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 98

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 98

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and Lester De Long. At the time of his death Milton H. De Long was serving as director of the poor, having been elected to that office only a few months prior to his decease. He was also serving the borough of Topton as president of the school board.

KNOSKE. The Knoske family, to which Mrs. Milton H. De Long belongs, had its early home in Germany. Johann Heinrich Knoske was born at Herrenstadt, near Breslau, Prussia. He married Rosina Trautschen, and both died in their native land strong in the faith of Luther.

Rev. Johann Knoske, son of Johann Heinrich and thropic spirit in behalf of immigrating Germans, who Rosina, was born at Herrenstadt, June 24, 1779. He came

to America when a boy, and settled in Schuylkill county, Pa. He was twice married. His first wife was Anna Plate, daughter of Heinrich Plate, and their marriage took place in 1803. and her death a year and eight months later. He married ( second) July 1, 1806, Elizabeth Koch, daughter of William and Margaret ( Neufanger) Koch, of Schuyl- kill county, and their married life covered a period of more than half a century. He died Sept. 24, 1859, and his wife, Elizabeth, born Sept. 1, 1782, died Feb. 16, 1868. They had a family of four sons and five daughters, namely : Wilhelmina m. David Hottenstine: Louisa m. John Trago; Elizabeth m. Benjamin Miller; Maria m. Skiles Trago; William; Capt. Edward; Charles; and two died young. Mr. Knoske made his home in Kutztown from 1811 to 1856, in the latter year locating in Reading where he was living at the time of his death. He was an eloquent min- ister of the Gospel, and did much for the spread of Chris- tianity in his section.

Capt. Edward Knoske, son of Rev. Johann, was a well- known citizen of Berks county and an honored veteran of the Civil war. He was born in Kutztown, and there learned the tanner's trade. For some time he clerked in a store in Reading, and then located at Bower's Station in Maxatawny township. While there he brought the first car load of hard coal ever shipped to that town. He was prominent at the time of the Civil war, being a lieutenant in the Ringgold Light Artillery (to which he belonged for nine years), his commission being dated Feb. 22, 1861. On May 9, 1861, he enlisted for two years in Company D, 4th N. Y. V. I., and was discharged May 5, 1863. He re-en- listed in December, 1863, at New York, as a private to serve three years in Company G, 5th N. Y. V. Artillery, and was transferred to Company A. Jan. 6, 1864. He was promoted to corporal Jan. 27, 1864, sergeant major July 10, 1864, and discharged Feb. 18, 1865, to accept the sec- ond lieutenancy. He was made captain May 25, 1865, at Harper's Ferry, Va. At the battle of Antietam a bullet passed through his hat, and grazed his skull, necessitating his removal to a hospital. The hat is still in the posses- sion of the family at Bowers. He married Catherine Bower, daughter of Jonas Bower, and she still resides at the homestead at Bowers Station. He died Sept. 11, 1896. Their children were: J. Charles, of Baltimore, is an engineer on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad ; J. William A. resides at Topton : Harrison, m. to Clara Troutman, is engaged in the music business at Delaware, Ohio; Louisa E. is the widow of Milton H. De Long.

Jonas Bower, grandfather of Mrs. De Long, was born in Maxatawny township, at the station that now bears his name, Jan. 29, 1797, and he became a prominent farmer. He gave the land in his district for the Railroad Company to build their station. He also built the well-known "Washington House" at that place. He married Elizabeth Sell, who was born May 20, 1801. daughter of George and Barbara ( Haak ) Sell. She died April 10, 1879, and he passed away Sept. 6, 1882. They had three children : Cath- erinc. m. to the late Capt. Edward Knoske: Elizabeth, m. to M. J. D. Wanner; Aaron, born April 25, 1828, and died Feb. 21, 1905.

HARRY DRY SCHAEFFER, district attorney of Berks county, was born Nov. 14, 1873, on the old Dry homestead in Rockland township, Berks county, and belongs to a fam- ily which has been identified with the affairs of the county for several generations. His grandfather, Jonathan

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Schaeffer, was a well-to-do farmer of Richmond township.

George B. Schaeffer, father of Harry Dry Schaeffer, was long engaged in the coal, lumber and iron ore business in Fleetwood, this county. After serving some time as deputy sheriff, under Sheriff Kemp, he was elected to the offce of sheriff, in which he served with fidelity some three years, from 1887 until 1890. He is now living retired in Reading. He married Mary A. Dry, daughter of Ben- jamin E. Dry, formerly of Rockland township, this county. Mr. Dry died about two years ago, at the age of eighty- seven, while living in the City of Reading. The Drys are remarkable for their longevity, and Mr. Dry's sister, who was buried in September, 1905, reached the advanced age of ninety-six years. Mr. Dry was a merchant at Dryville, Rockland township, which was named after him, and lived a most useful and active life, having served his county in the Legislature and as register of wills, and was justice of the peace of Rockland township for over twenty-five years. Mr. and Mrs. George B. Schaeffer had a family of eight children, as follows: Wester and Llewellyn, coal and lumber dealers at Fleetwood, doing business under the firm name of Schaeffer, Wanner & Co .; Warren, at school; Kate and Sue, at home; Minnie, m. to Dr. Fred Kelchner, of Philadelphia; Rosa, wife of Dr. George S. Bleiler ; and Harry Dry.

Harry D. Schaeffer attended the public schools of Fleet- wood and later the Keystone State Normal School, at Kutztown, where he was graduated in 1891. He then took a course at Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pa., and was gradnated in 1895. Mr. Schaeffer matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania as a law student, and after a year at that institution began reading law in the office of D. Nicholas Schaeffer. He was admitted to the Bar in 1899, since which time he has been engaged in the active practice of his profession in Reading. Under the firm name of Dumn & Schaeffer, he formed a part- nership with Harry J. Dumn, former clerk of Quarter Ses- sions. Mr. Schaeffer was appointed assistant district at- torney in January, 1905, and served in that capacity for three years under District Attorney Kutz. In 1907 he was elected as district attorney and is filling that office at present.

On April 17, 1901, Mr. Schaeffer was married to Miss Annie R. Wanner, daughter of the late Louis A. Wanner, who was a member of the firm of Schaeffer, Wanner & Co., of Fleetwood. One son, George Wanner Schaeffer, has come to cheer their home. Mr. Schaeffer is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Kutztown Lodge, No. 377. He also belongs to the Reformed Church.

HENRY MAY KEIM was born of a family which has been prominently connected with the city of Reading and county of Berks since the time of the earliest settlements therein. His father was Gen. George May Keim, who rep- resented his district in Congress and died at the beginning of the Civil war while preparing to leave with his troops for the front. His grandfather was Gen. George de Ben- neville Keim, who was born during the war of the Revo- lution and was in the military service during the Whiskey Insurrection. His great-grandfather was John Keim, who was one of the leading merchants of Reading, where he amassed a considerable fortune. His great-great-grand- father was Nicholas Keim, who was one of the earliest proprietors of the "Old White Store" at Fifth and Penn streets, shortly after it was first established by Conrad Weiser ; and his great-great-great-grandfather was John Keim, the elder, who arrived in Pennsylvania shortly after its foundation, and settled in Oley township, Berks county, as early as 1718.

Company A, 53d Pennsylvania Militia, and received distin- gnished mention from his superior officers. Meantime he had undertaken the study of law in the office of Jacob S. Livingood, Esq., and was admitted to the Bar of Berks county Aug. 7, 1865.

During the years 1874 and 1875 he served as one of the three auditors of the city of Reading. In 1876 he was Democratic county chairman, and succeeded in increasing the Democratic majority in the county for Tilden beyond all previous figures. In recognition of his valuable party services and general ability, in 1885 he was appointed by President Cleveland United States consul at Charlotte- town, Prince Edward Island, where he most creditably represented his government and gained the highest respect and regard of the officials and people of the Island. Upon his return from this service, he was elected president of the Valley Railroad of Ohio, with his offices at Cleveland. The financial troubles of the country occurring about this time having forced the railroad into a receivership, he was appointed one of the receivers, and by his careful man- agement soon succeeded in bringing it out of the receiver- ship and restoring it to prosperity. Upon the completion of his task he returned to Reading in fulfilment of his long-cherished desire to continue his residence here.

Mr. Keim was devotedly attached to the places, people and traditions of his native county, and was foremost in all undertakings designed for the public welfare. He was a trustee of various important institutions, and was untir- ing in his exertions in behalf of the sesqui-centennial celebration of the founding of the city and in the move- ment to liquidate the debt of the Reading Library and to establish it as a free library. He was one of the or- ganizers and original corporators of the Historical Society of, Berks county, and was from the beginning its cor- responding secretary and member of the council. His public spirit, his careful attention to detail, and his zeal in all his undertakings made him a most useful member of society, while his uniform kindness and affability made him a general favorite with all classes and attached his near associates very closely to him.

In 1867 Mr. Keim was married to Miss Emma E. Trex- ler, daughter of Horatio Trexler, and she survives. He died at his residence in Reading, Feb. 18, 1899. Mr. Keim was a devout member of Christ Protestant Episcopal Church at Reading, having joined in his boyhood. When he became of age he was selected as a vestryman, and he filled that position for a continnous period of thirty-five years, his services terminating with his decease. His de- votion to the Church was so highly appreciated that a tab- let was erected to his memory on the south wall of the auditorium, which bears the neat and expressive inscrip- tion : "A faithful friend-An Earnest Churchman -- A sin- cere Christian." A Bishop of the Church said of him : "He was a perfect type of a Christian gentleman."

DE LONG. The first settler of the De .Long family in America was Peter De Long, a French Huguenot, who came to this country in 1732. His son, Henry, the great- grandfather of Tilghman De Long, was born, perhaps, in France.

David De Long, son of Henry, was born in America, Jan. 4, 1770, and died Nov. 12, 1828. He married Barbara Gery, and they had the following children: Daniel m. Catherine Long, of Butler county, Ohio; Benjamin m. Catherine Rohrbach; David; Catherine m. Martin Kersher ; Esther m. John Fenstermacher; Susannah m. Jacob Schra- din; Mary m. George Rohrbach; and Elizabeth m. Jacob Haas.

David De Long, father of Tilghman De Long, was born July 6, 1813, and died Sept. 6, 1893, at the age of eighty years and two months. He married Catherine Haas, who died Nov. 28, 1877, aged sixty-four years, five months, eleven days. They had children as follows : David died aged twenty-six years; Henry, born Dec. 18, 1838, m. Adeline Fenstermacher, and is deceased; Milton H., who died Feb. 20, 1892, was twice married, and his second

Henry May Keim was born at Reading, Ang. 16, 1842. He graduated at the Reading high school in 1858, at the head of his class, and he entered the Sophomore class at Union College, Schenectady, N. Y., graduating in 1862. Shortly after his graduation he enlisted for service in the Civil war, in Company I, 11th Pennsylvania Militia, and saw service in Maryland. He entered the service for the second time the following year, during Lee's invasion of wife, Louisa E. (Knoske), lives at Bowers, Pa .; Tilgh- Pennsylvania, when he was commissioned lientenant in man; Alvin H., residing on the old homestead, m. Cather-

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ine Saul; and Sally Ann died when two years old. David De Long, the father, carried on farming in Longswamp township, Berks county, through all his active years.

TILGHMAN DE LONG, son of David, was born Aug. 2, 1849, in Rockland township, Berks Co., Pa., and was edu- cated in the country schools as they were in his boyhood. He grew up on the farm, and also worked in the ore mines. When nineteen years of age he apprenticed himself to David Zimmerman, at Monterey, with whom he learned cabinetmaking and undertaking. After serving three years with this man he was considered a good workman and went to Schrader, Felix & Kline, a well-known firm at that time, now doing business at Reading as Schrader & Kline, and remained there until 1872, when he came to Topton and embarked in business for himself. Mr. De Long at first worked alone, doing all his manufacturing by hand, but as his business increased he took an appren- tice, this being Charles Fenstermacher, who has continued with him ever since. His skill as a workman and his promptness in filling his contracts soon brought more and more business to Mr. De Long and he added more assis- tants, two of whom, Jonathan Barto and Lewis Keller, still are of his right-hand men. He began equipping his plant with some machinery that he put up himself first operating it by hand and later by horse-power, and recently he has built a new factory of large dimensions which he has equipped with the latest improved machinery. The year round he gives employment to from fifty to seventy- five men. He is now one of the leading manufacturers of Eastern Pennsylvania. His specialty is in the line of bank, hotel, store and church fixtures.

In 1905, Mr. De Long organized the T. De Long Furni- ture Company, of which . he is president and principal stockholder, his sons, Ellwood and Victor, being partners. At the same time De Long, Son & Co. was organized, which includes the retail furniture and undertaking busi- ness at Topton and Fleetwood, the latter of which is man- aged by the other son, Irwin D. De Long. Mr. De Long officiated as undertaker at over 2,200 funerals before he delegated the Fleetwood branch of the business to Irwin D., in 1898. He is still active, though he employs Mr. Schofer to attend to the Topton branch of the undertak- ing business.

On April 4, 1874, Mr. De Long was married to Angeline Fenstermacher, daughter of Reuben and Polly ( Mensch) Fenstermacher. Her father, now deceased, was long a prominent farmer of this section. To Mr. and Mrs. De Long were born eight children, as follows: Minnie Ren- neta, born Aug. 3, 1875, died Nov. 7, 1876; Irwin David, born Aug. 7, 1877; Ellwood F., born June 23, 1879 ; Charles Franklin, born May 29, 1881, died Ang. 22, 1883; Ada Alavesta, born Dec. 26, 1882, married Milton O. Knauss, and had one child, deceased; Victor Wilson, born July 9, 1884, m. Laura Fisher, and has one daughter, Lulu Rachel; Eva Helen, born Oct. 23, 1888, resides at home; and Lulu May, born Nov. 16, 1893, died Dec. 2, 1899.

Mr. De Long is a stanch Democrat and on many occas- ions has been chosen by his fellow citizens to assume the duties and responsibilities attaching to important of- fices. He has filled all the minor borough offices, for three years was a director of the poor for Berks county, and at present is serving his second term as a member of the Topton town council. His good judgment, his business foresight and his sterling personal character, make him an ideal citizen. He applies the same principles in looking after the interests of public business as he has always done to his private affairs, by which he has built up from a very small beginning a trade that extends all over the world, shipments of his goods having been made to Porto Rico and even to far-off China. Mr. De Long and wife belong to the German Reformed Church, and in this faith they have reared their family. He is a member of Camp No. 172, P. O. S. of A .; of Longswamp Lodge, I. O. O. F .; of the K. of P., at Lyons; and of Adonai Castle, K. G. E., at Kutztown. He is a man who in every relation of life can claim the respect of his fellow citizens, and he enjoys also in large measure their esteem.

ELLWOOD F. DE LONG, vice-president of the T. De Long Furniture Company, was born and reared at Topton, where he first attended school. Later he became a student at the Keystone State Normal School, at Kutztown, and after- ward graduated at the Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry. For a long time he filled the position of designer for the large furniture factory and now is sales manager for the firm. He married Minnie Christ and they have one son, Karl Christ. He belongs to Huguenot Lodge, No. 377, F. & A. M., Kutztown; and to Camp 172, P. O. S. of A.

VICTOR WILSON DE LONG, secretary and associate partner of the firm of T. De Long Furniture Company, was born and reared at Topton. From the borough schools he en- tered the Keystone State Normal School, at Kutztown, and afterward attended Schissler's Business College at Norris- town. He married Laura Fisher. He is a member of Camp No. 172, P. O. S. of A., and Huguenot Lodge, No. 377, F. & A. M., Kutztown. He belongs to the Reformed Church.

IRWIN DAVID DE LONG, manager of the Fleetwood branch of De Long, Son & Co., dealers in furniture and house furnishings of all descriptions at Topton and Fleetwood, was born at Topton, Aug. 7, 1877. His educa- tion was acquired in the borough schools, and the Key- stone State Normal School at Kutztown. In the spring of 1895 he entered Schissler's College of Business at Norris- town, Pa., completing the course there in October follow- ing. In the spring of 1897 he entered the Massachusetts College of Embalming, and graduated therefrom June 25, 1897, later taking a post-graduate course, which he com- pleted Nov. 18, 1898. He also took a post-graduate course in the Philadelphia Training School for Embalmers, com- pleting it May 2, 1902. He then became his father's assis- tant at Topton, the latter being one of the best known undertakers in the county, and the son had literally grown up in the business.

On Feb. 15, 1906, the firm of De Long, Son & Co., was formed by the following: Tilghman De Long, Irwin D. De Long,and Jacob J. Schofer. They carry a very large stock of furniture and, in fact, of all house furnishings, and operate stores at Topton and Fleetwood. The senior member of the firm, Mr. Tilghman De Long, is one of the most highly respected men in the county, and has the largest trade of any undertaker in Berks county out- side of Reading.

Socially Mr. Irwin D. De Long is a member of Camp No. 172, P. O. S. of A., of Topton; Orion Castle, No. 501, K. G. E., Topton ; Willow Valley Lodge, K. P., Fleetwood; Kutztown Aerie, No. 836, F. O. E .; Fleetwood Castle No. 153, A. O. K. M. C .; Yuma Tribe. I. O. R. M .; Arab- ian Degree Kean; Buzzards Association, and Haymakers. He is a member of the Fleetwood Reformed Church, while his wife belongs to the Lutheran Church.

On June 14, 1900, Mr. De Long was married to Katharine H. Drey, daughter of George L. and Katharine (Fisher) Drey, of Bowers. They have one daughter, Janice Ethel. Mrs. De Long greatly assists her husband in the under- taking business.

JOHN J. KUTZ, lawyer of Reading, is descended from an old and honorable German family which has left its impress on the institutions of the county. He was born in Reading, Jan. 16, 1865.

Jacob, John, Adam, John, Adam, John, thus run the Christian names of the Kutz family from the great-great- great-grandfather to the present generation. Jacob and the first John were leading farmers of Berks county before the days of the Revolution, while the first Adam moved into the village of Reading and began the manufacture of hats, being, together with Samuel Homan (also the great-grandfather of Mr. Kutz), pioneers of that industry in the country. a business which the grandfather also carried on, as did the father of our subject, Adam Kutz, a member of the firm of Kutz, Arnold & Co., until the date of his death, in 1876. He married Mary R. Seidel, daugh- ter of Jacob Seidel, a retired farmer of Chester county,

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Pa., and to them were born four children, Samuel and The rear building is four stories high and each floor con- Bessie being deceased; those surviving are Sallie Edith and John J., the former the wife of Addison Allen, a lawyer of New York City.

John J. Kutz was born in Reading and is a product of her institutions so far as his primary training is concerned. He later attended Phillips Academy at Andover, Mass., where he graduated in 1884. Matriculating then at Yale University, he took his literary degree in 1888, and then took up the study of his profession in the law department of that University. He continued his study in the office of . Cyrus G. Derr, and in 1890 was admitted to the Bar of Berks county. Since that time he has been engaged in the practice of law, and in addition is inter- ested in financial and industrial lines. He is a director of the National Union Bank of Reading, a director of the Pennsylvania Trust Company, a director of the Reading Gas Company, vice-president of the Mt. Penn Stove Works, and president of the Columbian Cutlery Company. Mr. Kutz was the candidate of the Republican party for district attorney in 1895. He is a member of the Wyo- missing, Berkshire and Tuesday Clubs, and a member of the Lutheran denomination.

Mr. Kutz was married to Mary McIlvain, Jan. 26, 1898. Mrs. Kutz is the daughter of the late Morton C. McIl- vain, an iron-master of Reading, who married Sidney H. Leoser, and on both sides of the family comes of distinguished stock. Her great-great-grandfather on the maternal side, Michael Hillegass, was the first treasurer of the United States. On her father's side she is the great-great-granddaughter of John Morton, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and was in the Congress of the United States during the Revolution. Her grandfather, Thomas S. Leoser, was a distinguished veteran of the Mexican war, having been captain of what was familiarly known as the Reading Artillerists. Three of Mrs. Kutz's uncles were in the war of the Rebellion, Lieut. Howard McIlvain, Capt. Charles Mcknight Leoser and Lieut. Christopher Leoser. .

JAMES A. SCHOFER, a prominent representative of the business life of Reading, located at No. 108 South Fifth street, is proprietor of that well-known establishment on South Fifth street-Schofer's Bakery. He was born Dec. 30, 1858, in Exeter township, Berks county, son of Christo- pher H. Schofer (who is mentioned elsewhere).

James A. Schofer obtained a portion of his education in the common schools of Exeter township, association with the world through many years of activity in business completing it. His first work was the driving of a bakery wagon, attending the weekly market at Reading, and he continued in this work until he was twenty-eight years old. Wishing to perfect himself in the bakery business he went to Philadelphia and completed his trade under J. A. Moss, who had been chief steward at the "Continental Hotel" for fifteen years.

After learning all that this competent instructor could teach him, Mr. Schofer returned to Reading and entered his father's bakery establishment, remaining there until 1885. Then, in company with William Miller, he en- gaged in the baking business on Douglass street, between Ninth and Tenth, remaining three years, at the end of which time he sold out to his partner and returned to his father's employ. Here he remained until 1894, when he started again on his own account, at his present quar- ters. From a small beginning, Mr. Schofer has built up a fine trade and he has one of the most complete plants in that part of the State, equipped with every known de- vice for modern baking. It is located at Nos. 108-110 South Fifth street, a brick structure of pleasing architec- ture, 48 x 230 feet in dimensions, and it is interesting to note the space given to the various departments in an up-to-date sanitary plant of this kind. The sales room and office contain 870 square feet; supply room, 480 square feet; first-floor bakery shop, 1,696 square feet ; second-floor bakery shop. square feet; bread room, 1,349 square feet; third-floor flour room, 1.349 square feet; sifter and blender room, 2,444 square feet.

tains 4,000 square feet. There is nothing in the line of plain or fancy baking that this modern baker cannot accomplish, while fancy baking and choice confections of every kind, for entertainments on any scale, for weddings and all social functions, come entirely in the line of Mr. Schofer's capacity. He gives employment to forty ex- perienced workmen, uses seventeen horses and keeps his delivery wagons out constantly. He has eight persons for office work, a telephone girl, and everything found in a metropolitan establishment of this kind. It is a credit to Reading.

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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 98

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