GERLACH
Portrait and Biographical Record ~ Pages
Kindly submitted by: Lynn Coyle
_ CHARLES L. GERLACH Among the local industries which
have aided materially in the upbuilding of Bethlehem is the
Bethlehem Ice Company, of which this gentleman is proprietor. He
is a self-made man in the truest sense of the word, as he has
made his own living from his early years and has been dependent
upon his own resources. He has met the obstacles in his pathway
with fortitude, overcoming them and rising to fresh successes,
and acquiring his fortune through hard work and energy.
The birth of our subject occurred in Nazareth August 31,
1860. and his first years were passed in Springtown. His father
is Lewis A. Gerlach, whose biographical sketch is given
in that of his son, E. J. Gerlach, in another portion of
this volume. Charles L. became a resident of Bethlehem when he
was five years of age, and there attended the Moravian Parochial
School until attaining his twelfth year. For the succeeding
seven years he drove ice wagons for C. D. Trumbower, an
ice dealer. For a year thereafter he served an apprenticeship to
a wheelwright in Nazareth, later was employed for two years with
his brother in Hecktown, and then for a like period of time was
with Mr. Hoffman in Bethlehem.
In 1887 our subject embarked in business for himself, his
concern being known as the Bethlehem Ice Company. He started on
a very small scale, having one horse and a small wagon and only
four customers. The same season he found it necessary to run
another team and wagon, and succeeding well he finally purchased
the Wermeth Ice-houses and commenced packing ice. He now
owns ice-houses on the canal in West Bethlehem, filling them
with White Haven ice. They have a capacity of four thousand
tons, about half of which is filled with ice from the lakes. In
order to supply his many customers three teams and three wagons
are kept running all the time. These are owned by Mr. Gerlach,
and his horses have the reputation of being the finest in the
city for drafting and the wagons ate finely painted. At No. 32
Iron Street Mr. Gerlach built stables, and in other ways is
constantly branching out in order to meet the demands of his
business. Besides the natural ice he also deals considerably in
the artificial article, as many of his customers prefer the
latter.
In 1888 our subject married Miss Amanda Rodenbach, who
was born in Williams Township, this county, and of this marriage
have been born four children: Earl, Flossie, May and Anna D. The
parents are faithful members of the Moravian Church, and have a
large circle of warm friends and acquaintances. Fraternally Mr.
Gerlach is a member of the Royal Arcanum and the Order of
Red Men. Politically he is a stalwart Republican, believing that
that party advocates the best measures for the prosperity and
progress of the people.