The "The Edison Of Lancaster" Story

It was and ordinary day.  Reading an article that had been recently posted to the "SoWe Lancaster" website by Jim Gerhart who has written several very interesting and informative stories that deal with the South Western area of the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania known as Cabbage Hill.  The post I was visiting was titled "Lancaster's Edison: Anthony Iske of Cabbage Hill."  He begins with asking his readers "What do an extension table, a dumping coal wagon, a hospital bed, a meat slicer, a reclining chair, a burglar alarm, and a fire ladder have in common?  They are all patented right here in Lancaster, on Cabbage Hill."  I knew right away I was going to enjoy Jim's story since I have enjoyed just about every other story he has written about Cabbage Hill.  

Mr. Anthony Iske

Seems that Mr. Anthony Iske invented each of the items I just listed.  Mr. Iske held close to 200 patents for a wide variety of devices beginning in 1860 and for the next 50 years.  His contributions to the Cabbage Hill community as well as the city of Lancaster are immense for an industrious immigrant who was born in Alsace, France in 1831.  At the age of 14 he became an apprentice at his grandfather's cabinetmaking business.  Four years later he was in charge of the shop.  In 1853 he had an invitation to build an altar for a new church in Lancaster, New York.  When he arrived in New York City he hopped on the wrong train and landed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania instead.  Just so happened that St. Joseph Catholic Church was building a new church and needed to build a main altar, two side altars and a pulpit.  A year later he completed the task as well as marrying one Felicite Ruhlman who had also immigrated to the United States from Alsace, France on the same ship.  Wasn't long before they had a child who died four days later.  But, over the next 10 years they had five more children, but only three survived to adulthood.  The family lived in the middle of the 400 block of High Street and Anthony had set up a furniture business there.  When the Civil War broke out he added coffins and an undertaking business to his workload.  With all that going on, he still was sought after to build church furnishings.  

Hospital Bed Mr. Iske invented. (Click on images to enlarge them.

At this time in his life he began to invent a variety of wood and metal devices such as an extension table, a dumping coal wagon, a fire escape and a hospital bed.  By 1860 he had moved into a home he built at 452 High Street.  Six years later he moved to 412 High Street where his family lived for the next 15 years.  In his backyard he built a workshop for making furniture and working on his inventions.  That house still stands today.  Patents followed for several dozen items such as a cigar press, a meat slicer and a reclining chair.  His son Albert joined him in the shop and gaining patents of his own.  In 1879 Anthony was forced to sell his house and property as well as his workshop to pay off lawsuits that occurred due to his patent and payment disputes.  He lost his workshop at 412 High,  

A Cork Driver invented by Anthony
and his son Albert.

but his resilience came through and two years later he had purchased a property in the first block of West Strawberry Street.  His new house was across from the Plow Tavern.  Within a year Anthony and his son Albert had built two additional buildings on the new lot.  Albert and his new family moved into one of the houses while Anthony and his wife moved into the house on the other end of the lot.  The building in the middle was their workshop.  They worked together on a fire ladder, a hay rake and various other items.  Then in 1889 they sold the property where Albert's family was living to the Christ Lutheran Church for its new building.  Albert and his family moved to the upper floors of the workshop at 12 West Strawberry Street.  

An invention for a door bell.

Not only did the inventions continue with an elevator, doorbell and trolley repair wagon, but Albert's family continued to grow.  So much so that they had to enlarge the upper floors of the workshop.  But, all wasn't good at the time.  They ran into financial problems and had to sell part of their property.  Luckily the new buyer rented the property back to them.  Anthony's wife, Felicite, died in 1898 and his daughter Emma married George Heim in 1900.  

Anthony Iske invention of a vegetable slicer.

The newly married couple purchased back the former Iske house on West Strawberry and Anthony was able to stay with them.  Even in his 70s and 80s he continued to tinker with perpetual-motion machines.  In early January of 1920 Anthony fell down the basement stairs at 20 West Strawberry and died from internal injuries 10 days later.  Anthony's life was a treasure chest of church, family and community.  After arriving in Lancaster by mistake, he sure made a remarkable life for himself.  Although he never became rich money wise, he became rich in many other ways and was an important part of the SoWe community.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.