FREDERICK HIMMELEIN, Jr.-The type of splendid American business man, whose success has come as the result of his own abilities and effort, Frederick Himmelein, Jr., head of the firm of Himmelein and Bailey, dealers in leather belting, is well known both in industrial circles in Philadelphia, where part of the business is located, and in Camden, where he makes his home, and where the curing and tanning part of the business was moved to the site of the Reynolds' Leather Company on Walnut Street in Camden in the early part of 1926. Mr. Himmelein is the son of Frederick and Lena (Danklemain) Himmelein. The elder Mr. Himmelein was born in Germany, but carne to America early in life, and was for forty years a resident of Camden, where he died in 1916.

Frederick Himmelein. Jr. was born in Camden May 21, 1866, and attended the Genge School in Camden. Upon leaving school, he entered the employ of a seed concern, C. B. Rodgers and Company. This concern rented their upper floors to a leather belting firm, Wise and Bailey, and Mr. Himmelein, seeing an opportunity in this business, after much effort persuaded Mr. Wise to let him give up his position with the seed company, where he was making fourteen dollars a week, and take a position for five dollars a week which would give him a chance to learn the leather belting business. Before the end of the year his salary had doubled and he had charge of the employees, did the buying, and a short time later had entire charge of the plant. During Cleveland's administration, when leather was at a very low price, owing to Mr. Himmelein's astuteness, the concern of Wise and Bailey made about $10,000 on an order which he had placed for 3,000 sides at a fixed price. The members of the firm were very much worried at this large order placed by Mr. Himmelein, for at that time he was in the habit of buying only twenty-five sides a week, but the price of leather took a jump from twenty-four to thirty-six cents a pound, and the profit on the deal was $10,000.

Having been intimately associated with the leather business for years, Mr. Himmelein now began to think of going into the field on his own account; and when in the course of time, Mr. Bailey of the firm of Bailey and Wise died, and Mr. Wise's son bought out his widow, the time seemed ripe for a change, and shortly after, he started into business for himself. taking Mrs. Bailey into partnership with him a few months after the organization of the new business. Many, if not most, of his old customers stayed with him and the success of the enterprise was soon assured. The slogan suggested by one of his customers, "Dependable Belting," gives a clue to the substantial business which the concern was soon able to build up. After some years Mr. Himmelein bought out the interest of Mrs. Bailey and took his son, Frederick Elwood Himmelein, and his son-in-law, William G. Oaks, into the firm, giving them each a one-quarter interest and retaining a half-interest for himself. The Philadelphia establishment is located at No. 248 Chestnut Street, where it occupies seventeen floors, all told in three different buildings and employs fifty men. but in 1926 Mr. Himmelein moved the plant to Walnut Street, Camden, where he is expending $60,000 for renovations to what was formerly the plant of the C. A. Reynolds' Leather Company with three acres of ground, thus launching into a new stage the history of this thriving concern, the first leather belt manufacturing concern in Camden.

Mr. Himmelein is well known and liked in Camden, and takes an active part in local affairs. He was one of the founders and is now an honorary member of the Camden Rotary Club, is a member of the Philadelphia Association of Credit Men, and of the Holly Beach Yacht Club of Wildwood. New Jersey, and the Wildwood Golf Club. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Ionic Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Excelsior Consistory; Crescent Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; Tall Cedars of Lebanon; was one of the organizers of the Wildwood, Camden, and St. Petersburg, Florida Shrine clubs; and belongs to the Mutual Protective Order of Artisans. He is a staunch Republican and very active in political affairs in Cape May County, though he has never accepted any public office. He is a member of the English Lutheran Church of Camden. For over twenty-five years, Mr. Himmelein has been spending his summers in Wildwood, New Jersey, where he has a beautiful summer home.

He married at Camden, in 1887, Minnie Genther, a native of Phoenixville, and they have three children: 1. Frederick Elwood, now associated with his father in the business. 2. Minnie, married to William G. Oaks, also associated with the business. 3. Lillian, married to Wilbur Werntz.