History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. II, Part 46

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 46

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OLIVER DELONG is a son of David DeLong, who lived and died in Heidelberg township, where he followed the occupation of farming. The old homestead is now in the possession of his son, Frank. In politics he was a Republican. His remains lie buried at the Heidelberg church, where he was a member of the Reformed congre- gation, in which he held various offices of honor and trust. To him and his wife, Marietta Reber, were born eight children, all of whom are still living. They are: Griffith, James, Oliver, Henry, Frank, Alice, Louisa, and Valeria.

Oliver was born in Heidelberg township, Nov. 20, 1857. He was reared on the farm and edu- cated in the public schools. In 1883 he began to operate his father-in-law's farm in Washing- ton township, and has continued up to the present time. Through inheritance his wife, Flora A. Blose, became the owner of it. The farm origin- ally comprised forty-two acres to which Mr. De- Long has added a neighboring tract of thirty acres. On this adjoining tract stands an old stone house, which during the building of the Berks & Lehigh Railroad was used as a hotel. He also owns another adjoining farm of sixty-five acres, which is cultivated by his son, David S. In politics he is a Republican. He and his family are members of the Heidelberg Reformed con- gregation, in which he has served as a deacon and where for many years he is a member of the chair. He was married in 1882. This union is blessed with twelve children: David, Elinora, Katie, Minnie, Emma, Ellen, Louisa, Lillie, Irene, Frank O., Clara, Edna. Of these, Elinora and Emma have died.

JOHN E. DELONG, clerk at Ironton, is a grandson of Joel DeLong. His father, David J. DeLong, was born Sept. 17, 1862. As a young man his father worked in the mines in North Whitehall township and later was employed by Paul Balliet, at Ballietsville, having charge of his horses and cattle. Since 1894 he is employed as a teamster by Hon. O. E. Leh, at Egypt, during all this time he resides near Ballietsville. He is a

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

member of the Unionville Reformed congregation, in which he serves as deacon. On Sept. 13, 1890, he was married to Ella J. Troxell, a daughter of James and Elemina (Koch) Troxell. To them were born four children: John E., Sam- uel, Harvey, and Maggie.

John E. DeLong was born in North White- hall township, March 19, 1892. He obtained a fair education in the splendid schools of his na- tive township. Since 1910 he is engaged as clerk in the general store at Ironton. He is a young man of ability and promise. He enjoys member- ship in Lodge Knights of Slatington, and the Camp of P. O. S. of A., located at Egypt.

Joseph DeLong, son of Paul and the father of Prof. Edgar DeLong, was born in Upper Milford township. He was a millwright by trade, which he followed for many years, working chiefly in Lower Lehigh and Upper Bucks counties. About the year 1877 he engaged in farming near Trum- bauersville, Bucks county. He retired from active life in 1892 and died Dec. 5, 1895. To him and his wife, Elizabeth Kline, a daughter of Joseph and Catharine ( Harring) Kline, of Bucks county, were born seven children: Harvey; Hiram; Katie, married to Alfred Koch; Frank- lin; William; Edgar; and Howard. Of these, Harvey, Hiram and Howard reside at Allen- town. Franklin died aged 26 years and William was accidentally killed on the railroad in 1911. Mr. DeLong was a faithful member of the Re- formed Church, serving at various times as dea- con, elder and trustee.

PROF. EDGAR DELONG, musical director at the Ebenezer church, New Tripoli, was born at Trumbauersville, Bucks county, April 26, 1884. He was educated in the public schools of his na- tive township and at the American Business Col- lege, Allentown. In early youth he indicated a special aptitude for music. In 1899 he studied privately under the famous musician, W. S. Ben- edict, of Philadelphia. In 1905, he was elected the organist at Grace Lutheran church, South Allentown. After serving for a period of two and one-half years, he was elected to a similar posi- tion in the Trumbauersville congregation, a con- gregation numbering more than six hundred. On Christmas Day, 1909, he was unanimously elected organist of the Ebenezer church at New Tripoli, a congregation numbering more than eight hun- dred. The choir at Ebenezer is exceptionally well trained. He conducts large classes in music. His private pupils often exceed sixty in number. He is Lutheran in faith. Socially he enjoys fel- lowship in Livingston Castle, K. of F., and Camp No. 596, P. O. S. of A., of Trumbauersville. He was married Dec. 22, 1906, to Estella Eisen-

hart, a daughter of Charles and Emma (Krum) Eisenhart.

BENJAMIN .. DELONG, a son of Benjamin and Carolina (Wetzell) DeLong, was born in Lower Milford township. He was raised on the farm and attended the common schools. He learned the carpentering trade and followed it for nine years. On June 22, 1895, he married Katie L. Dorney, a daughter of Henry W. and Ella (Fegely) Dorney, and they have one child, Carrie M., who resides at home. In 1907, Mr. DeLong engaged in farming and in 1911 took possession of the Dorney farm of 96 acres at Dorneysville, and is an up-to-date and prosperous farmer.

Abraham DeLong, who settled in the upper part of Lehigh county, is supposed to have been related to Peter and may have been a brother. He died in 1756, leaving a widow and nine chil- dren and a tract of two hundred acres. Among his children were three sons: Mathias, Lucus, and Edward. John DeLong, apparently of this fam- ily, rendered valiant service in the cause of In- dependence, both in the field and on the frontier, guarding against Indian attacks. In 1792 he was employed by Henry Drinker to cut a road from the settlements into wilds which he had purchased from the state. This tract of 25,000 acres con- sisted of the unsettled land on the head-waters of the Lehigh river and DeLong's creek, and com- prised parts of Wayne, Pike, Monroe, and Lacka- wanna counties. This road passed the romantic Lake Henry, and ended in a branch on the Le- high, known as Bell Meadow brook.

DENGLER FAMILY.

In the year 1737 Jacob Dengler emigrated to America, coming from Germany, probably from Wittenberg. His brother, Andreas, who soon fol- lowed, died in America, unmarried. Jacob Deng- ler settled near Amityville, Berks county, and there built a forge and manufactured various iron implements. His remains are buried at the Swamp church.

Henry Dengler, the progenitor of the Deng- lers in Oley township, Berks county, a grandson of Jacob, was born Oct. 3, 1792, in Amity town- ship. He married Sarah Guldin, a lineal descend- ant of the Rev. Semuel Guldin, who emigrated to this country from Switzerland in 1710, and was the first Reformed minister in Pennsylvania. Henry Dengler moved from Amity to Friedens- burg, now Oley, in 1829, and engaged in a mer- cantile business, in which he continued until near the close of his life. He was very active in pub- lic affairs, and took a deep interest in church mat- ters, being one of the chief promoters of the build-

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.

ing of the First Reformed church at Friedensburg, Berks county, in 1830, donating the land and con- tributing liberally otherwise. For many years he served as an officer of the Reformed Church. His death occurred March 19, 1860, when he was sixty-seven years, five months and sixteen days old. His wife, Sarah, died Oct. 30, 1883, aged seventy-six years, seven months and twenty-five days. Their children were: Henry G., deceased ; John G .; James G .; Harriet, married to John C. Nipe, and lives in Philadelphia; George, lives in Clarion county ; Washington, who enlisted at the age of eighteen, served for two years in the Civil War, was captured July 24, 1863, and kept a prisoner in Richmond until March 23, 1864, when he was taken to Andersonville, South Caro- lina, and there died of starvation, May 6, 1864; Jacob, married to Sarah N. Diehl, died in Feb- ruary, 1905, aged seventy-one years; Mary Ann, married to Isaac Vansickle; William G .; Su- sanna G .; Daniel G .; and Louisa G .; who have all departed this life.

The Rev. Dr. James G. Dengler, youngest son of Henry, has been in the ministry of the Reformed Church since June, 1874. He is a graduate of Franklin and Marshall College at Lancaster, and of the Theological Seminary lo- cated there. For nearly a quarter of a century he served one charge in Sellersville, Bucks county, Pa .; other charges served by him were Maytown, Lancaster county, Pa., and Weissport, Carbon county, Pa. Dr. Dengler has been a frequent con- tributor to various publications, both religious and secular, and is a scholarly man of marked attain- ments. As a religious leader he has few equals in devoted piety and earnestness, of both life and teachings.

John G. Dengler, the revered veteran school teacher of Berks county, is a resident of Friedens- burg, Oley township, where he was born Oct. 29, 1837. His education was obtained in the Oley Academy under Prof. Jacob H. Major, and the Freeland Seminary under Prof. Hunsicker. He was licensed to teach in the public schools under the first county superintendent of Berks county, Rev. William A. Good, in 1857, and taught the first term in Oley township, in school house No. I. Prof. Dengler has since been teaching every successive school term (except during his army service), and also conducted select schools each spring term. He has instructed thousands of boys and girls of Berks county, forming their charac- ters through his excellent example, as he shaped their minds with his wise precepts, and he is held in highest respect by the entire county. He is now teaching the grandchildren of his first pupils. Prof. Dengler possesses a kind and benev- olent disposition, which is shown in his intelligent

face, and is loved for his many excellent traits and lofty ideals of life.

During the many years that he has labored in Berks county he has witnessed many changes, es- pecially in the public school system. His first salary was twenty-two dollars per months of twenty-two days. Not only has he instructed the children under him the text of their books, but gave them the benefit of his wide experience, varied reading and exhaustive studies, and never failed to hold up the highest possible standards before their young eyes.

On April 18, 1861, Mr. Dengler, filled with patriotism, enlisted in Co. C, 7th Pa. V. I., at Harrisburg, and was in active service at Martins- burg, Va. His first enlistment was for but three months; however, on Oct. 30, 1861, he re-enlisted at Reading, for three years, in Battery M, U. S. A., Capt. James McKnight commanding, and saw some very hard service, passing through the en- tire Peninsular campaign, and participating in the battles of the Wilderness. When he was must- ered out, Oct. 30, 1864, at Staten Island, N. Y., he was in the Sixth Army Corps.

Having thus devoted over three years of his life to his country, Prof. Dengler came back to Reading, where he arrived after midnight on Oct. 31, 1864 ; so anxious was he to see his dear ones that he walked to Friedensburg, a distance of twelve miles. The following day he engaged to teach the school he had left three and one-half years before, at the call of duty, and accepted the position at the earnest solicitation of the patrons, who were anxious to secure his distinguished serv- ices. Prof. Dengler has also been active in church work, ever since young manhood, and is a mem- ber of Friedens Reformed church, of which he has been an elder and trustee. He is a trustee of the Friedens cemetery company ; a trustee of the Oley Academy, founded in 1857, holding this office since 1875. Since his youth Prof. Dengler has been a faithful teacher in the Sunday school.

He is a member of Minnehaha Lodge, No. 154, K. of P., at Oley ; also Jr. O. U. A. M. Council, No. 23, of the same place. In addition to all his other duties Prof. Dengler is the correspondent to all the Reading daily papers at Friedensburg

In 1907, at the Berks County Teachers Insti- tute, an hour was set apart in recognition of Prof. Dengler's long and faithful services as a public instructor at which time he was presented with a silver loving cup, fifty dollars in gold, and seventy carnations, the last named representing the num- ber of years he had lived. Those having the program in charge very fittingly selected his birth- day for the presentation day, and the speech which accompanied the gifts, as well as his reply, will never be forgotten by those present.

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Prof. Dengler has been twice married. His first wife to whom he was married in January, 1860, was Catharine Schlotman, daughter of John and Lydia (Shade) Schlotman. She was born in Oley, in 1839, and died May 5, 1875, aged thirty-five years, the mother of children, as follows: Annie, married Harvey. Wismer, de- ceased, has four children, as follows: Carl, Mil- lard, deceased, Frank, and Ralph, and lives at Philadelphia; Millie, married Benjamin Swavely, deceased, has five children, as follows: Miriam, married to Edwin Deisher; Hattie, Grace, and two who died in infancy, and lives at Friedens- burg; Lilla, deceased, married Milton A. Bieber, of Reading, had four children, as follows: Bertha, married to Leroy Smith; Ambrose, and two died in infancy; Calvin and Clara, who died in in- fancy; and Harvey S. Dengler, an enterprising insurance man of Allentown, was born Jan. 21, 1872, at Oley Friedensburg, Berks county, Pa.

In 1878 Prof. Dengler married his second wife, Kate L. (Ritter) Yoder, widow of Thomas Yoder, with whom he had three children: Wil- liam, who has an R. F. D. mail route at Oley, is married to Ella Christman, and has ten chil- dren, as follows: Blanche, Harvey, John, Ella, William, Alton, Leroy, Earl, and two died in in- fancy; John was drowned when fourteen years old; Sallie, married to Alton Wiest, of Reading, the mother of two children, as follows: Ruth and Earl.

HARVEY S. DENGLER, the fifth child of John G. and Catherine S. Dengler, and subject of this sketch, received his education in the public schools, and Oley Academy, and later commenced teach- ing school at the age of seventeen, at Pricetown, for three years.

On April 29, 1892, Harvey S. Dengler engaged in the insurance business with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company at Reading for three years, and from March 25, 1895, with the Balti- more Life Insurance Company, at Pottsville, for six years. On April 1, 1901, he came to Allen- town, and located his office at 711 Hamilton street, where he is the superintendent of the Balti- more Life Insurance Company, which he repre- sented during the past nineteen years.

Mr. Dengler is a member of Salem Evangeli- cal church, Allentown, and superintendent of the Sunday school for the past ten years. He is also treasurer of the East Penna. Conference Branch of the Young People's Alliance, and one of the first eight lay delegates of the East Penna. Con- ference of the Evangelical Association ; steward of the church, and member of the choir ; a representa- tive of the church to the organized Bible Class and Laymen's Missionary Movement; also mem- ber of the Young Men's Christian Association.

He is also a member of the following orders: Worshipful Master during the year 1915 Green- leaf Lodge, No. 561, F. & A. M .; Allen Com- mandery, No. 20, K. T .; Allen Chapter, No. 203, R. A. M .; Allen Council, No. 23, R. & S. M .; Rajah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S .; Caldwell Consistory, S. P. R. S .; Ann Penn Allen Chap- ter, No. 145, O. E. S.

On Nov. 28, 1895, he married Anna Schultz, born at Reading, March 26, 1871, daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Althouse) Schultz, and sister of Mrs. Rev. Simon Sipple, pastor of Zion's Re- formed church of Allentown, and Mrs. Harry L. Mohr, of the Lehigh Valley Shoe & Rubber Com- pany, of the same city. From this union two chil- dren were born: a daughter who died in infancy, and a son, John Samuel, born Nov. 9, 1909.

DENNIS FAMILY.

This family has been located in Berks county, Pennsylvania, long before the close of the eigh- teenth century. Anthony and John Dennis were heads of families in East District (now District) township, as recorded in the federal census in 1790. Anthony had one son less than sixteen years old.

William Dennis was born Jan. 1, 1800, in Longswamp township, which adjoined East Dis- trict township, Berks county, and doubtless was a descendant of Anthony or John Dennis. He was reared upon a farm and educated in the com- mon schools. He was a shoemaker. In politics he was a Democrat, and in religion, a Lutheran. He married Esther Eisenhart, born about 1807. Issue : Sarah, Tilghman, Eliza, William, Charles, Lewis and Fianna, now the only sur- viving member of the family. Charles, the third son of William Dennis, was born in Longswamp township. He was a, miller. He was a member of the Lutheran Church. He was married to Elmira Coe. Their children were: William, Allan and Sarah.

William Dennis, son of Charles Dennis, was born in 1868 in Longswamp township. He was educated in the public schools. In his youth he assisted his father in his mill and later was a farmer in Upper Milford township until in 1911 he came to Allentown and is a valued employee of L. H. Yager & Co. In politics he is a Demo- crat and in religion a Lutheran. He is a mem- ber of Liberty Bell Circle Brotherhood of America. In 1891 he married Maggie Fegley, of Longswamp township. Issue : one son, Charles E., whose history follows.

CHARLES E. DENNIS, photographer at No. 213 North Twelfth street, Allentown, was born April 30, 1892; was educated in the public schools and the Emaus high school. He came

E- Milans / Bro.

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.

to Allentown in 1908 to become a salesman for J. M. and E. D. Cameron, piano dealers. The following year he accepted a similar position with H. S. Schultz and in 1911 he associated himself with Victor B. Boyer, a photographer whom he succeeded in the commercial end of the business in 1912. Mr. Dennis is a member of Greenleaf Lodge, No. 257, K. of P., and the St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

D. GEORGE DERY.

D. George. Dery, of Catasauqua, has been ac- tively and prominently identified with the silk industry for many years, being at the present time (1914) the most extensive silk manufac- turer in the United States, operating sixteen mills, employing about 3,000 hands, and having a busi- ness second to none in this country.

In 1886 he came to the United States, and at once assumed charge of a large silk mill at Pater- son, New Jersey, which city is noted for its many silk manufacturing plants, and remained in the capacity of superintendent of the same mill until the year 1892, when he engaged in business on his own account, having accumulated sufficient capi- tal from his earnings. He erected a silk mill in Paterson, which he operated until 1897, under the name of D. George Dery, and in that year moved his plant to Catasauqua, Lehigh county, Pennsyl- vania, where he established his home and which has since been the base of his operations. He erected his first plant in the Lehigh Valley at Catasauqua, which gives employment to three hundred and fifty operators, thus making it one of the principal industries of the "Iron City," adding to its growth and welfare. The Dery mill is of brick and well equipped with all the DESCH FAMILY. latest improved machinery for the purpose of Adam Desh came from Wurtemberg, Ger- many, and settled upon a large tract of land along the South mountain, about two miles south of the borough of Macungie. He obtained his land upon a patent on Sept. 23, 1788. He and his wife, Gertrude, had a family of six children : Jacob, Philip, Catharine (married to Melcher Baer), Elizabeth (married to. John Stahl), Mary (married to Christian Remert), and Sal- lie (married to Frederick Ganmer). manufacturing silk dress goods and staple silks. In 1900, he acquired the plant at East Mauch Chunk, Pa., which is on a more extensive scale, and gives employment to more than five hundred hands. Not being able to supply the demand from the two above mentioned plants, he erected an- other silk mill at Allentown, in 1902, where he gives employment to more than five hundred hands, and in the twelve intervening years has constantly added other mills, thus largely in- creasing his facilities for his constantly increasing Jacob, son of Adam, was married to Elizabeth Baner, who was born in 1769, died May, 1853. They were the parents of the following children : George, Daniel, John, Jacob, Charles, Maria and Catharine. business. All of the mills are substantial struc- tures, well equipped for the successful conduct of silk manufacture, and are located as follows: Al- lentown, Mill A; Allentown, Mill B; Allentown, Mill C; South Bethlehem, Mill A; South Bethle- Jacob, son of Jacob was a stone mason and re- hem, Mill B; East Mauch Chunk, Pa .; North- sided in Macungie. He was the father of the ampton, Pa .; Catasauqua, Pa .; Emaus, Pa .; following children: Rev. William, Jacob, lived west" of Macungie; Rev. Henry, Jonathan, a marble cutter ; Elvina, married Daniel Butz ; Wind Gap, Pa .; Kutztown, Pa .; Scranton, Pa .; Olyphant, Pa .: Taunton, Mass .; Forest City,

Pa :; Marietta, Pa. "They add materially to the growth and welfare of the sections where they are located, and not only the Lehigh Valley, but other localities as well have been benefited by the energy, enterprise and progressive ideas of Mr. Dery, who is held in high honor by his subordin- ates and employees. Mr. Dery, in company with Senator A. G. DeWalt, developed an extensive plot of real estate in the vicinity of Muhlenberg College, Allentown, in 1913, which is now be- coming the finest residential section of Allentown. In additon to this, Mr. Dery is the owner of several hundred acres of fine farm land in North- ampton county, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Dery purchased a fine residence, No. 926 Hamilton street, Allentown, in 1912, which was formerly the residence of Colonel H. C. Trexler, being in his possession from 1889 to 1912, a pe- riod .of almost a quarter of a century. Mr. Dery is a member of the Lehigh County Historical So- ciety ; the Livingston Club, of Allentown; the Hamilton Club, of Paterson, New Jersey ; the Lehigh County Club; the Northampton County Club; the Bethlehem Club ; the Manhattan Club, New York; and the Manufacturers' Club, of Philadelphia. He is public spirited and enterpris- ing, a man of marked individuality of character, well informed on the current topics of the day, and his active career has been a power for good in the communities where he has resided. He is married and resides in a palatial residence at Catasauqua. Mr. Dery is a lover of the home and fireside and his community bears evidence that he is the happiest in .the companionship of his estimable wife and children.

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Hattie, married Emanuel Gerhart; Sarah and Mary.

Rev. Henry Desch was born in Upper Mil- ford in 1824. In 1854 he was selected by the German Baptist congregation as one of their pastors in Upper Milford and Macungie. He was married to Maria Ganmer. They were the parents of ten children: Wilson, Charles H., Ada, Alfred, Sophie, Morris, Annie and three children who died in infancy.

Charles H. Desch son of Rev. Henry, was born March 31, 1863. At the age of twenty years he learned the baking trade and followed it for five years. He is a member of Trinity Reformed Church, in Allentown. He holds membership in the I. O. O. F. and the K. of P. In politics Mr. Desch is a Democrat. He held the position of night sergeant under Mayor Har- ry G. Stiles and Clerk to the chief of police under Mayor C. W. Rinn. In 1887 he was married to Matilda, daughter of Captain Tilgh- man and Angeline Klechner. They have three children : Lillian L, C. Henry, Jr., and Paul T.

Rev. William Desch, a minister of the Ger- man Baptist Church, was born in 1816 and died in 1895. He preached at Macungie, Vera Cruz and Allentown. He was married to Angelina Keiser. This union was blessed with the follow- ing children: Emma, married to B. B. Yellis; George, was superintendent of schools in Allen- town, and later at Bethlehem. He died Nov. 18, 1888; Alexander K., of Macungie; John, Wil- liam K. and James K.

William K. Desch, son of Rev. William, was born in Upper Milford in 1851. He was edu- cated in the public school of his native place and the Millersville Normal School. He taught in the public school of Lehigh county three terms, in Bucks county, one term, and in Schuylkill county, three terms. Since leaving the school room he has followed bookkeeping. Since 1898 he is with the Lehigh Valley Shoe Company, of Allentown. He and family are members of the Baptist Church, where he is a teacher in the Sun- day school. In 1885 he was married to Marga- ret J. Bell, daughter of Maberry M. Bell, who was chief burgess of Pottsville, Pa.

Alexander K. Desch, son of Rev. William, was born in Upper Milford. He is a machinist and resides at Macungie. He was a member of the school board for a number of years. He and family are members of the Baptist Church, where he filled the office of superintendent of the Sun- day school for a number of years. He was mar- ried to Sarah, a daughter of Aaron Erdman.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. II, Part 46

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