My Genealogy Hound

PROF. OWEN R. WILT is one of the most successful educators in the state, and is Superintendent of the South Bethlehem public schools. To his untiring efforts is due the fact that the public schools of this place are equal to any in this region. Professor Wilt was born near Emaus, Lehigh County, July 13, 1840, his father, Reuben Wilt, owning a small farm in that locality. The latter was born in Saucon Township, and was a Supervisor of Upper Milford Township for thirty-two years. He was a successful agriculturist during his active life, and is now making his home with his daughter, being eighty-four years of age. In politics he is a Democrat, and religiously a member of the Lutheran Church. His wife, Mary (Romig) Wilt, was born in Upper Saucon Township. Her father was a farmer, and both he and his father before him were natives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Wilt departed this life in her eighty-first year, leaving four children to mourn their great loss, two of whom have passed away. Our subject is the third in order of birth. Josiah R. was a member of a Pennsylvania regiment during the Civil War, and, like his brother, Frank R., is engaged in carpentering in this city. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Joseph Wilt, was born in Saucon Township, Lehigh County, and followed the profession of school teaching. He participated in the War of 1812, receiving three commissions, the last of which made him a Major. His death occurred when over eighty years of age in Emaus. His father, Jacob Wilt, was born in the Keystone State, took part in the Revolutionary War, and afterward became a resident of Lehigh County, where his death occurred when he had attained the ripe old age of ninety-three years.

Professor Wilt was reared on his father’s farm, and from the time he was eleven years old became more or less self-supporting. At the age of eighteen he entered Riegle’s Mill, on the Little Lehigh, where he learned the milling business and remained for one year. The succeeding year he spent on a farm, and during all this time he devoted as much of his attention as possible to his studies while at work on the farm and in the mill. At the age of twenty he received a certificate, and began teaching school in 1860 in Salisbury Township, where he remained for five years at one post. Next he taught for one term at South Bethlehem, and then became Principal of the schools of West Bethlehem, serving as such from 1866 until 1884, when he resigned to become Principal of the Coplay High School. At the end of two years he accepted the principalship of the schools of South Bethlehem, and Principal of the high school, continuing at that post until 1888, when he was elected first Superintendent of the schools at South Bethlehem. During this time three large buildings of fine architecture, and one of lesser dimensions, have been erected, and under his management the educational interests of the place are constantly improving. The Professor’s office is in the Central High School, which is a fine building in every respect, thoroughly equipped to meet the wants of the modern educator. The Professor attends to the course of instruction, gets up the annual calendar, and, in short, supervises all of the many details of the work of a corps of forty-three teachers and over two thousand enrolled pupils.

In 1865 our subject married Miss Amy Lynn, a native of Dryland, this county, and daughter of Tobias W. Lynn, one of the pioneers of this place. The pleasant home of the family adjoins the Central High School, and with his wife the Professor holds membership with St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, to which he has belonged since 1864, and in the Sunday-school of which he has been Superintendent for years he now teaches the Bible class. Early in life he took up the study of music, and for a time was organist at his church.

For twelve years Professor Wilt was a member of the South Bethlehem School Board, being Secretary of the same for ten years. He is interested in University Extension work, and has been prominent in organizing three courses here, being Secretary of the Bethlehem Center for two years. As a member of the County Institute and the State Teachers’ Association, and as an official visitor to the Normal at Strausburg, he keeps thoroughly in touch with the latest and most practical methods of educators. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Malta, being Past Supreme Commander, and is Past Commander of the Knights of Pythias, belonging also to the encampment. He is a member of Waneka Tribe of Red Men, and of Amethyst Council, R. A. In politics he casts his ballot in favor of the nominees of the Democratic party.