Bios: John H Egolf 1843 - : Amity Twp, Berks <Montgomery Cos, PA

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From:  Morton L Montgomery, "Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks
County, Pennsylvania."  Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co., 1909.  pp 1236-7.

Surnames mentioned:

Bunn, Conard, Eagle, Egolf, Kupp, Luppold, Murphy, Pott, Reifsnyder,
Rhoads, Satter, Young.

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


JOHN H. EGOLF, one of the old-time business men of Douglassville, Berks Co.,
Pa., where he conducts a flourishing wholesale and retail coal, grain and
feed business, was born Sept. 8, 1843 at Pottstown, Pa., son of Hezekiah B.
and Lavina (POTT) EGOLF.

Jacob EGOLF, the great-grandfather of John H., was a native of New Hanover,
Montgomery Co., Pa.  June 4, 1795, he purchased from Henry Keim a tract of
land consisting of 79 acres 32 perches, in Rockland township, Berks county,
which property is recorded in Patent Book A, vol. 7, p. 123, and in Berks
county in Deed Book 14, p. 421.  Here the ancestor spent the remainder of
his days.  In 1907, twelve persons of the name were residing in Reading and
some of the descendants of Jacob EGOLF now live at Hamburg and in Fleetwood.

Adam EGOLF, the grandfather of John H., is buried in the old Pottstown
cemetery, the date of his birth and death unknown.  In 1837 he purchased a
property in Amity township from Henry Mane, and at one time owned a tract
of 150 acres, on which he carried on farming.  He retired some years before
his death.  He was a tall, slender man, was a consistent member of the
Lutheran Church, and was known throughout his community as an honest and
upright citizen.  Adam EGOLF married Elizabeth BUNN, and to them the
following children were born:  Hezekiah; Jacob who died young; Caroline, m.
Samuel MURPHY and lived in Chester county; Julian, m. John LUPPOLD and
lived in Amity township; and Rebecca, m. Amos REIFSNYDER and lived in Amity
township. All of these children are deceased.

Hezekiah B. EGOLF was born in Rockland, Berks Co., Pa., April 13, 1816, and
died Nov. 12, 1887, aged 71 years, 6 months, 29 days.  He was a miller by
trade, and conducted a grist mill in Union township for a number of years,
this being known as Sixpenny Mill, as it was situated on Sixpenny creek.
Here he also carried on farming to some extent.  Later he located in
Douglassville, where for ten years he was engaged in a coal and lumber
business, and became a successful business man and useful citizen of his
community.  In politics a stanch Democrat, Mr. Egolf was elected by his
fellow citizens to the positions of school director, auditor, tax collector
and assessor, and filled all of these incumbencies ably and faithfully.  He
was a member of the Amityville Lutheran Church, and was a member of the
building committee that erected the present edifice.  He is buried at
Amityville cemetery, where his wife was also laid to rest.

Hezekiah B. EGOLF was married to Lavina POTT, born in 1821, who died in
1904, daughter of John and Ellen (EAGLE) POTT.  Mr. Pott came from Germany
in infancy.  He and his wife both met their death on the Reading railroad
tracks 1-1/2 miles above Douglassville, Pa., when the carriage in which they
were riding was struck by the Aerial Engine.  To Mr. and Mrs. Egolf there
were born these children:  John H.; Abigail, born in 1845, who died in 1881;
Emily F., deceased, m. Walt YOUNG; Anna, who died unmarried in 1865, aged 17
years; Ellen, who also died young; Elizabeth, born in 1858, who died in
1862; Franklin P., born in 1853, who died in 1857; and Bertha K., m. Ammon
K. RHOADS of Amityville, Pa.

John H. EGOLF was brought to Exeter township, Berks county, by his parents,
when one year old, and his education was secured in the public schools of
Union township and the Philomathean Institute below Birdsboro, which was
organized by Prof. B.F. Barge in 1861.  This gentleman, who was a graduate
of Yale College, had first conducted his school in a private house, but
later founded the well known institute.  At an early age young Egolf began
working in his father's mill, remaining there until 22 years of age, and on
coming with the family to Douglassville he assumed charge of the Reading
Station, a position which he held for 11 years.  In 1877 Mr. Egolf purchased
the good will, stock and fixtures of Charles H. Hine, conducting that well
known general store for 25 years, and in 1903 he engaged in his present
business, employing three men and being eminently successful.  His business
ventures have not been confined to these enterprises, however, and he now
serves as treasurer of the Douglassville Iron Company, of which he was one
of the founders, and which employs as many as 80 men.  For 15 years he was
president and a director of the Phoenix Mutual Fire Insurance Company, with
main offices at Phoenixville, and he was also one of the organizers of the
American Casuality Company.

Mr. Egolf's home is a large stone residence, situated near his place of
business, built by Henry McKanty about 1838.  It is surrounded by a fine,
large, well-kept lawn and shrubbery and flowers add greatly to the beauty of
the place.  He also owns a tract of 42 acres, which is being cultivated
under his personal supervision.  In political matters, like his father, he
is a stanch Democrat, and has served as school director, assessor, delegate
to a number of county conventions, and State delegate on two occasions, once
when the Hon. Mr. Day of Philadelphia was nominated for the office of State
treasurer, and again when Robert E. Pattison was nominated the second time
for the governorship, to which he was subsequently elected.  During
President Cleveland's administrations, Mr. Egolf was postmaster at
Douglassville.  With his family he attends divine worship at the Lutheran
Church of Amityville.

On March 8, 1878, Mr. Egolf was united in marriage with Lizzie J. CONARD,
daughter of Adam and Elizabeth CONARD, of Douglassville, and to them there
have been born the following children:  Nellie, m. to Frederick A. SATTER,
of Douglassville; Mabel, m. to Albert KUPP, a resident of Douglassville; and
John Conard, and Frances E., who are attending school.