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 31
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Quakake; Lillie Bowman, daughter of John H. Bowman and living in Phila- delphia ; and Hilliary Bowman, daughter of Howard E. Bowman, of New Haven, Connecticut.
WALTER F. MECK has various important connections in Schuylkill Haven, where he began business the year of his arrival as a manufacturer, the line in which he is probably best known. He has followed up the advantages at hand so ably for the widening of his interests and the building up of the industry which has received most of his attention, that he is given standing among the men who are looked to to maintain the activities of the borough which are of such vital importance to a large proportion of its residents.
The Mecks are of German origin. Jacob Meck, the great-great-grand- father, was a farmer in Oley township, Berks county, and Dewald Meck, the great-grandfather, was a farmer in Longswamp township, that county. The latter entered the United States service during the war of 1812, and gave up his life during that conflict.
Benjamin Meck was born July 28, 1804, in Longswamp township, Berks county. When he was eight years old he lost his father in the war of 1812, and from that time was hired out among strangers until he was grown to manhood. In 1825 he was married to Elizabeth Ruth (daughter of Jacob Ruth), who was born Feb. 6, 1808, in Spring township, Berks county. This couple resided in Spring and Lower Heidelberg townships until 1843, during which time he followed the trade of shoemaker, but having a longing for the fields he bought a farm of 175 acres in Bethel township, where he resided until his death, Jan. 19, 1889. His wife Elizabeth preceded him to the grave, dying June 15, 1885. He left an estate of $36,000 to his heirs. To Mr. and Mrs. Meck were born fourteen children, eleven of whom survived childhood : Richard and Reuben, the eldest two, died when quite young; Charles, born June 16, 1831, followed the store business for thirty years in Schuylkill Haven, and then engaged in the lumber business until his death, in the fall of 1901; Catharine married Jonathan Himmelberger, a miller and farmer of Hanover, and died in 1893; Daniel followed farming on the homestead until his death, in 1874; Rebecca married Edward Haas, a school teacher and farmer, who died Feb. 21, 1900, and she now resides at Hamlin, Pa .; Elizabeth married Joel Strauss, a farmer, and died in 1874: Sophia passed away in childhood : Mary married William Werner, a farmer, and died in 1873; Benjamin engaged first in farming, later went into the store business at Mount Joy, and then removed to Muncy, Lycoming county, where he resided for thirty years, in 1904 buying the old homestead, where he died in 1907; Jonathan met his death accidentally. being struck on the head by a piece of flying stone at the Miller stone quarry at Annville, in 1902 : Franklin clerked in stores at Lebanon and Schuylkill Haven until reaching his majority, when failing health caused him to go to Colorado, and there he died April 30, 1872; James, who was in the insurance business at Harrisburg, died Aug. 30, 1910; Jacob R. was born May 4, 1859, in Bethel township.
Jacob R. Meck received his early education in a country school and during 1875-76 attended Palatinate College, Myerstown, Pa. His help being needed at home, he was called from school and assisted his father on the farm until 1879, when he took up the store business for his life work, and has followed that line ever since, at the same place. In the fall of 1879, D. M. Key appointed Mr. Meck postmaster at Meckville, which was named in his honor, and in
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1884 he began the manufacture of cigars, which he continued until 1907, when other matters demanded so much of his time that he was obliged to abandon it. In the spring of 1891, seeing that his store room was entirely too small to enable him to render efficient service to his patrons, he built a three- story mansard building, 50 by 50 feet, on the opposite side of the street, which he occupied in the fall of that year. In the summer of 1902 he built a creamery and shirt factory, and in 1905 he bought the establishment of the Eagle Can- ning Company, at Fredericksburg, where he established a creamery and feed store in 1906. Mr. Meck is a very busy man and has been ever since his start in 1879, his business increasing every year, through his own efforts. Though he has been well occupied, Mr. Meck has found time to attend the exhibitions of his government and of other countries. In 1876 he visited the Centennial at Philadelphia, in 1893 attended the World's Columbian Exposition at Chi- cago, in 1901 the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, and in 1907 the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis. In politics Mr. Meck is a Demo- crat, and since his twenty-first year has been a stanch supporter of his party. In religious belief he adheres to the Reformed faith, and has been a member of St. Paul's Church, Hamlin, since his thirteenth year, being secretary of the church since 1880. Fraternally he is connected with Washington Camp No. 214, P. O. S. of A., which he joined Feb. 11, 1887.
On Oct. 27, 1877, Mr. Meck was married to Hettie Esther Becker, daughter of Samuel Becker, and to this union there were born seven children : (1) Walter F. is mentioned below. (2) Cora, born in 1880, learned dress- making at Lebanon. She is married to Calvin A. Kline, who since 1899 has clerked in his father-in-law's store. (3) Gertrude, born in 1882, married Galam Peiffer, and lives at home. (4) Howard, born in 1883. graduated from the Keystone State Normal School in the class of 1902, taught school for three years, graduated with honors from the bookkeeping department of the Eastman business college, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., in 1906, and from the dairy department of the State college in 1907, and now manages his father's creamery. In the spring of 1906 he married Annie Bensing. (5) Mary, born in 1885, married Harry Boltz, who is engaged in the bakery business at Lebanon. (6) Allan S., born in 1886, graduated in 1902 from public school with first honors, in 1905 from the Keystone State Normal School with honors, and in the fall of that year entered the sophomore class of Franklin and Marshall College, from which he was graduated in the spring of 1908 with honors. During the summer of 1908 he was a student in the divinity department of Chicago University, was graduated from the Eastern Theological Seminary in May, 1911, and is now pastor of Bethany Reformed Church, Ephrata, Pa. (7) Mabel, born in 1891, is assisting her parents at home and at the same time taking a course in music.
Walter F. Meck was born April 15, 1878, at Meckville, Berks county, and after attending the local public school and public schools at Schuylkill Haven, Pa., was a student at the Millersville State. Normal School, in 1895-96. From that time until his removal to Schuylkill Haven, in 1900, he assisted his father in the store. That year, in company with D. D. Coldren and Milton Meck, he engaged in the manufacture of underwear as a member of the firm of Meck & Coldren, being thus associated until 1902. In that year he admitted Harry A. Reber, who purchased Mr. Coldren's interest, and the firm has since been operated under the name of Meck & Company, Milton Meck retaining an interest therein until 1911, when his share was bought by Messrs. Meck and
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Reber, who have continued to carry on the factory to the present time. They do a large business in the manufacture of knit underwear, their plant, which is 48 by go feet in dimensions, being modern in arrangement and equipment, fifty people being regularly employed. Mr. Meck has become interested in other local enterprises, was one of the organizers of the Schuylkill Haven Trust Company, and a member of its original board of directors, and is also a director of the Textile Mutual Fire Insurance Company, of Schuylkill Haven. He is a young man of conspicuous ability.
On Nov. 11, 1903, Mr. Meck married Urie Klahr, daughter of Jacob and Amelia (Zurbe) Klahr, of Schuylkill Haven, and they are the parents of three children : Charles Jacob, Mildred E. and Dorothy Amelia. Mr. Meck is a prominent member of the Reformed Church, in which he holds the office of deacon at present, and is also a teacher in the Sunday school.
PANCOAST T. HOY, president and treasurer of P. T. Hoy & Sons Company, leading general merchants of Schuylkill Haven, is a typical member of a substantial family which has been settled in Schuylkill county from the early days. Irwin Hoy, his great-grandfather, was a pioneer resident of Orwigsburg, where he died in about the year 1840. He was a native of Berks county, but spent most of his life in Schuylkill county, obtaining a large tract of land in the vicinity of Orwigsburg, comprising several hundred acres, and with his sons another tract, of about 1,600 acres, where the city of Shenandoah is now located.
Henry Hoy, grandfather of Pancoast T. Hoy, was born Feb. 10, 1798, at Orwigsburg, Schuylkill county, and passed all his life at that place and in North Manheim township. He died at Orwigsburg April 14, 1859, and is buried there. By occupation he was a farmer, inheriting a tract of land from his father. He took some interest in the administration of public affairs, serving as poor director. He was a Republican in politics, and a member of the Evangelical Church, to which he belonged for many years. Henry Hoy was married five times, his first and second wives being sisters named Ley- meister. His third wife was Elizabeth Wiltrout, his fourth Elizabeth Dubbs, his fifth a Karchner. There was one child by the first union, and eight by the third, namely: Susanna married Charles Rickert : Kate married John Swalm : Elizabeth married M. D. Kline; Mary married Henry Drine; Sarah married George Body; Reuben married Elizabeth Hammer; Thomas is mentioned below; Harry married Elizabeth Albright.
Thomas Hoy, son of Henry, was born Feb. 5, 1833, in North Manheim township. He received his education at Orwigsburg, attending the common schools, and later for three months the Arcadian school, and was brought up to farming, in which industry he had interests all his life. A man of energetic disposition and executive ability, he was not afraid to undertake any ordinary business enterprise, and his capability was prominent in the success of every- thing he handled. He owned the Fairview farm at Orwigsburg, which consisted of about 117 acres, and was one of the finest improved farm properties in this part of Schuylkill county, and in addition to general farming he carried on stock raising, dairying and butchering there for a time. He had the distinction of starting the first industrial enterprise at Orwigsburg, he and his partner establishing the first shoe factory there in 1873, conducted under the name of the Orwigsburg Shoe Manufacturing Company. Mr. Hoy and his associate traveled over the East and visited a number of shoe factories in order to gain
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some knowledge of the business before starting up their own plant. The first move they made was to lease the old courthouse building at Orwigsburg for ninety-nine years, at one dollar a year. The concern was organized as a stock company, although this was against Mr. Hoy's wishes. He became general superintendent and treasurer, and it had a prosperous career under his able management. Eventually he sold his stock in this concern, and he was subse- quently engaged in the butchering business and the manufacture of phosphate for some time. He was also one of the moving spirits in securing the water- works for the borough, although the idea met with great opposition at first. However, as the project was seen to be feasible, it met with more favor, and he was commended for his activity. Mr. Hoy acquired large property hold- ings. He had valuable timber and mineral lands in Lycoming county. Pa., and considerable property in Florida, five hundred acres, which included a valuable fruit farm and lots in various towns of the State; with Martin Sheafer and David Brown he was the joint owner of real estate in Virginia containing granite quarries, and his real estate at Orwigsburg included the "Central Hotel" property. He organized the South Schuylkill Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and was its president for a number of years. Mr. Hoy's versatile ability gained him such confidence among his fellow citizens that he was chosen to the highest office in their gift, that of chief burgess, which he held for two terms. During his incumbency of this position he secured a new charter for the borough, under which a number of desirable ordinances were passed and made effective, and much good was accomplished in the repairing of streets and sidewalks and the placing of street crossings. He had also served as president of the town council, and as member of the school board for a number of years. Politically he was associated with the Repub- lican party, and was one of its most enthusiastic workers in his section. He was an Odd Fellow in social connection, belonging to Grace Lodge, No. 157, I. O. O. F. Mr. Hoy was indeed one of the most influential citizens of his day of Orwigsburg, and his death, which occurred in 1899, was considered a loss to the entire community. He is buried in the Lutheran cemetery at Orwigs- burg.
On Sept. 3. 1854. Mr. Hoy married Sarah Faust, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Fegley) Faust, of West Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, and she survives him, being now (1914) in her eightieth year. She resides at Orwigsburg with her daughter Mrs. Deibert. Sixteen children were born to this union, namely: Rosie married Frank W. Reed; Pancoast T. is men- tioned below : George W. is a resident of Waterloo, Iowa : Annie M. married William A. Drayer, of Cleveland, Ohio; Sarah married J. H. Walborn, and is deceased; Thomas F. died at Crystal River, Fla .; Theodore is living at Schuylkill Haven ; Elizabeth is the wife of Samuel D. Deibert, a merchant of Orwigsburg, Pa .; Celia married William Marberger and (second) Harry Berger, and is living at Philadelphia, Pa .; Mary married Dr. C. R. Miller, and is living at Harrisburg, Pa .; Albert died in infancy ; Katie married Lewis R. Shartle, and is living at Reading, Pa .; Morris is living at Goff, Idaho; Carrie married William Maxworthy, of Allentown, Pa .; Ida died in infancy ; Edith died in infancy.
Pancoast T. Hoy was born at Orwigsburg July 27, 1855, and received his education there in the public schools. He was reared on the homestead place, remaining with his parents until 1875, when he became clerk for the late WV. D. Kline, who had a general store at Schuylkill Haven. In his employ he
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learned the details of the business, and eventually took it over on his own account, buying the Kline heirs out in 1894. His establishment is at No. 2 East Main street, corner of St. John street, and in March, 1913, he purchased the adjoining property on Main street, 3334 feet frontage, which will be used to accommodate the expanding business. This store has had a continuous existence of nearly forty years at Schuylkill Haven, and is housed in one of the finest business blocks in lower Schuylkill county, erected by Mr. Hoy in 1894. The company was incorporated in March, 1910, with the following officers: Pancoast T. Hoy, president and treasurer ; Lewis H. Hoy, vice presi- dent and manager ; Rudy F. Hoy, secretary. The store is known for its well selected and complete stock of dry goods, groceries, fancy goods, notions, crockery and chinaware, etc., and the length of time which many of its patrons have been dealing with it shows how thoroughly competent and accommodating the service is. It has gained its place as a leading store of the kind in Schuyl- kill Haven by honorable methods and sincere efforts to give the utmost satis- faction to all customers. Mr. Hoy is also engaged in selling motor trucks and automobiles under the name of the P. T. Hoy Motor Sales Company. He and his sons are maintaining the highest reputation in business circles, and they are greatly esteemed by their associates in all the relations of life.
Mr. Hoy married L. Cora Huntzinger, daughter of the late Lewis Hunt- zinger and his wife, Christy (Rudy). They have had four children, namely : Lewis H., now associated with his father as vice president and manager of the business, was educated at the Franklin and Marshall Academy, Lancaster, Pa., and is married to Esther Weiss, daughter of the late Prof. George W. Weiss, for many years county superintendent of the schools of Schuylkill county ; Rudy F., secretary of the P. T. Hoy & Sons Company, was educated at Gettysburg College; Christine attended Mount Ida College, at Newton, Mass. ; Helen is still in school. Mr. Hoy holds membership in St. Matthew's Lutheran Church.
HARRY K. PORTZ, of Pottsville, has the honor of being one of the first set of officials chosen to administer the affairs of the government in Pottsville, and as city comptroller is doing his share towards putting the business of the municipality upon a sound basis. In private life he is engaged as a civil and mining engineer, following his profession in the employ of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company in Pottsville. Mr. Portz was born at Pottsville Sept. 22, 1882, and he is of German extraction, his father, Frederick Portz, Sr., having been born in Bavaria, Germany, where the grandparents passed all their lives. The grandmother died in 1878, the grandfather in 1905, when eighty-seven years old. Their son, Valentine, died in Bavaria the same year as his father. Their daughter, Henrietta, continues to live at the old family home.
Frederick Portz, Sr., was born Dec. 13, 1841, in Bavaria, Germany, and there grew to manhood. He served in the Thirteenth Infantry in the war between Prussia and the South German States. Mr. Portz came to America in 1867, landing at New York City March 12th, after a voyage of nineteen days. For fourteen years he was employed at the Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville, Pa., in the position of foreman of the fermenting department, and in 1881 he engaged as a liquor dealer on his own account, at No. 122 North Centre street, where he has since been doing business. He has been a well known worker in the Democratic party for many years, and in 1892 was elected
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a member of the board of county poor directors of Schuylkill county, to fill a vacancy of one year. In 1903 he was reelected for a full term of three years, and in the fall of 1906 was a candidate, this time on the "Lincoln party" ticket, and suffered its general defeat in the county. He is a member of Humane Fire Company, and fraternally belongs to Hayden Lodge, No. 44, I. O. O. F., of which he is a past grand. He and his family belong to the German Lutheran Church. On May 19, 1872, Mr. Portz married at Pottsville Lucinda Klare, who was born in Pottsville in 1851, and seven children have been born to this marriage: Catherine E. married Howard Manwiller and (second) Gustaf Zierle; Frederick is a resident of Pottsville; Emma L. married Fred Bernett, a merchant of Pottsville; George A. married Martha Schwartz; Harry K. is next in the family ; Edward and Valentine died within the same week.
Henry Klare, father of Mrs. Frederick Portz, Sr., was born March 7, 1811, in Hanover, Germany, and learned the tailor's trade in his early life. Coming to America on a sailing vessel in 1849, he spent thirty-six days on the water, landing at Philadelphia, and after one day's stay in that city came on to Pottsville, Pa., where he became employed at his trade. He continued to follow it throughout his active life, and died April 2, 1899, aged eighty-eight years. He is buried in the Odd Fellows cemetery. His wife, Catherine (Luther), like himself a native of Germany, accompanied him to America, and she died at the age of sixty-five years. They had a large family, namely : Catherine married Thomas Miller; Christian W. is a resident of Pottsville ; Matilda married Fred Eberle, of Pottsville; Lucinda married Fred Portz; Henry A. is a resident of Pottsville; William is deceased; Charles lives at Pottsville; Mary is the wife of August Appelstadt, and resides at Pottsville : George A. is deceased; Lewis is a resident of Philadelphia.
Harry K. Portz began his education in the public schools of Pottsville, later attended a business college in the borough, and then filled the position of bookkeeper for the Pottsville Ice Company, for one year. Then for two years he was in the employ of F. G. Clemens, as extra man, in this association gain- ing his first experience at civil and mining engineering. In 1904 he engaged with the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company in a similar capacity, and for five years thereafter was detailed principally on outside work, at pres- ent in charge of one of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company's col- lieries. He has applied himself earnestly to his profession and worked up a creditable reputation in that line. When the first city election took place, Nov. 4, 1913, he was the candidate for city comptroller on the Democratic ticket, and won by a majority of 661 votes over his opponent, C. B. Tyson. The election was a significant honor for so young a man and a tribute to the merit by which he has advanced himself so early in his career. Mr. Portz is a member of Lodge No. 207, B. P. O. Elks, and of the Improved Order of Heptasophs.
On Sept. 28, 1910, Mr. Portz married Hester Jones, daughter of William and Margaret Jones, of Ashland, this county, and they have two children : Margaret Lucinda, horn March 29, 1913, and John Henry, born Dec. 20, 1914. They reside at No. 602 West Howard avenue. Mr. Portz is a member of the German Lutheran Church.
JOSEPH O'DONNELL, of Forestville, is one of the most progressive business men of Schuylkill county. For about forty years he has been a very successful general merchant, and he is a stockholder in various banks of the county, being particularly well known in that connection. Mr. O'Donnell is of
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Irish birth and extraction. His father, Hugh O'Donnell, brought his family to this country from Ireland in the year 1850 and settled at Tamaqua, Schuylkill Co., Pa., where he continued to reside for many years. By occupation he was a shoemaker and as a tradesman was well patronized. He died at Mauch Chunk, Pa. To his marriage with Sallie Roaty were born children as follows: Joseph, John, Joachim, Gabriel, James, Mary and Veronica.
Joseph O'Donnell was born Jan. 21, 1842, in Donegal, Ireland, and was a. boy .when brought to America. His education was obtained in the public schools at Tamaqua, and he began work there as a slate picker at the mines, later running an engine at the High mine, at Tamaqua, for Mr. Leban. Sub- sequently he was employed at the Greenwood colliery, running a breaker engine for a while, put in a short period of employment at Summer Hill, and then went to Phillipsburg, N. J., where he learned the trade of pipe molder. He was there about three years, on his return to Pennsylvania locating at . Coplay, in Lehigh county, where he was employed at the furnaces about one year. His next move was to Janesville, Carbon county, where he ran an engine, and after leaving there he spent some time at Harleigh, in Luzerne county, where he was similarly engaged. After that he ran an engine at Philadelphia until the spring of 1864, on April 4th coming to Forestville, Schuylkill county, and for several months thereafter running engines at the different collieries. In 1865 he spent a short time in the oil region in Venango county, this State, returning, however, to Forestville, and for a number of years thereafter was engineer at the Phoenix colliery No. 2, holding this position until 1874. Fol- lowing that he was at Allentown and Hazleton, Pa., making only a brief stay at each of these places and returning to Forestville in 1876. During that year he visited the Centennial at Philadelphia, being there at the time General Grant formally closed the exposition. In 1876 Mr. O'Donnell engaged in the general mercantile business at Forestville, which he has carried on ever since. He carries a large stock of queensware and willow ware, besides flour, feed, groceries and provisions, and his store is a convenient trading center for many of the residents of that section of Cass township, being more quickly reached than the establishments in the borough of Minersville. Mr. O'Donnell has always been attentive to the wants of his customers, seeing that they had as good a selection as can be found in the vicinity and being thoroughly honorable about prices and his methods of dealing, facts which have not escaped the notice of his patrons. He laid the foundation of his fortune in his store, and still gives it all necessary attention, although his interests have widened con- siderably. He has valuable real estate holdings at Pottsville, and is a stock- holder in the Merchants' National Bank of that borough. He was one of the organizers and original directors of the Schuylkill Haven Trust Company, and is still a member of the board of directors of that institution. He is also a stockholder in the First National Bank of Schuylkill Haven and in the Union National Bank of Minersville.
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