USA > Pennsylvania > Northumberland County > History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania > Part 93
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Politically an old line Whig he became a Republican in 1856, but has always been conservative in his political views. He enlisted in Company K, Thirty-sixth Volunteer Militia, during Lee's invasion, and acted as hospital steward. He has served in the borough council, also as overseer of the poor, one year each. In 1874 he was elected to the legislature and served two years in what is known as the "Centennial legislature." He served on the committees of education, mining, and contested elections, and was the originator of John's compulsory educational bill. This bill was fought bitterly in committee, which delayed its presention to the House until late in the ses- sion, and it thus failed to become a law. For the last ten years he has been one of the visitors for the Board of Public Charities, and in 1877 he pre- ferred and partially sustained charges against the superintendent and sur- geon of the Miners' hospital near Ashland for cruelty and neglect and dis- charge of a suffering patient, which created quite an excitement throughout the mining regions and won him many warm friends among the miners.
Up to within the last few years Doctor John took the deepest and most active interest in educational matters and in the growth and progress of the public schools. He was one of the original members of the Shamokin Lyceum, a literary institution that flourished between 1855 and 1863, and embraced the leading citizens of the town. He served as school director
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thirteen years, ten years as secretary of the board, and six years as district superintendent, and gave liberally of his time towards this worthy object. In February, 1877, he was chairman of the committee that selected a series of text books for the schools of the county, and he personally introduced them into nearly every district. Though coming of Quaker lineage Doctor John has never been, connected with that or any other religious body, but has always been liberal and charitable towards the opinions and beliefs of every denomination.
J. H. ZIMMERMAN, liveryman, was born, January 5, 1820, in Augusta township, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, son of George and Mary (Hall) Zimmerman. The paternal grandfather was John Zimmerman, a na- tive of Berks county, Pennsylvania, who came to Northumberland county and purchased a tract of two hundred acres in Augusta township, where he died. He married in Berks county a Miss Mahrberger, and they were the parents of five sons and two daughters. George, the father of our subject, was a blacksmith by trade, and conducted business for many years in Sun- bury. His family consisted of six children: Jeremiah; Rachel, deceased, who married Isaac Seiler; Lucy, deceased; Mary, who married Solomon Stroh; Elizabeth, who married Jesse McClow of Shamokin, and Emily, de- ceased, who married Thomas M. Pursel. The subject of this sketch learned the blacksmithi trade and was engaged in the business a number of years with his father, in Sunbury. In 1851 he was elected justice of the peace for Sunbury, which office he filled two years. He received the appointment of collector for the Pennsylvania canal, which position he filled until 1856. In 1855 he engaged in the coal business with J. P. Pursel in mining and shipping at Shamokin. In 1856 he was elected to the State legislature, serving in the sessions of 1856-57, and subsequently entered the employ of Stroh & Elliott as superintendent for their coal business. He afterwards filled positions of trust with Haas & Fagely and John Dewees & Brother. In 1869 he established the business now conducted by his son, J. B. Zim- merman, the manufacturing of wagons and carriages and dealing in harness. In 1877 he established the livery business, which he has since carried on. Mr. Zimmerman, in 1870, was elected chief burgess; in 1875, elected a mem- ber of the council; in 1876, elected chief burgess, and again elected, 1884- 86 inclusive. At the time of Lee's raid into Pennsylvania he joined Captain Bruner's company at Sunbury. Politically Mr. Zimmerman has been a life- long Democrat, and has always taken great interest in the affairs of his party. He is a member of Sunbury Lodge, F. & A. M., and Northumberland Chap- ter. In 1843 he was married to Harriet M., 'daughter of Jacob Bright, and by this marriage they have had nine children, seven of whom grew to matu- rity: Lucy Ella, deceased, who married J. B. Phillips; John B .; Harriet, wife of W. P. Roth; George; Rosetta, wife of Samuel Haas; William E., attorney, of Shamokin, and William C., of Philadelphia.
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WILLIAM C. KENNEDY was born in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, in 1825. He was reared and educated in his native county, and after the death of his parents went to Schuylkill county and found employment in the coal mines. In 1849 he came to Shamokin and engaged in the manufacture of shingles, and subsequently turned his attention to the real estate business. He then, in connection with Jonathan Farnsworth, opened a coal drift where the Peerless colliery is now situated, and later opened a general store on the corner of Commerce and Vine streets, which was one of the pioneer stores of Shamokin. He owned the site of what is known as Gosstown and erected the first house there.
H. A. SHISSLER, druggist, was born at Port Carbon, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, February 16, 1836, son of Henry and Annie (Long) Shissler. At the age of twelve years he entered the drug store of his father, where he remained five years. He then engaged in teaching, which occupation he fol- lowed three years. He then located at Trevorton, this county, and estab- lished the first drug store in the place. In 1858 he removed to Shamokin, and engaged in the drug business at the place where he is now located. In 1859, in connection with W. R. Kutzner, he opened a store on the corner of Sunbury and Shamokin streets. In 1860 he sold his interest to his partner, and in 1862 enlisted in the medical department of the United States regular army, where he remained five months, and was discharged on account of physical disability. In 1870 he again resumed the drug business, which he has since conducted. In 1868 he was the Republican candidate for register and recorder, but was defeated. He is a member of the Masonic order, of which he is a past master, also of the G. A. R. (Lincoln Post, No. 140), and in politics a Republican. He is a ruling elder in the First Presbyterian church, and was superintendent of the Sunday school twenty-five years. He was married in April, 1858, to Rosetta, daughter of Joseph Kaseman, of Shamokin township.
DANIEL S. MILLER, retired boot and shoe merchant, was born in Shamo- kin township, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, April 17, 1829, son of John and Eliza (Schroeder) Miller, natives of Lehigh and Berks counties, respectively, and early settlers of Shamokin township. John Miller was twice married, his second wife being Mrs. Esther Duttinger, nee Reed, and was the father of sixteen children. He died on his farm about 1861. Daniel S. was the third son by the first marriage, and remained under the parental roof until 1846, when he went to Port Carbon and learned the shoemaker's trade. From 1849 until September, 1850, he worked in Tamaqua, and then came to Shamokin. In 1851 he engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes, and in connection therewith gradually built up a lucrative trade in ready-made goods, to which line the business is now confined. He erected his present store room in 1862, and in June, 1890, retired from business, and was succeeded by his sons, Albert D. and J. Harmer. Mr. Miller has been
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twice married. His first wife was Hannah Ostler, whom he married, Novem- ber 18, 1849. She bore him three children: John F., deceased; Irene, wife of William H. Chamberlain, and Araminta. Mrs. Miller died, February 22, 1855, and November 18, 1855, he married Mrs. Elmira Stokes nee Schwartz. Seven children were born of this union, four of whom are living: Francis A .; Rosie B., wife of W. C. Zimmerman; Albert D., and J. Harmer. The de- ceased are: Anne J .; Clara E., and George W. In politics Mr. Miller is a Republican, and has served in the borough council, and as school director seven years. He is one of the pioneer Methodists of Shamokin, and has been a trustee in the First Methodist Episcopal church since its organization.
DANIEL YOST, builder and contractor, was born in Shamokin township, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, April 22, 1826, son of Conrad and Sarah (Shull) Yost, natives of Schuylkill and Northumberland counties, Penn- sylvania, respectively. He was educated in the district schools, and learned the carpenter trade with his father. In 1845 he located at Minersville, Penn- sylvania, where he remained six years working at his trade. In 1852 he re- moved to Shamokin, and in 1854 established himself in business, in which he has continued to the present time. Mr. Yost has erected many prominent buildings in Shamokin; among them may be mentioned the Academy, Isaac May's block on Shamokin street, the Reformed church, and Isaac May's residence. He was for many years the principal builder of the place, and since he established his business has erected about one thousand public and private buildings in the borough. Politically, Mr. Yost is a Democrat. He has filled the office of overseer of the poor a number of years, and served as a member of the council. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and of St. John's Reformed church. He was married, October 7, 1849, to Sarah L. Hoover, of Shamokin, and they are the parents of nine children: Rev. Francis, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania; John A .; Mary L., wife of E. W. Deibler; Lillian; Louisa, wife of William Heckman; George L .; Sallie; Bertha, and Laura. Mr. Yost commenced business a comparatively poor man, and there are few men now living in Shamokin who have been longer identified with the material development of the town. His energy, strict attention to busi- ness, and honorable dealing place him among the prominent and respected citizens of the borough.
JOHN SHIPP, deceased, was born at Hughes's Furnace, Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in 1822, son of Michael and Catharine (Smith) Shipp. He was employed at the Juniata furnace in Perry county, and from there went to Victoria furnace in Dauphin county, and thence removed to Millersburg, Pennsylvania. In June, 1850, in connection with Zacharias Batorf, he engaged in the foundry business at Tremont, Schuylkill county, Pennsylva- nia. He subsequently came to Shamokin and was in the employ of Stephen Bittenbender, after which he went to Port Carbon for the purpose of casting the Henry Clay monument. Returning to Shamokin in 1853 he again took
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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.
charge of the foundry and machine works for Stephen Bittenbender, where he remained through the years 1856-57. He then established in Shamokin the Star Iron Works, which he operated until 1873, when he sold bis plant to Fisher & Medlar. He then connected himself with Boughner, Shipp & Company, coal operators, where he remained two years. At the expiration of that time he located in Ralpho township, and engaged in farming two years, when he returned to Shamokin and embarked in the mercantile bus- iness, which he conducted until his death in 1878. Politically, Mr. Shipp in early life was a Whig, and later joined the Republican party. He was an earnest Christian, and was one of the original members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was class leader many years, and was a liberal contributor of his means to the establishment of the Methodist church in Shamokin. He married Susanna Askins, of Perry county, Pennsylvania, who died in 1853, leaving three children: James A .; Sallie, wife of John Cruikshank, of Yorktown, Virginia, and Wilbur, of Pittston, Pennsylvania. Mr. Shipp was a member of the F. & A. M., and of the I. O. O. F., and was one of the active and enterprising citizens of Shamokin.
RICHARD BLUNDIN DOUTY, deceased, was born, January 22, 1824, in Rush township, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, son of William and Mary (Blundin) Douty. He removed with his parents to Pottsville in 1826, where he grew up under the parental roof. He engaged early in boating upon the Schuylkill canal, having charge of one of his father's boats at the age of nineteen, in which business he continued eleven years. He subsequently removed to St. Clair in the same county, as superintendent for Kirk & Baum, coal operators, where he remained until 1859, when he came to Shamokin to take charge of the Henry Clay colliery. In 1869 he engaged in coal opera- tions for himself, at Ben Franklin colliery, where he continued coal mining until early in 1873, when, meeting with unfortunate financial losses, he was compelled to retire from operating. He afterwards had charge of the Mt. Carmel colliery about one year, and was subsequently engaged in developing coal veins near Centralia. Mr. Douty was elected the first chief burgess of Shamokin, and re-elected the following year. He was again chosen for the same office in 1877, and took a prominent and active part in suppressing the labor riots of that year. Politically he was a Republican until the advent of the Greenback movement, when he joined that party and became its leader in this locality. He was once the Greenback candidate for sheriff, and though a popular man his party was largely in the minority. Mr. Douty was married in January, 1845, to Rebecca A., daughter of Adam Case, of Columbia county, Pennsylvania. They were the parents of eight children, only three of whom grew to maturity, and survive their parents: Mary L., widow of Colonel Alexander Caldwell; Elmira J., wife of William A. Rich- ardson, of Shamokin, and Charles H., borough engineer. Mr. Douty died, October 12, 1889, his widow surviving him until December 31st of the same
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year. He was a member of the Masonic order, having joined Anthracite Lodge, of St. Clair, Pennsylvania, about 1854. When Trinity Episcopal church, of Shamokin, was organized he became a member of that body, and was elected one of the wardens, and subsequently filled the office of senior warden ten years. Mr. Douty was a square-dealing, honest man, and had hosts of friends throughout this portion of the State.
CHARLES H. DoUTY, civil engineer, is a son of Richard B. and Rebecca Douty, and was born, October 29, 1849, in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. He came to Shamokin with his parents, was educated in the public schools of that borough, and afterwards studied civil engineering. He has since been principally engaged in the practice of his profession. In 1881 he was appointed by the council borough engineer, and has filled that position con- tinuously up to the present. Politically he is an independent voter.
WILLIAM R. KUTZNER was born in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, December 18, 1835, and died in Shamokin, May 24, 1885. He was a son of Edward A. and Anna (Robins) Kutzner, natives of this State. 'At the age of twelve he went West with his parents, and there grew to manhood, principally engaged in clerking. In 1857 he returned to Northumberland county, and a couple of years later located in Shamokin, where he clerked in a drug store, and also was a. partner in the drug business. In the spring of 1861 John B. Douty took him into partnership, and they carried on a drug and general store up to 1864, when the partnership was dissolved. Kutzner then established a drug and hardware store which he conducted until August, 1883, when he sold out to Peter E. Buck and retired from business, having accumulated through the passing years a valuable estate. Mr. Kutzner was married, June 12, 1861, to Anna M., adopted daughter of John B. Douty, who survives him. She is the mother of nine children: John D .; Anna L., wife of Dr. J. M. Maurer; Lavinia G., deceased; Kathrina B .; William E .; Hattie S .; Edith C .; Charles P., and W. R., deceased. Politically Mr. Kutzner was a Repub- lican, and held the rank of major in the National Guard during the labor riots of 1877. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, and was con- nected with the Masonic fraternity.
DAVID LLEWELLYN is a son of Edward and Sarah (Harris) Llewellyn, na- tives of South Wales, who immigrated to this country about 1831. They first settled in Carbondale, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. In 1836 they re- moved to St. Clair, Schuylkill county, and in 1838 settled in Pottsville, where they resided until their death, which occurred in 1844 and 1866 respectively. Their family consisted of three sons and two daughters. David, the eldest son, was born in South Wales, November 20, 1825, and came with his parents to this State. His early life was spent in different branches of the mining business. In 1853 he located at Mt. Carmel, Northumberland county, and engaged in the development of what is now known as Bell's Tunnel, at which place he spent several years. From there he went to Locust Gap and was
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inside superintendent for Haas & Bowen and others. In 1863 he settled in Shamokin as superintendent for Haas & Fagely, coal operators, and in 1869 became one of the firm. He was interested in the Cameron, Helfenstein, and Big Mountain mines, and continued in that business until 1886, when he retired from a long, active, and successful business career. On the 29th of March, 1872, he was elected a director in the Shamokin Banking Company, and September 14, 1883, was chosen president of that institution, which posi- tion he filled in a very efficient and creditable manner up to January 20, 1891. While a resident of Mt. Carmel Mr. Llewellyn was elected its first borough treasurer, and also filled the office of president of the school board. He was one of the promoters and original directors of the Shamokin Electric Light Company, and is one of the present directors of the Shamokin Water Com- pany. He has been married three times; his first wife was Mary Haine, of Columbia county, Pennsylvania, by whom he had three children: Emma, de- ceased; William, and Sarah, wife of Nathan Swank. His second wife was Susan Laubenstein, by whom he had six children: Frank; Alice; Ida; Annie; Effie, and Kate. His present wife was Annie Robertson, of Pine Grove, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. Politically Mr. Llewellyn is a Republican, and is one of the prominent and wealthy pioneers of the coal region, where he has spent the greater part of his life.
ANDREW ROBERTSON .- For more than forty years this gentleman has been connected with the business of mining anthracite coal, and there are very few positions in or about a coal mine that have not been filled by him at one period or another of his life; slate-picker boy, blacksmith, engineer, mine foreman, and operator-all of these he has been and a success in each. There are but very few men connected with the business who have so thorough a knowledge as he has of the intricacies and difficulties of coal mining; he is equally at home in the depths of the mine developing the capacities of the veins of coal and in the breaker preparing the commodity for market, and he is one of the very few coal operators who have solved successfully the difficult problem of mining profitably and making a triangular division of the profits between himself, his workmen, and his customers.
Mr. Robertson was born in Scotland about sixty-six years ago. His parents immigrated to this country when Andrew was quite young, stopping first in Canada, but afterward moved into the United States, locating at New Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, about seven miles from Pottsville. Near this place (at Lick Run) the father and uncle had a small coal operation at which Andrew worked, and he afterward learned blacksmithing, working at Novelty colliery, at which place he was subsequently outside foreman. He also engaged later in mining on his own account at one or two small places, but these not proving profitable he went to California about 1852; there he remained some time and was reasonably successful. The place did not suit him, however, and he returned to his old home, Schuylkill county. Had he
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remained in California he would without doubt have been one of the very wealthy men of the Golden State. After his return from California, for some years he worked at his trade and filled various positions at collieries.
In 1860 or 1861, in connection with Thomas Beddall, now dead, he opened the Eagle Hill colliery near Port Carbon; here his successful career commenced, after many difficulties that would have proved insurmountable to most men had been overcome, in which he was energetically aided by his partner, Mr. Beddall. This colliery proved very profitable, but, having a good offer for its purchase in the early part of 1865, the firm sold out to a Boston party; and, strange to say, from that time the operation has ceased to be a paying one, not from any scarcity of coal, but the master workman and skillful operator who had brought success had removed to other fields of labor, and unfortunately for those who succeeded him had taken with him his energy, his brains, and his skill.
In the early part of 1866 in conjunction with two other gentlemen he took a lease on a valuable tract near Shamokin, and here his Northumberland county operations commenced. Mr. Robertson was the business manager of the firm (Robertson, Guiterman & Company) and personally superintended the working, and his partners were perfectly satisfied to leave their interests in his keeping. The Shamokin region at this time was comparatively unknown. In April, 1867, the new colliery, "Greenback," was started and . worked continuously and successfully until the coal above water level was exhausted, when Mr. Robertson sold his interest to his partners, who after- ward worked the colliery below water level. In 1868 the same firm bought the Henry Clay colliery, Mr. Robertson personally superintending that as well as the Greenback. This colliery under his management was also continuously and profitably worked until late in 1872, when the firm sold out to Mr. Jervis Langdon, of Elmira, New York.
In the latter part of 1871 Mr. Robertson in connection with Alexander Fulton of Shamokin concluded a contract with the McIntyre Coal Company of Ralston, Lycoming county, to mine their coal for them at a certain price per ton. Mr. Robertson personally superintended this work, and very successfully both for himself and the McIntire Coal Company, and yet he had had no previous experience in the soft coal business, but the energy, industry, and brains of the man made the success. During this time Mr. Robertson had negotiated for the purchase of the iron furnace then in operation in Shamokin, intending to embark in the manufacture of pig iron. The negotiations, however, fell through, whether fortunately or unfortunately for himself-certainly the latter for Shamokin, as another industry would now be employing her sturdy workingmen. The furnace has since been demolished.
After the conclusion of his Ralston contract Mr. Robertson was, for a man of his indomitable energy and great activity and industry, in a very
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unfortunate position. For the first time in many years he had nothing to do, a great misfortune for a man of his very active temperament. As he more than once said to the writer, "I must be at work or I can not live," and while the matter of money making was not paramount with him, the matter of employment was. After a short period to him of " innocuous desue- tude," with a view to a future purchase he accepted the superintendency of the Excelsior colliery, one of the oldest in the Shamokin region, but unfortu- nately then on the wane. He eventually purchased an interest in the colliery, and under his skillful management it has become a large producer and one of the most profitable operations in the Shamokin region. He still holds his interest in the colliery, but is content to leave it largely under the superin- tendency of his two sons, Andrew D. and George W.
Although Mr. Robertson is a resident of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, the bulk of his business interests are in and around Shamokin, and by the citizens of the town and of Northumberland county he is considered emphatically " a Shamokin man." The town owes a great deal to his enter- prising spirit in the erection of several fine buildings, stores, etc., and also a large flouring mill, which is most successfully conducted by his sons, Andrew D. and George W., and John F. Osler under the firm name of Robertson & Osler. He also largely aided in the introduction of water into Shamokin, building and operating the gas works, electric light, etc., and his means have been freely given to aid the erection of churches, etc. At home Mr. Robertson lives in a very plain and unostentatious manner, making no show of his large and honestly acquired wealth, giving largely to charity, and it may be truly said of him that no worthy object appeals to him and goes away empty-handed; his benefactions are known only to himself and the recipients. Mr. Robertson is one whom to know is an honor to anybody in any station of life, a good man, and while to the writer's knowledge not professing the creed or religion of any sect, a Christian.
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