Vol II - Part 19: pp. 450 - 475.
(Page 450 cont.) MONTGOMERY CHRISTMAN, justice of the peace and dealer in coal, feed and lumber
at Sanatoga Station, was born on a farm in Limerick township, Montgomery county,
September 5, 1847. He is the son of Jacob H. and Catharine (Zollar) Christman, also
natives of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Montgomery Christman was one of four
children, two of whom are now living: Montgomery C., and Sarah, wife of John Fry,
of Limerick township. Jacob H. Christman (father) was a farmer and a dealer in cattle. During the
latter years of his life, however, he devoted himself exclusively to farming. He
died in Limerick township, in the first house on the pike in the western part of
Limerick, on December 20, 1879, at the age of sixty-two years and ten months. His
wife is still living at the age of seventy-nine years. They were members of the
Reformed church, In politics he was a Democrat. He belonged to the state
militia. Daniel Christman (grandfather) was a farmer in Limerick township. He built the
first house below Crooked Hill, now Sanatoga. He died at the age of sixty-two. His
wife was Sarah Hahn, who died at the age of seventy-five. They had five children,
one son and four daughters, of whom is still living Mrs. William H. Smith, of
Pottstown, now eighty-two years old. The maternal grandfather of Montgomery
Christman was an early settler in New Hanover township, and was a farmer. They had
nine children, all of whom lived to an old age. Montgomery Christman lived in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, until he was
eighteen years of age. (Page 451) December 27, 1869, Montgomery Christman married Miss Mary P. Mottin, of St.
Louis county, Missouri, daughter of Augustus Mottin. They had two children- William
Daniel, who now resides in St. Louis, Missouri, where he is engaged in business, and
one who died in infancy. Mrs. Christman died July 16, 1875, at the age of twenty-two
years. In May, 1888, Montgomery Christman married Miss Laura T. Miller, daughter of
Joseph T. and Elizabeth (Linderman) Miller, of Lower Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania. They
had one child who died in infancy. Mrs. Christman is a member of the Lutheran
church. Politically Mr. Christman is a Democrat. He is serving his fourth term as
justice of the peace of Lower Pottsgrove township, Montgomery county, and he held
the position for one term in St. Louis county, Missouri. His home property consists
of seven acres highly cultivated, and seventeen acres along the pike. He owns a farm
of sixty acres in St. Louis county, Missouri. Mrs. Christman's parents were early settlers in Montgomery county, and both are
still living in Lower Pottsgrove township. They had six children, four now living,
as follows: Warren T. Miller; Ira T. Miller, of Philadelphia; Mary A. Boyer, of
Pottstown; and Mrs. Laura Christman. GEORGE FREAS was born June 17, 1849, in Plymouth township, on the farm now owned
by Jacob Buckman. He is the son of George and Margaret (Hellings) Freas. George Freas (father) was the son of Samuel and Mary Magdalena (Wient) Freas,
and was born September 21, 1812, in Plymouth township, on the same farm where his
son was born. He attended the Sandy Hill school, and then purchased the farm from
his father, and followed the occupation of farming until his declining years. He
was a member of a local troop of mounted horsemen in his youth, and was an ardent
Republican, although he never sought public office. Margaret Hellings, his wife,
was born April 26, 1815, and died June 5, 1891. They were members of the Lutheran
church at Barren Hill. George Freas died December 18, 1890. George Freas and
Margaret Hellings were married January 2, 1831. Their children were: Malinda,
Samuel, Mary, Margaret, John, Elizabeth, George, Ellen, Henry H., Kate and Emma
(twins). Malinda was born September 17, 1837, and married Powell Childs, of
Plymouth township, who was school director for a number of years, and was a
prominent Republican leader in Montgomery county. They had six children, four now
living, three daughters and one son, George, who married Sallie Burk of Whitemarsh
township, they have one child. Samuel, the second child of George Freas (father)
was born January 26, 1836, and died in 1900. He married Isabella Mattis, daughter
of Jacob and Sarah Mattis, of Whitemarsh township. They had two children- West, who
married Miss Reiner, of Ambler; and Clara, who married Joel Stackhouse, of Whitpain.
Mary, the third child of George Freas, was born September 17, 1839, and died January
26, 1842. Margaret, the fourth child, was born January 10, 1843, and is living
unmarried in Germantown. John Freas, the fifth child, was born January 2, 1845, and
married Annie Tammany, daughter of Peter Tammany, of Oreland. They have three
children: Cora, married Lemuel Kensler; Millie, Warren. Elizabeth, the sixth child
of George Freas, was born February 1, 1848, died August 1848. George, the seventh
child, is the subject of this sketch. Ellen, the eighth child of George Freas, was
born May 24, 1851. She married T. J. Seltzer, of Plymouth township, who is the
son of Samuel and Margaret Seltzer. Mr. and Mrs. Seltzer had five children: Ida,
Elsie, Maggie, Walter and Lizzie (deceased). Henry H., the ninth child of George
Freas was born May 14, 1856, died November 29, 1857. Kate and Emma (twins), the
last children of George Freas, were born November 29, 1859. Kate married Frank
Graver, of Whitemarsh township, they having one son, Clarence. Emma married Daniel
Beirley, of Plymouth township, they having one son, Harold. The Freas family is of German extraction, the name being spelled originally
Fries. George Freas, who married Barbara Wolf, was an infant of one year when the
family came from Germany about the middle of the eighteenth century. Their children
were John, George, Samuel, Jacob, Benjamin, Daniel, Joseph, William, Mary (Mrs.
Samuel Roberts), and Catherine (Mrs. William Freas). Samuel (grandfather) was
probably born about 1786. He was a well known blacksmith at Cold Point, and his
brother Joseph was one of his apprentices for a time. Samuel Freas married
Magdelena Wient, and died in 1861, at the age of about seventy-five years. His
brother Joseph did not like the blacksmith trade, and became a farmer. He is also
the progenitor of a large family. George Freas spent his early life on the homestead farm, attending the public
schools at Cold Point. He followed the carpenter trade for six years, and then
engaged in butchering. He attends the Conshohocken market with articles in his
line, and has missed but five days in twenty-seven years. In 1890 he removed to his
present home which he bought from John Marple. He is a member of the Patriotic Order of Sons of America, Junior Order of
American Mechanics; Hickorytown Beneficial Society, and Knights of Golden Eagle. He
is a staunch Republican, and has always taken an active interest in politics. He has
been township school tax collector for a number of years. He married Emma Marple, daughter of Daniel and Mary Marple. The couple have
three children, as follows: Lillian Ethel, born April 21, 1879; Viola Lulu, born
November 25; 1885; Earl D., born October 8, 1887. The eldest daughter, Lillian
Ethel, is a school teacher. Mr. Freas' wife, Emma Maple, was born February 12, 1849, in Hickorytown. Her
father, Daniel Marple, was a blacksmith by trade, and lime burner, who also
followed farming. He was a lifelong resident of Montgomery county and a school
director in Plymouth township for number of terms. In politics he was a Democrat. He died at the age of forty-five years. Daniel
Marple's wife, Mrs. Mary Marple, was born in Whitemarsh township in 1827. She was
the daughter of Daniel Fisher, a farmer and lime burner, who died at the age of
ninety-three years. She lives in Ambler with her son, Daniel Marple. Their children: George (deceased), who married Kate Peters of Trappe, they
having three children; Charles, who married Kate Marple, they having, one child;
Emma, wife of George Freas; Mary Jane (deceased); Elizabeth F. (deceased); and
Annie who married Howard Brownholtz, of Whitemarsh, they having one child; Daniel
F., of Ambler. J. MAURICE BISBING. The Bisbing family are old residents of the vicinity of
Flourtown. Jacob Bisbing, grandfather of J. Maurice Bisbing, was born in
Springfield township, in that neighborhood. He was twice married, and had four
children by each marriage. He was a farmer by occupation, and was much respected by
the community in which he lived. He lived in Springfield when the British army
marched through it during the Revolutionary war, his father's residence being
visited by the soldiers, who took the bread from the oven in which it was baked, at
the point of the bayonet. Among the children of Jacob Bisbing by his first wife was Robert, who after
reaching the age at which he could be placed from home was indentured to his uncle,
Robert McCurdy, residing in the same vicinity. He was educated in the neighboring
schools, and, on leaving school engaged in the occupation of farming, which he
followed very successfully all his life. He was good business man, and was a valued
member of his community. In politics he was a Democrat, and served as school
director for many years. He felt much interest in educational progress: He married
Miss Mary A. Heilig, of Springfield township, both being long deceased. (Page 453) Mr. and Mrs. Bisbing had the following children: Robert, died young; Emma L.,
deceased, married Thomas May Peirce, the founder of the celebrated Peirce's
Business College, Philadelphia; Anna, Margaret, and J. Maurice, the subject of this
sketch. J. Maurice Bisbing was born in Springfield township, near what is now Laverock,
December 13, 1842. He was educated in the public schools of the vicinity, and on
relinquishing his school studies engaged in business on his own account, purchasing
on credit, fifty-one acres from his father's estate. In a few years, by dint of
great industry and good management, he paid for it. He has since made extensive
improvements. In 1888 he erected his present home, a modern and commodious house,
and in 1892-93 he built the additional farm buildings upon his tract where his son
now resides. Few residents of this township have as desirable homes as he. His son
has erected on land adjoining a handsome residence in which he lives. Mr. Bisbing
is fond of sport, and scarcely a year passes that he does not leave home on a
gunning and fishing expedition, on which he spends a month or more, and derives, as
he believes, great benefit from it. He married, August 19, 1867, Miss Elmira B. Roberts, born June 6, 1843, daughter
of Alexander M. and Mary C. (Baumann) Roberts, of Springfield township, a farmer.
The couple have the following children: Robert, born November 1, 1868, married Lucy
Yeakel, and has one child, Lucy; Clara, born March 22, 1870, married Dr. Warren
Funk, having one child, Mildred. Mr. Bisbing is a Democrat in politics, and has
held the office of school director for many years. He is highly esteemed by all who
know him. His family attend the Lutheran church. HENRY B. FILLMAN. Among the residents of Whitemarsh township, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, who have gained a sufficient competence to allow them to retire from
the active duties of life, this having come to them as the reward of earnest and
conscientious labor, and who stand high the esteem of the people, is Henry B.
Fillman, a representative of one of the pioneer families of Montgomery county. The first ancestor of the family of whom there is any authentic information was
Peter Fillman, who came to this section of the state with his father, David
Fillman, they having to endure the privations and hardships of the early days.
Peter Fillman (grandfather) was educated in the common schools, and was one of the
prosperous agriculturists of his day. He married, and among the children born to
him was a son, Charles, (father) whose birth occurred on the old homestead, in
1812. After completing a common school education he turned his attention to the
hauling of lime, and being an active and industrious man was gaining a lucrative
livelihood and accumulating a comfortable competence at the time of his death, in
1848, at the age of thirty-six years. He was a Democrat in politics, but never
sought or held public office. By his marriage to Louisa Miller, now deceased, of Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, four
children were born, two of whom died in infancy. The surviving members of the family
are Thomas B., and Henry B., mentioned hereinafter. After the death of Charles
Fillman, his widow became the wife of George Stout, by whom she had four
children. Henry B, Fillman was born in Springfield township, Montgomery county,
Pennsylvania, September 10, 1842. He attended the common schools of the
neighborhood, and on completing his education served an apprenticeship at the trade
of blacksmith, becoming proficient in all its detail, and this line of work he
followed for one year. He then took up the butchering business, which he conducted
successfully up to the present year (1904), when he retired. In 1884 he located in
Whitemarsh township, Montgomery county, purchasing the old Holb farm, whereon his
days are now spent in ease and comfort. In politics he is a staunch Democrat, and
has always taken an active part in township, county, state and national affairs.
While a resident of Plymouth township he served as school director from 1880 to
1884, when he removed to his present place of residence. He is a member of the Sons
of America, and the Brotherhood Union, in which organizations he is an active and
potent factor. (Page 454) Mr. Fillman was united in marriage, in 1867, to Miss Annie R. Yetter, a daughter
of Abraham and Martha Yetter, the former named a farmer of Whitemarsh township,
Their children are: Frederick, who married for his first wife Margaret Himes, and
for his second Miss Gertrude Brey; he is the father of one child; Gertrude, who
became the wife of the Rev. George Weeks; Laura, unmarried; Harry, unmarried;
Leslie, unmarried; and Charles, unmarried. Mr. Fillman and his family attend the
Baptist church of Whitemarsh township. They reside in a comfortable modern home,
and are looked upon as among the most substantial people in the community. EDWIN BARNES. The Barnes family, from England, were among the earliest settlers
of what is now Montgomery county, a member of the family who came to America in the
time of William Penn having given land to Abington Friends' Meeting for school
purposes, which greatly increased in value and has become the basis of a valuable
educational fund. John Barnes, great-grandfather of Edwin Barnes, settled in Horsham township,
where he obtained 229 acres of land from the proprietor of the province of
Pennsylvania, William Penn. He had a large family of children, among them Benjamin.
Benjamin (grandfather) was born on the Barnes homestead in Horsham township. He
acquired an ordinary education and became a farmer, devoting his attention to such
pursuits all his life. He married Miss Susan Stubbs, also of Horsham township. The
couple had several children, among them George. George Barnes (father) was born on the old farm. He was educated in the public
schools, and then turned his attention to agriculture, which pursuit he followed
through life. He removed from Horsham township to Hatboro, also in Montgomery
county, in politics he was an active Whig and, later, on the organization of that
party, a Republican. Mr. Barnes married Sarah Marple, who was a member of the
Society of Friends, daughter of a prominent farmer of Horsham township. The couple
had five children. Their son, Edwin, the subject of this sketch, was born in Hatboro, August 9,
1835. He was educated in the neighborhood schools, devoted his attention to
farming, and followed that pursuit for a number of years. Recently he has lived
retired. Several years ago he removed to Springfield township, and purchased a
beautiful home at Flourtown where he has since resided. He married December 19, 1861, Miss Cordelia Donnalley, born October 31, 1835,
daughter of Thomas K. (deceased) and Susan (Felty) Donnalley, of the state of Ohio,
in which state Mrs. Barnes was born. The couple have the following children: Lydia,
born October 18, 1863, who married Lemuel Dager, they having one child, Leslie
Dager; Leslie, born October 16, 1866, who married Laura Brinton, daughter of Jesse
and Lydia (Wood) Brinton; to this union were born four children- Marion, Hallet,
Channing and Donnalley Barnes. Mr. Barnes is a strong Republican in politics, but has not sought political
preferment, although he has served several years as assessor, his good judgment as
to the value of property making him especially useful in this capacity. Mr. Barnes
and his wife attend the Reformed church. JOHN S. NEWBOLD, deceased, who throughout his active career fully exemplified
the best principles of citizenship and ably sustained the reputation he gained for
business ability and sterling upright character, was born in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, in 1831. The Newbold family is of English origin, and resided for
centuries at Hackenthorpe, in Derbyshire, England. The ancestor of the American branch of the Newbold family was Michael Newbold,
who emigrated from the vicinity of Sheffield, England, to this country in 1680,
settling near Croswicks, Burlington county, New Jersey. He belonged to the
established Church of England, and was one of the leading contributors to the
erection of the old church at St. Mary's, Burlington. The line of descent is traced
through William Newbold, great-great-grandson of Michael Newbold, who was born in
the year 1780, and died in 1841. (Page 455) When a mere lad he left the town of Burlington; Pennsylvania, locating in the
city of Philadelphia, where he laid the foundation of prosperity for his
descendants, who are quite numerous. He engaged in mercantile pursuits in
partnership with his brother and William Montgomery, under the firm name of
Montgomery & Newbolds, and under their judicious management the business
prospered greatly, becoming in due course of time one of the leading enterprises of
the city. William Henry Newbold, son of William Newbold, founded the present banking firm
of W. H. Newbold's Son & Company, purchasing the property near Jenkintown,
Pennsylvania, in 1850. In business life, success depends so entirely upon
individual merit that when one has attained a position of prominence, as did
William H. Newbold, by his conservative management of affairs, it is an
unmistakable evidence of ability, natural and acquired. His career was one of
marked enterprise, wherein his reliable methods contributed in a large measure to
his prosperity. He was a man of intelligence and piety, was honored and esteemed
accordingly, and as a citizen was ever alert and earnest in promoting the welfare
of his city, state and nation. In 1857 he built the Church of Our Savior, in
Jenkintown, as a thank-offering to the Lord for his harrow escape from death in a
railroad accident during that year. After a life of usefulness and activity, Mr.
Newbold died in the year 1862. John S. Newbold, son of William H. Newbold, for many years the senior member of
the firm of W. H. Newbold's Son & Company, possesses in a large degree the
characteristics of his forefathers-business ability, integrity, good judgment and
perseverance-and by the exercise of these traits he became a prominent factor in
banking circles, and was enabled to amass a handsome competence. He was interested
in several important enterprises, and served in the capacity of director of the
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, of the Insurance Company of North America, and
of the Library Company of Philadelphia. He was an honorable, conscientious man, a
thorough Christian in every sense of the word, and was held in high estimation by
all who came in contact with him, either in business or social life. He was a vestryman of Christ Church, Philadelphia. At the death of his father in
1862, the property which had been named "Vernon" in honor of Newbold Vernon,
England, came into his possession, and he resided thereon up to the time of his
decease. Mr. Newbold was united in marriage to Miss Buckley, who is a descendant through
the Penrose family from Tobias Leech, who was one of the original settlers of the
township of Cheltenham, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and who so named it from
the town of Cheltenham, in Gloucestershire, England, from whence he came to this
country. John S. Newbold died in 1887. His widow resides on the old ancestral
property. Clement B. Newbold, son of John S. Newbold, purchased the group of farms where
he now resides, naming the place "Crosswicks," the name of the village in
Burlington county, New Jersey, where Michael Newbold, the immigrant ancestor,
located on his arrival in America in 1680. He is a member of the firm of W. H.
Newbold's Son & Company. In 1897 he married Miss Mary Scott, daughter of
Colonel Thomas A. Scott, who was president of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company for
many years. Arthur E. Newbold, son of John S. Newbold, is a member of the firm of W. H.
Newbold's Son & Company. He is also a director of the Philadelphia Saving Fund
Society, the Pennsylvania Company for Insurance on Lives and Granting Annuities,
the Commercial Trust Company, and the Insurance Company of North America. He
purchased property at Laveroch Station, on the Cresheim Branch of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, and named his place "Farleigh." He married Miss Harriet Dixon,
granddaughter of Hon. George M. Dallas, once vice-president of the United
States. (Page 456) J. QUINCY THOMAS, M. D., was born November 22, 1874, at the old family homestead
where his grandfather, Garrett Hunsicker Thomas, had resided. The first American
ancestry of the family arrived in this country from Wales in the early part of the
seventeenth century. Garrett Hunsicker Thomas, the grandfather, was born in Lower
Providence township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and in his youth attended the
common school through the winter seasons, while in the summer months he worked upon
the home farm. He early gained comprehensive and practical knowledge of farming
methods, and throughout his entire life he was identified with agricultural
interests. Honored and respected by all, he lived in harmony with his fellow men,
being straightforward in business and reliable in citizenship. John R. Thomas, the father of J. Quincy Thomas, was born in Lower, Providence
township in 1844. He received very good educational privileges for that period. At
an early age he accompanied his parents when they crossed to Mifflintown (there
being no railroads at that time) and in that locality he assisted his father in
farming. After about four years, however, he returned to the old home place, where
he continued to engage in the work of the fields and meadows until he retired from
active business life. He is yet living in the enjoyment of a well earned rest; and
at all times has enjoyed the confidence and good will of his, fellow men. He
married Miss Mary Hunsicker, of Montgomery county, who is still living and their
children are Wilbur, Allen, Morgan and John Quincy. The last named was a pupil in the public schools of his home neighborhood in his
early boyhood days, and subsequently continued studies in Norristown, Pennsylvania,
after which he entered the West Chester State Normal School, where he remained for
several terms, thus acquiring a broad liberal education as a preparation for his
professional training. Early in life he determined to become a physician and on
leaving the normal school he entered the medical department of the University of
Pennsylvania, where he completed the regular course and was graduated with honors
in the class of 1898. He then served for one year as resident physician in the
hospital at Norristown, after which he came to Conshohocken, where he is now
living. He has secured here a large and constantly growing practice, having early
demonstrated his skill and ability. He is a member of the County Medical Society, of the American Medical Society,
and a charter member of the John Dever Society of Philadelphia. His interest in his
profession, both from a scientific and humanitarian standpoint, is deep and sincere
and has led to his investigation of everything that tends to promote the efficiency
of the physician's labors in securing the best results in the administration
of-remedial agencies for the alleviation of human suffering. Like his father, Dr.
Thomas is a Republican in his political views. He was married in 1901 to Miss
Lottie Trumbower, of Quakertown, Pennsylvania, and to them has been born a
daughter, Eva K. Thomas. HON. JOHN A. WENTZ, who served a term as senator from Montgomery county, is a
member of one of the oldest families in that section of Pennsylvania, its members
having attained considerable prominence in colonial times. He is a native of
Whitemarsh township, where he was born November 1, 1858. He received a good public
school education, his last term being under the tuition of Ellwood Roberts, at the
Whitemarsh school, near Fort Washington. He was reared to farming, but decided to
seek another avocation upon reaching manhood. When Mr. Wentz was seventeen years of
age he became an apprentice to the plumbing trade. After he had finished the
apprenticeship of five years he accepted a position with the firm of Mulligan &
Allen, of Philadelphia, as bookkeeper in the plumbing supply business. Three years
later Mr. Wentz became a salesman for A. S. Hills & Co., in whose employ he
continued about eight years. On leaving that firm he became a representative of the largest plumbing supply
house in Philadelphia, that of Fleck Brothers, at Fifth and Market streets, which
position he still retains. From his earliest years Mr. Wentz has been identified
with the Democratic party. He was thrice elected auditor of Springfield township,
Montgomery county. He also represented the Democrats of his township in the
Democratic county committee, and during his service in that capacity published a
book of rules for the government of the preparatory meetings and nominating
conventions of the party. (Page 457) In 1892 he was nominated on the Democratic ticket for jury commissioner, and ran
nearly six hundred votes ahead of the Republican candidate for that office. In 1892
he was appointed by Edward F. Kane the Democratic county chairman, the chairman for
the lower end of the county, and rendered very efficient service in explaining the
new election law to the voters of the party, the workers and the election officers.
In 1894 he was elected a member of the school board in Ambler, to which place he
had removed. After three years service in the board he was re-elected, although his
ward was four to one Republican. Although Mr. Wentz was the only Democrat in the
school board, he was honored with a unanimous election as its president. He is a
past master of Fort Washington Lodge, No. 308, Free and Accepted Masons; past high
priest of Fort Washington Chapter, and a member of Fort Washington Lodge, No. 1123,
I. O. O. F. He was for two years chairman of the legislative committee of the State
School Directors' Association of Pennsylvania. In 1898 Mr. Wentz received the nomination for state senator over two strong
Democratic opponents, and after a very vigorous and exciting canvass he was elected
over the Republican nominee for the position, J. P. Hale Jenkins, a very popular
member of his party, by a majority of 145 votes. He was an untiring worker during
the legislative sessions of 1899 and 1901, serving on the following Senate
committees: Appropriations, Education, Library, Public Printing, Public Supply of
Light, Heat and Water. He introduced bills and championed them through the
legislature making school boards in townships boards of health, and empowering
courts to appoint juries to condemn and free turnpike roads forming a boundary line
between counties. Both bills became laws. He took a very active interest in the
passage of the seven months minimum school term bill, and other measures of
interest to the friends of public education. Senator Wentz made a most excellent
record in the legislature. He is a valued correspondent of the Norristown Herald and other newspapers and
magazines, his contributions being characterized by practical good sense and sound
judgment. Although a strong Democrat, Mr. Wentz is by no means a bitter partisan,
and he does not allow his party affiliations to blind him to what is good in his
opponents. He is a persistent advocate of improved educational methods, and has
made many addresses before school boards and other educational bodies. He is an
earnest advocate of reforms, and in the legislature was the vigorous and untiring
opponent of every obnoxious measure, being solely guided by the interests of his
constituents and the public. He took an earnest stand in favor of honest
government, thereby incurring the enmity of many members of the legislature of his
own party. It would be well for Pennsylvania if there were more Wentzs in her
legislative halls, and fewer of the kind who take orders from party "bosses."
Ex-Senator Wentz deserves credit for being better than his party when so many are
worse, and appear to imagine that they have no responsibility to the public. The
time will come when men like Mr. Wentz, who are patriots rather than mere
partisans, will be elevated to the important offices in the commonwealth rather
than the mere tools of machine leaders who have no qualifications beyond the favor
of the men who control politics. Mr. Wentz is the son of George H. and Sarah A. (Wentz) Wentz. George H. Wentz
was a son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Scheetz) Wentz. Jonathan's father was one of
three brothers who came from Germany about the middle of the eighteenth century and
settled in Worcester township, taking up a large tract of land. Wentz's Reformed
church in Worcester township was built by the Wentz brothers, and was named after
the family, who were quite numerous in that vicinity. Jonathan Wentz (grandfather) was born in Worcester township, but after his
marriage to Elizabeth Scheetz settled in Whitemarsh township, where he became a
prominent citizen. He was a farmer, miller and lime burner. He supplied flour for
many years to the Eastern Penitentiary, besides sending large quantities to
Philadelphia to supply the retail trade, the quality of his product making it very
much in demand. He furnished lime to many contractors in Philadelphia, having it
hauled by his own teams, and delivering it wherever it was wanted. He kept forty
horses for teaming and farming, and carried on business very extensively in each
line in which he was engaged. Many of his teams on the road consisted of four and
six horses. He bought large quantities of wheat for his mill. The miller purchased
and weighed the wheat at the mill, marking the number of bushels on the brim of the
farmer's cap, who would then go to the office at the Wentz residence, lay down his
cap and receive his money. There was at that time a greater degree of confidence
between buyer and seller than there is at the present time. Mrs. Wentz was a
daughter of General Henry Scheetz, of the third generation of the family in
America. (Page 458) His father, also Henry, was a judge and one of the organizers of Montgomery
county. He was appointed associate judge on December 10, 1784. The son Henry
acquired his title in the war of 1812. He was assistant to the first United States
treasurer, and filled many posts of honor. He was one of the organizers of the Bank
of Montgomery county, now the Montgomery National Bank, which was for many years the
only institution of the kind in the county, and was for many years one of its
directors. He died at Sugar Loaf Hill. His children: Mrs. Jonathan Wentz, Mrs.
Eliza Acuff, Mrs. Hitner. The children of Jonathan Wentz: Henry S., a civil engineer; Elizabeth, Mrs.
Shugard; Catharine, Mrs. Shade; George H., father of Senator Wentz. George H. Wentz married at nineteen years of age, and settled on the farm in
Whitemarsh township on which he spent the remainder of his life. He died June 21,
1882. In politics he was a Democrat, but never sought or held office. He was a
charter member of Fort Washington Lodge of the Masonic order. He married Sarah A.,
daughter of Jacob Wentz, a distant relative. Jacob Wentz assisted in organizing the
Union Reformed church of Whitemarsh, and was a liberal supporter of it during his
entire life. The church was built in 1818, and remained a Union church until 1894.
The burying ground attached is still a union cemetery. The children of Jacob Wentz: Theresa, Mrs. Bitting, of Ambler, now deceased;
Margaret, Mrs. Martin; Sarah A., mother of Senator Wentz; Mary E., Mrs. Yeakle;
Daniel H.; Amanda, Mrs. Detwiler; Thomas J.; and John. Jacob Wentz owned and
resided on the old Hope Lodge farm near Fort Washington, where he died in 1855. He
was a prominent Mason, having been secretary and treasurer for many years of Hiram
Lodge of Germantown, and an organizer of Fort Washington Lodge of that order. He
had the third story of his residence fitted up for a lodge room, but died before
the organization was fully completed. His funeral was one of the most largely
attended ever held in that vicinity, and his death was widely regretted. The children of George H. and Sarah A. Wentz: Margaret M. (Mrs. S. S. Jones);
Catharine, died unmarried in 1898; Jacob, a farmer; Theresa B., unmarried; John A.,
subject of this sketch; William A., a machinist; Ella M., unmarried. Ex-Senator Wentz's record in the legislature has been highly commended by
friends of good government without respect to partisan feeling, some of the best
endorsements he has received coming from Republicans, who appreciated his
independence and his honesty and efficiency as a public official. NICHOLAS BAGGS, an enterprising and public-spirited citizen of Abington
township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, who served with credit and distinction
during the war of the Rebellion, laying aside the pen to take up the sword in
defense of the country he loved, is a native of Hillsboro, Caroline county,
Maryland, the date of his birth being June 6, 1835. Isaac Baggs, grandfather of Nicholas Baggs, was born October 18, 1769. He was
united in marriage July 14, 1796, to Nancy Price, who was born February 16, 1777, a
daughter of Morgan Price, and by this marriage were born two sons, namely: William
P., born April 23, 1798; and John, born December 19, 1799. Isaac Baggs married for
his second wife Mary Price, a sister of his first wife; she was born February 12,
1786, and died December 15, 1839. The issue of this union was the following named
children: Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah, Mary, Martha, Henrietta, Avarilla, Hannah and
Louisa Baggs. (Page 459) William P. Baggs, father of Nicholas Baggs, was born near Centerville, Queen
Anne county, Maryland, April 23, 1798. He was reared on his father's farm, and
received a liberal education which thoroughly qualified him for the position of
school teacher, in which capacity he served in the neighborhood schools for a
number of years, discharging his duties with the greatest efficiency. By his marriage to Mary Nichols, who was a daughter of Jonathan and Hannah
Nichols, the following named children were born: Ann Elizabeth, born February 19,
1821, died August 25, 1845; John Nichols, born March 20, 1823, died August 1838;
William Montgomery, born May 30, 1824, married Anna M. Malseed, a daughter of John
and Mary Malseed, who bore him five children: James, Walter, Harry, Montgomery and
Mary; Gustavus, born March 11, 1827, died January 25, 1852; Isaac, born October 18,
1825, died about 1885; James, born April, 1830, died in infancy; Charles, born
September 26, 1828, died in infancy; George W., born July 22, 1831, died in 1889;
Joshua, born October 12, 1833, died in infancy; Nicholas, born June 6, 1835,
mentioned at length hereinafter. The career of William P. Baggs (father) was cut
prematurely short by death at the early age of thirty-six years. Nicholas Baggs attended the common schools of his birthplace, Hillsboro,
Maryland, the model school between Eighth and Ninth streets and Race and Vine
streets, Philadelphia, and the grammar school located at that time on Zane, near
Seventh street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father died prior to his birth, and
his mother when he was but five years of age. His sister then took charge of him,
but she too was taken from him by death one year later. He then found a home among
his relatives, and at the tender age of twelve years secured employment in the dry
goods store of Eyre & Landell. His remuneration for the first year was but one
dollar per week, with the understanding that he was to receive an additional dollar
for each succeeding year until his salary should reach five dollars per week. At the
end of the fifth year he was promoted to the position of clerk, serving as such
until he attained the age of twenty-two years. In the meantime he acquired the art
of bookkeeping by devoting his evenings to study, and the firm advanced him to the
position of cashier and bookkeeper, in which capacity he served for four years at a
very moderate salary. Being desirous of bettering his financial condition, he
dissolved his connection with the firm with which he had been so long associated,
and entered the employ of Julius Hauel, manufacturer of French perfumes, his
establishment being located on Chestnut street, above Seventh street, Philadelphia,
at a salary of nine hundred dollars a year. After a short period of time his former
employers sent for him, offering him the same pay he was then receiving, which was
nearly three times the amount they had previously given him. Feeling more at home
with the old firm, he returned to them and remained with them one year, and then
entered the employ of Hacker and Conrad, remaining with them until the breaking out
of the war of the rebellion. Mr. Baggs then laid aside his pen and enlisted as first lieutenant of Company D,
Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery (One Hundred and Twelfth Regiment, Pennsylvania
Volunteers), serving for three years, during which time he never lost a days
service until he was wounded at the battle of Chapin's Farm. At the expiration of
his time, January 9, 1865, he was honorably discharged. He participated in the
following named engagements, as taken from the war records: He entered the service
as first lieutenant of Battery D, Second Pennsylvania Volunteers, Heavy Artillery,
to rank from December 16, 1861, promoted to captain August 23, 1862. Wounded at
Chapin's Farm (Fort Gilmer), Virginia, September 29, 1864; received a gunshot in
the left arm while serving as A. A. A. General [sic] to Colonel H. S. Fairchild,
commanding the (Page 460) Third Brigade, Second Division, Eighteenth Army Corps. Mustered out January 9,
1865, expiration term of service. The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery (One
Hundred and Twelfth Pennsylvania Volunteers), was organized at Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, February 8, 1862, with Charles Angeroth, Sr., as colonel; John H.
Oberteuffer, Sr., lieutenant-colonel; and William Candidus, major. The regiment
served in the defenses of Washington, and artillery division, Military District of
Washington, from February 25, 1862. First Brigade defenses north of the Potomac,
District of Washington, from January, 1863. First Brigade, Haskin's Division,
defenses of Washington, Twenty-second Army Corps from February, 1863. First
Brigade, De Russey's Division, Department of Washington, Twenty-second Army Corps,
from April, 1864. Third Brigade, Second Division, Eighteenth Army Corps, Army of
the James, from June, 1864. Provisional Brigade, defenses of Bermuda Hundred, and
First Brigade, Infantry Division, Army of the James, Department of Virginia and
North Carolina from December, 1864: Sub-District of the Blackwater and District of
the Nottoway Department of Virginia and Division of the Atlantic, from May, 1865.
Batteries D, G and H, duty at Fort Delaware, January 9 to March 19, 1862. The
remaining companies served in the fortifications of Washington, D. C., from
February 25, 1862, to May 27, 1864. Batteries D, G and H joined the regiment March
19; 1862. Batteries L and M were added to the regiment, and moved from Fort
Delaware to Washington November 24, 1862. The regiment embarked on steamer "Young
America" for Port Royal, Virginia, May 27, 1864; operations at Cold Harbor, June
3-12; repulse of night attack, June 7, under heavy artillery fire June 12, flank
movement on Petersburg, June 12-16, 1864. Siege of Petersburg and Richmond, June
16, 1864 until April 2, 1868. Assault on the intrenched lines near Jordan's House,
June 16-17, 1864, Capture of redoubt on Spring Hill road, June 17. Assault near
City Point Railroad, June 18, repulse of Hoke's attack near Hare's Hill, June 24;
duty in the intrenchments, June 24 to August 23; mine explosion or battle of the
Crater, July 30, (In reserve). Operations on the north side of the James River
September 29-October 30, 1864, Moved to Deep Bottom and Malvern Hill, September 28.
Battle of Chapin's Farm and capture of Fort Harrison, September 29. Operations about
Dutch Gap, October 4-30. Reconnaissance in force to Fair Oaks and Darbytown Road,
October 27-28, detachment. Occupied the line south of Fort Harrison, Fort Burnham,
until December 2. Duty on the Bermuda Hundred front, December, 1864, March, 1865,
Battery A on duty at Fort Fisher, North Carolina, February to August, 1865. Fall of
Petersburg, April 2, and of Richmond, April 3. Pursuit of the enemy to Chesterfield
station April 3. Duty in Petersburg, guarding the approaches, until April, 5-11.
Provost duty in the sub-district of the Blackwater and District of the Nottoway,
April, 1865, until January, 1866. Mustered out at City Point, Virginia, January 29,
1866. Discharged at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 16, 1866. On February 24, 1859, Mr. Baggs married Lydia P. Longstreth, a daughter of
Thomas Mifflin and Deborah M. (Dempsey), Longstreth, of Philadelphia. By this union
were born five children, as follows: Mary Nichols, born July 23, 1860; Louise
Dilworth, born May 29, 1862; Edward Colwell, born August 16, 1864 died September
28, 1901; Albert N., born August 28, 1870; and Robert Murray, born February 13,
1876, died August --, 1876. Just prior to the death of his devoted mother, Nicholas Baggs, then scarcely
five years of age, was led by her to her pastor, and avowed total abstinence, and
from that time to the present (1904) has never broken his vow, notwithstanding the
many exigencies and temptations which presented themselves during his term of
service in the army. Albert N. Baggs, fourth child of Nicholas and Lydia P. (Longstreth) Baggs, was
born in the city of Philadelphia, August 28, 1870. He received his education at the
Germantown Academy, and was graduated from the Medical Department, Pennsylvania
University, in the class of 1892. He then became connected with the University
Hospital, remaining for two years. He then went to Lattimar, Luzerne county,
Pennsylvania, where he remained two years, and from there he came to Abington,
having his office at the residence of his father. He is president of the Abington
township school, a trustee of the Abington Presbyterian church, and medical
examiner of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company. (Page 461) JOHN WILMER was born December 13, 1841, in Wrangletown, Whitemarsh township, and
is the son of John and Mary (Custer) Wilmer, They had two children, John and Annie.
Annie married Thomas May, and lives in Spring Mill. Their children are: Susan,
Andrew, Elsie and Mary. John Wilmer was left an orphan at a very early age, and when five years old was
placed with foster parents. He attended school for a time at Whitemarsh and later
at Eight Square School, Plymouth township, where he lived with John Hallman. Until
the age of eighteen he helped on the farm, and then began to mine iron ore in the
pits on the Hallman farm, continuing in this occupation for twenty years. In 1896
he bought the Seven Stars farm and has farmed it very successfully. He is also a
milk dealer, and has a large route in Conshohocken. He has been a supervisor for
five years, and is an ardent Democrat. In 1868 he married Martha Boggs, born July 17, 1842, a daughter of William and
Susan Boggs, of Whitemarsh township. They have had nine children, three deceased,
as follows: Mary Francis, born April 1, 1869, died April 19, 1894; William, born
April 21, 1871; Annie and John (twins), born June 11, 1873, Annie died July 28,
1873, and John died August 2, 1873; John 2d, born September 17, 1874; Horace, born
July 17, 1876; Frank, born November 11, 1878; Amy, born September 9, 1880;
Margaret, born November 29, 1882. Horace married Sarah Helman of Norristown,
daughter of John and Jane (Ward) Helman. John Helman, a locomotive engineer, is a
native of Devonshire, England, and Jane, his wife is a native of New Castle,
England. Amy, daughter of John Wilmer, married Leroy Farringer, son of George
Farringer. William Boggs (father of Mrs. Wilmer) was the son of William and Martha (Wiley)
Boggs, of Whitemarsh. He was a lifelong Republican. By trade he was a quarryman. At
the time of his death he was forty-five years of age. William Boggs married Susan
McClure, who died in November, 1901. Their children were as follows: Martha,
Elizabeth, (deceased) married David Smith; Mary (deceased) married Matthew
Robinson; Margaret, married George W. Freas; Isabella, married John Sedon. William
Boggs (grandfather of Mrs. Wilmer) died at the age of eighty-four years, and his
wife Martha at the age of fifty-eight. FRANCIS OLCOTT ALLEN was born in Hartford, Connecticut, March 14, 1840, son of
Olcott and Lucy A. (Parsons) Allen, of Enfield, Connecticut. In a long line of
distinguished ancestors appear many distinguished names, including Samuel Allen,
1640, founder of Windsor, Connecticut; Governor William Bradford (the descent is
traced to him on both sides); William Vassall, patentee of the Massachusetts Bay
Colony; Deacon Edward Collins of Cambridge; Captain John Pease of Salem; Lawrence
Leach of Salem; Samuel Terry of Springfield, and Thomas Welles, governor of
Connecticut. After early education in the public schools of Hartford, Mr. Allen went to the
Williston Seminary in Easthampton, Massachusetts, where he was prepared for
College. In 1858 he entered Yale as a student of the academic department in the
class of 1862, but before graduating was seized with a serious illness and obliged
to leave college. Upon his recovery he entered his father's bank in Hartford, where
he continued for two years, after which he became associated with the firm of E.
Flower & Company, wholesale coal dealers of Hartford. Settling in Philadelphia
in 1866, Mr. Allen became engaged in the fire insurance business and followed it
with great success as agent, manager and president for twenty-six years. During
that period he held power of attorney for forty-two fire insurance companies, and
transacted a large amount of business. (Page 462) In 1892 he retired from active business, and soon after commenced his present
genealogical work at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, of which he is a
member. He is the author of the history of the Connecticut town of "Enfield," where
his ancestors have lived since 1690. This work, in three volumes, involved a
considerable amount of original research in the collection of historical and
genealogical material. Mr. Allen is a member of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of
Pennsylvania, the Society of the Sons of the Revolution, the Historic Genealogical
Society of New England, the New Hampshire Society of the Cincinnati and the New
Hampshire Historical Society. In the past years he has also held the following
positions: Elder of Trinity Presbyterian church of Chestnut Hill, 1889; director
and chairman of the finance committee of the Presbyterian Ministers' Fund, 1885;
corresponding secretary of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, 1895; attorney
of the Society of the Cincinnati in New Hampshire, 1896; governor of the Society of
Mayflower Descendants, 1896; and director of the Board of Relief for Disabled
Ministers of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, 1897. He has been twice married, first, to Isabella C. Jones, October 7, 1862, by whom
he had two children: Clarence J. and Bessie C. Allen, and second, November 10, 1870,
to Elizabeth Dulles, by whom he had three children: Margaret D., Francis Olcott,
Jr., and J. H. Dulles Allen. Mr. Allen is now living a life of retirement at his beautiful home in
Springfield township, near the line of the city of Philadelphia. He still writes on
genealogical subjects. His son, J. H. Dulles Allen, conducts a stock farm on the
homestead, which is adorned with many costly buildings. He makes a specialty of
raising polo ponies, and has a dog hospital. He is a prominent member of the
Whitemarsh Polo Club, which has its grounds on his land. ROWLAND EVANS, a prominent lawyer of Philadelphia, comes of a family which from
the earliest colonial days has been identified with the county of Montgomery. His
ancestor in America was Cadwalader ap Evan, born in Wales, one of four brothers who
came to America in 1698 and settled in Gwynedd township, Montgomery county. Cadwalader was originally a member of the Church of England, but after coming to
America he joined the Society of Friends. He and his son John and his grandson John
were prominent members of the Gwynedd Meeting, and preachers of the Society.
Father, son and grandson lived on land which the former had taken up at the time of
the immigration. They were prosperous farmers and persons of great influence, held
in high esteem by their neighbors. John the grandson (born in 1730, died 1807) married Margaret Foulke, and among
their children was Cadwalader, born in the ancestral homestead at Gwynedd in 1762.
He was a man of great force and vigor, both in body and mind. Growing up during the
Revolutionary war he began life as a land surveyor, and attained eminence in that
profession. He afterwards became conspicuous in public affairs in the new state of
Pennsylvania, was several times a member of the legislature, and once speaker of
the house. He was one of the promoters of the Schuylkill Canal, and the first
president of that company. He married Harriet V. Musser, of Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, and they had a large family of children, among whom was Edmund
Cadwalader Evans, born in the family homestead in 1812. Edmund Cadwalader Evans was educated in the city of Philadelphia, to which place
his father had removed, and at the University of Pennsylvania, at which institution
he also studied for the medical profession. On being graduated as Doctor of
Medicine, he settled near Paoli in Tredyffrin township, Chester county, where he
pursued the practice of his profession. He subsequently retired from practice and
lived for some years at West Chester, the county town of Chester county, removing
in 1865 to Lower Merion, Montgomery county, where he died in 1881. His wife was
Mary L. Allen, a daughter of Benjamin Allen of Hyde Park, New York. Of this
marriage were born two sons, Rowland and Allen. The last named was born in 1849,
and married Rebecca L. Lewis, a daughter of John T. Lewis, of Philadelphia, who was
descended in a remote line from the same ancestral stock with himself. Allen Evans
is an architect by profession, belonging to the well known firm of Furness and
Evans. (Page 463) Rowland Evans, the eldest son of Dr. Edmund Cadwalader and Mary (Allen) Evans,
was born July 12, 1847, in Tredyffrin township, Chester county. He began his
studies in private schools at Wrest Chester, and pursued advanced branches in
Wyer's Academy in that town, then known as one of the most admirable academic
schools in the state. He then took up the study of law under the masterly
preceptorship of George W. Biddle, of Philadelphia, and was admitted to the bar of
that city in 1869, when twenty-two years of age. He immediately entered upon the
practice thereof, in which he has been successfully engaged to the present time.
His present offices are at 225 South Sixth street. Mr. Evans resides in Lower
Merion township on land which he inherited from his father. He has always taken an
active interest in public affairs in his locality, and in politics is an ardent
Democrat of the Jeffersonian school. In conjunction with the late Judge Logan, of Bala, and the late John B. Thayer,
of Merion, Mr. Evans took a large part in framing the Pennsylvania Statute of April
28, 1899, classifying the townships of the state and providing a special form of
government for "Townships of the First Class," whereby the needs of the more
populous townships were provided for, a measure which has proved to be beneficial
and satisfactory. Mr. Evans has been always a member of the Protestant Episcopal
church, and is prominent in her councils, having been one of the representatives of
the diocese of Pennsylvania in the last two general conventions of that church. He
has for many years been a vestryman of the Church of The Redeemer at Bryn Mawr,
where he and his family attend. Mr. Evans married in 1878 Mary Binney Montgomery, a daughter of Richard R.
Montgomery, of Philadelphia. Of this marriage four children now survive; Edmund
Cadwalader, Elizabeth, Mary and Essyllt. The eldest daughter is the wife of the
Hon. Algernon B. Roberts of Pencoyd, Lower Merion. EFFINGHAM B. MORRIS, a prominent lawyer of Philadelphia, and who has long held
official position with various important transportation and financial corporations,
and whose residence is near Ardmore, Montgomery county, is a representative of a
family which has been conspicuous in the history of the commonwealth from the time
of its earliest colonial existence. He was born August 23, 1856, in the city of Philadelphia, in the famous old
Morris Mansion on Eighth street below Walnut, which at intervals of a generation
has three times been occupied by four generations of the family at the same time.
His father was Israel W. Morris, one of the most accomplished of the early mining
engineers in the anthracite region, and who was president of the Locust Mountain
Coal Company and other coal mining corporations connected with the Lehigh Valley
Railroad. His lineal ancestor in direct line was Anthony Morris, who was a justice
of the supreme court under William Penn in 1696, first proprietary of the province
of Pennsylvania, and who was also the second mayor of the then little city of
Philadelphia. Captain Samuel Morris, great-great-grandfather of Effingham B.
Morris, was commander of the First City Troop during the Revolutionary war, and was
a trusted friend of Washington and of others of the leaders in the scenes attending
the inauguration of the new government. From the day of the first Anthony Morris in
1696 to the present, the members of the Morris family have been men of standing in
the state and community. (Page 464) Mr. Morris received his early education in the classical school of Dr. J. W.
Faires, in Philadelphia, and then entered the University of Pennsylvania, from
which he graduated in 1875 at the early age of under nineteen years. He then became
a student in the law department of the same institution, graduating in 1878, when he
was at once admitted to the bar of Philadelphia. He of corporation mortgages under
which it is trustee. Its capital has increased from five hundred thousand dollars
to ten million dollars. Mr. Morris, in addition to his connection with the Girard
Trust Company, is a director in the following named corporations: Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, and its allied lines; Pennsylvania Company, Philadelphia Saving
Fund Company, Franklin National Bank, Fourth Street National Bank, Commercial Trust
Company, Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Company, Mutual Life Insurance Company of
Philadelphia, and Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York. In his personal
capacity he is trustee for many important estates, among others William Bingham and
A. J. Drexel estates. Mr. Morris has for many years been a prominent figure in various political and
social bodies. For two years (in 1880 and 1881) he represented the eighth ward of
the city of Philadelphia in the common council, to which he was elected as the
candidate of the "committee of one hundred." In 1883 he was elected to the Gas
Trust, then the most powerful political organization in the city. His conduct in
the last named body during his four years of service was characterized by entire
independence, but through his personal tact he was enabled to accomplish several
practical and salutary changes in the methods of that body, at the same time
retaining the good will of those who were opposed to him politically. The voucher
system of payment of bills and contracts was devised and introduced by him into
this department of the city business, and is yet in use. Mr. Morris was a director
of the Union League for three years, retiring from that position under the rule
which limited length of service to that period. He is also a member of the
Philadelphia Club, the Rittenhouse Club, the University Club, the Merion Cricket
Club and others. He was a manager for some years of the Pennsylvania Hospital.
Whether in business or social circles, Mr. Morris is held in high regard for his
ability and equable disposition and absolute fidelity to his friends. He possesses
exceptional capacity for work, as well as versatility, making thorough disposition
of whatever is in hand at the time, and then at once concentrating all his powers
upon what may be next requiring attention. Contact with men of large concerns and
immersion in the rush of modern business have worked no impairment of his heart
qualities, and his sympathy for the suffering keeps him generously responsive to
the many calls of charity which are made in a great city. No man is blessed with a
greater number of warm personal friends than he. He is a reticent, quiet man and
rarely talks of his business. He prefers to do things rather than talk about
them. (Page 465) Mr. Morris married in 1879 Miss Ellen Douglas Burroughs, daughter of Nelson
Burroughs of Philadelphia. Of this marriage were born three daughters and a son,
Mrs. G. Clymer Brooke, Mrs. Stacy B. Lloyd, Caroline M. Morris, and Effingham B.
Morris, Jr. JOHN SUPPLEE is a son of George W. and Anna (Hale) Supplee, of Norriton
township, where he was born October 15, 1850. He was educated in the public
schools of the neighborhood, and on reaching manhood engaged in farming on the
homestead for a time. In 1887 he removed to Whitemarsh township, purchasing a fine
farm on which he still resides. In 1876 Mr. Supplee married Miss Mary Berkhimer, a
daughter of Andrew and Hannah (Wood) Berkhimer, a well known farmer of Whitemarsh
township. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Supplee are Andrew Wilbert, born June 6,
1878, and Etna; born September 28, 1890-both unmarried. Mr. Supplee is a Republican, in politics. He is a member of the Junior Order of
United American Mechanics. He and his family attend the Reformed church. He is a
man who is much esteemed in the community. George W. Suplee (father) died February 21, 1904, in his ninety-fourth year. He
was a native of Norriton township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He was a farmer
by occupation, being engaged in that pursuit all his life. He married Anna Hale, of
Chester county, Pennsylvania. He was a Democrat in early life, but later became a
Republican. The children of George and Anna Supplee: Phebe, Margaret, Hannah,
Camelia, Mary, George, John, Henderson, and William and Charles, who were twins. The Supplees are an old family in Montgomery county. They are of French Huguenot
origin, although driven from France into Germany as the result of the revocation of
the Edict of Nantes which carried such terror into the ranks of French Protestants,
its sequel being the terrible massacre of St. Bartholomew. The first of the name was
Andreas Souplis, which, in the process of time was anglicized into Andrew Supplee.
He was one of the early settlers of Germantown, and from him; it is believed, are
descended all the American Supplees. Andrew Supplee bought a large tract of land at
Matsunk; now Swedeland, in Upper Merion township, and located there. From him have
sprung a very numerous progeny, including the Supplees of Norriton and adjoining
townships. JOHN C. ROBERTS, son of John and Ann (Watson) Roberts, was born on the old
homestead, located on the Middle Road, now the Fox Chase and Huntingdon Valley
Turnpike, 7th mo. 4, 1842. A brother, Franklin, born 2d mo. 22, 1841, died 1st mo.
29, 1869. John Roberts, father, was a son of Lewis and Ruth (Hughes) Roberts, and was also
born on the homestead, which has been in the possession of the family ever since. He
was born 10th mo. 6, 1864, and spent his entire life in Abington township, where he
was engaged in farming until the advancing years incapacitated him for active life.
He died 7th mo. 8, 1889. Lewis Roberts, grandfather, was a son of John Roberts, also born in Abington
township. He married Mary Paul. John C. Roberts was educated at Abington Friends' School. In early life he was
employed on the homestead farm, remaining there until 1875. The next nine years
were spent in the ice business in Philadelphia. In 8 mo. 1884, he returned to
Abington. He purchased a coal yard at Fox Chase, which he conducted until the year,
1890. From that time until 1900 he resided on the homestead. He married 4 mo. 8,
1884, Margaret Roth, daughter of John and Theresa Roth, of Scranton,
Pennsylvania. (Page 466) Their children: John R., born March 16, 1885; Anna T., born January 6, 1887. Mr.
Roberts served as tax collector of Abington township from 1892 to 1896. He was also
assessor for the year 1897, and has been registry assessor continuously since
1892. The children of Lewis and Ruth Roberts, grandparents; were: William H., born 8
mo., 11, 1802, died 8 mo., 8, 1881; John, father, born 10 mo., 6, 1804, died 7 mo.,
8, 1889.; Thomas, born 7 mo., 16, 1807, died 3 mo., 2, 1890; Lewis, born 10 mo., 16,
1810, died 3 mo., 16, 1896; Job, born 2 mo., 5, 1813, died 12 mo., 2, 1889. John C. Roberts has in his possession a grandfather's clock which, according
to tradition, has been in the family since 1760, and also old deeds dating back to
1690, as well as many other relics. He is a member and past master of Friendship
Lodge, No. 400, Free and Accepted Masons, Another organization to which he belongs
is Sylvania Castle, No. 177, Knights of the Golden Eagle of Fox Chase. HON. WILLIAM F. SOLLY, President Judge of the Orphans’ Court of Montgomery
County, is a life long resident of Norristown, where he was born February 17, 1858.
He is the only son of Benjamin Franklin and Catharine Smith (Moyer) Solly, the other
children being Sarah Elizabeth Bunting, wife of Dr. H. M. Bunting, and Miss Mary
Virginia Solly. The Sollys are of English origin. The ancestor of the American branch emigrated.
from England in colonial days, and settled in the vicinity of Holmesburg and
Frankford, in what is now the northern part of Philadelphia. He had several
children, one of whom, Cornelius, was born in 1802, and died in Norristown, March
13, 1888. He married a young woman named Day, who at the time resided in Manayunk.
They took up their home in Whitemarsh township, Montgomery county, and had two
children, of whom one, Benjamin F., was born at the Valley Green Tavern, March 24,
1833. His mother dying when he was quite young, he was taken by his uncle, Jacob
Day, a leading citizen and for some years a justice of the peace of Whitemarsh
township, and reared with his family upon his farm close to the Valley Green. He
received a common school education and learned the trade of shoemaking. About the
time he reached his majority he removed to Norristown and worked at his trade,
later on embarking in the business of a manufacturer and dealer in boots and shoes,
continuing the same for about fifty years. He was married January 1, 1857, to Catharine Smith daughter of Joseph and
Deborah (Rhoads) Moyer. John Moyer, the grandfather of Catharine was born in
Horsham township, Montgomery county. By trade he was a cooper. At the time of the
birth of Joseph in 1807, the family resided in Plymouth township. They removed a few years thereafter to Norristown, which was then a small
village, where John Moyer opened a cooper shop on the bank of the Schuylkill river,
above the present Swede street dam, and until he died manufactured barrels, buckets,
and cooper wares, supplying the various mills and farmers for miles around. Joseph Moyer learned the trade of carpenter but at the time of his death he was
an expert pattern maker, having worked for years at the Eagle Works, (now R. S.
Newbold and Son Co.). He married Deborah Rhoads, who was of Pennsylvania German
descent. Joseph died May 4, 1870, and his wife about fifteen years later. They had
twelve children, Catharine, the eldest daughter, mother of Judge Solly, was born
April 3, 1838. Judge Solly's ancestry for several generations were sturdy citizens of
Montgomery county, a fact in which he takes a just pride. Judge Solly was educated in the public schools of his native town, graduating
from the high school in June, 1873. He then entered the shoe store of his father,
and at nights continued to study and Improve his mind. He entered the office of the
late Gilbert Rodman Fox on May 1876, as a student at law, at which time Mr. Fox was
a leading member of the Montgomery county bar, and was regarded as one of the best
of preceptors by reason of his kindness to and interest in his students. (Page 467) Judge Solly was admitted to the bar on September 1, 1879, and immediately
entered upon a successful career as a lawyer, building up a large practice in all
the courts, which he held at the time of his elevation to the bench. He was
admitted to the supreme court April 18, 1882. As a lawyer, Judge Solly acquired a reputation for ability, and for exactness,
thoroughness, care and fidelity in the management of the interests of his clients,
and the trusts committed to his charge. Methodical and deliberate in forming his
judgment, he was consulted by many leading citizens in different sections of the
county, and had a large clientage. While a student at law, and for several years after his admission to the bar, he
was connected with the staff of the Norristown Herald, and prepared extended and
careful reports of the proceedings of the county courts. He was the assistant of
Mr. Fox until January 1, 1887, when G. R. Fox, Jr., was admitted to the bar. Among the positions held by Judge Solly while active practice, were the
following: Solicitor for Register of Wills, J. Roberts Rambo; Solicitor for
Register of Wills, Joseph W. Hunter; Solicitor for Sheriff, Henry C. Kline, as the
successor of Judge Weand; Solicitor for Sheriff, Edwin S. Stahlnecker; Solicitor
for County Treasurer, Edwin S. Stahlnecker. When he was appointed to the bench he
was the county solicitor, having been such for four and one-half years, always
carefully guiding the public interests; solicitor for the borough of Ambler;
solicitor for the board of township commissioners of Cheltenham; and solicitor 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
some years, and for a number of business men, firms, and corporations in
Norristown, and throughout the county. On December 1, 1890, he was made assistant
solicitor for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company for Montgomery county, and in May,
1899, upon the death of Judge Stinson, who was the solicitor, he succeeded to the
solicitorship, which he resigned upon his appointment to the bench. Judge Solly has always taken a lively interest in the welfare of Norristown. He
was one of the incorporators of the Norristown Electric Light and Power Company,
and was from time to time director, secretary, treasurer and solicitor. He has been
a director of the Norristown Gas Company for sonic years, and is still a director of
the Electric Light Company. He was one of the incorporators of the Albertson Trust
and Safe Deposit Company, now the Penn Trust Company, of Norristown, one of its
directors from the time of its organization, and president from February 1, 1900,
to the time he became judge of the orphans' court. Fraternally, Judge Solly is a past master of Charity Lodge, No. 190, F. and A.
M., past high priest of Norristown Chapter, No. 190, Royal Arch Masons, and a
member of Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights Templar. For many years he was
recorder of Lynwood Lodge, No. 154, Ancient Order of United Workmen. In politics Judge Solly has always been an active Republican. For many years he
exerted himself in party contests in Montgomery county. He was many times honored
by the party with positions of trust. He was a presidential elector for McKinley
and Hobart in the election of 1896, and his popularity was shown by his receiving
many complimentary votes which ran him considerably ahead of his party ticket. In 1880, when Major McQuaide was chairman of the Republican county committee,
judge Solly became its secretary, continuing in that position as well as a member
of the executive committee, until 1892, when he became chairman of the executive
committee. In 1893 he was elected chairman of the Republican county committee, a
position which he filled for nine years with great ability and success, harmonizing
conflicting elements, and establishing Montgomery county permanently in the
Republican column. In resigning the chairmanship in 1900, after the November
election, he closed twenty years of successful and unselfish service in connection
with the party organization, and every county office was held and had for several
years been held by Republicans. As an organizer he had no superior, and his ability
in that direction was repeatedly displayed in various contests. Under his management
the Republican majorities in the county became substantial. (Page 468) When the separate orphans' court of Montgomery county was created by the
legislature during the session of 1901, Judge Solly was freely spoken of as a fit
man to preside over it, and his friends requested him to allow the use of his name
for president judge. After careful deliberation he consented. Of the seventy-two
members of the Norristown bar at that time, sixty-seven signed a petition to
Governor Stone for his appointment. Another petition bearing the names of fifteen
hundred prominent citizens of the county was also presented to the Governor, the
signatures to which were secured in the short space of two days. His appointment
was sent to the senate on May 25, and he was unanimously confirmed by that body on
June 3, 1901. He was sworn in as president judge of the orphans' court June 10,
1901, and at once entered upon his duties. The court being a new one, required
organization. This was done in a thorough and systematic manner, and the methodical
transaction of the large business of the county, and the completeness of its
records, has established a reputation for it throughout the State. Judge Solly was unanimously nominated for the office of president judge of the
orphans' court by the Republican county convention in September, 1901, and at the
general election of the following November he was elected for the term of ten
years, beginning the first Monday of January, 1902, and subsequently duly
commissioned. Judge Solly's performance of his judicial duties has been eminently successful
and satisfactory. He has the essential qualifications of a judge, knowledge of the
law, impartiality, fairness, and sound judgment. Dignified in his bearing, he is
affable and courteous to all with whom he is brought in contact, The same fidelity
Which marked his career as a lawyer has followed him on the bench. The business of
the court is dispatched with promptness, and to the satisfaction of the bar and the
public. Judge Solly was united in marriage to Alice Lukens Gilbert on October 19, 1882.
She is the third of five daughters of Solomon and Anne (Lukens) Gilbert, both
natives and lifelong residents of Montgomery county, and now deceased. Mr. Gilbert
was a successful business man. His wife was a descendant of Jan Luckens, the
original ancestor of the Lukens family. Judge Solly's only child is Anne Catharine,
who was born January 21, 1885. LATSHAW FAMILY. The American ancestors of the various branches of the Latshaw
family in Pennsylvania were among the early settlers of Chester county. They were
from Alsace, in Germany, formerly a French province, and emigrated at an early
period, settling on or near the Schuylkill river. Members of the family were for
several generations influential in the counties of Chester and Montgomery. John
Latshaw, who lived in the time of the Revolution, wagoned wheat to the starving
soldiers of Washington at Valley Forge during the trying winter of 1877-78. Jacob Latshaw was born and reared in Chester county, where he followed the
occupation of a farmer during his early manhood, and even later in life. He
prospered and became an extensive landowner, his holdings including several
valuable farms, As were the others of his family, he was a Mennonite, and became a
minister, serving many years in that capacity, but taking no money or other
consideration for his services because of conscientious scruples. He married Mary
Heistand, of another old family in that section of Pennsylvania. They reared a
family of seven children, three sons and four daughters. John lives in Chester
county; David and Daniel are deceased; Elizabeth (Betsy) married Abraham Bechtel;
Catherine married William Buckwalter, and Mary married Joel Ebert. All the three
last named are deceased, but they have left descendants who are active and
influential members of the communities in which they live. The other daughter,
Anna, married Rudolph Stauffer, and is still living at an advanced age in East
Pikeland township, Chester county. (Page 469) Daniel Latshaw, first son of Jacob and Mary (Heistand) Latshaw, was born in
1820, in Chester county, where he was reared. He was engaged in farming for some
years, but later in life removed to the opposite side of the river, where he
acquired very extensive real estate interests, owning much of the land on which the
borough of Royersford is now located. By platting his land in building lots and
selling them to others equally enterprising who built upon and otherwise improved
them, Mr. Latshaw became in time the founder of the flourishing and prosperous
borough of Royersford. A member of the Mennonite church, he was broad and liberal
in his religious views, a trait of character which found a striking illustration in
his donation of a large building lot to the congregations of the Methodist and
Baptist churches of Royersford. His energy and determination were matters of
general knowledge. He did much to encourage the beginning of the various
manufacturing enterprises at Royersford which have made it so thriving an
industrial center. He was instrumental in securing the establishment of the first stove foundry in
the village, that of Francis & Co., which afterwards developed into the
extensive Buckwalter establishment. He was a man of great public spirit, and was
much interested in educational progress, making it a point to donate the land
required for school purposes. He lived an honored and esteemed member of the
community for which he labored so arduously and so effectively, and died at
Royersford, October 31, 1886, in the sixty-seventh year of his age, and was buried
in Fernwood Cemetery. In 1850 he married Angeline Bean, a daughter of Samuel Bean, of Upper Providence
township, Montgomery county, and they became the parents of nine children: Samuel
B., of whom further in this narrative; Milton, residing at Spring City; Jesse
Newton, Jacob and Daniel, all three of whom are deceased; Irvin, residing at
Royersford; John H.; William L., and Ira D. Latshaw. SAMUEL B. LATSHAW, the eldest son of Daniel and Angeline (Bean) Latshaw, was
born January 17, 1852. He obtained his education in the common schools in Limerick
township and a Phoenixville. For four years he was engaged as a clerk in a store in
Royersford, and then entered Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College in
Philadelphia, from which he graduated in 1871. For one year following he served in
the ticket office of the Reading Railway Company at Royersford, and then entered
the employ of the American Wood Paper Company at Spring City in the capacity of
bookkeeper and clerk. He rendered most acceptable service in this responsible
position for the long period of fifteen years, then resigning to enter upon an
independent career. Engaging in a real estate and insurance business at Royersford in 1887, he has
long been known as one of the most capable and enterprising real estate dealers in
Montgomery county, his own large interests having afforded him an insight into the
business which it would be impossible to gain otherwise. His knowledge of the
details of the business, his excellent judgment, and his tireless industry and
energy have enabled him to build up a large and lucrative business. He does much in
the way of taking property in charge, collecting the tents making repairs, etc., and
in every way guarding the interests of those for whom he acts. He has more than
twenty-five leading insurance companies on his list, representing many of the best
in the United States. In 1887 he erected one of the finest office buildings in Montgomery county, a
portion of which he occupies for his own business. The first floor is entirely
devoted to stores. Upon the second floor are the spacious and well furnished halls
occupied by the Young Men's Christian Association, the Women's Christian Temperance
Union and other organizations. On the third floor is a large hall fitted with a well
appointed stage, with a seating capacity of four hundred, in which public
entertainments are given from time to time. Spacious and comfortable lodge rooms
for various fraternal orders occupy the fourth floor. Mr. Latshaw is a director in the following corporations: Royersford National
Bank, the Fernwood Cemetery Company, the Keystone Building and Loan Association,
and the Royersford Trust Company. He is also treasurer of the Howe Water Company of
Royersford, and is a stockholder in a number of other corporations. He has been
successful in all his enterprises, and has done much to build up the town in which
he is, from every point of view, so valuable and useful a citizen. He holds many
responsible positions, including those of treasurer of the board of trustees of the
Methodist church, and librarian of its Sunday school. He is affiliated with
Royersford Lodge, No. 585, Free and Accepted Masons. In politics he is a
Prohibitionist. (Page 470) Mr. Latshaw married, October 4, 1876, Alice Rogers, daughter of Jones Rogers, of
Royersford. Their only child, a son, Clarence R., died in 1903, at the age of
twenty-four years, when just fairly entered upon what promised to be a most active
and honorable career. Mr. and Mrs. Latshaw have an adopted daughter, Ella R.
Latshaw. IRA D. LATSHAW, son of the late Daniel Latshaw, of Royersford, was born at that
place, July 10, 1876. He was educated in the public schools, and graduated with
honor from the Royersford high school. After his graduation he entered Peirce's
Business College in Philadelphia, where he took a course in business, then
returning to Royersford, and accepting a position as head bookkeeper in the office
of the Royersford Gas Company. He remained in that situation until 1900, when he
decided to engage in business for himself. He established a manufactory of ribbed
underwear for ladies, locating in Spring City, and has made the enterprise a very
decided success. He carries on a very prosperous business, and ships the products
of his factory to all parts of the civilized world. Mr. Latshaw married, in 1899, Miss Jessie B. Langham, daughter of John and
Jessie Irving Langham, of Royersford. The couple have three children, as follows:
Christine and Beatrice (twins), and Grace. Mr. Latshaw is an enterprising and
energetic businessman, who is certain to be successful. He is regarded by all as a
rising man who will he a credit to the community in which he lives. In politics he
is a Republican. He is the owner of stock in several companies. He and his family
attend the Methodist church. THE GREGER FAMILY. The history of most of the early immigrants from European
countries to the American colonies now forming the United States is largely a
matter of conjecture, the searcher after information being usually able to obtain
here and there a mere glimpse of what manner of men and women they were. Some of
them brought with them, however, to the new homes which they sought to establish in
the Western world, some credentials which enable the historian of the present
generation to form some idea of the regard in which they were held at home and of
the place in the community which they occupied. In the case of the Greger family,
such credentials are in existence in the shape of the following certificate from
the old country, now in the possession of Abraham Greger, of Oak Lane, in
Philadelphia, given to the immigrant ancestor of the family, Johann Georg Krieger,
showing that he was a desirable accession, whithersoever he went: "We, an association of Masters, under oath, as also other brother Masters of our
honorable flax-weaving trade, in the town of Genneisheim (Charpfaltz Province) do
pretend to inform every person that Johann Georg Hagour, beloved brother Master of
Blenheim (in a collection of Masters and in open body) has appeared before us and
informed the meeting that his apprentice, Johann Georg Krieger, of Blenheim,
desires a certificate from us to the effect that he has faithfully learned the
linen weaving trade and that in his travels he could fruitfully serve himself with
such a paper (which would also be a necessity to him). He, therefore, obligingly
prays you may grant him the same, and in the custom of your body assist his hands
as known by references to the minutes of the Masters' Meeting, and also by
dignified inquiry it is known to us that the recommended Johann Georg Krieger, on
January 27, 1750, before us and in accustomed order entered his Master's service,
and afterwards on the same date anno 1753, was, relieved of the same, on which
occasion his Master not only deposited with us the most satisfactory certificate of
his well learned trade, but also as we have ourselves noticed, in fact, he has
always conducted himself religiously, industriously and without showing any
displeasure as well becomes a good apprentice. We request, in accordance with these
facts that all Masters of our aforesaid trade by virtue of this certificate attest
will accept this Johann Georg Krieger as a workman, and also to assist him in every
manner possible in his efforts to find fortune. We will reciprocate such action to
the best of our ability. "Given under our hand and seal at Genneisheim, January 27, 1753. "Master JOHANNES EBERLE. (Seal.) "M. FIEBEN LEISTER, County and
Society Scribe." (Translation.) (Page 471) Beyond the meagre facts narrated above, there is no connected account of the
life of Krieger, who is supposed to have settled in Philadelphia county, probably
at Germantown, and finally drifted to the neighborhood where is now the flourishing
borough of North Wales. Who the linen weaver married has not been learned. The
family record contains the name of his son Abraham, born August 3, 1768, died
November 30, 1854, married May 12, 1799, Mary Beeson, born January 11, 1775, died
September 21, 1854. Both husband and wife are buried in Boehm's churchyard, Blue
Bell. Their children: George, born March 9, 1800; Jacob, born September 3, 1801;
Charles, born November 20, 1803; Elizabeth, born March 12, 1806; David, born
November 25, 1807, died March 23, 1891; Catharine, born May 29, 1810; Abraham, born
June 16, 1812; Meredith, born July 28, 1814. David Greger married, December 7, 1837, Catharine, daughter of Jacob and Sarah
Harner Blake. He was a farmer by occupation, residing for many years on a farm on
the Penllyn turnpike, near Blue Bell, not far from Boehm's church, in a very
fertile section of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. A biography of their eldest
son, Jacob Blake Greger, follows this and gives all attainable facts as to himself
and his family. David Greger and Catharine, his wife, are also buried in Boehm's
churchyard. The other children of David Blake: Abraham (2), born October 24, 1839, married,
June 28, 1866, Johanna Cashen, daughter of Patrick and Maria Cashen O'Neill, the
parents being from county Clare, Ireland. The children of Abraham and Johanna
Greger; Mary Joseph, born March 10, 1868; David John, born April 11, 1870;
Katharine Cecilia, born April 4, 1872; Elizabeth Marie, born May 30, 1874. The family reside at Oak Lane, in Montgomery county, adjacent to Philadelphia.
John B. (3), whose biography appears elsewhere in this volume. Charles (4), sketch
of whom also follows. David George (5), born May 22, 1849, died March 6, 1892;
married, March 15, 1876, Catharine, daughter of Charles Weber and Mary Ann (Baker)
Hallman, residents of Upper Gwynedd township, their children being: Charles
Gilbert, born January 29, 1878; David Cyrus, born May 9, 1883; George Raymond, born
January 1, 1885, Thomas Pennington (6), sketch of whom follows. JACOB BLAKE GREGER, son of David and Catharine (Blake) Greger, was born
September 13, 1838, at the family homestead near Blue Bell, in Whitpain township,
Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. He attended the Mount Pleasant school, and also
what was known as the Central School, near Blue Bell, being employed also at
intervals on the farm. At the age of seventeen years he became an apprentice to his
cousin, David C. Greger, to learn the carpenter trade, serving thus nearly three
years, at the end of which time he performed work on his own account for different
residents of the neighborhood. (Page 472) In October, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Sixth Regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry,
for three years' service in the Union army during the rebellion. He participated in
the following engagements: Hanover Court House, Beaver Dams, Gaines' Mills, Peach
Orchard, White Oak Swamp, Savage Station, Charles City Cross Roads and Malvern
Hills, being advanced from private soldier to corporal, to sergeant and to orderly
sergeant, and as such served at South Mountain and Antietam. He was with General
Burnside at Fredericksburg, under General Hooker at the first battle of
Chancellorsville, with General Stoneman in his famous raid around Richmond, and at
Brandy Station and Beverly Ford. At the battle of Gettysburg, July 1-4, 1863; he was in command of a company.
After that memorable action, the turning point of the war for the Union, he was
under General George G. Meade, and was engaged in skirmishes at Williamsport, at
Rappahannock Station, and later in the fighting at Culpeper Court House,
Spottsylvania, and thence to North Anna and Cold Harbor, Petersham and
Gordonsville. He was also at West Point. He was with Sheridan on his daring cavalry
raids in the Shenandoah Valley, after which he returned with his company to Pleasant
Valley, Maryland, where he was Mustered out of service in October, 1864. He then
returned to his old home and took up the carpenter trade where he had laid it down
to enter the service of his country. Mr. Greger married, February 26, 1868, Mary, daughter of Nicholas and Mary
(Sullivan) Newport, of Swedeland, in Upper Merion township, and located at
Shannonville, now Audubon, in Lower Providence, where he was engaged in the
occupation of a carpenter. He soon became interested in contract work, and in 1876
became actively engaged as a contractor and builder. He removed to Oaks Station, in
Upper Providence township, in which locality he resided for a period of twenty-eight
years, until March, 1903, when he removed with his family to Norristown. He now
resides at No. 108 Franklin avenue. Although he is not so actively engaged in his
occupation as at one time, he is by no means idle. In politics Mr. Greger is a
Republican, but he is in no sense a politician, and takes but little active part in
political affairs. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob B. Greger are: 1. Katharine Louise, born
November 30, 1868, unmarried and resides with her parents. She attended Green Tree
school, in Upper Providence township, until her fifteenth year, after which she
entered Ursinus College, at Collegeville, and later the West Chester State Normal
School. She taught school for thirteen years in Montgomery county, and was
principal of the Mont Clare schools for four years. She is now engaged as private
secretary to insurance brokers in Philadelphia. 2. Bertha, born September 14, 1870,
married, November 5, 1903, Henry A. Longacre, son of David Longacre, of
Jeffersonville, two Miles above Norristown, Pennsylvania. He died May 13, 1903, and
she now resides with her parents. 3. Maurice Newport, born January 2, 1879, married,
April 29, 1903, Lydia, daughter of William and Eva Hagginbotham, of Mont Clare,
Montgomery county, opposite Phoenixville. The couple live in Philadelphia, where
Mr. Greger is engaged as a traveling salesman. They have one child, Mildred Ruth,
born April 5, 1904. The family are members of the Lower Providence Baptist
church. Nicholas Newport, father of Mrs. Jacob B. Greger, was the eldest son of William
and Mary Stafford Newport, of Duncormick, county Wexford, Ireland. William Newport
was the son of Nicholas (1707-1770) and Mary Coush Newport, who are interred in the
old churchyard of Mayglass, Ireland. The Newport family came originally from
Waterford, and claim consanguinity with Sir John Newport, Chancellor of the Irish
Exchequer. The children of William Newport and Mary Stafford were: Nicholas (the
father of Mrs. Greger), 1814-1853; Waiter, born in 1816, died unmarried in 1880;
Ellen, born 1819, wife of John Cox; Mary, born in 1821, married John Molloy and
removed to Canada; Eliza, born in 1826, married John Coghlan, and after his death
in 1875 she married Simon Purcell; John, born in 1834, married, February 18, 1853,
Elizabeth Rossiter, and died in 1884. (Page 473) JOHN BLAKE GREGER, son of David and Catharine (Blake) Greger, was born on the
family homestead in Whitpain township, June 10, 1841. He attended the public
schools until 1855-56, when his father removed to what is now North Wales, and
settled on the Hurst farm, the house being at a later period changed into a hotel,
and is now known as the Main Street Hotel, in that borough. Remaining at that
location a single year, David Greger removed to the Finley farm, now known as the
Hallowell farm, near the state road (DeKalb street), south of Centre Square, and in
Whitpain township. While the family were domiciled there, John attended the old Ellis school, not
far from Washington Square. The next year David Greger purchased the Layman farm,
on the Morris Road, some distance above Franklinville, and close to the place where
Gwynedd, Whitpain and Worcester townships come together. There David Greger spent
the remainder of his days. He took possession of it April 12, 1858. At seventeen years of age John B. Greger decided to learn the trade of a
carpenter, and served an apprenticeship of two years. He continued to work at that
occupation, in the meantime making his home at Blue Bell, not far from the place of
his birth. He married, December 31, 1867, Mary, daughter of Thomas and Amanda
(Hallman) Naylor, of Center Square, in Whitpain township, their children being as
follows: (1) Elmer Naylor, born November 9, 1868, married June 10, 1891, Sarah,
daughter of Abner Boorse, of Glenside, their children being Paul, born May 9, 1892;
Mary, born 1894; Heister, born 1896; (2) David Thomas, born May 6, 1871, married May
27, 1896, Fanny, daughter of Henry and Mary Bergey, of Skippack township, their
child being Lillian May, born 1897; (3) Amanda, born November 12, 1872, died
January 24, 1873; (4) Flora May, born January 18, 1878, unmarried and resides at
home; (5) John Hayward, born January 27, 1880, unmarried and resides with his
parents; (6) George Gilbert, born January 26, 1882, died August 27, 1882. Mr. Greger is a prosperous mechanic. He has assisted in building many houses in
that vicinity. He has always taken an active interest in the affairs of the
community in which he lives, and in which his family have dwelt for several
generations, they having for many years been identified with the progress of
Whitpain township. He is a Democrat in politics, but not an office seeker, and not
to be regarded as a mere partisan. The family are members of Boehm's Reformed
church, at Blue Bell. CHARLES BLAKE GREGER, fourth son and child of David and Catharine (Blake)
Greger, was born on the family homestead near Blue Bell, Whitpain township,
November 7, 1843. He attended the public schools in the home neighborhood and at Mount Pleasant
and Shady Grove, until he was fourteen years old, when his parents removed to North
Wales. There the family occupied the Hurst farm, the house which now forms a part of
the Main Street Hotel. At this place Charles attended the public schools for one
winter. The next year the family again made a removal, this time to the Hallowell
farm, on the Wentz road, and that winter Charles attended the Ellis school, on the
state road, near Washington Square, having for his teacher Napoleon Holland, a
capable pedagogue of the old-school type, who held to a firm belief in the
necessity for and efficacy of the rod as an incentive to study. That one term was
sufficient for the youthful student, and he was well pleased when his parents once
more moved to a farm on the Morris road, near Franklinville. Here Charles aided his
father in working the farm, and received three winters' instructions in the district
school. He remained at home until he was twenty years of age, when he engaged to
labor for a person in Gwynedd township, with whom he remained until December 28,
1867, when his marriage occurred. His bride was Emma, a daughter of Benjamin and
Elizabeth (Heyen) Mills, her father being a farmer of Worcester township. After his marriage Mr. Greger occupied various farms as a tenant. His home is in
the meeting of the ways that divide that township from Whitpain and Gwynedd. He
manages a fine farm tract of one hundred and fifty-five acres, a part of the Cox
estate, devoting a large portion of his attention to the conduct of an excellent
dairy of his own establishment, the product of which finds a ready sale in
Philadelphia, where he also markets considerable quantities of grain and hay. Mr.
Greger enjoys the confidence and esteem of his patrons and neighbors, and is
recognized as one of the substantial men of his neighborhood. With his family he is
a member of St. John's Lutheran church at Center Square. In politics he is a
Democrat, and has always taken an active Interest in party affairs, but never as a
self-seeker after even local political honors. (Page 474) To Mr. and Mrs. Greger were born five children: 1. Iantha Rose, born February
26, 1869; she married John Shuttenheim, of Worcester township, and they reside in
Philadelphia. 2. Estelle Delmain, born June 29, 1873; she married Robert Keppler,
of Gwynedd township, and they reside in Ambler. 3. Clarence Melvin, born June 29,
1876; (see sketch elsewhere in this work). 4. Blanche Irene, born June 23, 1884;
she married, January 4, 1902, George (Ludlow) Cook, and they reside in Pottsville,
Pennsylvania. 5. Marina Arlene, born July 7, 1886. THOMAS PENNINGTON GREGER, youngest son of David and Catharine (Blake) Greger,
was born on the family homestead, near Blue Bell, in Whitpain township, February
25, 1854. He attended the public school in Franklinville until his sixteenth year, in the
meantime assisting on the home farm. Later he was a student at Brunner's Academy.
and School of Business at North Wales for one year, taking a general English and a
commercial course. He next attended the School of Electricity of Professor D. E. P.
Papas, Walnut street, Philadelphia, a school which held a high reputation at that
time. He there took a two years' course, meantime residing in Philadelphia, and
after his graduation at once was engaged as telegrapher to the American Steamship
Company. He afterwards accepted a similar position in the North Pennsylvania
Railway Company. December 10, 1874, Mr. Greger married Miss Emily Jenkins, daughter of John and
Eliza (Stover) Jenkins, her father being a prominent farmer of Lansdale.
Immediately after his marriage Mr. Greger settled in North Wales, where he lived a
retired life for about three years. In 1877 he entered upon highway contract work
for the city of Philadelphia, in which he continued for two years, when he was
appointed inspector of highways, and rendered useful service in that capacity for a
period of five years ending in 1884. In that year he traveled in the interests of the American Mining Company of New
York. In 1885 he accepted the position of inspector of electrical work for the city
of Philadelphia, and which he held until the year 1900, maintaining his home in that
city. In 1902 Mr. Greger purchased one of the numerous farms formerly belonging to the
William Singerly estate, in Gwynedd township, comprising ninety-seven acres of land,
improved and meadow. Mr. Greger had, unlike many who leave the country for the city,
never lost his liking for rural scenes and life or his hearty admiration for the
works of nature, and his appreciation of the beautiful is evidenced by the
appearance of his home and its immediate surroundings, its well-grassed lawn
sloping gently down to the Wissahickon, shaded in spots by pine, cedar and oak
trees of unusual size and symmetry. Since the original purchase Mr. Greger has
acquired two more of the former Singerly farms, both contiguous to the one whereon
he makes his home, and known as Hill Top and Evergreen farms. While thus living a
pleasant, quiet and well contented life, Mr. Greger has by no means lost touch with
the more busy concerns of life, but maintains an active interest in business affairs
in the not-distant city of Philadelphia. He is highly regarded by all who know him,
esteemed as a man of excellent character and kindly neighborly disposition. Mr. Greger was three times married. By his first marriage (with Emily Jenkins)
he had one son, Thomas Pennington. The mother of this child died, and Mr. Greger
married, May 30, 1879, Elizabeth McCabe Dickinson, daughter of John and Elizabeth
(Bueler) Dickinson, of Syracuse, New York; she died in June, 1881. November 24,
1892, Mr. Pennington married Addie Elizabeth, daughter of William and Mary C.
(Bradshaw) Applegate, of Camden, New Jersey. (Page 475) FREDERICK KOHLER, one of the most prosperous and progressive farmers of
Montgomery township, was born in the province of Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, January
6, 1837, a son of Conrad and Christiana Kohler, natives of Germany, both of whom
died before Frederick Kohler was twelve years of age. He acquired his education in the public school in the city of Uppenheim,
Germany, and after leaving school was engaged in teaming, first in connection with
his father, and after the death of the latter on his own account. In 1856 he
decided to try his fortune in the new world, and accordingly set sail for America,
reaching New York city on April 11. He at once proceeded to Philadelphia and
engaged at farm work for George Roberts, remaining in his employ for six years.
Subsequently he entered the employ of Merdis Conrad, with whom he remained seven
years, after which he rented farms for several years. In 1885 he purchased his
present farm of fifty acres, which he has brought to a high state of cultivation.
He is a thorough, practical farmer in every sense of the word, and his well tilled
fields, prolific orchards, neat and attractive home and outbuildings bear ample
testimony of his thrift and industry. He is highly respected for his honest and
upright business methods, and is an honored citizen of the county. At Norristown, Pennsylvania, August 29, 1857, Mr. Kohler was united in marriage
to Catherina Lover, a native of Wittenberg, Germany. Their children are: Charles,
born September 17, 1859, unmarried, resides at home. Christina, born October 1,
1866, died March 11, 1887. William, born June 1, 1869, married Jennie Brady, and
they are the parents of two children: Elizabeth, unmarried, resides at home; Annie,
born May 16, 1871, became the wife of William Schwartzlander, no issue. Mrs. Kohler,
a most estimable woman, who performed the duties of wife and mother in a loving and
conscientious manner, died on March 16, 1893. The family attend the German Reformed
church. Mr. Kohler is Democratic in his political views. He is not an office seeker,
but has been a delegate to numerous conventions. 
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(Picture of J. Maurice Bisbing)
(Picture of John A. Wentz)
(Picture of John C. Roberts)
(Picture of William F. Solly)
Return to Roberts' Biographies: Vol I. Index
Return to Roberts' Biographies: Vol II. Index
Go to Roberts' Biographies: Vol II - Part 20