USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, comprising a historical sketch of the county > Part 35
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Geffroy P. Denis was reared in his native city of Philadelphia and resided there until thirty-eight years of age. His education was obtained in the schools of Philadelphia and a military school in Baltimore, Maryland. When nearly ready for graduation from the latter in- stitution, the civil war occurred, and, fired with patriotic ardor, young Denis closed his books and turning from a contemplation of the theory of war, marched forward to test its stern realities on the field of battle. He became a member of Co. I, 15th Pennsylvania cavalry, in 1862, and was soon afterward made color bearer of his regiment, with which he served for two years and six months. At the bat- tle of Murfreesboro, near Stone river, Ten- nessee, he was taken prisoner by the Confed- erates, and held for two months, during which time he had some personal experience with the southern military prisons that have become famous in history. Being exchanged at the end of two months he rejoined his command
before it moved on to Chattanooga, and was then transferred to Co. G of the same regi- ment, and made duty sergeant. He took part in all the battles of his regiment while with it, and after the war returned to Pennsylvania, and in 1865 engaged in the sugar refining busi- ness at Glochester, New Jersey. At the end of six months he sold out, and immediately began the manufacture of woolen goods at Con- shohocken, Pennsylvania, where he success- fully conducted that business for four years, when his woolen mills were accidentally de- stroyed by fire. In 1871 he came to Chester and embarked in the manufacture of woolen goods in this city, which business he continued until 1889, turning out immense quantities of goods and employing a large number of people. In the meantime he had become interested in a number of other enterpises, having been one of the organizers of the Chester Electric Light & Power Company in 1886, of which he served as the first vice president for two years, and was then made president and manager of this com- pany. In 1889 Mr. Denis assisted in the or- ganization of the Chester Steam Heat & Power Company, and was elected to the position of president and manager, which office he still holds. He was also one of the organizers and incorporators of the Union Electric Street Railway company of Chester, and one of the leading promoters of the Chester & Media Electric Railway Company of Chester, of which latter he served as secretary until its property and franchises were sold to the Union Railway Company in 1892. He was also prom- inently identified with the erection of the hotel Cambridge in this city, being a large stock- holder and president of the company which built and now controls this leading hotel. Mr. Denis is also vice president of the Johnson Frog & Switch Company, of South Chester, and was one of the original proprietors of the Chester Times, being treasurer for a time of the com- pany that founded that popular newspaper.
In October, 1868, Geffroy P. Denis was wed- ded to Jeanette Hooven, a daughter of James
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Hooven, of Norristown, Pennsylvania. To Mr. and Mrs. Denis have been born two chil- dren, one son and a daughter: James Hooven and Helen. In his political affiliations Mr. Denis has always been an ardent republican, taking an active interest in the success of his party and deeply concerned in all public ques- tions. He was largely instrumental in the or- ganization of the Chester Republican League of this city and served as its president for four years. He is a regular attendant and con- tributor to the Episcopal church of Chester, and a member of Industry Lodge, No. 131, Free and Accepted Masons of Philadelphia.
JOHN J. WILLIAMS, head of the pros- perous coal and lumber firm of John J. Williams & Co., of Media, and president of the Thornbury Stone Quarrying & Crushing Company, of Glen Mills, this county, is a son of Charles and Hannah ( Stokes) Williams, and a native of Whitemarsh township, Mont- gomery county, Pennsylvania, where he was born June 2, 1862. His boyhood days were spent on the farm, and he early acquired habits of industry and thoroughness in whatever he undertook. At the age of nine he began a course in the Tremont seminary at Norris- town, Pennsylvania, completing his education at the Friends' Central High school in Phila- delphia. After leaving school he engaged in farming in his native county, and followed that occupation until 1885, thus acquiring a thorough knowledge of the wants of a large class with whom he is now brought into close business relations. In 1885 Mr. Williams pur- chased Mr. Hipple's interest in the grain and lumber business of Haines & Hipple, which had been established in Media by A. W. Haines in 1883, and the firm became Haines & Williams. They continued to do business together until 1889, when Mr. Haines retired and Mr. Williams assumed entire control, un- der the firm name of John J. Williams & Co. He now threw all his latent energy into an 16 a
effort to still further enlarge an already pros- perous business, and the trade conditions being favorable, he has succeeded beyond even his own most sanguine expectations. This firm handles large quantities of coal, lumber, fertilizers, farm machinery, feed and grain, selling at wholesale and retail, and their trade extends all over the county, among farmers, contractors and dealers. Their mills, elevator, warehouses and yards occupy an area of five acres, just west of the station, on the line of the Philadelphia & West Chester railroad. The elevator has a capacity of twenty-five thousand bushels, and is the only one in this section. The business of this firm amounts to nearly three hundred thousand dollars per year, and is confessedly the largest done in the city of Media. Its almost phenom- enal success has been won under the able man- agement of Mr. Williams, and may be regarded as the legitimate result of his well directed efforts.
In addition to the business above mentioned, Mr. Williams is also largely interested in the quarrying and stone crushing industry at Glen Mills, this county, with which he has been connected since 1892. He is now president of the Thornbury Stone Qnarrying & Crushing Company, whose operations are conducted at Glen Mills, though their main office is in the city of Media. This company do an extensive business, preparing and shipping large quan- tities of crushed stone, ballast and building stone. Mr. Williams is also interested in real estate in Montgomery county. He is a repub- lican in politics, and a member of the Society of Friends.
On October 7, 1885, Mr. Williams was united in marriage to Alice Roberts, youngest daughter of Emmor Roberts, of Burlington county, New Jersey. To Mr. and Mrs. Wil- liams have been born two daughters : Helen W. and Edith. Mrs. Williams' father, Em- mor Roberts, is vice-president of the National State bank at Camden, New Jersey, and one of the directors of Swarthmore college. He is
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also director of the George school, founded by John George at Newtown, Bucks county, Pennsylvania ; presiding officer of the yearly meeting of Friends, at the corner of Fifteenth and Race streets, Philadelphia ; and actively interested in many other enterprises of the Society of Friends. He resides at Moores- town, New Jersey.
John J. Williams is descended from an an- cient Welsh family that was transplanted to America and settled in what is now Montgom- ery county, Pennsylvania, as early as 1690. There the family has maintained homesteads for more than two centuries, though lateral branches have settled in other counties and in other States. Joseph Williams, a lineal de- scendant of the originalimmigrant, and paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Montgomery county about 1784. In that county he grew to manhood and passed nearly all his life, dying in 1868, aged eighty- four years. He was a farmer by occupation, and a member of the Society of Friends, as his ancestors had been. By his marriage with Ann Hallowell he had a family of seven chil- dren, all of whom are now deceased. His son, Charles Williams (father), was born at the old homestead in Montgomery county in 1814, and died in that county, May 2, 1887, aged seventy-three. After attaining manhood he also engaged in farming, and spent his long and active life in agricultural pursuits, becom- ing quite prosperous. Politically he was a whig and republican, and in religion adhered strictly to the Society of Friends, in whose faith he was reared. In 1837 he married Hannah Stokes, a daughter of Charles Stokes, of Rancocas, New Jersey, and by that union had a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters : Joseph S., Annie ( now Mrs. John Lloyd), Jane ( now Mrs. John Mather ), Martha ( who married A. N. Haines), since deceased ; Morris, Alice (now Mrs. Isaac Michener), and John J. Mrs. Williams, who still survives her husband, was born in Bur- lington county, New Jersey, in 1819, and is
therefore now in her seventy-fifth year. She is a member of the Society of Friends, and now resides in Montgomery county. Her father, Charles Stokes, was a descendant of John Stokes, who came to Pennsylvania from Lancashire, England, in 1682. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and died at his home in New Jersey in 1884, at the re- markable age of ninety-three years.
E EDWARD H. MAGILL, LL. D., the
distinguished American educator, author of Magill's French aud English grammars, Magill's readers, and other educational and historical works, who served for nearly twenty years as president of Swarthmore college and is now professor of French literature and lan- guage in that venerable institution, is a son of Jonathan P. and Mary (Watson) Magill, and a native of Solesbury, Bucks county, Penn- sylvania, where he was born September 24, 1825. He remained on his father's farm un- til he had reached the age of sixteen, devel- oping meanwhile that studious disposition and literary taste which have marked his after life and placed his name among the foremost ed- ucators of America. His primary education was conducted at the Westtown boarding school, and he prepared for college in the Williston seminary, East Hampton, Massachu- setts. In 1850 he entered Yale college, and the following year went to Brown university, from which institution he was graduated in 1852, with degree of A. B. From his gradu- ation until 1859, Dr. Magill was principal of the classical department of the Providence High school, having in the meantime, 1855, received the degree of A. M. from Brown university. His degree of LL. D. was granted by Haverford college, in 1888. In 1859 he was appointed sub-master in the Boston Latin school and occupied that position until the autumn of 1867. He then went to Europe and spent a year traveling in England and on the continent, visiting the principal seats of
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learning in the old world and familiarizing himself with the methods of instruction prac- ticed in the leading universities of England and Germany. Returning to the United States, Dr. Magill became principal of the prepara- tory department of Swarthmore college, at Swarthmore, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, and continued to fill that position until 1871, when he was made president of the college. He he found ample scope for the exercise of his natural powers, and he continued in the successful discharge of his duties as executive head of this popular institution until 1889, a period of eighteen years, and one of the most prosperous in its history. Retiring from the presidency in 1889, Dr. Magill became profes- sor of French language and literature at Swarthmore, a position he still occupies and so ably fills as to make his department a strong feature in the modern educational equipment of this leading college of the Society of Friends. From these hasty outlines of Dr. Magill's con- nection with the educational institutions of this country it will readily be seen that his has been a life of intense activity and great usefulness as an educator. But he has been almost equally active as an author of text books and a writer on educational topics. Early in his career as a teacher he felt the weakness, in certain lines, of the grammars then in use, and after making the science of language a special study for years, he produced a work on English grammar which was published in 1869, and has become the standard text book in many leading schools. More recently he has prepared a reading grammar of the French language, which was published in 1891, by the Cristopher Sower Company, of Philadel- phia, and forms the introduction to a modern French series, of which the third volume is just appearing. He wrote an excellent history of the educational work of the religious Society of Friends, including all branches of the so- ciety, from its rise, in 1647, to the present time. This monograph was prepared for the religious congress of Friends, which occurred
in September, 1893, at the World's Fair, in Chicago. Some years ago Prof. Magill deliv- ered a course of lectures in the various colleges of Pennsylvania, and was instrumental at that time in organizing what is known as the " Col- lege Association of the Middle States," which now includes all the leading colleges in the middle states and Maryland, and has recently admitted to membership a number of the best preparatory schools within the bounds of this territory.
In the year of his graduation from Brown university, in 1852, Dr. Magill was united in marriage to Sarah W. Beans, eldest daughter of Seneca Beans, of Bucks county, Pennsyl- vania. To them was born a family of six chil- dren, one son and five danghters. The son, named Francis G., died in 1872, at the age of nine years. Their eldest daughter, Helen, is now the wife of Dr. Andrew D. White, United States minister to Russia, and ex-president of Cornell university. She was graduated from Swarthmore college in 1873, pursued a post graduate course at the Boston university, and also a course of study of four years in Cam- bridge, England. The other daughters are : Eudora, Beatrice, an art teacher in Swarth- more college, now spending a year in foreign travel ; Gertrude B. and Marian. Eudora and Marian reside with their parents in the beauti- ful family mansion at Swarthmore. Dr. Magill has won more than a national reputation, his numerous contributions to educational litera- ture having brought him into prominence among leading educators abroad as well as in America. He is a man of fine appearance and pleasant, affable manner, fitly represent- ing the highest type of the educated and cul- tured christian gentleman.
Like so many other distinguished men who have left their impress on the history and in- stitutions of this country, Dr. Edward H. Magill is of Scotch-Irish extraction. He is de- scended from one of two brothers who came over from the north of Ireland and settled in Penn- sylvania in 1680, two years before the arrival
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of William Penn in the colony. Since the Revolutionary period the family has resided in Bucks county, this State, where its mem- bers are well known and highly respected. Jonathan P. Magill, father of the subject of this sketch, was a native and prominent farmer of Bucks county, and a leading member of the Society of Friends. He was born during the closing year of the eighteenth century, and died in the spring of 1868, at the age of sixty- nine. For many years he took an active part in the anti-slavery agitation, and did much to further its interests in this part of Pennsyl- vania. In about 1822, he married Mary Wat- son, a daughter of David Watson and a native of Bucks county. She was a member of the Society of Friends, and died in 1869, aged seventy-one years.
JOHN ROACHI was the distinguished manufacturer and iron ship builder, who won world-wide fame by his gigantic opera- tions, and forever linked his name with mari- time architecture in America. He was born at Mitchellstown, County Cork, Ireland, on Christmas day, 1813, and died at his residence in New York city January 10. 1887, having come to America when only sixteen years of age. The late achievements of his life, through which he placed himself at the head of the ship-building interests of his age, are a part of the naval and marine history of this country, and need not be recounted here. His career was typical of the grand possibilities our insti- tutions afford to persistent industry, fortitude and courage. It opened with a necessity for strong individual effort, and was not free from the discouragements and losses that wreck less determined men; but these ordeals held no terror for the dauntless Roach, and only served to develop abilities that finally com- manded international regard. That its close was clouded by misunderstandings with the government is a circumstance that excited the warmest human sympathy, but a clear con-
ception of the facts detracts nothing from the admiration due his marvelous work and his unparalleled success. During his life Mr. Roach constructed ninety-three large ships, aggregating more than one hundred and eighty- four thousand tons, and these vessels are to- day traversing the wide world of waters in every direction, attesting the magnitude of his operations and the extraordinary industry that characterized his life, and at the same time constituting a conspicuous monument to his fame.
In 1836 he married Emeline Johnson, a daughter of William H. and Sarah Johnson, of New Jersey, and by that union had a family of nine children: William H., deceased in 1872; John B .; Sarah E., married W. F. Mc- Pherson, of Philadelphia; Garrett, (1) died in 1845; Garrett, (2) deceased in 1888; James E., died in 1868; Stephen W., (1) deceased in in- fancy; Stephen W. (2) now living in New York city, where he is connected with the Morgan Iron works; and Emeline, unmarried.
JOHN B. ROACH, the present head of the Delaware River Iron Shipbuilding & Engine works of Chester, and vice president of the Morgan Iron works of New York city, is the second and eldest surviving son of John and Emeline (Johnson) Roach, and was born in the city of New York, December 7, 1839. (See sketch of John Roach).
John B. Roach was reared in his native city of New York, and received a superior English classical education, being graduated from a collegiate institute at Ashland, Green county New York, in 1856. He soon afterward en- tered a wholesale house in New York city for the purpose of learning the business, but aban- doned that to connect himself with the Etna Iron works of that city, where he remained until 1859, when on account of failing health he removed to a farm in Dutchess county. New York. For a period of ten years he continued to reside on the farm, though most of that
John Noach
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS L
John R. Roach
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASE R, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS R L
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time actively connected with the Morgan Iron works of New York city, then owned by his father. Upon the purchase of the Delaware River Iron Shipbuilding and Engine works at Chester, Pennsylvania, by the elder Roach, in 1871, John B. Roach came to this city as gen- eral superintendent and resident manager of these ship yards, and has resided here ever since. He continued to act as superintendent and manager of this vast industrial enterprise until the death of his father in 1887, when upon the reorganization of the varions con- cerns he was made president of the Chester Company and vice president of the Morgan Iron works, which responsible position he has ever since filled with distinguished ability, ad- ding additional honors to the name of Roach as connected with the iron ship-building in- terests of America. Mr. Roach is a member of the chamber of commerce of New York and the board of trade of Chester, a trustee of the Pennsylvania Military academy, and a director in several important manufacturing corporations.
On the 12th of December, 1861, Mr. Roach was united in marriage to Mary C. Wallace, eldest daughter of David and Gertrude Wal- lace, of the city of New York. To Mr. and Mrs. Roach was born a family of eleven chil- dren, of whom two sons and three daughters are living: Sarah R., now the wife of Charles E. Schuyler, of New York city; Emeline R., married William C. Sproul, a sketch of whom may be found elsewhere in this volume; Gar- retta R., wedded Dr. F.F. Long, whose sketch also appears on another page; John, jr., and William McPherson.
While the elder Roach was a practical ship- builder and mechanical engineer of nnexam- pled inventive ability, and his death a severe blow to American ship-building, yet the work he began has been nobly carried on by his son, and the old time reputation of the Ches- ter ship-yards amply sustained. These works have been lately refitted with the latest devices in perfected machinery, and with ample re-
sources at command are now driven with orders for the largest ocean steamships and naval vessels. These vast works and yards cover an area of twenty-eight acres, being the largest of their kind in the United States. They oc- cupy an admirable location on the Delaware river, and have deep water frontage, with large ways and all conveniences for building and launching the largest vessels. Here are large machine shops, foundry, boiler works, pattern shops, erecting shops, etc., each a substantial building of extended dimensions. The aver- age force employed is fifteen hundred men- machinists, shipwrights, riveters, boiler mak- ers, carpenters, joiners, designers, draughts- men, and others. These yards present a scene of busy industry unequaled elsewhere in Dela- ware county, have the enviable reputation of doing the finest and most accurate work of any American ship-yard, and the specimens of marine architecture constructed here are cer- tainly unexcelled anywhere for speed, stability, capacity and endurance in all weather. Mr. Roach devotes his close personal attention to the company's vast and complicated business, and by his conspicuous success has proved himself a ship-builder of sound judgment and great executive capacity, and a worthy repre- sentative and successor of his honored father, who will always be known in history as the father and founder of the modern iron ship- building business in the United States.
JOHN T. BROWN, manager of the Crown Smelting Company's extensive works at Chester, this county, and inventor of the famous Crown bronze, which is rapidly becoming known all over the world, was born in the city of Philadelphia, April 17, 1845, and was reared and educated there. After leaving school he entered the locomotive works of Norris & Sons, on the old Bush hill, Philadel- phia, where he had served as call boy when only ten years of age, and learned the trade of molder and smelter. He remained with that
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firm for a period of nine years. In August, 1863, he enlisted in Co. H, 26th Pennsylvania infantry, and after serving some sixteen months with that regiment was discharged on account of disability, at the King Street hospital, Alexandria, Virginia. After recov -. ering his health he re-enlisted for four months in Co. H, 196th Pennsylvania infantry, and at the end of that time again re-enlisted and served until the close of the war. In 1866 he accepted a position in the Baldwin Locomo- tive works at Philadelphia, and remained with that firm for six years, at the end of which time, in 1872, he became foreman of the Hook Smelting Company's works in Philadelphia, and held that responsible position for nine years. Resigning in 1881, he superintended the erection of the Keystone Smelting Com- pany's plant at Philadelphia, and for three years after its completion had charge of that large concern. In 1884 he assumed the man- agement of the smelting works owned by Paul Reeves, at No. 760 South Broad street, in the city of Philadelphia, and in 1886 accepted the same responsible position with the Crown Smelting Company, of Chester, Delaware county, of which George N. Crumback is pres- ident, Frank Burns vice-president, and Henry T. Davis secretary and treasurer. He has been manager of this company's extensive works ever since, being also a stockholder and for several years a director in this organ- ization. Their plant is one of the largest of its kind in the United States, and the work done here in bronze, brass and composition metal castings is not excelled in this country and perhaps not in the world. This company is the sole manufacturer of the Crown bronze, of which Mr. Brown is the inventor, and which has already achieved a National reputation for utility, beauty and strength. They make a specialty of marine and heavy machinery cast- ings, manufacture all kinds of brass, copper and tin castings, and supply phosphor bronze and ingots of bronze, brass and babbitt metal. They are at present engaged in making bronze
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