Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. I, Part 56

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 56

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BENJAMIN B. FERGUSON, M. D., Blackbird, New Castle county, Del., son of Bassett and Susan T. (Weldon) Ferguson, was born in Blackbird hundred, August 23, 1853.

Benjamin B. Ferguson attended the public schools of Blackbird hundred, and studied for three terms at the Felton Academy, Del. At the age of fifteen, he became clerk in the drug store of J. W. Denney, of Smyrna, Del., with whom he spent three years. At the ex- piration of this time, in 1874, Mr. Ferguson, although still in his teens, was placed in charge of the drug department of the University Hos- pital, Philadelphia, Pa., and proved so effi- cient that he retained the position for nine

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years, leaving it then to assume the duties of superintendent of the drug department of the Polyclinic Hospital Dispensary, in the same city. Nine months later, he opened a drug store in Camden, N. J., which he conducted for six years. Mr. Ferguson then began rea l- ing medicine, having as his preceptor Dr. Ashbridge, of the U. S. Navy; in 1890, he matriculated at the Jefferson Medical College, from which he was graduated in 1893. Dr. Ferguson settled soon after obtaining his diploma in Blackbird hundred, and here, in his native place and among the friends of his boyhood, he has secured general confidence and established an extensive practice. He is a member of the State Medical Society; has served the hundred as school commissioner, and is connected with the A. O. U. W., of Camden, N. J.

Dr. Benjamin B. Ferguson was married in Philadelphia, in 1883, to Alice E. Perkins. Their children are: I. Bessie B .; II. Susan E .; both are attending school; III. Alice V .; died in infancy. Alice E. (Perkins) Fergu- son was born in London, England. HIer grandfather, George Perkins, was an officer in the British army, and fought in the Cri- mean war; he died in England. His son, George J. Perkins, Mrs. Ferguson's father, was an employee of the Great Eastern Car Manufacturing Company, of London, in which his whole life was passed. The Per- kins family enjoyed a position of honor and respect for many generations. George J. Perkins married Eleanor Wesley, who was of the same family with the distinguished preacher, John Wesley, and was also distantly related to General Washington. Mr. and Mrs. Perkins were members of the Establish- ed Church of England; both died in London. Their children are: I. Sarah Ann ( Mrs. James Wise), of London; II. Alice E. (Mrs. Benja- min B. Ferguson); III. Charlotte E., chief nurse at the Allegheny Hospital, Pa .; IV. Annie J. (Mrs. Thomas Lindsay Turton), of New Jersey; V. Ada (Mrs. Charles Shaw), of London; VI. Benjamin, of London; VII. Walter T., of New Jersey; VIII. Minnie. Mrs. Ferguson came to America in 1880, and first met Dr. Ferguson in Philadelphia. She is active in good works, and is a faithful member of the Episcopal Church.

ISAAC R. STAATS, Taylor's Bridge, New Castle county, Del., son of Isaac and

Ann (Vanpelt) Staats, was born near Tay- lor's Bridge, September 11, 1838.

The Staats family, originally of Scotland, were among the early settlers of that part of the state in which they reside. Peter Staats, grandfather of Isaac R., was born in that part of Appoquinimink hundred from which Blackbird hundred was formed in 1875. Here he passed his life, cultivating his own farm, a homestead which he so improved by the erection of a dwelling and barn, and the addition of other facilities, as to render it both convenient and valuable. He was a stanch member of the old line Whig party, and was much respected as a neighbor and as a citizen. Peter Staats died on the farm, and was buried in the Friendship M. E. ceme- tery, in the Blackbird hundred. He was the father of a large family.

Isaac Staats, son of Peter Staats, was born on the homestead near Taylor's Bridge in 1809. Although he enjoyed but limited op- portunities, he succeeded by hard study in be- coming fairly well educated. His life, spent on the home farm, was one of tranquil and successful diligence. He not only managed the cultivation of the homestead, but became the owner of several other tracts of land in Blackbird hundred, which he improved with the necessary buildings, etc., and rendered productive. Mr. Staats was noted for his in- dustrious habits and his honesty of purpose; he was actively interested in the welfare of the state and the community in which he lived. Sympathizing with the desire of young people of limited means to acquire an educa- tion, he lent his best endeavors to the estab- lishment of the free school system, in order that they might enjoy advantages that had been denied to himself. For many years he was school commissioner of the hundred. He was too modest to seek political honors; when they came to him, he tried to do what appear- ed to him to be his duty, even though he felt assured that defeat awaited him. Thus he was more than once nominated for the state legislature by the Republican party, whose ranks he joined on the disappearance of the Whig party from the political field; he always accepted the nomination, and con- tended for the principles in which he be- lieved, although his failure to be elected was no surprise to him. The same result follow- ed the same course of conduct when the nomi- nation was for the state senate; but then, As

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ever, he cheerfully accepted defeat, satisfied with having done what he felt to be his duty. Isaac Staats was married in his native hund- red; his wife, Ann (Vanpelt) Staats, was also . a native of that hundred. Iler ancestors came among the early settlers from Holland, and founded a widely connected and substantial family. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Staats are; I. Elizabeth (Mrs. Henry A. Wood Keeper), of Blackbird hundred; II. John W., deceased; III. Sarah J. (Mrs. C. W. Jarrell), of Blackbird hundred, deceased; IV. Isaac R .; V. Peter, died young; VI. Mary A., resides in Philadelphia; VII. Emily, wife of C. W. Jarrell, her late sister's husband; VIII. James H., farmer of Blackbird hund- red; IX. Fanny; X. Abraham, of Taylor's Bridge, merchant and postmaster; XI. George, of Philadelphia. Mrs. Ann (Van- pelt) Staats died on the farm, and was buried in the family lot in Friendship cemetery, be- longing to the M. E. church, of Blackbird hundred. Isaac Staats afterwards married Catherine (Armstrong) Collins, widow of Morris Collins. Mrs. Catherine Staats still resides in the hundred; but Mr. Staats died in 1894, after having for some years led a life of retirement and leisure. His remains were interred in the Friendship burial ground. He was an excellent man, faithful in the per- formance of both public and private duties; he and his family were members of the M. E. church.

The fourth child of the family, Isaaac R. Staats, was educated in the public schools in the neighborhood of Taylor's Bridge. He remained on the farm with his father until he reached his majority; then, renting one of his father's farms, he cultivated it until, in 1862, a call being made by the U. S. govern- ment for volunteers to aid in putting down the Rebellion, Mr. Staats enlisted in the First Delaware Cavalry, Company A, Col. Knight, and Captain, afterwards Major Loard. In this regiment he served until June, 1865, participating in all the engagements in which the regiment, as a part of the Army of the Potomac, was engaged. Mr. Staats was never off duty; he spent no time in the hospital, al- though he was cut in the head by the burst- ing of a shell, and received a sunstroke, from the effects of which he still suffers. Nor has he ever asked a pension, nor received any, although his faithful services, as well as his

injuries, might be regarded as giving him d fair title to it. Mr. Staats was mustered out at Baltimore. He then returned to the busi- ness of farming, which he has made the occu- pation of his life. He bought a farm of his father's, to which he has since added other traets, and now cultivates about 287 aeres. He has made much improvement upon his land, and has cultivated the strawberry exten- sively, besides raising stock and grain, and carrying on the dairy business. By his enter- prise and diligence, he has increased the limit- ed means with which he began life to a comfortable competence. Mr. Staats is inter- ested in several public enterprises; he is a shareholder and director of the Philadelphia and Smyrna Transportation Company, of Smyrna. Being an active and intelligent Republican, he was nominated for the state legislature on the ticket of that party, but was defeated, the majority being Democratic. He is a comrade of Col. J. W. Andrews Post No. 14, G. A. R., Odessa, Del.

Isaac R. Staats was married, December 28, 1870, in Smyrna, to Margaret, daughter of Jonathan and Hannah (Smith) Stephenson; she was born in Blackbird hundred. Their children are: I. Wilmer C., farmer, of Black- bird hundred, married Martha Webb; II. Horace W., florist, of Chadd's Ford, Pa .; III. Clarence, at home; IV. Irvin R., blacksmith, of Jenkintown, Pa .; V. Elsie, at home. Mrs. Margaret (Stephenson) Staats died in 1891. Mr. Staats was again married, in Wilmington, Del., to Eliza, daughter of John Talley, farmer, of Brandywine hundred, where she was born. Isaac R. Staats is a respected mem- ber of the M. E. church.

Jonathan Stephenson, father of Mrs. Mar- garet Staats, was born at Swanland, near Hull, Yorkshire, England, May 7, 1806. About 1831, he married Hannah Smith, and some years later came to America, and settled near New Castle, Del., on one of the Common farms. This place he cultivated until he had saved enough to purchase a tract of land in Blackbird hundred, near Smyrna, on which he resided until his death. Mr. Stephenson was a man of purpose and of action. His time and attention were almost exclusively devoted to the two main interests of his life, the service of God in the church, and the pursuit of his honorable and useful voca- tion. His diligent attention to business gave

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him a prominent and influential position among the farmers of his vicinity, and as a man of business, his distinguishing traits were industry and probity. He was a member of the M. E. church from his youth; and it is said of him that "but few men could more nearly throughout half a century appropriate the lan- - guage of Joshua when he declared, 'But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.' " So long as his children continued to be inmates of their father's house, they went regularly with their parents to church. Few services of any character were held in the church, to which the family carriage did not bring its ample load. Jonathan Stephenson died, deeply regretted by his neighbors, friends and fellow members of the church, leaving seven children, with their mother, tomourn his loss. One of his daughters, Charlotte, wife of Rev. William R. McFarlane, was already deceased; the survivors were Mrs. Joseph Stephenson, Mrs. William A. Hukill, Margaret (Mrs. I. R. Staats), since deceased, Mrs. F. F. Bogia, one unmarried daughter, and two sons, John W. and Joseph Stephenson. Mr. Stephen- son's death was described by friends who wit- nessed it, as a signal triumph of Christian faith; his face, one said, was "lit up with a glow as if he had already beheld a vision of the future life." His remains were interred at Glenwood Cemetery.

ABRAM STAATS, Taylor's Bridge, New Castle county, Del., son of Isaac and Ann (Vanpelt) Staats, was born on the old Staats homestead, near Taylor's Bridge, February 17, 1852.

In the public schools of the hundred, Abram Staats obtained a fair English edu- cation, a foundation for subsequent additions of general information, gleaned by observa- tion, experience and reading. He remained on the home farm with his father until 1877; during four years of that time, he rented the homestead from his father, and managed its cultivation. In January, 1877, Mr. Staats made a beginning in mercantile business in the store which he still occupies, and which his father had built. For two years, he rented it from his father, after which he bought the store, and has transacted business there ever since with success. He began without experi- ence, and with a very limited stock; at the present writing he is considered one of the

most prosperous merchants of the region, car- rying all the abundance and variety of stock to be found in a first class country store; and his success is due not only to his ability as a business man, but to the kindly disposi- tion and courteous manner which render him popular. He enjoys a steady and extensive county trade. He is also postmaster of Tay- lor's Bridge, to which office he was appointed in 1877; his duties in this service are faith- fully and satisfactorily performed. Mr. Staats is a Republican, and a steady supporter of the principles of his party, but by no means. a wire-puller, or a seeker after political pre- ferment. He is interested in educational pro- gress, is school commissioner of the hundred, and clerk of the board.

On February 22, 1877, Abram Staats was married in Blackbird hundred to Euphe- mia, daughter of Daniel R. and Elizabeth (Reeves) Johnson, a native of Mercer county, N. J. Their children are: I. Jessie R., assis- tant in her father's store and in the post- office; II. Walter J., an accountant, now clerk on the steamer Clyde, at Odessa; III. Oliver M., at home; IV. Herbert W .; V. Elmer S .; VI. W. Hamilton; VII. Daniel, died when six months old. Mr. Staats and his family are members of the Friendship M. E. Church, of Blackbird hundred.

Daniel R. Johnson, father of Mrs. Staats, was of Scotch descent, and was born in Mon- mouth county, N. J., where he was educated and began life as a farmer's boy. When a young man, he removed to Mercer county, N. J., where he was still engaged in farming, and where he was married. Some years later, when his daughter Euphemia was five years. of age, he removed to Delaware, and for several years cultivated a farm in the vicinity of Smyrna. His last removal was to Collins' Beach, in Blackbird hundred; here he spent the remainder of his life. He enlisted for the defence of the Union in the First Regi- ment Delaware Infantry, and having perform- ed his military duty with courage and fidelity, was mustered out with the rank of corporal, after three years' service. The children of Daniel R. and Elizabeth (Reeves) Johnson are: I. Isaiah, who died in infancy; II. Euphe- mia (Mrs Staats); III. Clara, died young; IV. Isaiah, 2, deceased, an ordained minister of the M. E. church; V. Martha, died young; VI. Mary (Mrs. Benjamin Laughlin), of

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Philadelphia. The mother died near Smyrna, in 1879. She was a member of the M. E. church, and was interred in Bethel cemetery. Mr. Johnson afterwards married Margaret Collins, who survives him, still residing in Blackbird hundred. Mr. Johnson died in 1889, and was buried in the Friendship burial ground. His politics were Republican; his religious profession, which he honored by his life and conduct, was in the M. E. church.

JAMES H. STAATS, Taylor's Bridge, neighborhood during his early years, James and Ann (Vanpelt) Staats, was born Decem- ber 4, 1847, on the Staats homestead, near Taylor's Bridge.

Having attended the public schools of his neighborhood during his early years, James H. Staats continued to live and to work on the farm with his father until he reached the age of twenty-three. He then purchased of his father a farm near Taylor's Bridge, com- prising 115 aeres; on this place he has made various judicious improvements, among which not the least important is a frame dwelling in modern style, one of the finest in that part, of the country. Here Mr. Staats was for many years engaged in tilling the soil and conducting a profitable dairy business. A few years ago, he retired from business, and is enjoying his well earned leisure and repose. Mr. Staats is a stanch supporter of the Repub- lican party, but is liberal in political affairs, always voting for such candidates for local offices as he believes to be the best men, ir- respective of differences of opinion. He was for eight years school commissioner at Tay- lor's Bridge.

James H. Staats was married, November 7, 1872, in Christiana hundred, New Castle county, Del., to Anna M., daughter of Al- bert J. and Mary J. (Stidham) Lynam; she was a native of Christiana hundred. Their children are: I. Ida L. (Mrs. William F. Elliott), of Laurel, Del .; II. Carrie J., at home; III. Edna M., died young. The family of Mr. Staats are members of the Friendship M. E. church. Their family life is cheerful and attractive, and they enjoy general esteem and respect.

The Lynam family, from which Mrs. Staats is descended, had its origin in Sweden; her ancestors were among the first settlers of Delaware. Her grandfather, Thomas Ly-

nam, passed his entire life in Christiana hund- red, his native place, receiving his educa- tion in its old-fashioned schools, and learning farming according to the primitive methods of his times. This became his vocation for life, and through unremitting diligence, he was prosperous. Thomas Lynam married Eleanor Robinson; two of their children died in infancy; those who lived to mature years, but are since deceased, are as follows: I. Wil- liam; II. John R .; III. Thomas; IV. James K .; V. Lewis; VI. Albert J .; VII. Eleanor; VIII. Sarah; IX. Christiana. Mr. Lynam and his wife both died in Christiana hundred, and their remains were buried in the grave- yard of the historic "Old Swedes' Church," at Wilmington. Mr. Lynam voted with the De- mocratie party, but sought no public office.

Ilis son, Albert J. Lynam, was also a native and a life-long citizen of Christiana hundred, and devoted his attention to farming. He lived and died upon his farm of 120 acres in Christiana hundred. His wife, Mary J. Stidham, was born in the same hundred, and was the daughter of David and Catherine (Lynam) Stidham, both deceased. Of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Albert J. Lynam, four are deceased, as follows: I. Emma S. (Mrs. James F. Porter), of Christiana hun- dred; II. Marion C. E. (Mrs. Samuel C. Der- rickson); III. Albert T., died in infancy; IV. Atwood D., died at the age of forty. Those surviving are: I. Anna M. (Mrs. James H. Staats); II. Joanna; III. Gilpin P., morocco dresser, Wilmington, Del. Mr. and Mrs. Al- bert J. Lynam are both deceased; they were members of the M. E. church, but Mr. Ly- nam, who died in 1875, was interred with his wife in the Episcopalian cemetery at Newport, Del. Mr. Lynam was a Democrat of the same type as General Jackson.

JOHN W. PRATT, P. O. Green Springs, New Castle county, Del., is a son of Henry and Eliza (Staats) Pratt, and was born in Appoquinimink, now Blackbird hundred, February 25, 1838.

His grandfather, Henry Pratt, Sr., was born in Sussex county, Del., and was a farmer, first in Sussex county, afterwards in Kent county, near Dover, Del. He was an old line Whig; was elected sheriff of Kent county, and filled the office with efficiency. Retiring at last from active life, Henry Pratt spent

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his declining years with his son, at Smyrna, Del., where he died; he was buried at Dover. His wife, Lydia Ann (Hickman) Pratt, died and was buried at Dover. They were mem- bers of the M. E. church. Their children were: I. Henry; II. Ruth (Mrs. G. W. Jes- ter); III. Thomas, died in Kent county, Del .; IV. Elizabeth (Mrs. John Hudson); V. Wil- liam, deceased; VI. Lydia (Mrs. Thomas IIil- yard); VII. Celia Ann (Mrs. William Den- ney); VIII. Nathaniel, retired, Smyrna, Del .; IX. Mary, widow of N. Boggs. The family is well known in the state, honorable and re- spected.

The eldest of this family, Henry Pratt, 2, was born in Sussex county in 1812, received his education there, and became a farmer. Removing to New Castle county when a young man, he farmed for more than forty years in Appoquinimink hundred; the rest of his life was passed in Duck Creek hundred, Kent county, Del., upon a small farm which he had bought. Here he died in August, 1889, and was interred in the cemetery of the Blackiston Chapel, Kenton hundred. Mr. Pratt was in early life a Whig, but afterwards became a Democrat. He was for several years a school commissioner, in which capacity he was efficient and popular. Henry Pratt was married in Appoquinimink hundred, to Eliza, daughter of Jacob Staats, a farmer of that hundred, in which she was born, July 31, 1816. Their children are: I. Henry, a farmer of Kent county, Del., enlisted in the U. S. army in the war of the Rebellion, Company E, Second Delaware Volunteer Infantry, died in 1884; II. Susan (Mrs. George Ingraham), of Middletown, Del .; III. John W .; IV. Thomas, a farmer of Maryland. The excel- lent mother of this family, now an octogena- rian, still resides in Kent county, Del.

During the winter months, John W. Pratt, when a child, attended the public schools of Appoquinimink hundred; in the summer, he assisted the farmers of the neighborhood by such work as a small boy can do, by which he contributed twenty-five cents a day to the support of the family. At the age of eight, he was hired out on the Wells farm, now his own property, for $2.50 per month: on that place he worked for a year. He continued doing farm labor at home and for neighbor- ing farmers until he was twenty-two years of age; he then started out for himself, own-

ing no capital but his youthful strength and hopefulness, his willing hands, and a horse which his father had given him. For one year, he rented the 250-acre truck farm of Peter Deram, in Saint George's hundred, near Odessa; for the next year, the Lamb farm of 300 acres, in Kenton hundred; he then spent six years on the Irving farm in the same hundred. After that time, Mr. Pratt bought 237 acres of land in Kenton hundred, which he improved liberally, and cultivated for twenty-two years, making grain and fruit his staples. At the end of this time, he rented his farm and spent two years at Clayton, Del .; after which he bought the William Bell farm, 158 acres, in Kenton hundred, improved and cultivated it for eleven years, raising stock and producing fruit and grain. Mr. Pratt's latest removal was to his present farm of 178 acres, the Daniel Wells farm, which was, as we have said, the scene of his early industry, and which he bought in 1894, and has im- proved at a cost of about $2,000. He has cattle of superior breeds, and is profitably engaged in the dairy business. Mr. Pratt now owns 550 acres of land, besides a fine frame dwelling in Clayton, all of his property being the fruits of his own diligence. ITis life has been uniformly one of temperance, upright- ness and devotion to his serviceable calling. Ile is a plain-spoken man, whose word is ever the true expression of his opinion and belief. As a business man, his management is ex- cellent. Nor are his aims selfish; from the time when his childish hand helped to bear the burdens of his parents, he has ever shown kindness and liberality towards others; not only to his own family, but to those who work for him, to the church, and to all worthy objects. He enlisted for the defence of the Union in 1863, in Company E, Second Delaware "Home Guards," for nine months; he was engaged in active duty for two months, at Havre de Grace, and was mustered out at Smyrna. Mr. Pratt is a Democrat; he does not seek, and would not accept public office. He has several times served on juries, both grand and petty, at Dover and Wilming- ton.

John W. Pratt was married, January 14, 1864, at Blackiston Cross Roads, Kenton hundred, to Sarah E., daughter of John and Sarah (Boggs) Wright; she is a native of Appoquinimink hundred. Mrs. Pratt's

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father was a farmer; both he and Mrs. Wright were members of the M. E. church. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Pratt are: I. Harry, died April 7, 1867; II. John N., farmer, of Kenton hundred, married Mary Davis, has children i. Emna, ii. Davis, iii. Elmer, iv. Elsie; III. George E., farmer of Kenton hundred, married Anna Jones, of Sussex county, Del., has one child, Elsa; IV. Emma (Mrs. John W. Houston), of Kent county, Del., has children i. Liston, ii. John; V. Mol- lie P. (Mrs. Benjamin HI. Boggs), has chil- dren, i. Sarah P., ii. Pearl; Mr. Boggs farms with Mr. Pratt; VI. Herman; VII. Perkin. The family are members of the M. E. church; Mr. Pratt is very liberal in his religious views.

JOHN L. SEEMANS, P. O. Clayton, Del., is the son of Lambert M. and Permclia (Reynolds) Seemans, and was born in Appo- quinimink, now Blackbird, hundred, August 30, 1846.

Rev. Solomon Seemans, his grandfather, a descendant of an English family, was born and reared in Kent county, Md. He was educated for the ministry of the M. E. church, and after his ordination, preached for several years in his native county, where his entire life was'spent. Besides preaching, he culti- vated a small tract of land of which he was the owner. Mr. Seemans labored faithfully for the good of his neighbors and parishion- ers. Before any church had been erected in his locality, his house was opened for re- ligious services. Rev. Solomon Seemans was first married to a lady of the same family name, a native of the state of New York; they had two children, both now deceased: I. Lambert M .; II. Sarah (Mrs. Joseph Morris). Both they and their mother died in Kent county, Md. Rev. Mr. Seemans afterwards married Miss Starkley; their children are; I. Mary, wife of Benjamin Wells, a grocer, of Wil- mington; HI. Susan (Mrs. George T. Town- send), of New Castle. Mrs. (Starkley) See- mans died in Kent county, Md., where Mr. Seemans also died in 1827; his remains were interred with those of his first wife in the family burial place, a walled enclosure on the farm. Mr. Seemans was a preacher of ability, as well as a devout and conscientious pastor.

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Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. I, Part 56

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