History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 92

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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THE WEAVER FAMILY of Shamokin township is descended from Michael Weaver, a native of Wurtemburg, Germany, who immigrated to America about the year 1769. He first settled in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and in 1770 removed to Northumberland county and located near Liberty Pole, Rush township, upon the land now in possession of the heirs of Peter Hughawaut, where he died in 1834 and was buried upon the farm. He joined the Amer- ican army, and served under Washington seven years. He married before immigrating to this country, and was the father of thirteen children.

MARTIN WEAVER, the fourth son of Michael Weaver, was born in Rush township in 1770. He was a farmer by occupation, and was also engaged in the hotel business, and was for many years the landlord of one of the olden time taverns, which was situated in Shamokin township, eight miles east of Sunbury. He died in 1844. His first wife was a Miss Hirsh of Rush town- ship, by whom he had two daughters and one son: Joseph, who died in Shamokin; Catharine, widow of Enoch Howell, and Elizabeth, wife of Jona- than Yarned, both deceased. By his second wife he had five children: Mary, deceased wife of Daniel Evert; Rebecca, deceased wife of Daniel Rote; William M .; Rosetta, deceased, and Solomon, who resides at Sunbury.

WILLIAM M. WEAVER was born in Shamokin township, August 30, 1816, son of Martin and Catharine (Lodsleger) Weaver. He was reared upon the homestead farm, and his early life was occupied in farming. In 1837, in connection with his brother-in-law, he engaged in the mercantile business at Snydertown, Pennsylvania, at which he was engaged until 1841, when he returned to the homestead, again engaged in farming, and remained there until 1844. In 1845 he removed to what was then the village of Shamokin and leased the Shamokin Hotel, now known as the Hotel Vanderbilt, which he conducted five years. He then purchased what is now known as Weaver's .

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National Hotel, and was its proprietor from 1851 until 1863, when he was elected sheriff and served three years. In the spring of 1867 he resumed the hotel business, but in 1878 he was again elected sheriff. After the expiration of his term of office he again took charge of his hotel, which he conducted until 1886, since which time he has not been actively engaged in business. Mr. Weaver is one of Shamokin's oldest residents, and has always taken an active interest in the development and prosperity of the city. In 1858, in connection with C. P. Helfenstein and William H. Mar- shall, he assumed a large amount of unpaid mortgages that were upon nearly all of the homes in different parts of the city, and prevented them be- ing sold from the owners, obviating great loss and distress. He was one of the organizers of the Northumberland County Bank, was also identified in the purchase and laying out of the Shamokin cemetery, and assisted in many other enterprises. In politics he has been a life-long Democrat, and is a member of Lodge No. 255, F. & A. M. He was married, August 26, 1843, to Lydia, daughter of John Smith, of Snydertown, Pennsylvania, and by this marriage they have had six children: Mary E .; Martin, deceased; Catharine E., wife of David E. Shuster, of Shamokin; John A., late chief burgess of Shamokin; Clara J., and Rosetta, deceased.

JOHN A. WEAVER was born in Shamokin, October 15, 1847, son of William M. and Lydia (Smith) Weaver. His education was obtained in the public schools of his native city, and until 1879 he was connected with his father in the management of his hotel. He then entered the employ of the Mineral Railroad and Mining Company as their representative on the coal and iron police, which position he filled until September, 1885, when he resigned to accept the position of superintendent for H. A. Weldy, manufacturer of explosives and powders, which position he now fills. In 1875 Mr. Weaver was elected a member of the council, and in 1881 was elected chief bur- gess, and again elected in 1889. He was married in June, 1872, to Clara A., daughter of A. N. Hanley, of Shamokin, and by this union they have had two children: Charles R., and Katie M., deceased. Politically he is an ar- dent Democrat. He is a member of Shamokin Lodge, No. 255, F. & A. M. .Under Mr. Weaver's administration many improvements took place in the management of the city affairs. The first uniformed police force was estab- lished, and many other changes were made that meet with the approval of the citizens. He is one of Shamokin's progressive citizens, and commands the respect and esteem of the people of the city.

JUDGE WILLIAM LEONARD HELFENSTEIN was born in the town of Lancaster, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1801, a son of John P. and Elizabeth Helfenstein. His paternal grandfather, Rev. Conrad Helfenstein, came to this country from Germany as a missionary of the German Reformed church. When quite a small boy William L. removed with his parents to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he resided until manhood. He graduated at Dickinson

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College in 1823, and subsequently studied theology at Princeton with the in- tention of entering the ministry, but his health failing he abandoned his studies, and thus the whole after current of his life was changed. Shortly afterwards his parents moved to Dayton, Ohio, to which place he accompanied them. He there entered the law office of Judge Crane, one of the eminent- jurists of the Miami valley, and after a proper course of study he was ad- mitted to the bar and practiced his profession in Dayton for several years quite successfully. He became prominent in the local councils of the Demo- cratic party, which nominated him for Congress against his old preceptor, Judge Crane, and, though the district had a Whig majority of over two thousand, his great personal popularity cut down the majority to within thirty votes of election. After this favorable expression of public opinion he was, in 1835, elected by the legislature judge of the court of common pleas of the Dayton district, which position he filled in a satisfactory manner for the full constitutional term of seven years. He then removed with his parents to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but finally settled in Chicago, Illinois, where he opened a law office and practiced his profession for a few years.

His attention then being directed to the undeveloped anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania, and urged by some of his friends to undertake their development, he came east in 1849 and commenced the great work with which his name is so indelibly connected. He organized from time to time a number of coal companies, among them the Zerbe Run, Mahanoy Improve- ment, Carbon Run, Big Mountain, Green Ridge, Locust Gap, Locust Sum- mit, and others, and displayed wonderful energy and enterprise in the develop- ment of the coal fields between Trevorton and Mt. Carmel. He organized and partly built the railroad from Trevorton to the Susquehanna river, and laid out the town of Trevorton; he was a leading member of the company that purchased the Danville and Pottsville railroad at sheriff's sale, changed the name to the Philadelphia and Sunbury railroad, and organized the com- pany that rebuilt the road and laid it with T rails; he was the leading spirit and president of the company that built the extension from Shamokin to Mt. Carmel and the branch to Locust Gap; he was a member of the company that laid out Mt. Carmel, and was proprietor of the towns of West Shamokin, Helfenstein, and Gowen City. Judge Helfenstein was largly interested in nearly all the best coal lands from Mt. Carmel to Trevorton, and these were the basis of the several coal companies oganized by him. While president of the Philadelphia and Sunbury railroad, and eager to carry the road through successfully, he risked a large part of his personal estate in the enterprise. Being far ahead of the times in which he lived his hopes were not realized, and his coal estate and railroad interests were consequently sacrificed. He then united with his brother, Charles P., in the Helfenstein coal lands, and during their development laid out the towns of Helfenstein, Gowen City, and West Shamokin; from these enterprises he realized a handsome fortune.

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He resided in Shamokin and Trevorton up to 1860 and then removed to Pottsville. In 1872 he removed from Pottsville to New York City and pur- chased a residence at Mott Haven, in the neighborhood of the metropolis. Judge Helfenstein subsequently became interested in silver and iron ore mines in the Republic of Mexico, and spent the remaining years of his life between New York and Mexico. He died of Mexican fever at Durango, Mexico, in March, 1884, in the eighty-third year of his age, and his remains were interred in that distant land. He was originally a Dem- ocrat, but in 1861 united with the Republican party and was ever after- wards an ardent Republican. He was a member and vestryman of Trin- ity Episcopal church of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and superintendent of their mission Sunday school at Fishback, Schuylkill county, during his res- idence in Pottsville. Judge Helfenstein was never married, but wherever he made his home he left a wide circle of the warmest admirers and friends, and his death was deeply mourned by all who knew him. The early impressions made upon his mind while studying for the ministry at Princeton influenced his whole after life, and his character was deeply imbued with the most sin- cere religious sentiments. He was a truly charitable man, and was a spon- taneous and frequent contributor towards the support of religious and char- itable objects. He was a fluent and logical speaker, and was well versed in the current literature of the day. His lecture on Mexico, its mineral resour- ces, and its people and their habits and customs, delivered in Shamokin, Pottsville, and other places, was an able historical paper, was highly spoken of by the local press, and is still favorably remembered by his many friends throughout the coal region.

CHARLES P. HELFENSTEIN, brother of Judge William L. Helfenstein, and brother-in-law of Judge Benjamin Patton, formerly of Trevorton, was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and spent most of his boyhood in that town. His family moved from there to Dayton, Ohio, from which place he attended Yale College, graduating from there in 1841. He subsequently read law for two years in the office of his brother-in-law, Judge Patton, in Pittsburg. In the meantime his family removed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and he went to that place and entered his brother Albert's land office. About 1850 he came to Northumberland county to assist his brother, William L., in his Trevorton operations and in the development of his coal lands. While in Trevorton he had charge of the lumber interests of the companies which his brother had organized, and made the acquaintance of Jeremiah Perkins, who was in charge of the lumber interests of another of Judge Helfenstein's coal companies. Mr. Perkins was one of the pioneers of Northumberland county, was a native of New Hampshire, and resided for a number of years in Sun- bury. In 1855 our subject married Caroline H., oldest daughter of Jeremiah Perkins, and settled in Shamokin, where he built himself a home in the belt of woods between the eastern and western portions of the village as it then

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was. Having in the meantime purchased the interests of his brother and David McKnight in the town of Shamokin and surrounding country, he en- gaged for several years in the real estate business, and was for several more years in the lumber business. He also turned his attention to the develop- ment of the Helfenstein coal lands, and, in connection with his brother, Judge Helfenstein, laid out the towns of Helfenstein and West Shamokin. After disposing of most of his coal lands in 1872 he retired from active business, and is now residing in the home which he erected in 1855.

Mr. Helfenstein has two sons, and two daughters: John P., attorney at law, of Shamokin; William L .; Elizabeth, wife of T. Pershing, and Carrie A. He has been interested in many of the institutions of his adopted home. He was director in the Northumberland County Bank, vice-president of the Shamokin Banking Company, a stockholder in the Shamokin Water Com- pany, and one of the corporators and president of the Shamokin Gas Light Company. He was also one of the corporators of the Shamokin Cemetery Company, and the first president of that institution. Although a member of the Reformed Episcopal church, Mr. Helfenstein was one of the leading spirits in the erection of the First Presbyterian church of Shamokin and a liberal contributor towards that object. He has been a Republican since the war, but has never held any political office except that of chief burgess of Shamo- kin for two terms. He is one of the two surviving members of the commit- tee of creditors of the Jay Cooke estate, and has been a well-known citizen of the county during the past forty years.

WILLIAM H. MARSHALL was one of the most prominent and enterprising citizens of Shamokin during his residence therein of more than a quarter of a century. He was born in New Castle county, Delaware, in 1797, a son of Joseph and Agnes Marshall, members of the Quaker faith. He was reared in his native county and subsequently removed to Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, where he carried on a wholesale grocery house until 1840, when he sold out his business and left that city. In 1841 he located at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and operated the pioneer iron furnace of that place. And it is claimed on good authority that he was one of the first men to demonstrate that iron could be manufactured with anthracite coal. Meeting with the same financial reverses that overtook nearly all of the pioneer iron manufacturers, he, in 1851, came to Shamokin as the land agent of the late Judge William L. Helfenstein. During the succeeding twenty-five years he was one of the most prominent and active business men of the coal region. He represented the Big Mountain Improvement Company, Locust Mountain Summit Im- provement Company, Carbon Run Improvement Company, Burd Patterson's coal interests, the New York and Middle Coal Field Company, and numer- ous other interests, from time to time, during this period. When the Phila- delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company purchased the lands of the Locust Gap Improvement Company Mr. Marshall was appointed their agent,

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and held that position until the infirmities of old age compelled him to re- tire from the more exacting duties of business. In partnership with A. S. Wolf, of Philadelphia, he opened and successfully operated the A. S. Wolf colliery for several years. It is now the property of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company.

Though not a scientific geologist, Mr. Marshall was one of the most prac- tical and best informed men of his time regarding the geological strata and mineral character of this portion of the State. When making his geological survey, Professor Rogers freely consulted him, and placed great reliance on his opinions. He possessed very correct and practical ideas about the coal deposits, and had carefully prospected the country from Centralia, Columbia county, to Trevorton, Northumberland county.

He was prominently identified with, and the leading spirit in many of the local enterprises of the borough, one of the earliest being the Shamokin Town Lot Association, which had for its object the establishment of a large rolling mill. The building was erected in 1858, south of the Reading round- house, and partially equipped, but the stringency of the times, brought on by the panic of 1857, resulted in many of the subscribers to the stock being unable to meet their obligations. Work was consequently stopped and the project finally abandoned. Mr. Marshall also gave one half the land em- braced in the Shamokin cemetery, and was treasurer of the cemetery com- pany from its organization up to his death. He was largely instrumental in having the channel of Shamokin creek so changed and improved that con- siderable land thus redeemed now furnishes many of the most valuable build- ing sites in the city. He was the founder of the Shamokin Water Company, and its largest stockholder, and treasurer of the same up to his death. He was also one of the organizers and original directors of the Shamokin Bank- ing Company. In fact, to the energy and enterprise of William H. Marshall is due, in a great measure, the Shamokin of to-day.

Though reared in the Quaker faith, both Mr. Marshall and wife attended the Presbyterian church, and gave liberally of their means towards the sup- port of religion. He was a charter member of Shamokin Lodge, No. 255, F. & A. M. In politics he was a Republican, and while he never sought official distinction he always took a patriotic interest in political affairs. The only public office he ever held was that of chief burgess of Shamokin.

Mr. Marshall married, in early life, Miss Ann Farr, of his native county, who survived him about two years and a half, and died childless. His death occurred in January, 1878, in the eighty-first year of his age. He was not an educated man, as his advantages for obtaining an education in youth were very meager. But he possessed fine natural abilities, keen observation, and a wide knowledge of men and affairs. Positive in his views and opinions, he usually impressed men as gruff and harsh in his manners. Nevertheless he was kind-hearted and sympathetic, and always charitable to the needy.

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Though exacting in business affairs, he was recognized as an upright and strictly honest man, and believed in paying what was due even to the last farthing. He was honored and respected for his strength of character, com- mendable enterprise, and unimpeachable integrity.

JOHN BLUNDIN DOUTY was for many years one of the most prominent and successful citizens of the coal regions, and he is still kindly remembered by a large circle of his old friends. He was born near Lambertville, New Jersey, May 30, 1812, and was a son of William and Mary (Blundin) Douty, who settled in Rush township, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, when John B. was about ten years old. In 1826 the family removed to Pottsville, where the father at once became the owner of a line of five boats on the Schuylkill canal, and our subject was placed in charge of one of them. John B. thus became one of the pioneer boatmen of the Schuylkill, and he followed the business until 1842, and then entered the coal trade at the East Dela- ware mines. He operated here for a few years and then went to the West Delaware mines, where he remained until the failure of the company, in 1851, through which he lost the slow accumulations of years of toil and unflagging industry. Coming to Shamokin in 1852, comparatively penniless, he again commenced mining in a small way at the Gap, now the Cameron colliery, as a member of the firm of Kase, Douty & Reed. This lasted a few years, and as very little was accomplished Mr. Douty made only a bare living out of the enterprise. In October, 1856, at the solicitation of Dr. J. J. John, he joined that gentleman and Joseph Bird, under. the firm name of Bird, Douty & John. They leased the Big Mountain colliery, and after many vicissitudes the enterprise finally proved successful. In 1857 Doctor John retired from the firm, and in 1859 Mr. Douty withdrew and took charge of the Henry Clay colliery, which, under his experienced and careful management, became one of the best paying mining properties in the county. Good fortune smiled upon all his efforts, and he accumulated a handsome fortune. Mr. Douty subsequently opened the Brady colliery, and operated it several years. In March, 1873, Douty & Baumgardner began working the Ben Franklin coll- iery, in which he was interested up to his death, November 15, 1874. A few years prior to that event he united with the First Presbyterian church, and died a consistent member of that faith.

Throughout a residence in Shamokin of twenty-one years, Mr. Douty was largely interested in the growth and development of the coal trade, and did much towards building up the diversified interests of his adopted home. He possessed great enterprise and public spirit, and made good use of his wealth in erecting substantial buildings and contributing liberally towards charitable and religious objects. He was a man of strong likes and dislikes, and positive in his views and opinions, but possessed a kind heart, and always extended an encouraging word and a helping hand to the needy and afflicted. Mr. Douty was married, May 22, 1836, to Lavinia Jones, a native

Johns Dout

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of Reading, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of William and Catharine Jones, then residents of that city. One son, William H., a merchant of Shamokin, was the fruit of this union. Mrs. Douty is living in the home on Sunbury street, Shamokin, in which her husband passed the latter years of his life.

DR. J. J. JOHN, general insurance agent, was born in Catawissa, Columbia county, Pennslyvania, October 13, 1829, only son of Jesse Jones and Eliza V. (Hicks) John, mention of whom will be found among the pioneers of Ralpho township. His father died before the birth of our subject, and he grew up under the fostering care of a kind and watchful mother. He

attended the common schools up to the age of fifteen, and then entered an academy at Coatesville, Chester county, Pennsylvania, and afterwards at McEwensville, Northumberland county, spending in both institutions two years and a half. At the age of eighteen he commenced teaching, and taught three years in Northumberland and Columbia counties. In 1850 he began reading medicine with Dr. Joseph C. Robins, of Elysburg, North- umberland county, and graduated from the Pennsylvania Medical College, Philadelphia, in March, 1852. During his last term at college he served as assistant demonstrator of anatomy. In the spring of 1853 Doctor John came to Shamokin, and here became connected with the engineer corps under Kimber Cleaver, with whom he remained until the Shamokin Valley railroad was finished to Mt. Carmel.

On the 12th of March, 1854, Doctor John was married to Elizabeth, daughter of George and Anna Krick, of Shamokin township. Five children have been born of this union: Annie E .; Walter S., deceased; Mary A., wife of A. M. Shuman, of Shamokin; Laura V., wife of George B. Schadt, of Shamokin, and George W. Soon after his marriage he associated himself with Dr. Galen S. Robins in the practice of medicine, and as they were the only physicians in this part of the county their practice extended from Mt. Carmel to Trevorton, and embraced the whole surrounding country for miles in every direction. The practice of medicine not being congenial to Doctor John he retired from the profession in 1855, and in partnership with Joseph Bird purchased the drug store of Bruner & Weiser. The firm of Bird & John soon after bought the drug store of W. J. Haas, and thus became the only druggists in Shamokin. Late in 1857 they sold out the business for the purpose of giving their whole attention to the Big Mountain colliery, which, in partnership with John B. Douty, under the firm name of Bird, Douty & John, they had leased in 1856. They operated the Big Mountain until August, 1857, when Doctor John sold his interest to his partners. He then formed a partnership with Kimber Cleaver, as engineers and surveyors, which continued until the death of Mr. Cleaver, October 19, 1858, when Doctor John resumed his old profession of teaching. He taught in Shamokin until the spring of 1863, and rose to the position of principal of the high school. He loved his profession, and was therefore one of the most successful teachers

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of his day. Resigning the principalship he accepted the position of book-keeper at Shamokin furnace, which he filled in a satisfactory manner until April, 1865. He then became book-keeper for May, Patterson & Brother, operators of Buck Ridge colliery, with whom he remained about eleven years. In the meantime, in 1873, he had opened an insurance office and established a wholesale and retail coal business in Shamokin. He continued the coal business successfully for several years, and has since given his sole attention to the insurance business which he has made a gratifying success.

In the development of Shamokin's material interests Doctor John has taken an active part. He was secretary and one of the largest stockholders of the Shamokin Town Lot Association, has been one of the managers and sec- retary of the Shamokin Cemetery Company since 1867, was an original stock- holder and is at present a director of the Shamokin Gas Light Company, is a director and secretary of the Home Building and Loan Association, and a director and secretary of the Shamokin Street Railway Company. He was one of the editors of the Shamokin Herald during the first year of its exist- ence. In 1868 he became coal editor of that paper and contributed to its columns weekly up to 1875. His contributions to the newspapers on educa- tional, historical, and other subjects have been quite extensive and various, and to him is largely due the preservation of much local history that other- wise would have been lost in the fading twilight of tradition. And to the present volume he has contributed two of its most important and valuable chapters, beside furnishing data embraced in several others.

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History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 92

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