USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, comprising a historical sketch of the county > Part 23
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M F. LA ROCHE, the well known flor- ist and rose grower, who is familiarly known as the "father of Collingdale," this county, where his largest greenhouses are lo- cated, is the eldest son of Charles and Sopha (Steg) LaRoche, and was born February 14, 1854, at Kinzelsau, Wurtemberg, Germany, though he is a descendant of one of the first European families that ever attempted per- manent settlement on American soil. His early ancestors were members of a colony of French Huguenots who settled on theVirginia
M. B. LaRoche.
THE +WEJKA PUBLI KARARI
ASTOR, L NY AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS R
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coast about the time that Marquis de la Roche made his temporary French settlement on Sable Island, in 1598, but on account of famine and destitution were forced to abandon the project and return to France. The family has furnished a distinguished roll of military chief- tains in the old world, among them being offi- cers in both the French and German armies. Gen. Frederick LaRoche, paternal grand- father of the subject of this sketch, was a na- tive of France and a commanding officer in the wars of Napoleon I. After the downfall of that monarch he removed to Germany, where he engaged in forestry, as superintendent of the forests belonging to a number of the leading noblemen of that country. He resided in Germany for a period of more than forty years, dying in 1871, at the advanced age of seventy-seven. He married and reared a fam- ily of fourteen children, nine sons and five daughters. Charles LaRoche (father) was born in Germany in 1826, and educated in the public schools of that country, but continued to add to his knowldge by earnest study and constant reading until he became a man of ex- tended information. Inheriting a military spirit he early joined the German army, in which he became a cavalry officer, and served for six years, taking part in the war of 1848, during the great German insurrection. All his brothers except one, named August, were engaged in positions similar to that occupied by their father, caring for the forests and grounds of German noblemen in various parts of the kingdom. After leaving the army Charles LaRoche became a florist and was engaged in that occupation at Studgart, Ger- many, until 1861, when he came alone to this country, and located in New York city, where he was joined by his family in 1864. There he remained, working at his trade of florist, until 1877, when he came to Collingdale, Delaware county, to which place his son, the subject of this sketch, had preceded him, and has resided here with his son ever since. He is an active member of the Lutheran church,
and by his marriage to Sopha Steg, a native of Germany, had a family of six children, three sons and three daughters : Maximilian F. LaRoche, whose name heads this sketch ; Caroline, wife of Joseph Blachowski, of Col- lingdale ; Bertha, married Balthasar Stahl, a florist by trade, and a member of the firm of La Roche & Stahl, of Collingdale : Fred A., an expert electrician, who is now superintendent and manager of the plant of the LaRoche electric works, corner Second and Diamond streets, Philadelphia, whose business amounts to one hundred thousand dollars annually, and is also the patentee of a number of electric appliances ; Julia, who married Jacob D. Eisele, interested in the seed business with Henry A. Dreer, No. 714 Chestnut street, Philadelphia, and Charles. Mrs. Sopha La- Roche died July 24, 1893, in the sixty-fourth year of her age, having been born in 1828.
M. F. LaRoche remained in Germany until his tenth year, attending the public schools there for several years. After coming to this country he enjoyed private instruction for two years, but his excellent general education is largely due to his own unaided efforts, having been an industrious student all his life. At an early age he entered the horticultural es- tablishment of Hant Brothers, one of the larg- est in New York city, and began learning the business of flower growing. Later he entered the employ of David Brooker & Co., in the same line of business, and in 1876 came to Philadelphia in charge of the exhibits of that firm at the Centennial exposition. Becoming favorably impressed with Philadelphia, Mr. LaRoche purchased the interests of Brooker & Co., in that city, and started into business there on his own account. For several years he remained at the old stand, No. 1319 Chest- nut street, but in 1881 removed to No. 1237 Chestnut street, that city, where his main business has been located ever since. In May, 1878, he formed a partnership with his broth- er-in-law, Balthasar Stahl, under the style of LaRoche & Stahl, and erecting a greenhouse
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on the Chester pike in Delaware county, be- gan the growing of roses and flowering plants. In 1882 they purchased thirty acres of land at Collingdale, this county, where they have erected large greenhouses, aggregating sixty- thousand square feet of glass roof. Here they make a specialty of roses and chrysanthe- mums, to which about six acres of land is de- voted. The remainder of their purchase was sub-divided into residence lots and many of them have already been sold and improved. To Mr. LaRoche is due great credit for the development of this borough. It was he who named the place and began its earliest improve- ment, and in recognition of this fact he has been familiarly termed " the father of Colling- dale." He cleared out the ground and has erected sixty houses, having several more now under contract. He built and for some time conducted the wood turning factory at this place, under the style of the Collingdale Man- ufacturing Company, but later sold the plant and business to his brother-in-law, Otto Wand, who has since conducted a prosperous busi- ness here. (See his sketch.) Collingdale now has a population of six hundred, and is one of the most enterprising and picturesque villages in Delaware county.
Since embarking in business for himself Mr. LaRoche has been peculiarly fortunate in all his undertakings, but his success is due to untiring industry and a disposition to carry out to its completion every enterprise in which he engages. He is now president of the Llewellyn Improvement Company and of the Collingdale Land & Improvement Company, and was until recently a director in the Darby National bank, a position he resigned on ac- count of a pressure of other business. He is a director in the Sharon Hill Building asso- ciation, and occupies a like position in the Darby Building association.
On June 1, 1882, Mr. LaRoche was united in marriage to Amelia A. J. Pabst, a daughter of John Pabst, a prominent liquor dealer of Germantown. To Mr. and Mrs. LaRoche
have been born four children : Maximilian J. C., Albert S., Arthur W. and F. O.
In political sentiment Mr. LaRoche has al- ways been a republican, and his energetic nature has led him into active participation in local politics. He has served as burgess of Collingdale continuously since its formation in 1891, at which time the borough government was first organized, and has been a member of the county Republican committee one term, and served as delegate to a number of county conventions. Several times he has been urged to become a candidate for county offices, but has always been too busy to entertain the idea. He is a 32d degree Mason. and for years has taken an active interest in the work of that order. Mr. LaRoche is also a member of the Pennsylvania Horticultural society; the Phil- adelphia Floral club ; the old Mannorchor, one of the oldest singing societies of Philadel- phia : the Harmonic Singing society ; the Philadelphia Trades league, and the German singing society. His membership in these musical organizations is said to be mainly due to the influence and persuasion of his particu- lar friend, Gen. Louis Wagner, of Philadel- phia. M. F. LaRoche was on February 20, 1894, re-elected burgess at Collingdale.
F RANK SCHMIDT, a prosperous bus- iness man, and a member of the firm of Schmidt Brothers, of Chester city, is a son of Michael and Caroline (Muller) Schmidt, and was born in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 22, 1861. Michael Schmidt came from his native province of Baden Baden, Germany, to Philadelphia. He was a beer brewer by occupation, and had worked in large breweries in Germany, where he had acquired a thorough knowledge of beer brewing. He worked for some time in the Philadelphia breweries, and then engaged in the hotel business, which he followed uninter- ruptedly and successfully until his death, which occurred February 19, 1869, when he
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was in the forty-sixth year of his age. He was a member of the Lutheran church, and married Caroline Muller, who passed away May 10, 1876, at forty-five years of age. They had five children : Henry, Frank, Joseph, Charles, and Lewis.
Frank Schmidt grew to manhood in his native city of Philadelphia, where he received his education in the public schools. Leaving school at twelve years of age, he was employed in various business establishments until 1888, when he embarked with his brother, Henry, in the grocery and butchering business in Chester city, at No. 822 Edgmont avenue, under the firm name of Schmidt Brothers. They own their establishment and do a large and regular business. Their house is reliable, and has the well merited confidence of all classes of the public. They have a large and well selected stock of groceries and provisions, and are fitted with all needed conveniences for the storage, display and handling of their goods. They make a specialty in some lines of goods, and handle nothing but what is suited to the wants of the public. Mr. Schmidt is a democrat in politics, but gives his time prin- cipally to business and not to politics, although he never neglects to give his party a proper and earnest support.
On December 17, 1883, Mr. Schmidt mar- ried Annie Moore, a daughter of William Moore, of Nether Providence, Delaware county. Their union has been blessed with six children, four sons and two daughters : Willie, Frank, Carrie, Walter, Ellen, and James.
J AMES IRVIN TAYLOR, a prom- inent contractor and builder of Chester, who takes rank with the most enterprising and successful young business men in this city, is the eldest son of Robert and Lydia E. ( Howard) Taylor, and was born August 6, 1863, in Middletown township, Delaware county, Pennsylvania. This family is of En- glish descent, and was transplanted to Amer-
ican soil in colonial days, its first representa- tive on this side the Atlantic being Robert Taylor, who left Scotland while yet a young man to try his fortune in the new world, which was then a subject of such romantic interest in the old. It was prior to our Revolutionary struggle that he established himself with his young wife in the city of Philadelphia, where he engaged in teaching for a number of years, having acquired an excellent education in his native land, and became quite prosperous. He reared a large family of children, among whom was a son named Robert Taylor (great- grandfather), who, after attaining manhood, removed from Philadelphia to Chester county, where he spent the remainder of his life. His son, William Taylor (grandfather), was born in Chester county, and resided there until about 1857, when he became a resident of the city of Chester, in Delaware county, where he still lives, being now in the seventy-ninth year of his age. For many years he was actively engaged in mercantile pursuits, but retired about 1870, and since then has been living in quiet comfort at his home in this city. In politics he was formerly a republican, but in recent years has been an ardent prohibition- ist. He is a member of the Madison Street Methodist Episcopal church, and in 1836 married Jane Boyd, who bore him a family of seven children, and is still living, being now in her eighty-third year. In 1886 they cele- brated their golden wedding in fine style, sur- rounded by their children and grandchildren. Of their seven children, the three eldest were sons : James W., Robert, and Henry. Their daughters were : Eliza, Mary, Kate, and Han- nah.
Robert Taylor, father of the subject of this sketch, was born at New London, Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1838, and received a good English education in the public schools. After leaving school he engaged in farming for a time in Middletown township, this county, and then began contracting and building, which he conducted successfully for several
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years. In 1884 he removed to the city of Chester, where for four years he carried on contracting and building, and in the year be- fore his demise built over ninety-seven thous- and dollars worth of houses. He was a man of fine mechanical ability and excellent busi- ness qualifications, and met with good success in his various enterprises. But it was as a friend and neighbor, and in his church rela- tions, that he will be longest and most ten- derly remembered. He was converted and joined the Methodist Episcopal church in 1857, and from that time until his death, in 1891, he led a consistent and faithful Christian life, endearing himself to all who knew him by his amiable personal qualities and his earnest devotion to religions duty. For a number of years he had been a member and trustee of Trinity Methodist Episcopal church in Chester, and superintendent of the Sabbath school, and at his death a set of resolutions were adopted by the church, testifying to his manly character, his great devotion to the cause of Christ, and the unusual regard and affection- ate remembrance in which he was held by his neighbors and co-workers in the church. Ad- dresses were also made on the occasion by his pastor, Rev. W. M. Ridgway, John D. Burns, S. M. Challenger, John Lilley, jr., Jesse J. Morgan, Laura B. Smith, and others, each paying a tribute to his character as a man and Christian, and his great personal worth. He was a strong advocate of temper- ance principles, and voted the prohibition ticket. He was a member of the Junior A. P. A., and of Benevolent Lodge, No. 50, In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, and it is said would never accept a cent of benefits from either order. In 1862 he married Lydia E. Howard, a daughter of Benjamin and Hen- rietta Howard, of English descent, and to them was born a family of five children : James Irvin, whose name heads this sketch ; William H., Howard D., Ruth W., and Charles W. Mrs. Taylor is a native of Amer- ica, of English descent, and now resides at
Chester, Pennsylvania, in the fifty-third year of her age.
James Irvin Taylor grew to manhood in this county, and received his early education in the public schools. At the age of eleven he left the school room to work in a woolen mill, but when seventeen he embraced an oppor- tunity to improve his education, and for one term attended the West Chester State Normal school. He then began learning the trade of carpenter with John B. Rhoades, of Aston, finishing it at Chester, and after serving an apprenticeship of three years he worked in the outskirts of Philadelphia until his father went into business in Chester, when he went with him until 1890, and then he took a build- ing contract on his own account. Mr. Taylor followed building and contracting until after his father's death, when he formed a partner- ship with his younger brother, Howard D. Taylor, under the firm name of J. I. Taylor & Brother, and they erected twenty-two large houses during the first year. The firm was then dissolved, and Mr. Taylor resumed busi- ness in his own name. During 1892 he built thirty-two houses, beside much jobbing and re- pair work, and in 1893 constructed twenty-five buildings. This was a year of great business depression. He nsnally employs about four- teen carpenters and a number of other laborers.
On the 5th of October, 1887, Mr. Taylor was wedded to Emma Beaumont, youngest daughter of Richard and Hannah ( Mills) Beaumont, lately from England. To Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have been born three children, two sons and a daughter : Robert Leslie, Helen B., and Paul Irvin.
Mr. Taylor is a member of Madison Street Methodist church and a number of societies, among which is the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Independent Order of Hepta- sophs, and Free and Accepted Masons. In politics J. Irvin Taylor is independent, voting only for such men and measures as in his judgment are best calculated to subserve the public good. For a number of years he has
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OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
been interested in the subject of phrenology, and in 1886 took a course in the American Institute of Phrenology, in the city of New York, from which he was graduated in the autumn of that year. While he has never sought to make a professional use of his knowledge, preferring to devote his attention entirely to his successful business, he has nevertheless kept himself well posted on the progress made in that science, still feels much interest in the subject, and is a fine practical phrenologist.
č
OHN RHOADES CULLING-
WORTH, of the city of Chester, is a direct descendant of an old English family which has been prominent in the locality of Manchester, England, for many generations. He is a son of William and Mary ( Rhoades ) Cullingworth, and was born November 9, 1839, in the city of Philadelphia. His paternal grandfather, John Cullingworth, was a native of Manchester, England, and died there about 1825. William Cullingworth ( father ) was also born and reared in that city, his natal day being October 12, 1809. After attaining man- hood he learned the trade of machinist, and about 1829 came to the United States, settling in Delaware county, Pennsylvania. Heowned a machine shop in Philadelphia, which he oper- ated from 1848 to 1856. Later he formed a partnership with a Mr. Holcraft, under the firm name of Cullingworth & Holcraft, and this firm succeeded Samuel Bancroft in busi- ness at Ridley Creek. Here they continued business for a short time, when Mr. Culling- worth withdrew and removed to Philadelphia to accept a position as machinist in the navy yard in that city. He continued to reside in Philadelphia until 1889, when he went to live with his daughter, Mrs. Annie Johnson, at Boothwynn. He is a republican in politics. and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In 1834 he married Mary Rhoades, a native of England, and a daugh-
ter of John Rhoades. To them was born a family of nine children : Anna, who was acci- dentally drowned in Chester creek in 1845; George, born August 24, 1837; John R., the subject of this sketch ; William, born in 1841 ; Mary Ward, born July 3, 1844 ; Jennie Scho- field, born December 26, 1845 ; Albert, born in 1847 : Samuel, and Anna Johnston. Mrs. Mary Cullingworth died March 17, 1891, aged seventy nine years.
John Rhoades Cullingworth was reared in Philadelphia, and principally educated in the superior public schools of that city. He left school at the age of eighteen to learn the trade of molder with Thomas Wood & Brother, in Philadelphia, and has worked at his trade ever since in various parts of the country. Since 1876 he has been in the employ of Robert Wetherell & Co., at Chester, and has been foreman in their foundry department for nearly seventeen years of that time.
On the 22d of April, 1861, Mr. Cullingworth enlisted in the 22d Pennsylvania infantry for three months, but was in no regular battle during his first enlistment. When his time expired he re-enlisted in Co. H, 121st Penn- sylvania infantry, with which he took part in the battle of Fredericksburg and a number of other engagements, and was later discharged on account of disability. On September 3, 1864, he enlisted for the third time, becoming a member of Co. E, 203d Pennsylvania in- fantry, and with that company participated in the battle of Fort Fisher, and numerous minor engagements. He was finally mustered out of service on June 24, 1865, at Philadelphia, and returned to Pennsylvania.
John R. Cullingworth was married on Aug- ust 12, 1865, to Joanna Mahanney, a daughter of P. Mahanney. To Mr. and Mrs. Culling- worth have been born four children : Harry N., William, Nellie, and Anna May.
Politically Mr. Cullingworth is an ardent democrat, but has never found time to devote much attention to politics. He was elected to the position of school director in the fall of
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1893, and is now serving in that capacity. For some time he has been a director in the Home Building and Loan association of Chester ; is a member of Wilde Post, No. 25, Grand Army of the Republic, and has been a Master Mason since 1866. He now holds member- ship in Clearfield Lodge, No. 314, Free and Accepted Masons ; Chester Chapter, No. 258, Royal Arch Masons ; and St. John Command- ery, No. 4, Knights Templar. Mr. Culling- worth is past master of the blue lodge, and past high priest of his chapter.
C LIFFORD T. LOUGHEAD, the
only representative of his family at Marcus Hook, and who has held a number of official positions here in recent years, is a son of R. A. and Susan ( Burns) Loughead, and was born February 28, 1846, at Linwood, in Lower Chichester township, Delaware county, Penn- sylvania. The family is of Scotch descent, and have long been resident in the Keystone State. R. A. Loughead (father) was a native of Christiana township, Lancaster county, this State, born in 1821, and was reared and edu- cated there. At the age of seventeen he left school to become a clerk in the mercantile establishment of Amos Slaymaker, at Christi- ana, Pennsylvania, in which business he soon displayed remarkable ability, and in which he continued for a period of fourteen years. He afterward engaged in general merchandising at Marcus Hook, Delaware county, for a number of years. his being one of the first ten houses constructed at that place. He was an architect of considerable ability, and planned many of the early buildings erected at Marcus Hook. In 1850 he began the manufacture of ice cream by steam at that place, probably the first enterprise of the kind ever attempted in this county. In connection with this he was also extensively engaged in manufacturing sausage and scrapple, supplying all the stores in the city of Chester at that time. He evinced great ability in the management of all his
various enterprises and became very success- ful, continuing his activity until 1886, when he retired from all business pursuits and spent his last days in quiet comfort. Politically he was a lifelong democrat, and for many years took an active part in local politics. He was commissioned a justice of the peace in 1861, and served in that capacity continuously until his death, in 1891 - a period of thirty years - being at the time of his death one of the oldest acting justices in the State of Pennsylvania. He was a strong temperance advocate, and was the author of the measure presented by his representative, Hon. Y. S. Walters, in the State legislature, prohibiting the practice of treating at the bar, and which measure was only defeated by a small majority. At one time or another he held all the offices of his township, and was several times prominently spoken of as a candidate for the State assem- bly. In religion he was a member of the Presbyterian church, and at one time was a very active member of the Knights of Tem- perance in this county. He was twice mar- ried. His first wife was Susan Burns, a daughter of Gideon Burns, of Marcus Hook, and to them was born a family of six children, four sons and two daughters : Charles, de- ceased ; Henry A , Susan, Clifford T., Sallie, and Howard. His second wife was Elizabeth Drusick, who is now a resident of Marcus Hook.
Clifford T. Loughead is a butcher by trade, which business he learned with his father at Marcus Hook. He was reared in this county, and obtained his education in the public schools. In addition to his trade as butcher he also learned house painting, and worked at that for some time, though butchering has been his principal occupation all his life. He is now in the employ of J. E. Green, at Mar- cus Hook.
Politically Mr. Loughead adheres to the traditions of his family and is an ardent dem- ocrat. He is a member of L. H. Scott Lodge, No. 352, Free and Accepted Masons : Inde-
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pendent Order of Odd Fellows; Lodge No. 499, Knights of Pythias: and 738, Junior Order United American Mechanics. He has served as school director at Marcus Hook for nine years, and has held the position of audi- tor and various other local offices. He re- sides at Linwood station, Marcus Hook, and is now the only representative of the Loughead family at this place, where his father's life was principally spent, and which was the scene of his greatest activity and most grati- fying success.
L EWIS N. WOOD, senior member of the well known coal and lumber firm of L. N. Wood & Brother. of Linwood, who have yards also at Thurlow and Woodlyn, and are interested in real estate and other enterprises, is a son of Matthew and Susannah ( Palmer ) Wood, and a native of Concord township, this county, where he was born March 25, 1852. The Woods are of direct English lineage, Amos Wood, paternal grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch, having been born and reared in old England, which country he left about 1795 to make a new home in the new world. After arriving in America and looking over the country for a short time he settled in Delaware county, Pennsylvania, of which he remained a citizen until his death, in 1855, when in the fortieth year of his age. He was a farmer by occupation, married Mary Slaugh- ter, and had a family of eleven children, one of his sons being Matthew Wood ( father), who was born in the city of Chester in 1819, and grew to manhood there, receiving a good common school education. While yet a young man he purchased a large farm in Concord township, this county, and engaged in agri- cultural pursuits on an extensive scale. He also owned and conducted a feed mill and saw mill. Being a man of good judgment and great energy of character, his labors met with abundant reward, and after a successful career of nearly forty years he sold his farm in 1888,
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