Harry West (1858-1925)
FATHER: William W. West
MOTHER: Sarah Emily Hughes West
SPOUSE: Wilhemina (Minnie) Rickert West (born 1863); married in 1880; (died June 3, 1939) also buried at Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery
BURIAL SITE: Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery, Spring City, PA
MOTHER: Sarah Emily Hughes West
SPOUSE: Wilhemina (Minnie) Rickert West (born 1863); married in 1880; (died June 3, 1939) also buried at Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery
BURIAL SITE: Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery, Spring City, PA
Harry West was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania. His death certificate of March 10 1925 gives his age at time of death as 67 years, 2 months, and 9 days, putting date of birth at January 1, 1858. Though in the 1900 census it says 1857. Also according to the 1900 census, Harry and Minnie had been married for twenty years, putting their marriage in 1880. In June 1880 at the time of the census, Harry was still living with his parents and sister in Spring City. Minnie Rickert was also from Spring City, her parents were both born in Germany. Both families attended Zion Lutheran Church.
By 1900 Harry and Minnie had moved to Manayunk, living at 4690 Wilde Street, and Harry was employed as a "chemist" at a papermill. By 1910 they had moved to 4658 Mansion Street, and in 1912 they moved to 428 Roxborough Avenue where the family would reside through the remainder of the 20th century. Though Harry and Minnie had always rented their previous homes, they owned 428 Roxborough Avenue. At the time of Minnie's death in 1939, living in the house was: her daughter Alice West Maslin; (Alice and Charles Maslin's children:) Milton Maslin, William Maslin, and Alice Maslin Heath; and Alice Heath's husband J. William Heath. J. William Heath purchased the home.
By 1900 Harry and Minnie had moved to Manayunk, living at 4690 Wilde Street, and Harry was employed as a "chemist" at a papermill. By 1910 they had moved to 4658 Mansion Street, and in 1912 they moved to 428 Roxborough Avenue where the family would reside through the remainder of the 20th century. Though Harry and Minnie had always rented their previous homes, they owned 428 Roxborough Avenue. At the time of Minnie's death in 1939, living in the house was: her daughter Alice West Maslin; (Alice and Charles Maslin's children:) Milton Maslin, William Maslin, and Alice Maslin Heath; and Alice Heath's husband J. William Heath. J. William Heath purchased the home.
Riverside Paper Mills
One unique item to come from the house at 428 Roxborough Ave., is a publication from Riverside Paper Mills where Harry worked for thirty-one years from 1894-1925. Along the Pathway from Fibre to Paper, shares a rare, illustrated history and step-by-step detail of the papermaking process in one of Philadelphia’s many paper mills at the turn of the twentieth century. The booklet was produced by W.C. Hamilton & Sons, owners of the Riverside Paper Mills, “where good paper has been made since 1853” – according to its title page. The description opens with the history and long tradition of the papermaking industry in the Philadelphia region including the very first paper mill built in North America, established by William Rittenhouse in 1690.
The Riverside Paper Mills were located in Whitemarsh township, Montgomery County, situated on the Schuylkill River. The area, adjacent to Roxborough, Philadelphia and formerly known as Lafayette Station, is now known as Miquon. An explanation of the company’s trademark image and the name “Miquon” is given. The trademark, appearing on nearly every page as well as the book’s endpapers, depicts the face of William Penn within a round circle over a feather quill pen, with the words – MIQUON – RIVERSIDE MILLS. The origin of the name Miquon is said to derive from a meeting of Lenape people with William Penn. Penn’s interpreter, searching for a way to translate Penn’s name, pointed to a goose quill on the ground and said, “Onas, signifying a Quill or Pen. But his familiar name was Miquon” [8].
The book then details the many steps and processes of turning wood fiber to paper, with large photographic plates of the machinery and workers to illustrate each step. The second half of the book incudes samples of the final products, including Hamilton’s Fine Writing paper, buff colored paper, and envelope papers.
My favorite part of the whole publication is, of course, that it belonged to my great-great-grandfather. A dedication bookplate on the front fly leaf reads, “Harry West, associated with W.C. Hamilton & Sons / Riverside Paper Mills / Lafayette / Montgomery County / Pennsylvania / for twenty-seven years / is the owner of this descriptive-history of the institution he has helped to build.” Signed by Freas B. Snyder, President. [Dated] 7/1/21. being no. 19 of 350 copies.” The italicized words are hand-written in the intentional blank spaces left in the printed text. I love that there is a blank space for he (and therefore, also presumably for she) indicating that copies were likely given to both men and women who worked in or were associated with the mills.
Unfortunately, Harry West died at the mill in 1925. His death certificate indicates that he was working as “Head Drainer” and cause of death listed as “crushed skull, cervical vertebrae, and left shoulder by belt driven pulley at W/C Hamilton & Sons White Marsh Township, Monty Co., Pa.”
In 1999, the former mill buildings were preserved and redeveloped into an office complex (named River Park I and River Park II). Since 2012, River Park II has been home to the campus of AIM Academy, an independent school for grades 1-12.
The booklet has been digitized and is available online in Villanova University's Digital Library here: https:// digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:778324
One unique item to come from the house at 428 Roxborough Ave., is a publication from Riverside Paper Mills where Harry worked for thirty-one years from 1894-1925. Along the Pathway from Fibre to Paper, shares a rare, illustrated history and step-by-step detail of the papermaking process in one of Philadelphia’s many paper mills at the turn of the twentieth century. The booklet was produced by W.C. Hamilton & Sons, owners of the Riverside Paper Mills, “where good paper has been made since 1853” – according to its title page. The description opens with the history and long tradition of the papermaking industry in the Philadelphia region including the very first paper mill built in North America, established by William Rittenhouse in 1690.
The Riverside Paper Mills were located in Whitemarsh township, Montgomery County, situated on the Schuylkill River. The area, adjacent to Roxborough, Philadelphia and formerly known as Lafayette Station, is now known as Miquon. An explanation of the company’s trademark image and the name “Miquon” is given. The trademark, appearing on nearly every page as well as the book’s endpapers, depicts the face of William Penn within a round circle over a feather quill pen, with the words – MIQUON – RIVERSIDE MILLS. The origin of the name Miquon is said to derive from a meeting of Lenape people with William Penn. Penn’s interpreter, searching for a way to translate Penn’s name, pointed to a goose quill on the ground and said, “Onas, signifying a Quill or Pen. But his familiar name was Miquon” [8].
The book then details the many steps and processes of turning wood fiber to paper, with large photographic plates of the machinery and workers to illustrate each step. The second half of the book incudes samples of the final products, including Hamilton’s Fine Writing paper, buff colored paper, and envelope papers.
My favorite part of the whole publication is, of course, that it belonged to my great-great-grandfather. A dedication bookplate on the front fly leaf reads, “Harry West, associated with W.C. Hamilton & Sons / Riverside Paper Mills / Lafayette / Montgomery County / Pennsylvania / for twenty-seven years / is the owner of this descriptive-history of the institution he has helped to build.” Signed by Freas B. Snyder, President. [Dated] 7/1/21. being no. 19 of 350 copies.” The italicized words are hand-written in the intentional blank spaces left in the printed text. I love that there is a blank space for he (and therefore, also presumably for she) indicating that copies were likely given to both men and women who worked in or were associated with the mills.
Unfortunately, Harry West died at the mill in 1925. His death certificate indicates that he was working as “Head Drainer” and cause of death listed as “crushed skull, cervical vertebrae, and left shoulder by belt driven pulley at W/C Hamilton & Sons White Marsh Township, Monty Co., Pa.”
In 1999, the former mill buildings were preserved and redeveloped into an office complex (named River Park I and River Park II). Since 2012, River Park II has been home to the campus of AIM Academy, an independent school for grades 1-12.
The booklet has been digitized and is available online in Villanova University's Digital Library here: https:// digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:778324
CHILDREN of Harry and Minnie West:
I. Sarah Emily West 1882–1955 born married (children) died buried
II. William C West 1884–1903
III. Alice May WEST 1888–1967
IV. Frederick Gotleib WEST 1891–1962
V. Katherine Esther WEST 1894–1964
VI. Irvin West 1902–1904
I. Sarah Emily West 1882–1955 born married (children) died buried
II. William C West 1884–1903
III. Alice May WEST 1888–1967
IV. Frederick Gotleib WEST 1891–1962
V. Katherine Esther WEST 1894–1964
VI. Irvin West 1902–1904