Portrait and biographical record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania. : Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States, Part 103

Author:
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1006

USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > Portrait and biographical record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania. : Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 103
USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > Portrait and biographical record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania. : Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 103
USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > Portrait and biographical record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania. : Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 103

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

For some time it had been the earnest desire of Mr. Litzenberg to join the Union army, and in 1864 he became a member of Company G, One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Pennsylvania Infantry, the regiment being commanded by Colonel Fisher. He was then assigned to West Virginia, and re- mained in the South until honorably discharged, in the early part of 1866. From the army he came to Allentown, where he earned his livelihood at the

trade of a painter until 1872. In 1868 he married Miss Catherine S., daughter of David and Hannah Trumbauer, of Allentown. Four children were born of their union, but only two are now living, Kate J. and Ella E.

In 1872 Mr. Litzenberg was appointed Deputy Revenue Collector for the Sixth District of Penn- sylvania, under Edward Ruhe, and filled that posi- tion until 1876. In 1877 and 1878 he was Sealer of Weights and Measures for Leliigh County. The following year he was elected Alderman of Allen- town from the Fourth Ward for a term of five years, but resigned in August, 1882, and was then appointed Special Examiner on the United States Pension Bureau, serving in that capacity until April, 1887, when he resigned. He was re-appointed to this position under President Harrison, but de- clined the appointment.

In addition to his business as Notary Public, Mr. Litzenberg also does business as a pension at- torney. He has taken a very active part in poli- tics, especially in the Grant campaign, at which time he was Secretary of the County Committee. He also took a prominent part in the Garfield campaign of 1880. Through the active part he takes in politics he lias become widely known, and is recognized as one of the leading citizens of Allentown. He is now a member of E. B. Young Post No. 87, G. A. R., of which he served two terms as Commander, and has been Aid-de-Camp a number of times.

H ON. LAWRENCE J. BROUGHAL, who was a member of the Legislature from 1892 to 1894, is numbered among thie public-spirited and enterprising citizens of this district, whose first endeavor is always the good of the people. A native of South Bethlehem, he was born January 22, 1856, and is a son of Andrew Broughal, a native of County Wicklow, Ireland. The latter, on leaving the Emerald Isle, located in Newark, N. J., where he was employed with the oxide works for a time, and in 1853 came to this

854

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

poiut. At that time the oxide zinc works were started in South Bethlehem, and he remained with the company until about 1865. He was then an em- ploye of the Bethlehem Iron Company until lie was severely injured by an explosion, his injuries ter- minating fatally in 1891, at the age of fifty-seven years. Both he and his wife, whose maiden name was Ellen Mulaly, were members of the Catholic Church. Mrs. Broughal was born in Ireland, and by her marriage became the mother of nine chil- dren, seven of whom are living.

The subject of this sketch is the eldest in his fa- ther's family, and passed his boyhood in this city, where he attended the common schools, and was graduated in 1869 from the high school. His act- ive career was commenced at the foot of the ladder in the employ of the Bethlehem Iron Company as a . helper at the rolls. When eighteen years of age he was placed in charge of a set of rolls, and steadily rose until he became a foreman in the works. When the South Bethlehem National Bank was established in 1889, he was one of the organizers, and has been a Director ever siuce. He is also a member of the building and loan association and other city enterprises.

In Bethlehem, June 21, 1884, Mr. Broughal mar- ried Miss Josephine Hellenberger, who was born in Grant, Pa., and by their marriage four children have been boru, who are in order of birth as fol- lows: Dennis, Mary, James and Nellie. The family are members of the Catholic Church and are much respected in this city. When only twenty-one years old, Mr. Broughal was elected to the City Council, and has served in the same for a number of terms, some eleven years in all, in which time he served as Chairman of the Market Committee and as a member of the Finance and Street Com- mittees. For one term he served as School Direc- tor, being much interested in educational affairs.

A Democrat in politics, Mr. Broughal was a member of the Democratic Central Committee of the county, and was a delegate to the State Con- vention which met at Paterson in 1890. In 1892 he was nominated to the Legislature as Repre- sentative from the county at large, and was elected in the fall of that year. In 1894 he was again nominated, but his loyalty and fidelity to princi-

ple cost him his election, as had he not been stanchi and true to his associates on the ticket he would most certainly have been elected. He lost the election by four votes only, a remarkably small defeat in such a general "landslide." Mr. Broughal is intelligent and well educated, and his many frieuds and constituents placed the utmost confi- dence in his honor and integrity of principle as their representative.

A B. FICHTER is one of the most practical silk manufacturers in the Lehigh Valley, and comes of a family which for several generations has been engaged in this line of busi- ness. He is Secretary of the Bethlehem Silk Com- pany, which was incorporated in 1885, and which is one of the largest concerns in the state, employ- ing usually about four hundred hands. He is also a partner with Mr. Martin in the firm of Fichiter & Martin, silk-ribbon manufacturers. These two gen- tlemen have both been connected with this busi- ness since their early years, and are thoroughly up in the details of the business and in questions of general finance.

A native of Switzerland, our subject was born in 1860, in Basel, of which place his father, Bene- dict Fichter, was also a native. His grandfather, John J., was a ribbon-weaver, and became one of the foremost men in the silk-ribbon manufacture . in Basel, making a considerable fortune and being very successful. His deathi occurred in 1879, at the age of eighty-four years. Our subject's father also learned this special branch of silk manufact- ure, and was a partner with his father, their busi- ness being very extensive, and the products of their factory being sent all over the world. Ben- edict Fichter, who is now retired and is a resident of Basel, Switzerland, is a member of the Reformed Church. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary E. Seiler, was a daughter of Leonhard Seiler, who was a cotton-weaver and later a merchant in Basel, where his death occurred. Mrs. Fichter was a na- tive of that place, and by her marriage became the mother of five children, four of whom are living.

A. B. Fichter was reared in his birthplace, receiv-

855

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ing a good edueation in the gymnasium and in- dustrial schools. After completing his studies he went into his father's employ as a clerk, becoming a practical and experienced man in the business, being finally admitted as a partner. On his father retiring from business he eame to America, though he had previously visited this country in Mareh, 1881, when he went to New York City to look after the firm's trade and introduee their goods more extensively. He spent the summer in that city, returning to Switzerland in August. At that time he eould speak a little English and French, and has sinee become proficient in these. In Sep- tember, 1883, he arrived in the United States, and October 11 of that year was married in Allen- town to Miss Elizabeth C. Martin, who was born in Allentown, and is the daughter of Dr. Charles L. Martin. After their marriage the young couple went to Switzerland, remaining there until No- vember, 1884, when they returned and located in Allentown.

It was in July, 1885, that Mr. Fichter began the manufacture of silk ribbons in South Bethlehem. The business was carried on in the Excelsior Knit- ting Mill Building, and the title of the firm be- came Fichter & Martin. In the mean time he and his brothers-in-law and the New York partners interested ineorporated the Bethlehem Silk Com- pany, and in October, 1886, they started in the business, locating soon after in their large build- ing, some three and a-half stories in height and 50x250 feet in dimensions, and located at the junction of Goepp Street and the Monoeacy Rail- road. The first two floors are used by the Bethle- hem Silk Company in the manufacture of silk thread for weaving ribbon and silk cloth, and the third floor is used for silk-ribbon manufacture. The firm of Fiehter & Martin runs fifty -four looms, employing about two hundred and fifty hands, and the Bethlehem Silk Company employs four hundred hands. This fact alone fully shows what a prominent local industry the business has be- come, and how useful a factory it is in the busi- ness enterprise of the town.

The home of our subject is located at No. 351 Market Street. Religiously Mr. Fichter is a mem- ber of Trinity Episcopal Church, in which he holds

the office of Vestryman and is Choir Master. He is a Republican in politics, being greatly interested in the suceess of his party, and personally is a man who is just and eonseientious in his business rela- tions, thus meriting the high regard which is so freely given him by his many friends and fellow- citizens.

F RANK J. MEYERS, Postmaster of Peters- ville, and a well-to-do citizen of Northamp- ton County, has been engaged in mercan- tile business since 1873, and is at the present time conducting the largest trade in the place. For the first five years he had associated with him as partner J. H. Scholl, the firm name being Scholl & Meyers. Sinee their dissolution, however, he has eondueted affairs alone, and is making a suceess of this branch of trade. He carries a full line of gen- eral dry goods, boots, shoes, hats, eaps, groceries and erockery, and in every department of his store exchanges goods for country produce. His stock runs about $6,000, and his sales amount to from $15,000 to $20,000 per year.

Our subject is a native of this county, and was born June 1, 1848, to Joel and Christina (Red- line) Meyers. also natives of this state. He re- mained under the parental roof until reaching his twelfth year, in the mean time attending sehool at Weaversville Academy. His father died when he was a lad of four years, and on leaving home he began elerking in the mercantile establishment of Ephraim Young, with whom he remained for three years. Then coming to Petersville, he clerked for H. J. Boyer for a time, and subsequently filled the same position for J. H. Berlin, of this place. After leaving the latter's employ he went to Nazareth, and for a short time clerked for John Beitel, after which he returned to Petersville, and for two and a-half years was in the employ of Maek & Weiss.

In 1873 Mr. Meyers, in company with J. H. Seholl, established a business, but since 1878 Mr. Meyers has operated alone. He was married in 1869 to Miss Maria Whitesel, and to them have

856

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

been born seven children, five of whom are living, viz .: Quillas A., Elsic, Anna, Bertha and Frank S. Our subject is a devoted member of the Lutheran Church in Moore Township, which he has served in the capacity of Deacon. In politics he never fails to cast liis ballot in favor of Democratic can- didates, and although often called upon to accept public positions of trust and honor, he has al- most invariably refused (the only exception be-

ing when he accepted the position of Post- master), preferring to give his time to his pri- vate interests. Socially he is a Mason of high standing, belonging to Monocacy Lodge No. 413, F. & A. M., at Bath, this state. He was appointed Postmaster in April, 1888, previous to which time he was assistant for many years. As will be seen, Mr. Meyers is self made, both as to education and finances. He deserves great praise for the interest he manifests in public affairs and the amount of in- formation he possesses regarding the chief issues of the day.

J ALFRED SPEER, who is the popular mer- chant and Postmaster at Flicksville, North- ampton County, has been in business at this place since 1889. He ·occupies a building 28x32 feet in dimensions, withi upper floor and basement also used for store purposes. In his es- tablishment he carries the usual commodities found in a first-class country store, including a full line of dry goods, hardware, crockery, groceries, boots and shoes. His sales usually average between $15,- 000 and $18,000 per annum. In 1890 he was ap- pointed Postmaster, which position he has since held.

In noting the history of the family, we find that our subject's father, John, was born in Northamp- ton County, and was a son of John and Barbara (Seibold) Speer, natives of Germany, who emi- grated to this country prior to their marriage. The great-grandfather Seibold was an carly settler of Upper Mt. Bethel Township, where he remained until his deatlı. The grandparents reared a large family, of whom nine are now living, viz .: Will- iam, a resident of Bangor, Pa .; Rebecca, wife of

.Jacob Cressman, of Monroe County, Pa .; George, whose home is in Nazareth, Pa .; John, our sub- ject's father; Lewis, living in Bangor; Harriet, wife of Isaac Root, of Red Oak, Iowa; Christian, of Bangor; Mary, Mrs. Hiram Weaver, of Bangor; and Wilhelmina, wife of Theodore Mann, of Upper Mt. Bethel Township, Northampton County.

In the schools of Upper Mt. Bethel Township John Speer gained the elements of his education, though his broad fund of information was mainly acquired by self-culture. For a number of years he taught school during the winter season. Choos- ing as his wife Miss Catherine Miller, they became the parents of eight children, of whom five are liv- ing, namely: Mary A., wife of John Hopple, of Stuckertown, Pa .; John Alfred, the subject of this sketch; George, also a resident of Flicksville; Milton, living in Delabole, Pa .; and Ellen S., wife of Ervin Culp, of Bangor.

Embarking in the mercantile business in 1854, John Speer was engaged in business at Bangor for a short time, and afterward was similarly occupied at Kesslersville, where he held the office of Post- master. Later lie engaged in farming, and also operated a gristmill in Plainfield Township, after which he resumed merchandising. In 1868 he lo- cated at Plainfield Church, where he conducted a mercantile business for twelve years. In 1887 he was elected Justice of the Peace, in which capacity he has since served. He is identified with the Lutheran Church, and is officiating as Secretary of the congregation. His first wife died in 1889, and he afterward married Mrs. Sabina Engler, widow of Jackson Engler, of Washington Township, Northampton County, and daughter of the late John and Catherine Bowers. In politics he is a Democrat. He is well and favorably known in the community where he has so long made his home, and is recognized as a man of the highest moral attributes.

In Northampton County our subject was born May 14, 1858. Early in life he began to assist his father in his store, thus gaining a good idea of the business in which he is now engaged. After com- pleting his studies he taught school for a short time, but with that exception his entire time has been devoted to merchandising. He married Miss

857

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Emma Bruch, of Pen Argyl, Pa., and they have one child, Jennie C. At present he is serving as School Director of Washington Township. In re- ligious belief lie is a Lutheran. Besides his other enterprises, he is also filling the position of station agent for the Bangor & Portland Railroad at Flieksville.

S AMUEL CASKIE. This prominent resi- dent of Walnutport, Northampton County, has for the past twenty years been engaged in operating the Heimbaeli Slate Quarry, located one and one-quarter miles from Walnutport. He is a shrewd, far-sighted business man, honest in all his dealings, and is respected by all his acquaint- ances. He was born in the North of Ireland, No- vember 11, 1833, and is a son of David and Jane (Boyd) Caskie, also natives of the Emerald Isle and of Scotch-Covenanter stoek.

At the age of ten years the subject of this sketch was deprived by death of his father. Three years later he went to Wigtonshire, Scotland, where he worked as a farm land for several years. At the age of seventeen he began to learn the trade of a plasterer, at whielt lie served an apprenticeship until the time of his departure for the New World. In the latter part of November, 1852, he took pas- sage on a steamer at Wigton for Liverpool, and at the latter place boarded the steamship "Tona- wanda," which landed him in America after a voyage of four weeks. From Philadelphia he went direct by stage to Slatington, where he secured em- ployment in a slate quarry, and remained thus oc- cupied for three years. Afterward he was ap- pointed Superintendent of the old mantel quarry for the Lehigh Slate Company, which position he held for a number of years, giving entire satisfac- tion to his employers.

In 1872 Mr. Caskie began operating a quarry on his own account, several years afterward taking in as partner John D. Emack. The business was then conducted under the firm title of Caskie & Emack. For some years Mr. Caskie lias operated the Heim-

bach Quarry, and gives employment in both fac- tory and quarry to about forty men. His son, William J., is General Superintendent of the works, the products of which are mainly roof slates, school slates, blaekboards, etc. Since coming to this eoun- try Mr. Caskie has been a resident mainly of Slat- ington, but in the fall of 1893 removed with his family to Walnutport.

In 1853 Mr. Caskie and Miss Agnes Kerr were united in marriage. Mrs. Caskie was born in Wig- tonshire, Scotland, February 24, 1839, and is the daughter of Hugh and Joan (Smith) Kerr, natives respectively of the North of Ireland and Scotland. In 1852 Mrs. Caskie eame with her parents to America and settled in Slatington. One year later Mr. and Mrs. Kerr removed to Ohio, where the foriner died. The latter then returned to Scotland, where her decease occurred.

Mr. and Mrs. Caskie are the parents of six liv- ing ehildren, namely: William J .; Mary, the wife of Hugh Roberts; David, Washington, Rebecca and Louise. In politics Mr. Caskie is a Republican, and while a resident of Slatington served for sev- eral terms as Burgess of that borough. He is pub- lie-spirited and gives liberally of his means toward the promotion of every good measure. He and his wife are members of the First Presbyterian Church of Slatington, in which he has held the office of Deacon.

H ENRY WEIDNECHT is one of the active and energetic citizens of Easton, eonduet- ing a good business at No. 133 South Third Street. On his father's death he succeeded to his meat-market and large trade, which he has since greatly improved. In all local improvements and affairs he takes a commendable interest, and among others is a member of the Building and Loan Association, which has for its object the ad- vaneement of real-estate enterprises whiel tend to benefit the city. At one time he was a member of the old Volunteer Fire Department, serving for about twenty-five years, or until the new system was inaugurated. He is also connected with the

858

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

South Easton Water Works, and is a member of the Masonic Mutual Savings and Loan Association. During the late war he enlisted in the noble Fifty- first Pennsylvania Regiment, and was made Quar- termaster-Sergeant of Company K. After serving for two months he contracted typhoid fever, and was sent home when it was expected that he would not live. However, he recovered and later re-en- listed in the Emergency Militia. Prior to his re- enlistment he had returned to his regiment at Fredericksburg, desiring to re-enter the regular service, but he found that they had left for the front, and it seemed best that he should join the Emergency Corps.

As the name would imply, the Weidnechts are of German origin, and our subject's paternal grandfather, Charles, was formerly a resident of Baden, where he was interested in the raising of grapes. With his wife and family he set sail for America in 1816, and soon after reaching the shores of the New World located near Easton, where he engaged in running a farm. He was a Democrat, and in religion a Lutheran. He died at the good old age of eighty years. His wife, pre- vious to her marriage Catherine Rates, bore him four children: Charles, George, Mrs. Mary Brinker and Mrs. Lizzie Baron. The great-grandfather of Henry Wcidnecht, on his father's side, was a Burgomaster, or Mayor, in a German city, and was a man of prominence and wealth.

The parents of our subject were Charles and Sarah (Spangenberg) Weidnecht. The father was born in the town of Kimdelsheim, Baden, Ger- many. He had meager educational advantages, but was a great reader, and became well informed on general affairs. He was only six years old when he came with his parents to the United States, and in his youth he learned the butcher's trade at Easton, following this occupation up to the late War of the Rebellion. Though he was then over the usual age of admission to the serv- ice, an exception was made in his favor, as he was a man of strong constitution and endurance. He served valiantly for three years and three months in the Forty-seventh Pennsylvania Regiment, un- der Captain Griffy, and among other engagements in which he took part were those of Winchester

and Shenandoah. His death occurred in 1874, while his wife passed away in January, 1890, aged seventy-nine years. He took quite an active part in the ranks of the Democratic party, and was called to act as a member of the Easton Council at one time, having been forced by his friends to ac- cept the position, though he was averse to holding office. He was Past Master in Easton Lodge No. 152, F. & A. M., and belonged to the Odd Fellows society. For a while he was engaged in driving cattle and sheep to the New York and Philadelphia markets, and at the time of his deatlı left a valu- able estate. All three of his sons (John, Henry and Samuel C.) enlisted for the defense of the Union, and were members of the Fifty-first Penn- sylvania Regiment. John, who resides in Easton, was a member of Company B, under Colonel Hart- ranft, afterwards Governor of this state. At the bat- tle of Camden, on General Burnside's expedition, he received a wound. His service altogether cov- ered a period of three years. Samuel C., who served for the same time, was a member of Com- pany B, with his elder brother, and was detailed to act in the Commissary Department at General Burnside's headquarters. Mary C., the only daugh- ter, became the wife of E. W. Drake, now deceased.

Henry Weidnecht was born November 26, 1840, at Easton, and herc received his schooling. On completing his elementary studies he attended Pro- fessor Vanderveer's Academy for a few terms. On beginning the practical duties of life he was em- ployed by his father as an assistant, and continued with him until the latter's death. Since that time he has carried on the business in connection with his brother Samuel, and numbers among his custom- ers many of the best families of the place.

The home of our subject is at No. 131 South Fourth Street, and the lady who presides over its hospitality and extends a warm welcome to the many friends of the family was before her marriage Miss Louisa Campbell. The union of our subject and wife was celebrated December 24, 1864. They are members of St. John's Lutheran Church, and have many sincere friends, whom they have made by their worthy attributes and kindness to all.

Mr. Weidnecht is a leader in the ranks of the Democratic party, and has served as delegate to

859

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

state conventions on two oeeasions. At one time he was proposed as a candidate for Councilman from the First Ward. The vote was a tie, al- though the usual Republiean majority is about eighty. A member of several of the leading loeal fraternities, he is identified with Easton Lodge No. 152, F. & A. M .; Hugh De Payen's Commandery No. 19, K. T .; Amana Lodge No. 77, K. of P .; and Columbia Couneil No. 13, Sr. O. U. A. M.

EN. FRANK REEDER, a very prominent citizen of Easton, is a son of Andrew H. Reeder, the first Governor of the terri- tory of Kansas, and a man of distinetion and great ability, whose biography appears elsewhere in this work. In the ranks of the Republican party Gen- eral Reeder is acknowledged to be a leading poli- tician, and he has been Chairman of the Pennsyl- vania State Committee. During the late war he was one of those who responded to the call for soldiers in putting down the rebellion, and served until the last foe of the Government had surren- dered, or for a period of nearly four years. Dur- ing this time he participated in twenty-five regu- lar engagements and skirmishes, and his bravery was frequently officially reported to his superiors. He was only a lad when he donned the blue, and his military record was made before he attained his majority.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Portrait and biographical record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania. : Containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States, Part 103

Author: Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1006

Author:
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1006