USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume III > Part 28
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Michael A. McNamara, son of Cornelius and Elizabeth (Dinan) McNa- mara, was born in South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, February 16, 1877, and was educated in the public school. After leaving school he was employed for one year with the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, then for another year was with the Hall Signal Company. Realizing the value of a trade, he became an apprentice with the Bethlehem Steel Company, serving four years in the machine shops, then was employed for nine years as a machinist with the Bethlehem Foundry & Machine Company, afterwards retiring from his
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ยท trade to accept an appointment as a letter carrier at the South Bethlehem post-office, and for eleven years filled that positon; in May, 1917, he was appointed justice of the peace. In January, 1918, he was elected an alderman of the city of Bethlehem, an office he is still holding.
While in the United States postal service, Mr. McNamara was a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers, and as a delegate attended national conventions held in Omaha, Nebraska; San Francisco, California ; and Rochester, New York. He is a Democrat in politics, a member of Holy Infancy Roman Catholic Church, and is interested in athletic sports, contests of strength, skill or endurance, and very fond of hunting. In younger days he was a baseball and football player of note, and as a runner made creditable amateur records in the 100-yard dash, the 220, 440 and 880-yard runs. He has a collection of prizes won in such contests, some of them taken in promi- nent meets in competition with college men of note. He was also a well known local football coach, and as his splendid physique clearly proves, has always been a man of clean life. He has never used either tobacco or liquor, and his word to would-be athletes is "Touch not, taste not," either tobacco or liquor in any form. This is an athlete's advice to boys and young men, and not the advice of a reformer or a crank. Mr. McNamara was the organizer of the Pioneer Social & Athletic Club, which is now in the twen- tieth year of its life.
In 1902, Mr. McNamara married Mary Conlin, daughter of Austin and Mary Conlin, of South Bethlehem. Mrs. McNamara died October 8, 1908, leaving two sons: John, born October 13, 1902; and Austin, born April 30, 1904. He married (second), in October, 1913, Catherine G. Cox.
GEORGE HENRY WASHINGTON YOUNG-George H. W. Young long an honored business man and public official of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was born near Weaversville, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, Septem- ber 29, 1853, and died in Bethlehem, June 20, 1913, son of Reuben and Julia (Neligh) Young, his mother of English family.
George H. W. Young was educated in the public schools and Weavers- ville Academy, then began his career by devoting three years to aiding others in their efforts to secure an education. After that period he abandoned teaching as a profession, came to Bethlehem, and entered the employ of his brother, Samuel Young, a merchant. He spent three years as a clerk with his brother, then, about 1877, purchased the business. For thirty-six years, until his death, Mr. Young continued his connection with the store which became one of the best known gentleman's centers in Bethlehem. He was an able business man, progressive and enterprising, always a leader. The business which he so successfully conducted for so long is still continued by his estate. A resident of West Bethlehem he served that borough with zeal and public spirit. For several terms he was a member of the School Board, and in 1889 was elected burgess. He was re-elected for the succeeding term, and was solicited to accept a third election, but declined. He was a mem- ber of Grace Lutheran Church, Bethlehem, but later was one of the founders of Holy Trinity Church in West Bethlehem, a church which was first started as a mission. He took a deep interest in the church, and was always ready to lend a hand in aid of any good cause. He was a man of genial, friendly nature, and highly esteemed for his sterling, manly character.
Mr. Young married, February 10, 1877, in Grace Lutheran Church, Rev. J. B. Rath, officiating, Rebecca T. Berger, daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Kline) Berger, old and respected members of the Bethlehem community. Mrs. Young survives her husband and continues her residence in Bethlehem. Children: 1. Ada M., residing with her mother. 2. Arthur Reuben, a grad- uate of Lehigh University, C. E., class of 1901 ; a noted lacrosse player and holder of class honors as a student; he married Christina MacArthur, and
Chatpayers.
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they have three children : Helen C., John A., and Catherine R. 3. Helen A., married Fred A. Johnson, of New York. 4. Marian R., married Ralph A. Martin, a teacher of mathematics in high school, at Jersey City, New Jer- sey ; they are the parents of two sons : James A. and Robert Martin. 5. Beulah Irene, married Preston A. Lambert, a graduate of Lehigh University, now superintendent of a munition plant at Carpenter, Illinois ; they have children : Dorothy A., Preston A. (3), and Edward A. Lambert.
CHARLES P. AYERS-The Ayers family of Northampton county is one of the ancient landmarks of that section of now Upper and Lower Mount Bethel townships, the founder a notable man whose Scotch ancestry is a guarantee of his strong, moral fibre, tenacity of purpose, and thriftiness. He settled in this county early in the eighteenth century.
(I) This founder, David Ayers, owned a section of land in the vicinity of Richmond, Northampton county, which he cleared, and upon which he built a house that was much finer and more modern than anything in that section. That house, so well and substantially built, is yet the home of a descendant, nor has it ever been out of the family ownership. He also built a mill which he operated in those early days, that mill a great convenience, nay, a boon to the settlers thereabout. He operated the mill as long as he lived, then was succeeded by his son Moses, he in turn by his son David, and David by his son David Brinton Ayers, owner and proprietor of the Belvi- dere Mills. David Ayers, the founder, was a member of the Presbyterian church, a justice of the peace of Lower Mount Bethel township, and a man of strong character, sound common sense, his standing in his community the very highest. He had two sons, David (2), who went to the Ohio country, and Moses, mentioned below.
(II) Moses Ayers, son of David Ayers, remained at the homestead operated the mill, and spent his life on the Lower Mount Bethel farm, upon which he was born. He was a shrewd, practical man of business, widely known and as highly esteemed. Like his father, he was a Presbyterian, and right worthily he filled his place in both church and township. He married a Miss Britton, and they were the parents of five sons and four daughters : Levi, who made a home in the West; David, who succeeded his father as a miller and mill owner ; Nathaniel ; Moses, who owned nearly a hundred acres of his grandfather's original farm; Rev. Samuel Ayers, a Presbyterian clergyman; Jane, Betsey, Peggy and Sarah.
(III) David (2) Ayers, son of Moses Ayers, and grandson of David Ayers, the pioneer settler, farmer and miller of Lower Mount Bethel township, Northampton county, was born at the homestead about the year 1810, and always lived in that locality. He continued the old mill, married, and passed a life of usefulness. Among his children was a son, Robert Britton, men- tioned below.
(IV) Robert Britton Ayers, son of David (2) Ayers, was a miller and mill owner, operating the Belvidere mills in the days when the Durham boats on the Delaware formed the chief means of freight transportation be- tween the Forks of the Delaware and Philadelphia. When the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad was building, he secured a contract for the section lying between Manunka Chunk and the crossing of the Delaware at the Watergap. After its completion he returned to his old business, milling. He purchased and operated mills at Harmony and Carpenterville, New Jer- sey, his death occurring at the last-named village in 1878. Robert Britton Ayers married Louisa Bairdbridge Pierson, daughter of Charles and Mar- garet (Cline) Pierson. They were the parents of two daughters, both de- ceased, and two sons : Charles Pierson, mentioned below; and Orville Dewey, president of Losey & Company of Easton.
(V) Charles Pierson Ayers, eldest son of Robert Britton and Louisa B.
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(Pierson) Ayers, was born at Harmony, New Jersey, June 29, 1861. He was educated in the public schools, finishing with high school courses at the age of nineteen, and then he became an apprentice to the miller's trade, under Jacob Walter, then operating the first full roller process flour mill in the State of Pennsylvania, that mill located at Bushkill Park. In 1885 he came to Easton as superintendent of the newly reconstructed mill owned by Frank C. Williams, and for fifteen years that connection continued without interrup- tion. In the year 1900 he was appointed mill superintendent of the C. K. Williams Company, and for eighteen years that association has continued. He is a member of the Easton Board of Trade; the Kiwanis Club; the Young Men's Christian Association, also a member of its board of directors; First Methodist Episcopal Church, member of its board of trustees; Lodge No. 152, Free and Accepted Masons ; Chapter No. 173, Royal Arch Masons ; Pomp Council, Royal and Select Masters; Hugh de Payen Commandery, Knights Templar; Rajah Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; in politics a Republi- can. He was active in the War Chest, Liberty Loans and Easton Hospital building fund campaigns, and aided all in his power to bring each campaign to a successful conclusion.
Mr. Ayers married, June 1, 1889, Emma Cattman Williams, daughter of Joseph Thompson and Margaret Jane (Butler) Williams. Mrs. Ayers is a leader in church and charitable work, a director of the Easton Hospital, in- terested in children's welfare work, and a liberal friend of the Children's Home, active in Young Women's Christian Association work, and in the children's department of the First Methodist Church, of which she is a mem- ber. Mr. and Mrs. Ayers are the parents of three children: I. Ruth Naomi, married John O. Rinek, manager of the Crucible Steel Company of New Jersey, and has two children: John W. and Lorenz Ayres Rinek. 2. Lorenz Kneedler, a graduate of Easton High School, class of 1909; Lafayette Col- lege, department of chemistry, class of 1913; an employee of the C. K. Wil- liams Company until his enlistment in the United States aviation service ; trained at the Ground School at Columbus, Ohio, was then attached to the Royal Flying Corps (British), and received special training in aerial gun- nery and aerial observation work at Toronto and Camp Borden, Canada, and Hicks, Texas; he was commissioned first lieutenant and assigned as arma- ment officer of the Twenty-eighth American Aero Squadron; he spent thir- teen months in France, and flew as an observer for a period of five months over the German lines, in the Flanders sector, while attached to No. 18 Squadron, Royal Air Force (British) ; he was in many aerial engagement, and was officially credited with having shot down one German aircraft; the remainder of his time in France he acted as armament officer of No. 17 Aero Squadron (American), which squadron operated with the British Air Force from July, 1918, until the armistice was signed. 3. Joseph William, a student of Easton High School, class of 1922.
JOHN WILLIAM FALVEY-John William Falvey, general manager of the General Supply and the Alpha Supply companies, is a grandson of John Falvey, of County Cork, Ireland, who came to this country with his family and located at Springfield, Massachusetts. His son, Dennis Falvev. was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1836, and came to this country with his father at the age of fifteen years, and for several years resided at Springfield, Massachusetts. Later he married and removed to Richmond, Virginia. In 1864 he left there and coming North, located in Easton, Pennsylvania, where he became an iron mill worker, thus continuing until his death, December 12, 1907. Dennis Falvey married Hannah Lynch, born in 1835, who yet survives him, a resident of Easton, in her eighty-fourth year. They were the parents of ten children, six of whom are living: Dennis ; John W., of fur- ther mention; Michael; Mary, wife of John Dugan; Catherine; and Ellen, wife of James A. Murray, of Columbus, Ohio.
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John W. Falvey, third son of Dennis and Hannah (Lynch) Falvey, was born in Easton, Pennsylvania, January 30, 1867, and was educated in the city public schools. He began business life in 1884 as a grocery clerk, so continuing until 1889, from which time until 1904 he was engaged in the merchandise business for his own account. Having become interested in public affairs, he was chosen to office. In February, 1898, he was elected auditor of the borough of South Easton, and served as auditor in the bor- ough until it was annexed to the city of Easton. In November, 1898, he was elected to the office of clerk of the County Commissioners of Northampton county and re-elected to the same office in 1901 and served until the expiration of his term, December 31, 1904. April 1, 1905, he became connected with the General Supply Company and established their business in Easton, and in 1906 he established a branch of this company at Bethlehem. He is still con- nected with this company as its general manager and also general manager of the Alpha Supply Company, and he is an important factor in their suc- cessful operations. He is an active member of the Easton Board of Trade, and has served on various committees of the board and borne his full share of the work of the board.
Although largely self-educated, he is a well-informed man and is one of Easton's earnest, patriotic citizens whose co-operation may always be relied upon in any progressive movement. He is a member of St. Bernard's Roman Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, Benevolent and Protec- tive Order of Elks, and the Kiwanis Club. He was active in all war cam- paigns, having served on the four Liberty Loans, Red Cross, War Chest, Young Men's Christian Association, and manager of the Knights of Colum- bus War Campaign. He was elected secretary of the War Camp Community Service for providing amusement for the entertainment of the soldiers sta- tioned at Camp Lafayette. He was chairman of the Knights of Columbus Committee who furnished eleven high-class entertainments and four Wednes- day evening band concerts for the soldiers at Camp Lafayette. The con- certs were given through the kindness of the Ingersoll-Rand Band and the entertainments continued until halted by the influenza epidemic. In Novem- ber, 1918, when the United Activity Drive was in operation, he was appointed county representative for the Catholic War Council and did a large amount of work in bringing about Northampton county's share in this great work.
Mr. Falvey married, November 18, 1900, Mary Ford, daughter of Michael and Catherine (Murray) Ford, of Phillipsburg, New Jersey. Mrs. Falvey is active in charitable and patriotic work, and belongs to the various church and local societies engaged in such labors. Nothing is of too strenuous a nature for her to shrink from active participation, and her good deeds will long be remembered. She is president of the Daughters of St. Elizabeth of St. Bernard's Catholic Church, member of the Red Cross and Social Service League, and the Catholic Women's Alliance of America. Mr. and Mrs. Falvey are the parents of three daughters and a son: Mary Madeline, a graduate of St. Bernard's School, class of 1918; John Gerald, Frances and Elizabeth.
EDWIN H. MAST-As merchant, decorator and amusement purveyor, Mr. Mast, proprietor of the wall paper store, No. 8 South Second street, and formerly general manager of the Strand Theatre, Easton, is one of the well known and highly esteemed business men of Easton who have won for that city its enviable reputation. He is a son of William H. Mast, and grand- son of John W. Mast, and great-grandson of the founder of the family who came from Germany to Virginia, thence to Pennsylvania, settling in North- ampton county. John W. Mast was a resident of Allentown and Bethlehem, a member of the Lutheran church, and a member of the first congregation of that faith formed in Bethlehem.
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William H. Mast, son of John W. Mast, was born in Bethlehem, Penn- sylvania, and a resident there until his death in 1902, at the age of fifty-five years. He was educated in the public schools, and was variously employed during his lifetime, being a shoemaker, a carpenter, and for a number of years an iron and steel worker. He was a man of industrious habits, a Demo- crat in politics, a Lutheran in religion, quiet, and home loving, having many friends. When President Lincoln called for men in 1861, Mr. Mast responded and served four years and three months, saw active service, and received four bayonet wounds in battle, having re-enlisted after his first three months. He married Mary Fretz, of Quakertown, who died September 23, 1917, aged eighty-three years. Both William H. and Mary (Fretz) Mast are buried in the Lutheran Cemetery at Bethlehem. They were the parents of five chil- dren: George W., now engaged in farming near Bethlehem; Emily, married Jackson Fluck, of Bethlehem; Edwin H., of further mention; Cora, died in infancy ; Charles F., who resides in the West.
Edwin H. Mast, son of William H. and Mary (Fretz) Mast, was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, July 24, 1871, and there spent the first twenty years of his life. He passed the grades and finished the first year high school years an iron and steel worker. He was a man of industrious habits, a Demo- hanger's trade. He became an expert interior decorator during the fourteen years in which he followed his trade as journeyman in Bethlehem and Easton, he not beginning business on his own account until 1904. He opened a wall- paper store at No. 154 Northampton street, Easton, in that year, and until 1907 conducted a general paper-hanging and decorating business in connec- tion with that store. In the spring of 1907 his original partner sold out to John Neumeyer, and a year later Mr. Mast bought Mr. Neumeyer's interest and became sole owner. He continued business at the original location until April, 1917, then removed to his present location. No. 8 South Second street. with a warehouse at the corner of Third and Ferry streets. He has con- tinued in business very successfully until the present, his establishment being one of the best known and largely patronized of its kind in the city.
In 1915, Mr. Mast became interested in the motion picture business, and in addition to his private affairs was part owner and general manager of the Strand Theatre, a popular house of entertainment in Easton. He is a member of Dallas Lodge No. 396, Free and Accepted Masons; Van Dever Lodge No. 1105, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Pomfret Club; Rotary Club; St. Paul's Lutheran Church; and in politics is a lifelong Republican. During the period of the war, when the demand for munition workers exceeded the sup- ply, he "did his bit" by working for eight months in the Ingersoll-Rand plant at Phillipsburg, making shells for the United States Government.
Mr. Mast married, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, October 6, 1902, Laura Guth, daughter of Harrison and Mary Guth, of Allentown.
WILLIAM FRANK FRICK-Reuben Frick, grandfather of William F. Frick, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was a farmer of Rittersville, Pennsyl- vania, and there his son, Charles Frick, was born. Reuben was a war veteran and a man of industrious, upright life. Charles Frick was born at Ritters- ville, Pennsylvania, the log house in which he was born still standing on the old farm. He married Annie Krader, whose mother, Elizabeth Krader, is now living in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, aged eighty-six years. Charles and Annie (Krader) Frick are the parents of twelve children, six of whom are living : Preston C., a steel mill worker ; Alfred E., in the silk business ; Helen, married Daniel Whitmeyer, manager of the Meyer-Heiberger store ; Myrtle, residing with her parents; Florence, married Clifford Miley, now serving in the United States Army ; William F., of further mention.
William F. Frick was born in Leithsville, Pennsylvania, April 15, 1882, and was educated in the public schools of Bethlehem, finishing in high school.
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He spent five years in the city of Philadelphia after leaving school, and learned the confectionery business. He then returned to Bethlehem, where for two years he was manager of the Meyer-Heiberger ice-cream business. In 1917 he came to his present location, No. 301 West Broad street, where he conducts a high grade confectionery business. Mr. Frick is a Democrat in politics, and a member of Holy Trinity Church, serving three years as a member of the church council, and also as a member of the building com- mittee. He is a member of Oppmanyhook Tribe, Improved Order of Red Men, and Eyrie No. 284, Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Mr. Frick married, June 21, 1902, Marie F. Schuler, daughter of Jacob and Twilly (Roth) Schuler, of East Texas, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania. Jacob Schuler, an employee of the Bethlehem Steel Company for twenty years, died in 1916. Mr. and Mrs. Frick are the parents of a son, Charles Jacob Frick, born in Bethlehem, February 1, 1905. During the Spanish- American War, Mr. Frick enlisted in the Ninth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was stationed at Chickamauga Park, Tennessee. At the close of the war he was mustered out at Lexington, Kentucky.
FORREST FRANKLIN SPECK -- Grandson of an American soldier who gave up his life at Vera Cruz during the Mexican War, Forrest Franklin Speck, contractor and builder of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, inherits a wealth of patriotic zeal and example which has inspired his entire life from boy- hood. His grandparents came from Saxony, bringing their son Jacob, a boy of six years, with them. The emigrant imbibed American sentiment, and when the time came to give expression to his gratitude and love for the land which had given him home and opportunity, he enlisted under the flag he loved and marched away, never to return, his death occurring at almost the very beginning of the Mexican War, when General Scott landed his troops at Vera Cruz and began his series of victories which terminated in the cap- ture of the city of Mexico. He was one of the twelve thousand men who gathered near Vera Cruz, landing March 9, 1847. Upon an island opposite was a very strong fortress, the castle of San Juan de Ulloa, which the Mexicans regarded as invulnerable. General Scott invaded the city and fortress, and for fifteen days rained shot and shell upon the defenders. On March 29, 1847, five thousand Mexicans surrendered with the city of Vera Cruz and the fortress of San Juan de Ulloa, with five thousand pieces of artillery and vast quantities of munitions of war. The Mexican loss was one thousand killed and many wounded. The American loss under the fifteen days' siege was but eighty killed and wounded, and among those who gave up their lives was the elder Speck, father of Jacob Speck, and grandfather of the Speck brothers of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Jacob Speck, from his sixth year, was a native of Bethlehem, and al- . though left without a father's guiding hand and thrown upon his own re- sources, he was of sound material and developed into a fine example of honorable manhood. He engaged in the contracting and building business, following his natural mechanical instinct, and became superintendent for J. Stewart Allam, one of the leading contractors of the Lehigh Valley. Jacob Speck married Lydia Ann Yost, and they were the parents of fourteen children, this and the following sketch dealing with the careers of three of the sons, Forrest Franklin, who has been prominently identified with the building activities of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and to whose skill and ability some of the finest structures in the city stand as monuments ; Edgar Wallace and William Warren, also contractors and builders.
Forrest Franklin Speck was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, January 17, 1868, and during his half century of life has known no other permanent home. He attended public school until thirteen years of age, then for three years was errand boy and general utility clerk with the dry-goods firm, then
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Riegel, Cortright & Solt. In 1884, at the age of sixteen years, he began learning the carpenter trade with J. S. Allam, a contracting builder of the South Side, and for fourteen years, as apprentice and journeyman, he fol- lowed the carpenter's trade. But he was ambitious of becoming a contractor himself, and in 1896 completed a special course of study with the American Correspondence School, March of that year marking the date of his entrance into the ranks of Bethlehem contracting builders. Nearly a quarter of a century has since elapsed, and he has been continuously in business during that entire period, each year making an advance in the good will and esteem of the building public, the proof being in evidence all over the city. Count- less smaller buildings, residences and blocks for business purposes, have been erected, while among the larger and more important of the contracts which he has executed may be named the buildings of the Bethlehem Trust Com- pany, the Beck Decorating Company, the George W. Riegel store, Cox's ward at St. Luke's Hospital, and Comenus Hall at the Moravian College and Theological Seminary. These buildings attest not alone his skill as a builder, but his reliability, integrity and the sacredness in which he holds a contract. The Rice and Cole residences on Market street are but two of many fine resi- dences which he has built. The large plant of the Shimer Manufacturing Company, the Henry Erwin & Son paint factory and H. S. Snyder's group of farm buildings at the Green Pond Farm, Farmersville, Pennsylvania, stand as representations of his work.
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