Northumberland County PA Archives Biographies.....Kulp, Monroe H. 1858 - living in 1899 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 1, 2005, 1:30 am Author: Biographical Publishing Co. HON. MONROE H. KULP, ex-Congressman from the Seventeenth Congressional District of Pennsylvania, and a man of large and varied business interests throughout the state, is a son of the late Darlington R. and Elizabeth (Gilbert) Kulp, and was born October 23, 1858, in Barto, Berks County, Pa. Darlington R. Kulp was one of the most successful lumber dealers in Northumberland County. He was born in Philadelphia, Pa., November 29, 1826, and was a son of Christian and Catharine (Renninger) Kulp, natives of Pennsylvania, the former of Montgomery and the latter of Berks County. Both spent their lives in Eastern Pennsylvania, where they lived to the ages of seventy-three and eighty-three years, respectively. The Kulp family is of Holland origin, and were among the early settlers of Pennsylvania, whose thrifty, frugal and industrial habits are so vividly outlined in the history of the early growth of the state. D. R. Kulp was reared near Pottstown, Montgomery County, where he attended the district schools at intervals, receiving a very limited education. He learned the carpenter's trade, and early engaged in the lumber business. On October 5, 1851, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Gilbert, daughter of George and Sallie (Houck) Gilbert of Montgomery County. She was born in New Hanover, Montgomery County, and bore her husband twelve children, eight of whom were living but a short time ago, as follows: Zipporah, wife of Chester B. Thomas of Shamokin; Joanna Catharine, widow of Edwin Shuman; Monroe H.; Clayton A.; Ella J.; Chester G.; Howard C; and Gilbert G., all residents of Shamokin. In October, 1867, Mr. Kulp removed to Shamokin and continued the lumber business in partnership with D. S. Shultz and William R. Bechtel, under the style of Shultz, Bechtel & Company. In 1869-70 he operated Ben Franklin Colliery under the name of Kulp, Bechtel & Company. In July, 1871, he joined in partnership with Matthias Ernes and the firm of Kulp & Ernes continued about six years when the latter was succeeded by Isaac F. Stetler. May 1, 1878, C. Q. McWilliams purchased Mr. Stetler's interest and the firm name became Kulp & McWilliams. In 1879 they added ice and brick to their lumber business, and carried on all three until January 1, 1882, when W. C. McConnell became a member of the firm, and Kulp, McWilliams & Company conducted the business until August 15, 1886, when the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Kulp retaining the lumber interest in the business, which he afterwards continued and in connection with which he bought large tracts of forest land, cut the timber, and converted the property into productive farms, owning at the time of his death some ten farms in Northumberland and adjoining counties. In the spring of 1886 Mr. Kulp and his eldest son, Monroe H., the subject of this historical review, opened a mercantile store under the firm name of D. R. Kulp & Son, which they conducted three years and then sold to J. O. Keeler. D. R. Kulp was first president of the Roaring Creek Water Company and a director of the Shamokin Water Company, Politically he was a Whig and later a Republican. He was an emergency man during Gen. Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania. He served in the borough council and as supervisor of the poor in Coal township. Though reared in the German Reformed Church, Mr. Kulp affiliated with the Lutheran Church after locating in Shamokin. He was a member of Elysburg Lodge, No. 414, F. & A. M., and Shamokin Chapter, No. 264, F. & A. M. He died January 29, 1893, having earned for himself a splendid reputation as a progressive, enterprising citizen, and an honest, upright man. Monroe H. Kulp was seven years old when his parents removed to Shamokin and attended a public school there during the winter months, and, when not engaged with school duties, worked about the collieries, so that at the age of seventeen years he had worked in nearly every branch of the coal industry. He entered the store of his father and worked there until the firm of Kulp & McWilliams was formed, in 1878, when he entered their employ and began studying the business in which he has since become so successful. Having a desire for a more liberal and extended education, our subject entered the State Normal College at Lebanon, O., in 1879. and for two years pursued such studies as he thought would best adapt him for an active business life; and in 1881 he completed his school life by graduating from Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he made a decidedly creditable record, graduating from the business course of that institution in a shorter time than any other student had completed the course, and his work being highly complimented by the faculty. On his return from Poughkeepsie, Mr. Kulp took charge of the books of Kulp, McWilliams & Company, and filled the position of bookkeeper and cashier in a most satisfactory manner until the dissolution of the firm in 1886, when his father assumed the entire lumber business formerly operated by the firm, and from the above date until 1892 he was active in the management of the business conjointly with his father. During 1892 his father was stricken with the disease which resulted in his death and the entire responsibility of the management of the business devolved upon the son. The undertaking was a big one as it included the supervision of business operations in timber in nine counties of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, the timber tracts aggregating 20,000 acres and giving employment to 300 men. The executive ability which our subject displayed and the business-like manner in which he discharged every duty in his new capacity attracted the attention of his friends and has contributed much to his subsequent success following the death of his father in 1893. Becoming one of the executors of his father's will, he managed the estate until October 5, 1895, when the firm of Monroe H. Kulp & Company was formed. This company soon began an investigation of some timber lands in Union County, Pa., with the result that a company was formed and incorporated in 1897 for the purpose of purchasing and developing this large tract of timber land. The company was formed under the title of M. H. Kulp & Company, incorporated, and consisted of M. H. Kulp, president and general manager; G. Gilbert Kulp, vice-president; and D. C. Kaseman, secretary and treasurer. This company purchased a tract of timber land aggregating 25,000 acres and immediately set about developing it with the characteristic energy of its head officer. It soon became apparent that in order to develop the lands a railroad must be built and a company, of which Mr. Kulp was president and general manager, was incorporated for this purpose under the title of the Lewisburg & Buffalo Valley Railway Company. The company built a road eighteen miles in length connecting with the Pennsylvania and Reading roads at Lewisburg and extending into this timber field. It is a well-equipped road for the transportation of timber products to Lewisburg, where the company operates a large steam saw-mill. This industry, which is perhaps the largest of its kind in the state, is'devoted to the manufacture and shipment of lumber. Prior to the death of Darlington R. Kulp, the firm of Kulp, Thomas & Company had been formed, consisting of Darlington R. Kulp, Chester B. Thomas, and Monroe H. Kulp. This firm which operated at Milroy, Mifflin County, Pa., continued until the death of Mr. Kulp. When the estate was settled, Monroe H. purchased the landed interests of this firm and the style of the firm has continued the same to the present time. This firm has also a large tract of timber land which adds considerable to the already extensive lumbering enterprises and includes about 5,000 acres of white pine, yellow pine and oak forests, which is rapidly being converted into lumber through the agency of their big saw-mills, being reached by the means of a fifteen-mile railroad. In addition to the above lumbering enterprises of great magnitude and far-reaching consequences in the development of the industries of the respective sections in which they are located, Mr. Kulp is largely interested in a number of business corporations in the town of his residence. He is a director in Shamokin Water Company; Shamokin Street Railway Company; Shamokin Steam Heat& Power Company; Vega Silk Company of Shamokin; and the Salt Lick Oil & Gas Company. Mr. Kulp has always been an ardent Republican and in 1894, when the protective interests of the business men demanded fair representation within the halls of Congress, Mr. Kulp, without any solicitation on his part, was nominated for representative from the Seventeenth Congressional District of Pennsylvania against Hon. Charles R. Buckalew, and, notwithstanding the usual adverse majority, was elected the first Republican representative in the history of the district. At the end of his first term he was re-elected by an increased majority, a fitting reward for his earnest efforts in behalf of his constituents. At the end of his second term, owing to his increased business, he declined a renomination preferring to give his entire time to his business interests. Socially and fraternally our subject stands deservedly high; he is a member of several branches of the Masonic fraternity, and was one of the organizers of the Cresco Club of Shamokin; is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Pottsville Club; Harrisburg Club; Sunbury Club; Ross Club of Williamsport; The Turf Club of Philadelphia; and Union League of Philadelphia. June 8, 1897, he was united in marriage with Sarah Detweiler, a sister of Col. W. C. McConnell of Shamokin, Pa. As one of the most widely known men in the Seventeenth Congressional District, we take pleasure in presenting Mr. Kulp's portrait on a preceding page, in connection with the foregoing sketch of his life. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District Published by Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899) This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 10.5 Kb