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 44
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Mr. Davis was interested in politics, but though a Republican on national questions was non-partisan in local matters, supporting the movements which in his judgment promised most to the community. Indirectly he exerted a continuous influence in all things affecting the general good, but he also gave personal service, being a member of the board of health and of the town council for several terms; his work in the latter body was especially note- worthy, and he served as president of the council until within a short time of his death. As an earnest member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of St. Clair he labored zealously in its interest, acting as president of the board of trustees which rebuilt the church several years ago and did so much to put the financial affairs of the congregation on a sound basis. Mr. Davis was keenly interested in conditions in the borough and endeavored to promote social and living standards through every available channel. The Pottsville Daily Republican of April 13, 1914, said: "His workmen particularly were under his constant kindly supervision, and no employer ever had a more loyal set of men. During the recent strike no watchmen were necessary at his colliery, for the men took care of the plant themselves. When coal became scarce his banks were the only ones in the region that were freely turned over to the pickers. Churches and charitable institutions of every denomination received frequent contributions from him. In St. Clair he was a contributor to every church and in other parts of the county he frequently sent substantial aid to the needy religious bodies. He was a frequent visitor to the Miners' hospital and took a keen interest in the patients there. Although not a mem- ber of the Odd Fellows he took a big interest in the Orphanage of that lodge at Sunbury, and the trustees are witnesses to the fact that his contributions were always received when most needed." Aside from all this he looked per- sonally after the wants of many needy ones, being beloved for his generosity Vol. I-19
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in many homes which felt his kindly interest when their burden of want was relieved by substantial gifts bestowed without ostentation. In fact there were a number of families of small means in the borough who knew him for a sympathetic friend, especially to widows and orphans, though he did not dis- criminate against any unfortunates. His modesty never allowed him to speak of any such services to his less favored fellows, but their testimony shows how far his liberality reached. His sudden death, on Saturday, April 11, 1914, was a shock such as St. Clair has seldom experienced. Though Mr. Davis had been ailing for several months his condition had improved so that he was apparently on the road to recovery, and he was downtown with his wife early in the evening when stricken. The Pottsville Daily Republican, in a lengthy obituary, said: "In John H. Davis, St. Clair has lost a citizen who will be missed for years to come. As owner of the Ellsworth colliery he reached a position of prominence in the town and was classed as one of its wealthiest residents. * * * Ten years ago Mr. Davis erected the beautiful home at Second and Franklin streets, the handsomest residence in St. Clair." He was buried from that home, the remains being taken to the Charles Baber cemetery at Pottsville. Mr. Davis was a thirty-second-degree Mason, a member of Wil- liamsport Consistory and of Rajah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., the latter of Reading.
Mr. Davis was first married to Mary E. Davis, daughter of Rev. Daniel T. Davis, of Scranton, Pa. She died a year later, and he was subsequently mar- ried to Mary E. Bomboy, daughter of Percival and Sarah Bomboy, of New Castle township, this county. By this union there were two children, William B. and Edith B. The daughter died in infancy, and the son when twenty-six years old. Their mother passed away in 1898, and Mr. Davis afterwards married Ida H. Honsberger, daughter of Charles C. and Lucy (Rarig) Hons- berger, of Zion Grove, in North Union township, Schuylkill county, where they still reside. Mr. Honsberger was postmaster at Zion Grove for many years, and was also engaged in the timber business. Mrs. Davis survives her husband with the only child of this marriage, June H.
DAVID V. RANDALL is directing the operation of one of the most important collieries in Schuylkill county, the Lytle property in Cass township. Affording employment to about nine hundred and support to approximately as many families, it provides a living for a large share of the local population directly, to say nothing of the incidental business of the merchants and trades- men who depend upon the patronage of these workers for their prosperity. The Lytle mines constitute therefore a large asset in the estimated resources of the county. Their judicious exploitation is a worthy problem for an expert, a man possessing business and executive qualities as well as the necessary scientific information.
Mr. Randall is the son of a prominent attorney of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and he was born in that city April 2, 1874. There he obtained his education in the public schools, and when a young man was given a place in the city engineer corps. Later he was employed with H. S. Reets, mining engineer, for a time and then took a position with the Delaware & Hudson Coal Company, remain- ing in their employ until 1898. That year he changed to the Susquehanna Coal Company, with whom he has since been associated, the Lytle colliery, at Prim- rose, Schuylkill county, being one of the holdings of that concern. In Febru- ary, 1909, Mr. Randall was transferred to this colliery, of which he has since
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had charge. It was founded in 1889 by John Hosie and others, who sold out to Stickney & Conyngham, and in 1909 the property was taken over by the Susquehanna Company, since when it has been known as the Lytle colliery. At present the annual output is about 400,000 tons, and employment is given to about nine hundred men. The equipment has been modernized to suit the needs of the work, and better facilities for mining have been devised, and at present the colliery is one of the most up-to-date in this region.
Mr. Randall is a member of the Pottsville Club, and of the Mercantile Club of Minersville, as well as the Masons, in the latter connection belonging to Lykens Lodge, No. 570, F. & A. M .; Keystone Consistory, of the Valley of Scranton, and Irem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Wilkes-Barre.
Mr. Randall married Harriet Witt, of Wilkes-Barre, daughter of An- thony Witt, who was born in Baden, Germany. Mrs. Randall is a native of Williamsport, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Randall have two sons, Hanadon Reets and David Anton.
C. ARTHUR FISHER, proprietor of the "Rising Sun Hotel" at Orwigs- burg, and operator of a coal washery at Landingville, in North Manheim town- ship, Schuylkill Co., Pa., was born Jan. 20, 1877, at historic Valley Forge, Chester Co., Pa., son of Gen. Benjamin F. Fisher, grandson of Rev. Peter S. Fisher, and great-grandson of William Fisher (Fischer).
William (or Wilhelm) Fisher was of German birth, a farmer by occupa- tion and he lived in Lower Heidelberg township, Berks Co., Pa. He is buried at Hain's Church, in that township. From him are descended many of the name in that section of the State. He was an adherent of the Reformed Church, as were most of his family.
Rev. Peter S. Fisher, son of William, was born near Hain's Church, where he attended the services of the Reformed denomination. So strongly were the tenets of that faith implanted in his youthful mind that he decided to follow the profession of minister of the gospel. He was located soon after gradua- tion at Boalsburg, Centre Co., Pa., later going to Sellersville, Bucks county, where he died. He was united in marriage to Veronicca Heckert, of Hum- melstown, Dauphin county, by whom he had the following children : Alfred; Calvin; Benjamin F .; Aaron; Nevin; Maggie, wife of Dr. Wireback; and Ada, wife of William Cordy, of Oil City, Pennsylvania.
Benjamin Franklin Fisher, father of C. Arthur Fisher, was born at Boals- burg, Centre Co., Pa., and was educated in the common schools, Boalsburg Academy, and Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pa. Immediately after graduating, in 1859, he entered the law office of the late Judge Stokes L. Roberts, of Doylestown, Pa., and was admitted to the bar in October, 1860. Mr. Fisher and Dr. Joseph H. Thomas organized Company H, of the 3d Penn- sylvania Reserve Corps, and on the President's call for troops in 1861 this company was mustered into the United States volunteer service as Company "H" of the 32d Pennsylvania Volunteers, with Mr. Fisher as first lieutenant. Immediately after entering the volunteer service Lieutenant Fisher was de- tached for duty at the School of Instruction for the Signal Corps, at George- . town, D. C., and in the fall was assigned for duty in the field on the staff of General Hooker, with the Army of the Potomac. In the fall of 1862 he was promoted to captain and chief signal officer in the field of the Army of the Potomac, and served successively on the staffs of Generals McClellan, Burn- side and Hooker. In June, 1863, on the retirement North of General Hooker's
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army from Chancellorsville, which ended in the battle of Gettysburg, Captain Fisher was captured by a detachment of Colonel Mosby's men, while trying to locate the position of Lee's army. As a prisoner of war he was confined in Libby prison, Richmond, Va., until February, 1864, when he helped to dig and escaped through the famous Rose tunnel. After reaching the Union lines at Williamsburg, Va., Captain Fisher found that he had been promoted major for "meritorious and gallant conduct," and returned to Washington, where he married Alice Eliza, daughter of James H. Causton, a prominent Union sympathizer of Georgetown. To them were born six children: Alice E., married to F. K. Pennypacker, a cousin of ex-Governor Pennypacker ; Fannie H., who married A. M. Vanderslice; Benjamin F., Jr., an electrical engineer of New York City, who married Louise B. Reynolds; Mary C., mar- ried to Benjamin R. Walker; C. Arthur, mentioned below; and William P., who married Mary Alexander.,
In the fall of 1864, Major Fisher was promoted lieutenant colonel for "meritorious and conspicuous service," and in the spring of 1865 he was pro- moted colonel, with the rank of brevet brigadier general of volunteers, and appointed chief signal officer of the United States army.
In November, 1866, he resigned this office to return to the practice of law and accept the position of registrar of bankruptcy for the Eastern district of Pennsylvania. General Fisher practiced law for forty years in the city of Philadelphia, enjoying a large clientage. He was appointed receiver of the Spring Garden National Bank upon its failure and for many years was trust officer of the German-American Title & Trust Company. In 1907, upon the death of his wife, he retired to his summer residence (Colonial Springs) at Valley Forge, where he died Sept. 9, 1915.
C. Arthur Fisher was educated in the public schools of Schuylkill town- ship, Chester county, at the Quaker School in Philadelphia, Franklin and Marshall Academy, and Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pa. He began his business career as a clerk in his father's law office in Philadelphia, where he remained for several years. He studied law for two years, but finally gave it up to become a farmer on the homestead of his father, the old Joseph Anderson place. For seven years he was supervisor of Schuylkill township, Chester county, and then he located at Pine Grove, Schuylkill county, where he conducted a hotel for six years. In 1912 he became pro- prietor of the "Rising Sun Hotel" at Orwigsburg, Pa., the oldest licensed stand in Schuylkill county, and still conducts this hotel with success. He is also engaged in the coal washing business at Landingville, doing both a wholesale and retail business.
On April 30, 1902, Mr. Fisher married Annie R. Hoy, a daughter of John L. and Elizabeth (Coats) Hoy, of Valley Forge, Pa., and to this union two children have been born: Charles A., Jr., and B. Franklin. Mr. Fisher is a member of the Knights of the Golden Eagle and of the Sons of Veterans, at Orwigsburg. In politics he is a Republican.
SAMUEL REED, now living retired at Schuylkill Haven, is one of the best known men in and around that borough. His earlier years were spent as a boatman, and when the cessation of business on the canal made a change desirable he engaged in railroad work, afterwards carrying on a grocery store at Schuylkill Haven until his retirement.
The Reed family were early known in Schuylkill county. In 1771, when
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Pine Grove township, that county, was established, Philip Rith ( Reed) was a taxable. He was a native of Berks county, however, a member of the Tulpe- hocken family. In 1791 Jeremiah Reed, Michael Reed (both married) and Thomas Reed ( single) were taxables in Manheim township. Schuylkill county. In 1802 Theodore Reed, John Reed, John ( Morris) Reed, Thomas Reed, Sr., and Isaac Reed were taxpayers in Norwegian township, and John and Philip Reed in Mahantango township, that county.
Christopher (Stophel), George and Conrad Reed, brothers, were born in Brunswick township, Schuylkill county. Of these, Christopher passed all his life in his native township, and there reared his four sons, Obediah, George, Charles and Emanuel. Christopher Reed was the great-grandfather of Samuel Reed. George Reed, the grandfather, was a pioneer resident of Schuylkill Haven, and one of the successful business men of his day. He learned the trade of butcher and followed it all his life. He lived to the age of eighty- four years, and is buried in the family plot in the Union cemetery, at Schuyl- kill Haven. By his first wife, whose maiden name was Achey, he had five children : Samuel; Daniel, a blacksmith, who died near Ringgold; Frank, a butcher at Weissport, where he died; Joseph, who served in the Civil war with his three sons, and died at Pottsville, Pa .; and Caroline, who married Lorry Heebner and died at Schuylkill Haven. To his second marriage, with a Miss East, were born three children : Tamsey, who married James Palsgrove, of Schuylkill Haven ; Missouri, who married Josiah Karcher, and is now living at Philadelphia ; and Elizabeth, who married Henry Quinter and (second) William A. Yost (she and her first husband died at Schuylkill Haven).
Samuel Reed, son of George, was born May 26, 1805, in Schuylkill Haven. and during his boyhood was bound out to a Mr. Faust, in Brunswick township, where he remained a few years. His early life was spent in hard labor. Learning the butcher's trade after leaving Mr. Faust, he followed it at Schuyl- kill Haven for many years, and also worked as a cigarmaker, manufacturing the Lincoln cigar, a well known brand in its day. He was able to retire before his death, which occurred July 19, 1869, when he was sixty-four years old. He is buried in the Union cemetery. His wife, Mary (Ellinger), daughter of John Ellinger, was born in Dauphin county, Pa., Jan. 11, 1811, and died in Schuylkill Haven July 6, 1866. They had a large family, namely : Polly mar- ried Godfried Boyer; William died at Harrisburg, Pa .; Thomas died at Schuylkill Haven; John died young; Francis died young ; Charles E. died at Schuylkill Haven; Elizabeth, widow of Charles Mengel, is living at Port Clin- ton, Pa .; George S., who died at Philadelphia, Pa., was a soldier in the Civil war, serving four years in Company C, 50th Pennsylvania Regiment ; Sarah Louisa married Hiram Hahn and (second) Charles Jordan ; Lucy married Samuel Blackburn, who is deceased, and she lived at Schuylkill Haven ; Samuel is mentioned below ; Henry died at Wilmington, Del., but is buried at Schuylkill Haven ; Morris is living at Allentown, Lehigh Co., Pennsylvania.
Samuel Reed was born Jan. 3, 1849, at Friedensburg, Schuylkill county, had such education as the common schools of the day afforded, and during his boyhood assisted his father, stripping tobacco. In 1863 he went to work as a driver on the Schuylkill canal, with the boat "P. D. Thomas," and he continued to work on the canal until business there was discontinued, be- coming a captain when seventeen years old. Changing to railroad work, he was in the employ of the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company for a period of about twenty-five years, as brakeman, conductor and train dis-
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patcher, giving up this occupation in 1898 to go into business. He was a green grocer at Schuylkill Haven for the next twelve years, having an excellent trade throughout that period, and retired in 1910 with an excellent reputation for honorable dealing and ability to please his patrons.
The only public office Mr. Reed has held is that of ward assessor. He is a Republican in politics, in religion a member of the United Evangelical Church, at Schuylkill Haven, in which he has been prominent, having served on the building committee which had charge of the erection of the parsonage. For thirty-four years he was a member of the Patriotic Order Sons of America, and he is prominent in Jere Helms Post, No. 26, G. A. R., of which he was a charter member ; he has been commander for the last six years.
Though only a boy when the Civil war was started Mr. Reed served four months in the army during 1865. He enlisted from Dauphin county, Pa., Feb. 15, 1865, to serve one year or during the war, and was mustered into the United States service at Harrisburg, Pa., the next day, as a private of Capt. Solomon Cover's new company, I, of the 87th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volun- teer Infantry, Col. John M. Schall commanding. The regiment was first organized in September, 1861, under Col. George Hay, and was employed in drilling, and on guard and picket duty until the 26th of May, 1862, when it marched to Baltimore, Md., thence to Martinsburg and New Creek, W. Va. There it remained during the heat of the succeeding summer, taking part in a number of expeditions, to Beverly, Philippi, and Webster, thence returning to New Creek. Later the regiment was assigned to the Ist Brigade, 3d Division, 6th Corps, Army of the Potomac, and took part in the engagements at Bunker Hill, Strasburg, Caster's Woods, Manassas Gap, Bealton, Kelly's Ford, Brady Station, Locust Grove, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, siege and assault of Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, all in Virginia ; Monocacy, Md .; Opequan or Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Strasburg, Cedar Creek and Appomattox, Va., where Lee surrendered. It was also in a number of minor engagements and skirmishes, and took part in the grand review at Washington, D. C., May 24, 1865. Mr. Reed joined this regiment in front of Petersburg, Va., participating in all its movements and engagements thereafter, perform- ing gallant and meritorious service, in recognition of which he was promoted to corporal. After leaving Petersburg, Va., two companies from the 7th were allotted from the main army and sent to capture Clover Station, Va., and hold it until relieved. On the first day of occupation he was detached with two comrades to protect Walker's farm, near Clover Station, from depredation. On the second day several Confederate officers arrived at the farm, having been paroled. Among them was General Walker, a son of the owner of the farm, and the next morning, as Mr. Reed was eating his breakfast, General Walker entered and took a seat at the opposite side of the table, wearing his gray uniform, while the other wore the blue. This was the only time Mr. Reed ever ate a meal with a Confederate general, and it was devoured in utter silence, although the General's father apologized for his son's silence afterwards. He said that he was forced to maintain sympathy for the South- ern cause, being at that time surrounded by a band of guerrillas, but he prom- ised that in case young Reed were captured by the guerrillas he would see that he was liberated at once. After this incident the owner of the farm furnished him with a horse to ride to Clover Station, and one of his colored servants to accompany him and take the horse back. Upon his arrival at Clover Station the captain of his company inquired as to where he had pro-
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cured the horse, but when informed that it was a loan, and to be returned by the servant, declined to allow it. The horse was accordingly packed for a march to Danville, and the colored man taken along also. At Danville the captain sold the horse, and the colored man remained with the company until it arrived at Harrisburg, Pa., and was mustered out. Mr. Reed was honorably discharged June 29, 1865, at Washington, D. C., by reason of the close of the war.
On Feb. 2, 1868, Mr. Reed married Mary C. Kerkeslager, daughter of Noah and Caroline (Emerich) Kerkeslager, who had a family of six children, born as follows: Charles W., Nov. 29, 1847; Mary C., Dec. 14, 1849; Alice V., Dec. 25, 1851 ; Carrie E., Dec. 9, 1854; Sallie L., April 12, 1860; Harry A., Dec. 26, 1862. Mr. Kerkeslager, born Oct. 22, 1820, died Oct. 15, 1863; his wife died in 1879.
Mr. and Mrs. Reed had the following family: Carrie May, born June 2, 1869, died Feb. 19, 1873; Florence Ellinger, born Oct. 9, 1871, married John H. Emery, and is living at Palo Alto; Ellis William, born Nov. 19, 1873, un- married and living at home, is a veteran of the Spanish-American war, having enlisted in 1899 in Company C, 16th Infantry, and served three years in the Philippine Islands (before the war was in the navy three years, having enlisted at League Island) ; Samuel Noah, born June 24, 1876, married Kate Weldon (he is in the grocery business at Orwigsburg, Pa.) ; Maude Irene, born May 1, 1880, married Jacob Boltz, a box manufacturer, of Pottsville, Pa .; Joseph Alfred, born Feb. 28, 1885, died Dec. 14, 1894.
HENRY A. DIRSCHEDL, M. D., of Pottsville, has been making a creditable professional record during his comparatively brief career as a practitioner. Though busy with private practice he has entered heartily into the larger duties of the medical profession, according to modern ideas, doing effective work in establishing and promoting sanitary conditions and hygienic living in a general way. His ability to put advanced ideas into prac- tical operation has gained the recognition of his brother physicians as well as of the public.
Dr. Dirschedl was born at Pottsville, June 12, 1874, son of Joseph and Theresa (Reichenberger) Dirschedl. The parents were natives of the same place in Bavaria, Germany. They came to America with one child and first settled in Philadelphia for a time, Joseph Dirschedl following the bakery busi- ness. He then came to Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill county, and after a short stay there moved to Pottsville, in 1864, where he was also engaged in the bakery business. He continued it until forty years old, afterwards living retired until his death, which occurred Jan. 30, 1883, when he was forty-nine years old. He is buried at Pottsville. His widow died April 24, 1905. Of their three children, two were born in Pottsville, Mary and Henry A., the latter being the only survivor of the family ; Mary died Nov. 29, 1882; Max died July 3, 1878. Joseph Dirschedl was one of the first members of the German Catholic Church of Pottsville, then situated at Fourth street and Howard avenue, and later assisted in erecting the present church, in 1872.
Henry A. Dirschedl obtained his preparatory education in the Pottsville parochial schools. When Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart opened a store in the borough in 1887 he was the first to enter their employ here, and he remained with them uninterruptedly until he entered medical college in 1905. Mean- time he had gained steady promotion on merit alone, becoming financial secre-
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tary and assistant manager of the Pottsville store. After entering college he made a number of special trips for the company, with which he maintained his connection until 1913. Dr. Dirschedl took the full course at the Medico- Chirurgical College, Philadelphia, graduating in 1910, and served as interne at St. Joseph's Hospital, Reading, Pa., returning to Pottsville for practice in 1911. His office is at No. 61312 West Market street. Dr. Dirschedl is medical examiner for the German Roman Catholic Knights of St. George, and several other similar organizations, as well as for a number of insurance companies ; is a member of the Pottsville city board of health; and a lieutenant surgeon in the Pennsylvania National Guard, attached to the 4th Regiment. He re- ceived his appointment to the latter office from Colonel O'Neil in 1914 and began his services in that capacity during the encampment of that year. Noth- ing could have shown more plainly his standing among the members of his profession than the fact that at least thirty of the leading physicians of the county recommended him for the position. He is a district deputy of the Knights of St. George in Schuylkill and Dauphin counties, and at the 1915 State convention was made State organizer. Politically Dr. Dirschedl is a Republican, but he is guided by his own ideas in his stand on local questions.
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