USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania; genealogy-family history-biography; containing historical sketches of old families and of representative and prominent citizens, past and present, Volume I > Part 23
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Mrs. Lautenbacher was a native of Kutztown, Berks county, which place was so named in honor of her maternal ancestors, who were early pioneers of that county. They experienced the usual hardships and dangers of that day when the Indians were numerous and hostile, and there is a well-established tradition in the family that her great-grandfather had a secret cave to which he would retire in emergency with his family, and that the Indians never succeeded in locating this hiding place. George Kutz bought a tract of 130
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acres from Peter Wentz in 1755, and there in 1779 laid out the town which has developed into one of the important boroughs of Berks county and still bears his name. The first tax list of the borough, made in 1817, records the following Kutzes: Peter, a tinsmith; Adam, carpenter; Jacob, mason ; John, tailor ; Peter ( who was a Revolutionary soldier ) ; Daniel; and Solomon, butcher.
Solomon Kutz, the last named, was the grandfather of Mrs. Lautenbacher. He was long engaged as a butcher at Kutztown, and lived to the age of ninety-two years. Among his children were the following: Mary, Mrs. John Graeff, died at Kutztown when seventy-nine years old; her children were Daniel, John, Catherine (Mrs. John Stickman) and Sarah Ann (Mrs. Charles Lautenbacher). Lydia, who died at West Penn, Pa., was the wife of Oscar Sheetz and mother of Oscar, Buchanan, Tillie and Sara. Reuben lived and died at Kutztown. Louisa married Daniel Kutz, son of Benjamin, and lives at Kutztown, now (1914) aged eighty-six years. Susanna married Harry Shide and lives at Kutztown, now aged eighty-four years.
Jeremiah Charles Lautenbacher was born June 26, 1857, and was three years old when the family settled at Schuylkill Haven, where he received his education in the public schools. When little more than a boy he commenced to learn the trade of marble cutter, which he continued to follow until ready to enter the manufacturing field, when twenty-eight years old. As previously intimated, he then established the first factory in Schuylkill Haven, beginning with the manufacture of hosiery, and when conditions warranted enlarging his plant and equipment with facilities for the production of underwear. The factory now is devoted exclusively to the knitting of underwear, including all kinds of ladies' garments, union suits, etc. Mr. Lautenbacher has pro- ceeded along conservative lines, but the market for his goods has been so constant that he has been able to keep enlarging his business steadily, and though he has attempted to anticipate its expansion and the increase of trade he has never found his facilities too large for the accommodation of his orders. His enterprise is considered one of the stable assets of the borough, which for many years has benefited by its prosperous career.
Mr. Lautenbacher has been called upon to exert his ability and executive qualities for the good of the municipality, and that his efforts have met with approval and appreciation is shown in the fact that he has been retained as councilman of the borough for eighteen years, and has served eight years as president of the body. In political faith he is a Republican. He has numer- ous fraternal associations, being a thirty-second-degree Mason, a past master of Page Lodge, No. 207, F. & A. M., of Schuylkill Haven ; member of Moun- tain City Chapter, No. 196, R. A. M., of Pottsville; of Constantine Com- mandery, No. 41, K. T., of Pottsville ; of Philadelphia Consistory (third-second degree), and of Rajah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Reading. Besides, he holds membership in Pottsville Lodge, No. 207, B. P. O. Elks, the I. O. O. F. lodge, Junior Order United American Mechanics, Improved Order of Red Men, and Royal Arcanum, all of Schuylkill Haven. He and his family belong to the United Evangelical Church at Schuylkill Haven, in which he has been an interested worker for years, at present -serving as trustee and president of the board. He has also been class leader, teacher in the Sunday school, and superintendent of the Sunday school, in all these positions performing his duties with the ability which has made him so successful in everything he undertakes.
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On Sept. 6, 1877, Mr. Lautenbacher married Angella Emerich, daughter of Elijah and Sarah Ann (Raudenbush) Emerich, of Schuylkill Haven, old residents of Schuylkill county. Four children have been born to this union, namely : Irene E., wife of Thomas Tindall, of Schuylkill Haven; Mary Flora, wife of Howard Hirleman, of Schuylkill Haven; Sarah May, wife of Samuel Teter, of Philadelphia; and Charles Elijalı, deceased.
CHARLES A. SNYDER, of Pottsville, at present representing his district in the State Senate, has been one of the foremost attorneys of Schuylkill county, and for a number of years one of its most faithful servants. His earlier services to his fellow citizens were in the line of his professional work, and the record he made in the conscientious discharge of their responsibilities commended him to the further attention of his constituents, who have chosen him to both branches of the State Legislature, of which body he has been a member almost continuously for ten years.
Mr. Snyder is a descendant of old Pennsylvania stock. His ancestors in both paternal and maternal lines were among the early settlers in the Tulpe- hocken section of Berks county. They have always been patriotic, being found among the defenders of their country in the Indian and Colonial wars and the Revolution, as well as in all the subsequent wars in which the country has been involved. William Herb Snyder, father of Charles A. Snyder, was a Union soldier during the Civil war, serving in two companies, in the 108th and 172d of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiments. He was a native of Schuylkill county, born Oct. 6, 1844, and married Leah Hoeffer Brua, who was born at Pillow, Dauphin Co., Pa., Dec. 23, 1843.
Charles A. Snyder was born at Pillow April 16, 1867. After receiving public school advantages and attending private schools for several years, he entered upon the study of law, and began practice at Pottsville upon his admis- sion to the bar, in 1889. He has continued to make his home in that borough, and has built up an extensive legal business, his clientage being drawn from a wide range of interests, which speaks well for the confidence he has gained wherever engaged. He is now, and has been for the past twelve years, county solicitor. Early in his legal career he became city solicitor, subsequently becoming deputy district attorney and then county comptroller. In 1903 he took his seat in the lower house of the State Legislature as representative of the Fourth district of Schuylkill county and continued to serve until 1907- for three consecutive terms. In November, 1908, he was elected State senator, and has been serving as such ever since, having been reelected in November, 1912. Mr. Snyder's sincere interest in all matters affecting the public welfare has given him a sympathetic insight into the needs of his community and questions of importance to this section in general, and he lias been particularly zealous in affairs relating to the public schools, especially in obtaining justice for the common school teachers, having secured the legis- lation advancing their salaries and establishing a new school code for Penn- sylvania. He has been a tireless worker in promoting the welfare of his home community, not only in such things as affect its internal interests, but those which concern its position with relation to the State, and the wisdom of his actions in the State Legislature has had the hearty approval and substan- tial indorsement of the larger majority of his fellow citizens.
On May 21, 1891, Mr. Snyder married Laura Arters, daughter of Charles D. and Ellen (Hoffman) Arters, of Churchtown, Lancaster Co .. Pa. In the
Chav, A. Snyder
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early seventies Mr. Arters came to Schuylkill county, where he made a high reputation as an educator in a long and successful career as a teacher. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder have two children, Ruth, born Oct. 9, 1892, and Droz Brua, born April 12, 1900. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Snyder's social connections are with the Improved Order of Red Men, the Knights of the Golden Eagle, the Patriotic Order Sons of America, B. P. O. Elks, Royal Arcanum and I. O. of A. He formerly belonged to the National Guard of Pennsylvania.
JOHN WOOLCOCK, of Pottsville, retired coal operator, has spent most of his life in Schuylkill county, though his important business interests for the last sixteen years have been in West Virginia, where he still has heavy investments in soft coal properties. Mr. Woolcock was born Aug. 8, 1844, in County Waterford, Ireland. His parents, William and Grace (Jobe) Woolcock, were both natives of the County of Cornwall, in England. In 1845 they came to America with their family and settled in Schuylkill county, Pa., first at Middleport, later at Forestville, where they lived for a short time, and then at Heckscherville. There Mr. Woolcock was employed at the mines until his death, in 1865, caused by an explosion in the mines. His wife continued to live in this section until her death, which occurred at Shamo- kin. They are buried at Minersville. Eleven children were born to them, nine of whom attained maturity: Edward, Elijah, Thomas, Elizabeth A. (married George Robinson), William, Mary Jane (married Eli Lee), John, Joseph and Amelia.
John Woolcock was reared in Schuylkill county, and obtained his educa- tion in the schools of Cass township. He has indeed been self-made so far as his business success is concerned, for he commenced work at the mines in the humblest position. Later he ran an engine, and he advanced steadily through sheer merit, unassisted by influential connections, proving himself competent for the various responsibilities which were intrusted to him. He was engaged at different workings in Schuylkill county, holding the position of boss at the Phoenix colliery, No. 2, in Cass township, after which he was boss for the Reading Company at Middle Creek for about fifteen months. For the next few months he had a small operation at Minersville, and he continued here until 1886, when he began operations in the Pocahontas region of West Virginia, taking an interest in the Elk Horn Coal & Coke Company, of which he was manager as well as part owner. He soon opened a colliery for the Gillen Coal & Coke Company, with whom he was associated for two years, at the end of that time going to Bottom Creek, where he remained a few months. For about three years following he was stationed at the Grape Vine colliery. Meantime he had been making his home in West Virginia, for sixteen years in all, in 1904 returning to Schuylkill county and establishing a permanent residence at Pottsville. His beautiful home in that borough, at No. 1609 Mahantongo street, was erected in 1907. Though he has withdrawn from active participation in the conduct of his coal properties Mr. Woolcock still retains valuable holdings, all in West Virginia, having stock in the Arcona Coal Company, the Gillen Coal Company, the Roanoke Coal Company and the Red Jacket Coal Company. Mr. Woolcock takes a good citizen's interest in local politics and uses his influence in behalf of measures intended to promote the general welfare, without regard to the political party which spon- sors them. While living in West Virginia he served as a member of the school Vol. I-10
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board of his home district. In fraternal connection he is a Mason, belonging to Mount Carmel Lodge, No. 378, F. & A. M.
In 1877 Mr. Woolcock married Jennie Dolbin, daughter of Goodman and Mary (Thomas) Dolbin, of Forestville, in Cass township, Schuylkill county. Mr. Dolbin, who was a pioneer coal operator in this county, is mentioned elsewhere in this work. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Woolcock: Wilbur T. studied at the University of West Virginia and is now engaged as a mining engineer, located at Logan, W. Va .; Goodman D., who is also at Logan, W. Va., employed as an electrician, received his educa- tion at Pottsville; Sarah lives with her parents. Mr. Woolcock and his family are members of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
DARIUS D. COLDREN, of Schuylkill Haven, has made his success in the line of manufacture which for a number of years has formed the backbone of industrial prosperity in his borough, probably affording employment to more people than any other one kind of occupation. Mr. Coldren has built up his business from modest beginnings. He had previous experience as a manufacturer before entering his present field, in which he has displayed much enterprise, keeping his factory up to the modern standards in every respect and its operation according to the most approved system, with highly satisfactory results, both as to the conditions under which his employees work and their consequent efficiency. Mr. Coldren himself is a native of Berks county, Pa., born at Reading, June 15, 1863, son of Samuel P. Coldren. The family has been in this country for several generations. -
According to a member of this family, James J. Coldren, at present chorister and sexton of the Muddy Creek Church at Denver, Pa., the Coldrens originally came from Scotland. He said that the name was formerly "Caldwolatter," and has come down to the present era in the form Coldren-at some places Colden. As far as he could ascertain the branch of the Coldrens in which we are interested lived in Oley township, Berks county, until 1780, after which its members scattered, one removing in that year to Snyder county and one to Northumberland county. One had been lost trace of, and it seems likely that this member was Mathias, who settled in Lancaster county, and was the ancestor of Darius D. Coldren. When they settled in Berks county is not known. The first record of a baptism of the Coldrens at the Muddy Creek Church (whose Reformed congregation was organized in 1743, the Lutheran in 1733), under date of 1785, is that of Mary Coldren. The family record given below of Mathias Coldren and his immediate descendants was taken from an old Bible which James J. Coldren received from his grand- mother when he was a boy. On the lid of this Bible is inscribed in a bold hand, evidently written with a quill pen: "John Coldren His book 1790."
Mathias Coldren married Nancy Neethawk (or Neathawk), and we have the following record of the children born to them: John was born Dec. 28, 1781 ; William, born Aug. 1, 1783, is mentioned below; Mary, born April 2, 1785, Abraham, born April 19, 1787, and Elizabeth, born March 3, 1789, had no families as far as known; Jacob, born May 5, 1791, left no family ; Susan, born Dec. 19, 1794, married Samuel Coldren, but we have no record of a family : Mathias, born April 6, 1796, died Nov. 27, 1839, leaving two sons, one of whom died without issue, the other moving years ago to Mifflin- burg or Mifflinville, Pa .; Hannah, born Dec. 31, 1798, married a Miller, and their children were, Jacob, Isaac, Mrs. Gable, Mrs. Sanders and Mrs. Cooser ;
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Jacob, born April 5, 1800, was the father of eleven children, Lydia (born Nov. 7, 1824, married a Rohland and had a family), John (born Jan. 17, 1826), Isaac (born Oct. 20, 1827), Franna (born May 23, 1831, married a Roth and had a large family), Henry (born March 9, 1834), Eli (born Oct. 1, 1836), Jacob (March 14, 1839), Levi (born July 24, 1841), Edward (born Dec. 1, 1844), Mary ( Mrs. Weinhold, May 1, 1849) and Elizabeth (Mrs. Weinhold, born Dec. 29, 1851).
William Coldren, born Aug. 1, 1783. was the grandfather of Darius D. Coldren. He lived in Lancaster county, about three miles south of Adams- town, and followed farming. He owned a tract of seventy-five acres, upon which he lived and died. His death occurred when he was about seventy-five years old, and he is buried in the cemetery at Muddy Creek Church. His wife, whose maiden name was Frankhouser, also lived to the age of seventy- five years. They were the parents of a large family, namely: Peter, born in 1802, married, and all his children were girls; John, born in 1804, had a large family; Isaac, born in 1806, is mentioned below; Abraham, born in 1807, had a family ; Mary or Polly, born in 1809, married Henry Steiner, and one daughter of this union is still living : Lydia, born in 1811, died unmarried ; Samuel, born in 1814, had a large family ; Rachel, born in 1816, married Levi Steffy, and had one son; Jacob, born in 1818, had no children ; William, born in 1821, had a family, all sons.
Isaac Coldren, born Jan. 16, 1806, on his father's farm at Stone Hill, Lancaster county, died Aug. 10, 1867, on his farm, two and a half miles south of Adamstown. He owned fifty acres of land there and followed general farming and the hotel business. He and his wife, Mary ( Pennypacker), are buried at the Muddy Creek Church before mentioned. She was born April 30, 1803. daughter of Daniel Pennypacker (his wife was a Musser), and died June 16, 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Coldren had the following family: Samuel P. is the father of Darius D. Coldren; Elizabeth married Henry G. Mohn, and lives at Adamstown, Lancaster county; Jesse is deceased; Harrison is deceased ; Mary married Christian Messner, and lives in Lancaster county.
Samuel P. Coldren was born Dec. 6, 1833, in West Earl township, Lan- caster county, and attended public school in that neighborhood. He was taught by Squire Henry Becker. His school days over, he helped with the work on the farm, and later learned the trade of blacksmith, which he fol- lowed for a period of thirty years. Coming to Schuylkill Haven in 1881. he was employed as a blacksmith at the rolling mills for twenty-four years, after which he assisted his son, Darius D. Coldren, for eight years before his retirement. He still makes his home at Schuylkill Haven. On Sept. 10, 1856, he married Elizabeth Matz Dewees, who was born Jan. 16, 1837, daughter of John M. Dewees. To this union was born a large family, viz .: John, born Feb. 20, 1858, married Catherine Becker; Lyman, born Sept. 21, 1859, married Carrie Harner ; Augustus D., born April 12, 1861, died April 25, 1914. married Elizabeth Mengle : Darius D. is mentioned below : George D., born Oct. 1, 1865, married Katie Justace ; Elizabeth D., born July 13, 1867, married Evan Thomas, a manufacturer, of Schuylkill Haven ; Pierce D., born May 26, 1870, married Rebecca Drumheller; Mary Jane, born Jan. 11, 1874, married Samuel Bast ; Robert D., born May 6, 1875, married Bertha Clemens ; Chester, born March 21, 1877, is unmarried, and is now in the West ; Harry, born April 19, 1879, who lives at home, married Margaret Miller.
The Dewees family, to which Mrs. Coldren belongs, has long been settled
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in Pennsylvania, and William Dewees, her grandfather, was born in Denver, Lancaster county. He was a carpenter by trade, and followed that calling for many years. In his later years he removed to Stark county, Ohio, to make his home with his son George, and died there at the age of eighty-two years. His wife, Elizabeth ( Martin), died at Womelsdorf, Berks Co., Pa. They had three children: John M., Mrs. Coldren's father; George M., who moved to Stark county, Ohio; and Jacob, who died young.
John M. Dewees was born Feb. 26, 1807, at Reamstown, Lancaster county. He followed the same trade as his father, that of shop carpenter, making all kinds of household furniture. He was also an undertaker, making his own coffins. In 1835 he was commissioned captain of the 12th Company, 55th Regiment, of the Militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the 2d Brigade, of the 6th Division, composed of the counties of Dauphin, Lebanon, Berks and Schuylkill, his commission bearing date Aug. 3, 1835, and good until Aug. 3, 1842, given and signed by Gov. Joseph Ritner. He was also a surveyor, and he served as justice of the peace, his first commission bearing date of 1840. He was a justice from the aforesaid date until 1879. having held the office for nearly forty years. Legal papers made and issued by him are noted for their neatness, accuracy and excellent penmanship. Lawyers and court officials often complimented him on his elegant' penmanship, which he did mostly with the quill. In 1834 he married Leah G. Matz (born Feb. II, 1812), daughter of George Matz. They had three daughters and two sons, the sons dying in infancy. Of the daughters: Elizabeth M. married Samuel P. Coldren ; Sarah M. married Adam M. Grill; Rachel M. married Jere H. Miller. John M. Dewees was a man of ordinary means, but proved himself to be of great usefulness in this section between 1840 and 1875. He was intensely interested in the educational system provided by the act of 1834, and in 1835, when an effort was made to repeal this law, he labored hard to interest the people and explain to them the importance of the educa- tional advantages provided for by this act. He was a lover of music, especially of the fiddle, zither and accordeon. He was the owner of a small tract of land in Spring township. He died Dec. 14, 1881, and is buried at Mohns Hill burying ground.
Darius D. Coldren attended public school at Reading and Port Clinton, Pa. When sixteen years old he began work in the rolling mill at Port Clinton as a rougher, and followed this kind of employment for a period of seven years, becoming a master roller. In 1887 he engaged in the manufacture of paper boxes at Schuylkill Haven, carrying on the business for one year, until he decided to enter the hosiery manufacturing line at Pine Grove, this county. He had a large knitting factory at that place which he operated for one year, transferring his business then to Harrisburg, where he also conducted it for one year. Returning to Schuylkill Haven, he engaged in the men's furnishings and merchant tailoring business, which occupied him for about ten years following, until he embarked in the manufacture of underwear, in 1900. Mr. Coldren was at first associated with Walter F. Meck in this business, under the firm name of Meck & Coldren, the partnership being dissolved in 1902, when Harry A. Reber bought Mr. Coldren's interest. The same year, 1902, Mr. Coldren established the plant which he has since carried on as sole proprietor, and he is giving employment, at this writing, to between fifty and sixty hands. The business is located at St. John and Union streets, Schuylkill Haven. Within a few years, by 1906, it had already given such
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promise of expansion that Mr. Coldren enlarged his plant, opening another mill which connects with the old one, the two mills giving eight thousand square feet of floor space. The product is fine-ribbed underwear for ladies and children, and the Snow White brand has achieved such wide reputation that the goods are shipped, not only to all parts of the United States, but to Australia and Africa as well. The business is in thriving condition, owing to Mr. Coldren's admirable methods, for he has given close attention to its requirements. However, it has not claimed all of his time. He was one of the organizers of the Schuylkill Haven Foundry Company, and he is still secretary of the board of directors of that concern, as well as a director of the Schuylkill Haven Board of Trade. Though he has assisted his town greatly in the building up of its manufacturing interests, he has not felt that his responsibility ended therewith. He has served as councilman of the borough, and has been particularly active in church work as a member of the Methodist Episcopal denomination, being at present a trustee of his church and a teacher in the Sunday school; he served as superintendent of the Sunday school during the first four years after its organization. Fraternally Mr. Coldren is a Mason, belonging to Page Lodge, No. 270, F. & A. M., of Schuyl- kill Haven, and to Reading Lodge of Perfection ( fourteenth degree). He is also a member of the Royal Arcanum. In political conviction he is a Republi- can, though he favors the doctrines of the Prohibition party.
On March 28, 1890, Mr. Coldren married Harriet G. Kerkeslager, daughter of Alexander W. and Mary Elminda ( Miller) Kerkeslager, of Schuylkill Haven. Three daughters have been born to this union, namely: Helen K., Mary Roth and Harriet Elizabeth, the last named dying when two and a half years old.
The Kerkeslager family, to which Mrs. Darius D. Coldren belongs, is of German ancestry. John Kerkeslager, Mrs. Coldren's great-grandfather, was a native of Lancaster, Pa., born Feb. 17, 1766, and married Eva Christian Spayd, born Feb. 17, 1762, at Lancaster, daughter of Peter and Anna Spayd. They subsequently removed to Hummelstown, Dauphin Co., Pa., and he owned a large farm near that town, giving his time to agricultural pursuits, and also to his trade, that of tailor. He and his wife both died there, Mr. Kerkeslager April 26, 1824, his wife April 19th of the same year. They had three chil- dren: John Peter, born Nov. 15, 1790, who died in infancy; Michael, born Sept. 12, 1793; and Rebecca, born Aug. 15, 1800, who died in infancy.
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