Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. I, Part 103

Author: Runk, J.M. & Co
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chambersburg, Pa.
Number of Pages: 1482

USA > Delaware > Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. I > Part 103

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Samuel Gregg, 3, eldest son of Samuel, 2, and grandfather of Samuel Gregg, 5, was born in Christiana hundred, December 12, 1781. He devoted himself to farming. He married, October 20, 1808, on the Brandywine, Ann C. Walraven, of Swedish descent. They had children: I. Peter W .; II. Anna C. (Mrs. B. Simmons); III. Samuel, 4. Mrs. Ann C. Gregg died in 1816, and Mr. Gregg married Sarah, daughter of Stephen and Mary Sutton. They had one child, Mary S. (Mrs. Charles Le Carpentier). Mrs. Sarah Gregg died in 1839; her husband survived her forty years, dying in 1879. Mr. Gregg and his family were members of the first Presbyterian church of Wilmington.

Peter W. Gregg, eldest son of Samuel Gregg, 3, was born in Christiana hundred, August 9, 1809. Like his ancestors, he was for many years engaged in farming. Late in life he retired from the active management of his farm, and took up his residence in Wil- mington. He was originally a Whig, and af- terwards a Republican. On February 24, 1841, in Delaware county, Pa., Peter W. Gregg was married to Mary A. Shields, born in Delaware county, Pa., March 29, 1821. Their children are: I. Samuel, 5; II. Lydia E., born July 21, 1845, married, December 12, 1865, Elwood Bartram, now deceased; III. Anna C. (Mrs. Frederick Darlington);

born March 18, 1852. Mr. Gregg died in Wil- mington, February 10, 1887; his widow died March 8, 1894; both were buried in the ceme- tery of the Lower Brandywine Presbyterian church, of which Mr. Gregg was for forty years an elder.

Samuel Gregg, 5, was educated in the pub- lie schools of Christiana hundred, at Clarkson Taylor's Friends' school in Wilmington, and at the Media Institute. He has been engaged in agricultural pursuits since his boyhood. Until 1887 he cultivated the homestead at Montchanin, Christiana hundred, and in that year removed to the farm of the late Dr. Jo- seph Chandler, at Centreville. In 1862 Sam- uel Gregg enlisted in Company B, Fifth Regi- ment, Delaware Volunteer Infantry, captain Lamotti DuPont and Colonel MeComb, and served the Union nine months as a soldier. Mr. Gregg is a worthy citizen and stands well in the regard of his neighbors. He is genial, unassuming and popular. He has been a school commissioner and clerk of the board for twenty years. In his political views he is a Republican.

On October 23, 1867, Samuel Gregg was married to Maragert A., daughter of the late Dr. Joseph Chandler, of Centreville. Their children are: I. Elsie (Mrs. Henry M. Eves); II. Williard S., married Emma Mar- tin; III. Elizabeth Chandler; IV. Irwin W., married Lena Cloud; V. Joseph Chandler; VI. Helen H. Mr. Gregg and his family are members of the Lower Brandywine Presby- terian church.

THOMAS J. LAWLESS, P. O. Henry Clay, New Castle county, Del., son of Thomas and Bridget (Nolan) Lawless, was born in Brandywine hundred, New Castle county, Del., April 7, 1860.

Thomas Lawless was a native of County Wexford, Ireland, and followed farming there until 1858, when he came to America and settled on the DuPont banks. For twelve years he was employed by the DuPont family as a gardener. In 1780 he removed to Chris- tiana hundred, and established himself in the hotel business as landlord of the Mount Pleas- ant Hotel. For fifteen years he conducted his hostelry very successfully. He was a good landlord, polite and accommodating, and enjoyed a large patronage, irrespective of class. In polities he was a Democrat. Thomas

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BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

Lawless married, in Ireland, Bridget Nolan, a native of County Wexford. They had chil- dren: I. Ann (Mrs. Jeffrey Harney), of Brandywine hundred; II. Mary (Mrs. John Bonn), of Brandywine hundred; III. Mar- garet (Mrs. Timothy Quill), widow; IV. Kath- erine, at home; V. Thomas J .; all except Thomas J. were born in Ireland. Mr. Law- less died in 1885; his widow died at Mount Pleasant Hotel in 1892; both were devout members of St. Joseph's R. C. church on the Brandywine, and were buried in the church- yard connected with it.

Thomas J. Lawless attended St. Joseph's R. C. school, and at an early age became an assistant to his father in the management of the Mount Pleasant Hotel. After the death of his father he assumed control of the hotel, and has conducted it for the past thirteen years, as proprietor. Mr. Lawless has been noted for his affability, his diligent regard for the welfare of his guests and his strict maintenance of order about his premises. During his long connection with the hotel, no remonstrance has ever been made against it. As a citizen, Mr. Lawless is popu- lar and progressive. He is a member of Di- vision 2, A. O. H. of Brandywine. In politics he is an ardent Democrat, and has represented his district in state conventions.

. Thomas J. Lawless was married in Charles- ton, Del., to Susanna A., daughter of John Carney; she was born in Christiana hundred. Their children are: I. Katherine; II. Thomas; III. Daniel, deceased; IV. John; V. W. J., born November 1, 1898. Mr. Law- less and family are members of St. Joseph's R. C. church on the Brandywine.

ABRAM PALMER, P. O. Mount Cuba, New Castle county, Del., son of Martha and Elizabeth (Cloud) Palmer, was born in Bran- dywine hundred, New Castle county, Del., February 11, 1838.

More than two centuries ago, John Palmer, an Englishman and a Quaker, came to Amer- ica and established the family through which Abram Palmer traces his ancestry. John Palmer settled, in about 1680, in that portion of old Chester county which is now known as Delaware county, Pa., and with other mem- bers of his Society formed a community at Concord. He was a farmer, and became an extensive owner of land. John Palmer mar-

ried Mary, daughter of Robert Suddry or Southrey. They had children: I. John, 2; II. Catharine; III. Alice; IV. Margaret; V. Ann; VI. Mary. Mr. Palmer died in July, 1742, and was buried near his home; his widow died about 1744.

John Palmer, 2, was born in 1690 and spent his life in tilling the soil in Delaware county, Pa.

Abram Palmer, grandfather of Abram Pal- mer, was born in Delaware county, Pa., in 1771, and lived there and in Chester county until 1815; from that date until 1827, he re- sided in Maryland; he then went to Richland county, O., where he resided until his death in 1852. His son, Martin Palmer, was born in the same county and resided there until he attained manhood, when he came to New Cas- tle county, Del., and settled in Brandywine hundred. There he engaged in farming and milling. He was an energetic man, and gave promise of great usefulness, but was suddenly stricken down with illness and died in 1840 aged thirty-five years. Martin Palmer was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Cloud. They had children : I. Ann (Mrs. Moses Palmer; II. Joseph; III. Abram; IV. Martin, 2, deceased. Mrs. Palmer died in 1842, soon after the death of her husband. Both were members of the Society of Friends, and were interred in the Friends' burial ground at Con- cord, Delaware county, Pa.

Abram Palmer, 2, was but four years old when he lost his parents; he was reared in the family of his uncle, Harlan Cloud, of Chris- tiana hundred, receiving a good education in the public schools of the hundred and the boarding school at Fairville, Chester county, Pa. Ile remained with his unele until he reached his twenty-first birthday, when he went to occupy the farm in Brandywine hun- dred that belonged to the estate of his father. This tract of land he cultivated until 1864, when he removed to Christiana hundred, and purchased the Maris H. Fredd farm of 97 acres, on which he has resided for the past thirty-three years, harvesting rich erops and making many improvements. Mr. Palmer is much interested in educational matters, and has contributed to the elevation of the schools of his district. He has a very creditable rec- ord as a publie official. In 1885 he was elected a member of the Delaware legislature on the Democratie ticket, and served one term in

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STATE OF DELAWARE

that body. He was appointed chairman of the agricultural committee and did valuable work on the Vacant Land and other important committees. Mr. Pahner was also elected road commissioner for Chris- tiana hundred, and school comnis- sioner; in the latter capacity he acted as clerk of the board. In 1896, he was a can- didate on the Democratic ticket for Levy Court commissioner from the first district of New Castle county, but was defeated. Mr. Palmer is a member of Centreville Lodge, No. 27, I. O. O. F., and of the Grange; in the lat- ter organization he has held all the offices. Mr. Palmer is a stanch Democrat, and an un- tiring worker for his party's success.

Abram Palmer married, in Brandywine hundred, Hannah J., daughter of Joseph Larkin, born in Bethel, Delaware county, Pa. Their children are: I. Joseph M., died at the age of six years; II. Alice (Mrs. Frank J. G. Hobson), resides with her father; III. Lilian (Mrs. Frank D. Chandler), of Cen- treville; IV. Josephine (Mrs. Charles G. Hause), deceased. Mr. Palmer's family at- tends the Presbyterian church.

LEWIS W. JORDAN, P. O. Guyen- court, New Castle county, Del., son of Eph- raim and Elizabeth M. (Reid) Jordan, was born at Rockville, Cecil county, Md., August 19, 1859.

The Jordan family is of English origin, and has long occupied an honored position among the people of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. John Jordan, grandfather of Lewis W. Jor- dan, was a well-known farmer and landowner of Cecil county. He was a Federalist and af- terwards a Whig, and a member of the M. E. church. He died in Cecil county and was buried in St. John's M. E. graveyard.

Ephraim Jordan, son of John Jordan, and father of Lewis W. Jordan, was born and edu- cated in Cecil county, Md. He learned the art of paper-making, and soon after erected, at Rockville, Md., the paper-mill which he conducted profitably for about twenty-five years. Then he sold the mill, and estab- lished himself in the paper bag business in Wilmington. During the Civil War two of his sons, John and Ephraim, enlisted in the Union army. The latter having been killed, as hereinafter related, at Chancellorsville, his father went to the field of carnage, ob-

tained the body of the dead soldier and bore it to his home, where it was interred with mili- tary honors. Then, determined that his country should not be robbed of a defender by the death of his boy, he returned to the front and entered Company II, Ninth Mary- land Infantry to serve out the term for which the younger man had enlisted. He was never afterwards heard from, and it is believed was killed while fighting heroically in the ranks. He was aged about fifty-four years when his death occurred. Mr. Jordan was a good busi- ness man, a patriotic and honored citizen. Ile was a consistent member of the M. E. church, and had been for many years one of its local preachers. In his political views he had been a Whig until the formation of the Republi- can party, when he joined that organization. Ephraim Jordan was married, in Cecil county, Md., to Elizabeth M. Reid, born in Cecil county, a woman of culture and Christian re- finement. They had children: I. Mary (Mrs. Andrew Jackson); II John R., deceased, lost both arms in battle during the Civil War; III. Joseph B., was for a number of years engaged in the grocery business at Cherry ITill, Md .; IV. William, has been during all his business life a paper maker; V. Jame ; Miller, deceased; VI. Ephraim M., was a lieutenant of Company C, Second Delaware Volunteer Infantry, and was in all the bat- tles of the peninsular campaign; at the battle of Antietam, in the absence of his captain, Lieut. Jordan was in command of his com- pany, and bravely led them forward, his voice being heard above the din of battle, cheering on his men; he fell, a sacrifice for his coun- ary, at the battle of Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863, aged nineteen years, nine months and twenty days; VII. Irvin M .; VIII. Eliza- beth G. (Mrs. Marshall C. Peirce); IX. Vic- tor L., has been for years in the fruit busi- ness in Coatesville, Pa .; X. Reba II .; XI. Etta M., deceased; XII. Lewis W. Mr. Jordan died in Coatesville, Chester county, Pa., and was buried in St. John's M. E. grave- vard in Lewisville, Cecil county, Md. She was a member of the M. E. church, a kind and charitable lady, and a devoted wife and mother. Heavy demands were made upon her patriotism, and she gave a husband and two sons to the cause of the Union, enduring her bereavement bravely.

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BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

he lost his father, and he was reared to a Christian life by his mother. For a short time he attended the public schools at Rock- land, Del., but while yet a youth began the building of his own fortune. His first em- ployment was as a tinsmith in Rockland. After spending a few years in that occupation, he entered the Jessup & Moore paper mills "in the same place and remainded several years as a machine tender. He was very industrious and his energy won for him the respect of his employers. From Rockland he went to Phila- delphia, Pa., and for a short time was em- ployed as a solicitor for subscription books. Then he secured a position as a conductor of cable cars in that city; and was thus engaged when he was appointed, in February, 1890 agent for the Wilmington and Northern rail- road at Guyencourt, New Castle county, Del. Ile was also appointed agent at this place for the United States Express company, and post- master by the Harrison administration. All of these responsible offices he still holds, and has discharged the duties of each with entire acceptability. Mr. Jordan is also a commis- sion merchant and a buyer for the DuPont company. He is essentially a self-educated and a self-made man and has the confidence and esteem of all who are brought into con- tact with him. Mr. Jordan is a member of Lafayette Lodge, No. 2, K. of P., of Wil- mington; of St. Alban's Castle, No. 161, K. G. E., of Philadelphia; and of Washington Conclave, No. 19, I. O. H., of Centreville, Del. He is a consistent supporter of the Re- publican party but is not an office-seeker.

Lewis W. Jordan, married, in Wilmington, Sarah, daughter of William Henry Seward, born in Wilmington. Their children are: I. Gertrude Reed; II. Elsie Hortense. Mr. Jordan is a member and steward of the Mt. Salem M. E. church.

CONSTANT GRANDHOMME, P. O. Greenville, New Castle county, Del., son of Jean Baptiste and Mary (Conrean) Grand- homme, was born in Alsace, France, now Ger- many, June 23, 1844.

Ile was one of the five children of a pros- perous farmer of Alsace. When he was only six years old, his father died and the paternal estate passed into other hands. The necessity of earning his own livelihood was forced upon the boy, and at the age of seven years he was

hired out to a farmer of the vicinity. Seven years later he removed to another part of the province, but continued to be a farm laborer. During these years, he had obtained as much education as was possible to an orphan boy compelled to make his own way among strangers. When he was eighteen years old, he realized the ambition of most Frenchmen, and became a resident of Paris. For a while he was employed in various occupations, but finally learned cabinet-making, and worked for a short time at that trade. He accumu- lated a small sum of money and went to Fon- tenoy-Tresigny, Deparment of the Seine and Marne, where he established himself as a cheese-maker. His capital was not sufficient to meet the demands of his enterprise, and he was compelled to abandon his factory. Mr. Grandhomne was drafted into the French army when he was twenty-one years old, to render the seven years of military service re- quired by the French law. In 1867, he was one of the army which fought against Gari- baldi, at Rome. Being exonerated from ser- vice in 1869, he was again in the French army in 1870, having volunteered to serve in the great struggle with Prussia, he was appointed sergeant of his company and fought bravely throughout the war, which was ended by the treaty of Frankfort, May 10, 1871, on terms very disadvantageous to the French people. Alsace became a province of Prussia, but Ser- geant Grandhomme would not accept citizen- . ship at the hands of Emperor William and Bismarck. He remained in France until 1878, when he sailed from Havre with a few sous and his passage ticket in his pocket. He landed in Philadelphia, but in the same year came to Delaware and secured employment fram E. D. Le Carpentier, of Rockland, and at the paper mills at Rockland for a short time. Hle exchanged his occupation in the paper mills for a position as gardener for Lamotte DuPont, and soon afterwards leased a small tract of land in Christiana hundred, upon which he engaged in market-gardening. In 1886 he removed to his present farm of 60 aeres, obtaining a lease of the property for four years; in 1890, by thrift and diligence, he was enabled to purchase it. Mr. Grand- homme has improved the farm extensively; le cultivates grain, raises live stock and manu- factures cheese. He was the first resident of Christiana hundred to undretake the last-

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named industry, and has made it profitable. Hlis cheeses were awarded first premium at the Peninsular Agricultural and Pomologi- cal association's fair in 1890, and find ready sale in Wilmington and Philadelphia. Mi. Grandhomme is a practical farmer, an ener- getic man and a good neighbor. He is liberal in his political views.

Constant J. Grandhomme was married, in 1871, in Rambervillers, Department of the Vosges, France, to Celestina Avar, born in Rambervillers. They had children: I. Joseph, of Wilmington; II. August, of Wil- mington; III. Henry, at home; the first two were born in France, the last-mentioned in Christiana hundred. Mrs. Celestina Grandhomme died in 1884, and was buried in St. Joseph's R. C. graveyard on the Brandy- wine. Mr. Grandhomme married, in 1887, Emma, daughter of Ferdinand and Joanna (Specht) Schneider, born in Hanover, Ger- many; her parents are now residents of New York City. The children by this marriage are: I. Louise; II. Charlotte; III. Robert, died young; IV. Hugh, died young. In his religious belief, Mr. Grandhomme is liberal.

HORACE L. DILWORTH, B. S., P. O. Centreville, New Castle county, Del., son of William Levis and Lydia (Cloud) Dilworth, was born in Centreville.

Among those who came to America under the peaceable proprietor, William Penn, was James Dilworth, a prominent minister amongst Friends, who was born in Thorn- bury, Yorkshire, England, and as a young man was engaged in farming there. He mar- ried Ann Walu, and with his wife, sailed from England more than two centuries ago, and es- tablished a home in Bucks county, Pa. There he cultivated the soil, died and was buried.

William Dilworth, son of the original set- tler, was born in Bucks county, but removed while yet a young man to Birmingham town- ship, Chester county, Pa. He spent his life as a farmer. William Dilworth married Sarah Webb, of Chester county. Their chil- dren were: I. Richard; II. Jane; III. Han- nah; IV. Jennette; V. Rebecca; VI. James. Mr. Dilworth died on his farm. He was of the Society of Friends.

county. IIe built the first log hut in Dilworth- town, Chester county, and in 1750 erected a tavern there. James Dil- worth was married, in 1754, to Ly- dia Martin. Their children were: I. Charles, a prominent citizen and an intimate friend of Washington. Ile was dismissed from the So- ciety of Friends because of his active partici- pation in the Revolutionary war; II. Joseph; III. Sarah; IV. Caleb; V. William; VI. James; VIT. Mary; VIII. George; IX. Lydia; X. Hannah; XI. Letitia. James Dil- worth, Sr., died in 1769.

James Dilworth, great-grandfather of Hor- ace L. Dilworth, was born in 1750. He de- voted himself exclusively to farming and owned a farm in Delaware county, Pa. He married Mary Burnworth. Their children were: I. James, 3; II. Joseph; III. Thomas; IV. Ziba; V. Hannah; VI. Ruth; VII. Rachel; VIII. Aun. Mr. Dilworth died and was buried in Birmingham township, Chester county.

Ziba Dilworth was born in Birmingham township in 1801. He was engaged in farm- ing there for a number of years, and then re- moved to New Castle county, Del. For a short period he resided in Wilmington, but af- terwards went to Centreville, and turned his attention to farming. Ziba Dilworth married Deborah B. Levis, born in Birmingham township, Chester county, Pa., daughter of William Levis, a hatter and afterwards a stock . dealer. They had children: I. James, 4; II. William L .; III. Rebecca; IV. John; V. Mary; VI. Charles HI., Des Moines, Iowa; VHI. Elizabeth; VII. Emma; IX. Thomas; X. B. Franklin; XI. Harvey, deceased; XII. Anna; XIII. Edwin T .; XIV. Frederica, de- ceased. Ziba Dilworth died in Centreville, and was buried at Birmingham. Mrs. Dil- worth died in 1893 in Wilmington.

William Levis Dilworth, father of Horace L. Dilworth, was born in Delaware county, Pa. He attended the public schools of Bir- mingham township during his minority. HIo then went to the west, and after spending five years as a merchant in Illinois, was for a short period a resident of Minnesota, from which state he returned to Delaware county, Pa., and resumed farming. In 1858 he re- moved, with' other members of the fam-

James Dilworth, second son of William Dilworth, and great-great-grandfather of ily, to New Castle county, Delaware, Horace L. Dilworth, was born in Chester and with his brother, JJames Dilworth,

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BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

began the cultivation of the Philips farm of 200 acres. In 1863 he purchased the Dela- plaine farm of 165 acres, near Centreville and for the past thirty-five years has made that his home. Besides raising general produce, he rears fine live stock. Mr. Dilworth was origin- ally a Democrat, but since 1860 has voted the Republican tieket. William Levis Dilworth -married Lydia, daughter of William M. Cloud, born in Chester ounty, Pa. Their chil- dren were: I. Horace L .; II. Frederick, while a student at Swarthmore College, drowned by accident at the age of twenty-one years; III. Deborah, at home; IV. Elizabeth C., a school- teacher; V. Martha W., at home. William L. Dilworth and family are members of the Society of Friends.

Horace L. Dilworth attended the public schools of Centreville in his boyhood, and af- terwards martriculated at Swarthmore Col- lege, from which institution he was graduated with the degree of B. S. in 1884. Afterward he studied at Cornell and Harvard Universi- ties, taking special courses in science. In 1886 he became one of the Faculty of the Friends' School at Millville, Pa., and the next year was elected to the scientific department of the Friends' Academy at Locust Valley, Long Island. For the past four years, Prof. Dilworth has occupied the chair of Physics in the Friends' Central School in Philadelphia. Ile is well-equipped for his duties in the class- room, and is besides a capable civil engineer. Prof. Dilworth is very active in the Society of Friends. He is clerk of the Western First Day Union. He is also much interested in general educational work, and gives much time and thought to philanthropie endeavor, is a member of the Pennsylvania Historical Society, and of the Franklin Institute, of Philadelphia. He is a Republican. His resi- dence is in Centreville, New Castle county, Del.

ROBERT PATTERSON GREENLEAF, M. D., Wilmington, Delaware, son of Martin and Margaret (Patterson) Greenleaf, was born near Gap, Lancaster county, Penna., Decem- ber 14, 1830.

Martin Greenleaf, father of R. P. Green- leaf was born in Salisbury township, Lancas- ter county, Penna., June 1, 1805, son of Jacob and Frances (Bruner) Greenleaf.

R. P. Greenleaf matriculated in the Medi- cal Department of Pennsylvania Medical Col-

lege, in Philadelphia, and finished his course there, graduating on March 3, 1855. HIe then settled, April 1, 1855, at Hickory Hill, Chester county, Pennsylvania. On April 1, 1865, he disposed of his property there, and in October following removed to Wilmington, Delaware, (DuPonts,) and has resided here for the last thirty-three years.

WILLIAM ARMSTRONG, Jr., P. O. Centreville, New Castle county, Del., son of William and Jane (Little) Armstrong, was born in Christiana hundred, New Castle coun- ty, Del., August 1, 1819.

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Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. I, Part 103

Author: Runk, J.M. & Co Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chambersburg, Pa. Number of Pages: 1482

Author: Runk, J.M. & Co
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chambersburg, Pa.
Number of Pages: 1482