Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I, Part 117

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846; J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1018

USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I > Part 117

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daughter of Jacob and Susanna (Young) Biddenbender. 1

FREDERICK A. MARX, who has his law office at No. 528 Washington street, Reading, and his home at No. 932 North Fifth street, same city, was born at Kutztown, Berks county, March 19, 1876, and has been practising law since 1900. On March 12, 1907, he left Kutztown and took up his residence in Reading.

Mr. Marx is a member of an old and respected family

resident of Kutztown, and there his father, James H. Marx, still lives. James H. Marx was educated for the law, and has for many years been a member of the Berks county Bar. He has taken an active interest in public affairs, and has been honored with many of the borough offices, having served on the school board and as town clerk. He mar- ried Sarah Springer, daughter of Augustus Springer, a jeweler of Kutztown. Of the five children born to them, two died in infancy; Sallie died at the age of twenty-one, while attending school in Philadelphia. The survivors of the family are Frederick A. and Anna, the latter the wife of Charles S. Ort, a merchant at Quakertown, Penn- sylvania.

Frederick A. Marx received his early education in his native place, and after his graduation in 1892 from the Normal School there was sent to Lafayette College, where he graduated in 1896. Having settled on the law as a profession, he now took up its study in the office of his father, and was admitted to practice in 1900. Later he was admitted to the higher courts. Mr. Marx took a final course at Dickinson Law School.

Mr. Marx married Oct. 21, 1903, Miss Rebecca H. Fen- stermacher, daughter of John P. S. Fenstermacher (a cousin of General Gobin), postmaster of Kutztown and a conductor in the Philadelphia & Reading passenger ser- vice, with which road he has been connected since boy- hood.

Mr. Marx is a Democrat in politics. He is active in the religious life of the community, being a member of Trinity Lutheran Church of Kutztown. He became a member of Huguenot Lodge, No. 377, F. & A. M., on Dec. 26, 1901, and served as its worshipful master for the year 1905. On July 11, 1908, he resigned membership in Huguenot Lodge, and on Oct. 17, 1908, affiliated with Isaac Hiester Lodge, No. 660, F. & A. M., constituted on that day, in the city of Reading, being one of the twenty-five charter members and its first worshipful master. He holds membership in Adonai Castle, No. 70, K. G. E .; and Charles A. Gerasch Council, No. 1004, Jr. O. U. A. M. He retains his interest in educational affairs, having been a member of the school board of Kutztown, until his removal to Reading.

JOHN H. MILLER, who has been prominently identified with all the leading interests of the borough of Topton for many years, was born April 1, 1845, in Maxatawny town- ship, Berks Co., Pa., son of Charles and Marie (Heff- ner ) Miller.

John Miller, his paternal grandfather, lived in Lowhill township, Lehigh Co., Pa., but later moved to a farm in Maxatawny township, Berks county, the same being now owned by Rev. A. J. Fogel. He had six children as follows : Charles m. Marie Heffner ; John m. (first) Caroline Bortz, had three children-Alfred, Mary and Catherine-and (second) Eliza A. Good and had one child-Lizzie; Jonas m. a Miss Weiser, and had two children-Jemima and Sallie; Joseph m. May Zeigler, and had six children- Oscar, Alvin, George, Sallie, Montana and Fiana; Joshua . m. Frederica Zangley, and had children-George, James, Emma, Francisco and Charles; Esther m. Napoleon Dresh-

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

er, and had children-Joseph, John, Fiana, Rosalinda, Ange- interest. In 1887 he was elected a director in the Farmers' lina and Jane.

Charles Miller, the eldest of the above family, was born in Lowhill township, Lehigh county, on the banks of the Jordan river, Feb. 14, 1806. He accompanied his father to Maxatawny township and worked on the home farm until his marriage, when he bought the farm now owned by his son, John H. Miller, in Maxatawny township, on which he lived until May 12, 1905, when his long and blameless life closed at the age of ninety-nine years, two months and twenty-eight days. He was a member, and in the latter part of his life an elder, of the Reformed congre- gation of the Siegfried Church in Maxatawny township. In political feeling he was a Democrat, and he always took an active part in politics, but never solicited an of- fice. On Oct. 6, 1842, he married Marie Heffner, born Dec. 31, 1818, died May 31, 1857, aged thirty-six years and five months, daughter of Jacob and Esther Heffner. Mrs. Miller was born and reared on a farm now owned by her only son, John H. Miller, in Maxatawny township. She was a devoted Christian all her life, and was bap- tized April 5, 1819. Jacob and Esther Heffner had a family of six children, the other beside Mrs. Miller being : David, Daniel, Solomon, Lydia and Esther. Charles Miller and wife had two children: John H. and Mrs. Eldridge Zim- merman, both residents of Topton, and three grand- children, namely : Charles D. Zimmerman and Milton and Harvey A. Miller.

John H. Miller was afforded far better educational op- portunities than were given many youths of his day. After close attendance in the public schools of the township, he spent two terms at McAllisterville Academy, in Juniata county, one term at Freeland Seminary, now Ursinus Col- lege, in Montgomery county, and two terms at Fairview Seminary at Kutztown, now the Keystone State Normal School. Having a preference for business rather than farming, he accepted a position with J. A. & Isaac Fegley who carried on a hotel and general store business at Mont- erey, Berks Co., Pa., and after serving there for two years, he accepted a position with Butz & Heffner, who were engaged in the coal, grain and lumber business at Topton Station, on the East Pennsylvania Railway. At the same time he was appointed station agent at the place for the railroad company, which position he filled for six- teen years, giving it up on account of ill health.

After being with Butz & Heffner for two years, Mr. Miller then associated himself with P. L. Diener and B. C. Bear, trading under the firm name of Baer & Diener & Miller, and bought out the firms of Butz & Heffner, and Diener & Ubil, also engaged in the same business to- gether with a general store business. A combination was effected and the entire business was carried on for eight years. In the meantime Mr. Miller was attending also to his duties as station agent for the railroad company, and served as secretary of the Topton Iron Company, and also of the Topton Loan and Building Association, which posi- tion he held from the day of its organization until it had run out, which was in eight and one-half years, when all shareholders had drawn out two hundred dollars, par valute less fixed premium. Later on, in connection with his railroad duties, Mr. Miller associated himself with P. L. Diener, D. D. Hinterstites. Jacob Carl and Jacob Lesher, under the firm name of Diener, Carl & Co., and engaged in mining iron ore. having mines on the lands of Charles Miller, Edwin A. Trexler and Nathan Luan. Two years later Mr. Miller sold out his interest in the ore business and devoted himself for a time exclusively to his railroad business.

A short time after resigning his position as station agent, he accepted that of salesman for the sale of hard and soft coal for the firm of Percy Heilner & Son, of Philadelphia, which position he held for eight years. Then, he and his son, Harvey A. Miller, accepted work as sales agents for the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co., a position in which he continued until six years later, when the company decided to sell all their products direct and to dispense with sales agents. This closed Mr. Mil- ler's active participation in business although not his active

National Bank of Reading, a position he still holds. In 1878 he was one of the incorporators of the borough of Topton and is now holding the position of councilman, to which he was elected in 1905. For fully fifteen years he · served as a school director, and his advice has been asked and his judgment consulted in almost all that has par- ticularly concerned the development of the town's various public interests. For two terms he served as a justice of the peace. In 1904 he helped to organize the Crown Knit- ting Company of Topton, now employing about one hun- dred hands, and turning out about 12,000 half hose a day, shipping their product all over the United States.

On Oct. 20, 1865, Mr. Miller was married, by Rev. A. J. Herman, to Eliza A. Kuhns, of Maxatawny township, daughter of Solomon and Mary Ann (Becker ) Kuhns. To this marriage two sons were born, namely : Milton Robert, born Aug. 20, 1866; and Harvey Albert, born June 15, 1868. The older son married Ida L. Sell, daughter of Daniel K. and Mary (Knab) Sell, and they have one daughter, Pauline, born March 24, 1891. The younger son married Jennie C. Trexler, daughter of Charles D. and Catherine ( Haas) Trexler, and they have two children, Marie K. and Mae E.

Mr. Miller was baptized April 20, 1845, by Rev. Charles Herman, and his sponsors were Amos Clouser and his wife Esther. He was confirmed in the fall of 1861, by Rev. Charles Herman, and became a member of the Ger- man Reformed Church of Maxatawny, called Siegfried's Church. He is one of the seven men who, forty years ago, organized the Topton Union Sunday school (and was for many years its superintendent), which was the nucleus of St. Paul's Church, now a flourishing body of Topton.

FREDERICK LEAF SMITH, A. B., A. M. (deceased), represented the third generation of his family devoted to the legal profession and was himself for many years a prominent member of the Berks county Bar. He was a son of the late Henry W. Smith, grandson of Judge Frederick Smith, and great-grandson of Rev. John Fred- erick Smith, an eminent pioneer of the Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania.

Judge Frederick Smith was one of the most distinguished citizens of his time in Berks county. He was born in 1773, received unusual educational advantages for the time, and after careful preparation for the profession of law was admitted to practice Aug. 7, 1795. He had been thorough in his studies and was equally conscientious in the preparation of his cases, and he soon won a prom- inent position among the lawyers of his day. Like many others of his profession he became interested and active in politics. From 1802 to 1803 he was a member of the Legislature : in 1818 he was appointed deputy attorney gen- eral for Berks county, a position he held for three years; from 1823 to 1828 he was attorney general of the State under Governor Shulze, by whom he was appointed asso- ciate justice of the Supreme court of the State in 1828, and this honorable position he filled with great credit until his death. Judge Smith was clear and logical in his reasonings, and just and impartial in his decisions. He died at his home in Reading, after but a brief illness, Oct. 5, 1830, aged fifty-seven years. seven months, four days, and his remains were interred in the Roman Catholic cemetery, but later removed to the Charles Evans cemetery. The Bar Associations in Reading and in Philadelphia passed resolutions in testimony of his high character and distinguished ability. He married Catharine Leaf.

Henry W. Smith, son of Judge Frederick Smith, was born Jan. 4, 1804. He received the benefit of a good literary education, studied law under the wise and able instruction of his father, and was admitted to the Bar Jan. 5. 1825. He became an active politician, and was a delegate to the State Democratic conventions of 1832, 1835, 1841, 1844 and 1846, and to the National Democratic convention in 1835. In 1836 he was a candidate for Con- gress : in 1843 and 1844 he served as a member of the Legislature, and again in 1846 became a candidate for

Fred euch Seaf Smith.

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BIOGRAPHICAL

Congressional honors. his party for the office of president judge. In his pro- fession, like his father, he attained high rank, and he had from the first an extensive practice. The successes that came to him were the result of careful, painstaking work, and he was a student as long as he lived of what he considered the "noblest profession on earth." In 1873 he gave able service to the State as a member of the Constitutional convention. He died Aug. 27, 1878, and he was survived by his wife, Mary, and one son, F. Leaf. Mrs. Smith was born Dec. 11, 1811, and died March 2, 1881.

F. Leaf Smith was born Aug. 31, 1831, and received his early education in the public schools of Reading. During the late forties he entered Georgetown (D. C.) College, from which he was graduated in 1854 with the degree of A. B., after an unusually bright course. His literary gifts were notable, particularly his ability .as a poet, and on the day of his graduation he had the honor of deliver- ing a discourse on "The Influence of Philosophy" before President Pierce, who was present at the commencement exercises. In 1858 he received the degree of A. M. from his alma mater. After leaving college Mr. Smith took up the study of law for which he had inherited aptitude, which was greatly strengthened and developed by his con- stant association with his father, while the latter continued in active practice. Owing to the fact that his father had acquired a competent estate and he was the only child, there was an absence of that incentive to full development of his powers so essential to the average man, but not- withstanding this absence of the spur of necessity Mr. Smith practised his profession with commendable diligence and remarkable success, continuing for a number of years. He was a wise counselor, a diligent student of his cases, and an adroit trial lawyer, and as long as he maintained his interest in the practice of the law stood in the front rank of the profession, becoming one of the most prom- inent members of the legal fraternity in his section. That he was not merely a lawyer is shown in the fact that he added to his professional attainments a varied and sound knowledge of business, and possessed the prompt and practical judgment which rendered his opinions as a man of affairs valuable in the management of his own business as well as that of his clients.

In personal integrity, in inflexible devotion to the inter- est of his clients, in urbanity of feeling and bearing to his professional brethren, in his respect for the law when it was declared by the court, and in his habitual deference to the judiciary, he was a model for imitation, The benevolent feelings of his heart were displayed by regular and unostentatious giving to charitable objects, and his sympathy with the beauties of nature by his interest in the systematic culture of plants and flowers. His private life was one of remarkable purity, sincerity and unflinching honesty.

On July 2, 1879. Mr. Smith married Mary Coulter, and they had one child, Marie Carroll, who resides in the old family home on South Fifth street, Reading, where Mr. Smith passed away April 10, 1898.

ADAM F. E. GRILL, one of the foremost citizens of Cumru township, Berks county, resides in the borough of Shillington, Pa., in a fine residence at the northwest cor- ner of Lancaster and Wyomissing avenues. He was born on his father's farm, now the property of Joshua Dives, Jan. 28, 1857, son of Levi and Mary (Eshelman) Grill.

Philip Grill, great-grandfather of Adam F. E., was an extensive land owner in Spring township, having fully 255 acres. He died on the farm on which he had resided all of his life, and his remains were interred at Sinking Spring burying-ground, as were those of his wife, whose maiden name was Lesher. They had these children : Christina mar- ried Philip Kappes; Samuel obtained the original home- stead, erected the present buildings upon it, and then re- moved to Ohio; John was given another of the old home- steads, later removed to Centre county, Pa .. and then fol- lowed Samuel to Ohio; Katie m. Jacob Hatt: Eliza m. Jacob Brossman, and removed to Naperville, Ill .; Adam;

Twice he was the candidate of Philip m. Sarah Mohn, sister of Catherine Mohn; and Joseph.

Adam Grill, grandfather of Adam F. E., was born in Spring township, and was a lifelong farmer, owning the farm now in the possession of our subject, where he lived the major portion of his life. He married Catherine Mohn, who bore him the following ten children : Samuel settled at Bowmansville, Lancaster county; Catherine m. Christian Kress; Elizabeth m. Henry Von Neida; Mary m. Richard Hornberger; Levi; Sallie m. Nicholas Mosser; Adam lived on the old homestead; Lydia m. James Leininger; Daniel was a tax collector of Reading, Pa .; and Henry . resided at Oakbrook, Cumru township.

Levi Grill, father of Adam F. E., was born in Cumru township, Nov. 5, 1830, and his entire life was spent in agricultural pursuits. For many years he lived on the Lancaster Pike, midway between the Five Mile House and Gouglersville, his fine farm consisting of 100 acres. He built the present home upon it in 1874, the barn being built by his father, Adam Grill, in 1838. This property has a good meadow of twelve acres, eight acres of woodland, and an excellent spring of clear water. In 1853 Mr. Grill was married to Mary Eshelman, daughter of Daniel and Lydia . (Heberling) Eshelman, and to this union there were born two sons: John E., a well known merchant of Read- ing; and Adam F. E.

Adam F. E. Grill received his education in the public schools of his native township, and at the Keystone State Normal school, Kutztown, Pa. At the early age of fifteen years he began teaching school in the village of Mohnsville, when there was but one school at that place. He finished one term there, after which he taught in different other schools in Cumru and Spring townships and then went back to Mohnsville and took charge of the grammar school there to teach his twenty-third and last term, when the hamlet had grown to be a large town. His long career as an educator was begun in 1872, when D. B. Brunner was county superintendent, and he became well and favorably known as a pedagogue. During the summer months Mr. Grill worked upon his father's farm, where he had spent his boyhood days. In politics Mr. Grill is a Democrat, and in 1892-3 he was elected township committeman, and in the latter years was elected county chairman of the Demo- cratic party, a position he filled with efficiency for a full term. He was the last judge of election of Cumru town- ship when it had over 800 voters, it being then divided inro five voting precincts.

On Feb. 18, 1895, Assistant U. S. Treasurer W. B. Bigler of Philadelphia appointed Mr. Grill to a respon- sible clerkship in the Philadelphia U. S. Sub-Treasury, and in this position he has served most acceptably ever since. His work consists of counting and assorting money, and in the last fourteen years he has handled hundreds of millions of dollars. He has charge of the Assorting Tel- ler's desk. For the past ten years he has made daily trips from his home in Shillington to Philadelphia. In 1899 Mr. Grill built his fine residence at Shillington, it- being one of the most beautiful and substantial brick residences of the place, and in 1903 he erected two fine brick residences on Lancaster avenue on a side lot of his residence property. He has two other good houses on Lancaster avenue, one of brick and the other frame, and he has also obtained the old .Grill homestead, which belonged to his grandfather and father, in which the latter was born.

On Jan. 27, 1877, Mr. Grill was married to Mary Huyett, daughter of Garson and Eva (Gaul) Huyett, and grand- daughter of John and Elizabeth (Hartman) Huyett, an old and honored family of Berks county. No children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Grill. Mr. Grill stands high in the esteem of his fellow-citizens, and is one of the most substantial men of his locality and an influential molder of public opinion in his township.

ISAAC UNGER, late of Windsor township, Berks county, was a great-grandson of Christopher Unger, the first of the name in this country, of whom we have the following record :

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

(I) Christian Unger emigrated to America in the ship "Edinburgh," landing at Philadelphia Sept. 19, 1752. In 1756 he was a taxable resident of Greenwich township, Berks county. He had these children: Michael, who was a taxable in Greenwich township in 1759; John, who settled in the vicinity of Shamokin, Pa .; Herman ; one son ( name unknown) who settled in Maryland; Susanna, m. to John Schappel; Elizabeth, m. to George Heffley; and Mrs. Christian Reeser.

(II) Herman Unger was born in Greenwich township. He married Elizabeth Keim, and they had the following child- ren : Daniel, who settled in Windsor township; Samuel, who also settled in Windsor township; Jacob, who settled in Wabash county, Ind .; Abraham, who settled in Sandusky county, Ohio; Christina, who married John Hollenbach : and Mrs. Coleman.

(III) Daniel Unger, son of Herman, married Elizabeth Smith, and their only son was Isaac Unger, late of Wind- sor township.

(IV) Isaac Unger was born Jan. 22, 1829, and died March 16, 1884. On Nov. 18, 1849, he married Syria Weidman, who was born in Windsor township April 17, 1828. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Unger resided on his farm of 206 acres, about one mile east of Shoemakersville -- one of the best farms in Perry township. Here they prospered and reared their family. Mr. Unger left his widow and children a large estate. He never held any political office, but was active in the church, for several terms serving as one of the trustees of the Lutheran congregation at Shoe- makersville.

Mrs. Syria Unger was the daughter of John and Mag- dalena (Kauffman) Weidman, and was educated in the schools of her district. She was conversant with both the English and German languages. She was reared in the Dunker faith, but in 1850 she and her husband became members of the Lutheran Church, to which faith she after- ward adhered. After Mr. Unger's death she resided in the Unger home at Mill and Belleville streets, Shoemakers- ville. She was an intelligent, benevolent woman, and though she lived to advanced age possessed a clear mind and a contented heart. She was the mother of children as follows : John married Ella Teeter; Sarah died at the age of four years; Sylvester died at the age of two years; Catherine, who married Newton Moyer, died in 1900, aged forty-four years; Laura, deceased, married Franklin W. Seidel, M. D., a graduate of the Keystone State Normal School and of the medical department of the University of Michigan, who practised his profession in Chester, Pa., and who at his death left two children, Roy and May; Annie, who married David S. Wolfe, was a teacher and a highly accomplished woman, and died in 1902, aged thirty-nine years; Charles married Sallie Koenig; George W. is a prosperous business man and manufacturer of Boyertown.

(V) GEORGE W. UNGER was born Nov. 10, 1865, in Perry township, Berks county, and was educated in the public schools of the home district. He was reared on the home- stead, but he himself has never followed farming. When fifteen years old he became a clerk in H. K. Miller's gen- eral store at Shoemakersville, where he remained one year, after which he was with J. B. Miller, at Bernville, for two years. He then worked about a year for Filbert & Brother, at Womelsdorf, and he has since been at Boyer- town. His first employer in the borough was C. A. Mory, for whom he clerked a year in his large dry goods store. In the fall of 1888 he engaged in the grocery and shoe business on his own account, locating on North avenue, Reading, and he met with success in this venture, carrying on a retail business for seven years. In the fall of 1896 he commenced his present business, the manufacture of ladies' ribbed underwear, in which line he now employs from fifty to sixty hands the year round. He is established in a brick factory, 80 x 38 feet in dimensions, three stories in height, and the business has grown to such an extent that it is considered a factor in the commercial importance of Boyertown. In addition to this, his principal interest, Mr. Unger has been identified with others in enterprises affecting the advancement of the town, and he was one of

the organizers and charter members of the Boyertown Electric Company, which was chartered in August, 1908, and is capitalized at $35,000. Mr. Unger is president of the company, which is to furnish light, heat and power to the borough, and which has a most promising future. He is a faithful worker for the interests of his community.

On Oct. 24, 1889, Mr. Unger was married to Miss L. Legora Deppen, daughter of Dr. Daniel D. and Isabella (Miller) Deppen, of Bernville, and four children have blessed this union, namely : Earl D., Laura I., John S. and Daniel H. The eldest son, Earl D. Unger, is a student at Mercersburg Academy, class of 1909, is already an ex- pert bookkeeper, and is his father's chief assistant in the manufacturing business. He is a member of the Glee Club. The family reside in a beautiful mansion on Chest- nut street, between Third and Philadelphia avenues, in Boyertown, one of the finest residences in the lower end of the county. Mr. Unger built this home in the summer of 1903. It is constructed of Pennsylvania blue marble from the quarries at King of Prussia, in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Unger and his family are members of St. John's Lutheran Church at Boyertown.

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Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I, Part 117

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846; J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1018

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846; J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1018