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 6
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In 1884 Mr. Sheafer was married ( first) to Ada Green, daughter of the late Hon. Henry Green, Chief Justice of the Supreme court of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Sheafer died in 1905, and two sons of this union survive: Lesley G. and Clinton W., both of Pottsville. In 1910 Mr. Sheafer was married ( sec- ond) to Mrs. Phebe A. Lee, widow of the late John C. Lee and daughter of the late C. M. Atkins. Mr. Sheafer is survived by his two sons, his widow, his sister, Miss E. Louise Sheafer, and his two brothers, Arthur W. and Henry.
PETER W. SHEAFER was one of the foremost men of this part of Pennsylvania. His special interests were in the coal industry, but he was associated with so many other activities of value to his locality that his name was widely known among all classes. He was born March 31, 1819, in Halifax, Dauphin county, son of Henry Sheafer, a leading pioneer citizen of that county, prominent as president of the Lykens Valley Railroad Company ; he developed and superintended the Lykens valley coal mines at Wiconisco, and in 1834 introduced anthracite into the Susquehanna markets. Peter W. Sheafer began his education in the home schools, later taking a course at Oxford
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(N. Y.) academy. As his father's assistant from early life he had valuable business training. When still a young man he familiarized himself with the geological formation of the Lykens valley coal measures and pursued his investigations so thoroughly that he was eventually chosen as a member of the first geological survey of Pennsylvania, in 1836, when he became a member of Professor Rogers's corps. In this connection he was assigned to work with Professor Whelpley in 1837-38, surveying and mapping the southern and middle anthracite fields. It is noteworthy that the complex structure of these main basins was so accurately figured out at that time that the second survey, thirty to fifty years later, was simply an elaboration of the work then done. In 1839 Mr. Sheafer gave up this work to become his father's assistant again, continuing with him until 1848, at which time he moved to Pottsville to devote himself to surveying and engineering, first as assistant to Samuel B. Fisher, whom he later succeeded. From this time to the close of his life his services were in constant demand by landowners and coal operators in the Schuylkill, Mahanoy and Beaver Meadow districts, his reports, of which there are hundreds, covering almost every tract in those regions. It was through his efforts, in cooperation with William P. Foulke and other Phila- delphia men, that the State appropriation was obtained, in 1851, to complete the work of the first geological survey and give to the world the valuable work of Professor Rogers. When this work was resumed, in 1851, Mr. Sheafer took charge of the underground portion, connecting every working mine with the surface survey carried on by other members of the corps. Professor Lesley accredited him with knowing more of the field "than all the rest com- bined," and there were a number who attained eminence. Among the many important undertakings which Mr. Sheafer completed was the laying out of the towns of Ashland, Girardville, Mahanoy City, Shenandoah, Mount Carmel, Gilberton, Mahanoy Plane and other prosperous towns and villages in Schuyl- kill and adjoining counties. It was he who located the first mines in Shenan- doah and Mahanoy valleys, and he lived to see that section developed from a wilderness to a prosperous mining community, whose coal production amounted to millions of tons. His scientific knowledge of the geological structure of the fields combined with business ability, skill as an examiner of coal lands, and accurate judgment as to the possibilities of development, brought demands for his services all over the United States and Canada, his reports covering investigations in Nova Scotia, Rhode Island, Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indian Territory, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and Washington. In 1889 he was appointed a mem- ber of the coal waste commission, retaining his association with that body until his death. Its mission was to investigate the economical production of anthracite, and he was also called frequently to give expert testimony on coal and coal lands, being an important witness in the celebrated Coxe-Lehigh Valley case before the Interstate commerce commission.
Mr. Sheafer compiled many maps and tables concerning the coal trade during his active connection therewith, one of his works being the historical map of Pennsylvania, published in 1875 by the Historical Society of Penn- sylvania. Like all his other works it shows patient research and wonderful aptitude for statistical details, and in fact the statistics he accumulated would afford material for volumes of scientific literature. He contributed exhaustive articles on coal to the Encyclopedia Britannica, published in the American supplement, delivered addresses before various scientific associations, read
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papers before the American Association for the Advancement of Science, of which he was an honored member, as he was of many other societies of a literary or scientific character, including the American Philosophical Society, the Academy of Natural Sciences, of Philadelphia, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and the American Institute of Mining Engineers. The only public office Mr. Sheafer ever accepted, outside of his work already mentioned, was the honorary position of United States Assay commissioner, to which he was appointed in 1879.
Though his life work took him so much out of his home community, Mr. Sheafer never lost his interest in its welfare, and he was foremost in encour- aging and supporting local educational, religious and charitable movements. For a number of years he gave valuable service as a member of the Pottsville board of education, and during that time was instrumental in having a high school established. He was one of the promoters of the Pottsville Athenæum, was president of the literary society for several years, and donated many very valuable books to this institution from his private library. He was an original member of the Pottsville Benevolent Association, organized in 1877, and equally active in founding the Children's Home. His benevolence took the practical form of starting enterprises for giving employment to people, and he was always prominent in developing the best interests of Pottsville. Thus, though an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he did not confine his philanthropical activities to supporting that church and its enter- prises. Politically he was a Republican and always actively interested in the success of his party ; in 1884 he was a presidential elector.
In 1848 Mr. Sheafer was married to Harriet N. Whitcomb, of Springfield, \t. Three sons and one daughter survived him. He died March 26, 1891, at Brown's Mills-in-the-Pines, N. J., to which place he had gone to recuperate. Until the illness which caused his death, he had continued his active business career without interruption.
WEISSINGER. For almost sixty years the Weissingers, father and sons, have sustained very important relations to the commercial progress of Schuyl- kill county, particularly the borough of Pottsville. L. W. Weissinger made his way to a foremost place among the men of large interests in this section by sheer ability and the persevering methods characteristic of his race. A German by birth, he came to this country for the opportunities his native land did not afford. Here he found plenty of incentive for the energy and ambition within him, and if he achieved much more than he could have hoped for at an outset which held little promise, he proved himself equal to the high position he attained. He was one of the ablest men of his generation in Schuylkill county, and his work lives to the honor of a name so creditably associated with the advancement of this region.
LEONARD WILLIAM WEISSINGER was born April 29, 1837, in Wurtemberg, son of Casper and Catherine (Liegel) Weissinger, natives also of that king- dom. He lived there until sixteen years old, coming to America alone in 1853, in the fall of which year he was located at Reading, Pa. There he began work as a laborer on the canal, being employed for two weeks at eighty-one cents a day. Before long he came to Schuylkill county, arriving at Minersville on Thanksgiving Day, 1853, and entered the employ of Conrad Seltzer, butcher, for whom he worked four months. His next position was in the meat market of John Moser, in Pottsville, with whom he remained about two years, after
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which for fifteen months he was in Louis Stoeffregen's market. Though capable and industrious, he had never received high pay, having earned but five dollars a month while with Mr. Seltzer, and his greatest wages were four- teen dollars a month. He was also employed fifteen months by Jacob Rhoads, a butcher in Schuylkill Haven, up to March, 1857, when he left to engage in business on his own account, as a member of the firm of Keifer & Weissinger, who opened a market in Schuylkill Haven in April of that year. They did a successful business together until Mr. Keifer withdrew, Nov. 1, 1859, after which Mr. Weissinger had a market of his own until 1865. That year Mr. Weissinger gave up butchering in order to give all his time to dealing in cattle, moving to Pottsville, where he established stockyards and feeding pens to accommodate his extensive trade. Although he was obliged, because of limited capital, to begin in a rather modest way, his good management and judicious dealing soon made it possible for him to engage in extensive trans- actions, and the business attained such proportions that it ranked with the most important of the kind in this part of Pennsylvania. It was nothing unusual for him to do a weekly business of ten thousand to fifteen thousand dollars. From this was developed the immense packing business now owned and conducted by his sons, George and Harry Weissinger, who are associ- ated under the name of George Weissinger & Brother, and are engaged as wholesale beef and pork packers. They also deal largely in stock and butchers' supplies, but their principal attention is given to slaughtering and packing, and the sale and shipment of their products.
Meantime, other important projects had been claiming a share of Mr. Weissinger's attention. While in business at Schuylkill Haven he had invested heavily in the Schuylkill Haven Direct Iron Company, of which he became president in 1869, acting in that capacity until 1880. In 1873, in partnership with the late Gideon Bast, he rented the plant of that concern, improved it, and was interested in its operation as part owner until 1874, when he became sole proprietor. With the exception of one year's partnership ( 1874-75) with J. A. Medlar, Mr. Weissinger continued as sole owner until January, 1880, when he sold two-thirds of the interest to George R. Kaercher and C. F. Rahn. During this time he had enlarged the mill, which he ran with steadily increased business, and under the new organization it suffered no impairment of pros- perity, never closing down for a day except for necessary repairs. When Mr. Rahn died, on Jan. 1, 1893, Mr. Weissinger succeeded him as president of the Cressona Powder Company. He was one of the organizers of the Schuylkill Electric Railway Company, and became a member of its board of directors. Other enterprises had his encouragement and support from time to time, and his influence, in business or other circles, was always for all movements which promised benefit to the locality. Though conservative enough to be absolutely reliable, Mr. Weissinger had the foresight to appreciate proj- ects in keeping with the advance of the times, and he showed remarkable judgment in appraising new ventures. His strong character, balance and courage in the face of obstacles made him a very valuable citizen in the early development of Pottsville. What he accomplished for himself was remark- able. The manner of its accomplishment none could question who knew the high estimate placed on his life and work by his associates everywhere.
Mr. Weissinger acquired large real estate holdings, in 1869 purchasing sev- eral tracts of land in the vicinity of Pottsville, one of which was the farm in the suburbs of the borough where he and his family resided for so many
1
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years. Large and commodious buildings, and other improvements, made the place one of the most attractive homes in that part of the county. About one mile from Pottsville is the famous Tumbling Run resort, which to a large extent was developed by Mr. Weissinger. The grounds comprise nine acres, partly occupied by a fine natural grove of pines, and through which the beauti- ful stream runs. A large dam has been built across the water, where a boating and fishing resort has been established. In 1892 Mr. Weissinger erected a commodious hotel and a handsome carrousel. Though so importantly con- nected with many concerns affecting the welfare of his fellow men, Mr. Weis- singer was modest and retiring in manner, and he had no aspirations for public honors or political power. He was a Democrat, but took no part in party affairs beyond casting his vote. His death occurred in May, 1903. He was a member of the German Lutheran Church.
On Aug. 26, 1858, Mr. Weissinger married Rebecca Moyer, of Schuylkill Haven, and twelve children were born to them, viz .: George is mentioned below; Annie C. is the wife of George G. Frick, and they live on South Centre street, Pottsville : Mary A., unmarried, is living on the old homestead farm in North Manheim township; Laura E. is married to Fred Reickley, a lumber dealer, of St. Clair, this county; Leonard William is engaged in the packing business at Mount Carmel, Pa .; Harry is mentioned below ; Isaac Casper is also at Mount Carmel ; Louis O. is deceased ; Frederick A. is deceased ; Emily R., who received her musical education in Boston, is now the wife of John Stouffer, an attorney practicing at Pottsville, though they make their home at Schuylkill Haven; Walter Edgar is in the packing business at Mount Car- mel; a daughter, the youngest, died in infancy. The mother of this family died in March, 1897, and is buried in the Charles Baber cemetery at Potts- ville.
GEORGE WEISSINGER was born Aug. 4, 1861, at Schuylkill Haven, where the family lived, however, for only a few years afterwards. His early educa- tion was obtained in North Manheim township, at the public school in the vicinity of the homestead, and he also attended public school in Pottsville. When sixteen years old he began to learn butchering with Henry Wagner, at Frackville, this county, with whom he remained a year and seven months, spending the following six months at Middleport, Schuylkill county. He was next at Pottsville for a time, and then for eight months at Reading, whence he went out to Fort Wayne, Ind. At that place he was employed seven months in a sawmill. For a few months he was engaged in shipping horses to Harris- burg, Pa., and on his return to Schuylkill county located at Tremont, where he carried on a butchering business of his own for four years. In 1887 he became interested with his father in the establishment at Pottsville, as a drover and on the farm, and after five years' association bought his father's interest as a dealer in live stock, at the same time leasing the Dolfinger packing house at Fishbach ( Pottsville), engaging in the packing business on his own account, when in 1897 he and his brother Harry formed the partnership which still exists, under the name of George Weissinger & Brother. After three. years of successful business at the Dolfinger plant the Weissinger Broth- ers purchased it, and under their control it is one of the most modernly equipped and conducted slaughtering establishments in this part of the State. From seventy-five to one hundred cattle are killed there weekly, besides a carload of hogs, and from fifteen to twenty men are employed regularly. Although the business is so extensive, the trade is practically local and the
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patronage of the home market has always been catered to especially. The firm makes a specialty of Bologna and other sausage. George and Harry Weis- singer bought half of their father's homestead farm of ninety-four acres, located near Pottsville, and during the winter fatten cattle there. After the death of his father George Weissinger bought the stockyards and hotel on North Coal street (the hotel was built in 1875), and a couple of years ago, in May, 1912, he purchased from the estate of Colonel Brown the well known "Penn Hall" hotel on Centre street, Pottsville, and very valuable property which he now owns in partnership with his brother Harry. His home at No. 801 West Market street was also at one time owned by Colonel Brown. As a man of diversified interests he is naturally concerned in banking facil- ities and the stability of financial operations in the borough. Since 1907 he has been a director of the Merchants' National Bank at Pottsville, and he was at one time a director of the Union Safe Deposit Bank of the borough, in which he is still a stockholder. He was one of the organizers and original directors of the Schuylkill Haven Trust Company, in whose transactions he still maintains an active interest. His share in the management of so many institutions whose prosperity is of vital significance to Schuylkill county makes him an important figure in the business world. He merits all the consideration his opinions receive. Public life has never attracted him. He is a Democrat but not active except as a voter. His church membership is with the Trinity Reformed congregation.
On Dec. 31, 1884, Mr. Weissinger married Philepbena Korper, daughter of the late Peter and Margaret (Betz) Korper, natives of Germany, who lived at Middleport, Schuylkill county, where he was engaged in the mercantile busi- ness. Three children have been born to this marriage: Florence Amelia, born Aug. 3, 1885, is the wife of Dr. Howard Berger, a physician of St. Clair, Schuylkill county ; Leonard William, born Sept. 8, 1888, now employed with his father, married Esther Geary; Margaret Elizabeth, born Sept. 13, 1896, is at home.
HARRY WEISSINGER, partner with his brother George in the firm of George Weissinger & Brother, was born Dec. 20, 1870, in North Manheim township, where his early life was spent. He obtained a public school education there and at Pottsville, where he subsequently learned the trade of wheelwright. For two years he was employed by Samuel Aregood, a carpenter contractor, and then for three years he was at the plant of the Cressona Powder Company, having the contract to make the sheet-iron powder cans. Early in 1897 he entered into partnership with his brother George, in the slaughtering and packing business. They killed their first steer Feb. 22d of that year, and the business has continued since without interruption, expanding steadily as the trade has called for increased facilities of operation and justified new accom- modations. The plant has been modernized in accordance with changing ideas and the better comprehension of sanitation and allied subjects, and it is a credit to the town as well as to the owners. Harry Weissinger is also asso- ciated with his brother George as owners of the "Penn Hall" hotel at Potts- ville, where he enjoys the confidence and standing conceded to all the members of his family in the borough. He is a member of the German Lutheran Church, and socially is connected with the Odd Fellows, Lily of the Valley Lodge, No. 281, and with the B. P. O. Elks, as a life member of Lodge No. 207.
On Oct. 4, 1899, Mr. Weissinger married Margaret Marie Scheerer, daughter of Peter and Bertha (Neisel) Scheerer, and of the three children
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born to them two died in infancy, the survivor being Mildred Beatrice, born Aug. 27, 1902. The family home is at No. 305 North Second street.
The Moyer family, from which the Weissinger brothers are descended in the maternal line, is of old Berks county (Pa.) stock. We find the following in a recent publication of Berks county :
"Few families of Heidelberg township can trace more clearly an old and honorable ancestry than that of the Moyer, reaching away back to the days of religious persecution in 1708. The Moyer (Meyer or Mayer) family was one of the many German Palatinate families of immigrants who in 1708 and 1709 went to England, whence four thousand persons were given transporta- tion, by Queen Anne, to New York, where they landed Dec. 25, 1709, and June 14, 1710. On the passage and immediately after landing one thousand and seven hundred of these immigrants died. The survivors camped in tents which they brought with them, on Governor's Island, and here they remained until autumn, when about one thousand and four hundred removed to Liv- ingston Manor, one hundred miles up the Hudson river. Being unjustly oppressed by Governor Hunter, and seeing famine and starvation staring them in the face, one hundred and fifty settlers went to Schoharie valley, some sixty miles northwest of Livingston Manor, whither they traveled through three feet of snow, in the unbroken woods, hauling their baggage on rudely made sleds. At Schoharie they improved the lands which they had been granted by Queen Anne, but about ten years later, owing to a defect in their titles, they were deprived of the property which they had labored so hard to acquire.
"Having heard of the just and liberal treatment given to settlers in the Province of Pennsylvania, thirty-two families removed thereto in the spring of 1723, and settled in the 'Tulpahaca,' which was at that time the furthest inhabited part of the province, northwest from Philadelphia. In subsequent years more than one hundred other families followed them and settled in the northwestern part of Berks county, and among these were the Moyers, or Meyers. In 1759, when the first Federal tax was levied in Berks county, the following Meyers were taxables of Tulpehocken township, and paid their tax as follows: Rudolph Meyer, twelve pounds ; John Meyer, eight pounds, and Philip Meyer, three pounds.
"In Heidelberg township was one John Moyer, who paid ten pounds tax that year. It is the family tradition that the ancestor of this particular branch of the family was John or Johannes Meyer, and that he had seven children. In the courthouse is his will, which was probated Dec. 28, 1765, the year of his death, he being then a resident of Tulpehocken township. The executors of his estate were his two sons, George and Henry, and in it were the following provisions : George was to receive the homestead of 120 acres, and the 'still,' and was to pay his brothers and sisters 200 pounds ; Henry was given the mill and the house and 128 acres of land. The other children were: Anna Barbara, married to George Wolff; Eva Catherine, married to a Stetler ; Gideon; Catherine, married to a Deissinger; and Valentine. By the testator, his beloved 'son-in-law, George Wolff,' was made guardian over the children of Catherine Deissinger and Valentine Moyer."
Among the children of George, son of Johannes, we find a Jacob, but whether he is the Jacob who was the great-grandfather of Mrs. Rebecca (Moyer) Weissinger we do not know.
Jacob Moyer lived in Longswamp township, Berks county, where he was
(
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a landowner and followed farming. He was one of the well known citizens of his day in that section. His death occurred in Berks county. Among his children were Jacob, Isaac and Daniel.
Isaac Moyer, son of Jacob, was born in Longswamp township, Berks county, and coming to Schuylkill county when a young man settled at Pinedale, at one time owning the greater part of the site of that place ; he had about 150 acres of valuable land, most of which he cleared and cultivated. He was active until his death, and prospered, building two farmhouses and two barns upon this property. Though he retired from regular business pursuits the last ten years of his life he relinquished none of his interest in his own or public affairs. He married Rebecca Ketner, of Pinedale, who survived him, his death occurring in 1870, hers in 1875. They are buried at the historic Red Church, of which both were members, Mr. Moyer being especially active in the furtherance of its work and a trusted official. The following children were born to this honored couple : Sarah married Andrew Boyer ; Isaac is mentioned below ; Abraham married Rebecca Cramer; Polly married Samuel Moyer; Rebecca married Charles Rhan; Maltida married Martin Hummel; Jackson married Mary Christ: Catherine was the wife of Moses Hoover; Morgan married Elizabeth Hill; Annie, who never married, took care of her parents in their declining years. Jackson Moyer, now ( 1914) in his eighty-fourth year, is liv- ing in the Blue Mountain valley, near Auburn, Schuylkill county.
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