Bios: Isaac G. Blatt, 1857-: Reading, Berks Co, PA

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From:  Morton L Montgomery, "Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks
County, Pennsylvania.  Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co., 1909.  p 1329.

Surnames mentioned:
Biehl, Billman, Blatt, Bohn, Gerhard, Greth, Hafer, Hincy, Koch, Moyer,
Schell, Snyder, Stepp, Stoudt, Stricker

Note: Surnames of related families have been capitalized, but are lower case
in the original.

ISAAC G. BLATT, former proprietor of the "Hotel Blatt," on North Sixth
street, Reading, Pa., comes of a family that has lived in Berks county
almost 200 years.

Frederick BLATT, the first of the name in direct line to Isaac G., of whom
we have authentic record, was a pioneer farmer of Bern township, where he
owned the large farm now the property of Levi Rentschler, and he lived in a
stone house which was situated near the present Philadelphia & Reading depot
near Mohrsville.  It is supposed he was the Frederick BLATT who was a
taxable in Maiden-creek township in 1757-58-59.  He was a soldier in the
Revolution, being a member of Captain Shartle's company, and he was a man of
adventurous spirit.  In 1800, with his son Matthias, he rode on horseback to
Reading to vote for Thomas Jefferson for President.  On one occasion, while
he and his brother were hunting in the Blue Mountains, he entered a cave to
secure a number of bear cubs, but the return of the mother bear interrupted
him, and the warning cry of his brother who was on the outside enabled him
to squeeze past the old bear in the opening of the cave and to escape with
his life.  As many of the old pioneers of that locality were Friends, it is
supposed that Frederick BLATT also belonged to that faith, though his
service in the Revolution seems on the other hand to discredit it.  He is
buried at either Belleman's or St. Michael's Church.  Mr. Blatt had
children:  Adam, who went to Ohio in either 1838 or 1839, his descendants
still living in the vicinity of Sandusky; David and John, who were residents
of Centre; Matthias; and Jeremiah, of Centre, who had four children--Aaron,
Reuben, Caroline (m. Adam BOHN) and Malinda (m. George SNYDER).

Matthias BLATT, son of Frederick, was born in Bern township in 1777, and
died during the winter of 1859.  He was a lifelong farmer of Bern (now
Centre) township, where he owned a farm of 100 acres now the property of his
grandson, John B. BLATT.  He was a member of the German Reformed Church, and
is buried at Belleman's Church.  He married Rosanna GERHARD, a native of
Germany, who came to this country with her parents when nine years of age.
They became the parents of children as follows:  Adam; John; Polly died
unmarried; Rebecca m. (first) Nathan HAFER, and (second) Daniel STEPP;
George (his only daughter, Hettie, is the widow of Adam KOCH); Abraham G.
died in March, 1892; and Elizabeth m. Samuel BILLMAN, a prosperous citizen
of Stark county, Ohio.

John BLATT, son of Matthias, was born in Bern township, and there married.
His children were:  Jacob; Levi, of Dauphin county; John; William, who was
killed during the Civil war; Sarah; Maria; and Catharine.

Jacob BLATT, son of John, was born on the homestead in Bern (now Centre)
township.  He died near Host in July, 1883, aged 67 years, and is buried at
Tulpehocken Lutheran Church.  He married Anna GRETH, who died in 1877.  They
were the parents of nine children:  Levi, of Logansport, Ind.; Isaac G.;
Lovina, deceased; Moural of Strausstown; Rebecca and Darius, both deceased;
Emma, deceased; Celeca who married Samuel SCHELL, of North Heidelberg; and
Katie, who married Charles BIEHL, of Reading.

Isaac G. BLATT, son of Jacob, was born in Centre township, Jan. 5, 1857, and
worked upon the home farm until he was 16 years of age, when he came to
Reading, which city has since been his abiding place with the exception of
two years when he conducted the "Mt. Pleasant Hotel" at Obold, in Penn
township.  In 1872 when he came to Reading he entered the employ of William
Call, contractor for the Berks & Lehigh Railroad Co.  One year later he
became hostler and bar clerk at the "North Reading Hotel," now called
"Riverside."  A year later he became bar clerk at the "Farmers & Drovers
Hotel" of which George Dreibelbis was proprietor.  He then worked at
huckstering and at various other vocations for some time.  In 1876 he became
bar clerk at the "Mishler House," and in 1878 proprietor of the Bernville
stage, which he ran for one year.  In this he was succeeded by J.M. Bordner,
the present driver.   When he gave up the stage, he entered the
confectionary business on North Fifth street, and in 1881 he moved to No.
423 Penn street, and in addition also drove a confectionary wagon for
several years.  His genial personality brought him to the atttention of
business men, and the Orwigsburg Shoe Manufacturing Company offered him a
position as their traveling salesman.  He accepted and remained with them
until he became associated with Walp & Co., shoe manufacturers.  For eight
years he was employed by Isaac Keim, and then he returned to the hotel
business, becoming proprietor of the "Mt. Pleasant Hotel."  Returning to
Reading at the end of two years he sold insurance for the Metropolitan, and
in 1897 he became proprietor of the "Hotel Blatt" at the corner of Locust
and Oley streets, which he conducted until 1900.  In the latter year he
became proprietor of the "Berkshire Hotel," which he conducted three years
and four months.  He then retired to private life for a year, but at the end
of that time returned to the hotel business, taking charge of the "Hotel
Blatt," at No. 338 North Sixth street.  This he conducted until he again
retired to private life.

Mr. Blatt is a member of Bernville Lodge, No. 122, I.O.O.F.; Wyanet Tribe,
No. 30, I.O.R.M.; Camp No. 550, P.O.S. of A.; and Esther Lodge, No. 4,
Rebekah degree, I.O.O.F.  With his family he belongs to the First Reformed
Church.

On July 8, 1882, Mr. Blatt married Clara STRICKER, daughter of John
STRICKER, of Heidelberg township.  Their children are:  George, who died in
infancy; Jennie, m. to Morris STOUDT, and died July 25, 1906; Irwin, a
tailor in Reading, m. to Lottie MOYER; Minnie, m. to George HINCY, of
Lancaster county; and Miss Eva, at home.