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 66
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The original of this sketch received his educa-
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tion in the district schools of Manor Township, carrying on his studies until nineteen years of age. After that he was employed for about twelve years with many of the business firms of Colum- bia, and in May, 1890, entered into partnership with C. D. Stoner, the firm name being Stoner & Ilall. They have a fine establishment, three sto- ries in height and 40x160 feet in dimensions; they do an annual business amounting to 830,000. He is well known in business and social circles in the city, where for so many years he has made his home, and in politics is a stanch Republican. He is a member of Eppasop Lodge, No. 213, at Columbia. Religiously he belongs to the Reformed Church, with which he has been connected as one of its most active members for a period of ten years.
The marriage of our subject with Miss Mary, daughter of John Felger, was celebrated January 20, 1877. To them have been born the following named four children: Nora, Blanch, Joseph and John. They are all being well educated and fitted to occupy useful and honorable positions in life.
OIIN II. MYERS. Laneaster County is the home of quite a number of men who were thrown upon their own resources at an early age, and whose natural aptness and energy were strengthened by contact with the world, re- sulting in making their lives more than ordinarily successful in wordly prosperity and in winning re- spect. Among this number is John H. Myers, of Bainbridge, who has won an honorable record as a state official and as a private citizen. lle is at present holding the position of Sergeant at Arms of the Senate, to which office he was elected in 1893.
Mr. Myers is the son of John and Catherine (Hlouek) Myers, and was born in Bambridge, De- eember 27. 1858. His father, who is a native of York County, this state, makes his home in this place, among whose merchants he occupies a promi-
nent place. He is the father of eight children, of whom Melissa is the wife of Hon. W. S. Smith, ex-Senator from Lancaster County, whose sketch will appear on another page in this work. Maggie married Louis Uhland; Viola is the wife of S. B. Trimble; John II., of this sketch, was the next in order of birth; Kate married R. A. Hammond; Emma was married to George Embick; Carrie died at the age of three years, and Grace A., the young- est, became Mrs. Omer Bachman.
The original of this sketch attended school in his native place until a lad of fourteen years, when he went to Marietta and began clerking in a store. He remained there but a short time, however, when he returned home and commenced elerking in a store in this place. Several years thereafter, he entered the establishment of Senator Smith, his brother-in-law, remaining in his employ for four years. His next ocenpation was as traveling sales- man for J. C. Yost & Co., of Philadelphia, in whose interests he worked for twelve months. He then embarked in the bottling business at Bainbridge, under the firm name of Doyle & Myers. The senior member withdrew in 1880, since which time our subjeet has carried on the enterprise alone. He has an extensive trade, running three wagons and shipping to points in York, Dauphin and Lan- easter Counties, also to Philadelphia.
In 1891 Mr. Myers was elected Transcribing Clerk in the Senate at Ilarrisburg, and in 1893 was appointed Sergeant at Arms. He is a Director in the Elizabethtown National Bank, established in that place, which institution he aided in organ- izing, and is also Director in the Bainbridge Ceme- tery Company. Ile is the possessor of a fine farm of ninety-two acres, located one mile from the eity, to whose operation he gives his personal super- vision.
Socially, Mr. Myers belongs to Bainbridge Coun- cil No. 231, A. O. U. W .; Bainbridge Lodge No. 627, I. O. O. F .; Ashara Lodge No. 398, F. & A. M., and Corinthian Chapter No. 224 and Cyrene Com- mandery No. 34, at Columbia. He is very active in these respective orders and has filled many of the chairs in the same.
The marriage of our subjeet with Miss Jennie. daughter of Bernard Doyle, was celebrated Febru-
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ary 9, 1879. Their union has been blessed by the birth of two children: Bernard Joy and Nellie J., the latter of whom died in 1890, at the age of four years. Mr. Myers is a thorough business man, and being a genial, affable gentleman, is very popular throughout the entire county.
J ACOB HIALBACH. Among the popular and well-to-do citizens of Lancaster is this gentle- man, whose birth occurred within its limits in 1838, and whose life from boyhood has been passed almost uninterruptedly in this place. At the present time he is Alderman from the Sec- ond Ward, and is Secretary of the City Board of Ilealtlı. A very active Republican, he is highly esteemed by the other workers in the party, and for a year, in 1883, was Chairman of the City Com- mittee, in addition to which he has served on the Executive Committee. During the late War of the Rebellion he shouldered the rifle and went forth to do valiant service in the defense of the Union. Under President Grant's administration he was Clerk in the Postotlice in Lancaster, and for thir- teen years was Superintendent of the City Water Works.
The paternal grandfather of our subject was John P. Ilalbach, a native of Germany, who left the Fatherland and located in Lancaster on coming to the New World, and in time was the owner of considerable property. His son, Gotlieb, the father of our subject, was brought by his parents to the United States when only two years old. Ilis birth occurred in Remshilid, Germany, and on attaining suitable years he was set to work at learning the shoemaker's trade. For years thereafter, he oper- ated a successful business as a boot and shoe man in Lancaster, where his death occurred when he had reached the age of fifty-two years. Religiously he was a member of the German Reformed Church. On choosing his helpmate for life, he married Miss Mary Wilhelm, who was born in Lancaster, being
the daughter of one of its pioneers and respected citizens, John Wilhelm. Seven children resulted from this marriage, and of that number two sons and two daughters are now living. Will- iam A. enlisted in Company C, Seventy-ninth Pennsylvania Regiment, and was killed in the first battle of Perryville, during the War of the Rebel- lion. The devoted wife and mother departed this life in Lancaster about 1851, leaving many warm friends to mourn her loss.
Jacob Halbach is next to the youngest child in his parents' family and spent his boyhood in at- tendance on the public schools of Lancaster. When his mother died. which event occurred when he was only thirteen years of age, he was apprenticed to learn the blacksmith's trade in the Lancaster Loco- motive Works. When they closed he went to Philadelphia and for a year worked for I. P. Mor- ris & Co. Subsequently he was employed at other points and then returned to work in the Lancaster Locomotive Works, where he was at the time of the breaking out of the war. In 1862 he enlisted as a member of Company H, One Hundred and Twenty-second Pennsylvania Regiment, in the nine months' service, and was at once sent to the south. After participating in important battles at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, as well as in engagements of minor consequence. he was mus- tered out, and in the year 1864 re-enlisted, being assigned to Company C, One Hundred and Ninety- seventh Pennsylvania Infantry, as First Sergeant. Being sent to Rock Island, Ill .. he was placed on guard duty until November of the same year, when he was finally mustered out of service.
Subsequently Mr. Ilalbach continued at his trade in the locomotive works of Lancaster, and also turned his attention to various other enterprises for several years. For two years he was Clerk of the Postoffice and afterwards was Superintendent of the water works, during which time the new pumping station was erected. In 1888 he was elected on the Republican ticket as Alderman and was re-elected in the spring of 1893. Ilis business ottice is at the corner of Grant and North Duke Streets, while his residence is situated at No. 111 North Plum Street.
In 1865 in this city occurred the union of Mr.
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Ilalbach and Emma J. St. Clair, a native of this county, as was also her father, John St. Clair. To our worthy subject and his wife were born the following children: Harry L., a tinsmith by trade; Charles, who is a machinist; Jay Iloward, a plumber, and Frank Perry and Clarence, who are at school. Fraternally Mr. Halbach belongs to Lodge No. 476, F. & A. M., and is a Royal Arch Mason and a Knight Templar. He also belongs to George II. Thomas Post No. 84, G. A. R. As a member of the Board of Health, all records of contagious and other diseases, as well as births and deaths in the city, are recorded at his office and he keeps charge of the records. In religion he is a member of the Reformed Church, and active in its welfare. Be- ing pleasant and genial in his manners he is per- sonally very well liked by all.
A BRAHAM H. SHENCK, proprietor of the Union Roller Mills near Salunga, suc- ceeded his father in this business in 1873 and has since conducted it efficiently and in such a manner as to secure fair pecuniary returns. In 1891 the mills were improved by the introduction of a full set of improved machinery, and the an- nual sales now amount to 820,000. The products are of a superior quality and their reputation among buyers is such that they always find a ready market.
Mr. Shenck has been a lifelong resident of Lan- caster County. Ile was born in Rapho Township, this county, March 4, 1845, the eldest child of Ilenry and Mary (Heistand) Shenck. His paternal grandfather, Jonathan Shenck, was a very pros- perous miller, distiller and farmer of this section, and being a shrewd business man met with success in his enterprises. The products of his farm, mill and distillery were hauled with teams to Philadel- phia and Baltimore, where they were disposed of at fair prices. At his death his son John succeeded to the business and carried it on until 1844, when Henry Shenck bought the property and plants.
Grandfather Shenck married Miss Barbara Herr, sister of the late "King" Christian Herr. She died
in 1863, at the age of eighty-five years. Their children, three in number, were John, deceased; Fannie, the deceased wife of Joseph Hougendobler, who is engaged in the nursery business in Mt. Joy, Lancaster County ; and Henry, our subjeet's father. The last named was born in Rapho Township, Jan- uary 18, 1819, and received his education in the Lititz Academy, conducted by Prof. John Becks. After completing his studies he clerked for a year in a store at Mt. Joy, and was similarly engaged in Philadelphia for the same length of time. On returning to Rapho Township he engaged in farm- ing until 1843, when he succeeded his brother John in the milling business. This he carried on in ad- dition to superintending the management of his farm until 1873, when he retired from business, and taking up his residence in Salunga has since made that place his home. Ile still owns the farm in Rapho Township, which comprises one hundred and twenty acres. For a number of years he was a large stockholder and Director in the Lancaster County Bank and was interested in various other important enterprises in the city. In polities he is a Republican and for several years served as a member of the School Board.
In 1843 Henry Shenck married a daughter of Andrew Heistand, a prominent and well-to-do farmer living near Marietta, this state. They be- came the parents of two sons and one daughter, namely: Abraham II., the eldest born; Barbara, wife of Jacob Weis, of Lebanon, Pa., and Henry Franklin, who died in Chama, N. Mex., February 26, 1882. The wife and mother passed away Feb- ruary 14, 1894, greatly mourned, not alone by hier family, but also by all by whom she was known. She was a true Christian in every sense of the word, and was devoted to the welfare of her hus- band and children.
With the exception of the time spent in school, the subject of this article remained on the home farm until attaining mature years. Ile first at- tended the common schools, afterward was a student in the Lititz Academy, and completed his stud- ies in the Millersville State Normal. During the Civil War he enlisted for service, but on account of his youth his father objected. On returning home from school he remained a short time, then
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enlisted as an emergency man, going as far as Chambersburg with the troops. Later he became a member of Company D, Fiftieth Pennsylvania Infantry and remained with his regiment until honorably discharged at the elose of the Rebellion.
On returning home from the army Mr. Shenck rented the old home farm. the cultivation of which he has since superintended in connection with his milling enterprise. By industrious and well di- rected efforts he has acquired a competence and is recognized as one of the leading business men of the township of East Ilempfield. February 22, 1869, he married Miss Ellen, danghter of Henry S. Hlostetter, a farmer of Manheim Township. The two sons and three daughters born to them are: Harry, a clerk in Philadelphia; Frank, a student in the schools of Bethlehem; and Edith, Mary and Ruth, who are with their parents. In social affairs Mr. Shenek belongs to Lancaster Lodge No. 43, F. & A. M., also the Commandery and Prefeet Lodge. He is an ardent Republican in his politi- cal belief and has served for three terms on the School Board.
ILLIAM J. SMITH, late Superintendent of the Lancaster City Water Works, acquitted himself in that position to the entire satisfaction of those concerned and has won the approval of his fellow-citizens in a high degree. Ile is a practical machinist and plumber and at the same time completed a set of books in connection with the water department, which are models in detail and the best report ever gotten up by any one here in this position. Ile maugn- rated many reforms and systematized the various branches of work in a very ingenious style. Dur- ing the last year, ending in April, 1894, the in- come of the water department showed an increase
over the preceding year of $15,867.06, and thus it will be readily seen how exactly and mathematic- ally accurate are his reports and how good has been his supervision.
Mr. Smith was born in Strasburg Township, Au- gust 1, 1851, on the old Strasburg Pike. ITis pa- ternal grandfather, John Smith, of English descent, was one of the early settlers on the Conestoga Creek and operated a farm in Lampeter Township.
Our subject's father, John R., was also born in Lancaster County and was a railroad and road contractor, and after a long and busy life died in 1891. Ile contracted for and built four miles of the Lititz Pike, and also did much other work on streets and railroads in the county and state. His home was on Chester Street in Lancaster and he was elected at one time as an Alderman from the Seventh Ward, being the first Republican elected from that locality, but he handed in his resigna- tion at the end of two years. He was a valiant soldier of the late eivil conflict, having enlisted in the spring of 1861 in Company E, Fifty-third Pennsylvania Infantry, which was assigned to the Second Army Corps. From the ranks he was pro- moted to be First Sergeant, and during the last year of his service was in command of a company as Captain, although never commissioned. While participating in an engagement he was shot through the knee and liis leg had to be amputated. In ad- dition to this he had also received previously a number of more or less serious injuries and for the remainder of his life was obliged to wear an arti- fieial leg. Ile was a member of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Association, of the Union Veteran Legion and of George II. Thomas Post No. 84, G. A. R. In religious belief he was a Lutheran, to which de- nomination his wife also belonged. Iler maiden name was Julia Burns, and her birth occurred in this city. Iler father, Christopher Burns, was also a native of this locality and followed agriend- tural pursuits. Mrs. Smith died March 29, 1882. and three of her six children are still living. Their marriage occurred in 1850.
The education of William J. Smith was obtained in the city public schools and he was apprentieed under Dener & Schann in 1867. With that firm he remained for four years and ten months, and in
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JACOB HILDEBRAND.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPINCAL RECORD.
1871 went to Philadelphia, where he was made fore- man for Thomas Burns in his shop at Tenth and South Streets, holding that post for a year, when he took charge of another shop on Columbia Ave- nue and Elder Street for Thomas Fleming. Feb- ruary 10, 1873, Mr. Smith returned to this city and started in business as a member of the firm of A. J. Cogley & Smith, plumbers, gas fitters, tinware and stove merchants. Mr. Cogley took charge of the last mentioned branch, while our subjeet de- voted his attention to plumbing and gas fitting. Until 1888 their headquarters were located at No. 236 North Queen Street, and at that time Mr. Smith bought out his partner's interest and located at 2193 North Queen Street, where he follows plumb- ing and gas fitting exclusively. He has an excel- lent trade and has been given the largest plumb- ing and steam and gas fitting contracts in the city, keeping upwards of fifteen men constantly busy.
Mr. Smith has also taken contracts for laying water pipes for a number of years. and owing to his experience it seemed that he was the man for the position of Superintendent of the City Water Works, to which place he was elected April 3, 1893, by the City Council. The water works have a capacity of twenty million cubic feet, the three pumps having a capacity respectively of ten mil- lion, six million and four million cubic feet per twenty-four hours. Mr. Smith was one of the Di- rectors of the People's Building and Loan Asso- ciation for seven years, and administered his fa- ther's estate.
In 1873 occurred the marriage of our subject and Miss Emma Keller, by whom he has had three children, Bertha, John R. and Mary E. Mrs. Smith was born in Lancaster, being a daughter of Jacob Keller, whose death occurred in this place. The home of the Smith family is a pleasant one located at No. 124 Chester Street, and they also own the adjoining residence. For about eight years Mr. Smith has been a prominent member and Trustee in the Lancaster Schutsen Verein or Sharp Shooters. Socially he belongs to Conestoga Lodge No. 22, Jr. O. U. A. M. and is Past Counselor of Lodge No. 8, Sr. O. U. A. M. With the Order of Red Men he is a Past Officer and several times rep- resented his lodge in the Grand Council. More-
over he is a Knight of Pythias, belonging to Lan- caster Lodge No. 68. In politics he is a Republi- can in the truest sense of the term. Mrs. Smith holds membership with Zion's Lutheran Church, while her husband belongs to the Trinity Lutheran Congregation.
ACOB HILDEBRAND, a prosperous resident of Strasburg, was elected to the position of Justice of the Peace thirty-four years ago and has held the same position ever since. He represents a number of reliable insurance companies and has a lucrative business in this place. At dif- ferent times he has been elected on the Republican ticket to local positions of honor and trust. Ile was County Surveyor for three and a-half years and has frequently been Chief Burgess of this borough.
Jacob Ilildebrand, our subject's father, was a farmer of Lancaster County and at the time of the birth of Jacob, Jr., owned a place in East Hempfield Township. During the last years of his life he gave up agricultural pursuits to an extent and followed the butchering business. He participated as a soldier in the War of 1812 and was a lifelong Democrat. Ile married Miss Mary Heiny and their union was blessed with nine children: John, deceased; Jacob, Jr .; Elizabeth (Mrs. Wiker); Henry D .; James; Susan, who became the wife of Dr. Ken- dig; Hoover H .; Luoisa ( Mrs. Eager) ; and Ella, who became the wife of Samuel Kendig.
In the year 1822 occurred the birth of Jacob Hildebrand, our subject, in East Hempfield Town- ship, Lancaster County. Ilis education was ob- tained in the public schools of Paradise, which he attended more or less until fourteen years of age. He was thrown upon his own resources at the early age of eight years and learned the carpenter's trade and cabinet-making, which he followed until 1852. For the four succeeding years he was en- gaged iu the mercantile business and next turned his attention to surveying and conveyancing.
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After eight years thus spent he was elected Justice of the Peace and during the long time that has sinee elapsed has been thus employed.
Fraternally Mr. Ilildebrand is a member of Strasburg Lodge No. 361, I. O. O. F., and has passed through all the chairs. Ile has represented his own lodge in the Grand Lodge a number of years and has been Secretary of the same for over four dec- ades. One of the strong workers and members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of this place, he has served in the capacity of Trustee and Steward since 1862.
November 16, 1847, Mr. Hildebrand was married in Strasburg to Miss Elizabeth Speihlman. The lady was born in Strasburg and received a good education. By her marriage she has become the mother of ten children, four sons and six daugh- ters, namely: Ehzabeth, who married Finly Eliott; Mary E .; William W .; Millard F .; Ella S. (Mrs. Daugherty; John R .; Ollie; Laura K. (Mrs. Kem- erly); Sallie B. (Mrs. Goodman), and J. Ross.
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J ACOB C. STONER is engaged in general far- ming pursuits in West Hempfield Town- ship. Ile is the son of Christian and Martha (Wertz) Stoner, and was born July 26, 1832, in Manor Township, the above county. The father of our subject was also a native of that township, where he farmed for a time, and later was the pro- prietor of the Green Tree Hotel, on the Washing- ton and Millersville Road in Manor Township, where he spent his entire life. In politics he was a supporter of Republican principles after the or- ganization of the party.
The parental family of our subject included eight children, of whom Jacob C. was the youngest born. The husband and father departed this life in 1835, at the age of thirty-nine years, while his good wife survived him until 1864, when she also passed away, in the eighty-third year of her age.
The original of thus sketch acquired a good edn-
cation in the schools near his home and remained under the parental roof until a year prior to attain- ing his majority, when he started out to battle life on his own account, first engaging in buying and selling cattle, and was thus occupied for the four years following. On the expiration of that time he began dealing in lumber and at the same time superintended the operations of a farm in Manor Township. He filled large contracts in lumber, and later owned a yard in Columbia, and was also interested in a steam sawmill at Washington Bor- ough. He gave employment to about fifty men in this enterprise and conducted a very profitable trade until 1874, when he disposed of his interests in that line.
In the spring of 1877 Mr. Stoner purchased an- other tract of land which he worked hard to place under good improvement. This consisted of a quarter-seetion, and here he devoted his time to general farming pursuits. Later he began operating stone quarries in the neighborhood, and selling his home place to the East Columbia Land Company, he is now operating the farm for the land com- pany.
In polities our subjeet is a true blue Republican and socially is a Mason, belonging to Commandery No. 34. He was married March 2, 1858, to Miss Emma M., daughter of Benjamin T. Davis, of West Hempfield Township. Their three children bear the respective names of Jessie F., Elsie D. and Clarence D. The first named is the wife of Charles I. Marshall, a banker of Everett, Washington State. The wife and mother departed this life August 11, 1891. She was a most estimable lady, and her death was greatly lamented by many relatives and friends.
S AMUEL L. WEAVER, one of the reliable business men and citizens of Ephrata, has for the past eleven years been engaged in the hardware business. The building which he oc- cupies is 20x55 feet in dimensions and two stories in height and he keeps a full line of goods usually found in well equipped hardware stores. He comes
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from one of the respected old families of Earl Township, of this county, and his paternal grand- father, Samuel, who was a shoemaker by trade, car- ried on an extensive farm in that vicinity. Polit- ically he was a Whig, and was a member of the Mennonite Church. His father was a native of Germany, and came to the United States before the Revolutionary War. By his marriage to a Miss Eby, Samuel Weaver had the following children: Moses, Abram, Mary, Esther, Nancy, Elizabeth, and Samuel E. He died when he had attained the ripe old age of seventy years.
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