Catherine Beecher ¹

  Noted events in her life were:

• Census, 1840, Bern Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. ² John Bicher is listed in the 1840 census with this household:
Males (born)
Under 5 (1836-1840) = 1 son Levi
20-29 (1811-1820) = 1 father John
Females (born)
Under 5 (1836-1840) = 1 daughter Catherine
20-29 (1811-1820) = 1 wife Susan

• Census, 1850, Bern Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. ³ John Beecher, age 35, farmer, is living with his entire family in the household of Levi Douder, age 19 [could be his brother-in-law who inherited the property?] Also in John's family is Susannah, whose age has been overwritten so from the handwriting it could be 89, or a 29 overwritten to become 39. [His mother? His wife? We assume it is a 39-year old wife, since John and Susan [nee Smith] are mentioned as the parents of Catherine Beecher in the historical book quoted in her husband's record here, and also because the following children are present in this home indicating it is a family.]

The children are: Levi, 14; Catherine, 12; Reuben, 10; Rebecca, 9; Cornelius, 7; and Susannah, 2. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. The elder Susannah cannot read or write, perhaps another indication she really is elderly. A check mark appears in the column for Catherine to indicate she was married within the year, but who is her husband? It could be Douder, but then we would expect she would be listed second under him, not within the children's list by age order. Further research on this group is obviously needed.

• Confirmation, 4 Apr 1858, Bern Township: Epler's Church, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁴ Catherine Beechert was confirmed by Rev. A. L. Herman.

• Book: Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks County, 1909. ¹ John B. Ammarell, a well known and highly esteemed resident of Bern Township, Berks Co, Pa., who is acting in the capacity of organist at Epler's Church, was born at Reeser's Mill, in Bern township, Aug. 25, 1862, son of Robert and Catherine (Beecher) Ammarell.

Frederick Ammarell, grandfather of John B., was a son of Frederick Ammarell, Sr., who died in Germany. The grandfather was born April 16, 1809, at Weimar, Saxony, Germany, and was educated in the schools of his native county, where he also learned the trade of a carpenter. He came to America in August, 1854, landing at New York after a voyage of eight weeks in a sailing vessel. For a short time he remained with relatives in that city, and then came to Northampton county, Pa., where he was engaged in boat-building, later, however, coming to Berks county and locating at Felix's Dam, in Bern township. He died at the home of his son in Bern township, Jan 3, 1886.

Frederick Ammarell married Rosalie Manz, who died in Germany when about sixty-five years of age, and to them the following children were born: Louisa m. a Mr. Beck, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Robert; Charles died in infancy; Charles (2) of Reading, PA.; Lena m a Mr. Danz; and Alma m Draugott Hot.

Robert Ammarell was born Jan. 3, 1840, at Weimar, Saxony, Germany, and accompanied his father to America in August, 1854. In Newark, N.J., the youth learned the saddler's trade, but did not immediately take up that occupation. He traveled to Reading, Pa., walking part of the way and finishing the journey by rail, and soon thereafter became a canal-boat driver. He made only one trip, however, this consuming two weeks, after which he settled in Bern township, taking up his residence at the home of the widow of Samuel Althouse, where he lived for five years. He then lived for two years with George Zacharias, and on Sept. 14, 1861, was married to Catherine Beecher, who was born Aug. 9, 1838, in Bern township, daughter of John and Susan (Smith) Beecher.

After his marriage, Mr. Ammarell worked for Jonathan Reeser for three years, when he engaged in farming for himself for two years on a tract near Stouchsburg, in Marion township. The next quarter of a century, Mr. Ammarell spent on the Althouse farm in Bern township, and at the end of this long period of faithful, industrious effort, he took up residence on his own six-acre tract in Bern township, at Epler's Church, where he still lives. Since 1898 he has been conducting and operating a cider press at the "Leinbach Hotel," and during this season has a large and lucrative trade.

A Democrat in politics, Mr. Ammarell has served for nine years as school director, and has been supervisor for thirteen years. He is a Lutheran member of Epler's Church, in which he has served in all offices and is now acting in the capacity of elder.

He and his wife became the parents of the following children: John B.; Kate, born Oct. 22, 1864, m. James Reeser, and is living at Reading; George, born May 25, 1867, m. Emma Shadel, and resides in Ontelaunee township; Emma, born April 20, 1868, m. Mayberry Mengel, and lives in Reading; Mary, born Aug. 30, 1870, m. Lawrence Wagman, and lives in Muhlenberg township; Robert, born Dec. 25, 1871, m. Lillie Olinger, and is a railroad man of Reading; Harrison, born Aug. 25, 1874, m. Mamie Leib, and is now teaching Stoudt school, in Bern township; and Frederick, born Dec. 3, 1877, m Nora Aulenbach, and is a rural free delivery mail carrier, in charge of route No.2, from Reading.

John B. Ammarell received his preliminary mental training in the public schools, later spent two terms at the Kutztown State Normal School, and also attended the Mine Hole Summer School in Bern township for a time. Until twenty years of age he worked for his father, and 1880 received his license to teach from County Superintendent S. A. Baer. In 1882, under Prof. David S Keck, then county superintendent of schools, he received his professional certificate. In all he taught five terms, having charge of the Mine Hole, Mechanicsville and Epler schools in Bern township, and he then left the profession to take up farming, at which he was occupied for five years.

In 1890, Mr. Ammerell came to his present place, where he has charge of the church property, a tract of about ten acres, and is also engaged as organist of Epler's Church, Gernant's in Ontelaunee township, and Hinnershitz Church in Tuckerton. Mr. Ammerell's enterprise has extended in various directions, and he is engaged in the monument business, hiring three skilled workmen at his yard at the church. He belongs to the Lutheran denomination. He is secretary of the church, and is also secretary of the board of trustees of the cemetery.

In political matters Mr. Ammerell is a 'Democrat' and he has served very acceptably as township auditor, and school director for six years, part of which time he was secretary. He served as delegate to the State Democratic Conventions at Altoona and Harrisburg. In 1908 he was appointed clerk in the Berks county recorder's office, his duties being to transcribe old indexes, which in addition to being a very important task is a very large and tedious one. Fraternally he is connected with Camp No. 165, P.O. S. of A. at Leesport, which he has represented as State delegate several times; Leesport Castle No. 503. K.G.E.; and Leesport Camp, No. 9284, Modern Woodmen of America.

In 1882 Mr. Ammerell was united in marriage with Catherine R. Matz, daughter of John and Susan (Fisher) Matz, of Bern township, and three children have been born to them, namely: Winfield H., Raymond R. and John S.

Winfield H. Ammarell, M. D. , who has recently been elected resident physician at the Reading Hospital, is a senior in the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania. He was born Jan. 10, 1886, in Bern township, and attended the schools there until 1900, when he entered Keystone State Normal School at Kutztown. In the spring of the first year he received his first provisional certificate, under Prof. E. M. Rapp, and for two successive years he taught the Mine Hole school in Bern. In the spring of 1902 he entered the middle year class of the Keystone State Normal and was graduated from that institution in 1904. The following year he taught the Mechanicsville school in Bern.

While a student at Normal, Dr. Ammarell took great interest in Y.M.C.A. work. He was a delegate of the organization to Lebanon, Bucknell University, and to the Northfield, Mass., Students Conference in the spring of 1903. For two years he served as 'Eagle' correspondent at the Normal, doing excellent work. During the spring of 1905 he taught at the Perkiomen Seminary, Pennsburg, at the same time studying subjects along the medical line. In the fall of 1905 he entered the Freshman class of the University of Pennsylvania, Medical Department, at which institution he is now a member of the senior class. He is a member of the Omega Upsilon Phi fraternity, of the Charles K. Mills Neurological Medical Society, and is secretary of the Berks County Club of the U. of P. He is also a member of the Kappa Phi fraternity.

Raymond R. Ammarell, , a member of the sophomore class of Muhlenberg College, was born July 29, 1887, in Bern township, and attended its schools until 1903, when he was granted a township graduation diploma by Prof. E. M. Rapp. In the same spring he entered the junior class of Keystone State Normal and was graduated from that institution in 1905. While a student at Normal, Mr. Ammarell was a member of the Keystone Literary Society and an ardent supporter of the Y.M.C.A. In 1905 he served as a delegate to the State convention of the Y.M.C.A. held in Johnstown, Pa. After graduation, Mr. Ammarell taught the school at Mechanicsville, Bern township, for one year. The following year he was called to East Catasauqua, Hanover Township, Lehigh county, where he taught the grammar school very successfully for one year. In the spring of 1907 he was awarded his teacher's master diploma by the Normal School. While a teacher and during the summer months, Mr. Ammarell did special work in German and Greek. In the fall of 1907 he entered the Freshman class of Muhlenberg College at Allentown. He is a member of the Euterpea Literary Society and secretary of the Keystone Club.

John S. Ammarell, born March 1, 1898, in Bern township, is a student in Stoudt's Union School.

Catherine married Robert Ammarell, son of Frederick Ammarell and Rosalie Manz, on 14 Sep 1861.¹ (Robert Ammarell was born on 3 Jan 1840 in , , , Germany.)