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 31
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Mrs. Lydia (Urner) Brower, was born December 20, 1818, and died December 28,
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
1881, aged sixty-three years and eight days. She was descended from the old and historie Urner family of Canton Uri, Switzer- land, one of whose members, Ulrick Urner, went in 1672 to Alsace, France, from which his three sons, John, Bishop Martin, and Jacob, came to Philadelphia in 1708. Jacob Urner died in 1744, and his son, the second Bishop Martin Urner, was the father of Martin Urner, whose son, John, married Elizabeth Grubb, and was the father of Mrs. Lydia Brower, the mother of the subject of this sketch.
Isaae Urner Brower received his educa- tion in the common schools, Freeland semin- ary (now Ursinus college), and the Millers- ville State Normal school, and taught twelve ternis in the public schools of his own and adjoining counties. He was ordained as a minister of the Brethren's church in 1875. He has resided since 1867 on his present farm, near Parker Ford, of whose German Baptist or Brethren's church he has been one of the pastors for the past seventeen years. On January 2, 1868, Rev. Isaac Urner Brower married Mary A. Johnson. and this union has been blessed with one child, Charles J., born June 29, 1871. and who graduated from Spring City High school in the class of 1890, and is now (1892) reading medicine with his uncle, Dr. William Brower, having attended one course of lectures at Jefferson Medical college, from which institution he will graduate in class of 1894. Mrs. Mary A. Brower, daughter of Abraham and Eliza- beth (Weikel) Johnson, was born in Upper Providence. Montgomery county, Penn- sylvania, March 16, 1848.
Rev. Isaac U. Brower has served since 1875, as treasurer of East Coventry Union church and cemetery. In politics he is a
conservative republican, but takes no part in political affairs, giving his time to his farm and to his ministerial labors.
A LBERT WEEKS, M. D., a graduate of the Jefferson Medical college of Philadelphia, who has been in successful general practice at Phoenixville for more than ten years, is a son of Job and Hannah (Adams) Weeks, and was born in Burling- ton county, New Jersey, June 15, 1858. The paternal great-grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch was a native of England, but came to the United States one hundred and twenty years ago and settled in New Jersey, where he died at an advanced age. His son, Job Weeks (grandfather), was born in Burlington county, that State, and was a farmer all his life. He died on his farm there about 1862, in the sixtieth year of his age. In politics he was a whig and re- publican, and an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church for many years. He married and reared a large family, among them being Job Wecks (father), who is also a native of Burlington county, New Jersey, where he still resides. He owns a large farm, and was for many years an extensive contractor and builder, but is now practi- cally retired from active business, being in his seventy-second year. Politically he is an ardent republican, and has held nearly all the offices of his township. In religion he is a strict adherent of the Methodist Episcopal church, and has served as superin- tendent of the Sunday school for a number of years. In 1842 he married Hannah Adams, a native of Burlington county, New Jersey, by whom he had a family of eleven children. She is still living, being now in the seventy-second year of her age. She is
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a member of the same church as her husband, and greatly esteemed for her kindliness and splendid Christian character.
Dr. Albert Weeks was reared in Burling- ton county, New Jersey, and received a good English education in the excellent public schools of that State. After leaving school he entered a drug store in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he re- mained for two years as clerk and salesman. At the end of that time he began reading medicine with the eminent Dr. D. D. Rich- ardson, then of Philadelphia, but now superintendent of the State asylum for the insane at Wilmington, Delaware. Later he matriculated at Jefferson Medical college, Philadelphia, from which well known in- stitution he was graduated in the spring of . 1880, with the degree of M. D. After graduation he became first assistant phy- sician in the insane department of the Philadelphia hospital. and occupied that position two years. April 1, 1882, he re- moved to Phoenixville, this county, where he immediately opened an office, and has been continuously engaged in the practice of his profession ever since. His thorough knowledge of medicine and acquired skill in its administration have given him great success as a physician, and he has conse- quently built up a practice which is now quite large and correspondingly Incrative.
On August 2, 1882, Dr. Weeks was united in marriage with Mary Umstead, a daughter of Joseph and Sarah Umstead, of the city of Philadelphia. To the Dr. and Mrs. Weeks have been born two children, both daughters: Sarah Ione and Vivian.
In his political affiliations Dr. Weeks is republican, though taking no very active part in politics; and he is a strict member of the Methodist Episcopal church of
Phænixville, and also a member of Castle, No. 67, Knights of the Golden Eagle. Dr. Weeks' ability and standing in his pro- fession is acknowledged wherever he is known, and he is a prominent member of the Chester County Medical society, and of the Inter-County Medical society. In ad- dition to giving strict attention to the ardnous duties connected with his large private practice, he is also serving as official examiner for several leading life insurance companies doing business in Phoenixville.
T HOMAS D. DUNN, M. D., a promi- nent and active physician and surgeon of West Chester, and who has had ten years of successful practice in the hospitals of Philadelphia, and at the county seat of Chester county, is the son of Rev. Thomas H. and Diantha M. (Curtis) Dunn, and was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, January 30, 1855. The Dunns trace their trans-Atlantic ancestry to Scotland, from which country Philip Dunn, the paternal great-grandfather of Dr. Dunn, came to Pennsylvania during the last century and settled in New Jersey. In a short time he left that State to become one of the pioneer settlers of Crawford county, whose territory was then scarcely free from the incursion of the Indian tribes of what is now the State of Ohio. He took up a large tract of land and cleared out a good farm, on which he resided until his death. His son, Gideon Dunn (grandfather), was born in New Jer- sey, served in the land forces of the United States along the northern border during the war of 1812, and followved farming until his death in Crawford county, to which he had removed in early life with his father. He married Rachel Holton. the only white
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
woman who escaped in the Indian massaere at Sandusky, Ohio, and reared a family of two children : Rev. Thomas H. and Philip. Rev. Thomas H. Dunn ( father), was born on his father's Crawford county farm in 1826, received his education at Allgheny college of Meadville, Pennsylvania, and served for many years as a minister of the Seventh Day Baptist church. He was a man of influence in his neighborhood, and a republican in politics, and died August 29th, 1881, aged fifty-five years. He mar- ried Diantha M. Curtis, now resident of Meadville, Crawford county, who was a daughter of Miles Curtis, of New York, and was born in Crawford county in 1832. To them were born a family of four children, three sons and one daughter: Elizabeth R., Dr. Thomas D., Dr. Ira J., who was gradu- ated from the medical department of the university of Pennsylvania in 1891, and Arthur D., now seventeen years of age and at home.
Thomas D. Dunn attended the public schools and then entered the Northwestern State Normal school of Edinboro', Erie county, from which institution he was grad- uated in the class of 1875. Leaving the normal school he took a special course at Allegheny college, and having made choice of a professional career, became a medical student in the office of Dr. Jacob Price, of West Chester, whose sketch appears else- where in this volume. After completing the required course of reading he entered the medical department of the university of Pennsylvania, of Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in 1881. Immedi- ately after graduation he entered the U'ni- versity hospital as resident physician, where he served one year. After a term of six months at the Children's hospital, Philadel-
phia, he settled to the practice of his chosen profession in West Chester.
On the 28th of November, 1883, Dr. Dunn was united in marriage with Kate E. Cobb. daughter of T. B. Cobb, of Tionesta, For- est county. Their union has been blessed with one child, a daughter, named Rachel, who was born April 4, 1885.
Dr. Dunn is a republican in politics, but has never aspired to political preferment or sought office at the hands of his fellow- citizens. He is a member of the Philadel- phia Pathological society, the college of Physicians of Philadelphia, and of the Pennsylvania State Medical society.
H ENRY EPPEHIMER, a reliable husi- ness man, and vice-president of the Schuylkill Valley Stove Manufacturing Company, of Spring City, is a son of George and Eliza (Ortlip) Eppehimer, and was born at Lawrenceville, Chester county, Pennsyl- vania, June 11, 1835. His paternal great- grandfather, Eppehimer, was a native of Switzerland, and left his mountain home to settle in Montgomery county, where his son, Valentine Eppehimer (grandfather). was born and reared. Valentine Eppehimer learned the trade of blacksmith, which he followed in his native county until the con- struction of the Schuylkill Canal, when he was employed as tool dresser, and died from malaria caught while thus engaged. He married a Miss Yokum, by whom he had four children, three sons and one daughter : Mary, George, Jonas and John. George Eppehimer, the second son and father of the subject of this sketch, was born in 1809. in Potts Grove township, Montgomery county, and at fifteen years of age went to Philadelphia, where he learned the trade of
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tailor, which he followed until 1832. In that year he came to Lawrenceville, this county, and opened a tailoring establish- ment, which he conducted up to his death in October, 1879, when he was well ad- vanced in the seventy-first year of his age. He was a democrat in polities until 1856, when he identified himself with the Republi- can party, which he ever afterwards sup- ported. He married Eliza Ortlip, who died in May, 1875, aged fifty-nine years. To their union were born five sons and one daughter: Henry ; William, who was killed in a steamboat explosion on the Delaware river in 1854; Frank, who operated a stove foundry for some years, and is now engaged in general mercantile business at Royer's Ford; Mary, married Albert Hartman, and after his death wedded Andrew Anderson, who is now dead ; Howard P., who is in the employ of the Schuylkill Valley Stove Man- facturing Company of Spring City; and Addison, who is a merchant tailor of Royer's Ford, Montgomery county.
Henry Eppehimer was reared at Law- renceville, received his education in the common schools of Chester county, and learned the trade of molder, which he fol- lowed at various places until 1889. In that year he became a member of the Schuylkill Valley Stove Manufacturing Company, of which has served as vice-president ever since.
On May 1, 1858, Mr. Eppehimer married a Miss Schueck, daughter of Matthias Schueck, of Montgomery county. Mr. and Mrs. Eppehimer have eight children, four sons and four daughters: Alice, wife of Lewis Caldwell, of Philadelphia; Minerva, William K., Harry C., Edmund S., Stella, Maggie M., and George.
The Schuylkill Valley Stove Manufactur-
ing Company was organized in the spring of 1889, and purchased its present plant of a company which had erected it under the auspices of the Knights of Labor. The plant is in the southern part of the borough, and consists of a large four story ware- house, an engine and boiler house, a clean- ing room, a two story cupola house, and a molding room. The buildings are all of brick, and have been thoroughly equipped throughout with the best of machinery for the manufacture of stoves. The company employs a force of eighty-five skilled work- men, and the annual output of their works is valued at one hundred thousand dollars. The company has been remarkably success- ful, and has a steady demand for its stoves in nearly every State of the Union.
Henry Eppehimer is a republican in political sentiment, and has been a member for several years of Spring City Lodge, No. 553, Free and Accepted Masons. He is a skilled workman and a thorough-going business man. He is fully conversant with every detail and feature of his important industry, and ranks as a substantial and useful citizen of his borough.
F RANCIS A. THOMAS, a successful business man of West Chester, a Union soldier of the late civil war, and the present register of wills of Chester county, whose term of office will expire in 1895, is a son of David R. and Isabella ( Doyle ) Thomas, and was born at Jennersville, Chester coun- ty, Pennsylvania, May 24, 1841. His pater- nal grandfather, Dr. David Thomas, was born in Hilltown, Bucks county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1759, and after reaching manhood, he left in 1808 to settle in Lower Oxford township, this county, where he died in
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
1824, at sixty-five years of age. He was a physician, and served as a private in the American army during the last years of the revolutionary war, and in the war of 1812 served as surgeon. He was a democrat in politics and a consistent member of the Baptist church, in which he was a pillar of strength. He married Mary Jones, of Bucks county, in 1791, and reared a family of sons and daughters. Their son, David R. Thomas, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born at Hilltown, Bucks county, May 8, 1803, and came with his father to Twaddell, in Lower Ox- ford township, this county, where he learned the trade of tanner and leather currier, which he followed in Wilming- ton, Delaware, until a few years before his death. He was a democrat in politics until the slavery question became prominent in politics, when he identified himself with the republican party and supported its prin- ciples ever afterwards. He died February 20, 1873, aged seventy-one years. He was a strict member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and married Isabella Doyle, who was born in Philadelphia, October 28, 1808, and now resides with her son, R. Newton Thomas, of West Chester. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas had a family of eleven children : Mary Jane, born March 28, 1832, married Thomas Kennedy, and is now dead; Euphe- mia A., wife of John Edwards of Chester, Delaware county, born February 14, 1834; John W., born in June, 1835, and died in 1842; Margaret, born March 14, 1837, and now widow of Anthony Donnan, of Phila- delphia, where she now resides; Joseph L., born June 27, 1839, served three years in the Federal army during the late war, and afterward went to Missouri, where he died April 24, 1886; Francis A .; R. Newton
(see his sketch); L. Fletcher, born Decem- ber 6, 1844, who served during the late war in the 124th Pennsylvania infantry. 43d regiment emergency men, and the 192d Pennsylvania infantry. and after the war went to Philadelphia, where he was en- gaged in the hide and tallow business until his death in 1890; Charles W., born Janu- ary 3, 1847, a member of the firm of Clark, Thomas & Co., manufacturers and dealers in furniture at Twenty-third and Passyunk streets, Philadelphia ; Taey M., born June 28, 1849, and married Lewis Lenderman, of Wilmington, Delaware ; and James M., who was born July 16, 1852, and is engaged in the wholesale butcher business at Wilming- ton, Delaware.
Francis A. Thomas was reared in Chester county, received his education in the com- mon schools of his native township, and learned the trade of wheelwright, which he followed until the commencement of the late civil war, when, on September 1. 1861, he enlisted in Purnell's Legion of Maryland volunteers. He participated in many of the hard battles of the Army of the Potomac, received a flesh wound in the face at Cold Ilarbor, and was wounded in the left arm at the Weldon railroad fight. He was hon- orably discharged from the Federal service on October 28, 1864, at Baltimore, Maryland, and returned to Chester county, where he was engaged in farming until 1871, when he again engaged at his trade, but was com- pelled to quit it on account of impaired health. He then accepted a position with his brother, R. Newton, who was engaged in the flour, feed, coal and grain business in West Chester, and remained with him until January 1, 1891, when he entered upon the duties of his office as register, to which he lind been elected on the republican
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ticket at the preceding November election of 1890.
On January 3, 1866, Mr. Thomas married Grace Squire, daughter of William Squire, of Hopewell borough, Chester county, Penn- sylvania, and to their union have been born two children : William S. and David R.
Francis A. Thomas is a stanch and active republican in politics. He is a member of West Chester Lodge, No. 322, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and West Chester Castle, No. 226, Knights of the Golden Eagle. Mr. Thomas has discharged well all of the many duties of his present responsible posi- tion, and is an honorable and respected citi- zen of West Chester, ever doing all in his power for the business interests and the prosperity of his city and county.
He is past post commander of Post 31, Grand Army of the Republic, West Chester ; member of Minqua Tribe, No. 8, Improved Order of Red Men, Wilmington, Delaware; and past-chancellor commander of Oriental Lodge, No. 13, Knights of Pythias, Wilming- ton, Delaware, and member of Veteran Le- gion, No. 2, Philadelphia.
C EORGE G. MYER, now serving his
fifth year as justice of the peace at Coatesville, is one of our veteran soldiers who saw active service during the entire progress of the civil war. He was among those who "went out first and came in last." He is a prominent Mason and an intelligent, useful and highly respected citizen. Squire Myer is a son of John and Catharine ( Bream) Myer, and was born in the city of New York, June 8, 1839. John Myer (father) was a native of Baden, Germany, but left the Fatherland in early life to seek a home in the new world. Upon his arrival in America
he settled in New York city and remained there nntil 1850, when he removed to Lan- caster city, Pennsylvania. He lived in Lan- caster, where he was engaged in the shoe business, until June, 1877, when he went to Missouri, where he remained for twelve years, and where he died in his sixty-seventh year. In politics he was a democrat, and in religious faith a follower of Martin Luther, being a member of the Evangelical Luth- eran church for many years previous to his death. His wife, Catharine Bream, was also a native of Germany and a member of the Lutheran church. She died at Lancaster in 1878, aged sixty-four years. One of their sons, Gustavus, now resides in Lancaster city, this State, and their only surviving daughter, Josephine, is also a resident of that city.
George G. Myer was reared in the city of New York until his eleventh year, when he came with his parents to Lancaster city, this State. He received a good English education in the common schools, and after leaving school was associated with his father in the shoe business at Lancaster until 1861. Early in that year, April, 1861, he volun- teered as a musician in the 1st Pennsylvania infantry, and on the expiration of his term of service re-enlisted for nine months in Co. A, 122d Pennsylvania infantry, as cor- poral, and afterward in Co. F, 9th Pennsyl- vania cavalry. He was wounded at the battle of Chancellorsville, was with General Sherman on his famous march to the sea. and served until the Confederacy collapsed and the great civil war had gone into his- tory. Returning to his home in Pennsyl- vania with shattered health, he rested for a time and then learned the barber's trade and engaged in that occupation at Lancaster until 1868, when he removed to Coatesville,
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
Chester county, where he has resided ever since, conducting a large barber shop with gratifying success and a constantly increas- ing business.
In political sentiment Squire Myer is a' democrat, but broad and liberal in his views and popular beyond his party. Although the borough is largely republican, he has been elected and served one term as chief burgess of Coatesville, three terms as coun- cilman, school director for three years, and is now serving his fifth year as justice of the peace. He is the first democrat ever elected to all these offices, and the simple statement of this fact is a most eloquent testimonial to the character and high standing of Squire Myer in the community where he has so long resided.
On December 26, 1859, Mr. Myer was married to Anna Cochran, a daughter of Oliver Cochran, of Marietta, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania.
In the Masonie circles of Chester county Squire Myer is well known, being past- master of Goddard Lodge, No. 383, Free and Accepted Masons; Coatesville Chapter, No. 207, Royal Arch Masons; and eminent commander of Centennial Commandery, No. 55, Knights Templar. He is also a member of Onondaga Tribe, No. 83, Im- proved Order of Red Men, and of Brandy- wine Post, No. 54, Grand Army of the Republic.
PERCE ERCY C. HOSKINS, M. D., of West
Chester, who has achieved an enviable reputation in his profession and is an active member of the Pennsylvania State Medical society, is a son of Dr. John R. and Hannah (Cheever) Hoskins, and was born in East Goshen township, Chester county, Pennsyl- vania, December 17, 1852. Interest always
attaches to those who have been the found- ers of well known and substantial families in any State or county, and the Hoskins family which was planted in eastern Penn- sylvania during the last century, is of Welsh descent. The first of the name in the State was the great-grandfather of Dr. Hoskins, and who married and reared a family. One of his grandsons, Dr. John R. Hoskins, was born in 1820, at Village Green, then known as Seven Stars, in Delaware county. In early life he shipped on board a trading vessel commanded by Captain Cheyney of his native county, and made a voyage to the Isle of France and the city of Calcutta, the metropolis of British India. After leaving the ocean he read medicine and entered Jefferson Medical college, from which he was graduated in the class of 1844. Im- mediately upon graduation he opened an office at Sugartown, but soon removed to East Goshen, where he remained until 1877, when he came to West Chester, in which city he died on March 4, 1884, at sixty-four years of age. He was a member of the Protestant Episcopal church, and a Jeffer- sonian democrat in politics, and married Hannah Cheever, who was born in 1832, and is still living. Dr. and Mrs. Hoskins were the parents of two children, a son and a daughter : Sarah P., wife of sheriff James G. Parker, whose sketch appears in this vol- ume; and Dr. Percy C., the subject of this sketch.
Percy C. Hoskins was reared in East Goshen township, received his education in West Chester academy and West Chester State Normal school, and then determined upon medicine as a life vocation. He read with his father and upon completing the re- quired course entered Jefferson Medical college of Philadelphia, from which time-
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
honored institution he was graduated witlı high standing in his class on March 13, 1875. After graduation he opened an office in East Goshen township, where he soon had an extensive practice, which he relinquished in 1883, to remove to West Chester. He has steadily built up a very fine practice at the county seat, and is regarded as one of the most successful physicians of the bor- ough.
On October 16, 1877, Dr. Hoskins mar- ried Stella M. Locke, daughter of Thomas M. Locke, of Philadelphia, and to their union have been born five children, three sons and two daughters : Emily L., John R., Thomas L., Percy C., jr., who died August 17, 1887; and Phyllis C.
Dr. Hoskins is a democrat in politics, and a member and vestryman of Holy Trinity Prot- estant Episcopal church of West Chester. He is a member of Tamenend Tribe, No. 197, Independent Order of Red Men, and West Chester Lodge, No. 42, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and a member and past master of Thompson Lodge, No. 340, Free and Accepted Masons, of Duffryn Mawr. Dr. Hoskins is a member of the West Ches- ter Medical society, secretary of the Chester County Medical association, and has heid membership for several years in the Penn- sylvania State Medical society. During President Cleveland's administration he served as a member of the board of pension examiners for Chester county. Dr. Percy C. Hoskins is an affable gentleman, and a highly respected citizen of his city and county, and ranks as an able and skillful physician in a section of the "Keystone" State, where merit only commands prom- inence ; was division surgeon under General Dobson of the tenth division of National Guards of Pennsylvania, which figured in
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