Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1903-11-12
JAMES |. RIEHL
PASSES AWAY

James l.. Riehl for over forty year,
proprietor of the Montour House died
Thursday morning after a long illness.
His death removes not only one of ouI
oldest and most highly esteemed resid.
ents, but a man who was known fan
and wide by the great army Of com
mercial travellers and others who per
iodicaIly visit Danville.
Mr.. Riehl was seventy -four years of
age. He was in very poor health for a
year previous to his death. His all
ment was a complication of diseases
| which seemed to follow as the result
of severe cold contracted last jan
uary. The end came at half past s
O'Clock Thursday morning.
Mr.. RiehI was reared upon his faith
er's tarm near Easton. In 1851 he went
| into the hotel business. His first hotel
was known as the American House at
Easton. He remained in charge there
but few years when he removed to
Bethlehem, where he opened a hotel
also known as the American House,
which he conducted for some time. He
later removed to Mauch Chunk aud
opened the Mansion Hotel.
In 1860 he came to Danville and pur-
chased the Montour House, part of
the Montgomery estate, of Magill and
Boyd. He at once remodeled the build
ing, adding many improvements. His
accommodating spirit and attention to
the welfare of the guests made Mr..
Riehl a model landlord aud under his
management the Montour House soon
came to rank with the best hotels of
the country.
In 1892 Mr.. Riehl retired from ac-
tive life and leased his hotcl to his
two ncphews, Augustus L. and Samuel
b. Crcs-man AT the death of the lat
ter some three years ago Mr.. Riehl
again assumed charge Of the we'll
known hostelry and continued as land
lord up to the time of his demise.
The deceased was united in marriage
with Elizabeth Gresham of Bucks
county, who departed this life in 1887
at the age of fifty-nine. years. Mr..
Riehl died a widower and childless.
In 1888 the deceased was made pres
ident of the DanvilIe Agricultural
Society. In 1896 when the buildings
were blown down Mr.. Riehl being
large stockholder. purchased the
ground. He worked very hard to keep
the Montour Agricultural Society up
on its feet and was one of the last to
abandon the idea of holding a fair at
Danville.
Mr. Riehl was a member of Danville
Lodge, No. 224, f. & A. NJ, Danville
Chapter No. 239, +. A. NJ, and of
Calvary Commaudorr No. ~. x T.
The remains of the late James l..
Riehl, were consigned to their last
resting place by the side of his wife
in the Lutheran cemetery at Sellers
Vile at 3 O'Clock Monday afternoon.
The funeral party. which left South
Danville at 7:l1 a. m. Monday, had a
wait of nearly two hours at Hazleton
and did not reach Sellersville until
about 3 O'Clock.
The Masonic escort from this city
was joined at Sellersvile by several
members of the lodge at that place
and the Masonic burial rites were OBJ
served at the grave
The casket was opened at the ceme
terry and the remains were viewed by
friends and relatives residing in that
locality, who had assembled to see the
body consigned to the grave. The
pastor of the Lutheran church Of Sci
lersville officiated at the grave. y
uuartette from the same church was
present at the burial and rendered
three beautiful selections one as the
body was being removed from the
hearse, another as it was lowered into
the grave and one just before leaving
the cemetery.