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 35
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In November, 1872, Mr. Carl married (second) Elizabeth Bernhardt, who was born at Dieffenbach, Prussia, Germany, daughter of Frederick and Wil- helmina (Neu) Bernhardt, and died Sept. 10, 1901. Six children were born to this union: Henrietta died at the age of nineteen years; Minnie is the wife of Hesser H. Zulick, cashier of the First National Bank of Ringtown (they have no children) ; William, who did mechanical work at the mines, died at the age of twenty-five years, from injuries received at the mines, leaving a wife, whose maiden name was Emily Smith (they had one child, Dora, who is deceased) ; Frederick, who is engaged as a mechanic at the mines, married Jane Hagenbuch, and they have two children, Dorothy and Robert; Charles died when eight years old; Matilda married Harold Breisch, a merchant of Ringtown, and they have two children, Catherine and William.
Mr. Carl's third marriage was to Mrs. Henrietta Katz, sister of his sec- ond wife. She was the widow of George Katz, a native of Ashland, this county, son of George and Catherine (Stipe) Katz, and by her first marriage had five children : Charles F., a bricklayer, living in Philadelphia, married Carrie Haynes, and they have two children, Emily and Charles; William L. is a student at Mount Airy Theological Seminary; Henrietta is the wife of Harry Reisch, and they reside at Culp, Pa. (they have no children) ; George is taking a course in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and en- gaged as a night clerk in Philadelphia; Frederick died in infancy. Mr. Katz, who died in December, 1899, was a member of the German Lutheran Church.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl are members of the German Lutheran Church, and he is an Odd Fellow in social connection, belonging to Lodge No. 285, of St. Clair, which he joined in 1863. They have a pleasant home at No. 30 South Jardin street. Mr. Carl has always been a stanch Republican. During the Civil war he enlisted, at Pottsville, in Company D, 39th Infantry Reserves, in which he served three months, under Col. Daniel Nagle.
NEIL CROSBY, one of the oldest residents of the borough of New Phila- delphia, Schuylkill county, is entitled to the respect he commands as the re- ward of a useful life. As a citizen he has never failed in his duty, his record of service in the Civil war and in official capacities in his home town proving that he has always been ready to do his part, whatever it might be. In busi- ness and domestic relations he has been equally faithful.
Mr. Crosby has been a resident of Schuylkill county practically all the time since 1851, when he accompanied his parents to this country. He is a native of Ireland, born Jan. 10, 1839, son of Patrick Crosby, who first came to America when a young man and spent eleven years here, living in Chester county, Pa., where he was engaged in farming. Returning to Ireland, he remained there for twenty-two years before he brought his family to the United States, in 1851. They settled in the Schuylkill valley, and the father found employment at Huebner's mines, doing outside work. He died in March. 1865, at New Philadelphia, and is buried at Port Carbon, this county. His wife, Mary (Cathlee), also died at New Philadelphia, and is buried at Port
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Carbon. They had children as follows: Mary, Margaret, Elizabeth, Neil, Owen, Sallie, Hannah, Bridget and Catherine, the last named born at sea.
Neil Crosby was first employed at Huebner's mines, and later did outside mine work at Patterson, this county. Then he worked inside at the East mine shaft, making the first timber for this working. He was at Patterson for four years in all, in 1856 removing to New Philadelphia, which then had but a scanty population. Here he worked for the Sillimans until May, 1857, drove team for John J. Tucker for a short time, and the same month entered the employ of the late Andrew Robertson, with whom he continued at that point until 1865, after which he lived some years at Shamokin, Pa. After thirteen years and eight months in Mr. Robertson's service he returned to New Philadel- phia, where he held the position of stable boss for a short time, also doing other work about the collieries. In 1908 he retired, and he has continued to make his home at New Philadelphia. In his earlier years Mr. Crosby took an active part in the administration of municipal affairs, serving as member of the council and on the board of school directors, and discharged his respon- sibilities conscientiously and intelligently. During the Civil war he enlisted in Company K, 137th Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served ten months in the army, taking part in the engagements at South Mountain and Antietam. He was in General Burnside's command. For three months the company was stationed at Belle Plain, Va. Mr. Crosby is a member of John Ennis Post, No. 47, of St. Clair, Schuylkill county, and has a wide acquaintance among the veterans. He and his wife have many friends at New Philadelphia.
On Oct. 2, 1864, Mr. Crosby married Catherine Duffy, a native of Mount Carmel, Pa., daughter of Anthony Duffy. They are the parents of the fol- lowing named children: Sophia is living at home; Mary is the wife of James P. Flemingham, an attorney, of Welch, W. Va .; Ellen is at home; John is a member of the firm of Rishel & Crosby, wholesale and retail grocers, of Potts- ville; James is at home; Owen is clerking for his brother at Pottsville; Cath- erine is the wife of Thomas P. Butler, of Pottsville; Cornell and Sarah are deceased. The family are Catholics in religious faith.
JOHN PEIFER is busily engaged in farming and lumbering, the latter under contract with different coal companies in his section of Schuylkill county. He lives in East Union township, where the family has been located since his grandfather's day.
Solomon Peiter, the grandfather, was a wood chopper and lumberman near Mountain Grove, Luzerne Co., Pa., before his removal to Schuylkill county. He owned a timber tract and farm, but lost this property, and moved to Union township, Schuylkill county, where he tenanted what is now known as No. 3 farm, owned by the Girard Estate. When he retired he went to live with his son Levi, at Brandonville, this county, and he died at the age of seventy-one years. He was a member of the Lutheran Church, and is buried at the Old White Church near Ringtown. Politically he was a Democrat. By his first wife, whose maiden name was Remaly, Mr. Peifer had the following children : (1) Daniel. (2) George married Mary Long, who survived him and is buried at Bloomsburg. They had children, Austin B., Alice (wife of Nathan Chromis, policeman at Bloomsburg), Annie (wife of L. D. Kahler) and Clara (wife of Frank Chromis). The son, Austin B. Peifer, was engaged as freight agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company for many years, and was for many years an elder of the Reformed Church of Catawissa, Pa. (3) Levi married Eliz-
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abeth Shaeffer, and their children were Sarah, George, Rebecca, Mary, Albert, Amanda, Elizabeth and Ida. (4) Elias is mentioned below. (5) Hester mar- ried Jacob Hartley. Three others died young. For his second wife Mr. Peifer married Maria Moyer, and to them were born two children: Jacob married Amanda Rupert and had three sons and two daughters, Charlotte, Hannah, Charles, Benjamin and Herbert; Solomon, Jr., married Sarah Applegate, and had two children, Samuel (now deceased) and Susan (who lives in Con- necticut).
Elias Peifer, father of John Peifer, was born April 17, 1831, near Moun- tain Grove, Luzerne Co., Pa., and died Nov. 27, 1912, aged eighty-one years, seven months, ten days. He received his education in his native county, and worked for his father on the farm and in the woods, until he reached legal age. He gained considerable experience as a sawyer. The first farm he bought (the place later owned by Samuel Deebel) consisted of 120 acres, sixty of which he had under cultivation, and he operated it for seventeen years, eventually trad- ing it for a farm owned by Sheep & Co., now the property of his son John Peifer. It was a tract of one hundred acres, sixty cleared, and he lived on it and followed general farming there very successfully, building the dwelling which is still standing on the property, occupied by his son John. He also owned a sixty-acre tract adjoining. Elias Peifer continued to carry on the lumber business along with farming, and he was the owner of a hotel property at Ringtown which he rented out, later selling it to Daniel Ellis, of Shenandoah ; it is now one of the principal hotels at Ringtown. Mr. Peifer served his town- ship many years as supervisor and tax collector. He was a Democrat in political faith, and during the Civil war a Union sympathizer, enlisting at Tamaqua in October, 1864, as a member of Company A, 173d Pennsylvania Regiment, for nine months, or during the war. He was mustered in at Harrisburg, and was engaged principally in guard duty. In religion he held to the Reformed faith, belonging to St. John's Church in East Union town- ship, at which church he and his wife are buried.
Mr. Peifer married Emaline Charlotte Nungesser, who was born Sept. 13, 1840, in Mifflin township, Columbia Co., Pa., daughter of Jacob and Anna (Reinbold) Nungesser, who moved thence to East Union township, Schuyl- kill county. Mr. Nungesser followed farming and lumbering there the best part of his life, dying at the age of forty-nine. He was a native of Mifflin township, Columbia county, and his wife was born near Easton, Northamp- ton Co., Pa. She lived to be over eighty, and is buried at Unityville, Lycom- ing Co., Pa. Their children were: Benjamin, deceased, married Elizabeth Applegate, who now lives at Strawbridge, Lycoming Co., Pa .; Isaac married Susanna Hoffman, and they live at Berwick, Columbia county ; Emaline Char- lotte married Elias Peifer; George died unmarried, after his return from the army; Hannah, widow of John Schucker, lives at Taylorsville, Schuylkill county. Mr. Nungesser is buried at the Old White Church near Ringtown. He had no church connections. He was a Democrat in political opinion.
Mrs. Elias Peifer died in March, 1905, several years before her husband. They had the following family: John is the eldest. Isaac, born July 28, 1862, died aged forty years, ten months, and his widow, Emma (Fritz), lives in Tamaqua ; they had children, Robert, Frank, Irwin, Maurice, Monroe, Ralph, Clarence, Clara, deceased, and Cora. Hiram, born June 7, 1865, married Mary E. Borlace, and they live at Sheppton, Schuylkill county. Joanna died when three months old. Mary Elizabeth, born May 28, 1872, died Dec. 17, 1915,
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and is buried at Unityville, Lycoming Co., Pa .; she married Harry McClin- tock, of Muncy Valley, Sullivan Co., Pa., and had children: Ezra, Ruth, Joanna, Margaret, Elias, Mary, Leah, Orpha and Seth.
John Peifer, eldest son of Elias Peifer, was born Oct. 22, 1857, near Bran- donville, in Union township, that part now known as East Union. He attended the Upper Valley school, and also the Peifer or Lorah school in East Union township, receiving the first of his instruction during the first year the public school system was in operation in his township. Until he reached his major- ity he assisted his father with the farm work and lumbering, and then worked the home place on his own account, buying the property before his father's death. He still gives much of his attention to the cultivation of the farm, and continues his lumber operations also, filling contracts for various coal companies. Mr. Peifer takes a lively interest in all the affairs of his neigh- borhood, public, religious and social. He is a Democrat, and has held several offices, having served three years as school director, two terms as auditor and for some time as registry assessor. A prominent member of the Re- formed congregation of St. John's Church in East Union township, he is one of the deacons at present, having filled that office since the building of the new church, in 1896. He was a member of the building committee at that time. Formerly he was a teacher in the Sunday school, of which he was also secretary and later treasurer. In fraternal connection he is an Odd Fellow, belonging to Ringtown Lodge, No. 287.
Mr. Peifer married Agnes Cook, who was born Feb. 10, 1858, at Tusca- rora, Schuylkill Co., Pa., daughter of Michael and Hannah (Teft) Cook, and died Feb. 28, 1913. She is buried in the cemetery of St. John's Church, of which she was a Reformed member, and she took great interest in its work and sang in the choir. Mrs. Peifer was a capable, industrious, Chris- tian woman, and a great help to her husband. She worked out from the time she was eleven years old until her marriage. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Peifer: Henry Paul died when two months old; Emaline Charlotte, born Aug. 24, 1895, received her education in the public schools and is now living at home; Ira Edward died when two months old; Adam Elias, born Oct. 24, 1898, was educated in the public schools and is now living at home; Hannah died at birth.
Michael Cook, father of Mrs. Agnes (Cook) Peifer, was born in Ireland, and came to America when seven years old. He worked for one of the Reagan family at Tuscarora, Schuylkill Co., Pa., and later became a foreman round the mines at Audenried. Then he was at Lost Creek for some time, and he lived retired for a while before his death, which occurred at Lost Creek when he was eighty-four years old. He married Hannah Teft, who was born at Mount Laffee, Schuylkill county, and was reared by the grand- father of the present Judge Bechtel of the Schuylkill county courts. Mrs. Cook is also deceased, and is buried with her husband at Girardville, this county. He was a Democrat in his political convictions. They had the following children: John, deceased, married Julia Welsch, who now lives at McAdoo, Schuylkill county; Martin died unmarried; Agnes was the wife of John Peifer; Annie resides at Lost Creek; Michael died unmarried ; Ed- ward, who lives at Lost Creek, this county, is unmarried.
JOHN LEBO, of Tower City, a well known farmer of Porter town- ship, was born Feb. 14, 1844, in Dauphin county, Pa., son of Daniel and
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Saralı (Schoffstall) Lebo, and grandson of Michael Lebo. The latter spent his early life in Berks county, Pa., later moving to Dauphin county, where he died.
Daniel Lebo was born in the Lykens valley, in Dauphin county, Pa., and there his life was passed, his activities being devoted to the carpenter's trade. He died in 1871, after an industrious and well-spent career. Mr. Lebo's first wife was Sarah Rowe, and they were the parents of four children: Joseph, Sarah, Caroline and Adeline. His second wife, who prior to her marriage was Sarah Schoffstall, was a daughter of Emanuel Schoffstall, a farmer in the vicinity of Gratz, and there were eleven children born to this union : Jolin ; Isabella ; Dr. William, a physician of Valley View, Pa .; Edward; Catherine ; Emmanuel; Amos; Emma Jane; Frank; Alice, and Henry.
Reared on a farm in Dauphin county, John Lebo secured the educa- tional advantages usually granted to the country youths of his day and local- ity, and when still a young man learned the butcher business, which he fol- lowed, in connection with farming, for a period of twenty years. After that he devoted all his time to farming. His operations in a business and agri- cultural way were interrupted by the Civil war when he enlisted at Harris- burg, in 1864, for one year, in Company H, 210th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Miller. He was not called upon to serve the com- plete term of his enlistment, for the war closed, and he was mustered out after nine months' service. However, during that period, he had seen some very active service, and when he received his honorable discharge had a record for fidelity that had won him the thorough respect of his comrades and officers. He has never lost interest in his fellow-soldiers, and at the present time is serving as treasurer of William Thompson Post, Grand Army of the Repub- lic, of Tower City.
On his return to the pursuits of civil life Mr. Lebo resumed his butcher- ing and agricultural operations. He removed from Dauphin county to Schuylkill county in 1888. Here his industry, perseverance and good manage- mient have been well rewarded, for at this time he is the possessor of two fine farms in Porter township, one of 165 acres and the other of forty-eight acres. Advancing years find Mr. Lebo still strong, hearty and energetic, but he has gained his competency and does not need to exert himself as in former years, so that he is now living on the smaller property, allowing his son, John E. Lebo, to cultivate the larger farm.
In 1867 Mr. Lebo was married to Sarah A. Row, daughter of Jacob and Susanna (Motter) Row, of Dauphin county, Pa. Fifteen children were born to this union : Maggie, deceased; Charles, now a resident of Lancaster, Pa .; William and Sallie, deceased; Oliver, living in Porter township; John E., on his father's 165-acre farm; Annie, deceased, who was the wife of George Keilman; Kate, the wife of John Schwalm; Frank, deceased; Corde- lia, the wife of Harvey Snyder; Joseph, a resident of Philadelphia, Pa .; Lottie, of Tower City, Pa .; Mabel and Harry, who are deceased; and a daughter who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Lebo are consistent members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Lebo has faithfully performed the duties of citizenship, having for seven years served his township as a member of the board of supervisors, and having, in every way, lent his aid to movements for the advancement of morality, religion, education and good citizenship. He holds the esteem and confidence of his fellow-citizens by reason of a life characterized by straightforward dealing.
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GEORGE CLARENCE LINDENMUTH, who is profitably engaged in fruit growing and general farming in Union township, Schuylkill county, was born April 21, 1881, on the place he now owns and occupies.
The Lindenmuth family has been in this county for considerably more than a century, Daniel Lindenmuth, the great-grandfather of George Clar- ence Lindenmuth, having come hither from Berks county, Pa., in 1792. He was a native of Berks county. His father, Michael Lindenmuth, received a grant of four hundred acres from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in reward for his services as colonel and lieutenant in the Revolutionary war, and the property was divided among his four sons, Daniel, George. Henry and Martin; the last named moved to Indiana. They came into what was then dense woods and set about clearing their land, meantime living in a shanty and putting up with many privations. The soil was put under culti- vation as fast as it could be prepared, and though the work was toilsome they accomplished much with the facilities at hand. They had to go to Read- ing on horseback with their grain in order to get flour, and had all the other experiences typical of the times. Daniel Lindenmuth settled in Union town- ship, where Mrs. William Boyer now lives. He was married four times, and his children were: Daniel was killed in the woods by a falling tree; Molly married John Kline; Benjamin married Rachel Metz; Jacob married Salome Gilbert; Andrew married Sallie Dornback; George is next in the family; Joseph was twice married, his second wife being Rebecca Heisler; Michael married Mina Miller; Esther married David Kline. The father died aged eighty-two years, nine months, one day, and is buried with three of his wives in the family cemetery at Lindenmuth's Corner, in Union township. The fourth wife moved from this section. He was a Democrat and a Lutheran, belonging to the Old White Church.
George Lindenmuth, son of Daniel, above, was born on the old home- stead in Union township Feb. 7, 1815, farmed all his life, and died July 21, 1885. He took an active part in local affairs, served as auditor of his town- ship, and was interested in politics as a worker in the Democratic party ; he acted as judge of election. Mr. Lindenmuth married Polly Durnbach, who was born June 27, 1814, daughter of William and Mary (Buzzard) Durnbach, and died March 20, 1893. They are buried at the Old White Church, of which Mr. Lindenmuth was a Lutheran member. Six children were born to this worthy couple: Charles Daniel died in infancy; Sallie Ann married William Lindenmuth, and both are deceased; William D. is the father of George Clarence Lindenmuth; Jeremiah married Catherine Brobst, and both are deceased; Polly is deceased; Amanda Elizabeth lives at Ringtown.
William D. Lindenmuth was born May 9, 1841, on the old home place in Union township, now owned by the William Boyer estate. His education was obtained in the pay schools of the locality. He worked at home for his father until twenty-three years old, when he found employment at Seit- zinger's colliery, Colorado, this county, helping to put up the sawmill now owned by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, known as Packer No. 5. Then he took another position in the same neighborhood, working at Lost Creek for Frank Karcher and Colonel Cake, and he also worked at William Penn and Raven Run, at the latter place sawing timber and acting as manager on the platform; he was there for three years and three months. In 1872 Mr. Lindenmuth bought from Adam Lindenmuth the farm now owned by his son George Clarence, which was then all covered with brush, and he has
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made all the improvements in the way of buildings which the place now boasts, though he had only his evenings for the work at home, putting in twelve hours daily at the coal mines. Nevertheless he made great progress with the development of his farm, started the fine orchard which is now yielding so well, and also followed general farming successfully. He now lives near there, in Union township. Agriculture has been very interesting to him, and he was one of the organizers of the Ringtown Fair Association. For five years he was supervisor of his township, elected on the Democratic ticket, to which he has always given loyal support. He is a member of the Lutheran Church at Ringtown.
Mr. Lindenmuth married Hannah Frey, who was born Aug. 9, 1845, in Union township, daughter of Levi and Sallie (Rumbel) Frey, and died July 10, 1910; she is buried at the Old White Church. Four children were born to this marriage: Mary Sabina married W. E. Stauffer, who keeps a hotel in Union township; Sallie Savilla is the widow of William Boyer and lives on the old Lindenmuth homestead; Dr. Eli Oscar, now superintendent of the X-ray department in the State University of Indiana, at Indianapolis, married Elnora Breisch; George Clarence is the youngest of the family.
George Clarence Lindenmuth attended the Horne school in Union town- ship, and worked at home with his father until twenty years old. Then he learned the carpenter's trade under Joseph Laudig, of Ringtown, remaining with him for three years, since when he has been farming again, having bought his father's farm of eighty acres, of which sixty-five are cleared. He studied fruit growing and insects and insecticides, as a correspondent stu- dent of Pennsylvania State College, and makes a specialty of fruit growing, principally apples, his leading varieties being the Northern Spy, King and Follawater, which have proved very satisfactory. Mr. Lindenmuth has one of the finest orchards in his section of Schuylkill county, and he follows up- to-date methods in its care, as he does in all his other work. He attends market at Girardville, and ships all over the State. Mr. Lindenmuth has not been negligent of his responsibilities of citizenship, any more than he has of his private interests. Anything that affects the general welfare he con- siders worthy of his attention, and he has always used his influence in the most public-spirited manner. He was one of the organizers of the Farmers' Independent Telephone & Telegraph Company, and since June, 1911, has been a director of the First National Bank of Ringtown. At present he is holding the office of tax collector of Union township, and is a member of the Schuylkill County Farm Bureau. Like his immediate ancestors, he is a Democrat in political opinion. He and his wife are members of St. John's Lutheran Church of Ringtown, of which he is a deacon. At one time he was superintendent of Horne's Sunday school, and Mrs. Lindenmuth formerly taught in the Lindner Sunday school. Fraternally he is a member of Cata- wissa Lodge, No. 349, F. & A. M., and of Maple Leaf Camp, No. 246, Wood- men of the World, at Ringtown.
Mr. Lindenmuth was married to Edith Priscilla Stauffer, who was born April 23. 1877, in Union township, where she received her education. Six children have been born to this marriage, as follows: Edna Alberta, Oct. 29, 1901 (died Feb. 17, 1904) ; Mary Emma, June 27, 1903; Helen Grace, March 4, 1905; Ralph Lester, Jan. 19, 1907; Earl James, May 1, 1910; Wood- row Wilson, Jan. 16, 1913. Mary is now a pupil at the Ringtown high school.
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