Charles G. Fetterolf and Elizabeth Bald [74-446]

[74-446] CHARLES G. FETTEROLF, b Oct. 5, 1861; s Daniel and Rebecca (Groff) Fetterolf [74-146]; m Mar. 7, 1883, ELIZABETH BALD, b Mar. 7, 1862; dau Daniel and Elizabeth (Yobn) Bald. Editor and printer; res., 2131 North Seventh St., Phila., Pa. (1919.)

Children (8):

Daniel and Elizabeth (Yohn) Bald were both born in Germany, and both came to Pa. when quite young. Daniel Bald enlisted in the Civil War, after which his family seldom saw him. Elizabeth Bald died in Phila., at the age of eighty-seven years. .

Charles G. Fetterolf was the twelfth child and the seventh son born to Daniel and Rebecea (Groff) Fetterolf, on Oct. 5, 1861, in Lower Salford Twp., Montg.Co., Pa. He had a twin brother, George, there being two sets of twins in the same family.

With his brother he attended the public schools until about seventeen years of age, when he entered the office of the ‘Lansdale Reporter,” and commenced to learn the newspaper and printing trade under the direction of the editor, Frederick Wagner, a printer who had emigrated from Germany. In 1884 Charles Fetterolf purchased the ‘“‘Langhorne Standard’ from Henry W. Watson. In this purchase he was joined by his twin brother, George, and by the hardest kind of labor they finally succeeded in making their undertaking a splendid success. Their purchase was the ninth time the paper had changed hands in its history of eleven years, which explains why hard work was necessary. The “Standard” grew to be one of the largest weekly newspapers in the State, and although its circulation was never over the usual average, its advertising patronage was unusually large. The Press Bureau of the Chicago World’s Fair said it was the best weekly newspaper on file in the Pennsylvania State Building.

The partnership continued until Oct., 1902, when George died. Charles continued the business successfully until Nov., 1907, when his plant was destroyed by fire of unknown origin by tenants who occupied a portion of the building. The loss was too great for him to re-establish the paper and he discontinued business. While in Langhorne he was the prime instigator in establishing one of the best public schools of the county, and served as director and treasurer for about eighteen years. Mr. Fetterolf now resides in Phila., where he is still engaged in the printing business.