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 86

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 86


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Mr. Boner was a native of this place, and belonged to an old Pennsylvania


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family, founded in this country by his great-great-grandfather. The latter was of Irish birth, and came from his native land to America, settling in Penn- sylvania, and though we do not know for certain it is supposed that his son, the great-grandfather of Ambrose Boner, spent all his life in the eastern part of the State. Charles Boner, the grandfather, passed his early years in Berks county, Pa., and when yet a young man removed to Schuylkill county, locating near Lewistown, in which vicinity, in the course of years, he became the owner of a small farm. In his younger life he had learned the trade of blacksmith, and after his removal to Lewistown worked at his trade in Mahanoy City, where he died in 1891. He had been a resident of Mahanoy City for thirty years. In politics he experienced the shifting characteristic of his time, being originally a Democrat, then a Whig and finally a Republican. His religious connection was with the Reformed Church. He married Priscilla Smith, daughter of Henry Smith, and they had six children: Henry S., for some time superintendent of the Lutheran Publishing Company of Philadelphia ; Lewis S., formerly a bookkeeper in Pottsville, Pa., who died in June, 1891 ; Sarah, who married Oliver Peters (now deceased), of Lehigh county, Pa .; Nathan S .; Charles S., deceased in 1890, a bookkeeper; and Albert S., who died in infancy.


Nathan S. Boner was born Sept. 23, 1846, in Schuylkill county, Pa., and had the advantages of the public schools of his youth, as well as certain select schools. His schooling over, he found employment as a clerk in Mahanoy City, and was so engaged until he enlisted in the United States army, in 1866, serving three years, during most of which he was stationed in Nevada. Re- turning to Schuylkill county at the end of that period, he has lived here since with the exception of four years. For some time he was occupied as manager for Alexander Scott at Frackville, Schuylkill county. Like his father he is a Republican in political sentiment and a member of the Reformed Church. Socially he belongs to the I. O. O. F. (General Grant Lodge, No. 575) and P. O. S. of A. (Washington Camp, No. 284).


On July 11, 1871, Mr. Boner married Margaret L. Bone, daughter of Ambrose Bone, who was of Scotch extraction, and lived for a number of years in Canada, spending his later years at Reading, Pa. Of the children born to this marriage we have record of seven: Priscilla, Minnie M., Ambrose, Daisy A., Earl L., Harry and George F.


Ambrose Boner was reared and educated at Gilberton, receiving his educa- tion in the common schools. In his youth he worked with his father in the grocery store, and during his young manhood learned the trade of barber, which he followed for a number of years. Eventually he went into business on his own account, opening a hotel and saloon in Gilberton, where in 1902 he assumed the duties of postmaster, having been appointed by Roosevelt. He continued to hold the position to the end of his life, passing away Aug. 5, 1908. In his various connections he became widely known in Shenandoah and vicinity, where he had a large number of friends and well wishers.


On Sept. 19, 1898, Mr. Boner had married Alice M. Hullihan, a native of Gilberton, who survives him with the only child of the union, Harry A., born April 9, 1900. He is now attending school in Shenandoah, and is planning to enter the medical profession. When her husband died Mrs. Boner took the civil service examination, which she passed, and was accordingly appointed postmistress. She has had charge of the office continuously since, and has proved herself fully equal to its requirements, which are unusually exacting,


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as there are so many different nationalities represented among the residents of the vicinity. In religion Mrs. Boner is a devout Catholic, belonging to the Holy Rosary Church at Mahanoy Plane, and to the Blessed Virgin Sodality.


John and Bridget Hullihan, Mrs. Boner's grandparents, were natives of Ireland, whence they came to this country after their marriage, settling at Gilberton, Schuylkill Co., Pa., where they lived and died. He was a miner by occupation. Their children were: Martin, John, Thomas, Timothy, Malachi, James, Ellen (wife of James Rafferty, a miner of Gilberton ) and Bridget (who has never married and is now living at Passaic, N. J.).


John Hullihan, father of Mrs. Boner, was born in Ireland and was a child when his parents came to America. He lived at Gilberton, where he followed mining and later hotelkeeping. He was twice married, and by his first wife, whose maiden name was Dolan, had the following children: James, who mar- ried Catherine Murray, of Gilberton, and had children, Anna, Sarah, John, Daniel, Aloysius, Catherine, Jennie and James; and Sarah ( Mrs. MacNamara, whose husband is a bridge contractor of Philadelphia, Pa.), who has had three children, James, Nellie and Alice, the latter deceased in infancy. For his sec- ond wife Mr. Hullihan married Anna Matthews, like himself a native of Ire- land, who came to America in childhood, and the following children were born of this marriage: Mary is the wife of Michael Cantwell, of Gilberton, a miner, and they have nine children, John, William, Mary, Edward, Annie, James, Catherine, Nicholas and Alice (all this family are members of the Holy Rosary Church at Mahanoy Plane) ; John died when about twenty years old; Bridget married Joseph O. Boyle, who is now principal of the West ward of Gilberton, and they have two sons, John and Francis; Edward died when about twenty-seven years old, unmarried; Alice M. is the widow of Ambrose Boner; Malachi, an electrician, residing in Providence, R. I., married Jennie Owens, and has two children, Dorothea and Marion; Ellen is the wife of Patrick Trainer, a contract miner of Gilberton, and has five children, Anna, Edward, Alice, Rose and John ; Thomas, Martin and Catherine died young.


CHARLES LUCIAN KNAPP, of Shenandoah, who has for several years held the position of outside foreman at the Shenandoah City colliery, was born in Ashland, Schuylkill Co., Pa., March 23, 1881, son of Joseph P. Knapp. His grandfather, Gregory Knapp, came from Germany to America in 1849 and located at Minersville, Schuylkill Co., Pa., where he remained two years, in 1851 removing to Trevorton, this State. He followed his trade of carpenter, doing work about the mines. He died at Trevorton in October, 1873, aged fifty-five years. His wife, Mary B. Peters, bore him fourteen children, of whom five grew to maturity, namely: Joseph P., John T., Mary, Gregory and Frank.


Joseph P. Knapp was born May II, 1846, in Wurtemberg, Germany, accom- panied his father to America in 1849, and obtained his schooling at Trevorton. In his boyhood he worked as a slate picker at the old Trevorton colliery. In 1861 his parents removed to Ashland, and there he continued the same work for two years, after which he took up stationary engineering. While he was there the Civil war broke out, and his loyalty to his adopted country showed in his enlistment from Trevorton, March 18, 1864, in Company A, 7th Pennsyl- vania Cavalry, for three years. This company was recruited in Schuylkill county, and was sent to the South, in the Army of the Cumberland, playing a brave part in the battle at Selma, Ala., April 2, 1865. After serving eighteen


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months he was honorably discharged, the war having closed. At that time he was in hospital at Macon, Ga., having been taken down with fever. Mr. Knapp returned to his home in Trevorton, and for two years was employed as an engineer at the powder mill. From October, 1865, to April 2, 1866, he was engaged at powder making, but on the latter date the mill was blown up and he was badly injured, being under the physician's care for several months. This mill, owned by Kline & Heim, was at Fisher's Mill, below Shamokin. After recovering his strength Mr. Knapp worked at mining for some nine months, and then again took up powder making, following it for two and a half years. He then spent six months in Sunbury in the employ of Ira T. Clement, taking charge of his planing mill, and at the end of that time returning to Trevorton to engage in mining in the employ of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company, at the bottom of the No. I slope. For some time he fired the boilers, and then became engineer. In August, 1874, he left Trevor- ton and went to Locust Dale, to run the bull pumps at the Keystone colliery, a position he held for three and a half years. In 1878 he was appointed out- side foreman of the North Ashland colliery, and served in that position for four and a half years, after which he engaged in the bottling business at Ash- land for a very short time. When he sold out his bottling business it was to become boss at the Knickerbocker colliery, near Shenandoah, Pa., of which he took charge in February, 1883, and continued in that position until Dec. 1, 1903, when he was made outside superintendent of the Mount Carmel and Shamokin districts, seven breakers, being the first outside superintendent appointed by the P. & R. C. & I. Company. He is still serving in that capacity. His home is at Shamokin.


On Nov. 24, 1874, Mr. Knapp married Susanna Maria Veith, who was born in September, 1856, in Middleport, Schuylkill county, daughter of John and Anna Maree (Hartman) Veith, natives of Germany, the father born in Bavaria ; he was formerly a mine superintendent. Of the large family born to this union, thirteen children, John P. died young; Minnie M. is unmarried and liv- ing at home; Frank died young; Charles L. is next in the family; Catherine P., now living at home, is the widow of Sydney P. Phillips, who was a chemist : Carrie C. died young ; Fred J., who lives at Los Angeles, Cal., is engaged in poultry raising ; Leo W. attended parochial school in Shamokin and Shenan- doah and became a chemist by profession, graduating from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, was chemist with the P. & R. C. & I. Company at Potts- ville for twenty-one months, afterwards with the Eastern Steel Company at Pottsville for six months, and is now established at Shenandoah, where he makes his home with his brother Charles; Alphonso J., a sawyer by trade. lives at home ; Marie died young ; Gregory A. attends high school in Shamokin ; Joseph J. died young; Mary died young. The father is a member of St. Edward's Catholic Church at Shamokin, and has reared his family in the same faith. He also belongs to the Knights of Columbus at that place, and to Lin- coln Post, No. 140, G. A. R., of Shamokin, having transferred from Post No. I46, at Shenandoah, of which he was a charter member; he was post com- mander at Shenandoah for several terms. For years Mr. Knapp acted as secre- tary of the Miners', Mechanics' and Laborers' Building & Loan Association of Shenandoah.


Charles L. Knapp was educated at Yatesville ( Fowler) and in the parochial school at Shenandoah connected with the Church of the Holy Family, also attending public school in the borough for some time. During vacation periods


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he worked as a slate picker at the Knickerbocker colliery, and after he reached the age of fourteen years he ran the dinkey engines. On April 1, 1896, he started as a messenger at the Knickerbocker colliery, being so employed for a year and a half, when he was put on as assistant shipper and supply clerk, con- tinuing thus until January, 1900. Meantime, being ambitious to improve him- self, he had taken a night course in commercial studies in Woods business college in Shenandoah. At the age of nineteen he ran a 30 by 60 hoisting engine at the mines, and kept that position until March, 1903, when he left the mines and entered the engine erecting department of the Cramp Shipbuilding Company, at Philadelphia, being there until July, 1903. For a short time after- wards he was a machinist in the Brill car works, and then returning to Shenan- doah entered the employ of the P. & R. C. & I. Company as assistant foreman at the Knickerbocker colliery, being the youngest foreman ever engaged there. On Dec. 1, 1903, he was promoted to outside foreman there, filling that position until Aug. 1, 1907, when he was appointed to his present position, as outside foreman at the Shenandoah City colliery.


Mr. Knapp married Mary M. Schmidt, who was born Feb. 19, 1881, daugh- ter of Christian and Catherine (Bender) Schmidt, of whom a full account appears elsewhere in this work. Four children have been born to this mar- riage : Anna M., Mary M., Catherine M. and Rita M., the two first named now attending parochial school in Shenandoah. The Knapps belong to the Church of the Holy Family. Mr. Knapp supports the Republican party in political issues.


Mrs. Susanna Maria (Veith) Knapp, mother of Charles L. Knapp, was born at Middleport, Pa., daughter of John Veith, who came to this country from Germany in early life. Entering the mines in the humble position of door boy, he worked his way up through the various stages until he was given executive responsibilities, acting as outside foreman, division superintendent and general mine superintendent, in the employ of the Reading Company. During his last years he had his headquarters at Pottsville. He was prominent in mining circles, and the John Veith shaft was named for him. He and his wife, whose maiden name was Hartman, both died at the age of seventy years, and they are buried in the Yorkville cemetery. They were members of St. John's Roman Catholic Church at Pottsville, and he was a Democrat in politics. Mr. and Mrs. Veith had a large family, viz .: Susanna Maria, Mrs. Knapp, was the eldest; Peter, who is foreman in the Philadelphia & Reading Com- pany's blacksmith shop at Pottsville, married Annie Hartman ; John, a retired machinist, is living in Pottsville; Mary married William Cooney, and both are deceased : Emma, widow of William Gibson, is a trained nurse, in Philadelphia ; Clara is living at the old home in Pottsville; Catherine is next in the family ; Dr. Charles A. Veith, deceased, married Agnes Gorman, who lives in Philadel- phia ; Callie is married to Thomas Flannagan, auditor for the Reading Com- pany at Pottsville ; Lena is deceased ; Agnes, widow of Charles Fluehr, lives in Pottsville ; Bertha is engaged as a bookkeeper in Pottsville.


J. W. HULING, Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill county, Keystone Concrete Works, manufacturer of concrete building material, building blocks and trim- mings. Specialties, concrete burial vaults and porch work.


JOHN F. HEBERLING, of Reinerton, Porter township, proprietor of the "Commonwealth Hotel," at the corner of Grand avenue and Clarks Valley Vol. 11-38


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road, was born in Clarks valley, that township, Feb. 24, 1860, son of Israel and Catherine (Gard) Heberling, and grandson of Henry Heberling.


Henry Heberling was of German origin and was born in Porter township, Schuylkill county, where he lived and died. His affairs prospered, and he became the owner of valuable land there. During the period of his active life he devoted himself to farming and made a name as a substantial citizen, who had the respect and esteem of his neighbors and business associates. He mar- ried Elizabeth Miller, who after a widowhood of fifty years died at Orwin, in Porter township, and is buried at Orwin. They were the parents of ten children, namely: Jacob; John; Michael; Paul; Israel; Mrs. Jacob Brown; Philip; Rebecca, who died unmarried; Susan, who is living at Orwin at the age of eighty years; and Mary, who is the wife of Joseph Reed and resides at Sharadin, Porter township.


Israel Heberling, the father of John F. Heberling, learned the carpenter's trade in his youth, and in 1874 removed with his family from Porter town- ship to what is now St. Edward, Boone Co., Nebr., where he followed farming during the rest of his active life. After some years of retirement he passed away, in January, 1905, in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, and was buried at St. Edward. Mr. Heberling married Catherine Gard, a daughter of John Gard. John Gard was twice married, his first wife being a Miss Shadel and his second a Mrs. Faust, a widow. Mr. Gard was a millwright and car- penter by trade, and on first leaving Schuylkill county went to South Bend, Ind. Returning to Pennsylvania, for a time he resided in Rush township, Dauphin county, but eventually sold his farm, which is now owned by Charles Reightler. Mr. Gard next went to Boone county, Nebr., and located in the vicinity of what is now known as St. Edward post office, where he built the first gristmill. In company with his son-in-law, Israel Heberling, he erected the first frame house at St. Edward, being the pioneer of a community which now numbers two thousand souls. Both he and Mr. Heberling were men of the stamp to blaze the way for civilization and are still well remembered at St. Edward, where Mrs. Heberling still resides. She was born Oct. 3, 1839, and is therefore past seventy-six years of age, and the oldest settler of that place. The children of Israel and Catherine Heberling were as follows: John F .; Sarah M., who is the wife of George Reynoldson; Lydia A., who died shortly after her marriage; Emma A., who is the wife of Benjamin Abbott, and has a daughter, Blanche, the family residing at St. Edward, Nebr., where they are taking care of the aged mother ; and Mattie, who is the wife of Hayden Creary, of near Seattle, Wash., and has one child.


John F. Heberling received his educational training in the public schools of his home community of Clarks Valley, Porter township, and in accordance with the custom of the boys of his locality early started to contribute to his own support. When he was only eleven years of age he secured a position as a doortender at the West Brookside colliery, but gave this up to accompany his parents to the West, where he continued to be a resident for seven years. At the end of that period he returned to his native county, again securing employment at the mines, in and about which he worked for twenty-eight years. During this time, through industry, honest effort and strict fidelity to his employers' interests, he was advanced from time to time, rising to the position of assistant inside foreman for the Susquehanna Coal Company, and later being made inside foreman for the same concern. Eventually he gave up the vocation of mining, and for six months lived in quiet retirement. His


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energetic spirit, however, would not allow him to remain idle long, and May 17, 1890, he entered the hotel business when he became the owner of the old Fry stand, at Williamstown, Dauphin county. This was a very popular hotel, and under Mr. Heberling's management prospered greatly. At the end of five years, seeing a better opportunity, he disposed of the Fry place and purchased a property at Reinerton, Schuylkill county, where he has since resided and conducted the "Commonwealth Hotel." He has a first-class house, com- modious in size and modern in equipment, with excellent service and every- thing to properly take care of a large and representative patronage. Mr. Heber- ling is an ideal host and his house is well known to the traveling public. While a resident of Williamstown, Mr. Heberling took an active part in civic affairs, serving as justice of the peace, member of the board of school directors and member of the council.


Mr. Heberling was united in marriage, at the home of the bride's parents, March 27, 1890, by Rev. Mr. Adams, a Lutheran minister, to Mary S. Kramer, a daughter of William and Emma (Reed) Kramer. Two children have been born to this union : Helen M., born Aug. 9, 1892, who resides with her par- ents ; and Charles H., born Feb. 12, 1894, who died June 23, 1908, aged thirteen years, four months, eleven days. Mr. Heberling is well and favorably known in social and fraternal circles, being past master of Asher Lodge, No. 578, F. & A. M., of Lykens, Pa., and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Junior Order United American Mechanics, the Patriotic Order Sons of America, the Knights of Labor, and the Loyal Order of Moose, at Lykens. As a citizen he has had a hand in every movement which has served to advance good government and good citizenship in his community, and his progressiveness and public spirit have been important factors in helping the locality to grow and improve.


BENJAMIN LOMAS, who holds the responsible position of outside foreman at the Gilberton colliery, is one of the experienced practical mining men of Schuylkill county, Pa. He was born at Gilberton, July 22, 1869, son of Joseph and Jane (Fellows) Lomas.


Joseph Lomas was born in England and was twenty-five years of age when he emigrated to the United States. The rest of his career was passed in mining in Schuylkill county, Pa., and here his death occurred in November, 1913. There were eight children in his family: Sylvia, who married Frank Dawson; Joseph; Benjamin ; Matthew ; Sarah Jane, who died young ; Thomas ; William; and Lillian, who died young.


Benjamin Lomas attended public school at Gilberton, and like many of the boys of this section began when still a lad to pick slate. Later he left the breaker and went inside, where he gained experience in driving and turn- ing a fan. He worked also as a machinist from the time he was twenty-one years old until he was thirty-five, at which time he was promoted to breaker boss. In 1906 he was made outside foreman, a position which he still retains, having charge of 250 men at the colliery. Mr. Lomas is thoroughly familiar with all departments of mining, and, being steady and reliable, has gained the confidence of his employers and the good will of the men. He is a member of the P. O. S. of A. and the B. P. O. E., both of Shenandoah, having joined both local lodges at the time they were founded. He is a Methodist in religion. As a citizen he has always done his full share in promoting the welfare of the


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community, and for three years served on the Gilberton school board as the representative of the East ward.


Mr. Lomas married Lilian Smith, who died leaving one son, Philip, who died young. Mr. Lomas took as his second wife Sarah Fox, and they have five children : Olive, William, Thomas, Hilda and Hobart.


MARTIN E. FOYLE, teacher, Heckscherville, Schuylkill county, Penn- sylvania.


JOHN GROSSKETTLER, of Shenandoah, has for a number of years been associated with the Home Brewing Company, now holding the responsible position of assistant brewmaster. He is a man of thorough reliability and solid character, and has proved very valuable in his present connection, to- wards which he has worked up by merit alone. He is a native of Germany, born June 15, 1879, at Endorf, Westphalia, and was two years old when he came with his parents to America. They settled in Shenandoah.


Joseph Grosskettler, grandfather of John Grosskettler, was born at Holtum, near Werl, Westphalia, where there is still a fort which was built at the time of the Roman conquest. He was a country gentleman, owning an estate of two hundred acres which had been in the family for many generations, and there he spent all of his long life, dying at the age of eighty-four years. His wife passed away when seventy-four years old, and is buried near Werl.


Eberhardt Grosskettler, father of John Grosskettler, was born at Holtum, near Werl, Westphalia, received his education in the local government schools, and served a thorough apprenticeship at the trades of locksmith and machinist, obtaining certificates which entitled him to work as a journeyman, in which capacity he was engaged for several years. He saw considerable service in the German army, in the wars waged during 1864, 1866 and 1870, in 1864 acting in the secret service, carrying dispatches through the picket lines. On one occasion during that war he traveled for forty-eight hours to deliver a message to one of the colonels, and being obliged to rest on the ground had his hair frozen to the earth as he slept, which caused the loss of nearly all his hair. During 1866 he served as a corporal in the cavalry. In 1870 he was orderly to a doctor on the medical staff.


Mr. Grosskettler was married at Endorf, Westphalia, and was engaged in the wholesale produce business at that place until he brought his family to America in 1881. Locating at Shenandoah, Schuylkill Co., Pa., Mr. Gross- kettler found employment as a blacksmith at the Plank Ridge colliery, where he remained for two years. Then he traveled down to Alabama, and west- ward to Franklin county, Mo., in search of a suitable place for a permanent home, eventually returning to Shenandoah, where he bought a blacksmith shop, at the corner of Coal street and Pear alley, where he was established in busi- ness for several years. He lived retired for some time before his death, which occurred April 22, 1901, at the age of sixty-two years. His wife, Anna Maria (Pott), was born at Endorf, daughter of Anton and Theresa (Beste) Pott, the former a farmer and blacksmith. Mrs. Anna Maria Grosskettler died Oct. 7, 1912, at the age of seventy-two years. To Mr. and Mrs. Eberhardt Gross- kettler were born children as follows: Joseph ; Eberhard, fireman at the Home brewery, who married Catherine Frantz, and has one child, Theresa; John; Anton, who died at the age of twenty-two years; Theresa, who is the wife of Eugene Fretz and has one child, Marguerite (Mr. Fretz is State agent of the




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