When researching who used to live in my house at 4123 Roosevelt Street in Egypt, Whitehall, PA, I discovered that Charles and Catharine Diehl lived here in the 1910s and 1920s. Catharine’s maiden name is Steckel and I wondered if she was connected to the family of the Troxell-Steckel House so I went hunting on Find a Grave and on other resources. It turns out that Catharine Steckel is from THAT Steckel family. Here’s how:

Jacob Steckel

Catharine was born on August 11, 1867 to Jacob Edwin Steckel who was born May 16, 1836. Catharine and her father Jacob are both buried in the Egypt Cemetery with other Diehls/Steckels. According to the 1917 History of Lehigh County, Jacob was a blacksmith and farmed near Laury’s but retired in Egypt. I was also able to find Jacob’s Civil War draft listing although it doesn’t look like he served or was drafted. I did find it interesting to see the number of people on the same register who were drafted but sent a substitute.

I was also able to find a fun little tidbit about Jacob Steckel in the Morning Call Newspaper. In 1906, Jacob’s son Asaba and his wife held a musicale night and had the Egypt Cornet Band over to play a concert in their home, but the highlight of the night was Jacob who played his violin while two other men played the cornet and the organ. Although Jacob was over 70 years old at the time, “the old man handled the fiddle and bow to perfection, making the young men feel as though they could not occupy the easy chair any longer.”

Solomon Steckel, Jr

Jacob’s father was Solomon Steckel, Jr who was born August 17, 1810 and was married to Sobina Kern. Solomon died on June 19, 1865 and his gravestone is no longer present in the cemetery, just the base, but it was apparently present in 1969 when a cemetery record was made. I found it interesting that Sobina’s headstone was written in English. Many are still in German during this time.

Solomon Steckel, Sr

Solomon’s father was Solomon Steckel Senior. Born on December 9, 1788, he was an army sergeant in the PA militia during the War of 1812. He is buried in the Old Egypt Cemetery. He built the home on the corner of Sheidy’s Road and West Street in Egypt.

Henry Steckel

According to the 1914 History of Lehigh County, Solomon’s father was Henry Steckel. Henry was the third son of Johan Peter Steckel and was born in 1756.

Johan Peter Steckel

Johan was born on 21 December 1718 in Basel-Stadt, Switzerland and arrived in Philadelphia in October 28, 1738. He purchased the Troxell house in 1768. Johan died 31 December 1784. The house stands at 4229 Reliance Road in Whitehall, PA and is owned by the Lehigh County Historical Society which occasionally opens it for tours.

Steckel Legacy

I wonder if Catharine knew that the Troxell-Steckel house belonged to her ancestors. The house was given to the Lehigh County Historical Society in 1942, so it was a private home while she was living and perhaps not the local landmark that it is today.  Of course, during Catharine’s day, the impression I get is that a lot of old families still lived in Egypt and perhaps it would not be unique to have such deep Egypt roots. In either case, it’s a beautiful stone house and it’s a pleasure to get a glimpse of it while I walk on the Ironton Rail-Trail. Please let me know below if you have any more information about any of the Steckel Family listed above, please comment below.