John F. Ancona Underwriter and manufacturer; born in Reading, Pa., son of Hon. S.E. Ancona and Francisca E. (Feger) Ancona. He was educated in the schools of Reading, Pa. He married first at Washington, D.C., Sallie Flinn, who died; and in 1890 he married Catharine Stambach of Reading. He resided for several years at Hamburg, … Read more

John S. Griffith John S. Griffith, Lawyer, was born, July 2d, 1813, in Bucks county, Pennsylvania. He was the first of eleven children of James Griffith and Mary (Simpson) Griffith. James Griffith, a native of Bucks county, and a blacksmith by trade, moved to Ohio in 1817, in Bethel, Clermont county, where he farmed during … Read more

Joseph Hiester Joseph Hiester, Governor of Pennsylvania, was born at Reading, Penn., November 18, 1752. In 1775, being then a young man of considerable influence, he called together his fellow citizens by beat of drum, explained to them the necessity of action in behalf of their country, and laying a sum of money from his … Read more

Joseph Heister Heister, Joseph. Was born in Bern Township, Berks County, November 18, 1752, and was brought up to conduct a farm and a store. Inheriting a good fortune, at the outbreak of the Revolution he equipped a company himself, with which he joined the army. He became a Colonel; was a prisoner in the … Read more

Jonathan Schell Jonathan Schell, one of the oldest and most respected residents of Jefferson township, Montgomery county, Ohio, was born in Berks county, Pa., December 10, 1810, a son of Henry and Margaret (Lesher) Schell, who were also natives of Berks county and of Revolutionary antecedents. Peter Schell and John Lesher, respectively the paternal and … Read more

Jonathan Potts Jonathan Potts, surgeon, b. in Popodickon, Berks co., Pa., 1 April, 1745; d. in Reading, Pa., in October, 1781. He was a son of John Potts, the founder of Pottstown, Pa. After receiving a classical education, he went with Dr. Benjamin Rush to Edinburgh, Scotland, for medical study, and after his return he … Read more

Jonathan Bruestle Jonathan Bruestle, one of the old settlers of Clay township, Montgomery county, Ohio, was born in Berks county, Pa., July 1, 1829, and is of German extraction. Christian Bruestle, his grandfather, was a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, a tailor by trade, and married Sabina Wert, by whom he became the father of the … Read more

John William Richards John William Richards, clergyman, b. at Reading. Pa., 18 April, 1803; d. there, 27 Jan., 1854. His father, Matthias Richards, was for many years an associate judge of the courts in Berks county, and his mother was a daughter of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg. He received his classical training in the academy in … Read more

John Treon One of the noted medical characters even as late as my coming to the city, and the only one mentioned to-night of whom I had personal knowledge, was Dr. John Treon, of Miamisburg. He was of French descent, his paternal grandfather having been a surgeon in the army of France. His father was … Read more

John Sylvanus Hiester John Sylvanus Hiester, son of Joseph and Elizabeth Hiester, was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, July 28, 1794. He began the study of law with Attorney-General Bradford, but upon the death of that eminent lawyer in 1795, he passed into the office of Jared Ingersoll, under whose direction he finished that study. … Read more