BLANK FAMILY.     The pioneer of this early settled Pennsylvania family was Adam Blank.  He came to Salisbury township Northampton (now Lehigh) county, at an early period.  There  he owned a large farm and at his death left a large estate which was divided between his widow Margaret for whom he made ample provision in the will, and the following children: John George; George Adam; Christopher; John; Anna Margaret; Catharine; and Anna Elizabeth.  The will was made Aug. 19, 1765, and was probated on Oct. 1, of the same year.  It is of record at Easton, in Will Book I, page 1.  He died between these two dates.  The executors of the will were George Blank and Peter Boger.
     JOHN GEORGE BLANK, apparently the oldest son of the pioneer, Adam, was born in 1729, and died in Upper Saucon township in 1799.  He was married to Elizabeth, a daughter of Valentine Steimetz, and after the death of his father-in-law succeeded to and settled upon his estate.  He died in April, 1799.  The will refers to him as a yeoman considerably advanced in years.  Items of the will follow: "My son George shall have my farm in Upper Saucon, containing 366 acres.  My daughters Barbara, Magdalena and Elizabeth each shall have eight hundred pounds of lawful money.  The sum of eight hundred pounds shall be equally divided between Elizabeth and Catharine Gerhardt, my granddaughters.  The will was made Oct. 20, 1798, and was probated at Easton in Will Book III, page 167, on May 14, 1799.
     The Penna. Archives record that Adam, John, John George, and Peter Blankserved in the Revolutionary War from Northampton county; also that Christopher Blank on June 8, 1758, owned a pack horse in Whitehall township, and that he paid a tax of sixteen pounds in 1762.
     The following two items are taken from the Blue Church Marriage Records:
     "Johann Blank on 4 May, 1758, and Eva Elisabeth Beil, Balthasar Beil's daughter, from Upper Saucon."
     "Widower Adam Blank and Anna Margretha Weiland, Adam Schafer's widow, were married Nov. 30, 1758."
     John George Blank, Jr., lived and died in Saucon township.  He reared a family of nine children, viz: George, John, Jacob, Abraham, Charles, David, Mary, Lydia and Sarah. Of these, George and David died unmarried; John's history follows.  Jacob's history follows:  Abraham married Mary Bahl and they had Jacob, John G., and Abraham Blank who lived in Upper Saucon; Mrs. John Laubach, of Saucon; and Mrs. John Metzger, of Allenton.  Charles married Priscilla fry and died at Bethlehem; Lydia married Nathan Eberhart, and died without issue; and Sarah married David Schneider, and resided at Emaus.  John Blank, the second son of John George, Jr., married Esther Clemmer and had six children, viz: Edwin H., Charles H., George, Benjamin F., Eliza, and Elemina.
     Edwin H. Blank taught school, was engaged in buying and selling carriages and wagons, conducted a stationery store, was a Lutheran, an Odd Fellow and a Democrat.  He died at Allentown, where he had lived for many years, on June 20, 1902.  He was married to Eliza George who died July 4, 1892.  They had two children, Dr. Gilmore G., a prominent citizen and veterinarian of Allentown, and Jennie E., wife of Harry B. Schall, of Allentown.
     Charles H. Blank was married to Sarah Egner and lived at Coopersburg.  They had two children, viz.: Eliza, and Franklin.
     George Blank, the third son of John, was married to Martha Stahr, and they had nine children: William, Preston, James, Cyrus, John, George, Sylvia, Jane, and Lillie.
     Benjamin F. Blank married Emma R. Stahr, and they had five children: Oscar, Eugene, Raymond, Annie, who became the wife of F. T. L. Keiter, Esq., and they have one daughter Magdeline, and Emma, wife of Dr. E. H. Heimbach.
     Eliza Blank married W. P. Weidner, and has one son, the Rev. Revere Weidner, a minister of the Lutheran church in Chicago, president of a Lutheran seminary in that city, and an author.
     Elemina married Simon Troxell.
     Jacob Blank, the third son of John George, Jr. had a 240 acres farm in Saucon township and owned and operated a grist-mill.  He was a Lutheran member of the Blue Church of whic he and family were members of the Lutheran congregation.  He married a Miss Hilderbevtel, who died aged 85 years.  Both she and her husband are buried at the Blue Church.  Their children were: David, who died at Hazleton, Pa., in 1910; Solomon, and Jacob.
     Solomon Blank, son of Jacob, was born in 1838 in Saucon township.  He died during the Civil War on St. Helena Island, N. C., after he had served in the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regiment for eighteen months.  Before war he was a cabinet-maker at Allentown, where he had owned the property on the south side of Hamilton street from Eighth to Helfrich and Bohners furniture store.  He was a Lutheran and is buried in Allentown.  His wife Susanna Stein died Oct. 19, 1898, aged 76 years.  They had eight children as follows: 
     1. William, died at Sunbury, Pa., about 1902.  He was a corporal during the Civil War and was confined in Andersonville Prison for six months.  2. Allen T. was wounded in the Battle of Antietam and is married to Ellen McHose.  3. Mary C. married A. P. Zellner.  4. George J.  5. Daniel N.  6. Harry A.  7. John S., merchant at 159 Hamilton street.  8. Ellen O., married to William A. Lee.  All these children except David, who is deceased, reside at Allentown.
     Jacob Black, son of _____ and the father of Charles F. of Sunbury, Pa., was born in Saucon township; died at Emaus in 1864, in which borough he had been a wheelwright from his early life; and is buried in the Reformed church graveyard, at Zionsville, where he was a member.  He was married to Sarah Groman from Salisbury township.  She was born Sept. 22, 1826, died at an advanced age, died and was buried Emaus.  They had the following children: 
     Wilson died aged six years.
     John lives at Emaus.
     Charles F. lives at Sunbury.
     James was drowned, aged about seven years.
     George died in 1902,, at Bethlehem.
     Mary A. married to James Cambourn.
     Sarah married to John Reinbaugh.
     Anna married to Paul Eisenhart.

     Mrs. Combourn died in 1909, at Philadelphia, where they resided; and Mrs. Reinbaugh died in 1910, in Lehigh county.
     Charles F. Blank, of Sunbury, Pa., is the senior member of the extensive milling concern trading under the firm name of Blank & Gottshall, Sunbury, Pa.
     Mr. Blank was born Oct. 31, 1851, in Upper Saucon township, this county; attended the public schools at Emaus and Allentown; worked at various avocations until the age of eighteen years, when he learned the carpenter trade at Cetronia, and followed the same as a journeyman, as well as the millwright trade which he commenced in 1875 until in 1888.  He then formed a partnership with William B. Gotshall who was formerly with the Wolf & Hamaker Company, at Allentown, and like himself a miller by experience.  Messrs. Blank & Gottshall came to Sunbury in the employ of a Chambersburg firm to remodel the historic old "Haas Mill."  They soon leased this property and successfully operated until 1895, by which time they had completed the large mill they since occupy.  Their main building is 40 by 230 feet, with a two story addition 50 by 115 feet, with other large buildings, including the engine house.  The business interests of Blank & Gotshall are very large.  Besides trading very extensively in al kinds of flour and feed, they are extensive dealers in cement, plaster, and similar commodities.  Their principal brands of flour are the celebrated "B & G's Best,"  "Flaky Loaf," and "White Cloud."  They are also the manufacturers of widely used buckwheat and pan-cake flour.  The daily capacity of the flour-milling equipment is follows:  Two hundred barrels of wheat, seventy-five barrels of rye; 100 barrels of buckwheat and cornmeal.  Besides, they manufacture about forty tons of chop daily, the B. & G. Chick and Hen Food which has an extensive sale in Pennsylvania and throughout the middle states.  Their hay shed is forty by sixty feet and the grain elevator has a capacity of 40,000 bushels.  The firm has shown their enterprise in the completeness of their plant which faces the Susquehanna river and it runs parallel with the P. & R. railroad tracks.  The firm also has siding connection with the Pennsylvania railroads lines.  An engine with a 150 horse power supplies the motive power of this great enterprise.  This industry is one substantial factor in the prosperity of Sunbury, where Mr. Blank is one of the valuable, substantial, intelligent, public-spirited and respected citizens.  Not only is he prominent in the business life of Sunbury and of Central Pennsylvania, but in church and the social life he occupies an important place.  Both Mr. and Mrs. Blank are active members of the First Reformed Church, of Sunbury, and he is a member of Maclay Lodge No. 632, F. & A. M.
     Daniel (?) Blank a descendant of Christopher (probably a grandson) owned two farms at Levans in North Whitehall township.  He built the barn upon the farm now owned by Elias Henninger.  He was a member of the Jordan Reformed Church and there upon the graveyard adjoining the church he is buried.  His children were:  John, Peter, Jonas, Mrs. Williams Schantz and Mrs. Kemmerer.
     Peter Blank, above named, lived upon a 66 acre farm, in South Whitehall township, near Myersville.  He built the house in 1847 and the barn in 1859 on this farm.  He served various offices in the Jordan Reformed congregation.  He married Hettie, a daughter of Henry Guth.  Their children were:
     Flora, married John Kuhns.
     Sophia, married Edwin Reed.
     Rebecca, married John Snyder.
     Richard, married Louisa Steckel.
     Lucetta, married Joseph Hoffman.
     Elizabeth, married Elias Kuhn.
     Catharine, married Dr. Schiff of Philadelphia.

     Lucetta and Catharine are now deceased.
     RICHARD BLANK, son of Peter, occupies his father's homestead in South Whitehall.  He was born in 1843, and at a suitable age commenced farming on the farm he has since occupied.  He is a member of the Jordon Reformed Church.  He married, in 1867, Louisa, a daughter of Solomon Steckel, and they have the following children:
Margaret, Hattie, Annie, Flora, Edwin, John, and Peter.
     John Blank, son of George and Maria (Mohr) Blank, married Mary Ann Bahl.  He was born in Saucon township, where he died, and was a farmer and sawyer.  Their children were:  Matilda, m. Samuel Diehl; Jacob, who died in Upper Saucon; Sarah Ann, deceased, m. John H. Laubach; John; George; and Abraham, of Allentown.
     JOHN GEORGE BLANK was born May 28, 1840, in Upper Saucon township, Lehigh county, and died at Mountainville, August, 1907.  He was reared on the farm and worked in his father's saw-mill; was educated in the public school and in the Allentown Seminary.  On Sept. 5, 1840, he was married to Emma Louisa Maria Kemmerer, daughter of John and Elouisa (Harlacher) Kemmerer.  He was a member of Friedensville Lutheran church, which he served as treasurer, elder and deacon.  In politics he was a Republican.  They had three children: Mary, m. Calvin E. Davidson, a public school teacher, who has one child, John George; Amnel George; and John Ephraim.
     John Kemmerer, father of Mrs. Blank, was born in Salisbury township, Jan. 30, 1800, and died Feb. 10, 1871.  He married Elouisa Horlacher, born Mar. 15, 1803, died Apr. 6, 1891, daughter of John Horlacher and Lizzie Schaeffer.  He was a farmer in Salisbury township all his life.  They had the following children:  Amandus, died aged 6; Reuben, died aged 70, in Salisbury; Ephraim; Francis, Theophilus; Daniel; and Emma Louisa Maria. 
Source: History of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania - Vol. II - Published by Lehigh Valley Publishing Co., Ltd., Allentown, PA - 1914 Page 104