Schuylkill County Pennsylvania
J. H. Beers
1916


WILLIAM N. STINE, a prominent resident of Barry township, has occupied
his home place there for over thirty years. He has prospered and has
made investments from time to time in other farm lands, still retaining
valuable interests of the kind. But he has availed himself of the
opportunities to go into other fields, has been a successful trader,
and at present does considerable business handling real estate.

The Stine family is of German extraction. Jonas Stine, father of William
N., was born in the Mahantongo valley, in this section of Pennsylvania,
where his earlier ancestors settled. He was one of three brothers, and
also had three half brothers, John, William and Safenos, two of whom,
William and Safenos, were in the military service during the Mexican
war. Jonas Stine in his youth followed carpenter work, but he soon became
engaged in the buying and selling of horses, bringing many from the
West. Later he became a merchant, having a store at Gettysburg, whence
he removed to Dark Corner, in Columbia county. His next change was to
Shamokin, Northumberland county, and subsequently he was located at Mount
Carmel, that county, from which place he moved to the farm in Mahantongo
where the rest of his life was spent. He was accidentally killed in 1869,
by being thrown from a wagon. Mr. Stine's energetic disposition made
him active in other lines as well as in business, and he was a leader of
public opinion among his neighbors, being regarded as an authority on law
and politics in Mount Carmel. He married Eva Ann Lake, who was born near
Reed station, in Northumberland county, daughter of John Lake, a farmer,
who settled early in Northumberland county and continued to live there to
the end of his days. Mrs. Stine was one of a large family, three sons and
several daughters: John, Daniel, Milton, Eva Ann, Mahalia, Kate, Martha,
and Maria. Daniel, Milton, and several of the daughters still survive.

To Mr. and Mrs. Stine were born three children: Louis lives at Ansted,
W. Va.; Dora died young; William N. completes the family. He was only
a small boy when the mother died, in 1855, and the father remarried,
having several children by the second union: John W.; Hannibal C.;
Jonas G.; Flora, and Elizabeth.

William N. Stine was born in 1851 at Shamokin, Northumberland county,
received the principal part of his education in the schools of Mount
Carmel, and when yet a boy began work at the mines. He was first employed
at the breaker, and he was afterwards in the mines, spending a year thus
in different capacities. When only fifteen years old he became engaged
in the business his father followed so successfully, dealing in horses,
in which line he later developed an extensive trade. In 1883 he came to
his present home property in Barry township, Schuylkill county, a farm
of over one hundred acres, and for a number of years, in connection with'
its management, was extensively engaged in buying, selling and exchanging
property. He acquired other farm property, at one time owning as many as
eight farms. Some of his capital has been attracted to other quarters,
being at present invested in the coal fields of West Virginia. Besides his
operations in real estate he has an interest in several hotels and local
bank stock, a practical proof of his faith in the stability of business
conditions in Schuylkill county.  Though not a public man in any sense
he is an influential member of the community, where his intelligence
and substantial qualities of character are highly appreciated.

In 1871 Mr. Stine married Phietta Wehry, a native of the Mahantongo
valley, where her father, David Wehry, was an early settler and became
extensively engaged in farming. Mrs. Stine's brothers, Daniel and Amos,
survive. Mrs. Stine died May 23, 1901, the mother of one child, Charles
Henry, who lives in Barry township, this county. He married Sallie Berry,
of that township, and they have had a large family, eight still living.