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 152

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

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575

BIOGRAPHICAL

below Philadelphia. After suffering from fever for he engaged in farming. When the Civil war broke some time, Mr. Christian escaped from the overcrowd- out he was very active in securing recruits. He was ed hospital and through the friendly services of ac- well preserved to the time of his demise. He was five feet, eleven inches tall, and very erect, but during the last few years of his life his eyesight failed very rapidly. He was a school director for six years, aiding in the establishment of many schools, and was appoint- ed by the court to appraise damages and lay out new roads in Berks, and in various ways he was a very useful citizen. He was the last of his family, and at the time of his death had sixteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. His own children were: Mrs. George Esterly; Jacob H., of Reading; Daniel H .; Ed- ward H., of Mt. Penn., Pa .; and Solomon H., of Reading. Mr. Christian lived in retirement from 1883 at No. 1216 Chestnut street. In religious belief he was quaintances was directed to Philadelphia. Three young friends, and many others who had escaped the ter- rible journey went to Ohio, and Mr. Christian finally settled at Reading in 1807, where he was married Oct. 11, 1808, to Margarete Deem, daughter of Christo- pher Deem, and wife (whose maiden name was Settly), of Reading, the former of whose parents had come to America from Germany. After living near Lancaster for one and one-half years with his wife and her sister Elizabeth, Mr. Christian returned to Reading and built a still house on a lot he had bought before his marriage from one David Bright. Then Mr. Christian formed a partnership with Michael Bright, this con- nection however being of short duration, he taking

into partnership John Birkenbine, whose share Mr. a Lutheran, and attended Grace Church of that denom- Christian bought later. In 1822 Mr. Christian sold ination, in the faith of which his estimable wife died his interests for $2,450, $1,600 in cash and the residue Feb. 19, 1907, aged eighty-three years. Fraternally in two equal payments, and in the spring of 1823 he Mr. Christian was connected with Salome Lodge No. 105. I. O. O. F., in which he was very popular.

bought thirty-two acres of land in Exeter township. along the Schuylkill, where he moved his family in the fall of that year. His children were: John, born in 1810, a railroader, who lived in Lebanon, Pa., and died Oct. 12, 1875; Edward, born March 13, 1817; Frenna, born 1821. who died of a prevailing fever when she was nearly two years old; and a son, born Feb. 12, 1824. John Christian was a man of more than ordinary education, and in 1865 wrote a forty- eight page booklet, which he named "An Autobiog- raphy of John Christian," in which he gave a graphic account of his journey from the land of his nativity to the land of his adoption, his trials and hardships, and his subsequent prosperity. One of these booklets is now in the possession of Edward Christian's family, of Reading.

Edward Christian, father of Daniel H., was born March 13, 1817, at the corner of Front and Franklin streets, Reading, where his father, John Christian, carried on distilling until 1822. when he removed his household effects on a boat which was pro- pelled uv six hand oars, and landed near the locks of the Big Dam. Here they built a house at a point now called Neversink Station, and young Christian helped his father to cultivate five or six acres of land, cut down trees and stack the wood in cords in dif- ferent parts of. Exeter. Later .he attended school about two miles below the Black Bear, where he learned his first lessons, and subsequently a pay school was started by Gustavus Lewis, where young Christian attended. This school was fitted up in a single room in a private house and there were but eight pupils. Many years later a large schoolhouse was built at

assisted his father to join shingles for the barn of George de B. Keim, about half a mile below the Neversink Station, and later in squaring logs for Sey- fert & McManus' furnace. In 1838 he went at his trade, that of milling, with Amos Esterly, at Hertzog's mill, on the Perkiomen turnpike, and he remained here three years, polling his first vote in 1839 at Stoners- ville, when he voted the Democratic ticket, which was his custom to the time of his death, missing but one election; he voted at fifteen Presidential elections. In 1839 he and his father built the old Sunday schoolhouse situated on the road leading from Black Bear to the Schuylkill river, and the building is still standing in a good state of preservation, being called "All Sorts" school house, on account of the different kinds of stones used in its construction. Mr. Christian was superintendent of the Sunday-school for ten years, and taught a class of young men.

He married, Aug. 21. 1842, Catherine Hoffman, daughter of Christian and Ellen Hoffman, of Stony Creek, the former of whom was the proprietor of a grist mill and the first owner of a wool factory in that district. In the spring of 1842 Mr. Christian moved back to the old homestead at Neversink, where

Daniel H. Christian attended the schools of his town- ship and was reared on his father's farm, assisting in its cultivation until 1862. He then secured employ- ment with the repairing gang of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, where he worked for some years, and in 1874 was sent to Lancaster to superintend the laying of tracks on a new branch of the Philadelphia & Reading, extending from Lancaster to Quarryville, about fourteen and one-half miles. In the spring of 1876 he returned to Reading and took charge of the West Reading branch, remaining. until 1878. when he was sent to Shamokin as superintendent of track re- pairs of the Mahanoy division. In 1883 he was ap- pointed general supervisor of the Division, with head- quarters at Mahanoy Plane, but in 1888 he resigned to become coal and iron policeman of the Pennsyl- vania Railroad Company at Nescopeck and Wilkes Barre. After a short time he resigned this position and returned to the Reading. in whose employ he was, all told, twenty-one years. He was superintend- ent of the work of changing the tracks in the Mana- yunk tunnel and was an expert at finishing and laying rails for large curves, being in later years frequently consulted as to how tracks should be laid to insure safety and easy riding. After the completion of the tunnel Mr. Christian came back to Reading and took charge of the erection of the electric power plant at the Big Dam, for the Neversink Mountain Rail- road Company. and later he was appointed super- intendent of the road, which was built around the mountain under his supervision. He rendered valuable service to the company, and while thus employed

the Black Bear, which he also attended. In 1830 he made a number of important inventions, among which

are a brake shoe and fender, the former being used on all Neversink cars. His car fender was adopted by the Philadelphia Traction Company. One of his most important inventions. was the automatic block signal, which is used on the Neversink and other lines. and he also invented an automatic switch, catch and lock, which is used on many portions of the Phil- adelphia & Reading road at present. For the last few years of his life he was employed as electrician by the United Traction Company of Reading, and was an expert in this line. He had charge of all of the electric work on the Neversink road, including overhead work, wires, motors and repairs and rewind- ing of armatures. While working around the con- trollers of summer cars at the North Tenth street barn, removing an incandescent lamp from its socket, being in the act of replacing it with a search light, Mr. Christian received a shock, and soon afterward he ex- pired in the arms of a fellow workman, where he had fallen. Mr. Christian was held in high esteem by his employers, and was a great favorite among the employes, the general declaration among whom was: "I never worked for a better man." Mr. Christian died Dec. 22, 1903, aged fifty-four years.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Daniel H. Christian was married Aug. 8, 1868, to said before, he is showing the people of Reading that Mary Catherine Houck, born Aug. 8, 1849, daughter he knows just what to do in emergencies. of Henry G. and Hannah (Gilbert) Houck, and grand- daughter of John Houck, of Chester county, To Mr. and Mrs. Christian were born these children: Oliver W., an electrician who took his father's place with the Reading Traction Company, m. Bertie Templin; Per- milla m. Robert Hardy, a draughtsman at the Acme Motor Works, Reading; Harry is an electrician and car inspector at the Wilson avenue car barn, Cleve- land, O .; and Daniel resides at home with his mother at No. 230 South Thirteenth street, Reading.

CHARLES E. AUMAN. The Chief of Police of the city of Reading is necessarily a man much in the public eye and the present incumbent of that important office, Hon. Charles E. Auman, is one whose private reputation and public record prove him worthy of the trust reposed in him. Chief Auman comes of German ancestors, both his grandfather and father being natives of Bavaria, Germany. The grandfather, Bernard Au- man, with his son Cornelius, then a child of three, came to Pennsylvania in 1848, settling in Adams county, where he and his wife were buried. Being a hard work- er and good manager, he accumulated property and died in advanced age, a wealthy man. His wife also lived many years and lies beside him in the cemetery at Littlestown.

Cornelius Anman was reared on his father's farm, later purchasing one of his own. During the Civil War he enlisted in Company G., 209th Pa. V. I., under Col. Tobias B. Kauffman, and Capt. George W. Frederick. He was mustered in at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, Pa., Sept. 16, 1864; was wounded at Fort Steadman, Va., March 25, 1865; and was in the hospital when mustered out. At present he lives retired at York, Pa. His wife was Agnes Eckenroad, of Bonneyville, Adams county, Pa. They had children as follows: John, a cigar-packer of York, Pa., m. Miss Katie Gottwald, of Hanover, York county; William, a cigar-packer at Schenectady, N. Y., m. Miss Annie Culp, of Gettysburg, Adams county; Charles E .; Margaret is the widow of Frank Sauer- wald, and lives at Baltimore, Md .; Augustus, a car- penter living at Gettysburg, Adams county, m. Emma Gottwald, also of Gettysburg; Mary died at the age of four years; Annie m. Emory Waltman of York, Penn- sylvania.

Charles E. Auman was born at Gettysburg, Pa., Jan. 19. 1871. His boyhood days were spent in Adams county, and there he attended the public schools until he left to learn the cigar-maker's trade, which he has fol- lowed at intervals all his life. He came to Reading, April 29, 1890, and worked for Glaser, Frame & Co. for seven years, and then for others until his appoint- ment as police patrolman in 1899 by Mayor Adam H. Leader. He served three years with great credit, and in 1902 was made inspector of the 4th Precinct of the Ninth ward. In 1908 he was appointed Chief of Police by Mayor William Rick. In the short time he has been in office, Chief Auman has made many very beneficial changes, and he is resolved to mark his incumbency of the position by a vigorous crusade against vice. Es- pecially are his efforts directed towards the clearing out of the undesirable places in the tenderloin district. Al- ready there is a marked change, and the people of Read- ing are beginning to realize the wisdom of his Hon- or's choice of Chief.

In 1893, Mr. Auman married Catherine M. Plank. daughter of Sebastian and Frances Plank, natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Auman have had two children: Raymond S., who died in infancy; and Edna F.

EDWARD C. NOLAN, of Reading, enjoys the distinc- tion of being the youngest vice-president of any national bank in America. Reading between the lines, this means that he has a natural aptness in the management of finan- cial affairs. While this is true, it is also true that the death of his father threw heavy responsibilities on him at a very early age. It is but justice to say that Mr. Nolan, to use a common expression, has "made good." He was born in Reading Aug. 8, 1880, son of William and Cathe- rine (McDonough) Nolan.

William Nolan, the father, was for many years one of the heaviest railroad contractors of the city, his death, on Feb. 28, 1903, at the age of sixty-three, removing from the business circles of Reading a well-known figure. His wife, Catherine McDonough, was the daughter of Dr. Charles McDonough, a prominent practising phy- sician of Berks county for many years, and a member of a family celebrated in the medical world. Their child- ren, nine in number, were: Anna, wife of Charles P. Bower, a prominent civil engineer of Philadelphia, but residing in Reading; Catherine, who married Fred Jones, of Philadelphia; James B., a contractor; William, pres- ident of the Nolan Construction Company, and also of Nolan Brothers; Charles J., a contractor; Thomas G., a civil engineer; Barnard J., who studied at Villa Nova College, class of 1907; Francis Reilly, a student at Villa Nova College, class of 1909; and Edward C.

Villa Nova College furnished Edward C. Nolan with his literary education, his graduation taking place in 1899. A course at the Inter-State Business College. fol- lowed. Mr. Nolan's first entry into the business world was as bookkeeper and timekeeper for his father and brothers, William, Jr., and Charles J., the brothers at that time conducting operations under the firm name of Nolan Brothers, being the largest contractors in the city. After two years Mr. Nolan engaged in the real estate business, and had hardly made a fair start when the death of his father occurred. This event changed the course of his life. He at once took hold of the work which his father had so summarily laid down, becoming a director in the First National Bank in his stead. In 1904 Mr. Nolan, in company with his brother William and C. P. Bower, organized the Nolan Construction Company, in addition to Nolan Brothers. In 1905 he was elected vice-president of the First National Bank, being the youngest man to hold that important position in the country. In Sep- tember, 1905, in company with his brother-in-law, C. P. Bower, and William Nolan, Jr .. Mr. Nolan bought the G. W. Hawk Hosiery Co., one of the largest of the kind in the State, and doing a splendid business, and he is serving as treasurer of the company. Mr. Nolan is already one of the leading business men of his city. He continues his real estate and insurance office at No. 24 North Fifth street, having established a fine patronage in that line. He has been president of the Keystone Vehicle Company since February, 1907; is president of the Ar- nold Safety Razor Company; and a member of the Board of Underwriters.

Although a very busy man, Mr. Nolan finds time to indulge in the social amenities of life, being a popular member of Reading's most exclusive clubs, the Wyomis- sing (in which he is a director and treasurer) and the Berkshire, and he is also a member of the B. P. O. E. He belongs to the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, and is much interested in its work. In religious life he is a communicant of the Roman Catholic Church, with mem- bership at St. Peter's. In political faith he is a Democrat.

The pleasant residence of Chief Auman is at No. 1037 Elm street. The Chief has always been an active Re- On Nov. 6, 1906, Mr. Nolan was married to Cora, daughter of Clarence H. and Emma Lou Sembower. publican, and has served many times as delegate to city and county conventions. In personal appearance he is a man of fine physique. tall, well built and of WILLIAM NOLAN, Jr .. a prominent railroad contract- good appearance, while his knowledge of conditions or, residing at Sinking Spring, was born in Reading May of his office and the need for vigorous and energetic 4, 1874. He was educated in the local schools, and also action by the police is far reaching, and, as has been at St. Mary's College, at Emmitsburg, Md. Then he

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BIOGRAPHICAL

learned the business of railroad contracting with the ten years old, and then went to work in a cotton mill, firm of Nolan Brothers, of which firm his father was the senior partner, and while still under age he became a partner of Joseph P. O'Reilly. From 1893 to 1896 they executed several large contracts, putting up iron bridges at Reading and Harrisburg, enlarging the water- works and putting in the sewerage pumping stations at Reading. From 1896 to 1905 he was associated with his brother, Charles, in railroad contracting, more particu- larly for the Reading Railroad Company, their father, William Nolan, being interested with them from 1900 to 1902. This enterprising young firm put up all the stone bridge work for the Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad Company, from Sinnamahoning to Weedville, a distance of thirty-two miles. Their grandfather, James Nolan, had been the contractor for the stone work on this same railroad for thirty miles some sixty years before and their father for thirty-two miles, some thirty years before.

In 1905 Mr. Nolan organized the firm of Nolan Broth- ers, with his brother Edward C. as partner, for carrying on construction work more extensively, and since then they have successfully executed a large number of contracts. One of these contracts, worthy of special mention, was the extension of the Bethlehem Steel Works, which in- On April 1, 1883, Mr. Gaenzle was united in mar- riage with Ellen Esther Gable, daughter of Amos Gable, the retired artist, whose portraits and land- scapes enjoy a reputation not only in Pennsylvania, but all over the United States. To this union was volved the excavation of over a million yards of rock and earth on an area of forty acres; and its execution required an equipment of nine locomotives, five steam shovels, three hundred dump-cars, two grading machines, one hundred horses, twelve steam drills, four miles of born a son Lester E. Gaenzle, Nov. 1, 1885, who is railroad track, etc., all this affording facilities for re- one of the bright young men of this city, a graduate. of the Reading high school and of the mechanical

moving 150,000 cubic yards monthly. They also built the new Sacon plant of the Bethlehem Steel Company, the engineering department of the Drexel Institute, class Philadelphia & Garrettford Railroad, and the Boyertown of 1905. & Pottstown Railroad.

Fraternally Mr. Gaenzle is a 32nd degree Mason. Mr. Nolan has identified himself with a number of In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the financial institutions of Reading by investing in their bonds and stocks; but on account of his absence in giving contract work his personal supervision he has not become connected with their management.

In 1896 Mr. Nolan married Margaret Coppinger, daugh- ter of Michael and Margaret (Duffy) Coppinger, of Read- ing, and by her he has two sons, John C. and Richard. Mr. Nolan's home was at Reading until 1898, when he industry.

removed to Sinking Spring, having purchased a farm of fifty acres adjoining the village on the west, along the main thoroughfare.

William Nolan, Mr. Nolan's father, was a successful railroad contractor of Reading. He was born in Ireland in 1840, and married Katherine McDonough, a daughter of Dr. Charles McDonough, of Reading. He died in 1903.

JOHN GAENZLE. of the firm of Gaenzle & Leippe, proprietors of the Reading Knitting Mills, is one of a large family of children born to George and Mar- garet (Sweitzer) Gaenzle.

George Gaenzle came from Omden, Wittenberg, Germany, to America in 1864. and settled in Reading where he followed the business of cloth weaving, at which he was an expert. Since 1889, however, he has been engaged in farming in the vicinity of Reading. He married Margaret Sweitzer, also of Wittenberg, and the following children were born to this union: Frederick, who is connected with a cold storage plant at Lancaster, Pa., as an engineer; John. senior pro- prietor of the Reading Knitting Mills; Henry, con- nected with the firm of Curtis & Jones; William and Frank. in Hamburg; Kate, m. to Daniel Rhodes in the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad service; Mary, m. to John Zieber, also in the Philadelphia & Reading · service; Lena; Rosa, m. to Albert Snyder, connected with Curtis & Jones in the shoe trade; and Annie, who is housekeeper in her father's home. It is some- what unusual to find a family as large as this into which Death has never entered.

John Gaenzle was born in Omden. Germany, July 27, 1860, and when his parents brought him to Reading he was yet a child. He went to school until he was

from which he went into a photograph gallery, learned the business and followed it for himself for twelve years. Retiring from this work he visited California for eight months, and on his return to Reading bought the . Reading Knitting Mills. The business was first con- ducted under the firm name of Gaenzle & Co., Luther E. Gable being the Company.

In 1896, after Mr. Gable's death, Charles E. Leippe became a partner and the firm name became as at present. This industry carries the name of Reading to as many distant points, perhaps, as any other in Berks County. The company justifiably claims to manufacture the best 84-needle stockings in the Unit- ed States and ship goods all over this country and to Australia. They are the third largest manufacturers of this class of goods in the United States, and give constant employment to 300 people and more than these at times. In addition to the business above mentioned, our subject is a director of the Reading Pure Milk Company, and has other important inter- ests. From 1895 to 1898 he was one of the owners and directors of the Lancaster Cold Storage plant, but disposed of that interest.

the Lutheran Church. He is one of the best types of self-made men that the prosperous city of Reading contains and it has numbers of them. He resides in a handsome home at No. 45 North Fourth street, where his friends are always received in the most hospitable manner. He is in the enjoyment of the fruits of honorable business methods and persevering

PAUL WEBER, the well known taxidermist, whose place of business is located at No. 161 Buttonwood street, Reading. Pa., was born in Saxony, Germany, April 16, 1861, son of Carl and Anistina (Wolf) Weber.

Carl Weber came to America prior to 1880. He had followed the trade of a weaver in his native country, but locating in Philadelphia he engaged in butchering, continuing in that line until his retirement. He and his wife now live in Philadelphia, where all of their twelve children, with the exception of Paul of Reading, also reside.

Panl Weber received his literary training in the schools of Germany, and while yet a boy studied the art of preserving and mounting birds and animals under Professor Bessler, graduating in the art of taxidermy. On coming to America he located for a time in Phila- delphia, whence he went a short time later to Black- wood, N. J .. where he remained about two years, and at the end of that time returned to Philadelphia, establish- ing himself in business. Here he remained until 1903, when he located in Reading. Mr. Weber is an artist in his line, and it has been said of him that he can mount any animal, "from a mouse to an elephant." Specimens of his wonderful work may be seen in nearly every State in the Union. He mounted a beautiful specimen for President Roosevelt's library. and has done work for Senator Penrose, George F. Baer and others.

Mr. Weber was married in 1889, to Helen Helt, a native of Saxony, Germany, and three children have blessed this union: Charles (deceased), Paul J. and Helen. In religious belief Mr. Weber and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church. In his political views he is independent of party affiliations.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

FRANKLIN BOONE KERN, one of the foremost citizens of Birdsboro, Berks Co., Pa., where he had been engaged in the general merchandise business for many years, as well as taking an active interest in public affairs, died July 15, 1903. He came of good pioneer stock, and the characteristic traits of the sturdy independent spirits of his ancestors made him one of those substantial citizens upon whom people instinctively rely in time of need, and he was never found wanting. Mr. Kern was born in Exeter town- ship, Berks county, March 24, 1832. son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Boone) Kern, his mother a descend- ant of the race that gave the immortal Daniel Boone to the civilization "across the mountains."

Michael Kern, grandfather of Franklin Boone, was of German blood. and settled in Exeter township. Berks county, at an early day. His life was devoted to farming. He married Mary Boone, daughter of Isaac Boone, who was a cousin of Daniel Boone, and they had a large family, which they reared in the faith of the Lutheran church.

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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 152

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