PHAON A. SEMMEL, son of John (died 1839), was born April 11, 1835, and when four years off his father died. He was reared on a farm until he became eighteen years old and then he learned the trade of a blacksmith. In 1857, he started the manufacture of carriages at Saegersville, and continued in business there until 1868, when he located at Slatington, in the east end, along Main street, where he had purchased a large lot of ground, including a fine stone barn, which he converted into a factory. He subsequently erected a new frame factory on the rear and changed the stone building into storerooms. He carried on a successful business, with trade reaching into the surrounding counties, for forty years, until he died. He took great interest in local enterprise, served several terms in the town council, and was a charter member of Vigilant Fire Company, No. 2.

Mr. Semmel was married to Maria Muthart and they had eight children; Isadore. Robert. Charles, Howard, John, Coca. Oliver, and Agnes, the second and last two having died. After the decease of his wife, he married Ellen Jane Hankee, with whom he had seven children: Mary, Lottie, married Arthur Morgan, living in Louisville. KY.; Mattie, married William Benner; Lillie; Palmer A.; Ida; and Walter. He died Oct. 10, 1910.

The family of Mr. Semmel have in their possesson an old an dhighly prized spinning wheel, which has the following inscription, Tobias SemmeL from Wurtheim, Lebenstein. March 5. 1753, Baden, Germany.