USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of Carbon County, Pennsylvania; also containing a separate account of the several boroughs and townships in the county, with biographical sketches > Part 32
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In 1874 Mr. Gruber was united in marriage to Sarah E. Searfoss, a daughter of Robert Searfoss and his wife Susannah. Their only child, Mattie E., is the wife of Stuart Prutzman, of Palmerton.
Haydon, James C., who for many years was one of the best known coal operators of the anthracite region, and the founder of the Jeanesville Iron Works, one of the leading industrial enterprises in this portion of the state, is now leading a life of retirement at Jeanesville, Pennsylvania.
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He is a native of Philadelphia, where his birth oc- curred on December 5, 1833, and he was educated at Burlington College, Burlington, New Jersey, where he pursued a scientific course. Subsequently to his graduation, he assisted in the building of the North Penn Railroad in the capacity of a civil engineer. The road, extending from Philadelphia to Bethlehem, and now a part of the system of the Philadelphia and Read- ing Railway, was completed in 1855.
After a year's service as an executive officer for the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company at Mauch Chunk, he assumed the superintendency of the Buck Mountain Coal Company, at Rockport, Carbon county, where he remained for a period of ten years. Here, amid the wild grandeur of the mountains, he spent the happiest days of his life, and he has never ceased to look back to his residence in this lovely spot with the fondest recollection.
The company's mines were situated on the summit of the Buck mountain, a few miles distant from Rockport, from which point the coal was then shipped to mar- ket on the Lehigh Canal. The breaker stood on the banks of Laurel run, and was driven by an ordinary twenty-five foot water-wheel, being, as nearly as can be ascertained, with one exception, the only breaker in the anthracite region employing water for its motive power.
A breaker owned by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company at Nesquehoning, is said to have been sim- ilarly built and operated, this being the single excep- tion.
Mr. Haydon was one of the organizers of the Spring Mountain Coal Company, which was chartered in 1864. His associate in this enterprise was Theodore Ran- dolph, formerly a United States Senator from New
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Jersey, and the Governor of that state. This company operated the mines at Jeanesville until 1874, when the property was acquired by the Lehigh Valley Coal Com- pany. Under the firm name of J. C. Haydon and Com- pany, Mr. Haydon, in partnership with Francis Robin- son, of New York, continued to operate these mines under lease until 1894. They also operated the Glen- don Colliery at Mahanoy City, and another colliery at Mt. Carmel.
Aside from the coal mines, the principal interest of Jeanesville for many years centered in the shops of the Jeansville Iron Works, established there by the Spring Mountain Coal Company. These shops were conducted by J. C. Haydon and Company until 1902, in which year the Jeanesville Iron Works Company was formed, Mr. Haydon being the principal stockholder and president of the corporation. In 1903 the plant was removed to Hazleton, where large and modern shops were erected.
In 1909 the works were sold to the International Steam Pump Company, of New York, the largest con- cern of the kind in the United States, their specialty being the construction of both steam and electrical pumps. The excellence of their product has long since given the Jeanesville shops a world-wide reputation.
Mr. Haydon was married in 1858 to Ellen F. New- ton, a native of Vermont. Her life has been character- ized by unselfishness and generosity. She was a sister- in-law of John O. Cleaver, a member of the firm of Rich and Cleaver, who opened Coleraine colliery dur- ing the forties.
Heberling, Daniel, one of the pioneer merchants of Carbon county, was born in Allen township, North- ampton county, Pennsylvania, on February 10, 1801. He was of German descent, his father emigrating to
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this country from the district of Alsace-Lorraine, Germany. When a boy, Daniel learned the trade of a cloth weaver, and as the opportunity offered, attended the country schools. He also taught school for a while. In 1829 he was married to Mary Ann Leh. Finding the weaving trade insufficient to support his wife and growing family, he obtained employment on the Lehigh Canal, which was then in course of con- struction.
In the spring of 1833, "the year the stars fell," he and his wife, together with their child, Thomas, lo- cated in Weissport, then a part of Northampton coun- ty, and took possession of the Weissport House, which is still standing, and which was at that time the prin- cipal hostelry of the nearby locality.
There were at that time but two other houses in the place, namely, that owned by Daniel Arner, and the other, the home of Colonel Jacob Weiss, the latter oc- cupying the site where the Fort Allen Hotel now stands. Peter Snyder, of Lehigh Gap, built and owned the Weissport House, and gave Mr. Heberling posses- sion and a year's rent free, so anxious was he to have a good tenant.
Mr. Heberling was landlord of the Weissport House for three years; but having a strong aversion to hotel life, he moved out of the premises and launched into the general store business on White street, Weissport. At the same time he filled the office of justice of the peace and squire, serving in the latter capacity for a period of nine years. He also did considerable survey- ing locally. He was very successful as a merchant and had already amassed what in those days was consid- ered a competence, when the terrible flood of 1841 de- vastated Weissport and other places along the Lehigh river, and swept away or ruined everything he had
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in the world, save his family, his good name and repu- tation for honesty and square dealing. Nothing daunted, he procured a team (there being no railroads then) and drove to Philadelphia, where he had no trou- ble in inducing his creditors to start him anew. He was then forty years old, but still full of grit and am- bition. Gradually he recouped his losses and built up a bigger business than ever. In addition to the general store business he engaged in the building of canal boats on a large scale, in which he was also very successful. He dabbled somewhat in politics and was appointed associate judge of Carbon county in 1848-five years after the new county of Carbon was formed, and held office until 1851.
He was for many years, and up to the time of his death, a director in the First National Bank of Mauch Chunk. He was also largely interested in the Parry- ville Iron Works. In 1862 Weissport was again swept by a destructive freshet, but Mr. Heberling, profiting by his former experience, in the flood of 1841, had built himself a large and substantial brick dwelling and store, which defied the raging waters, and his losses were slight, while other houses in the town were swept from their foundations and carried down the Lehigh. After the waters receded Weissport was completely covered with huge logs, which had broken loose from the White Haven dams, being piled as high as some of the house-tops. Mr. Heberling, with characteristic shrewdness in the time of emergency, formed a part- nership with Jonas Bowman, erected a temporary saw- mill and cut up all the logs into marketable lumber, at a considerable profit. In 1868 Mr. Heberling moved to Lehighton, where he erected for himself and family a substantial home, in which he resided until his death, which occurred May 29, 1876.
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His family consisted of Thomas J., James W., Dan- iel Christian, and Edgar Allen.
The latter was drowned while a student at Lafayette College. James, Thomas and Daniel were in their day prominent merchants of Mauch Chunk, the former also filling the office of associate judge of the county, to which position he was appointed upon the death of Judge Harry E. Packer. Thomas was elected to the office of prothonotary in 1861.
There are four daughters, Mrs. F. P. Semmel, Mrs. J. L. Gabel, Mrs. Benjamin Bertolet and Mrs. Lewis B. Balliet.
Heberling, Dr. Homer, a Lehighton dentist, was born at Mauch Chunk on November 15, 1870, being the elder son of Daniel C. and Ellen (Struthers) Heberling. His paternal grandfather, Daniel Heberling, was one of the early merchants of Carbon county, while his mother's father was James Robb Struthers, Esq., the first dis- trict attorney of the county.
Graduating from the Mauch Chunk high school with the class of 1887, he enrolled as a student at Eastman's Business College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. Having fin- ished his course he accepted a position as stenographer in the office of the general freight agent of the Lehigh Valley Railroad at South Bethlehem, Pa.
In May, 1888, he entered the employ of the firm of Whitney & Kemmerer at Philadelphia, remaining with them for seven years. During this time he was elected secretary of the Beaumont Coal Mining Company, of which W. B. Whitney was the president.
Entering the Philadelphia Dental Colllege in the fall of 1893, he was graduated from that institution in 1896. During his freshman year he retained his posi- tion with the firm by which he was employed, while keeping up with his classes in college. After his grad-
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uation he was engaged for a short time as an assistant to a leading dentist of Trenton, N. J.
Coming to Lehighton in the summer of 1896, with no other capital than his training, a good constitution, and plenty of grit and ambition, he established himself in the practise of his profession, gaining a patronage which has grown from year to year.
Dr. Heberling is a member of the Pennsylvania State Dental Society, the Susquehanna Dental So- ciety, and the Lehigh Valley Dental Society. He is a past master of the Masonic lodge of Lehighton, while being identified with the Robert Burns Scottish So- ciety of Summit Hill. He was the first treasurer of All Saints Episcopal church of Lehighton. His young- er brother James Struthers Heberling is the superin- tendent of the William T. Carter Junior Republic at Redington, Pa.
In 1901, Dr. Heberling was married to Katharine Victoria, the only daughter of Dr. Jacob G. Zern and his wife Ellen M., of Lehighton. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. They have one child, Jacob Zern Heberling.
Heydt, Hon. Horace. When Carbon county was con- stituted an independent judicial district, separating it from Monroe county, during the administration of Governor Stone, Horace Heydt was appointed to the judgeship, to serve out the unexpired term of Judge Allen Craig, who remained upon the bench of Monroe county.
That was in the year 1901. The following year Judge Heydt received the nomination of his party for the full term of ten years, and was elected. He looks scarcely a day older to-day than at the time of his elevation to the bench, and he bears the burden of his fifty-seven years lightly and gracefully.
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Judge Heydt is of Pennsylvania German extraction; he was born in Montgomery county, February 12, 1856. His great-grandfather, George Heydt, was the founder of the family in America. The father of Judge Heydt also bore the name of George, having been born in Berks county in 1830. He was a bricklayer, marrying, in early life, Sarah, the daughter of John Dotter, of Montgomery county.
The future judge was but three years of age when the family removed to Berks county, where he received his early education in the public schools. Later he went to Kutztown State Normal School, graduating with the class of 1878. After teaching school for a few terms he entered Lafayette College, where he gradu- ated in 1884.
During his senior year at college, Mr. Heydt became a law student under W. G. Freyman, frequently men- tioned as the Nestor of the Carbon County Bar, being admitted to practise in 1885. He became a member of the firm of Freyman, Heydt and Nothstein, and was one of the most successful practitioners at the bar until his appointment to the judgeship in 1901.
Judge Heydt resides at Lehighton, where he has played the part of a wide-awake and progressive citi- zen. He was for a time the president of the school board of the borough, and is prominent in Masonic circles. He and his family are members of the Luth- eran church.
On January 1, 1880, he was married to Ellen J., daughter of Moses and Lavina (Lauchnor) Heilman. The pair have four children: Gertrude, the wife of S. S. Freeman; Helen, Anna and George.
The judge is of a studious disposition, and the at- torneys who practise before him always find him well posted in the law, and entirely up-to-date on the deci-
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sions of the higher courts. He gives his rulings firmly and without hesitation. He is particularly adept in charging a jury, no juryman with the slightest claim to intelligence and common sense having any occasion to retire from the court room for deliberation without knowing the law in the case to be decided, or without carrying in his mind a clear summing up of the evi- dence adduced at the trial.
Judge Heydt has decided numerous important cases during his tenure of office, while he has often been called to preside in the courts of Luzerne, Lackawanna, Lehigh and other neighboring counties, where he has always made a favorable impression.
He is a supporter of the principles advocated by the Republican party, and prior to assuming his present position, he was the secretary of the Republican coun- ty committee.
Hofford, Samuel W., deputy clerk of the United States District Court at Scranton, formerly chief clerk of the commissioners of Carbon county, and a promi- nent Republican leader, was born at White Haven, Pa., March 28, 1867.
His grandfather, Adam Hofford, was an employe of the old Beaver Meadow Railroad Company, and for many years had charge of the planes at Weatherly and at Penn Haven, respectively.
Francis T. Hofford, his father, was a locomotive en- gineer on the Lehigh Valley Railroad. He was mar- ried to Sarah E. Dodson, a native of Salem township, Luzerne county, Pa. They were the parents of four sons and three daughters.
S. W. Hofford left school at an early age to begin life as a railroad laborer, later becoming a brakeman. Learning the trade of a butcher, he was in the employ of the firm of Kocher and Young at Weatherly for six
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years. Subsequently he was a clerk in the general store of J. G. Eadie at that place.
Taking an active interest in politics, he affiliated with the Republican party, being elected to the office of tax collector of Weatherly. He also served as a member of the school board of that borough.
Mr. Hofford was chosen as chairman of the Carbon county Republican committee in 1902, receiving the ap- pointment of chief clerk in the office of the county com- missioners during the following year, and very capably filling both positions until 1909.
In 1908 he was the nominee of his party for state senator in his district, but failed of election, the dis- trict being strongly Democratic. The next year he was an unsuccessful candidate for the office of sheriff of Carbon county.
In 1910 he was appointed a deputy United States marshal for the middle district of Pennsylvania, re- moving from Weatherly, his former home, to Scranton. A year later he was advanced to the position of deputy clerk of the United States court for the same district, in which capacity he is now serving.
On September 23, 1892, he was wedded to Emma J., daughter of Lewis Young, of Weatherly. They have five surviving children, as follows: Harold C., Lewis F., Florence C., and George E. Hofford.
Mr. Hofford is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
Horlacher, Andrew H., manager and principal stock- holder of the Allen Candy Manufacturing Company, of Weatherly, and an honored resident of that place, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, on Oct. 31, 1852. He is the son of John and Catherine (Schneider) Horlach- er, and was one of a family of ten children.
Reared on his father's farm, and educated in the schools of his native country, he emigrated to America
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in 1868, locating at Philadelphia. Here he learned the trade of a baker, also acquiring his first knowledge of the manufacture of confectionery.
From Philadelphia he went to Allentown, later being employed for a brief period at Slatington, Pa.
In 1874, Mr. Horlacher located at Weatherly, estab- lishing a bakery which he profitably conducted for twenty-three years, when he sold his business to Harry Yeide.
In association with A. D. Roth, E. A. Acker, William Kohler, E. H. Bortz, and E. A. Butz, Mr. Horlacher, in 1897, organized the Allen Candy Manufacturing Com- pany, establishing the plant at Allentown, Pa. Two years later its location was changed to Weatherly, where it has become an important industry, employing many workers. The machinery of the plant is the most modern and improved, while its output has in- creased from year to year.
Mr. Horlacher has been the manager, treasurer and principal stockholder of the company since its organ- ization.
He was married on March 15, 1874, to Emma, daugh- ter of George Koehler, of Northampton county. Their domestic life has been ideal in its harmony and tran- quility. Four children have been born to them: Liz- zie S., wife of A. D. Roth; William H., Jennie M., wife of T. C. Sigman, and Nellie F., wife of Floyd T. War- ner.
Mr. Horlacher has been a leading member of the Lutheran church of Weatherly almost since its estab- lishment, having been a trustee and treasurer of that organization for twenty-five years.
As a member of town council and in the capacity of a private citizen and business man, he has worked effectively for the prosperity and well-being of the community in which he lives.
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Isenman, Joseph H., a Lehighton grocer, was born in Baden, near Offenburg, Germany, April 4, 1854. His father, Severin Isenman, was an inn keeper, and was the father of eleven children, four of whom grew to maturity.
In 1872, being then eighteen years of age, Mr. Isen- man emigrated to America, locating in Mauch Chunk, where he secured employment in the foundry and ma- chine shop then conducted by Messrs. Stroh and Al- bright. A year later he entered the service of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company at Packerton, be- coming a car repairer. He remained with the company for many years, and was finally promoted to the posi- tion of night foreman of the Packerton yards.
In 1895 Mr. Isenman erected the building at the cor- ner of Third and Coal streets which he now occupies, opening a general store. Five years later he sold his stock and leased the building to the firm of Rehrig Bros., who held possession for six years, when Mr. Isenman again assumed control of the business.
Mr. Isenman was married in 1873 to Veronica Lu- henska, of Jamestown, a suburb of Lehighton. Four children were born to them, as follows: Annie, Emma, Agnes and Charles Isenman.
Annie is the wife of Henry Schwartz, of Lehighton; Emma is married to William Coyle, of Tresckow, Car- bon county, while Agnes is the wife of Charles Dierkes, of Lehighton. Charles married Johanna Toomey, of Bethlehem. Mrs. Isenman died in 1899.
Mr. Isenman has served as a member of the town council of Lehighton, and was one of the organizers of the Lehigh Valley Building and Loan Association, of which he is also a director. Mr. Isenman is a member of the Catholic church, while he is a supporter of the Democratic party. He is progressive and never fails
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to manifest an interest in questions affecting the wel- fare of the community in which he lives.
Jenkins, Thomas L., a veteran educator of Carbon county, now assistant principal of the schools of East Mauch Chunk, was born at Nesquehoning, Pa., Janu- ary 7, 1865. He is the son of Richard and Ann (Eman- uel) Jenkins, natives of Merthyr Tidvil, Wales, who came to America in 1841, first settling at Tamaqua, Schuylkill county.
The father was, during the greater part of his ac- tive life, a mine foreman for the Lehigh Coal and Nav- igation Company at Nesquehoning. When Thomas was six years of age, the family removed to a farm in Packer township where he grew to maturity.
He was educated at the West Chester State Normal School and at Palm's Business College, Philadelphia. For twenty-five years he has been a school teacher, having occupied his present position for ten years. Many of his former pupils owe their success in life largely to the native ability and enthusiasm which he brought to his calling.
On April 2, 1886, Mr. Jenkins was married to Han- nah, a daughter of Solomon Gerhard, one of the early residents of Packer township. They have two sons, both of whom are successful teachers. Albion, the elder, who has had several years' experience, is a graduate of the Keystone State Normal School and is now a student at Columbia University. Rayel is also a graduate of the first named institution, and is at pres- ent teaching in the public schools of Los Angeles, Cal- ifornia.
Johnson, Thomas, a member of the firm of Johnson Brothers, conducting two of Carbon county's leading clothing and furnishing stores, was born at Mauch Chunk in 1876.
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John Johnson, his father, was born in Ireland, emi- grating to America in 1875, and locating at Mauch Chunk. He was united in marriage in the late sixties to Annie Sweeney, also a native of Erin, the pair build- ing their home at Mauch Chunk, where they have lived continuously since that time. The following children were born to them: Mary, Daniel, Thomas, Patrick, John, Joseph, James and Michael. John and the two last named are deceased.
Thomas Johnson was educated in the parochial and public schools of Mauch Chunk. After various em- ployments he learned the clothing business, establish- ing a store, in association with his brother, Joseph, at Mauch Chunk in 1903. Subsequently Patrick and Dan- iel were also admitted to the partnership. Honest practises and fair dealing bringing success, the firm opened a branch store in Lansford in 1907, this being under the immediate supervision of Daniel and Joseph.
In 1908 Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Margaret McLaughlin, of Lansford. Anna and John are their two children. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church, and is identified with the Knights of Columbus.
Kasparek, Rev. Joseph, pastor of St. Michael's Roman Catholic (Slovak) church, of Lansford, son of John and Theresa (Kolinek) Kasparek, was born in Moravia, Austria, on March 21, 1871. At the age of twelve he enrolled in a preparatory school of his na- tive country, where he was a student for eight years. He then matriculated at the American College, Lou- vain, Belgium, where he studied theology, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1894.
Almost immediately thereafter he sailed for Amer- ica, being appointed as the assistant of Rev. William Heinan, the famous pastor of St. Joseph's church, of East Mauch Chunk. The day following his arrival, he
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already took the necessary legal steps toward becom- ing naturalized, and five years later became a citizen of the United States.
Remaining in East Mauch Chunk but a short time, Father Kasparek became the first resident pastor of the congregation which he is now serving. After nine months he assumed charge of a church at McAdoo, Schuylkill county, and built another at Sheppton, in the same county. At the end of a year he went to Reading, Pa., from which place he was transferred to Mahanoy City, where he remained for seven years. During his residence there, he built a church at Shen- andoah.
In 1905 Rev. Kasparek was again stationed at Lans- ford, where he has since remained. Under his leader- ship St. Michael's parochial school, costing thirty thousand dollars, and opened in 1907, was built. Early during the following year the church edifice of the con- gregation was destroyed by fire. Preparations were at once begun to replace the building, and on Thanksgiv- ing Day, 1911, the present home of the congregation on East Abbot street, was dedicated with imposing ceremonies.
This is one of the most magnificent churches in Penn- sylvania, costing one hundred and fifty thousand dol- lars. It will long stand as a monument to Father Kas- parek and his people.
Kemmerer, Mahlon S., a prominent coal operator and man of affairs, residing at Mauch Chunk, was born at Cherry Valley, Monroe county, Pa., on August 27, 1843. His father, Charles Kemmerer, who was a mill- wright by trade, was also a native of Cherry Valley, while his mother bore the maiden name of Mary Ann Price, being the daughter of John J. Price, an early lumberman of that section.
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M. S. Kemmerer became a resident of Carbon county in his early youth. He was educated in the common schools and at Dickinson Seminary, Williamsport, Pa. At the age of fourteen he began life as a clerk in a colliery store at Summit Hill, continuing in that ca- pacity until 1862. The memorable freshet of that year, paralyzing the transportation facilities of the Lehigh Valley, suspended operations in the coal regions. He then joined an engineering corps engaged in the work of rebuilding the Lehigh Canal.
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