History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. II, Part 49

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 49

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HON. ARTHUR G. DEWALT.

Reuben Dewalt, son of Joseph, was the father of Hon. Arthur G. Dewalt, was born in 1829, died in Allentown, Lehigh county, in 1900. He married Annie E. Bieber, born at Kutztown, Berks county, in 1832, died at her home, No. 309 North Sixth street, Allentown, Dec. 25, 1910. She was one of the most widely known and es- teemed women of Allentown, and was promi- nently associated with St. John's Lutheran church of Allentown, keeping up her religious and social activities to the end, sending numerous Christ- mas greetings to her many friends. Children: Arthur G., of whom further; and a daughter, who died in infancy.

Hon. Arthur G. Dewalt was born in Bath, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, Oct. II, 1854. He was graduated from the Keystone State Normal School, at Kutztown in 1870, en- tered the sophomore class of Lafayette College in 1871, graduating with honors in 1874. He then taught one term in Olney Academy, a pre- paratory school for colleges, as an instructor in classics. He next entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad in Philadelphia, where he remained for a year, after which he entered the law office of Hon. John D. Stiles, as a student, in April, 1876, and was admitted to the bar of Le- high county, Oct. 22, 1877. He achieved a large degree of success in the practice of his profes- sion, ranking among the leading members of the legal fraternity. He was elected district attorney of Lehigh county, Nov. 2, 1880, serving three years; was admitted to the Supreme Court of

Pennylvania in 1883; admitted to all the courts in Philadelphia in 1889. He served as adjutant of the National Guard of Pennsylvania for a period of ten years.

In 1902 Mr. Dewalt was elected senator from Lehigh county, and immediately on entering upon his duties in Harrisburg, his ability was rec- ognized and he became the leader of the Demo- cratic forces there, continuing as such during his eight years' stay in the upper legislative body of the state. During his membership in the Sen- ate, he was foremost in advocating all reform measures, among which were the reform ballot laws, the apportionment bill, the regulation of banks, insurance, etc. He voted and spoke for the corrupt practice act; introduced a bill com- pelling competitive bids for county bridges ; voted for the civil service law and for the repeal of the Philadelphia ripper bills; secured increased ap- propriations for the Allentown and St. Luke's hospitals; advocated the bill requiring the pur- chase of school books by the state for the town- ships of the first class; for the law providing for destitute children to be sent to the Soldiers' Or- phans' Home; the law permitting children to at- tend high school in adjoining districts; voted for the Antietam memorial bills; for the Vicksburg and Shiloh memorial bills; for the establishment of national guard armories, the benefits of which Allentown will soon enjoy; opposed the erection of a statue to Senator Quay ; voted against grant- ing the right of eminent domain to water com- panies thus preserving the waters of the state from corporations ; the bill allowing pay to school direc- tors while attending institutes was favored by him, also the increase of teachers' pay; in the interest of the farmers he voted for a rebate of taxation for the planting of trees along the public highways; voted for the appropriation for state normal schools, and for the establishment of free public libraries, and advanced and voted for the bill providing for free medical attendance to poor people afflicted with hydrophobia. It is acknowl- edged that he was a leading member of the In- surance Investigating Committee and the Capitol Graft Investigation Committee. He was dele- gate to various Democratic state conventions, and was the chairman of the Commitee on Resolu- tions a number of times. He also served as state chairman a number of years and was nom- inated for Auditor General of Pennsylvania. In 1914 he was nominated under the general primary act for Congress in the Berks and Lehigh Dis- trict, and elected on Nov. 3, 1914.

DIEFENDERFER FAMILY.

This family derives its name from the village of Dübendorf, situated on the left side of the

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.

Glatt river, between Fellanden and Schwamendin- gen, belonging to the jurisdiction of the city of Zurich, in Switzerland. The name was formerly Dübeldorf, Toubilindorf and Tobelndorf, and in ancient times possessed a nobility of its own, as Burkhard and Gerlo are mentioned in the year 1130 in a document concerning the cloister at Fahr. In 1195, Werner von Tubelndorf was a witness to a deed at the convent of Seldnau, and in 1229, Cuno von Dübendorf, Knight, witnessed a deed at the cloister of Zurichberg. In 1274 Conrad von Dübendorf was a member of the Knights' council in the city of Zurich. The church at Dübendorf is mentioned as early as 1420. It was enlarged in 1682, and was damaged by fire on Sept. 6, 1690, when the school house was destroyed. It was considerably enlarged in 1743, 1754 and 1763. The records of this church prior to 1690 were destroyed in the fire of that year, and no records of the ancient home of this family, located six miles northeast of Zurich, are extant.

John Dübendorffer, of this family, was born Oct. 8, 1663. He located at Nersheim, in Chur- pfalzischen, near Heidelberg, where his sons, John Michael and Alexander were born. John Michael was born Jan. 10, 1695, and married, Jan. 21, 1721, Barbara Hasen. He emigrated with his wife and young son, Michael, and his brother, Alexander, to America, arriving at Philadelphia on Sept. 18, 1727.

The ship, the William and Sarah, was the first recorded in the archives of the state. John Mi- chael settled at New Holland, Lancaster county, where he died, Nov. 12, 1778. His wife was born in 1700 and died at Lancaster, March 15, 1785. They had five sons: Michael, John, Jacob, George, and Adam. Michael, the eldest, was born near Heidelberg, Nov. 4, 1721, and died at Lancaster, Sept. 3, 1789. The descend- ants of these sons reside in Lancaster county and the western part of the state, and spell their name Diffenderffer.

Alexander Diefenderfer, who accompanied his brother Michael to America, received a warrant for 150 acres of land, then in Bucks county, and now lying partly in Bucks and partly in Lehigh county, on June 1, 1734. This tract was located east of the Berks county line, near the present Kraussdale. In the Journals of the Proprietary Land Office is this entry : "Dec. 4, 1739. Rec'd of Alexander Defendelfer, in part for land in Milford township, £8.0. 0."

- Alexander Diefenderfer was naturalized in September, 1740. He farmed his tract of land and was a prominent man in the community. He was a member of the Great Swamp Reformed

congregation, where he was buried. He died Nov. 29, 1768. His widow, Gertrude, died in 1789, in Macungie township. They had five children: Anna Margaret, Godfrey, Gertrude, Alexander, and John.

Anna Margaret, the eldest daughter, married, first, John Nicholas Oehl, who died in 1759; and second, Nov. 25, 1760, John Maurer. Ger- trude, the second daughter, married Henry Mil- ler. On Dec. 7, 1768, Henry Miller and his wife purchased from the other heirs the tract of land which their father had owned. It was bounded by lands of Balzer Krauss, Frederick Limbach, George Hillegas, the heirs of Rev. Rudolph Kid- weiler, George Horlacher, and Ludwig Bitting. On Jan. 7, 1769, Henry Miller and wife sold 75 acres of this tract to Alexander Diefenderfer, Jr., which he sold on Feb. 7, 1774, to George Hillegas, and removed to Montgomery county. Alexander, the son, was confirmed at Great Swamp church in 1758. He married Elizabeth? Gertrude Leydich, who was born in Holland,. Oct. 10, 1746, and died Nov. 25, 1825. She was a daughter of Rev. John Philip Leydich, the Reformed minister ( 1715-1784) and his wife, Mary Catharine Homrighausen. It is not known whether they had any descendants.

John Diefenderfer, son of Alexander, Sr., set- tled in Macungie township, where he died in 1782, leaving a widow, Magdalena, and three children: Magdalena, Jacob, and Anna Mary, born March 29, 1776. Jacob Diefenderfer was -born March 16, 1765, and died Sept. 29, 1837- He married Magdalena Biery, daughter of Mi- chael Biery. She was born April 16, 1766 and died Sept. 30, 1831. They are buried at Trexler- town church. Jacob Diefenderfer received his father's land, which he farmed, and bequeathed to his son, Jonathan. His children were: Eliza- beth, born Oct. 11, 1787, died April 27, 1863, who married Christian Miller ; Jonathan; Anna, born April 19, 1800; and Solomon, born April 20, died May 8, 1805.

Jonathan Diefenderfer, only surviving son of Jacob, was born Oct. 17, 1789, and died April! 4, 1874. He married Elizabeth Harlacher, who was born Sept. 28, 1786, and died March 30, 1851. They had three children: Reuben, born April 30, 1812, died Aug. 3, 1842; Magdalena- born March 31, 1815, died young; and Edward, born April 9, 1822. Edward inherited consider- able property from his parents and resided on a farm between Wescosville and Trexlertown. He died Nov. 2, 1898. He married, Oct. 3, 1847, Susanna Berkenstock, of Upper Saucon. They had eight children : Reuben, born July 13, 1848; Elizabeth B., born 1850, died 1851 ; Clinton B., born July 29, 1853; Edwin B .; Sarah B., born

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

March 20, died Aug. 26, 1856; William; Phaon ; and Mrs. Harvey Gruver.

Godfrey Diefenderfer, the eldest son of Alex- ander Diefenderfer, and the ancestor of the great- er part of the family in Lehigh county, was born Feb. 19, 1730. He was confirmed a member of the Great Swamp Reformed church, and about 1750 settled in Macungie township, where he secured a tract of 100 acres by warrant of Aug. 22, 1754, and later added to his holdings until he had over 200 acres. He and his sons, John and Jacob, were enrolled as privates in Captain Greenmeyer's company of the First Battalion of Northampton County Militia, commanded by Lieut-Colonel Stephen Balliet in 1781 and 1782, in the Revolutionary War. He was one of the founders and an elder of the Reformed congre- gation at Trexlertown in 1784. He died April 16, 1806, and is buried at Trexlertown, near his wife. He married, May 3, 1753, Anna Mar- garet Mattern, who was born Oct. 6, 1727, and died April 6, 1801. She was the daughter of Peter Mattern and his wife Catharine, the latter of whom died Sept. 10, 1758, aged 56 years. Godfrey Diefenderfer and his wife, Anna Mar- garet Mattern, had seven children: John, Ger- trude, Jacob, Margaret, Henry, Anna Elizabeth, and Philip.

John Diefenderfer, the eldest son, was born in Macungie township, Jan. 25, 1754. In 1784 he purchased a tract of 200 acres along the Le- high river, then a part of Salisbury township, on which he was assessed in that township in 1785. It later became a part of Northampton township and is now included within the limits of the city of Allentown, where, in recent years, the Allen- town Iron Company's furnaces were located. On this tract was a one and a half story log house, with a long, slanting roof, over which towered a large black walnut tree, where the family re- sided. A large spring bubbled out of the ground and flowed into the Lehigh, which was destroyed after the building of the dam. "Diefenderfer's Spring" was a famous picnic ground and many political meetings were held there prior to 1830. John Diefenderfer was an active member of Zion Reformed church at Allentown, and at his death, March 27, 1815, was buried in the old graveyard at Tenth and Linden streets. He married, Feb. 6, 1781, in Macungie township, Charlotte Eliza- beth Shankweiler. who was born March 25, 1759, and died June 27, 1821. She was the daughter of Jacob and Anna Louisa Shankweiler. They had six children :

I. Anna Margaret, born in Macungie town- ship, June 9, 1783. She was baptized Aug. 3, 1783, and her sponsors were her paternal grand- parents.

2. Abraham, born April 29, 1785, in Salis- bury township. He was baptized by Rev. Blum- er on July 3d, when his sponsors were Jacob Shankweiler and Elizabeth Diefenderfer.

3. Salome, born Sept. 14, 1786, baptized Oct. 29, 1786. Her sponsors were Peter Herbst and Catharine Shankweiler. She died in childhood.

4. John, born March 17, 1788, at the home- stead, and baptized April 20, 1788, by Rev. Blumer. His sponsors were Abraham and Eliza- beth Sterner.

5. Isaac, who died in infancy.

6. Jacob, born Aug. 8, 1792, and baptized Sept. 16, 1792. Sponsors: Jacob and Anna Maria Diefenderfer. He died in childhood.

Anna Margaret Diefenderfer, the eldest child, married, in 1803, Peter Newhard. She died Aug. 29, 1859, and was buried in Union cemetery. They had ten children: Louisa, wife of Joseph Lehr; Apollonia, wife of Joseph Fatzinger; Reu- ben; Keren H., wife of Stephen Rhoads; Char- lotte, wife of William Miller; Melitha, wife of John Fatzinger; Laurence, who died young; Thomas; Emmanuel; and Henrietta, who died at the age of two years.

Abraham Diefenderfer, eldest son of John, born April 29, 1785, was a carpenter and lived some time in Hanover township, but later resided in Allentown, where he died April 15, 1832. He married, in 1806, Salome Hübler, who was born in 1786 and died July 3, 1867. They had seven children: Charles, Paul, John, Charlotte, a daughter, who died Sept. 9, 1818, in her 18th month, Salome, and Anna Maria. Charles Die- fenderfer, the eldest son, was born March 19, 1808, and died Jan. 13, 1845. He was a miller on the Cedar creek and married (first) Juliana Hofford, who was born in 1809 and died April II, 1836; and (second) Mary Litzenberger, who survived him and subsequently married a Mr. Strauss. His children were: (1) Dennis P., born in 1840, died in Reading, Jan. 6, 1903. He was a coach trimmer and painter, and left six sons: Charles, George, Oscar and Jacob Diefen- derfer, of Reading; John and Dennis, of Phila- delphia; and two daughters, Jennie, wife of Chas. I. Rightmyer; and Annie M., wife of Albert Wetzel, both of Reading.

(2) Abraham Diefenderfer, of Allentown, who married Emma Yingling, and had children : Clara and John William, who was born in 1865 and died June 17, 1906. He married Laura Sterner and had children: Mrs. Helen Seip, Charles, Marcus, Irene, and Laura.

(3) Mrs. Daniel Reider, of Reading.

(4) Mrs. Elemina Seip.

Paul Diefenderfer, second son of Abraham, was born May 15, 1810, and died Oct. 30, 1848.

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He married Matilda Guth, but had no children.

John Diefenderfer, third son of Abraham, was born Dec. 11, 1812, and died Sept. 25, 1854. He was the first person buried in Union cemetery. He married Rebecca Swartz, and had five chil- dren: (1) Thomas, born Sept. 20, 1840, died Nov. 8, 1863. (2) Charles Tilghman, born Oct. 5, 1843, died April 26, 1911, at Pasadena, Cal. He was a painter by occupation and re- sided at Tiffin, Ohio, and in Kansas some years. In the Civil War he was a sergeant in the 149th Penna. Infantry, and also served an enlistment for nine months as a private in Capt. P. C. Hub- er's company of the 128th Penna. Volunteers. He had four children : William C., John F., Mrs. Harry B. Weinsheimer, and Mrs. Walter V. Beers. (3) Annie M., wife of John P. La Roche, of Allentown. (4) Mrs. Samuel J. Harris, of Carlisle ; and (5) Alexander Diefenderfer, of Philadelphia. Of the daughters of Abraham Die- fenderfer, Salome married, July 7, 1839, David Schwartz, and Anna married Allen Kramer.

John Diefenderfer, second son of John, Sr., born March 17, 1788, remained upon the home- stead until 1830, when he purchased a farm in Whitehall township, near Fullerton, which he cultivated until his death, June 5, 1862. He mar- ried Salome, daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Sterner. She was born in Whitehall township, Aug. 14, 1795, and died Nov. 22, 1856. They had twelve children, the eldest of whom died at the age of two weeks and the youngest at the age of eleven months. The ten children who all reared families, one of whom, Mrs. James W. Snyder, survives, in her ninetieth year, were:

I. Moses Diefenderfer, born Feb. 13, 1814, died Sept. 27, 1890. He married Annie F. Haff- ner, born Nov. 25, 1833, died Feb. 7, 1901. Their children are: George ; Lewis D .; Nathan ; and Cora P., wife of John Koehler.

2. Solomon Diefenderfer, born May 5, 1816, died May 31, 1880. He married (first) Salome Miller, born July 10, 1822, died May 28, 1863, and (second) Mrs. Mary Miller, nee Snyder, born June 1, 1832, died Nov. 2, 1892. His chil- dren are: George, Tilghman, Uriah, Reuben L., Albert E., Ella, and Elizabeth.

3. Esther Diefenderfer, born Feb. 18, 1818, died Feb. 24, 1892, married Adam Berlin, of Cherryville.

4. Ephraim Diefenderfer, born Sept. 14, 1819, was a carpenter and lived some years at Allen- town. He later, in 1868, removed to Easton, Md., where he died, Nov, 21. 1892. He married Matilda Biery and had six children.

5. John Diefenderfer, born Jan. 21, 1821, died Sept. 22, 1901. He farmed a portion of his fa-

ther's land in Whitehall township, and married Sarah A. Reichard, born Oct. 25, 1825, died Feb. 24, 1882. They had eight children. Rev. Moses H. Diefenderfer, their eldest son, was born Aug. 16, 1846, and was educated in the township schools. In 1868 he entered the Allen- town Academy, and the following year, Franklin and Marshall College, where he graduated June 26, 1873, and graduated from the Reformed Church Seminary on May 9, 1876. He was li- censed to preach by East Pennsylvania Classis, May 25, 1876, and Feb. 21, 1877, was ordained by Clarion Classis, having accepted the pastorate of the Plum Creek charge in Armstrong county. In 1881, he accepted a call in Somerset county, which he resigned after three years because the climatic conditions affected his health. On July 15, 1884, he became the pastor of Christ Reformed church, Allentown, which he served until Dec. 31, 1900, when he resigned because of ill health. During his active pastorate the present handsome edifice was erected. Rev. Diefenderfer died from the effects of a stroke of apoplexy, Feb. 27, 1901. He married, Sept. 24, 1878, Salome H. Allshouse, of South Bend, Armstrong county, and left one son, Alpha A., a graduate of Lehigh University, now a member of the faculty of that institution.

The other children of John Diefenderfer, Jr., are: John M., principal of a grammar school at Bethlehem; Eugene, of Fullerton; Mantana, of Fullerton ; Jane, wife of Dr. T. J. Koehler, of Easton; Josephine, wife of Israel L. Schadt, of Allentown; Sarah, wife of James D. Graffin, of South Whitehall; and Eliza, wife of Alfred Nagle, of Fullerton.

6. Salome Diefenderfer, born April 28, 1824, married James W. Snyder, and resides at Fuller- ton.

7. Lucetta S. Diefenderfer, born Nov. 2, 1825, married, Nov. 21, 1844, Jesse Reichard.

8. Owen Diefenderfer, born Oct. 8, 1827, on the site of the Allentown Iron Works, farmed the greater portion of his father's land in White- hall, on which he resided until his death, May 24, 1904. He was married, June 4, 1848, to Pauline, daughter of George Frederick, Esq., by Rev. Jos. S. Dubbs. Mrs. Diefenderfer was born in 1828 and died Feb. 13, 1906. They had five children: John G .; Thomas F .; Maria, de- ceased, married Reuben P. Steckel; James L .; and Hannah, wife of Walter B. Schadt, of Ful- lerton.

JOHN G. DIEFENDERFER, eldest son of Owen, was born Jan. 6, 1849. He was educated in the Whitehall township schools, Allentown Academy, and Lafayette College, from which he graduated in 1873. He then became a member of the faculty

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

of Lafayette College, teaching modern languages and mathematics, during which time he studied law and was admitted to the bar of Northampton county in 1882, and to that of Lehigh county in 1886. He practiced law in Bethlehem from 1882 to 1889, when he removed to Allentown, where he has since practiced and is now Referee in Bankruptcy for Lehigh county. He is a mem- ber of the Reformed Church. He married, in 1884, Sarah E., daughter of Charles Augustus and Matilda (Jacobson) Luckenbach, of Bethle- hem, and has two daughters: Paulina M., mar- ried William S. Hall, of Glenside; and Edna E., married Edmund Cox Wilson, of Fulton, N. Y.

Thomas F. Diefenderfer, son of Owen, a prom- inent attorney of Allentown, and president of the Merchants National Bank, married Alice C. Cole, and has one daughter, Miriam C.

James L. Diefenderfer, son of Owen, who died Jan. 28, 1906, was an active citizen of his town- ship, serving as a school director and a member of the Board of Commissioners of Whitehall township. He was a member of Mickley's Re- formed congregation. His widow, one son, Ed- win J., of St. Michael's, Ind., and one daughter, Mrs. Joseph H. Koehler, survived him.

9. Aaron Diefenderfer, born June 28, 1832, died Jan. 27, 1910, married Caroline Lazarus, who was born Feb. 12, 1838, and died April 14, 1913. They had ten children: Jonas, Milton, Alexander, Lavinia, wife of Rudolph Schoenhut ; Alice, married Nathan Haffner; Caroline, wife of David Snyder; Margaret ; Sarah, wife of Wm. Bartholomew; Tillie, wife of George T. Rockel; and Edwin.

IO. Matilda C. Diefenderfer, born May 12, 1834, died in 1860, married Lewis Biery.

Gertrude, the second child of Godfrey Diefen- derfer, was born July 19, 1757, and died Oct. 16, 1831. She married John Bleiler, who was born May 4, 1755, and died June 4, 1823. They had no children. Mr. Bleiler is buried at Trum- bauersville and his wife at Trexlertown.

Jacob Diefenderfer, second son of Godfrey, was born June 26, 1759, one of twins, his twin sister, Margaret, not long surviving. He lived in Macungie township, where he and his wife Anna Maria had these children: Elizabeth, born May 10, 1785; Gottfried, born Aug. 4, 1787; John Philip, born Sept. 29, 1790; Gertrude, born May 25, 1792 ; and Anna Maria, born Sept. 23, 1793. Nothing further is known of this family and they are supposed to have moved West.

Henry Diefenderfer, third son of Godfrey, was born Feb. 3, 1764, and died Nov. 24. 1846. He was a farmer in Macungie township, where he married Susan Jarrett, who was born June 17, 1766, and died July 24, 1851. They had

fifteen children, of whom four died young. Their eleven children who survived were:

I. Lydia, born Feb. 3, 1788, died Feb. 1, 1848. She married Conrad Neumoyer, who was born Oct. 31, 1779, and died Jan. 25, 1844. Their son, George Neumoyer, was the father of Tilgh- man Neumoyer, of Emaus.

2. Jacob Diefenderfer, born Aug. 19, 1789, married Mary Bear. She was born in 1793 and died May 30, 1856, at Greenville, Mercer coun- ty. A son, Charles, was born Aug. 30, 1821.

3. Henry Diefenderfer, born March 13, 1791. died July 24, 1862, married Elizabeth Koehler, born March 31, 1795, died Jan. 1, 1842. He was a farmer in Macungie township and had seven children: (1) Rebecca, born in 1813, died July 6, 1902, married William Brown; (2) Hannah, married Jonas George. (3) Peter K., born 1822, died 1841. (4) Lydia, married Daniel Greas- mer. (5) Amandes J., who was killed by light- ning, married Maria Stehler, and had a son, Moses W. Diefenderfer, of Macungie. (6) Wil- liam Henry. (7) Edwin S.

RALPH E. DIEFENDERFER, merchant at Ori- rod's North Whitehall, is a grandson of William H. Diefenderfer, who was a son of Henry Diefen- derfer, of Macungie, and was born in 1825. He was a blacksmith by trade and resided in Upper Milford township, near the Macungie line. He married Matilda Haak, daughter of Michael and Catharine (Zerfass) Haak. They were members of the Reformed Church. He died in 1897 and lies buried at Macungie. This union was blessed with three sons: Llewellyn F., Martin E., and A. Victor.

Martin E., deceased, married Tevillia Hen- ninger, who survives him. He left no issue. Mr. Diefenderfer was a very fine penman, and en- grossed many cards, diplomas and resolutions. His most noted work is the resolutions he engrossed for a prominent Pennsylvania organization upon the death of General U. S. Grant, which con- tains in the center a very unique and life por- trait of the ex-president.

A. Victor was born at Shimersville, Dec. 9, 1850. He was educated in the township public schools and as a boy worked on the farm and in the neighboring mines. At the age of 17 he entered upon a clerkship in the general store at Wennersville, conducted by Josiah Strauss. In 1877 he engaged in the mercantile business with L. Wickert as partner and in 1884 became the successor to Frank Guth, the general merchant of Siegersville and has conducted the store ever since. April 14, 1884, during Cleveland's first administration, he was appointed postmaster at Orefield (Siegersville) and has been re-appointed by each successive administration. In politics he

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is a Democrat. He and his family are members of the Jordan Reformed congregation, in which he has served as deacon and treasurer. Besides being a Knight Templar, he enjoys membership in the K. of P., and K. of M. In 1880, he married Emma C., daughter of William and Elemina (Jordan) Muir. They have issue: Ralph E., William M., and Robert A.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. II, Part 49

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