History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Vol. II, Part 54

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Vol. II > Part 54

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Shepp, Daniel, deceased. for many years a leading figure in the commercial life of Schuylkill county and resident of Tamaqua, was born in Reading, Pa., March 26, 1830, a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Zacharias) Shepp, of German lineage. His paternal grandfather, Conrad Shepp, was born in 1773 in the Fatherland and left Frankfort-on-Main to locate in Reading, where he pur- chased a farm on the outskirts of North Reading. His wife was a Miss Khlos and they had a family of six children, five daughters and a son. The son, Daniel, Sr., was born on Feb. 2, 1802, and was reared on the farm, inheriting the place upon his father's death, in 1837. Politically he was a stanch Democrat and in re-

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Ingtons matters was a member and for many years an elder in the Reformed church. His wife. Ehzabeth, daughter of Daniel Zacharias, was born Sept. 30, 18. Their children were Susan- nah, Elizabeth, Samuel, Rebecca, Daniel, John and Jacob. Daniel. the subject of this sketch, was reared on the old homestead and received his educational training m the common schools and the Unionville academy in Chester county, l'a. In i85t, with twenty other men from Reading and viemity, he started for the gold fields of California via the Isthmus of Panama. For seventeen months he was successfully engaged in mining and in 1852 re- turned to Schuylkill county with $5,000 to his credit. On Nov. 1. of that year he accepted a position as bookkeeper for W. H. Climer & Co., operating the Mount Laurel furnace, and stayed with that firm for sixteen months. In March. 1854, he came to Tamaqua and in partnership with A. W. Kaufman and Daniel Baum huilt the stone four mill, known as the Tamaqua steam mills and operated under the firm name of Daniel Shepp & Co. After two years Adam Aulthouse, Mr. Shepp's brother-in-law. obtained possession by purchase of the Baum and Kaufman stock in the concern and until 1861 the industry was conducted under the firm name of Shepp & Aulthouse. In that year Henry F. Stid- fole bought out Mr. Aulthouse's interest and for six years the firm was Shepp & Stidfole. From 1867 the concern went under the name of Daniel Shepp & Co .. although from 1867 to 1891 Joseph B. Hirsh held the stock originally owned by Stidfole. In the latter year by purchase the entire stock of the company came into the hands of the Shepp family, Daniel Shepp having the manage- ment of it until his retirement from active business life. Ile was widely interested in mining, having large interests in different sections of the anthracite region. On March 1, 1869, in company with Conrad Graeber and John Kempel, he purchased the lease of the Locust Gap colliery in Northumberland county, and for five years, under the name of Graeber & Shepp, worked this property. In 1874. Kempel sold out to J. B. Hirsh. John Graham and Simon Stein and the company under the same name continued the operation of the mine for another five years. In December. 1882. Mr. Shepp became associated with Joseph Mitchell in the operation of the East Lehigh colliery, near Tamaqua, and con- tinued his connection until his death, the firm being known as Mitchell & Shepp. In 1886 a firm known by the name of Daniel Shepp & Co .. consisting of Mr. Shepp and Hezekiah Haldeman engaged in shipping coal in Carbon county and in the same year Mr. Shepp opened up one of the largest veins of coal in the anthracite region. Its width varies from 125 to 150 feet. and its product was sold to the Lehigh Coal and Navigation company. In 1896 Mr. Shepp purchased Haldeman's interest and operated the mines under the firm name of W. H. and E. M. B. Shepp. He was the sole owner of a tract of 16.000 acres of timber land near Lock Haven, and in 1887. in order to furnish means for the de- velopment and exploitation of the land, he built ten miles of

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railroad to connect it with the Erie railroad. Ile had also 4,000 acres in Lycoming county, and was for a time president of the Blue Mountain Manufacturing Company, which controls 13,000 acres of land in Schuylkill county. When the Edison Illumina- ting and Power company of Tamaqua was incorporated in 1885 he was made its president, having been one of five organizers and incorporators. For more than a score of years he was president of the Tamaqua Banking and Trust Company, and was prominent as one of its organizers. In politics Mr. Shepp was a Democrat and as such served in the borough council for a period of twenty- eight years, twenty-four of which he was the executive head of that body. Always deeply interested in religious work he was an active and zealous member of Trinity Reformed church from the time of its inception and for thirty-six years was superintendent of its Sunday school. Probably in the fraternal circles of the state and county Mr. Shepp was as well known as anywhere else. In the Masonic fraternity he was a past master of the Tamaqua Lodge, No. 238; was at one time the high priest of Tamaqua Chapter, No. 178, Royal Arch Masons, and was a past eminent commander of Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 31, Knights Templars. He was also identified with Ringgold Lodge, No 318, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he was a past grand, and for thirty years was treasurer of Scott Encampment, No. 132. On Oct. 14, 1857, Mr. Shepp married Miss Mary Isabella Boyer, daughter of Joshua and Susannah Boyer, and to this union were born seven children. Mary, the eldest, is the wife of Dr. P. N. K. Schwenk. Sketches of William H., Daniel F. B. and Joseph H., the second, fifth and sixth in order of birth, appear elsewhere in this volume. The others are: Anna L., Edward M. B. and Rosa B. Mr. Shepp's demise occurred on Feb. 4, 1901, and his taking off was not only a grevious loss to his family and a large circle of friends but to the whole community.

Shepp, Daniel F. B., cashier of the First National bank of Tam- aqua, and a director in the same institution, was born at Tamaqua on May 16, 1875. An outline of his family history can be found in the sketch of his father, Daniel Shepp, elsewhere in this vol- ume. After a duc preliminary course in the common schools of Tamaqua, the subject of this sketch was graduated at the Tama- qua high school and then matriculated at the Selwyn Hall mili- tary academy. Upon the completion of his course there he en- tercd Lehigh university and in 1898 received a certificate of grad- uation and the degree of Civil Engineer. Before commencement, however, he enlisted as a private in Company B, 8th Pennsylvania infantry to serve during the Spanish-American war, but before he was mustered out has risen to the rank of corporal. The regiment was encamped in Virginia in the early part of the campaign, but was later at Augusta, Ga. Mr. Shepp's brother, Edward M. B., who went into the Spanish-American war as a corporal is now a captain in the state militia. Daniel F. B. Shepp, when his com- pany was mustered out, entered the employ of the Lehigh Coal and

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

Navigation Company as a civil engineer. At the clone of My years' service with that corporation he returned to Tamaqua and accepted his present position as cashier of the First National bank. On Sept. 14. 1004. Mr. Shepp married Miss Ellen Carter Cal- loway, of Tamaqua, a daughter of William and Ellen (Carter) Calloway. Mr. Calloway, whose death occurred in December. 1005, was for many years president of the First National bank. His uncle was a prominent associate of Daniel Boone in the lat- ter's Kentucky carcer. Mrs. Calloway, who is still an honored resident of Tamagna, was born in England and came to this country while still very young. Her family was a large one whose name is closely allied with that of other pioneers in the coal industry of Schuylkill county. Mr. and Mrs. Shepp have one child-William Calloway. Both parents are members of the Epis- copal church and Mr. Shepp is one of the vestrymen.

Shepp, Joseph H., clerk in the office of the Wabash Milling Company, was born in Tamagna on Feb. 17. 1881. a son of Daniel and Mary Louise ( Boyer) Shepp and the youngest of the four boys. The others are William Hl., at the head of the Wabash Milling Company, of whom a sketch appears elsewhere in this volume : Capt. Edward M. B .. a promoter and capitalist prominent throughout the state ; and Daniel F. B., a graduate of Lehigh uni- versity as a civil and mining engineer, and now cashier of the Tamaqua First National bank. Joseph H. Shepp received a due preliminary training in the schools of Tamaqua and subsequently in the Wyoming seminary of Kingston, preparing for college at the latter institution. Instead of taking a collegiate course, how- ever. he entered the employ of the Corn Exchange National bank of Philadelphia. He remained there three years, until the death of his father. in 1003, when he returned to Tamaqua and accepted his present position. Mr. Shepp is a member of the Reformed church of Tamaqua, of which his father was one of the prime movers and organizers. Fraternally he is identified with the Be- nevolent and Protective Order of Elks and Tamagna Camp. 62. Sons of Veterans. For three years he was a corporal in a company of the state militia, but the only service he saw was when his organization was called upon to maintain order during labor troubles. Politically he is an earnest believer in the principles of Jeffersonian Democracy, was the candidate of his party for the office of legislator from the Third Schuylkill county district in the fall of 1906 and is now editor of the Evening Recorder. He is a young man of fine physique, excellent habits and good, sound business sense and his host of friends predict for him a brilliant future.

Shepp, William H., president of the Wabash Milling Company of Tamaqua, was born in that city on Feb. 21. 1866. He is a son of Daniel and Mary I. (Boyer) Shepp, the former of whom is deceased. After a due preliminary training in the public schools of his native town he matriculated at the Heidelberg university of Tiffin. Ohio, and in 1887 was graduated at that institution. In

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1889 he graduated in the theological department of Ursinus college, Collegeville, Pa., and engaged in active work of the ministry for five years in Ohio and Delaware as a Presbyterian missionary. On account of failing health he returned to Tamaqua and engaged in business. In March, 1894, he purchased a third interest in the Shepp-ilirsh milling industry and since that time has been identified with the flour and feed business. The firm was incorporated under the corporate title of the Wabash Milling Company on July 7, 1899, and is the largest wholesale and retail flour and feed establishment in this section of the state. Mr. Shepp is secretary and treasurer of the Blue Mountain Manufacturing Company, located in Berks and Schuylkill counties. This concern is capitalized at $100,- 000, and owns 12,000 acres of timber land. He is also one of the administrators of the cstate of the late Daniel Shepp, who died on Feb . 4, 1901. For two years before the father's death, on account of his father's physical disability, William H. had entire control of the large estate. On Oct 8, 1889, Mr. Shepp married Miss Louise Fink, a native of Hamburg, Pa., and a daughter of Jacob and Matilda (Hcinley) Fink, deceased. Three children have blessed this union, viz .: Harold L., Hazel M. and Parma A. Both Mr. and Mrs. Shepp are members of the Presbyterian church, in which Mr. Shepp is one of the trustees. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Improved Order of Red Men, and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics.

Sherman, A. B., M. D., deccased .- After a life well and honor- ably spent, Dr. A. B. Sherman, one of the oldest if not the oldest practicing physician of his time in Schuylkill county, died at his residence in Mahanoy City, Dec. 10, 1906, in his seventy-eighth year. His death brought deep sorrow to the hearts of a very large circle of friends and acquaintances, and many of his patients mourn the loss of his invaluable services. He was one of the pioneer physicians of the county, and enjoyed a very extensive practice in his profession covering a period of forty-eight years, during which time he followed his life's work in Montrose, Susquehanna county, though the greater part of which was spent in Schuylkill county. He was a man of great force of character, public-spirited, strong in his convictions and fearless in standing by them, and performed many humane acts and valuable services for his fellow man with- out the hope, desire or expectation of gain. He numbered among his friends many of the leading men in the county. both of the past and present, and, while never having held public elective office, was unusually honored in many and arduous capacities. the duties and services of which he performed with signal ability. Most of his professional life was spent in Girardville and the rc- sults of his labors there stand as a monument of honor to him. He was the president of the Girard saving fund association during its early and prosperous days ; served as deputy coroner for fifteen years including the strennous events of Molly Maguire times; for a like period of time he served as out-door physician to the board of poor directors and in that capacity aided many in distress. He

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was a charter member of the Schuylkill county medical society, look great interest in its deliberations and in the advancement of hus profession, always seeking to promote it to a higher plane of perfection. The latter part of his busy and honorable career was Inved in Mahanay City, where he served as a member of the school board, of which he was president and later treasurer. He was president of the United States pension examining board for ser - eral years ; a director of the Citizens' National bank of Ashland for many years; and was a member of the Masonic, Old Fellows and Patriotic Order Sons of America fraternities, Dr. Sherman was a man of rugged physique, commanding presence and kindly coun- tenance: of fine traits of character, highly respectable, a man of honor in all things, and of eminent ability in his chosen profes- sion; of kindly, fatherly and sympathetic disposition with the sick, and untiring and unyielding in his efforts to heal. He left to survive him a widow and two sons who deeply mourn the loss of a loving, devoted and cherished husband and a kind and indulgent father. The sons are A. C. Sherman, a prominent young attorney of Mahanos City, and Dr. Harry U. Sherman of Easton. L'a., both of whom are well known and highly respected citizens. The interment of the earthly remains of the deeply mourned and lamented Dr. A. B. Sherman occurred at Pottsville, in the Charles Baber cemetery, on Dec. 14. 1900, Rev. T. Maxwell Morrison of the First Presbyterian church, of which he was a member, assisted by Rev. H. A. Keyser of Grace Reformed church, officiating.

Shifferstine, E. E., M. D., was born in Tamaqua, Schuylkill county, Pa .. Oct. 1. 1874. His parents, Henry D .. and Mary .1. (Swover) Shifferstine, were natives of Lehigh county, but have spent most of their lives in Tamaqua. The father came to that place as a boy of seventeen, and began working for the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company, being employed in the motive de- partment of that corporation for about thirty-two years. He has been retired from active business during the last eighteen years and he and his wife are living at Tamaqua. Dr. E. E. Shifferstine is the only living child of these parents. But two children, were born into the family and the other one died in infancy. The sub- ject of this article has had excellent educational opportunities. which he has made an effort to turn to his advantage. After being graduated from the Tamaqua high school in the class of 1891 he accepted a position in a drug store for about eighteen months, when he began his preliminary work in the study of medicine. He had as preceptors two or three well known men in Weissport. Mauch Chunk and Tamaqua and was well prepared for entrance upon his collegiate studies. He was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in June, 1890, and following his graduation he was employed in the State hospital for injured persons, at Fountain Springs, this county, for over four years, the last eighteen months being spent as assistant to the general superintendent. He spent eight months abroad, visiting and studying in the hospitals of Berlin and Munich, Germany. In June. 1905. the doctor estab-

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lished himself in general practice at Tamaqua. llis previous ex- perience as a hospital surgeon in the same locality, served as a favorable introduction to the people and the doctor at once began a successful professional career. He is an active worker in the various medical societies within his reach, being a member of the Schuylkill county medical society, Lehigh medical association, Pennsylvania state medical society, American medical association, and was secretary of the Anglo-American medical association of Berlin, Germany. In the fraternal associations the doctor is a member of the various Masonic bodies, has attained to the thirty- second degree and has passed all the collateral degrees in that time honored organization. Besides this, he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and Patriotic Order Sons of America in Tamaqua. Hle is a Republican in his political affiliations.

Shindel, Charles Shoener, a prominent citizen of Tamaqua, l'a., and its present postmaster, was born in that city April 29, 1867, a son of Conrad Fry and Mary Louise Shindel. He dates his an- cestry back to the early colonial period of our country, his fore- bears having immigrated to this country in an early day. On the maternal side representatives of the family took part in the Revo- lutionary war and four great-uncles named Gore, were killed in the Wyoming massacre. Charles S. Shindel received his educa- tion at Wyoming seminary at Kingstown, Pa., since which time he has continually been identified with the business interests of the city of his birth. He was formerly engaged in the insurance business, is at this writing president of the Tamaqua Manufactur- ing Company, and is also serving this second term as postmaster, which is evidence of the esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens and a mark of approval of the business-like methods with which he has conducted that important office. He is a stanch sup- porter of the principals and policies for which the Republican party stands sponsor and is an active worker in the ranks of that party, having been honored by being elected chief burgess of his city for two terms prior to his appointment as postmaster. In a fraternal and social way, he is a member of Tamaqua Lodge No. 592, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of the Scranton, Mohegan and Tamaqua clubs. Religiously he and his family are members of the Lutheran church. On Feb. 11. 1896, Mr. Shindel led to the altar, Miss Rosabel Shepp, a daughter of Daniel and Mary I. (Boger) Shepp of Tamaqua, and to this union have been born two children, Mary Louise and Isabel Dunham aged respectfully ten and seven years, Mr. Shindel takes a great interest in matters pertaining to agriculture, spends a great deal of his leisure time in that basic industry and manages a small farm for his mother, the same being located at Barnesville. Pa., where the family lived for years prior to the death of the father.

Shoemaker, William H., a universally esteemed pioneer of Schuylkill county, was born in Pottsville on Oct. 17, 1832, a son of Marshall G. and Rebecca (Welliver) Shoemaker. The Shoe-

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SCHUYLKILL. COUNTY

maker family has been prominently identified with the history of l'enneslama and the United States for more than one hundred and fifty years. Jacob Shoemaker, the paternal great grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in New Jersey in 1700 and served m the Continental army throughout the Revolutionary war. He was a man of fine education, both in the English and German languages, and lived to the ripe old age of eighty-nine years. He was buried with military honors on July 1. 18.19. at Bloomsburg. Pas, and was one of the last of the Revolutionary war veterans of that locality. Andrew G. Shoemaker, a son of Jacob, married Catherine Girton and to them was born a son. Marshall G., in 1811, while they were residents of Columbia county. The latter, with the exception of two years (1832-34) spent in Pottsville, remained in his native county until 1865, engaged in mercantile pursuits. He then removed to Shenandoah and em- barked in the same line of business, in which he continued until his death, in 18St. in his seventy-first year. His wife died two years later at the age of seventy-six. The maternal grandfather of William H. Shoemaker was Jacob Welliver, born in New Jersey and left an orphan at the age of fourteen. While still a south he removed to Columbia county and settled on the Black run. There he continued to reside until the Wyoming massacre vi July 3. 1778, drove all the settlers of the vicinity to Harrisburg. From there Mr. Welliver went to Philadelphia and became a men- ber of the Continental army, in which he served until the close of the Revolution. He received no pay for his services as he was not regularly enrolled, and at the cessation of hostilities returned to his farm on the Black run, where he died in 1842 at the age of eighty-nine years. William H. Shoemaker, immediate subject of this sketch, received his educational advantages in the common schools and in Bradley's select school in Bloomsburg. When he had completed his scholastic work he became a clerk in his father's store and the postoffice at Buckhorn. He remained with his father in that capacity, with the exception of fourteen months when he was engaged in teaching. until 1857. in which year he was made a member of the firm and the name changed to M. G. & W. 11. Shoemaker. After the father's removal to Shenandoah in 1865 be conducted the business at Buckhorn alone for twelve years and. although he was a Demo- crat, he was appointed postmaster by President Lincoln to succeed his parent, who had served twenty-five years in the position. Up- on his removal to Shenandoah in 1877 he relinquished the office. having been re-appointed to it by Johnson. Grant and Hayes. In the spring of 1883 Mr. Shoemaker was elected justice of the peace and was re-elected to the office at each successive election until 1905. For a number of years, also, he was a member of the bor- ough council and was president of that body from 1879 to 1883. He is a stalwart exponent of the principles of the Democratic party and has always taken an active and influential part in the political campaign -. His clevation to public office has always been as the candidate of that party, and he has filled every position with

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BIOGRAPHICAL

credit to himself and honor to his constituents. Beside the offices he has held since a resident of Shenandoah he was township auditor of Buckhorn from 1854 to 1877. Mr. Shoemaker in December, 1857, married Miss Effie Farley, a daughter of the late Peter John Farley, of Stark county, Ohio, and to this union were born two sons. Edward, the elder, is a graduate of the Dickinson law college and is now a practicing attorney of Shenandoah. He mar- ried Myrtle Sands, of Bloomsburg, Pa., and makes his home in Shen- andoah. Sanford W., who has been employed as a clerk for a number of years, is at the present time a formidable candidate for the office of justice of the peace. His wife was formerly Miss Maizie Liddell, a daughter of Alexander Liddell of Mahanoy City. He resides with his family in Baltimore, Md. The Shoemakers are all members of the Methodist Episcopal church and the father has been for more than forty years a member of the Masonic fraternity, being identified with Washington Lodge, No. 265, of Bloomsburg. Mr. Shoe- maker's popularity with his fellow citizens may be easily judged when it is known that his retention in elective office as a candi- date of the Democratic party was in a district which is normally largely Republican.

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History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Vol. II, Part 54

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