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 176

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 176

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(IV) Philip S. Mathias, son of Daniel, was born in Earl township in 1825, and he died Feb. 26, 1869. He was an early school teacher in Earl township, teaching in all sixteen terms in one district. He owned a 20-acre tract in Earl township, and there his death occurred, and his remains were interred at Oley church, of which he was an official member. In politics he was a Democrat. He belonged to the Odd Fellows at Pleasantville. He married Mary Mathias, born April 17, 1826, daughter of Jacob and Hannah (Motz) Mathias, a distant relative. She now lives at Shanesville, with her daughter, Miss Sarah E. Math- ias. To Philip S. and Mary (Mathias) Mathias were born the following children: Miss Sarah E .; Morris M .; Hannah, m. to Edward Clemens, of Ambler, Pa .; and Ada, m. to Edwin H. Weller, of Shanesville.

(V) MORRIS M. MATHIAS, son of Philip S., re- ceived his early education in the schools of Earl town- ship, and later attended the Kallynean Academy, at Boyertown. In 1872 he was licensed to teach by the late Prof. D. B. Brunner, and he taught three terms in Pine Grove school in his native township. Later

district in Oley, and then two terms in Shanesville. He was successful both as an instructor and as a disciplinarian, and attained a high place among Berks county educators. In 1877 he began farming on the Aaron Weller farm near Shanesville, and this farm became his by purchase in 1885. It contains seventy acres of rich land, and he carried on farming here until the spring of 1908, when he was succeeded by his son, J. M. W. Mathias. In 1907 he built an addition to the house, and greatly improved the property; the excellent condition of the entire place shows his good management. He also owns several tracts of wood- land, one in Earl township, and one in Pike. He is an aggressive citizen, intelligent and progressive, and he is keenly interested in the development of his community. In 1882, when but twenty-eight years of age he was elected justice of the peace, and has been re-elected continuously since, his present term extend- ing to May 6, 1912. He has settled many disputes, and has many times kept friends and neighbors out of court, being in reality the peace maker of the dis- trict. He has served as clerk at many sales, as ad- ministrator of estates, and also as executor, and has been made guardian of a number of children. He is an agent of the Boyertown Fire Insurance Company, and has been since 1893. For six years he was auditor of the township. He and his family are members of Oley Reformed Church, of which he was deacon and later elder, and he is secretary of the Oley Ceme- tery Company.

On Sept. 25, 1875, Mr. Mathias was married to Mary Ann D. Weller, daughter of Aaron and Sarah (Dot- terer) Weller. Their children were: Sarah, who died in infancy; Olivia W., at home; Warren W., a farmer in Oley township, near Pleasantville, m. to Willi De Turck, daughter of Daniel De Turck, of Oley, and has children M. Daniel, Mary M., Olivia May and philip Curtis; Morris W., a graduate of the Keystone State Normal School, class of 1902, and now engaged in teaching in Earl township, m. to Alice Clauser, daughter of Henry Clauser, and has chil- dren Stanly, Helen and Ralph; J. M. W., a farmer on the homestead, m. to Katie Dry, daughter of Sam- uel Dry, and has. children-Leroy, Mabel and Annie; and Lawrence W., a farmer in Oley, organist of the Oley Union Sunday-school, and formerly a teacher of music, m. to Ella Fisher, daughter of Daniel D. Fisher, and has one son, Russell.

HENRY S. GOTTSCHALL, one of the represen- tative farmers of Berks county, Pa., who is engaged in cultivating his fine property in Alsace township, was born June 23, 1839, in Alsace township, son of Daniel and Hannah (Schildt) Gottschall.

George Gottschall, grandfather of Henry S., was a son of John Gottschall and wife (nee Keller). He married Susan Croninger, by whom he had these children: Daniel; Elizabeth, m. to John Neukirk; Sa- rah, m. to John Holdrie, of Indiana; Ella, m. to John Schildt, of Alsace township; Elana, m. to William Delp; Rachel, m. to Samuel Heller; Leonard, m. to Mrs. Magdalena (Fox) Keener; George, m. to Mrs. Elizabeth (Delp) Butterweck; and John, m. to El- mina Schwoyer.

Daniel Gottschall, father of Henry S., was a farm- er of Alsace township, where he spent his entire life. He was married to Hannah Schildt, and to them these children were born: Lovina, m. to Amos Hoy- er: Henry S .; Sarah, m. to Daniel Bingaman; Daniel, who died young; and Jacob, who also died in youth.

Henry S. Gottschall received his educational train- ing in the common schools of his native township, and he has always been engaged in farming. His pres- ent fine property, situated near Seidel's blacksmith shop in Alsace township, is cultivated by the most modern methods and machinery and presents an ex- cellent appearance. He is a stanch Republican in poli-

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

tics, and his first vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln in 1864. With his family Mr. Gottschall attends Spies's Church of the Lutheran faith.

On June 23, 1860, Mr. Gottschall was married to Miss L. Heist, and to this union there have been born children as follows: Rose m. Philip Hauck, and has three children, Harry, Willie and Earl; Mary m. James Klopp, and has two children, Ella and Anna; Mil- ton m. and has eight children; Allen m. Alice Zieber, and has two children, Edna and Annie; John; Annie m. John Noll; Maggie (Lovie) m. Samuel Sitchel.

GRIM. In Weisenburg township, Northampton (now Lehigh) county, Pa., in 1728 located Johan Egidius Grimm (or Grim), who came to this Commonwealth with that noted pioneer minister of the Lutheran Church, John Casper Stoever. The Grim family home was in Normandy and the lineage is traced back to a Baron there in the time of William the. Conquerer. One branch of the family went to Alsace, whence came Johan Egidius (also known as Gitti and Gideon). It appears that he later settled in Maxatawny, Berks county, where he secured a large tract of land. He built a substantial house, where other settlers fre- quently sought refuge in times of Indian disturbances. Most of his descendants are members of the Lutheran Church, and two of his sons served in the war of the Revolution. The will of "Gitti, alias Gideon," Grim was made Jan. 28, 1760. and was probated Oct. 1, 1761, when Jacob and Henry Grim, his sons, were appointed as executors. In this will he gave his land to his sons Jacob and Henry; fifty pounds to his daughter Cattarina; fifty pounds to his daughter Elizabeth (m. Casper Merkel); thirty pounds to Frantz Roth, "son of my daughter Margreth."

(II) Henry Grim, son of Gitti, married and had three children: Jacob; Jonathan, ancestor of Daniel P. Grim, of Kutztown; Gideon.

(II) Jacob Grim, son of Gitti, married and had a son Henry, born March 16, 1756. who died April 3, 1829, aged seventy-three years, and eighteen days, the father of five children -- Rachel, Jonas, Abraham, Solomon and David.

(III) Jacob Grim, son of Henry, was born June 17, 1754. On Nov. 2, 1779, he married Catharina Hot- tenstein, and he died June 24. 1833, aged seventy-nine years, seven days. Both he and his wife are buried on the farm in Maxatawny township, now owned by Mrs. Cecilia (Grim) Butz, of Allentown. This ad- joins the old homestead farm. To Jacob and his wife were born eleven children, namely: Jesse; David; Henry, who died in Philadelphia unmarried; Sem; Dan- iel, who died in infancy; Nathaniel, who died in in- fancy; a son that died in infancy unnamed; Sarah, m. to John Bailey; Judith, m. to John Appel; Catharina, who died in infancy; and one whose name is not known.

(IV) Jesse Grim, son of Jacob and Catharina (Hot- tenstein), had six children: Jacob, father of Mrs. Cecilia Grim Butz, of Allentown; Walter J .; Ephraim; De- borah; William and Allen.

(IV) Sem Grim, son of Jacob and Catharina (Hot- tenstein), married Anna Kline, and had five children: Dr. Henry; Isabella, m. to the Rev. A. J. Herman; Catharine, m. to Prof. Davis Garber; Louise and Os- car Sem, all of Allentown.

(m. John S. Hartzell, of Allentown), Emma (died in infancy), Jacob W. (whose only child, Anna K., is secretary of the Grim Reunion Association), Albert P., R. Matilda (m. Charles Appel, of Allentown) and Anna M. (m. Lewis Shankweiler, of Allentown); and Henrietta K., who married Jesse Kline.

Heinrich Grim, great-grandfather of Moses K., of Maxatawny township, was born in Maxatawny town- ship in 1733, and he died upon his farm near Bowers Station in 1804. He owned the old Grim homestead two squares from Bowers Station, on which is the old mill-one of the land marks of the township. Hein- rich Grim was a farmer and miller. He married Ger- trude Trexler, and they had children: Absalom; Gid- eon (1760-1823); Jonathan; Daniel; Reuben; Solomon; Ann; and Polly.

Solomon Grim, son of Heinrich and Gertrude (Trex- ler), was a successful farmer and miller in Rockland township, where he died in 1815. He married Leah Kline. daughter of David Kline, the owner of much valuable property in Maxatawny. They had two child- ren, Reuben, and a daughter that died in childhood.

Reuben Grim, son of Solomon and Leah (Kline), was born on his father's farm in Rockland township, March 7, 1816. For many years he conducted the mill in connection with farming, continuing this double occupation until 1866. He was very successful, and be- came the owner of three farms. In 1867 he moved to Maxatawny township to the farm now occupied by his son Moses K. He was a man of influence and was a prominent worker in the Lutheran Church at Lyons. He died Dec. 20, 1897. He married Diana Kutz, daughter of Daniel Kutz. of Maxatawny, and their children were: William; Solomon; Dewald, who died aged two years; Moses K .; Amanda, m. to An- thony Dengler, now of Michigan; Louisa, m. to the late Daniel Gaby; and Eliza, who died aged seven years.

MOSES K. GRIM, son of Reuben and Diana (Kutz), was born in Rockland township, May 8, 1845, and is now a prominent and successful farmer, located near Bowers Station, in Maxatawny township. His early training was along agricultural lines, and when he started out for himself in 1873, it was on the same farm on which he now resides. This consists of 110 acres, and Mr. Grim has been its owner since 1896. He is a man of much business capacity, and is possessed of more than ordinary intelligence, and is greatly es- tcemed in his locality .. In his political affiliations he is a Republican, and from 1900 to 1903 served his township (which is nominally Democratic) on the school board, being that board's president for one year, and for some time its treasurer. With his fam- ily he belongs to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church at Bowers. For a number of years they worshipped at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, at Lyons, where his father, Reuben, was an official.

In 1872 Mr. Moses K. Grim was married to Miss Emma C. Weiser. daughter of Elijah and Esther (Bieber) Weiser. Seven children were born of this union, namely: Jacob, born March 8, 1876; Louisa E., June 30, 1878; William G., April 25. 1881: Walter B., Nov. 4, 1883; Ida May, March 7, 1886; Julius H., July 2, 1888; and John E., April 2, 1890.

(IV) David Grim, son of Jacob and Catharina (Hot- Gideon Grim, son of Heinrich and Gertrude (Trex- tenstein), was born April 12, 1787. He died Oct. 12. ler), was born in Maxatawny township in 1760, and 1838, and was buried in the cemetery on the farm died in 1823, an extensive and prosperous farmer. His wife, Elizabeth Kirby, was of English extraction. She bore him five sons and two daughters, as follows: David, Nathan, Gideon, Benjamin, Joshua, Hannah and Dinah. owned by Mrs. Cecilia G. Butz. His five children were: Seth K., who had two daughters, Mary (m. William Kline, of Rothrocksville) and Catharina (m. Daniel P. Grim, of Kutztown); Daniel K .; David K., who had four children, Henry, George, Mary A. (m. William Miller, of Philadelphia), and Anna (m. a Mr. Bunker) ; Peter K., who married Elizabeth K. Mosser, and had nine children, David, Mary (m. Wil- liam J. Frederick, of Reading), Catharine, Amanda

Gideon Grim, son of Gideon and Elizabeth (Kirby). was born in Maxatawny township, Aug. 31, 1792, and died in Colebrookdale township, April 27, 1848. He married Esther Krouse, and they had two sons. Wil- liam K .; and Levi, who died when eighteen years old.

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BIOGRAPHICAL

William K. Grim, son of Gideon and Esther (Krouse), time and means in endeavoring to advance its inter- was born in Exeter township, May 28, 1825, and was ests. His wife was Miss Mary Bassett, who was one of the substantial and representative men of Boy- ertown. In his youth he learned the tanning trade, and this he followed successfully until 1874. In 1872 he moved to Boyertown, and there helped to organize the National Bank. He was also one of the organizers of the Farmers' National Bank of the same town. He was interested in the Colebrookdale Iron Company, of Pottstown, a large chartered corporation doing busi- ness since 1835. He was very level headed in business matters, and his judgment was frequently accepted as final. In 1853 he married Loretta B. Rhoads, daughter of John and Catharine (Boyer) Rhoads, and they have four children: Mahala, at home; Sallie, wife of Frank Sebold; William R., a bank cashier at Texarkana, Tex- as: and Kate, at home.

Jonathan Grim, son of Heinrich and Gertrude (Trex- ler), was a tanner in Maxatawny township, where he ried H. C. Wallize, and lives at the old Kline home- lived for many years. His later years were passed in Kutztown. He married (first) Catharine H. Bert- olett, and by her had one son, Daniel B., born July 17. 1800. He m. (second) a Miss Snyder, and they had three children: Joshua S., Polly and Jonathan.

Daniel B. Grim, son of Jonathan and Catharine H. (Bertolett), born July 17, 1800, owned a farm of 220 acres at Grimville, where he kept a store, hotel and tannery many years, amassing a comfortable fortune. He was active in the State militia, and in public affairs always took an interested and prominent part. He was known as "Der Hellwedder Grim." In 1819 he mar- ried Elizabeth Krouse, and they became the parents of children as follows: Daniel P., born Aug. 31, 1833, now a wealthy and influential citizen of Kutztown; Jonathan K .; Mary; Charlotte; Catharine; Sarah; Charles A. K .; Susan (Dietrich); and Amelia.

Joshua S. Grim, son of Jonathan by his marriage to Miss Snyder, became a tanner in Maxatawny town- ship, near the Lehigh county line. He owned the farm of 140 acres now the property of Cyranius R. Grim. His first wife, whose maiden name was Bieber, bore him four children: Jonathan; Catharine; Eliza- beth; and Henry P. He m. (second) Mary Zim- merman, daughter of Esau Zimmerman, and the five children of this union were: Charles A., Joshua I., Cyranius R., Mary and Susan.

Cyranius R. Grim, son of Joshua S. and Mary (Zim- merman). was born on his father's farm July 22, 1852. In his earlier years he engaged in tanning, but in 1884 began farming, .making a specialty of his poultry, of which he is very proud. For many years he has been one of the active and energetic workers in the Demo- cratic party of Maxatawny township, and in 1889 was elected assessor, an office he has continued to fill to the satisfaction of all ever since. In 1881 he married Amelia L. Raubenhold, and they have six children:, a large and lucrative practice, but his specialties are Mary E., Walter J., Cyranins R., Jr., Martha A., Rose Ann L. and Solon D.

DAVID C. KLINE, M. D., for many years a prac- tising physician of Reading, where he is one of the foremost supporters of the Homeopathic school, has been 'remarkably successful in his professional career, and stands deservedly high in the estimation both of his patients and of his fellow citizens. Dr. Kline comes of an old Pennsylvania family, originally settled in Northumberland county.

The grandfather, Isaac Kline, was a native of North- umberland county, and followed farming near Sunbury, in the village of Kline's Grove. He married Susan De Witt, and reared a good sized family.

Harmon G. Kline was born in Northumberland coun- ty in 1818, and became a lifelong farmer, as was his father before him. He is now living retired at Sun- bury. He is an active member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and has been liberal with both his

born in 1822, daughter of Luther Bassett. Her fath- er was a native of New Jersey, but removed to Dan- ville, Northumberland county, and followed farming there, living to the advanced age of eighty-seven years. Mr. and Mrs. Kline have enjoyed more than half a century of wedded happiness and are still traveling life's downward slope together. They were the par- ents of nine children, who all grew to maturity, the survivors being men and women of real value to their several communities. (1) Luther B. was educated in the Sunbury public school, and professionally in the Jefferson Medical College. Since his graduation he has been practising at Catawissa, Columbia county. (2) Elisha B. attended the Williamsport Seminary, read law, and was just ready for admission to the Bar when he died. (3) Lizzie was also sent to Williams- port Seminary, and after finishing her course mar-

stead. (4) George M. was educated at Williamsport, and is now a merchant in Union county, Pa. (5) Mar- garet Ellen is the wife of I. L. Bender, of Martins- burg, W. Va .. where he is clerk to the county courts. (6) Dr. David C. was the next in order of birth. (7) Is- aac C. graduated from Lafayette College, and is now a lawyer at Sunbury. (8) J, Simpson was born in Up- per Augusta township, Northumberland county, and re- ceived his early education in part at New Berlin, Un- ion county. Later he studied at Lafayette College, read law with Charles G. Barkley, and was admitted to the Northumberland County Bar in February, 1891. He is prominent in his profession, and is solicitor for his county and for the Pennsylvania railroad. At the close of 1891 he entered the office of James C. Packer, with whom he was associated professionally in the settlement of the Packer estate. (9) Rachel Estelle is the wife of Prof. W. S. Hall, who occu- pies the chair of Mining, Engineering and Higher Math- ematics in Lafayette College.

Dr. David C. Kline attended the Bloomsburg Nor- mal School and Dickinson Seminary at Williamsport, and then, having decided upon medicine as his pro- fession, entered the Hahnemann Medical College at Philadelphia, the leading homeopathic institution in the United States. His degree was conferred in 1883, and, locating at Reading in July of that year, Dr. Kline has ever since been identified with that place, and has become a prominent figure at most of the local affairs at all connected with his profession. Always an enthusiastic advocate of the principles of the Hahnemann school. he has done much to spread the popularity of the homeopathic system. He was ever active in the establishment of the Homeopathic Hospital in Reading, and has done everything possi- ble since to insure its success, having been one of the hospital staff from the beginning. Dr. Kline enjoys

the diseases of women and children, and in that field he has met with remarkable success. In 1895 he took a post graduate course in orificial surgery at Balti- more. He believes that great benefit may be derived from meetings and discussions with other physicians, and so he has connected himself with various profes- sional bodies, including the local Medical Society, the American Institute of Homeopathy and the Homeopa- thic State Society. He has been president of the lat- ter organization, and under his direction the meet- ings of the society increased far beyond any point previously attained.

Mrs. Kline was Miss Laura Smith, daughter of Sam- uel Smith, M. D., a practising physician of Trevortown, Pa. She was married to Dr. Kline Sept. 21, 1882, and their only child. Rada, a daughter, was born May 15, 1894. Their home is always hospitably open and many, indeed, are the friends who frequent it. The early training of Dr. Kline in religious lines was such as to bring him into sympathy with both the

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Presbyterian and Methodist denominations as his fath. er belonged to the latter church, and his mother to the former. Untiring in his profession, strong in his friendships and an upright and honorable man, Dr. Kline's life can well bear inspection, and serves as a model for any young men around him.

RITTER. The history of the Ritter family has been very hard to trace, but the yearly reunions which have been held of late have brought to light many new or little known accounts of their origin and have awakened inter- est in their early days in this country, where the Ritters are now numerously represented.

The name, which signifies "knight," originated during the Middle Ages. When the Crusades were organized over central Europe to redeem the Holy Land a society having for its object the defense of the faith, the protec- tion of the weak and the honor of womankind, came into existence in central Europe; it was known as die Ritter- schaft, that is, the Knighthood. It flourished for a few centuries, and many people of rank as well as of the mid- dle and lower classes belonged to it, but in time it be- came corrupt and was disbanded. About this time sur- names were coming into general use, and many if not all who belonged to this society assumed that of Rit- ter, so that there were soon a large number of the name in central Europe. Their principal stronghold seems to have been in the Palatinate, as nearly all who came to America emigrated thence. The emigrations began dur- ing the middle of the eighteenth century, and we give some of the port entries, most of these sailing from Rotterdam: Casper Ritter, 1750, ship "Friendship"; Mar- tin Ritter, 1749, ship "Phoenix"; Christopher Ritter, 1731; Heins Ritter, 1731; Mary Ritter, 1731; John and George Ritter, 1736; Aaron Ritter, 1738; Martin Peter. Ritter, 1749; Joseph Ritter, 1749; Jacob Ritter, 1750; Hans Rit- ter, 1751; Jacob Ritter, 1751; Nicholas Ritter, 1752; William and Polly Ritter, 1753; John Godfrey Ritter, 1755; Michael Ritter, 1765; William Heinrich Ritter, 1772; Anton Henry Ritter, 1773; Carl Ritter, 1775. These are a few of the names found recorded at different ports, and no doubt nearly all became heads of families in this country, but we give only such history as we have of the two first named, Casper and Martin Ritter, who are supposed to have been brothers.

Casper Ritter landed at Philadelphia in 1750, and tra- dition tells us that he and his brother Martin first set- tled in Delaware, but as the soil and climate did not suit them they came into Pennsylvania. Casper pro- ceeded to Easton, then the county-seat of what is now Lehigh and Northampton counties, and was granted a patent for a tract of 510 acres located on Fels creek, a few miles west of its confluence with the Lehigh riv- er. The present town of Laury's is situated where the Fels creek joins the Lehigh river. Casper Ritter's ori- ginal farm included the farms now owned by Reuben Saeger, Prof. David S. Keck and John and Jeremiah Schneck, with perhaps a few smaller tracts. No doubt the tract granted him was forest land and required clearing, the log house had to be built and the soil brought to cultivation from its primitive state. The old log house which sheltered him and his family was razed to the ground only a few years ago. Whether his wife accom- panied him across the ocean, or whether he secured her in this country, is not known, but it is known that six of his children reached maturity: Jacob, Mrs. Johannes Frantz, John, Heinrich, Mrs. Nicholas Saeger and Mrs. Heinrich Frantz. Casper Ritter and his wife were both buried on their farm, on a small elevation a short dis- tance from the house, and their graves are still to be seen. With the exception of a few of the children of Mrs. Heinrich Frantz who moved to Clinton county their descendants settled in the same community, and they are still numerous in that locality. Their annual reunions are notable events. Most of the Ritters living in Le- high and Northampton counties north of Allentown, and many living in Allentown, are descended from this Cas- per Ritter.

From Martin Ritter descend principally those of the name who live in Allentown and south of that place, between Macungie and Freemansburg. He came to this country, as stated, in 1749, and secured a patent for a tract of land in what is now Salisbury township, a few miles south of Allentown. He was the father of seven children : Martin, Henry, John, Daniel, Michael, Jacob and Gretchen (Mrs. Solomon Kline).

Philip Ritter was the ancestor of the Ritter family in Schoenersville, Rittersville and the region over toward Nazareth.

Francis Ritter seems to have been the ancestor of the Berks county Ritters. His father, George Ritter, was a pioneer. Francis, born in 1741 in Exeter township, Berks county, died in 1825. To him and. his wife Barbara were born four sons and three daughters: Daniel, John, Jacob, Samuel, Mrs. Charles Kessler, Mrs. Nicholas Seidel and Mrs. Samuel Christian.

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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 176

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