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 151

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 151

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Mohnton became a borough in the spring of 1906, and Mr. Anderson was elected to the first council and chosen as the first President, thus evidencing his pop- ularity in a community not fettered by party lines. On Nov. 3, 1908, he was elected to the office of County commissioner by the sanction of 16,204 voters, a com- pliment of no mean significance, and of this board he was also chosen president. He was one of the organiz- ers of the Mohnton National Bank, in which he has held a directorship since its founding. Socially Mr. Anderson is equally prominent and popular. He be- longs to the F. O. E., Aerie No. 66, Reading; Eagles' Mountain Home; the K. of P. No. 485, of Mohnton; D. O. K. K. No. 37, of Reading; the I. O. O. F. No. 518, and Rebekah degree; the Knights of Friendship, Fidelia No. 5 (all of Reading) ; to the P. O. S. of A., No. 221, of Oley Line, also P. O. S. of A. Commandery Lexington No. 2, of Reading; the Liberty Fire Company No. 5, and the Schuylkill Camp Club of Reading.

Peter S. Anderson was born in Washington township, Sept. 24, 1835, and received most of his education in pay school in that section, with one year in the public schools. As a young man he learned the trade of wheel- wright, at which he was employed but four and a half years, when he turned his attention to farming. In On Nov. 25, 1882, Mr. Anderson married Miss Rosa 1878 he moved to Reading and has since made his home H. Snyder, daughter of Jacob and Emma R. (Hartman)

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Snyder, the former a landlord in Exeter township. the King, his brother and many noblemen were pres- Three children were born to them: Emma May; Wel- ent to pay tribute to his memory. His portrait hangs in the Admirals room in the Art Gallery at Amsterdam. lington S., who died May 1, 1896, aged eleven years; and Edna.

DR. LEONARD G. HAIN. Among the members of the medical profession in Cumru township, Berks county, may be mentioned Dr. Leonard G. Hain, who has an extensive practice in the pleasant borough of Shillington. Dr. Hain was born Oct. 27, 1872. in Wer- nersville, Berks Co., Pa., son of John H. and Rebecca (Gerhard) Hain.

The first settlers in the vicinity of Hain's Church, were a part of the 150 families who emigrated from Holland, and settled in 1722 or 1723 at Schoharie, N. Y. In 1729 some dissension caused a removal of several families to the Tulpehocken valley, and others to Heidelberg township, Berks county. Among these first settlers we find the name of Hain, or Hohen or Hean. With great industry and self-denial these pio- neers erected a church and founded a congregation of the German Reformed Church. The five acres (since increased to seven) belonging to Hain's Church were donated by George Hean (Hain) about 1830, and according to the custom of the time the church be- came known as Hain's, though its name was St. John's Church from the time it was dedicated to the "service of the Tri-une God." Early pastors of this church were Pastors Boehm, Weisse and Schlatter, followed by the well known Rev. Jacob Lishy, of Lancaster county. George Hain, who gave the land for the church, died in 1746.

The early home of the Hains was in Holland, where the name was spelled Heyn. Through various changes, Hayn, Hohen, Hein, Hean, it is now generally used Hain. At Delftshave (now Delfshaven). a suburb of Rotterdam, in 1590 lived Piet Heyn, with his wife and four sons. the eldest of whom was Piet Peterson Heyn, born Nov. 27. 1577. The latter was a strong- willed boy, bold and adventurous, full of energy, and he was looked upon by the townspeople with some concern. School masters would have none of him. Af- ter being expelled from school he went to Rotterdam, where he found work on a boat. His father was a John H. Hain, father of Dr. Leonard Gerhard, was born in Lower Heidelberg township. on the farm on which now stands the Wernersville Asylum. This was the original home of the Hains in this section. He was born Aug. 18, 1843, and died May 4. 1903. after a long and useful life. Mr. Hain owned the homestead of 130 acres, which is still in the family's possession. and was engaged in farming and cattle dealing, being known throughout Berks and Lancaster fisherman, and was often away on long voyages, so the elder son, who was not by any means the hopeless- ly bad boy many thought him, went home twice a week to see his mother. His old enemies, young rela- tives of the master who had expelled him from school, would lie in wait for him, and endeavor to beat him. He was stronger than they, and in spite of their num- bers would always defeat them. One night these boys gathered their friends until they had fourteen to wait counties as a man of sterling worth. A stanch Dem- ocrat in politics, he was active in the ranks of his party, serving ably as school director for a period of nine years. Fraternally he was connected with the Odd Fellows at Wernersville, and he and his fam- ily attended Hain's Church, where he is buried. Mr. Hain married Rebecca Gerhard, daughter of Adam and Catherine (Strunk) Gerhard, and to them were for the one lad coming home to his mother. Too many were in the secret, however, and Piet's younger brothers heard of it, but they could muster champions enough to make but nine on their side. The fourteen met Piet first, with sticks and stones, but the noisiest one of all he threw into the water, and by that time the brothers and their friends joined him, and to- gether they completely routed the superior numbers. born: Harry G., foreman at the Hampden Planing and would have done them violence, but Piet interposed Mill; Dr. Leonard Gerhard; Frederick, who cultivates the old homestead farm; and Leah, m. to Charles Hain, who is engaged in the hosiery business at Wernersville. and insisted that all shake hands. That same night he proved his courage and his ability to act quickly in an emergency by assisting in preventing a fire to spread, and the boy who had been looked upon as bad Dr. Leonard Gerhard Hain was reared upon his father's farm, on which he resided until entering col- lege. His early education was obtained in the town- ship schools, later he attended the Hughes Academy at Bellefonte, Centre Co .. Pa .. where he prepared for college, and in the fall of 1888 he entered Palat- inate College. at Myerstown. where he completed his preparatory course for medicine. Entering Jefferson Medical College in the fall of 1890. he graduated May 4, 1893, and on June 5th of the latter year engaged in practice at Shillington, being the first physician in the borough. He has gradually built up a large and lucrative practice in a densely settled community within a radius of five miles, and his skillful services have won for him the confidence and respect of the entire section. Personally the Doctor is pleasant and courteous, and as a consequence he is very popular with all who know him. He was one of the organ- izers and is a director of the Mohnton National Bank. of Mohnton. and unruly was lauded by all as the bravest boy in town. Shortly after this he went to sea, and became a prisoner on a Spanish vessel, being held a very long time. He then shipped as second mate on the man- of-war "Samson," commanded by Capt. Gerbrandt Jansroon Sael. Before 1601, with nine other war ships all under the command of Admiral Obdam, and English men-of-war under Admiral Lewison, they sailed to find the Spanish fleet. The Spaniards were beaten at great price, the first mate of the "Samson" being one of the many victims. In a storm a few days later the captain was swept overboard, and young Heyn became master of the ship. On his return home, after transacting business in Batacalo, he married Anetje De Reus, and settled in Rotterdam. He was not to be permitted to live quietly, however, and the next voyage he sailed was as Vice-Admiral of the West Indian Company's fleet of men-of-war sent against the Spanish. Admiral Willeneus being in command. They captured San Sal- vador in April, 1626, and Piet Peterson Heyn became Admiral, and was sent after the Silver Fleet of Spain. After many adventures, and the capture of many Span- ish vessels, in one battle taking twenty-six ships from the enemy. he eventually found and defeated the fa- mous Silver Fleet (with 12,000,000 florins captured as booty) and carried his prizes triumphantly home to Holland, where great honors were heaped upon him. At the battle off Dunkirch (Dunkirk), France, in the North Sea, Admiral Heyn was killed June 20, 1629. His remains were interred in the Church of the Lean- ing Tower at Delft, and a magnificent tomb was erected there to his memory. In 1870 his statue, made of Udelsfenger stone, was unveiled by the people, and

In political matters Dr. Hain is a Democrat, and for three years served as Almshouse physician. He is a member of Tentonia Lodge No. 367, F. & A. M., Reading; Reading Chapter, No. 53, R. A. M .; De Mo- lay Commandery No. 9, K. T .; Rajah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S .. Reading; Reading Elks. No. 115; Aerie No. 66. F. O. E., Reading; Independent Americans of Shillington; Knights of Pythias No. 385. Mohn- ton; and Knights of the Golden Eagle, of Kutztown. He and his family are Reformed members of the Hain Church. of Lower Heidelberg.

On Nov. 12, 1892, Dr. Hain was married to Annie K. Miller, daughter of John H. and Sarah (Kinser) Miller, of Wernersville, Pa., and to this union have

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BIOGRAPHICAL

been born two children: Stuart J., who died in in- fancy; and Marguerite L.

J. MILTON MILLER is a member of the Berks County Bar. His grandfather, Jacob Miller, was a pioneer of this county and resided at Hamburg. Dr. Alexander Merkel Miller. father of J. Milton, was a physician of repute, and practised his profession at Tower City, Schuylkill county, but died at the age of thirty-eight years, in 1877.

Mr. J. Milton Miller was born July 25, 1872, at Tower City. He attended public school for only a few years, and his education was continued after he was twenty years old at the Keystone State Normal School, at Kutztown, Pa. In 1898 he was admitted to the Bar of Berks County, and later to the higher courts. On

Jan. 27, 1897, he was married to Miss Sara G. Miller, a stanch supporter of the principles of the Demo-

daughter of J. Russell Miller, who was in the Reading Railroad service for more than forty years, and who was a Corporal of Company A, 88th Pa. V. I., serving in the Civil War for four years. J. Alexander, Rich- mond P. and Emily L. are the children of this mar- riage.

Mr. Miller is a Democrat in politics, a member of the Americus Club, and belongs to the Calvary Re- formed Church, where he takes an interest in the church and Sunday school work.

D. NICHOLAS SCHAEFFER, one of the leading representatives of the legal fraternity in Berks county, Pa., and a resident of the city of Reading, was born Sept. 10, 1853, in Maxatawny township, Berks county, son of David and Esther (Christ) Schaeffer.

His paternal great-grandfather was George Schaeffer, a native of Southern Germany, north of the Rhine, who, in 1750, with 30,000 other inhabitants of that coun- try located in Pennsylvania. He settled upon a tract of land in Richmond township, which is now owned by his descendants, and there reared a family of five children, two sons and three daughters. This sturdy old pioneer passed to his eternal reward in 1792, after a long and useful life.

Philip Schaeffer, grandfather of D. Nicholas, was born on the old homestead farm in 1770, and became an agriculturist. He manufactured the first threshing machine in Berks county, and met with such success as to warrant him to continue in that line of work the remainder of his life. He was the progenitor of a family of twelve children: George: Peter; Isaac; Jonathan; Daniel; Philip; William; David; Sarah m. Jacob De Long; Elizabeth m. Solomon Yoder; Anna M. m. Isaac Merkle; and Esther m. Francis De Long. In politics he was a Democrat, while in religious attachments he was a member of the Reformed Church. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, our second great conflict with Great Britain, and acquitted himself with credit. Mrs. Schaeffer died in 1849, and her husband in January, 1853, at the advanced age of eighty-three years.

David Schaeffer, the father of D. Nicholas. was born in Berks county, Oct. 3, 1820, and engaged in tilling the soil, after obtaining a good education in the com- mon schools. He was deeply interested in the edu- cational advancement of his community, and was one of the charter members of the Keystone State Normal School of Kutztown, of which he is still a trustee. In May, 1848, he married Esther Christ, who was born in Greenwich township. Berks county, in 1825. Five children blessed this union, and each was given the best educational advantages, and is now a credit to the community in which he lives. The record is as follows: Nathan is Superintendent of Public In- struction of the State of Pennsylvania; William D. is a Professor in the Theological Seminary of the Reformed Church at Lancaster, Pa .; . D. Nicholas; James is engaged in farming; and Charles is a physi- cian of Allentown.

Marshall College, at Lancaster, graduating therefrom in the class of 1876. Immediately thereafter he began reading law under the tutelage of George F. Baer of Reading, and was admitted to the Bar in 1878. He then opened a law office in the city of Reading, and soon acquired a large and lucrative practice, which is still his in a much augmented state. He is a man of great determination and shrewdness, and having once entered upon a case he works with might and main, and usually with good results. He is a dutiful citizen and a good neighbor, being held in high esteem by a large number of friends and fellow citizens.

Mr. Schaeffer married, Nov. 11, 1880, Katherine Grim, daughter of Jonathan K. Grim, and three bright and interesting children blessed their union, namely: Forest G., Paul N. and Harry H. In politics he is cratic party, and in religious affiliation a member of the Reformed Church of Reading, of which he is an elder.

SCHULTZ. Among the prominent representatives of the Schultz family in Washington township are the brothers, Owen K. Schultz, farmer, dairyman and stockman, now living retired, and Joseph K. Schultz, who in the spring of 1899 retired from the milling busi- ness.

The Schultz family came to America from Saxony. Melchior Schultz was born June 26, 1680. and died Feb. 15, 1734, in the fifty-fourth year of his age, at Berthelsdorf, Saxony. His death took place just about two months before the time set for his emigration to America. His children were: George, Melchior and Christopher, the latter of whom became a noted minis- ter.

George Schultz, son of Melchior and brother to Rev. Christopher, married, Jan. 31, 1744, Maria, daughter of Abraham Yeakel, and they made their home in Upper Hanover township, Montgomery Co .. Pa. Their child- ren were: Abraham, born March 23, 1747; and Melchior, born March 25, 1756. George Schultz died Oct. 30, 1776, aged sixty-five years, and his wife Maria passed away Dec. 13, 1797, at the age of seventy-nine years.

Abraham Schultz, son of George and Maria, was born in Upper Hanover township, Montgomery county, March 23, 1747. He was a great lover of books and having a retentive memory and comprehensive. mind, he became one of the best educated men of the time. He was a member of the Schwenkfelder religious so- ciety, and he served it in the capacity of trustee, school inspector, teacher and catechist. The community fre- quently called his services into requisition as scrivener and counsellor. In 1796 he was elected a member of the General Assembly from Montgomery county. He died Dec. 25, 1822. In 1771 he married Regina Yeakel, daughter of Christopher Yeakel, and their children were :. Benjamin, born July 20, 1772 (died March 20, 1802); Adam, Sept. 20, 1775; Isaac, March 4, 1778; Ab- raham, Feb. 18, 1781 (died March 23, 1802); Freder- ick, Aug. 10, 1784 (died Dec. 17, 1794); Joseph, Jan. 22, 1787; and Melchior, June 23, 1789.

Isaac Schultz, son of Abraham and Regina, was born March 4, 1778, and died Oct. 15, 1867. He had a good farm of 100 acres, besides woodland, in Upper Hanover township, and for a time taught school. He had eight children: Amos; Isaac; Abraham; Daniel S .; Christina; Joel; Philip and Joseph.

Amos Schultz, son of Isaac, born May 11, 1809, died at the home of his son. Owen K., May 10, 1895, and is buried at the Schwenkfelder Church, Washington town- ship. In 1861 he built the mill now owned by Joseph K. Schultz, and operated by the latter's son, Amos K. Amos Schultz married Elizabeth Kriebel, daughter of Samuel Kriebel, of Worcester township, Montgomery county. They had eight children: Sarah, wife of Joel Schultz, of Upper Hanover township; Susan, deceased wife of A. T. D. Johnson, of New Berlinville; Joseph K .; Anna, deceased; Edwin, president of the First Nat-

D. Nicholas Schaeffer, after completing the required course in the common schools, attended Franklin & ional Bank of Boyertown; Owen K .; Lucina, who lives

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

with her brother Owen K .; and Elizabeth, wife of 28 feet square, and it is run by water from the west Josephus Gerhard, of Hereford township. Mrs. Eliza- beth (Kriebel) Schultz was born Dec. 23, 1812. and she died March 29, 1891. Mr. Schultz was active in local politics, and for ten years was justice of the peace in Douglass township, Montgomery county, and was di- rector of Schultzville Independent School District, and in many other ways served his community.

OWEN K. SCHULTZ, son of Amos, was born in Doug- lass township, Montgomery county, just across the Berks county line, March 23, 1851. He attended the Schultzville Independent School in Washington town ship. whither the Amos Schultz family moved in the spring of 1857. His early years were passed on the home farm, and after he was twenty-one years of age he continued working for his parents for seven years. In 1880 he took possession of the farm on his own account. This consists of ninety-three acres of excellent land, and he was very successful in its management. He paid special attention to dairying, and had some fine stock, as well as a complete line of modern farm machinery. He continued to farm until 1902, when he retired. He has the agency for the Page Woven Wire Fence Company, of Adrian, Mich., and in this work he has met with success. His farm is one of the most attractive on the west branch of the Perkiomen. A mill dam covers a few of his acres with water, and the mill is located but 120 feet from the residence, and is familiarly known as the "County Line Mill." The house was built in 1856 by his father, Amos, and is a substantial brick structure of large dimen- sions. It is surrounded by a carefully kept lawn, studded with Norway and silver maple trees. and en- closed by an iron fence. The Swiss barn was built by Amos Schultz in 1855, and was the first barn in the district to have running water in the stalls.

Mr. Schultz is one of the active business men of his district. He was one of the organizers of the Niantic Dairymen's Association, which conducts a creamery at Niantic, and of this he has been treasurer since its organization April 1, 1889. They make a high grade

of butter, and also have a large cheese trade, their product being sold in the community and in Phila- delphia. He was instrumental in having the State Road built through his district. He has been a di- rector of the Reading Bone Fertilizer Company since its organization March 8. 1905; a director of the Moun- tain Telephone Company. Inc., which has thirty miles of wire in the eastern township of Berks county; and is treasurer of the Douglass Telephone Company, oper- ating ten miles of wire, and of which company there were sixteen original shareholders. Mr. Schultz is a stockholder of the First National Bank of Boyertown, and acts as its agent, weekly making deposits for the people of his district.

Mr. Schultz has been twice married. On Feb. 7, 1880, he married Leanna Kriebel, of Worcester township, who was born June 8, 1852, and who died April 5, 1887, the mother of two children. Chester and Mabel, both graduates of Perkiomen Seminary. since which time Chester has also graduated from Princeton University, Princeton, N. J .. class of 1908, and Pierce's Business College, Philadelphia, fall of 1908. Mr. Schultz mar- ried (second) Sept. 21. 1889. Mary Schultz, daughter of Adonia Schultz, of Worcester township. Montgom- ery county. The family attend the Schwenkfelder church.

JOSEPH K. SCHULTZ, son of Amos, was born in Doug- lass township. Montgomery county, Nov. 20, 1840. The district school afforded him his educational ad- vantages, and at home he was trained along agricul- tural lines. He was twenty-two when he began work in his father's mill, and in 1882 he succeeded to the ownership. This mill was first a grist and flour mill, and in 1895 a roller process was added. The present name of the mill is the Wave Roller Mill, but early in its history it was called the County Line Mill. It is a four-story building. 40x45 feet. with an addition

branch of the Perkiomen creek. Seventeen acres of land are included in the mill property. At the present time Mr. Schultz's son. Amos K., is operating the mill and he turns out three brands of flour that are very popular-"Wave," "Union" and "Schultz's Best." Mr. Joseph K. Schultz retired from the management of the mill in 1899. With his son Elmer he organized the Champion Manufacturing Company, Inc., of Philadel- phia, manufacturing horse and cattle powders. and poultry feed powders at Barto, but the main office is at No. 427 Walnut street, Philadelphia. Mr. Schultz has been quite an apiarian, and at one time had as many as forty hives, producing about 500 pounds of honey annually. He resides in a comfortable brick house built by his father in 1867.

In 1865 Mr. Schultz married Susan Bechtel Krauss, daughter of George Krauss, an organ builder of Upper Hanover township. They have had four children: Elmer, an insurance agent and real estate dealer in Philadelphia, m. Marie Hirner. daughter of Dr. C. G. Hirner, of Allentown, and has two children, Lloyd and Miriam; Hannah m. Joseph B. Bechtel, a jeweler in Philadelphia, and has two children, Francis Clarke and Dwight Earle; Amos m. Irene Seipt, daughter of Wil- liam Seipt. of Worcester township. Montgomery coun- ty, and has two children, Florence and Harold; Olivia m. John G. Deihl, Wharf Master at Port Richmond. Philadelphia, Pa., and they have one daughter, Frances. Mr. Joseph K. Schultz and his sons and sons-in-law are Republican in political principle and in religious faith he and his family are Schwenkfelders.

DANIEL H. CHRISTIAN (deceased). One of the best known of Reading's citizens, who was for many years identified with the construction work of the Phil- adelphia & Reading Railroad. was Daniel H. Christian, who died December 22, 1903. Mr. Christian was born Oct. 17. 1849. on the old Christian homestead in Ex- eter township, Berks county. son of Edward and Cath- erine (Hoffmaster) Christian.

Henry Christian, the great-grandfather of Daniel H., was a carpenter in Switzerland, and died in that coun- try in his fortieth year, his death being caused by a fall from a ladder, when he broke his back in two places. His wife, Frenna, was a seamstress and mid- wife, and died in her eighty-ninth year, much beloved in the village where she had lived so long. She and her husband had three children: one son who settled in Virginia; John, the grandfather of Daniel H .; and a daughter who remained in Switzerland.

John Christian was born in the village of Frenk- endorf. Basel Landschaft, Switzerland, Jan. 20. 1786, and was baptized and confirmed. in the Reformed Church in Frenkendorf. He attended the village school during the winter. this school being attended most of the time by over 100 children. Later he went to a school at Liestell for three months. but his school- ing came to an abrupt end when Napoleon marched into the town with his army of 200.000. Until sixteen years of age young Christian was engaged in agri- cultural pursuits and wine culture. The Napoleonic army having brought hardship upon the Basel Land- schaft, there was no money with which to pay the heavy taxes, and times became very hard, this causing nearly 400 families to depart from the wharves of the city, Mr. Christian being one and the youngest of four single men. He started from the Rhine waters April 10, 1804, and seventeen days later the Swiss emigrants arrived at Amsterdam, whence they took passage on the ship "Rebecca," bound for Philadel- phia, the contract price being sixty-five dollars per person over seventeen years of age. and one meal per day. After some difficulty the ship glided into the English Channel from the Texel Sea, and then to the ocean, and after a very stormy voyage, during which sea-sickness, hunger and thirst caused the death of sixty-four of the 374 passengers, the ship landed on a Sunday morning, Aug. 17, 1804, at the Lazaretto,

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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 151

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