Jonas Nicholas Schrader, son of Charles Schrader, was born on the line of Berks and Lehigh counties, in Upper Macungie Township, Sept. 16. 1846. He attended the public schools of his native township, the public schools of Reading, a private school at Easton, and Eastman's Business College, Poughkeepsie, New York, from which he graduated in 1865. He began his active career as a teacher in the schools of Upper Macungie, and acted in that capacity for nine terms. In 1871 he engaged in an entirely different line, becoming an ore contractor and continuing as such for about thirty years, employing as tinny as eighty-five men at a time, his operations being confined to various localities in eastern Pennsylvania. Since 1909 he had led a retired life. He is the owner of one hundred and fifteen acres in Lower Macungie, this being formerly the Samuel Albright farm, and in addition to this is the owner of real estate in Berks and Lehigh counties. Since 1869 he has been a resident of Breinigsville. He is the official secretary of the Farmers' Union Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Pennsylvania, serving since 1891, and he is a director and one of the organizers of the Merchants' National Bank at Allentown. He is also engaged in the automobile business, and has the agency for the Maxwell and Hub cars for Lehigh County since 1914. He is a member of the Lutheran church at Trexlertown, in which he served as deacon four years; member of Lehigh Lodge, No. 326, Free and Accepted Masons, of Trexlertown; Alien Chapter. No. 203, Royal Arch Masons; Alien Council. No. 23, Royal and Select Masters; Alien Conmmandery, No. 20, Knights Templar. the last three at Allentown.

Mr. Schrader has traveled extensively over the country, and during the year of the earthquake in California was in that state, having just departed from the city of San Francisco. Mr. Schrader married, May 1, 1869, Sophia Helbert. Children: Ada M. first honor graduate of Allentown Female College, class of 1888; Minnie, died of diphtheria, aged three years, three months, three days.