Surname:Schlegel

Montgomery Biographies

SCHLEGEL, ADAM H.

p. 1165

Surnames: SCHLEGEL, KINSEY, HARTMAN, SNYDER

Adam H. Schlegel, a representative citizen of Mount Penn borough, Berks County, residing in his pleasant home on Perkiomen avenue, has for some years been employed by the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company as a molder. Mr. Schlegel was born Oct. 19, 1871, in Ruscombmanor township, this county. Until his sixteenth year he attended the public schools of his native locality, and then learned the molder's trade with Schaeffer & Merkel of Fleetwood serving a full apprenticeship for years. After working for a few months for the Reading Hardware Company, and has continued in that company's employ to the present time. Mr. Schlegel is a skilled mechanic and a steady workman, and is respected by his employers and popular with his fellow workmen. In the spring of 1901, he erected a nice frame residence on Perkiomen avenue, in Mount Penn borough, and here he has a comfortable home. In political matters he is a Democrat, and he is fraternally connected with Castle No. 230, K. G. E., of St. Lawrence, Pa. He and his family worship at Spies's Union Church, he being a Lutheran member, while his wife belongs to the Reformed denomination.

On Oct. 28, 1892, Mr. Schlegel was united in marriage with Sallie H. Kinsey, and to this union have been born three children: Elsie K., born March 10, 1894; Harry K, born April 28, 1896; and Frederick Marshall, born July 27, 1908.

The grandparents of Mr. Schlegel, who were farming people of Alsace township, had children as follows: Isaac; Benjamin, who died while fighting in defense of his country during the Civil War, when he was less than twenty years old; Sarah, who married Jacob Snyder and now resides in Reading; and Amos, also a resident of Reading. Isaac Kinsey, father of Mrs. Schlegel, who also carries on agricultural pursuits in Alsace township, had the following family; Benjamin; Sallie H., who became Mrs. Schlegel; Annie; Judith; Peter; Darius; Lucetta; Rebecca; Edward, and Hettie. All of these grew to maturity and live in Berks county at this time.

SCHLEGEL, CHARLES H.

p. 944

Surnames: SCHLEGEL, HAAS, KEIM, YODER, ENGSTADT, SCHOLL, HERBINE, WANNER, ROTHERMEL, HOCH, KUTZ, RAHN, SHOLLENBERGER, REDDINGER, ANGSTADT, MERKEL, DIESHER, SCHAEFFER, HOCH, BROWN, HARTMAN, HEBER, ROHRBACH, ZIEBER, LEOPOLD, FIES, WEIDNER, FOCHT, LUTZ, SCULL, KILLIAN, CLOUSER, ESHELMAN, LANCE HAFTER, ECKERT, KEEPORT, DENGLER, KINSEY

Among the well known contractors and builders of Berks county, Pa., may be mentioned Charles H. Schlegel, who is carrying on extensive operations in the borough of Mt. Penn. He was born Jan. 19, 1872, in Ruscombmanor township, Berks county, son of Amos R. and Mary (Haas) Schlegel.

John Christian Schlegel, the American ancestor and progenitor of this family, was a native of Germany, and undoubtedly was the Johanis Schlegel who emigrated on the ship "Bilander Townshead," which landed (qualified) at Philadelphia, Oct. 5, 1737. On Aug. 16, 1738, and also Nov. 7, 1854, he obtained proprietary warrants for land situated in Berks county, Pa. In 1759 he paid six pounds tax in Richmond township, where he had lived since coming to the New World. He was a farmer and owned more than 300 acres of land, and in 1797 built a stone house which is still standing and in good condition, and is owned and used by his great-grandson, Abraham, and his children and grandchildren. To John Christian Schlegel and his wife Esther were born a number of children, among whom were: Peter; Wilhelm; Christian, born March 25, 1765; Elizabeth, born April 9, 1967; Johannes, born Sept. 7, 1768, and Heinrich, born July 15, 1779. Peter and Wilhelm left this section, traveling on horseback across the Blue Mountains, and settled in the Mahantango Valley (in Schuylkill), then a part of old Berks county. They visited their brother Heinrich at the old home every two, three or four years, coming on horseback and remaining for a week or two. One of the sons of John Christian Schlegel lived with the Indians, liking their manner of life. He was greatly admired by them, because of his courage, strength and marksmanship, and when he was quite an aged man, he and some of his adopted brethren of the forest came to visit his old home near Fleetwood. Because of the great journey on which they came, and the effects of his strenuous life with the red men, he became exhausted at Dreibelbis Spring, and he died soon thereafter, and fills an unknown grave. This account is based on tradition, and the old family papers give brief accounts of it.

Heinrich Schlegel, great-grandfather of Charles H., was born in Richmond township, July 15, 1779, and died March 29, 1860. He was a farmer and bought from his father the "Schlegel Adventure," so named by the Provincial Government of Pennsylvania in a deed dated the twenty-first day of the seventh month, 1752. The tract consisted of 252 acres, and in 1803 he bought another patent of forty-six acres near his other land in Richmond township. He erected the grist mill three-fourths of a mile above Fleetwood, and was a man of considerable importance in his day. He was Democrat in politics, which has always been the political faith of the Schlegel family. Heinrich Schlegel was married, in 1800, to Esther Keim, born Dec. 28, 1771, who died Dec. 21, 1843. They had children as follows: Samuel, born in 1801, died in 1892; Magdalena (1802-1886) m. Reuben Yoder (1802-1838), a farmer; Jacob m. Hattie Engstadt; Sally m. George Scholl; Abraham (1809-1900); Solomon died aged forty-five years; John; Daniel died aged ninety-seven years and is buried at New Jerusalem; Katie m. Jonas Herbine, a farmer of Richmond; Barbara m. Jacob Wanner, of Richmond township; and Susannah m. Simon Rothermel, a farmer of Richmond township. Heinrich Schlegel and his wife are buried in a private burial ground on his farm near Fleetwood. They were Lutherans, which is generally the faith of the Schlegel family. He was an official of New Jerusalem church for many years.

Samuel Schlegel, one of the sons of Heinrich, married Betzy Hoch, daughter of Solomon Hoch, and to them were born these children: Henry m. Hettian Kutz, daughter of Joseph, and had children: Albert, Sarah, Cyrus, Cecelia, Samuel, Cyranius, Tilmus, Carolina and Mahlon (of Topeka, Kans.); Hannah m. Jacob Rahn; Heittie m. John Shollenberger; Samuel had a son, Samuel, who had Ahiah A.; Reuben m. Catherine Kutz, daughter of Joseph; David lives at Berkley, Pa.; William, deceased, lived at Topeka, Kans.; Caroline and Maria live at Fleetwood, both being single; Joshua; Uriah is an undertaker at Reading; Elizabeth died at the age of twenty-one years; and Lydia died when eighteen years old.

Abraham Schlegel, son of Heinrich and grandfather of Charles H., was born on the old Schlegel stand near Fleetwood in Richmond township, Jun e26, 1809, and died Sept. 8, 1900, in his ninety-second year. He was a lifelong farmer on the place on which he was born, his fine property of 135 acres being now in the possession of his son, Abraham, who lives upon it. He also had an eighty-acre farm in Ruscombmanor township. In 1861 he erected the present large Swiss barn on the homestead. His wife was Esther Reddinger, daughter of Heinrich Reddinger, (whose wife was an Angstadt), and they had the following children: Peter; Amelia m. Peter Merkel; Abraham, born Feb. 4, 1842, a successful farmer on the homestead and at one time director of the poor of Berks county, m. Annie Diesher, and they had children-Charity, Mary, William, Rother, Emily, Oliver, Minerva and Lloyd; Orlando lives at Fleetwood; Amos resides at Mt. Penn; Amanda m. William Schaeffer; Joseph makes his home at Spring Valley, Ill.; Augustus is at Fleetwood; Clara m. Joel Hoch, postmaster of Fleetwood; Nicholas died young; Annie died at the age of six years; Israel resides at Topeka, Kans.; and Adeline died in infancy.

Amos R. Schlegel, father of Charles H., was a farmer in Ruscombmanor township, and there resided on his father property for a number of years, later removing to a farm in Exeter township and in 1902 to Mt. Penn, where he owns a nice home, being employed with his son, Charles H. He was born in Richmond township, Jan. 27, 1844, and married, Nov. 23, 1867, Mary Haas, daughter of John and Katie (Brown) Haas, and to this union there were born the following children: Katie m. Benjamin Hartman, of Reading; Adam, a molder of Mt. Penn, m. Sallie Kinsey; Charles H.; Heber, a carpenter of Mr. Penn, m. Harriet Rohrbach; John, a machinist of Mt. Penn, m. Annie Zieber; Abraham, a machinist of Mt. Penn, m. Annie Leopold; Albert H., a painter of Mt. Penn, m. Dora Fies, and they have a daughter-Frances; and Amos died in 1892 when seven years of age.

Charles H. Schlegel obtained his education at Fry's school in Ruscombmanor township, which he left at an early age to go to work on the farm. When eighteen years of age he learned the carpenter's trade with John R. Weidner, of Reading, with whom he worked four years and then engaged with Levi H. Focht, who was his employer for ten years, eight years of which he was foreman. On Nov. 1, 1903, William Lutz, of Lorane, Pa., requested Mr. Schlegel to build him a house, which he completed in sixty days, this being his first contract. Liking the business he decided to continue therein, and this he has been engaged in ever since with almost phenomenal success. Since engaging in the business he has erected upward to seventy-five buildings, including William Scull's fine summer home at Pleasantville; the fine mansions of Hiester Killian, Harvey Clouser and Charles Eshelman, at Gibraltar; the mountain home of Rump & Son, of Philadelphia, located in the mountains above Gibraltar; the George F. Lance residence at Wyomissing; the William Hafer home at Neversink; the Lutz furniture factory at St. Lawrence; the handsome large summer residence of Isaac Eckert, at Dingman's Ferry, Pike Co., Pa.; and the Mark A. Keeport and George Dengler homes and the Mt. Penn City Hall, at Mt. Penn. Mr. Schlegel is a man of much business ability and enterprise, and his standing is that of a substantial, far-sighted citizen of excellent judgment. He employs on an average twenty-five skilled mechanics. He is a director of the Commercial Trust Company, of Reading, and a heavy stockholder in the Reading Bone & Fertilizer Company, whose large plant he built after doing all of the grading therefor.

In political matters Mr. Schlegel is a Democrat, like all of the members of this numerous family, but has never cared to hold public office, preferring to give his entire time and attention to his growing business. He is popular in fraternal circles, and is a member of Knights of the Golden Eagle, of St. Lawrence, and the Patriotic Sons of American, Camp No. 1330, of that place. L he and his family worship at Spiel's Union Church, of which they are consistent Reformed members, and they reside in their handsome residence situated on Perkiomen avenue, Mt. Penn, which Schlegle purchased in 1905, and where their many friends are always welcome.

SCHLEGEL, DANIEL

p. 846

Surnames: SCHLEGEL, ANGSTADT, ROMICH, GULDEN, VAN REED, HIGH

Daniel Schlegel, manufacturer of and dealer in steam engines and boilers, steam and water pipes and fittings, and creamery outfits and supplies, has carried on his present business at Boyertown since 1875. He was born Nov. 20, 1848, at Fleetwood, in Richmond township, Berks county, in which neighborhood the family has been located for over a century. Samuel Schlegel, his grandfather, was born in Richmond township, where he followed farming all his life, and he is buried in a private burial ground on a farm now owned by Abraham Schlegel, near Fleetwood.

Jacob Schlegel, a son of Samuel and father of Daniel Schlegel, was born in Richmond township in 1800, and died in 1861, after an industrious agricultural career. He owned part of the original homestead, his farm consisting of sixty-two acres of good land, which is now cut up into building lots around Fleetwood. His remains rest in the old Fleetwood burying-ground. He married Hettie Angstadt, of Rockland township, Berks county, who survived him a number of years, living to the age of nearly eighty. Fourteen children were born to this union: John (deceased), Jacob, Henry, Daniel, Isaac, Sarah (deceased), Susan, Rebecca (deceased), Hettian, Emma, Kate, and three who died young.

Daniel Schlegel was reared on the old home farm in his native township, near Fleetwood, and was eighteen years old when he commenced to learn the machinist's trade, at Fleetwood. He served his apprenticeship with Schaeffer, Melchior & Co., with whom he remained four years. As previously stated, he opened his business in Boyertown in 1875, locating on Washington street, near the railroad station, where he has remained to the present day. Mr. Schlegel has a first-class machine shop, and does all kinds of repair work as well as manufacturing, always having employment for several mechanics. He is a master workman himself, and takes pride in turning out articles of superior quality, making a specialty of creamery supplies and outfits. He has equipped nearly all the creameries within a radius of fifteen miles around Boyertown, and altogether has fitted about twenty-five, his reputation in this line being founded on satisfactory machinery and its expert adjustment. The main part of the shop is 20x60 feet in dimensions, and the additions afford all the room necessary to carry on the business conveniently. Mr. Schlegel is progressive as well as industrious, and he holds an interest in nearly all the local enterprises which have brought Boyertown to the front as an up-to-date borough.

In 1877 Mr. Schlegel married Miss Ellen Romich, daughter of John Romich, of Douglass township, Berks county, and they had one daughter, Katie, who died in 1907, when twenty-six years old. Mrs. Ellen Schlegel was born in 1854, and died at the age of twenty-six years. For his second wife Mr. Schlegel married Mrs. Isabella (Guldin) Van Reed, widow of James Van Reed. No children have been born to this union. Mr. and Mrs. Schlegel are members of St. John's Lutheran Church. They reside at the corner of Third and Washington streets, Boyertown. Mr. Schlegel has no inclination for politics or public life, and he has never had any ambition for office.

Peter Guldin, father of Mrs. Schlegel, was a farmer near Friedensburg, in Oley township, this county, his property in that locality comprising 130 acres of fine land, now owned by Mrs. Schlegel. There is a stone house standing on the place that was built in 1809, and is still in good condition. There is considerable limestone in the region thereabout, and under this old house is a cave which has a uniform temperature of about forty degrees Fahrenheit, and which is an ideal place for keeping meats and vegetables, etc. It was made by Mrs. Schlegel's grandfather, Daniel Guldin.

Peter Guldin owned another farm, which was a part of the old Guldin homestead, and which is now the property of Willoughby High.

SCHLEGEL, GEORGE SOLOMON (D.D.S.)

p. 537

Surnames: SCHLEGEL, KLINE, STROHECKER

George Solomon Schlegel, D. D. S. Among the prominent young professional men of Reading, Pa., may be mentioned George Solomon Schlegel, a successful dental practitioner of that city. Solomon Schlegel, his paternal grandfather, was a resident of Fleetwood, Pa., while his maternal grandfather , Simon Kline, was the pioneer brick manufacturer of Reading. Edmund Schlegel, father of George S., was a farmer, now living in Reading. He married Mary M. Kline, and their only child was George Solomon.

George S. Schlegel was born in Cumru township, Berks county, April 9, 1879, and was educated in the public schools, graduating from high school in 1897. He then attended the dental department of the University of Pennsylvania, and in 1900 graduated a doctor of dental surgery. He came at once to Reading, locating at No. 147 North Eighth street, where he has since enjoyed a large and lucrative practice. Dr. Schlegel belongs to Delta Sigma Delta fraternity of the United States, and to the Auxiliary Chapter, Philadelphia ; to the Reading Dental Society and the Lebanon Valley Dental Association and the Pennsylvania State Dental Society. He is a life member of the Alumni Association of the University of Pennsylvania In politics the Doctor is a Democrat. He belongs to Trinity Lutheran Church, and is a teacher in its Sunday-school.

Dr. Schlegel was married, Oct. 29, 1903, to Miss Emma Brumbach Strohecker, daughter of Augustus J. Strohecker, a member of the board of park commissioners of Reading. Mrs. Schlegel is a graduate of Reading high school graduating therefrom in the same class as did her husband.

Source: Biographies from Historical and Biographical Annals by Morton Montgomery, USGenWeb: Berks County, Pennsylvania Genealogy

Possible meaning of the surname Schlegel

German: from Middle High German slegel ‘hammer’, ‘tool for striking’ (Old High German slegil, a derivative of slahan ‘to strike’), hence a metonymic occupational name for a smith or mason, or a nickname for a forceful person. (Oxford University Press. Dictionary of American Family Names)