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 74
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life in 1879, at the age of thirty-four years. At the time of his decease he was engaged in business with our subject. The mother of these children died February 18, 1873, and four years later her hus- band married Mrs. Catherine (Bremmer) Parsons, widow of the late Samuel Parsons. They are both still living and occupy a comfortable residence in New Holland.
The primary studies of our subject were carried on in the common schools of his native place and later in the Lititz Academy. In 1856 he engaged as elerk in his father's store and four years later was taken into the firm as partner, continuing as such until the former retired, when with his brother W. G. and R. S. Brubaker, he carried on the busi- ness, the firm name being Diller & Brubaker until 1877. That year W. G. Diller and Mr. Brubaker disposed of their interest in the store to John and George Roland and for several years thereafter the business was carried on under the style of Diller & Roland. In 1883 our subjeet and William Roland bought the interest of John and George Roland but the name was not changed until 1888, when Charles M., son of our subject, succeeded the jun- ior partner and since that time it has been Diller & Son. The store is located on Main Street and is a two-story structure, 30x60 feet in dimensions. It is stocked with a full line of general merchan- dise and in addition to this they have a merchant tailoring department which commands the best trade in the place. Diller & Son own the building adjoining, winch they have fitted up as a hardware establishment, and also carry paints, oils, etc. They have about $20,000 invested and do a business of $30,000 per year.
Socially, our subject belongs to Lancaster Lodge No. 43, F. & A. M., and is also connected with the Knight Templar Lodge No. 13, in Laneaster. He holds membership with Earl Lodge No. 413, I. O. O. F., and Ridgely Encampment No. 217, of Lan- easter. Ile is a devoted member of the Lutheran Church and in polities always casts a vote for Dem- ocratic candidates.
May 18, 1864. Edwin C. Diller and Miss Cora Mason were united in marriage. Their four chil- dren are Alta M., Charles M., Emma C .. and Amos. who is clerk in the hardware store. The wife and
mother died April 29, 1874, and October 18, 1876. Mr. Diller married Miss Anna M., daughter of Jon- athan Roland. To them has been born one son, who bears the name of Roland.
SAAC R. BUCH is senior member of the firm of 1. R. Buch & Son, manufacturers of a good quality of cigars in West Earl. They engaged in this business in 1888, and since that time have built a factory 26x40 feet in dimensions and two stories in height. They give employment to four- teen men and have an annual business of 815,000. Our subject is the son of George and Elizabeth (Rudy) Buch, and was born in Lancaster County, April 1, 1827. Grandfather George Buch during the greater part of his life was engaged in farming in West Earl Township. Ile was the father of the following children: Peter, Ephraim, John, George and Elizabeth.
George Buch was born March 27, 1780, in West Earl Township, this county. and lived until Au- gust 12. 1863, when he passed away. He was also an agriculturist in the township above named, owning a valuable estate of over three hundred acres. When past three score years and ten he re- moved to Akron, where he owned property and was residing at the time of his decease. Ile started out poor in this world's goods, but by strict atten- tion to business in all its details, by promptness, method and fair dealing, he became wealthy. In politics he was a decided Republican after the party was organized.
The parental family of our subject ineluded the following-named children: Naney, Henry, Eman- uel; Charles, deceased; George, a retired farmer liv- ing in Ephrata Township; Jacob, also living in re- tirement in Akron, this state; Elizabeth; Daniel, de- ceased; Isaac R., of this sketch; John, deceased, and David, a retired farmer making his home in Lititz.
The original of this sketch was reared on the home farm and educated in the common schools.
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He was trained to farm life and followed the oe- cupation of an agriculturist until 1888, when he be- gan the manufacture of cigars, which business he found to be more profitable and in which he has been engaged ever since. As stated in our open- ing paragraph, he has erected a new two story building devoted to that purpose, and is conduct- ing an extensive business under the firm name of 1. R. Buch & Son.
The marriage of our subject with Miss Rebecca. daughter of Michael Weidler, a farmer of Warwick Township, was celebrated in 1853. To them have been born the following children: Elizabeth, who is the wife of Jolin Dillman; Weidler; Clayton, deceased; Isaac; Morris W .; Mary, who married Jacob Kriter; Aaron, deceased; Susan, the wife of Rufus Seldomridge; Rebecca and Ella, both de- ceased; William, who married Elizabeth Raser; Ida, the wife of Alfred Bear; Eddie W., who died in in- fancy; Anna, the wife of Harry Keith; Lydia; John and Jacob
HIARLES ZECHI, proprietor of the bottling works and brewery located at Lancaster, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany. May 18, 1851. His father, Francis Zech, was born in Bavaria and followed the brewing business at Neckargartach, Wurtemberg, throughout his life. He was a soldier in the Revolution of 1848, being captured in going to Switzerland, and after being kept a prisoner of war for six months was par- doned. Ile was an active man and was closely identified with the official positions of his city. In religious matters he was a believer in the Catholic faithı.
by trade. In religious matters the Bauer family were Lutherans, and many of them took part in the Napoleonic War of 1802-15. Our subject's grandmother Bauer is still living and is ninety- three years of age, while his mother is sixty-two. Iler husband, the father of our subject, died at the age of fifty-seven, in 1867.
Our subject is one in a family of four children, all of whom are living, three in Germany and our subject, Charles Zech. The latter remained in his native village until fourteen years of age, attend- ing the public schools and gymnasium of that place. When fourteen years of age he was ap- prenticed to learn the brewer's trade at the county seat, Heilbronn. He served two years, then went to Bavaria and worked two years; he also worked in Baden eight months, and in 1869 emigrated to America in order to escape military duty. He was twenty-eight days on the voyage to New York and soon afterward sailed from New Bedford, Mass., on a whaling voyage, which kept him on the briny deep nine months, when he landed in Chili, and from there cruising the South Pacific Ocean. Re- turning to New Bedford after a continuous voy- age of two years, he later returned to Danville, Pa. The next two years our subject worked as a cooper in a brewery at Danville and from there went to Reading, Pa., where he remained eigh- teen months, and in June, 1876, located at Lan- caster, where he was made foreman for Henry Franke, with whom he worked two years, and was then made foreman for F. A. Rieker. Desir- ing to be more independent, he engaged in the saloon business for himself, operating the Girard House for two years. In the year 1886 he started in the bottling business in Lancaster, which business he added to from time to time, and in the spring of 1894 he constructed a new brewing plant with a capacity of two thousand barrels per year. The location of this brewery is at Nos. 669-707 West Orange Street.
Our subjeet's grandfather, Joseph Zech, was also In 1884 our subject visited his old home in Germany, but had no desire to exchange his American home for one in the land of his birth. In 1876 Mr. Zech was united in marriage, in Lan- caster, to Miss Rosa Spangler, who was born in a native of Bavaria and was a brewer by trade. in fact the Zech family were brewers by occupa- tion back as early as 1548. Our subjeet's mother's maiden name was Bauer, and she was a native of Wurtemberg, where her father was a wagon-maker | Germany. coming to this country when but two
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years of age. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Anton Spangler. Mr. and Mrs. Zechgare the par- ents of tive children, who were born in the follow- ing order: Augustus, Mary, Francesca, Charles and Frank.
Mr. Zech is an honored member of St. John's and St. Peter's Societies. In religious matters our subject and his family are identified with St. Jo- seph's Roman Catholic Church. Politically our subject is an independent voter, believing that the best man of any party should be chosen for office.
In conclusion it may be said of Mr. Zech that he is accounted among the influential, industrious and honored citizens of Lancaster. While he was born on a foreign shore and reared amidst the scenes of another form of Government, yet he is a firm believer in the principles of American democ- racy, and no man does more with the means at his command to foster and protect the rights and privileges of our people than he. llis life bas been a checkered one in many respects, he having seen much of the world, both by land and sea. He finally settled in the Keystone State, however. and engaged in a prosperous business, and has now but to enjoy the fruit of his labors.
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H ON. HENRY S. BOOK. The name of this gentleman is well known in the business circles of Maytown, where he conduets an extensive leaf tobaceo trade, usually packing from eight hundred to one thousand cases per annum. In the village where he now resides he was born August 25, 1827, being a son of Samuel and Re- becca (Mockart) Book. The family of which he is a member has for several generations resided in Lancaster County, his paternal grandfather, David Book, having lived during his earlier years near Conestoga and later in Strasburg. His life work was that of a farmer, and he was a prominent mem- ber of the Mennonite Church. He and his wife, whose maiden name was Barbara Seltzer, were the
parents of three sons and two daughters, viz: John, David. Samuel, Mary and Catherine.
On his mother's side our subject is of German descent. His great-grandfather, John Mockart. emigrated from Germany to the United States and settled in Maytown, Lancaster County. Among his sons was Samuel, who was born and spent his entire life at Maytown, where he followed the tailor's trade. In religious connections he was a Lutheran. By his marriage to Catherine Gorner he had five children, named Mary, Elizabeth, Re- becca, John and Samuel.
Born in the village of Strasburg, Samuel Book in youth learned the trade of a tailor, but never followed it, giving his attention to the business of a pump manufacturer. For many years prior to his demise he lived in retirement from active cares. In politics a Republican, he served as County Auditor for several years, was Assessor, School Director, and Justice of the Peace. IIe died in 1882, at the age of eighty-seven. His wife passed away in 1867, aged sixty-six. Their chil- dren, six in number, were named, Catherine, Bar- bara S., Maxy, George M., Henry S. and David, all of whom are deceased but our subject and Barbara.
In the common schools of Maytown our subject laid the foundation of his education, which was supplemented by attendanee in Professor Wicker- sham's academy. At the age of eighteen he left school and turned his attention to pump making, which he learned under his father's supervision. For eight years he followed that occupation, after which he started a cigar manufactory in Maytown, continuing thus engaged for sixteen years. Since 1875 he has devoted his entire attention to the leaf tobacco business, which he conduets upon an extensive scale. In the Republican party he is one of the local leaders, always taking an active interest in the victory of its meu and measures. In 1882 he was a delegate to the Republican State Convention, and three years later was elected to represent the county in the Legislature. In 1892 he was chosen Tax Collector for East Donegal Township, to which office he has since been re- elected and is the present incumbent.
In the Lutheran Church of Maytown Mr. Book is officiating as Trustee. Socially he is identified
H. M. ALEXANDER, M. D.
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with the American Mechanics, belonging to Water- ford Council No. 72. For twenty-three years he has been connected with Donegal Lodge No. 108, K. of P., and is also a member of William Childs Post No. 226, G. A. R., at Marietta. Ile was a sol- dier in Company A. Tenth Pennsylvania Infantry, having enlisted April 18, 1861, under General Patterson. After three months of service, during which time he took part in several minor engage- ments, he was taken ill and obliged to resign, be- ing mustered out at Harrisburg, Pa.
The marriage of Mr. Book took place on the 23d of December, 1864, and united hum with Miss Mary Jane, daughter of John Rumbaugh, of May- town. One child, Lizzie R .. blessed the union. The family is one of social prominence and is uni- versally esteemed. Mr. Book deserves the success which he has attained, having exercised prudence and tact in all his enterprises. His energy has been devoted to his business, and his enjoyment obtained in domestic and social life.
H M. ALEXANDER, M. D. Within the limits of this volume it will be impossible to give a detailed account of the services Dr. Alexander has rendered mankind, for he has been a philanthropist in the broadest sense of that word. As the boat that sails down the river touches only at the principal harbors, so the biog- rapher in presenting his life record touches only upon the principal events, passing by many points where, did space permit, we might linger with pleasure and profit.
Pennsylvania has every reason to be proud, for its founder and manager is a Pennsylvanian by birth and education.
So high is the reputation for purity which this lymph has gained that the demand for it even ri- vals that for the production of the Government vaccine propagating department of England. Dr. Faulkner, a member of the Royal Chirurgieal So- ciety of England, who has charge of that estal)- lishment, orders it in large quantities, giving as the reason that he can get better and cheaper lymph from these farms than from the establishments under his charge. Dr. Benjamin Lee, Secretary of the Pennsylvania State Board of Health, has in his reports given extensive notice to these farms, speaking of them in the highest terms.
Employment is given to twelve men and several ladies at all times, and during epidemics as many as forty are employed. At such times several hun- dred heifers are kept on hand, and even with his present capacity, Dr. Alexander is able to propa- gate one hundred thousand points a day. Ilis place consists of fifteen aeres, upon which are sev- eral substantial buildings, the only ones in the United States built for this special purpose. The main structure is 177x30 feet in dimensions, with three wings, each 30x21. Two of these wings are joined by a building used for storage purposes, in- elosing a courtyard. This was erected in 1888. In 1892 he erected a second structure, consisting of a main building 40x60 feet, with a wing 153x24 feet. There are also several smaller buildings. Al- though the main building has nearly sixteen thou- sand feet of floor space, more room is needed, and an architect is now preparing plans for another struct- ure. The buildings are carefully heated by steam in cold weather, perfectly drained and ventilated, and the stable floors are of cement, thus prevent- ing any absorption of moisture. The operating room contains patent tables, invented by Dr. Al- exander, and to these the heifers are strapped; by a simple mechanical arrangement they are easily turned over and rest upon their backs on the up- holstered surface.
The Lancaster County Vaccine Farms, of which Dr. Alexander is the owner and proprietor, are situated near the corporate limits of Marietta, and are the largest in the world, producing more vae- eine lymph than all the other vaccine establish- ments in the United States. Of the growth of The first and only authenticated case of spontan- eous cow-pox in America was discovered by Dr. this remarkable enterprise, which is doing such a wonderful work for the abatement of small-pox, , Alexander, the animal being the property of a
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farmer near Marietta, and from this source he now derives his world famous vaccine. Vaccine is sent by him to nearly every nation on the globe, even to distant China. The points are packed in glass vials, ten in each, and then placed in wooden cases for shipment. The goods are never sold after having been on hand more than ten days. The lymph is not always sent out on points, but much goes out on quill slips and capillary tubes, the latter being used especially in the European trade. In addition to his farms in Marietta, he has a branch establishment at Omaha, Neb., and an office in the Columbus Me- morial Building in Chicago. Ile has lately pur- chased the Banner Farm of Northumberland Coun- ty, this state, and at this writing is procuring cattle to place on it, which he expects to give special preparation for bis vaccine business. The farm contains one hundred and sixty-seven acres, is very fertile and has excellent buildings.
We now turn our attention to the personal history and ancestry of Dr. Alexander. lle was born in Lewisburg, Union County, Pa., on the 17th of May, 1851, a son of John and Jane (Sankey) Alexander. The name is of Scotch origin, but the original American representative, our subjeet's grandfather, was born in Ireland and from there came to Iluntingdon County, Pa. John Alexander was born near Alexandria, Huntingdon County, Pa., in the year 1812, and though receiving only very limited educational advantages, was a man of more than ordinary abil- ity and intelligence. By his neighbors he was re- garded as an unusually well informed and able man. Ile was successful, and became the owner of two farms in Kelly Township. Union County, Pa., where he resided until fifty years of age. Ile then removed to Lewisburg, the same county, where he remained until his death, in the spring of 1876, at the age of sixty-four. Politically he was an active member of the Republican party, and in re- ligious belief was a Presbyterian.
Twice married, the first wife of John Alexander was Mary Sheller, a member of an old and prom- inent family residing in the central part of Penn- sylvania. Seven children were born of their union, namely: Rev. II. P., a Presbyterian elergyman of Garrett, Kan .; Martha, wife of J. II. Myers, Post-
master at Holden, Mo .; James O., who died of yellow fever while serving in the Union Army, at the age of twenty-two; S. S., a farmer living at MeEwensville, Northumberland County, Pa .; Mar- garet E., deceased, wife of John Geist, of New Ilolland, Laneaster County; Florence C., wife of J. J. Davis, District Attorney at Des Moines, Iowa; and Mary J., wife of T. J. Hughes, member of the hardware firm of Dampman & Hughes, of lloney- brook, Chester County, Pa. The mother of these children died in 1846.
The second marriage of John Alexander oc- eurred in 1850, his wife being Jane Sankey, whose father, Jeremialı Sankey, lived at Potter's Bank, Centre County, Pa. Two children resulted from this union, our subject and Elmira. The latter was born in 1853, and died in 1858, at the age of five years. The father passed away in 1876, at the age of sixty-four. The mother died three years later, aged sixty-seven. Our subject was in youth a student in the schools of Kelly Township. Ile was a diligent, thoughtful student. One day while sitting at his desk, across which the bright sun- light streamed, he was preparing for a reading ex- ercise in his old Sander's Third Reader, and stop- ped to analyze in a childish way the purport of a phrase at the elose of a selection, the simple words "Continue to the end," weighed upon his mind and impressed him to such an extent that he com- meneed to apply its tenor to his every day life, until the motto became a part of his being and has remained with him, a source of inspiration, and in a large measure the secret of his success. He ear- ried it with him through the district seliool, the college and in the pursuit of his medieal studies in the university. He became successful in his profession, a popular physician, and built up one of the largest country practices in this section.
Graduating from Bucknell University in 1873, and from the Medical Department in 1876, Dr. Alexander was afterward employed for a short time in a hospital, then opened an office in Mari- etta. Being young and inexperienced, he had the usual difficulties in getting a foothold, but with the words of his motto, "Continue to the end," to encourage him, he worked diligently until he se- cured recognition, and ere long had established a
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handsome practice. In 1889 he abandoned the regular practice to devote his entire attention to the propagating of vaccine virus, which he had started in 1882. In this he has met with flattering financial success, and his net profits in a single year have been many thousands. In addition to this place, he owns one hundred and sixty-seven acres, comprising one of the finest farms in Nor- thumberland County, Pa., to the management of which he gives his personal attention, and of which mention has been made above. Ile also owns val- uable property in Omaha and Minneapolis.
A Republican in politics, Dr. Alexander has served as School Director in East Donegal Town- ship. A Presbyterian in religious belief. he is now a Deacon in that church in Marietta. lle is a member of the State Medical Society. and the Lan- caster City and County Medical Associations. He is connected with the Washington Life & Maturity Company. the Baltimore Building & Loan Asso- ciation, and the Home Building & Loan Associa- tion of Marietta.
May 23, 1877, Dr. Alexander married Miss Mar- tha H., daughter of Samuel Woolman, an oil spec- ulator of Philadelphia, Pa, They are the parents of six children, namely: J. Hulme, who was born July 6. 1878, and was a lad of remarkable intelli- gence, his death at the World's Fair. June 6, 1893, being a severe blow to the family; Edith .J .. born Angnst 5, 1880; Anna Mertie, May 31. 1881; Ilam- ill Bayard. September 30, 1889; Lillian Ray. March 5, 1891; and Marion A., July 23. 1894.
Dr. Alexander was one of the projectors and chief promoters of the American Exhibitors' Asso- ciation, organized at the World's Fair, and be- came Vice-President of the Association. At that Exposition he received the only premium awarded on vaccine virus. His virus was afterward pro- nounced, as a result of scientific investigation by the most eminent chemists of the country consti- tuting a Board for that purpose, to be the purest vaccine manufactured by any concern in the world.
This sketch would be incomplete were no men- tion made of Dr. Alexander's connection with the relief work in behalf of the Johnstown sufferers. Ile was invited by the Pennsylvania State Board of Health to deliver an address before the State
Sanitary Convention in Pittsburg on the 3tst of May, 1889, the day the Hood occurred. He learned of the disaster early Saturday morning, June 1, in fact heard a few rumors about it Friday mght. .Joining in with other strangers who were at the Convention, and having friends in Johnstown. many of whom were drowned, he aided in loading cars with drug relief supplies during Saturday, and went down on the first train Saturday night. Leaving the train at Sanghollow, a Mr. Turner and himself were the only ones who would venture to cross the six miles into Johnstown, over the dan- gerous land-slides and wash-out to reach that place. They carried some medical supplies and blankets. reached the stone bridge early on Sun- day morning, and remained for five days working with the relief department in that stricken city. Once the Doctor fell into the Conemangh River, by the breaking of a temporary bridge, and one night he spent sleeping against an oak tree, having sat down in the rain to rest for a few minutes, and failed to arise until the next morning. His labors consisted in what help he could render from a medical standpoint, and what other ontside assist- ance fell in his way. On his return home he was called upon by his fellow-citizens to deliver an address on the subject, the receipts going to swell the funds for the relief of the sufferers.
To illustrate a trait in the character of Dr. Al- exander, we mention an incident in his life. It is related of him that a man of very limited means came to him, stating that his farm had been del- uged with sand to the depth of fifteen or twenty inches at the time of the Johnstown Fiood. This catastrophe ruined the land and rendered its owner insolvent. Dr. Alexander conceived a gigantic undertaking by which the land might be restored to its former usefulness and the farmer be made to realize a gain out of the sale of the sand. Twice he projected the scheme, leaving it to other par- ties for completion, but both times it was aban- doned. Finally he secured a privilege from the Pennsylvania Railroad to build a siding up to the farm, and then by tramways the sand was transferred to the cars. At first the lookers-on smiled at what they considered an impractical scheme, bnt in the course of a year it was the
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