My Genealogy Hound

FRANCIS WEISS is one of the trustees of his father’s estate, and is a popular young man in the business and social circles of Bethlehem. He was born in Summit Hill, March 17, 1854, and was reared in Eckley, where he attended a private school, and assisted his father in running the mines. In 1870 he came to Bethlehem, being a student in Charles Schwartz’s school, and also in the Moravian Parochial School. With his father, Francis Weiss, he then became interested in the Lehigh Manufacturing Company, and continued in that business for some eight or ten years, or until after his father’s death, when he closed out his connection with the concern. His next business venture was in starting a foundry facing mill at Bloomsbury, N. J., where he remained for two years, thence removing to Freemansburg, where he built a new mill, running by water-power, and continued manufacturing foundry facings. By means of a wire cable, he utilized the water-power from the dam built by his father one hundred and fifty feet distant from his mill. This mill he continued to run until 1893, the estate now owning both mills.

Mr. Weiss owns a farm of sixty acres two and one-eighth miles from Bethlehem, which he is now devoting to the raising of poultry on a large scale. This is becoming known as one of the finest chicken farms in the country, and is built in a most substantial manner, thousands of dollars having been invested in improvements. Many buildings have been erected, an incubator house, twenty-six combination houses for colonizing the fowls, and a large brooding house being among the number. It is the intention of the proprietor to make a specialty of the finest standard fowls of the best breeds. In connection therewith he has an immense pigeon wire flight, with a capacity for five thousand pigeons, and also has lofts erected for their convenience. On his farm adjoining is raised the food necessary for his many thousands of fowls, and thereon are located artesian wells, plenty of pumps, and all modern conveniences. Besides he is interested in horses, owning “Joe Diamond,” a fine saddle-horse, and “Freedom,” of Wilkes breed. Mr. Weiss is a member of the Gentlemen’s Driving Club of Bethlehem.

In Bethlehem, June 15, 1881, our subject married Miss Ida J. Whittaker, a native of Phoenixville, Pa. Her father, George W., was President of the Saucon Iron Company, being one of the largest iron merchants in the state. Later he removed to Delaware, and died in Philadelphia. He was always in the iron industry, being one of the first manufacturers of this commodity. Mrs. Weiss was called from this life in 1890.

As one of the trustees and executors for his father’s estate, representing the same in all the different enterprises, Mr. Weiss is noted for his honorable and business-like methods, and for the fidelity with which he has discharged his duties. He is attorney for his mother, and is a Director in the Lehigh Valley National Bank, The Republican party finds in him a stanch supporter, and he is Junior Warden and Vestryman of Trinity Episcopal Church. As a stockholder he is interested in the Bethlehem Fair and Driving Park Association, and is a prominent factor in all local enterprises.