Leonard Nagle, an immigrant from Germany, came to the
Province of Pennsylvania after the middle of the eighteenth century. His
name appears among the list of house owners of Allentown, in 1781, where
some of his many descendents lived. He was married and among his children
were: George; Leonard; John; Rebecca, married to James Ginkinger; and Christiana,
the wife of Casper Newhard. She was born in 1790, and died in 1871. Her
children were: Joseph F. Newhard, who was a popular merchant and landlord
of Allentown and was high sheriff of Lehigh county; William H.; Charles;
James J.; and S.P. Newhard. The last two resided in Philadelphia.
Leonard Nagle was recorder and register of wills of Lehigh
county from 1812 to 1821.
John Nagle, son of Leonard, was a laborer in Whitehall
township. He died very suddenly while his son Joseph was not yet twelve
years old. His wife, a born Weightknecht, was a good, hard-working woman,
dying in 1883, at the ripe age of 93 years. There children were: Joseph;
William; Mary, married (first) Moses Roth, and (second) Peter Herman; Eliza,
married to Richard Snyder; and Hettie, who was married to a Light, and
died at the age of 56 years. William Nagle was past seventy, and Mary,
his sister, was past 70 when they died. Eliza was still living in 1912
and was almost 90 years old.
Joseph Nagle, the oldest son of John, was born Oct. 16,
1813. He died at Allentown on March 23, 1896, in his 72d year. He was married
to Salome Biechy, born Sept. 15, 1813, and died on Aug. 23, 1898, in her
83d year. They are buried in the Allentown cemetery. They had lived in
Whitehall township, at Grim's Mill, and from there they moved to Allentown,
settling on North Seventh street, between Gordon and Liberty streets, Allentown.
There he built two frame houses, one of which is still standing, and at
that place he lived many years. He was a tailor and has his shop at the
corner of Seventh and Turner streets for many years. Is mother upon her
death-bed, gave him a silver dollar of the year 1813; this he kept until
sometime before his death, when he gave it to his son, Alfred, who held
it in sacred memory. Joseph Nagle and his wife had these children: Cordelia,
married to Daniel Schaffer; Alfred; and Andrew Peter, who was born Feb.
2, 1844, and died Dec. 2, 1902. His wife was a Schaffer and she bore him
these children: John; Edward; George, who was killed upon the railroad;
Lou, Minerva and Daisy.
Alfred Nagle, an aged and retired citizen of Fullerton, was born at Helfrich Springs, in Lehigh county, July 17, 1835. In 1853, he learned the blacksmith trade at Ruchsville, then for a short time he worked at Griesemersville, and in 1854 he located near Catasauqua, where he remained for three years. In 1857, he established a shop at Turner street and Hall alley, Allentown, and there he carried on the business for forty-two years. In 1900, moved to Fullerton and there followed the business five years more, after which he retired, having been a blacksmith for more than fifty years. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran Church. He was married (first) in 1857 , to Maria, daughter of Henry Snyder. She died Oct. 22, 1882, aged fifty-six years. She is buried on the family plot at Allentown. They had an only son, Lewis J. H., who died in 1885, in his 26th year. Mr. Nagle married (second) Eliza A. E. Dieffenderfer, on March 6, 1884. She is a daughter of John and Sarah (Reichard) Dieffenderfer. They had a son, Edgar E., who died in infancy.
Jacob Nagle, son of Jacob, was born in Salisbury township
in 1814, and he died in 1894. He was married to Margaret Albright and their
union was blessed by the following children: Henry J.; James; John J.;
Josiah; Benjamin; Mary; Sarah; Minerva; and Emma.
James Nagle, son of Jacob, was born in Whitehall township,
Oct. 18, 1840. He had been a leading contractor and builder at Allentown
for many years. He resided at 302 North Second street, Allentown, and retired
from business in 1903. Mr. Nagle was an active and prominent member of
the Evangelical Church for half a century. He was married to Rosetta White,
born Sept. 16, 1845, and who departed this life on April 17, 1898. They
had the following children: Anna R, married to G. H. Nealey; Amanda R,
married to O.C. Donecker; George W., married to Laura E. Henninger; Jacob
A.; and Elsie B., married to J. A. Borowski. All these children resided
at Allentown.