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 59
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Mrs. Emily Rebecca (Shappell) Deibert was born June 28, 1886, in Schuyl- kill Haven, where she received her education. Her grandfather, Frank Shap- pell, was a boatman on the Schuylkill Navigation Company's canal. He mar- ried Rebecca Reber, and they had the following children: Frank married a Miss Flammer ; Charles married Ellen Long; Robert was the father of Mrs. Deibert; Mary married Charles Keller. The mother of this family is buried in the Union cemetery at Schuylkill Haven.
Robert Shappell, son of Frank, was born June 4, 1852, in Schuylkill Haven, and received his education there. He followed railroading all his life, becom- ing an engineer on the main line of the Philadelphia & Reading railroad; for a few years before his death, which occurred Dec. II, 19II, he was yard engineer in the yards at Palo Alto. His wife, Eva (Hummel), born May 30, 1858, daughter of Frank Hummel, died Nov. 17, 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Shap- pell are buried in the Union cemetery at Schuylkill Haven. They had the following children : George married Kate Heim and (second) Lizzie Boltz; Irene is next in the family; Robert married Kate Rubright; Laura married George Rumble; Emily Rebecca is Mrs. W. F. Deibert; Margaret married Joseph McGovern ; Samuel is unmarried. The father was a Republican, and a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Schuylkill Haven, and of the United Brethren Church.
GOTTFRIED KNOEDLER has gained a place among the most substan- tial, thrifty farmers of West Penn township by well directed industry and the painstaking attention to his work characteristic of the German race. He purchased his present farm there some fifteen years ago, and has been im-
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proving it steadily ever since, with the result that it has kept increasing in value and is one of the most fertile tracts in that part of Schuylkill county. Mr. Knoedler is a native of Germany, born April 26, 1865, in the kingdom of Wurtemberg. His grandfather, Bernhard Knoedler, also lived in that section, where he owned a small farm and followed agricultural pursuits, be- sides working for the government as a forester. He died when his grandson Gottfried was a small boy, and he and his wife are buried at Grunbach, Wurt- emberg. In religion he adhered to the faith of the German Lutheran Church. His children were: Frederick, who became a farmer; Bernhard ; and Caroline, who married Jacob Stoble, a stonemason, of Steinoch, Wurtemberg.
Bernhard Knoedler, son of Bernhard, above, was born Aug. 1, 1819, in Wurtemberg, and was there reared and educated. In his early life he learned the trade of baker, which he followed until his marriage, after which he secured a position on the railroad running through the locality, operated by the German government. For twenty-five years he was freight agent at Grun- bach, and died suddenly in his office there Ang. 10, 1887, from a stroke. He married Susanna Giddinger, who was born in the Canton of Aarau, Switzer- land, and died in March, 1896, aged seventy-three years. Mr. and Mrs. Knoedler were members of the German Lutheran Church, and are buried at Grunbach. They had children as follows: John; Adolph; Carl, who died while serving in the German army; Susanna, who married Lewis Gunch; Christianna; Catherine; Gottfried; and Carolina.
Gottfried Knoedler obtained his education in the public schools near his early home, attending until he reached the age of fourteen years. Thereafter he worked out among farmers until he was seventeen years old, at which time he came alone to America, landing at New York City. The day after his arrival he set out for Lehigh county, Pa., coming to Slateville, where he worked in the slate quarries for two and a half years. He next hired out to William Klingerman, at Steinsville, Lehigh county, as a farm laborer, and remained with him for three years, following which he worked on the farm of Daniel H. Greitz for three years. At that time he married and returned to Slateville, where he spent another year at work in the quarries, leaving to enter the employ of Daniel Feinhour, at Jacksonville, Lehigh county, as farm laborer. When he had worked for him one year he went to Lewistown, in Walker township, Schuylkill county, where he was employed on James Faust's farm one year and for the same length of time by Daniel Leiby, at Lewistown. Then he removed to Lynnport, Lehigh county, where he worked on Jacob Hartman's farm for three years, changing to the farm of Amandus Zehner, at Zehner station, Schuylkill county, upon which he was employed for five years. He then rented that farm for one year, moving from there to his present place, which he bought fifteen years ago from Mrs. Sarah Ernst. His home has been on this property continuously since. It consists of seventy-one acres, fifty-two acres of which are cleared, and he has had excellent success in general farming and trucking, marketing his crops at Tamaqua. Mr. Knoedler is highly respected in his neighborhood as a man of good character, and he is an esteemed member of the Lutheran congregation of Zion's Church in his township; formerly he was a member of the Jacobs Lutheran Church at Jacksonville, Lehigh county, where he served as deacon. In politics he is a Democrat.
Mr. Knoedler married Mary A. Schaller, who was born Jan. 13, 1870, in Weisenberg township, Lehigh county, daughter of George and Amanda
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(Wegknecht) Schaller, who when she was one year old moved with their family to Lynnport, where she received her education. She remained at home until her marriage. Like her husband she is a member of Zion's Lutheran congregation in West Penn township. Mr. and Mrs. Knoedler have had seven children: Mary Susanna, born Feb. 15, 1889, is at home; Sadie Annie, born April 11, 1891, is at home; Mabel Victoria, born Jan. 29, 1893, is at home ; Queenie Amanda, born March 21, 1895, died Sept. 22, 1898; Frederick George was born Feb. 2, 1897; Paul Edwin, Sept. 4, 1899; Ralph Robert, Oct. 3, 1903. All this family have had the best educational advantages afforded by the township schools.
George Schaller, Mrs. Knoedler's grandfather, was born in Weisenberg township, Lehigh county, had a small farm, and was also an excellent me- chanic, working as a carpenter, wheelwright and pumpmaker; he first en- gaged in the manufacture of threshing machines, later turning out pumps. He died in Weisenberg township, and is buried at Seiberlingville, Lehigh county. In politics he was a Democrat, and his religious connection was with the German Lutheran Church. After his death Mrs. Schaller, whose maiden name was Boger, went to Mercer county, Pa. They had children as follows: George, Owen, Jonathan, Daniel, Lydia, Mary, Rosie and Eliza. All moved west except George.
George Schaller was born May 28, 1828, in Weisenberg township, and died Dec. 23, 1894, at Lynnport. He received his education and early train- ing in his native township, learning the various trades which his father had mastered and following them in much the same way. When he settled at Lynn- port he engaged in the manufacture of pumps, and also operated a small tract of land which he owned, working steadily until a year before his death, when he retired because of ill health. Like his father he was a Democrat and Lu- theran, belonging to the church at New Tripoli, Lehigh county, where he and his wife are buried. Mr. Schaller married Mary Amanda Wegknecht, who was born May 16, 1831, and died Jan. 28, 1892. They had a large family, viz .: Joel married Flora Rex, and both are deceased; George married Charlotte Geiger, and they reside in New York; John married Sarah Leiby, and is liv- ing in Walker township, Schuylkill county; Jonathan married Sarah Rauch, and their home is at Lynnport, Lehigh county; Edwin married Martha Bush, of Lakeside, Schuylkill county; Sarah Amanda, deceased, was the wife of Frank Grant, of Packerton, Carbon county; Mary Ann is the wife of Gott- fried Knoedler; Eliza, deceased, was the wife of Fred Speidle, of New Phila- delphia, Schuylkill county ; Catherine and Rosie are deceased.
HOWARD WILLIAM HESSINGER is a well and favorably known resident of East Brunswick township, where he has been a farmer most of his life, successful in business and active in the higher interests affecting social conditions in the community. For three generations this family has been asso- ciated with the old Frieden's Church at New Ringgold. The Hessingers are of German origin, and Mr. Hessinger's great-grandparents, John Philip and Margaret (Schmidt) Hessinger, lived and died in Germany, where they are buried. They were members of the German Reformed Church. They had two children, John and Valentine, the latter being the only one of the family to come to America.
Valentine Hessinger was born in Germany March 12, 1816, in the parish of Armsheim, Woerstad Canton, Alzey Circle, Grand Duchy of Hesse Darm-
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stadt. He was baptized March 22, 1816, by Theodore Wienkelbech, Reformed minister, was educated in Germany, and learned the trades of carpenter and miller. Emigrating to America in 1840, he first settled at Kutztown, Berks Co., Pa. In 1845 he was married to Elizabeth Reinard, born May 1, 1816, in Germany, and they had the following children: Lewis was killed while in the army; Frank died in childhood; Lucy died aged twelve years; Catherine, widow of Joseph H. Kee, resides in New Ringgold (they had seven children, John L., Lydia M., Katie E., deceased, Annie R., Hattie B., Minnie G. and Harry F.) ; Emmanuel L. is the father of Howard W. Hessinger; William married Rosy Yost, and they have had children, Lewis (deceased), Florence, May, Preston and Ruth; Lizzie is the widow of David Holtzman, and had children, Alfred, Abner (deceased), Leon (deceased), Esther and Carrie. In 1853 Valentine Hessinger moved to McKeansburg, in East Brunswick town- ship, Schuylkill county, where he remained one year. Then he removed to New Ringgold, where he spent the rest of his days, following milling and later in life working among the farmers, until he retired, a number of years before his death, which occurred April 16, 1894. When the iron furnaces were at New Ringgold he was employed there for a time. He became a well known citizen of the township, holding the position of tax collector for years; was a Democrat in politics ; and a prominent member of the Frieden's Reformed Church. He served as superintendent of the Sunday school. His wife died July 6, 1899, and they are buried at the Frieden's Church, New Ringgold.
Emmanuel L. Hessinger was born at New Ringgold July 7, 1857, was edu- cated in the public schools there, and learned the carpenter's trade with his brother-in-law, the late Joseph H. Keefer. He has followed that calling all his life, and has been with the Pennsylvania & Reading Railway Company, in the North and Green streets shop. for nearly forty years. He makes his home on the farm he owns in East Brunswick township, a property of 130 acres, of which seventy-five are under cultivation, his son Howard looking after its cultivation. Mr. Hessinger married Josephine Freed, who was born Aug. 29, 1859, daughter of William and Isabella (Miller) Freed, and they have had four children: Bessie May, born April 29, 1880, a milliner, lives at home ; Howard William is mentioned below; Clarence Edward, born in Octo- ber, 1892, died when eight weeks old; Walter Morris, born May 3, 1895, is a student in the Tamaqua high school. Mr. Hessinger is a member of Protection Council, No. 935, Order of Independent Americans, at McKeansburg; of the Pittsburgh Pension Life Association ; and of the Philadelphia & Reading Relief Association. Though not a member he is a regular attendant at the services of the Frieden's Lutheran Church. Politically he is a Democrat.
Howard William Hessinger was born Dec. 24, 1881, at Hecla, East Bruns- wick township, and was educated in the schools of the township principally, later taking a commercial course in Rev. H. V. Stoner's business college, at Reading, Pa. Returning to the farm he worked there five years, when he took a position as signal inspector on the Philadelphia & Reading railroad, holding same for two years. Then he came back to the farm, which he is now renting from his father. He has been very successful in its operation, but has also found time for other affairs. He has served as election clerk, filled the office of township auditor, and has been specially interested in the success of the Republican party. His religious connection is with the Reformed congrega- tion of the Frieden's Church, in which he has long been a prominent worker. Formerly a deacon, he is serving in the office of elder at present; has been a Vol. II-26
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member of the church choir for fifteen years; and is a teacher in the Sunday school, of which he was assistant superintendent for six years. He is also a member of the Home and Foreign Missionary Society. Mr. Hessinger is a member of the Pittsburgh Pension Life Association.
Mr. Hessinger's wife, Elizabeth (Schaffer), was born March 9, 1883, a daughter of Benjamin and Savina (Halderman) Schaffer. They have one child, Arlin Stanley, born June 19, 1907, who is attending school in East Brunswick township.
Mrs. Hessinger is a granddaughter of Jacob Schaffer, who was a farmer and stonemason in East Brunswick township. He learned his trade early in life, and later he bought a farm of forty-five acres, part of which he cleared. He operated his farm in connection with work at his trade, and when his chil- dren became old enough they took care of the land while he gave his time to his trade entirely. He died on the farm. His wife, Priscilla (Sassaman). died in October, 1912, aged ninety-one years. Children as follows were born to them: Jacob, deceased, married Emma Yoxhammer, who now lives in Chicago, Ill .; Henry, deceased, married Sarah Bachert, who resides in East Brunswick township; Benjamin is next in the order of birth ; Priscilla married Jacob Marbach, and they reside at Middleport, Pa .; Amanda married Harry McMullin, and they reside at Reading, Pa .; Mary married Solomon Bachert, and they are residents of East Brunswick township; Lizzie married a Mr. Reed, and both are deceased ; Emma married Frank Halderman, and resides at New Haven, Conn. Mr. and Mrs. Schaffer are buried at the Frieden's Church, New Ringgold. He was a leading member of the Lutheran congregation of that place, which he served as elder, deacon and in other capacities. His political sympathies were with the Democratic party, and he held the office of supervisor.
Benjamin Schaffer, son of Jacob, was born in East Brunswick township June 3, 1851, was reared and educated in that township, and assisted his father on the farm until twenty-one years of age. Then he married and bought a few acres in East Brunswick township, on which he settled. He learned the trades of plasterer and stonemason, which he followed for a few years, when he sold his little place and bought a tract of fifty acres in West Penn township, this county, and cultivated it in addition to working at his trades. Later he sold this tract and came to East Brunswick town- ship, first purchasing a tract of fifty acres and later a tract of 153 acres, for his son Salem. Up to 1914 he had about eighty acres. He then bought a house and small lot and is now living retired, his son Norman Edward having bought his home farm, and his son Salem having bought the first tract, which now contains 108 acres. He has always followed plastering and stone- masonry as well as agricultural work. His wife, Savina (Halderman), now about sixty-seven years old, is a daughter of Abraham and Priscilla (Zim- merman) Halderman, and children as follows have been born to them: Amanda, who died in infancy ; Harvey Franklin, who died young; Salem Ben- jamin ; Claude, who died young; Elizabeth, wife of Howard W. Hessinger ; Samuel, who married Maude DeLong; Maude, living at home; and Norman Edward, who married Annie Heiser. Mr. Schaffer is a Democrat, and has been elected school director, and is a devout member of the United Evangelical Church at New Ringgold ; at one time he was a teacher in the Sunday school.
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EDWARD BARR, who is now living retired at Pine Grove, is a descendant of one of the most honored pioneer residents of that borough, its first post- master, and a substantial citizen in every respect. He is a member of the fourth generation of his family in this country, and each generation has had a representative in the army, assisting in the defense of the nation whenever need arose. The great-grandfather, who came from Switzerland, was a sailor before his settlement in Pennsylvania. It is possible he located in Berks county. During the Revolution he served as a supporter of the Colonial cause.
John Barr, Sr., grandfather of Edward Barr, was a soldier in the war of 1812. He was an early settler in Pine Grove, and one of the substantial men of his day, owning a large farm which he cultivated profitably and also con- ducting what is known as the "Eagle Hotel." When the Pine Grove post office was established, in 1819, he became postmaster, and his son Paul afterwards filled the office for twenty-four years. John Barr, Sr., died at Pine Grove. A chair used in his household, now more than one hundred years old, is one of the prized possessions of his grandson, Edward Barr.
John Barr, Jr., was born in Pine Grove, where the "Eagle Hotel" now stands, was a blacksmith, and besides following his trade carried on farming near Pine Grove. He died in 1893. During the Mexican war he volunteered, but the war closed before his company and regiment reached the front and he saw no active service. Mr. Barr married Abbie Fiddler, who was born in what is now Washington township, Schuylkill county, daughter of John Fiddler, who came here in the early days. He followed farming, and there was a general demand for his services as a general mechanic, his skill as a blacksmith, cabinetmaker and wheelwright making him a valuable acquisition in the pioneer community. From this section he moved out to Iowa, where he died. He was of English ancestry. Mrs. Barr died in 1904, when ninety years old. She was the mother of eight children, of whom but three survive: Elizabeth. deceased ; Elmira, deceased ; Amelia, deceased ; Edward; John F., a farmer of Hegins township, this county : Sybilla, widow of George Sausser; and George and William, both of whom died in infancy.
Edward Barr was born Feb. 8, 1845, in Pine Grove township, where he was reared. He was educated in the local public schools, and followed farming from boyhood, also learning the trade of millwright in his young manhood. He was only a youth when the war broke out, but he served during the latter part of the conflict, enlisting from Pine Grove Feb. 17, 1865, and going to the front from Auburn as a member of Company B, 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry. He received his discharge at Richmond Aug. 11th of that year, and lost no time joining the regular army, as a member of Company F, 2d United States Cavalry, his term expiring Sept. 27, 1868, when he was mustered out at Fort Russell, Wyo. Returning to Pine Grove, he has since made his home there, a citizen whose reliable character commends him to the esteem of all who know him. For some time he did painting and paperhanging, the demand for his services keeping him steadily employed until his retirement several years ago. He is a member of Wolf Post, No. 203, G. A. R., and is serving as chaplain of that organization. His religious connection is with the United Brethren.
On April 9, 1870, Mr. Barr married Pollie Ann Hehn, a native of Berks county, Pa., whose parents, Henry and Mary ( Naftsinger) Hehn, were born in Schuylkill and Berks counties, respectively. They died in Washington town- ship, Schuylkill county. Mr. Hehn was a farmer by occupation, owning a large
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farm. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Barr: Melissa, who married Albert M. Idell and lives at Germantown, near Philadelphia (they have three children, Albert E., Abbie C. and Catherine D.) ; Mary A., wife of Michael J. Donavin, of New York; John H., deceased; Amelia and Edward Jr., both at home.
WILLIAM A. STARR, proprietor of the "Starr Hotel" at Tuscarora, turned to his present business some years ago after a varied experience, in 1906 buying out Elmer Garber, who was conducting a saloon in J. F. Rehm's property. Mr. Starr was born March 31, 1868, at Branch Dale, Schuylkill county, son of David Starr, and belongs to an old family established in this county by his great-great-grandfather, who settled here on his arrival from Germany.
Peter Starr, Sr., great-grandfather of William A. Starr, was born in Schuylkill county. He learned the trade of tailor, at which he worked in Branch and Reilly townships, and was a well known man in that section in his day. He lived to the great age of ninety-eight years, seven months, fifteen days, and is buried in the old Frieden's Church cemetery near Llewellyn, in Branch township. His children were: Abraham, Peter, Jr., John, Jacob, Elizabeth, Susan, Maria and Catherine.
Abraham Starr, grandfather of William A. Starr, was born and reared in Schuylkill county, and passed all his life here, dying when sixty-eight years old. He is buried in the cemetery of Frieden's Church. He always worked by the day. By his marriage to Rebecca Zechman he had a large family, five of whom still survive: Charles, William, Jacob, Abraham and David.
David Starr, son of Abraham, was born Feb. 28, 1845, at Llewellyn, in Branch township. When but six years old he came to the place where he has since made his home, the farm of his uncle, Peter Starr, Jr., who reared and educated him, having no children of his own. David Starr remained with his uncle until the latter's death. He assisted with the farm work, and is still engaged in cultivating what he retains of the tract, having sold the part upon which the famous Black Diamond colliery is situated. In his uncle's day it was worked by independent operators, but it is now owned by the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company, who acquired it at sheriff's sale. .
Mr. Starr has been township treasurer, and succeeded his uncle Peter as supervisor of Branch township, holding the office for six months. He has been a prominent member of the Reformed Church, in which he has served as elder. He married Mary M. Henry, and they have had a family of nine chil- dren : Sarah R., unmarried ; William A .; Catherine, wife of Fred A. Barrows, living in Boston, Mass .; Jane G., wife of Milton Starr, living in Branch township; Samuel O., at home; and four who died young.
William A. Starr grew up in Branch township and attended the public school at Stine's Mill. Meantime he assisted his father on the farm, and was so occupied until he reached the age of twenty-one years, when he went to work at the Atkins rolling mill, remaining there one year. After another year at home he found employment in a sawmill at Branch Dale, where he worked three years, following which he did carpenter work at the Blackwood colliery for four years. For the next six months he was engaged in a planing mill at Reading, Pa., spent another six months conducting a grocery business at Reading on his own account, and then returned home again for a short time. His next position was at the Otto colliery, where he was timber man for a
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time, he and Charles Shadel becoming partners in the timber business there and so continuing until the strike of 1902, after which Mr. Starr did prospecting for the Black Diamond Anthracite Coal Company at Branch Dale, where he subsequently acted as outside foreman for two years. From there he changed to the Blackwood breaker, where he did carpenter work for eighteen months, at the end of that period coming to Tuscarora, where on Sept. 25, 1906, he rented the hotel of J. Franklin Rehm, which he has since been conducting. He continued to rent it until Dec. 31, 1910, when the property was sold by the sheriff to M. J. Duffy, from whom Mr. Starr has since purchased it. In his various connections he has become very well known, and his personal popular- ity has aided him greatly in making a success of his hotel, which is well patronized. Mr. Starr has taken considerable interest in the public affairs of the locality, and has served as a member of the election board. Socially he belongs to the Buffaloes at Tamaqua.
On Dec. 15, 1904, Mr. Starr married Lulu Holwig, daughter of John Hol- wig, of Newton, Schuylkill county, and they are the parents of two children, Louis S. and Wilbert H. The family are associated with the Reformed denomination.
JOSEPH SCHEAFFER, of Frackville, has the most popular ice cream parlor and confectionery store in the borough, where he has been engaged in business for the last six years. A native of Schuylkill county, he was born at Pottsville April 10, 1857, son of Sebastian and Elisabeth ( Spotts) Scheaffer, and is of German parentage ..
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