The Elizabethville Echo, Elizabethville, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, produced a special one page insert to its 10 November 1898 edition which memorialized Frederick Weaver and noted his significant contributions to the borough and to the surrounding area. The insert provided a portrait of Weaver, a picture of his last residence and one of his business enterprises along the railroad line.
THE ECHO. — SPECIAL
Fred. Weaver Dead.
He Dues Very Suddenly on Wednesday Morning
A Prominent Business Man
THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY CONVULSED BY THE ANNOUNCEMENT
To chronicle the death of a friend or neighbor is always an unwelcome task,and yet, how frequently has this become our duty during the closing months of this history-making year, Eighteen-hundred-ninety-eight.
Little did we suppose, last week, that this week’s Echo would contain the obituary notice of Frederick Weaver. Nay, little did Mr. weaver himself suppose, half an hour previous to his untimely end, that the badge of mourning should speak its mute words of sorrow from the door of his residence, ere night fall.
To him life was full of pleasure, and Providence once kindly ordained that his days should not be shadowed with any great physical pain or suffering. But death came! She found him full of life and vigor, – and she quickly claimed him as her own.
In the death of Mr. Weaver marked personality and and excellent character passes from the stage of action. He had been a citizen of this town for nigh on thirty-five years, and there is not one who would not testify to his generous traits of character, his commendable enterprise as a citizen and his excellent social bearings.He was conscientious in all his dealings with his fellow-men, and particularly did he give evidence of this in political and economic questions.
His death, which occurred at his residence , at about 10:45 on Wednesday morning, was altogether unexpected, and it was a great shock to his immediate family as well as to the community at large. in company with Mrs. Weaver he had attended the funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth Hoover, in the morning, and upon returning home he at once repaired to the dining room, seating himself at the radiator, with the remark that his feet were cold and that he was not feeling so well. Scarcely a dozen words were exchanged, and barely ten minutes had elapsed after entering when he was seen falling forward from his chair. He was dead!
BLACKSMITH, COACH-MAKER, MERCHANT, Mr. Weaver was born in Westmoreland County. His father who was a blacksmith by trade, afterwards removed to Pottsville, where the young man spent a number of years as assistant to his father in the blacksmith shop. In later years we find him located at Berrysburg, where he engaged in the manufacture of carriages, and in the year 1861, we find the subject of our sketch venturing into the general merchandise business in that town. About the year 1865, he removed to this place, and after buying a store where the P. L. Stine store now is, and conducting it for about a year he began the erection of the building on the northwest corner of Market and Main Streets which he has occupied continuously since its completion. At this place the general merchandise business of Fred Weaver & Son, has been carried on.
He was a member of the firm of Weaver & Wallace, which firm for many years controlled the tri-weekly freight line which was run between the Lykens Valley coal towns and Philadelphia. This firm, in the year 1868, built the first railroad stations at Lykens and Williamstown. Their Philadelphia terminal freight station was then on the present site of the John Wanamaker store buildings.
In the year 1875, Mr. Weaver became a partner with Mr. Miller in the distilling business. This firm was succeeded by the firm of Weaver & Gilbert, and this in turn by Weaver & Son. He met with marked success in all his undertakings, and at the time of his death had accumulated a great deal of real and personal property.
He was for many years a director of the Millersburg Bank of Millersburg, Pennsylvania, and also of the Miners’ Deposit Bank of Lykens.
He was twice married, the first time to a Miss Conrad of Pottsville, and the second time to Miss C. A. Helfrich of Lehigh County. With his first wife he had four children, three of whom survive both their parents. They are: Mrs. E. M. Martin and Mrs. T. W. Kottka, of Philadelphia; and Mrs. Carrie Collier of this place. With his second wife, he leaves one son, Harry H. Weaver, to survive him.
He had always, — at least for many years — been a member of the Lutheran Church, and was ever a very regular attendant.
The funeral took place at two o’clock on Saturday afternoon. Interment will be made upon Maple Grove Cemetery. The services at the house and the grave will be in charge of Susquehanna Lodge, No. 364, of Millersburg, of which he was a member, and Rev. O. E. Pflueger will conduct the services at the church.
His age was sixty-eight years.
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