My Genealogy Hound

OWEN B. SIGLEY, editor and proprietor of the Mauch Chunk Goal Gazette and Daily Times, has the honor of being a native of the Keystone State. He was bora in Bethlehem on the 22d of December, 1841, and is a son of John and Mary (Stuber) Sigley, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. In the public schools of his native city he acquired his education and also attended a private school taught by Benjamin Van Kirk. At the early age of thirteen years he began learning his trade, and since that time he has always been connected with the printing business in some capacity.

In 1861, when President Lincoln issued his call for seventy-five thousand volunteers, the subject of this sketch was among the first to enlist in the defense of his country. His first enlistment was in Company A, First Pennsylvania Regiment. At the expiration of the three months’ service, he re-enlisted, joining Company C, Forty-sixth Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers, for three years. He was promoted to Corporal, then to Orderly-Sergeant, and later to Second Lieutenant. His regiment was first assigned to the First Brigade, First Division, Twelfth Army Corps, under command of Major-General Slocum, in the Army of the Potomac, and was engaged in the battles of Winchester, Cedar Mountain, Antietam, Chancellorsville, and other engagements in the Shenandoah Valley.

After the battle of Gettysburg, in 1863, the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps were consolidated, and thereafter were known as the Twentieth Corps, under the command of Gen. Joseph Hooker (Fighting Joe) being transferred to Sherman’s army. In Sherman’s march to the sea, Mr. Sigley was wounded in the right leg, at the battle of Culp’s Farm, Ga., June 16, 1864. He was taken to the Government Hospital at Nashville, Tenn., where he remained until able to report for duty. Rejoining his regiment at Atlanta, Ga., he marched with the command through Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia, and was mustered out of the service at Alexandria, Va., July 16, 1864.

At the close of hostilities Mr. Sigley returned to Bethlehem and entered the employ of the Moravian Publication office, where he remained until a more lucrative position was offered him, that of foreman of the Bethlehem Daily Times. He continued there until the year 1869, when he launched into the newspaper business for himself. His first venture was the publication of the Weekly Progress, in South Bethlehem. This newspaper was a model of neatness, excelling in typographical appearance any publication in the Lehigh Valley. In establishing this enterprise, Mr. Sigley was encouraged and financially assisted by E. P. Wilbur, now President of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company; H. Stanley Goodwin, Superintendent of the Lehigh Valley Railroad at that time; Robert H. Sayre, Sr., Second Vice-President of the same company; John Smylie; Tinsley Jeter, and other leading and influential citizens of the town. After issuing the Weekly Progress for one year, the proprietor converted it into a daily newspaper, successfully conducting the Morning Progress until 1874, when he sold the plant to C. O. Ziegenfuss. This property is now known as The South Bethlehem Star, and is still one of the leading newspapers in the Lehigh Valley.

Retiring from business in South Bethlehem, Mr. Sigley in the same year removed to Washington, N. J., where he purchased the Star newspaper. This he conducted for a period of seven years, and then sold it at a handsome profit. In June, 1881, he removed to Mauch Chunk, the county seat of Carbon County, where he purchased the Mauch Chunk Coal Gazette, a Republican weekly newspaper. Under his guidance, the Gazette became prosperous, and to-day is looked upon as one of the most valuable and influential newspapers in the state. It is a nine-column paper, filled with the news of the county, while its editorial page is unexcelled.

In 1883 Mr. Sigley, seeing the necessity of a daily newspaper in Carbon, began the publication of the Mauch Chunk Daily Times. The people of “the Switzerland” were not slow in showing their appreciation of the efforts of the enterprising publisher for their town and county, and as a result the Daily Times is now an institution of the mountain town, known throughout the land for its magnificent scenery. From small beginnings the Times was forced to enlarge at different times, and to-day it is one of the best inland dailies in the state. It is independent in politics, but all matters of public import are fully and fearlessly discussed. Mr. Sigley is a fair, houest, thoroughly determined newspaper man, and his publications are recognized as influential mediums, having now won a number of hard-fought political battles in Carbon County. His devotion to the public interests and the rights of trie masses of the people has drawn to him the support of all classes of citizens, and his newspapers are looked upon as household necessities in Carbon. The Times circulates widely in the Mauch Chunks, while the Gazette reaches every town, hamlet and farm in the county.

Politically Mr. Sigley is a stanch advocate of the Republican party and its principles. He has labored earnestly in its hehalf, doing all in his power to promote its growth and insure its success. Socially he is connected with L. F. Chapman Post No. 61, G. A. R. He is a wide-awake and progressive citizen, and is held in high esteem in the community in which he lives.