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 52
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latter by water power. He is a man of active temperament, doing his share in the furtherance of all good movements in the locality, is a trustee of the Reformed congregation of Zion's Church, and in politics associates with the Democratic party. He has acted as judge of election.
By his marriage to Kate George, Mr. Zimmerman has had the following children : Cora Adda, born March 2, 1878, is the wife of Dr. Samuel Zehner, of Lynnport, Lehigh Co., Pa., and her children are Lorain, Vera, George, Harold and Woodrow; Howard Franklin, born Nov. 28, 1883, now farming the home place in West Penn township, married Rosie Eberts, and they have one child, Lamont Howard; Edna Mabel, born Dec. 23, 1894, was a member of the class of 1915, Keystone State Normal School, at Kutztown.
Mrs. Zimmerman was born Oct. 26, 1854, in Lowhill township, Lehigh Co., Pa., daughter of Levi George, who moved to Schuylkill county when she was twelve years old, settling at the hotel now known as the "Three Mile House," in West Penn township, which he conducted for a few years. Previous to his removal to Schuylkill county he was engaged as a huckster, and when he gave up the hotel business he bought a farm in West Penn township, the place now owned by William Kunkel. After cultivating it for a while he moved to Tamaqua, where he conducted the "American Hotel" until his retirement, with- drawing from business principally because his wife had become afflicted with blindness. His son Eli then took the hotel, the parents continuing to live there, however. Levi George was born in 1819, lived to be over eighty years old, and is buried at Zion's Church in West Penn township. By his first wife, whose maiden name was Kemmerer, he had two children : Maria, now the wife of Nathan Snyder, of New Tripoli, Lehigh Co., Pa .; and Sophia, wife of Lewis Guldner, of Tamaqua. For his second wife Mr. George married Esther Snyder, who was born in 1819, daughter of Conrad Snyder, and they had three children; Monroe, of Reading. Pa., who married Mary Wertman ; Kate, Mrs. Zimmerman; and Eli; the latter, who is still conducting the "American House" at Tamaqua, married Sabilla Strauss. Mr. and Mrs. George are buried at Zion's Church. He was a member and elder of the Reformed congregation there, and a Republican in political sentiment.
JONATHAN B. EMRICK, late of Pottsville, had a valuable home place in the section known as Mechanicsville, and was one of the most esteemed resi- dents of that section. He was born April 19, 1838, in South Manheim town- ship, Schuylkill county, son of John Emrick and grandson of Jacob Emrick, and was a member of an old Pennsylvania family. His earlier ancestors lived in Berks county, the family having been established in eastern Pennsylvania during the first half of the eighteenth century.
There is record of a number of the name who emigrated to this country during that period, the Pennsylvania Archives, Vol. XVII, showing the fol- lowing, with the name of ship and date of arrival: Johan "Nickel" Emrich (aged thirty-six), "Glasgow," Sept. 9, 1738; Jacob Emrich (aged nineteen) , "Patience and Margaret." Sept. 25, 1748; Johan Fried. Emrich, "Chesterfield," Sept. 1, 1749; Anthoni Emrich, "Royal Union," Aug. 15, 1750; Johan George Emmerich, "Richard and Mary," Sept. 20, 1752; Herman Emrich (aged twenty-seven) and Carl Emrich (aged twenty-seven), "Louisa,"_Oct. 3, 1753; Johan Peter Emrich, "Bannister," Oct. 31, 1754; Andreas Emrich, snow "Tryall," Dec. 4. 1764; Johannes Emrich, "Chance," Sept. 23, 1766; Joseph Emrich, "Betsy," Oct. 26, 1768; Johan Theobald Emrich, "Minerva," Oct. 13,
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1769; Andreas Emmerich, "Charming Molly," Oct. 22, 1773. One John Bolters Emerick died on shipboard April 22, 1806.
That the family has been quite numerous in eastern Pennsylvania is shown by the Federal census report of 1790, in which, under Emrich, we find in- dexed Adam, Andrew, Balser, Herman, Jacob, Jacob, Jr., John, John ( Phila- delphia county), John Jr., John Jr., John George, Leonard, Ludwig ( Phila- delphia county), Michael, Nicolas (Cumberland county ), Philip and William; of the Emricks, there were George, Henry (of Dauphin county), and Jacob, John, John and Valentine (all four of Montgomery county). Of these Adam Emrich, of Tulpehocken township, Berks county, had two sons under sixteen and two daughters; Andrew Emrich, of that township, had one son above and two sons under sixteen and four daughters; John George Emrich, of the same township, had four daughters; Balser Emrich, of Bethel township, Berks county, had three sons under sixteen and two daughters; John Emrich, Jr., of Bethel township, had one son under sixteen and one daughter; another John Emrich, Jr., of the same township, had two sons above sixteen ; Jacob Emrich, also of Bethel township, had wife but no children; Jacob Emrich, Jr., same township, had one son above and one son under sixteen and two daughters; William Emrich, of Bern township, Berks county, had one son above and one son under sixteen, and two daughters; Leonard Emrich, of Brunswick (or Brecknock) and Manheim townships, Lancaster county, had one son above and one son under sixteen; Michael Emrich had four sons above sixteen and two daughters; Philip Emrich, of the borough of Reading, Berks county, had two sons above and one son under sixteen, and three daughters; Herman Emrich, of Rockland township, Berks county, had one son above and two sons under sixteen, and three daughters. One Andrew Emrich, of Bethel town- ship, Berks county, died before 1789, leaving a wife Margaret and children Valentine, Julianna (married Henry Moyer), John and Henry. During the Revolutionary war one Jacob Emmerick was a private in Capt. James Todd's company from Dauphin county.
Of the Emerich wills on record the earliest is that of Nicholas Emerich, re- garding which we find the following in the register general's office at Reading, Berks county : Letters of administration under the said office with a true copy of a translation from the German original of the last will and testament of Nicholas Emerich, late of the township of Rockland in the County of Berks, aforesaid, yeoman, deceased, were granted to Valentine Emerich of the Town- ship of Whitehall, in the County of Northampton, in the Province of Pennsyl- vania, yeoman, eldest son of the said testator, no executor or executors being therein named, he having first given hond according to Law ( Anna Barbara, the widow, relict of the said testator, appearing not to be of sound understand- ing sufficient to take upon her the burden of the administration of the estate of the said testator) ; inventory to be exhibited at or before the twenty-sixth day of July next and an account of his administration at or before the twenty- sixth day of June, which will be in the year of our Lord one thousand, seven hundred and seventy ; which will of the said Nicholas Emerich, deceased, was duly proved by the solemn oath of George Oberdorff and Jaque Baral, the Subscribing Witnesses to the said will, but being in the German language could not be recorded. The will was proved the sixteenth of June, 1769; letters of administration the 26th of the same month. Examined by James Read, deputy register.
Descendants of Valentine Emerick live in Center county, near Center Hall.
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One is a doctor, and his sister is married to an attorney who had a number of Emrich family papers.
Other wills recorded are those of Jacob Emerich ( 1803) ; Adam Emerich (1809); Balzer Emerich (1810); Adam Emerich (1813) ; John Emerich (1816); Leonard Emerich (1834) ; Christian Emerich (1840) ; Hannah Emerich (1842) ; Barbara Emerich (1849) ; George Emerich (1865). Guard- ians were appointed for John and George Emerich in 1809; for Mary and Catharine Emerich in 1810; for a child of John Emerich (deceased) and for Peter and Joseph Emerich, 1815.
There was a John Nicholas Emerick, born in 1749, who came to this country in 1774, and who engaged in the fur trade as a partner of John Jacob Astor, founder of the celebrated New York family. Astor, also a German, born in 1763, near Heidelberg, was engaged in the manufacture of musical instruments with his brother in London, and came to America in 1783, to Baltimore, with the idea of disposing of some of his instruments. He was the first regular dealer in that line in this country. Having exchanged musical instruments for furs, in New York, he accidentally entered into the business upon which his great fortune was founded. Returning to London with his stock, he disposed of it to such advantage that he speedily made another trip. In time he came to invest largely in real estate in New York, where he made his home until his death, in 1848. (See "Frolic and Fun," by Isabel Allardyce, 1907). John Nicholas Emerick, who was his partner in the fur business for thirty years, was stationed at Berlin and was probably the best known agent in Europe in that line of trade. He never married, leaving all his property to the children of two brothers in the United States. According to tradition Astor and Emerick entered into an agreement to the effect that no settlement of their partnership affairs was to be made for a certain number of years after the death of either. So far as the descendants of John Michael Emerick-supposed to have been a brother of John Nicholas Emerick-are concerned, no settlement has ever been reached. The estate was reputed to be so vast as to stimu- late the activities of possible beneficiaries. Franklin Square, Philadelphia, is part of the property involved. Some of the money is in banks at Bremen, Ger- many. On July 28, 1886, there was a press inquiry and notice to the heirs of the estate of Nicholas Emerick, and newspaper articles relating to the matter which have appeared at various times are preserved by members of the family as possible clews. Several Emericks in different parts of the country are reputed to have received money as heirs, and efforts are being made to have the matter closed up.
Jacob Emrick, the grandfather of Jonathan B. Emrick, of Pottsville, lived in South Manheim township, Schuylkill county, and was a farmer by occupa- tion. He married a Miss Dewalt and they were the parents of the following named children : Jacob, John, Joshua, Sallie, Mary and Lucy.
John Emrick, son of Jacob, above, was born in South Manheim township, where he lived and died, following farming all his life. His death occurred when he was sixty-nine years old, and he is buried at Summer Mountain. By his marriage to Cassie Berkheiser, who died when a young woman, he had four children : Benjamin, Jonathan B., William and John. To his second mar- riage were also born four children: Daniel, Jacob, Martha and Mary (the last named deceased).
Jonathan B. Emrick was reared in his native township and during his boy- hood assisted with the work at home, meanwhile attending school. He was
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but ten years old when he commenced work on the Schuylkill canal, and during the early days of its operation he was engaged as boatman for four years. Meantime, during the summer of 1850, he was also employed for a time in a brickyard, helping to make the brick for the first courthouse erected at Potts- ville. After leaving the canal he was employed at farm work until twenty years old, and then for a time cut timber in the woods and built barns and houses, following this line for a period of five years. For some time afterwards he was in the employ of the Navigation Company at Schuylkill Haven, thence removing to Cressona, where he obtained employment in the Reading shops, remaining with the company for eighteen years. After that he resided at Pottsville, where he was first engaged in trucking, selling his produce in the borough, for about three years. He then bought the property at what is now known as Mechanicsville, in 1884, ten acres of valuable land upon which he followed trucking until his retirement. Subsequently he laid out eighty-five building lots upon his property, which has a promising future as a residence section. During the summer of 1914, although over seventy-five years old, Mr. Emrick built himself a barn without assistance. He passed away in Oc- tober, 1914.
In 1859 Mr. Emrick married Mary Reber, daughter of George and Mary (Rucia) Reber, and to them were born ten children, all of whom survive, namely : Elizabeth married James Rubrecht; Alice married George Weaver ; Gideon married Elizabeth Marberger; Anna married Frank Boltz; Minnie mar- ried Daniel Snyder; Sallie married William Snyder; Jennie married Edw. Gormley ; August married Rachel Forney ; Martha married Raymond Hoffman ; Bruce married Eva Zechman. The family home was at No. 1355 Pottsville street. Mr. Emrick was a Republican from the time he attained his majority, having cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln. He was ilways an earnest church worker, and was long prominently connected with the Evan- gelical Church at Cressona, serving twenty years as class leader. He attended the camp meetings of the Evangelical association for about fifty years. Mr. Emrick read his German Bible faithfully and was well versed in the Scriptures.
WILLIAM E. LECHER is a man of large business and property inter- ests at Pottsville, representing in the present generation a family whose thrift and other sterling qualities have made the name respected in this vicinity for many a year. The Lecher property at No. 260 West Railroad street has been owned by the family since his grandfather's day.
John Lecher, the grandfather, was a native of Germany. On coming to America he first settled at Reading, Pa., later removing to Pottsville and locating at Fishbach, when that section was mostly in the woods. He fol- lowed mining. His death occurred at what is now No. 260 West Railroad street. His family consisted of five children, namely: John, Amelia, Tillie, Catherine and Elizabeth.
John Lecher, son of John, was born in Germany and was about sixteen years old when he accompanied his father to America. Coming from Reading to Fishbach on foot, he found employment with John M. Crosland, building boats for use on the canal, and continued to follow this work for about twenty years. Then he engaged in hauling coal for a time, afterwards conducting a grocery business of his own at No. 260 West Railroad street, which he carried on until his death. To his marriage with Catherine Moyer, like himself a native of Germany, were born children as follows: Mary, Josephine,
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Niet @ Lecher
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Catherine, Sarah, John, George, Elizabeth, Emma, Frederick, William E. and Bertha.
William E. Lecher, best known as Will. E. Lecher, was born May 24, 1862, at No. 260 West Railroad street. After several years' attendance at the public schools he began assisting his father as clerk in the grocery store, and he himself is now doing business at the same location. Continuing in his father's employ up to the time of his marriage, he then began business (at No. 275 Peacock street) for himself, paying six dollars a month rent. After two years of hard struggle he bought the property, the store at the time being 14 by 14 feet in dimensions, three stories high, right up against the mountain. The business has been increasing steadily since, and the store has been enlarged to accommodate its growth, being now 44 by 180 feet in size, and properly equipped to facilitate the handling of a very large trade. The establishment has the reputation of being the most completely stocked in the city, Mr. Lecher's line of general merchandise being the largest and best assorted. His judgment in selecting his goods, his careful arrangement of the store and the convenience of his appointments show close attention to the idea of accom- modating customers, high-class service being one of the points upon which this store has set the standard in Pottsville. Its live policy accounts for the constantly widening trade. Mr. Lecher also deals in live stock, cattle, shoats and poultry. He has valuable real estate in the borough, about thirty-five pieces of property, is a director of the New City Building & Loan Association of Pottsville, and a director of the Schuylkill Trust Company, a reliable banking concern. His own transactions have always been above criticism, and his personal reputation is sufficient to create confidence in any enterprise with which he becomes associated. He is a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, and belongs to the local lodges of Elks, Eagles and Foresters. Politi- cally he is not bound to any party.
In 1887 Mr. Lecher married Catherine T. Brennan, daughter of John Brennan, of Carbondale, Lackawanna Co., Pa., and they have had eleven children, namely: Vincent, Ralph, Theodore, Loretta, Archibald, Grace, Vera, Walter, Leo (deceased), Alberta and Edgar.
MICHAEL G. DEWEY, M. D., of Girardville, has just commenced the practice of his profession, and has already received many evidences of the con- fidence of the community. He belongs to a family of Irish extraction, his grandfather, James Dewey, having been born in Belfast, Ireland, whence he emigrated to America, settling in the Province of Quebec, Canada, where he was engaged in the operation of freight vessels on Lake Erie. Later he came to Schuylkill county, Pa., and lived at Minersville, Ashland, and, finally, Ger- mantown, where he followed mine work and also taught school. He died at Germantown, and his wife, Mary (Carney), a native of County Kilkenny, Ireland, died at the home of her son Patrick in Ashland, in 1902. They were the parents of children as follows: Two who died in infancy; Mary, widow of Michael Dugen, of Shamokin, Pa .; John, now engaged as a mine superintendent at Springville, Ill .; James, deceased; Patrick A., employed as a stationary engineer in the mines near Ashland; Frank, a fire boss in the mines near Ashland; Margaret, wife of John Foley, of Kaskawilliam, this county ; Anna, wife of Thomas Eagan, of Ashland; Catherine, Mrs. John Casey, of Ashland; Thomas, Elizabeth and Joseph are deceased.
Patrick A. Dewey, the Doctor's father, was born in Locustdale, Schuylkill Vol. II-23
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county, and married Elizabeth O'Brien. They removed to Ashland, and he became employed as a stationary engineer at one of the mines near the borough. Two children were born to this union, the eldest, James, being deceased.
Michael G. Dewey was born at Ashland June 2, 1889, and received his early education in the public schools of that place. For two years he was employed in a drug store at Ashland, attended Bucknell Academy at Lewisburg, Pa., for one year, and in 1908 entered the University of Pennsylvania, where he spent a year in preparatory studies. In 1909 he matriculated in the medical depart- ment of that institution, from which he was graduated with the degree of M. D. in 1913. Then for a year he acted as interne in the Altoona Hospital, Altoona, Pa., at the end of that period coming to Girardville, in his native county, to establish himself in practice. With the benefit of up-to-date training and the advantages of his hospital experience he is well prepared for his life work, and has made an excellent start to success in his chosen calling. He is a member of the Schuylkill County Medical Society, and of the American Medical Association. Dr. Dewey is a Catholic in religious faith, belonging to St. Joseph's Church at Ashland, and he also holds membership in Sarto Council, Knights of Columbus, of that borough.
MICHAEL J. O'BRIEN, father of Mrs. Elizabeth (O'Brien) Dewey, was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, and his parents, Daniel and Elizabeth (Han- lahan) O'Brien, were natives of the same section. The family came to America in 1831, first settling at Minersville, Schuylkill Co., Pa., and later removing to Black Heath, near there. Mrs. Elizabeth ( Hanlahan) O'Brien died June 2, 1898. Michael J. O'Brien began teaching school when only fifteen years old, and followed that profession until he reached the age of thirty. He learned engineering, and for three years was engaged as an engineer at the Bancroft mines. At one time he lived at Mahanoy Plane, Pa., and was there engaged in the mines with Lawrence & Myrtle, as owner. Eventually he engaged in the retail shoe business on his own account at Ashland, continuing this until a short time before his death, which occurred in that borough Sept. 14, 1877. Mr. O'Brien served as a soldier in the Civil war. He was married at Miners- ville to Mary Brennan, daughter of Patrick and Anna ( Schmaltz) Brennan, the former a native of County Kilkenny, Ireland, the latter born in Port Carbon, Pa., of German ancestry. They died at Minersville, where they are buried. Fifteen children were born to this union, of whom the eldest, Daniel, died at Shamokin, Pa., where he is buried ; Patrick and James are deceased ; Terence A. lives at Decatur, Ill .; John lives at Ashland; William, an electrical engineer, lives at Philadelphia ; Michael lives at Ashland ; John is a resident of Ashland ; Daniel is deceased : Thomas F. is a resident of Ashland; Edward also lives at Ashland; Theresa is the widow of John Madden, of Tamaqua, Pa .; Elizabeth is Mrs. Patrick A. Dewey.
FRANCIS B. SELTZER, whose widow now resides at Mahanoy City, was a worthy representative of a family which has long been prominent in the southern part of Schuylkill county. He was born there, in North Manheim township, Aug. 16, 1834, son of Michael Seltzer, a descendant of Jacob Seltzer.
The Seltzers were first established in Berks county, Pa., after their emigra- tion to America. Jacob Seltzer emigrated in 1752 from the upper Rhein, near Coblentz, in the vicinity of the famous "Seltzer Springs" in Germany, where he was born in 1732. He settled in Heidelberg township (where afterwards
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Womelsdorf was laid out), Berks Co., Pa., and became a naturalized citizen in 1765. Several years before (1762) he established a hotel in the village, which has been known until the present time as "Seltzer House." He died in 1788. He was married to Maria Catherine Heister, of Bern township, who was born in 1735, and died in 1817. By her he had six children: Jacob, who married Catharine Kauffman; Michael; Elizabeth, who married Dr. Michael Tryon; Mary, who married Jacob Spang; Catharine, who married David Dewees; and a daughter who married Christopher Reed.
Michael Seltzer, son of Jacob, above, served as a soldier in the Revolution- ary war. He was taken prisoner and confined with others in an old stone church, where he starved to death. His children were Abraham, John and Jacob.
Abraham Seltzer, son of Michael, was born in Berks county, Pa., and was an early settler in East Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, where he followed farming at Drehersville until his death, which occurred there. For a number of years he kept hotel at that point, besides following agricultural pursuits. He lived to the age of ninety-one years, and his wife, whose maiden name was Catherine Faust, is buried with him at the Red Church. They had the following children: Joseph, Elizabeth, Michael, Susan, Polly, Catherine, Rebecca and Nathan. One daughter married Daniel Ebling; another Edw. Ebling ; Michael married Mary Frey; Nathan married Catherine Albright ; Joseph went West, where he died; Mrs. Reuben Miller lived in the West.
Michael Seltzer, son of Abraham, was born in the southern part of Schuyl- kill county and was a well known man in his day. He was a prominent Demo- crat, and influential in local politics, served as steward of the county alms- house for some time, and carried on the hotel business at Orwigsburg, in his later life moving to the West, where he died. By his marriage with Mary Frey he had children as follows: Francis B .; Rebecca, Mrs. John Medlar ; Abraham, deceased; Amanda, Mrs. Jacob Kimmel; John, a retired banker, living in Springfield, Ill .; Elizabeth, Mrs. Joseph Brody, of Schuylkill Haven; and Charles, who died in the West.
Francis B. Seltzer spent all his life in Schuylkill county. He had fair edu- cational advantages in the public schools there, and later attended Wyoming Seminary, in Luzerne county, from which institution he was graduated. During the most of his active years he was engaged as a clerk, but for a time he con- ducted a hotel at Port Carbon, and he was employed with George W. Childs in the book business. His death occurred at Schuylkill Haven, and he is buried at Pottsville. A man of fine character and upright conduct in all the relations of life, he had the unqualified esteem of all his associates, and was valued for his good citizenship and altogether honorable career. During the Civil war he served as a member of Company A, 48th Pennsylvania Regiment, and was wounded at the battle of Petersburg.
Mr. Seltzer married Hannah E. Garrett, who was born March 25, 1834, at Pottsville, Schuylkill Co., Pa., and survives him, now making her home with her son and youngest daughter at No. 106 West Mahanoy avenue, Mahanoy City. Though past eighty she is active and in possession of all her faculties, having a clear mind and many interesting recollections of the early days in Schuylkill county. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Seltzer: George W .; Mabel, now the wife of Harry Noecher, of Milton, Pa .; and Rebecca W.
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