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 192

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 192

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William Trostle married Magdalena Steffy (born Feb. 12, 1795, died May 22, 1883) and they had four sons and one daughter: (1) Richard m. Sallie Hartz, and had two sons and five or six daughters, the sons being Isaac, who is married and living in Mohnton; and Levi, m. to Elizabeth Brendle, and had a son Martin (m. Kate Eshelman, and has a son Paul), and three daughters, Catharine (m. Franklin Schweitzer), Ellen (m. Nathan Remp) and Cora (m. Jeremiah Schweitzer). (2) Jacob m. Ann Steffy. He was a stone mason by trade, but devoted the latter years of his life to farming. Of his children, three sons and five daughters are living: Jacob m. Lydia Eshel- man, and has two children; Howard m. Mamie Glass, and has two children; Harry m. Lizzie Garman, and has two children; and the five daughters are all married, but are not living in this vicinity. (3) Levi was a carpenter. He was born April 20, 1833, and died July 10, 1897. He m. Ann Furlow, born Dec. 19, 1828, died Nov. 7, 1896, and they had children: William (born June 28, 1861, died Sept. 22, 1895), Levi (born Dec. 6, 1869, died June 26, 1894), John, Elmer and Sarah. They lived in Lancaster county. (4) Benjamin moved to Lebanon county, Pa. (5) Sallie m. David Lebo, and lived in Lancaster county.

JOHN ARCHIBALD McLENEGAN was born at Lancaster, Pa., Feb. 2, 1841, at the homestead on East King street. When six years of age, he was adopted by an uncle, George B. Withers, Esq., of the Lancaster Bar, and his earliest education was received at private schools in that city. He afterward attended the Stras- burg Academy, to which place his uncle had removed on account of failing health. He then assumed the care of his uncle's farms near Strasburg until the latter's decease in 1859, when he accompanied his aunt, Mrs. Withers, to Reading where he secured a position with the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company, as private messenger, traveling between New York and Washington. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he enlisted as a volunteer in the Ringgold Light Artillery for three months, and then for three years with the Anderson Troop. He is enrolled as a First Defender. Upon being mustered out of service, he joined a col- ony of friends and relatives from Lancaster, and in- vested in farm lands in Wisconsin, where he remained for five years. He then returned to Reading and re- sumed employment with the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company, continuing with the company until 1883, and afterward for upward of twenty years filled the position of traveling salesman for the Reading Woolen Mills, visiting the business centers in the South and West and developing a large business for this iniportant enterprise at Reading. In 1905, his health failing, he located with his family on his farm at White

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Bear, along the Wilmington & Northern Railroad, at he was uncompromising in his allegiance to the Re- this place he died June 10, 1906.

Mr. McLenegan was married to Mary Ann McKnight, daughter of David McKnight, and granddaughter of John McKnight, the first banker at Reading, and they had seven children: Elizabeth Hiester, Selina (m. Fred- erick E. Yorke, and has a daughter, Dorothy), William and Henry (twins, the latter deceased), - John (de- ceased), Robert Wallace, and Frederick Augustus. The mother died Oct. 19, 1908.

His father was Zephaniah McLenegan, born at Lan- caster, in 1801, where he was educated and admitted to the Lancaster Bar in 1822, and afterward came to occupy considerable prominence in the official life of the county, serving as county treasurer in 1833 and 1834, and as prothonotary from 1836 to 1839. He was a man of scholarly tastes, and possessed one of the best private libraries in Lancaster. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and died in 1842. He m. Henrietta Augusta Musser, daughter of John Musser (for a time Collector of the Port of Phila- delphia), and great-granddaughter of Rev. Henry Mel- chior Muhlenberg. They had four children: Edward (m. to Mary Dunn), Henry Hall (m. to Sarah Rei- gart), Charles (died in Rio de Janiero in 1859, aged twenty-two years) and John Archibald.

Mr. McLenegan's grandfather, Archibald McLene- gan, was born in 1759, in Ireland, of Scotch parents, and emigrated from Monaghan, County Ulster, lo- cating at Lancaster, Pa. In 1791, he m. Mary Wallace, daughter of William Wallace, and granddaughter of James Wallace who had emigrated to Pennsylvania prior to 1721 and settled in Swartara township. They had ten children: Samuel, Elizabeth (m. an Hum- phreys), Elijah (m. Mary Fordney), Sarah (m. a Randall), Zephaniah, Isaiah, Mary (m. William Wal- lace), Athalia (m. a Shepley), Martha (m. Robert Wallace). and Ann (m. the Rev. Mr. Pauli). Archi- bald McLenegan was possessed in a marked degree of those sterling virtues which characterize the Scotch- Irish. He was largely interested in farming operations in Leacock township, and was a well-known citizen of Lancaster in its early days, being the proprietor of the old "White Horse Inn," which was situated at the east end of King street, and which later became the private residence of his son Zephaniah. He died in 1831.

JOSEPH AUBREY WHITE. The material ad- vancement of the city of Reading has been conserved in no small degree by Joseph A. White, who was for a score of years one of the leading contractors and builders of this county, as a member of the firm of White & Wagoner. He now resides or a beauti- ful little farmstead contiguous to the city and devotes his attention principally to floriculture and the rais- ing of fine poultry. He was born in Lancaster, Lan- caster Co., Pa., June 17, 1853, son of William R. and Rebecca E. (Cross) White.

William R. White was born in the City of New York, in 1819, and was reared and educated in his native city, where he learned the trade of cotton manufact- uring, eventually becoming superintendent of a cotton mill in New York. He remained there until about 1840, when he took up his residence in Lancaster, Pa., where he entered the employ of Arnold & Company, leading cotton manufacturers, with which concern he continued until 1895, when he permanently retired from active business. The last six years of his life were passed in the home of his son, Joseph A., where he died in 1906, and where his widow still resides, a revered member of the family circle. Mr. White married in Lancaster, Rebecca E. Cross, a native of London, England, born in 1835, who accompanied her parents to America, and located at Lancaster, Pa. Mrs. White belongs to the Lutheran church, of which her husband likewise was a member, and in politics

publican party. Of the eight children of William R. and Rebecca E. (Cross) White, Joseph Aubrey was the oldest; Charles F. was born Aug. 2, 1858; Emily Alice, Oct. 22, 1865; Ada R., Aug. 7; 1868 (is deceased) ; Jessie May, March 27, 1870 (died in childhood); Laura V .. March 1, 1872; Mary W., Dec. 29, 1876; and Emma R., March 2, 1879.

John Aubrey White was afforded the advantages of the public schools of Lancaster, his native city, and there he served a thorough apprenticeship at the plasterer's trade, becoming a skilled artisan in the line. For several years he followed the work of his trade in New York City, and in 1885 he took up his residence in Reading, where he engaged in contract- ing and building, in partnership with John M. Wagoner. The firm of White & Wagoner built up an extensive business and attained a high reputation for reliabil- ity and progressive methods. This firm erected about one thousand buildings in the various sections of Read- ing, and their enterprise and excellent work contributed much to the substantial upbuilding and attractiveness of the city.

Mr. White is recognized as a representative citizen of Berks county, and has so ordered his course as to retain at all times the confidence and good will of his fellow men. He has shown a commendable inter- est in all that pertains to the welfare of his home city and county, and while he has never been a seeker of public office he has been signally observant of the duties of citizenship, and has lent his co-opera- tion in the furtherance of enterprises and projects tending to advance the general welfare of the communi- ty. In 1904 he retired from the contracting and build- ing business, and purchased a small farm in the north- east section of the city. On this place he has made fine improvements of a permanent nature, including the erec- tion of a handsome and commodious residence of modern architectural design and equipment and he is living the idyllic. life of a country gentleman, the while enjoying also the advantages of the city. His farm is largely given over to the cultivation of fine varieties of flow- ers, for which he finds a ready market, and to the breeding of high grades of poultry, in which line he is producing some exceptionally attractive new strains. He has secured premiums at various poultry shows and takes much pride and interest in his poultry busi- ness. He is a Republican in his political proclivities and both he and his wife are zealous members of the Lutheran church.

In 1890 Mr. White married Miss Kate Sponsler, daughter of Jacob and Lucy Sponsler, of Adams coun- ty, Pa. They have no children. Mr. White has at- tained to success through his own efforts, and is one of the substantial and honored citizens of Berks coun- ty, where he has a wide circle of acquaintances in both business and social lines.

WILLIAM McH. BOYER, a substantial citizen of Reading, Pa .. who is acting in the capacity of chemist for the Reading Iron Company, of that city, was born in Reading, in 1869, son of Jerome L. Boyer.

Mr. Boyer secured his education in the schools of his native city, and attended the high school at Birds- boro, after graduating from which he returned to Reading, later attending a school at Columbus, Pa. He then entered a preparatory school in order to fit himself to enter Lafayette College, Easton, Pa., from which he graduated in chemistry in 1891, and in Aug- ust of that year he accepted the position of chemist with the Reading Iron Company. Mr. Boyer's labor- atory is situated at the Keystone Furnace, where he employs on an average of four men. Fraternally Mr. Boyer is connected with the Masons, being a member of Lodge No. 549, F. & A. M. He is a Lutheran in religious belief, and attends Trinity Church of that denomination.

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BIOGRAPHICAL

In 1898 Mr. Boyer married Emily Eavenson, daugh- Kauffman and his son, Walter P. Schaeffer, the firm ter of Alban Eavenson, who is well known in manu- being known as Kauffman & Schaeffer. facturing circles of Philadelphia as a soap manufact- urer, and to this union there have been born two sons, Jerome Ludwig Boyer, 2d, and Howard Eavenson Boyer.

JOEL M. SCHAEFFER, a retired business man of Fleetwood, residing in a handsome home on Rich- mond street, was born March 8, 1846, in Richmond township, and has all his life been identified with that section of Berks county.

When the good ship "Edinburgh" arrived at Phila- delphia. on Aug. 13, 1750, it had among its passengers one Georg Schaeffer, who came from the Rhine val- ley, in Germany, and was the first of his family to settle in America. Proceeding to Berks county. he established himself on a farm in Richmond township, and there spent the rest of his life. His children were: Elizabeth, Margaret, Maria, Peter and Philip.

Philip Schaeffer, son of Georg, was born in 1770, on the old homestead in Richmond township. He was a very successful farmer and remained on the old home- stead. He made the first threshing machine in Berks county. This proved a great labor saver, and he con- tinued in the manufacture of threshing machines dur- ing the remaining years of his life. He married Eliza- beth Fetherolf, who bore him eight sons and four daughters, namely: George; Peter; Isaac; Jonathan; Daniel; Philip; William; David: Sarah (m. Jacob De Long); Elizabeth (m. Solomon Yoder); Anna Maria (m. Isaac Merkel); and Esther (m. Francis De Long). As each child became of age he or she was presented with a farm. The children were all of unusually fine physique, tall and strong, and finely proportioned.

Philip Schaeffer, Jr., son of Philip and father of Joel M .. was a life-long farmer in Richmond town- ship, and one whose efforts were richly rewarded. A man of unassuming demeanor and upright character, his most vital interest was his family, to whom he was devoted. He was a member of the Reformed Church of Fleetwood, and in politics was, like all of his name, a Democrat. He married Esther, daughter

of Jacob and Elizabeth (Sheradin) Merkel. The Merkels are a family of German origin founded in Pennsylvania by Georg, whose son Caspar was the father of. Jacob. Philip and Esther Schaeffer became the parents of seven children, viz .: Levina, Mrs. Sam- uel Kelchner, of Fleetwood: Hettie, Mrs. Isaac De- burk, of Kutztown; Elizabeth, who died aged seven; James. who married Susan Heibine, of Moselem Springs, Pa .; Joel M .; Maria, Mrs. Martin Kelchner, of Fleet- wood; and Martin, who married Susanna Rahn of Fleetwood.

In political views, Mr. Schaeffer has somewhat de- parted from family tradition and maintains an inde- pendent stand, but he has always been decidedly ac- tive in local affairs, while for six years he served in the town council. He is also prominent in the Em- manuel United Evangelical Church, in which both he and his wife do much work. When the present build- ing was erected in 1884 he was a member of the build- ing committee and his plans and suggestions were heartily approved by the others of the committee. For nine years he has been treasurer of the Sunday-school and is now class leader and teacher of the German class. His wife is equally prominent in the women's departments, belonging to the Ladies' Aid and Mis- sionary societies, and to the W. C. T. U. Both are highly esteemed for their upright and Christian lives.

Mrs. Schaeffer was Miss Caroline Catherine Kelch- ner, and was married to Mr. Schaeffer Nov. 17, 1870. She was a daughter of Jacob and Ann (Sheirer) Kelchner, and granddaughter of Jacob Kelchner, Sr. To her husband she has borne one daughter and one son, namely: Anna Vanilla, who was educated at Schuylkill Seminary, Frederick, Md., m. in 1894, John N. Kauffman, and has two children, Joel Schaeffer and Kathryn Willi; and Walter Philip, who was edu- cated in the local schools and in Albright College, Myerstown, Pa., where he took the English-Scien- tific course, and who has also done much in voice culture and is a vocalist and musician of note. He is now a member of the firm of Kauffman & Schaeffer, millers and coal dealers, at Fleetwood.

J. NEWTON RHOADS, a very well-known and highly esteemed resident of Reading. Pa., is an official court stenographer, to which office he was appointed Oct. 2, 1891. He is a son of John P. and Eliza (Flick- inger) Rhoads, natives of Carlisle, the former of whom died in 1884, aged sixty-four years, and the latter in 1891, being seventy-four years old at the time of her death. They had three children: Martha E., Alfred Milton and J. Newton.

J. Newton Rhoads was born Nov. 2, 1856, and was educated in the Carlisle public schools and at Dickin- son College, graduating from the latter institution in 1879. He then engaged in the newspaper business for a time. after which he took up the study of- stenog- raphy, and engaged in work on the Legislative Record for two years. The next spring he went to Harris- burg. being employed there in the office of Col. W. C. Deming for three or four years. He was official sten- ographer of the Cumberland County Court for two years, and came to Reading as an assistant court sten- ographer in 1886.

Joel M. Schaeffer spent his boyhood and youth on his father's farm attending the local schools. This Mr. Rhoads married, May 30, 1892, Miss Susan E. Rheem, daughter of Jacob Rheem, who was a descend- ant of the founders of Reamstown, Lancaster county. Two children were born to this union, Edith and Mar- ian. both at school. Mr. Rhoads is a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Reading. He is an en- ergetic, conscientious worker, well fitted for the dut- ies of his position. was supplemented by a course in a school at Col- legeville, Montgomery county. At the age of twenty- four he married and his father gave him a farm near his own and for five years the young man followed agricultural pursuits. But in the spring of 1876 he sold out his farm stock and entered upon a partnership with Lewis Wanner that lasted until 1903. This firm, Schaeffer. Wanner & Co., dealt in grain, coal and lum- ber, and built up an extensive business. In 1885 they EDWARD ZARTMAN SCHOLL, architect at Read- ing, with offices at No. 35 North Sixth street. is descended from two of the pioneer families, and of which he bears both names. The first ancestor of the Scholl family was one George Scholl, who set- tled in the vicinity of Stouchsburg some few years prior to 1727, and who was an intimate associate of Conrad Weiser, the renowned pioneer. He is on rec- ord of making the motion at the first Lutheran vestry held in the county to build a church, the result of which was the erection, in the year 1727, of a log building, which became known as Reed's Church, reorganized with one new member in the firm, and built a rolling mill with a capacity of seventy- five barrels a day. They manufactured the White Rose and Silver Cloud flour, which are more gener- ally used in eastern Pennsylvania than the product of any other mill in that section, while there is also an active demand in the western part of New Jersey. In 1903 Mr. Schaeffer sold out his interest in the firm to his son-in-law John N. Kauffman. In 1909 Mr. Schaeffer bought the old Dumn mill property at the west end of the borough of Fleetwood, and formed a partnership with his son-in-law, John N. so named after the donor of the ground. All of Mr.

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Scholl's forefathers lived in the vicinity of this church, husband was Peter Rothermel of Richmond township, near Stouchsburg.

Peter Scholl, grandfather of Edward Z., was a farmer of Stouchsburg, and his son John Adam Scholl married Amelia Zartman, the latter the eldest child of Levi Zartman, of Myerstown. The pioneer of the Zartman family was Alexander Zartman, who landed in this country, at Philadelphia, Aug. 31, 1731. The direct lineage in this family is Alexander the pioneer, who had a son Alexander (2), whose son Alexander (3), had a son Jacob, who was the father of Levi. John Adam Scholl, the father, was a miller by occupation, and now lives retired. To him and his wife Amelia were born four children: Peter L., a contractor at Reading; Edward Z .; Sarah E., wife of Walter Jones, electrician in the employ of the Phil- adelphia & Reading Railroad; and Emma R., a pro- fessional nurse.

Edward Z Scholl was born in Womelsdorf, Berks county, Aug. 1, 1877. At an early age the family moved to Leaman Place, Lancaster county, where he re- ceived his earliest education. After the removal of the family to Reading, in 1890, he attended the city schools. and then finished his education at the Key- stone State Normal School, Kutztown, Pa., and in Ursinus College, at Collegeville, Pa. He entered the office of Frederic A. Barrows, architect, for a term of two years, after which he served a nine months' apprenticeship in the Shunk Planing Mill and the same length of time in the office of L. H. Focht, contractor. He was next employed for five years in various architects' offices, and then opened an office for himself in Reading, Pa. Mr. Scholl has shown his ability as an architect in the numerous structures that he is erecting, and has built up a practice not only in his own locality, but his reputation and busi- ness extends to many locations throughout the State.

Mr. Scholl is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church of this city. and is regarded among the social circles as a gentleman of refinement and exceptional quali- fications.

COSMOS MERKEL SCHWOYER, one of the very prominent citizens of Fleetwood borough, Berks coun- ty, who lived retired after the year 1876, was born Sept. 27, 1825, in Richmond township, on his father's farm situated along Moselem creek, and died in August, 1906.

Mr. Schwoyer was brought up on the farm and at- tended the public school near the Moselem Church. When he reached the age of seventeen years, besides assisting in the farming operations, he engaged in dealing in cattle and sheep, which he collected in Richmond and adjoining townships and disposed of them at Pottsville, in Schuylkill county, driving them there on foot several times a year. He carried on this business successfully for upwards of twenty years. He then engaged in farming for himself in 1852, and continued operations as a farmer until 1876, when he retired, settling at Fleetwood, the most promi- nent town in the township, and this was his home until his death.

From his early manhood Mr. Schwoyer took great interest in politics and identified himself with the Democratic party, although never desiring to fill any offices. However, after living at Fleetwood for awhile, and becoming much interested in local affairs, he was elected chief burgess in 1881, serving the office one year, and the next year was elected as one of the jury commissioners of the county, serving for three years, 1883-4-5.

Mr. Schwoyer was married three times. In 1862 he m. Christina Neff, born Jan. 15. 1826, daughter of John Neff of Kutztown. He m. (second) Susanna Schneider, daughter of Jacob Schneider, of Centre township. In 1876 Mr. Schwoyer m. (third) Maria (Hoch) Peter, of Maiden-creek township.

Mrs. Schwoyer was the daughter of Samuel and Sally (Herbein) Hoch, of Oley township. Her first

by whom she had one child, a daughter, Sarah Amanda, who married John Maurer, of Fleetwood, and died in January, 1907. Mr. Rothermel died at Fleetwood. She was next married to Joseph E. Peter, of Richmond township, and seven children were born of this union: Mary, who died in childhood; Samuel; Charles; Susanna, m. to Dr. A. K. Seaman of Read- ing; Emily, m. to Daniel Kelchner of Fleetwood; and Solomon and Lillie, who both died in infancy.

YOST. The Yost family is one of the oldest in this section of the State, and two of its members, Rufus R. and James Franklin R. Yost, are represent- ative citizens of Spring township, Berks county.

Philip Yost, or Jost as it was then spelled, was the ancestor of this family in America. He was born in 1718 at Nassau, in western Germany, and when twenty-two years old came to America, locating in Montgomery county, Pa., where he married Veronica Dotterer, a native of Limerick township, that county. They had three sons: John, Harmon and Philip, one of the two first named being the great-great-grand- father of Rufus R. and James Franklin R. Yost. The last named of these sons, Philip, Jr., was born in Montgomery county Aug. 24, 1757, and in 1768 moved with his father to Pottsgrove township, where they purchased a tract of land which remained in the family name for more than one hundred years. When nineteen years of age Philip Yost, Jr., served in Gen- eral Washington's army. In 1783 he married Rosina Benninger, and they had these children: Mary Mag- dalena. Tobial, Jacob, Benjamin, Salome, Rosina, Her- man. Jonas, Sarah and Philip. Mr. Yost died Aug. 28; 1832.

Abraham Yost, great-grandfather of Rufus R. and James F. R., came to Poplar Neck during the latter part of the eighteenth century, and here obtained a farm, which later became the property of Gen. Wil- liam High, next to Ezra High, and subsequently of William P. High, the present owner.

Nicholas Yost, the grandfather of Rufus R. and James F. R., born April 15, 1787, died June 9, 1867. He was an extensive farmer, owning over five hundred acres of land in Cumru township, along the Morgan- town road. He was a great marksman and frequently indulged in shooting matches, seldom failing to bear away a prize. Mr. Yost was a short but well-built man, with dark hair and a ruddy complexion. and was well known and very popular in his day. He fre- quently related to his grandchildren how he heard the few remaining Indians on Mount Penn and the Neversink Mountains signal to each other. On Nov. 23, 1817, Nicholas Yost married Susanna Seidel (born Sept. 29, 1798, died June 12. 1851), daughter of Philip and Elizabeth Seidel, of Robeson township, and to this union were born ten children, as follows: Mary. married Samuel Hemmig; Elizabeth, twin of Mary, married Washington Kissinger; Rebecca married Amos Hartman; Lydia married Moses Yocom; Susan mar- ried Jesse Matz; Amos lied at Cacoosing Creek; Ben- neville S. is mentioned below; Francis lived at Read- ing; Sarah Ann married Adam Spohn, of Spring town- ship; Louisa married Joseph D. Hornberger.

Benneville S. Yost was born on Mifflin Island, at the Little Reading Dam, Nov. 15, 1823, and died Sept. 19, 1899. He was in the hotel business at the "Green Tree" for ten years, kept the hotel at Riverside for two years, and one at Hamburg for a similar period. For upward of thirty years he was engaged in the coal business, and the freshet of Oct. 4, 1869, caused the loss of nearly one thousand tons of his coal, which he had stacked along the banks of the Schuyl- kill river. During the latter years of his life Mr. Yost was a farmer, but retired in 1879, at which time his son, Rufus R., took charge of the farm of 146 acres at Flying Hill. He was a lifelong member of Yocom's Reformed Church, where he is buried. Mr. Yost was also an old school-master, and taught pay

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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 192

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