USA > Pennsylvania > Chester County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsylvania : comprising a historical sketch of the county, by Samuel T. Wiley, together with more than five hundred biographical sketches of the prominent men and leading citizens of the county > Part 100
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great demand, and Mr. Funk is one of the many farmers of Schuylkill township who help to keep up this demand, by the purity and excellence of the products which they daily ship to the Quaker city. Mr. Funk is a republican in politics, and while never neglecting the support of his party, yet gives his time principally to business affairs.
The Funks of Chester county are descen- dants of Elijah Funk, who came from Ger- many about 1750. He purchased the farm on which the subject of this sketch now re- sides, and built for his first house a small, round-log cabin, which is still standing. He afterward erected good buildings, and in 1797 built the present large stone barn that is on the property. ITis son, Benjamin Funk (grandfather), was a native and life-long resident of Schuylkill township, where he was a farmer by occupation. Benjamin Funk was born in 1781. He purchased the home farm, was a well-to-do man for his day, mar- ried and reared a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters : Eliza, Joseph, John, Jacob, William, George, Margaret Entriken, and Mary Jenkinson. Joseph Funk (father), the eldest son, was born in 1816, and learned the trade of saddler, which he followed but a short time. He then turned his attention to farming, purchased the old homestead, and became one of the most successful and wealthy farmers of Schuylkill township. He was a republican in polities, and died December 10, 1878. Hle was twice married, first to Elizabeth Davis, and after her death he wedded Caroline Rhodes, who is still living. By his first marriage he had five children, four sons and one daughter : Mary, wife of Elwood Fisher, of Charlestown village; William, who died in childhood : John, Thomas D., the subject of this sketch, and one other.
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
THOMAS DOWNING, one of the pro-
gressive and prosperous farmers of Uwchlan township, who is well known for his success in agriculture and the prominent part he takes in political affairs, is the sec- ond son of William S. and Tamison (Mason) Downing, and was born at Lionville, Uwch- lan township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, January 20, 1830. His paternal great-grand- father, Joseph Downing, was a life-long resident of Chester valley, where he died. Hon. Thomas Downing (grandfather) was born in the Chester valley, West Caln town- ship, about 1757, and lived there until 1761, when he removed with his parents to what is now Lionville, Uwchlan township, where he continued to reside until his death in 1827, at the advanced age of seventy years. He was to some extent a farmer by occu- pation, but for a number of years was en- gaged in merchandising at Lionville. Po- litically he was an old-line whig, very promi- nent in the politics of his day, and was elected and served as a member of the legis- lature from Chester county. He was also a justice of the peace for many years, and came to be regarded as the legal adviser of his neighborhood. In religion he was a member of the Society of Friends, and prom- inent in the affairs of that religions body. He married Sarah Smith, and was the father of eight children : George, Joseph, William, Thomas, Betsy, Tamison, Mary A. and Sarah Hoopes, all now deceased. William Downing (father) was born at Lionville in the initial year of the present century, and passed his entire life at that place, dying August 29, 1874, in his seventy-fourth year. After receiving such education as could be obtained in the schools of his neighborhood, he engaged in farming, and continued to make that his main business during life.
In politics and religion he followed the ex- ample of his honored father, and at the ad- vent of the Republican party in Pennsyl- vania became a firm supporter of that political organization. He united in mar- riage with Tamison Mason, a daughter of Isaac Mason, of Uweblan township, this county, and to them was born nine chil- dren, five sons and four daughters, only four of whom are now living: Henry, Thomas, the subject of this sketch ; Mary, and Sarah, the latter of whom became the wife of a Mr. Beitler.
Thomas Downing was reared on the old Downing homestead near Lionville, and re- ceived his education in the public schools of that village. He has always resided on the farm where he was born, and has de- voted his life to agricultural pursuits, in- cluding stock raising and marketing. His farm contains two hundred and five acres of valuable land, most of which is improved and in a fine state of cultivation. In his po- litical affiliations Mr. Downing has always been a republican, and takes an active part in the politics of Chester county. He never married.
E LLWOOD PATRICK, M.D., one of the well known and successful physi- cians of the city of West Chester, is a son of David B. and Christie Ann D. (Huston) Patrick and was born in Charlestown town- ship, Chester county, Pennsylvania, Novem- ber 4, 1856. His paternal grandfather, John Patrick, was born and reared to manhood in one of the rural districts of Scotland. Arriving at the age to do for himself in life, he followed the footsteps of many of his countrymen into the celebrated north of Ireland, where he continued to reside until about 1812, when he crossed the Atlantic
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
to settle in Charlestown township, this county. He was a farmer by occupation, and after coming to this country became a democrat in politics. He was reared in the Presbyterian faith of his Scottish forefathers, and was an ardent and useful member of the Presbyterian church, both in Ireland and in this country. He was a worthy rep- resentative of that sturdy, energetic, self- willed and God-fearing Scotch-Irish race so prominent in the early settlement of this country. His son, David B. Patrick (father), was born in 1817, in Charlestown township, this county, where he followed farming nutil a few years ago, when he retired from all active pursuits of life. He was an old-line whig in polities until that party went down under the weight of public opinion in 1852, and since then has supported the principles of the Republican party. Mr. Patrick is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and married Christie Ann D. Huston, by whom he had eleven children : Harrison and Granville (twins), of whom the former died in infancy, and the latter married Fran- cis Hurry and is a resident of Phoenixville; Mary, now dead ; John, married Alice March, and is a farmer of West Pikeland township; Lydia, wife of John Bearer; R. Jones, mar- ried a Miss King, and follows farming in Sonth Coventry township: Winfield, who died in infancy; Dr. Ellwood; Lizzie, wife of Rev. B. F. Davis, a minister of the Re- formed church; Ida, who died young; and Lottie E. Mrs. Patrick, who died in 1889, aged fifty-two years, was a daughter of Rob- ert Huston, who spent sixty years of his life in Charlestown township.
Ellwood Patrick was reared in Chester county, and received his education in the common schools and a college of Montgom- ery county, which latter institution he at-
tended for nearly three years. Leaving college he taught school for one term, and then determined upon the study of medicine. He read with Dr. Howard Evans, then of Charlestown, but now of Philadelphia, and entered the university of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated March 14, 1880. Immediately after graduation he went to West Whiteland, where he practiced until the winter of 1884, during which he came to West Chester. Two years later, in Feb- ruary, 1886, he accepted the position of medical examiner of the Pennsylvania Rail- road Relief association, with headquarters in Pittsburg, but only served until June of that year, when he resigned to resume his practice at West Chester, which has steadily increased ever since.
On March 24, 1887, Dr. Patrick was united in marriage with Emma P. Shoe- maker, daughter of Kersey Shoemaker, of this county, and their union has been blessed with one child, a son named Jesse K., who was born October 6, 1889.
Dr. Patrick is a republican in polities and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has always been active in the interests of his party, is now serving as a member of the city school board, and has frequently been elected as a delegate to republican connty and State conventions. He is a member of West Chester Lodge, No. 42, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In his profession Dr. Patrick has always been pro- gressive, and takes an interest in all the efforts made to advance the science and practice of medicine. He is a member of the West Chester Medical society, the Clies- ter County Medieal society, and the Penn- sylvania State Medical society. In the snul- mer of 1891 he visited Europe, and made a tour through England, Ireland and France.
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
He spent some time in London, Dublin and Paris, whose hospitals he went through and carefully inspected, and then visited many places of scenic beauty and historic interest in southern France, the Emerald Isle and castern England.
JOSEPH H. BALDWIN, one of the young and rising members of the Ches- ter county bar, is a son of John E. and Mary G. (Hoopes) Baldwin, and was born in West Bradford township, Chester county, Penn- sylvania, November 13, 1862. The name of Baldwin is to be traced back in Chester county to 1689, when John Baldwin, a re- mote ancestor of the subject of this sketch, was a merchant of Chester. He was an early settler of Aston township, Delaware county, removed to Chester county, where he acquired a considerable estate, and mar- ried April 4, 1689, Catharine Turner, a widow, by whom he had two children, Ruth and John. John was born April 10, 1697, was a saddler, married Hannah Johnson April 11, 1719, and died in 1728, leaving two sons. One of these sons was Jolin Baldwin, who was born at Chester, Decem- ber 22, 1719, married September 9, 1739, to Ann Peirce, a danghter of Caleb and Ann Peirce, of Thornbury, and died in 1788, in East Caln township, on land purchased by his grandfather in 1702. He was a tin- plate worker, and left four children : Mary, John, Caleb and Ann. Caleb, the third child, was born in 1749, married on Decem- ber 24, 1774, to Charity Cope, a daughter of Samuel and Deborah Cope, of East Brad- ford, and died February 11, 1826, leaving four children : Deborah, John, Samuel and Jonathan C., the latter of whom was born in East Caln township, near Downingtown,
January 30, 1792. He was an extensive farmer and raised a large number of horses for the eastern markets. He was much in- terested in horticulture, and served for some time as president of the Chester County Horticultural society. He died October 20, 1874, aged eighty-two years. He married Mary Ann Jacobs, a preacher of the Society of Friends, who was a daughter of Richard and Lydia (Gibbons) Jacobs, of East Brad- ford. Their children were: John Erskine, Hannah, Caleb, Deborah, Caroline Cope, Lydia J., Richard A., James H., Charity, Susan P., Jonathan C., Rebecca S. Conard, Henry C. and Mary Ann. John Erskine Baldwin (father), was born in 1823, in East Caln township, where he resided until his marriage, when he removed to West Brad- ford, where he died iu 1890, at sixty-seven years of age. He wasa very wealthy farmer, owning two hundred acres of choice land on Brandywine creek, was a whig and repub- lican in politics, took an active part in local affairs, and held several township offices. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and married Mary G. Hoopes, a daughter of William Hoopes, and who was born in East Goshen township. They reared a family of nine children, of whom seven are living: IIannah, wife of George A. Hoffinan, a farmer of West Whiteland township; John Erskine, jr., residing on the home farm ; Phœbe, married to Byard Conard, a mer- chant of Upland, Delaware county ; Henry C., in the mercantile business at Chadd's Ford; Joseph H .; Elizabeth, wife of George H. Fester, of Downingtown ; and Emma L., who married Jacob Kendig, an extensive lumber dealer of Muscatine, Iowa.
Joseph H. Baldwin grew to manhood in his native township, and after attending the public schools and Professor Worral's acad-
839
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
emy, entered West Chester State Normal school, from which he was graduated in the class of 1883. After graduation he engaged in teaching, which he followed for three years. Ile read law with Thomas S. and William Barth, jr., was admitted to the bar in August, 1889, and since then has been ac- tively engaged at West Chester in the prac- tice of his chosen profession.
In politics Mr. Baldwin has always been a stanch republican, and is now serving his second term as chairman of the Republican county committee. Hle leaus toward the Society of Friends, of which so many of his ancestors were worthy and devoted mem- bers. Ile is a member of Pocahontas Lodge, No. 316, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of West Chester, and stands well at the bar, where he has won his way into a flattering and lucrative practice.
T THOMAS LANCASTER, an industri-
ous citizen and the proprietor of the Charlestown Flouring mills, is a son of Jo- seph C. and Lydia (Stanley) Lancaster, and was born in Bethel township, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, May 30, 1864. His paternal grandfather, James Lancaster, was a native of Brandywine Hundred, county of Delaware, but resided after early man- hood in Bethel township, Delaware county, on the farm which he purchased there, and which is now known as the Lancaster home- stead, as it has remained ever since in the possession of his lineal descendants. Hle was a tanner hy trade, and owned a large tannery in Wilmington, which he operated for thirty-five years. At the end of that time he engaged in butchering and market gardening, which he followed with more or less activity until his death in 1890, at an
advanced age. Ile was a democrat in pol- ities, married and had a family of thirteen children, of whom nine died within two weeks during an epedemie of dysentery. One of the four children who survived was Joseph Lancaster, the father of the subject of this sketch. Joseph Lancaster has always resided in his native township, where he has followed farming and butchering. Ile is a democrat in political opinion, and married Lydia Stanley. To their union were born five children, two sons and three daughters : Thomas, Lizzie, wife of William Hall, a blacksmith by trade, who owns and operates a large wheelwright and blacksmith shop at Greenville, in Delaware county ; Alfred B., who died in 1891, at twenty-one years of age ; Isabella, who died in infancy, and Jen- nic II.
Thomas Lancaster grew to manhood on the home farmi, received his education in the common schools of his native township and Charlestown graded school, and then learned the trade of miller, at which he worked for four years. At the end of that time he commenced business for himself, renting the Chester Valley mills, which he operated for one year. He then rented the Green Bank mill, which burned down a year later, after which he took charge of the Harrison Bernard mill, where he re- mained until 1890, when he purchased the Charlestown mills. Ilis mills are situated in a good grain producing section of the county, and turn out an excellent grade of flour. Thomas Lancaster married Lizzie F. Tholo, daughter of John H. and Hannah Tholo. Mr. Lancaster is a democrat, of the Jeffersonian school. He is well qualified for the business in which he is engaged, and has acquired an enviable reputation for the high grade of flour that he manufactures.
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840
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
H ENRY R. MILLER, one of the old and substantial citizens of East Cov- entry township, who has served as assessor and tax collector and is widely known, is the fourth child and third son of Henry and Hannah (Root) Miller, and was born Novem- ber 8, 1824, in West Vincent township, Chester county, Pennsylvania. He was reared principally in his native township, and received his education in the public schools of his neighborhood. Later he re- moved to West Coventry township, where he lived for a number of years, and then came to his present home in East Vincent, where he owns a fine farm containing fifty- one acres of choice land, all improved and in a good state of cultivation. He has de- voted his entire life to agricultural pursuits, and has met with a good degree of success, being now in independent circumstances. Politically Mr. Miller is a republican, and has been honored by his fellow citizens with election to the offices of assessor and tax collector of East Coventry township, the duties of which positions he has discharged faithfully and well. He is a member of the German Reformed church, in which he has served as elder.
On December 21, 1845, Mr: Miller was united in marriage with Elizabeth Longaker, a daughter of Jacob Longaker, of East Vin- cent township. To them was born six chil- dren, three sons and three daughters : Alvin W., a blacksmith of Spring City, who mar- ried Mary Urliss ; Mariah J., wedded John Grubb, of East Coventry township, where he is engaged in farming ; Irvin W., a mason by occupation, who married Zela Kirk and now resides in East Coventry ; Alice J., Phobe S. and William H., the three latter now living at home with their father. Mrs. Elizabeth Miller died June 30, 1888, in the
sixty-fifth year of her age, and greatly re- spected by a wide circle of friends and ac- quaintances.
The paternal great-grandfather of Henry R. Miller was a native of Germany who emi- grated to the United States and settled in Pikeland township, this county, at an early day. He was a farmer and owned three hundred acres of land. One of his sons was John Miller (grandfather), who was born in 1765, and lived in East Vincent township until his death in 1825, at the advanced age of sixty years. He also was a farmer by occupation, and became quite prosperous. In religious faith he was a Lutheran, and an ardent democrat politically. He was elected justice of the peace and served an extended term in that office, and was also captain of a company of State militia for a number of years. He was a man of sound judgment and even temper, and was fre- quently called on by his neighbors and ac- quaintances to act as arbitrator in the settle- ment of differences that grew up among them. In early life he married Catharine Christman, and was the father of five chil- dren, the eldest of whom was Henry, the father of the subject of this sketch. The others, all now deceased, were: Mary, who married a Mr. March ; John, Margaret, and Peter. Henry Miller (father) was born in West Vincent township, this county, in 1795, and died at his home in East Vincent in 1879, aged eighty-four. He spent his active years mainly in the cultivation of the soil, and was known as a progressive and successful farmer. In politics he was a stanch democrat, and served three or four terms as a school director in his township. Religiously he was a firm adherent of the Evangelical Lutheran church, and served for many years as' an elder and deacon. He
841 .
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
married Hannah Root, of this county, and they had a family of eleven children : Se- bastian, Catharine and Samuel, all three now deceased ; Henry R, whose name heads this sketch; Joshua, Perry, Jones, a farmer in the west; Davis, deceased; John and Sa- varia, living; and Margaret, dead.
W ILLIAM R. MANGER, a well-known
farmer residing near Pottstown, and a highly esteemed citizen of Chester county, is the only son of John and Sarah (Reif- snyder) Manger, and was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, June 2, 1852. At the age of seven years, his father having died, he came to Chester county, where he be- came a member of his uncle's family, and here he was principally reared. Ile received a good practical education in the public schools, and in 1867 entered the Pottstown Iron works, where he learned the trade of puddler, and followed that occupation for a period of ten years, after which he engaged in farming in North Coventry township. Ile now owns a fine farm of sixty-six acres at South Pottstown, that township, and has it all improved and in a good state of enlti- vation. Being a man of considerable abil- ity, great energy and good judgment, he has been quite successful in agricultural pur- suits and is in comfortable circumstances. In politics he is attached to the Democratic party, and while taking little active part in the heated contests that annually convulse the State, he is earnest in his support of the great principles of liberty and equality that form the basis of that political organ- ization, and ever ready to do what he can to secure its triumph at the polls. He is a member of the German Reformed church, as were many of his ancestors, and active in
support of the different interests of his de- nomination.
On January 17, 1878, Mr. Manger was united in marriage with Anna Filman, a daughter of Josiah Filman, of Pottstown, this county. To Mr. and Mrs. Manger have been born two children, both sons: Harry F. and Lee F.
Jacob Manger, paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he resided all his life, and where he died about 1860, at the advanced age of sixty-five years. He was a miller by trade, and was also engaged in farming during his later years. Politi- eally he was a demoerat, and supported that party all his life. He served as a soldier in the war of 1812, and was a life-long member of the German Reformed church. In early manhood he wedded Sarah Sands, and they reared a family of five children : Jacob, John, Mary, Catharine and one other. John Manger (father) was born on the old home- stead in Berks county, where he grew up and was educated in the public schools of his neighborhood. After leaving school he engaged in farming, and in early manhood was married to Sarah Reifsnyder, of Bucks county, by whom he had two children, one son, William R., and a daughter, Mary, who married Henry Manger, a farmer of Bueks county, where they now reside. John Man- ger was a democrat in political faith and a strict member of the German Reformed church. Ile continued to reside in Bueks county, engaged in farming until his death in 1859, at the early age of twenty-seven years.
p ETER WELLS, a successful farmer of Charlestown township, and a descend- ant of one of the oldest families of the State,
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
is a son of John and" Catherine (Young) Wells, and was born in Charlestown town- ship, Chester county, Pennsylvania, Noven- ber 28, 1830. He received his education in the common schools, and then learned the trade of carpenter, at which he never worked to any great extent. He has always fol- lowed farming, and upon the death of his father he came into possession of his pres- ent farm of ninety-two acres, which is a part of the old home place. He runs a dairy and operates a stone quarry, in connection with farming, and has been successful in all three lines of business. He is a republican in politics and a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church. Mr. Wells served as en- rolling officer during the late war, for Schuyl- kill and Charlestown townships. He is a member of the fraternal orders of the Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, and Free and Accepted Masons. He is also a Royal Arch Mason and a Knight Templar.
Peter Wells married Sallie Pennypacker, and to their union were born three children : Emma, Franklin, who died in infancy, and Millie A.
The Wells family is of Welsh descent. Its immigrant ancestor came with the Swedes in 1638, and his descendants settled in Charles- town township, where John Wells (father), was born and reared. The latter was a whig and Lutheran, and served as a justice of the peace for many years. He died in this county at an advanced age. He married Catherine Young, who is also deceased, and they had seven 'children : Peter (1), who died in infancy ; Ruth Beaver, Catherine, Lydia Beaver, Sarah, Dr. John, who mar- ried Agnes Ralston ; and Peter (2), the sub- ject of this sketch.
One of the sons of Dr. John Wells is Dr.
John R. Wells, who was born in Charles- town township, September 27, 1858. He received his education in the common schools and Ursinus college, read medicine with his father and entered the medical department of the university of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in the class of 1882. Immediately after graduation he commenced practicing with his father, Dr. John Wells, a man of fine education and a graduate of Pennsylvania Medical college, in the class of 1854, and who has practiced medicine successfully for thirty years in Charlestown township, where he is a leading republican and a prominent Presbyterian. Dr. John R. Wells is a republican in politics, and has served for several years as a member of the school board of his township. He has three brothers and one sister: Frank H., in the fertilizer business in Philadelphia; Harry L., James T., who is manager of his father's farm and is now serving as a member of the Republican county committee; and Agnes R. Dr. John R. Wells married Lizzie Hart- man, danghter of Granville Hartman. He has a fine practice, which extends through- out Charlestown and into adjoining town- ships.
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