REITZ
REV. JAMES J. REITZ, A. M., holds
the pastorate of the Lutheran Church in Walnutport, St. Paul’s
Church, in the Lehigh Township, and Emanuel’s Church in Moore
Township, Northampton County. Mr. Reitz was born in Lehigh
County, December 13, 1859, and is the son of Benjamin and Leah
(Phillips) Reitz, also born in that county. The family is a
very old and honored one in this locality, the great-grandfather
of our subject, Lorentz Reitz, having come from Germany in an
early day, and made settlement in Lynn Township, the above
county.
Benjamin Reitz was a miller by
trade, to which he later added the occupation of a farmer.
James J., of this sketch, was consequently reared to farm
pursuits, although he also acquired a knowledge of the milling
business. His primary studies were carried on in the district
school, which he attended quite regularly until reaching his
fifteenth year. Then, passing the examination, he was awarded a
teacher’s certificate, and the following year began teaching
school, following that occupation during three winters. During
the summer season he attended the Edinboro State Normal in Erie
County, this state, and in 1880 became a student in Muhlenberg
College in Allentown, where he took a four-years course, and was
graduated with the Class of ’84 as Bachelor of Arts.
In 1884 Mr. Reitz deciding to
follow the ministry, entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary
at Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated in
1887. The following summer he took the elementary and
intermediate course in Hebrew at Dr. W. R. Harper’s Hebrew
Summer School in the Quaker City. Dr. Harper was then President
of Yale College, and conducted the summer schools in Hebrew
throughout the country. He is now the well known President of
Chicago University.
After completing his studies,
Rev. Mr. Reitz conducted a private school in New Tripoli, which
had for its object the preparing of teachers for public-school
work. In 1887, however, he took charge of the three churches
mentioned in our opening paragraph, in the work of which he is
very successful. For several years he made his home in
Cherryville, but in 1893 moved to Walnutport, where he owns farm
lands of one hundred acres. He is a very popular minister of
the Gospel, and not only is he highly esteemed by the members of
his own church, but his name is the synonym for integrity and
probity wherever known.
The marriage of our subject
with Miss Ada J. Follweiler was celebrated March 12, 1889. The
lady is the daughter of Charles and Kate Follweiler, and a
sister of Assemblyman Warren T. Follweiler, and by her union
with Mr. Reitz there has been born a son, Charles B. The
congregations over which our subject has charge are independent
of the control of any synod, which result was brought about
after a vote of the members, when an attempt had been made to
unite them. Elder Reitz was a member of the synod at this time,
and in order to retain his position as minister of the
congregations he was obliged to withdraw from that body.
In 1887 Muhlenberg College
conferred upon Rev. Mr. Reitz the degree of Master of Arts.
Since devoting his life to the salvation of others, he has been
greatly prospered, and his well balanced and well stored mind
and manly character have won for him popularity among the
parishioners.