Biography: John Y. Weidner:  Berks County, PA

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"Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks County", by Morten Montgomery

Surnames: Bigony, Grill, Hornberger, Marks, Richwein, Seidel, Spatz, Weidner,
Yocum

Vol. II, p. 1649-50 - JOHN Y. WEIDNER, of Mohnton, PA., was born Aug. 3, 1846,
at Sinking Spring, Berks County, son of Obadiah and Hannah (YOCUM) WEIDNER.

Obadiah WEIDNER was born Feb. 17, 1817, in Rockland Township, and died in
Boyertown, in the thirty-third year of his age.  For some years he lived near
Sinking Spring, and later removed to the village, where he conducted a
restaurant.  On Feb. 1, 1842, he married to Hannah YOCUM, born Aug. 21, 1821,
who died Sept. 2, 1897, daughter of Nicholas and Catherine (SEIDEL) YOCUM, and
to them were born these children:  Anna Eliza, born Oct. 11, 1842, died single;
Catherine, born Nov. 8, 1844, married John MARKS, of Cumru Township; and John Y.

John Y. WEIDNER attended the Cumru Township schools, which he left at the age
of eighteen years, obtaining a fair business education.  In 1865 he located in
Mohnton, where he has resided to the present time, with the exception of four
years when he farmed the YOCUM property and dealt in ice.  On first locating in
Mohnton, Mr. WEIDNER engaged in the mercantile business at the northeast corner
of Church Street and Wyomissing Avenue, but after three years purchased the
house now owned by his son-in-law, Martin D. GRILL, where he remained for four
years.  Mr. WEIDNER was the first man to handle Angelica ice, starting at the
old forge.  In 1882, after returning to Mohnton, he built a large ice house,
40x50 feet, and engaged extensively in the ice business, which he successfully
continued until 1900, when he leased his plant to the Reading Cold Storage
Company.  For some years after returning to Mohnton, Mr. WEIDNER conducted a
general feed store with his mercantile business, and in 1901 engaged in the
sawmill business, his mill being on the Wyomissing Creek at Mohnton, where he
employs six men and does a very flourishing business.

Mr. WEIDNER has been as prominent in public life as he has been in the business
world.  He is well known as an unswerving Republican, was assessor of his
township in 1884, 1885, and 1886, and in the latter year he was elected tax
assessor of Cumru Township, a most responsible position.  This he filled for a
full term of three years with entire satisfaction to all concerned.  In 1896 Mr.
WEIDNER was appointed postmaster of Mohnton by President McKinley, and has
since been twice re-appointed.  He was first appointed under President Harrison,
but owing to the controversy between Postmaster-General John Wanamaker and the
Republican organization of PA he was not commissioned until President McKinley's
administration.  Mr. WEIDNER and his family are members of Zion's U. E. Church
of Mohnton.

On Feb. 8, 1866, Mr. WEIDNER was married to Catherine HORNBERGER, daughter of
Joseph and Catherine (SPATZ) HORNBERGER, born May 23, 1846, and to this union
there were born:  Emma, born Nov. 15, 1867, died in her second year; Maggie,
born Oct. 10, 1869, who is a mute, is intelligent, beautiful and is much
interested in her church;  Lizzie H., born Oct 1, 1872, married Hiram J. BIGONY,
a well-known business man of Mohnton, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this
volume; Hannah R., born Aug. 27, 1875, married Martin D. GRILL, a school teacher
of Cumru Township; and Kate A., born May 21, 1883, married Charles S. RICHWEIN,
also a school teacher of the township.