History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Vol. II, Part 3

Author: Schalck, Adolf W.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: State Historical Association
Number of Pages: 700

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SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

Columbia, Pa .. Mary is the wife of John D. Kershner, formerly a member of the state legislature : Albert died in 1892 at the age of thirty-three years; and Charles, the youngest, lives in Tamaqua. The subject of this sketch is the hith child in order of birth. When he had completed his scholastic labors he entered his father's em- ploy and stayed with him until 1802, when he assumed the entire ownership and management of the gallery. His work is without question the most modern and finest to be found in the vicinity. On Dec. 18, 1885. Mr. Baily married Miss Lavinia Wenzel, a native of Tamaqua, and a daughter of John and Susan Wenzel. The children of this marriage are five in number. Clarence, the eldest, assists his father. The others are Frank, Harry W., John .A. and Helen Susanna. The mother is a communicant of the Lutheran church and the father is identified with the Sons of America, the Independent Americans, the American Hose com- pany and is a member of Tamaqua Lodge, No. 592, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks in Tamaqua. He is the owner of the building in which the gallery is situated, at the corner of Broad and Berwick streets. A man in the prime of his career, and of good business ability and enterprise, his friends predict for him a great future.

Ball, Harrison, president of the Union National bank, and a prominent business man of Mahanoy City, was born at Miners- ville, Schuylkill county, Pa., May 11, 1863. He is a son of Isaac and Mary (Williams) Ball, late of Mahanoy City, but now de- ceased. Both parents were natives of England, the father born March 11, 1829, and the mother on April 10, 1832. They were early residents of Minersville, and later of Mahanoy City, where both of them died. The subject of this article was educated in the public schools of Shenandoah, where the parental home was located for a number of years. In 1887 he located in Mahanoy City and engaged in the lumber business on April 1, of that year. This has been his principal line of business since, his efforts being crowned with that success which usually comes from intelligent application and proper business principles. Mr.

Ball is rated as one of the most successful business men in Mahanoy City. He is a public-spirited and active citizen, whose interest and hearty cooperation are enlisted in every laudable enterprise calculated to enhance the interests of his adopted town and native county. In political affiliations Mr. Ball is an active Republican, the principles of which party he endorses from an honest conviction of right, and not through hope of political preference. He was married June 2. 1885, to Miss Anna E. Phil- lips, a daughter of David and Ann (Harris) Phillips, of Shenan- doah, and two children have been born to this union, the eldest of whom is Elbur H., employed in his father's business, and the younger is Marion E. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Ball is affiliated with the Patriotic Order Sons of America and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

BIOGRAPHICAL

Balshanick, Frank, is one of the successful and popular business men of the city of Shenandoah, where he conducts a large and well equipped mercantile establishment at 217 East Center street, deal- ing in groceries, provisions, clothing, notions, etc. He was born in Lithuania, Russia, in 1868, and is a son of Frank and Anna Balshanick, likewise natives of Lithuania, whence they immigrated to America when the subject of this sketch was a child. They located at Gilberton, Schuylkill county, Pa., where they remained about five years, at the expiration of which they removed to Shenandoah, where the father died in 1903 and where the venerable mother now makes her home with the subject of this review. The father was a soldier in the Russian army and was in government employ about twenty-five years prior to his immigration to the United States. Of the four children Frank is the eldest; Henry is employed in connection with the business of his elder brother ; Mrs. Johanna Dagilus, the elder daughter, likewise resides in Shenandoah; and Mrs. Lottie Lucas is a resident of Minersville, this county. Frank Balshanick is indebted to the public schools of Schuylkill county for his early educational training, and he early began to work about the mines, advancing from the lowly position of slate-picker to that of practical miner. In 1879 he en- gaged in the mercantile business, in partnership with Joseph Kup- chinski, with whom he was associated four years, at the expira- tion of which he purchased his partner's interest. Since that time he has conducted his business in an individual way, having built up a most successful enterprise and established a high reputation for fair and honorable business methods. Mr. Balshanick and his family are communicants of the Lithuanian Roman Catholic church; he is a member of the Lithuanian Alliance of America and of the First Lithuanian band in Shenandoah. His political views are those represented by the Socialist party, and he is well fortified in his opinions in matters of public import. He is secre- tary of the local party organization of Socialists but has never sought or held public office. He believes in the principles of ad- vanced Socialism, representing the thoughts of many of the best minds of the day, and is thus entirely free from radical or fanatic views. Mr. Balshanick is a bachelor.

Bankes, Charles W., M. D., a prominent physician of Middle- port, was born in Drehersville, Schuylkill county, Oct. 4, 1856. He is a son of Charles and Mary (Koch) Bankes, both of whom were born in Schuylkill county. The paternal grandfather, George Bankes, although a native Pennsylvanian, was of German par- entage. He was a farmer by vocation but for many years was employed by the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company as a contractor. The maternal grandfather, John Koch, was also a native of the Keystone state, and was an agriculturist for the greater part of his active life. Charles Bankes, father of the doc- tor, was also a farmer and died in 1877, leaving two sons. Levi, the elder, is a locomotive engineer employed by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company and lives at Elixir. Charles W. Bankes of

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

this sketch was reared in Reynolds and received his preparatory education in the common schools of the county. He taught in the public schools for four years, then took preliminary work in medicine at the state normal school of Millersville and in 1870 entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Md. In 188, he was graduated at that institution with the degree of Doctor of Medicine and that spring located at Middleport. There he has been in the active and eminently successful practice of his profession ever since. For a period of six years he was engaged by the Dodson Coal Company as the company physician, but the growth of his private practice made it necessary for him to re- linquish that work. On Sept. 10, 1885, Dr. Banker married Miss Laura L. Ritter, a daughter of David and Hettie ( Bechtel) Ritter of Middleport. Three children have blessed this union-Claude W., Earl F. and Ruth. The parents are both members of the Re- formed church and the doctor is affiliated fraternally with the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, the Independent Order of Foresters, the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America, the Im- proved Order of Red Men and the Masonic fraternity. He is a member of the Schuylkill county medical association and served one term as president of the same. In politics Dr. Bankes is a Republican and under Republican administrations served ten years as deputy coroner.

Bannan, John .- The name Bannan was a household word in the earlier days of Pottsville journalism as it was also in the annals of the legal fraternity. The family has been prominently identified with the history of Schuylkill county from the infancy of that civil organization to the present day. Its members have been soldiers, statesmen, lawyers and journalists. John Bannan was born in Bucks county, Pa., Sept. 19. 1796. At the age of fifteen he was rendered an orphan, and from that day until the end of his long and useful life he was entirely self-dependent. During the years of his boyhood, the schools were in session an average of about three months in the year, while the instruction consisted of the rudiments of the elementary branches, and was not always presented in a manner to accomplish the greatest good. In this desultory and unsatisfactory manner, John Bannan acquired the elements of a common school education, to which he added a rich store of general information in later years by private study. He began his industrial career as an engineer and in early manhood located at Orwigsburg, then the county seat of Schuylkill county, and there began the study of law under the tutorship of Charles Evans of Reading. He was admitted to the bar in 1818 and began practice at Orwigsburg, continuing there in successful practice until the removal of the seat of justice to Pottsville, when he be- came a resident of this borough, and ended his days here. He built a handsome old style residence on Sharp mountain, which he designated as "Cloud Home," and the handsome suburban estate is still owned and occupied by some of his children. John Bannan was a man of sterling traits of character, universally esteemed by

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BIOGRAPHICAL

a very large acquaintanceship throughout the country and in neighboring states. A brief biography of this honored citizen ap- pears in the Bench and Bar of Pennsylvania, which is worthy of being reproduced in this connection, since it was written by a life-long friend and co-laborer at the bar: "Hon. John Bannan (1796-1868). A hero of the War of 1812. For many years one of the leaders of this bar. Self-made, but well made. He was more particularly allied to the land-law, and many of the titles to the most valuable coal lands in Schuylkill county passed through his hands. He was of splendid physique and fine bearing. A man respected and honored throughout the state. He was a forcible speaker, a powerful advocate and a wise and safe counsellor. He devoted his life to his profession and to his family. He was im- pregnable in the right, a true patriot, and a knight of honor and integrity. He lived to a ripe old age and reaped the fruits of his industry and the reward which his service to his country, his pro- fession and to his community entitled him." Mr. Bannan was a man of generous impulses and kindly nature, genial and courteous to all. He never appeared in criminal prosecutions, such being re- pugnant to his nature as a big-hearted, generous friend to humanity. He never sought nor would he accept political office ; but preferred to stand aloof in such matters, and be prepared to assist his friends, whom he considered worthy, with his influence and good judgment. During the Civil war he promptly offered his services on the first call for troops, but being then sixty-five years of age, he could not be accepted ; but he was among the first to advocate the establishment of a home relief fund for the benefit of those who went to the front, and whose home interests de- manded attention. His loyalty to the cause of the Union was of that character which produced results and had a meaning beyond the mere utterance of words. Mr. Bannan's service in the War of 1812 was as a private soldier in the Ist regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, the organization being known, locally, as the Wash- ington Blues, under command of Capt. D. B. Keim, in the light brigade commanded by Brig .- Gen. Thomas Cadwalader. John Bannan was prominently associated with the state militia and during his residence in Schuylkill county served many years as colonel in that organization. He was a man of advanced ideas on state and national questions, and was recognized as exceptionally well informed. He was resourceful, energetic, logical in reasoning, thoroughly qualified in his legal knowledge, and possessed the rare accomplishment of keen perception and ready application of means to ends. Hence he was seldom wrong in reaching con- clusions upon important questions. He died at "Cloud Home," on May 3, 1868, in his seventy-third year. The wife of this eminent pioneer, Sarah Ann Ridgway, was born on the last day of the year, 1806. She survived her husband for more than eleven years, and died at the family home in November, 1879. These were the parents of three sons and three daughters, four of whom are now living. The sons all served their country during the trying days

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

of the great internal strife, though all in different organizations. Douglass R. and Thomas R. were graduates of Vale college, and the former, who was born March 6, 1832, entered service in the l'inter States navy m 1858, serving until Nov. 13. 1821, when he died at Charlestown Harbor. Thomas R., a review of whose life will be found in this volume, enlisted late in the war and served a brief period during the emergency call. He was a prominent attorney in Pottsville, where he died on Christmas Day, 1878. The three daughters are Zelia R., Mary Joy and Martha Ridgway, elderly ladies who own and occupy "Cloud Home," the sacred spot fragrant with the memories of paternal love and tenderness. Francis B. Bannan, the third son, was born in Orwigsburg on Feb. 28, 1833, and resides in Pottsville. He served in the Civil war in the "First Defenders." On Jan. 1. 1803, he married Mary T., daughter of Hon. George Replier, deceased, and they became the parents of six children.

Bannan, Thomas R., deceased, who was one of Schuylkill county's most eminent attorneys and foremost citizens, was born Oct. 10, 1827. in Pottsville, this county, and was a son of John and Sarah Ann ( Ridgway) Bannan. (For a review of the Bannan family, see the sketch of John Bannan, deceased, appearing on other pages of this volume.) Thomas R. Bannan was reared in the city of his birth, in whose schools he received his elementary education. After completing the curriculum of the common schools, he became a student at Yale university, at which he was graduated. Following in the footsteps of his father, he made the law his life work, and practiced his profession most successfully in Pottsville until his death, on Dec. 25. 1878. Hon. D. C. Henning, in a few words of biography published in the "Bench and Bar of Pennsylvania," very feelingly expressed his sentiments. He says : "Hlon. Thomas R. Bannan ( 1827-1878) a graduate of Yale, a most scholarly lawyer, a member of the constitutional convention of 1872-3. He was genial, amiable and good. He had a lucrative practice and held the confidence of all the world that knew him. His memory still lingers about this bar as the fragrance of a sweet smelling blossom. He belonged to that class of men who are sometimes called 'Nature's Noblemen.' In the latter part of the Civil war, Mr. Bannan served for a brief period during the emergency call. returning to Pottsville after his discharge, and resuming the practice of his profession. He was a forcible pleader and attained the highest rank in his profession. His death is keenly felt. not only by his fellow confrères, but by his fellow citi- zens at large." On the death of Mr. Bannan, the following article in part appeared in the columns of the "Evening Chronicle" under date of Dec. 27. 1878: "The death of very few members of the bar could arouse such universal feeling of sorrow among the lawyers of Schuylkill county as was displayed at the meeting held in the court house this morning to take appropriate action on the death of Thomas R. Bannan. The meeting was well attended. Or motion of Hon. James B. Reilly. Judge Pershing was called upon

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BIOGRAPHICAL

to preside. Messrs. Fergus G. Farquar and Mason Weidman acted as secretaries. A committee consisting of Hons. D. B. Green, Lin Bartholomew, John. W. Ryon, Howell Fisher, Esq., Maj. James Ellis, Wmn. R. Smith, Esq., and Hon. Jas. B. Reilly was appointed to draft resolutions expressive of the sense of the meeting. After a short interval the committee returned with the following report. Judge Green was so overcome by his feelings that he was unable to read it, and F. G. Farquar, Esq., performed the duty :

Whereas, God in his infinite wisdom has called away our esteemed brother and friend, Thomas R. Bannan, therefore be it

Resolved, That we, the members of the bench and bar of Schuyl- kill county, not questioning the divine decree, feel it our duty as well as our gratification to place on record our tribute to the honesty, ability and manliness of our departed friend and brother.

Resolved, That by the death of Thomas R. Bannan the com- munity at large has lost a benefactor, an upright citizen and an able adviser, who at all times was willing and anxious to do anything in his power to promote the public good.

Resolved, That the bench and bar of Schuylkill county is called upon to mourn the loss of one of the ablest members of the bar, a ripe scholar, a learned advocate and one who in all his intercourse with fellow members of the bar and with the court during a quarter of a century, while urging with the utmost fidelity and ability the interests of his clients, manifested an uniform spirit of the highest integrity, the gentlest courtesy, and universal benev- olence.

Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with the bereaved mem- bers of the family of our deceased brother ; his kindness of heart, his marked unselfishness and his wisdom in management of affairs will make their loss so great that we can find no words adequate to express condolence with it.

Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be put upon the records of the court of common pleas of Schuylkill county and that a committee of six members be appointed by the chairman of this meeting to present to the family of our deceased brother a copy of these resolutions.

Resolved, That the bench and bar of Schuylkill county attend the funeral of Thomas R. Bannan in a body.

Barnd, Franklin P., M. D., a leading physician of Hegins, was born in that borough on Sept. 17, 1867. He is one of a family of three sons and one daughter of Henry and Amelia (Heiter) Barnd, the other two sons being William Henry and Isaac Jonathan. He comes of a line of Pennsylvania pioneers, his paternal grand- parents, Henry and Elizabeth Barnd, having been born in Mont- gomery county, and his maternal grandfather, Samuel Heiter, was a native of Hegins township. Dr. F. P. Barnd received a due preliminary discipline in the schools of his native township, then matriculated in the Westchester normal school, and after he had received a certificate of graduation from that institution he taught school for a period of six years-one year in Kansas and the other

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

five in the Hegins schools. During this time he decided to become a physician and when he had accumulated sufficient funds entered the Jefferson medical college of Philadelphia. In 1897 he was graduated at that institution with the degree of Doctor of Medi- cine and after he had passed the examination given by the state board of medical examiners started the practice of his profession in Hlegins. Since that time he has more than realized even his most hopeful expectations as to the size and character of his practice. On Oct. 3. 1891, Dr. Barnd married Miss Tamie V. Dinger, daugh- ter of Joel S. and Elizabeth (Baum) Dinger, and one of four chil- dren, the others being Jesse D., Ida S. and Francis, To Dr. and Mrs. Barnd has been born a son-Guy Henry. The family are all attendants of the Lutheran church of Hegins. In politics the doc- tor is a stanch Democrat, but aside from the incumbency of the office of committeeman, which he now holds, and of school director, he has never aspired to positions of public or political trust. Fraternally he is a member and past officer of Hegins Lodge, No. 726. of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Dr. Barnd is medical examiner for the Mutual and the New York Life In- surance Companies of New York and the Prudential of Newark, N. J.

Barrett, Frank K., postmaster at Coaldale, and member of the firm of Barrett Bros., general merchandise dealers, is a son of Thomas and Mary (Moser) Barrett and was born in the borough where he now resides, and where he has passed practically all of his life thus far. (For ancestry and family history see sketch of John M. Barrett.) He was educated in the Coaldale public schools and at the age of ten years began his business career as a breaker boy in the mines. When he was fifteen years old he became a miner and continued to follow that occupation until 1906. Some two years before that time he formed a partnership with his brother, John M., who opened a general store at Coaldale. On . March 27. 1906, he was appointed postmaster at Coaldale and took charge of the office on the 15th of April. The firm of Barrett Bros. carry the largest and best selected stock of general merchandise in the town of Coaldale and have a large and constantly growing patronage. It is a common reply to the question as to where any thing can be obtained-"Go to Barrett's." Mr. Barrett is a Re- publican in his political affiliations and has always been willing to do his part toward achieving a victory for his party. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America, and is an attendant and supporter of the Evangelical church of Coaldale. On March 28, 1901, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Barrett and Miss Ada, daughter of Isaac and Maria ( Rickard) Miller of Coaldale. This union has been blessed by two children, Harold and Aulean. Since becoming postmaster Mr. Barrett has instituted a number of reforms and improvments in handling the mails, which have given general sat- isfaction to the patrons of the office.

BIOGRAPHICAL

Barrett, John M., of the firm of Barrett Bros., dealers in gen- eral merchandise at Coaldale, was born there on July 16, 1864. His father, Thomas Barrett, was a native of County Mayo, Ireland, but came to America in the early 30's and located in Schulykill county. After some time there he went to Carbondale in Lacka- wanna county, but subsequently returned to Coaldale, where he passed the remainder of his days. His active life was spent in connection with the mining industry, principally in opening the drifts to get at the coal veins. He married Miss Mary Moser, a daughter of John and Catherine Moser, who were among the pioneer settlers of Tamaqua, and to this marriage were born four- teen children, nine of whom are yet living, viz: Kate, Elizabeth, Thomas, Mary, Hattie, John M., Frank K., Ella and Anna. Kate is the wife of William Delay; Mary is Mrs. Thomas Mitchell ; Hattie is the widow of Andrew Walker; Ella is the wife of James Bottomley, and Anna is Mrs. Lewis Olsen. John M. Barrett at- tended the Coaldale public schools in his boyhood and at the age of eleven years began work in the breaker. At fifteen he became a miner and followed that occupation until 1894, when he embarked in the dairy business, which he followed for about eight years. Soon after giving up this line of activity he formed a partnership with his brother, Frank K., in the general merchandise business, which partnership still exists. (See sketch of Frank K. Barrett.) Mr. Barrett is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America, and the Evan- gelical church. In politics he is an unswerving Republican, though the only office he ever held was that of school director of Rahn township. On Feb. 27, 1905, Mr. Barrett was united in marriage to Miss Julia, daughter of Michael and Catherine (Barrett) Mon- aghan, of Altoona, and they have one daughter, Mary.

Barrow, William Henry, a thrifty farmer of Union township, whose postoffice address is Ringtown, was born in that borough on Oct. 15, 1859. He comes of good German-English stock, his parents being Philip M. and Rebecca (Zimmerman) Barrow. His paternal grandfather was William Barrow, who came from Lan- cashire, England, and whose wife was Sarah Maxwell of Andes, N. Y. On the maternal side the grandparents were Roland and Eliza- beth (Focht) Zimmerman, of Berks county, Pa. The children of Philip and Rebecca Barrow were eight in number, the others be- side the subject of this sketch being Roland A., Robert Burton, Clayton M., Mary Ann, Emily, Sarah and Fannie, all of whom survive with the exception of Emily. William H. Barrow attended the Ringtown public schools until he was nineteen years of age and then entered his father's employment, working alternately in the summer and winter on the farm and in a tannery which his father owned. This labor occupied him until 1885, when he purchased the farm of 163 acres in Union township which he is now working. The place contains 138 acres of land under cultivation and some 25 acres of pasture and woodland. Most of his time and land is given over to the cultivation of market vegetables which he sells

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History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Vol. II, Part 3

Author: Schalck, Adolf W. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: State Historical Association Number of Pages: 700

Author: Schalck, Adolf W.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: State Historical Association
Number of Pages: 700