Markle family papers

Table of Contents

Summary Information

Background note

Scope and content note

Overview of arrangement

Administrative Information

Controlled Access Headings

Collection Inventory

Series 1. Markle family businesses

Series 2. Markle family genealogical and personal papers

Summary Information

Repository

Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Title

Markle family papers

ID

4468

Date [bulk]

Bulk, 1900-1960

Date [inclusive]

1873-2020

Extent

3.0 Linear feet ; 7 boxes, 3 volumes, 6 flat files

Author

Finding aid prepared by Sara H. Nash.

Sponsor

Processing made possible by a generous donation from Alvan Markle IV and Margaretta Lovell.

Language

English

Abstract

In the early 18th century, ancestors of Alvan Markle III (1918-2020) settled in Berks County, Pennsylvania, at Moselem Springs. George Bushar Markle (1827-1888) married Emily Robison and settled in Hazleton, Luzerne County. There he and his sons, George Bushar, Jr. (1857-1914), John (1858-1933), and Alvan (1861-1931), became active in the anthracite coal industry and related businesses, including a partnership with Thomas Edison during his proof-of-concept efforts to electrify coal cities. George B. Markle Sr., with partners, started the company that became the Jeddo-Highland Coal Company and the private banking house that became Markle Banking and Trust Company. George B. Markle invented a more efficient coal breaker, which crushed, cleaned, and sorted coal. Alvan Markle Jr. developed the electrified third-rail system for the Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton Railroad. The Markles were also involved in the hotel, transportation, and telephone industries. The papers in this collection document the Markle family's life and work over the course of nearly a century, roughly the 1880s to the 1960s. The bulk of the collection consists of business papers related to coal mining, banking, and investment, and include correspondence, printed matter, and photographs. There is a small number of genealogical and family records.

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Background note

In the early 18th century, ancestors of Alvan Markle III (1918-2020) settled in Berks County, Pennsylvania, at Moselem Springs. George Bushar Markle (1827-1888) was born in Milton. In 1848, he married Emily Robison, and they settled in Hazleton, Luzerne County. The couple had five children who survived childhood: Clora (1849-1923), Ida (1853-1925), George Bushar Jr. (1857-1914), John (1858-1933), and Alvan (1861-1931).

George Sr. found employment as a clerk in a store owned by Ario Pardee, operator of Hazleton Railroad and Coal Company. After successive promotions, he became the general manager of Pardee and Company. In 1857, George formed G. B. Markle and Company with Ario Pardee and William Lilly to mine the Jeddo and Highland anthracite coal properties of the Union Improvement Company. George completely redesigned the coal breaker facility to make it more efficient and increase capacity, though he chose not to patent the design. George invested widely in collateral industries and companies including Lehigh Valley Railroad, Girard Trust Company, Rockhill Coal and Iron Company, and Hazleton Manufacturing Company. In 1880, John graduated from Lafayette College and took over management of the coal enterprises with the assistance of younger brother Alvan.

In 1889, John Markle leased the flooded and abandoned Ebervale and Harleigh mines from the Union Improvement Company. He then established the Jeddo Tunnel Company to build and maintain a five-mile tunnel for mine drainage. The project worked as planned, allowing mining to resume on the properties and preventing flooding when pumps were later shut down during the 1902 miners’ strike. G. B. Markle and Company became G. B. Markle Company in 1908 and finally, Jeddo-Highland Coal Company in 1921. John retired in 1926, and his nephew, Donald, succeeded him as company president.

In 1867, George Markle, Ario Pardee, and Alexander Grier established a private banking house in Hazleton, the first banking facility in the area (Pardee, Markle, and Grier). The partners retired one by one, leaving George as the last partner in 1882. George then handed the business off to his three sons, who ran the enterprise as Markle Brothers and Company. George Jr. retired in 1886 and moved to Portland, Oregon, and Alvan took over as bank president. In 1892, Alvan bought out his brothers’ interests and purchased the charter of the Hazleton Savings Bank. The Markle Banking and Trust Company was organized as a state bank the same year.

The family’s activity in the anthracite coal business led to collateral ventures, including a partnership with Thomas Edison during his proof-of-concept efforts to electrify coal cities. George B. Markle Jr. was on the board of the Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Hazleton, which incorporated in October 1883. In January of 1884, the first electric lights in Hazleton were turned on. The power stations ran on steam generated by coal. The family also operated the Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton Railroad Company, for which Alvan Markle Sr. developed the electrified third-rail system.

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Scope and content note

The papers in this collection document the Markle family's life and work over the course of nearly a century, roughly the 1880s to the 1960s. The bulk of the collection consists of business papers related to coal mining, banking, and investment, and include correspondence, printed matter, and photographs. There is a small number of genealogical and family records.

Series 1, Markle family business papers (1873-2015) consists of papers from the family's coal, banking, and investment ventures, including correspondence, contracts, financial documents, printed material, and some photographs and maps.

Series 2, Markle family genealogical and personal papers (1918-2020, undated) is a very small series consisting of genealogical documents compiled by family members and Alvan Markle Sr.'s personal legal papers.

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Overview of arrangement

Series 1. Markle family businesses (1873-2015, undated)

Series 2. Markle family genealogical and personal papers (1918-2020, undated)

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

 Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; 2022.

Access restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Provenance

Gift of Alvan Markle IV and Margaretta Lovell, 2021.

Accession number 2021.091.

Processing note

All files were rehoused in acid-free folders and boxes of appropriate size with the original order and headings essentially maintained. Overstuffed files and folders were split to prevent damage to documents. Materials in three ring binders were removed from the binders and placed in acid-free folders.

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Controlled Access Headings

Personal Name(s)

• Lovell, Margaretta.
• Markle, Alvan, 4th.
• Markle, Alvan, III.
• Markle, Alvan, Jr.
• Markle, Alvan, Sr.

Subject(s)

• Banking--Philadelphia--20th century.
• Banks and Banking--19th century.
• Banks and banking--Pennsylvania.
• Coal Industry--20th century.
• Coal Industry--Pennsylvania--19th century.
• Coal mines and mining--Pennsylvania.
• Coal--Northampton and Luzerne Cos.
• Railroad History--Pennsylvania.
• Railroads--Pennsylvania.

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Collection Inventory