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 141

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 141

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In 1874 Mr. Albright married Mary A. Kissinger, daugh- ter of A. S. Kissinger, now deceased, and six children were born to this union, three of whom survive: William A., Howard and L. Annie. The other three children died in in- fancy. Not only in business circles has Mr. Albright been prominently connected, but in politics as well, being a stanch Democrat and at one time school controller of the First ward. He has attended both county and State con- ventions, and is regarded as a strong party man in this sec- tion. Fraternally he is connected with Lodge No. 115, B. P. O. E., and Teutonia Lodge No. 367, F. & A. M., and the Liberty Fire Company.

GEORGE M. GRAEFF, general manager of Kline & Eppihimer's department store of Reading, was born in this city Jan. 30, 1840, son of John and grandson of Jacob Graeff.

Jacob Graeff was born in Maiden-creek township, Berks county. He married a Miss Schaeffer and they had three sons : William, of Reading; Frederick and John.

John Graeff, son of Jacob, was born at Reading in 1804,; and died in that city in November, 1876. By trade he was a wool hat maker, and followed his calling many years. In religious faith he was a member of the Reformed church, and he is buried in the Charles Evans cemetery. His wife was Catherine Stahle, daughter of Major Will- iam Stahle, a prominent citizen of Reading, who from 1838 to 1849 served Berks county as coroner. Among other things he wrote a business history of Berks county that is regarded as one of the best records of the earlier records of the county in existence. Mr. and Mrs. John Graeff had these children : Sarah; Joseph; Mary; Susan ; Marks; George M .; Catherine, m. to Henry J. Reiff, of Reading; Rebecca and Rosa, all deceased except George M. and Catherine.

George M. Graeff was educated in the public schools of Reading, and was one of the first pupils to attend the Read- ing high school, but he left before completing his course to earn his living. He became a bundle boy, now called

cash boy, with Hain & Gernant, who conducted a store in the Odd Fellows hall on Penn street, now called Library hall, and was still in the employ of this firm when they retired from business. He was then employed with Asa M. Hart, a dry goods merchant on Penn square, but after several years his employer died. In 1870 he connected himself with the concern of which he is now general mana- ger, as bookkeeper, and was gradually promoted until in 1885 he became general manager which responsible po- sition he still holds.

Mr. Graeff was a member of the old Salome Lodge of Odd Fellows until it was suspended. He is a member of the Order of Red Men; of Keim Post, No. 76, G. A. R., and takes a deep interest in Post work, he having served as a private in Company H, 11th Pa. V. I. Mr. Graeff and his family are members of St. James Lutheran church, and since 1895 Mr. Graeff has been a member of the vestry. For many years he has sung in the choir, and he takes a deep and active interest in church affairs.

In 1863 Mr. Graeff was married to Hannah Morris, daughter of Israel Morris of Reading. They have two children : Charles C., of Reading, m. Susan Bechtel, and has two children-George and Leonore; Edna m. George A. Snyder, of Pine Grove, now of Reading, and has two children-Donald and Josephine.

JOHN NEWTON BOWER, assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Birdsboro, was born on the Bower homestead along the Monocacy creek in Amity township, Berks county, adjoining the Perkiomen turn- pike, Feb. 7, 1856. He attended the township schools and the Oley Academy. In 1875 he passed a creditable examination given by the county superintendent of schools, and received from him a certificate authoriz- ing him to teach, but he did not follow the profession.

Shortly afterward he entered the employ of the E. & G. Brooke Iron Company, at Birdsboro, Pa., as a nailer, and he continued there until 1891. The direc- tors of the First National Bank of Birdsboro then selected him as their bookkeeper, and he filled this position until March, 1905, when he was promoted to assistant cashier. He is identified with the Birdsboro Building & Loan Association, and also with the pub- lic school affairs of the borough as a director.

Daniel Bower, his father, was a farmer on the home- stead in Amity township, for upward of fifty years, having been previously employed as a forgeman at the Gibraltar forge. Besides carrying on farming, he was actively engaged in conducting a sawmill, on the prem- ises, which was run by water power, supplied by the Monocacy creek. He died in 1894, aged eighty-seven years. He married Elizabeth Matilda Lewis (daugh- ter of Archibald and Catharine (Coulter) Lewis, of Robeson township), who was of Welsh ancestry and the descendant of a well known Quaker family. She died in 1868, aged fifty-seven years. They are both buried in the St. John's Church Yard, Robeson town- ship. They had seven children: Catharine (1833-1889) m. John W. Hartranft; Jacob L. (1834), who lives on the homestead, m. Sarah Babb; Justina (1837) is living at Birdsboro; Samuel L. (1842-1908) m. Amanda Ludwig, and they moved to Wilmington, Del .. about 1880, where he died; Susan M. (1845) m. William R. Potts, a farmer of Amity township, who died in 1888, and after his decease, she moved to Birdsboro, where she now resides; Lewis A. (1848) m. Justina Johnson, and resides in Wilmington, Del., and John Newton. The parents were thrifty and industrious, were widely known and universally esteemed for their sterling qualities of heart and mind.

Jacob Bower, or Bauer, as the name was then spelled, the grandfather, was a farmer of Amity township, having inherited his farm of ninety acres from his grandfather, Moses Bower. He died in 1867, aged eighty-six years. He married Susanna Happel, who died. Dec. 28, 1854. They had ten children: Daniel, m. to Elizabeth Matilda Lewis; John, m. to Anna Bush; Jacob H., m. to Matilda Bush; William, m. to Catharine

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Boyer; Elizabeth, m. to William Up degrove; Hannah, old, operated by water power supplied by the Monocacy m. to Jacob Moyer; Mary Ann, m. to Benjamin Rhoads; Catharine, m. to David Scheetz; Susanna; and Samuel, who died young.

Moses Bower, the great-grandfather, when a child emigrated from Germany with his parents. He was twice married, and was the father of nine children, as follows: Jacob, Elizabeth, Moses, George, Daniel, Samuel, David, John and Michael.

Moses Bower, the great-great-grandfather, and his wife Catharine and four children, Michael, John, Moses and Labright, were the first settlers of this family in America. They arrived in Philadelphia, Sept. 10, 1753. In 1772, he purchased 1372 acres of land in Amity township, a large part of which constitutes the present Bower homestead. He died in 1805, and was survived by his widow, one son Michael and twenty-nine grand- children. He provided amply for his widow. and to his son Michael and grandson Jacob, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch. he bequeathed his farm to be divided in equal portions subject to certain cash payments on the part of said son Michael and grand- son Jacob, to his grandchildren. He was buried at Amityville in the old burying ground connected with the Lutheran and Reformed Church.

JOHN LINCOLN BOWER, M. D., was born in Amity township, Berks county, on the Bower home- stead, July 12, 1865. The Bower homestead is nart of a five hundred-acre tract of land purchased by Otto Earnest Koch from the commissioners of William Penn, by patent bearing the date of June 11, 1705. This property was given and granted by said Otto Earnest Koch to his son Zacharias (who signed his name Zacharias Cock) by a grant dated the "Thirteenth day of Aprill in the Fourth year of the Reign of our Sovorain Lord King George, Anno Dom. 1718" and remained in his possession until March 10, 1723, when it was acquired by John Waren, who dying without issue, April 24, 1734, bequeathed 150 acres of said property to his brother Jacob Waren. On March 10, 1764, 113 acres of this tract of land were sold by Jacob Waren and his wife Ann to their son Thomas (who signed his name Warren). Thomas Waren or Warren was possessed of additional property, for the records show that April 13, 1772, he and his wife Eva sold 1374 acres of land to Moses Bauer (since Anglicized to Bower) the great-great-great-grandfather of Dr. Bower, for a consideration of £480 7s. 6d.

Moses Bower was not the first of his family to hold property in this section, for on June 27. 1763, Ja- cob Waren sold to Michael Bower, eldest son of Moses Bower, thirty acres of land, but May 7, 1767. this was purchased by Eleanor Lotz. Moses Bower died in 1805, and in a will dated March 14th, of the same year, he bequeathed his "plantation" in equal shares to his only surviving son Michael and his grand- son Jacob, son of Moses Bower, and great-grand- father of Dr. Bower-Michael to have the lower half and the grandson Jacob to have the remaining portion of the "plantation." By reason of these bequests cer- tain cash payments were required to be made by said Michael and Jacob to the widow and grandchildren of Moses Bower.

Upon the death of Michael Bower in 1823 the prop- erty passed to his son Jacob, who retained possession until March 13, 1839, when it was purchased by Daniel Bower (grandfather of Dr. Bower) and his brother Jacob H. On April 1, 1847, Daniel became the sole owner and so remained until Nov. 8, 1882, when the property was bought by Jacob L. Bower. the present owner and the father of the subject of this biograph- ical sketch. The farm now consists of 104 acres, com- posed largely of the portion bequeathed by Moses Bower to his son Michael, and lies on both sides of what was formerly known as the Reading and Perki- omen Pike, the main highway from Reading to Phila- delphia, and is intersected by the Monocacy creek. A landmark of the place is a sawmill more than a century

creek and is widely known as Bower's sawmill. The original structure stands today. and the mill is still in use. Many Indian relics have been found on the farm, bearing mute testimony that prior to the coming of the white pioneer, this must have been a favored locality for the Red Man.

The great-great-great-grandfather of Dr. Bower, Moses Bauer, or Bower as the name is now spelled, and his wife Catharine and four children-Michael, John, Moses and Labright-were the first of this fam- ily to come to America. and came from Germany, landing in Philadelphia, Sept. 10, 1753. Moses Bower died in 1805, and was survived by his wife, one son Michael and twenty-nine grandchildren. He was in- terred in the old graveyard at Amityville.

The great-great-grandfather, Moses, was the third son of his father Moses. He was twice married, and was the father of nine children: Jacob. Elizabeth, Moses, George, Daniel, Samuel. David, ,John and Michael.

Jacob Bower, the great-grandfather, was born Oct. 16, 1781, and was the eldest child of Moses and Bar- bara (Frederick) Bower. He was married to Susanna Happel who died Dec. 28, 1854. They had ten chil- dren: Daniel. John. Jacob H .. William, Elizabeth (m. William Updegrove), Hannah (m. Jacob Moyer), Mary Ann (m. Benjamin Rhoads), Catharine (m. Da- vid Scheetz), and Susanna and Samuel died in early life.

Daniel Bower, his grandfather. was born Oct. 17, 1807, in Amity township, and died March 30, 1894. He married Elizabeth Matilda Lewis, of Robeson town- ship, who died Jan. 13, 1868, aged fifty-seven years. They are buried in St. John's Church Yard, in Robe- son township. There were seven children born to them as follows: Catharine, deceased, m. to John W. Hartranft; Jacob L .; Samuel L., deceased; Justina, living in Birdsboro; Lewis A., of Wilmington, Del .; Susan M .. widow of William R. Potts, Birdsboro, Pa .; and John N., Birdsboro, Pennsylvania.

Jacob L. Bower, father of Dr. Bower. was born Nov. 23, 1834, in Robeson township. He resides on the old homestead. Mr. Bower for many years con- ducted the farm and sawmill with unusual success, but for some years he has lived retired. Some years ago, Mr. Bower served his township as school director. He is a solid, substantial and progressive man, and has always endeavored to live up to his high ideals of good citizenship. On November 4, 1860. he married Sarah Babb, daughter of the late John and Mary (DeHart) Babb. of Alsace township. They had these children, and all survive: Dr. Elmer E., a dentist of Camden, N. J .; Emma; Dr. John L. and Mary S.

Dr. Bower attended the public schools of his dis- trict and this was supplemented by several terms at the Amityville Seminary, following which he taught his home school, Leopard No. 4, for one term. He was graduated from the Jefferson Medical College in 1888, and became a resident physician at the Philadelphia Hospital, and remained there for a little more than fif- teen months. After this he entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. and is one of its oldest medical examiners, having been located in Reading since Oct. 15, 1892.

Dr. Bower is a member of the Berkshire Country Club, the Wyomissing Club, the Union League of Philadelphia, and the Pennsylvania German Society. Professionally lie is a member of the Reading Medical Association, the Berks County Medical Society, the Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania, The American Medical Association and is a member of the Medical Staff of the Reading Hospital.

GOETZ. Among the leading business enterprises of Reading, Pa., is that of Ferdinand Goetz Sons Company, with main offices at No. 26 Spruce street, New York City.

The business now conducted by this firm was first es- tablished in Reading in 1869, by Winters & Blotz. Mr. Ferdinand Goetz, who was admitted to the firm upon Mr.

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BIOGRAPHICAL

Blotz's retirement, was born in Germany in 1850, and we do not know. The other brother, Werner, was the emigrated to America in 1868, first settling in Maryland, ancestor of the Stamms of Berks county. He was born Nov. 13, 1726, in Bern, Switzerland, and died May 16, 1795. He settled in what is now Bern township, in 1763, obtaining a large tract of land in the vicinity of Mount Pleasant, in this county, where he lived and died. He and his wife are buried at the old Bern Church. He married May, 26, 1748, Catharine, born in 1728, died Nov. 4, 1812. Among his children were two sons named Nicholas and Frederick, the latter the next in the line of descent we are tracing. and finding employment as a farm laborer. In 1870 he came to Reading, here finding employment as a laborer in the building trade. He then secured a position as re- porter on the German Daily Post, owned and published by Mr. William Rosenthal, but finally he became ac- quainted with the firm of Winters & Blotz. Upon Mr. Blotz's retirement, Mr. Winters offered Mr. Goetz an equal interest in the business, which the latter subse- quently accepted. From the start the business prospered, and from a poor farm laborer Ferdinand Goetz became (II) Frederick Stamm, son of Werner, the emigrant ancestor, had the following children: John; Frederick; Jacob; Catharine married Abraham Good; Mary m. Dr. Schwartz; Maria Magdalena m. Peter Bright (1793-1877). one of Reading's best-known business men. At the time he joined the firm they were operating their tannery at the foot of Jefferson street, but in 1882 it was removed to its present quarters, formerly occupied by the Fink Planing Mill Company. Here the business was conduct- (III) John Stamm, son of Frederick, had these children : Benjamin; John; Levi; Henry; William; Lydia m. George Staudt; Maria m. Jonathan Eberling; Catharine m. John Billman; Julian m. Joseph Greth; Cassia m. - - Bohn ; Eliza died unmarried. ed under the style of Winters & Goetz until 1904, when Mr. Goetz died, the business being reorganized into a stock company under the style of The Ferdinand Goetz Sons Company, with the following officers; Fred W. Goetz, president; W. C. Billman, secretary and treasurer ; and Karl Goetz, George Rumer and Charles E. Miller, as members of the corporation. This company manufac- tures the white and fancy colored alum tanned lamb, sheep, calf skins and hides for suspender, shoe and belt work, and white and fancy colored slipper calf as special- ties, their straight line bearing a world-wide reputation. Each member of the firm is an expert in the business, and takes an active part in conducting one of the several departments.

FRED W. GOETZ, president of the firm, was born in the city of Reading, in 1877, received his education in the common schools and also took a course in a busi- ness college in Brooklyn, N. Y. While still a boy he worked in the tannery of his father, learning all the details of the business. He married in 1899 Miss Elizabeth B. Potteiger, of Stouchsburg, Pa., and to this union have been born two daughters, Ruth and Grace. The family are Lutherans in their religious belief.

LEVI S. STAMM, a resident of West Reading, has been engaged at the carpenter's trade since 1867, and is one of the thrifty, intelligent citizens of the borough. He has been a lifelong resident of Berks county, having been born Aug. 21, 1848, in Penn township, where his ancestors have lived for over a century.

The name Stamm or Stam is found frequently among the lists of emigrants to America. On the passenger list of the "Hope," Daniel Reed, master, from Rotterdam. qualified Sept. 23, 1734, is the name of Peter Stam, aged twenty; on the "Samuel," Hugh Percy, captain, from Rotterdam, qualified Dec. 3, 1740, that of Adam Stam, aged twenty-five; on the "Francis and Elizabeth," George North, master, from Rotterdam, qualified Sept. 21, 1742, those of Johann Adam Stam and Werner Stam; on the "Snow Charlotte," John Mason, master, from Rotterdam, Sept. 5, 1743, Johann Jacob Stam; on the "Phoenix," Wil- liam Wilson, commander, from Rotterdam, Sept. 30, 1743, Johannes Stamm; and on the "Union," Andrew Bryson, captain, from Rotterdam, Sept. 30, 1774, Adam Stam.

The Stamm family is one of the oldest in Berks county. (I) Werner (or Peter*) and Johann Adam Stam (or Stamm), brothers, were natives of Switzerland, and emi- grated to the New World on the ship "Francis and Eliza- beth," George North, commander, from Rotterdam. It qualified at Philadelphia Sept. 21, 1742, and of the 141 male emigrants who had taken passage many settled in Berks county, their descendants being still found in goodly numbers in the districts where they located. Where Johann Adam Stam settled, or what became of him,

* The name Peter is said to have been Werner Stam. There is a Werner Stam buried at the Bern Church. The Pennsylvania Archives record the name as Peter, but this is reputed to be an error, the tax-liste, church records, etc., all bearing evidence to the contrary. However, it is reasonable to suppose that Werner Stamm was under age when the two mentioned in the Archives arrived, and that for that reason his name does not appear. The date of their landing agrees with the date tradition and old members of the family have of Werner's coming to America.

(III) Frederick Stamm, son of Frederick, and grand- father of Levi S., was born June 20, 1790, in Penn town- ship, and died Oct. 3, 1860. He married Susanna Gerhart, born Dec. 22, 1792, died Sept. 8, 1876, and he and his wife are both interred at the Bern Church. Their children were: Emanuel; Isaac; William; Adam; Jacob; Elias; Levi; Serena m. Nathan Billman; Catharine m. Adam Moyer; Harriet m. William Hetrich; Mary m. Jonathan Spangler. Frederick Stamm, the father of this family, was a farmer by occupation. He was a prominent man in his day, serving as county commissioner from 1822 to 1825.

(III) Jacob Stamm, son of Frederick, lived at Orwigs- burg, Schuylkill Co., Pa., and his family consisted of two children, Israel and Mary. The latter married a Walborn, of Millersburg, Pa., 'and later they lived at Orwigsburg.

(IV) William Stamm, son of Frederick and father of Levi S., was born in Penn township Oct. 23, 1815, his birthplace being near Stamm's Hotel, which is now known as the Pleasant Valley Hotel. In early manhood he learned shoemaking, but he did not follow the trade for long, farming being the principal business of his life. For a period of sixteen years he was engaged in farming in Jefferson township, this county, whence he moved to Penn township, continuing to carry on agricultural pursuits there until his retirement, in the year 1885. He now re- sides with his daughter, Mrs. Fietta Shade. Though over ninety-three years old he enjoys comparatively good health, and he is a man of genial disposition and pleasant man- ners, highly honored and universally liked in his commu- nity. His upright life has won him the good-will and respect of the many who have known him, and he is accorded the utmost consideration wherever he goes-not only the veneration due to his years but the recognition of a life well spent.

Mr. Stamm m. Magdalena Schneider, daughter of Wil- liam Schneider, whose wife was a Rothenberger. To them were born children as follows: Cassia m. Daniel F. Kline, of Strausstown, Pa., and lives in Upper Tulpehocken town- ship; William was a member of Company G, 151st P. V. I., and was killed at the battle of Gettysburg; Adam S., a miller, is living in Penn township, near Mt. Pleasant; Al- bert was a miller at Centreport, this county, throughout his active years, retired in 1906, and now makes his home at Shoemakersville; John is a farmer of Jefferson township; Levi S. is a resident of West Reading; Fietta m. Jacob Shade and resides in Penn township; Franklin, now living retired at Bernville, was a farmer all his active life; Re- becca m. William Lengel and resides in Penn township; Allison A., M. D., is engaged in the practice of medicine at Mohnton, Pa .; James, a farmer of Penn township, m. Clara Wenrich. The mother of this family died Sept. 12, 1885, at the age of sixty-six years, and her remains rest in the Bernville cemetery.

William Stamm has always been active in the religious life of his community and a zealous worker for churches

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

and church enterprises. He is a member of the Reformed denomination, has filled the offices of deacon and elder in his church, and had the honor of taking out the first spadeful of earth removed when the construction of the St. Thomas Union church was commenced, in 1904. In political opinion he is a Democrat, and he took a public- spirited interest in the administration of local affairs, serv- ing as supervisor and school director of Penn township. During his early manhood he belonged to the State militia.

(V) Levi S. Stamm attended the schools of Jefferson township during his boyhood and youth, meantime assist- ing with the farm work at home until ready to commence carpentering. He learned his trade in Tulpehocken town- ship. During the years 1885 and 1886 Mr. Stamm was in Carbon county, Pa., and thence removed to Columbia county, this State, where he lived for about eight years. In 1896 he returned to Berks county, remaining in Read- ing until his removal to West Reading in 1899. Mr. Stamm has found steady employment at his trade in his present location, being in the employ of a contractor, and bears a reputation for skill and reliability which brings him all the work he can attend to. His character is above re- proach, and he receives the respect which he deserves.

In 1870 Mr. Stamm m. Matilda R. Blatt, daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Reigle) Blatt, and to this union have been born the following named children: Robert died in infancy; Rev. James C. is pastor of St. Paul's Reformed Church at Pottstown, Pa .; Maggie and Clara died in in- fancy; Ida has been teaching in West Berwick, Columbia Co., Pa., since 1904; T. Wilhelm is at present a student at Ursinus College; Laura M. has taught school in West Reading since 1902; Gertrude died young; Charles L. is a pupil at the West Reading high school. The family are all identified with the Reformed Church, in which Mr. Stamm was formerly quite active, having served as deacon during his residence in Bernville. He is a Democrat on political questions.

(VI) Rev. James Calvin Stamm, son of Levi S. Stamm. was born in Bernville in 1876, and was nine years old when the family removed to Birdsboro. Later they moved to Bloomsburg, where he was confirmed in Trinity Re -. formed Church and graduated from high school with cred- itable standing. When the family moved to Reading he learned the locksmith's trade at the Penn Hardware Works. But it was his ambition to secure a higher edn- cation and engage in professional work, and he accordingly entered the Keystone State Normal School, at Kutztown, where he was given a teacher's certificate at the end of a year's study. He immediately obtained the position of in- structor at the Butler Orphans' Home, near Pittsburg, where he was principal of the school-room for one year, resigning to become a traveling salesman, in which line he was also successful. He covered the entire South, selling stereoscopes and similar goods, but after almost a year at that work he decided to take up chemistry. However, he changed his mind before he had taken any serious steps in that direction, determining that he would devote his life to the ministry. Entering the Ursinus School of Theology, at Philadelphia, he took the three years' course graduating May 3, 1906. The same year he was made a licentiate by the Reading Reformed Classis. Meantime he had gained experience in the practical duties of a mini- ster of the gospel by serving St. Paul's Church, at Potts- town, as supply, and upon his graduation he was called to become the regular pastor of that congregation. He ac- cepted, was ordained and installed May 27, 1906, and has since been in charge of that pastorate. He gave early evi- dence that he possessed the requisites of a forceful preach- er. and his energy has found many useful outlets in the field in which he is located.

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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 141

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