File:1900 - T Schadt & Company - Advertisement.jpg

Tilghman Schadt was born in South Whitehall township, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, December 1, 1834. During his early boyhood he attended the public schools and later he pursued advanced studies at the Allentown Academy, which was then under the preceptorship of Professor Gregory.

His first employment was on the home farm assisting his father, and for a short time thereafter he served in the capacity of school teacher. He then engaged in the butchering business, and after successfully conducting this line of enterprise for eight years he disposed of it to good advantage.

In 1864 he took up his residence in Allentown, and established a dry goods and grocery store. After a number of years he discontinued the dry goods department, and engaged more extensively in groceries, and later he ceased disposing of his goods at retail and thereafter became a wholesale dealer. Prior to this, as his sons completed their studies, they were taken into the store to learn the mercantile business, and were finally admitted to membership, the business then being conducted under the name of T. Schadt & Sons, the members thereof being Tilghman Schadt (father), Charles F., and Henry P. Schadt.

In 1898, when the business was changed from retail to wholesale, they adopted the name of T. Schadt & Co., and continued in that manner until the year 1903, when Tilghman Schadt (father) retired, and Oliver S. Schadt (1882 - 1948) took over the firm under the old name of T. Schadt & Co.