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 II > Part 20
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6, 1788, in Upper Bern township, then in Montgomery county, Pa., and on coming to Schuylkill Haven engaged in the flour and feed business, remaining there until his death, April 3, 1838. He had but one child, George.
George Kaufman, father of Alexander Kaufman, was born in Upper Bern township, Montgomery Co., Pa., March 25, 1811, and spent most of his life at Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill county, where he was a business man for over fifty years, engaged in merchandising. He served as county poor director one term, as school director at Schuylkill Haven, and held other offices. His death occurred at Schuylkill Haven Oct. 16, 1883. Mr. Kaufman married Elmire Boyer, who was born Nov. 25, 1818, in Norwegian township, Schuyl- kill county, of which township her father, George Boyer, was also a native. He was a farmer there, owning what was called the Boyer tract, between Gordon and Pottsville. Selling this property he moved to Jefferson county, where he died. Of his seven children, four sons and three daughters, three survive: Benjamin, George and Hannah, all residents of Jefferson county, Pa. Mrs. Kaufman passed away Sept. 28, 1892. She was the mother of eleven children, namely: John G., the eldest, born Jan. 19, 1838, is deceased; Charles F., born Jan. 10, 1840, died Sept. 19, 1908; Elmira, born Feb. 22, 1842, died July 3, 1844; Emma L., born Oct. 13, 1844, died April 29, 1846; George B., born Oct. 3, 1846, died March 14, 1913; William L., born Feb. 16, 1849, died July 25, 1876; Alexander is next in the family; Alice R., born June 5, 1853, lives at Schuylkill Haven; Lewis, born Sept. 7, 1855, died May 1, 1910; Edward, born Oct. 5, 1857, is a resident of Philadelphia; Samuel L., born Feb. 25, 1861, lives at Schuylkill Haven.
Alexander Kaufman received his education at Schuylkill Haven, where his early life was spent. For a few years during his young manhood he clerked in a store at Raven Run, for E. H. Heaton, and then engaged in busi- ness at that place on his own account for about three years, at the end of which period he sold out. Coming to Girardville he again embarked in busi- ness, remaining at that point until his removal to Gordon, in 1890. He had come to the borough previously, in 1866, remaining until 1881, and had great faith in its possibilities as a business location, and he was not disappointed in his expectations, for he had a successful career as a merchant up to the time of his retirement. He has always been considered one of the substantial citi- zens of the place. In 1890 he was elected to the office of supervisor of Butler township, and reelected the next year. For thirteen years he has served as assessor of the borough of Gordon, discharging the duties of that office to the eminent satisfaction of all concerned. He is a member of the Lutheran Church of Gordon.
On Dec. 25, 1875, Mr. Kaufman was married to Josephine Kleber, who was born at Pottsville March 5, 1855, and died Jan. 15, 1915. The following children were born to this union, viz .: William died Oct. 13, 1891 ; Lewis, who lives at Gordon, is an employee of the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company ; Raymond, who lives at Gordon, is in the same employ; Carrie is the wife of Samuel Rubright, of Mount Carmel; Anna is the wife of Charles Rinehart, of Mount Carmel; Alexander died Dec. 2, 1881. Mr. Kaufman owns the home at Gordon which he occupies with his family.
Louis and Phoebe (Wikel) Kleber, Mrs. Kaufman's parents, were natiyes of Germany, the father born Dec. 28, 1828, the mother May 4, 1832. They were married in that country, and on coming to America first settled at Potts- ville, Schuylkill Co., Pa., thence moving to Cressona and later to Gordon.
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Mr. Kleber was a coppersmith, and for many years was in the employ of the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company. He died Nov. 10, 1899, and his wife survived him a number of years, passing away Feb. 20, 1914. Their family consisted of seven children: Josephine, Mrs. Kaufman; Lewis, who lives at Easton, Pa .; Charles, a retired butcher, of Gordon, Pa .; Anna, wife of Fred Dreher, a retired merchant of Gordon; William, a machinist, of New York; Ida, wife of John F. Dreher, a merchant of Gordon; and Harry, deceased.
BENJAMIN SHAPPELL is making a reputation for himself as a pro- gressive agriculturist in North Manheim township, this county, where he owns over 200 acres of valuable land. He is giving all his time to farming operations, making a specialty of fruit growing and dairying, in both of which lines he has done particularly well. The branch of the Shappell family to which he belongs was established in Schuylkill county by Jacob Shappell, his grandfather, who moved hither from Berks county, where the name is of record from the days of its settlement.
In Perry township, Berks county, which until 1853 was a part of Windsor township, Berks county, is a prominent family bearing the name of Schap- pelle, Choppelle, Schobbel, Shobel, but now more commonly found spelled Shappell, Schappel and Schappell. The original home of the family was in France, but through religious persecution its members sought refuge in Ger- many, making their home at Wittenberg. Among the 108 passengers on the good ship "Patience," which landed at the port of Philadelphia Sept. 17, 1753, was a Jeremie Chappelle and one Jean Pierre Chappelle. The kinship of these two emigrants is unknown, but it is not doubted that they were relatives. What became of Jean Pierre after landing in the New World is not known. Jere- mias Schappelle (as it appears on the tombstone) (or Schobel) and Eberhart Schoppel, brothers, were residents in Windsor township, Berks Co., Pa., in 1754 (see Rupp's History).
According to the tombstone inscription at Zion's Church, in Perry ( formerly Windsor) township, Jeremias Schappelle was born in 1715, and he died Oct. 15, 1804. His wife Catharine, born in 1724, passed away June 8, 1801. The will of Jeremiah Shappel (sic) is on record in Berks county courthouse in Will Book A, page 505. It was made Feb. II, 1803, and probated Jan. 7, 1805. At the time the will was made he was a resident of Windsor township. The fol- lowing children were mentioned in the will: Jacob (who was made executor of his father's estate) ; Matthias, Jeremiah, Magdalena and Catharine. In the cemetery at Zion's Church is a tombstone bearing the following inscription : "Elizabeth Schappelle, wife of Jeremias, formerly of Deutschland, born Feb. 16, 1771, died July 9, 1817, aged forty-six years, five months, twenty-three days." This probably refers to the wife of Jeremias or Jeremiah, son of Jere- mias (I).
No records of the descendants of Eberhart Schoppel are in evidence at Zion's Union Church. He may have left Windsor township after 1744, in which year he hewed his name on a stone now in the southeastern wall of the old graveyard. Tradition says that the stones upon which these names were carved (one bears the name of Jeremias), were once a part of the wall of the first church. The fourth church was in course of construction in 1908.
Jacob Schappell, son of Jeremias, was better known as "Jockey," a nick- name evidently taken from the German pronunciation of his name. He was
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born in Wittenberg, Germany, Feb. 2, 1744, and died Sept. 11, 1826. As stated above he was the executor of his father's will in 1805. His wife Su- sanna was born Feb. 2, 1751, and died July 24, 1828. They are both buried at Zion's Church. Jeremias, Eberhart and Jockey Schappell were founders of the original Zion's Church. Tradition says Jacob and Susanna had a large family, some of their children, however, dying in infancy and childhood. Of those of whom there is record may be mentioned : Peter, born April 19, 1770; Col. Jeremiah, born March 20, 1774; Daniel, who was a taxable resident in Manheim township, Schuylkill county, in 1790, where he reared a family and where his descendants still live; and Hannah, married to Georg Hoffman, a farmer of Perry township.
There is a valley in Perry township known to the local residents as Schap- pell's Dale, because of the many Shappells living there.
Peter Schappell, son of Jacob and Susanna, was born April 19, 1770, and died Nov. 18, 1851. He was a farmer in Windsor township, and he and his family all belonged to Zion's Church, and are buried in the cemetery there. His first wife was Elizabeth (Lenhart) (1768-1790), and his second Annie (Kosch) (1778-1841). His children were: Jacob, who located in Schuylkill county ; Benjamin, who died young; Daniel, who settled in Schuylkill county ; Samuel, who settled in Windsor township; John, who settled in Richmond township, Berks county; Mary, married to William Miller; Kate, married to Martin Eisenhaur; Elizabeth, married to Jacob Boyer; a daughter married to Anthony Adam; and Solomon.
Jacob Shappell lived at Shartlesville, in Berks county, until his removal to Schuylkill county, where he settled in North Manheim township with his family. Purchasing a tract of land, he followed farming successfully during the remainder of his days, dying here, and is buried in the old cemetery at Schuylkill Haven. His children were as follows: Jacob, who died in North- umberland county, Pa .; Samuel; David, who died in Schuylkill county ; Mary, who married John Womer ; and Lydia, Mrs. Long.
Samuel Shappell, son of Jacob, was born in 1825 at Shartlesville, Berks county, accompanied his father to Schuylkill county, and passed the remainder of his life here. After working several years as a boatbuilder he bought the J. Womer farm, in North Manheim township, comprising twenty acres, and later increased his holdings by the purchase of part of his father's homestead, as well as part of the Pryor estate. He also acquired part of the Osewald farm and some land from Fred Hinckle, having a total of 108 acres. He carried on general farming and was also in the timber business for many years, becom- ing a well known man in his day. He was a Democrat, and in religion a mem- ber of the Reformed Church, in which he was active, holding the position of deacon. Mr. Shappell married Sarah Oswald, who was born in 1823, daugh- ter of Daniel Oswald, and lived to the age of eighty-two years, dying in 1906. His death occurred many years before, in 1884, when he was fifty-nine years old. Mr. and Mrs. Shappell are buried in the Union cemetery at Schuylkill Haven. They had a large family, namely : George W., an engineer, now liv- ing at Palo Alto, this county ; Henry, who is a resident of Philadelphia ; Sarah, deceased ; Maria, Mrs. Frank Luckenbill, living in North Manheim township; Samuel, who went West; Benjamin ; Hettie, wife of Jonathan Achey, of Allen- town, Pa .; Mahlon and Galen, twins, the former deceased, the latter in the West; and Isaac, of Schuylkill Haven, who is in the employ of the Reading Company.
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Benjamin Shappell was born Jan. 30, 1859, on the place in North Manheim township which he now owns and occupies. He was reared there, attending public school in the neighborhood, and lived at home until twenty-seven years old, assisting in the cultivation of the home farm. Then for six years he was in the employ of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company, as a brake- man on the Mine Hill division. During this period he bought the homestead and the stock, and upon giving up railroad work returned to the property, where he has since remained, giving all his time to agricultural work. To the original 108 acres which his father owned he has added by various purchases, first buying sixty-two acres of the Charles Bealer estate and later sixty-four acres from Joel Fisher's estate, having sold ten acres to the borough of Schuyl- kill Haven for the waterworks. He has at present 215 acres, all excellent land, of which eighty-five acres are cleared and under high cultivation. Mr. Shap- pell has set out over five hundred peach trees, which have produced very profit- ably. He has also given considerable attention to dairying, keeping twelve milch cows, and retails the product himself, having a milk route at Schuylkill Haven. The intelligent system which he has followed in the improvement and development of his farm has brought him excellent results, his thorough busi- ness methods having been quite as important in his success as his careful agri- cultural work. He has served as school director of his township, but aside from that has given little attention to affairs outside of his business. Politically he is a Democrat, in religious connection a member of the Reformed Church.
Mr. Shappell married Susan Honickell, daughter of Philip Honickell, a native of Germany, who came to America when forty years old, and settled in Schuylkill county. Six children have been born to this marriage: Bertha is the wife of D. Fisher, of Schuylkill Haven; Philip died young; Alexander is at home; Frederick was accidentally killed when sixteen years old while haul- ing stone, the team running away ; Amelia and John are at home.
JOEL A. DINGER, late of Pottsville, was a business man of Schuylkill county throughout his active years, and from the time of his removal to Potts- ville was engaged in hotelkeeping. His widow is still conducting the "City Hotel," of which he was proprietor at the time of his death. Mr. Dinger be- longed to a well known family of Hegins township, Schuylkill county, and he was born there April 8, 1851, son of Jonathan Dinger, a prosperous farmer of that section.
During his boyhood Joel A. Dinger had the advantages of the local public schools in Hegins township, and then, being ambitious for a higher education, attended Selinsgrove Academy and later the Keystone State Normal School, at Kutztown, Pa. When a young man he taught school in Schuylkill county for several years, and was afterwards employed in the office of the Bright lumber yard, at Ashland, Pa., where he remained until 1887. That year he came to Pottsville and took charge of the "Eagle Hotel," which he conducted for nine years, after which for eleven years he carried on the "Exchange Ho- tel" in this city. He disposed of his interest there to take the "City Hotel," at No. 440 North Centre street, continuing his connection therewith until his death, which occurred Oct. 22, 1914. Mr. Dinger had many natural qualifica- tions for the hotel business, and in his long experience became thoroughly fa- miliar with its requirements. His obliging disposition manifested itself in sin- cere efforts to please his guests, and their appreciation was shown in continu- ous patronage. He made many friends in the course of his long career in the
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hotel business, and was equally popular wherever known, among his fellow members of the local lodge of Elks and in the Lutheran Church, of which he was a member. He is buried in the Charles Baber cemetery at Pottsville.
Mr. Dinger married Kate Long, who was born in Cameron township, Northumberland Co., Pa., daughter of Daniel Long, who is still residing on the old homestead there. Mrs. Dinger has carried on the "City Hotel" very successfully since her husband's death. Two children were born to them: Neva O., who is the wife of Edwin E. Merrick, of Pottsville; and Sadie R., who is the wife of Prof. Walter F. Hertzog ( they reside in California).
EDWIN E. MERRICK is widely known in Pottsville in his capacity as super- intendent at the plant of the Eastern Steel Company. A Scotchman by birth, he was born in Glasgow Sept. 16, 1864, son of Noah Merrick, who upon com- ing to America settled at Troy, N. Y., where he was engaged as a roller in the steel mill. He now resides at Paterson, N. J. Edwin E. Merrick received a public school education, and in his youth began to learn the steel business at Paterson, N. J. After several years' employment there he worked in Chicago for a time, in May, 1906, coming to Pottsville, Schuylkill Co., Pa., where he took a position as roller with the Eastern Steel Company. Before long he was promoted to the position of superintendent of his department, and has since been serving as such, his competency and intelligent devotion to his duties rec- ommending him to the confidence of the executive heads of the concern. Per- sonally he is a man of high character, and has proved himself in various ways a desirable citizen in the town of his adoption. He is a member of the B. P. O. Elks Lodge at Pottsville.
On Feb. 4, 1910, Mr. Merrick married Neva O. Dinger, daughter of the late Joel A. Dinger, and they have a fine home at No. 2015 West Market street, Pottsville.
BENJAMIN FRANK JAMES was born Aug. 19, 1873, in Schuylkill county, and received such common school advantages as Shenandoah, his home town, afforded. After reaching his majority he attended business college at Elmira, New York.
The Welsh have been represented by many successful operators and capable miners in the Pennsylvania fields, and several of the James family have con- tributed to their reputation in the industry of leading importance in this State. Reared in the very heart and center of the Pennsylvania anthracite coal regions, and with his father interested in coal operations, Mr. James had the opportunity to follow his inclinations, and by the time he reached maturity had a familiar knowledge of the mineral deposits of the State and their development. At the time of the death of his father, Mr. James, with his three brothers, David R., John R., and William J. James, received the operation from their father which he had been conducting under the name of the Cambridge Coal Company. At the present writing they are still profitably working at that colliery. In 1906 Mr. James, with his three brothers before named, leased from the Gilbert and Sheafer Estates the Girard Mammoth colliery, located at Raven Run, and worked this colliery very successfully. Previous to their having taken over this operation it had been operated by the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company for a number of years.
Encouraged by what he considered the favorable outlook in the slate regions, he was one of a party who organized a company for the production and manufacture of all kinds of slate, his associates in the organization being
B.t. Jones
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his three brothers, and J. C. McGinnis, of Frackville, Pa., and William Wilhelm, of Pottsville. They incorporated under the name of the Cambridge Slate Company, of Slatington, and are still carrying on extensive and profitable operations. The officers of the company are: David R. James, president ; William J. James, secretary, and Benjamin F. James, treasurer and general manager.
In the year 1914 Mr. James made a venture in the Gilberton valley which has developed into a very promising operation. He was accompanied in the enterprise by his two brothers, David R. and William J. They leased from the Girard Estate, at Gilberton, Schuylkill county, the East Bear Ridge colliery. By the fall of 1915 they had completed preparations for its operation, and began same at once. Mr. James is giving his closest attention to its compre- hensive development, as the vast workings reopened or newly opened show. He has entered into this big task fully aware of the responsibilities attaching to it, but with no doubt as to the outcome. He has the pluck and tenacity necessary to hold him to his duties until the realization of his ambitions is attained, and has the experience upon which much of his success must depend. The profitable management of the colliery will be an achievement of highest importance and will mean much to the prosperity of the district, where thousands look to the coal workings for their means of earning a livelihood. With the enterprising methods now in practice in the East Bear Ridge work- ings, and conditions as they now are, great promise is given of a large pro- duction.
In 1896 Mr. James married Mary A. Troutman, daughter of Emanuel and Sarah Troutman, and their children are: Mary, a cultured musician, who received her training in the schools at Oak Lane, Philadelphia, and Dayton, Va .; Viola, a student of the Pottsville high school; Elva May; Elsie, and Benjamin F., Jr. Mr. James and his family are associated with the Baptist Church. Fraternally he is a Mason, holding membership in the Blue Lodge at Shenandoah, Chapter and Commandery at Ashland, and Rajah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S .. of Reading, Pennsylvania.
William R. James, the father of Benjamin Frank James, was a native of Wales, born Dec. 2, 1838, in Glamorganshire. He was reared and educated there, being nineteen years old when he left that land for America. Immedi- ately upon his arrival in this country he settled in Schuylkill county, Pa., where he found employment in the mines and continued to engage in that line of work to the end of his days. For many years he was an operator on his own account, in 1875 leasing coal lands at Shenandoah from the Philadelphia & Reading Company, and conducting business under the name of the Cambridge Coal Company until his death, in the spring of 1892. Mr. James married Elizabeth Thomas, nee Harris, who preceded him to the grave, dying in 1890, and they are interred in the burial plot in Shenandoah. His home was at Shenandoah for seventeen years, until his death. Their family consisted of five children : David R., John R., William J., Benjamin Frank (the subject of this sketch ), and Mary, the last named being deceased.
JOHN HENRY SHOEMAKER has spent the greater part of his life on the farm in West Penn township where he is now residing, and which he has been operating successfully on his own account for a number of years. He was born in that township Nov. 10, 1869, son of Joel Shoemaker, and he is a great-grandson of Johannes Shoemaker, who established the family in Vol. II-9
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this country, coming from Germany and passing the rest of his days as a farmer in Lehigh county, Pa. He is buried in that county.
Jonas Shoemaker, son of Johannes, was born in Lehigh county, in what was then the township of Lehigh, and settled in Schuylkill county, where he became a very prosperous farmer and landowner. His holdings included five very good farms, comprising between 500 and 600 acres of land, and he lived on a 200-acre tract, most of which latter he cleared. When he retired he went to live with his son Joel, giving up active work about seven years before his death. He was a man of energetic nature, and interested in all things which concerned the community, taking an active part in the work of the Demo- cratic party in his locality. He was a Lutheran member of Zion's Church in West Penn township, where he and his second wife are buried. He lived to the age of ninety-three years. He was twice married. By his first wife, whose maiden name was Bachert, and who lived to be over eighty, he had the following children: Polly, born Nov. 3, 1819; Priscilla, born Jan. 4, 1822, who was married to Jacob Loch and had one son, Noah; one child, born Feb. 22, 1824, who died unnamed; Joel, born Nov. 8, 1825; Sallie, born Jan. 7, 1828, who died young; Mary Ann, who married William Schaffer; her twin sister, Barbara, who married Ephraim Snyder; Johannes, born Jan. 24, 1830; Sallie, born Sept. 13, 1833; Giedon, born March 28, 1836, who married Levina Neifert; Samuel, born Aug. 26, 1838, who married Mary Moyer; a child, born July 21, 1841, who died unnamed; Leah, born April 14, 1843, married to Noah Houser; Elavina, born Jan. 15, 1847, who married Nathan Miller; Benjamin; and Susanna, Mrs. Simon Shellhammer. For his second wife Jonas Shoemaker married Mrs. Lavina (Kistler) Kemp, widow of Isaac Kemp, and to this union came one child, Adam, born Oct. 16, 1870, who died at the age of twenty-four years.
Joel Shoemaker, son of Jonas, was born Nov. 8, 1825, in Lehigh township, and received his education in his native county. He worked for his father until after his marriage, and his father then gave him the farm now occupied by Gottfried Knoedler, a tract of eighty acres in West Penn township, which he improved greatly during the seven years he resided thereon. He cleared most of the land, put up a number of outbuildings and a new house, and by his thrifty management increased the value of the place very materially. Then he removed to the place in West Penn township now occupied by his son John, the old Christian Crouse farm, comprising eighty acres of valuable land, all of which was cleared and under cultivation. He followed general farming there until 1901, and stayed with his son John until his death, in 1904. Mr. Shoemaker took some part in the administration of local affairs, serving as school director and collector of the school tax. He was a Demo- crat in politics and a Lutheran in religion, belonging to Zion's Church, where he and his wife were buried. He married Mary Ann Neifert, who was born June 4. 1835, daughter of Peter Neifert, and died at the age of sixty-seven years. We have the following record of their family: Amanda Matilda, born May 13, 1857, is the wife of Charles Johnson; James A. was born Oct. 15, 1858; Lavina Rebecca, born Oct. 8, 1860, died July 22, 1873; George Mc- Clellan, born Dec. 9, 1862, is now living in Kansas ; John Henry was born Nov. 10, 1869; Rosie Cecilia, born Sept. 7, 1871, died Sept. 22, 1877; Clara Mary, born Aug. 12, 1878, married Theodore Gerber and (second) Milton Boyer.
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