Northumberland-Schuylkill County PA Archives Biographies.....Sanger, Thomas 1869 - 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 7, 2005, 7:44 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Co. THOMAS SANGER, one of the most prominent men and highly respected citizens of Mount Carmel, Pa., is a son of Thomas and Sarah (Brown) Sanger, and was born November 24, 1869, at Girardville, Schuylkill County, Pa. Thomas Sanger, the father of our subject, was a native of the parish of Gernoe, Cornwall County, England, and was born in 1842. He was the only son and great care was taken in bringing him up. His father was a Methodist minister and he died when Thomas was but five years old, leaving the family in straitened circumstances. Therefore Thomas was obliged to begin work at an early age, going into the Great Work tin mine, where he remained until he was nineteen years old. He then decided to try his luck in the United States, and set sail for this country in 1861, landing in New York City. A miner by occupation, he immediately sought the mining regions, and was successful in securing work at Beaver Meadows, under the employ of T. Gertz, remaining there a short time. His next move was to Stockton, Schuylkill County, where he hired out with a man named Paul Quick. They soon became firm friends and, wishing to better their condition, decided to move to Locust Gap, and later went to Dark Corner, working at Anderson's Colliery. In May, 1866, they went to California, and then Mr. Sanger worked his way to Virginia City, Nevada, where he obtained the position of overlooker in a gold mine, under the supervision of William Locke. After three years in that city he returned East and located at Waterloo, N. J., where, shortly after his arrival there, he married a daughter of William Brown of Belleville, N. J. After a few months he went to Girardville, Schuylkill County, Pa., and worked in the colliery of Beatty & Garretson for five years, when he accepted the position of inside--boss at the colliery of the Messrs. Heaton, at Raven Run, Schuylkill County, and continued there until he was murdered, September 1, 1875, by Mollie Maguires, who were afterward hung for the crime at Pottsville, Pa. The murderers were Thomas Monday, Friday O'Donnell, James McAlister and Michael Doyle. Mr. Sanger always gave the greatest satisfaction to his employers and was highly respected in the community. He was a man of generosity and he never failed to remember the mother across the sea, always sending her part of his earnings. He was an Odd Fellow and a Free Mason. Mr. Sanger's wife was married first to Pierce Oliver, and by him were born two children, namely: Emma, the wife of William Wragg, outside-foreman at the Hickory Ridge Colliery; and Mary E., wife of William R. Pratt of Shenandoah. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Sanger were as follows: Thomas Sanger, the subject of this biography; Annie, wife of David Bodine of Plainfield, N. J.; Johanna, wife of John E. Pratt of Philadelphia; and Gertrude. Mrs. Sanger's third husband was Paul Quick, now deceased. Thomas Sanger, the subject of this sketch, was educated at Girard College, Philadelphia, and after leaving college entered the employ of J. B. Lippincott & Co., as stock-clerk, remaining with them for one and one-half years, when he went to Delano and engaged as draughtsman for six years for the Lehigh Valley R. R. Co. He then became draughtsman for Goyne Bros., manufacturers of pumps at Ashland, and remained there two years, when he entered the employ of the Mount Carmel Iron Works in 1897 as draughtsman, and remained in that capacity until February n, 1899, when he was promoted to the position of superintendent of the works. Politically Mr. Sanger is a firm Republican and takes an active interest in the politics of the county. He is chairman of the Republican standing committee of Mount Carmel. Our subject is a member of several fraternal orders, including the Knights of Malta at Mount Carmel; Jr. O. U. A. M., Council No. 874 at Mount Carmel, also of the national and state body, being a delegate to the national conventions, having served five years, attending the various meetings throughout the country; also a member of the P. O. S. of A. He is president of the Citizens' Hook & Ladder Company, having been one of the organizers. Mr. Sanger married, May 10, 1893, Jennie Louisa Williams, a daughter of John L. Williams, and they have been blessed with two children, Ethel Vivian and Thomas. Mr. Sanger is a man of splendid principles and strictest integrity, and is always willing to assist in anything which is for the good of the people. 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: 5.1 Kb