History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. II, Part 10

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: 948

USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. II > Part 10

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REV. BENJAMIN FREDERICK BOHNER, son of Daniel and Juliana Bohner, was born in Jordan township, Northumberland county, Pa., June 17, 1837, and was reared on a farm in Uniontown, Pa. He began his education as a boy in the town- ship schools of his native place and concluded it in Union Seminary, at New Berlin, Pa. While still a youth he was converted in a Church which

his parents helped to build, during a revival meeting conducted in 1854 by the Rev. Andreas Ziegenfus. He at that time joined the Evangeli- cal Association, of which he has continued a use- ful and highly esteemed member until the present day. In 1857 he was elected an exhorter in what was then called Trautman's Class, which office he served for four years. In 1862 he was licensed as a preacher in the East Pennsylvania Confer- ence, of the Evangelical Association, and in 1865 was ordained a deacon and in 1868 an elder. On March 19, 1867, he was married to Miss Catha- rine Kistler, daughter of Daniel S. and Magda- lena Kistler, of West Penn township, Schuyl- kill county., Pa. The fruits of the union were four sons: Ausben D., and Harvey E., both of Allentown, Pa., Rev. Charles H., of Ocean City, N. J., and Benjamin F., deceased. Being able to preach with equal facility in both the English and German languages, Rev. Bohner was of serv- ice to his Conference in many of the best parishes within its bounds, and was uniformly acceptable to the people both within and without the churches he served. He was stationed on the following charges: Montgomery circuit, Fairville circuit, Womelsdorf circuit, Mahantango circuit, Milton Grove and Conewago, Easton, Harris- burg, Mauch Chunk, Salem, Reading, Norris- town, Salem, Allentown, Catasauqua, Bethlehem and Immanuel, Allentown. At the sessions of the conference in 1891, held in the Immanuel Church, Allentown, of which Mr. Bohner was then pastor, he was elected a presiding elder, hav- ing received all the votes cast, save his own. This office he held in succession for twenty years, thus becoming a leader in the conference which had honored him by electing him seven times as its representative in the General Conference of the Church. He was elected to three terms of four years each on the Board of Publication by the General Conference. His present incumbency on the Board will expire in 1916. Rev. Bohner has served in the active ministry for fifty years and at the session of his conference in 1913, held at Allentown, his name, at his own request, was placed on the superannuated list of that body, which took recognition of his long and useful ministry by the unanimous adoption of the fol- lowing resolutions :

WHEREAS, 'This session of Conference com- pletes the semi-centennial of Rev. B. F. Bohner's admission into the East Penna. Conference, he having been licensed in the year 1862, therefore

Resolved, That we are thankful to God for the faithful and efficient services of Rev. Bohner as a pastor, also for his self-sacrificing, conscien- tious and honorable career as a Presiding Elder.

Resolved, That while we must recognize that

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.

added years have brought with them waning phys- ical strength, we are glad that there remains an undiminished spirituality and devotion and that we shall not cease to hold him in the highest es- teem and lovingly remember his faithful services through many trying years, as also his loyalty to his God and to his Church and her doctrines, and at this session, which is the fiftieth year of his ministerial career, pray that He whom he has loved and served these many years may be es- pecially near and helpful to him in future days.

HARVEY E. BOHNER, son of Rev. Benjamin F. and Catharine Bohner (daughter of Daniel S. and Magdalena Kistler), was born January 10, 1871, at Harrisburg, Pa. After graduating from the public schools of Bethlehem, Pa., in 1 888, he was entered as a student in the American Business College, of Allentown, Pa., from which institution he was graduated in 1890. He at once entered the employ of the F. Hersh Hard- ware Co. as a book-keeper, and after several years transferred his services to the C. A. Dorney Furniture Co., of which he became head book- keeper. In 1901 he became associated with M. A. Helfrich in the manufacture and sale of furniture, at 734 Hamilton street, Allentown, Pa., where under the name of Helfrich & Bohner the firm conducts a large retail business. Mr. Bohner was married to Miss Salome Roth, daughter of Samuel and Cecilia Roth, on De- cember 1, 1893, and is the father of three chil- dren: Marjorie E., B. Frederick, and Lucy Sa- lome. As an active and representative citizen of Allentown, Mr. Bohner has many religious, social and business associations. He is president of the Board of Trustees, of Salem Evangelical Church, a trustee of the Public Library, Treas- urer of the Chamber of Commerce, Treasurer of the Associated Charities and a charter member of Jordan Lodge, F. & A. M. No. 673.

REV. CHARLES H. BOHNER, son of Rev. Ben- jamin F. and Catharine Bohner (daughter of Daniel S. and Magdalena Kistler), was born January 16, 1875, at Mauch Chunk, Pa. He re- ceived his elementary education in the public schools of the various cities in which his father served his several pastorates. After leaving the Allentown High school he was prepared for col- lege in the Allentown Preparatory School. In 1895 he entered Muhlenberg College, from which institution he was graduated with first honors. He then pursued a course of study in the Illinois Wesleyan University, of Bloomington, Ill., from which he was graduated with the degree of Ph.B. In 1908, on the submission of his thesis, he re- ceived the degree of A.M. from Muhlenberg Col- lege. He also took lectures in theology at Prince- ton Theological Seminary. In 1900 Rev. Bohner

was ordained an elder in the ministry of the Evangelical Association, and served successful pastorates in Salem Church, Reading; Ebenezer Church, Allentown; and Trinity Church, Eas- ton, in all of which he remained the full length of time allowed by the polity of the denomina- tion. In June, 1911, having received a unani- mous call to the pulpit of the First Presbyterian Church, of Ocean City, N. J., he entered upon the work there, where he is at present enjoying a very successful ministry. In addition to his active pastoral career, Mr. Bohner has found time to do considerable literary and educational work, having been editor of the East Pennsyl- vania Conference Minutes for eight years, Sun- day school editor of the Evangelical Messenger for five years, and staff lecturer on sociological subjects at Schuylkill Seminary, Reading, Pa. He was united in marriage to Miss Carrie A. Smith, daughter of Edward J. and Annie Smith, of Al- lentown, Pa., in 1898. Mr. and Mrs. Bohner have traveled widely, having visited many lands, including Turkey, Syria, the Holy Land, Egypt and the various States of Europe. Greenleaf Lodge, No. 561, F. & A. M., owns him as a valued member, of which body he has served as chaplain.

REV. JONATHAN ELMER BAHNER, a great- great-grandson of Nicholas Bahner; a great- grandson of John Bahner,-the youngest son of Nicholas,-a grandson of Peter Bahner, the old- est son of John, and a son of Noah R. Bahner, the oldest son of Peter,-was born near Union- town (now Pillow, Pa.), on January 4, 1874. He attended the public schools at Stone Valley; graduated from Bloomsburg Normal school in 1897; taught in the public schools for 5 years; graduated from Albright College, Myerstown, Pa., in 1901; and entered the ministry of the United Evangelical Church in the same year. He served the following charges, to date: Boyer- town, 2 years; South Allentown and Northamp- ton, 3 years ; Palmyra, 4 years, and East Green- ville, 4 years.

He was married to Mary R. Lyter, of Dauph- in, Dauphin county, Pa., February 5, 1902. The children are: Ruth, Mabel, Emma, John, Paul, Sarah, Bertha, and Grace.

BALLIET FAMILY.

The ancestry of the Balliet family has been traced to Tancred le Balyard, who was command- er-in-chief of the army of Chlodwig, King of France, about the year 500. The name Tancred, in old French, meant "many wounds or scars," and it is said that at the time of his death about 524, he had more than a hundred scars on his body. He married Yutta de Mezieres and had

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

two sons, Hugo, who entered ecclesiastical life and died as the Archbishop of Mailand; and Al- fred, who became a soldier. He carried on his shield a man' head with a cloth wound about it, as a mark of the many scars of his father. This mark, with the crest, a cock, signifying warlike- ness and military courage, is still the arms of the family. After many campaigns, Alfred Balyard settled in Normandy and married Amelie de Chateau Roux. He had two sons, Franz and Reynald, whose descendants lived in France until about 1066, when the majority of them went with Duke William, of Normandy, to England and settled in the county of Sussex. Gualther Bal- yard remained in France and married Undine de Perigord. An active soldier, he met his death in the first Crusade, at the storming of Jeru- salem in 1099. His two sons, Andre and Charles, remained in Jerusalem. The family flourished in the Levant and when the Crusades were over about 1280, a Bertrand Balyard returned to France and was made Lieutenant of Burgundy. He had brought a wife from the East, named Adelheid von Bernstorf, of German origin, and left after his death in 1312, a son named Sylvester Balyard. His descendants lived in Burgundy, one of whom, Raimund Balyard, died in 1554, in Paris, leaving five sons: Armand, Michael, Louis, Frederick, and Berno. Their descendants were greatly scattered during the civil and reli- gious wars of France, and one line of the family settled in Germany.

Paul Balliet, grandson of Jacob, of Schalbach, of this branch, was born in Alsace in 1717, and emigrated to America on the ship Robert and Alice, which arrived at Philadelphia on Sept. 10, 1738. He settled not long after in Whitehall township, as on Sept. 23, 1740, his name, Paulus Balliet, appears as a sponsor to a child of John Nicholas Snyder, who came to America with him. On April 12, 1749, he secured 97 acres by warrant and by 1774 had added to this 713 acres. He married, in 1749, Maria Magdalena, daughter of Abraham Worting. She was born in Lorraine in 1727 and died in 1802. He was naturalized April 10, 1759. A license was grant- ed to him to keep a hotel on June 22, 1756, and again at the June term of Court in 1759. The hotel was built of logs and later weatherboarded. It was known as the Whitehall Hotel and its sign was the flowing bowl. He was called by the Indians, "Bowl Balliet," it is said, from the fact that he furnished them refreshment from a wooden bowl. He also conducted a store where the Indians received their supplies. During the French and Indian War, in 1756 and 1757, he furnished provisions, with Adam Deshler, to the provincial forces at Forts Allen, Norris and Ham-

ilton, and to Indians. The hotel was a post sta- tion for many years, where the daily stage coaches changed horses on their way north and returning. As other families settled there the place became known as Ballietsville. The log hotel was torn down in 1840 and the remained of the house stood until April, 1884. Paul Balliet was a member of the Egypt Reformed congregation and in 1767 represented the Whitehall charge at the meeting of Cœtus at Lancaster, as an elder from Egypt, and was paid ten shillings for ex- penses. He died March 19, 1777, and was buried at Unionville, where his tombstone can still be seen. In his will, dated March 15, 1777, and probated Aug. 2, 1777, he states that his son Stephen "shall have the plantation in Towa- mensing township on the Blue mountains, where- on Samuel Somery lives, and if Stephen wants the old plantation, he shall have it, and son John shall have where Somery lives; son Paul shall have the tract of land bought of Samuel Morris." The witnesses were David Hahn, Joseph Balliet. Nicholas Mark and Samuel Somery. This Joseph Balliet was a relative who lived in Whitehall as early as 1762. He and his wife, Mary Barbara, had sons, Jacob and Leonhard, and a Daniel, born Sept. 13, died Oct. 18, 1773. Jacob and Leon- hard subsequently resided in Northampton coun- ty, east of the Lehigh. Leonhard had a son, John, born March 18, 1783, and a son, Leonhard, born Feb. 14, 1786.

Paul and Maria Magdalena Balliet had nine children: Jacob Balliet, born Dec. 23, 1750, died young; Maria Catharine, born July 28, 1752, died Jan. 28, 1823, married, Nov. 7, 1769, Adam Deshler, Jr. ; Stephen Balliet, born in 1753, died Aug. 4, 1821; Susanna, born about 1755, married John Baer. On Nov. 23, 1794, their names appear as sponsors in Whitehall. They later removed to Hampshire county, Virginia, where Mrs. Baer was living in 1811 ; Eva, born in 1760, baptized March 26, 1760, died March 20, 1797, she married, April 10, 1781, Nicholas Saeger ; John Balliett, born Nov. 31, 1761, died Nov. 2, 1837; Magdalena, under 14 in 1777, when Peter Rhoads was appointed her guardian, who married Christian Troxell; Paul Balliet, born May 24, 1766, died Feb. 17, 1845, whose guardian was Peter Burkhalter, appointed in 1777. After attaining the age of fourteen he chose Jacob Wert as his guardian. He married, Dec. 19, 1819, Mrs. Elizabeth Mickley, nee Deshler, widow of Christian Mickley, born 1773, died 1840. They had no children. Nicholas Balliet, under 14 in 1777, when Peter Kohler was ap- pointed his guardian. He removed to Penn township, Northumberland county, where he was a tanner, and died at Selinsgrove in 1808.

LB. Rallied

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.

Stephen Balliet, eldest surviving son of Paul, was born on the homestead in 1753. He assisted his father in the store and hotel and in December, 1776, was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the Second Battalion of Northampton county militia, commanded by Col. George Breinig. He was in command of his battalion at the battles of Bran- dywine and Germantown, and saw service on the frontiers. He was one of the officers in com- mand on the march to Nescopeck. He was ap- pointed agent for forfeited estates on May 6, 1778, and on Oct. 20, 1783, was elected a mem- ber of the Supreme Executive Council, then the governing body of the state. He was appointed a member of the Board of Property on June 7, 1784, and was elected to the Assembly in 1788 and 1789. In 1797 he was appointed revenue collecter, for this, the Ninth District. He died Aug. 4, 1821, and was buried at Union church. He married Magdalena, daughter of Peter Burk- halter, Esq. She was born April 17, 1765, and died in 1805. Mrs. Edw. G. Martin, of Allen- town, is the owner of their likenesses in oil. They had two sons, Stephen and Joseph.

Stephen Balliet, the eldest son, was born Oct. 27, 1781. He became a prominent iron master in the early days of the iron industry in the county and was the owner of Balliets' or Lehigh Furnace, which he started in 1826, with Samuel Helffrich. In 1828 they erected a forge in East Penn town- ship, Carbon county. Mr. Helffrich died in 1830 and his interest was purchased by Mr. Balliet. In 1837 he removed to the locality and pur- chased about 3,000 acres of land, on which he erected a furnace and four houses. He resided there until his death in January, 1854. He mar- ried, Jan. 22, 1804, Susan Ihrie, daughter of Conrad Ihrie, of Northampton county. She was born Oct. 7, 1784, died March 28, 1852, and was buried at Ashfield, Carbon county. They had eleven children : Stephen, died young; Susan, born 1806, died 1873, married Dr. Jesse Hall- man, born 1795, died 1861, and had six chil- dren: Mary A., Nathan, Louisa, Stephen,, El- mira, wife of Charles H. Nimson, and Joseph ; Stephen, Jr .; Paul; Aaron; Maria; George; John; Charles; Sabina; and Caroline.

Stephen Balliet, Jr., son of Stephen, was born March 25, 1809, and died July 13, 1860. He married, March 10, 1831, Maria Anna Bieber, daughter of Theobald Bieber and Elizabeth Sas- samanhausen. She was born Oct. 11, 1811, and died April 17, 1832. They had one child, Dr. Lewis Bieber Balliet, who was born at Balliets- ville, March 3, 1832. He attended the public schools and graduated in medicine at the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, April 1, 1854. He prac- ticed medicine at Unionville until 1894, when he

removed to 734 North Seventh street, Allen- town, where he conducted a drug store and prac- ticed medicine. He died Jan. 28, 1913, aged 80 years, having been 58 years a physician. He was a man of strong mentality and a delightful con- versationalist. A student of history and geneal- ogy, he wrote the genealogy of the Balliet family and owned a number of the valuable family relics, some of which he presented to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. He was well acquainted with the early history of the county and the writer wishes to pay tribute to him for the knowl- edge gained in many pleasant hours spent in his company. He was twice married and had one daughter, the wife of Rev. Phaon Kohler, of Glasgow, Pa. Stephen Balliet, Jr., married second, Elizabeth Huntzinger, of Orwigsburg, and had eleven children, five of whom grew to maturity: Sarah F., wife of Dr. Edw. G. Mar- tin; Emma, who married Dr. John P. Kohler ; Fannie, wife of Dr. Francis Troxell, of San Diego, Cal .; Margaret L., wife of Wm. H. Weinsheimer ; and Arabella, who married Mor- ris L. Kauffman, Esq.

Paul Balliet, son of Stephen Jr., was born May 11, 1811, and died Dec. 26, 1886. He married, (first) Sarah Moyer, born Oct. 15, 1808, and died Jan. 11, 1869, and (second) on May 20, 1878, Mrs. Kate Emery. He had six children : Paul E .; Sabina, wife of James D. Schall; Josephine, wife of H. H. Trumbauer ; Catharine, wife of David H. Kline; Ella M. Balliet ; and Amanda, wife of James Roney.

Aaron Balliet, son of Stephen Balliet and his wife Susan Ihrie, was born in North Whitehall township, March 7, 1813. He spent his boyhood days in his native township, where he acquired his early education and later studied at Easton. He became interested in the iron business and with his brother-in-law, Benjamin F. Levan, and others, built and operated the Coplay iron furnaces. Sub- sequently with his brothers, John and Paul, he purchased a furnace near Lehighton, which they operated for some time. He aided in the organi- zation of the Second National Bank and was one of its directors for twenty-four years. His politi- cal affiliation was with the Whig party until its absorption by the Republican party, with which he became identified. He served many years as justice of the peace in his township and was active and progressive in all public matters. He died Nov. 1, 1895, and is buried at Unionville, where he was a member of the Reformed congregation.

He was twice married. His first wife was Sarah Dengler, daughter of John Dengler. She was born Oct. 31, 1827, and died Aug. 3, 1863. They had eight children :

(1). Francis, the oldest, who married Mary

VOL. II-4

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

C. Samuels, and has three children : George S., who married Lizzie Heffner; Robert, who mar- ried Irene Frederick and has six children: Mir- iam, Lee, Emma, Grace, Raymond, and Francis; and Marcus, who is single.

(2). Julia, the second child of Aaron Balliet, married Augustus Holterhoff, and is now de- ceased.

(3). Ella, afterward married Augustus Hol- terhoff and has five children : Robert, Julia, Al- bert, Augustus, and Elsie.

(4). Emma, married O. P. Lampher and has three children: Miriam, Adelle, and Richard.

(5). Anna, is the wife of O E. Holman and has five children: Helen, Edith, Miriam, Doro- thy, and Edward.

(6). Ida S., is single; and Susan and Stephen are deceased.

After the death of his first wife, Aaron Bal- liet married Catharine Hausman, a daughter of David and Catharine (Scheirer) Hausman and they had two children: A. H., and Ada M.

DR. A. H. BALLIET was born in Ballietsville, North Whitehall township, Dec. 27, 1867. He obtained his education in the public schools of the township, at Hagerstown, Maryland, ;Academy, and Wyoming Seminary, at Kingston, Pa. He later completed a course in veterinary surgery at Toronto, Canada, from which he was graduated with honors in 1888. Returning to his native town, he opened an office and continued in practice for eleven years, when he removed to Allentown, and remained in the practice of veterinary surg- ery for two years, when he retired from that business, directing his energies in other channels. In 1900 he became associated with Walter Biery in the operation of the Eagle Cigar Box Factory and after a period of about six months, Mr. Bal- liet purchased his partner's interest in the business and continued alone.

A. H. Balliet, cigar box manufacturer, is the successor to John M. Stevens. The plant was then located on Maple street, near Hamilton, at the rear of H. Leh & Company's building. Three years later the location was changed to the Yeager building at the corner of Lumber and Chestnut streets, where it remained five years, when the present large plant, occupying an entire block, was built at Franklin, Warren and Fifteenth streets. When the industry was purchased in 1900 there were 22 employees and a capacity of 1,500 boxes per day, which has now increased to 20,000 boxes per day and now employs 250 people and is one of the largest of its kind in the coun- try. All kinds of cigar boxes are manufactured. "No Shrink" Boards are a specialty. A large quantity of cedar lumber, all ready for use, is sold to smaller dealers through the United

States. Many cedar boxes are manufactured here. The main building is five stories and 160 feet by 771/2 feet in dimensions, which is of brick, with an addition containing the boiler house and other buildings. This plant was opened for business on April 1, 1908. The plant is conceded by man- ufacturers in the line to be one of the finest cigar box factories in the United States, and because of its model construction and modern equipment has attracted attention from far and near. The huge red Spanish cedar logs, which go toward making the better grade of boxes, are imported directly from Cuba. These cedar trees, which sometimes grow to a height of 50 feet and three feet in diameter, are cut in the swamps and groves of Cuba, stripped of their bark or hewn into square logs, taken to streams and floated to sea- port towns. They are here loaded on ships, taken to New York and shipped directly to Allentown, A siding constructed from the West End branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, carries the logs directly to the yards of the factory. The timber is unloaded by a huge derrick, conveyed to saws, which cut it into proper lengths. Some of this stock is sold to other box factories in the United States. On the first floor of the four-story factory these parts are again cut into fletches correspond- ing to the size required for the boxes. Six large saw are used in this process. The wood is then taken to six concrete fire-proof driers. The Emer- son system of drying by automatic compression is used and over 140,000 feet of piping are scattered through the six kilns. Fifteen thousand feet of timber can be placed in each kiln at a time. It takes two days to dry the wood, thus the driers turn out 40,000 feet of perfectly dried lumber. This is one of the most important and exact processes of the manufacture of the cigar box. After it is taken out of the kiln, the wood is planed and prepared for the manufacturing de- partment on the second floor. It is sawed into box lengths and sorted by experts. The sorting is done on the standard of quality and color. After that the process of constructing the boxes piece by piece begins. This is done by eleven automatic self-feed nailing machines. From here the product goes to the automatic trimmers and sanders, after which it is ready to go to the edging room and the finishing rooms on the third floor, where all the labels, edging and trimmings, in- cluding the cigar factory and district, are put on the box and when this is done the article is ready to be filled with the weed.

As is very evident, the danger from fire in such an industry, is very great. Throughout Dr. Bal- liet's factory there are distributed 1025 automatic sprinklers and every one of the 250 people which he employs has been trained to use the fire ap-

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.

paratus at a moment's notice. A tank on the roof contains 25,000 gallons of water, which is released for service when the heat from a fire melts a leaden guard. Not the least splinter of wood or grain of sawdust is wasted. Through a process designed by Dr. Balliet, the slabs or rounded sides of the logs are trimmed into shape for the making of smaller boxes. All waste and sawdust is deposited into hoppers, ground up into small particles and by compressed air, blown through pipes underneath the boilers where it is turned into fuel.

The factory has a capacity of 20,000 boxes a day. Local dealers use nearly the entire output.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. II, Part 10

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: 948

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: 948