Bio in . Albert Newton Cleaver, whose residence in Bethlehem has extended over a half century, a half century devoted to a great diversity of activities in connection with the city's business, civic, church, philanthropic and educational development, is a native of Norwich, Vermont, born February 25, 1848, the son of John Oliver and Elizabeth (Newton) Cleaver. Both on his paternal and maternal sides Mr. Cleaver descends from old American stock, the Newton family having been founded in Massachusetts in 1640, and the Cleaver family in Pennsylvania in 1682, both families of English ancestry.

His father, John Oliver Cleaver, an engineer by profession, was one of the pioneer anthracite coal operators of Pennsylvania, having operated the Coleraine Colliery at Beaver Meadow. He later removed his residence to Mauch Chunk, where his death occurred in 1853. Albert Newton Cleaver received his elementary education in a private school in Mauch Chunk, entering in 1859 Saunders Military Academy at Philadelphia and later attended Eagleswood Military Academy near Perth Amboy, New Jersey. He has been identified with the anthracite coal business during his entire active lifetime, his first employment after leaving school being in the capacity of salesman for one of the large Pennsylvania collieries. In 1869 he came to Bethlehem, and on the organization of the Lehigh Valley National Bank in 1872 was elected its first cashier, a post he held for the following year and a half, when he was tendered by Dr. Linderman, president of the bank, the position of manager of the coal firm of Linderman, Skeer & Company, serving in this capacity until 1896. He next became connected with the wholesale and retail coal business of W. C. Mason &. Company, Inc., with offices in Hartford, Connecticut, and New York City, of which organization he was elected and still serves as president. In 1915 he was appointed manager of the wholesale coal firm of Robinson, Hayden & Company, of New York City. Mr. Cleaver is financially interested in a number of other business and financial institutions, is vice-president and a director of the Lehigh Valley National Bank, having been elected to the vice-presidency in 1919. He is a director of many years standing of the E. P. Wilbur Trust Company, and from 1902 to 1907 was president of the Jeansville Iron Works Company, at Hazelton, Pennsylvania, and is president of Sayre Mining & Manufacturing Company, colliery operators in the Birmingham, Alabama, district. Aside from strictly business interests few men have given so freely of their time, means and energy to the city's civic affairs. He has served for years as a trustee of Lehigh University, and is a trustee and one of the staunchest friends of St. Luke's Hospital. He has been for a long period on the board of managers, treasurer and a guarantor of Bach Choir; also one of the organizers and a director of the Associated Charities of Bethlehem, organized to consolidate the entire city's charitable activities under one responsible and well trained philanthropic head. He is a member of the Episcopal Pro-Cathedral Church of the Nativity, one of its most zealous lay workers, is a vestryman and senior warden, and from 1907 to 1919 served as one of the lay deputies from the diocese of Bethlehem to the General Conventions of the Episcopal church. For thirty years he has been deputy from the Nativity parish to the diocesan conventions. He is a member of the Bethlehem Club, the Northampton County Country Club, the Pennsylvania Society of New York, Pennsylvania Branch Sons of the Revolution, and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Cleaver married, June 1, 1876, Elizabeth K. Sayre, daughter of the late Robert H. and Evelyn (Smith) Sayre. Mrs. Cleaver is one of the most active of the women of Bethlehem in civic, church and philanthropic affairs, and a member of the Associated Charities, the Woman's Club, Ladies' Aid Society of St. Luke's Hospital, and devoted to the interests of the Public Library. Mr. Cleaver is universally recognized as a business man of exceptional ability, a worthy and valuable citizen of broad public spirit, whose share in the up building of his adopted city has been and is highly appreciated by his fellow citizens.