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 31
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HENRY DANNER, of Rush township, is one of the remarkably success- ful agriculturists of his section of Schuylkill county. Few men in that region have worked as hard for advancement, and few have had as satisfactory results. His fine property, as he has developed it, is considered an asset to the locality, for it is a practical demonstration of the possibilities of the neigh- borhood and an encouragement to others who have interests there. He makes a specialty of truck and fruit raising, and manufactures and deals in ice.
Mr. Danner is a native of Bavaria, Germany, born Sept. 7, 1856, son of Henry Jacob Danner, who was extensively engaged in farming and was also a merchant. The father made two trips to America, but never took up his residence in this country, and he died in Germany when seventy-one years old. His wife, Caroline (Grund), died in Germany at the age of fifty-six
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years. They had children as follows: Frederick, Jacob, Peter, Henry, Eliz- abeth and Caroline.
Henry Danner spent his early life in Germany, assisting his father. When ten years old he came to America with his father, and for six weeks was at St. Clair, Schuylkill Co., Pa. Returning with his father to Germany, he remained there until sixteen years old, when he again came to this country. For a time he was at Girardville, Schuylkill Co., Pa., employed at lime burn- ing, living at that place about fifteen months. He then went West to Iowa, and did railroad work for three years, and returning East located at Cressona, this county, where he assisted in the building of a limekiln, being so occupied for six months. Again he was in Iowa for a few months, removing thence to Nebraska, where he bought 160 acres of railroad land in Hamilton county, upon which, however, he remained only a short time. He next went to Kansas, where he was employed in a quarry for five months, after which he made a trip to New York City, from which place he came to Tamaqua. Here he was engaged at lime burning for six months, and then married, taking his wife out to his farm in Nebraska, where they lived a little while. Selling this place he went up to Minneapolis, Minn., but after fifteen months' resi- dence there went back to Nebraska, where they had their home for the next twenty-one months. Coming to Tamaqua, Pa., they were here but a short time when they returned to Minneapolis, living there two years, since when they have resided in Pennsylvania. On coming from Minneapolis they spent six months at Tamaqua, and then bought a tract of seventy acres in Rush township, Schuylkill county, part of which is included in Mr. Danner's pres- ent property there. He sold it and went to Shamokin, Pa., for a time, but having decided to devote himself to farming bought his place back, and he has since added to it until he now .has three hundred acres, all valuable land. Of this large tract 175 acres are under excellent cultivation. It has all been cleared and improved by hard work, and Mr. Danner and his wife have lab- ored very effectively to get all the details of their work in systematic shape, by which means they are able to accomplish much more than would be pos- sible under average conditions. Besides ordinary crops Mr. Danner raises large quantities of truck and fruit, having over fifteen hundred fruit trees, apples, peaches and pears. He has made his way by diligent, intelligent application to his work, and deserves to be called a self-made man, for all his progress and prosperity is due to his own exertions. From time to time he has turned his hand to other work, as opportunity has offered. For sev- eral years he was engaged in dairying, having thirty cows, but he gave up this branch of farming in 1908. He is also interested in the ice business, having built three dams on his land to facilitate the production of ice, which he disposes of in Tamaqua, Lansford and Coaldale.
On May 4. 1881, Mr. Danner married Mary Louisa Schwalm, a native of Tamaqua, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (May) Schwalm. Fourteen children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Danner, but nine died young, the survivors being : Rebecca married Henry Hugle; Jacob married Annie Waters; Frederick married Elizabeth Aikens; Ruth married Charles Eberts; Edgar married Lucy Brode.
Mr. Danner is an Odd Fellow in good standing, belonging to Lodge No. 86, of Tamaqua. His religious connection is with the Evangelical denomina- tion.
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JOHN J. HEDE (deceased) was established in the general merchandise business at Ashland for almost a quarter of a century, having a well-stocked store on Walnut street. Mr. Hede was a native of Schuylkill county, born near Ashland in July, 1860, son of Michael Hede and grandson of John and Mary (Kilcline) Hede. The grandparents came to America in 1852, following the emigration of their son Michael, and settled at Ashland, Schuylkill Co., Pa., in 1856, building the home there occupied by their grandson, the late John J. Hede. They continued to reside in the borough the remainder of their lives, Mr. Hede dying in 1871, Mrs. Hede in 1870. Both reached the advanced age of eighty ; they are buried at Ashland. John Hede was employed in the mines in the vicinity from the time of his settlement here. His family consisted of four children, Catherine, Michael, John and Winnie.
Michael Hede, the father of John J. Hede, was born in County Roscom- mon, Ireland, where he was reared to mining. He came to this country alone in 1842, and at once located in Ashland, Schuylkill Co., Pa., later moving to the vicinity of Pottsville. In 1876 he returned to Ashland, where he passed the remainder of his days, dying in March, 1892. He always followed mining after coming to the county. At Port Carbon, this county, Mr. Hede mar- ried Bridget Kennedy, who was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, daughter of Michael and Mary (Caton) Kennedy, who came to the United States with their family in the year 1850, and made their home near Pottsville, contin- uing to reside there the rest of their lives. Mrs. Kennedy died in 1870. They had a family of four children, namely: Olivia, Fannie, Bridget and Julia. Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hede became the parents of eight children, viz. : Anna, who is deceased; John J .; Dennis, deceased; Mary, deceased ; Michael, a resident of Ashland; Kate, deceased; William, who lives at Ashland, mar- ried to Jane Ross of that place; and Joseph, deceased. Of the daughters, Mary married Michael Hennessy, who is also deceased, and to them were born three children, Anna, Agatha and Catherine; of these, Anna married Thomas Flannagan, of Port Carbon, this county. The other two made their home with their uncle, John J. Hede, assisting him in the conduct of the general store.
John J. Hede was educated in the schools of Blythe township, this county. When only nine years old he commenced to work in the mines, continuing to follow this occupation until 1890. That year he established the business at Ashland, where he conducted a general store the rest of his life, having a thriving trade. He established himself among the prosperons business men of the borough as a progressive and reliable merchant and his reputation and obliging service to all his customers attracted a large share of the local patronage. Mr. Hede was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church at Ashland. He died in 1914.
GEORGE K. ZIMMERMAN owns and operates a valuable farm in East Brunswick township, acquired by persevering industry and thrifty manage- ment. He settled there about fifteen years ago and began modestly, renting the property for five years before he purchased it, and he has made his way by honest labor which has won him respect as well as prosperity. Mr. Zim- merman is up-to-date in his agricultural operations, is an all-around mechanic of practical ability, and is typically German in his thoroughness and regard for details.
John D. Zimmerman, his father, was a native of Prussia, Germany, born
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July 22, 1823, and emigrated to this country when a young man. Here he learned the wheelwright's trade. Making a return visit to Germany, the ship he sailed in was wrecked and he lost everything he had with the exception of the clothes he wore. He married in the old country and came back to America, settling at Leesport, Berks Co., Pa., where he followed his trade. When his son George was about eight years old he left Leesport for South Manheim township (Jefferson), Schuylkill Co., Pa., and there worked at his trade for John M. Kauffman, iron master, for many years. He also owned a farm of thirty-seven and a half acres which he operated in connection with work at his trade, until his children were able to look after it. He cleared quite a portion of that tract. When he became too old to work he sold his farm and bought the house and small patch of ground where he spent his few remaining years in retirement. Mr. Zimmerman married Anna Julianna Knieream, who died in 1870, aged forty-seven years, the mother of the fol- lowing children : William K. married Devilla Dry; George K. is next in the family ; Christianna married James Zulick and after his death (second) How- ard Klahr; John married Mary Shotts; Levi died when fourteen years old; Clara married Harry Peifer; several died in infancy. The father survived the mother many years, passing away Dec. 4, 1904. He is buried at Auburn, she at Summer Hill. Politically he was a Democrat, and he served his town- ship as supervisor. His religious connection was with St. Paul's Reformed Church at Summer Hill, in South Manheim township, which he served as deacon.
George K. Zimmerman was born June 19, 1856, at Leesport, Berks Co., Pa. He attended school in South Manheim township and worked for his father until sixteen years old, when he learned shoemaking with John S. Heim, in that township, working for him seven years. Going to Miami county, Ind., he did farm work for Joseph Fisher and a Mr. Dewalt, and also fol- lowed his trade at Peru, same county, during the year he remained there. In the fall of 1879 he came back to South Manheim township, and followed his trade until his marriage in the spring of 1880. Thereafter he worked at his trade in Browerstown, South Manheim township, for sixteen years, having a house and one and a quarter acres of land, his shop in the basement of the dwelling. For one year he then worked as a farm laborer for Mrs. Sarah Heim, until he moved to Drehersville, in East Brunswick township, and rented the Nathan Kindt farm for four years. Then he removed to his present place, and tenanted it for five years, for Jonathan Horn, before he bought the farm, which he is still operating. Mr. Zimmerman has almost two hundred acres, of which 150 acres are cleared, and he has made many improvements on the place during his ownership. Most of the land is devoted to general farming, with about four acres in garden truck for which Mr. Zimmerman finds a profitable sale, marketing to Palo Alto and Port Carbon once a week in winter and twice a week in the summer season. He built a story to his spring- house, where he still carries on shoemaking at odd times, and as he is pro- ficient at other trades also he is busily occupied. He has a working knowledge of several useful callings. He learned the carpenter's trade with Percival Henne, serving a three years' apprenticeship, and still follows it occasionally. He learned the painting trade with his brother John, and has found all these serviceable in the various channels into which his energy has gone. He has a threshing outfit and goes out among the farmers to thresh; has a fodder cutter which he uses the same way ; owns and operates a circular saw, cutting
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firewood for the farmers; and for twenty-five years butchered among the neighboring farmers, until three years ago. The work of improving his own place has gone forward steadily, and he has erected a number of convenient out-buildings. Mr. Zimmerman has also exerted himself in local public improvements. He held the office of supervisor six years and was school director two terms, during one term serving as secretary of the board. Though now independent in politics he was a Democrat in his earlier years and quite active in the party, acting as delegate for South Manheim township to county conventions held at Pottsville and Minersville.
At one time Mr. Zimmerman was a member of Washington Camp No. 45, P. O. S. of A., at Auburn, is a past president, and has been representative to the State Camp; he belonged to Protection Council, No. 935, Order of Inde- pendent Americans, McKeansburg, and was councilor three terms ; is a member and past councilor of Pilgrim Council, No. 18, Daughters of America, at McKeansburg, and secretary of that lodge at present ; a member of Mckeans- burg Grange, No. 1256, Patrons of Husbandry, and was at one time chaplain ; and for two years he was a member of the Pittsburgh Pension Life Associa- tion. He started the Sunday school at Browerstown, in South Manheim town- ship, acted as superintendent, and assisted in the purchase of the organ. His church connection is with Christ Reformed congregation at McKeansburg, which he served as deacon for two years. His wife is a member of Christ Lutheran Church, McKeansburg.
At Schuylkill Haven Mr. Zimmerman married Katie Ann Fichthorn, who was born in Upper Bern township, Berks Co., Pa., July 28, 1861, and was educated in the district schools. Children as follows have been born to them: Mary Eva married Edward Seaman; Lucy Ann married Harvey Kimmel; Katie Ann married Fred Seaman; John Adam married Rosie Kunkle; George Franklin is unmarried; William Henry is unmarried; Lillie May married John G. Reber; Albert Nathaniel is next in the family; three died in infancy unnamed; Edward Levi, Ida May, Wesley, Sarah Matilda, Bertha and Walter Roosevelt complete the family.
Jacob Fichthorn, father of Mrs. Zimmerman, was born in Upper Bern township, Berks county, and was a farmer all his life, having a tract of sixty- four acres. He married Eva Hollenbach, a native of Berks county, and they had children: Franklin ; Matilda, Mrs. Charles Berger; Sarah; Nathaniel, who married Kate Baltzer; Katie Ann; and one that died in infancy. The father died when eighty-six years old, the mother at the age of sixty-five, and they are buried at St. Michael's Church in Tilden township, Berks county. He was a member of that church, and a Democrat in politics.
PETER L. HOFFMAN, late of Brockton, was for many years one of the most popular residents of his part of Schuylkill county. Though esteemed for his honorable and successful business career, it was not that alone which made him so valued a citizen, but the qualities of heart and intellect which endeared him to an unusually wide circle of friends and acquaintances. With intelligence and progressive ideas beyond the average, he used his powers and influence in behalf of the general good so freely that his unselfish public spirit came to be regarded as one of the strongest assets of the enterprising element in the community, and his recent death was mourned as a personal loss by a large number of his fellow townsmen.
Mr. Hoffman was born at Brockton, Nov. 9, 1860, and was of German
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extraction, his, father, Nicholas Hoffman, having been a native of Germany, whence he came to America in young manhood. Settling at what was then known as Patterson (now Brockton), Schuylkill Co., Pa., when the town was in its infancy, he engaged in the manufacture of cigars and also conducted a hotel, following both branches of business throughout his active years. He died at the age of fifty-three years. Mr. Hoffman was the father of a large family : William, John, Jacob and Frank are all deceased; Michael lives at Newkirk, Schuylkill county; Peter L. is deceased; Mary is the wife of Albert Fritz; Elizabeth married Peter Post; Gertrude is the widow of Harry Focht. who was superintendent of the Pencoyd Iron Works at Manayunk, near Philadelphia; Catherine married Joseph Bosler; Lena married Jacob Hartz ; Matilda married Willis Parnell, an attorney, who is a member of the Schuylkill county bar and resides at Brockton.
Peter L. Hoffman grew up at Brockton, attending the local public schools in his boyhood. He had very good educational advantages, going to school until he was twenty-one years old, and his studies included a course at the Eastman Business College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. Then he became interested with his father in the manufacture of cigars at Brockton, and after his father's death he and his brother William continued the business for a time, Peter L. Hoffman subsequently carrying it on alone. He also operated the hotel which his father had established, and which is still owned in the family, and under his management it gained added prestige, his conformity to modern ideas and faculty for pleasing his guests drawing many new patrons and giving increased satisfaction to the old ones. Mr. Hoffman was always a student, and his library included a number of rare books as well as standard works of recog- nized worth. He had a reflective turn of mind and a gift for writing, and contributed a number of articles to the local press, which were always accept- able and sure of interested readers. His interest in education led him to take an active part in securing the best possible advantages for his community, and for sixteen years he was on the school board of Schuylkill township, filling all the offices of that body with characteristic ability. He built the first schoolhouse at Maryd. For several years Mr. Hoffman also served as town- ship tax collector, in fact, he was never defeated as a candidate for local office. But in his later years he refused all such honors, though he never relinquished his support and encouragement to all good movements. Politically he was a Democrat in opinion. His place in the community can never be filled, and his death, which occurred June 3, 1915, was considered a public bereavement. He is buried at Brockton.
Mr. Hoffman was married to Lena Brachman, daughter of Frederick W. Brachman, late of Brockton, and she passed away March 5, 1896. They are survived by two daughters: Maud E. and Ruth M. They reside at the old homestead and continue to conduct the hotel, for which Miss Maud E. Hoff- man now holds the license. There are thirty acres of land in connection with the hotel property.
HARRY M. MICHAEL, of Quakake, Schuylkill county, is a prosperous merchant, commanding a good share of the patronage in his town and adjacent territory. His business has been built up by conscientious attention to the wants of his customers, and has grown steadily from the beginning, his store being now one of the most popular trading places in that section.
Mr. Michael was born Sept. 23, 1875, at Beaver Valley, in Columbia
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county, Pa., and belongs to an old family of that section, where it is traced back for several generations. Ulrich Michael was born in Columbia county, where he spent his honorable life engaged in agricultural pursuits, and there he died.
Adam Michael, son of Ulrich Michael, was born at Beaver Valley, Columbia Co., Pa. In addition to operating a farm of 350 acres in Beaver township he conducted a hotel at Summerhill, same county, for a number of years, until his death. He married a Miss Hotz, and their children were: Manasseh; Charles, who married twice, both his wives being members of the Hosler family; George Washington, who married a Miss Beaver; Andrew, who married Rebecca Gensel; John, who died at the age of twelve years; Stephen, who married Sarah Gensel; Mrs. Peter Houck; Mrs. Benjamin Houck (one of these two daughters was named Sallie) ; Elizabeth, now deceased, who married Elias Miller : and Caroline, who married Michael Hunts. Adam Michael was a Democrat and held a number of the township offices. He was a consistent member of the German Lutheran Church. He died in 1841, when about fifty-seven years old, and with his wife, who passed away several years later, is buried in a private graveyard on the edge of the farm he owned in Beaver valley.
Manasseh Michael, son of Adam Michael, was born in Beaver township, Columbia county, and lived with his parents until he reached manhood. Then he moved to Berks county, Pa., where he married. He was a boatman on the Schuylkill canal, having his own boat, and was engaged in carrying coal from the vicinity of Pottsville to Philadelphia until he met with an accident, a piece of timber falling on him. He lingered for nine years, dying in Decem- ber, 1838, at the early age of thirty-seven, in Berks county, and he is buried there, at Strausstown, in the Michael Church cemetery in Bern township. He married Susanna Hossler (or Hosler), member of a well known family of Berks county who had extensive farming interests, and they had children as follows: Levi: William, a miller, who died near Allentown, Pa. (he was in the Civil war for three years) ; Manassah, who was in the hotel business and died at Pottsville, Pa .; Ebezine, widow of Josiah Johnson, residing on Penn street in Reading, Pa .; Lucy Ann, who married Thomas Shuman, a merchant at Beaver Valley; and Angeline, Mrs. Franklin L. Shuman, of Catawissa, Columbia Co., Pa. About 1850 the widowed mother removed with her family to Columbia county, settling in Beaver township, where she died Feb. 16, 1884. She is buried in St. Peter's Church yard (Harger cemetery), in that section.
Levi Michael, son of Manasseh, was born in Berks county, where he spent his early years, but most of his life was passed in Columbia county. He was a merchant in Beaver township and well known in that vicinity, where he died in 1914, at the age of eighty-two years. He is buried in Beaver township. He was a veteran of the Civil war, in which he served three years, having enlisted from Pottsville in Company H, 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry. He married Annie Jane Gearhart, who died when sixty-one years old. The following children were born to them: Harry M., Alfred L., Gertrude, George, Lottie, Norman, Robert, Jennie and Russell.
Harry M. Michael received his education in the public schools and was only a boy when he mastered telegraphy, taking the night turn at the Quakake station when he was but fourteen years old. He held it for four years, at the end of which time he was transferred to the Beaver Valley station,
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remaining there three years. He was next at Hazleton Junction, for two and a half years, until appointed station agent at Brandonville, where he was located for two years. Thence he changed to Ashland, where he was ticket agent for three years, until his removal to Quakake, in 1903. Here he opened the general store which he has since carried on, and which is well stocked with the lines in demand, Mr. Michael taking great pains to fill the wants of all his customers. Honorable and reliable in all his transactions, and possessing good executive ability, he has handled the business well and deserves the prosperity which has rewarded him. He stands high in the regard of his fellow citizens, who have chosen him to the office of road treasurer, which he filled for five years. He is a member of the Brotherhood and the Improved Order of Heptasophs, and takes an active part in the work of the latter organization.
Mr. Michael married Effie Eveland, daughter of Edw. Eveland, a black- smith, of Quakake, and five children have been born to them: Helen; Gladys; Charles; Dorothy, who died when four years old; and a son that died in infancy. The family attend the Evangelical Church.
CHARLES W. EISINGER has been a lifelong resident of Schuylkill county, having been born near Pottsville Sept. 19, 1863, and most of his life has been spent at Ashland. He commenced his present line of business in 1880, and after ten years' experience at Port Carbon established himself at Ashland.
Mr. Eisinger is of German extraction. His grand-parents lived and died in Germany, and his father, Christian Eisinger, was born in the Kingdom of Wurtemberg, where he passed his early years. When a youth of sixteen he emigrated to America, and first located at Minersville, Schuylkill Co., Pa., later removing to Pottsville, where he was married. From there he came to Ashland, where he engaged in the grocery business up to 1898, that year taking up his residence in Philadelphia, where he passed the remainder of his life. His death occurred there in 1906. Mr. Eisinger married Christiana Miller, a native of Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, whose parents died in that country. She came to the United States when a young girl and lived first at Minersville, Schuylkill county, later removing to Pottsville. She died in Philadelphia in 1904. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Christian Eisinger, of whom Charles W. is the eldest; Gussie is deceased; Henrietta is the wife of Edmund Silber, of Philadelphia; Edward resides in that city ; Anna is the wife of Otto Parodat, of Philadelphia; Emma M. is the wife of Aaron Motter, of Philadelphia; Louise died young; another child died in infancy.
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