Uhler, Michael


Near Easton
History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania
edited by J. H. Battle

Page: 1139
Transcribed by Vicki Hartman; July 2009 for GenealogyTrails.com

Michael Uhler, merchant, P. O. Uhlertown. The ancestors of this gentleman were for several generations residents of Northampton county. His father, Jacob, was born there, and removed to Durham township, where he died when 42 years old. He was an enterprising man, and after building the stone house and barn on his farm in Durham, which are yet standing he bought another farm in Northampton county, on which Uhlersville now stands. He was a prominent churchman, and one of the committee to build the Durham Lutheran and Reformed church, of which he was long a trustee. His wife was Margaret Messinger, of Northampton county, who survived her husband nearly 40 years. Their children were: Phebe (deceased), Rebecca (deceased), Nancy (deceased), Mary (deceased), Peter, who died at Easton, and was the founder of Uhlersville, where he had extensive interest; John, who is in the lime business at Easton; and Michael, who was born February 6, 1822, in Durham township. He was reared to mercantile pursuits, beginning for himself in a general store in Allentown, Pa., in 1843, where he remained six years. His store was burned out in 1849, entailing a heavy loss, after which he went to Uhlersville, and was for two years in the mercantile and lime business, having purchased thirty acres of the finest limestone property in Norhtampton county within one-half mile of Easton. Eight large kilns for the manufacture of lime were at once erected along the canal bank, whose annual output is 250,000 bushels. The lime is loaded in boats (abtou twenty of which are owned solely by Mr. Uhler), and farmers along the Delaware division, Morris, and Delaware and Raritan canals, as well as throughout the lower end of Bucks county and southern New Jersey, get their supply from the above kilns. In 1853 he came to Uhlertown, then called Mexico, and was subsequently appointed postmaster of the place. He is engaged in general merchandising, dealing in coal, lime, lumber, hay, etc., and also in boat building; in fact, it may truthfully be said that Uhlertown owes its existence and prosperity to Mr. Uhler, as upwards of one hundred men are kept busy the year round. In 1872 he built a grist-mill in the place, which is noted for the excellent quality of roller process flour and different brands of choice feed produced, and which is run both by water and steam power. August 16, 1847, he married Hannah S., daughter of John V. R. and Annie Hunter, of Allentown. She was born December 6, 1830. To their union four children have been born: Taylor MIlton, now in Philadelphia; Emma Annie, wife of E. F. Hillegas, of Point Pleasant; Mary Margaret, widow of John Mayberry, living with her parents; and Micahel Van Reed, who died in Los Angeles, Cal., in February, 1887, aged nearly 32. Mr. Uhler is a member of Peace and Union lodge, No. 456, I.O.O.F., of Riegelsville; of Tinicum Tribe, No. 168, I.O.R.M. He is trustee of the Frenchtown Union cemetery and for thepast twenty-five years has been a director of the Union National bank of Frenchtown. He is a member of the Upper Tinicum Lutheran church, and his wife of the Baptist church of Frenchtown. An enterprising, pushing man, Mr. Uhler's place in the community could hardly be filled by another, and his multifarious enterprises give employment to many men.

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