.
the University Club of Philadelphia, and is now connected with the Automobile Clubs of America and Philadelphia.
Professor Porter was married November 15, 1888, to Miss Mary Virginia Drake, a daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Bird) Drake, of Easton. They have one child, James Madison Porter (fourth). Professor and Mrs. Porter are active members of the Presbyterian church, in which he formerly served as a trustee. They reside in the original Porter home in Easton, where the first meeting of the directors of Lafayette College was held, and their home is the center of a cultured society circle.
WILLIAM THORNTON CARTER, whose name is commemorated in the William T. Carter Junior Republic, at Redington, Pennsylvania, dur- ing a long and active career prominently identi- fied with industrial and financial affairs of first importance, was a native of England, born in Breage, Cornwall, August 23, 1831. His par- ents were William and Mary Thomas Carter, also of Breage, where the Carter family have re- sided for many generations, and his ancestry on the paternal side traces back to the royal blood of England.
He came to the United States in 1850, a young man of twenty years, and joined his uncles, John and Richard Carter, who were among the pioneer anthracite coal miners at Tamaqua, Penn- sylvania. He soon became interested in the same business, and in 1861 purchased the Colleraine Collieries near Beaver Meadow. These he greatly enlarged and developed, and for thirty years he was recognized as one of the most ex- tensive and successful individual coal operators in America. In 1867 he purchased a large tract of land on the Lehigh Valley Railroad below Bethlehem and founded the town of Redington. Here he erected two large blast furnaces and ma- chine and car shops, which have been kept con- tinuously in operation for more than twenty-five years, in spite of the discouragements incident to depression in trade and suspension of mining and manufacturing operations in that region at various times.
In later years Mr. Carter became largely in- terested in developing and operating street rail- roads, especially the Ridge Avenue system of Philadelphia, and it is worthy of note that this road, largely owing to his influence, was the first in the country to adopt a uniform five cent fare. He was one of the original subscribers to the United Gas Improvement Company, in which he was a director, and he owned a controlling interest in the First National Bank of Tamaqua, at which place were extensive machine shops which he controlled. He was one of the pro- jectors and financial supporters of the construc- tion of the Poughkeepsie Bridge over the Hud- son river and its connecting railroads, and was closely identified with many financial institutions in his own city.
Mr. Carter was a man of remarkable fore- sight and keen judgment, and throughout his en- tire business career was governed by the strictest integrity and persistency of purpose. He was a trustee of the Second Presbyterian church, and was associated with many church organizations and charities. He was a member of various his- torical and genealogical societies, of the Frank- lin Institute, the Union League Club, the Art Club and the Rittenhouse Club of Philadelphia. In politics he was an uncompromising Republi- can, and he was an ardent advocate of protec- tive trade principles and policies. He was a man of broad culture, possessed a charming person- ality, and was an unusually interesting conver- sationalist. He made his home in Philadelphia from 1855 until his death, which occurred Feb- ruary 9. 1893.
Mr. Carter was twice married ; first, in 1854, to Miss Jewell, who was also a native of Eng- land, and who died in 1864, leaving two children -Mrs. T. Chester Walbridge, of Germantown, and Charles John Jewell Carter, of Redington. In 1868 Mr. Carter married Miss Cornelia Red- ington, a descendant of John Redington, one of the founders of Topsfield, Massachusetts, and of many other of the pioneer settlers of New Eng- land. She is a granddaughter of Captain John Redington of the Revolution, who was later one- of the most enterprising settlers and prominent
458
TTOHE ROMER AND INSTITUTIONS.
fem & Club. of America.
use led November 15,
01 Los Voglia Drake, a daughter 10 -00 105 - wh ( Bird) Drake, of Easto i. Tempo, Fines Madison Porter man Unless and Mr .. Porter are active o of 00 10 Presbyterian church, in which served as a trustee. They reside in Are onesbal Fortes home in Laston where the fir t m Ing of the directors of Lafayette College was mild motor home is the center of a culture sovjet, circle.
WELLIAN THORNTON CARTER whose como is coinnegorate Tur the William T. Carter Dwor Republiky al Redington. Powstania, dur- ng a long and active Freer prominently identi- be Worth industrial and financial affairs of first D avance, was a native of England. Domy in Imedic, Cornwall August 23, 1830. II's par- ens were William and Mary Thomas Carter. use of Breage, where the Carter family have re- ided for many generations, and his ancestry on Me paternal side traces back to the royal blood of England.
He came to the United States in 1850, a trung man of twenty years, and joined his uncles. John and Richard Carter, who were among the percet anthracite coal miners at Tamaqua, Penn- al ait. fle soon became interested in the same musique, and the for purchased the Coleraine Coliteries nem Beaver Mea low Thesc he the surgel and developed, and for thirty wars he was recognized as one of the most ex- love and successful individual coal operators America. In 1807 he purchased a large tract 4 Lent on the Lehigh Valley Railroad below yolochem and founded the town of Redington. Fre re erected two large blast furnaces and ma- mlu and car shops, which have been kept con- Wwwwsh in operation for more than twenty-five file of the discouragements incident must be in trade and suspension of mining Me ffert ting operations in that region at
Carter became largely m -
Kereste. and operating streit rail- roads, pois Ridge Avenue system of Philade and , is worthy of not: that thi road, lending to his mutlude. was the first inthe .0.xsos to adopt a uniform five cent fare. He na of the original subscribers to the l :. 6 6 inge ment Company, in which he was a omalo. am la owned a controling interes in the Nation. Bank of Tamagua, at sind oder extensive machine shop- mineral. He was me of the pre- festivalmental supporters d. d. construc-
1. Aikeepsie Bridge over the Bud Some 8000 It's connecting railroads, and was wed with many financial institution
. Mer was a man of remarkable fore- sight sab las judgment, and throughout his eu- tire In mer was governed by the strictest
wod forsistoney of purpose. He was a trust . Second Presbyterian church, and
was with many church organizations and I was a member of various his- tor cal cercalogical societies, of the Frank- lin Inero the Union League Club, the Art
Chil :
Amyenhouse Club of Philadelphia.
In pi w. an uncompromising Regubh-
an ardent advocate of protec-
can, ..
tive tt
fre and policies. He was a man
of 1,
Www possessed a charming person-
ality an unusually interesting conver- saticide U- made his home in Philadelphia from (se om nis death, which occurred Feb-
Voor was twice married ; first, in 1854 to. 5.10 Gel, who was also a native of Eng land, men who died in 1804, leaving two children -h . Chester Walbridge. of Germantown. and chorb- lolin Jewell Carter, of Redingtoo. In 198 Mr. Carter married Miss Cornelis Rel- ington. . . . ndant of John Redington, on. of the foun. of Topsfield, Massachusetts, uml cf man cam of the pioncer settlers of Non Eng- land. She is a granddaughter of Grain John Redingma of the Revolution, who was later one of the most enterprising settlers and prominent
WILLIAM T. CARTER.
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GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS.
citizens of Lawyersville, Schoharie county, New York. Of her marriage with Mr. Carter were born three children-Mrs. Joseph Leidy, Wil- liam E. Carter and Alice Carter.
Mrs. William T. Carter makes her home at No. 2116 Walnut street, Philadelphia. As a memorial to her husband, in 1898 she founded the William T. Carter Junior Republic at Red- ington, which is entirely supported by her. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America, the Philadelphia Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revo- lution, the Acorn and Sedgeley Clubs, of Phila- delphia, and of many other social and philan- thropic organizations.
FRANKLIN OBERLY, of Easton, Pennsyl- vania, is one of the representatives of a numerous family of Swiss origin, which, as the records would seem to indicate, was planted in America in the early part of the eighteenth century and has given in the succeeding generations many worthy and useful citizens to the land of its adoption.
Rudolph Oberly, to whom belongs the honor of having been the founder of the American branch of the family, was born June 8, 1712, a son of a silk manufacturer at Ruderwyl, in the canton of Berne, Switzerland. Of his boyhood days nothing definite is known more than that he was a member of a large family, and, being obliged to assist in their support, his education was neglected to such an extent that he never learned to write his own name. About the time he became of age there were a great number of Ger- mans and Swiss emigrating to America, princi- pally to Pennsylvania, and the fever must have early taken hold of him, for we note that he sailed for America in the spring of 1735, in the ship "Mercury," from Rotterdam, and was qualified as an emigrant at Philadelphia, May 29, 1735. Presumably he settled at once in the Saucon Val- ley, and no doubt after his marriage built a log hut to live in. He soon took an active interest in the affairs of the province, and was naturalized by the supreme court at Philadelphia, September 24, 1757. He had in the meanwhile secured title to a portion of the property on which he settled,
for a patent for two hundred and ten acres was issued to him January 8, 1755, and another for thirty-eight acres on July 1, 1765. This gave him a clear title to two hundred and forty-eight acres of land, on which he lived the remainder of his days. On May 1, 1770, he purchased two hun- dred acres of land on the south bank of the Le- high river, from William Allen, founder of Allen- town, and then chief justice of Pennsylvania, this. property being a portion of the ten thousand acres of land which had been willed to William Penn, grandson of the proprietor and founder of Pennsylvania. He was a member of the German Reformed church, and in 1752, when the inhabi- tants of the Saucon Valley decided to build a church, he contributed liberally both of time and money:
Rudolph Oberly married Margaret Harbell, about January, 1740, her birth having occurred September 21, 1721. They reared a family of seven children-five sons and two daughters :
I. Elizabeth, born August 17, 1741, died March 3, 1826; she was the wife of George Fred- erick Kleinhans, who was born February 23, 1741, died June 13, 1814, and they were the pa- rents of two sons and three daughters.
2. John, born July 9, 1746, mentioned here- inafter.
3. Anthony, born November 2, 1749. died July 25, 1828; he married Rebecca Freeman, and their children were: Isaac, born February 28, 1782, died January 26, 1801, buried in Shimer's graveyard ; and John, born in Saucon township, and married, February 5, 1815, Eva Christman, and they became the parents of four children. After the death of his wife, Anthony Oberly mar- ried Mrs. Catharine Mechling, who was born No- vember 20, 1754, died June 13, 1830, and five children were born to them : Rosina, born May II. 1796, died September 1, 1801 : Catharine, born February 9, 1788, died May 17, 1840, married June 5, 1809, to Paul Feit, who was born October 4, 1782, died February 28, 1850: Anthony, born May II. 1796, died June 8, 1878, married, April 19, 1818, Rebecca Schweitzer, who was born August 19, 1799, died January 3. 1882 : Susannah. died May 23, 1878. married. December 16, 1817. to Joseph Lerch, who died January 22, 1865 : Elizabeth, born May 12, 1791. died January 5. 1849, married April 12, 1812, to John Freeman, born August 13, 1787, died April 7, 1861.
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HISTORIC HOMES AND INSTITUTIONS.
4. Rudolph, born January 14, 1756, died Oc- tober 5, 1777.
5. Jacob, born April 16, 1757, died Septem- ber 30, 1830; by his father's will he inherited the homestead farm of two hundred and forty-eight acres, also a mulatto boy whom he was requested to grant his freedom when he became of age. On May 4, 1786, he married Elizabeth Lerch, who was born January 5, 1769, died January 10, 1859. a daughter of Gratus Lerch, who was a native of Germany. Their children were: Anthony, born March 16, 1787, died October 1, 1801 ; Jacob, born September 9, 1790, died October 3, 1801 ; Re- becca, born December 29, 1793, died September 28, 1801 ; Solomon, born January 3, 1796, died September 30, 1801 ; Anna Maria, born Septem- ber 19, 1798, died October 20, 1801 ; Lydia, born October 19, 1809, died February 25, 1811 ; Isaac, born September 3, 1801, died September 14, 1882; Elizabeth, born December 17, 1805, died October 23, 1853.
5. Christina died October 6, 1831 ; she be- came the wife of Valentine Uhler, and their chil- dren are: Elizabeth, born August II, 1802; Jo- hanna, born April 15, 1799; Maria Caroline, born March 5, 1807.
6. Frederick, born October 22, 1760.
Rudolph Oberly, father of these children, died February 1, 1790, and his remains were in- terred in the Old Saucon churchyard; his wife, Anna Margaret (Harbell) Oberly, died October 12, 1795, and her remains were interred beside those of her husband.
John Oberly (2), son of Rudolph (I) and Margaret (Harbell) Oberly, was born July 9, 1746, in Saucon township, Northampton county, Pennsylvania. Shortly after his marriage to Elizabeth Uhler, April 6, 1772, who was born July 14, 1751, daughter of Valentine Uhler, of Bethlehem township, he moved to the two-hun- dred-acre farm which his father deeded to him and his brother Anthony in 1777, and they held this place in common until their respective chil- dren, or some of them, became of age. June 12, 1793, he purchased a farm of three hundred and sixty acres in Bethlehem township, on the Lehigh river, where he built permanent farm buildings, and in the spring of the year 1804 moved into his new quarters, where the remainder of his life was spent. He took an active interest in the welfare of the country, and served with
the Frontier Rangers from 1778 to 1783, inclu- sive. Their children were: John, who married Catherine Schweitzer, and their children were: Charles, John S., Maria, Robert, Polly and Owen; George Henry, who married Elizabeth Schweitzer, and their children were: Julia Ann, Eliza and Sabilla; Rudolph, who married Anna Barbara Mechling, and their children were: Ro- sina, Susanna, Thomas, Ann, Jesse, Rudolph, Peter and Benjamin; David, who married Su- sannah Seip, and their children were: Elizabeth, Sabina, and Susanna ; Andrew, who married Su- sannah and their children were: Daniel, Eliza- beth, and Joseph; Elizabeth, who became the wife of John Dech, and their children were: Elizabeth and Rudolph; Margaret, who became the wife of John Mechling; Maria Magdaline, who became the wife of Jacob Dech, and their children were: Joseph, Jesse, Aaron, Reuben, and William. John Oberly, father of these chil- dren, died August 19, 1805, and was buried in the Easton Lutheran burying ground, from which place his remains were exhumed and again buried in the Reformed burying ground on Third street, and finally were again exhumed and buried in the Easton cemetery, in what is known as the Oberly plot. His wife, Elizabeth (Uhler) Oberly, died February 1, 1831 ; she is buried beside her hus- band in the Oberly plot. She attained the ad- vanced age of eighty years.
John Oberly (3), son of John (2) and Eliza- beth (Uhler) Oberly, was born in Saucon town- ship, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, De- cember 2, 1781. He spent his boyhood days on the farm his father inherited from his father, and after the death of his father he and his brother George Henry inherited the farm of about three hundred and sixty acres in Bethlehem township. John Oberly lived in the new buildings on the northern part of the place, and took charge of the working of the. northern half of the estate. This section was a portion of what has been known since the days of the first settlers as the dry lands ; it was entirely devoid of springs, and consequently the question of water supply be- came at once a serious question. Three large cisterns were built for the storage water caught
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GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS.
from roofs of buildings, and a well one hundred and forty feet deep was dug and equipped with a bucket and windlass for hoisting the water. He was a man of industrious and economical habits, and made the very best efforts to give his children a good start in life. He married Catha- rine Schweitzer, who was born March 23, 1788, and their children were: Charles, who married Annie Boyer, and their children were: Rebecca, John T., William, Owen, Charles, Catherine. John S., mentioned hereinafter. Maria, who be- came the wife of Daniel Odenwelder, and mother of one daughter, Emma. Robert, who married Elizabeth Best, and their children were: Jacob J., Amanda, Emma J., Eleanor, John Wilson, Catharine E., Abbasynia, Mary C., Mary Alice and Owen R. Polly, who became the wife of Levi Heil. Owen, who married Maria -
John Oberly, father of these children, died August 23, 1833, and was buried in the Reformed burying ground at Easton ; later his remains were exhumed and reinterred in the Farmersville bury- ing ground. He was survived by his wife nearly thirty years, her death occurring April 22, 1861.
John S. Oberly (4), son of John (3) and Catharine (Schweitzer) Oberly, was born on the estate where he lived and died in Bethlehem town- ship, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, Sep- tember 9, 1809. During the winter months he attended school, and the knowledge thus ob- tained was supplemented by a brief attendance at a private school in Easton, where he acquired the branches of reading, writing, arithmetic, and bookkeeping as then taught. During his early years he assisted with the work of the farm, which in that day was more arduous than at the present time, and being deprived of his father by death when he reached the age of manhood, the care of his mother and two youngest children and the property devolved upon him. He was among the first in his section of the state to adopt the new inventions for lightening the work on the farm. At the age of forty-seven he com- menced to erect new buildings on the west side of the estate, which were completed in three years, after which he decided to divide the large home- stead into two farms, and in 1860 moved to the
new two-story double brick house, leaving the old homestead to his son Erwin. In the spring of 1867 he resigned all farm work, and left the care of the upper farm to the tenant, living near by on his estate. Possessing an unlimited character for honesty, he was for years selected as the custodian for. moneys, and the person to settle estates in his vicinity. His advice was be- ing constantly sought, and some of his trusts were only ended with his life. He was on friendly relations with his neighbors, and those who loved him most were those who knew him longest and best. He had a pleasant salutation and a cheerful smile for everybody he met, and his kindly blue- gray eyes lighted up and heightened the expres- sion of his face whenever he engaged in conver- sation. Under all circumstances he was the same, unruffled in his feelings, cool and deliberate in his judgment. He possessed an intense activity and endurance in which few persons were his equal, and he never expected anybody to do any- thing that he was not willing to do himself. As he was accustomed to take the lead and never undertook what could not be accomplished nor rested while anything to do was on hand, he proved successful in life in everything he at- tempted. Whatever he did himself he did well, and those in his employ he guided well, as the neatness and order of his numerous farms and buildings testified.
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