USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > A history of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and its people; Volume III > Part 3
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CRONIN Affectionately known as "Uncle Mike" to many, and as such to all "Eagles." Michael Cronin, although not by any means an old man, is one of Chester's best known citizens. For twenty- five years a resident of Chester, he has during that entire time been a caterer to the traveling public and is as well known to habitues of the road as he is to his friends and neighbors. He is a true son of the Emerald Isle. although a na- tive born Jerseyman, son of John Cronin, a native of Cork, Ireland, who on emigrating to the United States, about 1845, settled in Sussex county. New Jersey, where he became a worker in the iron mills. His wife, Margaret Cummings, was born in county Roscommon, Ireland. came to the United States and was married in Paterson, New Jersey. He died in Sussex county. in 1861. and is buried in Newton, New Jersey : she died in Chester, in 1892, and is there buried. Children. all born in Sussex county. New Jersey: I. William, born 1849, died young. 2. John, born 1851, died young. 3. Peter, born September 18, 1853. now an iron worker in Chester; married Helen Gorey, deceased. Children: i. Peter, deceased. ii. William, died at Platts- burg Banks during the civil war. iii. Michael J., proprietor of the Swan Hotel, Chester. 4. Michael, see forward. 5. Mary, born 1857; married in Butte, Montana. July. 1882, Charles Behre, of San Francisco, whom she sur- vives, a resident of Daly City, California. 6. Catherine, born 1859: married James Murray, now employed in the government mail service in Chicago. She died in Chester, in December, 1890.
Michael Cronin, fourth son of John and Margaret (Cummings) Cronin, was born in Sussex county, New Jersey, October 15. 1855. He attended pub- lic schools in his early life, but at ten years of age became a worker around the iron and zinc mines, his education being therefore largely obtained through private study, reading and experience. He spent twenty years in the iron ore and cement mines of New Jersey and New York ; the anthracite coal mines of Pennsylvania ; the soft coal mines of Missouri; the silver mines of Montana. and the coal mines of Oklahoma and the Indian Territory. The years from
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ten to thirty were spent as indicated, he in the meantime acquiring a sturdy frame and a well stored mind, as the different experiences through which he passed, the people with whom he came in contact, and the mining knowledge he absorbed, all had a broadening and expanding influence. In 1885 he re- turned East and settled in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, where he became proprie- tor of the Central restaurant, continuing until December 31, 1886. In January, 1887, he came to Chester, Pennsylvania, where he purchased the Avenue Hotel on Concord avenue, remaining there twenty-three years as proprietor. On February 15, 1910, he bought the Swan Hotel, one of Chester's leading hostel- ries, which he conducted until April 1, 1913, when he was succeeded by his nephew, Michael J. Cronin, son of his brother, Peter. Since retiring from the hotel Mr. Cronin has resided at No. 515 East Broad street, Chester, where he purchased a handsome home. He was one of the incorporators of the Con- sumers Ice Company, twenty-two years ago, served as director and is now treasurer of the company; is interested in the Seaboard Steel Casting Com- pany ; the Cambridge Trust Company, and has large real estate holdings in the fifth ward of Chester, one of the principal residence wards of the city. In pol- itics Mr. Cronin was originally a Democrat, casting his first vote in 1876 at Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, for Tilden and Hendricks, the Democratic nominees for president and vice-president. After coming to Chester county, he served three years as jury commissioner and was active in the party until about 1905, when as the outgrowth of a fight for local option, he turned to the Republican party. He has since then been closely affiliated with the inside workings of the party in Chester and is an influential worker for party success.
He is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, an order he joined at the age of eighteen years and for the past twenty-six years has been affiliated with Division No. I, of Chester. For the past fifteen years he has been presi- dent of the Liquor Dealers' Association of Delaware county, and for twenty- five years a member of the association. He is a charter member and past chief ranger of Court Commodore Barry, Foresters of America, and is an ac- tive member of Moymensing Hook and Ladder Company, No. I, an organi- zation in which he has been interested many years. When a lodge of Frater- nal Order of Eagles was being organized in Chester, Mr. Cronin became one of the charter members. He took a deep interest in the lodge, and when later they desired a home of their own, it was chiefly through his advice, guidance and assistance that their beautiful building at Seventh and De Shong streets was erected. He was presented with an expensive chain of the order, by the lodge members, as a token of their appreciation ; his name is carved on a tab- let in the vestibule of the building, and "Uncle Mike" is consulted on all mat- ters of business pertaining to the order and is also sought after for advice on matters of a more private nature. Having no children of his own, he has adopted everybody's children, and he is "Uncle Mike" to a small army of young people. In religious faith he is Roman Catholic, belonging to St. Michael's of Chester. Mr. Cronin married in St. Michael's, May 19, 1886, Catherine E. McKeggan, daughter of John and Bridget McKeggan, both deceased.
The progenitors of the Massey family of Dupont Banks, Dela-
MASSEY ware, were of French birth and ancestry. The founder of the family in Delaware, Peter Massey, was born in France, came to this country when a young man, and in 1869 was killed in a powder mill explosion at Dupont Banks. He was an expert powder maker and came from France to work in the Dupont powder mill, and was in charge of one of the presses at the time of the explosion. He left a widow and children: I.
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Frank, died in 1900; a cooper of Dupont Banks; married Naomi Latch, also deceased. 2. Henry Curtis, of whom further. 3. Maria, married a Mr. Garvine, both deceased, leaving a daughter Bella, who married John Crow and resides in Wilmington. 4. Eliza, married James Sharp; resides in Wil- mington. 5. Charles, now a resident of Washington, D. C .; for the last twenty years engaged in the manufacture of the Red Cross rifle; married Mary Naylor.
Henry Curtis, son of Peter Massey, was born at Dupont Banks, Dela- ware, August 13, 1844, now a government pensioner residing at Wilmington, Delaware. He was educated in the public schools, and until seventeen years of age worked at coopering. In July, 1861, he answered the president's call for men to defend the flag by entering in the First Battery, Delaware Volunteer Artillery, serving until the close of the war. He received an injury to his back, which was of such seriousness that he has ever since been paid a pension by the government. For many years he was an employee of the Wilmington Water Department, but in 1906 retired. He is a Republican in politics, and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He mar- ried Esther Scofield, born at Chester, Pennsylvania, daughter of Thomas Sco- field, a cotton mill manager, who was drowned in the Delaware off Chester wharf, prior to 1859. She had two brothers, both veterans of the civil war, Thomas, now an inmate of a soldiers' home near Richmond, Virginia, and William, who died in 1908. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Massey: I. J. Harry, of whom further. 2. Frank C., born at Dupont Banks, 1870; now connected with the police force of Wilmington. 3. May, born 1872; married Frank Ferguson; resides in Wilmington. 4. Laura, born in Wilmington, 1874; now residing at home; unmarried. 5. Howard, died young. 6. Lewis, born 1886; married May Warick. 7. William, born in Wilmington, 1888; now a brick- layer of Wilmington; unmarried. 8. Howard (2), born 1892; also a brick- layer ; unmarried.
J. Harry, son of Henry Curtis and Esther (Scofield) Massey, was born at Dupont Banks, Delaware, June 8, 1868. He attended public school in Wilmington until 1882, then for two years worked in the Wallace nurseries. From 1884 until 1890 he was employed as fireman on Delaware and Chesa- peake Bay steamers, and from 1890 until 1900 was a member of the police force in Wilmington. In 1900 he became proprietor of a hotel in Wilming- ton, at the corner of Second and King streets, remaining three years. He ran a hotel at No. 615 Shipley street for a short time, and in May, 1903, he opened a hotel in Leipsic, Delaware, and in 1905 was in the same business in Odessa, Delaware, continuing until September, 1911, when he purchased and took pos- session of the Morton House, at the corner of Eighth street and Morton avenue,. Chester. This hotel was first opened in 1876 by John Buckley, who was suc- ceeded by Harry G. Mason, who was its proprietor for over thirty years, sell- ing out to Mr. Massey. He is a Republican in politics, and in Odessa served as town commissioner. He is a member of the Odessa Tribe, Improved Order of Red Men, and is past president of Wilmington Eyrie, No. 74, Fraternal Order of Eagles.
He married, at Lower Brandywine, now Centreville, Delaware, April 15, 1888, Mary Journey, daughter of Moses (2) and Mary Ann ( Wilson) Journey, of Rockland, Delaware, he a paper manufacturer, died 1892, she died in 1894. Children: 1. Harry, born at Smith's Bridge, Delaware, Janu- ary 15, 1889; now clerk at the McCullough Iron Works, Wilmington; mar- ried Amy Hanna and has a daughter Miriam. 2. Frank, born in Wilming- ton, April 16, 1890; resides at home. 3. Lillie Naomi, born in Wilmington, November 1, 1891, resides at home. 4. Mary E., born in Wilmington, April
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4, 1893. 5. Ereon, born in Wilmington, December 13, 1895. 6. Walter P., born August 22, 1896. 7. Esther S., born April II, 1898. 8. Ethel, born in Odessa, April 21, 191I.
McCALL The first of this branch of the McCall family to come to the United States, was Robert McCall, born in county Donegal, Ire- land, in 1838, who came to the United States when a young man, and was killed by his horses at Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania, in 1892. He worked in Philadelphia for a time, after first coming to this country, but his principal business all his life was teaming and other work with horses. In religion he was a member of the Roman Catholic church, and in politics a Democrat. He married, in Philadelphia, Sarah Burke, born in Londonderry county, Ireland, who survives him, residing in Lima, Delaware county. Chil- dren : Anne, died young; Dominic, died young ; Charles R., of whom further ; James, a farmer of Lima; Kate, married Frank Baker, of Media.
Charles R., son of Robert and Sarah ( Burke) McCall, was born in Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, February 15, 1869. He attended public school until he was nine years of age, and then was a newsboy for a time, until he secured a position with the Glen Riddle Mills. He later was a trainer of running horses, afterwards worked in a hotel; and then in partnership with John Gitday, he bought the Mountain House at Rockdale, which they operated for three years, when he purchased his partner's interest and hecame sole proprietor. Later the mills there were destroyed by fire, and the house ceasing to be profitable, he was forced to close up. He was in the employ of John McMonigal, as driver in 1898 and 1899, and in 1890 was employed at the hotel located at Tenth and Edgemont streets, Chester. His next position was as a member of the Chester police force, remaining here eighteen months. In 1896 he resigned and was employed by Valentine Ingram, then returning to the police force he continued with them three years. For the succeeding three years he was employed by Hugh McCaffery at the American House in Chester, then for a year was with Thomas Hargrave at Sixth and Edgemont streets, Chester. In 1910 he became proprietor of the Colonnade Hotel, Nos. 10 and 12 Third street, Chester, where he still remains. The Colonnade was built in 1876 by Benjamin Morris, who after five years sold it to Mr. Green, who later sold it to Goff and Brown, they being succeeded by ex-chief of Police Williamson. He sold the hotel to John Walls, who sold out to Mr. McCall. The house is a favorite one with the commercial and theatrical traveling public, and rooms are constantly booked in advance. Mr. McCall is a Republican in politics. He belongs to Chester Lodge, No. 285, Loyal Order of Moose, of which he is past dictator ; Chester Nest, the Owls : Chester Eyrie, No. 159, Fraternal Order of Eagles; Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division No. 3, and for fifteen years has been an active member of Moyer Hook and Ladder Company. In religious faith he is a member of the Roman Catholic church.
Mr. McCall married (first) Annie, daughter of James and Catherine Con- nors, of Glen Riddle. Children : Kate, born in 1890; Robert, in 1891 ; Nellie, in 1894 ; all are living in Rockdale, Pennsylvania. He married (second) Cath- erine, daughter of Edward and Catherine Welsh.
That the Strongs of England, Ireland and Scotland are of a STRONG different origin respectively, would seem to be manifest from the variety of their family crest. The crest of the Strongs of Ireland is a lion rampant, azure, supporting a pillar argent (or silver) ; of those of Scotland, a cluster of grapes stalked and leaved; while of those
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of England there is a three-fold variety of crest. One of them is, out of a mural coronet, gold, a demi-eagle, wings displayed, gold; another is an eagle with two heads, wings expanded; the third an eagle displayed, gold. Any of these latter three may be the authentic crest of Elder John Strong, immigrant ancestor of virtually all the families bearing the Strong surname in this coun- try, who was born in Taunton, England, 1605, son of Richard Strong. The family was originally located in county Shropshire, England, but one of the family married an heiress of Griffith, county of Caernarvon, Wales, and went thither to reside in 1545.
(I) Of this Welsh branch was Richard Strong, who was born in county Caernarvon, in 1561, and in 1590 removed to Taunton, Somersetshire, England, where he died in 1613, leaving beside his son John, a daughter Eleanor.
(II) John Strong lived at London and at Plymouth and finally, having strong puritanic sympathies and convictions he and his sister came to New England, sailing March 20, 1630, in the ship "Mary and John" and, after a pass- age of more than seventy days in length, on Sunday, May 30, 1630, landed at Nantasket, Massachusetts. They settled in Dorchester. The sister married Walter Deane, a tanner of Taunton, Massachusetts, previously of Taunton, England. In 1635 John Strong removed to Hingham. He was admitted a freeman, March 9, 1636. He removed to Taunton before December 4. 1638, when he was on the list of inhabitants and proprietors and remained there until 1645 or later. He was deputy from that town to the general court in Plymouth in 1641-43-44. He moved to Windsor, Connecticut, where with four others he was appointed to "superintend and to bring forward the settle- ment of the place." He settled finally in Northampton, Massachusetts, with which his name has since been associated. He was one of the first and most active founders, and for fully forty years a prominent and influential citi- zen. He prospered in his business as a tanner and husbandman, owning about two hundred acres of land in and near Northampton. He was elected ruling elder of the church and ordained June 24, 1663. His first wife died in the passage, or soon after landing in Massachusetts, and two months later her baby died also. He married (second) in December, 1630, Abigail Ford, daughter of Thomas Ford, of Dorchester; she died, the mother of sixteen children, July 6, 1688, aged about eighty years. He died April 14, 1699, aged ninety-four years. He had at the time of his death one hundred and sixty descendants, among whom were eighteen children and one hundred and four- teen grandchildren, and at least thirty-three great-grandchildren. During his lifetime he made over his lands to his children.
Children of first wife: 1. John, of whom further. 2. Infant, died in Dorchester, Massachusetts, 1630. Children of second wife: 3. Thomas, born 163-, died October 3, 1689. 4. Jedediah, born May 7, 1637, died May 22, 1733. 5. Josiah, died young. 6. Return, born 1641, died April 9. 1726. 7. Elder Ebenezer, born 1643, died February II, 1729. 8. Abigail, born 1645; married (first) Rev. Nathaniel Chauncy, (second) Medad Pomeroy. 9. Eliz- abeth, born at Windsor, Connecticut, February 24, 1647, died May 12, 1736; married Joseph Parsons. 10. Experience, born August 4, 1650; married Zerubbabel Filer. 11. Samuel, born August 5, 1652, died October 29, 1732. 12. Joseph, (twin of Samuel), died young. 13. Mary, born October 26, 1654: married Deacon John Clark. 14. Sarah, born 1656; married Joseph Barnard, of Hadley. 15. Hannah, born May 30, 1659; married William Clark. 16. Hester, born June 7, 1661 ; married Thomas Bissell. 17. Thankful, born July 25, 1663 ; married Baldwin. 18. Jerijah, born December 12, 1665, died April 24, 1754.
(III) John (2) Strong, son of John (I) Strong, was born in England.
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1626, died February 20, 1697. He was probably a tanner of Windsor and was a prominent man in the community. He married (first) November 26, 1656, Mary Clark, baptized September 30, 1638, died April 28, 1663, daughter of Joseph and Frances Clark; (second) in 1664, Elizabeth Warriner, died June 7, 1684. Children of John and Mary (Clark) Strong: I. Mary, born April 22, 1658, died 1722; married, November 22, 1676, Timothy Stanley, of Con- necticut, died November 26, 1728. 2. Hannah. born August 1I, 1660, died November, 1745; married Stephen Hopkins. They had three children, who died unnamed. Children of John and Elizabeth (Warriner) Strong: 3. John, born December 25, 1665, died May 29, 1749. 4. Jacob, born April 8, 1673. 5. Josiah, of whom further. 6. Elizabeth, born 1684; married Thomas Burnham.
(IV) Josiah Strong, son of John (2) and Elizabeth (Warriner) Strong, was born January 11, 1678, died at Colchester, Connecticut, April 5, 1759. He married, January 5. 1698, Joanna Gillett, born October 28, 1680, daughter of Josiah and Joanna (Taintor) Gillett, of Simsbury, Connecticut. Children: I. Hannah, born October 12, 1699: married Dr. Benjamin Warner, of Water- bury, Connecticut. 2. John, born June 17, 1701, died April 7, 1783. 3. Dama- ris, born May 8, 1703 ; married June 7, 1723, Samuel Calkins Jr., of Hebron, Connecticut ; child : Aaron Calkins, born January 19, 1725. 4. Elizabeth, born October 21, 1705. 5. Mary, born September 19, 1707; married, in 1724. Jon- athan Webster, born November 5, 1700, died July 27, 1746; a farmer of Leba- non, Connecticut, son of George and Sarah Webster; children: David, born April 8, 1725, died January 2, 1727; Jonathan, born February 26, 1727; Mary, born December 14, 1729: Abigail, born February 12, 1731 ; Israel, born June 18, 1735, died at Lake George, New York, October 20, 1755. 6. Josiah, born September 9, 1709. 7. Eunice, born November 19, 1711, married, September 26, 1739, Benjamin Webster, of Lebanon, Connecticut, a farmer ; child : Bena- jah, born October 2, 1740. 8. Caleb, born February 20, 1713. 9. Rachel, born April 21, 1716. 10. Dorothy, born May 25, 1718. II. Joshua, born July 20, 1721, died in Middle Haddam, Connecticut, November 25, 1779. 12. Irene, born October 20, 1722. 13. Asahel, of whom further.
(V) Asahel Strong, son of Josiah and Joanna (Gillett) Strong, was born June 22, 1725. He married, June 7, 1744, Betterus Crouch, a farmer of Colchester, Connecticut. Children: I. Irene, born May 20, 1745. 2. Asahel, born March 29, 1747, died April 13, 1748. 3. Adonijah, born May 21, 1749. 4. Ambrose, of whom further. 5. Joanna, born December 10, 1753; mar- ried Aaron Dewey. 6. Betterus, born November 3. 1755. 7. Asahel, born October 17, 1760. 8. Mercy, died unmarried. 9. Polly, married a Mr. Gott. (VI) Ambrose Strong, son of Asahel and Betterus (Crouch) Strong, was born in Colchester, Connecticut, November 1, 1750. He was the compounder and seller of "Strong's Syrup for Rickets," a famous medicine of his day. He married, October 4, 1770, Lydia Holdridge, a widow. Children: 1 and 2. Elisha and Elijah, twins, born June 26, 1771. 3. Betterus, born January 27, 1773; married Richard Crouch, of Cohocton, New York. 4. Roxana, born April 13, 1775, died March 13, 1776. 5. Charles, born August 27, 1777. (VII) Elijah Strong, son of Ambrose and Lydia ( Holdridge) Strong, was born June 26, 1771, died April 26, 1860. He was a farmer of Colchester, Connecticut, He married (first) May 21, 1797, Anna Crouch, born Septem- ber 24, 1773, died April 8, 1813, daughter of Christopher and Rebecca ( Buell) Crouch, of Hebron, Connecticut, (second) June, 1814, Lucy Finley, born December 18, 1778, died October 26, 1856, daughter of Solomon Finley, of Marlboro, Connecticut. Children of first wife: I. Anna Buell, born Janu- ary 12, 1799; married George Strong, of Hebron, Connecticut, born August 3, 1793, son of Asa and Polly (Mann) Strong. 2. Lydia Chamberlain, born
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September 16, 1800, died in Hebron, Connecticut, April, 1866. 3. Rebecca Crouch, born April 13, 1803; married Hazael Gott Jr., of Hebron. 4. Elijah Frink, born October 12, 1804. 5. Charles Davis, born September 1, 1806. 6. Elizabeth Wright, born December 4. 1808; married Roger Lewis, of Hebron, Connecticut. 7. William Christopher, born March 12, 1811, disappeared. 8. George Griswold, born November 14. 1812; a miner in California. Children of second wife: 9. Edward Henry, of whom further. 10. Lucy Elvira, born January 30, 1817. 11. Walter John Finley, born September 17, 1822.
(VIII) Edward Henry Strong, son of Elijah and Lucy (Finley) Strong, was born in Colchester, New London county. Connecticut, May 14, 1815, where died March 15. 1891. He was educated in the public schools of the neighborhood, later considerably furthering his education by his own efforts. Until the civil war he had always been a staunch supporter of the Demo- cratic party, but at that time he differed so greatly from the principles of his party and was at the same time so ardent an admirer of Abraham Lincoln that he joined the ranks of the Republicans. He was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives for two or more terms. He and his wife were mem- bers of the Congregational church. He was a farmer of Colchester, Connecti- cut. He married (first) April 12, 1842, Abigail Hodgekins Utley, born June 8, 1821, died February 20, 1843 : (second) December 7, 1843, Eunice Loomis, born May 6, 1818, died June 30, 1902, daughter of Veach Loomis, a farmer of Lebanon, Connecticut, where he died April 30, 1867, aged ninety-one, and Lucy (Lathrop) Loomis, daughter of Charles Lathrop. Children of Veach and Lucy (Lathrop) Loomis: 1. Charles Lathrop, born December 6, 1810; married (first) Wealthy Grant. (second) Frances Esther Clark. 2. Anson, born January 14. 1813: married Emily Augusta Phillips. 3. Adgate, born May 29, 1815, died aged twenty-four years. 4. Eunice, of previous mention, married Edward Henry Strong. Children of Edward Henry and Eunice (Loomis) Strong : 1. Edward L., born November 4, 1844, died April 1, 1896: married Rhoda Dolbeare. 2. Henry A., born September 10, 1846; married Esther Lucretia Hastings; she died April 22, 1901. 3. Nelson Hooker, of whom further. 4. Lucy Louise, born February 14, 1852, died May 21, 1853. 5. Abigail Utley, born March 23, 1854. died March 2, 1901 : married John Backus. 6. Sarah Jane, born November 11. 1856; married Frank Barbour. 7. Arthur Hotchkiss, born July 9, 1859, died January 15, 1863. 8. Nora Amelia, born May 26, 1862, died January 16, 1863.
(IX) Nelson Hooker Strong, son of Edward Henry and Eunice ( Loomis) Strong, was born in Colchester. New London county, Connecticut, February 27, 1850. His mother was a paternal granddaughter of Captain Isaiah Loomis who served as a soldier in the army of the revolution. His boyhood was thus passed among the traditions and influences of New England. In the district school of the day he laid the foundation of his education, and during the win- ter of 1868-69 he taught in the neighboring district of Columbia. In June, 1872, he was graduated from that old and famous school of his native town, Bacon Academy, at which he also took his entrance examinations for Yale College. Upon his graduation from Yale in 1876, he accepted a position as teacher in Shortlidge's Academy, Media, Pennsylvania. This work he contin- ted for several years, taking up at the same time the study of law. In Decem- ber. 1879. he was admitted to practice at the Delaware county bar. Business and the practice of his profession have occupied him from that time hitherto.
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