USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, comprising a historical sketch of the county > Part 24
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and removing to South Chester retired from all active business. Since that time he has been quietly enjoying the fruits of his industry and good management, and is still hale and hearty, though now in his seventy- sixth year. For many years he affiliated with the Repub- lican party, but latterly has been a stanch pro- hibitionist. He filled different township offices during his long residence in Concord township. In 1843, at the age of twenty three years, he married Susannah Palmer, a daughter of Jos- eph Palmer, and a native of Concord town- ship. this county. She died in 1857, aged thirty-five years, leaving behind her a family of six children, three sons and three daugh- ters: Anna M. Wood, John G. Wood, Ellen Wood, Lewis N. Wood, Irwin D. Wood, Ida Wood.
Lewis N. Wood remained on his father's farm until seventeen years of age, meanwhile attending the public schools, where he ob- tained a good primary education, which was afterward supplemented by a two years' course at the Maplewood institute in Concordville. Leaving school he served an apprenticeship at the carpenter trade, and worked at that oc- cupation until twenty-two years of age. He then engaged in contracting and building on his own account at Chester Heights, this county, where he continued a successful busi- ness for six years. In 1881 he formed a part- nership with his younger brother, Irwin D. Wood, under the firm name of L. N. Wood & Brother, and they purchased their present coal and lumber yard at Linwood, where they soon had an extensive trade. Six years later they bought the coal and lumber business owned by William Lewis, of South Chester, and after three years admitted their brother, John G. Wood, into partnership, and purchasing land at Fairview, this county, started a coal and lumber yard at that place, on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. In 1893 they purchased the Thurlow mills, at Thurlow Station, for the purpose of moving their South Chester yards on to this ground. Lewis N. and Irwin D.
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Wood are also the owners of the Linwood Improvement Company, of Marcus Hook, and are closely identified with the improvement and development of this section. They also own an elevator here for the storage of grain, and are extensive dealers in feed and hard- ware. In addition to coal and lumber, they also handle doors, shutters, blinds, sash, mould- ings, lime, hair, plaster, cement, terra cotta, phosphates, paints, glass, and all kinds of builders' supplies.
On December 5, 1872, Lewis N. Wood was wedded to Carrie C. Hance, a daughter of Thomas Hance, a prosperous farmer of Aston township, this county. To them has been born a family of five children, four sons and a daughter: Walter L., Howard J., Edwin T., Roger M., and Viola C. Politically Mr. Wood is now an ardent prohibitionist, but was form- erly a republican. He is among the most successful and popular business men of Dela- ware county, and deservedly takes high rank as a public spirited and useful citizen. He now lives in the handsome and elegantly ap- pointed residence which he erected at Lin- wood in 1891.
R OBERT S. MAISON, M. D., a mem- ber of the medical staff of Chester hos- pital, and a young and rising physician and surgeon of ability, skill and learning, is a son of Rev. Dr. Charles A. and Ellen N. ( Holt ) Maison, and was born in the city of Philadel- phia, Pennsylvania, June 18, 1867. The Mai- son family is of distinguished French-Hugue- not descent. Hon. Leonard Maison ( grand- father ) was a resident of near Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, New York, and served for many years as a judge of the Supreme court of that State. He was eminent and distin- guished as a judge, and at his death left a family of four children. One of his sons, Rev. Charles A. Maison, D. D., is the father of Dr. Robert S. Maison, and has been a resident of Philadelphia for many years. Dr. Charles A.
Maison was graduated from Yale college in the class of 1838, at the early age of twenty years, and then read law with his father. He soon abandoned the study of the law, and became a student in the General Theological seminary of New York, from which he was graduated at the end of his course. He then entered the ministry of the Episcopal church, having his
first charge in South Carolina. He next served at Staten Island, and afterward became rector of St. James Kingsessing church, West Philadelphia, where he remained until 1892, when he resigned in order to retire from all active ministerial labors and seek needed men- tal rest in retirement and by travel. Rev. Dr. Maison has been twice married. His first wife was Ellen N. Holt, who was a daughter of Philetus H. Holt, and died in March, 1883. By his first marriage he had eight children, four sons and four daughters: Philetus; Helen, wife of Charles P. Sparkman; Julia; Charles, deceased; Lydia, who married Rev. A. J. Arn- old; Ann; Rev. William, rector of the Episco- pal church of Goshen, Orange county, New York: and Dr. Robert S., the subject of this sketch.
Dr. Robert S. Maison received his elemen- tary education in the Protestant Episcopal academy of Philadelphia, and in 1883 entered the department of arts in the university of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in the class of 1887, at the age of nineteen years, with the degree of A. B. Immediately after graduation he entered the medical de- partment of the same university, from which he was graduated at the age of twenty-two years, in 1890, with the degree of M.D. Leav- ing the university he commenced the practice of his chosen profession in West Philadelphia, which he left one year later, in 1891, to be- come a resident of Chester city. He owns a handsome residence at No. 521 West Seventh street, where he resides and has his office. Dr. Maison does a general practice, but makes a specialty of nose and throat affections, in whose treatment he has been remarkably suc-
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cessful. He is building up a fine practice in the city, and has already won recognition as a skillful and successful physician. He is a member of the D. Hays Surgical society, the medical staff of Chester hospital, and the Del- aware County Medical society. Dr. Maison is a member of the Beta Theta P., a general college fraternity. He is a republican in poli- tics. He has been serving for several months as choir leader of St. Paul's Episcopal church, and has sung in choirs ever since he was eight years of age.
On October 27, 1892, Dr. Maison was united in marriage with Emma Crozer Evans, daugh- ter of Clarence and Louisa (Knowles) Evans, of Upland, Pennsylvania.
W ILLIAM CALHOUN, Jr., a prom-
inent plumber of the town of Moore's, this county, and one of our most active and enterprising citizens, is a son of William, sr., and Sophia ( Hoe) Calhoun, and was born in in the city of Philadelphia, June 30, 1869. The family is of remote Irish descent, but has been settled in America since early in the eighteenth century. William Calhoun (father) is also a native of Philadelphia, where he was born in 1831. He received a good common school education, and has been an industrious reader of current literature all his life. He learned the butcher business while young, and fol- lowed that occupation for many years in Phil- adelphia, becoming quite prosperous. In 1874 he purchased land in Delaware county, where the town of Norwood now stands, and may be said to be the founder of that village, having done more toward its improvement and development than any other man within its limits. While in Philadelphia he took an active part in local politics, and served as a member of the common and select councils of that city for several terms. He was appointed by Governor Hartranft to the position of sealer of weights and measures at Philadelphia, and
held that office for two terms. He is at pres- ent largely engaged in the real estate business at Norwood, where he still owns three hun- dred fine building lots, beside a number of valuable houses and lots at Moore's, this county. Norwood is located on the Philadel- phia, Wilmington & Baltimore railroad, and is one of the most desirable residence towns on that road. For many years Mr. Calhoun has been a prominent member of Prospect Lodge, No. 578, Free and Accepted Masons, of Philadelphia, and is also a thirty-second degree Mason, and is connected with the order of the Mystic Shrine of Philadelphia.
In 1864 he wedded Sophia Hoe, a daughter of Ann and Joseph Hoe, of Philadelphia. By his second marriage he had a family of four children, two sons and two daughters : Mamie, Sophia, William, jr., and Joseph. Mrs. Sophia Calhoun is a native of Philadelphia, and is now in the forty-ninth year of her age.
William Calhoun, jr., was educated princi- pally in the superior public schools of Phila- delphia, and was afterward graduated from the academy conducted by Mrs. Knowles in Norwood, as a member of the class of 1885. After leaving school he served an apprentice- ship of four and a half years at the plumbing business, with Kline Brothers, corner Twelfth and Willow streets, Philadelphia, and imme- diately afterward began business for himself as a plumber at Norwood, this county, where he remained until 1892. In the latter year he re- moved to Moore's, where he continued the busi- ness very successfully, employing at the present time about a dozen men and four teams, and doing a business which annually aggregates twenty thousand dollars. Inheriting good ex- ecutive ability, and having carefully prepared himself for active life by a thorough mastery of the details of his business, Mr. Calhoun, jr., has been successful from the beginning of his career, and can point with pride to the work already accomplished as evidence of his ability and skill in his special line. He is an industrious worker himself, and gives close
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
personal attention to every department of his complicated operations, thus insuring the best work and rendering satisfaction to all his patrons.
On June 26, 1893, William Calhoun, jr., was united in marriage with Clara McFarlin, a daughter of Edward McFarlin, of Wilming- ton, Delaware. In politics Mr. Calhoun, jr., has always been an ardent republican, and has frequently worked for the success of his party at the polls in a manner that testified his earnest devotion to the principles it rep- resents. He is a member of Prospect Lodge, No. 578, Free and Accepted Masons, and of Chester Chapter, No. 258, Royal Arch Masons.
JOHN MCCLURE, now living a retired life in the city of Chester, was for many years connected with railway construction in this State and later as a successful farmer in Lower Chichester township, this county: He is the youngest son of John and Sarah (Oliver ). McClure, and was born in County Donegal, Ireland, in the year 1816. The elder John McClure was a farmer by occupation and a member of the Episcopal church. He was twice married. By his first wife he had three sons and a daughter : Andrew, James, William and one other. By his second wife, Sarah Oliver, he had two sons and a daughter. The sons were Thomas and John and the daughter was Jane.
John McClure was reared in his native county of Donegal until his eleventh year, and obtained a good practical education, after which he learned the trade of carpenter. In 1837 he came to America and soon afterward engaged in railroad construction work, be- coming foreman of a gang of men when only twenty-one years of age. He followed rail- road construction for a period of eighteen years, having charge of large bodies of men during much of that time. During this period he carefully saved his wages and purchased a
a fine farm of fifty-five acres in Lower Chi- chester township, Delaware county, Pennsyl- vania, which he still owns and upon which he resided for nearly thirty years. In 1877 he removed to the city of Chester, where he now lives retired from all active business, and en- joying the fruits of a successful life whose activities extended over more than forty years.
In politics Mr. McClure is a stanch repub- lican, and while never taking a very active part in political affairs, has always supported the general policy of his party and been an earnest protectionist. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and has reared his family in that faith.
On July 22, 1852, John McClure was mar- ried to Fannie M. Williams, by whom he had seven children : John C., born July 13, 1853, and died August 15th of the same year ; Wil- liam J., born June 20, 1854 ; Oliver C., born January 10, 1856, was educated at Lafayette college, studied law and practiced for a num- · ber of years at the bar of this county and in Philadelphia, dying June 29, 1883 ; George H'., deceased at the age of nineteen months ; John A., born June 30, 1860, was a machinist by trade, and died May 19, 1888; Robert G., born June 20, 1862, was a salesman and clerk for some time, and died June 29, 1882, at the age of twenty-three ; and David B., who was born April 20, 1865. On the 6th of February, 1870, Mrs. Fannie M. McClure passed peace- fully to the tomb, sincerely mourned by her family and a large circle of devoted friends, who had been won by her kindness of heart and many estimable qualities. In 1877 Mr. McClure was again married, this time wed- ding Anna Likens, a daughter of Daniel Lik- ens, and a native of Delaware county. She is now in the sixty-fifth year of her age. They have had no children, and reside in their com- fortable home at 711 West Third street, in the city of Chester, surrounded by all the comforts and many of the luxuries of modern life, and highly respected as among the best citizens of Delaware county.
THE NEW Y PUBLIC L . 1
ASTOR, LE.N. TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
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OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
JOHN B. HINKSON, the present pop- ular, able and efficient mayor of the city of Chester, who has been actively engaged in the practice of the law since 1863, is a son of Joseph H. and Lydia Ann (Edwards) Hink- son, and was born October 2, 1840, in what is now the first ward of the city of Chester, Del- aware county, Pennsylvania. The family is of remote German origin, though living in Ireland and intermixed with old Irish stock for several generations previous to being planted in America. Tradition states that three brothers of the name left Hanover, in northern Germany, early in the seventeenth century, and settled in County Cavan, in the north of Ireland, from whence came John Hinkson and Jane his wife, with one son, and settled in Providence township, Delaware county, Pennsylvania. From him all the Hinksons of the United States are descended. In addition to the son whom they brought with them, three sons and four daughters were born to John and Jane Hinkson in this coun- try : John, married Abigail Engle ; George, married Catharine Fairlamb : Thomas, mar- ried Mary Worrilow ; James, married Eliza- beth Crossley; Jane, married Thomas D. Weaver ; Mary, died unmarried ; Sarah, mar- ried William Hawkins ; and Nancy, married Joseph Dickerson. Their descendants are now scattered through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Maryland, and some other States. The children of John and Abigail ( Engle ) Hinkson (married in 1784) were: Frederick James, who became a prominent financier of this county ; Jane, married Ambrose Smed- ley, and died in 1873, aged eighty-nine ; Ann, married David Baker : John, grandfather of the subject of this sketch; Mary, married Abraham Hamor; Joseph, married Ann Black; Orpha, married Jacob Evans; and Edward Engle, who married Sarah Slawter. This family are all deceased. The second son, Hon. John Hinkson (grandfather), was born and reared in this county, where for a time he followed agricultural pursuits and became
prominent and prosperous. He was a demo- crat in politics and served as steward of the Delaware county infirmary, and later as sheriff of the county. He was also elected to a seat in the assembly, and served with distinction in that honorable hody for one term, and also occupied the positions of prothonotary, clerk of the court, recorder and register of wills in this county for a number of years, filling all these offices with marked ability. He died at his home here in 1844, in the fifty-fourth year of his age. He was twice married, first to Jemima Worral, and after her death to Orpha Neide. His oldest son was Joseph H. Hink- son (father ), who was born in this county in 1817, and passed all his life here, dying in the city of Chester in 1863, at the early age of forty-seven. He was first a farmer and then a successful lumber and coal dealer. Politi- cally he was a stanch democrat, and served in the city council of Chester and one term as treasurer of Delaware county. In religion he was a Presbyterian, and for a number of years previous to his death had been a prominent member of that church in this city. In 1840 he married Lydia Ann Edwards, a native of this county, who now resides in the city of Chester, in her eightieth year. She is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church, and is of Welsh descent, her family being among the oldest in Delaware county. To them was born a family of children, five sons and two daugh- ters, viz .: John B., Edward E., Mary E., Liz- zie E. (wife of John R. Sweney, Musical Doc- tor), Samuel E., Perciphor B., and Joseph H. Edward and Mary died in childhood, Samuel died in early manhood, and Perciphor B. and Joseph H. in infancy.
John B. Hinkson grew to manhood in his native city of Chester, receiving his education in an academic institution here and at Lafay- ette college, Easton, Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in the class of 1860, with an honorary degree. He then read law with Hon. John M. Broomall, now of Media, and was admitted to the bar in August, 1863. He has
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
been in active and successful practice in this city ever since, and has a large and important clientage. Following the political traditions of his family, Mr. Hinkson has always been an ardent democrat, and occupies a prominent place in the local councils of his party. He has served as a member of the city council, and in February, 1893, was eleted mayor of Chester by a majority of two hundred and thirty-three votes, although the republicans have an average majority of six hundred in the city. Since entering upon the duties of his office he has given universal satisfaction to the law-abiding people of this city, and his administration bids fair to go on record as one of the ablest and best the city has ever known. He still continues his law business.
On May 16. 1864, Mayor Hinkson was united in marriage to Kate W. Caldwell, youngest daughter of John A. Caldwell, of the city of Chester. To their union was born a family of five children, four sons and a daughter : Jos- eph H .. now practicing law with his father ; John C., who is also a lawyer and trust and title officer in the Delaware Trust, Safe De- posit and Title Insurance Company, of this city ; Alfred H., who died when about eigh- teen years of age ; Ridgely G., a mechanical draughtsman ; and Mary E., living at home with her parents. Both Mayor and Mrs. Hinkson are members of the Third Presby- terian church of Chester, in which Mr. Hink - son is serving as elder and trustee.
C APT. WILLIAM H. WILLIAMS,
the popular and prosperous proprietor of the splendid hotel known as the Beale house, in the city of Chester, is a son of Benjamin M. and Jane (Clark) Williams, and was born August 3, 1848, in Lower Providence town- ship, Delaware county, Pennsylvania. He roamed the fields and attended the district school until his ninth year, when his parents left the farm and removed to Chester, where young Williams attended the public schools
up to his fifteenth year, under the tutelage respectively of James Riddle, Harry H. For- wood, the latter then teaching at Oak Grove school on Twenty-fourth street. Leaving school in 1863, he went to work in what was known as the old Jail mill, on the present site of Lincoln hall and the farmers' market. There he remained until July, 1864, when his patriotic ardor was so aroused by the daily sound of martial music as men marched out to war, and the faint echoing of distant can- non on the far off Virginia battle fields, that two days after the celebration of the National birthday, marred as it was by the smoke and strife and slaughter of the civil war, he has- tened to the recruiting tent and enrolled his name among the members of ex-mayor James Barton's company of infantry. He served in that company until September 4th, when he re- enlisted in the 15th Pennsylvania cavalry, and served with that organization till the close of the war, being discharged at Nashville, Ten- nessee, June 27, 1865. Returning to Chester he began learning the carpenter trade with John Shedwick & Son, and worked at that oc- cupation for twelve years. In 1876 he stowed away his tools and accepted a position as clerk at the Chester house, now the Colonnade hotel, then conducted by Greenfield & Phillips. In 1879, with a capital of fifty dollars saved from his wages, he branched out in business for himself, leasing the Fulton house, at the cor- ner of Front and Fulton streets. He sold his lease and furniture in the fall of the same year and returned to his trade, taking charge of the gang of coopers and carpenters at the sugar mills, then in full operation. In the spring of 1881 he resumed the hotel business by leasing the Delaware house on Penn street, and re- mained there four years. In 1865 he leased the Beale house, which he has ever since suc- cessfully conducted, and to which he has made a number of important and extensive improve- ments. It is now one of the leading and best patronized hotels in this city, being centrally located, directly opposite the Philadelphia.
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OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Wilmington & Baltimore railroad station, within easy reach of the Baltimore & Ohio rail- road station, convenient to river steamboats, and only one minute's walk from the postoffice. The house is large, comfortable, well furnished and contains every modern convenience. Hot and cold baths, electric bells, fans and lights ; a restaurant, attentive waiters - these are a few of the advantages which commend this popular hotel to the general public.
On July 6, 1879, Captain Williams was mar- ried to Mary J. Standing, a daughter of Rich- ard and Mary Ann ( Fletcher) Standing, of Frankford, Philadelphia county, this State. To Mr. and Mrs. Williams has been born two daughters : Myrtle L. and Marion J. Richard Standing, the Father of Mrs. Williams, was a native of England, who came to the United States when twenty-one years of age, enlisted in the Federal army in 1861, and died in the military hospital at Newport News in 1863, aged thirty-seven years. His wife, Mary Ann Fletcher, was also born in England, and came to America with her parents when only four years of age. For more than thirty years she was a devoted member of the Episcopal church, and died at the residence of her son- in-law in this city, March 16, 1887, aged sixty- two years.
Politically William H. Williams has been a life-long republican, and always active in fur- thering the interests of his party. He has been and is now a member of the county and city executive committees, and in 1889 was elected city assessor, under the new charter, polling one of the largest majorities ever ac- corded a candidate in this city. In 1893 he was a candidate for the nomination of county treasurer, and, after a spirited contest, only failed by a few votes. He is a member of Wilde Post, No. 25, Grand Army of the Re- public, of the Franklin Fire Company, Im- proved Order of Red Men, Brotherhood of the Union, Independent Order of Mechanics, and several other fraternal organizations, in several of which he has become quite prom-
inent. For five years he was a member of Co. K, IIth Pennsylvania National guards, into which he was mustered as sergeant, promoted to the rank of second lieutenant, and afterward became captain.
The family of which William H. Williams is a representative was planted in America by the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, who came over from Wales as a Brit- ish seaman. He was the only child of a Welsh physician, but when a young man ran away from home to enlist in the English navy, with which he came to this country during the Revolutionary war. Shortly after arriving in America he deserted from the English ships and espoused the cause of the colonists. After the war he settled in what is now Dela- ware county, and passed the remainder of his life here. His son (paternal grandfather) was born and reared in this county. He was a farmer by occupation, and served in the Mex- ican war. He married and reared a family of children, one of whom was Benjamin M. Wil- lianis (father), who was also a native of this county, where he died August 10, 1890, in the sixty seventh year of his age. In early life he learned the trade of carpenter, and for many years was employed as a ship carpenter and liner. He was a Jacksonian democrat in poli- tics, and during the civil war served with the emergency men as a member of the 29th Penn- sylvania militia. For thirty-two years previous to his death he had been a resident of the city of Chester. By his marriage to Jane Clark he had a family of eight children, six sons and two daughters. Mrs. Jane Williams is a na- tive of Ireland, and came to the United States when sixteen years of age. She now resides in the city of Chester, in the seventy-first year of her age.
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