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 97

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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CHARLES T. VOELKER, manager and part owner of the Berks Manufacturing Company, was born in Reading Jan. 29, 1884, and received his early education in the schools of Pottstown, supplementing it with a course at the Reading Business College. He is thoroughly fitted for the superintendency of the plant, the marvelous growth of which since it came under the present management is due in a great measure to his executive ability. He is a young

man of forceful personality and excellent business judg- ment, and his energy has made itself felt in every de- partment of the factory, which has made a most creditable showing under his guiding hand.

AUGUSTUS M. BROWN, cashier of the First National Bank of Mohnton, and one of the well-known and highly respected citizens of Shillington, was born May 17, 1863, at McKeansburg, Schuylkill Co., Pa., son of George and Catherine ( Mast) Brown.

John Brown, his grandfather, was born in Rockland township, Berks county, where he followed the occupation of a farmer and tailor, later moving to Schuylkill county and purchasing a farm, on which he died at the age of fifty-nine years. His wife's maiden name was Maul. They had three children: Ephraim, who died in Schuyl- kill county; George; and Charles, who died at Pottsville.

George Brown was born in Rockland township, Berks county, and accompanied his father to Schuylkill county, where he engaged in the lumber business, furnishing min- ing timber. He also followed farming in Brunswick town- ship, that county, but in 1871 he located in Amity town- ship, Berks county, where until his death he engaged in the milling business. Mr. Brown married Catherine Mast, daughter of John and Mary (Smith) Mast, and they had these children: Charles; George; Frank; Hannah, who married Irving Hoppel and resides in Reading; Augustus M., and Howard.

Augustus M. Brown attended the public schools of his native district, also spending three sessions at Muhlen- berg College, after which he entered the service of the Penn National Bank, at Reading, as a messenger. Faithful service and marked ability earned him promotion from time to time, and he continued with this well known bank- ing house for a period of twenty-three years. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank at Bernville, Oct. 15, 1907, situated on Main street, on the bank's own property, a tract of 120 x 250 feet. He became its cashier, and held that position until March 1, 1909, when he re- signed to become cashier of the First National Bank of Mohnton, and he now resides at Shillington. Mr. Brown is a self-made man and is recognized as one of the ablest of Berks county's bankers. In politics he is a Republican, and he is connected socially with Reading Lodge, No. 549, F. & A. M., and the Royal Arcanum. He is a member of Friedens Lutheran Church, where he has served as a deacon and a teacher in the Sunday school.

Mr. Brown was married to Anna M. Eaches, daughter of Huysinga and Emily (Behm) Eaches, and they have had two children, Emily M. and George A.

REV. THOMAS THEOPHILUS IAEGER, for forty years a preacher of the Gospel, died May 13, 1888, in Read- ing, Pa. The Rev. Mr. Iaeger, who was born in Green- wich township, Berks county, Aug. 29, 1826, came of a long line of ministers of the Word of God, his great- grandfather and grandfather having been ministers in Germany, while his father, the late Rev. G. F. I. Iaeger, was one of the best known and most beloved pastors in the Lutheran Church in this section of the State.

Rev. G. F. I. Iaeger was born in Illigen, Wurtemberg, Germany, and he received his literary training there, at- tending several of the best universities. On coming to America, in 1817, the Rev. Mr. laeger taught school for one winter in Northampton county, Pa., and the following year located in Berks county, where the remainder of his life was spent. While teaching in the old schoolhouse near Hamburg, he began to study for the ministry; and he was ordained in the Lutheran faith in 1819. He at once began preaching, and he continued in active service until four years prior to his death. At various times he had as many as fifteen congregations in charge, and he was the pastor of six congregations at the time of his death in 1874. When he relinquished preaching the Rev. Mr. Iaeger had charge of the White Church Lutheran congregation. From June, 1819, to 1874, he baptized nearly 7,000 children, gave cate- chetical instruction to nearly 4,000 persons, married over 1,200, preached 2,500 funeral sermons, and gave communion

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to over 50,000 persons. The Rev. Mr. Iaeger died at his residence on South Oak street, Hamburg, Berks county, shortly after eleven o'clock, Sunday morning, Nov. 16, 1879, being at this time the oldest member of the Pennsylvania Ministerium. His funeral was largely attended, the Rev. Mr. Groh, of Boyertown, preaching the sermon in German, and the Rev. Dr. Fry, of Reading, in English. Rev. G. F. I. laeger had preached his first sermon Oct. 18, 1818, at Dunkel's Church, and he was there buried among the people to whom he had given his labors for a period of sixty-one years.

The Rev. Mr. Iaeger was married to Mary 'Audenreid, of McKeansburg, Pa., and to them were born these children : Rev. Thomas Theophilus; Samuel; William, of Baltimore ; and Lewis F., of California; Mrs. Jackson Levan, of Ham- burg, Pa .; Mrs. James S. Berger, of Philadelphia; Mrs. E. S. Salade, of Tamaqua.

Rev. Thomas Theophilus laeger pursued his prepara- tory course and classical studies for about three years at Mercersburg and Gettysburg, after which he entered upon his theological course under the instruction of Rev. John W. Richards, then pastor of St. John's Church, Easton, Pa. During the summer of 1847 he received a license (ad interim) from the president of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, to perform ministerial acts, which license was renewed when he was received into the Ministerium at its annual meeting in Easton in 1848. His ordination took place in 1850, at the Synodical meeting at Pottsville, Pa., and his first regular charge was in Lancaster county, Pa., where he served congregations in and around Brick- erville, and Muddy Creek. He remained about two years at the latter place and then removed to Womelsdorf, taking charge of the congregations there and at Rehrersberg, and later the churches at Myerstown, Bellemans, 'Reed, Bern and North Heidelberg. In 1855 the Rev. Mr. laeger re- moved to the city of Reading, where he served at various times a large number of congregations. At the time of his death he had charge of the following Lutheran congre- gations : Bern, Oley, Spies, Shalters and Kissinger churches. His ministerial life covered forty continuous years, with the exception of the years 1865, 1866 and 1867, when on account of ill health he was forced to discontinue his work. During his long labor in the Gospel he preached 5,258 sermons, baptized 6,263 children, performed 1,748 marriage ceremonies, officiated at 2,472 funerals, confirmed 3,608 catechumens, gave communion to 74,750 persons, and prayed with the sick 2,860 times. On May 4, 1888, he had a slight paralytic stroke, which was but the beginning of the end, his death occurring May 13th, and he was interred in Charles Evans cemetery.

On Dec. 14, 1848, the Rev. Mr. laeger married Mary A. Palsgrove, of Mercersburg, Pa., and they had a family of ten children, seven of whom died in infancy. The three surviving are: Miss Nora S., who lives with her mother at No. 522 Oley street, Reading; Mrs. Jefferson Snyder, of Reading; and Mrs. John Kendig, of Philadelphia. The Rev. Thomas T. Jaeger was justly considered one of Berks county's representative men. The influences of his life had always been in the direction of temperance, education and morality. His services in the religious body in which he labored so faithfully for so many years but cemented more closely the bonds between him and his fellow men. As a preacher he was fearless in the exposition of the Word of God, and the fruitful results of his work brought him comfort and encouragement in his declining years.

AMANDUS N. FEGLEY, M. D., who has carried on the practice of medicine at Oley Church, in Oley town- ship, Berks county, since 1871, was born Sept. 16, 1842, in Douglass township, Montgomery Co., Pa., son of Jonas and Anna ( Nyce) Fegley.

George Fegley, his grandfaher, was born in Douglass township, where his father also lived, and there passed all his life, engaged in farming. He was a member of the Lutheran Church. His wife's maiden name was Fox, and among their children were: Jonas, John, Daniel, Sallie, and a daughter whose name is not recalled.

Jonas Fegley, born in June, 1800, died in May, 1861, in the faith of the Lutheran Church. He was a farmer by occupation, and owned 100 acres of good land. He was a Democrat and interested in local affairs, serving many years as school director. Mr. Fegley married Anna Nyce, born in October, 1800, died in November, 1869, daughter of George Nyce, a farmer and tanner of Frederick township. Montgomery county. Mr. and Mrs. Fegley are buried at the Sassamansville Church, in Montgomery county. They had a family of ten children, namely : Hannah is deceased; Mary is the widow of John Dotts; Edward is deceased ; Leanna m. Levi Sassaman: Miss Fietta lives in Philadel- phia; William is deceased; Charlotte m. Frederick Weis; Eliza m. Abner Wilt; Amandus N .; and Miss Sarah lives at Pottstown.

Amandus N. Fegley was reared on the farm, and re- ceived his early education in the local public schools. Later he attended the academies at Frederick and Trappe, and afterward taught school for three years in Douglass town- ship before taking up the study of medicine. He began to read with Dr. Francis Knipe, of Frederick, and attended lectures at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, grad- uating from that institution in the spring of 1870. For a few months he was located at Balliettsville, in Lehigh county, Pa., in the fall of 1870 returning to Jefferson Medical College, where he continued to study until the following spring. He has since been located at Oley Church, in Oley township, Berks county, where he has acquired an extensive practice. He has not only been a successful medical practitioner, but has also proved to be a most useful member of the community in other rela- tions, everything which affects the general welfare re- ceiving his influence and support. He was one of the or- ganizers of the Oley National Bank and became a mem- ber of its first board of directors. He was trustee and secretary of the Oley Cemetery for many years ; is a mem- ber of the Berks County Historical Society; and a mem- ber of Griesemersville Lodge, No. 1109, I. O. O. F., of which he is a past grand. He is an active member of the Lutheran Church, and has served since 1892 as treasurer of his church. He is a Democrat in political sentiment.

Dr. Fegley married Sarah Koch, daughter of the late Tobias Koch, who was a retired farmer of Gilbertsville, Montgomery county, and six children have been born to this union, four of whom are deceased. The survivors are Sallie and Walton. Walton, who is engaged as knitter at Dr. L. K. Francis & Son's Knitting Mills, married Lila Haas.

MORTON L. MONTGOMERY, the compiler of this history, was born at Reading Nov. 10, 1846. He was edu- cated in the common schools till 1863, having spent the last three years in the High School; and, being inclined to mathematics and drafting, he then entered the office of Daniel S. Zacharias, county surveyor of Berks county and city engineer of Reading, for the purpose of learning prac- tical surveying and civil engineering. He continued in this office eight months, when he went to Pottsville, Schuylkill county, at the request of Mr. Zacharias, to enter a larger field for the prosecution of his studies, and he was there employed by Daniel Hoffman, a mining, civil and topo- graphical engineer, who was constantly engaged in import- ant work for prominent coal operators. After remaining with Mr. Hoffman the greater part of two years, he re- turned to Reading, and entered the office of Jacob S. Livin- good, Esq., as a student-at-law. He spent the required term of three years with Mr. Livingood, and besides pros- ecuting his legal studies looked after an extensive practice, the labors of which consisted in the preparation of cases, arguments, proceedings in partition, conveyancing, etc. After traveling for a time in the fall of 1869 through the Middle and Eastern States, he entered the Law Department of Harvard University and remained there two terms. Upon returning to Reading, he spent a year in the office of Samuel L. Young, Esq., in order to comply with the new rules of court which had been adopted during his ab- sence and required the last year of study to be passed in a lawyer's office. He was admitted to the Bar on Aug. 28,

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1871, since which time he has been in active practice at would be acceptable to the public, he accordingly made the Reading.

Shortly after his admission to the Bar, he became in- terested in the history of his native county, and, after he had collected much valuable material relating to the early settlements and formation of the townships, and the de- velopment of all the districts of the county, he determined to publish the "History of Berks County." In the course of his investigations he contributed a number of historical articles to the press, and in 1883 published the "Political Hand-Book of Berks County, Pa." In 1884, he issued a prospectus, announcing his proposed publication of the "History of Reading," but finding soon afterward, in the course of his undertaking, that the practice of law and the labors of an author and publisher could not be conducted together successfully, he entered into a contract with Messrs. Everts, Peck & Richards, publishers of histories, etc., at Philadelphia, for the publication of the "History of Berks County" in one large octavo volume, to comprise all the history of the entire county, and thereby conclude his undertaking more speedily and satisfactorily, and the publishers named issued the work (comprising 1,200 pages) in 1886. The labor of Mr. Montgomery in behalf of that history was necessarily arduous during a period of ten years, he having carried on his investigations and re- searches without any assistance, visited many places, trav- eled throughout the county repeatedly, and examined county records, newspaper files, and libraries here and elsewhere, besides looking after his increasing legal prac- tice.

In 1889, Mr. Montgomery published a "School History of Berks County" (pp. 300) for use in the local schools, and the book having received the indorsement of the lead- ing educators in the county, it was adopted and introduced in all the districts. At a number of county institutes, it was earnestly recommended. It was the first book of the kind published in the United States, and Mr. Montgomery received much commendation from prominent educators and school journals in all parts of the country for his enterprise and zeal in behalf of encouraging the study of local history in connection with national and general history.

Shortly after this school history had made its appear- ance, he began to deliver lectures on the "Life and Times of Conrad Weiser, the First Representative Man of Berks County," and on the "Revolutionary Heroes of Berks County," in all parts of the county before local teachers' institutes at the request of the county superintendents, and under the auspices of the Reading Board of Trade, he published the former in a pamphlet of 40 pages, and 3,500 copies of this pamphlet were distributed gratuitously among all the schools of the city and county for the purpose of securing a suitable memorial to Conrad Weiser.

In 1894, he published a volume of 300 pages, entitled "Berks County in the. Revolution," and this was also the first book of the kind issued to show what a participating county in the Revolution had done in behalf of independent representative government. These three publications are in the leading libraries of the country from Boston to San Francisco, which evidences their popularity. About this time, he also compiled the "Centennial History of Lodge No. 62, F. & A. M.," a volume of 250 pages, which was presented by the Lodge to the members as a suitable me- mento of the occasion.

In 1898, the Sesqui-Centennial of the founding of Read- ing was properly celebrated under the auspices of the Board of Trade, and the executive committee having em- ployed Mr. Montgomery to compile and publish a suitable book in commemoration of the event, he issued a superior volume of 300 pages, which was highly appreciated for its conciseness and comprehensiveness.

After the lapse of more than twenty years, numerous persons, who appreciated the necessity of having the his- tory of the county published again, embracing all the im- portant local events which have occurred since, suggested to Mr. Montgomery that he should revise his "History of Berks County." Agreeing that such a revised history

arrangements with Messrs. J. H. Beers & Co., publishers of histories, at Chicago, Ill., for its compilation under the title "Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks County," and this large and comprehensive work is the result of his labor in that behalf.

Mr. Montgomery's father, John Leonard Montgomery, was born in 'Northumberland county, near Sunbury, in 1812, and moved to Reading in 1841, where he was en- gaged in the hardware business for twenty-five years, and then in the flour business for a number of years, after which he lived in retirement, until his decease, in 1880, He was married to Catharine Rush, of Reading (daughter of Philip Rush), by whom he had five children: Jonas. (married to Mary Renninger ) ; Morton Luther; Mary Eliz- abeth; Sarah, and John, the last two dying in early girl- hood and youth, respectively.

His mother's father; Philip Rush; born at Reading in 1784, learned the trade of weaver, which he followed until 1861. He was enlisted in the War of 1812-15 and served as fife-major of the 1st Regiment, in the 2d Brigade of Pennsylvania Volunteers. He died in 1871. He was mar- ried to Barbara Spohn (daughter of Capt. John Spohn, who raised at Reading the second company of volunteers in the Revolution, which was engaged in active service, more especially at the Battle of Long Island, on Aug. 27, 1776). She died in 1853, aged sixty-seven years. They had three sons and four daughters. including Catharine, above-named. Before 1800, the Spohn family was inter- related by marriage with all the prominent families of Cumru, Heidelberg and Robeson townships.

His mother's ancestors on the father's side were resi- dents of Reading from the founding of the town in 1751. Her great-grandfather, Michael Rosch, was born at Rem- mingsheim, in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1703. He was a carpenter by trade, which he followed until 1751, when he emigrated to Pennsylvania from Rotterdam, on the ship "Duke of Wurtemberg," having qualified Oct. 16th. He was accompanied by his wife, two sons (Michael and Stephen) and four daughters. Immediately after landing at Philadelphia, he proceeded to Reading, and there pur- chased a lot (No. 189, on south side of Penn street, below Tenth) which he improved by the erection of a dwelling- house under the conditions of purchase, and obtained his patent in 1753. He lived on these premises until be died in 1796. In 1767 he also secured by patent the adjoining lot on the corner ( No. 192). His wife was Catharine Fischer, daughter of John Fischer, of Remmingsheim. She died he continued these lectures successfully until 1893, when, at Reading in 1775, aged seventy-one years. Their six children survived them. He and his descendants have been members of Trinity Lutheran Church at Reading since its establishment in 1751.

Her grandfather was the second son, Stephen Rosch. He was born in 1740 at Remmingsheim. He learned the trade of cooper at Reading, which he followed until his decease in 1816. In his last will, dated 1815, he still signed his name Rosch, in German. In 1770 he married Magda- lena Gittelman, daughter of John Gittelman, who lived in Berks county beyond the Blue Mountains and was there engaged in farming. She died in 1826, aged seventy-eight years. They had three sons (Stephen, John and Philip) and two daughters.

Mr. Montgomery married Florence Baugh Bush, daugh- ter of Dr. Andrew Bush and his wife, Mary Price Bangh, of East Coventry, in Chester county, and they have a daughter, Florence Baugh, married to Joshua Brooke Les- sig, banker and iron manufacturer of Pottstown, Penn- sylvania.

Dr. Bush was born at Philadelphia in 1805, studied med- icine and was graduated from the University of Pennsyl- vania in 1832. After traveling through the Southern States for a year, he began an introductory practice of medicine at Philadelphia, and continued in that place until the death of his father in 1836, when he located in East Coventry township, Chester county, and there carried on an active practice for twenty-five years. He then directed his attention to the cultivation of certain choice fruits in connection with farming until his decease in 1874. He

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was an accomplished linguist, speaking the German, French, Kunkel, of Albany, and has two children, Alton De Long Spanish and Italian languages, and was also a fine Greek and Latin scholar, keeping up his interest in these lan- guages until he died.

Dr. Bush's father, Andrew Daniel Michael Busch, was born in 1763 at Wesel, in Rhenish Prussia, near Duessel- dorf, and was thoroughly educated in the University of Berlin. After his graduation he emigrated to Pennsyl- vania, locating at Philadelphia, where he became exten- sively engaged in the wholesale shoe business, and he followed this business successfully for many years. For a considerable period, before and after 1800, his philan- landed at Philadelphia, gave him much distinction. He died in 1836. Dr. Bush was his only child.

Dr. Bush's wife, Mary Price Baugh, was a lineal des- cendant of John Sebastian Bach, of Eisenach, in Upper Saxony, born 1685, and died 1750; whose son John, born at the same place in 1740, emigrated to Pennsylvania and located in East Coventry township, Chester county, where he was engaged in farming until his decease in 1819. His grandson, also named John Baugh ( the father of Dr. Bush's wife), was born in 1775 in the township named, beeame the largest proprietor of farms in that section of the county, and died in 1841. He married Mary Price, a lineal descendant of Rev. Jacob Preisz, who emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1710.

MILTON H. DE LONG, a member of the furniture and undertaking firm of T. & M. H. De Long, at Topton, died at his home in that town Feb. 20, 1892, at the age of forty-seven years, one of the most highly esteemed and substantial citizens of his community. He was born in Rockland township, Sept. 6, 1845, son of David D. aud Catherine ( Haas) De Long.

David De Long, though born in Upper Macungie town- ship, Lehigh county, passed the greater part of his life in Longswamp township, Berks county, where he followed the trade of weaver, buying and selling carpets, and lie also engaged in farming. He was frugal and industrious, and became a man of considerable property. By his wife, Catherine Haas, who was born in Longswamp township, he became the father of the following family: (1) David died at the age of twenty-eight years. (2) Henry, born Dec. 18, 1838, clerked in a store at Hancock; he m. Adeline Fenstermacher. (3) Milton H. is mentioned below. (4) Tilghman, former partner of Milton H., is in the furniture business at Topton: he in. Angeline Fenster- macher. (5) Alvin H., a hotel proprietor in Longswamp township, m. Catherine Zondt. (6) Sally Ann died aged two years. The father died Sept. 6, 1893, and the mother Nov. 28, 1877.

Milton H. De Long was given an excellent education, completing his literary training in Collegeville Seminary. His first venture into the mercantile world was when he and Jacob Steininger had a store in partnership at Bowers Station. He next was for a number of years em- ployed as a clerk in the marble vard of Schweyer & Leiss, at Bower's Station. From there he went to Bridgeport, where he was similarly employed for a year and a half. Returning to Topton he and his brother Tilghman opened the furniture and undertaking business in which they were successfully engaged when Milton H. dicd. He had a high reputation for honesty and integrity, and in his private life as well as in the business world so ordered his ac- tions that at his death it could be truthfully said that "No better man lived in Topton."

Mr. De Long was twice married. On Sept. 25, 1869, he wedded Catherine Kaiser, of Longswamp township. The only child of this union died in infancy, and Mrs. De Long passed away Dec. 6, 1871. On March 31, 1878, Mr. De Long married Louisa E. Knoske, who was born in Reading. March 2, 1858, daughter of Capt. Edward and Catherine (Bower) Knoske. To this union was born a daughter, Katie Elda. April 26, 1882. who graduated from the Keystone State Normal School. Kutztown, in 1900, and taught school one term at Morgantown and two terms at Leesport, and who married, Sept. 15, 1903, Dr. Oscar F.

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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 97

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