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[NOTE: The following is an excerpt from HISTORIC HOMES AND INSTITUTIONS AND GENEALOGICAL AND PERSONAL MEMOIRS OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY PENNSYLVANIA, published in 1905]

Urbanus S. Wirebach               A.H.R. Guiley               John A. Waltman

URBANUS S. WIREBACH is a worthy representative of one of the old and distinguished families of what was once the borough of South Easton, and the growth and development of that part of the city was largely due to his father. His paternal great-grandfather was Isaac Wirebach, a native of Germany, who on leaving his native land established his home in Pennsylvania, at an early epoch in the development of this state. He and his wife settled in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, where they purchased a farm and made for themselves a comfortable home. Among their children was Jacob Wirebach, who was born in Springfield township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. After reaching mature years he was three times married. He first wedded a Miss Ackerman, and to them was born one child. His second union was with Elizabeth Eighmy, and their children numbered six, while by his third wife, who bore the maiden name of Margaret Wolslayer, he had ten children, thus becoming by the three marriages the father of seventeen children, fifteen of whom reached adult age and became valued citizens of the communities in which they lived.

Jacob Wirebach, Sr., the grandfather of Urbanus S. Wirebach, owned about one hundred acres of land and was a practical farmer, personally operating his land and gaining thereby a comfortable living. He was a consistent Christian, a member of the German Reformed church. He possessed remarkable patience and endurance, was kind and benevolent, and his worth in the world was widely acknowledged by those who knew aught of his career or came in contact with him. He was beloved not only by his relatives, but also by innumerable friends, and his death, which occurred when he had attained an advanced age, was deeply regretted by all.

Jacob C. Wirebach, the father of Urbanus Wirebach, was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1808, and there he married Catherine Short, a daughter of Captain George and Salome Short, the wedding taking place about 1825. The lady was a native of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, born in 1807. Her father, a native of Virginia, served as a soldier in the war of 1812 and thus won his title. Coming to the Keystone state, he settled in Springfield township, Bucks county, where he conducted a general store and was looked upon as a man of usefulness and in­fluence in his town and county.

In 1835, Jacob C. Wirebach removed with his family to Easton, and in 1857 he purchased of the Lehigh Coal Navigation Company a farm of one hundred acres, covering the hill on which is built that portion of the city known as the south side. He divided this farm into city lots, which he sold very cheap and on long time payments, thus making an inducement for men to buy and build homes for thernselves, when otherwise it would have been impossible for them to do so, if they had to pay cash for their property. This resulted in the growth of the city to a very large extent, and Mr. Wirebach was deserving of much credit for what he accomplished in this direction. He was a man of unfaltering honor and of unassailable integrity, and his many friends placed implicit confidence in his every word and deed, nor had they ever reason to regret the trust given him. He was honored more than any other man of the community with local positions of trust and responsibility. He served as collector of taxes in 1846, and was chief burgess for some time. He was also councilman and constable, and for twenty years was justice of the peace, proving an officer whose public career was above a shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil. He belonged to the German Reformed church, and his life was in harmony with the teachings of Him, who came not to be ministered unto but to minister. He died in 1877, while his wife passed away in 1879. They were the parents of nine children: Manasses, deceased; Salome, Urbanus, Margaret E., Hannah M., Susanna B., Sarah E., Alice C., and Jacob H., also deceased.

Urbanus Wirebach was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, May 25, 1833, and was only two years old when his parents removed to Easton, so that he was educated in the schools of this city and spent the days of his boyhood and youth here. He has followed various business lines, which have brought to him a desirable compe­tence, and in business circles he has ever sus­tained an enviable reputation.

When he reached his majority, he was united in marriage to Miss Lena Berry, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Berry. The wedding, celebrated in 1853, has been blessed with twelve children, seven of whom are yet living, as follows: Catherine E., F. S., Harry, Daisy, Belle, Emma and Elsie. His sons are employed as carpenters in the Lehigh Valley shops.

Like his father and grandfather Mr. Wirebach is popular with his fellow citizens, and was elected and served as high constable for four years, while for nine years he was supervisor of the streets. At the present writing he is assessor of the Eleventh Ward.

 

A. H. R. GUILEY  The work of the medi­cal profession is regarded by many as the one of most value to the human race, and certainly he is deserving of gratitude who devotes his energies, conscientiously and earnestly, to the alleviation of human suffering and to the restorations of man's most priceless possession—health. One of the most capable representatives of the medical fraternity in Easton, Pennsylvania, is Dr. Gulley, whose knowledge of. medicine is comprehensive and accurate, and whose close fidelity to the ethics of the profession has won him the highest regard of his brethren of the medical fraternity, as well as of the general public.

Dr. Guiley is descended from Holland and German ancestry, in the paternal and maternal lines, respectively. His great-grandfather, John Guiley, was born in 1757, and was one of the Hessians who were captured by General Washington, at Trenton, New Jersey, on the 26th of December, 1776. To him and his wife Rachel was born a son, to whom they gave the name of John. His birth occurred in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1787, and he married Miss Mary C. Clinger. They became the parents of John Guiley, the 3d, born in Reading, February 24, 1826. After arriving at years of maturity, he wedded Miss Margaret Wirebach. Her great-grandfather was Isaac Wirebach, who emigrated from Germany to the United States at an early day, settling in Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Of his children, Jacob Wirebach was the great-grandfather of Dr. Guiley, and was born in Springfield township, Bucks county. He was three times married, first to Miss Mary Ackerman, by whom he had one child. His second wife bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Eughmy, and to them were born six children. For his third wife he chose Margaret Woolsleyer, and they had a son, Philip, who is yet living. Of the seventeen children born to Jacob Wirebach, fifteen reached years of maturity, and become well known members of society, taking an active part in public affairs in the communities in which they resided, while representatives of the name contributed largely to the advancement and upbuilding of South Easton.

Jacob C. Wirebach, the grandfather of Dr. Guiley, was born in Springfield township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1808, and after his marriage to Catherine Short, he removed to Easton, locating there in 1835. In 1857, he purchased the Hill farm of the Lehigh Goal Navigation Company, containing about one hundred acres of land, and this he divided into building lots and sold to the poor mechanics and laborers at a low figure and upon very reasonable terms. This was the beginning of the growth of South Easton, and proved a benefaction to the poor who were thus enabled to gain homes for themselves. Mr. Wirebach was a very generous man, and his friends were numbered by the score. He served as justice of the peace for about twenty years, was burgess of the borough, tax collector, constable and held other other minor offices, the duties of which he discharged with marked fidelity, for in matters of citizenship he was both public-spirited and loyal. Like his forefathers he adhered to the faith of the German Reformed church. His father-in-law, Captain George Short, who took an active part in the war of 1812, came from Virginia, and for years conducted a general store in Springfield township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Jacob C. Wirebach and his wife Catherine had nine children: Salome, Urbanus, Margaret, Hannah, Susan, Sarah, and Alice, and two deceased. Jacob C. Wirebach died in 1877, and his wife passed away in 1879. The world was better for their having lived, and their memory is still cherished in the hearts of those who knew them.

Previous to his marriage Dr. Guiley's father resided for some years in Reading, Pennsylvania, and in 1852 came to Easton, where he took sub­contracts for building the roadbed of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, and later began merchandising, as proprietor of a dry-goods store. Subsequently he turned his attention to the drug trade, and carried on his store in that line until 1878. Eventually he removed to Allentown, Pennsylvania, where his remaining days were passed, his death occurring June 17, 1896. His widow still survives him. Their children are A. H. R., Kate, Florence, deceased; Emily, and S. Estella Guiley.

Dr. Guiley was born at the family home on Canal street, in Easton, in 1855, and was reared and educated here, pursuing his studies in the public schools until he had completed the high school course with high honors in the class of 1872. He then entered Lafayette College, where he remained as a student for two years, after which he entered the Jefferson Medical College, of Philadelphia, in which he was graduated in 1877, capturing the J. M. Toner gold medal and the R. J. Levis gold medal. Immediately returning to his native city, he opened an office and entered upon the practice of his chosen calling, and his career is in contradiction to the old adage that a prophet is not without honor save in his own country, for in the city of his birth he has won prominence as a practitioner, and gained the confidence of the public because of his honorable life and marked ability in the line of his chosen vocation. He has practiced here continuously since 1877, with the exception of two years spent in Kansas. He is informed concerning the methods and beliefs of the two leading schools of medicine, and he uses the one which his judg­ment directs in the care of his patients. In a profession where advancement depends upon individual merit, Dr. Guiley has continually advanced and  is today accounted one of the ablest representatives of the medical fraternity in this city. His personal worth, too, has won him a high place in the public regard, and he has the esteem of all who know him because of his no­bility of character and deference for the opinions of others.

In the year of his graduation, on the 20th of October, Dr. Guiley led to the marriage altar Miss Anna W. Thomas, who was born in South Easton, April 25, 1827, and is a daughter of John J. and Mary Thomas. Her people removed to this city about the time the Guiley family was established here, and have since been respected and valued residents of the county. To Dr. Guiley and his wife has been born one son: Henri A., whose birth occurred in Wykoff, Russell county, Kansas, March 22, 1880. He is a graduate of the High school of Easton and also of Lafayette College, of the class of 1901, and is now a mining engineer.

 

JOHN A. WALTMAN, a representative of the commercial interests of Easton, now engaged in the successful conduct of a grocery store, was born in this city, May 25, 1851, and comes of German ancestry. His paternal great-grandfather was a native of Germany, and emigrated to this country at a very early period in the de­velopment of the Lehigh valley, in which he settled and reared his family. His son, Peter Waltman, was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and in his family were five children: Hannah, Anna, Joseph, Polly, and Eliza.

Of this number Joseph Waltman became the father of John A. Waltman. He was one of the well known and respected residents of the Lehigh valley throughout his active and eventful life. His birth occurred in Allentown, Pennsylvania, October 28, 1806, and there he was reared and educated. At an early age he entered upon an apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade, and his natural mechanical ability and close appli­cation soon made him an expert workman. He built his first dam in 1820, and became noted as the best bridge builder between Mauch Chunk and Easton. In 1834, he removed to the latter city, where he made a permanent location, although in 1835 he took up his abode in that portion of the city now known as the south side. In 1835-36 he built the cotton mills here, and in 1836 erected the residence of Dr. Slough. In 1841 he turned his attention to bridge building, in which work he had no superior, either in the stability of the structure nor the beauty of design. In 1842, he was employed by the Glendon Com­pany, with which he was connected for some time. He sank the first cribbing for the Lehigh Valley Railroad bridge across the Delaware river in 1853, and executed many important contracts, which were granted him because of his leadership in the line of activity which he chose as his life work.

In 1830, Joseph Waltman was united in marriage to Miss Mary M. Bast, and to them were born ten children: Adeline, Samuel, Frank, Henry and Henriette, twins, the former deceased, Mary, Peter, deceased; William, Joseph, and John. The father of this family was an exemplary member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and his life ever commanded the admiration and respect of his fellowmen. He died May l3, 1896, and his wife passed away October 6, 1890.

[Note: The year of death for Joseph Waltman is in error. He died May 13, 1898.]

No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of life for John A. Waltman in his youth. He was reared under the parental roof and attended the public schools, thus acquiring an education that well fitted him for the responsible and practical duties of life. He and his brothers learned the carpenter's trade, and he continued to work at that pursuit until 1888, when he entered the grocery business, establishing a store which he has since conducted with marked success, prospering beyond his most sanguine hopes. His stock is carefully selected, well arranged for convenience and also to present an attractive appearance, and a glance into his place of business thus often solves for the perplexed housewife the puzzling question of "what to eat?" His trade is now large, and he derives a good income from his labors and investment.

On the 17th of July, 1878, occurred the marriage of Mr. Waltman and Miss Kate Wirebach, a daughter of Urbanus and Lena Wirebach. She was born in Easton, March 6, 5854. They now have three children: Raymond I., who was born January 29, 1880, and is assisting his father in the store; Aaron T., born May 1, 1883, is oper­ating in the mechanical department of the Easton Dental Supply Company; and J. Byron, born October 27, 1890, is still in school. Mr. Waltman is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and enjoys the full confidence of his brethren of the lodge. He has served as a capable and progressive member of the school board for sixteen years, and is a much respected citizen of Easton.

 


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