RIEGEL
GEORGE W. RIEGEL is senior member of
the firm of Riegel & Cortright, dealers in general merchandise
on Main Street, Bethlehem. This firm has the largest floor space
of any firm in the city, and their trade is exceedingly large.
In their excellent and extensive stock may be found anything in
the line of dry goods, carpets, groceries, notions, etc. The
partners are old and experienced men in the business to which
they give their entire supervision, and their efforts have met
with success. They are both members of the Board of Trade, and
for the past thirty years or more they have been closely
identified with the progress of this city and are numbered among
her most enterprising merchants.
George W. Riegel was born in
Washington, N.J., July 1, 1842, and his early education was
commenced in the public schools of his native city, after which
he finished his schooling in Allentown Seminary, now known as
Muhlenberg College. His grandfather, Hon. Benjamin Riegel, was
one of the founders of Riegelsville, where he was engaged in the
hotel business. He was a prominent man at one time; was Captain
of a military company, and represented his district in the
Legislature. One of his sons, Isaac T., in former years ran a
sawmill where Riegelsville now stands. Eli Riegel engaged in
farming in Washington Township, and in 1866 came to Bethlehem,
where he lived a retired life until his death, at the age of
eighty-three years. He was a consistent member of the Reformed
Church, and a man whose life was a long and useful one. His
wife, Anna M. Unangst, was born near Riegelsville, Pa., her
father being engaged in carrying on his farm and sawmill near
that place. Mrs. Riegel was a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and died in New Jersey, while still a young woman.
George W. Riegel is the
youngest and only child of his parents now living. He attended
the common schools until 1859, when he came to Bethlehem,
engaging as a clerk for John Lerch, in whose employ he continued
until 1866. However, in the mean time, in 1862, he had
volunteered his services on the emergency call, and was
stationed at Harrisburg and Hagerstown. In 1866 he started in
business for himself on Main Street, opposite the postoffice,
and in 1872 he joined the firm of Cortright & Solt, the firm
becoming Riegel, Cortright & Solt, and continuing as such until
February, 1890, when the firm was dissolved by the death of Mr.
Solt. In 1891 the present firm was formed, and they have
continued in business successfully up to the present time. In
1872 Mr. Riegel built the Globe Building, which is one of the
large business blocks in the city. The space occupied by their
store is 30x200 feet, three stories and a basement. A portion of
the second floor is given up to offices, and the third floor
contains two lodge rooms. On the first floor is a well equipped
carpet department, and the main floor is devoted to general
retail merchandise. In addition to the latter they do a
wholesale business to some extent, and in the establishment are
employed about twenty clerks.
The residence of George W.
Riegel is located at No. 71 South Main Street. He was married in
this city, in 1864, to Miss O. M., daughter of C. W. Rauch, who
was formerly engaged in the manufacture of furniture, and is now
deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Riegel became the parents of two sons and
a daughter. George W., who is a clerk in his father’s store,
graduated from the parochial schools and Eastman’s Business
College, at Poughkeepsie, after which he attended Lehigh
University; Howard is a member of the Class of ’98, of Lehigh
University; and Annie M. received her education in the
parochial schools and Linden Hall, at Lititz. The family are
members of the Moravian Church, in which Mr. Riegel is a
prominent member. Politically he votes with the Republican
party, and has always shown a commendable interest in every
movement for the benefit of this city.
Kindly submitted by:
Barbara Gallagher