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 121

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 121

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Miss Kleinginni sells some of her needle-work and also photographs of herself, and is in comfortable circum- stances. She lives her bright independent life, and finds happiness and contentment in a knowledge of duty done, and she takes great pleasure in her many friends.

CHARLES WANNER SNYDER, a popular citizen of the borough of Kutztown, Pa., who has been known to the people of that city as a professional photographer and artist, was born April 25, 1852. in Kutztown.

476

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Benjamin Snyder, grandfather of Charles W., was a shoemaker of Alsace township, but in later life removed to Kutztown, where he died Dec. 22, 1817, aged eighty-six years, in the old historic house on Walnut street which is now 169 years old. For many years he lived in the house at the corner of West Oak and Walnut streets, which has been remodeled and is now owned and occupied by his grandson, Charles W. Benjamin Snyder married Eliza Binder, whose parents came from Germany, and their children were: John (m. Abbie Strausser) ; Anna (m. George Bossler) ; Samuel; William (m. Matilda Ziegler) ; Mary (m. Frederick Sellsderf) ; Sarah (m. Isaac Ziegler) ; and Daniel (m. Caroline Bieber).

Samuel B. Snyder, son of Benjamin, was born March 30, 1817, in Alsace township, Berks county, and died in December, 1893. Early in life he came to Kutztown, where he learned the trade of shoemaker, an occupation which he followed all of his life. Mr. Snyder married Lydia Adam, daughter of Jacob Adam, of Perry township (whose genealogy appears elsewhere), and to this union were born children as follows : Alinda m. Henry Kemp; Henry and Alfred died in infancy; Catherine was twice married, left one daughter, Minnie Keyser, and died in 1885, in her thirty-fifth year; Charles W .; and Annie died in her twenty-fourth year.

Charles Wanner Snyder was taken by his parents when seven years of age, to Maxatawny township, and there obtained his early education in a select school near Roth- rocksville, and later at the Siegersville Academy, which was in charge of Prof. George H. Heffner. He then attended the Keystone State Normal school, after leaving which he learned the trade of harness-making which, how- ever, he pursued for but one year. Mr. Snyder had learned shoemaking at home, and this he followed for a few years only. After leaving school he learned, during spare mioments, the art of photography with James Eck, and this he has followed to the present time with much suc- cess. He also learned free-hand crayon work under Miss Clara Hartman, now the talented wife of Dr. Samuel A. Baer, Ph. D. Mr. Snyder is a scenic artist of some note and a skilled sign painter. Since 1872 he has, however, given the greater part of his time to photography.

Mr. Snyder is the honored president of the town council, a position which he has held for five years, having been Democratic member of the borough council for the past six years. He and his family are members of St. Paul Reformed Church, of which he is an elder. Mr. Snyder is very public-spirited, it being through his quick action that the grove which is now famous Kutztown Park was saved from the woodmen. Mr. Snyder began the move- ment for the saving of the park through public subscrip- tions and in this he was very successful.

On Nov. 22, 1877, Mr. Snyder married Sallie A. Jackson, daughter of Charles H. and Amanda (Busby) Jackson ; and to this union have been born these children : L. Girl m. Albert Lesher, now deceased, and has two children Carl and Earl; Annie A. m. Wayne Hammel, and has had two children. W. Errol and Robert E. (died when two years old) : Grace E. died in her fourth year; James E. died in infancy; Sadie E. graduated at the age of sev- enteen years from the Keystone State Normal School; and Mary R., George C. and Walter E. are at home. Mrs. Snyder died Feb. 8, 1909.

STRUNK-STRUNCK. A Strunck family lived, as is supposed from all accounts, in Upper Engelheim, in what is termed Rhine Prussia, on the west side of the river Rhine on or near the river Moselle, between the towns of Trier and Coblentz, about 50 degrees north latitude and about 7 degrees east longitude, from Greenwich. This family left two sons, Andrum and John Wyant. Andrum died in 1714.

(I) John (Johan) Wyant Strunck, the ancestor wlio founded this old family in Berks county, was born in 1693. He came to America in the ship "Phoenix," land- ing at Philadelphia Oct. 20, 1744. There were 104 pas- sengers on board this ship. Coming on to Berks county, he settled in Heidelberg township, engaged in farming, and

was successful in tilling the soil. He reared a large family to follow in his footsteps, and his descendants reside in that section of Berks county as well as in the southeastern part, and are numbered among the most representative people of this portion of the Keystone State. Johan Wyant Strunck spent his last years at the home of his son Lorentz, where he died April 26, 1783, and is buried on the Strunck private burial-ground in Amity township, now almost entirely destroyed, on land formerly owned by Jacob Strunk.

(II) Lorentz Strunck, son of Johan, was the first of the name to locate in Amity township. He, too, was a farmer, and is buried probably in the private burial-ground. One of his sons was Jacob.

(III) Jacob Strunck was a resident of Amity township. He was born Aug. 18, 1761, and died Nov. 1, 1828, aged sixty-seven years, two months, thirteen days. He owned and lived on the farm which is now the property of Frank- lin Sailer. This was the old Strunck homestead in Amity. He was twice married. On Sept. 4, 1792, he married Maria Kutz, and of the eleven children of this union, one died in infancy. He married (second) Caroline Ginder, who came from Germany and was first married to a Mr. Knabb. By her marriage with Mr. Strunck she had one son and one daughter: Samuel and Caroline (m. Elam Kline a farmer of Exeter township, who died and is buried at Schwartzwald Church). Jacob Strunck and his wife are buried side by side in the north corner of the old burial ground at Amityville Church.

.(IV) Amos K. Strunck, youngest son of Jacob and Maria (Kutz) Strunck. was born Nov. 9, 1812, in Amity township. He came to the vicinity of Boyertown, Berks county, at an early age. He married Amelia B. Haws, daughter of John V. R. Haws, and they had five children, three girls and two boys. Amos K. Strunck: took an active interest in public affairs. From historical records it appears that he held official positions .in town, township and county for a period of forty years. He held a commission as justice of the peace for about twenty years in Boyertown. He also published a book of all the persons who held office in Berks county from 1752 to 1860. This work required a great amount of patient re- search and an accuracy that could challenge criticism. The citizens of the county did not fully appreciate the value of his services, but he found much pleasure in the com- pilation, because it added much value to the history of the county in which he spent nearly his whole life.

(V) Oliver H. Strunck, youngest son of Amos K. and Amelia B., was born in New Berlinville, Berks county, Nov. 8, 1847. Unlike his father he did not remain in Berks county, but at an early age traveled over the country so that he had the advantage of seeing at least fifteen of the states in the United States. He came back to Berks county at the age of about twenty-three. He attended the Mt. Pleasant Academy, in Boyertown, of which L. M. Koons was principal. Here he prepared for Franklin and Marshall College, at Lancaster, and was graduated from that College in 1877, as valedictorian of his class. In the fall of the same year he entered the Reformed Theological Seminary at Lancaster, and gradu- ated from that Institution in 1880. He was ordained a minister in the Reformed Church at Bloomsburg, Pa .. in the same year. He was called to the Bloomsburg charge and served as their minister four years and a half. He resigned the charge to become the pastor of St. John's Reformed Church at Schuylkill Haven, Pa., and he entered upon his work there Dec. 15, 1884, and has served this congregation for nearly twenty-five years. The member- ship in church and Sunday school, and the benevolence of the people have about doubled in this period. He is the only minister of the gospel in the Strunck fam- ily. He married Josephine L. Rutledge, of Lancaster, Pa. They had five children, two of whom are living, the son in New York City and the daughter at home.

(IV) Samuel Strunk, son of Jacob and Caroline ( Gind- er), was born in Amity township in 1825, and died in 1889. He is buried at Schwartzwald Church in Exeter

477

BIOGRAPHICAL

township. By occupation he was a farmer, and he owned a never happened in the "Gibraltar of Democracy." He died farm of thirty-three' acres in Exeter township. Samuel March 16, 1905, thus ending a short but strenuous life. Strunk was a prominent Democrat, held the office of poor (V) HENRY S. STRUNK is a native of Exeter township, born March 16, 1864, and began his education in the "Old Hill School" in that township. He was only sixteen years old when licensed to teach, and in three terms of teaching in his native township, and by such other opportunities for work as are open to sons of farmers, he saved sufficient money to enable him to take a course at the Keystone State Normal School, at Kutztown, from which he was graduated in 1885. director for Berks county from 1873 to 1876, was super- visor, tax collector, assessor (for thirty-six consecutive years) and school director of his township, and tried to carry out his ideas of good citizenship in every way. He married Maria Snyder (daughter of Samuel Snyder), born in 1822, died in 1905, aged eighty-two years. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Strunk had these children : Jacob S. is mentioned below; Caroline, widow of Peter Glassmoyer, lives at Reading, and has two children, Cora S. (of Read- ing) and Howard S. (of Springfield, Mo.); Mary, now of Reading, married David F. Dunkle, and has two child- ren, Maria S. and Robert S. Dunkle, of Reading; Ammon S. is mentioned below; Samuel S., of Kansas City, was a farmer, but in 1907 sold his farm and now lives retired (he has had three children, Frank R., George R. and Emma R., deceased) ; Henry S. is mentioned below.

This old and representative family is worthy of all hon- or. Its representatives are not only well known through- out Berks county, but are also to be found among the substantial people in various parts of the country.

(V) JACOB S. STRUNK was born July 11, 1847, in Ex- eter township, and was reared upon his father's farm. He alternated going to school and working for his parents until he was eighteen years of age. In 1869 he became foreman of construction on the Oley turnpike, and was thus employed for four years. In 1873 he commenced farming on his own account on the Charles Brenheiser farm in Exeter township. In 1876 he went to the Amos Reiff property, which he farmed three years, and then com- ing to Oley settled on the Jacob Herbein farm, of 135 acres, where he remained for thirteen years, and then bought the old Samuel Hoch farm, one mile west of Griesemers- ville, near Limekiln post-office. Here he has since lived, although in the spring of 1907 he retired from active life. The farm is a fine property, consisting of 135 acres of the most fertile land in the Oley Valley. The barn, 98 feet long, was built in 1823 by Samuel and Elizabeth Hoch, who also built the big stone house, in 1808. Politically Mr. Strunk is a Democrat, and was school director of Oley township for six years. He and his family belong to the Reformed denomination.

In 1870 Mr. Strunk married Lucy Herbein, daughter of Isaac and Susan (Moyer) Herbein, of Exeter town- ship. She died in 1905. They had these children: Sarah Ann m. Charles Cleaver, and died in 1901; Mary m. Ed- ward Kieffer, of Reading; Deborah m. Solomon De Turck, of Oley township; Samuel m. Clara Hartman, and lives in Exeter township; Emma m. Charles Cleaver; Hannah m. James Fisher, who farms his father-in-law's farm in Oley township; Grover, unmarried, resides at home and is now a student attending school; Laura is unmarried.

(V) AMMON S. STRUNK was born May 25, 1854, in Ex- eter township, and there spent his early life working on his father's farm, during the busy seasons also working for neighboring farmers. He received his education in the local common schools, which he attended during the winter time, and later taught school, doing excellent work in that profession in his young manhood. He graduated from the Lock Haven State Normal School in 1878. Later he was a valuable public servant, having been ap- pointed census enumerator in 1880; in 1881 he was appointed deputy sheriff; in 1883 became deputy to the clerk of the Orphans' court; in 1884 was elected register of wills, serving a term of three years in that office. While in this office he registered as a law student in the office of D. Nicholas Schaeffer, Esq., and later was admitted to the Bar.

In the fall of the same year his brother, Ammon S. Strunk, appointed him deputy register of wills, and he remained in the office for sixteen consecutive years, during three of which-1891-92-93-he filled the office of register with signal credit and ability. Resigning the position of de- puty register of wills in the fall of 1901, Mr. Strunk ac- cepted a position as teller in the Neversink Bank of Read- ing, then being organized. He served in this position until October, 1908, when he was elected cashier of the bank. By virtue of his able service in the various positions of trust he has filled, Mr. Strunk is well and favorably known throughout the county.

On April 6, 1896, Mr. Strunk married Sarah Trimble Dwight, a daughter of Francis G. and Ida (Hoeckly) Dwight, of Reading: To this union have been born three. children : Grace D., Blanche D. and Henry D.

SAMUEL L. DUNKLE, broker, located at No. 703 Penn street, and residing at No. 136 North Eighth street, Reading, is a native of Berks county, born in Bern town- ship, Dec. 17, 1851.

His parents were David and Catherine (Lesher) Dun- kle, farming people in Ontelaunee township, this county, and his grandfather was Michael Dunkle; his great-grand- father was Peter Dunkle, whose remains rest in the old burying grounds of Dunkle's Church, Greenwich town- ship, Berks county. The ancestors were from Germany, the arrival in America being in or about 1725.

David and Catherine (Lesher) Dunkle died in 1866 and 1868, respectively, and are buried in the old cemetery at Gernant's Church, in this county.

Samuel L. Dunkle was left an orphan at the age of seventeen years. He was raised on the farm, and attended the public schools where he mastered all the branches taught at that time. He then attended Dickinson Semin- ary at Williamsport, Pa., for several terms. In 1870-1 he taught public school in Windsor township, Berks Co., Pa., and in 1872-3 he attended the Eastman Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he was graduated in book- keeping and business laws. On March 30, 1873, he secured a clerkship in the general store of Sunday Bros., at Lees- port, Pa., at a salary of $50 per year and board. At the expiration of three months he accepted a position in the general store of James A. Koller at Centreport, Berks county, at $150 per year and board, and on April 1, 1874, he became a member of the Firm of Sunday & Dun- kle, successors to James A. Koller, at Centreport, in the general store business. At the end of four months Mr. Dunkle disposed of his interest in the firm of Sunday & Dunkle, and in September, 1874, he went to Fredericks- burg, Lebanon Co., Pa., and again engaged in the general store business. In 1878 he again disposed of his business and taught public school for two terms in Lebanon county, after which he resided at Myerstown, Pa. In 1881 he traveled quite extensively throughout the far western States, and in February, 1882, he engaged in the Loan and Brokerage Business at No. 703 Penn street, Reading, where he is still to be found in the same line, in which he has been very successful, having a large patronage in the loan business, and a good trade in the sale of watches, diamonds, jewelry, etc. During all these years he has ex- tended his closest attention to his business and patrons, and is noted for his strictly upright methods. In the meantime he is also engaged in other pursuits. During the years of 1896-7-8 he was also engaged in the manufacture of hosiery in the Ammon building, on South Front street.

In 1904, while in the midst of a contest for the nomina- tion for county controller, Mr. Strunk was stricken with paralysis. Though confined in the hospital and unable to direct his campaign personally, his friends almost suc- ceeded in securing him the nomination under his powerful leadership and political sagacity. However, an independent candidate, Dr. H. F. Livingood, was elected by 4,088 majority over the regular nominee-something that had He has been a director of the American Casualty Company

478

HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

of Reading, Pa., since its organization in July, 1902. In March, 1906, he organized the National Porcelain Com- pany, manufacturers of electrical porcelain specialties, in her fourth term in Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania. Trenton, N. J., of which he is president.

On Jan. 30, 1875, Mr. Dunkle married Miss Mary R. Loose, daughter of Abraham and Susan ( Ritter) Loose, of Centre township, Berks county. Three children have been born to them, as follows: Claudius C., a machinist employed in the Navy Yard at Washington, D. C .; Calvin, a musician residing in Trenton, N. J., after five years of musical study in Germany; and Bayard L., also residing in Trenton, N. J., where he is treasurer and general manager of the National Porcelain Company. In 1898 Mr. and Mrs. Dunkle made an extended tour through England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. They are members of the First Reformed Church of Read- ing.

JACOB M. BORDNER. Among the representative citizens of Bernville borough, Berks Co., Pa., one who stands high in the regard of his fellow-men is Jacob M. Bordner, county commissioner, who for more than a quart- er of a century has been conducting the stage route be- tween Bernville and Reading. Mr. Bordner was born Sept. 16. 1854, in Bethel township, son of Percival and Lovina (Miller) Bordner.

Daniel Bordner, grandfather of Jacob M., was a farmer of Bethel township, where he died at the age of forty-five years. He married Catherine Bender, and they had three children : Percival; Isaac, who served as a soldier in the Civil war; and Elizabeth, who married the Rev. Mr. Bixler, a local preacher.

Percival Bordner was born March 23, 1830, and died in 1903, his active life having been spent in Bethel town- ship, although shortly before his death he removed to Myerstown, Pa. He was buried at the Salem churchyard at Millersburg. Mr. Bordner married Lovina Miller, daughter of Daniel and Catherine (Gruber) Miller, of Bethel township, and they had these children: Jacob M .; Kate m1. Israel Frantz, of Bethel township; Percival resides in Cincinnati, Ohio; Theodore died at the age of forty- four years at Myerstown; Daniel lives in New Jersey; John died at the age of three years; Henry lives in the West; and Charles lives in New Jersey.

Jacob M. Bordner attended the public schools of Bethel township and the Palatinate (now Albright) College of Myerstown. After leaving school he engaged in clerking for G. M. F. Rick at Millersburg for three years. After one year spent in clerking for J. B. Miller at Bernville, he began to drive the stage for the late Tobias Barto, of Reading, and in 1880 purchased the stage route, which he has since conducted very successfully. He also does a large produce business, conducts a grocery store and butch- ering husiness, and is one of the best known business men of his locality. Mr. Bordner was elected to the office of borough assessor six years, served as tax collector five years, constable twenty-three years, and school director for twelve years, six years of which time he was treasurer and one year secretary of the board. He was a committee- man for eighteen years, served eleven years as county delegate, in 1893 was appointed mercantile appraiser, and was nominated by the Democratic party at the pri- mary election, April 11, 1908, to the office of county com- missioner ; he had a majority of 2,136 votes above the second highest nominee, and was elected to said office Nov. 3, 1908. His religious belief is that of the Lutheran Church. Socially he is connected with Camp No. 113, P. O. S. of A. and Consistory No. 15; Lodge No. 122, I. O. O. F., Bern- ville; Schaefferstown Castle, K. G. E .; Good Fellows of Stouchsburg; and Rebekah Lodge at Leesport, and at the time of the organization of the Bernville Fire Com- pany, was a member of that body.

In 1878 Mr. Bordner married Ellen H. Bright, daugh- ter of Amandon and Clara (Hain) Bright, and they have had three children: John A., who died aged two years, five months, twenty-one days; Harry A., telegraph operator at Robesonia; and Clara A., who graduated from the Key- stone State Normal school at Kutztown at the age of

seventeen years, taught four years in Bernville, Berks county, and one year in Bucks county. and is now teaching

JOHN P. S. FENSTERMACHER. On Sept. 9, 1738, the ship "Glasgow," Walter Sterling, master, arrived at the port of Philadelphia from Rotterdam. Among the emigrants on board were Mathias Fenstermacher, aged sixty year's ; Jacob Fenstermacher, aged twenty-nine years; and Wilhelm Fenstermacher, aged twenty-five years. Where these three Germans settled is not definitely known, but it is probable it was in Longswamp, Berks county, for in 1756 there appeared upon the tax list of that town- ship three Fenstermachers, Mathias, Jacob and Philip.

As near as can be ascertained one of these early taxables -probably Jacob-had a son John who married Elizabeth Kutz, and settled in the vicinity of Orwigsburg, Schuyl- kill county. John Fenstermacher and Elizabeth Kutz, his wife, were the parents of fifteen children, thirteen of whom grew to maturity. Four of their sons, Daniel, Hugh, John and Jacob, lived all their days in Schuylkill county, and many of their descendants are yet residing there. Daniel and John were married twice. A daughter Eliza- beth married a man named Aughinbaugh and lived at Le- banon; Lidy married a man named Ducer, and Barbara married a man named Dietrich. Lidy and Barbara are still living, the former in Pottsville, and the latter in Tower City. Two other daughters, Sarah and Rebecca, were also married and they lived in Schuylkill county, but further information concerning them is lacking.

A son named William, who was the ninth child of this large family, married and settled at Shippensburg. He died in June, 1898, in the seventy-fourth year of his age, and his descendants are still living in that town.

John and Elizabeth (Kutz) Fenstermacher had a son named Joseph who was born at Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, Feb. 10, 1816. He grew to young manhood at Orwigsburg, then went to Reading, and learned carriage building. Shortly after completing his trade, he located permanently at Lebanon, where he followed his trade dur- ing most of his active years, and always bore the reputation of being a skilled and satisfactory workman. Later in life he engaged in the restaurant business, and for about fifteen years was also a tipstaff in the courts. He was a person of fine physique, measuring six feet in height. He was good-natured and generous, and participated freely in politics, which along with his character and duties of his several occupations, made him one of the best known and most popular men in Lebanon county. Joseph Fenster- macher married Mrs. Louisa Goshert, widow of Henry Goshert, and daughter of Col. Jacob and Elizabeth (Leisen- ring) Shindel, a descendant of brilliant ancestry. In 1678 there lived in Gemmelsbach, Providence of Erbach, Ger- many, Conrad von Schindel, and his wife Barbara. On Oct. 16, 1685, there was born to them a son, whom they named Johann Conrad. This Johann Conrad von Schindel, on Jan. 10, 1710, married Susanna Trexler, and by her had ten children, the youngest of whom was a son named Johann Peter, who was born in Euerlebach, Germany, Feb. 28, 1732. In 1751 this Johann Peter von Schindel came to America in the ship "Neptune," landing at Phila- delphia Sept. 24, 1751. He settled where now is the city of Lebanon, Pa .. and long afterward was engaged on the side of the colonies in the Revolutionary war. He died in Lebanon May 29, 1784. In America most of his descendants have omitted the letter "c" from Schindel, preferring to spell it Shindel, and the title "von" has been dropped by all of them. Johann Peter Shindel married Anna Margretta Gephart, and had eight children, the eldest of whom was a son, John Peter, born Aug. 21, 1766. He also was a soldier of the Revolution, afterward served as a member of the State Legislature, as justice of the peace for many years, and from 1823 to 1826, chief burgess of Lebanon. This John Peter Shindel was gen- erally known as Peter Shindel, and so always signed his name. He died Sept. 17, 1829. He married Anna Maria Mengas, of Snyder county, and by her had eleven children. The third of these eleven children was a son

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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 121

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