BIOGRAPHY: ZIMMERMAN Family, Cambria County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lynne Canterbury and Diann Olsen. Portions of this book were transcribed by Clark Creery, Martha Humenik, Betty Mirovich and Sharon Ringler. USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ ____________________________________________________________ From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 426-8 ____________________________________________________________ THE ZIMMERMAN FAMILY.--Charles Zimmerman, deceased, was one of the old-time settlers of Johnstown. Born at Biedenkopf, Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, in November, 1814, he there learned the trade of wheelwright and cabinet-maker. There also, on the 9th of September, 1837, he married Miss Christina Fronheiser, sister of the late Jacob Fronheiser and the late Mrs. Casper Burgraff. A year after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman, with their infant son Charles, and accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Burgraff, landed in Baltimore. From that city they journeyed by stage to Columbia, Pennsylvania, where they boarded a canal boat en route to Johnstown, it taking at the time about one week to journey from Baltimore to Johnstown. Upon their arrival there Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman went to housekeeping on the "Island." At that time no houses were built for renting purposes, and they had to fix up an unused stable. For a time after their arrival in Johnstown Mr. Zimmerman and Mr. Burgraff worked on anything and everything they found to do. There were only seven German families there at that time. It was related many times by both gentlemen that the first money they ever earned here was a five-franc piece, one of which was paid each of them for shoveling the snow off the Presbyterian church roof. They regarded the pay received by them as princely, for in Germany, at that time, laborers did not receive more than five francs for a whole week's work. They did not, however, continue working long here and there, but settled down to permanent business, Mr. Zimmerman opening a cabinet shop on Locust street. He made spinning-wheels, and sold them to the country folks, who in those days made their own material for their wearing apparel. In 1841 Mr. Zimmerman and his family moved into a house on Main street, occupying the site of the building now in possession of A. W. Luckhart, John Hornick and the House Supply company. The property was purchased from Shipley Priestly. Here Mr. Zimmerman engaged in the furniture and cabinetmaking business, and he was often heard to say that, about this time, he helped to build the second house that was erected on the South Side; this was what was known as the "Old Log House." It was built for a man by the name of Kleinhause; the site is No. 131 Morris street, now the residence of Charles Ellsworth. On the 16th of August, 1852, the entire building occupied by Mr. Zimmerman was destroyed by fire. He then bought from John Parke the property in which he lived from that time until his death, situated on Main street, now Zimmerman building. There was a house on the lot, and he occupied it as a dwelling and hotel, part of the time, however, merchandizing, engaging in the latter business soon after taking possession of the premises, and continuing it till the year prior to his death. Mr. Zimmerman was appointed a notary public in 1852 by Governor Johnson, and was re-appointed by every succeeding governor until his death, which occurred on the 23d day of March, 1888. It is probable that he was the first notary Johnstown ever had. In addition to his hotel and grocery business, and his official duties as notary, he was a scrivener and agent for many years for the North-German Lloyd Steamship line. In his younger days Mr. Zimmerman was a great reader. He was very fond of Schiller and Goethe, and had memorized many of their productions. He had a very retentive memory, and intelligent Germans state that he was familiar with all the leading events in German history. Of the early struggles of the American patriots he liked to hear and read, and, although born upon a foreign soil, he became, after his arrival here, thoroughly imbued with a spirit of liberty, and comprehended to the fullest extent the dignity of American citizenship, joining a military company, Judge Potts, Mayor Flanagan, and John Seeton being officers or members. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, being a charter member of Cambria Lodge, No. 278, and Portage Lodge, No. 220, of Hollidaysburg, and was at his death one of the oldest living members, becoming a member of that lodge May 3, 1848, at which time there was no Lodge in Johnstown. He was also an Odd Fellow. He was one of the few who were instrumental in having erected the first German Lutheran church in Johnstown. To the marriage union of Charles Zimmerman and Christina Fronheiser were born the following children: Charles; Alexander, deceased; Jacob; Amanda, deceased, was the wife of Louis Reitz; Edward A.; Kossuth, deceased; and Emma, wife of J. D. Lopentein, of Pittsburg, now residing in Orange, California. Mrs. Zimmerman died on November 20, 1886.