USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, comprising a historical sketch of the county > Part 41
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In 1865, John Lilley, jr., was married to Jane N. Holt, a daughter of George Holt, of the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. To Mr. and Mrs. Lilley has been born a family of five children, two sons and three daughters : James H., George H., May B., Annie J. and Florence T., all living at home with their parents.
In his religious convictions Mr. Lilley is a Methodist, and has been for many years a prominent member of Trinity Methodist Epis- copal church, of this city, which he served for some time as president of its board of trustees, and for six years as the efficient superintendent of its large and interesting Sunday school. He is also prominently identified with the Young Men's Christian Association, and for five consecutive years has been serving as vice- president of this organization in the city of Chester. Politically Mr. Lilley has been a
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life long republican, and although too much engrossed by business cares to give much at- tention to politics, he has frequently been elected to office and served his people in a number of responsible positions. He has been a member of the city council for a period of nine years, during three of which he pre- sided with fairness and ability over its weekly deliberations, and is at the present time chair- man of its ways and means committee. In addition to his business interests, which are large and varied, Mr. Lilley also owns consid- erable valuable real estate in the cityof Chester.
SAMUEL R. CROTHERS, M. D., a
graduate of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and the medical department of the university of Pennsylvania is another of the prominent young physicians of the city of Ches- ter who deserves mention in this work. Dr. Crothers is a native of Cecil county, Maryland, where he was born February 29, 1864. He is descended from two of the oldest families of that county, both of whom were planted there in the early pioneer days of that section, taking up land when it was yet free to all com- ers. The paternal grandfather of Dr. Croth- ers was a large farmer of that county, and served as a soldier in the war of 1812. He married and reared a family of children, one of his sons being Jonathan L. Crothers (father), who was born in Cecil county, Maryland, and in early life became a contractor and builder, at which business he was extremely success- ful. Later he purchased a large and finely improved farm, and is devoting his later years to agricultural pursuits. He conducts his op- erations on an extensive scale and is known as one of the largest, most prosperous and most enterprising farmers of Cecil county. Politically he is a republican, and for many years has been a leading member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church in his section. He married Margaret Mearns, a daughter of An- drew Mearns, and a native of Cecil county,
Maryland, and by that union had a family of children. Mrs. Margaret Crothers is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. Her father was a native of Cecil county, descended from an old pioneer family and was one of the leading farmers of the county.
Samuel R. Crothers spent his boyhood days on his father's farm in Cecil county, Mary- land, receiving his education in the public schools and at Churchside seminary, that county. After leaving school he learned the drug business with Joseph M. Fulton, of New London, Pennsylvania, and later entered the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, from which institution he was graduated in the spring of 1885. He then accepted a position in a large drug store in Philadelphia, where he remained two years, during which time he read medicine with Dr. J. Howard Beck, of that city. Mat- riculating in the medical department of the university of Pennsylvania, he took a full course in medicine and was duly graduated from that institution in 1889, with the degree of M. D. He at once entered St. Joseph hospital at Reading. this State, as assistant physician, and remaind there one year, after which he located in the city of Chester for the regular practice of his profession. Being endowed by nature with many of the qualities that distinguish the true physician, and having carefully prepared himself for the duties of his calling, Dr. Croth- ers soon won the confidence of the commu- nity and already has a large and lucrative gen- eral practice. He is inclined to make a spec- ialty of surgery, in which he is very skillful and to which he gives much attention, being the official surgeon of the Chester city hos- pital, the Wellman Iron and & Steel Com- pany, the Standard Cast Steel Company, the Chester Street Railway Company, and many other large corporations.
Dr. Crothers isa member of the Delaware County Medical society, in whose proceedings he takes great interest. He is also a member of Chester Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons ; Ledger Lodge, Knights of Pythias ; and of the
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local organization of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. Politically the doctor is a stanch republican, and is now serving as assistant burgess of the borough of South Chester.
JOHN J. HARE, a leading jeweler of South Chester, who is now serving his sec- ond term as justice of the peace, is the only son of Michael and Catharine (Mccullough) Hare, and was born in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 10, 1858. His par- ents were natives of County Tyrone, Ireland. and both came to the United States in early life, and were married in this country. Michael Hare died in Philadelphia in May, 1859, at the early age of twenty-one, when the subject of this sketch was only seven months old. His wife survived him nearly a quarter of a century, dying in the city of Philadelphia in 1882, in her forty-fourth year.
John J. Hare was reared in his native city of Philadelphia, and received a liberal educa- tion at Girard college, the preparatory depart- ment of which he entered at the age of nine years. After completing the prescribed course of study he was duly graduated from that in- stitution in 1875, but remained there several months afterward, engaged in post graduate studies in chemistry and other special branches. In May, 1876, he came to Chester, this county, and began learning the jewelry business with Joseph Ladomus, a well known manufactur- ing jeweler of this city. He remained with Mr. Ladomus until December, 1883, at which time he embarked in his present jewelry busi- ness at South Chester, which he has ever since successfully conducted, and now owns a fine store abundantly stocked with the best and choicest productions of the jewelry trade. He gives his personal attention to all matters con- nected with his business, and fully deserves the large patronage he now enjoys.
In 1892 Mr. Hare was united in marriage to Jean S. Clarke, youngest daughter of George R. Clarke, of Pottstown, Chester county. In
his political affiliations Mr. Hare has always been a republican, and so high was his stand- ing as a citizen, and so great his popularity among his party associates, that in 1886 he was nominated and elected to the responsible and important office of justice of the peace, though then only twenty-eight years of age. His ability and fairmindedness in the discharge of the duties connected with his position were so satisfactory to the people, that in 1891 he was re-elected to that office by an increased ma- jority, and he is now acceptably serving his second term of four years. Squire Hare has taken an active interest in politics, and is rec- ognized as one of the able local leaders of his party in this section. He is a member of L. H. Scott Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of the city of Chester.
THOMAS WILBY, the well known man-
ufacturer of leather belting at the corner of Seventh and Penn streets, in the city of Chester, and who has twice served as presi- dent of the Chester Manufacturing Company of this city, is a native of England, born April 5, 1840, and his parents were Benjamin and Elizabeth (Forest) Wilby, also natives of that country. They came to the United States in 1848, and located at Lowell, Massachusetts, where Mr. Wilby engaged in the leather busi- ness and became very prosperous. He was well educated, always kept posted on current events, and took great interest in books and literature. After retiring from business he continued to make Lowell his home, and died there in 1892, aged ninety-three years. He married Elizabeth Forest, by whom he had a family of children. Mrs. Elizabeth Wilby died in the eighty-seventh year of her age.
Thomas Wilby was reared in England, and received a superior education in the private schools contiguous to his home. After leav- ing school he learned the trade of currier and belt maker with his uncle, William Wilby, of Manchester, serving an apprenticeship of
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seven years. In 1866 he crossed the Atlantic and rejoined his parents at Lowell, Massa- chusetts, where he remained until 1870. In that year he removed to Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, and embarked in the leather busi- ness on his own account, but in 1867 returned to Massachusetts, and for one year was en- gaged in the leather trade at Lowell, that State. In 1877 he came to Chester, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, and has resided here ever since. In this city he began the business of manufacturing leather belting, and although he found the enterprise an uphill work in the beginning, and had many obstacles to over- come, he held on with true Englishi persist- ence and finally wrought success out of seem- ing defeat. Owing to his accurate knowlege of the business, obtained by long years of diligent application, he was extremely skillful in the manufacture of belting, and as the su- periority of his work became known his trade increased until it has assumed large propor- tions and is quite lucrative. Eight years ago he erected his present factory at the corner of Seventh and Penn streets, from which is sent out all kinds of superior single and double leather belting, manufacturers supplies, worsted aprons, worsted roll coverers, leather lacings, and many other articles: He lias a branch supply house at No. 136 Chestnut street, Philadelphia.
In 1870 Mr. Wilby was married to Alice Virginia Livzey, of Germantown, now a part of the city of Philadelphia. To Mr. and Mrs. Wilby was born a family of five children, four sons and a daughter : Walter, who died in the spring of 1893, in his twenty-second year ; Clarence, Irvin, Milton and Martha. The four now living reside with their parents in their pleasant home on West Seventh street, in the city of Chester.
In addition to his leather belting business Mr. Wilby has been interested in several other enterprises in this city. He was one of the organizers of the Chester Manufacturing Com- pany, and was twice elected and served as
president of that organization. In religion he is a strict Baptist, but entirely independent in politics, voting for the men and measures which in his judgment will best subserve the public good, without regard to party consid- erations. He is a member of L. H. Scott Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; and of Chester Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. As a business man and citizen he is held in high esteem, is affable and pleasant in manner, and is gifted with the rare faculty of always seeing the bright side of everything in life.
RLANDO HARVEY, a leading lawyer
of the Chester bar and for more than twenty years city solicitor, is a son of Dr. El- wood and Josephine L. (Youle) Harvey, and a native ofChadds'Ford, Delaware county, Penn- sylvania, where he was born December 9, 1845. The Harveys trace their trans-atlantic origin to England, from whence its earliest Ameri- can progenitor came to this country about the time of William Penn, and settled in what is now Delaware, but was tlien a part of Chester county, where representatives of the family have ever since resided. Eli Harvey, pater- nal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in this county, and after attaining manhood engaged in farming in Birmingham township, where he became quite prosperous and lived until his death. He married and reared a family of children, one of the sons be- ing Elwood Harvey (father), who was born on the old homestead in Birmingham township in 1810. He acquired a good English education in the common schools, and afterward studied medicine and was engaged in the duties of his profession nearly all his life. For thirty years prior to his death he was continuously engaged in successful practice in the city of Chester, and his name became a familiar household word throughout this entire section. He died at his home in Chester in March, 1889, in the sixty- ninth year of his age, and greatly revered by his neighbors and friends. Dr. Harvey was
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always a warm friend of popular education, taking an enthusiastic interest in the school affairs of the city and serving as school direc- tor here for many years. So well known and recognized was his earnest labor on behalf of increased educational facilities for the oncom- ing generation that one of the public schools was named in his honor, and is now known as the Harvey school. In politics Dr. Harvey was first a whig but became a republican upon the organization of that party, and ever after- ward gave it a cordial support. He married Josephine L. Youle. She was of Scotch an- cestry, a native of New Jersey, and died in 1890.
Orlando Harvey came to the city of Ches- ter at the age of fifteen, and has resided here ever since. He was educated in the public schools and at the Polytechnic institute in the city of Philadelphia. After leaving school he read law with Hon. John M. Broomall and Hon. William Ward, and was regularly ad- mitted to practice at the bar of this county in November, 1868. Soon afterward he opened a law office in the city of Chester and has been continuously engaged in a successful general practice here ever since. Possessing many of the qualities that distinguish the able law- yer, and painstaking and careful in the prep- aration of all cases he undertakes, he has been remarkably successful and now finds him- self with a large and lucrative clientage.
In 1871 Mr. Harvey was united by mar- riage to Kate B. Ulrich, youngest daughter of Squire Samuel Ulrich, of the city of Chester. To Mr. and Mrs. Harvey have been born four sons : Albert, Ward, Youle and Walter, all living at home with their parents.
In his political affiliations Mr. Harvey has always been an ardent republican, deeply grounded in the basic principles of his party and earnest and eloquent in advocating them. For a number of years he has been a recog- mized local leader in the Republican party of Chester, and in 1872 was elected on that ticket to the office of city solicitor. So
efficient and satisfactory has been his ad- ministration of the duties of his office that he has been regularly re-elected to that position ever since. In religious belief he is an Epis- copalian, and regularly attends and contributes to the support of that church, of which his wife is a member. Mr. Harvey is quite prom- inent in the secret society circles of this city, being a member of L. H. Scott Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons ; Chester Chapter, Royal Arch Masons ; Chester Commandery, Knights Templar ; Tuscarora Tribe, Improved Order Red Men : and is also a member of the Royal Arcanum and treasurer of Sharpless Council of the American Legion of Honor.
W ILLIAM I. SCHAFFER is a self-
made man, and although young in years, yet has won his way to the front rank at the bar, and has already made his power and in- fluence felt in politics throughout a county that is famous for able leaders in political life. His manly and successful course in the battle of life has been such that he is now an active and public man, as well as a successful poli- tician of his county, and has as much promise as any man of his party in his Congressional district of a sure and distinguished career in the future. William I. Schaffer is a son of George A. and Mary H. (Irwin) Schaffer, and was born at Germantown, Pennsylvania, Feb- ruary 11, 1867. His paternal grandfather, George Schaffer, was a native of Germany, and in 1830 came to Philadelphia, where he was engaged in the wholesale dry goods busi- ness for several years. He died at German- town in 1870. His son, George A. Schaffer, was born at Germantown and died in Phila- delphia in rSSo, at forty-five years of age. He served for several years before his death asgen- eral baggage agent for the Erie railroad. He was a republican in politics, and married Mary H. Irwin, who was a native of Lewistown, this State, and now resides in Chester. Mrs. Schaf- fer, who has been a strict member of the Pres-
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byterian church for many years, is a daughter of Gen. William H. Irwin, a prominent mili- tary officer, and a leading and influential man of Mifflin county. General Irwin's career was one of distinction and usefulness, and his ser- vices alike in military and civil life were always at the command of his fellow citizens.
William I. Schaffer passed his boyhood days in Chester, and received his elementary edu- cation in the public schools. At fifteen years of age he commenced life for himself as a newsboy, selling the Chester Evening News and Chester Times. While bravely battling for a place in the great struggling tide of hu- manity in business life, he never lost sight of his interrupted studies, and recited at night to Professor Foster the lessons that he could pre- pare in his spare moments. From selling papers he passed to selling goods in the store of John A. Ladomus, and while thus acting in the capacity of a clerk, he thought of study- ing medicine, but abandoned the idea from lacking means sufficient to pass through a standard medical college. At this time a vacancy existed in the law office of William B. Broomall, and his application for it was successful. This was the turning point in his life, and eventually decided him to qualify himself for the profession of law. During his first year with Mr. Broomall he studied shorthand, and became a very expert stenographer, reporting many important trials. At the early age of seventeen he passed successfully a rigid pre- liminary law examination, and then for four years read with Mr. Broomall, after which he passed his final examination with great credit. On February 11, 1888, he was admitted to practice in the courts of Delaware county, and one year later was admitted to the bar of the supreme court of Pennsylvania, being the youngest attorney ever admitted there. He has already argued several important cases before this August tribunal.
After his admission to the bar, Mr. Schaffer became first assistant to Mr. Broomall in his large law practice, and has been associated
with him ever since. His spurs as a lawyer were won in the famous " Fire-bug " trial, in which he was one of the counsel for the de- fense. His speech, in closing the case, was a surprise to every one who heard it. For more than two hours he held the undivided atten- tion of every one in the court room, and Judge Clayton, in commenting upon it, said "it was as clever an argument as I have lis- tened to for a long time." The trial of this case attracted attention to him. and since that time he has figured in the trial of several im- portant suits, both civil and criminal. From his association with Mr. Broomall he has had the opportunity to familiarize himself with the law in almost all its branches, and is looked upon in the profession as a very well trained lawyer. He ranks high as a jury lawyer, being noted for consummate skill and admirable tact in preparing and presenting his cases that come to trial in the courts. A peer of any of the younger lawyers of the State, he is recognized as one of the brightest exponents of his profession. at a bar where merit only can win position in the front rank.
In politics Mr. Schaffer is a straightout re- publican, and at an early age his services as an organizer and speaker were demanded by his party. Of his political career, and of his present candidacy for the office of district at- torney, one who knows him well, writes : " He has been a delegate to every county conven- tion since attaining his majority, and a mem- ber of every county committee. He served as chairman of the republican city committee in the last campaign for mayor, when the repub- lican majority was increased from less than a hundred to almost seven hundred, and was subsequently elected chairman of the county committee. His entrance on the stage of State politics was made as a delegate to the guber- natorial convention of 1890. In this conven- tion he supported General Hastings for gov- ernor, and seconded his nomination in a speech that won him golden encomiums throughout the State. In the Scranton convention, and
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in the convention at Williamsport, Mr. Schaf- fer placed Hon. John B. Robinson in nomina- tion for president of the State Leage of Clubs. He has spoken in every campaign since 1890, throughout the State, for the republican ticket, and in the last presidential campaign was offered important assignments in other States. In the State convention of 1891 he was nomi- nated for one of the delegates-at-large to the constitutional convention, and although the convention was voted down, was elected throughout the State by the full republican majority. If nominated and elected district attorney, he will bring to the office legal talent of a high order, abilities as a speaker con- ceded by all, and a capacity for industry and hard work which has been manifest throughout his life -- all qualities eminently fitting him for the office."
Genial, quick, clever and sympathetic, Wil- liam I. Schaffer is popular as a man and a citi- zen, as well as a lawyer and public speaker, and has a large personal as well as a political following in both the county and the State.
H ENRY GRAHAM ASHMEAD was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 30, 1838. In the seventh generation he is a descendant of John and Mary (Currier) Ash- mead, of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Eng- land, who migrated to Pennsylvania early in 1682, and patented a tract of land in the pres- ent county of Montgomery, which they named Cheltenham in remembrance of their old home beyond the sea. His great-grandfather was a conspicuous mariner, holding the rank of captain in the Revolutionary navy, and an in- teresting diary which he kept, presenting a brief outline of his voyages and adventures between the years 1752 and 1782, has recently been privately printed in book form. His father, John Wayne Ashmead, a lawyer of Philadelphia, was appointed by Attorney Gen- erals George M. Dallas and Ellis Lewis dur- ing their terms, deputy for that city, a position
under the then organization of the State sim- ilar in all respects to that of the present District Attorney. In 1849 he was appointed by Presi- dent Taylor United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and during his period of office conducted on behalf of the Government the noted proceedings against Castner Hanway, indicted for treason in re- sisting the enforcement of the provisions of the fugitive slave laws. He was counsel for James Stephens in the leading case of arsen- ical poisoning in this country ; represented Capt. Richard W. Meade, tried by court mar- tial for the loss of the United States steamer San Jacinto, on the Bahama Banks, January 1, 1865 ; was counsel for James Murphy, of New York, in his claim against the republic of Chili for the seizure of the brig Townsend Jones and her cargo, at Valparaiso, April, 1859. All of these cases have been published in pam- phlet forms and Mr. Ashmead's speeches therein reported verbatum. An account of John W. Ashmead is given in Martin's History of Chester, as also in Thompson Westcott's " Rich Men of Philadelphia Forty Years Ago," a series which Westcott, who died in 1888, did not live to complete.
The mother of H. G. Ashmead was Henri- etta Graham Flower, daughter of Richard and Henrietta (Graham) Flower, a descendant of William Flower, who came originally from England to the Fenwick colony, locating first at Salem, New Jersey, but about 1688 re- moving to Marcus Hook. Henry Graham Ashmead is named for his maternal great- grandfather, Henry Hale Graham, the first President Judge of Delaware county.
The subject of this skecth was educated at Chester academy, West Chester, Pennsylvania, and Saunders' institute, West Philadelphia, and was admitted to the bar of New York November 29, 1859, his parents then residing in that city. He began practice with his fel- low student, Leon Abbett, since well known as twice governor of New Jersey, and now on the Supreme bench of that State, but his health
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becoming precarious, he was advised by phys- icians to abandon the profession, a conclusion with which he reluctantly complied, and em- barked in outdoor uncongenial occupations in which he was unsuccessful. After the death of his father in 1868, the family returned to Chester, the early home of his mother. His natural bent being toward literary occupa- tions, he became the first reporter and local editor of the Chester Daily News, and subse- quently held a like position on the Delaware County Republican. In 1875 he wrote a brief history of Delaware county, which was pub- lished in Dr. William H. Eagle's " History of Pennsylvania." In 1882 he was appointed correspondent secretary of the Pennsylvania Bi-Centennial association, of Chester, and the same year wrote " Historical Sketches of Ches- ter-on - Delaware," which was followed in 1884 with the "History of Delaware County." President Cleveland, August 3, 1885, appointed him postmaster of Chester, and while in charge of the office he organized the free mail deliv- ery by carriers, that service going into effect for the first time, July 1, 1887. In 1887 a committee of citizens was appointed to present to Congress the claims of Chester for the loca- tion of a public building in that city. Mr. Ashmead, as one of the committee, was re- quested to prepare a pamphlet, which he did, entitled "Chester and its Suburbs, " wherein, in a compact form, was given an account of the industrial establishments in the city and the immediate neighborhood, as well as statis- tics showing the importance of the port of Chester as an adjunct to that of Philadelphia. This pamphlet was distributed among the members of the House of Representatives and Senate of the United States, and from it was drawn the data on which the reports of the committees of the House and Senate, favorable to the measure, were founded. He has also contributed numerous articles to the periodi- cal and newspaper press, mainly on historical topics. In Masonic circles Mr. Ashmead at one time took a very active part, having re- 19
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