Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. II, Part 96

Author: Runk, J.M. & Co
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chambersburg, Pa.
Number of Pages: 1500

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BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

dealt to a considerable extent in grain, pro- duce, wood, bark lumber and coal, which he mostly shipped in his own ve-sels to and from Magnolia to the large cities of the North. IIe has also dealt extensively in real estate, buy- ing and selling farms in his vicinity. Ilis store in Magnolia was conducted under the firm name of William M. Prouse & Co., Mr. Prouse being his son-in-law, and Mr. Van Burkalow having for some time been gradu- ally withdrawing from active business.

In polities he was a conservative Democrat and a strong Union man during the war. In the fall of 1880 he was elected to the legis- lature, and was active and prominent in the session of 1881. He was made a Master Mason, at Temple Lodge, Milford, in 1867.

Mr. Van Burkalow united with the Metho- dist church in 1844, at the age of thirteen, and at sixteen years of age was licensed to exhort, having from that time mainttained this relation to the church. He filled all the lay offices.

Moses Sipple Van Burkalow was married ir: 1851 to Miss Margaret Maria, daughter of Benjamin and Catherine (Swiggett) Townsend, of Camden. Their children were six in number: I. Ruth Sipple, who died in 1869, at the age of seventeen; II. Keturah Swiggett, wife of William M. Prouse, mer- chant at Magnolia; III. Hattie Sipple, wife of John J. Conner, farmer near Magnolia; IV. Mosena, wife of Rev. E. C. MacNichol, of the Wilmington Conference; V. John, who died at the age of three years; VI. Caleb Sipple.

GEORGE V. MASSEY was born in Ches- ter county, Pa., in 1841, removed to Dela- ware in 1849, living for one year at New- ark. He afterwards resided for several years at Elkton, Maryland. He removed to Dover in 1855, where he has since resided. He has been constantly engaged in the practice of the law since 1865. Has never held any pub- lie office. Mr. Massey was in the army for two years during the Civil War, in the ad- jutant general's and inspector general's de- partments, respectively.

COL. HENRY CLAY DOUGLASS was born at Federalsburg, Md., in 1830. Hlis

father, Joseph H. Douglass, was in early life a farmer, and later, a justice of the peace. Ile was several times a member of the legis- lature of Maryland, and died in 1831, aged nearly fifty years. The mother of Col. Henry Clay Douglass was Charlotte, daughter of James Wilson, of Dorchester county. Her ancestors were among the carFest settlers and owners in that county. She died in 1861 in the sixty-sixth year of her age.

Henry Clay Douglass attended a district school until the age of fourteen, when he be- came a clerk in the store of Hon. Jacob Charles, a well known and greatly respected citizen of Federalsburg. After reaching the age of twenty-one he was for three years a clerk in Seaford. Ile was next a clerk for Governor William Cannon and was in his family for two years. During the time Mr. C'annon was state treasurer he had charge of his mercantile business to a great extent. In 1856 he was appointed by Governor Causey an aid on his staff with the rank of colonel, and the same year was nominated by the American party as a candidate for the state legislature. The entire ticket was defeated, vet Colonel Douglass led his ticket by three hundred votes. January 1, 1857, he was appointed ticket and freight agent for Smyrna Station, now Clayton, on the Dela- ware Railroad. In 1863 he was elected on the Democratic ticket to the House of Repre- sentatives, when he resigned his position as agent. At the expiration of the session he re- turned to Clayton and established himself as a grain merchant, commencing in 1866 and continuing for many years.

It was mainly through the agency of Colonel Douglass that the telegraph facili- ties now enjoyed by Smyrna were secured to that town, in 1874. He took a large interest in the building of the branch railroad from Clayton to Smyrna, which was placed in run- ning order in 1865. He was one of the incor- porators of the Fruit Growers' National Bank of Smyrna, and one of its directors. Henry Clay Douglass was united in marriage on the 24th of August, 1859, to Miss Kate Hanson, daughter of Colonel David Lockwood, of Smyrna. Two children survive of this mar- riage: I. Henry Lockwood and II. Kate Russell Douglass.

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JOHN MOORE was born October 22, 1826, on the old homestead farm, "Fairview," in Kent county. His father, Thomas Moore, was also a farmer. His first wife was Sarah, daughter of William Maffett, of Kent county, by whom he had four children: I. John, the subject of this sketch; II. William HI .; III. Andrew HI .; IV. Susan, who became Mrs. David Boggs, of Kent. Mrs. Moore died in 1849, at the age of forty-nine.

Mr. Moore next married Mary Farrow, by whom he had also three sons and one dangh- ter, their names being: I. Francis A .; II. Thomas F .; III. Daniel G .; IV. Rebecca C.

The father of Thomas Moore was John Moore, also a farmer, in the same locality. Hle married Susan Green, and raised a fam- ily of six sons and one daughter. As far back as the family can be traced they have been residents of Kent county, and were undoubt- edly among the early colonial settlers. Mr. Moore attended the public schools of the neighborhood in the winter season only, after reaching the age of twelve years, from which time he worked regularly on the farm, plow- ing and doing much other work quite beyond his strength; but he was always exceedingly fond of reading, and in this way became one of the best informed men of his locality.

On attaining his majority he spent two years in traveling through several of the northern and surrounding states. Returning home he was in 1850 made collector of Little Creek hundred for one year, after which he was for the same length of time, clerk in a store in Leipsic. He then commenced mer- cantile life on his own account at Shawn's Crossroads, since known as Moore's Corners. This business he continued prosperously till 1862, when he soll it to his brother. He then bought a lot and built a house in Leipsic, where he for a time resided. He had, on coming to Shawn's Crossroads, bought ten acres of land as a beginning, and in 1860, purchased "Fairview," where he settled, con- taining 145 acres. To this he added in 1868 122 acres, near Moore's Corners. He put up a good house, commodious barns, and other buildings. His peach trees, five thousand in mumber, were very profitable, as well as his apples and pears, grapes, and four acre- in small fruits. The rest of the farm is devoted to wheat, grain and stock.

Mr. Moore was formerly an old line Whig; afterwards became a Republican, and an earnest supporter of that party. He was an ardent patriot and Union man during the war, and at all times active and interested for his party. By the force of his intelligence, and the earnestness of his character, he ex- erted a wide influence in his locality.

John Moore was married, April 27, 1853, to Miss Mary Jane, daughter of Clement and Grace (Wharton) Nowell. They have had pine children. Those living are: I. Thomas Clayton; II. Ehna Nowell; III. Hester Jane; IV. Lillie May; V. Henry Winter Davis; VI. Arabelle Moore.

GIDEON EMORY ROTHWELL was born August 1, 1817, in New Castle county. His father was Major William Rothwell, of the "Levels," a large land-holder and an in- fluential citizen of the state. The Rothwells are of English ancestry. His mother was Miss Ann, daughter of Gideon Emory, of Thoroughfare Neck.

Gideon Emory Rothwell received his edu- cation principally at the schools in Thorough- fare Neck. He went to reside with his grand- father in boyhood, and remained with him until his was nineteen years of age. He then returned to the "Levels," and resided with his father until he reached his twenty-sixth year, when he engaged in the business of farming on the old homestead farm of Major Rothwell, which contained 500 acres.

In 1850 Mr. Rothwell purchased from Governor John Clark the farm known as "New Bristol," situated near the town of Smyrna, where he resided for many years. Hle was a large fruit grower, to which he began giving his attention in 1860, at which time he planted 4,500 peach trees. In 1869 he shipped 24,500 baskets of peaches from his farm, which were sent out of the Smyrna Creek to Northern markets. Mr. Rothwell became a largo grower of sweet potato plants, and supplied hundreds of thousands of plants to his neighbors and farmers through the county and state, for which he received twen- ty-five cents per Indred. He had grown and shipped from his farm in one year 500 bush- ols of goo-eberries, he being among the earli-

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est engaged in this business in New Castle county.

Gideon E. Rothwell was reared an old line Whig, and acted with that party while it had an existence; after the war he acted with the Democratic party.

. Gideon Emory Rothwell was united in marriage to Miss Catherine, daughter of George Collins, on the 9th of January, 1845. There have been nine children, viz: I. George E .; II. Henrietta; III. Anna Emory; IV. Mary Matilda; V. Kate; VI. William; VII. Benjamin F .; VIII. Maggie C .; IX. Lydia R.

CHARLES CURTIS CASE was born May 10, 1836, in Kent county, son of Wil- liam Case, a farmer of that hundred, a man of integrity and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, who died March 21, 1877, in his seventy-first year, and Elizabeth, daughter of Curtis Cordry, of Kent county. His grandfather was Charles Case, a farmer of the lower part of Kent county.

The Case family is of Irish origin and were among the early settlers of the state. Mr. Case's early life, was spent on the farm, and his education was obtained at the public school at Pratt's Branch. At the age of eighteen he was apprenticed to learn the trade of a house carpenter, after which he fol- lowed this business for five years, when he be- gan the pursuit of agriculture, renting farms till 1875, when he removed to the old Ilar- rington farm, which he had purchased in 1874. This estate contained 128 acres, prin- cipally devoted to grain. He has had as many as 1,400 peach trees in bearing at one time on this farm, but as they were not profitable, he abandoned the culture of fruit. In 1874 Mr. Case began to improve his land, which was very poor, but he soon put it in a good state of cultivation.

Charles L. Case joined the Methodist Epis- copal church when he was seventeen years of age, became a teacher of the Bible class, and was superintendent of the Sunday-school for five years. Charles Curtis Case was married, January 19, 1858, to Miss Emily, daughter of James C. Anderson, of Felton. Their children are: I. William C .; IT. Virginia E .; III. Henry R .; IV. Joseph C .; V. Sarah II .; VI. Bertha E. Case.

EZEKIEL HUNN was born near Camden, August 26, 1810. His father, Ezekiel Hunn, Sr., a prosperous farmer, was a leading mem- ber of the Society of Friends, and a strong abolitionist. Many a poor fugitive received encouragement from him as well as substan- tial help. His wife was Tabitha, daughter of Henry Newell, of Murderkill Neck.

Ezekiel Hunn was sent till the age of four- teen to the Westtown Friends' boarding school near Philadelphia, and was then ap- prenticed to Townsend Sharpless in that city, to learn mercantile business. Capital was later advanced to him by his guardian, Rich- ard Cowgill, and he engaged in the whole- sale silk and fancy goods business. Some- time afterwards he purchased ground and erected buildings on Market and North Fourth street, where he greatly prospered, and in 1846 retired from the business. He owned a portion of a silver mine near Mid- dletown, Conn., and also invested largely in nickle and cobalt mines in the same state. He afterwards went into partnership with his father-in-law, Townsend Sharpless, but in time his health failed and he retired to his farm. Ezekiel Hunn was married in 1836, to Miss Lydia Jones, daughter of Townsend Sharpless, merchant, of Philadelphia. The union was a very happy one. They had four children: Townsend Sharpless; Henry; Eze- kiel Hunn, Jr .; Mary.

WILLIAM WILSON HURDLE was born February 6, 1862, in Indian River hundred, Sussex county. His father, Jacob Ilurdle, was born in Virginia, in 1780, and migrated in early manhood to Indian River hundred, where he married Valinda, daugh- ter of Isaac and Rebecca Joseph, of one of the oldest families of Sussex county. Five of their seven children grew to maturity: I. Lottie, died unmarried; II. Joseph Chambers, became a farmer; III. William Wilson; IV. Jacob Fisher, a farmer; V. Eliza Ann, who several years ago was given charge of the sewing department of the Byrd Asylum near Philadelphia. Mrs. Valinda Hurdle died in July, 1842. In 1843 Mr. Hurdle married Mrs. Walker. She died in 1854. The father of Jacob was Joseph Hurdle, who came from England and settled in Virginia, where he spent his life and raised a family.

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William W. Hurdle grew up on his father's farm and attended the schools of the locality. Hle remained at home till his mother's death in 1842, soon after which he married and commenced farming on his own account on sixty acres of land given him by his father. He soon after commenced the purchase of land which he continued till he owned about 2,000 acres. He built a commodious resi- dence in 1857. In connection with farming, for many years he bought and butchered cat- tle, and the business which was largely whole- sale, was profitable. By carefulness, indu-try and economy, he was very successful in life and became one of the leading farmers of Sussex county. In politics he was an old line Whig, but joined the Republican party upon its or- ganization, and during the war exerted all his influence to save his country. He enlisted in the Sixth Regiment of Delaware volun- teers, under Col. Jacob Moore, and was Cor- poral of his company. For nine months he was with the regiment guarding the P., W. & B. Railroad, and the prisoners at Fort Dela- ware. He was very active and influential in the councils of both the Whig and Republi- lican parties and attended nearly all the coun- ty and State conventions since before he was of age. He was once on the county ticket for assessor, and in 1880, was the census taker of Indian River hundred. William W. Hurdle was married first in 1843 to Miss Comfort Brinton, daughter of Thomas H. Joseph of the same place. Five of their seven children grew to maturity: I. Annie Elizabeth, who married Silas M. Warrington and died in 1871; II. Isabella Williams, married David P. War- rington, and died in 1868, leaving one child, Susan; III. William Thomas; IV. George Wahsington, died in 1871, in his twentieth vear; V. Amanda Prudence, wife of John S. Veasey. Mrs. Hurdle died October 11, 1867, and Mr. Hurdle married, June 2, 1870, Hes- ter Emily, daughter of William W. Goslee, of Indian River hundred.

WILLIAM NAUDAIN WILSON, was born in Cecil county, Md., second son of Wil- Ham and Rachel (Naudain) Wilson. He at- tended the public schools of his locality till fourteen years of age, when he became a stu-

dent, for two years, in the Middletown Acad- emy. He then attended New London Acad- emy, Chester county, Pa. Returning home he engaged in farming with his father, and three years afterwards, on one of his father's farms near Middletown, known as "Home- stead Hall." He here showed the enterprise and good judgment of a man of more mature years, and managed that farm with great sue- cess till in 1861. About this time he was induced to allow his name to be placed on the sign of a store in the neighborhood to assist an embarrassed merchant, but Mr. Wilson was the loser by $2,000. Generous and un- suspicious, he had no thought that an undue advantage would be taken of his disinterested act. Ile continued farming until 1870, when he was elected, on the Democratic ticket, a member of the Levy Court of New Castle county, for a term of four years. From 1870 to 1875, Mr. Wilson devoted himself, exclu- sively, to the duties of his office. Later he added to his other business that of agent for the Agricultural Fire Insurance Company of New York State, and was also made general agent for the Maryland Life Insurance Com- pany, of Baltimore, which occupied much of his time. He was elected one of the vice- presidents of the Irving Lyceum, of Middle- town, a literary society of high reputation. With his brother, John T. Wilson, he become interested in the settlement of his fathers es- tate. The "Brick Store Landing" farm of 250 acres, descended to these brothers from their mother. This, with his share of his father's estate, real and personal, placed Wil- liam N. Wilson in comfortable circumstances. For several years Mr. Wilson took an active interest in politics. In 1870, Mr. Wilson united with the Presbyterian church of Mid- dletown.

REV. ISAAC MASSEY HALDEMAN, was born at Concord, Delaware county, Pa., February 13, 1845. In 1852 his father. R. J. Haldeman, removed his family to West Chester, where he conducted a large and pro - perous mercantile business, and amasse la far- tune. He was a birthright member of the Society of Friends, but in 1866, at the same time with his son Isaac, who was then twenty- one years of age, be united with the Baptist

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Church, in which he was from that time pro- minent. He married Miss R. A. Massey, a descendant of the Frazers of Delaware coun- ty, originally from Scotland.

Isaac M. Massey received a thorough aca- demie education, and at the age of nineteen entered into partnership with his father, with whom he remained till he was twenty-five. His father's desire was that he should succeed him in the business. But his tastes were en- tirely literary; his mother had in his in- fancy devoted him to the ministry, and care- fully trained him with this hope in view, and from the time of his conversion and baptism, it was strongly impressed upon his own mind that he must preach the gospel. Returning from a tour through the west, he found his church in the midst of a revival, and being urged by his pastor, made his first public attempt. At its conclusion fifteen rose for prayers. His gift was quickly recognized, and he soon received a call to the Baptist Church at Brandywine, which being repeated the third time, he accepted and was ordained. The church had previously paid a salary of only $400, but offered Mr. Haldeman $1,000. During the four years he was pastor, he baptized over two hundred converts, largely from the Quaker families who predominated in the place. He preached always to crowded houses, and had a constant revival. In the midst of these successful labors, he received an urgent call to the pastorate of Delaware Ave- nue Baptist Chuch of Wilmington, which was then in financial embarrassment, and greatly in need of an able and popular pastor. Be- lieving it to be his duty, he accepted the in- vitation, entering this new field in April, 1875. His reception was most flattering; the church was constantly thronged, and even the Wednesday evening meetings were attended by an average of five hundred people with una- bated interest. A strong Calvinist, and a firm believer in the near approach of the second coming of Christ, the unpopularity of his doc- trines appeared little to affect his popularity as a preacher, which has only seemed to in- crease with the passage of time. He edited for several years a religious paper called "The Arenue," devoted to the interests of his church, and to his peculiar doctrinal beliefs. In 1876 he spent six months in Europe.

EVANS PENNINGTON was born in Lancaster county, Pa., February 22, 1837, son of Daniel and Letitia (Townsend) Pen- nington.

Daniel Pennington, a wealthy farmer, was the son of John, who was the son of Thomas Pennington, a native of England, who, with his two brothers, came to this country about the middle of the last century. Thomas set- tled in Lancaster county, his brother Isaac in New Jersey, and the other brother in Mary- land. They were members of the Society of Friends, as their descendants mostly are to the present time.

Evans Pennington received a thorough English education in the publie and board- ing schools of Pennsylvania which he attend- ed till he was nineteen years of age. He soon after began to learn the miling business, and when twenty-three purchased a grist mill which he improved and soon after sold at a profit; and so he continued till 1872, buying mill property, improving it, operating it for a longer or shorter period, and disposing of it at a good advance. In these operations he realized a considerable sum of money, and in 1872 decided to devote himself to real esttate, and for that purpose removed to Wilming- ton where he built up a large and remunera- tive business.

Although coming to the city a perfect stranger he pos essed the qualities that insure success; great activity, close attention to busi- ness, frank and cordial manners, with straightforward and fair dealing. This made him many friends and acquaintances, who were so won by his manners and methods, that an immense amount of property was soon placed in his hands, and for the first year his sales amounted to upwards of $100,000. In 1875 he purchased property at Eighth and King streets, which he made his residence and business headquarters. Mr. Pennington was married, March 24, 1864, to Miss Emma Gawthrop, daughter of Allen Gawthrop of Wilmington, but formerly of Chester county, Pa. Their children are: I. Frank Newlin; 11. Harry Gawthrop; III. Mary G. Mr. Pennington and his wife are birth-right mem- lers of the Society of Friends.

HON. JOHN BARR PENNINGTON was born in New Castle hundred, December 20, 1825.

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Ilis father Thomas MeDonough Penning- ton, was the son of James Pennington, who married a sister of Commodore MeDonough. Thomas MeDonough Pennington married Henrietta, daughter of John Barr, a farmer of New Castle county.

John Barr Penington attended the old pub- lie school in Christiana and others in the vi- cinity, and in 1843 and 1844 the academies at New Castle and Newark. In the spring of 1845 he entered Jefferson college, at Can- nousburg, Pa,, from which he graduated A. B. in June, 1848. He graduated with dis- tinction in a class of sixty-seven members.

Mr. Pennington then traveled south and west, spent some time in Indiana in the study of law. Having there an atrack of hemor- rhage from the lungs, he regained his health by an out-door life in overseeing the con- struction of the Wabash canal, and returning home in 1851, engaged in farming till 1854. Ile then studied law in the office of Hon. Martin W. Bates, was admitted to the bar in 1857, and settled at once in Dover for the practice of his profession.

Always prominent in the Democratic party he was elected to the legislature in 1856, and took his seat in January, 1857. The House was then composed of quite young men, many of whom have since been distinguished. In 1859 he was clerk of the House.

CHIAS. MASON CULLLEN, lawyer, was born in Georgetown, June 14, 1828, the son of Hon. Elisha D., and Margaret (West) ('ul- len. Mr. Cullen pursued his preparatory studies at the Academy in his native town, and entered the third term of the Freshman class at Yale College, in May, 1845, graduat- ing with distinction in 1848. He then studied law in his father's office, and was ad- mitted to the bar, October, 1852, when he became his father's partner in the practice of the law, till the death of the latter in 1862.

Charles M. Cullen was married, May 6, 1853, to Miss C. Virginia Waugh, daughter of Bishop Waugh of the Methodist Episcopal church.

JOSEPH ROBERTS was born in Appo- quinimink hundred, June 7, 1829.

James Roberts, the father of Joseph, was born on the eastern shore of Maryland. Ile had but a limited education but was a man of more than ordinary ability and energy, and possessed a remarkable memory. James Ro- berts married Anna Maria, daughter of John and Maria (Hyatt) Hickman, and left six chil- dren: 1. Mary; II. Samuel; III. Joseph; IV. Elizabeth; V. Martha; VI. Anna Maria. James Roberts died in 1855, in his sixty-sixth year, and his wife, March 27, 1878, aged eighty-three.

John Roberts, the father of James, was born on the eastern shore of Maryland, and removed to Delaware about 1794. Ile was engaged in the oyster trade, and died in 1803, at about sixty years of age. He had seven children.

Joseph Roberts received only a common school education, but by reading and private study he became well educated. He learned surveying after he was married; was his own teacher, studied nights, and thoroughly mas- tered his profession. He took charge, in 1852, of the home farm, contining 1723 acres, and had besides a tract of 47 acres of wood- land and ten acres of chestnut timber, all of which he bought from the estate for $12,000. Ilis father bought the same property, in 1855, for $2,200.

Joseph Roberts was married, January 11, 1859, to Miss Catharine Emily, daughter of HIon. Henry Davis of Middletown.

LEVI A. BERTOLETTE was born in Oley Township, Berks co., Pa., August 28, 1836. He is descended in the sixth generation from Jean Bartolette or Bertholet, who emigrated to America from France in the year 1726, with his wife, two sons and three daughters, and settled in that portion of Philadelphia county, afterwards erected into Berks coun- ty. The descendants of Jean Bertolette are quite numerous, and have generally settled in Pennsylvania, and all the Bertolettes in this country so far as known are from this ancestry.

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Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Vol. II, Part 96

Author: Runk, J.M. & Co Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chambersburg, Pa. Number of Pages: 1500

Author: Runk, J.M. & Co
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chambersburg, Pa.
Number of Pages: 1500