History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 110

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829-
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1424

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DANIEL F. GALLAGHER, was born at Big Mine Run, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, April 7, 1861, and is a son of Anthony and Nancy (McMani- man) Gallagher, natives of County Donegal, Ireland, who came to America in 1847 and settled in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where his father en- gaged in mining. In 1864 the family removed to Mt. Carmel, where Anthony worked as a miner until within a short time of his death, which occurred, February 22, 1883. He had the reputation of being one of the most prac- tical miners in the anthracite coal regions. His children were seven, of whom three survive: Daniel F .; Mary, Mrs. M. J. Carroll, and Anthony. Our subject was reared in Mt. Carmel and educated in the public schools of that vicinity. He began working at the age of eight years in a breaker in Columbia county, Pennsylvania. He worked in the mines at Mt. Carmel from 1870 to 1886, and subsequently kept the Washington Hotel at that place one year. He was active in labor circles from boyhood, and held vari- ous positions of trust in labor organizations. In January, 1888, he was appointed deputy sheriff under Jacob Kremer, but resigned four months later to engage in the gents' furnishing business in Mt. Carmel, which he carried on a year and a half. In May, 1888, he was nominated by the Labor Union party for the House of Representatives, which nomination was endorsed by the Republican party, and he was elected in the fall of 1888 for a term of two years. He was the father of the Anthracite Miners' Examining bill, which became a law. January 27, 1884, he was married to Fannie, a daugh-

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

ter of Michael and Mary (Dougherty). McCauley, of County Donegal, Ireland, and has three children: Anthony; Daniel, and Patrick. Mr. Gallagher is a member of the Catholic church, the Father O'Reilly L. S., A. O. of H., and K. of L. He is a Republican in politics, and a young man of much · enterprise and public spirit.

DANIEL F. HARTLINE, restaurant proprietor, was born at Pottsville, Penn- sylvania, September 9, 1842, son of John and Catharine (Mowry) Hartline. His paternal grandfather, Daniel Hartline, and his maternal grandfather, Daniel Mowry, were natives of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and farmers by occupation. The father of our subject was a farmer who resided near Potts- ville for many years and died in that vicinity. Daniel was reared near Potts- ville, where he received a common school education and served a twenty months' apprenticeship at the machinist trade. He enlisted at Pottsville, August 22, 1861, in Company A, Ninety-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers. He received four wounds at Spottsylvania Court House, where he was captured and taken to Libby prison. He was transferred to Lynchburg and Salis- bury, North Carolina, and after suffering one hundred six days' confinement he at last reached Annapolis, Maryland, and was discharged at Philadelphia, October 21, 1864: He located at Mt. Carmel in 1865, where he worked at his trade a few months, followed railroading eight months, as conductor on the Northern Central railway, after which he was station engineer twenty years, and then embarked in his present business. Mr. Hartline married Caroline, daughter of Owen J. and Catharine (Heffner) Owen, of Coal town- ship, this county, by whom he has four children: William; Kate; Thomas, and Guy. The family is connected with the Presbyterian church. Mr. Hart- line is a Republican in politics, and has served as school director and tax col- lector.

WILLIAM H. STECKER, restaurant proprietor, was born in Cressona, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, February 21, 1855, and is a son of Amelius F. and Mary A. (Beck) Stecker, who settled in Mt. Carmel in 1856. He was reared and educated in Mt. Carmel, and was left an orphan at the age of fourteen, when he began life for himself by working in a breaker, at which he was employed for several years, afterwards working for twelve years as a miner. In the spring of 1881 he was elected chief burgess of Mt. Carmel, and re-elected the following year. In 1879 he was elected to the council and served two years. In 1885 he entered the employ of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company as a car inspector at Mt. Carmel, which position he filled satisfactorily three years. He opened a restaurant in Mt. Carmel in Febru- ary, 1889, and has built up a good business. He was married in 1884 to Christiana, daughter of Levi and Sarah (Hawes) Werntz, of Mt. Carmel. To this union have been born two children: Lela, deceased, and an infant. Mr. Stecker is an enterprising citizen, a member of the P. O. S. of A., and polit- ically is a stanch Republican.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

W. C. JAMES, proprietor of the Exchange Hotel, was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, November 16, 1849, and is a son of John H. and Charlotte (Cooper) James, natives of Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey, respect- ively. They settled in Mt. Carmel in 1856, where the father carried on busi- ness as a carpenter and contractor up to 1859; during that time he was elected a justice of the peace, and was also the Republican nominee for mem- ber of the legislature, but was defeated. He removed to Pottsville in 1859, and died there in 1862. He had a family of twelve children, all but one of whom grew to maturity: Sarah, Mrs. Joel Moore; Jesse M .; Thomas H., who was a member of the First New York Lincoln Cavalry and was killed in action near Alexandria, Virginia, in 1864; David E .; Charles M., who was a member of the Eighth Illinois Infantry and was killed at the battle of Shiloh; Annie M., Mrs. A. B. Martin; Harrison, who was a member of the Eighth Kentucky Cavalry, Confederate Army; George W., who was a member of Com- pany E, Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was wounded at Spott- sylvania, in May, 1864, and at Petersburg, Virginia, in April, 1865; Emily I., Mrs. George Fox; Eliza, and W. C. Our subject was reared in Mt. Carmel from ten years of age. In January, 1864, he enlisted in Company E, Forty- eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and on the 12th of May, 1864, was wounded in the right arm at the battle of Spottsylvania. He was shot through the right lung at Petersburg, Virginia, April 2, 1865, and was honorably dis- charged from service in November of that year. After the war he was engaged as a clerk in the hardware store of S. A. Bergstresser, of Mt. Carmel, with whom he remained six years, after which he engaged as clerk with the Phila- delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company at Alaska, serving in that capacity nine years. In 1880 he was appointed United States postal clerk, between Mt. Carmel and Penn Haven junction, and after five years' service on that route, he was transferred to the route between Harrisburg and Lock Haven, where he remained two years. In 1886 he embarked in the hotel business at Mt. Carmel, in which he has since continued. In 1888 he erected the building he now occupies, which was opened to the public in April, 1889. Mr. James is one of the charter members of Burnside Post, No. 92, G. A. R., of Mt. Carmel, also a charter member of Camp No. 116, P. O. S. of A., a charter member of the K. of M., and a member of Ivanhoe Conclave, No. 9, S. P. K. Politically he is a stanch Republican, and has always taken an active interest in the success of his party.

PETER F. OMLOR, proprietor of the Kozyjesko Hotel, was born in Crow Hollow, near St. Clair, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, October 17, 1859, son of Frank and Josephine (Beierschmitt) Omlor, both natives of Germany. His paternal grandfather was John Omlor and maternal grandfather, Michael Beierschmitt, both natives of Germany, and for many years residents of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. Frank Omlor, father of our subject, settled at Locust Gap, this county, in 1870. He was superintendent of the

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

Monitor colliery of that place sixteen years, and died there, February 21, 1888. Prior to removing to Locust Gap, he held the position of mine fore- man at St. Clair for several years. He had seven children: Henry J .; Peter F .; Charles N .; Frank J .; Lizzie, Mrs. John Meagher; Mary, and Josephine. By his second wife, Lizzie Reichwein, there are two children living: Joseph and Aloysius. The subject of our sketch was reared in Schuylkill and Northumberland counties; he received a common school education and a course of instruction at the Pottsville Business College. He worked in the mines for several years at St. Clair and Locust Gap, was a shipping clerk for eleven years, and outside foreman at the Black Diamond colliery one year. He has been engaged in his present business since August 19, 1889. Mr. Omlor married, May 23, 1883, Lena, daughter of Ferdinand and Mollie (Smeltzer) Tretter, of Shamokin, and has four children: Lizzie; Josephine; Ferdinand, and Franklin P. He is a member of the Catholic church, and politically a Democrat.

THOMAS RONEY, miner and proprietor of restaurant, was born at Beaver Meadows, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, January 20, 1838, son of Ferdinand and Eleanor (Kelly) Roney, natives of the counties of West Meath and Kil- kenny, Ireland, respectively. His father immigrated to Canada about 1834, and there married Eleanor Kelly, and in 1837 located in Carbon county, Pennsylvania. He was one of the first coal inspectors of that county, also one of the pioneer operators in that section of the State. He died there in 1857, and his widow in 1859. They were the parents of three children: Thomas; Mary, deceased, and John. Our subject was reared in his native county, and received a common school education. /He began working in the mines as door-tender, and has been connected with the mining interests of the anthracite region nearly forty years. He located in Mt. Carmel in 1861, where he was employed in the mines up to 1889. He then embarked in the restaurant business, and has also recently returned to his previous occupa- tion. Mr. Roney married Catharine, daughter of John and Eve (McQuade) Blackwell, of Carbon county, by whom he has had ten children, seven of whom survive: Thomas B .; Eve E .; Catharine; Margaret; Ferdinand; Sarah, and John. In politics he is a Democrat, and has been a member of the council of Mt. Carmel two terms. In 1885 he was a member of the committee appointed to revise the mining laws of the anthracite region. The whole family are members of the Catholic church.

SAMUEL DEITRICH, liquor dealer and bottler, was born in Llewellyn, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, June 21, 1854, son of George and Han- nah (Oister) Deitrich, natives of Pennsylvania, who removed to Mt. Car- mel in 1870, where they now reside. Our subject was reared in Schuyl- kill and Northumberland counties, and received a common school education. At the age of nine years he commenced working in a breaker at the mines, and subsequently followed mining for eighteen years. In the spring of

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

1889 he embarked in his present business in Mt. Carmel, which he has con- tinued up to the present. He was married, April 8, 1876, to Margaret Manney, of Mt. Carmel, who has borne him five children: Mary; Idella I .; Maud; George, and Ada. Mr. Deitrich is a stalwart Republican, has served one year as constable of the borough, and three terms in the council. He was one of the original members of the fire department, and has always taken an active interest in its prosperity.

WILLIAM F. KING was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, April 25, 1854, son of Thomas and Jane (Mitchell) King, natives of St. Austle, Corn- wall, England. The latter died in Ireland and the former still resides there. Our subject grew up and received his education in Ireland, and in the fall of 1870 came to Shamokin, where he engaged in mining. In 1878 he located at Mt. Carmel and followed mining until 1882, when he was elected constable, and has filled that position continuously up to the present. He also served as mercantile appraiser of the county in 1889. Politically he is a stalwart Republican, and is one of the original members of the Mt. Carmel fire department. Mr. King was married, July 25, 1880, . to Ella, daughter of Henry and Emma Werntz, of Mt. Carmel. Four children have been born to them: Edith; Emma and Ella, twins, the former deceased, and Harriet.

DANIEL MCCAULEY, wholesale agent for Yeungling & Son, was born in County Londonderry, Ireland, in 1857, and is a son of Michael and Mary (Dougherty) McCauley. He came to America in 1861, first locating at Hazelton, Pennsylvania. At an early age he began work in the mines, and followed mining as an occupation in different parts of the coal regions up to 1880, when he was badly injured in a fall of coal and was laid up for a year. He then embarked in the hotel business in Mt. Carmel, conducting the Washington House five years, and has been in his present business for several years. He has been a resident of Mt. Carmel since 1874. He mar- ried Mary, daughter of Thomas Monroe, of Ashland, Pennsylvania. Mr. McCauley is a member of the Catholic church, and in politics is an independ- ent voter.

JOHN CARL, superintendent of collieries, Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, was born in Prussia, October 2, 1835, son of Henry and Catharine (Kline) Carl, who emigrated to America in 1853, and settled at St. Clair, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. There the father pursued the occupation of weaver (although a farmer in Germany) until 1881, when he removed to Shenandoah, where he now resides at the advanced age of eighty- four. Seven children were born to Henry and Catharine Carl: Philopena, Mrs. Peter Bauer; John; Frederick; Anna, Mrs. Adam Bonnesbough; Con- rad; Peter, and Henry. John Carl was reared and educated in his native country, and came to America with his parents in 1853. He began work in the mines, continuing at that until the breaking out of the war, when he

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

enlisted (April 27, 1861) in Company A, Ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers. In the following August he entered the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry and served until the close of the war, experiencing the hardships of a protracted military service. He then returned to Schuylkill county and was employed as a miner from 1865 to 1867. In the latter year he became colliery super- intendent; three years later he was sent by the company to Berks county to take charge of ore mines, remaining there seven months. The following seven years he was superintendent of a colliery in Schuylkill county, and was then appointed to his present position with seven collieries under his supervision. In March, 1879, he took up his residence at Mt. Carmel, where he has been a member of the local school board. September 26, 1865, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Leonard and Lena (Best) Kline, of Bavaria, Germany, by whom he has eight children: John; Peter; Mary; Joseph; Lizzie; Millie; George, and Alice. Mr. Carl is a Republican in politics; he is connected with the Lutheran church, the F. & A. M., I. O. O. F., and G. A. R.

JOHN STINE, inside foreman at Reliance colliery, was born in Eldred township, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, July 12, 1831, son of George . and Catharine (Eisenhart) Stine. His paternal grandfather, Anthony Stine, was a native of Alsace-Lorraine, a pioneer of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and later a resident of Schuylkill county. He died in what is now Eldred township, and was a farmer and weaver by occupation. He was the father of five children, two of whom were sons: George and David. The former was a farmer and weaver and lived in Schuylkill county many years, dying in Eldred township. He had a family of seven sons and one daughter: Joseph, Jonas L., and Levi, all of whom are dead; William; Elias, deceased; John; Daniel, deceased, and Caroline, who married Elias Yoder. The ma- ternal grandfather of John Stine was John Eisenhart, a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and an early settler of Washington township, North- umberland county. Our subject was reared in his native county, received a limited education in the common schools, and began working in the mines at the age of nineteen. In 1859 he removed to Mt. Carmel, and in 1868 was appointed inside foreman at the Reliance colliery, which position he has since occupied. Mr. Stine was married, November 19, 1855, to Amanda, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Hoffman) Fisher, of Branch township, Schuylkill county, who has borne him fifteen children, ten of whom are living: Elizabeth, wife of Robert Camp; William F .; Ira H., deceased; Joseph T .; George W .; David E .; Alfred, deceased; Caroline M .; Sarah J .; John F., deceased; Miriam, deceased; Charles W .; Howard F .; Millard L., deceased, and Edmund J. The family are adherents of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which Mr. Stine has served as trustee. He is a member of the F. & A. M. and I. O. O. F., a Republican in politics, and has been connected with the local civil administration in various official capacities.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

JOHN KLINE, assistant inside foreman at Reliance colliery, was born in Bavaria, Germany, near the river Rhine, July 24, 1834, son of Leonard and Mary M. (Baest) Kline. He was reared in his native country and served two years at the baker's trade, at which he worked four years. He came to America in 1852, located in St. Clair, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and engaged in mining. He worked in the mines at that place up to 1880, when he removed to Mt. Carmel; he has since been employed at the Reliance colliery, with the exception of one year, and has held his present position eight years. Mr. Kline was married, October 6, 1862, to Eliza- beth, daughter of George and Catharine (Bosche) Young, of St. Clair, and formerly of Germany. They are the parents of eight children: Mary; George; John; Joseph; Lizzie; Henry; William, and Christian. Mr. Kline served three months in Company F, Sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, the first com- pany to leave Pottsville for the front. He was honorably discharged at the expiration of his term of service, and re-enlisted, but on account of disabil- ity was again discharged before joining the regiment. Politically he is a Democrat and the whole family are adherents of the Catholic church.

WILLIAM CAMP, outside foreman, Reliance colliery, was born in the town of Barey, Michigan, November 25, 1855, son of Abraham and Olive (Nor- wood) Camp. His father is a native of this State and has resided at Mt. Carmel thirty-four years. He is a carpenter by trade and the father of nine children, five of whom are living: William; Frank; Edward; Mary, Mrs. Albert Jefferson, and Lydia. William Camp received his education in the public schools at Mt. Carmel. He learned the carpenter trade, which he followed eighteen years. He has held his present position since 1889. Jan- uary 19, 1882, he married Josephine, daughter of David J. and Amanda (Hill) Lewis. They are the parents of four children: Helen; Bertha; Stew- art, and Walter. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Camp is a Republican in politics.

THOMAS MORTON, miner, was born in Renfrewshire, Scotland, June 29, 1830, and is a son of James and Agnes (Connell) Morton. He removed with his mother to America in 1846, located at Brockville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and worked in the mines until 1853, three years of that time in Tamaqua. Catching the gold fever, he went to California in 1853, and was engaged in mining there until 1860, returning to Schuylkill county in November of that year. In September, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Eighty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers, as second lieutenant, was promoted to first lieutenant at Antietam in September, 1862, and to the captaincy in April, 1863. He was mustered out of service, June 10, 1863, on account of wounds received in the left leg above the knee at Chancellorsville, and was a participant in all the battles of the Army of the Potomac from Fair Oaks to Chancellorsville. On his return he was for a short time located in Colum- bia county, and later removed to Carbon county, where he held the position

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

of mine foreman from 1864 to 1866. In June, 1866, he settled at Mt. Car- mel, where he has since resided. For a time he held the position of mine foreman and for several years operated on his own account, and has been connected with the mines in various capacities, contracting and otherwise, since his removal to Mt. Carmel. In 1864 he married Jeannette, daughter of John and Jane (Young) Paterick, of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and has four children: Jean L .; Agnes C .; Margaret J., and John R. Mr. Morton is a member of F. & A. M., I. O. O. F., and G. A. R. He served one term of three years as councilman of Mt. Carmel. Politically he is a Republican.

MORGAN DAVIS, outside foreman at Mt. Carmel colliery, was born in Min- ersville, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, November 25, 1836, son of Reese and Mary (Williams) Davis, natives of South Wales, who came to America in 1829 and settled in Minersville. His father followed mining for a time, and was subsequently superintendent of mines fifteen years. He was a resi- dent of Mt. Carmel eleven years, coming here in 1853, and sunk the first slope in the county. He removed to Centralia in 1864, where he filled the position of inspector for the Lehigh Valley Coal Company until his death in January, 1870. He was the father of eight children: Sarah, who married M. Watkins; Rachel, who married John Lewis; Morgan; Mary, who married William Davis; Isaac; Reese, deceased; Reese (2d), and Elizabeth, deceased. Our subject was reared in Schuylkill and Northumberland counties, received a common school education, and has been engaged in the mines since early boyhood. He was for many years an engineer, and has held his present position since 1868. In August, 1861, he enlisted in Company I, Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, was promoted to first corporal, and served under Generals Buell, Rosecrans, and Sherman. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Stone River twice, but escaped both times. He served three years and two months, and was honorably discharged from the service. Mr. Davis was married, September 7, 1861, to Deborah, daughter of John and Ann (George) Plyer, of South Wales. They are the parents of five living chil- dren: Mary A .; Morgan; Reese A .; Deborah, and Lillian. The family are. adherents of the Congregational church. Politically Mr. Davis is a Repub- lican, and is a member of the G. A. R. and the Masonic fraternity.

CALVIN D. WRIGHT, clerk at Mt. Carmel colliery, was born in Springfield, Chester county, Pennsylvania, July 21, 1844, son of Robert and Margaret (Mortimer) Wright. His paternal grandfather, Hugh A. Wright, was a son of John Wright, a native of Cornwall, England, and a pioneer mechanic of Chester county, Pennsylvania. His maternal grandfather, William Mortimer, was a miner of Schuylkill county and a son of William Mortimer, of English and Scotch descent. Robert Wright, father of Calvin D., was a native of Chester county, Pennsylvania, a millwright by trade, and lived and died in his native county. Our subject was reared in Chester county, and received a

Pombal

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

common school education. On the 19th of August, 1861, he enlisted in Com- pany L, Third Pennsylvania Cavalry, and served three years and two months, when he was honorably discharged from the service. He served in all the bat- tles of the Army of the Potomac during his term of service, and was wounded at Kelly's Ford and Gettysburg. After the war he located in Schuylkill coun- ty, and was clerk in collieries at Donaldson, William Penn, and Shenandoah, and was subsequently employed as brakeman, baggageman, and conductor, successively, on the railroad. In August, 1871, he located in Mt. Carmel, and entered the employ of Thomas Baumgardner & Company, of the Reliance colliery, with whom he served as clerk nine years and a half. He then ac- cepted his present position with T. M. Righter & Company, which he has filled in a satisfactory manner ever since. Mr. Wright was married in March, 1866, to Kate, daughter of John and Henrietta (Potts) Gartly of Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Six children are the fruits of this union: Margie, wife of C. C. Boyer; Robert; Harry; Calvin, Jr .; Maud, and Gartly W. Mr. Wright it is a member of the F. & A. M., G. A. R., and K. of M., and in politics he is a Republican.

CONRAD HEISER, engineer and carpenter at Mt. Carmel colliery, was born at Janesville, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, May 2, 1858, son of Charles and Barbara (Lingelbach) Heiser. His parents were natives of Germany, came to America in the '50's, and located in Luzerne county, where his father worked in the mines until his death. Conrad Heiser was reared and educated in his native county, where he began life by working about the mines. Later he served an aprenticeship of three years at the carpenter trade. Since 1880 he has been employed about the Mt. Carmel colliery as carpenter and engi- neer. He married in 1881, Amelia, daughter of Henry and Margaret (Dell) Knopp, by whom he has two children: Edward and Charles. The family are Lutherans in faith; Mr. Heiser is a member of the P. O. S. of A. and in politics a Republican.

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History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 110

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829- Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829-
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1424