My Genealogy Hound

EDWIN RAUCH. We have the honor to present to the readers of this work the biography of Edwin Rauch, who is a retired farmer and one of Lehigh County’s successful business men. He is a native of this county, having been born in Lowhill Township, March 11, 1828. Now passing his declining years surrounded with peace and plenty, he realizes that there is no reward so satisfactory as the consciousness of a well spent life.

Henry Rauch, the father of our subject, was also a native of Lehigh County, where he spent his life, dying in 1839. He was engaged in following agricultural pursuits. The mother, whose maiden name was Maria Shoemaker, was born in the above county, and passed to the home beyond during the same year in which occurred her husband’s death. The Rauch ancestors were originally from Germany.

Our subject spent the years of his boyhood on his father’s farm, receiving a common-school education in Lehigh County’s public schools, and employing his leisure moments on the farm. The methods of farming were very primitive in those days, and Mr. Rauch has threshed many bushels of grain with a flail. At the age of sixteen years he began to learn the trade of a saddler, and was engaged in this line of work for fifteen years. In the year 1867 he came to Slatington and embarked in the hardware business, which he conducted very successfully until April, 1893, when he disposed of his stock to Boyer & Bro.

Mr. Rauch has always taken an active part in all public improvements, and has always been known as a sagacious business man, a faithful servant of the public, and an energetic and industrious worker. He has served several terms on the Council, is a stockholder in the rolling mills (which company he helped to organize), and was one of the organizers of the Slatington Bank, and is a stockholder in the same. He also owns an interest in some town property. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party, whose principles he heartily indorses.

In the year 1854 occurred the marriage of Mr. Rauch and Miss Bregita, daughter of Jacob Kistler, and a native of Lehigh County. To Mr. and Mrs. Rauch has been born a family of three children, two sons and one daughter. One of the sons, Rev. O. H. E. Rauch, is a minister in the Reformed Church at Royer’s Ford, Montgomery County. The parents are also members of the Reformed Church, and Mr. Rauch has served as Trustee and Elder of the same. He has been Sanitary Commissioner for the past fourteen years. Their hospitable home is located in Slatington, and there are welcomed their many friends. As a result of temperate habits, Mr. Rauch enjoys good health, and despite advancing years is strong and robust.