Edwin N. Gackenbach, of Allentown, was born at Siegersville, Lehigh County, Nov. 25, 1837. He was educated in the public schools and lived upon the farm until he was nineteen years old. He came to Allentown in 1906 and accepted a position with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., as agent One year later he resigned this position to become the assistant superintendent of the Colonial Life Insurance Co., at Reading. The following year (1909) he accepted a responsible position with the Travelers Insurance Co., Hartford, Connecticut, with the Allentown Branch Office, and in this connection he handled real estate about Allentown until in 1910 he resigned his position with the Insurance Co. to devote all his time to the real estate business. He organized the Secured Realty Company, which has a capitalization of $200,000. He served as the secretary and treasurer until in 1911. The following year he was elected vice president and treasurer and he served these offices until in May, 1913, when he became the president. He also chartered the Wenz Marble Co., of Kutztown, which as a capitalization of $200,000. This company located its works at Allentown in the spring of 1913, and they employed sixty men. He is the secretary of this company. Mr. Gackenbach, though young, has displayed great foresight and marked business and executive ability, and the corporations with which he is connected are successful.

He was married on January 25, 1908, to Louisa M. Wehr, a daughter of Ludwig and Annie (Keiser) Wehr, a farmer of South Whitehall. They have one son, Russell L. D. Gackenbach.