My Genealogy Hound

PAUL W. KATZ, son of William and Christiana (Minnich) Katz, was born at Allen’s Lane Mount Airy, Philadelphia, February 2, 1846. He was educated in the schools of the vicinity until his sixteenth year, but his father having died seven years previous, he was compelled to turn his attention to assisting to support his widowed mother and to maintain the home. For several years he was employed as a laborer, but he soon succeeded in finding something less laborious and more remunerative. At the age of twenty he secured a position in the carpet factory of McCallum, Crease & Sloan, and learned weaving. He was thus engaged for nearly eight years, and also was engaged with John Bromley Sons, in the factory of Bromley Bros., and with Horner Brothers. In the meantime he became interested in local politics, as the result of which he secured an appointment in the Philadelphia post office, becoming assistant superintendent of the Germantown branch, in which position he continued for more than five years. On November 1, 1878, he was elected to the position of receiving teller in the Nationel Bank of Germantown. He held, from time to time, various other positions in that institution, and became general ledger and discount clerk in 1894, which position he still holds.

Mr. Katz married, in 1868, Tabitha W., daughter of William and Elizabeth (Stephenson) Fatkin, natives of Scotland, who emigrated from that country to the United States and located at Hazleton, Pennsylvania, where Mr. Fatkin was for more than thirty years inside mine boss for Pardee & Co., extensive mine operators. The children of Paul W. and Tabitha W. Katz: Elizabeth F., born June 28, 1869, is unmarried and holds the position of assistant postmistress at Riverton, New Jersey; Margaret Minnich, born March 23, 1872, married William Philler, son of Henry and Josephine Philler, of Philadelphia, the couple living in Germantown, and having one child, William Katz, born November 24, 1903; Lillian Brazier, born June 18, 1874, married Worthington R., son of Charles and Susan (Horner) Shivers, of Camden, they living at Collingwood, New Jersey; Christiana, born October 14, 1877, married Samuel Monroe Human, and resides at Riverton, New Jersey.

Mr. Katz has always been actively interested in local affairs, being an advocate of whatever promises to promote the welfare of the community in which he lives. In politics he is a staunch Republican, and has for many years been an active worker in its behalf, supporting its candidates and principles at every election. He has never, however, sought an elective office, preferring to attend strictly to business, in which he has been very successful. In religious faith the family are members of the Baptist church of Germantown, in which Mr. Katz was a member of the board of trustees several years, and has taken an interest otherwise.

William Katz (father) was the son of Henry Katz. He was born at Lafayette, in Whitemarsh township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, November 3, 1800. He died February 13, 1855. He learned the business of manufacturing paper, which he followed for some years. He married, November 13, 1823, Christiana Minnich, born November 24, 1805, died July 24, 1885, daughter of one of the old residents of that section of Montgomery county. Their children: John Henry, born July 4, 1824, died July 25, 1828; Silas, born January 16, 1831, died March 22, 1900, married Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Bowman) Dungan, of Germantown; Mary Anna, born October 31, 1837, married, April 13, 1858, Emanuel Lazarus, son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Heffle) Hagenbaugh, of Bloomsburg, Columbia county, Pennsylvania, the couple living at Germantown, and have two children, Ruth Anna, born November 23, 1865, married John Blakely, son of Edward Olcott Van Houten, of Philadelphia, whose wife was a Blakely, and William Reitzell, born February 16, 1871, married Ida, daughter of James Showers, of Mount Airy, Philadelphia, and has one child, William Roy, born February 15, 1904; Samuel Minnich, born May 12, 1840, died September 25, 1841; Paul W., subject of this sketch.