Bios: James Monroe Dreisbach, Financier of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, 1847 - aft 1913 : Carbon County File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Dan Wilson. dan.wilson@asu.edu USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. JAMES MONROE DREISBACH Financier of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, 1847 - aft 1913 James Monroe Dreisbach, a foremost representative of the financial interests of Mauch Chunk, and for many years prominently identified with the political affairs of the Carbon County, was born on January 4, 1847, at Lockport, Northampton County, PA, the son of Solomon and Mary (Mummey) Dreisbach. The emigrant of this family in America was John Jost Dreisbach, who was born in Germany in 1721. He sailed for this country from Cowes, England, on September 20, 1743, aboard the ship Lydia, of which James Abercrombie, of Rotterdam, was master. John Jost Dreisbach died on October 17, 1794. His son, Michael Dreisbach, was born April 1, 1779, and died October 15, 1868. Michael Driesbach was a wheelwright, and engaged in farming. He married Susanna Shaffer, and they had a son, Solomon Driesbach. Solomon Dreisbach was born in1822, in Lehigh township, Northampton County,PA, and died August 14, 1880. He trained for a mercantile career, but early in life became a boat-builder, also conducting a boatmanšs stable and store. Removing in 1850 to East Mauch Chunk, Carbon County, he built the Center House, the first hotel in that town. His wife, Mary Mummey, was the daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Master) Mummy, and she was born near Berlinsville, PA, on November 9, 1828. She was one of six children, the others being: James M., Joseph B., Franklin A., Ellen I., Mary H., the wife of Rev. William C. Shaffer, and Emma J., who married Harry Laurish. James Monroe Dreisbach was but three years of age when his parents removed to East Mauch Chunk. He acquired his early training in the public schools of that borough, later pursuing a business course at Philadelphia. In 1863 he began life as a clerk in the service of the Hazleton Coal Company at Penn Haven, which was then an important coal- shipping point. There he formed an acquaintance with General William Lilly, who was at that time in charge of the company's affairs at Penn Haven, and a warm friendship sprang up between the two which was only terminated by the death of the elder in 1893. In 1865 Mr. Dreisbach became the shipper for Sharpe, Weiss & Company, and for Coxe Brothers and Company, miners and shippers of anthracite coal. Shipments were made over the Lehigh canal from Mauch Chunk. Entering the Second National Bank of Mauch Chunk in the spring of 1867 as a bookkeeper, he was subsequently promoted to the position of teller. In 1880 he was elected cashier of the bank, while from 1897 until 1901 he served as its vice-president. In the latter year he became president of the institution, serving in that capacity until December 31, 1902, when the charter of the Second National Bank expired by limitation. Mr. Dreisbach was an active participant in the organization of the Mauch Chunk Trust Company, which began business on January 1, 1903, the only institution of its kind in the county. He was chosen its president, still [in 1913] occupying that position. The new institution was to a certain degree an experiment, but under his guidance it has steadily grown stronger and more prosperous. Since his boyhood Mr. Dreisbach's life has been characterized by sustained activity and usefulness. He was the receiver appointed to take charge of the affairs of the Miners' Bank of Lansford, which failed in 1883, and succeeded in paying its creditors seventy-five percent of the amount of their claims, notwithstanding that it was at first thought there would be but little left to divide among the depositors of the wrecked institution. Mr. Dreisbach is [in 1913] a director of the East Broad Gap Railroad and Coal Company, of G. B. Markle & Co., and other corporations. He is the acting executor of the estate of his former friend, General Lilly, the wealthy coal operator, and was similarly connected with a number of other estates. He has been a close student of political and economic problems, always manifesting a lively interest in public affairs. Politics with him has been an avocation rather than a vocation. He was, however, appointed as the first postmaster of East Mauch Chunk, having been largely instrumental in the establishment of that post office in 1870. He early became identified with the policies and principles of the Republican party, becoming one of its most influential leaders in the county. Repeatedly serving as the chairman of the county committee, he was also frequently sent as a representative to the state conventions of the party. In 1896 he was a member of the National convention which nominated McKinley for the Presidency at St. Louis, while four years later he was again a delegate to the convention that renominated him at Philadelphia. He took an active part in securing the legislation constituting Carbon county as a separate judicial district, in 1901, at which time he also successfully advocated the separate establishment of the offices of prothonotary and clerk of courts, and of register of wills and recorder of deeds. Mr. Dreisbach is a past master of the Masonic lodge of Mauch Chunk, while being a past grand of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of that town. He was united in marriage to Emma Wertz, of Cherryville, Northampton county, on November 11, 1869. Their only son, George Dreisbach, is [in 1913] secretary and treasurer of the Mauch Chunk Trust Company.