USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. III > Part 130
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Hier ruhet in Gott Hans Martin Wuchter Ist geboren den 16 Tag Martz 1724. ist gestorben den 4 Tag Sept. 1788, ist alt Worden 64 jahren.
Martin Wuchter succeeded his father, Hans Martin, on the old homestead. He was born Aug. 10, 1763, and died Feb. 19, 1840. A clip- ping from an Allentown newspaper of that date contains the following: "Wieder ein Revolutions held dahin." Another clipping: "Am 19 Feb- ruar in Heidelberg township ganz ploetzlich Herr Martin Wuchter, ein alter Revolution held ist im 77 ten Lebensjahr, etc." As a mere boy he did frontier service on the Blue mountains.
The following is taken from Vol. 8, Penna. Arch., (Roster Edition), p. 502:
"1782, 6th Battalion, Militia, Northampton Co., Col. Henry Geiger, 7th Company, Captain Schmetter, 7th class, Martin Wuchter." On page 514, "I do certify the within to be a true class-roll of the Battalion under my command 'for July 6, 1782. Henry Geiger, Lt. Col."
As far as known, Martin had a brother, John, and a sister Maria, who married a Mr. Fenster- macher and one of their daughters was married to Dr. Griffith Scholl, who practiced medicine at Fogelsville in 1830. In 1836 or 1837, Dr. Scholl moved to Hecktown, Northampton county, and their son, Henry, became a prominent mer- chant at Bath; and another son was a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature. Another of the Fenstermacher daughters married a Mr. Stehler, and by second marriage a Mr. Knapp and one of the Stehler daughters was married to the famous Rev. Moses Dissinger, of the Evangelical Church.
Martin Wuchter was married to Magdalena Ebert, born Jan. 6, 1764, died May 20, 1831. They had ten children :
Henry, married Sally Farber, settled at Water- loo, N. Y. Mrs. John Marshall, Waterloo, N. Y .; Mrs. Geo. Woodruff, Janesville, Wis .; and Wm. M. Sell, of Slatington, are descendants.
Margaret, died single at the age of 61 years. John, settled in Summit county, Ohio; he had two sons.
Maria, married John Moyer; they moved to Seneca county, Ohio. They had four children.
Molly, married Peter Wehr; they moved to Venango county, Pa.
William, married Elizabeth Peter. He resided on the old homestead. They had eight children : Nathan, married Sally Bittner; Polly, married Mr. Nace; Rebecca, married Stephen Bitt- ner; Jonas, married Mary Brobst; Reuben, mar- ried Polly Henninger ; George and William, both died young; Henry, married Emma Keiper.
Catherine, married John Semmel. They moved to Crawford county, Pa. They had several chil- dren. One daughter was married to Col. Burke, and lives at Rock Island, Ill.
Peter, married a daughter of Conrad German and moved to Seneca county, Ohio; afterwards to Kosciusko county, Ind. They had seven chil- dren.
Christina, born 1801, married Daniel Acker. He died 1844. She was married a second time to John W. Woodring. There were seven children, among these the late Stephen Acker, of East Texas; and Rev. J. D. Acker, of Philadelphia, whose sons, Finley Acker, A. Lincoln Acker, and Durbin S. Acker constitute the Finley Acker Company, of Philadelphia.
Jonathan, born Aug. 10, 1804, died Nov. 9, 1871. He married Lydia Eberhard. They had nine children: Jonas E., born Nov. 12, 1828, married Camilla Troxell; one son, Harry, resides at Easton, Pa .; Morgan A., born Aug. 6, 1830, married Kate Uhler, a grandson resides at Balti- more, Md .; Moses G., mentioned later; Edwin L., died single, aged 18 years, 9 months and 12 days; Alfred H., born June 10, 1837, married Sovena Cope. They had seven children. His widow resides in Allentown with her son-in-law, Frank Landis; Sarah A., born June 29, 1840, married Charles Ritter. A son and daughter sur- vive; Thomas M., born March 18, 1843, lives at Allentown. They have three children. Maria, born March 17, 1846, married David Paff, de- ceased, and lives at Allentown. Ellen M., born Aug. 19, 1849, married George Rowland. She resides at Philadelphia and has six children.
Moses G. Wuchter was born Nov. 5, 1832, and died Sept. 4, 1906, at Jacksonville, Lehigh county. At an early age he learned the trade of a slate roofer, a calling distinct in those days. In 1863 he bought the farm and hotel stand of his father-in-law, John Hermany, at Jackson- ville. A year or two later he sold the hotel prop- erty and devoted himself to farming. He was quite prominent as an auctioneer, and filled a number of township offices. In his later years he contracted for and built a number of public school-houses. He was married in 1855 to Mary
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
A. Hermany, who died Dec. 1, 1910. She was a noble and pious woman, and a constant reader of the Bible. Ten children survive:
I. Astor C., of whom below. 2. Absalom A., a contractor and decorator of Binghamton, N. Y. 3. John C., of Lynnport, Lehigh county, organist of Jacob's church, Jacksonville, who married Car- oline Oswald, and has four children: Edgar, of Philadelphia; Mamie, a public school teacher ; Alfred, of Bethlehem; and Hattie, a student at West Chester. 4. William P., of whom below. 5. Milton G., a contractor and plasterer of Allen- town, his wife having died several years ago; leaving five children. 6. James M., of whom be- low. 7. Oliver M., of Pinedale, Schuylkill county, organist of "Red Church," married Kate Hauser, and has six children. 8. Robert F., of Kutztown, an expert silk weaver. 9. Herman J., who resides on the old homestead at Jacksonville ; married Pauline Mosser, and has three children. IO. Jane, married to George Sherer, of Allen- town. II. Samuel, who died while a student at College, at the age of twenty-four years; and five others who died in childhood.
REV. ASTOR CLINTON WUCHTER.
Rev. Astor Clinton Wuchter was born Feb. 4, 1856, at Jacksonville, Lehigh county. He attended the public schools until 18 years of age, and afterward Millersville State Normal School ; then taught the public schools for 4 years. In 1878, he left for Paris, France, where he stud- ied and taught for three years under Dr. Charles Rudy, founder of the "Association International de Professeurs." During 1879, he taught English and French in a "Pension," a boy's school at Neuilly-Plaisance, 8 miles from Paris. In 1881, he returned home and the same year (June 1Ith), was married to Alice C. Holben, of Lynnville. In 1883, he entered the Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia, and was ordained June 2, 1885, at Allentown, Pa., and for nearly five years served the Summit Hill charge. In 1890, he took the Weissport charge, and three years later moved to Gilbert, Monroe county, where he served a num- ber of congregations for upwards of seventeen years. In 1909, he was elected professor of French at Wittenberg College, Springfield, Ohio, but, finding this work uncongenial, he resigned, and accepted a call to St. Paul's Mission, at Paulding, Ohio, where he is at present located. His children are: Arthur L., of Allentown, Pa .; Anna M. (Mrs. Geo. C. Heller, of Easton, Pa.) Ralph M., of Flint, Michigan; Nora M .; Eva C .; and Ruth H., of Paulding, Ohio.
The following article on the literary excellence of Rev. Astor Clinton Wuchter on the Pennsyl-
vania German dialect, was contributed by Prof. H. H. Reichard, Ph.D., of the John Hopkins University.
To a remote past, to nobility, to relationship with the Dukes of Orleans, the family to which Mr. Wuchter belongs traces its ancestry. From Suabia, the first ancestor came to America in 1749, although the father of this one had fled to this country as a political refugee even earlier under an assumed name and has never been defi- nitely traced. On the maternal side his ancestors came from Hanover in 1730. Astor Clinton Wuchter was born in Jacksonville, Lehigh coun- ty, Pa., Feb. 4, 1856; worked on the farm and at- tended the common schools until 18 years of age ;
REV. A. C. WUCHTER.
1
attended the Millersville State Normal School, taught in the public schools 1874-1878; then taught and studied for three years in Paris, France; graduated from the Lutheran Theologi- cal Seminary, Philadelphia, Pa., 1885, then served successively the congregations at Summit Hill, Pa., from 1885-1890; Weissport, 1890-1893; Gilbert, 1893-1909, as pastor; after which he be- came Professor of French at Wittenberg Col- lege, Ohio. After one year in that position he went back to the ministry and is now preaching at Paulding, Ohio.
He began writing very early, his published
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
works, consisting for the most part of hymns and religious poems, original and translated, ap- pearing chiefly in the Lutheran. The transla- tions include renderings from Latin, German, French, English, original and translation, would make a goodly volume. It was also at an early age that he began producing selections in the dialect, but there are none of these left earlier than 1894. His reasons for writing in the dia- lect deserve mention : "I saw many limping ef- forts, as I thought, especially in verse, and so I essayed what I could do as to rhythm and metre." He finds the Pennsylvania German just as easy as the High German ; and as the charm grew upon him and Pegasus got restive, they together went on flights and left the footprints which we see behind.
It is generally only the masters of any sub- ject that fully realize its difficulties; so Heine has said, "Fürwahr, die Metrik ist rasend schwer : es giebt vielleicht sechs oder sieben Männer in Deutschland, die ihr Wesen verstehen." A con- siderable number of our dialect writers, as though they had been familiar with the statement, and as though it excused them from giving the subject serious attention, have all too often gone merrily a-rhyming, nor caring to retrace their steps and remove the evidences of the rough road they had traveled. Careful workmanship always shows itself in results. So we find in Wuchter, lines among the smoothest of all those in the dia- lect. His highest success he has perhaps achieved in the playful onomatopoetic lines in which he tells the familiar story of the hired boy who was set to work picking stones from a field, while his master Dinkey and his wife went off to the village on business. Towards evening they came home, not yet in sight of the place where the boy is working:
Mer sin de Lane so langsam nuf ; Der Schubkarch hot gegrahnt. Noh lacht die Betz: "Sag, bass mol uf ! Weescht wie mich sell gemahnt? Der Dinkey kummt noch la-ang net Er kummt noch net, rah-ie -! Der Dinkey kummt noch net, I bet, Er kummt net, sweet Marie."
Er hot uns ivverdem erblickt ; Noh hot die Betz gelacht ; "Guck, was der Joe net Eifer krigt! Heerscht wie der Schubkarch macht? Der Dinkey kummt, der Dinkey kummt Ta-rie, Tarie! Tarie! Der Dinkey kummt, 'r 'rumpt, 'r 'rumpt ! ! Hurrah for Tshin 'rel Lee!"
Mr. Wuchter's productions appeared over the signature "Silfanus," in the Allentown Democrat, under the editorship of C. Frank Hains, who, although himself in the dark as to the author,
was convinced he had a writer such as had not yet appeared in Pennsylvania German before. His range of subjects is rather wider than that of the average writer in the dialect. He too has defend- ed (as dialect poets everywhere have done), Die Muttersprooch in a poem which concludes :
Drum tzwischa Gott un tzwischa mensch Was hut die schproch tz' duh?
Grickt ehner'n schenner Pletz'l dert, Geht's in die ewich Ruh? Kummt alles aw uf Shibboleth Beim Jordan ivvergeh?
Weg mit so dummhait, ewich weck- Die Mutterschproch is scheh.
This, in sentiment, seems to tally with the lines of Suabian Michel Buck :
I schwätz, wia miar der Schnabel g'wachsa 'n ischt Und wia'n is han von meiner Muatar ghairt Und glaub, wear seiner Muatar Sproch it aihrt, Dear sei schau' weaadeam koi' reachter Christcht.
He reverts, as every one does, to the old times, and describes in inimitable verse "En alte Lumpa Party"; he indulges in Satire-in disapproval of Sunday clam-bakes; and in "Schpundaloch" has given a picture as well as a story that has been pronounced by his church to be better than many a temperance lecture. He has written occasional poems, like the one on the 30th Anniversary of the Ordination of one of his fellow-ministers.
Under the guise of an old cobbler, Yohli he philosophizes; with Yohli he make a trip (as many in real life have done) "Die 'hio naus" to visit those of the family who went West in tlie days when Ohio was West.
He is particularly fond of putting stories with a point to them into verse. One of these he brought with him from Brittany, "Der Geitz"; another is an Oriental tale, after the High Ger- man, "Der Ferlohra Esel"; "Hummingbirds" is an incident in the War of 1812; and "Hans un Herrgott," an anecdote of Martin Luther.
At times he gets reminiscent, as in "Kinner Yohr, Die Erschta Hussa"; even yielding some- times to the feeling that accompanies the gray days of November, as in "Nofemberklawg"; but generally, as even in the last-mentioned one, a cheerful optimism triumphs, most noticeable in this feeling that never grows old, in his poems of the seasons. This may be joy for the approach- ing Springtime as expressed in his lines of wel- come.
Ei, guck amohl derta Der Phiwie is doh! Er huckt uff 'm Poschta Wos is 'r so froh; Now guckt 'r mohl nunner Now guckt 'r mohl nuff Now sing'd 'r a bissel Now haert 'r schun uff.
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
Ei, Pihwie, wo warscht du Seid schpote yohr gewest
Warscht fart mit em Summer Warscht südlich farraest? Ich denk derta drunna Huscht's Heemweh recht ghot,
Huscht nix wie gedrauert
Warscht's Lehwa recht sot.
This was pronounced by Dr. G. W. Sandt, in The Lutheran, as "Genuine poetry, the equal of, if not superior to Harbaugh's."
Again it may be his expression of delight in the pleasures of Winter :
Hurrah for der winter, hurrah for der Schnee, Nau raus mit'm Schlitta, un zahl mer ken zwee.
Hurrah for der Winter, der Schlitta muss raus, Was hockt mer am Offa? Was will mer im Haus? Un druf mit de Bella, sunscht is es ken G'fahr, Der Winter is karz, un die Schlittabah rohr.
Hurrah for der Winter! So eppes is Gschpass, Die Meed singa en Liedel, die Buwa der Bass Un gehts in die Schneebank un schmeist's emol um Gehts drunner un drivver, was gebt mer dann drum?
Mr. Wuchter is a thorough Pennsylvania Ger- man, and I need hardly quote from a letter of his to prove it. After stating that there are many prominent men in Ohio who still speak, or rather can speak, the dialect, he says: "I am not one ) of those who would like to attend the funeral of Pennsylvania German to-morrow, if it were pos- sible. It runs in smoother measures than many of the dialects of the Fatherland. They do not asphyxiate the dialects over there * * There are those who presume to write about the Penn- sylvania Germans who are either totally ignorant of their subject, or, what is worse, renegade Simon Girtys-German blood in their veins, but troubled with Yankee of "Hinglesh" brain-bunions. They would not recognize their own grandmother speaking Pennsylvania German should they hap- men to meet her on the street." He is still in his prime, and writes better than he ever did before.
WILLIAM P. WUCHTER.
William Penn Wuchter, son of Moses G., was born April 18, 1861, at Lynnport, Lynn town- ship. He assisted his father on the farm and ac- quired his education in the public schools. After reaching manhood he followed the occupation of carpenter for a short period. In June, 1881, he learned the trade of plasterer, and followed it until 1888, at Hazelton, Pa., when he removed to Allentown. In 1890, he became a contractor in the cement and plastering business, which is car- ried on now under the name of W. P. Wuchter, who do a very extensive business. Mr. Wuchter
is an enterprising and progressive citizen. He holds membership in the Greenleaf Lodge, No. 561, F. & A. M .; I. O. O. F .; Jr. O. U. A. M .; and Knights of Friendship. In politics he is a Democrat. He was a school director in Allen- town for several years. The family are members of St. Luke's Lutheran church, which he served as deacon.
William P. Wuchter married Amanda Wert- man, daughter of David and Florence (Miller) Wertman. Issue: Florence M .; Irene Victoria; and Alma Edna Wuchter. Florence M. mar- ried Milton A. Schlenker. She graduated from the Allentown high school and the Key-
WILLIAM P. WUCHTER.
stone State Normal School, at Kutztown, and subsequently became a teacher in the Allentown schools. Mr. Schlenker is ticket agent of the P. & R., at Allentown. Irene Victoria graduated from the Allentown high school and the Allen- town Hospital in 1910. She follows the profes- sion of a trained nurse in Allentown. Alma Edna is also a graduate of the high school and the Key- stone State Normal School. She also took a course of instruction in vocal music and is now a school teacher in Allentown, and a vocal soloist of rare talent. She is a member of Christ Evan- gelical Lutheran church choir.
1434
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
JAMES M. WUCHTER.
James Monroe Wuchter, school controller and prominent citizen of Allentown, was born at Jacksonville, Lynn township, June 21, 1868. He was reared on the farm and at the age of eighteen years was apprenticed to learn the sad- dler trade and for two and one-half years he re- mained with Charles Zimmerman, at Wana- makers, Pa. In 1889, he came to Allentown and ceame a weaver in the Adelaide silk mill and was employed in the silk industry for eleven years. during which time he superintended the erection of the Weilbacher silk mill, at Allentown.
In 1900, he established the Troy Laundry Com- pany, also at the same time conducted a laundry at .East Greenville, Pa., known as the Troy Laun- dry. He sold out both laundries in 1909. The Troy Laundry is now known as the Model Troy Laundry Company, at Allentown.
While conducting the laundries he was also engaged in the lumber business in Berks county, on the South mountain, manufacturing staves for cement barrels.
In 1910, he became proprietor of Dorney's Park Hotel, which he greatly remodeled and im- proved and conducts this business up to the pres- ent time.
Mr. Wuchter has membership in the following lodges: Allen Lodge, No. 71, I. O. O. F .; Franklin Chamber, No. 9, Knights of Friend- ship; Protective Home Circle; Buffaloes; Saen- gerbund ; Owls; and the F. O. E. In politics he is an influential Democrat. He has attended all the state and national conventions for many years ; was elected in 1911, one of the nine school con- trollers of Allentown, which were the first to be elected under the new school code. During the years of 1913 and 1914 he was the president of the Board of Education and under his administra- tion the salaries of the teachers were increased ; and after two years of persistent effort he brought about the erection of a modern high school build- ing at a cost of $450,000.00. This building is re- puted to be one of the finest of its kind in the country. Mr. Wuchter is also one of the direc- "tors of the Allentown Free Library since its open- ing.
He was married, in 1891, to Lillie E. Snyder, daughter of Edwin B. and Henrietta (Follweiler ) Snyder, of Pleasant Corner, Pa. They have the following children: Stanley A., who is a student in the Lehigh University; Miriam Henrietta is a student in the Allentown high school; Dorothea Pauline.
The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Wuchter was Charles Follweiler, who was a near kin of Dorothea Follweiler, the wife of Frederick Leas-
er, the German patriot who hauled the Liberty Bell from Philadelphia to Allentown, in 1777.
The Northampton County Wuchters Line.
Peter Wuchter, the grandfather of John A. Wuchter, the representative of the Columbia Graphophone Company products for Lehigh county, was born in 1820, near Petersville, North- ampton county. He was a son of Peter Wuchter, son of Martin Wuchter, and Miss Margaret Bachman, who remained single to the end of her life. She made her home with a Mr. Fenster- macher, a descendant of Hans Martin Wuchter. Peter Wuchter was a tailor by trade. He mar- ried Mary Delp, of Delpsville, where a nephew still resides. She died at the age of 83 years. Mr. Wuchter died in 1889. He was a member of the Reformed Church, and his remains lie buried at the Stone church. Their children were: Peter, deceased; Adam, Cementon, Pa .; George, Northampton county, Pa .; James, of Egypt; Benjamin, deceased; Sylvester, Siegfried, Pa .; Rebecca, married Alfred Naylor, Egypt, Pa .; and Martha, who died in infancy.
James Wuchter, son of. Peter, is a cementer by trade and resides at Egypt, Pa. He was born in 1845; was married to Sadie Roth, a daughter of Aaron and Mary (Breisch ) Roth. They are members of the Egypt Reformed congregation. They had issue: John A., of whom below; Jacob, who died aged 24 years; Amanda, married to Howard Lazarus, Ballietsville, Pa; and Irwin, who died in infancy, is buried at Egypt.
JOHN A. WUCHTER was born at Catasauqua,- Pa., Nov. 30, 1868. He received his education in the public schools of the county. He served as office clerk at both the Egypt and Coplay ce- ment mills. In 1899, he opened a barber-shop at Egypt and continued there for a period of twenty- one years. In connection with his barber-shop he also conducted a novelty and confectionery store. In September, 1911, he came to Allentown and opened a place of business at No. 41 South Sev- enth street. Besides being the exclusive repre- sentative for Lehigh county for the Columbia Graphophone Company's products, Mr. Wuchter is an extensive dealer in real estate. He is the promoter of Vaux Hill in East Allentown, one of Allentown's newest suburbs.
In 1912, Mr. Wuchter incorporated the J. A. Wuchter Music Company, of Allentown, which has a capital of $30,000. The company has a salesroom at No. 1019 Hamilton street.
Mr. Wuchter was an active member of the Egypt Reformed congregation, was treasurer for several years; and in 1913 he became one of the organizers of St. James Reformed church at Al- lentown. He is one the first elders of the new
James Mr.Wuchter
William & Ginger
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
organization. It was through his influence that him the advantages of an English education, the Quarterly Magazine at Egypt was started. Mr. Wuchter is a member of the Chamber of Commerce ; I. O. O. F., and K. of G. E.
He was married Aug. 1, 1889, to Mary M. Hummel, a daughter of Dr. Tilghman and Mary (Guth) Hummel. She died Jan. 5, 1907, aged 44 years, leaving no issue. In May, 1910, he was married to Mrs. Annie M. Dorney, nee Hummel, the widow of Harvey Dorney. To Mr. and Mrs. Dorney were born four children : Mary and Hope, deceased; and Stanley and Bes- sie, who now go to school.
YEAGER FAMILY.
Jacob Yeager, prominently identified with the establishment of the Evangelical Church in Le- high county, was born May 12, 1809. He was brought up on a farm and learned the trade of blacksmith, which he followed until 1838, when he directed his attention to farming. He first leased, from Charles Mertz, a farm in South Whitehall township (now the poor house prop- erty), which he operated for three years; then he purchased from Mr. Mertz another farm of 76 acres at East Texas, in Lower Macun- gie township (now the property of Dr. Miller), which he carried on successfully for nearly thirty years, until his decease, June 30, 1869, and was buried on July 4. He and his wife were among the original members of the Evangelical Church in Lehigh county, and became intimately associ- ated with Bishop Seibert in his introductory reli- gious work in the community.
Mr. Yeager was married to a Miss Williams, and they had two children : James, and Angeline. Upon his wife's decease, he married Susan Fen- stermacher, daughter of Jacob Fenstermacher, of Longswamp township, and by her he had nine children: William F .; Charles, who died Sept. 13, 1853; Irwin, who died in infancy; Edwin; Hiram; John S .; Lesher H .; Caroline, married Chas. Schumacher ; Susan, married Menno Weida; Sarah, died Dec. 25, 1857; and Senia, married Frank Neligh. His second wife was born May 20, 1812, and died Feb. 29, 1872. Inter- ment was made in the Mertz cemetery, near Wes- coesville, by the side of her husband and children.
WILLIAM F. YEAGER, the father of William R. and a brother of John S. and Lesher H., was also in his day a very prominent man, as he was a most excellent one, who labored earnestly and successfully for the good of Allentown. He was born Aug. 22, 1833, at Wescoesville, Lehigh county, and reared on a farm, attending the town- ship school during the winter months. The lan- guage in daily use there having been almost whol- ly German, and his father wishing to secure for
he was sent to a friend, Lewis Ott, at Pleasant Valley, in Bucks county, (who conducted a farm, tannery, and country store), and there he at- tended school and assisted Mr. Ott for three years, until he was fifteen years old. It is worthy of mention that Mr. Ott was so highly pleased with the boy's devotion and integrity that he sent him to school at Doylestown for three extra months before allowing him to go home, so as to be sure that he had acquired a satisfactory knowledge of the English language and manners.
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