Jun 7, 2011

A Tailor from North Street

The Allentown Housing and Development Corp. recently purchased a home at 421 North St. That block of North Street was destroyed by fire, and the agency has built a block of new houses on the street's south side; it will next develop the other side of the street. The deed transfer caught my attention because Morris Wolf lived in the house in 1903. Wolf signed up with the Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry on July 18, 1861, in Philadelphia, when he was 22 years old. He was a private in Company A, of the 3rd Cavalry. This unit was also known as the 60th Regiment and was later called Young's Kentucky Light Cavalry.It defended Washington, D.C., until March 1862, then participated in many of the war's most famous battles: Williamsburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg. Wolf had signed up for three years and was mustered out Aug. 24,1864.

Recently, to commemorate Memorial Day, the local veterans group placed more than 500 flags at Fairview Cemetery. If that wasn't enough of a good deed, the group also set upright more than 300 toppled grave markers. Visiting Fairview recently, I saw they had not overlooked the graves of either Mr. Wolf, or another veteran, Joseph Levine. I have concerned myself with Allentown's Fairview Cemetery for the last few years. I first became interested in the small Jewish section, called Mt. Sinai. This was the first organized Jewish cemetery in Allentown. Currently, all the synagogues have their own cemeteries, and Mt. Sinai has been mostly unused for many decades.

Mr. Wolf lies next to his wife, Julia, who died in 1907. Morris would live on for 30 more years, passing away in 1937, at age 98.
Mr. Levine, a World War II veteran, and his wife, Ethel, were the first and last people to be buried there after almost 25 years of inactivity. When Ethel died at age 93 in 2000, it was the first burial at Mt. Sinai since 1976. Joseph was 103 years old when he passed away in 2006.

The Housing and Development Corp. and North Street are now part of Allentown's new neighborhood initiative called Jordan Heights.Although soon there will be a new house at 421 North St., there is a history that will remain with the parcel. Once a tailor lived there who fought in the Battle of Gettysburg.

reprinted from July 4, 2010

12 comments:

  1. Love when you write these history pieces.

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  2. Me too MM, really enjoy them.

    The Banker

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  3. me three! (or four, as it may be)

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  4. Great post Michael! Thanks.

    David Fehr Zimmerman

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  5. As you will notice Michael, We, at the 'Round Table (again) placed over 600 flags this past May 15th for Memorial Day. While also clearing up and uncovering new grave sites that had been buried under brush and soil for many years. Over 60 volunteers did an amazing job, with absolute solemnly revered dedication to task.
    I personally hauled over 450 tattered/worn flags up to the Schnecksville Fire Dept. yesterday afternoon for this evening's Retirement/Disposal Ceremony with full Honors.
    Paul J. Fiske
    Co-Chairman/Founder
    The Lehigh Valley Veterans History Project Round Table

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  6. By your postings, I can see that you have a very strong sense of history. These were the men and women that made America great and they need to be remembered. Thanks for showing respect for those deceased!
    Stealth.

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  7. Mr Fiske, your efforts are greatly appreciated

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  8. So are those of Morris Wolf whether they know it or not.

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  9. 'they' being 'us', we the contemporary American citizen

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  10. My Good People this is not about us. This is about the legacy of Freedom and Liberty left to us by all who served this wonderful land of ours, in Military Uniform. Those before me, Those of us in my generation, and especially these fine young men and women serving now.
    Without their sacrifice (many giving the ultimate) We wouldn't able to express our views like this.
    All Veterans buried there are the best and the bravest of America. No matter where they served. This is the least that we can do twice yearly.....PJF

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  11. Who said it was about us?

    Read. Comprehend.

    The "IT" I spoke of being appreciated were the efforts of Morris Wolf and his constituents so that we may enjoy the Freedom and Liberty that you speak of.

    No, I don't think contemporary Americans, as a whole, appreciate the efforts of Morris and his constituents. Or any other veteran from any other era for that matter. But that would be another matter altogether.

    And not the "it" I was referring to.

    Dismissed.

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