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 50
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the Masonic Lodge in 1839, he is its oldest mem- ber, and at the time that the half century was up he received a medal of honor, the only other per- son to be so remembered in this district being Christian Widmyer. Our subject is also connected with Monterey Lodge No. 242, I. O. O. F .; he was at one time active in all the temperance societies and formerly was Treasurer of the Shoemakers' Association. For the past fifteen years he has been President of the Ilome Mutual Life Insurance Company.
William II. Gast, the son of Christian and Maria
and attended the public schools until reaching bis sixteenth year, when he was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade, and also started to learn the calling of a shoemaker. The war coming on, he enlisted April 19, 1861, in Company K, First Penn- sylvania Regiment, under General Patterson and Captain Hembright. He was sent to Virginia and was discharged just before the battle of Bull Run, returning from his three months' service in com- pany with Edward Duckmiller, also of this city. They had both contracted the typhoid fever, and the unfortunate comrade of Mr. Gast died the next day after his return home. After his recovery, young William re-enlisted for nine months in Com- pany F, One Hundred and Twenty-second Regi- ment, and was assigned to the Third Division, Third Brigade, Third Army Corps, and took part in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Chantilly and several other engagements. After serving his full time he was mustered out at Ilar- risburg, May 16, 1863, after which for some time he worked at the shoemaker's trade, but his health failed him for a time, and then once more he became a soldier in the ranks. enlisting for three years' service February 2, 1864, in the Ileavy Artillery, Third Pennsylvania Regiment, being placed in General Butler's Eleventh Army Corps. Mr. Gast took part in the first expedition against Fts. Fisher and Clifton, on the Appomattox River, and took part in many small engagements, his duties being to keep the James, York, Appomattox and other rivers open for emergencies. Later his brigade was placed on guard duty at Fortress Monroe, where they had under their charge Davis,
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Mitchell and Clay, and at that place he was mus- tered out. July 11. 1865.
The first business venture of William II. Gast, after his return from the south was as a grocer at Mt. Joy, where he remained for three years. At the end of that time he returned to Lancaster, being employed by his father in the boot and shoe business, and had much of the responsibility of the concern upon his shoulders until 1879. when he succeeded to the whole plant. The fac- tory was removed to No. 19 North Queen Street, four years later to No. 105 North Queen Street, and in 1890 to No. 123 North Queen Street. where it has been ever since. This industry is one of the oldest in the city and a considerable fortune is being acquired from the trade by the proprietor.
In June. 1862, Wilham HI. Gast married Susan Deitrich, by whom he had the following children: Harry C .. Charles E .. Bertha. William S .. Harvey and Margie, all of whom are unmarried with the exception of the eldest. A Republican in politics, Mr. Gast is a Grand Army man, belonging to George H. Thomas Post No. 184. Succeeding his father, he became Treasurer of the Mechanics' Li- brary, of which he is still a member, and religious- ly belongs to St. Paul's German Reformed Church.
II GILLIAM NICHOLS AMER. There are few men of the present day more worthy of honorable mention than the subject of this sketch. who is one of the oldest and leading dentists in the city of Lancaster, where he has been engaged in business since April 1, 1856.
A native of Philadelphia. our subject was born August 19, 1834. and is the son of John Amer, also born in the Quaker City, where he was en- gaged as a manufacturer of silk hats. Hle is now living retired in New Brunswick, N. J., and in May of this year reached his eighty-sixth year. lle is a devoted member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, and a man prominent and active in
all good works. Ilis wife, who prior to her mar- riage was Ann Donahue, was also born in Philadel- phia, and departed this life in 1861.
The parental family of our subject numbered eleven children. eight of whom grew to mature years. and seven are still living. William N. was the third in order of birth, and passed the first ten years of his life in his native eity, when he re- moved to Boston, Mass., where his unele. Dr. Nichols, who was a prominent dentist, was living. Ile remained with him for many years, complet- ing his edueation in the high school of Roxbury, Mass., and then took up the profession of den- tistry as his life work. In the meantime his fa- ther had located in Laneaster, and joining him shortly afterward, he commenced hisstudies in the office of Dr. Wayland, the leading practitioner in the city, with whom he remained for five years, first as a pupil. later as assistant.
April 1, 1856, our subject started in business for himself on the southeast corner of North Queen and Orange Streets, where he remained for twelve years, in the meantime building up a large and lu- erative practice. In 1888, however, he purchased his present office. He is a talented dentist, and ranks high in his profes-ion.
May 29, 1856, Dr. Amer and Miss Elizabeth S., daughter of John G. Cooper, were united in mar- riage. Mrs. Amer was born in this eity, where her father was one of the old and prominent mer- chants. She is a lady of fine education. and by her union with our subject has become the mother of two children: Ernest C., engaged in the freight department of the Pennsylvania Railroad; and Bertha I., at home with her parents.
Socially the Doctor is a Mason of high standing, and is Past Master of Lamberton Lodge No. 476, which he has also served as Secretary for ten years. In religious affairs Dr. Amer is a devoted member of the Moravian Church, and in polities is a straightforward Republican, having cast his first vote for John C. Fremont. Our subjeet is al. ways ready to assist in all progressive movements and enterprises of merit, and is widely known as an earnest and publie-spirited citizen. In 1867 he was prominent in the organization of the Ilar- ris Dental Association of this city, of which he was
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Secretary, and at one time President. Ile was also instrumental in founding the State Dental Assoeia- tion in Philadelphia, although he is not now con- nected with it. The Doctor is one of the original members and organizers of the old Empire Hook and Ladder Company of Lancaster, and filled the office of Vice-President for fourteen years. or un- til it was merged into a salaried department.
R EV. CLARENCE E. EBERMAN is pastor of the Moravian Church of Lancaster. and is President of the Moravian Christian Endeavor Union for England and America. lle is a native of Pennsylvania, having been born in Bethlehem, July 17, 1863, and comes from one of the best old families in this section of the state. The founder of the Eberman branch in America came from Germany in 1732, this man, Johannas, being the great-great-grandfather of our subject. llis grandfather, the next in descent, William, a missionary of the Moravian Church, was born m this eity, and was sent to Santa Cruz, West Indies. where he remained for several years. On his re- turn to this city he occupied a prominent position in church circles, and had charge of church prop- erty at Lititz and Nazareth.
The father of our subject, Jacob F. Eberman, was born in the West Indies, and studied for the ministry, but on account of poor health was obliged to abandon that vocation. Turning his at- tention to another trade, he resided in Bethlehem, in which city his death occurred in 1879, when in his fifty-fourth year. Ilis wife, formerly Cordelia Warner, was born in Bethlehem, and was of Scotch- Irish descent. She was a daughter of John, and grand-daughter of Massah Warner, both likewise natives of the Keystone State. The latter was a ferryman on the Lehigh River before the bridge was constructed at Bethlehem. John Warner was the first manufacturer of combs in that place, and carried on the business successfully for years. To
Mr. and Mrs. JJacob Eberman were born three chil- dren, of whom C. E. is the second. The mother is still living, her home being at Carbondale.
The boyhood of Clarence Eberman was passed in the town where his birth occurred, and there his early education was obtained. In 1878 he was graduated from Nazareth Ilall, and soon after- wards became a student in the Moravian College of Bethlehem, from which he was graduated in 1884 with the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Divinity. The same year he was ordained in Staten Island by Bishop Reinke, and For five years was as- sistant pastor of the Moravian Church on that is- land. In 1889 he became minister in the Jay Street Moravian Church of Brooklyn, N. Y. While there he served as Secretary of the Sunday Observance Association, and with A. C. Dixon and others did valiant service in city missionary work. In Sep- tember. 1893, Mr. Eberman was called to take charge of his present congregation, and his time is more than full in meeting the pressing demands upon him in the work relating thereto. His ability is thoroughly recognized, and he has a good repu- tation as a lecturer on social purity and kindred topies. Ile is one of the representative men of his church in Christian Endeavor work, and has attended the conventions of that organization of late years. Ile is President of the Endeavor Union for America and England in his denomination, and is greatly interested in the success of the so- ciety.
The church of which Mr. Eberman is now pastor is one of the oldest in the state, as it was formed about the middle of the last century. Count Zinzendorf, then the head of the Unitas Fratrum, on his visit to America in 1742 came to this coun- ty, preaching at Lititz and in the old court house of this city. Ile was asked to send a regular preacher of his denomination and accordingly Rev. Jacob Lischy preached frequently here dur- ing the following year. In 1744 a Lutheran minis- ter of Lancaster was authorized to preach to the Moravians, and this be did until 1746. This pas- tor, Rev. Laurence T. Nyberg, eventually be- came a minister in the Moravian Church. An ef- fort was made to unite all the German speaking Protestants in the state into an Evangelical alliance
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at this time, but this idea was finally abandoned. At one of the sessions held by the Moravians in the old court house a mob assailed the assembly with a shower of stones, but Bishop Stangenberg, who was presiding, rose and offered a fervent and touching prayer in behalf of their enemies, and the mob dispersed, ashamed and abashed. The same year, 1745, the congregation was organized, and instead of building upon the valuable land which they owned at the corner of Prince Street and Marion Alley, they bought property on Orange Street, and there erected a plain stone building. The other land was afterwards converted into a graveyard, which purpose it still serves. The first resident pastor was Rev. Leonard Schnell, who came in 1748, and the same year Rev. Richard Utley also worked with the congregation. The church constantly grew in numbers and strength, many of the oldest and most highly respected citizens joining it, and from that day until the present its membership has ranked high in the community. It was not until 1829. under the pastorate of Rev. Charles F. Reichel, that wor- ship was conducted exclusively in the English language. In 1820 the old stone church was torn down on account of being too small, and the brick edifice that is now standing was built upon the same site. The original corner stone, curiously wrought and quaintly ornamented, was carefully preserved and incorporated in the present structure. The old stone parsonage was left standing and was used as a pastor's residence, lecture room and parochial school until 1852. About 1868 the church was again enlarged, the interior entirely remodeled, new pews and pulpit replacing the old ones; stained glass windows were put in, a new or- gan, a donation from George K. Reed and still in use, placed in the building, and many other im- provements made. In 1879 still later and more modern ideas were carried into effect, the pews were upholstered, and many convenient and orna- mental features were introduced.
All departments of the Moravian Church are in a most flourishing condition, and special atten- tion is paid by the officers to the Sunday-school. Mr. Eberman is a strong temperance man, and his voice is always to be heard on the side of pro-
gressive movements. He is a good speaker, hav- ing a pleasing delivery and manner, which readily chain the attention and interest of his hearers. Ilis worthy wife is a faithful helpmate and of great assistance to him in every way. In the free kindergarten she takes a prominent and inter- ested part, and to her is due a large measure of the success which it has attained.
OHN B. KENDIG, one of the heavy com tractors of Lancaster, will form the subject of the following notice. He was born June 9, 1856, in the city of Laneaster, which was his father's native town as well. His grandfather, Martin Kendig, was a hotel keeper and was of Ger- man descent. Our subject's father was a successful farmer located near the city, and later in life fol- lowed excavating and the construction of sewers, which he followed until his death, in 1884, when he was sixty-two years of age. Our subject's mother's maiden name was Eliza Bachman; she was also a native of Lancaster, and was the mother of six children, four of whom are living, our subject being the eldest son. John B. was reared on a farm: near Rawlinsville and remained there until sixteen years of age, assisting his father and at- tending the common schools until he attained his majority, and after his father's death continued the business of contractor at Lancaster, where he built a large amount of sewerage. Hle is constantly building and excavating and uses ten thousand perch of stone per year and is noted for his excel- lent work. He employs sixty hands and twenty- five teams and is looked upon as the largest con- tractor of his kind, doing the principal work of the city of Lancaster.
Mr. Kendig was umted in marriage at Lancaster in 1882 with Miss Lizzie Brill, a native of Lancaster, daughter of Martin Brill, a contractor and builder, who was born in Germany. At one time her par- ents conducted the Lambe Hotel on South Queen
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Street. Ile died in 1859, aged thirty-four years. Mrs. Kendig's mother's maiden name was Char- lotte lledrick, a native of Germany, who died a year after her husband's death. They were the par- ents of three children, two of whom are living: Catherine, Mrs. Daniel Clemmens, of Lancaster, and Mrs. Kendig. Our subject and his wife are the parents of three children: Lottie, Daisy and Wal- ter. Politically, Mr. Kendig is a Republican. The family attend the Trinity Lutheran Church. of which our subject's wife is an acceptable member.
OLOMON R. MOSS is one of the worthy German-American citizens of Lancaster, having his business headquarters at the corner of Prince and Lemon Streets, a very desir- able location. Ile is a gentleman of more than ns- ual financial ability, and during the fifteen years that he has been in the wholesale tobacco trade has built upa wide reputation for superior goods and excellent business methods, and has always had more orders than he could fill.
S. R. Moss is one of four children born to Isaac Moss, of Germany. lle was born in Prussia. in May, 1852, and received his education in the pub- lic schools of Frankfort. His brothers, Sigmond and llerman, also live in Lancaster and are en- gaged in business with their brother. In 1872, then twenty years of age, he came to the United States, and for a time was a clerk in a dry goods house of New York City, but soon became travel- ing salesman for several of the largest tobacco houses of the metropolis. After becoming con- versant with the trade, he was for eight years en- gaged in the manufacture of cigars, in Altoona, Pa., and was quite successful in the enterprise. In 1889 Mr. Moss came to Lancaster and has since been en- gaged as a manufacturer of cigars and dealer in leaf tobacco. llis manufactory employs five hun- dred hands and is one of the largest houses in this state. The business of this house amounts to over
$1,000,000 per year. Owing to the phenomenal growth of the business, Mr. Moss is now building a factory, 65x 145 feet in dimensions and six stories in height, which will be completed by JJanuary 1. 1895. and with this increased capacity will find it necessary to employ over eight hundred persons. This will be the largest factory in the United States and only the best grades of cigars will be made. For some years his factory has been at Nos. 36 and 38 West Lemon Street and at Nos. 409 to 415 Lancaster Avenue. The tobacco ware- house No. 7 is on the Harrisburg Pike, and was formerly ocenpied by J. G. Zook. The agents employed by Mr. Moss sell goods manufactured by him from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans, and as the cigars made by this firm give universal satisfaction, the duplicate orders received for the products of his establishment are beyond compre- hension.
In 1881 Mr. Moss married Miss S. E. Ryder, of New Haven, Conn., and they have two children: Lester R. and Albert C. In politics Mr. Moss is a stanch Republican. He is also interested in a number of other enterprises and owns various other pieces of property in different parts of the state. Since coming to Lancaster he has purchased a beautiful residence, in which he resides, at No. 709 North Duke Street. Ilis fine business ability is manifested by the proportions to which his trade has grown, and his customers know that they may uniformly rely upon his integrity and good judg- ment.
OHIN I1. BAUMGARDNER is General Man- ager, Secretary and Treasurer of the Lancas- ter Gas, Light and Fuel Company, and is also junior member of the firm of Baumgard- ner & Co., dealers in coal. Our subject is a prac- tical and enterprising commercial man, who has been very successful in the management of his business affairs and is prominent in local circles. As a politician he ranks high with the Republicans, who place great confidence in his ability and in-
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tegrity. For ten terms he has been elected to the Common Couneil from the Sixth Ward, and for one year served as President. During this time he has served on many of the most important com- mittees, and was a member of the Special Water Committee while the new plant was being con- structed. Hle bears a good record as a Council- man, having been longer a servant of the public in that capacity than any other in the city, and his career has shown the wisdom of his constituents in making him their choice.
A native of Lancaster, our subject was born April 23, 1813, and was reared in this place, where he attended the public schools. In 1861 he grad- uated from the high school, after which he entered the Polytechnic College of Philadelphia, pursuing a course in mechanical engineering, and after completing the same received the degree of Me- chanical Engineer upon his graduation in 1863. Going into the machine shops of Bennett & Daugh- erty, in Philadelphia, he worked as a tool manu- facturer for the succeeding two years, and thence removing to Scranton, worked for some time there at his trade.
Coming to Lancaster about 1866, Mr. Baum- gardner engaged in the coal business until the gas company was formed in 1876, and from the start was actively interested in the work. lle su- perintended the building of the plant and assisted in placing the machinery. This company is famous as being the first to manufacture water gas to any extent in the United States. The buildings are at the foot of Andrew Street, where the company owns about four acres. The three large tanks and machinery have a capacity of five hundred thou- sand cubic feet of gas per day, and their pipes reach all parts of the city. In 1881 this company bought out the Lancaster Gas Company, and they now have a capital stock of $200,000 as incorporated. The coal office of the Baumgardner Company is at No. 129 North Queen Street and they have an ex- tensive trade.
In 1875 a marriage was celebrated in this city by which Miss Florine Meixell became the wife of our subject. She was born in this city and is a daughter of Andrew Meixell, who is in the freight department of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Three
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Baumgardner, namely: Thomas, Susan and John. The family residence, at No. 139 East Walnut Street, was erected by our subject and is a commodious and pleasant home. Socially he is a member of Lam- berton Lodge No. 476, F. & A. M., and is a mem- ber of St. John's Lutheran Church, being Presi- dent of the Board of Trustees and a member of the Building Committee. The father of our subject, Thomas Baumgardner, a native of York County, Pa .. is represented elsewhere in this volume, as is also his brother llenry, a member of the coal firm. Mr. Baumgardner was one of the incorporators of the present street railway system, which was incor- porated in 1884. He served as the first Treasurer of the company and built the first street railway of the Lancaster City Street Railway Company.
II WILLIAM D. SPRECHER is probably the oldest business man of Lancaster, and came here when the place num- bered barely eight thousand inhabitants. He has a very pleasant substantial brick residence at No. 519 North Duke Street, and owns much valuable real estate in this city and county. His business location is at No. 31 East King Street, where he started in the farm and implement trade in 1859 on a small scale, and has gradually increased his quarters as his trade has continued to enlarge. At the end of two years he built an addition of seventy feet, one story in height; some time later he built a warehouse two stories in height, and has since at different times also extended his es- tablishment. He now occupies a plant 32x245 feet in dimensions, four floors, and a small fifth story 32x70 feet in dimensions. In the various depart- ments of his business, employment is given to eight clerks, and two delivery wagons are kept con- stantly in the service. Besides dealing in all kinds
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of agricultural implements and farmers' supplies, he makes a specialty of field and garden seeds.
The Sprecher family is of German descent, and they have long been numbered among the pioneers of this county. George, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was born at New Holland, but his father emigrated from Germany to this country in company with two brothers, and became the owner of twelve hundred acres of land in Virginia, while the others settled in Lebanon County. Five of his sons became preachers and distinguished them- selves in the Lutheran Church. The grandfather of our subject purchased a large tract of land in New Holland Township, only three aeres of which had been cleared, and there he continued to reside until his death. He was a Whig, and like his fore- fathers, was a great worker in the Lutheran Church. Ile was married and had a family of ten children : William, Solomon, Lewis, George, John, Philip and three daughters. The father of these children died when in his eighty-fifth year.
Philip Sprecher, the father of our subjeet, was born and reared on his father's farm in New Ilol- land Township, and in turn became an agrieultur- ist, having from boyhood been familiar with farm work. In time he became the owner of two farms comprising about two hundred and ten acres, and was very successful in running the same. On ar- riving at man's estate he married Miss Rachael Diller, who died when her son, our subject, was only seven years of age, and he was therefore sent to his grandfather's to reside. He was born March 28, 1828, in New Ilolland, where he received his early education. When quite a young lad he en-
tered a hardware store and engaged in business at the age of fourteen years, as a member of the firm of George D. Sprecher & Bro. For a number of years they carried on trade at the large store now occupied by Reilly Bros. & Raub on Queen Street, but sold out in 1859. At that time our subject started the business which he has ever since carried on at his present location.
Mr. Sprecher owns a farm of two hundred and thirty-four acres in Pequea Township, where a spe- cialty is made of raising hay, and sometimes eigh- ty-eight acres are devoted to that product. About fifty acres of land are valuable on account of the
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limestone deposits, and the farm is one of the best in the locality. As a stockholder in the Strasburg Pike and one of the original promoters of the Street Car Railway in Lancaster, a stockholder in the Farmers' National Bank of Lancaster, as well as in many other enterprises, Mr. Sprecher has been very prominent for years. Ile first voted for Buchanan and has been a Republican since the or- ganization of the party. Religiously he is a Luth- eran and has been an official member of his church.
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