USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume III > Part 46
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(VI) Dr. Robert Evan James, second of the two sons of Evan and Eliza- beth (McHenry) James, was born at Line Lexington, Bucks county, Penn- sylvania, September 26, 1802, and died August 13, 1860. His early education was obtained in the schools at New Britain and Doylestown. Subsequently he entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, from which he was gradu- ated, after which he pursued an advanced medical course in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, from which he also received the medical degree. He located for practice at Freemansburg, Northamp- ton county, Pennsylvania, whence he soon removed to Centerville, Upper Mount Bethel township, same county. Dr. James remained in Upper Mount Bethel township during the remainder of his life. He was a leader in his profession. His practice extended over the entire upper portion of the county of Northampton, a portion of Monroe county, and reached into the county of Warren, State of New Jersey. He was a man of extraordinary influence, and was held in the most profound respect by the people in the communities in which he practiced. He aided in the organization of the Northampton County Medical Society, of which he was the first president, and served in that capacity until his death. He was a Democrat in politics, with strong anti-slavery inclinations, participating in his views in that respect with his close personal friend and political associate, Governor Reeder. He was a leader of political thought in his section, and while as a rule he declined political offices, he was elected to the State Legislature in 1837, but refused to accept a second term, which was customary, and subsequently was never a candidate for office, except in one instance, when he was a candidate for Congress, and was defeated in the convention by his opponent, the late United States Senator, Richard Broadhead, by one vote. Dr. James was devoted to educational interests, and the unusual educational advantages given to youths of his period in Mount Bethel still remain a matter of com- ment and admiration among the people. His personal character was admirable in all respects. He was a gentleman of the old school, frank, affable, sympa- thetic, dignified, and the impress of his life is still potential in Mount Bethel.
Dr. James married Caroline Dietterich, who was born in Williamsburg, Upper Mount Bethel, in 1817, and died in 1853. She was a daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Kintz) Dietterich. Her ancestors were of German descent, and came from Germany to America in 1748, and took up lands in what is now known as Upper Mount Bethel. Her grandfather, Louis Kintz, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, in the Third Regiment of the Continental Line. To Dr. Robert Evan and Caroline (Dietterich) James were born five children : I. Frances, who became the wife of Dr. Hiram Long. 2. Mary E., who became the wife of the late Hon. Truman H. Purdy, who was a lawyer of Sunbury, Pennsylvania. 3. William McHenry, a manufacturer of Steelton, Pennsyl-
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vania. 4. Jacob Dietterich, a lawyer, residing in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. 5. Robert Evan, of whom further.
(VII) Robert Evan (2) James, youngest child of Dr. Robert Evan (I) and Caroline (Dietterich) James, was born in Upper Mount Bethel township, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, August 9, 1848. Until his father's death in 1860 he resided at home, attended the local schools, and partially prepared for college. He subsequently became a student, temporarily, at Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg, afterwards at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsyl- vania, where he passed the freshman year, and was admitted to the sophomore class at Lafayette College. He graduated from Lafayette College with the class of 1869. He then entered the law office of Edward J. Fox, Esq., and was admitted to the bar in November, 1872. Prior to his admission he was principal of the Easton High School. Subsequent to his admission, he at once engaged in the practice of law, in which he was highly successful. His professional abilities found recognition in his election to various positions open only to lawyers of capability-to the office of county solicitor, in 1879; to that of district attorney of the county, in 1880; to that of city solicitor, in 1884; and in 1883 he was Democratic nominee for the judgeship in the Dauphin-Lebanon district. Shortly after his admission to the bar, Mr. James was elected to the Easton School Board, and immediately thereafter was made president of that body, and so continued until January 1, 1877, when, having been elected to the House of Representatives of the State Legislature, he resigned his connection with the school board to enter upon legislative duties. He was a member of the Legislature in the years 1877 and 1878. He early took an active interest in political affairs, as indicated by the offices held, and during the administration of President Cleveland he was appointed national bank examiner for Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and sub- sequently assigned as such to the city of New York, remaining in office during President Cleveland's term, and a portion of the term of President Harrison, voluntarily resigning in 1890 in order to give personal attention to the Easton Trust Company, of which he was one of the organizers. He subsequently became president of the company. In politics, Mr. James was a Democrat of the Tilden-Cleveland school, and had no sympathy with the political wreck- ers who in later years have made the party an object of pity and reproach. Mr. James was an active leader in State politics for many years. He was on several occasions chairman of State conventions and of important com- mittees. He was the chairman of the committee on resolutions which in 1896 presented for adoption a gold Democratic platform for the Democrats of Pennsylvania, and which platform was adopted by the convention almost without a dissenting voice, and when, three months later, the convention reconvened in order to readjust its political conscience and make it harmonize with the philosophy of the Platte, Mr. James, as the representative of the Democrats, who would not surrender party principles for the hope of tem- porary success, presented their protest upon the floor of the convention. Mr. James took great interest in banking matters, and in 1891, at the solicitation of the joint committee on banking of the Pennsylvania Legislature, especially appointed, preparcd and urged to final adoption the bill establishing a banking department for the State of Pennsylvania. He also served as chairman of the Association of Trust Companies of the State of Pennsylvania. Mr. James was a member of various Masonic bodies, and was affiliated with Dallas Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Easton Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; and Hugh de Payen Commandery, Knights Templar. He was also a mem- ber of Sigma Chi college fraternity. He was of fine personal appearance, excellent in social qualities, and his broad information and brilliant conversa- tional powers made him an admirable acquisition to various intelligent circles. He was an eloquent speaker, and at the bar and on the rostrum made a wide reputation as an orator and advocate.
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Mr. James married, April 4, 1876, Anna B. Heller; a native of Easton, daughter of Louis and Anna B. Heller, of Reading, Pennsylvania. Of this marriage was born one child, Robert Evan, 3rd, April 10, 1879. He was educated at Easton Academy, and graduated at Lafayette College in the class of 1901. He was admitted to the bar, and was associated with his father in the practice of his profession.
HENRY FOSTER MARX-Since the founding of the Easton Public Library, Mr. Marx has been at its head as librarian, his service dating from 1902, following extended work as a teacher in public and private schools. Mr. Marx is a son of William S. and Josephine (Waldwin) Marx, his father one of the leading lawyers of Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Henry F. Marx was born in Allentown, July 28, 1865, and as a youth attended the preparatory department of Muhlenberg College, of Allentown, and Peddie Institute, of Hightstown, New Jersey. Entering Lafayette Col- lege, he was graduated A.B. in the class of 1885, receiving his Master's degree in 1888, and for two years following his graduation he tutored in Latin and mathematics at Lafayette. He then returned to his studies, and for two years pursued post-graduate work at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, specializing in advanced English. The next two years he devoted to journalism, with assignments to the Asheville Citizen, of. Asheville, North Carolina, and the Baltimore American, of Baltimore, Maryland. After a course in electrical engineering at Lafayette College, he accepted an important posi- tion at the head of one of the testing departments of the General Electric Company, of Schenectady, New York. In 1892, Mr. Marx re-entered the teaching profession, and for a year was a member of the faculty of Betts Academy, at Stamford, Connecticut, then becoming a teacher of English in the Easton High School. From 1893 to 1902 he filled this position, and upon the completion of the Easton Public Library he was tendered the office of librarian, which he accepted with the provision that he should be per- mitted to equip himself more thoroughly for his work. He assumed the duties of his place at once, and, although he alone felt its need, completed a librarian's course at Pratt Institute, of Brooklyn, adding this training to his qualifications of scholarship. The Easton Public Library, under his direction, "has had a prosperous career of usefulness to the community, and ranks high among the instutions of this part of the State. Mr. Marx's studious inclina- tions and habits, which during his junior year at Lafayette won him the Biblical Prize and in his senior year the Fowler Prize, have made his work in this branch of public education most congenial and his services beneficial to the community.
He is president of the Keystone State Library Association, was president and later a director of the Penn Library Club, and is the author of a number of articles appearing in the library journals. He is interested in all local affairs, is chairman of the Easton Shade Tree Commission, was the first secre- tary ,of the Northampton. County Historical Society and its president in 1916-17. His clubs are the Northampton County Country and the Easton Rotary. He is a communicant of the First Presbyterian Church, of Easton.
EDWARD L. MYERS- Mr. Myers is a present-day representative of a family long resident in the Lehigh, Wyoming, and Schuylkill valleys, and in Bethlehem, the city of his birth, occupies a position worthily succeeding the records of accomplishment established in the name of Myers by earlier generations.
(I) The line was founded in America by Nicholas Myers who, with his wife and sons, came from Amsterdam, Holland, in 1753. He located in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and ten years afterward purchased nine hundred acres of land in Adams county, moving to that county and locating
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near Round Hill in the vicinity of York Sulphur Springs. His children were: John, Jacob, of whom further; David, William, Ludwick, Nicholas, Jr., Elizabeth, Susan, Margaret J., and Mary.
(II) Jacob Myers, son of Nicholas Myers, the founder, was born in 1760. He married Hannah Smith, and in 1796 moved to Conewago Mills, later to New Chester. He died aged eighty-five years, his wife's death occurring when she was seventy-five years old, and both are buried in Bermudian Cemetery.
(III) Henry Myers, son of Jacob and Hannah (Smith) Myers, was born April 1, 1791, and died at New Chester, Pennsylvania, February 29, 1868. He was a man of prominent standing in his community, and in 1842 was elected to the State Legislature. He married, at the age of twenty-one years, a first cousin, Nancy Jameson, daughter of James Jameson, who married a daughter of David Myers. Children of Henry and Nancy (Jameson) Myers: Jacob A., of whom further ; Singleton, Henry Jameson, Ann E. J., Horatio Gates, David P. and William.
(IV) Jacob A. Myers, son of Henry and Nancy (Jameson) Myers, was born in New Chester, Adams county, Pennsylvania. He became the owner of a farm on the Little Bermudian creek, and built and operated the Good Intent Woolen Factory. In 1855 he became associated with his brother-in- law, John B. McCreary, in coal mining, and with his wife and five children moved to the coal regions of Tremont, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. Here the family resided for one year and then moved to Audenried, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, where the Honey Brook Coal Mines, of which he became owner, were situated. In 1865 he retired from business, and the family located per- manently in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He was one of the leading coal oper- ators of the time and region, a man of large capacity and executive power. He married Sarah Ann Deardorff, born at Deardorff's Mill, near Petersburg, Pennsylvania, January 1, 1821, daughter of John Deardorff, and descendant of Anthony Deardorff, a German Tunker, who settled in Germantown in 1729, and became one of the organizers of the first Tunker (or Dunkard) church in that place. Jacob A. Myers died in September, 1865, the father of six children, who were educated in the Moravian schools and the local universities.
(V) George Henry Myers, son of Jacob A. and Sarah Ann (Deardorff) Myers, was born in York Springs, Adams county, Pennsylvania, August 26, 1843, and died December 31, 1912. He attended Dickinson Seminary, at Williamsport, also studying in the Eastman Business College, at Poughkeep- sie, New York, and upon his father's death succeeded to the management of his important mining and business interests. In 1865 he made his residence in Bethlehem, and, impressed with the industrial prospects of the city, invested heavily in local enterprises, among them the Bethlehem Iron Company, of which he was a director. He also became a large stockholder in the First National Bank and served on the board of directors from 1874 to 1880, being elected to the office of president in the latter year to succeed C. A. Lucken- bach. Until 1897 he remained the chief executive of this institution, which enjoyed continued prosperity under his direction, failing health compelling his retirement from business life. He was a keen financier and an excep- tionally able man of affairs, held in high esteem by the group of business men of which he was a member. For many years he served as a director of the Lehigh Valley railroad. For seven years he was chief burgess of Bethlehem, and also served for several years in the Borough Council. He was a com- municant of Grace Lutheran Church, and a member of Bethlehem Lodge No. 283, Free and Accepted Masons. He married Caroline W., daughter of Francis Weiss, and they were the parents of : Frank J., Mrs. Emily Lehman, Mrs. Katharine M. Bye, Mrs. Caroline Amelia Mathews, George Henry, Jr., Mrs. Helen Costello, Leigh Richmond, and Edward L.
(VI) Edward L. Myers, son of George Henry and Caroline W. (Weiss)
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Myers, was born in Bethlehem, May 20, 1880. After attendance at the public schools, he prepared for college at St. Paul's School, Concord, New Hamp- shire. He was graduated from Harvard University in the class of 1914, with the degree of A.B., and after returning to Bethlehem became identified with several business enterprises, among them the Bethlehem Cleaning & Dyeing Company, of which he became president. The Roscommon Water Company is another of his connections, and he is one of the principal stockholders of the Times Publishing Company, also being financially interested in numerous other business and financial organizations in the locality, among them the Bethlehem Construction Company, of which he is a director. Mr. Myers is active as an energetic, public-spirited citizen, in all civic movements, and is a Progressive in thought and action. The "hill-to-hill' bridge project had no more enthusiastic advocate than he, and he was captain of one of the most successful contribution teams, heading his list with a generous amount. The realized faith of the elder Myers in Bethlehem's future is shared by Mr. Myers, who is a decided optimist as regards Bethlehem's advancement along all lines, an expectation amply justified in the light of its recent progress as an industrial and residential center.
Soon after the entrance of the United States into the European War, Mr. Myers enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Third Ammunition Train, and was stationed at Camp Hancock, where he was assigned to duty as instructor until the departure of his organization for France, having during this period become first sergeant. He was one of the organizers of the Yo Eddie Club, an organization that performed splendid work in supplying tobacco and other comforts to Bethlehem's soldiers and sailors in camp and on foreign service, and that arranged for their reception and entertainment on their return home. The activity of this club is one of the brightest pages in the history of the city's patriotic response to war needs.
Mr. Myers is a devotee of all out-of-door sports, motoring and golf his favorite recreations. He is a member of the Lehigh Country Club, the Northampton County Country Club, the Country Club of Atlantic City, New Jersey, the Seaview Golf Club, the Bethlehem Club, and the Harvard Club of Philadelphia. He fraternizes with Bethlehemn Lodge No. 191, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Mr. Myers is a generous friend of the Bethle- hem institutions for charity and social service, and in a quietly effective manner has made the aid of the unfortunate his habit. He is a popular mem- ber of the younger generation of Bethlehem's business men, and among his wide circle of social and business friends is known as "Ted" Myers.
Mr. Myers married, May 12, 1919, Martha Bergen, daughter of Mrs. Sophia Kunst, of Rittersville, Pennsylvania.
PARKE HILL DAVIS-Parke Hill Davis, the son of Jonah and Susan (Hill) Davis, was born at Jamestown, New York, July 16, 1871. His early education was obtained at the public schools of his native city. Graduating from the Jamestown High School, he entered Princeton University, in the class of 1893. While a student of this institution he began his legal studies in the class of Woodrow Wilson, then Professor of Jurisprudence. He received his degree of A.B. in 1893, and that of A.M. in 1896, from his alma mater.
Mr. Davis was admitted to the practice of his profession at Madison, Wisconsin, and in 1897 became a member of the bar of Northampton county, Pennsylvania. He served as district attorney for that county from 1901 to 1904. He is nationally known for his interest in collegiate sports, on which he is the author of several works and a frequent contributor to the magazines and periodicals of the country. He is also the author of the chapter on the Bench and Bar of Northampton County for this publication. Among his most important works to the sporting literature of the country is his "Football, The American Intercollegiate Game," published by Scribners in 1910, and his
Josiah Bachman.
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"Princeton's Athletic Records." Mr. Davis is prominently identified with the Masonic fraternity, and was from 1904 to 1907 worshipful master of Dallas Lodge at Easton, Pennsylvania. He and his family are members of the Episcopal church.
Mr. Davis married, at Easton, Pennsylvania, June 29, 1898, Edith Det- willer, daughter of John and Arabella K. Detwiller, and their children are: Elizabeth Virginia, born July 15, 1899; Katharine, born December 1I, 1901 ; John Detwiller, born February 12, 1904; and Cynthia Parke, born January 20, 1906.
JACOB PETER HESS-Jacob Peter Hess, a resident of North Bethle- hem, Pennsylvania, was born about a mile north of the present home on a large farm, which has been in the family for three generations in succession. He is a son of Thomas and Catherine (Kcrn) Hess.
Jacob Hess, grandfather of Jacob P. Hess, came from Lower Saucon, Pennsylvania, where he probably was born, to the farm, and there spent the later years of his life, and died at the age of eighty-two years. For forty years he had been organist at the Saucon church, but at his death was buried at Altoona, Pennsylvania. He married Lerch, and they were the parents of several children, among whom were: Charles, served as county commissioner, and remained in the vicinity of the family farm, as did a couple of his sisters; and Thomas, of whom further.
Thomas Hess, father of Jacob P. Hess, married Catherine Kern, of Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania. In politics he was a Democrat, as was usually the case of the Hess family. Thomas and Catherine (Kern) Hess were the parents of five sons and two daughters, namely : James, a silk manufacturer at Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania; Charles, a farmer ncar the old home; Henry, a druggist in Bethlehem ; Frank, a carpenter, was killed at the age of twenty- six years by the fall of a scaffold; Jacob Peter, of whom further; Sarah, now living with her sister; Alice, wife of Herbert Saeger, now living on a small tract near the old farm, where her father spent his last years.
Jacob Peter Hess, the eldest son of Thomas and Catherine (Kern) Hess, received his education in the local schools. He took charge of the old farm of his father, at whose death he bought the land, consisting of one hundred and seventeen acres. In 1918 he sold the land to the Melrose Land Company, who plotted it out into small residential tracts and called it Melrose Park. During the short time that Jacob P. Hess owned the family farm, the city of Bethlehem had so expanded that it became necessary to have additional residence space. The Hess tract was conveniently situated just north of the city, and consequently it commanded a very attractive price, which brought to Jacob P. Hess a sum many times greater than his purchase price. He married Anna Seip, of Seipsville, near Easton, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Hess have two children: Carrie, wife of Asher Lerch, a chemist with the Bethlehem Steel Company ; and Thomas, a draftsman with the same company.
JOSIAH BACHMAN-Josiah Bachman, who was one of Bethlehem's veteran business men, was a native of Northampton county, Pennsylvania, and a member of one of the county's pioncer families founded by Christian Bachman, who came to America from Switzerland and settled in Lower Sau- con township. He and his wife reared a family of eleven children-ten sons and one daughter-and from these sons probably every one bearing the Bachman name in this section of the State are descended. The line of descent to Josiah Bachman of this review is through George, son of Christian; Solo- mon, son of George ; George, son of Solomon. Josiah, son of George.
Solomon Bachman married and removed to New York State, where his son George was born, but returned to Freemansburg when the latter was one ycar old. George Bachman attended the schools of Freemansburg, in which
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place his entire business life was spent. He was for many years engaged in building boats for the Lehigh canal, was postmaster of Freemansburg, and generally active in public affairs. He was a staunch Democrat, was for many years chief burgess of Fremansburg, and in 1844 was elected to the Pennsylvania State Legislature and re-elected in 1846. He was a Lutheran in religious belief, and one of the solid and highly honored citizens of his community. He married Sarah, daughter of John and Catherine (Ball) Lau- bach, a direct descendant of Reinhardt Laubach, founder of the prominent Laubach family, and one of Lower Saucon township's earliest pioneer settlers. George and Sarah (Laubach) Bachman had a family of five children, of whom Josiah Bachman is the youngest and only surviving member. George Bachman was born in May, 1800, and died in December, 1869. Sarah Laubach was born in September, 1801, and died in January, 1886.
Josiah Bachman, youngest son of George and Sarah (Laubach) Bach- man, was born on the homestead farm near Freemansburg, June 13, 1836. He attended the public schools of Freemansburg and Saucon, and for a short time a private school in Bethlehem. In 1852 he began his business career as bookkeeper in the office of his father's boat-building establishment, also attending to the post-office, of which his father had been appointed post- master. He continued with his father until 1867, and then for a year was engaged in the wholesale coal business. He next was appointed boating agent for the Morris canal at Jersey City, New Jersey, continuing until 1869, when his father's death called him home, and he was for a time engaged in settling up the affairs of the estate.
In 1870 he and his brothers, and brother-in-law, Aaron N. Clewell, organ- ized the Lehigh Valley Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of soaps and candles, and to this organization his energies were devoted until 1874, when he was appointed cashier of the Pine Grove Furnace, of the Thomas Iron Company, in Cumberland county, and two years later, when the opera- tion of the furnace was discontinued, he was made superintendent of the property, consisting of 25,000 acres of land, furnaces and railway.
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