My Genealogy Hound

HENRY H. RIEGEL, M. D., a prominent physician and surgeon of Catasauqua, was born in Allentown, Lehigh County, November 12, 1836. Both his father, Daniel, and grandfather, Matthias, were natives of Hellertown, Northampton County, and were of German descent. The former moved to Allentown, where he followed the trade of a tanner and also carried on a meat market. In 1837 he embarked in the hotel business at Bath, Northampton County, and three years later removing to Nazareth, conducted for fourteen years the well known Nazareth Hotel. Retiring from the hotel business, he settled in Bath, where he was bereaved by his wife’s death.

Returning to Nazareth, Daniel Riegel was in 1855 elected Sheriff of Northampton County, and served with efficiency until the expiration of his term of office. His last days were spent at Nazareth, where his death occurred at the age of sixty-eight. In political views he was a Democrat, and enjoyed great popularity among the supporters of that political organization. He was a devoted member of the Moravian Church, with which his family was also connected. His wife bore the maiden name of Hannah Weaver, and was born at Weaversville, Pa.; she died at Bath, at fifty-two years of age. Her grandfather, John Weaver, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was of German parentage, his father having come to this country from the Fatherland. Her father, Michael Weaver, was born in Weaversville, where he followed the several occupations of farmer, tanner and merchant, and where his death occurred at the age of sixty-four. He was a soldier in the War of 1812.

In the parental family there were eight children that attained years of maturity, and of these six are now living. The Doctor, who is one of the youngest of the number, was reared principally in Nazareth, and until about sixteen years old was a student in Nazareth Hall, a Moravian academy. At the age of about eighteen he began the study of medicine at Bath, under the tutelage of Dr. W. E. Barnes, and in the fall of 1855 he entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, where he continued for one term. Returning to Bath, he spent the summer of 1856 in the office of Dr. Barnes, and in the fall entered Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in 1857 with the degree of M. D.

In May, 1857, the young doctor opened an office at Cherryville, Northampton County, where he engaged in practice until January, 1861. Afterward he spent a year in practice at Saegerstown, Crawford County, Pa., after which, at the solicitation of his father, he settled in Weaversville, in March, 1862, and there conducted a good practice until the fall of 1868. Coming then to Catasauqua, he opened an office within one block of his present location, No. 27 Front Street, and here he has since engaged in general practice. As a physician he has the confidence of the people, and no one in the county has a larger practice than he.

Since 1878 the Doctor has been a Director in the Catasauqua National Bank, of which his father was one of the organizers. He aided in the organization of the National Bank of Slatington in 1875, and is one of its directors. In the Catasauqua Improvement Company he has been an active worker, and originated the plan of getting the silk works here. He owns the original Weaver farm, consisting of one hundred and forty-five acres of finely improved land adjoining Weaversville, which has been in the possession of the Weaver family for more than one hundred and forty-five years.

In Cherryville, this state, July 3, 1858, Dr. Riegel married Miss Ellen J. Gish, who was born in Berlinsville, Northampton County, and is a daughter of Abraham Gish, a farmer and merchant of that place. Four children bless this union. Clifford H., a graduate of the Catasauqua schools, learned the machinist’s trade, later was agent for the Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad at Catasauqua, and is the present bookkeeper for the Catasauqua National Bank. Emma L. married S. B. Harte, United States Express Agent and Manager of the Western Union telegraph office at Catasauqua. William A., after graduating from the high school of this city, entered the Pennsylvania College, at Gettysburg, from which he was graduated with the degree of A. B. Later he was graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, and is now engaged in practice with his father. Mattie G, an accomplished young lady, is at home.

Politically Dr. Riegel is a Republican. He is now serving his third term as School Director, and is also President of the Board. May 17, 1889, he was appointed on the Board of Pension Examiners, of which he was President for more than four years, resigning the position under the new administration. Socially he belongs to Porter Lodge No. 284, K. T., Catasauqua Chapter No. 278, R. A. M.; Allen Commandery No. 20, K. T.; and Allen Council No. 23, R. & S. M., at Allentown. In the fraternity, he has held a number of official positions, and is now Past Master of the lodge. In his religious connections he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is serving as its Trustee. He keeps abreast with modern discoveries in the realm of therapeutics, and is identified with a number of associations, including the Lehigh County Medical Society, of which he is President; the Lehigh Valley Medical Association, and the State Medical Society of Pennsylvania. The Doctor is Medical Examiner in this locality for a number of life insurance companies.