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 63
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 63
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 63
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Our subject was born in Moore Township, North- ampton County, July 11, 1849, and is a son of the late George and Annie (Leisenring) Laub, natives respectively of Northampton and Lehigh Counties, Pa. The family was represented among the early settlers of Moore Township, and here George W. was reared to manhood on the old homestead, at- tending for a time the public schools of Moore Township, and later a scleet school in Bethlehem. For a short time he was also a student in the Key-
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stone State Normal School at Kutztown, Pa. On completing his studies he was engaged as a teacher in Moore Township, after which he was for thir- teen years a clerk in the mercantile house of Owen Reyer, at Beersville, Pa. Subsequently he was taken into the business, and the firm name became Reyer & Laub. In 1887 he came to Belfast and opened the store which he still conducts, having a large trade and giving employment to several clerks.
In politics Mr. Laub is a Republican and favors the principles of reciprocity. In 1889 he was ap- pointed Postmaster at Belfast, and has since held that office. A Lutheran in religion, he is a Deacon of his church and one of its leading members. Socially he is connected with Aluta Lodge No. 488, 1. O. O. F., and Washington Camp No. 558, P. O. S. of A., at Belfast. His wife, Annie M., is a daughter of Samuel Geiser, of Lehigh Township, Northampton County, and their family consists of three children, Amy F., Herbert F. and Ella C.
Mr. Laub possesses excellent business qualifica- tions and is an able financier. In addition to the management of his store, hic is financially inter- ested in other important enterprises. He is a stockholder in the Pennsylvania Hard Vein Slate Company, and is also interested in other slate quar- ries. In his enterprises he has displayed practical common sense, discrimination and an ability to work to good advantage. The success that lias followed his efforts proves that he was fortunate in the selection of an occupation.
R OBERT E. NEUMEYER, a civil engineer and Superintendent of the Water Works, was born at Nazareth, Northampton Coun- ty, Pa., February 12, 1867. His father, E. A. Neu- meyer, was a blacksmith prior to the year 1886, when he went to Bethlehem and engaged in the coal business. The mother of our subject, Salina (Engler) Neumeyer, was born at Dryland, North- ampton County, and is the daughter of Joseph Engler, who is a prominent farmer at that place.
John Neumeyer, the grandfather, a Prussian, emi- grated to America, and died at Nazareth at quite an advanced age. He possessed an abundance of energy, foresight and perseverance, necessary req- uisites to success, and realizing the rapid growth which Pennsylvania was destined to make, he se- lected this state for his home.
There were eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Neumeyer, Robert being the eldest. Hc was reared near Nazareth, and after attending the vil- lage school at that place, went to Trach's Academy, at Easton, Pa., in the year 1882. He then engaged in teaching, and at the same time took a complete normal course at Valparaiso, Ind. Receiving his professional papers, he continued teaching for three years, when he came to Bethlehem and helped his father in the coal business. Wlrile thus em- ployed, he devoted all of his spare moments to ac- quiring a more thorough knowledge of higher mathematics, and then entered the civil engineer- ing department of the Lehigh University, from which he was graduated with honors in 1890, re- ceiving the degree of a civil engineer. During his junior year at the university he received sec- ond honor in an oratorical contest, and as it was his first experience as an orator, he may justly feel proud of his success. Ever since his depart- ure from his Alma Mater he has been Secretary of the alumni of his class.
After leaving college Mr. Neumeyer became chief draftsman of the Clinch Vallcy Railroad, a branch of the Norfolk & Western Railroad, and re- mained with this line for fifteen months, when he was transferred to the Ohio division of the same line. Here he was engaged prospecting for soft coal and running branch lines. After six months he resigned to accept the position of Civil Engi- neer of Bethlehem, and he was also at this time appointed Superintendent of the Water Works.
As the superintendent of the grading of the streets he has made quite a number of grades, and altered many others. His work is always satisfac- tory, for the one reason that he individually su- perintends both the work and the men, not trust- ing either to a subordinate. He is now serving his third term as Civil Engineer, having been unani- mously elected each term. The simple mention of
C. J. FITZGERALD.
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the fact that he has been a Sunday-school teacher for more than ten years, and is the present Secre- tary of the Northampton County Sunday-school Association, is in itself good currency, and will pass at par anywhere in the United States.
The subject of this biography has acquired con- siderable repute as a public speaker, and in politics he acts and believes in accordance with the princi- ples of the Democratic party. Mr. Neumeyer is truly a self-made man, having worked his way through both college and university, and in his profession is rapidly coming into prominence. So- cially he is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers of New York City.
HARLES J. FITZGERALD, a prominent business man of Pen Argyl, and senior member of the firm of Fitzgerald, Speer & Buzzard, is a native of Pennsylvania, and was born in Benton, Lackawanna County, April 2, 1847, be- ing a son of John and Gratia (Finn) Fitzgerald. His paternal ancestors were of Irish and English descent, and those of his mother were French and English. His grandfather, William Fitzgerald, was a native of Dublin, Ireland, and coming to the United States when twelve years of age, settled in Greene County, N. Y. He was a wheelwright by occupation, and died in New York City.
John Fitzgerald, the father of our subject, was born in Greene County, N. Y., August 27, 1803, and moved to New York City with his parents when eleven years of age. Hc first learned the trade of a carpenter and joiner, and afterward that of ship-building, at which occupation he worked until the Mexican War, when he enlisted as a pri- vate. He did not go to the war, however, as, the Government being apprised of the fact that he was a ship carpenter, he was instead assigned to the ship "John Adams" in that capacity. He remained thus engaged for four years, during which timc he was sent to the Sandwich Islands, and to the Island of Sumatra to avenge the death of a former
captain and cabin-boy of an American trading- vessel that had been plundered privately at that port while taking on fuel and water.
The "John Adams" had the co-operation of the "Cutter," an American vessel, and each carried four hundred and fifty marines. After reducing the pirates, they demanded that the perpetrators of the former outrage be delivered up, or the villages would be burned and destroyed. The overturcs were made in the morning and were to be met by noon of the same day, but upon refusal the vil- lages were all destroyed. After this incident the "John Adams" made a complete tour of the globe, visiting many points of interest, among which were the ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii, and finally landed in New York City after four years on the high seas.
Some time after his return to the United States John Fitzgerald went on two cruises to the north- ern seas, on a whaling-vessel, which occupied four years more, making in all eight years that he spent on the ocean. At the expiration of that time he began to work again at the carpenter's and joiner's trade, in New York City, where he re- remained two years. His marriage occurred in New York, October 2, 1844, to Miss Gratia, daugh- ter of Solomon and Ircne (Scoville) Finn. In 1846 he removed to Benton, Lackawanna County, where he engaged in contracting and building for a number of years. During the latter part of his life, however, he was practically retired. He died in Benton, November 27, 1873, and was buried there. Politically he was a Democrat, and took a deep interest in the success of his party. In his religious belief he was a Baptist, and an earnest worker in the church. He was the father of four children: Thomas, Charles J., S. B. and Mary E.
The subject of this sketch was born and reared in Benton Township, Lackawanna County, and re- ceived his education in the public schools of that locality. In his youth he learned the trade of car- penter and joiner, at which he continued until 1887. He then came to Pen Argyl and formed a partnership with his brother, S. B., in the planing- mill, lumber and contracting business. At the end of four years this partnership was dissolved, and a new one was formed, under the firm name of Fitz-
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gerald, Speer & Buzzard, and the business is at present conducted under that name.
February 20, 1870, Mr. Fitzgerald was united in marriage with Miss Emma, a daughter of Charles Hayden, of Scranton, Pa. This union has been blessed by the birth of two children: Bertha, the wife of Clifford Palmer, of Pen Argyl; and Orella, who is attending school. In politics our subject is a Democrat, and takes an active interest in the success of his party. He has served as Burgess of Pen Argyl, and also as Committeeman from his district. While in Lackawanna County he was a member of the School Board for nine years. So- cially he is identified with Pen Argyl Lodge No. 554, F. & A. M., and was formerly a member of the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Improved Order of Red Men.
J OHN A. FENSTERMACHER, Chief of Police of South Bethlehem, is the oldest police offi- cer in the place, and is well liked by every one. He has always satisfactorily performed his duties and has made a most efficient officer. May 19, 1894, he went on a tour of inspection with the Street Commissioners, and met with a severe accident on account of the overturning of a wagon. His injuries kept him confined to the house for over three months. He was born in Lower Nazareth, Northampton County, February 1, 1851, being a son of Jacob Fenstermacher, a native of Moore Township. His grandfather, whose Christian name was John, was also a native of this county, where he engaged in farming, though later he made a business of carpet-weaving in Lower Nazareth. His death resulted from in- juries received when over seventy-nine years of age from falling down some steps in the darkness. His father was a native of Germany, who settled in this county in a very early day.
Our subject's father was a butcher and carpenter by trade, and when he located in South Bethlehem in 1858 there were scarcely any houses in the place. He made a settlement on what was then
called the Philadelphia road, now known as Wyan- dotte Street. He is still living, making his home with his son John A., and is now nearly seventy years old. His wife died in February, 1892. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Rohn, and her birth occurred in Lower Nazareth, of which place her father, David Rohin, was also a native. He was a farmer and also a carpenter, engaging in those vocations until his death in 1857, at the age of sixty-nine years.
John A., of this sketch, is the eldest of three sons and four daughters who are living. His boyhood was mainly passed in South Bethlehem, and for a year he attended school in Seidersville, later Beth- lehem South, and now called South Bethlehem. He continued his studies in the common school until twelve years old, when for a year he was bound out to a farmer. Afterward he served an apprenticeship to a painter, with whom he re- mained for three years, and in 1870 went to Phil- adelphia, there working at his trade until the fol- lowing year, when he returned to this place and engaged in contract painting, building up a large business and having over forty men in his employ. He took contracts in all the neighboring country and the Lehigh Valley, but he was caught finan- cially in the panic of 1874, though two years lat- cr he started in his trade again, and became finally an employe of the Revolution Paint Company, with whom he continued for nearly a year.
It was in 1879 that Mr. Fenstermacher entered the public service as a policeman, serving faithfully until 1884, when he was appointed by the City Council to the position of Chief of Police, to which post he lias becu reappointed every spring since. From October, 1878, until the present time he has been a constable, having been re-elected every three years. Under his charge there are five policemen, and the new quarters are in the Market- house, which is fire-proof; in the basement are the steel cages for prisoners. Our subject holds a commission from the court as a society officer to protect children from neglectand cruelty. He was Health Officer until the new act went into force in the spring of 1894.
In October, 1874, occurred the marriage of our subject to Miss Catherine Doebele, who was born
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in New York City, and reared in South Bethlelicm, though her parents were natives of Wurtemberg, Germany. This worthy couple have five children: Carrie, who is a clerk with Hoffman & Co .; Frank, employed by the Lehigh Valley Railroad; William, with the Bethlehem Silk Company; and John, Katie and Warren, at home. The residence of the family is at No. 28 West Third Street, in the heart of the town.
In 1882 Mr. Fenstermacher had charge of the small-pox hospital in South Bethlehem, being stew- ard during this, the third, epidemic. He took an active part in stamping out the dread disease, which was worse that year than it had ever been in this locality. Fraternally he is a member of the Royal Arcanum, being one of the founders of the lodge in South Bethlehem, which started with nineteen members, July 12, 1884, and now has enrolled over two hundred persons. He has also affiliated with the Heptasophs. In politics he supports the Dem- ocratic party, and religiously holds to the ten- ets of the Reformed Church.
WEN F. FATZINGER is senior member of the firm of F. W. Wint & Co., who have a planing-mill, and are dealers in lumber
and coal. The gentleman whose name heads this article is a leading business man, and is thoroughly acquainted with the lumber trade; he also takes an active part in a number of local industries, and in promoting many works of public improvement.
The paternal grandfather, George Fatzinger, was an early settler in Hanover Townslup, Lehigh County, where he was engaged in carrying on the old homestead, which is still in possession of the family, who have owned it for over one hundred and fifty years, it being only two miles distant from Catasauqua. He was a weaver by trade, and lived to attain a good old age, both he and his wife being buried at Shanesville. He was nearly ciglity years of age at the time of his death, and was a devoted Lutheran. Our subject's father, whose Christian name was Adam, was born in
Hanover Township, on the old farm, in 1790, and early learned agricultural pursuits. For a time he managed thehomestead of one hundred and twenty- seven acres, and also became the owner of two other good farms. Beginning at the bottom, he steadily progressed, becoming very well-to-do, and using every effort to acquire a fortune. He cleared his land and built a limekiln, where he burned lime for fertilizing his farm, which increased its production fifty-fold. He was a farmer of the most practi- cal kind, and was active until shortly before his death in 1880. His wife, formerly Polly Adams, was born in the same locality, and was of Scotch descent. Her death occurred in 1881, when about eighty-seven years of age, and of their fourteen children who grew to maturity only seven are now living. They were faithful members of the Lutheran Church, and sturdy, industrious people, whose object in life was to promote the welfare of their fellow-citizens, and to rear their children to good and useful lives.
Born March 29, 1840, in Hanover Township, Owen F., of this sketch, is the youngest of his parents' large family. He was reared to agricult- ural pursuits, and attended the common schools. In 1862 he was a member of a regiment of Penn- sylvania militia, being once called into service in Maryland. In 1868 he took charge of the home farm, operating about eighty acres of it, and then turned his attention to the dairy and milk busi- ness, supplying many of the inhabitants of Allen- town.
In 1873 Mr. Fatzinger bought au interest in the lumber district, and the following year located in Catasauqua, since which time he has been a resi- dent of this city, and active in its commercial en- terprises. In 1891, on the death of John Williams, he was elected his successor as Vice-President of the National Bank of Catasauqua. He is also in- terested and a Director in the Catasauqua Land Company and the Bryden Horseshoe Company. As one of the original members, he helped to found the Unicorn Silk Mills. Being greatly in favor of getting this industry started in Catasauqua, he voluntecred to go to New York to secure it, the result being that the property was leased for ten ycars, and after that, owing to his influence with
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New York parties and others, he sueeeeded in estab- lishing the works. The Direetors have now been paid up, and the mills are steadily gaining in trade and reputation for fine goods
The F. W. Wint & Co. lumber business has long been a leading branch of the trade in this locality, and the plant eovers some two and a-half acres. For convenience the yard is located near the canal, and equipped with saw and planing mills, where all kinds of dressed and undressed lumber used in various buildings, etc., may be found, as well as sash, doors and blinds. The works are run by steam-power, and have improved mill machinery, where as many as twenty hands arc often employed.
In 1868 Mr. Fatzinger was married in Hanover Township to Miss Savilla Wint, daughter of the old pioneer, William Wint, and sister of F. W., of the firm of F. W. Wint & Co. Mr. and Mrs. Fatzinger are members of the Lutheran Church, of which the former is a Trustee. Socially he is connected with Porter Lodge No. 268, F. & A. M .; Catasauqua Chapter, R. A. M .; and Allen Commandery No. 20, K. T. Besides, he belongs to Lulu Temple of the Mystie Shrine of Philadelphia, and with his wife attended the Triennal Conelaves at Den- ver, Colo., and Washington, D. C. On the question of polities he votes with the Democratic party.
EONARD PECKITT, Superintendent of the Crane Iron Company, was born in 1860, in Yorkshire, England, near Thirsk. at Charlton, Husthwaite. He is the eldest of nine children comprising the family of Leonard F. and Frances (Quickfall) Peekitt, residents of Yorkshire. He received in youth splendid educational ad- vantages, and was for some years a student in a college in the northern part of his native shire, where he took a special course in analytical chem- istry. His studies were completed under the tute- lage of Prof. W. F. Stoek, at that time County Analyst at Darlington, Durham County.
In June of 1882 Mr. Peekitt crossed the Atlan- tic, and arriving in Philadelphia, Pa., was soon
afterward engaged by the Reading Iron Works as their chemist. With that firm he remained until their failure in April, 1886, when he spent a month in the employ of the Allentown Iron Company as ehemist. Later he took charge of the laboratory of the Crane Iron Company at Catasauqua and was eliemist for one year. In the fall of 1888 he was chosen Assistant Superintendent, and at the same time also took charge of the Edge Hill Furnace, in Montgomery County, Pa., and the furnace of Ma- cungie, Pa., both of which had been leased by the Crane Iron Company.
In 1890 Mr. Peckitt was promoted to the posi- tion of Superintendent of the Crane Iron Com- pany, which he has sinee filled with eredit to him- self. The Crane furnaces are the oldest in the Valley, having been started in 1838-39 with David Thomas as Superintendent. To thiem belongs the distinetion of having been the first to manufacture pig iron by the use of anthracite, or hard, coal. From time to time the furnaces have been remod- eled to keep paee with the improvements of mod- ern time, and the plant is the largest as well as the oldest in the valley. The four furnaces here have a capacity of one hundred and thirty thousand tons per annum. Those at Macungie and Edge Hill are smaller, having a capacity of about fifty thousand tons per year.
The Crane Iron Company also owns and oper- ates the Catasauqua Water Works and supplies the borough with water. During the past year (1893) they put in at an immense eost new engines and pumps and two large filters. The standpipe is thirty-seven feet high and is situated on the How- ertown Road, at the highest point in the city, thus affording excellent capacity and power. They supply three hundred and fifty thousand gallons every twenty-four hours, but eould readily furnish twice that amount if necessary.
To facilitate the transportation of material the company built traeks and side traeks, as well as the bridge aeross the eanal and river. They now use four large and four narrow-gauge locomotives for hauling their ore product, cinders and fuel. Dur- ing busy seasons they employ over six hundred hands. They have their own mines in several counties of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, those in
JOHN W. SEPP.
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the former state being located in the counties of Lehigh, Northampton and Berks. Their farms in Cumberland County are rented, and they also own several farms on which are valuable limestone quarries. In smelting the ore they use two-thirds anthracite coal and one-third coke. They manu- facture all the different grades of pig iron, including ordinary foundry iron, branded "Crane;" special, branded "Castle;" ordinary Bessemer, branded "Michigan;" and the basic iron used in steel works, branded "Pottstown."
In Reading, Pa., in 1889, Mr. Peckitt was united in marriage with Miss H. M. Weidler, who was born in that city. One child has blessed their union, a son named Leonard Charlton. Mr. and Mrs. Peckitt are members of the Episcopal Church at Catasauqua, in which he is one of the Vestry- men. In everything pertaining to the science of chemistry he is deeply interested, and is a Fellow of the Chemical Society of London, England, also a member of the American Institute of Mining. Doubtless in his special department no one in Catasauqua is so well informed as he, and his thorough knowledge of the iron industry enables him to render most acceptable service to the Crane Company. At the present time he is one of its receivers, as during the panic of 1893 the failure of many large steel works that were indebted to the Crane Company crippled the resources of the latter to such an extent that they went into the hands of receivers. This, however, is but a tem- porary arrangement, and with the return of pros- perity to the country the matter will undoubtedly be satisfactorily adjusted.
OHN W. SEPP, who is engaged in the real- estate and insurance business, and is also an Alderman of Allentown, claims Germany as the land of his birth. He was born in Hes- se-Darmstdat, on the 6th of January, 1847, and is a son of Adam and Catherine (Brown) Sepp. In the autumn of 1847 his parents bade adieu to the Fatherland, and, with their family, crossed thic At-
lantic to America. They landed in New York City, and thence made their way to Philadelphia, Pa., where the father engaged in carriage-making for a time. He was very successful in his under- takings, and worked his way upward to a position of affluence. He died at his summer home in Ham- monton, N. J. His widow is still living, and is a resident of Philadelphia.
The subject of this sketch is the youngest of a family of four children, three sons and a daughter, of whom three are yet living. His education was acquired in the public schools of Philadelphia, and when his school life was ended he learned the trade of painting and paper-hanging, which he con- tinued until 1872. . He then began clerking in the stationery store of John W. Ochs, in whose employ he remained for five years. In 1877 lie turned his attention to the real-estate and insurance business, which he has followed up to the present time. He represents a number of leading American and Eng- lish insurance companies, and is meeting with good success in this undertaking.
In 1864 Mr. Sepp was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Storch, of Allentown, daughter of Peter Storch. In 1877 he was elected Alderman of the city from the Fifth Ward, and has served in that position continuously since, covering a period of eighteen consecutive years. This fact certainly indicates his fidelity to duty and the confidence and trust reposed in him by his fellow- townsmen. In politics he is a stanch supporter of Democratic principles.
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