My Genealogy Hound

W. R. KLEIN, Cashier of the Second National Bank of Allentown, Pa., was born in the state of Ohio, February 25, 1854, and is a son of Michael Klein and Maria Ross. His father is a native of Philadelphia, but his mother was born in Lehigh County. Upon their marriage, in 1847, they emigrated to Ohio, which was then the far West. On account of the mother’s health, however, they returned to Lehigh County in 1860, and settled at Laury’s Station, where the father engaged in the milling business. Our subject attended the country school near Laury’s six terms, or about thirty months in all, and at the age of thirteen was put in the flourmill, and learned the trade with two older and two younger brothers.

Besides working in the mill, Mr. Klein kept books and sold the products of the mill through the coal regions. The mills at Laury’s at that time were conducted by J. R. Schall & Co., and under the instruction of J. B. Mauser, Superintendent, Mr. Klein made still further progress in bookkeeping. He worked in the mill nine years, and then sold western grain for about nine years.

In 1883 our subject was Chairman of the Democratic County Convention. In 1884 he was appointed by Governor Pattison to fill an unexpired term as Clerk of the Orphans’ Court. The same year he was elected to the full term of three years, and during that time was appointed and served about six years as Quartermaster of the Fourth Regiment Pennsylvania National Guards.

January 1, 1889, Mr. Klein was elected Note Clerk by the Directors of the Second National Bank, and April 1, 1891, he was elected Cashier to succeed Mr. Stahler, who retired on account of old age.

Our subject was married in November, 1887, to Mrs. Charlotte Ophelia Austin, of Boston, Mass., a widow, with two children.