History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 91

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158

USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I > Part 91

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Witness my hand and seal of office, at Allen- town, Aug. 13, A. D. 1855.

F. E. SAMUELS, Prothonotary.

BUILDING ASSOCIATIONS.

The Building and Loan Associations of the city are as follows:

Pennsylvania Loan and Building Association ; president, S. D. Lehr; secretary, Morris Hoats; treasurer, D. J. Nagle.

Mutual Loan and Building Association ; president, J. Herbert Kohler; secretary, F. H. Lichtenwalner; treasurer, John R. Helwig.

Mechanics' Loan and Building Association; president, Elmer E. Butz ; secretary, H. B. Ying- ling; treasurer, Charles S. Dilcher.

Security Building Association; president, J. M. Grimley; secretary, M. H. Bickert; treas- urer, F. K. Hartzell.

State Capital Savings and Loan Association; Dallas Dillinger, secretary.

Similar associations in the past have been the Lehigh, Union, Farmers' and Mechanics, Ameri- can, Jordan, Equitable, National, Home, Hope, Workingmens', Security, and Penn Land and Loan associations.

483

ALLENTOWN AS A CITY-1867-1914.

Y. M. C. A .- The Young Men's Christian Association was organized at Allentown, Nov. 15, 1881, with fourteen members. A constitu- tion was adopted and a committee appointed to secure funds for expenses and a meeting place which presented a favorable report. A room was rented on the second floor of the Yeager building, No. 20 North Seventh street, and the first officers elected were F. K. Kern, president; M. P. Schantz, secretary; and C. O. Schantz, treasurer.

The first public meeting was held in its quar- ters, Feb. 12, 1882, and addresses were delivered in the German and English languages by Rev. A. J. G. Dubbs and Rev. Thomas Bowman. The association was subsequently located in the Stiles building, on Hamilton street, in a frame building at 518 Hamilton street, at 17 South Seventh street, and in the Martin homestead at 16 South Seventh street, which was later purchased ard in 1902, a six-story red brick building erected on the site, the whole valued at $145,000. The association has a membership of nearly one thou- sand. The cost of maintenance is about $11,000 annually. There are twenty-six dormitory rooms, renting from two to four dollars per week; a large library and reading room; a com- plete gymnasium; a large auditorium; educa- tional and Bible study classes; lecture and con- cert courses, and other attractive features, which are open to members, the annual dues for which amount to five dollars.

Y. W. C. A .- The Young Women's Christian Association building is located at 722 Walnut street. The membership is 340, and the building has accommodations for ten transient guests. There is a gymnasium and circulating library. The cost of maintenance is' over $800 annually. The secretary is Miss Laura V. Keck.

G. A. R .- A Post of the Grand Army of the Republic was organized at Allentown Dec. 10, 1866, with the name of Yeager Post, No. 13, in honor of Capt. Yeager, who had commanded the Allen Rifles, one of the "First Defenders," and was killed at the battle of Fair Oaks. The charter members were:

William J. Weiss William Ruhe

Charles Bachman Henry C. Wagner

Theodore Baker D. K. Diefenderfer

Oscar T. Hoffman Peter H. Berndt

Jacob A. Arnold Franklin Fatzinger

Walter H. Vandyke Charles H. Knauss

William H. Blank

William Schwartz

Walter H. Seip John W. Reber

Dallas C. Zander George Hepler

Francis Sourwine

From the number given the Post it would ap- pear to have been among the first posts organ- ized in the State of Pennsylvania.

The Post was re-organized Oct. 24, 1874.

E. B. Young Post, No. 87, was organized Oct. 19, 1877. The charter members were:

E. B. Young F. G. W. Fatzinger

N. S. Litzenberger Allen Wolf

D. Murath

H. A. Schwartz

J. B. Hamersly

Lafe Knerr

Leonard Killian

Lewis Warner

Jairus Bernhard

R. Hamersly

Ignatz Gresser

O. T. Hoffman

E. L. Hamersly

B. F. Frederick

Charles A. Harris

Jeremiah Murray

H. C. Wagner

G. F. Ensheimer

H. C. Huber

H. T. Bleckley

SONS OF VETERANS .- James A. Garfield, No. 6, Sons of Veterans, was instituted at Allentown, March 17, 1881. The members were:

George J. Klein

Ulysses Horn

W. H. Sleider John Allen

S. J. Menninger

H. B. Frederick

Charles W. Goranflo

William H. Smith

George Gresser

Eugene S. Keck

George Mohr

Peter Becker

Charles W. Harris

Allen E. Wolf

Harry F. Miller

Elmer P. Werley

W. H. Wolf

H. C. Keck

Charles Tice

Harry Dreisbach

Herbert Tool

Walter Smith

George W. Fisher

The name was later changed to Allen Camp.

LEHIGH COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

The Lehigh County Historical Society was organized Jan. 9, 1904, in common council cham- ber, with Prof. George T. Ettinger as president ; Philip W. Flores, vice-president; Charles R. Roberts, secretary; and Leo Wise, Esq., treas- urer. Its purpose is the promotion and encour- agement of historical study and research, and particularly the discovery, collection, preserva- tion and publication of the history of Lehigh county, the marking of places of historical in- terest in the county, and the collection of books, newspapers, relics, maps, manuscripts, letters, etc., referring to the history of Lehigh county and the state of Pennsylvania. It has a valuable historical library and a museum of historical objects, which will be placed in "Trout Hall," when that historic building will be granted to the society. The annual due is one dollar per year, with a membership fee of one dollar. The society has a membership of 180 and has pub- lished two pamphlets and a handsome souvenir of the 150th anniversary of the city of Allen- town. A committee appointed by the society prepared this history of Lehigh county, published in 1914.

ALLENTOWN BAND .- The Allentown Band was organized in 1853 by Amos Ettinger, who was its first leader. The first members were

484

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

John Able, Allen Barber, Henry Breinig, Jona- than Desch, William Ettinger, George Fry, T. H. Good, Abraham Gangewere, Horatio Kram- er, Walter Miller, Allen Newhard, James Rees, Edward Ruhe, Henry E. Ruhe, Carlus Samson, James Sieger, Peter Schwentzer, Frank Weiss, Peter S. Wenner, Frederick Wolf, Joseph Weiss, Theodore Yeager and Israel Yingling. Anthony Heincke, who came from New York city, was later the leader and instructor .. He subsequently located at Boston, where he became quite a cele- brated musician. In the Civil War period,

changing later to E flat cornet. It has been under has able direction and wise management that the Allentown Band has attained the high position it now holds, ranking among the lead- ing bands in the country.

The Lehigh Saengerbund was organized Jan. 25, 1858, with Gottlob Volz as president; John Leonard, as secretary; Herman Schuon, as treas- urer ; Prof. C. Herman, as musical director ; and these members: Christian Weippert, Ferdi- nand Nick, Christian Volz, Edward Muendler, Henry Kiehn, Bernhard Keiser, B. Schmid, H.

ILL NTOW

ALLENTOWN

BAND

ALLENTOWN BAND.

nearly all of its members enlisted in the army. In 1865 the band was reorganized and Wm. H. H. Minninger became the leader, and Fritz Benkhard, the instructor. Mr. Minninger re- signed in 1878 and Lucas Westemeyer became the leader and instructor for one year. Prof. Waldemar Grossman was made instructor in 1881, and continued until 1885, when Martin Klinger was made leader, instructor and busi- ness manager, continuing as such to the present time. Mr. Klinger came to the band in 1876, when a mere boy, as its first fluegelhorn player,

O. Clauss, John Muenster, Leonhard Saeving, Charles Wentzel, John B. Meyer, A. F. Leisner, C. E. Clauss, Charles Gundelwein, Herman Kunze, August Hebsacker, Leopold Kern, Frid- rich Benkhart. Ferd. Wieser, Lewis Klump, John B. Moser, G. A. Aschbach, John G. Schimpf, George P. Weil, Henry Kiecherer, William Oberle, Henry Gabriel, Henry Koenig, William F. Danowsky, B. F. Trexler, Amos Ettinger, Joseph Nagel, and P. Schulz. The home of the organization is at 227 North Fifth street and the present president is John Graeflin.

485

ALLENTOWN AS A CITY-1867-1914.

SECRET SOCIETIES.

MASONIC BODIES .- The first Masonic lodge in the Lehigh Valley was Military Lodge, No. 19, instituted May 18, 1779, in General Sulli- van's army, during the Revolutionary War. Col. Thomas Proctor, commander of an artillery regiment, was the master. During the month that General Sullivan's army of 3,000 men were encamped at Easton, this lodge there held fre- quent meetings.

The history of Masonry in Allentown dates from March 17, 1817, when Abraham Levan, Jr., and Charles L. Hutter, Past Masters; and John Fogel, Abraham Knerr, Christian Brobst, Jacob Rupp and Jonas Barnett, petitioned the R. W. Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for a war- rant for a new lodge. On April 7, 1817, a warrant was granted for a lodge at Allentown to be called Jordan Lodge, No. 151, with Charles L. Hutter as W. M .; Jonas Barnett, S. W .; and Christian Brobst, J. W. Peter Cooper was the first secretary and John Fogel, treasurer. Jonas Barnett died Aug. 31, 1817, and in 1818, Christian Brobst became W. M. Subsequent W. M.'s were William J. C. Baun, Henry Weaver and Samuel Runk. From a newspaper of this period we find that on St. John's Day, June 24, 1819, the lodge had a procession, to which neighboring lodges were in- vited and meetings were held in the morning and evening. Among the members of the lodge were John Sieger, Anthony Musick, (treasurer, 1819), Peter Good, Joseph Fry, Jr., Peter Burk- halter, Daniel Swander, Peter Haas, George Haberacher, John Evans, Andrew Wind, Joseph Saeger, Laurence Stahler, George Frederick, Felix Linn, Peter Bright, Jacob Hartzell, Dan- iel Fretz, Sr., Peter Martain, Michael Ritter, Solomon Fogel, Philip Foust, John S. Gibons, Charles Seagreaves, Andrew Gangeware, Sam- uel Marx, Charles Craig, Rev. Dr. Jacob W. Hanger, Moses Horn, Bernard Reese, Chester Clarke, Jacob and Peter Schantz. The member- ship of the lodge in 1827 was 44. At the time of the anti-Masonic movement the lodge was forced to suspend and on Sept. 4, 1837, its war- rant was vacated and it ceased to exist. One of the noteworthy events in the life of this lodge was the funeral of General Thomas Craig on Jan. 15, 1832, aged 92 years, who was buried at Allentown with military and Masonic honors. Major General Craig had been a Colonel in the Revolution and Major General in the militia for 16 years. The procession marched to the cemetery to the funeral strains of the Bethlehem Band, the tolling of bells, and the firing of min-

ute guns, accompanied by the local artillery com- pany, the Lehigh Artillerists.

Barger Lodge, No. 333, F. & A. M., was constituted May 27, 1859. Its charter mem- bers were Alfred J. G. Dubbs, Esaias Rehrig, Boas Hausman, John Y. Bechtel, Nelson Weiser, Charles Kline, Russell A. Thayer, George Erd- man, and Solomon Griesemer, of whom Mr. Dubbs was installed W. M., Mr. Rehrig, S. W .; Mr. Hausman, J. W .; Mr. Bechtel, treasurer ; and Mr. Weiser, secretary. The first stated meeting of the lodge was held June 10, 1859, when nine applications were received from di- mitted members and five from new applicants. At the end of the year the lodge numbered 56 members. On May 27, 1909, the lodge cele- brated its fiftieth anniversary in a fitting manner. Its present membership is over three hundred.

Greenleaf Lodge, No. 561, F. & A. M., was constituted Nov. 10, 1882. The charter mem- bers were Augustus F. Shick, Phaon H. Stettler, Hiram H. Fisher, Edward Harvey, William H. Ryan, James R. Roney, George J. Snyder, Lewis F. Knecht, Jesse Marks, William A. Lichtenwalner, John D. Stiles and John F. Wenner. The first elected officers were Ed- ward Harvey, W. M .; William H. Ryan, S. W .; James R. Roney, J. W .; Phaon H. Stettler, treasurer ; and Augustus F. Shick, secretary, who has held that office continuously. The present membership of the lodge is three hundred and eighty-five.

Jordan Lodge, No. 673, F. & A. M., was constituted June 10, 1913. Its charter mem- bers were David S. Bachman, W. M .; Harry W. Seem, S. W .; Daniel W. Hamm, J. W .; Harry W. Kress, treasurer; Francis M. Berke- meyer, secretary; Harry C. Trexler, Edgar J. Lumley, William P. Moyer, Alfred L. Reichen- bach, Harry E. Truchses, Arthur G. Dewalt, Elmer E. Ritter, Erney E. Bastian, Warren K. Miller, William H. Mann, Preston J. Everett Thomas R. Wasser, Frederick D. Kutz, Harvey E. Bohner and Julius Suther. The member- ship is over four hundred.

Allen Royal Arch Chapter, No. 203, was con- stituted March 29, 1866. Its charter members were A. J. G. Dubbs, M. E. H. P .; Edwin G. Martin, John H. Fogel, John B. Moser, Henry J. Saeger, William B. Fogel, William C. Lich- tenwalner, Herman Rupp, Benjamin Lochman, Henry S. Clemens, Solomon Griesemer, Charles Kline, Edward B. Young, George B. Schall, John D. Lawall, Samuel B. Anewalt, Henry F. Martin, Nelson Weiser, Christian F. Schultz, and Julius Holstein. It numbers over three hundred members.

486

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Allen Council, No. 23, R. & S. M., was con- stituted Dec. 24, 1864. The charter members were G. B. Schall, I. G. M .; J. D.Lawall, D. I. M .; J. Y. Bechtel, P. C. W .; Benj. Lochman, treasurer; Dewees J. Martin, Rec .; Henry J. Saeger, Edw. B. Young, Sol. Griesemer, J. H. Fogel, and Henry Correll. It has a membership of over two hundred and its present officers are H. L. Bowman, T. I. M .; G. H. Berkemeyer, D. I. M .; Chas. R. Roberts, P. C. W .; F. M. Berke- meyer, treasurer; and Augustus F. Shick, rec- order. P. T. I. M., Charles W. Wolfertz, at present M. P. Grand Treasurer, is a Past M. P. Grand Master of the state of Pennsylvania.

Allen Commandery, No. 20, Knights Temp- lar, was constituted May 2, 1860. The charter members were William Lilly, Em. Com .; Wil- liam R. Otis, Gen .; George B. Schall, Capt. Gen .; Lansford F. Chapman, prelate; Solomon Griesemer, treasurer ; John Y. Bechtel, recorder ; James Houston, S. W .; David O. Mosser, J. W .; Simon H. Price and John B. McCreary. The commandery now numbers upwards of three hundred members. In May, 1879, the Grand Commandery of Pennsylvania convened in Al- lentown, when Gen. J. P. S. Gobin was elected Em. Grand Com. In May, 1885, the Grand Commandery again convened in Allentown. On May 20, 1907, Allen Commandery had as its guests Grand Commander William M. Donald- son, and Sir Knights Governor Edwin S. Stuart and Admiral Winfield S. Schley, who held a public reception on Centre Square.

The Masonic bodies of Allentown met in Odd Fellows' Hall until Dec. 28, 1863, when they removed to the southwest corner of Hamilton and Sixth streets and remained there until April I, 1873, when they removed to the southeast corner of Seventh and Hamilton streets, where they remained until March 27, 1885. They then removed to the northwest corner of Hamilton and Law streets, and remained there until June, 1903, when they removed to their present hall, on the northwest corner of Hamilton and Eighth street. The meeting room is 42 by 63 feet, car- peted with a two-tone Whittall Victoria Wilton carpet, which, including that in the corridor and ante-rooms, was purchased at a cost of $1,400. The curtains and draperies are of French silk velour, of old gold color, especially made in France, costing $700. The furniture is of solid mahogany, and hand carved, purchased at an expense of $2,700. The presiding officer's chair is a triplet, 9 feet, 6 inches wide, and 7 feet, 6 inches high, weighing about 1,200 pounds, with Corinthian columns. The wardens' chairs have Ionic and Doric columns. There are 155 lineal feet of davenports, upholstered in dark green

leather. The pipe organ was brought from the old hall. On the fourth floor are the parlor and reception room, billiard room, large banquet hall, kitchen, pantry, cloakroom and lockers.

EASTERN STAR, Anne Penn Allen Chapter, No. 145, Order of the Eastern Star, was instituted Feb. 19, 1913, with the following officers: W. M., Mrs. C. E. Eisenhard; W. P., J. A. Heim- bach; A. M., Mrs A. M. Mann; secretary, C. R. Roberts; treasurer, Mrs. E. J. Heimbach ; C., Mrs. M. L. Guth; A. C., Mrs. A. F. Lan- dis ; chaplain, Mrs. C. E. Grimley ; M., Mrs. R. C. Ringer; O., E. O. Leopold; W., Mrs. S. S. Lund; S., A. P. Ringer. It numbers nearly three hundred members.

Mary Livingston Chapter, No. 167, Order of the Eastern Star, was instituted May 25, 1914, with the following officers: W. M., Mrs. C. E. Eisenhard; W. P., C. R. Roberts; A. M., Mrs. Flora A. Iobst; secretary, Mrs. Mary Reiff; treasurer, Mrs. Mary A. Reinhard; C. Mrs. Annie M. Bastian; A. C., Miss Helen C. Lund; C., Mrs. Anna Hartshaw; M., Mrs. Clara A. Muthart; O., E. O. Leopold; W. Mrs. Susan E. Roth; S., George F. Reinhard. It numbers nearly one hundred members and meets in the Merkel building at Seventh and Turner streets.

ODD FELLOWS .- The founders of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows were working- men, mechanics and artisans of humble birth, and the secret of their success was owing to the fact that they had true hearts, though illiterate, with an unseemly exterior. The first use of the name was made in 1745 and the founder of this his- toric "Independent Order" was Thomas Wildey (born in 1782), who was initiated when he came of age. He emigrated in 1817 and settled at Baltimore, where he met John Welch, an "Odd Fellow" from England. They had missed the pleasant associations of the order in England, and therefore desired to institute something of the kind in the United States.

According to traditions, five members were required to institute a lodge; so they advertised a notice in the Baltimore American, March 27, 1819, and three responded, John Duncan, John Cheatham and Richard Rushwerth, and the five Odd Fellows met at the "Seven Stars Hotel" on April 26, 1819, where they solemnly insti- tuted and opened a lodge, which they named "Washington," with Wildey as Noble Grand, and Welch as Vice Grand. And from this in- significant beginning there has arisen the largest and most powerful secret, beneficial organization in the world.

Being desirous of securing formal connection with the order in England, a petition was ac-

487

ALLENTOWN AS A CITY-1867-1914.

cordingly forwarded to the "Duke of York Lodge," at Preston, in England, in September, 1819, and the Washington Lodge was recognized on Oct. 23, 1819. A charter was issued and the right of establishing new lodges was claimed. Two years afterward the Past Grands consti- tuted themselves into the Grand Lodge of Mary- land and the United States, and Washington Lodge surrendered its charter to this body.

GRAND LODGE OF PENNSYLVANIA .- The first lodge of Odd Fellows in Pennsylvania was self- instituted at Philadelphia on Dec. 26, 1821, which was named "Pennsylvania Lodge, No. 1, I. O. O. F." A Grand Lodge was instituted June 27, 1823, and on Jan. 15, 1825, the first constitution was adopted. It was composed of four jurisdictions, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. Afterward, grad- ually lodges were instituted in other states, and Grand Lodges were established, and now there are four branches: Subordinate Lodge with four degrees; Subordinate Encampment with three degrees; Daughters of Rebekah, with one degree; and Patriarch's Militant with one de- gree.

ALLENTOWN LODGE .- On Feb. 21, 1842, the first lodge of Odd Fellows was instituted at Al- lentown. The petitioners were H. S. Moore- head, Tilghman Seip, David Stem, Peter Leisen- ring, and Daniel J. Carey, and the lodge was named Allen Lodge, No. 71, I. O. O. F. Mr. Moorehead was chosen the Noble Grand; Seip, the Vice-Grand; Stem, the secretary ; and Carey, the treasurer.

The different lodges in Allentown are as fol- lows :

NAME.

Number.

Instituted.

Members.

Assets.

Allen,

1842

281

$15,604

Lehigh,

8,3

1843

141

5,813

Vienna,

847

1873

242

7,247

Constantine,

III3

1899

280

6,558

Unity Encampment,

212

3,314

Lincoln Rebekah,

1895

Patriarchs Militant,

1908

JUNIOR ORDER U. A. M .-- This order was instituted at Germantown, in 1858, as a volun- tary secret, patriotic and beneficial society. In 1860, eight councils formed a State Council, and other State Councils were formed; in Dela- ware in 1868, and in New Jersey in 1869. A National Council was organized in 1869 for the purpose of creating a Supreme Order for pro- moting its growth and extending its influence. It was incorporated in 1870, and this was recog- nized in directing all affairs of the order until

1912; then it was contended that State Councils could secede and act independently; litigation followed, and the contention was not sustained.

Five councils were organized at Allentown : Phil. H. Sheridan, No. 287 in 1888.

Jordan, No. 746 in 1891.

Allen, No. 753 in 1891.

Fair, No. 791 in 1892.

James Allen, No. 835 in 1892.

At the State Council in 1899 at Scranton, the session refused to provide for the payment of per capita tax to the National Council, and a number of the councils in the state seceded from the National Council, including Nos. 753, 791, and 835, of Allentown, which became merged in the Independent Order of Americans. This left but two councils from 1900 to 1906, when a new council was instituted, Pride of Lehiglı, No. 572, and this was afterward consolidated with No. 287.

Among those members from Allentown who represented local councils in the State Council were the following :

From No. 287, Robert H. Schmickle, Jesse C. Mc- Illhaney and Harry G. T. Miller.

From No. 746, John H. Rhoads and Oscar F. Hauser. From No. 753, Robert E. Donnecker and Elmer M. N. Minnich.

From No. 791, Harvey E. Burger and James Hixon.

From No. 835, William A. Smith and Charles F. Allender.

From No. 746, John H. Rhoads served on the Appeal Committee in 1897-98; and served as a National Representative from 1902 to 1905. Oscar F. Hauser served as Vice Councillor in 1906 and 1907; as Junior Past St. Councillor for 1908 and I909.

From No. 287, Harry G. T. Miller served one year on the State Legislative Committee in 1905, and on the Law Committee from 1906 to 1910.

Through differences in the State Council at Erie, in 1910, a number of councils seceded, and inerged with the Fraternal Patriotic Amer- icans, among them Nos. 287 and 746. Some of the members of No. 746, not desiring to leave the Jr. O. U. A. M., retained the name and number, Jordan Council, No. 746.

Its officers in 1914 were :

Councillor-Albert J. Fuehrer. Vice Councillor-Victor F. Herner.

Recording Secretary-John H. Rhoads.

Financial Secretary-Charles D. Rhoads.

Treasurer-John S. Reinhard.

Trustees-Wilson R. Krader, John F. T. Hunter, Calvin A. Diehl. Members, 35. Assets in litigation, $6,000.

There were 52 charter members of Council No. 287 in 1888. In April, 1914, there were only six survivors: William J. Abele, James

488

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

A. Bartholomew, Freeman Hawk, J. M. Koeh- ler, Albert O. Sell, and Louis Weinert. C. J. Hacket served as financial secretary 19 years, and John W. Ehrie as recording secretary 14 years. Members, 476; assets, $6,500. This Council and Council No. 746 have associated together for social purposes, including the fam- ilies and friends of members, and furnished a room in the Hunsicker Hall, No. 142 North Seventh street.

Allen Council, No. 753; membership in 1913 was 1, 181; Fair Council, No. 791, was 385; and James Allen Council, No. 835, was 295.

DAUGHTERS OF LIBERTY was organized as an auxiliary body to the Independent Order of Americans, which has three councils: Washing- ton, No. 12, instituted in 1888; members, 38; Pride of Allen, No. 182; instituted Oct. 10, 1910; members, 138; Pride of Lehigh, No. 194, instituted Aug. 11, 1913; members, 62.

P. O. S. OF A .- The first Washington Camp of the Patriotic Orders Sons of America in Le- high county was instituted at Allentown June 12, 1860, as No. 63, by installation officers from Camp No. I, of Philadelphia, which was then at the head of the order. The charter members were :

W. J. Wieder

George Moser

A. M. Springer M. Dunlap

E. C. Huber

W. N. Smith

E. T. Good

Charles H. Knauss

Charles Gross

James Bieber

E. G. Scholl

T. V. P. Reiss

J. A. Blumer H. W. Cole

The first past president was E. C. Huber ; president, W. J. Grim; secretary, J. A. Blumer ; treasurer, James Bieber.

In April, 1861, a large number of the mem- bers having enlisted in the Civil War, a reso- lution was passed exempting them from the pay- ment of dues and fines. The meetings were continued until June 2, 1862, when the camp was obliged to suspend because the majority of the members had enlisted. This suspension was continued until June 3, 1868, when certain for- mer members of the camp assembled for the purpose of effecting a re-organization, and the books, records and papers of the camp were ob- tained from a member who kept them in his custody. Through the instructions of the county president of the order at Philadelphia, the camp was re-organized as No. 63.

In July, 1873, another camp was instituted as No. 196; but it continued only four years, when it was consolidated with No. 63.

In March, 1872, the National Camp of the order was organized at Allentown in the hall of Camp No. 63 by delegates from the several

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I, Part 91

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1158

Author: Roberts, Charles Rhoads; Stoudt, John Baer, 1878- joint comp; Krick, Thomas H., 1868- joint comp; Dietrich, William Joseph, 1875- joint comp; Lehigh County Historical Society
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Allentown, Pa. : Lehigh Valley Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1158