USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, comprising a historical sketch of the county > Part 56
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guards of Pennsylvania, in which he is now serving as captain of Company G, 3rd Regi- ment Infantry, headquarters in Philadelphia, and is also in the office of the surveyor of cus- toms at Philadelphia ; Robert, who died in childhood ; John, also deceased at an early age ; Irvin, died in childhood ; Rebecca, now a student in a private school at Media ; Mary Etta, also in school, and one that died in in- fancy unnamed.
J AMES S. SMITH, a member of the firm of Smith & Schrurber, of the city of Chester, is a son of John and Elizabeth(Sutton) Smith, and was born October 14, 1855, in a suburb of Philadelphia, then known as Nice- town, but now a part of the city. He received his education in the public schools, and was employed at the Simpson Print works for twenty-three years. He left the print works in the year 1892, when he formed a partner- ship with Edward Schrurber, and bought ont the bottling business of Thomas Hargreaves, of Chester. Their bottling establishment is at No. 720 Welsh street. They bottle all kinds of small and soft drinks, and conduct a general licensed bottling business. They run three supply wagons and their trade extends over a large part of Delaware county. Their business was good at the start, and is con- stantly increasing in the number and size of the orders which they receive. Mr. Smith is a republican, and served as a member of the first council of the borough of Eddystone. He is a member of Excelsior Camp, No. 9, Independent Order of Mechanics ; and Upland Lodge, No. 263, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
In January, 1883, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Bessie Miller, daughter of Rob- ert and Ellen Miller, of Philadelphia. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith has been born one child, a son named John R., who is now dead.
The Smith family of which James S. Smith is a member, was founded in this country by
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
his grandfather, James Smith, who came from County Dublin, Ireland, to Philadelphia, where he died, aged eighty years. He was a farmer in Ireland, and in the latter part of his life retired upon a competency. He was a liberal in Ireland, and a zealous member of the Epis- copal church, both in that and in this country. He married and left a family of twelve children. John Smith (father ) was born in Connty Dub- lin, Ireland, in 1826, and in early life followed market gardening, but after coming to Phila- delphia he was placed on the police force of that city, where he served for twenty-one years. He is a republican and an Episcopalian, and having retired from active life, now resides at the Falls of Philadelphia. He is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men, and the the Senior American Protestant association. John Smith married Elizabeth Sutton, daugh- ter of James Sutton, of Connty Dublin, province of Leinster, Ireland. To their union were born nine children, seven sons and two daugh- ters : Edward, James S., Annie, William (de- ceased), Margaret, John, Thomas, Alonzo. and Robert.
F RANK W. HARRISON, one of the young business men of Chester city, and a lineal descendant of an old and honored English family, related to the celebrated Sir Henry Havelock, of world wide fame, is a son of Capt. John and Marianne ( Dawson) Harri- son, was born in the city of Montreal, Canada, September 30, 1857. In 1860, after the death of his father, he was sent to England, where he received his education in the excellent grammar school endowed by Queen Elizabeth, at Darlington, Durham county. After leaving school he was variously employed in business until 1880, when he came to Chester, and en- tered the office of John Roach. the great ship- builder, where he was engaged in clerical du- ties up to 1888. In that year he formed a co-partnership with his brother, John, under the firm name of Harrison Brothers, and suc- ceeded T. S. Williamson in his extensive wood
and coal business, at No. 132 West Third street. This firm contributes its full share to the sum of commercial activity of Chester city in its line of business. Its trade is of a most substantial character, and their total yearly sales reach a handsome figure. Self- reliant. but prudent, courageous, but cantious, Mr. Harrison quickly grasps a business situa- tion, and then acts instantaneously, but with good judgment and foresight. He has an ex- tensive knowledge of men, and has developed a rare capacity for business.
On January 16, 1878, Mr. Harrison was united in marriage with Mary Eliza Clark, daughter of Jolin and Ann Clark, of Darling- ton, England. They have four children : John, Mary E., Marianne M. and Frank H.
In politics Mr. Harrison is a stanch repub- lican, and has always been an earnest worker in the true interests of his party at the polls. He is a member of Lamokin Tribe, No. 80, Improved Order of Red Men; treasurer of Oriental Commandery, No. 106, Knights of Malta ; Secretary of the McClure Gun club : and secretary of the lumber and coal exchange.
Frank W. Harrison traces a not remote lineal connection with the distinguished and eminent Sir Henry Havelock, of Lucknow fame, who was conspicuous in India, where he crushed the terrific and gigantic rebellion in that country against the British govern- ment, in 1856-57. Sir Henry Havelock was a cousin to Mr. Harrison's paternal grand- mother. In 1874 he (Frank W.) joined the Ist Battalion, Princess of Wales' own York- shire regiment, G. Company, stationed at Skel- ton, Yorkshire, where, by attention and pro- ficiency, he attained the rank of Orderly Ser- geant. He resigned in 1880.
Capt. John Harrison (father) was born in En- land, received his education at the university of Oxford, from which time honored institn- tion he was graduated, and learned the print- ing business. He was a man of superior lit- erary attainments, and being of an adventur- some disposition, went, in early life, to Africa,
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OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
where he edited and published, at Pietermar- itzburg, in the district of Natal, the first news- paper of South Africa, The Natal Witness. He also, while there, spent considerable time in hunting and in exploring expeditions with the celebrated Panda, king of the Zulus, in the wilds of the "Dark Continent." From Africa he went to Australia, where he visited many of the places that afterward became famous as centers in the discovered gold re- gion of that land, but impaired health from the climate caused him to return to England, where he entered the 8th Hussars, or the Earl de Grey's Yeomanry, as an aide de camp. with the rank of captain. In 1855, npon recommendation of his physicians, he resigned and came to Canada in the hope of improving his health. He took up his residence at Mon- treal, removing to Toronto, where he died December 6, 1859, at thirty-nine years of age. Captain Harrison was a tory in English poli- tics, and a consistent member of the Estab- lished church until his death. He was a promi- nent Free Mason, and married Marianne Daw- son. To Captain and Mrs. Harrison were born three children, two sons and one daughter : John W., whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume ; Frank W., whose name appears at the head of this sketch; and Eliza Jane, who died at an early age.
JOHN L. GALLOWAY, a prominent real estate dealer at Prospect Park. this county, and a well known contractor and builder, whose work may be seen in various parts of Delaware county, is a native of County Antrim, Ireland, where he was born March 24, 1847. The family is of ancient Irish lineage, and have lived in that connty for many generations. His father, Charles Galloway, was born and reared, and there spent his life engaged in the grocery business. The grandfather died in Ireland, when lacking less than three months of being a centenarian, and the family has long been noted for lon-
gevity. His father, Charles Galloway, was a Presbyterian in religion, and died at his home in County Antrim, when eighty-eight years of age.
John L. Galloway remained in Ireland until his nineteenth year, receiving a good edu- cation in the National schools, and after com- ing to the United States learned the carpenter trade with James Scott, in Philadelphia. He afterward engaged in contracting and building in that city, where he successfully conducted the business until 1876, when he removed to Ridley township, Delaware county, and has resided at the latter place ever since. After coming to Ridley township he engaged in the real estate business, in addition to the erec- tion of houses, and has been remarkably snc- cessful in his operations. He now has an office at the corner of Eleventh street and Washington avenue, Philadelphia, and an- other at Prospect Park, Delaware county, where he resides. When Mr. Galloway came to Prospect Park there were less than a dozen buildings in the place, and now the town com- fortably houses a population of fifteen hun- dred people. To this improvement and de- velopment he has contributed in a large de- gree, having built not less than one hundred houses here, and takes a just pride in the wonderful growth of the village. Mr. Gallo- way owns valuable real estate interests in Phil- adelphia, and also owns valuable real property in Ridley township, beside a number of im- proved and unimproved lots at Prospect Park and Ridley Park, and is justly regarded as one of the most enterprising and public spirited citizens of his section. Among his real es- tate holdings are twenty-eight improved prop- erties, and three hundred desirable building lots at one of the most attractive locations on the Philadelphia. Wilmington & Baltimore railroad in this county.
In addition to his real estate and building operations Mr. Galloway has also, since 1885, been engaged, more or less, in the lumber trade, general mercantile business, and mill
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work, as a member of the firm of D. A. Hall & Company, of Philadelphia, and latterly has also been connected with the general insurance business. He is a republican politically, and for a number of years has taken an active part in local politics, and done much for the suc- cess of his party in Delaware county.
J. ENGLE BAKER, the popular super- intendent of the Chester Transfer Com- pany, and regimental quartermaster sergeant of the 6th Infantry National guard of Pennsyl- vania, is the eldest surviving son of Perciphor and Sarah (Nelling) Baker, and was born in the city of Chester, Delaware county, Penn- sylvania, January 26, 1853. This family is of English extraction, and its American progen- itor was Joseph Baker, who came to this coun- try, and it is thought located at Edgmont, near Chester, about 1651, prior to the coming of William Penn, and contemporary with the founders of the Sharpless and other families of Pennsylvania. Joseph Baker (2nd) was a member of the Provincial assembly, and died in 1716. In the early generations the Bakers intermarried with the Sharpless, Hinkson and Engle families, and have become one of the most numerous families of Delaware county. David Baker, paternal great-grandfather of J. Engle Baker, was a farmer by occupation, lived in this county all his life, and reared a large family of children, one of his sons being David Baker (grandfather), who learned the carpenter trade and worked at that occupation for many years. He was a member of the So- ciety of Friends, and an anti-federalist in poli- tics. At an early age he married Ann Hink- son, a daughter of John Hinkson, and a great aunt of Mayor John B. Hinkson, of Chester. By that union he had a family of five children, four sons and a daughter: John, deceased January 19, 1865 ; Perciphor, father of the sub- ject of this sketch ; Joseph, deceased in child- hood ; Abigail, also died young, and George.
David Baker died May 15, 1824, and his
wife passed from earth August 15, 1857. Per- ciphor Baker (father) was born on the old homestead in Chester township, this county, November 22, 1817, and after obtaining a good common school education learned the trade of carpenter with his uncle, Joseph Hinkson. He followed that occupation during the early part of his life, but later became interested in the lumber business, and was for a number of years a member of the lumber firms of Baker & Eyre, P. Baker & Company, and Baker & Hinkson, of the city of Chester. In 1879 he retired from active business, and lived quietly at his home in Chester until his death, two years later, April 11, 1881, at the age of sixty- three years. During his more active life he was the largest lumber dealer in this city, and being a man of great energy, fine business ability and excellent judgment, he was re- markably successful in all his enterprises. Politically he was a democrat, and took a con- spicuous part in the politics of this city. He served as commissioner of Delaware county in 1856, and was a member of the Chester city council for several terms. On different occa- sions he was made the candidate of his party for assemblyman, State senator and mayor of Chester, positions which he was eminently fitted to occupy, but being the candidate of a minority party he was frequently defeated, though he received an increased vote which testified to his personal popularity among the people. He was reared in the Quaker faith, and although not an active member of the so- ciety, he adhered to that belief all his life. He was twice married, his first wife being Sarah Nelling, a daughter of Philip Nelling, of Mid- dletown township, by which union he had a family of five children : Francis S., deceased; Sue N., J. Engle, whose name heads this sketch; J. Horace and Mortimer N., the last named being twins, both of whom are now de- ceased. Mrs. Sarah Baker died August 15, 1857, aged thirty years, and Mr. Baker after- ward married Elizabeth Smith.
J. Engle Baker was reared in his native city,
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OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
and educated in the public schools of Chester and at Prof. Gilbert's academy, where he took the full course. At the age of sixteen he left school to become an apprentice to the trade of carriagemaker, but before completing his ap- prenticeship abandoned that trade to engage in the lumber business with his father. He remained with his father until the summer of 1879, when he entered the employ of Jonathan Pennell as bookkeeper, clerk and salesman in the latter's lumber business in the city of Chester. For a period of sixteen years Mr. Baker remained connected with the lumber interests of this city, and then became asso- ciated with the Chester Ice Company. In 1892 he was made superintendent of the Chester Transfer Company, doing a general express business in this city, which position he has ever since occupied with great acceptability, being popular alike with his official superiors, the employees of the company and the general public. This company runs ten wagons and has a regular force of seventeen men, doing the largest express business in the city of Chester, and in its management Mr. Baker has shown good practical judgment and a remarkable ca- pacity for looking after the various details of a complicated business.
On the 6th day of December, 1877, J. Engle Baker was united in marriage to Sue H .- Fla- ville, a native of this city, and a daughter of William H. Flaville. Their union has been blessed by the birth of eight children, five sons and three daughters : Mary Louisa, deceased; Elizabeth J., Horace, dead; J. Engle, jr., Jen- nie P., William F .; Perciphor and Chester F.
Adhering to the political traditions of his family, Mr. Baker has been a life-long demo- crat, and has served as a member of both the city and county executive committees of his party. At one time he was a candidate for a seat in the city council, but his party being largely in the minority he was defeated by a small majority. He served as assistant postmaster of this city under Cleveland's first administra- tion, and became very popular in that capa-
city. For a number of years Mr. Baker has taken an active part in various secret society organizations, being a member of Chester Lodge, No. 236, Free and Accepted Masons; Chester Council, No. 553, Royal Arcanum ; Penn Conclave, No. 59, Improved Order of Heptasophs, and Chester Lodge, No. 153, Order of Tonti. Since 1876 Mr. Baker has been a member of the National guard of Penn- sylvania, being at present the regimental quartermast r sergeant of the 6th Infantry. He served with his command at Pittsburg dur- ing the famous riots of 1877, and has a pretty thorough knowledge of military tactics and affairs. He was one of the charter members of the Provident Building and Loan associa- tion of this city, and takes high rank as a man and a citizen, being affable and pleasant in manner and of undoubted integrity in business affairs.
BAYARD A. CONARD, one of the leading merchants of the prosperous borough of Upland, is a son of Edmund and Lydia (Andress) Conard, and was born in the city of Wilmington, Delaware, October 5, 1855. He attended the public schools of Wilmington until he was twelve years of age. At the age of fifteen years he entered a print- ing establishment, where he spent four years in learning the "art preservative of all arts." After completing his apprenticeship he fol- lowed journey work for three or four years. From journey work he was promoted to be foreman, and as such served for five years in the press and composing rooms of three of the leading newspapers in the city of Wil- mington : the Daily Gazette, Weekly Gazette, and the Sunday Star. The close confinement of the printing office affected Mr. Conard's health, and he was compelled to resign his position at a time when very flattering offers had been made to him for his journalistic ser- vices. An out-door employment being recom- mended to him by his physician, he removed to Chadds' Ford, and engaged in the general
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mercantile business with his brother-in-law, H. C. Baldwin. Five years passed there amid the many out-door duties of a large business somewhat restored his health, and in 1888 he came to Upland, where he succeedcd W. & R. Newton, in the general mercantile business. In addition to laying in a large stock of merchandise, Mr. Conard immediately fitted up a department for the temporary stor- age of home dressed meats, in which he pur- posed to deal extensively. He met with suc- cess from the start in both lines of his business, and now has a large mercantile and meat trade that extends beyond the limits of his borough. Mr. Conard is a republican politically, and has been a member for about fifteen years of Eureka Lodge, No. 23, Free and Accepted Masons, of Delaware, and for five years of Upland Lodge, No. 428, Knights of Pythias.
On May 5, 1881, Mr. Conard married Phebe J. Baldwin, daughter of Erskine and Mary Baldwin, of West Bradford township, Chester county, Pennsylvania. To their union have been born for children : Carrie L., Laura B. (deceased), F. Walters (deceased), and Ar- thur B.
The Conard family in this country was planted by two brothers of that name, one locating in Bucks, and the other settling in Chester county, this State. A descendant of the Chester county brother was William Con- ard (grandfather), who resided in Delaware counties, Pennsylvania, and who removed from Penn township, Chester county, to Wil- mington, Delaware, where he purchased val- nable real estate and passed his life in comfort and ease. He was a republican and a Friend, and died in 1878, at the age of eighty-three years. He was twice married, and by his first wife, whose maiden name was Rachel Gray, he had seven children : Edmund, Anthony, Enoch, Rachel Askew, Elizabeth Crank, Asenath Bartram, and Marietta Holten. Ed- mund Conard was born in Willistown town- ship, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, and after being engaged in farming and merchandising in
Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, removed to Wilmington, Delaware, where he died in 1891, at sixty-eight years of age. Mr. Conard married Lydia Andress, who is a daughter of James Frederick Andress, and was born in 1824. They had two children : Louisa Barnes, and Bayard A., whose name heads this sketch.
R EV. ROBERT II. HOOD, a popular citizen and the present efficient burgess of Darby, is a member of the manufacturing firm of Hood & Townsend, whose plants are in Philadelphia, this State, and Manchester, Connecticut. He is a son of Robert and Isa- bella (Horseman) Hood, and was born at New Castle, in Northumberland county, England, May 1, 1857. His paternal grandfather, John Hood, was a coal operator, and reared a family of four sons and four daughters : John, Andrew, James, Robert, Elizabeth, Jane, Margaret and Dinah. Robert Hood (father) was a machin- ist by trade, and served for many years as fore-
man in the chemical works at New Castle, where he was a member of the Presbyterian church, moved to Leeds, and died there in 1875, at fifty-two years of age. He was mar- ried three times. By his first wife he had three daughters : Mary A., Elizabeth and Jane. For his second wife he wedded Isabella Horse- man, daughter of Henry Horseman, an officer in the British army. To Robert and Isabella Hood were born three children, two sons and one daughter : John, Robert H. and Dinah Stenson.
Robert H. Hood, at an early age, entered a machine shop in Leeds, to learn the trade of machinist, and such was his rapid progress that at sixteen years of age he was placed on journey work, and three years later was pro- nounced a most skillful workman. In 1879 he came to this country with his newly wedded wife, and went to work at his trade in Provi- dence, Rhode Island, where he only remained five months. At the end of that time he re- moved to Philadelphia, and soon thereafter
OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
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settled at Darby, where he has resided con- tinuously ever since. He followed journey work after coming to Darby, up to 1885, when he formed a co-partnership with Thomas Townsend, under the firm name of Hood & Townsend, for the manufacture of machine wool combs. They established their works at 1, 422 1, 426 Callow Hill street, Philadelphia, and soon acquired a trade of such proportions that they had to increase their force, which now numbers twelve men. As their work was introduced in the New England States, the orders increased so in number and size that the works were unable to fill them and not neglect their Middle State trade, and so in 1891, to accommodate the one section and not slight the other, the firm established branch shops at Manchester, Connecticut. over which Mr. Townsend exercises personal supervision. The firm of Ilood & Townsend use nothing but first class material, and give close personal supervision to all work done in their shops. By a thorough practical knowledge of his bus- iness, and by enterprise and capacity, Mr. Hood has built up a very large and substantial trade.
Robert H. Hood is a republican in politics, and is now serving on his second term as bur- gess of Darby. He is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, in which he has served successfully for nine years as a local minister. Since eighteen years of age he has taken an active part in religious affairs. Not alone to the church, but to the Sunday school, has much of his time been given, serving as Sunday school superintendent for two years at Darby. He is a member of John Bright Lodge, No 10, Sons of St. George, of which he has served as commander and as a dele- gate to the higher State and National branches of that order. Mr. Hood is a man of fine personal appearance, intelligent and active, and respected and popular wherever he is known.
On October 12, 1878, Robert H. Hood wedded Sarah Ann Gill, of Broadford, York-
shire, England. To their union have been born five children : Isabella, Joseph ( deceased). Mary Agnes. Elizabeth and Frank Gill.
GASOWAY O. YARNELL, a veteran of the civil war, who served for three years as treasurer of Delaware county, and has since been prominently connected with Yarnell's cotton mills, of South Chester, is a son of Captain Norris L. and Hannah (Cor- nog) Yarnell, and was born in Aston town- ship, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, Feb- ruary 6, 1842. The Yarnells are of Welsh origin, and the family was founded in America by three brothers of that name, who came over from Wales while Pennsylvania was yet under the control of William Penn, and set- tled in that part of Chester county which is now embraced within the boundaries of Dela- ware county. In this county Job Yarnell, pa- ternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born and reared, and here lie spent his life, engaged in agricultural pursuits, dying at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. He married, and had a family of children, one of his sons being Norris L. Yarnell (father ), who was born and reared in this county, and now resides in South Chester, in the eighty- first year of his age, having been a resident of this borough since 1863. In 1865 he em- barked in the manufacture of cotton jeans here, and has successfully conducted that in- dustry to the present time. For half a cen- tury he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and for many years a prominent local preacher of that denomina- tion. In politics he has been a stanch repub- lican since the first organization of that party in Delaware county, and in 1860 was elected as sheriff of the county. Before his term ex- pired he resigned and enlisted in the army, being elected captain of Co. D, 124th Penn- sylvania infantry, which he commanded for nine months. He afterward served for some time as lieutenant-colonel of the 27th regiment
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