History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 121

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards
Number of Pages: 1418

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READING.

improvements were added. At the end of the second year they removed to Reading, and, effecting an exchange of property with John Yerger, embarked in the same business on a more extended scale. His brother Henry was later admitted as a partner, under the firm-name of Hendel Brothers. The house was again changed, and became, as at present, Hendel Brothers, Sons & Co. Mr. Hendel was, on the 22d of February, 1853, married to Miss Kate, daughter of William and Kate Steiff, of Berks

of the Reading Fire Insurance Company, treasurer and director of the Keystone Land and Cattle Company and partner in the com- mission house of Hawley, Hendel & Mohn, New York. He is in his political associations a Republican. He is a member of Chan- dler Lodge, No. 227, of F. and A. M .; of De Molay Commandery, No. 9, and Chapter, No. 152, all of Reading. Mr. Hendel is connected with the Evangelical Association, in which he is class-leader, steward and trustee.

HAT FACTORY OF HENRY B. HENDEL, & CO.

County. Their children are Levi H., born November 30, 1853; Daniel J., July 8, 1855 ; James M., February 23, 1857 ; John O., De- cember 18, 1858 ; Mary A., November 26, 1860; George W., September 18, 1862; Charles W., February 22, 1864; Edwin, March 30, 1866; Harrison P., September 12, 1867; Har- vey H., December 30, 1869 ; and Kate A., September 8, 1871. Three of this number are deceased. Levi H., Daniel J., James M. and Charles W. are partners in the house established by their father. Mr. Hendel is a director of the First National Bank of Reading, a director

H. B. HENDEL & Co .- The hat-factory of H. B. Hendel & Co. is situated on Maple Street, between Chestnut and Spruce. It com- prises a large and commodious three-story brick building, one hundred and thirty feet front and forty-four feet deep, and a wing addition, in length one hundred and five feet, with all the latest improved machinery for carrying on successfully the business of hat manufacturing. The product is felt hats of various colors. The number of hands em- ployed averages from one hundred to one hun- dred and twenty-five; and the weekly produc-

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

tion is about one thousand dozens of hats. This firm is composed of Henry B. Hendel, his brother, William B. Hendel, and three nephews, William S. Humbert, Levi H. Lausch and George H. Lausch. The co-partnership was formed in 1882, when this building was taken and improved, and it has since been occupied. The building is owned by the senior member. This firm is composed of enterprising and energetic young men, and they have been successful in their business operations.

HENRY B. HENDEL was born April 21, 1843, in Adamstown, Lancaster County, Pa., and obtained his early education in the com- mon schools, after which he became a pupil of the State Normal School at Millersville. He then entered the hat manufacturing establish- ment of his father, and, in 1866, became a partner in the business. During the year 1868 the partnership terminated, owing to the death of the senior member of the firm, and Mr. Hendel removed to Reading. Here he pur- chased a factory located on the corner of Eleventh and Spruce Streets, and again em- barked in manufacturing, but sold at the ex- piration of the first year. He next became interested as part owner in two factories located at Adamstown and Mohnsville respectively, the buying and selling for the latter being done by him while continuing his residence in Reading. Finally, disposing of his interests in both these concerns, he became a partner with his brothers, John and George, in the present factory on Fifth Street, Reading. He was also inter- ested in the factory built by his brother George in Cumru township. Selling these various in- terests, he established the business now con- ducted on Maple Street, Reading, enlarging the mill and otherwise increasing the opportunities for manufacturing, the firm being known as Henry B. Hendel & Co., hat manufacturers. Mr. Hendel is a Republican in politics and now fills the office of school controller, though rarely accepting public position from his party. He is a member of Williamson Lodge, No. 307, of F. and A. M., of Womelsdorf ; of Reading Commandery, No. 42, and of Excelsior Chap- ter, No. 237. He is also interested in the com- mission house of Hawley, Hendel & Mohn, of

New York. He is a member of the Evangeli- cal Association. Mr. Hendel was, on the 5th of September, 1876, married to Martha, daugh- ter of Mrs. Elizabeth Metzger, of Reading, who died in 1877. Their only daughter, Estella, died in infancy.

J. G. MOHN & BROS.' wool-hat factory, located on Eleventh Street, below Chestnut, was originated in 1859 at the same place by Kutz, Arnold & Co., who conducted the busi- ness until 1878, when the present firm, composed of Jeremiah G. Richard and John G. Mohn, purchased the entire interests. The buildings used are a three-story brick factory, containing various departments, and three adjoining store- houses. The factory is supplied with improved machinery for the manufacture of staple-wool hats in many different colors, shapes and forms, which are sold to the general trade through the commission house of Hawley, Hendel & Mohn, corner of Houston and Green Streets, New York City. This enterprising firm has about ninety employees regularly, manufacturing daily about one hundred and fifty dozen hats or forty thou- sand dozen yearly.

JOHN R. MILLER & Co.'s wool-hat man- nfactory is located on Fourth and Laurel Streets. Mr. Miller, who at present is the sole proprietor of the business, is a native of Adamstown, Lancaster County, and came to Reading from Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, January 5, 1870, when he began the manufac- ture of hats in connection with John Hendel and William L. Reed in a building located on Maple Street, below Chestnut. About twenty- five workmen were then employed. In 1871 the factory burned down which caused a disso- lution of the original partnership. Mr. Miller then leased an old mill on the west side of the Lancaster bridge, and in connection with John Shadle embarked anew in the business. This partnership lasted but one year, when William B. Hendel became a member of the firm, con- tinuing one year. At the expiration of this time Levi Miller, of Pine Grove, took an inter- est, and the firm of John R. Miller & Co. was formed. Since 1878 the senior member of the firm has been sole proprietor and has conducted the business with enterprise, acknowledged

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ability and success. In 1879 he built his pres- ent factory, a large three-story brick building, forty by one hundred and forty feet, with an office, dye-house addition and a three-story wiug extending from the middle of the main build- ing. The interior is supplied with the latest improved machinery, run by a sixty horse- power engine, supplied by a one hundred horse- power boiler. Ahout one hundred employees are regularly engaged at this factory. The daily product is one hundred and fifty dozens of wool hats, which are sold to the general trade through a commission house in New York City. For several years past Henry R. Miller, brother of the proprietor, has been chief assistant in the management of the business.

D. F. Lorz & Co. are the proprietors of an establishment for the manufacture of staple- wool hats, on South Eleventh Street,' near Spruce. The factory was built in 1866 by Jacob Sauerbier and soon after operated by Eisenbeiss & Co. In 1878 D. F. Lotz leased the factory, and, in connection with Elim Heck- ler, John Rehrer and Samuel Homan, formed a co-partnership under the name of D. F. Lotz & Co., the present firm. They also made staple- wool hats of various kinds, which are sold to the general trade through New York commis- sion houses. The factory is a fine three-story building, with all conveniences and apparatus needed. Thirty-seven workmen are employed. The yearly production now is seventy-two thou- sand dozen hats. The full capacity of the works is one hundred thousand.

C. F. KESSLER & SON are proprietors of the hat-factory on the corner of South Eleventh and Spruce Streets, which was established in 1862 by David Lotz. In 1876 Conrad F. Kessler, the present senior proprietor, pur- chased the factory, and in 1883 admitted his son, William H. Kessler, as a partner. Wool hats are made here to the amount of one hundred dozens per day when the full capacity is used. Sixty hands are employed.

NEVERSINK HAT-FACTORY, owned by Robert H. Savage, is at the southeast corner of Thirteenth and Muhlenberg Streets. The fac- tory was built, in 1883, by the present owner, and is a new three-story brick building, ex- 64

tending a long distance on both streets, fur- nished with well-designed machinery of im- proved kinds. Eighty hands are employed regularly, and the capacity of the factory is seventy five dozen staple-wool hats daily. Manufactured hats are sold through commis- sion houses and to merchants directly from the factory.

KEYSTONE HAT-FACTORY, owned by I. W. Levan & Son, on Muhlenberg Street, above Eleventh, was established in 1865, by W. & I. W. Levan. In 1871 the firm was changed to I. W. Levan & Son, and in 1884, Charles Y. Levan became a partner of the present firm. They manufacture staple-wool hats for the West, Southwest and California trade in large quantities, as well as other kinds and varieties. The factory is a three-story building, extending one hundred and twenty-six feet on Muhlen- berg Street, well fitted and well furnished with machinery and apparatus. The capacity of the factory is one hundred and fifty dozen hats daily ; capital invested, one hundred and twenty- five thousand dollars. The number of hands employed is seventy.

ISAAC W. LEVAN, the senior proprietor of this firm, is descended from Huguenot ancestry. His grandfather, Isaac Levan, resided in Exe- ter township, Berks County, where he engaged in farming. He was married to a Miss New- kirk, of the same county, and had the follow- ing-named children : Isaac, John, Jacob, Cath- erine (married to John Deiter), Mary (married to Lewis Seider), Nellie (married to William Yohn) and Phebe (married to William Yohn).

John Levan was born in Berks County, and on reaching mature years engaged in stage- driving on the Philadelphia and Pottsville turnpike, after which he became a farmer, and died at the age of forty-three years. He mar- ried Rebecca, daughter of Philip Witz, a lock- smith, a soldier of the Revolution and a resi- dent of Pottstown, Pa. Their children are Isaac W., John (deceased), Susan (married to Henry Hagen), Catherine (married to Joseph Watt), Julia and Mary (married to Enos Alder- man).

Isaac W. Levan was born on the 22d of October, 1818, on the farm in Exeter township,

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

and removed, when a youth, to Pottstown, where he attended school. In 1827 Reading became his home. He was employed in the summer on the Schuylkill Canal and in the winter found his services in demand to carry the local mails. In 1836 he was indentured to John Yeager, in Philadelphia, as apprentice to the hatter's trade, and after a service of three years he worked as a journeyman. He was, in the spring of 1842, married to Catherine,

well-founded and beautiful Christian character. Both Mr. and Mrs. Levan were members of the Second Reformed Church of Reading, in which the family have been active workers.

In 1847 Mr. Levan returned to Reading, and, under the firm-name of Levan & Faust, opened a store and began the manufacture of hats. This business connection being dissolved in 1863, he continued the enterprise as a retailer and manufacturer, becoming, in 1865,

Laac W Levan

daughter of John Yeager, of Philadelphia, who died on the 28th of July, 1883. Their chil- dren are John Y. (who died in 1884, married to Emma Rowe), Charles Y., Emily (married to Thomas Andrews, of Philadelphia), Cath- erine, Amelia (deceased) and Harry (deceased).

Mrs. Levan was a lady of many Christian virtues, active in the leading city charities, zealous in the promotion of all benevolent interests connected with her church, and exem- plifying in her daily walk and conversation a

a manufacturer exclusively. In this he is still engaged. Beginning with little capital, by industry and judgment he established an exten- sive and successful business and amassed a competency. In politics Mr. Levan, until the outbreak of the war, was a Democrat. Cir- cumstances then influenced a change in his views, since which time he has affiliated with the Republican party. He has represented both parties in the City Council. He was one of the organizers and is now president of the

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Penn National Bank. In business circles, and in all deliberative assemblies where experience combined with sound judgment are of conse- quence, Mr. Levan's opinions command respect and consideration.

W. H. REINOEHL & Co. are the owners of a wool-hat factory on the southeast corner of Tentlı and Spruce Streets, Reading. The busi- ness was instituted in 1866 by F. D. Nagle & Co., who were succeeded by Nagle & Reinoehl. In 1877 the present firm was formed composed of W. H. Reinoehl and O. B. Wetherhold. The main factory, three-story brick, with five other adjoining buildings, are all well equipped with good machinery and appliances. A fine grade of wool hats is made here, as well as medium grades in black and fancy colors. Seventy workmen are employed ; eighty dozen hats are daily made.

G. W. ALEXANDER & Co., hat manufactu- rers, of West Reading, are the successors of F. R. Frill & G. R. Alexander, who began the business in 1877, and in 1881 the present firm became the proprietors. They have invested forty-five thousand dollars in the business and employ seventy-six hands. Their goods are sold partly from their factory, though principally through New York commission houses.

THEODORE TERRELL and IRA W. TRAVIS commenced the manufacture of hat blocks, flanges and hatters' tools in 1881, at the corner of Franklin and Carpenter Streets. In 1882 they removed to their present manufactory, Ninth and Bingaman Streets. They have three thousand dollars invested in the business.

BRICK-MAKING.

The business of making bricks for building purposes was an early industry. Tile-making is mentioned amongst the first employments of the town. It is not known whether or not this branch here included bricks. Tradition says that the first brick house erected in Reading is the one-story small building still standing on the southwest corner of Seventh and Washing- ton Streets. It was erected about 1800 for the German Reformed congregation as a school- house. The buildings theretofore erected were of stone, log and frame. In 1845 this business

had reached a wonderful degree of development. In this year, in Reading, over seven millions of bricks were made by the following-named man- ufacturers, who then employed one hundred and twenty-seven workmen :

Thos. Diehm. 444,000

Henry Graul 450,000

Jacob Young. 450,000

Wm. Yeager 575,000

Benj. Fink. 750,000

H. Wunder. 368,000

A. D. Miller. 400,000

Jacob Geiger 400,000

Adam Dielim 550,000

Wm. Young. 356,000

John Darrah 1,067,000

G. D. Levan.

580,000

John Settlc

300,000

Wm. Tobias

340,000

Total 7,040,000

Brick manufactured at Reading in 1846 :

Thos. Diehm

518,000

Adam Diehm. 640,000

George D. Levan

806,000

John Darrah.

1,400,000

Wm. Yager. 600,000

Benj. Fink 525,000

Wm. Young

400,000

Wm. Tobias.

475,800

Jacob Young 540,000

Jacob Geiger 1,050,000

Wunder & Bingaman. 430,000

Samuel Filbert 440,000

Henry Graul. 600,000

Amich Miller

480,000

Charles Weidman 200,000

Jacob Davies

104,000

Total 9,208,800

Building brick then cost four dollars a thou- sand. It may be stated in this connection that the increase of the population from 1840 to 1850 was eighty-seven per cent. This was at- tributed to improvements which arose directly from manufactures superinduced by legislation for tariff in 1842. And, among other things, it was said that "immediately after the passage of the tariff law of that year the business and enterprise of the town received a fresh impetus. New factories were started in various parts of the town ; the coal trade was increased ; large numbers of hands were employed in the railroad shops ; people flocked from all quarters ; houses

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HISTORY OF BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

became scarce; building operations were com- menced on a larger scale than during any former period in the history of the town to accommodate the iuflux of new citizens."

READING FIRE-BRICK WORKS, located on Canal Street, between Fourth and Fifth, were originated by William A. Wells in 1846, who, after carrying on the business for some years, sold out to Isaac Bertolett, and by him carried on until April, 1857, when Mr. Bertolett sold his interest to Isaac McHose and A. S. Thomp- son, who continued the business under the firm name of McHose & Thompson. Their annual capacity was two million bricks. On January 1, 1865, Levi Quier was admitted as a member of this firm. On January 1, 1870, the firm of McHose & Co., consisting of Isaac McHose, Levi Quier and Jerome L. Boyer, bought the interest of A. S. Thompson, and during the year 1870 the old works were rebuilt and enlarged, stocked with new and most improved machinery, capacity increased to three million five hundred thousand bricks per annum ; em- ploying from sixty to seveuty workmen. The material used is all transported by railroad and canal from the celebrated fire-clay banks of New Jersey. Principal market is supplying the num- erous blast furnaces, rolling-mills, foundries, etc., located in the Schuylkill and Lebanon Valley districts ; special orders are often sent to more distant parts of this country. These works are connected by three lines of railroads, viz. : Philadelphia and Reading, Pennsylvania, Schuylkill Valley and Wilmington and Northern, and the Schuylkill Canal, giving it the very best of shipping facilities to all parts of the country.

ISAAC MCHOSE, who is of Scotch descent, is the son of Isaac McHose, who was born in Northampton County, Pa., in 1783, and died January 15, 1861, aged seventy-seven years.

He married Elizabeth, daughter of Jonathan Laubach, of Lehigh County, whose children are John, Julia Ann, Hannah, Samuel, Levina, Isaac, Owen, William, Elizabeth and Josiah. Isaac McHose, lately president of the Keystone National Bank of Reading, was born in Han- over township, Lehigh County, December 6, 1822. He was educated in the public schools.

His father having followed the occupation of a bricklayer, his son learned the trade, making a specialty of the construction of anthracite fur- naces. In this he reached such perfection that his contracts always guaranteed a complete and satisfactory furnace before its delivery to the owner, which gave him a practical monopoly of the business throughout the iron region. In 1852 he removed to Reading, where he has since resided, and the same year purchased a small fire-brick works in that city; rebuilt, remodeled and extended it until it has become the largest and most successful manufactory of its kind in the United States. His business projects have been both diversified and prosperous. For many years he has been largely interested in the manufacture of iron. Upon the removal of the Keystone National Bank to Reading, he was solicited to take the presidency of the institution, though not an owner of its stock, which request he complied with. Mr. McHose is a gentleman of great business talent combined with practical experience. He has been very successful in his investments and possesses a competence. His name is a synonym of uprightness, strict in- tegrity and honor wherever he is known, and be has been called by his fellow-citizens to serve them in various positions of trust. He has been a member of the Select branch of the City Council, of the Board of Control, and is also one .of the Water commissioners. He was a Presi- dential elector on the Republican ticket in the campaign of 1884. His name was brought prominently before the Republican State Con- vention for the office of State treasurer by his friends and received a strong support. He is president of the Board of Trade of Reading and president of the Reading Public Library. Mr. McHose is an active member of St. Paul's Reformed Church of Reading, in which he lias served as an elder for twenty-five years. He is much interested in benevolent and charitable in- stitutions, aiding in the founding of the Womels- dorf Orphans' Home and serving asa director in that institution, while every worthy charity en- lists his aid. A citizen of Reading writes that for fifteen years some orphan boy has received a collegiate education through the benevolence of Mr. McHose, and when one graduates another

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takes his place, some of these protégés having risen to honor and distinction. His ability and integrity have given him a prominent and lead- ing position in his own city, and extended his reputation throughout the State. He has ever aimed in his business career to so invest his capital as to give employment to labor. He has manifested an active and practical interest in the Young Men's Christian Association of Reading, and is at present chairman of its board of trustees. Mr. McHose was, on March 5, 1846, married to Letitia, daughter of Valentine Weider, of Lehigh County. Their children are Susan E. (Mrs. J. L. Boyer), of Reading ; Ambrose A., of Columbia, Pa. ; Wilson V. and Isaac, Jr., of Reading.

PRINTZ'S BRICK WORKS .- The large brick manufactory on North Tenth Street and Pricetown road was owned from 1856 to 1862 by John Printz and Michael Sands, as the firm of Printz & Sands. In 1862 they started a new yard on North Fifth Street and Centre Avenue. In 1865 Michael Sands sold his interest to Daniel D. Granl, and in 1877, J. L. Moyer was admitted as a partner to the firm, then known as Printz, Granl & Co. In 1880 this firm dissolved, and the business has since been continned by John Printz. Seventy-five to eighty hands are employed. Four million bricks per year are made at this yard.

In 1885 Mr. Printz extended his works to cover thirty acres, and began to manufacture fancy and ornamental bricks for honse-fronts. He is preparing to carry on the kilns to their fullest capacity and to manufacture sixty-five thousand bricks per day, with one hundred and forty hands employed.

JOHN H. PRINTZ .- The Printz family have been residents of Reading from the beginning of the town. They are of German origin. John H. Printz is the son of John Printz, Jr., and was born at Reading March 31, 1833. His father was also born at Reading, carried on the trade of a carpenter and afterward the business of a contractor, and left seven surviving child- ren,-Henry, William, Susan Ann, Christian, John H., Levi and Frederick. His mother was Rosanna Hill, of Spring (formerly Cumrn)

township, who died in 1866, aged sixty-six years. His father died in 1880, aged nearly righty years. Mr. Printz was educated in the common schools. In 1844 he became an ap- prentice in the business of brick-making under John Darrah, who was then an extensive manu- facturer, and after completing his apprentice- ship and working as a journeyman till 1855, he began business for himself, continuing since that time in this department of industry. The kilns were then almost entirely sonth of Penn Street, in the vicinity of Eighth and Chestnut Streets, and their capacity was from fifty thousand to sixty thousand, excepting Darrah's, whose kiln held one hundred and fifty thousand. Subsequently, as the city developed, the kilns were removed farther and farther north of Penn Street until they reached their present locality. On Ninth Street, in the vicinity of Elm and Buttonwood, many thousand of bricks were manufactured about the time and for some years after he began. The single mould was then used and it is still used. The double mould was tried, but it proved a failure. The clay was worked by hand and turned over repeatedly by a shovel, and this process continued till after the war, when horse-power was introduced. A ma- chine for manufacturing brick was first tried here in 1855, and again in 1868, but it was a failure, the clay here not having been adapted, on ac- count of numerous stones. The clay is still worked by hand and tempered by horse-power. Mr. Printz introduced the manufacture of orna- mental brick in 1885, being the second manu- facturer in this State. There are only three manufacturers of them in the United States,-one at Philadelphia, one at Reading and one at Wilmington. From 1880 to 1885 the average annnal production of bricks at Reading was about twenty millions. Mr. Printz was the largest producer during the last three years, having employed seventy-five hands (including thirteen brick-makers) and produced four and a half million brick annually. He has been now thirty years in this industry, and has oc- cupied the same stand, along the west side of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad at Marion Street, for the last seventeen years. During April, 1886, he employed one hun-

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History of Berks county in Pennsylvania, Part 121

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards Number of Pages: 1418

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts, Peck & Richards
Number of Pages: 1418