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 173

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 173

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On leaving the seminary Dr. Smith returned to the place of his nativity and, where he was best known, was formally commissioned to work in the Master's vineyard. On June 21, 1892, he was ordained and installed as pastor of the Maxatawny charge of the Reformed Church, consisting of the congrega- tions at Maxatawny and at De Long's Church at Bow- ers. The following spring St. Paul's congregation in Kutztown, and St. Peter's at Topton were added to his charge, and in this enlarged field he has ever since been laboring with gratifying success, preach- ing to all of his congregations in both the English and German languages.

On Aug. 22, 1893, Dr. George B. Smith was mar- ried to Miss Mary L. Reynolds, daughter of Stephen Cromwell and Mary L. (Capwell) Reynolds, of near Factoryville, Pa. They have one child, Arline Au- gusta Reynolds, born Sept. 4, 1896.

ALBERT S. LEIDY. merchant of Boyertown, comes of a family long settled in Frederick township. Mont- gomery Co., Pa., where he was born Oct. 20, 1845.

Jacob Leidy, his grandfather, lived in Frederick township, where he engaged in farming, owning the homestead farm of over 100 acres-a very fine place. He and his wife had a family of ten or twelve chil- dren, among whom was but one son, Francis. He is buried in the private burial ground of the family in Frederick township, near Keelers church, on the old Leidy homestead; several generations of the family are interred there.

Francis Leidy, son of Jacob, was born about 1814 in Frederick township, Montgomery county, and died at the age of about forty-five, in 1857-58, at Potts- town. where he is buried. In his earlier life he fol- lowed farming, but later he was engaged as a hay dealer in Pottstown, continuing to follow that busi- ness until his death. He was successful in business and accumulated property.

Mr. Leidy was twice married, his first wife being Rachel Smith, daughter of John Smith. of Red Hill, Montgomery Co., Pa., and to them were born three children, one son and two daughters: Rebecca m. Alex. Sassaman, and resides in Philadelphia; Amanda (deceased) m. William Dannahaur and lived in Phila- delphia; Albert S. is mentioned below. By his second marriage, with Mary Ann Hoffman, Mr. Leidy had one daughter, who died young.

Rev. George B. Smith, second child of George L. and Louisa (Dutt) Smith, was born. July 8, 1867, Albert S. Leidy was born at Frederick and attended the schools at Fegleysville and the Swamp, in Mont- gomery county. When young he followed the cigar business for a short time, but when the Civil war broke out he entered the Union service, in which he remained for three years. He was only in his seven- teenth year when he enlisted, in 1862, in Company H. 119th Pa. V. I., at Zieglerville, and he was promoted from the ranks, in time becoming first lieutenant of that company, which was attached to the 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. Though in many fierce engagements Mr. Leidy was never wounded. At the battle of the Wilderness he had a very narrow escape, a bullet striking the scabbard of his sword, thus sav- ing him from a wound in the leg. He says he hated to lose the scabbard, as it was new. and he had just paid $25 for the scabbard and sword, but he picked up another which ' answered the purpose, and which he still has in his possession. He was mustered out on the homestead in Maxatawny township which his family have owned and occupied continuously for generations. He was reared on the farm and em- ployed at such duties as usually fall to the lot of farmer boys. His education began in the country district school, and was continued in the Keystone State Normal school at Kutztown. His object in entering the latter school was to merely obtain some- thing more of an education than that afforded by the country schools, but as he advanced from class to class a desire for more learning grew upon him and he decided to aim higher. Failing in one of his aspirations he applied to his Principal, Dr. N. C. Schaeffer, the present State Superintendent of Pub- lic Instruction, for information and advice. and in reply received a letter that turned his ambitions in the direction of college training. This he regards as the turning point in his career. He subsequently entered upon a course in Franklin and Marshall Col- at Philadelphia. lege, at Lancaster, and graduated from that institu- After the war Mr. Leidy engaged in the manufac- tion in 1889. With the advance of years and know- ture of clothing at Zieglerville, following this business ledge came the natural desire for employment, and in all for fourteen years, and employing at times as

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

many as two hundred people. The product was men's as president of the corporation until he died. He woolen clothing. He then lived for a year in Phila- and his son also erected the large annex known as delphia, where he was in the cotton yarn business, the Potteiger market-house in 1895. In the establish- ment of a new post-office building at Reading by the national government, 1887 to 1889, he acted as one of the commissioners. In politics he was identified with the Democratic party, in which he always took an active interest, but was never a candidate for office. and in' 1881 he located in Gilbertsville, Montgomery county, where was in the horse and cattle business for six years. He was in that business with M. L. Ritter for one year. In 1886 he came to Boyertown, where he engaged in the baking and liquor business, continuing same successfully for a period of twenty- Immediately after locating at Reading Mr. Pot- teiger became a member of the Trinity Lutheran con- gregation, and he continued a very active member until he died. He officiated as deacon, elder and trustee for nearly forty years, and during this time also took great interest in the Sunday-school, teach- ing a class the greater part of the time. When Muh- lenberg College, at Allentown, was established, he was a liberal contributor. He officiated as a trustee until he died, and his son, Samuel N., became his successor. For many years he was the largest single contributor toward the maintenance of this institution. one years, at one location. In the snring of 1907 he was succeeded in this business by his son J. Albert. Since that time he has built a double brick house on Walnut street, Boyertown, near the famous casket factory, and in the summer of 1908 he built a three- story brick store and residence on the northeast corner of Philadelphia avenue and Walnut street, where he is now conducting a grocery store. He is also interested in the casket factory. Mr. Leidy is a mem- ber of General Crook Post, No. 597, G. A. R., of Boy- ertown, and is also connected with Quakertown Lodge, No. 512, F. & A. M.

In 1870 Mr. Leidy married Elizabeth Brvan, daugh- ter of Dr. Joel and Maria (Shaner) Bryan, the former an Englishman who practised medicine at New Ber- linville, Pa. Five children have been born to this union: Ulysses S. died in infancy; Oren Ross, a member of the law firm of Leidy & Goodstein, is practising law in New York City, with offices at No. 38 Park Row; Austin C. B. resides at Boyertown; Jacob Albert has succeeded his father in the baking and liquor business; Hiram B. perished in the Boyer- town Opera House fire, Jan. 13, 1908, when twenty- three years old.

AMOS W. POTTEIGER. successful merchant and public-spirited citizen at Reading for fifty years, was born Nov. 23, 1823, on a farm in Bern township along the Tulpehocken creek, several miles from Reading. He was educated in private schools at Reading and the Unionville Seminary (situated along the Schuyl- kill river near the Chester county line). After leaving school he worked on the homestead farm until he became twenty-one years old, when he entered the general store of Francis B. Shalters, at Reading (Fifth and Washington streets), as a clerk, where he remained one year and then returned to the farm. While on the farm he taught school, acted as a surveyor, and officiated as a justice of the peace until 1848, when he went to Reading to engage in the mercantile busi- ness with John B. Schaeffer. Their store was situated on the north side of Penn street, below Third (now No. 251). After they had traded together for a num- ber of years, Mr. Potteiger became the sole owner of the business, which he continued at that place until 1866. Shortly before this time he had purchased a large property on the south side of Penn street, above Third (now Nos. 310-312), where he erected a large three-story brick building, which was the most mod- ern business at that time in Reading west of Fourth street. The plate glass for the show windows was imported from France, and their size attracted great public attention, they having been the largest at Read- ing up to that time. For several years before his death, Aug. 12, 1897, Mr. Potteiger was the oldest surviving merchant at Reading. He was elected to common council from the Northwest ward for two terms, from 1861 to 1864. While in council he gave much attention to the topographical survey of the city which was then being made; and he encouraged systematic numbering of the houses throughout the city. Upon the removal of the public market-houses on Penn Square, in 1871, he cooperated heartily with other enterprising men in the western part of Reading for establishing a private market-house to accommo- date the patrons as well as the farmers, which result- ed in the erection of the large and commodious mar- ket-house and the Grand Opera House on the south side of Penn street, west of Fourth, and he officiated

In 1849 Mr. Potteiger married Louisa Seidel Kis- singer. They had four children: Clara Amanda (m. to George E. Haak); Samuel Newton; Emma (died when eighteen years of age); and Luther (died in infancy). Mrs. Potteiger died Dec. 5, 1907, aged sev- enty-nine years. Mrs. Haak took much active interest in church and charitable work, having had official con- nections with the Reading Hospital and Widows' Home for many years. She died in 1905.

Mr. Potteiger's father was John Potteiger, of Bern township. who was engaged in farming and also dealt extensively in cattle. He took an active interest in politics and officiated as sheriff of the county from 1850 to 1853. When he entered upon the duties of this office he moved to Reading, of which he continued to be a citizen from that time until his decease. He was born in 1803, and died in 1865. He married Sarah Wobensmith, of Reading, born in 1807. died in 1869. They had nine children: Amos Wobensmith; Levi (m. to Barbara Beidler); William (m. to Elizabeth Ruth); John (died in youth); Mary Ann (m. to Ben- jamin S. Fox); Rebecca (m. to Henry B. Fisher); Catharine (m. to William Ahrens); Sarah (m. to James T. Reber); and Amelia (m. to Daniel Engel).

He was a lineal descendant of Martin Pfatteicher, who emigrated from Germany in 1737, settled in the upper section of Bern township (about two miles north of Bernville), where he secured a large quantity of land, and carried on farming until his decease, in 1791.

Mrs. Amos W. Potteiger's father was Abraham Kis- singer, a farmer, born in 1792, died in 1864; he mar- ried Susanna Seidel, born in 1795, died in 1875. Their homestead was located in Bern township, opposite Reading and overlooking the Schuylkill river. Her grandfather, also named Abraham. a farmer of the same township, was born in 1750 and died in 1833. He was married to Maria Angenisz Kieszling. born in 1752, died in 1838. Mrs. Potteiger's parents had nine children: Abraham S. (m. to Lydia Gring); Re- becca (m. to Jonathan Gicker); Mary (m. to Ben- jamin Schmeck); Elizabeth (m. to Samuel Kissinger); Louisa S. (m. to Amos W. Potteiger); Washington S. (m. to Elizabeth Yost); Susan (m. to William Parvin) ; Amanda (m. to James L. Miller); and Sarah (m. to Charles S. Birch).

SAMUEL NEWTON POTTEIGER was born at Reading, and received his education in the city schools and in Muhlenberg College, from which he was graduated. Then he read law in the office of George F. Baer. Esq., and was admitted to practice in the several courts of Berks county and the State of Pennsylvania. Besides carrying on the practice of the law since then, he has given much successful attention to real estate and building operations at Reading. being one of its largest builders, having erected many rows of modern dwellings as well as the handsome stone- front Potteiger office building at Nos. 535-537 Court

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BIOGRAPHICAL

Street, built in 1904. He was one of the organizers at the age of seventeen he began to learn cigar making of the Schuylkill Valley Bank (adjoining the Potteiger store building) in 1890, and since then has served as one of its directors; and upon the death of his father, succeeded him as a director of the corporations with which he had been connected.

ISRAEL GROMAN, a resident of Reading, was born in Bern township, Berks county, Nov. 8, 1838. The family, which is of German descent, has lived in that county for several generations.

George Groman, grandfather of Israel, was a farmer in Bucks county, and his son Charles, father of Is- rael, worked as a stone mason all his life, both quarry- ing the stone and doing contract work. He and his wife, Elizabeth (Kissinger) Groman, had three child- ren, viz .: Fietta, m. to Solomon Kissinger; Israel; and Catherine, m. to John Lasch. The family were Lutherans in religious faith.

Israel Groman went to school till he was about sixteen, acquiring as good an education as the town- ship schools offered, and then for three years drove mules along the canal route. For his permanent oc- cupation he decided on carpentry and learned that trade, but before he was fairly established in business, the war broke out and in 1861 he enlisted in Company H, 88th Pa. V. I., and served for three years. During that time he participated in twenty-one engagements and was wounded in the battle of Gettysburg, the others being Cedar Mountain, Rappahannock Station, Thor- oughfare Gap. Second Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, Antietam, Mine Run, Fredericksburg, Chan- cellorsville, Wilderness two days), Cold Harbor, North Anna River, South Anna Forks, front of Petersburg. Weldon Railroad, charge on Fort Hill, Explosion of Rebel Fort, Five Forks, and cavalry charge prior to Five Forks. After his discharge, he returned to his native county, located at Reading and secured a place as carpenter for the Schuylkill Navigation Company. He left that company to work for the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company, and after some time with that corporation he took up house carpentering. In 1904 a position with the Reading Iron Company was offered him and he has since been with them.

In 1865 Mr. Groman married Barbara, daughter of William Douglass. There is a stepson, the child of Mrs. Groman's former husband, William Thompson. Mr. Groman has adhered to the faith in which he was brought up and is a member of the Lutheran Church. His political views are those of the Democratic party. He is an enthusiastic advocate of lodge work and is connected with a number of fraternal bodies, including F. & A. M. Lodge No. 62; Reading Commandery No. 42; Excelsior Chapter No. 237; the P. O. S. of A .; and the I. O. O. F., while he also belongs to the Carpenters' Un- ion and for many years maintained his connection with the G. A. R. The family resides at No. 34 Schuylkill avenue.

A. R. ORTH, a cigar manufacturer of Reading, was born in that city, Nov. 19, 1852, son of William and Susan (Printz) Orth.

William Orth during his active life was a black- smith by trade, and in, time secured a place in the Read- ing shops of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, where he worked continuously for thirty-five years. Both he and his wife are now deceased, his demise having occurred Sept. 1, 1895, hers in 1877. They are buried in the Aulenbach cemetery in Reading. Four children were born to their union, viz .: Al- pheus R .; Christiana, the wife of George Nagle, of Reading; Rosanna, Mrs. Henry Hertwig, of Reading; and William, also of that city.

Alphens R. Orth attended the public schools till he was twelve years old, and then entered the hat factory run by Kutz and Arnold, at present the property of J. G. Mohn & Brothers. When fourteen he left that place and went into a cotton factory and then

with Frederick Printz, who was alderman of the Third ward at that time, with whom he remained five months. After he finished his trade he worked for Charles Breneiser & Co., and then for John Maltzberger. At the end of that time, in 1887. he and Augustus Frame formed the firm of Orth & Frame, in the cigar manu- facturing business, with their location on Court street, above Sixth street. After four years Mr. Orth sold out his interest to his partner and himself resumed cigar making. He was employed first by John Keiser and then for six years by Frank Hunt. In 1898 Mr. Orth purchased Peter Krick's stand, on Sixth street be- low Penn, formerly William R. Eaches' well-known place, and established himself there till 1900 when he moved to his present location, No. 37 North Fifth. street. This stand, which he bought from Edward Luden, was one of the most up-to-date in the city and under Mr. Orth its reputation has been more than sustained. It is located next to the postoffice build- ing, has a frontage of thirty feet and depth of 230 .feet, and has a factory 15x45 feet in dimensions, in the rear. This factory Mr. Orth greatly improved in June, 1906, and keeps fourteen hands busy at all times. When he began he employed only two, but his business increased rapidly from the first and now he has a fine local trade, supplying his products to all the best cafes and hotels in the city. He makes principally the Pompey Branch five cents, and Pom- pey Shorts, for chewing and smoking, ten cents. The business is now conducted under the name of A. R. Orth & Son.

In 1878 Mr. Orth married Ellen E., daughter of Wil- liam and Elizabeth Reider. There are three children, Annie, Walter and Lizzie, the last a graduate of the Reading high school. The family have their home in the store building, where a residence portion has been carefully fitted up. Mr. Orth has never mingled actively in politics but supports the Democratic party. Fraternally he is a charter member of Mt. Penn Lodge, No. 518 I. O. O. F., and belongs also to Teutonia Lodge, No. 367, F. & A. M. . He is a man of warm heart and charitable impulses, and is always a generous giver to worthy causes. His business success has been honestly won by his own unaided efforts, and he deserves the confidence and esteem in which he is held by all who have dealings with him.

DANIEL SHAABER, a retired foundryman of Read- ing, Pa., is a native of that city, born at the corner of Ninth and Franklin streets, Dec. 19, 1832, son of John and Mary (Caldwell) Shaaber.

Mr. Shaaber was left an orphan at the age of eleven years, his father having died five years before, and he went to live with Adam Johnston, with whom he re- mained until twenty-five years old. Mr. Johnston being in the foundry business, young Shaaber soon mastered the details of the business, and when Mr. Johnston met with financial reverses Mr. Shaaber and Mr. Johnson's clerk, a Mr. Jones. took the business, this being in April, 1858. The partnership continued until 1860, when Mr. Jones sold his interests to Mr. Shaaber, and in this our subject continued alone un- til 1868, when Adam Johnston and his son, Henry, were admitted to the firm, it then being Shaaber & Johnston until 1877. In this year Mr. Shaaber with- drew from the firm and engaged in the cold storage business at Fifth street and the Lebanon Valley railway until the railroad company erected their bridge at that point, and as the plant was on railroad property it was forced to move. Since this time Mr. Shaaber has lived retired.

Mr. Shaaber was married Nov. 24, 1859, to Asenath Johnston, daughter of Adam Johnston. In politics Mr. Shaaber is a Republican, and served in the Sec- ond ward as a member of the school board. Mr. Shaaber had the following brothers and sisters: Cather- ine, m. to Amos Seyfert; Elizabeth, m. to a Mr. Corn;

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Margaret, m. to Frederick Deaser; Mary, m. to Peter Adams; John; George; Sarah; Peter; Rebecca, m. to Jackson Sherman; Jacob, twin of Daniel; and Henry W .. deceased.

JEREMIAH SEIDER. Among the prominent busi- ness men of Reading, Pa., may be mentioned Jere- miah Seider, of No. 927 Douglass street, who has for some years been engaged in contracting. He was born Jan. 5, 1830, in Reading, son of Daniel and Mary (Yeager) Seider.

Daniel Seider, who was a boatbuilder in Reading in the early days, later removed to Northumberland coun- ty, Pa., where. he engaged in farming until 1845, then returning to Reading, where he carried on the work of carpenter. In 1850 he was engaged in the Read- ing Cotton factory, and in 1862 as a soldier in the Union army, he lost his life in the Civil war. He and his wife had about twelve children, of whom Jeremiah was the fifth. Daniel Seider was a Lutheran in reli- gious belief, while his wife belonged to the Reformed denomination.

Jeremiah Seider secured a somewhat limited educa- tion in the schools of Reading. He enlisted on April 18, 1861, and was made sergeant. He re-enlisted in the Ordnance department and became first lieutenant of artillery. serving ninety days in 1863, and being now the only living officer of that command. After being hon- orably discharged he engaged in the contracting busi- ness, which he has followed to the present time, and was for one year in partnership with John B. Wagner. Mr. Seider was the first building inspector of Reading, and has been one of the best known contractors of the city. Although he has reached an age when most men are willing to give up their active opera- tions, Mr. Seider has no thought of so doing. Stand- ing six feet, one inch in height, and weighing 200 pounds, he is robust and hearty, and is in full pos- session of all of his faculties, being able to read without glasses as well as a young man of twenty.

Mr. Seider was married in April, 1856, to Leann Armpreister, born 1830, and who died in November, 1904, aged seventy-two years. To this union there were born two children: Rosanna, deceased; and Je- rome, deceased, formerly a letter carrier, and also cap- tain of Company I, 4th Reg. Pa. National Guards. Mr. Seider is a member of McLean Post, G. A. R., form- erly a member of Chandler Lodge of Masons, and of the I. O. O. F. In politics he is a Republican.

THEODORE BENZ, now living retired from active work at his home at Mineral Spring Park. Reading, is a native of Germany, born in Baden, Saalbach, Nov. 9, 1835, and he is the only survivor of the seven children born to George Benz. a locksmith, whose entire life was passed in his native country.

street, from which place in 1892 he moved to his present location. In 1891 he built his home in Lower Alsace township, or Mt. Penn, on the Old Hessian Camp Ground. He has about eight acres of land, five of which are devoted to grapes and other fruit.

Mr. Benz married Barbara Mohring, who came to America from Germany when five years old. She died in 1890, aged fifty-two years, ten months, fifteen days, and is buried in the German Lutheran cemetery. Eight children were born to them, two of whom are de- ceased. The survivors are: Charles W., who has been a clerk in the Penn National Bank since its organiza- tion; John G., a plumber in business with his brother William, under the firm name of Benz & Bro .; Ed- ward, who is in the employ of the United Traction Company; William, a member of the plumbing firm of Benz & Bro .; Annie C., m. to Joseph C. Flatt, of Reading; and Miss Lillie, at home. In his religious faith Mr. Benz is a Lutheran. He is a member of Germania Lodge, I. O. O. F., and also of Reading Encampment. In 1900, just fifty years after his leav- ing the old home in Germany, Mr. Benz revisited the scenes of his youth, and also attended the Paris Exposition, spending four months in travel abroad.

WILLIAM A. SMITH, ex-member of the common council of Reading, has spent his whole life in that city. where he was born in 1864, son of Nicholas and Catherine (Hartung) Smith.

William A. Smith was sent first to the parochial schools in Reading, and then to the public schools. After finishing his education he went into the shops of the Philadelphia & Reading railroad company, to be- come a machinist, but after about five years in that oc- cupation he went into business as a manufacturer of optical supplies and as a practical optician. His place of business is at Nos. 202-208 Cedar street, and he has been very successful. Mr. Smith has always taken an active interest in the welfare of the city and in politics is quite well known. He resides at No. 839 Washington street, his parents' home, in the Eighth ward, and for three terms has represented that con- stituency in the common council, elected on the Dem- ocratic ticket. He has served on all the important committees, and was a member of the board of ap- peals for a number of years. He is a progressive practical man, and was strongly supported by his fellow citizens in the ward. He has also for a long time been prominently connected with the Harmonie Maen- nerchor, and for the past four years has been its president. Besides being a member of the Sons of Veterans. Mr. Smith stands very high in the Masonic fraternity, in which his name is on the rolls of Teu- tonia. Lodge, No. 367; Excelsior Chapter, No. 237: and Reading Commandery. No. 42, in all of which he is past officer. He also belongs to Rajah Temple.

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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 173

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