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 74
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OLIVER OSCAR BAST was born Oct. 12, 1873, at Schuylkill Haven. where he obtained a public school education. When a youth of sixteen he entered his father's mill there to learn the business, which he has mastered in all its details. When the branch at Cressona was established, on Jan. 7,
.
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1914, he was placed in charge there. Practically all of the finishing of the garments is done at this plant, which is located at Fourth and Chestnut streets, Cressona. It is 45 by 100 feet in dimensions, and the equipment is up-to-date in every respect. From twenty to twenty-five hands are employed here. When the business of J. F. Bast & Sons was incorporated, in 1911, Oliver O. Bast became a director of the concern. His work has proved that he has the executive ability and enterprise typical of the members of this family, and he is doing his share towards the success of the thriving industry which they have built up. He still maintains his home at Schuylkill Haven, residing on Bern street, and he is at present a member of the borough council, in which he has been serving for the last three years.
Mr. Bast married Mary L. Fahl, daughter of Josiah Fahl, of Auburn, this county, and they have had six children, namely: Roy B., Marlin O., Ada N., Leon F., Mary A. and Oneida P., the last named dying when one year, two months old. The eldest son, Roy B., is a student at the Medico- Chirurgical College, at Philadelphia, preparing for the practice of medicine. The family are Methodists in religious connection. Fraternally Mr. Bast holds membership in the Jr. O. U. A. M., and in the Improved Order of Heptasophs.
CLAUDE HENRY HAWKINS, general merchant of Auburn, Schuylkill Co., Pa., and president of the Auburn Light, Heat & Power Company, was born at Menges Mills, York Co., Pa., Oct. 1, 1882. He is the son of James H. Hawkins, grandson of John K. Hawkins and great-grandson of William Hawkins, and the family is of English ancestry.
William Hawkins was born at Blandon, Berks Co., Pa., was a farmer and iron ore miner, and one of the prominent citizens of that section of Pennsyl- vania in his day. He died at the age of seventy-two years, on the Kauffman & Spang farm, near Molltown, Maiden-creek township, Berks county, and is buried there. His wife died at the age of seventy-two also, and is buried at Kirbyville, Berks county. He was a Lutheran, and his wife was a member of the Society of Friends. Mr. Hawkins was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Kauffman, of Berks county, and their children were: William (de- ceased ), John (deceased), Henry (living), Nicholas (deceased). Wilson, Emma (deceased wife of John Stout ), Mary ( widow of Frederick Koch) and Caroline (who married a Mr. Schlegel). Mr. Hawkins was a Republican in politics.
John K. Hawkins, grandfather of Claude H. Hawkins, was born at Moll- town, Berks Co., Pa., and educated in the schools of the town. He was reared to the occupation of farmer, but entered the iron mines when he was nineteen years of age. So well did he accomplish his work in this chosen calling that he was promoted to the position of superintendent of the Moselem mine, owned by Kauffman & Spang, in Berks county. In 1869 he moved to York county and opened five mines for the following companies : John G. Kauffman, Kauffman, Brooks, Eckert & Co., and the Leesport Iron Co. During the panic he moved back to Berk's county, and was made superintendent of the mines near Molltown. He died at the age of fifty-seven, and is buried in St. Peter's Reformed cemetery at Molltown. Mr. Hawkins was married to Lydia Heffner, who was born Jan. 16, 1843, at Virginville, Berks Co., Pa., a daughter of Solomon and Rebecca (Graeff) Heffner. To this union six children were born : James H., mentioned below : Annie, wife of Walter Brown; John, deceased,
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who married Annie Young; Sallie, who married Truman Lathrop; Mamie, deceased; and Kate, unmarried. Mr. Hawkins was an active member of St. Peter's Reformed Church at Molltown, and socially he was connected with the Knights of Pythias at Fleetwood, Pa., and the Junior Order United American Mechanics at Leesport, Pa. His widow is now living at Auburn, Pennsyl- vania.
James H. Hawkins was born at Molltown, Berks Co., Pa., June 22, 1860, and attended the schools at Leesport, Berks county, and Smith's Station, York county. He then entered the store of Edward P. Kuhn, at Hanover, Pa., where he clerked for a time, from there going to work on the farm of the Lees- port Iron Company, where his father was a tenant. Remaining with his father a few years, he next accepted a position as manager in the iron mines, where he remained for thirteen and a half years. Mr. Hawkins was then employed by the Hamburg Electric Light Company for a short time, but soon moved onto his father's farm near Auburn, for the first two years being engaged in farm work. Then he was engaged by the Pottsville branch of the Grand Union Tea Company as county salesman, having full charge of the territory between Potts- ville and Fleetwood. After four years on the road he entered the E. & G. Brooke Diamond Drill Works, at Birdsboro, remained there a short time, and then returned to Auburn, to enter the general store business. After conducting the store about nine years he sold out to his son Claude and retired.
James H. Hawkins married Eliza Henry, who was born in Adams county, Pa., a daughter of Nicholas Henry, and to this union were born children as follows: Cora, who died in infancy ; and Claude H., mentioned below. Mrs. Hawkins died in 1887, aged thirty-seven years, and is buried at Molltown, Pa. Subsequently Mr. Hawkins married Hannah Mengel, who was born in October, 1874, in South Manheim township, a daughter of Bernhard and Rebecca (Schaeffer) Mengel, and they have had four children : Roy James, who married Lottie Tobias; John K., deceased; and Florence and May, at home. Mr. Hawkins is a Republican in politics and served for eight years as councilman of Auburn. He is a member of Wassagahanna Tribe, No. 250, Improved Order of Red Men, of which he is a Past Sachem, is a member of the Reformed Church at Auburn and secretary of the Sunday school connected with that church.
Claude Henry Hawkins was educated in the schools of York county, Moll- . town, Berks county, Auburn, Schuylkill county, and the Pottsville business col- lege, taking a commercial course, stenography and typewriting, at the latter place. His first position was with the Charles F. Felin Company, lumber dealers, of Philadelphia, where he remained for a brief period, returning to Auburn to work for his father in the latter's general store. In 1908 he bought his father out and has since conducted the store with great success. Besides carrying a general stock of goods he handles motorcycles and supplies, selling the Indian, Reading Standard and Excelsior makes, for which he has created a large trade. Mr. Hawkins is president of the Auburn Light, Heat & Power Company, which was incorporated with a capital of $10,000 in 1909, and sup- plies electricity to Auburn and Port Clinton. He is a member of the Board of Trade of Auburn and is interested in all that is helpful and for the best interest of his town and its residents.
Mr. Hawkins was married to Elsie Lindermuth, daughter of Benjamin Alfred and Sarah (Ribkee) Lindermuth, and they have one child, Ernest Allen, born Nov. 9, 1907. Mr. Hawkins is a Republican in politics, and is a
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member of Auburn Castle, No. 108, Knights of the Golden Eagle. He belongs to the Church of God, in which he is a deacon, and is also a teacher in the Sunday school.
Mrs. Etsie (Lindermuth) Hawkins was born Dec. 12, 1884, in Auburn, Schuylkill Co., Pa., and is a member of an old Berks county family, the founders of which were natives of Germany. Her grandfather was Joseph Lindermuth (Lindenmuth), who resided in Upper Bern (now Tilden) township, Berks county, where he devoted his life to farming.
Benjamin Alfred Lindermuth, son of Joseph, was born in Berks county, Pa., Feb. 4, 1851-52, and was reared upon a farm. At the age of sixteen he came to Auburn and learned the trade of shoemaker, following it for about eight years. He then took up railroading, being in the employ of the Schuylkill & Susquehanna Railroad Company (now the Reading) for twenty-two years. Having accumulated a sufficient amount of money to go into business on his own account, he started the Auburn Shirt Company, for the manufacture of a medium grade of shirts for men, and conducted it for ten years. Then he opened a branch factory at Frackville with Mr. Belles, of Pottsville, and later operated another factory at Mohnton, Berks county. In 1910 he retired from active business and has since devoted his time entirely to church work. Mr. Lindermuth was ordained a minister of the denomination known as the Union Pentecostal in 1909. He married Sarah Ribkee, daughter of Elias Ribkee, and they have had nine children, of whom six are living: Lilly married Joseph Sommers; Eva married Walter Shaller ; Annie is deceased ; Elsie, Mrs. Hawk- ins, is mentioned above ; Nathaniel married Susan Berger ; John married Hettie Kerschner; Charles and Foster as deceased; Elmer is at home. Mr. Linder- muth is a Republican in his political convictions, and is interested in all that stands for good citizenship and right living.
NATHANIEL CUNNINGHAM MORRISON is one of the best known business men of Pottsville. Although raised on a farm, he has had a remarkable experience as a merchant, in various parts of this county and state, and is at present in the grocery business at Pottsville. He has many interesting incidents to relate of his activities as farmer, traveling man and storekeeper, and he is an authority on the primitive methods of cultivating the earth followed in early times. Mr. Morrison was born Nov. 10, 1826, in Huntingdon county, Pa., son of William Morrison and grandson of Joshua Morrison.
Joshua Morrison was born in York county, Pa., and after reaching his majority settled in Mifflin county, this State, where he bought a farm which he cultivated until his death. He was three times married and left a large family, William being one of the survivors.
William Morrison, father of Nathaniel C. Morrison, was born in York county, and at the age of five years was taken to Mifflin county by his parents. Like his father he was a farmer, at one time owning three farms in that county. He married Margaret Cunningham, daughter of Nathaniel Cunningham, and she died in 1848, at the age of fifty years. He passed away in 1863, at the age of sixty-five. Their children were: Edmund, Nathaniel C., Joshua (who died in infancy), Louisa, Mary, Rebecca, Rachel, William and Hannah.
Nathaniel C. Morrison attended the old subscription schools conducted in the days before the passing of the free school laws, and also had a few months at the new schools when the law went into effect. When he assisted his father on the farm there were no modern implements for the cultivation of the land, so
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the boy served a hard apprenticeship at a vocation even in these times far from being a sinecure. His stories of the early days of farming are of value and interest to those who seldom even catch a glimpse of farm work, and they deserve to be perpetuated by some historian for the enlightenment of genera- tions to come.
Mr. Morrison began his adventurous mercantile career by entering the store of John S. Morris, at Pottsville, in 1846, at the age of twenty. He spent one winter season as clerk for Mr. Morris, went back to the farm for the summer, and then returned to the store, where he clerked for five years. In 1855 he embarked in business for himself, opening a queensware and glassware store on Centre street, having as a partner William L. Yoder, under the firm name of Morrison & Yoder. In 1856 he bought out his partner, continued the business until 1857, and then took a position as salesman for Isaac Stirk & Co., a whole- sale firm of Philadelphia, for six months. Returning to Pottsville, he again entered the employ of Mr. Morris, and remained with him for fifteen months. In 1859 he opened a general store on Market Square, with D. W. Miller as partner, the firm name being Morrison & Miller, after one year bought out Mr. Miller, and removed the business first to the General Nagle building and then to the Foster building on Market, about Third street. While in the latter loca- tion he supplied clothing and other wearing apparel to the "First Defenders" of the Civil war. In the spring of 1862 he removed to the Clayton building on the east side of Centre street, and continued there until 1864, when he sold out all his interests in this business. By that time he had a store at Saint Clair and a half interest in one at Shenandoah.
In the spring of 1865 Mr. Morrison returned to the old homestead in Hunt- ingdon county, which he had previously purchased, and there resided for a year, but the spirit of unrest and desire for the mart of trade caused him to take a position as salesman for a wholesale grocery house in Philadelphia. While there he formed a partnership with two young men with whom he opened a wholesale house for the sale of groceries on Third street, in that city. For a short time this firm operated and then Mr. Morrison separated from the association and entered into combination with Joseph Hoar and Henry S. McNabb, both of Lancaster, Pa., under the firm name of Morrison, Hoar & Co. For three years this business was continued under this name, and then Mr. Morrison formed a partnership with William M. Sinclair, under the name of Sinclair & Morrison. In the beginning of 1876 the partnership was dissolved, and he opened a tea business on Fourth street, ran it for a short time, and then went on the road for McCahan & Cooper, wholesale grocers, for one year.
In 1878 Mr. Morrison came to Pottsville to settle permanently, and opened a general store at the old Town Hall, now the Centennial Hall, on Centre street, putting in a line of dry goods, notions and groceries. He later discontinued the dry goods and notions and added flour and feed, moving into the building of Fox & Bro. on Centre street, above Market, which he purchased. After a few years he sold out and later rented a small storeroom from the Strauss estate. on Centre street, near where the grammar school now stands. After a time he rented a building on South Centre street, near the store of Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart, and finally, Sept. 1, 1905, bought the place he at present occupies. This was the old Silliman property and is very valuable, having a sixty-foot frontage on Centre street and extending back to Second street, with an entrance there for the reception and delivery of goods. He has his store in the north side of the
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property, and the other portion is leased for office purposes. Mr. Morrison is now the oldest business man in Pottsville and is still as alive to the interests of the town as he was on his first location here in 1846.
On Sept. 22, 1853, Mr. Morrison was married to Rebecca Reed, who was born at Newville, Cumberland Co., Pa., daughter of Nathan and Elizabeth Reed, and they had seven children: Charles, who died in infancy; Frank, deceased ; Ella, at home; Laura, deceased; Mary, wife of William C. Wilson, of Pottsville; Horace, manager of his father's store; and Bertha, at home.
Mr. Morrison is a Republican, and at one time served on the borough council. He is a member of the Methodist Church and for many years has been a trustee of same.
[Since the above was written Mr. Morrison died, Nov. 13, 1915.]
WILLIAM F. STITZER has been living retired for the last ten years, after a life of varied usefulness during which he became widely known all over Schuylkill county, as a business man and official of marked efficiency. Some of his early experiences brought him into contact with the typical activities and stirring scenes of the last half of the nineteenth century, and he has witnessed much of the development of this region in the seventy years of his residence here. The family was established in Pennsylvania by his great- grandfather, David Stitzer.
David Stitzer was born March 12, 1750, in Nova Scotia, whence he came to Philadelphia, Pa. He served in the Revolutionary war, after which he removed to Reading, Pa., in Berks county. His wife, Barbara Ann Elizabeth ( Pafen- houser), was born in Nova Scotia March 10, 1754, and was brought to Philadelphia in 1757. Among their children was a son John D.
John D. Stitzer was born at Reading April 8, 1799, and learned the trade of shoemaker. For a time he lived at Rehrersburg, Berks county, thence in 1844 removing to Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill county, where he followed his trade, doing repairing and custom work. He died at Mahanoy City, this county, June 27, 1879, aged eighty years. Mr. Stitzer was originally a Whig, later a Republican, but took no part in politics or other public affairs. For many years he was a member of the Lutheran Church. On Sept. 22, 1822, he was married, by Rev. Mr. Muhlenberg, of Reading, Pa., to Sarah Hockaman, who was born Jan. 29, 1806, in Tulpehocken, Berks county, and died Sept. 18, 1884, at Minersville, Schuylkill county. Mr. and Mrs. Stitzer are buried in the Union cemetery at Schuylkill Haven. Her father, Henry Hockaman, of Stouchsburg, Berks county, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died in 1853, at the age of seventy-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Stitzer became the parents of thirteen children, viz .: George W., born Nov. 17, 1823, at Reams- town, Lancaster Co., Pa., died Oct. 28, 1901 ; Amelia E., born Nov. 19, 1825, married Morton Swartz, and died Jan. 6, 1906; Mary, born Feb. 28, 1827, married Anthony Lerch, and died in Ohio June 14, 1904; Harriet S., born Oct. 30, 1828, died unmarried, April 6, 1847; Sarah Frances, born Jan. 21, 1831, married Engelbert Geiger, and died Oct. 14, 1902; John Andrew, born Feb. I, 1833, died June 14, 1860; William Foster was born Jan. 2, 1835; a daughter, born Feb. 6, 1837, died in infancy ; Ann Delilah, born April 19, 1838, lives in the South ; Francis A., born Aug. 29, 1840, at Rehrersburg, Pa., became a private in the Union army April 17, 1861, and served throughout the war. being mustered out as a major July 27, 1865 (he served as a deputy collector of internal revenue at Easton, Pa., for fifteen years, and Feb. 20, 1886, removed
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to Cheyenne, Wyo., becoming active in business and military circles in that State, and at present serving as mayor of Laramie) ; David Henry, born June 7, 1843, served throughout the Civil war also, afterwards had charge of Gordon Plane in Schuylkill county for a time, and then removed to Kansas and engaged in farming, dying in that State Sept. 17, 1911 ; Catherine E., born Sept. 25, 1845, married Solomon Hoffas and is living in the South; Samuel, born Dec. 21, 1847, died Dec. 6, 1900.
William Foster Stitzer was born at Rehrersburg, Berks Co., Pa., and attended common school there. He was only nine years old when he com- menced to work as a driver on the Schuylkill canal, and he followed that line for the next twenty-three years, becoming a captain in 1855. His boats plied between Schuylkill Haven and New York City. In the spring of 1868 Mr. Stitzer was elected constable of Schuylkill Haven, and he served in that posi- tion for twenty-four consecutive years, by numerous reelections, finally resign- ing. Meantime he undertook other responsibilities, in 1869 becoming borough tax collector, the duties of which office he discharged for many years (until 1891), and with such signal ability that he was chosen to collect the taxes for North Manheim township three times, Port Clinton once, and in 1878 col- lected ten thousand dollars in Shenandoah. This recognition of his efficiency is unusual enough to be noteworthy. He attained a reputation as an expert collector. Mr. Stitzer also followed auctioneering and the real estate business, buying and selling houses, and for eighteen years he was a special officer in the employ of the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company, serving during the period the Molly Maguires were active and having some dangerous duties. He was corporal at the courthouse when the convicted Molly Maguires were hanged.
On Feb. 9, 1892, Mr. Stitzer became proprietor of a hotel and restaurant, Stitzer's Cafe becoming a very popular place under his management. He was thus engaged for some thirteen years, selling out to his son William G. Stitzer when he retired, in 1904. Mr. Stitzer is particularly well known among the old residents of Schuylkill Haven, and he has made many friends in the course of his busy life. He has a fine home on Union street.
In 1858 Mr. Stitzer married Emma Homas, daughter of the late John Homas, of Oley, Berks Co., Pa., later of Pottsville, where he died. A large family has been born to this union, viz .: Charles A., born Jan. 1I, 1859, a druggist, now living in Nebraska, married Grace Craver ; Horace E., born June I, 1860, a saddler by trade, lives in Schuyler, Neb .; Sarah, born March 7, 1862, died when fourteen years old; Annie E., born Sept. 21, 1863, married Benjamin Kline, of Philadelphia ; a daughter, born June 23, 1865, died in infancy ; William G., born May 27, 1866, succeeded his father in business at Schuylkill Haven; Katie M., born Oct. 24, 1867, married Lewis A. Graeff, of Pottsville; Emma R., born April 14, 1870, died in infancy ; Susan, born Nov. 14, 1871, married Frank Heiser, and died at Schuylkill Haven leaving three children ; Ella L., born July 8, 1874, is a deaconess at the Lutheran mother house at Baltimore, Md .; Carrie, born Jan. 18, 1876, is at home; Garfield J. A. was born March 4, 1881.
Mr. Stitzer has long been a member of the Lutheran Church. He has always been a Republican, and taken considerable interest in local politics, and during the Civil war he showed his sympathy for the Union cause by enlisting, July 4, 1863, in Company I (Capt. William M. Randall), 39th Regiment, receiv- ing his discharge Aug. 2d of that year, when the emergency was over. He is a member of Jere Helms Post, No. 26, G. A. R., of Schuylkill Haven.
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JAMES W. HOEPSTINE, JR., has been in the municipal service at Potts- ville for a number of years, and he is at present acting as chief of police, having the distinction of being the first incumbent of that office in his borough.
The Hoepstine family is of German origin, Francis A. Hoepstine, grand- father of James W. Hoepstine, Jr., having been a native of Berlin, Germany, born in 1800. His father was a sergeant in the Prussian army. Francis A. Hoepstine came to America in 1815 and settled at Allentown, Pa. He learned the trade of printer and went forward steadily in his chosen calling, for several years conducting a paper at Orwigsburg, this county. In 1849 he was appointed deputy sheriff of Schuylkill county, serving one term, and later was a clerk in different offices in the courthouse. He died Oct. 26, 1857, and is buried in the Odd Fellows cemetery at Pottsville. Mrs. Hoepstine, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Seele, came from Hanover, Germany, and their marriage took place in 1840 at Allentown. The following children were born to this union : William, who died young; James W .; Edward, who served in the 13th United States Infantry during the Civil war, and died in 1870, at Pottsville, Pa .; Francis A., who died in 1902 at Havelock ; and Josephine C., who married John Matthews.
James W. Hoepstine, son of Francis A., was born Feb. 5, 1844, at Birdsboro, Berks Co., Pa., and was a child when he settled at Orwigsburg with his parents. There he lived until seven years old, when the family moved to Pottsville, at which place he grew to manhood, and he followed the trade of sashinaker before the Civil war. On Aug. 22, 1861, he enlisted at Pottsville in Company A, 96th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, which was attached to the 2d Brigade, Ist Division, 6th Army Corps. He served three years and two months, during which time he took part in all the principal activities of his command, and received his honorable discharge Oct. 21, 1864. Upon his return to Pottsville Mr. Hoepstine was employed in a lumberyard for some time, in 1866 entering the employ of the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company, with whom he remained until 1873. The following five years he was in the United States regular army, as a member of Battery K, 2d Artillery, receiving his discharge June 13, 1878. In 1879 he became an employee in the shops of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company at Pottsville, where he continued for a period of twenty-seven years, retiring in 1905. For a time he lived in the Soldiers' Home at Erie, Pa. Mr. Hoepstine is a member of Post. No. 23, G. A. R., at Pottsville, and of the Union Veteran Legion. His religious connection is with the German Lutheran Church.
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