History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. III, Part 120

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: 854

USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. III > Part 120

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William H. Weisel, harness and leather sales- man, who resides at Allentown, was born at Hellertown April 3, 1853. He first followed the butchers' trade until he became nineteen years old, then learned the harness-making trade which he followed from 1873 until 1891 as his father's successor at Hellertown. In 1891 he began to act as salesman and for ten years represented the Hersh Hardware Co. He is a member of Hellertown Lodge, No. 563, F. A. M .; Zinzen- dorf Chapter No. 216, at Bethlehem ; Allentown Commandery, No. 20; and Lu Lu Temple, of Philadelphia. He and family attend the U. E. Church.

In 1874 he married Hannah M. Landis. They had four children: R. L. (leather merchant at Allentown), Nettie C., Susan, and Joseph L. (who died aged four years).

GEORGE L. WEISEL, marble and granite dealer, at Rittersville, was born November 29, 1855. In 1870, he learned the stone-cutting trade with Smoyer & Wieder, in Allentown, and continued in their employ afterward for four years. During 1875 he followed the trade at Philadelphia. In 1876 he returned to Hellertown and carried on the business there until 1890. The following ten years he followed his trade at Allentown

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

again; and in 1900 he established himself at Rittersville. His marble and granite yards, as well as his fine residence, are located at the corner of Pike and Church streets near the Union Church.

Mr. Weisel and family are members of Trinity U. E. Church, at Allentown. He prepared the corner-stone in the wall of that church edifice. He enjoys a wide acquaintance and carries on a large business in tombstones and monuments. He is in possession of the Henry Weisel family Bible which was printed in 1541. He is a mem- ber of Hellertown Lodge, No. 563, F. & A. M. He was married on December 11, 1879, to Laura E. Riegel, a daughter of Thomas G. and Sarah (Lutz) Riegel. They had two children: Har- vey C. (married to Alma Moore, who have a son Harvey C., Jr., and live at Allentown), Ella J. (who died November 28, 1887, aged 6 years, I month and 14 days).

James Weisel, a bookkeeper at Birmingham, Alabama, since 1888, was born at Hellertown, Pa., Oct. 28, 1853. He married Annie E. Heiser, of Baltimore, Maryland, and their chil- dren are: Mary, Charles and James, who died in infancy.

Edward Weisel, a saddler, at Hellertown, was born March 17, 1862. He married Emma, a daughter of James Knecht. Their children are: Annie (married Robert Rickert), James ,R., Robert, and Herbert.

WEISER FAMILY.

For three generations descendants of Conrad Weiser have been prominent in the affairs of Le- high county and the city of Allentown. Martin Weiser, a veteran of the War of 1812, was a lineal descendant of Conrad. Martin was one of the best known men in the county, having been one of the first makers of what are now known as "Grandfather's clocks." Many of the speci- mens of his skill in this line are still to be found in the rural districts of the county. He was noted as a wit and was a master of sarcasm. In the rural districts many of his quaint sayings are still to be heard. One story in particular is oft repeated. When Martin made his periodi- cal trips through the county to repair, clean and sell clocks, it was his custom to remain over night and for meals with his customers. Because of the flashes of wit with which he illumined his conversation the old clockmaker was, as a rule, a welcome guest. But, like the immortal Charles Lamb, he sometimes joked not wisely but too well. Lamb, it will be recalled, was once asked by a doting mother how he liked babies. "Boiled, ma'am," replied Lamb. Lamb said a witty thing but lost the friendship of a mother. Thus it was

with Martin Weiser. He was a guest at dinner in the upper end of the county. The coffee served was lamentably weak. However, the dishes were beautiful. They were artistically decorated in blue. Weiser took a sip of the coffee and setting down the cup said, in his native vernacular : "Ei, mommy, wos hen ier shae g'schar. Mer kon die blummer derfoon im kupichya saena dorrich der koffee." ("Why, mother, what beautiful dishes you have. You can see the flowers on the cup through the coffee.") After that old Martin Weiser never received another invitation to dine with that family.

Martin Weiser was married to Mrs. Mary Ann Shepherd (nee Stout) whose parents were of an old Moravian family and whose paternal grandfather was one of the early surveyor gen- erals of Pennsylvania. Martin Weiser had one son, Nelson Weiser, born Aug. 6, 1823. Nelson early in life became a cigar-maker, but abandoned the trade to engage in business and politics. He was the political lieutenant of Major William Fry and when the latter was elected to the state senate, Mr. Weiser became clerk of the senate, a position he filled for several sessions. He served, as a Democrat, as a member of the State House of Representatives during the sessions of 1863, 1864 and 1865. In 1858 Mr. Weiser entered the newspaper business when he became a part owner of the Republikaner, the German Demo- cratic weekly. In 1866 the firm of Harlacher & Weiser secured control of the Lehigh Valley Daily News, a morning publication which had been launched on the turbulent sea of journalism several months previous by J. Peter Correll, of Easton. Mr. Weiser remained in the newspaper profession until 1874, when he retired from ac- tive life, dying April 20, 1876, after a busy career. Mr. Weiser also served for many years as com- mon councilman from the Fifth ward and was for several terms chairman of that body. He was also one of the organizers of the old Allentown Passenger Railway Company, and drew up the charter for the organization, which Governor Geary declared was the "most sweeping document that was ever granted to a railway corporation." The Governor had summoned Mr. Weiser to Harrisburg and asked him whether the people of Allentown wanted a company with a charter like that. Mr. Weiser informed him that no objection had been made to it and the Governor affixed his signature with the remark: "Why, the Allentown Passenger Railway Company can run its tracks through every street and alley of Allentown if it wishes to do so. It can run locomotives over them."

Mr. Weiser was married to Elemina R. Weiser (nee Massey) whose father, Dr. Joseph Fox

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Massey, was a native of Massachusetts and whose father and grandfather fought at the battle of Bunker Hill. Mrs. Weiser's maternal grand- father was John Keiper, the pioneer tobacconist of Allentown. She died in December, 1906.

Nelson Weiser had four children: Annie E., who married Captain Thomas B. Leisenring, com- mander of Co. G, Forty-seventh Regiment, Penn- sylvania Volunteers, and she is now the Deputy Factory Inspector for this district; Mary C., who still resides in Allentown; Sarah, who died at an early age; and Charles W., editor of the Allentown Democrat.

CHARLES W. WEISER has been eminently suc- cessful as an editor. He was educated in the public schools of Allentown, the preparatory de- partment of Muhlenberg College, and in a school in New York city, where he was preparing for an examination for a cadetship in the Naval Acad- emy at Annapolis. It had been his father's am- bition to have him enter the navy of the United States, but the untimely death of the elder Mr. Weiser caused an abandonment of the plan. After doing clerical work for some time, young Weiser determined on a newspaper career and entered the office of the Chronicle and News and learned the printing trade. He subsequently worked in Phil- adelphia, but returned to Allentown and took up active newspaper work. In 1894 he and Kirt W. DeBelle secured control of the Morning Critic, a newspaper that had little circulation and less influence. The venture was a dubious one be- cause there was a general impression that a morning newspaper could not be made to pay in Allentown. The paper was conducted under the title of Morning Critic for six months when the new publishers determined upon a change of name and on Jan. 1, 1895, the Morning Call made its bow. Mr. Weiser adopted a vigorous, independent policy and the paper prospered won- derfully under his editorship. Mr. DeBelle re- tired from the firm and David A. Miller became Mr. Weiser's partner. In October, 1904, Mr. Weiser retired from the firm because of ill health. He went to Philadelphia with his family and for six months was confined to the University Hos- pital, during which time he was operated upon fourteen times. After doing general literary work for several years he returned to the editorship of the Morning Call on Jan. 1, 1907, and remained until March 29, 1909, when he was offered the editorship of the Democrat, which had been pur- chased by a syndicate of Democrats with the avowed purpose of having Lehigh county returned to the Democratic column. They figured on doing this with the aid of a fearless Democratic organ. Under the editorial guidance of Mr. Weiser, the Democrat began to prosper, the Re-

IOL. III-39

publican party was completely routed and in 1911 the men who had set out to redeem the county to Democracy had the satisfaction of see- ing every office in the county filled by a Democrat, excepting those held by the opposition party by grace of the law that permits minority represen- tation. Mr. Weiser's untiring work as editor of the Democrat contributed in a great measure to this victory.

As a political writer Mr. Weiser commands attention all over the state. The Democrat is widely quoted and exercises a powerful influence. As a humorist Mr. Weiser has won fame from Maine to Texas, and his pithy paragraphs have done much to advertise the city. The name "Bud" Weiser was conferred upon him by Colonel Geo. W. Bailey, of the Houston (Texas) Post, the premier editorial paragrapher of the country, and it has clung to him ever since. As "Bud" Weiser he is known the country over. Mr. Weiser is also noted as a writer of Pennsylvania German dialect humor and he created the character of Sim Schmalzgsicht, the sage of Leder Eck Poshta. The doings of Sim, his wife Cass, their son Benne- ville, Mose Biffel, their hired man, Em Hoffer- deckel, the love-lorn maid, Yuni Naasblum, Jerry Kivvel, old Jud Schtrumpfoos, have served to drive dull care away for many a moment.

Mr. Weiser is married to Sarah A. Kistler, a descendant of one of the oldest families in the upper end of the county. Her parents were Aaron B. Kistler, now deceased, and Mary Eliza- beth Kern Kistler. Mr. and Mrs. Weiser have three children : Charles Kistler, Helen Ruth, and Nelson Aaron, and reside in a pretty home at Fullerton, Pa.

THOMAS L. WIESER, painter and paper-hanger of Allentown, was born Nov. 26, 1847, in North Whitehall township, Lehigh county. He was educated in the public school at Cedarville and brought up on a farm until 1864, when he en- listed in the Civil War as a private of the 2d Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery and served until Feb. 20, 1866, when he was mustered out at City Point. During his service he was wounded in the right leg. After his discharge he returned home and learned the trade of painter under Amos and James Unger, at Allentown, where he served an apprenticeship of three years. He then followed his trade as a journeyman in Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, and Wisconsin, after which he returned to Allentown. He and his brother Henry then conducted a general painting business for a time until 1871, when he embarked in the business for himself and since then has been en- gaged as a house painter and paper-hanger in a successful manner, his place being at No. 119 North Madison street. He is a member of the

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Grand Army of the Republic, the Elks and the Patriotic Order Sons of America.

Mr. Wieser was married to Emma S. Beidel- man, daughter of Samuel and Henrietta (Stub- er) Beidelman, of Allentown. They have one child, a son, Samuel Jonathan, who married Mamie Hagenbuch, and they have a daughter, Isabella. The son learned the same trade and is engaged in business with his father.

Mr. Wieser's father was Jonathan Wieser, a native of Berks county, where he carried on the trade of weaver (mostly bed-spreads) near Ham- burg, for a number of years; then located in Le- high county, where he conducted farming opera- tions in different localities. He died at Allen- town, aged 86 years. In early life he was a staunch Democrat, but in later years became a Republican. He was married to Hannah Hen- ninger, of Whitehall township, near Wenners- ville, and they had twelve children, six of whom died in infancy: Jonathan ; Adeline, m. William Ritter; Mary, m. Edward Eisenhard; Henry W .; Gideon ; and Thos. L.

HENRY W. WIESER, painter and hardwood finisher at Allentown, was born in South White- hall township, on Dec. 3, 1842. He received his education in the local school and attended the People's Business College at Reading, after which he was employed at farm work for John Dorney and Jonathan Dorney until the Civil War broke out in 1861, when he enlisted as a private in Co. F, 47th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, un- der Col. T. H. Good, of Allentown, and con- tinued in active service for three years, including the "Red River Expedition." Upon his discharge he returned to the employ of John Dorney at Chapman station on the C. & F. R. R., and con- tinued with him until 1869; then he learned the trade of painter under the firm of Unger Broth- ers at Allentown, and followed it as a journeyman for ten years. Afterward he was in partnership with his brother, Thomas L. Wieser for a time, and in 1876 went West where he followed his trade for two years; then he returned to Allen- town, embarked in business for himself as a house painter and hardwood finisher with the latter as a specialty, which he has conducted in a successful manner until the present time. He is a member of the Patriotic Order Sons of America, and of the St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran church.

In 1869, Mr. Wieser was married to Louisa Lentz, a daughter of Aaron and Mary (George) Lentz, of Whitehall township, and they have one child, a son, Edwin W., who is in his father's employ.

His father was Jonathan Wieser. See sketch of Thomas L. Wieser.

WEISTIN FAMILY.

Joseph Weistlv, son of James Weistly, of county Derry, ' eland, emigrated to America in 1846. He located at Summit Hill where he was married in 1851 to Mary Smith, a daughter of Gilbert Smith, also a native of county Derry, Ireland. She came to America alone in 1846. From Summit Hill Mr. Weistly went to Fort Wayne, Ind., where he remained about one year. He came to Catasauqua in 1853, where he lived until his death. He was employed by the Crane Iron Works from 1853 until he retired. Mr. Weistly took a very prominent interest in church matters. He was for many years a Trus- tee in the Bridge Street Presbyterian church and a member of the building committee when the church was erected. To Mr. and Mrs. Weistly the following children were born: William, of Catasauqua; Isaac, Joseph and Annie, died young; Jennie, of Scranton, Pa., and Rev. Al- fred J., a Presbyterian minister located at Scran- ton.

WILLIAM WEISTLY, merchant, of Catasauqua, was born in Summit Hill, May 26, 1852. He was educated in the public schools of Catasauqua. At an early age he started to clerk in a store. In 1879 he started in the Mercantile business for himself in Catasauqua and has continued in the same business to the present time. He has been prominently identified with the public schools of the Iron Borough, having been a member of the School Board for upwards of twenty years. He has also taken a very prominent part in the church life of the borough. Since 1873 he has been the superintendent of the Sunday school of the Bridge Street Presbyterian church. He has also been a trustee of this church for many years. He is one of Catasauqua's most prominent citi- zens taking a deep interest in every thing that tends to the real uplift of the community. So- cially he is a member of the Knights of Malta. In 1880 he was married to Laura A. Laubach, a daughter of Joseph and Phoebe (Hess) Lau- bach. They have two children: Rev. Joseph L., Presbyterian minister at Forty Fort, N. Y. He was educated in the following institutions: Cata- sauqua High School, 1898; Muhlenberg College, 1902; Princeton Theological Seminary, 1902. He is married to Mabel Ossman, of Harrisburg, Pa.

Mary P. married Adolph P. Schneider, of White Mills, Pa., a graduate of Lafayette Col- lege, 1909, at present electrical engineer for the Allentown Light and Power Co.

WEISS FAMILY.

· Peter Weis, the probable ancestor of a num- erous family, had been the largest taxable in

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.

Weisenberg township, in 1762, paying twenty- six pounds tax in that year. He had sons, John, George, and probably Christian. George and Christian remained in Weisenberg township, and John settled in Lynn township, where his home- stead is still pointed out as the farm now owned and occupied by George E. Weida. Mr. Joseph Weiss, born in 1843, informs the writer that it is his belief that his great grandfather was buried at the New Jerusalem church. He was married and among his children were two sons, John, Jr., and Heinrich.

Johannes Weiss, son of John, was born Nov. 15, 1775, and died in Lynn township on Jan. 5, 1847, where he had originally settled, and he was buried in the old grave-yard at New Tripoli. He lived where his great-grandson, Franklin O. Weiss, has his residence and there he carried on the business of an undertaker be- sides carpentering and farming. The old house is still standing in which he lived and made cof- fins. The coffins of that time were narrower at the ends than now, and their cost was from six to twenty dollars. He conducted many fu- nerals and buried many of the pioneer settlers. His son, Nathan, became the owner of the 75- acre farm and he was succeeded by his nephew, John J. Weiss, who also became the owner of the adjoining farm of seventy acres, which he sold to his son-in-law, William J. Peter. The first mentioned farm is now owned by Franklin O. Weiss.

The wife of Johannes Weiss was named Eliza- beth Kreglow. She was born Oct. 13, 1782, and died Dec. 6, 1853, having lived with her husband for upwards of forty-eight years. Their children were: John, Jeremiah, Nathan, Catha- rine, married Johannes Heintzelman, and Daniel, who died young. They were members of the Re- formed congregation of the Ebenezer church.

Nathan, the third son, was married three times, but he had no children so far as known. His first wife was a Sensinger, the second a Kressley, and the third a Winterhold. As men- tioned above, he owned his father's place, and there he carried on farming and also conducted a distillery.

Jeremiah Weiss, the second son of Johannes, was born on his father's farm above mentioned, June 27, 1822, and died there Dec. 19, 1904, aged eighty-two years. He was a farmer by oc- cupation but he also carried on tin-smithing. His wife was Lydia Dengler, daughter of Fred- erick and Polly (Sell) Dengler, and their chil- dren were: John J .; Daniel, born in 1855, and died in 1901; Jacob; Mary, married to George Shellhammer, and Elizabeth, who died when two years old. They were members of the Re-

formed congregation at New Tripoli, and he filled various offices in the church. In politics he was a Democrat, and served as a tax collector and school director.

John J. Weiss, retired farmer of Lynn town- ship, was born Sept. 22, 1847, and was brought up to farming which he carried on until he re- tired in 1903. The farm was the old home- stead and this he sold in 1907 to his son-in-law, William J. Peter. He also owned his grand- father's homestead of seventy-five acres and this he sold to his son, Franklin O. Weiss, in 1907. In political faith he is a Democrat and he served as a township supervisor for a time. He was married, Feb. 20, 1869, to Eliza Krassley, daugh- ter of Jacob and Lydia (Old) Krassley of Hei- delberg township, and they have two children: Franklin O., and Mary A., married to William J. Peter.

John Weiss, the eldest son of Johannes, was born in Lynn township. In his early life he located in Upper Macungie township and there his younger children were born. He was a far- mer by occupation, and he also carried on a clover-mill in Weisenberg township which was owned by his son, Jeremiah. Following his pa- rents, he became a member of the Reformed con- gregation at New Tripoli, but he was buried at Fogelsville. His wife was Miss Haaf, and they had the following children: Jeremiah, died Oct. 17, 1911, aged 79 years; Lydia, married Leiby; Matilda, married to a Mr. Leckey, of Weisenberg; Sarena, married Henry Miller, of Bowers, Berks county; Caroline, married Wil- liam Kistler, of Weisenberg; Eliza, married Joseph Dengler, of Weisenberg; and Tilghman.

Tilghman Weiss, the youngest son of John Weiss, was born May 25, 1850, in Upper Ma- cungie township, and after farming for a time in Heidelberg township he removed to Lynn township, where he followed the same occupa- tion. In 1883 he located at New Tripoli and there also carried on farming for eight years. He joined the Reformed congregation at New Tripoli and served it as a deacon; and he is af- filiated with the Junior Order United American Mechanics of that place. He was married to Mary Rauch, daughter of Joshua and Polly (Clauss) Rauch, and they have three children : John F., Harvey T., of Allentown, and Nathan J., of New Tripoli.

JOHN F. WEISS, the eldest son of Tilghman H., a public school teacher of Lynn township, who resides at New Tripoli, is a native of North Whitehall township, where he was born Jan. 16, 1873. He received his education in the com- mon schools of Heidelberg and Lynn townships and was licensed to teach when seventeen years

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

of age. In 1902 he was granted a professional certificate and the following year the state su- perintendent granted him a permanent certificate. Until the year 1914 he had taught public school in Lynn township for twenty-four consecutive terms. He is an influential Democrat and is prominently identified with the best interests of the Democratic party; and he has served as township assessor for three years and for two years was a county tax collector. He is a member of the New Tripoli Grand Council No. 204, Junior Order United American Mechanics which he has served as secretary in a faithful and satisfactory manner for the past thirteen years. He has passed through all the chairs and has rep- resented the council at state conventions for eight years.

He was married, May 8, 1895, to Mary M. Miller, daughter of Joseph E. and Mary A. (Mosser) Miller, and they have one son, Har- old J., who was born on the Miller homestead ; was graduated from the township schools in 1910; and the Allentown Preparatory School in 1913 ; is now a student at Ursinus College.

He and the family are members of the Re- formed congregation at New Tripoli, which he has served as a deacon for some years. Mr. Weiss has served as teacher, secretary, and superin- tendent for more than twenty-five years of the Ebenezer Union Sunday school.

Heinrich Weiss, the son of John, who settled in Lynn township, owned and cultivated a large farm in Weisenberg township. He was mar- ried to a Miss Werley, who died in 1847, aged about 74 years. He died about 1843. They are buried at the Weisenberg church, of which they were Reformed members. Their children were: Catharine, married to Peter Shumacher ; Daniel; Heinrich, Jr .; Michael, who obtained the home- stead ; Peter, and Jacob. The sons were all farmers, except Peter, who was a shoemaker. They all lived in Weisenberg township. Daniel Weiss, son of Heinrich, married Margaret Hun- sicker, and they had these children: Lucy, Lydia, Polly, Julia, and Sallie, twins.

Heinrich Weiss, son of Heinrich, was born Oct. 26, 1808, and died of apoplexy on Nov. I, 1865. He was a prosperous farmer in Weisen- berg. He married Maria Kerschner, and they were members of the Weisenberg church. Their children were: Daniel K .; Elias; Joseph; Cath- arine, married to Wallace Greenawalt; and Louisa, married to John Kline. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kline are deceased.

Michael Weiss, son of Heinrich, was married to Polly Sensinger and they had the following

children: Julia, Lafayette, David, and John S., who lives at New Tripoli, Pa.

Peter Weiss was married to Lydia Werley. They had no children.

Jacob Weiss was married to Sallie Frey, and they had two children: Levi; and Rev. Benja- min, born Aug. 27, 1849, was a faithful Christian minister of the Reformed Church and died on April 12, 1901 while living at Lenhartsville, Pa. He was married to Emma R. Merkel and they had: Carrie S., George J., and Nevin Z. The widow and all the children live in Reading, Pa.

Lafayette Weiss, son of Michael, was born in Weiss' Valley, near Seiberlingsville, Pa., Dec. 2, 1845, and died at Allentown, on Jan. 13, 1912, from a stroke of apoplexy. He was a farmer up to about three years before he died, at which time he came to Allentown with P. E. Hensinger and family. He was married to Emma Rabenold, who survives him with these children: Emma, wife of Fred Stump; and Lillie, wife of P. E. Hensinger.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. III, Part 120

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: 854

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: 854