David A. Kreider, of 201 East Main street, Palmyra, scion of one of the oldest families in this region, whose forebears secured title to large land holdings in the middle of the eighteenth century from William Penn's representatives, and whose descendents including the decedent have for many years been prominent in the shoe manufacturing business, died at 9 o'clock Tuesday evening at his home.
Mr. Kreider, who was aged 72 years, was stricken with a heart attack early Monday morning. It was followed by several similar attacks later, the last one on Tuesday evening proving fatal.
He was prominent in his home community, and his death is a distinct loss to his fellow citizens. He was a member of the Church of the Brethren of Palmyra, and served as a trustee for a long period of years, he was also identified with Young Men's Bible class of that congregation.
Mr. Kreider who would have attained the 73rd year of his age on July 15th., was born and reared at Palmyra, the son of William and Catherine (Wilhelm) Kreider. He attended the public schools then available in his home district and later took a course at the Reading (Pa.) Business College. At the early age of eighteen years In 1881 - he embarked in the coal, grain and lumber business at Palmyra, with his father, under the firm name of W. L. Kreider & Son. Two years later, while still retaining his interest in that business, he established a general store in the town and conducted it himself. Eighteen months later he returned to the coal, grain and lumber business at Cleona which district had just been laid out but with only a few homes then existing there.
Mr. Kreider had a conspicuous part in the development of that section, which is now a borough. He became a small-scale realtor, and built a number of homes which he later sold, and also assisted home builders in establishing residences there. He was prominent in the early history of that community and did much to foster it's promotion.
After some years in this activity he returned to the homestead farm at Palmyra, and continued his real estate promotion, erecting a dozen or more homes on the outskirts of the farm which bordered the town limits.He then accepted a clerkship at the Kreider shoe factory, and spent part of his time, as a traveling salesman for the concern. About a year later he bought the Will[?] H. Erb planing mill and lumber yard, and just about a year after that again became associated with his father in the coal, grain, and lumber business in taking over the establishment of J. Landis & Son. The younger Kreider about the same time leased the lumber concern to its former owner, W. H. Erb, and Kreider & Son and added a grist mill to the coal and grain enterprise. The latter concern was leased a year later to the firm of Hoffer & Stauffer, and is now known as Londonderry -Mills, owned and operated by J. B. Curry's Sons.
Mr. Kreider, the subject of this sketch, then took a rest, of about four months and at the end of that period, went back to the shoe making industry, becoming the fourth member of W. L. Kreider's Sons, as his father, founder of the industry, retired from that company about that time.
Because of his previous experience in the business, and also due to his general eminence as a businessman, he was placed in charge of the business office management and became the purchasing agent, etc. He continued as a director of the company until about two years ago.
He was also interested in a hosiery industry in the town, and for some years was connected with the Londonderry Water company in a directing capacity before the property was sold to the Palmyra Water company. He manifested an interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the borough, and served as a school director in his younger career.
He was a great lover of flowers, and his palatial home at the corner of East Main and Lincoln streets has been a show place in the community. In the lawns and gardens surrounding the handsome ediface there bloom in proper successive seasons thousands of tulips, hyacinths, crocuses and other blooms, some of them rare in character.
He was a great believer In flowers for the living rather than for the dead, and he carried the idea as far as possible and took delight in the admiration of his fellow townspeople expressed in his display at the home in the shade of towering pine and spruce trees.
The survivors are his wife, E. Pearl; and eight children of a family of twelve, as follows: Mrs. Raymond F. Evans, and David C., of Hershey; Mrs Harry Longenecker, of Elizabethtown: William E., Irwin V., Harry W., and Raymond E., all of Palmyra; and A. Paul, of Lebanon; one brother, Harry[?] C. Kreider, of Palmyra; sixteen grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. His first wife, Minnie nee Erb, preceded him in death eleven years ago.
Lebanon Daily News -Wednesday, June 28, 1939