LEVI P. FENSTERMACHER is now retired and makes his house in the city of Allentown. He is a native of this county, having been born within its limits March 22, 1833. His father, Elias Fenstermacher was also born here, and departed this life in 1875, at the age of sixty-eight years. The first representative of this family in the United States came from Germany in 1755 and located in Lehigh County, where the succeeding generations have since made their home. Elias Fenstermacher was marrivd to Miss Esther Kuntz, whose birth also occurred in this section.

Levi1 of this sketch, spent his boyhood days in attendance at the common schools of Allentown, and for one winter was a student in the academy at Lexington. When a lad of sixteen year he moved into the city, where his father was engaged as a grain merchant, and aided him in whatever way he could. Soon thereafter they added a stock of general merchandise, of which our subject assumed full control in 1870. He dealt very extensively in produce and fruits, and during the Franco-German War shipped grain in large quantities to New York City, from which port it was sent to the Old World.

In 1857 Levi Fcnstermavlier was married to Miss Fianah Mctzger, a native of this county, and the daughter of Jacob Metzger, who was a hotelkeeper in Lehighton. Our subject and his wife have a family of three daughters and two sons, named respectively William Jacob, Edward, Laura, Hattie and Ella. The parents are devoted members of St. John's Reformed Church. In politics Mr. Fenstermacher is a Democrat, and, being a law-abiding citizen, possessed of good social qualities and excellent character, he is held in good repute by his neighbors and friends.

Levi Fenstermacher, son of Elias, was born in the village of Heinimansville, in Weisenberg township, May 22, 1833. In 1853 he came to Allentown with his parents, and was associated with his father in the grain and mercantile business. He and his brother, Phaon, succeeded their father, and for a number of years they were wholesale produce dealers in Philadelphia and Allentown. They were also the first shippers of green groceries into Allentown, at the time when the inhabitants in the borough, were accustomed to use home-grown products of their gardens and fields.

Mr. Fenstermacher had imbibed the spirit of energy and enterprise possessed by his father, and like him was a successful businessman and a Democrat in politics. Early in life he was a leader of the church choir, and was one of the organizers of St. John's Reformed church, in which he held many offices.

His wife was Fianna Metzger, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Hoch) Metzger, the former at one time a hotel-keeper in Lehighton. Levi Fenstermacher died April 30, 1907, and his wife July 26, 1904. They had six children, namely: Seneca, d. aged three years; Laura, unmarried; William J., deceased; Edward E.; Hattie N., the wife of W. C. Lehr, of the firm of Shankweiler & Lehr, clothing merchants; and Ella, unmarried. All of these reside in Allentown, Pa.