The Weilers of Leigh County— Sheriffs and Their Shots

                   The Weilers of Lehigh County— Sheriffs and Their Shots

The Weilers, father Nathan and son John F., both served terms as sheriff in one of Pennsylvania’s most populous jurisdictions, Lehigh Country, including the city of Allentown.  Known for their skill with firearms, the Weilers’ most lucrative shots, however, came from elsewhere —  bottles of whiskey. 

Nathan Weiler was born in April 1810 in Longswamp   Twp., Berks County , Pennsylvania, the son of John and Maria Weiler.  Early in his youth Nathan was apprenticed to a blacksmith.  Although he learned the craft, he disliked the wprk and quit to work for a tobacco dealer.  At age 23, he married Maria Fogel.  The couple would have six children, of whom four would live to maturity, including one son, John F. Weiler, born in December 1847.

Changing occupations once again, Nathan, with wife, moved to Fogelsville, Pennsylvania, to work in a hotel.  That job led to his taking over management of a hostelry in neighboring Siegersville.  Active in Democratic politics, his activities brought him to the notice of prominent party members.   Nathan was nominated and elected sheriff of populous Lehigh County.   The demands of office caused him to move to Allentown, Pennsylvania, with his family.  The city became his permanent home.

Still looking for a more permanent occupation, at the end of his term as sheriff Nathan joined John P. Dillinger in the Allentown liquor trade.  After several years learning the business, Nathan bought out his partner’s share and continued to operate the liquor house until his death in January 1881 at just shy of 71 years old.  The cause was said to be pneumonia complicated by a kidney ailment.

Nathan was  buried in the family plot in Allentown’s Union West-End Cemetery. His gravestone is shown here. Citing Nathan as “a very well-off man,” the local newspaper in its obituary also commented:  “He ever was a well disposed citizen, simple in his tastes and habits and unobtrusive in his demeanor.”

John Weiler immediately took over management of the liquor house, located at 14 North Seventh Street and Center Square with its towering Civil War Monument, shown above. Now 34 years old, John had worked for his father in the liquor house since achieving maturity except while serving a term in Nathan’s footsteps as sheriff of Lehigh County.  By this time John, shown left, was married, his spouse, Ellimina “Ellen” Hass, a woman approximately the same age.  They would have four children, Edward, born 1870; Jennie, 1876, John Jr., 1885, and Marie, 1891.

After changing the name of the liquor house to his own, over the next 39 years, John F. made a number of important innovations.   Among them was containing his wholesale liquor in ceramic jugs with his name written on them in cobalt script.  Because each container was done by hand,  every label has a distinct character and is slightly different from the others, as shown here. 

 

John also packaged his wholesale whiskeys in less ornate jugs, as shown right.  For his retail customers, John provided liquor in glass bottles.  Left is a quart container with elaborate embossing that contains his name and address in large letters.  My assumption is that this bottle would have had a paper label naming the contents that long ago had been washed away and lost.  That renders Weiler’s Jamaica Rum bottle, right below, more interesting for an intact label that is more than a century old.

 

Following John’s term as sheriff, he co-sponsored an annual trap shooting meet as founder of the John F. Weiler Gun Club.  The tournament was held at a site on the grounds of the Duck Farm Hotel, located in a valley surrounded by sloping hills.  A local news story described the scene.  “A famous trout stream runs through the grounds just in the rear of the traps….The traps faced almost due north, and the targets being thrown against a hill background, made them made them more difficult to see—more particularly when thrown toward that part of the hill under cultivation.”  Nevertheless, trap shooters competed and prizes were awarded.  They frequently were won by gunners named Weiler.

John Weiler also was active in the fraternal organization known as the “Improved Order of Redmen.”  Established in 1934, Redmen rituals and regalia were modeled loosely after Native American traditions (as interpreted by white men.)  At its peak in 1935 the organization claimed half a million members before dwindling sharply in subsequent years.   In addition to providing a hall for fraternity meetings, John held the rank of chief of the Allentown “Lecha Wonka Tribe” also known as “The Keeper of Bundles.” 

John Weiler retired in 1917 after some 36 years operating the liquor house begun by his father.   His son, John Junior., took over the business.  Apparently seeing the coming of National Prohibition this third generation of Weilers converted the liquor store into a drug store and confectionary.

John Senior died in 1922 and was buried in the Allentown’s Union-West End Cemetery, on a site adjacent to Nathan’s resting place.  The Weiler monument is shown below.  In his obituary, the sheriff cum liquor dealer was remembered as an “enthusiastic sportsman, with special interest in live bird shoots and clay pigeon shooting.” 

Note:  The story of the The Weilers of Allentown was gathered from a number of sources, including genealogical sites.  My hope is that some alert reader will be able to provide a photo of Nathan Weiler