Kathryn,
I have no information about you relative Ernest
Julius. I am however a
Koehler from
Beaver Co. PA. The oldest
Koehler I am aware of is my gg grandfather
Paulus E
Koehler.
Here is some information on him and a website that might be helpful. If you determine there is some relationship between these 2 me, please let me know.
BIO:
Paulus E. KOEHLER,
Beaver County, PA
Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson
Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/beaver.html http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm Index for this bio book.
_________________________________________________________________
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches
of Leading Citizens of
Beaver County,
Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y.,
Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 167-168.
_________________________________________________________________
167
Beaver County PAULUS E. KOEHLER, who owns an elegant four-story hotel in Monaca, and also has extensive real estate interests there, is a prosperous citizen of that place, where he has resided for a great many years. A portrait accompanies this biography.
Mr. Koehler was born in
Prussia, April 10, 1856, where he attended the public schools. He was also a pupil of the high school, and pursued the study of theology, with the intention of becoming a missionary. He was a brilliant scholar, and gained the honors of his class, but he never took orders, as he preferred a business career. He learned the trade of a decorator of porcelain under the talented E. Schledmich, the celebrated Prussian exporter, and was with that gentleman until 1881, acquiring the highest degree of skill in his art. He then came to
America, and located at East Liverpool,
Ohio, and took charge of the decorating shop of George Homlichhaus, also doing contract jobs for other firms. One year later, he accepted a very good osition with the
Phoenix Glass Company of Monaca, Pa., and had the honor of decorating the first piece of work ever turned out by that firm, which is the largest glass firm in the world in that line of business. Mr. Koehler built two kilns, and remained in their employ until 1884, when the factory was burned to the ground, and he then started a shop of his own in Monaca, doing work for various glass firms. He has always been a very fine workman, and some of his productions show a perfection of finish which is hard to surpass. When the
Phoenix works were rebuilt, the firm prevailed upon Mr. Koehler to accept his old position, although his business was in a flourishing way. He built the first clay kiln ever constructed for firing decorated glass, those in use previous to that time being of steel. He is a very clever and ingenious man, and made a number of discoveries which have proved of great value to him. Upon returning to the
Phoenix Glass Company, he took the work on contract, and with good results. He held this position until 1897, when he gave up the business on account of failing health, after a satisfactory connection of almost twenty years.
In 1883, Mr. Koehler first began to deal in real estate, and since that time he has handled over $100,000 worth of property in Monaca. Being convinced that the borough had a bright future before it, he purchased a piece of property in 1883, and has erected several houses, all of a class which are an improvement to the town. He was one of the or-
168 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES
ganizers of the Citizens' Improvement Company, which has been active in developing the interests of the community. There is a large tract of land on
Dorchester Heights for manufacturing and residence sites, all nicely laid out, and in it the subject of this sketch owns twenty-one lots, ndividually, besides holding an interest in the company. He was also in the business of developing gas, and bought gas lands quite extensively. He owns ten acres of building lots in the borough, and is a director and local representative in the Building & Loan Association. In 1898, he built the Hotel Monaca, a fine four-story building of buff brick, and it is undoubtedly the finest in
Beaver County, on the south side of the
Ohio River. The interior is in keeping with the beautiful exterior, having fine, lofty rooms and offices, with appointments complete in every particular. It contains fifty large rooms, its dimensions being 86x46 feet, and is a first-class hotel, enjoying the patronage of all the high-grade transient trade. Mr. Koehler's confidence in the future of Monaca remains unshaken, and he contemplates the erection of a business block, similar in style to the hotel, imparting a metropolitan air to the town. He was active in his efforts to secure a bridge across the
Ohio River, and is now a stockholder of the bridge company.
In 1876, Mr. Koehler was united in marriage with Marie
Schilling, and they have nine children: Anna (
Betts); Henry, a graduate of Butcher's
Business College, who is a mold maker by trade; Louisa;
Otto M., a decorator, who is
also a graduate of Butcher's
Business College; Howard; Amelia; Elsie; Edward; and
Sophia. They had also four who died in infancy. Religiously, he is a liberal supporter of churches. He is a Republican in politics, and has been a member of the council since 1896 (having been re-elected in 1899), and has served on the county committee. Socially, he is quite prominent, and belongs to a number of orders. He has been grand district deputy of R. A.; past chancellor, K. of P.; a member of the Woodmen of the World; B. P. O. E.;
Syria
Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. In the Masonic Order he is a member of Rochester Lodge, No. 229; Record
Chapter, No. 167; Ascalon Commandery, No. 59; and the Consistory of the Scottish Rites, No. 320.
