Reading Eagle-February 25, 1900
BARBER IN READING NEARLY 90 YEARS AGO-Abraham Clemmens, a Soldier of the War of 1812, Who Died Over 18 Years Ago, Aged 90-He Shaved Stephen Girard in Phila. and Chas. Evans in Reading.
Abraham Clemmens, the next to the last soldier of the War of 1812, dying in Reading, was for many years the best known barber in Reading. He learned his trade in Phila. and subsequently worked there at this trade for several years, and while there shaved Stephen Girard, who was then a well-known banker and prominent citizen. After engaging in business for himself in Reading, Mr. Clemmens was the barber of a number of the most prominent citizens, whom he visit regularly, carrying in one hand his barber's kettle with water, which he kept hot with a lighted lamp attached beneath and in the other hand a case containing the razors, soap, combs, hair brushes, blood-letting and tooth-pulling instruments. It is said that for a while he was the only barber in Reading. He was for years the barber of Lawyer Charles Evans, founder of Charles Evans Cemetery, whose queue he dressed every morning, and of Rev. Dr. Henry A. Muhlenberg, the pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, from 1803 until 1829. At that time the barbers' trade included hair-dressing, the extraction of teeth, leeching, cupping and lancing for blood-letting. Some full-blooded persons had themselves cupped once or twice a year, and others were cupped in cases of fever, vertigo and apoplexy. Mr. Clemmens claimed to be able to stop bleeding from the nose or from wounds without the use of medicines or bandages, and to cure numerous ailments that hailed the skill of regular physicians. Franklin Weaver, 31 South 10th says that he recollects well when Abraham Clemmens had the barber shop on the --- side of South 10th, below Cherry 76 years ago and extracted one of his ( Weaver's) teeth when he was 11 years old. The only dentist in Reading at that time that Mr. Weaver knew of was John Piper, whose office was on the south side of Penn, a short distance above 4th, and the father of William L. Piper, who subsequently was for many years one of the best known Gentlemen in Reading. Mr. Clemmens's barber shop was located for a while in the basement of a small building on the north side of Penn, a short distance below 6th. From there he moved to the basement of a small building on the east side of north 6th between Penn and Court, and subsequently he had his shop and resided with his family on the west side of South 6th, between Cherry and Franklin. He relinquished shaving and hair-cutting about 30 years before he died, but continued blood-letting. A week before his death he walked to Kissinger's bridge to lance a person for blood-letting. He was a man of strong constitution and excellent health, and was sick only once in his life-time previous to his last illness. He was an unusually strong man, and in a fair personal encounter knocked out every person who ever stood up before him, and it is said he helped many a friend out of a difficulty when attacked on battalion and annual Fair day.
Mr. Clemmens' mother died at the age of 100 years, less three days, and was so well preserved that up to the day of her death her hair remained black, her teeth in good condition and she sewed and read without spectacles.
The parents of Abraham Clemmens were natives of Switzerland, and he was born April 30, 1791, on the ocean while they were on their way in a sailing vessel to Phila. He came with his parents to Reading about 1800. When old enough he returned to Phila., boarded with his brother-in-law and learned there the trade of a barber, at which he worked in that city some six years, when he returned to Reading and engaged in business for himself.
When 23 years old, Mr. Clemmens became a private in Capt. Jacob Marshall's company and marched with it to Baltimore in August, 1814, and was at Camp Springfield when the English attempted to capture that city, but were driven back after a battle. He saw Gen. Scott (note: General Winfield Scott) when he reviewed the troops at Baltimore, and also saw him when he reviewed the troops at the military encampment on Penn's Commons, Reading, May 23, 1842.
Mr. Clemmens was married twice. The maiden name of his first wife was Elizabeth Boyer, by whom he had five children, only one of whom is living. Elizabeth, widow of David Ely, 13th below South. His second wife was Mary Rightmyer, who died 16 years before his death, and with whom he had 11 children, four of whom remain, Mrs. Christiana Renno, 311 South 13th; Abraham Clemmens, 243 Maple, this city; Adeline, wife of Michael Dodson, North Carolina, and Daniel Clemmens, Lancaster.
Three weeks before the Rebellion (note: Civil War) broke out, Mr. Clemmens went to North Carolina to live with his daughter, Christiana, whose husband, the late David M. Renno, was building bridges there. During the was, Mr. Clemmens and his daughter ran the blockade and returned to Reading. After the war, he went to South (note: North) Carolina again and lived there nine years.
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There are four other children that are currently unidentified.
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