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 8
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party, and was a justice of the peace for forty-four years, and a leader in Zion's Lutheran Church, in West Penn township, serving as elder, deacon and trustee. He and his wife are buried at that church.
John Kistler, son of Jonathan, was born March 24, 1832, in West Penn township, and was educated there. He assisted with the work on his father's farm while young, and later bought the farm of about seventy-five acres where Ambrose Lechleitner now resides. He operated that farm for a number of years, sold it, and bought the farm of ninety acres which is now owned by his son, Albert S. Of this farm, about eighty acres are cleared. Mr. Kistler carried on general farming, and for many years also followed the stonemason's trade, which he learned when he was a young man. He attended market at Tamaqua. Mr. Kistler was an active man up to the time of his death, which occurred Nov. 23, 1909. He is buried in the cemetery of Zion's Lutheran Church in West Penn township, of which church he was a devout member and faithful official, serving as elder and deacon. He held the township office of school director, and was a Democrat in politics.
Mr. Kistler's first wife, Caroline (Hagenbuch), was born March 4, 1836, daughter of Amos and Sarah (Bailey) Hagenbuch, and died Jan. 19, 1856, the mother of one child, Jonathan, born, July 6, 1855. He is married to Alvina Mantz, and they reside at Allentown, Pa. Mrs. Kistler is buried at Zion's Church in West Penn township. For his second wife Mr. Kistler married Cordelia Hagenbuch, who was born March 10, 1839, a sister of his first wife, and a large family came to this union: William, born July 15, 1858, married Ella Meyerhoff, and their children are Rosie, Bert and Raymond; Mary, born Nov. 18, 1859, died Feb. 22, 1860; Sarah, born Dec. 27, 1860, married Uriah Reber, of Neffs (P. O.), Lehigh Co., Pa., and has children, William, Charles, Ralph, Jennie, Francis and Harvey ; Amanda, born June 1, 1863, died Feb. 4, 1884, the wife of Mahlon Lutz and mother of one child, Laura, who is deceased ; Alice was born April 28, 1865; Ida, born March 26, 1868, married William Brobst, of Owl Creek, Schuylkill Co., Pa., and ha's had three children, Charles, Mabel (deceased) and Alice; Oliver was born Jan. 4. 1870; Franklin, born Dec. 8, 1871, died aged forty years ; Amandus, born Aug. 18, 1873, lives in Missouri ; Rosa, born Jan. 9, 1876, is married to John Nester, of Tamaqua, and has had two children, Mary (deceased) and Herbert; one son died in infancy; Albert S. is a farmer in West Penn township; Alvin is mentioned below. The mother of this family is now living at the home of David K. Kist- ler, in West Penn township.
Alvin Kistler was born May II, 1881, in West Penn township, and edu- cated in the public schools there. Until twenty-seven years of age he worked for his father on the home farm, this being the place his brother Albert now owns, in West Penn township. When he left the home farm he bought the tract where he now lives, from Isaac Gerber, having originally 224 acres, thirty-eight of which he sold to the Lehigh & New England Railroad Com- pany. Of the remainder, 186 acres, there are about one hundred acres under cultivation, devoted to general farming and trucking. Mr. Kistler markets his produce to Tamaqua, making regular trips there, both winter and summer. His affairs have prospered under strict attention, but he also finds time for matters of general interest, takes an active part in the workings of the Democratic party, and has served as election inspector. He is a member of Washington Camp No. 615, P. O. S. of A., at Andreas, Pa., and of Zion's Lutheran Church in West Penn township.
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Mr. Kistler is married to Sadie Agnes Gerber, who was born Sept. 3, 1879, in West Penn township, a daughter of Phaon and Harriet (Romig) Gerber, and they are the parents of five children, born as follows: Percy Albert, Aug. 8, 1903; Edward Leroy, Jan. 15, 1906; Myrtle Harriet, July 4, 1908; John William, Oct. 24, 1910; Frank Francis, Feb. 28, 1913. The children old enough are attending school in the township. Mrs. Kistler was educated in West Penn township and lived at home until her marriage. She is a member of Zion's Reformed Church, in West Penn township, of which Rev. H. D. Houtz is pastor, and attends the Sunday school of that organization.
The Gerbers are a very old and much respected family in West Penn town- ship. Reuben Gerber, great-grandfather of Mrs. Kistler, was born on a small tract which is now the property of Alvin Kistler, and followed farming. His wife's maiden name was Houser, and they had the following children : Isaac, David, Edwin, Jolın (deceased), Caroline (Mrs. Kistler) and Ellavina (widow of Jacob Dietrich, living at Tamaqua). The father was a Democrat in politics. His religious connection was with Zion's Reformed Church, and both parents are buried at that church.
Edwin Gerber, the grandfather of Mrs. Alvin Kistler, was born in 1822, and died March 13, 1898. He was a native of West Penn township, where he lived and died, and followed farming all his life, cultivating the place now owned by his son Frank. He married Sarah Moyer, who was born Dec. 31, 1834, a daughter of John and Salome (Baer) Moyer, and survives him, living with her son Franklin in West Penn township. They had three children : Franklin married Angeline Eckert; Phaon was the father of Mrs. Kistler; Amandus died young. Mr. Gerber is buried in the cemetery of Zion's Church in West Penn township, of which he was a Reformed member. Politically he was a Democrat.
Phaon Gerber, Mrs. Kistler's father, was born in West Penn township Aug. 2, 1855, and died Sept. 24, 1908. He was educated in his native town- ship, and worked for his father until twenty-one years old, after which he was employed one year on a farm in Packer township, Carbon county. He mar- ried and returned to West Penn township, and then bought a farm of forty- eight acres from his father, remaining on it the rest of his life. Besides farm- ing he did wood chopping, and marketed his produce to Tamaqua. On Jan. 17, 1879, he was married at Weatherly, Carbon Co., Pa., by Rev. M. H. Mishler, to Harriet Romig, a native of Quakake, Carbon county, daughter of John and Rosanna (Faust) Romig, and six children were born to this union : Sadie Agnes, wife of Alvin Kistler; Eva Rosanna, born Sept. 24, 1882, mar- ried to Claude Steigerwalt : Oscar Frank, born April 20, 1884, who married Jennie Knapp; Mahlon John, born Nov. 4, 1889, married to Katie Clause; Elmer Edward, twin of Mahlon, married to Lena Behler; and Stella Adeline, born July 26, 1896, living at home. The mother is still residing on the home farm. Mr. Gerber was a Democrat in political faith. Socially he belonged to the Order of Independent Americans, being a member of Pocahontas Coun- cil, No. 406, at Chain, Pa., and he was an active member of the Reformed congregation of Zion's Church in West Penn township, which he served faith- fully as elder. He is buried at that church.
Benjamin Romig, grandfather of Mrs. Phaon Gerber, was a farmer, and one of the original settlers at Weatherly, Carbon county. At one time he was the owner of every foot of land on which the borough of Weatherly now stands. His children were: Nathan; John; Sarah, who married Daniel
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Faust (he is deceased) ; Judith, who was the wife of the late John Lomison ; Susan, who was the wife of the late Edwin Young; Mary, who died unmar- ried; and Matilda, Mrs. Solomon Gerhard. Mrs. Gerhard is now the only survivor of the family. Benjamin Romig was a Democrat and a member of the Reformed Church. He is buried at Quakake.
John Romig, son of Benjamin, was born in February, 1824, passed all his life in Packer township, Carbon county, and lived retired for about thirty years before his death. He built a house on the ground now occupied by the Warner store at Weatherly and a sawmill where the borough building now stands. He was a successful farmer, a public-spirited citizen, and a stanch supporter of the common schools, a kind-hearted neighbor, a good father, and a faithful member of the Reformed Church at Quakake, in whose work he was always active. He served as elder, deacon and trustee of his church, and was a popular township official, holding all the local offices. Politically he was a Democrat. He married Rosanna Faust, daughter of John Faust, and they are buried at Quakake. They had children as follows: Emma married Henry Englehart; Harriet married Phaon Gerber; Frank married Ella Flick- inger and they made their home at Williamsport, Pa .; Alfred married Emma Heller, and settled at Freeland, Pa .; Sophia married J. J. Gerhard ; Adeline married Lewis Bender, of Scranton, Pa .; Elizabeth married George Ulshaefer, of Weatherly, Pa .; Abigail married Edward Kester, of Allentown, Pa .; Matilda married Levi Englehart, of Weatherly; Rosanna married Charles Gray, of Weatherly ; John is next in the family; Mary married Henry Hagenbuch, of Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
GOTTLIEB E. SCHREPPLE is one of the progressive business men of Ashland, where he has built up a modern laundry plant, which gives employ- ment to several people.
The Schrepples are of German extraction, Nicholas Schrepple, grand- father of Gottlieb E. Schrepple, coming to America at an early age, and settling on a farm near Ashland, Schuylkill Co., Pa., where he carried on agricultural pursuits until his death. His son, Frederick Schrepple, was born in Germany, came with his parents to America, and like his father fol- lowed farming until he died, March 14, 1906. He married Loretta Buchpies, like himself a native of Germany, daughter of Elias Buchpies, who came to America many years ago and settled on land near Ashland, which he took up. He cleared this property and farmed there until his death. Mrs. Loretta Schrepple died in 1874. Of her two children, the daughter is now deceased.
Gottlieb E. Schrepple, son of Frederick and Loretta Schrepple, was born Oct. 8, 1870, on a farm near Ashland, and received his education in the pub- lic schools of that neighborhood. When old enough he began work on the home farm, continuing to live there until his thirtieth year, in January, 1900, moving to Ashland, where he has since been in business. Upon his removal here he bought the laundry business of Mr. Bright, which he carried on for about one year, then buying his present business. Under his management it has enlarged steadily, and as his capital has increased Mr. Schrepple has improved his facilities for carrying on the large trade he has established, his plant being now equipped with highly improved machinery and being conducted along modern lines. It is known as the Ashland Steam Laundry. The modern system in use enables the force employed to accomplish the large amount of work with dispatch, and Mr. Schrepple has shown himself competent to take
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care of his growing trade and to provide for it as its demands arise. He has his business in a two-story house, in which is also the flat where he makes his home. His business is recognized as a distinct convenience to the town, and under Mr. Schrepple's efficient management is one of its creditable indus- trial plants.
On June 24, 1901, Mr. Schrepple married Mary E. Kimmel, of Pottsville, Schuylkill county, who was born at Ashland, daughter of Charles and Susan A. Kimmel, early settlers of Ashland, of German extraction. Mr. Kimmel died April 22, 1894, and is survived by his wife. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Schrepple: Mildred A. and Arthur Louis. Mr. Schrepple and his wife are members of the German Lutheran Church.
CHRISTIAN NEIDLINGER, a farmer of Porter township, Schuylkill county, was born at Tower City, Schuylkill Co., Pa., Dec. 7, 1843, son of Jonathan and Anna Maria ( Romberger) Neidlinger, and a grandson of Peter Neidlinger.
Peter Neidlinger was born in 1777, in Germany, and when a young man emigrated to America and settled as a pioneer in the Mahantongo Valley of Pennsylvania. For many years he carried on farming in Dauphin county, but in later life went to Fort Wayne, Ind., where his death occurred July 9, 1857. His wife, Catherine, was born in 1779, and died at the age of eighty- three years, in Dauphin county, Pa. They were the parents of the following children: George, who died in the West; Jacob, who also passed away there ; Jonathan, the father of Christian; Polly; Elizabeth; Leah; Lydia; Nathan ; Judd; David, and Sallie.
Jonathan Neidlinger was born May 6, 1805, in Mahantongo, Pa., and there was reared to manhood. He early adopted farming as his life work, and for some time cultivated a property in Rush township, Dauphin county, but later disposed of this and bought a farm at Orwin, Porter township, Schuyl- kill county, on which he spent the remaining years of his life, passing away Sept. 11, 1891, aged eighty-six years, four months, five days. Mr. Neidlinger was one of the good farmers and substantial men of Orwin, and in his death his community lost one of its most stable and highly respected citizens. He married Anna Maria Romberger, who was born Nov. 5, 1805, and who died Jan. 4, 1877, aged seventy-one years, nine months, twenty-nine days. Both are buried in the Orwin cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Neidlinger were the par- ents of the following children besides Christian: Elizabeth, who married John Maus; Amanda, who married Henry Eichenlaub; Henry, who died at Orwin ; Matilda, who married William Shaale; John, living at Williamstown, Dauphin Co., Pa .; Jonathan, who died young ; Lucy, who is the wife of Thomas Fegley ; and Eva, whose death occurred in young womanhood.
Christian Neidlinger was reared on his father's farm and remained at home until he was twenty-six years of age. At that time he was married and removed to Orwin, where he was employed at the East and West Brookside collieries, making his home at Orwin for a period of six years. He then took up his residence in Rush township, Dauphin county, where he also resided for six years, following which for two years his home was at Tower City. Returning at that time to Rush township, he worked five years for his father, and after the elder man's death bought the family homestead, which he cul- tivated for fifteen years with a satisfying degree of success. In 1911 he dis- posed of his interests there and purchased a small tract of land near Greenwood
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cemetery, in Porter township, Schuylkill county, where he is now making his home. He has a well improved property with good buildings and modern equipment and is known as a progressive and industrious farmer.
On July 26, 1870, Mr. Neidlinger was married to Mary Shadle, daughter of John and Hannah (Hain) Shadle, and to this union there have been born the following children: John Henry, who in addition to carrying on agri- cultural pursuits in Porter township is employed as a hoisting engineer at the West Brookside colliery; Charles William, of Beaver Falls, Pa., who is a conductor for the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Company ; George Daniel, an electrician by vocation, living at Emporium, Pa .; Edward N., of Harris- burg, Pa., a brakeman in the Reading railroad yards; Harry Jonathan, who resides with his parents and is water boss at the East Brookside colliery; Reuben C., residing at Tower City, who is hoisting engineer at the West Brook- side colliery; Emery C., of Reading, employed in the freight department of the Reading Company ; Milton H., who is employed as a fireman by the Read- ing Railway Company at Harrisburg; Elvin Raymond, who is a pipe fitter of Emporium, Pa .; Robert N., a graduate of the Keystone State Normal School, at Kutztown, Pa., class of 1915, and now a popular teacher in the public schools of Porter township; and Arthur H., who is employed as a pipe fitter at Emporium. Mr. and Mrs. Neidlinger, in addition to rearing their eleven sons to lives of usefulness, have adopted a daughter, Lydia Bechtel, daughter of John and Estelle (Kone) Bechtel. She was seven years old when she entered their home and is now thirteen, a bright and promising student in the public schools.
Mr. Neidlinger has always been a friend of education, and has served on the school board of Porter township for a number of years, while his other public service has taken the form of faithful discharge of the duties of the offices of township assessor, supervisor and treasurer. He is steward of the United Brethren Church, has been active also in the Greenwood Sunday school, and at this time is its treasurer. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Tower City.
JOHN G. KOPP, SR., of Tower City, is now living retired after a long and industrious career, most of which was spent in a responsible capacity with the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company.
Mr. Kopp was born July 9, 1841, at Pottsville, Schuylkill Co., Pa., son of John Kopp, a native of Prussia, Germany, who came to this country in young manhood and settled at Pottsville. He began as a day worker at the mines, and after two years was made a foreman at Reed's colliery, near Pottsville. Later he moved to Tremont, this county, where he was also a mine boss, and there he died when forty-eight years old. He was one of the pioneer miners in this region. Mr. Kopp married Catherine Biltz, a native of Germany, who came to America when eleven years old, and died at the age of forty-four years. Mr. and Mrs. Kopp are buried at Tremont. They were the parents of six children: Caroline, wife of William Heckler; John G .; Lewis, who lives at Sharadin, this county; Augustus, deceased ; Elizabeth, deceased; and Kate, who is married to Peter Krebs and lives in California.
John G. Kopp, Sr., was but eight years old when he commenced to work in the coal breaker as a slate picker. Later he worked with his father as a laborer, and by the time he was fourteen he was a skilled miner. This was at the Major White's colliery, Swatara, near New Town, Pa. From there he
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went to the Middle Creek colliery, under Theodore Garrison, and worked as a miner with his brother Lewis, for several years, and from this place he went to work at Colket colliery, Donaldson, Pa. He worked a while there and then changed to the Lower Rausch Creek colliery, where he remained several years, from there going to the East Franklin colliery, operated under Harry Heil, and later by the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company. He worked there about eight years, when he was taken to the West Brookside colliery, Tower City, to become an under boss, under William Elliott, inside foreman, and a little later he became inside foreman in Mr. Elliott's place. The colliery was operated by the P. & R. C. & I. Co., and General Pleasants was general manager. He held the position of Inside Foreman for thirty- seven years at the aforesaid colliery, retiring therefrom in 1912. Mr. Kopp's honorable life won him the esteem of all with whom he came in contact, the men in his charge as well as his superiors, and he has many friends among his old-time associates. Fraternally he is one of the best known men in his part of Schuylkill county. He is one of the oldest members of Lodge No. 267, F. & A. M., of Tremont ; has been a member of Tremont Lodge, No. 245, I. O. O. F., since Feb. 23, 1866, and is a past officer of that body ; belongs to the Odd Fellows Encampment, in which he has passed all the chairs; to the Knights of Pythias lodge at Muir, Pa .; and to the P. O. S. of A. camp at Tower City, as well as the commandery of that order.
Mr. Kopp married Elizabeth Hatter, of the Mahantongo Valley, and they have had a large family: William Jerome died when two years old; Della is the wife of George W. Hatch; John G., Jr., Harry L., Robert E. and Chab- bat L., all live at Tower City; Bessie is married to Edw. Rank, D. D. S .; Blanch is the wife of Peter Klinger; Flossie is at home; five other children died young. The family are Lutherans in religious connection ..
REV. DENNIS J. MELLEY, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church at Tremont, has been stationed in Schuylkill county the greater part of the time since his ordination, and his present charge is one of the most important in this region. Established in 1853, it has prospered steadily in the sixty and more years of its existence, and is now ministering to the religious needs of a large number of the faith in and around Tremont. The original church, built in 1853, was sufficient for the requirements of the congregation until 1885, when it was materially enlarged, the capacity being almost doubled. The interior was then completely remodeled and handsomely decorated, the walls and ceiling being handsomely frescoed. The paintings in the sanctuary, and on the walls and ceiling, are of exceptional merit. At the time the church was rebuilt ten memorial windows were donated by various members, and the old altar was replaced by a beautiful one of Italian marble, said to be one of the finest productions of the famous maker, Stewart, of Philadelphia. On it are inscribed the names of those who contributed towards it, about one hundred and thirty. The church property has been undergoing constant improvement. The old parsonage was replaced by a beautiful new priest's home during the pastorate of Father McDevitt, under whose energetic administration the church had been remodeled and enlarged. The fine grove adjoining the parsonage was leased and laid out in drives and walks, providing a delightful surrounding for the residence, which has been improved and added to from time to time. The grove is still leased.
For the first two years of its existence St. Mary's was under the charge of
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Rev. Sylvester Eagle, and the membership when he came was about one hundred. It increased considerably during his pastorate. In 1855 Rev. Wil- liam Mclaughlin was sent to Tremont and here ended his days in successful administration, remaining until his death in the early part of 1867. He became very popular, not only with his parishioners but among the townspeople generally. His successor, Father Marran, was here until 1869, in May of which year Rev. John Cox took charge. At the beginning of 1872 he left and for the next two years Rev. Thomas Toner was pastor, Father Cox returning at the end of that time and continuing his services until 1876. In May, 1876, Rev. Francis X. George was installed in the parish and remained until Decem- ber, 1878, when Rev. P. W. Brennan arrived. The next priest was Rev. John J. McDevitt, who had a long pastorate, beginning in November, 1880, and extending until 1900. He was a zealous worker, and not only did notable work for the church but also exerted great influence in the affairs of the borough. He had the breadth of view which enabled him to see the importance of desirable living conditions in the community and directed much of his labor towards that end, making a record for public spirit and foresight which won him the name of being one of the most useful citizens of the town. He offered to bear a large share of the cost of laying out a small public park in the borough. As previously mentioned, the church was remodeled during his pastorate, the membership having shown a great increase during his control, reaching 1,500 to 2,000. The duties became so heavy that the Archbishop appointed an assistant, Rev. John Carey, who came in June, 1891, to lighten them somewhat, and besides looking after the congregation of St. Mary's they held services at Blackwood. There is now a separate church at Blackwood, which is a mission of Branchdale. In 1885 Father McDevitt had commenced holding services at Tower City, now also a separate parish. and as a result a congregation was gathered there which in a few years built a handsome church.
Rev. John J. McDevitt resigned on account of ill health in 1900, and died in St. Agnes' hospital, Philadelphia, in 1901. He was succeeded by Rev. Francis Ward, of Tower City. During Father Ward's pastorate of ten years he remodeled and decorated the interior of the church, built an addition to the rectory, and built a handsome mission church at Keffer's, on the Broad moun- tain (supplied by the priest of Tremont), in which the people of the neigh- boring mining villages worship. His assistants at various times were Rev. John Burk, now of Philadelphia, Rev. Bernard McKenna, now secretary to Bishop Shahan of the Catholic University of America at Washington, D. C., and Rev. Edgar Cook, who had labored for years on the Philippine missions. Father Cook's health became impaired by his hard labors in the Philippine Islands, and he was obliged to resign his curacy of Tremont; he died in Phila- delphia in 1907. He was the last assistant at Tremont.
Father Ward was succeeded in Tremont by Rev. D. J. Melley May II, 19II. During Father Melley's pastorate he has beautified the sanctuary of the church and completed the marble altar, which had hitherto remained unfin- ished, by placing a marble throne or baldachin over the tabernacle of the main altar. This throne was made from Carrara marble by Da Prato, of New York. It is of a very neat design, and crowned by a cap of Venetian mosaics, at a cost of four hundred and fifty dollars. Two hundred and fifty dollars of this amount was given for this purpose by Miss Julia Sheehan, of Tremont. The interior of the church as it appears to-day is the neatest in Schuylkill county. Father Melley renovated the rectory, both the interior and
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