Solomon Boyer

History of the Counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

SOLOMON BOYER.

Frederick Beyer, or Boyer, emigrated to America about the year 1733. He came from the Palatinate; was a member of the Reformed Church, and no doubt left his native country to seek a home where he might serve God in accordance with the dictates of his won conscience. He settled on the banks of the Lehigh River a short distance from what is now Rockdale. Here he located several hundred acres of land, mostly covered with timber and underbrush, and requiring hard labor to bring it to a state of cultivation. While working in his meadow he was waylaid and shot by and Indian. He was married and had a son, Henry, who, after he had grown to manhood, became the possessor of the homestead. He was married to Margaret Hanky, to whom were born four son and three daughters. Among his sons were John, born on the 26^th day of December, 1781, and baptized on the 2d day of February, 1782, by the Rev. Vanderschloot, his sponsors being John Schlicher and his wife, Magdalene.

He was married in 1802 to Elizabeth Reber, and purchased a farm about three miles north of his native home, on which he resided for several years. Having sold this, he purchased land nearer his parents, where he spent the greater part of his life, being a farmer and dealer of cattle. After the Lehigh Canal was finished he was also engaged in running boats from Mauch Chunk to Philadelphia.

After the death of his wife, he resided with his son, Solomon, at Rockdale, with whom he removed to Allentown in the spring of 1871, and died on the 20^th of February, 1874. His remains were buried in the cemetery belonging to the Union Church, in North Whitehall. Many of his children died young. Those who survived were: Elizabeth (married to Daniel Woodring, who died February, 1842), Polly (married to Abraham Woodring), Solomon, Daniel (who lived near the old homestead, and married Salome Klotz), George (who moved when young to Western Pennsylvania, where his descendants are now living), Elizabeth (married to Abraham Schneider), Maria (married to Andreas Walp), and Salome (married to Christian Horn).

Solomon was born Oct. 29, 1816, in Heidelberg township. During his boyhood he attended school at the Union Church, which required a daily walk of four miles. He early sought employment as a boatman on the Lehigh and Delaware Canals, and continued thus engaged for six successive seasons, after which his attention was diverted to the pursuits of a farmer. In 1842 he purchased the hotel and store at Unionville, and managed both for two years, when he resumed again the labor of the farm. The same year Mr. Boyer erected a hotel and store at Rockdale Station, North Whitehall township, where he became landlord, merchant, and postmaster. In 1857 he purchased the East Penn Furnace, which was sold after an ownership of six years. After an active business life, extending over a period of many years, he sold the property at Rockdale Station and retired to his comfortable home in Allentown. Mr. Boyer was married, Oct. 29, 1843, to Miss Lucy Ann, daughter of John Miller, of North Whitehall township, whose birth occurred March 11, 1825. Their children are Flora E. (Mrs. John Koch, Jr.), Lucinda (Mrs. John H. Beck), Anna Maria (Mrs. E. R. Newhard), John P. (married to Miss Lydia Hunsicker), Lewis F. (who in 1874 spent three months in Europe), William H. (married to Miss Mary Herman), Amandus O. (married to Miss Ella Kerns), James Oliver (deceased), Agnes M., Ida R., Lillie C., and Sallie J.

Amandus O., while superintending the working of what is known as the Henninger iron-ore bed, in North Whitehall township, was instantly killed by a cave-in. He was at the time managing a pumping donkey at the bottom of the pit.

Mr. Boyer, in addition to his furnace interest, was for many years engaged in the purchase and sale of real estate. He continued these operations on his removal to Allentown, and also became owner of carious iron-ore beds, which he still continues to work.

In October, 1869, Mr. Boyer, his son, John, and his son-in-law, John H. Beck, started with several hundred hands for Texas, where he graded five miles of the Memphis, El Paso and Pacific Railroad, after which he removed to Arkansas, and graded eight miles of the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad.

He is a director of the Allentown National Bank, and of the Carbon Manufacturing Company. In politics he is a pronounced Democrat, but not ambitious for the honors of office. He is actively identified with the German Reformed Church as an elder and treasurer of the organization. He was also prominent during the period of its erection as a member of the building committee. Mrs. Boyer and all the sons and daughters are members of the same or other churches.

Page 225-226

History of the Counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Alfred Mathews and Austin N. Hungerford

J. B. Lippincott & Co., Pennsylvania. 1884

Transcribed by Annette Bame Peebles

The Lehigh County, Pennsylvania Biographies Project – http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~arkbios/Lehigh/index.html.

Date of Transcription: 12 June 2007

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