Montgomery County PA Archives Biographies.....Cressman, Henry C. May 2, 1832 - 
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Source: Biographical Annals of Montgomery County Pennsylvania, T. S. Benham & Company and the Lewis Publishing Company, 1904
Author: Ellwood Roberts, Editor

  HENRY C. CRESSMAN, one of the self made businessmen of 
Norristown, is a native of Montgomery county. He was born 
near Barren Hill, called at that time Smoketown, May 2, 
1832, remaining in that neighborhood until he was twelve 
years of age. Feeling that there was something desirable for 
him beyond his father's house, he started out with all his 
worldly possessions in a small bundle, to seek his fortune 
in the world. His first employment was on the farm of Peter 
Streeper, about a mile from Barren Hill. His compensation 
was his clothing and board with an opportunity to attend 
school when not otherwise engaged. Mr. Streeper treated him 
kindly, finding an abundance of work for him and giving him 
a good home until he was sixteen years of age. The lad then 
went to visit a cousin in Philadelphia who was a marble 
cutter. Watching him while at his work, young Cressman 
became imbued with the idea of becoming a marble cutter and, 
without consulting any one, he entered into employment with 
Gordon & Fletcher as an apprentice in their marble yard. He 
remained, however, but a few months with this firm, owing to 
an accident in which a marble mantle was broken.  He 
returned to his home, and the next spring, April 1, 1849, he 
went to Norristown, where he indentured himself to Franklin 
Derr, the well-known dealer in marble, who had a vacancy 
caused by an apprentice quitting his employ. Mr. Derr was 
loth to take another apprentice on account of the trouble he 
had had with the one whose place was vacant, but he finally 
concluded to do so and the papers of indenture were made out 
July 4, 1849. They were to hold him until he became of age. 
He was to receive as compensation for his services thirty 
dollars a year and board, but no schooling. The only 
holidays were to be Fourth of July and Christmas. At the end 
of his term of service as apprentice, he had thoroughly 
learned his trade and had also gained the confidence of Mr. 
Derr to such a degree that he retained him in his employment 
until his death. Mr. Cressman became in time Mr. Derr's 
right-hand man, and was the one looked to for advice and 
counsel. He was expected to oversee all kinds of work in 
that line of business.

  Mr. Cressman helped to build many of the finest edifices 
in Norristown, including Odd Fellows hall, the Montgomery 
county prison, the court house, the First Presbyterian 
church, the Lutheran Church of the Trinity, the Central 
Presbyterian church, the Albertson Trust Building, the First 
National bank and Montgomery National bank, the Music Hall, 
Mr. Hooven's large mansion, adjoining the Montgomery bank, 
now the Masonic Temple, and many other of the finest 
residences in Norristown. After Mr. Derr's death, Mr. 
Cressman was employed by his son, Henry A. Derr, remaining 
with him until just before his death. About 1880 he built, 
on West Airy street, the house in which he now resides and 
the store property now owned by George W. Pifer, and 
conducted a grocery business therein, his wife and a hired 
boy managing it. This he kept up until about 1890, when he 
sold it to Mr. Pifer. On leaving Mr. Derr, he established a 
marble yard in the rear of his home and makes the business 
the means of keeping himself contented, working only when it 
suits him to do so, and doing only ordered work. He sends it 
wherever it is ordered, some going as far west as Johnstown, 
Pennsylvania. Mr. Cressman's wages after completing his 
apprenticeship were one dollar and fifty cents per day, and 
that was the rate until the beginning of the Rebellion, 
after which wages advanced until Mr. Cressman earned three 
dollars per day.

  Mr. Cressman has seen Norristown grow from a small village 
to a place of twenty-seven thousand inhabitants and has 
aided in building it up as well as adding to its prosperity. 
He has been a member of the Masonic order since 1863, and is 
now a member of Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights 
Templar. He is treasurer of Charity Lodge, No. 190, and a 
member of the Temple committee. He is also a member of 
Montgomery Lodge, No. 57, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 
He has never sought or held office in either lodge. He is a 
member of the First: Methodist Episcopal Church at 
Norristown.

  Politically Mr. Cressman was reared an oldline Whig, and 
is now a Democrat. He was elected on the Democratic ticket a 
member of the town council of Norristown, serving three 
years, but would never again accept the office. November 16, 
1853, Mr. Cressman married Miss Susan S., daughter of George 
and Christiana (Lowther) Gibbs. Mrs. Cressman was born March 
17, 1831, in Norristown, within two blocks of where she now 
resides and she has never lived at a greater distance than 
that from her birthplace.

  George Gibbs, her father, was born in New York city and 
went from there to Jersey City as a boy of sixteen years of 
age. On the breaking out of the war of 1812 he enlisted in 
the United States army and served tinder General Zebulon M. 
Pike. At the close of the war it is supposed he went to 
Delaware as he married there, his wife being of an old 
Delaware family, descending from early Swedish settlers. 
From Christiana Hundred, in the state of Delaware, he went 
to Norristown with his family. He had learned the trade of a 
mule spinner and went to Norristown to find work at his 
trade. He secured employment in McCredy's Mill and worked 
there until his death, which occurred March 17, 1835.

 The couple had seven children: Lewis married Ophelia 
Fields; Mary married John Fry and had four children, Maria, 
Sarah, Margaret and John; Margaret married Ahlum Cope and 
had five children, George, Howard, Warren, Levi and Ellen 
(both parents and daughter Ellen were drowned in the 
Johnstown flood and Mr. Cope's body was never found); George 
married Emma Winters, their children being George and Clara; 
Christiana married George Master and had one child, Charles; 
Susan S. Is the wife of Henry C. Cressman; Maria died 
unmarried. Mrs. Fields, the eldest child of Mr. and Mrs. 
Gibbs, had the following children: John, William Elihu, 
Catharine and Mary.Mrs. Gibbs died in Norristown in 1843 and 
with her husband lies buried in the Episcopal cemetery 
connected with St. John's church.

  Mr. and Mrs. Cressman have had but two children: Franklin 
D., who was born September 4, 1854, and died in childhood; 
and Annie L., who was born June 3, 1862, and now resides 
with her parents. She has musical talent of a high order and 
has taught music since she was eleven years of age. She 
gives instruction in piano and organ music and has the 
remarkable record of having given musical instruction in her 
own home for thirty years without a break. She was organist 
thirteen years in the First Presbyterian Church and three 
years at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Trinity. Her 
first teacher was Professor Blaufuff from Saxony in Germany, 
and under the tuition of Constantine Von Sternberg of 
Philadelphia she completed her musical education, except 
that she afterwards attended the Conservatory of Music in 
Philadelphia for a single term.

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