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 68
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 68
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 68
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took the following special courses: operative sur- gery, microscopy, gynecology and general labora- tory work. For years he has made a specialty of surgical cases and diseases of women, meeting with gratifying success. He is a Republican, and has been for two terms a member of the Town Coun- cil, and for a period of three years served as School Director. With the Northampton County and Pennsylvania State Medical Societies and with the Easton Medical Club he is identified, and at one time served as President of the first-named organ- ization. He is Past Master of Bangor Lodge No. 565, F. & A. M., is also identified with Bangor Chapter, R. A. M., Hugh De Payen Commandery, K. T., of Easton; the Consistory at Scranton, Pa., and Lulu Temple of the Mystic Shrine, of Phila- delphia. He is also a member of Prosperity Lodge, I. O. O. F., of this place. In religious belief he is identified with the Evangelical Church of Bangor, of which he was Trustee for five years.
In July, 1875, the Doctor married Mary E., daughter of John G. Miller, of this county, and they have four children, three sons and a daugh- ter, namely: George Melvin, Charles Austin, Cora May and Rossiter Raymond. The eldest son is a student in Schuylkill Seminary, while the others are pursuing their studies in the public schools of Bangor.
B. SCHAEFFER, General Agent for the New Jersey Central Railroad at Bethlehem, Pa., was born at Seigfreid's Bridge, Northampton County, August 5, 1865. His father was born in Moore Township, North- ampton County, and was a merchant and traveling salesman in the Lehigh Valley and throughout the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York. His home is now at Whitehall, Lehigh County. He is an active Republican, and has served as Assessor and Justice of the Peace. He is seventy-two years old and is in good health.
The grandfather, Theobald Schaeffer, was born in Moore Township, Northampton County, in 1798,
and died in 1890, when over ninety-two years of age. In his youth he learned the tanning trade with Peter Steckel. He afterward built a tannery, and followed tanning and farming for upwards of sixty years. He was one of the Commissioners who built the road over the Blue Mountains at Burrow's Springs, called Smith Gap, at or near what is now Point Philips. He secured his appoint- ment from the state Government, which furnished the money for the undertaking. The other com- missioners were George Schlabach, from Northamp- ton County, and John Smith, from Carbon County. His father was John Schaeffer, commonly called Captain Schaeffer, from his command of a militia company, somewhere about the year 1814. He was a Justice of the Pcace for many years. The mother of our subject, Hettie (Steckel) Schaeffer, was born near Egypt, Lehigh County and is still living, at the age of sixty-eight.
There were nine children in the parental family, eight of whom attained maturity, and are still living. The four sons are Rev. Oliver Schaeffer, who is the present pastor of the Reformed Church in Schuylkill County; Dr. Oscar Schaeffer, a prac- ticing physician at Freemansburg; Robert F., the assistant agent in the employ of the New Jersey Central Railroad; and William B. The latter be- gan teaching school when he was only fifteen years old, and taught for one year in Upper Nazareth Township, near Bath. He continued teaching in. Northampton and Lchigh Counties until 1884, when he engaged with the Lehigh Valley Railroad as an extra operator, running between Bethlehem and Wilkes Barre.
In 1885, W. B. Schaeffer entered the employ of the New Jersey Central as an operator, being sta- tioned at Seigfreid's Bridge; later he was trans- ferred to the train dispatcher's office at Ashley, Pa., and in 1886 came to Bethlehem as an assistant agent. He continued as such until the fall of 1888, when he was promoted to the position of Gencral Agent, and also agent for the United States Express Company, his brother securing his late position. In May, 1887, he was appointed Justice of the Peace, and elected for five years in February, 1888, but owing to the press of other duties he was obliged to resign in February, 1889.
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His appointment, it is supposed, was the first ever tendered to so young a man. Both parties nomi- nated him for School Director in West Bethlehem, and he was elected to that position for two con- secutive terms and is at the present time Seeretary of the School Board. Mr. Schaeffer is a member of the Republican county standing committee and was a delegate to the state convention in 1893.
Our subject was married in Newark, N. J., in June, 1886, to Miss Nellie Fairchild, and they have three children, Raymond, Harold and Gerald.
J AMES JACOB HOFFMAN, who commenced at the bottom round of the ladder leading to suecess, has made his own way to the top and to well merited prosperity by his excel- lent business ability and native characteristics. For many years he has been engaged in the manufac- ture of carriages in Bethlehem, and has the leading trade in his line in this loeality, as he turns out nothing but the very best quality of work.
Born in Allen Township, Northampton County, in March, 1828, Mr. Hoffman is the son of John Hoffman, a native of Moore Township, this county. His grandfather, who bore the same Christian name, was of German descent, and a farmer by occupation. Our subject's father also followed ag- ricultural pursuits and was likewise a millwright. His death occurred in Bath, Northampton County. He was a member of the Reformned Church, in the faith of which he died when in his eighty-second year. His wife, formerly Maria Seigfried, also a native of Bath, lived to attain the age of eighty- two years. Of their five children four are now living. John H., who is retired and makes his home in Ohio, was in the Civil War in an Ohio regiment; our subject is next in order of birth; and Michael, and Amanda (Mrs. Bartholomew), who reside in Batlı, complete the family. Henry E. departed this life in Easton.
Until thirteen years of age J. J. Hoffman was reared on his father's farm, and on attaining that age he started out to make his own livelihood, At
the age of nineteen he commenced an apprentiee- ship to a eoaeh-maker at Catasauqua, and at the end of two and a-half years, or in 1848, eame to Beth- lehem. After working for others for some time he started in business for himself, but in partnership with William F. Ritter, buying out an old shop. Seven years later his partner died, and Mr. Hoff- man bought out his interest and carried on the business alone until the year 1885. He manu- factures everything in the line of carriages, and keeps a fine stoek on hand at his location, No. 21 Broad Street. His earriage repository, 25x85 feet, is of briek, three stories and a basement, with elevators, and this entire space is occupied by his business. In the rear he has a shop 60x100 feet in dimensions, three stories in height, with the blacksmith department on the first floor. In his main building, the boiler and engines ( the former of thirty-horse and the latter of twenty-horse power) are in the basement, and the second and third floors are used for woodwork, trimming and painting. From twenty-five to thirty men are kept constantly employed, and they turn out noth- ing but the very best carriages, ranging in price from $125 upwards. In April, 1885, our subject took his son-in-law into partnership, the firm be- coming Hoffman & Shimer. The residence of Mr. Hoffman is located at No. 221 Market Street, and was erected by him. He was married in this city to Lovina Line, who was born in Salisbury, Lehigh County. They have two living children: Amanda H., wife of I. Shimer, of this city; and Emma E., wife of Walter Crawford, a druggist of Nazareth.
Since its organization Mr. Hoffman has been one of the Directors of the Lehigh Valley National Bank, which he helped to incorporate. Politically a Democrat, he was for one term Councilman from the Second Ward, and also served as a member of the School Board for one term. In church work he is very active, being an Elder, and having held all the various offices in Christ Reformed Church. He was one of the founders of the First Union Churel on High Street, which he helped to build in 1850, being one of the charter members, and now the only one of the original members of the church left. When the new church was creetcd he was on the building committee, and a large con-
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tributor to the work. He is the oldest member in the church, and for eighteen years has been active in the Sunday-school, and for the same period has also served as Librarian.
FG RED E. LEWIS. The Bar of Lehigh Coun- ty is well represented by this prominent attorney of Allentown, who is sueeessfully engaged in the legal practice in this his native city. He was born on the 8th of February, 1864, and is the only son of Samuel B. and Mary A. (Rosen- stiel) Lewis. The father for many years has been connected with the iron interests of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as was the grandfather, Samuel Lewis, who was among the first to develop the iron interests of Allentown, and who through his business interests was largely instrumental in the upbuilding of the place. He is still living at the advanced age of ninety, and is well preserved both physically and mentally, his years resting lightly upon him.
The subject of this sketch attended the public schools of Allentown until sixteen years of age, and later pursued his studies in Yale College, where he remained for a time. Subsequently he entered Muhlenberg College, in which he eon- tinued until he had almost completed the Junior year. With the desire to make the praetiee of law his life work, he then entered the law office of R. E. Wright & Son, under whose direction he con- tinued his reading for some time. When he had thoroughly prepared himself by earnest applica- tion and close study he passed an examination, and was admitted to the Bar on the 13th of February, 1888. He continued with his old preceptor in practice for one year. On the expiration of that period he removed to No. 524 Hamilton Street, where his present office is located, and has sinee been alone in business. In February, 1893, he was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the state.
Turning from the publie to the private life of Mr. Lewis we record his marriage, which was eele-
brated April 16, 1892, Miss Juliet Hamersley, of Allentown, becoming his wife. She is a daughter of James B. Hamersley, of this place. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis have one child, Samuel Lewis (the third), born May 22, 1893.
In his political views Mr. Lewis is a stalwart Republican, and was nominated on the ticket of that party as Register of Wills. The Democratie majority is usually twenty-five hundred, but lie reduced it to three hundred and sixty, a fact which indicates his popularity and the high regard in which he is held. For three successive years lie has been President of the Goodwill Fire Company of Allentown, which numbers among its members some of the best citizens of the place, and is Treas- urer and foreman of the company. Mr. Lewis is a wide-awake and enterprising young man, alive to the best interests of the city, and is a popular and genial gentleman, who has a wide acquaintance in his native county and the esteem of all with whom business or social relations have brought lim in contact.
M ATHIAS S. BORTZ was at the time of his decease a well-to-do business man of South Whitehall Township, where his interests were centered. He was very successful in his chosen life work, that of a miller, and was a fine representative of those who begin life without a cent and work their way to prosperity solely through their own efforts. He was a native of this county, having been born in Macungie Town- ship, December 17, 1848.
The parents of our subject, David and Polly Bortz, were old and respected residents of this county. The former has passed away, but the mother is still living in this eounty and has passed her eightieth birthday. Our subjeet spent the first seventeen years of his life on his fa- ther's farm, and after acquiring a fair education learned the trade of a miller, which he followed during the remainder of his life.
Our subject during the spring of 1878 rented what is now the Bortz Mill for three years, after
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which he purchased the plant and operated it on his own account until his decease. He was mar- ried, October 17, 1877, to Miss Allabella C. Wenner, who was born in this county July 10, 1856, and was the daughter of Charles and Juty (Gaumer) Wenner, also natives of this county. Her great- grandfather Wenner came from Germany to Amer- ica and made his home in Lehigh County, where he spent the rest of his hfe. Her father died December 27, 1877. He roared a family of chil- dren, of whom six are living, namely: Maria, the wife of Alfred Koch; Elmina, Mrs. Tilghman Stet- ler; Charles E .; Polly A., the widow of Henry Kuntz; Mrs. Bortz; and Melissa, the wife of Will- ianı Richards. Mr. Wenner was a member of the Lutheran Church, with which congregation the mother also worshiped.
To our subject and his wife were born six chil- dren, viz .: Alice P., Lizzie A., Herbert D., Will- iam C., Sadie E. S. and Annie M. S. The Bortz Mill is well equipped for the purpose for which it is used, and does a good business in custom and merchant flour work. It is run by water-power and gives constant employment to several men. Mr. Bortz, the late proprietor, died April 4, 1893, well beioved by his fellow-townsmen. He was a mem- ber of the Evangelical Church, in which he held an official position for many years. He took a great interest in the growth and development of his section and was no unimportant factor in its progress. He was a Republican in political belief, and devoted to the success of party principles.
R EV. JAMES J. REITZ, A. M., holds the pastorate of the Lutheran Church in Wal- nutport, St. Paul's Church, in Lehigh Township, and Emanuel's Church in Moore Town- ship, Northampton County. Mr. Reitz was born in Lehigh County, December 13, 1859, and is the son of Benjamin and Leah (Phillips) Reitz, also born in that county. The family is a very old and honored one in this locality, the great-grand- father of our subject, Lorentz Reitz, having come
from Germany in an early day, and made settle- inent in Lynn Township, the above county.
Benjamin Reitz was a miller by trade, to which he later added the occupation of a farmer. . James J., of this sketch, was consequently reared to farm pursuits, although he also acquired a knowledge of the milling business. His primary studies were carried on in the district school, which he attended quite regularly until reaching his fifteenth year. Then, passing the examination, he was awarded a teacher's certificate, and the following year began teaching school, following that occupation during three winters. During the summer season he at- tended the Edinboro State Normal in Erie Coun- ty, this state, and in 1880 became a student in Muhlenberg College in Allentown, where he took a four-years course, and was graduated with the Class of '84 as Bachelor of Arts.
In 1884 Mr. Reitz, deciding to follow the minis- try, entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, from which institution he was grad- uated in 1887. The following summer he took the elementary and intermediate course in Hebrew at Dr. W. R. Harper's Hebrew Summer School in the Quaker City. Dr. Harper was then President of Yale College, and conducted the summer schools in Hebrew throughout the country. He is now the well known President of Chicago University.
After completing his studies, Rev. Mr. Reitz conducted a private school in New Tripoli, which had for its object the preparing of teachers for public-school work. In 1887, however, he took charge of the three churches mentioned in our opening paragraph, in the work of which he is very successful. For several years he made his home in Cherryville, but in 1893 moved to Wal- nutport, where he owns farm lands of one hundred acres. He is a very popular minister of the Gos- pel, and not only is he highly esteemed by the members of his own church, but his name is the synonym for integrity and probity wherever known.
The marriage of our subject with Miss Ada J. Follweiler was celebrated March 12, 1889. The lady is the daughter of Charles and Kate Foll- weiler, and a sister of Assemblyman Warren T. Follweiler, and by her union with Mr. Reitz there
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has been born a son, Charles B. The congregations over which our subject has charge are independ- ent of the control of any synod, which result was brought about after a vote of the members, when an attempt had been made to unite them. Elder Reitz was a member of the synod at this time, and in order to retain his position as minister of the congregations he was obliged to withdraw from that body.
In 1887 Muhlenberg College conferred upon Rev. Mr. Reitz the degree of Master of Arts. Since devoting his life to the salvation of others, he has been greatly prospered, and his well balanced and well stored mind and manly character have won for him popularity among the parishioners.
J OHN A. OPLINGER, lessee of what is now known as Oplinger's Mill at Howersville, manufactures a high grade of flour, and is also a dealer in all kinds of grain, feed, meal, etc. He is a native of this state, having been born in Northampton County, November 18, 1839, and is the son of Daniel and Lovina (Seip) Oplinger. The family is an old and honored one in the coun- ty, the grandparents of John A. Oplinger having located in the Lehigh Valley in a very early day. Daniel Oplinger is still living, at the advanced age of seventy-eight years, and is said to be one of the oldest residents of Danielsville, where he makes his home. Of the children in the parental family one is deceased and five survive, namely: John A., the subject of this sketch; Emma, who is the wife of Henry Buck, and resides in Catasauqua; Reuben R., living in Lehigh Township; Mrs. Amandus App, who also makes her home in the above township; and Catherine, who married Jeremiah Hower, and is living in Lehigh Township. Rev. James M. is deceased.
John A. Oplinger was reared to man's estate in Lehigh Township, in the mean time aiding his fa- ther on the home place, and attending first the district schools, where he acquired a fair education. Later he became a student in the Weaversville
Academy, and afterward the Asbury Academy in New Jersey, which was followed by a course at the academy in Williamsburg, this county. For several years after completing his education he was em- ployed as a teacher, which occupation he abandoned in order to engage in business for himself. In 1865 he was united in marriage to Miss Alvesta E., daughter of Reuben Leitenguth, a resident of Pennsville, this state. Their union has been bless- ed by the birth of four children, namely: Henry H., Harvey N., Emma J. and Jeremialı D.
In addition to his milling interests Mr. Oplinger is the proprietor of a valuable farm, comprising eighty well improved acres in Lehigh Township, from the rental of which lie reaps a good income.
In politics Mr. Oplinger is a Prohibitionist, and he has done much toward advancing the cause of temperance in this section. The United Evan- gelical Church, with which he has been connected for many years, finds in him one of its most ear- nest workers.
The Oplinger Flouring Mill is fitted out with a full roller system, and has a capacity for turning out fifty barrels of flour every twenty-four hours. It is operated by water-power and is one of the best mills in the county. Our subject manufact- ures a fine grade of flour, making a specialty of the following brands: "Magic," "Daisy," "XXXX Patent," "Pride of Lehigh," and "Econ - omy." His two sons, Harvey N. and Jeremiah D., are interested in the mill, and Henry H. resides on the farm. The building, which is made of brick, is four stories in height and located on Indian Creek, in Lehigh Township.
H ENRY K. LAURY. At present a resident of Whitehall, this gentleman has been a life-long citizen of Lehigh County, where his birth occurred June 8, 1830. Through his ma- ternal ancestors he traces lris lineage to Germany while his paternal progenitors were of Scotch-Irish origin. He is of good old Revolutionary stock, and the family of which he is a member was repre-
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sented in the Colonial struggle. His paternal great- grandfather and great-grcat-grandfather fought under General Washington. The last-named an- cestor, though advanced in years when the war be- gan, saw three of his sons leave liome for the serv- ice of the country, and then himself followed them to the front, where he fought gallantly until he was killed in a battle near Mt. Bethel, N. J. There his remains were interred, and even at this far dis- tant day the mortal remains of the valiant soldier still lie near the scene of his last battle.
The parents of our subject were Judge David and Maria Laury, natives of Lehigh County, Pa. The former was a man of prominence in his day, and Laury's Station, Pa., was named in his honor, as was also the engine " David Laury," that borc the Liberty Bell from Allentown to Bethlehem, en route to the World's Columbian Exposition. Fur- ther information regarding the family history ap- pears in connection with the sketch of A. C. P. Laury, our subject's brother.
Henry K. was reared to manhood in Lehigh County, and early became familiar with farm pur- suits, after which he clerked for several years in a mercantile establishment, and then followed the carpenter's trade. For many years he owned and conducted a barber shop at Whitehall, and through the various enterprises in which he engaged be- came successful. February 29, 1864, he enlisted in the Union army, becoming a member of Com- pany H, One Hundred and Twelfth Provisional Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and served under both General Grant and General Burnside as Di- vision Commanders. He took part in the five- days engagement in the Wilderness, was at Mine Run, Cold Harbor and the siege of Petersburg. At the latter place he was taken seriously ill with chronic diarrlica, and for a long time was unable to leave the hospital. November 6, 1864, he was honorably discharged from the service, and is now in receipt of a pension of $18 per month.
Returning to Whitehall, Mr. Laury has since made this place his home. August 12, 1852, he married Apollonia M. Leisenring, who was born April 27, 1836, in Lehigh County, being a daugh- ter of Conrad and Lydia (Rothi) Leisenring, na- tives of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Laury are
the parents of one son, David C., who resides in Allentown, is married and has two children, Edna and Mabel. Socially Mr. Laury affiliates with Lieut. George W. Fuller Post No. 378, at Catasau- qua. A Democrat politically, he has never been prevailed upon to accept local offices. as he has preferred to give his attention to business duties. He and his wife are members of the German Luth- eran Church.
R EUBEN R. OPLINGER is a practical and wide-awake business man of Northampton County, and is now successfully engaged in the manufacture of roofing slate, etc., in Lehigh Township. He is a native of this county, and was born October 29, 1843, to Daniel and Lovina (Seip) Oplinger, also natives of this county, and at pres- ent residing in Danielsville, where they have at- tained an advanced age. The family is a very old one in the Lehigh Valley, and on one occasion cn- tertained Benjamin Franklin.
Daniel Oplinger was engaged in agricultural pur- suits for a number of years, but is now living re- tired, having accumulated a good property. Of his family of children five survive, those besides Reuben R. being John A., whose history will be found on another page in this volume; Emma, the wife of Henry Buck, living in Catasauqua; Amelia, who married Amandus App, and makes her home in Lehigh Township; and Kate, the wife of J. K. Hower, also a resident of that township.
Reuben R. Oplinger grew to manhood in this county, where he has resided his entire life. The knowledge gained in the common schools was sup- plemented by a course in the Kutztown State Nor- mal, after which young Oplinger taught twelve terms of school. This occupation not being ex- actly to his taste, he next began working in the slate quarries, and after being thus engaged for a number of years, became a member of the firm of Oplinger, Bossard & Co., owners of a gristmill located on Indian Creek, in Lehigh Township, and run by steam and water power. He was con-
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nected with that business for about five years, when he resigned, and began as a slate operator, under the firm name of the Oplinger & Bossard Slate Company.
The marriage of Mr. Oplinger was celebrated in 1873, with Miss Catherine Clewell, daughter of John Clewell, formerly a resident of Lehigh Town- ship, but now deceased. Their union has resulted in the birth of eight children, six of whom are de- ceased. The two living are Walter W., who is at- tending the Pennsylvania State Normal at Kutz- town, and Edith E., at home. In politics Mr. Op- linger is a strong Prohibitionist. His career up to the present time has been a most successful one, and he is ranked among the well-to-do residents of the county. He is a devoted member of the United Evangelical Church, in the work of which he takes a prominent part.
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