Guide to the Papers of Henry Young, c1850-1983
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Papers of Henry Young
- Creator
- Young, Henry J.
- Collection Number
- MSS#94
- Extent
- .75 cubic feet (2 boxes)
- Date
- c1850-1983
- Abstract
- Henry J. Young was a professor at Dickinson University in Carlisle (Pa.). Young researched the history and genealogy of the Reineman Family, a prominent German-American family who first settled in Chambersburg (Pa.) and later Pittsburgh (Pa.). These papers include correspondence, research notes, photocopies of original documents and two manuscripts compiled and written by Henry Young.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
Biographical Sketch of Henry Young and the Reineman Family
Henry J. Young was a professor at Dickinson University in Carlisle (Pa.). Young researched the history and genealogy of the Reineman Family, a prominent German-American family who first settled in Chambersburg (Pa.) and later Pittsburgh (Pa.). He published a book, American Descendants of Eberhard Reinemann in 1982 and one year later he compiled a supplement which expanded the family's genealogy to include ancestry in Germany.
The Reineman family immigrated from Hesse-Cassel, Germany, to the United States in 1832 (after the family immigrated to the United States the second "n" was dropped, Reinemann became Reineman). Conrad Reineman, a watchmaker, came with his wife, Catharina Elisabeth Petereins, and six of their seven children: Justus (called Augustus)(1812-1899), Johann Jacob (1814-), Catharina Margaretha (called Caroline) (1817-1897), Adam (1820-1899), Christoph (known as Louis) (1823-1877), Catharina Elisabeth (1826-1900) and Henry (1830-1908). The family first settled in Chambersburg (Pa.). Augustus Reinemann along with his father and probably a few brothers opened a jewelry store in 1837. By the 1840s, however, several family members had left Chambersburg. Johann Jacob had ventured west and settled in Indiana. Caroline married Victor Scriba and they soon moved to Allegheny City (Pittsburgh's North Side) where Victor operated a newspaper, Der Freiheits-Freund (The Friend of Liberty). In 1845, Adam Reinemann also moved to Allegheny City with his wife Elizabeth Rickenbach. By 1847 the entire Reineman family, except for Augustus who continued to operate a jewelry store in Chambersburg, relocated to Pittsburgh (Pa.).
Soon after Adam Reinemann's arrival in Pittsburgh he went into partnership with David Sands and they opened a jewelry and watch store at 25 Fifth Avenue. By 1853, the firm of Sands and Reinemann was dissolved as Adam began to pursue interests in politics, real estate, and banking. In 1862, he was president of the German Trust and Savings Bank of Pittsburgh and two years later became president of the Third National Bank. He was a founder and major investor in the German Fire Insurance Company and Teutonia Insurance Company of Allegheny. In 1873, he helped to found the Germania National Bank. During this time, Adam Reinemann also invested in local real estate, primarily in the Allegheny City neighborhood of Troy Hill (now contiguous to Pittsburgh's North Side). By the 1870s, Troy Hill was a predominantly German-American community and Adam Reinemann built and owned many of the neighborhood's homes. Besides his own estate, Adam is said to have built and owned over 750 houses in Troy Hill, many of which still exist. Initiated by these early real estate interests, Troy Hill became home to almost all of the descendants of Conrad and Catharina Reinemann throughout the 19th century.
In 1847, soon after Christoph (Louis) Reinemann and his wife, Catharina Louisa Ripper, moved to Pittsburgh he opened a watch and jewelry store at 13 Fifth Avenue. In 1861, he went into partnership with his former apprentice, Charles Meyran, and his brother-in-law, Reinhold Siedle, and together they opened the firm, Reineman, Meyran, and Siedle. Because of illness, Louis Reinemann retired in 1869 and spent several years between Germany and his home in Troy Hill. Catharina Elisabeth Reineman married Reinhold Siedle in 1849 who first went into partnership with the youngest of the Reinemann children, Henry. Henry C. Reineman and Reinhold Siedle operated a jewelry and watchmaking firm at 30 Fifth Avenue. The partners separated in 1855 and Henry C. continued his business down the street at 42 Fifth Avenue. Reinhold Siedle operated their previous firm independently until 1861 when he joined the jewelry firm of Louis Reinemann and Charles Meyran.
Scope and Content Notes
These papers include correspondence, research notes, photocopies of original documents, and two manuscripts compiled and written by Henry Young. The correspondence includes information regarding the Reineman family in the United States after 1832 and earlier genealogical information from Germany. The correspondence and biographical information regarding early family history prior to their immigration to the United States were obtained from German sources and many of these materials are in German. The remaining letters are between Henry Young and numerous descendants of the Reineman family in the United States. Young's genealogical notes are arranged alphabetically by family name and include materials on the Reineman's and other related families. Among these genealogical notes are several photocopied original documents such as deeds and wills, also included are copies of correspondence between Henry and Adam Reineman (1867-1869). These papers also include Henry Young's book, American Descendants of Eberhard Reinemann (1982) and the manuscript to his supplement which traces the family's German history and genealogy (1983). These papers create a comprehensive account of a prominent German-American family in Pittsburgh and help to document early immigration and the German-American experience in Pittsburgh.
Arrangement
The Henry Young papers are housed in two archival boxes and are arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This material came in one accession in 1983.
Acc# 1983x, Gift of Henry Young, (Papers).
Preferred Citation
Papers of Henry Young, c1850-1983, MSS# 94, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
Processing Information
This collection was processed by a staff member of the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania in 1983. The papers were rearranged and inventory written by Corey Seeman and Rachel Balliet on October 24, 1994.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Elaine L. Westbrooks on February 28, 2000.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.
Subjects
- Reineman, Adam, -- 1820-1899.
- Reineman, Henry, -- 1830-1908.
- Foerster family.
- Goering family.
- Hartje family.
- Meals family.
- Polack family.
- Reinemann family.
- Scriba famliy.
- Siedle family.
- Voegtly family.
- Pennsylvania -- Genealogy.
- Allegheny (Pittsburgh, Pa.) -- Social life and customs.
- Chambersburg (Pa.) -- Commerce.
- Chambersburg (Pa.) -- Social life and customs.
- Cumberland County (Pa.) -- Commerce.
- Cumberland County (Pa.) -- Social life and customs.
- Troy Hill (Pittsburgh, Pa.) -- Commerce.
- Troy Hill (Pittsburgh, Pa.) -- Social life and customs.
- Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- Commerce.
- German Americans -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny (Pittsburgh)
- German Americans -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh.
- German Americans -- Pennsylvania -- Chambersburg.
- Jewelry stores -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh.
- Jewelry stores -- Pennsylvania -- Chambersburg.
- Jewelers -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh.
- Jewelers -- Pennsylvania -- Chambersburg.
- Clock and Watch Makers.
- Genealogy--Reineman Family.