USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. III > Part 74
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John Shiffert, son of John and Eliza (Roth- enberger) Schiffert, was born May 23, 1801, in Upper Milford township. He was a farmer and in politics a Republican, and in 1841 was one of the organizers of Solomon's Reformed Church at Macungie, of which he became a member. His death occurred April 5, 1881.
He married Catharine Mattern, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Rice) Mattern. Issue : Eliza and David, died young; John F. M., and Sarah, who married Frank Shimer. Issue: Kate, Olive and Emma Shimer.
JOHN FRANKLIN SHIFFERT, son of John, was born June 22, 1842, at Millerstown, Lehigh county. He attended the public schools at Ma- cungie, and Muhlenberg College. After com- pleting his education, at the age of 17, he entered the hardware business and continued for ten years, when he became a traveling salesman for Johnson & Schwartz, wholesale grocers, covering Bucks, Montgomery and Lehigh counties.
In politics he was a Republican; served six years as assessor and tax collector ; and is now health officer of Upper Milford, a member of the Masonic Fraternity, the K. of P., and of the Solomon's Reformed Church at Macungie. His present home was the second house built in the village of old Zionsville.
He married Dec. 4, 1865, Aravesta J. Oberly, daughter of Rudolph and Sallie (Uberoth) Ob- erly, of Easton, Pa. Issue: Herbert Olanda, Willis D .; Frank J. R .; Estella, and Sallie Shif- fert.
Dr. Herbert O. graduated from the medical school of Kingston, Pa., and entered the U. S. navy as a surgeon on the S. S. Nashville and Vermont, being at sea over three years, but is now stationed at Annapolis, Md. He married Martha O'Connor, of Brookville, Pa.
Willis D. married Amanda Brobst. Issue: Ralph, Lillian, Catharine, Miriam, and John. He resides at Chestnut Hill, Pa.
Frank J. R. married Annie Mohr. They have three children: Estella, a graduate of the Kingston Normal School; Sallie, also a gradu-
ate of the same school, in 1912 was appointed chief clerk of the Rittersville hospital.
John Schiffert, the great grandfather, lived where Schreiber's Grist Mill was located and owned the land around the location of the fine spring. He was a farmer, was married and had these children: Jacob, Aaron, Reuben, Henry, Lydia, who married George Quier, and a daugh- ter who married a Mr. Furry.
Henry Schiffert lived at Snydersville, Pa., and was a wheelwright. He died in the fall of 1904, aged 91 years, 7 months and some days, and is buried at the Jordan Lutheran Church. He was the oldest man in his section at the time of his death. He served as supervisor for a num- ber of years. His wife was Salome Kuntz, a daughter of George Kuntz, of Lehigh county. They had eight children as follows: Lilanda, who married George Fricker and resides in Cop- lay, Pa .; Henry; Elmira, who married Wm. Baer, they resided in Allentown where both died; Edwin, of Snydersville, Pa .; Joseph, of Allentown, Pa .; Lizzie, deceased, who married Jesse Guth; William, who died at the age of sixteen years.
Henry G. Schiffert, a citizen of Allentown, Pa., was born July 24, 1842, at Snydersville, where all the children were also born. He was a carpenter until June, 1907, when he lost his left foot on the trolley track at South Allentown, and since then lived retired.
In 1868 he was married to Matilda Amey, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Oberbeck) Amey, of Bucks county, and late of Allentown. She died on September 22, 1902, aged 54 years, and was buried on Fairview cemetery, Allen- town, Pa. They had one son, Robert L.
ROBERT L. SCHIFFERT, alderman of Allen- town, Pa., was born September 4, 1870. He was graduated from Allentown high school in 1888 and in the fall of that year registered as a law student in the offices of Henninger & Dewalt, and was admitted to the bar in October, 1891. He practiced until 1899, and in that year was elected alderman of the Ninth ward; was re- elected in 1904, and again in 1909. His offices are located at 461 Hamilton street, the north- east corner of Fifth and Hamilton streets. He was active in politics, but previous to his election as alderman, never aspired to office. Up to March 7, 1911, Alderman Schiffert tried 2,950 civil cases, 2,975 criminal cases, married 225 couples and has the best record of any alderman in the city. He instituted a regular system of bookkeeping and is a thorough business man, as well as an able administrator of the law.
He is a member of Constantine Lodge, No. III3, I. O. O. F., and is the present Noble
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
Grand of this lodge; is a member of Lecha Tribe, No. 185, Order of Red Men, and is a trustee of Livingstone Castle, K. G. E., No. 258, since 1895, and is popular in social circles of Allentown.
He was married in 1895 to Lillian I. Richter, late of Catasauqua. They have an only daugh- ter, Marian P. Schiffert.
GEORGE SCHIFFERT, engineer, was born March 13, 1868, in the borough of Macungie, and there attended the public school until he was ten years old. After working for a time at an iron-ore mine, he went to Allentown and was employed in the Lewis Foundry for four years. He then engaged in the contracting busi- ness and followed it until 1912, when he was appointed engineer at the Lehigh Bleach and Dyeing Co. works, and he has filled the position until the present time. He was married to Amanda Blank, daughter of John Blank, of Emaus, and they have the following children: Edith, Emma, Esther, Mary, and Flossie. They are members of St. Peter's Lutheran church, at Macungie.
John Sylvester Schiffert, his father, was born May 2, 1847, in Upper Milford township, Le- high county. He was engaged as a contractor at iron ore mines in the vicinity of Macungie for a number of years; then he moved to Northamp- ton and carried on a stone-quarry until he met with an accidental death there on Sept. 29, 1903, his son, William, having been killed at the same time. He was married to Mary Roth- enberger, a daughter of Peter and Anna (Wag- ner) Rothenberger and they had nine chil- dren: George; Anna Cora, m. John Hoffman; William, who was killed in a stone quarry with his father; Victor D .; Esther S., m. Charles Martz, at Brooklyn, N. Y .; Carrie; Jennie, m. Morris Laudenslager; Mary Alice, m. Chester Leidy; Sallie May, m. Robert Miller, also at Brooklyn; and Preminda, who died in infancy. They were members of the Lutheran church at Macungie, where the deceased members of the family were buried.
JOHN SCHLAFER.
John Schlafer, a native of the Rheinpfalz, Bavaria, Germany, spent his entire life there. He was a manufacturer of shoes, and later a retail dealer of shoes. He married Margaret Buck. They had a son, John.
John, son of John and Margaret (Buck) Schlafer, was born in Bavaria, Germany, July 27, 1867. Until the age of fifteen he remained in his native land, where he acquired a good, practical education. He then emigrated to Amer- ica, landing at the city of New York, and there
worked in a candy and confectionery establish- ment until he had completely mastered the busi- ness. Having accepted a position as pastry cook at the Grand Union Hotel, New York, he re- mained there some time, then went to Atlanta, Georgia, where he also followed his calling. Re- turning to New York, he was connected with W. F. Cushman for a period of four years, these being among the most prominent bakers in the city. He next went to Atlantic City as a baker and pastry cook, and from there to New Haven, as head baker at Yale College, where he remained eight years. During the summer months he would always go to the White mountains, never experiencing any difficulty in obtaining a position as head baker at one or another of the finest hotels in that well known section. By this time he had amassed a considerable capital, and he de- cided to establish himself in business independent- ly. This he did, and for the next five years he conducted bakeries at New Haven, Connecticut. He then established a bakery at Danielsville, but this was destroyed by fire. In September, 1910, he removed to Allentown, where he purchased his present business at the corner of Sixth and John streets, from Stephen Kline, and has given it his personal attention since that time. He is a progressive and reliable business man. He has four teams constantly in his employ, and is the owner of his place of business and his home. He is a Democrat politically, and an official mem- ber of Grace Lutheran church. His fraternal affiliations are with the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Modern Woodmen of the World. Mr. Schlafer married Sarah A., a daughter of Edwin and Lucy (Schlegel) Seip, of Kleckners- ville, Northampton county, and they have had children : Florence ; Gertrude; John; Theodore, deceased.
SCHLECHTER FAMILY.
William Schlechter was born April 18, 1818, in Ludwigsburg, Wurtemberg, Germany. He came to America alone in 1854, and settled at Newark, N. J. On Jan. 1, 1856, his family also came to America, and joined him.
In 1856 he moved to Easton, Pa., and followed carriage painting and later opened a shop and conducted a sign and house painting business, following this line until the breaking out of the war of the rebellion. He then enlisted in Co. A, 47th Regt., Pa. Volunteers, and he served for over three years, when he was honorably dis- charged. He then resumed working at his trade. He died Oct. 30, 1897, and was buried in Easton, Pa. William Schlechter married Catharine Bausch, born April 3, 1818. Issue: William Frederick; Louisa C., married Emil E. Rinn;
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Gustavus A., of Reading Pa .; Emma A .; Wil- liam J. Pohl; Charles E., deceased ; Mary C., single.
WILLIAM F. SCHLECHTER, son of William and Catharine (Bausch) Schlechter, was born Nov. 7, 1844, in Ludwigsburg, Germany. As a boy he attended the schools of his native place, up to the age of ten years, when he came with his mother to America. After his parents moved to Easton, Pa., he finished his education in the public schools of that city.
Um F. Schlechter.
At the early age of fourteen years he became a clerk in the store of John Pollock, in Easton, where he remained until 1862, when he learned cabinet making, which he followed until July 8, 1875, when he removed to Allentown, where he and his brother-in-law, Emil E. Rinn, purchased of E. B. Horlacher his printing and publishing plant, having an office at 629 Hamilton street, where they continued to publish the weekly paper, the Unaghaengiger Republikaner, for sev- eral years. They then bought the property at 607 Hamilton street, and used the same for their printing establishment.
On March 1, 1886, they dissolved partnership
and Mr. Schlechter became the sole owner of the printing plant. In the spring of 1892 he bought the property at 540 Hamilton street, where he is still located. Mr. Schlechter has been in the printing business in Allentown for over thirty- eight years and is the oldest publisher in this city. The Republikaner was established in 1810. and is the oldest German newspaper in Pennsyl- vania to-day.
He is a member of St. John's Evangelical Lu- theran church, and was a member of the vestry. He is a member of Barger Lodge, No. 333, Al. len R. A. Chapter, Allen Council, No. 23, Al len Commandery, No. 20, a past officer in all of these bodies. A member of Anne Penn Allen Chapter, No. 145, O. E. S., Rajah Temple, A. A. O. M. S., of Reading; of Lehigh Lodge, No. 83, I. O. O. F., Unity Encampment, No. 12, I. O. O. F., and treasurer and past officer of Red Hawk Tribe, No. 55, I. O. R. M.
William F. Schlechter married, April 17, 1869, Mary J. Koos, of Phillipsburg, N. J., daughter of Frederick and Theresa Koos, of Phil- lipsburg, N. J. Issue : Catharine L., deceased ; Edward H .; Mary E .; William G .; Emma A .; Paul; Caroline A .; Frederick C .; Clarence R .; Helen A., married to William J. Erdman.
EDWARD H. SCHLECHTER, eldest son of Wil- liam F. and Mary J. (Koos) Schlechter, was born April 30, 1871, in Easton. He was educated in the public schools of Allentown and the Al- lentown Business College, and at an early age entered the employ of his father, in the printing business where he continued until 1903, acquir- ing a thorough knowledge of all branches of the work.
In the latter years of his service, he was man- ager and foreman for his father.
In 1903 he engaged in the manufacture of badges, metal, and celluloid buttons, etc. He has built up a large and successful business. He holds membership in the following organizations, viz: The Masonic Fraternity; Lehigh Lodge, No. 83, I. O. O. F. ( Past Grand) ; Red Hawk Haymak- ers Association, No. 5512, I. O. R. M .; president of Goodwill Fire Company for past five years and a member for twenty years; president of the Four County Firemen's Association; member of Firemen's Association of Pennsylvania; Mod- ern Woodmen of America; Moose. In politics, a Democrat, was the organizer and first president of the Lehigh Democratic Club.
In religious matters, was first a member of St. John's Lutheran church; is now a member of Christ's Lutheran church, of which he was one of the organizers, and ever a liberal contributor thereto.
Edward H. Schlechter married, June 15, 1893,
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
by Rev. S. A. Repass, in Allentown, Elizabeth M. Shaffer, daughter of Abner and Elizabeth (Roth) Shaffer. Issue: Edward W., born in 1895, now a student at Muhlenberg College; John, who died, aged nine years; and Elizabeth J., born in 1904.
JOHN MARTIN SCHLEGEL.
John Martin Schlegel, a native of Lauffen, Wurtemberg, Germany, was born in 1801, and died in 1893, aged 92 years. He was a miller. He married Barbara Klaessley, who died, aged about 90 years. Issue: (1) John Martin also a miller; (2) Christiana; (3) Christian; (4) Maria, who died single; and (5) Anna Schlegel.
Christian Schlegel, son of John Martin, was born Sept. 24, 1832, in Wurtemberg, Germany. He learned the art of making cream cheese, which was an important part of the dairy in- dustry. He emigrated to America in 1863 and first located in Waterbury, Conn., where for two years he was an employee of a brass goods company in the foundry department. In 1866 he located at Allentown. For twenty-six years he was employed in the rolling mill. He and fam- iy are members of the Lutheran church.
He married (first) in 1862, Christina Schleg- el, daughter of George Schlegel, who was an inn-keeper, a brewer, a baker, and farmer in Wurtemberg, Germany, where he had much property. She died in 1871. Issue: four chil- dren: John, George, and three who died in in- fancy. Christian Schlegel married (second) in 1873, Margaret Seabold, daughter of Heinrich and Otillia (Parsch) Seabold, who resided near Zwei Brucken, Bavaria. Issue: (1) John Mar- tin; (2) Elizabeth; (3) Annie, (Mrs. Wilhelm Finnel) ; and (4) Henry W. Schlegel.
JOHN MARTIN SCHLEGEL, son of Christian and Margaret (Seabold) Schlegel, was born Feb. 16, 1857 in Wurtemberg, Germany. He emigrated to America in 1871, locating at Allen- town, where he learned the bakers' trade with Christian Hohl. In 1885 he went to work at his trade at Bethlehem, where he continued for three years. He then returned to Allentown, and again entered Mr. Hohl's employ, where he remained about twenty years. In 1907 he established the "City Bakery," at 411-13 Ridge Avenue, Allentown. In politics he is a Democrat and served as a member of the common council. He and family are members of the Lutheran church, and active in all its various departments. He has served as librarian, treasurer, and teacher in the Sunday school.
John Martin Schlegel married July 19, 1877, Hannah C. Hohl, daughter of Christian Hohl, with whom he learned his trade. (See Hohl
biography elsewhere in these volumes). Issue: four children, all connected with the baking busi- ness, viz: (1) Emma Sarah, married (first) Charles H. Frank, and (second) to Richard A. Pervo; (2) William J .; (3) Harvey S., mar- ried Annie Nickey, and (4) Anna Augusta Schlegel.
GEORGE J. SCHLEGEL.
George John Schlegel, engineer of refrigerat- ing plant at Rittersville State Hospital, was born at Allentown on Sept. 20, 1869, and educated in the public schools until he was thirteen years old, when he was put to work. He was em- ployed in a furniture factory, and silk-mill, and Allentown rolling-mill, until he became of age, learning to operate a stationary engine while at the rolling-mill, and then acted as the engineer for six years until the mill was suspended. He was next employed at the city water works for three years, and at the Horlacher Brewery, for seven years, after which he was appointed to the position of engineer of the refrigerator plant at the Rittersville State Hospital, and he has since filled this position in a satisfactory manner. He is a member of the American Order of Steam Engineers.
In 1891, Mr. Schlegel was married to Cath- arine Trump, and they had seven children: Lil- lian Catharine, died young; Rose and Gertrude, both fore-ladies in Bonty's cigar factory ; George Frederick, clerk with Lehigh Valley Trust Co .; Paul; Margaret; and Frederick.
His parents were born in Wurtemberg, Ger- many and emigrated to America, landing at New York. They first resided at Waterbury, Conn., four years; then removed to Allentown, Pa., where his father was employed in the Al- lentown rolling-mill for thirty years. .
JOHN SCHLEICHER.
Andrew Schleicher, a native of Saxe Weimar, Germany, was born in 1835, and emigrated to the United States in 1858; and in 1863 he settled at Catasauqua, Pa. He is a gardner and was employed by John Thomas seven years, and by James W. Fuller for thirty consecutive years. He married Margaret Mader and they had issue: Lovina (married Andrew Gley, who live at Phoenixville, Pa.) ; John (of Providence, R. I.) ; Emma (single, who lives with her fa- ther ) ; and Annie (the wife of Edwin Steacher, who reside at Royersford, Pa.)
John Schleicher, a brother of Andrew, was born January 25, 1843. In 1863 he emi- grated from the Fatherland, settling at Cata- sauqua, where he followed his trade of garden- ing until 1905, when he became too old for
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
the work. For a period of thirty-six years he was gardner for the Hunt family at Catasauqua, first for Joshua Hunt, then David Hunt, his son. He has always lived at Catasauqua. In 1905 he accepted a position as watchman at the Dryden Horse Shoe Works.
He and his family are Lutherans. He has served his church faithfully, both as deacon and elder for many years. His first wife was Ber- tha Richter, a daughter of Charles and Clara (Stech ) Richter. She died on April 25, 1886, aged 39 years and 15 days. They had ten chil- dren: Charles, William, Frank J., Clara, Reu- ben, George, Fred, Lizzie, Helen, and John (who died in infancy). He married as his sec- ond wife, Rebecca Greenawalt, the widow of Joseph Herpel, and they have a son, John D.
SCHLEIFER FAMILY.
The Schleifer family came from the Palatinate, Germany, to America about 1732, and are now numerously represented in the state of Pennsyl- vania. The deeds still extant to the Schleifer farm, were originally given by King George II, to William Penn. The first of this branch of whom we have record is Henry Schleifer, who lived at Zion Hill, where he was a farmer all his life.
Peter, son of Henry Schleifer, was born on the old Schleifer homestead near Zion Hill, died at the age of eighty-four years, and is buried in the Mennonite church cemetery at Coopersburg. In his earlier years he was the owner of a farm of sixty-three acres, to which he added by purchase until it consisted of one hundred and four acres at the time of his death. He was also a large dealer in cattle, and was considered an expert in this line. A life-long member of the Mennonite Church, he held, at various times, all the offices in it. He married Mary Newcombe, who died at the age of sixty-nine years, and is buried in the Mennonite churchyard at Coopersburg. They had children : William, deceased ; Mary, married John Urmy, a farmer, now deceased, and she is living at Center Valley ; Ellen, married William Menninger, a retired cigar manufacturer of Quakertown; Peter, who was an invalid, died at the age of thirty-two years; Henry Newcombe, of further mention; John, a farmer and truck gardener at Zion Hill; Charles, also a farmer there.
Henry Newcombe, son of Peter and Mary (Newcombe) Schleifer, was born in Upper Sau- con township, Lehigh county, between Coopers- burg and Center Valley, Feb. 27, 1857. He worked on the farm until he had attained the age of nineteen years. He then learned the trade of milling under the auspices of Abner Wilt, at
Hosensack, remaining with him one year, then, in the spring of 1876, he became the assistant miller, with William Younger, at Catasauqua, and finally, until 1891, with the Catasauqua Flour Mill. On Dec. 16, 1895, became the owner of the Whitehall Roller Mills, in White- hall township, and conducted this industry until Feb. 14, 1914. The mill is located at North Sixth street, Allentown, and Mr. Schleifer has made numerous improvements since it came into his possession. The staples handled are flour, feed, grain, and all kinds of poultry and pigeon food. For some time ice has also been one of the commodities handled, and Mr. Schlei- fer is a large stockholder in the Allentown Mer- chants' Ice Company. He is a member of St. Paul's Lutheran church, at Catasauqua.
Mr. Schleifer married Anna M., a daughter of Richard and Eliza (Nagle) Snyder, of Catasau- qua, and they have children: Charles Franklin, of further mention; Minnie, who married Wil- liam Ketchel, chief machinist of the Laurance Cement Company, at Siegfried.
Charles Franklin, son of Henry and Anna M. (Snyder) Schleifer, was born at Catasauqua, June 13, 1880. He received a sound, practical education in the public schools of his native town, and this was supplemented by a full course at Wood's American Business College, from which he was graduated about 1897. He then com- menced working for his father in the Whitehall Roller Mill, formerly known as the Strauss Mill, and there learned the trade of milling under the supervision of his father, with whom he was as- sociated for a period of eighteen years. He had full charge of the mill for fifteen years, and is now also connected with his father in the ice business. He is an ardent supporter of the Re- publican party, and a member of Salem Reformed church. His fraternal affiliations are with the Patriotic Order Sons of America, and the Knights of the Mystic Chain.
He married, in October, 1902, Lottie S., daughter of William and Amelia (Miller) Zieg- enfuss, and they have one child: Dorothy Cath- erine. William Ziegenfuss was a soldier during the Civil War, and was one of the first to volun- teer his services in defense of the Union. He was a cabinet maker at Allentown.
SCHLESMAN FAMILY.
This family was founded in Pennsylvania by Hans Christoph, John Heinrich and John Nich- olas Schlesman, who came to this country from Germany on the ship "Phoenix," which qualified at Philadelphia on Nov. 2, 1752. That they were related cannot be doubted. In the year 1759, the name of Nicholas Schlesman appears
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
among the list of taxables of Tulpehocken town- ship, Berks county, and then he paid a tax of three pounds. John Schlesman, son of John Nicholas, in 1790, lived in Tulpehocken town- ship and was the head of a family consisting of one son, and three females. John Heinrich Schlesman settled in Philadelphia (tradition) and there in 1790, one Henry Schlesman, a tailor, was the head of a family made up of three sons and five females.
Peter Schlesman, son of John, was born in 1805. He was a farmer at Rehersburg, Berks county, Pa., and there he married Eva Bomber- ger, born Nov. 20, 1808. Their children were Augustus B. (mentioned later) ; Isaac (men- tioned later) ; Mary (married John Peiffer, a farmer, near Myerstown, Pa .; and Adam (who left home when quite young and for some years lived in Texas, but now removed to Oklahoma. Eva Schlesman survived her husband many years and died at the age of 96 years.
Augustus B. Schlesman, was born at Rehers- burg, Berks county, Pa., on June 18, 1832. In 1865 he moved to Girardville, Schuylkill county, at a time when coal mines were being opened, and he erected many coal breakers. He followed the contracting business until about 1880, and at the same time he carried on the painting and paper-hanging business, to which he gave his entire time after 1880. He was cap- tain of the police department at Girardville dur- ing the reign of the Mollie Maguires in Schuyl- kill county after the Civil War; and there, as- sisted by "Jack" Green, arrested the notorious "Mollie," named "Jack" Kehoe, and took him to the Pottsville jail before any alarm could be spread. Kehoe was one of the Mollies who was tried, convicted, with others and hanged.
Mr. Schlesman and family were members of the Lutheran church, which he served as a dea- con and trustee. He was married March 27, 1852, to Rebecca Hix, of Upper Barn township, Berks county. She was a daughter of Michael Hix, born Aug. 15, 1786, and his wife, Cath- arine, nee Schade, born May 15, 1789. Augus- tus B. Schlesman and wife had four children: William (who died at Girardville, aged 48 years, having been especially skilled in graining wood and decorating) ; Alice (died at York, Pa., was the wife of a Reformed clergyman, Rev. G. W. Stebitz, who is now at Tiffin, Ohio) ; Emma, (married R. H. Jasper, and resides at Weatherly, Pa.) ; and Dr. Charles H., (men- tioned later).
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