Person Sheet
NameWilliam John Heller
BirthBath, PA
FatherJames Washington Heller (1842-1888)
MotherAnna M. Heckman (1847-1912)
Misc. Notes
WILLIAM JOHN HELLER, son of James W. Heller (1842-1888), was born at Bath, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, and educated in the public schools there. When sixteen years of age he came to Bethlehem. After working in a store for about a year he entered the employ of the Lehigh Valley National Bank, where he remained for upwards of eighteen years.
When Mr. Schwab acquired the Bethlehem Steel Company in 1904, Mr. Heller became convinced that there were possibilities in Bethlehem real estate. That his judgment was sound has since been proved. H. A. Foering, who was at the time headmaster of the Bethlehem Preparatory School, was similarly convinced. They became associated as partners. While Mr. Heller was still in the employ of the Bank, the firm acquired real estate and began erecting houses, Mr. Heller planning and managing the business, first after banking hours, subsequently giving his entire time to the business. The firm has to its credit the erection of hundreds of houses, and the development of many acres of land into improved and valuable building tracts. Mr. Heller would never countenance the methods of the average real estate speculator. The improvements on the tracts in which he was interested were always kept in advance of the sales.
As is shown by the county records, Mr. Heller personally has bought and sold real estate more extensively perhaps than any other man in either Lehigh or Northampton County. The titles to several thousands of acres of land, representing more than a million dollars, together with many dwellings and building lots, were acquired and sold by him, this being aside from the transactions of his firm, which have been as extensive as those of any firm in the Lehigh Valley.
He has always interested himself in municipal and civic affairs, and has been aggressively in favor of all questions pertaining to the advancement and betterment of Bethlehem. In politics he has always been a Republican. In 1907 he was elected a member of the old Borough Council from the then First Ward. He served as councilman continuously thereafter until the consolidation of Bethlehem and South Bethlehem, which went into effect in 1918. Mr. Heller gave active support to the movement for the consolidation of the boroughs of Bethlehem and South Bethlehem into a city of the third class. Later, as chairman of the annexation committee of the Chamber of Commerce, he had charge of the movement for the annexation of the Edgeboro, North Bethlehem, Hanover Township and Lower Saucon township districts to the city, which was successfully concluded. He took an active part in the several drives for war relief, and is vice-president of the Bethlehem War Chest Association. On September 26, 191S, he was appointed, by J. H. Cummings, chairman of the War Resources Committee, a member of the committee representing Sub-Region No. 3, Region No. 4, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, comprising the counties of Northampton, Carbon and Lehigh.
Mr. Heller was instrumental in the building of the Minsi Trail Bridge, and is now a director of the Bridge Company, being also its secretary. He is a director of the Lehigh Valley National Bank, the Bethlehem Securities Company and the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce; president of the Melrose Land Company and of the Bethlehem Cemetery. He is a member of the Bethlehem Club, of which he is at this time a director, also a member of the Rotary Club. He has long been interested in local history and genealogy, and is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Northampton County Historical Society, and the Moravian Historical Society.
Mr. Heller's ancestors have always lived in that section of the State now included in Northampton County, although at the time the original Hellers settled here it was still a portion of Bucks County. The county records show that his early Heller ancestors in America were very extensive landowners. This trait of his ancestors is perhaps reflected in Mr. Heller's choice of real estate as a business.
When Mr. Schwab acquired the Bethlehem Steel Company in 1904, Mr. Heller became convinced that there were possibilities in Bethlehem real estate. That his judgment was sound has since been proved. H. A. Foering, who was at the time headmaster of the Bethlehem Preparatory School, was similarly convinced. They became associated as partners. While Mr. Heller was still in the employ of the Bank, the firm acquired real estate and began erecting houses, Mr. Heller planning and managing the business, first after banking hours, subsequently giving his entire time to the business. The firm has to its credit the erection of hundreds of houses, and the development of many acres of land into improved and valuable building tracts. Mr. Heller would never countenance the methods of the average real estate speculator. The improvements on the tracts in which he was interested were always kept in advance of the sales.
As is shown by the county records, Mr. Heller personally has bought and sold real estate more extensively perhaps than any other man in either Lehigh or Northampton County. The titles to several thousands of acres of land, representing more than a million dollars, together with many dwellings and building lots, were acquired and sold by him, this being aside from the transactions of his firm, which have been as extensive as those of any firm in the Lehigh Valley.
He has always interested himself in municipal and civic affairs, and has been aggressively in favor of all questions pertaining to the advancement and betterment of Bethlehem. In politics he has always been a Republican. In 1907 he was elected a member of the old Borough Council from the then First Ward. He served as councilman continuously thereafter until the consolidation of Bethlehem and South Bethlehem, which went into effect in 1918. Mr. Heller gave active support to the movement for the consolidation of the boroughs of Bethlehem and South Bethlehem into a city of the third class. Later, as chairman of the annexation committee of the Chamber of Commerce, he had charge of the movement for the annexation of the Edgeboro, North Bethlehem, Hanover Township and Lower Saucon township districts to the city, which was successfully concluded. He took an active part in the several drives for war relief, and is vice-president of the Bethlehem War Chest Association. On September 26, 191S, he was appointed, by J. H. Cummings, chairman of the War Resources Committee, a member of the committee representing Sub-Region No. 3, Region No. 4, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, comprising the counties of Northampton, Carbon and Lehigh.
Mr. Heller was instrumental in the building of the Minsi Trail Bridge, and is now a director of the Bridge Company, being also its secretary. He is a director of the Lehigh Valley National Bank, the Bethlehem Securities Company and the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce; president of the Melrose Land Company and of the Bethlehem Cemetery. He is a member of the Bethlehem Club, of which he is at this time a director, also a member of the Rotary Club. He has long been interested in local history and genealogy, and is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Northampton County Historical Society, and the Moravian Historical Society.
Mr. Heller's ancestors have always lived in that section of the State now included in Northampton County, although at the time the original Hellers settled here it was still a portion of Bucks County. The county records show that his early Heller ancestors in America were very extensive landowners. This trait of his ancestors is perhaps reflected in Mr. Heller's choice of real estate as a business.
Spouses