USA > Pennsylvania > Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania Vol. II > Part 80
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IRA EVERETT, general superintendent of the Lehigh Valley Company's shops at Packer- ton, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, is a represen- tative of a long line of ancestors who have made their home in the state of Pennsylvania, emigrat- ing thence from Germany at a very early period in the history of the new world, and their influ- ence throughout these many years has been exerted for the material growth and development of the section wherein they have resided. He was born in Monroe county, Pennsylvania, in 1866, and is now one of the active and influential residents of Lehighton.
The pioneer ancestor of this branch of the family was Henry Everett, a native of Germany, who was a good example of that class of men from whom this country derives some of its best and most loyal citizens. During his active life he followed the quiet but useful calling of agriculture, and in Monroe county, Pennsyl- vania, he reared a family of children among whom was a son Henry, a native of Monroe county, Pennsylvania, who by his marriage to Miss Dorheimer became the father of the fol- lowing named children : William, George, John. Jacob, Sarah, Mary and Elizabeth.
William Everett (grandfather) was born in
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Monroe county, Pennsylvania, and his time and attention were devoted principally to farming in his native county. He married Christie A. Dor- heimer, and of their nine children eight attained years of maturity: George William, Sarah, Annie, Jackson, Nathan, Lucinda, Elizabeth, Hannah, and an unnamed infant. Jackson, aforementioned, lost his life while defending the honor and integrity of his country during the try- ing period of the Civil war ; he was a courageous soldier, held the rank of sergeant, and lost a leg at the battle of North Ann River.
George W. Everett (father) was born in Monroe county, Pennsylvania, March 23, 1831. He served an apprenticeship at the trade of car- penter, and this line of industry has engrossed his entire attention, and for twenty-four years he has been in the employ of the Lehigh Valley Company. In 1880 he changed his place of res- idence to Packerton, Carbon county, where he resided until March 17, 1891, and since then has made his home in the borough of Lehighton. He is a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has held several offices, and is greatly respected and esteemed in the com- munity. He was united in marriage to Julia A. Weiss, of Monroe county, Pennsylvania, and the following named children were born to them, seven of whom are living at the present time (1904) : Martha, Jackson, Ira, Augusta, Grace, Emma and Harry Everett.
Ira Everett was reared and acquired his pre- liminary education in his native county, but dur- ing his last term he attended a school in Packer- ton, Carbon county. On May 3, 1880, he entered the employ of the Lehigh Valley Company as a day laborer. He was soon promoted to the re- pairing of cars, and by close application to his duties and his proficiency in the discharge of them he was next promoted to the position of car in- spector, and in 1902 to his present position of general superintendent of the entire force em- ployed in the repairs on the New Jersey and Le- high Divisions. He has the general foreman- ship of the shops at Packerton and the men who are in connection with it, numbering almost seven hundred. In 1893 he removed from Packerton
to Lehighton, where he remained up to 1898, at which time he took up his residence in Allentown, where he was engaged as joint car inspector for the Lehigh Valley Company on the Philadelphia & Reading Division, and in 1902 he returned to the borough of Lehighton, where he now resides. Mr. Everett takes a keen interest in local affairs, and holds membership in the Junior Order of United American Mechanics and the Knights of Malta, in both of which organizations he has held office.
Mr. Everett married Clara Harleman, daugh- ter of Thomas and Sadie Harleman, in 1888, to which union there was one child born, now de- ceased. Mrs. Everett was born in Weatherly, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, in 1853. Her father was born in 1827, a son of Isaac Harle- man, a son of John Harleman, whose father was a native of Germany. Thomas Harleman, father of Mrs. Everett, is one of the oldest railroad men in Lehighton, if not in the valley. He served fifty-eight years in the employ of the Lehigh Valley Company, two years as brakeman, two years as fireman, nineteen years as engineer, and thirty-five years as yardmaster. He is hale and hearty today, notwithstanding he has had several accidents befall him.
GEORGE MILLER, a prominent resident of Franklin township, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, where he is now leading a retired life and enjoy- ing the fruits of his many years of labor, is a na- tive of Germany, but during his residence of half a century in his adopted country has fulfilled all the duties and obligations of a loyal and public- spirited citizen, and is eminently worthy of the confidence and esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens.
He was born November 14, 1825, reared and educated in his native country, and in 1854, ac- companied by his wife and two children, he emi- grated to the United States. After a short resi- dence in the city of Philadelphia he removed to Carbon county, and they have since resided in that section of the state. For a number of years he followed the occupation of milling, after which he was employed at the trade of butchering, and
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subsequently became an agriculturist, being now the owner of a fine and well tilled farm. In addi- tion to this property he is the owner of two double houses which he rents and the house which he and his family occupy. He possesses in a large degree the characteristics which insure success- perseverance, energy and enterprise-and there- for in the various lines of industry to which he applied himself he achieved financial success.
In 1849, prior to his emigration to America, Mr. Miller was married to Miss Catherine Ru- dolph, born in Germany, December 15, 1819, and to this union were born the following named children : I. Henry, born in Germany in 1850, is now a successful business man of Lehighton, Pennsylvania, and is the owner and operator of an extensive planing mill; he married Sarah E. Strasburger. 2. Catherine, born in Germany in 1853, became the wife of John Leikel, and their family consists of three daughters, namely : Clara, wife of Albert Miller; Lizzie, wife of Ulysses Krim, and they are the parents of one daughter, Katie Krim ; and Emma Leikel. 3. Crissy, born in Carbon county, Pennsylvania, October 25, 1855, died June 12, 1872, from that much dreaded dis- ease, smallpox. 4. George, born in Carbon county, Pennsylvania, June 16, 1861, died June 6, 1872, from the same disease as his sister. Mrs. Miller, the mother of these children, departed this life on July 7, 1899.
HOWARD J. EYER, manager of Bowers Brothers' general store in Bangor, was born in Upper Mount Bethel township, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, August 18, 1872. The public-school system of that locality afforded him his educational privileges. He was reared upon the home farm, where he remained until his sev- enteenth year. In 1888 he left the old home place and came to Bangor, where he entered the em- ploy of S. J. Piper & Company, with whom he continued for five years. In 1893, in company with Jesse Buzzard, he opened a general store, which partnership was continued until after the death of Mr. Eyer's wife. In 1902 he became the manager in the general store of Bowers Broth- ers, in Bangor, and has entire control of the bus-
iness here. He displays excellent executive power and enterprise in the management of this concern, and sustains a very enviable reputation in church circles in the borough.
In 1898 Mr. Eyer was elected a member of the school board of Bangor, and during his first term of service was its secretary. In 1901 he was re- elected, and is now president of the board. So- cially he is a member of the Bangor Lodge, No. 565, F. and A. M., and he also belongs to the Junior Order of United American Mechanics and the Knights of Malta. He is a member of the Lutheran church, and is a young business man who has the entire confidence and good will of the people of his community.
In 1892 Mr. Eyer was married to Miss Ida Buzzard, and to them were born three children -- Roy, Lizzie and Jessie. The wife and mother died September 19, 1902. On the 9th of October, 1903, Mr. Eyer married Miss Julia Abel, a daugh- ter of Josiah and Sarah Abel, of Easton, Penn- sylvania.
IRWIN R. KERN. The Kern family is of German origin, and, like many representatives of the name, Irwin R. Kern has devoted his life to the tilling of the soil. Through many generations the family has been connected with agricultural interests in the Lehigh Valley and has contributed to the development and progress of the commun- ity as its fellow citizens who uphold the political and moral status of his community.
His great-grandfather, Leonard Kern, was probably a native of Lower Mount Bethel. At all events he was a resident of that locality. It is definitely known, however, that his father was born in Germany. Leonard Kern became an ex- tensive farmer and prospered in his undertakings. but while he won success he did not neglect his church and the nigher duties of life. His wife was an estimable woman, and to them were born three children, Mrs. Fulmer, Peter and John. Of this number Peter Kern was the grandfather of Irwin R. Kern. His birth occurred in Lower Mount Bethel in about 1799, and his death in 1871. He, too, was largely engaged in farming, and was the owner of about two hundred and fifty
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acres of valuable land. Both he and his wife were devout members of the Reformed church, in which he held the office of deacon and elder. He married Catherine Ott, and their family num- bercd fifteen children, eleven of whom reached years of maturity: Samuel, Peter, Jeremiah, Thomas, Charles, Elizabeth, Susan, Catherine, Sarah, Lavina and Sophia. Of this number Thomas, Catherine, Sarah, Lavina and Sophia are living.
Samuel Kern, father of Irwin R. Kern, was born in Lower Mount Bethel in March, 1820, and he, too, engaged in farming. He was a straightforward man and made the golden rule the motto of his life. He married Lavinia Dewalt, and the only child of this marriage is Irwin R. Kern, whose birth occurred on the 22d of Janu- ary, 1847, in Bethlehem township, Northampton county. He was there reared and educated and in early life learned the cigarmaker's trade, which he followed for a number of years, but eventually abandoned that pursuit in order to devote his at- tention to farming. He now owns sixty-six acres of land in addition to town property in Stone Church, where he has a very desirable home.
Mr. Kern was married October 10, 1878, to Miss Frances Datesman, a daughter of Reuben and Matilda Datesman. Her people have been residents of Lehigh Valley for over one hundred years. John Datesman, the great-grandfather. removed from Bucks county, Pennsylvania, to Northampton county, and unto him and his wife Margaret were born the following named : Jacob, John, Philip, Samuel, Susan and Magdalenc. Of this number John Datesman settled in Upper Mount Bethel township on the farm now occu- pied by the widow of William Jacoby. Jacob Datesman, the grandfather of Mrs. Kern, was born in Upper Mount Bethel township, April 22, 1803, and died July 22, 1868. He was a pros- perous farmer, and he married Margaret Illick, who was born in 1804 and died in 1894. They became the parents of thirteen children : Reuben and Wilson, twins, born October 25, 1825 ; Susan, born 1827; Maria, in 1829; Jessie, in 1831 ; Sam- uel, in 1833; John, in 1835; Jeremiah, in 1836; Philip, in 1838: Jacob, Jr., in 1840; Maggie A.,
in 1842; Matilda, in 1844; and Lorenzo, in 1848. Reuben Datesman married Miss Matilda Stein, and unto them were born three children, Florence, Mrs. Kern, and one that died in infancy un- named.
Mr. and Mrs. Kern became the parents of two children, but only one is living : Lyman, who is a machinist by trade. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kern are members of the Lutheran church of Stone Church, Pennsylvania.
HIRAM YETTER, who follows farming in Upper Mount Bethcl township, Northampton county, now owns and operates a tract of land which was in turn the property of his grandfather and father. The origin of the family is lost in the remote regions of antiquity, and the first of the name of whom there is authentic record is John Yetter, who lived in Pennsylvania. His his- tory, however, is very meager, but it is known that he was the father of Joseph Yetter, the grandfather of Hiram Yetter. Joseph Yetter finally left his native country and removed to Northampton county, where he purchased one hundred and fifty acres of land. He was not only a most practical, energetic and successful farmer, but was also a good blacksmith. In community affairs he was active and influential, and held membership in the Lutheran church, in which he served as deacon, elder and president at different times. He married Miss Mary Metzger, by whom he had two children, a son and a daughter. For his second wife' he chose Mrs. Jones, a widow, and their children were nine in number.
George Yetter, father of Hiram Yetter, was born in Mount Bethel township, November 23, 18II. He spent his boyhood days in the usual manner of farmer lads of that place and period, and after reaching man's estate removed to Lower Mount Bethel township, where he purchased a farm of eighty-five acres on which he lived for twenty years. He then removed to Upper Mount Bethel township, purchasing his father's old homestead of one hundred and fifty acres, upon which he resided up to the time of his death in December, 1889. He was a man well respected by all who knew him, his life being in harmony
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with his professions as a member of the Lutheran church, in which he held at various times the office of deacon, elder and president. In 1834 he married Miss Sarah Morey, who was born in 1812 and is now more than eighty-one years of age. Her people were residents of Saucon town- ship, Northampton county. Her father was born November 29, 1788, and died in 1881 at the age of ninety-three years, while his wife, who was born in 1790, died in November, 1890, being a centenarian. They had for some years resided in Upper Mount Bethel township. Of their thir- teen children who grew to adult age seven are liv- ing at this writing in 1903. The family are earnest and active members of the Lutheran church.
Hiram Yetter is the only surviving member of a family of four children. His natal day was October 29, 1838, and his birthplace was the old home farm in Lower Mount Bethel township, Northampton county. He, too, has made farming his life work, and he has been actively interested in public affairs in his community, supporting many measures for the general good. He belongs to the Grange, and for nine consecutive years has held the office of school director. He is also serving as an elder in the Lutheran church, of which he and his family are members. He was married in 1858 to Miss Sarah E. Weidman, who was born in Upper Mount Bethel township, Northampton county, in 1836, a daughter of Philip E. and Catherine Weidman. They had four children : George ; Philip; Belle, the wife of Dr. D. R. DeLong : and one that died in infancy unnamed.
THEODORE FRUTCHEY, one of the well known farmers of Upper Mount Bethel township, Northampton county, represents one of the oldest families of the Lehigh Valley. It is claimed that the family is of French lineage, while others say that it is of German origin, and still others assert on equal good authority that the ancestors prior to the emigration to America were Swiss. It is positively known, however, that Theodore Frut- chey is descended from one of three brothers: William, Peter and Morris Frutchey, who settled
in Upper Mount Bethel township about 1800. The family had been established in Saucon township as early as 1750, and Peter Frutchey was born in 1776. William, one of the brothers, located in Mount Bethel. He was born in 1774, while his wife, who bore the maiden name of Susan Allenburg, was born about 1775. William Frut- chey owned eighty acres of land, and was an en- terprising farmer and a loyal citizen. He died April II, 1843, and his wife passed away Septem- ber I, of the same year. They were members of the Reformed church, and he gave his political support to the Democratic party, which has been the faith of the family through many years. His children were Jacob, John, William, Frederick, Peter W., Christian, Susan, and three that died in childhood.
Christian Frutchey was born in Mount Bethel township in 1804, obtained a common school edu- cation, and became a practical, progressive farmer who owned and operated one hundred acres of land that is now in possession of his son, Joseph. Mr. Frutchey married Miss Sarah Loehr, a daughter of Frederick Loehr, who was a native of Germany and was twice married. He first wedded Miss Keizer, to whom were born five chil- dren: Joseph, John, Sarah, Catherine and Mar- garet. His second wife was a Miss Emery, and their children were Jacob, Washington, Henry, Elizabeth, Catherine, Eve, Matilda, Barbara and Amanda. Christian Frutchey died January II, 1868, while his wife, who was born in January, 1813, long survived him, passing away Decem- ber 20, 1893. They were both valued and lead- ing members in the Reformed church. Their family numbered the following: William H., born July 4, 1834; Tobias, June 15, 1836; Fred- erick, January 1, 1838; Enoch, April 18, 1841 ; Theodore, May 2, 1843; Francis, February 7, 1846; Joseph, August 12, 1851 ; and Sarah C., born February 1, 1855. All are yet living and comfortably situated in life.
Theodore Frutchey, who was born in Mount Bethel township, in May, 1843, there passed the days of his boyhood and youth, worked in the fields through the summer months and afterward chose agriculture as a life vocation. In this he
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has been pre-eminently successful. In 1871 he purchased his present farm, on which he has re- sided continuously since, and he is known as one of the most progressive and prominent agricul- turists of Upper Mount Bethel township. No farm of this size yields better products, owing to the care and labor he bestows upon it and the sound judgment which characterizes all of his business affairs. His farm comprises ninety- eight acres of land, on which he has two fine dwellings, one of which he occupies as his own home. He is also a stockholder and director in the East Bangor Supply store.
Theodore Frutchey was married December 30, 1865, to Miss Leah Hess, who was born in Upper Mount Bethel township, November 6, 1846. Her father, Jacob J. Hess, was born in the same town- ship in 1819, as was his wife, who died in 1894. Mr. and Mrs. Frutchey became the parents of six children, four of whom are now living: Mi- nerva, who was born in 1870 and is the wife of P. Yetter; Jacob A., who was born in 1872 and married Della Rutt; Rose E., who was born in 1876 and is the wife of Walter Oyer ; and Nettie, born in 1879.
CHARLES H. EDWARDS, a prominent contractor and builder of Allentown, Pennsyl- vania, and the head of the firm of C. H. Edwards & Co., who conduct an extensive trade in their line, and whose name in business circles is synonymous with honorable and straightforward dealings, is a man of large and varied experiences, and the following named buildings stand as mon- uments to his skill and ability: The Common- wealth Office building, the Hotel Allen, the cloth- ing establishment of Brenig & Bachman, the dry goods establishment of Hess Brothers, the manu- factory of the Consolidated Steel Wire Company, the Atlas Cement Company building, all the power houses and barns for the Allentown & Lehigh Valley Traction Company, the Philadel- phia & Lehigh Valley Traction Company, and the Somerset Chemical Works at Bound Brook, New Jersey. He was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and is the son of Jesse and Jane (White) Edwards, the former named a son of
Jesse and Elizabeth Edwards, and the latter a daughter of John and Ann White.
Jesse and Jane (White) Edwards (parents) reared a family of eleven children, two of whom died in infancy, and the remainder attained man- hood and womanhood. Their names are as fol- lows: I. Franklin, who married Rachel Linger- man, and their children are Sally, Annie, James and Lulu Edwards. 2. John, unmarried, who lost his life at the age of twenty years while serving his country during the Civil war. 3. Gustavus, who married Alice Thomas, and the issue of this union was three children-Gustavus Edwards was killed in a wreck on the Canada & Atlantic Railroad in the year 1894. 4. Casper, who mar- ried May Wilson, and their family consists of two children, Harry and Edith Edwards. 5. Alfred, who married Sally Wonder, both now deceased, and they were the parents of one child, Susan Edwards. 6. Charles H., mentioned here- inafter. 7. Stephen, who married Carrie Fetter, and one child was born of this marriage. 8. George, who married Fannie Conover, and the issue of this union was one child, Edna Edwards. 9. Rachel, wife of Philip Grove, and mother of one child, Ralph Grove.
Charles H. Edwards attended at public schools adjacent to his home until he was thirteen years of age, after which his services were required in the work of the farm, and during this period of a few years duration his education was confined to attendance at school during the winter months. In his eighteenth year he located in Bethayres, Montgomery county, in order to learn the car- penter trade, and after serving an apprenticeship of four years he removed to Philadelphia, where he followed his trade and remained until 1873. He then took up his residence in Allentown, but two years later returned to Philadelphia, where he resided until 1880, a period of five years, after which he finally settled in Allentown and at once established a business as contractor and builder. He has recently admitted his son Jesse into part- nership, and the firm is now conducting an exten- sive and profitable trade under the style of C. H. Edwards & Co. Mr. Edwards holds mem- bership in the Reformed church ; Lehigh Lodge,
Chart Edwards Si
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Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Livingston Club. He is a Democrat in politics.
Mr. Edwards was married to Sallie L. Lan- denschleger, daughter of Nathan and Rebecca (Horn) Landenschleger. Their children are: Clara, wife of Fred C. Herrington; Jesse, who married Mamie Beitler; Charles, Helen and Frances Edwards.
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ENOS DUNBAR, who follows farming in Upper Mount Bethel township, Northampton county, is of Irish lineage. The student of history does not have to carry his investigation far into the annals of the Lehigh Valley ere learning that the Dunbar family has long been connected with agricultural interests in this part of the state. The great-grandfather was a native of Ireland and his son, James Dunbar, the grandfather, was born in Lower Mount Bethel township. Owing to his mother's second marriage he was reared by strangers, and when a young man he learned the shoemaker's trade, which vocation he followed throughout the greater part of his active busi- ness career. He married Miss Sarah Price, and their children were Thomas, Margaret, Sarah, Lavina, John, Robert, Jabez and William.
John Dunbar, the father of Enos Dunbar, was born in Upper Mount Bethel township, North- ampton county July 4, 1812, and devoted his en- tire life to agricultural pursuits. He was an ac- ceptable member of the Lutheran church, to which his wife also belonged. He married Miss Margaret Hilliard, a member of one of the old families of ante-Revolutionary times. They had eight children : Maria; Sarah ; Elisha, deceased ; William J .; Enos; John H .; Calvin ; and Cath- erine, who has also passed away. The father died in 1885 at the age of seventy-three years, and his wife, who was born in 1808, died in 1874 at the age of sixty-six years.
Enos Dunbar was born in Upper Mount Bethel township, Northampton county, March 2, 1842, and with the exception of a period of nine years has spent his entire life in that township, the work of field and meadow becoming familiar to him in his youth, and he continued to assist in the operation of the home farm until 1862, when
in response to his country's call for aid he en- listed in the Union army, as did his brothers, James and Elisha. James was a member of the One Hundred and Fifty-third Regiment of Penn- sylvania Volunteers, while Enos and Elisha joined Company F of the One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Regiment. James was slightly wounded by a bayonet thrust. Enos Dunbar par- ticipated in the second battle of Bull Run, Antie- tam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. He sustained a wound in the right arm at Fredericks- burg and because of his disability was honorably discharged in May, 1863. He is now a member of Armstrong Post, G. A. R., of Portland, Penn- sylvania, and he also belongs to the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America. A practical farmer, he has resided in his present place since 1878, and owns two tracts of land, comprising eighty-two acres, on which he follows general farming in a methodical and scientific way, util- izing his efforts to the best possible advantage.
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