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 34
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Mr. Wagner married Jemima Matz, daughter of William Matz, and five children were born to this union: Benjamin, Frank, William M., George T. and Kate (Mrs. George R. Linder). The father died March 25, 1910, the mother Feb. 19, 1912, and they are buried in the Evangelical cemetery at Orwigsburg.
William M. Wagner was born Feb. 1, 1853, at Orwigsburg, where he obtained his education in the public schools. In his youth he assisted his father in the store as a clerk and eventually succeeded him in the business, taking in as a partner C. W. Diefenderfer, under the firm name of Wagner & Diefender- fer. After they had carried on the business successfully for twelve years Mr. Wagner bought Mr. Diefenderfer's interest and took in as a partner his brother George, under the firm style of Wagner & Brother. They continued together as such until 1900, when William M. Wagner sold his share to his brother- in-law, George R. Linder, one of the present owners. William M. Wagner withdrew to give his attention to other interests. For a number of years Mr.
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Wagner has been prominent in banking circles in the county. For the last fifteen years he has been one of the directors of the well known Miners' National Bank of Pottsville, a leading financial institution of that place, and he was one of the organizers of the Schuylkill Haven Trust Company, and a member of its original board of directors; he is still serving in that capacity. Mr. Wagner's activities in these associations have made him one of the lead- ing figures in the financial situation in southern Schuylkill county, and he has been highly successful in the management of all enterprises with which he has been connected, whether of a distinctly personal nature or otherwise. His absolute reliability has commended him to the confidence of his associates in all affairs.
Mr. Wagner married Emma R. Reed, daughter of Elijah B. Reed, of Schuylkill Haven, and the only child of this union, Harvey E., died at the age of twenty years. Mr. and Mrs. Wagner are associated with the Reformed Church.
Mrs. Jemima Wagner's grandfather was born in Berks county. Pa. (which at that time included Schuylkill county ), and passed all his life there engaged in farming. Politically he was a Jeffersonian Democrat. His children were : Joseph : Daniel John ; William; Gabriel ; Susan, Mrs. Moyer; Mary, Mrs. Schellenberger; and another daughter who first married Henry Rauch, at one time sheriff of Schuylkill county, and for her second husband Eli Hammer
William Matz, father of Mrs. Wagner, was born Nov. 11, 1801, on the old homestead in West Brunswick township, then a part of Berks county. While he remained there he was engaged in farming, but when he removed thence to Pottsville, in 1848, he changed his vocation, having purchased the "Merchants' Hotel" (then known as the "White Horse"), which he carried on for a number of years. He became very prominent in public affairs, and in October, 1855, was elected sheriff, serving a three years' term. Politically he was associated with the Democratic party, with which the Matzes have long been prominently identified. His death occurred in July, 1865. He was a member of the German Reformed Church. By his marriage to Catherine Kerechner he had the following children: George W .; Thomas H .; Daniel; William J .; Jemima (Mrs. Wagner) ; Amelia, Mrs. Drumheller ; Mary E. Matz; Susan, Mrs. Shellenberger ; Louis Wolf ; Emma V., Mrs. Wieder ; and one that died in infancy. Of this family William J. Matz served as deputy sheriff during his father's term as sheriff, was later prothonotary and sheriff of the county, and high in the councils of the Democratic party in this State.
WILLIAM T. HAMILTON, of Pottsville, is leading a life of enjoyable leisure after a vigorous career. Those bearing the name of Hamilton have proved their worth in three generations of honorable connection with business affairs and the maintenance of desirable social conditions in Schuylkill county. The family is of Scotch origin, the grandfather of William T. Hamilton having been a native of Scotland, whence he removed to the North of Ireland. He died in the latter country.
Edward Hamilton, father of William T. Hamilton, was born and reared in the North of Ireland. When a young man he came to America, settling at Mount Carbon, Schuylkill Co., Pa., and for a number of years made his living on the canal, owning boats and following boating. Later he was engaged in the manufacture of powder near Tamaqua, this county, and subsequently carried on the ice business at Pottsville, before his retirement. He cleared a
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tract of land in North Manheim township, above the borough of Mount Carbon, put up all the buildings on that place, and lived there until his death, in 1884. This property is now owned by a Mr. Edwin. Edward Hamilton married Jane Adams, who was born near Schuylkill Haven, and children as follows were born to this union: Isabella, who is deceased; John, deceased ; William T. : Mary ; Robert ; Susanna, deceased; Edward, deceased ; James B., and George.
William T. Hamilton was born Oct. 3. 1844, at Mount Carbon, and had such advantages as the local schools of North Manheim township afforded. When a boy he was employed driving mules on the towpath during the summer season, continuing his studies in the winter time, and he feels especially grateful to two of his instructors, Miss Mary Ann Walker and Miss Sarah Ashley, whose memories he holds in respectful affection. They taught near where the first Tumbling Run dam is now located, in North Manheim town- ship, and were women of fine characters, who exercised a good influence over the many pupils who came under their care. After driving for a time Mr. Hamilton became employed as captain on one of his father's canal boats, being so engaged until the summer of 1861. At that time the boat was char- tered by the government, and his father sent him South with it and he remained in charge of the commissary department while the boat was engaged in carry- ing provisions from Baltimore and Washington to Norfolk, Newport News, Aqua Creek, Belleplaine, and to City Point, on the James river. He was so engaged until the fall of 1864. when he returned home, and he continued boating on the Schuylkill canal until the fall of 1868, at which time he built a large river boat which he used in trading between Baltimore and New York City, up the Hudson to Troy, N. Y., east to New Haven and Hartford, Conn., up the Connecticut river, and down to the coast of South Carolina. In 1873 he sold this vessel and returned to Pottsville, where he embarked in the ice business with his brother Robert, under the firm name of Hamilton Brothers. They took the business established by their father and carried it on until 1884, and then sold it out, William T. Hamilton then buying the old home- stead place at Mount Carbon, in North Manheim township, where he lived until 1890. That year he sold the old homestead to Manassa Michael, and then moved to Pottsville, where he put up a fine three-story building, for business and residence purposes, and began a general store. He carried this on until 1898, when he turned the business over to his eldest son, Robert, who is still conducting it. Mr. Hamilton has since given his time to the management of his private affairs. He takes considerable interest in local politics, and is a member of the Schuylkill County Historical Society, of the Men's Club of the Episcopal Church, and of the Central Republican Club of Pottsville.
Mr. Hamilton married Catherine Bell, daughter of Henry A. Bell, who was a boatman on the canal and a resident of Mount Carbon. Six children have been born to this marriage, namely: Robert, now a merchant at Potts- ville : Henry H., of Philadelphia ; William, deceased; a son that died in infancy ; William (2), a contracting engineer with headquarters at New York City ; and Florence V., who lives at home. Mr. Hamilton and his family are members of the Episcopal Church.
Mrs. Jane (Adams) Hamilton, mother of William T. Hamilton, was a daughter of John Adams, who came from the North of Ireland and settled in this section of Pennsylvania. He was one of the first lock tenders of the Schuylkill canal, being stationed at Werners locks, above Schuylkill Haven.
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Later he settled on a farm in North Manheim township, near the present location of the county home, and there spent the rest of his days. This farm was purchased by his son Robert, who bought it for his father. John Adams is buried in the Union cemetery at Schuylkill Haven. He and his wife had the following children: Robert, Hamilton, Esther (Mrs. Thomas Lynch), Rosanna (Mrs. Thomas Quinn), Jane ( Mrs. Edward Hamilton), Ellen ( who married Richard Dooley, and second Matthew Gibson), and Nancy, Mar- garet and Mary (all of whom died unmarried).
Robert Adams, son of John, was one of the pioneer coal operators in the Schuylkill fields, working what was known as the Greenberry colliery. His brother Hamilton was his superintendent and general manager.
HARRY H. KOERPER, of Auburn, made a high reputation as an edu- cator in that borough before he entered its business life. He is well qualified for its responsibilities and in his present capacity, as cashier of the First National Bank of Auburn, is gaining a solid place among the most respected business men of Schuylkill county.
John Koerper, father of Harry H. Koerper, was a native of Germany. Coming to America in 1849 he settled at Tremont, Schuylkill Co., Pa., where he followed mining for several years, afterwards engaging in the hotel business, which he carried on for a long time. He died at Tremont in 1899 and is buried there. His widow, Margaret ( Sunday), like himself a native of Ger- many, now lives on the old homestead at that place. They were the parents of ten children: George, John, Frank, Edward, Harry H., Elizabeth, Minnie, Caroline, Mary and Annie.
Harry H. Koerper was born Feb. 13, 1875, at Tremont, Schuylkill county, and began his education in the public schools there. Subsequently he took a course at the Millersville State Normal School, from which institution he was graduated in 1895, and for two years thereafter taught school at East Pros- pect, York county, this State. His next experience was at Tremont, where he taught for six years, and he also taught four years at Ursinus Academy while taking his course at Ursinus College, from which he was graduated in 1907. The same year he became principal of the Auburn schools, holding that position for six years, and then for a year was principal at Frackville, this county. In February, 1914, he was elected cashier of the First National Bank of Auburn, in which responsibility he has acquitted himself very creditably. Mr. Koerper is an efficient and interested worker in local activities. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and of the Reformed Church, and for fourteen years has served as Sunday school superintendent at Tremont and Auburn. His obliging nature and sincere desire to be a helpful influence wherever he is located have made him respected as well as popular.
Mr. Koerper married Maud Faust, daughter of Andrew and Sarah Faust, and they have two children, Sarah and Harry.
ELIJAH EMERICH is one of the most honored as he is one of the oldest residents of Schuylkill Haven, where he is now living in retirement. In the fourscore years of his life he has not only witnessed most of the important changes which have taken place in this region, but has had a part in many of them, in his early manhood having followed the calling of boatman on the Schuylkill canal, and in the latter part of his active business career the manu- facture of underwear-the earliest and latest industries which have played a
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leading part in the welfare of the borough. For some time Mr. Emerich held the position of steward at the Schuylkill county almshouse, administering the duties of that office most efficiently.
John Emerich, the grandfather of Elijah Emerich, was a native of Switzer- land, and came to this country in 1795. He first made a location in the Tulpe- hocken valley, in Berks county, Pa., after a few years' residence there removing to Schuylkill county, in the year 1801. Here he made a settlement in North Manheim township, purchasing a large farm which he cultivated until his death. There was an Indian camp upon this property, and he had many expe- riences with the Indians. Among other old residents of the vicinity who located here at the time of Mr. Emerich's settlement were Godfried Boyer, who was killed by the Indians; Samuel Baber; Andreas Straus, and the Deiberts. Mr. Emerich was a member of the Lutheran Church.
John Emerich, son of John, above, was born in 1791, in Germany, and was a child when his parents immigrated to America. He lived and died in North Manheim township, Schuylkill county, where he owned a farm of 190 acres. His death occurred in 1862. One of the first members of the Evangeli- cal Methodist Episcopal Church in his locality, he was quite prominent in its work, serving very acceptably as a trustee for a number of years. Politically he was a Democrat. By his marriage to Mary Emrod he had a family of eleven children, six sons and five daughters; we have mention of Frank, Philip, George, Elijah, Charles, Polly, Caroline, Louisa, Elizabeth and Catherine.
Elijah Emerich was born Jan. 15, 1834, in North Manheim township, son of John and Mary ( Emrod ) Emerich. He received a common school education, attending in the building which formerly stood on what is now the Schuylkill county poor farm, and when a young man commenced boating on the Philadelphia and Schuylkill canal, for fifteen years owning and operating boats. For eighteen years, from 1870, he was in the livery business at Schuyl- kill Haven, and then engaged in the manufacture of hosiery there, afterwards making a change, to the production of underwear. He built up quite a large trade, employing over twenty hands, continuing in active business pursuits until 1908, since when he has been living retired, except for the management of his property. He has built seven houses in the town, which he rents.
Mr. Emerich was elected steward of the county almshouse April 1, 1892, and during his incumbency of that important position discharged its duties most faithfully. The details of the management of the institution, and of the farm of three hundred acres operated in connection therewith, call for the exercise of executive qualities, the work of the steward including supervision of repairs on buildings, fences, etc., and the proper maintenance of all the property as well as the care of the inmates, of which there were 436 during the winter of 1892-93. While he was in charge of the institution he made a creditable reputation by the excellent condition in which the grounds and buildings were kept, their cleanliness resulting in wholesome improvement of the health of the occupants and the excellent system making for economy and efficiency combined.
Though he has always been a Democrat in politics Mr. Emerich was a Union sympathizer during the Civil war, and enlisted twice for the defense of the State. In 1862 he became a member of Company I, 39th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and served out the term. In 1863 he served as a member of Company C, goth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers,
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for sixty days. He was with his command at the battle of Antietam in Sep- tember, 1862, and was near Gettysburg at the time of the battle, July 1-3, 1863.
Mr. Emerich married Sarah Ann Raudenbush, who was born at Schuylkill Haven, daughter of Daniel Raudenbush, of that place, the father a native of Orwigsburg, this county. They have had one daughter, Angela, who is now the wife of Jeremiah Charles Lautenbacher, an underwear manufacturer of Schuylkill Haven. Mr. and Mrs. Emerich are members of the Evangelical Methodist Episcopal Church, to which he has belonged for many years, and he has been one of its leading workers, having served as president of the board of trustees.
WILLIAM WILHELM, of Pottsville, has been a member of the Schuyl- kill county bar for over thirty years, and besides achieving success in his profession has been a highly influential worker in political circles. At present he is State chairman of the Progressive Leagues of Pennsylvania, and refer- ence to the recital of the movements he has advocated most heartily shows clearly that he is animated by the same unselfish spirit of patriotism which made his father an ardent antislavery man in the days before the Civil war. His vigorous intellect, high ideals and sincere desire to aid true progress have made him a leader of the best thought in his community, his own high example inspiring others to active effort.
Mr. Wilhelm is a native of Pennsylvania, born Sept. 6, 1855, at Greencastle, Franklin county, son of John Wilhelm and grandson of John Wilhelm. The grandfather was born in Bucks county, Pa., and removed to the Cumberland valley prior to the Revolution, passing the remainder of his life in Franklin county. He lived to the age of ninety-three years, dying in 1862. His life work was farming.
John Wilhelm, father of William Wilhelm, was born Feb. 14, 1824, in Franklin county, and became one of its most prominent citizens. Though he followed farming all his life, he was also actively interested in business, being president of the Turnpike Company of Franklin county and the first banker at Greencastle, where he was prominent in the organization of the First National Bank. As previously mentioned, he was an ardent abolitionist, and Franklin county being on the Maryland line he had considerable experience in the various phases of the slavery question. John Brown and his patriotic followers on the way to Harper's Ferry spent one night on the Wilhelm farm. Mr. Wilhelm was working for the slaves in what was known as the "Under- ground Railroad." . He married Mary Dieffenderfer, who was born in 1832, at Winchester, Va., daughter of William Dieffenderfer and member of an old Pennsylvania family, having been a direct descendant of one of the two Dieffenderfer brothers who settled at New Holland, Lancaster Co., Pa. Christian Diller, who settled in Lancaster county in 1717, is one of Mrs. Wilhelm's ancestors on the maternal side. Seven children were born to John and Mary Wilhelm, viz .: William; Charles E., who was a business man of Pottsville, member of the firm of Wilhelm & Kennedy, house furnishers ; Georgia, Mrs. Houseworth, deceased (her husband was a druggist at Arbuckle, Cal.) ; MacHenry Holliday, an attorney, who settled at Ashland, Schuylkill county, now judge of the Orphans' court of that county ; Minnie, who died when five years old ; Sue D., who married Harvey Spessard, formerly agent of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company, now secretary of the Wolf Manu- facturing Company, at Chambersburg, Pa .; and Virginia D., unmarried.
William Wilhelm
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William Wilhelm grew up at Greencastle and began his education in the public schools there. Later he attended the Millersville State Normal School, graduating in 1874. For two years he taught school, part of the time at Safe Harbor, Lancaster county, the rest at Millersville Normal, where at the same time he was studying to make his scientific degree. Then for three years he continued in educational work as principal of the school at Tremont, Schuyl- kill county, after which he began the study of law. After his admission to the Schuylkill county bar, in May, 1881, he opened an office at Pottsville, where he has since been in practice, and how highly esteemed may be judged by the quality of work intrusted to him, and the class of patrons which have sought his services. His specialty is practice in the Supreme and Superior courts, in which he has been eminently successful. He has served a term as deputy district attorney, taking office in 1885 and holding that position until 1887. He had the honor of being nominated for judge of Schuylkill county on the Greenback ticket in 1887, at the same time receiving the indorsement of the Republican party.
In 1892 the commissioners of Schuylkill county appointed him to the formidable task of equalizing the value of all the coal lands in the county, and he increased the valuation one hundred per cent. So ably was this service performed that in 1895 he was invited to a similar undertaking in Carbon county, which employed him for the purpose. There the assessment value was increased two hundred per cent. The justice of the revaluation is apparent in that his findings in Schuylkill county have stood to the present, and the change was accomplished there without a single legal contest.
Mr. Wilhelm has had the courage of his convictions in his political asso- ciations. When he first came to Schuylkill county, in 1876, the year he attained his majority, he supported the Republican party, changed his alle- giance to the Greenback party in 1877, and for the next ten years, from 1878 to 1887, was one of its active campaign workers. In 1888 he again ranged himself with the Republican party, whose principles on the subject of tariff met his approval, and his allegiance was given thereto until 1910. In that year he was one of the organizers of the Keystone party, which merged with the Washington party, and in 1912 he was one of the electors on the Wash- ington ticket, receiving the largest vote of anyone on the ticket, the total vote being 444,894. He was made president of the Pennsylvania Electoral College. In fact, he has always been at the head of the organization since the birth of the party, and has been honored with the chairmanship of the State organ- ization of Progressive Leagues, which he holds at present. He was toast- master at the first annual banquet, held at the "Bellevue Stratford," Phila- delphia, March 15, 1913, with Roosevelt at his right and Beveridge on the left. Again, on June 30, 1914, at Pittsburgh, he officiated as toastmaster, where eleven hundred sat at board, and in the evening at the Exposition building he also presided.
Mr. Wilhelm has been associated with many progressive movements, and he has been especially earnest in the interest of the laboring men of his own county, for whom he has been able to accomplish much which has affected labor conditions in every part of the State. He has always been a fighter in the political arena, and when he espouses a cause or candidate he usually follows it to victory. In 1900 he led the crusade in the probing of ballot box stuffing, and secured the conviction and pleas of guilty of twenty-four people in the county, acting on account of Morris Leahy, present jury commissioner Vol. I-15
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of Schuylkill county, who had been counted out at the primaries, and winning out for his client. In this he accomplished something that had never been done before in the State of Pennsylvania, the opening of ballot boxes that fraud might be exposed. Mr. Wilhelm has always been allied with the reform element, and though he has met with opposition of the strongest kind from unexpected sources he always came off the victor. Personally he is respected and popular, and has a large following, though his independence in supporting good measures rather than party principles has been done at the expense of his own advancement.
On April 29, 1885, Mr. Wilhelm married Emma F. Enzensperger, daugh- ter of the late Joseph Enzensperger, of Tremont, Schuylkill county, who died Jan. 1, 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Wilhelm have had three children: Rose L., born Oct. 9, 1886; Anna, born Dec. 24, 1890; and John, born AApril 27, 1894, now a student at State College.
JOHN W. LYNCH, of Forestville, is a public-spirited citizen of Cass town- ship, Schuylkill county, where he has spent all of his life. He belongs to a family of Scotch extraction, which has long been established there, and in the maternal line is of Revolutionary stock.
William Lynch, grandfather of John W. Lynch, was born on the border of Scotland, and lived and died in that country. His wife, Ella, came to America, and after living in Canada for a short time settled in Cass township, Schuylkill Co., Pa., where her death occurred.
Abraham Lynch, son of William and Ella Lynch, was born in Canada, was brought by his mother to Schuylkill county, Pa., and here passed prac- tically all his life. During the Civil war he enlisted for the Union service, being enrolled in Company A, Ist Battalion, July 2, 1863, for ninety days, and received his discharge Aug. 21, 1863. He was an early resident of Forestville, and one of the most respected citizens of that place. He was a successful mine worker, becoming a boss at the mines, and was in the employ of the Reading Company for several years. His death was caused by the kick of a mule at the mines, June 12, 1880, and he is buried at Minersville. He was survived by his wife, Catherine ( McClure), who died in June, 1913, and is also buried at Minersville. Their children were: Ellen, who died young; Amelia, who died young ; William; Samuel; Amos ; John W. ; and Abraham.
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