History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. III, Part 53

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 53

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Mr. Reitz and family are Lutheran members of the Ebenezer church, at New Tripoli. He was a member of the trustee board when the present edifice was built in 1890. He served

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

the church in the official capacity of a deacon, elder and trustee for a quarter of a century. He took an active interest in the installation of the present pipe organ and it was upon his sugges- tion that Andrew Carnegie was invited to con- tribute towards the cost of this most admirable improvement to the church.

He was the organizer of Post 606, G. A. R. at Steinsville, and he has been the Commander of the Post since 1909. Prior to this year he had served in the offices of Adjutant, Senior Vice Commander and Quartermaster Sergeant. He filled the office of postmaster at Best from 1897 to 1901; of county tax collector for Lynn in 1907; served as a director and the local secre- tary of the Washington National Loan and Building Association for some years, and as a director of the Kutztown Rural Telegraph and Telephone Company from 1908 to 1912.

In 1864 Mr. Reitz was married to Brigetta Scheetz, who was born March 23, 1843, and died very suddenly of apoplexy, June 1I, 191I, in the sixty-ninth year of her age. She is buried on the Reitz family plot in the cemetery at New Tripoli, where a unique monument, with the figure of a sentinel standing upon a massive base, marks her last resting place. She was a daughter of David and Elizabeth (Brobst) Schitz, and enjoyed a happy married life for upwards of forty-eight years. They had twelve children: Elmer E., William F., Carrie A., Alice R., Charles H., Cyrus E., Menora E., George A., Alvin A., Ambrose G., Lawrence E. and Ella J. the last three having died young.

Mr. Reitz is a man of great intelligence and in his later years has spent much time in the pursuit of literature. He is versed in the Bible and an earnest student of history, which affords him much entertainment of an instructive and elevating character. Since 1911, however, his life has become much saddened by the death of his devoted and most companionable wife.

D. M. REITZ, of Palmerton, Pa., son of Phaon Reitz, of Jonas, of Lawrence, of Johann Freder- ick, who was the pioneer, is the fifth child and the second son of Phaon and Lucie ( Hunsicker) Reitz. He was born Sept. 10, 1869 in Lynn township, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania. He worked on the homestead farm and acquired his education in the township schools until he reached the age of nineteen years, when he learned the trade of a carpenter. In 1889 he began to work as a journeyman carpenter at Morea, in Schuylkill journeyman carpenter at Morea, in Schuylkill county and he has followed the trade with steady advancement ever since, working at Blackwood, Tamaqua, Hazleton, Slatington and Palmerton.

On May 17, 1891, he was married to Mary J., daughter of Nathan and Maria Snyder of New Tripoli, Pennsylvania. They have issue: Edna M. (born 1893) ; Norma H. (born 1895), and Earl M. (born 1900). His wife died on August 28, 1900, aged 29 years less 2 days. On January 1, 1903, he married Mary A., daughter of George and Sarah Kunkle, of Aquashicola, Pennsylvania. They have one son, Luther G., who was born in 1908.

In 1905 he formed a partnership with George B. Snyder under the firm name of Reitz & Sny-

der. They engaged in the building and contract- ing business begun at Slatington, but in 1907 they transferred their operations to Palmerton, there it has expanded gradually until now it includes con- tracting and building, a lumber yard, operate a large planing mill, and hardware store. Their average payroll is forty men, and annual business amounts to about $100,000. In the rapidly grow- ing town of Palmerton the firm has erected sixty houses in 1910 and altogether about 200 dwell- ings, I church, I fire engine house, and the espe- cially handsome and substantial "Neighborhood House" of the New Jersey Zinc Company of Pennsylvania, which is one of the most modern

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.

and up-to-date public buildings in that part of the state.

In 1909 he moved from his home on Second street in Slatington to a newly-built residence on Delaware avenue, Palmerton. At the end of 1912 he sold that residence and erected a more commodious home for himself at the corner of Fifth and on Lafayette avenue, in the same town.

In politics he is a progressive Republican.

He was confirmed in the Ebenezer Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Tripoli, and during his residence at Slatington was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church. In 1911 he became a charter member of the Holy Trinity Lutheran church at Palmerton. In the church at Slating- ton church he served as a deacon for a period of ten years, also was its treasurer for four years, and he serves the same offices in the church at Pal- merton. He is the superintendent of the Holy Trinity Sunday school at Palmerton since its organization in 191I.

REV. J. J. REITZ, M.D.

Rev. James Jefferson Reitz, M.D., was born near Lynnport, Lehigh county, Dec. 13, 1859, son of Benjamin and Leah (Phillips) Reitz. He was reared on his father's farm, where he worked hard and laid the foundation of a busy and useful career. He had to go to school every day, unless sick, which was very rare. Even on days when the weather and roads were almost too disagreeable to permit a child to go a mile to school, his father would haul him to school in the morning and fetch him in the evening. His first school term was only three months during the year, at Weaver's school house. Later, in 1876, young Reitz attended a summer school at "Kistler's Tannery." In the fall of that year he was licensed to teach, but was too young, only sixteen years old. Dur- ing the summer of 1877 he attended summer school at Lynnville, and again received a certifi- cate to teach, and the following winter he taught at Rabert's Corner, Lynn township, receiving a salary of $25 per month for teaching a mixed school with 63 scholars. The following spring he journeyed to the Edinborough State Normal School, in Erie county, Pa. The following win- ter he again taught at Rabert's school house. During the summer of 1879 he attended Bauch's School, and the next winter taught school at Lynnport. In the spring of 1880 he entered the preparatory school at Muhlenberg College, then successfully passed the examination for admis- sion to Muhlenberg College, from which he graduated in 1884. At graduation he was Class Poet, and wrote two poems, of which the follow- ing is an extract :

Our college days are over,

The parting time has come ; We must chant now our farewell, For we are going home.

With a chip, chop! cherry chop! Folderol, riddle rop! Chip, chop! cherry chop! Folderol rsy.

We've fought the fight together, We lived like brothers here; But soon like sheep, bewildered, We'll scatter far and near.

Who knows when we'll assemble Again within these walls? We'll raise no more bad rackets ; Farewell, ye noisy halls !

Ye rooms with your rough benches, Where tutors drilled us sore; Where oft' "on cheek" we entered; Farewell, we'll flunk no more!

Ye fellow students cry not, When far away we stroll; But nobly do your duty : Hence bid we "Lebe wohl !"

In the fall of 1884 he entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, and gradu- ated in 1887, and in the same year Muhlenberg College conferred upon him the degree of A. M. During the summer of 1885 he was granted a leave of absence from the Seminary, and was principal and instructor in the New Tripoli Academy, during both the spring and fall terms. In 1886 the subject of this sketch attended the Hebrew summer school at the Episcopal Semi- nary, Philadelphia, which was conducted by the very learned Hebrew scholar, Dr. W. R. Har- per. After that, for two months, he preached in the Trinity Lutheran church, Philadelphia, and later that summer was engaged to preach for Rev. H. S. Fegley in the New Tripoli church. In June, 1887, he was ordained a Lutheran minister in Philadelphia, and in the fall of that year he became pastor of the Cherry- ville charge, composed of St. Paul's, Indian- land; Emmanuel's, Petersville; Ashfield and Parryville. The first two are in Northampton county, and these he served for a quarter century ; the latter two are in Carbon county, where he preached only one year, when conference de- tached them and added them to another charge.

The reverend then turned his attention more to the physical ailments of people, and studied medi- cine in connection with his pastorate, and there- fore by his great desire for learning, the way was easily paved to become a regular physician, which profession gives him much pleasure and a comfortable livelihood. On May 14, 1903, he graduated from Hahnemann Medical College,

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Philadelphia, with the degrees of Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Homeopathy. Ever since that time he has given the greater part of his attention to medicine, and his delight is to study chronic cases, and in their treatment he has had marked success. He stoutly maintains that it is a noble and necessary work to make people happy in enjoying life by removing bodily and mental diseases. Although a firm believer in the doc- trines of the Christian church, he thinks he has done his duty by laboring in the profession of the ministry for a quarter century and that now he can do more good by trying to make people happy while here on earth as well as for the hereafter.

In 1903, he moved to Walnutport, where he had purchased a home, with twenty-five acres of land, half of which he later laid out in build- ing lots. At that home he still resides, and has improved and beautified it so that it has become one of the most desirable homes in that part of Walnutport. He bored an artesian well, and has his own waterworks, affording him a continuous flow of fresh spring water at the side of his house and barn, as well as for modern conveniences in his home. After preaching for those many years, he desired to retire, and accordingly asked his congregations to relieve him as their pastor, but the church council would not accept his resigna- tion until he persisted. Therefore, he resigned his churches in 1912. During his pastorate he preached over 1,200 sermons, baptized over 700 children and officiated at several hundred fu- nerals.

Doctor Reitz was united in marriage March 12, 1889, to Ada Jane Follweiler, daughter of Charles and Catharine ( Heinly) Follweiler, of Tamaqua, Pa. His wife is an active helpmate and devoted companion to his busy life. They have one son, Charles Benjamin, whose history follows.

Reverend Reitz wrote a history of Emmanuel's church, Petersville, one of the oldest churches in Pennsylvania, having been started in 1723, which history was published in the "Pennsylvania German," June and July numbers, 1912. He has a large library of choice books, wherein he delights to spend many an hour. He is a lover of the home, and surrounding his residence are several hundred choice fruit trees, which receive the best scientific attention. In his manners, Doctor Reitz is plain and congenial, and by his resolute will to do that which he believes right he has won a wide and enviable reputation.

DR. CHARLES BENJAMIN REITZ, son of Rev. J. J. Reitz, M.D., resident physician at the Rittersville State Insane Asylum, was born Jan. 4, 1890, at Cherryville, in Northampton county. He attended the public school of the township

and also the Slatington high school from which he graduated at sixteen, and then followed teach- ing for three years, after which he took a course of four years in the Hahnemann Medical Col- lege at Philadelphia, graduating June 5, 1913, with first honors in the class, and followed with a special course of five weeks in the State Hos- pital at Westboro, Mass. With this preparation and the recommendation of the professors under whom he was qualified, the Board of Trustees at the Rittersville State Hospital in Pennsylvania selected him as the pathologist of the institution, and he has filled this responsible position in a successful manner until the present time.

REMALY FAMILY.

Ambrose and Jacob Remely, French Hugue- nots, emigrated to this country in 1741, and set- tled in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, at or about the same time that Conrad Remely set- tled in Philadelphia. Michael Remaly on Aug. 5, 1767, took out a warrant for 32 acres of land in what is now Washington township, Lehigh county. At Slatington and in the surrounding territory the Remalys have been settled for more than 145 years. An Ambrose Remaly (name is spelled differently) took up 232 acres of land, situated south of Slatington borough, along the public road that follows the Lehigh river to An- drews' saw-mill near Rockdale. He was a farm- er. Elias and Daniel Remaly later lived upon some of this land. The homestead tract is now owned by James Kern.

Ambrose Remaly had two sons: John and Jacob. John was born May 23, 1788, and died July 20, 1853. He had the homestead farm, and was married to Salome Fenstermacher, who was born Oct. 3, 1804, and died Nov. 5, 1892, in her 89th year. Both are buried at the Frieden's church. On Oct. 20, 1833, they were married and they had two sons and two daughters: Elias ; Daniel ; Lucy, married to Daniel Zellner; and Sarah, who was twice married, first to Elias Best, and second to Oliver Deshler.

Jacob Remaly, the youngest son of Ambrose, was born Nov. 22, 1790, and died Sept. 6, 1865, in his 75th year of age. He was married to Cath- arine Remaly, who, tradition states, was no near kin. She was born Jan. 16, 1818, and died March 28, 1907, in her 90th year of age. Both are buried at the Frieden's church, near Slating- ton. The upper part of Slatington is built upon his acres and what is locally known as "Spruce Hill" was on his property. He had a very large tract of land. Their nine children follow : Stephen; Charles; Jonas; David; Adam; Su- sanna, married John Dorward; Polly, was the

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.

wife of Adam Kreitz; Lydia, married Conrad Best ; and Carolina, married Benjamin Rockel.

Charles Remaly, the second son of Jacob, was a laborer and lived on upper Main street, in Slat- ington. He was born May 17, 1816, and died Feb. 10, 1886. He married Louisa Hamilton, of Allentown. Their children were: Maria, Elmira, Mary, Henry, Jane, and Frank.

Jonas Remaly, the third son of Jacob, was a farmer along the Blue mountains, in Carbon county, Pa. His wife was Hannah Newhard, and they had these children: William, Tilghman, Amandus, Benjamin, James, Mary, Lydia, Caro- lina, and Annie.

David Remaly, son of Jacob, built house No. 1248, on Upper Main street, in Slatington. His brother, Charles, lived opposite the street from him. His wife was Elizabeth Snyder. She died Oct. 16, 1901, aged 77 years, 3 months and 15 days. Their children follow: Cyrus, Lafayette, Robert, David, Jane, Caroline, Mary, Agnes, and Elizabeth.

Adam Remaly, another son of Jacob, lived in the upper end of Slatington and there was a laborer. He married Sabina Kern, a pious and good woman, who was never known to have been angry. She is said to have possessed great psy- chic powers and was a useful woman to her com- munity, where she was held in reverence and es- teem. Their children were: Jonas, Amandus, Edwin, Nathaniel, Lydia, Violetta, and Susan.

George Remaly, another on the pioneers, who lived about Slatington on land which was his own and passed to his son, Jacob George Re- maly. The elder George Remaly was married to Polly Kocher, an Englishwoman, and they had four sons and four daughters, to wit: Mi- chael, Henry, William, and George. The daugh- ters were: Catharine, married to Jacob, son of Ambrose Remaly; Elizabeth, married John Ring- er; Maria, married Peter Newhard, and Sarah, married Daniel Brown.

(Jacob) George Remaly was born Sept. 4, 1794, and was a farmer. He lived in the upper end of Slatington, near the corner of Main and Washington streets. He sold tracts of his land for the improvement of Slatington, and was an intelligent and public-spirited citizen. It is said that he was an English Quaker and he never denied himself the broad-rimmed hat and the turned down collar. He had purchased the home- stead from his father. He was married for forty years to Mary Elizabeth, a daughter of John and Polly (Kuhns) Benninger. She was born May 5, 1801, and died Aug. 3, 1863. He died Dec. 29, 1868, in his seventy-fourth year. Four of their eleven children died small.

Those that grew up were: John; Kate, mar-

ried Joseph German; William; Paul; Jacob; and Elizabeth, born in 1849, married John Crossley.

John Remaly, son of Jacob George, was born March 10, 1823. He had upwards of 300 acres of land near the Lehigh furnace, and he owned what was known as LaBarsville, which is now Slatedale. He died Jan. 3, 1862, in his thirty- ninth year. His wife was Lovina Wert, and they had these children: Sarah Ann, married J. C. Mack ; Ella A., married George F. Oplinger, whose history appears in this volume; and James, who died aged seventeen years.

William Remaly lived in Berlinsville, in Northampton county. There he operated a grist and saw-mill, also a farm. He married Mary, a daughter of John Benninger. They had one son and five daughters, namely: Emelina; Sabilla; George, who was a school teacher, and died an accidental death ; Ella; Mary; and Katie.

Paul Remaly was a farmer on the outskirts of Slatington. He married Mary Blose, and they had these four children: Benjamin, James, Isa- bella, and Mary. Paul Remaly was married, second, to Mary Oswald. They had one son, George.

Jacob Remaly was a farmer near Benninger's Crossing, in Northampton county. His wife was Annie Rex, and they had these children: Sarah, married William Deibert; Mary, married Wil- liam Beers; and James, who now occupies the homestead farm.

Jacob Remaly, a farmer, lived in Washington township. He was the father of three sons: Jonas, Charles, and Adam.

Charles Remaly, the second son of Jacob, was a carpenter and boat-builder. He lived at Slat- ington, Pa. He was married to Louisa Hamil- ton, and they had the following children: Maria, married to Jonas Beidelman, they lived in Tiffin, Ohio; Ellemina, married to W. K. Derr, late of Hokendauqua; Mary; Henry W .; Jane, mar- ried to Oscar Beidleman; and Frank, of Slat- ington.

Henry W. Remaly, the oldest son of Charles, was born Feb. 1, 1847. He was employed upon the farm until 1892, when he began farming on a 90-acre tract which belongs to the Lehigh Port- land Cement Company. On this farm George Kemmerer built a stone house in 1826. Mr. Remaly is a charter member of Camp 301, P. O. S. of A., at Catasauqua.

He was married, in 1875, to Ellen, daughter of Joseph and Caroline (Carr) Gackenbach. They have two children: Edwin, who died aged 18 years ; and Stella M., a graduate of the Amer- ican Commercial School, who since 1906, is em- ployed as stenographer and typrewriter with the

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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Lehigh Portland Cement Company, at Allen- town.

REV. J. S. RENNINGER.

Rev. Josiah Stauffer Renninger, son of Peter Renninger and his wife, Anna Maria, nee Stauf- fer, and a Lutheran pastor for fifty years, was born in New Hanover township, Montgomery county, Pa. He was baptized by Rev. Conrad Miller in the Faulkner Swamp church, and con- firmed by Rev. Nathan Yeager in the Sassaman church in 1853. His paternal grandmother was a Kern, and his maternal grandmother was a Linsenbigler. After attending the home schools, and after his confirmation, he prosecuted his studies at Skippackville, Mechanicsville (in the limit of Philadelphia), Freeland Seminary, Mt. Pleasant Seminary ( Boyertown) Dickinson Seminary ( Williamsport ), Kuttelfleck Hall and Frederick Institute. He then taught public school for four terms and also for a session at Frederick Institute, selling books and working during vacations. In 1862 he was graduated from the Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, and in August of that year received his cre- dentials from the Allegheny Synod to serve as a minister of the Gospel in the Evangelical Lu- theran Church.

Immediately after his installation he received a call from the Fryburg charge in Clarion coun- ty, Pa., which he declined, but he also received a call from a mission at Derry, in Westmoreland county, which he accepted. The congregation at Derry was much disturbed by the "anxious bench system," but after his faithful services there for a year the members became more conservative. A part of this parish was connected with con- gregations of the Pittsburgh Synod, and the other part with congregations of the Ohio Synod. In consequence of the pending formation of new parishes, Reverend Renninger resigned and be- came a supply pastor of the Ringtown parish in Schuylkill county, and in 1864 was elected their regular pastor.

The Ringtown parish comprised four congre- gations and several preaching posts, which re- quired much attention for their betterment. By Bible-classes, catechetical instruction, securing teachers of music for church services, and the introduction of better church government, a healthy change took place and a new church- building was erected for the Lutheran Mt. Zion congregation.

In 1866, Reverend Renninger received a call to the Conyngham parish, where he had preached a trial sermon, but at the earnest solicitation of the Ringtown parishioners he decided to remain

another year in order to get them properly started in building a parsonage, and also a church. Then, in 1867, he received and accepted a call to the Schnecksville parish, in Lehigh county, which comprised the Egypt, Union, Frieden's, Heidelberg and Lowhill congregations. This was a large field for mission work, and it proved to be an important one. He introduced a thorough catechetical course and began preach- ing at Laury's school-house, and also at the Slate- dale and Furnace schoolhouses and succeeded in organizing a Lutheran congregation and erect- ing a building at Slatedale; and a chapel was

REV. J. S. RENNINGER.

also put up at Cementon, in Whitehall, where a new congregation carries on religious worship. He conducted regular services in the Schnecks- ville schoolhouse and there too he established a congregation and chapel, but he resigned this parish in 1888.

In May, 1888, he moved to Allentown, and started preaching in a schoolhouse in East Al- lentown, which resulted in the formation of a congregation and the erection of a building, and there he preached as a supply pastor. Soon after having located at Allentown, he organized the St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran congregation, secured a lot of ground on North 7th street, be-

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.

tween Gordon and Liberty streets, and accom- plished so much in the erection of the church that the Sunday-school was enabled to celebrate its Christmas festival there. He also began earnest and successful preaching in an old school- house in South Allentown, and after persistent work with a Sunday-school and a young people's society he succeeded in establishing Grace Evan- gelical Lutheran congregation. He secured a lot and his well-directed labors in this instance also resulted in the erection of a church building.

During the first year of his services in con- nection with St. Luke's Church, Reverend Ren- ninger began to supply the Gilbert's parish in Monroe county; and then too the Coopersburg parish. He served these three congregations for six years, then resigned his connection with the St. Luke's so as to devote his time more ex- clusively to the building up of the St. Joseph's and Grace congregations, and this labor was con- tinued until the last few years, during which he served only the St. Joseph's. In twelve years of hard mission work, he received support from the Synod only for one year and this amounted to $500, and though he was paid a small sum for his services he has no regrets to express for the work he had to do and the sacrifices he had to make.

In 1898, Reverend Renninger resigned from the St. Joseph's Church and accepted an earnest call to the St. John's at Berrysburg, in Dauphin county, a large congregation with a fine prop- erty. In this locality he also worked hard for the welfare of the parish, and during his service of ten years he added 150 members to the con- gregation and lost only 40 by death and other- wise; and he also accomplished desirable changes for the improvement of the congregation as well as its property. In October 1908 his resigna- tion of this field was accepted.

Notwithstanding his desire to rest for a time from his ministerial labors and direct for a change of vocation direct his attention to building opera- tions with his son-in-law, John A. Klinger, at Fullerton, he was persuaded to perform special services nearly every Sunday until in the Fall of 1909, when he began to preach in the Northamp- ton Heights parish and there he was installed as the regular pastor on March 13, 1910. This parish consists of St. John's Church of Williams township, and St. Matthew's Church of North- ampton Heights; and there he has been preach- ing the Gospel in a most acceptable manner un- til the present time.

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History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. III, Part 53

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