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Death of Riley Bressler, 1899
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 22, 2018
When Riley Bressler died on 7 December 1899, two local newspapers published lengthy obituaries of him.
The West Schuylkill Herald of Tower City, Schuylkill County, said the following in its 14 December 1899 edition:
DEATH OF RILEY BRESSLER
Riley Bressler who’s serious illness we mentioned in last week’s issue, passed peacefully away at about 1 a.m., on Thursday of last week, surrounded by the members of his family. His death was due to several strokes of paralysis which afflicted him during the past year. The funeral took place from his late residence on Grand Avenue [Tower City], on Monday. Services were held at the house at 2 p.m. by Rev. Wayne Campbell, of the Methodist Episcopal Church. At 3 p.m., the cortege left the house and proceeded to the W. V. R [Williams Valley Railroad] station, where a special train was in waiting to convey the remains to Lykens, where interment took place. The funeral was in charge of K. of P. of Lykens, of which the deceased was a member. A large number of friends from this and neighboring towns were also in attendance.
The deceased was a man of a quiet unassuming manner and had many friends here who regret his untimely taking off.
Riley Bressler was born at Gratz, Dauphin County, 20 September 1935. He learned the tinsmith trade at Berrysburg under John Witman. Later was an employee of Val Strichter, of Pottsville.
In 1855 he went to Wiconisco to manage the tinsmith business of Samuel Snyder, of Berrysburg. The business was carried on in a small shop on the site of ‘Squire Hawk’s present house. In a short time he purchased the business and soon after, the building having been sold, he built a store in April 1856, near where Mr. Lamey’s hardware store is now located. During the summer of the same year he moved his business to Lykens and settled in the building he had built on the lot where Hon. A. F. Thompson‘s residence now stands. Here he remained, doing a prosperous business, until December 1858 when he sold the business to Judge Snyder, of Berrysburg.
From 1851-1862 he was engaged in helping to sink the slope at Lykens known as the Short Mountain Slope; and as engineer at Lykens Valley Breaker, then under management of Harry Thomas; and as a miner in the Short Mountain Colliery.
For his country’s defence, he served in Company K, 173rd Regiment [173rd Pennsylvania Infantry] for 9 months, being discharged in August 1863. On his return from the front he helped to drive the Williamstown Tunnel at which he worked till 1864 when he gave up mining to resume work at his trade being employed by Peter Kline until February 1865. At this time he re-enlisted in the 16th Cavalry [16th Pennsylvania Cavalry] and served until the close of the war.
On his return to Lykens, he again worked for Mr. Kline until 1867 when he and Jonas Garman, of Lykens, purchased the business then located at the corner of Market and North Second Streets, from Mr. Kline. The firm was then known as Garman and Bressler and this partnership existed for eight years when Mr. Garman sold his interest to Mr. Bressler, who continued the business in the old stand until 1893 when his son H. A. Bressler purchased the stock.
He and his family moved to our borough [Tower City] in April 1892 where he and his son Harper T. Bressler have carried on a prosperous hardware business under the firm name of Riley Bressler and Company.
He was a director in and one of the originators of the Citizens Water Company. He served several terms as a councilman in Lykens and in 1881 served a term as Chief Burgess of the Borough of Lykens.
He was married on 31 July 1856 to Miss Mary Thomas of Lykens. Eleven children blessed this union, six of whom survive: Harper T. Bressler; Harry A. Bressler; Margaret E. Bressler; Edward I. Bressler; Katherine M. Bressler; and Calder R. Bressler.
And, the following was stated by the Lykens Register, 14 December 1899:
Biography of Riley Bressler
A man of so excellent a type and possessed of rare business method which made him so successful in life, as the late Riley Bressler of Tower City, needs more than an announcement of his death, for a life as his is well to be written in detail.
Mr. Bressler was born in Gratz, 20 September 1835. When a young man he with his father, John Bressler, moved to the old homestead back of Berrysburg, about 1 1/2 miles from the farm now owned by Mr. Shoop. At the age of fourteen years he began to learn his trade – tinsmith – serving his full apprenticeship with John Witman. Later he went to Pottsville to work for Mr. Stickler. July 1855, he came to Wiconisco to conduct the business for Samuel Snyder – the place of business being situated on the lot now occupied by the dwelling of ‘Squire Hawk. Always being attentive to his business and finding that he was able to conduct business for himself, he in the spring of 1856, bought out Mr. Snyder and after erecting a little shop opposite the drug store of J. S. Prout, he moved into his new quarters. In the fall he sold the building to Stephen Prout. After disposing of the same he moved to Lykens and erected a shop on the site now occupied by the house of Ex-Senator A. F. Thompson, and moved his stock to Lykens in 1857, and adjoining built himself a dwelling. December 1857, he sold the stock to J. D. Snyder of Berrysburg, and 1858 followed by disposing of the dwelling to George D. Daniels. He then worked in the mines, part of the time spent in running the breaker engine.
Being desirous of following his old trade, in 1862 he went to work for Peter Kline. The War of the Rebellion now breaking out and being loyal to the Stars and Stripes he entered the service of his country — being drafted 16 October 1862. After serving ten months he was honorably discharged, as 3rd Sergeant under Captain Harper, of Company K, 173rd Regiment [173rd Pennsylvania Infantry]. In the year of 1864 he helped to sink Short Mountain Slope and open the Mountain Slope and open the colliery at Williamstown. Again in 1865 he volunteered in Company B, 16th Cavalry [16th Pennsylvania Cavalry] and served until the close of the war.
Returning with the honors of war he started to work at his trad for Peter Kline. In 1867 the latter sold out to Jonas Garman and Mr. Bressler – the firm being Garman and Bressler. In 1868, Mr. Bressler sold his property on Market Street to William Thomas and bought back the brick dwelling now occupied by his son, H. A. Bressler. Here he and Mr. Garman conducted their business, also operating a branch store at Williamstown. Later Mr. Bressler erected the building where Edward Lebo now conducts business. This stand was managed by Joe Witman. In 1870 he sold out to the latter, and later bought the interest of his partner, Mr. Garman, and conducted the business until 1891, when he disposed of the same to his son, H. A. Bressler, who is still conducting the business at the old stand. In 1887, Mr. Bressler bought out Samuel Schultz at Tower City and started the firm of Riley Bressler and Company. In 1891, he moved to the latter place and erected a house and lived there until his death.
Mr. Bressler was a charter member of Lykens Lodge, No. 106, K. of P., and in 1881 was elected Chief Burgess of Lykens. During his life he learned the trade of tinsmith to Joe Ferree,John Granger, Harry Blyler,Edward Lebo, Foster Hoethlander, James Bressler, H. A. Bressler, and William Kauderman, and bought out the firms of Edward Lebo, Lykens; Jacob Housler, Millersburg; Edward Fegley,Tower City; Mr. Loughton, Minersville, and Samuel Shultz, Tower City.
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