422
COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES
Charles K. Kuckalcw had completed his wise articles o( incor]ioration (or the town o( Bloomsburg (which at this date lu s the only clu rtcr o f a i ’cnnsylvania incor]x>ratcd town and whose govemnient is administered under those ordinances), E lijah K. Ikeler was chosen treasurer of the young municipal venture. Mcsmwhilc, aside from associating in an enter prise tlu t ultinutcly resulted in the formation of the Farm ers' N atioiul Bank, tlu t strong and prosperous institution of the present day, Mr. Ikeler w as devoting himself to the up building o f a practice. H is loyal friends ral lied tu his support as soon as they became aware o f his ability and sterling characteris tics, and his legal acumen drew a great volume o f business. M r. Ikclcr attained his status as an attorney through an unusually high con ception of the duties o f his profession. I lie wide range of his technical knowledge of prac tice and tlic manner in which lie executed deeds o f trust eventually brought their own reward. In 1888 E lijah K. Ikclcr w as elevated to the honor o f presiding judge, a responsi bility which he hllcd with the utmost faith fulness to the interests o f justice. T he hand of death touched him before his term o f serv ice w as coiii]deted and he w as gathered to his fathers, w*ho. w'ith him, had done so much for the county— i f only through the examples of tkatcmal duty and probity and wholesome lives. On March 23, 1863. M r. Ikeler had married Helena Armstrong, a daughter o f Ephraim Armstrong, o f BloomsbuTg, 3 descendant of the notable Philadelphia fam ily o f Rittenhouses. She survived her husband until A pril, 19 13, (xissing aw ay in Bloomsburg, greatly mourned. T w o children survive this union. Fred T aylor Ikclcr, the subject of the intro duction o f this monograph 011 the Ikeler fam ily, and Frank A . Iketer. Fra sk a . was bom in Bloomsburg Aug. 2 1. i8()8. H e enrolled in the various local schools, and after graduating entered the Bloomsburg State Normal School. A t the completion of his studies in that institution M r. Ikclcr joined his hroihcr. Fred T aylor Ikcler. at Uafayctte College, and realizing the opportunities and requirements o f his native town, undertook the study o f banking and finance. A s the result o f his studies Mr. Ikclcr, u|K)n the completion o f his course, was tendered (he |>osition o f cashier by (he officials of the Farm ers' National Bank o f Bloomsburg, which Ilis father had been greatly instrumental in organizing. T his offer he accepted and ful filled the responsibilities of the berth with the
utmost satisfaction to the executive board. ^At this time M r. Ikclcr held the reputation of being the youngest cashier o f any national lianking institution in the United Slates. He later resigned and took up the study of law*, and on Sept. 24, 1894. was admitted to the Ixir o f Columbia county. F o r several years thereafter he w as associated with his brother in a successful law partnership. HU earlier experience in the banking business later as sisted him in his chosen profession. It resulted in a connection with the First National Bank o f Bloomsburg. H e succeeded to (lie position o f cashier o f that strong institution upon the resignation o f E . F . Carpenter from Uiat pbce o f trust, and is still serving the bank in tlut ca|ucity, having entirely relinquished the prac tice o f law. On March 23. i IS S. M r. Ikclcr married q M ary M illard, of Centralia. and one son. Fred, came to bless that union. The members of the Ikclcr family, through past loyalty to county tradition and advance ment. represent the type o f ideal citizenship and motherhood. T heir mark on the develop ment of the county has been that o f con sistent progress, and while but two descend ants, Fran k and Fred, and their boys now re main, (he achievements o f this later genera tion are in line with the record established by their ancestors o f an earlier time. D A N IE L M O N T G O M E R Y B O Y D, de ceased, was one of the men to whom Montour county owes a debt o f gratitude for his share in its development and prosperity. H e was alw ays identified with the enterprises that n u d e this section prominent in an industrial w ay and his keen insight into the future was o f great value in placing (he industries o f Dan ville oil a firm financial foundation. T he Boyd family in this county was founded by WiUiam Boyd, who, with his brother 1'homas, came to America in 1732 from County Arm agh, Ireland. They were u f Protestant l>elicf and o f Scotch-Irish de scent. William Boyd settled near the “ HalfW ay House,” in New Garden township, Ches ter Co., Fa., and according to old records was api>oiiitcd justice of the peace under King (iw rg e . H e served in that cipacity for the rest o f his life, also being a member of the Provincial council, his name last appearing on the records in 17 6 1. Later he removed to the village o f O xford, where he died in 1767. H e was a member of the Faggs Manor Pres byterian Church. H is children w ere: James, John. William. Jan e, M ary and Hannah.
