John G. Weckbach

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

Although a native of Germany, John G. WECKBACH has been a resident of the United States for over a quarter of a century and during the twenty years of that time his citizenship has been a valuable adjunct to Morris county. Since May, 1906, he has been proprietor of the Germania Hotel at Butler and here he is serving with the utmost efficiency as foreman of the local fire department. He is filling his second term as councilman and as a Republican takes an active part in county politics, being a member of the Morris county Republican committee.

John G. WECKBACH was born at Hesse Worms, Germany, March 19, 1870, son of Peter and Marguerite WECKBACH, both of whom are now deceased, the father having died in 1912, aged seventy-nine years, and the mother in 1911, aged seventy-eight years. Peter WECKBACH was born in Germany and there followed the occupations of farmer and shepherd until 1884, when he immigrated to the United States. On their arrival in this country the WECKBACH family located in Campbell county, Kentucky, and there the father accumulated a fine farming property, which he continued to cultivate until death called him from the scene of his mortal endeavors. He was a man of robust constitution and alert mind and was highly esteemed by all his Kentucky neighbors. Mr. and Mrs. WECKBACH became the parents of sixteen children - –twelve sons and four daughters, eleven of whom are living, in 1913.

Up to the age of fifteen years John G. WECKBACH attended school in Germany and then he accompanied his parents to America. He lived on the home farm in Kentucky until his marriage, in 1893, and assisted his father in the work and management of his large estate. After his marriage Mr. WECKBACH located in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, and there was fireman and stationary engineer for the Phoenix Lead Company until 1894, when he came to Morris county, New Jersey, and entered the employ of the American Hard Rubber Company at Butler as fireman. Subsequently he worked for a time in the Bloomingdale Soft Rubber Works. In May, 1906, he purchased the Germania Hotel and he has since devoted most of his time to the management of that up-to-date hostelry. He is a member of the Bartholdi Hose Company, No. 2, of the Butler fire department, and is foreman of the latter organization, having held that position for the past five years. He is president of the Fireman'’ Relief Association and is now serving his second term in the city council. He has long been active in promoting the interests of his home community and figures in every enterprise projected for the good of the general welfare. In politics he is an unswerving Republican and for the past three years he has been a member of the Morris county Republican committee. His fraternal connections are with Emmanuel Lodge, No. 200, I. O. O. F.; Neaskaleto Lodge, No. 171, I. O. R. M., in which he has held all the important offices; Paterson Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

In 1893, Mr. WECKBACH married Mary SCHRECK, born in Kentucky, daughter of John Wendel SCHRECK, a resident of Campbell county, Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. WECKBACH became the parents of five children, two of whom are deceased; those living are: Wendel, aged nineteen years; Lawrence, aged fifteen years; Esther, aged seven years. The exemplary lives of Mr. and Mrs. WECKBACH have won them the unalloyed regard of their fellow citizens and they are popular in the social affairs of Butler.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)