Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-04
SHAM0K|N BANKER
WEDS EX-SH0P GIRL
George II. craeber, 66, Sur
prisss Family by Bringing
Home Young Bride
IS GRANDFATHER OF "a
By q StoU Coryespordent

Shamokin. Pa. Dec. 4.-Shamokin'. ;.
wealthiest resident, q banker and coal
OPERATOR. George II. Graeber. sixty. six
years old. father Of ten children ana
grandfather of fourteen more, has as
founded the town by marrying Miss
slender means and half his % age. a a
former shop girl whom the directory lists
as housekeeper." Mr.. Graebcr Is a
member Of the Manufacturers Club Of
PHILADELPHIA and is well known there.
Mr.. Graeber is the money king OF
Shamokin. His father was power
here before him. and prior to the Civil
War founded Shamokin's National
Bank. Tho present George II. Graebpr
10 interested in nearly every bank in
town and is one Of the owners of the
Greenough Coal Company. Several ol
And now he has stepped out Of his
colonial mansion on the hillside at 5il
East Dewart street, driven four block.
east and one block south to a fruga
little house in long long row, where
lived Miss Van Zant with her mother
ana her brother. hardware clerk.
Did Wooing Quietly
For q long time Mr.. Graeber has beer
quietly slipping away from the rich
furnishings Of his own fireside, lcavins
the atmosphere Of oriental rugs and oi
paintings TO do his "courting" in q
squeezed.in front parlor" with il.
ten.cent store bric.a -brac--its moth
eaten green plush chair and its parlol
sofa Of hard black leather.
Seldom. if ever, did this leading citl.
zen Of Shamokin talk Of his affairs n,
home, "I'll be back for lunch" b,
said Wednesday morning as he left th,
house.
At II o'clock he walked into st. FL
wards Church with Miss Van Zan
and was married by Monsignor Has.
satt.
The only attendants were Mr.. an,
Mrs. Frank A. Gable. friends of Mr.
Graeber. When the ceremony was owe
he took his bride to his home for luncl
and broke the news. and in the after.
noon they left for their honeymoon. II,
said he might go to Atlantic City an,
hc might go to Florida. His famil,
admit they do not know just where h,
is.
At "a East Sunbury street Is TN
little house where Miss Van Zant an,
her mother and brother livcd-an un
attractive little house, stuck on th
end of that long long row--One room
wide and three rooms high, with jus
enough space across its front for
single window and n door.
1t was Mrs. Van Xant who answrre,
the bell, slender gray haired woman
in dark blue gingham dress and aprOl
and n gray striped waist. sleeves role
up past the elbows, and the SOAP fror
the wash tub glistening in bubbles OF
her arms. Her husband, who died fiji
teen years ago, was q railroad work
man.
Expected the Wedding
"Sure, l didn't mind Rosa marryin
him." the mother said. "but I que.
maybe his family wished he didn't g,
married. You know how it is. Ros
says to me some time back that GeOrg
was acting as II he was going 10 as
her to get married, and I says to her
he'll make you fne husband bein
way up like he is There amt an
higher around these rhrts.
"But ! kind of hate to say anythin
how it is."
Mrs. Van Zant fixed her daughter
age at thirty six, while townsfolk an
the children OF Mr.. Graeber fixed
variously from thirty.t to forty
eight.
"She'll he thirty. six on Christina
Day this month"; said the mother
"and she's tall. about like me, mayb
a little taller, and pretty good size.
"And what color is her hair, Mrs
"Well, kind Of chestnut brown" sh
answered. "Oh, she's no springer
you know.
! ~ knew George Graeber's first wife