USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume III > Part 20
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WILLIAM JACOB KUEBLER-This branch of the Kuebler family was established in Pennsylvania in 1849 by Willibald Kuebler, who came from Baden, Germany, in that year, making a short stay in Philadelphia before making permanent settlement in Easton, Pennsylvania. Here he founded the W. Kuebler Breweries, locating his first plant on a corner near the present circle. When larger and more commodious quarters became a necessity, the present plant was erected, one of the largest in the county. He died in Easton, in July, 1898, aged seventy-two years. His father was a lumberman, operat- ing in that wooded portion of Germany known as the Black Forest. Willibald Kuebler married Mary C. Klusmeyer, who died August 10, 1912, aged seventy years, daughter of Christian Klusmeyer, a noted canal boat builder of his day. Willibald Kuebler was famed for his charities and was one of the ster- ling characters of his day. He left three sons and a daughter: William J., of whom further; Charles E., Frank A., and Mamie C., now the widow of
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Ralph Schertzinger, of Peekskill, New York. It is with the career of the eldest son, William J. Kuebler, one of Easton's business men, that this review particularly deals.
William Jacob Kuebler was born in Easton, Pennsylvania, August 30, 1858. He was educated in Easton public schools and Nazareth Hall, a famous school of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and early entered business life, becoming intimately associated with his father in his enterprises. He has won high standing in the commercial world and has very large business interests. He is head of the firm of W. Kuebler Sons; president of the Kuebler Foundries, Inc .; vice-president and director of the Northampton National Bank of Easton ; and is financially interested in many enterprises of lesser importance, but large in the aggregate. He is a man of clcar brain and sound judgment, conservative but progressive, and ready with influence and capital to aid in any movement that promises to bring Easton into greater commercial import- ance. He is a member of the Board of Trade and of other business organiza- tions of the city, lending a hand wherever it is needed.
Mr. Kuebler belongs to all bodies of the York Rite in Masonry, being affiliated with Easton Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Easton Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Pomp Council, Royal and Select Masters; Hugh de Payen Commandery, Knights Templar; and Rajah Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, the latter located in Reading, Pennsylvania, the other bodies all of Easton. He is a member of Phillipsburg Lodge No. 395, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Pomfret Club. In politics he is a Democrat ; in religious preference he is a member of Zion Lutheran Church.
He married. April 6, 1893, Alice Thume, daughter of Ferdinand and Sabina (Brader) Thumc, of Easton, a woman active in church and in charity. Mr. and Mrs. Kuebler are the parents of two sons, Karl Ferdinand and Donald Willibald, both born in Easton. Karl F. is now, September, 1918, in training at Camp Lee, for service at the front, in the United States Army in France. He was educated at Lafayette College. Donald W. is a student at Mercers- burg, Pennsylvania.
MILTON FLORY-Milton Flory, who has been the head of the Flory milling business for almost forty years, was born in this part of Northampton county, Pennsylvania, October 31, 1859. He was a son of Solomon and Susan (Bruch) Flory, both of whom were natives of Northampton county, but now both deceased. Solomon Flory, the father, was a butcher, and he conducted his business in Bangor, this State. He was engaged also in the slate business. He was a member of the Evangelical church. He and his wife, Susan (Bruch) Flory, were the parents of six children who grew to maturity. Of these children, Milton Flory, was next to the youngest.
Milton Flory received his education in the public schools of his native locality. His first entrance into the business world was in the capacity of a teamster, in which position he continued for a period of two years. He then engaged in the milling business, which has ever since been his occupation. When, in 1883, Solomon Flory turned over to his son Milton the flour mill established in 1858 at Bangor, Pennsylvania, which had come into his pos- session some years later, he found a business of small proportion in compari- son with that which was transacted on the same mill site in after time. In 1890 and in 1900 he enlarged, and each time equipped the plant with the best and most improved milling machinery that the times afforded. Steam and water were both laid under contribution as power producing agencies; scv- enty-five pounds of steam and ninety-five pounds of water were needed to produce the one hundred barrels of flour every twenty-four hours, the mill's capacity. A large local trade was created, for the product of the mill was of a superior quality. The balance of the mill's output was transported to points more distant, where the product's quality was equally as well appreciated.
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Mr. Flory is one of the leading business men of Bangor, and he has always been ready and willing to assist in anything for the public good. Besides his own private business interests, Mr. Flory occupies other positions of responsi- bility. He is director of the First National Bank of Bangor, the S. Flory Manufacturing Company and the Blue Water Consolidated Water Company.
Mr. Flory married, in 1881, in Bangor, Martha Speer, of Bangor. They have four children, as follows: Harry ; Helen, wife of George Gotshalk; Lila; Marian. Mr. and Mrs. Flory are members of the Evangelical church, and have been active in the work of the church.
COL. SAMUEL S. HORN-Scion of one of the useful, patriotic and influential families of Northampton county and the city of Easton, Col. Horn occupies prominent position in his own right, being present city con- troller, an office he has ably held for several years, elected both on partisan and non-partisan tickets. He is deeply interested in military affairs, showing the martial strain peculiar to the Horns, is active in fraternity and club, and is a strong pillar of support to civic, patriotic or charitable public enterprises.
The Horn family is one of the oldest in Easton and Northampton county, and for over a century and a half have been identified with Easton and its varied interests. In military affairs the Horns have been especially promi- nent, and their patriotic devotion to country is worthy of special record. The statement is made that the Horn family is of German origin, and records show a number of this name arriving in this country in the late eighteenth century, but it appears from an old newspaper clipping that in 1731 John Philip Horn, a Scotchman, landed in Philadelphia; that later, two of his sons settled in Easton, and one of the latter had seven sons and a son-in-law in the Revolution. While this does not appear to be exactly correct, it evidently referred to Abraham Horn, Sr., and his several sons who served in the War of 1812, Abraham Horn, Sr., probably a son of one of those two who settled in Easton. As early as 1755, Stephen and John Horn were residents of Easton, contributed in the work of building the first school house of the town, and were enlisted with the Provincials in guarding the town during the Indian troubles.
Abraham Horn, Sr., must have been the son of one of these, as was probably Nicholas Horn, and there may have been other children, but little is known of the history of the writer except of the family of Abraham Horn, Sr., whose descendants have been identified in this section with local history. In the first census of the United States in 1790, only the heads of the family were named, and names were sometimes spelled to agree with the taste of the census taker, but thirty families by the name of Horn are given. In Northampton county is given George Horn himself, one male under sixteen, and four females; John Horn himself, two males over sixteen, one male under sixteen. As Abraham Horn, Sr., and Nicholas Horn are recorded as serving in the Revolution, it is probable they were the "two males" over sixteen.
Nicholas Horn is recorded in vol. 8, fifth series, Pennsylvania Archives, as being commissioned July 9, 1776, as captain of the Third Company, Penn- sylvania Militia, commanded by Lieut .- Col. Peter Kechlein, and an abstract from the War Department shows his service as a private in George Jenkins' company, Second Pennsylvania Regiment, commanded successively by Major William Williams and Col. Henry Bicker; enlisted January 28, 1777, trans- ferred in 1778 to Capt. Joseph Howell's company, and discharged January I, 1783.
Abraham Horn, Sr., was born in Williams township, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, December 31, 1757. "Pennsylvania in the Revolution" records him as being appointed a sergeant January 5, 1776, in Col. Arthur St. Clair's second Pennsylvania battalion, Capt. Thomas Craig's company to November 25, 1776, and War Department records quote in abstract as follows :
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Abraham Horn was sergeant in Capt. Thomas Craig's and Captain Bunner's companies, Second (subsequently Third) Pennsylvania Regiment, commanded by Col. John Wood, and further that he was a drummer in Capt. Robert Connelly's company, Fourth Pennsylvania Regiment, Continental forces, commanded by Colonel Cadwallader, from March 14, 1777, to January 1, 1781.
In the War of 1812, War Department records show that he served as lieutenant-colonel of First Riflemen (Humphreys'), Pennsylvania Regiment, discharged December 19, 1814. In connection with this, a little later refer- ence in this article shows the service of his sons and sons-in-law in the same war. In 1798, Abraham Horn, Sr., completed the first bridge over the Lehigh river at the foot of Pomfret (now South Third) street, Easton. It was a structure 22 by 280 feet, and through faulty design collapsed before it had been officially accepted, a complete loss to the builder. The "History of Easton" quotes him in 1807 as the proprietor of the "Golden Swan" Hotel, later known as the Swan, subsequently as the Stirling, and now Whitlock Inn. He was the first president of the Humane Fire Company when it was organ- ized in 1797, and otherwise prominent. Abraham Horn, Sr., married Susanna Hay, daughter of Melchoir and Susanna (Brotzman) Hay, and a grand- daughter of Malcolm Hay, the ancestor of the Hay family of Easton. By this marriage he had nine children: Abraham, Jr., John, Charles, Catherine, Melchoir Hay, Samuel, Joseph, Susan Gertrude and William. He died May 22, 1826, and with his wife is buried in St. John's Burying Ground, Easton.
Abraham Horn, Jr., first son of Abraham Horn, Sr., was born April 4, 1777, died May 3, 1839, and buried in Easton Cemetery. He served as captain in Humphreys' First Riflemen, in which his father was lieutenant-colonel. This company was raised to sixty men in one day, and on their departure were presented with colors by Miss Rosanna Beidleman. He was the seventh postmaster of Easton, appointed March 9, 1829, under President Jackson, and served ten years, during Jackson and Van Buren administrations, until his death. He was a carpenter and builder, a member of the Legislature, and either he or his father was county recorder from 1803 to 1809. After his death he was succeeded as postmaster by his son-in-law, Abraham Coryell, who served under Presidents Van Buren, Tyler and Polk. Mr. Coryell was the father of Fannie Coryell, who so long conducted the circulating library so popular with Easton readers.
John Horn, second son of Abraham Horn, Sr., was born March 15, 1782, died May 19, 1851, and is buried at Tyrone, New York. He was a first lieu- tenant in Capt, Abraham Horn, Jr.'s, company (Humphreys' First Pennsyl- vania Riflemen) in the War of 1812. He married Elizabeth Leidig, who is buried at Addison, New York.
Charles Horn, third son of Abraham, Sr., was born November 16, 1784, died March 1, 1852, and with his wife, who was Elizabeth (Deshler) Horn, is buried in St. John's Burying Ground. In the War of 1812 he served in Capt. Peter Nungesser's company, Second (Bache's) Pennsylvania Light Infantry, as musician and drum major. He also was drum major in "Easton Union Guards," which was formed in 1816.
Melchoir Hay Horn, fourth son of Abraham Horn, Sr., was born Decem- ber 29, 1786, and died May 31, 1863. He married (first) Isabella Traill, daugh- ter of Robert Traill, by whom he had ten children: Sabilla, Robina, Robert Traill, John Jacob, Isabella Rosanna, Melchoir Hay, Jr., Enoch S. Clark, Sally Ann, Philip Henry Mattes and Maria Louisa. Through this marriage comes the relationship to the Traills, Greens, Shipmans, Mattes, the Catasau- qua Horns and others. His second marriage was to Fredericka Cassler, and they were the parents of one son, William Penn, long a letter carrier in Easton, and father of the present city controller, Samuel S. Horn. Melchoir Hay Horn was a sergeant in his father's company of Humphreys' First Riflemen in the War of 1812, with his grandfather as lieutenant-colonel; a member of the "Easton Artillerists," 1821, and orderly sergeant of the "Easton Fenci-
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bles," in 1846. He served as county commissioner in the "thirties," and was burgess of Easton from 1842 until 1846.
Samuel Horn, fifth son of Abraham Horn, Sr., was born March 17, 1790. He was never married. He served in the War of 1812 as drummer in the Sixteenth United States Infantry, was drum major in the "Easton Artillerists," and in the Mexican War, at the age of fifty-seven, volunteered, entered the Second Pennsylvania Regiment under Capt. James Miller, and was in every engagement from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico, where he remained until the treaty of peace was signed. The epitaph on his tombstone in the Easton Cemetery, in addition to his record, reads :
Homeward bound, diseased and wan, the veteran drummer found Bedimmed his eye, his wasted form but totters o'er the ground. Death sped his arrow, and the deed released his soul
For heaven. Adieu! Thy drum is hushed, thou'st beaten the last roll.
Joseph Horn, sixth son of Abraham Horn, Sr., was born October 8, 1791, died May 21, 1871, and buried with his wife Catherine, in St. John's Burying Ground. From Joseph Horn comes the connection with the family of Dr. Evans. He was in his father's company in the War of 1812 as musician, and also held membership in the "Easton Union Guards" and the "Easton Artillerists.'
William Horn, youngest son of Abraham Horn, Sr., no available records as to his birth, was drowned in the Lehigh river on a Sunday while crossing on the ice, and his body was not recovered for several days. He served in the War of 1812 as a private in John Rawlin's company, of Lower Merion (First Battalion, Uhle's Riflemen). There is family data that he also served as adjutant in the same regiment as his grandfather. but no War Department records state this fact.
Catherine Horn, daughter of Abraham Horn. Sr., married a Rohn, from which comes the connection of the Rohn and Horn families.
Susan Gertrude Horn, the other daughter, married Jacob Bossler, who was also a member of Capt. Abraham Horn, Jr.'s, company in the War of 1812.
The foregoing covers the family history of Abraham Horn, Sr. Of thie family of Melchoir Hay Horn, Sr., who more lately have been interested in Easton history, Robert Traill Horn was prominently connected with the progress of Easton as the senior member of Horn, Steinmetz & Company, prominent contractors and builders of their time. Robert T. Horn married Eleanor Odenwelder, connecting the Horn and Odenwelder families, and by his daughters the relationship to the Hartungs and that of John Bachman, of the Phillipsburg Bank, is established.
Melchoir Hay Horn, Sr.'s, other sons, John J., Melchoir, Encch S., Clark and William Penn, were all Civil War veterans. John J. Horn entered the Union service as captain of Company E. Twelfth Pennsylvania Reserves ; Melchoir, as colonel of the Thirty-eighth Pennsylvania Regiment; and Wil- liam P., in the active service during the War between the States. Of Melchoir Hay Horn, Sr.'s, daughters, Sabilla married in the Shipman family, Robina into the Van Horn family, and Isabella in the Kurtz family.
The military instinct still prevails in the Horn family. Robert T. Horn, son of Capt. John J. Horn and always known as "Bob," was in service in the Easton Grays, and later in the Easton City Guard, successively known as Company E, Eleventh Pennsylvania National Guard, and Pennsylvania Infantry Company, Thirteenth Regiment, and the organization of which is now a part of the Rainbow Division in France in the great World War. Removing from Easton, "Bob" has become quartermaster in the Pennsylvania Reserve Militia, in which his son "Jack" is also serving.
The present representative member of the family is Samuel S. Horn, who, while not in the military service, is generally known as "Colonel" Horn. hav- ing been active in local military work for many years. His title comes as
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the result of his activity in the organization of the Sons of Veterans, being a past commander of the order in Pennsylvania, formerly titled colonel, and also as commanding the regiment of Sons of Veterans in the Lehigh Valley, which have maintained a military body for many years. Many of the boys now in service had preliminary training under Colonel Horn prior to . their entrance into State and National service. Colonel Horn was the original first sergeant of the Easton City Guard before it was sworn into service in hopes of active duty in the Spanish-American War, but owing to a slight physical defect at that time, and the examination being strict in view of probable National service, he was obliged to relinquish his desire for active military service.
Samuel S. Horn, grandson of Melchoir Hay Horn, Sr., and his second wife, Fredericka (Cassler) Horn, and son of William Penn and Mary (Trau- ger) Horn, was born in the city of Easton, Pennsylvania, June 22, 1870, and was educated in the city schools. He early entered business life, has won his way through varying stations, and is the present capable secretary, director and manager of the T. T. Miller Hardware Company, a leading hardware corporation of Easton, located at Nos. 30-32 North Fourth street. He ranks high among business men, and is one of the highly esteemed men of the hardware trade, widely known as one to be trusted and relied upon under all circumstances.
A Republican in politics, Colonel Horn has always taken a deep interest in public affairs. In I911 he was the nominee of his party for city controller, and was elected by a large majority. At the end of his first term of four years the commission form of government had gone into effect, and he be- came the nominee on a non-partisan ticket, passing the ordeal of the primaries and of the general polls without opposition, thus succeeding himself in the office. During his now seven years in the city controller's office he has wrought needed changes, and the system of municipal records now in such satisfactory use may be largely attributed to his efforts to remedy the diffi- culties he found existing for those wishing to obtain authentic copies of records. In fraternal circles he is widely and favorably known. His Masonic bodies are: Dallas Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Easton Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Pomp Council, Royal and Select Masters; Hugh de Payen Commandery, Knights Templar; Bloomsburg Consistory, Ancient Ac- cepted Scottish Rite, in which he holds the thirty-second degree; Rajah Tem- ple, Ancient Arabic Order nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon. In Odd Fellowship he is a member of Lehicton Lodge No. 244, and he also is affiliated with Easton Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; the Patriotic Order Sons of America, Camp 407; Sons of Veterans, Camp No. 233; the Humane Fire Association; the Northampton Historical Society ; the Travelers' Protective Association; Easton Motor Association; and the Easton Board of Trade. His clubs are the Kiwanis and Riverside Canoe, of which he is president, and the Mckinley Republican, of which he is treasurer. In this present world's crisis he is a member of the Northamp- ton County Committee of Public Safety and Pennsylvania Home Defense Police.
Colonel Horn married, September 14, 1893, Laura Mount, daughter of Abraham and Mary Ann (Allen) Mount. Colonel and Mrs. Horn are mem- bers of St. John's Lutheran Church, Easton.
THE LAUBACH FAMILY- This large and honorable family claims as its common ancestor Christian Laubach, who, together with his wife, chil- dren and his father, Reinhart Laubach, aged seventy years, landed at Phila- delphia, September 16, 1738. Along in the same ship came Andrew Lerch and his two sons, Peter and Anthony. It is said that they were friends before departing for America ; at least, they settled on adjoining tracts on Laubach's
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creek in Saucon township, Northampton county. Soon after their arrival in 1745, Christian Laubach erected a saw and grist-mill and added five adjoining tracts of land to the original homestead, some of which are still in possession of his descendants. He was a blacksmith by trade. The records of the Dur- ham furnace show that he had many castings made there, especially iron pots and kettles.
Christian Laubach had been trained as a soldier in the German army. On August 29, 1755, he was appointed captain of the Saucon rangers, and was stationed at various times during the two following years at Rose Inn, Christian Springs, Gnadenthal Mill, and at the various blockhouses along the Blue mountains. A letter, read at the centenary of the Nazareth Inn, June 9, 1871, contains this reference to him:
In this way, during the winter of 1755 and 1756, did the Rose exchange its character of an inn for that of a city of refuge. But it was also for a military post, and suffered from military occupation. This occupation fell in the interval between the 26th of November, 1755, and the 20th of February, 1756, and some of its incidents are the following: In the evening of the aforesaid 26th of November, a company of Saucon rangers, in command of Capt. Christian Laubach, halted at the inn and bivouaced for the night. Having scoured the neighboring woods next day, on receiving intelligence of the enemy's presence in the gap of the mountain, they broke camp at dusk, and when the moon had risen, set out in pursuit. Meanwhile two detachments of mounted men had arrived. These failed to recog- nize any necessity for their presence, and having dined, departed.
His son, John George Laubach, was a member of the company. The younger sons remained at home, conducting the farm, mills and the black- smith shop. Christian Laubach was born in Germany in 1699, and died on his homestead November 29, 1768; his wife, Susanna Catharine, was born in 1705, and died March 12, 1770. They lie buried at the Lower Saucon Church, Northampton county. His will bears date, March 4, 1768, in which he says: "I bequeath unto my wife, Susanna Catharine, such household goods as she may desire, also the sum of six pounds sterling money annually ; the annual interest of 150 pounds, and a yearly allowance of 10 bushels of wheat, 5 bushels of rye ;" unto his son, John George, he bequeathed the sum of 50 pounds ; to his daughter, Elizabeth, 30 pounds; to his sons, Conrad and Frederick, all those messuages and tenements consisting of a grist-mill, saw-mill (situated on Laubach's creek), plantation, and five tracts of land, containing 215 acres, granted to him by a proprietary patent, bearing date, April 28, 1762, but subject to payments of certain sums of money, to wit: To his son, John George, 70 pounds ; to his son, Peter, 70 pounds. After the death of his wife the rest and residue of his effects were to be divided in equal shares amongst his five sons. Christian Laubach was the father of six children :
I. John George, born in the fatherland, November II, 1729, and died October 19, 1802. He was a farmer. He was married to Elizabeth Yonson. They had issue : i. Susan, born November 7, 1757, died 1792. ii. John Michael, born November 28, 1759, died 1800; was married to Elizabeth Weidknecht, and had eight children. iii. John Adam, born August 23, 1761, died February 25, 1828; was married to Berger, and had ten children. iv. John Christian, born June 30, 1762, died July 8, 1823; was married to Anna Mary Fritchey, and died at Danville, Pennsylvania, leaving twelve children. v. Anna Maria, born October 21, 1764; was married to John Jacoby, and had seven children. vi. John, born December 23, 1766, died 1830; removed to Fishing Creek, Columbia county. vii. John Conrad, born March 3, 1768; was the father of three children: Catherine, Pamelia and Mary. viii. Anna Mar- gareth, born January 19, 1770, died March 29, 1856; was married to Dr. Peter Saylor, and had seven children. ix. Catharine, born February 26, 1772, died May 22, 1837; was married to Daniel Weidknecht. x. John George, born March 3, 1774, died January 3, 1863 ; was married to Elizabeth Riehl, and had nine children. xi. Walburg, born February, 1776, died in infancy. xii. Elisa- beth, born April 10, 1779, died in infancy.
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