USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume III > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55
He was then employed to take a trainload of cattle from Chicago to Philadelphia, after which he became a road salesman for the Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, and for thirteen years he covered South Jersey, Dela- ware and Eastern Pennsylvania in the interests of that company. In 1893 he married, and on June 1, 1900, he was appointed a member of the Phila- delphia & Reading Coal Company's police force, and was in active service during all the strikes in the anthracite region during the period 1900-07. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and was in charge of the northern district of the Schuylkill coal region. In 1907 he resigned and was appointed by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company as captain of police and assigned to duty at Sayre, Pennsylvania. In April, 1910, he was transferred to Easton, Pennsylvania, with the same rank, and assigned to duty on the New Jersey & Lehigh division. He filled that position very acceptably until March 31, 1916, when he resigned to enter the employ of the William Wharton, Jr.,
Company of Easton. His first work was assembling switches, then a time card system was installed, with Mr. Simmers as timekeeper. He held that position until January 8, 1917, when he was appointed to the Easton police force with the rank of lieutenant and as city detective, a position which he yet holds (1919). Lieutenant Simmers is a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church; Mount Carmel Lodge No. 265, Free and Accepted Masons, of Philadelphia ; Shamokin Lodge No. 149, Patriotic Sons of America, and in politics is a Republican.
Mr. Simmers married, in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, April 27, 1893, Carrie L. Roth, daughter of William C. and Dora (Bergstresser) Roth, of Shamokin. Children : Lena Lillian, married J. Wilson Harrison, of Easton; William Roth, was in the service of his country, serving as sergeant with Seventy- sixth Regiment, Field Artillery, with the Army of Occupation in Germany, stationed at Kottenheine.
In the stirring events of the past two years Lieutenant Simmers has had a part, having acted as chief clerk to the Easton Draft Board by request of the Town and City Council; while with the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company he took a course in the Scranton International Correspondence School, and while with the same company he was assistant to Mr. Mauger, general passenger agent and guide to educational tours on the Reading sys- tem, having normal and high schools visiting Washington, District of Columbia.
HARRY C. ZELLERS, D.D.S .- Harry C. Zellers was born at the Zellers homestead in Williams township, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, April 30, 1886. He completed public school study with graduation from Easton High School, class of 1903. Several years were then spent in the employ of
388
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
his father, who was then register of wills for Northampton county, after which he entered the dental department of the University of Pennsylvania. He pursued study there until 1913, graduating D.D.S. with the class of 1913. Following the conferring of his degree, Dr. Zellers opened dental offices in Easton, and has in the years which have since elapsed gained high reputation as a skilled exponent of dental art. He is a member of several societies, including Psi Omega; Easton Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; and in politics is a Democrat.
When the United States entered the World War in 1917, Dr. Zellers volunteered for service in the United States Dental Reserve Corps, was com- missioned a lieutenant, but the armistice was signed before he was called into active service.
REUBEN KOLB-Reuben Kolb is a well known figure in the life of Easton, Pennsylvania, with many of the local affairs, of which community he has been intimately associated for many years, and where he is at present engaged in the real estate and insurance business, is a native of Palmer township in this county, his birth taking place there February 15, 1837. Mr. Kolb is a son of John J. and Elizabeth (Stecker) Kolb, and a grandson of Leonard Kolb, a native of the town of Baan Brucken, Germany, where his death occurred in the year 1836 or 1837. The children of Leonard Kolb were as follows: Charles; Elizabeth ; John J., who was the father of Reuben Kolb ; and Jacob S., for a number of years was burgomaster of the town.
John J. Kolb, born at Baden, Germany, in 1812, and came to the United States in order to avoid military service in his native land. He made the voyage on a sailing vessel from Havre, and landed at New York, September 7, 1828, after a trip lasting forty-nine days. He was quite a young man at that time, and remained for a time in New Jersey, where he worked for a number of years. He had, however, relatives living in Williams township, in Northampton county, and after a time made his way to see them. Later he married Elizabeth Stecker, of Forks township, a daughter of Henry and Catherine (Lauchs) Stecker, and a granddaughter on the maternal side of a Revolutionary soldier. At the time of his marriage, the elder Mr. Kolb was working on a farm in Palmer township. Later he removed to Williams town- ship, where he died at the age of eighty- seven years.
The birth of Reuben Kolb occurred in the old one-story log house situ- ated about three and one-half miles from Easton. There his earliest child- hood was spent, but when he was about three or four years of age his parents moved to the town of Easton, where he has since spent most of his life. It was after his parents' removal to Easton that Reuben Kolb began his school days, attending for this purpose the school held in a small building on Spring Garden street here. It is told of him that his first employment was given him at the age of four years, when a certain nearby neighbor, who was build- ing a stone wall, used the lad to help him get the stones for his structure. He continued his studies at the local schools for a number of years, and at the age of eighteen began teaching school at Forks township, nearby. The young man displayed unusual talent in this profession, and for six years continued to follow it. As a matter of fact, he might have made it his life's career had he not felt the patriotic call of duty and enlisted in the State militia, offering his services to his country during the great Civil War. Mr. Kolb secured a position in the office of the United States assessors, where he made himself so valuable that he was soon appointed to the position of assistant assessor, and held that office until the accession of Andrew Johnson to the presidency. About that time Mr. Kolb became acquainted with people living at Easton, who had invested in silver mines in Montana, and he was sent by them to that Western district in order to take active charge of their interests at the mines. He remained there for about eighteen months, after
The Amert. n etgmmmal er iet
En. by E & Wuttoms & Bro NY.
389
BIOGRAPHICAL
which he returned once more to the East, and this time settled in Carbon county, where he took charge of a large lumber tract near the town of White Haven, it being his duty to superintend the operation of the saw-mills, stores, etc. Mr. Kolb continued thus engaged for a period of four years, when he returned to Easton, and here secured a position as bookkeeper at the Seitz Brewery, remaining with this concern for a similar period. Later Mr. Kolb was elected justice of the peace from the Second Ward of the city, and was later elected from the same district as alderman, filling both positions to the eminent satisfaction of the community-at-large and to his own credit. Together he held these offices some twenty-six years, and thereafter was appointed notary public. He then engaged in the insurance business, to which he added also large real estate operations, so that he is now the pro- prietor of one of the largest businesses of this kind in the community. In his religious belief, Mr. Kolb is a Lutheran and attends St. John's Church of this denomination at Easton, and he is exceedingly active in the work of his parish. Mr. Kolb has liberally supported the philanthropic undertakings of his church, and has been very active in the congregation, holding the office of elder there for thirty-two years. Mr. Kolb first attended Sunday school here in the year 1842, and afterwards at the age of eighteen became a teacher, continuing to act in this capacity until quite recently. He also taught a Bible class for about fifteen years, and was well known in religious circles through- out the region. Mr. Kolb is a member of the Republican party, and is a staunch supporter of its principles and policies. From early manhood he was associated with the local organization of his party, and although he came of an old Democratic family, he cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, and since that time has voted consistently for every Republican candidate in State affairs down to the time of Charles E. Hughes, in 1916.
Reuben Kolb was united in marriage by the Rev. Smith Porter, of the Lutheran church at Forks township, in 1857, with Matilda Rader, of that place, a daughter of Paul and (Wolf) Rader, old and highly re- spected residents there. To Mr. and Mrs. Kolb the following children have been born: William, who married Sophia Brandt, by whom he had seven children, five of whom are now living; Mary, who became the wife of Walter England, with whom she resides in Wilson township; Silas, who resides at Bushkill Park, and married Selina Gehringer; Minnie, who became the wife of William George, of Philadelphia; Theodora, who became the wife of Alfred W. Wilmomte, a well known physician and the head of the Wisconsin State Home for the Feeble Minded at Chippewa Falls, in that State; and Edward, who died in early manhood.
BARRY HOLME JONES-The period from 1899 to 1919, which cov- ered the connection of Barry Holme Jones with the Bethlehem Steel Com- pany, witnessed the development of that company into one of the leading industrial enterprises of the world, and Mr. Jones' ascent from a minor posi- tion to one of the most important official posts of this vast corporation, that of secretary and treasurer. During that period, in several positions, he came into contact with large numbers of the employees of the plant, and by his frank friendliness and simple democracy won a place in their regard that endured strong to the day of his death. He rose to a position of the most weighty responsibility in this company solely through the display of capacity for large affairs and the performance of work of signal value. His business vision and talents were his warrant of membership among leaders of the coun- try's industries, and the Bethlehem Steel Company and the business world suffered severe loss in his death.
Barry Holme Jones, son of Dr. Hiram Griffith and Annie (Fahnestock) Jones, was born in Evansville, Indiana, April 9, 1874. Paternally he was of Welsh descent, and maternally of Dutch descent. His mother was of the
390
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
well known Fahnestock family, long prominent in finance and industry in New York, and long prominent socially in both America and Europe. When he was a youth of eleven years of age, his mother brought the family to Bethlehem, the father deceased, and there he attended the Moravian Parochial School, whence he was graduated in 1890. In this year he entered Lehigh University, receiving at graduation in 1894 with high honors the degree of Bachelor of Science, having majored in metallurgy. For one year thereafter he served as instructor in the university, at the time pursuing post-graduate courses which won him a degree in Mining Engineering. His business expe- rience began as manager of the Bloomsburg Elevator Works, at Bloomsburg, and in 1899 he entered the employ of the Bethlehem Steel Company as superintendent of boilers. In the preparation of a statistical report in con- nection with Frederick W. Taylor, the well known efficiency expert, he dis- played such aptitude and ability in work of this nature that he was placed in a prominent position in the accounting department of the company. In this capacity he devised an inventory method that was used in the first com- plete and accurate inventory ever made of the Bethlehem Steel Company's properties, and it has proved adaptable to greatly increased operations to the extent that it forms the basis of the system now in use by the company. His appointment as auditor followed April 1, 1902, and he placed his department on a splendidly accurate and smoothly running basis in a remarkably short period. His advice and counsel were regarded as valuable aid by the com- pany officials, and in 1906 his extraordinary talents and ability were recog- nized in his election as director, and as secretary and treasurer. He served also in like capacities in the Bethlehem Steel Corporation and all of its sub- sidiary organizations. The expansion of the Bethlehem interests and the complex problems they presented never extended beyond the grasp of his business genius, nor fully plumbed the depths of his executive power. In the Bethlehem Steel Company, to which he devoted his life in business, he was known as an official far-seeing and capable to the last degree, a man who brought into business the charm of a gentle personality and the example of high character. He leaves a memorial in the company with which he was so long associated, where his share in its growth, prosperity and strong stability is given abundant honor. He was a communicant of the Moravian church. He was a member of the Lawyers' Club of New York, Bethlehem Club, Lehigh Country Club, Northampton County Country Club, and treas- urer of the Lehigh University Alumni Association.
Barry Holme Jones married, May 30, 1918, Mrs. Lillie (Fenner) Drake, who with two daughters, Elizabeth and Kathryn, survive him.
ALFRED CORNELIUS BETGE-Mr. Betge is a native of Bethlehem, educated in its public schools, and in that city has passed all of his active business career, being at the present time head of an undertaking and embalm- ing business long established and of excellent repute. He is prominent and active in the work of the Moravian church, of which he has been a lifelong member, and devotes himself earnestly and whole-heartedly to the various departments of church labor. Mr. Betge is a son of Gustav Betge, born in 1810, died in 1884, who was a resident of the Moravian colony at Dresden, Germany, where he was educated and learned a trade, whence he came, after military service in the army of his native land, to the United States. He made the voyage in 1850 in one of the slow sailing vessels of the time, and settled first in Watertown, Wisconsin, two years afterward making his home in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he resided until his death. He is buried in the old Moravian Cemetery of that place. Gustav Betge married Pauline Graff, granddaughter of Bishop Graff, a notable figure in the history of the Moravian church in Saxony. Pauline Graff was born in the Moravian settle- ment at Gnadenfrei, Prussia, May 19, 1826, and died in Bethlehem, September
39I
BIOGRAPHICAL
16, 1882, her husband, beside whom she is buried in the old Moravian Ceme- tery, surviving her two years. For two years, at Watertown, Wisconsin, she was in charge of a private school. Gustav and Pauline (Graff) Betge were the parents of five sons and four daughters, of whom the following survive (1919) : Adolph P., Agnes A., Alfred Cornelius, of whom further, and Fred- erick A.
Alfred Cornelius Betge was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, September 2, 1864, and there attended the public school, finishing his studies in the Mora- vian Preparatory School. In 1891 he began work for William Walp, de- ceased, in funeral directing. This was an old established house, founded by Mr. Walp in 1866, Mr. Betge becoming sole owner in 1905, and continuing the business with the same success and on the same high plane that has characterized it for more than half a century. Mr. Betge pursued study in the College of Embalming, of Massachusetts, of which he is a graduate, class of 1899, and contributes the best of modern science to the service of his business, which, in its intimate and delicate relationship to the Bethlehem community, has won such favorable reputation. ] He is a member of the
Eastern Pennsylvania Funeral Directors' Association and the National Fu- neral Directors' Association, and belongs also to the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Betge was confirmed in the Moravian church in 1881 by Bishop Charles B. Shultz and was baptized by that dignitary, since that time devoting a large share of his time and labor to the furtherance of the work of his denomination. He is treasurer of the Home Mission Society of the church, vice-chairman of the pew collectors, and is a member of the Mora- vian Historical Society and the Moravian Preparatory School Alumni Asso- ciation. He is also a life member of the Young Men's Missionary Society of the Moravian church.
Alfred C. Betge married, April 21, 1908, S. Carrie McCammon, daughter of John and Elmira E. (Dech) McCammon, of Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Mr. McCammon was connected with educational work throughout his entire life, his death occurring in 1913 at the age of seventy-three years, and taught for a time in the schools of South Bethlehem, also serving Nazareth, Penn- sylvania, as principal of public schools. Elmira E. (Dech) McCammon died in 1884. Mrs. Alfred C. Betge was a member of the Alumni Association of the Moravian Seminary and College for Women, of Bethlehem. Mrs. Betge died December 14, 1918.
CHARLES FRANKLIN SCHWARTZ-The two decades over which the contracting and building operations of Charles F. Schwartz extend have witnessed the development of his business from its first small beginnings to a position of leading prominence in Bethlehem and vicinity. Mr. Schwartz is at this time in active charge of all his operations and may view with justifiable pride the business that he has, through his own unaided effort, established so firmly. Exclusive of business houses and public buildings, Mr. Schwartz has to date (1919) erected more than fifteen hundred dwellings in the Beth- lehem locality, a notable record and an index of great usefulness to his com- munity. Mr. Schwartz is a son of William Henry Schwartz, born in Bethle- hem township, Northampton county, died in 1897, aged sixty-four years. His occupation was that of brickmaker, which he followed in Bethlehem, and he was a strong Democrat and a member of the Lutheran church. William H. Schwartz married Wilhelmina Smith, of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, who died in 1880, aged thirty-six years, and they were the parents of: Lizzie, married James Cook, of Jersey City, New Jersey; Amanda, married Charles Mohn, an employee of the Bethlehem Steel Company, and has one daughter, Beulah ; Charles Franklin, of whom further.
Charles Franklin Schwartz was born in Bethlehem township, Northamp- ton county, Pennsylvania, October 1, 1871, and until he was thirteen years
392
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
of age attended the public schools of the township. Then, until 1889, he worked on a farm, in that year becoming apprenticed to his uncle, Amandas Schwartz, of Bethlehem, to learn the carpenter's trade. Remaining with his uncle for nine months he was afterward with Bishop & Fatzinger, of Bethlehem, for three years. His independent operations began in a modest manner in 1900, and as his capital and reputation became greater he gradually assumed more pretentious contracts, until at the present time he is a leading contractor and builder in that locality. Among the many notable contracts he has fulfilled was the remodeling of the Dryland Church, of Hecktown, Pennsylvania, an ancient structure erected more than a century ago, which he rebuilt into a handsome and modern church edifice. Many schools through- out the township are specimens of his work and in addition to many business houses he has built more than fifteen hundred dwellings. Mr. Schwartz has become the owner of a stone quarry, equipped with modern machinery capa- ble of extracting one hundred tons of stone a day, and he also owns a sand-pit that yields forty tons of fine sand a day. He utilizes four teams and a two- ton motor truck in his operations and owns none but well-bred draught horses, which are kept with scrupulous care. Mr. Schwartz is an ardent supporter of Democratic principles, and for fifteen years served as auditor of Bethlehem township. He is a member of the Lutheran church of Altoona, near Bethlehem, which he served for three years as deacon.
Mr. Schwartz married, January 10, 1891, Mary A. Mack, daughter of Levi and Elizabeth (Travel) Mack, of Bethlehem township, Northampton county, her father being drowned in 1862, her mother dying in 1909. Charles Franklin and Mary A. (Mack) Schwartz are the parents of: Clarence Levi, born March 17, 1893, served with the Engineers' Corps of the United States Army in the American Expeditionary Force in France; Howard William, born October 5, 1896, employed as a carpenter by his father, a soldier in the United States Army ; Elmer Charles, born November 14, 1902, employed by his father.
WILLIAM HERMAN STUBER-In 1888, William H. Stuber, then a lad of fourteen years, entered the employ of the owner of a dry-goods store in Bethlehem, and in April, 1897, became the owner of the business. He has steadily progressed from that time, has enlarged and widened his field of operations and is one of the successful merchants of the city. He has worked practically alone in all these operations, financing the business and depending entirely upon his own efforts and judgment. He is a fine example of a self- made man and in his intercourse with his fellow men holds to a high standard of conduct. He is very energetic, progressive and public-spirited, always ready to aid in any movement for the civic good. He is a son of Jackson T. Stuber, born in Salisbury township, Lehigh county, November 18, 1847, and still active, although in 1917 he had the misfortune to lose his right hand. For forty-five years he has been an employee of the Bethlehem Steel Com- pany and has been placed upon the pension roll of the company, and is now filling a helper's position. Jackson T. Stuber married Anna Herman, daugh- ter of John Herman, of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania. They are the parents of four children: William Herman, of further mention; Edward, died in infancy ; Wallace J., in the employ of a wholesale dry-goods house in Allen- town, Pennsylvania, married Mamie Burkhardt, of South Bethlehem; Emma, married William E. Culin, of Allentown, a clerk in the accounting department of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company for twenty-five years, then trans- ferred his service to the Bethlehem Steel Company, they the parents of a son, Harold.
William Herman Stuber was born in Salisbury township, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, September 29, 1874, and removed to Bethlehem when six years of age, there obtaining a public school cducation. When fourteen
H. Eme Cormier was
393
BIOGRAPHICAL
years of age he began his business life, entering as a boy helper in the store of which he is now the owner and successful manager. He became proprietor in 1897, and from that year has steadily increased both his patronage and his store facilities. He specializes in dry-goods and is very popular as a thor- oughly reliable up-to-date merchant and as a citizen of the best class. He is a part owner and treasurer of the Alacrity Knitting Mills of South Bethlehem. He has been interested in real estate development and built the National Biscuit Company building on Broadway, and largely improved his private residence on the same street. He is a member of the Lutheran church, and for fifteen years has been active and useful as a member of the Church Council. Every department of the church activity commands his interest, and when the church building was enlarged and repaired recently, he was a member of the building committee of twelve in charge of the work. His interest also extended to the service flag presented to the church, Mr. Stuber being one of the leaders in that patriotic movement. He is a member of the South Side Business Men's Association, member of Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce, was active in the "hill to hill" bridge campaign, and that for the consolidation of the boroughs into the city of Bethlehem. Genial and generous, he has taken special pleasure in helping those less fortunate in getting started toward success and useful citizenship. He is a Democrat in politics, a mem- ber of Stanley Goodwin Lodge No. 648, Free and Accepted Masons; Bethle- hem Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Malta, Knights of Pythias, and the Loyal Order of Moose.
Mr. Stuber married, January 1, 1896, Lovinia M. Gehringer, daughter of Paul and Tavilla (Mauthhart) Gehringer, of Allentown, Pennsylvania. Paul Gehringer, a dealer in horses all his active life, died in May, 1918. Mrs. Stuber is active with her husband in church work and also in the work of the Red Cross. Mr. and Mrs. Stuber are the parents of two children: Beatrice T., born April 24, 1898, and Bernadine A., born August 14, 1901.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.