History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. II, Part 16

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 16


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During the Civil War he enlisted April 7, 1865, in the Union army, as a private in Com- pany D, 215th Pa. V. I., for one year or during the war, and served until after its close, being mustered out July 31, 1865, at Fort Delaware.


On Oct. 2, 1866, Mr. Benfield married Maria Elizabeth Kepler (born Oct. 2, 1839), daughter of Copeland and Margaretha (Binder) Kepler, farming people of Upper Hanover township, Montgomery Co., Pa. She died Nov. 8, 1906, the mother of three children, Oscar, Harry N. and Elmer. The family are Reformed mem- bers of Huff's Church.


Oscar Benfield, oldest son of Aaron, is farm- ing on his father's place in Hereford township. He married Mary Gehris, and they have seven children: Gertie, Grace, Webster, Nevin, Ma- bel, Florence and Erma.


Harry N. Benfield, second son of Aaron, was born in 1871, in Washington township, Berks county, and received his early education in the township schools, later going to the schools of Hereford. In the fall of 1890 he entered the Keystone State Normal School at Kutztown, but left the same year to begin teaching, and he fol- lowed teaching ever since, having filled posi- tions in Berks, Lehigh, Montgomery and Ches- ter counties. He is now supervising principal of Coventry township, Chester county, and do- ing post-graduate work at college. He married Elizabeth Kemp, of District township, Berks county. He is the historian of the Benfield fam- ily.


Elmer Benfield, now engaged as a carpenter at Morysville, worked at his trade in car shops in Philadelphia for ten years. He has been twice married, his first wife being Maleira Wet- zel, who died in 1903, and his second Maggie Rohrbach, by whom he has one daughter, Myrtle.


CLAYTON L. BENFIELD, merchant, of Allen- town, was born in District township, Berks, county, July 4, 1888. He was educated in the public schools and the American Commercial school at Allentown. Later he then served as a clerk in the department store of Hess Bros., and on August 16, 1909, engaged in the grocery business at 544 Union street.


He and wife are members of St. Andrews Reformed Church. He is a member of the Philip Sheradin Council, No. 287, J. O. U. A. M.


He was married May 1, 1909, to Mabel I. Clewell, daughter of Albert and Mary (Krause) Clewell; and granddaughter of Sylvester Clew- ell. They had a son, Earl A., who died Jan- uary 15, 191I.


BENNER FAMILY.


William Benner was a native of Bucks county, Pa., and there he followed farming.


He was married to Anna Rothrock. They


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were members of the Lutheran Church and are buried at Richlandtown, Pa. Their 12 children follow : Abraham, Polly, Jacob, John, William, Elias, Milton, Lewis, Nancy, Monroe, Hannah, and Aaron.


Elias R. Benner, son of Abraham, was born at California, in Bucks county, June 2, 1841. He came to Shoenersville, Lehigh county, in 1863, and there he taught school for a number of years. From 1871 to 1899 he engaged in the mercantile business at Shoenersville. In the lat- ter year he sold the business to his son, H. A. Benner. He was postmaster for a number of years, and took an active interest in the Demo- cratic politics, serving the office of recorder of deeds of Lehigh county. Mr. Benner and family were Lutherans and he was a member of Christ's church choir at Shoenersville upwards of a quar- ter of a century. He was the organist of the church for three years, and opened a new addition to the cemetery upon which he is now buried at Shoenersville.


He was married to Belinda Lapp, a daughter of Elias Lapp. She was born Dec. 11, 1843, and departed this life on May 30, 1902. Mr. Benner died Oct. 15, 1906, in his sixty-sixth year. Their children follow: H. A .; Lizzie E .; is married to W. D. Seyfried, of Bethlehem; and Rev. Allen L., a Lutheran minister of Rich- mond Hill, Brooklyn, N. Y.


H. A. Benner, merchant at Shoenersville, was born in that village June 24, 1866. At the age of 13 years he began clerking in his father's gen- eral store and there he continued to work until 1899 when he became his father's successor ; and in 1906, after the father had died, he purchased the store property. In 1908 he erected the pres- ent large modern store and residence. He was postmaster at Shoenersville for a number of years, and in 1906 was elected a member of the Hanover township school board. He is a Dem- ocrat. He was one of the organizers of the Le- high National Bank at Catasauqua, and since that time serves as a director.


Socially Mr. Benner is a member of Catasau- qua Lodge No. 269, I. O. O. F., also the En- campment; Modern Woodmen; Porter Lodge No. 284, F. & A. M .; and Catasauqua Chapter No. 278, Royal Arch Masons. He and family worship in the Shoenersville church of which they are Lutheran members. He is a deacon continu- ously since 1894.


On Oct. 12, 1886, he married Julianna C. Keim, a daughter of Cyrus and Dianna (Lau- bach) Keim. They have an only daughter, Eva M., who graduated in 1904 from the Keystone State Normal School, Kutztown, Pa. She is an esteemed teacher in the schools at Shoenersville.


BENNIGHOFF FAMILY.


The Bennighoff family of Lehigh county was founded by Valentine Bennighoff, whose name is recorded in the Pennsylvania Archives as hav- ing emigrated on the ship Edinburgh, which land- ed at Philadelphia Sept. 16, 1751, and shortly afterward he settled in Lowhill township, North- ampton county (now part of Lehigh), for he took out a land warrant for 32 acres in that dis- trict which is dated April 22, 1752.


In 1812, the names of John Bennighoff and Sebastian Bennighoff appear on the assessment list of Lynn township, and both of these men are buried in the cemetery at New Tripoli.


A branch of this family settled in Berks county, for in 1800 the name of Philip Bennighoff ap- pears on the tax list of Albany township, and in 1815, in the same district, the name of William Bennighoff.


Peter Bennighoff, of this family, a farmer, was located in Greenwich township, Berks county. His wife was Polly Haring and they had three sons, William, Benjamin and Peter, and a daugh- ter, Abby, married to Charles Eck. Benjamin, one of the three sons named, was born Jan. 23, 1818, and died April 28, 1884. He was a weaver by trade and also carried on farming, having owned a farm in the township named near the Roth school-house containing 70 acres. His wife was Sarah Spohn and they had nine children : Noah ( 1842-1907, supervisor of Max- atawny township for 21 years) ; Mary, married to Abraham Geist; Sarah, married to Henry Derr; Benjamin, resided at Claussville; Moses ; Emma; and William; and two others who died young.


John (Johannes) Bennighoff, the ancestor of most of this family name in Lynn township, Le- high county, was born Dec. 27, 1768, and he died on his farm near New Tripoli, Jan. 23, 1845. He was a wood-worker of rare ability and this came to be transmitted to some of his sons and grandsons. He made wooden plows and harrows, by the aid of which the pioneer settlers tilled the soil. His wife was Elizabeth Daubert, born May 1, 1777, died Jan. 11, 1858, and buried at New Tripoli, and they had a large family of children, among them the following: Heinrich, Daniel, Isaac, John, and Mrs. Catharine Herman, who moved West.


Heinrich Bennighoff was born in Lynn town- ship about the year 1805 and under his father he came to be an exceptionally able wood-worker in making wagons, plows, harrows, rakes, forks and cradles. When thirty years old he had ac- cumulated the sum of $200, and by the aid of this money he moved by team with his family to Seneca county, in Ohio, and there he lived as


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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.


a wood-worker and farmer until he died. His brother, John, went along with him to take back the horses to Lehigh county which he had hired for the occasion.


He was married to Phillipina Fenstermacher, daughter of Jacob and Catharine (Derr) Fen- stermacher, of Lynn township, and they had a number of children.


Daniel Bennighoff was a farmer of Lynn town- ship, his farm being now in the possession of his son Aaron; and he was also an experienced and successful woodworker having made many wagons which were said to have been the best in that section of the county. He was born July 26, 1808, and died Feb. 10, 1896. His wife was Salome Shellhammer, born March 4, 1816, and died Sept. 5, 1893. Their children were: Mary, and Polly, both of whom died in childhood ; Daniel; Catharine, married to Levi Clauss, and lived in Schuylkill county; Franklin; Carolina; and Aaron.


Isaac Bennighoff was born Oct. 8, 1814, and died April 25, 1900. He owned part of his fa- ther's homestead near Mosserville and was a successful farmer, having left an estate at his decease valued at $30,000. His favorite nephew was Franklin Bennighoff, son of his brother Dan- iel, who farmed for him for a period of thirty- three years in a most faithful manner and before he died (1891) he sold the farm to this nephew at a reasonable price in appreciation of his long- continued services. He was buried at New Trip- oli. He was married to Sarah Sensinger, now the oldest surviving person in Lynn township, having been born Aug. 29, 1814, and being 98 years old. She continues to live on the old home- stead and is well cared for by her nephew, Frank- lin Bennighoff. They had no children.


Daniel E. Bennighoff, son of Daniel, farmer of Lynn township, owns and operates part of the original John Bennighoff homestead, which em- braced the farms of Daniel and Franklin Ben- nighoff. He was born Jan. 30, 1839, and reared as a farmer, and since 1860 he has been farming for himself. The tract was thirty-six acres when he began but he added twelve acres which he purchased. He is a Democrat and served the township as a school director, and he is con- nected with the Lutheran congregation of Eben- ezer church at New Tripoli, which he served as a deacon. In 1860, he married Rebecca Snyder, and they have one son, Wilson A., who has re- mained home assisting his father on the farm.


His son, Wilson A., was married to Angie Oswald, and they have three children: Bessie, Howard, and Alice.


FRANKLIN BENNIGHOFF, son of Daniel, is a farmer, located near Mosserville. He was born


Feb. 24, 1843, and learned the trade of wheel- wright under his father, which he followed for some time; then he engaged at farming for his uncle Isaac, and continued doing so for thirty- three years, when he was encouraged by his uncle to buy the place, who offered it to him at a reason- able price. This was in 1891. The barn was built by John Bennighoff shortly before he died, to take the place of the first building which was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. The dwelling house has a year mark, 1837, cut on a stone which is set in the chimney to show when it was built, and this was also by John Bennighoff.


In 1868, he married Leanna Zellner, daughter of Daniel. She died in 1882, aged 36 years. They had eight children: Albert, married to Mabel Oswald ; Lewis; George; Ella; Angelina, married to William J. Wertman; Mary; John, married to Mary Moyer ; and Francis, married to Jane Bechtel. Mrs. Bennighoff and three of the children, Lewis, George, and Mary, died of scar- let fever within fourteen days of each other ; and Ella died in 1891. The family have been identi- fied with the Lutheran congregation of the Eben- ezer church.


Sebastian Bennighoff was born Jan. 31, 1780, and died Dec. 31, 1849. He lived on a farm near Mossersville, in Lynn township, and was married to Magdalena Daubenspeck, born Feb. 18, 1787, and died May 18, 1838. They had a son, George.


George Bennighoff was born in Lynn town- ship. During the period when a great many Lehigh countians had the "Western" fever, about the year 1850, Mr. Bennighoff loaded his family and worldly belongings on a large Conestoga wagon, intending to move to Ohio. They reached White Haven, where the father took sick and died. The widow and children, with their dead husband and father, returned to New Tripoli, where he was buried. His wife, who was Kate Hoffman, a sister of Nathaniel Hoffman, died about 1853. She is buried on Hoffman's private burial ground. Three children were born to this family: Catharine, married James Bachman ; James, mentioned later ; and Phanus, of Kunkel- town, Pa.


James Bennighoff, son of George and Kate (Hoffman) Bennighoff, a former coal merchant of Slatington, was born in Lynn township, Aug. 28, 1841. He remained on the farm until he was nineteen years old, when he learned the car- penter trade. He followed this trade until the Civil War broke out, when he enlisted in Com- pany G, First Penna. Reserve Cavalry.


He was a member of the First Brigade, Second Division, Cavalry Corps, of the Army of the Potomac. On Nov. 27, 1863, at Mine Run,


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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.


Virginia, he was taken prisoner, after having been wounded on the battlefield. He was taken by the Confederates to Charlottesville, where it was thought he would die, the doctor having de- clared that he could not recover. He was offi- cially reported to be mortally wounded, and yet in this condition he was taken to Libby prison, where he was confined from January to March. In March, he was taken to Belle Island, Virginia, and a month later he was taken to Andersonville prison, Georgia. In September, 1864, he was moved to Savannah, Georgia, and on November 20 he was paroled, after which he reached the Union hospital at Annapolis. After intense suf- fering in hospitals and prisons, he was discharged in March, 1865.


The effects of these sufferings followed him for a long time after his return to Heidelberg townhip. He could move about with difficulty with a cane. As his strength and health gradu- ally returned, he again followed the carpenter trade. In 1868, he moved to Slatington, where he followed his trade until 1870, when he became a teamster, which he followed for nine years, after which he engaged in the coal business, which he followed until 1900, when his son succeeded him.


He and family have been faithful members of the Lutheran Church. In 1866, he married Amanda Hausman, daughter of Nathan, of Low- hill township, now deceased. They had two chil- dren: Cora, who died in infancy, and James S.


JAMES S. BENNIGHOFF, son of James and Amanda (Hausman) Bennighoff, was born Nov. 5, 1870, at Slatington. He learned the carpenter trade and followed this for a number of years. In 1900, owing to his father's infirmities, he suc- ceeded him in the coal business, which he now conducts. He married Jane A. Bentz. They had one daughter, Helen, who died, aged thirteen years.


Solomon Bennehoff was born in Lynn town- ship, and in 1842 moved to Seneca county, Ohio, where he farmed a 120-acre tract and died in 1882. He married Anna Rader, of Saegersville, and had seven children: William F .; Maria; David and Sarah, who died young; Lewis; John; and Milton.


William F. Bennehoff was born Aug. 20, 1842, and became a farmer in Seneca county, Ohio, where he owned a 140-acre farm. He was presi- dent of the Board of Education of his township and active in church and Sunday school work, having served as deacon and elder and superin- tendent of the Sunday school. His wife, who died Jan. 12, 1908, aged 58 years, was buried near her husband at Fireside, Ohio. They had nine children: Calvin A., deceased ; Anna M., widow of John Loose, of Chicago, who had children,


Samuel E., Helen A., and Orland J .; Jennie, m. Arthur Henning, of Bellevue, O., and has chil- dren, Thelma and Navin; Jessie, m. Samuel Loose, of Tiffin, Ohio, and has a son, Robert W .; Ele- nora, m. Ernest Rauston, of Ada, Ohio, and has children, Paul W. and Walter C .; Florence, deceased ; Mary E., of Allentown; Ruth N .; and Virgie R., both of Tiffin, Ohio.


Peter Bennighoff, a laborer, lived in the vicin- ity of New Smithville. He is buried at Grim- ville. His wife, Molly Haring, bore him the fol- lowing children: Joel; Benjamin, whose son, Noah, was supervisor of Maxatawny township for a quarter of a century; Levi; Jonas; Mrs. Charles Eck.


Joel Bennicoff, son of Peter, lived near Grim- ville, Berks county. While a soldier in the Civil War, he lost his hearing almost entirely. He married (first) Kate Spohn. They had: Sarah, who died small; Kate A., married to Lewis Bitt- ner; Mary, deceased ; Levi, deceased ; and Emma, wife of Lewis Hohl. He married (second) Lovina Kline. They had these children: Sarah ; Ellen ; Lottie; Charles, a carpenter at Allentown ; Jerrey, of Kutztown; and Austin, who lives near Kutztown.


WILLIAM BERESIN.


William Beresin, secretary and treasurer of the H. Sofranscy Company at Allentown, Pa., was born in Philadelphia, Aug. 8, 1882, where he was educated in the public schools, and at the University of Pennsylvania he took a course in Mechanical Engineering. He left school one year before his graduation in 1903 in order to accept the position of assistant teller of the Guaranty Trust Co., in Philadelphia, but he re- signed this position to become associated with the H. Sofranscy Company, at Allentown, as its secretary and treasurer. The company was in- corporated in November, 1910, for the purpose of dealing extensively in iron, rags, etc.


He is the senior member of the dry goods house of Beresin & Mintz, which has two depart- ment stores in Ohio.


In 1904 he was married to Marie Sofranscy, daughter of H. Sofranscy, Allentown, Pa., and they have two children: Annie I., and Morris.


JOHN BERG.


John Berg, of Egypt, Pa., was born Oct. 27, 1867, in Austria, son of John and Anna (Scheetz) Berg. He emigrated to this country Feb. 28, 1884, and located at Shenadoah, Pa., where he resided for 15 years. He then settled at Egypt, June 5, 1899 and became the pro- prietor of the Fairview House which he has conducted in a successful manner to this time.


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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.


Mr. Berg is a private banker and steamship agent, being under bond to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the amount of $50,000.00. He is connected with several beneficial societies, having served one of them as secretary since its organization in 1902. He is likewise a Notary Public since 1905.


He and family are members of the Lutheran Church. He was twice married: first, January 29, 1891, to Maria Fekely, who died without issue, and he then married on Oct. 17, 1900, Anna, daughter of Jacob and Susanna Kupsky. They have 6 children: John W., Anna S., Min- nie L., Rosa K., Edwin J., and George M.


BERKEMEYER FAMILY.


The Berkemeyer family trace their history to Ferdinand Berkemeyer, a son of Jacob and Hen- rietta Berkemeyer, who lived in Oerlanghausen, Westphalia, Germany. Ferdinand Berkemeyer was born Jan. 13, 1790, and died March 30, 1856, and is buried at Heidelberg church. He came to America early in the 19th century, and was a school teacher and organist in Heidelberg. In 1822 he was married to Judith Glasser, a daughter of Daniel and Hannah ( Hottenstein) Glasser. She was born October 30, 1801, and died December 23, 1882. They had 13 children: Caroline, born May 26, 1822, died August 5, 1871, married David Ross; Augustus; Wilhel- mina, married William Kemmerer; Rev. Ferdin- and ; Louisa, married to Josiah Bowman, founder of Bowmanstown; William, married to Caroline German; Henrietta, married to a William Sny- der; Amelia; infant; Lewis and Charles, twins; Henry, married to Adeline Smith; Jacob.


Augustus Berkemeyer, son of Ferdinand Berke- meyer, was born Feb. 24, 1824, and died Dec. 10, 1896. He was a cabinet-maker and under- taker for forty years. In 1866 he moved to Slat- ington where he was engaged in the lumber and mercantile business, having as his partner in the lumber business Thomas Kern and as his partner in the furniture business David Lutz. In 1870 he moved to Allentown and was a partner with his brother William in the furniture business under the firm of Berkemeyer Bros. They were in business ten years when Augustus withdrew from the firm and moved on a farm near Trum- bauersville, Bucks county. Returning to Allen- town later he resided there for a few years and then moved to Minneapolis, Minn., where he died. He and family were members of the Re- formed Church. He was married to Sarah Lantz, a daughter of Henry Lantz. She died Oct. 25, 1907. They had nine children: Peter; Henry A .; Charles L .; John F .; Edward; Samuel;


Mary, married to Thomas Sherer; Sarah; and Margaret.


Henry A. Berkemeyer, a son of Augustus and Sarah (Lantz) Berkemeyer, was born at Saegersville, November 30, 1852. He learned cabinet-making with his father. After the fam- ily moved to Slatington he worked in a slate factory and afterwards became a traveling sales- man. Politically he was a Republican and was census enumerator of his district. He was mar- ried to Matilda B. Stoll. Their children were Homer G. and George H.


HOMER G. BERKEMEYER, bookbinder of Al- lentown, a son of Henry A. and Matilda B. Berkemeyer, was born in that city Dec. 26, 1875. He learned the trade of bookbinding in his na- tive city and in 1896 he started in business for himself. His business has been growing steadily and he now employs eight hands. He is actively identified with the Masonic orders, being a mem- ber of Greenleaf Lodge, 561, F. and A. M .; Allen Royal Arch Chapter, No. 203, and Allen Commandery,, Knights Templar, No. 20, of Al- town. He is married to Sarah C. Vogel, a daughter of Gottlieb and Wilhelmina (Traub) Vogel.


GEORGE H. BERKEMEYER, son of Henry A. and Matilda B. (Stoll) Berkemeyer, was born in Allentown, December 31, 1876. He is a graduate of the Allentown High School, 1894. He took a course in civil and mechanical engi- neering which business he now follows. He is a member of Greenleaf Lodge, No. 561, F. and A. M., being Worshipful Master in 1913; Al- len Chapter, R. A. M., 203, and Allen Coun- cil, No. 23. He is married to Mary E. Eckens- berger, a daughter of Francis and Sarah (Sny- der) Eckensberger. Issue, George Francis, born February 12, 1908. He resides at 1351 Turner street, Allentown.


CHARLES L. BERKEMEYER, son of Augustus Berkemeyer, was born at Saegersville, October 6, 1856. He learned cabinet-making when 17 years old and followed it five years. He served under the State Geological Survey from 1875- 1879. From 1879 to 1882 he was in the car- riage business at Slatington, after which he be- came connected with the Washington Slate Co., and remained with them until 1886 when he went to Minneapolis, Minn., where he is associated with his brother, Samuel, in the slate business. He is a member of Slatington Lodge, No. 440, F. and A. M .; Royal Arch Chapter, 53, and Allen Council, No. 23, of Allentown. He is a charter member of Slatington Hose Co., No. 1, and served as chief in 1907, 1908 and 1909. He was married in 1875 to Ellen M. Andrews, daughter of Nathan and Catharine. (Reger)


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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.


Andrews, of Walnutport. They have two daugh- ters, S. Catharine and Annie L., both graduates of the Central High School of Minneapolis, Minn.


JOHN F. BERKEMEYER, undertaker and em- balmer of Slatington, Pa., was born in Heidel- berg township, August 29, 1859. At the age of fourteen he became a sailor and followed sea- faring life for about eighteen years. In 1883 he located at Slatington and engaged in the car- riage and undertaking business. In 1893 he closed out the carriage business and devoted all his time to the undertaking business, being the leading undertaker in the upper section of the county.


Mr. Berkemeyer is a Republican and has held a number of prominent offices in the borough where he resides. He has been a member of council for a number of years, being a member of that body when the reservoir was built. He has also been the secretary and treasurer of the bor- ough. He was one of the charter members and organizers of Slatington Hose Company, No. I. He was the company's first assistant foreman. Socially he holds membership in the following organizations: Slatington Lodge, No. 440, F. & A. M., I. O. O. F., J. O. U. A. M., K. of G. E., Red Men, Maccabees, Foresters, and K. of P. He and family are members of St. John's Reformed Church. In 1883 he was mar- ried to Serena J. Neff, a daughter of Joel and Drusilla ( Handwerk) Neff. She died Novem- ber 1, 1910. To Mr. and Mrs. Berkemeyer the following children were born: Clara M., died in infancy; Ralph, died, aged 2 years; Robert W., married to Esther Litzenberger; Hilda R .; and Harold J.


Rev. Ferdinand Berkemeyer, a


son of Ferdinand, was born April 10, 1828, at Saegers- ville. He is a graduate of Gettysburg College. He married Catharine H. Haberacker, born March 9, 1830, died May 23, 1895. Issue: Sarah E., Mary, James W., Charles M., George M., Anna L., Flora C.


WILLIAM BERKEMEYER, son of Ferdinand, was born in Heidelberg township in 1832. He was educated in the local schools and learned the trade of a cabinet-maker. He then removed to Allentown, and with his brothers, Augustus and Henry, and George Gehringer, formed a partner- ship and engaged in the furniture business at Lumber and Hamilton streets, in which he con- tinued for 30 years. He erected a home at 42 North Sixth street, where he lived retired some years prior to his death in 1901. He was an active member of St. John's Reformed church, where he served as deacon, and was a Democrat in politics. He married Caroline, daughter of VOL. II-6




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