William Walp,
an
honored resident of Bethlehem, bears the distinction of being
the oldest furniture dealer in the city, having been engaged in
that business since 1866. He also has a fine undertaking
establishment in connection with this line of trade, and is
classed among the well-to-do and highly esteemed merchants of
the place. He was born in Bucks County, this state, March 17,
1834, and is the son of James Walp, also a native of that place,
but the father of James Walp, who bore the name of William Walp,
hailed from Germany. James Walp was a carpenter and contractor
by occupation, which business he followed after his removal to
Lower Saucon Township, Lehigh County. In 1850, however, he
located in Bethlehem, where he worked at his trade until his
decease, when in the seventy-second year of his age. He was a
devoted member of the Lutheran Church, in the work of which
society he always took a deep interest. His wife was known in
her maidenhood as Catherine Fluck, a native of Northampton
County, having been born near Leithsville. She departed this
life at the age of seventy-one years.
The parental family of our
subject included two sons and three daughters, of whom he is the
eldest. He remained in Saucon until a lad of sixteen years, when
he began learning the carpenter’s trade under the instruction of
his father. He afterward worked for John Walp, a prominent
builder of Bethlehem in that day, and remained with him until
embarking in the furniture business in 1866. His first partner
was a Mr. Gerstner, and they continued to operate together in
the manufacture of all kinds of furniture for two years, when
the connection was dissolved, and our subject carried on the
business under the name of William Walp & Co. until 1875, since
which time he has been the sole proprietor.
In 1885 Mr. Walp built his present place of business at No. 17
North Main Street. It is a tw0-story and basement structure, 22
x 100 feet in dimensions. The first floor is used for his
furniture department, the second is devoted to the undertaking
outfit, and the basement serves as the workshop. Mr. Walp is a
graduate of the Sullivan School of Embalming of Philadelphia,
and in this branch of business has been exceedingly successful.
William Walp was married in this city in 1855 to Miss Mary
Beidler, a native of Pottsville. She departed this life in 1891,
having become the mother of nine children, seven of whom lived
to mature years. Alice is the wife of Daniel G. Wiggins, of this
city; Annie and Minnie are at home with their brother William;
Edward is residing in Easton; William is a pharmacist; Emma died
in 1884, and James passed away at the age of twenty-five.
Mr. Walp has his residence located in West Bethlehem, to which
portion of the city he removed in 1872. He has been very
prominent in local affairs, and served as a member of the first
Borough Council in West Bethlehem, of which he was President for
one year. He has been School Director for five years, and
socially is a charter member of the Knights of Honor, in which
he has passed all the chairs, and was Representative to the
Grand Lodge for one year. He belongs to the State Association of
Undertakers, and is an ardent Democrat, and influential in the
political life of the community. He is member of the Trinity
Lutheran Church, to the support of which he is a willing and
liberal contributor.
