FRANCIS P. HUNSICKER, son of Owen and grandson of Daniel, is the senior member of the firm of Hunsicker & Co., wholesale and retail cigar and tobacco dealers at Allentown. He is a native of Heidelberg township was born July 4, 1855. He was educated in the public schools and in the Weaversville Academy in Northampton County. In 1870, he came to Allentown where he learned the cigar making trade which gaged in the tobacco business where the Hersh hardware Store is now located. In 1878 he moved to 731 Hamilton Street, and continued enlarging his business that Hunsicker & Co., are now the largest tobacco dealers in Lehigh county. The firm employs twelve people. The concern erected Hunsicker Building at 1719 North Seventh Street, and No. 18 on North Church Street It is a modem office building, eleven stories high and one-half square in depth. Mr. Hunsicker and family are members of Salem Reformed church. He is an elder of the church since 1905. He is prominently identified with the following secret societies, viz: Livingstone Castle, No. 258, K. G. E. He is a Past Grand Chief of the Supreme Castle of the Nation, also served all the state offices and the offices of the subordinate castle of which he is a member. He was the Grand Chief of Pennsylvania in 1899 and the Grand Chief of the Supreme Castle in 1902; St Alban Commandery, No. 46, Knights of Malta; Camp 406, P. O. S. of A.; Franklin Chamber No. 9, O. K. of F., Golden Chain Veteran Temple No. 90, L. K. G. E., the Royal Arcanum, and Modem Woodmen of America. Mr. Hunsicker has always taken an interest in the schools and in the educational affairs of the city. In 1896 he was elected to the board of control and represented the Third ward continually in this body until 1911 when the new school code effected a change. Mr. Hunsicker was elected by the city as one of its nine controllers. In 1876 he was married to Ella J. Clauser, daughter of the late John and Regina (Oberholtzer) Clauser, of Allentown. They have three daughters, viz: Kate, the wife of Joseph Knauss, who is associated with Hunsicker & Co.; Mame, is married to J. Hiram Schwartz, whose sketch is mentioned elsewhere in this volume; Florence is wedded to Clinton Beck, the bookkeeper for Hunsicker & Co.