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 77
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The birth of Mr. Fridy occurred at Mountville, Lancaster County, March 11, 1837, and his father and paternal grandfather were both also born in the same township. Ilis great-grandfather, John Andrew Fridy, was a native of Baden, Germany, and coming to America a single man, married and settled in this vicinity, engaging in the shoemak- ing business. Ilis wite, by whom he had three children, was in her maidenhood Saloma Yost. The three sons, Matthias, Jacob and Christian, about 1742 settled at Penn's Manor, on Chestnut Ilill, which is now occupied by William Walker. John Andrew Fridy was a shoemaker by trade and lived until over seventy years of age, dying in the faith of the Lutheran Church.
John Fridy, the father of our subject, engaged in farming during his active life and was foremost
in educational and local affairs. He was born in 1811, and his death occurred in 1886. In early years he affiliated with the Whig party, later be- coming a Republican. The mother of our subject, Elizabeth (Musser) Fridy, was born in 1817 and is still a resident of Mountville, where her mar- ried life was passed. Iler father, Peter Musser, was born in the same locality, as was also his father, who bore the Christian name of John, and his grandfather, who had the same name, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, and came to America in 1740. Ile bought a farm in 1768 near Mount- ville, where he reared his family. At the battle of Brandywine he served as a teamster, driving his own horses and wagons.
In a family of eleven children, seven of whom are living, Mr. Fridy of this sketch is the first in order of birth. One brother, Cyrus, served in the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery during the late war, his death occurring while he was in the army. Six of the family make their residence in Mountville. A brother-in-law, Dr. W. P. Snyder, is the present Senator from Chester County, bringing honors to his family. Sam Matt Fridy was reared on his father's farm, his education being gained in the common schools and in Whitehall Academy, at which latter place he was a student for one season. In 1856 he became a teacher of one of the schools near Mountville, the same he had attended in boy- hood. Subsequently he was in charge of two schools in other parts of the township. In 1859 he was elected Justice of the Peace for West Hemp- field Township, holding that position until 1862, when he became assistant to Gen. James L. Rey- nolds in the Union service and helped to make the first enrollment from the first draft in this county. The following year he went to Washington, serv- ing in the Quartermaster-General's office in the War Department and having charge of the ac- counts, which responsible post he resigned the lat- ter part of 1865, having proved a most efficient man for the place.
From 1857 Mr. Fridy engaged to some extent in the auction business, and in 1865 commenced devoting his time almost entirely to that pursuit. Two years later he went to Harrisburg, where he was employed in the State Department during the
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administration of John Geary, John Hartmeed and Col. II. M. Hoyt. During the fifteen years that he continuously occupied the position he made his home in that city and discharged the responsible affairs of the office in a creditable manner.
In the fall of 1881 Mr. Fridy was nominated on the Republican ticket Prothonotary, was elected and in January, 1882, took charge of the office, which he occupied for three years, and on the ex- piration of his term in 1885 he was elected Justice of the Peace of West Hempfield Township and as such acted until appointed to his late position as Col- lector of Revenues. Ile entered upon the duties of this office November 1, 1889. The Fifteenth District comprises fifteen counties, namely: Lan- easter, York, Adams, Cumberland, Fulton, Bedford, Blair, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Inniata. Snyder. Perry, Dauphin, Lebanon and Franklin. While Justice of the Peace he was assistant in the Prothonotary's office during the administrations of John Skiles and John W. Mentzer. In the Ninth District over 89,000,000 of stamps for cigars were sold during his administration, this being the second largest eigar district in the I'nited States, as there are about twenty-four hundred factories within its limits, and the collection of revenues from this one industry ranks next to that of the New York Dis- triet, which is the first. The revenues from beer and spirit stamp taxes are also very great and the total collections during the term of office of Mr. Fridy amounted the immense sum of $9,120,199. The office employs fifteen deputies outside the main headquarters and two stamp deputies. The whole of the post office building on the second floor is occupied by the Internal Revenue office, which fact shows to some extent the large amount of business transacted and its local importance.
In Mountville in 1857 Mr. Fridy married Miss Harriet Develin, a native of that locality and daughter of John Develin, who was born in New Holland, Lancaster County, and engaged in busi- ness as a merchant in Mountville until his death in 1868. Three children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Fridy: LaFayette, who is a pas- senger locomotive engineer on the Pennsylvania Railroad, with headquarters at Philadelphia; Annie E. and Mercy. It is said that the surname of our
subject was formerly spelled Frietag, and was changed for convenience.
Since resigning his position as Internal Reve- nue Collector Mr. Fridy has returned to his former work as an auctioneer, being considered one of the best in that line of business in the country. His services are requested at auctions in this and a number of neighboring counties and he has frequently conducted sales in York, Dauphin, Berks, Lebanon and Chester Counties. As a pen- man he excels, his writing being extremely leg- ible, which makes it a pleasure to anyone look- ing over huis voluminous accounts. Fraternally he belongs to Lodge No. 43, F. & A. M., Co- lumbia Chapter No. 224, R. A. M., and to Cy- rene Commandery No. 34 of Columbia. He is a member also of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is Past Chancellor of Zagord Lodge No. 150, K. of P., and Past Sachem of Susquehanna Lodge No. 12, Order of Red Men.
OSEPH L. BRANDT has been for the past fifteen years Cashier of the Exchange Bank of Marietta, and owing to his judicious man- agement, close attention to business and uniform courtesy to afl, has been a prominent fac- tor in the upbuilding of this, one of the most sub- stantial institutions of its kind in Lancaster Coun- ty. When he assumed his position the stock of the bank barely sold at par (8100) and although it passed through one of the greatest panics this country has ever experienced, its annual dividends were paid regularly, and sufficient surplus was added to the capital stock to make it now worth $215 per share. Mr. Brandt is also Treasurer of the Marietta Castings Company, having held that
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office since the incorporation of the plant in 1889, with a capital stock of $50,000. In addition to | the enterprises mentioned, our subject is also in- terested in other local concerns, and has the agency for a number of leading fire insurance companies.
In tracing the ancestral history of Joseph L. Brandt, we find that his great-great-grandfather, Samuel, was a native of the Palatinate, Germany, and in 1732 left Rotterdam, going to London, where he took passage on the ship "Samuel," Hugh Pierce, Master. Ile settled in Rapho Township. this county, and his name appears among those assessed by the officials of that township in their report of 1756, the earliest on record. Besides the landed estate he there owned he possessed several large farms in Dauphin County (then Lon- donderry Township, m Lancaster County), which were occupied by his sons, Michael and John. Ile engaged in farming in Rapho Township up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1784. His children were named as follows: Michael, Chris- tian, John, Yost. Anna Maria, Elizabeth, Esther and Jacob. John Brandt, one of his sons. and the great-grandfather of our subject, occupied a farm after his marriage which lies on the right bank of the Conewago Creek, in the township of the same name, Dauphin County, within a mile of the june- tion of the three counties, Dauphin, Lancaster and Lebanon. This place is now owned by Levi Meck- ley. The widow of John Brandt, Maria, afterward married a Mr. Dempsy. and lived in Elizabeth- town. The children of John Brandt were Chris- tian, born November 23, 1765; John, February 24, 1767; Barbara, February 11. 1769 (wife of Jacob Longenecker); Samuel, October 9, 1771, and Mich- ael, April 24, 1774. The father died in 1774, while his children were all quite young.
John Brandt, our subject's grandfather, was in- dentured to George Rutt for three years and eight months, from 1784, to learn the trade of joiner and spinning wheel maker. After he had grown to man's estate, he, with his employer and fellow- carpenters, built a number of Swisser barns in the vicinity of Maytown. Among these buildings was one erected for Christian Bucher, one of the wealthiest citizens of Donegal Township, who was born March 27, 1742, and died December 27, 1825.
The young carpenter, John Brandt, at this time fell in love with Mr. Bucher's third daughter, Frances, born January 18, 1769, and they were married April 26, 1791. Her eldest sister. Anna, married John Taylor, and among her grandchil- dren was Bayard Taylor, of Chester County, the noted traveler, author and poet. After his mar- riage, Mr. Brandt occupied a farm of one hundred and thirty acres belonging to his wife's father and adjoining his homestead, this place being sit- uated about a mile and a-half northwest of May- town. He bought the property in 1804 and there resided until his death, which occurred Decem- ber 14, 1842. Ilis widow survived him until De- cember 10, 1857. They were the parents of the following children: Frances, born January 28, 1792, married James Maginnis, after his death be- came the wife of Samuel Bossler and died May 8, 1874; Anna, born September 15, 1793. married Joseph Clepper, and after his death Jacob S. Holdeman, and died in Bement, Ill., January 20, 1880; Christian, born September 12, 1795, died Jannary 7. 1870; John, who was born October 7, 1797, married Catherine Hossler, and died Decem- ber 24, 1854; Joseph, horn March 20, 1800, mar- ried Nancy Nissley, a widow, and died February 12, 1845; Elizabeth, born December 21, 1803, mar- ried John Hollinger, and died October 5, 1829.
Christian Brandt, the father of our subject, was born on the old Brandt homestead, described above, and resided there during his lifetime. In 1827 he married Elizabeth Long, who was born in 1868, and died in 1889, and was a daughter of Abram Long, who lived near Donegal Spring. Mr. Brandt was a tenant farmer until his father's estate was settled, when in 1858 he became the owner of the old farm. He was a Democrat, but took very little interest in politics. Religiously he was a member of the Mennonite Church, an exemplary Christian, and like his ancestors, was specially noted for strict integrity, industry and sobriety. He died January 7, 1870, when in his seventy-fifth year. Ile had eight sons. Jacob, born October 11, 1829, died from the effects of aceidental scalding at the age of three years; John, born January 1, 1831, mar- ried Mary Ann lossler; Abraham, born August 19, 1833, married Anna Mary Creider, and died
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November 11, 1888; Christian, born April 19, 1836, married Susannah Rhoads, and died October 7, 1891; David, born April 6, 1840, married Maria Iless; Samuel, born October 16, 184], married Maria E. Stauffer, and died October 10, 1890; Solomon was born February 8, 1845. and Joseph is onr subject.
Joseph L. Brandt was born May 21, 1847, on the old Brandt homestead, a mile and a-half north- west of Maytown, where all his brothers as well as his father, aunts and uncles were born and reared. Ile worked on his father's farm and at- tended the public schools of the vicinity until eighteen years of age, when he began teaching. and continued in the profession until 1878. The last two years he taught in Maytown High School: In 1867 he attended a summer session of the Mill- ersville State Normal School, and the following year was graduated from the Crittendon Commer- cial College at Philadelphia. He received a teach- er's Permanent State Certificate in 1875, and was a successful educator.
December 26, 1876, Mr. Brandt of this sketch married Miss Agnes May, eklest daughter of Rev. Joseph Nissley, a Bishop of the "United Zion's Children," residing near Hummelstown, Dauphin County. The young couple went to housekeep- ing in Maytown, and of their union have been born six children, their names and dates of birth being as follows: Edith A., October 2, 1878; Grace N .. January 27, 1880; John Jay, January 15, 1882; Joseph Nissley, July 10, 1886; Herman Long. Feb- ruary 25, 1888, and Ruth, May 26. 1890.
From 1878 until January 20, 1880, Mr. Brandt served efficiently as Justice of the Peace for East Donegal Township, and in connection with the same engaged in surveying and conveyancing. In January, 1880, he was appointed to his present position as Cashier of the Exchange Bank, and that spring removed with his family into the bank building, where he yet resides. In politics he is strictly independent and non-partisan, but in 1876 was the chosen candidate by the Democratic party for the State Legislature, though he was de- feated, for the county was overwhelmingly Re- publican. He belongs to no secret societies or so- cial clubs, but is one of the original members of
the Pennsylvania German Society, organized April 10, 1891. Ile is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Marietta and holds the offices of Eller and Trustee of the same.
H ORACE L. HALDEMAN. The family of which this influential citizen of Chickies is a representative has been identified with the history of Pennsylvania from an early period of its settlement. Its members have been active in business affairs and have held prominent positions in the eastern part of the state, especially in the counties of Lancaster and Dauphin, one branch having resided at Harrisburg for many years. The lineage is traced to Jacob Haldeman, who was born in Neufchatel, Switzerland, mn 1722, and died in 1793; during the War of the Revolu- tion he was one of the Committee on Public Safety for Rapho Township, Lancaster County. Ile was a descendant in the seventh generation of Iloneste Gaspard Haldimand ( whose name in German was Casper Haldeman), a relative of the noted British General. Sir Frederick Haldhimand, K. B., at one time Governor-General of Canada.
John, a son of Jacob above named, was united in marriage with Maria Breneman, who was born in 1760 and died in 1835. being a daughter of Mel- chior Breneman, second ( 1726-1809). Their fam- ily consisted of nine children, of whom Henry (1787-1849), the grandfather of our subject, was one. Henry married Frances Steman ( 1794-1826) and they became the parents of nine children, the eldest of whom was the distinguished scientist, the late Prof. Samuel Steman Haldeman. One of their younger sons was Cyrus S., our subject's father, who was born at Locust Grove, May 1, 1825, and died in Bostou, Mass., June 16, 1892.
On his mother's side our subject is descended from Melchior Breneman ( first), who was born in the Upper Palatinate, but owing to religious persecution, tled to America and with other Swiss families settled in Lancaster County about
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1715. In 1717 he purchased three traets of land near Lancaster, comprising about seven hundred and fifteen acres, and two years afterward bought two tracts, aggregating eleven hundred and fifteen acres, in that partof Lancaster County now known as Conoy Township. On these latter tracts in Conoy stands the homsteads, farms, distillery and mills known as the Breneman and Ilaldeman homesteads. From Melchior Breneman (second), grandson of Melchior (first), the lineage is traced through John and Michael to John S., our sub- ject's maternal grandfather. Both on his father's and mother's side, therefore, our subject is related to the Brenemans, as by the marriage of John Haldeman and Maria Breneman, his father, Cyrus S. Ilaldeman, is a great-grandson of Melchior Bren- eman (second), and his mother is a great-great- granddaughter of the same Melchior Breneman. From the latter is also descended the late Bayard Taylor, one of America's most illustrious men.
Upon the death of Grandfather Henry Halde- man, our subject's father, Cyrus S., settled upon the homestead at Locust Grove, and there remained several years, until disposing of the place to his brother Horace, then an officer in the regular army and formerly a soldier in the Mexican War. Hav- ing sold the home farm he removed to Philadel- phia, whence in 1856 he went to Columbia and read law with II. M. North. It was his intention to embark in the land business in the western ter- ritories, but the troubles in Kansas caused him to abandon the idea, instead of which he returned to Philadelphia, and during President Buchanan's administration entered the United States Custom House. While thus engaged he began the publica- tion of a commercial paper, the Philadelphia Daily Record. The breaking out of the Civil War so de- moralized the wholesale commercial trade that he suspended the publication of the paper, his printers enlisted, and he offered his services to Gen. Simon Cameron, then Secretary of War, by whom he was appointed Chief Clerk of the Volunteer Bureau in the Adjutant-General's office at Washington, un- der Capt. George D. Ruggles, now Adjutant-Gen- eral of the army. Ile remained in that position until May, 1862, when he was appointed Assistant Adjutant-General and joined the Union army at
Yorktown. While there he was attacked with the Peninsular fever and was sent home to die. A vig- orous constitution, however, brought him through and enabled him, after a tedious convalescence, to re-enter the service. Major-General Hancock ap- pointed him Judge Advocate of General Courts Martial, which retained him in service until Jan- uary 12, 1866.
Upon leaving the army Cyrus S. Haldeman en- gaged in the insurance business, especially that connected with the railway accident branch, which, with the assistance of our subjeet, he largely and successfully developed. Later he conducted a general railway ticket and baggage express busi- ness in New York City. While thus occupied, Col. Thomas A. Scott, President of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. an old friend, offered him the position of New England agent of that company. Ile accepted the place, which he held for twelve years, meantime residing in Boston. He became quite prominent in city affairs and served with marked efficiency as a member of the Board of Aldermen, also two terms as Registrar of Voters. Politicaliy he was a Democrat, as were his father and great-grandfather. le and his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Steman Breneman, were the parents of two children, Horace L. and llenry B. The mother is still living and makes her home with her son, Henry B., in Boston.
At the llaldeman homestead, in Locust Grove, Conoy Township, Lancaster County, the subject of this sketchi was born September 16, 1847. He was but an infant when the family moved to Chickies, this county, where his father engaged in the blast furnace business with his brothers, the late Prof. S. S. and Dr. Edwin Haldeman. He was educated in the Philadelphia publie schools, passing through the primary, secondary and grammar grades, after which he attended private academies, and also con- tinued his studies under the direction of his fa- ther, a man of superior culture and broad informa- tion.
Though but a mere youth when the war broke out, our subject was eager to respond to the call for troops and joined his father at Yorktown. When his father was sick he was ordered to Phila- delphia to straighten out bureau affairs connected
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with the post, which was of considerable impor- tance, owing to the large business necessitated by the United States Military llospitals, containing from eighteen to twenty thousand patients. On his return to Philadelphia he resumed his studies under private instruction. but soon after the raid of General Lee into Pennsylvania, he again entered the service, becoming First Lieutenant of Company B, Twentieth Pennsylvania Cavalry, July 28, 1863, and remained in that regiment until mustered out at the close of the war. After almost two years of hard service he was honorably discharged, June 30, 1865, as Captain of Company I. During his period of service he held the positions of Assistant Commissary of Musters and Acting Assistant Ad- jutant-General on the staffs of Gens. George Cad- walader, D. N. Couch and O. S. Ferry.
At, the close of the war our subject engaged with his father in the insurance business, and later in the general railway ticket business in New York. When his father became New England agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, he took charge of the financial part of the various agencies of the company in that district, numbering over one hundred. Meantime, owning to the ill health of Dr. Edwin Haldeman, senior member of the firm of E. Haldeman & Co., at Chickies, too much de- volved upon Paris Haldeman, the then active member of the firm, and the latter therefore per- suaded Ilorace to enter the iron business. In April, 1872, he became a member of the firm, with which he has since been connected, and at present is the only member of the family residing there or engaging in the business. Upon the formation of the Chickies Iron Company he became its Treas- urer, and later also Superintendent. He is also a member of the firm of Haldeman, Grubb & Co., engaged in the blast furnace business at Chickies, having had the active management of the business at this place for a number of years. In 1881 he became interested in the Conewago Iron Company at Middletown. Dauphin County, of which com- pany he was President and Treasurer.
Since 1880 Mr. Haldeman has been a Director of the First National Bank of Marietta. Socially he is one of the charter members of Lieut. William H. Child Post No. 226, G. A. R., at Marietta, in
which he has held the positions of Quartermaster and Commander. He has been a delegate to a number of department encampments of the Grand Army, as well as to the national encampment at Boston in 1890, and was an Aid-de-camp on the staff of Gen. Russell A. Alger when Commander-in- Chief of the Grand Army. He is the youngest member, in his own right, of the Pennsylvania Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion.
Politically Mr. Haldeman is a Democrat, adher- ing to the faith of his forefathers. He has fre- quently represented his party as a delegate to county and state conventions, and in 1888 ac- cepted the nomination for Congress, though with no expectation of election, as Lancaster County had always been largely Republican. In the elec- tric railway development in his neighborhood he has taken great interest. Ile was one of the incor- porators and is now a Director and Treasurer of the Columbia & Donegal Railway, running via Chickies Rock over the mountains between Colum- bia and Marietta.
In 1872 Mr. Haldeman was united in marriage with Miss Emma L. Jones, and they are the par- ents of one child. Maud. Mrs. Haldeman is a daughter of James R. Jones, a native of Wales, who at one time was largely engaged in the iron business, being the builder and owner of the Nov- elty Iron Works at Harrisburg, Pa.
H C. HOPKINS, a leading and active busi- ness man of Lancaster, is now giving his attention to the management and sale of real estate, having his office at No. 18-22 East Or- ange Street. During Grant's first term of office he was appointed Postoffice Inspector under his cousin, John A. I. Creswell, Postmaster-General, and served in this important position for twelve years. Dur- ing this time he assisted in investigating the Star Route frauds, and was a member of the Postmas-
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ter-General's staff. At Pittsburg he assisted in re- organizing that office under the system of compet- titive examinations. In New York City he had charge of the postage stamp agency as Superinten- dent; all the stamps were issued from that office. Subsequently he was transferred by Mr. James, Postmaster-General, to his old position, Inspector, with headquarters at Chicago.
The ancestors of Mr. Hopkins on the paternal side came from Scotland, and were early settlers in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County. His grandfather, James Hopkins, was a leading lawyer in the city of Lancaster. lle married Anne, a daughter of Gen. George Ross, and grandaughter of George Ross, one of the signers of the Declara- tion of Independence. Three sisters of her great- grandfather married respectively General Clymer, of Berks County; George Reed and Henry Wilson, who all signed the same illustrious document. James and Anne Ilopkins had eleven children, the eldest of whom, James M., is the father of our sub- jeet. and his brother Washington was a finished lawyer and a distinguished member of the Laneas- ter Bar. James Hopkins, Sr., was a member of the St. James' Episcopal Church, in which he was a Vestryman. He was interested in furnaces at York and other places, and was quite a man of business. Hle built a canal around Conowago Falls. Ile was a large land owner, and at the close of the War of the Rebellion he disposed of the last of this property. As a lawyer he was considered one of the ablest men of the times in hus profession; he practiced at Harrisburg, Carlisle and in York County, and probably enjoyed the largest client- age of any lawyer in the state. While pleading a case in the Lancaster Court House with his accus- tomed enthusiasm and earnestness he burst a blood vessel, which caused his death. James Buchanan, who had studied law with him, assisted in settling up his estate, and became a guardian of our sub- ject's father. In the leading enterprises of the county he had always been foremost, being pro- gressive and enterprising and having very ad- vanced ideas.
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