USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > A history of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and its people; Volume III > Part 6
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Dr. Pyle married, November 12, 1891, Catherine Meredith, daughter of James and Edith D. (Stackhouse) Yarnall, granddaughter of James and Rachel (Sharpless) Yarnall, and niece of Nathan and Annie Yarnall. Mrs. Pyle is a member of the Middletown Meeting. Dr. and Mrs. Pyle had children: Lafayette Yarnall, born April 21, 1893, died July 12, 1894: Jerome Levis, born February 1, 1895, died January 7, 1902; James Yarnall, born Feb- ruary 10, 1896; Brinton Levis, born September 30, 1902.
NIEWEG A powerful contributing cause to the greatness of this conn- try has been the steady influx of sturdy German blood, ideas. honesty and indomitable perseverance. This is amply demon- strated in the Nieweg family of Pennsylvania. This family has long been classed among the oldest inhabitants of Lippe-Detmold, now a duchy or prin- cipality of the German Empire. The members thereof have served the Father- land as soldiers, giving to it their best. Others have been manufacturers, farm- ers, in fact have filled every honorable walk in life. Of such stock descends Frank C. Nieweg. of Pennsylvania.
(I) Conrad H. Nieweg, one of the founders of the American branch of the family, was born March 12. 1838, in Lippe-Detmold, Germany, and died September 20, 1906. in Oxford, Pennsylvania. He was educated in the public schools of his native place. and being of an unusually studious turn of mind, even for a German, he learned rapidly and thoroughly the tasks assigned him. After reaching manhood he cast about for a vocation that would soonest give him financial success. In deciding that he would seek a newer country for endeavor his choice fell upon the United States. He and five other members of his family, all of whom are deceased. emigrated to this country. They lo-
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cated in Philadelphia, where he established a wholesale and retail flour business at No. 728 Oxford street, with three of his brothers. The partnership lasted twelve or fifteen years. At the end of that time he withdrew, leaving only one brother to continne the business, and Mr. Nieweg moved to the southern part of Chester county, Pennsylvania. He purchased two farms, aggregating two hundred acres, where he lived until 1895, when he retired to Oxford, and there died. After becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States he allied him- self with the Republican party, and thereafter took an active interest in poli- tics. He held several local offices in Chester county. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church, giving it material and moral aid. He married Emma Dickel, like himself of German origin. She still makes her home in Oxford. Children : I. William H., resides in Kennett Square, Penn- sylvania. 2. George A., resides in Oxford, Pennsylvania. 3. Louis A., re- sides in Oxford. 4. E. Louise, married Thomas E. Gillingham, resides in Ox- ford. 5. Charles, died in infancy. 6. Frank C., of whom further. 7. Flor- ence E., married Orville Shortlidge, resides at Lincoln University, Pennsyl- vania.
(II) Frank C. Nieweg, son of Conrad H. and Emma (Dickel) Nieweg, was born November 6, 1879, in Oxford, Pennsylvania. He was given superior educational advantages as a boy, attending public school near Oxford and the New London and Oxford academies, the Westchester Normal, graduating from the latter in 1807. He at once began teaching; taught three years at Cornwells, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, then at Cynwyd, near Merion, Penn- sylvania, next at Manayunk ; six years in all. During this time he established a reputation as a disciplinarian as well as ability to impart knowledge to his pupils. His chief ambition was to enter college for a course, and this he achieved in 1903, when he matriculated at Harvard University, entering the departments of History and English. He graduated in three years with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude. He again entered the pedagogic profession, accepting a position in the West Ches- ter High School, and seven months later was offered, and accepted, a place in the Central High School of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During the following summer he was again complimented by the offer of a still higher post, and be- came connected with the Southern High School in Philadelphia. In 1912, on the opening of the West Philadelphia High School he was given the chair of literature and languages, where he has since remained. At the present time (1913) he is the head of a department in which there are twelve teachers. He 's a valued member of the Classical Club and the Schoolmen's Association of Philadelphia. All this has been attained by Professor Nieweg through his own unaided efforts, assisted by a strong determination to succeed and to reach the highest pinnacle in his chosen vocation, and by brains inherited from a long line of Teutonic ancestors. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, and he is a Republican in principle as well as politics. He married. June 27, 1906, Adell A. Taylor, born in Kennett Square, Pennsyl- vania, the daughter of Mary A. Taylor, of English descent.
George Kleemann, son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Straub) KLEEMANN Kleemann, was born in Würtemberg, Germany. July 29, 1860. His parents were well-to-do hotel keepers in Würt- emberg, and there lived and died. George was one of six children, and when at the age of fifteen, having finished his course in the public school of his native place, lie decided to emigrate to the United States, his parents reluct- antly gave their consent. He landed in New York City, and later found his
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way to Brooklyn, New York, where he found work in a factory where men's clothing, especially trousers, were made. For thirteen years he remained with his first employer. being promoted to a better position and more pay with each year. In 1888, he went to Philadelphia, where he engaged in the same line of business with the E. J. Wilson Company. During this time he estab- lished a small business of his own, and did remarkably well in it. In July, 1892, he moved to Essington, Delaware county, Pennsylvania. In 1900 he opened a boarding house, which proved both popular and paying, and he con- tinued to run it until 1911, when he decided to enlarge and extend his busi- ness. At that time he erected his present hotel, and is one of the best known hotel men in that section, and doing a thriving business. He is a Lutheran in faith and is a member of the American Lutheran Brethren. He is also a mem- ber of the Benefit Association, the General Shafter's Society, and other orders. He is a member of the Essington and Lester Fire companies, and has been since their organization. He is actively interested in politics, and since becom- ing a naturalized American citizen he votes the Republican ticket, and is a member of the Essington Republican club. He was constable for a time, and has been school director for the past six years. He married, in 1888. Eliza- beth Schaab.
JOHNSON The ancestors of the branch of the Johnson family herein re- corded have been natives of Delaware county for many gen- erations, where they have all been farmers. For the last three generations the family home has been in Haverford township. The first of the line of whom there is authentic record is Charles Johnson, a farmer of Haverford township. Delaware county, who married Sarah Hood, born in Newtown township. Delaware county, Pennsylvania, and had issue.
(II) William Albert, son of Charles and Sarah (Hood) Johnson, was born in Haverford township, Delaware county. Pennsylvania, October 13, 1850. He obtained an excellent education in the public schools of his native township, and later in the Pauline and Worrell Academy at West Chester. With a hereditary inclination toward farming. early in life he engaged in this occupation, in which he still continues. He attends the Society of Friends, al- though his wife and family are believers in the Presbyterian faith. In politics he is a staunch supporter of the Republican party, belonging to the Lansdowne Republican Club of Lansdowne, Pennsylvania.
He married, November 27. 1872. in Upper Darby township (now Lans- downe borough), Delaware county. Hannah D. Lobb, born in Upper Darby township, September 20, 1852, daughter of John (a farmer) and Emily Dick- inson Lobb. Children of William Albert and Hannah D. Johnson: I. Lem- uel Lobb, born August 14. 1874. 2. Emily, born September 23. 1876, married Harry M. Davis : children : Clara. Albert and Harry.
DOEMLING Prominent among the representative and substantial business men of Lansdowne, whose success is due to intelligent effort and persistent work, coupled with integrity of a high order and rare business ability, is August Valentine Doemling, a native of Bavaria. his birth occurring in the town of Ashaffenburg. November 1, 1872. son of Dominicus and Mary ( Stoudt ) Doemling. natives of Bavaria, where their parents were born, lived and died.
Dominicus Doemling was born in 1837, died in 1909. He had two broth- ers : August. died in early life. and Theodore, who is employed on a railroad.
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He was a traveling salesman for a coffee and tea house, traveling in Australia and China, and during his short business career (he retiring at the early age of forty years) he accumulated sufficient capital to enable him to lead a life retired from active pursuits, spending the greater portion of his time in travel, from which he derived considerable pleasure, he having crossed the ocean five times, his time being devoted to traveling in different portions of the United States. His wife, Mary (Stoudt) Doemling, born 1842, died 1878, when in young womanhood, had one sister, who also died in early woman- hood, and who was the wife of J. Elbert. Mr. and Mrs. Doemling were com- municants of the Roman Catholic church. They were the parents of seven children: I. Theodore, resides in Elizabeth, New Jersey, employed in the Singer Manufacturing Company. 2. Elizabeth, died in Europe in young womanhood ; she was a fine pianist and musician. 3. Eda, died aged twenty-three years. 4. Anna, died in early life, her death being caused by excessive study. 5. Bertha, married Emil Shiner, who served as school director or superinten- dent in the high school in Germany, being employed by the government. 6 August Valentine, of whom further. 7. Dora, married Adolph Floss; she died in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
August V. Doemling attended the schools in the neighborhood of his home in Germany until he was fourteen years of age, and then turned his attention to acquiring a knowledge of the florist business, devoting three years to the same, and at the expiration of that period emigrated to the United States, locating in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and later he secured employment in a bakery in Newark, New Jersey, where he remained for one year. The following six months he was in the employ of the Domestic Sewing Machine Company, for some time after that worked for various concerns, and in 1898 removed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and for three years was in the employ of Mr. Craig, a prominent florist. He then went to Baltimore, Maryland, where for a similar period of time he had charge of the Industrial School greenhouses, which he managed in a skillful manner, and in 1906 he removed to Lansdowne, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, and leased the greenhouses of Mr. Price, which he managed for five years. In the following year he pur- chased ground on Union avenue, erecting thereon greenhouses for his own use, and the business since then has increased so rapidly that he has been com- pelled to greatly enlarge his quarters each year, and at the present time ( 1913) he has one hundred and twenty-five thousand square feet of glass covering his greenhouses, which are well stocked with all kinds of plants, both flowering and otherwise, his specialty being roses, he disposing of the cut flowers by wholesale trade, shipping them to Philadelphia and New York, where there is a ready market. He finds his work entirely suited to his tastes and inclina - tions, and hence he is making a great success of it, not only providing his family with every comfort but being enabled to lay by a certain amount each year for the future.
Mr. Doemling married, March 1, 1898, Elizabeth McLean, born in county Antrim, Ireland, January 1, 1875, came to Philadelphia in 1893, daughter of William and Elizabeth McLean, natives and residents of Ireland. Children : Emil Augustus, born February 13. 1899; Herbert William, born June 28, 1909; Bertha Elizabeth, born March 19. 1912. Mr. Doemling and his wife are members of the Episcopal church, and are highly respected in the com- munity.
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Charles H. Hagerty stands well among the leading business
HAGERTY men of Oak View, having won his standing by patient and unremitting toil, by business sagacity and by honorable meth- ods. His position has not been reached by virtue of any favoring circum- stances, but simply because he marked out a course of conduct early in life that, faithfully followed out, has brought him to his present position of respect among his fellowmen.
George Hagerty, father of Charles H. Hagerty, was born in county Don- egal, Ireland, in 1822, died in 1901, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were born, lived their entire lives, and died in Ireland. In 1846, when eleven years of age, George Hagerty came to the United States, and secured employ- ment with the Camden Atlantic railroad, now part of the Pennsylvania sys- tem. Subsequently he located in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, and for thirty- five years he served in the capacity of section boss, this long service demon- strating his fitness for the position. Later he removed to Philadelphia, where he spent the remainder of his days. He offered his service for the defense of his adopted country during the civil war, but was rejected on account of an injury to his leg. He married Catherine Gallegher, born in county Donegal, Ireland, in 1821, died in 1908. at the venerable age of eighty-seven years. Her parents were born, lived and died in Ireland. Children: 1. Patrick, deceased ; resided in Philadelphia ; a merchant. 2. Catherine, married Edward Touhy ; resides in Philadelphia. 3. Jane, deceased : married John Huntinger, also de- ceased. 4. Charles H., of whom further. 5. George, resides in Philadelphia ; a cigarmaker. 6. John, died aged twenty-seven years. 7. Ann, unmarried ; resides in Philadelphia. 8. Sarah, unmarried : resides in Philadelphia. 9. Thomas, resides in Philadelphia: postal clerk. 10. Ella, married George Walsh, who is now deceased ; she resides in Philadelphia. All the members of the family are communicants of the Catholic church.
Charles H. Hagerty was born in Egg Harbor City, Atlantic county, New Jersey, October 12, 1855. He attended the parochial and public schools of his native place, thus acquiring a practical education. When seventeen years of age he accompanied his brothers to Philadelphia and there learned the trade of printer with the "Philadelphia Free Press," working there for a period of five years, and for a similar period of time was employed by the German- American Publication Board. At the age of thirty-one years, after becoming a thorough master of his trade, he abandoned that line of work and engaged in mercantile pursuits, his next venture being a store in Lansdowne, Penn- sylvania, which he conducted until 1893. when he removed to Oak View, Pennsylvania, then known as Kelley's post office, Upper Darby township, and erected a store, where he has since conducted a general retail dry goods trade, which has steadily increased in volume and importance, he finding it necessary to greatly enlarge his stock and also to add an addition to his store, which was made in 1905. The success he has achieved is the natural result of activity, coupled with shrewd business sense, and clearly demonstrates what can be ac- complished by perseverance and pluck. He is a member of the Catholic church, and a Democrat in politics. For eighteen years he served as postmas- ter of Oak View, and is now (1913) one of the commissioners of U'pper Darby township,
Mr. Hagerty married, in 1880, Mary Love, born in Minorsville, Schuyl- kill county, Pennsylvania, in 1856, died in 1903. a daughter of James and Jane Love, the former named of whom died from sickness contracted during the progress of the civil war. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Hagerty: Jane, born February 16, 1883, married Frank Gillespie and resides at Oak View : George, born April 1, 1885. works with his father, married Isabell Haley and resides
PUBLIC DIERAAV
AS OR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDAT ONS.
Dr. Painter
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in Oak View; Kate, born November 14, 1888, resides at home; Lewis, born September 10, 1890, resides at home; Bertha, born April 25, 1894, resides at home.
CRONIN Charles I. Cronin was born in Thornbury township, Delaware
county, on July 12, 1869. He was raised on a farm, entered mercantile business and remained until he entered the office of Edward A. Price, Esq., of Media, Pennsylvania, in April, 1888, to study law. He was admitted to the bar of Delaware county, July 6, 1891 ; removed to Philadelphia, and was admitted to the bar of that county in February, 1893, and is now engaged in the practice of his profession at No. 905 Land Title building, that city. His present residence is Lansdowne, Pennsylvania.
PAINTER Among the many descendants of Samuel Painter was William Painter, of Painter's Cross Roads, Delaware county, grand- father of Dr. William Peirce Painter, of Darby, Pennsylvania. It is not definitely known just when Samuel Painter came to Pennsylvania, but he is known to have owned property on Second street, Philadelphia, as early as June 8, 1705. In March, 1709, he was living in Birmingham, Chester (now Delaware) county, probably with his son. Samuel (2), a farmer and tailor. Samuel (2) married Elizabeth, daughter of Humphrey Buxcey, of Berkshire, England, and from this marriage sprang the Painter family hereafter recorded, of which Dr. William Peirce Painter, of Darby, is a representative.
William Painter was born in Birmingham, Delaware county, Pennsyl- vania, April 12, 1785, died July 6, 1854. He was a lifelong member of the Society of Friends, a Whig in politics, and a prosperous farmer. He married, November 18, 1807, Phoebe Churchman, and had issue : Milton, Mary West, Samuel, Edward, Charles, Darwin, of further mention; Eliza, John, and Mar- garet Churchman.
Darwin Painter, son of William and Phoebe (Churchman) Painter, was born in Birmingham, Delaware county, March 12, 1820, died January 22, 1891. He was a man of education, grew up on the farm, and in that occupation and in mercantile business, spent his active years. He was a member of the So- ciety of Friends, and in politics a Republican.
He married, August 28, 1839, Sarah Brinton Peirce, daughter of Wil- liam Peirce, of Media, Pennsylvania, who married a daughter of George Brin- ton, better known as "Blind" George Brinton. Children of Darwin Painter : George Brinton, born June 22, 1840; William Peirce, of whom further; Em- len, born September 8, 1844, died June 15, 1890; Phoebe, born October 29, 1846; Jane Brinton, July 27, 1849; Samuel H., January 26, 1852.
. Dr. William Peirce Painter, son of Darwin and Sarah Brinton (Peirce) Painter, was born in Birmingham, Delaware county, February 3, 1842. His early and preparatory education was obtained in the public schools, Clarkson Taylor's school, Wilmington, Delaware, and William Weir's, West Chester Academy. He then purchased a farm at Painter's Cross Roads and for three years engaged in farming. Deciding upon the profession of medicine, he sold his farm and entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, whence he was graduated Doctor of Medicine, class of 1875. He began professional practice at Glen Mills, Delaware county, continuing one year, then spent three years in California and Arizona. In 1878 and 1879 he was post surgeon at Fort Yuma, Arizona, ranking as assistant surgeon of the United States army. In 1879 he returned to Pennsylvania, located in Darby, where he established in the prac-
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tice of his profession, and so continues. He is a director of the First National Bank of Darby and holds the same relation with the Lansdowne and Darby Trust Company. In political faith he is a Republican, served on the Darby school board for several years and was a member of the borough council for three years. He has been for many years treasurer of the borough township council and the school board, and also of the Friends' Meeting for a number of years.
During the civil war, Dr. Painter was an emergency soldier of the Twen- ty-ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, stationed at Duncannon, Penn- sylvania, to guard the pass : mustered out at Harrisburg in 1863. He is a member of the Society of Friends and of the Delaware County Medical So- ciety.
Dr. Painter married, at Darby. April 28, 1886, Margaret Middleton, born March 5. 1845, daughter of Edwin Middleton, born September 23. 1805, and his wife, Rachel H. Passmore, born October 17, 1808. Edwin Middleton was a bricklayer and contractor, and a man of importance in the neighborhood of Darby in his day and time. a great friend of Matthew Baird, of the Baldwin Works, and a help to many young men in making a start in life. He and his wife had issue: Gabriel, Edwin, Charles, Passmore, Naomi and Margaret. Child of Dr. William P. and Margaret Painter: Rosalie, born January 26, 1887, married Roger Matthew Wood, of Linwood, Delaware county.
The family residence is at No. 1016 Main street, Darby, where for thirty- four years the good doctor has practiced his healing art and won the high re- gard of his townsmen as physician, neighbor and friend.
For many years the ancestors of this family were residents of
CROOKS county Derry, Ireland, where William Crooks, father of An- drew Crooks, of Middletown township, Delaware county, was born, resided, and at the age of eighty-four years, died in 1893. The family is of Scotch-Irish blood, and the members have ever possessed the character- istics of that hardy admirable race.
(1) William Crooks, grandfather of Andrew Crooks, was a farmer and a school teacher. He married and had children: I. Nancy, who was a teacher prior to her marriage to James Mather; they had two sons and two daughters, all lived in Ireland. 2. Lizzie, married William Lennox; one son, Crooks Lennox, a business man of Northern Canada. 3. William (2) of whom further.
(II) William (2), son of William (I) Crooks, was born in Londonderry county, parish of Moneymore, Ireland, in 1809. died there in 1893. He was a man of education and for over forty years was a school teacher. He also became a landowner, owned a flax mill and manufactured linen goods. He was one of the prosperous men of his section, a member of the Church of England ( Episcopal), and for nearly half a century taught a large Sunday school class. He married Elizabeth Conn, who died in county Derry, aged seventy-four years. She had five brothers and sisters who came to the United States, settling in Philadelphia, where they prospered. Her father, Joseph Conn, was born in Ireland, was a well-to-do farmer and there died in 1845. aged sixty-three years.
(III ) Andrew, son of William (2) and Elizabeth (Conn) Crooks, was born in Moneymore, Londonderry, Ireland, in May, 1848. He obtained a good education, and when a young man served on the Royal Irish constabulary in Belfast and Dublin' for three and a half years. He remained in Ireland until he was twenty-four years of age, and in 1872 came to the United States.
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landing in Philadelphia, with a cash capital of ten cents. He secured work in a brewery for nine dollars a week, sleeping in a wagon and borrowing a dollar from a driver on which he existed until pay night. Later he was made driver, but after working a week was cheated out of his wages and quit the firm's employ. He then obtained work with the Pennsylvania railroad, handling freight at Thirteenth and Market streets at forty-five dollars monthly, but only remained a short time. He then worked two years for Robert Smith, of. Germantown, as gardener and coachman, and there got his first start on the road to prosperity. He invested ten dollars monthly in the Beden Building and Loan Association, kept up his payments and nine years later drew out two thousand and twenty dollars. He secured a position as head gardener at the Pennsylvania Training School, also was in charge of the stock on the farm, where he remained thirteen years. He then bought a farm at Sugar- town, Delaware county, which he worked during 1891, then bought sixty-three acres of the old Worrall farm, in Middletown township, adding in 1905, seventy-four acres, bought of William Pratt. He has brought his farm up to a high state of productiveness and is rated an A-I farmer, a good manager, and one of the prosperous men of his community. He is well and favorably known; has many warm friends, and his estate, "Cumberland Farms," is a silent but effective testimonial to his energy, thrift and agricultural ability. The ten cent piece of silver, with which he landed in Philadelphia in 1872, has wonderfully increased under his judicious handling, and no better example of the rise of a poor but energetic young man, landing a stranger in a strange land, can be cited, than Andrew Crooks, farmer. He is an Episcopalian in religion and a Republican in politics, having for twelve years served Middle- town township as supervisor.
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