USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Portrait and biographical record of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 38
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IIenry and Mary (Trisler) Steigerwalt, the par- ents of our subject, were natives of Pennsylvania and people highly respected in their community. For a fuller history of this worthy couple the reader is referred to the sketch of M. F. Steiger- walt on another page in this volume.
When ready to choose an occupation in life Samuel C., of this biography, learned the trade of a carriage-maker in the shops of Samuel B. Cox, of this city. Soon after mastering the business he went to Petersburg, afterward to Neffsville and later to Refton, where he was engaged in working as a carriage-maker. In 1882 we find him again in his native city. Ile opened up an establishment of his own on Prince Street, where he carried on a thriving business for two years, and then removed to his present location on Queen Street. He has a large shop, manufactures all kinds of road vehi- cles and gives employment to several men. Ile also has a department devoted to repairing wagons and carriages, and never fails to give satisfaction in all work turned out.
In political relations our subjeet is an ardent Republican. He belongs to St. Paul's Methodist
Episcopal Church and endeavors to aid the progress of the good work in the city. During the late war he enlisted in the Union army, offering his services the same month Ft. Sumter was fired upon. Ile was mustered into Company F, First Pennsyl- vania Infantry, in the three months' call, but re- mained in the army for eight months, when he was discharged at Harrisburg, this state.
The lady whom our subject married on Christ- mas Day, 1862, was Miss Alice Ryan, a sister of I. II. Ryan, whose sketch will be found in this volume, and who is a prominent real-estate dealer of this city. To Mr. and Mrs. Steigerwalt there were born eight children, namely: Samuel C .; Albert II., deceased; Herbert R., a private detective in the employ of the Pennsylvania Traction Com- pany; Benton II., Oliver I., Alice M., Maude S. and Laura K.
R OBERT C. McCULLEY is a well known and respected citizen of Lancaster, who owns and operates successfully a large iron foundry, and is the oldest foundryman in the county. Ilis works are situated at the corner of North Plum Street and the Pennsylvania Railroad, and he makes a specialty of the manufacture of corn and cob crushers and castings requiring great strength. The proprietor is a thorough mas- ter of his business, to which he has given his ener- gies and strict attention for his entire active ca- reer, about half a century.
The birth of Mr. McCulley occurred in Lancas- ter, July 13, 1828, at a place where now stands the ticket office of the Pennsylvania Railroad. flis paternal grandfather, Jacob, was born in Scot- land, and he it was who changed the name from its original spelling, Mccullough. Our subject's father, Jacob, was born in Harrisburg, and was formerly a manufacturer of soap and candles, his business location having been on the site of the Pennsylvania Railroad station before the road was constructed. Ile died in this city when sixty-one years of age. Ile was a wealthy man and very in-
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fluential, serving at one time as a member of the City Council. He was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church, and by his union with Cazanna Bitner had six children who grew to maturity. One of the sons, James T., was for three years a soldier in a Pennsylvania Regiment during the War of the Rebellion, and died in Lancaster. The maternal grandfather of our subject, JJacob Bitner, was a resident of York County, where he followed the carpenter's trade, and afterwards located on North Queen Street, Lancaster. He lived to a ripe old age, being in his ninety-first year at the time of his death, while his wife lived to be ninety- three years old.
When fourteen years old R. C. MeCulley was apprenticed to learn the molder's trade at a foun- dry on South Queen Street, near the Conestoga Creek, and remained there for two years. After- wards he worked m Pennell's Machine Foundry, and then traveled as a journeyman in the south and through a number of states. For some seven years he was situated in Pittsburg and in Alle- gheny, but finally in 1858 returned to this place. Embarking in business on Water Street, he subse- quently purchased the site of the old iron works on Chestnut between North Queen and Prinee Streets. For twenty years the firm was known as Harberger & McCulley, and they built up a fine business and remunerative trade. In 1883 our subject's partner withdrew from the firm, and Mr. McCulley has since continued in business alone. The same year he rented a portion of the old loco- motive works, at the corner of North Plum Street and the Pennsylvania Railroad, and makes a spe- cialty of general foundry and pattern work. The cob crusher which he manufactured has met with an extended sale, and over three thousand are in act- nal use. Mr. McCulley ships his products to every state in this country, and also sends castings, etc., to foreign ports. Employment is given to upwards of twenty-five hands, and the best machinery is used in turning out the articles he manufactures. At times he has east rolls weighing four tons, eupola caps weighing eight tons, and other ma- chinery of almost incredible size.
Mr. MeCulley owns a pleasant home at No. 804 Manor Street, also one in Philadelphia, two cot-
tages at the sea shore, and some fifteen houses in Laneaster. In 1859 he married Miss Mary, daughter of Allen Magargil, who was born in Philadelphia. The latter was a tanner and mer- chant in the Quaker City, and a citizen who was greatly respected. Mr. and Mrs. McCulley have three children, all of whom are living, namely: Annie, Martha and Emma, the latter the wife of E. S. Halbach, of Lancaster. Mrs. McCulley is a mem- ber of the Trinity Lutheran Church, and is a most estimable lady.
In politics our subject is independent, and has served for three years as a member of the Seleet Council from the Eighth Ward, but has since de- elined renomination. During his term he was active on the committee which had in charge the construction of the city water works, and he has always used his influence for the benefiting of his fellow-citizens.
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M ILTON T. REEDER, M. D., an able phy- sician of Millersville, received a fine gen- eral and medical education and is a stu- dent of his profession, having also contributed articles of great value to various medical jonr- nals. For several generations the Reeder fam- ily have been prominent members of whatever com- munity they have resided in, and the first of whom anything definite is known was one Henry Reeder, who came to the United States in 1810, settling near Ilagerstown, Md. This was the grandfather of our subjeet and he became owner of a large plan- tation. He was a slave owner, but freed all of his slaves prior to the war. Hle successfully carried on his plantation near Hagerstown and continued to reside there until his death. Ile was politically a Whig and a member of the Presbyterian Church. In his family were three sons and one daughter, Thomas, Henry, William A. and Mary A. The lat-
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ter married J. B. Linch and afterward became the wife of John Ilall; she is still living in St. Louis. The Reeder family is noted for longevity, and our subject's grandfather died at an extreme old age.
William A. Reeder. the father of our subject, re- ceived a common school education and learned the trade of cabinet-making. to which he devoted him- self in Hagerstown and Baltimore and still later at Clear Spring, Md. In 1856 he removed to Wells Valley, Fulton County, Pa .. where he lived for four years, then selling his place he located in Belfast Township. in the same county, where he continued to reside until his death. Ile was a Re- publiean and a member of the Order of Red Men and the Junior Order of United American Me- chanies. Religiously he was a Baptist of the old school and was very striet and upright in his con- duet. Ilis wife was Mehitable (Tanner) Reeder, by whom he had two sons and two daughters: Milton T., our subject; Sarah A., Mrs. Stotz, of Marietta, Lancaster County; Mary C. and Jacob T., of Marietta. The father of these children was called from life when in his sixty-eighth year.
Dr. Milton T. Reeder was born January 9, 1848, at Clear Spring, Washington County, Md., and re- ceived his elementary education in the schools of Fulton County. Later he attended the County Nor- mal School at McConnellsburg and for three years studied higher mathematics and the languages under the tutelage of Prof. Charles A. Douglas, a graduate of Yale. In 1880 our subject graduated from the Bellevue Medical College of New York City, after having pursued the required course of study. He immediately entered upon his profes- sional career at Millersville, which has since been his field of work. During the fourteen years that have sinee elapsed he has acquired an en viable reputation as a man of ability in his line, and his practice, which is large and lucrative, is constantly increasing. A man of much more than the ordi- nary intelligence and information, he is a ready and interesting conversationalist and writer, and his contributions to medieal periodicals and to the science are looked for and read with eagerness by hosts of his admirers and friends, who are seat- tered all through the country. Fraternally he
holds membership with Harrisonville Lodge No. 710, 1. O. O. F.
On the 16th of April, 1885, Dr. Reeder was mar- ried to Miss Mary E., daughter of John Lenhardt, who is a farmer and cooper of this county. Mrs. Reeder, a lady of culture and refinement, graduated from the Millersville State Normal in the Class of '77. The Doctor and his wife have many friends in this locality and are very popular in social circles.
1 OIIN II. JORDAN, whose sketch we now have the pleasure of presenting, is the only safe expert in the city of Lancaster. Ile is carrying on a lock and blacksmithing estab- lishment, manufactures iron ladles and does gen- eral jobbing, making the repairing of safes a spe- eialty. His honored father, W. II. Jordan, who fought bravely as a Union soldier during the late war, was of Seoteh-Irish ancestry and was orphaned by his father's death when he was an infant. After having completed his apprenticeship to the lock- smith's trade under a Mr. Bush, he located in Lan- easter, where he was successfully engaged in the manufacture of German locks until his decease. This event occurred in 1876, when in his fifty- second year. Ile was a Democrat in politics and popular in his neighborhood. Ile married Sabina Wise, a native of this county, who departed this life when our subjeet was only four years of age.
During the late war W. II. Jordan served in Company A, Seventy-ninth Pennsylvania Infantry, for eighteen months. He participated in many of the hard fought battles of that period, performing the duties of a private in a most praiseworthy manner. Ile was an active member of George H. Thomas Post No. 84, G. A. R., during the remain- der of his life.
The original of this sketeli was the eldest of the parental family, comprising three children, one of whom is now deceased. Henry II. is engaged in the laundry business on East King Street in this
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city. John II. was born in Lancaster October 14, 1855, and when a lad of fourteen years began learning the trade of a locksmith under the in- struction of his father and Henry Young, who was his partner. Later he worked as a journeyman in this city and Philadelphia, and in 1882 purchased Mr. Young's interest and he has since successfully conducted the business alone. He does light black- smith work, has two fires and employs several men. As before stated, he is the only safe expert in the eity and thus is always kept busy.
The marriage of our subject with Miss Rachel, daughter of John Keys, was celebrated in this eity in the fall of 1876. Mrs. Jordan was born in Philadelphia and is a well educated and a most es- timable lady. ller father served during the late war in a Pennsylvania Regiment and was killed at the battle of Weldon Railroad. lle was a very large, strong man and stood six feet two and one- half inehes.
To Mr. and Mrs. Jordan there were born three children: William D., engaged in the dry-goods business; Clara L. and John II. Our subjeet and his family oceupy a comfortable residence at No. 333 Chester Street. The former is a member in good standing of the Trinity Lutheran Church. Ile is a Knight of Pythias, belonging to Lodge No. 88, and in politics is a stanch Democrat.
A MOS D. AILES, Superintendent of the Conestoga Cork Works, is the oldest prae- tical cork man in Laneaster. Ile was born in the city of Fairfield, Laneaster County, April 14, 1842. Ilis father, Amos Ailes, was born in the same place. The grandfather, Amos, a farmer by occupation, was of Seoteh-Irish deseent, and a soldier in the War of 1812. Our subject's father was a blacksmith in his younger days, but later in life removed to a farm in Fulton Township. ITis
mother, Margaret Cline Wenditz, was born in Strasburg, of German descent, and died at Lan- easter, aged seventy-two years. Amos D. is one of a family of ten children, six of whom are now living. Isaac was in a Maryland battery during the Civil War and now resides at Lancaster. Our subject was the oldest child; he was reared on a farm, obtained his education at the public schools, and in August, 1862, enlisted as a member of the Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, being in Com- pany C. He was mustered in at Philadelphia and belonged to the Army of the Potomac, and partici- pated in the Shenandoah Valley campaign. He was taken prisoner at Fisher's Hill with ten others of his regiment and sent to Libby Prison. After enduring the terrible hardships in that prison for six weeks, he was sent to Belle Isle, and after two weeks was paroled, and finally exchanged. Ile then joined his regiment at Winchester. After Grant took command he was at the front until Lee's surrender, when he was sent to Raleigh, N. C., to help General Sherman and was mustered out in August, 1865, after which he took a course in Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College at Phil- adelphia. The next eighteen months of his life were spent as a traveling salesman for a drug house. Ile traveled by team through Missouri. In 1868 he was married at Kansas City, Mo., to Miss Flor- enee V. Rayel, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Rayel, who owned a plantation in Tennessee. After his engagement on the road, he returned to Seda- lia, Mo., near which place lie engaged in farming, and there remained until 1873. He then returned to Laneaster, and two years later embarked in the eork business with a Mr. Cadwell, for whom he kept books two years, and then went out as a trav- eling salesman, continuing at this for seven years during which time he traveled and kept the books for the concern. In 1882 the business was de stroyed by fire, but the good will of the coneern was sold to Gideon Arnold, and our subjeet was employed as Superintendent and lead bookkeeper. The works now employ one hundred and seventy hands and is a very successful plant. Our sub- jeet has erected two fine residenees on North Lime Street, and one near North Dnke Street. Mr. and Mrs. Ailes are the parents of two children, Robert,
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a bookkeeper in Philadelphia, and Stella B., Mrs. Edge, of Atlantic City, N. J. Mr. Ailes is an hon- ored member of Herschel Lodge, I. O. O. F., the Royal Areanum, the Artisans and the Ancient Or- der of United Workmen. Politically, he is a Re- publican and an active participant in local and state politics.
D R. H. D. KNIGHT, a well known dentist of Lancaster, was born in Herkimer Coun- ty, N. Y., November 16, 1833, the son of Rev. Joshua Knight, a native of Connecticut, and the grandson of David Knight, who was of old Puritan stock. Rev. Mr. Knight was graduated at Carlisle, Pa., and was pastor of the Congre- gational Church of Sherburne, from which place he went to Herkimer County, and in 1840 removed to Rome, N. Y. For a time he conducted a drug business. lle was of English and Scotch ancestry, and died at the age of eighty-two years.
The first wife of Rev. Mr. Knight was Amanda Taleutt, and by that union eight children were born. His second wife, our subject's mother, was Polly Kenyon, a native of Connecticut, who died at the age of forty-seven years. This marriage was blessed with four children, of which only one survives. Reared in Vienna, N. Y., our subject remained on the farm until twenty years of age. Ile was educated in Adams Academy, Jefferson County, N. Y., and in 1854 began the study of dentistry at U'tica, N. Y., under Dr. Alvin Blakesley, with whom he remained about three years. After this he remained awhile in Chicago and then set- tled at Roekton, Ill., where he practiced his pro- fession.
In 1860 Dr. Knight removed to Burlington, Wis., where he practiced until he enlisted as a soldier in the Union cause under Col. E. L. Butrick, of Milwaukee, becoming a member of Company D, Thirty-ninth Wisconsin Infantry. Ilis time of service was spent principally at Memphis, Tenn.,
and he took part in the famous raid of General Forrest. He was mustered out in October and again resumed the practice of his profession, which he pursued until his health failed, when he sold out.
In 1868 Dr. Knight went to Elgin, Ill., to work in the watch factory, where he remained seven years in the capacity of assistant foreman in the jewel- ing department. September 16, 1875, he came to Lancaster, where he was engaged for three years with the Adams & Perry Watch Co., but six months later the works shut down. Hle then resumed pro- fessional work. In 1878 he established an office for himself on North Queen Street, and later re- moved to No. 334 North Queen Street, where he is now located. Ilis charming home residence is at No. 130 East Chestnut Street. He has a large, lu- erative practice and stands high among his fellow- men. Ile is one of the Directors of the Lancaster General Hospital, belongs to the Executive Com- mittee and is one of the charter members.
The Doctor was married in Beloit, Wis., to Miss Hannah Scoville, who was born in Canada; her parents, however, were from New York State. She died in Lancaster, after which our subjeet married Miss Emily C., daughter of the late George Al- bright. Our subject is a member of George HI. Thomas Post No. 81, and is its surgeon. Ile is a consistent member of St. John's Lutheran Church, and was a member of the Board of Trustees for some three years. lle belongs to the Harris Den- tal Association, and politically is a stalwart Re- publican.
EORGE A. MARSIIALL, senior member of the wholesale and retail hardware firm of Marshall & Rengier, who established them- selves in business in 1873, was born in Lancaster July 7, 1847, and was reared and educated in the city of his birth. When thirteen years of age lie commenced to learn the hardware trade with Stein- man & Co., with whom he remained thirteen years, becoming head salesman. In 1873 Mr. Marshall, to- gether with Albert S. Rengier, left the employment of George M. Steinman & Co., hardware dealers,
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and started the business at its present location, which from a small beginning has, through the per- sistence and good business management of its pro- prietors, grown to its present proportions. They now have a building 32x140 feet in size, three stories high, with a warehouse 32x60 feet, two stories high, located at Nos. 9 and 11 South Queen Street.
Our subject was married October 30, 1879, at Lancaster to Miss Maria L. Good, a native of Lan- caster County. She is a daughter of John B. Good, an attorney. By this marriage two children have been born, Ella M. and Clara C. Mr. Mar- shall is a member of the Frec & Accepted Masons, as well as of the chapter and commandery, and is Pastmaster of all the chairs. Ile also belongs to the Odd Fellows' order and to the Knights of Pythas. He was a member of the building com- mittee that constructed the first Methodist Church edifice, which cost 883,000. Ile is active in church and Sunday-school work, and was librarian for ten years. Politically he is a Republican.
It may be added that the Good family came to Weaverland in 1734 from Germany, and were Mennonites. There were two brothers, JJacob and Christian Good. The latter reared a family of seventeen children, six sons and eleven daughters; one of these sons, Jacob, was the grandfather of John B. Good. The latter was born in Breeknock Township; he was elected Justice of the Peace in the spring of 1847, and was twice re-elected. Ile was also a surveyor, and followed that until he located in Lancaster in the spring of 1858. Ile also practiced law during the last years of his life.
T HOMAS PENDERGAST is the proprietor of the American Horological Institute, a technical school, which has a strong staff of instructors and is one of the important local in- dustries of Lancaster. It was established many years ago in Philadelphia, and its reputation as a mechanical training school in its specialties is established all over the country. Our subject is
at the head of the institution, but prior to taking charge of it was Superintendent of a large watch factory.
Our subjeet was born in Boston, Mass., April 23, 1847, and is the son of Pierce Pendergast, also a native of that state, and in turn the son of John Pendergast, who was born in Ireland. He was an Orangeman, and upon emigrating to the United States located where now stands South Boston, Mass., where he carried on farm pursuits. In religion he was a consistent member of the Pres- byterian Church. The father of our subject is now living in Common wealth, a suburb of Boston, where he was the proprietor of a fine market until his decease in 1855. Ile married Miss Catherine Burke, born near South Adams, Mass., and the daughter of Edward Burke, a native of Ireland. Mrs. Pendergast is still living, making her home in Watertown, Mass. She too is a member of the Presbyterian Church and is seventy-eight years of age.
The parental family of our subject included five children, all of whom are living, and Thomas was the eldest but one. James served during the late war as a member of the Forty-fourth Massachu- setts Infantry; he is now living in Chicago, Ill., and is a retired manufacturer. Pierce B., Jr., an- other son, is a commission merchant in Boston; Frank is also engaged in that business in the same city, and Mary, the only daughter, is the wife of James MeDonald, of Boston.
The original of this sketch received his educa- tion in the public schools of his native city, and in August, 1864, ran away from home and enlisted in Company K, Fifth Massachusetts Infantry, as a drummer boy. In that capacity he participated in the battles of Kingston, N. C., Whitehall and Goldsboro. In the latter battle he was wounded by a musket ball and was only enabled to crawl off the field, where he was picked up by the ambulance and conveyed to the hospital. In July, 1865, he was honorably discharged, and returning home, was nursed back to health by his good mother.
When fully recovered, young Pendergast ap- prenticed himself to learn the watchmaker's trade, receiving for his first pay fifty cents per week. In 1867 he went to Elgin, Ill., where he entered the
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watch factory, receiving for his salary 875 per month. His ability was soon recognized, and be- fore long he was placed in charge of a department employing four hundred and twenty men. In 1879 Mr. Pendergast went to Rockford, Ill., and for two years was foreman of the jewel and en- ' graving departments of the factory there.
In 1881 the original of this sketch came to Lancaster, where he was soon offered the position of foreman of the engraving department of the Laneaster Watch Company, and in 1892 was given entire charge of the Keystone Watch Company, superintending the same until it was closed in 1893. That year our subject went to Philadel- phia, and buying ont the Horologieal Institute, moved it to this city and has since conducted it successfully, having as many as sixty pupils. It occupies large, well ventilated quarters, wherein the students are taught watchmaking, engraving, jewelry manufacturing, watch repairing, etc. An important department connected with the insti- tute is the teaching of optical science, and not a few of the students have added this to their other branches. The discipline is as strict as in any other school or college, and the instructors are the best to be found anywhere.
Our subject, who has had twenty years' experi- enee in the great Elgin and Waltham factories, ex- ercises a careful supervision over the institute. lle is the Dean of the faculty, the Principal of the school and undoubtedly the best instructor in the country. Ilis skill as an engraver and watch- maker is unrivaled, and many beautiful specimens of his work are evidence of this fact. Of the eight institutions of the kind in America, the American Horological is known as the "Old Re- liable," and under its present management its fu- ture promises to be a brilliant one.
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