WILLIAM ROTH, late of Rittersville, was born in Washington Township, Lehigh County, Oct. 4. 1857, and died in the fall of 1913. He was one of the enterprising citizens and proprietor of the Mansion House and a prominent musician at Kresgeville for many years until his removal to Allentown on April 1, 1907- After his removal to Allentown he engaged in the grocery business until in 1908, when on April 1, of that year, he retired to Rittersville, where he had previously bought a fine residence, but continued to serve as the instructor of the Sciota Band, at Sciota. Monroe County. The first twenty years of his life he spent upon the home farm of his parents. In February, 1878, at Pleasant Valley, Monroe county, he was married to Mary J. Serfàss, by whom he had six children.

On leaving home Mr. Roth commenced teaching school in Polk township, where he followed that profession four tern. During the following eight years he was engaged in the huckstering business. In 1873 he commenced the study of instrumental music under the able direction of Prof. A. B. Bush, since when he had devoted considerable attention to that art, and had organized and taught fifteen different bands, making a specialty of band music. He instructed eight at one time. He was a talented musician, and as an instructor had few equals. At Kresgeville he had a full uniformed band-one of the best in this section of the state-of which he was at the head for a number of years. H did not confine his attention to music, however, but successfully conducted the Mansion House, at Kresgeville, the original one having been purchased by him in 1892, and converted into a modern first-class hotel, heated by steam through out and supplied with water. On the night or early morning of Sept. 27, 1899, while Mr. Roth and his son, Calvin, were absent in Stroudsburg, the Mansion House was destroyed by fire, entailing a loss to Mr. Roth of $2,500. On Nov. 21, 1899, the building of the new one was commenced, and it is equal if not superior, to the old one in all respects. There is a fine bar and a good stable attached. It is only a short distance from the Pennforest brook trout hatchery, and is liberally patronized by a good class of people.

Mr. Roth also bought the American House, at Kresgeville, which he rented, and in addition owned nine acres of good land. Politically, he was a Democrat, religiously he was a member of the Lutheran Church, and socially was identified with the Jr. O. U. A. M,, holding membership with the lodge at Slatington, and the Farmers' Alliance.