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 71
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his religious connection is with St. John's Roman Catholic Church at Pottsville.
Mr. Elison married Mary Post, daughter of Joseph Post, of Pottsville, a well known employe of the Philadelphia & Reading Company. Four children have been born to this marriage, Elizabeth, William, Maria and Margaret.
C. LESTER BECK, superintendent of the electric light plant at Schuyl- kill Haven, was born Feb. 6, 1882, at Mahanoy City, Schuylkill Co., Pa., son of Edward F. Beck, grandson of George Beck, and great-grandson of Jacob Beck, one of the pioneers of Schuylkill county.
Jacob Beck was born in 1789 in Reitlingen, Germany, where in 1817 he was married to Anna Maria Beider, who was born in 1794 and died in 1870. In the year of his marriage Jacob Beck came to America and settled in Penn- sylvania, working on the Schuylkill canal for a number of years. Later he became assistant engineer in the survey of the Mine Hill railroad, which was constructed during 1828-30. In 1822 he came to Manheim township, bought a farm of 100 acres, and built a saw and grist mill there. Here grew up the settlement which later gained the name of Beckville. Mr. Beck was a devoted member of the Lutheran Church, a Democrat in politics, and held the office of school director for many years. By his marriage with Anna Maria Beider he had nine children: (1) Elizabeth married Joseph Wilde, and had seven children : George, Joseph, Bide, Tillie, John J., Charles and Libby. (2) Jacob died young. (3) Frederick married Magdaline Hurleman and they had three children: George G., Mary L. (Mrs. J. W. Weist), and Charles F. (4) George is mentioned below. (5) Edward married Mary Ann Strauch and had one son, Isaac G. (6) John had a family of three children, William J., Blanche and Maria. (7) Mary married Emil Stecker and had six children: George, Henry, Naomi, Joseph, Ada and Katie. (8) Catherine married David Clark and is the only survivor of this generation, living now at Hazleton. Her five children were: Jennie, George, Catherine, Frank and Potter. (9) William, a miller of Beckville, had seven children: Ada, John J., Catherine, Blanche, Annie, Mabel and Clarence.
George Beck was born at Beckville, Pa., Aug. 31, 1827, and died June 14. 1890. He was a carpenter by trade, and cultivated a farm of fifty-five acres at Glenworth, Pa., during much of his life. He married Salome, daughter of George Hirleman, and she bore him seven children: Mary J., wife of George W. Coover; Barbara L., wife of Charles J. Smith; Katie, wife of William Conner ; William H., living at Hazleton ; George J., who died at Hazle- ton ; Edward F .; and David F., who died at Glenworth. Mrs. Beck was born Oct. 6, 1826, and died Dec. 3. 1909. She and her husband are buried in the Union cemetery at Schuylkill Haven.
Edward F. Beck was born on the homestead at Glenworth and attended the local schools in North Manheim township. He learned the trade of wheel- wright at Pottsville, but followed it only a few years, having obtained the position of carpenter with the Lehigh Valley Company, which he held for twelve years. In July, 1898, he entered the employ of the Cressona Powder Company, and has since done all their millwork. He married Katie R., daugh- ter of Isaac Roeder, of Schuylkill Haven, and they have had five children : Mattie A .; C. Lester ; Preston ; Harry G., and Olive. Mr. Beck is a Demo- crat, and has served on the board of health of his district. He is a member of the Reformed Church, of Camp No. 36. P. O. S. of A., of Pottsville, and of Tribe No. 82, Improved Order of Red Men, of Cressona.
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C. Lester Beck attended the public schools of Schuylkill Haven, and then took a course in electricity from the International Correspondence Schools, of Scranton. He also attended the Kutztown State Normal School for two years. He worked for two years with the Bell Telephone Company through Schuylkill county, and having decided to make electricity his life work took a position for a time with Sheets & Daddow, electrical contractors, of Potts- ville, and in September, 1912, became connected with the Schuylkill Haven electric light plant .. On Jan. 1, 1914, he was made superintendent of the plant, and he has since held that position with entire satisfaction to the com- pany, and the public. Mr. Beck was married to Ida Brown, whose father died when she was but a child. Their home is on Garfield avenue, Schuylkill Haven. Mr. Beck is a member of the First Reformed Church, in whose work he takes an active part, and is a Democrat in politics. He is leader of the orchestra of his church and for five years has played clarinet in the Third Brigade band of Pottsville.
EDWARD ZIMMERMAN, an old-time citizen of Pine Grove, now liv- ing retired at Lebanon, Pa., was born at Pine Grove Jan. 9. 1830, and the Zimmerman family is an old established one in this region. He is a son of John Zimmerman and grandson of Henry Zimmerman, who settled on a farm in Pine Grove township at a very early day and followed agricultural pur- suits here until his death.
John Zimmerman was born on a farm near Pine Grove and became one of the prosperous residents of this section, acquiring the ownership of consider- able property in the vicinity, including the place where his son Edward Zim- merman lived until recently. He and his wife, whose maiden name was Catherine Gamble, died at Pine Grove. They had a family of eight children, of whom Edward and John are the only survivors, John living at Lock Haven.
During his boyhood Edward Zimmerman attended school at Pine Grove. He was engaged in railroad work most of his active life, for more than forty years. When the war broke out he showed his sympathy with the Union cause, enlisting from Pine Grove in the 133d Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, serving under Col. Daniel Nagle, now of Pottsville. He was in the army about nine months, and was mustered out at Harrisburg. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, holding membership in Wolf Post, No. 203, of Pine Grove. For the upright character and industrious traits he manifested through- out his working years he enjoys the unqualified esteem of all the citizens of the borough and township, where he is widely known.
Mr. Zimmerman married Sarah Elizabeth Bowen, of Pine Grove, a native of Lebanon county, Pa., descended from a pioneer family of that county. Mrs. Zimmerman died in 1909. Two children were born to this union, Magdalena C. and Josephine, the latter married to Mahlon Faber, of Lebanon, Pa. Mr. Zimmerman now makes his home with Mrs. Faber.
FRANK ZETTLEMOYER is an enterprising farmer of West Penn town- ship, owning and operating the farm where he was born. His father, the late John Zettlemoyer, settled there over fifty years ago, and for thirty years and more occupied an honored place among the substantial citizens of the county.
Peter Zettlemover, the grandfather, was a farmer in Albany township, Berks Co., Pa., following agricultural work all his life. It is remarkable that when he died, though eighty years old, he had a full head of black hair. His
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grandson Frank was only a small boy at that time. He had the following chil- dren: John; Joseph, who went West to Ohio; Pessita, who married Alfred Frederici (both deceased) ; Mary, who married Samuel Mengel; Betsy, who married a Mengel and (second) a Baer; and Mrs. Samuel Focht. The par- ents are buried in Albany township, Berks county. Mr. Zettlemoyer was a member of the German Lutheran Church, and a Democrat in political con- viction.
John Zettlemoyer, son of Peter, was born in Albany township, Berks county, in January, 1823, was educated in the Albany township schools, and worked there for his father until eighteen years old. He learned the trade of wheelwright with David Petery, in Albany township, Berks county. It was from Mr. Petery that he bought the farm in West Penn township, Schuylkill county, which his son Frank now owns, moving there a year after he made the purchase, and there he made his permanent home, carrying on farming and his trade. He built a wheelwright shop on the place, and continued to work at his trade about twenty years in connection with the operation of his farm, which consisted of two tracts, one of sixty-six acres with farm buildings, the other of seventy-seven acres with outbuildings. All told, he had about one hundred acres under cultivation, raising general crops and marketing his produce at Tamaqua. He interested himself in local conditions, and served many years as elder and deacon in Zion's Lutheran Church in West Penn township. Politically he supported the principles of the Democratic party. His death occurred Feb. 29, 1892.
Mr. Zettlemoyer married Lydia Shuman, who was born in 1820, and died in 1876. They had children as follows: William, deceased, married Kate Miller, who resides at Chain, Pa .; David married Polly Hoppes, and they reside at Mahoning Valley, in West Penn township; James married Sarah Hoppes, and both are deceased; Samuel lives in Texas; John married Lizzie Rubrecht, who is deceased, and he lives at Pottsville; Lewis married Fiana Ziegler, and they live in Texas; Jonas married Maggie Heine, and they made their home in Philadelphia; Frank is next in the family; Priscilla, deceased, was the wife of Christian Metzger, of Tamaqua, Pa .; Lucy Ann is the widow of Joseph Arner, and resides at Snyder, Pa .; Mary, the widow of Tilghman Rex, lives in Chicago, Ill .; Sarah, deceased, married Henry Hartzell, of Orwigsburg, Pa .; Lydia is the widow of Eli Ohl, and resides at Snyders. Pa .; Amanda married John Smith, of Chicago; Betsy died when eight years old; Elvina married Solomon Hoppes, and both are deceased. The parents are buried at Zion's Church in West Penn township.
Frank Zettlemoyer was born Feb. 18, 1866, and was educated in West Penn township, attending Zion's Church school. He worked for his father on the home place until twenty-one years of age, and then rented the farm from his father until the latter's death, when he bought the property, which he has been conducting successfully ever since. Mr. Zettlemoyer has demon- strated his progressive disposition in every department of his work. The improvement of the property has gone steadily forward under his management and ownership, the present dwelling house on the farm is of his construction, and everything else about the place indicates prosperity and up-to-date ideas. He has been notably successful in his farming operations, and is justly ranked with the energetic element in his township which has helped to advance stand- ards all over the locality.
Mr. Zettlemoyer married Sarah Kistler, who was born in December, 1869,
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daughter of Jonathan K. and Lydia (Shellhammer) Kistler, and they have had three children, born as follows: David, July 7, 1890; Katie, June 4, 1892 ; Mary, Oct. 20, 1897. All have attended the West Penn township schools, and now reside at home. Mr. Zettlemoyer gives his support to the Democratic party. In religion he is a Lutheran, belonging to Zion's Church in West Penn township.
Mrs. Zettlemoyer is a descendant of Johannes or John George Kistler, an early settler of Berks county, Pa., through his son Philip, the latter's son Jonathan, and his son Jonathan K. Kistler. A complete account of the earlier generations appears elsewhere in this work.
Jonathan K. Kistler, father of Mrs. Zettlemover, was born June 18, 1834, in West Penn township, was educated in the district schools there, and assisted his father on the farm and in the mill. After his marriage he bought the mill and farm of his father and stayed there the remainder of his life. Before his marriage he served in the Union army, enlisting in August, 1862, in Com- pany D, 173d Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was enrolled at Harris- burg for nine months, assigned to guard duty and reserve work, and discharged at Harrisburg in 1863, returning home. Though he supported the Union he was a Democrat in political opinion, and in religion a Lutheran, belonging to Zion's Church, in West Penn township, and assisting faithfully in all its work. He was elder and deacon of the church, and was a teacher in the Sunday school. He is buried at Zion's Church.
On Jan. 24, 1864, Mr. Kistler married Lydia Shellhammer, the ceremony being performed by Rev. A. A. Bower. Mrs. Shellhammer was born Aug. 16, 1842, a daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Houser) Shellhammer. Their children are as follows: Charles S. is a resident of West Penn township; Kate A., born Sept. 13, 1866, married Alfred Steigerwalt, who is a merchant at Snyder, this county ; Jonathan S., born July 24, 1868, married Ida A. Behler, and they reside in Mahoning Valley, in West Penn township; Sarah, born in December, 1869, married Frank Zettlemoyer, a farmer of West Penn town- ship; David, born June 23, 1871, now a building contractor in Weatherly, Carbon Co., Pa., married Emma Sittler; Mary, born September, 1873, is liv- ing with her mother on the homestead farm; Lizzie, born March 1, 1875, married Aaron Ruch, a farmer on the homestead farm in West Penn town- ship; Rev. Jacob, born Feb. 15, 1877, now pastor of the Lutheran Church at East Stroudsburg, Pa., married Lulu Sittler; William, born Feb. 26, 1881, a mail clerk in Philadelphia, Pa., married Carrie Balliet ; Ellen, born April 18, 1883, married Leon Walter, who is employed as a telegraph operator in Philadelphia; Agnes, born Dec. 31, 1884, married Ralph Rubrecht, who is employed in the freight office at Allentown, Pa .; Lydia, born May 4, 1879, died when nine months old; another child died young.
LEVI FELLER, loader boss at the Lincoln colliery, and a resident of Pine Grove, is one of the representative men of his locality. He was born in Pine Grove borough Dec. 9, 1865, son of Adam and Catherine (Brown) ยท Feller. The parents were natives of Germany, the father having been born at Baden, and the mother at Nassau.
Adam Feller came to the United States in young manhood, during the year 1854, and located at Pine Grove, Pa., where he was engaged for the remainder of his life as a shoemaker. His death occurred at Pine Grove. The mother came to the United States when she was sixteen years old. She bore her
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husband five children: Emma, Adam, Calvin, Daniel and Levi. During the Civil war Adam Feller served his adopted country as a soldier, being a mem- ber of Company H, 39th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, a regiment called out for ninety days' service.
Levi Feller attended the public schools of his native borough, and not only developed his mental faculties, but early learned to make himself useful from a material standpoint. In 1877 he began working in the mines in his section, and proved himself so useful that he was kept on day work. In time his services were rewarded by promotion until he was made loader boss at the Lincoln colliery, which position he still holds, and he is recognized as a skilled workman, one who is fitted to control those under him. It is an interesting fact that all of his work has been done in connection with mines.
Levi Feller was married to Mary Catherine Saltzer, a daughter of Frank Saltzer, of Hegins Valley. The Saltzer family is of French extraction. Mr. and Mrs. Feller became the parents of four children: Robert F., who is deceased ; Charles H., who is foreman at the Pine Grove brick plant ; Homer G., employed in the mines; and Fred S., attending school. Mr. Feller is a member of the board of health of Pine Grove, and takes an intelligent interest in its work. For many years he has been a valued member of the United Brethren Church of Pine Grove, in which he has held all the lay offices, and he has also been treasurer of the Sunday school connected with this church. Fraternally he belongs to the Sons of Veterans, being eligible because of his father's services to the Union. A man of strong personality and unflagging energy, Mr. Feller has risen through his own efforts, and deserves the posi- tion to which he has attained in his business and community.
WALTER E. BROWN, who is engaged in farming in Porter township, Schuylkill county, was born at Muir, in that township, Nov. 26, 1875, son of Henry and Maria (Stein) Brown, grandson of Jacob Brown ( Braun), great- grandson of Philip Brown, and great-great-grandson of Peter Braun.
Peter Braun was born in Germany, near the border of Switzerland, and came to America about the year 1770 in company with two brothers. He had been induced by English military officers to come to this country and fight the colonists, with promises of a farm and wealth, but was captured by the Patriot forces and later became a servant in the retinue of Gen. George Washington. One of his brothers, of whom all trace has been lost, is sup- posed to have met his death in the battle of Brandywine, while another brother served under the command of General Washington for seven years. Peter Brown (Braun) lived in Virginia for a time, but after the war drove a supply team from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. Later he settled in Berks county, and, being an adherent of the Lutheran faith, joined the church at Host or Yohst and became an active worker therein. Some years later he came to the Williams valley and bought the Neidlinger tract, now known as the John Hoffman farm, which forms the greater part of Tower City. He lived on this tract and farmed it until in old age he made his home with one of his sons, Peter, who lived on a farm in Clark's valley which is now owned by Charles Kessler. A few years later he made his home with another son, Philip, who lived on the Josiah Parker farm. (Parker sold the farm to John Houtz, who sold it to John Dieter, and it is now known as the Henry Bohr farm.) Here Peter Brown died about 1835. This Peter Brown had three sons, Jonas, Peter
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and Philip, and three daughters, one of whom married a Reedy, another who became the mother of Michael Goodman, and a third who married a Snoke.
Philip Brown married Kate Swab and was the great-grandfather of Walter E. Brown. He was the father of William C., John, Jacob, Elizabeth ( Mrs. Sam Romberger), and Pauline, Mrs. Abraham Hand. William C. Brown had nineteen children by two wives; John Brown had eight children.
Jacob Brown, the grandfather of Walter E. Brown, was born in Lykens township, Dauphin Co., Pa., was six months old when brought to Schuylkill county by his parents, and except for a period of a few years resided here all his life. At the time of his death, at the advanced age of eighty-six years, eleven months, one day, he was one of the oldest of the surviving and the last of the early settlers of the Williams valley. He remembered the primi- tive conditions of this valley, where instead of towns there were forests, when instead of roads there were paths or Indian trails, and the childhood scenes and pictures of which were more real to him than the Tower City of his later years. As early as 1845 he worked at the old Lorberry colliery, at which time the coal was taken to market through a canal which ran through Pine Grove. He helped drive the first tunnel at the Short Mountain colliery at Lykens, and at that time was paid one dollar per day, although his expenses were not so heavy as they are at this time, his meals costing him six cents. In 1863 he worked at the Osterman drift near Keffers, and also kept a boarding house, helped build the State road from Goodspring to Rausch Gap, and kept what is known now as "Shadle's Tavern," along the above road. His death took place at the home of Monroe Brown, and the funeral services, held at the Lutheran and Reformed Church, Orwin, Rev. Ira F. Frank officiat- ing, were largely attended; interment was made in the adjoining cemetery. Mr. Brown married Elizabeth Heberling, and they became the parents of seven children, as follows: Simon, living at Williamstown, Dauphin county ; Henry; Harriet, of Reiner City, the widow of Christian Weaver; Philip and Andrew, who died at Reiner City; Hiram, of Philadelphia; and Monroe, of Reiner City, who died about two years ago.
Henry Brown, the father of Walter E. Brown, was born in Porter town- ship, Schuylkill Co., Pa., Jan. 16, 1852, and was reared upon his father's farm. At the age of ten years he began to work in the mines and continued to be thus employed until 1903, after which he resided on his farm in Porter town- ship, a tract of twenty-two acres, until his death, Nov. 27, 1915. He married Maria Stein, a daughter of Christian Stein, who was born in Germany and came to America as a young man. Mr. and Mrs. Brown had the following children : Walter E .; Ada May, who died young; Sadie, who married George Kuntzelman; Edna, who married Edward Carl; Harper, an assist- ant mine foreman at Goodspring; Guy, of Schuylkill Haven, Pa .; Roy, a resi- dent of Porter township; Ray, of Port Carbon, Pa .; Lottie, who is the wife of Charles Irey : Mattie, who married Wayne Kahler; Lillie, who died young ; Earle, residing at home; and Harold, at school. Henry Brown served as a member of the school board of Porter township for some years, and fraternally was affiliated with the Patriotic Order Sons of America. He was a member of the Evangelical Church until 1890, when he became a member of the United Brethren Church, which he served as trustee. For many years he was superintendent of the Sunday school at Orwin.
Walter E. Brown attended the public schools of Orwin and began to work in the mines when but twelve years of age. Until fourteen he worked in
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the coal breaker, was then a laborer in the mines for two years, and when six- teen years old began tunnel work, a line in which he is well known, having done a great deal of contracting in digging tunnels. In fact, he has been connected with the driving of almost every tunnel of importance during recent years, including two tunnels at Brookside colliery, one at Lincoln and one at Good- spring. He continued to devote himself entirely to this work until 1910, when he came to his present farm in Porter township, which was formerly owned by William Alspach. He has a well cultivated property with good buildings, and bears the reputation of being a skillful and progressive farmer.
Mr. Brown married Clara Kessler, daughter of Joel Kessler, and they have these children: Ada, who married Sherman Kessler; Viola, a graduate of the high school, and now teaching in Porter township; Edgar, also a grad- uate of the high school; and Dorothy, Howard, Martha and Clara. Mr. Brown has always been ready to do his part in civic service, having been auditor of the township, and at present being president of the township school board. He is well and favorably known in fraternal circles, and at this time holds membership in Lodge No. 267, F. & A. M., of Tremont, Schuylkill county ; the Knights of Pythias, which he served as district deputy for five years; and the Patriotic Order Sons of America.
WILLIAM J. RUMP, proprietor of the "Suedberg Hotel," and an in- ventor of some ability, is a resident of Suedberg, this county. He was born at Lorberry Junction, Tremont township, Schuylkill Co., Pa., May 18, 1867, a son of Peter Rump, and a grandson of Matthias Rump. The latter was born in Germany, and it was while he and his wife were crossing the ocean on their way to the United States that Peter Rump was born to them, on board the ship, at the time disabled in English waters. Upon his arrival in the New World Matthias Rump came to Schuylkill county, Pa., and here he spent the remainder of his useful life, following the occupation of shoe- maker. While living in Germany he gave his country the customary military service.
Peter Rump was reared at Lorberry Junction, Schuylkill county, where he later became a miner, and continued in this line of work all of his active life. During the Civil war he enlisted for service in Company D, 10th Pennsyl- vania Vol. Inf., for three months, and later reenlisted in Company H, 39th Pennsylvania Militia, under Capt. J. W. Barr. In later life he became a valued member of Wolf Post, No. 203, G. A. R., of Pine Grove. Peter Rump was married to Hannah E. Berger, a daughter of Nelson Berger. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Peter Rump was a soldier in the Mexican war. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Rump had twelve children, eight sons and four daughters, of whom two sons and two daughters are deceased. The living are: Johanna, Harriet, Lillie, Bessie, Rosie, Lucretia, Harper C. and William J.
William J. Rump was only a lad when he began working in the mines at Lower Rausch Creek colliery, as a slate. picker, and for several years there- after he continued to work in these mines in the West End. Until 1892 he was associated with this kind of work, in that year going to the West, where he spent eighteen months. On his return he resumed his mining operations. so continuing until 1908, when he embarked in the hotel business at Suedberg. He conducts his hostelry in a very creditable manner, which attracts the travel- ing public, his hotel being well ordered and the cuisine noted far and wide. In addition to his other activities, Mr. Rump has made himself known as an
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