BIO: Paulus E. KOEHLER, Beaver County, PA
    
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    BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.  This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches 
    of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania.  Buffalo, N.Y., 
    Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 167-168.
    _________________________________________________________________ 
    
    167 BEAVER COUNTY
    
    PAULUS E. KOEHLER, who owns an elegant four-story hotel in Monaca, and also
  has extensive real estate interests there, is a prosperous citizen of that
  place, where he has resided for a great many years. A portrait accompanies
  this biography.
    
    Mr. Koehler was born in Prussia, April 10, 1856, where he attended the
  public schools. He was also a pupil of the high school, and pursued the study
  of theology, with the intention of becoming a missionary. He was a brilliant
  scholar, and gained the honors of his class, but he never took orders, as he
  preferred a business career. He learned the trade of a decorator of porcelain
  under the talented E. Schledmich, the celebrated Prussian exporter, and was
  with that gentleman until 1881, acquiring the highest degree of skill in his
  art. He then came to America, and located at East Liverpool, Ohio, and took
  charge of the decorating shop of George Homlichhaus, also doing contract jobs
  for other firms. One year later, he accepted a very good position with the
  Phoenix Glass Company of Monaca, Pa., and had the honor of decorating the
  first piece of work ever turned out by that firm, which is the largest glass
  firm in the world in that line of business. Mr. Koehler built two kilns, and
  remained in their employ until 1884, when the factory was burned to the
  ground, and he then started a shop of his own in Monaca, doing work for
  various glass firms. He has always been a very fine workman, and some of his
  productions show a perfection of finish which is hard to surpass. When the
  Phoenix works were rebuilt, the firm prevailed upon Mr. Koehler to accept his
  old position, although his business was in a flourishing way. He built the
  first clay kiln ever constructed for firing decorated glass, those in use
  previous to that time being of steel. He is a very clever and ingenious man,
  and made a number of discoveries which have proved of great value to him.
  Upon returning to the Phoenix Glass Company, he took the work on contract,
  and with good results. He held this position until 1897, when he gave up the
  business on account of failing health, after a satisfactory connection of
  almost twenty years.
    
    In 1883, Mr. Koehler first began to deal in real estate, and since that
  time he has handled over $100,000 worth of property in Monaca. Being
  convinced that the borough had a bright future before it, he purchased a
  piece of property in 1883, and has erected several houses, all of a class
  which are an improvement to the town. He was one of the or-
    
    168  BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES
    
  ganizers of the Citizens' Improvement Company, which has been active in
  developing the interests of the community. There is a large tract of land on
  Dorchester Heights for manufacturing and residence sites, all nicely laid
  out, and in it the subject of this sketch owns twenty-one lots, individually,
  besides holding an interest in the company. He was also in the business of
  developing gas, and bought gas lands quite extensively. He owns ten acres of
  building lots in the borough, and is a director and local representative in
  the Building & Loan Association. In 1898, he built the Hotel Monaca, a fine
  four-story building of buff brick, and it is undoubtedly the finest in Beaver
  county, on the south side of the Ohio River. The interior is in keeping with
  the beautiful exterior, having fine, lofty rooms and offices, with
  appointments complete in every particular. It contains fifty large rooms, its
  dimensions being 86x46 feet, and is a first-class hotel, enjoying the
  patronage of all the high-grade transient trade. Mr. Koehler's confidence in
  the future of Monaca remains unshaken, and he contemplates the erection of a
  business block, similar in style to the hotel, imparting a metropolitan air
  to the town. He was active in his efforts to secure a bridge across the Ohio
  River, and is now a stockholder of the bridge company.
    
    In 1876, Mr. Koehler was united in marriage with Marie Schilling, and they
  have nine children: Anna (Betts); Henry, a graduate of Butcher's Business
  College, who is a mold maker by trade; Louisa; Otto M., a decorator, who is
  also a graduate of Butcher's Business College; Howard; Amelia; Elsie; Edward;
  and Sophia. They had also four who died in infancy. Religiously, he is a
  liberal supporter of churches. He is a Republican in politics, and has been a
  member of the council since 1896 (having been re-elected in 1899), and has
  served on the county committee. Socially, he is quite prominent, and belongs
  to a number of orders. He has been grand district deputy of R. A.; past
  chancellor, K. of P.; a member of the Woodmen of the World; B. P. O. E.;
  Syria Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. In the Masonic Order he is a member of
  Rochester Lodge, No. 229; Record Chapter, No. 167; Ascalon Commandery, No.
  59; and the Consistory of the Scottish Rites, No. 320.