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UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

LIBRARY

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JOHN FREDERICK HARTRANFT

MONTGOMERY
COUNTY

PENNSYLVANIA

A HISTORY

CLIFTON S. HUNSICKER

Member of the Montgomery County Historical Society; Journalist
and Author of Letters of Travel; Ex-President and Chairman
of the Executive Committee of the Press League of Bucks
and Montgomery Counties; Chief of Newspaper Divi-
sion of the United States Food Administration in
Montgomery County during the World War.

WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF THE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

VOLUME II

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

NEW YORK CHICAGO

1923

Dar
F,|57

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

NEW YORK— CHICAGO

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2009 with funding from

University of Pittsburgh Library System

http://www.archive.org/details/montgomerycounty02huns

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BIOGRAPHICAL

NICHOLAS HENRY LARZELERE— Of French, English and
Dutch ancestry, Mr. Larzelere derives from each some prominent trait
that has formed in him a rare combination of manly, intellectual vigor.
From the Huguenot, Nicholas Larzelere, the American ancestor, comes
the tenacity and courage to follow his convictions ; from his Holland
ancestor, the thrift and energy that attends to temporal benefit; while
from the English ancestor he received the pride of country, of family,
and of honorable achievement, yet from these he gained but a founda-
tion upon which he has built that splendid figure whom all recognize as
American.

Among the families forced to flee from France through the Revoca-
tion of the Edict of Nantes was the Larzelere family headed by Nicholas
and John, who settled in Long Island. Nicholas, after a short stay on
Long Island, settled on Staten Island, in New York Harbor. His son,
Nicholas (2), settled in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1741 ; his son,
Nicholas (3), fought in the Revolution; his son, Benjamin, married, and
among his two children was a son, Benjamin (2), who married Mary
Maxwell, a granddaughter of Jacob Buskirk, whose father came from
Holland and married Mary Lawrence, a granddaughter of John and
Mary A. Lawrence, who came from England in 1712. Mary A. Lawrence
was a Townley, of Lancashire, England, of a family traced to the time of
Henry VIII.

Nicholas Henry Larzelere, son of Benjamin (2) and Mary (Maxwell)
Larzelere, was born in Warminster township, Bucks county, Pennsyl-
vania, March 7, 1851, but his youth was spent in Warrington township
in the same county. He attended public schools until the age of eighteen,
then entered Doylestown English and Classical Seminary, where he pre-
pared for college and did some teaching. He entered Lafayette College in
September, 1871, and there received his A. B., class of 1875. He won the
oratorical contest between Washington and Franklin Halls in his junior
year at Lafayette, and represented his coll'ege in the inter-collegiate
debate held in the Academy of Music, New York City, January 13, 1873.
In September, 1875, ^^ began the study of law under the direction of
George Ross, of the Bucks county bar, and a year later placed himself
under the preceptorship of B. Markley Boyer, of Norristown, under
whom he studied until admitted to the Montgomery county bar, Septem-
ber 28, 1877. He at once began practice in Norristown, and at the bar
of Montgomery and surrounding counties he has practiced continuously
and most successfully.

Mr. Larzelere is solicitor for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company;
Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company; Lehigh Valley Transit Company;
Reading Transit and Light Company ; the Philadelphia & Western Com-

2 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

pany, and many private corporations. He was the attorney for the Free
Bridge Association, and won a bitterly contested fight for a free bridge
across the Schuylkill river at DeKalb street, Norristown, and has been
connected with many important cases during the years, forty-five, which
he has been in law practice. He is a director of the Norristown Trust
Company, and of the John B. Stetson Company, of which he is also
solicitor, as he is for other banks, trust companies and many business
organizations. For many years he has served as president of the Mont-
gomery County Hospital and has given much of his time and means to
charitable works. He was senior of the law firm, Larzelere & Gibson,
which later became Larzelere, Gibson & Fox, but later associated with
him in practice his son, Charles Townley Larzelere, and his nephew,
Franklin L. Wright.

Mr. Larzelere has acquired large business interest and has been a
prominent factor in the development of Norristown suburban railways.
He is a Republican in politics ; a member of the Union League of Phil-
adelphia ; the Plymouth Country Club, and the Buck Hill Golf Club. He
is one of the founders and a charter member of the Norristown City Club,
and a trustee of the Young Men's Christian Association. He was selected
a director of public safety for Montgomery county during the World
War, and headed the movement for raising funds for the War Chest, Red
Cross, and other drives, and in every case Norristown went over the top.
He is a Presbyterian in religion and for twenty years a trustee of the
First Church, Norristown. His library is one of the finest private col-
lections in the State, and his gallery of paintings and art work speaks the
skilled connoisseur.

Mr. Larzelere married, September 21, 1880, Ida Frances Loch, daugh-
ter of Dr. John W. and Hannah M. Loch, of Norristown. Two children
have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Larzelere: John Loch, born January
20, 1882; and Major Charles Townley, a sketch of whom follows.

MAJOR CHARLES TOWNLEY LARZELERE— Among the

younger generation of prominent and respected citizens of Norristown,
Pennsylvania, none stand higher nor possess a wider circle of friends
than Major Charles Townley Larzelere. His career having been marked
by continuous advancement in a difficult profession, one in which
success can only come as a result of superior merit and ability, he occu-
pies an enviable position in legal circles of this community.

Charles Townley Larzelere was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania,
August 29, 1884, the son of Nicholas H. and Ida F. (Loch) Larzelere,
see preceding sketch. Major Larzelere attended the Lawrenceville
school, at Lawrenceville, New Jersey, from 1899 to 1902, and then entered
the Mackenzie School, at Dobbs Ferry, New York, from which he was
graduated in 1903. The fall of that same year he entered Princeton Uni-
versity, subsequently, in 1907, receiving from that institution the degree
of Bachelor of Letters. Having in the meantime determined to follow
in his father's footsteps and take up law as his chosen profession, he

BIOGRAPHICAL 3

accordingly matriculated at Pennsylvania Law School. After devoting
three years to this subject he was admitted to the bar of Montgomery
county and the Supreme and Superior courts of Pennsylvania. During
his senior year at Princeton he was chairman of the Senior Council,
editor-in-chief of the "Daily Princetonian" and of the "Bric-a-Brac" year
book. Major Larzelere is also his class representative on the Graduate
Council at Princeton. Immediately after graduating from law school,
Major Larzelere returned to Norristown, entering the offices of his
father, and subsequently becoming a member of the well known legal
firm of Larzelere, Wright & Larzelere. From the inception of his pro-
fessional career he has met with great success, his legal practice having
reached large and important proportions. Holding forth with an elo-
quence enlivened by spontaneous outbursts of an irresistible sense of
humor, Major Larzelere, whom everyone in Norristown knows or has
heard about, is a frequent figure in Philadelphia courts. He is a rhe-
torician of special attainment, whose ability is fully recognized by the
jurors before whom he appears in pursuit of the law.

Besides his legal interests Major Larzelere is also a director of the
Norristown Trust Company ; director of the Willow Grove Trust Com-
pany; president of the Main Line Transfer Company; and vice-president
of the Keystone Auto Club. He is a Republican in politics and a Pres-
byterian in religion. In social and club life Major Larzelere is also
prominent, holding membership in the Union League Club of Philadel-
phia ; the Plymouth Country Club, of which he is secretary and treas-
urer ; the Norristown Club ; the Nassau and Tigers Inn clubs of Prince-
ton; Ersine Tennis Club of Norristown; Princeton Club of Philadelphia;
and the Phi Delta Phi fraternity of the University of Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Reserve Militia was organized when the National
Guard entered the World War. Company I, First Infantry, which con-
sisted of two platoons, one at Norristown and the other at Ambler, was
formed at this time to replace Company F. The first captain of the new
unit was Charles Townley Larzelere, who was soon promoted to the
rank of major of the regiment. It is interesting to note here that under
his leadership the company became one of the models of the service.
During wartime Major Larzelere was one of the most effective "Four-
Minute Men" of the county, due to his ability as a public speaker, and
was one of the most active members of the Reserve Militia.

On November 8, 1912, at New York City, Major Larzelere was
united in marriage with Frances Wharton Mendelson, daughter of Dr.
Walter and Mary (Wharton) Mendelson. From this union has been
born two children: Nicholas Henry, 2nd, born November 18, 1913; and
Mary Wharton, born August 29, 1916. The family home is at No. 1026
De Kalb street.

Major Larzelere is still a young man, but his ability in his chosen
profession has carried him forward with such rapid strides that his many
friends do not hesitate to predict for him continued and rapid progress
in the years to come.

4 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ABRAHAM D. FETTEROLF — Describing a man as a leading busi-
ness man is equivalent to saying that he possesses intelligence of a high
order and touches life at many points. A man of this type is Abraham
D. Fetterolf, president of the Collegeville National Bank.

Adam Fetterolf, paternal grandfather of Abraham D. Fetterolf, was
a member of an old Berks county family. His children were: Michael,
Samuel, Peter, Daniel, Adam, Gideon, see forward, and Rachel.

Gideon Fetterolf, father of Abraham D. Fetterolf, and son of Adam
Fetterolf, was reared and lived all his life in Montgomery county. He
died in 1894, aged eighty-seven years. He was an elder in the Mennonite
church, which is now merged into the Reformed church of Collegeville.
He passed most of his life in farming, but also spent some time as a
merchant in Royersford, where he was widely known and respected. He
married (first) Elizabeth Hunsicker, daughter of Bishop John Hunsicker,
and to them were born the following children: Captain Henry H., of
Collegeville, who served as Captain of Company I, 129th Pennsylvania
Volunteers during the Civil War; Adam H., formerly president of Girard
College ; Susan, wife of A. Tyson ; Sarah, wife of A. Grimley ; and Gideon.
Mrs. Fetterolf died about 1847. He married (second) Esther Hunsicker,
daughter of Bishop Abraham and Elizabeth Hunsicker. They had the
following children : Abraham D., whose name heads this review ; A.
Curtin, of New York City; Horace G., of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Bishop Abraham Hunsicker, maternal grandfather of Abraham D.
Fetterolf, was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, July 31, 1793,
and died June 12, 1872, at the age of seventy-eight years. He was a son
of Bishop Henry Hunsicker, a descendant of Valentine Hunsicker, who
came from Switzerland and settled in Pennsylvania, where he took an
active part in the Mennonite church. The advanced ideas of Bishop
Abraham Hunsicker caused a division of the Mennonite church. The
few followers remained together, and in 1862 Rev. Joseph H. Hendricks
was elected minister and took charge of the church at Collegeville which
flourished, and in 1888 merged with the Reformed church of the United
States, and the Trinity Reformed Church of Collegeville is among the
strong congregations of that denomination. For more than forty years
it was under the supervision of Rev. Joseph H. Hendricks, D. D., and is
a monument to Abraham Hunsicker's views. Bishop Hunsicker was the
founder of Freeland Seminary and established his son Henry A., as prin-
cipal. The institution afterwards became Ursinus College. Abraham
Hunsicker had children as follows: Henry A., who conducted Freeland
Seminary for years and later settled in Germantown ; Elias ; Mary, wife
of Rev. J. T. Preston ; Catherine, wife of Rev. Joseph H. Hendricks ;
Esther, the mother of Abraham D. Fetterolf; Anna, Mrs. John B. Lan-
des; Elizabeth, wife of Rev. F. R. S. Hunsicker; Abraham; Benjamin;
and Horace M.

Abraham D. Fetterolf, son of Gideon and Esther (Hunsicker) Fetter-
olf, received a fair education, and started in life with fixed principles by
the training of his parents. At sixteen years of age he became a teacher

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BIOGRAPHICAL 5

in the public schools, and at the age of twenty-one went to Philadelphia,
where he engaged in mercantile pursuits. From 1871 to 1875 he was a
lumber inspector, and then formed a partnership which carried on a
flour and feed business. From 1888 to 1890 he was a member of the firm
of Roberts Machine Company at Collegeville. In 1882 Mr. Fetterolf
was elected a justice of the peace of Upper Providence township, and
served until he resigned to accept a county office, later being elected
transcribing clerk of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. In
1885 he was promoted to speaker's clerk; four years later was made
journal clerk; in 1893 was made resident clerk; in 1895 chief clerk; from
1897 to 1899 served as president clerk of the House of Representatives ;
in 1890 was nominated for registrar of wills of Montgomery county, but
failed of election by only a small majority of votes.

In 1906 Mr. Fetterolf, together with E. S. Moser, F. J. Clamer. B. F.
Steiner, M. B. Linderman, Frank W. Gustock, and others, founded the
Collegeville National Bank. Mr. Fetterolf is its president, which office
he has held from its inception, and Mr. Linderman is its vice-president.
The capitalization is $50,000, deposits are $700,000, and the surplus and
undivided profits are $85,000. Mr. Fetterolf is also secretary and treas-
urer of the Perkiomen Valley Mutual Fire Insurance Company ; director
and chairman of the executive committee of the board of directors of
Ursinus College ; and president of the Collegeville School Board since
1907.

A Republican in politics. Mr. Fetterolf has always been active in the
aflFairs of the organization of his choice. In 1892 he was unanimously
elected chairman of the Republican committee of Montgomery county,
and that he conducted the campaign successfully is shown by the fact
that the entire Republican ticket was elected with a single exception, in
a year that the county was nominally Democratic. He resigned this office
to become secretary of the Republican State Committee during the
campaign of 1893 and 1894. In the spring of 1903 Mr. Fetterolf was
elected burgess of Collegeville and that he had her best interests at heart
was never doubted during his tenure of office.

Mr. Fetterolf is affiliated with Warren Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons, having served as master in 1880, and as secretary for ten years,
and for the past eight years has served as treasurer. He was chairman
of the building committee during the erection of the lodge's new temple
at Collegeville. He is also a member of Royal Arch Chapter, No. 190,
Free and Accepted Masons; Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights
Templar; was district president in 1884; and charter member of the
Patriotic Sons of America, Iron Bridge Camp, No. 267 ; and holds mem-
bership in the Trinity Reformed Church, of Collegeville.

Abraham D. Fetterolf married (first) Sarah E. Graybill, a native of
Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Henry N. and
Anna (Musser) Graybill, originally of Lancaster county. He was a
bishop of the Brethren church, and a prominent farmer. Their children
were: i. Gertrude, died in infancy. 2. Henry, died young. 3. Clement

6 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

G., received a good education and gave promise of great success in the
business world ; he was the youngest member of the New York Produce
Exchange, but was cut ofif in his early manhood, dying February 23,
1899, at the age of twenty-one years. 4. Horace M., born 1885, graduated
from the University of Pennsylvania in 1907, and became associated with
S. W. Sargent and Major Butts, with offices at No. 261 South Fifteenth
street, Philadelphia, as selling agents for steel and other products ; during
the World War he was assigned to the ofificers' training camp at Fort
Oglethorpe, Georgia, and commissioned a first lieutenant, afterwards sail-
ing for France in December, 1917, with the Thirty-fifth Regiment Engi-
neers; he served on the front line during the St. Mihiel drive and the
Verdun ofifensives; later he had charge of railroad transportation under
General Atterbury ; was commissioned captain in 1919, and received his
honorable discharge from the service in May, 1919. Horace M. mar-
ried, in December, 1917, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Margaret Rieman,
and to them was born Horace M., Jr., September 23, 1920.

Abraham D. Fetterolf married (second) Bertha Kooken, born at
Mercersburg, daughter of the Rev. John R. and Mary (Prizer) Kooken,
both natives of Pennsylvania, of German descent. Rev. John R. Kooken
was highly educated, well known, and a minister of the Reformed church ;
he conducted Elmwood Seminary, an institution of learning, near Nor-
ristown, which was the second seminary in the county; under President
Buchanan's administration he was appointed Consul to Trinidad de
Cuba ; when Abraham Lincoln became president, he returned to his home
and at the beginning of the Civil War raised a company and served as
captain of Company C, One Hundred and Tenth Regiment, Pennsylvania
Volunteer Infantry ; he was killed in the battle of Fredericksburg, Decem-
ber 13, 1862, and was buried in the National Cemetery of that place. Mr.
Fetterolf still has Captain Kooken's sword in his possession. Captain
Kooken's wife, who survived him some years, was the daughter of Henry
Prizer, the first principal of what was known as the Washington Hall
Boarding School of Trappe, Pennsylvania.

FRANKLIN LOCH WRIGHT— A distinguished member of the
Pennsylvania bar, Mr. Wright was born at Norristown, Pennsylvania,
December 14, 1880, only child of Willard S. and Ella R. (Loch) Wright.
Mr. Wright's father was a wholesale shoe merchant and manufacturer.
He was a partner in the firm of Weimer, Wright and Watkins. The
factory belonging to this firm is located at Lynn, Massachusetts, but for
many years Philadelphia has been the chief distributing center for the
company's goods. The business of distribution was carried on at the
firm's premises in Arch street, but the business finally outgrew these
quarters and was moved to a larger and more commodious building on
Sixth street, where the distribution of the manufactured products is still
carried on under the old firm name. Since the death of his father, which
occurred several years ago, Mr. Wright's mother has lived with him in
his residence at Sandy Hill and Belvoir Roads in Plymouth township.

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BIOGRAPHICAL 7

Mr. Wright early evidenced his inclination for the law, and, from the
beginning, he pursued a course of study that was designed to bring him
to the bar with a broad general education as well as the requisite and
specific training is profession demands. He was a pupil of the
Norristown public schools and proceeded from high school to Law-
renceville School, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, where he spent two
years in college preparatory work. From Lawrenceville, he entered
Princeton University, where he was enrolled in the Academic Depart-
ment. He was graduated from Princeton University in 1903, with
the degree of Bachelor of Arts. During his Princeton years and
even earlier, Mr. Wright had begun the study of the common law and
basic legal subjects and after his graduation, he continued his legal
studies at the Law School of the University of Pennsylvania. He gradu-
ated in 1906, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, and shortly afterwards
was admitted to the bar of the State of Pennsylvania. Having been born
and brought up at Norristown and having no desire to leave the people
and surroundings that had been familiar to him from his earliest years,
Mr. Wright decided to practice law at home, and established himself as
an attorney and counsellor at Norristown in 1906. He has continued in
the practice so established with success ever since. Mr. Wright's chief
interests are, and always have been, professional. Corporation and
negligence law have engaged a great deal of his attention and his exten-
sive knowledge of these subjects, as well as his ability as a trial lawyer,
have given him a high place in the ranks of the legal profession.

In politics. Mr. Wright is a Republican. He holds the office of com-
missioner of Plymouth township at the present time and takes a keen
interest in the political affairs of the State and Nation. An admirer of
President Harding, he has for the past two years been an active sup-
porter of the present administration at Washington. Finding his chief
recreation in good fellowship with men of his own outlook, Mr. Wright
is a member of several social and recreational clubs. Golf is his prin-
cipal recreation, but he follows various other outdoor sports and pastimes.
He belonged to the Cap and Gown Club while he was a student at
Princeton University, and holds membership in the Union League Club
of Philadelphia, and the Princeton Club at Philadelphia. As an alumnus
of Princeton University and one of those to whom college days will
always seem to be the happiest, Mr. Wright takes the keenest interest
in Princeton ideals and activities. He attends the reunions of his class
regularly and upon the major athletic occasions of Princeton life, he is
always to be found among the "old grads" who have at heart the interest
of Princeton. Mr. Wright is a member of only one fraternal organization.
He is a mason of long standing, and belongs to the Norristown Lodge,
No. 190 and the Norristown Chapter, No. 190 of that order. Although
Mr. Wright is not enrolled as a member of the Presbyterian church, he
attends the service of this denomination at Norristown and takes a great
deal of interest in its humanitarian and religious affairs.

On November 4, 1909, he married, at Norristown. Edna L. Gresh,

8 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

daughter of W. Perry and Margaret (Heim) Gresh. Mrs. Wright's
father is engaged in business at Norristown as a cigar manufacturer.
Her mother is now deceased. Mrs. Wright is one of a family of four
children, her brothers and sister being: William K. Gresh, who is asso-
ciated with his father in the cigar business as a member of the firm of
W. K. Gresh and Sons ; Perry H. Gresh ; and Sarah, who married Donald
F. Lippincott. Mr. and Mrs. Wright have three children : Margaret
Gresh Wright, who was born October 5, 1910, and who is named for her
maternal grandmother; Marshall Wright, who was born April 21, 1912,
and Hamilton Wright, who was born September 26, 1914.

PROFESSOR WILLIAM W. RUPERT— During the period from
1888 to 1922 the public school work of Pottstown was under the direction
of William W. Rupert, his term of service in this capacity covering
thirty-four years, his entire service in the Pottstown schools of forty-
three years' duration, and his career as an educator extending over the
grand total of forty-six years. This, in expression of time, is the record
compiled by Professor Rupert in a lifetime of professional effort. He
has reached the age of seventy years, and has retired under the pro-
visions of Pennsylvania law. Pottstown, for so long the beneficiary of
his diligent and brilliantly able superintendency of the educational sys-
tem of the city, figures his administration not only in its remarkable
length, but in the splendid results of his leadership, in the great forward
strides that have been made under his guidance, in the influence he
exercises in the community, and in the permanence of the work he has
done.

Professor Rupert is a member of a family of long Pennsylvania resi-
dence, and is a son of George and Anna (Durnall) Rupert, grandson of
William Rupert, the line of Welsh descent. William Rupert was born
in Pennsylvania, in earlier life lived near Philadelphia, but died at an
advanced age in Chester county, his home for many years. His profes-
sion was that of teacher, and for forty years he taught at Fox Chase, now
within the city limits of Philadelphia. He married Elizabeth AchufT and
among their numerous children was George, of whom further.

George Rupert, father of Professor William W. Rupert, was a farmer
near Oxford, Chester county, where he died in 1891, aged eighty-two
years. He was a Baptist in religious faith, for many years a deacon in
the church. He married Anna Durnall, whose death occurred before his,
aged sixty-five years, her father a native of Pennsylvania, a farmer in
calling, both parents attaining advanced ages. George and Anna
(Durnall) Rupert were the parents of three children: William W., of
whom further; Elizabeth, who married Rev. Edward Macminn ; and
Edward W.

William W. Rupert was born near Oxford, Chester county, Pennsyl-
vania, October 29, 1852, and until he was twenty years of age worked on
the home farm, attending the district schools. Three years in the Union
High School in Lancaster county, a private institution conducted by

BIOGRAPHICAL 9

James W. Andrews, A. M., and one year in the Oxford Seminary, pre-
pared him for advanced study, and he took a course in civil engineering,
being graduated from the Polytechnic College of the State of Pennsyl-
vania, class of 1877. Thereafter, for one year, he taught school in Oxford,
where he had taught for a time prior to college entrance. From this
school he went to the Parkesburg Classical Institute of Chester county,
where for one year he was professor of mathematics, then came to Potts-
town, where his most valuable educational work has been performed. He
became principal of the Pottstown High School in 1879, and nine years
later, with the creation of the office of borough superintendent of schools,
he was elected its first incumbent, so continuing until July, 1922, when,
as previously stated he laid aside the responsibilities of his honorable
place.

While it is accurate to state that Professor Rupert laid aside respon-
sibilities, those who were his associates in the upbuilding of the Potts-
town schools to their present high standard know that he dealt in oppor-
tunities, not responsibilities, and was never dismayed by the burden that
a forward movement invariably brings. He was in all respects a pro-
gressive, yet he never advanced upon untried or unproved ground. He
broadened the curriculum of the local schools by the introduction of
subjects that had no place when his teaching life began, and, supported
by a school board that had strong faith in his judgment and ability, never
rested content until the best development along a given line was attained.
He gave music the place of prominence it deserves in school as in home
life, secured the best teachers obtainable, and set in motion in the Potts-
town schools a force for character building and social improvement that
has extended to every home touched by the public schools. It has
become the custom for boys and girls and their teachers, at Christmas
and other festival occasions, to visit the sick and confined throughout the
community with a message of song that bears with it much of joy
and happiness. Several concerts, in which one thousand voices have
been heard, have been given by the schools, and the Opera House has
been packed to capacity at these performances.

Sewing classes, giving a full course of instruction, are another innova-
tion for which Professor Rupert is responsible, and the preparation of
girls for domestic problems is one of the many manners in which the
Pottstown schools have come to meet their responsibility to the com-
munity. Drawing has also assumed important place, and three of the
most able teachers in public school work have labored effectively in arous-
ing appreciation of artistic values that has been felt throughout a wide
circle. It has been an invariable rule throughout Professor Rupert's
direction of the school system that he either select or approve all teachers,
and through this intimate contact with his assistants there has prevailed
a spirit of constant cooperation and loyalty, a strong sympathy and morale
from which students and the city at large have benefited.

Professor Rupert has always been an ardent advocate of physical
training as a part of school life, believing implicity in the inseparability

lO HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

of physical and mental fitness. Consequently, when plans for a new
high school were being discussed, he supported whole-heartedly the pro-
posal of H. M. Lessig, a member of the school board with whom he was
closely associated in progressive movements, that the new building be
erected where large grounds might be available for outdoor physical
work. The confines of this record do not permit exhaustive treatment
of his work in the Pottstown schools, but sufficient instances have been
cited to illustrate his high educational ideals, his devotion to his calling,
and his passion for perfection in the training of the young for the part
they must play in manhood and womanhood.

While meeting the many daily demands of his position. Professor
Rupert has found time for authorship of high order and is widely known
for works that have become standard in their respective fields. Among
them are: "Guide to the Study of History and the Constitution of the
United States," published by Ginn & Company, of Boston ; "Rupert's
Geographical Reader," published by Leach, Shewell & Sanborn, of Bos-
ton ; "Famous Geometrical Theorems and Problems with Their History,"
published by D. C. Heath & Company, Boston; "Pennsylvania Supple-
ment to Tarr-McMurray Geographies," published by MacMillan & Com-
pany, New York; and "How to Know the Stars." This last, Professor
Rupert's latest work, is a pamphlet with eight charts giving the location
of one hundred and twenty-two stars. The charts were made from his
own backyard and from open lots in the vicinity, and the chief character-
istics of the work is its simplicity and the feeling of intimacy with the
other worlds that is transmitted from the author to the reader. Professor
Rupert has prepared monographs on astronomical subjects that have won
commendation from John A. Brashear and Frank Schleisinger, noted
American astronomers, and other equally prominent authorities, achieve-
ments particularly noteworthy when it is considered that he has been
able to apply himself to this form of science only as it has been subor-
dinated to other pressing afifairs.

A Republican in politics, he has not been a political office-holder, but
has been interested and active in affairs of State and national scope. He
is an attendant of the Baptist church and holds a place in the community
to be gained only by a lifetime of effective, worthy labor in a noble cause.

Professor Rupert married, July 27, 1882, Mrs. Clara S. (Miller) Davis,
widow of Dr. Brooke Davis, and daughter of John and Margaret (Som-
mers) Miller, her parents natives of Chester county, her father a farmer
and a director of the First National Bank of Pottstown. Mrs. Rupert
had two children by her former marriage, Brooke Davis and Edgar
Davis. Professor and Mrs. Rupert are the parents of two children : i.
William Earle, who after graduating from Princeton, in 1909, became an
instructor in Coatsville High School and was later elected supervising
principal of Kenneth Square. He married D. Edna Rossiter. 2. Marion
E., who graduated from Miss Sayward's School in 1906, and married J.
Russell Longwell, a mehanical engineer, who graduated from Cornell
University, and was in military service during the World War.

J CI ,^£Ma, eJ^^.cO'-t^tJ/l^y^

BIOGRAPHICAL n

JOSEPH ADDISON BUCKW ALTER— The American progenitor
of the Buckwalter family was Francis Buckwalter, who came to this
country from Switzerland in 1720. He located near Phoenixville, Penn-
sylvania, where he purchased a large tract of land upon which he built
a house and continued to live there with his family until his death.

Abraham Buckwalter, a direct descendant of Francis Buckwalter, and
father of Joseph Addison Buckwalter, was born in 1799. He was a mill-
wright by trade and followed this occupation throughout his entire life-
time, residing in Chester county, Pennsylvania, where he owned and
operated a sawmill and a farm. Early in life he was a Whig in politics,
but during the Civil War became a strong Republican, having been an
Abolitionist and assisted fugitive slaves to escape on what was known
as the "Underground Railroad," forwarding them to Canada and other
places of safety. He was an earnest temperance advocate and founded
the Royal Springs Temperance Society near Kimberton in 1844, Mr.
Buckwalter and his wife being the first members. He was ever a faith-
ful temperance leader, advocating the cause and circulating petitions
until they contained seven hundred names, the original roll of the society
being in the hands of his son, Joseph A. He died in 1878. Mr. Buck-
waiter married Rachel Ortlip, daughter of Henry and Mary (Currus)
Ortlip, the former a miller by trade and a hotel keeper. Mr. and Mrs.
Buckwalter were the parents of eleven sons: Samuel, William, Elias,
Henry, Franklin, Joseph Addison, see forward ; Newton, David R., Lewis,
Theodore and John W., all born in Chester county, Pennsylvania.

Joseph Addison Buckwalter was born June 25, 1836. He attended
the schools of his native county, and remained at home assisting his
father until he married. Later he and his brother Henry engaged as
partners in a small way in the foundry business at Royal Springs, Chester
county, Pennsylvania, and it was here that the foundation of the present
large business, the extensive stove works of the Buckwalter Stove Com-
pany, originated.

He was active in the movement to have Royersford incorporated a
borough, and has the distinction of being first elected burgess, an office
he held four terms. In politics he is independent, voting his own con-
victions of the fitness of the candidates. Mr. Buckwalter is one of the
early Spiritualists of Royersford and then attended, with his family, the
services of the First Association of Philadelphia, thirty miles distant.
Later, largely through his influence and purse, a Spiritual society was
established at Royersford. A Buckwalter propaganda fund for the
spread of Spiritualism was established to be used by the Pennsylvania
State Association in its missionary work, and on the board of that asso-
ciation Mr. Buckwalter was a trustee for many years.

As a contributor to the Spiritualist ambulance fund for the Red Cross
work during the World War, 1914-1918, he not only did his part, but paid
tribute to the memory of his wife, Mary (Hamor) Buckwalter, by the
gift of an ambulance outright. He has long been an earnest advocate of
temperance, and still has the pledge he signed in 1844 with the hundreds

12 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

of others. Further, to help the Red Cross, he installed a shaft to electri-
cally connect the sewing machines which the ladies were using in the
work, and he labored incessantly for the success of the Liberty loans.
He is a member of the Midnight Sons Club, enjoys good music, a good
play, baseball, football and home games. He is sound, mentally and
physically, and his eighty-sixth birthday found him in most remarkable
health, much to the joy of his many friends.

i\Ir. Buckwalter married, December 13, 1861, Mary Hamor, of Kim-
berton, who died November 13, 1899, daughter of John and Catherine
(Hawk) Hamor. Mrs. Buckwalter was a woman of rare quality and
ability, a natural healer, magnetic and sympathetic, a believer in Spirit-
ualism and a friend of mediums. She lived to see her children grow to
useful manhood and womanhood, her own death being the first break in
the family circle.

The children of Joseph A. and Mary (Hamor) Buckwalter are i.
Katie, widow of David Springer, mayor of Royersford at the time of his
death. 2. Rachel S., widow of C. Raiser, a glass manufacturer of Royers-
ford, and mother of a son, Addison B. Raiser. 3. William F. 4. Laura
Grater, deceased. 5. Stella B., wife of H. H. Herbine, of Reading, Penn-
sylvania. 6. Ella B., wife of J. L. Rogers, of New York City. 7. Abra-
ham L. 8. Joseph A., a sketch of whom follows.

Mrs. Springer is secretary of the Pennsylvania State Spiritualists
Association, an ofifice she has held for the life of the association with the
exception of two years, during which time she was a member of the
official board. Three generations of the family have been devoted Spirit-
ualists, beginning with Abraham Buckwalter, the grandfather.

Now, at the age of eighty-six, Mr. Buckwalter is still an active busi-
ness man. He is president of Buckwalter Stove Company founded in 1865,
and is the only surviving member of the original founders composed of
himself, his brother, Henry C. Buckwalter, John Sheeler and Henry
Francis. The company started with limited capital, but by hard work,
ingenuity and economy, success was won abundantly. The Buckwalter
brothers were practical men of mechanical minds and the inventors and
patentees of various devices and machines, among them a thrashing
machine and a cherry seeder, these inventions furnishing the capital with
which they started in the stove business.

Joseph A. Buckwalter dates his residence in Royersford from the year
1866, and he has ever taken an active interest in community life, giving
generously of his time to all forward movements. For many years he
was interested in the Home National Bank and was its president, also
president of the Industrial Savings Bank. In 1902 these two banks
merged and reorganized as the Royersford Trust Company, Joseph A.
Buckwalter, president. He is president of that institution at the present
time (1923), and in 1922 resigned the presidency of the Home Water
Company of Royersford, an office he had held from the beginning of the
company. He is a member of the Humane Fire Company of Royersford.
He owns a large amount of real estate in the town, and in addition to his
own residence has erected about forty residences occupied by others.

,u ;: I. w.mims ', Brcin-

a .

BIOGRAPHICAL 13

DR. JOSEPH A. BUCKWALTER, for many years a successful
physician, and now, 1922, a prominent business man of Royersford, is a
native son, his birth having occurred there on March 27, 1880. In all the
relations of life he has held steadily to highest standards, and his sterling
worth makes him well known in his native city in both public and private
life.

Dr. Buckwalter, whose name heads this review, is the son of Joseph
A. Buckwalter, a sketch of whom precedes this. His preliminary edu-
cation was obtained in the public schools of Royersford. After gradu-
ating from the Norristown High School, class of 1899, he attended the
Hill School at Pottstown for one year preparatory to entering Hahne-
mann Medical College, from which latter institution he received the
degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1904. Immediately after receiving his
degree, he served an interneship at the Metropolitan Hospital, New
York City. He engaged in the general practice of his chosen profession
in that city on December i, 1905, with offices at No. 174 West Eighty-
ninth street, and No. 172 West Seventy-third street. Here he remained,
carrying on a successful practice and devoting himself exclusively to
diseases of the nose and throat, until January i, 1910, when he returned
to Royersford and entered his father's business, and in 1910 he was
elected treasurer of the well known Buckwalter Stove Company.

In April, 1918, Dr. Buckwalter enlisted in the Medical Corps of the
United States army, and six months later, on October 3, 1918, he was
commissioned first lieutenant and sent to Camp Humphries, Virginia,
where he was assigned to the 552nd Service Battalion. On December 27,
1918, he was re-assigned to the medical board at Camp Humphries, and
on March 19, 1919, received his honorable discharge and returned to
business. He was a member of the fuel commission of Montgomery
county during the war previous to his enlisting.

In politics Dr. Buckwalter is an Independent, preferring to vote for
the man regardless of party choice ; he was burgess of Royersford during
1914, 1915, 1916 and 1917, devoting himself to the fulfillment of his
duties of office in a way to bring the greatest good to the greatest num-
ber; is a director of the Spring City National Bank; president of the
Humane Fire Company for many years ; chairman of the local Red Cross
organization since its inception ; and an active member in all movements
which have for their aim the progress and welfare of his native place.

Professionally, Dr. Buckwalter holds membership in the New York
State Homoeopathic Medical Association ; the New York County
Homoeopathic Medical Society; the Pennsylvania State Homoeopathic
Medical Association ; the Pathological Society of New York City :
ex-member of the Post-Graduate Hospital Staff of New York City and
the Metropolitan Hospital Staff of New York City. Fraternally, he
affiliates with Royersford Lodge of Masons ; Pottstown Chapter, No.
271, Royal Arch Masons; Palestine Council, Royal and Select Masters,
of Phoenixville; Columbia Comandery, No. i. Knights Templar; New
York Consistory ; Mecca Shrine, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the

14 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Mystic Shrine ; and Tall Cedars of Lebanon. Socially, he holds member-
ship in the Manufacturers' Club of Philadelphia, as well as in the Plym-
outh and Phoenixville Country clubs.

On March 27, 1919, Dr. Buckwalter was united in marriage with
Dorothy L. Latshaw, daughter of Benjamin I. Latshaw, mentioned else-
where in this work. Dr. and Mrs. Buckwalter are the parents of two
children: Joseph A., Jr., born January 4, 1920; David Irvin, born Novem-
ber 23, 1922.

Happily gifted in manner, disposition and taste, enterprising in ideas,
personally liked most by those who know him best, and as frank in
declaring his principles as he is sincere in maintaining them. Dr. Buck-
waiter's career has already been rounded with exceptional success and
marked by the appreciation of men whose opinion is best worth having.

EDWIN G. BROWNBACK, president of the Spring City National
Bank, of Spring City, Chester county, Pennsylvania, was from 1895 to
1918, the successful proprietor of a general store in Trappe, Pennsyl-
vania. He is one of the well known and highly esteemed citizens of
Montgomery county, of which he has been a resident during the entire
period of his life to the present time (1922).

Mr. Brownback is a descendant of Gerhard Brownback, of Wiirttem-
berg, Germany, who came to this country in 1783, and settled at Ger-
mantown. Gerhard Brownback was a pioneer settler in Chester county,
where he obtained a very large tract of land, and was the first to keep a
hotel there, opening his log house for the accommodation of travelers.
He established and built a Reformed church, which still is known as
Brownback Chapel, and when it was completed, went to Europe to secure
a preacher. He married Mary Papin, daughter of David, the first

recorder of Germantown. and of (Rittenhouse) Papin, the latter

being a daughter of William Rittenhouse, who came from Holland to
America, in 1783, and built at Germantown, in 1790, the first paper mill
in British America. William Rittenhouse was also the first Mennonite
bishop of Pennsylvania, and the grandfather of David Rittenhouse, the
greatest astronomer of his day.

Edward Brownback, grandfather of Edwin G. Brownback, lived and
died in Chester county and both he and his wife are buried in the burial
ground which adjoins the Brownback Church. He married Ella Geist,
and they were the parents of seven children: John, Mark, Benjamin;
Edward, of further mention ; Harriett ; Catherine, who married Peter
Emory ; and one that died in infancy.

Edward (2) Brownback, son of Edward (i) and Ella (Geist) Brown-
back, was born and reared in Chester county, remaining upon his father's
farm until he was grown. With his brother Mark, he then removed
to Montgomery county, where they rented and managed a large farm,
tilling the soil and raising stock. In 1861, after the marriage of Mark,
they engaged in the hotel business in Trappe, continuing the partnership
until 1868, when Edward bought a farm at Trappe. Edward (2) Brown-

BIOGRAPHICAL 15

back was an able and efficient business man and accumulated consider-
able property. He was a member of the board of directors, as well as a
stockholder in the Spring City National Bank, and was known as a
generous and charitable man. He died on his farm at Trappe, February
19, 1902, aged seventy-eight years and five months, survived by his wife,
Andora (Goodwin) Brownback, who was a daughter of William and
Sarah (Haws) Goodwin, both natives of Pennsylvania. Edward (2) and
Andora (Goodwin) Brownback were the parents of three children:
Edwin G., of further mention ; Stella, who died young ; and Benjamin F..
who was born November 22, 1872, and is a bookkeeper.

Edwin G. Brownback was born at Trappe, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, March 3, 1868, and received his early education in the
public schools of his native district. He then became a student in Wash-
ington Hall, and later took a course in a business college in Philadelphia.
Upon the completion of his education he engaged in teaching, following
that profession during the winter months, and assisting on the home farm
during the summer. In 1895, he purchased the general mercantile busi-
ness which he continued to conduct in Trappe until 1918. A capable
business man, he gave close attention to the management of his store,
seeing to it that excellence of quality, promptness and courtesy of service,
and a "square deal" were assured to his patrons. The business prospered
and he became a stockholder in the Spring City National Bank, of Spring
City, Chester county. Upon the death of Dr. William Brower in 1919,
Mr. Brownback was elected president of that institution, and that official
position he has continued to hold to the present time (1922). The bank
was founded in 1872, with a capital of $ioo,ocx>, but by 1916 had a capital
of $200,000, with $100,000 surplus and $42,000 undivided profits. The
personnel at the present time is : Edwin G. Brownback, president ; Mil-
ton Latshaw, vice-president ; C. W. Fryer, cashier ; E. C. Emery, secre-
tary ; the first two of Montgomery county, and the last named, of Chester
county. All of the above are members of the board of directors, with
Dr. J. A. Buckwalter, J. A. Trimley, J. D. Kline, and D. H. Jones, of
Montgomery county, and S. T. S. Wagner, I. W. Gruber, Edgar Davis,
Maurice Yeager, and D. J. Kuauer, of Chester county.

Politically, Mr. Brownback gives his support to the Democratic party,
and is prominent in the councils of the party in the borough. During
President Cleveland's part of first and all of the second administration,
he served as postmaster, and in 1903 he was elected a burgess, in which
position he gave worthy service. His religious affiliation is with the
Lutheran church of Trappe, which he serves as a member of the board
of trustees, and for the past thirty years he has served as superintendent
of the Sunday school, worshipping in the old historic neighborhood
where, in 1743, Muhlenberg established the first Lutheran church in this
section of the State.

In March. 1895, Edwin G. Brownback married Mary V. Beaver, who
was born at Trappe in 1866, daughter of John K. and Mary (Shellen-
berger) Beaver, the former a native of Falkener Swamp, and the latter

i6 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

a daughter of Michael Shellenberger, of Bucks county. Mrs. Brown-
back died August 15, 1921. Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Brownback were the
parents of two sons: i. John Harold, who was born March 23, 1897, and
graduated from Ursinus College, in Collegeville, in 1921, with the degree
of Bachelor of Science. He is now teaching in the biological department
of the University of Pennsylvania, where he is taking a post-graduate
course leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, which he expects
to receive in 1925. 2. Oliver S., graduated from Ursinus College in 1921,
with the degree Master of Arts, and was associated with the Western
Electric Manufacturing Company, as accountant, for eleven months.
While in the Students' Training Corps at Ursinus, he contracted the
influenza and died at Brown's Mills sanitarium, November 4, 1921.

JUDGE AARON S. SWARTZ, LL. D.— Nearly half a century of
distinguished service at the bar and on the bench of his native State and
county is the record of Judge Aaron S. Swartz, now an honored and ven-
erable figure in legal circles in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Widely
sought in consultation by his colleagues in the profession since his
recent retirement from the bench, the knowledge gained during a long
and useful career, and the clear, sane judgment which is also the result
of his years of experience, still bear direct and beneficent influence on
th public advance. From the beginning of his career in the law, which
followed up on a period of broad usefulness as an educator. Judge
Swartz has given to his work not only the power of a brilliant mentality,
but the sincere love of justice and the earnest effort to make the world
better, which are so urgently needed in the presentation of the law and
the administration of justice.

Aaron S. Swartz was born in Towamencin township, Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, February 24, 1849, and is a son of Jacob Swartz.
His early life was spent on his father's farm, where he attended the
district schools of the neighborhood. Possessing scholarly tastes and
eager to enter a professional career when still a youth, he entered Free-
land Seminary, the predecessor of Ursinus College, at Collegeville, Penn-
sylvania, going thence to Lafayette College, where he received the degree
of Bachelor of Arts upon his graduation with the class of 1S71. A cum
laudc student at Lafayette, he attracted the attention of educators
throughout this part of the State, and was offered the principalship of
the public school at Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, which he accepted and
filled with dignity and satisfaction to all concerned. The law was, how-
ever, his goal, and when still teaching at Phoenixville, he began reading
law, completing his professional studies under the preceptorship of
Gilbert Rodman Fox (1872-75). Admitted to the Montgomery county
bar in the year 1875, his duties as deputy clerk of the United States Dis-
trict Court for Eastern Pennsylvania, which office he had held for some
years, were laid aside by his resignation, that he might devote his entire
attention to the practice of his profession. Locating in Norristown, Mr.
Swartz rose rapidly in the public favor and in 1877 was brought forward
as Republican candidate for district attorney. Although Montgomery

€1/l

BIOGRAPHICAL 17

county was then strongly Democratic, he was defeated by less than three
hundred votes. In his professional field he advanced rapidly, and in the
year 1881 he was the candidate of his party for the of^ce of county
judge. The following year he was appointed solicitor for the Board of
County Commissioners, a position he filled with large ability for some
years. Among the important cases he tried in his earlier years at the
bar was that of Moses Sutton, on trial for the murder of a Mrs. Roeder,
in which he was associated with B. E. Chain, as counsel for the defense,
the trial resulting in Sutton's acquittal.

The year 1887 saw the creation of the office of additional judge in
Montgomery county by the Pennsylvania State Legislature, and with
the approval of the entire county, Governor Beaver appointed Aaron S.
Swartz to fill this responsible of¥ice. Before the close of the same year
the death of Judge Boyer left vacant the office of president judge, and
in November, 1887, Judge Swartz was elected to that office for a term
of ten years, receiving a very substantial majority. At the expiration of
this term he was reelected without opposition, as he was again and
again, in 1908 and in 1918. His last term was to have expired January i,
1928, but his health became sadly broken in the spring of 1923, and on
April 3, 1923, he was retired on full salary, the county retaining his
services in an advisory capacity. Thus the record of Judge Swartz
stands as one of unusual distinction, additional law judge from May 2,
1887, until August 20, 1887, and president judge of Montgomery county
from August 20, 1887, until April 3, 1923. In his offices in the court
house he is now widely sought in consultation by his colleagues, and he
is in close touch with the courts in the service of which so many years
of his life have been spent.

Honors have been tendered Judge Swartz from more than one source.
In the year 1908 Lafayette College conferred upon him the degree of
Doctor of Laws, and in 191 5 Ursinus Academy also conferred that
degree upon him. Throughout his career as a jurist his efforts were
always towards instilling a respect for the law, but not only this, he gave
his most earnest endeavors to reform the transgressor and inspire him
to right living and an honorable future. Dignified in manner. Judge
Swartz is nevertheless most kind-hearted and afifable. His sound judg-
ment and unfailing discharge of duty in the upholding of law and pre-
cedent made him a just and upright judge ; his opinions, carefully pre-
pared, were models of clearness, but above all he was earnest and con-
scientious in his efforts to reprove without destroying the spark of
hope which should inspire the offender to make a fresh beginning in the
path of righteousness. He has for many years been a member of the
First Presbyterian Church, of Norristown, and was long superintendent
of the Sunday school. Firm in his religious convictions, he is a citizen
beyond reproach and richly merits the esteem in which he is held. He
has long been a stockholder of the Bryn Mawr, Jcnkintown. and Penn
Trust companies.

Judge Swartz married Ann Louisa Keller, daughter of John Keller, of
Towamencin township, Montgomery county. Mrs. Swartz is a Repub-

Mont— 2

i8 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

lican in political affiliation, and is president of the League of Women
Voters of Norristown, also vice-president of the Political League of
Montgomery County. Judge and Mrs. Swartz are the parents of four
children : Gertrude S., wife of Robert George Buchanan, and they have
two children, Nancy and Robert George ; Edna S., a graduate of Wilson
College, wife of Victor J. Roberts, of Norristown, their only child being
a son, Victor J., Jr. ; Aaron S., a graduate of Princeton University, and
a prominent lawyer of Norristown, married Jean S. Buchanan, and they
have three children: Aaron S. (3), Clara R., and Walter Buchanan;
Anna, a graduate of Wilson College. Gertrude S., Edna S., and Anna
are all valedictorians of Wilson College.

AARON S. SWARTZ, JR.— Admitted to the bars of Montgomery
county and of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1911, Mr. Swartz has been
in continuous practice ever since, and as junior member of the well known
firm of Evans, High, Dettra & Swartz he is reaping the reward of a
profession which most generously repays honest effort and applied skill.
While the law has always held him closely, he has not neglected other
activities of community life, and in politics, athletic and sports associa-
tions and church work he is active and useful.

Aaron S. Swartz, Jr., was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, August
20, 1887, the son of Judge and Ann Louisa (Keller) Swartz. He attended
the public schools of his native place, graduating from the local high
school in the class of 1903, after which he entered Lawrenceville School
in preparation for his matriculation at Princeton College, graduating
from the latter institution in 1908 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts.
Having in the meantime decided to follow in his father's footsteps, and
with this end in view, he entered the law department of the University
of Pennsylvania and three years later won from here the degree of
Bachelor of Laws. This same year, 191 1, as has been previously men-
tioned, Mr. Swartz was admitted to practice law at the bars of Mont-
gomery county and Philadelphia. Immediately after admission, he began
practice in Norristown, associating himself with the firm of Evans and
Dettra. In 191 5 the firm of Evans, High, Dettra & Swartz was formed,
with offices at No. 329 DeKalb street.

Mr. Swartz is a director in the Norristown Trust Company and the
Wildman Manufacturing Company, both of the borough of Norristown.
In politics he is a Republican and for several years served as secretary
of the Republican County Committee. He afifiliates with Lodge No. 620,
Free and Accepted Masons, of Norristown ; the Patriotic Order of the
Sons of America, No. 114; Montgomery County Bar Association; Phi
Beta Phi fraternity of Princeton College ; Delta Phi fraternity of the
University of Pennsylvania ; and also holds membership in the Plymouth
Country Club and the Norristown Club, of which latter he is a charter
member and a director. In religion he is a Presbyterian and attends the
First Church of this denomination in Norristown, of which he is a
trustee.

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BIOGRAPHICAL 19

On January 27, 1914, at Norristown, Mr. Swartz was united in mar-
riage with Jean S. Buchanan, daughter of Alexander S. and Clara (Elliot)
Buchanan, the former a member of the Garrett, Buchanan Company.
Mr. and Mrs. Swartz are the parents of three children: Aaron S., 3rd,
born September 16, 1914; Clara Rosalie, born June 25. 1917; and Walter
Buchanan, born December 27, 1918.

Aaron S. Swartz, Jr., is still a young man, but his career has been
one of good work and satisfactory results. There can be no reasonable
doubt that the years which lie before him will be filled with greater
effort and more signal achievement.

EDWARD S. FRETZ— The industrial record of Edward S. Fretz is
the successful upbuilding of an enterprise, and when conditions destroyed
its prosperity, of the rearing in another field of a new business upon the
foundation of the old, which in scope and prosperity far surpassed the
first. This achievement forms the major part of the narrative following,
but it would prove an unfaithful record of his life if it failed to mention
the religious, civic, and humanitarian works that have been his closest
interests, not as a separate and distinct part of his activity, but as the
strength and essence of his life, diffusing influence and guidance through-
out those avenues his material progress has followed.

Mr. Fretz is of old Colonial descent, tracing his ancestry in this
country to early settlers of the name who came from the Palatinate, Ger-
many, in the early eighteenth century and purchased from the Penn
family a tract of land in Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Since that time
each generation has produced a group of hardy, able, and industrious
citizens who have contributed a valuable share to the development of the
State of Pennsylvania. Many of the name have also settled in other
sections of the country, but the line to which Edward S. Fretz belongs
remained upon the homestead tract.

Born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, Mr, Fretz is a son of Elias C.
Fretz, who served with a Pennsylvania regiment in the Civil War, and
of Anna B. (Sheip) Fretz, who lived in Philadelphia during the boy-
hood of Edward S. In order that he might attend the district school at
Skippack the lad made his home with an uncle during his school days,
and when his course in the district school was completed, continued his
studies during several spring terms in the West Chester Normal School.
He then engaged in teaching and for six years was "schoolmaster" in
Skippack. Like many of the young men of his time, Mr. Fretz was plan-
ning to make the teaching profession the steppingstone to another pro-
fession. He at that time was firmly resolved to enter the ministry, and
by teaching during the school term and working in Philadelphia during
the vacation seasons planned to secure the funds for his further education.
During one summer he was associated with the T, & J. W. Johnson, law
book publishers, of Philadelphia, and later entered the employ of the
"Philadelphia Press," where he was placed in charge of the rural circula-
tion department. A year and a half later he was promoted to the posi-

20 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

tion of advertising manager, and in this connection he became familiar
with the town news agencies. By this time he had become thoroughly
interested in a business career, and seeing a good opening in the news
agency line of Pottstown, formed a partnership with E. R. Cassel and
purchased the business of the A. C. Buckwalter Book Store, Station-
ery and News Agency, which for ten years they successfully operated
under the name of Cassel & Fretz. In the meantime the bicycle had
come into general use and Mr. Fretz had, in connection with his busi-
ness, been selling bicycles. In 1892 he, with W. I. Grubbs and others,
began in a small way to build bicycles. The enterprise was successful
and in 1893 was incorporated under the name of the Light Cycle Com-
pany, of which Mr. Fretz became sales manager and secretary. The first
bicycles built by the concern were constructed in a small frame building
located on Walnut street, but by 1894 the rapid increase in business made
larger quarters necessary and the first unit of the present plant was built.
In 1901 Mr. Grubbs sold his interest in the business, and in 1902 Mr.
Fretz was made general manager of the entire concern. It was about
this time, however, that the introduction and rapid increase of the use
of the automobile caused a country-wide slump in the bicycle business.
The plant of the Light Cycle Company was in danger of standing idle,
and Mr. Fretz began looking about for a profitable field of production in
connection with the new automobile industry. He decided to visit all
concerns engaged in the manufacture of automobiles and solicit orders
for the manufacture of "parts." He was fairly successful on the first
trip, and found that many of the new concerns would be glad to contract
for some of the many parts required for the assembling of a complete
automobile, but he received one order which he had to find a way to fill.
The differential gear invented by the De Dion Boutin Motorette Com-
pany of Brooklyn required for its most effective use an aluminum case.
The company desired Mr. Fretz to furnish the case. Here was a need
which Mr. Fretz did not know how he could fill, but decided to try.
After weeks of search and study, he found in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, a
man named Calvin Romig, who was an iron moulder by trade, and who
had in the rear of his home equipment for making brass castings. Calvin
Romig thought that the casting of aluminum could be successfuly
achieved, and was willing to try. Aluminum was secured from the Pitts-
burgh Reduction Company, and to the great relief of Mr. Fretz the
experiments were successful. Aluminum castings were a reality, and as
the process of casting greatly reduced the cost of the production of
aluminum parts, the new article was at once in demand by all manu-
facturers of automobiles, and the quest of Mr. Fretz for a profitable use to
which to devote his plant was at an end. The business grew rapidly,
and soon the number of his employees had far outgrown the number
required in the old bicycle manufacturing business, but he was able to
secure splendid cooperation. In 1912, when representatives of the radi-
cal element attempted to "organize" the plant, there was little or no
trouble, and the establishment continued under full and normal time.

BIOGRAPHICAL 21

Operations are conducted as the Light Manufacturing and Foundry
Company in the production of aluminum, brass and bronze castings,
automotive parts, such as motors and transmissions, also die castings for
automobiles and aeroplanes.

Mr. Fretz is one of those who believe that the "Golden Rule" will
"work" in business, and that a square deal to everybody is the best form
of insurance. His greatest interest is in his church, and as a member of
Trinity Reformed Church, of Pottstown, he has rendered active and
wholehearted service for many years, as deacon and elder for the past
quarter of a century, and as superintendent of the Sunday school for
over twenty-five years. His next interest is the Rotary Club, which he
has served as president, now a director, and which he believes represents
the spirit of the "Golden Rule," and he is also an active participant in the
Young Men's Christian Association aflfairs. Politically he gives his sup-
port to the principles of the Republican party, and he always votes care-
fully. He believes that every citizen should be required to vote, both in
the primaries and in the general elections. He considers that every citi-
zen is "in politics," that the Constitution puts him there, and that he can-
not avoid the performance of his duty without loss to himself and to the
State. In civic affairs Mr. Fretz stands for progress and for steady
adherence to high moral standards. He believes that everywhere, in all
cases, the "Golden Rule" and Christian principles are sound and sensible
guides for every day living, and earnestly seeks to embody those prin-
ciples in his own life. He is affiliated with a large number of com-
mercial and scientific organizations, including the Society of Auto-
motive Engineers ; Travelers' Protective Association ; World's Board
of Aeronautical Commissioners, Incorporated, which he serves as chair-
man of his district; Franklin Institute for Scientific Research in
Mechanical Fields ; American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical
Engineers ; board of directors of the Pottstown Young Men's Christian
Association ; the Motor and Accessories Manufacturers' Association ;
National Association of Credit Men ; and the National Foundry-
men's Association. He was also one of the original organizers of the
movement which resulted in the construction of the Lincoln Highway,
and is a member of the Lincoln Highway Association. As a member of
the Brookside Country Club, he finds healthful out-of-door recreation and
social intercourse, and he enjoys the friendship and esteem of many
friends.

Mr. Fretz has been twice married. He married (first) Virginia
Cameron Hoyer, daughter of Dr. Jacob Hoyer, of Harrisburg and later
of Philadelphia. She died in 1913. He married (second), November 9,
1916, Mabel Hobson, daughter of Freeland H. Hobson. To the first mar-
riage two daughters were born: i. Virginia C, who is a graduate of
Hood College, Frederick, Maryland, and was for one year in government
service as head of the Home Economics Department at Ponce, Porto
Rico. 2. Margaretta Coleman, a graduate of Bradford Academy, of
Bradford, Massachusetts. To the second marriage two children were
born : Edward Hobson and Jean Anne.

22 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

This, in outline, is the record of the effort and accomplishment of
Edward S. Fretz in practical affairs and in the works of good citizenship
and vigorous manhood. His days are full of resultful labor, public-
spirited activity, and the study that is at once his recreation and the
means by which he keeps abreast of the thought and progress of the
day. The pages of the history of the region in which his most productive
years have been spent open gladly to receive and preserve the record of
his career.

REV. L. KRYDER EVANS, D. D.— Rarely does the pastor of any
church endear himself to the entire community as closely as did Rev.
Dr. Evans, of Trinity Reformed Church, of Pottstown, whose death, in
the early spring of 1922, after a residence of more than half a century
in this city, brought sorrow to every one who had known him. Long
affectionately called the "pastor of the whole of Pottstown," it is par-
ticularly fitting that the story of his life be carried down to posterity in
the permanent records of Montgomery county. Dr. Evans was a native
of this State, a member of an old Center county family, and a son of
the late James G. and Rebecca (Kryder) Evans, of Center county. His
father was a farmer at Spring Mills, Gregg township, a man whose
breadth of mind and uprightness are reflected in the sons who went out
into the world from that modest farm home to lives of usefulness.

Dr. Evans was born at the family home near Spring Mills, Center
county, Pennsylvania, December 20, 1839, and died at his home in Potts-
town, No. 221 King street, March 2, 1922, having passed by more than
two months the eighty-second anniversary of his birth. As a child, Dr.
Evans lived close to nature on the home farm, and attended the district
schools near by. He was later a student at Aaronsburg Academy, under
Professor James I. Burrell, then spent three years teaching during the
winter months and working on the farm during the long summer vaca-
tions. His first school was in Brush Valley, and after teaching there one
year, he taught the Zion school, near Bellefonte, for two winters. Dur-
ing this time the young man gave much thought and study to theological
subjects, his purpose even then being to enter the Christian ministry.
Attending Fairview Seminary, at Nittany Valley, Center county, this
State, during the summer of i860, he completed his preparations for
college, and in the autumn of that year entered Franklin and Marshall
College. He was graduated from that institution as the valedictorian of
the class of 1864. receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts at that time.
Thirty-five years later his alma mater conferred upon him the degree of
Doctor of Divinity. Meanwhile, before his graduation. Dr. Evans
taught the Boalsburg Academy, of Center county, during a summer
term. In the fall of 1864 he entered the Theological Seminary of the
Reformed Church, which at that time was located at Mercersburg, Penn-
sylvania, and there he remained for one school year. After teaching at
Oley Academy, at Friedensburg, Berks county, Pennsylvania, until Sep-
tember, 1865, he went abroad and spent two years in study, six months

BIOGRAPHICAL 23

each at the University of Berlin and the University of Bonn, and one
year at the University of Tuebingen, one of the leading schools of
theology in the world. Returning to his native country and State in
September, 1867, he went before the West Susquehanna Classis, at Boals-
burg, Pennsylvania, for examination, and on the twenty-ninth of the
following month was licensed to preach.

Dr. Evans' first charge was at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where he
served the Reformed church for four years, supplying, during that period,
small churches in the vicinity, at Nippenose, White Deer and Black
Hole valleys, all villages of Lycoming county. Dr. Evans was called to
Trinity Reformed Church of Pottstown in the spring of 1871, and entered
upon his duties here on September 10, 1871. His pastorate was marked
by the steady growth of the church, from both the material and the
spiritual viewpoint, and also by a peculiarly happy relationship between
this and other church bodies of Pottstown. Dr. Evans led his people in
all good works, reaching out into the "highways and byways" in his
efforts to fulfill to the highest degree his sacred calling. He was one of
the founders of St. Paul's Reformed Mission at Stowe, in this county,
which has since become St. Paul's Reformed Church, and he presided at
the laying of the corner stone of the present church edifice in May, 1888'.

Broadly active in every community service, he did much in aid of
the Pottstown Hospital, helping to secure the State appropriation of
$10,000, which made possible the erection of the original building.
Long a member of the Berks County Historical Society, he always felt
a deep appreciation of the value of records of every kind, and he has been
said to have possessed the most complete accumulation of records of any
resident of Pottstown. These included all the marriages, baptisms and
funerals at which he had officiated, also very many events in his own
and other churches.

Dr. Evans served Trinity Reformed Church as pastor for forty-one
years, then, on account of his advancing years, he resigned on Septem-
ber I, 1912, and was succeeded by the Rev. J. Hamilton Smith, D. D.,
who came to Pottstown from Altoona, Pennsylvania, and is still pastor
of this church. Dr. Evans was elected pastor emeritus of Trinity, and
although no longer the active minister, he was still held in the closest
fellowship, and was sought among all the churches on the occasion of
funerals and weddings. It was in these latter years that he came most
closely to be in truth the pastor of all Pottstown. For years he had
assisted at the Memorial Day exercises of the local posts of the Grand
Army of the Republic, and during the last decade of his life he gave
himself more than ever to the people of the city. His kindliness and
benevolence, his great charity for others and his personal pleasure in the
happiness and well-being of others made every one his friend. Giving
no less of himself to the people of St. Paul's Church, to whom he had
always referred as '"my children," the whole city was interested in the
occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Dr. Evans' coming to Trinity,
which was celebrated by special services and receptions covering a period

24 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

of one week in December, 1921. He was presented with a very beautiful
bouquet of white roses and carnations on December 9th, at the home-
coming services at St. Paul's Church. His response to this gift, by which
he was deeply touched, was prophetic — "Lord, now lettest thou thy
servant depart in peace." The occasion was his last public address at
St. Paul's Church, and he was seen in other gatherings but few times
thereafter, his health definitely failing shortly afterwards. Dr. Evans
was president of the Pottstown Ministerial Association from its organiza-
tion in 1910 until his death, every election being unanimous. His asso-
ciates among the officers of this body were: Rev. H. F. J. Seneker,
pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Transfiguration, first vice-president,
and Rev. C. P. Warner, of the First Baptist Church, secretary. Dr.
Evans had not been in good health for a year previous to his decease,
but the end came as a shock to all who had so long seen his benevolent
face about the city. The funeral services were held on Monday, March
6, 1922, at the church which he had so long served as pastor, Rev. Dr.
Smith, the present pastor, officiating, assisted by Rev. George A. Rich-
ards, D. D., president of the General Synod of the Reformed Church, also
president of the Eastern Theological Seminary of Lancaster, Pennsyl-
vania; Rev. John C. Bowman, D. D., formerly president of the above
institution, who preached at the twenty-fifth and fiftieth anniversary
celebrations at Trinity, in honor of Dr. Evans ; and Rev. L B. Kurtz,
D, D., of Emmanual Lutheran Church, representing the Pottstown Min-
isterial Association. Members of the Consistory of Trinity Church, and
the Board of Control of the Sunday school acted as bearers, and the
body lay in state in the Sunday school room of the church from eleven
o'clock until two.

Dr. Evans married, October 28, 1875, Ella V. Longaker, daughter of
Daniel and Elizabeth (Boyer) Longaker, of Norristown, who survives
him. He is also survived by their two children, as follows: i. Anna R.,
wife of Dr. Frederick W. Van Buskirk, of Pottstown, their children
being: Frederick, Kryder Evans, Sarah Elizabeth and Anna Virginia
Van Buskirk. 2. Daniel Longaker, a sketch of whom follows. Dr. Evans
is also survived by a brother. Rev. John M. Evans, pastor of the
Reformed church of East Vincent, Chester county, Pennsylvania.
Another brother, J. Wells Evans, of Spring Mills, is now deceased.

In the passing of Dr. Evans a living influence for good has become
an inspiring memory. This is the one thought that comforts his sorrow-
ing friends. His long and useful life, his upright walk and Christian
example, will live long in the memory of all who knew him, and his influ-
ence for the highest attainment of Christian manhood will inspire those
who come after him.

DANIEL LONGAKER EVANS— Among the leading attorneys of
Pottstown, Pennsylvania, is one of her native sons, Daniel L. Evans.
Professional success has come to him in abundance due to his own
energy, determination and ability, and no movement looking toward

BIOGRAPHICAL 25

better things for his native town is ever without his generous support.
Daniel Longaker Evans was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, August
18, 1880, the son of Rev. Dr. L. Kryder and Ella V. (Longaker) Evans,
mentioned at length in preceding sketch.

Daniel L. Evans attended the public schools of his native place, and
later entered the Hill School, from which he was graduated in 1898. He
then entered Franklin and Marshall College, receiving from this institu-
tion the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1902 and Master of Arts in 1905.
Having decided to adopt law as his profession, he accordingly matricu-
lated in the law department of the University of Pennsylvania, and in
1905 received the degree of Bachelor of Laws. This same year he was
admitted to practice in the courts of Montgomery county and the State of
Pennsylvania, and immediately associated himself with the Hon. John
Marshall Gest at No. 400 Chestnut street, Philadelphia, later removing
to the Lafayette building, his headquarters at the present time. In 1907
he established himself in practice in Pottstown and it is here that he has
identified himself prominently with legal, fraternal and social circles.
His career at the bar has been meritorious, for he is learned in the law
and skilled in its application to the case at hand, making a client's case
his own and leaving no eflfort untried in order to fulfil the duty he feels
he owes to every man from whom he accepts a retainer. He is also a
director of the Citizens' National Bank of Pottstown ; the Shultz Baking
Company of Pottstown ; the Reading, Germantown & Norristown rail-
road; and president of the Pottstown Public Library, the Caballero Drug
Company of Philadelphia, and treasurer of the Jellico Creek Company.

Mr. Evans is a member of the Stichter Lodge, No. 254, Free and
Accepted Masons ; Pottstown Chapter, Royal Arch Masons ; Nativity
Commandery, Knights Templar; Philadelphia Consistory, having
attained the thirty-second degree in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite;
and Rajah Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows ; Foresters
of America ; Grath Krishma Grotto ; Brookside Country Club, of which
he is a charter member ; Rotary Club, of Pottstown, of which he was
president in 1920 and 1921 ; Pennsylvania State and Montgomery Bar
associations; Law Association of Philadelphia; Phi Kappa Sigma fra-
ternity of Franklin and Marshall College, and of the University of Penn-
sylvania Alumni Chapter. In the Trinity Reformed Church, of Potts-
town, of which Mr. Evans is a member, he has always been active, being
superintendent of its Sunday school and an elder in the church.

On October 20, 1908, Daniel Longaker Evans was united in marriage
with Gertrude Black Schofield, daughter of Dr. E. Lane and Mary
(Black) Schofield. Mrs. Schofield was the daughter of Judge James
Black, who was the first prohibition candidate for president and prac-
ticed law in Lancaster. Mr. and Mrs. Evans are the parents of five
children: Ellen Virginia, born July 27, 191 1 ; Daniel L., Jr., born Octo-
ber 24, 1914; Wilson Murray, born May 24, 1916; William Black, born
November 13, 1918; and Edward Schofield, born March 30, 1923. The
family reside at No. 713 King street, Pottstown.

26 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Daniel Longaker Evans is a man whose final mental endowments and
exceptional force of character have helped him to rear the fabric of his
own fortune both in the profession of the law and in the sphere of public
affairs.

HENRY LABAN S. RUTH— As president of the Citizens' National
Bank of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, Henry L. S. Ruth occupies a position of
responsibility and trust which he has ably filled since 1905, and to which
he came after a career of success as a business man. He adds to natural
ability wide experience and a temperament not given to either over-
caution or over-enthusiasm, either of which might overturn sound judg-
ment ; but possesses that nicely balanced mind which avoids the pitfalls
that beset the financier and steers wide of the excesses of the speculator.

The Ruth family is an old one in Bucks county, tracing to an ances-
tor who came to Pennsylvania with the tide of immigration about the
middle of the eighteenth century. The family has furnished many who
have become prominent as inventors or mechanicians of skill and ability,
also many eminent in financial and professional life.

The family was long seated in Prussia, and in Pennsylvania were resi-
dents of Montgomery county during the years preceding 1801. Rev.
David Ruth, great-great-grandfather of Henry L. S. Ruth, a minister of
the Mennonite faith, in 1901 moved from Hatfield township, Montgomery
county, to New Britain township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, with his
wife, Catherine, and eight children, four sons and four daughters. The
land he bought in New Britain was located on the banks of the Nesham-
iny, and remained in the family several generations ; Rev. David Ruth
died in 1820 and was succeeded in the ownership of the homestead on the
Neshaminy by his youngest son, Joseph ; Michael, the eldest son, settled
in Buckingham : Jacob, the third son, in Tinicum ; David, the second, and
Joseph, the fourth son, remaining in New Britain, all in Bucks county.
Descent in this line is traced through Joseph.

Joseph Ruth, fourth son of Rev. David and Catherine Ruth, was born
in Hatfield township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, but in 1801
was taken by his parents to New Britain township, Bucks county, where
he spent the remainder of his life, a farmer. He married Ann Price, and
after the death of his father in 1820, came into the ownership of the
homestead farm through purchase and there his life was passed. He
married, as stated, Ann Price, and among their children was a son, Henry
P., through whom descent is traced in this line.

Henry P. Ruth, son of Joseph and Ann (Price) Ruth, was born at
the homestead in New Britain township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania,
and there he died April 7, 1903. In 1853 he bought of his father a portion
of the old homestead farm and settled thereon, thus spending his life on
the same farm. Like his father and grandfather he was a member of
the Mennonite faith, and in politics a Republican. He married, in 1844,
Magdalena Swartley, born in New Britain township, September 28, 1824,
died at the Ruth homestead April 7, 1893, her husband surviving her ten

BIOGRAPHICAL 27

years. She was a daughter of John and Mary (Moyer) Swartley, and
granddaughter of Philip and his wife, Sarah (Rosenberger) Sewardley,
as the name was originally. Philip Sewardley was born in Eppinger,
Germany, October 28, 1764, died in New Britain township, Bucks county,
Pennsylvania, September 23, 1840. Sarah Rosenberger, his wife, was
born in Montgomery county and died in Bucks county, April 6, 1849.
Their son, John Swartley, was born in New Britain, June 8, 1792, and
there died March 14, 1856. His wife, Mary Moyer, was born in Spring-
field township, Bucks county, October 9, 1795, died in New Britain
township, April 10, 1872. Henry P. Ruth was active in the public life of
his township and filled several positions of trust. He left two sons,
John S., of further mention, and Joseph S., who married Sarah Leidy,
and had a family of seven.

John S. Ruth, eldest son of Henry P. and Magdalena (Swartley)
Ruth, was born at the homestead in New Britain township. Bucks county,
Pennsylvania, and during his active years was a farmer of Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania. He clung to the religious faith of his fathers'
and spent his life consistent with his profession. He retired prior to his
death in 1913, a resident of Lansdale, Pennsylvania. He married Sarah
A. Swartley, who bore him two sons, Henry L. S., whose name furnishes
the caption of this review, and Frank S., who died at the age of seven-
teen years. Sarah A. Swartley was a daughter of Henry R. and Anna
(Gilman) Swartley, her father a Bucks county farmer and most capable
business man, who after accumulating a goodly estate, retired. Mr. and
Mrs. Henry R. Swartley were Mennonites in religious faith. Their only
child, Sarah A., became the wife of John S. Ruth, and the mother of
Henry L. S. Ruth, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Ruth died in 1879.

Henry Laban S. Ruth, only son of John S. and Sarah A. (Swartley)
Ruth to reach man's estate, was born in New Britain township, Bucks
county, Pennsylvania, October 24, 1875. He was brought to Lansdale
with his parents when he was a small child and received his education in
the public schools of that borough. When school days were over, he
began his business career as a clerk in a Lansdale store, but later went
to Fox Chase, Philadelphia county, where he engaged in business for
himself. Thus he continued for five years, then returned to Lansdale
where he engaged in the real estate business and became the owner of
considerable property. In 1902 he was elected a director of the Lansdale
Trust Company, and in 1905, when that company was absorbed by the
Citizens' National Bank, he became president of that institution, a posi-
tion he has most ably filled during the seventeen years which have since
intervened. Mr. Ruth's interests are large in Lansdale and elsewhere,
and he takes an active interest in the affairs of the borough, having for
several years served as president of both the school board and Board of
Health. Politically he gives his support to the Republican party, and
his religious affiliation is with the Reformed church of Lansdale, being a
member of its consistory and active in all its work.

On April 5, 1897, in Philadelphia, Mr. Ruth married Caroline A.

28 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Kindig, daughter of Henry K. and Sophia (Anders) Kindig, her father a
wholesale grocer of Philadelphia and a man of strong business ability.
Mr. and Mrs. Kindig were the parents of seven children : Emma, widow
of Rev. Pennington Corson; Annie, married William F. Breitenbaugh ;
Kate, widow of T. A. James; Lillie, married Nathan Spencer; John,
deceased ; Marvin C, of Ambler, Pennsylvania, his father's business
successor ; and Caroline A., wife of Henry L. S. Ruth, of Lansdale. Mrs.
Ruth is active in woman's work and for five years has been president of
the National Guild. Mr. and Mrs. Ruth are the parents of a son, Henry
R. S. Ruth, born August 12, 1899, a student at Hahnemann Medical
College, class of 1923. Mr. Ruth is a member of the Masonic order,
holding all degrees of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite up to and
including the thirty-second.

HERBERT A. BOSTOCK, M. D.— Of English birth and parentage
Dr. Bostock was brought to the United States by his parents when but
a boy and practically knows no other home. He is a son of Edward and
Mary (Johnson) Bostock; his Grandfather Bostock was an English
chemist who died in his native land at the great age of ninety years.
Edward Bostock, born in England, was a glass blower by trade and the
owner of a large hotel at West Bromwich, England. He came to the
United States in 1884 and journeyed as far westward as Rock Island,
Illinois. Later he returned to England, sold his hotel, and in 1887 came
again to the United States, settling in Norristown, Pennsylvania, being
the boss blower in the old Albertson Glass Factory. After the closing
of that factory he worked in different parts of the country until his death
in Philadelphia, November 25, 191 1. Mary (Johnson) Bostock died in
Norristown, February 7, 1898. They were both members of St. John's
Episcopal Church, Mrs. Bostock being an active worker at Holy Trinity
Chapel. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bostock are buried in Riverside Cemetery
in Norristown. The Bostock family burying ground is located in Nunea-
ton, near Stratford-on-Avon. England. An American, searching old
English cemeteries for epitaphs, said, that in the old Bostock family
burying ground he found upon a tombstone the following epitaph, and
thought it was the finest one he found :

Praises on tombs are trifles vainb' spent,
A man's good name is his best monument.

Edward and Mary (Johnson) Bostock were the parents of four sons:
Edgar H., of New York, president of the Bostock and Rhoades Com-
pany; Herbert A., of further mention; Frank, president and general
manager of the Sunflower and Victory Glass Factories of Sapulpa, Okla-
homa ; and Daniel E., a veteran of the World War, who enlisted in the
English Army in January, 1915, and served five and a half years, being
thrice wounded on French battlefields, returning with the rank of first
lieutenant of The Royal Engineers. He was twice cited for bravery, and
was awarded five medals for distinguished service. He was the first

BIOGRAPHICAL 29

Norristown man to enlist in the World War. The sons are all members
of the Episcopal church.

Herbert A. Bostock was born in Staffordshire, near Birmingham,
England, June 27, 1875, and there spent the first twelve years of his
life. He came with his mother and two brothers to Norristown in 1888,
and there completed grammar and high school courses of study. After
two years in high school he entered the Lowenberg Drug Store and
worked as clerk and student for four years, but part of that period was
in the drug store of Charles B. Ashton, becoming manager of the latter
store located at the corner of Fourth and Holstein streets, Bridgeport.
He spent a year in study at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and suc-
cessfully passed the Pennsylvania Pharmaceutical Board of Examiners,
receiving the degree of Q. A.

Deciding upon the profession of medicine he studied under Dr. J. J.
Kane, of Norristown, then in the fall of 1895 entered Jefferson Medical
College, where he completed a four years' course of study, receiving his
M. D. degree at graduation on May 15, 1899. He at once located in
Norristown, where he has since been in continuous practice, his clientele
large and his standing high. He was for several years county physician,
and for a number of years has been coroner's physician for Montgomery
county.

Dr. Bostock is a fellow of the Forbes Anatomical League of Jefferson
Medical College; member, and in 1916 president of the Montgomery
County Medical Society, also a trustee and a co-editor of the society's
journal, "The Montgomery County Medical Bulletin," to which he is a
liberal contributor, also chairman of the society's committee on public
policy; member of Pennsylvania State Medical Society, and for several
years past has been a delegate from the county to the convention of the
State society, has discussed papers before the State body and is well
known in the profession. Among the papers he has prepared and pre-
sented to the county society are the following: "President's Address,
1916;" "Prenatal and Postnatal Care as a Factor in Lowering the Obste-
tric Mortality;" "Vagitus Uterinus ;" "Obstetrical Statistics in One
Thousand Cases of Labor;" and Obstetric Technique,"

Dr. Bostock was for one year president of the Schuylkill Valley
Medical Club, a purely social organization, limited to a membership of
thirty physicians of Norristown and vicinity. He is obstetrician upon the
staff of Montgomery Hospital and as such has charge of the maternity
department of the hospital. He is also secretary of the medical board,
composed of members of the staff. His obstetrical practice is large, and
that branch of medical practice has become his specialty. He is called,
in the capacity of specialist, into many consultations, not only by the
physicians of Norristown, but from nearly every part of the county.
During the war period, 1917-18, he was examining physician to the
Norristown draft board, being the first physician appointed to that serv-
ice in the city. At that time he was chairman of the British Recruiting
Mission for the Norristown section.

30 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

In politics Dr. Bostock is a Republican and member of the Mont-
gomery County Republican Committee from the Fifth Ward of Norris-
town. He is treasurer of the Borough Republican Executive Commit-
tee ; has served as a member of the city school board for the past four-
teen years ; was vice-president of the board some years, and was chairman
of the building committee in charge of the erection of the George Wash-
ington School. He takes a deep interest in civic aiTairs, and is especially
interested in the East End Improvement Society, of which he has been
president since its organization. For a number of years Doctor Bostock
was an active member of Montgomery Hose Company, and he is physi-
cian to the Norristown Fire Department. He is a member of the Masonic
order, afifiliated with both Norristown Lodge, No. 620, Free and Accepted
Masons, and Norristown Chapter, No. 190, Royal Arch Masons. In
Odd Fellowship he is a past noble grand of Curtis Lodge, No. 239, Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a member of St. John's Epis-
copal Church ; has served the Brotherhood of St. Andrew as secretary-
treasurer of the county organization ; and has rendered valued service as
an official of St. Mark's Guild, Holy Trinity Chapel as lay reader, and
Holy Trinity Sunday School as librarian. A good sportsman, he has in
the past served Norristown Association Football Club as its manager
and secretary for a number of years, and has always stood as the patron
of all out-of-door sports and recreations.

Dr. Herbert A. Bostock married, on April 8, 1903, Claire Dorothea
Bauman, daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Bechtel) Bauman, of Bechtels-
ville, Berks county, Pennsylvania.

FREAS STYER— Among the German families that early settled in
Worcester township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, was that of
Styer, represented at the present time in Norristown by Freas Styer, a
member of the Montgomery county bar. Stephanus Styer, the founder
of the family, was born in Bohemia in 1688; his father, John Nicholas
Stieger (as he spelled the name), was an officer in the Prussian army, in
the fighting in Bohemia with the Austrians in 1688. Stephanus Styer
settled on a farm of one hundred acres in Worcester township, Montgom-
ery county, in 1727, a site being set apart upon which a Mennonite meet-
ing house was built, which is yet in use and known as the Metatha
Church. He was christened by a Catholic priest, the army chaplain, but
died in the Mennonite faith. He had sons: Jacob, of whom further;
Stephen and Daniel ; daughters : Catherine, Anna, and Gertrude.

Jacob Styer, son of Stephanus Styer, was a farmer of Montgomery
county, and the father of a son John Styer, grandfather of John (2)
Styer, great-grandfather of William Augustus Styer, and great-great-
grandfather of Freas Styer. John (2) Styer and his wife, Hannah, were
the parents of four sons: Amos; Alfred; Lewis, cashier of the People's
National Bank of Norristown, from its organization in 1881 until his
death in 1903 ; William Augustus, of further mention, and a daughter,
Mary.

TX^,^^:^ O^^^

BIOGRAPHICAL 31

William Augustus Styer, son of John (2) and Hannah Styer, follow-
ing in the footsteps of his ancestors in Montgomery county, was a
farmer of Whitpain township, residing on a farm of one hundred acres
in that township until 1898, when Norristown became the family home.
He married Elizabeth Keeley Freas and to them eight children were
born, six living to mature years: Henry C, Hannah; Freas, whose
career is herein reviewed ; Martha C, Horace E. and Ellis K.

Freas Styer, son of William A. and Elizabeth Keeley (Freas) Styer,
was born at the home farm in Whitpain township, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, June 7, 1859, and there spent his youth. He began his
education in the district school, attending during the winter months,
and then continued his study in Treemount Seminary and in Centre
Square Academy for several terms. He taught in the public schools of
Plymouth township, during the school years 1879-1880 and 1880-1881,
his college preparation continuing during these years. In September,
1881, he entered Lafayette College, where at the end of a four years'
course he was graduated A. B., class of 1885. In 1888 Mr. Styer received
from his alma mater the degree A. M. In June following graduation he
began the study of law under Nicholas H. Larzalere, of Norristown, and
in October, 1887, he was admitted to practice at the IMontgomery county
bar.

In October, 1887, Mr. Styer began independent, private practice in
Norristown and has continued without intermission until the present,
1922. He became widely known as a lawyer of skill and ability and
always has commanded a large practice.

In addition to his law practice Mr. Styer acquired important business
interests. He was one of the original stockholders and board of directors
of the Penn Trust Company; was solicitor and a director of several
building and loan associations; an organizer, a director, and vice-presi-
dent of the Consumers' Ice Company of Norristown, an organizer and a
director of Cedar Hollow Lime Company, and a director of the Norris-
town Box Company.

A Republican in politics, Mr. Styer has from early manhood been an
active party man, taking a deep interest in county. State and National
politics. He has been chairman of the Republican County Committee of
Montgomery county since 1906, and a member of the Republican State
Central Committee during the same period. For ten years he was a
member of the borough Town Council from his ward ; was solicitor and
clerk to the county Board of Poor directors for ten years ; county solicitor
since 1912, and in July, 1921, was appointed superintendent of the
United States Mint at Philadelphia. He is a member of Montgomery
County and Pennsylvania State Bar associations ; Cold Point Grange,
Patrons of Husbandry ; Penn Square Camp, Patriotic Order Sons of
America; Norristown Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks;
Charity Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons ; Norristown Chapter. No.
90, Royal Arch Masons ; Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights
Templar; Plymouth Country Club ; Norristown Club, and, like his father
and grandfather, a member of the Society of Friends. He is eligible to

32 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

membership in the Sons of the Revolution, through the patriotic service
of his great-grandfather, John Styer, and through his maternal great-
grandfather, George Freas, both of whom served in the Revolutionary-
Army.

Freas Styer married, in 191 1, Gertrude M. Wire, of Cynwyd, Penn-
sylvania. The family residence is the Hotel Hamilton, Norristown.

GEORGE R. KITE — Few men of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania,
have been more constructively active, and that for the general good,
than George R. Kite, organizer of many branches of financial and public
utility enterprises, and for many years vice-president of the First
National Bank of Norristown. Mr. Kite comes of early English ances-
try, many generations in this country, members of the family in every
generation giving to their day and time inspiring examples of patriotic
devotion or civic usefulness. General Paschall, who served with Gen-
eral Lafayette in the Revolution, was a relative of the Kite family.

Edmund A. Kite, father of George R. Kite, was an early employee of
the Philadelphia & Reading railway, serving as station agent at Norristown
for many years. He was a man of more than usual prominence in the
community, and for six years was a member of the Town Council. He
married Elizabeth Harman, and both are long since deceased. They
belonged to the Society of Friends.

George R. Kite was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, March 3,
1852. His education was acquired in the local public schools, and his
career was begun as assistant ticket agent, at Mill Station, of the Phil-
adelphia & Reading Railroad Company, in Norristown. Later he acted
as telegraph operator for the superintendent of the Schuylkill Navigation
Company, of Bridgeport. Pennsylvania, and he was still later telegraph
operator and clerk for George and James M. Bullock, at their woolen
mills at Balligomingo. Upon severing his connection with the Bullock
interests he became telegraph operator and bookkeeper for S. Fulton &
Company, then leading iron manufacturers of Norristown. On Novem-
ber 4, 1873, Mr. Kite entered the First National Bank, of Norristown. in
the capacity of discount clerk, and he is now rounding out a full half
century of service with this institution. He has filled the various offices
up to vice-president, in which capacity he now serves, his endeavors
always for the advance and welfare of the institution, and for the benefit
of its stockholders and depositors.

Meanwhile, for more than fifty years, Mr. Kite has been a leading
spirit in many endeavors which have contributed in great measure to the
present prosperity and importance of the communities of Montgomery
county. In 1870 he was one of the organizers of the Fame Building and
Loan Association of Bridgeport, in which during the entire subsequent
period, and at the present time, he is a stockholder. He was one of the
organizers and stockholders of the Music Hall Association, in 1873, this
body having brought into existence the Grand Opera House of Norris-
town. He was one of the organizers and a stockholder of the Citizens'

r^ /^**4^^*^^^

BIOGRAPHICAL 33

Passenger Railway Company, which created the original Main street line
of the Norristown street railway service, and was made secretary of this
company. One of the organizers and stockholders of the Norristown
Electric Light & Power Company, he was for years vice-president of
that concern. Mr. Kite has long been treasurer of the Associated Char-
ities of Norristown, of which also he was an organizer. He is one of the
trustees of the Wright A. Bringhurst bequest, through which the rental
of thirty houses in the hands of the trustees is distributed among the
worthy poor.

An enterprise in which Mr. Kite has always taken the deepest satis-
faction was started in the year 1897, when the borough of Norristown
leased the water power at the Wyoming Mills and erected their own
electric lighting plant. Mr. Kite was made one of the electric commis-
sioners to operate the plant, which was successfully carried forward at a
great saving to the borough until the expiration of the lease, in Novem-
ber, 1922. A Republican by political affiliation, Mr. Kite has served as
school director and secretary of the school board, but has otherwise
never accepted political honors or responsibilities. Fraternally he is con-
nected with Charity Lodge, No. 190, Free and Accepted Masons, which
he served for twenty-one years as secretary, and Norristown Chapter,
No. 190, Royal Arch Masons. He has always been interested in out-of-
door sports and athletics, and is still a director of the Ersine Tennis
Club.

Mr. Kite married (first), October 16, 1877, i" West Conshohocken,
Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, Emma M. Moir, daughter of James
and Maria T. (Kent) Moir, who died, leaving the following children:
Bessie M., born August 31, 1878, now deceased ; Mary E., born November
28, 1879; James M., born December 7, 1880; Karl K., born January 13,
1883; and George E., born April 27, 1885. Mr. Kite married (second) at
Norristown, April 6, 1904, Elizabeth D. Gilbert, daughter of Solomon
and Anne (Lickens) Gilbert, and they reside at No. 1533 De Kalb street,
Norristown.

HENRY MARCH BROWNBACK— For more than forty years
Henry March Brownback has been one of the leading members of the
legal profession in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He has served
as district attorney of that county, as postmaster of Norristown, and as
solicitor for numerous county officials, and is well known throughout the
eastern part of the State.

Mr. Brownback traces his ancestry to Gerhard Brunback (anglicized
into Garrett Brownback), who sailed from Amsterdam in the ship "Con-
cord" in 1683, and landed at Philadelphia. Garrett Brownback settled
first at Germantown, but later removed to Chester county, where he
became a large landholder and the first hotel-keeper in that section. He
was also the founder of the Brownback Reformed Church, which is still
in existence. He was a prominent and influential citizen in his section of
the State, and lived to be ninety-six years of age, his death occurring

Mont — 3

34 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

about 1757. He married Mary Pepen, daughter of Howard and Mary
(Rittenhouse) Pepen, and they were the parents of two sons and four
daughters. The sons were: i. Benjamin, who married Mary Paul, and
became the father of three sons, Henry, John, and Edward. 2. Henry,
who married Magdalena Paul, and became the father of five children,
John, Peter, Benjamin, Annie, and Susan. One of the great-grandsons of
Garrett Brownback was William Brownback, grandfather of Henry
March Brownback.

William Brownback was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, and
after receiving a practical education in the public schools of his native
district, engaged in farming. He was a loyal and exemplary citizen, and
a lifelong member of the Reformed church, in the work of which he took
an active part. His death occurred July 29, 1890, at the age of eighty-
four years. He married Eliza Wilson, who died in 1840, aged thirty-
two years, leaving a family of four children, among whom was James
Brownback, of further mention.

James Brownback, son of William and Eliza (Wilson) Brownback,
was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, March 4, 1833. He received
his education in the public schools of his native district, and upon the
completion of his school training, engaged in farming, which occupation
he successfully followed for several years. In 1865, however, he sold out
his farm and some other interests, and engaged in business as an iron
founder at Linfield, Montgomery county, under the firm name of the
March-Brownback Stove Company.

James Brownback married, in 1857, at Lawrenceville, Chester county,
Pennsylvania, Ellen March, daughter of Michael and Susan (March)
March, and they became the parents of three children: Aida E., who
died November 13, 1899, wife of Henry G. Kulp, of Pottstown ; William
M., who married Annie Yocum, of Bryn Mawr, where the family reside ;
and Henry M., of further mention.

Henry March Brownback, son of James and Ellen (March) Brown-
back, was born in East Vincent township, Chester county, Pennsylvania,
December 17, i860, and removed to Linfield, Montgomery county, with
his parents, when he was seven years of age. He attended private schools,
then entered Ursinus College, at Collegeville, Pennsylvania, later read-
ing law in the offices of his uncle, Franklin March. After passing the
examinations he was admitted to the bar December 4, 1882, and at once
entered into a partnership with his uncle and preceptor, Franklin March,
under the firm name of March & Brownback. This connection was
maintained until January i, 1893, when the partnership was dissolved,
Mr. Brownback continuing practice alone. In 1909 he removed his
offices to the People's National Bank building, at No. 41 East Main
street, and there he has continued to the present time. He is well known
as an able attorney and a wise counsellor, and he has won the confidence
and esteem of both his professional associates and of his large clientele,
as well as of a host of personal friends. Along with his professional
activities he has found time for public service. In 1889 he was nominated

BIOGRAPHICAL 35

by the Republican party of his district to serve as district attorney for
Montgomery county, to which office he was duly elected the following
November, and that public office he filled with marked ability and faith-
fulness for a period of four years, from January i, 1890, to January i,
1894. In July, 1899, he was appointed postmaster at Norristown, by
President McKinley, and in January, 1903, his four-year term having
expired, he was re-appointed to that position by President Roosevelt.
During his term of service free rural delivery was instituted, and it was
also during his term of service that the movement for the erection of a
public building in Norristown was carried to a successful conclusion.
On February i, 1914, Mr. Brownback was elected a borough solicitor of
the borough of Norristown, and that official position he has held contin-
uously to the present time (1922). He is a member of the board of
directors of the Montgomery Trust Corporation, of Norristown, Penn-
sylvania ; director in the March-Brownback Store Company, and Bram-
cote Land Company, both of Pottstown, Pennsylvania; and solicitor for
the Bryn Mawr Trust Corporation, and for the Bryn Mawr National
Bank. Fraternally he is affiliated with Charity Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons; and with Lodge, No. 714, Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks, of Norristown. His clubs are the Norristown Club, the Penn Club,
of Philadelphia, and the Plymouth Country Club. He is also a member
of the Historical Society of Montgomery county.

On July 2, 1880, at Norristown, Pennsylvania, Henry M. Brownback
married Augustine Marguerite Lowe, daughter of Professor T. S. C.
Lowe, then a resident of Norristown, but later of Pasadena, California,
where he has been largely interested in railway construction, and of
Leontine TGashon) Lowe. Mr. and Mrs. Brownback are the parents of
two sons: i. Henry Lowe, born January 13, 1891, who enlisted for
service in the World War one week after the United States entered the
conflict, and served as first lieutenant in the Air Service, Aircraft Pro-
duction Department, Detroit, Michigan. He was sent to France to
observe the aeroplanes on the field of combat and also to observe the
different types of foreign planes in France, Italy and England. He
served at Kelly Field, Texas, and Cornell University, Ithaca, New York,
as instructor in machine gunnery and aero dynamics. 2. Russell James,
born October i, 1893, who enlisted the day war was declared, on April
6, 1917, and was commissioned a first lieutenant of infantry, and is still
(1923) adjutant of the Third Battalion, 316th Infantry, United States
Reserves. At the time of his enlistment he was senior at the University
of Pennsylvania, and was commissioned at Fort Niagara, New York, and
stationed at Camp Lee, Virginia, as chief personnel officer of the mus-
tering office, and in partial command of the demobilization office ; was
also at Camps Meade and McClellan previous to going to Camp Lee.

J. ELMER PORTER, M. D.— Probably there is no physician better
known in the field of surgery in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, than
Dr. Porter and yet, too, we may say of him that he ranks first among

36 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

the financiers as well. It is seldom that we find a man who has made a
name for himself in two fields so far removed, but such is the case with
the subject whose name heads this review.

The Porters are of Irish descent, but have long been residents of
Pennsylvania. John Porter, grandfather of Dr. Porter, was a native of
Philadelphia, and a blacksmith by trade. He married Elizabeth Hook,
and to them were born five children, among them Samuel H. Porter, of
whom further. David Rittenhouse Porter, governor of Pennsylvania in
1840, was a cousin to John Porter.

Samuel H. Porter, father of Dr. Porter, was born in South Coventry
township in 1830, and died in 1909, having spent his entire lifetime in
Coventry, where he followed agricultural pursuits. He married Martha
Greenofif, of Sumneytown, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, whose father,
Thomas Greenof?, came to this country from England and settled in
Chester county, where he was proprietor of a large woolen mill. Mr. and
Mrs. Samuel H. Porter were the parents of four children : John W., a
resident of Wichita, Kansas ; Samuel H., a druggist of Pottstown ; J.
Elmer, of further mention ; and Adella.

J. Elmer Porter, son of Samuel H. and Martha (Greenofif) Porter,
was born in Chester county, South Coventry township, August 12, 1865.
There he lived until he was twelve years of age, when he came to Potts-
town to school, graduating from the high school there in 1882. He then
returned to Chester county, where he taught school for one term, subse-
quently entering the drug store of John M. Cunningham, where he
acquired a knowledge of the drug business. Having in the meantime
determined to adopt medicine as his profession, and with this end in
view, he studied with Dr. Kellar of Pottstown and then matriculated at
Jefiferson ]\Iedical College, from which he was graduated with the degree
of Doctor of Medicine, April 2, 1886, with honors at the age of twenty.
The following year Dr. Porter was resident physician in Blackley Hospi-
tal, Philadelphia, after which he returned to Pottstown and permanently
established himself in the practice of his chosen profession. Three years
later Dr. Porter went to London, England, where he spent six months in
study under Sir William Lang, eye specialist at Moreland Hospital ;
with Sir Morrell McKenzie, throat specialist at Golden Square Hospital ;
and under Sir Frederick Trieves, Royal Surgeon at London General Hos-
pital. With a vast amount of theoretical and practical knowledge
obtained from the best sources, he returned to Pottstown to engage in
active practice, and it is needless to say that with such equipment,
together with an inborn talent for the work, that the years which have
intervened have brought him rich rewards, both from a professional and
a remunerative standpoint.

Professionally Dr. Porter holds membership in the American Medical
Association, of which he is a fellow ; the Montgomery County Medical
Society; and the Pennsylvania State Medical Association; he is presi-
dent and chief surgeon of the Pottstown General Hospital, having held
these offices since 1900; was appointed medical instructor of the post-

BIOGRAPHICAL 37

graduate school of the University of Pennsylvania in 1921 ; president of
the Pottstown Board of Health ; member of the Health Commission ;
member of the Senior Medical Reserve Corps of the United States in the
consultation branch; life member of JeflFerson Medical College Alumni;
life member of the American College of Surgeons, of which he is a fel-
low; and surgeon of the Philadelphia & Reading railroad.

It is hard to believe that it is possible for any one who has reached
such a height in the medical world to have found the time to devote
himself to financial afTairs, but Dr. Porter has done just this thing, and
in January, 1922, he was made president of the Pottstown Security Trust
Company, of which he had been a director since 1910. He is also a
director of the Pottstown Cold Storage Company ; president of the Potts-
town Mutual Fire Insurance Company ; and president of the Boyertown
Gas Company.

In politics, too, this busy man has also taken an active part, having
held the chair of burgess, 1903-04 and 1905, and was made a member of
the local school board in 1901. He is a Democrat in politics, and a
Presbyterian in religion.

Dr. Porter married (first), on June 13, 1894, Ada Elizabeth Kehl, who
died January 14, 1902, leaving one child of this union, Martha, who was
born October 9, 1900, and who graduated from Chevey Chase, Wash-
ington, class of 1921. Dr. Porter married (second) at Royersford, Penn-
sylvania, in November, 1908, Annela Newborn, daughter of Jonathan
and Mary (Hamilton) Newborn, and they are the parents of one child,
Mary Newborn, born January 8, 191 1. The family home is at No. 344
High street, Pottstown. Dr. Porter devotes what little time is left to
him from his professional and financial cares to reading and writing, and
has accomplished a prodigious amount of literary work for medical
journals.

J. AUBREY ANDERSON— Among the successful members of the
legal profession in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, is J. Aubrey
Anderson, who has been successfully engaged in general practice in
Norristown for more than sixteen years, and who besides being officially
connected with several banking institutions, among them the Bridgeport
National Bank, of which he is president, has found time for service as a
public official.

Mr. Anderson is a member of an old Pennsylvania family which
traces its ancestry to James Anderson, who came from Scotland and
settled in Chester county. He bought land of William Penn and this
farm is still in the Anderson family, being handed down to the youngest
son of each generation. Numerous descendants of the early family have
settled in various parts of the United States, but especially in Pennsyl-
vania and New Jersey, the home of the earliest representatives of the
family.

J. Aubrey Anderson was born in Gulph Mills, Upper Merion town-
ship, September 14, 1882, and received his education in the public schools

38 • HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

of his native district and in the University of Pennsylvania, where he
completed his law studies. He was admitted to the bar in 1906, and
since that time has devoted himself to his profession, engaging in general
practice in Norristown and in Philadelphia, He has practiced in all the
courts, has always practiced alone, and has made for himself a reputation
as an able attorney and a resourceful advocate.

Besides his responsibilities in his large and important general prac-
tice, Mr. Anderson holds the office of president of the Bridgeport National
Bank and as such has become well known as a successful executive. He
is a member of the board of directors of the Montgomery Trust Company
of Norristown and for many years was a member of the directors' board
of the First National Bank of Conshohocken. Politically he gives his
earnest support to the Republican party, and takes an active part in the
affairs of the organization. In 191 5 he became district attorney and
served in that office for four years ; in 1916 he served as a delegate to the
Republican National Convention ; and for many years has been solicitor
for the borough of Conshohocken, as well as being solicitor for the school
districts of that borough and the township of Upper Merion. Frater-
nally he is a member of Fritz Lodge, No. 420, Free and Accepted Masons
of Conshohocken ; professionally a member of the Montgomery County
Bar Association ; and socially holds membership in the Norristown Club,
the Plymouth Country Club and the Valley Forge Historical Society.
It is fitting to note here that Mr. Anderson's chief interest is in the above
last-named organization, for it is in this that he was one of the charter
members and now (1923) is one of the society's vice-presidents.

On November 20, 1907, at Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania, J. Aubrey
Anderson was united in marriage with Liddie Walker McFarland,
daughter of Arthur and Anna (Walker) McFarland, and they are the
parents of one child, Mary Corona, born July 2, 1918.

GEORGE LESLIE OMWAKE— The founding in this country of
the Omwake family of which George L. Omwake, president of Ursinus
College, is representative, constitutes an interesting chapter in the history
of that ancient family. The American ancestor, Leonhardt am Weg, was
a member of the original band of German pietists who gathered in the
region of Schwartzenau in Hesse Cassel to propagate a form of faith and
practice which was to be in strict accord with the teachings of the New
Testament. Since this involved a change in administering the rite of
baptism, this became in the popular mind the distinguishing feature, and
the new sect became known as the Taufer brethren. The authorities
were intolerant toward them and the company became broken up in
1 7 19, when a number of them came to the Province of Pennsylvania and
settled in Germantown. Others went down the Rhine and found tem-
porary residence in Holland, but in 1729 they were able to charter the
ship "Allen," James Craigie, master, and on July 7, 1729, that vessel
sailed from Rotterdam with thirty families (126 persons) on board,
among them Leonhardt am Weg, his wife Magdalina and, John Michael,

BIOGRAPHICAL 39

their son, a lad in his teens. Seventy-one days later the "Allen" arrived
at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the evidence seems to establish the
fact that the family above mentioned settled in Lancaster county. John
Michael am Weg, twenty-five years after the landing in 1729, obtained
title to a tract of three hundred acres in that county near the present
Reinholds Station, and about the year 1800 Jacob (2) am Weg, son of
Jacob (i) am Weg, and grandson of John Michael am Weg, settled in
the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania in the southern part of Franklin
county. There among the Scotch-Irish the name, which had now become
contracted to Amweg, became Omwake, a change accepted by the family
who, rejoicing in their citizenship in a free land, did not resent the change
of name.

Thus the family came to Pennsylvania and to the Omwake name.
John Omwake, son of Jacob (2) am Weg, succeeded to the homestead
established by his father in the Cumberland Valley, and had a son Henry,
born in 1830, who married Eveline Beaver, daughter of Squire John
Beaver, an early and famous school master, who later located in Indiana.
Henry Omwake and his bride located in a neighboring township, Antrim,
where he taught school, a profession he followed for nineteen years.
Later they possessed the old Whitmer homestead near Greencastle.
They were the parents of eleven children, eight sons and a daughter reach-
ing maturity, and for forty years, until the death of the father, death did
not enter that home. This review deals with the career of the seventh
son, George Leslie Omwake, since 1912 president of Ursinus College.
Henry Omwake, the father, died January 4, 1910, having served his
county as commissioner, and his township in various ofifices. He was a
successful farmer and a man of influence in his community, his religion
the faith of the Reformed church. His wife, Eveline (Beaver) Omwake,
died June 13, 1914.

George Leslie Omwake was born on the homestead farm near Green-
castle, Pennsylvania, July 13, 1871. His education was begun in the
public school of his district. Developing some skill in free hand draw-
ing, his father considered placing him under an artist to have his talent
developed, but instead, after completing high school study, he taught
school for two terms. He then entered Shippensburg State Normal
School, whence he was graduated in the class of 1893. He taught for one
term after graduation, then entered Mercersburg Academy where he
completed college preparation and continued an extra year, covering
college first year work, and at the same time earned his way at the Acad-
emy by teaching elementary Latin and English, and editing the Academy
monthly.

In the fall of 1895. he entered Ursinus College in the sophomore year,
there continuing until graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in
the class of 1898. The influence of home training and a sincere desire to
be of service to his fellowmen led him to choose the ministry as his pro-
fession. He pursued regular courses in theology at Yale Divinity School,
and some special courses in the department of philosophy in the Graduate

40 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

School, and was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Divinity in
1901. He was sought by the president of Ursinus, his alma mater, during
his last year at the Divinity School and induced to accept a minor posi-
tion on the college teaching staff, and to assist the president in his admin-
istrative work. Regarding this as but a temporary step that would aid
him in eventually securing a pastorate in the Reformed church, Dr.
Owwake accepted the position. From his entrance upon his duties the
logic of events led him to a field of service akin to, but apart, from the
ministry and he was never ordained.

The oldest member of the faculty of Ursinus, a graduate of Yale, class
of '59 had been serving as dean, and at the age of seventy he resigned.
The faculty chose its youngest member as the old professor's successor,
and thus another link was forged in the chain of events that was to keep
Dr. Omwake in the service of Ursinus College. He was created a full
professor upon being made dean, an office which he held for six years
(1903-1909) and filled the chair of the history and philosophy of edu-
cation. In 1909 he was elected vice-president, and in 1912 came to the
presidency of his alma mater. He was inducted into office October 7,
1913, with fitting ceremonies in which representatives of the leading
colleges and universities of the country took part. Franklin and Marshall
College conferred upon him, in 1910, the degree of Doctor of Pedagogy,
and in 1923 the degree of Doctor of Laws. He is a recognized authority
on matters educational.

During his first years in office alterations and improvements were
made to the college buildings. This enabled Dr. Omwake to take an
advanced position on the subject of student domestic life and to estab-
lish higher standards of proficiency in college work. His tenure of office
continues (1923) and Ursinus has wonderfully prospered during his
decade of administration.

Dr. Omwake has met to the limit of his ability the popular demand for
his professional service outside the college. For several years he had
given himself freely to the work of Teachers Institutes in Pennsylvania,
and was a factor in elevating their standards and increasing their useful-
ness. As a trustee of the Pennsylvania State Education Association he
has aided in making that body more efficient and helpful to the cause,
and he has written and lectured extensively. Articles from his able pen
have appeared in journals and publications, but the burden of his literary
work has been done on the publications issued by Ursinus College, having
for eighteen years been editor of the college publications.

Dr. Omwake is a member, and in 1918 was president of The Associa-
tion of College Presidents of Pennsylvania ; secretary of education and
publicity of the Forward Movement of the Reformed Church in the
United States; member of the National Society of College Teachers of
Education; American Academy of Political and Social Science; Penn-
sylvania State Education Association (trustee).

In religious work he has long been active, serving Trinity Reformed
Church of Collegeville in different capacities, including Sunday school

BIOGRAPHICAL 41

superintendent. He is a member of the executive committee of the Lay-
men's Missionary Movement; a member of the General Council of Pres-
byterian and Reformed Churches in America; and in igi8-2i was presi-
dent of the Council, and a member of the World Alliance of Reformed
and Presbyterian Churches. He was the editor and co-author of "Jo^"
H. A. Bomberger, Centenary Volume" (1917) ; "Forward Movement
Handbook of the Reformed Church in the United States" (1918) ; and
editor of the "Forward Movement Bulletin" (1918 to 1922).

During the World War period, 1917-18, Dr. Omwake served as assist-
ant director of the Pennsylvania State Council of National Defense, in
charge of work among colleges and universities, and as representative
from Pennsylvania on the National Commission for Student War Service.
In political principles he is a Democrat, but is an independent voter and
never has been a candidate for either appointive or elective office. He is
a member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and in all these
organizations takes a deep and abiding interest. He is not affiliated with
any fraternal orders nor a member of any clubs.

Dr. Omwake married (first), June 18, 1902, at Hummelstown, Penn-
sylvania, Bessie May Landis, who died February 10, 1904. He married
(second), August 28, 1906, at Collegeville, Pennsylvania, Sophie Hend-
ricks Casselberry, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Hendricks) Cassel-
berry. Dr. and Mrs. Omwake are the parents of two children : Stanley
Casselberry, born March 15, 1908, and Eveline Beaver, born October i,
1911.

RICHARD VAN ZEELUST MATTISON, Ph. G., M. D., also a
manufacturer and capitalist, was born in Solebury township, Bucks
county, Pennsylvania, November 17, 1851, son of Joseph Jones and
Mahala (Van Zeelust) Mattison. He is a direct descendant of the well
known feudal Scotch highland clan of Mathieson, and his family records
are traced back to the time of the Vikings or Norse adventurers, those
daring spirits who drove the native inhabitants out of the Ross, Cro-
marty and Sutherland counties of Scotland in the fourth century.

Major Mathieson, of the present Scottish division of the family, owns
the Island of Lewis on the Hebridean coast, containing 650,000 acres.
His father. Sir James Mathieson, established the famous Hebridean
herring fisheries, expending more than $2,000,000 for that purpose, after
which he donated these great fisheries to the public use. Lady Mathie-
son resides at Stornaway Castle, Loch Alsh ; Sir Kenneth Mathieson at
Ardross Castle, with 400,000 acres, and the family owns other large
tracts in the counties of Ross and Cromarty in Scotland.

Mr. Mattison's earliest paternal American ancestor was James Mathie-
son, who emigrated from the Island of Lewis, Scotland, in 1683, ^"d settled
in Hunterdon county. New Jersey, and subsequently purchased an estate
above New Hope along the Delaware river, in Bucks county, Pennsyl-
vania, which is still among the possessions of the family. James Mathie-
son's wife was Mary (Lee) Mathieson, and through them the line oi
descent is traced to their son, Richard Mattison, as he spelled the name,

42 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

and his wife, Mary (Pownall) Mattison, who were the grandparents of
Dr. Mattison. Dr. Mattison's maternal grandparents were Asher and
Mahala Van Zeelust. the latter of Dutch descent. Joseph Jones Matti-
son, father of Dr. Mattison, was of Bucks county, Pennsylvania. His
immediate Pownall forbears followed William Penn in the good ship
"Friends' Adventure" (which was the next ship following the "Wel-
come"), in 1681, emigrating with other prominent Quakers from Bucks
county, England.

The preliminary education of Richard Van Zeelust Mattison was
received in the public schools of Bucks county, Pennsylvania. In 1872
he entered the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, and in the following
year was elected president of the senior class, having been also the presi-
dent of the summer class during this semester. Immediately after gradu-
ation he was elected a trustee of the college, which position he has con-
tinuously filled for the past forty-five years, serving during a large por-
tion of this period as vice-president. He was graduated at the Philadel-
phia College of Pharmacy in 1873, winning the pharmacy honors by
obtaining the highest average of any of his competitors among the hun-
dred odd members of the graduating class. He was graduated with high
honors at the University of Pennsylvania, medical department, in 1879,
with the degree of M. D. Upon graduating from the College of Pharmacy
he formed a partnership with his classmate, Henry G. Keasbey, to
engage particularly in the manufacture of pharmaceutical chemicals, and
this co-partnership was succeeded by the corporation, the Keasbey &
Mattison Company, upon the retirement of Mr. Keasbey in 1892. Dur-
ing the preceding twenty years, the manufacturing firm greatly increased
its business until, at the date of incorporation, the plant covered nearly
four acres, with more than fifteen acres of floor space. The extensive
manufacturing plant incidentally includes a large machine shop, a tin-
smithery, carpenter's shop, and blacksmith's shop, and employs one
thousand hands. The continued and signal success of this enormous
industry, the manufacture of magnesia insulations and asbestos textiles,
is due in a great measure to the untiring efiforts of Dr. Richard Van Z.
Mattison. He has been in close touch with all the details of the busi-
ness since its organization in 1873, and upon its incorporation in iSq2 he
became its president and general manager.

The firm of Keasbey & Mattison and its successor, the Keasbey &
Mattison Company, have from their inception enjoyed a high reputation
among pharmacists for the honesty and integrity both of their prepara-
tions and of their treatment of their customers. This policy has been
well appreciated by the trade, and the books of the company bear upon
their pages the names of many thousands of the most progressive and
successful merchants and manufacturers in the United States. I^V. Mat-
tison is also president of the Bell Asbestos Mines, a mining corporation
located at Thetford Mines, Province of Quebec. Canada ; Asbestos
Shingle, Slate and Sheathing Company, Ambler Spring Water Company,
Upper Dublin Water Company, and has been vice-president of the Phil-
adelphia College of Pharmacy, president of the Philadelphia Drug Ex-

/^^^L^Z^Zi^^i^^^^^^

BIOGRAPHICAL 43

change, president of the First National Bank of Ambler, four-fifths of the
capital stock of which he still retains, and is actively interested in vari-
ous other industrial, financial and commercial institutions in Ambler,
Philadelphia, New York, Montreal, Quebec Province, and other places.

He is a member of the American Pharmaceutical Association, the
National Wholesale Druggists' Association, the Association of Ameri-
can Manufacturers, and of the Union League, Church, Country, and
Manufacturers' clubs, of Philadelphia. From 1873 to 1883, in addition
to his manufacturing pursuits, Dr. Mattison, at the request of the mem-
bers of the alumni, acted as instructor for several years in theoretical
and practical chemistry at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy.
Throughout this period, and for years afterward, the columns of the col-
lege publication, the "American Journal of Pharmacy," were frequently
filled with emanations from his pen, new ideas were advanced, and con-
troversies engendered, all serving to make his name still more widely
known to the profession throughout the country.

As a memorial to his deceased daughter, Esther Victoria, he erected,
furnished and presented the Diocese of Pennsylvania with Trinity
Memorial Protestant Episcopal Church, of Ambler, erected and equipped
at a cost of $150,000, a Gothic type of ecclesiastical architecture, which
contains the series of windows which are so marvelous in their artistry
that the church is known in architectural circles throughout the country
as "The Church of the Beautiful Windows." This church is visited by
artists from all parts of the United States, the windows being considered
the most harmonious series of church windows in this country. Dr.
Mattison is noted for his forcefulness and good judgment, and his advice
is constantly being sought by many people in all walks of life.

Dr. Mattison married (first), at Hightstown, New Jersey, November
4, 1874, Esther Drafter, daughter of James Drafter, of Cranbury, New
Jersey, a veteran of the British army service. Among children born to
Dr. and Mrs. Mattison were two sons, both married: Richard Van Z., Jr.
(1879), vice-president and general manager of the Keasbey & Mattison
Company, and of a number of other industrial concerns; and Royal, a
sketch of whom follows.

After the death of his wife. Dr. Mattison married (second), April 27,
1920, Mrs. Eleanor Cottrell Seger, of Princeton, New Jersey, daughter
of John R. Cottrell. Mrs. Mattison is of French Huguenot descent and
of prominent New Jersey family, Cottrells having served in the Revolu-
tion under General Washington, fighting at the battle of Trenton and
in other engagements of that war. The family home is "Lindenwold,"
in Ambler, and the summer home, "Bushy Park," is at Newport, Rhode
Island.

ROYAL MATTISON, who was born and reared in Ambler, Pennsyl-
vania, has been a lifelong resident of this county, and now, as one of the
leading executives of an important group of industrial organizations, he
is taking a leading place in the aflfairs of the community. Mr. Mattison
is a member of an old Montgomery county family, and is a son of Dr.

44 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Richard Van Zeelust and Esther (Drafter) Mattison. Dr. Mattison has
for many years been a manufacturer of asbestos materials, and is presi-
dent of the Keasby & Mattison Company, one of Montgomery county's
foremost concerns of international reputation.

Royal Mattison was born in Ambler, Pennsylvania, June 21, 1892.
Following his elementary studies in the public schools, he attended
William Penn Charter School, at Philadelphia, from which he was gradu-
ated in the class of 1910. He then entered the University of Pennsyl-
vania as a member of the class of 1914, but remained for only two years,
laying aside his studies to take a position in the plant of which his father
was the head. It was in 1913 that Mr. Mattison became identified with
the Asbestos Shingle, Slate & Sheathing Company, and familiarizing him-
self with the various departments of production and distribution, pre-
pared himself for the responsibilities of executive activity by the practical
method of experience. He is now vice-president and general manager of
the above concern, also vice-president of the Keasby & Mattison Com-
pany and all of the various subsidiaries of the organization.

Mr. Mattison is a director of the First National Bank of Ambler, and
is a member of the Manufacturers' Club of Philadelphia. Fraternally he
is widely prominent, holding membership in Fort Washington Lodge,
No. 308, Free and Accepted Masons ; Fort Washington Chapter, No.
220, Royal Arch Masons, of which he is king; Mary Commandery, No.
36, Knights Templar; Philadelphia Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scot-
tish Rite ; and Lu Lu Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine. He is affiliated with the Episcopal church, while Mrs. Mattison
is a member of the Baptist church.

Royal Mattison married, in Ambler, Pennsylvania, April 20, 1914,
Florence Estelle Stiver, daughter of William Conrad and Caroline
(Benezet) Stiver, and they have one son. Royal, Jr., born February 17,
1915-

MATTHIAS LEVENGOOD MARCH— For nearly two hundred
years the family of which Matthias L. March is representative has been
domiciled in Pennsylvania. The line of descent on the maternal side is
from Ulrich Levengood (originally Leibenguth), who was born in the
Palatinate of Germany in 1689, and came to Pennsylvania with his wife
and his son Adam in 1733, in the ship "Charming Betsey," landing in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in October, having sailed June 28, 1733.
They settled at Faulkner's Swamp, a short distance from the present city
of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, where Ulrich Levengood bought land, on
which he settled.

Adam Levengood, son of Ulrich Levengood, born in Germany in 1716,
settled in New Hanover township, Montgomery county. He was seven-
teen years of age when he arrived in Pennsylvania, where he became a
landowner, and later, by inheritance, acquired the old homestead. Not-
withstanding the fact that he was long past the age of military service
during the War of the Revolution, he shared the hardships of its cam-

BIOGRAPHICAL 45

paigns, and during the Revolution, when the Continentals were encamped
at Fegleysville, with his team and wagons aided in transporting wounded
soldiers to the hospitals in Reading, Pennsylvania. He died at a great
age. Adam Levengood married, and had a son, Matthias (i), the great-
grandfather of Matthias Levengood March. Matthias (2) Levengood was
born on his father's homestead in Montgomery county, and was married
at Trappe, Pennsylvania, in the edifice which has now become an object
of great historical interest as the oldest Lutheran church in the United
States. The Rev. Harry Melchior Muhlenberg performed the ceremony,
and the couple, so happily married, had a long, prosperous and success-
ful life, the mother living to the great age of one hundred and one years
and seven months. She was the mother of Matthias (2) Levengood,
who married Elizabeth Reinert, and they were the parents of sixteen
children, one of whom was Sarah Levengood, the wife of Isaac F.
March, and the mother of Matthias Levengood March of this review.
This line of descent is thus summarized: (I) Ulrich Levengood, the
American ancestor; (II) Adam Levengood, who came from Germany
with his parents; (III) Matthias (i) Levengood; (IV) Matthias (2)
Levengood; (V) Sarah Levengood, married Isaac F. March; (VI) Mat-
thias Levengood March.

Mr. March thus represents the sixth, and his children the seventh
generation of a family whose life is woven into the very fabric of the
nation. From homesteads lying among the green meadows and valleys
of Berks and Montgomery counties, its sons and daughters have gone
forth to help make America great, and whenever the call has come for
either lives or treasure to support the nation's cause, the family has
freely given both. Within the last decade two sons of Matthias L.
March have worn the United States uniform in active service, one as an
officer of the io8th Field Artillery, overseas, the other as a member of
the United States Marine Corps.

On the paternal side descent is traced from Isaac March, a descendant
of the famous March family of Scotland and England, who are of frequent
mention in history and romance, Sir Walter Scott frequently using char-
acters of the March clan. The family settled in Chester county, Penn-
sylvania.

Isaac F. and Sarah (Levengood) March settled in Douglas town-
ship, Berks county, Pennsylvania, and there Matthias L. March, their
eldest son was born. They were also the parents of seven other children,
all of whom are living: Ellsworth; Irvin, married Anna Knapp ; Isaac,
married Annie Nagle ; Delila, married Harry Koch; Morris, married;
Harvey Linton, married Leah Hoffman ; and Mary E., married John
Haas.

Matthias Levengood March, eldest son of Isaac F. and Sarah (Leven-
good) March, was born in Douglas township, Berks county, Pennsyl-
vania, July ID, 1862. He attended the public schools of the district and
spent his youth at the home farm. He studied bookkeeping and busi-
ness methods under a private tutor and soon he was made his father's

46 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

assistant, beginning in the first mill which Isaac F. March owned and
operated as one of his several business activities. He had been familiar
with the mill from early boyhood and when he began regularly to learn
the miller's trade and business he advanced rapidly. At the age of
eighteen he was trusted with full charge of the mill during his father's
absences.

At about this time the young man, with his father's consent, traveled
through Western Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas,
spending one year at Little River, Kansas, a year of most interesting
experiences. Notwithstanding the great slaughter of the buffalo on the
plains of Kansas and Nebraska, they were not extinct, and a single skin
could yet be bought for as little as five dollars. The cowboy was in his
heyday; great herds of long horns were feeding on the ranges, and
Indians, in full regalia, were common sights in the border towns. The
"round-up" was a regular event, and twice a year the wranglers appeared
driving before them droves of wild bronchos destined to find purchasers
in the rapidly-filling towns along the new railroad. Land was cheap and
plentiful and long strings of covered wagons were continually crossing
the prairie on their way to new government homesteads. Mr. March has
always regarded his year on the Kansas prairie as one during which he
was privileged to see history in the making. He returned to Pennsyl-
vania with new ideas and a firmer and more resolute belief in the future
of his country.

Upon his return to Pennsylvania Mr. March found his father about
to embark in the lumber business and he at once joined him in his new
enterprise. The business thus founded was carried on at Monocacy,
Pennsylvania, under the name of Isaac F. March, from 1881 to 1883,
inclusive. At the end of the year 1883 the business was moved to Birds-
boro, and in 1886 was reorganized as I. F. March's Sons and permanently
located at Bridgeport, Pennsylvania. During the early years of the busi-
ness Matthias L. March's interest was chiefly that of a son anxious to be
of assistance to his father, but for his own account he taught school at
Monocacy for live years with success and continued as a teacher at
Birdsboro for the year succeeding the transfer of the March business to
that town. In 1886 he gave up teaching and entered the firm of I. F.
Marsh's Sons at Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, and then began his long
career as a business man. From the beginning the business of I. F.
March's Sons grew steadily and has now reached large proportions, the
firm dealing in coal, lumber and building materials, with a large volume
of yearly sales. The firm plant at Bridgeport comprises a large lumber
and coal yard, a two-story planing mill, and a one-story box factory, with
modern equipment and offices. Mr. March is an expert in the selection
of the raw materials in which he deals ; is a trained lumberman able
to appraise timber lands at sight; and is an authority on the Pennsyl-
vania lumber industry. His interest in coal is equal to his interest in
lumber, and few men in Pennsylvania have a more exact knowledge of
this great mineral fuel. An advocate of conservation, he believes the

BIOGRAPHICAL 47

public should be instructed in regard to the intelligent use of coal, as, in
his opinion, a great deal of anthracite has been wasted by consumers who
have used it for purposes for which a lower grade fuel would have served
as well.

Isaac F. March held the office of treasurer of Berks county and from
him the son inherited a talent for public finance. For twenty-five years
he has been president of the Fame Building and Loan Association of
Bridgeport, an association that has helped many small investors to
become property owners. He is a director of the Montgomery National
Bank of Norristown ; the Norristown Trust Company ; Norristown Water
Company ; and the Norristown Brick Company. Highly-regarded in the
business, social, and commercial circles of Montgomery county, he stands
for that which is best in national life, and to his constructive citizen-
ship, good fellowship, and indomitable energy, his fellow-townsmen
have more than once paid tribute in gratitude and esteem. Mr. March
has served as a director of schools for ten years, and for one year,
1887 to 1888, he was burgess of Bridgeport. Mr. March is a member
of Charity Lodge, No. 190, Free and Accepted Masons of Norristown,
of which he is a past master; is a companion of Norristown Chapter, No.
190, Royal Arch Masons, of which he is a past high priest ; is a Sir
Knight and past eminent commander of Hutchinson Commandery,
Knights Templar; and a member of Philadelphia Consistory, Ancient
Accepted Scottish Rite. He is a member of the Philadelphia Lumber-
men's Golf Club and the Plymouth Country Club, and seldom misses an
opportunity to engage in his favorite sport on the beautiful links of these
organizations. He also holds membership in the Norristown Club and
in the Ersine Tennis Club.

In religious faith Mr. March is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church of the Trinity at Norristown, of which he was formerly a deacon,
now an elder, and for twenty years superintendent of the Sunday school.
He is president of the Church Council ; a trustee of the Lutheran Thelogi-
cal Seminary at Mt. Airy, and of the Orphans' Home at Germantown.

On February 2, 1883, Mr. March married (first) at Amityville, Berks
county, Pennsylvania, Sarah J. Ludwig, daughter of Hiram E. and Ellen
(Lorah) Ludwig, her father a farmer of Berks county, now deceased ;
her mother still living. Mrs. March, born in 1861, died September 5,
1888, at the age of twenty-seven years. Like her husband, she was a
devoted member of the Lutheran church and was tireless in her eflforts
to further the activities of the parish. She left two children: i. William
A., born January i, 1884, who is now in business with his father, and is
general manager of the March box factory. He has served for many
years in the Pennsylvania National Guard, and during the World War
period, 1917-18, was commissioned major of the io8th Field Artillery and
served overseas with the Twenty-eighth Division of the American
Expeditionary Forced. At the present time he is colonel of the Second
Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard, located at Philadelphia.
2. Ethel Naomi, born March 13, 1885. She married Walter Jamison, and

48 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

resides in Dayton, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Jamison are the parents of five
children: Helen, Matthias March, Eleanor, Geraldine and William.

On October 23, 1894, Mr. March married (second) at Norristown,
Lila May Kieger, daughter of John and Annie (Vandergrift) Kieger,
both deceased, her father a wheelwright at Bridgeport, Pennsylvania.
Mr. and Mrs. March are the parents of six children : i. Matthias Russell,
born June 30, 1896, who is associated with his father in business and has
charge of the March lumber yard. During the war with Germany he
enlisted for service in the Marine Corps and was assigned to duty in the
United States. The signing of the armistice put an end to hostilities
before he received orders to go overseas and he was honorably discharged
without having reached the front, to his great disappointment. He
married. June i, 1921, Alice Forrest, daughter of John W. and Elizabeth
Ann (Rhoads) Forrest, of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. 2. Anna Leven-
good. 3. John Ellsworth. 4. Robert Irving. 5. George Kieger. 6. Eliza-
beth May.

J. FRANK BOYER — Among the leading business men of Norris-
town, Pennsylvania, is J. Frank Boyer, president of the J. Frank Boyer
Plumbing and Heating Company. It is not this organization alone that
has brought Mr. Boyer's name into prominence in this county seat of
Montgomery, however, for he is and has ever been the effective head of
many corporations, and has ever interested himself in whatever promised
to advance the welfare and prosperity of Norristown, his home town.

Michael Boyer, father of J. Frank Boyer, was a native of Upper
Salford township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, his birth having
occurred there May 28, 1821. He attended Washington Hall Collegiate
Institute at Trappe, and engaged for a time in the occupation of teaching.
He was a Democrat in politics and having secured his party's nomination
for sheriff of Montgomery in 1852, he was elected to that office, serving for
three years. After the expiration of this term, Mr. Boyer remained in
Norristown and was for many years one of its active business men and
manufacturers. He formed a partnership with William Schall, for
making nails, and afterwards became interested in the Norris Iron
Works, a successful establishment which employed more than one hun-
dred and fifty hands. Mr. Boyer was the inventor of many patentable
articles, for more than fifty of which he secured patents, among them
being the Boyer Hoof Liniment, a company being formed to make and
sell it. Mr. Boyer married Mary Ziegler, and to them were born the
following children : Jesse, who died in 1922 ; Katie, deceased, formerly
the wife of Daniel Jacoby, a lawyer of Norristown ; Wallace, deceased ;
Horace G., who is identified with a trust company of Philadelphia ; H.
Wilson, a mason contractor of Norristown ; Michael, deceased ; Howard
C, deceased; Harry Z., who died in 1920; Mary L., deceased; J. Frank,
of further mention ; and Charles, deceased. Michael Boyer died October
10. 1891, and his wife passed away April i, 1910.

J. Frank Boyer, son of Michael and Mary (Ziegler) Boyer, was born

BIOGRAPHICAL 49

in Norristown, Pennsylvania, March 2, 1867. He attended the public
schools of his native place until he was sixteen years of age, when he
terminated his studies in order to engage in active business. Immedi-
ately upon leaving school he secured a position with Frank W. Wilson,
to learn the tin, stove and hardware business. On July 11, 1885, with a
capital of one hundred and fifty dollars, he started in business on his
own account on Main street, opposite Mill street, where he remained
until 1889, when he moved to Main and Green streets. Here Mr. Boyer
continued to do business on an ever-increasing scale, until finally the
enterprise had outgrown its accommodations and it became necessary to
seek larger quarters. It was at this time that he built a three-story
building at No. 118 East Main street. This structure was two hundred
and forty feet long and twenty-two feet wide, and it is here that he intro-
duced the idea of a showroom for displaying goods. It is interesting to
note in the way of history that his was the first showroom in this part
of the country, and was a room one hundred feet long, displaying in
large part all the new and modern plumbing appliances. In 1902 the
business was incorporated under the name of the J. Frank Boyer Plumb-
ing and Heating Company, with the following personnel : J. Frank
Boyer, president; Joseph A. Curran, treasurer; and Elmer E. Beideman,
secretary. In 1907 Mr. Boyer acquired the property of James Boyd, at
Nos. 31 and 2)3 East Main street, and here erected what is known as
Boyer's Arcade. This building is two hundred forty feet long, forty feet
wide, and three stories high, having two stores fronting on Main street,
and comprising sixty-six offices. The company has its office and show-
room here, with its workshop and warehouse in the rear, facing Penn
street, and carries the largest retail stock of its kind in the country. This
building, or rather this arcade, had proven such a success that in 1922
Messrs. Boyer and Curran purchased the property at Nos. 51-61 East
Main street, remodelling the old building and putting on an addition,
giving a one hundred foot frontage with a depth of one hundred and fifty
feet and a height of three stories. There are five stores facing Main
street, with separate entrances to the arcade, and the structure contains
thirty-seven offices and two large halls, all known as the Curran Arcade.
Both arcades represented the last word in architecture and materials at
the time of building and are a great asset to the borough.

Mr. Boyer's chief interest is real estate, and he has handled more large
real estate deals than any other man in Montgomery county. Among
many other deals, the purchase and selling of the Rambo and Mont-
gomery hotels of Norristown was accomplished by him, and other enter-
prises, of which Mr. Boyer was president, and in which he has been an
indefatigable worker, are the Hamilton Terrace Company, the Norris-
town Brick Company, the Hamilton Apartment Company, and Curran
Terrace. The Hamilton Terrace Company was formed to develop the
tract known as Hamilton Terrace, on which it laid out streets, graded
them at an enormous expense, and erected more than two hundred and
fifty homes. It comprises twenty-three acres, and is the show place

Mont— 4

50 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

of the west side of Norristown. The Norristown Brick Company, suc-
cessor to the Morgan Brick Company, produces a fine product, the enter-
prise being the first really successful brickmaking establishment in Nor-
ristown. The Hamilton Apartment Company, which was another
instance of Mr. Boyer's ability for organization, planned, erected and
filled the building with families who are among the best in Norristown,
the arrangements to secure the occupants devolving almost entirely on
Mr. Boyer. The Curran Terrace is the outgrowth of the purchase of the
Curran farm in 1916, consisting of sixty-six acres, which is laid out with
private boulevards and hedge fences, and has building restrictions. Two-
thirds of it is situated in the borough of Norristown, the rest in Plymouth
township. This tract of land has also been developed to a large extent,
and already there have been eighteen houses built upon it, the section
being known as the show place of the east side of Norristown. The tract
is large enough for one hundred houses.

Mr. Boyer is an Independent in politics, preferring to vote for the
man regardless of party choice. He served a term as councilman at the
age of twenty-two years, being the youngest member ever elected to that
body, and his action even at that early date on matters before the
council was dictated solely by a desire to promote the public welfare, and
not for mere partisan reasons. He is a director of the Norristown Trust
Company, and for twenty years served as a director of the People's
National Bank, resigning that position in 1918. It was through Mr.
Boyer's efforts that the new bank building was built. He is affiliated
with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 714, of
Norristown ; is contributing member of the Hancock Fire Company of
the West End ; is the originator of the Norristown Club, having done the
missionary work towards its organization, and in 1922 held the office of
second vice-president of that body ; and holds membership in the Plym-
outh Country Club, and the Norristown Driving Club. He has traveled
extensively from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast, being well informed as
to the business conditions throughout the country, which in no small way
has helped him to reach a successful goal in his various undertakings.

J. Frank Boyer married, on November 14, 1888, Annie G. Curran,
daughter of Patrick and Rose (Sheridan) Curran, the former a well
known and prominent citizen of Norristown. Mr. and Mrs. Boyer reside
at No. 720 DeKalb street, in what is known as the Franklin Apartments.
This building is another of Mr. Boyer's real estate enterprises, for after
purchasing this property he remodelled the structure into eight spacious
apartments, retaining one for his own use. Both Mr. and Mrs. Boyer are
great lovers of horses, and for the past twenty-five years they have
owned and bred fast trotting horses. The beautiful Boyer stable on
Curran Terrace at present houses five horses, and these he enters in
meets throughout the States of Ohio, Pennsylvania and the East, as well
as at local fairs.

SAMUEL OSBORNE HOBART— One of the business men of Mont-
gomery county, Pennsylvania, who has made for himself an enviable

BIOGRAPHICAL 51

record as a successful administrator and executive, is Samuel Osborne
Hobart, manager of the Eastern Steel Company's plant at Pottstown,
Pennsylvania. Mr. Hobart is a member of the board of directors and
manager of the Eastern Coal and Coke Company, a subsidiary of the
Eastern Steel Company. In these days of labor disturbances and diflficult
adjustment of conflicting interests, it is a distinction, both honorable and
rare, to be at the head of a concern vi^hich has never had a "strike," has
never been petitioned for increase of v^^ages, and which holds its
employees through long terms of years. In this plant, increases are
given before they are asked for, and a committee composed of the heads
of the various departments assists in the adjustment of all matters in
which the mutual interests of employes and employers are concerned.
The plant is one of the oldest in the East, and there are few in the country
at the present time which equal it either in amount of production or
equipment.

(I) Mr. Hobart is a descendant of several old Colonial lines, includ-
ing those of the Potts and Rutter families, as well as the old New Eng-
land Hobart family. On the paternal side he traces descent from Edmund
Hobart, who came to this country from the village of Hingham, County
of Norfolk, England, in 1663, as a result of having adopted the "heretical"
views of the hated "dissenters." He settled in Hingham, Massachusetts,
of which town he was one of the founders, and there he became one of
the most prominent citizens. He held important offices, and for a suc-
cession of years was chosen to represent his district in the State Legis-
lature. His children were : Edmund ; Peter ; Thomas ; Joshua, of further
mention ; Rebecca ; and Sarah.

(II) Joshua Hobart, youngest son of Edmund Hobart, was prominent
and influential in civil and military affairs. He was speaker of the
House of Deputies of Massachusetts in 1674. He married and reared a
family of children, among whom was John, of further mention.

(HI) John Hobart, son of Joshua Hobart, was extensively engaged in
the West Indian trade. He removed to Pennsylvania, and settled in
Kensington, which is now a part of Philadelphia. He married the daugh-
ter of a Swedish family, and among their children was Captain Enoch
Hobart, of further mention.

(IV) Captain Enoch Hobart, son of John Hobart, was also engaged
in the West Indian trade, and was commander of a merchant ship. He
married Hannah Pratt, and they were the parents of three sons and six
daughters. One of the sons was John Henry Hobart, the distinguished
bishop who became the champion of the Episcopal faith in America ; and
another was Robert Enoch, of further mention.

(V) Robert Enoch Hobart, son of Captain Enoch and Hannah
(Pratt) Hobart, was born April 25, 1768, and for many years resided in
Philadelphia. Subsequently, he removed to Pottstown. He married
Sarah Mary Potts, daughter of Samuel Potts, and they were the parents
of children : Nathaniel P. ; Robert E. ; John Henry, of further mention ;
Anna P.; Sarah P.; Rebecca; Mary; and Elizabeth.

52 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

(VI) John Henry Hobart, son of Robert Enoch and Sarah Mary
(Potts) Hobart, was born in Philadelphia, March 15, 1810. When a
child he removed to Pottstown with his parents, and there, in the village
school, he received his early school training. Later, in Reading, Penn-
sylvania, he continued his studies under the direction of Rev. John Grier,
and then entered a military school near Germantown. Two years later
he was enrolled among the cadets at West Point, in which institution he
remained until he was twenty-one years of age. He then resigned and
removed to Norristown, Pennsylvania, where he began the study of law
in the office of Daniel H. Mulvany. Two years later, at the May term
of 1836, he was admitted to the bar and immediately after passing his
examinations he engaged in practice in Norristown. There he remained
for a period of twenty years, from 1836 to 1856, at the end of which
time Pottstown became his place of residence and of professional practice.
In 1877 he retired from the active duties of his profession and returned
to Norristown, where he continued to reside to the time of his death.

Politically Mr. Hobart gave his support to the Democratic party, and
his first vote was cast for Andrew Jackson, In 1847 he was appointed
deputy attorney-general of the county of Montgomery, and in 1853 he
was elected district attorney. Throughout the long period of his pro-
fessional career, his abilities found an attractive field of labor in the
Orphans' Court. He took an active part in local public affairs, and in
Norristown served as burgess, member of the Town Council, and member
of the school board. He was a member of Strickler Lodge, No. 254,
Free and Accepted Masons, of Pottstown, in which he attained the rank
of past master; and his religious affiliation was with Christ Protestant
Episcopal Church of Pottstown. He married, in 1837, Mary J. Mintzer,
and they were the parents of six children : Robert Enoch, deceased ;
William Mintzer, of further mention ; David Potts ; John Henry,
deceased ; and two who died in infancy.

(VII) William Mintzer Hobart, son of John Henry and Mary J.
(Mintzer) Hobart, was born in February, 1841. He was in active service
throughout the period of the Civil War, and was captain and aide to
Major General Hancock. He is now (1923) living at Norristown, Penn-
sylvania, and is eighty-two years of age. He married Mary Elizabeth
Wills Rutter, daughter of Charles and Mary (Ives) Rutter, and grand-
daughter of David Rutter, of Berks county, Pennsylvania, both of whom
were descendants of the Potts family. William Mintzer and Mary
Elizabeth Wills (Rutter) Hobart were the parents of children: Anna
Potts, married Joseph Hartshorne ; Mary Ives, deceased ; Elizabeth Rut-
ter, who married John L. W. Mifflin ; and Samuel Osborne, of further
mention.

(VIII) Samuel Osborne Hobart, son of William Mintzer and Mary
Elizabeth Wills (Rutter) Hobart, was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania,
July 3, 1879, and received his early education in the public schools of his
native city. After graduating from the Pottstown High School, he
became a student in the Pottstown Business College, and then received

BIOGRAPHICAL 53

a technical education in Drexel Institute. Upon the completion of his
technical course, he secured his first employment with the Baldwin Loco-
motive Works in Philadelphia, which connection he maintained for a
period of two years. At the end of that time he became identified with
the mechanical department of the Pottstown Iron Works, where he
remained for two years more, and then began his long connection with the
Eastern Steel Company, lasting to the present time. During the twenty-
two years of his association with that firm he has served in every depart-
ment and worked on every job in the plant and doubtless that fact is
the key to the condition of well-nigh perfect cooperation between man-
agement and employees which exists throughout the plant at the present
time. Mr. Hobart is not only a member of the board of directors of the
Eastern Coal and Coke Company, but for the past ten years or more he
has been the wonderfully efficient and "understanding" manager of that
concern. The plant was originally the Warwick Furnaces, and was first
operated under the management of Major Jones. For many years it was
only moderately successful, but in 1900, the plant was reorganized by
Edgar S. Cox, who was then superintendent. At that time, though the
concern is one of the oldest in the country, the capacity of the plant was
only one hundred-fifty tons. Its capacity is now (1923) one thousand
tons, and in production as well as in equipment it has only a few equals
in the country. In 1912 the plant was taken over by the Eastern Steel
Company, under a lease, and at that time Mr. Hobart was made manager.
The history of the plant is not only the history of the iron and steel
industry, and the story of the development of the industry, but of certain
important phases of the labor question as well. There has never been
a strike in the plant of the Eastern Steel Company, never even a peti-
tion for increase of wages, and the explanation is simple. The manage-
ment has kept closely in touch with the work and with the workers, and
the needs as well as the "just earnings" have usually been anticipated.
Increases in pay have been given without waiting for requests, petitions,
and strikes ; men are encouraged and assisted in buying homes ; and in
the general management of affairs which concern both employers and
employees, the men have a voice through a committee composed of the
heads of the various departments. Mr. Hobart's thorough knowledge of
the work of all the departments of the plant and his experience as a
workman in each are important factors in securing and maintaining the
splendid cooperation which prevails throughout the concern. The fact
that nearly all employees remain for a long time reduces the losses of
labor "turn over" to a minimum and raises the efficiency of the human
element in the plant to a maximum. The happiness and content which
is the result of a square deal also increases the productive power of the
men, and Mr. Hobart has long ago demonstrated the fact that the golden
rule "works" in the iron and steel industry.

In addition to his activities and responsibilities as manager and a
member of the board of directors of the Eastern Coal and Coke Company,
Mr. Hobart is a member of the Iron and Steel Association ; of the Ameri-

54 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

can Mining Engineers, and of several clubs. He is a lover of out-of-door
life, and owns a farm in Chester county, which receives much of his
attention. As a member of the advisory board of Hobart College, which
was founded at Geneva, New York, by Bishop Hobart, Mr. Hobart
renders valuable service, and he is now an active member of the com-
mittee engaged in raising one million dollars as an endowment and
building fund for that institution of learning.

On May 4, 1909, Samuel O. Hobart married Sarah Ritter Fitzgerald,
daughter of Harrington Fitzgerald, a publisher of Philadelphia, and
granddaughter of Colonel Fitzgerald, the original owner and editor of
the "Item." and a close friend of Matthew Stanley Quay. Ritter Fitz-
gerald, paternal uncle of Mrs. Hobart, was an officer in the Civil War,
and was prominent in public life. He was attached to several European
embassies, and was United States Ambassador to Russia. Mr. and Mrs.
Hobart are the parents of five children : Samuel O. (2), Mary Elizabeth,
Sarah Ritter, Anne Stockton, and John Henry.

BARTON KATHCART THOMAS, M. D.— Among the successful
members of the medical profession in Montgomery county is Dr. Barton
Kathcart Thomas, who, after serving for a year as instructor in Jefiferson
Medical College, in Philadelphia, began practice in Pottstown. Inter-
rupted by the World War, he returned to Pottstown after his discharge
from the navy, and from 1920 to the present time has been successfully
engaged in general medical and surgical practice.

Born in Pine, Berks county, Pennsylvania, in 1887, son of Levi
Griffith, superintendent of the Pine Iron Works and later of the Potts-
town Iron Works, and Anna (Wells) Thomas, Dr. Thomas received
his early education in the public schools of Pottstown, graduating from
the Pottstown High School in 1908, and preparing for his medical course
by a year of post-graduate work in the same high school. He then
entered Jeflferson Medical College of Philadelphia, from which he was
graduated in 1913. After serving an interneship in the institution hos-
pital from which he had just graduated, he was appointed instructor of
laboratory clinical medicine there, which position he held for one year.
At the end of that time, having considerably widened his knowledge and
gained valuable experience, he began practice in Pottstown. With the
advent of war and the participation of the United States in the world
struggle, however, came an interruption of his professional career in
Pottstown. Young, strong, and just having completed a careful and
extended preparation for the medical and surgical profession, he was one
of the first to respond to his country's need, and enrolling in the navy in
May, 191 7, he served throughout the remainder of the period of the war.
He was enrolled as junior lieutenant in the United States Naval Reserve,
was made a senior lieutenant in 1918, and assigned to duty at Gray's
Ferry Road, later being transferred to the Naval Medical College, at
Washington, D. C, and to Rockefeller Institute, New York City. He
was then sent on a tour of inspection to Norfolk, Virginia, and still later

€l)arlc0 D. £0c;^^Dp

BIOGRAPHICAL 55

was made chief of the laboratory and consultant on surgical and medical
service at the Brooklyn Naval Hospital, in Brooklyn, New York. In
1920 he resumed practice in Pottstown, and since that time has been
successfully engaged in medical and surgical practice there. Already he
is known and trusted as a careful, skillful, and faithful physician and
surgeon, and he is building up a steadily increasing clientele.

Politically Dr. Thomas gives his allegiance to the principles and can-
didates of the Republican party, but his professional responsibilities do
not permit active participation in the affairs of his party. He keeps in
touch with his college associations through membership in the Nu Sigma
Nu medical fraternity, and professionally enlarges his outlook and keeps
abreast of the medical and surgical developments of the time through
affiliation with the Philadelphia County Medical Society, the American
Congress of Internal Medicine, of which he is a fellow ; and with the
Keen Surgical Society. His one recreational association is with the
Brookside Country Club, and his religious affiliation is with the First
Presbyterian Church of Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

On May 10, 1917, Dr. Thomas married, at Rahn's Hill, Pottstown,
Pennsylvania. Florence H. Nichols, daughter of Harry Garnell and Ella
(Houghtaling) Nichols, and they are the parents of two children : T.
Edmund W., born November 6, 1918; and Helen N., born August 11,
1920.

CHARLES D. McAVOY— Among the leading attorneys of Norris-
town, Pennsylvania, is Charles D. McAvoy, who since 1902 has been
successfully established in the legal profession in this community.
Besides his office here he has one in Philadelphia, which latter he estab-
lished in 1921, his clientele being extensive in both places. He is the son
of Dennis and Mary Nolan McAvoy, both deceased.

Mr. McAvoy was born in Danboro, Bucks county, Pennsylvania,
November 11, 1878. His early education was obtained in the Whitpain
public schools, after graduating from which he matriculated at Villa
Nova College, from which he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor
of Arts in 1898. He then entered the law office of Louis M. Childs, Esq.,
of Norristown, and three years later, on June 2, 1902, was admitted to
the Pennsylvania State bar to practice law, subsequently establishing
himself in the practice of his chosen profession at No. 3 East Airy street.
Here he remained for two years, removing thence to No. 415 Swede
street, where he stayed until February, 1920. when he opened his present
office in the McAvoy building, at No. 13 East Airy street.

During the World War he was appointed United States district attor-
ney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by President Wilson and
resigned August i, 1921. It was while he was acting as Federal attorney
that he prosecuted and convicted the Bergdolls, which case won for him
country-wide recognition. He was first assistant district attorney of
Montgomery from 1907 to 191 1. In politics Mr. McAvoy has always
been a Democrat, ever taking an active part in the affairs of the organ-

56 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ization. In 1904 he was an alternate delegate to the Democratic National
Convention at St. Louis, Missouri ; was Democratic National delegate to
the National convention at Denver, Colorado, in 1908; and delegate-at-
large from Pennsylvania to the Democratic National Convention at St.
Louis in 1916.

Mr. McAvoy is a director in Montgomery Trust Company of Norris-
town, the Norristown Club, and member of the board of governors of
the Plymouth Country Club. He holds membership in many of the
legal organizations ; the Whitemarsh Country Club ; Seaview Golf Club
of Atlantic City; and the Manufacturers' Club of Philadelphia. In
religion Mr. McAvoy is a Roman Catholic and attends St. Patrick's
Church of that denomination in Norristown.

On November 16, 1907, Charles D. McAvoy was united in marriage
with Mrs. Alice M. Kane, nee McDermott. To them have been born four
children: Charles D., Jr., August 8, 1908; Mary Katherine, born Sep-
tember 23, 1909; John Daniel, born January 12, 1913; Alice, born April
10, 1915, deceased. The family home is at No. 522 West Main street,
Norristown, and is among the finest homes in the town.

Mr. McAvoy is a devotee of all out-of-door sports, especially golf,
fishing, baseball and football, he having played the last two named at
college. As he has grown in years and wisdom, so too, has he grown in
public esteem, for his public spirit and interest in all that concerns the
community good, as well as the high quality of his professional attain-
ment, have won for him the commendation of a very wide circle of friends
and acquaintances.

HENRY J. KOGELSCHATZ— Among the funeral directors none is
better known than Mr. Kogelschatz, who has been engaged in this work
since 1886 in Norristown, Pennsylvania, where he now resides. He is a
son of Adolph F. and Anna (Grimm) Kogelschatz, the father an under-
taker at Baltimore, Maryland, and Martinsburg, West Virginia, who
worked his passage from Germany to this country and served in the
recruiting office at Baltimore, Maryland, during the Civil War.

Henry J. Kogelschatz was born at Baltimore, Maryland, July 31, 1863,
and received his education in the public schools of Martinsburg, West
Virginia, and at the Roanoke Seminary for three years. When he had
completed his schooling, he became associated with his father in the
undertaking business until 1886, when he moved to Norristown to work
with D. W. Mowday in his establishment. On the 1st of April, 1900 he
began on a modest scale to manage his own concern and after changing
his location from time to time, finally built where he is now located at
718-720 Swede street, in 1909. His is the only funeral establishment in
this locality having a chapel as part of the equipment, and in addition
he owns three hearses and two other cars.

He is a Republican in politics. Fraternally, he is affiliated with
Norristown Lodge, No. 190, Free and Accepted Masons ; Montgomery
Lodge, No. 57, and Norristown Encampment, Independent Order of
Odd Fellows; Norristown Lodge, No. 714, Benevolent and Protective

Zng byE.C- miliams & Bra IfT

^7~tr/^^e^<y e-/!^f:z^

BIOGRAPHICAL 57

Order of Elks; Norristown Lodge, No. 281, Loyal Order of Moose;
Washington Encampment, No. 502, Patriotic Order Sons of America of
Norristown; Shield of Honor; Sons of Veterans; and Tall Cedars of
Lebanon. He is also a member of the Norristown Club, and in religion,
of the Reformed Church of Ascension. He finds great delight in adding
new specimens of birds and animals to his present collection of over five
hundred.

Mr. Kogelschatz was twice married. He married (first), June 18,
1890, at Norristown, Pennsylvania, Jennie Tyson, daughter of Josiah R.
and Mary Jane (Hess) Tyson, both of whom are deceased. The father
was a mason in Norristown. He married (second), January 18, 1921,
Nannie B. Kratz, widow of W. Harry Kratz, of Baltimore, Maryland,
and daughter of Frisby Davis and Cornelia Ann (Butterworth) Boyer.
Her father was a butcher in Martinsburg and Huntington, West Vir-
ginia, until 1891, when he entered into retirement and resided at Hunt-
ington, West Virginia, until his death in 191 1. Her mother is still
living, at Huntington, West Virginia. By the first marriage there are
two children: Linnie, born January i, 1892, wife of Harlow S. Simp-
son of Norristown ; and Warren T., born August 5, 1899, associated in
business with his father. He was a student at Wenona, New Jersey,
Military School during the World War, but did not see service as the
tank corps was discontinued after the armistice was declared. There
were no children born to the second marriage.

Mrs. Kogelschatz by her first marriage with W. Harry Kratz had two
children: i. Esther Louise, born September i, 1893 and is now the wife
of Charles Edward Wollman, of Baltimore, Maryland, and they are the
parents of four children. 2. Henry Boyer, born July 9. 1896. now married
and living in Philadelphia and engaged in the real estate business.

THE WOOD FAMILY — Among those who are the builders of a
nation few are of greater importance "for weal or for woe," than are
these captains of industry whose constructive ability brings into exist-
ence the great business concerns which provide the means of livelihood
to great numbers of men, and at the same time provide the masses of
the people with the materials and the commodities which are the physical
basis as well as the material expression of our civilization. As the coral
islands and reefs are the physical remains of countless numbers of tiny
insect lives, each generation building upon the deposits of the generation
gone before, so, many of our big industrial concerns represent the life
work of several generations of the families which own and control them.

(I) The Wood family which for several generations has been build-
ing that immense concern known as the Alan Wood Iron and Steel Com-
pany is now represented by members of the sixth generation of iron
workers and iron masters, that is, the fifth generation from the James
Wood who started the iron business. The immigrant ancestor of the
family was James Wood, of the Society of Friends, born of English par-
ents in the city of Dublin, in 1706, who came to America about 1725, and
settled between Kloat and Blue Bell, in Whitpain township, Montgom-

58 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ery county, Pennsylvania. He died November 3, 1760, and was buried

at Plymouth Meeting. In 1732 he married Dawes, and among

their children was John.

(II) John Wood, seventh child of James and (Dawes) Wood,

was born January 25, 1747, and died in 1836. He married, in 1769, Cath-
erine Davis, and their eldest son was James, the first of his family to
engage in iron-making in this country.

(III) James Wood, son of John and Catherine (Davis) Wood, was
born October 23, 1771, upon a farm in Montgomery county, near Nar-
cissa, or Five Points, situated on the road from Plymouth Meeting to
Blue Bell. He was the first of his family in America to engage in the
iron business. In 1792 he established a "smithy" near Hickorytown
(then called Pigeontown), and was known as a "black and white smith,"
because in addition to the ordinary work of the countrj' blacksmith, he
also made kitchen or domestic wares. Later, but prior to 1805, he also
worked a tilthammer forge at "Hammer Hollow," a ravine in the south-
ern escarpment of the Chester valley, situated one miles north of the
present station of Straflford, on the Pennsylvania railroad, the place
deriving its name from the fact that hammers were the leading product
of the forge. "Hammer Hollow" is now a part of the property owned
by Major Stevens H. Heckscher. In 1808 Mr. Wood operated a forge
on the Pennypack creek, and ten years later, in 1818, he joined John and
Jacob Rogers, and Isaac Smedley, in a forge property at Valley Forge,
where they manufactured sickles, scythes, shovels, and other agricultural
implements, as well as files and cross-cut and circular saws. This forge
had already been long in operation when it was taken over by Mr. Wood
and his associates, the original forge having been built, according to the
best obtainable evidence, in 1742, by Stephen Evans, Daniel Walker, and
Joseph Williams, and purchased, in 1757, by John Potts, whose grand-
son, Isaac Potts, lived in the stone residence near the mouth of the creek,
which is now venerated as Washington's Headquarters. The original
forge was located a half mile up-stream, and the iron was brought to it
from Warwick furnace. During the time of the Revolution, it was
owned by William Dewees, Jr., and was destroyed by the British troops.
Some years later a new forge was built near the Dewees Mansion, and
was operated until 1824. The site of the old forge is on the property
owned by the late Senator Philander C. Knox. Mr. Wood and his asso-
ciates repaired the old Dewees forge, and Mr. Wood was made manager
of the concern. The company soon afterward began to turn out saws
and shovels, etc., erecting for that purpose a crucible steel furnace.
Writing of this enterprise, Swank says, in his "History of the Iron and
Steel Industry": "Mr. Wood's son, John Wood, of Conshohocken, stated
(about 1890) that the Valley Forge plant made some excellent steel, but
the project was soon abandoned. This was the first important crucible
steel enterprise in our history, brought to our notice." Writing of Val-
ley Forge in the year 1858, William J. Buck, historian of Montgomery
county, said : "There is now no forge or furnace in this vicinity, but
iron ore is still dug in considerable quantities about a quarter of a mile

BIOGRAPHICAL 59

from the village on the road to the King of Prussia." After the Valley
Forge venture, James Wood returned to the Pennypack. A recently
discovered patent of much interest as well as of historic value was issued
to him on February 10, 1825, for improvements in making shovels and
spades, the improvements being described as follows: "The blanks are
entirely of iron or steel, the blade being attached to the handle by means
of steel or iron straps fastened to the blade, and also to the handle by
rivets on the front and back sides of the blade and handle, the said
blades being each of a single piece of steel rolled to the proper dimen-
sions and not hammered." The patent was signed by James Monroe,
President ; John Quincy Adams, Secretary of State ; and William Wirt,
Attorney General.

In 1826 James Wood, still intent upon finding a favorable site for
the establishment of an iron industry, turned his attention to the State
of Delaware, records showing, however, that he held the Pennypack
property until April i, 1833, when he sold it to William Slater for $5,500.
At this time, iron-making had been conducted in a small way in Delaware
for about a century, deposits of bog ores being found in that State in
deposits of sand and clay of the tertiary period, and another source ot
supply being the famous Iron Hill, in Cecil county, IMaryland. The
last-named deposit was known as early at 1661, and mentioned by
Gabriel Thomas in 1695. Long before the Revolution, small "bloom-
eries" were in operation along Red Clay creek, an affluent of Christiana
creek, but after the War of 1812, when imported iron disappeared from
the American market and prices soared, a new impetus was given to the
industry which had, up to that time, been greatly handicapped. Upon
Red Clay creek, at Wooddale, about five miles northwest of Wilming-
ton, Delaware, stood a small water mill, which had probably been used
previous to 1826, to turn out nail plates. This mill James Wood and his
son, Alan, leased in 1826, for a period of five years, beginning March 25,
1827, though they took possession of the property at once. The neces-
sity of securing protective legislation against British competition had
resulted in the organization, in 1817, of the Delaware Society for Promot-
ing Manufactures, but the balance of power at Washington was held by
the farmers of the North and the cotton-growers of the South, who
favored a free market in this country for the manufactured articles of
Europe, and the efiforts of the manufacturers were for a long time
unavailing. It was only by securing very cheap and unskilled labor
and by the closest economy, that manufacturing interests could be main-
tained, and the prevailing rates of wages paid at the Delaware Iron
Works were from fifty cents to one dollar a day, upon yearly agreements.
Iron used at the Delaware Rolling Mill was bought in the form of bars,
from American, English, and Swedish mills, and it was then the practice
of James Wood & Son to buy and sell at six months' time, a discount of
five per cent, being allowed for cash. From the beginning, as shown by
their correspondence, the policy of the firm was to raise the quality of
their product, insisting upon the best raw material and careful
workmanship.

6o HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

The day book of the Delaware Iron Works was opened August 17,
1826, with the statement: "James Wood and his son Alan enter into
the rolling and manufacturing business at the Delaware Iron Works and
are to divide profit and loss equally." On a knoll overlooking the mill,
is a stone house where the members of the family in charge of the mill,
at various times, lived, and here for six years, from 1S26 to 1832, Alan
Wood lived, taking charge of the Delaware Iron Works, while his
father, James Wood, managed the store at No. 161 North Second street,
in Philadelphia. The day book shows that James Wood bought and
forwarded most of the raw material, including coal, used in the Delaware
Works, and that careful records were kept of all transactions between
the store and the "works." They rolled considerable steel, this being
brought in in the form of slabs or bars and rolled into shovel or saw
steel. At that time soft steel bars cost $125 a ton, while American iron
bars were $100 and Swedish $102.50 a ton. The Swedish iron plates
were charged to James Wood, by the mill, at $140 a ton and steel shovel
plates at $160. The Delaware Iron Works also manufactured some of
its products into shovels, hoes, etc., and shipped them to the store in
Philadelphia. The eight or ten men necessary to do the work were
boarded at a cost of $2.00 a week to the mill, and were paid in addition,
usually at the rate of $5 a week. The shearing and forming into shovels,
however, was done by piece work at so much per dozen. It is interest-
ing to note that by 1828 and 1829 the Delaware Iron Works was making
sheets ranging in gauge from No. 27 (about three-fourths of a pound to
the square foot) to No. 10 (over five pounds to the square foot) and
sometimes rolled small cast steel ingots into circular saw plates.

In May, 1832, the business was removed to Conshohocken, not only
the equipment of anvils, shears, and other tools being transferred, but
the men themselves were transferred and the day book began anew at
the water mill on the banks of the Schuylkill canal. No record of manu-
facturing again at the Delaware Iron Works has been found, until 1840,
when John Wood, a younger brother of Alan Wood, took charge there.
From that time the Delaware Iron Works were again under the control
of the Wood family until i88g, when it was abandoned, and a few years
later the property was sold. In 1832 the mill for rolling iron was
erected at Conshohocken "on the Plymouth Canal," and soon afterward
the plant at Wooddale was abandoned until 1840. The Conshohocken
mill began operations on May 5, 1832, rolling sheets, the rolls being
eighteen inches in diameter and thirty-six inches in length. The water
wheel had a length of twenty feet, and the balance of the equipment
included one grate furnace. The sheet mill was coupled directly to the
end of the water-wheel shaft, and the capacity of the rolls was fifty-four
sheets in twelve hours. In 1835 the firm built a three-story shovel fac-
tory at the west end of the water mill, but this was torn down in 1S80.
The trimming shear, which was of alligator type and had a stroke of
twelve inches, was in the second story of this building and sheets were
carried up to be trimmed. On January i, 1840, James Wood sold his
interest in the firm of J. Wood & Son to William W. Wood, who con-

BIOGRAPHICAL 6i

tinued the business in association with Alan Wood, under the title of
A. Wood & Brother, for one year. At the end of that time, in 1841, the
business was again conducted by James Wood and his son, Alan, under
the original title of James Wood & Son, and now included once more
the Wooddale mill, which had again been rented in 1840 and was oper-
ated by John Wood, another brother of Alan Wood. Here they con-
ducted a series of experiments in an effort to produce an imitation of
Russian sheet iron. Business at this time was very dull, but the experi-
ments were continued until 1842, when the persevering efforts of the firm
were rewarded by a silver medal from the Franklin Institute. The
resulting improvement in the products of the plant probably led to the
series of readjustments of interests in the Wood family, which occurred
in the following years. In April, 1843, Wood & Brothers, composed of
Alan, John and William Wood, rented a store at No. 3 North Fifth
street, removing there from the old Second street store. In 1843 Alan
Wood purchased the old Delaware Iron Works, for $8,000, and soon
afterward retired from the partnership with his brothers, and also that
with his father. James Wood retired from business on February 23,
1848, after which the mills were conducted by his sons: John, William
W., Thomas C, and David L. Wood, the title of the firm then becom-
ing J. Wood & Bros. James Wood died June 29, 185 1. He was twice
married, (first), in 1796, to Tacy Thomas, of Gwynedd, who was of
Welsh descent. She died July 11, i8ri, and he married (second) Ann
W. Warner. Among the children of the first marriage was Alan Wood.
(IV) Alan Wood, third child of James and Tacy (Thomas) Wood,
was born December 25, 1800, died November 24, 1881, and was his
father's associate in business, as above related, from 1826 to the time of
his purchase of the Delaware Iron Works in 1S43, the connection with
his father being severed January i, 1844. His oldest son, W. Dewees,
was at that time a lad of eighteen years, and had learned the rudiments
of the business under the leadership of John Wood, while the latter was
in charge of the Delaware Iron Works. W. Dewees Wood was put in
charge of the mill under the direction of his father, who continued to
live in Philadelphia, where he managed the business in the store, at No.
3 North Fifth street, and sold the iron rolled in Delaware. In 1851
W. Dewees left his father's business to go to McKeesport, where in
partnership with his father-in-law, Richard B. Gilpin, he built the
McKeesport Iron Works. The Delaware Iron Works were then left in
charge of Alan Wood. Jr., a younger son of Alan Wood, and only sev-
enteen years old at this time. For six years the Delaware Iron Works
remained under the supervision of Alan, Jr., but at the end of that time,
in 1857, the "panic of 1857" caused his brother, W. Dewees, temporarily
to give up his venture in McKeesport and return to Delaware, where for
four years he was again manager of the little water mill. In 1861 W.
Dewees Wood decided that it would be wise to return to McKeesport
and resume his former business, which he did with great success. The
Delaware Iron Works continued in operation under the general man-
agement of Alan Wood and his sons, but from that time on was not in

62 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

the immediate charge of any member of the family. Meantime, Alan
Wood, in partnership with his brother-in-law, Lewis A. Lukens, had, in
1857, founded the firm of Alan Wood & Company, and started the
present Schuylkill Iron Works at Conshohocken. Alan, Jr., who had
had six years' experience at the Delaware mill, assisted his father in
building the new mill and was put in active charge of it. The equipment
consisted of one sheet mill with a grate furnace, and what afterwards
became No. 2 Sheet Mill, but was then a two-high flue mill, and a five-
inch bar mill with one heating furnace between them, used on the day
turn to heat piles for the flue mill and on the night turn to heat piles
for the five-inch bar mill, and two single puddling furnaces. The steam
engine which ran the mills had no governor and the engineer sat on a
high stool with a lever about three feet long which controlled the
throttle valve. The only light in the mill at night were oil torches
hanging over the roller and one over the catcher. The sheet mill force
finished everything either two or three-high, nothing four-high, and the
turn annealed all the product in the open grate furnace as they made it.
In 1862, No. 3 Sheet Mill was built, and a Corliss engine installed. On
this train were a pair of puddle-rolls and a coflfee-mill squeezer. Two
more puddling furnaces were also built at this time, and an "old English
annealing furnace" in which the sheet iron was annealed standing on its
edge, was built in the upper part of the building. In 1866 the West Mill
was built, this being the first three-high mill for rolling light sheets and
plates. The rolls were twenty-two inches in diameter by fifty-four inches
long, and the little roll was eleven inches in diameter, but was soon
exchanged for one of twelve-inch diameter. There were many discour-
agements, and many difficulties to be overcome, but Alan Wood perse-
vered until success was won. In the Pittsburgh district, this type of
mill is still called a "Conshohocken mill." The mill was driven by a
vertical thirty-six by forty-two engine, with a double crank, and on one
side was the west flue mill, with a set of three-high finishing and a two-
high breakdown mill, and beyond this a seven-inch bar mill ; and on the
other side of the engine No. 4 Sheet Mill, and later the little three-high
mill beyond the No. 4 Sheet Mill. In 1S66 the Corliss engine on No. 3
Sheet Mill was replaced by the vertical twenty-six by forty-two "strad-
dle bug" engine, built by the Pusey & Jones Company, which is still in
use. In 1870 the little three-high mill was built at the end of No. 4
Sheet Mill train, and in 1872-73 the East Mill was built, the three-high
twenty-two by fifty-four equipment being changed in 1880 to twenty-
four by seventy-two, and in 1896 to twenty-six by seventy-two. This
mill had two heating furnaces and an open annealing furnace. Later, a
twenty-inch bar mill was built, three-high, patented by Alan Wood, Jr.,
having three stands of rolls, one seven by one-quarter inch, one ten-inch,
one five-inch, and an extra set of four-inch rolls. In 1891 the North Mill
was built, in 1913-14 the West Flue Mill rebuilt, and No. 4 Sheet Mill
changed into No. 5 Flue Mill with twenty-four by forty-eight rolls. In
1914-15 the East Flue Mill was rebuilt and equipped with thirty-six by
fifty-four Newbold engine and a twenty-six by seventy-two United Engi-

BIOGRAPHICAL 63

neering and Foundry Company train. In 1917 a new steel shipping
building was erected on the east side of the North and East Flue Mills
for trimming and shipping the products of these mills. This building
has a crane for handling plates with a magnet. Up to 1913 no electric
motor had been used in the mill, but since that time, the old steam engines
and steam pumps have been replaced with electric motors, and since the
high tension power line along the canal from Ivy Rock to the mill has
been in service, July i, 1918, the electric service in the mills has been
greatly extended. A pulverized coal plant has also been built and all the
furnaces in the mill have been changed from hand and stoker-fired into
pulverized coal burning furnaces. Alan Wood, Jr., assisted in the build-
ing of the mill in 1857 and managed it until 1876, when he was elected
to Congress, at which time, Howard Wood, brother of Alan, Jr., took
charge. By 1901 the Alan Wood Company had attained an annual pro-
duction of 25,000 tons of sheets and light plates, of both iron and steel.
The firm had its own puddle mill for producing iron, and had to buy the
steel billets to meet the constantly increasing demand for steel plates.
Billets were hard to secure when business was brisk, and in 1900 the
company was obliged to import a considerable amount. The need of a
steel mill became urgent, and to meet this need, Hon. Alan Wood, Jr.,
urged the incorporation of a new company. This was done November 21,
1901, under the name of the Alan Wood Iron and Steel Company, Rich-
ard G. Wood, his son, Alan D. Wood, and his brothers, Alan W. and
Thomas D. Wood, having, in the previous year, after the death of their
father, disposed of the W. Dewees Wood Company, the Wellsville mill,
and the Woodson property, with the machinery which had been pur-
chased to build a steel mill thereon, to the American Sheet Steel Com-
pany (afterward part of the United States Steel Corporation), now
associated themselves with the Alan Wood Iron and Steel Company.
The company purchased a tract of land, the old Carey farm, at Ivy
Rock, about a mile north of Conshohocken, and built a plant of five
fifty-five-ton open hearth furnaces and a thirty-five blooming mill,
which produced its first steel on June i, 1903. On July i, 1903, the
new company took over the Alan Wood Company, thus combining the
Schuylkill Iron Works and the Steel Plant in one company. Three
new O. H. furnaces were added to the steel works in 1905, and a fourth
one completed February, 1907, making a total of nine furnaces, with a
capacity of 250,000 tons of steel a year. The need of hot metal supply
then began to be pressing, and in 1909 negotiations were entered into
with Richard Heckscher & Sons Company, whose blast furnaces were
situated on the other side of the Schuylkill river, directly opposite the
steel works. Agreement was made for the consolidation of the two com-
panies, which was legally consummated December i, 191 1. In the
meantime, through the Upper Merion and Plymouth Railroad Company,
a terminal railroad which had been organized in 1907 by the Alan Wood
Iron and Steel Company, a railroad bridge was constructed across the
Schuylkill river, thus connecting the two plants. A hot metal mixer
was built on the north end of the open hearth building, and by 1910 the

64 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

corporation had the advantage of hot metal produced in its own plant,
which increased the steel making capacity about thirty per cent. Since the
consolidation of the two companies Messrs. Ledyard Heckscher, Stevens
Heckscher, and Gustave Heckscher have represented the Heckscher inter-
ests in the directorate of the steel company. The blast furnace plant has
been expanded, a third blast furnace being built in 1912 (known as No. 2
since the dismantling of the old No. 2 in 1917). In 1913 a new boiler
plant was added, to utilize the waste gases from the furnace and fur-
nish steam for an electric turbo-generator. In 1917, to meet the increased
demands of war, the new No. 3 blast furnace and ore yard was started,
being completed the following year, and was ready to go in blast when
the armistice was signed. The demand for pig iron ceasing at once, the
furnace was not lighted until January 8, 1920. The steel works also had
been expanding. In 1913 an eighty-four-inch tandem plate mill was
begun, and completed the following year, making its first plate on March
31, 1914. Two heating furnaces were built in 1916, and another in 1917,
making a total of six. The mill is driven by alternating current motors
supplied with electricity from the power plant at Swedeland. In the
open hearth department during 1915, the capacity of the old furnaces
was increased from fifty-five to sixty-eight tons, and three new eighty-
ton furnaces were begun. These were completed by 1917, and were of
great value in supplying the war demand for steel. Waste heat boilers
were erected over the new furnaces, and so efificient has been the opera-
tion of the mills that the plant has been copied by several of the firm's
western competitors. At the blooming mill, a new soaking pit was com-
pleted in 1917, and in 1918 a new five-story modern office building was
completed.

When the need of an assured supply of coke became apparent, and
the United States Government began urging all steel manufacturers to
build by-product coke ovens to supply much needed toluyl and ammon-
ium sulphate for ammunition purposes, the firm entered into negotia-
tions with the Rainey estate, the result of which was an agreement made
June II, 1918, for the organization of the Rainey-Wood Coke Company,
to be located just north of the blast furnaces at Swedeland. Under this
agreement, the Rainey estate furnishes the coal, and the steel company
takes the coke, gas and tar. A contract with the government was signed
and the construction of the plant was being pushed with all possible
speed when the armistice was signed. By August 26, 1919, however,
the plant was ready to produce coke. This plant has coked as high as
2,000 tons of coal in a day, and the yield of coke and by-products has
fulfilled, and in some cases exceeded, expectations. The sulphate of
ammonia is sold principally to manufacturers of commercial fertilizers,
and the gas and tar are burned at Ivy Rock, supplying about half the
fuel used there. Ledyard Heckscher, as president; Howard Wood, Jr.,
as a director and assistant treasurer, represent the Wood interests in
the Rainey-Wood Coke Company, while Roy Rainey, as a director, and
Scott Stewart as vice-president and treasurer, represent the Rainey
interests.

BIOGRAPHICAL 65

Thus in the course of five generations, the Alan Wood Iron and
Steel Company has developed from the "smithy" near Hickorytown,
established by James Wood in 1792, and from the "Hammer Hollow"
forge established by him before 1806. The directors of the corporation
are : Richard G. Wood, Jonathan R. Jones, William W. Lukens, Thomas
D. Wood, Clement B. Wood, Howard Wood, Jr., Alan D. Wood, Rich-
ard G. Wood, Jr.. Ledyard Heckscher, Stevens Heckscher, and Gustave
A. Heckscher. The officers, elected in January, 1920, were : Richard G.
Wood, chairman of the board ; Jonathan R. Jones, vice-chairman of the
board; William W. Lukens, president; Ledyard Heckscher, vice-presi-
dent; Howard Wood, Jr., vice-president and treasurer; Alan D. Wood,
assistant treasurer ; John W. Logan, secretary ; and A. Markley Harry,
assistant treasurer and assistant secretary. In January, 1922, William
W. Lukens resigned as president of Alan Wood Iron and Steel Com-
pany, and Richard G. Wood, who had previously served as president
from 191 1 to 1920, resigned as chairman of the board and was elected
president of the company. Likewise, Jonathan R. Jones resigned as
vice-chairman of the board and was elected vice-president. The man-
agers and superintendents of the company's plants are: Richard G.
Wood, Jr., manager of the steel works department ; John E. Mountain,
superintendent of the steel works department ; Gustave A. Hecksher,
manager of the blast furnace department; Glenn Hanna, superintendent
of the blast furnaces ; William A. Cooper, manager of the Schuylkill Iron
Works and J. Wood department; and Vincent P. Wood, superintendent
of the J. Wood department.

Alan Wood married Ann Hunter Dewees, February 22, 1825, and
they were the parents of six children : Walter Dewees, of whom fur-
ther; Thomas; James H. ; Alan, Jr.; George W. ; and Howard, of whom
further.

(V) Walter Dewees Wood, son of Alan and Ann Hunter (Dewees)
Wood, born in Philadelphia, April 19, 1826, died January 2, 1899. He
assumed the management of the Delaware Iron Works under the direc-
tion of his father, as has already been stated, when he was eighteen
years of age, going to McKeesport, Pennsylvania, when he was twenty-
five, where, in association with his father-in-law, Richard B. Gilpin, he
built the sheet iron mill known as the McKeesport Iron Works. Return-
ing to the Delaware Iron Works in 1857, he took charge there for four
years, and then went back to McKeesport, where he founded the busi-
ness out of which grew the W. Dewees Wood Company. To him chiefly
belongs the credit of perfecting the process of manufacturing planished
iron, which eventually surpassed the famous Russian iron. Other inter-
ests of W. Dewees Wood were the Wellsville Plate and Sheet Iron
Company, at Wellsville, Ohio, which he founded in 1880, and the Wood-
son Company, on the Monongahela river, a few miles above Elizabeth.
This was under construction when the firm sold out in 1900. He mar-
ried, in 1848, Rosalind Gilpin, and they were the parents of four sons
and three daughters, among whom was Thomas Dewees.

66 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

(VI) Thomas Dewees Wood, son of Walter Dewees and Rosalind
(Gilpin) Wood, was educated at Swarthmore College, and the Uni-
versity of Pittsburgh, finishing at Cornell University, after which he
entered the McKeesport plant, where he spent several years. He went
to California for twelve years, then returned to Pennsylvania, locating
at Bryn Mawr, where he is living retired, although he has interests in
a number of organizations, being director in several. Thomas Dewees
Wood married Mary Craige, and they were the parents of five children :
Lindsay ; Ruth G., who married Edward R. Neilson ; Eleanor R., who
married Francis Zara ; Lillian W., who married William S. Febiger ;
and Vincent Porter.

(VII) Vincent Porter Wood, son of Thomas Dewees and Mary
(Craige) Wood, was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, September 21,
1892, and received his preparatory education in Santa Barbara, Califor-
nia. He then entered McKenzie Academy, from which he was gradu-
ated in 191 1. When his academic course was completed, he at once
began his business career as weigh master in association with the Alan
Wood Iron and Steel Company. He was promoted through all three
grades, in the capacity of weigh master, and is now general superintend-
ent of the J. Wood department.

Politically Mr. Wood gives his support to the principles and the
candidates of the Republican party, and his religious afifiliation is with
the Episcopal church. He is also a member of Merion Cricket Club.
On June 12, 1912, in New York City, Vincent Porter Wood married
Eleanor Sharwood, daughter of Edward R. and Julia (Evans) Sharwood,
and they are the parents of six children : Mary Craige, Eleanor S.,
Thomas D., Marion K., Natalie, and Julia.

(V) Howard Wood, son of Alan and Ann Hunter (Dewees) Wood,
was born in Philadelphia, February 8, 1846. After graduating from the
University of Pennsylvania, when he was eighteen years of age, he
began business at the Schuylkill Iron Works, and upon the election of
his older brother, Alan, Jr., to Congress, in 1876, assumed entire charge
of the mill. When the firm was incorporated in 1885, he was made
president, and this executive ofifice he continued to hold to the time of
his death, July i, 191 1. Under his leadership the company built the
Steel Works and acquired blast furnaces by merging with the Heck-
scher interests. In 1869 he married Mary Biddle, and they became the
parents of five sons (three of whom are now associated with the com-
pany) and four daughters: Biddle; Alan (3); Howard, Jr., of whom
further ; Clement B. ; Owen B., died at the age of two years ; Helen B. ;
Rachel B. ; Marion B. ; and Dorothy, who died at the age of two months.

(VI) Howard Wood, Jr., son of Howard and Mary (Biddle) Wood,
was born in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, September 20, 1876, and
received his preparatory education in the Dehancy Private School in
Philadelphia. He then entered Harvard University, from which he was
graduated in 1898, with the degrees Bachelor of Arts and Master of
Arts. When his college course was completed, he began his business
career in 1898, as a foreman in the Alan Wood Iron and Steel Com-

BIOGRAPHICAL 67

pany. In 191 1 he became assistant manager of the company's Schuyl-
kill Iron Works; in 1918 he was made secretary and assistant treasurer;
and in 1920 he was elected vice-president and treasurer, which offices he
has continued to hold to the present time (1922). In addition to his
interests and responsibilities in the Alan Wood Iron and Steel Company,
Mr. Wood is interested in the Tradesmen's National Bank, of Consho-
hocken, Pennsylvania, and is a member of the board of directors of the
Great Valley Mills, at Paoli, Pennsylvania. Politically he gives his
support to the Republican party, and he has been a member of the
Philadelphia City Troop for ten years. His religious affiliation and that
of his family, is with the Episcopal church, of Conshohocken, which he
serves as vestryman. His clubs are : The Union League, Merion Cricket,
Gulf Mills Golf, and White Marsh Valley Hunt. On November 7, 1914,
Mr. Wood married Phebe L. Wilmer, of Queen Anne county, Maryland,
daughter of Harry and Alice (Emory) Wilmer, and they are the par-
ents of three children: Alice Grey, Howard (3), and Harry Wilmer.

HILARY MISSIMER LESSIG— With the exception of six years,
the entire life of Hilary Missimer Lessig, to the present time, has been
passed in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and it may truly be said that
through the years the community has been wiser and richer because of
his having been one of its citizens. As president and general manager
of the Satter Brass Boiler Plant, a concern which has so successfully
met its labor problems that in the year 1922 fifty per cent, of its
employees had been with the firm for twenty years, he has made a
notable contribution to the economic history of the section, and enriched
the lives of many workmen. But Mr. Lessig's big work and interest is
the public schools, and few men in Pennsylvania have done more than
he for the development of that institution or for the stimulation and
encouragement of the young people of his community.

(I) Mr. Lessig is the great-great-grandson of George Lessig, who
was born in Bavaria, Germany, and came to America in 1748, settling at
Pottsgrove, now Pottstown. George Lessig had sons, George, Peter,
Charles, and Johan, and it is through the last named, Johan, that the
descent of the branch of the family to which Mr. Lessig belongs is
traced.

(II) Johan Lessig, son of George Lessig, was born in Bavaria,
March 5, 1745, and died at Pottstown, Pennsylvania, September 10,
1781. He was a good citizen and a patriot, serving during the Revolu-
tionary War as a private in the Seventh Company of the Fourth Bat-
talion, Philadelphia County Militia. He was the father of sons, among
whom was Michael, of whom further.

(HI) Michael Lessig, son of Johan Lessig, was born at Pottstown,
Pennsylvania, June 15, 1785, and died in the place of his birth, April 6,
1869. He married, and among his children was Johann Christian, of
whom further.

(IV) Johann Christian Lessig, son of Michael Lessig, was born at
Pottstown, Pennsylvania, November 23, 1817, and died December 9,

68 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

1S93. He married, at Pottstown, May 22, 1839, Julian Sprague, who
was born December 4, 1819, and died December 13, 1893, the day of her
husband's bm-ial. Among their children was Adam, of whom further.

(V) Adam Lessig, son of Johann Christian and Julian (Sprague)
Lessig, born October 21, 1841, died November i, 1912. He served during
the Civil War as a private in Company C, Fourth Pennsylvania Infan-
try. Having received an injury in the knee, he was sent home ill, later
losing his leg as a result of the injury. He was a brickmaker, railroader,
and merchant. He was active in the public affairs of Pottstown, and for
nine years served as a member of the City Council. He married, at
Pottstown, January i, 1863, Sally Jenkins, born July 8, 1841, died March
13, 1893, of English parentage, and they were the parents of Hilary
Missimer, of whom further.

(VI) Hilary Missimer Lessig. son of Adam and Sally (Jenkins)
Lessig, was born at Pottstown, Pennsylvania, April 4, 1867, and with
the exception of the years 1904-1910 has lived continuously at Potts-
town. His home is Pottstown. His interests are the interests of Potts-
town. He believes in his community and believes, too, that everyone
should give freely of his time and money to make his community the best
possible place in which to live. He received his education in the public
schools of his native city, completing the high school course, and then
attending the spring term at the State Normal School. He then engaged
in teaching, taking charge of a district school for one term of ten months,
during which time he had twenty-two pupils regularly and prepared
several for State Normal School. It was during this time that he
became deeply interested in the school system of the county. Taking a
deep interest in each individual pupil, he saw clearly that the advantages
provided were sadly deficient and that a better school system was neces-
sary if there was to be economic advancement for that section of the
State. "The schools must develop better citizens, and in order that they
may accomplish that work they must be greatly improved," was his con-
clusion, and he has worked unceasingly toward that end.

After one term of teaching, however, he entered the employ of Satter
Brothers as clerk in their boiler plant, and was later transferred from
one department to another, working continuously to make himself more
valuable to his employers. When he had become thoroughly familiar
M'ith all the various departments of the work shops, he was put into the
executive departments, as office boy, as estimator, as time keeper, etc.,
until he was as familiar with the executive side of the business as with
the operating side. When the business was incorporated in 1884 he was
one of the incorporators, with Jacob C, Henry S., Ferdinand, and Philip
Satter, the last named being the original founder of the business in
i86g. Mr. Lessig was made secretary of the corporation and at once
became active in its management. The incorporators worked themselves
and employed twelve men then, but since that time the business has
steadily grown. In 1886 larger quarters were required and the plant
was removed to its present location. Mr. Lessig has seen every build-
ing of the present plant erected, and has had a part in the purchase and

BIOGRAPHICAL 69

installation of every bit of machinery now used there. The equipment
has always been kept up-to-date and at the present time is using the
very latest machinery. A notable feature of the business is its method
of meeting the problems which arise in connection with the conflicting
interests of capital and labor. The plant is conducted on the open shop
plan, and throughout its history has never had labor troubles. A shop
committee of five employees meets with the management and discusses
matters of mutual interest to capital and labor. A splendid spirit of
cooperation prevails in the plant, and as a result of the partnership
which has been formed between capital and labor each works for the
interest of the other as well as for himself. More than eighty per cent,
of the employees have been with the firm for five years or more, and
fifty per cent, of the total number of employees have been associated
with the business for more than twenty years. That is a record of
which any concern may well be proud. Mr. Lessig takes a personal
interest in each employee and does not permit piece work. The employ-
ees take a personal pride in the quality and the quantity of work accom-
plished. In 1920, when the plant was very busy, a special bonus was
given. The plant did not advertise until 1921, and then only in the
interests of the dealers who were handling their product. The plant has
never been idle. During the depression which occurred in the early part
of 1922, four weeks were utilized in overhauling the plant, and the men
were kept busy during the entire time. In 1919 Mr. Lessig purchased
the interests of the Satter estate, and since that time has been president
as well as general manager. He immediately built additions, doubling
the capacity of the plant, which was then engaged in war work, and
which registered one hundred per cent, in all of the Liberty Loan drives.

Mr. Lessig was engaged in designing and constructing equipment for
powder plants, often working night and day to meet the demand. He
was the representative of his district in all war organizations, and his
wife and daughters were very active in the work of the Red Cross.

Mr. Lessig's big work and interest, however, has been in the public
schools. Few men in Pennsylvania have had as much to do with the
advancement of education in the State as has Mr. Lessig. He says: "It
is the inherent right of every child to expect and to demand from the
State the very best facilities educationally that the State can afford."
On February 21, 1893, Mr. Lessig was elected a member of the local
school board. Since that time he has served continuously. For eight
years he served as secretary, one year as treasurer, and for fifteen years
he has served as president, thirteen of the fifteen being continuous. He
is a member of the Montgomery County School Development Associa-
tion, and of the State Association of School Directors, having been active
in both for many years, and a member of the legislative committee of
the latter organization. No educational legislation has been enacted in
the State for a long time that has not passed through his committee,
and he has proposed much of the beneficial legislation for schools. As
president of the State Board he was brought in close contact with
students. Serious breaches of discipline were brought before him. He

70 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

was always kindly, pointed out to the youth his duty as a meinb*»r oi
society, and the results of his admonitions were always satisfactory. He
was interested in better architecture for school buildings and freely
advocated better buildings when he spoke to groups of students. Chil-
dren carried suggestions of progress to their homes and helped to make
the community more progressive. The standards of teachers were raised.
His thought was continuously in the interest of the young men and the
young women, to provide them the advantages which would enable them
to become more useful citizens. He is an ardent advocate of vocational
training in schools that shall give the best possible foundation to boys
and girls for making themselves masters of crafts. He encourages high
school graduates to enter the shops, where they become valuable
employees and administrators. He is an advocate of higher pay for
teachers, and believes that schools should be conducted on busines.s
principles. Opposing elaborate and exorbitant expenditures, the tax
rates were kept down and the efificiency of the schools increased during
his administration. He has kept partisan politics out of the school.
The board has always discussed school matters freely, and consistently
followed the principle that the good and the best interests of the youth
of the district should be the chief aim of the school board. Mr. Lessig
has at times been the subject of attack, by those having partisan political
interests to serve, but he has never deviated from controlling aim — to
give youth the best educational advantages that can be had. He has
been a large contributor to the school library, and one of his most eflfec-
tive methods of stimulating interest has been the giving of annual prizes
to the high school student who, during the term, has overcome the
greatest difficulties. This has encouraged many who found it difficult to
secure an education. In one case a girl, after completing her house-
hold duties, walked four miles and then traveled by trolley six miles
each day. Another to whom a prize was given was a girl whose parents
wished to disown her because of her wish to secure an education. Still
another was a boy who had all of the housework to do, but still managed
to attend school. Many more cases could be cited, all stimulated and
encouraged by Mr. Lessig's offer and his steady helpfulness. The public
school, in Mr. Lessig's opinion, is the one big American institution.

Politically, Mr. Lessig gives his support to the Democratic party, in
the interests of which he is active as a citizen, but in local affairs he con-
siders the character of the individual to be of more importance than his
political affiliation. In State and National affairs he is a loyal Demo-
crat. He is well known in fraternal circles, being a member of Mana-
tawny Lodge, No. 24, Independent Order of Odd Fellows ; Pottstown
Lodge, No. 864, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks ; Strichter
Lodge, No. 254, Free and Accepted Masons, in which order he is also a
member of Pottstown Chapter, No. 271, Royal Arch Masons; Nativity
Commandery, No. 71, Knights Templar, having held all offices in the
above three bodies ; Rajah Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the
Mystic Shrine, at Reading; and of Philadelphia Consistory (thirty-sec-
ond degree). He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical

^^Sa^.*?^.^^.^,.:^

BIOGRAPHICAL 71

Engineers; Manufacturers' Club of Philadelphia; Colonial Club of
Pottstown ; Brookside Country Club ; Rotary Club, in which he is a
junior officer and very active; Young Men's Christian Association, in
which he is very active. He is also a member of the Masonic Home
Association ; president of the board of managers of the Homoeopathic
Hospital ; member of the board of managers of the Pottstown Library ;
member of the original board of directors of the Pottstown Building
and Loan Association. He believes in helping people to save, because
a bank account or the ownership of property makes them better and
more contented citizens. Mr. Lessig's own school experience as a boy
was not easy. Poor facilities and indifferent teaching presented diffi-
culties that were not easily overcome. When ten years of age he was
still in the primary school, and though quick in mathematics and good
at reading charts, etc., did not graduate until he was eighteen years of
age, having then made up the losses of his earlier years. Doubtless this
experience has had much to do with his active efforts to secure for others
better opportunities. He has been very active in the reconstructive work
following the World War, and has done much to aid service men in
getting back to their civil occupations. He is one of the owners of Ring-
ing Rocks, a place of great natural beauty which is a place of recreation
for many, thus touching the interests of the people in the way of pleasure
and amusement as well as educationally, economically, and in civic
associations.

Mr. Lessig married Sarah Towner Riegner, daughter of L. Absalom
Riegner, a roller mill man. Mrs. Lessig was a graduate of the Potts-
town High School, class of 1884, and a teacher. Mr. and Mrs. Lessig
are the parents of four children, all of whom attended the public schools :
I. Sarah Ruth, graduated from the High School in 1909, and from Irvine
College in 191 1; married W. O. Whitney. 2. Mary Edith, graduated
from High School in 1913, and from Beechwood School, at Jenkintown,
in 1915. 3. Daniel Keppner, graduated from High School in 1915, spent
one year in Lehigh University, and graduated from a medical college in
1922. 4. Ann, graduated from High School in 1917, and from Beech-
wood School in 1919. All of the daughters have been engaged in
teaching.

MONTGOMERY EVANS— The Evans family, of which Montgom-
ery Evans, a leading attorney of the Norristown bar, is a distinguished
representative, is descended from Elystan Glodrydd through his second
son Idnerth, who originally settled in Carmarthenshire, Wales. John
Evans, gentleman, a lineal descendant, having performed military serv-
ice during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, in aiding to suppress the Irish
rebellion, obtained a grant of land and emigrated from Carmarthenshire,
Wales, to Limerick, Ireland, where he was living in and before 1628.
He married Ellen De Verdon and died on January i, 1632, leaving two
sons and three daughters. George, the eldest son, represented Limerick
in Parliament for many years and died in 1707. John, the younger son,
was a colonel in the English army and married. He had three sons:

72 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Simon, the oldest, buried at Fanningstown, County Limerick, Ireland ;
William, of further mention ; and John, the youngest, buried at Bally-
grenane, in the same county.

William Evans, son of John Evans, came to America with his wife,
Anne, with the Welsh emigration that sailed in 1698 on the ship "Rob-
ert and Elizabeth," arriving in Philadelphia on July 17th, that same
year. Having temporarily settled in Gwynedd, Pennsylvania, while
prospecting for land, he subsequently purchased two tracts aggregating
seven hundred acres in Manatawny, afterwards Limerick township, and
there settled permanently. Here William Evans' death soon occurred,
and his wife survived him but a few years, dying in 1720. Their chil-
dren were : William ; Owen, of further mention ; George ; Elizabeth ; and
David.

Owen Evans, second son of William and Anne Evans, was born in
1699. For many years he was a justice of the peace and at one time a
member of the Colonial assembly. He married, on August 14, 1721, in
Christ Church, Philadelphia, Mary Davis, daughter of William and Mary
Davis. They were the parents of eight children, one of whom was David,
of further mention.

David Evans, son of Owen and Mary (Davis) Evans, was born Jan-
uary 22, 1730, and inherited from his father the homestead upon which
he lived until the time of his death, October 23, 1800. He married Anna,
the great-granddaughter of John and Frances Brooke, and left issue :
Sarah, who married James Garrett, and moved to IMaryland ; Mary, who
married Amos Evans, of Limerick; Matthew and William, who died
young; and Owen, born October 27. 1767, who on March 20, 1792, mar-
ried Rachel, great-great-granddaughter of John and Frances Brooke,
and they had a son, Thomas Brooke, of further mention.

Thomas Brooke Evans, son of Owen and Rachel Evans, was born in
Limerick, April 21, 1809. After receiving his education he became a
teacher, subsequently learning the trade of tanning and afterwards
establishing himself in that particular business. He was prominent in
business affairs, was a justice of the peace from 1841 to 1861, and clerk
of the county commissioners and for the board of poor directors for
many years, being active and influential in the community until his death.
He married, on November 9, 1834, Mary Ann, daughter of Daniel and
Mary (Kendall) Schwenk, and to them were born eight children: Rob-
ert Brooke, for many years justice of the peace in Limerick ; Benjamin
F. ; Montgomery; Zella, who died in infancy; Mary Elizabeth, wife of
B. Frank Saylor, a resident of St. Louis ; Charlotte, deceased ; Emma,
wife of Garrett E. Brownback, of Linfield; and Montgomery, of further
mention.

Montgomery Evans, son of Thomas Brooke and- Mary Ann
(Schwenk) Evans, was born in Limerick, November 18, 1853. He was
educated in the public schools of his native place and in select schools of
Phoenixville, Spring City, and Norristown, subsequently graduating
from Lafayette College in 1875 as valedictorian of his class and holding
membership in Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and Phi Beta Kappa Society.

BIOGRAPHICAL 73

For two years afterwards he was principal of the public schools of
Montrose, in Susquehanna county, but desirous of entering the legal
fraternity he gave up teaching and studied law with Benjamin E. Chain,
being admitted to the bar on November 30, 1878. For a number of
years following Mr. Evans was a partner of Louis M. Childs, the firm
name being Childs and Evans. Subsequently this partnership was dis-
solved and he associated himself with Messrs. Holland and Dettra, the
firm being Evans, Holland and Dettra, until Mr. Holland accepted an
appointment as judge when the firm continued for a short time under
the name of Evans and Dettra, or until another change was made and
the present firm of Evans, High, Dettra and Swartz was organized, the
members of which are recognized among the leading attorneys of Penn-
sylvania and hold a foremost place in the ranks of corporation lawyers.

The career of Mr. Evans has been marked by continued success. He
has a broad and comprehensive grasp of all questions that come before
him and is particularly fitted for aiifairs requiring executive and admin-
istrative ability. He is learned in the law and skilled in its application
to the case at hand, making every client's cause his own and bringing to
the discharge of his duties the results of careful study and observation.
A Democrat in politics, but in no sense of the word an office seeker, he
gives to the party of his choice the interest which is demanded of every
good citizen. Mr. Evans is president of the Norristown Trust Company,
the Norristown Insurance and Water Company, the Bridgeport Water
Company, the West Norriton Water Company, and Providence Water
Supply Company ; vice-president of the Citizens' Water Company, of
Philadelphia ; counsel for the Reading railroad, and numerous other
corporations; director of the Merion Lime and Stone Company, and
many other organizations ; has held the office of president of the Penn-
sylvania Bankers' Association, and Pennsylvania Water Works Asso-
ciation ; and professionally is affiliated with the Pennsylvania Bar Asso-
ciation, the Montgomery County Bar Association, the American Bar
Association, and the Lawyers' Club, of Philadelphia. He is a member
of the Norristown, Ersine, and Plymouth Country clubs, of the Penn-
sylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution, and Trans-Atlantic Society
of America. Mr. Evans has been actively identified with the afTairs of
the local bar, being a member of the Board of Censors of Montgomery
County Bar Association from its beginning and treasurer of Montgom-
ery County Law Library Committee since 1885. For many years he has
served on the Committee of Court Records, to supervise the filing,
indexing and preserving of records in the various offices of the court
house. He was chairman of a committee to formulate rules of court,
governing the practice in the courts of the county. In religion Mr.
Evans is a Presbyterian, and for many years has taken an active part in
the activities of the Central Church of this denomination, having been
superintendent of its Sunday school, clerk of sessions, a member of its
board of trustees, and president of the trustees of the Presbytery of
Philadelphia, North.

On November 31, 1886, Montgomery Evans was united in marriage

74 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

with Cara G. Ralston, daughter of Rev. James Grier and Mary A. Ral-
ston, the former owner of Oakland Female Seminary. To Mr. and Mrs.
Evans have been born three children : Dorothy ; Roger, deceased ; and
Montgomery (2).

GEORGE W. MILLER, M. D.— One of the well known men of the
medical profession in Montgomery county is Dr. George W. Miller, of
Norristown, whose office is located at No. 618 De Kalb street. Dr.
Miller specializes in surgery and is well to the front in that branch of
the profession. He has won the confidence of a very large clientele as
well as of his professional associates, and as a member of the Montgom-
ery County Hospital staff has rendered valuable service.

The Miller family is of Swedish ancestry, but the branch of the fam-
ily to which Dr. Miller belongs has been in this country for several gen-
erations. John W. Miller, grandfather of Dr. Miller, served under
Admiral Farragut on the Mississippi river during the Civil War, and
William Schrieber, his maternal grandfather, served in the Union army
during that conflict.

George W. Miller was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 19,
1882, son of George W. and Emma (Schrieber) Miller. He received his
early education in the public schools of that city and upon the comple-
tion of his course in the Central High School there he entered Jefiferson
Medical College, in the same city, from which he was graduated in 1906
with the degree of Medical Doctor. After graduation he became an
interne in the Charity Hospital, in Norristown, remaining there for a
period of one year, at the end of which time he engaged in general prac-
tice. In connection with his practice he became an instructor of
anatomy in Jefiferson Medical College, which position he has continued
to fill for twelve years, also working in the surgical department of that
college, and in the nose and throat department of the Pennsylvania Hos-
pital. In 1922 he was appointed associate in applied anatomy at Temple
University, Philadelphia.

On May 29, 191 7, Dr. Miller enlisted for service in the World War
and was assigned to the Medical Officers' Training Camp Benjamin
Harrison, in Indiana, where he was commissioned a lieutenant. After six
weeks of intensive training he was detailed to muster Company F, of
the Pennsylvania National Guard, of Norristown, into Federal service.
Upon the completion of that task he was detailed to instruct hospital
corps men at Fort Ethan Allen, in Vermont, and from there was sent
to Boston, after having been commissioned a captain, for special post-
graduate work in the treatment of war-time fractures. When that course
of study and practice was completed he was assigned to the surgical
stafif on duty at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, and soon after taking up
his duties there was made receiving officer and registrar at the base
hospital. While on leave of absence granted for preparation for going
overseas, he was called to Macon, Georgia, where he joined the outfit of
Base Hospital No. 51, with which he went to France. Arriving in France
in 1917, he remained with the same contingent through the period of

,^^J?^^^^£a^^^ ^^^

BIOGRAPHICAL 75

his overseas service, as a member of surgical staffs and for a short
time as chief of the medical department. He received his honorable dis-
charge from service May 10, 1919, at Camp Dix, New Jersey, at which
time he held the rank of major. Upon his return to this country he at
once resumed his interrupted practice which he has continued to the
present time (1922). Early in his professional career, in 1908, he had
been appointed a member of the dispensary staff of Montgomery Hos-
pital, in which capacity he has served for twelve years. About 1913 he
was made chief of a three months' medical service in Montgomery
County Hospital, and in 1920 he was made chief of a three months' sur-
gical service in the same institution. He specializes in surgery and is
recognized as one who stands high in that branch of the profession. He
is a member of the American Medical Association, the Pennsylvania
State Medical Society, and the Montgomery County Medical Society,
of which he was president in 1921. Along with his large practice and
his various professional connections Dr. Miller finds time for fraternal
and club affiliations which are not connected with his profession. He is
a member of Norristown Lodge, No. 620, Free and Accepted Masons;
the Penn Club, of Philadelphia ; the Ersine Club, the Plymouth Country
Club, the Norristown Club, and Aescalapian Club. In his religious
affiliation Dr. Miller is a member of Old Swede's Christ Church, of
Upper Merion, which he serves as a vestryman. He is also a member
of the Young Men's Christian Association.

Dr. George W. Miller married, on September 10, 1910, Mary Emma
Piatt, daughter of Robert and Mary (Hall) Piatt, of English ancestry.
Dr. and Mrs. Miller are the parents of two children : Mary Jane, born
July 10, 191 1 ; and George W. (3), born June 28, 1914.

LEDYARD HECKSCHER— Among the eminently successful busi-
ness men of Montgomery county is Ledyard Heckscher, vice-president
of the Alan Wood Iron and Steel Company, and president of the Rainey-
Wood Coke Company, who with Stevens Heckscher and Gustave Heck-
scher, represents the Heckscher interests in the directorate of the Alan
Wood Iron and Steel Company.

The Heckscher family has been identified with the development and
transportation of anthracite coal mining enterprises in Pennsylvania
since the middle of the nineteenth century when Richard Heckscher,
father of Ledyard Heckscher, came to this county. He was born in
Hamburg, Germany, in 1822, of distinguished parentage, and after serv-
ing in banking houses in Hamburg and Germany, came to America in
1842, a young man twenty years of age. While yet a young man, he
became an important factor in the development of the anthracite mines
and the building of the roads of the State of Pennsylvania. In associa-
tion with Charles A. Heckscher, of New York City, he became promi-
nently identified with several important enterprises in this field, and
was made president of the New York & Schuylkill Coal Company, and
manager of the Forest Improvement Company, and as such he developed
and operated numerous collieries at Heckscherville, Thomaston, Forest-

76 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ville, Minersville, and other points. He operated a number of mines in
Schuylkill county, and in company with August Heckscher and Jacob
Glover was active in the opening of the important Kohinoor Collieries, at
Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. Possessed of great energy and technical
skill, he was able to introduce many improvements into anthracite coal
mining methods, and to a great extent revolutionized the method of
conducting these operations by the originality and perfection of his
system and organization. After a time he was made president of the
Lehigh Zinc Company, at Bethlehem. Pennsylvania, and of the Richard
Heckscher & Sons Company, operating blast furnaces at Swedeland, on
the Schuylkill river, two miles below Norristown. This industry had
been founded seven years after the arrival of Richard Heckscher in
America (in 1849) by the firm of Potts & Jones, but had been purchased
by Repplier & Lanigan, about the end of the Civil War period, at which
time the capacity of the works was about six hundred tons of iron
monthly. The plant was purchased in 1S79 by the Reading Coal and Iron
Company, and in 1886 was leased to the Heckschers, who, in 1891, bought
it and greatly increased its output. Upon the occasion of the lighting of
the fires in their new furnace No. 2, in January, 1892, Heckscher & Sons
entertained a large company of distinguished guests. About two hundred
men were carried upon the pay roll. The plant and the business con-
tinued to grow, and in 1909, when the need of hot metal began to be
keenly felt by the Alan Wood Iron and Steel Company, which was
located on the other side of the river and had been incorporated Novem-
ber 21, 1901, agreement was made for the consolidation of the two
companies, which was legally consummated, December i, 191 1. In the
meantime a railroad bridge was constructed across the Schuylkill river,
thus connecting the two plants. A hot metal mixer was built on the
north end of the open hearth building, and by 1910 the firm had increased
its steel making capacity about thirty per cent. Since the consolidation
of the two companies, Messrs. Ledyard Heckscher, Stevens Heckscher,
and Gustave Heckscher have represented the Heckscher interest in the
steel company. The blast furnace has been enlarged, a third blast fur-
nace, now known as No. 2, was built in 1912, and since that time a series
of expansions and additions, as already related in the history of the Alan
Wood Iron and Steel Company have been made. Mr. Heckscher was a
man of great force of character and of a wide grasp of affairs, and was
noted throughout' his life for his unswerving probity and kindliness of
heart.

When because of the need of an assured supply of coke, and the
urgent request of the Government that all steel manufacturers build
by-product coke ovens to supply much needed toluyl and ammonium sul-
phate for ammunition purposes, the firm, after due negotiation with the
Rainey Estate, formed, July 11, 1Q18, the Rainey-Wood Coke Company,
to be located just north of the blast furnaces at Swedeland. Ledyard
Heckscher was made president of that concern, William W. Lukens,
director, and Howard Wood, Jr., assistant treasurer, representing the
Wood interest in the Rainev-Wood Coke Company, while Roy Rainey.

BIOGRAPHCIAL -jy

as director, and Scott Stewart, as vice-president and treasurer, represent
the Rainey interests.

Richard Heckscher died at his residence, 260 South Eighteenth
street, Philadelphia, on July 10, 1901, the father of seven sons and two
daughters.

ELWOOD SMITH MOSER— Few men have the opportunity to use
their powers for good or evil in the State, in the community, and in the
lives of others, as have the editors and proprietors of our country news-
papers, and few have used them so well and continuously for good as has
Elwood Smith Moser. Forty-seven years ago (1875) he founded a local
newspaper, and prophetically named it "The Independent," and down
through the changing years he has been its owner, editor and publisher.
In the full meaning of the term he is a self-educated man, and his educa-
tion has been a continuous process. He knows words intimately because
he has never ceased to study and be friends with them. He understands
men, their thoughts, motives and impulses, because he not only has lived
close with them, but has given years to the acquisition of a knowledge
of man's beginnings, his history and his psychology. For more than
thirty-five years he has devoted much study and thought to anthropology,
biology, psychology, and other departments of science, and he is the
author of a volume of essays treating of scientific and philosophical sub-
jects (1918).

Elwood S. Moser was born in Norriton township, Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, October 4, 1857, son of Henry Clemens and Sus-
anna (Smith) Moser, the third of their ten children. His father, who was
a farmer is now deceased. He began working at the home farm at the
earliest possible age and attended as he could the short sessions of the
schools of that day at Norriton, Skippack and Worcester townships. At
fifteen years of age he started to learn the printing trade at Norristown,
where he remained two years, 1872-1874. After nearly a year spent in
other offices he went to Trappe, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and
established "The Independent" which, after about eight years, he moved
to Collegeville, contiguous to what is now the borough of Trappe. The
paper has grown and undergone many changes, but not in its ownership,
editorship or independence. Its influence has become even more than
town or county-wide, and Mr. Moser has made his name known through-
out the State, especially as an editorial writer. As a citizen of College-
ville, he was a member of the first Town Council of that borough, was
a charter member of the Collegeville Fire Company and one of the organ-
izers of the Collegeville National Bank. He is a member of the County
Weekly Newspapers' Association, and was one of the founders of the
Press League of Montgomery and Bucks counties. In politics, in which
he has always been active, he is like his newspaper, independent.

Elwood Smith Moser married, in 1875, Margaret A. Gayner. daughter
of John and Frances ( Aitken) Gayner, her father now in his ninety-first
year, and engaged in glass manufacturing at Salem, New Jersey, a busi-

78 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ness he has long followed. He was born and reared in Nailsea, England,
and in 1866 came to the United States with his family. Mr. and Mrs.
Moser were the parents of six children: i. Frances, the wife of Edward
M. Hocker, manager and editor of "The Independent Gazette," German-
town, Pennsylvania. 2. Bertha, who married Charles Grove Haines,
Ph. D., a member of the faculty of the Texas State University, of Austin,
Texas. 3. Linwood, who died in 1893, aged thirteen. 4. Susan, who
married J. Le Roy Roth, M. D., of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. 5.
Frederick Le Roy, who founded (1913) and was editor of the "Inter-
Borough Press" of Spring City and Royersford, Pennsylvania. During
the World War he was commissioned second lieutenant in the United
States army, having had previous military training at Fort Oglethorpe,
Georgia ; he was ordered to Washington, D. C, and later to Woodbury,
New Jersey, where he was one of the overseers of an extensive powder-
bagging plant. It was at Woodbury while on active duty that he con-
tracted influenza and pneumonia and was invalided to his home in
Spring City, where he died shortly after. 6. Margaret, who married
Walter H. Doulhett, principal of Darby High School, Darby, Pennsyl-

BOYD EDWARDS, D. D.— In accepting the head mastership of The
Hill School, Dr. Edwards became affiliated in chief executive capacity
with an institution with a history stretching back over three-quarters
of a century of notable educational service, that has placed it in the front
rank of American preparatory schools. He came to The Hill School
with a broad experience in educational, social, and religious work among
young people, and in the comparatively short term of his relationship has
taken up in full vigor the work of his predecessor, Dwight R. Meigs, and
has merged himself and his ideals in the plan and aim of The Hill School.

Dr. Edwards is a descendant of the family founded by Richard
Edwards, whose line dates in America to 1640, this branch tracing
through his son, William Edwards, a graduate of Harvard, and his son,
the famous Jonathan Edwards, a graduate of Yale and later president ot
Princeton. Dr. Edwards' father, Mortimer Burr Edwards, was a busi-
ness man of the type who, within his necessarily restricted field, serves
as guide, philosopher, and friend to many, and one who shirks neither
public responsibility nor the demands of private and personal service.
He was a man prominent and earnest in the work of his church ; served
the cause of education as president of the local Board of Education ; was
a county officer and a member of the New York State Legislature. He
married Harriet Louise Boyd, who prior to her marriage was a teacher of
Greek and Latin at the Deposit High School and Lisle Academy, Lisle,
New York. Her Boyd ancestry traced to Lord Robert Boyd, of Kil-
marnock Castle, Kilmarnock, Scotland, of the Elizabethan period, one of
Lord Robert Boyd's sons marrying Anne, daughter of James I, of Scot-
land. Several members of Mrs. Edwards' ancestral line dated to the pre-
Revolutionary period in America, John Halbert, a relative, and one of

BIOGRAPHICAL 79

her Brown kinsmen (founder of Brown University), participating in the
battles of Lexington and Bennington. She was a daughter of Jacob
Bacon Boyd, of Cincinnatus, New York, and granddaughter of General
John H. Boyd, of Cortland county, New York, who after graduation from
school in Williamstown, Massachusetts, married and brought his bride,
Electra (Bacon) Boyd, on horseback to Cortland county, where he
became a man of prominence and the first representative from the county
in the State Legislature.

Boyd Edwards was born in Lisle, New York, May 5, 1876. Here his
early studies were pursued, and as a youth of eighteen years he entered
Phillips-Andover Academy, being graduated in the class of 1896. While
at Andover he was president of the Society of Inquiry, as the school
Young Men's Christian Association is called; was president of the Philo
Debating Society ; was on the school baseball nine, and was captain of
the second team ; and he was also vice-president of his class — up to that
time the largest ever graduated from any private secondary school, num-
bering one hundred and fifty-five.

In the fall of 1896 Dr. Edwards matriculated at Williams College,
where his qualities of leadership were early recognized by his being
elected president of the freshman class. Throughout his course he was
prominent in varied fields of college activities. For four years he was a
member of the Honor System Committee, and was chairman in his senior
year; he was president of the Young Men's Christian Association; was
the first of the managing secretaries of the Student building ; and he was
a member of Zeta Psi fraternity. Equally prominent in athletics, he was
a member of the 'varsity baseball and football teams. He was graduated
with the A. B. degree in 1900, to which in 1920 his alma tnater added an
honorary D. D. degree as a mark of the esteem with which Williams
College regarded one of her most faithful and useful sons. In 1923 he
was elected trustee of the college by the alumni for a term of five years.

During his life at Williams College he had more than once been called
upon, as president of the Young Men's Christian Association, to speak at
various schools and colleges. It was but natural, after leaving college,
that his interest in this work should continue. Gifted with singular
felicity and force in public speaking, he was an ideal man to further the
interest in Christian work among preparatory school boys. First to
recognize this fact was the International organization of the Young Men's
Christian Association, which at once, upon his graduation, made him
preparatory school secretary. In the holding of this office he spoke at
many schools and colleges, and was on the faculty of the summer con-
ferences at Northfield, Silver Bay, and Asheville. Dr. Edwards continued
his association with the Young Men's Christian Association for one year,
resigning to take up his theological study; but that his interest in the
work never abated, even during the strenuous days of his Christian min-
istry, was evidenced by the fact that he was elected first president of the
preparatory school Young Men's Christian Association conference when
that organization was separated from the general conference at North-

8o HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

field and moved to Blairstown, New Jersey. In 1901 Dr. Edwards entered
Union Theological Seminary, from which institution he was graduated in
1904. During- his course at Union he continued his contact with boys
by teaching the Bible at the Holbrook School at Ossining, New York,
and in settlement work in New York.

Such was Dr. Edward's reputation as a successful worker with young
people, that before his graduation from Union he was associated with the
Tompkins Avenue Congregational Church in Brooklyn, the largest church
in the denomination. The pastor of this church was Dr. N. McGee
Waters, who will be remembered by many of The Hill School boys as a
former preacher at the school. There were associated with the Tompkins
Avenue Congregational Church more than one thousand young people,
and with them and their multifarious interests Dr. Edwards was asso-
ciated for two years.

In 1905 Dr. Edwards became associate pastor of the South Congre-
gational Church, in Brooklyn. During this period he was president of the
Brooklyn Sunday School Union and of the New York State Sunday
School Association. The pastor of South Congregational Church, Dr.
Albert J. Lyman, retired, and Rev. Boyd Edwards was elected as his suc-
cessor in 1908.

Two years later, in 1910, Dr. Edwards accepted a unanimous call to
the Hillside Presbyterian Church in Orange, New Jersey, which pastorate
he served for twelve years, resigning to come to The Hill School in April,
1922. When he went to the Hillside Presbyterian Church, it numbered
four hundred and fifty members. He left it a great church, whose mem-
bership had more than doubled during his administration. Under his
care the Hillside Presbyterian Church was distinguished in that it drew
together into one fellowship the most widely divergent kinds and classes
of people ; those of large wealth and those in the most humble walks of
life. The activities of the church became highly organized under the effi-
cient management of Dr. Edwards. It became a real experiment in social
democracy, and a successful one, in a church for the whole community,
with three paid workers, who conducted, with the pastor, classes and
clubs for all sorts and conditions of men and women. There was a strong
specialization in the work of religious education among the young people.

It is needless to say that Dr. Edwards' tireless energy and warm
personality won for him almost immediately a large place not only in
his own community, but also in the denomination with which he was
affiliated. During his residence at Orange he was a member of the
National Church Erection Board, a director of the National Temperance
Society, a director of the New York Society for the Prevention of Crime,
a moderator of the Presbytery of Morris and Orange, president of the
board of directors of the Community School of Religious Education of
Orange, and since 1920 a trustee of Mt. Holyoke College.

Despite the manifold calls upon his time and strength. Dr. Edwards
has found time since 1907 to continue his interest in the schools and col-
leges of the country. He has, during these years, been college preacher

BIOGRAPHICAL 8i

at Williams, Amherst, Smith, Yale, and Princeton ; and has also preached
regularly at Andover, Exeter, Hotchkiss, Lawrenceville, Mercersburg,
and The Hill School. Such was his success in school and college pulpits
and such was the power of his influence over youth, that on two occa-
sions, in successive years, he was earnestly urged by John Meigs perma-
nently to associate himself with The Hill School.

It was after his sermon at The Hill School on January 22, 1922, that
he was first approached by the president of the Board of Trustees with
respect to the prospective vacancy in the head mastership of the school.
He was the unanimous choice of that committee of the board which had
been appointed with power to select a successor to Dwight R. Meigs.
On February 17 the trustees formally ratified the choice, and February
18 the formal offer of the entire board was sent to Dr. Edwards, which
was accepted on February 22.

During the period of the World War, Dr. Edwards as a volunteer
worker in the Young Men's Christian Association spent considerable
time on speaking tours among the various posts and cantonments of the
Pacific coast and the Mexican border. At this same time his church at
Orange was accomplishing splendid results in cooperation with the
American Red Cross.

At the beginning of his ministry, Dr. Edwards married, May 24, 1904,
Frances McCarroll, daughter of William McCarroll, of Brooklyn, New
York, who came to the United States from his home in Belfast, Ireland,
when eighteen years of age. He entered business, sent for his younger
brothers and sisters, and became a successful operator in patent leather.
He was president of the New York Board of Trade and Transportation,
and an executive committeeman of the New York Chamber of Commerce,
vice-president of the National Manufacturers' Association, a director of
several banks, and was equally prominent in civic and philanthropic
endeavor. William McCarroll was a member of the first Public Service
Commission to be appointed by Governor Hughes, and active in religious
work, chairman of the board of directors of the Young Men's Christian
Association, and a trustee of Adelphi College, of Brooklyn. Dr. and Mrs.
Edwards are the parents of one child, Beatrice Clyde, born December
31. 1905-

ALBERT ROWLAND GARNER, M. D.— The list of Montgomery
county's active and able men of the medical profession would be incom-
plete without the name of Dr. Albert Rowland Garner, who in addition
to building up a large and important practice is an all-round citizen, con-
tributing through his professional qualifications to the advancement of
the public interests, and taking part in the athletic training of the youth
of the community as well as finding time for other civic duties and for
fraternal and club afifiliations. Thoroughly trained, skilled and faithful
in his profession, and interested in the larger aspects of the advancement
of human welfare. Dr. Garner is one of the few men who combine insight
and vision with practical ability and skill in "making dreams come true."

82 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Perhaps his ancestry is responsible for his possession of that rare com-
bination of qualities. He is a descendant of an old Bucks county family
which traces its descent from Hans (John) Garner, who came to Bucks
county about the middle of the eighteenth century and settled in New
Britain township, where he became a prominent citizen and a large land-
owner, and where his descendants still own much of the land originally
held by him.

Rev. Harrison Brower Garner, father of Dr. Albert Rowland Garner,
was born in Howellville, Chester county, Pennsylvania, September 20,
1840, and after receiving his early and preparatory education in the
schools of his native district, became a student in Bucknell College, from
which he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, later receiv-
ing from the same institution the degrees Master of Arts and Doctor of
Divinity. His long and able service in the ministry was terminated by
his retirement in 1913, and from that time to the time of his death, Janu-
ary 21, 1915, he spent the years of his well-earned leisure in Norristown,
Pennsylvania. He married Annie L. Evans, who was born in New
Britain, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, October 11, 1845, and died May
16, 1915. She was the daughter of David and Mary (Rowland) Evans.
David Evans was a retired lumber merchant of Philadelphia, who had
bought a large farm at New Britain, and he became active in the banking,
civic and political life of Doylestown. Mr. and Mrs. Garner were the
parents of two children: Mary, who married Professor Joseph Henry
Tudor, of the Pennsylvania State College ; and Albert Rowland, of fur-
ther mention.

Albert Rowland Garner, son of Rev. Harrison Brower and Annie L.
(Evans) Garner, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 17,
1877. His early school training was received in private schools and the
Tredyffrin township school, and his preparatory work was done in South
Jersey Institute, at Bridgeton, New Jersey, from which he was graduated
in 1895. He later became a student in Bucknell College, matriculating in
the fall of 1895, and graduating in 1899 with the degree of Bachelor of
Science. He then began his professional studies in the medical school
of Hahnemann Medical College, from which he was graduated in 1902,
with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. The following year, 1903, he
received from Bucknell University the degree of Master of Science, and
in later years he still further enlarged his professional training by taking
post-graduate courses at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania,
continuing his professional study through the years of his professional
practice, and receiving from Pennsylvania University the degree Master
of Arts in 1914. Meantime, after receiving his medical degree, he served
an interneship of one year in Grace Hospital, at New Haven, Connecticut,
and for six months served as interne in the Bernard Sanitarium, at Bal-
timore, Maryland. In 1904 he removed to Norristown and engaged in
private practice, and as a specialist in nervous diseases in Philadelphia,
which he had to give up on account of his health in 1917. During the two
decades which have passed since that time he has built up a very large

BIOGRAPHICAL 83

and important practice and has made for himself an enviable reputation,
both in his profession and as an all-round citizen, and is a promoter of
all that is best in civic life.

For years Dr. Garner served as medical instructor in the Norristown
High School, and also as athletic coach, in which capacity he trained the
baseball, football and track teams. He lectured on hygiene and social
hygiene for twelve years, and his influence in the lives of the young men
with whom he has been thus associated has been very great. Having
served as captain of the football team at Bucknell in 1898, and as man-
ager of the Bucknell baseball team for two years, his qualifications were
such as to command the respect and admiration of the high school boys,
and through his interest in athletic affairs he has been enabled to render
a service which can never be estimated. While thus engaged in practical
work for the young people of his community. Dr. Garner has also kept
actively in touch with the larger aspects of professional service. He is a
member of the American Medical Association, of the Pennsylvania State
Medical Association, and of the County Medical Society, also of the
Homoeopathic societies. National, State, and county ; and of the Schuyl-
kill Valley Medical Club ; and the Philadelphia Medical Club. He is a
member of the Montgomery Hospital staff, and for two years was an
assistant to the Philadelphia Orthopedic Hospital staff. He has won the
esteem of his associates, both as a general practitioner and as a specialist
in nervous diseases.

Fraternally Mr. Garner is affiliated with Charity Lodge, No. 190, Free
and Accepted Masons, of Norristown ; Norristown Chapter, No. 190,
Royal Arch Masons ; of the Royal and Select Masters ; Hutchinson Com-
mandery. No. 32, Knights Templar ; and Lu Lu Temple, Ancient Arabic
Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Philadelphia. He is also a member
of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a past grand of Norris-
town Lodge, No. 130; a member of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon ; of Sigma
Alpha Epsilon college fraternity of Bucknell University, and of the Phi
Alpha Gamma medical fraternity. He was a charter member and was
a member of the organization committee of the Plymouth Country Club,
of which he is now chairman of the membership committee. He is also a
member of the Ersine Club of Norristown, and of the University Club of
Philadelphia.

Dr. Garner has a summer home and fifty acres of land in Worcester-
shire township, Montgomery county, where he finds recreation in indulg-
ing his love of agricultural pursuits. The entire fifty acres are under cul-
tivation, and the owner of those well cultivated acres specializes in the
breeding and raising of Ayrshire cows and Berkshire pigs. He was the
first member to introduce certified milk into the city of Norristown, and
as a member of the National and State Ayrshire Breeders' Association,
and of the National and State Berkshire Association, he keeps closely in
touch with the most modern methods and theories of the breeding and
raising of these particular lines of farm stock. No citizen of the city of
Norristown is so closely in touch with so many of the interests of its

84 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

people as is Dr. Garner, and there are very few who have been privileged
to exercise a wider influence for wholesome living than has he. His
friends in Norristown are legion, and both in that city and among his
professional associates in other sections of the country he is held in
high esteem.

On October 30, 1907, at Norristown, Pennsylvania, Dr. Albert Row-
land Garner married Margaret J. Ross, daughter of Lafayette and Sarah
(Hall) Ross, the former of whom is a retired merchant. Mrs. Garner is
a graduate of Bryn Mawr College, and is active in the civic and social
affairs of the city of Norristown. She is a member of the school commit-
tee of Norristown ; of the Women's League of Voters ; Norristown Lit-
erary Club ; Norristown Civic Club ; Norristown Octave Club ; and
also a member of the College Club of Philadelphia, and the Ladies' Golf
Committee of the Plymouth Country Club. She takes an active part in
political affairs and was one of the executive board during the Pinchot
campaign. Both in Norristown and in Philadelphia her influence is
widely felt in social, civic and club life, and that influence is consistently
exerted in the interests of progress. Dr. and Mrs. Garner are the parents
of three children: Junior, born August 20, 1910; Lafayette Ross, born
March 28, 1914; and Sarah Janet, born June 22, 1915.

FRANCIS J. CLAMER— A leading citizen of Collegeville, Pennsyl-
vania, and its burgess for a number of years, Francis J. Clamer, although
retired from active business activities, still retains his interest in all things
pertaining to the welfare of that community, and wherever substantial
aid will further progress it is readily given by him.

Christian J. Clamer, grandfather of Francis J. Clamer, was a resident
of Hamburg, Germany, where he had extensive plantations. The family
history dates back to the twelfth century, but the country from which the
original Clamer came is unknown. Children of Christian J. Clamer:
George P. H., of further mention ; Francis J., Henry, William, Theodore,
Nicholas, Johannes, Wilhelmina, Augusta. It is interesting to note here
that at the diamond anniversary of the couple, the emperor presented a
diamond iron cross. Christian J. Clamer died at the age of ninety-two
years, and his wife, who was a Hofifman, also lived to a great age.

George P. H. Clamer, son of Christian J. and (Hofifman)

Clamer, and father of Francis J. Clamer, was born in Hamburg. Ger-
many, in 1802, where he received a liberal education and learned the trade
of a silversmith. He was an artist in work of this kind, having been sum-
moned to Mexico to fashion the ware for the Catholic churches of that
country, and was the designer of all that work. His family remained in
Hamburg but he came to this country, settling in Philadelphia in 1852,
after first traveling over the United States. In a short time his family
joined him and he secured employment at special art work in his line, at
which he continued until he was eight-three years of age. His last work
was a bronze portrait of the late William L. Elkins, the traction mil-
lionaire. He died February 20, 1889, at the age of eighty-seven years.

c<r^3^^^€^<f

BIOGRAPHICAL 85

He married Marie Rush, who died March 11, 1886, at the age of seventy-
seven years. Mr. and Mrs. Clamer were the parents of the following
children : Francis J., of further mention ; Augusta Maria, deceased ;
Louisa Henrietta, a former resident of Philadelphia, died November
16, 1920.

Francis J. Clamer, son of George P. H. and Marie (Rush) Clamer,
was born in Hamburg, Germany, July 4, 1841. It was in this city that he
received the early portion of his education or until he was eleven years of
age, at which time he came to this country with his mother, joining his
father in Philadelphia. The lad continued his education first in Philadel-
phia and later in Camden, New Jersey, studying chemistry and the natu-
ral sciences under the best chemists in the country, subsequently acquir-
ing a thorough knowledge of the trade of goldsmith and silversmith
under the tuition of his father. Later for five years he engaged in the
merchandise, hardware and house furnishing business. Then engaging
in the manufacture of bronze hardware he experimented in the produc-
tion of anti-frictional metal, accomplishing the first practical results in
1868. Twelve years later, after hard study and hard labor, he made
his discovery a success. About this same time he became acquainted
with the late William L. Elkins, William C. Warden, and J. G. Hendrick-
son, who had already heard of his success and advanced money to manu-
facture it on a large scale, and a corporation was formed, known as the
Ajax Metal Company. In 1897 Mr. Clamer turned over the active work
to his son.

Since his childhood, Mr. Clamer has accomplished successfully every-
thing he has undertaken. He had all his life resolved that he would
retire at the age of sixty years, which he was able to do. In 1888 he pur-
chased a small farm near Collegeville, which he rented out the following
year, and bought Professor J. Shelly Weinberger's farm. During the
summer of 1890 he occupied the Weinberger farm and spent the winter
in Philadelphia, making the location which he called "The Glen" his
home. In 1903 Mr. Clamer built a palatial mansion on Main street, Col-
legeville, where he has resided up to the present time. In 1906 he pur-
chased the Warren Mills as a means of supplying light and water for the
borough, continuing this for nine years when he devoted the place to the
manufacture of mill feed.

A Republican in politics he has always taken an interest in the activi-
ties of his chosen party and was unanimously elected the first burgess of
Collegeville. He is a director of the Norristown Trust Company, of Nor-
ristown ; director of the Collegeville National Bank ; director of the Ajax
Metal Company, of Philadelphia ; and was formerly on the board of trus-
tees of Ursinus College. Mr. Clamer affiliates with Warren Lodge, No.
310, Free and Accepted Masons; Philadelphia Consistory, Ancient
Accepted Scottish Rite, in which he holds the thirty-second degree ; and
is a member of the Acacia Club of Collegeville. It is interesting to note
here that Mr. Clamer has crossed the ocean thirty times for business and
pleasure, traveling from the North Cape to lower Italy, and during this

86 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

time he imported all the acacia trees from Germany that now beautify
the garden of his home. He gave to the Masonic club of Collegeville
the name Acacia. When Francis J. Clamer moved to Collegeville there
were but eleven houses in the borough ; personally he has built forty-five
houses and helped to build the Masonic Temple there. He also owns six
farms of two hundred and eighty-five acres. Horticulture is his hobby
and on his property Mr. Clamer has two conservatories to which he has
always given a large portion of his time. Although having lived far
beyond the "three score and ten," Mr. Clamer has never let his interest
wane in the worth while things of life, and while he has necessarily
retired from active club life, his home and family holding his chief inter-
est at the present time, his activities as a philanthropist are still a domi-
nant feature in the life of this venerable man.

Mr. Clamer married, July 12, 1864, Margaret Dieterich, who was born
in Philadelphia, April 30, 1843. Eight children were born to them, of
whom four are still living, three daughters and one son. The oldest
living is Guilliam Henry, who has become internationally known as a
metalurgical chemist ; his home is at Atlantic City, New Jersey. Anna
Marie, married G. Walker Kelley; Gertrude Margaret, married Chris-
tian Bauer ; Alma Julia, married Ralph E. Miller. The daughters reside
at Collegeville, Pennsylvania.

JUDGE WILLIAM F. SOLLY— For more than two decades Wil-
liam F. Solly has served Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, as president
judge of the Orphans' Court, and for two decades prior to his elevation
to the bench he had practiced in Montgomery county courts, his connec-
tion with the bar of that county dating from his admission, September I,
1879, at the age of twenty-one. The years have brought Judge Solly
many of the honors with which his profession rewards her worthy sons,
and as a judge he has proved most worthy and satisfactory. He pos-
sesses the judicial attributes, learning, an impartial mind able to weigh
evidence evenly and without prejudice, dignity, courtesy, and an intense
love of justice. He is very careful in his decisions, and is held in highest
esteem by his contemporaries of the Montgomery county bench and bar.

Solly is an old county family long seated at Norristown and Northern
Philadelphia. Cornelius Solly, son of the founder of the family, who was
of English birth and ancestry, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in
1802, and died in Norristown, Pennsylvania, March 13, 1888. He married
a Miss Day, and they later resided in Whitemarsh township, Montgomery'
county, Pennsylvania; they were the parents of Benjamin Franklin
Solly, of whom further.

Benjamin Franklin Solly was born at Valley Green Tavern, March
24, 1833. He moved to Norristown upon attaining his majority, and
manufactured and dealt in shoes for about fifty years. He married, Jan-
uary I, 1857, Catherine Smith Moyer, daughter of Joseph and Deborah
(Rhoads) Moyer, and granddaughter of John Moyer, a cooper of Nor-
ristown.

JlmAso\[

BIOGRAPHICAL 87

William F. Solly, the principal character of this review, son of Benja-
min Franklin and Catherine Smith (Moyer) Solly, was born in Norris-
town, Pennsylvania, February 17, 1858. He was educated in the public
schools, finishing with graduation from high school, class of 1873. He then
entered his father's employ as a clerk in his shoe store, devoting his eve-
nings to further study. Later he began the study of law (May i, 1876)
under the preceptorship of Gilbert Rodman Fox, and on September i,
1879, Mr. Solly was admitted to the Montgomery county bar. He at once
began practice in Norristown, was admitted to the Supreme Court, April
18, 1882, and built up a large practice. As a lawyer he acquired a reputa-
tion for ability and for exactness, thoroughness, care and fidelity in the
management of the interests of his clients, and the trusts committed to
his care. Methodical and deliberate in forming his judgments, he was
consulted by many leading citizens in different sections of the county,
and served a large clientele. Until January i, 1887, he was assistant to
Mr. Fox, his preceptor, Mr. Fox's son then being admitted to the bar and
becoming his father's assistant. During these years at the bar, Mr. Solly
served as solicitor to registers of wills, J. Roberts Rambo and Joseph W.
Hunter, to sherififs Henry C. Kline and Edwin S. Stahtnecker, and to
county treasurer, Edwin S. Stahtnecker ; was county solicitor for four
and a half years ; was solicitor of the borough of Ambler, for the board
of township commissioners of Cheltenham, and also for the supervisors
of several townships. He was counsel for the State Hospital for the
Insane, Southeastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Valley Forge
Commission for a number of years, and for a number of business men,
firms and corporations in Norristown and elsewhere in the county. On
December i, 1890, he was appointed assistant solicitor to the Pennsyl-
vania railroad for Montgomery county, and in May, 1899, he succeeded
to the solicitorship upon the death of Judge Stinson, who had formerly
held the position. For several years after his admission to the bar he was
connected with the stafif of the Norristown "Herald" in carefully prepar-
ing the proceedings of the county courts.

When the separate Orphans' Court of Montgomery county was created
by the Legislature during the session of 1901, Mr. Solly was freely named
as a candidate for president judge, sixty-seven of the seventy-two mem-
bers of the Montgomery county bar signing a petition to Governor Stone
asking for his appointment. Another petition, signed by 1,500 citizens of
prominence and standing, was also presented to the Governor, who on
May 25, 1901, sent the name of William F. Solly to the Senate as his
appointment to the ofifice of president judge of the newly-created
Orphans' Court of Montgomery county. That body confirmed the
appointment without a division on June 3, and on June 10, 1901, the new
judge was sworn in and at once entered upon his duties.

Judge Solly served under that appointment until elected the following
November as the regular candidate of the Republican party for the office
to which he had been unanimously nominated. He entered upon his reg-
ular term of ten years the first Monday of January, 1902, was reelected

88 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

for a second term in 191 1, and for a third in 1921, without opposition, and
is now (1923) in office. He organized the new court, placed its machin-
ery in good working order, and has since conducted the large business
of the court in a most thorough, careful and systematic manner, the
court records being most carefully kept.

In politics Judge Solly has always been a Republican, formerly very
active. He has received many honors and trusts from his party asso-
ciates in addition to his judgeship. He was a presidential elector in 1896;
was secretary of the county committee and a member of the executive
committee, 1880-92, then became chairman of the county committee. In
1893 he was elected chairman of the county committee, a position he
ably filled for nine years. In 1901, after the November election, he
resigned the chairmanship, then closing twenty years of unselfish con-
nection with the county committee, every county office being then filled
by a Republican as they had been for several years. As an organizer he
had no superior, and as a harmonizer of discordant elements he was most
successful.

Prior to Judge Solly's election to the bench he was connected with
important business enterprises. He was one of the incorporators of the
Norristown Electric Light and Power Company, and held at different
times the offices of director, secretary, treasurer and solicitor. He was a
director of the Norristown Gas Company, an incorporator of the Albert-
son Trust and Safe Deposit Company, later the Penn Trust Company of
Norristown, a director from its organization and president February i,
1901, until taking his seat upon the bench, June 10, 1901. During the
War with Germany, 1917-18, he was a member of the Pennsylvania Com-
mittee of Public Safety.

Judge Solly is a member of the Masonic order, affiliated with Charity
Lodge, No. 190, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is an honored
past master; is a past high priest of Norristown Chapter, Royal Arch
Masons, a Sir Knight of Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights Tem-
plar; and in Scottish Rite Masonry holds the thirty-second degree of
Philadelphia Consistory, Sovereign Princes of the Royal Secret. He is
a trustee of the Masonic Homes Endowment Fund of the Grand Lodge,
Free and Accepted Masons, of Pennsylvania. He is president of the
Norristown Library Company ; a manager of the Aged Woman's Home
of Montgomery County; president of the Montgomery County Fish,
Game and Forestry Association; member of the Historical Society of
Montgomery County; member, incorporator and president of the Nor-
ristown Club, Plymouth County, Ersine Tennis, and the Pacific Club of
Nantucket, Massachusetts. He is a member of St. John's Protestant
Episcopal Church of Norristown.

Judge Solly married, at Norristown, Pennsylvania, October 19, 1882,
Alice Lukens Gilbert, daughter of Solomon and Anne (Lukens) Gilbert,
her parents both of Montgomery county birth, and both deceased, her
mother a descendant of Jan Lukens. To Judge and Mrs. Solly a daughter
was born, Anne Catharine, born January 21, 1885, married, February 17,

BIOGRAPHICAL 89

1917, to Henry Clay Wood, of St. Louis, Missouri, now deceased. Mrs.
Wood has a son, Henry Clay (2) Wood, born January 2, 1918. She resides
in St. Louis. Mrs. Solly is a member of the First Presbyterian Church in
Norristown, Mrs. Wood being a member of Westminster Presbyterian
Church of St. Louis. She is a graduate of Wells College.

WILLIAM BENJAMIN KIRKPATRICK— A beneficent and inter-
esting career came to an end on June 26, 1919, when Mr. Kirkpatrick
died. A man of quite unusual ability, born with a genius for good citi-
zenship, and exercising for many years the prerogatives of his position
as a newspaper editor and proprietor to inform and to guide public opin-
ion in the direction of the finest ideals of human character and conduct,
his influence extended far beyond the confines of his native State. As a
member of the Draft Board during the World War, he will long be
remembered as an examining officer and as a friend by over two thousand
United States soldiers. Deeply concerned with the fate of those sons of
the State, one of them his own, it was Mr. Kirkpatrick who conceived the
idea of the Memorial Plaza at North Wales, which commemorates the
deeds and the lives of those Pennsylvania boys who fell on the field of
battle. His own early death having been due in no small part to the long
and arduous services he rendered to his country during the trying days of
the conflict, he will, himself, long be remembered by his fellow-towns-
men at the yearly services held in that memorial square.

Mr. Kirkpatrick was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, April 25, 1869,
son of William and Aksah (Dauphin) Kirkpatrick. The family name of
Kirkpatrick had long been known in Pennsylvania, and for many years
the fortunes and history of the family had been woven into the fabric of
Lancaster county life. On his mother's side, Mr. Kirkpatrick was of
French descent, but the Dauphin family, like the Kirkpatricks, had long
been domiciled in Pennsylvania, and the quaint Christian name which
Mr. Kirkpatrick's mother bore had previously been borne by other mem-
bers of her family, as it was afterwards borne by her youngest daughter.
Mr. Kirkpatrick's parents were married during the Civil War and felt
the heavy burdens that followed in its wake. Exempted from military
service, his father fought behind the lines, cultivating his land and fur-
nishing his share of the grain, the beef cattle, and the horses and mules
used for transport and refitting by the Union army. When the Civil
War was over, he continued in the business of managing his farm, and
reared and educated a large family of children, the individual members
of which were as follows : Susan, who has never married and who is
now a resident of Lancaster ; Sarah, who, like her sister Susan, never
married, and is now a resident of Lancaster; Grace, who married Samuel
Ekert, and is now a resident of Harrisburg, New York ; William Benja-
min, of this review ; John, who moved to the West and is now engaged in
business at San Francisco ; Rachel, who married John Hartman, of Lan-
caster, and who has since died ; Charles and Aksah, both of whom died
young.

90 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Mr. Kirkpatrick received his education in the pubhc schools of Lan-
caster, and entered the field of business as a practical printer, learning
the art by serving as a 'prentice hand to the genial and whole-souled
editor of the Lancaster "Examiner." He spent several years as a mem-
ber of the working force of the "Examiner" and thus learned the rudi-
ments of the newspaper business in the best of all schools, that of
experience. In 1900, without solicitation on his part, he was offered a
post on the "Sentinel," of Ansonia. Connecticut, and as this was in the
line of advancement and offered him an opportunity to enlarge his expe-
rience, he decided to take it. Relinquishing his long connection with
the Lancaster "Examiner," he moved to Ansonia with his wife and chil-
dren and spent between six and seven years as mechanical superintendent
of the "Sentinel" plant. In 1907 he returned to his native State and pur-
chased the North Wales "Record," which thereafter he continued to own
and edit until the time of his death, when it passed into the hands of his
only son. The newspaper, which thus came under the control and man-
agement of Mr. Kirkpatrick, is one of the oldest in Montgomery county,
and its files constitute a valuable commentary on the post-Civil War
development of American social life and history. A full file of its
weekly issues for the past half century is stored in the archives of the
Pennsylvania Historical Society at Harrisburg, where it is not infre-
quently consulted by research workers for the valuable sidelights it
throws upon a period of great national importance. It was founded in
1874 by M. F. Wood. Shortly afterwards it fell into the hands of Wilmer
Johnson, who edited it for a quarter of a century and brought it to a posi-
tion of stability and financial security. The next proprietors of the hardy
weekly were Yeakle & Sons, who acquired it from Mr. Johnson and man-
aged it until the year 1907, when they sold it outright to Mr. Kirkpatrick.

A born newspaper man, one to whom newsprint was life, Mr. Kirk-
patrick had a peculiar aflfection for the "Record." In a literal sense, his
paper was his pride. He superintended every detail of the business, and
to the last went down into the press room to see the forms locked and the
printing begun. His subscribers were his friends and he addressed them
as neighbors in his weekly editorials. A deep thinker, an omniverous
reader, and a man who was as direct in speech as in action, his pen had
power. He advised and encouraged, informed and entertained his readers,
and the prevailing tone of his paper was always one of lofty optimism,
courage, and an invincible determination to mould the characters of men.
In the belief that these were the proper functions of a newspaper editor,
Mr. Kirkpatrick lived and died. He was president of the Montgomery
and Bucks County Press League at the time of his death, and nowhere
was the loss of him more deeply felt than among those of his associates
who had for so long been his companions-at-arms in the newspaper pro-
fession and who understood and shared his vision of the duties, the rights
and the responsibilities of an unfettered press wielding its coordinating
power and exerting its corrective influence in the free life of a great
democracy.

BIOGRAPHICAL 91

A Republican in politics, Mr. Kirkpatrick was for ten years a justice
of the peace at North Wales. He was instrumental in forming the Fel-
lowship Club of the Gwynedd Valley. Always active in his support of
Republican principles and candidates, he was a member of the Republi-
can committee of Montgomery county, and his word carried great weight
in political discussions. A Pennsylvanian of the Pennsylvanians, he
knew the character and temper of his public as it has been given to few
men to know it. His mind outran the present and saw in the events of
to-day and yesterday the beginnings of to-morrow's news. Public opin-
ion found its way to him through a thousand channels and seldom, if
ever, did he fail to appraise it rightly. He was a touchstone for true
Americanism, and those forces which would seek to impair or destroy our
national life turned away from him abashed. Of such a temper and of
so finely moulded a character was the man who examined over two thou-
sand specimens of young American manhood that had been designated
for military service by the draft, personally filling out their question-
naires, like an old-fashioned judge who scrupulously records the testi-
mony in every case he tries. Small wonder that many men went over-
seas with the memory of him as a kind and patient friend. In addition
to his work as an examining officer of the Draft Board, he acted in an
advisory capacity to the local draft boards of Lansdale and Bridgeport.
Most of his war work was done at night in hours taken from sleep that
had been well earned by his labors during the day. As a minute-man
during the loan drives, few that saw him in the open air under the glare
of electric torches pleading for the cause he had so much at heart will
fail to remember him. At such times Mr. Kirkpatrick was a deeply mov-
ing and heroic figure. When the war was over and he came forward with
his plan for a Memorial Plaza to commemorate the lives of the boys who
went overseas from North Wales and the surrounding district, his fellow-
citizens, who could refuse him nothing, responded nobly to his call. He
did not live to see the Plaza completed, but year after year, when
memorial services are held at North Wales in that new and beautiful
square, his name will be spoken with the wistful and affectionate intona-
tions that voice human gratitude and esteem.

Half a dozen clubs and fraternal organizations carried Mr. Kirkpat-
rick on their membership rolls. He was a Mason, and belonged to Lans-
dale Lodge, No. 558, Free and Accepted Masons, and to the Chapter. He
held membership in North Wales Lodge, No. 610, Independent Order of
Odd Fellows ; in the Woodmen of the World ; the Royal Arcanum ; and
in the Mutual Protective Order of Artisans at Lancaster. Mr. Kirkpat-
rick also had numerous business affiliations, and was widely known as a
director of the North Wales Building and Loan Association. Born and
brought up in the Lutheran faith, of which his mother was an adherent,
Mr. Kirkpatrick took a deep personal interest in church affairs. He was
a member of the Church Council of St. Peter's Lutheran Church at North
Wales, and was a moving spirit in all of its humanitarian works. Gen-
erous to a fault, in his private life Mr. Kirkpatrick set an example of con-

92 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

stant Christian charity and benevolence, and it is safe to say that no one
in need ever called at the office of the "Record" and came empty-handed
away.

At Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on November 25, 1893', Mr. Kirkpatrick
married Frances Ellen Mercer, daughter of William and Ellen (Doan)
Mercer. Mrs. Kirkpatrick's father was a veteran of the Civil War and a
member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Harry Mercer, who was
her only brother, was for a long time connected with the firm of Robert
Gair at Brooklyn, New York, as manager of the credit department. Mrs.
Kirkpatrick died at North Wales, September 30, 1917. Mr. Kirkpat-
rick died at North Wales, June 26, 1919. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick had
two children: William Mercer, of whom further; and Mary Ellen, born
November 15, 1898, married Frederick R. Ellis, and is now a resident of
Glenside, Pennsylvania.

William Mercer Kirkpatrick, the only son of Mr. Kirkpatrick, was
born October 28, 1896. He was educated in the public schools of North
Wales. After his graduation from the North Wales High School, he
proceeded to Pierce's Business College at Philadelphia, where he spent
the years 1916 and 1917 in study. When he had completed the course
of instruction at Pierce's Business College, he returned to North Wales
and became associated with his father in the management of the "Rec-
ord." On April 5, 1918, he enlisted for service in the United States
army and was assigned to the Ordnance Department and stationed at the
Proving Grounds at Sandy Hook, New Jersey. On September 17, 1918,
he was promoted to the rank of corporal, and on January 14, 1919, he
became a sergeant. In March, 1919, he was transferred to Fort Slocum,
and five days after his arrival there, on March 22, he was honorably
discharged from the service. When the period of his military service had
thus come to an end, he returned once more to North Wales and resumed
his work on the "Record." At his father's death, he became the owner
and editor of the paper and he has conducted it ever since. Mr. Kirk-
patrick is a Mason, and holds membership in Lansdale Lodge, No. 558,
Free and Accepted Masons; Lansdale Chapter; and the Tall Cedars
Club of Lebanon. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fel-
lows, holding membership in the North Wales Lodge of that order ; and
to the Knights of the Golden Eagle at North Wales. As a veteran of the
World War, he belongs to McLeod Post of the American Legion.

On August 25, 1917, Mr. Kirkpatrick married Eleanore Saxton. Mr.
and Mrs. Kirkpatrick have two children : William B., and Jean Eleanore.

EMANUEL J. WIEDER— The business and professional experience
of Emanuel J. Wieder, president of the Farmers' National Bank of Penns-
burg, Pennsylvania, has been a wide and varied one. As teacher, agricul-
turist, public official, real estate man, and finally as a bank official, he has
demonstrated his versatility and his ability to bring to diverse kinds of
work the energy and ability which wins success.

CDtoin gj. UlUthtr, Jr.

BIOGRAPHICAL 93

Born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, November 11, 1855, son of
Saul, a successful farmer of that county, and Anna (Mechling) Wieder,
Mr. Wieder received his preparatory education in the public schools of
his native district, and then entered the State Normal School, where he
prepared for the profession of teaching. He also further prepared him-
self for the efficient discharge of his responsibilities by taking a course in
business college. When his preparations were completed, he engaged in
teaching in Lehigh county, and for six years rendered efficient service in
that line. The strain of his rigorous course of study, followed by thor-
ough and conscientious devotion to his teaching responsibilities, how-
ever, impaired his health, and at the end of six years he found himself
obliged to seek a more healthful occupation. He bought a farm and
became a tiller of the soil, in which occupation, an out-of-door life and
plenty of physical exercise gradually brought robust health and restored
nervous stability. For twelve years he continued in the occupation which
had brought to him the blessing of health, serving meantime as justice
of the peace for twelve years. Engaging then in the real estate business,
he bought and sold houses and lands until 1901, when he came to Mont-
gomery county as cashier of the Farmers' National Bank at Pennsburg.
This position he retained until January, 1921, a period of more than
twenty years, when he was elected president of the Farmers' National
Bank, which official position he has continued to hold to the present
time (1922).

Politically Mr. Wieder gives his support to the principles and the
candidates of the Democratic party, in the activities of which he takes a
deep interest, but is not an office-seeking man. He served as mercantile
appraiser, however, and in this capacity rendered service of a highly
satisfactory character. During the World War he was chairman of the
Upper Perkiomen District for the Liberty Loan drives, and he has
always been ready to give of his time and his means for the advancement
of those projects which seem to him to be well planned for the advance-
ment of the public welfare. His religious affiliation is with the Reformed
church of Chestnut Hill, Lehigh county, which he serves as a deacon
and an elder. He also has served for twenty-seven years as superin-
tendent of the Sunday school at Lower Milford, in Lehigh county.

On June 10, 1878, at Upper Saucon, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania,
Mr. Wieder married Vesta E. Dillinger, daughter of William D. and
Helene (Person) Dillinger, and they are the parents of three children:
Edwin Joshua, Jr. ; John William ; and Cora Anna.

EDWIN J. WIEDER, JR., as one of the foremost citizens of Penns-
burg, Pennsylvania, holds a position of public trust as postmaster of this
place, his business activity in Pennsburg having placed him in the lead-
ing ranks of commercial advance. Mr. Wieder is a son of Emanuel J.
and Vesta E. (Dillinger) Wieder, his father's life being reviewed in the
preceding sketch.

94 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Edwin J. Wieder, Jr., was born in Lower Milford township, Lehigh
county, Pennsylvania, March 29, 1880. Following his elementary educa-
tion in the public schools, he attended Perkiomen Seminary, where he
gained a broadly practical foundation for his future success. Variously
employed as a young man, he came to Pennsburg in May, 1902, and here
established a jewelry business at No. 365 Main street, but is now retired
from business pursuits. He received his appointment as postmaster of
Pennsburg in February, 1916, and has been retained in the office con-
tinuously since, the exacting duties of the position having been handled
by him with the same efficiency and courtesy which he has made the
ruling forces in his individual enterprises. He is highly esteemed in the
community, both as a private citizen and as a public servant, and the
people feel that the postal affairs of the borough are in good and faithful
hands. This is not, however, the only instance of Mr. Wieder's public
service. Prior to his appointment as postmaster he had been borough
auditor for eight years, and in all public interests he at all times stands
ready to bear a part in any movement which tends to advance the public
welfare, regardless of honors or recompense. During the World War
he served as district chairman of the War Savings Stamps drive, and
under his leadership the local district did excellent work. Fraternally he
is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Star of Bethle-
hem Lodge, No. 190, of Philadelphia ; Pennsburg Encampment, No. 234,
of which he is at present treasurer; is now patriarch militant, of Lodge
No. 39, of AUentown, Pennsylvania, and also past chief patriot. He is a
member and past commander of the Knights of Malta, No. 338, of Penns-
burg, and a member of Nest No. 1302, Order of Owls, of East Greenville,
in this county. Mr. Wieder is the recipient of a gold medal symbolizing
his rank as past commander, receiving what is known as the Red Cross
degree. He is a member of the Pennsburg Board of Trade, and the Vol-
unteer Fire Department, and of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

Mr. Wieder married, in Pennsburg, on April 9, 1905, Mary C.
Waage, daughter of Charles T. Waage, M. D., for years the oldest grad-
uate of Jefiferson Medical College, and a practicing physician for more
than fifty years. He died in 1921, at the age of ninety-three years. The
mother, Lydia (Eschbach) Waage, died in 1912, at the age of sixty-four
years. Mr. and Mrs. Wieder are the parents of three children : Gertrude,
born June 9, 1907; Mildred Esther, born December 23, 1912; and Helen
Doris, born March 25, 1916. The young people are now attending the
Pennsburg schools.

DANIEL YEAKEL MILLER— As the son of one of Montgomery
county's eminent jurists, D. Yeakel Miller had an inherited liking for
the law, and his environment was such that the liking grew into ambi-
tion and determination to make the law his profession. He is a son of
Judge John Faber and Emma (Yeakel) Miller, his father president judge
of the Court of Common Pleas, of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania.

YAitA^^huU^

BIOGRAPHICAL 95

The son came to the Montgomery county bar at the October term, 1916,
and has since been admitted to all State and Federal courts of the dis-
trict, and to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, his offices in Norris-
town and home in Springfield township, his standing at the bar of his
native county secure and honorable.

D. Yeakel Miller was born at Conshohocken, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, November 6, 1890, At six years of age he began attend-
ing the Friends' School of Plymouth Meeting, continuing a scholar
there for ten years. Then he entered Friends' Central School, Philadel-
phia, there finishing with graduation, class of 1908, after an attendance of
two years. During the years 1908-09 he was a student in the college
department of the University of Pennsylvania, going thence in 1909 to
Princeton University, where he was graduated Litt. B., class of 1913.
He prepared for the profession of law at the University of Pennsylvania
Law School, whence he was graduated LL. B., after a course covering
the period 1913-16.

On October 2, 1916, Mr. Miller was admitted to practice at the Mont-
gomery county bar, and has since been continuously in practice at that
bar with offices in Norristown. He was admitted to practice before the
Court of Common Pleas, the Orphan's Court and the Municipal Court
of Philadelphia, in the fall of 1916; to practice before the Supreme Court
of Pennsylvania, January 15, 1917; and to the United States District
Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, in 1921.

His practice was interrupted during the World War period, he enlist-
ing in the United States Naval Reserve Forces, June 5, 1918. He was
sent to the United States Naval Training Station at Great Lakes, Illi-
nois, as seaman, and from November i, 1918, until February 7, 1919, he
was in Officer Material School there, rating as chief boatswain's mate.
On the last date mentioned he was released from active duty at his
request, and honorably discharged September 30, 1921.

Mr. Miller is a director and member of the finance committee of The
Penn Trust Company of Norristown, and has been a member of the
Board of School Directors of Springfield township since 1917. He is a
Republican in politics, and an Episcopalian in religious faith, his clubs
the Princeton of New York, the Princeton of Philadelphia, and the Ply-
mouth Country. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Society Sons of
the Revolution, the American Legion, and the Phi Delta Phi, the last
named a legal fraternity.

On June 12, 1917, at Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Mr. Miller married
Avis Buckman, daughter of Louis and Mary R. (Cox) Buckman. Mr.
and Mrs. Miller are the parents of two children : John Faber, 3rd, born
November 14, 1919; Elizabeth Buckman, born June 3, 1922.

FRANK PHILIP KENDRICK BARKER— One of the best known
professional men in his field in this section is Dr. Frank Philip Kendrick
Barker, dental surgeon, who has enjoyed an exceedingly active and com-

96 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

prehensive experience since he first began practice in 1907. Dr. Barker
was born in Roseglen, Lower Merion township, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, April 14, 1884, a son of Thomas Henry and Josephine
(Conrad) Barker. His father was a man of prominence in the com-
munity, and served two terms from his district in the State Legislature,
while his business was that of manufacturer.

Dr. Barker devoted the years of his boyhood and early manhood to the
acquirement of his education, which has been of broad character. In 1899
he graduated from the Merion Square Grammar School, following which
he took a full four-year course in the Lower Merion High School, receiv-
ing his diploma with the class of 1903. Following this he entered the
University of Pennsylvania in the college and dental department, gradu-
ating in 1907. Immediately afterwards he began the practice of the
dental profession, opening his first office in the Flanders building at Fif-
teenth and Walnut streets, Philadelphia, and later removing to the
Empire building at Thirteenth and Walnut streets, Philadelphia. This
practice he continued for ten years, between 1907 and 1917, and at the
same time, during 1908 and 1910, was an instructor at Temple University.
Following that period, from 1910 to 1917 he was an instructor in den-
tistry at his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania.

In 1917 Dr. Barker enlisted in the United States army and was in
active service in France, participating in the battles of the Meuse and
Argonne Forest. He received a commission as lieutenant, later was made
a captain, and in December, 1920, resigned his commission and resumed
private practice with offices in the Ardmore Theatre building at Ardmore,
Pennsylvania. Previous to entering the regular army for active service.
Dr. Barker gained military experience as a private in the Sixth Regiment
of the Pennsylvania National Guard, and as a lieutenant in the Reserve
Corps of the United States army. In addition to caring for a large pri-
vate dental practice, Dr. Barker has also been, since 192 1, dental surgeon
for the Autocar Company.

In social and civic affairs of his home community, Dr. Barker has
always taken an active interest, and he maintains membership in num-
erous clubs and societies, not only in this section but in other parts of the
country. Among these may be mentioned the Brookline Square Club ;
the Ashler Club of Baltimore, Maryland ; the Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the
Theta Nu Epsilon and the Delta Sigma Delta fraternities of the Uni-
versity of Pennsylvania ; the Lower Merion High School Alumni Society,
of which he is president, treasurer and secretary, and for seven years was
a member of the board of directors ; Merion Lodge, No. 210, Independent
Order of Odd Fellows; Swedeland Lodge, No. 273, Knights of Pythias;
Cassia Lodge, No. 273, Free and Accepted Masons ; also the Philadelphia
Consistory and the Rajah Shrine of Reading, Pennsylvania. Dr. Barker
is a resident at Gladwyn, and in his religious affiliation is a member of the
Redeemer (Protestant Episcopal) Church at Bryn Mawr, to which he
gives generous support.

^^cfe

^^.

BIOGRAPHICAL 97

REV. WILLIAM OLIVER FEGELY— Among the men whose life
and work and character have made for righteousness, uplift and inspira-
tion in a community, few stand higher than Rev. W. O. Fegely, who for
nearly a quarter of a century has been pastor of the old historic Muhlen-
berg church of Trappe. Pennsylvania. He was born January 8, 1867, in
Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, son of Benjamin and Mary A. (Dankel)
Fegely.

Benjamin Fegely was born in Berks county, and his wife was a native
of Lehigh county, where they were married. He received the usual
limited education of his day in the district school, and when a mere lad
set out to learn the carpenter's trade. After working at his vocation
for a number of years, he turned to agriculture on a piece of land which
he had purchased in Lehigh county. He had much of the pioneer's work
to do on his place, for a great deal of it was still in the rough and there
was a home and farm buildings to be erected. His trade, however, was
a great help and before his death on June 6, 1894, he had a splendid farm
with a complete set of buildings and equipment. Physically he was
robust and active, mentally keen, a man of good heart and works. His
wife died August 13, 1898. They were the parents of four children:
Hiram C, a graduate of normal school, a teacher for eighteen years, later
becoming a farmer; Matilda, who for many years lived with her brother,
Rev. W. O. Fegely ; Susan, who died at the age of twenty ; and William
Oliver, the subject of this sketch.

Christian Fegely, father of Benjamin Fegely, and grandfather of Wil-
liam O. Fegely, and his wife, Catherine, were also natives of Berks
county. He was the third generation of Fegelys from the original emi-
grant from Germany, and was a farmer and member of the Lutheran
church. Their children were : Peter John ; George Henry ; Benjamin,
William O. Fegely's father ; Samuel ; Maria ; Elizabeth ; Anna and Leah.

Charles Dankel, maternal grandfather, was born in Berks county and
belonged to an old established family that came originally from Ger-
many. He was a farmer, a weaver of linen, and in politics was a Demo-
crat, holding the offices of supervisor and tax collector. He was a
member of the Reformed church, and died at the age of sixty-five. His
children were: Mary A., mother of William O. Fegely; Caroline (Mrs.
Hiram Becker); and Isabella (Mrs. Willoughby Fegely).

William Oliver Fegely grew up on his father's farm, attending the
district school until he entered the Kutztown State Normal School at
Kutztown, Pennsylvania, in 1886. His stay here was only long enough
to prepare him for entrance to Muhlenberg College, at Allentown, Penn-
sylvania. He matriculated in 1887 and was graduated with honors in
1890, giving the German oration at the commencement exercises. He is
a member of the Sophronian Society and the Alpha Tau Omega fra-
ternity. He now became a student at Mt. Airy Theological Seminary,
Mt. Airy, Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1893, and in
June of the same year was ordained. His first church was a Lutheran

98 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

mission at Sayer, Bradford county, Pennsylvania, where he remained
for five years.

In 1898 Rev. Fegely was called to the pastorate of the famous old
Muhlenberg church at Trappe, Pennsylvania, called Augustus, although
not so called from St. Augustus, but from the superintendent of Halle
institutions in Germany, Augustus Francke, who was instrumental in
sending H. M. Muhlenberg to organize it, and through his son was the
means of bringing to America in 1742, as its pastor, the first regularly
ordained minister in this country. This was Rev. Henry Melchoir Muh-
lenberg, who preached his first sermon in Philadelphia, November 25,
1742, but who shortly after moved to Trappe, and in December of the same
year gave an address in a barn to the gathered Lutherans who were many,
but had only a temporary church organization. He was the father of
General Peter Muhlenberg, who served with distinction in the Revolu-
tion. He is also buried in the graveyard adjoining the church. He
bought a tract of land, established the church and staid as its pastor
until 1765, when he went to Philadelphia. On December 26, 1784, he
returned to Trappe and preached his last sermon, passing away October
7, 1787. The church has always been an important one and under Rev.
Fegely's ministrations has increased in growth and influence.

Rev. Fegely is a much sought after preacher in his denomination, and
lecturer before other bodies. His interest in education has wrought much
good, and he has been a school director for three terms, 1901 to 1913.
He was the president of the Lutheran Conference in 1915. During the
World War he was prominent in the Red Cross work and was one of
the principals in the Liberty Loan and later the War Chest drives. He
helped compile the "Graphic Historical Review of Pennsylvania," which
listed the loyal citizens and soldiers of merit from this State, together
with their names and addresses.

In 1893 R^v. W. O. Fegely was married to Anna M. Snyder, born in
1870, a daughter of Henry H. and Amanda (Reiff) Snyder, of Bucks
county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Snyder died on February 7, 1919. He was
for iTiany years a farmer on the homestead which had been in the family
for several generations. His father, George Snyder, also a farmer, was
the father of the following children: Henry; Francis; Henry H., father
of Mrs. Fegely; Jacob; Mary A. (Mrs. A. Bean) ; Sarah (Mrs. H. Cress-
man) ; and Ephraim, who died at the age of ten.

Amanda Reiflf was the daughter of Abraham and Sarah Reiff, natives
of Montgomery county. He died in 1884 and was a Mennonite. The
children of Mr. and Mrs. Reiff were: Abraham; William; Sarah (Mrs.
Brant); Lavinia (Mrs. Kober) ; and Amanda (Mrs. Snyder). Henry
H. and Amanda (Reiff) Snyder had three children : Elmer R., a physi-
cian, who died in 1898; Sallie E., who married Rev. Charles C. Snyder,
a Lutheran minister ; and Anna M., wife of Dr. W. O. Fegely.

Rev. W. O. Fegely, A. M., and Anna M. (Snyder) Fegely are the
parents of four children : i. Byron S., born July 11, 1895, was a graduate
of Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, in 1915, and a teacher of

BIOGRAPHICAL 99

English and history at Hamburg Academy, New Jersey, until the United
States entered the World War. He then enlisted and was placed in the
medical department of the 7th Infantry of the 3rd Division. After a
period in Camp Dix, he sailed to France in 1918. He was wounded Octo-
ber 3 of that year, in the battle of the Argonne Forest, and died in the
hospital on October 13, 1918. He was buried in the American Cemetery,
Romagne Sons, Montfaucon, Meuse, and disinterred and reburied in grave
No. 193, Section loi, Plot No. 4. He was awarded the Distinguished
Service Cross, and the official recommendation for that honor reads:

Byron S. Fegely (American Serial No. 543321), Private Medical Department, 7th
Infantry, 3rd Division. For extraordinary heroism in action near Cierges, France,
October i, 1918. After having been rendered unconscious for two hours by exploding
shells, he, upon receiving consciousness continued to administer first aid to the wounded.
Later while carrying a severely wounded man to safety he was fatally wounded by a
shell fragment.

The American Legion Post at CoUegeville, Pennsylvania, was given
his name, Byron S. Fegely Post, No. 119. He was quite an athlete, and
participated in baseball while there. Being an accomplished musician,
especially on the piano and pipe organ, he was appointed organist of the
Trappe church. Just previous to being called to camp, he was elected
organist and choir director of Grace Lutheran Church at Norristown,
which position he could only fill for one week. While overseas he was
honored by playing the organ for service in one of the large churches in
France. 2. Grace, born January 25, 1897, and died May 26, 1897. 3.
Alma, born March 17, 1899, and at present (1922) is a teacher. 4. Flor-
ence E., born August 6, 1902, is attending Ursinus College, CoUegeville,
Pennsylvania (1922).

J. P. HALE JENKINS — Among the successful members of the legal
profession in Montgomery county was the late J. P. Hale Jenkins, attor-
ney, who for more than half a century was engaged in general practice
in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and who died January 19, 1921.

Mr. Jenkins is of Welsh descent, tracing his ancestry to Jenkin Jenkin,
a native of Wales, who emigrated to America and settled in what is now
Hatfield township, about the year 1729. The family Bible, printed in
Welsh characters, is still in the possession of members of the family, and
the following records are of interest to the numerous descendants of
Jenkin Jenkin: "Jenkin Jenkin died September 15, 1745, aged 86 years.
Mary Jenkins died November 27, 1764, aged 74 years. John Jenkins,
born February 15, 1719."

Jenkin Jenkin was born, therefore in 1659, and his wife Mary in 1690,
and their son, John (i). was a lad of about ten years when the family
came to this country. The records show that on November 17, 1730, Jen-
kin Jenkin purchased of Joseph Tucker, three hundred and fifty acres of
land in Hatfield, "reaching from Gwynedd line nearly or quite to the
cowpath road, and from the Montgomery line about to the road running
from Lansdale to Colmar." On this tract of land he settled, and there he

loo HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

lived during the remainder of his life, his will, drawn in 1745, stating
that he was then "of Hatfield." Four children survived him: i. John

(i), of whom further. 2. Mary. 3. Jenkin, Jr., who married

Thomas, and had four children : David, unmarried ; Elizabeth, who mar-
ried John Banes ; Hannah, unmarried ; and Eleanor, who married a
McPherson. 4. Elizabeth, who married John Hoxworth, son of Peter
and Mary Hoxworth, and had seven children. Of these, the line of
descent is through John, the oldest son, he being the progenitor of all
the family who now bear the name, the brother, Jenkin, having had
no sons.

John (i) Jenkins (as he spelled the name), son of Jenkin and Mary
Jenkin, was born in Wales. He bought land in Gwynedd, adjoining
Lansdale, in 1746, and died in 1803 or 1804. He married Sarah Hox-
worth, daughter of Peter and Mary Hoxworth, and they became the par-
ents of eight children: i. John (2), born in 1742, died in 1805, served as
an officer in the Revolutionary Army ; married Elizabeth Lukens, widow
of Abraham Lukens, and they were the parents of six children : Owen,
who married Mary Tennis; Sarah, who married Peter Hoxworth; Jesse,
who married Mary Aaron; John (3), of whom further; Edward, who
married Margaret Server; and Elizabeth, who married Issacher Rhoads.
2. Levi, who married Susan Sheive, and was the father of nine children,
among whom was Rev. John S. Jenkins, prominent in the Baptist denom-
ination, and Levi, Jr., who married Sarah Smith. 3. Ann, who married
Hugh Kousty. 4. Edward, born July 12, 1758, died in 1829, married
Sarah Foulke, daughter of Theophilus Foulke, and had six children:
Charles F., married Mary Mancaster; Ann, unmarried; Jesse, married
Mary R. Ambler; Margaret, married Peter C. Evans; Rachel, married
Meredith Conrad ; and Caleb, who died in childhood. 5. Jesse, born in
1760, died in 1794, unmarried. 6. Elizabeth, married Owen Hughes and
had eight children. 7. Mary, married Peter Wentz, and had seven chil-
dren. 8. Sarah, married Isaac Lewis, and became the mother of three
children.

John (3) Jenkins, son of John (2) and Elizabeth (Lukens) Jenkins,
lived to a very advanced age, dying in the home of his son-in-law, Abel
Lukens, October 5, 1882, in the ninety-seventh year of his age. Through-
out his life he was engaged in agricultural pursuits, and he took an active
part in public affairs, holding at different times all the township ofifices.
He was a Democrat, politically, and was known as "Assessor John,"
because of his long term of forty-two years as assessor in Gwynedd town-
ship. He owned the property on which East Lansdale is now built, south
and east of the railroad, and in his later years was known throughout the
county as "Uncle John." He enlisted for service in the War of 1812, but
was prevented from serving because of the fact that on the very next day
he broke his leg. He married Ann Todd, daughter of John Todd, and a
grandniece of General Porter, of Revolutionary fame, and they were the
parents of seven children : Naomi, who married Abel Lukens ; Charles
Todd, of whom further; Jane, who married Samuel Rhoads; Ann T.,

BIOGRAPHICAL loi

who married Jacob B. Rhoads ; Silas T., who married Eliza Morgan ;
John S., who married Eliza Steever; and Milton, who married Sarah
Ellis.

Charles Todd Jenkins, eldest son of John (3) and Ann (Todd) Jen-
kins, was born in Gwynedd township, April 3, 1812, and received his edu-
cation in the public schools of his native district. When school days
were over, he engaged in teaching for a time, then for a while was
employed as a butcher, and finally settled down to the occupation of
being a thoroughly up-to-date and successful farmer, which occupation
he followed for many years. In addition to his work as an agriculturist,
he was interested in other lines of business. For twenty-five years he
was president of the Line Lexington Fire Insurance Company, and for
thirty-three years he was treasurer of the Springhouse and Hilltown
Turnpike Road Company, these positions occupying much of his time
and attention during his later years. He was keenly in sympathy with
the abolition movement and his house was one of the stations of the
famous "Underground Railroad" by means of which so many runaway
slaves were conducted to freedom. At one time he took an active part in
the political aflfairs of the county, and was twice a candidate for the office
of county treasurer, being defeated because of the large Democratic
majority in the county at the time. He took an active interest in the
educational system of the district and county, and served as a member of
the board of school directors for Hatfield township for a number of years.
In 1840 he married Sarah Lukens, daughter of George Lukens, or Luken,
and descendant of Jan Lucken, who came from Amsterdam, Holland, at the
time William Penn made his second voyage to Pennsylvania, settling in
Germantown, and becoming the progenitor of a numerous and influential
family. Both Charles Todd Jenkins and his wife were members of the
Society of Friends. They were the parents of eight children : George L.,
of the firm of Burgen & Co., manufacturers of glass bottles, in Philadel-
phia, now deceased ; Comly, a resident of Philadelphia ; Parker, who was
freight agent for many years at Colmar Station, on the Doylestown
branch of the North Pennsylvania railroad; J. P. Hale, of whom further;
Ella, who married Oliver M. Evans, teller of the First National Bank of
Lansdale ; Valeria, wife of George W. Chapin, a commission merchant of
Philadelphia, residing at St. Davids ; and two who died in infancy.
Charles Todd Jenkins died in 1899, aged eighty-seven years, his wife hav-
ing died three years earlier at the age of eighty years.

George Lukens, father of Mrs. Jenkins, was for many years engaged
in teaching school, and later was a farmer in Towamecin township. He
married Esther Jeanes, when he was thirty-six years of age and she was
eighteen, and then began farming in Towamecin, near Kulpsville, where
his grandson, George W. Lukens, later resided.

J. P. Hale Jenkins, son of Charles Todd and Sarah (Lukens) Jenkins,
was born on his father's farm in Hatfield township, and received his early
education in the public schools of his native district. He then entered
Lexington Seminary, and when his studies there were completed, took a

102 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

course in Crittendon's Business College in Philadelphia. Upon the com-
pletion of his business course, he began reading law in the office of
George N. Corson, in Norristown, and on April 30, 1874, was admitted to
the bar. He at once began practice in Norristown, and since that time
has been continuously engaged in general practice in that place. He
built up a large and important clientele, and was known as a wise office
counsellor, a resourceful attorney, and an effective advocate. Along with
his professional responsibilities and activities, Mr. Jenkins has been
active in the political and civic affairs of the county as well as in impor-
tant financial organizations of the locality. He was an earnest advocate
of the principles of the Republican party, and filled many important posi-
tions. He was solicitor for the borough of Norristown for six years;
solicitor for the poor of the borough of Norristown for nine years ; solici-
tor for the Norristown school board for six years ; and in June, 1903, was
a second time elected to fill the position of solicitor for the county com-
missioners. For several years he was a member of the board of school
directors, and served as a delegate to several State conventions. In 1884
he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention which nom-
inated Blaine for President of the United States, and in 1898 he was can-
didate for State Senator, but was defeated by John A. Wentz, the Demo-
cratic candidate, by the narrow margin of one hundred and forty-five
votes. He was secretary of the Springhouse and Hilltown Turnpike
Road Company, of which his father was for many years president, and
for thirty-eight years, continuously, was a director in the Fidelity Mutual
Life Insurance Company of Philadelphia. He has served as a member
of the board of directors of the Norristown Trust Company, and the
Casualty Trust Company, since their organization, and for twenty years
was a director of the Stony Creek Railroad Company. He was appointed
a member of the Valley Forge Park Commission by Governor Stone, in
which capacity he served for twenty-two years, from the time of its
inception until his death, and he took a deep interest in the matter of the
preservation of the historic remains of Washington's encampment there.
He was identified with the Valley Forge Centennial and Memorial Asso-
ciation, which had charge of the anniversary exercises in 1878, and also
actively participated in the management of the celebration in 1903, of
the one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary of the breaking of camp
at Valley Forge, and was acting president of Montgomery County His-
torical Society for several years. Mr. Jenkins was an authority on
American history, being able to quote, off hand, important dates and
events related with it. He compiled a book, "Valley Forge," for the
centennial celebration in 1878, which was published by J. B. Lippincott
& Company, of Philadelphia, in 1879.

In addition to his many and varied interests already mentioned, Mr.
Jenkins is a member of Chantry Lodge, No. 190, Free and Accepted
Masons; also of Norristown Chapter, No. 190, Royal Arch Masons;
Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights Templar; Lu Lu Temple,
Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine ; Norristown Lodge,
No. 430, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which order he is one

BIOGRAPHICAL 103

of the oldest representatives in continuous service in the grand lodge of
Pennsylvania. He was first exalted ruler of the Norristown Lodge. No.
714, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, which body he served in
1902-03 as district deputy, and was a charter member of Plymouth Coun-
try Club.

On December 30, 1875, J. P. Hale Jenkins married Ella C. Slight,
daughter of Augustus and Amanda (Bush) Slight, and they were the
parents of three children: i. Leila, born July 28, 1877, a graduate of
Vassar College, class of 1899, was a member of the Montgomery county
bar, to which she was admitted in June, 1902, being the second woman
admitted to the Norristown bar; she died January 17, 1917. 2. Helen,
born August 24, 1881, married Harvey H. Heyser, of Hagerstown, Mary-
land, October 27, 1909, and they have two children: Harvey H., Jr.,
born March 3, 191 1, and Carolina, born January 24, 191 7. Mr. Heyser is
manager of a Hagerstown shoe and legging factory. 3. Olive, born
February 25, 1887, a graduate of Martha Washington Seminary, Wash-
ington, D. C, in 1908.

JESSE S. CRESSMAN— A long and active career has been that of
Jesse S. Cressman, president of the Valley National Bank at Green Lane,
Pennsylvania. As teacher, clerk, business man, and finally as a bank
official, he has demonstrated his ability and his faithfulness, and has won
the esteem and the love of a large group of friends and associates.

Born in Zieglersville, Pennsylvania, March 4, 1853, son of Jesse and
Leanna (Triesbach) Cressman, Mr. Cressman obtained his early educa-
tion in the public schools of his native district, completing his course of
study in Ursinus College, CoUegeville, Pennsylvania. He taught school
for three terms in Frederick township, and then associated himself with
the business of Harvey Brandt, who was proprietor of a general store in
Sumneytown, Pennsylvania. For ten years he acted as clerk in this con-
nection, and at the end of that time was made a partner in the business.
Thoroughly conversant with every detail of the business of conducting a
general store in Sumneytown, he continued to conduct a prosperous con-
cern there for a period of twenty years, and then, in 1908, sold out and
associated himself with the Valley National Bank of Green Lane, Penn-
sylvania, of which he was one of the founders and a member of the first
board of directors. Upon the death of J. Allabach he was elected presi-
dent of the bank, which official position he has continued to efficiently
fill to the present time (1922).

Politically Mr. Cressman gives his support to the Democratic party,
and he has always taken an active interest in the local public affairs in
the communities in which he has lived. While proprietor of the general
store in Sumneytown, he served as postmaster for three years, which
position he fills at present, and also served as a member of the Town
Council and as town auditor. During the World War he was treasurer
of the local chapter of the Red Cross, and chairman of the Liberty Loan
Drive Committee, and so energetically did he plan and conduct the latter
that his section went "over the top" in every drive. In his religious

I04 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

connection, which is with the Union Lutheran Church, Mr. Cressman is
also very active. He is a member of the board of trustees and treasurer,
and fifteen years ago he organized the Society of Willing Workers, which
is still actively at work and enthusiastically "willing," though the mem-
bership has somewhat changed.

On October 15, 1876, Jesse S. Cressman married Fannie Hoffman,
daughter of Anthony and Fannie (Graber) Hofifman, and they are the
parents of two children: i. Forrest J., who is a graduate of the New
England Conservatory of Music and has spent four and a half years in
Europe, studying in Vienna and Munich. On his return from Europe he
was connected with the Musical Art Institute on Riverside Drive, New
York City, teaching both piano and composition until his death, at the
early age of thirty-five. 2. Anna, who received a diploma from the
West Chester Normal School and also graduated from the New Haven
Normal School of Gymnastics, New Haven, Connecticut. She was one
of the first ten supervisors appointed when the Philadelphia public
schools put physical training into the curriculum of the schools. After
five years of supervising she was appointed to the Germantown High
School. After four years of service there she was appointed head of the
physical training department in the Trenton Normal School at Trenton,
New Jersey. She is now the wife of Morris Hiltebeitel, and resides in
Philadelphia.

HENRY DAVID REED, M. D.— The rapid development of surgical
science during the last quarter of a century has led many physicians to
devote themselves almost exclusively to the surgical branch of their pro-
fession, and among these must be numbered Dr. Henry David Reed, who
has since 1914, been practicing on his own account in Pottstown. The
influence of heredity is wonderfully displayed in Dr. Reed, son of a
physician, and a love of his father's profession is inherent, for he follows
it with satisfaction and success.

Jesse Reed, father of Henry David Reed, was born in Reed Station,
North Cumberland county. He attended the public schools of his native
place until he entered Elysburg Seminary, where he prepared for col-
lege, subsequently matriculating at Jefiferson Medical College, from
which he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1867.
During the Civil War he enlisted in the Pennsylvania Volunteer Regi-
ment at Reed Station, and was actively engaged in the Union's cause.
Upon completing his college course he removed to Uniontown, Pennsyl-
vania, where he located in his chosen profession, and also took an active
part in town affairs. He married Adelaide Bosler, of Millersburg, Penn-
sylvania, whose ancestor was a Reformed minister, the first to locate in
this section. She died in 1921, at the age of seventy-six years. Dr.
Reed passed away in 1916. Dr. and Mrs. Reed were the parents of three
children : Arthur, who is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Phar-
macy and established in the drug business at Mascher and Huntington
streets, Philadelphia; Clara, who married Alfred Schwahn, of Hegins.
Pennsylvania; and Henry D., of further mention.

BIOGRAPHICAL 105

Henry David Reed was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, June 30,
1880, the son of Dr. Jesse and Adelaide (Bosler) Reed. The early part of
his education was obtained in the public schools of his native place, after
which he attended Mercersburg Academy, from which he was graduated
in 1898. Having decided to pursue a medical profession, he took a pre-
paratory course at the University of Chicago, and then matriculated at
Jefferson Medical College, from which he received the degree of Doctor
of Medicine in 1903. The following year he was a resident physician at
Pottstown Hospital, and then associated himself for the next ten years
with Dr. John Todd, subsequently establishing himself in his chosen
profession at his present location. He is a member of the surgical stafif
of the Pottstown Hospital ; affiliates professionally with the American
Medical Association ; the Pennsylvania State Medical Association ; the
Montgomery County Medical Society ; and the Philadelphia Medical
Club.

A Democrat in politics, he has always taken an active part therein,
and is now (1922) president of the Town Council. He is also school
examiner. Fraternal organizations have also always held his interest,
and in consequence of which he holds membership in Stricter Lodge,
No. 254, Free and Accepted Masons, as well as being a member of Phila-
delphia Consistory, having attained to the thirty-second degree in
Masonry. He is a member of Pottstown Lodge, No. 824, Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks ; Modern Woodmen of the World ; Alpha
Kappa Kappa fraternity of Jeflferson Medical College ; and the Brook-
side Country Club. Dr. Reed and his family attend Trinity Reformed
Church of Pottstown.

On October 12, 1909, at Pottstown, Dr. Reed was united in marriage
with Gertrude W. Selinger, daughter of John A. and Mary (Mullen)
Selinger, the former associated with the Brancate Foundry and Machine
Company of Pottstown. Dr. and Mrs. Reed are the parents of two chil-
dren : Gertrude S., born in 191 1 ; and Mary Adelaide, born in 1915. The
family home is at No. 359 Chestnut street, Pottstown. What time Dr.
Reed can take from his ever increasing professional duties he devotes to
golf and municipal afifairs, the latter claiming a consistent part of his
spare hours.

JOHN S. WILSON — In financial afifairs in Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, the name of John S. Wilson holds a foremost position. A
native of this State, but coming to Ardmore only about seven years ago,
he has risen to the highest office in the Ardmore National Bank, and
holds other affiliations which link his name with constructive efifort along
various lines of progress. Mr. Wilson is a son of Nelson and Sarah
(Bruce) Wilson, his father being a member of the long prominent Phila-
delphia concern known as Henry L. Wilson's Sons Company, one of the
oldest manufacturers of paper in that city. The family consisted of the
following children : Retta ; Alice, who died in childhood ; Edna ; Wilbur
Fish, who was ensign on the United States Steamship "Connecticut," now
deceased; Marian; and Tohn S., whose name entitles this review.

io6 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

John S. "Wilson was born in the city of Philadelphia, February 14,
1883. His education was acquired in the public and high schools of that
city, and while still less than fourteen years of age he entered the bank-
ing world as errand boy. This was in December, 1896, in the employ of
the Fourth Street National Bank of Philadelphia. He remained with
that institution for nearly twenty years, rising to the responsible posi-
tion of paying-teller, from which he resigned in July, 1916. Then com-
ing to the Ardmore National Bank in the capacity of assistant cashier,
Mr. Wilson has since continued with this institution. He was advanced
to cashier not long after forming this connection, and on January I, 1921,
was elected president of the bank. Highly esteemed in the community,
Mr. Wilson lends his influence to every advance movement or worthy
cause. He is treasurer of the Brookline Building and Loan Association,
and president of the Main Line Bankers' Association. Fraternally he is
identified with Cassia Lodge, No. 273, Free and Accepted Masons, of
Ardmore, and also is a member of Montgomery Chapter, Royal Arch
Masons. A Republican by political affiliation, Mr. Wilson is interested
in public matters only from the viewpoint of the progressive citizen. He
has had a course in vocal culture at Ann Arbor Conservatory, and is well
known as a bass singer in this part of the State. He has sung in choirs
for fifteen years, and is now bass soloist at St. Paul's Luthern Church of
Ardmore, of which he is a member. He is also a member of the church
council.

Mr. Wilson married, on February 16, 1915, Florence (Jamison) Comp-
ton, daughter of John and Florence (Wood) Jamison, her mother being
a member of the pioneer Wood family of Montgomery county. Mrs.
Wilson's daughter by her former marriage, Eleanor P. Compton, is one
of the popular young ladies of the Ardmore social circle.

HENRY WILSON STAHLNECKER— A leading representative of
the legal fraternity of Norristown, Pennsylvania, is Henry Wilson Stahl-
necker, a native of Flourtown, Springfield township, Montgomery county,
where his birth occurred June 27, 1878.

Edwin Schantz Stahlnecker, father of Henry Wilson Stahlnecker, was
born in Lehigh county, October i, 1836, the son of George Stahlnecker,
a farmer and blacksmith. There is a tradition that his ancestors came to
this country from Holland early in the seventeenth century. He received
the scant education then given to farmers' boys in the public schools of
his native place, and at the age of twelve came to this country, became
self-supporting, and in early manhood engaged in the live stock business
in Flourtown. Later in life he removed to Norristown, where for many
years he was engaged as a real estate and general business agent. He
served three terms as county auditor, and in 1883 was the Republican
candidate for sheriff of Montgomery county, being elected to that office
in November of that year. He entered upon the duties of that position
the first Monday of January, 1884, and served the full term of three
years. In 1889 he was again a candidate on the Republican ticket, hav-

BIOGRAPHICAL 107

ing been nominated for county treasurer, but was defeated along with
most of the Republican ticket. In February, 1890, Mr. Stahlnecker was
appointed county treasurer to fill a vacancy in the office and served until
January, 1892. He married, August 30, i860, Anna Regina Yeakle,
daughter of Jacob Yeakle. Mrs. Stahlnecker was a direct descendant of
Christopher Yeakle, who at the age of eighteen years came to Pennsyl-
vania with his mother, then a widow, in 1734, with the Schwenkfelder
emigrants, on the ship "St Andrew." He apprenticed himself to a cooper
and continued through life to follow the trade. He built a log house in
1734, until recently standing at Cresheim, Germantown, Philadelphia,
which was his dwelling nearly to the time of the Revolutionary War,
when he purchased the property on the summit of Chestnut Hill, where
he died at an advanced age. His house is still standing there and is now
used as the Pennsylvania railroad freight station. Mr. and Mrs. Stahl-
necker were the parents of the following children : Lydia, born March
26, 1866, died in infancy; Laura, born March i, 1868, died December 21,
1868; Alice, born July 29, 1871, married, March 24, 1897, Charles H.
Wolford ; Yeakle, born October 16, 1872, died in infancy ; Henry Wilson,
of further mention. Mr. Stahlnecker died January 10, 1920, his wife
having passed away August 27, 1896.

Henry Wilson (H. Wilson) Stahlnecker received the early portion of
his education in the public schools of Norristown, graduating from high
school in 1895 as class president and salutatorian. He entered the col-
lege department of the University of Pennsylvania in the fall of 1895
and four years later received the degree of Bachelor of Arts, with honors,
having won the first prize for sight reading of Greek in the sophomore
year; second prize in Greek and Latin in his junior year; and the first
prize for the best Latin essay written by a member of the graduating
class in his senior year. He was also elected to the Phi Beta Kappa
society in the same year. In 1899-1900 Mr. Stahlnecker was the Harrison
scholar in classics and spent one year in the department of philosophy,
University of Pennsylvania, receiving the degree of Master of Arts in
June, 1900, subsequently entering the law department of the university
and winning the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1903. While studying
law he also acted as court reporter for the Norristown daily papers, as
special deputy prothonotary during the terms of the Civil Court, and was
also a registered law student in Norristown in the office of J. P. Hale
Jenkins. While thus engaged he conceived the idea of issuing a daily
list of legal transactions in the recorder's and prothonotary's offices for
private circulation among banks, law and real estate offices, and other
business places, and, accordingly, founded the Montgomery County Lien
Schedule, later changing its name to Montgomery County Daily Legal
Record, and has the enviable reputation of never having missed an issue
of this informative sheet on any business day during almost twenty-two
years last past.

Mr. Stahlnecker was admitted to the Philadelphia bar in June, 1903,
and to the Montgomery county bar July 7 of that same year. It is worthy
of note that he was the first law student from Montgomery county to

io8 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

take and pass the examination by the State board of law examiners, and
was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.. Feb-
ruary I, 1904, and later to the United States District Court. Mr. Stahl-
necker is essentially an office lawyer, confining his attention mostly to
civil cases, real estate law, conveyancing and settlement of estates, and
is solicitor for a number of building and loan associations. He has also
represented a number of townships and school boards as solicitor, and is
solicitor, trust officer and director of the Ambler Trust Company, having
held these offices since its inception in 1916. He has also been solicitor
and secretary to the Directors of the Poor of Montgomery county since
December, 1914.

During the World War, H. Wilson Stahlnecker was one of the "four-
minute" men of this county and a member of the Liberty Loan commit-
tees. He is a Republican in politics, taking a keen and active interest in
his party. He was elected a member of the Norristown School Board in
1903 and served until December, 191 1, filling the offices of treasurer and
secretary at various periods. He also served for two years as president
of the Norristown High School Alumni Association, and one year as
president of the Montgomery County Alumni Association. At the dedi-
cation of the Montgomery county court house he delivered the address
transferring the building from the contractors to the county commis-
sioners. He is a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon college fraternity,
Hare Law Club, and while at the University of Pennsylvania was a mem-
ber of the Board of Editors of the "American Law Register" and the
"Red and Blue." Mr. Stahlnecker is a member of the board of governors
of the Society of Descendants of the Schwenkfeldian Exiles ; Charity
Lodge, No. 190, Free and Accepted Masons, of Norristown, of which he
was worshipful master in 1908; Norris Lodge, No. 430, Independent
Order of Odd Fellows ; and the higher branches of both orders, also the
Norristown Club. He is also president of the Union Cemetery of White-
marsh, where his parents and a number of his ancestors are buried.

On August 6, 1910, at Norristown, Pennslyvania, H. Wilson Stahl-
necker was united in marriage with Kathryn (Schwenk) Johnson, widow
of Harry K. Johnson, who died in 1904. Mrs. Stahlnecker is the daugh-
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Schwenk, of Norristown, and was born at
Skippack, this county. She takes an active interest in all community and
patriotic movements, and during the World War was secretary of the
Flourtown Chapter of the American Red Cross. She is now president
of the Fort Washington Branch of the Needlework Guild of America,
and corresponding secretary of Valley Forge Chapter, Daughters of the
American Revolution of Norristown. Mr. and Mrs. Stahlnecker are
active members of St. Paul's Reformed Church of Whitemarsh, Fort
Washington, of which Mr. Stahlnecker is a trustee. In 1912 Mr. Stahl-
necker purchased a modern suburban home at his native place, Flour-
town, and removed there, residing at this location until May, 1922, when
he purchased his present residence, at the corner of Bethlehem Pike and
Hartranft avenue. Fort Washington. He maintains his law offices at
Norristown, making daily trips from his residence to the county seat.

BIOGRAPHICAL 109

REV. LEVI SAMUEL HOFFMAN— The struggles of the farmer
boy who, seeking an education, gains it by his own unaided efforts, are
little known or appreciated, but the Rev. Levi Samuel Hoffman, of Lans-
dale, Pennsylvania, knows them all, and is the broader, stronger man
because of his struggle. His father, William M. Hoffman, was a wheel-
wright by trade, but a lifelong farmer, and his mother, Sarah Hoffman,
was of the enduring, faithful kind, who mean so much to their children.

Rev. Levi Samuel Hoffman was born at Topton, Berks county, Penn-
sylvania. Before he was six years of age his father moved on a farm
in Kraussdale, Pennsylvania, where Levi S. received a meagre schooling
while working with his father on the farm. He pursued agriculture until
he became of age, and then entered Perkiomen Academy, Pennsburg, to
prepare for college. This period of study left him in debt, and to pay it
off and save for further education he taught school until 1903, when he
entered Brown University, Providence. Rhode Island, from which he
was graduated. During two years of his collegiate work he preached in
the Hope Congregational Church at East Providence, leaving to matricu-
late in the Hartford Theological Seminary at Hartford, Connecticut.
Shortly after graduating from this institution he was ordained a minister
of the Schwenkfelder church, for two years was located near Lansdale,
and then moved to Lansdale, where he has since resided and carried on
his work. His gifts and training have brought him into prominence, and
he will long be remembered as the leader in the movement that built
the beautiful stone church on the corner of Main and Towamensing ave-
nues, Lansdale. This church has a seating capacity of more than four
hundred, and one of its important works is its Sunday school of four
hundred and twenty members. Rev. Hoffman is a member of the Board
of Trade, also a trustee of the Perkiomen School, a member of the
Schwenkfelder Board of Missions, and a member of the Board of Publi-
cation of the Schwenkfelder church. In 1921 he was elected as associate
editor of the "Corpus Schwenkfeldianorum."

On June 29, 1910, at Fall River, Massachusetts, Mr. Hoffman was mar-
ried to Adelaide Lenora Mattox, daughter of Benjamin F. and Mattie
Lenora (Howe) Mattox, who died in 1885. Mr. Mattox is now living in
Denver, Colorado. Rev. and Mrs. Hoffman have one daughter, Elinor
Adelaide, born February 28, 1912. Mrs. Hoffman served eight years as a
deaconess in the Methodist Episcopal church at Fall River, Massa-
chusetts.

JOSEPH ELLSWORTH BEIDEMAN, M. D.— Although Dr. Beide-
man has been established in his profession but a comparatively short
time, he has already proven himself to be an able physician, and is daily
adding to an extensive practice. Having chosen the diseases of the eye
as his specialty, he devotes himself exclusively to that particular branch
of the profession, and the success that has attended his efforts is con-
clusive proof that he has chosen wisely.

Joseph Ellsworth Beideman was born in Norristown. Pennsylvania,
September 25, 1895. He is the son of Elmer E. and Martha (Middleton)

no HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Beideman, to whom was born one other child, Lydia, a graduate of Wil-
son College, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, class of 1924. Elmer E. Beide-
man was born in Norristown and has spent his entire life in this com-
munity. He is secretary of the Frank Boyer Plumbing and Heating
Company, ex-chairman of the Watch and Lamp Committee, which office
he held for many years ; affiliates with the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows ; and in politics is a staunch Republican.

Dr. Beideman attended the public schools of Norristown and, after
graduating from the local high school, entered Lafayette College, from
which he was graduated in 1915. That year, having in the meantime
determined to adopt medicine as his life work, and with that end in view,
he accordingly matriculated in the medical department of the University
of Pennsylvania, from which institution he received the degree of Doctor
of Medicine in 1919. After having spent the following year in the Pres-
byterian Hospital in Philadelphia, and the next eighteen months in Wills
Hospital, Philadelphia, Dr. Beideman returned to Norristown and estab-
lished himself in the practice of his chosen profession, with offices in the
Boyer Arcade.

Dr. Beideman is a member of the staffs of the Montgomery Hospital,
Norristown, and Wills Hospital, Philadelphia ; the American Medical
Association ; Pennsylvania State Medical Association ; Montgomery
County Medical Society ; American Academy of Ophthalmology and Oto-
Laryngology ; Sigma Nu fraternity of Lafayette College, Gamma Epsi-
lon Chapter; Alpha Kappa Kappa fraternity of the University of Penn-
sylvania, Mu Chapter ; the Medical Reserve Corps, S. A. T. C. ; and the
Ersine Tennis Club of Norristown. In politics he is a Republican, and
in religion a Presbyterian.

Joseph Ellsworth Beideman combines with his professional activities
those of a public-spirited nature, and is ever ready to give his earnest
support to whatever pertains to the civic welfare in his home community.
He is but a young man, but his ability has carried him forward into
important professional relations, and his many friends do not hesitate to
predict for him continued and rapid progress in his chosen field.

ELWOOD LAWRENCE HALLMAN— In legal circles in Mont-
gomery county the name of Elwood Lawrence Hallman stands among
the highest, and Mr. Hallman is identified with many of the various
interests of the day, both in his native county and State, and in other
sections of the United States. Coming of a well known Pennsylvania
family, Mr. Hallman is a son of Henry and Sarah (Setzler) Hallman, of
Upper Providence township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Hallman was born in Upper Providence township, July 22, 1857.
Receiving his early education in the public schools near his home, he
entered Dartmouth College for his course in arts and letters, and was
graduated from that institution in the class of 1880. Having early made
his choice of a profession, he took up the reading of law with Charles
Hunsicker, a prominent counsellor-at-law of that day, and was admit-

BIOGRAPHICAL in

ted to the bar in the year 1881. At once beginning practice independ-
ently, Mr. Hallman developed a very extensive practice, which he has
always handled alone, somewhat along general lines, but with much cor-
poration work. In the latter branch of law he has won high distinction,
and is now retained by many of the foremost industrial and mercantile
concerns in this part of the State, also by the leading financial institutions
of Montgomery county. His clientele includes the Bunkwalter Stove
Company, the Home Water Company, the Royersford and Diamond
Glass companies, the Newborn Glass Company, the Royersford Foundry
& Machine Company, and the National Bank, all of Royersford, also the
People's National Bank of Norristown, and various corporations which
are leaders in the business life of the city. He also acts as special coun-
sel for many concerns, specializing in commercial affairs. The People's
National Bank of Norristown was organized in his offices, and for more
than forty years he has been its special counsel, and he is also a director
of this institution, and of the Montgomery Trust Company as well. Mr.
Hallman is not only one of the most prominent, but one of the most
active professional men of Norristown, his interests reaching into various
fields of endeavor. He was for many years president of Schissler's Col-
lege of Business, and long served on the school board of Royersford.

A staunch Republican, and an enthusiastic worker for the good of the
party, he was never an officer seeker, but as a thoroughly representative
member of the "Old Guard," his influence is widely felt. He has enter-
tained many of his party's leaders and men of wide celebrity, and has
done much to promote the welfare of the party in his county and State.
He is a member of the American Bar Association, and also of the State
and county associations, and socially and fraternally is connected with
the leading organizations of the day, including the Old Colony Club of
New York City, the Commonwealth Hotel Club, the Norristown Club,
and the Plymouth Country Club. He is also a member of the Pennsyl-
vania Society of New York, and the Canadian Camp Club. Fraternally
he holds membership in Royersford Lodge, No. 585, Free and Accepted
Masons, of which he was a charter master and past master of Spring City
Lodge, of Spring City. He is a member of Norristown Chapter, Royal
Arch Masons; Hutchinson Commandery, Knights Templar; Blooms-
burg Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite ; and Reading Temple,
Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine ; and he is a member
of the Patriotic Order Sons of America. Mr. Hallman's chief pleasure in
former years was travel, although now he chooses hunting and fishing,
which sports were always intermingled with his travels. He had passage
on the first boat to visit the Alaskan gold fields, and went as far as the
Yukon river, in company with Liebernash, of the New York "American,"
Joaquin Miller, the poet, also having been a member of the party. On
the return trip the vessel sank, and those who survived were obliged to
take to the life-boats. Farther along on the overland part of the return
journey, when in Yellowstone National Park, Mr. Hallman was held up
by robbers, but eventually returned in safety to Norristown. He has

112 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

now at his home and in his office many curios collected in his travels, also
many remarkably fine trophies of his hunting expeditions. He has long
been interested in agricultural advance, and in 1900 started a plantation
on the Isle of Pines, which he operated for ten years and still owns. Mr.
Hallman's religious affiliation is with the Lutheran church, and he was
the organizer, in company with Dr. O. P. Smith, of the Lutheran church
at Royersford. For one year, lacking a pastor, he conducted the regular
services at this church.

Mr. Hallman married (first) on March 6, 1881. Elizabeth Benton, of
Hanover, New Hampshire, and they had two children : Thomas H. B.,
attorney-at-law of Norristown ; and Frank, who is now a resident of
California, and a dealer in automobiles. Mr. Hallman married (second),
in 1907, Florence Hannum, a descendant of John Bartram, of Philadel-
phia. The family residence is in Norristown, with a summer home, a
delightful bungalow, in Perkiomen.

DEXTER LOVELLE RAMBO, A. B., A. M.— One of the most
prominent families of Montgomery county is the Rambo family, and in
recent generations the name has come to mean much to the progress of
education in this and other sections. Professor Dexter Lovelle Rambo
is a native of this county, was educated in the institutions of this State,
and keeps in the closest touch with the general advance of his home town
of Trappe, where his leisure time is spent.

Abel Rambo, Professor Rambo's father, was born in Trappe, Mont-
gomery county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1821, and died in his native
place in 1878. Educated at Washington Hall, under Rev. Henry Roden-
bough, and at Gettysburg College, from which he received the degrees of
Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts, Abel Rambo became an outstanding
figure in educational circles in his time, and received the honorary degree
of Doctor of Philosophy from Muhlenberg College. He became the
owner of Washington Hall, one of the early preparatory schools of this
county, which was founded by Rev. Henry Rodenbough, and presided
over this school for years, rebuilding the structure, and introducing many
features of permanent value to the institution and its graduates. For
eighteen years he served as superintendent of schools of Montgomery
county. He married Jane Gross, granddaughter of Thomas Jefiferson
Gross, who was clerk of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for
several years, and great-granddaughter of Samuel Gross, for two terms
Congressman from what is now the Seventh District of Pennsylvania.
They were the parents of eight children : Charles ; Mary Tillie ; Herbert
and Vincent, twins ; the foregoing now all deceased ; Cora K., single ;
Dexter L., whose name heads this review; Mary Gross, who became the
wife of Dr. Warren Z. Anders, of Collegeville, and died in 1917 ; and
Frank Gross, now living.

Dexter Lovelle Rambo was born in Trappe, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, November 9, i860. Following his elementary education
he was a student at Washington Hall, and possessing the scholarly tastes

"^"^^^Cti^ Vf j^^-^:^^:^^Z3II?

BIOGRAPHICAL 113

of his father, taught school to augment the funds for his higher educa-
tion. Eventually entering Muhlenberg College, at Allentown, Pennsyl-
vania, he was graduated from that institution in 1883, when he received
his bachelor's degree in arts and letters, receiving his master's degree
from the same institution the following year. He taught school in various
localities in Montgomery county until 1897, when he accepted the prin-
cipalship of the Chester High School, in Chester, the county seat of
Chester county. South Carolina. He has since continuously filled this
position, winning an enviable reputation in the work to which his life is
devoted, and becoming well known as an educator in the State of his
adoption. He has for many years been a member of the South Carolina
State Board of Education, and his influence is always cast on the side of
advance in this vital branch of the activities of the commonwealth.

A Democrat by political affiliation, Professor Rambo takes only the
interest of the citizen and educator in the march of public events. His
recreative interests follow the line of outdoor sports. He is a devoted
baseball enthusiast, and broadly interested in all wholesome athletics,
and personally enjoys an occasional fishing trip into the wilds. His sum-
mer vacations are always spent in his native place, here in Montgomery
county, and he takes the keenest pleasure in contributing, by all means in
his power, to the welfare and progress of the community in which his
childhood and youth were spent. He holds membership in the Lutheran
church of Trappe, and attends the Associate Reformed Church of Ches-
ter, South Carolina, where he acts as director of music.

Professor Rambo married, in Philadelphia, in October, 1894, Lidie
Hayes, who was born in Philadelphia, July 23, 1873, ^"<^ died at Trappe,
September 12, 1919. Mrs. Rambo was a daughter of Henry L. and Eliz-
abeth (Knowles) Hayes, their eight children having been as follows :
Annie, now Mrs. Sinclair; Florence, became Mrs. Edwin Parr; Henry;
Lidie, became the wife of Professor Rambo, as noted above ; James, who
married Florence Parr, sister of Edwin ; Nellie, wife of Harry Keown ;
Gertrude, wife of Charles Rock ; and George. Professor and Mrs.
Rambo's five children are: Jane Gross, who was born September 11,
1898, and died November 25, 1903 ; Dexter L., Jr., who was born April
10, 1900, was graduated from Erskine University of South Carolina in
1919, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and is now reading law in
South Carolina ; Esther, who was born June 26, 1904, and died in infancy ;
Charles Abel, who was born April 28, 1907; and Gunnar Lloyd, who was
born April 15, 1908; the two youngest children are now students in high
school.

CHARLES STETTLER HOTTENSTEIN— An eminent educator
and worthy descendant from a most interesting ancestry is Charles Stet-
tler Hottenstein, the superintendent of schools of Conshohocken, Penn-
sylvania. Isaac R. (i) Hottenstein and his brothers, Jacob and John,
fled from Austria, Hungary, in the early part of the sixteenth century to
avoid persecution for their religious beliefs. The name was originally

114 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Von Kottenstein, and the family were members of the nobility of their
country. Isaac R. (2) Hottenstein, son of Isaac R. (i) Hottenstein, was
a physician, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, with the degree of M. D., and practiced medicine at Sha-
mokin Dam, Pennsylvania. He married Mary Gottling, who was the
mother of four children, of whom Isaac R. (3) was the third, and who was
a tiller of the soil. He died in 1895, at the age of fifty-seven, and was sur-
vived by his wife, Elizabeth C. (Stettler) Hottenstein, who was born at
Winfield, Pennsylvania, on March 2, 1855.

Charles S. Hottenstein, son of Isaac R. (3) and Elizabeth C. (Stettler)
Hottenstein, received his early schooling in the public schools of his town
and was graduated from high school in 1912. He entered Albright Col-
lege, from which he won his A. M. degree four years later, and attended
summer courses for post-graduate and professional work in Columbia
College, New York City, and Jefferson College, receiving his Ph. D.
degree in education from Lincoln-Jefferson University, Chicago. Com-
ing to his vocation with such complete preparation, he was immediately
successful, both as the principal of the New Albany (Pennsylvania) High
School, 1916 and 1917, and of the Greenport (Long Island, New York)
High School, 1917 and 1919. In this latter year he was called to the Con-
shohocken (Pennsylvania) High School, as principal, serving until 1920,
when he was elected superintendent of schools, and reelected for four
more years in 1922.

Mr. Hottenstein was a member of the State Board of Examiners in
1920. In December, 1921, he wrote a complete survey of the public
schools of Conshohocken, that he might bring before the people of his
city the true state of affairs in order to bring about a loan for the erection
of an annex of fourteen more rooms to the old high school, with all
modern improvements, and the end was accomplished and now, 1922, the
building is in the course of construction, at the cost of $150,000. He is a
member of the board of governors of Conshohocken Athletic Association ;
is a contributor to the "Primary School Journal ;" and is rated in "Who's
Who, and Why," an educational directory.

Mr. Hottenstein is among the foremost of the educators in Montgom-
ery county, and a leader in its educational work. He has many outside
interests, being widely connected fraternally and affiliated with the
Patriotic Order Sons of America, Conshohocken, No. 121 ; Independent
Order of Americans ; Red Cross Commandery, Knights of Malta ; the
Peconic Lodge, No. 349, Free and Accepted Masons, of Greenport, Long
Island; Sithra Chapter, No. 216, Royal Arch Masons; Cryptic Council,
No. 51, Royal and Select Masters, Norristown, Pennsylvania; Columbia
Commandery, No. i, Knights Templar, New York City; Philadelphia
Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite ; and Lu Lu Temple, Ancient
Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. The Title of Nobility
(Armalist) was conferred on him by the Order of the Golden Eagle and
the Aran State, by Dr. F. Freytag, Drudenstr, 5, Wiesbaden, Germany.
He is an Independent in politics, president of the Educational Committee

y^Air'//7<^fa

U^y^T.

BIOGRAPHICAL 115

of the Conshohocken Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the No. 12
Fire Department Company. He was formerly a communicant of the St.
Paul's Evangelical Church of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and now of the
Methodist Church of Conshohocken, in which he is a teacher of a Bible
class.

At Lebanon, on June 17, 1916, he was married to Anna Gerhart,
daughter of David and Catherine (Wentling) Gerhart, and they are the
parents of two children: Gerald Gerhart, born August 20, 1917, at Leb-
anon, Pennsylvania; and Alma Marie, born November 22, 1921, at Con-
shohocken.

THEODORE WEBER BEAN— The ancestors of Theodore W.
Bean, James and Mary Bean, came from Wales to Pennsylvania about the
year 1700. The line of descent from James and Mary Bean is through their
son, John Bean, born in Pennsylvania, where he died in 1799, aged seventy-
six years. The line continues through his only child, Jesse Bean, born Jan-
uary 26, 1761, married Hannah Lane, daughter of Edward Lane, died July
28, 1847. William Bean, eldest son of Jesse and Hannah (Lane) Bean, was
born November 11, 1788, died January 29, 1855. He married Mary
Weber, who was born November 18, 1794, died March 10, 1889, daughter
of John Weber, granddaughter of Christian (2) Weber, and great-grand-
daughter of Christian (i) Weber, born in Amsterdam, Holland, in 1697,
and sailed from Amsterdam in the ship "Good Will," captain, Crocker,
March 6, 1727, arriving in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 6, fol-
lowing. Christian (i) Weber became a landowner of Worcester town-
ship in 1732, and in 1734 took the oath of allegiance to the British crown.
He died June 15, 1773. His son. Christian (2) Weber, born April 20,
1744, died June 20, 1815, was identified with the patriots of the Revolu-
tionary period and saw military service with Pennsylvania troops. John
Weber, son of Christian (2) Weber, died in 181 5, aged forty-six years.
He was a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature from 1808 to 181 1 ;
speaker, 181 1.

William and Mary (Weber) Bean resided on the "Cold Spring" farm
of three hundred acres in Norriton township, where his father, Jesse
Bean, lived before him. Jesse Bean was superintendent of the Ridge
Turnpike county for many years, and from 181 1 to 1813 was a member
of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. William Bean was
prominently identified with the farming interests of the county, and from
1840 until 1843 served his district in the Legislature. Both he and his
family were members of St. James' Episcopal Church of Evansburg.

Theodore W. Bean, youngest son of William and Mary (Weber)
Bean, was born at the home farm in Norriton township, Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, May 14, 1833, and died January 20, 1891. He
was educated in the public school, and in May, 1850, he apprenticed him-
self to Isaiah Richards, a blacksmith of JefTersonville, serving three
years, then opened his own shop in the village of Trooper. He there
remained until 1859, when he bought the Isaiah Richards homestead and

ii6 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

business at Jefifersonville, where he continued in business until his enlist-
ment in the Union army. During these years he pursued a course of self-
study, having in view the practice of law as a profession.

In August, 1867, Theodore W. and Edwin A. Bean enlisted in Com-
pany L, 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry, recruited by Captain D. B. Hart-
ranft. He was appointed first sergeant upon the muster at Harrisburg,
was elected second and then first lieutenant before the company left the
State. The regiment was attached to the Army of the Potomac, and
was with that hard fought, finally victorious army in all its campaigns
from the winter of 1862 until the end of the war. The Fifth Squadron,
to which Company L was attached, was called to division headquarters'
duty by General John Buford soon after the Battle of Gettysburg, and
shortly before that battle on May 30, 1863, Lieutenant Bean was commis-
sioned captain. He served on the staff of General Buford until the lat-
ter's death in February, 1864, and on the staflf of his successors, Generals
Torbet and Merritt, being with General Merritt at the battle of Five
Forks, and in the closing weeks, until the surrender of General Lee and
his army of Northern Virginia to General Grant and the Army of the
Potomac at Appomattox, April 9, 1865. Captain Bean was breveted
major and lieutenant-colonel for "gallant and distinguished service," and
was always known thereafter as "Colonel" Bean.

Upon his return from the army, Colonel Bean resumed the manage-
ment of his shop and again took up legal study, continuing so earnestly
that in March, 1869, he was admitted to the Montgomery county bar and
at once began practice. In March, 1870, he was appointed deputy
escheator for the county of Montgomery; from 1872 to 1877 was solicitor
for the county treasurer ; was solicitor for the borough of Norristown
in 1880; and solicitor for the sheriff's office from 1880 to 1884. In 1887
he was appointed by Governor Beaver a member of the State commis-
sion on industrial education, which body presented an exhaustive report
to the State Legislature. In 1889 he was elected to represent his district
in the Pennsylvania Legislature, and during the session was made chair-
man of the committee on education. He was a ready debator and was
regarded as one of the strong men of the Legislature.

Colonel Bean brought to the bar mature years, experience, self-pos-
session, pleasing address and tireless energy. Resourceful and exhaus-
tive in effort, no cause which he espoused was ever hopeless. To his
quality as a lawyer he added a high order of citizenship, and was always
found allied with the public-spirited and progressive. His fondness for
historical truth and logical deductions made him a popular orator with
the masses. Among his best efforts may be named his "Historical Ora-
tion" at the Valley Forge Centennial, June 19, 1878; General Zook
Memorial, Gettysburg, July, 1882; Memorial Day Oration, Lancaster,
May, 1883. His writings were mostly of an historical character, the
most important of which was the "History of Montgomery County,"
edited in 1884.

Colonel Bean remained in active practice at the bar until his death,

BIOGRAPHICAL 117

January 20, 1891. He married. January 4, i860, Hannah Heebner, who
died September 25, 1917, daughter of John and Susannah (Barndollar)
Heebner, and granddaughter of Christopher (2) Heebner, who died
August 21, 1827, son of Christopher (i) Heebner, who died same day and
year, son of David Heebner, who came to Pennsylvania in 1734 with his
wife Maria, who died June 11, 1793. He died December 27, 1784. John
Heebner, father of Mrs. Theodore W. Bean, was born January 9, 1802 ;
he married Susannah Barndollar, January 7, 1827; and died June 8, 1850.
He owned and operated the Perkiomen Mills, now located at Yerkes
Station, and for many years was an efficient school director in Lower
Providence township.

Colonel Theodore W. and Hannah (Heebner) Bean were the parents
of three children: i. William Heebner Bean, a graduate of the United
States Military Academy, West Point, New York, class of 18S6, was
assigned to duty with the Second United States Regiment of Cavalry and
saw service in Arizona, New Mexico, and Cuba. In 1889 he was detailed
with the Pennsylvania National Guard. In 1891 he graduated from the
Law School of the University of Pennsylvania; in 1900 he was appointed
captain of the Subsistence Department ; in 1902 he was commissioned
major of the same department and stationed in Chicago, St. Louis, Kan-
sas City and Omaha. Major William H. Bean married, in 1897, Mary
E. Stinson, daughter of Charles H. and Emily Stinson, of Norristown,
Pennsylvania, and they were the parents of a daughter, Emily Stinson
Bean, born in 1904, died in 1906. Major Bean died in 1904; and his wife
died in 1910. 2. Mary L. Bean, a sketch of whom follows. 3. Theodore
Lane Bean, a member of the Montgomery county bar; he married (first),
in 1903, Sarah Albertson Hunter, daughter of P. Frank and Mary A.
Hunter, and they are the parents of two daughters: Mary Hunter and
Elizabeth Lee. Mrs. Bean died in 1908. In 1917 Mr. Bean married
(second) Adele Cottrell.

MARY L. (BEAN) JONES, only daughter of Colonel Theodore W.
and Hannah (Heebner) Bean, was born in JefTersonville, Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, November 6, 1863. In 1875 Norristown became
the family home, and here she attended the public schools, graduating
from the Norristown High School in the class of 1880; then she entered
Wellesley College, and graduated in the class of 1889.

Mrs. Jones is an active member of the Historical Society of Mont-
gomery county, and is a member of the society's board of trustees. She
assisted her father in the compilation of the "History of Montgomery
County," edited in 1884, and is the author of the review on "Woman's
Work" in the present history, 1923. In recognition of her deep interest
in Valley Forge and her father's services in the Valley Forge Centennial
and Memorial Association, she was chosen a director of that association
in 1895 and second vice-regent in 1901.

Since 1899 Mrs. Jones has resided in Conshohocken, and is identified
actively with the religious, educational and welfare movements in that

Ii8 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

community. For six years she has served the Woman's Club of Consho-
hocken as president, and in 1923 was elected vice-president of the Federa-
tion of Woman's Clubs of Montgomery county. She is a member of
the Historical Society of Valley Forge, the College Club of Philadelphia,
and the American Association of University Women.

Mary L. Bean married, February 10, 1891, A. Conrad Jones, of Con-
shohocken, Pennsylvania, a sketch of whom follows. Mr. and Mrs.
Jones are the parents of two daughters : i. Dorothea Bean, born Novem-
ber 23, 1893, a graduate of Wellesley College, class of 1915 ; in service
with the American Friends' Service Committee in France, 1918-19. She
married, in 1921, George V. Downing, of Wilmington, Delaware, now
residing in Salem, Virginia. 2. Rachel Conrad, born June 2, 1899, a
graduate of Wellesley College, class of 1920, now residing with her par-
ents in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

A. CONRAD JONES was born in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania,
December 15, 1861. He is a descendant of David Jones, the founder of
his family in Pennsylvania, who came from Haverfordwest, Pembroke-
shire, Wales, in 1700, and settled first in Radnor, then in Plymouth town-
ship, Montgomery county. One of his sons, John Jones, purchased a
tract along the Schuylkill, upon a portion of which Conshohocken now
stands. Jonathan Jones, a son of John Jones, inherited the farm which
descended to his son, Isaac Jones, a man of afifairs of much force of char-
acter who, until the end of his long life of ninety-seven years, conducted
an active business. Jonathan (2) Jones, a son of Isaac and Elizabeth
(Yerkes) Jones, married Elizabeth Davis, in 1799, and they were the
parents of eight children, among them a son Ellwood. Ellwood Jones
married Rachel Roberts Conrad, in 1855, and they were the parents of
four children: Horace C. ; Abbie Conrad; A. Conrad, of further men-
tion ; and Ellwood C.

Mrs. Rachel Roberts (Conrad) Jones was a descendant of Thones
Kunders, who sailed from Crefeldt, Germany, July 24, 1683, in the ship
"Concord," coming to claim the five hundred acres which he had pur-
chased in Pennsylvania for ten pounds. Soon after his arrival he built a
home, the walls of which are still standing, forming a part of the house at
No. 5709 Germantown avenue, Philadelphia. Aaron Conrad, a great-
grandson of Thones Kunders, married Abigail Roberts, and their daugh-
ter, Rachel Roberts, was the mother of A. Conrad Jones, of further men-
tion. The Jones family are members of the Society of Friends.

A. Conrad Jones was graduated from Conshohocken High School in
1877, and then entered Swarthmore College, in the class of i88r. On
leaving college he began his business career as an employee of Evan D.
Jones & Company of Conshohocken. In 1889 he became one of the
incorporators of the I. P. Thomas & Son Company, manufacturers of
fertilizers and sulphuric acid. Upon the organization of the company
Mr. Jones was made vice-president, and upon reorganization in 1898, he
was chosen treasurer, and that office he has since most ably filled (1923).

BIOGRAPHICAL 119

The company's large plant is located in Paulsboro, New Jersey, their
main offices in the Drexel building, Philadelphia.

Mr. Jones is a man of strict integrity, and to his industry and ability
much of the success of the I. P. Thomas & Son Company may be ascribed.

He is a member of the Society of Friends and active in Plymouth
Preparative Meeting. He was one of the promoters of the Public Library
of Conshohocken. and is president of the library board of trustees. He is
a member of Valley Forge Historical Society ; a life member of the His-
torical Society of Montgomery county ; and is a member of the Ihiion
League of Philadelphia.

In 1891 A. Conrad Jones married Mary L. Bean (see preceding
sketch). Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Jones. The family
home is at No. 125 East Fourth avenue, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

BENJAMIN A. TYLER, M. D., now and for a quarter of a century
engaged in medical practice in Royersford, Montgomery county, Penn-
sylvania, gained practical experience while still a student, his preceptor,
Dr. B. A. Waddington, allowing him the privilege of accompanying his
instructor in his daily round of visits to his patients. This prepared the
young physician as no amount of instruction could have done, for those
early experiences which must be gone through, gave him a feeling of
confidence in his ability to diagnose and prescribe. The years that have
passed since attaining his degree have brought to Dr. Tyler the rewards
and honors of his profession, and he is one of the strong and able physi-
cians of his section, ministering to the needs of a large practice.

This branch of the Tyler family settled in New Jersey, Dr. Tyler
being a son of Benjamin and Milicent (Busby) Tyler, of Cumberland
county, New Jersey, and grandson of John and Beulah (Griscomb)
Tyler. The Tylers of the Virginia branch trace from a brother founder
of the New Jersey branch. The family has had a notable history and
many men of nationwide fame have borne the name, including a Presi-
dent of the United States.

Benjamin Tyler was a prosperous farmer of Cumberland county. New
Jersey, who later in life retired with a competency and spent his declin-
ing years in Salem, New Jersey. He was a Republican in politics and a
member of the Society of Friends, as was his wife, Milicent (Busby)
Tyler. Mrs. Tyler was a daughter of Isaac and Hannah Perry (Clunn)
Busby, her father a wealthy real estate dealer, her grandmother a sister
of Commodore Oliver H. Perry. The Busbys, like the Tylers, were
members of the Society of Friends. Benjamin and Milicent fBusby)
Tyler were the parents of two children : Hannah, married J. M. Reeves ;
and Benjamin A., of further mention.

Benjamin A. Tyler was born at the home farm in Cumberland county,
New Jersey, July 5, 1868, and there spent his youth. He attended the
district school, Salem High School, and Palms National Business College,
finishing with graduation from the last-named institution March 31, 1888.
He began the study of medicine in i8gi, attending Medico-Chirurgical

I20 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Medical College in Philadelphia, whence he was graduated M. D., class
of 1894. He served as interne at Medico-Chirurgical College in Philadel-
phia for sixteen months, then was resident physician at Philadelphia
Municipal Hospital for two years. In May, 1897, he began private prac-
tice in Royersford, in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and there has
continued without interruption until the present (1922). He has attained
high rank in his profession and is rated a physician of skill and ability.
He is a member of the County and State Medical societies ; is a thirty-
second degree Mason, and in politics a Republican.

Dr. Benjamin A. Tyler married, in Philadelphia, in 1898, Margaret
Hornby, born in Philadelphia in 1869, daughter of Robert Hornby, her
father a veteran of the Civil War, and an official of the city of Philadel-
phia. Dr. and Mrs. Tyler are the parents of a son, Benjamin A. (2), born
May 23, 1900.

RALPH FRY WISMER— Since the inception of his professional
career, 1913, success has come to Ralph Fry Wismer in abundance, but
it has been due entirely to his own energy, determination and ability,
not to fortuitous circumstances nor influential connection. Public-
spirited and progressive, he takes a keen interest in all things pertaining
to the welfare of the community, and all movements looking towards
better things have his earnest support.

Ralph Fry Wismer was born in Skippack township, November 29,
1881, the son of Lewis B. and Alice (Fry) Wismer, the former actively
engaged in the manufacture of tinware in Reading, Pennsylvania, known
under the concern name of the Kitchen Specialty Manufacturing Com-
pany. Mr. and Mrs. Wismer are the parents of another child, Anna T.,
a school teacher in Reading. The boy Ralph F. attended the public schools
of Collegeville and the Reading High School, from which last-named
institution he was graduated in 1901. He then matriculated at Ursinus
College, Collegeville, and four years later won from here the degree of
Bachelor of Arts. Having in the meantime determined to adopt law as
his profession, he entered the office of G. Carroll Hoover, of Norristown,
where he read law and was subsequently admitted to practice at the bar
of Montgomery county, in February, 191 1. In 1913 he established him-
self in the practice of his chosen profession at No. 501 Swede street, Nor-
ristown, which has continued to be his headquarters up to the present
time.

In the presentation of a case, Mr. Wismer's manner, quiet but force-
ful, is singularly effective. The papers which he prepares are excep-
tionally strong and present the matter under consideration in a manner
which admits of little dispute. He has a broad, comprehensive grasp of
questions that come before him, and is particularly fitted for affairs
requiring sound legal judgment. He is solicitor for Trappe ; the Perkio-
men Valley Farmers' Cooperative Association ; Pennsylvania Fruit Pack-
ing and Sales Company of Collegeville; the Mutual Auto Insurance
Company of Harleysville, and the Collegeville Flag and Manufacturing
Company.

BIOGRAPHICAL 121

A Republican in politics, he takes a lively interest in that phase of
politics which makes for the highest good of the community. He is a
member of Warren Lodge, No. 310, Free and Accepted Masons, of Col-
legeville ; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows ; Norristown Chapter,
No. 52, Patriotic Order Sons of America ; and professionally belongs to
the Montgomery County Bar Association. Mr. Wismer is also a trustee
of St. Luke's Reformed Church of Trappe, of which he is a member, and
sings in the choir there. Mr. Wismer is unmarried. He is fond of all
out-of-door sports, but especially is he interested in tennis, fishing and
automobiling.

HENRY GRABER, M. D.— Since 1910 Royersford, Pennsylvania,
has numbered among her representatives of the medical profession no
abler nor more progressive physician than Dr. Henry Graber, who is
daily adding to an already extensive reputation, and any history of the
medical profession of Montgomery county would be imcomplete without
mention of his name and help of his influence. Dr. Graber, who is the
son of a physician, has displayed his influence of heredity wonderfully,
and a love of his father's profession is inherent, for he follows it with
satisfaction and great success.

Dr. James D. Graber, father of Dr. Henry Graber, was born in Albany,
Berks county, Pennsylvania, June 19, 1845, and received the elementary
portion of his education in the schools of his native place. After gradu-
ating from high school and having in the meantime decided to adopt
medicine as his profession, he entered, with this end in view, Bellevue
Hospital Medical College, New York City, from which institution he
was subsequently graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in
1870. Immediately after receiving his degree he moved to Steinsville,
where he established himself in the practice of his profession and carried
on a successful practice here until 1887, when he removed to Trappe, and
two years later removed to Royersford, where he resided until his death,
which occurred October 17, 1919. He married Emma E. Keeler, a native
of Hanover township. Mrs. Graber resides with their only son, whose
name heads this review. This short review is a tribute to the memory of
a man whose characteristics were great mental and physical strength
associated with modesty, kindliness of heart and high ideals. He was
free from professional commercialism, and his influence was always
exerted for good. He had an instinctive love for his work and he never
swerved from duty nor from truth. He measured up to the full stature
of a man and to the height of an able, earnest, devoted physician.

Dr. Henry Graber was born in Steinsville, Pennsylvania, June 10,
1880. He attended the public schools of Trappe and Royersford, and
after graduating from the high school in the latter named place he
entered Ursinus College, from which institution he won the degree of
Bachelor of Arts in 1903, at which time he matriculated at Johns Hop-
kins Medical College, and in 1907 was graduated with the degree of Doc-
tor of Medicine, subsequently going to Philadelphia, where for eighteen

122 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

months he was a resident physician of the Presbyterian Hospital and
chief resident physician from 1909 to 1910. In the latter year he returned
to Royersford and opened his present ofRce, which has been his profes-
sional headquarters ever since.

Dr. Graber is a member of the Phoenixville Hospital staff ; the Ameri-
can Medical Association ; Pennsylvania State Medical Association ; and
the Montgomery County Medical Society. In politics he is an Independ-
ent, preferring to vote for the man regardless of party choice. Socially
he holds membership in the Midnight Sons' Club of Royersford, and fra-
ternally he affiliates with Royersford Lodge, No. 585, Free and Accepted
Masons. He attends the Reformed church.

On June 10, 191 1, at Philadelphia, Dr. Henry Graber was united in
marriage with Arvilla Whiteman, of Newark, Delaware, and to them
have been born three children: Sarah Emma, born in April, 1912;
now deceased; Jean, born January 15, 1915; and Martha, born Decem-
ber 17, 1918. The family home is at No. 454 Walnut street, Royersford.
Mrs. Graber has always taken an active part in affairs of Royersford,
being first president and one of the founders of the Women's Club, and
very prominent socially.

THOMAS HOVENDEN— Greater love hath no man than he who
gives his life that another may live. Such love was shown by Thomas
Hovenden, who went to his death to rescue a child from in front of a fast
moving train. His effort failed and both were killed, but his deed was
indicative of his great heart and his great love for his fellows. Mr.
Hovenden was of Irish birth and English parentage, his father tracing
his English ancestry to the year 1659. Robert Hovenden married at
Dunmanway Church, Ireland, January 3, 1835, Ellen Bryan, and they
were the parents of five children : Elizabeth, born February 29, 1836 ;
Jane, born July 10, 1837; John, born December, 1838; Thomas, of whom
further ; and Robert, born September 22, 1842.

Thomas Hovenden, fourth child of Robert and Ellen (Bryan) Hoven-
den, was born at Dunmanway, County Cork, Ireland, December 28, 1840,
was killed by an express train at the Germantown turnpike crossing of
the Trenton cut-off of the Pennsylvania railroad, August 14, 1895. He
was a student at South Kensington Art School ; Ecole Des Beaux Arts,
Paris ; and the National School of Design, New York City. He came to
New York a young man, and here became famous as a painter. His
most noted works are : "John Brown Being Led to Execution ;" "In the
Hands of the Enemy;" "Breaking Home Ties;"' "Chloe and Sam," the
last-named a study of negro life; "Elaine;" "Bringing Home the Bride;"
"Jerusalem the Golden;" and "The Founders of a State" (unfinished at
the time of his death). "Breaking Home Ties," exhibited at the Chicago
Exposition of 1893, attracted a great deal of attention. Mr. Hovenden's
wife, Helen (Corson) Hovenden, also was an artist. Her studio at Plym-
outh Meeting had originally been used by her father, George Corson, for
the purpose of holding anti-slavery meetings. "John Brown" was painted

/^t^ /T2n/'-(^^.--<^^^^

BIOGRAPHICAL

123

amid the surroundings of that old Abolition headquarters and the setting
inspired the brush of the painter. At one time in his career Mr. Hoven-
den, with a brother artist, Robert Wiley, founded an American Art Col-
ony at Pont-Aven, in Brittany, and there he made many paintings from
Brittany scenery and people, two famous paintings being "The Sword
Sharpeners," and "In Hoc Signo Vinces." The last years of his life were
spent in Montgomery county, his wife's ancestral home, and there some
of his most famous work was done.

Thomas Hovenden married, June 9, 1881, Helen Corson, daughter of
George and Martha (Maulsby) Corson (see Corson line). Two children
were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hovenden: i. Thomas (2), born at Plym-
outh Meeting, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, March 11, 1882; was
educated in the Friends School, of Washington, D. C, graduating with
the class of 1898; University of Pennsylvania, B. S., 1903; M. S., 1904;
C. E., 1905 ; and was in the employ of The W. W. Lindsay Company,
engineers and contractors, of Philadelphia, from 1905 until his death,
September 19, 191 5, being then general manager. He was elected an
associate member of the American Society of Engineers, July 9, 1912. 2.
Martha Maulsby, sculptor, born May 8, 1884.

(The Corson Line).

Mrs. Helen (Corson) Hovenden is a descendant of Cornelius Corson,
who to escape persecution fled from France and came to Staten Island,
New York, October 18, 1685, and there married and founded the Ameri-
can Corson family. The line of descent to Mrs. Hovenden is through the
founder's son, Benjamin Corson, of whom further.

Benjamin Corson left Staten Island in 1726 and settled in Bucks
county, Pennsylvania. Benjamin and Nelly Corson were the parents of
a son, Benjamin (2) Corson, of whom further.

Benjamin (2) Corson married Maria Suydam, and to them was born
a son, Benjamin (3) Corson, of whom further.

Benjamin (3) Corson married Sarah Dungan, and they were the par-
ents of Joseph Corson, of whom further.

Joseph Corson was a merchant and farmer, who located near Plym-
outh Meeting, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He married Hannah
Dickinson, daughter of Joseph Dickinson, whose ancestor, John Dickin-
son, received a patent for land in Maryland in 1658. William Dickinson,
a Friend, moved to Plymouth Meeting shortly after Penn's coming, and
he was the great-grandfather of Plannah Dickinson, who married Joseph
Corson. Joseph Corson's mother, Sarah (Dungan) Corson, was a lineal
descendant of Rev. Thomas Dungan, a Baptist preacher, who came from
Rhode Island and settled at Cold Spring, near Bristol, in Bucks county,
Pennsylvania, in 1684. This Rev. Thomas Dungan was the founder of
the Baptist church in Pennsylvania, and Mrs. Hovenden may claim
descent from the Huguenot Corsons, the Baptist, Dungan, and the
Friend, Dickinson.

George Corson, fourth son of Joseph and Hannah (Dickinson) Cor-

124 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

son, was born at Hickory Town, in Plymouth township, Montgomery
county, January 4, 1803, died November 18, i860. He was noted in his
youth for his mathematical talent and led the school as a student. He
entered the employ of Jonathan Maulsby, at Plymouth Meeting, whom
he succeeded in business, purchasing also the homestead and limestone
quarries. A strong Abolitionist, he threw himself whole-heartedly into
the cause and kept open house for every active worker in the anti-slavery
cause, even building on his own premises a good sized hall in which
to hold meetings. That hall, to which came the friends of slaves and the
oppressed, later became the mecca of the art lovers, painters, sculptors
and writers. When Thomas Hovenden, the historic painter, was com-
missioned to paint a picture of John Brown, he came to the house of
George Corson, and the hall at this station, on the "Underground Rail-
road," became most appropriately the studio in which Mr. Hovenden
painted his great picture, "John Brown Being Led to Execution."

George Corson married Martha Maulsby, January 24, 1832, she the
daughter of Samuel and Susan (Thomas) Maulsby. Mrs. Corson was a
descendant of William Maulsby, the founder of the Maulsby family of
Pennsylvania, he coming from Nottinghamshire, England. He married
Mary Rhoades, of Ripley, in Darbyshire, July 9, 1689, and appears to
have come to Pennsylvania without his wife, but bought a home in Phil-
adelphia, August 6, 1G98, for the reception of his family, then consisting
of four children : John, born March 4, 1690; Mary, born January 7, 1692;
h'.lizabeth, born October 25, 1694; and William, born October 18, 1695.
Merchant, Sr., another child, was born at sea on the ship "Bristol Mer-
chant," November 7, 1698; and David was born in 1700. Samuel
Maulsby, son of Merchant Maulsby, Jr., and grandson of Merchant
Maulsby, Sr., was born in the year 1768 and died July 12, 1838. He mar-
ried, November 15, 1799, Susan Thomas, who died August 22, 1818,
daughter of Jonathan and Alice (Jarrett) Thomas. He built the house in
which Mrs. Helen (Corson) Hovenden now resides, her father, George
Corson, purchasing the Maulsby homestead after the death of Samuel
Maulsby, his father-in-law. George and Martha (Maulsby) Corson were
the parents of seven children : Mary, died in infancy ; Susan ; Dr. Marcus
Heilner, died in his twenty-third year; Samuel Maulsby, an educator,
died August 7, 1881 ; Dr. Ellwood M., a physician ; Helen, of further
mention ; Ida, a graduate of Vassar College.

Helen Corson was born at the homestead in Whitemarsh township,
Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and was given an artistic education
beginning in the Philadeljjhia School of Design. She spent several years
in art study in Paris, then returned to her home in Plymouth Meeting,
making the old hall her studio. She married, June 9, 1881, Thomas Hov-
enden (see Hovenden).

WILLIAM H. BROWN, A. B.— With unusually comprehensive
preparation for his professional career, Mr. Brown has added to his suc-
cess as an educator a record of attainment in journalism, in which line

BIOGRAPHICAL 125

of activity he is at present engaged. As the editor of the "Interborough
Press," he is giving to the work of shaping and guiding the public
thought the same energy and high purpose which made his influence a
force for progress in the class room. Mr. Brown is a native of the State
of Pennsylvania, and is a son of E. H. and Mary (Fager) Brown, now
residents of Sanatoga, Pennsylvania.

William H. Brown was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, March 3,
1889. Receiving his early education in the public schools of that city,
he was graduated from the Pottstown High School in the class of 1907.
Thereafter entering the Perkiomen Preparatory School, he was graduated
from that institution in the class of 191 1, then spent two years at Prince-
ton University with the class of 1915. He finished his arts course, how-
ever, at Ursinus College, at Collegeville, in this county, receiving his
degree of Bachelor of Arts from this institution upon his graduation in
1918. During the following school year he took post-graduate work at
the University of Pennsylvania, finishing in the spring of 1919. Mean-
while Mr. Brown's career was begun in 1913, when he began teaching at
Stump Hall, in Worcester township, in this county, where he demon-
strated his natural fitness for pedagogy. For two years thereafter Mr.
Brown filled the office of principal at Trooper, in this county, after which
for two years he acted as supervising principal at Rockledge, Pennsyl-
vania. Then for a period of three years he was engaged at Barnegat,
New Jersey, in a similar capacity. On July i, 1921, Mr. Brown became
identified with the progress of the borough of Royersford and Spring
City, through the purchase of the "Interborough Press," and the printing
plant which handles its publication, purchasing this prosperous and
growing interest from Mrs. Trinna F. Moser, whose late husband founded
the paper. The "Interborough Press" is a weekly sheet of eight pages,
alert to the many branches of advance along which the community, the
commonwealth and the nation are constantly moving, and Mr. Brown is
placing the stamp of his high ideals and forceful personality upon its
pages. Now in the second year of his ownership the circulation has been
materially increased, and covers the greater part of both Chester and
Montgomery counties. Mr. Brown's policies, as uttered through the
medium of the paper, are considered sound and progressive, and his
influence is esteemed broadly wholesome in its relation to the public
welfare and the future development of this section, both materially and
in an esthetic sense. In fact Mr. Brown is looked upon as one of the
coming leaders in the affairs of this county and the neighboring county
of Chester, if not of a much wider field of public service. Fraternally
Mr. Brown is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
being a member of Vincent Lodge, of Spring City; is also a member of
Warren Lodge, No. 310, Free and Accepted Masons, of Collegeville; and
of Norristown Forest, No. 34, Tall Cedars of Lebanon. He is a member
of U. S. Grant Council, No. 352, Order of Independent Americans, of
Pottstown, and is a member of the Princeton Club, of Philadelphia.

Mr. Brown married, on August 12, 1918, Pearl Conway, of College-

126 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ville, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Conway, and they have one
daughter: Elaine Conway. The family home is at No. 440 Bridge street,
Spring City, Pennsylvania.

WILLIAM DERSTEIN HEEBNER— Among the notably successful
and well known business men of Lansdale, Montgomery county, Penn-
sylvania, is William Derstein Heebner, owner and manager of Heebner
& Sons, manufacturing company, a concern which is engaged in the
manufacture of farm machinery and implements, and which sends its
products to all parts of the world.

The Heebner family is one of the oldest of German descent in Mont-
gomery county, tracing their ancestry to David Heebner, who came to
Pennsylvania with the great body of Schwenkfelders in 1734, most of
them settling in Montgomery county. The Schwenkfelders were fol-
lowers of Kaspar Schwenkfeld, a German theologian of Ossing (1490-
1561), who, though a Protestant, disagreed with both Luther and Zwingli
concerning the value of the "outward means of grace" such as the min-
istry of the word and the sacraments, maintaining that not these outward
symbols but the inner life of the spirit was the essential thing. He dis-
tinguished between an outward word of God and an inward, the former
being the scriptures and perishable, the latter the divine spirit and
eternal. He also departed from both Luther and Zwingli in his belief
concerning the humanity and the divinity of Christ. He held that though
Christ was both God and man, he only attained his complete deification
and glorification by his ascension, and that it is in the state of his celestial
glorification that he is the giver of divine life to those who by faith par-
take of his nature. Because of these beliefs he was persecuted by the
followers of Luther and the followers of Zwingli, and because he was a
Protestant he was persecuted by the Catholics, but at the time of his
death his adherents were to be found scattered throughout Germany. In
Silesia they formed a distinct sect which has lasted to the present time.
In the seventeenth century they were associated with the followers of
Jacob Bohme, and were not disturbed until 1708, when an inquiry was
made as to their doctrines. In 1720 a commission of Jesuits was sent to
Silesia to convert them "by force" if necessary. Most of them fled from
Silesia into Saxony, and from there to Holland, England, and North
America. Frederick the Great, of Prussia, when he seized Silesia,
extended protection to those who had remained in the Province. Those
who fled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1734, formed a small com-
munity and were known as Schwenkfelders. Their descendants are still
living in Pennsylvania, and the views which they hold are similar to those
of the Quakers.

David Heebner, one of the group, was accompanied by his wife, Mary,
and children: Christoph ; Susanna; Rosanna, born May 9, 1738; and
George, of whom further. David Heebner, the father, died December 27,
1784, his wife surviving him until June 11, 1793.

George Heebner, son of David and Mary Heebner, was born June 21,

BIOGRAPHICAL 127

1744; he was the great-grandfather of William D. Heebner. George
Heebner married Susanna Heydrick, daughter of Balthasar Heydrick,
April 26, 1769, and their only child was Balthasar Heebner, born June 12,
1770. The wife and mother died a week later, and the father married a
second time, and reared a large family of children.

Balthasar Heebner, son of George and Susanna (Heydrick) Heebner,
and grandfather of William D. Heebner, was a minister of the Society
for many years, continuing his service in that capacity to the time of his
death, which occurred April 29, 1848, at the age of seventy-seven years,
ten months, twenty-one days. The genealogical record of the Society of
Schwenkfelders was preserved by him in the German manuscript until
about 1846. In the earlier years, to 1804, a few records had been kept,
but the practice was abandoned about that time. He conceived the idea
of combining all in one record, and accordingly copied all that he could
find, continuing the work almost to the close of his long life. To his
industry and foresight we owe much valuable material which would
otherwise have been lost. Exemplifying in his character and his con-
duct the principles which he preached. Rev. Balthasar Heebner was
greatly loved and respected by the community to which he ministered,
and his habits of industry seem to have been transmitted to his descend-
ants in generous measure. His wife died March 22, 1848. He married
May 20, 1794, Susanna Schultz, daughter of Christopher Schultz, and
they were the parents of eight children : George, born in 1795, died in
infancy; a daughter, born in 1796. died at the age of two days; Anthony
S., born in 1798; Anna, born in 1800; Maria, born in 1803, died at twelve
years of age; Catherine, born in 1806; David S., father of William D., of
whom further; and Lydia, born September 8, 1812.

David S. Heebner, son of Rev. Balthasar and Susanna (Schultz)
Heebner, was born June 25, 1810. He received his education in the public
schools of his native district and then engaged in farming, at which occu-
pation he continued until 1840, when he began in a small way the manu-
facture of agricultural machinery, at Norritonville, a few miles from
Norristown.. He was one of the pioneers in this field, and the business
grew rapidly. He made it a point always to be a trifle in advance of the
times in the matter of producing farm machinery, and as the clumsy and
ineffective tools of the old system gave way to labor-saving devices of the
new way of tilling the soil, the business of David S. Heebner grew
wondrously. Where he saw a need, and his experience as a farmer had
shown him that there were many needs, he set himself patiently to work
to devise a new machine or improve an old one, and when his sons, Isaac
Josiah and William Derstein, were old enough, they shared the deep
interest of their father and added their energy to his in the work of pro-
ducing for the farmers of the country and of the world, machinery which
would multiply their producing power and minimize the laborious work
of the farm. In 1872 he went into partnership with his sons, who had
established an agricultural machine-making plant in the village of Lans-
dale, and this connection, under the name of Heebner & Sons, was con-

128 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

tinued until October, 1887, by which time the small beginnings, made by
him in the little village of Norriton in 1840, had developed into one of the
most extensive and successful of its kind in the country. Mr. Heebner
was actively interested in the afifairs of the community in which he lived,
and in 1891 was commissioned postmaster of Lansdale by President
Benjamin Harrison. This position he held for four years, discharging
the duties connected therewith with notable ability and faithfulness.
Politically, like most of the Schwenkfelders, he was first a Whig and then
a Republican. David S. Heebner was twice married. He married (first)
Anna Derstein, daughter of Henry Derstein. She died June 8, 1853, and
he married (second) Regina Schultz, daughter of Rev. Christopher
Schultz. To the first marriage nine children were born : Joseph, born
June II, 1833, died April 3, 1838; James, born August 6, 1836, died April
8, 1838; Mary Ann, born April 2, 1839; Isaac Josiah, born January 18,
1841 ; Addison, born June 18, 1843, died two months of age; Jonah, born
July 5, 1844; Jacob, born August 10, 1846; William Derstein, of whom
further; and David, born August 22, 1851, died June 15, 1852. To the
second marriage, one child, Abram S., was born May 22, 1857, now
deceased.

Hon. William Derstein Heebner was bom September 27, 1848, and
received his formal education in the public schools of his native district,
which he attended until he was fourteen years of age. He then went into
his father's machine shop, where for a period of seven years he served as
an apprentice, learning the business of manufacturing agricultural imple-
ments and machines in all its branches. In 1870 he left his father's plant
and became associated, as a partner, with his brother, Isaac Josiah, in the
founding of the plant at Lansdale. Two years later, in 1872, the father
became associated with the sons, under the firm name of Heebner & Sons,
and under this name the connection was continued until 1887, when
William D. Heebner purchased the entire plant, which he has continued
to successfully operate to the present time (1922). Every department
was thoroughly organized, and though a young man at the time he
became sole owner, Mr. Heebner showed ability of a high order in the
choosing of the "right man for the right place." From year to year the
business has increased. New inventions have constantly been added to
the list of machines produced, automatic devices for handling the work
of production have been installed, and the efficiency of the workmen
as well as the organization of the various departments has been steadily
improved. Not only the wonderfully improved machines are the inven-
tions of members of the firm, but many of the devices used in the manu-
facture of the machines are the productions of the skill and genius of the
Heebners. The aim is constantly to have every piece of machinery
turned out at the works thoroughly up-to-date and perfect in workman-
ship. Its specialties are leaders in the particular class to which they
belong, and again and again Heebner & Sons' productions have won first
prizes in the World expositions held in Europe and in America. They
make threshers, cutters, feed cutters, with or without the crushing or

BIOGRAPHICAL 129

shredding attachments, and many other specialties used by agriculturists,
and these products are sent to all parts of the world. In addition to his
interests in this extensive manufacturing plant, Mr. Heebner holds
extensive interests in the Lansdale Water Company, of which he is presi-
dent, and has important interests in the South. He is a director of the
Southern Transportation Company of Philadelphia, a director of the
Henrico Lumber Company of Philadelphia, and treasurer of Jessup &
Moore Paper Company, also of Philadelphia.

He takes an active interest in the welfare of the town which has
grown up around his works, has served as a member of its council, and
has been its honored burgess for a number of years. He has also taken
a deep interest in the public schools, and has contributed largely to the
development of an efficient system in his locality. He has been a leader
in various financial enterprises, is a director in the First National Bank
of Lansdale, and is interested in various other financial institutions. He
served two terms at Harrisburg, as a member of the Pennsylvania House
of Representatives, and one of his best known achievements during that
period was the introduction of a bill making an appropriation for pur-
chasing the headquarters of Washington at Valley Forge, which measure,
largely through his efforts and those of his friends, became law. From
1916 to 1920 he filled the office of comptroller of Montgomery county.

Mr. Heebner is well known in fraternal and club circles, being a
charter member of Lansdale Castle, No. 244, Knights of the Golden
Eagle, and first presiding officer; a charter member of Lodge No. 977,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which he assisted in organizing, and
was its first noble grand ; a member of Charity Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons, of Norristown ; of Norristown Chapter, No. 190, Royal Arch
Masons ; and of Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights Templar.
He is also a member of Washington Camp, No. 120, Patriotic Order
Sons of America, of Lansdale ; and of the Norristown Lodge, Benevolent
and Protective Order of Elks. His religious affiliation is with the Meth-
odist Episcopal church of Lansdale, in which he has been an earnest
worker for many years, serving as leader of the choir for forty-eight
years, and as a member of the board of trustees.

On November 7, 1872, William Derstein Heebner married (first)
Emma Frantz, daughter of Jesse Frantz, of Center Square. She died
August 22, 1881. He married (second), November 29, 1883, Elizabeth
Shearer, daughter of John Shearer, of Lansdale. To the first marriage
three children were born: i. Clarella, who married Ira B. Harr, of
Lansdale. 2. Blanche, who married Eugene Frey ; they reside in Rydal.
3. Estelle, who married George W. Neuman ; they reside in Lansdale. To
the second marriage three children were born: i. Robert Stanley, of
Lansdale. 2. J. Donald, of Lansdale. 3. Grace, married J. Godfrey
Dreka, of DeLand, Florida.

Mr. Heebner's farm, "Rocky Lodge," comprises 358 acres, and lays
in Marlboro township, between Summertown and Finland, on Swamp
creek, or more properly Unamis. He has a beautiful winter home in
Orange City, Florida.

Mont— 9

I30 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ADAM MILLER HILTEBEITEL, Ph. D., was born at Greenlane,
Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, January 15, 1869. He is the second
of the three sons of Mark and Catharine (Miller) Hiltebeitel, his father
a prominent farmer and merchant of Greenlane. His older brother,
Jonas, lives at the old homestead, where he continues his father's busi-
ness. His younger brother, Morris, is an electrical engineer, associated
with the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, and lives
in Philadelphia. His early ancestors came from the Rhine Palatinate a
little more than two hundred years ago.

Dr. Hiltebeitel received his early education in the public schools of
Greenlane and in the Ursinus Academy at Collegeville. After that fol-
lowed several years of teaching and studying. He studied at the Key-
stone State Normal School at Kutztown, Pennsylvania, and in Perkiomen
Seminary at Pennsburg, and taught in the public schools, in Bethany
Orphans' Home at Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania, and in Perkiomen Semi-
nary. In the fall of 1896 he entered Princeton University, from which
he graduated with the class of 1900, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts.
During the following year he was a fellow in mathematics in Princeton
University, and was awarded the degree of Master of Arts in June, 1901.
During the next four years he continued his graduate studies in mathe-
matics in Princeton University, and also served during part of this period
as instructor in mathematics in this institution and in Purdue University,
at Lafayette, Indiana. In June, 1905, he received the degree of Doctor
of Philosophy from Princeton University. Since then Dr. Hiltebeitel has
spent a few months studying mathematics in the University of Berlin,
and he taught in the Peekskill Military Academy at Peekskill, New
York, in the University of Pennsylvania, in Worcester Academy at
Worcester, Massachusetts, and in the Princeton Summer School, at
Princeton, New Jersey. The last-named institution is a private school,
of which he is part-owner and the teacher of mathematics.

Of Dr. Hiltebeitel's scientific work there were published as follows:
A book entitled "General Investigations of Curved Surfaces by Karl
Friederich Gauss," a translation with notes and bibliography by James
Caddall Morehead, A. M., M. S., and Adam Miller Hiltebeitel, A. M.,
J. S. K., "Fellows in Mathematics in Princeton University," published
by the Princeton University Library, 1902 ; a paper, entitled "On a
Problem in Mechanics," published in the "Bulletin" of the American
Mathematical Society, Series 2, Vol. XI. A dissertation for the doc-
torate, "The Problem of Two Fixed Centres and Certain of Its General-
izations," published in the "American Journal of Mathematics," Vol.
XXXIII.

Dr. Hiltebeitel is a member of the American Mathematical Society;
the American Association for the Advancement of Science ; the Associa-
tion of Teachers of the Middle States and Maryland; the Nassau Club
at Princeton ; the Reformed Church, at Sumneytown ; the Keystone
Grange, at Trappe ; the Pennsylvania State Grange ; and the Montgomery
County Farm Bureau. At present his school work is limited to that in

BIOGRAPHICAL 131

the Princeton Summer School, his connections with this school beginning
in 1906. When not at Princeton he lives at Trappe, where he devotes
much of his time to horticulture.

On September 18, 1906, Dr. Hiltebeitel married Alice Gross, the
youngest daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Beitenman) Gross, of Trappe.

LLOYD E. JOHNSON— The Royersford "Weekly Advertiser" was
founded by Jacob S. Johnson, a practical printer, in 1890, the first issue
appearing February 22nd of that year from the printing office of the
paper, located at No. 334 Main street, Royersford, the equipment of the
plant consisting of two small Gordon presses and a paper-cutting
machine. Two years later the printing office was moved to No. 348 Main
street, and after three years in that location moved to No. 413 Main
street. The plant there had grown to three gas-driven presses, and for
six years the offices of the "Advertiser" remained at the last-named
number. At the end of that period the printing plant was located at No.
204 Main street, Rockford Hall, where it remained fourteen years. Dur-
ing that period a gas-driven cyclinder press was added, and on November
6, 1910, the founder, Jacob S. Johnson, died, having successfully guided
the destinies of the "Weekly Advertiser" through its first twenty years
of life. He had given his entire attention to its upbuilding, had made it
a popular advertising medium, and had built up a strong line of patrons
for his commercial printing department.

Jacob Johnson was succeeded as owner, editor, and publisher of the
"Weekly Advertiser" by his only son, Lloyd E. Johnson, and in 1915, as
a fitting celebration of the paper's silver anniversary, he erected a modern
two-story building at the corner of Second and Myrtle streets, and there,
with new and enlarged equipment, installed the paper in a new, appro-
priate and permanent home, and from new electrically-driven presses
the "Advertiser" appears every Friday. The paper has been conducted
on a high plane, and is welcomed into the homes of its patrons each week
with genuine satisfaction. The advertising department is well patronized
and the "Advertiser's" commercial printing department caters to a good
class of trade, Royersford printing largely centering in the office of the
"Advertiser."

The present editor and publisher, Lloyd E. Johnson, is a great-
grandson of Jacob Johnson, a Montgomery county (Pennsylvania)
pioneer; grandson of Abram Johnson, a drover and cattleman, who
married Catherine Warner ; and son of Jacob S. Johnson, who was born
at the home farm, in Upper Providence township, December 12, 1863,
died in the borough of Royersford, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania,
November 6, 1910. He remained at the home farm until eleven years of
age, then the family moved to Trappe, where he attended public schools
until reaching the age of eighteen. He then became a printer's apprentice
under Elwood S. Moser, of the Collegeville "Independent." After mas-
tering some of the art and mystery of printing, he left the "Independent"
office and was employed as a journeyman printer in Norristown, Pennsyl-

132 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

vania, there continuing until 1890. In that year he located in Royersford,
and established the Royersford "Weekly Advertiser," which he success-
fully conducted until his passing, twenty years later. The "Advertiser"
then passed to the management of his only son, Lloyd E. Johnson, under
whom the paper has reached a high plane of usefulness, and is now in its
thirty-third year of prosperous life.

Jacob S. Johnson was a member of the Reformed church ; the borough
Volunteer Fire Company; the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks;
Junior Order United American Mechanics ; and the Knights of the
Golden Eagle. He married, July 11, 1890, Carrie Beideman, born in 1870,
daughter of Henry and Louisa (Kline) Beideman, her father born in
Chester county, her mother in Berks county, Pennsylvania. To Jacob S.
and Carrie (Beideman) Johnson, there was born a son, Lloyd E. Johnson,
of further mention.

Lloyd E. Johnson was born in Royersford, Pennsylvania, November
14, 1891, and there completed full courses of public school study, finishing
in high school with the graduating class of 1909. After a special course
in Pottstown Business College, he became associated with his father in
the printing business, and although still a minor at the time of the latter's
death in 1910, succeeded him as editor and publisher of the "Weekly
Advertiser" and during the years which have since intervened he has
continued head of the business founded by his father. Their present
well-equipped plant was built and furnished by him in 1915, and is a
credit to his enterprise and to the business housed therein.

In politics Mr. Johnson is a Republican, and in religious faith is a
member of the Reformed church. He is affiliated with Royersford Lodge,
Free and Accepted Masons, and with the different bodies of the Phila-
delphia Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, in which he holds the
thirty-second degree. He is also a noble of the Mystic Shrine ; a knight
of the Golden Eagle ; a member of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon ; member
of the Humane Fire Company, and Friendship Hook and Ladder and
Hose Company ; is secretary of the Royersford Business Men's Associa-
tion ; member of the Pennsylvania State Newspaper Association ;
National Editorial Association; Midnight Sons' Club; Royersford Gun
Club ; and the City Club, of Philadelphia.

Mr. Johnson married, in Royersford, October 8, 1914, Elsie M. Lewin,
daughter of Willis and Jennie Lewin, her father superintendent of the
Grander Stove Company, of Royersford. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the
parents of a son, Lloyd E. (2), born October 17, 1915.

HIRAM CORSON, M. D.— For more than fifty years Dr. Hiram
Corson was a recognized leader of thought in the community in which
he lived, and an "exemplar of the highest type." He was from youth an
active and earnest opponent of human slavery, and cooperated conscien-
tiously with his brother, George Corson, whose home at Plymouth
Meeting was a well known station of the underground railroad. He was
a life-time foe of the liquor traffic and devoted a greal deal of time to

^)^-y^-rr>^

BIOGRAPHICAL T33

advancing the interest of the total abstinence movement, v^^hich at that
time was not only highly unpopular, but often the subject of scorn and
derision. However, such opposition only aroused anew Dr. Corson's
indignation and sense of justice, and gave additional force to his deter-
mination to let no difficulties divert him from the course he deemed was
right. He waged the first professional warfare against the custom, then
prevalent, of giving only hot drinks to patients in eruptive diseases, and
his papers on scarlet fever and diphtheria were widely circulated, and the
ice treatment, which he found so beneficial in these diseases, has come
into general use.

Dr. Corson was widely known through his writings, and notwith-
standing his advanced, even radical, views on reform subjects, he was
held in high esteem by his contemporaries. An American when traveling
abroad met in Rome the late Monsignor Kennedy, head of the American
College there. In the course of conversation the distinguished prelate
spoke of his boyhood home in far away Montgomery county, Pennsyl-
vania, when the traveler said: "Oh, then you must have known Dr.
Hiram Corson," to which he exclaimed: "Know Dr. Corson? Yes,
indeed, he was our mentor and it was to him we all went for counsel."
Dr. Corson was among the first physicians to open the profession of
medicine to women, and he assisted his niece, Sarah Adamson, in a
medical education by giving her the benefit of his name and reputation.

At Dr. Corson's death, which occurred March 4, 1896, leading papers
published warm eulogies on his life and character, and the Montgomery
County Medical Society, of which he was a founder, past president, and
always an active member, held a special session as a memorial to him in
the Court House in Norristown, Pennsylvania. On March 9th he was
buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, after a long and useful
life, his memory a rich heritage, his life an inspiration.

(I) The Corson ancestry carries back to Cornelius Corson, who came
with a band of Huguenots escaping from France after the revocation of
the Edict of Nantes, October 18, 1685. The vessel on which he sailed was
driven by stress of weather into New York bay and a landing eflfected on
Staten Island.

(II) Benjamin (i) Corson, son of Cornelius Corson, settled in Addis-
ville, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, where, according to the records, he
bought two hundred and fifty acres, within half a mile of the village,
paying for it £350. This tract was the original home of the Corsons in
Bucks county, and remained in the family until 1823.

(III) Benjamin (2) Corson, a boy of seven years when brought to
Bucks county by his father in 1723, married Marie Sedam (or Suydam)
and they were the parents of Benjamin (3) Corson, of whom further.

(IV) Benjamin (3) Corson was born March 6, 1743, and died July 2,
181 1. He married Sarah Dungan, and reared a family of eleven, all of
whom married. Their second son was Joseph Corson, of whom further.

(V) Joseph Corson was born in Dublin township, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, March 15, 1764, and died at Hickorytown, Montgomery

134 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

county, Pennsylvania, April 4, 1834. He was a farmer and a merchant, a
member of the Society of Friends, his home near Plymouth Meeting.
His mother was a lineal descendant of Rev. Thomas Dungan, a Baptist
preacher, who came from Rhode Island and settled at Cold Spring, near
Bristol, in Bucks county, in 1684. He was the founder of the Baptist
church in Pennsylvania. Thus, the zeal displayed by the Corsons of
later days for liberty of conscience derives from the Huguenot, Quaker
and Baptist ancestors, Cornelius Corson, Joseph Corson, and Rev.
Thomas Dungan. Joseph Corson married (first) in 1786, Hannah Dick-
inson, daughter of Joseph Dickinson, a grandson of William Dickinson,
a Friend, who settled within the limits of Plymouth Meeting. Joseph
and Hannah (Dickinson) Corson were the parents of eleven children;
two of their sons, Hiram and William, became able distinguished physi-
cians, and both lived to an advanced age, Hiram, the subject of this
sketch, reaching his ninety-second year. -Medicine has been a favorite
profession in this family, and doctors in the Corson family have been
many. The Dickinson ancestry is traced to Ivan, a general serving under
Halidan Herbein, King of Norway, in the year 700 B. C. A descendant,
Walter de Caen, was kinsman to William the Conqueror, and came with
him to England in 1066. From him sprang John De Kenyon, clerk in
chancery during the reign of Edward I, he being the ancestor of Hugh
Dickinson, of Kenson Manor, near Leeds, 1422-1473. From Hugh Dick-
inson came John Dickinson, born in 1624, who came to Virginia in 1654,
moving to North Point, Maryland, thence to Talbot county, Maryland,
where he owned three hundred acres of land. His son, William Dickin-
son, born in i66g, married, in 1690, Sarah Harrison, and moved to Darby,
Pennsylvania, the same year. In 1703 he bought a tract of farm land in
Plymouth township, Montgomery county, where he lived until his death.
Their fourth child, Hannah Dickinson, married Joseph Corson, as previ-
ously noted, and is buried with him in Friends' Burying Ground,
Plymouth Meeting. Hannah (Dickinson) Corson died December 17,
1810, and Joseph Corson married (second) in 1812, a second wife, Eleanor
Coulson, daughter of John, and granddaughter of Bernard Coulson, one
of the early settlers and large landowners of Plymouth township, Mont-
gomery county.

(VI) Hiram Corson, ninth child and sixth son of Joseph and Hannah
(Dickinson) Corson, was born at the homestead in Hickorytown,
Plymouth township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, October 8, 1804,
and died at his home, "Maple Hill," March 4, 1896, that locality having
been his residence during almost his entire adult life. In his later life
Dr. Corson wrote a history of the Corson family, which is considered an
authority. In it he tells his own life story, from which is taken the fol-
lowing concerning his youth, his early years of practice, and his marriage:

My mother died when I was six years of age, but I received almost a mother's
care from my sisters, Mary and Sarah. My early education was received at the Friends'
School at Plymouth Meeting, under Joseph Foulke, a minister in the Friends' Meeting
at that place; later, under my brother, Alan W. Corson, who was talented in mathe-
matics and the natural sciences; and finally, when nearing manhood, at the Friends'

BIOGRAPHICAL

135

Select School in Philadelphia, under Benjamin Moore. After leaving school I was
engaged in my father's store at Hickorytown until May 9, 1826, when I entered as a
student of medicine the office of Dr. Richard D. Corson (my cousin) at New Hope,
Bucks county. The following winter I attended lectures at the medical department of
the University of Pennsylvania, and was graduated in the spring of 1828. After a few
weeks' rest at home I was invited by my father's family physician, Dr. Leedom, to
join him in the practice of medicine. Dr. Leedom was well advanced in years, and
desired to be relieved of some of the arduous labors of his profession. After a three
months' trial, the idea of a partnership was abandoned, but Dr. Leedom desiring me to
remain in the neighborhood, I did so, and was soon in possession of a good practice,
extending over a large extent of country. Light carriages were not then much used,
physicians making their journeys mostly on horseback. The Schuylkill river had no
bridges at Conshohocken nor at Spring Mill, but there was a shaky ferry boat at the
latter place. At Conshohocken the river had to be forded, and sometimes, when it was
swollen with freshets, it was a very hazardous undertaking; so, too, the Wissahickon
had to be crossed, and often with great risk of life. In i8j2 the Asiatic cholera made
its appearance in this country, first being observed at Quebec. When it reached Phila-
delphia, July s, 1832, I felt it to be my duty to my patients to visit the hospitals and
learn what I could of the disease and its treatment. It was deemed by my friends a
hazardous thing to do, but as my mind was made up, I saw the patients, and felt well
repaid for my visits in the personal inspection I had of the terrible disease. In a week
from that time the epidemic reached Conshohocken, and in a most violent form. For
many nights in succession I was at the bedside of the sufferers, nearly all of whom
found relief only in death. (This was also true of the cases in the two improvised
hospitals in Philadelphia under the charge of Drs. Joseph Parrish and Samuel Jack-
son). Scenes of suffering such as I witnessed at that time can never be forgotten, but
will remain in perfect clearness as long as memory lasts. On the 26th day of Decem-
ber, in the year 1833, I married Ann Jones Foulke, a daughter of Edward and Tacy
(Jones) Foulke, of Gwynedd township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. We were
married in Philadelphia, by Mayor Joseph Watrous, and soon afterward began our
married life in the house which I had built during the preceding summer and fall,
situated a short distance from Plymouth Meeting. There we lived for fifty-six years,
when death came to my wife, leaving me to make the rest of life's journey without
her comfort, sympathy and support, upon which I had placed the greatest reliance. I
may say of her that she was a woman of the purest character, kind, gentle, and sweet
in disposition; seldom has fate given to husband and children a more lovable and more
loving wife and mother. Her nine children, brought up under her care and wise
instruction, idolized her, and to her I always turned for counsel in many important
incidents of my professional life. Whenever I prepared a paper for publication, I
invariably read it to her before sending it to the publishers, and none was ever sent
without her approval. No home was ever blessed with a wife and mother more devoted
to the happiness of the family. She died on the 25th of June, 1888, and was buried in
the beautiful cemetery at North Laurel Hill.

Dr. Corson's own summing up of his life is more interesting than
another's could possibly be. Near the close of his life he wrote :

I still live in the home in which our married life was commenced and completed,
and the place to which I long ago gave the name of "Maple Hill" (on account of the
large number of maple trees, most of them planted by myself, about the lawn), has
been dear to me these many years; and now, as my life's pilgrimage draws to a close,
I look upon it with still more tender affection and sweeter memories. My life has been
a busy one, devoted mainly to my profession, yet with a good share of my energies
given to the interest of public morals and of human rights and justice. My professional
experience covers a period of about sixty years, from 1828 to 1888, at which last-
named date I retired from active practice. During that long period I contributed to
the literature of the medical profession, through various medical journals, the "Trans-
actions of the Pennsylvania State Medical Society" and the "Transactions of the Ninth
International Medical Congress," about sixty-eight medical papers and two important
pamphlets; one a "History of the Long Waged Struggle for the Recognition of

136 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Woman Physicians," the other on "Procuring a Law to Have Boards of Trustees of
All Hospitals Owned by the State Appoint Women Physicians to Have the Exclusive
Medical Control of the Female Insane in Those Hospitals." This last-named pamphlet
contained about fifty pages. In conjunction with the faculty of the Woman's Medical
College, I had one thousand copies of it printed and distributed. In addition to the
above, papers on special diseases and subjects, reviews and criticisms of papers pub-
lished by others, were frequently given to the medical public. That many of my views,
so greatly at variance with those long held, were strongly opposed, is admitted; espe-
cially so was the innovation introduced, by giving to children, ill with the measles,
freely of cold water as a remedy— a thing unheard of before that time (1829); yet as
time rolled on and the great value of the cooling treatment was shown in that and in
other febrile affections, denunciations of it were allayed, and now (1895) the cooling
treatment which I so strongly advocated is universally used among enlightened physi-
cians. But faithful and continuous as were my labors as a physician, never in a single
instance in the sixty years was I failing to give as prompt attention to the calls of the
poorest as to those of the richest. I do not regard those labors as the great work of
my life. My efforts, successful ones, to have women physicians recognized by the
medical profession, and to procure a law to have the female insane in Pennsylvania to
be cared for medically and otherwise by female physicians, I regard as my great work.
I was fifty-six years old when I began my opposition to the doings of the Philadelphia
County Medical Society against medical women and the Woman's Medical College;
sixty-seven when the embittered struggle for the recognition of female physicians was
accomplished; seventy-two years old when I began my efforts to procure the law to
have only women physicians to have medical care of the insane of their sex in our State
Hospitals; and seventy-five when that law was procured. The struggle was carried on
with intense earnestness and conscientiousness during these many years, yet the very
men, many of the most eminent in the State, who so earnestly opposed the so-called
reform, after the battle was over not only acquiesed in the decision, but joined in doing
honor to me. In 1883 twelve leading male physicians and twelve women, the faculty
of the Woman's Medical College, joined hands in giving a reception to me at the Belle-
vue Hotel, Philadelphia, during the time of the State Medical Society's meeting, which
in that year was held in Philadelphia. The reception in every way was a great success;
hundreds of the profession were present. I was in my seventy-ninth year, and still in
active practice.

The positions held by Dr. Corson and the honors received are here
tabulated : Graduated in medicine at the University of Pennsylvania,
1828; elected junior member of the Philadelphia County Medical Society,
1828 ; founded and became a member of the Montgomery County Medi-
cal Society, 1847 ; became a member of the Medical Society of the State of
Pennsylvania, 1848 ; elected president of the Montgomery County Medi-
cal Society, 1849; elected president of the Pennsylvania State Medical
Society 1853 ; elected corresponding member of the Page Literary Society
of Millersville, Pennsylvania, 1858; became a member of the American
Medical Association, 1862 ; elected corresponding member of Meigs &
Mason Academy of Medicine of Middleport, Ohio, 1873 ; elected associate
member of Philadelphia Obstetrical Society, 1874; elected associate
fellow of College of Physicians of Philadelphia, 1876 (this honor vi^as
greatly appreciated, as only residents of the city can become fellows, and
there can be but thirty associate fellows in the United States, and only
twenty abroad) ; elected life member of the Alumni Association, Uni-
versity of Pennsylvania, 1879, vice-president, 1894; elected honorary
member of Harrisburg Pathological Society, 1881 ; elected member of
Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1884; appointed trustee of Insane
Hospital at Harrisburg, by Governor Hartranft, 1877, reappointed by

BIOGRAPHICAL 137

Governor Hartranft and Governor Hoyt, 1882; appointed by Board of
Public Charity, official visitor to Montgomery Jail and Almshouse, and
after many years' service was in 1884 appointed to the same office in the
great Southeastern Hospital for the Insane in Norristown, but on account
of advanced age declined to accept the new appointment and resigned the
old ; elected honorary member of National Association of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists, 1894.

The following testimonial from the Woman's Medical College of
Philadelphia, dated January 26, 1881, signed by the chairman of the com-
mittee, Frances Emily White, and transmitted to Dr. Corson under the
signature of the dean, Rachel Bodley, was one of his most cherished
possessions :

The faculty of the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania, believing that the
present useful and honorable position of women physicians is mainly due to the dis-
interested, persistent, and energetic elTorts of Dr. Hiram Corson, of Plymouth Meet-
ing, desires to convey to Dr. Corson, with mutual congratulations, their hearty thanks
and expressions of highest esteem.

Dr. Hiram and Ann Jones (Foulke) Corson were the parents of nine
children, two of their sons adopting their father's profession: i. Dr.
Edward Foulke, who was a surgeon in the United States navy during
the Civil War, returning in broken health and dying at the age of thirty,
June 22. 1864. 2. Joseph K., who was a surgeon in the United States
army during the Civil War, then practiced with his father until 1867,
when he enlisted in the United States Regular army, serving thirty years,
until his retirement in 1897. He received the Congressional Medal of
Honor, "for most distinguished gallantry in action near Bristoe Station,
Virginia, October 14, 1863." He married Ada Carter, daughter of Judge
William Carter, of Wyoming. 3. Caroline, who died July 25, 1865, in
youthful womanhood. 4. Tacy Foulke, who married William L. Cresson,
of Norristown, Pennsylvania. 5. Charles Follen, who was a successful
lawyer of the Philadelphia bar until his death. He married (first) Mary
Lukens, daughter of Lewis A. Lukens, of Conshohocken, who died after
a short married life. Later he married Margaret Slemmer, of Norristown,
Pennsylvania. 6. Susan Foulke, who married Jawood Lukens, of Consho-
hocken, an iron manufacturer. 7. Bertha, who married James Yocom, of
James Yocom & Son, of Philadelphia. 8. Frances Stockton, who married
Richard H. Day, of Day Brothers. Philadelphia. 9. Mary Adamson, who
remained at the home, "Maple Hill," with her parents.

The ancestry of Ann Jones (Foulke) Corson, the mother of these
children, is traced to Edward Foulke, who came to Pennsylvania from the
Parish of Llanderfel, Wales, in 1693. The ancestry back of Edward
Foulke extends through sixteen generations to Colwyn ap Morrerddig,
King of Gwynedd, and through twenty-four generations of another line
to William the Conqueror. Edward Foulke married, in Wales, Eleanor,
daughter of Hugh ap Cadwallader ap Rhys, of the Parish Skyter,
Derbighshire. The descent from Edward and Eleanor Foulke to Ann
Jones (Foulke) Corson is through their eldest child, Thomas, born in

138 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Wales, married, in 1706, Gwen Evans, daughter of David Evans, of
Radnor, Pennsylvania ; their second child, William, born in 1708, married
Hannah Jones, August 15, 1734; their fifth child, Amos, born in 1740,
married in 1758, Hannah, daughter of Owen Jojes, of Wynnewood, Penn-
sylvania; their second child, Edward, born November 17, 1784, married,
December 11, 1810, Tacy Jones; their eldest child (of twelve) Ann Jones
Foulke, born September 15, 181 1, married December 26, 1833, Dr. Hiram
Corson (see Corson VI), and their nine children are of the twenty-first
recorded generation of the Foulkes in Wales and America.

ALVIN C. ALDERFER— In 1896 George D. Alderfer was elected
prothonotary of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, but before the con-
stitutional time had arrived for him to assume the duties of that office he
had passed away. He was at that time also a justice of the peace and in
his latter office he was succeeded by his son, Alvin C. Alderfer, of Har-
leysville, Pennsylvania, then engaged as a teacher in Telford township.
The office Mr. Alderfer then assumed he has held during the more than
quarter of a century which has since passed by and to it has added others,
until he is one of the most influential men of his section of the county,
eminent both in his citizenship and as a business man.

Alvin C. Alderfer, son of George D. and Mary (Clemens) Alderfer,
was born in Lower Salford township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania,
November 9, 1869. He attended the public district school, then, for three
spring terms, was entered as a student at Westchester Normal College.
While that completed institutional courses, Mr. Alderfer has always been
a student, and has gained that second and superior education which every
successful man gives to himself. After acquiring a State of Pennsyl-
vania permanent certificate, he began teaching in Lower Salford and
continued a pedagogue for nine years, until his father's death in 1896.
By self-study he acquired a knowledge of surveying, and since 1896 has
been identified with the business interests of Harleysville, his home.
Early in life he operated a creamery at Harleysville, and later was a
clothing manufacturer, doing business in his own modern building, but
in 1912 he disposed of this business. For several years he also conducted
an electrical contracting business, which he sold to his son-in-law, Willis
Moyer, in 1919.

As surveyor, to which were added the duties of a justice of the peace
which were not inconsiderable, Mr. Alderfer became well known, and the
opportunities which were presented him for business advancement were
fully improved. The need for a national bank in Harleysville attracted
his attention and, with others, an organization was effected in 1908,
Alvin C. Alderfer being chosen president of the bank, an office he yet
holds. He was also one of the organizers of the Harleysville Building
and Loan Association, of which he is secretary, and is secretary-treasurer
of The Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, which insures against
loss by fire or theft. In 1896 he was first appointed justice of the peace,
an office he has held continuously until the present 1922; in 191 1 was

BIOGRAPHICAL 139

made a member of the Montgomery county Board of Viewers, and in
1920 was appointed for the fourth time to that office. He was township
auditor for one term, and formerly secretary of the Turnpike Association.
Mr. Alderfer was one of the organizers of the trolley line system from
Harleysville to Norristown, and is still a member of the official board.
In political faith he is a Republican ; in religious faith a member of the
New Mennonite Church.

Mr. Alderfer married, in Lower Salford township, Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, in 1890, Mary L. Alderfer, daughter of Levi S.
and Sarah M. (Landis) Alderfer. To Mr. and Mrs. Alderfer five chil-
dren have been born: Bertha May, born May 8, 1891, married Harry
Clemens; Sadie A., born December 22, 1895, married J. Warren Ziegler;
Mary Ellen, born December 10, 1897, married Willis Moyer; Alma A.,
born October 18, 1901 ; and Verna, born March 15, 1906. The family
home is in Harleysville, Pennsylvania.

REV. HOWARD SAMUEL PAULES— The religious life of Lans-
dale, Pennsylvania, has a worthy leader in the Rev, Howard Samuel
Paules, who was called to this city in 1918. An orator, a faithful pastor,
untiring in his efiforts in all movements that purpose the betterment of
the people and city, he has a place in the hearts of men and an influence
that is becoming more and more effective. His father is Francis E.
Paules, a slate miner, who married Emma Scheirer, and their son, How-
ard S., of this review, was born at Slatedale, Lehigh county, Pennsyl-
vania, February 16, 1884.

Mr. Paules' preliminary study was begun in the public schools of
Northampton county, Pennsylvania, and was followed by a course in the
East Stroudsburg Normal School, from which he was graduated in 1904.
He attended Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pennsylvania, and received
the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1908, and in 191 1 graduated from Mount
Airy Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the degree
of Bachelor of Divinity.

His first appointment was to the Hillstown parish, Bucks county,
where he spent seven and a half years. In December, 1918, he accepted
the call of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lansdale, and has
been its beloved pastor for the last four years (1922).

At Bethel Farm, Wyoming county, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 191 1,
Mr. Paules was married to Martha A. Swartwood, daughter of William
Henry and Adelinda (Decker) Swartwood, well known residents of that
locality. Rev. and Mrs. Paules are the parents of three children : Floyd
Amos, born September 29, 1914; Francis Samuel, born January 23, 1916,
and Katherine Mary, born May 26, 1922.

DR. HENRY NATHANIEL SCROLL— After thorough preparation
and a year and a half of practical experience, Dr. Henry Nathaniel Scholl
came to Kulpsville, Pennsylvania, in 1909, and since that time has been
successfully engaged in general medical practice there. He has built up

140 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

a large and important clientele, and is widely known as a skillful physi-
cian and a progressive citizen, as well as a most highly esteemed friend
and associate.

Dr. SchoU comes of an old Pennsylvania family, his grandparents
being Jonathan and Sallie (Nyce) Scholl, who were the parents of nine
children: i. Jesse, who married (first) Elizabeth Hartzell, and was the
father of Sarah Ann, who married John Faust, of Norristown, Pennsyl-
vania; (second) Lavinia Hallman, and by this marriage became the
father of: Ellamanda, who married Daniel Tyson, of Downington, Penn-
sylvania ; Abraham, who resides in Harleysville ; and Katie, who married
Jacob Sweet, of Norristown, Pennsylvania. 2. Henry Nathaniel, who
married Hannah Frederick, they becoming the parents of Hannah,
Sevilla, Priscilla, and Sallie, all deceased ; and of Harvey L., who is a
physician of Green Lane, Pennsylvania; and Henry Nathaniel (2), of
whom further. 3. Jacob M., drowned at the age of twenty-two or twenty-
three years at Swamp Creek, Sumneytown, Pennsylvania. 4. Deborah,
married Samuel Weil, and they were the parents of: Peter and Henry.
5. Eliza, married Sainuel Keller, and they were the parents of: Milton,
John, Samuel, Lizzie, and Malinda Nyce. 6. Katie, married (first) Henry
Hunsberger, and they were the parents of: Henry, Jr., Sarah, Mary,
Amanda, and Richard, all deceased; and of Peter, of Lucon, Pennsyl-
vania; Milton, of Quakertown, Pennsylvania; Lydia Ruth, of Souder-
ton, Pennsylvania ; Morris, of Skippack, Pennsylvania ; and Oliver, of
Quakertown. Katie (Scholl) Hunsberger married (second) Henry
Keeler. No children were born to the second marriage. 7. Mary (twin
with Sarah), married Charles Godschalk, and they were the parents of
thirteen children : Charles, Jr., Romanus, Elias, Elmer, Ohler, Ella Hun-
sicker, Mamie May, and George, all deceased, and Howard, of Reading,
Pennsylvania; Morris, of Seattle, Washington; Frank, of Skippack;
Sallie, of Adamstown, Pennsylvania; and Lavina Bowman, of Adams-
town. 8. Sarah (twin with Mary), married Andrew Godschalk, and they
were the parents of: Amanda, who married Samuel Harley, of Skip-
pack, died August 10, 1922 ; Emma Jane, deceased ; and Edwin, of Norris-
town, Pennsylvania. Sarah (Scholl) Godschalk died September 28, 1920,
aged eighty-five years, two months, and sixteen days. 9. La Anna, mar-
ried Fred Hildebrand, and they are the parents of two daughters: Katie,
who married a Mr. Bossier, of Norristown, Pennsylvania ; and Sallie, who
married a Mr. Krebs, of Philadelphia. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hildebrand
are living with their daughter, Mrs. Krebs, at Philadelphia.

Henry Nathaniel (2) Scholl, son of Henry Nathaniel (i) and Hannah
(Frederick) Scholl, was born in Green Lane, Pennsylvania, August 4,
1884. After attending the local schools he became a student in Perkio-
men Seminary, and then, after completing a course in business college,
entered Jefiferson Medical College at Philadelphia, from which he was
graduated in 1907 with the degree of M. D. He also took a special course
at Ursinus College in biology and chemistry. Upon the completion of
his medical course, he was engaged in practice in St. Agnes' Hospital in

BIOGRAPHICAL 141

Philadelphia for a period of six months, and then went to Allentown,
Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in general practice for a year. At
the end of that time, equipped with a year and a half of practical experi-
ence in addition to a thorough previous preparation, he went to Kulps-
ville, Pennsylvania, in 1909, There he has been engaged in general
practice to the present time (1923). He early won the confidence of the
public and rapidly built up a large and lucrative practice. Known
throughout the locality as a skillful and faithful physician, he is univer-
sally respected and is most highly esteemed by those who know him
best.

During the World War he was commissioned a first lieutenant of the
Medical Corps, Sixth Division, and from Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, was
sent overseas to France, where he was a participant in major engage-
ments, including the Argonne, where he was gassed, Chateau-Thierry,
and others. Upon his return to this country he was a patient for nine
months in a hospital in Rahway, New Jersey, and then discharged, in
July, 1919, holding at that time the rank of captain.

Politically Dr. Scholl is a Republican, and he is well known in fra-
ternal circles, being a member of Lansdale Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons ; Lansdale Chapter, Royal Arch Masons ; Philadelphia Con-
sistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite ; and Lu Lu Temple, Ancient
Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of
Lansdale Lodge, Loyal Order of Moose, in which he has taken all three
chairs, and of Kulpsville Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows;
Knights of the Golden Eagle ; and Patriotic Sons of America. His
religious connection is with the Reformed church.

Dr. Scholl married, at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1909,
Ada Undercofler, daughter of William and Mary (Candis) Undercofler,
and they are the parents of two children : Henry, born May 9, 1910; and
Harvey, born December 18, 1912.

GEORGE K. BRECHT— A successful attorney and counsellor-at-
law, in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and also active in many of the various
branches of public endeavor, Mr. Brecht is a man of broad influence in
his native county, esteemed and honored by all. Mr. Brecht comes of a
very prominent family in this county, interested also in various aflfairs in
Philadelphia, and is a son of John E. and Sarah (Kriebel) Brecht. His
father was a farmer by occupation, residing at the family homestead in
Worcester township, Montgomery county. He was a director of the
People's National Bank of Norristown for many years, was, in fact, one
of its organizers, also one of the organizers of the Farmers' Creamery
Association of Center Point, Worcester township, and was long a director
of the Girard Avenue Market, of Philadelphia. He was a member of the
Schwenkfelder church. The four children of John E. and Sarah (Kriebel)
Brecht are as follows: Emma K., wife of the late John D. Weber;
Samuel K., instructor in the Boys' High School of Philadelphia, who has
charge of revising the genealogical records of the Schwenkfelders, is a

142 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

member of the board of governors of the Schwenkfeldian Exiles, secre-
tary of the General Conference of the Schwenkfelder church, and a mem-
ber of its board of public education ; Kathryn K., wife of John A. Long-
acre, of Norristown, secretary and manager of the American Equipment
Company ; and George K., whose name heads this review.

George K. Brecht was born in Worcester township, Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, October 7, 1867. Following his elementary studies
in the public schools, he covered the usual course at the West Chester
State Normal School, from which he was graduated in the class of 1889.
He then taught school during a period covering eight school terms, in
Skippack, Worcester, Hatboro and Plymouth townships. Mr. Brecht's
early ambition was, however, to enter the legal profession, and he accord-
ingly began reading law in the offices of Childs & Evans, in 1895. Three
years later he was admitted to the bar, and has since practiced continu-
ously in Norristown, practicing independently during the entire time.
He has attained a very high position in the profession in this county, has
specialized in real estate and Orphans' Court work, but also accepts a
considerable amount of corporation work, his success in all these lines
placing him among the leaders of the Montgomery county bar, practic-
ing in all courts. United States District and Circuit courts. He is a
member of the County and State bar associations.

A Republican by political affiliation, he has never cared for political
honors. In positions of trust in the world of finance he has served the
people, having been for seven years secretary and trust officer of the
Montgomery Trust Company, also having done much work in the title
department of the Norristown Trust Company. He is a trustee of the
Perkiomen School, of Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, is secretary of the His-
torical Society of Montgomery county, and socially is identified with the
Norristown Club. A member of the Schwenkfeldian Exiles, his religious
affiliation is with the Schwenkfelder church, and he has been moderator
of the Norristown church since its organization in the year 1904.

Mr. Brecht married, in Philadelphia, on October 7, 1902, at Philadel-
phia, Rebecca Allabaugh Wood, daughter of William H. and Belle (Mor-
gan) Wood. Mr. and Mrs. Brecht have three children: Elinor, Sarah
W., and John Morgan. Mrs. Brecht is active along many lines of effort
for the betterment of society ; is a member of the Board of Control of the
House of Detention, and in the fall of 1921 was elected to the school
board of Norristown. She is also a member of the Norristown Reading
Circle, and holds membership in the Baptist church. The family home is
at No. 539 George street, Norristown.

HORACE B. KRATZ— An American of long descent, Mr. Kratz traces
his ancestry to John Valentine Kratz, the founder of the American
branch of the Kratz family, who came to this country from Germany in
1727. Horace B. Kratz was born in Frederick township, October 19,
1866, son of Daniel K. and Hannah B. (Boorse) Kratz.

The Kratz family originated in Germany, where for over two hundred

«y

BIOGRAPHICAL 143

years prior to the birth of John Valentine Kratz the family had been
connected with the social and political life of Europe. John Valentine
Kratz was born in Germany, in the year 1707, and was a son of John
Philip Kratz, who was born in Germany, December 8, 1665, and died
there in 1746. The prior ancestry of John Valentine Kratz, in his father's
line, is recorded in various public documents and family papers belonging
to the Kratz family in Germany.

John Valentine Kratz, the founder of the American line, came to this
country in 1727, when he was barely twenty years of age. He took
passage in the ship "Friendship," and such were the hazards of the
voyage that he did not arrive at his destination until four months had
elapsed, the interim having been spent on the high seas, where the small
craft was often in great peril, being blown oE her course and at times
forced to battle against head winds and to bear the impact of terrific
waves. After having often despaired of ever seeing land again, the
passengers finally entered the harbor of Philadelphia on October 16,
1727. Young, well found, and ambitious, John Valentine Kratz was
possessed of ample means for his new venture. His first thought was to
secure the possession of a suitable tract of land upon which to build a
home and to prepare for the conquest of fortune. Gifted with a rare
instinct for land values and a knowledge of soils and drainage, that had
come to him from the long line of country gentlemen who were his ances-
tors, he selected an ideal piece of ground in Upper Salford township, con-
sisting of one hundred and sixty-three acres of arable and timbered land,
well watered and conveniently situated in regard to the main roads and
the markets necessitated by the rapidly growing population and the con-
stant tide of west bound travel. Erecting a substantial house, barns, and
byres to shelter the fine livestock he had purchased for the needs of his
estate, he set to work to cultivate his newly bought acres. Before long,
as the title deeds of Montgomery county show, he purchased an addi-
tional fifty-three acres. Here, on his Pennsylvanian homestead, sur-
rounded by his family and friends. John Valentine Kratz lived a long,
useful, and honorable life. He died in 1780, and it does not appear that
he ever re-visited Germany, or ever again saw his father and his brothers
and sisters in the Old World.

At his death, his oldest son, Valentine Kratz, representing the second
generation of the family on American soil, came into possession of the
estate. Very diflferent in appearance from the bare tract of 1727, the place
was now divided between beautiful patches of the virgin forest, gently
rolling fields and pastures, and heavily fruited orchards. Valentine
Kratz, the heir to this rich property, was born May 16, 1747. Continuing
the tradition established by his father, he lived on his land in peace and
security, his life unvexed by any cares other than those which beset the
Colonies during the Revolution. An ardent patriot, he supported the
cause of American Independence, and made many public and private
donations to aid the soldiers of the Continental Army during the terrible
winter when they were encamped at Valley Forge. He was privileged to

144 HISTORY OF iMONTGOMERY COUNTY

see the dawn of freedom and the establishment of the Republic. He saw
the war clouds gather again in 1812, but lived beyond that troubled
period to the birth of the new era that preceded the Civil War. He died
July 28, 1834, at the great age of eighty-seven, and his oldest son, Valen-
tine Kratz, succeeded to the property.

The second Valentine Kratz was born February 5, 1783, and had thus
attained the age of forty-nine when he came into possession of the Kratz
estate. He, too, lived the life of a country gentleman, farming the land,
laying up stores of wood against the winter, and sending an occasional
drove of sheep and cattle to the market. He died October 29, 1865, at
the age of eighty-two, leaving several sons, one of whom, Daniel K.
Kratz, was the father of the present Horace B. Kratz.

Daniel K. Kratz, the representative of the fourth generation of the
family in America, was born November 15, 1826, and spent his life as a
practical farmer on the old Kratz homestead at Hendricks, Pennsylvania.
He married Hannah B. Boorse, who was born April 2, 1834, and who died
September 13, 1889. Daniel K. Kratz died January 30, 1885. Daniel K.
Kratz and his wife, Hannah B. (Boorse) Kratz, had eleven children as
follows: Amanda, who was born April 21, 1854, and died August 10,
1886, married John B. Wismer, who is now living with Horace B. Kratz ;
Mary, who was born July 18, 1855, married Samuel Heistand, now living
at Chapel, Berks county ; Hannah, named for her mother, who was born
July 22, 1857, married Nathan C. Heistand, now living at Chapel, Berks
county; Henry B., who was born November 15, 1858, died in 1862, at the
age of four; Franklin B., who was born September 8, i860, married
Maggie Heiner, dying January 22, 1901 ; Emma, who was born April 18,

1863, died in 1867, at the age of four ; Ellen, who was born October 26,

1864, died in 1869, at the age of five ; Horace B., who is now the only
active member of the family living in this part of the county, of whom
further; Daniel, named for his father, who was born September 8, 1868,
died in 1888, at the age of twenty, while he was engaged in the study of
medicine in Souderton, Pennsylvania, with Dr. H. R. Lou; John B., who
was born August 28, 1872, died December 3, 1894; and Jacob B., of Nor-
ristown, Pennsylvania, who was born January 27, 1878, and who is Mr.
Kratz's only surviving brother.

Horace B. Kratz was born on his father's farm at Hendricks, in Fred-
erick township, and received his education in the Jones School in the
same township. When his school days were over he remained at home,
engaged in farming with his mother, until he was twenty-two years old,
when he accepted a position as teamster with Samuel H. Longaker, of
Schwenksville, where Mr. Kratz has ever since lived. This connection
was destined to afiford Mr. Kratz a life occupation and to lead him to
success. He continued to work as a teamster for two years, or until
1890, when he began to learn the miller's trade with Mr. Longaker for
the purpose of becoming a partner in the firm. In 1889 he married Mr.
Longaker's only daughter, and to the mutual respect and friendly busi-
ness relations of the two men was added a bond of family relationship.

BIOGRAPHICAL 145

Their association endured without a break until the death of Mr. Long-
aker in 1903.

The history of the business began with the building of the mill and
the formation of a partnership by Wasser and Zandt, in 1864. The enter-
prise prospered in spite of the trade uncertainties and period of depression
caused by the Civil War, and finally came into Air. Longaker's posses-
sion. Mr. Longaker was born September 15, 1841, and began to learn
the milling business as an apprentice under John Z. Hunsberger. As
soon as he became a master of the trade, he formed a connection with
Wasser and Zandt, for whom he worked for several years before purchas-
ing their interests in the business and becoming its sole owner. From
him, Mr. Kratz acquired his thorough knowledge of the miller's trade,
spending the three years from 1890 to 1893 in study and practical work
at the mill. In 1893 he became Mr. Longaker's partner and, together
with him. carried on the business successfully. On March 21, 1903,
Samuel H. Longaker died, and Mr. Kratz then assumed full control of the
business.

He conducted it alone until April i, 1907, when he took Edwin L.
Miller into the firm. A man of long experience as a miller, Mr. Miller
took an active part in the work of the company and the association was
mutually agreeable. On July i, 1915, however, Mr. Miller left the firm
in order to accept an offer which he believed more to his advantage, and
since that time, Mr. Kratz has been the sole owner and manager of the
mill.

At the present time, the property consists of three buildings. The
main building is the one originally built in 1864 by Wasser and Zandt,
but it has been greatly enlarged and improved at each transfer. It is a
three-story building, sixty feet by thirty-five, and fitted with the latest
and best equipment known to the trade for cleaning and grinding grain.
The basement provides additional space for storage and less important
operations which can be carried on by artificial light with perfect
efficiency. The other buildings consist of two floors each, the first cover-
ing an area forty feet by twenty-two, and the second being sixty feet by
twenty. The H. B. Kratz Milling Company is an unquestioned leader
in its field and Mr. Kratz numbers his customers by the hundred. Vigor-
ous and energetic, he has carried on the traditions of his family, con-
tributing greatly to the prosperity of the community and taking his place
as a leader in the progress of the county during the last thirty-five years.
A man of substance and vision, he has been an ardent supporter of con-
structive legislative and business policies, maintaining the highest
standards at all times and thus contributing in full measure to the
present position of power and influence occupied by the State his ances-
tors helped to establish.

A Republican in politics, Mr. Kratz has served as a director of the
school board of Schwenksville for ten years, and held the office of burgess
for a term of four years. He is a member of the Ferkiomen Valley Busi-
ness Men's Association ; the Pennsylvania Millers' Association ; and the

Mont — 10

146 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Southeastern Pennsylvania Feed Merchants' Association, of which he
was an organizer, and of which he is at present secretary and director.
He is also a member of the board of directors, and treasurer of the
Schwenksville Building and Mutual Loan Association. His interests are
not confined to the milling and sale of grain and flour, but include feed,
salt, sand, and similar commodities.

In religious faith Mr. Kratz and his family are members of the Men-
nonite church, which has played so large a part in the development of the
State. He takes a great interest in the activities of the congregation and
is always ready to support the church in any undertaking. His principal
recreations are gunning and fishing, and he seldom fails to bring in a full
bag at the end of a day devoted to these open-air sports.

On July 27, 1889. Horace B. Kratz married, at Schwenksville, Sally
B. Longaker, daughter of Samuel H. and Elizabeth (Bartman) Longaker.
Mrs. Kratz was born on September 28, 1868, and died Aug^Jst 21, 1922,
deeply mourned by her family and friends, who had known and loved her
throughout the course of a life devoted to the highest ideals of American
home-making and social life, in which she was always ready to help any
one who might need assistance, whether in the cares of daily work or in
the larger problems which beset mankind.

Mrs. Kratz's mother died in 1901, and her father married (second)
Mrs. Annie Rawn Ironbridge, a widow. The marriage took place in
October, 1902, only a few months before Mr. Longaker's death. Mrs.
Kratz was his only child.

Mr. and Mrs. Kratz had three children who died in childhood; Eliza-
beth Mary, who was born April 28, 1892, and died July 10, 1892; Samuel
L., who was named for his mother's father and was born May 25, 1896,
and died May 6, 1899; and Le Roy L., who was born July 14, 1899, and
died August 19, 1900. Their two surviving children are : Clarence R.,
who was born September 7, 1905 ; and Claude Henry, who was bom
March 31, 1912. Clarence R. Kratz has just completed his preparatory
studies at Perkiomen Seminary and is a student of mechanical engi-
neering at Ursinus College, having entered that institution of learning in
September, 1922.

WILLIAM HALLOWELI^The Hallowell family of which Wil-
liam Hallowell of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, was representative,
traced American residence to the time of William Penn's coming to
Pennsylvania, John and Mary (Sharpe) Hallowell coming to the province
about 1682 from Nottinghamshire, England. They settled at Darby in
Delaware county, but in 1696 John Hallowell bought an estate of six
hundred and thirty acres at Abington, and there resided until his passing.
By his first wife, Sarah, he had one child; by his second wife. Mary
(Sharpe) Hallowell, he had nine children, six of them born after the
arrival in Pennsylvania. The family has long been numerous and influ-
ential in the section embraced in Chester, Delaware, Philadelphia and
Montgomery counties, Pennypack, in Montgomery county, a section

BIOGRAPHICAL 147

greatly favored as a residence by the family. Nathan Hallowell, a
descendant of John Hallowell and his second wife, Mary (Sharpe) Hallo-
well, was the father of William Hallowell, of Conshohocken, to whose
memory this review is dedicated. Nathan Hallowell, born June 26, 1782,
died July 15, 1856, was a man of business eminence, one time president
of the Schuykill Navigation Company. He married November 25, 1804,
Esther Potts, and they were the parents of eight children : Robert, Ann,
Martha, Sarah, Charles, Elizabeth, William, of whom further, and
Nathan.

Esther Potts, wife of Nathan and mother of William Hallowell, was
a daughter of Zebulon and Martha (Trotter) Potts, granddaughter of
Nathan and Esther (Rhodes) Potts, and great-granddaughter of David
and Alice (Crosdale) Potts. David Potts came to Bristol, Bucks county,
Pennsylvania, when a young man, and in 1693 married Alice Crosdale,
who came to Pennsylvania in the "Welcome" with William Penn. He
was a farmer by occupation, and in religious faith a member of the
Society of Friends.

Nathan Potts, of the second generation in Pennsylvania, was born in
the province at Bristol and in early manhood settled near Plymouth
Meeting House, in Plymouth township, Montgomery county, Pennsyl-
vania, where he owned a farm and operated a smithy, he, being a skilled
blacksmith. He married Esther Rhodes, in Bucks county, January 22,
1736, and they were the parents of five sons: Daniel, Stephen, Nathan,
Zebulon, of whom further ; and Isaiah ; also a daughter, Alice. Stephen,
the second son, was an apprentice in the printing office of Benjamin
Franklin. Nathan Potts was a member of the Society of Friends and
in 1754 was laid at rest in the burial ground at Plymouth.

Zebulon Potts, the fifth child and fourth son of Nathan and Esther
(Rhodes) Potts, was born at the home farm near Plymouth Meeting
House, in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, March 24, 1746, died
March 17, 1801. He was a farmer of Plymouth township, his home near
Sixth avenue, Conshohocken. He became one of the prominent men of
his day ; was a constable of Plymouth township, prior to the Revolution;
was the first sheriilf of Montgomery county after its organization ; was
State Senator (dying during his second term) ; was an ardent patriot,
serving with Robert Morris and others on the Philadelphia Committee
of Safety ; and was justice of a Philadelphia court. While Zebulon Potts
was outspoken in defence of the cause of the Colonies, his deeds kept pace
with his speech. He raised a company of militia and was with his men
at the battle of Brandywine. He served faithfully on the Committee of
Safety, was very active in procuring provisions for the soldiers during
the winter at Valley Forge, his loyalty being rewarded by the British
with the offer of a reward for his capture, and by his church (Friends)
with dismissal for his warlike activity.

After independence was won, he entered public life and was chosen
the first sheriff of Montgomery county after it was set off as a separate
county. In 1796 Zebulon Potts was elected Montgomery's first State

148 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Senator, and in 1799 he was reelected. In 1777 he was appointed an
associate judge, sitting in Philadelphia. He was an eflFective public
speaker and a man of strong native ability. He was very popular as a
"stump" speaker, and a strong Federalist, although each time that he
was elected to office he was the only Federalist chosen on his ticket.
The following extract is from the Norristown "Herald:"

The County Senators : — In 1807 Jonathan Roberts, Jr., of Upper Merion (after-
wards United States Senator), defeated John Richards for reelection. Mr. Richards
had been defeated by Zebulon Potts in 1799. In 1801 Mr. Richards was elected to fill
the unexpired term of Mr. Potts, who died that spring, and in 1803 was reelected,
defeating General Andrew Porter. Senator Potts was carried into the Senate chamber
to cast his last vote, as there was a matter of great importance before the Senate. He
died shortly afterwards in Harrisburg, March 17, 1801.

It is a coincidence that Zebulon Potts and his grandfather, David
Potts, the founder, should have died in ofifice, David Potts while a mem-
ber of the Provincial Assembly, Zebulon while State Senator.

Zebulon Potts married, in 1771, Martha Trotter, and they were the
parents of ten children : Ann, born in 1772 ; Joseph, born in 1774; Esther,
born in 1777, died in infancy; Hannah, born in 1778; Alice, born in 1780;
Esther, born in 1783 ; Martha, born in 1785 ; William, born in 1787; Rob-
ert T., born in 1790 (lived in Swedeland), and Daniel T., born in 1794.
Esther, the sixth child and fifth daughter, married Nathan Hallowell ;
their third from youngest child was a son, William, of this review.

William Hallowell, son of Nathan and Esther (Potts) Hallowell, was
born in Conshohocken, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, August I5i
1818, died there May 18, 1912. He was a scholar at Miss Folk's private
school at Conshohocken, and later attended the "Eight Square" School,
out on the Harmanville road. In due time he became a carpenter's
apprentice and later worked as a journeyman, finally becoming a con-
tracting builder. He continued active as a contractor and builder until
the close of his useful life and many of the fine homes of the Consho-
hocken section were erected by him. In 1859 Mr. Hallowell built his own
home on what is now Seventh avenue, a fine commodious mansion in the
prevailing style, furnished throughout with rare and beautiful pieces now
classed as antiques.

In the business world Mr. Hallowell bore high reputation as a man
of integrity and ability. He was a director of the First National Bank
of Conshohocken, and for several years was a member of the Town
Council. He was a man of public spirit and very popular with his towns-
men, who several times chose him for the office of burgess. He was a
member of several fraternal and social orders, was a Republican in
politics, and a member of Conshohocken First Baptist Church, serving as
a deacon and as a member of the board of trustees. His friends were
many, his sympathies wide and his life blessed in its results.

William Hallowell married (first), at Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania,
May I, 1844, Harriet Thomas, who died March 12, 1847, daughter of
Harriet Thomas. He married (second), at Balligomingo, Montgomery
county, March 4, 1849, Matilda Preston, born December 23, 1817, died

BIOGRAPHICAL 149

February 26, 1895, daughter of John and Hannah Preston. Children:
Charles and Nathan by the first mariage ; and by the second marriage
five: Amazon D., died in infancy; Horace G. J., Hannah, Ella, and
Matilda E.

HOWARD EARLE TWINING, M. D.— Although having been
established in the practice of his chosen profession but a comparatively
short time, Dr. Twining has already won recognition in medical circles
that might well be the envy of a much older man. Success attended his
efforts from the first, for he has already gained the confidence of a large
clientele.

J. Howard Twining, son of Edwin and Hannah (Iredell) Twining,
and father of Dr. Twining, was born at Germantown. Edwin Twining
served in the First New Jersey Cavalry during the Civil War, and was
wounded and escaped from Libby prison. He and his wife were the
parents of six children: J. Howard, father of Dr. Twining; Mary, wife
of Frank Dager, of Maple Glen, a farmer; William P., a farmer of Johns-
ville ; Ida, wife of Wilson Jones, of Warrington, Bucks county; Nellie;
and Iredell, a farmer of Mechanicsville. J. Howard Twining has been for
many years engaged in general farming at Johnsville. He married Anna
Wood Jones, a member of the Jones family of Conshohocken, Pennsyl-
vania, and to them have been born the following children: Howard
Earle, of further mention ; and Florence W., a graduate of Swarthmore
College, class of 1921, and now in the advertising department of the
Philadelphia "Record."

Howard Earle Twining was born in Horsham, Montgomery county,
May 30, 1894. His preliminary education was obtained in the schools of
Ivyland, after which he attended the Hatboro High School, from which
he was graduated in 191 1. He then entered Swarthmore College and won
from this institution the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1915. Having in
the meantime determined to adopt medicine as his life work and with
this end in view, he accordingly matriculated at Hahnemann Medical
College, completing the prescribed course with graduation and receiving
the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1919. He then served an interneship
at Pittsburgh General Homoeopathic Hospital for twelve months, and the
following year was at Wilkinsburg, coming from there to Glenside,
Pennsylvania, where he has since been established in his profession at
No. 149 Easton road, devoting himself largely to obstetrics.

In November, 191 7, Dr. Twining enlisted in the United States army
and spent one year in the Philadelphia First Regiment Armory, being
honorably discharged from service in November, 1918. He is an officer
in the Medical Reserve Corps ; belongs to the American Legion of Glen-
side ; is medical inspector of the public school of Abington township ; a
member of Germantown Medical Homoeopathical Society ; on the staff
of Abington Memorial Hospital at Abington ; a member of the Twenty-
third Ward Club of Philadelphia; North East Shrine Club of Rockledge ;
the National, State and County Medical associations; the Kappa Sigma

150 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

fraternity of Swarthmore College; Hahnemann Alumni; and in religion
is a Quaker, belonging to the Society of Friends. Dr. Twining is also
prominent in Masonic circles, having attained the thirty-second degree
in Masonry, and being a member of the Pittsburgh Consistory, Ancient
Accepted Scottish Rite ; and Syria Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles
of the Mystic Shrine of Pittsburgh. He is also affiliated with the Benevo-
lent and Protective Order of Elks, Wilkinsburg Lodge, No. 748.

At Glenside, Pennsylvania, on March 28, 1923, Howard Earle Twin-
ing was united in marriage with Helen Gladys Jackson, daughter of
Edmund Lathan and Viola (Ingersoll) Jackson, of Camden, New Jersey.

I. MERRITT SCHELLINGER— Among the late notably successful
business men of Montgomery county was I. Merritt Schellinger, presi-
dent of the Diamond Glass Company, who for many years was also presi-
dent of the Keystone Building and Loan Association and vice-president
of the Royersford Trust Company.

Mr. Schellinger was a descendant of old Colonial stock, being one of
the few in the Schuylkill Valley who were descendants of "Mayflower"
ancestry, his line being traced through John Howland. On the paternal
side Mr. Schellinger traced his descent from the immigrant Cornelius
Skellinks (later Schellinger), who came to this country prior to 1692,
settling first either on Long Island or on Staten Island. In 1692, with
a group of twenty or twenty-five families, he removed to Cape May
county, New Jersey, where he purchased one hundred and thirty-five
acres of land. With his family he located at Cold Springs, and there he
established a saw and grist mill, which stood as one of the landmarks of
the country some years ago when it was destroyed by fire. He owned a
large tract of land lying north of Cold Spring Creek, upon which is located
the old historic Cold Spring Presbyterian Church, the edifice now stand-
ing, being the third house of worship erected on that site. The will of
Cornelius Skellinks, dated 1742, mentions three sons: William, Abra-
ham and Cornelius, I. Merritt Schellinger being a descendant of William.

William Schellinger was a pilot and a farmer. He owned large tracts
of land on Cape May Point and lived near the steamboat landing in
Lower township. Both he and his wife, Sophia (Stevens) Schellinger,
lived to be eighty years of age and were highly esteemed among the
people of their community. They were the parents of four children:
William, who became one of the millionaire merchants of Cincinnati,
Ohio ; John ; Aaron, of whom further ; and Sarah, who married Joshua
Townsend, a prominent citizen of Seaville, New Jersey, who was at one
time a member of the Legislature.

Aaron Schellinger was born in Lower township and received his edu-
cation in the public schools of his native district. He became a ship
carpenter in Philadelphia and built many sloops and pilot boats at what
is now known as Schellinger's Landing. For many years he lived in a
small, old-fashioned house, which was built with a great fireplace extend-
ing entirely across one end of the building. His wife was energetic and

BIOGRAPHICAL 151

thrifty, and for a time they kept a boarding-house. They must have
both been energetic and thrifty, for in time they became wealthy, owning
a fine farm of one hundred acres, on which he erected a substantial resi-
dence. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and politically gave his
support to the Democratic party. He took an active interest in public
afifairs, officiated as tax collector for his district, and for a time was
wreck-master at Cape May. He was a member of the Presbyterian
church, taking a very earnest part in its activities, leading the singing
and giving liberally of his time and means for the furtherance of its work.
He married Sophia Bennett, and they were the parents of five children :
Elizabeth, who married William Smith, and became the mother of:
Napoleon, Lorinda, Captain William (a sea-faring man), and Mary, who
married Isaac Dickinson ; William, a carpenter and builder of Cape May,
who married Mary J. McCray, and had a son Clarence and a daughter
Hulda ; George, a farmer, who married Anna Maria Hand, and has two
sons: Alexander and William; Jeremiah, of whom further; and Joseph,
deceased, who was a machinist and coal dealer, and married Augusta
Styles, they becoming the parents of a daughter, Gertrude. Aaron
Schellinger, the father, lived to be eighty-eight years of age, and the
mother was in her eighty-seventh year when she died.

Jeremiah Schellinger was a plasterer by trade. He married Louise
Merritt, and they became the parents of two sons : I. Merritt, of whom
further; and Joseph ; both prosperous glass manufacturers at Royersford,
Pennsylvania.

I. Merritt Schellinger was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Decem-
ber 7, 1863, and received his education in Bellefonte Academy, at Belle-
fonte, Pennsylvania, and at Princeton University, where he continued his
studies for a year. He left college in order that he might begin his busi-
ness career, and in 1884 came to Royersford, Pennsylvania, from Cape
May, New Jersey, as president of the Diamond Glass Company. This
official position he continued to efficiently fill to the time of his death.
In addition to his responsibilities as chief executive of so large and
important a concern as the Diamond Glass Company, he also held official
position in various other financial organizations. When the Home
National Bank of Royersford was organized, he was chosen vice-presi-
dent, and later, when the Home National Bank was taken over by the
Royersford Trust Company, he became vice-president of the latter organ-
ization, which position he continued to hold the remainder of his life-
time. He was one of the organizers of the Keystone Building and Loan
Association of Royersford, and was president from the time of its organ-
ization. The association grew very rapidly under Mr. Schellinger's able
direction and at the present time is a $2,000,000 corporation,

Mr. Schellinger always took a keen interest in the welfare of Royers-
ford, being ever ready to serve the community in every way possible.
He had been a member of the council since 1918, and a short time after
his election to the board, served as president, being reelected to that office
in January, 1920. When Royersford Lodge, No. 585, Free and Accepted

152 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Masons, was organized, he was elected junior warden. This office he
held until 1897, when he was elected treasurer, and the latter office he
held when he passed away. He was a member of Pottstown Chapter,
Royal Arch Masons ; Reading Consistory, of Reading, Pennsylvania ; and
of Rajah Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
He was also affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
of Pottstown ; and with the Cape May Yacht Club.

On May 7, 1888, I. Merritt Schellinger married Jane Farrou, of Cape
May, New Jersey, daughter of William and Ida (Lemmon) Farrou; the
former was chief of police ; previous to that he was in the grocery busi-
ness. He was retired when he died in Royersford in 191 1. In 1889 he
erected his first home in Royersford ; his late residence on Sixth avenue
and the Boulevard was built in 1903, and it was here his death occurred
December 28, 1922, leaving in its wake a vacancy which will be hard to
fill.

WALLACE M. KEEL Y— In 191 1 Mr. Keely came to Norristown
and established himself in the practice of law at No. 11 East Airy street,
which was his headquarters up to 1918, when he moved to No. 15 East
Airy street, his present location. The years which have intervened have
brought him substantial returns, but which can only come as a result of
superior merit and ability.

Nathaniel B. Keely, father of Wallace M. Keely, was born in Boyers-
town, Bucks county, and died in Norristown in 1918. During his early
life he was a school teacher in the public schools of East Greenville,
Pennsylvania, and later engaged in the hotel business, first at East
Greenville and later was proprietor of the Hartranft Hotel in this
borough ; he was a Democrat in politics and always took an active inter-
est in the afifairs of his chosen party. He married (first) Sallie K. Stone-
bach, a native of Upper Salford ; she died in 1883, at the age of twenty-
eight years, leaving four children: Bertha, a resident of Norristown;
Charles W., who is associated with the Northern Construction Company
of East Orange, New Jersey ; Wallace M., of further mention ; and Sallie.
Mr. Keely married (second) Mary Trumbauer, a native of Trumbauer-
ville, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and to them were born the following
children : Allen T., bookkeeper at the State Hospital for the Insane at
Norristown ; Jennie, private secretary with the Diamond State Fibre
Company ; Henry, deceased ; and Frances Ruth, who is employed in the
local post office.

Wallace M. Keely was born at East Greenville, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, October 18, 1881, and received the elementary portion of
his education in the public schools of his native place, after which he
entered Perkiomen Seminary, where he prepared for Lafayette College
at Easton, from which latter institution he won the degree of Bachelor
of Arts in 1905. That same year he entered the law department of the
University of Pennsylvania and after completing the course he graduated
with the class of 1908 and won the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Through-

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BIOGRAPHICAL 153

out his school and college years he had proved himself an intelligent and
painstaking student, and at the close came to the opening of his career
unusually well equipped, both with natural gifts and a training that was
the result of long and conscientious effort. Immediately after gradu-
ating he practiced for two years with J. Howard Reeber, at Chestnut and
Tenth streets, Philadelphia. Then he removed to Norristown and opened
his present office, where he has carried on successfully ever since, hand-
ling many important cases and proving himself to be a most capable and
conscientious attorney. He is solicitor for the boroughs of East Green-
ville, Pennsburg and Franconis township and of the East Greenville
Building and Loan Association ; a director of the Penn Trust Company
of Norristown ; affiliated with Sigma Nu fraternities of Lafayette College
and the University of Pennsylvania; and Norristown Lodge, No. 620,
Free and Accepted Masons of Norristown. Of a social and athletic
nature he holds membership in the Plymouth Country, Norristown City
and the Ersine Tennis clubs of this borough. Mr. Keely attends the
Trinity Reformed Church and officiates there as an elder.

On August 7, 191 1, in Souderton, Pennsylvania, Wallace M. Keely
was united in marriage with Anna H. Reiff, daughter of Allen G. and
Harriett (Hartzell) Reiflf, the former, president of the Union National
Bank of Souderton. Mr. and Mrs. Keely are the parents of one child,
Allen Reiff, born July 4, 191 5. The family resides at No. 1024 De Kalb
street.

SARAH (HUNSICKER) LONGSTRETH, daughter of Jacob and
Mary (Bechtel) Hunsicker, and widow of Henry Longstreth, still resides
on the property in Collegeville, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, that
farm her birthplace and first owned in the family by her grandfather,
Jacob (i) Hunsicker. For fifty-three years she has been a widow, but
five years of happy wedded life having been allowed her. She is a great-
granddaughter of Henry Hunsicker, who was a descendant of Valentine
Hunsicker, who came from Switzerland, the family in that country being
farmers and mechanics, and members of the Mennonite church, some
holding the office of elder and bishop.

Henry Hunsicker, on coming from Switzerland, settled in Skippack
township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Among his children was
a son, Jacob Hunsicker, born in Skippack township, who settled on a
farm in Perkiomen Valley, near Collegeville, in 181 1. He remodeled the
house on the farm, made many other improvements, and there resided
until death. He was reared in the Mennonite faith, was a Whig in
politics, and later in life a Republican. Among his children was a son,
Jacob (2), of whom further.

Jacob (2) Hunsicker built his home near the old homestead in which
he was born in 1813, and there died, December i, 1879. He was a farmer
all his life, and a Whig, but later a Democrat, in politics. He married
Mary Bechtel, who died in September, 1878. Children : Sarah, of
further mention ; Anna Jane, who married Warren Grater, and died in
1875, aged thirty ; Ella M., who died at the age of forty-three, unmarried.

154 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Sarah Hunsicker, daughter of Jacob (2) and Mary (Bechtel) Hun-
sicker, was born on the farm in Collegeville, Montgomery county, Penn-
sylvania, owned by her grandfather, Jacob (i) Hunsicker, November 20,
1842, and yet resides, at the age of eighty, on a portion of that farm,
which had been retained by her father since the sale of the farm itself.
She is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Female College, and after com-
pleting her own education, Miss Hunsicker taught school. The Pennsyl-
vania Female College, which was located at Collegeville, was the only
educational institution of its kind in the State of Pennsylvania, and at
the time of her graduation was under the charge of Professor J. Warrenne
Sunderland.

Sarah Hunsicker married, January 14, 1865, Henry Longstreth, born
in Chester county, Pennsylvania, January 6, 1838, died at his farm near
Linfield, Limerick township, Montgomery county, August 25, 1870. He
grew to manhood at the old Longstreth farm at Trappe, and was edu-
cated in public schools and in Freeland Academy. Later he taught school
during the winter terms, but continued his father's farm assistant during
the summer months. This continued until 1862, when on August 4 he
enlisted in Company 1, Benjamin F. Bean captain, 129th Regiment,
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He served his term of enlistment of
nine months, and was honorably discharged May 18, 1863. He was later
called out for emergency service in 1863, but saw no front-line service.
In 1867 he moved to a farm in the Schuylkill Valley, near Linfield, and
there spent the three remaining years of his life engaged in farming,
very successfully. He was a man of education and of broad, progressive
mind, a Republican in politics, and a man universally respected. His
parents, John and Catherine (Kline) Longstreth, were Pennsylvanians
by birth, he bom in Chester, his wife in Montgomery county, he of Eng-
lish ancestry, she of German. To Henry and Sarah (Hunsicker) Long-
streth two sons were born: Ernest H., and Mayne R., both of further
mention.

Ernest H. Longstreth was born August 22, 1866. A graduate of
Ursinus College, he entered the employ of the First National Bank of
Norristown, and later was in the employ of the Manufacturers' Bank of
Philadelphia. Later he became secretary-treasurer of the Security Trust
Company of Camden county. New Jersey, and there died, March 30,
1900, just at the threshold of a brilliant career as a financier.

Mayne R. Longstreth was born on the Linfield farm, February 27,
1869. He graduated with honors from Ursinus College in 1889, later
graduated from the law department of the University of Pennsylvania,
and also had one year of law at Yale. He located in Philadelphia, where
he has risen to eminence in his profession. Mayne R. Longstreth mar-
ried, November 16, 1907, Elfreda Bower, of Newville, Cumberland
county, Pennsylvania, who died July 21, 1921, at Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania, daughter of Adam and Rebecca Bower, her parents both deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. Mayne R. Longstreth were the parents of two children:
Sarah, born March 10, 1909; and John, born November 15, 1910; both
are pupils at the Friends Select School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

BIOGRAPHICAL 155

FRED SMITH — An Englishman by birth and a member of a family
that has long been domiciled in Yorkshire, Mr. Smith was born at Low-
Moor, Bradford, England, April 28, 1891, son of Oliver and Martha
Hannah (Helliwell) Smith. His father, who was a shoemaker by trade,
was born in 1862, and died at the early age of forty-two years. Mr.
Smith's mother is still living and is now a resident of Bridgeport, Penn-
sylvania, where she lives with her only daughter, Sarah Smith. In
addition to this sister, Mr. Smith has a brother, Charles, older than him-
self, who is a resident of Bradford, England.

The town of Bradford, it will be remembered, is one of the centers of
the English woolen industry and is one of the most important industrial
towns in Northern England. Encircled by crags of limestone and chalk,
it lies near Leeds, on the high moors of the Pennines. In the early days
thousands of sheep were bred on the dry Eastern slopes of these hills
and their wool was shipped to the Low Countries, where it was in g^eat
demand by the Flemish weavers. In that period fine broadcloth was
worth more than gold because it could only be produced by the master
weavers of the Continent, and the rough frieze and homespun of the
primitive English loom could not compare with it. For this reason the
English kings, with their marked love of rich stuffs and sumptuous
housings, brought Flemish weavers to England and encouraged them to
remain there and to spread the knowledge of their art among the inhabi-
tants. As a result of this policy, weaving in England began to take an
upward trend and, in time, cloth woven in England by the imported
Flemish weavers and their English apprentice hands began to make its
appearance on the Continent. Tailors were the merchant princes of
commerce in those days, at least so far as cloth was concerned, and it
was the practice of members of their guild to hold rich stocks of woolen
goods and velvets in their storehouses at Amsterdam and elsewhere.
As the vogue for English broadcloth increased, the Flemish weavers who
had settled in Yorkshire flourished and the industry laid hold on life with
a grip that has never slackened. Most of the Flemish weavers who came
to England set up their looms in the region west of Leeds and Bradford.
There they found great quantities of clean wool and countless streams for
bleaching and dyeing. When the steam engine was invented, the weav-
ing towns of Yorkshire still further expanded because they were con-
tiguous to an abundant supply of coal. As time went on, each town
began to have a specialty. Bradford, the birthplace of Mr. Smith, spe-
cializes in plush; Halifax concentrates its attention upon baizes; Hud-
dersfield makes cloth of so fine a texture and of such suppleness that it
rivals the best silk in the beauty of its appearance. Leeds produces all
kinds of woolen goods and thus supplies material for its extensive clothing
factories, from which finished ready-to-wear garments are shipped in
large quantities to all parts of the kingdom and the colonies. As the
woolen manufacturing industry in the United States has been the gainer
by the addition to its ranks of many workers from Bradford and Leeds
and the surrounding district, these facts should be recalled in appraising

156 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

the career of an English weaver who brings the inherited skill of his
craft to America and places it at the service of the woolen industry in
this country. In the trade it is well understood that a Yorkshire weaver
is the equal of any on earth, but by the general public, the fact is not as
well understood as it should be.

Mr. Smith received his education in an English preparatory school.
He completed the eighth standard, which corresponds to the third year
of high school in the United States. The death of his father interrupted
the plans that had been made for his education and, at the age of thirteen
years he left school to shoulder the heavy burdens of life. Under the
influence of Bradford's great industry he entered a woolen mill to learn
the trade of a spinner and weaver. He was engaged in this occupation
from the time he was thirteen years old until he reached his sixteenth
birthday. His progress was rapid, and a special aptitude for work which
required a quick eye and hand stood him in good stead and helped to
make up what he lacked in physical strength. At the age of sixteen,
realizing that the road before him was an unusually thorny one, and
having a great desire to render his mother the fullest and most complete
assistance in the family struggle for existence, he decided to leave Brad-
ford, where the whole of his brief life had been spent, and to come alone
to America, in the hope of finding work in one of the American woolen
mills at better wages than those prevailing in England. This decision
and the prudent and careful manner in which, as a lad, Mr. Smith carried
it out, showed a resolute and steadfast character. When the English
goodbyes had been said and the lonely sea voyage accomplished, he
found his way to the Limerick Mills, of Limerick, Maine, where he had
no difficulty in obtaining employment. His courage, his youth, and his
remarkable ability won all hearts and he soon became very popular with
his fellow workers. To his employers he was always a figure of great
and appealing interest. So secure was his position that he might have
spent the rest of his life at Limerick if he had not received an attractive
offer from the Erben Harding Worsted Company of Philadelphia. This
offer he could not afford to decline and he left Limerick in 191 1, at the
age of twenty, after a continuous residence of five years in Maine, and
moved to Philadelphia to begin an entirely new phase of his career. He
spent over a year with his new employers and then accepted an offer
from James Lees & Sons Company, of Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, to
become foreman of the spinning department of their Bridgeport plant.
Mr. Smith served the firm in this capacity until 1917, when he became
superintendent of the Philadelphia mills just starting at this time to
accommodate the increased business. In 1921, after nine years of con-
tinuous service with the company, he was offered and accepted the
superintendency of their Bridgeport mill and in this way he became a
resident of Montgomery county. The success that has attended Mr.
Smith's career has been due to a high order of human courage, loyalty
to family ties, and workmanship learned in a school second to none, that
of the English manufacturing woolen industry. He brought these gifts

BIOGRAPHICAL 157

to America and, in the opinion of those who are best acquainted with his
business achievements, he stands as an impressive and instructive
example of what a citizen by adoption may accomplish in this country.

Although he began to bear the burdens of life at an unusually early
age and was a worker during the years when most boys are immersed in
games and sports, Mr. Smith as a boy did not neglect physical training.
He spent his leisure hours in the open air as far as possible and, while
he lived in Maine, he enjoyed the hunting and fishing, which are among
the best features of life in that State. He also learned the American
game of baseball and became an enthusiastic baseball fan. His favorite
sport is soccer and he never misses an opportunity to witness a game,

A naturalized citizen of the United States, and a Republican in poli-
tics, Mr. Smith is keenly interested in the social and economic problems
of the day. He is an advocate of conservation and a great admirer of
Gififord Pinchot, the Governor-elect, whose disinterested services to the
nation in the matter of forest and wild life and water conservation have
always been an inspiration to him. Mr. Smith is a member of the Phil-
adelphia Building and Loan Association and also of the Norris Building
and Loan Association, and is a director of the Lees Building Association,
which was organized January i, 1923. In religious faith he is a member
of the Presbyterian church of Bridgeport. At present Mr. Smith holds
ofifice as president of the board of trustees of the church, and he takes an
active part in all the humanitarian and religious activities of the parish.
He is a Mason, and holds membership in Freedom Lodge, at Limerick,
Maine. He is also a member of the Managers and Overseers' Club of
Philadelphia, and takes a great interest in the work of this organization.

Mr. Smith married, on March li, 1915, at Philadelphia, Edith Annie
Craven, daughter of Leonard and Mary A. (Pollard) Craven. Mrs.
Smith's father, who lives at No. 1905 Madison street, Philadelphia, is the
overseer of drawing at the Cleveland Worsted Mill of Philadelphia. Her
mother is now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one child, Marion,
who was born February 3, 1920.

T. EDMUND WILLS, M. D.— As an able and faithful physician as
well as a public-spirited citizen and a highly esteemed friend and asso-
ciate, Dr. T. Edmund Wills is well known in Pottstown and vicinity,
where for more than twenty-seven years he has been engaged in general
practice.

Thomas R. Wills, father of Dr. Wills, was born in England, in 1834,
and came to the United States in 1850, landing in New York City, and
died at New York City in 1889. He married Mary Wells, who was born
in 1832, descendant of an old Pennsylvania family, dating back to early
Colonial days, one member of which, Klein Wells, fought in the Revolu-
tionary War. She died at Pottstown, December 28, 1910, mother of four
children: Mary E., of Pottstown; T. Edmund, of whom further; and
George and Annie, both deceased.

T. Edmund Wills was born at Pottstown, Pennsylvania, February 6,

158 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

1871, and received his early education in the public schools of his native
city, graduating from the high school there. He studied medicine under
local instructors while working to earn funds to complete his college
course, and then entered the Medical College of the University of Penn-
sylvania, from which he was graduated with the class of 1895. For about
three years after his graduation he widened his experience and increased
his knowledge and skill by practice in different clinics, and at the end of
that time engaged in general practice in Pottstown. During the more
than twenty years which have elapsed since that time, he has built up a
large and important clientele, giving special attention to general surgery.
In addition to his own general practice, he has given valuable service as
a member of the staff of the Pottstown Hospital, which he also serves
as attending surgeon, and from 1898 to 1905 he also served as United
States pension examiner.

With all his professional responsibilities, Dr. Wills has found time
for only a few non-professional activities. He is a member of the board
of directors of the Security Trust Company of Pottstown, the Mont-
gomery County and State Medical societies, and the American Medical
Association. He is industrial surgeon at McClintic, Marshall & Com-
pany's works of Pottstown, Pennsylvania. During the World War Dr.
Wills served as assistant medical examiner for local boards. Politically
he gives his support to the Republican party, but although he has many
times been requested to accept public office, has always steadfastly
refused because all his time has been devoted to his practice. Fraternally
he affiliates with the Pottstown Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks, and he is also a member of the Brookside Country Club.

On June 30, 1897, Dr. T. Edmund Wills married Mary Willauer,
daughter of Peter and Margaret (Crawford) Willauer, of Pottstown, and
descendant of an old family. Her father, who was a contractor in con-
struction work, formerly a railroad engineer, was prominent in local
public affairs. He served two terms as councilman.

C. RUSSELL CORSON— Among the younger members of the legal
profession in Montgomery county is C. Russell Corson, who has been
engaged in practice since 1915, and has specialized in real estate law.
He has been notably successful and holds official position in several
financial organizations.

The Corson family comes of very old Colonial stock, tracing its
ancestry to Cdrnelius Corson, who emigrated to America in 1685, on a
vessel bound for South Carolina, the passengers being principally French
Huguenots from Vendee, France, but for some unknown reason the vessel
landed at Staten Island. Among his children was a son Benjamin, who
removed from Staten Island to Bucks county, Pennsylvania, about 1726.
He married Nelly Corson (maiden name not known), and they were the
parents of Benjamin (2), who married Maria Sedam (or Suydam), and
among their children was Benjamin (3). Benjamin (3) Corson married
Sarah Dungan, and their son, Joseph Corson, born in Dublin township,

BIOGRAPHICAL 159

Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1764, married Hannah
Dickinson. Among their children was Charles, grandfather of C. Russell
Corson.

Charles Corson was born at Hickorytown, Plymouth township, Mont-
gomery county, January 22, 1801, and resided for more than forty years
on a farm located at the junction of Skippack and Perkiomen creeks, in
Lower Providence township, Montgomery county. He was a public-
spirited citizen, and, being an earnest opponent of slavery, took an active
part in the operations of the "Underground Railroad," as did also his
brothers, George, Hiram, and Alan. Charles Corson married Sarah
Egbert, who was born March 17, 1801, and they were the parents of eight
children : Richard R., who married Louisa Williams ; William E., who
married Hannah Highley; George Norman, who married Hannah Hurst;
Adelaide, who married Albert Crawford ; Susan Rogers, who married
Felix F. Highley ; John J., of whom further ; Mary Francis ; and Lawrence
E. Charles Corson, father of these children, died May 5, 1878, aged
seventy-six years. Both were buried in Montgomery cemetery, at Nor-
ristown.

John J. Corson, father of C. Russell Corson, was born January 5,
1840, and received his education in Ursinus College, and then engaged in
the real estate and insurance business. He served under General Gregg
in the Civil War, his term of service being just a little short of three
years, and was highly esteemed among a very large group of friends and
associates. His death, which occurred December 2, 191 1, was deeply
mourned by a host of friends. He married Rebecca Pauline Freedley,
and among their children was C. Russell Corson.

C. Russell Corson was bom in Norristown, Pennsylvania, April 25,
1887, and received his education in the public schools of Norristown, in
the Chestnut Hill Academy, and in the University of Pennsylvania, from
which he was graduated in 1912 with the degree Bachelor of Science.
Meantime, in 191 1, he had matriculated in the law department of the
University of Pennsylvania, and three years later, in 1914, he received
from that department the degree Bachelor of Laws. He at once became
associated with the Montgomery Trust Company of Norristown, as
assistant in the title office, and this connection he maintained until 1918,
when he enlisted, July 18, for service in the United States army. He
was held at training quarters in this country, finally being located at
Camp Zachary Taylor, the officers' training camp at Louisville, Ken-
tucky. He was discharged December i, 1919, and after his return to civil
life assumed control of the John J. Corson real estate and insurance
business, which is located at the corner of Main and Cherry streets, suc-
ceeding his two brothers. Jay J. and Henry F. The business has con-
tinued to grow and prosper, and he has associated with him in the busi-
ness Clarence G. Laud, continuing, however, to operate under the old
name. In addition to his responsibilities and interests as manager of the
real estate business, Mr. Corson is a member of the board of directors of
the People's National Bank ; of the Excelsior Saving Fund and Loan

i6o HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Association ; of the Star Loan Association ; of the Economy Fire Insur-
ance Company; and of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company, holding the
office of secretary in the four last named. He is a member of the Mont-
gomery County Bar Association. Politically he gives his support to the
Republican party. He is a member of the Delta Theta Phi college
fraternity, and of the Protestant Episcopal church.

CHARLES HEBER CLARK— Under the nom de plume "Max
Adeler," Charles Heber Clark, one of Montgomery's best loved citizens,
endeared himself to thousands upon thousands that he never saw, for his
readers and admirers were found at home and abroad. He was well
known in journalism, his career embracing service on the editorial staff
of three leading newspapers of Philadelphia, the "Inquirer," the "Bulle-
tin," the "North American," the ownership of a trade journal "The Tex-
tile Record," and the editorship of "The Manufacturer."

Charles Heber Clark was born in Berlin, Maryland, July ii, 1841,
son of Rev. William J. Clark, an Episcopal clergyman of a Philadelphia
family, and his wife, Annabelle (McCullough) Clark, of an old Delaware
family. Charles H. Clark died August 10, 1915, greatly beloved and
deeply mourned. He obtained his education in the schools of George-
town, D. C, and at the age of fourteen located his home in Philadelphia,
where he became a salesman for a dry goods store. After serving in
that capacity in several stores, he became convinced that his true voca-
tion was journalism, and about 1867 became a member of the staff of the
Philadelphia "Inquirer" as a cub reporter. He rose rapidly, becoming
in three months the city editor of that paper, continuing until with others
he had purchased the "Evening Bulletin" of Philadelphia, of which he
was editor for several years. Some years afterward he sold his interest
in the "Bulletin" and became editor and owner of "The Textile Record"
and also editor of "The Manufacturer," the trade journal of the Manu-
facturers' Club of Philadelphia. He conducted "The Textile Record"
until 1906, when he retired from newspaper work.

During the years of his active professional life and also during the
years of his retirement, he was a prolific writer. Under the pen name
"Max Adeler" he wrote a series of humorous papers which were later
collected and published in book form under the title, "Out of the Hurly-
Burly." This book was a pronounced success and had a large circulation
both at home and abroad. Later he published "Elbow Room" and "Ran-
dom Shots" with like success. Mr. Clark was also the author of several
novels, including, "Captain Bluitt," "In Happy Hollow," "The Quaker-
ess," and "By the Bend of the River," his last book was a collection of
short stories. He was most widely known, however, as an editorial
writer, especially on the subject of the protective tariff, of which he was
an ardent advocate. During the campaign preceding the election of
President Roosevelt, the "North American" requested Mr. Clark to write
a series of forty articles on the tariff, which he did. These were so highly
endorsed as a valuable addition to the literature of the tariff that after

BIOGRAPHICAL i6i

the election his friends had them collected in pamphlet form, and at a
dinner given in Mr. Clark's honor, gave a copy to each guest present. In
addition to his eminently successful work as editor, journalist and novel-
ist, Mr. Clark was also widely known as a public speaker and he toured
the country speaking in favor of reform politics. It is said of him that
though he was the personification of solemnity, his humorous remarks
and speeches were widely celebrated. Though as a boy his educational
advantages were limited, by travel and by extensive reading, he attained
a breadth of outlook and an intensiveness of mental power not reached
by many having had the advantage of a university training.

Politically he gave his ardent support to the Republican party, but
did not wish to hold political office. He served as a member of the school
board of Conshohocken, his home, but when offered the nomination for
Congress refused. He was a member of the Manufacturers' Club of
Philadelphia, of which he was one of the organizers, and which he served
as secretary ; of the Franklin Inn Club of Philadelphia, the membership
of which was composed of one hundred authors, and which he served as
vice-president ; of the Art Club and of the Contemporary Club, both of
Philadelphia. He was also a member of the Conshohocken Post of the
Grand Army of the Republic, by virtue of his two terms of service, three
months each, in the Civil War. He was sergeant of Company E. 33rd
Regiment, Pennsylvania Reserves, and with that company took part in
two campaigns. His religious affiliation was with the Protestant Epis-
copal church of Conshohocken.

Mr. Clark married (first) Clara Lukens, of Conshohocken, who died
June 6, 1895. He married (second) Elizabeth K. Clark, of Germantown,
Pennsylvania, who survives him, a resident of Conshohocken. The chil-
dren of the first marriage were : Mary Lukens, Arthur Wayne, Fred-
eric L., Robert P., and Eleanor, who married George W. Emlen, of Ger-
mantown, Pennsylvania.

EARLE THOMAS BEALE, D. D. S., was born in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, December 26, 1872, the son of the late Dr. Stephen T., Jr.,
and Isola Earle (Smith) Beale, of Philadelphia.

His early education was obtained in the public schools of his city, and
after graduating therefrom he prepared for his life work in the profession
of his choice, and in 1894 entered the Pennsylvania College of Dental
Surgery, receiving the degree of D. D. S. in 1897.

Immediately after his graduation. Dr. Beale associated himself in
practice in Philadelphia with his father, Dr. Stephen T. Beale, Jr., and his
brothers. Dr. Rupert G. Beale and Dr. Clififord D. Beale. He quickly
became a skillful and conscientious operator. After two years of affilia-
tions with his father and brothers he began practice for himself. In
1899 he removed his office to Souderton, Pennsylvania, where he con-
tinues to conduct a successful and lucrative practice.

Dr. Beale comes from a line of prominent dentists and physicians of

i62 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Philadelphia. His grandfather, Stephen T. Beale, M. D., D, D. S., began
the study of dentistry in 1837, and graduated in medicine from the Jeffer-
son Medical College in 1847, and in 1853 the Philadelphia College of
Dental Surgery conferred the honorary degree of D. D. S. upon him.
Two of his grandfather's brothers were practitioners of medicine, and
one of them practiced dentistry in its early days, before the advent of
dental colleges. The first college of dentistry established in Philadelphia,
and the second one of its kind in history, was founded by his grand-
father, Dr. Stephen T. Beale, M. D., and three other prominent graduates
of medicine of their day.

Dr. Beale's father, Dr. Stephen T. Beale, Jr., was a successful prac-
tioner of dentistry for thirty-five years. His father's brother. Dr. Alonzo
P. Beale, was lecturer and demonstrator in the Pennsylvania College of
Dental Surgery for thirteen years, and was also an extensive writer for
the "American System of Dentistry," published in 1887. Dr. Earle T.
Beale's brother. Dr. Rupert G. Beale, followed his uncle as lecturer and
demonstrator in the same institution, and continued there for thirteen
years, when he resigned, owing to the failing health of his father, and to
take up his large practice, which he continues in Philadelphia. Another
brother, Dr. Clifford D. Beale, graduated from the same institution in
1896, and is in practice with his brother in Philadelphia. A nephew of
Dr. Beale's, Dr. Donaldson Beale Cooper, the eighth in line and of the
fourth generation in the family practicing dentistry, is a member of the
faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, department of dentistry.

The history of the Beale family in dentistry and medicine dates back
eighty-five years, and includes one of the founders of the earliest colleges
of dentistry in the history of the world, and others prominent in dental
education. The family has been in active practice for a period of four
generations and is the oldest one in continuous practice known in den-
tistry.

Dr. Earle T. Beale has actively engaged in practice over a period of
twenty-five years. During the quarter of a century which has past since
he left his native city, he has kept abreast and ahead of his line in the
dental profession, and all that is best in modern dentistry, both in equip-
ment and practice, may be found in his well known office.

Dr. Beale is descended from Puritan and Quaker stock of the Colonial
and Revolutionary days. On his paternal side he comes from Quaker
ancestry, who settled in Philadelphia in 1682. He is descended from
Andrew Griscom, of Yorkshire, England, one of the first purchasers of
land from William Penn, and known in history as the builder of the first
brick house in Philadelphia. Samuel Griscom, another ancestor, was a
carpenter and a master builder, and assisted in the erection of Inde-
pendence Hall, most of the woodwork in it being done by him.

His Revolutionary ancestors include Captain William Donaldson,
brother of Arthur Donaldson, who in 1776 laid the Chevaux de Prize in
the Delaware to prevent the British fleet from coming up the river to
Philadelphia. Another ancestor. Corporal Mark McCord, was a soldier

BIOGRAPHICAL 163

of the Revolution, who was wounded in the battle of Germantown, fur-
loughed by General Washington at Trenton, and died, at Harrisburg,
from his wounds. His great-great-grandaunt was Elizabeth Griscom
Ross, known in history as "Betsey Ross," maker of the first American
flag, adopted by Congress, June 14, 1777. His father, when a lad, enlisted
in the emergency of 1863, during the Civil War, and was sworn into the
United States service, in the Thirty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers (Blue
Reserves), and was under fire in numerous engagements as a corporal,
his blouse sleeve being shot through at the Hagerstown skirmish.

On his maternal side Dr. Earle T. Beale is descended from Puritan
stock. One of his earliest ancestors in this country was Richard Sanger,
Puritan, of Norfolk, England, who settled in Hingham, New England,
where he had land formally assigned him in 1636, and later became a large
landholder. To him and his two sons was entrusted, during King
Philip's War, the charge of guarding the mill at Watertown.

Dr. Beale also comes from a distinguished line of artists in England
and America, one of whom, John Rubens Smith, was a widely known
portrait painter and drawing master, who had many famous American
artists for his pupils, and died in New York City in 1849. His great-
great-grandfather was the celebrated mezzotint engraver, John Raphael
Smith, of London, termed by Alfred Whitman in "Masters of Mezzotint,"
the "Great Apostle of Mezzotint." His mother was a second cousin of
Lord Julian Pauncefote, British ambassador at Washington.

In September, 1906, Dr. Beale was married to Catharine K. Bergy,
daughter of Michael B. and Catharine (Hackman) Bergy, of Souderton,
Pennsylvania.

HENRY D. SAYLOR— HAROLD D. SAYLOR— This review deals
with the careers of two of Pottstown's native sons, Henry D. Saylor, a
veteran of the Montgomery county bar and of the United States Consular
Service, and his son, Lieutenant Harold D. Saylor, a comparative new-
comer at that bar, but a veteran of the World War, 1917-1918, in which
he fought on French soil. Father and son are associated in practice in
Pottstown, the life-long home of both. Lieutenant Saylor also practices
in Philadelphia, where he has an office in the Morris building. The
Saylor family is an ancient one in Montgomery county, and has long
occupied a prominent place in county life.

Henry D. Saylor, son of Albert G. and Mary (Oberholtzer) Saylor,
was born in Pottstown, October 22, 1857. He was educated in Potts-
town schools and the University of Pennsylvania, receiving his degree
from the law department of the university in 1881. He at once began
the practice of law, forming a partnership with Jacob V. Gotwalts, which
continued very profitably and satisfactorily for some years.

From 1897 until 1906 he was in the United States Consular Service.
He was first stationed at Matanzas, Cuba, and was later transferred from
the land of sunshine to the land of ice and snow, Dawson City, in the
Yukon Territory, Canada. From Dawson, where he remained until 1903,

i64 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Mr. Saylor was sent to Coburg, Germany, where he was Consul-General.
Cape Town, Africa, was the last appointment, a promotion in rank, but
Mr. Saylor declined to accept it. His resignation from the Consular
Service followed, and he soon afterward returned to the United States
and resumed law practice in Pottstown.

Henry D. Saylor continued alone in the practice of his profession until
1919, when he admitted his son, Harold D. Saylor, to a partnership, with
offices in the Security building, Pottstown. Mr. Saylor has long practiced
in the Federal and State courts, and during his career has been connected
with many important cases. He was long borough solicitor and was later
solicitor to the school district. He stands high among his contemporaries
of the bar, and his career may be viewed with satisfaction.

A Republican in politics, Mr. Saylor early took an active part in local
affairs and soon became known as one of the most effective workers and
public speakers. In 1894 he was made the candidate of his party for State
Senator, was elected and served his term with credit. His consular serv-
ice followed and gave him wide experience, taking him well over the
world during his nine years term.

In busines life Mr. Saylor is a director of the Security Company of
Pottstown ; secretary of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Potts-
town ; and operates quite extensively in real estate, building and selling.
He is a member of the Masonic Order ; a past exalted ruler of the Benevo-
lent and Protective Order of Elks, and a member of the County Bar
Association.

Henry D. Saylor married Dora B. Gerhard, of Norristown, Pennsyl-
vania, and they are the parents of two sons : Albert G., a Philadelphia
real estate dealer; Harold D., of further mention; and a daughter,
Dorothy, who married Henry R. Hallowell, of Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania.

Harold D. Saylor, son of Henry D. and Dora B. (Gerhard) Saylor,
was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, July 18, 1892. After public school
courses, he entered the Hill School, graduating in 1910, and then went
to Yale University, there receiving his B. A. degree in the class of 1914.
He prepared for the legal profession at the University of Pennsylvania,
and was graduated from that institution LL. B., class of 1917.

When the United States declared war against Germany, he offered
his services, enlisting in April. On May 10, 1917, he reported at Fort
Niagara, New York, at the Officers' Training Camp. He was commis-
sioned second lieutenant of Field Artillery, and was sent overseas on
September 7, 1917. He attended the French Field Artillery School at
Fontainebleau, and then became an instructor in gunnery of the 75 mm.
gun, at the American First Corps Artillery School at Gondrecourt. In
April, 1918, he became executive officer of Battery C, 7th Field Artillery,
First Division, joining the battery on the Montdidier front.

During the capture of Cantigny, May 28-30, 1918, he was mustard
gassed. He engaged in the second battle of the Marne, at Soissons, and
in the St. Mihiel drive. For two months he served on the staff of Gen-

BIOGRAPHICAL 165

eral C. P. Summerall, commander of the First Division. After service on
the Verdun and Pont-a-Mousson fronts, he was ordered to the United
States, arriving here on October 10, 1918.

Mr. Saylor was a member of the staff class at the War College in
Washington, D. C, during November, 1918, graduating as Divisional
Intelligence Officer. He was cited for bravery by General Summerall
while on duty overseas.

Upon receiving honorable discharge, December 12, 1918, Lieutenant
Saylor returned to Pottstown, and in 1919 began the practice of law in
association with his father. During the year 1919-1920 he also served
as instructor in "American Government" at the University of Pennsyl-
vania. Pie is a member of the Montgomery County Bar Association, and
of the Philadelphia Law Association.

Lieutenant Saylor maintains a law office in that city in the Morris
building. His fraternities are Phi Beta Kappa, Zeta Psi, and Phi Delta
Phi ; his clubs are the Yale of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Cricket,
He is a director of the Philadelphia Society for Organizing Charity. He
is a member of the American Legion, and of the Church of the Trans-
figuration, Pottstown. He is at present serving as solicitor of the Potts-
town School District.

ROBERT MEDFORD HALLOWELL— Some men like Robert
Medford Hallowell, of Ambler, Pennsylvania, have the pluck to take
responsibility on their shoulders, and the ability to take care of it, and, as
a result, become trusted, notable leaders in business and kindred activi-
ties of life. His parents were Thomas Ellwood and Regina (Downham)
Hallowell, the former a lifelong farmer and stock trader, and a veteran
of the Civil War. He volunteered in Company K, First Delaware Regi-
ment, in 1861, and was wounded in recovering the regimental colors in the
battle of Antietam. After three years of active service he reenlisted as
a veteran volunteer, and was at the front until given his honorable dis-
charge in 1865.

Robert Medford Hallowell was born at East New Market, Maryland,
February 26, 1885, and was educated in the county and town schools.
When only sixteen years of age, while living in Caroline county, Mary-
land, his father gave him a driving horse, and with this for his whole
capital he started to trading. His well known honesty and industry
secured him some credit to further his work, and he soon had an interest
in a saw mill, wheat thresher and hay press, which he later sold. With
this capital, together with three mules, two horses, and their necessary
harness, carriages and wagons gained through trading, he bought and
worked a twenty-seven and three-quarter acre farm. Before he was
twenty-one years of age he had paid off all his obligations, made a living,
and was on the way to prosperity. But it took hard and long labor, for,
in addition to his regular tasks, he hauled charcoal, and averaged sixteen
working hours a day for a long period.

In 1907 he made his first visit to Philadelphia, and determined to settle

i66 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

in Pennsylvania. Returning to Maryland, he rented his farm and turned
all his available assets into cash. The following year he sold the farm,
and locating in North Wales, he secured a share in a fertilizer business,
continuing thus engaged until 1913. During this time, as a side line, he
had been dealing in automobiles and real estate on a small scale, and
from 1913 to 1916 increased this line of business by operating a farm
along with it. In the spring of 7916 he discontinued everything but his
automobile interests, and on Bethlehem Pike, above Ambler, Pennsyl-
vania, he purchased a seven-acre field, where he built a house and
garage, and conducted business on an enlarged scale. It was a big under-
taking financially, and viewed rather skeptically by many, but the loca-
tion proved good, and the business prospered. Three years later fire
wiped out his establishment, but he started again in a temporary frame
building until he could put up a brick edifice. In 1920 he built a two-
story fireproof garage at the corner of Bethlehem Pike and Butler avenue,
Ambler, putting up the structural steel work (eighty-seven tons) him-
self, with only the aid of unskilled help. For some time he carried on
this business alone, but in 1921 sold his former garage, and in AugTJSt of
that year incorporated under the name of Robert M. Hallowell, Inc., with
a capital of $125,000. He specializes in the sale of the Ford and Lincoln
cars, conducts a modern and complete plant and equipment, and has the
confidence of financiers and customers.

Mr. Hallowell has many interests aside from business ; is a Repub-
lican in politics ; and is fraternally associated with Norristown Lodge,
No. 714, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks ; North Penn Forest,
No. 52, Tall Cedars of Lebanon ; Fort Washington Lodge, No. 308, Free
and Accepted Masons ; Fort Washington Chapter, No. 220, Royal Arch
Masons ; Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights Templar ; Philadel-
phia Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite ; Valley of Philadelphia,
U. M. J., U. S. A. ; and Lu Lu Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of
the Mystic Shrine, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His clubs are the
Lu Lu Country, Girard Craftsman's, and Keystone Automobile. He is
religiously associated with the Society of Friends.

Mr. Hallowell married, at Quakertown, Pennsylvania, November 26,
1914, Ethel Knight Ball, daughter of Frank and Emma (Weldy) Ball,
well known citizens of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Hallowell are the par-
ents of five children : Emily Ball, born June 5, 1916 ; Robert Medford, Jr.,
born August 29, 1917; Richard Tesrean, born February 8, 1919; Thomas
Ellwood. born November 30, 1920; and Franklin Ball, born August il,
1922.

JOSEPH MAURICE HAYWOOD— As owner and editor of the
Ambler "Gazette," Joseph Maurice Haywood is a well known business
man of Ambler, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, where for a number
of years he has been associated with the weekly news publication of
which he is now the owner.

Claudius Haywood, grandfather of Joseph Maurice Haywood, was a

BIOGRAPHICAL 167

manufacturer of cutlery in Sheffield, England, who came to America in
1832 and settled in Lower Merion township, Montgomery county, Penn-
sylvania, where a portion of the property purchased by him is still in the
possession of the Haywood family. He married and reared a family of
children, among whom was Joseph Haywood, father of Joseph Maurice
Haywood.

Joseph Haywood, who was born in 1837, received his education in
the family of his father, who daily conducted school in his own house-
hold. He engaged in agricultural pursuits, with which he was identified
throughout his active life. He was also one of the organizers of the First
National Bank of Ambler, of which he was a member of the board of
directors and which he served as president almost to the time of his death,
which occurred January 13, 1910. He married Caroline Hartzel, and they
were the parents of six children: John Lincoln (deceased); Claudius
William, of Lower Gwynedd township, Montgomery county, Pennsyl-
vania; Joseph Maurice, of Ambler; Louisa M., of Ambler; Caroline, wife
of Frank C. Peterman, of Llanerch, Pennsylvania ; and Mary M., who
died in 1922, then wife of H. L. Hackett, of Philadelphia.

Joseph Maurice Haywood was born in Lower Gwynedd township, in
that section which is now a part of the borough of Ambler, Pennsyl-
vania. He attended school in his native district and then prepared for
college in the Sunnyside Private School of Ambler, entering the Uni-
versity of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1893, with the
degree of Bachelor of Science. Upon the completion of his college career
he began his active career in the employ of A. K. Thomas, publisher of
the Ambler "Gazette." Four years later, in 1898, he purchased the
Ambler "Gazette" and since that time has continued in business as editor
and owner of that paper. It is a weekly paper, devoted to the publishing
of the local news, and under Mr. Haywood's management has become
important in that section of the county not only as a news sheet, but
also as a medium through which public opinion is expressed. It also
exercises considerable influence as a shaper of public opinion. Mr. Hay-
wood since 1910 has been a member of the board of directors of the First
National Bank of Ambler, in which position he succeeded his father. In
1919 he was made president of that body, which position he still holds.
In addition to his business responsibilities Mr. Haywood has found time
for civic service. He has served on the Board of Education of Ambler
borough for some time and for several years has been a member of the
Ambler Board of Health. He gives his support to the Republican party.
Mr. Haywood has also for the past six years served as president of the
Wissahickon Fire Company of Ambler. He is a member of the Plymouth
Country Club, which he serves as one of its board of governors.

Joseph Maurice Haywood married on October 15, 1902, in Philadel-
phia, Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Bretz Godfrey, daughter of Samuel T. and
Elizabeth ( Bretz) Godfrey, of Ambler, who were long residents of Ger-
mantown, Pennsylvania, but are now living with Mr. Haywood. Mr.
and Mrs. Joseph Maurice Haywood are the parents of one son, Joseph,
who was born August 15, 1913.

i68 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

JACOB C. SWARTLEY— One of the prominent men of Lansdale,
Pennsylvania, who for years has been in close touch with the business
and civic life of the city is Jacob C. Swartley. He assisted in organizing
and later became president of the Lansdale Trust and Safe Deposit Com-
pany, and is now (1922) in the real estate and insurance business. He
has always been a leader in anything that was for the benefit of his
community, a man whose personality and ability always won admiration.
He was a farmer boy, a son of Jacob S. and Elizabeth (Cassel) Swart-
ley. Mr. Swartley was a well known farmer, miller, and produce dealer
of Montgomery county.

Jacob C. Swartley was born in Franconia township, Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, December 22, 1855. His education came from the
public school of his district. When sixteen he left home and started as
a clerk in a general merchandise store at Line Lexington, Bucks county,
Pennsylvania. By 1876 he had acquired sufficient training to feel able
to strike out for himself and engaged in a general store business of his
own at Line Lexington, and was so occupied until 1893.

In 1887 he was one of the organizers of the Lansdale Trust and Safe
Deposit Company, and was from its beginning one of its directors. This
was a very important institution for that day, and supplied one of the
great needs of Lansdale. From 1896 to 1906 Mr. Swartley was presi-
dent of the company. In that year it was dissolved by voluntary liquida-
tion and the Citizens' National Bank organized. He then turned his
attention to the handling of real estate, and became one of the notable
realtors of the city and county. He is also president of the Line Lexing-
ton Mutual Fire and Storm Insurance Company of Bucks and Mont-
gomery counties, and has served in that capacity since 1899.

Mr. Swartley is one of the Republican faith, but has not been greatly
interested in politics. From 1896 to 1900 he was justice of the peace for
the township of New Britain, Bucks county. He is a member of the
Lansdale Board of Trade, and served in the Ordnance department during
the World War. He fraternizes with the Masons, Shiloh Lodge, No.
558, Free and Accepted Masons ; Philadelphia Consistory ; Lu Lu Tem-
ple, Philadelphia, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and
with his family is a communicant of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran
Church of Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

Jacob C. Swartley was married to Martha Gross Hunsicker, at Kulps-
ville, Pennsylvania, May 12, 1886, daughter of William Z. and Susan
Hunsicker. Mr. and Mrs. Swartley are the parents of three children: i,
Grace Estelle, born September 26, 1887. 2. Ralph Hunsicker, born May
29, 1893 ; is connected with the State Highway Department in the capacity
of engineer at Erie, Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Lansdale High
School. During the World War he enlisted in Company E, 25th Engi-
neers, December 5, 1917, and served with the American Expeditionary
Forces from February 27, 1918, until May 23, 1919. He assisted in the
Meuse-Argonne offensive, and was awarded a Victory Medal by the
United States Government, and was honorably discharged June 2, 1919,

^^^^t^r-5^ y\r /^

BIOGRAPHICAL 169

at Camp Dix, New Jersey. 3. Henry Cassel, born September 29, 1896; is
assistant to his father in the real estate business. He also is a graduate of
Lansdale High School.

GEORGE NORMAN HIGHLEY, M. D.— One of the best known
and most highly esteemed men of Conshohocken is Dr. George Norman
Highley, who for more than thirty years has been engaged in general
practice in Montgomery county. There are few families in Conshohocken
who have not had reason to be grateful for the skill and faithfulness of
Dr. Highley, and a very large proportion of the citizens of that place were
assisted into the world by him.

(I) Dr. Highley comes of an old Pennsylvania family which traces
its ancestry to Hendrick Heilig, who, according to the Pennsylvania
Archives, was naturalized April 11, 1749. The naturalization laws of the
Colonies at that time required that an applicant for citizenship must have
been a "resident of the Colonies for at least seven years, without having
been absent from some of them for a longer period than three months,
at any one time." He must also "have produced to the Court a certificate
of having taken the sacrament of the Lord's Supper in some Protestant
or Reformed congregation within two months before said Court." The
certificate presented by Hendrick Heilig shows that he took the com-
munion on March 26, 1749. From these facts it is evident that Hendrick
Heilig must have come to America prior to April 11, 1742. On May 16,
1749, he bought a farm of 160 acres in Upper Hanover township, paying
William Parsons, of whom he made the purchase, sixty-four pounds and
seven shillings. About a year later, May i, 1750, he purchased an adjoin-
ing farm of 145 acres from Caspar Schlecker, who had purchased it the
year before, when Henry bought his first farm, and of the same man,
William Parsons. On December 15, 1762, Henry purchased a third
farm, in Providence township, and this farm, which has been owned by
his descendants, or those who married his descendants, ever since, con-
tained according to the deed 160% acres, for which he paid 635 pounds.
It is situated along Egypt road, about a mile east of Shannonville, and
later surveys show that it contained about 163 acres. Henry sold his
second purchase, the farm in Upper Hanover, to his son, George, for 500
pounds, November 15, 1766, and in the deed of conveyance his residence
is given as Providence township. On November 14, 1772, he deeded to
his son, George, for 675 pounds, the Upper Hanover farm, and at that
time Cheltenham township is mentioned as his residence. On April i,
1773, he sold his Providence farm to his son, John, Cheltenham township
being mentioned as his place of residence at that time, and also in his will,
probated May 26, 1775. It is evident from these facts that he lived in
Upper Hanover from 1749 to 1762, or a short time thereafter, when he
moved into Providence township. About the year 1772, he moved to
Cheltenham township, where he continued to live until his death. May
14, 1775. He was buried in the graveyard of the Methacton Mennonite
Church, Worcester township, and the original stones marking his last

170 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

resting place are still in good condition, the inscription giving the date
of death as above stated, and his age seventy-five years. He must,
therefore, have been born in 1700. In all the deeds given by Hendrick
Heilig (or Henry, the form he used in this country, usually) his wife's
first name is given as Susanna. In Barton's "Memoirs of David Ritten-
house," the astronomer, published in 1813, it is stated that Susanna Rit-
tenhouse, daughter of Nicholas, married Henry Heilig, of Goshenhop-
pen. That was the name given to the region in which Henry lived in
Upper Hanover, and a half century later, two or three of his grandsons
lived along the turnpike road on part of the property which Henry had
owned. Others built homes in that locality and a village grew which,
naturally enough, came to be called "Heiligville." It was known by that
name until 1843, when a meeting of citizens was called at the house of
Jacob Hillegas, Sr., to decide upon a permanent name for the growing
village. Three names, Pennsburg, Buchanansville, and Heiligville
were proposed, but no agreement reached until a second meeting was
called, at which time Pennsburg, the name by which it has since been
known, was adopted. Hendrick (Henry) Heilig married Susanna Rit-
tenhouse, a descendant of William Rittenhouse (Wilhelm Ruttynhuysen,
as he wrote it in his native land, Holland), who came to this country in

1688, with his two sons, Nicholas (Glaus) and Gerhart, his daughter
Elizabeth, who married Hewit Papen, and his grandsons, sons of
Nicholas, William, Henry, and Matthias, the last-named being the father
of David Rittenhouse, the astronomer. William Rittenhouse, the father,
a Mennonite preacher, made himself famous by establishing the first
paper mill in America in 1690, two years after his arrival in this country.
It was located on a small stream which empties into the Wissahickon
creek, about one mile from its mouth. Nicholas Rittenhouse married, in

1689, Wilhelmina Dewees, and they were the parents of five children:
William Henry, Matthias, Catherine, who married Jacob Engle ; and
Susanna, who married Hendrick (Henry) Heilig, and became the parents
of four children : George ; John, or Johannes, of whom further ; Anna
Maria, who married Michael Sloanacre ; and Susanna, who married
Henry Deamy. Of these, George, the eldest of the two sons, living at
the time of Henry's death, remained at Goshenhoppen, the Upper Han-
over home, and retained the original spelling of the name, as have most
of his descendants. John, or Johannes Heilig, the younger of the two,
settled on the Providence farm, among English speaking people, where
the name became Highley. The people of Goshenhoppen being a German
speaking people, George Pleilig retained the original form of the name,
as have most of his descendants.

(II) John or Johannes Highley (as he spelled the name), son of
Hendrick (Henry) and Susanna (Rittenhouse) Heilig, was born in
August, 1745, and died November 11, 1821, aged seventy-six years and
three months. The place of his birth is unknown, but the naturalization
of his father in 1749 is proof that he was born on American soil. He
was nearly four years old when his father purchased the farm in Upper

BIOGRAPHICAL 171

Hanover township, and was about twenty-eight years of age when his
father deeded to him the 160 acres of land in Providence township in
'^'77Z', the deed being executed April r, 1773, and recorded at Norristown,
Pennsylvania (Deed Book 10, page 797). The transfer of the property
was therefore made thirteen years before the formation of Montgomery
county, but the deed was not recorded until eleven years after that
event. There are two other deeds on record at the same place (Deed Book
35, pages 10 to 13), which show the disposition of this property, and
also the genealogical line, to members of the family recognized by the
present generation. These two deeds were given by John Highley and
Elizabeth, his wife, one to their son, John, for loi acres of land, the other
to their son, Jacob, for 61 acres. Both deeds were executed on the same
day, May 28, 1818, and in the first deed, the one to their son, John, it is
stated that the whole tract was acquired from Henry and Susanna Heilig
(or Heilich), of Cheltenham, and that he, John Highley, purposes giving
a deed of conveyance to his son, Jacob, for the remaining portion, on the
same day. This he did, as above stated. The diflference between the
number of acres given in the deed of Henry and Susanna Heilig, to their
son, John Highley, and the sum of the number of acres mentioned in the
two deeds given John and Elizabeth Highley, to their two sons, John and
Jacob, was probably due to differences in surveys, the identity of the
property being clearly established. Two farms were later created out
of this tract, the larger of these being later owned by David Funk, who
married Elizabeth Highley, daughter of John Highley, the younger, and
still in the possession of the Funk family. An interesting story is told
of the courtship of John Highley. He had long been attentive to Eliza-
beth Taney, who was reared on a farm near the one purchased by John
in 1773, but had lacked the courage to ask her to be his wife. Then a
rival appeared upon the scene and made earnest effort to win the affection
of Elizabeth, and to defeat the backward John. John regularly took
produce to the Philadelphia market once or twice a week. One day,
while on the way home he overtook Elizabeth, who was also going
home, and invited her to ride with him, which she readily consented to
do. John began to tease her about his rival and ended by saying, "Lizzie,
I thought I was to have you." "Do you mean that, John?" she replied.
"I do, indeed," said he. "Then I'm yours," was the answer. Elizabeth
Highley died July 20, 1803, aged sixty-one years, and her husband sur-
vived her some eighteen years. John Highley's will, executed December
6, 1818, and recorded October 18, 1821 (Will Book 5, page 338), names
his son, Jacob, to whom he gave the old family Bible, and Joseph Craw-
ford, as executors, bequeathed a house and lot to his daughter, Mary,
wife of Robert Patterson, and $266.67 to his daughter, Elizabeth, wife of
Joseph Rittenhouse, the remainder of his estate being equally divided
among his five children. Children of John and Elizabeth (Taney) High-
ley were : Henry, of whom further ; John, married Mary Zimmerman ;
Mary, married Robert Patterson ; Elizabeth, married Joseph Rittenhouse;
and Jacob, Esq., who married Sarah Roberts. The order here given is
that in which they are mentioned in the will.

1/2 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

(III) Henry Highley, eldest son of John and Elizabeth (Taney)
Highley, was born in the Lower Providence homestead in 1772. He
received his education in the local schools, and in 1792, he then being a
young man of twenty years, purchased of Edward Lane a farm of about
100 acres in Schuylkill township, Chester county, in the angle made by
the Pickering creek as it flows into the Schuylkill river. It was on the
lower side of the Pickering and southeast side of the Schuylkill and was
one of the most fertile farms in Eastern Pennsylvania. In 1802 he built
a new barn and about two years later, a new dwelling house. The barn
was destroyed by fire in 1894, though the walls were still standing in
1898, as was the dwelling house, which is still in good condition. Henry
Highley married Hannah Saylor, daughter of Valentine and Hannah
(Shanaholtzer) Saylor. Valentine Saylor was brought to this country
by his parents, Peter and Catherine Saylor, when but three years of age.
He was kept at his mother's breast until after his arrival, that payment
for his passage might be avoided. They came on the ship "Johnson"
(David Crockett, master), the last from Rotterdam, arriving September
19, 1732. Valentine Saylor married (first) Catherine Shanaholtzer. She
died and he married (second) Hannah Shanaholtzer. To the first mar-
riage three children were born: Peter, Katherine, who married David
Sower, founder of the Norristown "Herald;" and Mary, who married
Daniel Sower (a brother of David), and they were the ancestors of the
Sowers of Norristown and Upper Providence. To the second marriage
five children were born: Hannah, Barbara, Sarah, Joseph, and one
other. Hannah, born in 1765, married Henry Highley. Valentine Say-
lor died July 20, 1803, aged seventy-nine years, six months, and is buried
at the old Trappe Graveyard. An unmarked grave by his tomb is prob-
ably that of his first wife. His second wife is buried at Mennonite
Graveyard, near Lawrenceville, Chester county. Henry Highley died
July 8, 1846, aged seventy-four years, and his wife, Hannah, died April 8,
1831, aged sixty-six years. Both are buried in Mennonite Graveyard,
Phoenixville. They were the parents of six children: Catherine, who
married (first) Edward Anderson, (second) Jacob Hart; John, married
Elizabeth Placker ; Eliza; Mary; George, of whom further; and Willi-
mina, born in 1803, died November 5, 1812.

(IV) George Highley, fifth child of Henry and Hannah (Shana-
holtzer) Highley, was born December 10, 1800, and died November 18,
1873. He married Ann Francis, daughter of John Francis, and lived on
their farm in Lower Providence township, a mile southeast of Shannon-
ville. John Francis, father of Ann Francis, was the son of Arnold and
Elizabeth Francis. Arnold Francis, who died in 1803, was the son of
Thomas Francis, who was born in 1701 and died August 14, 1765.
Thomas Francis bought a farm at public auction, April 2, 1771, of the
Pennsylvania Land Company, located near the village of Shannonville.
This he later sold to his son, Arnold, and the deed for this is the first on
record in Montgomery county. John Francis married Elizabeth Penny-
packer, daughter of Jacob and Ann (Pawling) Pennypacker. She died

BIOGRAPHICAL 173

June 15, 1815, aged forty-three years, and her husband, John Francis,
died September 10, 1822, aged fifty-one years. Their daughter, Ann,
who married George Highley, died July 11, 1875, aged seventy-eight
years ; they are all buried in Lower Providence. George and Ann
(Francis) Highley were the parents of seven children: Henry, who
married Mary Parry; Hannah (twin sister of Henry), who married
William E. Corson; Eliza, born April 23, 1828, died September 8, 1883;
Thomas, who married Audora Nichols; Felix Francis, of whom further;
Mary P., born October 26, 1834; and Deborah, born October 7, 1839,
died April 16, i8g6.

(V) Felix Francis Highley, son of George and Ann (Francis)
Highley, was born August 4, 1832, and settled on the farm which Henry
Highley, grandfather of Felix F., purchased in 1792, where he lived dur-
ing the remainder of his days, and where the father of Felix F., and all
his children were born. This old farm in Schuylkill township passed,
in ownership, from Henry to his son, George, from George to his son,
Felix F., who in 1874 sold it to the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad
Company. In 1875 Felix F. Highley removed to a farm near Jefferson-
ville, Montgomery county, and in 1883 to Norristown. Felix Francis
Highley married, January i, 1857. Susan Rogers Corson, daughter of
Charles Corson, and they were the parents of six children : Albert
Crawford, born March 22, 1858, died March 30, 1870; George Norman,
of whom further; lone B., born November 11, i860, married Henry L.
Everett; Charles Corson, born February 23, 1862; Sarah Corson, born
October 18, 1863, married George M. Holstein ; and Nannie Pawling,
born May 5, 1873.

(VI) George Norman Highley, son of Felix Francis and Susan
Rogers (Corson) Highley, was born August 13, 1859. He received his
early education in the public schools of his native district, and then
entered the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated
March 15, 1881, with the degree Doctor of Medicine. After practicing in
Roxborough, Philadelphia, for about eight months, he removed to Con-
shohocken, where he has since lived and practiced his profession. For
more than forty years he has ministered to the needs of the steadily
growing population there and such has been the faithfulness and
efficiency of his service that few, if any, are held in higher esteem in the
region round about Conshohocken.

Dr. George N. Highley is a member of the State and County Medical
societies. One of the monuments to Dr. Highley is the bridge spanning
the Schuylkill river and the railroad tracks. He worked hard and unceas-
ingly for its erection, being chairman of the bridge committee, covering
a period of twelve years. He served as burgess of Conshohocken two
terms, is a director in the Tradesmen's National Bank, and president of
the Building and Loan Association for many years.

Dr. George Norman Highley married, June i, 1887, Mary Wood
Wilson, daughter of William and Annie H. (Yerkes) Wilson, through
both of whom she is descended from old Pennsylvania families. On the

174 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

paternal side, Mrs. Wilson is descended from Jan Lukens, one of the first
settlers of Germantown, who died in 1739. William Wilson bought a
farm in Schuylkill township, Chester county, near the Highley home-
stead, where, in 1870, he died, leaving three daughters: Laura H., who
married, in 1884, George W. Wood, of Conshohocken ; Mary Wood, who
married George N. Highley ; and Caroline L., died at the age of three
years. William Wilson was the son of James Wilson and grandson of
Hampton Wilson. His mother was Harriet Lukens, great-great-grand-
daughter of Jan Lukens. Jan's son, William Lukens (1687-1739), mar-
ried Elizabeth Tyson. Their son, William Lukens (died 1803), married
Elizabeth Pennington, daughter of Daniel Pennington ; their son, Thomas
Lukens (1758-1831), married Jane Parry, daughter of Stephen (a Welsh-
man) and Esther (Walmsley) Parry. Mrs. Parry was a granddaughter
of Thomas and Elizabeth Walmsley, who came from England in the
ship '"Welcome" with William Penn. Thomas Lukens' daughter, Har-
riet, married James Wilson, and they were the parents of William, father
of Mary Wood Wilson, who married Dr. George Norman Highley.

Annie H. Yerkes, who married William Wilson, is a descendant of
Harmon Yerkes, a German, who married, in 171 1, Elizabeth Watts ; their
son, John Yerkes (1714-1790), married Alice McVaugh ; their son, John
Yerkes, born in 1743, married Ann Coffin; their son, Harmon Yerkes
(1774-1845), married Elizabeth Weaver, daughter of John and Susanna
(Keyser) Weaver, and great-granddaughter of Peter Dirck Keyser, one
of the first settlers of Germantown; Harmon's son, Joseph Yerkes (1806-
1847), married Mary Harry, and their daughter is Annie H. (Yerkes)
Wilson.

Mary Harry was the great-great-granddaughter of David Harry,
who, in about the year 1699, bought a large tract of ground in Plymouth
township, upon a part of which the borough of Copshohocken has since
been located, some of the ground still being owned by members of the
Harry family. David Harry's wife was Lydia Powell; their son, Reese
Harry, born in 1704, married Mary Price, daughter of Reese Price; their
son, David Harry (1736-1800), married Alice Meredith, daughter of
David Meredith; their son, David Harry (1771-1849), married Ann
Davis, daughter of Thomas and Lydia (White) Davis ; their daughter
was Mary Harry, who married Joseph Yerkes; and they were the par-
ents of Annie H. (Yerkes) Wilson.

It will be seen from the above genealogical outline that several of the
ancestors of Dr. Highley and of his wife were among the early settlers of
Pennsylvania, who came to this country immediately after the time
(1681) when Penn acquired his proprietorship. Several of them were of
that group of families who founded Germantown, and one of the latter,
Peter Dirck Keyser, is an ancestor both of Dr. Highley and of his wife,
Mrs. Highley being in the seventh generation and Dr. Highley in the
sixth generation from him. In the case of both, the ancestral blood is
drawn from England, Wales, France, and Holland, and perhaps other
countries, a large share having come from Holland.

BIOGRAPHICAL 175

The children of Dr. George N. and Mary Wood (Wilson) Highley
are: Albert Wilson, born December 15, 1888, died May 23, 1893; Annie
Wilson, born April 4, 1893, died, aged sixteen, while in Glasgow, Scot-
land; and Charles Corson, Jr., born June 8, 1895.

BENJAMIN K. TOMLINSON— Among the successful business men
of Conshohocken is Benjamin K. Tomlinson, who after three years of
successful activity in the moving picture field came to Conshohocken
and engaged in the real estate business, in which line he has been suc-
cessfully engaged since 1914.

Mr. Tomlinson is a descendant of those hardy pioneers who founded
Montgomery and Bucks counties, and to whose labors in the early
days is due the development of the Keystone State. His grandfather,
John Tomlinson, was a native of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, who
after receiving his education in the public schools, engaged in farming
and successfully followed that occupation throughout his active life. He
was an intelligent, well-read man, who exerted a helpful influence in his
community, and was a loyal member of the Society of Friends. Politi-
cally he gave his support to the Whig party, but he neither sought nor
held political office. He married Miss Tomlinson, who was not a rela-
tive, and they became the parents of a large family of children, among
whom was Robert.

Robert Tomlinson, son of John Tomlinson, and father of Benjamin K.
Tomlinson, was born on the old homestead in Bucks county, Pennsyl-
vania, in 1814, and after receiving a practical education in the public
schools of his native district, assisted his father on the farm until he had
passed his twenty-first birthday. He then removed to Horsham town-
ship, Montgomery county, where he continued to successfully engage in
farming until the outbreak of the Civil War. When the war began, he
traded and sold his property and removed to New York State, where
he remained until the close of the war. When peace once more promised
a return to normal conditions, he returned to Horsham township and
there remained to the time of his death. He was a public-spirited and
active citizen, deeply interested in the public welfare of his community,
and always ready to contribute his share toward the furtherance of the
highest good of his community. Politically he gave his support to the
principles and candidates of the Republican party, and throughout the
region he was known as one of the able and substantial citizens of that
locality. He married Hannah Kenderdine, daughter of Thomas Kender-
dine, who conducted a saw mill in Horsham township and was familiarly
known as "Saw Mill Thomas," the Kenderdine family being one of the
most prominent in Montgomery county. Robert and Hannah (Kender-
dine) Tomlinson were the parents of eight children : Edward K., Isadore,
Algernon, Selina, Sarah, Rachel, Frank L., and Benjamin K., of whom
further. Robert Tomlinson, the father, died in 1879, his wife surviving
him until 1893.

176 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Benjamin K. Tomlinson was born near Prospectville, on the home
farm in Horsham township, known as the old Armitage farm, September
9, 1848. He received his early education in the public schools of his
native district and then entered Shortledge's Academy, Concordville,
Delaware county, Pennsylvania. At this time the Civil War broke out,
and, although young Benjamin K. tried to enlist in three different com-
panies, he was each time rejected because of his youth, and finally served
his country in the next best way by engaging in farming. His first prac-
tical experience in this work was gained on the farm of Daniel Foulke,
of Gwynedd township, with whom he remained for a short time, going
from there to the city of Philadelphia, where, in association with his
brother, he engaged in the coal business, then for two years was a
farmer, after which he entered the commission business, handling poultry,
butter and eggs, then returned to farm life, which he followed for sev-
eral years. After a few years spent in Philadelphia, his next removal
was to Roxborough, where he returned to his first occupation, that of
farming. A few years later, in 1890, he purchased the old Freas farm of
thirty-nine acres in Whitemarsh township, and this he continued to
cultivate until 1906, when he came to Phoenixville and engaged in the
moving picture business. In this venture also he was successful, but at
the end of two years, after having profited largely in his last undertaking,
he went to Conshohocken and opened a real estate ofiice at No. 400
Ford street. In July, 1917, he removed his offices to No. 121 Ford street,
and here he has remained to the present time (1922). His business is a
large and important one and is steadily growing. His wide experience
in various lines of business activity together with his large executive
ability and his capacity for handling details, have made his last venture
a most eminently successful one. He is an honored member of the
Society of Friends at Plymouth Meeting, and is highly respected as an
able business man, a public-spirited citizen, and an upright Christian
gentleman.

Politically he reserves to himself the right to cast his vote for the
candidate best fitted for the office, regardless of party affiliation, in that
course which seems to him wise. In 1914 he was made justice of the
peace, and that office he has continuously and most efficiently filled to the
present time, the term for which he was last elected not expiring until
1926. During the World War, he was active as a member of the com-
mission, appointed for the purpose of managing the Liberty Loan drives
and he was also active in securing the local organization of the govern-
ment employment agency, and as a member of the Red Cross.

In 1872 Mr. Tomlinson married Catherine Shaw, daughter of Lewis
and Esther (Fitzwater) Shaw, both residents of Bucks county, Pennsyl-
vania, Mr. Shaw being a prominent farmer of that county. Mr. and Mrs.
Tomlinson are the parents of ten children : Edwin K., who married
Minnie Heyne ; Mary J., who married Lewis Hughs, and became the
mother of three children; Hannah K. ; Sarah K. ; Elizabeth; Walter;
Pamilla, deceased; Charles A., deceased; Lorenzo, and Edith B.

BIOGRAPHICAL 177

WILLIAM L. GOTWALS — Achieving success in a large way in one
of those lines of endeavor which represent national thrift in the industrial
world, Mr. Gotwals is the head of a flourishing business in Norristown,
which is conducted under the name of the Norristown Iron and Steel
Company.

The Gotwals family is an old one in Montgomery county, both the
name and the connections, since for several generations back, on both
paternal and maternal sides, members of the family have married natives
of Montgomery county. William L. Gotwals traces his ancestry on the
paternal side to a long list of European ancestors, all of whom, Adam
Gotwals, Henry Funk, Yellis Cassel (traced through two branches),
Jacob Shoemaker, Jacob Kreater, Ludwig Horning, and Hans Detwiler,
came to this country from Europe between the years 1700 and 1739.
From Adam Gotwals, born 1719, died 1794, who came to this country in
1739, the line is traced through (II) Henry Gotwals, born 1749, died 1832;
(III) John Gotwals, born 1777, died 1823; (IV) Joseph Gotwals, born
1810, died 1889; and (V) Abraham G. Gotwals, born in 1850 and died in
191 1, father of William L. Gotwals. The Funk line traces from Henry
Funk, who came from Europe in 1719, and died in Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, in 1760; through his son, Christen Funk, born 1731, died
181 1 ; his daughter, Elizabeth Funk, born 1756, died 1817, married Henry
Gotwals, of the second generation in the Gotwals line. Her mother was
Barbara Cassel, daughter of Yellis Cassel, who came to Montgomery
county from Europe in 1727, and died in 1750. From Jacob Shoemaker,
who came to this country in 1737, the line is traced through his son,
George Shoemaker, whose daughter, Susanna Shoemaker, born 1770,
died 1855, married John Gotwals, of the third generation in the Gotwals
line. John Gotwals and Susanna (Shoemaker) Gotwals were the parents
of Joseph Gotwals.

Joseph Gotwals married Mary Grater, whose paternal ancestor was
Jacob Kreater, who came to this country in 1733. His son, John Crater
(note successive changes in spelling), married Margaret Horning, daugh-
ter of Ludwig Horning, who came from Europe in 1732. Their son,
Abraham Grater, married Mary Cassel, daughter of Isaac Cassel, born
1746, died 1823, and granddaughter of that Yellis Cassel, already men-
tioned, who came from Europe in 1727, and died in 1750. The mother of
Mary Cassel was Barbara Detwiler, born 1768, died 1801, daughter of
John Detwiler, and granddaughter of Hans Detwiler, who came to this
country in 1700. Abraham and Mary (Cassel) Grater were the parents
of Mary Grater, who married Joseph Gotwals, of the fourth generation
in the Gotwals line. Joseph and Mary (Grater) Gotwals were the parents
of Abraham G. Gotwals, born 1850, died in 191 1, father of William L.
Gotwals.

Abraham G. Gotwals, son of Joseph and Mary (Grater) Gotwals,
married Mary C. Logan, a descendant of Alexander Logan, born 1737,
died 1807; William Logan, born 1759, died 1808, married Mary Brown,

i;8 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

born 1758, died 1845 ; through their son, Samuel Logan, born 1793, died
1861, married Mary Fulton, born 1799, died 1834, daughter of John and
Jane (Shepard) Fulton. Samuel and Mary (Fulton) Logan were the par-
ents of William B. Logan, born 1824, died 1912, father of Mary C. Logan.
William B. Logan married Catherine Carroll, born in 1826, died in 1905,
daughter of John Carroll, born in 1797, died in 1884, and Mary (Boyer)
Carroll, born in 1792, died in 1874. Mary Boyer was the daughter of
William Beyer (note difference in spelling), and Margaretha (Nun-
gesser) Beyer, the latter being the daughter of Valentin and Salome

( ) Nungesser, and granddaughter of Valentin Nungesser, who

came from Europe in 1733.

Abraham G. Gotwals was a carpenter by trade and active in con-
struction work for about fourteen years. He was for a time engaged in
mercantile pursuits and for years was warden of Montgomery county
prison. He was an active worker in the Republican party, was promi-
nent in the Masonic order, and was a member of the First Presbyterian
Church. He died at the age of sixty-one years, survived by his wife,
Mary C. (Logan) Gotwals, who is still living.

William L. Gotwals, son of Abraham G. and Mary C. (Logan) Got-
wals, was born in Upper Providence township, Montgomery county,
Penns}lvania, December 25, 1877. Educated in the schools of Norris-
town, he was graduated from the Norristown High School with the class
of 1896, and then studied structural drafting. This line of activity he
followed for about six years, during which time he was identified with
the Pencoyd Bridge Works and with the Cambria Iron Works, also as
chief draftsman for the Dauphin Bridge and Construction Company. In
1902 Mr. Gotwals established the Norristown Iron and Steel Company,
with headquarters at the corner of Ford and Washington streets, Norris-
town. Five years later the business had developed to such a point that
it seemed advisable to expand materially and go forward under mora
highly-organized methods. Accordingly, a corporation was formed,
with a capital of $20,000 under the name of the Norristown Iron and Steel
Company, the personnel of the concern being as follows : Abraham G.
Gotwals. president; W. L. Gotwals, secretary and treasurer. At the
death of Abraham G. Gotwals, which occurred in 191 1, he was succeeded
in the presidency by C. B. Daring, of Norristown. Since its incorpora-
tion, as previously stated, the business has been conducted under the
personal supervision of William L. Gotwals. The firm handles scrap
iron, and its operations extend from Maine to Georgia throughout the
Eastern and Middle Western States. In public affairs Mr. Gotwals
stands for progress. He is an active supporter of the Republican party,
but has never held a public office. During the World War he did all in
his power to forward the many home activities of the period, rendering
valuable service in many lines. He is a member of the First Presby-
terian Church of Norristown, which he serves as treasurer and as a mem-
ber of the board of trustees, and also as treasurer of the Sunday school,
in which he is an active worker.

BIOGRAPHICAL 179

Mr. Gotwals married, on October 21, 1903, Elizabeth Miller, daughter
of Isaac and Jermina (Mitchell) Miller, and they are the parents of
three children : William L., Jr., born November 30, 1905 ; John Henry,
born November 25, 1910; and Mary Elizabeth, born April 16, 1914. The
family home is at No. 902 DeKalb street, Norristown.

ROBERT GOTWALS TRUCKSESS— In the long ago David Truck-
sess. great-grandfather of Robert G. Trucksess, of Norristown and Fair-
view Village, was a noted singing master and held singing schools all
over Montgomery county, usually in the village or district school house,
but sometimes a church might be used. This fine old master of the olden
days organized classes all over the country during the winter seasons,
having every evening taken up with a class which sometimes would
include about every available voice in the district. All instruction, of
course, was by class, and it is said that in this way he had given musical
instruction to eight hundred scholars in one week. This grand old man,
himself a fine vocalist, continued his work as a teacher until far along in
years, and many later-day musicians received their first lessons and their
musical aspirations from him, for he had many private pupils whom he
taught outside his classes. He was a lieutenant in the United States
army, was promoted captain, becoming major in 1843, and lieutenant-
colonel in 1861. He died in 1897, aged eighty-four years.

David Trucksess was succeeded by his son, Andrew J. Trucksess, also
a talented vocalist, who continued the singing schools established by his
father, and when at the zenith of his popularity was giving class instruc-
tion to five hundred scholars in Montgomery county. For forty-five
years Andrew J. Trucksess was organist in Lower Providence Presby-
terian Church, and during that period missed but three Sundays from his
accustomed seat at the organ. He married Sarah Landis, and on Janu-
ary 15, 1923, the veteran music master and his wife observed the fifty-
third anniversary of their wedding day.

Music as a profession passed out of this branch of the family for a
time with the advent of David Landis Trucksess into business life as a
commission merchant in Philadelphia. He is a son of Andrew J. and
Sarah (Landis) Trucksess, and after twenty-five years of successful busi-
ness effort is now living retired at Fairview Village, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania. He married Mary Jane Gotwals, and they are the parents
of three children : Robert Gotwals, of whom further ; Elmer, a student
at Pennsylvania State College, class of 1926; Ruth G., who is supervisor
of music in the public schools of Plymouth, Worcester and Skippack
townships, and the public school of Schwenksville, music in her again
returning as a family profession, and thus a full century of professional
music was covered in the lives of David Trucksess and his descendants.

Robert Gotwals Trucksess, eldest son of David Landis and Mary
Jane (Gotwals) Trucksess, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July
7, 1897. He received his early education in the Joseph Leidy Primary
School, passing thence to Belmont Grammar School, both in Philadel-

i8o HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

phia. In 1913 he became a student in the high school of Worcester,
Montgomery county, and in 1915 entered Collegeville High School,
whence he was graduated, class of 191 5. He entered Ursinus College in
the fall of 1915, pursuing a three-year course there before going to Col-
gate University, whence he was graduated A. B., class of 1919. Having
decided upon the profession of law, he entered the University of Penn-
sylvania Law School, there spending two years. He is now completing
his studies in the offices of J. Ambler Williams, a successful lawyer of
Norristown, who has just been appointed judge, April 16, 1923, and is in
line for admission to the Montgomery county bar in January, 1924. In
1919 and 1920 Mr. Trucksess was professor of psychology at Millersville
State Normal School, Millersville, Pennsylvania, and while pursuing law
study at the university he held the position of assistant in psychology on
the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania (1921-22). He has now
nearly ready for publication a work entitled "A Modern Psychology,"
and while completing his preparation for the practice of law, he is holding
the office of assistant deputy prothonotary of Montgomery county.

As in his sister, the musical talent of the family has reappeared in
Robert G. Trucksess, and he is well known to music lovers and students.
He has at least a local reputation as a fine performer on the guitar, flute,
banjo, ukelele, cello and piccolo, and has created and introduced a new
method of playing the guitar, called the "American Guitar." Using this
method, he made record No. 50994 for the Edison Phonograph Company,
which has become very popular. He has also made trial records for the
Victor, Pathe, Gennett, Brunswick and Vocalion Phonograph companies,
and in the near future these companies will issue records by Mr. Truck-
sess, who is also the composer of a song "Sweet Violet." To further
show the versatility of this young man the fact is recorded that letters
patent. No. 1,344,216, has been issued him on an invention of his own, a
theatre chair which will obviate the necessity for one occupying such a
chair in a theatre rising to allow persons to pass in or out of their row
of seats. A company has been formed to manufacture this chair, the
Trucksess Chair Company, Robert G. Trucksess, president.

On July 28, 1918, Mr. Trucksess enlisted in the United States army
and was sent to Officers' Training Camp at Plattsburg, New York. On
September 16, 1918, he was commissioned second lieutenant; was made a
personnel officer on September 23rd, following, and placed in charge of all
personnel work at Colgate University camp, at Hamilton, New York. At
the time the armistice was signed Lieutenant Trucksess was about to
sail overseas, but the necessity over, he was honorably discharged from
the service December 28, 1918. He at once reentered Colgate University,
and was graduated the following June.

In politics Mr. Trucksess is a Republican. Fraternally he affiliates
with Hamilton Lodge (New York), No. 120, Free and Accepted Masons;
Cyrus Chapter, No. 50, Royal Arch Masons ; Norris Penn Chapter, Order
of the Eastern Star, No. 181, in which he is a past worthy patron; Tall
Cedars of Lebanon, No. 31, Norristown Forest; Acacia Club, College-

BIOGRAPHICAL i8i

ville; American Legion, George M. Althouse Post, of Norristown ; and
also holds membership in the Colb's Creek Country Club. In religion
Mr. Trucksess is a Presbyterian and attends the Lower Providence
Church of this denomination at Eagleville, Pennsylvania. Mr. Truck-
sess is a young man of energy, ambition and enterprise, who, in his pro-
fessional, official and social relations, holds so steadily to high ideals that
he commands the respect and confidence of all with whom he comes in
contact. Such a man is sure to succeed, and his many friends predict for
him a brilliant future.

GEORGE FETTERS HARTMAN, M. D.— Although a newcomer in
Norristown, Pennsylvania, in which borough he located in 1921, Dr.
Hartman is a veteran practitioner and a graduate of one of the leading
medical colleges of the United States, Jeflferson Medical College of Phil-
adelphia, his diploma from that time-honored institution dated 1885.
For thirty-six years Dr. Hartman practiced his profession in Port Ken-
nedy, Pennsylvania, and is one of Montgomery's most eminent physi-
cians. He is a great-grandson of Major Peter Hartman, who served in
the Revolutionary War as captain and major ; grandson of Peter Hart-
man, who was a non-commissioned officer in the War of 1812; and a son
of David R. Hartman, of Charlestown township, Chester county, Penn-
sylvania, who all his life was a farmer of that township and one of
the substantial men of that section. David R. Hartman married Fannie
Sheldrake, and they were the parents of Dr. George F. Hartman, of
Norristown.

George Fetters Hartman was born at the home farm at Pickering,
Charlestown township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, August 18, 1863,
and began his education in the public school of the district. He later
attended private school, passing thence to Westchester Normal School.
He prepared for professional life at Jefferson Medical College, Phila-
delphia, receiving his M. D. from that institution at graduation in 1885.
He at once established in practice at Port Kennedy and there continued
in successful practice until the autumn of 1921, when he came to Norris-
town and is there in practice among old friends and new, his acquaintance
being wide and numerous. The years have brought him professional
success and he has attained high rank among his contemporaries of the
Montgomery County Medical Society.

He is on the auxiliary stafif and one of the board of directors of Mont-
gomery Hospital, Norristown ; a trustee, and for ten yearscensor of Mont-
gomery County Medical Society; a director of the People's National
Bank of Norristown and a director of Montgomery Trust Company of
Norristown. He is a member of Montgomery County Medical, the State
Medical and the American Medical associations.

Dr. Hartman is a Republican in politics and in Upper Merion town-
ship, his former home, served two terms as commissioner of highways,
and as school director twelve years. He is a member of the Masonic
order, affiliated with lodge, chapter and commandery, a member of

i82 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Schuylkill Medical Club, Philadelphia Medical Club, the Ersine Tennis
Club, of Norristown, the Norristown Club, and the Norristown Driving
Club. Dr. Hartman loves a good horse of the light harness stock and
driving is as favored a recreation with him as tennis. He is devoted to
his profession, but is mindful of his civic and social responsibilities,
placing good citizenship a duty and a privilege.

Dr. Hartman married, in Philadelphia, October 20, 1887, Ella Stine,
of that city, daughter of Peter K. Stine, who retired after fifty years
service with the Pennsylvania railroad, as station master at Broad street
station, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, now deceased. Dr. and Mrs. Hart-
man have no children. The doctor's offices are at No. 614 Swede street,
Norristown, Pennsylvania.

JOHN M. KRUPP— A native son of old Montgomery, John M. Krupp
has risen to an influential position in the business life of his county and
from the vantage ground of success, reviews his four decades of life with
the satisfaction that comes to the man who succeeds in his undertakings.
He is a son of John H. and Mary (Moyer) Krupp, his father a merchant,
who, at the time of the birth of his son John M., was located in Hatfield,
Pennsylvania.

John M. Krupp was born in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, April 21, 1879,
and began his education in the district schools of Franconia township,
Montgomery county. He later attended Souderton High School and
finished his studies in Shissler College, Norristown, Pennsylvania. He
began business life with the Abraham Cox Stove Company of Lansdale,
Pennsylvania, beginning as junior clerk and rising to responsible position
during his twenty-one years of efficient service with that company. In
1908 he was one of them to organize the Krupp, Meyers & Hoflfman, coal,
feed, lumber and ice business.

That service eminently fitted him to manage a business of his own
and resigning his position he organized the Lansdale Porcelain Enamel
Company, with works in Lansdale, and with that enterprise safely
launched, he finally, in 1921, organized the Krupp-Meyer Foundry Com-
pany of Lansdale, John M. Krupp, president of both companies. A man
of genial nature, pleasing personality and sterling character, Mr. Krupp
has many friends by whom he is held in high esteem as business associate,
citizen and neighbor. He is a member of the Masonic order, holding its
thirty-second degree, being a member of Shiloh Lodge, No. 558; Lansdale
Chapter, Royal Arch Masons ; Hutchinson Commandery, Knights Tem-
plar; Philadelphia Consistory; Lu Lu Temple, Ancient Arabic Order
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine ; is affiliated with the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows ; the Knights of the Golden Eagle ; the Junior Order of
United American Mechanics ; is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran
church, and in politics is a Republican.

Mr. Krupp married, in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, September 30, 1908,
Alice A. Hoffman, daughter of N. O. and Mary (Renninger) Hoffman.
Mr. and Mrs. Krupp are the parents of three children: John M., Jr.,
Helen, and Robert.

CZ^

.^,

BIOGRAPHICAL 183

SAMUEL YEAKLE— For thirteen years Samuel Yeakle conducted
a coal, lumber, and feed business at Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, and
for twenty-nine years he has served as a member of the board of school
directors for Whitemarsh township. He is widely known and highly
esteemed in Montgomery county, both as a successful business man and
as a progressive and public-spirited citizen.

Samuel Yeakle is a descendant of Christopher Yeakle, the pioneer
ancestor of the family of that name in America, and of Maria (Schultz)
Yeakle, daughter of Balthasar and Susanna Schultz. The children of the
pioneer couple were: Susanna, who married Abram Heydrick ; Maria,
who married George Dresher ; Regina, who married Abram Schultz ;
Abraham, Anna and Christopher. Christopher Yeakle married Susanna
Kriebel, daughter of Rev. George Kriebel, and they were the parents of:
Lydia, Agnes, Anna, Sarah, George, Rebecca and Samuel. The line of
descent is traced through the youngest son of Christopher and Susanna
(Kreibel) Yeakle, Samuel, who was born at Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia,
August 25, 1798. He married (first) Lydia Anders. She died December
26, 1846, and he married (second), November 19, 1850, Susanna Dresher,
daughter of Samuel Dresher. Children of the first marriage were : Wil-
liam A., of further mention ; Charles A., and Abraham A. To the second
marriage no children were born. Samuel Yeakle removed to White-
marsh township in 1824, and engaged in farming there until 1853, when
he removed to Norristown.

William A. Yeakle, son of Samuel and Lydia (Anders) Yeakle, was
born in Whitemarsh township, October 20, 1824. He received a prac-
tical education in the public schools of his native district, and in 1850 he
began his independent career as a farmer. In that same year he was
elected a member of the board of school directors for the township and
that office he continued to fill for fifteen consecutive years. In 1870 he
was nominated for State Senator. He withdrew in favor of Hon. Henry
S. Evans, but three years later he was again nominated and elected in a
strong Democratic district. He served his term of three years, but
declined reelection. He represented the highest ideals of the Republican
party, and his vote consistently followed his convictions and stood for the
high moral principle which actuated both his business and his social life.
He was for many years a member of the Montgomery County Agricul-
tural Society, and in 1877 was chosen to represent that body on the State
Board of Agriculture. He drew his seat for the one-year term, but was
elected to serve for the succeeding term of three years, and again for a
third term of three years. On January 25, 1849, he married Caroline
Hocker, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Fravel) Hocker, of White-
marsh township, and they are the parents of two children: Annie H.,
and Samuel, of further mention.

Samuel Yeakle, son of William A. and Caroline (Hocker) Yeakle,
was born in Flourtown, Whitemarsh township, Pennsylvania, August
16, 1853, and received his education in the public schools of Whitemarsh
township and in Treemount Seminary, at Norristown, Pennsylvania.

i84 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

from which he was graduated in 1870. Upon the completion of his educa-
tion he became associated with his father on the farm at Flourtown, and
this connection he maintained until the death of his father in 1888. He
then continued to operate the farm alone until 1904, when he purchased
David Knipe's lumber, coal and feed business at Fort Washington. This
he continued to successfully conduct for a period of thirteen years, at
the end of which time he sold out to the Arbuckle-Gordon Company, in
the spring of 1917.

Along with the business interests already mentioned he has found
time and energy^ for other business associations. He is a member of the
board of directors of the Ambler Trust Company, and of the Community
Building and Loan Association. He has always taken an active interest
in the welfare of the community. Politically he gives his support to the
Republican party, and was postmaster of Fort Washington during 1910-
1914, and in addition to his twenty-nine years of service as a member of
the board of school directors for Whitemarsh township, he is serving his
second term as a member of the board of directors of the poor of Mont-
gomery county, and is now president of the board, and he is also treasurer
of the Fort Washington Fire Company and a trustee of the Union School.
His religious affiliation is with the Zion Lutheran Church, of White-
marsh, which he serves as a member of the board of trustees and secretary
of the church council ; he has been superintendent of the Sunday school
for the past twenty-five years.

On March 27, 1889, at Whitemarsh, Samuel Yeakle married Mag-
dalena E. Rhoads, daughter of Tilghman V. and Elizabeth (Breenig)
Rhoads, and they are the parents of one son, William Rhoads, who was
born July 30, 1893 ; he was educated in the public schools of White-
marsh, Ambler High School and Philadelphia Business College of Phil-
adelphia, and is now associated with his father. He enlisted in the United
States army during the World War, and on May 28, 1918, was sent to
Camp Meade, and assigned to the Medical Detachment Truck Supply
Train, No. 304, 79th Division. He served one year overseas, and saw
service in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, Verdun and St. Mihiel, and was
honorably discharged at Camp Dix, New Jersey, June 4, 1919. He is
now, 1923, commander of William Boulton Dixon Post, No. 10, American
Legion, of Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.

J. EARL MARSHALL— Recently allied with the textile industry
as one of the owners and executives of the Norristown Dye Works, J.
Earl Marshall is counted among the successful young men of Mont-
gomery county. The Marshalls are a very old family of Delaware
county, Pennsylvania.

J. M. Marshall, Mr. Marshall's father, was born at Marcus Hook,
Pennsylvania, about 1862, and is a son of James Thomas and Matilda
(Holstein) Marshall. Early in life J. M. Marshall entered the cotton
mills and learning the trade of spinner, was employed in that capacity
with the Trainer Spinning Mills Company, at Trainer, Pennsylvania,

BIOGRAPHICAL 185

until about 1900. Then removing to Norristown, he became identified
with the Wyoming Spinning Company, at the foot of Swede street,
accepting the position of superintendent of the mill. In the summer of
1913 Mr. Marshall purchased the equipment of the plant, which he
operated until 1920, at which time the equipment was sold for export to
Japan. On March i, 1921, Mr. Marshall, in company with his elder son,
J. Earl Marshall, bought the present interest. This was a long estab-
lished and successful business, located at No. 15 West Marshall street,
Norristown, and as the Norristown Dye Works the business is rapidly
expanding under the present management. J. M. Marshall is a member
and past master of Norristown Lodge, No. 620, Free and Accepted
Masons, and of the Modern Woodmen of America, is a member of the
First Methodist Episcopal Church, and is a trustee of the church and
member of its official board. He married, on September 25, 1895, Sarah
E. Webb, of Chester, Pennsylvania, and their two sons are: J. Earl, of
further mention; and Frank H., who was born November 3, 1901, and
is now in business with a cousin in the Voshelle Sign Service.

J. Earl Marshall was born August 13, 1896. Receiving his early
education in the public schools, he was graduated from high school in
1916, then had the advantage of a commercial course. After finishing
school he was employed with his father until the mill equipment was
sold as above mentioned. Thereafter, for one year, Mr. Marshall was
identified with the McCarter Iron Works, and in 1921, again became asso-
ciated with his father, this time in the newly acquired dye works. He
was one of the active executives of this business, and was contributing
materially to its progress. They were dyers for the textile trade, dyeing
yarns, hosiery, knit goods, etc., covering the entire field of cotton, wool,
worsted, and artificial silk. Their territory includes Montgomery, Berks,
Philadelphia and Delaware counties, in this State, and also reached the
New York and Brooklyn trade. They employed a full complement of
expert mechanics, had the most modern equipment and kept in touch
with the advance of science and invention in their own and allied fields.
The business was constantly increasing under their hands, and was
counted one of the really significant industries of the borough of Norris-
town. In September, 1922, the business was sold to residents of Phila-
delphia, who removed the equipment to Brooklyn to establish there.
J. M. Marshall then retired from active business. J. Earl Marshall then
became associated with the American Steel Equipment Company of Phil-
adelphia, in their department known as the American Heat Treating
Plant.

J. Earl Marshall served in the World War, entering the service on
September 4, 1918. He was detailed to Camp Greenleaf, Georgia, and
assigned to the Medical Department, but the armistice intervened before
he was called into active service, and he received his discharge on Decem-
ber 27, 1918. He is a member of the American Legion and Norristown
Lodge, No. 620, Free and Accepted Masons, is a member of the First
Methodist Episcopal Church, and active in the work of the church.

i86 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

J. Earl Marshall married, on June 30, 1919, Emily S. Furlong, daugh-
ter of A. J. Furlong, of Norristown. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall have one
son, Gordon Kenneth, born February 21, 1922. The family reside at No.
1332 Markley street, Norristown.

LAWRENCE ROSS DAVIS, D. D. S.— In the dental profession in
Montgomery county, Dr. Davis has won a leading position, his office
being located at Ardmore, and his residence at Narbeth, Pennsylvania.
His practice, however, extends throughout many of the adjacent com-
munities in this part of the county, and he is numbered among the prom-
ising young men of the day. A native of this State, he is a son of How-
ard E. and Sarah (Barker) Davis, of Narbeth.

Dr. Davis was born in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, May 21, 1898. His
education was begun in the public schools of Narbeth, to which com-
munity the family removed in his childhood, and his high school course
was covered in Lower Merion township. Thereafter, entering the Uni-
versity of Pennsylvania, he was graduated from that institution in 1919
with the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. Locating in Ardmore in
1920, Dr. Davis took up the practice of his profession, and although only
a comparatively short time has elapsed, he is taking a leading position
in dental circles in Montgomery county.

Dr. Davis is a member of Cassia Lodge, No. 273, Free and Accepted
Masons ; Montgomery Chapter, No. 262, Royal Arch Masons ; St. Albans
Commandery, No. 47, Knights Templar; and Lu Lu Temple, Ancient
Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Philadelphia. He is also
a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and the Penn Athletic
Club of Philadelphia. He has been an athlete of noteworthy attain-
ments since high school days, serving on the high school basketball team
throughout the course, on the baseball team after his freshman year, and
on the track during his senior year. He played on the University of
Pennsylvania Basketball team during 1917-18, and was its captain during
the scholastic year of 1918-19. He acted as coach in basketball at Haver-
ford School for the past three years and Haverford College for three
years. His favorite recreations are golf and tennis.

Dr. Lawrence Ross Davis married, in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, on
September 15, 1920, Grace Elizabeth Stillwagon, a member of a very
old Pennsylvania family, granddaughter of William H. and Emma J.
Stillwagon, and daughter of Howard S., whose life is reviewed in this
work, and Mary Elizabeth (Super) Stillwagon. Dr. and Mrs. Davis have
two children: Lawrence Ross, Jr., born November 15, 1921 ; and Jane
Elizabeth, born February 22, 1923.

PAUL E. LOOMIS— When the borough of Royersford, Pennsyl-
vania, was young and very small, Atmore Loomis formed a partnership
with Yelles Freed and bought the plant of the Royersford Foundry and
Machine Company and continued active until his passing; then his son,
Paul E., came into business prominence, and as president of the Hilltop

BIOGRAPHICAL 187

Garage and Machine Company, Inc., now the Royersford Screw Machine
Product Company, Inc., is at the head of an important enterprise.

Paul E. Loomis is a son of Atmore Loomis, and grandson of Esau
Loomis, the latter born in Nantmeal township, Chester county, Pennsyl-
vania, his father in Whiteland township, of the same county, his birth
date February 28, 1853. Atmore Loomis obtained a fair education, began
business life with the Philadelphia & Reading railroad, and was employed
by that company in various positions, finally being made station agent at
Royersford, a post he filled for several years. He then entered the
employ of the American Wood Paper Company, at Manayunk, Phila-
delphia, Pennsylvania, continuing with that corporation until the fall of
1891, when the partnership to which we have previously referred was
formed, and he thus continued in business until his death, August 2, 1912.

Atmore Loomis was a Prohibitionist in politics, and for twenty years
was a member of Town Council, being president of that body for a
number of years. He was a member of the Masonic order, affiliated with
Royersford Lodge, No. 585, Free and Accepted Masons, and Harrisburg
Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite; was a charter member of
the local lodge of the Knights of the Golden Eagle, and a member of the
Patriotic Order Sons of America. In religious belief Mr. Loomis was
a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, serving as a member of
the board of trustees, also as treasurer and in other capacities. He was a
good citizen, upright in life, public-spirited and progressive, and highly
esteemed in his community.

Mr. Loomis married, in 1876, Fannie Rennard, daughter of Jacob
Rennard, of Port Kennedy, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and to
them three children were born : Florence M., who married Charles Shel-
lenberger ; Mabel G. ; and Paul E., whose career is herein reviewed.

Paul E. Loomis was born in Royersford, Montgomery county, Penn-
sylvania, December 24, 1886. He was educated in the public and high
schools of Royersford, then graduated from Drexel Institute, class of
1905, after which he entered the shops of the Royersford Foundry and
Machine Company, his father's business, and there served an apprentice-
ship at the machinist's trade. He then took a business course in the
Pottstown Business College, class of 1910. After graduating from busi-
ness college he went to Philadelphia and entered the employ of the Lans-
ton Monotype Machine Company, remaining there five years, when he
returned again to Royersford and entered the employ of the Royersford
Foundry and Machine Company as foreman in charge of the second floor
of the works, continuing with the company until 1920, although he had
established and had in operation a flourishing garage. That business,
the Hilltop Garage, which is in a building 50 x 130 feet, with basement,
was established in a small way in 1913 by Mr. Loomis as a side issue.
The business grew rapidly for several years until 1920, when Mr. Loomis
gave it his entire time and attention. In June, 1920, he incorporated the
business as the Hilltop Garage and Machine Company, of Royersford,
Paul E. Loomis, president; H. E. Anderson, secretary; and Howard S.

i88 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Crosby, treasurer, whose sketch follows. The same year he completed
the erection of a two-story brick building, 50 x 138 feet, which is used as
a machine shop and factory for the manufacture of Van Gilder water
meters and for a general line of machine work. Lately, with the great
interest in wireless telegraphy, the company has given considerable
attention to the manufacture of radio accessories; in their plant they
employ about twenty-five men. On February 5, 1923, the concern's
name was changed to the Royersford Screw Machine Product Company,
Inc., the officers being the same as when it was the Hilltop Garage.

Paul E. Loomis is a member of Royersford Lodge, No. 585, Free and
Accepted Masons, of which he is pajt master. He is also a member of
the Philadephia Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite ; Rajah
Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Reading,
Pennsylvania; the Knights of the Golden Eagle; the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows; and is an official member of the Methodist Episcopal
church of Royersford.

Mr. Loomis married, on September 6, 1912, Elizabeth Bingaman,
of Coventryville, Chester county, Pennsylvania, and they are the parents
of two children: Atmore (2), born December 2, 1913 ; and Sarah, born
March 16, 1916. The family residence is at No. 121 Fourth avenue,
Royersford, Pennsylvania.

HOWARD S. CROSBY, treasurer of what was formerly the Hilltop
Garage and Machine Company, Inc., but now the Royersford Screw
Machine Product Company, Inc., of Royersford, Pennsylvania, was born
in Chester county, Pennsylvania, August I, 1885, son of Clement and
Hannah (Dillworth) Crosby, and grandson of Thomas Crosby, a shoe-
maker, who died in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, at the age of seventy-eight.
Clement Crosby was born in Warwick township, Chester county, Penn-
sylvania, and was employed later in life in the iron mills of Pottstown,
Pennsylvania, and Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, until about 1887. He then
became manager of the plantation and dairy farm belonging to Colonel
Armstrong, at Hampton, Virginia. There he has remained until the
present (1922), although he has long since retired from active participa-
tion in business, having reached the age of seventy-one. He married
Hannah Dillworth, born in Glenmore, Chester county, Pennsylvania,
who is yet his companion and helpmate.

Howard S. Crosby was educated in Hampton (Virginia) schools, and
for a time was employed by his father at the Armstrong dairy farm,
driving a milk wagon and doing farm work. He then served a three
years' apprenticeship at the barber's trade, afterwards learning the
machinist's trade with the William H. Sellers Company, of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. He spent three years with that company, then was
employed with the Lanston Monotype Machine Company, of Philadel-
phia, Pennsylvania, in the turning department, becoming assistant fore-
man of the entire turning department and foreman of the automatic screw
machine department of the plant. He remained with the last-named

BIOGRAPHICAL 189

company fourteen years, then came to Royersford, where on June i, 1921,
he became associated with Paul E. Loomis (see preceding sketch) in the
Hilltop Garage and Machine Company, Inc., now the Royersford Screw
Machine Product Company, Inc., of which he is treasurer.

Mr. Crosby, while employed in Philadelphia, enrolled in a night class
and was employed in the New Lyric Garage, at Cherry and Juniper
streets, working at the garage certain evenings and Saturday afternoons.
In this way he became familiar with automobile construction and is
both an expert machinist and automobile mechanic. He is a member of
the Masonic order, afifiliated with Oriental Lodge, No. 385, Free and
Accepted Masons, of Philadelphia ; and with Philadelphia Consistory,
Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. He is a member of the Star of Bethle-
hem Lodge, No. 190, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is
past noble grand ; and is past chief patriarch of Jordan Encampment, No.
55, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a member of Wauseka
Tribe, No. 48, Improved Order of Red Men ; the Midnight Sons' Club, of
Royersford, and of the Baptist church.

Mr. Crosby married, October 31, 1915, Anna L. Stout, daughter of
E. and Georgianna (Petitt) Stout. The family home is at No. 323 Chest-
nut street, Royersford, Pennsylvania.

SAMUEL D. CONVER — With unusually comprehensive preparation
for his career in the profession of the law, Samuel D, Conver has been
active in practice in Montgomery county for more than twelve years, and
has reached a position of assured success. Mr, Conver comes of a family
long resident in this county, and is a son of Samuel B. and Susanna Con-
ver. His father, who was an undertaker by occupation, and widely
known hereabouts, was born in 1845, and died in 1914. The mother was
born in 1850, and is still living.

Samuel D. Conver was born in Lansdale, Montgomery county, Penn-
sylvania, February 13, 1886. His education was begun in the public
schools of his native place, and he was graduated from the Lansdale
High School in 1902. He attended Perkiomen Seminary at Pennsburg,
Pennsylvania, for one year, and having covered his preparatory course
there, entered Princeton University in the fall of 1903. He was gradu-
ated from that institution in the class of 1907, taking his degree in Arts
and Letters. His choice of a profession long since determined, the young
man then entered the University of Pennsylvania Law School, from
which he was graduated in the class of 1910. Admitted to the bar within
the year, he began the practice of law at once, establishing offices in
both Norristown and Lansdale. He has been very successful in his
chosen field of endeavor, and is counted among the foremost professional
men of the day in this part of the State. Mr. Conver takes a very prac-
tical interest in the various avenues of advance along which civic affairs
are trending. He is a director of the Montgomery Trust Company, of
Norristown ; is solicitor for the First National Bank of Lansdale, the
North Penn Building and Loan Association, and the Honor Building and

I90 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Loan Association. In political matters he gives his support to the Repub-
lican party, but has thus far never accepted public honors. Fraternally
Mr. Conver holds membership in Shiloh Lodge, No. 558, Free and
Accepted Masons ; Lodge No. 997, Independent Order of Odd Fellows ;
Fraternal Order of Eagles, of Lansdale ; and the Loyal Order of Moose,
also of Lansdale. He is a member of St. John's Reformed Church.

Mr. Conver married, on June 14, 1915, at Richland, Pennsylvania,
Grace E. Landis, daughter of I. Frank and Elizabeth Landis, and they
have one daughter: Jean L., born November 30, 1921. The family home
is in Lansdale.

ALVIN FRANCIS LEIDY, for nearly forty years, has been identified
with the coal, feed, grain, and flour business of which he is now sole
owner and manager. He is well known in Montgomery county, where
his entire life has been passed, and he numbers among his many friends
a large group of those who are associated with him in business and social
activities. He is a descendant of Rev. John Leonhard Leydich, the line
of descent being traced as follows:

(II) Rev. John Philip Leydich, son of Rev. John L. Leydich, was
born April 28. 1715, and died January 14, 1784. He married Marie Cath-
arina Homrighausen, who was born June 30, 1721, and died October 31,
1801, and they were the parents of a family of children, among whom was
Philip.

(III) Philip Leidy (note the change in spelling) was born May 21,
1755, and died March 14, 1822. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary
War. He married Rosina Bucher, who was born February 22, 1760, and
died November 2, 1849, and they were the parents of children, among
whom was Samuel.

(IV) Samuel Leidy. son of Philip and Rosina (Bucher) Leidy, was
born August 3, 1790, and died September 25, 1873. He married Hannah
Schwenk, who was born August 11, 1793, and died April 3, 1857, and
among their children was Philip (2).

(V) Philip (2) Leidy, son of Samuel and Hannah (Schwenk) Leidy,
was born May 27, 1816, and died July 15, 1895. He married Elizabeth
Krause, who was born September 13, 1816, and died November 27, 1891,
and they were the parents of children, among whom was Ephraim K.

(VI) Ephraim K. Leidy, son of Philip and Elizabeth (Krause) Leidy,
was born November 19, 1841, and died August 20, 1913. He was engaged
in business for himself as a miller during the greater part of his life,
though during the early years of his mature life he was a journeyman.
He married Annie Beaver, who was born September 27, 1852, and died
October 29, 1886, and they were the parents of four children: Alvin
Francis, of further mention; Willard, who died in infancy; Elizabeth,
died in infancy; and Lillian, died in infancy.

(VII) Alvin Francis Leidy was born in Frederick township, Mont-
gomery county, Pennsylvania, August 21, 1871, and received his early
education in the rural public school of his native district. He then

BIOGRAPHICAL 191

entered Ursinus College, where he continued his studies for a period of
two terms, 1885-86. In 1887 he became associated with his father, who
was engaged in the coal, feed, grain and flour business at Delphi, Penn-
sylvania, and since that time he has been continuously and successfully
identified with that business. In 1906 it became necessary to find larger
quarters to accommodate the rapidly increasing volume of business, and
the plant was removed to the present location. Since the death of his
father in 1913, Mr. Leidy has been sole owner and manager of the con-
cern which has continued its marked growth. The main building,
100 X 70 feet, three stories high, and containing 21,000 square feet of floor
space, is supplemented by five storage buildings. No. i, consisting of two
sections, each thirty-four by twenty-four feet, and containing 1,632
square feet of floor space ; No. 2, containing 4,000 square feet of floor
space, used for storing hay; No. 3, at the railroad station, a building
30 X 60 feet, one floor, containing 1,800 square feet of floor space, and
another 12 x 60 feet, consisting of two floors, tracks, and coal bins; No.
4, 20 X 40 feet, one story, 800 square feet of floor space ; and No. 5, 20 x 10
feet, one story, used for meat scrap. With these exceptionally fine
storage facilities, Mr. Leidy is able to give excellent service to his num-
erous patrons and to conduct a business which is rapidly growing.
Politically Mr. Leidy is a Democrat, and fraternally he affiliates with
Warren Lodge, No. 310, Free and Accepted Masons, of CoUegeville,
Pennsylvania, and with the Knights of Friendship, of Zieglerville. His
religious interest is with the Reformed Church of Keelers, near Boyer-
town. Mr. Leidy has the original old family Bible which has been
handed down from the Rev. John Leonhard Leydich.

One June 6, 1891, at Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, Alvin Francis Leidy
married Ella M. Sweisford, daughter of Josiah A. Sweisford, a farmer
of Frederick township, who was born October 23, 1839, and is still living,
and of Marie (Geiger) Sweisford, who was born March 25, 1845, and died
March 20, 1915. Mr. and Mrs. Leidy are the parents of five children: i.
Raymond, who was born May 15, 1893, and died May 30, 1893. 2. Roy
S., who was born September 15, 1895, '^^'^ died in France, October 30,
1918. He was a graduate of Perkiomen Seminary and was beginning
his second year at Princeton when he enlisted for service in the World
War, November 2, 1917. He was sent first to Camp Meade and later,
January 7, 1918, to Newport News, Virginia, from which place he sailed
April 3, 1918, with Company M, 4th United States Infantry, Third
Division. He landed in Brest, France, April 12, 1918, and was sent to
the front in time to take part in the battles of the Aisne, Champagne,
Marne, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne, defensive
sector. He was killed on the field of honor in the last-named battle,
Meuse-Argonne, October 20. 1918, and his body was later brought home
and buried, on New Year's Day, 1922, with military honors. The Ameri-
can Legion Post at Schwenkville, Pennsylvania, is named for him, the
Roy S. Leidy Post, and his mother was presented with his service medal.
3. Elizabeth, born December 13, 1896, died at the age of three years, five

192 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

months, and twenty-one days. 4. Anna Marie, born February 14, 1908,
is a second year student in high school. 5. Katherine S., born February
24, 1910, is a senior in the public school and will graduate with the class
of 1923 ; she will also enter high school in September of the same year,
1923-

PAUL D. MILLER — A member of the sixth generation of a family
noted for their industry and ability, Paul D. Miller of Conshohocken,
Pennsylvania, is making a name for himself among the younger business
men of the city. Coming in 1919, in the three years that have followed he
has started and developed the second largest undertaking establishment
in Conshohocken. His father, J. Franklin Miller, who died April 22,
1916, at the age of forty-nine, was a resident of Franklin county, Penn-
sylvania, farming the homestead upon which four generations of his
family had lived and worked before him. Mary Elizabeth (Coble)
Miller, mother of J. Franklin Miller, is a descendant of a family orig-
inally from Holland, the Millers coming to Pennsylvania from the
Northern part of England in the early part of the seventeenth century.
J. Franklin Miller married Minnie Divelbliss, of ancient Franklin county
family, early iron-masters, she is a daughter of David, and granddaughter
of William Divelbliss. Mrs. Miller is still living.

Paul D. Miller was born in Peters township, Franklin county, Penn-
sylvania, February 26, 1893, and gained his early education in the public
schools. After attendance at Cumberland Valley Normal School he
pursued a course of study at Pennsylvania Business College, Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, then was an apprentice for two years under David Martin,
undertaker, at Greencastle, Pennsylvania. Later he attended Eckels
College of Embalming, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, whence he was
graduated in 1914. He followed this very thorough training with five
years of actual experience, and thus perfecting his knowledge of his voca-
tion, he established his present business in Conshohocken in 1919, at No.
125 Third avenue, corner of Central avenue, a quiet section of the city.

Mr. Miller, aside from his professional associations with the Mont-
gomery County Funeral Directors' Society, is affiliated with the Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows; the Knights of Pythias, of which he is
a trustee ; the Tall Cedars of Lebanon (Norristown, Pennsylvania) ; the
Improved Order of Red Men ; Patriotic Sons of America ; and Fritz
Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, all of Conshohocken ; he also is a
member of the Elks Club, of Norristown, Pennsylvania; a communicant
of the Lutheran church of Conshohocken, a deacon, teacher of a Sunday
school class for men and boys, and past president of St. Mark's Lutheran
Brotherhood.

Mr. Miller married, in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, March 17, 1921,
Minnie Snyder, daughter of John and Ella Snyder, well known residents
of that place. The Snyder family paternally are of German descent, and
on the maternal side — Bryson — came from Ireland. Both grandparents
of Paul D. Miller, Joseph Miller and David Divelbliss, were Civil War
veterans from Pennsylvania.

BIOGRAPHICAL 193

Paul D. Miller is the third undertaker in Conshohocken to bear the
Miller name, he succeeding William J. Miller. His mortuary establish-
ment is finely equipped with sanitary morgue, parlors arranged for the
holding of funeral services, automobile hearse and carriages, and night
or day service, his home being connected v^^ith his establishment.

EDGAR STANLEY BUYERS, M. D.— Since 1903 Dr. Buyers has
practiced medicine in Norristown, Pennsylvania, there establishing offices
at No. 612 De Kalb street, upon completing a term at Montgomery
Hospital as interne. Nineteen years have since elapsed and he is now a
veteran practitioner, honored as a citizen and highly esteemed as a
physician of learning and skill. Dr. Buyers is of Lancaster county birth,
tracing descent from John Buyers who, with his wife, Mary Letitia
(Patton) Buyers, came to Pennsylvania from County Monaghan, Ireland,
in 1735, and in 1744 bought from the agents of Thomas and Richard Penn
236 acres of farm land in the Pequea Valley, in Lancaster county. John
Buyers was born in 1702, and died in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in
1756. Dr. Edgar S. Buyers has, in his possession, the church certificate
certifying that John Buyers and Mary L., his wife, nee Patton, were
members of Protestant Dissenting church, in Monaghan, Ireland, June

4, 1737-

The descent is Scotch-Irish, traced from John and Mary L. (Patton)
Buyers, the founders of the family in Pennsylvania, in direct line to Dr.
Buyers, of Norristown, through the second son of the founders, Captain
Robert Buyers, an officer of the Revolution, commissioned captain by
the Pennsylvania House of Assembly, April 6, 1776, Dr. Buyers having
his discharge among his treasured mementoes of his patriotic ancestors.
The sword Captain Robert Buyers carried and his commission is in the
possession of James A. Buyers, of Stirling, Illinois. He, Captain Buyers,
was born in 1746, died in 1801. He married Jean Armour, the line of
descent following through their son, Robert Armour Buyers.

Robert Armour Buyers, born in 1778, died in 1816, married Elizabeth
McCally, and succeeded his father. Captain Robert Buyers, in the owner-
ship of the homestead farm until his death at the age of thirty-eight years.
James Armour Buyers, grandfather of Edgar S. Buyers, with his brother,
John McCally, were joint owners of the homestead. The farm is now
owned by William Caldwell, a descendant of the fifth generation. Two
sons of James Armour Buyers, John and James, enlisted in the Union
Army at the outbreak of the Civil War and served until the end of the
war. Smith Patterson Buyers, youngest son of James Armour and
Eliza Jane (Mcjimsey) Buyers, was born April 23, 1853. He, after
forty years of farm life and ownership, retired. He married Margaret
M. Kennedy, daughter of Sylvester and Martha (Kinzer) Kennedy, and
they are the parents of Dr. Edgar Stanley Buyers, of Norristown, Penn-
sylvania, whose career is herein reviewed.

Dr. Edgar Stanley Buyers was born at the home farm at Buyers-
Mont — 13

194 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

town, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, September 6, 1878. He began his
education in the public schools of his district, going thence to Honey-
brook High School in Chester county, afterwards entering Blair Presby-
terian Academy at Blairstown, New Jersey, where he completed prepara-
tory study. Choosing the profession of medicine as his life work, he
entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania,
whence he was graduated M. D., class of 1902. He then spent a year as
interne at Montgomery Hospital, Norristown, Pennsylvania, and in 1903
began private practice in that borough, where he continues in honor and
success. Since 1913 he has been physician and surgeon to the Pennsyl-
vania railroad for the Norristown district, and since 1916 secretary of
the Montgomery County Medical Society. He is a member of the Phil-
adelphia Medical Club, of the Aesculapian Club of that city, and of the
Penn Club. During the war period 1917-1918, he was physician to the
Norristown selective draft board.

Dr. Buyers is a Republican in politics, a member of the First Pres-
byterian Church ; Norristown Lodge, No. 190, Free and Accepted Masons ;
and is a lover of field sports, spending his vacation periods when possible
with gun and rod.

He married, September 15, 1909, in Norristown, Pennsylvania, Mary
E. Kite, daughter of George R. and Emma (Moir) Kite, her father cashier
of the First National Bank of Norristown.

WILLIAM F. SMITH, or Squire William Smith, as he is generally
called, is the son and grandson of fighting ancestors, and himself served
in the Civil War until disabled. He is a pioneer resident of Consho-
hocken, Pennsylvania, and knew the city, and had an active share in its
municipal afifairs in its early days. He is the grandson of John Smith,
who served as quartermaster under General Greene, in the Revolutionary
War, and ranked as captain in his New Jersey Regiment. His son,
Andrew Smith, married Sarah W. Wilkinson, the daughter of Josiah
Wilkinson, who won fame for the part he took in Perry's victory on the
Great Lakes, during the War of 1812. One of the valued family pos-
sessions is a powder horn, owned and used by Josiah Wilkinson. Sarah
W. (Wilkinson) Smith was the mother of William F., of whom further.

William F. Smith was born July 27, 1840, near Mullica Hill, Glou-
cester county. New Jersey. In the Quaker school of Mickleton, New
Jersey, he gained his education. He was a tiller of the soil and later, a
house painter until the Civil War broke out and was one of the first to
enlist at Lincoln's call for troops. He came to Conshohocken, Pennsyl-
vania, in November, 1867, after the war and, as a staunch Republican,
was honored with public office, for three terms, of burgess of the borough
of Conshohocken. At the beginning of his third term, in 1892, the
borough had just seventeen cents in its treasury, with a multitude of
debts to be paid, but before his service was ended, the town was not only
out of debt, but had money in its treasury. Since May, 1880, he has been
a justice of the peace, and is universally known as "Squire Smith."

BIOGRAPHICAL 195

He fraternizes with the Washeta Tribe, of the Improved Order of
Red Men, of which he is a past sachem; the Junior Order of United
American Mechanics ; and is past master of the Fritz Lodge, No. 420,
Free and Accepted Masons.

His military record in the Civil War is as follows : He enlisted April
19, 1861, from West Chester county, Pennsylvania, to serve three months,
and was mustered into the army at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as a
private, then under Captain Benjamin Sweeney, Company G, Second
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Frederick S. Stam-
baugh commanding. It was one of the first volunteer regiments organ-
ized, April 21, 1861, and left Harrisburg immediately for Washington,
but was halted by a destroyed bridge and went to York, Pennsylvania,
where it camped and trained until June i. It then went to Chambers-
burg, where Mr. Smith was honorably discharged because of sickness and
returned home. Upon the recovery of his health, he reenlisted on Sep-
tember 30, 1 861, for the duration of the war, as a private in Company H,
97th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Charles
Mcllvain, Colonel Henry R. Guss, commanding. He went to camp at
Camp Wayne, near West Chester, Pennsylvania, where, on November
12, the regiment was reviewed by Governor Curtin, who presented it
with the State colors. On November 16, it left for Washington, D. C,
and four days later moved into Fortress Monroe, Virginia, and on Decem-
ber 8, shipped for Port Royal, South Carolina, arriving on December 14,
but was unable to land for three days because of a severe storm. On
January 21, they embarked for an expedition against Fort Pulaski, near
Savannah, Georgia. Heavy guns were landed and a demonstration made,
and the enemy capitulated on the following morning. Mr. Smith then
went with his command to Fort Clinch on the St. Mary's river, Fernan-
dina, Florida, and immediately left for Jacksonville, Florida, arriving
on January 24, 1862. He was engaged for a time in building defences
about Jacksonville, but the city was evacuated the following April, and
Mr. Smith returned to Fernandina. On the tenth of April, he marched
to Hilton Head, and by the nineteenth, was at North Edisto Island,
where he performed fatigue duty until June 2, when he was moved to
Legreeville, made a reconnaissance on the seventh of June, fighting a
drawn engagement at the battle of Secessionville, James Island, South
Carolina, where the regiment was under severe fire and displayed great
bravery. Later in the month the Island was evacuated, and returning to
Edisto Island, occupied their old quarters. On July 18, he was ordered
to Hilton Head and was on picket duty along Broad river, from Say-
brook Point to Back Creek, until September 6. The regiment suffered
greatly from fever about this time, and Mr. Smith was among those who
became ill, and only he and one other comrade of tweny-eight men of his
company survived. Rendered unfit for further service by his sickness,
he was honorably discharged on November 15, 1862, and returned to
West Chester, where he remained until 1867. Enlisting as a private, Mr.
Smith was appointed an eighth corporal October 17, 1861, promoted to

196 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

seventh corporal November, i86l, sixth corporal later in the month,
fifth corporal May 25, 1862, and fourth corporal October 8, 1862. He is
prominent in the Grand Army of the Republic, George Smith Post, No.
79, and has been junior and senior vice-commander and quartermaster
for the past thirty-two years.

RALPH PHILLIPS HOLLOWAY— The office of postmaster seems
hereditary in the HoUoway family, Ralph P. Holloway being the present
incumbent of that office in Pottstown, his father, a general merchant of
Douglassville, Berks county, Pennsylvania, having served as postmaster
there for four years, from 1890 to 1894, while Levi Baum Holloway,
grandfather of Ralph P., served Douglassville as postmaster for twenty-
one years, from 1865 until January, 1886. Levi B. Holloway was a mer-
chant of Douglassville, his son, Elmer Phillips Holloway, succeeding him
in the business. Elmer P. Holloway married Eleanor Virginia Swavely,
their son, Ralph P. Holloway, being the present postmaster of Potts-
town, and the principal character of this review.

Ralph Phillips Holloway was born in Douglassville, Berks county,
Pennsylvania, January 11, 1887, in a stone mansion erected in 1769,
which was used as a place of business for many years by George Doug-
lass, after whom the village was named. This house is within 150 yards
of the oldest house in Berks county, now standing, which was built in
the year 1716. He was educated in the public schools of Amity township,
finishing with courses at the Pottstown Business College. In 1903, four
years after the death of his father, the family removed to Pottstown.

After school years were over he entered the employ of P. L. Egolf &
Son, lumber dealers of Pottstown, but in a short time left them to enter
the service of the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company, in the
accounting department at Pottstown, continuing with the company for
fifteen years, filling responsible positions.

Ever since coming to man's estate Mr. Holloway has been active in
political afifairs as a Republican, and has filled several important offices.
He is interested in business aftairs as well and since 1919 has been secre-
tary of the Pottstown Cold Storage & Warehouse Company. He served
as borough auditor for one term and on February 12, 1922, was appointed
by President Harding as acting postmaster at Pottstown, which action
was confirmed by the Senate on August 23, 1922, his term of four years
dating from the latter date.

He is a member of Pottstown Lodge, No. 814, Benevolent and Pro-
tective Order of Elks; Court Pottstown, No. 137, Foresters of America;
the Republican Club, the Empire Hook & Ladder Company, the Young
Men's Christian Association, and Christ Protestant Episcopal Church of
Pottstown. Mr. Holloway has but one brother, Harry Augustus Hollo-
way, who also resides in Pottstown.

JOSEPH A. CURREN— A member of the firm of Curren & Boyer,
Mr. Curren is a dominant figure in the business world of Norristown,
Pennsylvania. Of Irish ancestry, he was born at Norristown, October

BIOGRAPHICAL 197

9, 1878, son of Patrick, Jr., and Rose (Sheridan) Curren. His father
was born at Girardville, Pennsylvania, son of Patrick Curren, Sr., who
came to Philadelphia from County Cavan, Ireland, the ancestral home of
the Currens.

Patrick Curren, Jr., Mr. Curren's father, was a man of large inter-
ests, and, although he came to Norristown as a young man, he never
relinquished all his connections in Philadelphia, but maintained his posi-
tion as a member of the well known wholesale liquor firm of Bunting &
Company in that city until his death. He was one of the organizers of
the Norristown Water Company, and owned a splendid farming property
at Norristown, taking a great interest in agricultural work and experi-
mentation. A public-spirited citizen, he took his share in political life
and served for ten years as a member of the Borough Council at Norris-
town. He had a family of five children, of which Mr. Curren is the
youngest, his sisters and his brother being as follows: Annie, who mar-
ried J. Frank Boyer, Mr. Curren's partner and one of the leading busi-
ness men of Norristown ; Julia, who is unmarried ; Jean ; and Edward F.,
who is also a resident of Norristown.

Mr. Curren received his education in the public schools of Norris-
town and was also a pupil of the parochial school of St. Patrick's Cath-
olic Church there, his family being Catholics. He was graduated from
school in 1895, and began his business career as an assistant in his
father's wholesale liquor store at Philadelphia. He continued in this
establishment, one of the many business enterprises in which his father
was interested, until 1901. In that year he decided to seek a change of
employment and entered into partnership with his brother-in-law, Mr.
Boyer, organizing the firm of The J. F. Boyer Plumbing and Heating
Company, specialists in plumbing, heating and electrical installations,
Mr. Curren being treasurer of the firm and general manager of the elec-
trical department. The new firm prospered from its inception, and at the
present time it is one of the most prominent of its kind in the county.

In addition to his duties as a member of the above firm, Mr. Curren
is engaged in the real estate business and has himself transacted many
important deals. Together with Mr. Boyer, however, Mr. Curren is
developing what is known as Curren Terrace. This property was for-
merly the Curren farm, consisting of sixty-six acres, two-thirds of
which is in the borough of Norristow^n and the remaining third in Ply-
mouth township. This tract, which is the show place of the east end
of Norristown, is being developed with private boulevards, hedge fences
and building restrictions. Already eighteen homes have been built on
the property, which is large enough to accommodate one hundred
houses. The premises of the firm of The J. Frank Boyer Plumbing and
Heating Company are located in the Boyer Arcade, which was named for
Mr. Boyer, and the new arcade, but lately completed at Nos. 51-61 East
Main street, is named for Mr. Curren and known as the Curren Arcade.
This latter building, which was remodelled from old ones, including sev-
eral additions, has a frontage of one hundred feet, a depth of one hundred
and fifty feet, and is three stories high. The arcade contains five stores
fronting on Main street, with separate entrances to the arcade, thirty-

198 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

seven offices, and two large halls, and is the last word in modern
architecture.

A stockholder in the Norristown Water Company, Mr. Curren takes
a great interest in the prosperity and progress of this company. As one
of the most progressive and energetic men of affairs of the community,
he is a strong supporter of all civic improvements and movements cal-
culated to increase the general welfare, such as those for better roads,
improved street lighting systems, increased facilities for the use of elec-
tricity, telephones, and similar modern conveniences throughout the
town, and especially in rural districts, where, in the old days, isolation
and drudgery were too often the lot of the farmer and his family, and
the maintenance of the most rigid standards of sanitation, including the
inspection of milk, provision shops, drinking water, and public buildings,
especially schools, in order to prevent epidemics and to raise the stand-
ards of health, already higher at Norristown than in many other places
of equal or greater size. In politics Mr. Curren is a Democrat, and
believes that the Democratic part}- should lead the country in construc-
tive policies and ideals.

Mr. Curren and his family are members of St. Patrick's Roman Cath-
olic Church at Norristown. He belongs to the Benevolent and Protec-
tive Order of Elks, holding membership in Norristown Lodge, No. 714.
An ardent player of golf, and an enthusiastic spectator of horse races,
Mr. Curren is a member of the Plymouth Country Club ; the White-
marsh Country Club ; the Norristown Club ; and also the Ersine Tennis
Club.

Mr. Curren married, on October 11, 1910, at Norristown, Margaret
M. Gleason. daughter of John and Mary (Dalton) Gleason. Mrs. Cur-
ren's father died in 1892, and her mother married (second) Patrick
Golden. Mrs. Curren was her father's only child, but she has a step-
brother, John Golden, and two step-sisters, Mary and Anna Golden.
Mr. and Mrs. Curren have one son, John Frank Curren, born March 31,
1916.

NEWTON G. ALLEBACH, M. D.— The medical fraternity of Sou-
derton, Pennsylvania, has among its prominent members Dr. Newton
G. Allebach, who has not only made a name for himself in the medical
world, but is becoming conspicuous in municipal affairs. Skilled, edu-
cated, of an engaging personality, he has made his influence felt by the
citizens of that place, and is much sought not only in his profession, but
in the many movements aimed at the betterment of local conditions.
He is the son of Jacob R. and Esther J. Allebach, his father a merchant
and proprietor of a general store in Green Lane, Pennsylvania, for
thirty-five years, and president of the Green Lane Valley Bank from its
establishment until his death in 1914.

Dr. Newton G. Allebach was born at Green Lane, Pennsylvania, Jan-
uary II, 1888. After attendance at the public schools and Professor
Hartzell's Academy, whence he was graduated in 1904, he entered Per-
kinson Seminary, finishing with the graduating class of 1908. He pre-
pared for his profession at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia,

JIJetDton 6. ;^llebacD, £0. D.

BIOGRAPHICAL 199

receiving his M. D. with the class of 1913. He spent some time as
interne in Allentown Hospital, Allentown, Pennsylvania, locating in
Souderton for private professional practice in 1914, and there he contin-
ues with honorable success. He is a member of the Montgomery County
Medical Society, Pennsylvania State Medical Society, and the Amer-
ican Medical Association, keeping in close touch with every advance in
medical science or discovery through the medium of these societies.

Interested in public affairs, Dr. Allebach has given a great deal of
time to borough aflfairs both in private and official capacity. He was
elected a member of the Borough Council in 192 1, and in July, 1922,
was chosen president of the council. He is a member of the Masonic
order, afifiliated with McCalla Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons ; the
Royal Arch Chapter, and Hutchinson Commandery, Knights Templar;
he is also a member of Souderton Lodge, Independent Order of Odd
Fellows; Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity (Jeflferson). and a communicant
of Zion Mennonite Church of Souderton. He was elected a member of
the Church Council in 1920, and was president of the Men's Volunteer
Bible Class of the Sunday school during 1921 and 1922.

At Green Lane, Pennsylvania, January 27, 1914, Dr. Allebach mar-
ried Luella Blanck, daughter of Dr. Joseph E. and Amanda Blanck. Dr.
and Mrs. Allebach are the parents of three children : Eatha, born Janu-
ary 2, 1915; Martha, bom September 29. 1916; and Dorothy, born
August 15, 1922.

JOHN CHRISTMAN SMITH— Every locality owes much to those
who have given of their best during the years of their active life and
then have quietly passed beyond our ken into the "Land o' the Leal."
leaving a good work and a beneficent influence to live after them. Among
those who have, in years past, taken an active part in the development of
Montgomery county, is John Christman Smith, who passed from this
life more than four decades ago, but whose work left a lasting imprint
upon the development of his section of the county.

Abraham Smith, father of John C. Smith, was born in Frederick
township, March 18, 1794, his parents being Jacob and Margaret Smith,
descendants of German ancestors who were among the early settlers of
Pennsylvania. Sorrow early came to the home in which Abraham Smith
was born, his mother being left a widow when the child was only thir-
teen months old, and the child, Abraham, being "bound out" to Jacob
Fryer when he was but four years of age, to be "brought up" in a Chris-
tian family. He learned the shoemaker's trade with Michael Sensen-
derfer, of Limerick township, and on September 20, 1816, when he was
twent3r-two years of age, he married Elizabeth Christman, of Limerick
township, and removed to Deep Creek in Frederick township, where he
followed his trade for some time and then engaged in farming and huck-
stering. About 1836 he removed to Pottstown, where he became the
proprietor of a general store, and where he remained during the rest
of his life. He was a soldier in the company of Captain Peter Hanley,
of Pottstown, during the War of 1812. To his first marriage, to Eliza-
beth Christman, six children were born : Mary, who married Levi Wil-

200 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

dermuth ; John C, of further mention ; Elizabeth, who married Rufus
B. Longaker ; Jacob C. ; Sarah, who married William Wamback ; and
Abram C. The first Mrs. Smith died, and Abraham Smith married (sec-
ond), in 1845, Mrs. Mary Maisberger. There were no children of the
second marriage. Abraham Smith died April 6, 1878, in the eighty-fifth
year of his age.

John Christman Smith, son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Christman)
Smith, was born at Deep Creek, Frederick township, December i, 1818,
and died July 21, 1882. He received his education in the public school
of the district in which his youth was spent, in Limerick township,
working on a farm before and after school hours and during vacations.
In 1836 he removed to Pottstown with his parents, and became his
father's assistant in the general store, continuing this connection until
the time of his father's retirement, when he continued the business alone,
adding to that activity a considerable amount of work on the tow-path.
That he was successful in this second field of activity as well as in the
first is evidenced by the fact that he became a canal-boat captain and
owner. Of this latter achievement he was very proud, and during his
later years looked back with much pleasure upon the days of his "tow-
path" experience.

Along with his business success, Mr. Smith took a deep and active
interest in public affairs. He was a Democrat of the old Jacksonian type
and one of the leaders of his party in Montgomery county. In the
fiercely waged contest over the proposal that a new county be formed,
to be called Madison, with Pottstown as its county seat, Mr. Smith
advocated the change and for many years continued the struggle for its
acceptance, combatting the opposing element with all the energy of the
"war horse" of those days. In the fall of 1852 he was nominated for
State Senator, but the campaign became a struggle between the friends
and the enemies of "Madison county" and he was defeated, his Whig
rival, Benjamin Frick, winning by thirty-two votes. A few years later,
however, in 1861, he was again nominated for State Senator, his oppo-
nent being Henry W. Bonsall, a prominent member of the Montgomery
county bar, and was elected by a majority of 767 votes. His term in the
Senate came during the most critical period of the Civil War, he serv-
ing in the sessions of 1862, 1863, and 1S64, with such eminent men as
Heister Clymer, Henry S. Mott, W. W. Ketcham, A. K. McClure, Mor-
row B. Lowrey, William A. Wallace, Harry White, William Hopkins,
Benjamin Champneys and others. He took part in the election of Hon.
Charles R. Buckalew, as United States Senator in 1863, when the Demo-
crats had a majority of one on joint ballot in the Legislature. He was
also a member during the famous deadlock session of 1864, when Gen-
eral Henry White, a Republican member, was absent, held a prisoner by
the Confederates at Richmond, which absence left the Senate with six-
teen Republican and sixteen Democratic members. He served on several
important committees. In 1872 he was again nominated, and carried a
large majority in his own county, but, as the district then included
Chester and Delaware counties, the majorities in those sections defeated
him. In local politics he was active and served in various capacities. In

BIOGRAPHICAL 201

185 1, 1852, and 1853, he was chief burgess of Pottstown. For at least
two terms he was a member of the Town Council, and at various times
held other offices of trust in the gift of the people. In all these offices he
served faithfully and efficiently, giving to public duties the same care
and the same conscientious attention that he gave to his own affairs.

As a business man he was conservative and possessed a keen, dis-
cerning judgment which made him much sought by various business
organizations. He was for several years president of the Perkiomen
and Reading Turnpike Company, also of the Schuylkill Bridge Com-
pany at Pottstown and the Pottstown Gas Company, also a member of
the board of directors of the Colebrookdale railroad, all four of which
positions he continued to hold to the time of his death. He invested
chiefly in real estate and at the time of his death was the largest prop-
erty holder in Pottstown. Enterprises planned for the benefit of the
community and the town found in him a generous and a wise supporter
and helper, and when Trinity Reformed Church of Pottstown, of which
he was a member, was built, he was one of the active promoters and gen-
erous contributors to the project.

John Christman Smith married Rebecca Maria Pennypacker, daugh-
ter of Henry and Elizabeth Pennypacker, of Hanover township, Mont-
gomery county, and they were the parents of four children: i. Sarah E.,
born October 23, 1842, died February 7, 1912, married William H.
Rhoads, who was born August 17, 1855, and died March 5, 1903, and they
became the parents of one child, Edna R. Rhoads, now living at Potts-
town. Miss Rhoads prizes highly several articles of historic value which
were the property of her grandparents. She is very active in Trinity
Reformed Church, of which her father also was a member, and few com-
mittees are considered complete without her. She has traveled quite
extensively in the United States, and is a cultured, benevolent gentle-
woman who brings much of happiness and comfort into the lives of
many around her. 2. Mary Ann, married Henry G. Kulp. 3. Henry,
deceased. 4. Andora P., married Charles F. Sissler.

SIMON CAMERON CORSON— As a civil engineer Mr. Corson has
been identified with a great amount of important construction, private,
corporate and public, both in the United States and the West Indies.
Now that years have taken away some of that enthusiasm which sent
him anywhere in the line of his profession he has confined himself to the
duties of the position he fills, engineer to the borough of Norristown.

Simon C. Corson is a son of George Norman Corson, grandson of
Charles Corson, great-grandson of Joseph Corson, great-great-grandson
of Benjamin (3) Corson, son of Benjamin (2) Corson, son of Benjamin
(i) Corson, son of Cornelius Corson, who came to Staten Island, New
York, in 1685, with a party of Huguenots from Vendee, France, the
original name Coursen. Among the children of Cornelius Corson was a
son Benjamin (i) Corson, who about 1726 made Bucks county, Pennsyl-
vania, his home. His wife Nelly bore him a son Benjamin (2) Corson,
who married Marie Suydam, and they were the parents of Benjamin
(3) Corson, who married Sarah Dungan.

202 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Among the children of Benjamin (3) and Sarah Dungan was a son
Joseph Corson, who married Hannah Dickinson, and settled at Hickory-
town in Plymouth township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, where
their son Charles was born January 22, 1801. For more than forty years
Charles Corson lived on his farm at the junction of Skippack and Per-
kiomen creeks in Lower Providence township, Montgomery county, and
was of that band of abolitionists who made the "Underground Railway"
a success in aiding the escape of slaves. Charles Corson married Sarah
Egbert, born March 17, 1801, died August 23, 1864. Charles Corson died
May 5, 1878, and both are buried in Montgomery cemetery, Norristown.

George Norman Corson, third son of Charles and Sarah (Egbert)
Corson, was born at the homestead in Plymouth township, Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, March 11, 1833, and until the Civil War was
engaged in securing his own education, secular and professional, he
becoming a member of the Montgomery county bar. He also taught
school during that period and when war broke out between the North
and South he was well established in law practice. He volunteered for
service with the first "three months men" in 1861, and served his term
of enlistment with the 4th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.
He was intending to reenlist, but was thrown from his horse and so
seriously injured that further military service was impossible.

From his return from the army until his passing in 1902, George Nor-
man Corson was engaged in law practice and ably served his day and
generation both as lawyer and citizen. He was a man of brilliant mind
and high attainment, a writer of marked ability and as a lawyer noted
for capacity for work and study in preparing his cases. George Norman
Corson was one of the first men of Montgomery county to ally himself
with the Republican party and for years he was a leader in party poli-
tics, no campaign lacking his eloquent pleas for his party's success. In
1862 he was appointed notary public by Governor Curtin, there then
being but two in all Montgomery county. In 1863 he was appointed
register in bankruptcy for Montgomery and Lehigh counties and no
decision he rendered while holding that office was reversed. In 1869
he was nominated by acclamation for law judge of Montgomery and
Bucks counties and in 1873 was a member of the Pennsylvania Constitu-
stitutional Convention. He was active in the work of the Convention
and first moved the elimination of the word "White" from the consti-
tution that the colored citizen might not be discriminated against. He
contributed a series of newspaper articles descriptive of the Convention,
and drew "Pen Portraits" of the leading members. He was a volumi-
nous writer for the press during his career, his quality of wit and humor
blending beautifully with his grave side.

George N. Corson married, September 29, 1859, Maria Hurst, who
died September 21, 1899, her husband surviving her until March 12,
1902. To Mr. and Mrs. Corson five children were born: i. Georgine,
married J. S. Singer. 2. S. Cameron, of further mention. 3. Rosalie,
married George N. Weaver. 4. Harold, of Norristown, married Carrie
Gautier (deceased) ; then he married Mable Nyce. 5. Chalfred, married
Bertha Eckhardt.

BIOGRAPHICAL 203

S. Cameron Corson, eldest son of George Norman and Maria (Hurst)
Corson, and named for his father's close friend, Simon Cameron, of
Pennsylvania, was born in the family home at the south corner of Main
and Cherry streets, Norristown, Pennsylvania, February 12, 1863. After
completing public school study he entered Treemount Seminary, here
continuing until 1881. In the latter year he began a two-years' term of
study and service in the office of a Philadelphia architect, leaving on
July I, 1883, to enter the employ of the engineer corps of the Pennsyl-
vania Schuylkill Valley Railroad, as rodman. He continued in the work
of building the Valley road until 1885, when he became assistant to Alan
W. Corson, then engineer to the borough of Norristown. He continued in
that position until 1887, being principally engaged in laying out West
Norristown.

In 1887 he reentered the employ of the Pennsylvania railroad, being
located in Baltimore, Maryland, engaged in the construction of piers,
docks and warehouses at Canton, adjoining Baltimore, in elevated rail-
way surveys and in line changes north and south of Baltimore. In June,
1889, he was ordered to the scene of the Johnstown flood, with all other
available company engineers to repair damage done to railroad property
by that mighty rush of water. On February i, 1890, he was transferred
to the maintenance of way department and stationed as assistant engi-
neer at Altoona, Pennsylvania, in the office of the general superintendent.
On August I, i8go, he was sent to the Tyrone division of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad, but in March, 1891, he resigned and until November, 1891,
was with the Philadelphia and Reading employ, stationed at Pottsville,
Pennsylvania, as assistant supervisor.

In November, 1891, he was made assistant engineer of construction
of the Sigua Iron Company, of Santiago, Cuba, where railroad, iron pier,
and inclined planes were built. After his return from Cuba Mr. Corson
was again with the engineering corps of the Pennsylvania railroad sta-
tioned at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Altoona, then from January i,
1894 until September, 1897, he was in private engineering practice with
an office in Altoona. During that period he was engineer for the bor-
ough of Juniata, special assistant engineer in the construction of the
fourth district sewer of Altoona, and assistant engineer in the construc-
tion of the new reservoir for the city of Altoona. He made the first
surveys for the Lewiston Water Company and was busily engaged
until 1897, when he returned to the Pennsylvania railroad with head-
quarters at Atlantic City, where he was in charge of the rebuilding of all
bridges and culverts between Egg Harbor City and Atlantic City.

When the Spanish-American War was on, Mr. Corson volunteered
his services as an engineer in Cuba but Washington red tape could not
be unwound before the war was ended. On March i, 1889, he became
engineer to the borough of Norristown and in that capacity has been in
charge of all borough street, sewer and public improvement and has
given entire satisfaction, being returned year after year during the near
quarter century which has since elapsed. Norristown has the distinction
of the best paved and sewered of any borough in Pennsylvania, that
being the highest praise that could be given Mr. Corson and the borough

204 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

engineering department. The opening of Markley street from Main to
Roberts street where it joins the Old Swedes Ford or State Road, is
one of Mr. Corson's permanent improvements which deserves partic-
ular notice as an engineering work. Elmwood Park was also laid out
and beautified under his supervision. In fact all improvement of the
past two decades in Norristown have been inspired or carried forward
by Mr. Corson as borough engineer. He has no interest greater than
his desire to improve and beautify Norristown while adding to the bor-
ough's desirability as a residence community. The hand-book which
he prepared for the use of the officials of the boroughs is an accumula-
tion of valuable and interesting statistical information which is greatly
appreciated and highly valued.

Mr. Corson is a member of the American Society of Municipal Im-
provement, a contributing member since 1908 and now a member of the
finance committee ; also a member of the Gravel Foundation Committee;
was a member of the Engineers' Club of Philadelphia ; Norristown
Lodge, No. 620, Free and Accepted Masons. In politics he is a Repub-
lican ; in religious faith an Episcopalian.

Mr. Corson married, July 19, 1899, Anne Eliza Ramey, of Altoona,
Pennsylvania, daughter of Frederick and Mary (Taylor) Ramey, grand-
daughter of David K. and Catherine (Leamer) Ramey, great-grand-
daughter of Frederick and Martha (Keller) Ramey, and great-great-
granddaughter of Francis Remme, who came from Alsace-Lorraine, in
1788, and settled near Huntington, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Corson
are the parents of five children: i. Mary Pauline, born August 10, 1900,
died October 11, 1918. 2. David Ramey, born September 13. 1902, now a
student at Drexel Institute. 3. Frederick Ramey, born September 16,
1904. 4. S. Cameron (2), born May 18, 1907. 5. Alfred Read, born
August 2, 1910, and died May 19, 1916. The family home is at No. 1439
Powell street.

The memorial flagpole, in Elmwood Park, Norristown, erected
to her sons who served in the wars waged by the United States both
before and since becoming an independent nation, was designed by Mr.
Corson, who was also the originator of the idea of such a memorial. It
was erected in 1922 at a cost of twenty-five hundred dollars, raised by
local subscription, and is greatly admired.

JESSE ROY EVANS— One of the successful attorneys of Potts-
town. Pennsylvania, and a man who has already made a name for him-
self in the public life of this region, is a native son, his birth having
occurred here February 14, 1883. He is a son of Jesse William and
Ellie Gordon (Reifsnyder) Evans, the former a wholesale tobacco dealer
of Pottstown.

Mr. Evans received the elementary portion of his education at the
public schools of Pottstown until he had completed the high school
course. Having in the meantime determined to adopt the law as his
profession, he accordingly matriculated at the law school of the Univer-
sity of Pennsylvania, having previously attended the Hill School at
Pottstown. After completing the prescribed course at the university

BIOGRAPHICAL 205

he graduated with the class of 1906 and won the degree of Bachelor of
Laws. Throughout his school and college years he proved himself an
intelligent and painstaking student, and at the close came to the opening
of his career unusually well equipped both with natural gifts and a train-
ing that was the result of long and conscientious effort. Immediately
after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, he returned to
Pottstown, passed his bar examinations, October i, 1906, and established
himself in the practice of his chosen profession. He opened an office at
264 High street, and this has remained his headquarters ever since. He
has built up an excellent practice and has handled many important cases,
proving himself a most capable and conscientious attorney.

Besides his legal activity, Mr. Evans has interested himself in the
conduct of public affairs in the community, as well as in its social and
business life. Since 1909 he has been Borough Solicitor. He is also
solicitor of the several Pottsville townships ; and has been solicitor of the
Pottstown National Bank since 1909. During the World War Mr.
Evans was active as chairman of the Four-IMinute Men. for aiding the
securing of funds to "carry on."

He is affiliated with the Free and Accepted IMasons, being a member
of Stichter Lodge, Xo. 264, of Pottstown ; Pottstown Chapter, Royal
Arch Masons ; Nativity Commandery, Knights Templar ; Rajah Temple,
Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine ; and the Krishma
Grotto of Pottstown ; is a member of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, Madison Lodge, No. 466; Improved Order of Red Men; Empire
Hook and Ladder Company ; Brookside Country Club, and the College
Club of Pottstown. The activities of the church have also received his
attention and time for many years, and in the St. Paul's Reformed
Church, at Stowe, he is superintendent of the St. Paul's Sunday school.

On November i, 1909, Jesse Roy Evans was united in marriage with
Mary E. Bliem, daughter of William and Salome Bliem, of Pottstown.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans are the parents of three children : Ruth Bliem, born
June 3, 1913; Mary Bliem, born October 19, 1914; Rebecca Bliem, born
February 24, 1919. The family home is at No. 242 Beech street, Potts-
town. Mr. Evans is still a young man, but his ability has carried him
forward into important professional relations and his many friends do
not hesitate to predict for him a brilliant future.

RALPH HAROLD EVANS— There is now and then a man who
after he has passed away lives in the minds of many not only by reason
of results accomplished, but also in consequence of a singularly forceful
personality. So survives the memory of the late Ralph Harold Evans,
who throughout his entire business career was engaged in newspaper
work, and at the same time "constantly planning and doing things for
the advancement of his friends, his paper, his city and its institutions,
and his country."

Ralph Harold Evans, son of Jesse William and Ellie Gordon (Reif-
snyder) Evans, was born June 26, 1886, at No. 50 King street, Pottstown,
Pennsylvania, and died July 8, 1920, at his home in Alliance, Ohio. He

2o6 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

attended the public schools of his native place, and after graduating from
the Pottstown High School in 1903 attended the famous "Hill School"
until 1905. It was while in high school that he founded his life work.

In 1902 he established the "Blue and White," the school paper of
Pottstown High School, which is still being published. In 1905 with a
friend he published the "Alumni Echo," and was its editor. Shortly
after this Mr. Evans began his real newspaper career at Lancaster, Ohio,
as a reporter on the "Lancaster Gazette." In 1906 he returned to Potts-
town as a reporter on the "Pottstown News," later becoming its editor.
Resigning in 190S for a position on the "Williamsport Gazette," he soon
left to accept a place on the staff of the "Philadelphia Record," which
he held until 1910, when he again resigned in order to become editor
and general manager of the "Alliance Leader." Five years later when
the latter was absorbed by the "Review," he became editor of "The Alli-
ance Review and Leader," holding this position until his fatal illness.

The intense enthusiasm of Mr. Evans' nature was applied to his
newspaper work and made it a marked success. His heart was in his
career and each change of position was a promotion. It is interesting to
note here that while he was on the staff of the "Philadelphia Record," he
was given several very important assignments, among them being to
make the annual trip of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce through
the State of Pennsylvania. His editorial writings as well as his con-
versation proved him to be a shrewd political observer, and the strength
and beauty of his writings were carried on to his public speeches, many-
people in Alliance, where he resided, considering him the best public
speaker in the city. Throughout his entire lifetime Mr. Evans was a
member of the Trinity Reformed Church of Pottstown, Pennsylvania,
having become a member on Good Friday, 1902.

On July 26, 1906, Ralph Harold Evans was united in marriage to
Madeline La Wall, a native of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and to them
were born Allan, November 19, 191 1, and Eleanor, June 26, 1913.

It has been said of Mr. Evans that he was an inveterate joker up to
the last day of his life, his friends always finding in him a constant flow
of humor which was maintained in spite of the fact that he suffered
severely every waking minute for his last five years on earth. "Without
ambition for personal glory, zealous that his own work be done per-
fectly, Ralph Evans did his every task well, performed his public duties
without fear or favor, and passed on beloved by all who were fortunate
enough to known him, without an enemy in the world. A rare flower, one
of God's chosen few."

Perhaps the best expressions of his worth can be found in the follow-
ing extracts, the former from the address of W. M. Ellett in behalf of
the Masonic lodge, and the latter from the address of Dr. F. J. Bryson,
in behalf of the Rotary Club, of Alliance :

He had a most unusual love of home. Then he had a wonderful love of friends.
I doubt whether I have ever known a man who so greatly desired the love of friends.
His was without doubt the most appreciative soul I have ever known. Ralph Evans
was a sublime hero. The man who faces the shot and shell of the cannon has an
inhibition of excitement, of the stress of conflict, but the man who faces what Ralph

BIOGRAPHICAL 207

Evans with his acute intellect and his imagination faced, had none of these things to
help out his courage. In a conversation in my garden as we were watching the setting
of the sun, he expresses satisfaction that he had offered himself to the very limit, almost
beyond human ability to risk, suffer and endure, to take every possible chance known
to medical and surgical science in order that he might be spared to his family, his
friends and his community. But with an affliction so rare that the great surgeons of
John Hopkins could only find fifty-six cases of similar kind recorded in all medical
history it was not to be. With more than a hero's courage, with more than a martyr's
fortitude, he faced the inevitable hour and crossed the unexplored land.

It seems incredible that Ralph has gone. Only yesterday we clasped his hand, lis-
tened to his voice, fed our souls on his optimism and his cheer and bade him good-bye.
We remember it distinctly, it was a lovely June night in a little cottage he loved so
well, and it was a pleasant half hour or so, that last half hour with him; and his talk
was not that of a sick man, but that of a man alert and wide awake. He said, "Come
back again in August in your vacation time, and linger a time with me before our paths
permanently diverge." His was a brave, courageous spirit, he was not deceived, he
knew his end was near, and he faced it with a smile and with a word of cheer. There
is no mystery, friends, why we mourn for him, the memory of his loving kindness and
of his life of service shall abide with us, and eternity can not make us forget, and I
believe that we might say of him to-night that were all those to whom he did some
loving service to bring a flower to his grave, he would sleep to-night in Pennsylvania
covered with flowers.

EVAN DAVIS JONES— Among those who have contributed a
worthy share to the life of Montgomery county and then passed out of the
lives of their associates, leaving their influence and their works to live
after them, is Evan Davis Jones, who during the entire period of his
active life was identified with the lumber business in Conshohocken.

Mr. Jones comes from old Colonial families on both the maternal and
the paternal sides. Isaac Jones, grandfather of Evan D. Jones, resided in
Plymouth, where he followed the occupation of farming, and was known
as a skillful and successful agriculturist. He was three times inarried,
first, to Elizabeth Yerkes, by whom he became the father of seven chil-
dren : John ; William ; Jonathan, of further mention ; Ann ; Susan, who
married Thomas Hopkins; Charles; and Elizabeth, who married Charles
Sheppard.

Jonathan Jones, son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Yerkes) Jones, was born
January 10, 1800, in Whitemarsh township, and received his education in
the public schools of his native district. When school days were over,
he gave his whole time and attention to the cultivation of his father's
farm, until the time of his marriage at the age of twenty-five years. He
then removed to the farm owned by his father-in-law, in Plymouth, and
this he continued to cultivate for twenty-one years, removing to the
Davis homestead upon the death of his father-in-law, and there residing
during the remainder of his life. Jonathan Jones was a man of large
ability, possessing along with excellent judgment and great sagacity, a
keen sense of justice and firm integrity of character. These qualities
caused him to be much sought as an arbiter in disputed questions and as
a guardian and trustee, in both of which capacities he frequently served.
In connection with his farm he conducted a successful lumber business
at Conshohocken, and was well known in that place as an able business
man and a public-spirited citizen. Politically he was a Whig in early
years and a Republican during the later years of his life, but he did not

2o8 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

seek political office. He was born into the congregation of the Friends,
and throughout his life remained true to the tenets of that faith and was
an active worker in its ranks to the time of his death, October 5, 1867.

He married Eliza Davis, daughter of John and Anna Davis, and they
were the parents of seven children : Anna J., who married Samuel
Foulke ; Evan Davis, of whom further ; Elwood, deceased ; Esther ; Eliz-
abeth J., who married William Webster; J- Davis, deceased ; and Rachel,
deceased.

Evan Davis Jones, son of Jonathan and Eliza fDavis) Jones, was
born January 3, 1828, and died February 8, 1890, at Conshohocken. He
received his education in the public schools of his native district and in
Professor Aaron's Boarding School, at Norristown, Pennsylvania, and
then assisted his father on the farm until he was twenty-one years of
age. He then, in association with his brother, Elwood, established a
lumber business at Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, and this business he
continued to successfully conduct during the remainder of his life.
Located at the corner of Hector and Cherry streets, the business has
continued to grow and prosper, and is still being conducted by members
of the Jones family. In addition to his responsibilities as manager of a
prosperous lumber business, Mr. Jones was president of the First
National Bank of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, and a large shareholder
in the organization, and was also president of various building and loan
associations. He, too, was by birthright a member of the Society of
Friends, and was known and loved for those qualities which have ever
made the "Friend" so desirable a member of the community in which he
lives.

On October 15, 1857, at Philadelphia, Evan Davis Jones married Anna
T. Potts, who died October 19, 1900, at the age of seventy-five years,
daughter of William Potts.

The Potts famil}^ traces its ancestry to David and Alice Potts, the
American ancestors who were the parents of ten children, the youngest
of whom was Nathan, born about 1700, died in 1754. He married Esther
Rhoads, and they were the parents of the following children: Stephen,
born April 18, 1740, died November 10, iSoi, married Jane Jones ; Nathan
(2), married Priscilla Morgan; Zebulon, of whom further: Alice, mar-
ried Griffith Thomas ; and Isaiah.

Zebulon Potts, born about 1746, died November 3, 1800, married
Martha Trotter, daughter of Joseph and Ann Trotter, and they were the
parents of ten children: Ann, born July 30, 1772, died June 21, 1863,
married Joseph Thomas ; Joseph, born August 10, 1774, died May 6, 185 1,
married Sarah Hughs; Esther, born January 9, 1777; Hannah, born July
21, 1778; Alice, born October 21, 1781, married John Hallowell ; Esther,
born March 11, 1783, married Nathan Hallowell; Martha, born October
4, 1785, died August 2, 1873, married John Mather; William, of whom
further; Robert, born January 11, 1790, died December 13, 1873, married
Elizabeth Hibner; and Daniel, born July 18, 1794.

William Potts, born November 13, 1787, died Januar}^ 31, 1881, mar-
ried, January 2, 1810, Ann Wager, daughter of Jesse and Sarah Wager,
and they were the parents of seven children : J. Wager, born November

-^^<^ fe. J^>(A/V^ ^.^

BIOGRAPHICAL 209

20, 1810; Zebulon, born February 3, 1812; Sarah, born July 6, 1813;
Martha, born October 27, 1814; Tabitha, born August 22, 1820; Anna
T., of whom further; and Tabitha T., born December 8, 1826, died June
4, 1885, married George Rittenhouse.

Anna T. Potts, daughter of William and Ann (Wager) Potts, was
born January 21, 1825. She married Evan Davis Jones, and they were
the parents of five children: i. Eli/.a, born February 15, 1859, died
November 19, 1862. 2. William P., born September 15, 1861, married
Elizabeth C. Coulston. and has four children: Evan D., Jr., born Janu-
ary ID, 1891 ; Frances C., born September 26, 1894; L. Elizabeth, and J.
William. 3. Evan, born November 4, 1864, died November i, 1882. 4.
Martha, born May 5, 1867, married Herman P. Miller, and has four chil-
dren: Anna Margaret, born June 20, 1892, deceased; Herman P., Jr.,
born August 10, 1895; Evan D. J., and Lillian J. (twins), born January
6, 1896. 5. Lillian, born August 10, 1868. She is first vice-president of
Montgomery Hospital ; treasurer of Mothers' Assistance Fund of Mont-
gomery county, and a member of the Community Club, and the Society
of Friends.

JOSEPH E. BLANCK, M, D.— For two generations there has been
a Dr. Blanck who ushered new lives into the world and ministered to the
sick and ailing in various parts of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania.
Dr. George A. Blanck, father of Dr. Joseph E. Blanck, was a graduate of
Jeflferson Medical College, in Philadelphia, and from the time of his
graduation to within a short time of his death in 1892, was successfully
engaged in practice. He married Amelia Solliday, and they were the
parents of eight children : Dr. Joseph E., of whom further ; Emma,
Irene, Mamie, Eugene, George D., Deborah, and Lucy.

Dr. Joseph E. Blanck was born in Sumneytown, Pennsylvania, July
II, 1863, and after receiving his preparatory education in the Sumney-
town Academy, matriculated in Muhlenberg College, where he continued
his studies for a period of two years and then entered Jefferson Medical
College in Philadelphia, from which he was graduated with the degree
of Medical Doctor in 1886. While pursuing his studies. Dr. Blanck
taught school for four terms in Marlboro and Towamencin townships.
When his medical course was completed he began practice, in 1886, in
Green Lane, Pennsylvania, taking possession of the office in which his
Grandfather Solliday had practiced from 1826 to 1859, and in which his
father practiced for thirty-three years. During the nearly four decades
which have elapsed since that time. Dr. Joseph E. Blanck has built up a
very large clientele, and has ministered most efficiently and faithfully to
a great number of patients who honor him for his skill and for his integ-
rity of character, many of whom are deeply grateful to him for the skill
and faithfulness which has been the means of saving the lives of loved
ones.

Along with his professional responsibilities Dr. Blanck has taken an
active interest in public affairs. He gives his support to the principles

210 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

and the candidates of the Democratic party, and from 1917 to 1919 repre-
sented his district in the State Legislature, where he served on the health,
building and accounts committees. He has been a member of the Demo-
cratic County Committee for thirty years, serving for four years of that
time as vice-chairman, and serving also as a delegate to the State Con-
vention. In local affairs he has served faithfully and well, and for fifteen
years has been secretary of the school board. Fraternally he is well
known, being a member of Perkiomen Lodge, No. 595, Free and Accepted
Masons, of East Greenville, Pennsylvania ; a member of the Tall Cedars
of Lebanon ; the Improved Order of Red Men, in which he has held the
office of chief of records for fifteen years ; the Patriotic Sons of America;
and he is examiner for the local Mystic Circle. He also is a past grand
sir knight marshal of the Knights of Friendship, a State body. Dr.
Blanck keeps in touch with the most advanced developments of his pro-
fession through membership in the County and State medical societies,
and in the American Genetic Society; and takes an active interest in
things historical, being a member of the Montgomery County Historical
Society, the Pennsylvania German Society, and the National Geograph-
ical Society. His religious affiliation is with the Lutheran church of
Sumneytown, which he has served as elder for six years.

Dr. Blanck married, on October 20, 1888, at Green Lane, Pennsyl-
vania. Amanda ReifT, daughter of Joseph and Mary Tyson (Skippack)
ReifT, and they are the parents of three children : Hattie M., who married
Adolphus Ott, and lives in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania; Luella, who
married Dr. Newton Allebach, and lives in Souderton ; and Myrtle, who
married William Righter, and lives in Cleveland, Ohio.

JOHN DAVID HAMPTON— One of the prominent men of Consho-
hocken, Pennsylvania, who retired from active business to devote his
entire time to his municipal office, is John David Hampton, the tax col-
lector of the city. A vigorous farmer boy, he worked for thirty-five
years in various capacities, from the lowest to the superintendency of
the Woods Rolling Mill at East Conshohocken. He is a son of David
Plampton, who died in 1905, when ninety-six years old, and had been a
mill operator for the most of his life, and of Sarah (Harner) Hampton,
who died when her son was eleven years old.

John David Hampton was born at Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, April
27, 1854, and has one brother, Richard Hampton. He was educated in
the public schools of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, but left early to go to
work with his uncle on a farm. He was only sixteen years of age when
he secured a position in the Woods Rolling Mill of East Conshohocken,
Pennsylvania, and was the roller of a department when he resigned in
1910. A lifelong Republican, and one whose interest in the city was
recognized as real and unselfish, he was elected tax collector in 1904
and has continued in office since. It was the increasing duties and work
of his position that impelled him to retire from the iron trade six years
later, and during the last twelve years his attention has been centered on

BIOGRAPHICAL 211

his important work. He has been a director in the school board. For
three years he served with the Sixth Regiment, Pennsylvania National
Guard, and his fraternal connections are with the Blue Lodge, Free and
Accepted Masons, of Conshohocken, the Brotherhood Union, and the
Loyal Order of Moose, of which he has been treasurer since its incep-
tion. He is a communicant of the Episcopal church of Conshohocken,
Pennsylvania.

Mr. Hampton married (first) Mary Rhinehart, who died at Consho-
hocken, Pennsylvania, in 1913. He married (second) Anna Tyson,
daughter of .Sarah and John Tyson. Mary (Rhinehart) Hampton was
the mother of three children: Amy, Anna and William.

WILLIAM PAINE LANDIS— In legal circles in Montgomery
county the name of William Paine Landis is a prominent one and his
legal practice is very extensive, while he is widely known also in financial
circles both locally and in Philadelphia. Mr. Landis comes of an old
Pennsylvania family and is a son of Joseph Christian and Elizabeth
(Gardner) Landis, both now deceased. His father was chemist and
superintendent of the Moro-Philips Chemical Works of Camden, New
Jersey, during the greater part of his active career. He was a noted
figure in military circles, having been lieutenant of Jackson's Artillery,
and later captain of the Frankford Artillery, Pennsylvania National
Guard, prior to the Civil War.

William P. Landis was born at Camden, New Jersey, September 2,
1873. His education was begun at the North East School and continued
at Cooper School, both of Camden, after which he passed the preliminary
examinations, and was registered as a student at law in the offices of
Lockwood & Sinn, of the Philadelphia bar. Under these preceptors and
later under a private tutor, Mr. Landis read law, and passing his final
examinations was admitted to the Philadelphia bar, February 6, 1897.
He was admitted to practice at the Supreme Court of the State in Janu-
ary of 1900, and later was admitted to the Montgomery county bar. Mr.
Landis began his career in the practice of law in Philadelphia where he
remained until about 1901, when he accepted the position of assistant
trust officer of the Merion Title & Trust Company, of Ardmore, Mont-
gomery county, Pennsylvania. Upon the resignation of the trust officer,
which took place in July of 1901, Mr. Landis succeeded to the office of
title and trust officer, which he filled until November i, 1920. At this
time he resigned to resume the practice of his profession, at the same
time taking up a business in real estate and insurance, forming the firm
of Landis, Nagal & Kain, with offices in Ardmore. Mr. Landis has
has further business affiliations, being president and trust officer of the
Sixty-ninth Street Terminal Title & Trust Company, of Delaware county,
Pennsylvania, also a director of that institution, which is located at the
corner of Sixty-ninth and Market streets, within the boundaries of
Upper Darby township, Delaware county, Pennsylvania. He is also a
director of the Ardmore National Bank. During the World War, Mr.

212 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Landis was a member of the Permanent Legal Advisory Board of Dis-
trict No. I, under the United States Selective Service system. A Repub-
lican by political affiliation, Mr. Landis has served for a number of
years as a member of the board of health of Lower Merion township,
Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He is a member of the American
and Pennsylvania Bar associations and the Law Academy of Philadel-
phia. Fraternally Mr. Landis is affiliated with Cassia Lodge, No. 273,
Free and Accepted Masons of Ardmore; of Montgomery Chapter, No.
262, Royal Arch Masons, also of Ardmore ; member of the National
Geographical Society ; the Lower Merion Society for the Detection of
Horse Thieves and the Recovery of Stolen Horses. He is a member of
the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce, and of Saint Mary's Chapter, No.
262, Brotherhood of Saint Andrew. His clubs are the Cassia of Ardmore,
and the Brookline of Brookline Square, Pennsylvania, and he is a member
of Saint Mary's Protestant Episcopal Church of Ardmore.

Mr. Landis married, January 20, 1904, at Camden, New Jersey, Mary
Worman, of Camden, New Jersey, daughter of Absolam Barritz and
Sarah (Tinsman) Worman, and they are the parents of five daughters :
Emily Haney, born October 11, 1904; Mary Alice, born January 26, 1908;
Josephine Elizabeth, born November 6, 1909 ; Julia Gardner, born Decem-
ber 16, 1913; and Elizabeth Fraser, born January 23, 1922.

OSWIN S. ALLEBACH— Substantially prosperous, a public servant
carrying large responsibility, and an exemplary citizen prominent in the
church, Oswin S. Allebach, of Worcester, Pennsylvania, is a representa-
tive figure in the life and progress of Montgomery county. Mr. Alle-
bach comes of a very old family in this section, and his grandfather,
David G. Allebach, was a leading farmer of Towamencin township, Mont-
gomery county, early in the last century, and a deacon of the Mennonite
church. He was retired for many years, and died at the great age of
eighty-seven years. He married Catherine Hunsicker, also a member of
a pioneer family of Montgomery county, and they were the parents of
the following children : Jacob ; Helena ; James ; William H., of further
mention ; David ; and Catherine.

William H. Allebach, fourth child and third son of this family, was
born in 1833, and died at Towamencin in 1894. He was active in agri-
cultural pursuits throughout his lifetime, a man highly-esteemed in the
community, and also a deacon of the church. He married Adelaide Shell,
a descendant of another pioneer Montgomery county family.

Oswin S. Allebach, son of William H. and Adelaide (Shell) Allebach,
was born in Towamencin township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania,
in the locality known as Forty Foot Road, between Skippack and Kulps-
ville, October 23, 1872. He acquired a thoroughly practical training in
the fundamentals of learning at Pleasant Valley School. Taking a man's
place with his father on the farm until he was twenty years of age, the
young man then secured a position in the general store of J. Howard
Gerhardt, at Telford, Pennsylvania, then later became associated with

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BIOGRAPHICAL 213

Gellers' general store at Lansdale, Pennsylvania, where he remained for
three years. He then entered the butcher business in Lansdale, suc-
cessfully carrying forward an independent interest for about four years.
Then buying a farm in Towamencin township, he conducted the farm for
seven years, also carrying on a very considerable butcher business. Sell-
ing the farm, Mr. Allebach removed to North Wales, also in this county,
and there conducted a grocery and meat store until 191 1, when he settled
permanently in Worcester. In all his business experience Mr. Allebach
has commanded the highest esteem and confidence of his associates and
contemporaries, and it is upon such a foundation that his present success
is built. His practical business ability was needed in the public service,
and on July 21, 191 1, he was appointed postmaster at Worcester. His
standing in the community is evidenced by the fact that through changes
of political administration he has since continuously filled this responsible
position and is still active therein. He is also a director of the Citizens^
National Bank at Lansdale, director of the Business Men's Association
of Eastern Pennsylvania. Mr. Allebach has for thirteen years been a
member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of North Wales.
Since he was seventeen years of age he has been a member of the
Reformed church, and like his father and grandfather, he has for years
been a deacon of the church and is also an elder.

Mr. Allebach married, at Lansdale, Pennsylvania, on November 19,
1896, Lydia Cassel, daughter of Abraham H. and Lydia (Kriebel) Cassel,
and they are the parents of four children : Katherine, born in Lansdale,
January 24, 1900; Clarence, born in Lansdale, February 24, 1903; Mabel,
born in Towamencin, June 16, 1907 ; and Elizabeth, born in North Wales,
February 15, 1910.

HERBERT BENJAMIN SHEARER, B. S., M. D.— The professional
activities of Dr. Shearer have included institutional, industrial, and mili-
tary service in both medicine and surgery, and he is now conducting a
thriving and steadily-growing practice at Worcester, Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, where he holds a foremost position in professional
circles. He is a son of Benjamin F. and Elizabeth (Beidler) Shearer, his
father formerly a general merchant of Bucks county, this State. The
family consisted of two children: Herbert B., of further mention; and
Gertrude.

Herbert B. Shearer was born at Dublin, Bucks county, Pennsylvania,
July 21, 1883. His early education was acquired in the local public
schools, and after a course at Perkiomen Seminary, he entered Brown
University at Providence, Rhode Island, in the class of 1907. Then fol-
lowed a course in science at the University of Pennsylvania, at Phila-
delphia, closing in 1912 with the Bachelor degree in science. Entering
the medical department in the University of Pennsylvania in the follow-
ing fall, he was graduated in medicine in 1916, and spent one year as
interne at Saint Timothy's Hospital, at Roxboro, Pennsylvania. Dr.
Shearer was then active as surgeon at the Allenwood Iron and Steel

214 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Company until United States intervention in Europe became a fact, when
he entered the military service as first lieutenant of the Medical Corps.
Receiving his commission September 7, 191 7, he was stationed at Camp
Greenleaf, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, and later was transferred to the
aviation section at Garden City, Long Island, after which he was sent to
Camp Grant, at Rockford, Illinois, as assistant chief medical examiner.
He eventually received his honorable discharge at Camp Dix on October
19, 1919. In the December following. Dr. Shearer came to Montgomery
county and took up the general practice of medicine. He has developed
an extensive practice and is looked upon as one of the successful men of
the day in Montgomery county.

An independent in political convictions. Dr. Shearer has never thus
far taken an active part in public afTairs, although he keeps in touch with
the general advance. He is a member of the American Medical Associa-
tion, of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, and the Montgomery Medical
Society. Fraternally he is identified with Norristown Lodge, No. 190,
Free and Accepted Masons, and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon. He is a
trustee of Perkiomen Seminary, of Pennsburg, Pennsylvania ; serves on
the Auxiliary staflf of Montgomery Hospital at Norristown, Pennsyl-
vania; is a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Alpha chapter, of
Brown University, and Phi Alpha Sigma fraternity, Beta chapter, of the
University of Pennsylvania. He is connected with the Schwenkfelder
church. Dr. Shearer's chief recreative interest is the collection of his-
torical relics, of which he has a great number and variety, especially
bottles. He purposes soon to establish a private museum.

Dr. Shearer married, in Worcester township, Christine Schultz,
daughter of John H. and Ellen M. Schultz.

CHARLES HAUPT BRUNNER— One of the well known and suc-
cessful men of the legal profession in Norristown, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, is Charles H. Brunner, who has been engaged in legal
practice in Norristown for several years and is now connected with the
Penn Trust Company, in the title department. The Brunner family is
an old one in Western Pennsylvania, where for several generations its
members have made valuable contributions to the development of that
section of the State.

Henry U. Brunner, father of Mr. Brunner, was born in Worcester
township, December 23, 1840, son of Frederick Brunner. He received his
early education in the public schools and then prepared for college in
Trappe Academy. In February, i860, he entered Franklin and Marshall
College, from which he was graduated in July, 1864. Upon the completion
of his college course he taught in the academy at Irwin Station, West-
moreland county, Pennsylvania, for about one year. He then began a study
of law under the direction of General Henry D. Foster, and was admitted
to practice in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, in August, 1866, and on the
following September was admitted to the Montgomery county bar. He
began practice in Norristown, and was appointed district attorney for

i^artjep ^. Jfretiencfe

BIOGRAPHICAL 215

the term ending in January, 1875, and elected then to succeed himself,
that term ending in 1877. He married Mary A. Haupt, and they were
the parents of two children: Blanche E.; and Charles Haupt, of further
mention.

Charles Haupt Brunner was born in Norristown, Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, September 18, 1877, and received his early educa-
tion in the public schools of that city, graduating from the high school
with the class of 1894. He then became a student in Franklin and Mar-
shall College, at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated
in 1898 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He then took up the study
of law under the direction of Montgomery Evans, Esq., of the borough
of Norristown, where he pursued a course of study for three years.
Montgomery Evans, Esq., is now president of the Norristown Trust
Company. After his graduation, Mr. Brunner engaged in general prac-
tice in Norristown, but soon began to specialize in real estate and probate
law. He rapidly built up a large and important clientele, in addition to
which he has, since January i, 1920, served the Penn Trust Company, in
the title department. He is member of the board of directors of the Penn
Trust Company, having been a member of that organization since July,
1920, and is well known as one of the able and responsible attorneys of
Norristown. Politically he gives his support to the principles and the
candidates of the Republican party, though he has never sought nor
desired political office. During the World War he was active in all the
campaigns, both for Liberty Bonds and the War Chest, and was an
important factor in carrying his section of the city "over the top." He is
well known in fraternal and club circles, being a member of Norristown
Lodge, No. 190, Free and Accepted Masons, and of Norristown
Chapter, No. 190, Royal Arch Masons. He is also a member of the Chi
Phi college fraternity of Franklin and Marshall College ; and of the
F. and A. F. fraternity. He is a member of the Norristown Club. His
religious affiliation is with Trinity Lutheran Church of Norristown.

Charles Haupt Brunner married, on November 11, 1903, at Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, Maude Morrow Bitner, daughter of Jacob R. Bitner, a
retired paper manufacturer of Eden, Lancaster county, and of Ella
(Morrow) Bitner. Besides Maude Morrow Bitner, Mr. and Mrs. Bitner
are the parents of two other children: Lillian W. ; and Bertha M. Mr.
and Mrs. Brunner are the parents of two children : Charles Haupt, Jr.,
who was born June 19, 1905 ; and Robert Bitner, who was born July 30,
1906.

HARVEY S. FREDERICK— In the borough of Souderton, Mont-
gomery county, Pennsylvania, Harvey S. Frederick is known as a mem-
ber of the old and prominent Frederick family of Souderton, as the owner
and proprietor of the largest shoe store in proportion to the population
of the town in the United States, and as one of the foremost men in the
public life of the borough and county. Mr. Frederick is a son of Jonas
B. and Emaline Frederick, both deceased, and he inherited from his

2i6 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

father the present shoe business, which was founded by his grandfather
in 1845. The mother died at the age of sixty-four years, six months,
fourteen days, December 19, 1915.

Harvey S. Frederick was born in Souderton, Pennsylvania, June 29,
1875. Receiving his early education in the public schools of his native
place, he later attended North Wales Academy, completing his prepara-
tion for his career at the Pierce Business College of Philadelphia. As a
young man Mr. Frederick entered the shoe business established by his
grandfather, then in the hands of his father, who manufactured and sold
shoes, his work being done by the old hand methods now superseded by
machinery The son continued with his father, making this business his
life work, and since the retirement of his father he has carried it forward
alone. From the early methods and occasional tentative experiments in
newer customs to the present ultra-modern mercantile establishment is a
far cry, and the transformation has been accomplished by Harvey S.
Frederick himself. He was the first in this section to inaugurate a
modern shoe store, and he has brought together many devices for the
comfort and convenience of his patrons, many of these being the result of
his own ingenuity and taste. Through a novel lighting device he has
arranged arbor lights in the show cases, and modern mirrors for foot
inspection, making the choosing of shoes a pleasure. The most attractive
feature of the store is a rest nook, with wicker chairs shaded by palms,
where shoppers may take a delightful breathing space between errands.
Six clerks are kept busy handling the trade, and Mr. Frederick has pro-
vided for their use a kitchenette lunch room of the most modern type.
The cordial relations between employer and employee are reflected in the
atmosphere of the store, and it has become one of the most popular shoe
stores in a wide region, many patrons coming from the surrounding
communities. Mr. Frederick holds membership in the National Shoe
Retailers' Association, and the Pennsylvania State and the Philadelphia
Retail Shoe Dealers' associations, and is widely recognized as a leader
in the trade.

The public service of Harvey S. Frederick is a record of high and
unselfish attainment. For many years auditor for the borough of Sou-
derton, he is also a member of the Board of Health, but he is best known
throughout the country as prothonotary, in which capacity he served
from 1916 until 1922. He took up the duties of this office by appointment
of Governor Brumbaugh, to fill out an unexpired term, and in the fall
elections of the same year the people gave the appointment their ratifica-
tion with a plurality of over ten thousand votes, the largest ever received
for this office in Montgomery county. This was the more remarkable
because Mr. Frederick made no pledges, disclaiming subservience to
either party, and frankly declaring himself the servant of the people and
the champion of their rights and privileges. In the parlance of the
political world he goes down in history as "the only man who ever car-
ried water on both shoulders in Montgomery county and got away with
it." The keynote of his record in office was economy. He brought to his

BIOGRAPHICAL 217

work not only the ability and experience of a successful business execu-
tive, but the indomitable energy of the man who, with his own ceaseless
labor, accomplishes that which is set for him to do. A worker himself,
he tolerated no idleness among his assistants, and as soon as he had gotten
the reins of the office well in hand he permitted a part of the office force
to find positions elsewhere. In this move and other efficiency and
economy measures, he saved the county during his term of service no
less than $20,000. Another achievement which stands to his credit, and
which means much to the people of Souderton and vicinity, is the present
status of the roads, for through his efforts all the toll regulations were
rescinded from turnpikes in this part of the county, and the people of
Souderton enjoy free roads. In 1922 he started a good roads association,
which is to be called the Good Roads Association of the North Pennsyl-
vania District. The cares of office and the oversight of his business,
with which he must of necessity keep in touch to a certain degree, made
these years a period of heavy strain, and Mr. Frederick was glad to turn
over to his successor, in 1922, the duties of an office which he had not
sought, still to which he had given his best.

Fraternally Mr. Frederick is widely prominent in the Masonic order.
He is a member of McCalla Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Lansdale
Chapter, Royal Arch Masons ; Hutchinson Commandery, Knights Tem-
plar, of Norristown ; Lu Lu Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the
Mystic Shrine, of Philadelphia ; and is also a member of the Tall Cedars
of Lebanon. He is further affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No.
128, the latter being a Norristown lodge. He is a member of the
Reformed church.

Mr. Frederick married, in Silverdale, Bucks county, on June 5, 1895,
Laura S. Gerhart, daughter of Mahlon and Amanda (Snyder) Gerhart.
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick are the parents of four children, all born in
Souderton. as follows: Leroy; Floyd; Pearl, deceased; and Violet.

CHARLES ABRAHAM DE HUFF— For many years one of the
most prominent business men and manufacturers of Royersford, Penn-
sylvania, and for the past nine years postmaster of this borough, Charles
Abraham De Hufif is broadly representative of that progressive citizen-
ship which is making the county of Montgomery one of the foremost
sections of the State of Pennsylvania, both as a business center and as a
residential region. Mr. De Huff is a member of one of the most promi-
nent families of Eastern Pennsylvania, of French Huguenot origin, for
generations resident in Lancaster county.

John De Huff, the founder of this family in America, was born in
1704, and came to this country with his people, who left France after the
revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in 1685, settling first on the eastern
shore of Maryland. John De Hufif came to Lancaster county from that
section as a young man, and became very prominent in the early history
of the town of Lancaster. He was a saddler by trade, and became very

2i8 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

prosperous, lending his influence always to any good cause. In 1744
he served as chief burgess of Lancaster, and records show his death
occurred December 25, 1757. He married Catherine Brecht. who was
born at Gehriesheim, in the Palatinate, and was a daughter of Johannes
and Catherine (Hoffman) Brecht, being one of their eleven children.
John and Catherine (Brecht) De Huff were the parents of the following
children: Johannes: Abraham, of whom further; Mathias ; Susanna;
Heinrich ; and Philip. The mother lived to the age of eighty-six years.

Captain Abraham De Huff", second son of the above family, was one
of the most distinguished citizens of Lancaster. He was born on the
eastern shore of Maryland, February 13, 1735, and died in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, March 11,1821. He also was a saddler by trade, but being
a man of scholarly tastes, did much for the advance of culture in those
early days, founding the Lancaster Public Library in 1759. He served as
assistant burgess of Lancaster during the years 1761-62-63, and on
November 8, 1775, was chosen a member of the committee of corres-
pondence for Lancaster county. An avowed patriot from the earliest
threat of war, he was appointed captain March 15, 1776, becoming a
member of Colonel Samuel J. Atlee's Musketry Battalion, which joined
what was popularly known as the "Flying Corps," under General IMercer.
Taken captive by the enemy in the action at Fort Washington, Captain
De Huff' and his company were exchanged as prisoners of war on April
20, 1778. On April i, 17S0, he was appointed sub-lieutenant of Lancaster
county. Captain De Huff married IMary Finch, of Philadelphia, who
bore him nine children: Catherine; John; Maria; Henry; Mathew;
Catherine; Abraham (2). of whom further; Sara; and Susanna.

Abraham (2) De Huff, seventh child and youngest son of Captain
Abraham (i) and Mary (Finch) De Huff, was born July 29, 1771, died
in Yorktown, now the city of York, Pennsylvania, October 28, 1814. A
coppersmith by trade, he became a large owner of property, and accumu-
lated considerable wealth. A graduate of Princeton University, he was
a leader of public thought and progress, and one of the foremost mem-
bers of the Moravian church. He married Elizabeth Sitler, daughter of
Mathias Sitler, of Baltimore, Maryland, and their children were : Henry ;
.Margaret: Abraham (3), of whom further; Daniel and Polly.

Abraham (3) De Huff, son of Abraham (2) and Elizabeth (Sitler)
He Huff, was born November 8, 1798, and died July i, 1893, in the ninety-
seventh year of his age. Educated in the "pay schools," and by his cul-
tured mother, he was an inventor of wide note, was a pioneer in many of
his devices, and while he was a jeweller by trade, his inventions became
famous in many fields of endeavor and were the means of inaugurating
new eras in the industries. He was the inventor of the first horse-drawn
hay rake, of the corn sheller. corn planter, washing machine and clothes
wringer, of the block safety signal system for railway use, of the connec-
tion safety clutch for steel rails, and of the turbine water wheel. Highly
skilled as a jeweller, Abraham De Huft"s miniature watches were
exhibited at the Harrisburg Exposition in 1855, receiving an award

BIOGRAPHICAL 219

of a bronze medal. One of his watches he presented to President
Buchanan, who resided at "Wheatlands," the original Lancaster county
home of the De Huff family. Another watch he sold to His Royal High-
ness, the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, when he was touring
the United States, a few years later, and a third watch is now in the
possession of his grandson, Frank Leiben, of Seattle, Washington. He
became ver}- wealthy, and his genial manner and kindly spirit endeared
him to all with whom he came in contact. He married, on November 14,
1826, at Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, Maria Reeves Lynch, eldest
daughter of Matthew and Sarah (Logan) Lynch, who was born Novem-
ber 3, 1806, and died August 31, 1891. She was a daughter of Henry
Logan, and a niece of Harry Logan, an early member of Congress. They
were the parents of three children : Henry Kauffman ; Frances ^Marian ;
and George Washington, of whom further.

George Washington De Huff, son of Abraham (3) and Maria Reeves
(Lynch) De Huff, was born August 12, 1840, and died July 19, 1872, in
the thirty-second year of his age. Brilliantly endowed by nature, and
highly educated, he was a young man of the greatest promise, but was
cut down in the flower of his youth, mourned by all. He married Hannah
Davis, of Lancaster county, and their only child is Charles Abraham De
Huff, whose name entitles this review. The mother was a daughter of
the prominent Samuel Davis.

Charles Abraham De Huff, son of George Washington and Hannah
(Davis) De Huff, now postmaster of Royersford, and long a leading
manufacturer of this community, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsyl-
vania, January 28, 1866. Educated in the public schools of York and
New Holland, the young man felt little interest in the professions, and
early apprenticed himself to the trade of carriage painting. After work-
ing for one year as a journeyman, following the completion of his appren-
ticeship, Mr. De Huff saw larger opportunities in the manufacture of
cigars, and entered this field on a modest scale. Coming to Royersford
in 1893, he established a cigar factory here, and also opened a retail store
for the sale of cigars. Both these enterprises have prospered in a very
large way. Mr. De Huff has always catered to private trade, confining
production to the very choicest of brands, and his output goes from
New York to California, to practically all the States of the Union. His
leading brands are "LaCresta," "Marca di Espana," and "De Huff's Soli-
taire,"' and are the favorites of connoisseurs in many parts of the country.
In 1902 Mr. De Huff erected a fine two-story office and factory in Royers-
ford, with space for expansion, and this is now one of the busiest plants in
the community. Mr. De Huff's long activity in the business world has
kept him much in the public eye, and in 1914 he was appointed by Presi-
dent Wilson postmaster of Royersford, a position which he still fills. His
administration in local postal affairs was marked in the beginning by some
radical changes which have been acknowledged improvements. Progres-
sive always, in every interest with which he has to do, Mr. De Huff has
long been a local leader in the affairs of the Democratic party, and has also

220 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

served as State delegate a number of times. Fraternally he is identified
with the Knights of the Golden Eagle, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
His chief pleasure is in music, and he is an accomplished performer on
the clarionet. For many years he was connected with the popular bands
of New Holland and Royersford, and always gives his encouragement
and support to musical interests. He is identified with the Lutheran
church.

Mr. De Huff married, in 1885, Mary Foltz, of Terre Hill, Lancaster
county, Pennsylvania, and their children are as follows: i. Grace, who
became the wife of John H. Miller, of Hagerstown, Maryland, and died,
leaving three children : George D., Mary Jane and John Charles. 2.
George A., instructor in the high school at Midland, Beaver county,
Pennsylvania, who married Larene Engle, and has three children: Ruth,
Elizabeth, and Janis. 3. Mary E., who resides at home, and is active as
a clerk at the Royersford post office. 4. Charles S., who resides at home
and is employed in the Rising Sun Embroidery Works.

DR. S. ELIZABETH WINTER, of West Conshohocken, Mont-
gomery county, Pennsylvania, occupies a position in the public eye which
is decidedly unique, even in these days of women's progressive accom-
plishments. She is the owner and executive head of one of the most
ideal institutions of its kind in the country, Inwood Sanitarium. Like a
Phoenix, the present building was reared upon the ashes of the original
one, the latter being burned to the ground in 1910, and the fine com-
modious sanitarium of to-day being built as speedily as possible.

Born at Maryville, Tennessee, December 16, 1868, Dr. Winter is the
daughter of Preston and Matilda (Kelly) Winter; she is a descendant of
a fine old Huguenot family compelled to seek refuge in America during
the religious prosecution of the French. Early in life Miss Winter gave
evidence of her ambition and she entered the Women's Medical College
at Philadelphia, from which she graduated, 1892 ; then, instead of taking
the usual six months or a year's experience in general hospital practice,
she took a year's active work in the Lying-in Charity Hospital of Phil-
adelphia. Dr. Winter's next step took her to Minnesota where she
became an interne at the State Hospital at St. Peters, Minnesota. She
afterward offered her services to the Presbyterian Board of Foreign
Missions as a medical missionary to India. This offer was accepted and
she was appointed physician-in-charge at the Miraj Hospital at South
Marathi country, South Western India, gaining wonderful experience
among the women and children, to whose treatment her work was con-
fined. She had been stationed there a year when a very serious attack
of rheumatism compelled her to return to this country.

Dr. Winter's great ambition had been to devote herself exclusively
to the diseases of women, especially nervous trouble, concerning which
she had very decided views. She accepted the appointment of physician
at the Sheltering Arms of Philadelphia and later became the head physi-
cian of the women's department of the Friends' Hospital for the Insane,

BIOGRAPHICAL 221

Frankford, Pennsylvania, and was the first woman to occupy this office.
It was while holding this position that the idea and opportunity of open-
ing a sanitarium, devoted exclusively to the nervous troubles of women,
came to Dr. Winter in the early summer of 1898.

She found during a drive with a friend through the hills and valleys
of Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, an ideal estate just outside of West
Conshohocken, embracing over thirty acres of land, through which ran
a stream of clear spring water and upon which was built a fine old stately
mansion of dull grey stone. The property was leased with an option of
future buying and Dr. Winter set about forming her organization, a
small one at first, but a highly efficient one. She assumed the duties of
director and physician in charge, with a professional nurse of unusual
experience and extraordinary skill. Miss Anna Montgomery, who is now
the supervising nurse, assisted by Miss Blanche Frank, and a good cook
and hardworking maid, and in addition secured a reliable man, who is
now chauffeur and supervisor of outside help, to take care of the heater
and the grounds. With this equipment the Inwood Sanitarium near
West Conshohocken was opened in August, 1898.

The fame of this institution spread rapidly and in 1901 Dr. Winter
purchased the property ; the old mansion was growing too small to house
the work being carried on, so "Arrowmink Hall" was built in an attrac-
tive part of the grounds. It is a light two-story building, fitted up as an
amusement hall, dance hall, bowling alley, and with baths, showers and
other necessary equipment. The new building which took the place of
the one destroyed by fire is a four-story stone structure, equipped
throughout with all modern appliances, having its own drug room, bakery
and other necessary working departments, and still Inwood Sanitarium
goes on growing, its fame spreading abroad and the wonderful woman
whose brain and ability brought about all this, goes on her way, rejoicing
that she has been the means of restoring to health many women whose
lives were being wrecked by diseases that had seemingly been incurable.

Besides Inwood, Dr. Winter owns a sanitarium at Media, Pennsyl-
vania, and another at Ashville, North Carolina. She is a member of
several of the prominent associations in connection with her profession,
among them the American Medical Society, the Philadelphia County
Medical Association, the Philadelphia Urological Society and the Mont-
gomery County Historical Association.

A great lover of animals, Dr. Winter has, in her own way, independ-
ently of societies, done much for the prevention of cruelty to animals.
She teaches all her patients a love of animals and of outdoor life, agree-
able, healthful, mental occupation being one of her most potent means of
curing.

Inwood Sanitarium is a monument to the energy and ability of Dr.
S. Elizabeth Winter and the faithful, efficient women with whom she has
been associated, and stands as an example of the work of women in the
medical line, for no man is engaged in the executive administration of
this sanitarium or treatment of cases of this only sanitarium in the
world operated by women, for women. There are several specialists who

222 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

are consulted on various cases for the sanitarium, mostly on cases which
have been sent there by themselves, Drs. Francis Dercum, Charles Potts,
Charles K. Mills, P. J. McCarthy, Wharton Sinkler, and other prominent
physicians of Philadelphia and from other parts of the country. There is
also a resident physician and upwards of thirty nurses on the regular
force, besides a housekeeper and supervisors.

LUCIAN B. MILLER — Descendant of a family which has produced
many ministers of the Lutheran church, and himself active in the build-
ing of two churches and serving most efficiently as deacon, Sunday school
superintendent, and member of the choir in the Lutheran church at Red
Hill, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, Lucian B. Miller has ren-
dered valuable service in the upbuilding of the moral life of the com-
munity. He is a successful manufacturer, and is well and favorably
known in Montgomery county.

Jacob Miller, grandfather of Mr. Miller, married Mary Detwiler, and
among their children was Jacob Miller, Jr., father of Lucian B. Jacob
Miller, Jr., was a farmer and also a shoemaker, and lived beyond the
allotted three score and ten years, passing from this life in 1892, aged
seventy-three years. He married Caroline Frederick, who was born in
New Hanover, near Boyertown, Pennsylvania, and died in 191 1, at the
age of eighty-seven years. They were the parents of seven children:
Edwin; Conrad; Lucian B., of whom further; Amelia; Calvin; Daniel;
and Henry.

Lucian B. Miller was born in Bucks county, near Red Hill, January
6, 1851, and received his education in the public schools of that locality.
When he was thirteen years old he associated himself with Henry
Wieder, of Red Hill, a manufacturer of cigars, with whom he learned
the trade. Later he spent six months in farming, but in 1876, after his
marriage, he established a business of his own, beginning in a very small
way in one room of his home, his wife being his only assistant. They
manufactured good, honest cigars, and gradually the little germ of a
manufacturing plant grew. Larger quarters were secured and other
operators than the wife swelled the volume of production. Still the
growth continued, larger and larger quarters being required until, at the
present time (1922), the business is housed in a modern factory of three
stories, comprising more than 20,000 feet of floor space. The "Medita-
tion" cigar is one of the most popular in the State of Pennsylvania, and
with the steady increase of popularity of his chief product, comes steadily
increasing prosperity for the business. A fair proportion of the profits
of this successful manufacturing plant goes to the support of various
activities which seek the social, moral, and spiritual uplift of the com-
munity, especially to the various lines of work in which the Lutheran
church is engaged. An unusually large number of ministers of that
denomination have been produced by the Miller family, and a very large
number of those who are not ministers are deeply interested in the work
of that denomination. Mr. Miller's two great-uncles, Jacob Miller and

BIOGRAPHICAL 223

Conrad Miller, were both ministers of the Lutheran church. Rev. Jacob
Miller preached at the Red Hill Lutheran church for twenty years, dying
later at Reading. The Rev. Conrad Miller spent his life at the Lutheran
church at Swamp, where he died and is buried. Mr Miller has given
freely of his time and his means in forwarding the building of St. Faul s
Lutheran Church, and takes a very active part in the public affairs of the
community. He is president and one of the organizers of the Electric
Light Company ; president and one of the founders of the Borough Water
Company: founder of the Board of Trade of the borough of Red Hill;
and has himself built more than fifty homes in that borough. His
modern, well-equipped factory was built in 1891, and he strives m every
wav to promote the welfare of the borough and of his employees.

Fraternally he is well known. He is a member of Perkiomen Lodge,
No SQS Free and Accepted Masons, of which body he has been treasurer
for' twenty-five years; of Pottstown Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; and
of Pottstown Commandery, Knights Templar He is also a member of
the Knights of Pythias; Independent Order of Odd Fellows of which he
is past master; Knights of the Golden Eagle; Knights of Friendship ;
ani the Patriotic Order Sons of America. ^^ '^'T^f^^TlZt
that of his family is with St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Red Hill, which
he serves as member of the council and as deacon. He has been super-
intendent of the Sunday school for twenty years, and has been a member

of the choir for many years,

Mr. Miller married, in Bucks county, May 27. 1873- Mary Anna
Flieger, who was born July 18, 1847, and died September 12, 1920. She
was prominent in the work of the church throughout ^er active he
sane, in the choir, and was a faithful and efficient teacher in the Sunday
school. She was the organizer of the Ladies' Aid Society and a charter
member of same. She was a daughter of Jacob and Leander (Moyer)
Flie<.er the latter of whom was a descendant of one of the old Pennsyl-
vania families. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Miller are: - An -fant.
who died young. 2. Elizabeth, born June i, 1875, married William Gieg-
ler, and has had four children: An infant, who died young; Estella,
Russell, and Eleanor Mary. 3. Anne Caroline, born June n, 1878. 4.
Mary Estella, born November 11, 1880, married Thomas Henry, and has
four children: Francis, Forest, Elvin, and Lester D. 5- Elverta Jane
born December 9, 1885, married Rev. Wallace Kenrr a minister of the
Lutheran church of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and has four children.
Mary, Catherine, Bessie, and Luther.

NATHANIEL ROWLAND BROWN, JR.— Among those who
assisted in the development of a successful and useful business organiza-
tion in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Nathaniel Howland Brown, Jr., one
of the founders of the optical and scientific instrument business which
since iQio has been operated under the corporate name of Williams
Brown & Earl, deserves especial mention. His ancestry may be traced
to Henry Brown, born in England, in 1615. who came to New England

224 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

with his mother, Christian Brown, a widow, in 1638. Mrs. Brown with
her sons, Henry and George, located in Salisbury, Massachusetts, where
they were among the original settlers of the Salisbury colony. Mrs.
Christian Brown died in Salisbury, December 28, 1641.

A descendant of Mrs. Christian Brown through her son, Henry
Brown, was John Brown, born in Dover, New Hampshire, June 30, 1783,
and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1841. He married in Smithfield,
Rhode Island, September 4, 1806, Mary Thornton, who was born July 3,
1788, and died November 27, 1851, and they were the parents of Nathaniel
Howland Brown, Sr., father of Nathaniel Howland Brown, Jr., the prin-
cipal character of this review.

Nathaniel Howland Brown, Sr., was born in Dover, New Hamp-
shire, May 24, 1815. He located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where
he engaged in mercantile life as a dry goods merchant and there spent
his active years. After retiring from the dry goods business, he removed
to Norristown, Pennsylvania, and there died at his home, January 27,
1894.

He was three times married, his third wife, to whom he was married
October 18, 1859, in Philadelphia, being Mary Sheppard (Reeve) Haines,
born in New Jersey, March 5, 1822, died at the home of her son, Nathaniel
Howland Brown, Jr., in Norristown, April 23, 1905. She was the widow
of Job Haines at the time of her marriage to Mr. Brown, whom she also
survived, the mother of two children by her second marriage, Nathaniel
Howland, Jr., of further mention ; and Henry H. ; both now deceased.

Nathaniel Howland Brown, Jr., son of Nathaniel Howland, Sr., and
Mary Sheppard (Reeve-Haines) Brown, was born in Pennsylvania, Sep-
tember 8, i860. He was educated in the Friends' Boarding School at
Westtown, Chester county, Pennsylvania, whence he was graduated
with the class of 1878. With school training completed, he entered the
employ of Queen & Company, Opticians, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
and became well informed in that line of business. Later he became asso-
ciated with Henry S. Williams, and engaged in business at No. 39 South
Tenth street, Philadelphia, under the name of Williams and Brown.
The optical and scientific instrument business thus founded in 1885 grew
steadily and rapidly, and in 1889 the firm was enlarged, becoming Wil-
liams, Brown & Earl, Morris Earl being then admitted. In 1897, the firm
moved to 918 Chestnut street at the present location, and in 1910, was
incorporated as Williams, Brown & Earl, Inc., Nathaniel Howland
Brown, Jr., vice-president. Mr. Brown who had been a most important
factor in the development and the upbuilding of the business, did not long
survive the incorporation, having died at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
November 17, 1910, but the business has continued under the old name
and in the same location, Mrs. Brown, representing her husband's inter-
ests, now her own. Politically, Mr. Brown gave his support to the prin-
ciples and the candidates of the Republican party. He was a member
of the Union League of Philadelphia and at the time of his death was a
director of the Ersine Tennis Club of Norristown. He was the first

BIOGRAPHICAL 225

treasurer and at his passing vice-president of the Norristown Fish and
Game Protective Association. His religious affiliation was w^ith the
Orthodox Society of Friends as a member of the Meeting in Norristow^n.
On November 21, 1893, at Norristown, in the Lutheran church,
Nathaniel Howland Brown, Jr., married Frances Jones Baily, of an old
Colonial family that came from England and settled in Chester county,
Pennsylvania. Mrs. Brown is the daughter of Joshua G. Baily, born
October 24, 1824, and died February 23, 1903, and of Emily Jones (Fry)
Baily, born March i, 1832, and died April 14, 1919, at the home of her
daughter Mrs. Brown in Norristown. Joshua G. and Emily Jones (Fry)
Baily were the parents of two children: Frances Jones (Mrs. N. How-
land Brown), and Susan, wife of Dr. J. Newton Hunsberger, of Norris-
town, Pennsylvania. The Baily family of Chester county were seated at
London Grove ; the Frys at Germantown, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Frances
J. (Baily) Brown continues her residence in Norristown, her home at No.
213 De Kalb street.

WILLIAM NEVILLE— Abilities of a rare order have made William
Neville, of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, conspicuous in many spheres
of endeavor. Prosperity has not only come to him, but with it the honor
of serving his section in the Legislature of his State and county. He is at
present coroner of Montgomery county. He is the son of Samuel Neville,
of New York City, now deceased, who married Anna Stemple, a member
of one of the pioneer families of Montgomery county.

William Neville was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 10,
1868. His preliminary education came from the public schools, followed
by a course in Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from
which he was graduated in 1910 as a Doctor of Pharmacy. He bought
the drug store on the corner of First avenue and Fayette street in 1900.
He made extensive improvements, added the most up-to-date equipment,
and has now one of the most attractive places of business in the city. He
was a director of the Fayette Building and Loan Association, and very
active in its interests. A lifelong Republican, he was secretary of the
Board of Health and was the health officer of both the State and of
Conshohocken. He was appointed in 1907 as local registrar of vital
statistics. In 191 5 he was elected to the State Legislature and served
on a number of committees among which are the Health and Sanitation,
Insurance and Appropriation. At the present time he is coroner of the
county of Montgomery, and member of the Chamber of Commerce. His
fraternal affiliations are with the Improved Order of Red Men, No. 53,
and Knights of Pythias, No. 117, both of Conshohocken, and also the
Blue Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is a past master;
Norristown Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of which he is past high priest ;
Hutchinson Commandery, Knights Templar; Philadelphia Consistory;
and Lu Lu Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.

At Conshohocken, October 8, 1888, he was married to Mary Louise
Whitman, daughter of Charles Whitman, of Bridgeport, Pennsylvania,

226 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

founder of the Whitman Pork Packing Corporation, and Mary Ella
Whitman. Mr. and Mrs. Neville have one daughter, Marion, born in
Conshohocken.

HARRY M, WOODMANSEE— There are probably few influences
more potent in their effects upon a community than those exerted by the
editors of our newspapers. When a man like Harry M. Woodmansee
comes to a city and takes over the control of one of its newssheets, it is
well for that city to scrutinize the life and character of the man. Lans-
dale, Pennsylvania, has had years in which to know Mr. Woodmansee,
and the consensus of their opinion and feeling was, when he died in
191 5, that the city had suffered an irreparable loss. Business men real-
ized his business ability, students recognized the depths of his study,
men and women everywhere came to know of his bigheartedness, his
dependability, and the power that he had been in the civic, educational,
and business life of Lansdale.

Harry M. Woodmansee was the son of Howard, a veteran of the Civil
War, and Sarah Woodmansee, both of whom were residents of Mont-
gomery county. He was born November 25, 1859, at Fallen Timber,
Cambria county, Pennsylvania. His early education came from the dis-
trict school, which was followed with a course in Mifflintown High
School, from which he was graduated. He then entered a printing shop,
the "Juniata Tribune," to learn the printer's trade, which he did, in all
its phases.

Harry M. Woodmansee after finishing his apprenticeship left Mif-
flintown and went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the job department
of the "Times." After a period of perhaps two years he went to Burling-
ton, New Jersey, and started the "Daily Evening Reporter," which he
conducted about three years. He then went to New Brunswick, New
Jersey, as business manager of the "Daily Fredonia," for eighteen months,
and then came to Lansdale, and on July I, 1887, bought the "Lansdale
Reporter," a weekly newspaper. He promptly applied the results of his
training to strengthening and improving the paper, and set for both him-
self and the paper a high standard of excellence. His success was
gradual and solid, and before he died he had made the "Lansdale
Reporter" one of the most influential in its class in the State.

Mr. Woodmansee was one of the organizers of the Citizens' Club of
Lansdale, and a charter member ; was at one time president of the Press
League of Bucks and Montgomery counties, also one of the organizers,
and charter members. He fraternized with the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows.

On September 17, 1884, at Mifflintown, Pennsylvania, Mr. Woodman-
see was married to Annie Coffman, daughter of Isaac and Anna S.
(Hook) Coffman. Mr. Coffman came originally from Chester county,
and his wife from Lancaster county. Mr. and Mrs. Woodmansee are
the parents of the following children: i. Mary, married Frank E. Spog-
rell, of Lansdale, and they are the parents of one child, Harry E. 2.

//, M/. V/^,cy-cr c;(U^^<

BIOGRAPHICAL 227

Howard L., now a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, engaged in
newspaper work. He entered the service of the United States during the
World War, June 9, 1918, and was stationed at Camp Lee. He was
mustered out holding the rank of sergeant.

HARRY P. HILTNER, who has for many years been identified with
the public life of the borough of Norristown, both in engineering activi-
ties and in an official capacity, has had broad experience in the profes-
sional field, and is now devoting his native ability and extensive business
prestige to the furtherance of civic advance in Norristown, A native of
Montgomery county, Mr. Hiltner traces descent from Colonial ancestors,
prominent in the early struggles of the settlers of Pennsylvania, and in
the Revolutionary War. He is a son of Edwin L. Hiltner, was born in
Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, January 19, 1837, and died November
4, 1919, having reached the advanced age of eighty-two years. In early
life, and for years Edwin L. Hiltner was engaged in business as a grocer
in West Conshohocken, Montgomery county, then in 1874 came to Nor-
ristown to reside having entered the provision business in Philadelphia.
Two years later he became interested in the ice business, and with
storage houses at the foot of Franklin avenue, continued along that line
of business for a period of thirty-five years. He was a veteran of the
Civil War, having served in the 51st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer
Cavalry, for three and one-half years, with the rank of corporal. At one
time he was wounded in the right ankle, his horse being shot from under
him. He was for many years a member of the Grand Army of the
Republic, and a member of the Masonic order.

Edwin L. Hiltner married Sarah J. De Haven, daughter of Joseph
and Catherine (Trautzman) De Haven, granddaughter of John and
Hannah (Pawling) De Haven, and great-great-granddaughter of Jacob
De Haven, a patriot of the Revolution, a wealthy Frenchman, who came
to the American colonies with Samuel, Edward and Peter De Haven, his
brothers, between the years 1750-1760. Jacob De Haven, when the need
was greatest, came to the relief of the struggling government and through
Robert Morris, the "financier of the Revolution," advanced $450,000 in
gold. The loan was made in a spirit of broad, generous patriotism to
meet pressing wants of the army, for Jacob De Haven was devoted to
the cause of Independence. From the De Haven farm not more than
three miles from historic Valley Forge came supplies for the soldiers all
through that fearful winter, and it is not pleasant to remember that the
actual money advanced was never repaid, although the government
regularly acknowledged the loan from Jacob De Haven, and later pay-
ment in depreciated Continental money was tendered and refused. Jacob
De Haven failed to secure a settlement in the coin he had advanced and
since his death several attempts have been made by his heirs but thus far
they have been failures.

Edwin L. and Sarah J. (De Haven) Hiltner were the parents of three
children: Harry P., whose name furnishes the caption of this review;

228 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Edna, deceased, wife of George F. Dunkle, a mining engineer of Phll-
lipsburg, Pennsylvania, her death occurring in 1912; William D., a
resident of Norristown, associated as engineer with the firm of Hitch-
cock & Hiltner.

Harry P. Hiltner was born in West Conshohocken, Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, March 21, 1868. He was educated in the public
schools of Norristown, finishing with graduation from high school in the
class of 1885. For the succeeding five years he was engaged in the ice
business with his father, then in 1890, he went west to Escanaba, Michi-
gan, where a friend was at that time engaged as a civil engineer. From
boyhood desirous to enter that profession, Mr. Hiltner remained with his
friend for a year, tramping over immense areas in that western country,
as their work was largely surveying. At the end of a year he returned to
Pennsylvania, but later however, Mr. Hiltner rejoined his friend in
Michigan and qualified as a civil engineer. His career in Norristown
began in 1892, when he acted as inspector on the Belgian Block and
concrete paving work done on Main street, and two years later he was
active on the all-town survey of the borough of Norristown, after which
he acted as assistant to the borough engineer.

During 1897-98 Mr. Hiltner had charge of the brick paving of the
streets of Norristown, and the work done at that time is, after almost a
quarter of a century of constant use, in excellent condition. From this
beginning, practically all of the borough work along civil engineering
lines until 1916 was under his charge. From 1906 until 1914, he also
acted as clerk of the Borough Council and with the exception of a short
period in 1902, when he was associated with Ryan & Kelley in the
erection of bridges, as superintendent, Mr. Hiltner has been continuously
in the employ of the borough for nearly thirty years, being now borough
treasurer, an office to which he was appointed in 1916. When he had
completed the unexpired term of his predecessor, he was reelected to the
Town Council for the regular two-year term, and subsequent reelections
have retained him in office until now he is serving his third term. He
also acts as custodian of the borough property, has been a member of the
borough executive committee and of the Republican county committee.
Mr. Hiltner is affiliated with Charity Lodge, No. 190, Free and Accepted
Masons ; Norristown Chapter, Royal Arch Masons ; Hutchinson Com-
mandery. Knights Templar; Lu Lu Temple, Ancient Arabic Order
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine ; the Improved Order of Red Men ; the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks ; the Grand Army of the Repub-
lic ; is an honorary member of Fairmount Engine Company, and a mem-
ber of the Norristown Club.

Mr. Hiltner married, April 27, 1898, Katherine Shantz, of Norristown,
and they reside at No. 1028 West Marshall street.

SAMUEL W. FRANKLIN— In engineering activities in the East
and South, Mr. Franklin was for a number of years a leading figure, but
more recently has been identified with the Keasby & Mathison Company,

BIOGRAPHICAL 229

of Ambler, Pennsylvania, where he was assistant superintendent of the
plant. He is now connected with the Julian S. Simsohn Company of
Philadelphia. Mr. Franklin is a native of this State, and a son of John
M. and Permilla Franklin, his father, a poultryman on a large scale,
located in Fayette county. There were five children in the family, Mr.
Franklin's brothers, Robert and William, and his sisters, Ella and Grace.

Samuel W. Franklin was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsyl-
vania, March 27, 1883. His education was received in the public schools
of his native county and the neighboring county of Fayette. He was
graduated from Uniontown High School in the class of 1900, then
attended Birmingham Business College, at Birmingham, Alabama, for
one year. He then entered Cumberland University of Tennessee, gradu-
ating from that institution in the class of 191 1. Mr. Franklin's first
experience was with the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company as
an engineer in the chief engineer's ofiice under Robert Hamilton, and he
was thus engaged for a period of five years. Thereafter becoming iden-
tified with the Republic Iron and Steel Company, in Republic, Alabama,
he served as construction engineer for one year, after which he went to
W. J. Rainey, with whom he was active for two years on construction
work in the capacity of engineer. Coming East to Camden, New Jersey,
he entered the employ of the American Coke and Gas Construction Com-
pany as engineer for one year. Mr. Franklin had by this time gained
an enviable reputation in this field and was widely known in the East
and South, and was sought by the Keasby & Mathison Company, in the
employ of which concern he remained for ten years. On May i, 1923, Mr.
Franklin took entire charge of the mechanical department of the Julian
Simsohn Company, located at Broad street and Girard avenue, Phila-
delphia, chemical engineers.

In fraternal circles Mr. Franklin is well known, holding membership
in Shiloh Lodge, No. 558, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is
past master; and Philadelphia Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish
Rite; and of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. His relig-
ious affiliation is with the Methodist Episcopal church, which he serves
as steward.

Mr. Franklin married, at Lansdale, Pennsylvania, on October 16,
1913, Blanche Printz, daughter of William and Mary Printz, and they
have two children: Gordon, born December 16, 1915; and Elizabeth,
born September 7, 1920.

JAMES BARCLEY EDWARDS— One of the longest-established
business houses of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, is the shoe store of James
Barcley Edwards. He came to Lansdale in 1872, and celebrated the
passing of a half-century in trade in 1922. No man can live for such a
length of time in any community and conduct a business without pro-
foundly effecting the community life.

James Barcley Edwards was born in London, England, October 17,
1845. His father, Edmond Edwards, was a currier and tanner of leather;
his mother was Mary (Barcley) Edwards.

230 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

James B. Edwards received the customary education of his day, and
was about eighteen when he came to the United States. For a time he
traveled through various parts of this country before settling down,
which he did finally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1866. In this year
he also started to learn the shoemaker's trade, and spent three years in
acquiring all there was to be taught. When he felt he knew his vocation,
he set up in business for himself, in Kulpsville, Pennsylvania, in 1868,
and later, in 1872, opened a shop in Lansdale, although it was not until a
year after that that he came there to live. From that little shop has
grown his present store.

In the early days Mr. Edwards was interested in politics and civic
affairs, was for three years a member of the Borough Council, and
served another three years on the school board. He fraternizes with the
Improved Order of Red Men, Knights of the Golden Eagle, and the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Mr. Edwards was married, at Philadelphia, in 1871, to Sarah Anna
Fry, who though born in Philadelphia is really from Montgomery county,
her parents, George R. and Elizabeth Fry, being well known citizens of
that county. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards have one son, Edward F., born
October 27, 1871.

WALTER ATWOOD YEAKLE, M. D.— Among the prominent
physicians of the younger set of Norristown, Pennsylvania, is Walter
Atwood Yeakle. The long service he gave his country in the World
War interrupted his career at a time when he was becoming well estab-
lished in his city practice, but on his return with two years of added
experience, he settled again to his work with a renewed zest that is
making him widely known and sought. He is the son of Atwood and
Caroline (Aiman) Yeakle, of Norristown, his father a druggist at No.
600 De Kalb street for nearly fifty years. He has two sisters : Eleanor,
who is the wife of John J. Corson ; and Molly, the widow of Henry F.
Derr, both of Norristown.

Walter Atwood Yeakle was born at Norristown, Pennsylvania,
August 4, 1887. He is a graduate of both the grammar and high schools
of his natal city, and in the pursuance of his professional education
attended first the Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) College of Pharmacy,
from which he was graduated in 1909, and later completed the course
of the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, from which he received
his degree of M. D. with the class of 1913. He further increased his
training by becoming an interne for a year in the Cooper Hospital of
Camden, New Jersey.

He established himself in practice in Norristown, but enlisted in the
navy May 15, 1917, and was placed in the Naval Medical Corps, at the
naval operating base, Hampton Roads, Virginia, as medical aide in the
Fifth District of Norfolk, Virginia, and saw service there until July 17,
1919. He promptly returned to Norristown and has since applied him-
self to his profession.

[xu^tc^

BIOGRAPHICAL 231

Dr. YeaTcIe is a member of the Pennsylvania Health Department, and
is county medical director for the State Department of Health. He is a
member of the County, State and American Medical societies. He is a
Republican in his political views, and affiliates with Norristown Lodge,
No. 190, Free and Accepted Masons. His college fraternity is Omega
Upsilon Phi. Dr. Yeakle is a lover of outdoor life, enjoying especially
fishing, hunting and tennis. His church membership is in the Trinity
Lutheran Church of Norristown.

On November 2-], 1918, Dr. Walter A. Yeakle was married to Eliza-
beth Marie Wheeler, born June 3, 1895, daughter of George F. and Mary
S. (Stack) Wheeler. Mr. Wheeler has been for a number of years the
court clerk at Charlestown, Maryland. Dr. and Mrs. Yeakle are the
parents of one son, Robert Lee, born September 9, 1921.

HARVEY S. SOUDER— Descended from one of the old families of
Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, represented in civic. State and
National affairs, and in the industries and professions, Henry S. Souder,
of Souderton, Pennsylvania, is now a leading citizen of this county, and
a prominent and progressive public servant. A native and a lifelong
resident of Souderton, Mr. Souder is a son of Monroe and Elizabeth
Souder, both born and reared in the vicinity, in their ancestral homes.

Harvey S. Souder was born in Souderton, Montgomery county, Penn-
sylvania, May 19, 1863. His education was begun in the public schools
of his native place, and completed at the local high school, giving him
a broadly practical foundation for his subsequent business activities. In
1884 Mr. Souder established a cigar factory at No. 18 Green street, in
Souderton, and this plant has now been in operation for nearly four
decades, with steady increase of prosperity, requiring expansion from
time to time, and is looked upon as one of the substantial industrial
interests of the community. Mr. Souder also manufactures cigar boxes,
having begun this activity to meet his own needs, and now supplying an
extensive trade in Pennsylvania and near-by States. Long a leader in
business circles in this borough, he has also for a number of years been
identified with the financial progress of Souderton as vice-president and
director of the First National Bank of Lancaster. Mr. Souder's practical
business ability and far-sighted perception in his individual affairs long
since brought him into the public notice, and with the need of the quali-
ties in the administration of the affairs of the borough, he was elected
first as school director, and later as a member of the Borough Council,
and has served for years in both connections. Fraternally he holds mem-
bership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Souderton.

Mr. Souder married, in Souderton, Elizabeth Blank, daughter of
William and Anna Blank, of this place. Mr. and Mrs. Souder have one
child, Walter B.

WILLIAM J. RALSTON--A resident of Royersford for nearly
forty-seven years, and during the greater part of that period actively
identified with the manufacture of glass in a widely known local plant,

232 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Mr. Ralston is looked upon in this borough as a thoroughly representa-
tive citizen. A few years ago he retired from business activity, but has
recently become interested in a new manufacturing project, and is again
actively contributing to the general advance of Montgomery county.

Mr. Ralston was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, December 25,
1859, and is a son of Aaron and Hannah A. (Hamor) Ralston. Receiv-
ing his education in the public schools of Chestnut Grove, he came to
Royersford in February, 1876, and entered the employ of Francis Buck-
waiter & Company, manufacturers of stoves. Here learning stove mould-
ing, he remained with the company until October, 1884, when he became
a member of the firm known as the Pennsylvania Glass Company, with
which he was associated for about two years. Then withdrawing from
that concern, he returned to the Buckwalter plant and resumed his old
position there. In September, 1888, Mr. Ralston became a partner in the
Diamond Glass Company of Royersford, and his association with this
concern continued until September, 1920. During the course of this
period the business was incorporated and Mr. Ralston was made secre-
tary of the concern, filling this office until the above date, when he retired
from active business. His purpose at the time was to spend his declining
years in leisure, to which, after nearly forty-five years of industrial and
executive activity, he was surely entitled. The habit of work, however,
is difficult to break, and Mr. Ralston became interested in a project for
the founding of a textile industry ; the plant is known as the Eleta Knit-
ting Company, and is located in Pottstown. In the spring of 1922, in
company with a few other enterprising men, Mr. Ralston formed and
incorporated the new concern, and the plant is now, 1923, operating at its
permanent location in Pottstown.

Mr. Ralston has always been and still is broadly interested in every
branch of activity which counts for the public welfare. He is a director
in the National Bank of Royersford ; is secretary and treasurer of the
Fernwood Cemetery ; and is now treasurer of the school board, the
position he has held for the past twelve years. Fraternally Mr. Ralston
is connected with the Lafayette Castle, Knights of the Golden Eagle, of
which he has been a member since its organization on August 4, 1885,
and during this entire period he has served as keeper of the exchequer.
He is also a member of the Patriotic Order Sons of America, No. 191, of
Spring City, and for three years served as treasurer of this lodge. He has
been treasurer of the Evangelical Sunday School since 1909.

William J. Ralston married, in November, 1910, Catherine (Weikel)
Hixson, daughter of Israel Weikel. In 1908-09 he erected the handsome
residence where they now live, at the corner of Walnut street and Fifth
avenue, which is an ornament to this fine residence section.

ALBERT H. ENGLERTH— In mercantile circles in Montgomery
county, Pennsylvania, Mr. Englerth is well known, having been for many
years a dealer in coal and feed. Mr. Englerth comes of old Pennsylvania
stock on both paternal and maternal sides. His grandfather, John R.

BIOGRAPHICAL 233

Englerth, was a leading farmer of Chester county, and his maternal
grandfather, William Holscher, came from Amsterdam, Holland, and
settled in Pennsylvania many years ago.

John Samuel Englerth, Mr. Englerth's father, was born in Chester
county, June 21, 1847, and spent his lifetime in farming. He married
Harriet Holscher, who was born in November, 1855, and they were the
parents of four children, Albert H. Englerth having had two brothers,
John Samuel, Jr., and William, who died in childhood; and has one
sister, Margaret.

Albert H. Englerth was born in Gwynedd, Pennsylvania, September
7, 1861. His education was begun in the public schools of Franklinville,
and he later attended school at Coal Point and Rose Hill, of Pennsyl-
vania communities. When only eleven years of age he started to work,
securing a position with H. S. Nash, in a clothing and men's furnishing
store in Rose Hill. After five years' experience in this connection, Mr.
Englerth went to Philadelphia, where he became identified with the
Stetson Hat Company, as a finisher, and was employed along that Ime
for ten years. Then coming to Ambler, Pennsylvania, he entered the
employ of W. C. Evans, wholesale and retail dealers in coal and feed.
He was with this concern as an employee for twelve years, after which
he bought out Mr. Evans, and has since carried the business forward
independently. It is advantageously located on the corner of Railroad
avenue and Oak street. Ambler, Pennsylvania, and is counted among the
leading distributors in this line in a wide area. Mr. Englerth is interested
in all local advance, giving his aid and endorsement to any movement for
the public good, and is actively identified with the Norristown Building
and Loan Association. An enthusiastic supporter of the principles of
the Republican party, he is a worker in the ranks of the party, but prefers
to leave leadership to others. Fraternally Mr. Englerth holds member-
ship in Fort Washington Lodge, No. 308, Free and Accepted Masons,
and is also a member of the Knights of the Mystic Chain. His religious
affiliation is with the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, of which he is a
deacon.

Mr. Englerth married, on April 4, 1907, in New York City, Nellie
Turner Bowers, daughter of George and Elizabeth Bowers, of that city.

JOHN B. SHERBON, M. D.— As a skillful physician and surgeon.
Dr. John B. Sherbon has long been known and most highly esteemed and
loved in the State of Iowa, but it is only since 1919 that the people of
Pottstown, Pennsylvania, have been familiar with his name and his
work. In the short time he has been with them, however, the people of
Pottstown have learned to esteem him highly, both as an eminently
skillful member of his profession and as a worthy friend and associate.

Dr. Sherbon is descended from very old Colonial stock, tracing his
ancestry to John Sherbon, who came to America as royal governor of
New Hampshire. As the population in the East increased and the
hardier, more enterprising spirits moved westward, another John Sher-

234 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

bon, descendant of the royal governor, went with the westward moving
migration from New Hampshire to Pennsylvania, and settled at May-
town, near Marietta, in Lancaster county. He lived the rugged life of
the pioneer and reared a family of children, among whom was John B.
(i), the grandfather of John B., of this review. Among the sons of John
B. (i) Sherbon was John B. (2), father of our subject.

John B. (2) Sherbon was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania,
in 1837, and died in Grundy county, Iowa, 1892. He was a minister of the
Gospel (Church of God), who, inheriting the spirit of the pioneer, moved
westward, as his forbears had done, finally locating at Cedar county,
Iowa, where, in addition to the duties of preacher and pastor, he engaged
in farming and also followed the trade of the carpenter. A sturdy pioneer,
known and loved for his integrity and for his helpfulness, he contributed
a worthy share to the building of the "West" of those days. He had
previously served in a Pennsylvania regiment during the Civil War, thus
contributing a share to the region of his early years, as well as to the
new region of the later "West." He married Hettie Green, born in 1840,
at Little York, Pennsylvania, who is still living, and they had the follow-
ing children : James, Levi, Elizabeth and Emma, Howard, Georgie. Ella,
Amos; John B., of further mention; Fred, Ida, and Eunice, all living.

John B. (3) Sherbon, son of John B. (2) and Hettie (Green) Sher-
bon, born at Lisbon, Cedar county, Iowa, November 20, 1876. received
his early education in the public schools of Cedar county. He then
entered Western College, Iowa, from which he was graduated with the
class of 1893. Continuing his studies in Iowa State University, he was
graduated from that institution in 1904, with the degree of M. D., after
which he began practice in Colfax, Iowa, and soon became associated
with Victoria Sanitarium, a private hospital, where he remained for eight
years, until 1912. He then removed to Hartley, Iowa, where he was
engaged in general practice until 1916, at which time failing health com-
pelled him to give up his practice. He went to the lumber districts of
Wisconsin to recuperate, and by the fall of 1918 had so much improved
that he entered the army as captain of a medical corps and was sent to
Camp Greenleaf. His first assignment was that of assistant to local
examining boards, which were short of men on account of the epidemic
of influenza. In one place in Wisconsin he found all three members of
the board prostrated with the "flu"' and 125 men from the lumber camps
waiting to be examined within two days. While waiting for their exam-
inations the men had freely patronized the saloons of the place, and were
totally unfit for examination. Dr. Sherbon met the difficulty by closing
all the saloons, and found that, aside from the temporary disability caused
by drink the lumbermen were a fine lot of men, all but six being accepted,
and making good soldiers. At the close of the war, after receiving his
discharge. Dr. Sherbon, with health fully regained, came to Pottstown,
and entered general practice. He is attending surgeon of the G. Stanley
Flagg ^lills Manufacturing Company, and pathologist of the Pottstown
Hospital, in charge of all laboratory work. He keeps abreast of the times

BIOGRAPHICAL 235

professionally, spending each Wednesday in Philadelphia with Dr. Bland,
the well known gynaecologist, seeing operations and widening his experi-
ence and his fund of information, as well as keeping fresh his energy and
his enthusiasm, and spares neither money nor time in order that he may
as fully as possible keep himself prepared to render the best possible
service to his large clientele. He is a member of the County, State and
National Medical societies, and fraternally is a thirty-second degree
Mason, Scottish Rite, and a member of the Royal Arch Masons, York
Rite.

On October 12, 1912, Dr. John B. Sherbon married Minnie Updegiove,
of Chester county, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Sherbon graduated from St.
Luke's Training School, New York City, in 1910, and then went to the
Victoria Sanitarium at Colfax, Iowa, as superintendent. That she met
the responsibilities of her position in a manner entirely satisfactory to
Dr. Sherbon is evidenced by the fact that he decided to make her the
superintendent of his happiness and of his home. Dr. and Mrs. Sherbon
are the parents of two children: John B. (4), deceased; and David, a
robust boy of three years.

WILLIAM K. GRESH— Few names in the annals of industrial
progress in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, have been more closely
identified with the daily life of the people and the constant movement of
progress than that of William K. Gresh, to whose energy and initiative
the borough of Norristown owes one of its leading industrial enterprises.
The third generation in this country, but coming of a verv old and
honored German family line, Mr. Gresh was a man of large natural
ability, a man of broad sympathies and keen interests, and no phase of
human endeavor could present its appeal to him without meeting in
some form, an inspiring or substantial response. His death, which
occurred in the year 1907. removed from the community a man whose
place has not been entirely filled, although years have now passed by.

Nicholas Gresh, the pioneer of this family in America, was born in
Germany and came to this country prior to the Revolution, settling in
Berks county in the province of Pennsylvania. He became a highly
esteemed citizen of the colony, and upon the separation of the colonies
from the mother country, he cast in his lot with the patriots and served
as a soldier in the War of the Revolution. He survived the struggle and
for many years filled a useful and respected place in the community,
rearing in the principles of righteousness his children: Christian,
Nicholas, Daniel, and Elizabeth (Gresh) Wentzel.

Daniel Gresh, the youngest son of this family and father of the
subject of this sketch, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and was
reared on his father's farm. Choosing to become a weaver, he learned
this trade, which he followed until his death. A man of sturdy spirit and
upright walk in life, he was esteemed by all who knew him. He married
Susanna Kuser, who was of French descent, and they were the parents
of the following children : Augustus Edwin ; John ; William K., whose

236 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

name entitles this review; Rachel, wife of Harman Custer; Leah, wife of
Alexander Hummel ; Emmeline, wife of George Hesch ; Elizabeth, wife
of William Glase ; Henry Abel ; Kate A. ; Milton.

William K. Gresh, third son of Daniel and Susanna (Kuser) Gresh,
was born in Pottsgrove township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania,
January 23, 1834, and died in Norristown, Pennsylvania, September,
1907. His early life was spent in Berks and Montgomery counties in this
State, and he attended the common schools of both, gaining a practical
grasp of the fundamentals of learning. But by far the more important
elements of education were his attitude toward life, his perceptions, and
his keen insight into causes and conditions, which gave him at all times
a broad familiarity with current events and a constructive appreciation of
every force bearing upon local affairs. Ambitious to win a place of dis-
tinction and usefulness, he entered business in an independent way
when only seventeen years of age, establishing a brick yard at Center
Point, a little community in Worcester township, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania. In this connection he also handled a very considerable
interest, for that time, in contracting and building. Chafing at the
enforced idleness of the winter months, he later founded a cigar factory,
beginning in a small way and working only when nothing else com-
manded his attention. The business grew beyond his expectations, and
in the year 1867, it had entirely superseded his other interests. At that
time he removed to Perkiomen township, in Montgomery county, where
he purchased a tract of land and erected a factory. The business
increased greatly within the next five years, and Mr. Gresh again sought
greater facilities and more space for expansion, this time removing to
Norristov^n, where he built on a larger scale. This was in 1872, and
although at the time of its erection this plant was considered adequate
for a lifetime of advancing endeavor, he was compelled to enlarge these
quarters. In the year 1891, the present fine structure at the corner of
Marshall and Corson streets, was erected, in its original dimensions, and
in 1902 a large addition was made which more than doubled its capacity.
The main building, fifty by ninety feet, a handsome brick structure, is
four stories high, and constantly keeping in touch with the progress of
the time in machinery and equipment, Mr. Gresh led his contemporaries
as one of the small group in this part of the State of really significant
men in his field. Its architecture an ornament to the community, its
activities providing the means of a livelihood for more than 600 opera-
tives, this enterprise is considered one of the important in Norristown,
and produces 60,000,000 cigars annually, the chief factory brands being the
"Meditation," "Sight Draft," "El Patio," and "Pathfinder."

Mr. Gresh is remembered in Norristown and in the cigar trade as one
of the most indomitable workers, a man of the highest integrity, who
built his success on his own ceaseless endeavors rather than upon the
unrewarded labor of others. He was one of the substantial men of the
community, his determined will governed by unfailing honesty of pur-
pose, which inspired confidence in all who knew him. In political faith

BIOGRAPHICAL 237

he was a Democrat, and his standing in the borough is well appraised by
the fact that he was elected to the council from a Republican ward, and
his judgment in matters of public moment was frequently sought. For
many years he was an elder of Trinity Reformed Church, and was a
leading spirit in all branches of church activity. He reared his family in
the faith to which he adhered, and they are now an honor to his name
and exemplify the virtues of this faith in their daily lives.

Mr. Gresh married, at the age of twenty-one years, Mrs. Leah (Hend-
ricks) Detwiler, daughter of Peter Hendricks, of Worcester township,
Montgomery county, and they were the parents of six children : i. Edwin
Pierce, who died in 1903, after having been associated with his father in
business for a number of years. 2. Hervey Clinton, who has been iden-
tified with this business from his youth and is now manager ; is a member
of the Valley Forge Commission, is affiliated with Lodge, Chapter, Com-
mandery, and Consistory of the Masonic order; is a Noble of Lu Lu
Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine ; also of the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows ; Norristown Club ; Plymouth Country Club ; Manufac-
turers' Club of Philadelphia, and Rotary Club. 3. Eraminda, deceased.

4. William Perry, who has also long been identified with the above busi-
ness, continuing in this interest with his brother, Hervey C, and is a
member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 5. Kate, wife of John

5. Geller. 6. Annette, who died at an early age. The sons were received
into partnership with their father in the year 1883, and Hervey Clinton
Gresh is now at the head of the enterprise.

ALFRED M. STUMP — A man of versatile interest and of unusual
ability is Alfred M. Stump, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, of Red
Hill, Pennsylvania. As a preacher, as an organizer of community inter-
ests, and as a leader in athletics, as well as in other capacities, he has
won the love and esteem of his people whom he serves faithfully and
well.

Mr. Stump is a descendant of one of the sturdy German Protestants
who came to this country between the years 1717 and 1720. Persecuted
because of their religion, harrassed by the rude and despotic Frederick
William I, of Prussia, and suffering from the ravages and the confusion
of the Wars of the Spanish Succession, the unfortunate victims made
their way out of the home land in great numbers. Families which had
been wealthy and prosperous, reduced to penury, gladly bound them-
selves to serve for a long period of time in the new world as the price of
their passage over. Human greed on the ships, as well as in the making
of the preliminary arrangements made capital of their misery, and sad
indeed was the condition of most of those who finally arrived in the new
land. Those who survived were of the sturdiest, and from these are
descended the vigorous, capable generations of to-day.

Henry George Stump emigrated from his home in Germany, when
he was twenty-eight years of age, crossing the Atlantic on the ship

238 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

"Edinburgh," and landing at Philadelphia, October 2, 1753. A land
warrant dated September 4, 1754, shows that Henry George Stump pur-
chased from Philip Maurer, a tract of 200 acres by estimation, located in
Albany township, Berks county. It was situated on the west side of
Round Top mountain, in Albany, and included the farm later owned by
James S. Focht, and the site of the red paint mine near Geenawalt's
station along the Berks & Lehigh branch of the Reading railroad. He
paid 575 pounds "of lawful money to him in hand given," but the war-
rant, which appears in Deed Book 7, Page 12, was not recorded until
November 6, 1778.

Family tradition says that Henry George Stump was "bound out" in
one of the lower sections of Pennsylvania, probably near New Hanover,
Montgomery county, until he had earned his freedom (cost of passage),
when he removed with others from New Hanover to Albany township,
Berks county, Pennsylvania. He was the father of sons, John and
Henry, of whom we have definite knowledge, and William and Daniel,
mentioned in the Albany records may also have been his sons. From
these have descended a numerous progeny who have contributed to the
development of the Keystone State in many fields, and are known as
men and women of ability, thrift, and high moral character.

Alfred M. Stump, son of John K. Stump, a well known contractor and
builder of the county, and of Catherine (Leibensperger) Stump, is the
fifth of a family of seven children : Calvin S., Ella J., Jacob, Curtain D.,
Alfred M., Clara M., and James W. He was born December 23, 1884, in
Berks county, Maxatawny township, and after receiving his early educa-
tion in the public schools of his native district entered the Keystone State
Normal School, following his graduation from that institution in 1902,
with post-graduate work there in 1904. In 1905 he entered Muhlenberg
College, admitted as a Sophomore, and graduated in 1908, with the degree
Bachelor of Arts. He graduated from the Lutheran Theological Semin-
ary, Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, in the year 191 1, and was ordained at Trinity
Lutheran Church of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, June 12, 191 1, and
accepted a call to the Lutheran church at Washingtonville, Montour
county, Pennsylvania. In 1912 he became pastor of St. Luke's Lutheran
Church, at Easton, Pennsylvania, where for six years he ministered faith-
fully and most efficiently to the spiritual, social, and moral life of the
community. In 1918 he was called to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, at
Red Hill, Pennsylvania, and the five years of his pastorate there have
been notable ones in the history of the church and of the town.

Mr. Stump has been very active in the civic afTairs of the borough,
and to his energy and ability the better roads of the neighborhood are
largely due. He organized and serves as secretary of the Board of
Trade of Red Hill, and in countless ways has labored for the civic
advancement of the community which he serves. As one of the organ-
izers and supporters of the Red Hill Athletic Association, he has come
in close touch with the young men and boys of his congregation and of
the community-at-large, and is exercising a powerful influence for good

BIOGRAPHICAL 239

in the young lives with whom he makes it his business to come in con-
tact. The far reaching influences of the vigorous, wholesome, and strong
leadership which Mr. Stump is exercising cannot be estimated in terms
of the present. Only the future can reveal the finest and best results of
his ministry at Red Hill.

On August 2, 191 1, at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Rev. Alfred M. Stump
married Anna E. Burkhart, daughter of Fred and Louisa (Brenneman)
Burkhart, and they are the parents of two children : Alfred M., Jr., born
October 30, 1913; John Phillip, born August 13, 1915.

FRANK MARCELLUS BAILEY, LL. B.— Active in the profession
of the law for a number of years in the city of Chicago, and during that
time associated with one of the leading lawyers of his day, Mr. Bailey's
more recent interests have in a measure eclipsed his profession, and as
the owner of one of the most beautiful estates in Montgomery county, if
not in the State of Pennsylvania, he is achieving success in a large way
as an orchardist.- He comes of a prominent New England family.

Marcellus Bailey, Mr. Bailey's father, also a lawyer by profession,
spent the greater part of his active career as a patent attorney in Wash-
ington, D. C. Of forceful spirit and marked ability, he was successful
not only from an individual viewpoint, but his activities contributed in
a very considerable measure to the development of the industrial life of
the nation through his cooperation with the leading inventors of the time.
A veteran of the Civil War, he served with the rank of major, from 1861
until 1864, inclusive, and was stationed first at Washington, D. C, and
later was attached to the Army of the Southwest. Marcellus Bailey mar-
ried Harriet Page, daughter of Charles Grafton Page, the inventor of the
Page coil, and editor of several authoritative books on electricity as a
motive power. A model of the Page coil is on view at the National
Museum at Washington.

Frank Marcellus Bailey was born in Framingham, Massachusetts,
July 2, 1872. His education was begun in the private schools of the
national capital, where he also covered his preparatory course, and enter-
ing Harvard University he was graduated from that institution in the
class of 1896. Serving as a law clerk for a short time, Mr. Bailey then
went to Chicago to take up the practice of his profession. Specializing
in probate and real estate law, Mr. Bailey continued until 1908, during the
latter part of which period he had charge of several important estates in
Chicago. Then returning east, Mr. Bailey located at Bryn Mawr, living
privately for upwards of three years. His attention was thereby drawn
to the possibilities in this section in productive endeavor, particularly
orcharding. Looking about for a suitable place upon which to develop
an industry along this line, he purchased the "Seven County View Farm,"
in Eagleville, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, from which, besides
the county in which it is located, a splendid panarama is seen, including
the counties of Philadelphia, Delaware, Bucks, Berks, Lehigh and Ches-
ter. Purchasing the property in 1910, Mr. Bailey now has apple and

240 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

peach orchards approximating 7,000 trees, and covering more than fifty-
acres of ground. He takes the keenest interest in all activities which
have to do with orcharding and other farm affairs. He was instrumental
in organizing, in 1921, at Collegeville, the Pennsylvania Fruit & Packing
Sales Company, which concern was formed to look after the interests of
the producer and packer, and of which he is director, Walter O'Neil, a
broadly practical man in this field, being the manager. In other branches
of progressive eflfort Mr. Bailey is also active, but although a worker for
the advance of the Republican party, he has never accepted or desired
political honors. During the World War, he served as a member of the
Brotherhood of St. Andrew, and was stationed at Camp Shelby, Missis-
sippi, for two years (1917-18). He then took up the work of visiting
different diocesan organizations in the States of Pennsylvania, Mary-
land, Delaware and Virginia, in the interest of the welfare of service men.
Completing this work in September, of 1919, Mr. Bailey then returned to
Eagleville to his individual interests. Mr. Bailey is a member of the
Loyal Legion, and is a member of the Knights of Pythias, a Chicago
lodge, and is also a member of the Keystone Automobile Club. His
religious affiliation is with the Episcopal church of Norristown.

Mr. Bailey married, at the Church of the Redeemer, at Bryn Mawr,
on June 28, 1899, Katharine Robeson Bowen, daughter of Colonel
Edward Roscoe and Katharine (Mather) Bowen. Colonel Edward
Roscoe Bowen, now deceased, was prominent in the insurance business in
Philadelphia, and led the 114th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infan-
try, during the Civil War, serving with distinction at Gettysburg, with
General Cole's Zouaves. He was the youngest ranking officer at Gettys-
burg, and having enlisted in 1861, as a private, was promoted from time
to time to the rank of colonel, receiving his honorable discharge from the
service in 1864. Frank Marcellus and Katharine Robeson (Bowen)
Bailey are the parents of a daughter and a son, as follows : Harriet
Sewall, born Auugst 16, 1900, is a graduate of Hannah Moore College,
of Maryland, has been a Congressional stenographer, and secretary to the
dean of Harvard University ; Robeson, who was born May 3, 1906, is a
graduate of Chestnut Hill Academy, entered Hill School, at Pottstown,
Pennsylvania, in the fall of 1922, to prepare for Harvard, his purpose
being to take a forestry course.

HARRY MILLER SHULER— A great-grandson of Michael Hille-
gas, the first treasurer of the United States, and belonging to a family
that has always been ready to give its sons and its treasure to the nation,
Mr. Shuler was born at Sumneytown, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania,
October 10, 1858, son of Tobias and Elizabeth (Miller) Shuler. Mr.
Shuler's paternal grandfather, Tobias Shuler, was a tailor, and the family
traces its ancestry to one of the merchant tailors of continental Europe,
who carried on his business in the sixteenth century, at a time when cloth
was as precious as gold and tailoring a rich man's occupation. Mr.
Shuler has in his possession a table which has been in the family since
1614, and which has been used as a tailoring table continuously from

^Lv.^ '^-^i^cXv-

BIOGRAPHICAL 241

that date to this. He also possesses two family Bibles of the date of
1614, in which the principal facts concerning his ancestry are recorded.
The Shuler Bible and the ancient table came to him from the estate of
his grandfather, Tobias Shuler.

Mr. Shuler's father, Tobias Shuler the second, was born in 1818 and
died on September 10, 1907. Like his father, he was a tailor by trade,
and owned a tailoring establishment at Collegeville, Pennsylvania.
When the Civil War broke out, Tobias Shuler and his oldest son, Samuel
Shuler, made haste to join the Union forces. Of fine physique and
indomitable courage, Tobias Shuler joined the Pennsylvania Cavalry
and was assigned to Company H of the Thirteenth Regiment. A dash-
ing rider, fearless in attack, inspiring others with renewed courage by
the force of his example, he made an ideal soldier. He took part in many
battles, notably the Second Battle of Bull Run, and the actions at Antie-
tam, Chancellorsville, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Raleigh, and the Battle
of Gettysburg. His son, Samuel Shuler, was a drummer boy and currier
with the army of General Grant and had the honor of carrying the last
message despatched by General Grant to President Lincoln at the close of
the war.

As Mr. Shuler's childhood was thus spent in the shadow of the Civil
War, so later on, he had his mind enriched by authentic tales of the great
struggle. He was too young at the time of the conflict to understand the
full import of his father's and brother's prolonged absences from home,
but as he grew older he realized the meaning of the campaigns to the full,
and lived vicariously through the old days of battle when year after year
he saw his father and Samuel setting out for the annual encampment of
the Grand Army of the Republic. On his mother's part, there were war
memories also, the Miller family through all its branches having been
at one with the- nation's cause. Mrs. Tobias Shuler who was born in
1818 and died on September 13, 1895, retained to the last a vivid memory
of the days when her husband and son and the men of her father's family
shouldered arms and marched to the front to take their places in the
regiments of Pennsylvania.

Tobias Shuler and his wife had a large family, no less than ten chil-
dren having been born to them in the old Shuler home at Collegeville.
Of these children, Mr. Shuler is the seventh, the others, according to
seniority, being: Samuel M., the Civil War veteran, who died February
8, 1923, at Mont Clare ; Matilda, who married Mr. Willauer, and is now
deceased ; Mary, who married David Buckwalter, and is now a resident
of Collegeville ; Almira, who married Harry Yost of Collegeville, and is
now deceased ; Katharine, who married Harry Denner of Norristown, and
is now deceased ; Josephine, who married Horace Updegrove of Rahn
Station, Pennsylvania: and is now deceased: Harry M. ; Raleigh, who
was born while her father was stationed at Raleigh, South Carolina, in
the course of the Civil War, and who was named Raleigh on this account,
and who is now the wife of John Cassell of Mont Clare ; Lydia, who died
in infancy, and another daughter, unnamed, who died in early infancy.

Mont— 16

242 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

One of a large family, and growing up as he did in the era of business
depression that followed the war, Mr. Shuler had his own way to make
in the world. His home life was exceptionally happy. His parents were
at great pains to give him a good education, entering him as a pupil of
the public schools and fostering and encouraging his love of study.
Remembering his school days, Mr. Shuler is not one of those who would
decry the value of the rural school as an educational influence in Ameri-
can life. He considers it a character building institution of the best
kind and does not regret the hardships he experienced in the old days
when school rooms were heated by wood burning stoves fed with logs
from the nearby forests. In those days of the three "R's" school life was
very real and the opportunity to acquire an education was regarded as
an inestimable privilege by himself and his classmates.

When his school days were over, Mr. Shuler entered his father's
place of business and learned the tailoring trade. He stayed with his
father until he was twenty-eight years old and then, in 1886, took advan-
tage of an opportunity to establish himself in an independent business at
Mont Clare, where he has conducted a tailoring establishment with great
success almost ever since. Exercising a skill that seems to have been
handed down from father to son in the Shuler family, Mr. Shuler has had
many offers from city firms, but he has preferred to carry on his own
business and to spend his life in the surroundings that have been familiar
to him from his earliest days. In 1908 he enlarged the scope of his
business activities by establishing an ice cream and tobacco store, which
he conducted until 1922, when he sold his interests and again gave to
tailoring his entire time and attention. A true Pennsylvanian, with the
stamp of that commonwealth upon his mind and character, Mr. Shuler
is abreast of the times and keeps himself accurately informed in regard
to political events at home and abroad. A lifelong Republican, he is an
ardent admirer of President Harding and a supporter of the policies of
the present administration at Washington. In local afifairs, Mr. Shuler
is all on the side of progress. For over fifty years, he has taken an active
part in efiforts made to reduce the waste of life and property occasioned
by fire. He is a charter member and one of the organizers of the Mont
Clare Fire Company, which was founded in 1874. His son Frank is also
a member of the company and spares no efifort to add to its efficiency in
drill, membership, and equipment. When the new firehouse was built,
in 1910, Mr. Shuler was a member of the building committee. A member
of the Lutheran church, Mr. Shuler and the members of his family usually
attend divine worship at the church of this congregation at Phoenixville.

On October 18, 1881, Mr. Shuler married, at Collegeville, Sally K.
Young, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Krause) Young, who vi^as
born February 26, 1861, and died October 23, 1899. Her father and
brother are both deceased. Mr. and Mrs. James Young had four chil-
dren: William, who is employed as a conductor on the Reading Rail-
road of South Jersey ; Elizabeth ; Sally K., who is Mrs. Shuler ; and a little
girl who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Shuler had three children:

BIOGRAPHICAL 243

Reuben, who was born January 15, 1883, and who is engaged in business
as a mould maker ; Laura, who was born July 2, 1885, and who died some
time after her marriage to Dan McMonagle, the owner of a cigar store at
Phoenixville ; and Frank L., who was born June 16, 1888.

Mr. Frank L. Shuler is engaged in business as a barber at Phoenix-
ville, Pennsylvania, one of the finest establishments in the city. During
the World War, he served in the United States army, enlisting for
service overseas on October 2, 1917, at Lansdale. He was sent to Camp
Meade, Maryland, and remained there in training until January, 1918.
In that month, he was transferred to Chickamauga, Georgia, and assigned
to duty with Company F, Third Battalion, Eleventh Infantry. In April
of the same year, he was transferred to Camp Merritt and on the 24th
of April sailed for France with his regiment. He landed at Brest, May
8, 1918. In the following September, he was transferred to Company K,
Third Battalion, Eleventh Infantry, which was at that time a part of the
Fifth Division, and served with this unit until the end of the war. He
took part in the trench warfare in Alsace-Lorraine, at St. Die, and in the
Vosges Mountains ; and was engaged in open battle at St. Mihiel, in the
Argonne Forest, and on the Meuse River. After the signing of the
Armistice, he was assigned to service with his company in the Army of
Occupation stationed at Chiffon, in the Duchy of Luxemburg, where he
remained from November, 1918, to July, 1919. In July, he sailed from
Brest for home and debarked at Hoboken, July 24, 1919, after having
served continuously throughout the greatest war in history. He was
discharged from the service two days later, on July 26, at Camp Dix,
New Jersey, holding the rank of corporal. He had been promoted to this
rank on September 17, 1918. In his military service, Mr. Shuler, there-
fore, has maintained the high traditions of his family and proved himself
a worthy descendant of the house which gave so much to the cause of
union in the dark days of the Civil War.

Mr. Frank L. Shuler married Ida Cassell, of Mont Clare, in 1919.
They have no children.

JOSEPH MARK ELLENBERGER, M. D., one of the well known
practicing physicians of Norristown, is a direct descendant of a member
of the William Penn Colony. This first ancestor, who came from
Palatinate, Germany, and received his grant of land in 1756, directly
from the King of England, a portion of which is still owned by the family,
was Isaac Ellenberger, the great-great-grandfather of Joseph Mark Ellen-
berger. Next in line was Henry, then Joseph Ellenberger, followed
by Joseph Ellenberger, the father of Joseph Mark Ellenberger, who was
the youngest of a family of five children. Joseph Ellenberger was born
in 1844 on the old homestead at Anville, and died in 1910. His wife was
in maidenhood, Mary Mark, her birth occurring in 1840, while she passed
away in 1914. Their children are : Harry, who resides on the old family
homestead ; John ; Harvey ; Maurice ; Christie, and Joseph Mark. The
son, Harry, now has in his possession the original grant written on

244 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

sheepskin, covering a section of land, of which 167 acres remain in the
ownership of the present family.

Joseph Mark EUenberger was born, November 2"], 1882, at Anville,
Lebanon county, and as a boy attended the public and high schools of
his native community. After completing his studies in those depart-
ments he entered Lebanon Academy from which he graduated in 1906.
The following two years he spent studying at Lebanon Valley College,
and in 1908 entered Hahnemann College at Philadelphia for a four-year
course in the medical department, receiving his diploma with the deg^ree
of Doctor of Medicine in 1912. After graduation from Hahnemann Col-
lege, Mr. EUenberger went to New York City and spent two years as
interne in the Metropolitan Hospital, Department of Public Charities.
Leaving there in 1914, he located at Philadelphia, and from 1914 to 1917
was engaged in regular practice in that city. When the United States
entered the World War, Dr. EUenberger ofifered himself for enlistment
in the Medical Corps of our army, but on account of being under weight
he was not allowed overseas service. Instead he was sent to Bristol, in
connection with the Merchants Ship Building Corporation, as superin-
tendent of health and sanitation. He built and had under his supervision
the operation of Harriman Hospital, at Harriman, Pennsylvania, having
at one time seven assistants under his jurisdiction. He also had charge
of the dispensary maintained for treatment of 1400 employes. When the
war came to an end and this work was no longer required Dr. EUen-
berger resumed private practice, in Norristown.

As a modern and progressive member of his profession he maintains
membership in the Montgomery County Medical Association, as well as
State and National Medical associations. He is fond of the outdoor sports
of baseball and golf, and during the time he lived at Bristol was a mem-
ber of the Langhorne Country Club. He is also a prominent figure in
fraternal societies, and is a well known member of Bristol Lodge, No.
970, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, also of Bristol Lodge, No.
25, Free and Accepted Masons.

On April 29, 1920, at Norristown, occurred the marriage of Dr. EUen-
berger to Natalia Schoettle, a daughter of George and Floentine (Wolfel)
Schoettle. Mrs. Schoettle, mother of Natalia, was twice married and by
her first husband, Henry Schmaulze, had two children: Philip, boss
weaver at Abberfoil Mills, Chester, Pennsylvania; and Elizabeth, the
latter now the wife of Harry Steele. By her second husband, George
Schoettle,. she had ten children, namely: Herman; George; William;
Bertha, married to Edward Nairman ; Olga, single and a trained nurse ;
Florence, single, who is employed as a bookkeeper ; Mable, wife of Victor
Whitmer ; Marion, who is single ; Natalia, wife of the subject, and Emma,
who died in 1916.

JAMES W. HUNSBERGER— President of the firm of Samuel L.
Shively & Company, the well known dealers in coal, lumber, and building
supplies at Jenkintown, Mr. Hunsberger has had a long and varied career.

BIOGRAPHICAL 245

He was born at Weimer, Colorado county, Texas, October 2, 1882, son of
Ruben H. and Mary (Hamilton) Hunsberger. Ruben H. Hunsberger,
who died in 1893, was a native of Pennsylvania and served for four years
in the Pennsylvania Volunteers from Bucks county during the Civil War.
At the time of his son's birth, he was engaged in business in Colorado
county, Texas, supervising the installation of heating apparatus and
ranges for a well-known company. After his death, his widow returned
to Pennsylvania with her children. James W. Hunsberger has ever
since made his home in this State. His brothers and sisters are : Free-
man S. Hunsberger ; Walter Hunsberger, who is now dead ; Clara Huns-
berger, who married Henry White, and is now deceased.

Mr. Hunsberger received his education in the public schools of Phil-
adelphia and, after his graduation from high school, proceeded to Banks'
Business College for a thorough training in business methods and com-
mercial subjects. After his graduation from business college, Mr. Huns-
berger decided to become a student at the University of Pennsylvania
for the course in liberal arts. He entered the University therefore and
completed a year of study. At the end of his first year, however, he
decided to begin his business career without further delay. Naturally
gifted with financial and administrative ability, he formed a connection
with the Sixth National Bank at Philadelphia. He entered the bank as
a bookkeeper and during his connection with it, acquired a great deal of
valuable practical experience. In 1903, he left Philadelphia, and came to
Jenkintown, where he has since made his home.

Upon his arrival at Jenkintown, Mr. Hunsberger took an active part
in the organization of the Jenkintown Trust Company, and was appointed
its assistant treasurer. This trust company was capitalized originally
for $125,000, which was later increased to $250,000. On April i, 1920, the
company was merged with the Jenkintown National Bank, adopting the
firm name of the Jenkintown Bank and Trust Company. At the present
time, the bank is widely known as one of the most progressive and stable
financial institutions in the county, and has a surplus of $500,000. When
the merger with the Jenkintown National Bank took place, Mr. Huns-
berger resigned his position as treasurer of the bank, a position to which
he had been promoted shortly after its foundation, in order to take the
place of Mr. Samuel L. Shively as president of the lumber, coal, and
building materials business founded by Mr. Shively. This change was
made as Mr. Shively became vice-president of the Jenkintown Bank and
Trust Company.

The lumber, coal, and building materials firm which was founded
by Mr. Shively is still known as the firm of Samuel L. Shively & Com-
pany, although it is in the possession of Mr. Hunsberger and his partner,
Mr. Woodring. Always prosperous and widely known in its field, it has
thrived no less under Mr. Hunsberger's management than formerly and
the yearly volume of sales has increased to a gratifying extent. Mr.
Hunsberger has customers in all parts of the State and deals only in
commodities of the highest quality, supplying the leading builders and

246 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

contractors and handling large quantities of coal for business enterprises
as well as selling to householders.

Mr. Hunsberger has not given up all connection with the Jenkintown
Bank and Trust Company, but is a large stockholder in that institution
and serves on the board of directors. As one of the leading citizens of the
community and an energetic and capable man of afifairs, Mr. Hunsberger
played an important part in the various activities carried on by the
United States Government during the World War. He served as pub-
licity manager of the drives for liberty loans and the war chest, taking
complete charge of the posters, leaflets, personal appeals by prominent
speakers, and all the work connected with the publicity department in
the lower end of Montgomery county. He also served as treasurer of the
war chest and, in the contest between the upper and lower ends of the
county, succeeded in securing the leadership for the lower end.

In addition to his other business interests, Mr. Hunsberger serves as
secretary and treasurer of the Mooreland Springs Water Company, and
as secretary of the Abington Building Association, and of the Union
Company, which was organized for the purpose of recovering lost or
stolen horses and automobiles. He is a member of the Old York Road
Chamber of Commerce, in which he represents Jenkintown. An ardent
hunter, Mr. Hunsberger is a member of the celebrated Cape Fear Hunt-
ing Club, which maintains a fine hunting preserve of five thousand acres
in North Carolina, and is one of the most exclusive and notable organ-
izations of sportsmen in the country. In religious faith, Mr. Hunsberger
is a member of the Calvary Presbyterian Church, at Jenkintown, of which
he is treasurer. He is a Mason, and holds membership in the Friendship
Lodge, No. 400, Free and Accepted Masons, at Jenkintown ; Abington
Chapter, No. 245, Royal Arch Masons, in which he held the office of past
high priest in 1907; and the Philadelphia Consistory.

On October 17, 1914, he married, at Germantown, Philadelphia, Helen
Rose, daughter of John C. and Mary (Gill) Rose. Mrs. Hunsberger's
father is chief claim agent for the Pennsylvania railroad. She has two
sisters: Mary, who married Dayton Lazelere ; Althea, who married John
R. Weaver, son of the former mayor of Philadelphia. Mr. and Mrs.
Hunsberger have four children : Althea Rose, who was born November
17, 1915 ; Helen Rose, who was born July 14, 1917; Mary Elizabeth, who
was born March 14, 1920; Nan Ewing, who was born August 15, 1921.

ARNOLD H. FRANCIS— As vice-president and treasurer of the
Collegeville Flag and Manufacturing Company, Arnold H. Francis is
numbered among the successful business men of the county who are
contributing materially to the economic welfare of that section of the
State.

Mr. Francis is a son of John W. Francis, born in 1845, ^^^ Mary
Jane (Gotwals) Francis, born in 1848, both of whom are residents of
Oaks, Pennsylvania. John W. Francis, Senior, was custodian of the
Lutetia Penn School Home, at Valley Forge, and the publisher of Wood-

BIOGRAPHICAL 247

man's "History of Valley Forge." John W. Francis, Senior, served as a
private in the Civil War, enlisting June 10, 1863, in Company B, 34th
Pennsylvania Infantry, and participated in the engagements of that
regiment, being honorably discharged at the close of the war.

Arnold H. Francis was born in Oaks, Pennsylvania, August 6, 1879,
and received a good, practical education in the public schools of his native
district. When he had completed the studies of the seventh grade, he
began his active business career as a clerk in a country store. Later, he
became a salesman in the employ of the Philadelphia Coach Material
Company, in Philadelphia, with whom he remained until he accepted a
position with the John C. Dettra Company, with whom he was employed
as salesman and manager of their New York office. Upon the termination
of that connection, he associated himself with the Flag Company, at
Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and with that concern he has continued to be
associated to the present time, where he first served as manager and later
became a member of the firm. In 1922, the interests at Collegeville were
incorporated under the name of the Collegeville Flag & Manufacturing
Company, of which Mr. Francis was made vice-president and treasurer.
His ability and efficiency have contributed in no small degree to the
success of the business in Collegeville, and in the new organization, his
experience and special qualifications will be important factors in the
continued growth and prosperity of the concern. Along with his busi-
ness activities and responsibilities, Mr. Francis has found time for civic
service. As a member of the Collegeville Board of Councilmen, he gives
to the community in which he lives the benefit of his business experi-
ence, and renders valuable service in securing progress.

Fraternally he is well known, being a member of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows ; Economy Lodge, No. 397, of Collegeville, Penn-
sylvania; Boiling Springs Lodge, No. 152, Free and Accepted Masons,
of Rutherford, New Jersey; Lebanon Chapter, No. 42, Royal Arch
Masons, Rutherford, New Jersey ; Norristown Forest, No. 31, Tall Cedars
of Lebanon. His religious affiliation is with the Church of the Brethren
of Green Tree, Pennsylvania.

On June 19, 1907, at Green Tree, Pennsylvania, Arnold H. Francis
married Bertha Yerger, daughter of Solomon F. and Mary (Kulp)
Yerger, both now residing in Schwenkville. Mr. and Mrs. Francis are
the parents of six children: Joel Brown, born April 25, 1908; Warren,
born May 20, 1910; Mary, born May 9, 1912; Bertha Irene, born Novem-
ber 17, 1913; Ruth, born June 4, 1920, and Dorothy, born December 26,
1921.

J. ROSCOE SMITH, D. D. S.— A native of Norristown, and reared
in the traditions of Montgomery county, Dr. Smith has attained a promi-
nent position in his own city, as a successful dental surgeon. His family
has long been identified with the industrial and social life of the city,
and he is a son of Jethro J. and Clara Smith. His father has for many
years been a well known steam fitter, and is still active in this line of
endeavor.

248 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

J. Roscoe Smith was born in Norristown, August 15, 1884. His early-
education was acquired in the public schools of his native place, and he
was graduated from the Norristown High School in the class of 1902.
Having made his choice of a career at an early age, he entered the
Medico-Chirurgical College, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from which
institution he was graduated in the class of 1907. He has since prac-
ticed very successfully in Norristown, his ofifices being located at No.
319 Swede street, and enjoys a large and constantly growing practice.

In the public afifairs of the community Dr. Smith takes a deep interest,
but although an active supporter of the Republican party, he is inter-
ested only as a progressive citizen in political matters. Fraternally he
is well known, being a member of Norris Lodge, No. 620, Free and
Accepted Masons; Norristown Chapter, No. 190, Royal Arch Masons;
Cryptic Council, No. 52, Royal and Select Masters; Hutchinson Com-
mandery. No. 32, Knights Templar; Philadelphia Consistory, No. 32,
Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret; Lu Lu Temple, Ancient Arabic
Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Philadelphia ; Norristown Forest
of Tall Cedars, No. 31; Norris Hose Company, Volunteer Firemen;
Norris Lodge, No. 430, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Norris-
town Encampment, No. 37, of the same order; and Beaver Tribe,
Improved Order of Red Men. He is a member of Trinity Reformed
Church.

Dr. Smith married, on January. 10, 1903, at Philadelphia, Mary
Eleanore Schook, daughter of Milton E. and Elizabeth Schook. Dr. and
Mrs. Smith have four children : Clara E., born June 25, 1904 ; Walter E.,
born July 9, 1906; M. Eleanore, born September 29, 1907; and Dorothy
E., born October 30, 1909.

WILLIAM S. BUCKLAND— A veteran of the Spanish-American
War, Mr. Buckland naturally felt a deep interest in and sympathy for the
boys who wore the khaki in the war with Germany, and both during the
war and since, he has demonstrated that neither the soldier nor the gov-
ernment has a heartier supporter nor a truer friend in all Montgomery
county than he.

William S. Buckland, son of John and Jeannette (Morgan) Buck-
land, was born at Hokendauqua, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, April 28,
1874. John Buckland, an iron moulder, was born at Ystradgynlais,
Wales, in 1847, ^"d died in Pennsylvania, in 1914. Jeannette Morgan
was born at Britton Ferry, Wales, in 1849, and died in 1922. They were
married in Wales and there maintained their residence until 1873, when
the growing importance of the iron and steel industry in the United
States, and the many opportunities this country presented to iron
workers, induced John Buckland, who, moreover, always had a desire to
visit Canada and the United States, to emigrate, although it was some-
thing of an undertaking to dispose of his property and to transplant his
family from Wales to a new and untried country. But he had the courage
and the determination necessary for the task, and joined the westward-

i^oizic,^^^ ^ .(^B^^^t^.

BIOGRAPHICAL 249

moving army of pioneers with full confidence in his ability to achieve
success wherever an honest man could deliver a full day's work for a full
day's pay. Mrs. Buckland shared her husband's courage and enthusiasm,
and the position they attained in the United States, and the high esteem
in which they were held by those who had the good fortune to make their
acquaintance and to enjoy their hospitality, proved the wisdom of their
venture. John and Jeannette Buckland were the parents of four chil-
dren, all born in Hokendauqua, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania: John M.,
the leading manufacturer of slag in the United States, now a resident of
Allentown, Pennsylvania; Jeannette, married William Davies ; Sarah,
married Walter Thomas ; William S.

William S. Buckland received his education in the public schools of
Lehigh county, but left high school at the age of fifteen to become an
employe of the Thomas Iron Company, of Hokendauqua. The first work
he did for this company was to carry pig iron, his daily wage being fifty
cents. With true old-country sagacity, he utilized his spare time for
study, and lost no opportunity, while within the yards, to learn the
details of the iron business. His progress was rapid, and in the course of
time he became, successively, assistant paymaster for the company and
shipper. In addition to his regular work, he studied telegraphy and
became an experienced operator. In 1898, when the Spanish-American
War began, he was engaged as a dispatcher in a telegraph office at
Hokendauqua, Pennsylvania. After consulting his parents and explain-
ing to them his desire to enlist in the United States army for service
during the war, he relinquished his position and went to Allentown,
Pennsylvania, where, on April 28, 1898, he enlisted and was assigned to
Company B, Fourth Regular Pennsylvania Regiment of Volunteers, in
charge of Captain Medlar. Mr. Buckland went to the front with his
regiment, landing at Porto Rico, and was on active service during the
summer months of 1898, suffering all the hardships of that hurried cam-
paign. In October of the same year, he was brought back to the United
States, and in November, he was mustered out at Allentown, Pennsyl-
vania.

Going to Jersey City at the conclusion of his military service, Mr.
Buckland became freight router for the Lehigh Valley railroad, a position
he held until the end of 1899. He then became chief clerk for the Empire
Steel & Iron Company, a short connection marked by the most cordial
and friendly relations between himself and his employers. He left the
Empire Steel & Iron Company to accept a position of responsibility with
the Janson Steel & Iron Company, at Oxford, New Jersey, with whom he
was associated from 1900 to 1902. For some time previous to the date
of his engagement with the Janson Company, Mr. Buckland's attention
had been fixed upon the commercial possibilities of slag. He forsaw the
use of this material for steel and concrete buildings, for roofing and
paving, and for many other construction purposes for which no suitable
material was then available at a reasonable cost. Slag, one of the refuse
products of the iron and steel mills, seemed to him to have unlimited pos-

250 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

sibilities as a filling mixture, and, with characteristic energy, he had set
to work to devise ways and means of collecting it and placing it upon
the market. With his brother, John M. Buckland, he began to make tests
of slag products. Inspired by that profound feeling for the value of min-
erals, which seems to be an attribute of the Welsh character, the brothers
continued their experiments and laid thereby the foundation for business
careers as romantic and useful and interesting as any that may be heard
of in Montgomery county.

In 1902, Mr. Buckland gave up his connection with the Janson Steel
& Iron Company, and in partnership with his brother built a mill at
Reading, Pennsylvania, for the manufacture of slag. Thereafter, for sev-
eral years, in the face of almost insurmountable obstacles, privations of
every kind, and such general discouragements as would have taken the
heart out of men of a lesser breed, the Bucklands held to their great idea,
and their faith in the ultimate success of their enterprise never wavered.
They backed their experiments with every dollar they possessed, and
toiled unceasingly to translate their dream into actuality. Like the
Wright brothers, they were held up to ridicule, for there are always a
few people in every community who consider every man with a new idea
as a dangerous visionary. The Bucklands, however, did not take this
amiss. They realized the apparent absurdity of trying to convert the
unsightly slag heaps that disfigured the landscape in the neighborhood of
the Pennsylvania iron and steel mills into a useful material for human
needs, but they never doubted that it could be done, and, after fifteen
years of continuous effort, they proved the value of their product and
found a market for it. They demonstrated its usefulness as a roofing
material ; as ballast for railroads ; as building material ; as a paving mix-
ture, and are now known far and wide as the pioneers of the American
slag industry. John M. Buckland is the leading manufacturer of slag in the
United States, and William S. Buckland's interests are second only to
those of his brother. Of all the enterprises in which Norristown takes
a justifiable pride, none is better liked than the slag works belonging to
Mr. Buckland. The Philadelphia Slag Company, of which he is president,
was organized in 1908, and during the same year the company built its
present plant at Swedeland. In addition to this major enterprise, Mr.
Buckland is a director of the Gehret Brothers Iron Works, at Bridge-
port. He is also a director of Warren Ehret, slag roofers, of Philadelphia.

A lifelong member of the Republican party and one who has sup-
ported its principles and policies through thick and thin, Mr. Buckland
is a dominant figure in the political life of the State. A great admirer of
Theodore Roosevelt, he has, in both his private and political life,
endeavored to exemplify the same loyalty and steadfastness that so
endeared Roosevelt to the masses. He had charge of the Roosevelt
Memorial in Montgomery county, and the choice of a leader, for the
work of perpetuating the high ideals and the absolute integrity of the
former president, could not have fallen upon a better man. As the
Republican leader of Montgomery county in the last gubernatorial cam-

BIOGRAPHICAL 251

paign, Mr. Buckland was active in bringing Mr. Pinchot to the highest
elective office of the State. In addition to the political fellowship that
exists between Mr. Buckland and the governor, there is a personal friend-
ship of long standing. Besides his interest in State and national politics,
Mr. Buckland is keenly interested in local political afifairs, and is now
treasurer of the Montgomery County Armory Board. He was a promi-
nent figure during the war, and never lost an opportunity of serving the
country for which, as a boy, he had risked his life in the swamps of Porto
Rico. He gave freely of his substance, and supported the Loan Drives,
encouraging others to do likewise. He was tireless in his efforts to assist
the Red Cross and other agencies engaged in mitigating the misery
occasioned by the war, and his efforts did not cease when the armistice
was signed, but have continued to the present time, as the funds for the
relief of the homeless refugees in the Near East attest. Known at least
by name to many veterans of the Spanish-American War, Mr. Buckland
is commandant of Post No. 52, of the Spanish-American War Veterans,
at Norristown, whose zeal has raised it from a minor post to first rank
among the posts of this organization in Pennsylvania.

Mr. Buckland is a member of Lodge No. 127, Free and Accepted
Masons, of Oxford, New Jersey; Harrisburg Consistory of the Ancient
Accepted Scottish Rite, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania ; Rajah Temple, Nobles
of the Mystic Shrine, Reading, Pennsylvania; Norristown Lodge, No.
714, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks ; the Norristown Club, and
the Engineers' Club, of Philadelphia. In religious faith, he is a Presby-
terian, and an active worker for the good of the church.

On November 25, 1903, he married, at Oxford, New Jersey, Evelyn
Lampshire, daughter of Nicholas and Henrietta (Reed) Lampshire, her
father now living in retirement at Belvidere, New Jersey, and formerly
the proprietor of a general store at Oxford, New Jersey. Mrs. Buck-
land has a brother, Leopold, and a sister. Ruby, who is now the wife of
George Boardman. Mr. and Mrs. Buckland are the parents of two chil-
dren: Jeannette, born September 22, 1904, now a student at Martha
Washington Seminary, at Washington, D. C. ; Evelyn, born October 8,
1906, who is now attending Bishopthorpe Manor, at Bethlehem, Penn-
sylvania.

LOUIS RANDALL WINTER, JR.— The work in which Mr. Win-
ter's career has thus far been spent in the shaping of public thought
and giving to the public the trend of affairs through the medium of the
newspaper, that educational force which in the United States has been
brought to its highest plane of efficiency and power. Now as the editor
and publisher of the "Main Liner," at Admore, Pennsylvania, he is
a living influence for progress in Montgomery county, Mr. Winter comes
of a Philadelphia family, and is a son of Louis R., Sr., and Lydia S.
(MacMullen) Winter, long residents of that city, the father a machine
shop superintendent for many years, and a progressive, forward-looking
citizen. The family consisted of four sons, of whom Mr. Winter's

252 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

brothers are Raymond E., of Stratford, New Jersey; Walter M., of Gar-
rett Hill, Pennsylvania, and Donald A., of Philadelphia.

Louis Randall Winter, Jr., was born in the city of Philadelphia,
August 20. 1887. His education was begun in the public schools of his
native city, and he spent two years at the Central High School of Phil-
adelphia. He then became a part of the journalistic world of his native
city, in the capacity of a reporter on the "North American" (1907-11).
Thereafter, becoming identified with the "Philadelphia Public Ledger," he
remained with that paper, also as a reporter, for about two years. Then,
in 1913, Mr. Winter became a "Main Liner" correspondent for various
Philadelphia dailies, taking care of the news happenings in several towns
and cities between Philadelphia and Paoli. For nearly seven years thus
active, he then settled permanently in Montgomery county, establishing
his office in Ardmore, where he founded the "Main Liner," a weekly, the
first issue of which appeared January 3, 1920. This publication has taken
a place in Montgomery county which is acknowledged as a position of
leadership in public advance. A Republican in his political convictions,
Mr. Winter's editorial policy aligns with this party, and he advocates its
principles fearlessly and convincingly, this, however, being his only
activity along political lines, as he feels no interest in the honors or
emoluments of public ofifice. He is a member of St. Mary's Protestant
Episcopal Church of Ardmore.

Mr. Winter married, on April 21, 1915, Mary W, MacReynolds,
daughter of William W. MacReynolds, of Ardmore,

ROY A. HATFIELD— One of the foremost business men of Norris-
town, Pennsylvania, is Roy A. Hatfield, of the firm of Hatfield & Hillis,
of that city. He is a Republican in his political views and has been
honored by his fellow-townsmen with the office of county commissioner
for six years. Many of the important developments in this section and
city have had their inception from him, and he has the confidence of his
many friends and acquaintances who know his ability and conscientious
integrity.

Roy A. Hatfield is the son of Daniel and Margaret Hatfield, and was
born at Pottstown, Pennsylvania, July 16, 1872. He received the usual
schooling in the public institutions of that city and completed his educa-
tion in the well known Hill School of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, from
which he was graduated in 1888. After varied endeavors in a business
way, he established the R. A. Hatfield Coal Company, which made a
rapid growth for a year and a half, and was then further advanced by
joining with J. T. Hillis, forming the co-partnership of Hatfield & Hillis,
one of the most important concerns engaged in that line. Aside from
business and his activity as county commissioner, Mr. Hatfield is fra-
ternally connected with Norris Lodge, No. 620, Free and Accepted
Masons. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, of Norristown,
Pennsylvania.

At Pottstown, Pennsylvania, on June i, 1899, Roy A. Hatfield was
married to Helen Saylor.

(t^^^U-^SKhiJ

BIOGRAPHICAL 253

LUTHER FRANKENFIELD— A member of the well known firm
of W. John Stevens, Inc., of Glenside, Mr. Frankenfield was born at
Sundale, Pennsylvania, January 21, 1873, son of Henry and Eurania
(Hillpot) Frankenfield. On his father's side, Mr. Frankenfield is
descended from a long line of Pennsylvania ancestors, Simon and Eve
Frankenfield arriving in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the ship, "Elliot"
from Rotterdam, in 1748, and later settling in Springfield, Bucks county,
Pennsylvania. Simon's son, Adam, was born between 1746 and 1748.
Michael, second son of Adam, was born in 1772. His son, Michael, born
in 1809, was the father of Henry, father of subject.

Luther Frankenfield's father, Henry Frankenfield, who was born in
1839 has had a long and honorable career. Henry Frankenfield was
president of the Tinicum School Board for six years and has always
taken an active interest in educational affairs. A carpenter and builder
by trade, he built up a prosperous business at Sundale and his influence
and workmanship may be found in many of the finest buildings in Bucks
county. Mr. Frankenfield's mother was born May 27, 1846, died April
25, 1922. Mr. Frankenfield was the fourth in a family of five children:
Horace, who was born in 1867, and who died in 1904 ; J. Eli, who was born
in 1869 ; Henry Herbert, who was born in 1871 ; Luther, of whom further ;
Miriam, who was born in 1879, and who married Reuben Fabian, a
brother of Mr. Frankenfield's wife.

Luther Frankenfield received his education in the public schools,
completing the curriculum in his sixteenth year. Upon leaving school,
he became a farmer and spent two years on the land. At the end of this
period, he became an associate of his father and from him learned the
trade of a carpenter. This business connection lasted for nine years,
during which Mr. Frankenfield received a thorough training in the execu-
tion of architectural designs and had an unrivalled opportunity to
acquire, under his father's direction, the best kind of practical building
experience. In 1900, when his father began to restrict his building oper-
ations, preparatory to retirement from business, Mr. Frankenfield went
to Jenkintown and found employment which enabled him to take the
building course of the Scranton Correspondence School during the years
1901 and 1902. This done, he established himself in Jenkintown, and
worked for various firms as a master carpenter and superintendent of
construction. In 191 1 he became affiliated with the firm of W. John
Stevens, Inc., of which he is now a member. Mr. Frankenfield has
become an authority on building and building materials. He believes in
better houses and in every form of building improvement, and scores of
dwelling places in Bucks and Montgomery counties bear witness to his
skill and ability. With a distinct leaning towards the traditional and
well established forms of domestic architecture, Mr. Frankenfield
believes, nevertheless, in a certain amount of diversity as opposed to a
dull and depressing uniformity. He believes that a house, if funda-
mentally sound from an architectural standpoint, should be allowed
freely to express the individuality of its owner. This willingness to

254 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

carry into execution the wishes of owners has resulted in many delight-
ful houses remodeled and beautified under his direction, and his advice is
constantly being sought by people. His ability is recognized and in
everything that pertains to building and public policy in regard to build-
ing enterprises, he is one of the leaders of thought in Montgomery
county.

In politics, Mr. Frankenfield is a Democrat. Both in Bucks and Mont-
gomery counties, he held office on election boards. He is a member of
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the Jenkintown
Lodge, No. 337, of that organization, and of the Patriotic Order of the
Sons of America, at Jenkintown. His chief recreations are automobiling
and gunning. In religious faith, he is a member of St. John's Lutheran
Church of Melrose, Pennsylvania. He has been a deacon of the church
since 1905, and serves as secretary of the church organization and of the
church council.

On August 2, 1902, he married, at Revere, in Bucks county, Ida
Rebecca Fabian, daughter of Casper and Katharine (Sigafoos) Fabian.
She is a graduate of the Keystone Normal School and was a teacher in
Bucks county. Mrs. Frankenfield's mother died in 1906, and her father
in 1913, Mr. and Mrs. Frankenfield have three children: Frank, who
was born June 6, 1903, is now a pupil at the Wharton (night) School,
and is employed as chief bookkeeper for the American Tin & Terne Plate
Company, of Philadelphia ; Henry and Howard, twins, were born Octo-
ber 9, 1907, and are now attending Jenkintown High School.

CHARLES LICHTENWALNER, D. D. S.— Among the professional
men of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, none has a higher standing than Dr.
Charles Lichtenwalner, who located there in 1904. A dentist of thorough
training, added to a unique ability, he has been successful from the
start, and has a large clientele. He is the son of Frank S. and Mary
(Butz) Lichtenwalner, his father a miller, and was born at Trexlertown,
Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1872.

After attending the public schools of this locality he matriculated in
Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pennsylvania, and was graduated in
1893, with the degree of Master of Arts. He taught school in Tarry-
town, New York, for a period of four years, and then was a professor in
a private academy for some time. He then entered the College of Den-
tistry, New York City, from which he was graduated with the degree of
Doctor of Dental Surgery in 1903. The next year he moved to Lansdale,
and has been engaged in practice during the years which have followed,
in offices having the best modern equipment.

His fraternal associations are with the Masonic order, and his relig-
ious affiliations with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lansdale, of
which he is a councilman.

At Lahaska, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1913, Dr. Lichtenwalner
married Lillian M. Koch, daughter of Frank and Ellen (Moll) Koch,
residents of Lahaska. Dr. and Mrs. Lichtenwalner are the parents of
one son, Charles, Jr., born August 23, 1914.

BIOGRAPHICAL 255

WILLIAM M. HILLEBEITEL — It is more than two hundred years
since the first early ancestors of William M. Hillebeitel settled in Mont-
gomery county, Pennsylvania, and the family has ever since been identi-
fied in an influential way with the development of this section. Mr. Hille-
beitel was born on the old homestead in Salford township, June 23, 1849.
His first ancestor was Martin Hillebeitel, an elder of the Reformed
church, who came here about 1708, and he is buried in the old Gossen-
hoppen Cemetery. Martin Hillebeitel's sons were: Adam, John and
Jacob, the first-named being William's great-grandfather. The sons of
Adam Hillebeitel were named Daniel, John and Jacob, and Daniel was
William's grandfather. His children were Jonas. Adam, Daniel, Jessie,
Mary and Hannah. Of this family, Daniel was the father of Wil-
liam'M. Hillebeitel. his mother having been Barbara Moore. The father
followed the occupation of farmer and shoemaker during his life, and
died in 1893, at the age of seventy-nine years. The mother lived to be
eighty-five years old, her death occurring in 1904. Daniel and Barbara
(Moore) Hillebeitel became the parents of eleven children, named as
follows: George; Henry; Daniel; Mary; Catherine; William M., of
further mention ; Franklyn ; Elizabeth ; Jessie ; John ; and Barbara.

William M. Hillebeitel attended the local schools of his native town-
ship as a boy, then finished his education with a course at Professor
Rambo's Academy. He worked on his father's farm until fifteen years
of age, and later taught school, remaining in this profession until 1873.
In that year he decided to engage in commercial life, and accordingly
came to Hendricks and established the coal and feed business which he
still conducts. In addition to this enterprise he also owns a large farm,
the cultivation of which he superintends. Throughout his life Mr. Hille-
beitel has interested himself in the various phases of community life, and
taken an active part in the management of the affairs of the county. In
this connection he has served as a county committeeman for thirty years,
and also been a local school director. In his early days he assisted in the
organization of the Milkmen's Association, which extended its activities
through Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware, as well as Pennsylvania,
and was secretary of the organization. This association, which is now
out of existence, in its time did much to improve the conditions of the
business of its membership.

Mr. Hillebeitel was also one of the organizers and a charter member
of the Montgomery County Grange, and a leader in its activities, while
among the well known social organizations in which he continues promi-
nent may be mentioned the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the
Knights of Pythias, the Improved Order of Red Men, and the Knights
of Friendship. In his religious affiliation he adheres to the faith of his
fathers, and maintains membership in the Reformed church of old Gos-
senhoppen, of which he is secretary, and supports liberally both with
personal service and in financial aspects.

The marriage of Mr. Hillebeitel to Elizabeth Kulp took place at
Hendricks, November 14. 1872. His wife is a daughter of Henry and

256 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Rachel (Koch) Kulp. Mr. and Mrs. Hillebeitel have reared a family of
seven children, whose names are: Harry K., Nelson, Mahlon, Wayne,
Edward, Daniel and Raymond.

JAMES HERBERT EGAN— Among- the leading attorneys of Nor-
ristown, Pennsylvania, is James Herbert Egan who, although having
been established in the practice of his profession but a comparatively
short time, has already won a name for himself which might well be the
envy of a much older and more experienced man in legal circles.

James Egan, father of James Herbert Egan, was born in Kilkenny,
Ireland, in 1845. He came to this country early in life and settled in
Somerset county, where he gained the reputation of being an excellent
landscape gardener, and consequently was kept busy in his particular line
of endeavor. He married Harriett Blunden, of his native place. The
Blunden family are extensive landowners in both Ireland and England.
Mrs. Egan's brother. Sir William Blunden, is a resident of Castle Blun-
den, and her brother John is a baronet. To Mr. and Mrs. Egan were born
four children : Eleanor ; James Herbert, of further mention ; Mary, a
teacher at Palmyra, New Jersey, who is a graduate of the Millersville
State Normal School ; Harriett E., who is also a graduate of Millersville
State Normal School and now a teacher at Palmyra, New Jersey.

James Herbert Egan was born in Somerset county, near Somerset,
Pennsylvania, June 30, 1890. He attended the public schools of his native
place and Lancaster High School, from which latter institution he was
graduated in 1910. He then matriculated at Franklin and Marshall Col-
lege, where he won the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy in 1914, going
thence to the University of Pennsylvania, where he entered its law
school and graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1917. In
May of this same j^ear Mr. Egan enlisted in the United States navy and
was first sent to Cape May, later entering the Officers' Training School
at the University of Pennsylvania, where at the time of the armistice he
was ready for a commission. In December, 1918, having been honorably
discharged from the service, he went to Camden, New Jersey, where for a
few months he read law in the office of H. L. Nixon. He was admitted
to the bar April 4, 1919, and the following month came to Norristown,
where he established himself in the practice of his chosen profession at
No. 501 Swede street. This remained his headquarters until July I,
1920, when he entered into partnership with J. Ambler Williams, forming
the law firm of Williams & Egan, with offices at No. 402 De Kalb street.
Since 1920 Mr. Egan has also been a member of the faculty of the Wana-
maker Institute of Industries of Philadelphia, teaching real estate law
and conveyancing.

Mr. Egan is a Republican in politics, but is in no sense of the word
an office-seeker, preferring to concentrate his attention upon the profes-
sion of which he is today a leading and successful representative, having
been admitted to practice in all the United States courts, Supreme and
.Superior. He holds membership in the Montgomery County and the

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BIOGRAPHICAL 257

Philadelphia Bar associations, the Miller Law Club of the University of
Pennsylvania ; Woodmen of the World, Norristown Lodge, No. 565 ;
Lamda Chi Alpha fraternity, of Franklin and Marshall College ; and the
Delta Theta Phi fraternity of the University of Pennsylvania. In
religion he is an Episcopalian, attending the Church of the Redeemer
of that denomination at Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

On June 25, 1919, at Bryn Mawr, James Herbert Egan was united in
marriage with Larue Mac Gowen, daughter of Harrison Graham and
Lillie (Trego) Mac Gowen. Mr. and Mrs. Egan are the parents of one
child, Harriett Jane, born July 3, 1922. The family home is on Fisher
road, Bryn Mawr. Mr. Egan is interested in all water sports, but par-
ticularly does his interest center around his home.

IRVIN S. SCHWENK— In tracing back the ancestry of Irvin S.
Schwenk it is found that Hans Michael was born in Germany in 1696,
and came to America, September 20, 1741, on the ship "Lydia," with his
two sons, Hans Jacob and George, landing in Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania. George Schwenk was born in Germany, in 1728, and died in this
country, February 24, 1803, leaving a son Abram. Abram Schwenk was
born May 24, 1759, and died August 6, 1843, ^"d was a tanner and
Revolutionary veteran. His son, Jacob Schwenk, was born September
14, 1789, and was a storekeeper and the first postmaster in Schwenkville,
Pennsylvania, in 1833 ; his death occurred August 19, 1852. He was
survived by a son, Abram G. Schwenk, born June 14, 1826, who married
Elizabeth Stauffer, and died October 14, 1899; they had the following
children : Minerva, deceased, wife of J. Foster Barber, of Hazleton,
Pennsylvania ; Irvin S., the subject of this sketch ; Warren, who died in
infancy.

Irvin S. Schwenk is a prominent citizen of Schwenkville, Pennsyl-
vania, where he was born October 18, 1853. After attending the local pub-
lic schools, he studied at Freeland Seminary and Ursinus College from 1870
to 1872, being a sophomore at the latter when he left to pursue a course
in Bryant and Stratton Business College, in Philadelphia, in 1873. When
the Schwenkville bank was organized the following year he became a
clerk there. His father, Abram Schwenk, was one of the organizers of
this bank, but because of the office he held as notary public was ineligible
to become its president, so an uncle, Jacob G. Schwenk, was made presi-
dent, J. G. Prizer, cashier, and the directors were Albert Bromer, Jacob
G. Schwenk, J. B. Pennepacker, Philip Fox and Philip Prizer. The capital
stock at the time of organization, April 27, 1874, was $50,000, which was
increased to $100,000 the following May 4, and now shows a surplus of
$200,000 with $103,000 in undivided profits. Mr. Schwenk rose from
bank clerk to teller, then cashier. Jacob G. Schwenk died May 5, 1889,
and Henry Kratz succeeded to the presidency, and upon his death, Octo-
ber 4, 1917, Mr. Schwenk became president and continues as such. Wil-
liam Bromer, son of Albert, is the present cashier of the bank.

258 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Jacob Schwenk, grandfather of Irvin S. Schwenk, built the first hotel
and store at what was then known as Schwenk's store and post office,
and after his death Abram G. Schwenk took over the farm and his brother,
Jacob G. Schwenk, the store. These generations of the Schwenk family
were all Federalists in politics.

Mr. Schwenk is a Republican and was for one term of four years the
burgess of Schwenkville. He is a Mason and the second oldest living
past master of Warren Lodge, No. 310, of Collegeville, having reached
that office in 1882. He is also a member of the Norristown Chapter,
Hutchinson Commandery of Norristown, and the Lu Lu Shrine of Phil-
adelphia. He is a fraternal member of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows of Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania ; also a member of the Patriotic
Order Sons of America, Schwenkville Lodge, No. 387. In religion he
is a member of the Lutheran church.

On May 13, 1879, Mr. Schwenk was married to Elizabeth Bromer,
who was born January 3, 1861. Her parents were Albert, owner of a
clothing factory at Schwenkville for several years and one of the bank
organizers, deceased, and Elizabeth Sheppard, deceased. Their children
were: Elizabeth, wife ot subject; Susan, wife of Samuel Weller, of
Camden, New Jersey, deceased ; William, cashier in the bank at Schwenk-
ville ; Albert, pastor of a Reformed church in Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania ; Edward, also a Reformed minister at Lancaster, Pennsylvania ;
Emily, died in infancy ; Frank, pastor of a Reformed church at Cedar
Rapids, Iowa ; Jacob, garage owner in Schwenkville ; Katherine, wife of
James Hunsicker of Eckert, Colorado; Minerva, who married John D.
Logan, of Toronto, Canada ; Alice, died at age of two years ; Ralph,
physician in Philadelphia ; Cordelia, wife of Frank Fell, of Mt. Clare,
Pennsylvania.

Mr. and Mrs. Schwenk are the parents of four children: i. Minerva,
born March 5, 1880, and married to Fred Sweinhard of Eckert, Colorado.
They have one child, Mary Ann Sweinhard, born February 6, 1921.
2. Albert, born October 9, 1881, enlisted July 12, 1900, in the Fifth
United States Infantry, Company M, and saw service during the Span-
ish-American War and in the Philippine Islands. At the time of his
enlisting he was a student in Lehigh University, and at the close of the
war became an engineer in the mines of Mexico, and Bisbee, Arizona,
dying there February 26, 1914. 3. Abram, born September 21, 1883,
married Florence Weatherhead, of Versalia, California, June i, 191 1, now
living at Philadelphia, and is superintendent of construction with Phila-
delphia Electric Company. They have two children : Eleanor Claire,
born June 22, 1914, and Elizabeth Bromer, born December 6, 1919.
4. Edward, born August 27, 1885, is a teller in the Schwenkville bank.

SAMUEL CLYMER MOYER, M. D.— The medical profession
claimed Samuel Clymer Moyer, who, from 1872 until 1917, was a suc-
cessful practitioner of the Hahnemann School at Lansdale, Pennsylvania.
He was of ancient Bucks county family, son of William and Sarah
(Clymer) Moyer, his father a landowning farmer of that county, a

BIOGRAPHICAL 259

member of the Mennonite church, and a Republican in politics, who died
April 4, 1885. Sarah (Clymer) Moyer died January 13, 1881. William
and Sarah TClymer) Moyer were the parents of five children : Henry,
born March 17, 1837; Barbara, born March 21, 1840; Mary, born Janu-
ary 20, 1843 ; Samuel C, to whom this review is dedicated ; and John,
born November 29, 1851.

Samuel C. Moyer was born at the home farm in Milford township,
Bucks county, Pennsylvania, November 17, 1846. His education begun
in Milford District School, was continued at Quakertown Normal School
(Pennsylvania), at Wadsworth Seminary (Ohio) and Hahnemann Medi-
cal College, receiving the degree M. D. from the last-named institution
with the class of March 12, 1872. For one year he practiced with Dr.
Detweiler in Bucks county, but in 1873 he located in Lansdale, Mont-
gomery county, Pennsylvania, twenty-two miles north of Philadelphia,
and there he was in continuous practice until 1917, and nearly completed
a half century of medical practice in one locality before his death.

He was a member of the State Homoeopathic Medical Society ; and a
member of Zion Mennonite Church, of Souderton, Pennsylvania. He
served as treasurer of the township school board, was a Republican in
politics and a man most highly esteemed. Dr. Moyer was the owner of a
farm, and a breeder of fancy and thoroughbred chickens, which he placed
on exhibition at county fairs and poultry shows. He met his death while
returning from a visit to a patient on the railroad crossing near Arvilla,
two miles above Lansdale, on the morning of August 3, 1920.

Dr. Samuel C. Moyer married (first), April 25, 1874, Mary M. Swart-
ley, daughter of Levi and Catherine (Baldemar) Swartley. Mrs. Moyer
was the mother of three children: Elnora S., born May 20, 1876; William
and John, died in infancy. Dr. Moyer married (second), November 8,
1883, Emma Jane Tyson, and to them eleven children were born: i.
Winfield T., born December 15, 1884, a graduate of Princeton University,
class of 1907, now a teacher of French in Philadelphia High School. 2.
Herbert Tyson, see following sketch. 3. Sarah T., born March 8, 1889,
resides at home with her mother. 4. Catherine T., born October 19, 1890,
a graduate of Oberlin University, Ohio, now a teacher by profession.
5. Samuel T., born April 10, 1893, a graduate of State College and
ordained a minister of the Mennonite church, now a foreign missionary
at Janjgir, C. P., India. 6. Emma Grace, born February 9, 1895, a gradu-
ate of Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania ; she married
Christian L. Martin, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 7. Florence T., born
December 16, 1896, a graduate of Manchester College, North Manches-
ter, Indiana ; she is engaged in home mission work. 8. Raymond T., born
August 20, 1899, a graduate of Oberlin University, Ohio ; he is an instruc-
tor of English and athletics at Oberlin Extension School in Shanghai,
China. 9. Paul T., born December 11, 1900, a graduate of State College,
now a student at Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania. ID. Arthur T., born March 3, 1903, a student at Manchester Col-
lege, North Manchester, Indiana. 11. Lawrence T., born October 8, 1907,
a student at Lansdale High School.

26o HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

HERBERT TYSON MOYER, M, D.— This name was brought to
Lansdale, Pennsylvania, professionally in 1873, when Dr. Samuel C.
Moyer, a homceopathic physician began practice there. From that date,
now half a century in the past (1923), it has been kept continually before
the public, Dr. Moyer continuing practice until 1917. But in 1909 another
Dr. Moyer located in Lansdale, Herbert Tyson Moyer, a son of Dr.
Samuel C, and father and son were contemporaries for eight years, but
with the retirement of the elder physician, the younger was left in pos-
session of the honor of being the active "Dr." Moyer.

Herbert Tyson Moyer, second son of Dr. Samuel C. and his second
wife, Emma Jane (Tyson) ]\Ioyer, was born in Lansdale, Pennsylvania,
February 7, 1886. He began his education in the township school, com-
pleting the grades of public school study with graduation from Lansdale
High School, class of 1904, entering the senior class in Perkiomen Sem-
inary, Pennsburg, graduating with the class of 1905. Choosing medicine
as his profession, he entered Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, whence he was graduated M. D., class of 1909. He was
interne at Hahnemann Hospital in 1909, and in both 1909 and 1910 was
assistant anaesthetist at that institution, one of Philadelphia's famed hos-
pitals. In 1909 he also began private practice in Lansdale, in connection
with his work at the hospital, and there continues well established in the
confidence and esteem of his community. He is a member of the medical
staff of Grand View Hospital, Sellersville, Pennsylvania, and during the
war period, 1917-18, was chief examining physician for Division No. 4,
of Montgomery county and a member of the local selective draft board.
He is a member of Tri County Medical Society ; Lehigh Valley Medical
Association ; Pennsylvania State Homoeopathic Medical Society, and the
American Institute of Homoeopathy. He is a director of Lansdale
Memorial Park Association ; is a member of the Board of Trade, of the
Hahnemann Alumni Association, and of the Plymouth Country Club of
Norristown.

In politics Dr. Moyer is a Republican, and is a member of the Lans-
dale Board of Education. In religious faith he is affiliated with the First
Church of The Brethren, Philadelphia.

Dr. Moyer married, in Lansdale, August 24, 191 1, Mildred Laros,
daughter of Charles M. and Emma Louise B. (Bitting) Laros. Dr. and
Airs. Moyer are the parents of three children : Virginia Louise, born
June 18, 1912 ; Pauline Laros, born July 22, 1913 ; and Herbert Tyson (2),
born November 3, 1916.

IRVIN FOLEY KNIFE— Three generations of Knipes have attained
eminence in the professional life of Montgomery county, beginning with
Jacob Knipe, who after forty years of uninterrupted successful practice
in medicine in New Hanover township, retired to a period of rest before
going to his long home in his seventy-ninth year. Dr. Jacob Knipe was
succeeded in practice by his sons : Jacob Oliver Knipe, who practiced
medicine in Norristown from 1862 until his death in 1919 (fifty-seven

BIOGRAPHICAL 261

years) ; Francis M. Knipe (M. D. Jefferson Medical College, 1856), prac-
ticing in Frederick township, Montgomery county, and Pottstown, Penn-
sylvania ; Dr. Septimus A. Knipe, practicing in New Hanover. Dr.
Jacob Oliver Knipe married Clara Foley, of Norristown, and their son
Irvin Foley Knipe, whose name furnishes the caption for this review,
departed from the family profession for his career and studied law, a
profession which he has continuously followed since his admission to the
Montgomery bar, June 4, 1889. Norristown knew the father for more
than half a century as a skilled and devoted physician, and has now
known the son for thirty-four years as a learned and able lawyer.

In these three generations of Knipes in all branches, paternal and
maternal, and in the Foley and Bigony families, whose blood mingled
with that of the Knipes in the veins of Irvin Foley Knipe, who is the sub-
ject of this sketch, there were thirteen medical practitioners, but the
law has not made so strong an appeal. The forefather of the Knipes was
Johannes Kneip, who landed in Philadelphia, at the age of thirty-eight
years on September 25. 1748, from the ship "Patience and Margaret,"
from Rotterdam, last from Leith. The records of New Hanover Lutheran
Church disclose his marriage, November 5, 1749, to Anna Barbara Hofif-
man. He resided in Gwynedd township, at least from his purchase of a
farm in 1763, until he died May 27, 1792; and German ancestry is pre-
sumed from the fact that he signed his name in German to his will written
in English. He left numerous children, among them a son David, who
became a farmer of Montgomery county and who was the father of Dr.
Jacob Knipe, the first of these eminent professional men whose career
will be herein reviewed, his son, Dr. Jacob Oliver Knipe, his son, Irvin
Foley Knipe, the present leading represenative of the family in Norris-
town.

Dr. Jacob Knipe was born at the home farm in Gwynedd township,
Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, September 12, 1804, died in August,
1883. He was left fatherless at the age of two years and his early life
was spent in his native township, his education being secured in the
township school and in Philadelphia. He read medicine in the office of
his brother-in-law. Dr. Chester Clark, of Schultzville, Berks county, then
entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania,
whence he was graduated M. D., class of 1828. He began practice in
Lehigh, was for two years at Schultzville in Berks, then located at
Swamp Churches, New Hanover township, Montgomery county, where
he continued in practice for forty years. He passed through every
experience of the typical country doctor, made the long drives on errands
of mercy only to return to find urgent need of his services as far away in
an opposite direction. But he met the demands and won a place in the
hearts of his people that only the long time family physician does win.
Then he retired, and spent a peaceful evening of life rich in the love and
gratitude of a legion of friends. He was identified with the public enter-
prises of his times and section serving until resigning the office as presi-
dent of the Colebrookdale Turnpike Company. He was a Democrat in

262 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

politics and a member of New Hanover Lutheran Church, the oldest
still-living Lutheran congregation in America.

Dr. Jacob Knipe married, October 30, 1828, Rachel Evans, of Welsh
ancestry, daughter of David Evans, of Hatfield township, Montgomery-
county, and fifty years later, October 30, 1878, they celebrated the golden
anniversary of their wedding day. Dr. Knipe died five years later. Three of
their sons, Francis M., Jacob Oliver, and Septimus A. Knipe embraced
their father's profession, the youngest. Dr. Septimus A. Knipe succeeding
him in practice at New Hanover when the father retired. Rachel Evans
Knipe's grandfather, Dr. Peter Evans, was appointed a commissioner for
the purchase of supplies for the Continental Army, February 21, 1778, and
on December 18, 1784, was commissioned one of the first associate judges
of the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery county ; his father, John
Evans, Jr., represented Chester county in the Provincial Assembly,
1734-5-6; was a justice of the peace in 1737, and died April 14, 1738.
Another of Rachel Evans Knipe's ancestors was Rev. Benjamin Griffith,
Sr., long pastor of Montgomery Baptist Church ; and still further back,
her ancestry can be traced to Rev. Thomas Dungan, who founded the
Baptist church in America at Cold Spring, near Bristol, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Jacob O. ICnipe, son of Dr. Jacob and Rachel ( Evans) Kniije, was
born in New Hanover township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania,
September 3, 1837, died in Norristown in the same county, June 5, 1919.
He was educa;ted in the district public school, Freeland Seminary, Mount
Pleasant Seminary (Boyertown), and Franklin and Marshall College.
He read medicine under the preceptorship of his father and elder brother,
then entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
whence he was graduated M. D., class of 1862. He at once located in Nor-
ristown, Pennsylvania, and continued in practice until his passing, fifty-
seven years later. He was a most skillful physician, possessing every
human quality that was characteristic of this family of doctors that
endeared them to their patients. He was a member of the Montgomery
County Medical Society, serving as secretary, treasurer and president;
member of the Pennsylvania State Medical Society, and of the American
Medical Association. He was a Democrat in politics and a member of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Dr. Jacob Oliver Knipe married on May 16, 1865, Clara Poley, daugh-
ter of Jeremiah Poley, of Norristown, and they celebrated their golden
wedding in 1915. Dr. and Mrs. Knipe were the parents of six sons:
Irvin Poley, of further mention ; Reinoehl ; Jay C. ; Francis Warren
(deceased) ; George L. ; Norman L.

Irvin Poley Knipe, eldest son of Dr. Jacob Oliver and Clara (Poley)
Knipe, was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, February 27, 1866, and
there yet resides (1923). He completed public school study with gradu-
ation from Norristown High School, class of 1881, then continued his
education in the University of Pennsylvania, A. B., class of 1886. Choos-
ing a professional career he entered the law department of the University
of Pennsylvania, whence he was graduated LL. B., class of 1889, receiv-

BIOGRAPHICAL 26^

ing his A. M. degree the same year. He read law prior to entering the
University Law School, his preceptor being Irving P. Wanger, member
of Congress from the eighth Pennsylvania district ; and while studying
law from April. 1887, to August, 1889, he was a reporter on the "Norris-
town Herald."

Upon graduation he at once began the practice of his profession, being
admitted to a partnership with his former preceptor, the firm practicing
as Wanger & Knipe. From that year 1889, Mr. Knipe has continuously
practiced in Norristown, serving the borough as solicitor from 1896 until
1914. In that same capacity he has served other boroughs of the county,
being widely known throughout his section for his legal ability and his
writings. He is the author of "Digest of Laws and Ordinances of and
Pertaining to the Borough of Norristown;" two editions 1897 and 1904.
He is a member of the bar associations and is highly regarded among
his contemporaries of the profession. In the business world he is known
as a director of the Norristown Trust Company, and among agricul-
turists as a large fruit grower whose orchards at Areola, IMontgomerj'
county, are a commercial success. He greatly enjoys his farming activi-
ties, having a genuine love for the out-of-doors and the freedom of out-
of-door occupations. In politics he is a Republican and an ex-chairman
of the Montgomery county Republican committee. He is a past master
of Charity Lodge, No. 190, Free and Accepted Masons of Norristown, and
a member of Trinity Lutheran Church.

Mr. Knipe was married, February 23, 1899, to Margaret Richardson,
born April 15, 1872, youngest daughter of John C. and Ellen (Ritten-
house) Richardson, a descendant of a brother of David Rittenhouse,
astronomer and scientist. Miss Richardson was a skilled shorthand court
reporter. Inspired by experience in that profession to study law, she was
admitted to the Montgomery county bar September 5, 1898, its first
woman member. She died November 30, 1915. Her slender girlish
frame housed a remarkable mentality and the finest of culture. Her life
was a succession of successful attainments in everything she undertook,
and was well epitomized in the obituary minute of the courts of Mont-
gomery county : "She was a fine woman, a good housewife, and an able
lawyer. This minute is a tribute in memory of her beautiful life." Mr.
Knipe married (second), April il, 1917, Anna E. Lovett, daughter of
John K. and Isabella (Mann) Lovett. He has no children.

HARRY T. WOODLAND— The success in business, and high stand-
ing in the community of Conshohocken of Harry T. Woodland, is a
tribute to his increasing industry and unblemished integrity. Coming
from the open life on a Mid-\\'estern ranch, with practically no capital,
he has won for himself a prominent place among business men, and no
small degree of prosperity. He is the son of the well known shoemaker,
A. Taylor Woodland, who died in 1917 at the age of sixty-nine. He learned
his trade in his father's shop, Chester county, Pennsylvania, where he
was born. He located for a time in Iowa, but came to Conshohocken,

264 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

and there followed his trade until the time of his death. He married
Isabella B. Hass, who died on March 13, 1922, having lived for the same
number of days as had her husband, who had preceded her into the here-
after. She was the mother of eight children: Harry T., of whom
further; Catherine, now Mrs. George Porter ; A. Norris ; William J.; For-
rest C. ; Gertrude, who married I. Opdegrave ; Benjamin F., and Ammon G.

Harry T. Woodland was born at Norristown, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, August 10, 1872, and went with his parents to Iowa in
1876. He was educated in the schools of Cedar county, Iowa, but early
went to work on his father's ranch, herding cattle on the plains as well
as doing the usual farm chores. On April 23, 1889, he came East to
Norristown and learned the trade of paper hanging and painting. He
started in Conshohocken with a capital of five dollars in a partitioned off
part of a room for a shop, but soon was able to buy the building at 224
Hector street, where for twenty-one years he has conducted a very suc-
cessful business as a wall paper merchant and general contractor. For the
last eight years he has been a director of the First National Bank of
Conshohocken, and has made himself felt as a member of the Chamber of
Commerce.

His social disposition has led him into fraternal connections with
many societies, among which are the Knights of the Golden Eagle, of
which he is a trustee; the Improved Order of Red Men, Tribe No. 53;
Patriotic Sons of America, in which he is a member of the building com-
mittee ; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is a past
councillor, and the oldest living member of the lodge ; and the Blue Lodge,
Free and Accepted Masons of Conshohocken; Royal Arch Masons;
Knights Templar, Norristown ; and the Lu Lu Temple, Ancient Arabic
Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is
a communicant and steward of the Methodist Episcopal church of Con-
shohocken, Pennsylvania.

At Norristown, on June i, 1898, he was married to Frances Estella,
daughter of Abram and Adeline (Kingkinger) Tyson, well known resi-
dents of Norristown, Pennsylvania.

U. S. G. FINKBINER— For thirty-six years identified with the com-
mercial and financial affairs of Royersford, and for more than twenty-
one years at the head of his own business in real estate and insurance,
Mr. Finkbiner stands among the foremost men in local commercial
circles. He comes of prominent Pennsylvania antecedents, both paternal
and maternal lines being affiliated with names long honored in this State,
and is a son of David and Margaret S. (Brownback) Finkbiner.

Mr. Finkbiner was born in Spring City, Pennsylvania, September 22,
1865. Receiving his early education in the public schools of his native
place, he was graduated from the Spring City High School in the class
of 1881. He then took a one-year course at Pierce's Business College,
after which he entered the employ of the Union National Bank of Phil-
adelphia. There he became familiar with the banking system, gaining

BIOGRAPHICAL 265

valuable experience which has been broadly useful to him in his subse-
quent activities. On September 16, 1886, when the National Bank of
Royersford was opened, Mr. Finkbiner was made cashier of this institu-
tion. At that time he had not quite reached the twenty-first anniversary
of his birth. This position he filled for nearly fifteen years, then on June
10, 1901, took over his present business. This consists exclusively of the
writing of all kinds of insurance and the handling of real estate in this
locality. The business was founded by William S. Essick, who was
later succeded by David Springer, and upon the purchase by Mr. Springer
of William Albright's business in Spring City, Mr. Finkbiner took over
by purchase, the interests of Mr. Springer in Royersford, and Spring
City.

Mr. Finkbiner has been more than successful, and now holds a high
position in the business world of this borough, also being connected with
the leading fraternal and social activities. A member of the Keystone
Building and Loan Association, he is secretary of this body, and is also
secretary and treasurer of the Home Water Company. A Republican by
political affiliation, he has never been an ofiice seeker, but has given his
endorsement to all forward movements involving the public welfare.
During the \\'orld War he served as chairman of the War Chest of
Royersford and was very active on all bond committees. He is still
treasurer of the local Red Cross. Mr. Finkbiner is a member of Royers-
ford Lodge. No. 585, Free and Accepted Masons ; Pottstown Chapter,
Royal Arch Masons; Phoenixville Council, Royal and Select Masters;
Pottstown Commandery, Knights Templar ; Philadelphia Consistory,
Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite; and Rajah Temple, Ancient Arabic
Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Reading. He is also a member of
Lafayette Castle, No. 59. Knights of the Golden Eagle, and the Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 1038, both of Royersford. He is a
member, also treasurer and councilman, of Grace Lutheran Church of
Royersford, and superintendent of Grace Lutheran Bible School of Roy-
ersford.

U. S. G. Finkbiner married (first), September 26, 1889, Mary A.
Schleichter, a teacher of Lower Providence township, who died in 1898,
leaving three children : David E., who was in the insurance business
before his military service, entered the Regular Army of the United
States in 1917; was commissioned second lieutenant; and was one of
the first to go to France, where he spent twenty months in active service,
and was promoted to the rank of captain ; Rachael, wife of George E.
Marvin, of Tarentum, Pennsylvania ; and Charles S. C, now with Ban-
bright & Company, bond brokers of Philadelphia, who enlisted for the
aviation service in the World War, but was sent to the War School at
Lafayette College, and saw no active service. Mr. Finkbiner married
(second), on February 19, 1901, Sarah E. (Freed) Kehl, widow of George
H. Kehl, and daughter of Aaron C. Freed, of Royersford, and they have
two children : Aaron C. F. who was formerly identified with the Bell
Telephone Company of Philadelphia, is now in charge of the life depart-

266 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ment in his father's agency ; and Edwin B., who has recently finished his
course at the Bliss Electrical School, and is with the Western Electric
Company at Pittsburgh. The Finkbiner home is located at No. 459
Walnut street, Royersford.

WARREN Z. ANDERS, M. D.— One of the most prominent physi-
cians of Montgomery county, is Warren Z. Anders, of Collegeville, Penn-
sylvania, He did not locate here until some time after the World War,
but his reputation had preceded him, and his personality was known and
appreciated long before he made his home here. He is the son of Hiram
M. Anders, who was for many years a farmer of Worcester township.
Hiram M. Anders died in 1886. His mother, Araminta (Ziminerman)
Anders, came from Worcester county. They were the parents of: War-
ren Z., of whom further ; Ella, who married Howard Rushing, of College-
ville, Pennsylvania; Mary, who was married to Charles L. Rogers, of
Oaks, Pennsylvania; Morrel Z., now living in Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania ; Nora Z., who was married to Joseph Jervis, of JefTersonville,
Pennsylvania.

Warren Z. Anders was born in Worcester, Pennsylvania, October 20,
1875. He received his early education in the public schools of his natal
town, then entered the Normal School of West Chester, Pennsylvania,
from which he was graduated, class of 1894. Desiring to gain a proper
education for the medical profession, he matriculated in Medico-Chirurgi-
cal College, Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in 1898, with
the degree of M. D. For the next year, he was resident physician in the
college hospital, and for the next two years was an instructor in the same
college. He then removed to Trappe which became his home until 1920,
when he settled in Collegeville, Pennsylvania.

Since 1904, Dr. Anders has been physician to the Montgomery
County Home, is on the auxiliary stafif of the Phoenixville Hospital and
Montgomery Hospital, Norristown, and during the World War served
his country well as surgeon, S. A. T. C, Ursinus College. He is a member
of the American Medical associations of both State and County, where
his genial disposition and his thorough knowledge coupled with the
ability to impart that knowledge to others has made him a much sought
speaker, associate and councillor. He fraternizes with Warren Lodge,
No. 310, Free and Accepted Masons, and the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows of Collegeville ; the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of
Norristown, and the Order of Knights of Friendship, Limerick Chamber,
of Limerick, Pennsylvania. His one great recreation is deep sea fishing,
at which he is an adept.

Warren Z. Anders was married at Trappe, Pennsylvania, January 23,
1908, to Mary G. Rambo, who died without issue in 1914. She was a
daughter of Abel B. Rambo and Jane (Gross) Rambo, of Trappe, Penn-
sylvania. Mr. Rambo was for many years superintendent of schools of
Montgomery county, and later superintendent of the famous Washing-
ton Hall, a private school of Trappe, Pennsylvania.

V\^{^^^ ^>wM\W^W\

BIOGRAPHICAL 267

WILI.IAM STANFORD DURHAM, who is United States postmas-
ter at Mont Clare, Pennsylvania, is a man of substance and influence in
the community. He was born in Calu township, Chester county, July 9,
1868, son of George T. and Jane S. (Pinkerton) Durham. His father,
who was born in England in 1821, came to this country with his parents
at the age of twelve years ; he received his naturalization papers in 1848.
Upon the outbreak of the Civil War, George T. Durham, who was by now
forty-one years of age, was drafted into the army. He enlisted at West
Chester, Pennsylvania, October 16, 1862, and was assigned to Company
K, 175th Regiment of Pennsylvania, under Captain George W. Weintz.
Although anxious to participate in the actual fighting, he was not
afforded the opportunity and had to be satisfied to do outpost duty. He
was discharged from service at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August
7, 1863, at the expiration of his term of enlistment. Upon his return
home at the end of the war, he took up the trade of a shoemaker and
carried on the work of his farm at the same time. He met with success
in both of these enterprises, and lived for many years, surrounded by his
large family and respected by all members of the community. He died
July 30, 1889. Mrs. Durham is still living at the good old age of ninety-
one. She resides with her son, William Stanford Durham.

William S. Durham is one of a family of nine children, five of whom
are now dead. His brothers and sisters are as follows: Adoniram,
deceased ; Mary, who married Theodore Buckalew, and died some years
later; Annie, who married Elwood Shunk. who is associated with her
brother, William S., at his store ; Lincoln, deceased ; Jennie, who married
Samuel Rogers ; J. Howard, deceased, who was associated with his
brother throughout his career until his death November 9, 1920; Jacob
B., who lives at Trenton, New Jersey; and an unnamed child, who died
m infancy.

William S. Durham received his education in the public schools of
his native township, and began his business career by working on his
father's farm. Later, he formed a connection with J. H. Walker, of
Mont Clare, the former owner of the store now owned and conducted by
Mr. Durham. He found the work of the store greatly to his liking and
devoted himself to it with great fidelity. He acquired a thorough knowl-
edge of trade conditions and business practice, and in 1894 formed a
partnership with his brother, J. Howard Durham, and purchased the
business, which then became known as Durham Brothers. Under their
management the business prospered and the number of customers
increased. The high standards of quality and service maintained by Mr.
Durham and his brother met with public approval and their establish-
ment soon became an undisputed leader in its field. In the course of
time, the building was enlarged and altered to provide greater space and
more convenient arrangements for the trade, and it is now one of the
best appointed stores in the region. In 1897 the Mont Clare post office
was moved from Logan's plumbing and hardware store to the building
occupied by Durham Brothers, J. Howard Durham being appointed

268 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

United States postmaster during the same year, and these premises it
still occupies. The brothers continued to conduct the store together
until J. Howard Durham's death, which occurred on November 9, 1920,
Since that time Mr. Durham has been the sole owner and manager of
the business, and his success has been unbroken.

In politics Mr. Durham is a Republican, and an ardent supporter of
Republican policies. In 1897, when his brother, J. Howard Durham,
was appointed United States postmaster at Mont Clare, Mr. Durham
became assistant postmaster. He continued to hold this office until he
was appointed United States postmaster, to succeed his brother, by
First Assistant Postmaster General William B. Hayes, in 1921. In addi-
tion to fulfilling his duties as an officer of the Federal Government, Mr.
Durham has taken an active part in local political afifairs throughout his
career. A progressive and energetic citizen, he has been instrumental in
bringing about many important civic improvements, and his services to
the community are inestimable. In 1921 he was at the head of a com-
mittee which met at Harrisburg to efifect the building and improvement
of the road between Mont Clare and Collegeville. He has also held
office as tax collector of Upper Providence township, serving in that
capacity for one term of office.

When the Spanish-American War began, Mr. Durham was quick to
offer his services to the government, enlisting in the United States army,
and thus carrying on the tradition of military service established by his
father. He was attached to Provisional Battery C, and served under
Captain Henry Quimby at Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, doing local duty
for about one year, although he did not see actual service. As a veteran
of the Spanish-American War, Mr. Durham belongs to the Wayne
Council, No. 46, of the Order of Independent Americans, at Phoenixville.
As the son of a veteran of the Civil War, he is a member of the Andrew
G. Curtin Post, No. 100, Sons of Veterans, at Phoenixville. As a patriotic
citizen, he takes a great interest in the meetings and activities of these
organizations and believes in a vigorous policy of national defense as
one of the best means of averting war.

In religious faith Mr. Durham is a member of the First Baptist Church
at Phoenixville. He is devoted to the cause of militant religion, and
lends his active support to all the undertakings of the church. He was
president of the board of trustees of the church for several years, and
still serves as a member thereof. When the new church was erected in
1910, Mr. Durham served as a member of the building committee and
rendered invaluable service to the cause. In his personal tastes Mr.
Durham is very fond of active sports. He is a baseball enthusiast, and
takes great pleasure in the achievements of the local baseball team. He
also belongs to the Phoenixville Club, and attends its meetings regu-
larly.

On June 10, 1908, he married, at Phoenixville, Mary Alice Kieffer,
daughter of Daniel and Amanda Kieffer. Mrs. Durham has two brothers ;
Howard, who is associated with the Reading Iron Company ; and Henry,

BIOGRAPHICAL 269

who is engaged in the pursuit of agriculture ; and three sisters : Ida,
who married Mr. Ridenhour, and died some time later; Hannah, who
married (first) Mr. Fox, and after his death Mr. Mitchell, who is a well
known farmer of Berkshire county; and Eleanor, who married Mr.
Adams, and lives at Brooklyn, New York, where her husband is employed
by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company. Mr. and Mrs. Durham have
two children: William Le Roy, who was born December 4, 1913, and
Eleanor Alice, who was born November 9, 1915.

HARRY FRANKENFIELD— The name of Frankenfield is well
known in the southeastern part of Pennsylvania since the time of the
early pioneers, and one of the most worthy descendants of the name is
Harry Frankenfield, a son of Abel and Mary C. (Hager) Frankenfield.

The Frankenfield family is an old one in Montgomery county, tracing
its ancestry to Adam Frankenfield, who came to America from Germany
and settled in Springfield township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. He
was the father of eight sons, of whom the oldest was Henry, of further
mention.

Henry Frankenfield, son of Adam Frankenfield, removed to Haycock
township, in 1808, and purchased sixty-five acres of land from one Jacob
Harwick. He married Catherine Weaver, and they were the parents of
two sons and two daughters, the oldest son being Henry (2).

Henry (2) Frankenfield, son of Henry (i) and Catherine (Weaver)
Frankenfield, was a prominent citizen of Haycock township, and took
an active part in public affairs, serving for thirty-five years as justice of
the peace for Haycock township, and holding other local positions of
trust. He married Anna Datesman, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth
(Shellenberger) Datesman, of Hilltown township, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, and they were the parents of three sons and two daugh-
ters: I. Mary, born in 1832; married (first), in 1855, Abram Youngken,
son of Nicholas and Mary Youngken, of Nockamixon township ; he died
in 1856; she married (second), in 1861, Aaron Zeigenfoss ; to the first
marriage one son was born, Abram F. ; children of the second marriage
were: Ellamanda, Anna, Mahlon, Henry and Harvey, deceased. 2.
Elizabeth, born in 1835 ; married, in 1853, William S. Nase, son of David
and Maria Nase, of Springfield township, and became the mother of two
children: an infant, died young, and Harvey, who is a graduate of the
Springtown Academy. 3. Jonas, born in 1838; remained on the home-
stead farm, which he later owned and which he brought to its high state
of preservation; he served as treasurer of the Haycock Run Creamery;
was a member of the Lutheran church ; he married, in i860, Catherine
Atherholt, daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Deaterly) Atherholt, of
Haycock township, and they were the parents of two children : Sarah,
and Edwin, who received his education in the Kutztown Normal School.
4. Mahlon D., born in Haycock township in 1841 ; he was born and reared
on his father's farm, which he later owned ; after attending the Quaker-
town High School and the Bucks County Normal School, he became a

270 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

student in the Eastman Business College, Poughkeepsie, New York, in
1865; he was an active and public-spirited citizen, served as justice of
the peace for many years from 1871, and was also a surveyor and con-
veyancer ; his religious affiliation was with the Lutheran church ; politi-
cally, he gave his support to the Democratic party; he married (first), in
1866, Jennie Maust, daughter of Jacob Maust; she died in 1867, and he
married (second), in 1870, Catherine Fulmer, daughter of John Fulmer,
of Hilltown township, and they were the parents of eight children: Asa;
Emma, deceased ; Laura ; Ira ; Alice, deceased ; Mahlon ; Catherine,
deceased ; and Maggie. 5. Abel, of further mention.

Abel Frankentield, son of Henry (2) and Anna (Datesman) Frank-
enfield, was born in 1848. After receiving a liberal education, he, in
1877, engaged in a general merchandise business, in which line he was
very successful. He also became the owner of a sixty-acre farm, which
is conducted by his son under his supervision. He served as assistant
postmaster at Haycock Run, the post office being located in his general
store, and he was widely known and highly esteemed among his many
friends and associates. His religious affiliation is with the Lutheran
church. Politically, he is a Democrat; held the office of jury commis-
sioner of Bucks county for two terms, which office he filled with credit.
In 187 1 he married Mary C. Hager, daughter of John and Diana (Sossa-
man) Hager, of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and they became the
parents of three children: Adin, Annie, and Harry, of further mention.

.Harry Frankenfield, son of Abel and Mary C. (Hager) Frankenfield,
was born in Haycock township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, December
16, 1878. He attended the public schools of his district until eighteen
years of age, and then took a course in the normal school at Kutztown,
then called the Keystone State School. He returned to Haycock Run
and conducted the general store for a period of five years, from 1905 to
1910, when he moved to Hatfield, Montgomery county, where, in the
mercantile trade, he was active for ten years. In 1920 he established his
present store in Lansdale, and with his extensive experience is meeting
with marked success. He was also a messenger of the Telford Bank, of
Telford, Pennsylvania. He is a Democrat, but not actively interested in
politics. With his family, he attends the Evangelical Lutheran church
of Lansdale, of which he is a communicant.

Mr. Frankenfield married, at Quakertown, Pennsylvania, June 14,
1913, Elsie May Fox, daughter of George D. and Mary M. (Trauger)
Fox, her father an agriculturist and justice of the peace of Ferndale for
many years. Mr. and Mrs. Frankenfield are the parents of two children:
Ethel Irene, born June 4, 1914, and Harriett Eugenia, born March 25,
1917.

The Frankenfield family have a pleasant custom of holding annual
reunions at Tohickon Park, and have erected to the original pioneer of
the family in America an imposing monument in the Springfield Church
Cemetery, of Springfield township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania.
James Frankenfield, of Butztown, assistant superintendent of schools of

BIOGRAPHICAL 271

Northampton county, is president of the family association, and Mark
D. Frankenfield, of Butztown, is secretary, while the historian is Milton
R. Frankenfield, of Pleasant Valley, Bucks county, Pennsylvania.

A. ADDISON LINDSAY has been connected with the Lee Tire
Corporation of Conshohocken for nearly thirty years, and is known not
only for his ability and industry in his business, but particularly for his
work and leadership in several building and loan associations. He is also
prominent in the civic and educational life of the municipality.

He is a native of Norristown, Pennsylvania, and after the usual gram-
mar school study, entered and was graduated from the Norristown High
School. He completed his education by taking courses in the Crittenden
Business College of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and at once began his
working career. He was at first for a short time with the Alan Wood
Iron and Steel Company, but left to take a position with the Lee Tire
Corporation of Norristown, in 1894. He has risen rapidly in this concern,
having been in charge of the sterilizing department, the shipping depart-
ment for thirty years, and has been since 1916 traffic manager. In addi-
tion to his success in his regular vocation, he has taken a conspicuous
part in the development of the building and loan associations in the city,
being president of the Citizens', and director of the Conshohocken com-
panies. A Republican in politics, he has served on both the school board
and as a councilman. His club is the Penn, of which he has been a
member and secretary since its inception in 1889, a social, non-sectarian
organization.

His parents were Malcolm and Rachel (Rees) Lindsay, the former of
whom was born in Rockland county. New York, the son of Alexander
Lindsay, a descendant of an old Scotch family who came early to this
country. A. Addison Lindsay has one sister, now Mrs. Lloyd.

A. Addison Lindsay married, at Conshohocken, August 5, 1882, Mima
Matthews, daughter of James and Emma Matthews, and they are the
parents of three children : Mary M., married Frank A. Wood ; R. Mait-
land, deceased ; J. Wallace, a chemist in Bound Brook, New Jersey, a
graduate of Pennsylvania State College.

E. M. VAUGHAN, M. D.— One of the best known and most success-
ful professional men of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, is Dr. E. M,
Vaughan, who, as physician and surgeon, has for nearly thirty years
contributed to the well-being of the people of Royersford and the sur-
rounding communities in that section. A native of this county. Dr.
Vaughan is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Hamilton) Vaughan, long
residents of Lower Merion township.

Dr. Vaughan was born in Lower Merion township, February 5, 1863.
His education was begun in the public schools of the township of his
birth, and was continued in the Philadelphia high schools. His prepara-
tory course was covered at Pennington (New Jersey) Seminary, and
havino- made his choice of a profession, he entered Hahnemann Medical

272 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

College, at Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated in the
class of 1893. Entering at once upon the practice of medicine and sur-
gery at Royersford, he has continued here, except for a practice of a few
months in Philadelphia, during the entire period intervening between that
and the present time (1922). He has been very successful indeed, and
has not only won the deepest confidence of the people, but has endeared
himself to them. He has always handled a general practice, and has for
many years been a member of the Pennsylvania State Medical Society,
and of Hahnemann Medical Alumni. Dr. Vaughan is highly esteemed as
a citizen, although he has never taken any active part in public afifairs.
Fraternally he holds membership in Royersford Lodge, No. 585, Free and
Accepted Masons, and in Philadelphia Consistory, Ancient Accepted
Scottish Rite, and also in the Knights of the Golden Eagle. His recrea-
tive interests are bounded by the activities of his thirty-two acre farm in
Upper Providence township, where he resides, and where he breeds pure-
blooded Ayrshire cattle.

Dr. Vaughan has been twice married. He married (first) Anna
McClintock of Philadelphia, who died in 1915, leaving four children:
Jacob Oldfield, who was educated at Conway Hall, at Carlisle, Penn-
sylvania, with one year in medicine at Hahnemann Medical College,
Philadelphia, and is now located in Lehigh county, where he has charge
of the cattle at the Retreat, making a specialty of their breeding and
care for productivity ; Richard Hamilton, of further mention ; Anna Pen-
elope, educated at Beechwood and Pierce's Business College ; and Ernest
Mason, in high school, class of 1923. Dr. Vaughan married (second), in
March, 1917, Mary E. Freed, of Royersford.

Richard Hamilton Vaughan, Dr. Vaughan's second son, was a senior
at Dickinson Law School, class 1918, when he enlisted for overseas
service in the World War, in April, 1917, joining Company A, of the
I nth Infantry Regiment. He was commissioned second lieutenant at
the front, and was wounded in August, 1918. Then, on September 8, 1918,
he was fatally wounded, in an engagement at Fiume, France. The loss
was an occasion of the deepest grief in his home community. A young
man of rare promise, he had numberless friends, whose only comfort is
the knowledge that he gave his life gladly for the cause of humanity.

JOHN PUGH — The name of Pugh is a highly honored one in Mont-
gomery county, Pennsylvania, and has for many generations been well
and favorably known in various parts of the State. William Pugh was a
leading farmer of Radnor township, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, in
a day now gone by ; he and his wife Mary are now deceased.

John Pugh, son of William and Mary Pugh, was born in Radnor town-
ship, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, July 2, 1838, and is still living at
the advanced age of nearly eighty-five years (1923). During his long and
active career he has contributed materially to the upbuilding and per-
manent welfare of the borough of Conshohocken, where the greater part
of his life has been spent. His education was begun in the public schools

3ioljn iBuglj

BIOGRAPHICAL ^-j^,

of his birthplace and was completed at Radnor Seminary. As a young
man Mr. Pugh enlisted from Delaware county in the 124th Regiment,
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Holley, of Media, Penn-
sylvania. He served throughout the period of the war, participating in
all the major engagements in which this regiment bore a part, and
received a slight wound in the ear. Immediately following his honor-
able discharge from the service, Mr. Pugh settled in Conshohocken.
Buying out the interest of Hatton Pugh in a well established feed and
grain business, he became associated therein with his brother, Samuel
Pugh, and for more than fifty years was thus actively engaged. They
materially expanded the business, adding a coal department, and took
a leading part in the business affairs of the community. Long a stock-
holder in the First National Bank of Conshohocken, Mr. Pugh was made
its president, and served for a full decade in that responsible position,
having been the sixth president of this institution. In 1916 he retired
from all active participation in business afifairs, but is still interested in
the general advance and keeps in touch with the movement of the times.
Always a Republican by political faith, he has never been a seeker after
the honors of office, but has been a faithful and loyal worker for its
interests.

John Pugh married, on June 13, 1867, at Philadelphia, S. Catherine
Leedom, daughter of John and Susanna Leedom. The Leedom family is
an old one of Delaware county, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Pugh are
the parents of an only child, Harry C, of whom further.

Harry C. Pugh was born at Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, April 7,
1868. His education was begun in the local public schools, and he is a
graduate of the Conshohocken High School. His early business experi-
ence was in the employ of his father and uncle, the firm of S. & J. Pugh,
in the flour, feed and coal business, in Conshohocken. Spending a few
years in this connection as office assistant, Mr. Pugh then entered the
employ of the First National Bank of Conshohocken. Beginning as
errand boy, he worked through the various grades of responsibility,
becoming successively clerk, bookkeeper, teller, and cashier. This last-
named office he now holds, having filled every position in the institution
up to president. The First National Bank of Conshohocken holds a very
important place in the economic welfare and security of the community,
and bears a share in all forward movements aflfecting the world of
finance. During the World War the bank supported heavy Liberty
Loan activities, handling a total in the five issues of about a quarter of a
billion dollars. In the last three issues Conshohocken stood as the banner
community of Montgomery county. Harry C. Pugh supports the Repub-
lican party in affairs of both local and wider import.

Harry C. Pugh married, in October, 1905, Mary Whitnack, daughter
of Cornelius and Margaret (Ennis) Whitnack, natives of Newcastle,
Delaware. Mr. and Mrs. Pugh have one son, John Covert, born in Con-
shohocken. October 13, 191 1.

274 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

DAVID WOOD HARRY, M. D.— Among those citizens of Mont-
gomery county who, after contributing a life of earnest endeavor and
worthy achievement to the community in which they live, have gone to
their well-earned reward, is David Wood Harry, whose death occurred
April 10, 1914, he then being in his seventy-seventh year.

Mr. Harry comes of very old Colonial stock, tracing his ancestry to
David Harry, son of Reese Harry, probably of Welsh descent, who settled
in Montgomery county at an early date, and there purchased a tract of
1250 acres of land, a portion of which is now included in the borough of
Conshohocken, the remainder being in Whitemarsh township. Part of
this land is still owned by the family. The line from David Harry to
David Wood Harry is traced through Reese Harry, son of David Harry,
who was born about 1701, died in 1778, and resided upon a section of
the ancestral land, a portion of which he later deeded to his son, John
Harry, great-grandfather of David Wood Harry.

John Harry married Alice Meredith, and they were the parents of
the following children: Sarah, born in 1763; Mary, born in 1769; and
David.

David Harry was born on November 17, 1771, on the homestead;
he married Ann Davis, daughter of Thomas and Lydia (White) Davis.
They were the parents of: Samuel ; Benjamin, of whom further ; Reese ;
Mary, who married Joseph Yerkes ; and David, all of whom, with the
exception of Benjamin, are deceased.

Benjamin Harry, son of David and Ann (Davis) Harry, was born on
the homestead, May 14, 1809, and there he passed practically his whole
life. He received his education in the Joseph Foulke Boarding School in
Gwynedd township, and when his studies there were completed, entered
his father's mill on the banks of the Schuylkill, where he made himself
thoroughly familiar with every detail of the business. Sometime later
he took charge of the business, which he successively managed until it
was sold. He then devoted his time and his energy to the management of
his private interests, which were extensive. Politically, he gave his
support first to the Whig party and later to the Republican organization,
but resolutely declined to serve in public ofifice, even when elected to fill
the position of burgess of the borough. He was by birthright a Friend
and worshipped with the Plymouth Meeting. In 1836 he married Lydia
F. Wood, daughter of James Wood, who established the rolling mills at
Conshohocken, and granddaughter of John Wood, of Plymouth, who
was the son of James Wood, one of the earliest settlers of that township.
Benjamin and Lydia F. (Wood) Harry became the parents of six chil-
dren: David, of further mention; Anna; James; Mary; Winfield, and
John.

David Wood Harry, son of Benjamin and Lydia F. (Wood) Harry,
v/as born in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, September 15, 1837, on the
present site of St. Mary's Church parsonage, and died April 10, 1914, in
his seventy-seventh year. He received his preparatory education in Tree-
mount Seminary, in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and then entered the

BIOGRAPHICAL 275

Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, from which he graduated in 1859, later
going to the Medical College of the University of Pennsylvania, gradu-
ating in 1866, with the degree M. D. He served as a surgeon on the
ocean liner "Tonawanda," and when, during this period of service, a
French liner in distress was rescued by the "Tonawanda," young Dr.
Harry gave first aid so efficiently and promptly that as an expression of
appreciation he was presented with a beautiful set of instruments by the
French Government. Two years later, in 1868, he engaged in general
practice in Conshohocken, but after a time he was made treasurer of the
J. Wood Brothers Manufacturing Company, and this office he continued
to hold to the time of his death. He was well known and highly esteemed
as a successful business man and as a public-spirited citizen, as well as a
much loved friend, and he was always actively interested in the public
welfare of the community in which he was born and in which the greater
part of his life was spent. Politically he gave his support to the Repub-
lican party, and his religious affiliation was with the Society of Friends,
though he had not a birthright there because his father married "out of
meeting."

On December 6, 1871, Dr. David Wood Harry married, at Arrowfi^ld,
Chesterfield county, Virginia, Mary S. Wood, daughter of David E. and
Mary (Friedley) Wood, David E. Wood, her father, being the son of
Israel Wood, of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, but having gone to
Virginia at the close of the Civil War. Mary (Friedley) Wood was the
daughter of Jacob Friedley, of Norristown, Pennsylvania, Jacob Fried-
ley being the son of Henry Friedley, of Revolutionary fame. David
Wood and Mary S. (Wood) Harry became the parents of two children:
David, Jr., who is a lieutenant in the United States navy, and Benjamin
Reese.

CALVIN D. YOST — A man of cultural attainments, college profes-
sor and public servant, the Rev. Calvin D. Yost has added much to the
character of his community by rendering it valuable service. Not only
is he devoted to religious and educational pursuits, but to the civic inter-
ests of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, where he resides.

The ancestral line of Mr. Yost traces to Johannes Yost, Vv^ho settled
in Frederick township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, in the first
half of the eighteenth century. Johannes Yost was born in 1721, and
arrived in this country in 1738, at the age of seventeen. He married,
October 31, 1749, Maria Elizabeth Schneider, and to them were born
eight children, as follows: Johannes. Johann Peter, George; Daniel, of
whom further; Maria Elizabeth, Daniel, Christiana, Johan Adam,
Johann Jacob. Johannes Yost died in his ninetieth year, January 28,
1811.

Daniel Yost, son of Johannes and Maria Elizabeth (Schneider) Yost,
was born October 14, 1759. He was a well educated man, and a public-
spirited citizen, being justice of the peace in Marlborough township,
Montgomery county, and holding the same office later in Brunswick

2-6 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

township, Berks (now Schuylkill) county. In 1811, upon the organiza-
tion of Schuylkill county, he became an associate judge, and the com-
mission so given and signed by Governor Simon Snyder, is in the pos-
session of Rev. Calvin D. Yost. Judge Yost died November 2, 1839, and
was buried in the cemetery of Christ Church, McKeansburg, Pennsyl-
vania. He married Barbara Hillegas, February 7, 1786. They were the
parents of the following children : Elizabeth, Mary, Katherine, Daniel ;
Jonathan, of further mention ; Barbara, Joseph, John, William, and
Benjamin.

Jonathan Yost, son of Daniel and Barbara (Hillegas) Yost, was born
May 16, 1795. He was a blacksmith and farmer in Schuylkill county
until his death, January 17, 1865. He married Mary Kleckner, born
March 30, 1800, and they were the parents of the following children :
Daniel J., of whom further; Benjamin K., Jonathan K., Catherine, Maria,
Joshua, Caroline, Israel, Charles S., Priscilla, Lizzie, and Sarah. Mrs.
Yost survived her husband until 1878.

Daniel J. Yost, son of Jonathan and Mary (Kleckner) Yost, was born
July 22, 1820, and as a young man learned the milling trade, to which
business he devoted the greater part of his life, only in later life forsak-
ing it to conduct a general store in McKeansburg, Pennsylvania. Daniel
J. Yost married Lydia Bretney, of Carbon county, in 1854, and to them
were born the following children: Milton H., who died in 1879; Ella I.;
Jonathan I., married Kate Anna Stein ; Alice M., wife of James E. Green-
await; Calvin D., of whom further; James A., married Carrie Bensinger.
Although a public-spirited citizen, Daniel J. Yost never sought public
office. He was a Republican in politics. In religion, he was a consistent
member of the Reformed church, as were his father, grandfather and
great-grandfather before him. His death occurred October 16, 1899, at
the age of seventy-nine, and he was buried beside the remains of two
generations of Yosts, in Christ Church Cemetery, at McKeansburg,
Pennsylvania. Lydia (Bretney) Yost lived to be eighty-one years of
age. her death occurring October 16, 1910.

Calvin D. Yost, son of Daniel J. and Lydia (Bretney) Yost, was
born November 5, 1866, in Walker township, Schuylkill county, Penn-
sylvania, where he obtained his early education in the public schools.
At the age of seventeen he began to teach in East Brunswick town-
ship, and continued in that work for four successive terms, ending in
one of the schools of Walker township. Meanwhile he carried on his
preparation for college, attending the Keystone State Normal School in
spring and summer of these years. In September, 1887, he entered
Ursinus College, graduating four years later, in the class of 1891, as
valedictorian, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts. From 1891-93
he pursued the study of theolgy in the Ursinus School of Theology.
The following year he spent in study at Yale University, and on June
I, 1894, was ordained to the Gospel ministry in Emmanuel Reformed
Church, Minersville, Pennsylvania, where he continued as pastor until
1896, when he accepted the principalship of the high school in Mahanoy
City, Pennsylvania. This position he filled for five years. In 1901 he

BIOGRAPHICAL 277

assumed the pastorate of the Pleasantville Reformed Church, in Bucks
county, where he remained until April i, 1906. Having received a call
from St. John's Reformed Church, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, he
accepted the same, and served this church until November i, 1907, when,
at the earnest solicitation of Dr. George L. Omwake, he accepted the
position of general secretary of the Reformed Evangelical and Educa-
tional Association, an organization devoted to the interests of Ursinus
College. In 1910 Mr. Yost was elected librarian of this college, and
instructor, and at the present time is assistant professor of German, as
well as librarian. He has contributed articles to periodicals, and has
done some editorial work. He was active in organizing the College-
ville Summer Assembly, an inter-denominational conference for Chris-
tian workers, serving as secretary and treasurer since its beginning.

Mr. Yost has served in the Borough Council of Collegeville, and as its
president. He is a ^lason, a member and past master of Warren
Lodge, No. 310, Free and Accepted Masons ; also a member of the Penn-
sylvania State Education Association, of the Pennsylvania German Soci-
ety, and of several other bodies.

On August 28, 1894, Mr. Yost married (first) S. Ida Wagner, daugh-
ter of Charles B. and Sarah M. Wagner, of Mahanoy City. To them
one son was born, Merrill Wagner, June 11, 1895, a graduate of Ursinus
College, class of 1915, receiving the degree of Master of Arts after
completing post-graduate studies in Harvard University, being a teacher
at the present time. He took part in the World War, entering the United
States army on December 28, 1917, and trained in Camp Meade, Mary-
land, where he received the rank of corporal. He saw active service in
France, with Company C, 304th Field Signal Battalion, in the Argonne,
at St. Mihiel and Verdun, and was wounded five days before the armis-
tice was signed. From the base hospital at Bordeaux he was brought to
the United States, and honorably discharged at Camp Dix, January 11,
1919. After the death of his first wife, which occurred June 20, 1895,
Mr. Yost married (second), July 14, 1897, Millie K. Wagner, a sister
of his first wife. They are the parents of the following children : i. Ethel-
bert B., born October 4, 1899, enlisted at Camp Crane, AUentown, Penn-
sylvania, April 27, 1918, and as first-class private served with Base Hos-
pital No. 82, in France, from August 31, 1918, to June 9, 1919, the greater
part of this time at Toul. He received his honorable discharge at Camp
Dix, June 16, 1919. He is a graduate of Ursinus College in the class of
1921, and is now teaching in the Eastview School, Shenchowfu, Hunan,
China. 2. Margaret A., born August 4. 1903, is a student in Ursinus Col-
lege, also pursuing studies in piano and organ music, and is organist in
Trinity Reformed Church, Collegeville. 3. Calvin D., Jr., born March
ID, 1910.

RALPH BEAVER STRASSBURGER— In newspaper circles in
Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, the name of Ralph Beaver Strass-
burger is widely prominent as owner of the Norristown "Times-Herald."
Mr. Strassburger's extensive acquaintance in Montgomery county, and.

278 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

indeed, in many sections of the United States, and his service in the
United States navy, have made him a noteworthy figure, and his wide
affihations in club circles in the East link his name with many social
and athletic interests. Mr. Strassburger is a son of A. J. Strassburger,
a very prominent lawyer of Eastern Pennsylvania, district attorney and
member of the bars of both Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
The mother, Mary (Beaver) Strassburger, was also a member of an old
Pennsylvania family.

Ralph Beaver Strassburger was born at Norristown, Pennsylvania,
March 26, 18S3. His education was begun in the public schools of
Norristown and he also attended private school, later being graduated
from Norristown High School in the class of 1899. Spending two years
at Phillips-Exeter Academy, he then entered the United States Naval
Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, from which he was graduated in the
year 1905. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Strassburger was ordered to sea in
the naval service, in which he was active for a period of eight years.
Then returning to civilian life, he entered the employ of the Babcock &
Wilcox Company, steam boiler manufacturers, with which concern he
was affiliated until the year 1921. At that time Mr. Strassburger pur-
chased the Norristown "Herald," one of the long established newspapers
of this borough, which was founded in 1799, and through its entire his-
tory has been a force for progress, counting definitely in the early
development and later prosperity of this community and this section of
the State. As owner and publisher of this paper, Mr. Strassburger
added to his interests in December, 1922, by the purchase of the Norris-
town "Times," and on January i, 1923, he consolidated the two news-
papers, which he has since published under the name of the Norristown
"Times-Herald." Mr. Strassburger's personal attitude toward life, both
in public affairs and in those interests which affect every phase of human
progress, naturally determines in a large degree the policies of this
paper, and it is holding a leading position in the newspaper world of
Montgomery county and casting abroad a strong influence for good in
the community. Himself affiliated with the Republican party, Mr.
Strassburger supports this party through the columns of the "Times-
Herald." But his services to his country have by no means been wholly
of a political nature. In 1913 Mr. Strassburger was appointed by Presi-
dent Taft as Consul General and Secretary of Legation at Roumania,
Bulgaria and Servia. He was later promoted to the more important
embassy at Tokio, Japan, where he filled the exacting position of second
secretary. Mr. Strassburger's naval service was under Rear Admiral
W. B. Brownson, United States Navy, and he also served on the United
States Steamship "Connecticut," under Admiral Robley D. Evans,
United States Navy. In 1907 Mr. Strassburger was attached to the
United States Steamship "Mayflower," then in service as the presidential
yacht. Mr. Strassburger is a member of the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, and his club affiliations include organizations in many
and varied fields of interest. He is a member of the Colonial Society of
Pennsylvania, of which he is councillor ; a member of the Pennsylvania

BIOGRAPHICAL 279

Society Sons of the Revolution ; the Society of Foreign Wars ; the Soci-
ety of Mechanical Engineers; the Royal Institute of Naval Architects;
the American Lawn Tennis Association ; and the University, the New
York Yacht, the Racquet and Tennis, the Recess, the Army and Navy,
the New York Press, the Turf and Field, the Bryn Mawr Polo, the
Racquet, the Philadelphia Cricket, the ]Markham, the Radnor, the White
Marsh Valley, the Rose Tree, the Huntingdon Valley, the Penllyn, the
Sunnybrook Golf, the Metropolitan, of Washington, District of Columbia,
and the Travelers' clubs. He is further a member of the Historical
Society of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Strassburger married, May 11, 191 1, at the Chapel of St. John,
on the estate of Sir Henry Leonard, at West Wickham. Kent, England,
May Bourne, daughter of Frederick G. and Emma (Keller) Bourne.
Mr. and Mrs. Strassburger are the parents of one child : Johann Andreas
Peter, born January 3, 1916.

CLARENCE A. PAULUS, M. D.— Among the leading professional
men of Montgomery count3^ Pennsylvania, whose progressive activities
are contributing to the general advance. Dr. Paulus, of Telford, is a
noteworthy figure. Coming of an old family of Bethlehem township,
Northampton county, Pennsylvania, Dr. Paulus is a son of Emanuel
and Sarah Paulus. his father during the early part of his lifetime a far-
mer of that section, but later a business man at Easton, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Paulus was born in Bethlehem township, Pennsylvania, January
16, 1887. As a child he attended the public schools of Easton, and later
determining upon a professional career, he entered Lerch Preparatory
School, of Easton, Pennsylvania, where he covered the necessary course
for matriculation in medicine. He then entered Muhlenberg College, at
Allentown, Pennsylvania, and in 191 1 entered the Medico-Chirurgical
College, of Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in the class of
1915, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Making a specialty of
study and research along Chirurgical lines, Mr. Paulus has specialized in
the same field in his practice, but has an extensive general practice also.
His experience began with an interneship in the Frankford Hospital,
after which he was assistant to Dr. Clyde Fish, of Pleasantville. New
Jersey. Coming to Telford in June, 1917, he has practiced here since,
with the interruption of his military service, and is now counted among
the leaders of his profession in Montgomery county. Dr. Paulus enlisted
for service in the World War on June 12, 1918, and was commissioned
first lieutenant of the Medical Corps. Detailed to Camp Beauregard, he
was placed in charge of several wards of the Base Hospital at that point,
and later ordered to join Evacuation Hospital, No. 42, at Camp Green-
leaf, Georgia, where he remained on duty until after the signing of the
armistice. Released from active service in January, 1919, he is now a
member of the Medical Reserve Corps, this enlistment expiring in 1923.

Dr. Paulus is serving the people not only in a professional and mili-
tary sense, but as the chosen head of the civic body. A Republican by
political affiliation, always deeply interested in the public welfare and

28o HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

active in the progress of the party, he has for several years been a mem-
ber of the Telford Board of Health, and in 1922 was elected burgess of
Telford for a term of four years. Dr. Paulus is a member of the Amer-
ican Medical Association, the Pennsylvania State Medical Society, the
North Penn Medical Society, of which he was elected secretary in 1919,
and still serves, and is also a member of the Bucks County Medical
Society. His religious affiliation is with the Episcopal church.

Dr. Paulus married, in Philadelphia, on September 25, 1919, Mar-
garet Hamilton, daughter of William D. and Mary Hamilton. Dr. and
Mrs. Paulus reside in Telford.

PAUL M. BROOKE — Among the younger generation of successful
attorneys in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and Glenside as well, is Paul M.
Brooke. Since establishing himself in the practice of his chosen pro-
fession in both places he has handled many important cases, practicing
in both the Superior and Supreme courts.

J. Milton Brooke, father of Paul M. Brooke, was born in Cheltenham
township in 1S59. He was a farmer by occupation, but took an active
interest in politics, and at one time was township treasurer and commis-
sioner of Springfield township and prothonotary of Montgomery county.
He married Sarah E. Titlow, a native of Springfield township, and they
were the parents of the following children: Ethel, who graduated from
Millersville State Normal School and afterwards taught in Abington
township until her marriage to John K. Earnest ; J. Warren, who resides
on the home farm ; Lillian, wife of W. Howard Calverley, Jr., of Ore-
land, Pennsylvania; Sarah M., deceased ; and Paul M., of further mention.

Paul M. Brooke, son of J. Milton and Sarah E. (Titlow) Brooke, was
born at Laverick, now Enfield, November 20, 1892. He received the
elementary portion of his education in the public schools of Springfield
township, and then attended the Abington Friends' School at Jenkin-
town, from which he was graduated in 1909. He then entered the
Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania, receiving from
this institution the degree of Bachelor of Science in economics, in 1913.
Having in the meantime determined on law as his profession, he accord-
ingly matriculated in the law department of the University of Pennsyl-
vania. After completing the prescribed course, he graduated with the
class of 1916 and won the degree of Bachelor of Laws, then was admit-
ted to the Montgomery county bar, October, 1916. Throughout his
school and college years he had proved himself an intelligent student,
and at the close came to the opening of his career well equipped both
with natural gifts and a training that was the result of careful prepara-
tion. Immediately after passing his examinations, he came to Norris-
town and opened an office at No. 51 East Airy street, and one at No.
410 York road, Jenkintown, which latter he retained until August, 1922,
when he accepted the office of title and trust ofificer at the Glenside Title
and Trust Company. In December, 1917, Mr. Brooke enlisted in the
United States army and was ordered to Camp Dix, where he was
assigned to the Quartermaster's Department, subsistence branch. He

62.^ V, (S^^-^tr^

BIOGRAPHICAL 281

was there until October, 1918. when he was promoted to quartermaster
sergeant and acted as chief clerk to the above branch until he was trans-
ferred to Camp Meigs, Washington, D. C, Officers' Training Camp. He
was honorably discharged from the service in December, 1918, with the
rank of second lieutenant of the Quartermaster's Corps, and returned to
his former office in Norristown. Later he removed to No. 325 Swede
street, and in 1920 associated himself with Samuel D. Conover and
moved to his present location at No. 415 Swede street. Mr. Brooke is
solicitor for the Oreland Building Association of Oreland, Pennsyl-
vania ; the Union Building and Loan Association, of Willow Grove ;
solicitor for the Jenkintown school board, and Lower Moreland school
board. He is also a director of the Wyndmoor Building and Loan
Association.

In everything pertaining to the welfare of Norristown and Glenside,
Mr. Brooke has always taken an active interest, and no good movement
which has for its aim civic betterment fails to gain his support. He is
affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Peace and Love
Lodge, No. 337, of Jenkintown; Montgomery County Bar Association;
and the Delta Theta Phi legal fraternity of the University of Pennsyl-
vania. Religious duties claim no small part of Mr. Brooke's attention,
and at Saint Paul's Church, of Whitemarsh, Fort Washington, he is a
deacon and member of the consistory and teacher in the Sunday school,
having at one time been assistant superintendent of the school.

Paul M. Brooke is still a young man, and the progress that he has
made indicates the success which will come to him in the near future.
In both Norristown and Glenside, he is well known and deservedly pop-
ular, commanding the respect, esteem and confidence of all with whom
he is in any way associated.

HERBERT GERHART GODSHALL— The eminently successful
business career of Herbert Gerhart Godshall, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania,
is not due to accident or luck, but to native ability joined to industry,
common sense and sound judgment. He is the son of William H. D.
and Marietta S. (Gerhart) Godshall, members of a well known family of
that name who have been prominent in the history of Montgomery
county for several generations.

Herbert Gerhart Godshall is a native son of Lansdale, Pennsylvania,
born March 26, 1886. After preliminary education he attended high
school, but recognizing the necessity of specialized training for busi-
ness, he attended and was graduated in 1914 from the School of Com-
merce and Finance, also called the Wharton School, one of the depart-
ments of the University of Pennsylvania. For some time after gradu-
tion he was in the employ of Leas & McVitty, Incorporated, of Phila-
delphia, as credit man, then in 1918 found a permanent business. In
1914 the Lansdale Ice and Storage Company was incorporated, and in
1918, Herbert Godshall and his brother Raymond, secured a controlling
stock interest in that company and took over the management, electing
the following officers: Herbert G. Godshall, president; W. H. D. God-

282 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

shall, vice-president; Raymond G. Godshall, secretary-treasurer. The
company has become one of the important industries of the borough,
making and wholesaling about seventy tons' of ice daily, serving a terri-
tory with a radius of ten miles with Lansdale as a center. As president
and manager, Mr. Godshall of this review, has demonstrated his ability
to fill a place in the business world, and while his years are but thirty-
seven, his achievement marks him a man who will go far.

A Republican in politics and deeply interested in borough afifairs Mr.
Godshall has served as a member of council, and secretary of the Electric
Light Board of Commissioners. He is a member of the Masonic Order,
affiliated with Shiloh Lodge, No. 558; Lansdale Chapter, No. 301, Royal
Arch Masons; and Hutchinson Commandery, Knights Templar; is a
member of North Penn Forest, Tall Cedars of Lebanon ; Lansdale Gun
Club ; Citizens Club of Lansdale ; and is a communicant of the Lansdale
Reformed Church.

Mr. Godshall married at Ouakertown, Pennsylvania, September 6,
191 1, Florence Virginia Bartholomew, daughter of John and Puelia
(Krauss) Bartholomew. Mr. and Mrs. Godshall are the parents of a
son, William Herbert, born January 18, 191 5, in Lansdale.

RAYMOND GERHART GODSHALL— Of a prominent Montgom-
ery county family, and one of the able business men of Lansdale, Penn-
sylvania, Raymond Gerhart Godshall has put his best efforts into the
successful handling of the Lansdale Ice and Storage Company, Inc., of
his city. For many years in the Lansdale post office, he acquired a large
acquaintance and deserved popularity that have been of great use to
him in his present position. He is the son of William Henry Derstine
and Marietta S. (Gerhart) Godshall, both of whom are well known in the
county, the former having served for years as town councilman for the
West Ward, and as a director of the school board.

Raymond Gerhart Godshall was born in Lansdale, Pennsylvania.
March 5, 1891, attended the public schools for a time, and then took a
course in the Norristown (Pennsylvania) Business College. He received
an appointment in the post office department of Lansdale and remained
for twelve years.

In 1921, associated with his brother, Herbert, he became a manufac-
turer of ice with the Lansdale Ice and Storage Company, Inc., of which
he is secretary and treasurer. He is a Republican in politics, and frater-
nizes with the Free and Accepted Masons, Shiloh Lodge, No. 558 ; Lans-
dale Chapter. No. 301, Royal Arch Masons; Hutchinson Commandery,
No. 32, Knights Templar, Norristown. Pennsylvania ; the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows ; and the Loyal Order of Moose. He is a commu-
nicant of the Reformed Church, of Lansdale.

Mr. Godshall married, at Philadelphia. Pennsylvania, October 2, 1917,
Edna L. Baltz, daughter of Harry and Elizabeth (Flack) Baltz, of Mont-
gomeryville, Pennsylvania. They have one son, Raymond Gerhart, Jr.,
born August 30, 1919. Mr. Godshall resides on his farm of sixty-one
acres, about a mile and a half east of Lansdale.

^-•^--fi-^^-'SCV^^Q:^--.-^^

BIOGRAPHICAL 283

EDRED JOSEPH PENNELL— Shortly before his enliptment in the
United States army, Edred J. Pennell was admitted to the bar of Juniata
county, and to the bar of Montgomery county a little later, locating at
Norristown, enlisting from that town in September of the same year.
Upon his return from the army, in which he won a captain's commis-
sion, he resumed law practice in Norristown and so continues. Captain
Pennell is a descendant of Robert and Hannah Pennell, who settled in
Middletown township, in now Delaware county, Pennsylvania, as early
as 1686. They came from Boulderton, in Nottinghamshire, England,
bringing a certificate from "Friends at Ffulbeck," issued 3d. 5mo. 1684, in
conjunction with Thomas Garrett, Hugh Rodnel, Henry Pennell and
Richard Parker, they, "with their wives and children, intending to
transfer themselves beyond the seas into East Jersey in America."

Robert Pennell, in 1687, was appointed constable in Middletown
township, and was a farmer of that township in good circumstances.
His wife, Hannah, died in 171 1, aged seventy-one years, he surviving her
seventeen years, passing away in 1728. They were the parents of sons
and daughters, and from him in direct line came Isaac Pennell, great-
grandfather of Edred J. Pennell, of this review. He lived in Philadel-
phia, and was a member of the Society of Friends, as was his wife, Jane.
Joseph Pennell, son of Isaac and Jane Pennell, was born in Phila-
delphia, Pennsylvania, in 1832, and prior to his marriage settled in Pat-
erson, now Mififlin, in the Juniata Valley of Pennsylvania, going there as
an employee of the Pennsylvania railroad. After his marriage he entered
mercantile life and continued a prosperous career until the year 1900,
when he retired, being then one of the oldest merchants in that borough.
He was a member of the Society of Friends, and of the Masonic order,
and a Republican in his political faith. Joseph Pennell married, in Mif-
flin, Pennsylvania, Rebecca Mickey, daughter of Frank M. and Elizabeth
(Souders) Mickey, her father a supervisor in the employ of the Penn-
sylvania railroad. Among the children of Joseph and Rebecca (Mickey)
Pennell was a son, Frank M. M., father of Edred J. Pennell. Joseph
Pennell died in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, February 19, 1904, and was
buried in Mifflin, Pennsylvania.

Frank M. M. Pennell, son of Joseph and Rebecca (Mickey) Pennell,
was born in Mifflin, Pennsylvania, February 28, 1862. He was educated
in the public schools of Mifflin, going thence to Millersville State Nor-
mal School, finishing the course of that institution with the graduating
class of 1882. He taught school for one year, then began the study of
law under Louis E. Atkinson, and in 1885 was admitted to the bar of
Juniata county. He spent the year after graduation at Albany Law
School, Albany. New York, there receiving his LL. B. with the class
of 1886.

Mr. Pennell began practice in Mifflin, forming a partnership with his
former preceptor, which continued until the latter's death in 1910,
Atkinson & Pennell conducting a successful general practice in County,
State and Federal courts of the district. The legal learning and ability
of the partners attracted the best class of clients, and after the death of

284 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

the senior partner, the junior partner continued the business in the same
offices and there maintains the high reputation of the firm of which he is
the surviving member. Mr. Pennell was one of the charter members of
the Pennsylvania State Bar Association, and served the Juniata County
Bar Association as secretary and is now its president. In poHtics he is
a Republican, and from 1887 to iSgo served Juniata county as district
attorney. He is solicitor for the Fifth District of the Pennsylvania rail-
road system, and occupies similar position with the Tuscarora Valley
railroad. Pie is a director of the Mifflin and the Paterson water com-
panies, but has few interests outside his profession. In religious faith
he is a Presbyterian. Mr. Pennell married, December 28, 1887, Ida
McCauley, daughter of James and Mary (Ewing) McCauley, of Mifflin.
Mr. and Mrs. Pennell are the parents of two children : Rebecca, who
died at the age of four years ; and Edred Joseph, of further mention.

Edred J. Pennell, only son of Frank M. M. and Ida (McCauley)
Pennell, was born in Mifflin, Juniata county, Pennsylvania, December
29, 1890, and there completed public school study with graduation from
high school, class of 1908. He then entered Gettysburg College, whence
he was graduated B. S., class of 1912, after which he prepared for the
profession of law in the University of Pennsylvania Law School, receiv-
ing his LL. B., class of 1916. In 1917 he was admitted to the bar of
Juniata county, and on April 24, 1917, to the bar of Montgomery county.
He located in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and there practiced until his
enlistment in September, 1917. After his return from the army in 1919
he resumed the practice of law at Norristown, but resides in Bryn Mawr,
Pennsylvania.

Mr. Pennell entered the United States army on September 20, 1917,
as a private of Company A, 304th Ammunition Train, located at Camp
Meade. He was transferred on October 14, 1917, to Headquarters Troop,
79th Division, still as a private, and on December 7, 1917, was appointed
a private of the first class. On January 5, 1918, he entered Officers'
Training School, Camp Meade, a member of the First Battery. On
April 19, 1918, he was graduated from Officers' Training School and
returned to headquarters troop of the 79th Division, as sergeant. On
May 18, 1918, he was transferred to Field Artillery Replacement Depot
at Camp Jackson, South Carolina, and was assigned to duty with Bat-
tery B, 14th Battalion, Field Artillery Replacement Depot. He was
commissioned second lieutenant of Field Artillery, National Army, June
I, 1918, and assigned to Battery B, 14th Battalion Field Artillery Re-
placement Depot. On June 15th he was transferred to Battery B, 23rd
Battalion, Field Artillery Replacement Depot, as second lieutenant.
Field Artillery, National Army, and on August 17, 1918, on reorganiza-
tion of the 8th Regiment, Field Artillery Replacement Depot, he was
re-assigned to Headquarter's Company, 8th Regiment, Field Artillery
Replacement Depot. On September 26, 1918, he was commissioned
first lieutenant of Field Artillery, United States army, and on October
22, 1918, was transferred to the command of Battery F, 8th Regiment,
Field Artillery Replacement Depot, and on October 23, 1918, he was

BIOGRAPHICAL 285

commissioned captain of the Field Artillery, United States army. On
December 6, 1918, he was honorably discharged from the service, hold-
ing the rank of a captain of artillery in the United States army.

Captain Pennell represented Montgomery county at the organization
of the American Legion at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1919, and represented
Pennsylvania on the National Constitutional Committee which drafted
the National Constitution of the "Legion." He served on the special
committee which drafted the Pennsylvania Constitution of the "Legion,"
and during 1919-20 was a member of the executive committee of the
Department of the Pennsylvania American Legion. He organized posts
of the "Legion" at Norristown, Narberth, Bryn Mawr, Ardmore, x\mbler,
Jenkintown, Elkins Park and Hatboro, all in Montgomery county, and
the city of Johnstown, in Cambria county. He was commander of John
Winthrop Post, No. 118, American Legion, at Bryn Mawr, and is scout
master of Troop No. 2, Bryn Mawr.

Mr. Pennell is a member of the Juniata and Montgomery County Bar
associations; Hare Law Club, University of Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr
War Memorial and Community House Association ; Bryn Mawr Pres-
byterian Church ; Main Line Citizens' Association ; Bryn Mawr Busi-
ness Men's Association ; Phi Gamma Delta fraternity (active member
of Xi chapter, later afifiliated with Beta chapter), and Phi Delta Phi
legal fraternity.

Edred J. Pennell married, at Johnstown, Pennsylvania, April 27,
1918, Ruth Glenn, daughter of George B. and Mary (Gronninger) Glenn,
of Johnstown. Mr. and Mrs. Pennell are the parents of a son : Edred
Joseph (2), born February 11, 192 1. Mrs. Pennell is a graduate of
Bryn Mawr College, class of 1915 ; is Republican county committee-
woman from the Bryn Mawr district ; and president of the Woman's
Club of Bryn Mawr. On the maternal side she descends from John
Daniel Gronninger, who came from Holland in a small sailing vessel,
the "Marlborough," and arrived in Philadelphia, September 23, 1741.
He became a successful farmer of Berks county, Pennsylvania, where
he died in 1786. Descent is traced in this branch through his son, Leon-
ard S. Gronninger, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, who was cap-
tured by the Indians in 1780 and held their prisoner for two years.

J. L. ROTH, M. D.— In 1919 Dr. J. L. Roth, a graduate in homoeop-
athy, a physician of learning and skill and a man of culture and high
professional reputation, located at Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, open-
ing offices at No. 117 East Fourth avenue, where he continues well
established in practice and in the regard of his community. He is a
son of Dr. L. A. and Rose E. (Plank) Roth, his father a practicing
physician of Spring Grove, York county, Pennsylvania.

J. L. Roth was born in Nashville, Pennsylvania, May 14, 1879, and
there began his education in the public school, going to Ursinus Academy
in 1898. He then entered Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania,
whence he was graduated A. B., class of 1903. After completing his
coHege course he spent several years as an instructor, being connected

286 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

with Swarthmore College as teacher of biolog-y and physical education
and studied with the department of public hygiene, University of Penn-
sylvania during the years 1910-1912.

In 1912 deciding upon the profession of medicine he began a four
years' course of study at Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia
receiving his M. D. from that institution in 1916. He then acquired
experience in practice as interne and stafY physician, being for fifteen
months connected with J. Lewis Crozer Hospital, Chester, Pennsylvania.
In 1918 he came to his present location in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania,
and began private practice.

Dr. Roth is a member of the American Medical Association, Penn-
sylvania State Homoeopathic Medical Society, American Institute of
Homoeopathy, Tri-County Homoeopathic Medical Society and takes a
deep interest in local afifairs, serving Conshohocken as a member of the
school board and is a member of the board of directors of the Athletic
Association, trustee of the Public Library Association, and member of
the Council of the Boy Scouts. He is affiliated with the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, and in politics is an Independent.

On December 6, 1904, in Passaic, New Jersey, Dr. J. L. Roth and
Susan M. Moser were married, she a daughter of E. S. Moser, of Col-
legeville. Dr. and Mrs. Roth are the parents of a daughter, Susan, born
in Paterson, New Jersey, April 6, 1909. The family home is in Consho-
hocken, Pennsvlvania.

HARVEY J. STOUDT— One of the prominent residents in this sec-
tion of Montgomery county is Mr. Harvey J. Stoudt, who for the past
twenty-three years has followed the profession of teaching in Salford
township, and has his residence at Tylersport. Mr. Stoudt was born on
a farm in Worcester township, February 17, 1881, a son of Addison and
Sallie (Saylor) Stoudt, his father being engaged in the butcher trade at
Skippack. Mr. Stoudt, who has three sisters. Bertha, Evelyn, and Edna,
was the oldest of the family of four children. In acquiring his education
he attended the public schools of Limerick and Towamencin township,
and by thorough study fitted himself to become a teacher in the public
schools, which profession has been his life work, and he is still engaged
in it.

In the social, official, and religious afifairs of the community in which
he resides. Mr. Stoudt has always taken a lively interest, and has given
liberally of his time in the service of the people of the town in various
capacities. He was elected a justice of the peace in 1903, which office
he has occupied ever since. He also served six years as a supervisor,
being reelected in 1921 for a second term of six years, and is secretary
and treasurer of the township board. His political principles are those
of the Democratic party, of which he is a staunch supporter. During the
years of the World War Mr. Stoudt was active in the various phases of
local work undertaken, and was especially prominent in promoting the
different Liberty and the Victory Loan drives. He also had an influential
part in the movement which resulted in the erection of the fine new town

BIOGRAPHICAL 287

hall, and was a charter member of the Tylersport Volunteer Fire Depart-
ment, which he further serves as one of its board of manag-ers. He is
prominently connected with several of the leading social organizations
of this section including Tylersport Lodge, No. 600, Patriotic Order
Sons of America, of which he has been financial secretary for twenty
years ; the Improved Order of Red Men, of which he is a charter mem-
ber; the Knights of the Golden Eagle, of which he is also a charter
member; and the Harleysville Beneficial Society. In the religious circles
of the community he is known as a valued member of the Reformed
church, at Ridge Valley, having been one of its board of deacons for a
period covering four years.

The marriage of Mr. Stoudt to Laura Krause, a daughter of Charles
and Angeline (Roth) Krause, took place at Quakertown, January 3,
1903. They are the parents of four children, all of whom were born at
Tylersport: Mae, born April 30, 1907; Paul, born February 25, 1909;
Wilmer, born October 28, 1912, and Edna, born February 18, 1918.

MUSCOE MINOR GIBSON— Since 1S72 Muscoe Minor Gibson has
been a resident of Norristown, Pennsylvania, and during these years
has made an enviable record in his professional career.

Rev. Isaac Gibson, father of Muscoe M. Gibson, was born at Little
Washington, Rappahannock county, Virginia, January 30, 1828, of
provincial ancestry, and died in 1906. At the time of his death he was
rector emeritus of St. John's Church at Norristown, where he had
preached for many years. He married, on February 28, 1852, Annie
Wingerd, of Washington, District of Columbia, who died in 1S95, at the
age of sixty-three years. They were the parents of four children: i.
Rev. John Shackleford, who was graduated from the Episcopal Divinity
School, at Alexandria, Virginia, in 187S, and served at Middleway, West
Virginia, Huntington, West Virginia, and at Gordonsville, Virginia, at
which latter place he died in 1912, at the age of fifty-seven years. 2.
Ethel Wingerd. 3. Aluscoe M., of further mention. 4. Delia Pendleton.

Muscoe Minor Gibson was born at Blacksburg, Montgomery county,
Virginia, February 6, 1859. Removing to Norristown with his parents
when he was but a child, he entered the local high school, graduating
from there in 1875. The next two years he spent at Treemount Seminary,
then matriculated at Lafayette College, from which he received the
degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1880 and the degree of Master of Arts
fifteen years later. Immediately after graduating from college he read
law with Benjamin E. Chain, being admitted to the bar in September,
1883, and establishing himself in the practice of his chosen profession
in Norristown, at No. 320 De Kalb street.

In politics Mr. Gibson is a Democrat. He is a member of Washing-
ton Memorial Church at Valley Forge, being one of its vestrymen ;
belongs to Norristown Lodge, No. 620, Free and Accepted Masons ; Phi
Kappa Psi fraternity of Lafayette College, Theta chapter; Montgomery
County Bar Association ; and the Ersine Tennis Club of Norristown.

288 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

On January 25, 1896, at Norristown, Muscoe M. Gibson was united
in marriage with Amy B. Whitton, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Gush-
man) Whitton, the former for many years treasurer of the Arch Street
Theatre at Philadelphia. To Mr. and Mrs. Gibson have been born the
following children: i. Anna, born July 3, 1897, died November 11, 1907.
2. Joseph Whitton, born September 26, 1899, graduated from the Uni-
versity of Pennsylvania in 1921, and is with the Bell Telephone Com-
pany as electrical engineer. He married, on June 18, 1921, at the Wash-
ington Memorial Church at Valley Forge, Nellie Dear, daughter of
Thomas and Eliza Dear, of Norristown, and from this union has been
born one child, Joseph Whitton, Jr., February 24, 1922. The family
home is at No. 1427 Powell street, Norristown.

GEORGE W. ROBERTSON— Those who erect a building or estab-
lish a business which lives after them, build for themselves monuments
which are more enduring than those of granite which mark their final
resting places. George W. Robertson, who for many years wrought at
the forge in Mount Crawford, Virginia, giving to the neighborhood for
miles around, honest and efficient wheelwright and blacksmith service,
earned by honest toil and skillful workmanship the capital which
enabled him to become the founder of two business concerns which are
continuing to operate even though he has passed on to the "Land o' the
Leal."

Born in Nottaway county, Virginia, July 9, 1848, Mr. Robertson had
passed, by more than two years, the allotted three score and ten, when he
died, December 13, 1920. He was the son of Allen Robertson, a planta-
tion owner of Virginia, and of Mary (Webster) Robertson, the latter a
direct descendant of Daniel Webster. On the paternal side he was a
cousin of Alice Robertson, who was the first woman to be elected to
the national congress. Mr. Robertson attended the public schools of his
native district, and then preferring an active life in which there was
opportunity for much physical activity, learned the trade of blacksmith
and wheelwright. Honest and industrious, and withal thrifty, he gave a
square deal, made excellent shoes, and superior wheels, carts and farm-
wagons for his patrons, and steadily saved a fair proportion of his honest
earnings. In time thrift and industry brought their reward, and he
invested in two most substantial lines of business activity. Always
active, aspiring, and achieving, he was one of those who, believing thor-
oughly in the right of the Southern states to develop their own social
and economic system without interference from the central government,
had the courage of his convictions, and enlisted in the cause of the Con-
federacy. He served as a sergeant under General Robert E. Lee, in the
Virginia volunteers, taking part in all the major engagements in which
his unit was engaged, and was several times wounded. The war over,
however, and the question settled, he accepted conditions as they were
and came to Baltimore, Maryland, where the later years of his life were
passed. Politically, he gave his support to the principles and the candi-
dates of the Democratic party, and as a citizen was earnest and loyal.

(^ZStanJuti.^U^y£i^^

BIOGRAPHICAL 289

He was a member of the Southern Methodist denomination in his relig-
ious affiliation.

On March 6, 1865, at New Cranford, Virginia, George W. Robertson
married Eliza Jane May, daughter of Daniel and Eliza Anne (Bateman)
May, and descendant of an old Virginia family of Huguenot descent.
Mr. and Mrs. Robertson are the parents of eight children, three dying
in infancy, the others being: Martha Alice, deceased; Anne Moore,
deceased ; Lulu ; Charles ; and Frank, deceased. Lulu and Charles are
the only two living at the present time. Lulu married J. Howard
Shewell, September 5, 1894, at Baltimore, Maryland. Their children are
as follows: Earl, deceased; Myrtle, deceased; Jessie, married Percy E.
Supplee, and they have one child. Earl; George Henry, married Myrtle
Snyder, and they have one child, George ; Lulu Eliza, at home ; Agatha,
at home.

A. CLARENCE EMERY — Since 1907 A. Clarence Emery has been
practicing law in the borough of Norristown, Pennsylvania, and the
years which have intervened have brought him substantial results, for
in these many years he has always been actuated by a spirit that recog-
nizes the fact that efficiency and capability are the only qualities which
really entitle one to advancement.

Louis F. Emery, father of A. Clarence Emery, was born at East
Pikeland, Chester county, Pennsylvania, Early in life he removed to
Norristown, where he remained until his death, engaged for many years
in the retail grocery business at the corner of Main and Chain streets.
Politically, he was a Democrat, but in no sense of the word took an
active part in politics, preferring to devote himself entirely to his busi-
ness and home affairs. He married Clara Whitehead, a native of Nor-
ristown, who died in 1909. at the age of fifty-eight years. Mr. and Mrs.
Louis F. Emery were the parents of two children: A. Clarence, whose
name heads this review; and Lillian, who married Herbert R. Evans,
who is connected with the Land Title and Trust Company of Philadel-
phia, but resides in Norristown.

A. Clarence Emery was born in Norristown, September 25, 1878. He
attended the public and high schools of his native place, graduating from
the last-named institution in 1896. He then matriculated at Ursinus
College, where in 1901 he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor
of Arts. Having in the meantime determined to take up law as his life
work, he accordingly entered the office of Henry W. Brownback, an
attorney of Norristown. While reading law here he was also court
reporter for three daily papers, and was deputy clerk of the court until
he was admitted to the bar in 1907. He then stayed with Mr. Brown-
back for a short time, subsequently establishing himself in his chosen
profession, first in the Boyer Arcade, then at No. 6 East Airy street,
where he remained until his removal to his present location at No. 501
Swede street. He is a notary public, and has been solicitor for the bor-
ough of Hatfield since 1912.

In politics Mr. Emery is a Republican. He holds membership in the

290 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Ersine Tennis Club of Norristown, and affiliates with the Montgomery
County Bar Association. He attends the Grace Lutheran Church. Mr.
Emery's hobby is photography and he has become quite skilled in the
art. lie is also a lover of tennis and during the summer season spends
considerable time at this latter-named sport.

On June ii, 1913, A. Clarence Emery was united in marriage with
Marion A. Famous, daughter of James P. and Ellie (Henninger) Famous.
Mr. Famous was superintendent of brick construction of the various
plants of the United Gas Improvement Company of Philadelphia, and in
this capacity traveled all over this country, also Cuba and Porto Rico.
He is a Republican in politics, has been borough treasurer and served on
the local school board for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Emery are the
parents of two children: Elinor Marie, born August 27, 191 5; and Edgar
Roland, born January 31, 1920. The family home is at No. 232 East
Fornance street, Norristown.

PAUL DAWSON HANLEY, M. D.— Since 1913 Dr. Paul Dawson
Hanley has been actively engaged in the practice of medicine in Potts-
town, devoting himself in large part to the surgical branch of the pro-
fession. The years have brought him the honors of his, the oldest of
professions, while his large clientele have learned to regard his skill as of
the highest quality.

George W. Hanley, father of Dr. Hanley, was born in Pottstown, in
1856. After completing his education he entered the grocery business,
in which he is still active. He was also a member of the local school
board, and is generally active in town affairs. He married Catherine
Zeigler, a native of Greshville. Mr. and Mrs. Hanley are the parents of
two children : Paul Dawson, of further mention ; and George Robert, a
graduate of Pottstown High School, and now manager of a department
store in Connellsville, Pennsylvania.

Paul Dawson Hanley was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, October
4, 1886. He attended the public schools of his native place, and after
graduating from the local high school in 1905, entered Franklin and
Marshall College, subsequently graduating from this institution, and
thence matriculating in the medical department of the University of
Pennsylvania, from which he received the degree of Doctor of Medi-
cine in 1912. After spending the following year as interne in the Potts-
town Hospital he established himself in his chosen profession at No.
440 High street, which continued to be his headquarters until July, 1916,
when he removed to his present location. No. 410 High street, since
which time he has devoted himself in large part to the surgical branch
of the profession.

During the World War he was examiner for Draft Board No. 5 of
Montgomery county. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Pottstown ;
the American Medical Association ; the Pennsylvania State Medical Asso-
ciation ; the Montgomery County Medical Society ; Phi Kappa Sigma col-
lege fraternity, and Omega Upsilon Phi medical fraternity ; and affiliates
with Stricter Lodge, No. 254, Free and Accepted Masons ; Pottstown Chap-

BIOGRAPHICAL 291

ter, No. 271, Royal Arch Masons; Nativity Commandery, No. 71, Knights
Templar; Philadelphia Consistory, having attained the thirty-second
degree ; Rajah Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine ; is also a member of the Royal Arcanum ; Woodmen of the
World ; Knights of Friendship ; Foresters of America ; and the Brookside
Country Club, being associated with this last-named on account of his
particular interest in golf, which is his chief recreation. He is a member
of the staff of Pottstown Hospital, and a member of Trinity Reformed
Church.

On June 24, 1916, at Sharon, Pennsylvania, Dr. Hanley was united in
marriage with Elva Foxall, daughter of William and Mary (Wilks)
Foxall, the former, president of the Wilks Rolling Mill Company at
Sharon. Dr. Hanley and his wife are the parents of two children : Mar-
guerite Foxall, born August 31, 1917; and James Wilks, born March 24,
1919.

At all times Dr. Hanley has been actuated by a spirit that recognizes
the fact that efficiency and capability are the only qualities which really
entitle one to advancement. He possesses a deep and comprehensive
knowledge of the underlying principles in medicine, and is conscientious
and practical in his application of it, making him a leader in the profes-
sion in Pottstown.

EDWIN DANIEL REITER— For more than forty years a resident
and merchant of Hoppenville, Pennsylvania, Edwin D. Reiter stands
among the foremost citizens of this community. For many years active
in the public service, he has done much to advance the general welfare
and keep this borough abreast of the times.

Edwin Daniel Reiter was born in Upper Hanover township, Mont-
gomery county, Pennsylvania, near Hoppenville, July 31, 1855, and is a
son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Hallman) Reiter. Attending first the
public schools near his home, he then entered Perkiomen Seminary,
after which he had a course at Washington Hall Institute, from which
he was graduated in the class of 1872. His studies were completed at
Mount Pleasant Seminary, at Boyertown. For two terms Mr. Reiter
taught school in Upper Hanover township, but a professional life did not
appeal to him, and he went to Berks county, where he learned the shoe-
maker's trade, spending two years in his apprenticeship. In 1876 he
took up mercantile activities at Huff Church, in Berks county, acting as
clerk, and was thus engaged for two years. In 1878 he removed to
Dillingsville, Lehigh county, where he had charge of a general store for
three and one-half years. Then, in 1881, Mr. Reiter came to Hoppen-
ville and established a store, dealing in general merchandise of every
kind. Erecting a new building especially designed to meet the require-
ments of such an enterprise, he soon gained an extensive patronage. His
trade has expanded largely, and he has for years been a leading merchant
of this section.

The practical ability which carried Mr. Reiter to success was soon
recognized by the leaders of progress in Hoppenville, and in 1882 he was

292 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

brought forward in the public service as school director, a position for
which his excellent education well fitted him. He was made justice of
the peace in 1897, and has since held various minor elective offices in the
local administration. He supports the Democratic party in matters of
local and national import, but the welfare of the people he holds above
all partisan interests. A stockholder in the Perkiomen National Bank,
he takes a deep interest in all that pertains to the economic progress of
the people. Fraternally he holds membership in the Improved Order of
Red Men, of Green Lane, Pennsylvania. For more than a quarter of a
century he has been active in church work. He became a member of
St. Paul's Lutheran Church, for eight years served as deacon and for
twelve years as elder, and for six years was president of the church
council. Many times he has been sent as a delegate to the Lutheran
Church Conference at Norristown.

Mr. Reiter married, at Sumneytown, Pennsylvania, on June 2, 1877,
Emma Rohrbach, daughter of George B. and Elizabeth (Moyer) Rohr-
bach, and they have four children : Elizabeth, Edwin Thomas, Katie,
and Elmer George.

EDWIN H. ALDERFER— In various branches of industrial and
mercantile activity, Edwin H. Alderfer has for some twenty-five years
or more been engaged, both as employee and owner, and has won his way
to a position of more than usual prominence in Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania. Born and reared in this State, Mr. Alderfer is a member
of a well-known Pennsylvania family, and is a son of Abram S., and
Susan (Hackman) Alderfer, his father throughout his lifetime active
as a farmer.

Edwin H. Alderfer was born in Elroy, Pennsylvania, March 10, 1876.
Receiving his education in the public schools of Souderton, where the
family removed in his childhood, he entered the world of industry at an
early age, securing a position in the local mills. But Mr. Alderfer's
ambitions were not satisfied with a subordinate position in the employ
of other interests, and possessing practical business ability, his early
ventures were successful. His first enterprise was in the wholesale dis-
tribution of confectionery, and after a few years in this line, he estab-
lished a bakery in Souderton. In 1920 he started a coal and lumber busi-
ness, of which he is still the head, and he is active in a large way as a
cattle dealer and shipper. In addition to these varied and prosperous
enterprises, Mr. Alderfer owns a large stone quarry, doing a very exten-
sive business. Many years ago his energy and ability were recognized
by the people of Souderton, who felt that these very qualities were
needed in the public service. While a staunch supporter of the Repub-
lican party, and willing to bear his part in the public progress, Mr. Alder-
fer felt no interest in the political game, but he was elected to the Town
Council, and has served as president of that body for the past twenty
years. During the World War he was a leader in all the welfare activ-
ities of the time. Fraternally he is affiiliated with the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows, No. 612, of Souderton, and has been through all chairs

BIOGRAPHICAL 293

of that order, also holding membership in the Encampment. He is a
member of the Lutheran church, and president of the church council.

Mr. Alderfer married, in Souderton, June 9, 1900, Ellen Frederick,
daughter of Edwin and Mary Frederick. Mr. and Mrs. Alderfer have
three children : Paul, Lester, and Norman.

ROBERT E. RITTER— Founder and president of the well known
furniture company, Robert E. Ritter and Son, Mr. Ritter began his career
in the cattle business. Robert E. was born at Coopersburg, Pennsyl-
vania, the son of Wilson and Matilda (Graybill) Ritter. His father,
who died in 1920 at the age of fifty-one years, was widely known for his
extensive cattle interests in upper Montgomery county.

Mr. Ritter received his education in the public schools of his native
county. When his school days came to an end he decided to associate
himself with his father in the cattle raising industry. He remained with
his father until 1900 and found the various activities connected with the
business agreeable and interesting. He acquired a thorough knowledge
of the best methods of raising and fattening cattle and came to under-
stand the values of different breeds during the years of his association
with his father, and the experience thus gained has always been of
great value to him although he has since turned to other fields of busi-
ness activity. Finally, in 1908, having come to the conclusion that he
would do well to seek a change of occupation and surroundings, he left
his father's business and accepted a position in the silk mills at East
Greenville. He found this connection interesting and profitable and
remained in the mills until February, 1916, when he decided to estab-
lish an independent business of his own.

After careful consideration of various fields of business activity, Mr.
Ritter decided to become a retail dealer in furniture. He founded the
Ritter Furniture Company, which has since become the firm of Robert
E. Ritter and Son, opening a store on Main street, East Greenville. The
business prospered from the outset and Mr. Ritter's policy of dealing
only in goods of the highest quality soon won him a wide reputation as
a reliable and progressive merchant. At the end of four years, in 1920,
the volume of sales had increased to such an extent that Mr. Ritter felt
justified in opening a branch store at Macungie, Pennsylvania, which he
still maintains. His present establishment at East Greenville is remark-
able for its fine equipment and convenient arrangement which make it
one of the most attractive stores in the county. The firm which became
Robert E. Ritter and Son when Mr. Ritter took his son Victor into part-
nership with him, now occupies an enviable position in the business
world of Montgomery county. The store numbers among its regular
customers many prominent and influential families throughout the
county, and all its customers, whether of long standing or more recent
patronage, show their appreciation of the high business standards main-
tained by the Ritter company through their fidelity and hearty endorse-
ment of the store's aims and ideals. Mr. Ritter is independent in poli-
tics, and takes a firm stand on the side of progressive legislation and

294 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

movements. He holds membership in East Greenville Lodge, No. "j^i,
of the Woodmen of the World; and belongs to the Fraternal Order of
Eagles, in which he is a member of East Greenville Lodge ; the Knights
of Pythias, and the Improved Order of Red Men, of East Greenville. In
religious faith he is a member of the Evangelical Church, of East Green-
ville, and is a staunch supporter of all the congregational activities.

Mr. Ritter was married at Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, to Hannah
Bossert, daughter of George and Catherine Bossert. Mr. and Mrs. Ritter
have six children : Tillie, John, Grace ; Wilson, who is named for his
paternal grandfather ; Ruth ; and Victor, who is associated with his father
in the business establishment of Robert E. Ritter and Son.

ROBERT WESLEY RANDALL, M. D.— In the town of his birth,
Royersford, Pennsylvania, Dr. Randall, since establishing himself in
the practice of medicine here on January 15, 1919, and devoting himself
largely to diseases of the eye, has already made a name for himself
which well might be the envy of a much older man. Together with his
labors here he spends some time in Philadelphia, where he is engaged
in this particular branch of the profession at the Episcopal Hospital,
being associated with Dr. Frederick Krass.

Albert Henry Randall, father of Dr. Randall, was born in Stafford-
shire, England, but at the age of two years was brought by his parents
to this country, locating in New Haven, Connecticut. After complet-
ing a common school education he learned the stove moulder's trade
and was thus employed by the Grander Stove and the Buckwalter Stove
companies of Royersford for more than twenty-five years. He was a
Republican in politics and served on the Borough Council as president.
He married Mary E. Robinson, of Royersford, and they were the parents
of the following children : Robert Wesley, of further mention ; Helen
M., a resident of Royersford ; Marion, deceased ; Richard, deceased ; and
Albert, Jr., connected with Bush Brothers, builders of millwork, of Roy-
ersford. The family attend the Baptist church.

Robert Wesley Randall, son of Albert Henry and Mary E. (Robin-
son) Randall, was born in Royersford, his birth having occurred there
June 14, 1890. His elementary education was obtained in the public
schools of his native place and after graduating from the high school
there in 1908 he entered the Medico-Chirurgical College at Philadelphia,
completing the prescribed course four years later, when he received
from that institution the degree of Doctor of Medicine. After serving an
interneship of fourteen months in the college hospital, he served the next
three months in the Phoenixville Hospital, and the following three
months in the Chester County Insane Hospital, at Embreeville. Upon
the completion of this extensive training Dr. Randall removed to Hack-
ettstown. New Jersey, where he engaged in the general practice of his
chosen profession for the next five and a half years, acquiring a large
practice.

In July, 1918, Dr. Randall enlisted in the Medical Corps of the United
States army, and served with the rank of first lieutenant until his honor-

C^:x/^ (^^-i-^-

BIOGRAPHICAL 295

able discharge in December, 1919. The following month, having in the
meantime returned to his native place, he associated himself with Dr.
Tyler and resumed practice, but as has been previously stated, he
devotes himself in large part to the diseases of the eye on the staff of the
Phoenixville Hospital, also the Pottstown Hospital, and assistant sur-
geon of ophthalmology at the Episcopal Hospital, Philadelphia, besides
devoting some time to an ever increasing clientele in Philadelphia.

Dr. Randall is a member of the American Medical Association ; the
Pennsylvania State Medical Association ; Montgomery County Medical
Society ; Warren County Medical Association of New Jersey, of which
he was president two years ; New Jersey State Medical Association ; and
the Tri-County Medical Society. He is also medical examiner for the
local Board of Health, and affiliates with the Phi Chi college fraternity ;
is a member of the alumni of the Medico-Chirurgical, and the University
of Pennsylvania; Independent Lodge, No. 42, Free and Accepted Masons
of Hackettstown ; Knights of the Golden Eagle, Royersford ; Modern
Woodmen, Royersford Chapter; the Phoenixville Country Club; and
Midnight Sons Club, which is a local organization.

On December 31, 1914, in Spring City, Pennsylvania, Robert Wes-
ley Randall was united in marriage with Rebecca Taylor Currey, daugh-
ter of Duncan M. and Laura (Taylor) Currey, the former is now, 1923,
engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Spring City. He
was formerly recorder of deeds of Chester county for two terms. Dr.
and Mrs. Randall are the parents of two children: Jane Currey, born
March zy, 1917; and Robert Duncan, born March 2, 1920. The family
home is at No. 452 Main street, Royersford.

Already the ability of Dr. Randall has become widely recognized as
of the highest quality and this has won him the respect of the medical
fraternity, while his large clientele have learned that to professional
skill he adds a warm sympathy and deep interest in all the details of his
labors. His recreations are fishing, hunting, golf and football, and at
this last-named sport he played tackle on the college football team for
two years.

J. ELWOOD LEE — One of the eminently successful business men
of Conshohocken, who has left behind him an enduring monument in the
form of a great business organization, is the late J. Elwood Lee, founder
of the late J. Elwood Lee Company, manufacturers of bandages, liga-
tures, and surgical supplies, who began business in 1883, investing in the
enterprise twenty-nine dollars and eighty-five cents, and developing a
million-dollar business which sends its products to all parts of the
civilized world. Mr. Lee comes of a very old family, being connected
through his paternal grandfather with the New Jersey and Virginia
branches of the family, and through his paternal grandmother with the
family of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams.

Thomas Lee, grandfather of J. Elwood Lee, was born in Delaware
county, Pennsylvania, in 1799, and was three times married. He married
(first). Tune ft, 1S29, Ann Nottingham Adams, daughter of Edmund

296 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

and Jane Adams. Edmund Adams was born May 20, 1769, his wife Jane,
whom he married June 14, 1792, was born September 2, 1772. Their
children were: James, born December i, 1793; EHzabeth, born October
21, 1794; Mary, born March 24, 1797; Rebecca N., born December 23,
1800; Jonathan, born July 26, 1803 ; Elisha, born November 26, 1805; and
Ann Nottingham (wife of Thomas Lee, as previously noted), born Feb-
ruary 16, 1808. Jane Adams died February 16, 1845, her husband having
died January 28, 1817. Mrs. Lee died October 24, 1844, and Mr. Lee
married (second), Rebecca N. Adams, a sister of the first wife. She died
July 18, 1848, and he married (third), September 8, 1849, Sarah Logue.
To the first marriage five children were born : Edmund Adams, born
April 2^, 1830; William, October 21, 1831 ; Daniel W. Coxe, February
12, 1834; Mary Jane, July 5, 1836; and Elisha Bradford Adams, of whom
further. No children were born to the second marriage, and by the
third marriage there was one daughter, Elizabeth. The third wife died
on July 29, 1854, having survived her husband just eight days, both
being victims of cholera.

Elisha Bradford Adams Lee, son of Thomas and Ann Nottingham
(Adams) Lee, was born in Newcastle county, Delaware, October 29,
1838. He came to Pennsylvania with his parents when he was four
years of age, in 1842, at which time they settled in Conshohocken. He
attended the public schools until he was eleven years of age and then
went to work in the rolling mills of J. Wood & Brother, where for more
than thirty-five years he rendered faithful and efficient service. He then
having thriftily saved a fair proportion of his earnings, engaged in mer-
cantile business, and after a time became interested in the business estab-
lished by his son, J. Elwood Lee, with which company he was later iden-
tified, for many years holding various responsible positions. He mar-
ried, July 3. 1859, at Conshohocken, Sarah A. Raysor, daughter of Wil-
liam and Elizabeth (Culp) Raysor, born March 8, 1841, and they were
the parents of the following children: J. Elwood, of whom further;
Conrad Berk, born April 23, 1862, married, October 12, 1887, Anna May
Hendron. and died May 8, 1897, leaving no children; Mary Elizabeth,
born January 20, 1865, married June 14, 1S99, William Cleaver; Maria
B., born August i, 1870; Harry Adams, born November 3, 1879. Mrs.
Elisha Bradford Adams Lee, mother of these children, died July 8, 18S6.

J. Elwood Lee, son of Elisha Bradford Adams and Sarah A. (Raysor)
Lee, was born in Conshohocken. November 15, i860, and received his
education in the public schools of that place, graduating from the high
school with the class of 1879. Upon the completion of his high school
course, he, in association with William Snowdon, engaged in the sur-
gical instrument business in Philadelphia, and this connection was
maintained for a period of five years. At the end of that time, in Novem-
ber, 1883, Mr. Lee severed his connection with the Philadelphia busi-
ness, and investing twenty-nine dollars and eighty-five cents in mate-
rials, began making bandages, ligatures, and a few other surgical sup-
plies. From this small beginning has grown the great industrial enter-
prise. The Lee Tire and Rubber Company, formed in 1910, which with

BIOGRAPHICAL 297

more than a million dollars worth of business annually, sends its prod-
ucts to all parts of the civilized world. The superior quality of the goods
manufactured has created a constantly widening demand for them, and
everywhere the trade-mark of The Lee Tire and Rubber Company stands
for excellence of quality and of workmanship. Several months after be-
ginning work in his attic, Mr. Lee erected a two-story shop and fitted it
with the appliances needed for the manufacture of his goods. In 1887
another and much larger plant was built, this being a three-story building
of stone. The business continued to expand rapidly, and in another year,
1888, the J. Elwood Lee Company was organized with a capital of $75,000,
which has been increased as the business grew until at the time of the
organization of The Lee Tire and Rubber Company the capital employed
in carrying on the business amounted to nearly a million dollars. The
company owns several valuable patents, a large number of which are
Mr. Lee's own, the perforated metallic splint being one of the most use-
ful and most widely used. Mr. Lee's resourcefulness in meeting emer-
gencies which from time to time arose in connection with modern sur-
gery had been one of the factors in his marked success. Besides sur-
gical instruments the firm manufactured antiseptic preparations of all
kinds and many appliances coming under the head of surgical supplies
for the use of hospitals, surgeons, and the medical profession generally.
Agencies were maintained in all the large cities of the world, and this
extensive and complicated business organization Mr. Lee directed with
rare skill and untiring energy. In 1910 the business was sold to John-
son & Johnson, and The Lee Tire and Rubber Company was organized.
In addition to his extensive and important business interests Mr. Lee
takes an active interest in the affairs of his community. He has been
a member of the Town Council since 1898 ; was chosen by acclamation
a delegate to the national Republican convention for the re-nomination
of President Roosevelt, and has always been ready to aid all projects for
the advancement of the welfare of Conshohocken. He is a thirty-second
degree Mason, and in politics gives his allegiance to the Republican
party, in the activities of which he takes a deep interest. He is social,
genial and a favorite among large groups of friends and acquaint-
ances, and is well known in local club circles, being among others, a
member of the Penn Club, the Pencoyd Club, of Wissahickon, the Union
League, and the Merion Cricket Club.

On April 12. 1882, J. Elwood Lee married Jennie W. Cleaver, young-
est daughter of Jonathan and Anna J. (Wood) Cleaver, born October 8,
i860, and they are the parents of four children : Mary Cleaver, born July
29, 1884, died February 7, 1893; Elsie, born January 19, 1888; J. Elwood,
Jr., of whom further; Herbert B., born June 11, 1900, died February 11,
1902. Mr. Lee died on April 8, 1914, and his death represented a loss
not only to his personal friends and to the community, but to the busi-
ness world as well. Highly esteemed by great numbers of friends and
associates and deeply loved by those who knew him best, his loss will
long be felt in the little community of Conshohocken, where the greater
part of his active and achieving life was passed.

298 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

J. Elwood Lee, Jr., was born August 13, 1891. He was educated at
Plymouth Meeting and Penn Charter School, graduating from both
schools, after which he was made assistant secretary of The Lee Tire
& Rubber Company, which position he held until his resignation in 1915,
when in company with four associates, he formed and incorporated the
Lee Puncture Proof Tire Company, of Toronto, Canada, becoming its
first president, which position he still holds. Mr. Lee entered the serv-
ice of the United States during the World War, serving for five months,
from July 8, 1918, to November, 1918, at the Camp May Naval Aviation
Station. He is a member of the Merion Cricket Club.

Mr. Lee married, August 8, 1910, Edith F. Haley, daughter of Elwood
and Emma Haley, of Conshohocken. They are the parents of the fol-
lowing children: Marjorie Jane, and J. Elwood (3). The family are
members of the Episcopal church.

JAMES W. BUTZ, owner of a feed, lumber and coal business at
Palm. Pennsylvania, has had an active and successful career. He was
born in the lower end of Berks county, Pennsylvania, October 26, 1872,
son of Edwin and Fiana (Miller) Butz. His father was the proprietor of
a feed mill in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and from him Mr. Butz
received his first practical training in the feed business and the princi-
ples of business management. Mr. Butz is one of a family of four chil-
dren, his brother and sisters being Mary, Anna, and Harry Butz.

Mr. Butz received his education in the public schools of his native
county. Accustomed from his early boyhood to the work of his father's
establishment, he decided to follow in his footsteps and to become a
feed miller and dealer. Accordingly, after his graduation from school, he
entered his father's mill and continued to work there until he was
twenty-six years old. During this period he acquired a thorough knowl-
edge of the milling business, and soon became an expert at the actual
work of milling, as well as at the management of the details of the
business, such as receiving and filling orders, buying and grading raw
materials, and supervising the work of the men engaged upon various
details connected with the establishment. In 1898 Mr. Butz decided that
the time had come for him to found an independent business and to make
a name for himself in the business world. He left his father, therefore,
and moved to Palm, where he has ever since lived. His father, although
sorry to lose his assistance, was in sympathy with his desire for inde-
pendent achievement and gave him every help in the way of advice and
encouragement. Upon his arrival at Palm, Mr. Butz established him-
self in the feed business and was successful from the very beginning.

His success with the feed business encouraged him to enlarge his
interests by the addition of lumber and coal enterprises. His present
reputation as one of the leading merchants in this line in the county
proves the wisdom of his decision to deal in these commodities also, and
his customers have always appreciated the high quality of his goods and
the care and promptitude with which their needs are supplied. His su'--

BIOGRAPHICAL 299

cess has been based upon energy and industry, and in all ranks of the
business world his judgment is highly respected.

In politics Mr. Butz is a Republican, and takes an active interest in
political affairs. During his early youth he taught in a public school in
Berks county for one term, and although he did not find teaching to be
an ideal occupation for himself, he has always retained a great interest
in the schools and is an advocate of progressive and liberal tendencies
in education, believing that every child is entitled to a sound academic
and vocational training, and that investment in the schools is amply
repaid by increased standards among the young people who are one day
to govern the country and upon whom the burden of maintaining Amer-
ican ideals and traditions will fall. In religious faith Mr. Butz is a mem-
ber of the Schwenkfelder church, and is always a liberal supporter of
church activities. A devoted member of the Masonic order, Mr. Butz
belongs to Lodge No. 595, of Perkiomen ; the Consistory of Reading;
Rajah Temple ; and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon. He also holds member-
ship in the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, the Knights of
Pythias, and' the Order of Owls, in which he belongs to the East Green-
ville Lodge.

On March 9, 1894, Mr. Butz married, at Seisholtzville, Hereford
township, Berks county. Pennsylvania, Katie Moll, daughter of Wil-
liam and Emmalena (Gerry) Moll. Mr. and Mrs. Butz have one son,
Raymond, who was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, September 22,
1895.

E. CLARENCE PICKELI^— As a successful and popular photog-
rapher, Mr. Pickell is well known in Norristown, Pennsylvania, the place
of his residence, and in the surrounding communities from which many
patrons seek his services, but he is more widely known for his long mili-
tary service, which covered a period of four days less than twenty-one
years, and included the Spanish-American War, Mexican Border activ-
ities, and overseas service throughout the period of the World War.

Mr. Pickell is a member of an old Pennsylvania family, and a son
of Leonard and Evaline (Righter) Pickell, both now residents of Nor-
ristown. The father was for many years a puddler in the great iron
foundries of both Chester and Montgomery counties, but is now prac-
tically retired from industrial activities. He is highly esteemed as a
citizen, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. The family
consists of the following children: Walter; E. Clarence, of whom fur-
ther ; Morris, Howard, Susie ; Sadie, deceased ; Laura ; Herbert, deceased ;
Harvey, Harriett, and Elwood.

E. Clarence Pickell was born in Mont Clare, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, October 11, 1879. Educated in the public schools of
Norristown, he early entered the world of industry, securing a position
in the Watts Woolen Mills. There he learned weaving and finishing,
and later was employed for a time at the Woodstock Mills. But he
formed higher ambitions, and in 1902 began the study of photography.

300 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Working at this profession in various places for a number of years, Mr.
Pickell gained extensive and very practical experience, which, added to
his natural artistic ability, places him among the leaders in his chosen
field of activity. In 1910 Mr. Pickell opened his own studio in Norris-
town, at No. 222 West Main street, where he has since operated with
large success. In 1912 he absorbed the Linzi studio, and in 1921 the
Cape studio, the latter being the scene of his apprenticeship. He now
takes care of the trade formerly handled by these studios as well as his
own original patrons, and is doing a very extensive business. He has the
finest equipment obtainable, and keeping in touch with every advance
step in his profession, he does all branches of photography. In various
other branches of interest Mr. Pickell has long been a leader, and to the
military afjfairs of his native land he has devoted much time during the
best years of his life. On May 8, 1908, he enlisted in the 6th Regiment,
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, for the Spanish-American War. En-
tering the service three days later, he was stationed in Virginia, but to
his great disappointment was not sent to the front. He received his
honorable discharge on October 17, 1898, and on December 30, of the
same year, enlisted in Company F, 6th Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania
National Guard. On April 29, 1903, he was transferred to the Hospital
Corps of the Sixth Regiment, and was discharged as acting hospital
steward on June 5, 1906. On July i6th of the following month Mr.
Pickell enlisted as private musician, and served for nearly sixteen years,
receiving his discharge on July 7, 1916. On that day he reenlisted for
service on the Mexican border with the National Guard, still as musician,
and continued with the militia until February 26, 1917, when, as musi-
cian, he enlisted for the World War. Entering the service on July 15,
1917, he was attached to Company F, iiith Infantry Regiment, 28th
Division, American Expeditionary Forces, which was known as the
"Iron Division." Going overseas with this division, Mr. Pickell saw
active service on the front, having many exciting and adventurous exper-
iences such as are incident to the life of the soldier, returning, however,
without having suffered the adversities of war. He served for some
months after the signing of the armistice, and returning to this country,
received his honorable discharge from the service on May 4, 1919. Mr.
Pickell has since devoted his entire attention to his profession of photog-
raphy, but has given the greater part of his leisure to the preservation
and continuance of good fellowship among ex-service men through the
various organizations devoted to their interests. He is the founder and
organizer of the United States War Veterans in Norristown, known as
General Weaver Camp, No. 52, and was its first commander. He is a
member of George N. Althouse Post, No. 39, American Legion, and is
one of the organizers of Company F, Veterans' Corps, and many minor
organizations of a military character. He is a member of the Benevo-
lent and Protective Order of Elks, and of the Order of Owls, and is
interested in all branches of civic and social advance. His political con-
victions align with the principles of the Republican party, but he is in
no sense a politician. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

BIOGRAPHICAL . ' 301

Mr. Pickell married (first), in 1900, Katie Widman, of Norristown,
who died in 1901, leaving one child, Harry Clarence, who married Esther

, and is employed by the Dill Company, of Norristown, as clerk.

Mr. Pickell married (second), in 1907, Martha Evans, of Norristown,
who died in 191 1. He married (third), in April, 1917, Minnie J. McCoy,
also of Norristown, and they reside at No. 530 Noble street.

ALLEN G. STAUFFER— Justice of the peace at Palm, Pennsyl-
vania, and president of the Acorn Glove Company, Inc., Mr. Stauffer
comes of pioneer Pennsylvania stock. He was born near Zionsville,
Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, April 3, 1876, son of Henry and Catherine
(Gottshall) Staufifer.

His father, who was born in 1844, was a native of Lehigh county,
Pennsylvania, whither his ancestors came in the early days, was a
farmer and devoted his entire life to the care and cultivation of the soil.
The elder Mr. Staufifer died in 1916, at the great age of seventy-two
years, after having seen the dark days of the Civil War, the subsequent
growth in power and importance of the United States, and after having
contributed by a life of energy and thrift to the general prosperity and
agricultural greatness of his native State. Mr. Staufifer is one of a fam-
ily of six children, his brothers and sisters being: Annie, who is now
Mrs. Aaron B. Schantz ; Katie, who married Abram Geissinger ; Wal-
lace ; Henry G., whose sketch follows ; and Frank Stauffer.

Allen G. Staufifer received his education in the public schools of
Lehigh county. When his school days were over, he began his business
career as a clerk in the general store of F. M. Moll, at Palm, Pennsyl-
vania, where he has ever since made his home. He maintained this con-
nection for a period of four years, acquiring a thorough knowledge of
trade conditions and business methods. He increased his capital during
this period, and in 1900 entered into partnership with his brother, Henry
G. Staufifer, and acquired Mr. Moll's interests in the store. The busi-
ness prospered under the direction of Mr. Staufifer and his brother, and
although they began in a small way, their customers were so well pleased
and their business grew to such an extent that in 1905 it became neces-
sary to enlarge their premises by building a modern and commodious
addition to their original establishment. In 1923 another addition was
made to their building. At the present time, the store, having been
remodeled and added to from time to time, is one of the finest in the
district and is generally recognized as one of the leading mercantile
establishments in the county.

In addition to his interest in the general store, Mr. Staufifer estab-
lished the Acorn Glove Company in 1908. This business has been no
less successful than the general store and has grown steadily through the
years. When it was first established, Mr. Stauffer built a small brick
factory building to house the enterprise, covering an area twenty-four
feet by forty, but before long he was obliged to add to it in order to
supply the demand for his product. The present factory is eighty feet
by one hundred in size, and has been three times added to. The present

302 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

normal output is one thousand dozen pairs of gloves a day, and the
yearly volume of sales is rising. Mr. Stauffer specializes in canvas and
jersey cloth gloves, and has always made a point of maintaining the
highest standards of workmanship and quality, so that his gloves have
come to be known as thoroughly reliable and are in great demand. The
company was incorporated in 1919, and Mr. Stauffer was elected presi-
dent and general manager of the firm. Mr. Henry G. Stauffer holds the
office of vice-president.

In politics Mr. Stauffer is a Republican. In 1920 he was elected jus-
tice of the peace, an office he still holds. An energetic and capable man
of affairs, he has always taken a vigorous stand on the side of construc-
tive legislative policies, and is an ardent supporter of all movements
designed to improve transportation facilities, to provide for better roads,
and to increase the general welfare and prosperity. In the discharge of
his duties as an officer of the law, Mr. Stauffer has shown himself to be
an independent and fearless upholder of the public safety and the dignity
of the judiciary. In religious faith he is a member of the New Mennonite
church, and takes a great interest in the activities of the congregation.

On December 26, 1901, Mr. Stauffer married, at Palm, Lena Bergey,
daughter of Henry and Emmaline (Rieff) Bergey. Mr. and Mrs. Stauf-
fer have no children.

HENRY G. STAUFFER— United States postmaster at Palm, Penn-
sylvania, since 1900, and long identified with the business and social life
of the community, Mr. Stauffer is a descendant of an old Pennsylvania
family. He was born near Zionsville, Lehigh township, Pennsylvania,
November 20, 1877, son of Henry and Catherine (Gottshall) Stauffer
(see preceding sketch).

Mr. Stauffer received his education in the public schools of Lehigh
county, Pennsylvania, completing his studies at an early age. x\n active
and ambitious boy, he began his business career immediately upon his
graduation from school, forming a connection with W. H. Kehl, the pro-
prietor of a general store at East Greenville. Entering Mr. Kehl's estab-
lishment as a clerk, and spending four years in that capacity, Mr. Stauffer
acquired a thorough knowledge of business methods and trade condi-
tions. At the end of this period he entered into partnership with his
brother, Allen G. Stauffer. Together, they purchased the general store
of F. M. Moll, at Palm, Pennsylvania, where Mr. Stauffer has ever since
made his home. The account of their business is to be found in the
preceding sketch. In addition to his interest in the general store, Mr.
Stauffer is a stockholder in the Acorn Glove Company, Inc., which was
founded in 1908 by his brother, Allen G. Stauffer. An account of this
business is also given in the preceding sketch.

Mr. Stauffer inherited a strong love of the land and a great ability for
agriculture from his father, and, in addition to his other interests, is the
owner and manager of the Meadow Brook Farm. This magnificent
property, which comprises 122 acres of arable Pennsylvania land, is sit-
uated on the boundary between Montgomery and Berk.<^ counties and is

BIOGRAPHICAL 303

all under cultivation. The land is remarkably fertile, even for so great
an agricultural State as Pennsylvania, and Mr. Stauflfer takes the great-
est pleasure in his fine crops, which never fail to win admiration and to
secure awards at county fairs and agricultural shows. As an agricul-
turist, Mr. Stauffer takes a great interest in the work carried on by the
United States Government through the Department of Agriculture on
behalf of farmers in all parts of the country. He is a staunch supporter
of the policies of the Department, and especially of its ceaseless efforts
to overcome various plant diseases and agricultural pests by increasing
the general knowledge concerning these destructive agencies and dis-
covering and applying new methods of combating them. On his own
property. ]Mr. Staufifer has the finest and most approved equipment, con-
sisting of agricultural machinery of all kinds, and buildings of the best
construction for the storage and utilization of crops and the shelter of
live stock. His farm is a model of fine management, and its beautifully
kept fields and gently rolling pastures arouse the admiration of all who
chance to see it, while the crops it produces find a ready market at all
times.

In politics Mr. Stauffer is an ardent Republican. In 1900 he was
appointed United States postmaster at Palm, and this office he still holds.
His fidelity to the duties of his office and the devotion he has always
shown to the best interests of the community have won him the respect
and friendship of all parties, and he is generally considered a public-
spirited and self-sacrificing citizen. His opinion is always consulted in
regard to local afifairs by the men of his own party, and his judgment is
highly respected by all classes of the community. In religious faith Mr.
Stauffer and his family are members of the New Mennonite church. He
is a great believer in the power of militant religion, and takes an active
part in the work of the church, supporting its undertakings in every pos-
sible way.

On March 14, 1903, he married, at Palm, Ida B. Gery, daughter of
Thomas H. and Mary (Burkhalter) Gery. Mr. and Mrs. Stauflfer have
no children.

HENRY COOK BIDDLE — One of the best known and most influ-
ential business men of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, is Henry
Cook Biddle, of Ambler, who in addition to the management of a large
and important real estate and insurance business is officially identified
with several financial institutions, and takes an active part in local public
affairs.

Joseph Cadwalder Biddle, father of Henry Cook Biddle, was born in
1805, and died in 1888, at the age of eighty-three years. He was engaged
in agricultural pursuits in Montgomery county throughout the long
period of his active career, and was a man of very great practical ability.
He was especially skillful at plowing, and frequently gave demonstra-
tions at the county fairs. He married Elizabeth Cook, who was born
about 1815, and died in 1895, at the age of eighty years, and they were
the parents of nine children : Mary, who married Charles Hoover, both

304 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

deceased ; Amanda, married Edward Rynear, both deceased ; Henry
Cook, of further mention ; William, deceased ; Charles, deceased ; Saun-
ders, deceased; George, deceased; Ross, who died in infancy; and Frank,
deceased.

Henry Cook Biddle, son of Joseph Cadwalder and Elizabeth (Cook)
Biddle, was born in Gwynedd township (now Lower Gwynedd town-
ship), October 6, 1841. After receiving his early education in the public
schools of his native district, he became a student in John Locke's Board-
ing School, at Norristown, Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated
in 1861. About two years after the completion of his education he
engaged in teaching, 1863-64, but he soon gave up the responsibilities
of that profession in order to engage in the more remunerative business
of farming. For nearly a quarter of a century he devoted his time and
his energies to agricultural pursuits on the late Saunders Lewis farm,
known as Dawsfield farm, in Whitpain township, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania. At the end of that time, however, in 1890, he resolved to
change both his place of residence and his line of business activity. In
that year he engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Ambler,
but remained on the farm until the new business enterprise was thor-
oughly established. In 1894 he removed to Ambler, and since that time
his interests have largely centered in that community. He has been
notably successful both as a realtor and as an insurance man, and is
widely known as an expert in the appraisement of real estate values. In
addition to his activities and responsibilities in connection with his pros-
perous real estate and insurance business, Mr. Biddle is officially con-
nected with several financial organizations. He has been a stockholder
and a member of the board of directors of the Norristown Trust Com-
pany for the past twenty years ; and was one of the original organizers
of the First National Bank of Ambler; a member of the board of direc-
tors and the second largest stockholder in said bank ; was one of the
original organizers of the Ambler Building and Loan Association and
a member of its board of directors for several years ; was one of the
organizers of the Wissihickon Building and Loan Association in 1903,
and now serves that organization as vice-president. Politically, he
gives his support to the Republican party, and he has always been will-
ing to bear his share of the burden of local public office. He is a mem-
ber of the Borough Council, which for about three years he served as
president ; was for several years a member of the Election Board ; and at
the time of the Civil War was drawn for service, but furnished a sub-
stitute. For several years he was a member of Cold Point Grange, No.
606, in which organization he served for several years as master. He
is a charter member of the Norristown Club ; and his religious affiliation
is with Boehm's Reformed Church at Blue Bell, which he has served for
several years as a member of the board of elders. Mr. Biddle has a host
of friends in Montgomery county, and is widely known both in Ambler
and in other places with which he has been connected either in a business
way or in other relations. He has always been well known as a skilled
horseman and lover of animals. At the present time, however, he finds

^(^Okk^^^^^^^^ o^ ( Jc- , UJ^^^^

BIOGRAPHICAL 305

his favorite recreation is automobiling. He is also well known through-
out the county as an excellent auctioneer, and his services in that field
are very much in demand.

On October 16, 1867, in Upper Dublin township, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, Henry Cook Biddle married Amanda K. Brownholtz,
daughter of Henry and Deborah R. (Gibbs) Brownholtz. Mr. and Mrs.
Brownholtz, parents of Mrs. Biddle, were the parents also of four other
children : George W., who now resides in Germantown, Pennsylvania ;
Emma, deceased; Franklin P., who now lives in Chicago, Illinois; and
Howard J., deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Biddle are the parents of five chil-
dren: I. Lewis, born March 29, 1869; associated with his father in busi-
ness ; married Clara V. Erb, and they had three children : Earl, deceased ;
Henry, deceased ; and Daniel F., who is associated with his grandfather
and father in business. 2. Clark, born January 9, 1871, died November
20, 1897. 3. Laura, born July 2, 1873, f^i^d August 16, 1875. 4. Warren
J., born December 13, 1878; married Maude (McCool) Fay, widow of
Philip Fay. 5. Minnie Gertrude, born February i, 1880, died September
19, 1880.

JOHN MORRIS MARKLEY, M. D.— Among the physicians in
Schwenkville, Pennsylvania, is Dr. Markley, who enjoys a large prac-
tice in the community and is actively interested in local civic affairs. He
is a son of Josiah S. and Hannah (Keeley) Markley; his father is a
retired farmer owning one hundred acres at Limerick, Pennsylvania, and
was president of the Lutheran council and a school teacher in his
younger days. Josiah S. and Hannah Markley were the parents of nine
children, who were: Minerva, wife of William Blackwelder, of Joliet,
Illinois; Sally, died at the age of thirteen; Francis, who died in infancy;
John Morris, of further mention ; Horace, deceased ; J. Preston, a physi-
cian at Laramie, Wyoming ; Irene, a nurse, widow of Dr. John Curtis, of
Colorado Springs, Colorado ; Florence, died in infancy ; Erna, who lives
with her father.

John Morris (J. Morris) Markley was born at Schwenkville, Penn-
sylvania. December 22, 1870. He was educated in the Limerick public
schools ; Ursinus College, for a term of one year, 1888 ; University of
Valparaiso, Indiana. 1893 to 1894; and the University of Pennsylvania
from 1S95 to 1898, where he studied medicine and received his degree of
Medical Doctor. After completing his studies he was engaged as sub-
stitute physician, at the Episcopal Hospital, in Philadelphia, for a period
of six months. He also took over Dr. SchoU's practice in Green Lane,
and that of Dr. Hearst, in East Greenville, and continued these prac-
tices until 1900, when he moved to Graterford. From that year until 1922
he remained at Graterford, then came to his present location at Schwenk-
ville. The new home which has just been completed for him is the fin-
est in this vicinity. In politics he is a Republican and was school direc-
tor in Perkiomen township for sixteen years. He is a stockholder in
the Collegeville National Bank. Fraternally he is a Mason and a mem-

3o6 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ber of Warren Lodge, No. 310, of Collegeville. He also affiliates with
Acacia Club, of Collegeville, and the Montgomery County Medical
Society. In his religious faith he is a member of the Schwenkville
Lutheran Church, of which he was a trustee for three years. He seeks
recreation in tennis, gunning, truck and flower gardening.

On June 8, 1904, Dr. Markley was united in marriage with Amy Bean,
a daughter of Manassas and Amanda (Eschbach) Bean, whose children
were : Alberta, wife of Ruben Winters, of Royersford, Pennsylvania ; Amy,
wife of Dr. Markley ; Oscar ; Howard ; Agnes, wife of F. A. Morgan ;
Edna, who died at the age of fourteen. Mr. Bean is a hotel keeper and
was a school teacher for some years. Dr. and Mrs. Markley are the
parents of the following children: Ethel, born May 11, 1905, who will
enter Hood's College, Frederick, Maryland, to pursue a course in physical
culture ; J. Forrest, born July 20, 1912 ; and Donald, born March 24, 1914.

FRANKLIN H. DEISHER— The Royersford Foundry & Machine
Company came into existence in 1890, having been established by Y. C.
Freed and Atmore Loomis for general machine shop work. The organ-
ization, which was incorporated in 1904, consisted of the following per-
sonnel: Y. C. Freed, president; Atmore Loomis, treasurer and secretary
until the latter's death in 1914, when Franklin H. Deisher became secre-
tary. In 1916 there was a change made in the officers of the company as
follows: Franklin H. Deisher became president and treasurer; H. R.
Willi, vice-president and secretary; and J. Carroll Deisher, assistant
treasurer.

The building which houses the organization at first was a three-story
brick one with a floor space of one hundred and twenty-five thousand
square feet, and employed fifty men. Since then two large additions
have been built on to the foundry and two added to the machine shop,
which indicates how the enterprise has prospered. The company spec-
ializes in power transmissions, sells roller bearings, punch and sheering
machines, consisting of drill presses, emery grinders, buffeting and pol-
ishing stands, and also deals in tumbling barrels and Royersford com-
mercial bearings, employing altogether two hundred and twenty-five
men. The organization is well-balanced and sound, and the works are
rated as one of the most completely equipped of its size in the State.

Since 1905 Franklin H. Deisher has been connected with the Royers-
ford Foundry & Machine Company, of Royersford, and for the past
six years has been elected president and treasurer of the organization,
and has become widely prominent in manufacturing circles. His life so
far has been an active and busy one, and although ample in its rewards,
is all richly deserved.

Peter Deisher, father of Franklin H. Deisher, was born in Kutztown,
Pennsylvania, and for many years previous to his death was engaged in
the furniture and undertaking business in Phoenixville. He married
Valeria E. Seidel, a native of Hamburg, Pennsylvania, who now resides
in Baltimore. Maryland. Mr. and Mrs. Deisher were the parents of the
following children: John M., a resident of Phoenixville; Sue, wife of

BIOGRAPHICAL 307

Frank L. Moister; Carrie E., wife of J. W. Good, of York, Pennsyl-
vania; Franklin H., of further mention; Charles S., a resident of Read-
ing, Pennsylvania; William H., a resident of Lewiston, Pennsylvania;
and Emma, wife of William Loeber, of Baltimore.

Franklin H. Deisher, son of Peter and Valeria E. (Seidel) Deisher,
was born in Ashland, Pennsylvania, September 30, 1872. He was educated
in the public schools of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and after graduating
from the high school there secured employment in the office of the
Phoenixville Iron Works, where he remained for a short time, entering
subsequently Pierce's Business College, Philadelphia. After completing
his studies there he secured a position in the auditing department of the
American Telephone and Telegraph Company, in New York City.
Three years later he resigned from this position and went to Royersford,
where together with his brother he engaged in the baking business at
Fourth and Main streets. Here they continued successfully for three
years under the firm name of Deisher Brothers, and then sold the business
and removed to Collegeville, where for the next three years they carried
on the same kind of business, subsequently selling out and removing to
Phoenixville, where they again engaged in the baking business. Two
years later Franklin H. Deisher left the concern and returned to Roy-
ersford, where he secured a position as bookkeeper with the Royersford
Foundry & Machine Company, which he held for nine years, or until
1914, when he was elected secretary of the organization, and two years
later became president and treasurer of the company. Besides being the
head of the above-named big enterprise Mr. Deisher is also a director of
the Spring City Building and Loan Association. Mr. Deisher is widely
known in Masonic circles, being a member of Spring City Lodge, No.
553, Free and Accepted Masons ; Rajah Temple, Ancient Arabic Order
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine ; and Philadelphia Consistory, Ancient
Accepted Scottish Rite. He also affiliates with the Patriotic Order Sons
of America, and holds membership in the Pennsylvania Manufacturers'
Association, the Phoenixville Country Club, and the Manufacturers'
Club, of Philadelphia.

At Spring City, Pennsylvania, on November 19, 1896, Franklin H.
Deisher was united in marriage with Amanda E. Bickel, daughter of E.
Allan and Sarah Jane (Priest) Bickel, of Spring City. Mr. and Mrs.
Deisher are the parents of two children: i. J. Carroll, born October 31,
1897. After graduating from the Spring City High School in 191 5, he
matriculated at Ursinus College, receiving from that institution the
degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1919. While at college he was a member
of the Schofif Literary Society. In 1919 he became assistant treasurer of
the Royersford Foundry & Machine Company, and having always
been interested actively in football and baseball, plays on both the con-
cern's teams. He married on June 24, 1922, Mazie Richmond, a grad-
uate of Ursinus College, class of 1921, the daughter of Howard and Anna
Richmond, of Salem, New Jersey. 2. Grace Evelyn, born November 4,
1910, and a student at Spring City High School, class of 1927.

3o8 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

JOHN B. CLEMENS— In 1890 John B. Clemens came to Morwood,
Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, as a clerk, and six years later became
owner of the business which he has developed to its present large pro-
portions. His line is general merchandise, which in a farming commu-
nity is an elastic term, meaning a varied line of mechanical farm acces-
sories and general machinery. To this Mr. Clemens has added a line oi
general insurance, fire, storm and burglary. He is justice of the peace, and
secretary of the association of business men who in Montgomery county
and Eastern Pennsylvania have combined for the best interests of both
dealer and customer. Mr. Clemens is a native son of Montgomery
county, and although but in the prime of life has accomplished a great
deal and made for himself an honored place among the prosperous, influ-
ential business men of his county. He is a man of most pleasing person-
ality, is broad of mind and vision, public-spirited and progressive, no
forward movement ever lacking his support. John B. Clemens is a son
of John O. Clemens, a harnessmaker, now deceased, and his wife, Cath-
erine (Bergey) Clemens.

John B. Clemens was born at Lederach, Montgomery county, Penn-
sylvania, February 21, 1868. He was educated in the public schools.
He was variously employed until 1890, when he became a clerk in the
general store at Morwood, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, a posi-
tion he filled for six years, then purchased the business and has con-
ducted it very successfully until the present. In addition to the lines of
general merchandise carried, and these are very full, it is interesting to
note the special lines Mr. Clemens carries or represents, lines that would
indicate mechanical understanding or skill. These are: Silent Alamo
electric light and power plants. Empire milking machines, gasoline en-
gines and accessories, Duro water system.

Mr. Clemens is also a director of Schwenkville National Bank; one of
the directors of the White Hall Insurance Association of Chalfont, Penn-
sylvania, an association for the protection of merchants; director and
secretary of the Business Men's Mutual Fire Insurance Company of
Pennsylvania, a company for merchants and controlled by merchants;
this company, incorporated under the laws of the State of Pennsylvania,
is composed of reputable and successful merchants, who are large owners
of real and personal property, and who desire and must have fire pro-
tection, the object of the company being to provide its members with
safe fire insurance at first cost. This is to be done by reducing the
expenses to a minimum, and by saving stockholders' profits for its policy
holders. This company was organized in 1907, and as its capable, effi-
cient secretary, Mr. Clemens has become widely known. The home office
is in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Mr. Clemens is secretary of the Business
Men's Association of Eastern Pennsylvania, organized May 15, 1900,
that association now including the membership of the old Bucks County
Merchants' Association, and the former Business Men's Association of
Montgomery County.

In these organizations Mr. Clemens has taken deep interest and is
recognized as one of the strong men that have made their successful

BIOGRAPHICAL 309

existence possible. During Governor Pennypacker's administration he
was appointed a justice of the peace by him, and has ever since retained
that office. This, with his mercantile business, his secretaryship, his
fire, storm and burglary insurance business, would indicate a man of
energy and system, for without both it would be impossible for the most
talented man to carry the responsibilities Mr. Clemens does. He is a
member and a trustee of Zion Mennonite Church of Souderton.

In the fall of 1890 John B. Clemens married (first), in Morwood,
Lizzie Keoher, who bore him three children : Herbert K. ; Enos. de-
ceased; and Raymond H. Mr. Clemens married (second), November
14, 1899, Hannah Bean, daughter of David H. and Elvina (Weisel) Bean.
Mr. and Mrs. Clemens are the parents of four children : David B., born
January 19, 1901 ; Paul B., born February 17, 1903; Frances B., born
September 19, 1905; John B. (2), born December 8, 1906. The family
home is in Morwood, Pennsylvania.

GEORGE RUBER YERGER— A name which will long be honored
in Montgomery county, especially among the people of Souderton and
Telford, is that of George Huber Yerger, prominent citizen, member of
the two leading fraternal orders, and head of one of the most popular
mercantile enterprises of the community, the Hillside Avenue Music
Store, where his genial and friendly spirit made him one of the out-
standing merchants of this borough. Mr. Yerger was a son of Henry
and Anna (Huber) Yerger, well known and highly esteemed farming
people of Pottstown.

George Huber Yerger was born near Pottstown, Pennsylvania, May
6, 1873, ^"d died July 14, 1920. As a boy he attended the public schools
of Pottstown, and gained a thorough grounding in the essentials of edu-
cation. As a young man he entered the hotel business, and was active
for years along this line of endeavor, with marked success, having been
located in Telford, Pennsylvania. He was, however, possessed of a keen
appreciation of good music, and this taste governed the trend of his later
activities. In the year 1895 he started in the music business in Telford,
and in 1908 Mr. Yerger came to Souderton and established the present
business here at No. 32 Hillside avenue. From the beginning he carried
a very complete and excellent line of musical instruments of every
description, making a specialty of pianos and victrolas with the accom-
panying records. He did a constantly increasing business, and at his
death was rated among the leading merchants of Souderton. He was
also a director of the Telford Building and Loan Association. In every
branch of civic and patriotic activities Mr. Yerger felt a deep interest,
and politically supported the Democratic party, although he never
accepted nor desired public honors or emoluments. He was a man who
readily responded to the pleasure of congenial companionship, and this
trait of his character found expression in his cordial fellowship with the
fraternal orders of which he was a member, the Free and Accepted
Masons, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He did not fail to
acknowledge the power and dignity of religion and his responsibility

310 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

toward Christian work, and was a member of the Lutheran church of
Telford, Pennsylvania.

George Hulaer Yerger married, in Telford, May 6, 1891, Lizzie L.
Kulp, daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth Kulp, and their only son,
Abraham Paul, is now the head of the business interest which the father
laid down. A sketch of the son's life follows :

ABRAHAM PAUL YERGER— The name of Yerger has for many
years been a prominent one in the State of Pennsylvania and in the
county of Montgomery, and Abraham Paul Yerger is one of the lead-
ing merchants of Souderton, standing at the head of the interest which
was founded by his father, and which is now a widely patronized and
largely successful music store. Mr. Yerger is a grandson of Henry and
Anna (Huber) Yerger, farming people of Pottstown in a day gone by,
and is a son of George Huber and Lizzie L. (Kulp) Yerger, formerly of
Telford, and in more recent years prominent in Souderton, a review of
his father's life appearing in the preceding sketch.

Abraham Paul Yerger was born in Telford, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, June 9, 1895. His education was received in the Telford
and Souderton schools. As he came to enter the world of men and
affairs, he chose the electrical business as his field of future endeavor,
and became an apprentice in this field. He was, however, influenced to
change the trend of his activity through his father's success in the music
store, and for eight years was identified with the Weymanns, of Phila-
delphia. Mr. Yerger returned to Souderton, in 1919, to take charge of
the business which until that time his father had conducted, and thus
relieve the elder man of responsibility, in the hope that his failing health
would improve, but the following summer the father passed away, and
the business fell to the only son, who has since conducted it as his suc-
cessor. Mr. Yerger took up the work thus sadly left in his hands with
the progressive spirit of his honored father, who had brought it to a
high degree of success, and he has carried it constantly forward, keep-
ing in touch with the general advance in this and allied fields, and he
now stands among the truly progressive and influential men of the day
in Souderton. He moved the business from No. 32 Hillside avenue to a
building he erected at No. 133 Main street, after the death of his father.
Always deeph^ interested in everything that pertains to the welfare
and upbuilding of this section, Mr. Yerger is a director of the Telford
Building and Loan Association. Politically he supports the Republican
party, but has thus far taken no interest in public affairs beyond that
of the forward-looking citizen. Fraternally he is prominent, being a
member of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Royal Arch Masons,
Knights Templar, and also of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, and is a
member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is identified
with the Reformed church of Souderton.

Mr. Yerger married, in Souderton, April 3, 1915, Adelia Kratz, daugh-
ter of George B. and Catherine (Smith) Kratz. They have two daugh-
ters, Ruth Elizabeth and Catherine Alma.

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BIOGRAPHICAL 311

ALEXANDER KNIGHT— Retiring business men find Ambler,
Pennsylvania, a pleasant place in which to live, and many, like Alexander
Knight, have made it their home. For nearly a half century his was an
active part of the commercial life of Philadelphia, and it was not until
1914 that he resigned his place and began to enjoy himself, free from the
cares of trade. Tracing his ancestry through six generations born in
America back to Gloucestershire, England, he is a grandson of Alex-
ander Knight, M. D., born February 6, 1786, died in his forty-second
year, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, a med-
ical practitioner of the city of Philadelphia and at one time port physi-
cian. He married Mary Knorr, and they were survived by three daugh-
ters : Elizabeth, who married William Dorsey ; Livinia, who married
Elihu Pedrick ; Rebecca, who married Joseph G. Henszey ; and one son,
George Knorr, of whom further.

George Knorr Knight, only son of Dr. Alexander and Mary (Knorr)
Knight, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1818, and in 1854
seeking health and the country life congenial to his tastes, came to
Ambler, then Upper Dublin, where he bought a tract of forty-five acres.
In 1863 he purchased the general store, lumber yard and coal business
with ten acres of land from Joseph L. Wilson, which property he
leased to Samuel Comley for several years, Mr. Knight remaining an
agriculturist.

He married Sarah Arthur, of Philadelphia, daughter of Thomas and
Sarah (Mann) Arthur, and they were the parents of six children: Eliz-
abeth K., now deceased, the founder of Sunnyside Boarding and Day
School; Alexander; Mira Lavinia, deceased; Sarah A., who succeeded
to the principalship of Sunnyside School ; Cordelia E. ; and George,
deceased. Sunnyside School, which was conducted by the Misses
Knight for three decades, was located at the corner of Main street and
Butler avenue. Ambler, and was very popular, more than seventy-five
pupils being enrolled at one time. During those thirty years many
graduates passed out of Sunnyside and the old school had an important
place in the educational life of its day.

Alexander Knight, eldest son of George K. and Sarah (Arthur)
Knight, was born m Germantown. Philadelphia. Pennsylvania, July 3,
1846, and attended schools there, finishing in the schools of Ambler,
which became the family home in 1856. He began his business career
in 1867 3.S salesman in the Phineas Hough, Jr., Carpet Store, and con-
tinued with that firm's successor, Thomas C. Lippincot, of Philadelphia,
remaining in the service of that store seventeen years. He then resigned
to go with Strawbridge & Clothier, of the same city, in their carpet
department, twelve years being spent in that department as salesman.
He was then advanced to the position of buyer and manager for his
department and spent fifteen years in that position, resigning January
I, 1914, when he retired from mercantile pursuits. As director of the
First National Bank of Ambler, he still keeps in touch with the financial
life of the time. Although not by profession a member of the Society of
Friends, he favors the religious views of his Quaker ancestors. In poli-

312 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

tics he has always been a staunch Republican, and in earlier years was an
enthusiastic member of the old Republican Invincibles, a marching club
of Philadelphia. He was appointed by Governor Pennypacker, in 1903,
to serve on the commission entrusted with the duty of selecting a site
and putting up a state institution for the feeble-minded of Eastern Penn-
sylvania. The institution was located and built at Spring City in Ches-
ter county.

Alexander Knight married, October 15, 1874, at Philadelphia, Cor-
delia Grove, daughter of David B. and Elizabeth (Sorver) Grove. David
B. Grove was born August 15, 1837, and died March 16, 1904, his widow
surviving him ..until November, 1917. Mr. and Mrs. Knight are the par-
ents of three children: i. Alexander, born August 10, 1875, died in
Union, Oregon, January 11, 191 1. He married Mary E. Smith, of Phil-
adelphia, niece of Alfred Smith, a traction magnate, and left a daughter,
Mary Angelia Knight. 2. Harold Grove, born September 11, 1880, after
preparatory education, read law with Robert Hinckley, of Philadelphia,
and was admitted to the bar in 1901. He is engaged in the practice of
his profession in Philadelphia with ofifices in the Witherspoon building,
and in Ambler. He married Anna M. Macllhenny, and they are the
parents of Harold Grove (2), Nancy, and Alexander Knight. The family
home is in Ambler. 3. Cordelia, married Charles Dorrance Jones, of
Philadelphia, and they have a daughter, Cordelia Knight Jones, and sons,
Charles Dorrance, and John Alexander Jones.

This branch of the Knight family descends from Giles Knight, who
came on the "Welcome" with William Penn, accompanied by his wife,
Mary (English) Knight, and their two-year-old son, Joseph. The
Knights settled in Byberry, Pennsylvania, in 1682.

WILLIAM ISAAC ZYNER, D. D. S.— A member of an old Penn-
sylvania family. Dr. Zyner has been engaged in the practice of dental
surgery at East Greenville since 1906. He was born at Center Valley,
Upper Saucon township, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, May 20, 1876,
son of the Rev. Milton A. Zyner and his wife, Susanna (Hixon) Zyner.
His family came to Pennsylvania from Germany in the early part of the
seventeenth century, and has given many prominent citizens to the State,
contributing in full measure to the rise in power and prosperity of the
region first chosen for its American home.

Dr. Zyner's father was a minister of the Mennonite Brethren in
Christ Church, and later served an independent charge at Tuckerton.
Berks county, Pennsylvania. He was a practical farmer and took great
pleasure in cultivating his own land. In addition to his other activities,
he was engaged in teaching the children of his township, and many of
the pupils who attended school under him were destined afterwards to
rise to positions of importance and prosperity. He was regarded with
respect and affection by all his neighbors and acquaintances, and it
would be difficult to estimate the power of his influence for good upon
the community.

Dr. Zyner received his preliminary education in the public schools of

BIOGRAPHICAL 313

his native township. After having completed his elementary studies he
entered normal school, and later became a pupil at Bethlehem Prepara-
tory School. An unusually energetic and concentrated student, he made
a high record in scholarship, and proceeded to the Keystone State Nor-
mal School upon completion of his course at Bethlehem Preparatory
School. He was graduated from the Normal School as a member of the
class of 1897, receiving a teacher's certificate. He spent some time in
teaching before proceeding to acquire his professional training. He
taught in the public schools of Upper Saucon township for three terms,
and held a similar position in the public schools of Durham township,
Bucks county, where he taught for one term. Later, he held the posi-
tion of teacher in the public schools of South Whitehall township, Lehigh
county, for one term. This proved to be his last connection as a teacher
in the public schools, as he entered the University of Pennsylvania as a
student in the dental department during the following year.

His interest had been attracted by the profession of dental surgery
some time earlier, and he had determined to become a dentist, believing
that in this profession he would find an ideal occupation which would
afford him full scope for his abilities and enable him to achieve a solid
and substantial success. Accordingly, having built up his capital during
his years as a teacher and feeling confident of success, he became a
student at the University of Pennsylvania. While he was engaged in
his professional studies, he held the position of instructor in the evening
school of the Young Men's Christian Association at West Philadelphia
for two terms. He devoted himself to study with unusual energy and
enthusiasm, and completed the full course of training with great credit,
being graduated as a member of the class of 1904, with the degree of
Doctor of Dental Surgery.

After his graduation from the University, Dr. Zyner established him-
self in practice at Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, where he met with success.
At the end of a year, however, he decided to move to East Greenville,
where he believed there was an excellent opportunity for a capable and
progressive dentist. Accordingly, in 1906, he moved to East Green-
ville, and has made his home in the town ever since. His expectations
in regard to the community were not disappointed, and his success
proves the wisdom of his decision to establish himself in the town. His
practice has grown steadily from the very beginning, and his patients
have the utmost confidence in his skill and ability. He is generally
regarded as a leader in his profession, and a progressive and public-
spirited citizen.

A great believer in the value of keeping pace with the advance of
science, Dr. Zyner is a member of many associations of men in his pro-
fession. He takes a keen interest in the new discoveries of scientists,
and is a strong supporter of movements designed to improve the public
health by dental clinics, the dififusion of knowledge concerning the care
of teeth, and the important part dentistry plays in maintaining and
restoring physical efficiency. He belongs to the American Dental Asso-
ciation, the Pennsylvania State Dental Society, the Lehigh Valley Den-

314 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

tal Society, the Susquehanna Dental Association, and the Delta Sigma
Delta, a dental fraternity. He is a former president of the Lehigh Val-
ley Dental Society.

In politics Dr. Zyner is a Democrat, with independent tendencies,
believing that it is the duty of every voter to consider the individual
candidate and his fitness for office rather than his fidelity to any one
system of government. In religious faith he is a member of the United
Evangelical church, and takes a great interest in the activities of the
congregation. He is a Mason, and holds membership in Perkiomen
Lodge, No. 595, Free and Accepted Masons, of East Greenville, of which
he is a past master; Allen Council, No. 23, Royal and Select Masters, at
Allentown, Pennsylvania ; Norristown Chapter, No. 190, Royal Arch
Masons, at Norristown ; Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights
Templar, at Norristown ; Philadelphia Consistory, thirty-second degree,
at Philadelphia ; and the Lu Lu Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles
of the Mystic Shrine, at Philadelphia.

On June 30, 1906, Dr. Zyner married, at Allentown, Pennsylvania,
Jennie H. H. Wieder, daughter of Dr. William Harrison Wieder and his
wife, Rebecca (Schuler) Wieder. Dr. and Mrs. Zyner have no children.

WEBSTER A. GENSLER— When Collegeville, Pennsylvania, se-
cured the services of Webster A. Gensler as principal of its high school
it made one of the best moves in its educational history, for they chose
a man of such experience and special training, with such far-sighted
modern views of study, athletics, and of the varied needs of students,
as to insure a marked increase in the efiiciency and success of the school.
He is the son of Adam P., a well known gardener of Lehigh county,
Pennsylvania, and Ida (Clauser) Gensler, and has two brothers, John,
born April 10, 1881 ; William, born September 20, 1895.

Webster A. Gensler was born at South Whitehall township, Lehigh
county, Pennsylvania, April 17, 1888, and received his early education
from the public schools of his town. Desiring to take up teaching as a
profession he went to Kutztown, Pennsylvania, and entered the Key-
stone Normal School, of which he is a graduate. At a later period he
spent some years studying for and gaining his Bachelor of Arts degree
from Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania. From 1905 to 1921
he taught in various parts of Lehigh and Bucks counties, Pennsylvania,
and during the most of that period was supervising principal of the rural
schools, making an enviable reputation for himself as an educator and
leader. For three years he was at the head of the science department of
the Perkasie High School (Pennsylvania), and was called in 1921 to
accept the principalship of the Collegeville High School.

Mr. Gensler is more than a teacher and school executive. His inter-
ests cover fields far outside the school room, but he is above all a home
loving man, and it is in his home that he likes best to seek and consider
the many sides of life, and books also appeal to him. He is a communi-
cant of the Reformed church.

In 1913 Webster A. Gensler was married to Sadie E. Bishop, daugh-

BIOGRAPHICAL 315

ter of D. L. and Sallie (Geissinger) Bishop. Mr. Bishop is the well
known proprietor of a store dealing in general merchandise at Blooming
Glen, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Gensler are the parents of three
children: Harold, born 1914; Nevin B., born 1917; and Betty B., born
1920.

DAVID ORR — Active in business, politics, and fraternal afifairs,
David Orr, of Lansdale, has been a well known figure in the city during
the thirty years of his residence there. He is the son of William J. and
Elizabeth Orr, both now deceased, who in their later years, after Mr.
Orr's retirement from the baking business, lived on a farm.

David Orr was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 23, 1870,
and was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia. He learned the
trade of foundryman, and in 1891 located in Lansdale and engaged in his
line of work. In 1914 he was instrumental, with others, in organizing
and incorporating the Lansdale Foundry Company, becoming its secre-
tary. Through years of training and experience, he has become one of
the able leaders in his line, and is winning the name and prosperity that
goes to industry and ability. Mr. Orr cast his first vote in Lansdale for
the Republican party, to which party he has given allegiance ever since.
In 1921 he succeeded himself as a burgess of the borough, was the nomi-
nee for representative at his party's primary (1922), and was elected to
the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania, November 6, 1922. Fra-
ternally Mr. Orr is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows ;
Loyal Order of Moose; Knights of Malta; Knights of the Golden Eagle;
Shiloh Lodge, No. 558, Free and Accepted Masons ; and Lansdale Chap-
ter, No. 301, Royal Arch Masons, of which he is past high priest. He is
a communicant of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Mr. Orr married, December i, 1894, Sallie S. Haas, daughter of Theo-
dore H. and Emma (Fish) Haas. Mr. and Mrs. Orr are the parents of
a son, Earl, who is now (1922) an attendant at Lehigh University, class
of 1925.

ELMER MOVER DELP— Among the able and successful business
men of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, is Elmer Moyer Delp, who,
in association with his brother, Ephraim Moyer Delp, whose sketch fol-
lows, established in Souderton, in 1917, an enterprise which during the
past six years has steadily grown and prospered. The brothers handle
a line of autos and accessories, and have made for themselves a reputa-
tion which is a valuable business asset. The Delp family has long been
settled in Hatfield and adjoining townships, in Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, and traces its origin to German sources.

Isaac Delp, grandfather of the two brothers, received his education
in the schools of his native district, Hatfield township. He married a
native of Hatfield, and their only child was Ephraim, of whom further.

Ephraim Delp, son of Isaac Delp, was born on a farm in Hatfield
township, and after receiving a practical education in the public schools
of Hatfield township, engaged in farming. He married Mrs. Angelina

3i6 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Baker, and they became the parents of ten children: Henry, Amanda,
Charles, Ida, Addie ; four who died young; and Jacob B., of whom further.

Jacob B. Delp, son of Ephraim, who died in 1901, and Angeline (

Baker) Delp, was born in Hatfield township, August 26, 1864. He attended
the public schools of his native district, and then took a course at Ursinus
College, and still later, a commercial course at North Wales Academy
and School of Business. Upon the completion of his academic training,
he taught school in Lower Salford and Franconia townships for two
years, and though he was thoroughly successful as a teacher, he resolved
at the end of that time to enter a more active and remunerative field.
Accordingly, he learned the carpenter's trade, and became a contracting
carpenter and builder. For fifteen years he was successfully engaged in
erecting homes and other structures in the borough of Souderton, and
elsewhere, and at the end of that time, in 1912, he established a lumber
and hardware business, which he has continued to conduct to the present
time. As a successful business man and a progressive, public-spirited
citizen, he is most highly esteemed. Politically, he gives his support to
the principles and the candidates of the Republican party, and he has
served as a useful and valued member of the board of councilmen of the
borough of Souderton, as well as a most efificient member of the board
of school directors of that borough. He is well known among a host of
friends and associates who respect him for his ability and for his sterling
qualities of character. His religious connection is with the old Men-
nonite church. Jacob B. Delp married, March 3, 1889, at Hatfield, Sarah
Moyer, daughter of Hezekiah and Margaret Moyer, members of an old
Mennonite family. Hezekiah Moyer was an able farmer of Lower Sal-
ford. The children of Jacob B. and Sarah (Moyer) Delp were: Elmer,
of whom further ; Ephraim, born in Hatfield, married Grace Wismer,
and they have one child, Betty ; Anna C, who married Harvey Yodder ;
and William D., who died in childhood.

Elmer Moyer Delp, son of Jacob B. and Sarah (Moyer) Delp, was
born in Hatfield, June 4, 1895. He received his education in the Souder-
ton public schools, and when school days were over engaged in the build-
ing and contracting business with his father, continuing in this line
until 1917, when, in association with his brother, Ephraim, he engaged
in business for himself, establishing what proved to be an eminently suc-
cessful emporium for the sale of autos and accessories. He is an able,
energetic business man, interested in the welfare of his community, and
has the confidence of the public whom he serves. His religious connec-
tion is with the Reformed church.

On February 12, 1918, Elmer M. Delp married, at Sellersville, Mamie
Gesisinger, daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth (Nace) Gesisinger, and
they are the parents of three children : Sarah Elizabeth, Dorothy Elaine,
and J. Henry.

EPHRAIM MOYER DELP and his brother, Elmer Moyer Delp,
whose sketch precedes this, are successfully engaged in a business estab-
lished by them in 1917. They are handling a line of autos, lumber, and

0^^4X/C^<!^t..c^^^^-x-^;t^

BIOGRAPHICAL 317

accessories, and during the five years which have passed since the found-
ing of the business, they have built up a prosperous concern and made
for themselves friends among all classes of an increasingly large
patronage.

Ephraim Moyer Delp, second son of Jacob B. and Sarah (Moyer)
Delp, was born at Souderton, November 24, 1897. He attended the local
schools, including the high school, and when his formal school training
was completed engaged in the lumber and carpenter business with his
father, with whom he remained until 1917, when he formed a partnership
with his brother, Elmer, as already related, and engaged in business for
himself, handling a full line of lumber, auto accessories, etc. He is a
member of the Lutheran church.

Ephraim Moyer Delp married, at Souderton, October 23, 1918, Grace
Wismer, daughter of Willis and Elizabeth (Moyer) Wismer, and they
are the parents of one daughter, Mary Elizabeth.

PAUL GREGORY ATKINSON, M. D.— In the medical profession
in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, Dr. Atkinson is counted among
the leading young men of the day, his military record, which follows,
having given him very extensive experience in his chosen field of activ-
ity. Dr. Atkinson comes of one of the oldest families in the South, and
is descended from the Atkinson family of early Colonial days, and the
Gregorys, who settled in Buckingham county, Virginia, and in later
generations migrated to Kentucky and Missouri, branches of the family
making permanent homes in both those States. Dr. Atkinson is a son
of David G. and Virginia (Gregory) Atkinson, long residents of Callo-
way county, Missouri.

Dr. Paul Gregory Atkinson was born in Fulton, Calloway county,
Missouri, July 18, 1889. Receiving his early education in the public
schools of his native place, his preparatory course was covered at Cen-
tral College Academy, at Fayette, Missouri. His course in the arts and
letters was pursued at the Missouri University, and for his professional
studies he entered Hahnemann Medical College, at Philadelphia, from
which institution he was graduated on May 30, 1917.

Dr. Atkinson's interneship was spent at the Pittsburgh Homoeopathic
Hospital, and while there, on December 15, 1917, he enlisted for service
in the World War. Commissioned first lieutenant on January 5, 1918,
he was assigned to duty with the air forces, but was permitted to com-
plete his year of interneship, not being called to active duty until July 4,
1918. He was then sent to Camp Greenleaf, the Officers' Training Camp
at Oglethorpe, Georgia. He was not, however, sent overseas, but was
retained in this country to assist in fighting the influenza epidemic, and
served on this duty at the following camps : The Aviation Supply Depot,
at Middletown, Pennsylvania ; the Ordnance Depot, also at Middletown ;
the Quartermaster's Depot, at New Cumberland, Pennsylvania; Kelly
Field, at San Antonio, Texas; Taylor Field, at Montgomery, Alabama;
and Boland Field, at Washington, District of Columbia. In the course
of this duty, as outlined above. Dr. Atkinson traveled ten thousand eight

3i8 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

hundred miles under orders. He was thereafter assigned to the 305th
Aero Squadron, at the concentration and embarkation camp, at Camp
Morrison, Newport News, Virginia. He was to have sailed for France
shortly, but the signing of the armistice brought hostilities to a close,
and he was returned to Kelly Field, where he received his honorable dis-
charge from the service on February 12, 1919. Coming to Norristown,
Pennsylvania, on the fifteenth of the following month, Dr. Atkinson
established his office here. He soon won the confidence of the people,
and has already built up a large and lucrative practice, principally along
general lines, but giving especial attention to obstetrics and gynecology.

He is a member of the American Medical Association, the National
Institute of Homoeopathy, the Pennsylvania State Medical Society, the
Montgomery County Medical Society, the Germantown Medical Society,
and the Tioga County Medical Association. Fraternally Dr. Atkinson
holds membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benev-
olent and Protective Order of Elks, the Alpha Sigma (Homoeopathic)
medical fraternity, and the George N. Althouse Post, No. 39, American
Legion. Golf being his favorite recreation, he is a well known member
of the Plymouth Country Club, and Ersine Tennis Club. He is a mem-
ber of the Hawes Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church.

Dr. Atkinson married, on September 26, 1916, Pauline Beckman, of
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, daughter of Henry Clay Beckman. Dr. and
Mrs. Atkinson have one daughter, Helen Virginia, born December 22,
1918, and one son, Paul, Jr., born July 25, 1922. The family home is at
No. 641 Stanbridge street, Norristown.

NORWOOD D. MATTHIAS— For the past thirteen years Norwood
D. Matthias has been engaged in general legal practice in Norristown,
where practically his entire life has been passed. He is well known both
as a progressive citizen and as a successful practitioner and has a host of
personal friends. His offices are located at No. 504 Swede street, in
Norristown.

Mr. Matthias was born in King of Prussia. Upper Merion township,
January 18, 1884, son of Howard J., a farmer of Montgomery county,
and Ella (Childs) Matthias, both of whom are deceased, and grandson
of George Matthias, who lived to be ninety-five years of age. His
maternal ancestors were among the earliest settlers of Western Penn-
sylvania. He received his early education in the public schools of Nor-
ristown, graduating from the high school with the class of 1901, and
then entered the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was gradu-
ated in 1905 with the degree Bachelor of Science. The following fall
he became a student in the law department of the University of Penn-
sylvania and four years later, in 1909, completed his course there and
was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar. He engaged in general practice
in Norristown and during the thirteen years which have passed since
the beginning of his active career he has built up a large and important
clientele, winning the confidence of both professional associates and of
clients. He is a member of the Montgomery County Bar Association,

BIOGRAPHICAL 319

and politically gives his support to the principles and the candidates of
the Republican party, taking an active part in local public affairs. He
has served as a member of the Borough Council since 1915, and is now
(1923) president of that body.

On October 12, 1910, Mr. Matthias married Ada H. Kneule, daughter
of Edwin H. and Lillias H. (Harding) Kneule, of Norristown, and they
are the parents of one daughter, Rachel C. The family residence is at
No. 100 West Friedley street, Norristown, Pennsylvania.

J. ELMER SAUL — The Eureka Printing Press Company, of Norris-
town, Pennsylvania, was founded twenty years ago by J. Elmer Saul
under his own name. That was in 1902 and under that name the busi-
ness was conducted until 1917, when the corporation was effected and
the business reorganized as The Eureka Printing Press Company, Inc.,
J. E. Saul, president; Raymond E. Saul, secretary; and H. C. Saul,
treasurer.

The business of the company is high grade work in book and job
printing of all kinds, the house specialty, however, being church direc-
tories and church work, their customers extending over the eastern part
of the United States, from Maine to Florida. The plant is modernly
equipped with every aid to good printing, and quality marks the shop's
output.

J. Elmer Saul, president of the company, was born in Berks county,
Pennsylvania, in 1871. He was educated in the public schools and in
Bucknell College, class of 1898, the same year entering the ministry of
the Baptist church and was regularly ordained a minister of that faith
in the First Baptist Church, of Pottstown. His first charge after ordi-
nation was the Baptist church, at Wiconisco, Dauphin county, Penn-
sylvania, there remaining for two and a half years.

He was then called to the First Baptist Church, of Norristown, and
became connected with that church. He later organized Olivet Baptist
Church, which he served as pastor for two and a half years, retiring
from the ministry in 1902 to engaged in the printing business, estab-
lishing a plant at No. 316 Broadway, Norristown, the present location
of The Eureka Printing Press Company. During the two decades that
have passed since Mr. Saul retired from the active ministry he has con-
tinued his church relations and frequently fills pulpits as temporary
supply. He is the present secretary of the Board of Trustees of the
Central Union Baptist Association and is also interested in other church
work. He has served Valley Forge Baptist Church as its pastor since
his retirement and is always open to a call for help. For five years he
represented the Ninth Ward of Norristown as councilman and for four
years held the office of chief burgess. He is an Independent Republican
in politics and a man of public spirit, progressive and patriotic. He is
affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Patriotic Order
Sons of America, and the Woodmen of America.

In 1901 Mr. Saul organized the Saul Family Reunion Association ;
was elected its first president and at each recurring annual meeting of

320 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

the Association he has been reelected. The association consists of
some 1500 members, the annual meeting being held in Berks county.

Mr. Saul married, while a student at Bucknell, Nellie E. Shamp, of
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and they are the parents of four children:
I. Raymond E., a graduate of Norristown High School, class 1918; a sol-
dier in the United States army serving with the 311th Supply Company
in the Quartermasters' Corps ; was in service overseas as receiving clerk
for foreign shipments at Bordeaux. France, for nine months; general
quartermaster at Rotterdam, Holland, and later was sent to Antwerp,
Belgium, there assisting in the organization of a supply base for the
American Army of Occupation. At Antwerp he served as chief clerk for
six months, then returned to the United States, and in October, 1919,
was honorably discharged at Camp Dix, New Jersey, and mustered out
of service. He at once became associated with his father in the printing
business, and when the Eureka Company was incorporated, Raymond
E. Saul became secretary. He is a member of the American Legion,
Woodmen of the World, and the Patriotic Order Sons of America. He
married, October 21, 1921, Margaret L. Beers, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsyl-
vania. 2. Ruth Margaret. 3. Frances Esther. 4. Helen Alice.

C. HOWARD HARRY, D. D. S.— Following in the footsteps of his
honored father. Dr. C. Howard Harry, the well known dental surgeon of
Norristown, has achieved marked success in his career, and now, after
more than fifty years of active practice, stands as the dean of the profes-
sion in Norristown, if not in Montgomery county. Dr. Harry is a son
of Dr. Charles B. and Rebecca D. Harry, and his father is well remem-
bered by the older residents of Norristown as a successful dentist of a
day now gone by.

C. Howard Harry was born in Norristown, June 7, 185 1. As a boy
he attended the public schools of this community, and later was a student
at Treemount Seminary. From childhood interested in his father's profes-
sional activities, he eventually entered the Philadelphia Dental College,
from which he was graduated in the class of 1871. He returned imme-
diately to his native place, and entering upon the practice of his profes-
sion at No. 8.5 Main street, has continued at the same location until the
present time, and is still in active practice. He has kept step with the
constant advance in dental science, and has held his position as a leader
in his field of professional activity. In political afifairs Dr. Harry is an
Independent Republican, and although interested in all public progress
has never sought political preferment. He is a member of the Philadel-
phia Academy Stomatology Association, and is a member of the Pres-
byterian church.

Dr. Harry married (first), in Norristown, on January 31, 1883, Eliz-
abeth Longhaer, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Longhaer, and their
only child is Carolus, born January 13, 1S84. Dr. Harry married (sec-
ond), on November 27, 1905, in the State of Georgia, Mary B. Deltre,
daughter of Boyer and Ellen J. Deltre, and their only child is Howard,
born February 3, 1909. The family home is at No. 1004 De Kalb street,
Norristown.

■^//

BIOGRAPHICAL 321

HERBERT I. FARLEY— A native son of Massachusetts, and a
great lover of the old Bay State, Mr. Farley has become a Pennsylvanian
by adoption and now divides his allegiance between the two great com-
monwealths. He was born at Colerain, Massachusetts, November 21,
1859, son of Lyman and Hannah (Call) Farley. Mr. Farley's father
received the contract to haul the material from Greenfield, Massachu-
setts, during the construction of the tunnel built by the State at Hoosac,
Massachusetts. It was long before the days of tractors and steam
shovels, and steers being more plentiful than horses, those animals were
selected to do the hauling. The elder Mr. Farley was a keen observer,
with a very retentive memory, and had a great stock of interesting
reminiscences illustrating the development of the countryside in which
he lived from a pastoral valley to a busy industrial center. He owned a
fine farm in the neighborhood of Colerain and prided himself upon his
well-kept acres. Love of the land was inherent in him and he always
found his chief recreation in outdoor pursuits and pastimes. Mr. and Mrs.
Lyman Farley both died in Massachusetts, the State in which they had
spent their long, happy, and industrious lives. There were five children
in the family: Joseph B., who died several years ago; Dennis, who is
Mr. Farley's partner in the Amboy Paper Company at Bridgeport ;
Herbert I., of whom further; Lilla, who married Charles Wills, and is
now a resident of Greenfield, Massachusetts ; and Olive, who married
John Howell, and is now a resident of Canyon City, Colorado.

Mr. Farley received his education in the public schools of Colerain
and in the family circle, where his parents were untiring in their efforts
to supplement the instruction their children received at school by
selected readings, traditions of other days, and above all by moral and
religious precept and example. Growing up as he did on his father's
land, Mr. Farley had a childhood without a care. He knew every rock
and tree in the vicinity of his home, and his early love of Nature, and
especially of those natural landscapes that first engaged his afifections,
remains with him still and causes him to make many pilgrimages to the
place where he was born. Notwithstanding the fact that he is a pro-
gressive and successful man of aflfairs, his mind often turns to the past
and he finds himself living in a remembered light. At such times he
finds pleasure in revisiting the scenes of his youth, and being of such a
character and having such a disposition, he has never broken the ties
that bind him to Colerain, and he never will. During his school days
he applied himself vigorously to study and he has always been a reader
of many books, but to him, as to his father, education is a much broader
and finer achievement when it represents the fruitage of a man's actual
experience and the philosophy which is derived from a first hand con-
sideration of affairs than when it is exclusively derived from printed
books. Eager for life and ambitious to earn money, Mr. Farley entered
the world of business at the age of sixteen as an apprentice to a firm of
Vermont paper manufacturers. He spent five years in Vermont and
acquired a thorough knowledge of paper-making. In 1881, when the

322 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

term of his apprenticeship ended, he became the superintendent of a
plant owned by his brothers at Wendall, Massachusetts. He spent
thirty-two years in this position and saw the paper industry of the
United States develop from small beginnings to the gigantic proportions
it has reached at the present day. His brother, the late Joseph B. Far-
ley, was the inventor of a process for making colored paper, and his
other brother, Dennis Farley, his present partner at Bridgeport, Penn-
sylvania, is an expert in regard to the intricate technical details con-
nected with the manufacture of high-grade paper and superfine stock for
special uses. Mr. Farley's own position in the ranks of the industry is
well understood. Trained in a good school, he is an acknowledged
authority on the subject of paper in general, and is widely known to the
trade.

Upon the death of their brother, Joseph B. Farley, who had been
associated with them at Wendall, Massachusetts, Mr. Farley and his
brother Dennis came to Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, and organized the
Amboy Paper Company. They purchased a plant which had been
allowed to get out of repair, and many people predicted that the enter-
prise would end in failure on this account, but instead of failing, the
Amboy Paper Company has achieved success and its business is still
increasing. The mill has been thoroughly renovated and every ounce of
its equipment has been overhauled and put into the best possible condi-
tion. The plant covers 250,000 square feet and contains one machine, the
average daily output of which is about eight tons of bristol board. In
the management of the enterprise Mr. Farley attends to the mill and his
brother attends to the ofifice. Recognized as business men of the highest
type and as masters of the material in which they deal, Mr. Farley and
his brother now have a host of friends and well-wishers in Montgomery
county. A talent for good citizenship and ability to adapt themselves to
a new environment have not been the least of the factors that have made
for their success, while the proverbial hospitality of Montgomery county
has given them a feeling of deep attachment to the new scene of their
labors.

Lifelong Republicans, both Mr. Farley and his brother have held
public offices in Massachusetts. Dennis Farley was a member of the
Lower House in Massachusetts during the years 1909 and 1910. He was
elected to the Massachusetts Senate in 191 1 and served a two-year term.
Herbert I. Farley was for eighteen years a member of the school board
at Erving, Massachusetts. He is a member of the Baptist denomination
and takes the greatest interest in church aflfairs at Norristown. A believer
in good works, he follows the humanitarian work of the churches with
keen and intelligent sympathy. Mrs. Farley is a Congregationalist, and
consequently the religious outlook of the family is not confined to one
church, but is filled with a friendly interest for all Christian associations.
Mr. Farley's name is on the membership rolls of several fraternal orders.
Lie is a Mason of long standing, and belongs to Orange Lodge, Free and
Accepted Masons, at Orange, Massachusetts ; to Crescent Chapter, Royal
Arch Masons; the Greenville, Massachusetts Council, Royal and Select

•^-iPLy

y2:j^^>ci^_

BIOGRAPHICAL 323

Masters ; and Orange Commandery, No. 45, Knights Templar, He also
holds membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Social
Lodge, No. 181, at Orange, Massachusetts; the Loyal Order of Moose,
Lodge No. 213, of Norristown ; and the Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks, Lodge No. 714, at Norristown. Mr. Farley's brother, Dennis
Farley, is a director of the Bridgeport Bank, and Mr. Farley himself, is
directly interested in the affairs of that institution. Mr. Farley finds his
chief recreation in automobiling. He is the owner of a number of per-
fectly appointed cars of different makes and takes great pleasure in
keeping them in fine condition. In Montgomery county his cars are
always greatly admired on this account and are often pointed out as
models of their kind. Mr. Farley is a familiar figure at the metropolitan
automobile shows and is keenly interested in the future development of
American cars and flying machines. As a motorist, Mr. Farley has an
unrivalled knowledge of the Eastern roads. He drives to New England
several times a year and also makes extended motor trips in other direc-
tions. The development of motor camping and the sale of trailers for
that purpose is to him a very significant sign of the times and he believes
that in this era the motor car is extending the work of the American
railroad as a coordinating influence in our national life. Any kind of a
car appeals to Mr. Farley. He sees the poetry of the humblest runabout
no less than he appreciates the streamlines, the beautiful upholstery, and
the soft gliding movement of the high-powered limousine.

Herbert I. Farley married, on June 28, 1881, at Heath, Massachusetts,
Laura M. Chaffin, daughter of Nathan and Laura (Clemmens) Chaffin.
Mr. and Mrs. Farley have six children: Grace, who married Charles
Wright, and lives at Orange, Massachusetts ; Bessie, who married Perley
Chamberlain, and lives at Springfield, Massachusetts; Robert, who is
associated with his father in business and who received his collegiate
training at Ursinus College, from which he was graduated in June, 1922,
v/ith the degree of Bachelor of Arts ; Louis, who died November 23, 1921,
leaving a widow, who lives at No. 622 De Kalb street, Bridgeport, Penn-
sylvania ; Herbert I., who was named for his father, and died at the age
of six months ; and Ruby, who died at the age of six months.

DANIEL SNYDER SCHULTZ, the veteran real estate and insur-
ance agent, in 1886 came to Lansdale, in Montgomery county, Pennsyl-
vania, and there has passed the thirty-seven years which have since inter-
vened. "Squire" Schultz is well and favorably known to every resident
of Lansdale or vicinity who has lived there long enough to buy or sell
real estate, fire or life insurance, take stock or do business with the
North Penn Building and Loan Association, attend a meeting of the
Borough Council or to do business with a justice of the peace. Perhaps
if one has never done any of the foregoing things they do not know
"Squire" Schultz, but if one has, the reverse is true, for he has been in
business in the borough thirty-seven years, has been secretary of the
North Penn Building and Loan Association of Lansdale for twenty-five
vears ; clerk of Borough Council eighteen years, and justice of the peace

324 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

since 1893, thirty years. So not to know "Squire" Schultz is to argue
one's self unknown in Lansdale. Daniel Snyder Schultz is a son of
]\Iichael and Rachel (Snyder) Schultz, his father a land-owning farmer
of Towamencin township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania.

Daniel Snyder Schultz was born at the home farm in Towamencin
township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, September 6, 1856. He
attended the township public district school and for two terms was a
student at Brunner's Academy, North Wales, Pennsylvania. He
remained at the home farm, his father's assistant, until attaining legal
age in 1877, then was variously employed for nine years following, living
in Upper Gwynedd township, Montgomery county, there being a cream-
ery employee for five years and assistant assessor of taxes three terms.
In 1886 he located in Lansdale, and seven years later was first elected
justice of the peace and has continued in this office up to the present time.
In 1893 he started a real estate and insurance business, which has con-
tinuously prospered, due in large part to his energy, ability and popular-
ity. About 1895 he was elected secretary of the North Penn Building and
Loan Association, and that office he held continuously until 1920. He
also served the borough as auditor for two terms of three years each.
He is a Republican in politics, but voting for "Squire" Schultz is a habit
in Lansdale, and no one cares which ticket he is on, but the truth is he
is usually on them all. He is a member of St. John's Reformed Church.

"Squire" Schultz is a member of Hendricks Castle, No. 117, Ancient
Order Knights of the Mystic Chain ; Waukarusa Tribe, No. 191, Improved
Order of Red Men; Independent American Mechanics, No. 934; Citizens
Club; Lansdale Gun Club, and St. John's Reformed Church.

Squire Schultz married, April 23, 1881, Matilda W. Hallmeyer, daugh-
ter of Joseph and Catherine Hallmeyer. "Squire" and Mrs. Schultz are
the parents of five children : Irvin, born August 19, 1883, died July 10,
1919; Minnie, born September 27, 1887; Mary, born December 23, 1890;
Harry, born February 19, 1894; and Daniel, born July 9, 1899.

MENNO S. MOVER— The New World annals of the Moyer family
and Montgomery county are closely interwoven, and while those of that
name were in the early days tillers of the soil, many are now leaders in
business life. Menno S. Moyer has been for a quarter of a century inti-
mately connected with the mercantile and financial activities of Lansdale,
Pennsylvania. In partnership with his brother, he founded in the city,
in iSgS what is now one of its most important stores, and has engaged
in other kindred enterprises. Well known for his progressiveness and his
strict integrity in all dealings, he has a name that is honored not only
in his city but in the surrounding districts.

Mr. Moyer is a son of William G. and Mary (Swartley) Moyer, and
was born at Pleasant Valley, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, November 18,
1870. After attending the public schools of his native town, he entered
the West Chester Normal School, from which he was later graduated.
Among other schools in which he sought to further his education might
be mentioned the Brown Preparatory, Haverford College of Haverford,

BIOGRAPHICAL 325

Pennsylvania, and the summer sessions of the University of Pennsyl-
vania, at Philadelphia.

After the completion of his scholastic training, Mr. Moyer taught
school for a number of years and it was not until 1898 that he gave up
teaching and devoted his efforts to business. In the above-mentioned
year he formed a partnership with his brother, Harvey S. Moyer, and as
Moyer Brothers, opened a general dry goods establishment in Lansdale.
The business soon outgrew its home, so that in 1902 a building known
as the Koffee building was purchased, and now known as the Moyer
building, it houses the thriving affairs of the Moyer Brothers. Mr. Moyer
among other financial interests is secretary and treasurer of the Huns-
berger-Moyer Company, manufacturers of umbrellas.

A Republican in political faith, he was elected by the votes of mem-
bers of all political parties to the Lansdale Borough Council. He is
afifiliated with the Free and Accepted Masons, the Moose, and the Knights
of Malta.

Mr. Moyer married Annie Souder, daughter of Edmund H. and
Elizabeth Souder, well known residents of Souderton, Pennsylvania.
Mr. and Mrs. Moyer are the parents of two daughters: Evelyn and
Marguerite.

HARVEY SWART MOYER— To be a successful merchant one
must have a general and many-sided ability that will achieve much in
other lines of endeavor. Harvey Swart Moyer has given most of his
life to the buying and selling of goods, and no one questions that he has
learned how to do both. His genial good nature, dependability, and
strict honesty in his dealings have won for him a host of friends. Mr.
Moyer is the son of William G. and Mary (Swartley) Moyer, who have
spent many prosperous years on a farm in Bucks county.

Harvey Swart Moyer was born at Chalfont, Bucks county, Pennsyl-
vania, on May 16, 1877. He secured an education in the public schools
of his native place and by home study in later years. He early began to
contribute to his own support and his marked capability for trade soon
won for him a chance in a store. For nearly all his life Mr. Moyer has
been a merchant and is reaping the reward of those who aim at one thing
and keep on until they get it. He has not had time for many interests
outside of business, but fraternally is connected with the Knights of
Malta, of Lansdale. He is a communicant of the Reformed church of the
same place.

Mr. Moyer married, on September 23, 1902, Mazie Johnson, daughter
of A. D. and Elizabeth (Eaton) Johnson, who have long been residents
of Bucks county. Mr. Johnson is a busy surveyor and real estate man.
Mr. and Mrs. Moyer have one child, a daughter, Frances.

REMO FABBRI, M. D.— As a successful medical practitioner Dr.
Fabbri is doing much good in Norristown and vicinity, being broadly
prominent in those endeavors which come within the scope of the phys-
ician's activity. His private practice and public service are parallel

326 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

avenues of advance. Dr. Fabbri comes of an old family of Italy, and is
a son of John and Rita (Leprotti) Fabbri, both now deceased. His
father was a secretary and officer in the military service in Italy.

Remo Fabbri was born in Italy, February 15, 1885. His early educa-
tion was received in the public schools of his native land, then coming
to America in 1901, he prepared for college in the schools of New York
City. Eventually realizing his life ambition, he took up the study of
medicine, entering the University of Maryland, at Baltimore, and was
graduated from that institution in the class of 1909, receiving his medical
degree. Before the close of the year Dr. Fabbri located in Norristown,
Pennsylvania, and began practice along general lines. He has won his
way to marked success and now enjoys a very large practice, both in
Norristown and in Bridgeport, his office being located at No. 354 East
Main street, Norristown. He gives especial attention to internal medi-
cine, and his public activities are numerous and far-reaching.

He is a member of the medical staff of the Montgomery Hospital, and
of the Pennsylvania State Tubercular Clinic, and is also professionally
identified with the Associated Charities and the Red Cross, giving largely
of his time and talents to charitable and benevolent work in connection
with these organizations. During the influenza epidemic in 1918 he was
identified with the Bridgeport Emergency Hospital, the Riverview
Private Hospital and the Montgomery Hospital, working indefatigably
for the public good during that trying time. Throughout the period of
the World War Dr. Fabbri gave also of his time and energies in making
speeches and doing committee work in connection with the various
movements in support of the American Expeditionary Forces. In all of
these many activities, in the nature of the case, Dr. Fabbri's greatest
usefulness is among the Italian people of this vicinity, and those of
Italian descent, of whom his practice is largely composed. Possessing,
himself, the true American spirit, his work not only tends to benefit the
public health, but to raise the standard of citizenship among those who
have come to this country from his native land. Dr. Fabbri is a member
of the American Medical Association, the Pennsylvania State Medical
Society, the Montgomery County Medical Society, the Philadelphia
Medical Club, the Schuylkill Valley Medical Club, the Plymouth Country
Club, and the Venerable Order of the Sons of Italy. Politically he sup-
ports the Republican party, and is president of the Columbus Savings and
Loan Association. His religious affiliation is with the Roman Catholic
church.

FRANK SARNI — Norristown, Pennsylvania, is fortunate in having
upon its force of plain clothes men one of unusual qualifications, a man
who, with the sensitive and highly organized temperament of the musi-
cian, combines the hardihood and daring, faithfulness and devotion to
duty, and enthusiastic interest in the work in which he is engaged.
Because of these characteristics, Frank Sarni is making for himself an
enviable reputation in his chosen line of work. He has refused a flatter-
ing offer accompanied with a tempting salary, made by one of the large

BIOGRAPHICAL 327

business concerns of the city, preferring to continue in his present posi-
tion, where his services are a valuable contribution to the public welfare.

Mr. Sarni has not always been a detective. As a musician he has
been quite as successful as he is in his present occupation. Born in
Montella, Province of Avillino, Italy, March 22, 1884, he is the son of
Cesare and Cora (Fusco) Sarni, both of whom died before Mr. Sarni
came to this country. Cesare Sarni was engaged in the hotel business
and had banking interests, and did not marry until he was fifty-eight
years of age. His wife was then thirty years of age, but the two died at
about the same time, he at the age of seventy-four and she when she was
forty-six years of age. Their children are : Frank Sarni, of further men-
tion ; Massimino, who is living in Italy ; Herman, who married Anna
Schmidt, and is a resident of Philadelphia; Rachael, who married Alonzo
Delicsio, of Philadelphia ; and Cesare, who is living in Italy.

Frank Sarni received his education in the King Victor School, and
then became a professional musician. He played in the town band in his
native city, as a young boy, and when he was fifteen years of age. Febru-
ary 2, 1900, came to America alone. He landed in New York City and
secured a position with the Lamonic Band, with which he remained until
1901, playing on Young's Pier, in Atlantic City. He then made a change
and became identified with the Royal Artillery Band of Baltimore, Mary-
land, which connection he maintained for a period of seven years, until
1908, when he became a member of the Natiello Band, of Louisville,
Kentucky. In 1910 he became associated with Allbrook & Deputy, in
the wholesale liquor business, and he continued in this line until the
prohibition law went into efifect in 1917. In 1910 he also became a mem-
ber of the Norristown Band and he is still one of the valued members of
that organization. On June 28, 1917, he was appointed to serve a three
months' term on the patrol force of Norristown, and at the end of that
time he was elected to serve as patrolman, which position he held until
December 23, 1920, when he was made a member of the plain clothes
detective force. In September, 1921, he was promoted to the rank of
detective sergeant, and the record which he has made since that time
has fully justified the confidence placed in him. On November i, 1922,
he was promoted to police lieutenant.

An incident which occurred in Philadelphia is characteristic of Mr.
Sarni and illustrates the qualities which made for him an enviable record
as a detective sergeant. Following the arrest of three Mexicans, caught
in the act of robbing the People's Clothing Store, Chief Eller and detec-
tive Sarni spent the greater part of a day questioning the three captured
men and then took Juan Luga with them to Philadelphia to point out the
rendezvous of a den of thieves and, if possible, identify the fourth man,
who escaped after the robbery. In Philadelphia they were warned that
the venture was a desperate one, as the section of the city they planned
to enter was inhabited by vicious gunmen and crooks of every descrip-
tion. The group from Norristown. however, refused to give up the
project, and the local officers, who refused to allow them to go alone,
detailed five plain clothes men to accompany them. They were guided

328 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

by Luga to the fourth floor of a fourteen-story building, to a door which,
when opened, revealed only an empty room. Mr. Sarni rushed across
the room, pushed open another door, and covered with his gun a bed in
which were two men whom he ordered to rise and throw up their hands.
Luga, when brought in would give no sign, but after a brief interview
with Sarni in the hall outside, finally gave the desired information.
While Detective Sarni was getting the man indicated, Luga escaped
from the Philadelphia men, and when Mr. Sarni returned to find Luga
with his men, Luga was gone. Seizing Chief Eller's flash, Sarni pursued
Luga and finally caught him, but while struggling with his captive, upon
whom he was compelled to use the butt of his revolver, four of the Third
District officers pounced upon Sarni mistaking him for a "hold-up" man.
They were deaf to Sarni's protests, and after rapping him soundly over
the head and wrenching from him his revolver, pushed him, still holding
his captive, into one of two patrol wagons which had promptly appeared.
As he was being pushed in the "Black Maria," Sarni blew his police
whistle, and Chief Eller, who by this time had placed under arrest the
man identified in the house, attempted to come to his assistance. "Uh-
huh ! Shove him in, too," was the response to Eller's claim that he was
chief of the Norristown police force, but while he was animatedly warn-
ing the Philadelphia "coppers" to "go slow," the Philadelphia plain
clothes men, who had been detailed for protection, arrived, and relieved
the tense situation. Apologies were prompt and sincere, but it was
necessary to take both Detective Sarni and his prisoner to the Pennsyl-
vania Hospital for repairs. Sergeant Sarni's response to the many
expressions of condolence was characteristic, "But we got 'em awright!"
The error in the case was due to the fact that the patrolmen of the district
had not been informed of the impending raid.

During the year ending with the episode just related. Detective Sarni
made two hundred and sixty-three arrests for crimes ranging from dis-
orderly conduct to murder, besides making an equal number of investiga-
tions and rendering invaluable service to the department and to the com-
munity in various other ways. The following, quoted from one of the
local papers, expresses briefly Norristown's appreciation of Mr. Sarni's
work. "Always on the jump, any hour of the day or night, with no
thought of reward other than the strict performance of his duty, Frank
Sarni, Norristown's detective, is a valuable officer." He is a member of
several fraternal and other organizations, including Lodge No. 714,
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of Norristown ; Lodge No. 70,
Loyal Order of Moose, of Baltimore; Sons of Italy, of Norristown;
Italian Beneficial Federation of Philadelphia; and the American Federa-
tion of Musicians. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus, of
Norristown, and his religious affiliation is with the Roman Catholic
Church of San Salvator. of Norristown. Mr. Sarni is fond of boxing and
of automobiling and he makes the former recreation contribute materially
to his success in his chosen work.

On November 4, 1902, Frank Sarni married Celeste Pizzurusse, who
was born in this country, daughter of Stanley and Frances (Gamboni)

BIOGRAPHICAL 329

Pizzurusse. Mr. and Mrs. Sarni are the parents of two children: I.
Cora, who was born January 10, 1904. She graduated from St. Patrick's
School in 1921, and is now holding a position as bookkeeper for the Gold-
berg Furniture Company. 2. Cesare, born November 14, 1906, is now a
student in Norristown High School, from which he expects to graduate
with the class of 1924. He will then study medicine in the Philadelphia
Medical College. At present he is highly esteemed as a member of the
football team, and has made an enviable record as left tackle.

M. LEROY MOYER — The ancestry of the Meyer (Moyer) family is
traced from Christian Meyer, believed to have been of Swiss birth, perse-
cution driving him to the Netherlands, for Switzerland cruelly persecuted
the Mennonites, to which faith he belonged. From the Netherlands,
about the year 1700, Christian Meyer took passage for the New World,
sailing from Amsterdam and arriving at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He
setled in Lower Salford township, in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania,
at Indian Creek, and bought a farm of one hundred and fifty acres. The
date of purchase is not known, but he was holding it December 24, 1719.
The land was probably secured by virtue of warrant for he received a
patent therefor, dated September 6, 1734. and signed by John, Thomas
and Richard Penn.

On his purchase. Christian Meyer built a cabin by driving four forked
saplings in the ground in a square, then laying poles in the forks to
support a roof of poles, making the walls of upright poles. There was a
single opening for an entrance, this cabin probably the first Meyer
domicile in the New World, having been entirely built with an axe. An
article of furniture which probably adorned this primitive residence
was a large Dutch clock brought across with him, which is now owned
by a descendant in Canada. In 1734 Christian Meyer was taxed for but
one hundred acres in Salford township, fifty acres having been set off
from the original tract for his son, Samuel, who received a deed therefor
in November, 1741. The remaining one hundred acres Christian Meyer
conveyed to his grandson, also named Christian Meyer, under date of
December 28, 1748.

Nothing is known of the wife of Christian Meyer further than that
her name was Barbara and that she shared the dangers of the Atlantic
and endured the privations of pioneer life with him. They were among
the original worshippers at the Franconia Mennonite Meeting House,
where they are probably buried, but neither date of death nor place of
burial is definitely known. Christian Meyer made his will January 18,
1748, and it was ofifered for probate June 6, 1751. Barbara, his wife, had
died before the will was written. The name was written Moyer in the
will, and the signature of Christian Meyer was written in German.
Christian and Barbara Meyer were the parents of six children : Christian,
Jacob, Samuel, Elizabeth, Anna and Barbara.

Milton L. Moyer, a descendant of Christian and Barbara Meyer, was
a mining engineer and an inventor of mining machinery, residing in
Souderton, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania.

330 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

M. LeRoy Moyer, son of Milton L. and Amanda Moyer, was born in
Souderton. Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, July 28, 1887, and there
completed public school study with graduation. From Souderton High
School he passed to Franklin and Marshall Academy, Lancaster, Penn-
sylvania, finishing there with the graduating class of 1904. During the
years which have since intervened he has been a resident of Souderton,
engaged in the real estate business, and has built up a very large and
lucrative agency. He is also assistant postmaster of the borough and a
notary public. He is a Lutheran in religious faith ; a Republican in poli-
tics; and is affiliated with the Masonic order, the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. His
club is the New County Club of Souderton, and he is secretary of the
Men's Association of the Lutheran church.

Mr. Moyer married, in Souderton, Pennsylvania, December 9, 1913,
Emma Yost, daughter of Edward and Lucinda Yost. Mr. and Mrs.
Moyer are the parents of a son, Edward, born at Souderton, February

JAMES I. FARRELI^With excellent training and long experience
in the business in which he is engaged, James I. Farrell, of Norristown,
is one of the leading pharmacists of this community. A native of this
State, Mr. Farrell belongs to a respected family of Columbia county, and
is a son of Robert and Margaret Farrell, his father for many years a
miner.

James I. Farrell was born in Centralia, Columbia county, Pennsyl-
vania, November 24, 1879. His early education was acquired in the pub-
lic schools, and he was graduated from the Medical High School of
Philadelphia in the class of 1900. Meanwhile, from 1896 until 1900, the
young man was employed with the Finnerty Drug Company, of Philadel-
phia, which was located at the corner of Eighteenth and McKean streets,
in that city, devoting all his spare time to his work, and thereby learning
by practical experience while he was gaining his technical training in
school. He continued along the same line of activity in Philadelphia
until 1906. when he came to Norristown. At that time he opened a drug
store at No. 1021 West Airy street, which he managed for ten years. At
the end of that period Mr. Farrell became identified with the Metropoli-
tan Life Insurance Company as their Philadelphia representative, and
was active in that capacity for one year. Then, in 1917, he opened his
present place of business, and has since conducted a prosperous and
steadily growing drug enterprise, handling a general line of goods such
as go to make up the stock of a complete and modern pharmacy. Located
on the corner of Markley and James streets, his future seems assured. In
the public afTairs of the borough Mr. Farrell supports the Democratic
party, but has not, thus far, accepted public honors. He is a member of
Lodge No. 714, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of the
State Firemen's Association.

Mr. Farrell married, in Philadelphia, on September 21, 1907, Anna M.
Howard, daughter of Thomas and Catherine (Hogan) Howard. Mrs.
^arrell died October 16, 1918, leaving one son, Edward Furey Farrell.

BIOGRAPHICAL 331

FRANK J. C. JONES— When, about thirteen years ago, the firm of
J. C. Jones & Sons, lumber dealers of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, was
formed, it was composed of the father, Joseph C. Jones, and two sons,
Charles and Frank J. C. Jones, and has been carried on since that date,
1909. They are located at the corner of Hector and Cherry streets, this
borough.

One of the partners, Frank J. C. Jones, was born in Conshohocken,
January 29, 1872, his parents, Joseph C. and Emma (Wood) Jones, hav-
ing been residents here all their lives. The father, now deceased, was
born at the old Jones homestead near Conshohocken in 1840; when the
Civil War broke out he was a very young man but he enlisted in the
Seventeenth Pennsylvania Cavalry from Norristown, which was under
the command of Colonel Theodore Bean. Mr. Jones went through most
of the major engagements of the war, including Gettysburg. At the
close of the war he held the rank of corporal. Returning to the home-
stead at Conshohocken (1864), he took up farming for a time, then, three
years later, went into the lumber business with Evan D. and Ellwood
C. Jones and from 1867 to 1909 this was continued. At the latter date
the new firm was formed, alluded to above and, under the name of J. C.
Jones & Sons is still doing business. Joseph C. Jones died February,
1919, at the age of seventy-nine; he was a most highly respected citizen,
holding many positions of trust in his home town. A member of the
Republican party, Mr. Jones was elected to serve in the City Council ; at
another time he was made secretary of the local school board and, was
once the Republican candidate for the position of county treasurer, but
was defeated. He was a director of the First National Bank of Con-
shohocken, president of the Conshohocken Building and Loan Associa-
tion and president of the Citizens' Building and Loan Association.
Always interested in everything pertaining to the Civil War, Mr. Jones
was an active member of the local chapter of the Grand Army of the
Republic. In religion he was a firm believer in the faith of the Friends.
His wife, Emma (Wood) Jones, was a daughter of Charles Wood, and
niece of Squire John Wood, of Conshohocken. She was the mother of
three sons and one daughter: i. Charles. 2. Frank J. C, of whom
further. 3. Florence, who married Howard E. Gardner, of East Orange,
New Jersey. 4. Alan W.

After acquiring an education in the public schools here and gradu-
ating from the high school, Frank J. C. Jones entered the employ of the
Horace Jones Manufacturing Company, remaining with them for one
year; in 1892 he became the bookkeeper for the firm of Evan and J,
Ellwood Jones Lumber Company, and in 1909, this concern being taken
over by the J. C. Jones & Sons Company, he became one of the partners
and is such at the present time.

Like his father before him he is a staunch Republican in political faith
and has held the office of treasurer of the borough of Conshohocken for
four years. In religion he is by birthright a member of the Friends
church ; he is also affiliated with the Pennsylvania Club.

In Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, on October 23, 1899, Frank J. C.

332 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Jones was married to Sarah Jones, the daughter of John M. and
Emma C. (Wood) Jones, the latter a member of the well known Wood
family of Norristown. John M. Jones belongs to the Jones family of
Montgomery county. Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. C. Jones have one child,
Aline, born in Conshohocken.

SAMUEL D. CORNISH, D. D. S.— Among the well known citizens
of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, Dr. Cornish holds a prominent place.
Since coming to this community in 1898 and establishing himself in the
practice of dentistry, he has identified himself with everything pertaining
to the advancement of the community, and the Collegeville Flag and
Manufacturing Company which was started by him, and but recently
incorporated, is but proof of his versatile qualities.

Alexander Cornish, father of Dr. Cornish, was born in Loch Arbor,
Scotland, and there attained his education. When a young man he came
to this country locating at Valley Forge where he established himself in
the business of mining iron ore, hiring a number of men and supplying
the various iron foundries in this vicinity. In later years he retired to
farm life and died at Mont Clare, Pennsylvania, in 1910. He married
Mary Callahan, a native of Ireland; she died November li, 1910. Mr.
and Mrs. Cornish were the parents of the following children: John,
deceased ; Isaac, deceased ; George, a mechanical dentist at Phoenixville,
Pennsylvania ; Mary, wife of William McAllister, formerly of College-
ville, now a resident of Chestnut Hill; Samuel D., of further mention;
Alexander, a dentist in Philadelphia; Margaret and James, twins, the
former, the wife of Robert Hutchinson of Elizabeth, New Jersey, the
latter deceased ; Belle, a resident of California ; and Mabel, deceased.

Samuel Davis Cornish was born in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, June
9, 1865. His preliminary education was obtained in the Valley Forge
Camp School and Upper Providence District School. He then studied
drafting and for three years was employed by the Phoenixville Iron Com-
pany. Having in the meantime, however, determined to become a den-
tist and with this end in view, he accordingly matriculated at the Penn-
sylvania College of Dental Surgery at Philadelphia, and was subsequently
graduated from that institution with the degree of Doctor of Dental
Surgery in 1898. He then removed to Collegeville and this has continued
to be his home up to the present time. Dr. Cornish quickly obtained a
clientele which has continued to grow unceasingly, for his skill as a den-
tist has become widely recognized.

In 1909 he established the Collegeville Flag and Manufacturing Com-
pany at Walnut and Fourth streets. This enterprise flourished from the
start and in 1922 was incorporated with a capital of one hundred and
twenty-five thousand dollars with the following personnel : Dr. Cornish,
president; Arnold H. Francis, treasurer and manager; and William C.
McAllister, superintendent. The organization manufactures flags, aprons,
house-dresses, masquerade suits, leather bags and sanitary goods, as well
as flag pole accessories.

Politically Dr. Cornish is a Republican and has served as councilman.

ayyyu^<^- /O- ^MyiAM^

BIOGRAPHICAL . 333

He is well known in Masonic circles, and is a member of Warren Lodge
No. 310, Free and Accepted Masons; Norristown Chapter, No. 190, Royal
Arch Masons ; Hutchinson Commandery No. 32, Knights Templar ; Lu
Lu Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine ; and the
Philadelphia Consistory. Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. He also affili-
ates with the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Norristown Chapter No. 31 ; Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, Collegeville Chapter No. 397; National
Dental Association ; North Philadelphia Dental Society ;_ Pennsylvania
State Dental Association; and also holds membership in the Lu Lu
Temple Automobile Club of Philadelphia ; the Camp Biff Hunt and Fish
Club of Pike County. Pennsylvania ; and the Acacia Club of Collegeville,
of which he was vice-president for two years and by resolution was made
honorary president. In religion Dr. Cornish is affiliated with the Trin-
ity Reformed Church, being an elder in the church and president of its
Bible class.

On June 5, 1901. at Philadelphia, Dr. Cornish married (first) Dr. M.
Rebecca Ranch ; she was a daughter of Dr. George and Sarah (Cartledge)
Ranch, the former a practitioner of dentistry in Philadelphia and a
graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery. Dr. and Airs.
Cornish were the parents of one child, Samuel Louis, born May 21, 1902,
a student of Swarthmore College, class of 1924. Mrs. Cornish died
August 5, 1909. Dr. Cornish married (second) on June 23, 1915, Irene
Sacks, a native of Zieglersville, Pennsylvania, and from this union have
been born two children : Freeland S., July i, 1916 ; and Evelyn, February

17. 191?-

Dr. Samuel Davis Cornish is a splendid example of the aggressive,
keen and resourceful citizen, modern in all his views, progressive in his
ideas and actuated at all times by a sense of community obligation and
the necessitv of making his individual success an element in the general
advancement. Throughout a residence of many years in Collegeville he
has proved himself trustworthy and loyal to all claims of friendship
having thus commanded the esteem and high regard of the community.

E. ALLEN REEVES— Since establishing himself in business at
Abington, Pennsvlvania. as a building contractor in 1918, E. Allen
Reeves has met with unbounded success in his particular line of endeavor.

Caswell B. Reeves, father of E. Allen Reeves, was born in Titusville,
New Jersey, and for many years was engaged in farming in Davisville,
Bucks couiitv. having been retired from active work for the past ten years
at Southampton, where he devotes himself in large part to church work,
being an elder in the Baptist church there. He married Anna Mary
Allen, and to them have been born three children : E. Allen, of further
mention; Marv Stewart, born September 15, 1889, died June 18, 1919,
and formerly the wife of George H. Yerkes, of Southampton ; and Harold
Caswell, born June 30, 1893.

E. Allen Reeves was born in Davisville, Bucks county, October 5,
1887. After attending the grammar school at Southampton he entered
the employ of John S^tevens, Inc., of Pennsylvania. His tireless energy

334 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

and ability brought him promotion rapidly after serving his apprentice-
ship, and he finally became vice-president and construction superin-
tendent of the organization, being associated with the concern for sixteen
years. As the years passed he became anxious to engage in business on
his own account and with the thorough knowledge gained from so many
years of valuable experience, he severed his connections with the Stevens
corporation and started in business in 1918 at Abington. But four years
have elapsed since Mr. Reeves established himself on York road, still
he has handled many large contracts, among them being the Ashburne
Sunday school building, and many fine residences.

Mr. Reeves is a member of Friendship Lodge, No. 400, Free and
Accepted Masons ; and Abington Chapter, JRoyal Arch Masons. He is an
active church member and like his father devotes himself largely to the
activities of his own church. He attends the Abington Presbyterian
Church and is president of the Men's Association connected with that
denomination. Public-spirited and progressive, he takes a keen interest
in civic affairs and no movement looking toward better things for the
community is without his generous support.

On March 23, 1910, E. Allen Reeves was united in marriage with
Laura B. Foster. They are the parents of three children: Allen Foster,
born January 8, 1911; Robert Norman, born May 28, 1916; and Paul
Howell, born April i, 1920.

Although comparatively young in years Mr. Reeves has already
reached a position in the business world which well might be the envy
of a much older man. A spirit of enterprise and progress, dominated
and controlled by keen business discrimination and sound judgment has
brought him to the position which he now holds, and his many friends
predict for him an even more brilliant future, judging by his past achieve-
ments.

CLARKSON ADDIS, D. D. S., the well known veterinarian of Col-
legeville, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, is a member of a family
famous in Pennsylvania for many generations. On his mother's side
(Duffield) the line is clearly traced back to the year 1066, and Addison-
ville, Pennsylvania, was named in honor of the Addis family. There were
eight or nine closely related men of Addis lineage in the Revolutionary
War, of whom only one survived, and it is from him that Clarkson Addis
descended. There is a commendatory from George Washington to the
Addis who served so well under him, which is highly treasured by the
family.

Dr. Clarkson Addis is the son of Howard and Emma J. (Dufifield)
Addis, of Edge Hill, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and was born
at Southampton, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, January 9, 1895. He
studied in the Ashburne Grammar School, then entered the Cheltenham
High School, from which he was graduated in 1913. To acquire a proper
professional training he matriculated in the University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, in 1913. and graduated in 1917, with the degree of Doctor of
Veterinary Surgery. Dr. Addis first located and practiced his profession

BIOGRAPHICAL 335

in Hatboro, Montgomery county, from 1917 to 1921, but in the latter
year returned to Collegeville, Pennsylvania, where he is now a resident
and serving a rapidly growing clientele. Dr. Addis is a member of the
Huntington Valley Hunt Club, and is a communicant of the Episcopal
church.

At Glenside, Pennsylvania, October 29, 1921, Dr. Addis was married
to Anna Heinrich, daughter of George Heinrich, a well known farmer of
Ridgefield, Connecticut, and Elizabeth (Marsden) Heinrich, who died
March 3, 1921. They have one child, Jane Elizabeth, born September 4,
1922.

JOHN B. KEYSER— One of the well known business men of Norris-
town, Pennsylvania, is John B. Keyser, proprietor of the automobile
supply store at the corner of Main and Barbadoes streets, who also con-
ducts a modern, well-equipped repair shop, and is agent for the Durant
and Star automobiles. Mr. Keyser has been associated with the automo-
bile business from the beginning of his active career and is an expert in
the field of automobile mechanics.

Born in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, December 13, 1892, son of John
T. and Sarah P. (Bergey) Keyser, the former a native of Collegeville,
Mr. Keyser received his education in the public schools of his native
town, and upon the completion of his high school course, engaged in the
automobile business as an apprentice, learning all branches of general
repair work. In the fall of 1909 he went to Lakewood, New Jersey,
where, as a partner in a taxi business, he was engaged until May, 1910.
He then returned to Norristown, where he accepted a position as dis-
patcher for the Norris City Garage, his route lying between Wayne and
Valley Forge. That connection he maintained until April, 1912, when he
took charge of J. S. Rambo's cars, continuing to hold that position until
November, 1913, when he opened his present establishment. Since that
time, with the exception of the period of the World War, he has devoted
his energies and ability to the development of a notably successful busi-
ness of his own. His thorough knowledge of auto mechanics, his wide
experience, greatly enlarged by his war service, and his excellent busi-
ness methods are well known, and his work has gained the unqualified
commendation of his patrons. He carries all kinds of accessories, keeps
his repair shop thoroughly equipped both as to modern devices and to
trained mechanicians, so that work may be promptly done, and as an
agent for the Durant cars he is honest and reliable.

In June, 1917, Mr. Keyser enlisted for service in the World War and
was assigned as a private to the 103rd Supply Train, 28th Division,
Pennsylvania National Guard. He was sent overseas and advanced
through all the non-commissioned grades to the rank of sergeant of the
first class. After two months' service at the front he was sent back to
the Army Candidate School, at France, where, after two months spent
in intensive training, he was commissioned a second lieutenant of infan-
try, selected as an instructor, and sent to an infantry specialty school for
further instruction in minor tactics, and infantry specialty v/eapons.

336 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Upon the completion of that course he, with ninety-four other second
lieutenants, was sent to La Valboune, France, near Lyons, as an instruc-
tor in the infantry candidate school there. After the signing of the arm-
istice and the elimination of the school, Mr. Keyser became a surplus
officer, and after preparing the Christmas dinner, was ordered to Gondre-
court, France, for re-assignment, to the Combat Officers' Replacement
Depot. There he was assigned to the position of motor transport officer
of the post, having charge of sixty-seven cars and trucks. This assign-
ment was made because of his superior qualifications in that line, his
card of qualifications having followed him. Having requested a transfer
to the Motor Transport Corps, however, he was assigned, April 6, 1919,
to the Motor Transport Reconstruction Post at Romorantin, France, the
largest aviation production center of the American Expeditionary Forces,
as salvage and sales officer of the post. After completing operations
there, he was assigned in June, 1919, to the office of the chief purchase
and sales officer of the Motor Transport Corps, in Paris, France, as a
motor transport sales representative. Upon arriving in Paris, he received
a letter of commendation for his efficiency in the conduct of the salvage
and sales department at Romorantin, from General M. L. Walker, chief
of motor transport in France. From the Paris quarters Mr. Keyser
travelled all over France in the discharge of his duties as sales representa-
tive, selling motor transportation to the various allied nationalities, such
as Spanish, Serbian, Esthonian, Ukranian, Lithuanian, Roumanian, Swiss,
Italian, Polish, as well as British, French, and Belgian, securing contracts
totalling nearly ten millions of dollars. Upon the completion of these
duties, September 3, 1919, he received orders to proceed to a home
station, and when he arrived at the base port, Brest, he was assigned to
Casual Company, No. 4707, composed of American Expeditionary Force
"pick ups," numbering one hundred and seventy. He was second in com-
mand during the home passage, and was in actual command after landing
on American soil. He was mustered out of service at Camp Dix,
Wrightstown, New Jersey, October 10, 1919, receiving his honorable
discharge after two years and three months of service, two months of
which were spent at the front in France with the 28th Division of
Pennsylvania.

Upon his return to civilian life Mr. Keyser became identified with the
Norris City Garage as a salesman, handling automobiles and trucks, and
in February, 1921. he accepted a similar position with the Willow Garage,
of Norristown. The latter connection he maintained until February I,
1922, when he engaged in business for himself as proprietor of the auto-
mobile supply store at the corner of Main and Barbadoes street, where he
conducts a modern, well-equipped repair shop and sells the Durant and
Star cars put out by W. C. Durant. His thorough knowledge of the busi-
ness and his wide experience have brought him deserved success, and his
establishment is one of the most popular and one of the most reliable of
its kind in the city.

Fraternally Mr. Keyser is affiliated with Warren Lodge, No. 310,
Free and Accepted Masons, of Collegeville, and with the Tall Cedars of

BIOGRAPHICAL 337

Lebanon. He is also a member and first vice-commander of Byron S.
Fegley Post of the American Legion in Collegeville ; and a member of the
108th Field Artillery, in which he holds the rank of lieutenant. He is a
member of the Acacia Club, and his religious affiliation is with St. Luke's
Reformed Church. His favorite recreation is bowling.

On August 30, 1922, j\Ir. Keyser married Florence M. Detwiler, a
daughter of A. Heyser and Cora (Miller) Detwiler, of Trappe, Pennsyl-
vania. Mr. and Mrs. Keyser reside at No. 201 West Main street.

JOHN U. ISETT — The founders of the Isett family, of which John U.
Isett, of Royersford, Pennsylvania, is representative, were Frederick and
Jacob Isett, who, with their widowed mother, sailed from Rotterdam in
1732 with a little colony, including their pastor, a Lutheran clergyman.
They did not come penniless for the Widow Isett had a large quantity of
gold and soon after landing bought a farm for her son, Jacob Isett, that
is now included within the limits of the city of Philadelphia, "Girard
College" standing on part of that farm. She also bought a farm for her
son, Frederick Isett, near Trappe, in Montgomery county, the farm
adjoining being the home of the parents of Governor Shunk. The farm
was for many years in possession of the Isetts, now being known as the
"Warner Farm." The Isetts intermarried with the Markleys, of Mont-
gomery county, Rebecca Isett contracting the first marriage between the
families. The Frederick Isett family located principally in Montgomery
county, the original farm being in Upper Providence township, where
Frederick (i) Isett, a pillar of the Lutheran church, and a member of
the vestry was laid at rest in the Lutheran Churchyard at Trappe. He
was succeeded in this line by his eldest son Frederick (2).

Frederick (2) Isett was born at the homestead in Upper Providence,
Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, becoming a skilled mechanic, famous
as a maker of edged tools. He prospered, owned his own home and was
a man of intelligent, broad mind, and of strictly upright life. He mar-
ried Mary Hallman and they were the parents of five sons, the second,
Frederick (3), the head of the following generation in this line.

Frederick (3) Isett was born July 26, 1812, died November 11, 1899,
having attained the great age of eighty-seven years. He obtained a good
education and for more than tv^'enty years taught school. He also was
familiar with farm work, and with the plasterer's trade, and during his
twenty years of teaching was engaged during the summer season in
working at his trade. He was a painstaking, persevering teacher, strict
in discipline and highly esteemed. After teaching twenty years, he
retired and henceforth gave all his attention to the cultivation of his farm.
He was originally a Democrat, then a Whig, and when that party "gave
up the ghost," he affiliated with its young and vigorous successor, the
Republican party. He served as school director and as member and
secretary of the board rendered valuable service. Frederick (3) Isett
married, February 4, 1841, Henrietta Shade, daughter of Jacob and Mary
(Shunk) Shade, her mother a cousin of Francis R. Shunk, governor of

333 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Pennsylvania. Jacob Shade, her father, was a prosperous farmer of
Montgomery county, owning part of the land on which Royersford is
located. Frederick (3) and Henrietta (Shade) Isett were the parents of
seven children: Mary, married John'Y. Eisenburg; she died February
17, 1921 ; Lavina, died unmarried at the age of twenty-four years; Jacob
R., a farmer owning the homestead, married Anna B. Amole ; he died
January 10, 1921 ; Charlotte, married William Y. Eisenberg; Frederick
S., a physician of Philadelphia, died July 28, 1895 ; John U., of further
mention; and Henrietta, married John M. Mauger; she died December
8, 1922. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick (3) Isett were members of the Brethren
Church.

John U. Isett, son of Frederick (3) and Henrietta (Shade) Isett, was
born in Limerick township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, August
21, 1852. He was educated in the public schools, and at Washington
Hall, Trappe, Pennsylvania, then with school years completed, began
learning the carpenter's trade. Two years later he engaged in mercantile
life for a time as a clerk, finally in 1879 aided in organizing the Grander
Store Company. He was connected with that company for twenty
years and for seventeen of those years was engaged as a traveling sales-
man. He also owned an interest in the company and while still holding
that interest, he established a private lumber yard and coal bins at
Royersford and for seven years held that interest, finally selling it. For
the seven years following, he was in the flour and feed trade in Royers-
ford, but with the ending of that term, he withdrew from business and is
now retired from any stated business, but always busy.

A Republican in politics, Mr. Isett has always been active in public
afifairs. For three years he was a member of the Borough Council, and
in 1920 was appointed burgess to fill a vacancy. In the fall of 1921 he
was elected to succeed himself in that office. He has often represented
Royersford in party conventions, and is one of the influential men of the
party. He is a member and past master of Royersford Lodge, No. 585,
Free and Accepted INIasons ; a companion of Pottstown Chapter, Royal
Arch Masons ; and a Sir Knight and charter member of Nativity Com-
mandery, Knights Templar, of Pottstown.

John U. Isett married. November 24. 1881, Ida Winter, daughter of
Reuben and Elizabeth (Schwenk) Winter, her father the last survivor
of the founders of the borough of Royersford. Reuben AVinter was born
near Trappe. Upper Providence township, INTontgomery county, Penn-
sylvania, October 30. 1823, died April 29, 1918. He was the son of John
and Deborah (Raysor) Winter, and grandson of John Winter, of ancient
Berks county family, who served in the Revolutionary War, and in 1793
was keeping a hotel in Philadelphia, on Water street. He died in Upper
Providence in 1836, aged over eighty years and was buried in the grave-
yard adjoining the Trappe Lutheran Church, of which he was a member.
His son, John Winter, came to Montgomery county with his parents in
1812 and succeeded his father in the hotel business near Trappe. Ulti-
mately he purchased a farm located half a mile below what is now Roy-
ersford (the Mover Farm), and removed from his hotel at Trappe about

BIOGRAPHICAL 339

1825. In 1831 he sold that farm and returned to Upper Providence,
where he built a residence on land he owned in connection with the old
hotel property. He built that residence in 1829, and there died in 1870,
aged eighty-four years. He was a member of the Lutheran church, a
Whig in politics and later a Republican. John Winter married (first)
Catherine Moyer; she died in 1818; he married (second) Deborah Raysor,
in 1821, she dying in 1859.

Reuben Winter taught school, and immediately after his marriage in
1848, removed to Royersford and engaged in business with his father-
in-law, Daniel Schwenk, who was merchant, hotel keeper and postmaster.
Reuben Winter succeeded Daniel Schwenk as postmaster at the latter's
death in 1859, and was station agent of the Philadelphia and Reading
railroad, the store and hotel having been closed and sold. He was station
agent until 1881. attending to all telegraph, station and post office work,
holding the postmastership for twenty-five years. When he first came to
Royersford there were but three houses in the village. The railroad was
built in 1835, the post office established in 1844, and the first postmaster,
David Gow, who was succeeded by Daniel Schwenk, was commissioned
by President Polk, Daniel Winter receiving his first commission from
President James Buchanan. When he retired from the office he occupied
himself with his private aflfairs until 1898, when he founded a lumber
and coal business under the firm name R. Winter and Son. He was the
oldest director of the National Bank of Phoenixville, a director of the
Royersford Trust Company and interested in several Philadelphia cor-
porations.

Reuben Winter married, in 1848, Elizabeth Schwenk, born October
23, 1825, died February 16, 1896, daughter of Daniel and Mary (Stetler)
Schwenk, and granddaughter of Daniel Schwenk. Mr. and Mrs. Reuben
Winter were the parents of four children : Mary J., married Silas
Swartley; Ida, married John U. Isett, as previously noted; Reuben (2),
his father's partner and successor in R. Winter and Son ; and Elizabeth,
married Burdett Geissinger.

Mr. and Mrs. John U. Isett are the parents of two children: Ethel,
married Edward Kaltenbach, of Royersford, and have a son, John E., and
a daughter, Ethel Louise ; and Helen R., a graduate of Goucher College,
class of 1919, taught school at Stroudsburg and Lititz, Pennsylvania,
being a teacher of French and Spanish in high school.

CORNELIUS A. DESIMONE, one of the outstanding leaders of
Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, is prominent in the real estate and financial
circles of the city. He has been the means of the erection of many struc-
tures that have added greatly to the architectural beauty of Consho-
hocken. He is the son of Joseph and Mary Desimone, and was born at
Norristown, Pennsylvania. February 21, 1888. His education came from
the parochial schools of Conshohocken, and was supplemented by a
course in the Shissler Business College of Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Shortly after his graduation from the above college, he became man-
ager of its Philadelphia department and remained in office four vears.

340 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

He returned to Conshohocken in 191 1 and established a real estate and
insurance business which has continued its prosperous career up to the
present date. Mr. Desimone is a gifted developer of land propositions,
and has added several home sections to the city, such as a tract of land
on Tenth avenue, called Conshohocken Heights, which is to-day one of
the neatest cluster of homes in that section. He has brought the Suskind
Company and many other manufacturing plants to the city. Among his
larger and better known buildings is the Riant Theatre, in which he was
interested and he is responsible for the negotiations that culminated in
the building of St. Matthew's Parish Church, noted as one of the most
beautiful churches in America.

The Matsonford Building and Loan Association, the most thriving
of the associations in Conshohocken, is the result of his efforts and he is
now its secretary. He also started the movement that brought about the
establishment of the Chamber of Commerce in January, 1920; is now
one of its directors and was its first secretary. During the World War
he was very active in the Library Loan drives, and holds a medal granted
for his efficient work.

He is an Independent in politics ; fraternizes with the Knights of
Columbus of Conshohocken ; is a member of the Fire Department and
is religiously affiliated with the St. Matthew's Parish Church.

On March 21, 1912, at Norristown, Pennsylvania, he was married to
Eva Garner, daughter of George and Annie (Kennedy) Garner, of
Trooper. Mr. and Mrs. Desimone have three children : Eva, Marie and
Clara, all born in Conshohocken.

WILLIAM H. FAUST, as a financier and school official of Ambler,
Pennsylvania, is recognized as a leader. A native son of the place, he
has spent his life here and has had a conspicuous part in its develop-
ment and improvement. He is the son of Edwin H. Faust, a tanner, and
Eliza A. Faust, well known in Ambler, and was born there, October il,
1877.

He was graduated from the public schools of his natal town in 1895
and attended the Drexel Institute of Philadelphia for some time. He
returned to Ambler and accepted the position as clerk in the First
National Bank in 1896, was appointed teller in 1901, and made cashier
in 1918. In addition to his life-long service in the bank he has given his
time and attention to various financial afifairs, including the Ambler
Building and Loan Association, of which he is the secretary.

An independent Democrat, he is a director on the school board of
Ambler, appointed in February, 1922. His fraternal association is with
Fort Washington Lodge, No. 308, Free and Accepted Masons, his club
the Keystone Auto, and he is a member of Upper Dublin Lutheran
Church.

At Ambler, Pennsylvania, on October 12, 1904, William H. Faust was
married to Alice B. Stout, daughter of Elwood and Emma Stout. Mr.
and Mrs. Faust are the parents of a daughter, Dorothy M., born April I,
1908.

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