Aaron Balliet (1813-1895): Difference between revisions

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Aaron Balliet helped form the Second National Bank and served as a director for twenty-four years<ref>Roberts et al. 1914, 2:49</ref>.
Aaron Balliet helped form the Second National Bank and served as a director for twenty-four years<ref>Roberts et al. 1914, 2:49</ref>.


Aaron Balliet held local posts such as justice of the peace and school director, and was an active member of the German Reformed Church of Unionville<ref>Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 505</ref>.
Aaron Balliet held local posts such as justice of the peace and school director, and was an active member of the German Reformed Church of Unionville<ref>Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 505</ref>. In 1884 Aaron Balliet was a director of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company located in Emmaus, PA<ref>The Allentown Democrat March 5, 1884</ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/image/75523055/?terms=%22aaron%2Bballiet%22], near Allentown.


==Notes==
==Notes==

Revision as of 13:50, 22 June 2020

Early Life & Family

The Balliet Family came to Pennsylvania when Paulus Balliet (1717-1777) emigrated from Alsace, France and landed in America in 1736 [1]. His great-grandson, Aaron Balliet [2] was born in North Whitehall Township on March 7, 1813[3] to Stephen Balliet (1781-1854) and Susan Ihrie (1784-1852)[4]. He attended an academy in Milford, NJ[5] and then went to school in North Whitehall Township, PA[6] before ending his studies at Easton[7]. In 1845, Aaron Balliet married Sarah Dengler (1827-1863) and had eight children, six of whom survived into adulthood[8]: Francis, Julia, Ella, Emma, Anna, Ida, Susan, and Stephen[9]. Then, in 1867, Aaron Balliet remarried and became the husband of Catherine Housman[10].

Career

In 1837 Aaron Balliet erected a charcoal furnace in Carbon County and operated it for twenty years before relocating to Ballietsville[11]. Aaron Balliet, his brother in-law Benjamin Levan (1806-1886), and his father Stephen Balliet (1781-1854) became incorporated to form Stephen Balliet & Co., with the purpose of building iron furnaces[12]. In 1854 his father died and the company admitted new partners and became the Lehigh Valley Iron Company [13]. In 1879 after various financial hardships, the company reincorporated as the Coplay Iron Company, with Aaron Balliet serving as a director of the company[14].

The East Penn Furnace was built by Stephen Balliet and Samuel Helffrich on land east of the mountain in the East Penn township; Aaron Balliet was in charge of the furnace from 1838-1855[15]. Following the death of his father, the furnace was sold to Solomon Boyer and Charles H. Nimson[16]. The property was soon after passed to John Balliet (1819-1886)[17].

Aaron Balliet also managed mines with his brothers Paul Balliet (1811-1886) and John Balliet (1819-1886). Their mines were extremely prosperous, especially during wartime where $35,000 worth of material was produced in one year[18].

Recognition & Other Interests

In 1863 Aaron Balliet was listed as the top income earner in all of Lehigh County. He earned $13,153 that year through his ownership in the Ironton iron mines and in the Lehigh Valley Iron Company (roles that he shared with brother Paul and brother-in-law Benjamin Levan, who were also among the top twenty earners in the county)[19].

Aaron Balliet helped form the Second National Bank and served as a director for twenty-four years[20].

Aaron Balliet held local posts such as justice of the peace and school director, and was an active member of the German Reformed Church of Unionville[21]. In 1884 Aaron Balliet was a director of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company located in Emmaus, PA[22][1], near Allentown.

Notes

  1. Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 510-511
  2. FamilySearch.org LHJ3-LWT
  3. Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 505
  4. Find a Grave
  5. The Allentown Leader November 1, 1895
  6. Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 505
  7. Roberts et al. 1914, 2:49
  8. Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 505
  9. Roberts et al. 1914, 2:49-50
  10. Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 505
  11. Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 505
  12. Roberts et al. 1914, 1:633
  13. Roberts et al. 1914, 1:633
  14. Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 504
  15. Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 722
  16. Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 723
  17. Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 722
  18. Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 523
  19. Hellerich 1987, 144
  20. Roberts et al. 1914, 2:49
  21. Mathews and Hungerford 1884, 505
  22. The Allentown Democrat March 5, 1884

References

  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 29 May 2020), memorial page for Susanna “Susan” Ihrie Balliet (7 Oct 1784–28 Mar 1852), Find a Grave Memorial no. 71937601, citing Dinkey Memorial Cemetery, Lehighton, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Thomas G Raub (contributor 46584711).
  • Hellerich, Mahlon Howard. 1987. A History of Allentown: 1861-1865. In Allentown 1762-1987: A 225-Year History, edited by Mahlon Howard Hellerich, 91–180. Allentown, PA: Lehigh County Historical Society.
  • Mathews, Alfred, and Austin N. Hungerford. 1884. History of the Counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Everts & Richards.
  • Roberts, Charles Rhoads, John Baer Stoudt, Thomas H. Krick, and William J. Dietrich. 1914. History of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Its Families. Vol. I, Allentown, PA: Lehigh Valley Publishing Company, Limited.
  • Roberts, Charles Rhoads, John Baer Stoudt, Thomas H. Krick, and William J. Dietrich. 1914. History of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Its Families. Vol. II, Allentown, PA: Lehigh Valley Publishing Company, Limited.
  • The Allentown Leader. 1895. Death of Aaron Balliet: A Ballietsville Octogenerian Passes Away After a Busy, Useful Life, November 1, 1895.[2]