Abiel W. Heilman was born on Jan. 8, 1835 at Mauch Chunk, the son of Nathan and Elizabeth (Miner) Heilman. He was a veteran of the Civil War, and a prominent industrialist of Allentown, PA. As a young man, Abiel stood 5 feet, 7 inches tall, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He learned the trade of blacksmithing and boiler making. At the age of 19, in 1854, he moved to Allentown, Lehigh County, PA and "worked at boiler making in this city with characteristic assiduity, making himself master of its every detail," said the 1886 book, Past, Present and Future of the City of Allentown. "Thrifty and industrious he laid by a greater part of his earnings with a view to establishing an industry of his own." At the age of 28, on Jan. 18, 1863, Abiel married 22-year-old Mary E. (Roth) Rhoads (1841-1930), daughter of Joel and Hannah (Haines) Roth of Allentown. The ceremony took place in Allentown, with the nuptials led by Rev. Joseph Henry Dubbs of the Zion Reformed Church of Allentown. Abiel's father in law was a well-known hat manufacturer in the city.
Abiel served in the U.S. Army during the Civil War. He enlisted immediately after the start of the war, in April 1861. He was part of a group of artillery specialists who became part of the 1st Pennsylvania Volunteers, and he was elected sergeant of Company I. After serving for 90 days, he was discharged from the regiment in July 1861. Later, for 13 days, he was part of the 5th Pennsylvania Militia Infantry, as second lieutenant, from Sept. 11, 1862 to Sept. 27, 1862. Some military records misspelled his name as "Abeile" which later caused confusion with War Department authorities. After the war, he served as city auditor of Allentown in 1870 and was elected as a select councilman from the city's Second Ward, serving from 1872 to 1873. Abiel W. Heilman was born on Jan. 8, 1835 at Mauch Chunk, the son of Nathan and Elizabeth (Miner) Heilman. He was a veteran of the Civil War, and a prominent industrialist of Allentown, PA. As young man, Abiel stood 5 feet, 7 inches tall, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He learned the trade of blacksmithing and boiler making. At the age of 19, in 1854, he moved to Allentown, Lehigh County, PA and "worked at boiler making in this city with characteristic assiduity. At the age of 28, on Jan. 18, 1863, Abiel married 22-year-old Mary E. (Roth) Rhoads (1841-1930), daughter of Joel and Hannah (Haines) Roth of Allentown. The ceremony took place in Allentown, with the nuptials led by Rev. Joseph Henry Dubbs of the Zion Reformed Church of Allentown. Abiel's father in law was a well-known hat manufacturer in the city.
Abiel served in the U.S. Army during the Civil War. He enlisted immediately after the start of the war, in April 1861. He was part of a group of artillery specialists who became part of the 1st Pennsylvania Volunteers, and he was elected sergeant of Company I. After serving for 90 days, he was discharged from the regiment in July 1861. Later, for 13 days, he was part of the 5th Pennsylvania Militia Infantry, as second lieutenant, from Sept. 11, 1862 to Sept. 27, 1862. Some military records misspelled his name as "Abeile" which later caused confusion with War Department authorities. After the war, he served as city auditor of Allentown in 1870 and was elected as a select councilman from the city's Second Ward, serving from 1872 to 1873. Abiel died in Allentown on Aug. 17, 1892 at the age of 57. He was laid to rest in Allentown's Fairview Cemetery. Now widowed, Mary took over the family business and ran it for seven years.