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Below is a family biography included in the book,  Portrait and biographical record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania published in 1894 by Chapman Publishing Company.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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GEORGE DAVIES, formerly the senior member of the firm of Davies & Thomas, and one of the leading business men of Catasauqua, was born in Glamorganshire, Wales, in the village of Merthyr-Tydvil, April 9, 1837. He was the son of Daniel Davies, likewise a native of Wales, and a molder by trade, who in 1846 brought his family to America and for a time was employed in New York City. Later he followed his trade in Phoenixville, Tamaqua and Weatherly. Coming to Catasauqua in 1850, he took charge of the molding department of the Crane Iron Works, manufacturing castings on contract.

Severing his connection with the Crane Iron Company in 1865, Daniel Davies, with William Thomas, bought the old planing mill in East Catasauqua and opened a foundry and machine shop, in which three months later our subject joined them. After two years the firm of Davies & Thomas was dissolved, Mr. Thomas retiring from the partnership. The title then became Davies & Son, and the business was thus conducted until the death of the father, in April, 1876, at sixty-three years of age. He was a man of stanch integrity, a sincere member of the Presbyterian Church, and a public-spirited citizen of his adopted country. His wife, Mary Philips, was born in Wales, and died there in 1839. They had three children: John, who died in 1862; George, and Mary A., who married James Thomas.

The first nine years of the life of our subject were passed uneventfully in the land of his birth. He came to Catasauqua with his father in 1850, and for two years worked at the molder’s trade, after which he was apprenticed to the machinist’s trade with the Crane Iron Company. For a time he worked under David Jones, later under Hopkin Thomas, spending five years at the trade. In 1862 he enlisted in the Fourth Pennsylvania Militia, under Colonel Cluty, of Mauch Chunk, and went south into Maryland, but returned without participating in active service. In 1863 he was mustered into Colonel Good’s regiment, the Thirty-fourth Pennsylvania Infantry, and marched with his company to Gettysburg, thence to Ft. Richmond, Philadelphia, and was honorably discharged at the expiration of his period of service.

At different times Mr. Davies had been in Parryville, and at the close of the war he returned thither and took charge of the machine shops there for a short time. From that time until his death, he resided in Catasauqua, with the exception of about five years (1871 to 1876), when he had charge of the Carbon Iron Works at Parryville. In 1876 he returned to Catasauqua, but the works were not opened until the spring of 1879, when James Thomas bought a one-half interest in the concern. Since then various improvements have been made, and the class of work now turned out s superior in every respect.

The firm has manufactured castings for many important enterprises, including the underground electric railway in Washington, D. C., the Broadway cable in New York, the East River Tunnel, the Hudson River Tunnel, and the Traction and People’s cable lines in Baltimore. They also manufacture car castings and are the proprietors and original manufacturers of the Davies & Thomas engine. The works occupy ten acres, the foundry covering one acre, and the machine shop 135x50 feet. There are four large boilers, two blowers operated by two Davies & Thomas engines of one hundred and fifteen horse-power, and fifteen cranes, two of which, made by William Thomas, will lift fifteen tons each.

With a number of other important concerns the firm of Davies & Thomas is identified, among which may be mentioned the Wahnetah Silk Company, of which Mr. Thomas is President, and our subject was a Director. They are also the principal stockholders in the Electric Light & Power Company, which was established in 1890. The power house is situated on the Lehigh River adjacent to the canal, and the enterprise has proved an assured success. Its officers are: Roland Davies, President; Roland Thomas, Treasurer; and Charles R. Horn, Secretary. The Edison system is used and the plant is the finest in the entire state.

Mr. Davies was also a Director in the Bethlehem Electric Light & Power Company, which was started in 1882, and of which James Thomas is President. In addition to his elegant residence on Second and Race Streets, erected in 1868, he was the owner of valuable real estate in West Bethlehem, and was a stockholder in the Catasauqua National Bank. His marriage occurred in Catasauqua in 1864, and united him with Mary Evans, a native of Wales. Her father, Thomas Evans, emigrated from Wales to America, and settling in Catasauqua, here followed the trade of a blacksmith until his death. Mrs. Davies received an excellent education in Tremont Normal School, and was a successful teacher prior to her marriage. She has four children now living: Roland, President of the Electric Light & Power Company; Bessie; George, a student of the University of Pennsylvania, and James, at home.

Socially Mr. Davies was identified with the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Porter Lodge No. 268, at Catasauqua. As a member of the Republican party, he took an intelligent interest in political matters, though not willing to allow the use of his name for official positions, He did his utmost to advance the welfare of the school system and by his efficient service as a member of the School Board was instrumental in promoting the grade of scholarship in the Catasauqua schools. In the Methodist Episcopal Church he served as Trustee, Steward and Class-leader. He was recognized as one of the best and most public-spirited citizens of this community, and his death, October 1, 1894. was deeply mourned.

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This family biography is one of numerous biographies included in the book, Portrait and biographical record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania published in 1894 by Chapman Publishing Company. 

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