Montgomery County PA Archives Biographies.....Abraham, William L. December 4, 1863 - 
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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

WILLIAM L. ABRAHAM. The Abraham family, one of the most 
numerous and influential in the township of Upper Merion, 
are the descendants of James and Margaret (Davis) Abraham, 
who settled there at an early date. The parents of James 
were Isaac (probably) and Sarah Abraham. The children of 
James and Margaret were Keziah, married Samuel Phillips; 
Miriam, Maria, Isaac (born in 1717), 
great-great-grandfather, married Dinah Havard, born in 1720, 
died in 1782; Elizabeth, married Joseph Walker; Abigail and 
Ezekiel. Isaac and Sarah Abraham came from Wales in 1682, 
settling in Bucks county.

The children of Isaac and Dinah Abraham were: James, born in 
1751, died in 1827, married Hannah George, born in 1752, 
died in 1813; Margaret, married Benjamin Eastburn; Isaac, 
born 1756, died in 1813, married Jane Cornog, born in 1758, 
died in 1822; Dinah, married Abraham Cornog.

The children of James (great-grandfather) and Hannah 
(George) Abraham; Isaac, born 1775; George, born 1776; 
Catharine, born 1779, died 1832, married Jonathan Moore; 
James, born 1783, died 1812; Hannah, born 1784; Joseph 
(grandfather) born 1788, died 1850, married Ann Davis, born 
1799, died March 30, 1873. James Abraham, Sr., came from 
Bucks county to Merion about the year 1700, and purchased 
the homestead which is still in the family.

The children of Joseph and Ann (Davis) Abraham; Anna, born 
1820, married James Shannon; Sarah, born 1822, married 
Jonathan Phillips; James, born February 7, 1824, married 
Susan Eastburn and (second wife) Elizabeth C. Rambo; 
Benjamin D., born 1826, married Jane Eastburn; Isaac George, 
born 1827, married Mary Wager; Thomas D. (father) born 1830, 
married Emily Scott, who died April 19, 1880, and he married 
(second wife) Mrs. Mary Rambo Pechin. Eliza, born 1831, 
married Jonathan Supplee; Ann, born 1837, married Owen 
Evans, who died April 26, 1903; Matilda, born 1836, died in 
infancy; Emma, born 1842, died in 1860; Joseph, born 1842, 
died in infancy.

Thomas D. Abraham was born on the homestead farm where 
Joseph Abraham now lives. He attended neighborhood schools 
until he was fourteen years of age, when he entered Rev. 
Samuel Aaron's and later Professor John W. Loch's Treemount 
Seminary at Norristown, where he studied several years. He 
was appointed postmaster of Abrams, formerly Merion, and 
held the position until his death. He was succeeded by 
Joseph Abraham until 1898, when Ellwood P. Abraham was 
appointed, and still holds the position.

Thomas D. Abraham was a Republican in politics, and a member 
of the First Baptist church of Norristown. He was one of the 
founders of the Union church, Upper Merion, and for several 
years one of its trustees. In 1850 he became the owner of 
the saw and grist mill, operating them as well as his farm 
until 1878. Soon afterwards he enlarged and remodeled the 
mill, putting in a paper mill plant for manufacturing 
binders and box board paper. On November 24, 1859, Mr. 
Abraham married Emily R. Scott, daughter of George Scott, of 
Norristown, who died April 19, 1880, in her forty-seventh 
year. Nearly four years later, on January 18, 1884, Mr. 
Abraham married Mrs. Mary Pechin, widow of George Pechin, 
and daughter of Daniel and Hannah (Eastburn) Rambo, of Upper 
Merion. Mr. Abraham's children, all by the first marriage, 
were: Elizabeth, born October 9, 1860, died January 28, 
1867; George S., born February 25, 1862, married Caroline 
Moreland, they residing in Pittsburg; William L. (subject of 
this sketch); Ellwood P., born February 19, 1866; Walter S., 
born February 1, 1869, married and lives in Washington, D. 
C.; Thomas H., born January 5, 1871, married and resides in 
Philadelphia, having two children: Howard and George; Emily 
E., born September 18, 1874, died in infancy.

William L. Abraham was born December 4, 1863, on the home 
farm, on which he grew to manhood, attending the public 
schools of the neighborhood and Treemount Seminary, 
Norristown. He is a Republican in politics, and has always 
taken an active interest in the affairs of the township, 
holding several minor positions from time to time, although 
attending strictly to business rather than seeking political 
preferment.
 
Mr. Abraham married Fannie Pugh, a descendant of an old 
Radnor family, also of Welsh descent. She was born June 23, 
1869, in Philadelphia. She was the daughter of Edward and 
Elizabeth (Dempsey) Pugh. She was married June 18, 1897. 
Their children: Caroline, born January 24, 1898: William L., 
born January 12, 1899; Thomas D., born January 2, 1900, died 
September 4, 1900; Mary M. and Elizabeth (twins), born 
November 3, 1900, died in infancy; Edward Pugh, born 
September 14, 1902, died in infancy.

Edward H. Pugh, Mrs. Abraham's father, was born May 24, 
1830, and died January, 1893. Mrs. Pugh, his wife, was born 
August 23, 1829, and died in June, 1897. Mr. Pugh was born 
in Radnor, Delaware county, Pennsylvania. At the age of 
seventeen years he went to Philadelphia and clerked in the 
grocery store of Michael Sloane. After his marriage he 
engaged in business with Brerk, Colket & Co. When Mr. Colket 
retired from the business, the firm became Brerk & Pugh, and 
after Mr. Brerk retired it became Pugh & Kuke. As the firm 
of Brerk & Pugh the house did business at Seventeenth and 
Market streets until their establishment was burned. Then 
they removed to 2116 Market street, where they remained 
until the death of Mr. Pugh. In politics he was a Republican 
but was not an office holder. He was president of the Radnor 
Garfield and Arthur Club, and took an active part in that 
campaign. His father was William Pugh, who married Mary 
Pugh. Their children were Samuel (deceased); John; Johanna, 
married Mr. Hibbard Hall, and lives at Norristown; Nelson; 
Sarah E. (deceased); Hunter (deceased); Roland J. and 
Addison Judson. Miss Sarah lives in Wayne. Edward H. Pugh, 
Mrs. William Abraham's father, married January 7, 1852, and 
had children as follows: William I., born February 2, 1853, 
died February 25, 1854; Sallie F., born March 12, 1855, 
married Theodore Ramsey; Mary F., born April 27, 1858, died 
March 31, 1859; Lizzie M., born January 4, 1860, married 
Joseph M. Fronefield; Edward E. born September 17, 1863, 
died April 25, 1864; Lillie I., born January 5, 1865, died 
August 20, 1865.

Benjamin D. Abraham was born on the Abraham homestead 
February 6, 1826, and lived there until his marriage. He was 
educated in the public schools. February 6, 1851, he married 
Miss Jane Eastburn, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Ramsey) 
Eastburn.Jane Eastburn was born in Upper Merion township, 
August 19, 1828, on the Eastburn homestead. Soon after their 
marriage they removed to the farm which has been their home 
ever since. The farm consists of one hundred acres, and is a 
part of the original tract purchased by James Abrams. The 
father of Benjamin Abraham had built a stone house and barn 
on the tract. He added to these from time to time until no 
better farm buildings could be found in Upper Merion 
township. When he took the farm it was nearly entirely in 
its native state, but he cleared it, planted orchards and 
shade trees, and it is now one of the best farms for miles 
around, In religious faith he was a Baptist all his life, 
and in politics a Democrat although not an office seeker. He 
died February 7, 1900, and was buried in the Montgomery 
cemetery in Norristown. The children of Mr. and Mrs. 
Benjamin Abraham were as follows: Anna M., born November 12, 
1851, died January 14, 1857; Margaret Julia, born November 
27, 1853, married William B. Thomas. Margaret Julia had the 
following children; Benjamin A. and Francis L. Josephine, 
born February 18, 1856, married Alfred Taylor. They had one 
child who died in infancy. Mrs. Taylor died April 8, 1880. 
George, born March 28, 1858, died in infancy. Emma Jane, 
born June 29, 1860, married Owen Evans. Their children: 
Clara Jane, Benjamin and Edward, twins, and Margaret. Edwin, 
born November 27, 1865. Owen E., born November 24, 1867, is 
unmarried and resides in Jersey City. He is a practicing 
surveyor. Alice Lida, born February 17, 1870, married 
William B. Oberholtzer, and has one son, William A.
 
Edwin M., the sixth child of Benjamin Abraham, was born in 
the homestead, and attended the public schools of the 
neighborhood until he was ten years of age When he was sent 
to Treemount Seminary at Norristown, taught by Mr. Loch. 
After four years spent at this school he returned to the 
farm where he has since resided. He is a member of 
Montgomery Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 
and has been a member for ten years, also a member of Beaver 
Tribe of Red Men, Norristown Lodge, No. 62. He is a Democrat 
in politics, and although his district has a Republican 
majority he was elected supervisor in 1902.

March 24, 1897, he married Elberta Davis, daughter of Jesse 
C. and Elizabeth (Bartholomew) Davis, members of an old 
Montgomery county family. Miss Elberta Davis was born May 
25, 1865. Jesse C. Davis was born in Chester county, 
November 3, 1841, and his wife was born October 24, 1843, 
near Green Lee, in Upper providence township, Montgomery 
county, where her family had lived for many generations. 
They had one child, Mrs. Edwin Abraham.

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