Montgomery County PA Archives Biographies.....Custer, Harman February 4, 1850 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joe Patterson jpatter@epix.net February 27, 2026, 2:47 pm

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

HARMAN CUSTER was born in Norriton township, Montgomery 
county, February 4, 1850. When about three years of age his 
father, removed to East Coventry, Chester county, and bought 
a farm on which the resided until his death. At the age of 
eight years Harman left home and became a driver on the 
Schuylkill Canal, going as far as New York city, Hartford, 
Connecticut, and many other points. He was on the canal 
seven years, and learned everything pertaining to that work, 
ending as a steersman. On one occasion, in 1863, young 
Custer went to Alexandria with a load of coal for the use of 
the government, and on Chesapeake Bay encountered a storm 
which would have tried the nerve of the most experienced men 
in the business. In 1864, becoming tired of "following the 
water," he went to Pottstown and became an apprentice to the 
carpenter trade. He served his time, but never followed the 
business, as the firm of Jack & Geist, with whom he had 
learned the trade, failed in business about the time his 
apprenticeship was ended. In 1867 he entered the employ of 
the Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company as a laborer, 
and has been with them ever since. About 1868 he was made a 
brakeman, and three and a half years later was promoted to 
the position of conductor, which he held about three years, 
and then became a fireman for three years, and for 
twenty-six years has been one of the trusted engineers of 
the road in all these years he has always stood by the 
company in their many strikes and labor troubles, even going 
to the company when he felt that a raise in pay was due him, 
and never in vain. He has never been in a wreck, never even 
running into the rear of a train. In 1880 he went to 
Bridgeport; and has since lived there. Mr. Custer is a 
Republican, and is one of the men to whom the question is 
never asked, On which side is he? He is a member of the 
Ancient Order of Unwed Workmen.

On November 14, 1868, Mr. Custer married Miss Mary 
Elizabeth, daughter of George and Ellen (Pyle) Schaffer, who 
was born at Pawlings Bridge; Chester county, July 14, 1850. 
At the time of her birth her father was keeping a hotel at 
that place, and was also supervisor for the Philadelphia and 
Reading Railway Company, which position he had held ten 
years before he met his death, which occurred while in the 
line of his duty, he having been caught in the Phoenix 
tunnel by two trains. He lay down on the ground between the 
trains, and, while his body showed no sign of being touched; 
he never regained consciousness. Mrs. Custer's mother was a 
Pyle, of the family now contesting the claim of the Lehigh 
Coal and Navigation Company for a valuable tract of four 
hundred and sixteen acres of coal land at Tamaqua.

Mr. and Mrs. Harman Custer's children: 1. Jennie, born in 
1869, married William Schnable, of Spring City, who is 
engaged in the glass works as shipping clerk. They have 
seven children: Bertha, Ellwood Harman, Ida, Stella, 
William, James and Anna C. 2. William, born June 17, 1870, 
married Rebecca Keely, and has one son, William. Mr. Custer 
was killed on the Chester Valley Railroad, on which he was 
employed as a brakeman. He was struck by a bridge on June 6, 
1893. 3. Jesse and James (twins) born November 14, 1872, and 
died in infancy. 4. Anna C., born in1873, unmarried, and 
resides with her parents. 5. Emma, born November 2, 1874, 
and lives with her parents. 6. James M., born Mardi 1876. 7. 
Rachel R., born August 23, 1877, died March 25, 1897. She 
married Samuel Sickle. 8. Irene, born January 8, 1879.

Peter Custer (great-grandfather), came from Switzerland and 
settled in Pennsylvania. He married, and reared a family of 
three sons and one daughter. Of the sons, Harman 
(grandfather) was born in Worcester township, Montgomery 
county, July 2, 1788. In early life he followed the trade of 
a weaver, but became a farmer, and at his death owned the 
farm where Custer Station is located, on the Stony Creek 
Railroad. He married Catharine Beyer, who was born January 
9, 1790. Their Children: Mary February 6, 1811; Lydia, born 
January 11, 1812; Abraham, born February 16, 1813; Susanna, 
born March 12, 1815, Mary, born June 23, 1817; Philip B., 
born June 2, 1821; Levi, born March 25, 1825; John S.; born 
September 18, 1827; Ann B., born December 9, 1831.

Of their children, Abraham (father), married Mary Shrawder, 
in December, 1837. Their children: Catharine, Ann, Jesse and 
Harman. Mrs. Custer died January 5, 1859, Abraham married 
(second wife) Ann Forges, in October, 1859. Theirchildren 
were Sallie, Abraham C., Lyman and Ida. Mrs. Custer died 
June 29, 1899. Abraham Custer (father of Harman) died May 4, 
1886. He was a farmer in Chester county, and at the time of 
his death owned a farm in East Vincent township, near 
Parkerford. He was a Republican in politics but not a 
politician. He was a member of the Reformed church of East 
Vincent, and one of its officers. 

This file has been created by a form at http://www.usgwarchives.net/pafiles/

File size: 5.6 Kb