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 54

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers
Number of Pages: 684


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 54


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the age of twenty-seven years; Laura, who died when six years old: and three children died in infancy.


John Renninger attended public school in Schuylkill Haven, and was but a youth when he began to follow the occupation of his father and grandfather, that of boatman on the canal. He followed the work until the canal was closed and then worked by the day for a time, later following the carpenter's trade with Irvin Becker for six years. Then he began doing contracting for himself, and has continued this work up to the present time with much success. He has an up-to-date establishment, is a skilled mechanic and builder, and many residences in Schuylkill Haven are standing evidences of his ability as an architect. Mr. Renninger married Myra Driesbach, daughter of Lewis Driesbach, and they have three children: Elmer, Clarence and Albert. Mr. Renninger is a member of the United Brethren Church.


SAMUEL KOENIG, a veteran of the Civil war, is one of the oldest liv- ing residents of East Brunswick township, where he has spent all of his four- score years except the period he was away in defense of the Union. He was born in East Brunswick township Sept. 10, 1835, son of Samuel Koenig and grandson of Daniel Koenig.


Daniel Koenig was a farmer in East Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, where he owned 150 acres of land. He was born in the county, and spent all his life there, clearing his land, on which he built a log house and barn. He married Elizabeth Widdowstone, and they had children as follows: Daniel married Sarah Miller; Elizabeth married George Sassaman; Peter married Hettie Riegel; Frederick married Hannah Schaffer; Samuel is men- tioned below ; all are now deceased. Daniel Koenig lived to the age of eighty- three years, and he is buried in a private graveyard on the farm of Samuel Behler, at Summer Hill, in East Brunswick township. His wife died aged eighty-one years, two months, and is buried at Frieden's Church, New Ring- gold. He belonged to the Frieden's German Reformed congregation, and at- tended services regularly. In the latter part of his life he was a Republican. He held the township offices of school director and supervisor.


Samuel Koenig, son of Daniel, was born in West Penn township April 6, 1804, and attended school in East Brunswick township. He worked with his father until he married, and then bought a tract of 150 acres at Summer Hill, East Brunswick township, part of which farm-the portion on which Mr. Koenig lived-is now owned by John Sassaman. Mr. Koenig cleared a great deal of the farm, built houses and barns upon it, and operated the property until about eighteen years before his death, when he and his wife went to the home of their son Samuel, and there spent the remainder of their lives. While living with his son Samuel Mr. Koenig worked with him, and also did wood chopping, until a few years before he died, April 1, 1881. His wife, Esther (Miller), born Oct. 18, 1801, died in November, 1868. She was a daughter of Jacob Miller, a native of West Penn township. Children as fol- lows were born to Mr. and Mrs. Koenig: William died unmarried; Samuel is next in the family; Rebecca is the widow of George Eckroth; Caroline mar- ried Hiram Koch, and both are deceased; Frank went West, and was never heard from; Catherine married Daniel H. Koch; Solomon, deceased, married Sarah Houser. The father was a Republican and took an active part in local politics. He was a school director many times, and was also elected supervisor


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and auditor. He belonged to the Frieden's Reformed Church, at New Ring- gold, and he and his wife are buried at that church.


Samuel Koenig, son of Samuel, above, was educated in East Brunswick township and worked there with his father until he enlisted in the Union army. Enlisting in Capt. John W. Kantner's Company G, 104th Pennsylvania Vol- unteers, under Col. William H. Davis, he was enrolled Feb. 4, 1865, at Har- risburg. Pa., for one year or during the war, and was sent to Portsmouth, Va. In the assault on the works at Petersburg, Va., April 3 and 4, 1865, the regiment participated, and upon the rout of the Rebel army followed in pur- suit as far as Chesterfield Station. From this point it was ordered to Peters- burg, thence went to Fortress Monroe, and after a halt of four days on to Norfolk. During the last year's service, by economy in the management of the bakery, the regiment accumulated a fund of nearly $2,000, and $1,600 of this money was appropriated by the survivors for the erection of a monument in memory of their fellow comrades. This monument was erected in the public square at Doylestown, Pa. Mr. Koenig's health was seriously affected while he was in the service, and he suffered three and a half months of illness while in the army. He was mustered out at Portsmouth, Va., Aug. 25, 1865. Returning to East Brunswick township he was sick with malaria for about one year, living with his father during this time. Later he bought his present place of twenty-four acres, half of which is under cultivation, and made numer- ous improvements on the property, building stables, etc. The house in which he lives is an old log structure, but weather-boarded and in a good state of preservation. A few years after settling here Mr. Koenig, in connection with his duties on the farm, began work as a section hand on the Philadelphia & Reading road, and after a time hired others to do his farm work. While with the Philadelphia & Reading Company he served under section foremen Abraham Koch, Daniel Koch, and Frank Reicheldeifer. In September, 1905, he was pensioned by the company after a service of thirty-three and a half years. He is now living retired.


Mr. Koenig married Caroline Leiser, who was born Jan. 1, 1843, opposite New Ringgold, in East Brunswick township, and attended the Hecla school in that township. She is the mother of the following children: Hannah Re- becca, born May 6, 1860, married George Freed and has had three children, Floyd, Earl (deceased) and Clayton ; William H., born Dec. 30, 1865, married Mabel Alberta Reed, and they have had four children, Clayton (who is mar- ried to Annie Weiss and has one child, Alberta), Harry, Howard and Mary (deceased) ; Rosie Louisa, born June 14, 1870, lives at Weatherly, Pa., the widow of Harry Rehrig, who was an engineer on the Lehigh Valley railroad (her only child, Mary, married Harry Wertman, and has one child, Doris) ; Clara Kate, born May 6, 1873, married Monroe Rumble, who was killed at the Potts Powder Works (they had seven children: Charles, who was killed at the Atlas Powder Works, Kenvil. N. J .; Mary, who married Fred. Hay- cock, of Kenvil, N. J., and has two children, Florence and Edith; Maude, who married Artie Houser and has one child, Ethel; Iva; Clayton; William, and Earl) ; Mary Alice, born Aug. 15, 1875, resides in Lehigh county, the wife of Adam Shollenberger (their children are Myrtie, who is married to Elmer Fink and has one child, Lawrence; Hilda: Richard; Harry; Mabel; Oscar; Ray, and Wayne) ; Annie Christina, born March 2, 1876, is married to Harry Moyer and resides at Schuylkill Haven, Pa. (their children are Myrtle, Harold,


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Eddie, Mildred, Marian, Nellie and Florence) ; Harry Samuel, born Aug. 28, 1884, died Oct. 14, 1891.


Mr. Koenig is a Republican in political connection, is a member of Double- day Post, No. 189, G. A. R., of Tamaqua, Pa., and belongs to the Frieden's Reformed Church, of New Ringgold, of which his wife is also a member.


Samuel Leiser, grandfather of Mrs. Koenig, was the son of John Leiser, who came from Lehigh county and settled in East Brunswick township, where he was a farmer. He married a Miss Bock, and their children were: John, Samuel, Sarah (married Jonas Bock), Jonas and Jacob. The father was a Republican, and in religious connection a member of the Frieden's Church at New Ringgold. The parents are buried there.


€ Samuel Leiser, son of John, was born in East Brunswick township, and owned a tract of twenty-five acres there. He was a charcoal and lime burner and a sawmill worker, following these occupations all his life. By his mar- riage to Mary Heiser, daughter of Adam and Sarah (Hoffman) Heiser, he had children as follows: Isabella married George Eckert, and both are de- ceased; Martin married Catherine Knittle, and both are deceased; Sarah, deceased, married Joseph Moyer; Caroline is Mrs. Koenig; Daniel married Eliza Miller, who is deceased; Catherine married a Mr. Hennessy, and both are deceased; Samuel, deceased, married Amanda Yost; Adam died unmar- ried. Both parents died at the age of seventy-seven years, and they are buried at Steigerwalts Church, the Church of God in East Brunswick township, to which they belonged. Mr. Leiser was a Republican.


REV. JOSEPH PELECHOVYCH, of Minersville, present pastor of St. Nicholas' Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church, has done excellent work for the parish during the two years he has been established there. He is a native of Galicia, Austria, born at Waniw, County Sokal, March 18, 1870. His literary education was obtained in the high school at Lemberg, Galicia, and in the State University at Vienna, Austria, from which institution he was grad- uated in 1893. After a theological course he was ordained to the priesthood in 1895 at Przemysl, Galicia, and for three years thereafter served as assistant priest with his father at Waniw. He then became parish priest in the Harmpua district, Jaslo, Galicia, remaining there ten years, and in 1910 came to America. His first station here was at Berwick, Columbia Co., Pa., where he remained four months, after which he was at Scranton and Chester, Pa., for brief periods, for about two years at the "Old Forge," in February, 1913, coming to Minersville to assume the duties of his present charge. Father Pelechovych has become very well known in this section since he entered upon his work in the St. Nicholas parish, and has made many friends in all classes and denomi- nations. He is interested in local affairs generally, as well as in the progress of the people whose spiritual welfare has been intrusted to him, and is regarded as a citizen whose influence in the community is serviceable to her best interests.


Father Pelechovych is married and has a family of five children, two sons and three daughters : Rohdan, Yaraslaw, Nellie, Irene and Mary.


WILLIAM BERGAN, an old time hotelkeeper in Heckscherville, is a most respected resident of Cass township, and is also well known in the sur- rounding territory in Schuylkill county. In the course of his business he has naturally come into contact with an unusually large number of his fellow


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citizens there as well as the traveling public, and by one and all is held in popu- lar esteem.


Mr. Bergan was born in Heckscherville in 1855, son of William Bergan. a native of Kilkenny, Ireland. He spent his early life in that country, coming to America in young manhood and settling in Cass township, Schuylkill Co., Pa., among the early residents at Heckscherville. He was a miner by occupa- tion. He married Ellen Hunt, who survived him, his death occurring at the age of fifty-two years, hers at the age of sixty-four. They are buried at Minersville. They had the following children : James, Annie, Mary, Michael, Patrick, William, Elizabeth and Nellie.


William Bergan, son of William and Ellen (Hunt) Bergan, was reared and educated in Cass township. He began work as a slate picker in the mines when twelve years old, being first employed at the West Pine Knot colliery. Later he drove mules and filled different positions about the mines, eventually becoming a miner, and has spent in all about twelve years at this line of work. He then engaged in hauling for a period of about fifteen years, and for the last thirty years he has been carrying on a hotel business in Heckscherville val- ley, Cass township. Mr. Bergan built a fine hotel, which he operates, and owns the property as well as the business, and he has always enjoyed a thriv- ing business. His steady success shows him well adapted for his chosen line. Mr. Bergan has always been zealous in the interest of his patrons, providing them with the best possible accommodation, and giving obliging services to all who seek his hospitality. His neighbors and other friends in Cass township have given evidence of their confidence in his substantial character, and years ago he was elected to the position of school director, which office he held from 1883 until 1887, as a fellow member of Michael J. Brady, the veteran school teacher of this section of the county.


Mr. Bergan is a member of the Catholic Church, and fraternally is asso- ciated with the Foresters of America and with the Fraternal Order of Eagles, belonging to the Aerie at Pottsville.


Mr. Bergan married Eliza Hoben, daughter of Patrick Hoben, who was also a native of Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Bergan have had six children: Wil- liam, who resides at home; Patrick, who married Katie Dullard, and has three children, William, Mary and James; James is deceased; John, who died when three months old; John (2), who also died in infancy ; and Nellie, at home.


IRVIN A. EBLING, a most successful farmer, trucker and dairyman of North Manheim township, Schuylkill Co., Pa., was born June 16, 1866, in West Brunswick township, this county, son of Robert Ebling. The family is of German descent.


Jacob Ebling, his great-grandfather, was a native of Oley township, Berks Co., Pa., and settled in West Brunswick township about 1831. He was a farmer and blacksmith and engaged at both callings there for a few years, afterwards returning to Berks county, where he died. Among his children were: Jacob, Gideon, Kate, Sallie and David. His father was a native of Germany, coming to America and settling in Berks county, where he lived and died.


Gideon Ebling, son of Jacob, was born in 1813 in Oley township, Berks county, and attended the public schools there. He came with his parents to West Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, in 1831, and there followed farming for the remainder of his days, owning the tract of 148 acres upon


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which he made his home. He was a man of strong religous convictions, a mem- ber of the Reformed Church at Auburn, which he helped to build and politi- cally he was a Democrat. Mr. Ebling was married to Elizabeth Fahl, daugh- ter of John Fahl, of West Brunswick township, and she is buried in a private cemetery at Auburn. Mr. Ebling died on his farm Oct. 24, 1892. Nine chil- dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Gideon Ebling : Angeline married John Hosler ; Thomas is living at Auburn; Albert, living at Tamaqua, served in Company G, 28th Pennsylvania Vols., in the Civil war; Robert is mentioned below ; Elizabeth married Edward Faust; Polly married James Meck; James, who lived and died in West Brunswick township, served in Co. K, 97th Pennsyl- vania Vols., in the Civil war; Susan married Frank Schwenk; Gideon resides at Auburn.


Robert Ebling, son of Gideon and father of Irvin A., was born March 22, 1842, in West Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, and attended the pay schools of the period of his childhood. He remained on the home farm until the age of eighteen, when he was apprenticed to learn the blacksmith's trade at Auburn. After his marriage he settled on a farm in West Brunswick town- ship, which he cultivated for many years. Moving to Schuylkill Haven he there conducted the "Spring Garden Hotel" for seven years, and is now living retired, occupying the home on Centre avenue which he erected. Mr. Ebling served during the Civil war as private in Company G, 28th Pennsylvania Vols., under Col. J. C. Frick, of Pottsville, and again during the emergency of 1862. He is a Democrat in politics and has been delegate to a number of county conventions. He was elected one of the directors of the poor of Schuylkill county. Socially Mr. Ebling is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Auburn, and his religious connection is with the Reformed Church. He married Sarah De Walt, daughter of Joseph De Walt, of South Manheim township, and she died in 1884, the mother of seven children, viz .: Irvin A., mentioned below ; Annie, wife of Morris Kisler, of Schuylkill Haven; Kate and Joel, residing at home; Ellen, wife of W. Wagner, of Schuylkill Haven; John M., a promi- nent business man of Schuylkill Haven; and Mary, wife of George W. Butz, a civil engineer of Schuylkill Haven.


John Fahl, father of Mrs. Gideon Ebling, was a native and lifelong resident of West Brunswick township, and during his early life assisted in the devel- opment of this region from a primitive wilderness. He lived to an advanced age and was a highly respected member of the community.


Irvin A. Ebling attended school in West Brunswick township and worked on his father's farm near Pinedale, which he afterwards cultivated on his own account for six years. He then farmed near Orwigsburg for three years; for five years back of Tumbling run, and finally came to North Manheim township in 1907 and bought the old Hamilton farm near Pottsville. This tract of fourteen and a half acres he is now cultivating intensively, doing a gen- eral trucking business and operating a dairy, having twelve cows which supply a large number of customers in Pottsville. Through his methods and industry the farm has been developed into one of great productivity, and is much more valuable than when he purchased it. There is a fine spring on the land. Mr. Ebling keeps his buildings in a thorough state of repair, and the success which he has achieved in the vocation of agriculture is due entirely to his enterprise and energy.


In October, 1888, Mr. Ebling was married to Annie Miller, a daughter of Isaac and Sarah (Nagle) Miller, of Washington township, and they have had


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eight children : Bertha (married Earl Spotts), Elmer, William, Clayton, Harry, Florence, Charles and Ralph. Mr. Ebling is a Democrat, and has served as school director of West Brunswick and Blythe townships, one term in the latter. In religious faith he is a believer in the tenets of the Reformed Church, which he and his wife attend.


GEORGE FRANKLIN KNITTLE, a resident of the borough of New Ringgold, is a thoroughly respected young man of his section of Schuylkill county. His energetic nature has led him to spend his time outside of business hours in the promotion of the movements which he considers valuable to his , community, and he has come to be regarded as a highly useful citizen.


Mr. Knittle was born in East Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, and received his education at New Ringgold, in that township, attending school until eighteen years old. He then entered the employ of the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company, learning telegraphy in the station at New Ringgold, where he remained for one year. After a short service as extra operator he was appointed, Oct. 1, 1904, as regular operator at Kruger, Schuylkill county, where he remained for three years. Thence he was transferred to Sands Siding, where he was stationed for seven years, at the end of that period being returned to Kruger, at which place he has since been the operator. He makes his home in New Ringgold, and is at present serving as assessor of that borough. On July 1, 1911, he was appointed by Dr. Samuel Dixson, head of the Pennsylvania State Health Department, as State health officer for the town- ships of East Brunswick and West Penn in Schuylkill county, and has served continuously since in that capacity. Mr. Knittle has been quite prominent in the Republican party in his locality, and has served as election inspector. He has also taken an active part in social and church work, being a member of the Reformed Church at New Ringgold, in which he formerly held the office of deacon. He was secretary of the Sunday school for one term. He is a past president of Washington Camp No. 100, P. O. S. of A., of New Ringgold ; a past grand of East Brunswick Lodge, No. 802, I. O. O. F., of New Ring- gold ; a member of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Union ; and a member of the Independent Order of Railway Employees, whose headquarters are at Reading.


Mr. Knittle married Carrie Emma Vetter, who was born May 10, 1884, in New Ringgold, daughter of David and Mary C. (Hartzel) Vetter, and they have three children, born at follows: Robert Franklin, Oct. 9, 1905; Alma Catherine, March 29, 1907; Miriam Rodella, Aug. 17, 1908. All are attending school at New Ringgold.


Hiram Koch, Mr. Knittle's maternal grandfather, was a native of East Brunswick township, Schuylkill county, and was reared and educated there. He owned a fine farm, and was engaged in general agriculture throughout his life, dying at the age of seventy-five years. His wife, Catherine (Koenig), daughter of Samuel Koenig, died at the age of sixty-eight years, and both are buried in the cemetery at the Frieden's Church. They were regular attendants at the services of the Reformed Church. Politically Mr. Koch was a Repub- lican. We have the following record of the family born to them: Ella, mother of Mr. Knittle, was born in East Brunswick township; Frank, now a resident of Mount Carmel, Pa., married a Miss Betz ; Amanda married Howard Freed, and lives at Weatherly, Pa .; William, of Orwigsburg, Pa., married Rella Light ; Clara married Charles Dennis, and resides in Philadelphia, Pa .; Annie is the


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wife of William L. Rogers, and lives at Mount Olive, Miss .; George, of New Ringgold, married Stella Bachman; two are deceased.


David Vetter, father of Mrs. George Franklin Knittle, was born Feb. 22, 1843, at Pottsville, Schuylkill county, son of John and Mary (Hetzel) Vetter. His grandfather, John Vetter, was born in Germany, and passed all his life in that country. John Vetter, the father of David, was born Feb. 26, 1815, in Baden, Germany, and came to the United States in 1828. Soon afterwards he settled in New York State, and in 1840 moved to Pottsville, Schuylkill Co., Pa., where he lived until 1864. That year he settled at New Ringgold, this county, where his wife died April 20, 1883, and his death occurred Aug. 8, 1885. He was a brickmaker by trade, and followed the business for a number of years at Pottsville, later, however, turning his attention to farming. He was a member of the Lutheran Church and a regular attendant at its services. His wife was also a native of Germany. They had a family of six children, three sons and three daughters, all of whom grew to maturity.


David Vetter passed his boyhood at Pottsville, Pa., and received his educa- tion in the public schools there. After leaving school he was employed on the Schuylkill & Erie canal, following boating until his enlistment in the army during the Civil war. On Aug. 22, 1862, he left home and enlisted at Kingston, N. Y., in Company H, 120th Regiment of the New York Volunteers, which was attached to the 2d Brigade, 2d Division, 3d Army Corps. He served with that command until the end of the war and saw much active service, taking part in a number of battles, among them foremost the engagements at Chancellors- ville, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, Wilderness and Spottsylvania. Returning to Schuylkill county at the close of his army experience he learned telegraphy at New Ringgold, and became night operator in the station there, being so engaged for twenty-one years. Then, in 1891, he was promoted to the position of station agent at that point, continuing to fill that position for over twenty years. Mr. Vetter was also United States Express agent at New Ring- gold. He has been a prominent figure in public affairs in the borough, having served several terms as justice of the peace, to which office he was first elected in 1878. He took a leading part in the deliberations of the borough council, of which he was a member for five years, and for thirty-five years he held the position of school director, for this time also acting as secretary of the board. Politically he is a Republican in sentiment, but reserves the right to think for himself on all questions. He has been a leading member of the Lutheran Church, serving the congregation in the office of deacon, and for over fifteen years consecutively was superintendent of the Sunday school. Socially he belongs to Doubleday Post, No. 189, G. A. R .; and to Washington Camp No. 100, P. O. S. of A., with which he has been affiliated for over forty years; he has filled all the offices in the local organization.


On June 15, 1863, Mr. Vetter married Mary C. Hetzel, daughter of John and Christina Hetzel, of New York State, and they have had a family of eight children : Sarah E., who married Christian Miller, a miner of Mahanoy City, this county; Mary R., wife of George Sassaman, a farmer of Barnesville, this county ; Flora L., married to Marvin Fusselman, a carpenter, of Slatington, Lehigh Co., Pa .; John H., of Chicago; George W., a telegrapher; Katie M .; Carrie Emma, wife of George F. Knittle; and Lottie P.




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