History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. II, Part 19

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 19

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Paul Biery, born May 23, 1817, died unmar- ried, Oct. 9, 1841.

David Biery, fourth son of Henry Biery, was

born at Longswamp, Berks county, Pa., Feb. 19, 1772. Married, March 17, 1795, Susanna Mickley, daughter of John Martin Mickley, of Whitehall township. He died Jan. 7, 1827. His wife, Susanna, was born Oct. 19, 1773, and died Nov. 21, 1872, over ninety-nine years of age. They had ten children.

Peter Biery (see below).

Maria Margaret Biery, born Nov. 10, 1797, married Peter Kern, died March 30, 1883.

Lydia Biery, born Oct. 28, 1799; married (first) Jonas Yundt; (second) John Newhard, of Allentown.

Joseph Biery, born Jan. 21, 1802, married Salome Miller ; died Sept. 18, 1860.

Catharina Biery, born July 20, 1804, baptized Sept. 17, 1804, sponsors: Henry Biery and wife, Catharina; married March 22, 1835, Jacob Scherer, who was born July 6, 1806, at Wald- mor, Rheinkreis, Bayern ( Bavaria), son of Nich- olaus and Catharina Scherer, arrived at New York, Dec. 25, 1833, died April 18, 1877. Cath- arina Biery Scherer, died Nov. 18, 1885. Chil- dren :

Sarah A., married Peter Brown, superintend- ent of the Allentown furnaces.

William Edman Scherer, born Oct. 11, 1835, died Nov. 11, 1912, married Elvina Koons.

Caroline Susanna Scherer, born Nov. 30, 1836, died Aug. 31, 1897, married Captain David Schaadt. Hon. James L. Schaadt and J. Alan Schaadt, born 1862, died 1903, are their sons.

Frederick E. Scherer, born Nov. 20, 1837, died May 13, 1907.

Henry Joseph Scherer, born March 6, 1839, died Aug. 14, 1851.

Charlotte Catharina Scherer, born Oct. 23, 1840, died Feb. 9, 1902.

Triplets born March 26, 1842:

Albert David Scherer, died Feb. 29, 1844.

Ludwig Philip Scherer, soldier Civil War, died in service.

August Carl Scherer, soldier Civil war, died Oct. 28, 1864, in hospital at Baltimore, of wounds received at Cedar Creek, Va., Oct. 19, 1864.

Mary Elizabeth Scherer, born July 5, 1849, married E. F. Knecht, a Gettysburg veteran.

Sarah (Salome) Biery, twin sister of Cath- arina, wife of Jacob Scherer, born July 20, 1804, married Ludwig Schmidt, druggist, of Al- lentown, Pa., born at Michelstadt, in Odenwald, Germany, Oct. 22, 1797, died Jan. 11, 1880: Issue: Mary Klump, married to Lewis Klump (born Sept. 22, 1819; died Dec. 11, 1889) ; their children: Charlotte, married to George Waldman; Charles C. Klump, druggist, of Al- lentown; Louise, married to Rev. W. H. Frick,

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

of Milwaukee; Ella Cobb; George Klump, de- ceased. Henry Schmidt. Amelia Schmidt Web- er, widow of Augustus Weber, druggist, deceas- ed. Lewis Schmidt. Hannah Thomee. Emma Cobble. Charles Schmidt. The above-named Salome Schmidt died Dec. 24, 1870; her daugh- ter, the above-named Mary Klump, is living in the old drug store, which she helps to attend, at the age of over ninety-three.

Maria Magdalene (Polly) Biery, born April 9, 1808, married the Hon. Samuel Marx in 1826, died June 3, 1888. Issue: Three chil- dren : Henrietta, married (first) Simon H. Price; (second) Peter Gross; William Samuel Marx, born March 1, 1829, married May 18, 1854, Josephine W. Baldwin, of Bloomfield, N. J .; died Sept. 2, 1866. Graduate of Prince- ton University, 1848; elected district attorney of

H., married Ruby S. Saeger ; Charles W., married Clara M. Light; Edw. S .; Sarah J., married Alfred Andrews.

Susanna Biery, born April 3, 1817, married, March 16, 1834, William H. Blumer, and died Dec. 1, 1835.

Peter Biery was born Dec. 2, 1795, and died Aug. 16, 1870. He married, Oct. 13, 1815, Mary Anna Keck, daughter of John Keck, who was born May II, 1795, and died April 11, 1865. They had two children: Eliza, born March 14, 1817, died Nov. 1, 1901, who married Samuel Lightcap; and Eli S. Beary, born Nov. 30, 1818, died in 1886. Eli S. married, Feb. 12, 1840, Eliza, daughter of Solomon Fatzinger, who was born March 6, 1821, and died Jan. 27, 1902. They had six children: Mahlon H. Beary, born Nov. 12, 1840, died Sept. 18, 1914, attorney-at-

Biery House, Catasauqua, Built about 1760.

Lehigh county, 1856. Their son, Henry F. Marx, a graduate of Lafayette College, is li- brarian of the public library of Easton, Pa. La- vina Elizabeth, married, Feb. 22, 1853, Jonathan W. Grubb, of Chester county, Pa .; Laura G., wife of Andrew P. Wachtman; Florence A., widow of Joseph Alexander, are their children.

David Biery, born July 30, 1810, married a Mrs. Arnold.

Stephen Biery, born in Whitehall township, March 28, 1813, removed to Seneca county, New York, in 1836, married Sept. 14, 1840, Sarah Ruch; died in Waterloo, N. Y., April 25, 1890. Issue: Ten children : Susan, married Harrison Troutman ; Eliza Ann, married Henry W. Saeg- er ; Barbara Ellen, married Fred. Metzgar ; David Knox, married, Nov. 18, 1880, Caroline Brown; Isabel Victoria, married John A. Maurer; Mary Catherine, married Daniel R. Kennery ; Stephen

law, soldier in the Civil War, wounded at Antie- tam, subsequently a farmer in Missouri, gradu- ated in medicine in 1881, practiced in the West until 1891, who married Emma A. Newhard and had children : Charles N., born Nov. 2, 1865, died May 5, 1902 ; Mary E., wife of Wm. H. White; Anna V., wife of Stephen A. Sturtevant; Ger- trude C., and M. Herbert Beary, secretary and treasurer of the Penn Counties Trust Company, Allentown. Allen F. Beary, born Feb. 7, 1842, died July 10, 1844. Peter S. Beary, who mar- ried Emma E. Schindel, daughter of Rev. Jere- miah Schindel, and had three children: Major Frank D. Beary, deputy adjutant-general of Pennsylvania ; J. E. Schindel, deceased, who mar- ried Lavinia Wolfram, and had one child, Mar- garet, and Harry, deceased. Jeremiah S. T. Beary, married Mary A. Schmidt. Dr. Eli S. Beary, of Philadelphia, who married Rachel

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.

Donnelly, and has three children, Edith, wife of William Troost, Martha and Eliza. Andrew George V. Beary, who married Maria Walker Allen, and had one son, Thomas B., and second, W. Dimmit Allen.

Major Beary enlisted as a private in Company son of Peter and Emma E. (Schindel) Beary, was born Feb. 18, 1869, in Allentown. He was educated in the public schools, graduating in 1885, and then attended the Murray Private Academy, at Newark, N. J., and after gradu- ation began teaching, at the age of seventeen, in the public schools of Lehigh county, until 1904, when he became connected with E. J. Faust, as manager of his jewelry business.

Major Beary enlisted as a private in Company B, Fourth Regiment, National Guard of Penn- sylvania: was promoted to Sergeant Major on June 8, 1896, and to Adjutant on May 4, 1898; re-commissioned April 8, 1899, retaining this rank until May 7, 1908, when he was elected major of the Third Battalion. At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, he was commis- sioned Battalion Adjutant and Second Lieuten- ant by Governor Hastings. On May 21, 1898, he was appointed regimental commissary, and had charge of the provisioning of the regiment during the entire war. He was honorably mus- tered out of service, Nov. 16, 1898. He was the only member of the regiment that gained his commission during the Spanish War. He was appointed by Governor Pennypacker to organize a troop of state police to be assigned to the Wy- oming Valley and organized Troop B, at Wilkes- Barre, and established their barracks at Wyoming in 1905. Upon completion of this service he re- turned to civil life at Allentown. On Dec. 26, 1911, Major Beary was appointed by Governor Tener, deputy adjutant-general ; a signal honor, and an office sought by many officers of the Na- tional Guard. In politics Major Beary is a Re- publican. He has been a member of Christ Re- formed church since 1893, and since 1894 super- intendent of the Sunday school. He was chair- man of the building committee which erected the present church edifice in 1896, and furnished gratuitously the original plans for the church. He has been chairman of the church corpora- tion continuously since 1905. In the fall of 1905, he organized the boys' brigade of Christ Reformed church, consisting of 70 boys and is their chief instructor and drill master. He was elected in 1910, chairman of the Board of School Controllers, of the City of Allentown.

He is a member of Greenleaf Lodge, No. 561, F. & A. M., and of St. James Commandery, No. 63, Knights of Malta, having been one of the or- ganizers and its first commander. He was a

member of the Grand Lodge in 1891, and 1892. He has a large collection of war relics from Cuba, Porto Rico, and the Phillippine Islands, and an extensive private library, containing a large collection of historical works.

Major Beary married, Aug. 27, 1890, Miss Annie A., daughter of William and Rebecca (Woodward) Wolfram, of Easton. They have two children: Karl F. and Joyce E. One child, Ralph E., died in infancy.

Maria Salome Biery, eldest daughter of Hen- ry, was born at Longswamp, Jan. 30, 1773, m. Peter Mickley, and died Oct. 29, 1868. They had eleven children.

Maria Magdalena Biery, second daughter of Henry, was born at Longswamp, March 24, 1776, m. Oct. 14, 1794, Peter Mickley, son of John Martin, and died March 13, 1859, in Adams county, Pa. They had ten children.

Anna Margaretha Biery, third daughter of Henry, was born at Longswamp, June 2, 1778, married, March 23, 1795, John Mickley, son of John Martin, and died Feb. 15, 1852, in Adams county, Pa. They had nine children.

John Peter Biery, fifth son of Henry, born July 12, 1783, died in infancy.

Barbara Biery, fourth daughter of Henry, was born at Longswamp, June 5, 1782, married, Aug. 4, 1799, Henry Burkhalter, and died Sept. 23, 1834. She had 14 children.

Abraham Biery, sixth son of Henry, born April 21, 1784, at Longswamp, married Salome Burkhalter, born Dec. 7, 1785, died April 20, 1856. He died, March 14, 1853. They had seven children :

Joseph Biery, born Aug. 8, 1802, emigrated to Illinois.

Maria Salome, b. Nov. 15, 1803, married Sol- omon Woodring.

Anna, born April 29, 1805, m. Thomas Faust, and had one child, Thomas B. Faust, married Mary Ann Dorney.

Magdalena, born April 4, 1807.

Delia, born Oct. 7, 1808, married Henry Frack and settled in Iowa.

Reuben, born Oct. 19, 1810, settled in Mis- souri.

Elizabeth, born Dec. 20, 1812, married Eman- uel Kern, and settled in Iowa.

Maria Catharina Biery, fifth daughter of Henry, was born in Whitehall township, June 28, 1786, and married Peter Burkhalter. They settled in Indiana, and had twelve children.

Johan Jacob Biery, seventh son of Henry Biery, born in Whitehall township, Nov. 9. 1787, married, March 27, 1807, Salome Steck- el, daughter of John and Magdalena Steckel.

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Settled in Seneca county, New York, in spring of 1833. He was soldier of the War of 1812. He served in Captain Peter Ruch's Company of cavalry. Died Jan. 15, 1864.

Children : William Biery, born May 11, 1811, married (first) Feb. 16, 1833, Lydia Rebert; (second) Feb. 6, 1850, Mary Burkhalter, (third) Nov. 14, 1872, Mrs. Eliza Ann Gam- bee, nee Ireland. Died June 25, 1885. Issue by first wife only: Nine children-Henry, Wil- liam, Jr .; Lucinda; Mary Jane ; Ellen Elizabeth ; Sarah, M .; Lydia Ann; Eli; and Jacob.

Esther, born Aug. 22, 1808, married, Feb. 28, 1833, Peter Kohler. Died Dec. 16, 1899. Issue: Four children-Sarah Jane, Jacob, Caro- line, and Catharine.

Elizabeth Biery, sixth and youngest daughter of Henry, was born April 8, 1791, in Whitehall township, married Peter Steckel, and died Aug. 25, 1835. They had fourteen children, and re- moved to Indiana.

Another branch of the Biery family is de- scended from Michael Biery, undoubtedly a rela- tive of Joseph, probably a nephew. He frequent- ly spelled his name Bueri, which is the ancient Swiss spelling as in ancient Swiss records men- tion is made of Werner Bueri, who fell at the battle of Wyl, in 1445; Joos Bueri, governor of Thurgau in 1510, and John Bueri, councillor in 1601. Michael Biery was born Aug. 2, 1739, and came to America on Oct. 1, 1754, on the ship, "Phoenix." He appears to have settled in Albany township, Berks county, where he mar- ried Mary Eva Smith, daughter of Nicholas and Elizabeth Barbara Smith. Their first child, Elizabeth Barbara Biery, was baptized in Alle- maengel, in the house of Mr. Strasser, on April 20, 1764, by Rev. Schumacher, but died in in- fancy. Michael Biery later settled in Macungie township, where his name occurs in 1766. In 1772 he was taxed in the township and in 1788 owned 118 acres of land in Macungie. His son, John, was baptized at Lehigh church on Dec. 25, 1770, when John Bieri was one of his spon- sors. This John Bieri or Biere, was born March I, 1746, in Tagenfels, the son of Hans Ulrich Biere, and Barbara Haustey. He died May 21, 1817.

Michael Biery purchased 124 acres in Salis- bury township from George Ott on May 14, 1792, and on Feb. 27, 1796, purchased from George Voght, a tract of 173 acres in the same township, where he lived until his death. He served in the War of the Revolution in Capt. George Knappenberger's company as a drummer. He died Sept. 5, 1800, aged 61 years, and was buried in the old Salisbury church graveyard,

where his tombstone can still be deciphered. His will, dated Aug. 11, 1800, was probated Oct. 6, 1800. His widow survived him. They had four sons and four daughters, of whom one son and one daughter died in infancy. The surviv- ing six children, who are all mentioned in his will, were:

Magdalena Biery, born April 16, 1766, died Sept. 30, 1831. She married Jacob Diefenderfer, born March 16, 1765, died Sept. 29, 1837.

Barbara Biery, born July 2, 1767, died Dec. 7, 1847. She married Herman Rupp, born Nov. 7, 1756, died Aug. 30, 1831.

John Biery, born Oct. 28, 1770, of whom be- low.

Jacob Biery, born Feb. 23, 1773. He resided in Salisbury township and with his wife, Su- sanna, had several children.

Catharine Biery, born 1776, married Conrad Bieber. They had a son, Henry Bieber, who married Rebecca Straub.

Henry Biery, born Oct. 2, 1783, married, Sept. 14, 1806, Catharine, daughter of John Bieber, and had several children.

John Biery, eldest son of Michael, was born in Macungie township, October 28, 1770, and died in Salisbury township, Jan. 16, 1828. He married, June 17, 1798, Catharine, daughter of Daniel and Veronica Troxell, of Whitehall township. She was born Nov. 13, 1779, and died Jan. 23, 1858. They had six sons and six daughters: Henry; Jonathan; Abraham, born June 15, 1805 ; John; Nathan ; Daniel ; Veronica, born Sept. 2, 1807, married Dec. 24, 1826; George Reinhard; Elizabeth; Catharine, born July 23, 1812, married, Aug. 9, 1829, Henry Reinhard; Annie; Lydia, and Maria.

Henry Biery, eldest son of John, was born March 3, 1799. He farmed a portion of the homestead in Salisbury until 1837, when he re- moved to Venango county, where he died, Feb. 15, 1881. He married Esther Slotterer, and had eight sons and three daughters. One son was Hon. James S. Biery, member of congress from the Lehigh-Montgomery district from 1873 to 1875. He was born in Venango county, March 2, 1839, and became a teacher in that county and in Lehigh county. He was admitted to the bar in 1868 and practiced law at Allen- town until his death, Dec. 3, 1904. He married Annie, daughter of Elias Mertz, and had one son, Arthur L.

Jonathan Biery, second son of John, was born Feb. 2, 1801. He married Veronica Roth and had five children: John, Jacob, of Clyde, Kans- as; Philip; Mrs. William Unangst, and Mrs. George Kauffman. John Biery, son of Jonathan, was born April 1, 1829, and died Dec. 13, 1905.

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.

He was in the coal business and operated lime kilns at Allentown for many years, and was a member of Zion Reformed church. He married, in 1853, Mary A. Geidner, daughter of Timothy and Elizabeth Geidner. She was born March 18, 1831, and died May 2, 1903. They had five children: Eliza, wife of Levi Camp; Emma, wife of William Mack; Jacob G .; Hannah, wife of Charles Esser, and Charles, deceased, who married Ida Myer. Jacob G. Biery, who suc- ceeded to his father's business, married Annie Esser, and had four children: Miriam, Roy J., Fred C., and Kathleen S.

Daniel Biery, son of John, was born Jan. I, 1819, and died Jan. 25, 1895. He was a tailor as well as a farmer in Salisbury township and a member and official of the Western Salisbury church. He married (first) Catharine Seems, and had three children: Amanda S., widow of Lewis Benner, of 138 North Twelfth street, Al- lentown; Henry A., born Feb. 27, 1846, a deal- er in antique furniture, at Charlottesville, Va., and Susan, married Harry Fluck. He married (second) Catharine, daughter of George Hottel, born April 6, 1828, died Jan. 11, 1910. They had three children: James W., and Anna M. and Mary J., both of Lower Macungie.

JAMES WALTER BIERY, a well-known farmer of Lower Macungie, was born Oct. 18, 1857, on the old Biery farm, near the former state fishery, in Salisbury township. He was edu- cated in the township schools and the Kutztown Normal School, and continued with his father on the farm until 1889. After working at the fishery for a short time, he moved to the 60-acre farm of his father-in-law, which he since suc- cessfully conducted.

Mr. Biery married Lesta A., daughter of Jon- athan and Mary (Wickert) Wenner, formerly of Wennersville, now living, in his seventy- seventh year, with his son-in-law. Mrs. Wenner was born April 3, 1823, and died Sept. 20, 1907. They have four children: Flora Mabel; Ellis Stanley, who was educated in the common and high schools, preparatory school and Muhlen- berg College; John Wenner, a graduate of the Emaus high school, employed at Hess Bros., and Paul Harold, a student. Mr. Biery is a mem- ber of the Western Salisbury church, where he has been deacon, elder, trustee, and treasurer and superintendent of the Sunday school for ten years. He is a Democrat in politics and has served as judge of election in the township.

John Biery, son of Jonathan and Veronica (Roth) Biery, was married to Mary Geidner, a daughter of Timothy and Elizabeth ( Kemmer- er) Geidner. They had five children ,viz: I. Eliza, married to Levi Camp. 2. Emma, mar-

ried to William Mack. 3. Jacob G. 4. Han- nah, married to Charles Esser. 5. Charles, mar- ried to Ida Myer, and had two children: Veron- ica and Mary.

Jacob G. Biery was born in Allentown in 1859. He obtained his educational foundation in the public schools, the Gregory Academy and the Allentown Business College. His father had been engaged in the lime and coal business and after Jacob G. Biery left school he entered his father's employ as a clerk and continued to serve him until twenty-three years of age, and was then admitted into partnership, a relationship which continued till 1903, when the father retired and Jacob G. Biery organized the Lehigh Lime & Coal Company, which he conducted until 1908, since then he is a salesman. Mr. Biery is a Re- publican in politics, and is affiliated with a num- ber of lodges and clubs of Allentown.

He was married to Annie Esser, a daughter of William and Mary ( Haines) Esser. They have four children, viz: Miriam, Roy J., Fred, and Kathleen.

ROY JACOB BIERY, a real estate dealer of Al- lentown, was born in that city, June 18, 1885. He was educated in the Second ward public schools and graduated from the Allentown Busi- ness College in 1901. He then became an assist- ant to his father in the lime and coal business until 1905, at which time he accepted a position with the New York Ship Building Co., at South Camden, N. J., and continued in their employ two and one-half years, when he resigned to enter the employ of Joseph F. Gorman, the large real estate dealer of Allentown. Mr. Biery con- tinued in his employ eighteen months, and on his twenty-fourth birthday he entered the real estate business for himself, in which he has made a phenomenal success.

He and his wife are members of Zion's Re- formed church, and Mr. Biery is a member of the F. O. E. On his twentieth birthday he married Lillian M. Kistler, a daughter of Joseph and Ele- vina (Neff) Kistler. No issue.

HENRY DIETRICH BIEVER.

Henry Dietrich Biever was for many years a grocer, in Allentown, Pa. He was born near Harrisburg, Pa., in 1830, and attended the pub- lic schools and assisted his father in the conduct of a general store near Harrisburg.

He remained with his father until 1863 when he removed to Allentown, Pa., and engaged in the grocery business on Hamilton street. He continued this business for several years when he sold out. He formed a partnership with Mr. Erdman and they conducted a grocery business for two years, when he entered the employ of

HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Joseph Young, a hardware dealer, where he re- mained a trusted employer for twenty-eight years. In politics he was a Republican, and a member, elder, and trustee of St. Matthew's Lutheran church. He was devoted to his fam- ily.

He married, in 1852, Miss Rosa A. Cooper, daughter of Dr. Daniel L. and Mary Ann (Hoke) Cooper, of Lebanon, Pa. Their chil- dren were: Mary Ellen, born 1849; died in 1891 ; Daniel Henry, who married Louise Kern, who had two children, viz: Henry K., who died aged 22, and Claude Cooper Biever, who mar- ried Flossie Moyer, daughter of Samuel Moyer. They have one child, Rosa A.

Henry Dietrich Biever died July 30, 1900. Interment was in West End Cemetery, Allen- town, Pa.

His father was Samuel Biever, was a business- man at Annville, Pa., and later was engaged in the general store business, near Harrisburg, Pa.

He married a Forber and their children were: William; George; Henry, of whom above; John, of Dayton, O .; Samuel, of New Orleans, La .; Sarah (Hillman; and Lucinda (Graberd).

Dr. Daniel L. Cooper, father of Mrs. Rosa A. Biever, was born at Philadelphia, where he studied medicine. He practiced successfully at Coopersburg, and in Hanover township, then settled at Jonestown, Pa., where he remained until his death, at the age of 76 years. Inter- ment was in the Reformed church cemetery.

Mrs. Biever, now at the age of 80 years, is still in possession of all her faculties, being able to read without the aid of glasses. She is a lady of culture and refinement, and a member of St. Paul's Lutheran church, and to which she is a generous contributor. She is the president of the Sewing Circle of that church.

BIGGE FAMILY.

Frederick Bigge, who was born in Stengart, Germany, died at Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. He emigrated to this country in his early youth, and became a contractor and builder of Alle- gheny City. He married Katherine Steitley, also born in Stengart, Germany, who is now living at No. 129 South Fourth street, Allentown. They had children : William Frederick, of further mention ; Frederick, deceased; Mary, married Edward Thorner, in the employ of the American Steel & Wire Company; Herman, a draftsman, in Pittsburgh; Henry, is a carpenter at Reading; Katie and Catherine, died in infancy.

William Frederick, son of Frederick and Kath- erine (Steitley) Bigge, was born at Allegheny City, Jan. 10, 1878. He obtained an excellent public school education, after which he took a

course in civil engineering in a Scranton school. His first business position was with Bieber & Easton, as cash boy, and he then became a clerk in a dry goods store in Allegheny, having com- menced his business career at an early age. He retained this position until 1898, when he be- came yard foreman in the lumber concern of Bigge & Thorner, remaining with them until 1900, when he became yard foreman for the Munn Lumber Company, in Pittsburgh, until 1902. From Sept. 1, 1902, until Sept. 30, 1903, he was construction engineer at the Schoenberger Works of the American Steel & Wire Company, at Pittsburgh. From January, 1904, to April, 1910, he had charge of the construction work at the Rankin Works of the American Steel & Wire Company, at Rankin. April 6, 1910, he was promoted to the position of assistant superinten- dent of the Allentown Works of the American Steel & Wire Works, where he has upward of twelve hundred hands under his supervision. In politics he is an independent voter ; is a member of the Lutheran Church and of the Royal Ar- canum. Mr. Bigge married Matilda, a daughter of Herman and Mary Koppman.

BILLIG FAMILY.

The Sixteenth Century is one of the most not- able periods of all history, for then the great masses began to realize that their consciences were dominated by the priests, while their lords regarded them as vassals and mere chattels. John Calvin, born in 1509, in Picardy, France, be- came the great spiritual leader of the oppressed Huguenots. Between the Revocation of the Edict at Nantes in 1685 and the Edict of Tol- eration in 1787, the situation was terrible, and thousands of people fled in poverty to America. Among this number were the Adam, Brobst. Bailey, Billig, Frees and other families, who settled in Allemangel, in Berks and Lehigh coun- ties, in Pennsylvania.

Johann Arnold Billig emigrated on the ship "Pink Mary," which landed at Philadelphia on Sept. 29, 1733. In the year 1752 he settled in Allemangel, and there seven years later he and his son Francis were taxable residents, the former then paying a tax of eight pounds and the latter of seven pounds. The Federal cen- sus of 1790 records "Widow" Billig as the head of a family of eight children, three being sons under sixteen years of age. She lived in Greenwich township, where members of the family still live. The Billigs are scattered over Berks, Schuylkill and Lehigh counties.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. II, Part 19

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