Official Program 175

Official Program of the 175th Anniversary of the Founding of Reading William Penn Born in London, England, October 14, 1644 Died July 30, 1718 The man through whose pioneering instinct we are celebrating the 175th Anniversary of the founding of Reading. Had he, when Charles II, King of England, granted him the territory “west of … Read more

Official Program of the 175th Anniversary of the Founding of Reading Nicholas Keim Nicholas Keim was born in Oley Township in 1719. He came to Reading in 1755, where he embarked in business as a dealer in hardware and grain. In 1769 he purchased what was then known as the “Old White Store,” on Penn … Read more

Official Program of the 175th Anniversary of the Founding of Reading Simon Seyfert Simon Seyfert was born June 2, 1786, near Shartlesville, Berks County. Pa., being one of seven sons of Joseph Seyfert, a farmer and miller. When a young man he came to Reading, where, after several years’ service in the grocery and dry … Read more

Official Program of the 175th Anniversary of the Founding of Reading Hiester H. Muhlenberg Hiester H. Muhlenberg was born in Reading, January 15th, 1812. His father was Henry A. Muhlenberg, for many years pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, a member of Congress and Ambassador to Austria. The subject of this sketch graduated from Dickinson College … Read more

Official Program of the 175th Anniversary of the Founding of Reading Frederick Lauer Frederick Lauer was born in Palatine, October 14, 1810. He came to America with his father in 1823, and shortly thereafter came to Reading. His father first established a brewery at Womelsdorf, and in 1826 removed it to Reading, at which time … Read more

Official Program of the 175th Anniversary of the Founding of Reading William Arnold Born in 1798, he was for more than fifty years very prominently identified with the manufacturing, political and business interests of Reading. In fact, he might be called the father of the wool hat making industry in Reading, because, while his father, … Read more

Official Program of the 175th Anniversary of the Founding of Reading Isaac McHose Although born in the year 1822, in Lehigh County, it was not until the year 1852 that Isaac McHose came to Reading; but from the time of his coming to Reading he made an enviable reputation for himself as a business man, … Read more

Official Program of the 175th Anniversary of the Founding of Reading William Harbster Little did William Harbster dream, when he opened his blacksmith shop at the foot of South Sixth Street in 1851, that he was laying the foundation of what is today one of the largest hardware manufacturing concerns in the United States–The Reading … Read more