Montgomery County PA Archives Biographies.....Acuff, William S. October 8, 1871 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joe Patterson jpatter@epix.net February 17, 2026, 7:00 pm

Source: Biographical Annals of Montgomery County Pennsylvania, T. S. Benham & Company and the Lewis Publishing Company, 1904
Author: Ellwood Roberts, Editor

WILLIAM S. ACUFF, the well-known attorney-at-law of Ambler, 
is descended from au old family in that section of 
Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He was born in 
Philadelphia, October 8, 1871, but was reared in Montgomery 
county.

He was educated in the public schools, where he acquired a 
knowledge of elementary branches which was supplemented by a 
course at a business college. He commenced the study of law 
in 1893 with Robert H. Hinkley, a well known attorney of 
Philadelphia, remaining with him two years, and then 
entering the law department of the University of 
Pennsylvania, in which he continued until 1897. He took a 
general course in the office of Mr. Hinkley for admission to 
the bar, and was admitted to practice in the courts of 
Montgomery county, at Norristown, in July, 1897. He had 
previously been admitted in Philadelphia, so that he has 
been engaged in the active practice of law since. 

In 1895 he opened a real estate office in Ambler, but has 
abandoned that branch of business in view of the fact that 
his legal practice absorbs all his time and attention. He 
has offices in Norristown as well as in Ambler, and is 
entitled to practice in all courts, including the supreme 
court of Pennsylvania, and is rapidly building tip an 
extensive practice. 

In politics Mr. Acuff is a Republican, and he is an active 
supporter of the party and its principles. He has been 
assistant postmaster at Ambler, and has always been active 
in promoting the interests of the place. He has been a 
member of the town council of Ambler for three years, and 
president of that body, and has also been borough solicitor 
for several years. He is now solicitor for the school board 
of Ambler. Mr. Acuff has been a prominent candidate for the 
Republican nomination for district attorney of Montgomery 
county, although he did not receive it. In religious faith 
he is a believer in the Reformed mode of worship, and is a 
member of the church of that denomination at Fort 
Washington. Fraternally, he is a past master of Fort 
Washington Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, is also a member 
of the Masonic chapter at that place, of the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows, and of other fraternal societies.

Mr. Acuff has been twice married. His first wife was Miss 
Laura H. Godshall, whom he married in 1896. She was the 
daughter of John C. and Mary (Hackman) Godshall, of 
Lansdale. They had one child, Mary. Mrs. Acuff died in 1898. 
She was a member of the Reformed church. Her parents are 
both deceased. Mr. Acuff married (second wife) Catherine E. 
C. Cooper, daughter of Dr. A. X. and Elizabeth (Ridge) 
Cooper. The Coopers are an old and highly respected family 
of Bucks county. Dr. Cooper, father of Mrs. Acuff, died in 
1898. The children of Dr. and Mrs. Cooper: Dr. W. R., of 
Point Pleasant, in Bucks county; Dr. J. Howard; Catherine E. 
C., wife of Mr. Acuff. The children of Mr. and Mrs. William 
S. Acuff: Elizabeth, born in 1899; William S., Jr., born in 
1901; Margaret, born in December, 1903. Mrs. Acuff is a 
member of the Reformed church.

William S. Acuff is the son of Alfred S. and Mary (Marshall) 
Acuff, both of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Alfred Acuff 
was a son of William and Eliza (Scheetz) Acuff. William 
Acuff was a son of David Acuff. David Acuff was a son of 
Jacob Acuff. Jacob Acuff and his son David Acuff were both 
soldiers in the Revolutionary army in the war of 
Independence. David Acuff kept the hotel at Gwynedd for many 
years. Prior to that he kept the tavern at Springhouse.

Alfred S. Acuff (father) was a son of William and Eliza, and 
was descended from Revolutionary stock on his mother's as 
well as his father's side. She was the daughter of General 
Henry Scheetz, of the third generation of the family in 
America.
 
The Scheetz family are of German origin, and their ancestors 
were among the pioneers of Montgomery county. Several 
members of the family participated in the war for 
independence. General Scheetz was quite a young man, but he 
held the position of captain. In the second war with Great 
Britain in 1812-15 he acquired the title of general. In 
peace as in war, he was among the most prominent men of 
Montgomery county, having been one of the organizers of the 
Montgomery National Bank. Henry Scheetz, father of the 
General, was one of the first judges in Montgomery county.

Alfred Acuff was most of his life a resident of Montgomery 
county, and died in Ambler, in 1888. For many years he was 
engaged in mercantile business at that place, and later 
conducted a hotel. Still later he was a stock drover, and 
carried on an extensive business. He was a Republican in 
politics, but never aspired to political preferment. His 
wife is living, and resides in Roxborough. She is a daughter 
of John Marshall, of Gwynedd, whose father was a 
Revolutionary soldier. The Marshalls were an early family in 
Pennsylvania, of Irish descent. John Marshall had four 
children in all.

The children of Alfred and Mary Acuff: Elizabeth A., wife of 
Dr. Shelly, of Ambler; John M., a chemist; William S., 
subject of this sketch; Walter, a banker and broker of 
Philadelphia; Margaret, Mrs. E. Flanagan, whose husband was 
a wool merchant; Alfred S., a machinist; Frances M., 
unmarried; Clarence S., engaged in the wool business. Alfred 
Acuff was a member of the Episcopal church. His wife is a 
Baptist.


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