My Genealogy Hound

ALLEN P. BERLIN is well known in Slatington as the President of the Washington Slate Company, which organization owns two large quarries on the Washington vein, and one on the Franklin, and controls the yield of the Blue Diamond Quarry. The slate put forth by this company is known in all parts of the country for its strength, uniformity, unfading color and durability. They have built up a large blackboard business throughout the United States, and take many contracts, especially in the Northwest, for furnishing school buildings.

Born in Northampton County, August 21, 1855, Mr. Berlin is the son of Charles Berlin, a farmer by occupation, and also a native of this county, who was called from this life in 1872. He in turn was a son of Abraham Berlin, who came from an old German family, that had settled in this immediate locality at a very early day. The mother of our subject was Mary A., daughter of Peter Brown. She was born in this county, and was called from the shores of time in 1893, when in her seventy-eighth year. Up to thirteen years of age, A. P. Berlin continued to live on his father’s farm, his time being passed in the usual manner of farmers’ boys, in assisting on the farm and attending the district schools. In his fourteenth year he accepted a place with the Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad Company as telegraph operator, and continued in that position for three years. With the means thus obtained he decided that he would secure a better education, in order to equip him for the duties of life, and accordingly he entered Lafayette College at Easton, Pa. After four years of hard work in this institution he graduated in 1876. He was then just at his majority, having made his way through school largely by his own efforts. Being offered a position with the Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania, he accepted the same, and during the years of 1877-78-79 Mr. Berlin held the position of Topographical Engineer in mapping out the South Mountain range from Easton to Beading, and during 1881-82 had charge of the work of the Anthracite Survey in the middle coal-fields, with headquarters at Hazelton, Pa. The following two years he was employed on private geological work, and held the appointment of Adjunct Professor of Mining Geology at Lafayette College, and finally, in 1885, came to this town to embark in the slate business. For three years he was in partnership with Joel Neff, under the firm name of the Washington Slate Company, and at the end of that time purchased the entire interest and assumed sole control of the business. Later C. L. Berbemeyer became a partner, and in 1891 Robert H. Dalby was taken into the firm. The present company was incorporated in 1891, with our subject as President; C. L. Berbemeyer, Vice-President of Sales, and manager of the office at Minneapolis, Minn.; and Robert H. Dalby, Secretary and Treasurer. Being possessed of superior facilities in the various branches of their trade, they are enabled to fill large contracts with great dispatch, and to the satisfaction of their customers. The firm employ one hundred men, and in addition to their regular business also carry on a large general merchandise store, where a large stock is kept on hand. Mr. Berlin is a stockholder and Director of the Second National Bank at Allentown, and is one of the organizers of the Lehigh Coal and Hardware Company, of which he is President, this being located at Lehighton, Pa.

In 1880 our subject married Miss Abbie I. Gardiner, of Philadelphia, who is the daughter of Wallace Gardiner, of that city. Six children, three sons and three daughters, grace this union, in order of birth as follows: Lillian May, Allen D., Frances, Roscoe, Wallace G. and Mamie. The parents are faithful and regular attendants at the services of the Lutheran Church, to which they belong. Mr. Berlin supports the Republican party, and is a member of Dallas Lodge No. 396, F. & A. M.