Children of Christopher Hilbert:
John Conrad Hilbert
Anna (Hilbert) Kropp.
George Philip Hilbert
---------------------------
IN HIS NINTIETH YEAR
--------------------------
JNO. C. HILBERT OF EAST END HAD LIVED IN WILKES-BARRE FOR 72 YEARS.
--------------------------
John C. Hilbert, one of the oldest residents of this city, died yesterday afternoon at 2:40 o'clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. A. D. Wagner, aged 89 years, 11 months and 15 days. The old gentleman was enjoying good health until a few days ago, the cause of death being dropsy of the heart.
Forty years ago Mr. Hilbert was one of the leading merchants of East End, and many of the older residents will remember him. He had a remarkable career and sacrificed a good business in the cause of the miners, aiding them through periods of distress, but suffered through ingratitude of those he assisted.
John C. Hilbert was born in Bavaria, Germany, April 2d, 1818, and came to this country in 1836, residing in Wilkes-Barre continuously since except for nine months spent in Nebraska. He told that when he landed at Castle Garden there was a large conflagration raging in lower New York which greatly impressed him. He came from New York to Wilkes-Barre by stage, a long and tiresome journey with many perils and inconveniences. When he reached here he found a small straggling village in what is now the centre of the city, and the outlying wards and hills covered with a heavy growth of timber. His first residence here was in an old log house on Scott street. He began work as a carpenter and by care and frugality was able to purchase a large section of land in the upper section of East End.
He watched the growth of the town and the development of the coal industry, and when the D. & H. began operations here, secured employment as a carpenter for that company, a position he held for many years. In 1843 he was married to Mary Young, who died twelve years ago. Four children are living, besides twenty-one grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.
About 1867 Mr. Hilbert started in the general store business in the brick building opposite Mackin's store on Scott street and during the next ten years built up a large and prosperous business in that growing section of the town. Fortune seemed to smile upon him until the famous coal strike of 1876-7, when he gave thousands of dollars worth of provisions to the miners to assist them through the struggle, and like many other merchants of that period could not meet his obligations later when those whom he trusted failed to pay their debts, and he lost most of his property and business.
He later went to Nebraska for a brief period but longed for the valley where he made his home for so many years and he returned here. For a score of years he had lived in retirement, his chief pleasure being in working in a small garden of his daughter, Mrs. H. A. Wagner, at 215 Scott street, with whom he made his home.
Mr. Hilbert was well preserved for his years, and although he had been ailing for the past few days with a cold, he expected to celebrate his ninetieth birthday on the second of April. His heavy shock of black hair was only streaked with gray, he had a good memory and took an interest in things about him. He was a great reader and one of his first duties every morning was to read the Record which was one of his chief pleasures.
He drank liquor moderately during his life, smoked an occasional cigar, but his chief consolation was in chewing tobacco, a habit he had followed for years. His chief interest was in his grandson, Fred A. Wagner, who has been in the United States Navy for thirteen years, and is now with "Bob" Evans' fleet on the Charleston in Magdalena Bay. The old gentleman eagerly read the letters from his grandson and followed the cruises with interest. He recently received a photograph from Mr. Wagner of a fourteen-foot shark captured by the crew of the Charleston. Mr. Wagner was a member of the crew of the Maine when that ship was blown up in Havana, but at the time was home on a furlough.
Mr. Hilbert's children include: Mrs. Wagner, with whom he made his home, Mrs. Mary Pascoe of Jones street, this city, John C. Hilbert, Jr., in California, and Christian Hibert in Nebraska.
(Wilkes-Barre Record, 17 Mar 1908)
John Conrad Hilbert
Anna (Hilbert) Kropp.
George Philip Hilbert
---------------------------
IN HIS NINTIETH YEAR
--------------------------
JNO. C. HILBERT OF EAST END HAD LIVED IN WILKES-BARRE FOR 72 YEARS.
--------------------------
John C. Hilbert, one of the oldest residents of this city, died yesterday afternoon at 2:40 o'clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. A. D. Wagner, aged 89 years, 11 months and 15 days. The old gentleman was enjoying good health until a few days ago, the cause of death being dropsy of the heart.
Forty years ago Mr. Hilbert was one of the leading merchants of East End, and many of the older residents will remember him. He had a remarkable career and sacrificed a good business in the cause of the miners, aiding them through periods of distress, but suffered through ingratitude of those he assisted.
John C. Hilbert was born in Bavaria, Germany, April 2d, 1818, and came to this country in 1836, residing in Wilkes-Barre continuously since except for nine months spent in Nebraska. He told that when he landed at Castle Garden there was a large conflagration raging in lower New York which greatly impressed him. He came from New York to Wilkes-Barre by stage, a long and tiresome journey with many perils and inconveniences. When he reached here he found a small straggling village in what is now the centre of the city, and the outlying wards and hills covered with a heavy growth of timber. His first residence here was in an old log house on Scott street. He began work as a carpenter and by care and frugality was able to purchase a large section of land in the upper section of East End.
He watched the growth of the town and the development of the coal industry, and when the D. & H. began operations here, secured employment as a carpenter for that company, a position he held for many years. In 1843 he was married to Mary Young, who died twelve years ago. Four children are living, besides twenty-one grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.
About 1867 Mr. Hilbert started in the general store business in the brick building opposite Mackin's store on Scott street and during the next ten years built up a large and prosperous business in that growing section of the town. Fortune seemed to smile upon him until the famous coal strike of 1876-7, when he gave thousands of dollars worth of provisions to the miners to assist them through the struggle, and like many other merchants of that period could not meet his obligations later when those whom he trusted failed to pay their debts, and he lost most of his property and business.
He later went to Nebraska for a brief period but longed for the valley where he made his home for so many years and he returned here. For a score of years he had lived in retirement, his chief pleasure being in working in a small garden of his daughter, Mrs. H. A. Wagner, at 215 Scott street, with whom he made his home.
Mr. Hilbert was well preserved for his years, and although he had been ailing for the past few days with a cold, he expected to celebrate his ninetieth birthday on the second of April. His heavy shock of black hair was only streaked with gray, he had a good memory and took an interest in things about him. He was a great reader and one of his first duties every morning was to read the Record which was one of his chief pleasures.
He drank liquor moderately during his life, smoked an occasional cigar, but his chief consolation was in chewing tobacco, a habit he had followed for years. His chief interest was in his grandson, Fred A. Wagner, who has been in the United States Navy for thirteen years, and is now with "Bob" Evans' fleet on the Charleston in Magdalena Bay. The old gentleman eagerly read the letters from his grandson and followed the cruises with interest. He recently received a photograph from Mr. Wagner of a fourteen-foot shark captured by the crew of the Charleston. Mr. Wagner was a member of the crew of the Maine when that ship was blown up in Havana, but at the time was home on a furlough.
Mr. Hilbert's children include: Mrs. Wagner, with whom he made his home, Mrs. Mary Pascoe of Jones street, this city, John C. Hilbert, Jr., in California, and Christian Hibert in Nebraska.
(Wilkes-Barre Record, 17 Mar 1908)
Children of Christopher Hilbert:
John Conrad Hilbert
Anna (Hilbert) Kropp.
George Philip Hilbert
---------------------------
IN HIS NINTIETH YEAR
--------------------------
JNO. C. HILBERT OF EAST END HAD LIVED IN WILKES-BARRE FOR 72 YEARS.
--------------------------
John C. Hilbert, one of the oldest residents of this city, died yesterday afternoon at 2:40 o'clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. A. D. Wagner, aged 89 years, 11 months and 15 days. The old gentleman was enjoying good health until a few days ago, the cause of death being dropsy of the heart.
Forty years ago Mr. Hilbert was one of the leading merchants of East End, and many of the older residents will remember him. He had a remarkable career and sacrificed a good business in the cause of the miners, aiding them through periods of distress, but suffered through ingratitude of those he assisted.
John C. Hilbert was born in Bavaria, Germany, April 2d, 1818, and came to this country in 1836, residing in Wilkes-Barre continuously since except for nine months spent in Nebraska. He told that when he landed at Castle Garden there was a large conflagration raging in lower New York which greatly impressed him. He came from New York to Wilkes-Barre by stage, a long and tiresome journey with many perils and inconveniences. When he reached here he found a small straggling village in what is now the centre of the city, and the outlying wards and hills covered with a heavy growth of timber. His first residence here was in an old log house on Scott street. He began work as a carpenter and by care and frugality was able to purchase a large section of land in the upper section of East End.
He watched the growth of the town and the development of the coal industry, and when the D. & H. began operations here, secured employment as a carpenter for that company, a position he held for many years. In 1843 he was married to Mary Young, who died twelve years ago. Four children are living, besides twenty-one grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.
About 1867 Mr. Hilbert started in the general store business in the brick building opposite Mackin's store on Scott street and during the next ten years built up a large and prosperous business in that growing section of the town. Fortune seemed to smile upon him until the famous coal strike of 1876-7, when he gave thousands of dollars worth of provisions to the miners to assist them through the struggle, and like many other merchants of that period could not meet his obligations later when those whom he trusted failed to pay their debts, and he lost most of his property and business.
He later went to Nebraska for a brief period but longed for the valley where he made his home for so many years and he returned here. For a score of years he had lived in retirement, his chief pleasure being in working in a small garden of his daughter, Mrs. H. A. Wagner, at 215 Scott street, with whom he made his home.
Mr. Hilbert was well preserved for his years, and although he had been ailing for the past few days with a cold, he expected to celebrate his ninetieth birthday on the second of April. His heavy shock of black hair was only streaked with gray, he had a good memory and took an interest in things about him. He was a great reader and one of his first duties every morning was to read the Record which was one of his chief pleasures.
He drank liquor moderately during his life, smoked an occasional cigar, but his chief consolation was in chewing tobacco, a habit he had followed for years. His chief interest was in his grandson, Fred A. Wagner, who has been in the United States Navy for thirteen years, and is now with "Bob" Evans' fleet on the Charleston in Magdalena Bay. The old gentleman eagerly read the letters from his grandson and followed the cruises with interest. He recently received a photograph from Mr. Wagner of a fourteen-foot shark captured by the crew of the Charleston. Mr. Wagner was a member of the crew of the Maine when that ship was blown up in Havana, but at the time was home on a furlough.
Mr. Hilbert's children include: Mrs. Wagner, with whom he made his home, Mrs. Mary Pascoe of Jones street, this city, John C. Hilbert, Jr., in California, and Christian Hibert in Nebraska.
(Wilkes-Barre Record, 17 Mar 1908)
John Conrad Hilbert
Anna (Hilbert) Kropp.
George Philip Hilbert
---------------------------
IN HIS NINTIETH YEAR
--------------------------
JNO. C. HILBERT OF EAST END HAD LIVED IN WILKES-BARRE FOR 72 YEARS.
--------------------------
John C. Hilbert, one of the oldest residents of this city, died yesterday afternoon at 2:40 o'clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. A. D. Wagner, aged 89 years, 11 months and 15 days. The old gentleman was enjoying good health until a few days ago, the cause of death being dropsy of the heart.
Forty years ago Mr. Hilbert was one of the leading merchants of East End, and many of the older residents will remember him. He had a remarkable career and sacrificed a good business in the cause of the miners, aiding them through periods of distress, but suffered through ingratitude of those he assisted.
John C. Hilbert was born in Bavaria, Germany, April 2d, 1818, and came to this country in 1836, residing in Wilkes-Barre continuously since except for nine months spent in Nebraska. He told that when he landed at Castle Garden there was a large conflagration raging in lower New York which greatly impressed him. He came from New York to Wilkes-Barre by stage, a long and tiresome journey with many perils and inconveniences. When he reached here he found a small straggling village in what is now the centre of the city, and the outlying wards and hills covered with a heavy growth of timber. His first residence here was in an old log house on Scott street. He began work as a carpenter and by care and frugality was able to purchase a large section of land in the upper section of East End.
He watched the growth of the town and the development of the coal industry, and when the D. & H. began operations here, secured employment as a carpenter for that company, a position he held for many years. In 1843 he was married to Mary Young, who died twelve years ago. Four children are living, besides twenty-one grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.
About 1867 Mr. Hilbert started in the general store business in the brick building opposite Mackin's store on Scott street and during the next ten years built up a large and prosperous business in that growing section of the town. Fortune seemed to smile upon him until the famous coal strike of 1876-7, when he gave thousands of dollars worth of provisions to the miners to assist them through the struggle, and like many other merchants of that period could not meet his obligations later when those whom he trusted failed to pay their debts, and he lost most of his property and business.
He later went to Nebraska for a brief period but longed for the valley where he made his home for so many years and he returned here. For a score of years he had lived in retirement, his chief pleasure being in working in a small garden of his daughter, Mrs. H. A. Wagner, at 215 Scott street, with whom he made his home.
Mr. Hilbert was well preserved for his years, and although he had been ailing for the past few days with a cold, he expected to celebrate his ninetieth birthday on the second of April. His heavy shock of black hair was only streaked with gray, he had a good memory and took an interest in things about him. He was a great reader and one of his first duties every morning was to read the Record which was one of his chief pleasures.
He drank liquor moderately during his life, smoked an occasional cigar, but his chief consolation was in chewing tobacco, a habit he had followed for years. His chief interest was in his grandson, Fred A. Wagner, who has been in the United States Navy for thirteen years, and is now with "Bob" Evans' fleet on the Charleston in Magdalena Bay. The old gentleman eagerly read the letters from his grandson and followed the cruises with interest. He recently received a photograph from Mr. Wagner of a fourteen-foot shark captured by the crew of the Charleston. Mr. Wagner was a member of the crew of the Maine when that ship was blown up in Havana, but at the time was home on a furlough.
Mr. Hilbert's children include: Mrs. Wagner, with whom he made his home, Mrs. Mary Pascoe of Jones street, this city, John C. Hilbert, Jr., in California, and Christian Hibert in Nebraska.
(Wilkes-Barre Record, 17 Mar 1908)
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