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 41
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Edgar Twining acquired his early education in the public schools, later studying under private tutors both at Mauch Chunk and at Allentown. At the age of six- teen or thereabout he began life as a clerk in the store of Mathias Fegley at Mauch Chunk, where he remained for a short period. After several changes he became the weighmaster of the Hazleton Coal Company at Penn Haven. In January, 1862, he was appointed as a teller of the Mauch Chunk Bank, a state institution, which was succeeded in 1864 by the First National Bank, the predecessor of the Mauch Chunk National Bank of to-day.
In 1893 Mr. Twining was appointed as cashier of the First National Bank, serving as such until the ex- piration of its charter, in 1902, when the Mauch Chunk National Bank was organized, and he became its cash- ier, in which capacity he served during the remainder of his life. The duties and exactions of his vocation left him little opportunity for other employments or pursuits, although he was elected to the office of county treasurer as the nominee of the Republican party in 1871. He was an executor and trustee of the estates of the late Gen. William Lilly and Edward B. Leisen- ring, both of whom left large fortunes.
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Mr. Twining never married. For years he made his home at the Mansion House, and during the last eigh- teen years of his life he lived at the American Hotel. He was one of Mauch Chunk's best known and most respected citizens. His death, on June 5, 1912, was caused by a paralytic stroke.
Van Dyke, Burton, a native of Weatherly who has achieved success in the field of mechanics, is a son of William Van Dyke, a veteran of the Civil War, and his wife Emily, who was a daughter of Nathaniel Zoll. Born at Weatherly on July 27, 1871, he was educated in the schools of that borough. At the age of sixteen he began life as a boilermaker's apprentice in the shops of the Lehigh Valley Railroad at Weatherly, subse- quently fitting himself as a machinist. Having com- pleted his trade, he worked in many locomotive shops in various parts of the country. He also served in the capacity of chief engineer in some of the large hotels of Palm Beach, Miami, and other winter resorts of Florida.
In 1900 Mr. Van Dyke accepted the position of mas- ter mechanic for the Spanish-American Iron Company at Daiquiri, Cuba. He has since become the superin- tendent of motive power for this company, having en- tire charge of all its rolling stock, machinery and min- ing equipment. This is the largest mining company of Cuba, being owned and controlled by the Pennsylvania Steel Company. Its output is shipped to Sparrows Point, Md., and to Steelton, Pa.
Mr. Van Dyke is prominent in Masonic circles. He was united in marriage to Alverna L., daughter of David Holman, of Weatherly, on November 29, 1911. They have established their home in Cuba.
Van Dyke, Warren R., resident secretary of the Democratic state committee at Harrisburg, and until
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recently a prominent figure in Carbon county, was born at Weatherly, April 23, 1877. He is a son of William and Emily (Zoll) Van Dyke, long-time residents of Weatherly, where the father was formerly employed as a locomotive engineer.
Mr. Van Dyke is a product of the Weatherly high school, early learning the trade of a printer in the office of the Herald, of which paper he was the asso- ciate editor for a period of about ten years. Relin- quishing his newspaper duties, he embarked in the real estate and general insurance business, which he suc- cessfully followed at Weatherly.
In 1905 he was elected as the nominee of the Demo- cratic party to the office of recorder of deeds of Car- bon county. At the expiration of his term, he was chosen as chief clerk to the county commissioners, in which capacity he served until the spring of 1911. He was then prevailed upon to accept the appointment which he is now holding, taking up his residence at Harrisburg.
Mr. Van Dyke was one of Weatherly's most progres- sive and public-spirited citizens, being always found in the van of every forward movement. He served as a member of town council and of the school board, while being a director of the Anthracite Building and Loan Association, and of the board of trade of the borough. As a member of the Methodist church he was particu- larly active in the religious life of the town, also serv- ing as the superintendent of the Sunday school con- nected with this organization.
Mr. Van Dyke was united in marriage to Mattie, daughter of J. W. Hunter, of Weatherly, on February 28, 1900. They have two children, Clare and Louise Van Dyke. Philip died in infancy.
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Waaser, J. E., M.D., one of Carbon county's most prominent physicians, and formerly a director of the Middle Coal Field Poor District, is a son of John and Anna (Goas) Waaser, natives of Germany, who came to the United States in 1852, settling near Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county. After a few years they removed to Schuylkill Haven, where Mr. Waaser was employed at his trade as a cooper.
John E. Waaser was born at Schuylkill Haven, Oc- tober 24, 1869. He attended the public schools of that town until his twelfth year, when he came to Hazleton to live with his sister, who is the wife of Doctor Wil- liam G. Dietz. Graduating from the Hazleton high school with the class of 1886, Mr. Waaser accepted a clerkship in the store of J. C. Haydon & Company, at Jeanesville, Luzerne county, remaining there for two years. Later he worked with a corps of civil engineers under the direction of L. O. Emmerich, Esq., of Hazle- ton. In 1889 he entered Hahnemann Medical College, of Philadelphia, being graduated four years subse- quent to that time with high honors. After serving for a year as resident surgeon at the Hahnemann Hospital, Doctor Waaser located in East Mauch Chunk, and began the practice of his profession there. He enjoys a large practice and was successful from the start.
Doctor Waaser has served as a school director of East Mauch Chunk for two terms, and was elected to the office of poor director for the term of three years in 1906. He was one of the organizers of the Citizens' National Bank, of East Mauch Chunk, being now a di- rector of that institution. He is prominent in Masonic circles, while being a member of several other frater- nal societies.
On September 14, 1904, Dr. Waaser was married to Mrs. Rebecca Morris Heraty, of Philadelphia. They
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Ber f. Wagner.
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have two children, Anna and John. Doctor Waaser is a member and vestryman of the Episcopal church. and lives in a beautiful residence on Center street.
Wagner, Levi Fox, an ex-burgess of Weatherly, and for many years a foreman for the Lehigh Valley Rail- road Company, is a native of Northampton county, but now lives in Lehighton.
Charles Wagner, the father of Levi F. Wagner, grew to manhood in Northampton county. He learned the trade of a wheelwright, and in early life was married to Gertrude E. Schumann. They became the parents of seven children. Subsequent to his marriage, Mr. Wagner removed with his family to Pike county, where he conducted a farm. He spent the last fifteen years of his life in retirement at Stroudsburg, where he died, about 1891, at the age of seventy-six years.
Levi F. Wagner was born at Martin's Creek on De- cember 25, 1838. He spent his boyhood on his father's farm in Pike county. He was educated in the Bush- kill Academy near Stroudsburg, and learned the car- penter's trade. In 1864 he came to Mauch Chunk, where he remained for a year, after which he entered the employ of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company at Weatherly. He served as a foreman in the car shops there for thirty-one years, and when the shops at Weatherly were abandoned he was retained in a sim- ilar capacity in the shops at Packerton, where he still remains, being one of the oldest foremen, in point of service, in the employ of the company.
He was married on July 20, 1871, to Anna, daughter of Jacob and Rebecca Cole, of Newton, N. J. Their children are: Charles E., Lenora C., J. Thomas, and Nell E. Wagner. In 1899 Mr. Wagner removed with his family to Lehighton.
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During his residence in Weatherly he served for nine years as a member of the school board, was a member of town council, and was thrice elected to the office of chief burgess, liberally contributing of his time and energy to every cause for the public good. Mr. Wagner is an elder in the Presbyterian church, and is still an active and enthusiastic worker in the Sunday school. He is a supporter of the principles of the Dem- ocratic party.
Warner, Edwin F., a leading Weatherly business man, and formerly a member of the board of county commissioners, was born in Tannersville, Monroe county, Pa., on January 11, 1857. His paternal grand- father, George Warner, was a native of Northampton county, the year of his birth being 1790. He was a cooper by trade, and he also served as a surgeon in the war of 1812.
Peter Warner, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Pocono township, Monroe county, Pa., on Christmas Day, 1835. Early in life he learned the carpenter trade, later becoming a cabinet maker, as well, and following the dual pursuits for a number of years. Subsequently he gained success as a contractor and builder, finally opening an undertaking establish- ment, which he conducted for many years. He is yet numbered among the substantial citizens of Tanners- ville, where he served as a justice of the peace for nearly two generations. His wife, before her marriage, was Lavina Sittler, and was born in Lehigh county in 1832. They had four children : Edwin F., Emma S., the wife of William H. Werkheiser, of Chester, W. Va., Elmer and Sarah, who married Woodward Kresge, of Monroe county.
Edwin F. Warner was educated in the public schools, learning the cabinet maker's trade and the undertaking
Edwin 7 Männer
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business from his father. In 1881 he located in Weath- erly, founding the furniture and undertaking establish- ment of which he is still the head, and which he has conducted with uniform success. In this connection it may be said that he is a graduate of Clark's School of Embalming, together with several other institutions of a like nature.
Mr. Warner has been prominently identified with the various interests and phases of the life of Weatherly since taking up his residence in the town. He was one of the organizers of the Weatherly Foundry and Ma- chine Company and of the First National Bank of Weatherly, still serving as a director of both institu- tions. He is also the president of the Anthracite Build- ing and Loan Association, one of the model institutions of its kind in Pennsylvania. For ten successive years he served as a member of town council, being for a time the president of that body. He is now the chief of the fire department of the borough.
In 1908 he was elected to the office of county com- missioner as the candidate of the Democratic party, receiving the almost unanimous support of the voters in his own community and the surrounding districts. Packer township honored him by recording every vote cast in his favor. It was largely due to his influence as a commissioner that the road across the Broad Moun- tain, connecting Hudsondale with Mauch Chunk, which had been abandoned, was rebuilt.
Mr. Warner is connected with many fraternal organ- izations. He is a member of Hazle Lodge, No. 327, F. and A. M .; Lilly Chapter, No. 177, R. A. M., of Mauch Chunk, and Hazleton Commandery, No. 73, K. T .; he also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Knights of the Golden Eagle, the Improved Order of Red Men, and the Patriotic Order of Sons of America.
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In 1882 he was married to Carrie, daughter of George Wass, of Tannersville. They are the parents of the following children: H. Fred, Peter G. C., Mayme, Carrie, Nettie and George Charles.
Harvey Fred Warner was born at Weatherly on August 17, 1883. After completing the high school course in his native town he attended the Hazleton Business College, from which he was graduated in 1900. For several years he was a clerk in the office of the master machinist of the Lehigh Valley Railroad at Weatherly, after which he served as a teller in the national bank of the town. He is now the chief clerk of the Weatherly Foundry and Machine Company. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Patri- otic Order of Sons of America.
Peter G. C. Warner was born at Weatherly on May 4, 1885. Completing his studies at the high school in 1902, he went to Eckles School of Embalming, at Phil- adelphia, being graduated the same year. Since then he has assisted his father in the conduct of his busi- ness. Like his brother, he is identified with the Free and Accepted Masons and the Patriotic Order of Sons of America.
Mayme, Nettie and Carrie are graduates of the high school at Weatherly, and the two first named also have diplomas from the East Stroudsburg State Normal School. They are now teachers in the public schools.
George Charles is at present a member of the middle class of the Weatherly high school.
Mr. Warner and his family are members of the Re- formed church.
Warner, Elmer, a prominent individual factor in the business, industrial and financial affairs of Weath- erly, was born at Tannersville, Monroe county, Pa., on April 30, 1861. The family of which he is a mem-
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ber has resided in eastern Pennsylvania since the early days of the Republic. His grandfather, George War- ner, was a veteran of the second war with England, while his maternal lineage connects him with Burk- hart Moser, a pioneer settler in the Panther Creek Valley, and formerly the owner of much of the valuable coal land now held by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. He is the son of Peter and Lavina (Sittler) Warner, both of whom still reside at Tannersville.
After leaving school he assisted his father, who was interested in various enterprises, for a time. Subse- quently he opened a general store on his own account, conducting the same for a period of about five years. Coming to Weatherly in 1891, he purchased in bank- ruptcy proceedings the store of David Kintz, soon com- manding a liberal patronage. The expansion of the business demanding more commodious quarters, Mr. Warner built a large addition to his store in 1903, the completion and opening of which marked a new era in the business life of the town. This establishment is now the equal of many department stores in the minor cities of the state. Its stock is complete and up-to-date, while every effort is made to satisfy the wants of the public a fair and reasonable prices.
Upon the removal of the shops of the Lehigh Valley Railroad from Weatherly, in 1899, Mr. Warner was one of the leaders of a small group of men who vir- tually saved the town from being obliterated. With characteristic enterprise and resourcefulness he lent himself to the organization and establishment of the Weatherly Foundry and Machine Company, which is now the principal industry of the borough. He is the chief individual stockholder and general manager of this company. Mr. Warner was also one of the or- ganizers of the First National Bank of Weatherly, of
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which he has been the president since its beginning. He was the postmaster of Tannersville from 1885 to 1889, and was the president of the board of education of Weatherly when the Schwab school building was erected, having also served as the chief burgess of the borough.
Fraternally he is identified with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and he is a member of the Reformed church.
Mr. Warner has been thrice married. On September 22, 1887, he wedded Hattie, a daughter of David Learn. Her ancestors lived in what is now Monroe county during Colonial times, and they figured conspicuously in the Indian affairs of that region. The name was earlier spelled, "Learner." Two children were born of this marriage, Floyd T., who is now in charge of his father's store, and Hattie L. The wife and mother departed this life on April 12, 1890, and on May 2, 1892, Mr. Warner married Martha A. Kresge. Four children, Stanley, Ruth, Grace and Jennie, were the fruits of this union. Being again left a widower, Mr. Warner, on November 29, 1906, was joined in wedlock to Gertrude, daughter of Abraham and Della Stull, of Hazleton. Her father was formerly associated with the firm of Dodge, Meigs and Dodge, early lumbermen in the vicinity of Lehigh Tannery. Later he was in the service of the Lehigh Valley Railroad at Hazleton. Mrs. Warner is a descendant of Ira Mandeville, a pi- oneer settler of the Wyoming Valley. The children of this marriage are: Gertrude S., Elmer E., and George S. C. Warner. Pauline M. died in infancy.
Wayne, Edgar F., formerly one of Hudsondale's best known residents, but now located at Bellefontaine, Ohio, was born at Conyngham, Luzerne county, Pa., on December 20, 1872. He is the son of William and
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Gertrude Stull Warner
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Mary (Keller) Wayne, one of his maternal ancestors, John Faust, having been a pioneer settler of Packer township.
When Edgar was about 13 years of age, the family removed to Hudsondale, where he grew to maturity. Having attended the district schools and the high school at Weatherly, he learned the art of telegraphy, and was successively stationed at various points on the line of the Tide Water Pipe Company, which in- augurated the present system of transporting petro- leum from the oil fields to the sea board by means of long distance pipe lines. Having mastered the prin- ciples and details of this system of transportation he was, in 1908, appointed to the superintendency of the plant of this company at Bellefontaine, where he has since lived.
He was married on January 6, 1897, to Irene, daugh- ter of John Breish, of Mainville, Columbia county, Pa. Their children are: Bessie May, born on May 6, 1900, and Thomas Russell Wayne, whose birth occurred on March 27, 1903.
Mr. Wayne is a member and past master of Cata- wissa Lodge, No. 349, F. and A. M., and is a member of Coudersport Chapter, No. 263, R. A. M., and Potter Commandery, No. 69, K. T. He is connected with St. Matthew's Reformed church of Packer township, while his political allegiance has been given to the Re- publican party.
Wayne, W. W., one of Packer township's best known citizens, was born February 19, 1849, at Taylorsville, Schuylkill county. His father was Thomas Wayne, who worked to an advanced age at his trade as a mill- wright and enjoyed the reputation of having no su- perior in the calling to which he devoted his life. When William, the subject of this sketch, was ten years of
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age, his family removed to Georgia; but at breaking out of the Civil War they returned to the North, living for a short period at Auburn, Schuylkill county. They next took up their residence at Berneville, Berks coun- ty, where Mr. Wayne received most of his schooling. He took up the trade which his father followed, and in 1871 was married to Mary Keller, a daughter of David and Catherine Keller, of Packer township. They lived successively at Conyham and at Wapwallopen, in Lu- zerne county, and at Selinsgrove, Snyder county, after which they came to Packer township.
Mr. Wayne was for fourteen years with the firm of Sprout, Waldron & Company, mill builders, of Muncy, Pa. While in their employ he traveled over most of the states of the Atlantic seaboard, superintending the repair and construction of grist mills. He now oper- ates the farm that was formerly owned by his father- in-law, D. R. Keller. Mr. Wayne enjoys the distinction of having served as a federal census enumerator on three separate occasions. He is a member of the Bloomsburg Masonic lodge and of the Methodist Epis- copal church.
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne are the parents of four chil- dren: Josephine, who is the wife of T. F. Petit, of Dunellen, N. J .; Edgar, Katie, married to Edward Lauderburn, of Weatherly, and Faust Wayne. Mr. Wayne has been a supporter of the principles of the Republican party since attaining his majority.
Weiss, John O., conducting a hotel and store at Har- rity, Franklin township, was born at Weissport on February 24, 1857, the son of Edward and Henrietta (Steckle) Weiss.
His great grandfather, Col. Jacob Weiss, was a vet- eran of the Revolutionary War, the founder of Weiss- port, and one of the principal organizers of the Lehigh
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Coal Mine Company, the forerunner of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. He was one of the most in- fluential of the early pioneers of the anthracite coal trade.
John O. Weiss began life as a laborer for the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, in the boat yard at Weissport. Subsequently he was appointed as assis- tant collector for that company at Mauch Chunk, which position he filled for twenty-five years. Later he was the general storekeeper in the canal department of the same corporation at Weissport. Resigning from the service of the company in the fall of 1909, he purchased the hotel and store at Harrity which he has since con- ducted.
He was married on January 13, 1889, to Emma L., daughter of Edward Reber and his wife Mary, of Franklin township. Most of their married life has been spent at East Weissport. Julius E. R. and Merril J. Weiss are their two children.
West, Samuel L., a director of the Middle Coal Field Poor District, and holding the position of a general foreman for the Reed and Lovatt Manufacturing Com- pany, of Weatherly, was born at that place on January 15, 1871. His father, George West, a veteran of the Civil War, and for years a locomotive engineer on the Lehigh Valley Railroad, was born in Weatherly in 1846. His mother bore the name of Jane Brennan be- fore her marriage, which occurred on January 25, 1866.
Samuel West attended the schools of his native town until he became twelve years of age, when he entered the furniture and undertaking establishment of E. F. Warner, where he was employed in various capacities until he reached his majority. For a short time he was located at Altoona, Pa. Returning to Weatherly he en- tered the employ of the company with which he is now
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connected, and which he has served with increasing responsibility from the start. This company operates one of the largest silk throwing mills in the world.
Mr. West has taken an active interest in politics since he became a voter, and has always been a Repub- lican. He was a member of the county committee of that party for a number of years. In 1910 he was elected to the office of director of the Middle Coal Field Poor District by a large majority. He is a mem- ber of the Sons of Veterans and of the Knights of Pythias, while he has been the secretary of the Weatherly Camp of the Patriotic Order of Sons of America for fourteen years. He is connected with the board of trade, and attends the Presbyterian church.
Mr. West was wedded to Emma C. Rose, of Weath- erly, on April 23, 1891. Emerson C. West is their only child.
Wilhelm, Captain William H., one of Carbon coun- . ty's most intrepid soldiers, who sacrificed his life to his country during the insurrection in the Philippine Is- lands, was born at Mauch Chunk, June 9, 1867, the son of James H. and Martha M. (Weaver) Wilhelm. He was descended from pioneer German and Huguenot settlers in Pennsylvania. Among these were: Rev. John Bechtel, one of the fathers of the Reformed church in America, who located at Germantown, Phil- adelphia, in 1726, and who is a prominent figure in the ecclesiastical history and literature of that community ; George Weaver, a private soldier of the provincial forces in the Indian wars of 1756-57; and Cornelius and Jacob Weygant, father and son, the former active in the deliberations of the Northampton county Com- mittee of Observation and Inspection, and of its Stand- ing Committee of Correspondence, 1776-77, and the latter a captain of militia of the same county, who was
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frequently in active service during the Revolutionary War.
His father, J. H. Wilhelm, was for many years the paymaster of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, and was one of its most popular officials. He is spend- ing the evening of his life in retirement at his home in Mauch Chunk.
William Herman Wilhelm acquired his early educa- tion in the public schools of his native town, laying the foundation for a course of higher study at Ulrich's Preparatory School, Bethlehem, Pa. He entered Le- high University and was a member of the class of 1883. In June, 1884, he was, after a competitive examination, appointed by Congressman Storm to a cadetship in the United States Military Academy at West Point. Here he ranked among the first in discipline, and in several of his studies. After the first year, and to the end of his course, he was an officer in the battalion of cadets, chosen from those who have been most studious and soldier-like in the performance of their duties, and most exemplary in their general deportment. His genial nature and noble personal attributes combined to make him a general favorite among his classmates. He was graduated in June, 1888, and was commis- sioned second lieutenant in the Tenth Infantry, joining his company at Fort Crawford, Colorado, in the fall of that year. During the ten succeeding years he was successively stationed at many of the army posts throughout the West. For a time Captain Wilhelm was in command of the troops sent to Oklahoma to main- tain peace and order when that territory was thrown open to settlement.
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