USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > A history of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and its people; Volume III > Part 48
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55
Horace Griffith was born in Vermont. At an early age he received the best
1092
DELAWARE COUNTY
instruction from noted educators, attending a famous institution of learning in his native state. Reaching manhood, he entered the pedagogic profession, and accepted a position in an Ohio school. He taught for some time, and after his marriage in 1859, he relinquished this place, purchased a team and wagon, loaded thereon his household goods and drove across the country to DeKalb, Illinois. Arriving at his destination, he exchanged his outfit for a house and lot, and established his household effects in his new home. Looking around for a business opening, he decided to enter the general merchandise field as the one offering the greatest opportunities for financial success. He did a thriving business, constantly increasing the volume of trade, until the outbreak of the civil war. Like all of his forbears, he was intensely patriotic, and at once con- ceived it his duty to place himself at the service of his country. He enlisted in the Fifty-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was ordered to the front. He was taken ill toward the latter part of the war and was sent to the Chicago Hos- pital. When he was partially recovered he was made hospital steward, which place he filled until the cessation of hostilities. Returning home to DeKalb he again took up the broken threads of life. For many years he was in the employ of Bradt & Shipman, manufacturers and jobbers of gloves and mittens, during which time he held a responsible office position. He finally retired from active work, and on January 3, 1908, he died at the home of his son, H. F. Griffith, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a strong Republican after that party came into existence, and voted twice for Abraham Lincoln for the presidency. He and his wife were devoted adherents of the Baptist church, of which he was a deacon of many years standing, and both were active in their support of it.
He married, in 1859, Julia A. Cross, born in Ohio, and died in DeKalb, Illinois, in 1900. When she met her husband she was teaching in the Hiram Seminary, Ohio. In 1859, soon after their marriage, she accompanied her hus- band on the long and dangerous overland journey in a wagon, from Ohio to DeKalb, Illinois. She was happy and cheerful during that time, despite the discomforts and dangers incurred on such a trip. During the civil war, while her husband was away in the army, she remained at home, doing all in her power to alleviate the distress incident to the terrible struggle. She was one of the many heroines of those soul-trying times. She was of great force of char- acter, highly intellectual, and contributed her full share toward the upbuilding of her section of the country. Children : George C., real estate dealer in Seattle, Washington; Addie E., married Marion Rector. died in Los Angeles, Cali- fornia ; Cora R., married C. B. Merry, lived and died in Nortonville, Kansas : Gertrude B., married A. D. Kempson, resides in DeKalb, Illinois ; Horace Farn- ham, of whom further.
Horace Farnham Griffith, son of Horace and Julia A. (Cross) Griffith, was born August 6, 1876, in DeKalb, Illinois, in the family home. His education was received in the high school of his native place, and was directed by his parents, both of whom had been noted educators in their day. As a boy he entered a shoe factory in DeKalb, and by the wish of his father he was changed from department to department to learn every detail connected with the busi- ness, which he did in the three years he remained with the company. His next position was that of a commercial traveler for the DeKalb Fence Company, covering the territory embraced in the central west. This he continued for five years, during which time he became financially interested in the Shelby Springs, located at Shelby, Heinze county, Ohio. A company was organized, of which he was elected vice-president, then president and general manager ; was general manager until 1908, president until 1911, and still holds a directorship in the company. In 1908 he moved to Philadelphia as eastern representative of his
1093
DELAWARE COUNTY
firm, which engaged his attention until 1910; at that time he discontinued travel- ing. In 1909 he became director in the Belmont Trust Company of Philadel- phia ; and is also interested in developing, manufacturing and mining interests in Columbia, South America. Much of his time and money has been devoted to perfecting special machinery for bottle capping, and he owns patents for it in this and other countries. He is president of the Times Publishing Company, of Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, which issues the "Lansdowne Times," a weekly paper. Among his extensive holdings is the Griffith Addition, in DeKalb, Illi- nois, given over entirely to building purposes. In 1910 he purchased a tract of fifty acres centrally located within the borough of Lansdowne, and at once began improvements by surveying and laying out streets, putting down sidewalks, sewer and water pipes. In March, 1912, Mr. Griffith began preparations for the making of a park of a portion of the land. He set aside a number of acres, which since that time have been transformed into one of the most beautiful suburban parks in this country. The central feature is a lake with a hundred yards straitway swimming course, the only one hundred yards straitway swimming course in still water in the metropolitan district. The lake is sur- rounded by artificial hills to give it a natural scenic effect. There are gardens filled with exquisite and multi-colored flowers, picturesque rockeries, a formid- able looking fortress, a battlemented castle and a fairy grotto. It is widely known for the purity of its water, of which it has an abundant supply; for its fine tennis court, croquet grounds, golf links, baseball diamond, and many other attractive features. Mr. Griffith was reared a Lutheran, and in politics is a decided Progressive. He is a member of the Manufacturers' Club of Philadel- phia. Ranking as a public-spirited citizen of Lansdowne he commands the esteem and admiration of his fellow townsmen.
On June 3, 1903, he married Annette M. Wilson, born in Oregon, Illinois, daughter of John P. and Joanna P. Wilson. Mr. Wilson, who died in 1905, was an agricultural implement dealer, though during his younger years he had been an architect and builder. Mrs. Wilson makes her home with her daughter. Children: Frank P., a commercial traveler for Adams & Elteng, of Chicago, resides in Indianapolis, Indiana ; Annette M., wife of Mr. Griffith. Mrs. Grif- fith, who descends from fine Swedish families, was educated at the Oregon high school, graduating with distinction. She attended the Art Institute in Chicago, where she made a record as an artist, possessing the true artistic temperament. In 1909 she made a tour of Europe, spending four months in Sweden, visiting the ancient ancestral home of her house. She is a member of the Swedish His- torical Society of Philadelphia, is a brainy, clever woman, and edited, with signal ability, the Lansdowne Times. It is largely through her instrumentality and love of the beautiful that the park was so skillfully planned and trans- formed into its present picturesque form, designing as she did many of the most striking and characteristic features.
BELL Thomas K. Bell, of Beechwood, Newtown Square, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, is recognized as one of the representative men of the county, and has been intimately identified with important engineer- ing and mechanical affairs for many years. He is the son of John G. and Annie M. (Rimby) Bell, both of whose families were exiled from Germany about 1630 and fled to England. When Lord Carteret established a colony in Mary- land the Bells and the Rimbys were among those who settled in it and have been resident in America since that time. They are now scattered all over the United States. Some members of these families were buried in Norfolk, Vir- ginia, as early as 1668. For many years they have been iron founders and steel
10)4
DELAWARE COUNTY
men, and the maternal grandfather of Thomas K. Bell used to operate the old Conestoga furnaces in Pennsylvania. In later life he was foreman of the famous Ballman Iron Company, of Baltimore, which built the first iron bridges ever constructed. His last days were spent in Baltimore. Members of both families were active in revolutionary days, two of the Bells, one of them named Zachariah, bearing the rank of colonel.
John G. Bell was born in Maryland and his early years were spent on the farm owned by his father. Later he became an iron master in Baltimore, and subsequently went to Chicago and to New Albany, Indiana, being occupied in the iron business in these two cities for about twelve or fourteen years alto- gether. In 1881 he returned to Maryland, making his home in Baltimore, and, being in ill health, retired from active participation in business affairs. His death occurred in February, 1882. During the progress of the civil war he served as a soldier in the Union army, while his brother Richard was active on the Confederate side. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Epis- copal church. He was a staunch Republican, and a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
John G. Bell married Annie M. Rimby, who married (second) William Reed, now deceased, and lives in Baltimore. By her first marriage she had children : Thomas K., of whom further ; Lydia, who died unmarried at New Albany. Indiana : Ida May, married Frank Gavin and lives in Baltimore; Wil- liam, deceased : Lillian, who married S. J. Keller, and resides in Philadelphia.
Thomas K. Bell was born in Baltimore, Maryland, September 7, 1869. He was educated in the Maryland Institute in Baltimore, and the Baltimore and Ohio School of Technology, and acquired a practical training in the apprentice- ship he served in an iron foundry. He was employed by the Wenstrom Dynamo and Electric Company, then went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was with Graham Curtis as mechanical engineer on rolling mill and furnace work. The Pittsburgh Locomotive Works of Allegheny Valley were the next scene of his activity, and he remained with this concern for one year. Resigning this post. he came east for R. D. Woo:1 & Company, of Camden, New Jersey, as engineer. At the end of one year he resigned from this position, and in the spring of 1893 became engineer for William Wharton Jr. & Company, of Philadelphia, held this connection for thirteen years, during the last five of which he was chief engineer ; resigned in 1906 in order to accept the post of chief engineer of the Interstate Railway Company, and after the dissolution of this company in 1910, accepted a position as special engineer in the engineering department of the Rapid Transit Company of Philadelphia. In December. 1911, he resigned from this office, and since that time has been doing special engineering work and investigation along engineering lines in various parts of the world.
Mr. Bell conducted the investigation which convicted the fraudulent pro- moters of the Chicago to New York Air Line, and landed them in the Federal prison. The investigations commenced and conducted by Mr. Bell, in Trenton, New Jersey, were the cause of the recent progressive upheaval in New Jersey, with the ultimate result of landing President Wilson in the White House. Still more recently Mr. Bell has returned from an investigation of the railway methods in vogue in Germany, this being made for the Accumulatoren Fabrik Aktien Gesellschaft, and is now engaged in the formation of a company to introduce into the United States German methods of electric welding under German and American patents. While abroad he attended the international road congress, held at London, England.
Further, Mr. Bell was actively engaged during the transition from the cable system to the modern electrification of street railways, and is often called
1095
DELAWARE COUNTY
into conference by municipal and transportation authorities in the United States. His work is well known and represented in the following named cities: Phila- delphia and its environs, Camden, Morristown, Reading, Wilkes-Barre, Tren- ton. Chester and Wilmington. In 1908 Mr. Bell was able, within twenty-four hours, to bring to a close the Chester trolley strike, to the satisfaction of all concerned. In 1905. during the construction of the Bay Shore Terminal Rail- way, at Norfolk, Virginia, he unearthed a cannon ball similar to the one buried in the wall of Christ Church, which was fired upon Norfolk by the British fleet when Lord Dunmore vacated Virginia in 1779. In the spring of 1913 Mr. Bell sent this cannon ball to President Wilson. He and several others bought a large collection of Fort Sumter relics, among them being a canister ball which he recently presented to General George Meade, a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, in Philadelphia. Many of the other relics he has retained for himself, as he has always been deeply interested in history, and his house is full of war time mementoes. In political matters he supports the Republican party. He is a member of Trimble Lodge, No. 117, Free and Accepted Masons, of Camden, New Jersey ; Siloam Chapter, No. 19, Royal Arch Masons ; Cyrene Commandery, No. 7, Knights Templar ; Crescent Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; Excelsior Consistory. Royal Arcanum ; past officer of the Lionel A. Tribe, Improved Order of Red Men, of Camden ; past officer of Witherspoon Circle of Brotherhood of the Union; a member of Fidelity Lodge, Ancient Order of United Workmen: the American Society of Civil Engineers ; and the American Street Railway Association.
Mr. Bell married (first) in 1890, Emma Mapes, born in Camden, New Jersey, died in 1906, a daughter of Samuel Fowler, retired chief engineer in the United States navy. They had one son, Thomas Fowler, who died in infancy. He married (second) in 1907, Sarah Elizabeth, also born in New Jersey, a daughter of Job Grant. By this marriage there are no children. Mr. Bell is known as a man of unswerving integrity and of remarkable executive ability. The manner in which he has carried out his share in the vast enterprises with which he has been connected has earned for him the respect and esteem of all with whom he has been associated.
CLEVENGER The Clevenger family of Delaware county, Pennsylvania,
of which Llewellyn Morris Clevenger is a representative in the present generation, has been resident in the state of Pennsylvania for many years, and has been successfully identified with a variety of industrial and commercial enterprises.
Richard B. Clevenger, grandfather of Llewellyn M. Clevenger, was a resi- dent of Philadelphia county, and died at Manayunk. He was a farmer by occit- pation. gave his political support to the Republican party, and was a member of the Baptist church. He married Esther McCoy, who died at the age of eighty years. They had children: John, married (first) Maude --- , (second) Sarah -; Richard B., married Anna --: Benjamin, who served in the army, die! unmarried ; Anna, died unmarried ; Thomas, married : Llew- ellyn Morris, see forward.
Llewellyn Morris Clevenger, father of Llewellyn M. Clevenger, was born in Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, and died in South Media, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, October 11, 1907. He acquired his education in the public schools, and at the age of thirteen years wanted to enlist, but was not accepted because of his extreme youth. However, at that early age, he was the support of his mother, his father and brothers having gone to the front, to assist in defence of the rights of the Union. He was a currier in a mill and
1096
DELAWARE COUNTY
after a time was advanced to the position of superintendent, but was obliged to resign this office on account of ill health. He gave his political support to the Republican party, and was active in the public affairs of the community. He served as school director, town clerk, justice of the peace, and also filled several minor offices. Mr. Clevenger married Mary Smith, who was born in York county, and is now living in South Media at the age of fifty-eight years. She was the daughter of John Smith, a carpenter of York county, who died there at the age of seventy-six years. He married --- , and had children as follows : Mary, mentioned above : Anna, married Adam Mintzer ; Harry, mar- ried Eva -: Jacob, married Carrie - ; William, married Olive Pyatt ; all of these are living at the present time with the exception of Harry. Mr. and Mrs. Clevenger had children : Elizabeth, married H. L. Parlette ; Algernon, married Mamie Metzal; Llewellyn Morris, see forward; Oliver, married Mae Marrideth : Albertie, died unmarried : Annie, John, Louisa and Lettia, unmar- ried.
Llewellyn Morris Clevenger was born in Philadelphia, May 20, 1880, and spent the first six years of his life in that city. He then came to South Media, Nether Providence township, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, with his parents, and there attended the public schools from which he was graduated with honor. He then commenced reading law under the preceptorship of Benjamin C. Potts, of Media, but at the expiration of two years abandoned his professional studies. For one year he held a position with the Victoria Plush Mills, of Delaware county, and resigned this in 1901 in favor of a clerkship in the passenger depart- ment of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, in the Broad street station, in Philadelphia. which he is still holding at the present time ( 1913). Since 1909 he has held the dual office of tax collector and township treasurer for Nether Providence township, positions entailing great responsibility. He has held the office of town clerk for one year, and gives his political support to the Repub- lican party.
Mr. Clevenger married, August 1, 1911, Edith Harrison Black, who was born in Philadelphia, November 25, 1891, and they have one child: Emily Har- rison, born May 31, 1912. Mrs. Clevenger is the daughter of Rudolph Justice and Emily Harrison ( Abbott) Black, the former born in New Jersey, died in Philadelphia in 1898. where he had been engaged in the real estate business ; the latter was born in Crosswicks, New Jersey, and died January 5, 1912. They had children : Charles E., married Edith T. Howard; Lucy E., unmarried : Edith Harrison, married Mr. Clevenger. Mrs. Clevenger is a member of the Society of Friends, and her husband is a member of the Presbyterian church at Wallingford. Mr. Clevenger is a member of a number of organiza- tions, a partial list being as follows: Upland Tribe, Improved Order of Red Men : Media Lodge. Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Media Lodge, No. 749. Junior Or 'er of United Mechanics; Bradbury Camp, No. 149, Sons of Veterans ; Garford Commandery, Knights of Pythias ; Media Republican Club ; Springfield Republican Club : Media Fire Company : Philadelphia Young Men's Christian Association.
FINIGAN It speaks well for the energy and ability of William E. Finigan. of Darby, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, that he has achieved his present enviable position in the business, political and social world, as this is mainly due to his unaided efforts. He represents the third generation of his family in this country, his grandfather, Michael J. Finigan. having been born in Ireland, where his early life was spent. His business was that of a merchant tailor. and he died in Philadelphia at the age of fifty-six
1097
DELAWARE COUNTY
years, in which city he had settled with his wife and young children. He mar- ried Sarah Shimmels, who died in Philadelphia in 1895. They were both Cath- olics. Children: William Henry, of whom further; Edward, died in infancy ; Frederick, Michael, Clara, Catherine, Cerilla, Elizabeth, Frances.
William Henry Finigan was born in Sheffield, England, in March, 1856. He was but four years of age when brought to this country by his parents, so that in almost everything except the actual fact of birth he is an American, and the love he has always displayed for this country evidences his sincere patriot- ismn. His education was acquired in the public schools of Philadelphia. At a suitable age he was apprenticed to learn the plumber's trade in Philadelphia, and has been identified with this calling since that time, having been in the employ of George W. Hulme for an uninterrupted period of thirty-six years, a remarkable record, which does credit to employer and employe alike. He has always been a staunch supporter of the Democratic party, but has never held public office. As a member of the Cape May Life Guards he did excellent service in his younger years, and he was also a member of the volunteer fire department. He has been a lifelong member of the St. Paul's Temperance Society. His home is at Sharon Hill, Delaware county, where he has resided for the past twenty-nine years. He married Catherine A., daughter of Patrick and Sarah ( Moore) Flaherty, the former a harnessmaker in Philadelphia, where he died at the age of sixty years, and who had children: Michael; Charles, deceased; Peter; Patrick; Anna; Catherine A., mentioned above; Sarah; Frances. Mr. and Mrs. Finigan had children: William E., of whom further : Clara A., married Joseph A. Lawless, an inspector, and resides at Sharon Hill ; Joseph L., married Ellen - -; George J .; Eugene C .; Walter F .; Edward; Francis, who died in infancy. They are all members of the Cath- olic church.
William E. Finigan was born in Philadelphia, January 1, 1879. Until his sixth year his life was passed in his native city, then his father removed to Sharon Hill, and he attended the public schools of that place until he was twelve years of age. For one year he then worked as a messenger boy for the Western Union Telegraph Company, after which he went with his father to learn the plumbing trade, and remained at this until he was twenty years of age. At that time he decided to establish himself in this line of business independ- ently and opened an establishment of his own in Sharon Hill, which he has now conducted successfully for a period of fourteen years. Under the same roof his wife carries on a house furnishing and hardware business, and these two branches supplement each other to the great advantage of the customers of both places. In political matters Mr. Finigan is a Republican and has served two terms (six years) as auditor of Darby township. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Lansdowne Artisans' Association, and of the Cath- olic church.
Mr. Finigan married, November 19, 1898, Florence K., born in Philadel- phia, daughter of John C. and Mary Amelia ( Kessler) Schappet, the former a candy manufacturer of Lansdowne, and a native of Germany, the latter born in Philadelphia. In addition to Florence K. they had children : John, Mary, Clara, Caroline, Emma, Allen, Raymond and Charles, all of whom are living with the exception of Clara and Allen. Mr. and Mrs. Finigan have two children : Harold Schappet Patrick, born December 19, 1909; and William Henry, born August 25, 1912. Mr. Finigan is a man of most amiable and engaging qualities, generous and charitable ; he is an ideal employer, and his workmen find in him a personal friend upon whom they can depend in times of need. While he does good with a liberal hand, he shrinks from publicity in such matters, and the amount of his benefactions is known only by the recipients.
ยท
1098
DELAWARE COUNTY
Originally seated in Ireland, the Annans settled at Glasgow, Scot- ANNAN land, from whence came David Annan, settling in Delaware county, Pennsylvania. His father, born in Ireland, died in Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania. David Annan died in Clifton Heights, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, in 1902, in the house now owned and occupied by his daughters, Misses Elizabeth and Mary Jane Annan. David Annan married Susan Bonar, born in Ireland, but at age of thirteen years moved to Scotland. They were the parents of eleven children, Elizabeth and Mary Jane, being the only survivors.
The Misses Annan were born in Scotland, living in both Glasgow and Paisley before coming to the United States. For twenty years they have been in successful business in Clifton Heights. having a dry goods and notion store located at the corner of Penn and Baltimore avenues. They have prospercd in their mercantile venture and are highly esteemed for their many womanly qual- ities and are highly regarded as capable and energetic business women. They are members of the Roman Catholic church and interested in the women's work of the church in the various societies.
HOOPES The Hoopes family, of Delaware county, Pennsylvania, is of German origin, and they went from that country to England . during the reign of William and Mary. Later some members of the family emigrated to America and became the progenitors of the family of which this review treats. The first of whom we have record was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, where he spent his life as a farmer, and died at the age of eighty-five or eighty-six years. He and his wife, whose family name was Frame, lived a quiet and retired life, and were members of the Quaker denomination. Of their fourteen children there is but one now living-Jesse, who resides in Milltown, Pennsylvania.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.