USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume II > Part 56
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Daniel J. Miller, born in 1890, is now a civil engineer and officially Northamp- ton county engineer and Bangor city engineer ; Carl N., born in 1894, enlisted in the United States Merchant Marine forces ; George C., born in 1899, now a student at Blair Academy. The family home is at Bangor, Pennsylvania.
ASHER J. ODENWELDER-Far back in the eighteenth century two brothers of the Odenwelder name left their German home, crossed the Atlantic, and finally found a home at the Forks of the Delaware in what is now North- ampton county, Pennsylvania. John Philip Odenwelder, one of these brothers, sailed from Rotterdam on the ship Loyal Judith and arrived in Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, September 2, 1743. He married and left a son to perpetuate his name and his virtues. The records of the First Reformed Church of Easton show him to have been an elder of that church and in office, February 24, 1782. There he is referred to as "Philip Odenwelder, Senior." His name also ap- pears on the muster roll of Easton's first military company, Capt. Jacob Arndt, October 13, 1763.
John Philip (2) Odenwelder, son of the founder, was born in Northamp- ton county, Pennsylvania, September 2, 1748, and died May 20, 1828. His wife, Anna Maria Odenwelder, born January 19, 1748, died May 18, 1827. In Pennsylvania Archives, Series V, the record is found, "Philip Odenwelder, a private second class. Captain Buss, 1780, John Odenwelder, Corporal, Second Battalion, 1782, Frontier duty, Captain Abraham Horn. The First Company, Second Battalion of Militia, Northampton county, 1782, Captain Jacob Buss, John, Michael and Philip Odenwelder, privates."
John Philip (3) Odenwelder, son of John Philip (2) Odenwelder, was born April 17, 1780, died in 1850. He bought a farm of two hundred acres upon which the Forest House later stood, a well known county landmark: This farm was situated north of the Lehigh river and became the seat of a community known as Odenweldertown. John Philip Odenwelder was one of the wealthy, influential men of the community, and when he surrendered to the great enemy he left a farm to each of his ten children. He was for years a deacon and an elder of the First Reformed Church of Easton. He married, June 1, 1800, Rev. Thomas Pomp, of the First Church, officiating. Elizabeth Koch, born 1776, died in 1839, a woman of strong Christian character.
Jacob B. Odenwelder, great-grandson of the first John Philip Odenwelder, grandson of the second John Philip and son of the third John Philip and Elizabeth (Koch) Odenwelder, was born at the homestead (Odenweldertown) in Northampton county, May 27, 1810, died at his home in Palmer township, April 15, 1884. He became one of the worthy citizens of his day, his enter- prise outranking that of his neighbors. The farm he owned, formerly Oden- weldertown, became later a part of West Easton, and on it stood the old home- stead. In 1885 he built thereon the Forest House, and when completed rented it to George Bellis. He was succeeded by George Fisher, but in 1859 Jacob B. Odenwelder, the owner, took over the management and until 1865 was its popular proprietor. The property included three and a half acres on which the hotel stood. Under his management the Forest House became well known to travelers, and its capacity, forty guests, was often fully taxed. In 1865 lie retired and was succeeded by his son, Henry L., who was its proprietor from 1865 until 1891. Jacob B. Odenwelder was a lifelong member of the First Reformed Church of Easton, and on December 16, 1834, was married by the pastor, Rev. Thomas Pomp, to Mary Ann Gradwahl, born November 10, 1816, died August 3. 1887, of a well-to-do family of the county. Jacob B. and Mary A. Odenwelder were the parents of four sons and a daughter : Robert, Sabilla, married Enos Ott; Henry I .. , Tilghman and Asher J.
Asher J. Odenwelder, youngest son of Jacob B. and Mary Ann (Grad- wahl) Odenwelder, was born at the homestead, September 19, 1846, and there spent his youth. He was educated in the township schools and Easton High
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School, and while attending the last-named, became interested in the drug business. Later he attended the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, and after completing the course and becoming a registered pharmacist returned to Easton in 1871 and purchased the old established drug business known as J. F. Thompson & Company. From that time until the present he has been the head of that business, wholesale and retail drugs, the largest establish- ment of its kind in Easton. In 1908 the store was removed to Nos. 404-406 Northampton street, Easton. He is also a director of the Easton National Bank, the Lehigh Water Company and the Easton Cemetery Company. Mr. Odenwelder is a member of the First Reformed Church of Easton, a congre- gation which has always numbered Odenwelders among its members. He is a Republican in politics, and a man of just, upright life.
Mr. Odenwelder married Louisa Groetzinger, May 30, 1878, and they are the parents of four children: 1. Matilda, married June 4, 1908, Theodore E. Daub, and has two children, William J. and Elsie Louise Daub. 2. Asher J., Jr., a graduate of Lafayette College, Bachelor of Philosophy, class of 1904, and of Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Phar.D., class of 1908. He is asso- ciated with his father in the wholesale and retail drug business in Easton, and is one of the strong young business men of the city ; he is a member of East- on's Rotary Club, Northampton County Historical Society and its treasurer, member of the Pomfret Club, Chi Phi fraternity, a director of the Easton National Bank, director of the Eastotn & Delaware Bridge Company, a trus- tee of the Board of Trade, and a Republican in politics. 3. Louis, a graduate of Lafayette College, and now connected officially with the Lehigh Water Company. 4. Willard, a graduate of Lafayette College ; enlisted in the United States service in 1918, and is now connected with the Naval Aviation branch of the Navy.
Mrs. Louisa (Groetzinger) Odenwelder is the daughter of Adolph Groetz- inger, who was born in Gettingen, Hanover, Germany, June 19, 1815. He came to the United States, August 12, 1837, arriving in New York City on that date and settling in Northampton county, Pennsylvania. There he mar- ried, January 8, 1847, Matilda Messinger, born July 13, 1826, died January 13, 1905, daughter of John Messinger, born May 7, 1799, died May 19, 1848. John Messinger married Christina Frey, born April 7, 1804, died August 23, 1854. Matilda (Messinger) Groetzinger was a granddaughter of Michael (2) Messin- ger, born January 1, 1773, died July 8, 1842; married by Rev. Thomas Pomp, July 29, 1798, to Elizabeth Uhler, born April 15, 1776, died August 14, 1856. Michael (2) Messinger was a son of Michael (1) Messinger, born November 10, 1719, died October 24, 1791. He married Catherine Abel, born April 23, 1723, died July 1, 1785. Michael (1) Messinger served in the Second Bat- talion, First Company, Northampton Militia, in 1782.
WILLIAM JACOB HELLER-William Jacob Heller, of Easton, Penn- sylvania, father of "A flag on every schoolhouse" and manufacturer, has long been numbered among the patriotic citizens of the land, and his efforts were largely instrumental in instituting the movement that resulted in placing the flag upon the schoolhouses of the United States. He comes of a family noted for loyalty and patriotic service in the Colonial struggles and in the War for Independence, and traces his descent from eleven patriots who served Penn- sylvania in the Revolution.
Mr. Heller is a direct descendant of Christopher Heller, who was born in Petersheim, near Bingen, along the Rhine, in the Province of Pfaltz, Ger- many, in 1688, and emigrated to America in 1738, arriving in Philadelphia with his six sons on September 5 of that year. He established his home in what is now Milford township, in the southern part of Lehigh county. He passed the last few years of his life with his son Daniel, who lived opposite Lower Saucon church, and where he died, in the year 1778. Of his six sons,
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Joseph, in early life known as Joe Dieter, was the oldest, having been born i11 1719, and died, unmarried in 1800. He was buried at Plainfield church.
Johan Simon Heller, second son of Christopher Heller, was born in 1721. On attaining his majority, he purchased the farm in Lower Saucon township, near Lower Saucon church. He was one of the founders of the Reformed church in that township, and in 1763 removed to what is now known as the Woodley House, in the town of Windgap. Here he assisted in the organiza- tion of the Reformed church in Plainfield township. His patriotic spirit was manifested by active military service in the French and Indian War. He had sixteen children, of whom Jacob, John, Abraham and Simon served in the Revolutionary Army. His death occurred in 1783, and he was buried at Plainfield church.
Johan Michael Heller, the third son of Christopher Heller, was born in 1724, and died in 1803, and is buried at the ancient burying ground of the Reformed church, now known as the Lime Kiln schoolhouse.
Daniel Heller, fourth son of Christopher Heller, was born in 1726, and died in 1803. Daniel's children were: John, Jeremiah and Michael (the potter). He was buried in the ancient burial ground at what is now known as the Lime Kiln schoolhouse.
Ludwig Heller, fifth son of Christopher Heller, was born in 1728, and in early life removed to Hamilton township, Monroe county, where he died in 1807, leaving one son, John. He is buried in Hamilton township, at the church which he helped to organize.
George Christopher Heller, sixth son of Christopher Heller, was born in 1731. He married in early life, and settled on a farm adjoining that of his brother Michael. A few years later he purchased an adjoining property, on which he erected a grist-mill and a hemp-mill. He was the father of two sons, Joseph and Michael, who on attaining their majority were given the property, Joseph taking the grist-mill and Michael the oil-mill. The father removed to Upper Mount Bethel, where he died in 1805, leaving, besides the two boys, four children by a second marriage: Elizabeth, Magdalena, Solo- mon and Daniel. He was buried at the Stone church in Mount Bethel township.
Joseph Heller, after a few years, sold his mill to Michael, and moved to a mill site along the Monocacy, in Hanover township, and which is now embodied in the entire east side of the main street in Hellertown. Michael was the father of a large family, all of whom died in infancy, with the excep- tion of Paul and Tobias, who after their father's failure removed to what is now Lanark, Lehigh county, and built the hotel known as Heller's Tavern.
Johan Michael Heller was a direct ancestor of William J. Heller, the subject of this sketch, and was known as Michael the elder (Alt vater Mike). Early in life he purchased a farm on Saucon creek, in what is now the entire west side of the main street in Hellertown. In 1746 he built a stone house, which is still standing. He became the founder of Hellertown, and was an extensive land owner, prospering in all his business affairs, but lost heavily through the depreciation of currency during the Revolution, which, together with his contributions to the Revolutionary cause, and his gift of several hundred-acre farms to each of his children, left him comparatively a poor man at the time of his death. His team was the first to leave Saucon Valley loaded with provisions for the starving army at Valley Forge. However, he gave not only assistance of this character, but rendered active service in behalf of the cause of liberty as a lieutenant in the army. His children were : David, who was born in 1751, served a period in the Revolutionary War, and was a farmer in Lower Saucon township; Margaret, who married Jacob Kreeling ; Michael, who was known as "Creek Mike," was born in 1757, and always remained at the homestead, where he died in 1828; Simon, born in 1758, was a farmer, and settled near Plainfield church ; Daniel, a carpenter, lived the greater part of his life in Lehigh county; Mathias, a wheelwright
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and farmer, born in 1763, and after the Revolution took up a soldier's war- rant for land in Northumberland county, where he settled and founded what is now known as Heller's church, near Bloomsburg, Columbia county, Penn- sylvania ; Heob (Job), born in 1765, and was a farmer in Upper Saucon.
David Heller, son of Johan Michael Heller, was the great-great-grand- father of William J. Heller. He married Elizabeth Ladenmacher, daughter of John Ladenmacher, and their children were: Catharine, who was born in 1773, and died in 1776; Susanna, who was born in 1774, and died in 1776; Elizabeth, born in 1775, and married Jacob Roth, who became the owner of the homestead immediately east of Hellertown; Michael, who was born in 1777, and died in 1816, leaving one son named Michael, who lived and died in Cunningham Valley ; David, who was born in 1778, learned the trade of a tanner, and afterwards removed to Lehighton, Carbon county; Job, born in 1780, and died in 1822, unmarried; Catharine, born in 1780, died in 1786; Yost, born in 1783; Susanna, born in 1784; Maria, born in 1786; Joseph, boris in 1788, and at the age of thirty years removed to Philadelphia, where he remained until his death; Rosanna, born in 1789, and died in 181I.
Yost Heller, great-grandfather of William J. Heller, was reared upon the home farin, and in carly youth was full of life, fun and merriment. Many a laugh did he cause in the neighborhood by his merry pranks, but he also commanded the respect of friends and neighbors, and as the years advanced his attention was given to work that proved of benefit to the community along material and moral lines. He was the most popular man in Lower Saucon township, and was the first deacon of Appel's church, and reared his family according to its teachings, while its principles formed the rule of his own conduct. He was married to Elizabeth Shaffer, of a prominent family of Lehigh county, and their children were: Jacob, of further mention ; Eliza- beth, who became Mrs. Bachman; and Mary, who became Mrs. Weiss, and afterwards Mrs. Rice.
Jacob Heller, grandfather of William J. Heller, was born in 1804, and died in Easton, in 1881. Brought up in the faith of the church, according to its teachings, he also reared his family in the same way. He was the first elder in Appel's church. He married Sarah Bellits, of Lower Saucon, a de- scendant of one of the original owners of West Jersey, Lawrence Bellits, and their children were: Elizabeth, born in 1825; William, born in 1827; Josiah B., of further mention ; Jacob, Sarah, John, Susan and Emma.
Josiah B. Heller, the father of William J. Heller, was born in 1829, and pursued his education in a school at Hellertown, and under Dr. Vanderveer, at Easton. Subsequently he engaged in teaching in Easton and in surround- ing townships, and he also was numbered among the music instructors of Lehigh Valley in his day. After devoting a number of years to educational work, he engaged in farming for a decade, and then returned to Easton, where he conducted a transfer freight line for many years. He was one of the early members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at that place, and took a helpful interest in promoting the lodge and its growth. His political allegiance was given to the Democracy, which he continued to sup- port until his death, December 5, 1898. He married Susan Heinlein, of Forks township, a descendant of George Bay Heinlein, captain of the Durham town- ship militia during the Revolution, and a great-granddaughter of Elizabeth Morgan, of Morgan's Hill. Their children were: George B., born in 1853; William J., of further mention; Arthur P., born in 1864, and died in 1903. and Lizzie May, born in 1869, married Chester Seip.
William J. Heller, son of Josiah B. Heller, was born in 1857. He is indebted to various institutions of Easton, Pennsylvania, for the educational privileges he enjoyed in his youth. After putting aside his text books, he followed various pursuits, and became quite widely known because of his artistic talent and ability. In 1886, however, he established his present busi- ness, the manufacture of flags, opening the first exclusive flag factory in the
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United States. His business has constantly grown in volume and importance, and today he manufactures nearly one-half of the flags used in this country. While witnessing the decoration of a public school building for a celebration in the year 1886, it occurred to him that the nation's emblem should be seen used over school buildings of the country in order to foster a spirit of patri- otism among the children of the land. He began discussing the idea with the prominent educators of America, and in fact, was the founder of, and deserves great credit for instituting the patriotic movement which swept over the country in 1892. He is popular and well known among workers in patriotic circles, and was one of the first active members of the Patriotic League. He has had many honors conferred on him by the Woman's Relici Corps, the National Congress of Women, and other National patriotic organi- zations. He is a charter member of the George Washington Memorial Asso- ciation, organized to promote the establishment of the University of the United States. He is an honorary member of various leading women's clubs in many parts of the country. He has lectured in many of the principal cities of America upon patriotic occasions. His lecture on "The Evolution of Our National Ensign" is universally known. History has always been a most interesting study to him, and he believes in promoting every line of thought that will foster a love of country and its people. He is a life member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, also the Pennsylvania German Society, a member of the Bucks County Historical Society, and an honorary member of various historical societies in this and adjoining States. He takes an active part in public affairs, and is a member of the Board of Trade and of the Municipal League of the city of Easton.
Mr. Heller married, May 5, 1877, Tillie A. Lesher, a daughter of George Lesher, and a lineal descendant of George Loesch, of Tulpehocken, Berks county, Pennsylvania, who gave so generously of his means to assist the struggling Moravians when they first landed in this country. His memory is yet perpetuated by the record of his good deeds, preserved in the Moravian archives. Mr. and Mrs. Heller became the parents of three children, two sons and one daughter. The two sons, Ray and Harry, died in early childhood. The daughter, Bessie Evelyn, is a lineal descendant of sixteen patriots who gave active service in the Revolutionary War, and a great-great-great-grand- daughter of Elizabeth Morgan, of Morgan's Hill, through her paternal grand- mother, Susan (Heinlein) Heller, a daughter of George Bay Heinlein, who was the son of James Heinlein, and his wife, Ann Bay, a daughter of Mrs. Morgan by her first husband, Hugh Bay. Mr. Heller has always taken an active part in the affairs of Easton, his residential city, and is one of her progressive citizens. He has devoted his time and wealth in the furtherance of every movement for the advancement, progress and reputation of the location with which he has been identified.
JOHN R. REINHEIMER-John R. Reinheimer, whose death occurred in Nazareth, April 15, 1919, who was for many years secretary of the Far- mers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Northampton county, Pennsyl- vania, was probably, because of his long association with that company and his official connection in public offices of the county, personally known to more people of Northampton county than any other Nazareth resident.
He was born in Lower Nazareth township. February 1, 1854, the son of Tilghman and Louise (Haupt) Reinheimer, and came of a famil . which for more than three generations has had residence in the United States. The American progenitor of the branch of the Reinheimer family to which John R., the subject of this article, belongs, sailed from Rotterdam for America in the latter part of the eighteenth century. Where the family first settled is not known to the writer, but the Reinheimers were early in residence in Penn- sylvania. John Reinheimer, grandfather of John R., was born in Nazareth, so also was Tilghman, father of John R. Tilghman Reinheimer was born in
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the year 1827, but died at the age of twenty-nine years, at which time his son, John R., was only two and a half years old. John R. was then taken by his mother to Bushikill township, one mile north of Nazareth, where her father, Gideon Haupt, lived, and in the home of his maternal grandparents the boy was reared, though he had the benefit of his mother's care and love throughout his life until recently, Mrs. Louise (Haupt) Reinheimer living until the year 1914. The education of John R. Reinheimer was as thorough as it was possible for it to be in the local facilities available at the time; for nine years he attended the parochial school of Nazareth, and his education of his early days has since been supplemented by considerable private research in various lines.
John R. Reinheimer was a versatile man; a keen man of business ; he was also a man who might have met with substantial success had he given himself up absolutely to professional pursuits; he was very musically in- clined, and for thirty-five years he was leader of the Nazareth Band, which he was mainly instrumental in organizing in 1871, and of which he remained a member until 1918. But his main interest and almost his whole effort for the last twenty years were given to the affairs of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Northampton County, of which company Mr. Rein- heimer has been a director since 1893, and secretary since 1900.
Having regard to Mr. Reinheimer's close connection with the company, and to the fact that it is essentially a Northampton county corporation, it may be permissable to state here some of the historical facts concerning its establishment and growth. The act of incorporation by which it was author- ized to conduct business within the State with corporate powers was passed in the State Legislature on March 12, 1845. The original officers of the com- pany were: Joseph Burk, president; Michacl Meyers, secretary ; and Joseph Santee. Joseph Burk was succeeded as president in August, 1845, by Peter Gross, who gave place as president in the following year to Paul Siegfried. He was retained in the presidency until 1853, when Joseph Brown was elected to the office. In 1857, John Leibert became president ; in 1859, Jacob Heller was elected, and held office until his death on February 20, 1867, when he was succeeded by Gen. Robert S. Brown. In 1872, Charles L. Whitesell became president, and was succeeded at his death, on March 7, 1879, by Asher D. Shimer, who held the chief executive office until 1913. The death of Mr. Shimer, on April 10, of that year, brought Samuel Hutchinson into the presi- dential office, and he still presides over the meetings of the board. The original secretary, Michael Meyers, was succeeded in August, 1853, by John Beisel ; in 1858, John Leibert was appointed to the office and held it until his death, August 23, 1886, when Phillip Sandt was elected to the secretaryship which position he held until he died, March 9, 1900. It was then that Mr. Reinheimer came into executive office in the company. He had been a director since 1893, when he was elected to the seat on the board made vacant by the death of Joseph Siegfried. Since 1900, Mr. Reinheimer has been the active secretary of the insurance company, and it may be truthfully stated that his official connection with the company has been much to its benefit. The company has a unique record in one respect. Although it has been established more than seventy-four years, the company has changed its treas- urer only twice. The original holder of the company's purse, Joseph Santee, was succeded in 1853 by John Grass. He remained treasurer until his death on April 24, 1896, when Henry D. Grass, the present treasurer, was elected. The extent to which the company has operated may be gathered from the following statistics : Total collections to close of 1917, $1,078,130.06; total losses paid to close of fiscal year 1917, $1,012.675.38; amount of insurance in force December 31, 1917, $23.441,863; number of policies, 9.361 ; number of members, 7,672. The board of directors, as at present constituted, is as fol- lows: Samuel Hutchinson, president; E. F. Mohn, vice-president ; Henry D.
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Gross, treasurer ; John R. Reinheimer, secretary ; John Kimkel. J. Mark Moser, A. H. Stofflet, Milton A. Deck, S. D. Ritter, P. O. Hess, Harvey F. Beil and John Q. A. Fox. The seventy-second assessment made by the managers of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Northampton County, for losses incurred and paid from November 1, 1916, to December 31, 1917. shows that the company had in that time paid out almost $38,000. The total losses paid since its organization and incorporation amount to $1,007,200 up to end of 1917. The company since the year of its establishment, 18.45, has had 45,034 members, so that it may be said to be representative of Northampton county. Certainly, Mr. Reinheimer's list of acquaintances throughout the county must be a long one.
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