GEORGE
TROUTMAN, coal operator, Centralia, was born in Schuylkill County, Penn., May 23, 1835,
son of Jacob and Rosina (GABELBECKER) TROUTMAN, both natives of Alsace (then in France,
now in Germany). The father died in Schuylkill County, and the mother in Columbia County.
Mr. TROUTMAN first commenced work in a breaker, in what was then the New Philadelphia
colliery, about six miles from Pottsville. He afterward went to work in the mines, and in
1861 was made inside foreman at the Stewartsville colliery, of which he remained in charge
about three years, and then went to Girard colliery as foreman about five years, then went
to Nevada to try his fortune in the gold fields. Not finding things to his liking there,
in the fall of the same year he returned to Pennsylvania and obtained the position of
inside foreman in the Girard colliery, Girardville, where he remained for six years. He
then came to Centralia and about twelve months was foreman at the "Continental"
colliery. He then leased land west of Centralia, and commenced the mining business for
himself on a small scale, taking out only the out-crop coal. He continued in this line of
mining about three years, gradually increasing operations, and in 1880 formed a
partnership with Isaac MAY, Harry MORGAN and James MAY, under the firm name of Isaac MAY
& Co. The firm then constructed a breaker and continued operations on an increased
scale, in the slope which Mr. TROUTMAN had commenced in 1879. They employ about 400 men
and boys, and the out-put in 1885 was 102,000 tons, which was turned out, working on
reduced time so that this amount does not represent the full capacity of the colliery.
Their principal market is New York, and the works are on the line of the Lehigh Valley
Railroad. Mr. TROUTMAN was married in Schuylkill county, Penn., September 2, 1856, to Miss
Mary Jane QUICK, and they are the parents of twelve children, eleven of whom are living:
Maria, Samuel J., Jennie, Laura, George F., Sallie, Edward J., Katie, Grayson, Lucretia
and Eva; the deceased one was named Samuel. Mr. TROUTMAN is a member of the A.F.& A.
M. at Ashland, and of the I. O. O. F. at Girardville.(History of Columbia and Montour
Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, pg. 432)
